[4.] As we are encouraged greatly to expect the graces and favours needful, so we are as deeply engaged to the returns of love, service, and obedience ; and that not only as obliged in point of gratitude, but as inclined, suited, and fitted; for as we are for God, so we are by him. I sa3^ we are obliged in gratitude for the many blessings which are pro- cured and conveyed to us by the Mediator. If we have all things from God, and all things by him, and we christians, more than ordinary creatures, surely we should in a singular manner fulfil his will and seek his glory : 2 Cor. v, 14, 15, ' For the love of Christ constraineth us ; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead; and that he died for all, that they that live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.' And not only are we obliged, but enabled and inclined. We ' for him ; ' there is our duty in the first clause ; we ' by him,' there is our help : Eph. ii. 10, ' We are his workmanship in Christ Jesus, created unto good works.' Not only 'by him,' so as to perform it acceptably, but by him so as to perform it cheerfully and with all readiness of mind. It relateth to our assistance as well as our acceptance. There is the Spirit to help our infirmities, which is shed on us abundantly, through Je.sus Christ our Lord, Titus iii. 6. So we are ' by him,' that is, are fitted for the service of God, and put into a capacity to please him.
IV. Who are the parties interested in these comforts, and most con- cerned in these duties.
The apostle saith here, ' To us there is but one God and one Lord;' meaning to us christians; all those that own God, and worship God by the Mediator : Heb. vii. 25, ' Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him.' Who are they ? Some will not come to God ; others, not by him. They, and they only, are the persons that enjoy the benefit of this mediation, who come to God by him ; and that two ways —
1. They come to God by him who take upon them the profession of being his servants, and obedient subjects in Christ. The bare profes- sion bringeth us somewhat nearer to God. Thus the people of Israel
SERMON UPON 3 CORINTHIANS YIII. & 2&t
are said to be a people nigh unto God, Ps. cxlviii, 14. They were a step nearer to God than the Gentiles. So the profession of Christianity bringeth us near unto God : ' Who were sometime afar off, but now are made near by the blood of Christ,' Eph. ii. 13. Before they were afar off from God, from his church, his covenant, and communion with him in his ordinances. Surely it is some advantage to come so near to God by Christ as to have union and communion with the visible church of Christ. They ave in that society and community of men who are under God's special care and government above the rest of the world, and where they enjoy the means of salvation, and such ordinarily by which God useth to convey his choicest blessings. These have a bene- fit above those who are wholly without the church, as having an offer of the gospel-benefits, though not a right to them. They are nearer at hand, and in grace's way, and may sooner understand that Christ is a means chosen and used by God to bring home sinners to himself ; and by the christian doctrine current amongst them, which they know and profess to believe, have a dogmatical faith, at least, that God is the supreme fountain of all happiness, and Christ the only way to him ; and have the common, conditional, pardoning covenant sounding in their ears continually, wherein God offereth to be a God and Father to them in Christ, and telleth them what he will be and do, to and for all those that do come in and submit to this covenant.
2. Those come to God by him who really enter into the evangelic estate, and are converted by an unfeigned ' repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ,' Acts xx. 21. Repentance respects God as our supreme Lord and chief happiness, and faith our Lord Jesus Christ as the only one Mediator. When you turn from sin, self, and Satan unto God, then you come to him ; for certainly the farther we depart from sin, the nearer we come to God. Now this coming is by Christ. The sinner that is turned from the creature to God, and from sin to holiness, is also turned from self to Christ, who is the only means of our recovery, by his merit and efficacy reconciling us to God, and changing our hearts : by the one restoring us to his favour, by the other to his image. Therefore a turning ourselves from our sins, with a resolution to forsake them, without a reflection upon Christ, is but a natural religion, not evangelical. The evangelical religion is a coming to God by Christ, or, as it is described by the apostle, Heb. x. 22, ' A drawing nigh with a true heart, and in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.' Those that are justified by the merit and sanctified by the Spirit of Christ, and fully resolving entirely and unfeignedly upon the duties of the gospel, depending upon the promises thereof, these indeed have one God for their Father, and one Lord Jesus Christ for their Redeemer and Saviour. Till a man be renewed and reconciled, sanctified and pardoned, he is unfit for God, and incapable of salvation, or any present communion with God. What can we expect from him, and how insufficient are we for either of these two works, to renew our souls and reconcile them to God ? What can we do to satisfy justice, or break the love of sin in our souls ? Therefore the Lord Jesus hath undertaken the office of being the Redeemer and Saviour of the world, by his sacrifice, merit, and intercession. We must be pardoned and