Rejoicing in the Lord Jesus in All Cases and Conditions, Sermon 3
SERMON III.
Habakkuk 3.18.
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will Joy in the God of my Salvation.
VVE are ſhewing you from this Scripture what a conſtant ground of joy and rejoycing there is in Jeſus Chriſt for the believing Soul, at all times, and in all conditions; as to what Chriſt is, and as to what Chriſt hath, we ſpake the laſt day, and ſhall now proceed unto the third particular propoſed to be conſidered.
3. And that is, what Jeſus Chriſt will do, and is a doing for the believing Soul that may be a ground of comfort and joy to him in all his heart ſaddening conditions and tribulations in this world.
And firſt, Jeſus Chriſt appears as an Advocate in Heaven at the right hand of God for all believers, anſwering and ſilencing all accuſations and charges brought in againſt them, whereby they are continued in that juſtified peace ſtate, that in their firſt coming over to God they were ſtated in. There are many failings and provocations in a Chriſtians way and walking with God. The remains of ſin that yet abide in them, they will be riſing up and putting forth into the life and life-acts of a Chriſtian. But Jeſus Chriſt as his Advocate in Heaven ever ſtands up before God to ſee the peace of a Chriſtians ſtate kept: Satan that old accuſer of the Brethren, he is daily obſerving a Chriſtians walking and viewing a Chriſtians ſteps, to ſee if he can gather up any thing in his life to improve it, and carry it unto God againſt him, and believe it friends, he won't better your caſe as he repreſents it unto God, he won't leſſen your fault, but he will greaten it, and make it worſe than it is; he is called 1 Pet. 5.8. The adverſary of believers. The word that we tranſlate adverſary, ſome read it a Court adverſary, one that puts in ſomething againſt you in the Court of Heaven, but I would rather read the word thus, one that will charge beyond truth, one that will go beyond the bounds of truth in the charges and accuſations that he brings in, for the word in the Original does import ſo much one that acts againſt all rules of juſtice in the plea's that he ſhall put in, or the charges that he ſhall deliver againſt a Chriſtians ſtate in the Court of Heaven, Rev. 12.10. he is there called the Accuſer of the Brethren, which accuſed them before God day and night, he is the old Accuſer and Traducer of the Saints at the Bar of Gods juſtice. Now Jeſus Chriſt he alwaies ſtands up at the right hand of God, there to appear as an Advocate on the believers account, ſuing out on the account of his blood, new pardons for their renewed tranſgreſſions, or the continuance of juſtification and of pardons upon their ſtate, ſo as nothing may be heard in the Court of Heaven againſt them; Jeſus Chriſt ſtands up to ſee that a Chriſtians peace with God be not violated, and therefore he removes ſin as faſt as it appears, and he anſwers the accuſation as ſoon as it is made, and he ſilenceth the adverſary as ſoon as he comes, Rom. 8.34. Who (ſaies the Apoſtle) ſhall condemn? It is Chriſt that died, yea rather, that is riſen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who alſo maketh interceſſion for us: If ſin appears, he will remove it, and if Satan ſtep in, he will ſilence him, he is there upon this account, as an Advocate, or as an Attorney to anſwer for you, whenever your name is called in Queſtion; and therefore ſaies the Apoſtle, 1 John 2.1. My little Children, theſe things write I unto you, that you ſin not, and if any man ſin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jeſus Chriſt the righteous; as ſoon as ever an offence is committed, Chriſt ſteps up, and he pleads your caſe, and he urges the value of his blood that was ſhed for the remiſſion of ſins, that your peace with God, into which you were brought in your firſt coming over to him, may be maintained; Now Chriſtians do but conſider this, and you will find that it is a ground of joy and comfort in your preſent ſtate. It may be your outward peace is broken in upon; you have enemies that have diſturbed you as to your outward comforts, and as to your outward joy and ſettlement, you have thoſe that have incenſed it, may be your intimate friends againſt you, that now they ſtand aloof from you, well though it be ſo, yet your peace with God, that abides, and Jeſus Chriſt as your Advocate continues you in your juſtified ſtate before God, let the Devil do his utmoſt, he ſhall never incenſe God againſt a believer, becauſe Jeſus Chriſt is an Advocate alwaies at his right hand, ſpeaking for him, let him tell never ſuch ſtories of a Chriſtians carriage and converſation unto the Lord, yet he ſhall never incenſe God againſt him. You know that he did his utmoſt to incenſe God againſt Job, he told the Lord fair ſtories of him, that there was no truth, no ſincerity in him, and that he ſerved him but for the comforts of his ſtate, and for the outward advantages that he did enjoy, but Jeſus Chriſt he ſaw the peace of Job kept, he was his Advocate then ſo early, and he maintained Job in the love and favour of God, and thus will he do for all believers, he will ſilence all accuſations, and remove all objections, and he will continue you in your peace ſtate with God; the vertue of Chriſts death is a continued vertue, it is alwaies influential upon the heart of God for a Chriſtian, the blood of Jeſus is ſaid to be a pleading blood, Heb. 12.24. And to Jeſus the Mediator of the new Covenant, and to the blood of ſprinkling, that ſpeaketh better things then the blood of Abel; It is a pleading blood, and it ſaies, Father, Remember the merits of the Sacrifice of my death, remember the ſatisfaction that thou haſt received, and do thou continue to love, and continue to bleſs, and continue to delight in, and to acknowledge theſe poor ones, though they fail, and though they provoke thee. The believer it may be is ſo aſhamed of himſelf upon an overcome, that he hath not one word to ſay for himſelf, he can give no reaſon why a decree of juſtice ſhould not come out againſt him, but the blood of Jeſus, that is alwaies ſpeaking, and alwaies interceeding, whereby we are kept in that juſtified peace-ſtate with God, that in our firſt coming over to God we are ſtated in; and this may ſatisfie the Chriſtian under all the diſquiets, troubles, turmoils and unſettlements that he meets withal in this world.
