Christ Crucified, Sermon 49
SERMON XLIX.
ISAIAH LIII.XI.
Verſe 11. He ſhall ſee of the travell of his ſoul, and ſhall be ſatisfied: by his knowledge ſhall my righteous ſervant juſtifie many: for he ſhall bear their iniquities.
THere are two things of great Concernment for Men to know, for ſinfull Men to know (if any thing be of Concernment) The one is, how the Juſtice of God that is provoked may be Satisfied, or what it is, by which provoked Juſtice is Satisfied: And the other is, What the way is, how we come to get that Satisfaction applyed to us, or, what is the way to get the Benefit of it made ours? And both of them are Anſwered in this v. clearly and ſhortly; The firſt is holden out in the firſt part of the v. To be the travel of Chriſts ſoul, Which hath a ſpecial look to the Covenant of Redemption, and to the Condition on which it is Accompliſhed and Performed, That is, His Soul-travel, under which all His Sufferings are comprehended; The other is, in the Latter Part of the verſe; By his knowledge ſhall my righteous ſervant juſtifie many, for he ſhall bear their iniquities; This holds forth in ſhort, the Goſpel, nay, how a Sinner may be brought to get the Benefit of Chriſt's Satisfaction; Theſe two being the Sum of the Goſpel, To wit, Chriſt's Purchaſe, and the Application of it to Sinners.
In this laſt part of the verſe, We have theſe Five things to be conſidered, which expreſs this, 1. The great benefit that flows from Chriſt's Sufferings, and it is Juſtification, Which in a word is this much, To be Abſolved, Acquited, and ſet Free from the Guilt of Sin, and from the Curſe of God, Juſtifying here being oppoſed to Condemning; So that when its ſaid, They ſhall be juſtified, The meaning is, that theſe that were before obnoxious to the Curſe, and that were by the Law to be Condemned (according to that Word, Gal. 3.10. Curſed is every one that abids not in all things written in the law to do them) Shall now, through the benefit of Chriſt's Sufferings, be declared Free, and ſet at Liberty, even as a Debtor is ſet Free by the interveening of a Reſponſall Cautioner 2. The Parties made partakers of the Benefit, And they are called, Many; though they are few, being compared with the World, yet in themſelves they are many; They ſhall come, or many ſhall come; From the eaſt, and from the weſt, and from the ſouth, and from the north, and ſhall ſit down with Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven; And comparing this Word with the laſt Words of the v. It ſayes, That they are as many as theſe are whoſe iniquities He bare, and the payment of whoſe Debt He undertook; It is not to be taken Univerſally for all, but for ſome ſingular Selected Perſons, whoſe iniquities He bare. 3. The Fountain from which, or from whom this Benefit flows to many; It's the Lords righteous ſervant, he ſhall justifie many; Where the effect is attributed alone to Him. 4. The way how Chriſt Juſtifies; its not ſimply, by forgiving (as He indeed hath power to forgive Sins,) But meritoriouſly, To wit, by His Satisfying for them, Therefore it is added, For he ſhall bear their iniquities; He ſhall take on their Sins, and pay their Debt; And therefore, when they come before the Tribunal of God, the Guilt of their Sins is taken off them through His Merit: 5. The great Midſe, or Mean, by which this Benefit is derived to theſe many, it is by his knowledge, Which is not to be taken Subjectively, for the Knowledge that He hath. But Objectively, That is, He, by making Himſelf known by believing; Or, it's by his knowledge, not Actively, but Paſively taken, not His Knowledge, whereby He doth Know, but that whereby He is Known; It's in a word, by Faith, According to that, Philip. 3.8, 9, 10. I account all things (ſaith the Apoſtle there) loſs, for the excellency of the knowledge of Chriſt Jeſus my Lord, &c. And he expones what that is in the next Words, That I may be found in him, not having my own righteousneſs, which is according to the law, but the righteouſneſs of God, which is by the faith of him: Theſe may afterward be more fully cleared, as we come to ſpeak to them more particularly.
