related to the Persons that he comes to reconcile A Mediator must be a middle Person that must not be related more to one Person than to another that he comes between but there must be an equal proximity or nearness in him unto the parties that he comes to mediate for or to make peace between Now Jesus Christ was such a Person in whom there was an equal proximity or nearness to both parties that he had to do with for he was both God and Man as he was true Man he stood in a nearness unto man and as he was true God so he stood in a nearness unto the Father that he had to do for he was by the Divine Nature as near unto the Father as by the Humane Nature he was near unto man and he was as near unto man by his Humane Nature as he was unto the Father by his Divine Nature so as he is equally stated between and related unto the persons that he came to reconcile Secondly A Mediator must be impartial and faithful indifferent in and about the interest of the parties that he hath to do for Jesus Christ being made God-man was not only in a nearness to man and to the Father but he was thereby unbiassed and carried out upon equal terms impartially to manage the Concerns of the Interest of both Parties he was both God and man and was not only as so in a nearness to both Parties but he was equally concerned honourably to manage the Interest of both Parties that he came between and had to do for and was engaged in this nearness that he stood in unto both he was engaged thereby equally to manage the Concerns of both Parties being God he was engaged in point of honour to give satisfaction to his Father and being Man he was engaged in point of faithfulness to work out the whole business and concern of our Salvation and to make peace for Sinners he was faithfully indifferent and equally concerned in the Interest of both Parties having the Divine Nature and the Humane united together in one Person both Natures do constrain him to have an equal and right aspect into both Interests if he should look more unto God's side than unto man's side the Humane Nature would speak and if he should look more unto man than unto God the Divine Nature would speak he had both Natures and therein was unbiassed and carried out with an impartial spirit to manage the Concerns of both Interests and to bring them into one and it was requisite that Jesus that was to be a Mediator should be thus constituted for indeed had he undertook the work and had not been thus constituted it would not probably have been so impartially managed neither could Jesus Christ have been compleat for the work of his Mediation but under this constitution for if he had been God only then he had been too high for the work for he must make satisfaction he must suffer and die for Sinners he must be made sin for Sinners and be substituted in the room of sinners Now God absolutely considered cannot be thus And if he had been man only he had been too low for the work for there could not have been that dignity in his sufferings as to give a value and worth to all his layings out and layings down for us He must therefore be God-man and as so he was neither too high nor too low but equally stated between both and so compleated for the work and thus was Jesus Christ constituted and thus do the Scriptures set him forth to us as Mediator Joh. 1.14 The Word that is the Second Person was made flesh there is Jesus becoming Immanuel God with us and 1 Tim. 3.16 God was manifest in the flesh c. and Luk. 1.31 32. And behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb and bring forth a Son and shalt call his name Jesus And Rom. 1.3 4. Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh and declared to be the Son of God with power c. So as you see he was constituted God-man The Word was made flesh Now being thus constituted God-man he had his nearness to God the Father and his nearness to the Sons of men for whom he came and appeared in the flesh You may see his nearness unto the Father Zech. 13.7 Awake O Sword against my Shepherd and against the man that is my fellow saith the Lord of Hosts So as Jesus Christ he is and he was the fellow and the companion of the Lord of Hosts So Phil. 2.6 Who being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God c. Here you see he hath his nearness to the Father and also his nearness to the Sons of men for whom he appeared in the Flesh Heb. 2.14 For as much then as the Children are partakers of flesh blood he also himself likewise took part of the same c. and in Isaiah 9.6 For unto us a Child is born unto us a Son is given c. and Luke 1.35 The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the highest shall overshadow thee therefore also that holy thing that shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God he thought it no robbery to be equal with God there was his nearness to the Father and he was born of the Virgin and so clothed with our flesh and therein he was near a kin unto man and hence is he called Immanuel that is God with us now as thus constituted did he undertake the work of his mediation for thus he suffered and thus he satisfied his sufferings hereby came to be satisfactory as he was God he died as man and he overcame death and arose again from the Grave by the power of his God-Head Quest But you will say this indeed is a great mystery worthy of all admiration that the Eternal Son of God should become man that he should be God and Man that there should be a union of the two natures in one Person but what is this to us as a standing constant ground of rejoycing to us in all saddening sinking providences whatsoever Ans I answer much every way and this would be clear to you should I enter upon and open to you the glory of his Person as thus constituted The glorious excellencies of Heaven that are shining in both natures or upon his Person under its constitution in the union of both natures and there may be a greater matter of rejoycing to our Souls in the exercise of faith in our contemplating upon his personal glories It may be a matter of greater rejoycing to our Souls than ever there was satisfaction to the heart and mind upon any object whatsoever it did behold with a bodily eye but I shall not go that way nor enter upon such a prolix discourse but shall only give you some particulars wherein there is a standing ground
