Christ Crucified, Sermon 46
SERMON XLVI.
ISAIAH LIII.XI.
Verſ. 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.
THE Bargain of Redemption is a great Bargain, and we may ſay, that it is a good Bargain, wherein the greateſt things that ever were imagined are tranſacted; The ſum whereof is in theſe two. 1. What ſhall be the Satisfaction, that muſt be given to the infinit Juſtice of God, or what ſhall be the amends that muſt be made to God for the Satisfying of His Juſtice, for the Sins of all the Elect? and that is compended in theſe Words, The travel of Chriſts ſoul, That is the condition, or theſe a…e the Terms, on which only the Lord Jehovah will Tryſt, (to ſpeak ſo) and He will Tryſt on no other Terms. 2. What ſhall be the Satisfaction that the Mediator ſhall have for all His Sufferings, and Soul-travel? And this is ſummed up in theſe Words, He ſhall ſee of the travel of his ſoul, and ſhall be ſatisfied, Upon which two ſtands the Covenant of Redemption; And hence it is, That all things relating to the Salvation of the Elect, are to ſicker and fi…m, that there is no poſſibility of the miſgiving, or failing of whatever is here tranſ…cted upon.
We have ſpoken ſomewhat of the Price, which the Son, the Mediator was to give, and of the Soul-travel which He underwent in the paying of it: We ſhall now ſpeak of the Words as they hold out th… Promiſes made to the Mediator, and it's two fold. 1. He ſhall ſee of the travel of his ſoul, Which Words being an Explication of the former, and looking alſo to theſe which follow, there is a Word to be ſupplied, which will …k in both, and it is fruit, He ſhall ſee the f…uit of the travel of his ſoul, That is, He cannot but have a Seed, and a numerous off-ſpring, becauſe of His Soul-travel, in bringing them Forth; and ſo the Promiſe in this reſpect ſhews the certainty of the eff ct, that is, that He ſhall moſt certainly bring forth in H s travelling. The 2. Promiſe is, That He ſhall ſee the Fruit of His Soul-travel; or His Seed; It's much to have a Seed, but it's more to ſee it; it's not only this. That Chriſt ſhall have a numerous Iſ…ue, but that He ſhall Outlive Death, to ſee and over-ſee, and be a a Tu…or to them, though by His Death He Purchaſe Life to them.
We ſhall from the firſt Promiſe take two Obſervations, The 1. is this, That our Lord J…ſus, by His Suffering and Soul travel, ſhall c…rtainly attain the Fruit He aims at in it; His Death and Sufferings ſhall not be Fruitleſs, but ſhall certainly have the intended Fruit; Whatever we take the Fruit to be, whether we take it our of the former Words, it's a Seed that he ſhall ſee, or have; Or whether we take it out of the following Words, It's the Juſtifying of many; Both theſe come to the ſame thing, and it ſhall certainly come to paſs, and be made effectuall in the Up-ſhot of it; As the Lord Himſelf ſayeth, John 12.24. Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone, but if it die, it bringeth forth mu…h fru…t, Where He compares His own Death, to the ſowing of Seed, which, when ſown doth rot? and then ſprings up, and hath Fruit, ſo (as if He had ſ id) my Death ſhall be a Seed, or Seed-time, whereon abundant Fruit ſhall follow for the Good and Salvation of many: This Doctrine ſuppoſes, 1. That our Lord Jeſus had a reſpect in the laying down of His Life, to the Salvation of H…s own Elect People, or thus, that our Lord Jeſus, in the laying down of His Life, had a deſigne and purpoſe to ſave the Elect; as often He ſaith, I lay down my life for my ſheep; And here, they are called a Seed, and Fruit, and ſuch as are Juſtified in due time. 2. That this purpoſe ſhould by His Sufferings be certainly made effectual; this being the Fathers Promiſe to Him, He ſhall ſee His ſeed, or the travel of his ſoul, and ſhall be ſatisfied. It cannot be fruſtrated; And we may furder confirm it from theſe Grounds. 