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how reviving, how abundantly fatisfying is it? Godwill never divorce the believing foul, and its confort, after he hath married our nature to his ownSon, by the hypoftatical, and our perſons alſo, by the bleſſed myſtical union .
SERMON VI.
Shews the Authority by which CHRIST, as Mediator, acted.
JOHN vi 27. For him hath God the Fatherfealed.
YOU have heard Chriſt's compact, or agreement with the Father, in the covenant of redemption ; as alſo what the Father did, in pursuance of the ends thereof, in giving his Son out ofhis boſom, &c.; alſo what the Son hath done towards it, in aſſuming fleſh.
But though the glorious work be thus far advanced, yet all he ſhould act in that affumed body, had been invalid and vain, without a due call, and commiffion from the Father, ſo to do: which is the import ofthe words now before you.
This fcripture is a part of Chriſt's excellent reply to a felfendedgeneration, who followed him,not for any fpiritual excel lencies that they ſaw in him, or foul advantages they expected
: by him, but for bread.
Instead of making his ſervice their meatand drink, they only ſervedhim, that they might eatand drink.
Selfis a thing may creep into the beſt hearts and actions; but it only predominates inthe hypocrite.
Theſe people had fought Chrift fromplace to place,andhaving at laft found him, they falute him with an impertinent compliment, " Rabbi,
"whence cameſt thou hither ?" verſe 25.
Chriſt's reply is parly diffuafive, and partly directive.
He diffuades them from puttingthe ſecondary and fubordinate, in the place ofthe prin-
cipal andultimate end ; not to prefer their bodies to their fouls, their fleſhly accommodations to the glory of God. " Labour
66 not for the meat that periſheth."
Wherein he doth not take them off from their lawful laboursand calling; but he diffuades them, first, from minding thoſe things too intently ; and, ftcondly, he diffuades them from that odious fin of making religionbutapretence for the belly.
And it is partly directive, and that inthe main end andbu
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The Fountain of Life . fineſs of life. "But labour for that meat which endureth to " eternal life;" to get bread for your fouls to live eternally by.
And, that he might engage their diligence in ſeeking it to purpoſe,heſhews them not only where they may have it, [" which the Son ofman ſhall give you"] but also how they may be fullyfatisfied that he hath it for them, in theclauſe Ihavepitched on ; " For himhathGod the Father fealed."
In theſe words are three parts obſervable.
1. The Perſon fealing or inveſtingChriſt with authority and power; which is ſaid to beGodthe Father.
Tho' all the perfons intheGodhead are equal in nature, dignity and power, yet intheir operation there is an order obſerved among them ; the Father ſendsthe Son, the Son is ſentby the Father, theHoly
Ghost is ſent by both.
2. The ſubject in whichGod the Father lodges this authority, [Him] that is, the Son of man.
Jeſus Chriſt, he is the πρῶτον δέκλικον, firſt receptacle ofit ; andhe must herebeunderſtood excluſively. God the Father hath ſo ſealed him, as he never fealed any other before him, or that ſhall arife after him .
Noname isgiven inheaven, or earth, but this nameby which we are ſaved, Actsiv. 12.; " The governmentis uponhis ſhoul- " ders," Iſa. ix.
3. Here is farther obſervable, the way and manner of the Father's delegatingand committing this authority to Chriſt ; and that is, byfealing him.
Wherewehave botha metonymy, the ſymbol of authority beingput for the authority itſelf, and a metaphor,fealing, which is ahuman act, for the ratifying and confirming aninſtrument, or grant,being here applied toGod.
Like as princes, by fealed credentials, confirm the authority of those that arefent by them ; as the Dutch Annotators well expreſs the meaning ofit. Hencewe note,
DocT. That Jesus Chriſt did not of himself undertake the work ofour redemption, but was folemnly fealed unto that work byGod the Father.
WhenI ſay, he did not of himself undertake this work, I mean not that he was unwilling to go about it, for his heart was as fully and ardently engaged in it, as the Father's was : ſo he tells us, Pfal. xl. 7., " Lo, I come to do thy will, O God ;
" thy law is in my heart."