of rejoycing for us in Christ Jesus upon this his personal constitution as God-man to be a Mediator for us and here First We have dignity Secondly Tranquillity Thirdly Sanctity Fourthly Stability And Fifthly Familiarity given to us or brought in upon us 1. Hereby is the nature of man raised unto unspeakable honour and glory in that Jesus Christ the Second Person hath assumed our nature and taken it into union with his own divine nature in his Person therein does he now reign upon the Throne in Heaven at the right hand of God herein is the nature of man most unspeakably advanced and dignifyed The nature of man was very low before Man was made of the earth of a little red earth man was before but a contemptible Creature but now what honour is put upon it that Jesus Christ hath taken our nature and united it unto the Divine nature that nature that was despised before is now honoured honourable and worthy It hath glory and dignity from the Lord Jesus put upon it saies the Apostle 1 Cor. 15.43 44. The body of man or the nature of man it is both born and it dies in dishonour ay but it is raised in glory The body of Man is a corruptible body 't is a dying body It hath a sentence of death that hangs over it as soon as ever it hath a being but now though it be sown in dishonour yet it shall be raised in glory there is glory that waits upon the body of man or upon mans whole nature Phil. 3.21 Who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like to his own glorious body c. So as there is unspeakable honour that is given unto our nature in that Christ Jesus hath taken it so near unto himself and advanced it upon the Fathers Throne in Heaven we are here under the contempt and disgrace of men but it matters not Christians they cannot take away your glory The glory of your nature is not laid in the breath of men but it is founded here in Christ Jesus's assumption of our nature and uniting it to the divine nature and if indeed the enemies of the Lords people could take our nature from Christ Jesus then they might take away our glory and our honour but he hath inseparably and everlastingly united our nature unto his divine nature therefore our honour is such as can never be taken away it is counted a great honour for an Ambassadour to be sent forth in the name of some great Prince to personate him in another Country but my friends what is it for Jesus Christ to assume our nature and to personate man before his Father in Heaven this is a greater honour that is put upon us than if God had made man the Lord of all the Angels in Heaven therefore let this satisfy you under all the reproaches and contempts that you meet withall here in the world by one and another though despised and though contemned here and there by a few yet your honour in the Lord that abides 2. In and upon the appearance of Jesus Christ as Mediator for us there is a full firm and lasting peace made between God and us Jesus Christ he came as a Mediator between two to reconcile both and make them one and this he hath done by the blood of his Cross Col. 1.20 and 21. Jesus hath reconciled God and Man together he hath taken away the wrath that the law of God had to denounce against man he hath slain the enmity of our natures he hath brought these two enemies together and made them one in his own mediatory hand so as now you may look unto God and be at peace with him you may see Heaven and all the powers of Heaven reconciled to you Rom. 5.1 Therefore being justified by saith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ and not only so v. 11. But we also Joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have received the attonement here is the blessing mentioned in the Text I will rejoice in the Lord I will Joy in the God of my Salvation but how must I consider him why consider this Lord as Mediator making peace through the blood of his Cross and then Christians you may Joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ because it is by him that you have received the attonement Jesus Christ hath satisfied and reconciled God to you he hath appeased God he hath brought over the heart of God to the sinner that now he may take comfort and encouragement in him and go to him as to a Father in Christ Jesus Eph. 2.13 14. But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were afar off are made nigh by the blood of Christ for he is our peace who hath made both one c. Is not this a matter of rejoycing for you that now you may go unto God as your God you may look up to God and see him reconciled to you and see all the properties of his nature looking towards you in a friendly way that you may see God over-ruling all providences dispensations for your interest and advantage you may go and comfort your selves in your God you may encourage your selves in him you may go and rejoice in the Lord as your God through the blood of the Cross of Jesus your Mediator 3. Hereby are our corrupt natures sanctified and made holy unto God Jesus Christ becoming man he has consecrated unto the Lord that part of humane nature that he came of and did belong to he hath taken off our nature and he hath offered it up unto the Lord and so consecrated the whole lump that it was taken out of this was typed out of old by the first fruits that did consecrate the rest Levit. 