1 Becauſe it is a Covenanted, and Tranſacted buſineſs betwixt the Father and the Son, and is here Promiſed; If therefore there cannot be a failling of the Tranſaction and Bargain it muſt certainly have the full eff…ct. 2 Becauſe the Mediator hath faithfully …ulfilled His part of the Covenant; And if He ha…h been ſo faithfull on His ſide; Then Jehovah on the other ſide of the Covenant, who hath in it promiſed Satisfaction to Him, for the travel of His Soul, cannot but perform His part alſo; The Mediator performed His Part, even till it c…me to theſe ſweet Words uttered by Him on the Croſs, It is finiſhed; And therefore as I ſaid, the other part, That he ſhall ſee the fruit of his Soul-travel, muſt alſo be performed. 3. It's alſo clear from the End and Deſigne of the Covenant of Redemption, betwixt the Father and the Son, and of Chriſts laying down His Life, which was to bring about Life unto, and to make it forthcoming for all them that the Father had given Him, and to, and for no more, nor to, and for no fewer; Therefore He ſaith, All that the Father hath given me ſhall come unto me, And, I give them eternal life, and will raiſe them up at the laſt day; Now, this being the End of the Covenant, and of Chriſts Death, and the mean whereby the Glory of Grace is manifeſted, that Life might not only be Purchaſed to the Elect, but alſo actually conferred on them, according to the Fathers and the Mediators deſigne in the Covenant; Chriſt Jeſus cannot but have the Promiſe made good unto Him, there being an engadgement of, and on the God-head (to ſpeak after the manner of Men) as to the Reality, Certainty and Succeſs of the performance, and for making out this Promiſe to the Mediator.
The 1. Uſe Serves for Inſtructing and Clearing of us, in ſeveral things contraverted by unſound men; For, if this be a Truth, That our Lords Sufferings and Soul-travel cannot but have Fruit, and the Fruit that He aimed at therein, then, 1. There is a definit particular, and certain number Elected, to partake of the Benefit of Chriſt's Sufferings; becauſe there is only ſuch a particular number that is given to Chriſt, to be Redeemed by Him, and that do actually partake of the Benefit of His Sufferings, which cannot fail. 2. That Chriſt's Sufferings are not intended as a Price and Satisfaction for the Sins of all and every one; for ſo He ſhould not ſee the Fruit of the Travel of His Soul, but ſhould in a great part miſs and loſs it, if He had intended, that the Travel of His Soul ſhould have been undergone for Judas, as well as for Peter. 3. There is here a Ground, for the Certainty, and Efficacy of the Grace of God in converting Elect Sinners, for Chriſt Jeſus cannot loſs theſe who are committed to Him to be Redeemed, more then He can loſs the Fruit of His Suffering, then ſure Faith is not left pendelous on Mans Free-will, but is put out of queſtion, as to all His own, through His undertaking, As He ſaith, That no man can come to me, except the Father draw him, ſo He ſaith, Theſe that are given me, ſhall and muſt come to me; There is a Put, or Powerful Draught of the Spirit of God, which is nothing elſe, but the efficacy of His Grace, by which this is made infruſtrably ſure, and not left contingent. 4. See here the Truth of the Perſeverence of Elect, and Regenerat Saints, who are appointed to be the Fruit of His Soul-travel, and a Satisfaction to Him for the ſame; For, if they ſhould fail, and not perſevere to the End, The Promiſe here made to the Mediator ſhould be caſt looſe, and not be neceſſarily performed, and fulfilled. 5. See here how the Salvation of Elect Sinners depends on the ingadgement betwixt God and the M…diator; Their Redemption depends on H…s paying of the Price, and their attaining the benefit of it depends on God's ingadgement to the Mediator; Therefore we are ſaid, 1 Pet. 1. To be keeped by the power of God through faith unto ſalvation: It ſerves withall to clear the Soveraignity of God, and the Freeneſſe of His Grace, when Sinners cannot pretend to have any hand in the Work, to mar the Beauty and Efficacy of Grace that ſhine therein.
