i8 SERMONS upon Senn. XLI. he is tot our God : If he cannot, heis impotent ; and fo unfit to be God : if he will nor, he is falfe, and mutt break his Covenant gRvhich are Blafphemies to be abhorred by every Chriflian. 3d. Reafon is, The great foundation that was laid for God's being with us in the incar- nation of the Son of God. Jefus Chrift is the true Emanuel, God with us, Matth. r. 23. There we fee God in our Nature, and fo drawing nearer to us, and coming within the reach of our commerce in and by him, we are made nearer to God, who flood more aloof fromusbefore. Since our Nature dwelt with God in a perform' Union, firft, there is a way opened for accefi, Heb. ao. 2o. by a new and living way which he bath confecrated for us through the nail; that is to fay, his flefh. And Ephe(: 3. 12. In whom we have boldnef, and accefs with confidence, through the faithof him. Certainly 'tis a great ad vantage to think how near God is come to us in Chrili, and how near he bath taken the Humane Nature to himfelf. This maketh our thoughts of God more fweet and comfortable. Secondly, Not only accefs, but reconciliation, 2 Cor. g. 19. God was inChriff, reconciling the world to himfelf. There was not only a difiance between us and God by reafon. of Imparity, but a difference by reafon of Enmity : God is a God of glorious Majefty, and we are poor Creatures : God is a God of pure and immaculate holinef, and we are finful Crea- tures, lapfed and fain under the guilt of fin, and defert of punifhment. There was our great trouble and grievance, and nothing comfortable could we expe& from him. But when God is willing to come among us, and take our Nature, and die for a finful world, there is a foundation laid for his being with us, to help us, and blefs us-upon all occafi- ons. The wonderful Marriage which the Divine Nature hath made with the Humane, doth help us againft the thoughts of diltance : but his Death and Sufferings, as the price of our Atonement , doth makeup the quarrel and breach between us and God. In his perfon, God manifefted in our fleth, way is made for accefs : Forin Chrifl God doth con- defcend to man, and man is encouraged to afcend to God : But in his Sufferings the di- fiance is taken away, and the guilty fears appealed, which molt do alienate us from God. God bath let bins forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, Rom. 3. 25. Now after fuck a foundation laid, will the Lord be ftrange to his people, as if the breach 11ì1l continued ? It cannot be. Thirdly, God, in our Nature bath taken up- on him an Office to defend and help his people, which he manageth both in Heaven and in Earth : In Heaven by his confiant interceffion, Heb. 8. 1, 2. We have fuch an High Priefl who is fate on the right hand of the throne of the Maje ly in the heavens: a mini.ler of the. faulluary, and of the true tabernacle which the Lord bath pitched, and not man. And Heb. 9. 24. For Chrifl is not entred into the holy places made with bands, which are the figures of the true 3 but into heaven it felf, now to appear in the pretence of God for us. We have a friend in Court, Jefus, the true and great High Prieft, who hath the . Names of his People graven upon his breaft and (boulder, to thew how much they are in his heart, and to reprefent them and their neceffities to God. On Earth, 1. Exter- nally by his powerful Providence: for all Judgment is put into his hands, fobn. 5. 22. that he may defend his Church and People. 2. Internally by his Spirit, Maith. 20. 20. Lo I am with you always unto the end of the world. Into what part or Age of the World our Lot falleth, Chritl is ready with his protettion and bleffing. Nuw would Chritt take fuch an Office, to be Head over all things to the Church, and negle& the duty of it ? No : the Head of the Church is alto the faviour of the body, Ephet. 5. I r. ` The whole body, and every member of it is dear to him, as united to him in the facred my- flical body; and he will take care of them :. And upon thefe accounts we may pray for, and expel grace to help in a time of need, Heb. 4. 16. Let as come with boldnef to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy , and find grace to help in a time of need. Obj. But you will fay, If there be filch a Power and Goodnef in God, and thus fecured by the mediation of Chrit, and his bleffed Covenant, how cometh it that they are redu- ced to fuch great exigencies? Judges 6. 13. If the Lord be with us, why then is allthis be- fallen us? Auf. I. 'Tis fuppofedyou are Cbriftians, and have not the fpirit of a worldling that li- veth upon, and feeketh his main happinefs in the creatures apart from God; a true Chri- tlianis one that is dead to the world, but alive to God: ose that bath laid up his trea. lure above the reach of all enemies, Match. 6. 19, 20, 21. Lay not up treafure for your fives
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