2.1 Or of the Meat-offering here you see was a part taken and offered up unto the Lord and the whole was hereby consecrated Now Jesus Christ he comes of that part of the world that was the Elect and the chosen of God he did not come in General of all mankind though in a general way God hath said that all Nations are of one blood yet Jesus Christ did not come so promiscuously and in the general but he came of that particular part of man that the Lord had chosen and set apart for himself and that is the Elect of the world and as for Reprobates he came not of them he was not of that rank and number as you may see John 17.16 They are not of the world even as I am not of the world and v. 19. For their sakes sanctify I my self that they also might be sanctified through the truth For their sakes that is for those that were the Chosen of God and given to Jesus Christ by the Father as v. 6. I have manifested thy name unto the men that thou gavest me out of the world for their sakes I sanctify my self he takes our nature and offers it to God and consecrates
thy friend is not this a brother born for adversity look amongst all thy friends upon earth hast thou such a one look into Heaven are any of the Angels able to do for thee as Jesus can Who is there in Heaven or Earth that thy Soul can desire in comparison with Jesus he is glorious in his person and he is gracious in his nature 3. Jesus is the exhibiter revealer and unfolder of all the fulness of the blessed and glorious Attributes of God in a salvation way God is thy God in and through Jesus Christ and not otherwise God absolutely in himself dwells in light unaccessable and is a consuming fire we cannot make an approach to God as he is absolutely considered and live but now in and through Jesus Christ God he is a God that may be spoken withal and all his attributes and the properties of his nature are savingly enjoyable There is a great deal of the glory of God that was discovered in the works of Creation there was the glory of his wisdom and the glory of his power of his goodness and of his soveraignty these were discovered in the works of Creation but as so exhibited they afre not saving neither do they afford soul-saving relief to us absolutely considered in that primary exhibition that was made of them in the works of Creation but now in and through Jesus Christ there all the attributes of God they are saving all the attributes of God they are comfortable and refreshing Adam when he was out of Christ could not think of God but it was a terrour to him therefore as soon as ever he had sinned fear entered into his Spirit and he hid himself why saies the Lord to Adam what is the matter O! saies he I was afraid and I hid my self Why so O to consider the greatness of God and the wisdom of God that was discovered in the Creation and the power of God that was discovered in the Creation and the soveraignty and dominion of God that was discovered in the Creation and to think that he had no interest in this God that he had provoked and grieved him this was a terrour to him and saies Adam Lord I was afraid and I hid my self ay and all the attributes of God are enough to strike terrour into the Soul that hath no interest in Jesus considered out of Jesus and they are not relieving But now in and through Jesus all Gods attributes they are reconciled to and engaged for the believer and he may see that which may comfort him and that which may satisfy him 1 Cor. 1.24 But unto them which are called both Jews and Greeks Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God as if he had said all the power of God that is saving it is in and through Christ Jesus and all the wisdom of God that is saving is in and through Christ Jesus therefore in him it is said are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge Col. 2.3 Now do but consider the attributes of God apart and you will find that they are no way relieving out of Christ but in Christ they are full of Grace and they are all exhibited and revealed through him as saving 1. As to the Justice of God Why the justice of God out of Christ it is terrible to consider that God is a most exact severe righteous God that will give every one their due and will mete out a portion to every one according to his desert This is most terrible to consider God out of Christ what may we expect but as Ps 11.6 Vpon the wicked he shall rain snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest this shall be the portion of their cup This will be the portion of all those that God hath to do withal out of Christ But now in Christ Jesus this attribute is attoned and all that wrath and that justice and that vengeance had to execute is poured out upon Christ Jesus justice dealt with the Lord Jesus in its utmost severity and received satisfaction in him and from him so as now saies the Apostle in 1 John 1.9 If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins c. and so Rom. 3.26 To declare I say at this time his righteousness that he might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus Why justice hath nothing