Orthodoxy and Charity United, Essay 5
ESSAY V. A plain and eaſy Account of a Sinner's coming to GOD by JESUS CHRIST, or of ſaving Faith in CHRIST JESUS.
John xiv. 6.
No Man cometh to the Father but by me.
INNOCENT Man in the Day of his Creation had a Liberty of drawing near to God his Maker, and of delightful Converſe with him in a more immediate manner; but Man having fallen from God, and becoming guilty in his Perſon, and ſinful in his Nature, dwells in this World afar off from God; and yet ſometimes would attempt to approach him, and obtain his Favour again merely by his own Powers and Performances; as though the Goodneſs of God would receive him again into his Preſence, and into his Love in the ſame manner as before. Sinful Mankind have been often trying to make their way to God in and of themſelves: Thence ariſe thoſe various mistaken Grounds of Hope, of which we have given an Account in the former Diſcourſe: But the Bleſſed God has ſufficiently informed us in the Word of his Goſpel, that it is in vain for us to hope to draw near to God, our offended Sovereign, without a Mediator; and there is but one Mediator of God's Appointment between God and Man, and that is the Man Chriſt Jeſus, 1 Tim. ii. 5. and No Man cometh to the Father but by him, John xiv. 6.
Now in order to explain what it is for Sinners to come to God the Father by Jeſus Chriſt, let us conſider that all ſaving Approaches of the Creature unto God, depend on God's Approaches to the Creature: He firſt draws us by his Grace, and then we follow. Jer. xxxi. 3. I have loved thee with an everlaſting Love, therefore with Lovingkindneſs have I drawn thee. 1 John iv. 19. If we love him it is becauſe he loved us firſt. If our Souls are ſet a moving towards him, it is becauſe his Heart, his Pity and his Love moved firſt towards us.
In the Reconciliation of God and his ſinful Creatures, there muſt be a mutual Approach, and a mutual Nearneſs; but it muſt be remember'd, that the Sinners coming nigh to God, is but an Eccho or Anſwer to the merciful Voice of God coming nigh to him: And the ſame Method in which we may ſuppoſe the great God to draw near to Sinners, the ſame Steps ſhould we take in drawing near to God.
It muſt be granted, indeed, that all the Acts of God are eternal, and his Decrees have no Order of Succeſſion as they are in him: The eternal Mind conceives the Ends and Beginnings of all things at once; but there are many Expreſſions in Scripture which condeſcend to our Frailty, and teach us to conceive of the infinite and eternal Things of God by way of Time and Succeſſion, that we may obtain a fuller and clearer Underſtanding of them; for no created Mind is capacious enough to graſp all the divine Decrees in one ſingle Thought, as that God does who formed them.
It ſhould be obſerved alſo, that though the Actions of the Soul of Man are generally produced in a ſucceſſive Way, yet ſometimes two or three of theſe Acts are ſo ſwift in their Succeſſion, and ſo nearly ſimultaneous, or at the ſame Moment that they are blended together, or are ſo interwoven in many Caſes, that it is hard to ſay, which is firſt, and which is laſt: And many times alſo, in one and the ſame Act of the Soul, there are ſuch different Views and Deſigns concurring, as may make it look like two or three diſtinct Actions: So returning to God by Jeſus Chriſt includes in it both Repentance, with all the Acts contained therein, as well as Faith, with all its ſubordinate Motions: It is Repentance as it is a Return to God; it is Faith as Jeſus Chriſt is the Medium of this Return. I put in this Caution here, only to ſhew, that we are not to expect every ſingle Sinner that returns to God by Jeſus Chriſt, muſt have all theſe particular Motions of the Soul, or all theſe Tranſactions ſenſibly paſſing through his Mind, and that in the ſame Order as is here repreſented; yet the Repreſentation of theſe Things in ſome rational Order, may greatly help the Conception of the whole, and give Perſons ſomewhat of a more clear and more diſtinct Idea of it.
Let us then here take a Survey of thoſe ſeveral Steps, whereby God may be ſuppoſed to draw near to fallen Man, in order to his Recovery, and thereby we ſhall learn what correſpondent Steps Sinners muſt take, in order to their coming to God.
