6 "To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein 65
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Opening the eighth Motive to come to CHRIST, drawn from the fixth Benefit purchaſed by CHRIST for Believers..
EPH. i. 6. To the praise oftheglory ofhis grace, wherein he hath madeus acceptedin the Beloved.
IN our laſt diſcourſewe opened to you the bleſſedprivilege of remiſſion of fin, from the following verſe ; in this verſe lies another glorious privilege, viz. the acceptation that believers have with God through Jeſus Chrift : both which comprife (as the two main branches) our juſtification beforeGod.
Inthe words read, (to omit many things that might be profitably obſerved from the method and dependance of the apostle's difcourſe) three things are obſervable, viz.
1. The privilege itſelf.
2. The meritorious cauſe.
3. The ultimate end thereof.
First, The privilege itſelf, which is exceeding rich and ſweet in its own nature; " he hath made us accepted ;" the word is εχαριτωσεν ημας, he hath ingratiated us, or brought us into grace,
ره favour, and acceptance ofGod the Father ; endeared us to him, ſo that we find grace in his fight.
Secondly, The meritorious cauſe, purchasing and procuring this benefit for us, noted in the words, εν τω ηγαπημενω, in the Beloved; which words are a periphrafis of Chriſt, who is here emphatically ſtiled the Beloved, the great favourite of heaven, the delight ofGod's ſoul, the prime object of his love : it is he thatobtaineth this benefit for believers : he is accepted for his own fake, and we for his.
Thirdly, The ultimate end and aim ofconferringthis benefit upon believers ; " To the praise of the glory ofhisgrace ;" or, to the end that his grace might be made glorious in praiſes : there are riches ofgrace inthis act ofGod; and the work and buſineſs of believers, both inthis world and in that to come, is to ſearch and admire, acknowledge and magnifyGod for his abundant grace herein. Hence the note is,
Doct. That Jesus Chrift hath purchased and procuredſpecial favour andacceptationwith Godfor allthat are in him.
This point lies plain in ſcripture, Eph. ii. 13. "Butnow in
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"" Jeſus Chriſt, ye who ſometimes were afar off, are made nigh bythe blood of Chriſt," εγυς εγενήθητε, Inade nigh, a term of endearedneſs: nothing is taken into the very boſom and embracesbut what is very dear, precious and acceptable : and in Rev. ii. 5, 6. believers are faid to be made by Jeſus Chriſt "kings
" and prieſts unto God, and his Father," (i. e.) dignifiedfavourites, upon whom the ſpecial marks of honour are fetby
God.
In opening of this point, three things must be doctrinally dif cuffed and opened, viz.
1. What the acceptation ofour perſons with God is ?
2. How it appears that believers are ſo accepted withGod?
3.HowChrift the Beloved procures this benefit for believers ?
First, What the acceptation ofour perſons withGod is ? To openwhich, itmay be proper toremember, that there is atwo. fold acceptance ofperfons mentioned in fcripture.
1.Oneis the finful act of corruptman .
2.Theother the gracious act of a mercifulGod.
First, Accepting ofperſons is noted in ſcripture as the finful act ofa corrupt man; a thing which God abhors, being the corruption and abuſe of that power, and authority whichmenhave injudgment ; overlooking the merit ofthe cauſe through finful reſpect to the qualityof the perfon whoſe cauſe it is; ſo thatthe cauſedoth not commend the perſon,but the perſon the caufe.
This God every where brands in men, as a vile perverting of judgment, and utterlydiſclaims it himself, Gal. ii. 6. "Godac
" ceptethno man's perfon ;" Rom. ii. 11. " There is noreſpect "ofperfonswithGod."
Secondly, There is alſo an accepting ofperfons,which is the gracious act ofa merciful God ; whereby he receives both the perfons and duties ofbelievers into ſpecial grace and favour for Chriſt's fake ; and of this my text ſpeaks.
In which act offa vour three things are ſuppoſed or included.
First, It ſuppoſes an eſtateofalienationandenmity: thoſeon Jy are accepted into favour, that were out of favour ; and indeed fo ftoodthe cafe with us, Eph. ii. 12, 13. " Ye were aliens and " ſtrangers, but now in ChriftJefus, ye whoſometimes were a- " far off, are made nighbytheblood ofChrift:" So the apofile
Peter, in 1 Pet. ii. 10." Which in time paſtwere not apeople, " but now are the people ofGod ; which hadnot obtainedmer cy, but now have obtained mercy." The fall made a fearful breach betwixtGod and man.
