w noceht, but like a green and fruitful tree, full of all delectable " fruits of holiness , yet if the fire of his indignation thus seize " upon me, what will be your condition, that are both barren " and guilty, void of all good fruit, and full of all unrighteousness," and so like dry seary wood, are fitted as fuel to the fire ? Con- eider with thyself, man, how canst thou imagine thou canst sup- port that infinite wrath that Christ grappled with in the room of God's elect ! He had the strength of a Deity to support him, Isa. xlii. 1. " Behold my servant whom I uphold." He had the fulness of his Spirit to prepare him, Isa. lxi. 11. He had the ministry of an angel, who came post from heaven to relieve him in his agony, Luke xxii. 43. He had the ear of his Father to hear him, for he cried, " and was heard in that he feared," Heb. v. 7. He was assured of the victory, before the combat ; he knew he should be justified, Isa. 1. 8. and yet for all this he was sore amazed, and sorrowful even to death, and his heart was melted like wax in the midst of his bowels. If the case stood thus with Christ, not- withstanding all these advantages he had to bear the wrath of God for a little time ; how dost thou think, a poor worm as thou art, to dwell with everlasting burnings, or contend with devouring fire ? Luther saw ground enough for what he said, when he cried, out, " I will have nothing to do with an absolute God*," i. e* with a God out of Christ : for, " it is a fearful thing to fall into " the hands of the living God." Wo and alas for evermore to that man who meets a just and righteous God without a Mediator ! Whoever thou art that readest these lines, I beseech thee, by the mercies of God, by all the regard and love thou hast to thy own soul, neglect not time, but make quick and sure work of it. Get an interest in this sacrifice quickly, what else will be thy state when vast eternity opens to swallow thee up ? what wilt thou do, man, when thine eye-strings and heart-strings are breaking ? O what a fearful shriek will thy conscience give, when thou art presented before the dreadful God, and no Christ to screen thee from his indignation ! Happy is that man who can say in a dying hour, as one did f, who being desired, a little before his dissolution, to give his friends a little taste of his present hopes, and the grounds of them, cheerfully answered, I will let you know how it is with me : then stretching forth his hand, said,
" Here is the grave, the wrath of God, and devouring flame, " the just punishment of sin, on the one side: and here am I, " a poor sinful soul, on the other side : but this is my comfort, " the covenant of grace, which is established upon so many sure " promises, hath saved all. There is an act of oblivion passed in
1 — ■ ■■ .. — - — i a ■ ii ii —
* Nolo Deum absolutum, f Mr. William Lyford.
164 THE FOUNTAIN OF EIFE. SERM. XII.
" heaven: I will forgive their iniquities, and their sins will I M remember no more. This is the blessed privilege of all within " the covenant, among whom I am one." O it is sweet at all times, especially at such a time, to see the reconciled face of G od, through Jesus Christ, and hear the voice of peace through the blood of the cross.
Inf. 3. Hath Christ offered up himself a sacrifice to God for us ? Then let us improve, in every condition, this sacrifice, and labour to get hearts duly affected with such a sight as faith can give us of it. Whatever the condition or complaint of any Christian is, the beholding the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world, may give him strong support, and sweet relief. Do you complain of the hardness of your hearts, and want of love to Christ ? behold him as offered up to God for you ; and such a sight, (if any in the world will do it) will melt your hard hearts. Zech. xii. 10. u They shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and shall " mourn." It is reported of Johannes Milius, that he was never observed to speak of Christ and his sufferings, but his eyes would drop. Art thou too little touched and unaffected with the evil of sin ? Is it thy complaint, Christian, that thou canst not make sin bear so hard upon thy heart as thou wouldst ? consider but what thou hast now read ; realize this sacrifice by faith, and try what efficacy there is in it to make sin for ever bitter as death to thy soul. Suppose thine own Father had been stabbed to the heart with such a knife, and his blood were upon it, wouldst thou de- light to see, or endure to use that knife any more ? sin is the knife that stabbed Christ to the heart; this shed his blood. Surely, you can never make light of that which lay so heavy upon the soul and body of Jesus Christ.
Or is your heart prest down even to despondency, under the guilt of sin, so that you cry, how can such a sinner as I be par- doned ? my sin is greater than can be forgiven ? " Behold the " Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world." Re- member that no sin can stand before the efficacy of his blood. 1 John i. 7. " The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin." This sacrifice makes unto God full satisfaction.
Are you at any time staggering through unbelief? filled with unbelieving suspicions of the promises? Look hither, and you shall see them all ratified and established in the blood of the cross, so that hills and mountains shall sooner start from their own basis and centers, than one tittle of the promise fail: Heb. ix. 17, 18,19.
Do you at any time find your hearts fretting, disquieted, and impatient under every petty cross and trial? See how quietly Christ your sacrifice came to the altar, how meekly and patiently
SERM. XIII. THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 165
he stood under all the wrath of God and men together. This will silence, convince, and shame you.
In a word, here you will see so much of the grace of God, and love of Christ, in providing and becoming a sacrifice for you : you will see God taking vengeance against sin, but sparing the sinner : you will see Christ standing as the body of sin alone ; for, " he was " made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of " God in him :" that whatever corruption burdens, this, in the believing application, will support ; whatever grace is defective, this will revive it.
Blessed be God for Jesus Christ
Of the Intercession of Christ our High-priest, being the second Act or Part of his Priestly Office.
Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost, that come unto God by Jiim, seeing he ever liveih to make intercession for them.
JtXAVING dispatched the first part, or act of Christ's priest- hood, consisting in his Oblation ; we come to the other branch of it, consisting in his * Intercession, which is nothing else but the virtual continuation of Ins offering once made on earth ; that being medium reconciliationis, the means of reconciling; this, medium ajyplkationis, the way and means of his applying to us the benefits purchased by it.