But the meaning is, he came not without a duecall, and full commiſſion from his Father. Andfo it is tobe understood in oppoſition to intruſion, not voluntary
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ſuſception ; and this is the meaning ofthatſcripture, John viii.
24.
" I proceeded and came fromGod ; neither came I ofmyſelf, but he fent me." And this the apoſtle plainly expreſſeth, and fully clears * ; Heb . v. 4, 5. "And no man taketh this ho- " nour to himself, buthe that is called ofGod, as was Aaron :
" ſo alſo, Chriſt glorified not himself to be made ahigh prieft ; " but he that faid unto him, Thou art my Son."
And on the accountof theſe ſealed credentials, he received from the Father, he is called the apostle and high priest of our profeſſion, Heb. iii.
1. i. e. one called and fent forth by the Father's authority. Our preſentbuſineſs, then, is to open Chriſt's commiſſion, and view the great feal of heaven by which it was ratified.
And, to preſerve a clear method in the explication of this great truth, into which your faith and comfort is refolved, I hall, First, Shew what was the work and office to which the Father fealed him .
Secondly, What his fealingto this workdoth imply.
Thirdly, How, andbywhat acts, the Father fealed him to it.
Fourthly, Why itwas neceſſary that he ſhould be thus fealed and authorizedby his Father ; and then improve it in its properuſes.
First, What was that office, or work, to which his Father ſealed him ? I anſwer, more generally, he was fealed to the whole work of mediation for us, thereby to recover and ſave all the elect, whom the Father hadgiven him; ſo John xvii. 2.
" It was to give eternal life to as many as weregiven him :" It was " tobring Jacob again to him," Iſa. xlix. 5. or, as the apoſtle expreſſes it, I Pet. iii. 18. " That he might bring us to "God:" More particularly, in order tothe ſure, and full effecting of this moſt glorious deſign, he was fealed to the offices ofa prophet, prieſt, andking, that ſohe mightbring about andcompaſs this work.
1. God fealedhim acommiſſion topreach theglad-tidings of ſalvation to finners.
This commiſſionChriſt opened and read intheaudienceofthe people, Luke iv. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21. " And " when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spiritof the Lord is upon me, becauſe he
" hath anointed me to preach the goſpel tothe poor, he hath " ſent me toheal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to "
* That there can be no other thinginferred from this expreffion ofthe apoſtle, but this, That Chriſt was called to the office of Mediator, by him whoſe Sonhewas.
Cameron's Myrothec. P. 317 .
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"" the captives, andthe recovering of fight to theblind, to fet at liberty them that are bruiſed; topreach the acceptable year
" ofthe Lord. And he cloſed thebook, &c. And he began to ſay unto them, This day is the ſcripture fulfilled in your
" ears ."
2. He alſo ſealed him to the priesthood, and that the moſt excellent; authorizing him to execute both the parts ofit, viz. oblatory and interceſſory. He called him to offer up himselfa facrifice for us. " I have power (faith he) to lay down my life ;
" this commandment have I received of my Father," John x.
18. And upon that account, his offering up ofhis blood is, by the apostle, ſtiled an act of obedience, as it is, Phil. ii. 8.
" He became obedient unto death."
He also called him to intercede for us ; Heb. vii. 21 , 24, 25. " Theſe prieſts were made
" without an oath, but this with an oath ; by him that faid unto him, The Lord ſware, and will not repent, thou art a prieſt for ever :" becauſe his facrifice is virtually continued, in his living for ever to make interceſſion, as it is, verſe 24.
Yea, he called him to his regal office; he was ſet upon the highest throne of authority by his Father's commiſſion, as it is
Matth . xxviii . 18. " All power in heaven and earth is given to " me."
To all this was Chriſt ſealed and authorized by his Father.
Secondly, What doth the Father's fealing of Chriſt to this work and office imply ? There are divers things implied in it :
As, 1. The validity and efficacy of allhis mediatory acts.
For, byvirtue of this his fealing, whatever he did was fully ratified.
Andinthis very thing lies much of a believer's comfort and ſecurity; foraſmuch as all acts done without commiſſion and, authority (how great, or able ſoever the perſon that doth them is, yet) are in themselves null and void. But what is doneby commiſſion and authority, is authentic, and moſt allowable among men. Had Chriſt come from heaven, and entered upon his mediatory work without a due call, our faith hadbeen ſtumbled at the very threshold; but this greatly fatisfies.