to say against thee but it speaks all for thee because God is a righteous God therefore he will love thee and therefore he will bless thee with all blessings because he hath received full satisfaction from Jesus Christ thy surety 2. Consider secondly the power of God out of Christ and it is enough to fill thy heart with terrour Ezek. 26.14 Can thy heart endure or can thy hands be strong in the day that I shall deal with thee saith the Lord c. Hast thou a strength to grapple with me or canst thou set thy foot against me no verily what are all the nations of the earth they are less then a crawling worm before the foot of the great God thou canst not stand before it But now in Christ Jesus this Attribute is attoned too and the mighty power of God is engaged to carry on and to mannage a salvation design in thee Therefore saies the Apostle Eph. 1.19 That ye may know what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe according to the working of his mighty power So as let the power of God be never so great it is a power engaged for thee to manage and carry on salvation work in thee whatever be the opposings that it meet with either from thy own heart or from others Thirdly If you consider the Attribute of God's Wisdom It is not relieving out of Christ That God is so infinitely wise and so deep the Soul may think all this is against me and what is he now doing but contriving new torments and new Hells that are more fierce and exquisite for me and surely there will be no end of these torments But now in Christ Jesus the Wisdom of God is imployed in such a design of Salvation that the Angels are said to pry into it they are astonished at the design that is brought to light by the Wisdom of God Fourthly If you consider the Patience of God out of Christ it is no way relieving For what will it advantage a Soul that God does bear with it a while when under all there is wrath treasuring up for him against the day of wrath Rom. 9.22 What if God willing to shew his wrath and to make his power known endured with much long-suffering the Vessels of wrath fitted for destruction So as the Patience of God is exercised in bearing with a sinner a little while till he greaten his sins But God will come in upon him notwithstanding all though he bear a little while But now in Christ Jesus the Patience of God is reconciled 2 Pet. 3.9
For the Lord is not slack concerning his Promises as some men count slackness but is long-suffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to Repentance Why in Christ Jesus God he is patient and God he glorifies his Patience that he might be known to be gracious Fifthly The Love and Goodness of God out of Christ is not relieving for 't is at an end The Soul may think well his love is at an end he hath no more love for me I am his enemy Man when he had sinned must turn out of Paradise he must pack away and be gone See my face no more says God But now in Christ Jesus is the Love of God revealed and the Goodness and Mercy of God revealed Sixthly The Immensity and Benignity of God out of Christ is not relieving What though God may give thee a considerable portion in the world he may fill thine hands with wealth and thy house with treasure and fill thy chest with store But all this is given in anger and displeasure there is nothing of love in it and thy fulness is but fitting thee for the slaughter There is the Curse of God upon all thy store and plenty this will not at all avail thee But now in Christ Jesus the Immensity and Benignity of God is reconciled and how doth it speak out love and grace God is an Immense God and he gives out according to his own Immensity And what then are the gifts of his Love and Grace they are such as cannot be weighed they are such as cannot be measured there is a height and depth and length and breadth in all his goodness that cannot be fathomed And all this he is to the Soul through Christ And Seventhly If you consider his Eternity out of Christ it is no way relieving That God is my enemy says the Soul and is an everlasting God he will be my enemy for ever and all that is in God will be engaged against me for ever his Justice his Wisdom and his Power and all his Attributes will be engaged against me for ever But now in Christ Jesus the Eternity of God is matter of great comfort to thee because he is an Eternal God being thy God he will be thy God for ever thy dwelling place for ever and thy portion for ever he will never depart from thee he will never leave thee he will never cease to be what he hath promised to be because he is an everlasting God and thus you may run over all the Attributes of God the glory and the fulness of them is exhibited and unfolded published and revealed by Christ Jesus unto us and hence it is that in Scripture ordinarily there is no great mention made of the mercy and kindness of God to sinners but through and with respect to Christ Jesus Eph. 1.3 Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus And hence is it said that we with open face behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2. Cor. 3.8 and 2 Cor. 4.6 God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ and hence is it that Jesus Christ is said to be the brightness of the Fathers glory and the express image of his Person Heb. 1.3 So as here is another thing that is an abiding ground of joy and rejoycing for us in Christ Jesus he is the exhibiter revealer and unfolder of the fulness of all the blessed and glorious properties of Gods nature in a salvation way hence when God comes to enter into Covenant with a believer