Christ Crucified, Sermon 58
SERMON LVIII.
ISAIAH LIII.XI.
Verſe 11. —By his knowledge ſhall my righteous ſervant juſtifie many, for he ſhall bear their iniquities.
SOme further, and more ſerious apprehenſions of our Sin, and hazard, would make the reading of theſe Words to be refreſhful, and welcome to us; The ſtayed thoughts of an Arreſtment laid upon us, to appear before God's Tribunal, and to reckon for our Debt, would make us think much of a Cautioner; The want whereof make the glad tydings of the Goſpel to be taſtleſſe, and without reliſh, This is the great ſcope of theſe Words, to ſhew how a Summonded Sinner arraigned at Gods Bar, may be Juſtified, and fred from the charge that he is lyable to; For, ſayes the Prophet, By his knowledge, who is the ſurity of the Covenant, ſhall many be juſt…fied. That which we laſt left at, was this; That Faith in Chriſt, receiving, and reſting on Him, is neceſſary for the attaining of Juſtification; ſo that in Gods way, theſe are ſo linked and knit together, That never one ſhall be Juſtified, but a Believer; Though there be a Righteouſneſſe in Chriſt, yet it ſhall be derived, and communicated to none come to Age, but to theſe, who by Faith betake themſelves to Chriſt; what way the Lord takes with infants, Elect Infants, I mean, is not that which the Prophet aimes to ſpeak of; though it be Chriſts Righteouſneſſe, that is communicated to them, as well as it is to them who are at Age; yet as to the manner of communicating it, God hath His own way which we know not.
Now that we may learn in ſpeaking to theſe Truths, not only to get ſome Light for informing of our Judgement; but alſo ſome help for our practice; take two or three Uſes, ere we proceed any further.
The 1. Uſe then is, To let you ſee the abſolute neceſſity of believing in Chriſt Jeſus, and that it is as neceſſary for the attaining of our Juſtification, as Chriſts dying is; For our Juſtification is an effect flowing from ſeveral Cauſes, and the want of any of them will mar it; There muſt neceſſarly be a concurrance of them all, to bring it about; And therefore, though their be an excellent worth in Chriſts Righteouſneſſe; yet there is a neceſſity of Faith, to lay hold upon it, and to make it ours; Gods order in the Covenant bears this out; wherein he hath knit the Promiſe of Pardon of Sin, and of Juſtification to Faith, and reſting on Chriſt; and there is good reaſon for it, As, 1. The Lord will have a Sinner to know what he is obliged to Chriſt, which Faith contributs much unto; For Faith ſtands not in the way of the freedom of Juſtification, but rather commends it; for the Lord would have us know, that we hold our Life of Him; and not to receive Him by Faith, is an evidence of higheſt preſumption; Therefore it's ſaid, Rom. 4.16. It is by faIth that it might be of grace; God hath choſen this way, that the freeneſſe of His Grace, in pardoning of Sin may be ſeen. 2. The Lord by this, lets the unbeliever know, that the reaſon of his own ruine is of himſelf; There ſhall not be one unbeliever found, that ſhall have it to ſay, that the blame lay on God, or on Chriſt; becauſe the offer was made to them on condition of receiving it by Faith, and they not performing the condition, their Guilt is aggreged by their ſlighting of the offer: It's true, that we are not now dealling with them, who down-right deny the Truth of this Doctrine; but, alace, what better are they, who do in their practice deny it, and live ſenſleſly and ſecurely under the Goſpel? We conceive that there are Three ſorts of Perſons, that have need of a Word to be ſpoken to them here. 1. Such as live careleſly, and ſecurely (as we juſt now ſaid) as if God required nothing of them at all; as they were born, they know not how, ſo they live, they know not how; and when they are preſſed to a change of their ſtate, and way, they make excuſes, partly from the ſinfulneſſe of their Nature, that