Sin, like a thick cloud, interceptedallthebeams ofdivine favourfromus; thefatisfactionofChrift diffolves thatcloud, Iſa.xliv. 22." I haveblotted out, as a thick
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The Method of Grace.
" cloud, thy tranfgreffions, and, as a cloud, thy fins."
This darkcloudthus diſſolved, the face ofGod thines forth again with cheerful beams offavour and love upon all, who, by faith, are intereſted in Jeſus Chriſt .
Secondly,It includes the removing ofguilt from the perfons ofbelievers, by the imputation of Chrift's righteouſneſs to them,
Rom. v. 1 , 2. " Being justifiedbyfaith,wehave peacewithGod, " thro' our Lord Jesus Chrift : bywhom alfo we have acceſs by " faith into this grace wherein we stand:" for the face ofGod cannot ſhine upon the wicked; the perfon must be firſt made righteous, before it canbe made accepted.
Thirdly, It includes the offering up, or tendring ofour perfons andduties toGodby Jeſus Chrift.
Accepting implies preſenting or tendring : believers indeed do preſent themſelves to God,
Rom. xii. 1. But Chriſt's preſentingthem makes their tender of themselves acceptable to the Lord; Col. i. 22. " In the body.
" ofhis fleſh through death to preſentyou holy, and unblame- " able, and unreprovable, in his fight."
Chriſt leads every believer, as itwerebythehand, into thegracious prefence ofGod; after this manner beſpeaking acceptance for him : " Father, here
" is a poor foul thatwas bornin fin, hath lived in rebellion a- " gainst thee all his days ; he hath broken all thy laws, and de- " ſerved all thywrath; yet he is one ofthat number which thou
" gaveſt me before the world was.
I have made full payment " of myblood for all his fins: I have opened his eyes to fee the " ſinfulness and miſery of his condition; broken his heart for " his rebellions against thee; bowed his will in obedience unto
" thy will; united him to my felfby faith, as a living member " of mybody: and now, Lord, fince, he is become mineby regeneration, let him be thine alſo by ſpecial acceptation : let
"the fame love with which thou loveſt me embrace him alſo, " who is nowbecome mine."
And so much for the firſt particular, viz . What acceptation withGod is.
Secondly, In the next place, I muſt ſhew you how it appears that believers are thus ingratiated, or brought into the ſpecial favour ofGod byJeſus Chriſt. And this willbe evidenced divers ways .
First, By the titles oflove and endearedneſs, with which the Lord graceth , and honoureth believers, who are ſometimes called the houshold ofGod, Eph. ii. 19. thefriends ofGod, James ii.
23. thedear children ofGod, Eph. v. 1. thepeculiar people ofGod, Pet. ii. 9. a crown ofglory, and a royal diadem in the hand of their God, Ifa. Ixii. 3. The object ofhis delight and pleasure,
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Pfal. cxlvii. 10, 11. O what terms of endearedneſs dothGod uſe towards his people! Doth not all this ſpeak them to be in ſpecial favour with him ? Which of all theſe alone,doth not ſignify aperſon highly in favour withGod ?
Secondly, Thegracious manner in which he treats themupon the throne of grace, towhich he allows them to comewith boldness, Heb. iv. 16.
This alſo ſpeaks them in the ſpecial favour ofGod : he allows them to come to him in prayer, with the liberty, confidence, and filial boldness of children to a father; Gal. iv. 6. " Becauſe ye are fons, God hath fent forth
" the ſpirit ofhis fon into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father;" the familiar voice of a dear child: yea, which is a wonderful condeſcenſion ofthe greatGod to poor worms ofthe earth, he faith, Iſa. xlv. 11. " Thus faith the Lord, the holy One of If- " rael, and his maker, aſk me of things to come concerning
" my fons, and concerning the work of my hands commandye " me:" an expreſſion ſo full ofgrace, and ſpecial favour tobeJievers, that it needs great caution inreading and underſtanding ſuch an high and aſtoniſhing expreſſion, the meaning is, that God hath, as it were, ſubjected the works of his hands to the prayers of his faints : and it is as if he had said, if myglory, andyour neceffity ſhall require it, dobut aſk me in prayer, and whatever my Almighty Power can do, I will do it for you .