Secondly, Jeſus Chriſt is a powerful Interceſſor in Heaven, daily urging the merits of his Death, and improving the Intereſt that he hath with God for the compleating of the work begun in the hearts of Believers, whereby they are growing up to perfection. Jeſus Chriſt is not only an Advocate with the Father, ſilencing and anſwering all accuſations and charges, and ſo maintaining of the Believer in his juſtified Peace-ſtate with God, but as a lively and living Interceſſor, he is alwaies urging the merits of his Death, and improving the Intereſt that he hath with God, for the compleating of the good work of his Grace that is begun. Jeſus Chriſt hath not only a Fountain of all Grace for your conſtant ſupply, but he acts the part of an Interceſſor, and improves the merits of his Death for the managing of the work of Grace that is begun in your Souls. This you have, Heb. 9.24. Jeſus Chriſt is gone into Heaven to appear in the preſence of God for us: And he is not there to appear only as an Advocate or an Attorney, but he is there as a mighty Interceſſor pleading with God in the ſtrength of the merits of his own Death, improving all his Intereſt with the Father for you, Rev. 5.6. In the midſt of the Elders ſtood a Lamb as it had been ſlain, having ſeven Horns, &c. This Lamb is Chriſt. Now Chriſt Jeſus he is in Heaven, advanced upon a Throne for you: He is in the midſt of the Throne near unto his Father; and how doth he ſit? or how doth he appear? Why, ſays he, he appears as a Lamb as it had been ſlain; that is, Chriſt he bears the marks of his Death before his Father upon the Throne; he is there to make a freſh commemoration of his ſufferings, preſenting his bloody death, and his bloody Sacrifice before his Father. As Jeſus Chriſt after he was riſen, ſaid unto Thomas, Come, ſays he, behold my wounds, and ſee the print of the Nails in my hands, and in my feet. So Jeſus Chriſt ſaies as it were to his Father; Father, behold theſe wounds! behold how I was pierced! behold how I was wounded for theſe people! and, as one ſays, ſo many wounds, ſo many cries. Every wound hath a crying mouth that is daily pleading with God for the Believer. Jeſus alwaies ſtands as a Lamb as it were ſlain, urging his death, urging his agony, urging the greatneſs of his ſufferings, when juſtice had him under the laſh, when he trode the Wine-preſs of his Fathers wrath alone, and he is urging the value of his death for the ſucceeding of the work of grace begun, for the encreaſing of ſtrength, for the carrying on of your Souls unto perfection, Jeſus Chriſt lives upon the Throne, carrying on this work, and for this great end, he conſiders the Chriſtians ſtate in all his dangers, and in all his weakneſs, and under all his wants, and he is improving his death for more grace, and for an increaſe of ſpiritual bleſſings, he knows your dangers by reaſon of your temptations in the world, and he is praying for you there, and improving his intereſt with his Father on that account, John 17.15. I pray not that thou ſhouldeſt take them out of the world, but that thou ſhouldeſt keep them from the evil; O Father ſaies he, they cannot ſtand againſt the temptations of the world, in their trades and concerns in the world, not alone, let thy grace be ſufficient, and let thy ſtrength be ſufficient to ſecure them in their dangers, he ſees that your grace is yet but ſmall, and will hardly ſtand againſt a ſmall encounter, and therefore he prays that it may be encreaſed, as Luke 22.31, 32. I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not: as if he had ſaid I know that thy grace will be ſorely tryed, and will meet with great oppoſition, but I have prayed that it may not fail, he pleads with the Father for a more plentiful effuſion of the Spirit upon the hearts of his people, John 14.16, 17. And I will pray the Father, and he ſhall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever, even the Spirit of Truth, &c. And when Jeſus Chriſt does pray for the Spirit, he prays that he may come in the royalties of his office into your hearts, bringing in the fruits of grace, of peace, and of joy, and of ſpiritual comfort. And thus he in Heaven looks after the work that is begun, and upon that account he is called not only the Author but the Finiſher of our Faith, Heb. 12.2. The interceſſory work of Chriſt is not only at your firſt coming over to God, to give you favour with God, & peace with God but it is a continued act over your whole ſtate, till you come in glory, Heb. 7.25. He