2. It imports thegreat obligation lyinguponJeſus Chriſt to be faithful in the workhe was ſealed to : For, the Father, in this commiſſion, devolves a great truſt upon him, and relies up.
- onhim for his most faithful discharge thereof. And, indeed, uponthis veryaccount Chriſt reckons himself ſpecially obliged topursue theFather's deſignand end, John ix. 4." I mustwork
* the works ofhim that fent me." AndJohnv. 30. " I ſeek
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" not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath " fent me."
Still his eye is upon that work andwillofhis Father. Andhe reckons himself under a neceſſity ofpunctual and preciſe obedience to it ; and, as a faithful ſervant, will have his ownwill fwallowed up in the Father's will .
3. It imports Chriſt's compleat qualification, or inſtrumental fitneſs, to ſerve the Father's deſign and end inour recovery.
Had not God known him to be every way fit, and qualified for the work, he would never have ſealed him acommiſſion for it.
Men may, butGod will not feal an unfit, or incapable perſon, for his work.
And, indeed, whatever is defirable in a ſervant, was eminently found in Chriſt: forfaithfulness, none like him.
Mofes indeed was faithful to apin, but ſtill as a ſervant; but Chriſt as a Son, Heb . iii. 2.
He is the faithful and true witneſs , Rev. i. 5.
For zeal, none like him.
The zeal ofGod's houſedid eathim up, John ii. 16, 17. He was ſo intentupon his Father's work, that he forgot to eat bread, counting his work, his meat and drink, John iv. 32.
Yea, and love to his Father carried him on through all his work, and made him delight in the hardest piece of his ſervice; for he ſerved him as a Son, Heb. iii. 5, 6.
All that ever he did was done in love.
For wisdom none like him.
The Father knew him to be moſt wife, and faid of him before he was employed, " Behold my
" Servant ſhall deal prudently," Ifa. lii. 13.
To conclude, for ſelf-denial, never any like him; he fought not his own glory, but the glory ofhim that fent him, John viii. 50.
Had henot been thus faithful, zealous, full of love, prudent, and felf-denying, he had never been employed in this great affair.
4. It implies Chriſt's fole authority in the church, to appoint and enjoin what he pleaſeth : and this is his peculiar prerogative.
For, the commiſſionGod ſealed him in the text, is a fingle, not ajoint commiſſion ; he hath fealed him, andnone beV ſide him.
Indeed there were ſome that pretended a call and commiſſion from God; but all that were before him were thieves and robbers *, that came not in at the door, as he did,
John x. 8.
And he himselfforetels, that after him fome ſhould arife, and labour to deceive the world with a feigned commifſion, and a counterfeit feal, Matth. xxiv. 24. " There ſhall a- * All that came before me (that is, whom I did not ſend, but who ran unfent, giving themselves out for the Meſſiah) are thieves and robbers ; after their guileful manner, they have contrived certain falſe doors to heaven, by which they have thrown men down headlong into the abyss ofeverlasting misery.
Dietericus .
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"" rife falſe Chrifts, and falſe prophets, and ſhall ſhew great ſigns and wonders; infomuch, that ifit were poſſible, they
" ſhoulddeceive the very elect." 'ButGod never commiffioned anybeſides him, neither is there any other name under heaven, Acts iv. 12.
Thus you see how the validity ofhis acts, his obligation to be faithful, his compleat qualifications, and fole authority in the church, are imported in his fealing.
Thirdly, Let us enquire how God the Father ſealed Jeſus Chrift to this work, and we ſhall find that he was ſealedby four acts of the Father.
1. By folemn designation to this work. He ſingled him out, and fet him apart for it ; and therefore the prophet Haiah, chap. xlii. 1. calls him God's Elect *.
And the apostle Peter, I Peter ii. 4. Chofen ofGod.
This word which we render Elect †, doth not only fignify one that in himself iseximious, worthy, and excellent, but alſo one that is ſet apart and defigned, as Chrift was, for the work of mediation.