There is here then a brief Compend of the Goſpel, and of the way of Sinners Reconciliation with God; So that if ye would know, 1. How a Sinner is Juſtified, or wherein it conſiſts? here it is, It conſiſts not in the infuſing of Grace, nor in the Sanctifying, or making of a Prophane Perſon Holy, Though that doth accompany alwayes, and follow Juſtification; But in the abſolving of a Sinner from the Guilt of Sin, or in acquiting the Guilty. 2. Would ye know the Ground on which this goeth, or how it comes to paſs, That the Juſt God can Juſtifie an ungodly Sinner? It is becauſe of Chriſt's Righteouſneſs? and of His Satisfying of Juſtice, or paying of the Sinners Debt. 3: Would ye know, how it comes, that this Man, and not another, comes to get Chriſt's Satisfaction made his, and hath his Debt thereby taken off? It is by His Knowledge, and by Faith in Him, (called knowledge; here, Becauſe it neceſſarily preſuppoſes the Knowledge of Him;) It is by acknowledging of Him in His Offices, and by ſubmitting, and betaking of our ſelves to Him by Faith; Becauſe it is Articled in the Covenant of Redemption, That His Righteouſneſſe ſhall be made forthcoming to all them that by Faith betake themſelves to Him for ſhelter; So that hereby the ungodly are declared Righteous, becauſe, through the Cautioners Payment, and Satisfaction, their Sin is not imputed to them, and they are declared Free, becauſe of His paying of their Debt for them. 4. Would ye know the Reaſon of this, how it comes, that Faith Juſtifies in it's reſting on Chriſt? It is not becauſe of any worth in it ſelf, nor becauſe of any account that is made of it's Worth, but becauſe it reſts on Chriſt's Righteouſneſſe, and takes hold of the Benefit of Chriſt's Purchaſe; Therefore it is added, Becauſe he ſhall bear their iniquities, becauſe by Faith they take hold of His Sufferings, and Satisfaction, whereby their Sin is taken away, and God becomes well-pleaſed with them for His ſake: This then is a moſt material place of Scripture, and we had need in entring upon it, to have an Eye to this Righteous ſervant, That He would be pleaſed to make the Meaning of it known to us, and to give us the right underſtanding of this great Myſtery.
Firſt, In general Obſerve here, in what Eſtate Men are Naturally, and as Abſtracted from Chriſt; They are unjuſtified, and lying under God's Curſe, obnoxious to His Wrath, This is ſuppoſed, Conſider Men then in their Natural Eſtate, this is it, They are even obnoxious to the Wrath and Curſe of God, which is ready to ceize upon them, for their breach of Gods Covenant, and for provoking of Him by Sin; if Men thought ſeriouſly on this, how could they ſleep, or have peace; not knowing when they may be Arreſted, and put in Priſon, till they pay the uttermoſt Farthing, which will never be; O! that ye knew and believed this, who are ready to defie any that will offer to charge you with one penny of Debt, and who walk up and down without all fear of your hazard; Lay your Natural Eſtate to heart, and ye will have quite other thoughts of your ſelves.