he doth not enter into Covenant with him absolutely but in and through Christ Jesus and hence is it that all the promises of the Covenant that are Gods gifts of grace to us they are yea and Amen in Christ Jesus now do but consider this you may see that Christ is one your Souls may take comfort in consider the glory of his Person as he is Mediator and consider the graciousness of his nature as he is full of love and consider how he is the exhibiter and unfolder of the fulness of all the blessed and glorious Attributes of God in a saving way And whatsoever discouragement Christian thou hast here below look up to Jesus and thou mayest see encouragement have you men that are engaged against you look up to Jesus and you may see God in him engaged to be your God Gods power engaged for you Gods mercy Gods name and Gods glory all engaged for you Thus as to the first particular what Jesus Christ is 2. We shall now proceed to speak something to the second and that is what this Jesus hath you have seen what he is we will now consider what he hath and there are but two things that I shall glance upon under this head that may be relieving to us in our looking up to Jesus 1. He hath an irresistible power 2. He hath an unexhaustible treasure 1. Jesus in whom we should rejoyce at all times hath an irresistible power A power over all flesh over all Creatures over good Angels and over bad Angels a power over men a power over every creature in the whole Creation of God Col. 2.1 Ye are compleat in him which is the head of all principalities and powers and Mat. 28.18 All power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth Jesus Christ hath an absolute dominion over all Creatures as he is God and this is a dominion that he received not by gift from the Father but he hath it from the right of Creation as he is with the Father God over all blessed for evermore But there is a delegated power as I may so say a power that is committed to Christ Jesus by special grant from the Father as he is Mediator over the whole Creation of God Eph. 1.21 22. Far above all principalities and powers and might and dominions and every name that is named not only in this world but in that which is to come and hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be the head over all things to the Church Now Phil. 2.9 10 11. there you may see that he received this power from God Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name c. and 1 Cor. 15.27 For he hath put all things under his feet and Psal 8.6 Thou hast made him to have dominion over the works of thine bands Christ hath an universal power as Mediator over the whole Creation of God Now that which is for thy comfort in it is in that this power is imployed and improved 1. For the overcoming of all thine enemies And 2. For the over-ruling and filling up of all thy wants 1. This great and universal power that Christ hath received over all creatures is improved and imployed
Gospel that is consecrated for us to hold and enjoy fellowship with him in and now Christians what a ground of rejoycing is here Friends they die A bosom acquaintance in the flesh is taken from thee they die from thee and their places know them no more but here is Jesus he ever abides upon the Throne clearing the way of communion between God and thee So that God is alwaies thy friend alwaies in reconciliation to thee alwaies ready to make known himself and to impart of his Love and Grace to thee Here is an abiding ground of joy for us in Christ Jesus if we consider him as he is a glorious Person in his Mediatory Constitution SERMON II. Habakkuk 3.18 Yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my Salvation THE words have been opened unto you and we have given you this Proposition from them Doct. That there is enough in Christ alone for the Soul that is interested in him to rejoyce in whatsoever his case and condition is You need no more than Jesus to make you blessed upon Earth and there is enough in Jesus to make you blessed for ever in Heaven there is enough in Jesus to make you happy in time and enough in Jesus to make you happy to eternity Now here for the Direction of your Faith in looking up to and in dealing with Christ in a dark or low condition we proposed to consider First What Jesus Christ is And here we told you that 1. In the first place He is glorious in his Person I now proceed 2. As he is glorious in his Person so he is gracious in his Nature full of grace full of kindness full of compassion both unto Saints and unto Sinners He might have apâ—eared glorious in his Person and not gracious in his Nature He might have appeared altogether terrible a glorious Person and yet surrounded with terrible Majesty but Jesus Christ is as gracious in his Nature as he is glorious in his Person he is full of compassion unto the Sons of men there is no harshness there is no bitterness in Christ Jesus there is nothing in him my friends that will discourage you if you search him never so narrowly and if you look him through there is nothing in him to discourage you but he is full of love and full of all encouragement I do not mean that he is full of love only as he is God absolutely considered The Apostle says That God is Love he speaks it of God the Father and so as Christ Jesus is God equal with the Father in the Divine Nature it is applicable to the Second Person but that is not all but he is full of grace in his Nature as he is clothed with our flesh and his Love it is alwaies an encouraging Love it is alwaies a heart-casing Love it is alwaies a Soul-satisfying Love You