Divine Conduct, Head 5 · Motive 6
The Sixth Motive.
THe due observatJon of Providence will endear Jesus Christ every day more and more to your souls. Christ is the Channel of grace and mercy: through him are all the d…cursus & recursus gratiarum, all the streams of mercy that …low from God to us, and all the returns of praise from us to God, 1 Cor. 3. 21, 22. All things are ours upon no other title, but our being his.
Now there be six things in Providence, that are exceedingly endearing of the Lord Jesus Christ to his people: and these are the most sweet and delicious parts of all our enjoyments.
The purchase of all those mercies which Providences convey to us, is by his own blood: for not only spiritual and eternal mercies, but even all our temporal ones, are the acquisition of his blood. Look, as sin forfeited all, so Christ restored all these mercies again to us by his death. Sin had so shut up the womb of mercy, that had not Christ made an attonement by his death, it could never have brought forth one mercy to all eternity for us. It is with him that God freely gives us all things, Rom. 8. 32. Heaven it self, and all things needful to bring us thither,Bona gr… tiae, & gloriae, ac pr… omnibus divinae tu…telae opis, ac providentiae su…scutum. among which, is principally included the Tutelage and Aid of Divine Providence: so that whatever good we receive from the hand of Providence, we must put it upon the score of Christs blood; and when we receive it, we may say, 'Tis the price of blood: 'Tis a mercy rising up out of the death of Christ:Poli Synopsis i… loc. It cost him dear, though it come to me freely: It's sweet in the possessJon, but costly in the acquisitJon. Now this is a most endearing consideration: did Christ dye, that these mercies might live? Did he pay his invaluable blood to purchase these comforts, that I possess? O what transcendent, matchless love, was the love of Christ! You have known Parents that have laid out all their stock of money to purchase Estates for their Children; but when did you hear of any that spent the whole stock and treasure of their blood, to make a purchase for them? If the life of Christ had not been so afflictive and sad to him, ours could not have been so sweet and comfortable to us: 'tis through his poverty we are enriched, 2 Cor. 8. 9. These sweet mercies that are born of Providence every day, are the fruits of the travel of his soul.
The sanctification of all, is by our union with Christ: 'tis by vertue of our union with his person, that we enjoy the sanctified gifts and blessings of Providence. All these are mercies additional to that great mercy CHRIST, Matth. 6. 33. they are given with him, as in Rom. 8. 32. this is the Tenure by which we hold them, 1 Cor. 3. 21, 22, 23. Look, what we lost in Adam, is restored again with Advantage in Christ: immediately upon the fall, that curse, Gen. 2. 17. seized upon all the miserable posterity of Adam, and upon all their comforts, outward as well as inward; and this still lyes heavy upon them: All that Providence doth for them that are Christless, is but to feed so many poor condemned wretches, till the sentence they are under, be executed upon them: it is indeed bountiful and open-handed to many of them; and fills them with Earthly comforts; but not one special sanctified mercy is to be found among all their enjoyments: these gifts of Providence do but deceive, defile and destroy them through their own corruptions, and for want of union with Christ, Prov. 1. 32. The prosperity of fools shall destroy them.
But when a man is once in Christ, then all Providences are sanctified and sweet, Tit. 1. 15. VntoUnto the pure, all things are pure. A little that a righteous man hath, is better than the treasures of many wicked, Psal. 37. 16. Now Christ becomes an head of Influence, as well as of DominJon; and in all things he consults the good of his own members, Eph. 1. 22.
The dispensation of all our comforts and mercies, is by his direction and appointment. It's true, the Angels are employed in the Kingdom of Providence, they move the wheels, (i. e.) are instrumental in all the revolutions in this lower world; but still they receive directions and orders from Christ, as you may see in that admirable Scheme of Providences, Ezek. 1. 25, 26, &c. Now what an endearing meditation is this! What ever Creature be instrumental for any good to you, it's your Lord Jesus Christ that gave the orders and commands to that Creature to do it; and without it they could have done nothing for you: It's your head in Heaven that consults your peace and comfort on Earth: these be the fruits of his care for you. So in the prevention and restraints of evil; 'tis he that bridles in the wrath of Devils and men; he holds the reins in his own hands, Rev. 2. 10. 'Twas the care of Christ over his poor Sheep at Damascus, that stopt the raging Adversary who was upon the way, designing to destroy them, Acts. 9.
The continuatJon of all your mercies and comforts, outward as well as inward, is the fruit of his Intercession in Heaven for you. For look, as the offering up of the Lamb of God a Sacrifice for sin, opened the door of mercy at first; so his appearing before God as a Lamb that had been slain, still keeps that door of mercy open, Rev. 5. 6. Heb. 9. 24. By this his intercession, our peace and comforts are prolonged to us, Zech. 1. 12, 13. Every sin we commit, would put and end to the mercies we possess, were it not for that caution which is put in for us by it, 1 …ohn 2. 1, 2.' If any man sin, we have an A…vocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitJatJon for our sins, &c. This stops all pleas, and procures new pardons for new sins. Hence it is he saves to the uttermost, to the last compleating act, Heb. 7. 25. New sins do not irritate our former pardons, nor cut off our priviledges setled upon us in Christ.
The returns and answers of all your prayers and cryes to Heaven for the removing of your afflictions, or supply of your wants, are all procured and obtained for you by Jesus Christ. He is the Master of your requests; and were it not that God had respect to him, he would never regard your cryes to him, nor return any answer of peace to you, how great soever your distresses should be, Rev. 8. 3, 4. 'Tis his name that gives our prayers their acceptance, John 15. 16. because the Father can deny him nothing, therefore your prayers are not denyed. Doth God condescend to hear you in the day of trouble? Doth he convince you by your own experience, that your prayers have power with God, and do prevail? O see how much you owe to your dear Lord Jesus Christ, for this high and glorious priviledge!
The Covenant of Grace, in which all your comfortable enjoyments are comprized, and by which they are secured, sanctified, and sweetned to you, is made in Christ, and ratified by him betwixt God and you. Your mercies are all comprized in this Covenant, even your daily bread, Psalm 111. 5. as well as your justification, and other spiritual mercies.
'Tis your Covenant interest, that secures to you what ever it comprizes, Isa. 55. 3. hence they are called the sure mercies of David.
Nay, this is it that sanctifies them, and gives them … nature of special and peculiar mercies. One … mercy is worth a thousand common mercies. And being sanctified and special mercies, they must needs be exceeding sweet beyond all other mercies. On these accounts it was▪ that David so rejoiced in his Covenant I…teres…, though laden with many afflictions, … Sam. 23. 5.
But now all this hangs entirely upon Christ. The New Testament is in his bloo…, 1 Cor. 11. …5. and whatever mercies you reap from that Covenant, you must thank the Lord Jesus Christ for them. Put all this together, and then think how such considerations will endear Christ to your souls!