they can do nothing, partly from the abundant Grace of God, that He muſt do all; But it will never excuſe you, that ye wanted Grace, and had a Sinful Nature, for whom I pray, can ye blame for it? ye that make a bachel of His mercy, if ye continue to do ſo, ſhall never get good of it; For He hath ſaid, that He will Juſtifie, and ſave none but the Believer, There is none other that hath the promiſe of Pardon, it is not made to any thing that is to be brought forth, or done by your own ſtrength, or by the ſtrength of Nature, or of free-will; But God hath laid down this order and method, and made it known that ye ſhould believe, and receive the offer of Chriſt in the Goſpel; renunce your own Righteouſneſſe, and betake you to Chriſt's Righteouſneſſe, otherwayes ye cannot, on good ground, expect to be Juſtified. 2. Others will ſet about many things that are good; but the Work of believing they can never be brought to mind, or own, they will make a ſort of Conſcience of Prayer, of keeping the Church, of reading the Scriptures, &c. But to give obedience to the Command of Believing they mind it not, they can live, and die without it; This was the woful, and Soul-ruining practice of the Jews of old, as we are told, Rom. 9. They took much pains to come by Righteouſneſſe, but they attained it not, becauſe they ſought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law, for they ſtumbled at that ſtumbling ſtone; when they had gone part of the way, as it were, and come to the Stone of believing, there they fell and brake their necks; Hence there are many who promiſe Heaven to themſelves, and think that they have done ſomething for it, who yet never laid hold on Chriſt for their Juſtification; but let me tell you, that though you could go the greateſt length in Holineſſe that ever any did ſince Adams fall, it will not avail you, if ye neglect Faith in Chriſt; I ſay not this to diſſwade you from the Duties of Holineſſe, God forbid; but to divert you from ſeeking Juſtifi…ation by them; ſtudy the Duties of Holineſſe, but ſeek alwayes, by any means to be found in Chriſt, and in His Righteouſneſſe, and not in the Righteouſneſſe of your Duties, as to your Juſtification; It is true none that have any tollerable meaſure of Knowledge, will prof…ſſe down right, that they lean to holy Duties; yet many are ſo ignorant, that they cannot diſtinguiſh betwixt Faith and Works; and there are not a few, who have a hope of Heaven, ſuch as it is, who n…ver knew any thing of the exerciſe of believing. A 3d. Sort are theſe who becauſe of ſome common favours that they have received, as evidences of Gods care and kindneſſe, conclude their Juſtification; It may be ſome have had now, and then deep convictions, or have win to Tears in Prayer, or at a Sermon; Others it may be, have had ſome joy now and then, at hearing the Word; Others will, it may be dream of ſuch, and ſuch Heavenly things, and have, as they ſuppoſe, a viſion of them in their ſleep, and ſome joy will follow on it, when they are awaked; Others may have met with many deliveries by Sea and Land, and God hath dealt wel with them, and their Children, in external things, but, alace, theſe things may befall unbelievers; not one of them, nor all of them together, if there be no more, will Juſtifie; ye would rather try theſe things whether they be found, and evidences of ſpecial Love or not, by your believing; If they have Faith in Chriſt carried along with them, It's well; If ye can ſay, that after ye believed, ye were ſealed with the holy ſpirit of promiſe, and that your joy followed upon your cloſing with, and reſting upon Chriſt, ye have no reaſon to queſtion it; but where ſuch taſtes goes before, and are without believing; it's ſuſpect-like; there are many of you that have multitudes of things, that ye lean to, beſide Chriſt; and never ſeriouſly put your ſelves to the tryal, whether ye be indeed fled to Him.