Uſe 2. There is here, 1. ſomething for the incouragement of ſuch as would fain believe in Chriſt. And 2. Somewhat for Comfort to, and for Confirmation of them, who have betaken themſelves by Faith to Chriſt. 3. It ſerves withall, to incourage them, who would be at believing, and find difficulty in the way, while they are breathing after Him: It's certainly promiſed, that He ſhall have a ſeed, and ſhall ſee of the fruit of the travel of his ſoul, ſuch therefore may expect, that they ſhall come ſpeed, who would fain be at that which is the fulfilling of Gods ingadgement to the Mediator; for it was Tranſacted in the Covenant of Redemption, that His Suffering ſhould be for the good of Elect Sinners, and that the Father ſhould make Application of His Purchaſe made thereby to them; I ſay, 2dly. It ſerves to Comfort, Incourage and Confirm ſuch as are fled to Chriſt, and find their own difficulty, how to win through, for they haye a good Cautioner to make out their Faith, and what concerns their Salvation; Gods Promiſe to the Mediator ſhall not be for nought, nor in vain, but ſhall have it's accompliſhment; if poor ſinners were le…t to their own guiding, the bargain ſhould never take effect, nor be made out; but it may incourage, and comfort the poor Believer, though it ſhould alſo humble him, that the buſineſs is put in another and better hand then his own; This hath ſtrengthened the wavering hearts of many Believers before, that both ſides of the Covenant, as to their forthcoming, and performance, depend on the Father, and on the Mediator; the Mediator undertaking the payment of their Debt, and the Lord Jehovah undertaking to draw them in to the Mediator, and by His Power to bear them through, till they get all that the Mediator hath Purchaſed for them, conferred on them.
2dly, Obſerve, That all the benefits and advantages that any have ever gotten, or ſhall get, that lead to Life Eternal, and which concurr to promove the Work of their Salvation, are the Fruits of Chriſt's Purch…ſe, by His Soul travel; is a Sinner brought to B…lieve? I 's a Fruit of His Suffering; i… a Si…ne… Glorified? It's the Fruit of the ſame; And therefore, when in the one wo…d it is ſaid, He ſhall ſee his ſeed, It's …aid in the next word, He ſhall ſee of the fruit of the travel of his ſoul; To ſhew, that a Souls ingadging to Chriſt by Faith, whereb… the Perſon becomes one of His Seed, flows from His Suffering, and is a F…u…t of the Travel of His Soul, As it is, 2 Cor. 5. ult. He was made ſin for us, who knew no ſin, that we might be made the righteouſneſs of God th…ough him, or in Him; Where our righ…eouſneſs, and what conduces to our Ju…ification, is derived from His being made Sin or a Sin-off…ring for us; And Gal. 3.13. It' ſaid, that Chriſt hath redeemed us from the curſe of the law, being made a curſe for us, that the bleſſing of Abraham might come on us gentiles; Whatever is comprehended under that B…eſſing as taking in both the l nd a…d Me…ns by which we come by it, flows from His being a curſe for us, and from His being brought under ſad Suffering, and ſore Soul-travel for us: In this Doctrine, ye would conſider ſomething for clearing of it, or rather take the Doctrine it ſelf ſeveral wayes, and it will help to clear it elf. 1. Then, when we ſpeak of the Fruit of Ch iſts Sufferings, we mean, not only t…at our Juſtification, the Pardon of ou… Sins, and our entry into He…ven, are Fru…ts of it; But that our Believing, Repen…ance, Hol… neſs, and every thing that leads thereunto, are Fruits of it alſo; Therefore it's promiſed to Chriſt Pſal. 110.3. Thy people ſhall be willing in the day of thy power: And that theſe that are given to Chriſt ſhall come, is a Promiſe …s well as it's a Promiſe, that theſe that come ſhall be Juſtified, and the one fo…lows upon Chriſts Ingaging, and performing of the Ingagement as well as the other. 