is able to ſave to the uttermoſt, or to carry on ſalvation work, till he hath compleated it; Why? becauſe he ever liveth to make interceſſion for us; Jeſus Chriſt by his interceſſion does deliver out of one ſtreight to day, and he will continue in the ſame work, and if a new ſtreight does appear to morrow, he will aid through that alſo, and he will go on ſo, until he hath ſetled thy Soul in a compleat ſalvation ſtate. Jeſus Chriſt does daily exhibit, and urge, and preſent the merits of his death, for the carrying on, and managing of the work that he h…th begun. And here take notice by the way, that when we ſay Jeſus Chriſt continueth to interceed; you muſt know, that he doth not interceed in a way of free Grace, as we do at the throne of Grace, he doth not interceed in a precarious way, as believers do, but he interceeds in the merit of his own ſufferings, his interceeding is an authoritative act, he doth not only pray the Father for Grace, and for acceptance for us, but he urges the Father upon the account of the infinite price of his own ſufferings that he gave him in, and ſo does in an authoritative way challenge and demand the bleſſings of his purchaſe, or of his death for the believer, he demands of his Father the Grace that he pleads for, and he in his interceeding act, does will it into the Souls of his People, I will Father, ſaies he, that thoſe that thou haſt given me, be with me, where I am; and God the Father does alwaies hear his Son, he never denies his Son any Petition that he offers to him, John 11.42. And I knew, ſaies he, that thou heareſt me alwaies, and Pſal. 2.8. Ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance; ſaies the Father, ask and you ſhall have; ſo as Chriſts interceſſion is a prevailing interceſſion, it is a powerful interceſſion, it is alwaies a ſpeeding interceſſion; now Chriſtians, do but conſider what a ground of joy and comfort this is for you in your preſent low condition. It may be thou haſt met with many loſſes in thy outward eſtate, it may be thou haſt met with many breakings there, & emptyings there, that thy outward comforts they are many of them gone, & thou ſeeſt others very uncertain; ay, but here is Jeſus Chriſt, he is interceeding with the Father for more Grace, for more ſpiritual bleſſings, ſo as though thou art poor in temporals, thou art growing rich in ſpirituals; though thou haſt but a little of the Creature, yet thou haſt Grace that is thriving in thy heart, that Chriſt will ſee ſhall be alwaies encreaſing & growing; be not diſcouraged therefore though thou haſt but a little Grace, & but a little ſtrength; who knows how much Grace the prayer of Chriſt may bring into thy heart, Chriſtian; who knows how much ſtrength the prayer of Chriſt may bring in upon thy weak condition to cloath thee with, be not therefore diſcouraged, though thou ſee thy Bottle empty, and thy outward ſtore growing low, ſeeing Jeſus Chriſt is carrying on the work of Grace in thy Soul, and enriching of thee with the high and ſacred bleſſings of Heaven; verily Sirs, if any of you had a Friend at Court, that did alwaies ſit at the right hand of the King, and that had his ear, and a grant of all his Petitions that he made to him, and if you knew that he would be alwaies moving the King on your behalf, and pleading with him for ſome new favours, and new advantages, and places of …ruſt and dignity, and the like, how would your hearts riſe in the remembrance thereof, and you would promiſe your ſelves great things in a little while. Why, Jeſus Chriſt he is your friend in the Court of Heaven, that hath alwaies the Ear of God; and verily it is not a vain notion; he is alwaies interceeding with the Father on your behalf, pleading for ſome new bleſſings, for ſome further diſcoveries of his love, and manifeſtations of his favour for thy further proficiency in grace, that thou mayeſt be carried on unto perfection. Jeſus Chriſt is alwaies pleading this with his Father; ſo as though you be very low as to your outward condition, yet you may rejoyce that your ſpiritual comforts they are alwaies thriving; they are growing comforts; and your ſtrength in grace is alwaies an encreaſing ſtrength; Chriſt prays for it, and makes it ſo by his daily Interceſſion.
Thirdly, Jeſus Chriſt perfumes all your Spiritual Offerings; and preſents them unto God as grateful and acceptable, through whom they alwaies remain as a ſweet memorial in his preſence, notwithſtanding the weakneſs and imperfection of them as they come from us.
