A SERMON on have brought him; but fervedonly to continue that life and degree of favour he was received lnro. Il~t in him we are beloved wit.h the famo love Chrifr him– felf is, John •7· ~~. 'i'ho11 ~af/Joved them as tho11 h4/ loved me; and.therefore vtr. ~7· adds and makts tins a further favour granted at his requefi 1 That they might bt where he JS ·; whether elfe they lhould not have come. For he afcended to prepare that place forus;and then Heaven was opened, and not till then· when hefaid, This istnyw;/Jbe!oved -!o11 ill whom I am welt pleafed. Wear~ there– fore not only made fnends agam m Heaven, but further received into a greater degree of favour than ever, and to ahigher place in Court. But now becaufe in the Sixth place, It may be faid, That tho for his fake we are made friends, as good as ever; yet we may fall out again, a breach may come, and f? the enmity become greater than ever; he may ufe us kindly for a · whll<, for hts fal1e; but yet upon fome provocauon he may call: us off again,and remember all our former fins, Therefore Sixthly, Know, that there is Eternity and Perpetuity annexed to this his Mediation, to make it yet more lull; and fo full as nothing now can more be addtd, Heb. 1 o. 14- By oue Offeriug he hnth perfdledfor tver them that are S,mCf,jied. His Offering, tho but Oue, yet it was a Perfd1 oue, wanting no• thing; once was enough ; it is of everla!l:ing force and merit, for it perfectetlt for evtr. And it is not thus only in it felf, but in the fruit of it to thofe who en– joy it, it perfecteth them for ever who arc Sanctified by it. There is no danger of Jufiification, if Sanctification hold out; That being the condition on our part; and therefore lhewing the Eternal efficacy of that one Offering he fays, it per– fects them who are Sanctified; even that being the Covenant on his part to per– form in us, as well as Ju!l:ification is ; and therefore he adds, ver. 1 5, 1 6, 17, r8. Whereof the Holy Ghofi is a Witnefs to us; for after he had faid, Thi& u my (o· vmm1t, I wit! write my Laws itz their heartf, he fays, Andtheirfo/S mid Ill– iquities I wilt remember no more. The fum whereof is this, Thnt Jttj/Jfca– tiOII is Eter11al, Their Iuiquitiu wit! I remember 110 mort; and therefore Sanctification is Eternal alfo 1 and both he puts upon the merit of that one offe– ring ; that Righteoufnefs which hath influence into both, being Eternal alfo, and perlects for ever; and therefore, 'Dm1. g. ~4· He is[aid tofimfl• mzd put an end rmd 11 Seat toji11s, and to make ReconcJtzationfor Iniquity, fltJd to bring in •ver– tajling Righteot~Jizrfs; that is,Such a Righteoufnefs as lhall through the firength; and eternity of its merits, for ever put an end to fins and to make a Reconcili– ation as eternal as it felf is, and us friends for ever. For it is fuch a Righteouf– nefs, that as it is of that breadth tocover Millions of Worlds of fins; fo of that length, that no times to Eternity could wear it out, where it is once impu– t~d. And indeed the reafon why it is of that length is, becaufe it is of that fuflici– ency, though it be but one olfering, yet it perfects for ever when it is once im– puted; and till the guilt of fin can come to be of more force than the merit of his Riglueoufnefs; it cannot ceafc to be imputed, when once it is imputed. And therefore it is not faid, that by reafon of It, fins are remembred no more, but Iniquities alfo, in both the forementioned places. So that when Chrifi cea– fetn to be Righteoufnefs; then may we, when once he is made Righteouf– nef• to us. And to this end further, befides the everla(\ingnefs of his Righteoufnefs, he !1imfelf on purpofe lives for ever to keep us in favour, and his Righteoufnefs in memory, and our fins in forgetfulnefs, He6. 7• 24- This Mmz (fays he,) bernufe /;e coutinueth for ever, hathmt unchaugeable Prief/hood; Wherefore he is able to fave to the utmof/ them,Jhat come mllo God6y him; feeing he ever livnh to wake itllerctjfioll for them. He is able to fave to the utmo!l:; that is the ut moll of fins be they what they will ; to the utmo!l: of times, though continued never [o long . No guilt can reach fo far, and to fuch greatnefs from which he is not able to fave; and he makes this as one reafon of it, becaofe he him(elf !Ives for ever, and lives on purpoie to put remembrance and force into his mediation, H, liveth to make i11tercejfio11. He
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