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of their own making and devifing, faying with thofe in Micah vi. 6." Wherewith fhall I come before the Lord? Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams ?" In a word, until the finner be fully and thoroughly convinced of the abfolute fufficiency of the New Teftament Ark, and of his full ability to fave, he will never believe in him to the faving of

his foul.

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Now, to convince you of his ability and fufficiency, will you take the following teftimonies concerning him. (1.) Take the testimony of God the Father, Pfal. lxxxix. 19. "I have Jaid help upon one that is mighty. (2.) Take Chrift's own teftimony, If. Ixiii. 1. "I fpeak in righteousness, and am mighty to fave." (3) Take the teftimony of the Holy Ghoft, whofe office it is to teftify of him: "He (fays Chrift) fhall glorify me, for he fhall receive of mine, and fhall thew it unto you," John xvi. 14. that ye may believe in (4.) Take the teftimony of all these three witneffes in heaven together, 1 John v. 10. 11. This is the record (viz. of the three in one, and one in three), that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son." (5.) Take the teftimony of the apostle Paul, fpeaking by the infpiration of the Holy Ghoft, Heb. vii. 25. "Wherefore he is able to fave them to the uttermoft that come unto God by him, feeing he ever liveth to make interceflion for them. (6.) Take the testimony of the ranfomed in glory, who tell, from their experience, that he alone undertook and accomplifhed their falvation, Rev. v. 9. "Thou art worthy to take the bock, and to open the feven feals thereof; for thou waft flain, and haft redeemed us to God by thy blood." Thus you fee there is fufficient ground for our faith to rest upon Chrift's ability to fave; and to difpute or doubt of it is to call God a liar, John v. 10. and to call all men liars that ever knew him.

But to illuftrate this ground of faith a little further, I will tell you of a fourfold ality and fufficiency that there is in Christ. 1. An ability of merit for the obtaining of pardon and acceptance through his obedience unto death. As was already thewed, there are two things the finner wants in order to reflore him to the favour of God, and to his title to eternal life, that was forfeited by his breach of the covenant of works : (1.) Pardon of fin; and (2.) A perfect law righteoufnefs. Now, both thefe are to be found in Christ. As to the first, viz. pardon, why this we have in him, for he hath finished transgreffion and made an end of fin, Dan. ix. 24. As to its condemning power, "he is the Lamb of God which taketh away

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the fin of the world, John i. 29. "We have redemption in his blood, the forgiveness of fins, according to the riches of his grace," Eph. i. 7. Hence the apoftle John declareth, chap. i. 7. "The blood of Jefus Chrift his Son cleanseth us from all fin ;" and it is upon the ground of the fatisfaction of Jesus that God declares himself to be the "Lord pardoning iniquity, tranfgreffion, and fin," Deut. xxxiv. 7. and promifes to be merciful to our unrighteousness, Heb. viii. 12. As to the fecond, viz. A perfect law righteoufnefs, this is to be had to the full in Chrift, for he is "the end of the law for righteousness unto every one that believeth," Rom. x. 4. "He is made fin for us, who knew no fin, that we might be made the righteoufnefs of God in him," 2 Cor. y. 21. "The righteoufness of the law is fulfilled in us," Rom. viii. 4. This is that beft robe that is put upon the poor prodigal when he comes home, Luke xv. 22. whereby the fhame of his nakedness is covered; this is the wedding garment that fits for communion with God, and entitles the foul unto that "inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away," 1 Pet. i. 4. So that there is in Chrift a fulness of merit for juftification.

2. There is in Chrift a fulness of wisdom for the fous inftruction and direction in all cafes; " for in him are hid all the treasures of wifdom and knowledge," Col. ii. 3. By his Spirit of wisdom and underftanding he gives unto fools and. babes the knowledge of the "deep things of God, which are hid from the wife and prudent of the world," Matth. xi. 25. compared with 1 Cor. ii. 10. And by his fkill and wisdom he directs and guides his poor people through all the dark and difficult fteps in their way, until he bring them to glory, and fo accomplish that promife, "I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not, I will lead them in paths that they have not known; I will make darknefs light before them, and crooked things ftraight," If. xlii. 16.

