Sermon XI
Containing the Second Motive to enforce the general
Exhortation, from a fecond Title of CHRIST.
Luke i. 72. To perform the mercy promised to ourfathers, and
remember his holy covenant. THIS fcripture is part of Zechariah's prophecy, at the rifingof that bright ſtarJohn, the harbinger and foreRr2 1
308 The Method ofGrace. SERM . XI.
runner of Chriſt : They are fome ofthe firſt words he ſpake afterGod had loofed his tongue, which, for a time, was ſtruck dumb for his unbelief. His tongue is nowunbound, and at liberty to proclaim to all the world, the unspeakable riches of
mercy through Jeſus Chriſt, ina fongof praise. Wherein note,
The mercy celebrated, viz. redemption by Chriſt, ver. 68. Thedeſcription of Chriſt by place and property, ver. 69. The faithfulness ofGod in our redemption thisway, ver. 70. The benefit of being ſo redeemed by Chriſt, ver. 71 .
The exact accomplishment of all the promises made to the fathers in fending Chriſt, the mercy promiſed into the world,
ver. 72. " To perform the mercy promised toour fathers," &c.
In theſe words we find two parts, viz.
1. A mercy freely promiled. 2. The promised mercyfaithfully performed. First, You have a mercy freely promised, viz. by God the Father, from the beginning of the world, and often repeated and confirmed in ſeveral ſucceeding ages, to the fathers, in his covenant-transactions.
This mercy is Jeſus Chriſt, ofwhom he ſpeaks in this prophecy; the fame which he ſtiles " An horn of falvation in the " houſe ofDavid," ver. 69.
The mercy ofGod in fcripture, is put either for,
1. His free favour to the creature. Or, 2. The effects and fruits of that favour. It is put for the free and undeſerved favour ofGod to the creature, and this favour ofGod may reſpect the creature two ways, either as undeserving, or as ill-deferving.
It reſpected innocent man, as undeferving ; forAdam could putnoobligationuponhisbenefactor. Itreſpectethfallenman, as ill-deferving. Innocent man couldnot merit favour, and fallenmandidmeritwrath: the favour or mercy ofGod to both
is everyway free; and that is the firſt acceptation ofthe word mercy: but then it is alſo taken for the effects and fruits of God's favour, and theyare either
1. Principal and primary : or, 2. Subordinate and ſecondary. Of ſecondary and ſubordinate mercies, there are multitudes, both temporal, reſpecting thebody,and ſpiritual, reſpecting the
ſoul; but the principal and primary mercy is but one, and that is Chriſt, the first born of mercy; the capital mercy, the comprehenfive root-mercy, from whom are all other mercies ; and
therefore called by a fingular emphasis in my text, The mercy, is the mercy of all mercies ; withoutwhomnodrop ofſaving
SERM. XI. 309 The Method of Grace. mercy can flow toany ofthe ſons ofmen ; and in whom are all the tender bowels ofdivine mercy yearning upon poor finners. Themercy,and the mercy promised. The firſt promise ofChrift was made toAdam, Gen. iii. 15. andwas frequently renewed
afterwards, to Abraham, to David, and, as the text ſpeaks, unto thefathers, in their respective generations.
Secondly, We find here alſo, the promised mercy faithfully performed : " To perform the mercy promised." What mercy foeverthe loveofGod engagedhim to promiſe, the faithfulness of God ſtands engaged for the performance thereof. Chriſt, the promiſedmercy, isnot only performed, truly, but he is alſo performed, according to the promise in all the circumstances
thereof, exactly. Sohe was promiſed to the fathers, and juſt ſo performed to us their children : Hence the note is,
Doct. That Jesus Christ, the mercy ofmercies, was graciously
promised, and faithfully performedbyGod to hispeople. Threethings are here tobe opened :
First, Why Chriſt is ſtiled the mercy.
Secondly, Whatkind of mercy Chriſt is to his people. Thirdly, Howthis mercy was performed.
