Chap.1.sea. to. Book V. 549 to Mo{es like amanwhofe hands are held, Letmealone; howmuchmoredothChrill:'s interceffion bind God's hands, and command all tn Heaven, Earth, and Hell? hence we fay, tint God the Father bath dive!led himfelf of all his power, and given the Rev. 1. 1g, keys into Chri!l's own hands; I am he th~t livcth and tYM dead, and behold I am alive for evermore, .A'»en; and have thek§ys of hell and death; there is no man goes to Hell, but he is lockt in by Jef[ts Chri!l:, and there's no man goes to Heaven, but· he is lockt in there by Jefus Chrif!, he bath the keys of all men's eternities hanging at his own girdle ; if he but fay, Father I will that thi< man, and that woman, Jhal! inh~rrit HeAven. the father cannot but reply, my Son I have no power to deny thy fLJit; Thou haff thektys of Heaven in thine own hands, be it evw .urhouwilt. 7· I fltall onely add this on the Father's part, that God is Cbrill's Commander ro this office as well as Chrill is God's Commander in this office. 0 why /bould we have hard thoughts of God the Father, more than of God the Son? is he not as willing of our falvati<ln as ]efus Chrifl? furely 'twas the oath of God, I meanof-t;od the Ezck. 33· 11 • Father . .As I live fnith the Lord: I would not have the death of ajinner, but that the wicktd ;urn from hu fin and live. Was not this the firfl falute of GoJ to'Chrift, when he iirft entred into Heaven; Sit 1ho11 here on thi; :hrone, an1 .uk._ what tho" wilt of thy Father ? nay, did not the Father prevent the Son m laying hts commands upon him to ask, before the Son opened his mouth to fpeak a word, by way of any requefl's to God Plalm 2 • 7, 8. his Farher? Thou art my Son, thu day (even this day of thy refurredion, afcenfion, feffion ) have I begottrn thee; .uk.. of me, and I Jhallgive thee the heathenfor thine inheritance, and the llttermofl- parts of the earth for thy poffi.!Jiom? q. d. Come Son, thou art my Sou, thr1 day I have begotten thee, and though I have begotten thee from all eternity, yet thu day, and every day I am begettint thee f/ill: I [aid to thee at thy rtfurretlion, thu day have 1 begomn thee, and I [aid to thee at thy afcenjion, thu day have begotten thee, and now .uk.., and be not jhy, or modef/ly backward in petitioning 1 I command thee to this o!fiet, 1 mak! thee here the great Majler of requ,ejfs in Heaven; others may pray out of charity, b11t nonebutthy [elf in a way of jujlice, authority, and .office; and therefore a&k..~oldly and largely, open thymollth wide and I will fill 11. 0 what a de– monftration of love is this, not ondy to Chrifi; but to us in Chrift, rhat when mall had offended his God, broke covenant witti God, and turned enemy to God, tbat.then God the Father fhould feek peace with man; off~r conditions of peace to man, al!d fot that purpofe lhould appoint a Mediator, an Interce!Tor, and call his own Sonrto tllat · office; . and now he is in Heaven, _that he Jlloul~ bid him dG his office,.and ask fretljlj fo that i.f the Elect be not faved, 1t Jllould be la'td on the fcore ·of Chrtfi, for the F:i- Goodwin ther is moll: willing ; s,.rely liere'smore than intimation of thd F.>ther'sinclinatitin to :Ctcept Chrifi·cx•l– of Chriff's interce[Jions on our behalf: we may rea <;I here that the Fathers heart is ao red. much rowards us, as Chrifl's own heart; Oh> he is full of bowels, he is gemlt and eafie to be intreared; Chrift needs not much a do to ge~ his grant; Chriff' adds''notby hu mterce/Jion one drop of love to the hear~ of God; onely he draws it out, #hi{h other• wi.fo .wouldhave beenJfopt, nor dorhh• brD'ach it before hu Father command him r. it. Oh !:ben bow powerful and prevailing mull: Cllrift sinrercetfions be? SECCT. X. Of the reafon~ of Cliriff's !ntercef!ign. to."{ ~]Hat are thereafons of this great n;anfaction of Chrift's Inrerceffion for his V V people? I anfwer---· ' I. It is the Father's will that it fl10uld b\1 fo 1 he called Jefus ChrH! tO t.l\is-·office; the comnl':rn~ of God is uponJefus Chrill; .Ask.. whatthou wiltfor thy redeefn~tioncs, JEZek. 36. ;6', wz/lmtiJengage.ny [elf to grant, onely it i.< "/Y. pleAfure thoujho11ldfl- a.k..: . ~.' fometiiues 37• he fatd to rhehoufe of Ifr<td, I rhe Lfr'd haveJPokJ:n, and Jwtll do •t; notwnhjf~nding ·I wtll Jet forth~< beenquired of, by the l!ou[e of f{rael, 19 do it for them ; fo faith God to Chrtft, I the Lord ha'!'e f}!ok):11, and !'will:d~ it; only 'my Son_, I will be en'}HireJ of by thee. I look upon tins as the main•reafon df Chr/ll's interceffi6b, .Even Jo F<tthet;, far fe " feemed good in thy.fi.oHr . it sGod's·w11l' that ~Shrill fl>ould interced~. . z. It IS tlie Father's lov~ to'engage his So.n fbr \1is own peoPJe'. 0 _the comfort of a foun_d ~hrt!ban tn thiS ref~ed1 what, at't' t!ltiu' iri remprarlo·n, or deferrion? forel}i" Chrtft ts engaged by God lo' petition foi {fie~; thou Halt·plif up many petir1ons ro · Chrift,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=