My Brethren, the liquor of our ſpiritual ſervices hath a tang of the Veſſel through which they paſs; there is an ill favour in all our duties as they come from us; there is a great deal of ſin, a great deal of ſelf, a great deal of corruption that doth mingle with them, and doth defile them, and give them an ill ſavour. But now Jeſus Chriſt he alwaies ſtands between God and us, and receives our Offerings, and refines them, and purifies them, and cleanſeth them, and perfumeth them, and ſo makes them a ſweet odour, and then offers them up unto God; and hence comes our Prayers to be prevalent; hence come they to be heard, and to have returns of Grace made unto them. It was Jeſus Chriſt that made Noah's Sacrifice ſo ſweet and odoriferous, Gen. 8.20, 21. And Noah builded an Altar unto the Lord, and he took of every clean Beaſt, and of every clean Fowl, and offered burnt Offerings on the Altar; and the Lord ſmelled a ſweet ſavour, &c. Chriſt Jeſus was in his Sacrifice, and that made it pleaſant, and ſweet, and fragrant before the Lord. This was typed out of Old by the High Prieſts bearing the iniquities of the holy things of God's People away, Exod. 28.36, 37, 38. He ſhall bear their iniquities, that is, he ſhall bear them away; he ſhall receive the iniquities of their holy things, and ſhall bear them away, whereby all ſhall be hallowed; and this ſhall be, ſays he, upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord; or that they may be for an acceptableneſs before the Lord: Why, Jeſus Chriſt is the Goſpel of this type; he told his Church of old, that there muſt be a Prieſt and an Interceſſor for the ſins of their holy things; now Jeſus Chriſt is this Prieſt that takes the iniquity of our holy things away; and ſo he preſents our ſpiritual offerings unto God refined and purified, that no droſs, that no matter of ſin may be found in them when they are preſented before God, Cant. 3.6. Here the Church of God is ſpoken of, as coming out of a dry barren wilderneſs condition; now ſhe comes like pillars of ſmoke, ſhe comes praying, ſhe comes pleading with God; now her prayers are like pillars of ſmoke, that is, ſay ſome, to ſet forth the darkneſs, to ſet forth the corruption or weakneſs of them: Our prayers, as they come from us, are more ſmoke than fire; they are more ſin than grace; there is a great deal of corruption upon them that does defile them, and that does beſmear them, they go up like pillars of ſmoke, but they are perfumed with Myrrhe and Frankincenſe, and with all Powders of the Merchant; that is, Jeſus Chriſt he ſweetens them, he ſcents them, and makes them offerings of a ſweet ſmelling ſavour, as any thing is perfumed by ſweet Spices, or odoriferous Powders that are mixed with them: Or, Who is this that cometh out of the wilderneſs like pillars of ſmoke; that is, ſay ſome others, like the ſmoke of Incenſe; the Prayers of God's People they do aſcend like the ſmoke of Incenſe; Jeſus Chriſt he perfumes them with his Incenſe, and ſo they go up through Jeſus Chriſt as the ſmoke of Incenſe of old went up to Heaven; and this perfumes them, as that which is perfumed by Frankincenſe and by Myrrhe, and by ſweet Powders, and the like: It comes all to one reckoning in which ſenſe ſoever we take it. I… ſets forth thus much to us, that howſoever ſpotted, and howſoever defiled, and howſoever tainted our duties are as they come from us. Jeſus Chriſt makes them ſweet and ſavoury, and pleaſant unto his Father, and preſents them as a ſweet memorial unto him, Iſa. 56.7. Even them will I bring to my holy Mountain, and I will make them joyful in my houſe of prayer; their burnt Offerings and Sacrifices ſhall be accepted upon mine Altar, &c. Why, the Believer comes and brings his poor Petitions, but they are not fit for the great God to read over, to conſider, nor to look upon; but Jeſus Chriſt he examines them, and he mends the Petitions, and draws them up fit