First, Chriſt is the mercy, emphatically fo called ; the peerleſs, invaluable, and matchless mercy : Becauſehe is the prime fruit of the mercyofGod to finners. The mercies ofGod are
infinite ; mercy gave theworld, and us, ourbeing ; allour protections, proviſions,andcomforts, inthis world,are the fruitsof mercy, the free gifts of divine favour : But Chriſt is the firſt andchief; all othermercies, comparedwith him, are but fruits
from that root, and ſtreams from that fountain of mercy ; the verybowels of divine mercy are in Chriſt, as in ver. 78. according to the tender mercies, or, as the Greek, the yearning bowels ofthe mercy ofGod.
Secondly, Chriſt is the mercy, becauſe allthe mercy ofGod tofinners, isdiſpenſed, and conveyed through Chriſt to them, John i. 16. Col. ii. 3. Eph. iv. 7. Chriſt is the medium of all divine communications, the channel of grace; through him are
both the decurfus et recurfus gratiarum; the flows of mercy
from God to us, and the returns of praiſe from us toGod. Fond and vain, therefore, are all the expectations of mercy out
ofChriſt ; no drop ofſaving mercy runs beſide this channel.
Thirdly, Chriſt is the mercy, becauſe all inferior mercies derive both their nature, value, sweetness, and duration from Chriſt, the fountain-mercyofall other mercies.
First, Theyderive their nature from Chriſt ; for out ofhim, thoſethingswhichmen call mercies, are rather traps, and ſnares,
310 SERM . XI The Method of Grace. than mercies tothem, Prov. i. 32. The time will come, when the rich, that are chriſtleſs, willwith, O thatwe had been poor ! And nobles, that are not ennobled by the new birth, O that we hadbeenamong the low rank of men! Allthese things that paſs for valuable mercies, like cyphers, ſignify much when fuch
an important figure as Chriſt ſtands before them, elſe they fig. nify nothing to any man's comfort or benefit.
Secondly, They derive their value, as well as nature, from Chrift : For how little, I pray you, doth it ſignify to any man
to be rich, honourable, politic,and ſucceſsful in all his deſigns in the world, if, after all, he must lie down in hell ?
Thirdly, All other mercies derive theirsweetness from Chriſt, and are but infipid things without him. There is a twofold fweetneſs inthings ; one natural, anotherſpiritual: Thoſe that are out of Chrift can reliſh the firſt, believers only relish both : They have the natural ſweetneſs that is in mercy itſelf, and a
ſweetneſs ſupernatural, from Chrift and the covenant, the way in which they receive them. Hence it is, that fome men taſte more ſpiritual ſweetneſs in their daily bread, than others do in
the Lord's Supper; and the fame mercy, by this means, becomes afeaſt to foulandbodyatonce.
Fourthly, All mercies have their duration, and perpetuity, from Chrift ; all chriſtleſs perſonsholdtheir mercies upon the greatest contingencies,and terms ofuncertainty; iftheybe con. tinuedduring this life, thatisall: Thereisnotonedrop ofmer.
cy after death. But the mercies ofthe faints are continued to eternity; the end of their mercies on earth, is thebeginning of their better mercies inheaven. There is a twofold end ofmer cies, one perfective, another deftruclive ; the death of the faints perfects and completes their mercies, the death of the wicked deſtroys and cuts off their mercies: For theſe reafons, Chrift is
called the mercy.
Secondly, In the next place, let usenquire what manner of mercy Chriſt is ; and we shall find many lovely, andtranſcendent properties to commend him to our fouls.
First, He is a free, and undeſerved mercy, calledupon that account, Thegift ofGod, Johniv. 10. And to ſhew how free this giftwas,Godgave him touswhenwewere enemies, Rom. v. 8. Needs muſt that mercy be free, which is given, not only to the
undeſerving, but to the ill-deſerving; the benevolence ofGod was the fole, impulfive cauſeofthis gift, John iii. 16.
Secondly, Chriſt is afullmercy, replenishedwith all that anſwers to the wishes, or wants of finners ; inhim, alone, isfoundwhatever thejuftice ofan angryGod requires for fatisfaction, or the
SERM . XI. The Method of Grace. 311 neceſſities offouls require for their fupply. Chriſtisfull ofmercy, both extensively, and intensively in him are allkinds, and forts of mercies ; and inhim are the highest and most perfect. degrees ofmercy; " For itpleaſedtheFather, thatinhim thould " all fulneſs dwell," Col. i. 19.