However, let no favourite ofheaven forget the infinite diſtance betwixt himself and God.
Abraham was a great favourite of heaven, andwas called thefriendofGod; yet fee with what humility of ſpirit, and reverential awe he addreſſeth toGod, Gen, xviii . 27. " Behold now I have taken upon me to ſpeak unto the " Lord, which am but duſt and aſhes."
So that you fee the titles offavour above-mentioned are noempty titles.
Thirdly, God's readineſs to grant, as well as their liberty to aſk, ſpeaks them the ſpecial favourites ofGod.
The heart of Godis ſo propenſe, and ready, to grant the desires of believers, that it is but ask and have, Mat. vii. 7.
The door ofgrace is opened by the key of prayer.
That is a favourite indeed, to whom the king gives a blank to infert what requeſt he will :
" If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye ſmall ask " what ye will,and it ſhall bedone untoyou," John xv. 7. O bleſſed liberty ofthe fons ofGod ! Daviddid but ſay, " Lord,
" turn the counſel of Ahitophel into fooliſineſs," and it was done as foon as asked.
2 Sam. xv. 31.
Joſhua didbut ſay, " thou fun ſtand still in Gibeon," and a miraculous ſtop was preſently putto its ſwift motion in the heavens ; nay, which is wonderful toconfider, a prayer, yet unborn, Imean conceived
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inthe heart, and not yet uttered by the lips of believers, is often anticipated by the propenſiveneſs of free grace, Ifa. lxv. 24.
" And it ſhall come to paſs, that before they call I will anſwer, " and whilft they are yet ſpeaking I will hear."
The prayers of others are rejected as an abomination, Prov. xv. 8.
God caſts themback intotheir faces, Mal. ii. 3. But free grace figus the petitions ofthe faints more readily than they are preſented: we have not that freedom to ask, that God hath to give: it is true, the anſwer ofa believer's prayers may be a long time fufpendedfrom his ſenſe andknowledge; butevery prayer, according to the will ofGod, is preſentlygranted in heaven, though, forwife andholy ends, they may be held in a doubtful fufpenfe about them upon earth.
Fourthly, The free discoveries of the fecrets ofGod's heart to believers, ſpeak them tobe his ſpecial favourites : men open not the counſels and ſecrets of their own hearts to enemies, or ſtrangers; but to their moſt inward and intimate friends : " The " ſecret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he will
" ſhew them his covenant," Pfal. xxv. 14.
When God was about to deftroy Sodom, he would do nothing in that work of Judgment 'till he had acquaintedAbraham his friend, with his purpoſe therein, Gen. xviii. 17. " And the Lord faid, Shall I " hide from Abraham that thing which I do ? For I know
" him," &c.
So when a king was to be elected for Ifrael, and the perſonwhom God had chofen, was yet unknown to the people, God, as it were, whisperedthat fecretunto Samuel the day before, 1 Sam. ix. 15. " Now the Lord had told Samuel
" in his ear a day before Saul came :" according to the manner ofprince with ſome ſpecial favourite.
Fifthly, The Lord's receiving every ſmall thing that comes from them with grace and favour, when he rejects the greatest things offeredby others, doth certainly beſpeak believers the ſpecial favourites ofGod.
There was but one good word in a whole fentence from Sarah, and that very word is noted and commended by God, I Pet. iii. 6. " She called him Lord."
There were but ſome ſmall beginnings, or buddings ofgrace in young Abijah, and the Lord took ſpecialnoticethereof, I Kings xiv. 13." Becauſe inhim there isfoundſomegood thing toward
" the LordGod of Ifrael, in the houſe of Jeroboam. "
Let this be an encouragement to young ones, in whom there are found any breathing defires after Chrift : God will not reject them ifany finceritybe found inthem; afecret groan, uttered toGod in fincerity, ſhall notbe deſpiſed, Rom. viii. 26.
The very bent ofabeliever's will, whenhehadno more to offer un- !
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toGod, is anacceptable preſent, 2. Cor. viii. 11.