2. If we take the Doctrine thus, That there is nothing tha… a Sinner gets that leads to Life and Salv…tion, but it's a F…uit of Chriſt's Purchaſe; We get neither Repentance, nor Faith, nor Holineſs, nor any other ſuch thing, but on the account of Chriſts Satisfaction. Or 3dly. Take it thus, Whatever is needfull for compleating of them that are Ch…iſts Seed, whom He hath Purchaſed, whatever they want, or ſtand in need of, whether Righteouſneſs, Holineſs, Repentance, Faith, H…pe, &c. All are purchaſed by Him, and are the Fruits of His Death, and Sou…-travel; This riſeth clearly from the Words, He ſhall ſee of the fruit of the travel of his ſoul, That is He ſhall ſee Sinners believing on Him, and repenting for ſin, as well as H… ſha…l ſee them Glorified: which will be clear, if we conſider theſe two Reaſons. 1. The nature of the Covenant, wherein all the Promiſes concerning Sinners Salvation are comprehended; there being but one Covenant of Redemption, and that being a Promiſe of this Covenant, to circumciſe the heart to love God, and to writ his law in it, as well as to pardon Sin; and all the Promiſes of the Covenant depending on Chriſts S…ipulation, and theſe things in the Promiſes flowing from the Covenant betwixt God and the Mediator, Sinners can have no Right to any thing that is Promiſed, but by a. Covenant, neither can they have any acceſs to them, but through Chriſts Suffering 2. It's clear from the End of the Covenant that whatever Sinners have need of, they muſt be in Chriſts common for it; now, if we had Faith, or Repentance, or any other Grace from our ſelves, or on our own account, we ſhould not be in His Debt, and Common for all that we need, as indeed we are, according to that, 1 Cor. 30, 31. He is made of God unto us, wiſdom, to be our Guide, and Teacher, righteouſneſs, to be our Juſtifier, and the meritorious Cauſe of it, ſanctification, To be the Worker and the Procurer of it; and in a Word, compleat Redemption; and this is ſubjoyned as the Reaſon of all, That he that glories, or rejoyces, may glorie, or rejoyce in the Lord; that is, Whether there be a looking to Faith, or Repentance, or any other Grace, there may be no cauſe to be Vain or Proud of it, but that knowing theſe to be from Chriſt, and Fruits of His Purchaſe, all the praiſe of them may be to Him alone.
The Uſe of this is large, it ſpeaks ſomething more generally to them that are Strangers to Chriſt, and who think that they would be at Him; and ſomething to them that are in Him; and ſomething to both: And the 1. thing that it ſpeaks is this (which we have often heard of, but cannot hear of it too often,) Even the great and glad Tydings, and very good News, which we have to ſpeak of through Jeſus Chriſt, That Redemption is Purchaſed by Him to poor Sinners, and that through Him there is acceſs to Life, and Peace, and Reconciliation with God, from which through Sin we had fallen, and run our ſelves, under a Forefaulture of, and from which we had been barred up Eternally except He had Suffered; There was a will of Separation, and Partition ſtanding betwixt God and us, which by His Sufferings was demoliſhed and broken down, and thereby a door of acceſs to God ſtruck up, even through the vail of his fleſh; Theſe ſhould be refreſhing and freſh Newes to us every day, as indeed they would be, if we rightly knew, and believed the benefit of God's