Thirdly, Chrift is theseasonable mercy, given by the Father to usindue time, Rom. v. 6. Inthe fulnessoftime, Gal. iv. 4 . a ſeaſonable mercy in his exhibition to the world ingeneral, and aſeaſonable mercy in his application to the ſoul in particular; the wisdom ofGod pitched upon the beſttime for his incarnation, and ittakes the very propereft for his application. When a poor foul is diſtreſſed, loſt, at its wits end, and ready to perich ; then comes Chrift : AllGod's works aredone in ſeaſon, but nonemore feaſonable than this great work ofſalvationby Chrift.
Fourthly, Chriſt is the neceffary mercy, there is an abſolute neceffity of Jeſus Chrift; hence in ſcripture he is called the " bread of life," John vi. 48. he is bread to the hungry ; he is the" water of life," John vii. 37. as cold water to the thirſty
foul. He is a ranſom for captives, Mat. xx. 28. a garment to the naked, Rom. xiii. ult. Bread is not ſo neceſſary to the hungry, nor water to the thirity, nor a ranſom tothe captive, nor agarment to the naked; as Chriſt is to the foul of a fin-
ner: The breath of our noftriis, the life ofour fouls, is in JefusChriſt .
Fifthly, Chrift is afountain-mercy, and all other mercies flow from him: A believer may ſay with Chriſt, " All my " ſprings are in thee;" from his merit, and from his ſpirit, flow our redemption, juſtification, ſanctification, peace, joy in the Holy Ghost, and bleſſedneſs in the world to come : " In that day ſhall there be a fountain opened, Zech. xiii. 1.
66 Sixthly, Chrift is afatisfying mercy; he that is full ofChriſt, can feel the want of nothing. I defire to know nothing, " but Jeſus Chriſt, and him crucified," 1 Cor. ii. 2. Chrift bounds and terminates the vaſt defires of the foul: He is the
very fabbath of the foul. How hungry, empty, and ſtraitned,
on every fide, is the foul ofman, in the abundance and fulness of all outward things, till it come to Chriſt ? the weary mo. tionsofa refileſs ſoul, like thoſe ofariver, cannot be at reſt till theypour themselves into Chriſt, the ocean ofbleſſedneſs.
Seventhly, Chriſt is a peculiar mercy, intended for, and applied toa remnant amongmen; fome would extend redemption
as large as the world, but the goſpel limits it to thoſe, only,
that believe; and thoſebelievers are, upon that account, called
312 The Method of Grace. SERM . XI. apeculiar people, 1 Pet. ii. 9. The offers ofChriſt, indeed, are large, and general ; but the application ofChriſt isbut too few, Ifa. liii. 1. The greater cauſe have they, towhom Chriſt comes, to liewith their mouths in the dust, astonished,and overwhelmedwith the ſenſe of ſo peculiar and distinguiſhing a mercy.
Eightly, Jeſus Chriſt is a fuitable mercy, fitted, in every reſpect, to all our needs and wants, 1 Cor. i. 20. wherein the admirable wisdom of God is illustriouslydiſplayed; " Ye are " complete in him," (faith the apoſtle) Col. ii. 20. Arewe enemies ? He is reconciliation : Are we fold to fin and Satan ? He
is redemption : Are we condemned bythe law ? He is the Lord our righteouſneſs: Hath fin polluted us ? He is a fountain openedfor fin, and for uncleanneſs : Are we loſt, by departing fromGod ? he is the way to the Father. Reſt is not ſo ſuitable to theweary, nor bread tothehungry, as Chriſt is to the fenfible finner
Ninthly, Chriſt is an astonishing and wonderful merey ; his Name is called wonderful, lia. ix. 6. and as his name is, ſo is
he, a wonderful Chriſt : His Perſon is awonder. 1 Tim. iii. 16. " Great is the mystery of godliness, God manifeſted in the ", fleſh:"
His abaſement wonderful, Phil. ii. 6. His love is a wonderful love; his redemption full ofwonders; angels defire to look into it. He is, and will be admiredby angels andfaints toall eternity.