1. The Bleſſed God ſurveying his lower Creation, beheld all Mankind as Creatures in general fallen from his Image and his Love, and at a wide and dreadful Diſtance from their Creator. Compare the XIVth Pſalm 2, 3. Verſes with Rom. iii. 9, 10, &c. The Lord looked down from Heaven upon the Children of Men, to ſee if there were any that did underſtand and ſeek God: they are all gone aſide, they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doth Good, no, not one. This Text of the Pſalmiſt is cited by the Apoſtle in Rom. iii. 9, 10, &c. to prove that all Mankind is afar off from God by Nature; and therefore I may juſ… uſe this Scripture, to prove that God beheld us in this fallen Eſtate; he ſaw us lie under the righteous Condemnation of his broken Law, juſtly expoſed to Miſery, and deſerving his Indignation and Wrath, under a Sentence of Death, and yet ſtill going farther from him without his Fear or his Love.
Now in correſpondence with this View, which God has taken of the Children of Men, in their Guilt and Miſery in general; we alſo, in order to our Recovery, muſt be brought to ſee ourſelves guilty and miſerable, we muſt ſee ourſelves deſtitute of the Image and the Love of God in our fallen State of Nature, if ever we would return to him by Chriſt and Grace.
God, who is eſſentially happy in being for ever near himſelf, and one with himſelf, has made the Happineſs of his Creatures to depend on their being near to him, and their Union with him; and he knows it is Miſery enough to be afar off from God: So muſt we be made deeply ſenſible of our Wretchedneſs and Miſery in the Loſs of the Favour and Image of God, and in our dreadful State of Diſtance and Eſtrangedneſs from him. We muſt behold ourſelves expoſed to the Wrath of God, and under Sentence of juſt Condemnation and Death, becauſe of Sin. We muſt ſee it ſo as to feel it, and be affected with it at our Heart; we muſt have ſuch an Impreſſion of it made upon our Souls, ſo as never to be ſatisfied to continue in ſuch a State, and be reſtleſs in ſeeking ſome way of Recovery, as I ſhall ſhew more particularly afterwards.
2. The great God ſurveying his own glorious Perfections in himſelf, and the juſt Rights of his Government, taking a View alſo of the Holineſs, Juſtice and Wiſdom of his Law, which ſinful Man had grievouſly diſhonoured and affronted by Diſobedience; he did not think it proper for himſelf as the Supreme Governor of the World, to receive ſinful Creatures into his Favour again, without ſome ſignal Honour done to his broken Law and his Authority; as a ſort of righteous Recompence for the Affront and Diſhonours done thereto by the Offence of his Creatures. It became the great God to make his Law appear wiſe and juſt, by demanding ſuch a Reparation of the Diſhonour done to it.
But he found all Mankind utterly uncapable of making any ſuch Recompence, ſince all that they could do for time to come was but their known Duty to their Creator, and none of their Sufferings ſhort of Deſtruction and eternal Death could make Atonement or Satisfaction for the Sins that were paſt: And in this View of things the great God did, as it were, pronounce the Recovery of his Creature Man, by all his own Powers and Capacities, altogether hopeleſs, and that his Recovery muſt ariſe only from divine Grace.
In correſpondence to this View of Things in the Eye of God, we ſhould alſo ſet before our own Eyes the Holineſs, Juſtice and Wiſdom of the Law of our Creator, in order to make ourſelves deeply ſenſible of our great Guilt, in breaking his Law, and our Deſert of Death by the Tranſgreſſion of it: We ſhould alſo be made ſenſible in ſome meaſure of the Right of his divine Authority and Government to demand ſome Satisfaction for our Offences, before we be received into his Favour again. The very Workings of natural Conſcience under a Senſe of Guilt, ſeem to be an Impreſſion from the God of Nature on the Mind of Man, that Sin deſerves Puniſhment, becauſe the Law of a God broken, requires ſome Reparation of Honour*This is so univerſal in all Ages among the conſiderate Part of Mankind, that the Heathens themſelves, in their own Circumſtances, tho't a Nemeſis or vindictive Indignation of God would attend on Sinners. Acts xxviii. 4. They tho't St. Paul was a Murderer, and therefore Vengeance followed him. And this ſet them upon various and fooliſh Inventions, to make Atonement for Sin: Nor is it to be ſuppoſed, that the Craft of Prieſts alone, could ſo eaſily and ſo univerſally have impoſed on the Nations their Self Puniſhments, and their expenſive Sacrifices of Atonement, if there had not been ſomething in the natural Conſciences of Mankind, which told them they wanted an Atonement for Sin. And in this Reſpect the Workings of natural Conſcience ſhould be encouraged, and kept awake, and ſenſible of the Wrath of God, which Sin deſerves, and that God will require ſome Satisfaction to his injured Law and Government..
