fSIN in BELIEVERS. 45 [r.] Confider his mercifulnefs, tendernefs, and kindnefs, as he is our great high prieft, at the right hand of God. Afuuredly he pitties thee in thydifttefs, faithhe, As one wham his mother comforteth fo will I comfort you, If. lxvi. :3. Hehath the tender- nefs of a Mother to a fucking Child. Heb. ii. t7, IS. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made likeunto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high prieft ie things pertaining to God, to -make reconciliation for the fins of the people for in that felf barb Mired being tempted, he is able to facaur them that are tempteds how is this ability of Chrift upon the account of his fuffering propofed to us ? In that he himfelf bath Mired being tempted, he is able. Did the fufferings and temptations of Chriff add to his ability and power ? Nodoubtlefs confidered abfolutely and in it its Pelf: but the ability here mentioned, is fuch as hath readinefs, pronenefs, willingnefs, to put its felf forth accompanying of it ; it is an ability of will againft all dif= iwalions ; he is able having fuffered and being tempted, to break through all diffwa- lions to the contrary, to relieve poor tempted fouls'. da¡vmt (laub,ee, He is able to help. It is a metonymyof the effe&. For he can now be moved to helphaving been fo tempted. So Chap. iv. r 5, :6. For we have Hat an high Fri ft which cannot be touched with the feelingof our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are,yet without fm. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. The exhortation of verfe 16. is the fame that I am. upon : namely, that wewould entertainexpe&ations of relief from Chrift, which the Apo- file there calls zapsr its ionateeldo4,9em, Graceforfeafonable hel p; ifever lisys the foul, help were feafonable, it would be fo to me in my prefent condition. This is that which I long for, grace for feafonable help. I am ready todie, to perilla, to be loft for ever ; iniquitywill prevail againfl me Whelp, comenot in, fays the Apofile, expe& this help, this relief, this grace from Chriff ; yea but on what account ? That whch he lays down, v. 15, and we may obferve that the word, v. 16. which we have tranfla- ted to obtain, is ta'ßn ,,, ira t ltoov.e tor, that we may receive it. Let to expr?l it, and we £hall receive ir, fuitable and feafonablehelp will come in. I £hall freely fay, this one thing of effablilhing the ford by faith in expe&ation of relief from Jef s Chrift (a), on the accountof his mercifulnefs as our high prieft, will be mare available to the ruin of thy luft anddiftemper, andhave a betterand fpeedier ilrue, then all the rigideft means of felf maceration, that ever any of the fors of men engaged them- (elves into. Yea let me add, that never any foul did, or (hall perifh by the power of any loft, fin or corruption, whocould raife his foul by faith to an expe&ation of re.. lief from Jefus Chrift (b). [a.] Confider his &ichfulnefs who bath promifed, which may raife thee up and confirm thee in this waiting in an expe&ation of relief. He bath promifed to relieve in fuch cafes, and he will fulâll his word to the utmoft, God tells as that his cove- nant with us, islike theordinances of Heaven, theSun, Moon, and Stars, which have their certain courfes, 5 retl. xxxi. 36. Thence David fold that he watched for relief from God, as one watched for the morning (c), a thing that will certainly come in its appointed feafon ; fo will be thy relief from Chrift. It will come in its feafonas the dew and rain upon the parched ground ; for faithful is he who bath promifed. Par- ticular promifes to this purpofe are innumerable, with fome of them, that teem pecu- liarly to fuit his condition, let the foul be always furnifhed. Now thereare two eminent advantageswhich alwaysattend thisexpe&ationof lac- cour from Jefus Chrift. s.) It engages him to a full and fpeedy aflìftance ; nothing Both more engage the heartof a man, to be ufeful and helpful to another, than his expe&atinn of help from him, if jolly raifed and countenanced by him who is to give the relief. Our Lord Jefus hath raifed our hearts by his kindnefs, care and promifes, to this expe&ation; certainly our riling up unto it, mull needs be a great engagement upon him to affrll us accordingly. This thePfalm J gives us as an approved maxim, thou Lord neverfor- fakefl thou that pat their trufi in thee. When the heart is once won tocell in God, to repofe himfelf on him hewill affuredly látisfy it. He will never be as water that fails, nor bath he fold at any time to the feed of rfacob, Seek yc, my face in vain. If Chrift be chofen for the foundationof our fupply he will not fail ue. x.) It engages the heart to attend diligently to all ways and means whereby Chrift is wont to communicate himfelf to the foul : and fo takes in the real affiflance of all (a) Mattt, xi. 28. (b) Ely. t, u, 3. Recel. iii. r8. (s) Pt cans. 6. N graces
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