2dly. Obſerve, The way how freedome from this Debt of Sin, and lyableneſs to the Curſes derived; And to this, many things concur, each of which hath it's own place. 1. The Mediator and His Satisfaction, This is the Ground of the Freedom. 2. The Covenant of Redemption, and the Promiſe made to the Mediator in it, He ſhall ſee his ſeed, &c. He ſhall ſee of the travel of his ſoul, and ſhall be ſatisfied, By his knowledge ſhall many be juſtified, &c. Wherein it is Articled, That theſe for whom He Suffered ſhall be Pardoned and ſet free; And it is this that gives Sinners acceſs to expect the Benefit of Chriſt's Sufferings; otherwayes, though Chriſt had Suffered, they had not been the better of His Sufferings, if this Covenant had not been, which gives them warrand to lay hold on the ſame; Ere Faith can Act on Chriſts Sufferings, it muſt have this Ground laid down, That it hath a warrand by Vertue of this Covenant to lay hold on them. 3. The knowledge and offer of this Myſterious Contrivance of Grace, is alſo neceſſary, and doth concur to bring about the Freedom; This muſt be manifeſted, that there is ſuch a Saviour, ſuch a Satisfaction, and ſuch a Covenant, wherein the Ground is laid down, and a Warrand given, by Vertue of this Covenant to make Uſe of Chriſt's Satisfaction, and to come by the Benefit of it; This is implyed in that Word, His knowledge; So, Rom. 10. It's ſaid, How ſhall they believe in him of whom they have not heard, which ſayes plainly, That there can not be Faith, except knowledge preceed; I obſerve this the rather, becauſe many think to come to Heaven without Knowledge, and ſo continue ſtill in their Ignorance; But ere their can be ſound Faith, there muſt neceſſarly be ſome meaſure of Knowledge of theſe things, that are neceſſary to be known; As, that we are Sinners, and that we are loſt in our ſelves; That Jeſus Chriſt is the alone Propitiation for Sin, and that according to the Covenant of Grace, they that believe on Him ſhall be Abſolved, and ſet Free. 4. There is a concurring of Faith▪ for taking hold of this Benefit of Offered-ſalvation through Chriſt; how Faith concurres with Chriſts Satisfaction, in order to the making of our Peace with God, We ſhall not now ſtand to ſpeak particularly, only in general, it is by His Knowledge that it Juſtifies; For, though He have ſufficient Righteouſneſſe, and though the Covenant give warrand to take hold of it, yet, if there be not an actual taking hold of it, It will not profit us; Therefore, Rom. 3.22. and 9.30. It is called, The righteouſneſs which is by faith in him; And Rom. 4.5. The Apoſtle ſaith, To him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted to him for righteouſneſs. It is not Faith without it's Object Chriſt, nor the Object Chriſt without Faith; But it is Faith taking hold of Him as it's Object, by which we have acceſs to plead for Abſolution; without Chriſt, our Faith will do us no good, and without Faith Chriſt will not profit us; For without Faith we have no Title to Chriſt: And each of theſe would be put in their own Room and Place; Chriſt in His Room, and Faith in it's Room, as the condition on which His Purchaſe is made offer of to us.
More particularly, Let me, First, conſider the Title that Chriſt gets in theſe Words, He is called the Lords Servant, and His Righteous ſervant.