cannot find such an Object upon Earth nor such an Object in Heaven as Jesus Christ is that is so full of compassion and so full of grace as he is and the greatness of his Love as a ground of Joy unto the believing Soul in all conditions is such as First Does break through and conquer all opposings Secondly It heightens under all our sorrows And Thirdly It abides unmixed in all seasons First His Love is such and so great that it breaks through all opposings and forbiddings Though there is nothing in Christ to discourage our Love to him yet I must tell you that there is enough in us to discourage Christ's Love to us and indeed there is nothing else in us but that which may forbid the Love of Jesus Christ dealing with us Now whatsoever are the matters of discouragement in us the Love of Jesus breaks through them all it sticks at nothing Let the heart be never so vile let the sinner in himself be never so loathsom let his waies be never so contrary let the principles upon which he acts be never so averse the Love of Jesus Christ breaks through all What is the state of a sinner when Christ Jesus comes to visit him a vile loathsom filthy abominable state You have it set out in the 16th of Ezekiel by all manner of strange expressions that shews the sinner is in a very loathsom state in the 5th and 6th verses Thou layest in thy blood saith he and none Eye pitied thee One casts his Eye upon thee and says There is a loathsom Object I will have nothing to do with him another comes by and casts his Eye There is a loathsom Creature Who would come near such a one Thou wert cast out says he to the loathing of thy person but says Jesus I passed by thee and it was a time of love And in the 10th of Luke you may see it set out in a Parable of the Samaritan one passed by a poor Creature that lay in his blood and would have nothing to do with him and another passes by and would have nothing to do with him but Jesus the good Samaritan he passes by and he pities him and binds up his wounds and heals him You may see what forbiddings this Love of Christ marches through Titus 3 3. For we our selves were sometimes foolish disobedient deceivers serving divers lusts and pleasures living in malice hateful and hating one another Good Lord one would think is it possible that such a Soul as this should be brought home and loved by Jesus Christ that is in such a state and have such a heart and walks in such waies But says the Apostle v. 4. After that the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared not by works of righteousness which we have done but accoridng to his mercy he saved us c. And 1 Cor. 6.11 Such were some of you but ye are washed c. Jesus he loves you notwithstanding this and continues to love you Nay my Friends this is not all but his love is such as doth not only march through great opposings and forbiddings before grace but high discouragements after grace Why what is the walk of the Soul after grace Is it not very crooked and very perverse Doth not he fall short of the Rule Doth not he offend God in every thing he doth Is there not a great deal of unbelief Is there not a great deal of pride a great deal of carnality and impatience and passion in your hearts after grace Do not you stumble and fall in the Christian walk every day violate the Covenant of your gracestate break the Commandments of God and yet notwithstanding all be continues to love you in the 80th Psalm v. 30.31 Supposing says God there that my Children my Redeemed Ones that I have set my love upon and visited with my grace that they will forsake my Law and walk out of the way of my Commandments that I have called them to walk in and charged them to abide in Now the Love of Jesus Christ keeps up through all therefore says the
shall not they cannot do it and Hosea 2.19 I will betroth thee unto me for ever yea I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness and in judgment and in loving kindness and in mercy c. I know full well what I do saies the Lord I will betroth thee in judgment I know what the Soul is that I take I take him so as to keep him and to maintain him I will hold him and never lose him I will do it in judgment and it shall be a relation for ever I will betroth thee unto me for ever But now the evidence of the relation that is passable that may be clouded after you have had some clear discoveries of it A Soul that is brought into the light may be turned into the dark again thus it was with Job Job he had a very clear and full sight of his interest at one time that he glories in Christ Jesus I know that my Redeemer liveth and yet the same Job at another time Job 6.4 Tells us that the Arrows of the Almighty did set themselves in array against him the poyson whereof saies he drinketh up my Spirit It was not the terrours of men it was not the terrours of his condition of his poverty or of his sores or of his great disgrace but saies he the terrours of God they are entered into my Soul and so David at one time he rejoyceth in Christ Jesus saies then though I pass through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil Psal 23.4 and another time he cries out Why art thou cast down O my Soul why art thou disquiered within me And in another place hath the Lord forgotten to be gracious are his mercies clean gone he mourns after the Lord and complains as one that was banished from his face though your interest cannot be shaken Christians yet the evidence of your interest may be darkned the love of Christ Jesus to your souls may be so obscured as you may be left without the feelings of it