to be preſented to his Father, and delivers them with his own hand, and then they come to be accepted. You are, ſays God unto his Church of old, a Kingdom of Prieſts unto me, and an holy Nation, Exod. 19.6. Now this is applied unto the Church in New-Teſtament daies, 1 Pet. 2.5. And in v. 9. Ye are a choſen Generation, a Royal Prieſthood, an holy Nation, a peculiar People: Ye are made a holy Prieſthood, to offer up ſpiritual Sacrifices. Ay, but will they be accepted? yes, through Jeſus Chriſt, acceptable to God by Chriſt Jeſus. And Rev. 1.6. He hath made us Kings and Prieſts unto God the Father; that is, to offer up ſpiritual Sacrifices; but this will not do alone; Jeſus Chriſt he ſtands to receive every Offering, and it paſſes through his refining and cleanſing hand, and his perfuming Incenſe, and ſo it comes unto God, and then 'tis a valuable Sacrifice; then 'tis a pleaſant and delightful Sacrifice; he puts it into his golden Cenſure, and offers it up to his Father, as Rev. 8.3. Here is the great Myſtery of the Interceſſion of Jeſus Chriſt held forth to you, in reference to your ſpiritual Oblations; he had a golden Cenſer, and there was given him much Incenſe; he hath enough for all your prayers; there was given him much Incenſe, that he ſhould offer it with the prayers of all Saints; ſo we read it; but it might alſo be read, That he ſhould add it unto the prayers of all Saints; ſo as our prayers are not weighty as they come from us, nor acceptable, but they have the Incenſe of Chriſt Jeſus added to them, and then they are weighty, and then they are acceptable, and from hence God the Father comes to be delighted in the ſupplications of his ſervants. Now by the way Chriſtians, I beſeech you, take in this notion into your faith; it is generally received and believed, that we muſt reſt upon the ſatisfaction of Chriſt Jeſus for the acceptance of our perſons; let me tell you, that you muſt alſo act Faith upon Jeſus Chriſt as an Interceſſor, and reſt upon the Merit of his Incenſe, and of his Mediation for all your ſpeedings in your approaches unto God. As you muſt act Faith upon the Merits of Chriſt Jeſus for the acceptance of your perſons; ſo you muſt act Faith upon the Merits of Chriſt's Death, and of Chriſt's Life now in Heaven for the acceptance of all your ſpiritual performances with God. And here, my Brethren, you have another ground of Joy and Comfort in your low eſtate here: Suppoſe that you be toſſed to and fro by many tempeſts; ſuppoſe that you were ſorely broken in upon by breaches of providence; ſuppoſe that you have loſt many dear friends that you did uſe to conſult withal, and to go to for aſſiſtance, why, yet you have Jeſus Chriſt keeping your way clear unto the Father, and he it is that gives you a conſtant boldneſs with him; Bring all your Petitions; ask what you will in the Name of Chriſt Jeſus, and it ſhall be granted to you: Chriſt ſtands ready to receive your Petitions, and to mend whatſoever is amiſs in them, and to preſent them in his own dreſs unto his Father, that they may be accepted; and in and through Chriſt you have a liberty and boldneſs with God; Let us come boldly, ſaies the Apoſtle, unto the Throne of Grace, Heb. 4. ult. And in Heb. 10.19. Having therefore Brethren boldneſs to enter into the Holieſt by the Blood of Jeſus. Jeſus Chriſt will not throw out a Petition becauſe it was no better worded: Jeſus Chriſt will not throw back a Prayer, becauſe the Spirit was no more compoſed ond ordered in it: Jeſus Chriſt will not throw back a duty, becauſe he ſees a little unbelief in it, or ſomething of ſelf in it, or ſomething that is diſpleaſing to his Father in it, but he takes out whatſoever is diſpleaſing, and he adds his own incenſe to it, and carries it unto his Father, and delivers it an acceptable offering unto him. And on this ground you may joy and rejoyce in the Lord Jeſus, whatſoever your condition in this world is.