Tenthly, Jefus Chriſt is an incomparable, and matchless mercy; " as the apple-tree among the trees of the wood, ſo is my be- " loved among the fons," (faith the enamoured ſpouſe) Cant. ii. 3. Draw the comparison how you will, betwixt Chriſt and all other enjoyments, you will find none, in heaven or earth, to equalhim : He is more than all externals, as the light of the fun is more than that of a candle : Nay, eventhe worst ofChrift
is better than the best of the world; his reproaches are better than the world's pleaſures, Heb. xi. 25. He is more than all fpirituals, as thefountain is more thanthestream. He is more than justification, as the cauſe is more than the effect ; more than fanctification, as theperfon himtelf is more than the image,
or picture. He is more than all peace, all comfort, alljoys, as the tree is more than thefruit. Nay, drawthe comparisonbe-
twixtChrift and things external, andyou will findhim better than they; for what is heaven without Chriſt ? Pfal. Ixxiii. 25. " Whom have I in heaven but thee ? " IfChriſt mould say to
the faints take heavenamongyou, but asfor me Iwillwithdraw myſelffromyou ; the faintswouldweep, even inheaven itſelf,
SERM. XI. The Method ofGrace.
1 313 and ſay, Lord, heaven will be no more heavento us, except thou be there ; who art by far the better half ofheaven .
Eleventhly, Chriſt is an unfearchable mercy; who can fully expreſs his wonderful name ? Prov. xxx. 4. Who can tell over his unſearchable riches ? Eph. iii. 8. Hence it is, that fouls never tire in the ſtudy or love of Chrift, becauſe new wonders
are eternally riſing out of him : He is a deep which no line of any created understanding, angelical or human, can fathom.
Twelfthly, and lafily, Chriſt is an everlasting mercy ; "the " fame yesterday, to day, and for ever," Heb. xiii. 8. All other enjoyments are perishable, time-eaten things ; time, like a moth, will fret them out: But the riches of Chriſt are durable riches, Prov. viii. 18. The graces of Chrift are durable graces, Joho iv. 14. All the creatures are flowers, that appear and fade intheir month; but this Rofe of Sharon, this Lilly ofthe Valley never withers. Thusyousee the mercy performed, with its defirable properties .
Thirdly, The last thing tobe opened,is the manner of God's performing his mercy to his people; which the Lord did,
1. Really, and truly, as he had promiſed him . 2. Exactly agreeable to the promiſes and predictions ofhim. First, Really, andtruly: as he had promiſed, ſo he made good the promise. Acts ii. 36. " Let all the house of Ifrael know af-
furedly, thatGodhath madethe fame Jeſus,whom ye cruci " fied, both Lord and Chriſt."
The manifeſtation ofChriſt in the fleſh, was no phantaſm, or delufion, but a moſt evident and palpable truth. 1Johni. 1. " Thatwhich wehaveheard,whichwe have ſeen with our eyes, " which we have looked upon, and ourhands have handled." A truth ſo certain,that the affertors of it appealed to the very
enemies of Chrift for the certainty thereof, Acts ii. 22. Yea, not only the facred, butprophane writers,witneſs to it; noton ly the evangelists and apostles, buteven the heathen writers of thoſetimes, both roman andjewish, as Suetonius, Tacitus, Plinius the younger, and Joſephus thejewiſh antiquary, do all ac knowledge it.
Secondly, AsGoddid really,and trulyperformChriſtthepromiſed mercy, ſo he performed this promiſed mercy exa&tly, agreeable to the promises, types, and predictions made of him to the fathers, even the moſt minute circumstances thereof. This is a greattruth for our faith to be eſtabliſhed in : Let us therefore caſt our eyes, both upon the promises, and performances of God,with reſpecttoChriſt, the mercy ofmercies. See howhe VOL . II. sf
314 The Method of Grace. SERM . XI. was repreſented to the fathers, long before his manifeſtation in
the flesh ; and what an one he appeared to be when he was really exhibited in it..