3. There is in him a fulnefs of ftrength and ability to bear up the poor foul under all work and warfare that it is called to engage with. Sometimes the poor believer, looking to the poor weak fund of grace within him, is ready to fuccumb, and cry out, Alas! fuch and fuch work as the Lord carves out for me will be marred in my hand, I am not fufficient to think, to will, to do.' But here, believer, lies an allfufficient fund of ability, "Thy God hath commanded thy ftrength," Pfal. lxviii. 28. "Then mayeft thou be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might," Eph. vi. 10. He gives power to the faint, and he increaseth ftrength to them that have no might," 1. xl. 29. Sometimes again the poor weak believer is ready to faint, becaufe of the many and mighty

enemies

enemies he has to grapple with; Alas! (will he fay) I have no might to fubdue this or the other ftrong luft and corrup tion; it will master me; one day or other fhall fall into the hand of the enemy; Satan fupports the power of indwelling fin, fo that I have not only fleth and blood, but principalitics and powers, fpiritual wickedneffes in high places to contend with, Eph. vi. 12. I know not what to do.' Well, poor believer, here lies the glory of thy ftrength, Pfal. lxxxix. 17. even in Christ, who has already, in his own perfon, deftroyed fin and Satan, and who has alfo faid, that he will fubdue thine iniquities, Mic. vii. 19." Sin fhall not have dominion over you," Rom. vi. 14. And as for Satan," the God of peace will shortly bruife him under thy feet," Rom. xvi. 20. and mean time his grace fhall be fufficient for thee, 1 Cor. xii. 9.

4 There is in him an all-fufficient ftock of grace for the fupply of all thy wants; for "it hath pleafed the Father that in him fhould all fulness dwell," Col. i. 19. "that out of his fulness all we might receive grace for grace," John i. 16. The grace that is in him, as Mediator, is not in him for himself, but for us poor needy finners, 1 Cor. i. 30. "He is made of God unto us wifdom, and righteoufnefs, and fan&tification, and redemption." "He received gifts for men," Pfal. lxviii. 18. that men might be "bleffed in him with all spiritual bleflings in heavenly things," Eph. i. 3. and therefore men, and the fons of men, are invited to come to him and get their own, for he and all that he is, or has, as Mediator, is for us. Oh then, "Come, come, come, and take of the water of life freely," Rev. xxii. 17.

3dly, There is another door of access to the New Teftament Ark, that is the door of his good-will that he bears unto fallen man beyond the fallen angels (who are by nature creatures of a higher rank than man, for God made man a little lower than the angels, Pfal. viii. 5.) When the angels left their first state, there was no good-will difcovered towards them, yea, on the contrary, they are fhut out of heaven to hell, where "they are referved in everlafting chains under darkness, unto the judgement of the great day," Jude 6. But when man finned, and fell from the state wherein he was created, what ftrange work is made for his recovery? Hence is that deciaration of the angels at the birth of Chrift, "On earth PEACE, GOOD-WILL towards men," Luke ii. 14. He "is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance," 2 Peter in. 9.

Queft. Wherein doth this good-will of God towards man, fallen man, appear? Anfw. In thefe few things:

1. Does it not appear in his remembering us in our low eftate, Pfal. cxxxvi. 23. when we were like the infant caft out

into the open field, none to pity, or help, yet even then he looked upon us, and our time was the time of love, Ezek. xvi. 5.9.?

2 How did his good-will appear, when, immediately after the fall, the remedy was difcovered, Gen. iii. 15. It (viz. the feed of the woman) fhall bruife thy head, (viz. the ferpent's)?" the plafter is at hand to be applied, even before the wound was given by the serpent?

3. Was it not good-will to men upon earth, that he would not truft any angel or archangel with his falvation, but commits it unto his own Son, his BELOVED SON," who is in the form of God," Philip. ii. 6. and is fully able for the work?