And so much is included in John x. 36. where the Father is faid to fanctify him, i. e. to ſeparate, and devote him to this ſervice.
2. He was fealed, not only by folemn deſignation, but alſo fuper-eminent and unparalleledfanctification. He was anointed, as well as appointed to it. The Lord filled him with the Spirit, and that without meaſure, to qualify him for this ſervice.
So Ifa. lxi. 1 , 2, 3. " The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, be- " cauſe he hath anointed me to preach," &c.
Yea, the Spirit ofthe Lordwas notonly upon him, but he was full ofthe Spirit, Luke iv. 1. and fo full as was never any beſide him; for God "anointed him with the oyl of gladness, above his fel- " lows," Pfalm xlv. 7.
Believers are his fellows, or co-partners, of this Spirit ; they have an anointing alſo, but not as Chriſt had§ ; in him itdwelt in its fulness, inthem according to meaſure.
It was poured out on Chriſt, our Head, abundantly, and randown to the hem of his garment. "Godgave
ודוהב Elect, i. e, choice, ſurpaffing, excellent.
↑See the Dutch Annotations on this place.
† From Chrift comes the name Chriſtians, which is as muchas to ſay, Partakers of an holy unction : True Chriftians have not merely the name without the thing; but they who are calledby the * name of Chriſtians have the anointing which the name imports.
Glaffe.
Theſe gifts, conſidered abſolutely, and in themſelves, were finite; even as the humannature of Chrift itself was finite ; yet in refpect of us, theywere indeed without meaſure.
Dr. Alt. Explication ofthe Catechism, Part II. p. 170,
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not the Spirit to him by meaſure," John iii. 34. God filled Chrift's human nature, to the utmoſt capacity, with all fulness of the Spirit ofknowlege, wisdom, love, &c. beyond all creatures, for the plenary and more effectual adminiſtration of his mediatorſhip : he was full extensively with all kinds of grace; and full intensively, with all degrees ofgrace . "Itpleaſed the " Father that in him ſhould all fulness dwell, Col. i. 19.; as light in the fun, or water in a fountain, that he mightnot onlyfill all things, as the apostle ſpeaks, Eph. i. 22. but that he might be prompt, expedite, and every way fit to discharge his own work, which was the next and immediate end of it : fo that the holy oil that was poured out upon the head of kings and priests, whereby they were confecrated to their offices, was but typical of the Spirit, by which Chriſt was confecrated, or fealed, to his offices * .
3. Chriſt was ſealed by the Father's immediate testimonyfrom heaven, whereby he was declaredto be theperson whom the Father hadfolemnly designed and appointed to this work. AndGodgave this extraordinary teſtimony ofhim at two remarkable ſeaſons ; the one wasjust at his entrance on his public miniſtry, Mat. iii. ult. the other buta littlebefore his fufferings, Mat. xvii . 5. This voicewas not formed by ſuch organs and inſtruments of ſpeech as ours are, butbycreating avoice in the air †, which thepeopleheard founding therein: by thisGod owned, approved, and asby a feal ratified his work.
4. Chriſt was ſealed by the Father in all thoſe extraordinary miraculous works wrought by him, in which theFather gave yet more full andconvincing teftimonies to theworld, that thiswas hewhom he had appointed tobe our Mediator.
Theſe were convictive to the world, thatGodhad fent him, and thathisdoc trinewas ofGod. " God anointed Jeſus of Nazareth with the
HolyGhoſt and power, whowent aboutdoing good, andhealing all that were oppreſſed of the devil ; forGod was with " him," Acts x. 38.
And fo, John v. 36. " I have a greater " witness than that ofJohn ; for the works which the Father
" hath given me to finiſh, the ſame works that I do, bear wit- " neſs of me, that the Father hath ſent me."
Therefore he ſtill referred thoſe that doubted of him, or ofhis doctrine, to the feal of his Father, even the miraculous works he wroughtin thepower ofGod, Mat. xi. 3, 4, 5. And thus the Father ſealed him.
* Exod. xxx 23, 24, 25, 30, 31, 32.
† Caryl on Job i . 7 .