1. As for Servant, It looks to Him as Mediator, as this whole Chapter with Chapter 42.1. and 52.13. do abundantly clear; Chriſt Jeſus then as Mediator, is the Lords Servant, or He, in performing the Office of Mediator, is His Fathers Servant, ſo the Lord calls Him, Pſal. 89.19. When He ſays, I have laid help upon one that is mighty, I have found David my ſervant, &c. For He is there ſpeaking of Jeſus Chriſt, with whom the Covenant of Grace, as with the head of the Confederated Party, is principally made: It imports theſe Four, which may be as ſo many Reaſons of this Deſignation. 1. An Humiliation, and Inferiority, in reſpect of God, as it's ſaid, Phil. 2. He humbled himſelf, and became of no reputation; In which reſpect, He Himſelf ſayes, that the Father is greater then he; And that He is ſent, That He came not to do his own will, but the will of him that ſent him; This holds forth a great Wonder, in the diſpenſation of Grace, That the Fathers Fellow and Equal, He that was Lord and Maſter of all, ſhould become a Servant in the Work of Redemption, for the ſaving of Souls; This muſt ſute be a great Work, wherein the Son becomes a Servant, As it muſt be a greater Wonder, that Grace ſo far condeſcended, as to make Him, who is the Prince of Life, to become a Servant; And we would look at it, as a much greater, and far more momentuous buſineſs, then we uſe to do, to get a Soul ſaved. 2. It imports His Prerogative, as being Singularly and Eminently Gods Servant; He is called, Heb. 13.20. The great ſhepherd, So may He be called the great Steward, and Deputy over all the Lord's Houſe; So then, He is a Singular Choiſe, and Non-ſuch Servant; Behold, ſayes Jehovah, Iſa. 42.1. My ſervant whom I uphold, mine elect in whom my ſoul delighteth; Though all be Gods Servants, yet in this reſpect, He is Singularly, and Solly a Servant, as He is Great Lord Deputie, made head over all things to the Church, who was before all things, and is preferred to all things; This is very Comfortable to Believers, to conſider, that though Our Lord Jeſus be a Servant, yet He is a Choice and Singular Servant, Adminiſtrator, and Steward for their Good, it being for them that He becomes a Servant. 3. It imports the particular Taſk, or Work that is laid on Him, and the Commiſſion that He hath gotten, to follow forth, and proſecute that Work, which is the main Reaſon of this Deſignation of a Servant, Becauſe He is intruſted with carrying on the Great Work of the Redemption of Elect Sinners; Therefore He ſayes, I came not to do my own will, but the will of him that ſent me, and to finiſh his work; And I have finiſhed the work which thou gaveſt me to do; Becauſe He is particularly intruſted with the bringing about of that Work, He hath gotten ſo many given Him to Redeem, and Save, to whom He is appointed a Shepherd, a Head, and Overſeer, or Biſhop, Therefore He calls Himſelf the good ſhepherd; And is called by the Apoſtle; the Shepherd and Biſhop (or Overſeer) of Souls; And of all that are given Him He loſeth none, but maketh accompt of them all: And this is yet more Comfortable, when we conſider that Chriſt is not a Servant ſimply, but a Servant Commiſſionat to gather in Souls, to bring home the loſt Sheep of the Houſe of Iſrael; This is His Office, and Service, even to ſatisfie for the Sins of ſuch, to deſtroy the power that the Devil hath over them, and ſo ſubdue Sin in them. 4. It imports this, that the Work which He performs in the Redeeming of Souls is ſo acceptable to God, and doth ſo mightily concur, and Co-operat to the promoving of His Deſign, that the Lord owns every thing that He performs, as performed by His Great Ambaſſadour; and by Him, who hath the Truſt of all the affairs of His Houſe committed to Him, So that Our Lord Jeſus, in performing the Work of Redemption, cannot but be acceptable to Jehovah, becauſe it is a performing of that with which He hath intruſted Him. Therefore, John 4. He ſayes, that it is his meat to do his fathers will, and to finiſh His Work; And to this purpoſe, He ſayes to His ſuppoſed Father, and to His Mother, Luke 2.49. wiſt ye not that I muſt be about my fathers buſineſs? It's His Buſſineſs, becauſe it is ſo on the matter, it's ſo accounted of, and comes to be ſo, in the end, and therefore, in the 10. v. of this Chap. it is ſaid, The pleaſure of the Lord ſhall proſper in his hand.