4. Was it not good-will in the Son of God not only to affume the human nature, but to take our law place, that law and justice might reach him for our debt? For he "was made of a woman, made under the law," Gal. iv. 4. He was made fin for us, 2 Cor. v. 21. "And he was numbered with the

tranfgreffors," If. liii. 12.

5. Was it not good will in him to die for our offences, and to rife again for our juftification? Rom. v. 25. Greater love than this hath no man, than that a man lay down his life for his friends: "But God commendeth his love to us, in that while we were yet enemies, Chrift died for us," John xv. 13. compared with Rom. v. 6. 8.

6. Is it not good-will to man, in that when he had finished our redemption upon earth, that he should ascend into heaven, to appear in the prefence of God for us, Heb. ix. 24. As an Advocate at the high court of justice, If. liii. laft, " He was numbered with the tranfgreffors, and he bare the fin of many, and made interceflion for the tranfgreffors," Luke xxiii. 34. 1 John ii. 1." And if any man fin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jefus Chrift the righteous."

7. Is it not good-will to man upon earth, that he commands the white flag of peace to be lifted up in the view of mankind, and creates the fruit of the lips, peace, peace to him who is afar off, and to him who is near? If. lvii. 19.

8. Is it not good-will to man, that he makes' offer of himself, and of his whole falvation, to finners? If. xlvi. 12. 13. "Hearken unto me, ye ftout hearted, and far from righteoufnefs, I bring near my righteoufnefs unto you: it shall not be far off, and my falvation fhall not tarry."

9. Is it not good-will to man, that when he fees them running unto their ruin, in the broad way that leadeth to eternal deftruction, he purfues them, crying, O "turn ye, turn ye, for why will ye die? for, as I live, I have no pleasure

in the death of the wicked, but rather that he should turn," Ezek. xxxiii. 11. Oh, how many a cry gives he after Ifrael ! Jer. iii. 1. "Thou haft played the harlot with many lovers, yet return again unto me, faith the Lord," and verfe 14." Turn, O backfliding children, faith the Lord, for I am married unto you."

10. His heart is glad, and heaven rings with joy when a prodigal returns, Luke xv. 23. 24. “Let us eat and be merry: for this my fon was dead, and is alive again; he was loft, and is found. There is joy in heaven among the angels when a finner is converted," chap. xv. 7. 10.

11. His good-will appears in his behaviour when finners continue obftinate to refufe the offers of his grace, Pfal. lxxxi. 13. "O that my people had hearkened unto me." He wept over Jerufalem, faying, Luke xix. 42. " O if thou hadst known, even thou, at leaft in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace!" He enters a proteft before heaven and earth, that their blood did not lie at his door, but at their own, Jer. ii. 12. 13. Be aftonifhed, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very defolate, faith the Lord: for my people have committed two evils; they have forfaken me the Fountain of living waters, and have hewed them out cifterns, broken cifterns, that can hold no water." Thus you fee what good-will Chrift and his Father bears towards your falvation : and is not this a door by which you may enter into the New Teftament Ark, and be faved from the deluge? Oh how justly fhall the finner perifh for ever, that defpifes this good-will, and receives all this grace in vain!

4thly, The command of God, that is laid upon every one that hears the gofpel, to believe in Chrift, is a bleffed door of accefs into the New Teftament Ark, John iii. 23. "This is his commandment, that we should believe on the name of his Son Jefus Chrift." Sirs, God has fuch a good-will towards our falvation, that he has concluded us under a law, and has interpofed his authority, enjoining us to believe in the name of his Son; and he has fenced this law with the most awful and terrible threatening in cafe of difobedience; "He that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God," John iii. 18.; Heb. ii. 3. "How fhall we efcape if we neglect fo great falvation?" chap. x. 28. 29. "He that defpifed Mofes' law died without mercy, under two or three witneffes; of how much forer punishment, fuppofe ye fhall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God," chap. "crucified unto themfelves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open fhame." Thus you fee that the command

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