2. Uſe, We would commend this to you, as a ground of Tryal of your ſelves, if ye be Juſtified; if ye have ſeriouſly taken with your ſin, and embraced God's offer of the Righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, and reſted on it; make this once ſure, that ye have been ſenſible of Sin, that ye have been beaten from your own Righteouſneſſe, and that ye have fled to Jeſus Chriſt, and cloſed with His Righteouſneſſe offered in the Goſpel; then this will natively follow, that by His Knowledge thou art Juſtified; His Word ſpeaks it out plain to thee: It may be that ſome think this to be a broad mark, and that others will think it narrow; Yet it's a ſolid mark, and no other thing is or can be a mark, but as it implyes this; though ſome may preſumptuouſly gather from it a broad concluſion, yet it will be found to be as ſtraining and ſearching a mark, when well conſidered, as other marks and evidences are, that we cannot at firſt ſo eaſily lay hold upon; and therefore we would ſay, that it's not every one that thinks he believes, but it's ſuch as really believe, who have this evidence; and for preventing of miſtakes, we ſhall follow this evidence of Juſtification, to wit, Faith, to the very riſe of it. 1. It ſuppoſes a Charge, and Summonds as it were given to the Perſons, to appear before God. 2. There is a Sentence diſcovered, ſtanding againſt them, and over their heads, by the Covenant of Works, now what can ye ſay to theſe Two? where I deſire you not ſo much to ſpeak your light, as your practice, and experience; what a Charge, or Summonds was put in your hands? Have ye read the Lybel of your Sins? And have ye ſeen the breaches of the Law, and your lyableneſs to the Curſe of God for the ſame? If ſo, then what means the good opinion that many of you have of your ſelves? This is even the thing that the Apoſtle ſayeth of himſelf before his converſion, Rom. 7.9: Before the law came, I was alive, but when the commandement came, ſin revived, and I died; That is before the charge was put in my hand, and I ſummoned to appear before Gods Bar, I had a good opinion of my ſelf, and I thought that all was well; but when I came to take up the Law in the Spiritual Meaning, and broad extent of it, I ſaw my ſelf loſt and gone, and that conceat fell; Theſe Three then uſually preceed Faith. 1. That a perſon hath had a good opinion of himſelf. 2. That this perſon is Summoned or Charged to anſwer at Gods Bar. 3. That the perſon is made to paſſe Sentence on himſelf, as loſt and undone, by reaſon of the Laws Sentence, and Curſe ſtanding over his head unrepealled; Now, how hath it been with you, as to theſe? The moſt part are quite of another diſpoſition then Paul was; They think they are well enough, becauſe they never diſcovered their rotten condition; but try well how it is with you; go in and ſee if ever ye diſcovered in your ſelves. 1. An inclination to eſtabliſh your own Righteouſneſſe. 2. Was ye ever under a work of the Law humbling you? and 3. Was ye ever, in your own apprehenſion loſt? If ſo, then ye are ſuch as Chriſt came to call. 2ly. In the next room conſider what ye betook your ſelves to, for anſwering that Charge, and for a remedy of that loſt condition; there is no remedy, but the offer of Chriſt's Righteouſneſſe in the Goſpel; Some being charged wirh Guilt, betakes themſelves to Prayer, and that is well done in ſo far; but if ye hold there, and go no further, it's not right; It's here, as it was with theſe, who lived under the Law, who, when they had Sinned, made uſe of Sacrifices; and the greateſt part held there, and went no further; whereas the believer looked through the Sacrifices to Chriſt; So, if ye hold at Prayer, and other Duties, and go no further, theſe will not profit you; but know ye what it is to go to Prayer, and in Prayer to go to Chriſt, and reſt on his Sacrifice for your acceptance? I fear there be great ignorance here; The moſt part know not what they have done, when they were charged; or, if they did any thing, they prayed; or, if they went any further on, they looked to the promiſe of Gods mercy; but that is not far enough gone; How many ſuch are there, who have made their Prayer their only interceſſour, and have preſumed to ſtep in on God's mercy, without a Mediator. 3. Suppone that ye have betaken your ſelves to Chriſt, as to the remedy; come on, and try how your union hath been made up with him; where did ye ſeek and find him? Chriſt Jeſus is to be found in the Goſpel, in the Miniſtry of the Word; Therefore that is put in on good reaſon in the definition of Faith given to us in the Catechiſm, That its a reſting on him, as he is offered in the Goſpel; but I fear and ſuppoſe that many have another Chriſt (to ſpeak ſo) whom they have gotten without knowing, or making any uſe of the Word, or offer of the Goſpel, which is the power of God for ſalvation to them that believe. 