2. As for His being the Lord's righteous ſervant; He is not only a Servant, but an excellent Servant; not Righteous ſimply, as He is God only, nor Righteous, ſimply as He is Man; But Righteous in the Adminiſtration of His Offices, and in the Diſcharge of the Great Truſt committed to Him. Whence Obſerve, That Our Lord Jeſus, in performing of the Office, and Work of Mediation and Redemption, is moſt Truſty, and Faithful: There is not any the leaſt Fault or Failling in His performing of it; He is the Lord's Servant, that never wronged His Maſter, who never miſcarried in His Commiſſion, nor Miſmanaged it in the leaſt; Saith He, I have finiſhed the work which thou gaveſt me to do. If we look a litle to the qualifications, that ſhine eminently in the Adminiſtration of His Offices, they will make out this; For He Adminiſtrats them. 1. Wonderfully Wiſely. 2. Very Tenderly. 3. Moſt Diligently, and Effectually. 4. With all Faithfulneſſe: Thus doth He Intirely, and Holily, without the leaſt touch of unrighteousneſſe perform all the Truſt committed to Him, and that both towards God, and towards the Sheep; So as He is eminently, by the Lord's own Teſtimony, His righteous ſervant, with whom He is well pleaſed, and cannot but be well pleaſed: It will not be needfull to ſeperat theſe qualifications of His Service, in the Adminiſtration of His Offices: In ſpeaking to them, we ſhall only deſire you to take notice of ſome few Places of Scripture that hold them out; The firſt whereof is that, Iſai. 40.11. He ſhall feed his flock like a ſhepherd, he ſhall gather the lambs with his arme, and carrie them in his boſome, and gently lead thoſe that are with young. Never ſhepherd was ſo careful of his Flock; for He ſeeds them, and in Feeding them waits diligently on them, and takes them to theſe places where it is beſt for them to Feed; He thinks fit now and then, it's true, that Dogs be hunded at them, yet He is ſo warm to, and tender of them, that He gathers them with His Arme, and He is ſo dexterous, and ſkilfull in Conducting them, that He gently leads them that are with young; that is, ſuch of them as are in Pangs of the New Birth, He will by no means over-drive: To ſpeak it with reverence; He is as a ſkilfull Midwife, to make theſe who are with Child ſafely to bring forth; Well then may He get this Name, of the Lord's righteous ſervant. The next place is, Iſai. 42.1, 2, 3, 4. Behold my ſervant whom I uphold, my elect, in whom my ſoul delighteth, I have put my ſpirit upon him he ſhall bring forth judgement to the gentles. He ſhall not cry, nor lift up, nor cauſe his voice to be heard in the ſtreet. A bruiſed reed ſhall he not break, and the ſmoaking flax ſhall he not quench, he ſhall bring forth judgement unto truth, &c. Is there not here a wonderfull commendation that the Father gives to the Son, and that the Gracious Maſter gives to the Righteous Servant in His Office. He is His Elect choiſe Servant, in whom His Soul delights, He does not cry, nor lift up His voice; He is buſſier about His Work, then in making any din about it; there is no frowardneſſe in His way, but He is tender of Souls that are like to a bruiſed Reed, and ſmoaking Flax; He will not break the one, nor put out the other; Where a Soul is weak or wounded, He will not break nor bruiſe it, by a rough touch, or word; and where there are the leaſt breathings of ſincere deſires after Him, He will not quench nor ſtiffle them; and though the Taſk be great, that He hath in hand, He fails not is going through with it, He ſits not up, nor is He diſcouraged under it, notwithſtanding all the Wrath He hath to meet with in His way; Therefore, when the Cup is put in His hand, at which His holy humane Nature ſome way ſhrunk and ſkarred, yet He takes it pleaſantly, ſaying, But for this cauſe came I unto this hour; and proſecuteth His Work Courageouſly, and Conſtantly, till He bring forth Judgement to Victory, and till He gain His Point; This ſhews Him to be a moſt Choiſe and Faithfull Servant. A 3. Place is, Iſai. 52.13. Behold my ſervant ſhall deal prudently. &c. It cannot be imagined, what a Spiritual, Cannie, and Dexterous way He hath in the ſaving of Souls, and how Wiſely, and Prudently He purſues that Work: There is a 4th. Place, Pſal. 89.19, 20. I have laid help upon one that is mighty, I have exalted one choſen out of the people, I have found David my ſervant. The enemy ſhall not exact upon him, &c. He is ſo Dexterous and Powerful, that the Devil ſhall gain no ground of Him, but He ſhall gain ground of him, and defeat him; ſo that we come after only to gather the Spoil. He is able to ſave to the uttermoſt, (as it is, Heb. 7.26.) all that come unto God through him; And near the cloſe of that Chap. It is ſaid, Such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmleſs, ſeperat from ſinners, made higher then the heavens. Theſe are His qualifications, He is an holy and harmleſs high Prieſt, a ſweet (and to ſay ſo) illeſſe Mediator; by whom there was never any hurt; His ill was never heard of, in the place where He was; He is Undefiled, Pure and Spotleſſe, in the management of all the Truſt committed to Him; there was never any thing done by Him, of which it could be ſaid, that it might have been done better; He is ſeperat from Sinners, and ſo another kind of high Prieſt then theſe who were before Him; And all this, both as to God, ſo as He could ſay, and go to Death with it, It is finiſhed; And as to them that were intruſted to Him, ſo as He cou…d ſay, Of all that thou hast given me, I have lost none; he makes a Full and Faithfull accompt of all committed to Him.