Friendſhip, and what were our hazard, in lying ſtill in nature, and what was the Price that Chriſt laid down to Purchaſe for Sinners Friendſhip with God, and delivery from His Curſe; that it behoved to coſt Him ſore Soul-travel, ere any ſpecial Grace could be beſtowed on Sinners; and that this ſame Goſpel that is Preached to you, is a Fruit of the Travel of His Soul; and that in making the Covenant of Redemption, this ſame was a part of the Indenture (to ſpeak ſo) That theſe good News might be Publiſhed in this ſame place, and theſe glad Tydings ſpoken of among you: And therefore 2. Put a greater Price on the Means that may furder your Salvation; on Repentance, Faith, Holineſs, Peace with God, &c. For they are the Fruits of a very dear Purchaſe, and the Reſults of a great and ſore Conflict, which the Mediator had with the Juſtice of God, ere there could be acceſs for a Sinner to any of them; There was not ſo much payed to get the World Created, as was payed to buy Faith, Repentance, Acceſs to God, and an Entry to Heaven, to Run-away Sinners: Nothing was payed for the one, but a mighty great Price for the other: And therefore, 3. We would expoſtulat with many of you, How it comes to paſſe, that ye think ſo little of theſe things that Chriſt hath Purchaſed, that ye think ſo little of Faith in Him; and that ſo many of you take a counterfit for it; try not if you have it; trouble not your ſelves though ye want it; and that other things of little value are much eſteemed of, and over-valued by you. Is there any thing comparable to that, which Chriſt hath put ſuch a Price on, that He gave His own Life for it, and that God hath put ſuch a Price on, that He promiſed it to Chriſt, as a part of the Satisfaction for the Travel of His Soul? And yet its lightly valued by many, yea, by moſt Men and Women; The day will come, when ye will think Faith to be of more value, and will think the Pardon of Sin, and an intereſt in Chriſt's Blood, to be valuable above the whole World, though ye had it, when ye ſhall be brought to reckon with God for the ſlighting thereof. And therefore 4ly. Seing this is a Truth, that every thing that leads to Life Eternal, is a Fruit of Chriſts Purchaſe, take the right way to attain it; The exhortation implyes theſe two, 1. That ye make a right choiſe of, and put a juſt value on theſe things, that ye ſhould chooſe and value. 2. That ye take the right way for attaining of theſe things. 1. Then, Would ye know what is to be valued and choſen? It's certainly theſe things, that God and the Mediator eſteem of, and that the Congregation of the Firſt-born eſteem of; The things that Chriſt hath Purchaſed, and which are the Fruits of the Travel of His Soul, are moſt excellent; and therefore, Mind, Study, and Seek after theſe things, that may lead your Souls in to Life Eternall; ſeek after Faith, and Repentance, to have your peace made with God, to have the heart purified, to be of a meek and quiet Spirit, Which in the ſight of God are of great price, as the Apoſtle Peter ſpeaks; to have Pardon of Sin, and Holineſs, for adorning the Goſpel of God, and to have Glory, that ye may ſee God and injoy Him; theſe things are the beſt things, this is undoubtedly the better part which will never be taken from them; Whoſe choiſe through Grace it is; God will give great Eſtates, Countries and Kingdoms in the World, to Men, to whom He will not give ſo much Faith as is like a grain of muſtard ſeed, nor a dram of true Holineſſe; becauſe He thinks much leſs of the one then of the other, and becauſe the one is not ſo like God, nor will it have ſuch abiding Fruit as the other.
