Sermons (pages 268–314) – Part 3 (pages 308–314)
TJje Wi/Jom of God d]fplayd
fhou'd be his peculiar people. fcts apart the
We are told that God
They are The spouse speaks it with great
godly for himlelf, Pfal, 4. 3.
Called ('od's jewels. sati<;f:iO!()n
Ser- XL
Ciod rejoycing,
My beioved is
mine, and I am his.
Love defines to (land in foms near relation to the Piovifion is made by Chiift, th ic we fhc uld fland in the ncareft possible relation to God, that God beloved
flioulj be our father j
wc ihould be his children.
We are often innru61ed in the word of God, that God is
the father of believers, and that they arc his family.
And not only so, but they fland in the nearefl relation There is the clofelt union poflible.
to Christ Jcfus.
The souls of befievers are marrieil ro Chrilt.
Yea, there is yet church is the bride the lamb s wife. a nearer relation than can be reprefciited by such a similitude as this. Believers are as the very members of Chrirt, and of his flesh and of his bones, Eph 5. 30. Yea. this is not ijear enough yet, biu "they are one spirit."
Cor.
Love naturally inclines to a conformity to the belov-
To have ihovc excellencies, upon the account of
which he
beloved,
Provision is
copied in himself.
made in this way of salvation, that wc may be conformed that wc liiall be transformed into the same to God image. 2 Cor. 18 IVe all with open face, beholding ;
as in a la/s, the a lory of the Lord, are changed into
f me image from glory
to glory.
that hereafter
wc fliall (ee him as he is, and be like him. It
the natural defireof love to do fomethi ni for ihe
beloved, either for his pleasure or honour.
Provifioi)
made for this also in this way of salvation that we ftiould be made inllriiments of glorifying God, and promoting his kingdom here, nnd of glorifying him to all is
ficrniiy.
Fifthly,
Ser. XI. Fifthly,
Way of Salvation.
In this way of salvation, provision is made
for our having every sort of oad [hat man naturally craves; as honor, weahh, and plcafurc.
Here is provision made that wefhould be brought to This is what God has promised, " That thofe that honor him, he will honor." And thac the highest honor.
true chridians shall be kings and priefls unto God. Christ has promised them,
"That as his father has ap-
pointed unto him a kingdom,
so he will appoint unto them, that they may eat and drink at his table in his He has promised to crown them with a kingdom.'' crown of glory, and that "they flia]l fit with him in hi And that he will confess their names before throne." "Will give them x his father, and before his angels." they new name." **fliall walk with him in And that
white."
Christ has also purchased for them the great e/l All thofe that are in Christ are rich. They wealth. HTcnozu rich. They have the befl riches. Are rich in faith, and the graces of the spirit of God. They
have gold
tried
riches 6c righteousness.
fire. They have durable They have treafurc in heaven ,
where neither thief approacheth,
nor moth corrupteth,
An inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth They are podeflbrs of all things. Ch k st has also purchased pleasure for them. Plea-
not away. 1
fures that are immetWely preferable to all ihepleafures
of fcnfe, most exquifiiely fvvecc, and satisfying. Hchas purchased for them fulncfs ofjoy, and pleafurcs for ever* more at God's right hand And that they may drink of the river of God's pleasure. Sixthly, Christ has purchased all needed good both for foui and body. While we are here, we lland in need of these earthly things as Christ observes. ;
Christ has purchased all that we stand in need of» and are best for us. He has purchased that God ihould feed and cloath us.
How muQh more Ih all he
The Wijdom of God dlfphyd
he feed you
O ye of little Jaith
Ser. XL
How much more
you Christ has purchased thai God (hould take caroof us, and provide what is needed, and shall be befk, of thcfe things, a a father provides for shall he cloaih
his children,
Cajl'in your care upon him,
for he careth for you. Seventhly,
Christ has purchased good that is sui-
There is, in this way of falvacion refpc(ft had to, and provision made for all circumflances that ihey can be in. Here is provitable for his people in all conditions.
sion
made, for a time of afhiflion, of all they Ihali llanj
in need of, at such a time.
Here is
provision
made for
pinching want.
time of poverty and
For a time of bereavement and mourning.
For fpiriiual darkness
A Day of temptation. -A time of pcrfecution. There is a suitable provision made for a time of death. Sufficient provision in this way of
Here
time as that.
such
salvation
a provision
for (bch a
made
that
above death, and all its terrors; and to give him a compleat triumph over that king of terror Here is enough in this way of salvation to si-vceien the gravc,and make it cease to seem terrible. Yea, enough to make death, in profpeft to fccm fuflicient co carry a pcrfon
defjrable
in its
ILigluly,
There is provision made in this way of *iaU
vation for the eternity,
near approach to b:; not terrible
bur joyful. life and
blcffednefs of soul &: body to all
Chrilt has purchased that uc InoulJ be deli-
vered in the Way of Salvation.