And the Soul that is sometimes under comfortable manifestations and filled with joy with peace and with comfort may at another time be darkned with clouds with vails and with curtains and know not where he is the seal of the Spirit of the Lord may be so defaced as that you cannot tell what to make of it the believer that is built upon the rock can never be washt off the rock yet the wayes may dash against him upon the rock he may be sorely dasht upon the rock though he cannot be washt off though your interest stands sure yet the evidence of your interest is not sure it is a passable evidence 6. Sense of interest is in a soveraign hand and is given out to whom the Lord pleaseth and when the Lord pleaseth The Lord is pleased Soveraignly to act in the sealing and ensuring and comforting of his People sometimes he will come in upon a believer at his first conversion and will fill him with joy and gladness that shall abide upon his Soul many years and sometimes the believer shall wait upon God from ordinance to ordinance and follow him many years in the dark and not have a discovery of his love sometimes the Lord will give a Soul no sight of his interest nor evidence of his relation until he come to die and some believers have walked with the evidence of Gods love in their hearts almost all their daies and when they have come to die they have died in the dark Sense of interest is under a soveraign dispense both as to the persons to whom it is given out and as to the time when and as to the way and manner how 7. Though the interest that believers have and are owned in with the Lord is the same and is not different as to its nature and properties yet the evidence of the interest will admit of degrees in different persons and also in the same Persons at divers times those that are taken into relation with Christ Jesus they are all owned in a near blessed intimate relation as I told you before so that there is no difference in the relation neither is the relation an encreasing relation indeed the benefits of the relation they are encreasing but the relation it 's self is not encreasing A believer is not more a Child of God afterward then he was at first when the Spirit of adoption came upon him but the evidence of the interest that admits of degrees the relation its self is capable of an improvement as to the advantages of it but that is not all but the evidence of the relation is sometimes clearer fuller and more satisfying then at some other times It is said Prov. 4.18 That the path of the just is as the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day A believer hath a little sight of Christ a glimmering of Christ through the cravis this may be improved and it is possible that the Soul may come into a full assurance of its interest in Christ Jesus ay and it is possible you may be assured more at one time then at another Therefore Christian the little joy that thou hast may grow to a great deal and the small apprehensions that thou hast of Christ may greatly encrease in thy Soul and in this respect the day of small things is not to be despised 8. It is possible that believers may disingenuously act upon low principles in their carnest pursuits after sealings and ensurings I pray mark it assurance it is the Flower of Faith it is the growth the improvement the flourishing of Faith it is the fragrancy the odour and the sweetness nay the very brightness of faith the sealings of the Spirit they are the high strains as I may call them of the Spirit in and upon the hearts of believers And yet it is possible that the believer may act upon low principles in his eager pursuits of the sealings of the Spirit that is such an high act Then does the believer act disingenuously in a pursuit after an evidence of his interest when he presseth after the sense of his interest more for peace and comfort then to improve his interest unto more grace and holiness Your interest in Christ hath two streams the one runs with grace and the other runs with peace and comfort now then does the Soul disingenuously act when he presseth more after the stream of peace comfort then he doth after the stream of grace and holiness then is the believer acted upon low principles when he advanceth the sense of interest above the interest or if you will thus when the desires of the sense of interest do over-ballance the desires of more grace and holiness upon the interest Therefore in all your eager pursuits after the sealings of the Spirit consider the principle Christians upon which you act search whether there be no disingenuous actings n your spirits in your eager desires after assurance 9.
unto those that are companions with you in darkness and pray with them and pray over them and express the affections of your Souls to them in all your remembrance of them and in a little while the Lord may come in for to lead you forth into the company of those whose hearts are made to rejoice and be glad in the light of his countenance and in the evidence of their own interest in Christ SERMON VI. Habakkuk 3.18 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord I will Joy in the God of my Salvation FRom hence we have observed Doct. That there is enough in Christ Jesus alone for the Soul 's full rejoycing and triumph whatsoever his state and condition is in this world We told you in nine particulars what the doubtful Soul should do in the interim until he can clear up his own interest and standing in Christ Jesus We shall only superadd one particular more Tenthly If thou beest Soul stil in the dark in and about thy