2dly. What way may folk win to make this choice, and to attain theſe beſt and moſt valuable things? no other way, but that which this Doctrine holds out; If all things that lead to Life and Salvation be Fruits of Chriſts Purchaſe, then ſure it is by vertue of Chriſts Purchaſe alone, that ye muſt come by them, Pardon of Sin comes by the Blood of Sprinkling, Peace with God, Grace and more Grace, the exerciſe of Grace, and growth in Holineſſe, Faith in all its exerciſes and advances, and every other Grace, come by His Sufferings, as alſo doth Glory; becauſe He hath purchaſed theſe Graces of the Spirit, as well as Pardon of Sin, and Heaven: often Chriſt is miſken…, and paſſed by here; many think that they ſhall obtain Pardon of Sin, and go to Heaven without Him; others, though they will not own that, yet fail in the ſecond, and would make uſe of Him for Pardon of Sin, and for paying of their Debt, if they could Repent and Believe in Him; but till they find theſe in themſelves, they ſcar to come unto Him whereas the Sinner that is convinced of Sin and of His hazard, would lay down this as the firſt ſtep of his way in coming to Chriſt, any Repentance and Believing, and the making of the heart willing to cloſe with, and to cleave to Him, is the Fruit of Chriſts Purchaſe, and I muſt be in His Common for it, for there is no other posſible way to get it; The firſt airth (to ſpeak ſo) that a wakened and ſenſible Sinner ſhould look unto, for Pardon and Peace, for Repentance, Faith, and all things, would be to Chriſt, and His Sufferings, whence all theſe come; Sinners at firſt are diſpoſed to take too far a look, and ſo miſtake in the order of things, Therefore, when the ſenſe of Sin pinches them, and they ſet about to believe, and find that their hearts are very averſe from believing, and can hardly be brought to it, then they are fainted, when they conſider, and find that, if it ſtood but on this, even to conſent to take Chriſt, they cannot do it, but then, and in that caſe, the Lord minds, that they ſhould be much in His Common for Faith, and Repentance, and for a ſoft and tender Heart, and that they ſhould ſeek theſe from Him, as well as Pardon of Sin, conſidering, that all this is Chriſt's Purchaſe; and that there is a poſſibility to win to it this way, when they can win to it no other way; If ye would take this way, even to eye and look to Chriſt as the Author, and Finiſher of Faith, and be in His Common for it, through His Grace it ſhould go better with you; This is it which the Apoſtle hath, Heb. 12. Where he calls to Lay aſide every weight, and the ſin that eaſily beſets, and to run the race with patience that is ſet before us; and if it ſhould be ſaid, how ſhall that be done, even by Looking unto Jeſus the author and finiſher of ou… faith; And then follows, who, for the joy that w…s ſet befo…e him endured the croſs, and …iſpiſ…d the ſhame; Thus leading Folk into His Suff…rings, as the ſolid Foundation of th ir F…ith.
Uſe 2. See here ground for quaſhing the naturall pride that is amongſt M…n an… Women as to Spiritual things; How ſo? Where is the ground for this, here it is, becauſe all is Chriſts Purchaſe; Which may alſo give a check to theſe, who, becauſe they have nothing in themſelves, think not that they ſhall come ſpeed upon this ground; as i… doth to theſe others, who have gotten ſomething, and are proud of it: To clear it a little, we would conſider, that there is a pride in Folks, ere they come to Chriſt, they cannot well endure to be in Chriſts Debt for every thing; They will take Pardon of Sin from Him, but they would have Faith and Repentance of themſelves, as ſome Money in their Purſe to bring with them to Him, that they may buy it; But, where will you, I pray, get Faith, or Repentance, if not from Him? Are they not Hi… Gifts, and Fruits of H s Purchaſe? which, if it were well conſidered, there would be no acceſs to the proud reaſonings of U…belief; D…t ye ſay, but theſe things are the Fruits of Chriſts Sufferings, and His Gifts? and if ſo, muſt ye not be in His Common for them? And as it ſilenceth the Reaſonings of Unbelief, ſo it ſtops the mouth of the Sinner, and humb…es him much more, then if he had theſe things in or from himſelf, and were only to be in His Common for Righteouſneſs and J…ſtification. 2. We would conſider, That there is often ſome Pride, and Conceit in them that have Faith, diſpoſing them to think themſelves to be better then other Folks; But, if ye have Faith, whence is it? or who hath made you to differ? Is it not a Fruit of Chriſts Purchaſe? and will ye be Vain, or Conceity of that which is the Purchaſe of another? This is a Spiritual poor Pride, that ſtinks in the Noſtrils of the Holy Lord, ſo to abuſe His goodneſs, as to be proud, becauſe He hath Bought and Beſtowed that which ye could never have procured, nor attained your ſelves; If then Folk have no…hing, it is good to mind this, That Chriſt hath purchaſed, what Sinners ſtand in need of, and that it may be had in and from Him; And if Fo…k have any thing, they ſhould not be proud or conceity of it, but mind that what they have, is a Fruit of Chriſts Purchaſe, and that therefore there is no ground to be proud of it.