First, As to his perfon and qualifications, as it wasforetold, ſo itwas fulfilled. His original was faid tobe unſearchable, and eternal, Micah v. 2. and fo he affirmed himself to be, Rev. i. 11 . " I am Alpha and Omega, the firſt and the laſt." John vi. 31, 32. " Before Abraham was, I am." His two natures, united into one perſon, were plainly foretold, Zech. xiii. 7. The man my Fellow; and fuch a oneGod performed, Rom ix.5. His immaculate purity and holineſs were foretold Dan. ix. 24. To a-
noint the moſt Holy;" fome render it, the great Saint, the Prince of Saints ; and fuch a one he was indeed, when he lived
in this world. John viii. 46, " Which of you convinceth me of " fin?" His Offices were foretold, the prophetical Office predic-
ted, Deut. xviii. 15. and fulfilled inhim, John i. 18. His priestly Office foretold, Pfal. cx. 4. fulfilled, Heb. ix. 14. his kingly Office foretold, Micah v. 2. and in him fulfilled ; his very ene mies beingjudges, Matth. xxvii. 37 .
Secondly, As to his birth, the time, place, and mannerthereof were foretold to the fathers, and exactly performed, to a tittle.
First, The time prefixed, more generally in Jacob'sprophecy, Gen. xliv. 10 When the Scepter ſhould depart from Judah, as, indeed, it did in Herod the Idumean : More particulary in Daniel's ſeventy weeks, from the decree of Darius, Dan. ix. 24. anſwering exactly to the time of his birth ; fo cogent, and full ofproof, that Porphyry, the great enemy of Chriſtians, hadnoother evafion, butthat thisprophecy was deviſed af-
ter the event : Which yet the Jews (as bitter enemies to Chrift, as himself) will by no means allow to be true. And, laſtly, the timeof his birth was exactly pointed at in Haggai's prophecy, Hag. ii . 7, 9, compared with Mal. iii 1. He must come whilft
the ſecond temple ſtood ; at that time was a general expec-
tation ofhim, John i. 19. and at thatvery timehe came, Luke
ii. 38,
Secondly, The place ofhis birth was foretold tobe Bethlehem Ephrata, Micah v. 2. and ſo it was Mat. ii. 5, 6. to be brought up in Nazareth , Zech . vi . 12. " Behold the manwhoſe name is
" the branch. " The word is Netzer, whenceis the word Nazarite. And there, indeed, was our Lord brought up, Mat. ii. 23. Thirdly, His parent was to be a virgin, Iſa, vii. 14. punctually fulfilled, Mat. i. 20, 21, 22, 23.
SERM. XI. 315 The Method of Grace. Fourthly, His ſtock, or tribe, was foretold tobe Judah, Gen. xlix. 10. and it is evident (faith the apoſtle) " that our Lord
66 ſprang out ofJudah," Heb. vii. 14. Fifthly, His harbinger, or forerunner, was foreteld, Mal . iv. 5, 6. fulfilledinJohn the Baptift, Luke i. 16, 17 . Sixthly, The obfcurity, and meanneſs of his birth were predicted, Ifa. liii. 2. Zech. ix. 9. to which the event anſwered, Luke ii . 12 .
Thirdly, His doctrine, and miracles were foretold, Ifa. xvi . 1 , 2. Ib. xxxv. 4, 5. the accomplishment whereof in Chrift, is evident in the hiſtoryof all the evangelists.
Fourthly, His death for us was foretoldby the prophets, Dan. ix. 26. " The Meſſiah ſhall be cut off, butnot for himself :" Ifa. liii. 5. " He was wounded for our tranfgreffions." And fo he was, John xi. 50. The very kind, andmanner of his death, was prefiguredin the brazenferpent, his type; and answered in hisdeath uponthe croſs, John iii. 14.
Fifthly, His Burial in the tomb of a rich man, was foretold, Ifa. liii. 9. and accomplished moſt exactly, Mat. xxvii. 59, 60.
Sixthly, His refurrection from the dead was typed out in Jonah, and fulfilled in Chriſt's abode three days and nights in the grave, Mat. xii. 49.
Seventhly, The wonderful ſpreading of the goſpel in the world, even to the Ifles of the Gentiles, was prophefied of,
Ifa. xlix. 6. to the truth whereofwe are not only the witneſſes, but the happy inſtances andexamples of it. Thus thepromised inercy was performed.
Infer. 1. IfChrist be the mercy ofmercies, the medium ofconveying all other mercies, from God to men : then, in vain, do men expect, and hope formercy ofGod, out of Jesus Christ.