On this Account we ought to reflect on ourſelves as the more miſerable and helpleſs in our guilty State, becauſe we are utterly incapable to make any Atonement for our own Sins, or to repair the Diſhonour that hath been done to God's holy Law and his Authority thereby. We muſt look upon our Circumſtances therefore as hopeleſs in ourſelves, and acknowledge that all our Hope is in the free Grace and Mercy of God. Every Mouth muſt be ſtopped on this Account, and all the World lie at the Foot of God, as guilty before him, as juſtly expoſed to his Indignation, and unable to procure his Favour.
3. The great God ſaw it alſo impoſſible to bring Sinners near to himſelf, and make them Partakers of his Favour and Happineſs, without a Change of their corrupt Natures, an intire Alteration of their vicious Affections, and an univerſal Turn of Heart from Sin to God. In our preſent fallen and ſinful State, God beheld our Hearts ſo averſe to all that is holy and divine, that we could never be fit for Converſe with him, or the Enjoyment of him as a God of Holineſs, without being renew'd after his Image and Likeneſs, and poſſeſſed of a ſincere Love to him.
And he alſo beheld theſe guilty ſinful Creatures utterly uncapable of recovering themſelves to his Image by a Change of their Natures, and by a thorough Converſion of their Hearts from Sin, and the Creature to God and Holineſs: So that this is another Obſtacle in the Sight of God to our Reconciliation, and which we of ourſelves cannot ſurmount.
In the ſame manner, in order to our Recovery, we muſt look upon ourſelves in our fallen State, as unfit for Correſpondence with God, uncapable of enjoying Happineſs in his Preſence, by reaſon of the Oppoſition of our Will to his Holineſs, and to our Duty, we muſt be ſenſible of the great Carnality of our Affections cleaving to earthly Things, and to the tempting Vanities of this Life, chuſing them for our Portion and our Happineſs inſtead of God.
And we muſt be acquainted alſo how weak and feeble all our Own Efforts are to work this mighty and univerſal change of Nature in us, to form our Spirits anew, and to rectify all the Moral Diſorders in them: We muſt be made ſenſible how uncapable we are of giving our Souls a new Bent and Biaſs toward things divine and heavenly, inſtead of that ſinful Propenſity which works in our Natures, and is ever leading us aſtray from God and true Happineſs; ſo that if ever we are recovered, we muſt depend entirely upon the free Grace and Mercy of God for our whole Recovery; not only to provide a Satisfaction for his own injur'd Law and Authority, but alſo to take away the Perverſeneſs and Obſtinacy of our Wills, and to change our vile Affections into holy and heavenly.
This is that Poverty of Spirit, that Senſibility of our own helpleſs State, which is the firſt Foundation of the Kingdom of God within us. So our Saviour teaches, Matt. v. 3. Bleſſed are the poor in Spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of God. This is that Humility of Soul which the Men of Laodicea wanted, Rev. iii. 17. When they were really great Sinners before God, they ſuppoſed themſelves rich, and increaſed in Goods, and wanting nothing: But before they were recovered it was neceſſary they ſhould ſee they were Poor and Blind, and Wretched and Naked.
4. Though God beheld Mankind in theſe deplorable and helpleſs Circumſtances, yet he was pleaſed, out of his free Grace, to decree and determine, that they ſhould not all periſh. He reſolved to bring ſome off at leaſt, out of their State of Diſtance from him, and to reſtore them to his Favour, his Image, to Holineſs and Happineſs. Whether this gracious Will and Deſign of God, be ſo clearly and ſufficiently diſcover'd, to the Light of Nature, in his providential Goodneſs to all the World, I will not now debate: But it is ſufficiently diſcover'd in the Goſpel, or the Book of Grace.