The 3. Uſe Serves to ſhew, what great Obligation lyes on S nners, that get any ſpeciall good from God, I 's Chriſt that hath purchaſed a…l and therefore they ought to improve all that they have gotten for Him who hath bought all; As it is 1 Cor. 6.20. Ye are not your own, ye are bought with a price, therefore glorifie God in your bodies, and in your ſpirits which are Gods; Whatever ye have of Faith, o… Repentance of Holineſs, or of ability to ſerve …nd honour God in your Station, it's bought with a Price, and a dear Price and therefore Glorifie God in the right Uſe-making, and manadging of it: We would think it no little Progreſs and Advancement in R ligion, if ye were brought to walk under the ſuitable impreſſion o… your ingagement to Chriſt, as holding all that ye have, and that ſerves for your through-bearing of Him; For, what do we, or can we do? It's Chriſt that buyes all, and that confers all; we can do nothing of our ſelves but abuſe His Purchaſe, And were it not, that the ſickerneſs and ſta…i…ity of our Covenanting depends on the firſt Covenant, even the Covenant of Redemption, tranſacted betwixt theſe two Reſponſal Parties, Jehovah, and the Mediator, we would quit mar, and break all the Bargain betwixt God and us, and caſt all looſe every day, if not every moment.
The other Promiſe is, that He ſhall ſee his ſeed, and as we hinted before, It's one thing to have a ſeed another thing to ſee a ſeed; The former Promiſe looks to His having of a Seed, and this to His ſeeing of that Seed; Whence Obſerve, That not only is there a Seed Promiſed to Chriſt, but alſo the Seeing of a Seed, not only Fruits, but the Improving and Manadging of theſe Fruits; Or thus, That not only is there a Seed P…omiſed to Chriſt, but the overſeeing of that Seed is alſo Promiſed; He ſhal have no other Tutor (to ſpeak ſo) to leave His Children to but Himſelf; He ſhall Die, and ſhall by His Death beget a Seed, and yet by His Death He ſhall become the overſeer of that ſame Seed, that by His Death is begotten: There is much of the Dignity of Chri…'s Office, and of the comfort of Believers here, That J…ſus Chriſt is not only the procurer of our Life, but the overſeer of i…; Hence is …hat Concluſion of the Apoſtle, Heb. 7.25. Wherefore he is able to ſave them to the uttermoſt that come unto God by him, foraſmuch as he lives for ever to make interceſſion for them; He hath not only Purchaſed Life, and many good things to Believers, but He is living to make the Application of His P…rchaſe to them; And therefore is able to ſave to the uttermoſt, all that come unto God by Him: Indeed, if He had been prevailed over by Death, there might have been great hazard and Doubt, if not utter Diſpair of …ver attaining His Purchaſe, and a great crack (to ſay ſo) or breach in our Conſolation, but when He is Executor of His own Teſtament, and b… His Spirit makes the Application, what is, or can be wanting? We ſhall ſay no more, but that here it is clear, that we have a living Mediator as Himſelf ſayes, Revel. 1.18. I was dead, and am alive, and live for evermore; And therefore Sinners ſtepforward to His Sufferings, and ſeek the Application of His Purcha…e, ſince He lives to make it, it will, no doubt, be great ground of Challenge againſt you, who ſlight His Sufferin s, and keep at a diſtance from Him, ſince He is alive and ſince, what is much accounted of by Him, even the Fruit of His Sufferings, is by you ſet at nought who Neglect, R…fuſe, or Deſpiſe Him, and the …en…fi… of His Sufferings; O! what an aggr…v…tion of your Guilt will this be? when He is looking on, to ſ…e what comes of the Fruit of His Sufferings, and Soul-travel; To be found thus to ſl…ght, and in a manner to affront Him? He knows and takes notice of the breathings of Faith, where they are; and is well pleaſed with them, and with the leaſt mintings at it; He knows alſo, who deſpiſe Him, and refuſe to believe in H m, and hath all put on record. God give us wiſdome, to make the right choſe.