1. All the properties of God considered in the person of the Son,
the Head of the church, are suited to give relief, consolation and
support unto believers in all their distresses,
(1.) The properties of God are those whereby God makes known
himself to us,
(2.) God oftentimes declares and proposeth these properties of his
nature to us for our support, consolation, and relief in our trou-
bles, &c.
(3.) That since the entrance of sin, these properties of God, abso-
lutely considered, will not yield that relief and satisfaction unto
the souls of men, which they would have done and did, whilst
man continued obedient unto God, according to the law of his
creation,
(5.) The person of the Word, or the eternal Son of God, may be
considered either absolutely as such, or as designed in the coun-
sel, wisdom and will of the Father,
2. The whole old creation, even the most glorious parts of it, has-
tening to its period, at least of our present interest in it, and use
of it, calls upon us not to fix our hearts on the small perishing
shares which we have therein, especially since we have him who
is omnipotent and eternal for our inheritance,
church, is infinitely exalted above all creatures whatever, in that
he is God over all, omnipotent and eternal,
4. The whole world, the heavens and earth, being made by the
Lord Christ, and being to be dissolved by him, is wholly at his
disposal, to be ordered for the good of them that do believe,
5. There is no just cause of fear unto believers from any thing in
heaven or earth, seeing they are all of the making, and at the
disposal of Jesus Christ,
6. Whatever our changes may be, inward or outward, yet Christ
changing not, our eternal condition is secured, and relief pro-
vided against all present troubles and miseries,
7. Such is the frailty of the nature of man, and such the perishing
condition of all created things, that none can ever obtain the
least stable consolation, but what ariseth from an interest in the
omnipotency, sovereignty, and eternity of the Lord Christ,
1. The authority of God the Father, in the exaltation of Jesus
Christ as the Head and Mediator of the church, is greatly to be
regarded by believers,
2. The exaltation of Christ, is the great pledge of the acceptance
of the work of mediation performed in the behalf of the church,
3. Christ hath many enemies to his kingdom,
4. The kingdom and rule of Christ is perpetual and abiding, not-
withstanding all the opposition that is made against it,
5. The end whereunto the Lord Jesus Christ will assuredly bring
all his enemies, let them bluster whilst they please, shall be
unto them miserable and shameful, to the saints joyful, to him-
self victorious and triumphant,
3. Every concern of the law and gospel, both as to their nature
and promulgation, is to be weighed and considered by believers,
to beget in their hearts a right and due valuation of them,
4. What means soever God is pleased to use in the revelation of
his will, he gives it a certainty, stedfastness, assurance and evi-
dence, which our faith may rest in, and which cannot be ne-
glected without the greatest sin,
5. Every transaction between God and man, is always considered
and ratified by promises and threatenings, rewards and punish-
ments, "every trespass,"
1. The consideration of the infinitely glorious excellencies of the
nature of God manifesting themselves in his works, doth great-
ly set out his condescension and grace, in his regard and respect
to mankind,
1. The respect, care, love and grace of God unto mankind express-
ed in the person and mediation of Jesus Christ, is a matter of sin-
gular and eternal admiration,
2. That such was the inconceivable love of Jesus Christ the Son of
God unto the souls of men, that he was free and willing to con-
descend unto any condition for their good and salvation,
3. The blessed issue of the abasement of Jesus Christ, in his exal-
tation unto honour and glory, is an assured pledge of the final
glory and blessedness of all that believe in him, whatever diffi-
culties and dangers they may be exercised withal in the way,
4. Jesus Christ as the Mediator of the new covenant, hath abso-
lute and supreme authority given unto him, over all the works
of God in heaven and earth,
1. That the whole work of saving the sons of God from first to
last, their guidance and conduct through sins and sufferings un-
to glory, is committed unto the Lord Jesus,
2. That the Lord Jesus Christ being priest, sacrifice and altar him-
self, the offering whereby he was consecrated unto the perfec-
tion and complement of his office, was of necessity to be part of
that work which, as our priest and mediator he was to undergo
and perform,
3. The Lord Christ being consecrated and perfected through suf-
ferings, hath consecrated the way of sufferings, for all that fol-
low him to pass through unto glory,
4. Such is the desert of sin, and such is the immutability of the
justice of God, that there was no way possible to bring sinners
unto glory, but by the death and sufferings of the Son of God,
who undertook to be the captain of their salvation,
« PreviousContinue » |