In correſpondence with this gracious Deſign and Determination of the bleſſed God, 'tis neceſſary that we alſo ſhould have ſome Hope and Belief of God's Willingneſs to be reconciled, or that there is Grace and Compaſſion with him for returning Sinners. Heb. xi. 6. He that cometh to God muſt believe that he is a Rewarder of thoſe that diligently ſeek him: And in this View, Belief and Hope, we ſhould reſolve never to reſt and continue in ſuch deplorable Circumſtances: But deſire and ſtrive with all our Powers to return to God, and never be content without obtaining his Favour and his Image, we ſhould humbly reſolve and determine that we will not periſh, but that we will return to the great God, through the Aids and Encouragements of his Grace, in what way and manner ſoever he is pleaſed to return unto us. In this Senſe we may ſay that the Kingdom of Heaven, or the Bleſſings of Salvation ſuffer Violence, as our Saviour expreſſes it, Matt. xi. 12. And the Violent take it by Force.
This holy Deſire with ſome Degree of Reſolution, ſeems to be the firſt Step or Motion of the Will towards God; theſe are the Beginnings of true Repentance flowing from Faith or Hope in divine Mercy; this is the firſt Work of a ſaving Converſion, even a Reſtleſneſs of Soul in this State of Diſtance from God, and under the Hope of his Mercy, a ſincere Deſire and holy Reſolution of Heart to return towards him, as our Portion and our everlaſting Happineſs. This is that Repentance towards God, and Faith in his Mercy, which was neceſſary in all Ages, and in all Nations, and under every Diſpenſation, in order to the Salvation of ſinful Mankind from their State of Miſery, and in order to return to God.
5. When God deſign'd to recover Man to himſelf, and reſtore him to his Favour, he deſign'd alſo to ſecure a due Honour to his Government for all times to come, and Obedience to his Authority in all his future Demands: And for this End Man muſt be made, in ſome meaſure, to feel the Evil of Sin by the painful Conſequences of it, viz. Shame and Remorſe of Conſcience, and holy Sorrow for his paſt Tranſgreſſions: And God deſign'd that theſe Actings of the Soul ſhould have a powerful and a laſting Influence, through his Grace, to make Man hate every Sin, and fear and avoid it, and awaken him to conſtant ſincere Endeavours of univerſal Obedience to a forgiving God for time to come.
Agreeably to this Deſign of God, the ſinful Creature muſt ſeek to have his Heart in ſome Meaſure, painfully affected with Shame and Sorrow, for his paſt Folly and Diſobedience to his Creator; and muſt learn hereby to hate every Sin, and conſtantly avoid it, and he muſt endeavour after univerſal Compliance with the Will of God in all future Inſtances of Duty. Theſe are the natural and neceſſary Operations and Attendants of all true Repentance whereſoever it is found, and will be in greater or leſs Degrees, working in the Heart of every Sinner that truly returns to God: For the great Deſign of God in all his Tranſactions of Grace towards towards fallen Man, is to recover to himſelf a peculiar People, averſe to Sin and zealous of Good Works, and that under the Motives of his pardoning Love, and the Aids of his ſanctifying Grace, they walk before him in all Holineſs.
This alſo belongs to all the ſeveral Diſpenſations of the Grace of God ever ſince the Fall of Man, and is required of every Creature who ſhould return to God.