4. Jeſus Chriſt doth in wiſdom direct, and with love and grace influence all the loſſes, croſſes, and afflictions of your Chriſtian ſtate, whereby they are all made to further your ſpiritual intereſt, and be ſubſervient unto your great ſoul advantage.
It is the lot and portion of Gods People to be often afflicted, to be ſore broken, as in the place of Dragons, and they are many times emptied from Veſſel to Veſſel, but there is infinite wiſdom, (Chriſtian) infinite reconciled wiſdom, that doth order all the motions of providence in all the changes of thy condition; Jeſus Chriſt he hath hold of every providence, and he directs it in wiſdom, and influences it with love and grace, that ſo it muſt do thee good, it cannot be unto thy harm or prejudice, in Eph. 1.22. And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things unto the Church. Chriſts providential Kingdom is ſubordinate unto his ſpiritual Kingdom, unto which thou doeſt belong, and by his grace and wiſdom he directs all, and in mercy doth manage all for thy advantage, Pſal. 34.15. The Eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry: The Lord Jeſus is ever viewing of a Chriſtians ſtate, in his goings out, and in his comings in, in his lyings down, and in his riſings up: he is ever viewing a Chriſtians condition, and wiſdom doth direct all for the beſt, it is ſaid therefore, Ezekiel 1.18. and it is an obſervable Scripture, as for their rings they were ſo high, that they were dreadful, and their rings were full of Eyes, round about them four. The Prophet is here ſpeaking of the great myſtery of providence, ſometimes ſaies he, Gods providences are very deep; they are very tremendous and dreadful; but be it ſo: the rings of the wheels of providence they are alwaies full of Eyes, ſaies he, round about them four, they are full of Eyes, [Eyes] note, wiſdom, directing, guiding, influencing, and managing. Now ſaies he, the rings of the wheels that move in every ſtate & condition are alwaies full of Eyes, there is not only an Eye one way, but there is an Eye that looks every way. The wheels of providence they are full of Eyes; there are many Eyes, Jeſus Chriſt does obſerve, and he looks narrowly, and in his infinite wiſdom he doth direct for the beſt; there are Eyes in the wheels. Things do not caſually come upon you, things do not come upon you by chance, but there is the wheel, that is full of Eyes, that doth move (Chriſtian) in all your troubles, and in all your loſſes, and in all your croſſes, and by the Eve of God that is upon your condition, that ſet the wheel a going, doth he obſerve and take notice what is beſt for you, when it is ſeaſonable to make a breach, and then a breach ſhall be made, when 'tis ſeaſonable to take away a comfort, then a comfort ſhall be taken away, when 'tis ſeaſonable to let a temptation looſe, then a temptation ſhall come, when 'tis ſeaſonable to put you upon a tryal, then the tryal ſhall appear: The rings are full of Eyes. There is wiſdom that doth direct the providences of a Chriſtians ſtate, therefore you have it, 1 Pet. 1.6. I pray mark this Scripture: if need be ye are in heavineſs through manifold temptations; the Eyes of the wheels obſerve when 'tis needful to come in with a change of providence, when 'tis needful to let looſe Satan upon you, when 'tis needful to bring a croſs into your condition, when 'tis needful to bring an affliction upon you, to lay a wound upon your bodies, or a weight upon your Spirits, if need be, ye are in heavineſs through manifold temptations, ſo as the temptation don't come till you have need of it: God ſees when 'tis time to bind, & when 'tis time to looſen, when 'tis time to enlarge, and when 'tis time to ſtraiten, when 'tis time to give, and when 'tis time to take, and if need be 'tis thus and thus with you; and as the Lord ſees for the over-ruling in matters of affliction, ſo alſo for the comings in of comfort, therefore ſaies the Apoſtle, Heb. 4.16. Let us therefore come boldly to the Throne of Grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find Grace to help in the time of need; when God ſeeth that you need more ſtrength, and more grace, you ſhall have it, when God ſees that you need more comfort, and more peace, you ſhall have it, ſo as wiſdom does direct all, and love and grace does influence all the croſſes, and all the loſſes of a Chriſtians ſtate, ſo as they ſhall work for his good and advantage; ſo Heb. 12.5, 6, 7, 8. Whom the Lord loveth, he chaſteneth, and ſcourgeth every Son whom he receiveth: Now ſee the deſign of God in all afflictions, the deſign that love and grace is managing and carrying on, through the influence that it hath upon afflictive diſpenſations, v. 10.11. For they verily, for a few daies chaſtened us after their own pleaſure, but he for our profit that we might be partakers of his holineſs, &c. He fans you that he might fan away your chaff, he puts you into the furnace to refine you from your droſs, and make you more pure Gold, he is carrying on a deſign of grace and holineſs by all the emptying providences that he brings upon your ſtate, and by all the changes that he makes in your condition, Iſaiah 27.8.9. In meaſure when it ſhooteth forth, thou wilt debate with it: By this ſhall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and this is all the fruit to take away ſin. And Ezekiel 20.37. And I will cauſe you to paſs under the rod, and I will bring you into the bonds of the Covenant, they were Gods Covenant People already, therefore he means, I will bring you more into the Covenant, I will bring you to walk cloſer up to the Covenant of my Grace; the Apoſtle under this conſideration tells us, 1 Pet. 1.7. That the tryal of your faith being much more precious then that of Gold that periſheth, though it be tryed with fire, might be found unto praiſe and honour, and glory at the appearing of Jeſus Chriſt. This is from the bleſſed deſign that Chriſt Jeſus is managing by all your afflictions, in wiſdom directing of them, and in love and grace influencing of them; hence the Apoſtle James ſaies, James 1.2. My Brethren, ſaies he, count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations, why, how is it poſſible for a Chriſt ſo to do? Let him but conſider that infinite wiſdom reconciled, does direct the temptation, and love and grace do influence the temptation, then behold he may count it all joy when he falls into divers temptations, and 2 Cor. 4.17. For our light affliction which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding, and an eternal weight of glory: See how all the loſſes, croſſes, troubles and temptations of a Chriſtians ſtate, are made ſubſervient unto his main and ſpiritual intereſt, they help to perfect holineſs that is begun, to bring your hearts cloſer to God, to cauſe you to walk more watchfully, to live more believingly, & more dependingly, to carry it more humbly before the Lord: Now Chriſtians here is a further ground of reioycing for you, whatever are the emptyings of thy ſtate, whatever are the loſſes and the croſſes of thy preſent condition; why ſay, that wiſdom directs, and love, and grace influenceth all for the beſt. If I be broken, it is for the beſt that I ſhould be broken, if I be thus and thus afflicted; why, it is beſt for me to be thus afflicted. I am thus and thus reproached, I will be contented, and I will be ſatisfied in the will of God, it is beſt for me to be thus reproached. I am thus and thus tempted, I am thus and thus unſetled, thus and thus burried; well, God ſees it beſt for me to be thus, this is the beſt condition, and this is the beſt providence, this is the beſt diſpenſation for me; God ſees that it is ſo, for wiſdom that doth direct, and love and grace that doth alwaies influence.
5. Whatever are the failures of your outward condition, Jeſus Chriſt doth alwaies keep the wells of Salvation open for you, which are alwaies full, whither you may come and have your fill.