Iknow many poor ſinners comfort themselves with this, when theycome upon a bed of fickness ; I am finful, butGod is merciful: and it is very true, God is merciful; plenteous in mercy; his mercy is great above the heavens ; mercy pleaſeth him : andall this they that are in Chriſt ſhall find experimentally, to
their comfort and ſalvation. But what is all this to thee, if thou art Chriſtleſs ? There is notone drop of faving mercy that comes in anyother channel than Chriſt, to the foul ofany man .
But must I then expect no mercy out of Chriſt ? This is a hard caſe ; very uncomfortable doctrine. Yes, thou mayeſt be a Chriſtleſs, and covenantleſs ſoul, and yet have variety of temporal mercies, as Ishmael had, Gen. xvii. 20, 21. Godmay give thee the fatneſs of the earth, riches, honours, pleafures, Sf2
316 The Method of Grace. SERM . XI. anumerous and prosperous poſterity; willthat content thee? Yes, yes, if I may have heaven too: No, no, neither heaven, nor pardon, nor any other ipiritual, or eternal mercy, may be expected out of Chriſt, Jude, ver. 21. O deceive not yourſelves in this point ; there are two bars betwixt you and all ſpiritual mercies, viz. the guilt of fin, and the filth offin: and nothing, butyour own union with Chriſt, can remove theſe, and ſo open the paſſage for ſpiritual mercies to your fouls.
Why, but I will repent of fin, ſtrive to obey the commands ofGod, make reſtitution for the wrongs I have done, cryto God for mercy, bindmy soul with vows, and ſtrong reſolutions
against fin, for time to come will not all this lay a ground. work for hope ofmercy to my foul? No, no, this will not, this cannotdo it.
First, All your forrows, tears, andmournings for fin, cannot obtain mercy: could you ſhedas many tears for any one fin that ever you committed, as all the children ofAdam have ſhed upon any account whatsoever, ſince the creation of the world;
they will not purchaſe the pardon of that one fin: for the law accepts no ſhort payment ; it requires plenary fatisfaction, and will not discharge any foul without it : nor can it acknowledge,
or own your fouls to be ſuch. The repentance ofa foul finds, through Chrift, acceptance with God, but out of him 'tisno thing.
Secondly, All your trivings to obey the commands ofGod, and live more ſtrictly for time tocome, will not obtain mercy. Mat. v. 20. " Except your righteouſneſs ſhall exceed the righte
" ouſneſs of the Scribes and Phariſees, ye ſhall in nocafe enter " into the kingdom ofheaven."
Thirdly, Your reftitution, and reparation of wrongs you have done, cannot obtain mercy: Judas reſtored, andyet was damned. Man is repaired, butGod is not. Remiffion is the act ofGod, 'tis he must loose your confciences from the boud of guilt, or theycan never be looſed,
Fourthly, All your cries toGodfor mercy, will not prevail for mercy, ifyou be out ofChriſt, Mat. vii. 22. Job xxvii. 29. Arighteous judge will not reverſe the juſt ſentence ofthelaw,
though the prisoner at the bar fall upon his knees, and cry, Mercy, mercy,
Fiftbly, Your vows and engagements toGod for time to come, cannotobtain mercy ; for they being made in your own
ſtrength, 'tis impoffibleyou ſhouldkeep them; andifyoucould, yet it is impoſſible they ſhould obtain remiffion and mercy:
ſhouldyou never fin more for time tocome, yet how ſhallGod
SERM . XI . The Method ofGrace. 317 be fatisfied for ſins paſt ? Juſticemusthave fatisfaction, or you can,never have remiſſion, Rom. iii. 25, 26. and no work wroughtby man can fatisfy divine juſtice; nor is the fatisfacti-
on of Chriſt made over to any for their difcharge, but to fuch, only, asare inhim ; therefore, never expect mercy out of Chrift.
Infer. 2. Is Christ, the mercy of mercies, greater, better, andmore neceffary than all other mercies; then let no inferior mercyfatisfyyouforyourportion.