4. Wherewith did ye take hold on him? or how did ye act on him? was it by Faith or not? There are many, who act on him as they think by Prayer, not as the meritorious Cauſe, but as the efficient cauſe of Juſtification, praying for pity and pardon from Him; but this is not to take hold of Chriſts Righteouſneſſe by Faith; Others think, that if they can love and ſerve Him, and pleaſe Him with Duties, they will ingage Him to give them pardon; and in this they have (to ſpeak ſo) an under hand Covenant of Works; They will do ſomething to pleaſe the Mediator, and wherein they come ſhort, they expect that he will make it up; and this is very ordinary in practice; If ye aſk ſome, what hope have ye of Juſtification? They will anſwer, through Chriſts Righteouſneſſe, and that is good, in ſo far; but aſk them again, how they will get it? they will anſwer, that they will do what they dow or may, and they hope that He will pity them; ye would look in upon your own hearts, and ſee whether it be not ſecretly making ſomething of this kind the ground of your title to Chriſt, and of your Juſtification; And yet all this may be, and often is in them that will not ſtoop to the way of Grace, nor ſubmit themſelves to the Righteouſneſſe of God: They will ſpeak of Chriſts Righteouſneſs, and yet they will needs give Him ſome compenſation; and ſo come never really to renounce their own Righteouſneſſe, and to flee unto His, and to hold it up as their defence before God; Take but an impartial view of theſe ſteps, and many of you, who ſuppoſe that ye are believers, will not be found to be ſo, nor Juſtified before God; becauſe ye lay nor claim to it by Faith, but as it were by the works of the Law.
Uſe 3. There is here ground for all that neglect Chriſt, and do not by Faith take hold of Him, to look for a moſt dreadful Sentence; and ground for others, who ſeek Righteouſneſſe through Faith, to look for a moſt comfortable Sentence; 1. Then is this a Truth, that Juſtification is through Faith in Chriſt? then many of you are not Juſtified; And if the Lord prevent it not, ye will never be Juſtified; If ſo, then it muſt be a moſt dreadful thing not to believe; If ye would know what is your condition, ye may read it, John 3.18, 36. He that believeth not is condemned already, and he ſhall not ſee life, but the wrath of God abideth on him; and Gal. 3.10. As many as are of the works of the law, are under the curſe; For it is written, curſed is every one that continues not in all things written in the book of the law to do them: If ye really believed this, many of you would be under horror, to hear what a ſad condition ye are in, even condemned already, and having the Wrath and Curſe of God abiding on you; becauſe the Word curſeth and condemneth all that are not in Chriſt by Faith: This, I fear belongs to very many, who are altogether ſecure and careleſſe, and yet are in reputation amongſt us; And is it not very ſad to be profeſſing fair, to have the offer of life and to be treating with God about your peace, and yet to be ſtill in the State of enmity with Him; So that if death were within twenty four hours march to you; you could have nothing to expect, but the ratifying of this Sentence of Gods curſe upon you; We are ſure there is as much in this, as might in reaſon put you by all means to ſtudy. 1. To be Believers, for without Faith ye are never over the borders of Gods curſe; which may lay a chaſe to you, and put you to the neceſſity of fleeing to Chriſt for refuge 2. To take ſome pains to try whether ye be in the Faith, as the Apoſtle exhorts. 2 Cor. 13.5. Examine your ſelves whether ye be in the faith, prove your ſelves, know ye not your own ſelves, how that Christ is in you, except ye be reprobats? His meaning is, know ye not, that this is a truth, that ye are in a reprobat, or unapproven condition, except Chriſt be in you; and Chriſt is in none, but in the Believer; If ſo, ought ye not to try your ſelves, if ye be in the Faith, if ye be Believers; There is no ordinary way to win to the ſure and comfortable Knowledge of it but by tryal; and if ye be not Believers, is there not reaſon, and is it not of your concernment, to endeavour by tryall to come to the Knowledge of it: As this is ground of terror to the unbeliever; ſo it's ground of notable conſolation to the believer, who, if he were even put to the reckoning with Paul, I was a blaſphemer, a perſecuter, injurious, yet here is hope for him, that he ſhall be found in Chriſt, not having his own Righteouſneſſe, but Chriſts; believing in Chriſt will obtain Juſtification to ſuch a perſon; His Righteouſneſſe taken hold of, and put on by Faith, is as pleaſing, and acceptable to God, as the unrighteouſneſſe of the Sinner is diſpleaſing to him; This was it that made David to ſing ſweetly, Pſal. 32. Bleſſed is he whoſe tranſgreſſion is forgiven, whoſe ſin is covered, bleſsed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth no iniquity; to wit, through the imputation of Chriſts Righteouſneſſe; as the Apoſtle clears; Rom. 4. As the firſt branch of the Uſe ſhew the neceſſity of Faith, for Chaſing Sinners to Chriſt; ſo this branch is a ſweet motive to draw them to Him; and if there were moe ſenſible Sinners amongſt us, whoſe own Righteouſneſs miſgives them, and who are brought to that paſs, that the Jaylor and Peters hearers were in, crying out, what ſhall we do to be ſaved? This word believe in the Lord Jeſus, and ye ſhall be ſaved, would make them come in cheerful, as he did, from the brink, not only of Temporal, but of Eternal Death; It's this Faith, by which we have acceſs to ſtand before God; ye would therefore be earneſtly intreated to betake your ſelves to it, and to Jeſus Chriſt by it, for your pardon, and peace, even for your Juſtification before God.