Interest after narrow and deep searches and enquiries resign up thy self unto the Lord Jesus and stand to his allowance and be willing to work in the dark whilst the Lord shall keep you in the dark Be not your own chusers and carvers in this thing but leave the Lord to chuse for you Indeed we are not to rest satisfied in our spirits without an evidence of our Interest because it is attainable but as to the comfort of our Interest and the Joy and Peace of our Souls upon the Interest we should resign up our selves unto the Lord Jesus and leave him to make the dispose of our state and this is the way to come unto a speedy settlement and assurance But I shall not enlarge here but proceed unto the fourth thing proposed Fourthly And that is to give you some Signs and Evidences of your Interest and standing in blessed Jesus And as we say generally Causes are best known by their Effects Trees are best known by their fruit Life is best known by motion so interest in Christ is best known by the effects of Interest And that you might know what Jesus Christ hath done in you and is doing for you do but consider First In the first place That there is upon the Soul's Interest in Christ a Divine Principle of Life infused into the heart by the Lord Jesus unto whom he is united which becomes the spring of his spiritual motions towards Christ and of his profession of Christ Interest in Christ is a Life-Interest and there is a Divine Principle of Life that upon it is infused into the Soul that becomes the spring of his spiritual motions This Principle of life is variously set out in Scripture sometimes it is called the New Creature If any man be in Christ he is a new creature 2 Cor. 5.17 A New Creature denoteth life sometimes it is set out by the word life He that hath the Son hath life 1 John 5.12 Sometimes it is called the Divine Nature Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises that by these ye might be partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Now there is life in the Divine Nature the Divine Nature infused becomes a Life-Principle in the heart where it is infused and is the spring of its spiritual motions This is set out sometimes by ingraftment as the Syence is ingrafted into the Stock there is a conveyance of life upon the ingraftment and upon the union Thus the Graft or the Syence doth receive sap nourishment from the Root whereby it comes to live Now says Jesus Christ in your spiritual union with him I am the Vine says he ye are the branches John 15.5 He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit And Rom. 11.17 And if some of the branches be broken off and thou being a wild Olive Tree be grafted in amongst them and with them partakest of the Root and fatness of the Olive Tree Abraham is only instrumentally here spoken of as God was pleased to own him and honour him to be the Father of all Believers but Christ Jesus is principally and effectually the Root the Stock that Believers are ingrafted into he is the Root that both Abraham and all Believers stand in and grow upon and they partake of the sweetness and fatness of that good Olive Tree Sometimes it is expressed by an incorporation as the Head and the Members do make up but one Body and every Member united unto the Body it doth receive life spirit sense motion and strength from the Head Now says the Lord Jesus Ye are all Members of my Body 1 Cor. 12.12 13. We are all Members of the same Body and so have the same Head from thence is life spirit and grace and nourishment conveyed into every part Now from hence it is that Jesus Christ is called the Life of Believers Gal. 2.20 I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me And Col. 3.4 When Christ who is our Life shall appear c. So as Christ he doth convey and infuse a Principle of Life into the Soul that is interested in himself and upon that account he is called a quickening spirit 1 Cor. 15.45 The second Adam was made a quickening spirit that he might give Life to all those that are united to him and interested in him And this spiritual Life that we receive from Jesus Christ is the Life of our Life and the very Soul of our Soul in all our motions God-ward and it becomes the spring of our spiritual profession and of all our movings towards God The Soul that is interested in Christ is not moved by an artificial spring but he doth act and move from a life spring from a living spring which is the Principle of Divine Life that in his Interest in Christ he receiveth and this it is that puts him on this it is that constrains him this it is that moves and acts him in all his bendings and inclinings God-ward They that are interested in Christ they do desire Christ and move towards Christ upon a Principle of Life so as they cannot be satisfied without Christ 1 Pet. 2.2 As new born Babes desire the sincere Milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby The Babe or Infant does cry after the Breast upon a natural Principle of Life natural Life is the Principle of its crying So doth the Believer move towards and make after Christ from a spiritual Principle of Life and that Principle of Life that he hath received from Christ is the Divine Spring of all his Divine Actions or of his Religious Actings The Soul is not moved only upon a Principle to satisfie and silence his Conscience nor yet to get himself a name to live to make himself honourable among the people that make a profession of Christ nor yet upon the account of any secular advantage but there is a Divine Spring in his Soul of spiritual Life that he hath received from the