Godhath mercies ofall forts to give, but Chriſt is the chief, the prime mercy of all mercies : O be not satisfied without that
mercy. When * Luther had arich preſent ſent him, "hepro- " teftedGod ſhouldnot put him off ſo: " and Davidwas of the famemind, Pfal. xvii. 14. Ifthe Lord ſhould give any ofyou the deſires of yourhearts in thegood things of this life, letnot that fatisfyyou, whilst you are Chriſtleſs. For, First, What is there in theſe earthly enjoyments, whereof the vileſt men have not a greater fulneſs than you ? Job xxi. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. Pfal. xvii. 10. and lxxiii. 3, 12. Secondly, What comfort can all theſe things give to a foul already condemned, as thou art ? John iii. 18 .
Thirdly, What ſweetness can be in them, whilst they are all unſanctified things to you ? enjoyments, and ſanctification, are two distinct things, Pfal. xxxvii. 16. Prov. x. 22. Thousands ofunſanctified enjoyments will not yieldyour fouls onedrop of folid ſpiritual comfort.
Fourthly, What pleaſure can you take in theſe things, of which death muſt, ſhortly, ſtrip you naked ? You must die, you
muſt die; and whoſe then ſhall all thoſe things be, for which you have laboured ? Be not ſo fond, tothink of leaving a great name behind you ; 'tis but a poor felicity (as Chryfoftome well obſerves) to be tormented where thou art, and praiſed where
thou artnot f : the ſweeteryour portion hath beenon earth, the more intolerable willyour condition be in hell; yea, theſe earthlydlights do not only increaſe the torments ofthe damned, but alfo prepare (asthey are inſtruments of fin) the fouls ofmen for damnation, Prov. i. 32. " Surely the profperity of fools ſhall " deſtroythem." Be reſtleſs, therefore, till Chriſt, the mercy of mercies, be the root and fountain, yielding and fanctifying allother mercies to you.
Infer. 3. 1s.Christ, the mercy ofmercies, infinitely better than
* Valdeproteſtatus fum, me nolleficab eofatiari. Luth. +For then thedevouringflame burns up thoſewhom carnal pleaforepollutes.
318 The Method of Grace. SERM . XI. allother mercies ; then let all that be in Chriſt be content, andwell fatisfied, whatever other inferior mercies thewisdom of God fees fit to deny them. You have a Benjamin's portion, a plentiful inheritance in Chrift; will you yet complain ? Others have houſes, ſplendid and magnificent upon earth; but you have " an houſe made without hands, eternal in the heavens," 2 Cor. v. I. Others are cloathed with rich and coſtly apparel, your fouls are clothed with the white, pure robes of Chriſt's righteousness . Ifa. Ixi. 10. " I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, ८८my foul ſhall be joyful in myGod: for hehath cloathed me " with the garment of falvation, he hath covered me with the " robe of righteouſneſs, as a bridegroom decketh himſelfwith
ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with jewels." Let thoſe that have full tables, heavy purfes, rich lands, but no Chriſt ; be rather objects of your pity, than envy : it is better, like ftore-cattle, to be kept lean and hungry ; than, with •the fatted ox, to tumble in flowery meadows, thence to be led away to the ſhambles. God hath not a better mercy to give
than Chriſt, thy portion; in him all neceſſary mercies are ſecured to thee, and thy wants and ſtraits ſanctified to thy good. O! therefore, never open thy mouth to complain against the bountiful God.