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Fourthly, and lastly, We will enquirewhy it was neceſſary Chriſt ſhouldbe ſealedby his Father to this work : and there aretheſe three weighty reasons for it.
1. Elfehehadnot corresponded withthe types whichprefigured bim, andinhim itwas neceſſary that theyſhouldbe allaccomplished.
You know, under the Law,the kings and high priests had their inaugurations by folemn unctions ; in all which this confecration, or fealing of Chriſt to his work, was ſhadow'd out: and therefore you ſhall find,Heb. v 4, 5. " Noman taketh this honour tohimself, buthe that is calledofGod as was Aaron : fo
" alfo" (mark the neceſſary correfpondency betwixt Chrift and them) " Chriſt glorified nothimself, to be made aHigh Prieft ;
" but he that ſaid unto him, Thou art my Son."
2. Moreover, hereby the hearts of believers are the more engaged to love the Father, inasmuch as it appears hereby that the Father'slove, andgood will tothem, was the originalandſpringof their redemption. Forhad not the Father ſealed him fuch a commiſſion, he had notcome; butnowhe comes inthe Father's name, and inthe Father's love, as well as his name; andſo all inen arebound to aſcribe equal gloryand honour tothem both : as it is, John v. 23 .
3. And eſpecially, Chriſt would notcome without acommiffion, becauſe, elfeyou hadno groundfor your faith in him How ſhould we have been fatisfied, thatthis is indeed the trueMeffiah, except he had opened his commiſſion to the world, and ſhew'd his Father's ſeal annexed to it ? Ifhe had come without his credentials fromheaven, and only told the world thatGod had fent him, andthat they must take his bare word for it, who couldhave reſted his faith on that teftimony ? And that is the truemeaning ofthat place, Johnv. 31. " If I bear witness of my- " ſelf, mywitneſs is not true." How ſo ? You willſay, doth not that contradict what he faith, John viii. 14. " Though I bear
" record of myſelf, yet my record is true." Therefore you must underſtand truth, not as if I had onlygiven you mybare word forit, and not broughtother evidence frommy Father, my teſtimonyhad notbeen authentic and valid, according to human laws ; butnow all doubtings are precluded.
Let us next improve this.
Inf. 1. Hence we infer the unreasonableness of infidelity, and how little rejecters of Chrift can have to pretend for their fo doing.
You fee he hath opened his commiſſion inthe gospel, thewn theworldhis Father's hand andfeal to it, givenas ample fatisfaction as reaſon itſelfcoulddefire, orexpect; yet even his
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own received him not, John i. 11. And he knew itbefore-hand, andtherefore complainedby the prophet, Ifa. liii. 1. " Who " hath believed our report ?" &c .
Yea, and that he isbelieved on intheworld, is by the apoſtle putamong the great myſteries ofgodliness , 1 Tim. iii. 16. A man that well confiders with whatconvincing evidence Chriſt comes, would rather think it
ود a mystery, that any ſhould not believe.
But, Oh the brutith obftinacy, anddeviliſh enmity, that is in nature to Jeſus Chriſt !
Deviliſh did I ſay? You must give me that word again, for he compelled the devils affent ; " We know thee, whom thou art."
And it is equally as wonderful tofee the facility that is in nature to comply (mean while) with any, even the moſt foolish im poſture.
Let a falfe Chriſt arife, and he ſhall deceive many, as it is, Matth. xxiv. 24. Of this Chrift complains, and not with. outgreat reafon,John v. 43." I am come inmy Father's name,
" and ye receive me not : If another come in his own name, " him will ye receive," q. d. You are incredulous to none but me: every deceiver, every pitiful cheat,that hath but wit, or rather wickedness, enoughtotell you the Lord hath fent him, though you must take hisown ſingle word for it, he ſhallobtain and get diſciples; but though I come in my Father's name, i. e. ſhewingyou acommiſſion ſignedandfealedbyhim, doing thoſe works that none but a God cando, yet ye receive me not,
But in allthis we must adore the justice ofGod, permitting it to be fo, giving men up tofuch unreasonable obſtinacy and hardneſs.
Itis a fore plague that lies upon the world, anda wonder that weall are not ingulphedinthe fame infidelity.