Ser. XII.
vered from a (late of temporal dcatb,as well as spiritual He has purchased hat ihe bodies oi the and eternal. faints shall be raised to a refurrtftion of lite. He has purchalcd all manner of perfection for the body that ic is capable of, that it shall be raised a fpiritiial body, in jncorruption, and glory and be made like Chril s glorious body, and fhinc as the luf» in ihekirgdcm ot his :
father.
And that
and exifl in
should be glorified with che soul
a glorified ellace in
union with the soul c(3
all eternity.
Ninthly. But man in his fallen state flill needs some thing else in order to his happinels, than that these fore-
meniioned IhoulJ be purchased for him.
He needs
10 be qualified for the pofteffion and enjoyment of ihem.
In order to our hcirving a title to these biestings .of the covenant of grace, there is a certain condition must be We mud believe in the L( rd Jefys performed by u>. Chrifi; Vid accept of him as offered in the gospel, for a Hut this we cannot do of our lelvcs. Saviour. Buc
He has
Chrirt has p rchafed this also for all the elefl.
purchased that they fiiall have faith given them
where-
by they (liali be united to Chrifl, and so have a i\x\ lo his benefits.
But flill som.ething further is
neceflary for man, in
order to his coming to' the adlual pc'fteirion of the inheritance.
A man, a?nbon as he has believed, has a title
: but in order to come to the atSual of it, he must persevere in a way of hplj efs. There is not only a gate that must be entered buc there is a narrow way that mufl be travel'd before we can -arrive at heavenly bleftednefs ; and thaji: is a way of universal and perfeverisg holincfs. But men after they have believed, cannot persevere in a svay of holiness, of
to the inheritance
pofleffion
themselves.
But xhere is sufficient provision made
ibis also/in the way pf salvation
by Jesus Christ.
" he Wi/dom of God difplayd
Ser. XII.
matter of a faint's pe- rfcver ce is fufficienlly secured by the purchase chat Christ has made.
But dill there is fomeihing else needful in order to qualify a person for the aftual entering upon the enjoyments and employments of a glorified cftate, viz. that he should be made perse6\ly holy iliat all remainders of sin should be taken away for there can't any sin enter into heaven. No soul must go into the glorious presence of God, with the least degree of the fihh of sin. But there is provision made for Chrid has purchafcd that all sin shall be taken away out of the hearts of be:
and that they fhou d be mnde pcrfe lly whereby they shall be fuhy and pcrfc lly qualified to enter upon the pleasures and enjoyments of the lievers at death ;
holy
new Jerusalem.
Christ has purchafcd aM
both objc£live and inhe-
rent good : not only a portion to be enjoyed by us ; but all
ihofe inherent qualifications ncccfiary* to our enjoy-
ment of it.
He has purchafcd not only juflification.biit
fan6\ification and glorification ;
both holiness and happi-
ness.
Having confidercd the good
in the way of now proceed, as
attained
salvation, as manifold and various : I
proposed II To confider the good attain'd,by this way of salvation, for us, as exceeding gs
There is not only every lort%f good wc need. but of every sort, in that decree sb as to anfwcr the cxtcnc of our capacity, and the greatcft flretch of our dcfires, and indeed of our conceptions. Greater than our conceptions are here.
Greater than ever they could be, were it not that God's revelation, and our own experience will teach
Greater
Ser. XII.
Way of Salvation.
Greater than the tongue of angels can declare
The deliverance that we have in it is exceeding great
From guilt
From sin it felfangcr of God Miferiesof Hell-
Obje£live and inherent good
Objeftive
Jesus Christ
great
Relation near
Union close
— Communion
intimate
Vision clear
Communication great Conformity perfeft
Eni. yoymetJi fbe Wisdom of God aifplajj
Ser. XIL
Enjoyment full
Honor great felory ineffable, of both soul and
Riches immense ?\n's
— God and
body
things are thechrifli-
treasure
ricafures unfpcakable and inconceivably great
Rivers of plcafure
As to duration
infinite
The benefit procured for us, is double infinite. Our deliverance U an inhnire benefit
bccaufe the evil wc
are delivered from/ is infinite
The the pofifive good beOowed is eternal. enjoyment of all thofe bleflings merited) will hH
And full
as long as
God v/ill lafl:.
SERMON 9