Creature Springs they often times run low, but promiſe ſtreams they are alwaies high, Creature Ciſterns, they are often empty and dry, but the promiſes that are the wells of ſalvation, they are alwaies full. The leaves and the bloſſoms of your outward condition, they are often blaſted by the wind, and withered by the froſt, and they drop off, but the promiſes they alwaies keep their greenneſs, they alwaies keep their beauty, they alwaies retain their fulneſs: Chriſtians there is a fulneſs in the promiſes, that you can never draw out, if you ſhould ſpend all your daies upon a promiſe, you can never empty it; the Saints that have gone before, have been ſpending one age after another upon the promiſes, and ſtill they are full; and they are full with a running over meaſure, now whatſoever is thy condition in this world, if thou beeſt a believer, there is ſome promiſe of Grace that doth ſute thy condition, whatſoever is thy temptation, or thy tryal there is ſome promiſe that doth offer relief; whatever is thy neceſſity, there is ſome promiſe that ſtands ready with mercy and grace. Now Jeſus Chriſt he ſtands at the head of every promiſe, and keeps the way clear, and the paſſage free for every believer, and therefore Chriſt is called the yea, and the Amen of every promiſe, that is, they have their certainty, and their ſtability in him, and from him, confirmed by him, and are communicated from him, Jeſus Chriſt is the Lord of every promiſe, and he will ſee (Chriſtian) that thou ſhalt not be wronged of thy right, he will not ſuffer any to come and take away thy bleſſedneſs that lies there, now whatſoever thou wanteſt in thy outward condition, the promiſes are alwaies full, whither thou mayeſt go for relief; we read that the Philiſtines did fill up the wells that Abrahams Servants had digged, Gen. 26.18. theſe wells of water, they were ſtopped, enemies could fill them up; but my friends, all the Devils in Hell cannot fill up one well of Salvation, they cannot rob a Chriſtian of one Goſpel promiſe, neither can they obſtruct his way to the promiſe, but Jeſus that ſits above, and is at the head of the promiſe, he alwaies keeps the way clear and open; now my friends here is another ground of rejoycing for you in Chriſt Jeſus, you look into your eſtates, and you ſee that you are on the loſing hand daily, you look upon your outward condition, and you ſee that you are going down the wind there, you look upon your outward comforts, and you ſee them fading, and dying, and uncertain, and periſhing before your Eyes; ay, but your choyceſt bleſſings that lye in the promiſes, theſe are in no uncertainty, and though you have not a friend upon earth to go unto, and though you have not a fulneſs upon earth to go to, yet you have a fulneſs in the promiſe (Chriſtian) that you may go to; there is a fulneſs of mercy, and a fulneſs of grace in the promiſe, whither you may go. Thoſe that have taken away your outward comforts, they cannot take away your comfort in the promiſe, neither can they ſtop up your Wells of Salvation; ſays David, Pſal. 119.50. This is my comfort in my affliction, for thy Word hath quickened me. The word of Promiſe that came to my Soul with life, and that was as life from the dead unto me, when I was in a low, and in an afflicted ſtate; when I was ſorely tryed, and broken in upon; why, conſider Chriſtians then, that you have a ground of rejoycing in Chriſt Jeſus, that he is the Yea and the Amen of every Promiſe, that can never fail; and he ſecures the Grace of every Promiſe for you, and the Comfort, and the Light, and the Strength of every Promiſe for you. You may therefore, though you are brought low in your outward condition, look up unto Chriſt Jeſus and rejoyce.
Sixthly, Jeſus Chriſt he is alwaies a Light unto the Believer in all his darkneſs, and a Guide unto him in the intricacies of his way unto his Fathers houſe. We know not which way to go, nor how to direct our own ſteps; Jeſus Chriſt he is promiſed as a Light, as a Light unto the world, and that is not all, but he is a Light unto his own People in a ſpecial manner, and a Guide unto them in all their waies, Luke 1.79. To give light to them that ſit in darkneſs, and in the ſhadow of death, to guide our feet in the way of peace: Why, the Believer he wants counſel, and he wants direction, and he wants advice from the Lord, how to ſteer his courſe; Jeſus Chriſt he ſtands by him, and he adminiſters it; he opens the way; he reveals the Myſteries of the Kingdom; he inſtructs the ignorant, and teaches thoſe that are fools the great and deep things of God, and therefore the promiſe is, that the way-faring man, though a fool, ſhall not erre in the way of peace, Iſa. 35.8. He will guide them, and direct them, and inſtruct them by his counſel at all times. And becauſe Believers go in a wildered way, that is very hard to find, and dangerous, and hazardous, Jeſus Chriſt therefore is ſuch a Guide, that takes the charge of them, as a Commander and Leader: So the Promiſe runs, Iſa. 55.4. Behold I have given him for a Witneſs to the People, a Leader and Commander to the people; ſo as he takes the charge of the Believer in his wildered way; he guides him, and he directs him in his courſe, and he will ſee that he ſhall be ſafe aided to his Fathers houſe. Now Chriſtian, here is a further ground of rejoycing for thee: You meet with many troubles, and diſcomfortures, and diſcouragements, and diſappointments in your outward condition; but Jeſus Chriſt he will ſee that you ſhall not be diſappointed of Heaven, but he is an abiding Light to you, and a conſtant Guide to you; and he will ſo lead you, that you ſhall not ſtumble nor fall, nor periſh in your way unto the Kingdom.