2dly. Conſider theſe Words, as they hold out the Object of Juſtifying Faith, which is the great thing in them, even to diſcribe Juſtifying Faith, as to it's Object, and Effect, and in it's concurring to produce this effect; And here there are miſtakes, and errors, both in the doctrinal and practical part of all theſe. 1. The Object of it then is Him, Jeſus Chriſt, the knowledge of him, or the Faith of Him, or Faith in Him, as other Scriptures have it: Or, looking more nearly to the words, it's Faith in Him, as Suffering, as Satisfying for Sin, as in Soul-travel, bearing our iniquities; Hence Obſerve, That Chriſt Jeſus His Rightnouſneſſe holden forth in Gods promiſe of free Grace, is the native and proper Object, that ſaving and juſtifying Faith takes hold of, and reſts upon; or to the ſame purpoſe, the ſaving Grace of Faith, that Juſtifies, is that Faith that does peculiarly apply and reſt upon Chriſt Jeſus holden forth in Gods promiſe in the Goſpel, as the Righteouſneſſe of a Sinner that believes on him; hence the Prophet calleth it here, Not Knowledge more generally taken, but the knowledge of him, and that, as He is holden out in this Chapter, to wit, as ſurety for Sinners; and ſuffering for their Debt: This will be clear, if we conſider all theſe Scriptures, that make offer of the pardon of Sin; for it's offered not in the condition of Faith, in a more general Notion of it, but on condition of Faith, in him; So, Rom. 5.22, 24, 25. The righteouſneſse of God, which is by faith of Jeſus Chriſt, unto all, and upon all them that believe: being juſtified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jeſus Chriſt; whom God hath ſet forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood. Rom. 5.1. Being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jeſus Christ. John 1.12. To as many as received him, he gave power to become the Sons of God, even to as many as believe in his name; Where the Faith that hath the Promiſe of Juſtification, and the priviledge of Adoption annexed to it, is called the receiving of Christ, and believing on his name.
It may alſo be cleared, and confirmed by good reaſon, 1. Faith does not Juſtifie as it's coſidered in it ſelf as an Act, but as it relates to, and units with Chriſt, as the meritorious cauſe of Juſtification. 2. Neither does Faith Juſtifie as it looks to every Object which the Word holds forth; But as it reſpects Chriſt, offered in the Goſpel, whom it receiveth; becauſe there is no other thing that can bear the Souls weight and burden; Therefore he, as offered in the Goſpel, muſt be the Object of Faith, as it's ſaving and juſtifying. 3. The terms of the Covenant, and Gods offer clears it alſo; For Gods offer of Juſtification is not on theſe terms, that a Sinner ſhall believe his Word in the general, but that he believe on His Son whom He hath ſent, and receive Him as theſe Scriptures cited before, to wit, John 3.16.18. and Mark 16.16. Shew where the terms are ſet down, whereon God offers Life to Sinners. 4. If we could imagine a man to have all Knowledge, and all Faith, if Faith Act not on Chriſt as Redeemer, Cautioner, and Surety for ſuch as come to Him, it will not avail us, nor be counted to us for Righteouſneſſe; which may alſo confirm this truth.