This is a plain, and yet a moſt uſefull Truth: For Uſe of it. Behold here, and wonder at the way of Grace, that not only gives a Mediator, but ſuch a Mediator, who (as it is Heb. 3▪) is faithfull over the houſe of God: This is the very Life of our Conſolation, that we have an able Mediator, a good Shepherd, a Wiſe, Prudent, Tender One, and Faithfull; and indeed it would well become us to wonder more, that the Lord, in the way of His Grace hath thus condeſcended; and it ſhould exceedingly provocke us to be thankfull on this accompt, that not only there is a way of Grace, but ſuch a way of Grace found out, and eſtabliſhed, whereby we have ſuch an high Prieſt, that manages all ſo Well, and ſo Dexterouſly. O! have ye ever ſuitably Prized this, That God hath given ſuch a Righteous and Faithfull Mediator, and Servant? I fear many ſuffer this moſt obſervable Diſpenſation to paſſe without due Obſervation; Though the Lord Jehovah ſpeaks not of Him without commending Him; yet wretched and ingrate, we can, Alace! ſpeak of Him, and hear Him ſpoken of, with hearts very little affected: Believers may be aſhamed of this; we think lamentably little of Him, we eſteem not ſuitably of Him; when we ſee Him, there is ſcarce any Form or Beauty ſeen in Him, wherefore we ſhould deſire Him, we do in a great meaſure undervalue this way of Graces Adminiſtration, that ſhould be in a ſpecial manner Raviſhing to us, that we are thereby brought under ſuch a Tutory:
The 2d. Uſe, Is for Believers Comfort, and Incouragement; O! but they are happy, that have committed themſelves to Him, as to a Faithful Shepherd and Overſeer▪ They may be ſure that He is a notable and non-ſuch Overſeer: As might be more fully cleared, if we would deſcend to the particulars of Believers need: Have they little Grace? Is it ſcarce ſmoaking? He is not a rigid Taſk-maſter, like to the Egyptians, nay, nor like to the Law, He quenches not the ſmoaking Flax- Are they ſtaggering, becauſe of apprehended or real Weakneſs, and their hearts ſhaking as the Trees in the Wood, or rather like ſo many Straes? They may with Comfort give Him the Over-ſight of them, He will not break the bruiſed Reed, He will bear the heavieſt end of His own Yoke. Have they a ſtraying Diſpoſition? Are they like young wanton Lambs leaping out from the reſt? He will gather them with His Arme; and when He takes a rougher way, yet Grace ſhines ſtill in it; Are they Fainting and Swooning? He will take them into His Boſom; He will lead the Blind, He bears the Weak, He hath a way of Supporting His own that is moſt Tender. My grace (ſayes He to Paul) is ſufficient for thee; my strength is made perfect in weakneſs. Are their any of them with Child (to ſpeak ſo) Or is their bringing forth quick and lively? He gently leads thoſe that are with young, and will not ſuffer them to miſcarry, in the bringing forth; He will not put new wine into old bottles, he will not cauſe to travel, and not make to bring forth; The Lord hath given Believers ſuch a Servant as they ſtood in need of, even a Righteous Servant, ſuited every way to their Condition, who will not be behind, nor wanting in looking to the leſt wrigling, (to ſpeak ſo) under His Care and Overſight.