Inf. 2. IfChrist was ſealed to his work by his Father, then how great is the fin of those that reject and despisefuch as are
Jent and fealed by Jesus Christ? For look, as he came to us in his Father's name, ſo he hath ſent forth, by the fame authority
Minifters in his name ; and as he acts in his Father's, ſo they in his authority. "Asthouhast fent me into the world, even
" ſo have I alſo ſent them into the world," John xvii. 18. And fo John xx. 21.
As my Father hath fent me, ſohave I fent " you."
You maythink it afmall matter to deſpiſe or reject a miniſter of Chriſt (a fin, in the guilt whereof, I thinkno age hath beenplunged deeperthan this); buthear, and let it be a warning to you for ever ; in ſodoing you deſpiſe, and putthe
" flight both upon the Father that fentJeſus, and upon Chrift † This form of the miſſion of the Apostles byChriſt, evidently enough ſhews thedignityof their office, in their authority andpower whichwas fupreme andincomparable. Cameron.
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that fent them: So that it is arebellion, that however it feems tobegin low in ſome ſmall piques against their perſons, or fome little quarrelsat their parts and utterance, tones,methods orgeſtures ;yet it runs high, even tothefountainheadofthe moſt ſupreme authority.
You that ſet yourſelves against a minifter of Chriſt, ſetyourſelves againstGod the Father, andGod the Son ;
Luke x. 16. " He that heareth you, heareth me; andhethatde- " ſpiſethyou, deſpiſeth me; andhe that deſpiſeth me,deſpiſeth
"him that ſentme." God expects that you behaveyourſelves, under theword ſpoken by us, as ifhe himselfſpake it; yea, he expects fubmiſſion to his word in the mouths of his miniſters from the greatest on earth. And therefore it was thatGodſo ſeverely puniſhed Zedekiah, " because he humbled not himself
" beforeJeremiah the prophet, ſpeakingfrom the mouth ofthe " Lord," 2 Chron. xxxvi. 12. God was angry with a great king for nothumblinghimselfbefore apoor Prophet.
Yet here youmust distinguiſh both ofPersons, and ofActs . This re verence andfubmiſſion isnot due to them asmen, but as men
inoffice, as Chriſt's ambaſſadors ; and muſt involve that reſpect Aill in it. Again we owe itnot to them, commanding or forbidding in their ownnames, but in Chriſt's, not inventingtheir
own ſpleen, but the terrors ofthe Lord: And then to reſiſt is a high rebellion and affront to the fovereign authority ofHeaven.
And,by the way, this may inſtruct miniſters, that the way to maintainthatveneration andreſpect that is due to them, inthe confciences of their hearers, isbykeeping cloſeto their commiffion.
Inf. 3. Hence alſo we infer, howgreatan evilit is to intrude into the office of the ministry, without a due Call.
It ismorethan Chrift himself would do; he glorified not himself: The honours and advantages attending that office, have invited many, torunbefore theywere ſent. But ſurely this is an infufferable violation ofChriſt's order. Our age hath aboundedwith asmany church levellers as ſtate levellers.
I wishthe ministersofChrift might at laſt ſee and confider,what they wereonce warned of bya faithful watchman : ' I believe (faith het)God hath perN2
|| As if a maſter of a family ſhould firſt preſcribe to his fervant whathe ſhouldorder tobedone in the family, and then ſhouldſay,
Whoſo heareth you, heareth me; itwould not thence follow that itisimpofſſible for that ſervant to depart from what his Maſter had preſcribed to him ; or whenever he ſhoulddo ſo, he shouldbe obeyed.
Cameron. Myroth. P. 130.
† Mr. Strong.
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The Fountain of Life. mitted ſo many to intrude into the miniſters calling, becauſe
' minifters have too much meddled with, and intruded intoo- ⚫ther mens callings.'
Inf. 4. Hence be convinced of the great efficacy that is in allgospelordinancesduly adminiſtred: For Chrift havingreceived full commiſſion from his Father, and by virtue thereofhaving inftituted and appointed theſe ordinances inthe church, all the power in heaven is engaged to make thein good, to back and ſecond them, toconfirm and ratify them. Hence, inthe cenfures ofthe church you have thatgreat expreſſion, Matth. xviii. 18.