6. In the New Teſtament the great God hath made much plainer Diſcoveries of the particular way of his return to ſinful Man (viz.) that he did not think fit to be reconciled to Men, or bring them back again to himſelf, without a Mediator *There may be ſeveral Reaſons why the bleſſed God thought fit to ſave Mankind by a Mediator, and not without one, as (1) To maintain his own Honour and the Dignity of his Majeſty; for it does not ſeem ſo proper for a God of ſuch ſupreme Glory, to admit ſuch Criminals immediately into his Favour, and his Preſence, and his Embraces, without ſome honourable Mediator to introduce them. (2) To do ſublime Honour to his Son Jeſus Chriſt, who is the expreſs Image of his Perſon and his firſt Favourite, that as by him God made the World, ſo by him Mankind ſhould be recovered, new-created, and reſtored to God's Favour and Image again. (3) To ſecure the Salvation of Man more effectually, uniting all the ſaved Number in one unfailing and all-ſufficient Head: And therefore his own Son was choſen for this Office, as being able to undertake all that was neceſſary completely to bring back Man to God.. This was intimated in God's earlieſt Revelations of his Grace, when he ſpake of the Seed of the Woman, which ſhould break the Head of the Serpent, and deſtroy the Deſigns of the Tempter to ruin Mankind: But under the Chriſtian Diſpenſation it is much more abundantly manifeſted: And finding no other Perſon ſufficient for this Work, God choſe his own Son to become a Mediator between God and Man; even that Son of his Love, who was one with the Father, and lay in his Boſom and had Glory with him there, before the Foundation of the World, that Son in whom dwelt all the Fulneſs of the Godhead, even that Son by whom he created the World and Mankind at firſt; it was by him, as a Mediator, that he deſign'd to recover Man from his Ruins, his Guilt and his Wretchedneſs.
This was the Meſſiah whom God promiſed to Abraham, who ſhould be one of his Poſterity, and in whom all the Nations of the Earth ſhould be bleſſed. This was be whom God ſpoke of, and recommended by many of the Prophets, and deſcribed under ſeveral Types and Figures in ancient Ages, that when he came he might be better known and accepted by the World. This was he who in the Fulneſs of Time, was ſent to take Fleſh and Blood upon him, and to become a compleat Man. This is the one and only Mediator between God and Man, even the Man Chriſt Jeſus, who was alſo one with God.
For this End it pleaſed the Father to furniſh him with every neceſſary Talent and Qualification: He anointed him with his Holy Spirit to dwell in him without Meaſure; he appointed him to be born of a Woman in low Circumſtances of Life, and to grow up through all the Stages of Infancy, Childhood, and Youth, to the Manly Age of Thirty; then he called and commiſſioned him to be a publick Prophet and Teacher of the Goſpel, or the Way of Salvation: He ſet him up alſo for an Example of Humility and Love towards God and Man, and of Holineſs, Submiſſion and Patience, and univerſal Obedience thro' the Courſe of his Life, and then appointed him to die as an atoneing Sacrifice for the Sins of Men: God laid our Sins upon him, and ſet him forth, or fore-determin'd him to be a Propitiation for Sin through Faith or Truſt in his Blood.
This is he whom God raiſed from the Dead and exalted him at his right Hand, to be an Interceſſor for ſinful Man there, in the Virtue of his Sacrifice, and to be the Head of vital Influence to Men, to work Repentance and Holineſs in their Hearts, as well as to be a Prince, or Lord and Saviour, to beſtow Forgiveneſs of Sins.
God gave him alſo Power to Rule and Govern all things for the Good of his People, and ordained him to be Judge of the World at the great Day. And all this was deſigned of God, that his Son, Jeſus the Mediator, might anſwer every Neceſſity, and be able to ſupply every Want of ſinful Man, in order to his complete Salvation.
Now in Correſpondence with theſe Counſels of God the Father, in order to bring fallen Man near to himſelf, Sinners muſt believe the Truth and Certainty of God's Appointment, that they ſhall not come to him again without a Mediator; and they muſt have a certain and well-ſettled Perſwaſion of this Divine Conſtitution.
It is granted that there have been ſome ſuch Thoughts among Mankind, in all Ages: They have had ſome Notion of coming to God by a Mediator, from an awful Senſe of the Majeſty and Holineſs of God, and of their own Vileneſs and Unworthineſs, and their Deſert of his Diſpleaſure becauſe of Sin. So Job, when he had deſcribed his own Sinfulneſs, in the Sight of a pure and holy God, Chap. ix. ver. 30, 31. he adds, God is not a Man as I am, that I ſhould anſwer him, and we ſhould come together in Judgment; neither is there any Days-man betwixt us, that might lay his Hand upon both; for Job had not a clear Light at this time, of the great Mediator who was appointed, though 'tis plain he ſaw that he wanted one.