Infer. 4. Is Chriſt the mercy, (i. e.) he inwhom all the tender mercies ofGod towards poor finners are ; then let none bedif-
couraged in going to Christ, by reason of thefin and unworthiness that are in them : his very name ismercy, and as his name is, ſo is he. Poor drooping finner,encourage thyself in the way of Faith; the Chriſt to whom thou art going, is mercy itſelf to broken-hearted finners, moving towards him in the way of
faith: doubt not that mercy will repulſe thee; it is againft both its name, and nature, ſo to do. Jeſus Chriſt is ſo merciful to poor fouls, that come to him, that he hath received and pardoned the chiefeſt of finners ; men that ſtood as remote from mercy, as any in the world, 1Tim. i. 15. 1 Cor. vi. 11. Those
that ſhed the blood of Chriſt, have yet been waſhed in that blood from their fin, Acts ii. 36, 37. Mercy receives finners, without exception of great and heinous ones. John vii 37. " If any man thirſt, let him come to me and drink." Goſpel invitations run, in general terms, to all ſinners that are heavy laden, Mat. xi. 28. When Mr. Bilney, the martyr, heard a minifter preaching at this rate, O thou old finner, who haft been
ferving the devil theſe fifty or fixty years; doſt thou think that Chrift will receivethee now ? O! faid he, what a preachingof Chrift is here ? HadChrift beenthus preached tome intheday
SERM. XI . 319 The Method of Grace. ofmy trouble for fin, what had become of me ? But, bleſſed be God, there is a fufficiency, both of merit, and mercy, in Jefus Chrift, for all finners, for the vileſt among finners, whoſe hearts
thall be made willing to come unto him. So merciful is the LordJesus Chriſt, thathe moves firſt, Iſa. lxii. 1, 2. ſo merciful, that he upbraids none, Ezek . xviii. 22. ſo merciful, that he will not deſpiſe the weakeſt, if fincere, defires offouls, Ifa. xlii. 3. fomerciful, that nothing more grieves him, than our unwillingneſs tocome unto him for mercy, John'v. 40. ſo merciful, that hewaiteth, to the laſt, upon ſinners, to thew them mercy, Rom. x. 21. Mat. xxiii. 37. in a word, ſo merciful, that it is his - greatest joy when finners come unto him, that he may ſhew
them mercy, Luke xv. 5, 22.
Object. But yet itcannot enter intomy thoughts that I ſhould obtain mercy.
Sol. First, You meaſureGod byyourſelves, I Sam. xxiv. 19. " Ifaman find his enemy, willhe lethim go well away ? " Man willnot, but the mercifulGod will, upon the fubmiffion of the
enemies to him.
Secondly, You are difcouraged, becauſe you have not tried. Go to Jeſus Chriſt, poor diſtreſſed ſinners ; try him, and then
report what a Chriſt thou findeſt him to be.
Object. But I have neglected the time ofmercy, and now itis too late.
Sol. How know you that ? Have youſeenthe book of life, or turned over the records of eternity ? Or do you not unwarrantably intrude into the fecrets ofGod, which belong not to you ? Beſides, if the treaty were at an end, how is it that thy heart
is now diſtreſſedfor fin, and follicitous after deliverance from it ?
Object . But I have waited long, andyet ſeeno mercy forme. Sol. May not mercy be coming, andyou not fee it ? Or have you not waited at the wrong door ? Ifyou wait for the mercy ofGod through Chriſt, in the way of humiliation and faith, and continuewaiting; aſſuredly mercy ſhall come at last.
Infer . 5. Hath God performed the mercy promised to the Fathers, the great mercy, the capital mercy, Jesus Christ ; then let no man distrust Godfor theperformance of leffer mercies, contain-
ed in any other promises ofthe fcripture. The performance of this mercy ſecures the performance of all other mercies to us. For,
First , Chriſt is a greater mercy than any other which yet remains to be performed, Rom. viii. 32.
Secondly, This mercy virtuallycomprehends allother mercies, I Cor . iii. 21, 22, 23. 1
320 The Method of Grace. SERM . XII Thirdly, Thepromises that contain allother mercies, are ratified and confirmed to believers in Chriſt, 2. Cor. i. 20.
Fourthly, It was much more improbable that God would be. ſtow his own Sonupon the world, than that he ſhouldbeſtow any other mercy upon it. Wait, therefore, in acomfortable expectation of the fulfilling of all the rest of the promises in their ſeaſons. Hath he given thee Chriſt ? He willgive thee bread to eat, raiment to put on, ſupport in troubles, and what. foever else thy foul or body ſtands in needof: The bleſſings contained in allother promiſes, are fully ſecuredby the perfor mance of this great promiſe; thy pardon, peace, acceptance withGod now, and enjoyment ofhim for ever, thall be fulfil-
led: The great mercy, Chriſt, makes way for all other mercies to the fouls of believers.
Infer. 6. Laſtly, How mad are they that part withChrift, the best ofmercies, tosecure andpreserve any temporal leffermercies
tothemselves ! Thus Demas andJudas gave up Chrift to gain a little ofthe world ; O foul-undoing bargain ! Howdeardothey pay for the world, that purchase it with the loss of Chrift, and
their own peace for ever !.
Bleffed be Godfor Jesus Christ, the mercy of mercies.