Thus, I say, is Christ in the promises peculiarly suited to all the several distresses that we may at any time fall into. I might multiply instances to this purpose ; but this one may suffice to make good the consideration proposed, for the encouraging of us to believe, from the suiting of the grace in the promises to all our wants.
Two things, then, may hence be deducted: —
1st. The willingness of Clod that we should be established in believing. To what end should the Lord thus obviate all objections that can possibly arise in a misgiving heart, and accommodate grace in Christ to all perplexities and troubles we at any time lie under, were he not willing we should lay hold on that grace, own it, accept it, and give him the praise of it ? If I should go to a poor man, and tell him, "Thou art poor, but see, here are riches; thou art naked, but here is clothing; thou art hungry and thirsty, here is food and refreshment; thou art wounded, but I have the most precious balm in the world : "■ — if I have no intent to have him partake of these riches, food, raiment, medicine, do not I egregiously mock and deride the man's misery and soitow ? Will a wise or good man do thus ? Though many will deafen their ears to the cries of the poor, 3-et who almost is so desperately wicked as to delight himself in sporting at their misery, and increasing their sorrow ? And shall we think that the God of heaven, " the Father of mercy, and God of all consolation," who is all goodness, sweetness, and truth (as hath been declared), when he doth so suit and temper his fulness to our wants, and suits his grace in Christ to all our fears and troubles for their removal, doth it to increase our misery, and mock our calamity ? I speak of the heirs of promise, to whom they are made and do belong. Is it not time for you to leave disputing and questioning the sincerity and faithfulness of God in
THE NATURE AND BEAUTY OF GOSPEL WORSHIP. 53
all these engagements? What farther, what greater security can we expect or desire ? So that, —
2dly. All unbelief must needs be at length totally resolved into the stubbornness of the will. " Ye will not come unto me," saith our Saviour, "that ye may have life." When all a man's objections are prevented and answered, — when all his wants are .suited, — when a ground is laid that all his fears may be removed, and yet he keeps off and closes not, — what can it be but a mere perverseness of will that rales him? Doth not such an one say, " Let the Lord do what he- will, say what he can, though my mouth be stopped, that I have nothing wherewith to wrangle or contend any more, yet I will not believe"? Let this, then, be another motive or encouragement, which, added to what was spoken before concerning God, even the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, is all I shall insist upon.
SERMON III.
THE NATURE AND BEAUTY OE GOSPEL "WORSHIP.
" For through him we hoth have access by one Spirit unto the Father." Em. ii. 18.
In the foregoing verses the apostle makes mention of a double re- conciliation, wrought by the blood of the cross, — the one, of the Jews and Gentiles unto God; the other, of the same persons one to another. There were two things in the law: — First, Worship instituted under it; Secondly, The curse annexed unto it. The first of these being appropriated, to the Jews, with an exclusion of the Gentiles, was the cause of unspeakable enmity and hatred between them. The latter, or the curse, falling upon both, was a cause of enmity between God and both of them. The Lord Jesus Christ, in his death removing both these, wrought and effected the twofold reconciliation mentioned. First, He brake down " the middle wall of partition between us," verse 14, and so "made both one;" that is, "between us," — the Jews and Gentiles. He hath taken away all cause of difference that should hinder us to be one in him. And how hath he done this? By tak- ing away " the law of commandments contained in ordinances," verse 15; — that is, by abolishing that way of worship which was the Jews' privilege and burden, from which the Gentiles were excluded ; so breaking down that wall of partition. Secondly, By the cross at
54 THE NATURE AND BEAUTY
his death he slew the enmity, or took away the curse of the law; so reconciling both Jews and. Gentiles unto God; as verse 16. By bear- ing the curse of the law, he reconciled both unto God ; — by taking away and abolishing the worship of the law, he took away all grounds of difference amongst them.
Upon this reconciliation ensueth a twofold advantage or privilege ; — an access into the favour of God, who before was at enmity with them; and a new and more glorious way of approaching unto God in his worship than that about which they were before at difference among themselves.
The first of these is mentioned, Rom. v. 2. And that which is there called, an " access into this grace wherein we stand," may in the text be called, an " access unto the Father ; " that is, the favour and acceptance with God which we do enjoy. Thus our access unto God is our sense of acceptance with him upon the reconcilia- tion made for us by Jesus Christ. But this seems not to me to be the special intendment of the text ; for that access unto God here mentioned seems to be the effect of the reconciliation of the Jews and Gentiles among themselves, by the abolishing of the ceremonial worship ; — a new and more glorious way of worship being nowprovided for them both in common, is there expressed. Before the reconcilia- tion made, one party alone had the privilege of the carnal worship then instituted ; but now both parties have in common such a way of worship, wherein they have immediate access unto God ;— -in which the apostle asserts the beauty and glory of the gospel worship of Jews and Gentiles above that which, enjoyed by the Jews, was a matter of separation and division between them. And this appears to be the intendment of the words from verse 1 7. That which is here asserted, is not an immediate effect of the reconciliation made by the blood of Christ on the cross, but of his preaching peace unto, and calling both Jews and Gentiles, — gathering them unto himself, and so to the wor- ship of God. Being called by the word of peace, both the one and the other, as to our worship, we have this access.