So again the Iſraelites at mount Sinai, when they ſaw God in his terrible Appearances of Thunder and Lightning, and a Voice came from the Fire, they ſaid, Let not God ſpeak to us leſt we die, but let Moſes ſpeak to us and we will hear. Exod. xx. 19. they declare they wanted a Mediator.
The Heathens had their lower Deities who were ſuppoſed, even by the Philoſophers, to be Mediators between them and the ſupreme God.
Beſides, God tranſacts his great Affairs with Mankind, oftentimes according to the Language, Cuſtoms, and Manners of Men. Now 'tis the natural and common way of Offenders, againſt a Superior, to get ſome Mediator to ſpeak for them, and bring them into Favour again.
Mankind alſo, in order to this Reconciliation, muſt have ſome Knowledge of this Mediator: They muſt be acquainted with the moſt important Articles which God has revealed concerning this great Mediator Chriſt Jeſus.
We are called to behold him and to ſurvey him in the Glory of his Perſonal Excellencies, in his original Fitneſs for this Work of a Reconciler, and in the ſeveral Offices which God has commiſſioned him to ſuſtain, as juſt before deſcribed. We muſt be made to ſee the bleſſed Jeſus in the Riches of his Grace, and his large and various Furniture for this great Undertaking: We muſt believe what God has pronounced concerning him, and from the bottom of our Hearts humbly approve of theſe Counſels for our Salvation. It muſt be the Language of our Hearts in a way of Eccho to the Appointment of God, There is none like him, there is none like Chriſt, for a Reconciler of the offended God and offending Man; he is every way a ſuitable Relief to our Wants, and all-ſufficient to ſave.
We muſt ſee him as one that has made full Atonement or Satisfaction to the Juſtice and Majeſty of God, for the Sins of Men by his own Sufferings and Death*Though it is not neceſſary for every Perſon among the fallen Race of Adam, to find out the real and eternal Neceſſity of his coming to God by a Mediator, or that ſuch an Atonement muſt needs be made for the Sins of Men, yet ſince God ſaw it moſt proper to appoint this way, and to ordain his Son Jeſus to be this Mediator and this Atonement, and to reveal it in ſo many plain and expreſs Declarations of his Word, I think it may be readily agreed, that it is our evident Duty, now we know this Goſpel, to approve of this Atonement ſo plainly revealed, and this Mediator, as a moſt reaſonable Appointment, and to come near to God by him, even by Faith in his Blood, if we would find certain Acceptance with God.: We muſt approve of him as our great Teacher, and our glorious Example; as our High-Prieſt to reconcile us to God by his Blood, and to make Interceſſion for us at the Mercy-Seat in Heaven; as one that is able to ſave to the uttermoſt, becauſe he lives forever to fulfil all his Offices. We muſt behold him as a Lord and Governor appointed to rule over us, and to give us Laws, and to defend us from our Enemies: We muſt ſee him as the moſt proper Perſon to be our Head of vital Influence, for the Communication of all Grace and Holineſs to us, for the changing of our Natures into his Father's Image and his own; and as one that is able and willing to take Care of us through this World, and bring us ſafe into the Father's Preſence at laſt with exceeding Joy. Thus the Faith of the Sinner eccho's to the Voice of God concerning Jeſus the Saviour, in a way of Aſſent to what God has reveal'd, and in a way of humble Approbation of what God has appointed.
7. The Great God foreſeeing the Obſtinacy, Corruption and Wickedneſs of the Heart of Man, well knew that all this Preparation to reſtore Mankind to Holineſs and Happineſs, might at laſt be ineffectual, and might all be perform'd in vain, unleſs he took one Step further; and therefore to ſecure this Salvation to many he gave them into the Hands of his Son Jeſus Chriſt, and committed the Care of their Salvation to him; he gave them to Chriſt, or entruſted him with the Care of them, that he might fulfil his whole Commiſſion, and all his various Offices, in a moſt effectual and powerful manner with regard to them; appointing alſo that this ſame Goſpel ſhould be preached to the reſt of Mankind, and the Offers of this Salvation ſhould be made to them ſome way or other, in various Seaſons, in plainer or darker Diſcoveries thereof. Therefore though the Goſpel be ſent to be preached to all the World in general, and Salvation to be offer'd them through Jeſus Chriſt, yet we are told often by the Evangeliſt John, of thoſe particular Perſons whom the Father had given unto Chriſt, that they might be his, i. e. his Seed, his Subjects, and his willing People.