Seventhly, Jeſus Chriſt maintains the Union of the Believer with himſelf, from whence ariſe unchangeable relations of Grace, both with the Believer and him, and with the Believer and the Father, which are alwaies pleadable and improveable. My Brethren, Jeſus Chriſt takes Believers into a near and intimate union with himſelf, and makes them branches of him who is as the ſtock; he makes them as bone of his bone, and as fleſh of his fleſh: He takes them into an union that he will never ſuffer to be broken. It is an indiſſolvible union; it is an inſuperable; it is an inſeparable union; therefore ſays Chriſt Jeſus, Joh. 17. Thoſe that thou haſt given me have I kept, and not one of them have I loſt. Jeſus Chriſt never loſt a member; Jeſus Chriſt never loſt a limb; Jeſus Chriſt never loſt a true ſubject; Jeſus Chriſt never loſt a ſheep out of his fold; ſo as this near intimate union it is an indiſſolvible union; now from this union do ariſe everlaſting, unchangeable relations of Grace, that are alwaies pleadable and improveable, from this near and intimate union with the Lord Jeſus, doth Chriſt ever abide your head, filled with ſtrength to animate you, and to influence you; filled with wiſdom and knowledge to inſtruct you, and inform you; filled with underſtanding to guide you in your way. In this intimate union you are members of his body; he will never ſuffer you to be caſt off; ſo as you may alwaies (Believer) ſtand in him, and plead the advantages of a ſtanding in him, and of an implantation and ingraftment into him. Jeſus Chriſt in this union is alwaies your Husband, and you are alwaies his Spouſe; and the advantages of this relation are alwaies enjoyable, and they are alwaies pleadable; I have betrothed thee unto me in righteouſneſs and in judgment for ever, ſaith the Lord; ſo as I will never caſt thee off; I will never give thee a Bill of Divorce; I will be thy Huſband for ever, and thou ſhalt be my Spouſe for ever: The relation is alwaies pleadable. And in your near and intimate union with himſelf as you, ſtand in relations of grace to him, ſo you ſtand in relations of grace to the Father: You are the Adopted Children of God; God the Father of Chriſt is your Father, and he is alwaies your Father, and you are alwaies his Children; nothing can come between; nothing can cauſe him to caſt you out, and diſinherit you: having received you into this firm, into this intimate union, you are Heirs; being made one with Chriſt, you are Joynt-Heirs with Jeſus Chriſt, Heirs of God; once an Heir, and for ever an Heir; ſo as all the bleſſed things of the purchaſe of Chriſt Jeſus, and the whole Inheritance of Chriſt Jeſus is before you; 'tis yours, and for you. And now Chriſtian, what a ground of rejoycing is here for you? What though your outward comforts are coming and going? they are fading and vaniſhing: It may be you have your hands full of them to day, and to morrow they will be gone, and you ſhall ſee them no more for ever; yet know, that you have an abiding ground of Joy in Chriſt Jeſus; for he it is that maintains your union with himſelf; he hath not only united you, but he keeps you in union, and he maintains all the gracious relations of the union, both with him, and alſo with his Father; ſo as though you have not a Friend upon Earth, you may go and ſay, well, I have a Friend in Heaven; I have not a Father upon Earth, ay, but I have a Father in Heaven; I have not a Husband upon Earth, ay, but I have a Husband in Heaven; I have not a faithful Brother upon Earth, ay, but I have a ſincere hearted Brother in Heaven; the relations of Grace they hold, and they are alwaies pleadable and improveable. And then
Eightly, In the eighth and laſt place, Jeſus Chriſt is making glorious proviſions in Heaven, and will in due time glorify all his people with himſelf for ever, ſaies Chriſt Jeſus, It is expedient for you that I go away, 'tis for your good, it was for your good that I came, and it is for your good that I ſtaid ſo long, and it is for your good that now I go away: For I go to prepare a place for you: In my Fathers Houſe are many manſions, and I go to make theſe manſions ready for you, I go to Heaven as your fore-runner. Conſider Jeſus as your fore-runner, that is entered in for you beforehand, making Heaven ready, preparing the Crown and the Kingdom for you; now though you be robbed of your earthly comforts, you cannot be robbed of your Heavenly glory; you may be ſpoiled of your Treaſures here upon Earth, but you cannot be cheated of your Treaſures in Heaven? Why, Jeſus Chriſt is there to ſecure it, and he hath it in poſſeſſion, he is there as your fore-runner, he is there to make all ready, I will Father, ſaies he, that thoſe that thou haſt given me, be with me where I am, and the glory that thou haſt given to me, be beſtowed upon them, that they may be one, as thou Father and I are one. Now under all your viciſſitudes, and changes, and emptyings, and ſpoylings in this world, look up to Chriſt Jeſus, and ſee Heaven ſure in him, and ſee glory ſure in him, and ſee a Crown, and a Kingdom ſure in his hand, take comfort then Chriſtians in all your neceſſities here below in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and with the Prophet do you alwaies glory, and rejoyce in him.
Ʋſe. All that I ſhall ſuper-add, ſhall be only in a ſentence or two unto Sinners (for as to Saints how they ſhould come to improve Chriſt Jeſus, and to live by faith upon him in all conditions, I ſhall ſhew you afterward, if God gives the opportunity;) but here in a word let Sinners conſider how miſerable their ſtate and condition is? Why Sirs; you have heard that there is an abiding ground of joy in Chriſt Jeſus for the believer, whatſoever his ſtate is; But do you conſider that none of this belongs to you, all this comfort belongs to Saints, not to you; you have no part in it, there is an abiding ground of terrour, of ſorrow, and of bitterneſs that belongs to you, becauſe you are apart from Chriſt that hath ſuch a fulneſs of all joy in him for believers. Take heed therefore how you content your ſelves in a Chriſtleſs ſtate, and how you bleſs your ſelves whileſt you are remote from Jeſus Chriſt, and without a part and intereſt in him; thou art not under the bleſſing, but under the curſe; there is the flaming Sword that hangs over thy head, and there is the hand writing that is over thee upon the wall. Let then the Sinner tremble on the conſideration of his periſhing condition in which he is, out of Chriſt, And let it be an inviting word to all of you who have not yet made your cloſe with Jeſus, that you enquire after him, that you earneſtly purſue after him; for your reſt and your peace, your comfort, and your bleſſedneſs, it is all in him, and can only be obtained by a cloſure with him.