It ſerves therefore, In the 3d. Place to reprove the Suſpitions, and Jealouſies that Believers have often of Chriſt, who are diſpoſed to ſay with the Pſalmist, Pſal. 77. I ſaid, my hope and my strength is periſhed from the Lord, will the Lord caſt off for ever? will he be favourable no more? is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promiſe fail for evermore? hath he forgotten to be gracious? &c. Nay, the Jealouſie, and Miſbelief of ſome ſerious Souls, will ſometimes talk it this Rate, I may give it over, this work will never go with me; beware, I beſeech you of this; for the language of it is, That Our Lord is not a Righteous Servant; Let therefore your Spirits be calmed, and pray the Lord to command a calme in them which are committed to Him. Beſpeak your Souls as David did his, Pſal. 42. Why art thou caſt down O my ſoul? And why art thou diſquieted in me? Truſt in God; For He is Faithfull (as if he had ſaid,) that hath the overſight of me. And eſſay with Paul, to be in caſe to ſay, I know whom I have believed; and ſo ſhall not be aſhamed; I am perſwaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him, againſt that day. I know that He is ſuch a Chriſt, that I commit my ſelf to, who is ſo Skilfull, Dexterous, Tender and Faithfull, in keeping that which is given Him. And is not this moſt comfortable; and a notable ground of quietneſs; That Our Mediator is ſuch as cannot miſcarry; And may it not ſhame Believers, when either they adventure upon any thing their alone without Him; or, when they commit themſelves to Him, and yet do not ſo intirely Truſt Him, but entertain Suſpitions and Jealouſies of Him, and think, becauſe their Spark is not a Fire, or a Flame, but Smoaks only, that therefore it will die out, and be utterly quenched, as if He could not keep it in, and increaſe it; and becauſe they cannot guide themſelves, think that they will utterly miſcarry, as if He had not Armes to carrie them; indeed Preſumption is to be abhorred; but ſuch as are fled in to Him, would truſt in Him ſo far, as to keep up their hearts in Him, and would ſtudie to be cheerfull in Him, and to walk up and down in His ſtrength; this is certainly called for from you; therefore be content to be born by Him, where ye cannot go your alone.
Uſe 4. Is He ſuch a Righteous Servant? Then let me ſay, are there any of you that need to fear, or to have the leaſt hink, or heſitation, to commit your ſelves to Him? And ſhould it not be a Motive to preſs you to give Him credit? For He ſayes, John 6.39, 40. That it's His Commiſſion and Service to keep them, which are committed to Him, and to raiſe them up at the laſt Day, and to give them Eternal Life; And He is Righteous and Faithfull in Performing of it; If ſo, then credit the Salvation of your Souls to this Righteous Servant; Commit your ſouls in well-doing to him, as unto a faithfull creator; Never be at peace, nor at eaſe, till ye be under His Charge and Keeping, and though ye be as little Lambs, as weak Wriglings, or heavy with Young, it's the leſs matter, if ye be of His Flock, ye ſhall be preſerved: Is it poſſible that ye can be right if ye be from under His Care and Cuſtody? Nay, it's utterly impoſſible, that ye can be ſecure, but under His Care; And it's as impoſſible, but that ye muſt be ſafe, if ye be under His Care and Overſight: And therefore endeavour to be within the reach of it, and to count your ſelves happy, when ye do ſincerely give Him credit; and to believe that ye are in greateſt hazard, when ye take moſt on your ſelves. What a ſhame will it be to many, who have heard that Chriſt was ſuch a Servant, and yet they would not take His Service to bring them through to heaven? Thus it ſtands with you, to whom He is ſpoken of in the Goſpel, ye ſhall be found either to have accepted or rejected Him, according as by Faith, ye yeeld your ſelves to Him, or by unbelief, ye refuſe to cloſe with Him: Let not this word ſlip, as many have done. And the Lord Himſelf make you wiſe, to make choiſe in time of the Service of this Righteous Servant, for your Juſtification and Salvation.