The Uſes of this Doctrine are ſuch as ſerve both to clear the nature of Faith, and to direct us in our practice.
The 1. Uſe. Then ſerves, to clear the Truth; as the Papists corrupt many Truths, ſo they corrupt this Truth concerning the nature of Juſtifying and Saving Faith, in theſe Three, 1. In the Object. 2. In the Subject. 3. In the Act of it: As for the Object of this Faith, they make it to be every thing that God reveals; and ſometimes they take in their own Traditions: the reaſon is, becauſe they give not Faith a Cauſality in Juſtification, nor the capacity and place of a thing, acting on Chriſt particularly; but take it in as a common Grace, or at the beſt, as a Grace that is Radical; and gives Life to other Graces; but never as taking hold of Chriſts Righteouſneſſe; which quite overturns the way of Juſtification through Faith in Him; for Faith that layeth not hold on His Righteouſneſſe cannot Juſtifie; and their making the Object of Faith to be ſo broad, doth enervat both the immediat merit of Chriſts Righteouſneſſe, and the exerciſe of Faith on it. 1. Then we grant that there is a Hiſtorical Faith requiſit, as to the whole Word of God; yet we ſay that the Faith that Juſtifies, is properly that Faith that ſingles out the Righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, and takes hold of it; So that it's not our believing, that the World was made, that there will be a day of Judgement; nor our believing that a Saviour of Sinners is come into the World, and hath ſuffered, &c. that Juſtifies; but it's a cloſing with, a receiving of, and a reſting on that Saviour, a ſingling out of the Promiſe that makes offer of him; (as for inſtance, where it's ſaid, If thou believe on the Lord Jeſus thou ſhall be ſaved) and pitching on that, and reſting on him holden out in the Promiſe; Faith gives the Soul footing here, whereas before it's caſe was very deſperat. 2. We may clear what we are to look to, as the object of Juſtifying and Saving Faith, by our putting in theſe Three Words, or Expreſſions in the Doctrine, to wit, Chriſt Jeſus his Righteouſneſſe holden forth in the promiſe of Gods free grace in the Goſpel; and which are needful to be taken in, though it be not alwayes neceſſary, that we be explicit ln the uptaking of them. 1. There is need of taking in Chriſts righteouſneſſe, becauſe it's our defence at the Bar of Gods Juſti…e; even as a Debitor whoſe Debt the Cautioner hath payed, hath that to anſwer when he is charged for it, that his Cautioner hath payed it. 2. There is need to take in this, Holden forth in Gods promiſe in the goſpel; becauſe, though Chriſt be the Object of Juſtifying Faith, and His Righteouſneſſe be the ground of the Souls defence before God; yet Gods Promiſe muſt be looked on by Faith, for the uſe making of Chriſt, and His Righteouſneſſe, and as a warrand to reſt on Him, and to expect Juſtification through Him; and thus Faith hath Chriſts fulneſſe, or His full and compleat Satisfaction for Righteouſneſſe, and Gods Faithfulneſſe impledged, that the Believer ſhall be accepted through it; And its on this ground, that Faith ſometimes looks on God as Able, ſometimes as Faithful; Therefore it's ſaid, Heb. 7.25. He is able to ſave to the uttermost; and Heb. 11. Sarah judged him faithful who had promiſed: whereupon there is a cloſing with the offer in the Promiſe, and a looking to obtain that which is Promiſed, as if they had a Righteouſneſſe of their own; and this the Apoſtle calls the law of faith, Rom. 3.27. Becauſe to Juſtification there is beſide the payment of the Debt, a Law declaring the man to be abſolved, requiſit; and the Sinner having Gods offer and Promiſe, that upon his accepting of Chriſts Righteouſneſſe, he ſhall be Juſtified, inſtructs that his Debt is payed by his Cautioner, and that therefore he ought to be, and is accordingly abſolved; And though Gods Promiſe be not ſo properly a Law, yet the Apoſtle calleth it ſo; and it is a ſolid defence to the Soul that is fled to Chriſt; Who may thus reaſon, I have no Righteouſneſſe of my own, but Chriſts Righteouſneſſe by Proclamation, is offered to me in the Goſpel, and I have heartily received it, and cloſed with it, and God is faithfull to make good His Promiſe to me; and this looks to Chriſt as He is revealed in the Goſpel. 