" Whatſoever yebind or looſeonearth, ſhallbebound or looſed " in heaven."
And fo, for the word and facraments, Matth. xxxiii . 18, 19, 20 " All power inheaven and earth is given
66 unto me : Go therefore," &c.
They are not the Appointments of men; your faith ſtands notin the wildom ofmen, but in the power ofGod. That very power, God the Father committed to Chrift, is the fountain whence all goſpel inſtitutions flow. And he hath promiſed to be with his officers, not only the extraordinary officers of that age, butwith his miniſters, in fucceeding ages, to the end ofthe world. O therefore, when we come to an ordinance, come not with flight thoughts, but with great reverence, and great expectations, remembring Chriſt is there to make all good.
Inf. 5. Again, here you have another call to admire the grace and love, both of the Father and Son toyourfouls : It is notlawfultocompare them, but it is duty to admire them.
Was it notwonderful grace in the Father, to feal a commiſſion for the deathof his Son, for the humbling him as lowas hell, and in that method to faveyou, whenyou might have expected he ſhould have ſealedyour Mittimus for hell, rather than a commiſſiion foryour ſalvation ? hemight rather have ſet his irreverfible ſeal to the ſentence of your damnation, than to acommſſion for his Son's humiliation for you.
And no less is the love ofChrift tobe wondered at, that wouldaccept ſuch a commiſſion, as this for us, and receivethis ſeal, underſtanding fully
(ashedid) what were the contents ofthatcommiſſion, thatthe Father delivered him thus fealed,and knowing that there could beno reverfing ofit afterwards.
O then, love the LordJesus allye his faints, for ſtill you fee moreand moreofhislove breakingoutuponyou.
I commend toyou a fealed Saviour this day ; O that every one that reads theſe lines might, in a pangof love, cryout withthe enamoured ſpouſe, Cant. viii. 6. " Set me as a feal uponthy heart, as a " fealuponthyarm; for love is ſtrong as death, Jealousy is
SERM. VI.
The Fountain of Life.
" cruel as the grave; The coals thereof are coals offire, which " have a vehement flame ."
Inf. 6. Oncemore; HathGod fealed Chriſt for you ? Then drawforththe comfort ofhisfealingforyou, and be restless tillye aljobefealedby him.
1. Draw out the comfort of Chriſt's fealing for you.
Remember that herebyGod ſtands engaged, evenby his own feal, toallow and confirm whatever Chrift hath done in the buſineſs ofour ſalvation.
And onthis ground you may thus plead with God : Lord, thou haſt ſealed Chriſt to this office, and therefore
Idepend upon it, that thou alloweſt all that he hath done, and all that hehath ſufferedfor me, and wiltmake good all that he hath promiſed me.
Ifmenwill notdeny their ownfeals,much leſs wilt thou .
2. Getyourintereſt inChriſtſealed to you by the Spirit, elſe youcannothavethe comfort of Chriſt's being sealed for you .
Now the Spirit ſeals two ways, Objectively andEffectually ; the firſt isby working thoſe graces in us, which are the conditions ofthe promises : the latteris by chining upon his own work, andhelping the foul todifcern it, which follows theother, both inorder ofnature, andof time. Andtheſe ſealings of the Spirit are to be diftinguiſhed,both expartefubjecti, or the quality of the perſon ſealed,which always is a believer, Eph . i. 13. for there canbe no reflex, till there have been a direct Act offaith; and ex partemateria, bythe matter ofwhich that comfortismade; which if it be of the Spirit, is ever confonant to the written word, Ifa. viii. 20. Andpartly ab effectis, by its effects : for it commonly produces inthefealedfoul, great care andcaution to avoid fin, Eph. iv. 30. Greatlove toGod,Johnxiv. 22. Readineſs to fuffer any thing for Chriſt, Rom. v. 3,4, 5.
Confidence in addreſſes toGod, I John v. 13, 14. and great humility and felf-abaſement ; as in Abraham, who lay on his face whenGod fealed the covenant to him, Gen. xvii. 1, 2, 3.
This, O this bringshometheſweetand good ofall,when thisſeal is ſuper-aded tothat.