The veryintent, and purpoſe that lie ſecretly in the heart ofa believer, not yet executed, are accepted with him, I Kings viii. 18. " Where- " as it was in thine heart tobuild an houſe to my name, thou
" didit well that itwas in thine heart."
Thus ſmall things offered toGodby believers find acceptance with him, whilſt the greatest preſents, evenfolemn aſſemblies, ſabbaths, and prayers from others are rejected: " They are a trouble unto me (faith
" God) ; I am weary to bear them," Ifa. i. 14, 15. "Incenfe " from Sheba, the ſweet cane from a far country" are not acceptable, nor facrifices ſweet untoGod from other hands, Jer. vi . 20. From all which it appears, beyond doubt, that the perſons andduties ofbelievers are accepted inthe ſpecial favour of Godby Jefus Chriſt: which was the fecondthing to be ſpoken to, and brings us to the third general, viz.
Thirdly, How Chriſt, the beloved, procures this benefit for believers ? And this he doth four ways.
" First, By the fatisfaction ofhis blood, Rom. v. 10. " When we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death
" of his Son." No friendship without reconciliation, no reconciliation, but by the blood of Chrift: therefore the new and living way, bywhich believers come untoGod with acceptance, is faid tobe confecrated for us through the veil of Chriſt's fleth; and hence believers have boldness to enter into the holiest by theblood of Jeſus, Heb.x. 19, 20.
Secondly,Thefavour ofGod is procured forbelievers, by their mystical union with Christ, whereby they are made " members
" ofhis body, ofhis fleſh, and ofhis bones," Eph . v. 30.
So that asAdam's poſterity ſtoodupon the fame terms thathe, their natural head,did; ſobelievers, Chriſt's myftical members, ſtand in the favour ofGod,by the favour which Chrift their ſpiritual headhath, John xvii. 33. "Iinthem, andthou in me, that they
66 maybe made perfect inone,and thattheworld mayknow that " thou hast fent me, andhaſt lovedthem asthou hast loved me."
Thirdly, Believers are brought into favourwithGod by Chrift becoming their altar, upon which their perſons and duties are all offeredup toGod : The altar ſanctifies the gift, Heb. xiii. 10.
And this was typified by the legalrite mentioned Luke i. 9, 10.
Chriſt is that golden altar from whence all the prayers of the faints aſcend to the throne of God, perfumed with the odours, andincense ofhis merits, Rev. viii. 34."And another angel came
" and ſtoodat the altar, having a golden cenſer, and there was 66 givenuntohim much incenfe thathe shouldoffer it, with the "prayers of all faintsupon the golden altar which was before
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The Method of Grace. the throne ; and the smoke of the incenfe which came with " the prayers of the faints afcendedup beforeGod out ofthe
angel's hand. " And thus you see how the perfons, andduties of believers are brought into favour and acceptancewith
Godby Jeſus Chriſt.
The uſes follow.
Infer 1. Ifall believers be in favour with God, how great a mercy is it to have the prayers ofsuch engaged on our behalf?
Would we have our buſineſs ſpeed in heaven, let us get into favourwithGod ourſelves,and engage the prayers ofhis people, the favourites ofheaven, for us : Vis unitafortior, one believer candomuch, many can do more : when Daniel deſigned toget
theknowledge ofthat ſecret,hinted inthe obfcuredream ofthe king, which none but theGodof heaven could make known, it is faid, Dan. ii. 17. " Then Daniel wentto his houſe, and " made the thing known to Hananiah, Miſhael, and Azariah,
" his companions; that they would defire mercies of theGod " of heaven concerning this fecret."
The benefits of fuch afſiſtance in prayer by the help ofother favourites with God, is plainly intimated by Jeſus Chriſt to us, Mat. xviii. 19. " If two
" ofyou shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they " ſhall aſk, it ſhall be done forthem ofmy Father which is in " heaven." God ſometimes ſtands upon anumber of voices, forthe carrying offome publicmercy, becauſe he delighteth in the harmony of many praying fouls; and alſo loves to oblige and gratify many in the answer, and return ofthe fame prayer.
Iknow this ufage isgrown too formal, andcomplemental among profeffors : but certainly it is a great advantage to be fincere with them, who are ſo withGod.
