188 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SeR. XXVII.
Surely to have a merciful reconciled Father to go to, and make our moan for relief in all our distresses and wants, is a very comfortable privilege, that we cannot sufficiently value. Whosoever scorneth and slights him, a christian knoweth where he may be welcome : ' My friends scorn me, but mine eye poureth out tears to God,' Job xvi. 20. Though slighted elsewhere, he will not be refused there. Surely God will deal kindly with his children ; his fatherly love will not suffer him
neglect them, or any of their concernments.
[4.] The rich treasure that we have an interest in and free access unto. God's all-sufficiency is our storehouse ; he hath grace enough to pardon our sins, to pity and relieve our miseries, to heal our natures, supply our necessities, to help us in our straits, and finally to save us with an everlasting salvation. This confidence implieth a dependence on God's all-sufficiency, Gen. xvii. 1. Cast all your care upon him, 1 Peter v. 7. Earthly parents, their affections and power are limited. Now to come to such a God every day, and to know that as often as we come we are welcome to him, in and through Christ, our persons and prayers are pleasing to him, and that he will give us all the things we ask of him according to his will, what a mercy is this !
II. What influence hath a good conscience upon it ?
1. The door of access to God is opened by Christ. It was first opened by the merit of his passion, and is still kept open by his inter- cession ; therefore it is said, Heb. iv, 15, 16, ' For we have not a high priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us there- fore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in a time of need ; ' Heb. x. 19, ' Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus.' Our peace and atonement was made with God by Christ's passion, represented and pleaded by his intercession.
2. It supposeth our justification by faith, for otherwise we are not entered into the evangelical state: Eom v. 1, 2, 'Being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ ; by whom also we have access by faith.' Till we are accepted in the Beloved, we have a charge lying against us : Acts xiii. 38, 39, ' Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins; and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.' This is a ground of rejoicing : Rom. viii. 33, 34, ' Who then shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect ? '
3. Our justification is evident to us when conscience witnesseth on good grounds that we do not allow ourselves in the omission of any known duty, nor in the commission of any known sin : Heb. x, 22, * Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.' When we are justified and sanctified, and our con- sciences, which were unquiet by reason of sin, are purged and purified, then we may cheerfully come to God for all things. Particularly — (1.) To remove terror ; (2.) To establish boldness and confidence.
VeR. 21.] SERMONS UrON 1 JOHN III. 189
[1.] To remove terror. There are two things obstruct our soul's access to God — our own guiltiness and God's terror.
(1.) Our own guiltiness, that straitens the heart, and stoppeth the mouth, and breedeth bondage in us. All the world naturally is become guilty before God, Eom. iii. 19 ; but they who are renewed and pardoned, they come out of this guilty and wretched estate, and by little and little are settled and established as to their consciences, as their pardon and sauctification is made more evident to them by a holy conversation : Rom. vi. 14, ' For sin shall have no dominion over you.' Where sin reignetli not, they come to understand their estate by grace, and so vanquish their legal fears. Where worldly and fleshly lusts bear sway, a man is under the law, not under grace. The law is alive or dead according to the state a man is in, either of sin or holi- ness. He that liveth in a state of sin still carrieth his sting and wound about him, and is always under doubts and fears, or hath the matter and ground of them. Certainly tliey have not the true courage and boldness of the saints. Not only their flesh and spirit is at war in their hearts, but law and grace. As the Spirit prevaileth against the flesh, so doth grace prevail against our law-fears : ' For tbey that are led by the Spirit, are not under the law,' Gal. v. 18 ; that is, not under its condemning power. So Rom. viii. 14, ' Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.' If we live in obedience to the motions of the sanctifying Spirit, he doth as a Spirit of adoption overcome our legal fears.