3. There is need to put in this word, The promiſe of Gods free grace; becauſe hereby the Sinner is made to ſee whence the Promiſe came, and of what nature it is, and gives ground to take hold of the Promiſe, and of that which is made offer of in it; the Promiſe is of free Grace, therefore it's alwayes called the Covenant of Grace; So Rom. 4.16. It's of faith, that it might be by grace to the end the promiſe might be ſure to all the ſeed: For if it were not of Grace, the Sinner would never think himſelf ſure, nor would he know if ſuch a Sinner might take hold of ſuch a Promiſe; but conſidering that the Promiſe is of Grace and His acceptation is of Grace, as is often repeated, Eph. 1, 2, and 3. Chapters: Theſe Three are the great warrand that a Sinner hath to roll himſelf over on, a compleat Mediator; a faithful God promiſing to anſwer all grounds of Fears▪ Doubts and Jealouſneſs; and free Grace which anſwers all Challenges that may come in to hinder his cloſing with, and his reſting on the Promiſe; for if it ſhould be ſaid, How dareſt thou lay hold upon the Promiſe? The anſwer is, it's free, it's not the mount that may not be touched, but it's Jeſus the mediator of the new covenant, &c. It's Grace that is the Riſe, the End, and the Condition of it: Theſe are the Three on which Faith yeelds it ſelf to Chriſt, and which are the Object of it, on which it dar hazard, and on which it does hazard; and theſe Three are revealled in the Goſpel of the Grace of Him that is Faithful, and cannot deny Himſelf: May we not then ſay, O! Sinners, if ye will believe that ye have a good reſting place, a ſure foundation, a tryed corner-ſtone? as it is Iſaiah 28. cited Rom. 9. Where the Apoſtle hath it, He that believes on him ſhall never be aſhamed; There is a ſuffi…ient ſurety, a full Mediator; there is a faithful God that will keep His Word; and there is a free Covenant, and Promiſe, ſofter for a bruiſed Soul to roll it ſelf over upon, than any bed of the fineſt downs is for a wearie and craſie body; this is a chariot paved with love for the daughters of Jeruſalem; ſingle out Chriſt from all that is in the Word without ſlighting any part of it; and believe in Him, and lippen to Him; let Him have another weight, and lift of you than ye give to any other thing, he is able to bear it; and God will never quarrel you for ſo doing, but will keep His word to you that do betake your ſelves, or that have betaken your ſelves to Him; He that believes ſhall never periſh, nor come into condemnation; O! know what a ground ye have to reſt upon, it's even the ſubſtance and marrow of all the Word of God; ye have Chriſt and His Fulneſſe, God and His Faithfulneſſe; Grace and it's Freeneſs: and are there ſuch Three things beſide? or is it imaginable, or poſſible that there can be any beguile, or failure here? ſpare not then to lay the weight of your Souls upon it; let it be the foundation of your peace, and let it anſwer all challenges that may be, whether for many, or for great and grievouſly aggravated Sins: only by Faith take hold of this Righteouſneſſe, and reſt upon Gods Faithfulneſſe, and free Promiſe, to make it forthcoming to you: but upon the other ſide, O! how great will it aggrege your guilt, that had ſuch a remedy in your offer; ſuch a tryed corner-ſtone, elect and precious, to reſt upon, and yet made no uſe of it; Let me exhort, beſeech, and even obteſt you, That ye recieve not this grace in vain; but as Chriſt is laid for a ſure foundation, ſo come to Him, and build upon him, that ye may not be aſhamed in the day of the Lord, when all that believe not, how preſumptuouſly ſo ever they may hold up their heads now, ſhall be aſhamed and confounded, World without end; O! happy, thrice happy will they all be found to be then, who have truſted in him.