St.Bernard preſcribing rules for effectual prayer, cloſes them up with this with, et cum talis fueris, memento mei, when thy heart is in this frame, then remember me.
Infer. 2. Ifbelievers befuch favouritesin heaven, in whata desperate condition is that cause, and thoseperfons, againstwhom thegenerality of believers aredaily engaged in prayers and cries toheaven?
Certainly Rome ſhall feel the dint, and force ofthe manymillions ofprayers that are gone up to heaven, from the faints, for many generations : the cries of the blood ofthe martyrs ofJeſus, joined with the cries of thousands of believers, will bring downvengeanceat laſt upon the man of fin.
It is said, Rev. viii. 4, 5, 6. " That the ſmoke of the incense which came with " the prayers of the faints, afcended up before God out of the angel's hand :" And immediately it isadded, ver. 5. "And " the angel took the cenfer, and filled it with fire ofthe altar,
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" andcaſt it into the earth, and there werevoices, and thunder- " ings, and lightnings, and earthquakes, and the ſeven angels,
" whichhad theſeven trumpets, prepared themſelves to ſound."
Theprayer ofa ſingle ſaint is ſometimes followed withwonderful effects, Pfal. xviii. 6, 7. " In my diſtreſs I called upon the " Lord, and cried unto myGod: heheard my voice out of his
" temple, and mycrycame before him,even into his ears : then " theearth ſhook and trembled; the foundation alſo ofthe hills
" moved and were ſhaken,becauſe he was wroth :" what then canathundering legion of ſuch praying fouts do ? It was ſaid ofLuther, Iſte vir potuit cum Deoquicquidvoluit thatmancould have ofGod what he would ; his enemies felt the weight ofhis prayers, and the church of God reaped the benefits thereof.
The queeen ofScots profeſſed, ſhe was more afraidofthe prayers ofMr. Knox *, thanofan armyoften thousandmen : theſe were mighty wrestlers with God, however contemned and vilified among their enemies.
There will atime come, whenGod will hear the prayersofhis people, whoarecontinually cryinginhis ears, How long? Lord, how long ?
Infer. 3. Let no believer be dejected at the contempts and flightings of men, so long as they stand in the grace andfavour of God.
It is the lot of the beſt men to have the worlt uſage in the world: thoſe of whom the world was not worthy, were not thought worthy to live in the world, Heb. xi. 38.
Paul andhis companions were men of choice and excellent ſpirits ; yet faith he, 1 Cor. iv. 12. " Being defamed, we intreat;
66 we aremade as the filth ofthe world, and are the offscouring " ofall things unto this day."
They are words ſignifyingthe baſeſt, moſt contemptible, and abhorred things among men.
How are heaven and earth divided in their judgments and eſtimations of the faints ? Thoſe whom men call filth_and dirt,
God calls a peculiar treaſure, a crown of glory, a royal diadem.
But trouble not thyself, believer, for the unjuſt cenfures of theblind world; they ſpeak evil ofthe things they know not: "He that is ſpiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself
" isjudged of no man," 1 Cor. ii. 14.
You can difcern the earthlineſs and baſeneſs oftheir ſpirits, they want a faculty to difcerntheexcellency and choiceneſs ofyour ſpirits : hethat carriesadark lanterninthenight,candifcernhim thatcomes against him, andyet isnot difcerned by him. A courtier regards not a * Jacobus Songius, the Sorbonnedoctor, who wrotethe lives of Luther, Knox and Calvin, ſpeaks as if the devil had hired his pen to abuſe thoſe precious fervants ofChrift.
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Infer. 4. Never let believers fear the want of any good thing neceffaryfor them in this world.
The favourofGod is the fountaie of all bleſſings, proviſions, protections, even of all that you need.
He hath promised that he will withhold no good thing from them that walk uprightly, Pfal. lxxxiv. 11. He that is bountiful to his enemies will not withhold what is good from his friends.
The favour of God will not only ſupply your needs, but protect your perſons, Pfal. v. 12. " Thou wilt bleſs
" the righteous, with favour wilt thou compaſs him as with a " ſhield."
Infer. 5. Hence alſo it follows, that thefins ofbelievers are very piercing things to the heart ofGod. The unkindness ofthoſe whom hehathreceived into his very boſom, upon whom he hath ſet his ſpecial favour and delight, who are more obliged to him than all the people of the earth beſide, O this wounds the very heart ofGod.