In Conformity to this great Act of the Father in committing the Souls of Men into the Hands of Chriſt, we alſo having ſeen him all-ſufficient for this Work, muſt commit our Souls into his Hand, as one able to keep what we commit to him until the laſt Day: We muſt reſign ourſelves unto him, as a glorious Undertaker for our Salvation: We muſt receive him, or be willing to ſubmit to him, in all his appointed Offices of Prophet, Prieſt, King, Example, Head of Influence, &c. that we may receive from him every thing that we ſtand in need of, in order to our being brought home to God in Heaven. We muſt truſt in him as a Prince and Saviour, exalted to give Repentance to Sinners, and Forgiveneſs of Sins. We muſt truſt in him as the great Propitiation for our Sins, our Peace-Maker, and the Procurer of our Pardon; we muſt live upon him as our Head of vital Influence, to change our ſinful Natures, and to work the Principles of all Grace in us by his Holy Spirit, and to preſerve them in oppoſition to all our Corruptions: We muſt depend on what he hath done and ſuffer'd for us, as the ground of our Acceptance with God, and we muſt ſeek to him to form our Natures ſo far in the Likeneſs of God, as to fit us for Happineſs in the Enjoyment of God for ever. We muſt commit the important Affairs of our Souls to him, as one that is able to take care of them, and to carry them ſafely through all the Temptations and Dangers of the preſent Life; and we muſt truſt in him to receive our departing Spirits at Death, to raiſe our Bodies from the Duſt at the laſt Day, and to make our whole Natures completely holy and happy, in the Favour and Image of God for ever: All this belongs to his Commiſſion which he received from the Father.
This is that great Act of Chriſtian Faith, Truſt, Hope or Dependance, which we are ſo often called to perform in the New Teſtament, which is foretold by the Prophets of old, and upon which our Salvation is ſo much repreſented to depend, in the Writings of the Evangeliſts and the Apoſtles.
8. If I were to add any thing to what has been already ſaid, it ſhould be this, (viz.) that as God the Father has appointed his Son Jeſus Chriſt to be the great and general Medium of our Reſtoration and Return to his Favour, Image and Happineſs, ſo he has appointed that in all our particular Addreſſes, and Applications to himſelf, in a way of Prayer or Truſt, Thankſgiving or Praiſe, we ſhould make uſe of the Name of his Son Jeſus, as the only valuable and worthy Foundation for our Hope of Acceptance; that ſo Jeſus Chriſt the Son, as well as the Father, may be honour'd and glorified throughout the whole Courſe of our Religion in our way to Heaven.
And ſince this is the conſtant Deſign, and the expreſs Appointment of the Father, 'tis neceſſary that we comply therewith, in all our Addreſſes to God: We muſt come unto the Father by him in every part of Worſhip: By him we muſt believe, or truſt in God; we muſt pray to the Father in his Name, we muſt ask Forgiveneſs of our Sins for his Sake: It is by him we muſt offer up our Sacrifices of Thankſgiving and Praiſe; and by him we muſt preſent all our Services of Obedience, and whatſoever we do in Word or Deed, muſt be all in the Name of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that we may be accepted of the Father, and that the Father may be glorified in his Son.
This is the Appointment of the bleſſed God, and this muſt be our Practice till we come to the Fulneſs of this Salvation in Heaven, where we ſhall dwell for ever in the Preſence of God, and where we ſhall join with all the holy and happy Tribes of Mankind, of every Age and Nation, in aſcribing Bleſſing, and Honour, and Glory, and Praiſe, to him that ſits upon the Throne, as our reconciled God, and to the Lamb for ever, as our glorious and ſucceſsful Mediator. Amen.