Chap.z.Sed.9 Looking rmto:fefm, Boo( JV.Parr.4 807 . ------- Chriil and to the covenant of grace. r. To God. Before we were v'ivifi~d, God and we frood at a diftance, God was our . e'nemy, and we were .his enemies; at tlw time (fait~ the Apol11~) ji: mre witho1tt God m.the world, 6ut now m Chnft· { rfp-s ye who E h fometime1 were afar of{, are made neare by the 6/ood of Ch~ifl· God p .l. q. that was a 1\:ranger, il:ands now m neare rehwon, he 1s a friend, a Fathe:t aGod alfufficient to us. 2. W care rcdaced co Chrift . before vivification we were a Chriil:leffe people, at th.a rime 1 ; Eph.1.11•. wert wirlwut Chrift; but now we are Untted to Chn/1, and (which is more) now we make ufe of Chrift with the Father, 0 . the comfort of this relation ! A troubled fpirit looks on his fins, . and they thruft him away from God, what communion ht~th /igbt with dark.,nr/fe? but then comes the Lord Jefus, and takes him. by the hand, and leades him ro the Father, and fai~:s, come[011!, come along with me, and Jwili c.:rry rh:uo the F11ther, wilt thcu mak,e ufe of me? it is the Apofrles faymg, that through him we have an accejfe by onefpirit unto the Father; we have a leading by Eph. 1 , 1s; the hand; Chrift hath once fufferedfor jinJ, the jPtft for the unjuft, 1 p , 8 ·rhathemighthrin[,1!JtoG_od. "By n~ture we are fevered. from et.>' 1 • God, and ifhe mamfefthlmfdfe, he ts dreadful to us,JOur tniqui- Ira. r9 . ~. tieJ have feparated hetweenyou and your God, andyourjinJ have hid · hiJ f<~ce from you. that he will not ~rare; but in Chrift we approach boldly before htm, becaufe Chn£1: hath took away our fins which are the mountainesoffeparation ; in Chrifl we have 6oldnej{t and Epb. 3 .1 :. accejfe with confidence by the faith of him. Here is the difference betwixt a man related to Chrifr, and a meere ftranger; the llranger knows not how to go to God ; God !lands as a Judge, he is a; a malefaCtor, the law an accufer, fin his indictment, and what is the iffue? every mouth is ftopptd, and all the world is guilty before Ro~. J.19 , God. But he that is related co Chriil, Chrill: takes him by the hand, and fo he goes with boldneffe and confidence, aod pleades . his righteoufne!fe before the: Father ; wh~ fhalllay any thine; to · the charge ofGodJ Efe[/:, it is God that jujHjieth, who is he,thar ~on- Rom.8 H. aem~Jeth? it is Chrift that dyeth,yea rMhertbttt is rifen againe? In the very matter and caufe of juilification, wherein no man can ftand, or dare to appeare, or £hew his fuce; a Chrill:ian coming with Chrift his advocate, he: dares to appeare, and to pleade hi~ ·.-. cafe, and to fl:and upon interrogatories with God himfelic, yea and to ask God himf.elfe (humbly aod with reverence) what he htt!~ .. '
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