What a melting expoftulation was that which the Lord uſed with David, 2 Sam. xii. 7, 8. " I anointed thee
" king over Ifrael, and I delivered thee out of the hand ofSaul, " and I gave thee thy maſter's houſe, and thy maſter's wives
" into thy boſom, and gave thee the houſe of Ifrael and Judah, " and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given
" unto thee fuch and ſuch things : wherefore haft thou defpiſedthe commandment of the Lord ?" But reader, if thou be a reconciled perſon, a favourite with God, and haft grieved himbyany eminent tranfgreffion, how ſhould it melt thy heart tohear the Lord thus expoftulatingwith thee: I delivered thee out of the hand of Satan ; I gave thee into theboſom of Chrift ;
I have pardoned untothee millions of fins ; Ihave beſtowedupon thee the riches of mercy; my favour hath made thee great ; and, as if all this were too little, I have prepared heaven for thee : for which ofall theſe favours doſt thou thûs requite me ?
Infer. 6. How precious should Jesus Christ be to believers, by whose blood they are ingratiatedwithGod, andby whoſe interceffion theyare, andſhallfor ever be continued in hisfavour? When the apoſtle mentions the believers tranflation, from the fad ſtateofnature to the bleſſed privileged ſtate of grace, ſee what atitle he beſtows upon Jeſus Chriſt, the purchaser of that privilege, callinghim the dearSon, Col. i. 13. Not onlydear toGod, but exceeding dear to believers alfo.
Chriſt is the favourite in heaven, to him you owe all the preferment there : Take away Chrift, and you have no ground on which to ſtand one
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minute inthe favour ofGod. O then let Jeſus Chriſt, the foun tain of your honour, be alſo the object ofyour love and praiſe.
Infer. 7. Eftimate by this, thestate and condition ofa deserted faint, uponwhom the favour ofGodis ecliſped.
If the favour of God be better than life, the hiding ofit from a gracious foul muſt be more bitter than death : Deferted ſaints have reaſon to take the firſt place among all the mourners inthe world : The darkneſs before converfion had, indeed, more danger, but this hath more of trouble. Darkness after light is diſmal darkness.
Since therefore the caſe is ſoſad, let your preventingcarebe the more ; grieve not the good Spirit of God,you prepare but for your owngrief in fo doing.
Infer. 8. Lastly, Let this perfuade all men toaccept Jefus Christ, as ever they expect to be accepted with the Lord themselves.
It is a fearful cafe, for a man's perſon, and duties to be rejected of God; to cry and not be heard: And much more terrible tobe deniedaudience in the greatandterribleday.
Yet, as ſure as the fcriptures are the fealed and faithful ſayings of God, this is no more thanwhat every Chriſtleſs perſon muſt expect in that day,
Mat. vii. 22. Luke xiii. 26. trace the hiſtory ofall times, even ashigh as Abel, andyou ſhall find that none but I believers did ever find acceptance with God; all experience confirms this great truth, that they that are in thefleſb cannot pleaſe God.
Reader, if this be thy condition, let me beg thee to ponderthe miferyofit inafew fad thoughts .
Confider how fad it isto be rejected ofGod, and forſaken by all creatures at once; what a day of ſtraits thy dying day is like tobe, when heaven and earth ſhall caſt thee out together.
Be affured whatever thyvain hopes for the prefent quiet thee withal, this must be thy cafe, the door of mercy will be ſhut against thee, no man comethto the Father but by Chrift.
Sad was the caſe of Saul, when he told Samuel, " the Philistines " make war against me, andGod is departed from me, " 1 Sam. xxviii. 15.
The faints will have boldness in the day ofjudg ment, I John iv. 17.
But thou wilt be a confounded Man; there is yet, bleffed be theGod of mercy, acapacity and opportunity of reconciliation, 2 Cor. v. 19. Ifa. xxvii. 5.
But this canbeofno long continuance. O therefore, by all the regard
and love you have for the everlasting welfare ofyourown fouls, come to Chriſt ; embrace Chriſt in the offers ofthegoſpel, that youmaybemade accepted in the beloved.
† Ifany one deſires to know the willofGod, let himbe a friend ofGod. Aug.