And therefore those that find their consciences anything wounded with any sin, stand not out any longer with God, come and yield, lay down your weapons, there is mercy ready. The Lord is glorious in his mercy in Jesus Christ. It is a victorious triumphing mercy over all sin and unworthiness whatsoever. Look upon God in the face of Jesus Christ ; as you have it in 2 Cor. iv. 6, ' God, who commanded light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give us the light of the know- ledge of God, in the face of Jesus Christ.' In the face of Christ God is lovely. Loveliness and excellency is in the face above all the parts of the body.
' The glory of God.'
We are never in such a condition as we ought to be, except grace be glory to us ; and when is grace glory to a sinner ? Oh, when he feels the weight and burden of his sin, and languishing desires. Oh that I might have a drop of mercy ! Then grace is glory, not only in God's esteem, but in the eye of the sinner. Indeed, we are never soundly humbled till grace in our esteem be glory ; that is, till it appear excellent and victo- rious. I beseech you remember it. We may have use of it in the time of desertion.
» Cf. note * Vol. III. p. 30.— G, t Q^'- ' thee '?— Ed.
246 EXCELLENCY OF THE GOSPEL
How is this grace of God in Christ couvcycd to us yet nearer ? By the gospel.
* As in a glass.'
The gospel is the ' good word of God,' Ileb. vi. 5. It reveals the good God to us, and the good Christ. It is a sweet word. For Christ could do us no good without the word, if there were not an obligation, a covenant made between God and us, the foundation of M'hich covenant is the satis- faction of Christ. If there were not promises built upon the covenant of grace, whereby God hath made himself a debtor, what claim could a sinful soul have to Christ and to God's mercy ? I^ut God hath bound himself in his word. Therefore the grace of God shines in Christ, and all that is in Christ is conveyed to us by the word, by the promise. The gospel then is a sweet word. You know that breeding promise of all others, Gen. iii. 15, ' The seed of the woman.' That repealed* and conveyed the mercy of God in Christ to Adam. So the continuance of that and all the sweet and gracious promises bud from that ; all meet in Christ as in a centre, all are made for him and in him. He is the sum of all the promises. All the good things we have are parcels of Christ. Christ he is the Word of the Father, that discovers all from the bosom of his Father. Therefore he is named 'the Word.' The gospel is the Word from him. Christ was discovered to the apostles, and from the apostles to us, to the end of the world, by his Spirit accompanying the ordinance. So the mirror wherein we see the glorious mercy of God, is first Christ. God shines in him, and then there is another glass wherein Christ is discovered, the glass of the gospel. Thus it pleaseth God to condescend to stoop to us poor sinners, to reveal his glory, the glory of his mercy, fitly and suitable in a Saviour, God-man, God incarnate, God our brother, God our kinsman, and to do it all yet more familiarly, to discover it in a word. And then to ordain a ministry together with the word, to lay open the riches of Christ ; for it is not the gospel considered nakedly, but the gospel unfolded by the ministry.
Christ is the great ordinance of God for our salvation. The gospel is the great ordinance of God, to lay open ' the unsearchable riches of Christ,' Eph. iii. 8. The casket of this jewel, the treasury of his treasure, the grace and love and mercy of God, are treasured in Christ ; and Christ and all good things are treasured in the gospel. That is the rich mine ; and the ministry of the gospel lays open that mine to the people. Nay, God yet goes further. He gives his Holy Spirit with the ministry. It is the ministry of the Spirit, that howsoever there are many that are not called and converted in the gospel, yet iai Spirit of God is beforehand with them. There are none under the gospel but the Spirit gives them sweet motions. He knocks at their hearts, he allures and persuades them ; and if they yield not, it is because of the rebellion of th-eir hearts. There is more grace of the Spirit offered than is entertained. So that the mouths of men shall be stopped. Thus God descends, and Christ, and grace, the gospel, the ministry, the Spirit, all in way of love to us, that we may do all in a way of love to God again. It should therefore work us to do all with ingenuous hearts to him again.
The gospel is the glass wherein we see this glory. Christ indeed in some