son, that Abraham should have a son by Sarah. Our only way is, to consider the promise. God hath said it, and he will perform it, and I will believe it. If all the angels in heaven, or faithful men on earth, had said, that God will save me from sin and wrath by Jesus Christ; that such a vile creature as I am in myself, shall be excepted in that beloved, I durst not believe it. But when God himself hath said so, why should I doubt it? God's promise in the gospel deserves our highest trust and confidence; and such as view it in all its grace, truth, and power, will pay it that due.

Ans. 2. Suppose thy want of clearness as to thy interest in Christ, and that it is thine own fault; may you not come boldly to the throne of grace for satisfaction therein? If you know not who is your Father, may you not come to him to know it? There are many worse prayers made than this, That the Lord would make manifest his own work in you. Lord, help my unbelief, was a believer's prayer. Complaining of doubtings and darkness, and praying for light and clearness, hath often dispelled the clouds, and brought the soul under a bright sun-shine,

Ans. 3. Direct trusting on God, when saints have been in darkness as to their interest in him, is required and commanded in the word, Isa. 1. 10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God, What had the woman of Canaan, Matth. xv. 22,-28. but direct trusting? Christ was silent to her first crying unto him; when the disciples crave an answer for her, Christ tells her and them, that he was not sent for such as she; when she comes and worships him, saying, Lord, help me, he answers her humble believing prayer with reproach. Yet all shakes her not; but by faith she relies upon Christ, and makes an argument from this very reproach. And blessed was the issue.

Object. 3. What should a man do that never came to the throne of grace before? I can understand how a believer may, and should come boldly. It is no wonder that a poor beggar go boldly to that door, that he hath been often at, and was never sent empty from. But can, or may a poor sinner Come boldly, the first time he comes?

Ans. 1. It is granted, that usually first approaches to the throne of grace, are feeble and weak, and not with that confidence of faith that believers do grow unto by experience, and exercise of faith.

Ans. 2. Yet a man may come boldly at the first time. There is good ground for it. 1. Consider the text, Let us come boldly, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace. Who can, or should put in for these blessings; more than he that never yet got any! Do receivers come to receive daily more grace and mercy; and may not one, utterly destitute and needy, beg somewhat of this mercy and grace! 2. Consider the ground of this boldness lies fair and equal to all that will use it in coming. To name only now the promise of God: This is laid before all men in the gospel. Have you a hand of faith to lay hold on it? That makes it yours. God's promise is as sure and true before we believe it, as after. Believing adds nothing to the sureness of the promise. Our believing is like a drowning man's catching and laying hold on a rope thrown out to him; his laying hold on it makes not the rope stronger, yet it makes the rope his defence. The promise is equally true before believing and after believing; but it is no man's known property, till it be believed. The cords of salvation are cast out in the gospel to multitudes; yet most perish, because they do not lay hold on them. No man can sink into hell, that holds the promise of salvation by the arm of faith. 3. Consider how the Lord directs, Jer. iii. 19. But I said, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the host of nations? That is dreadful indeed, when God makes such a question. Who can answer the Lord's questions, but himself? And I said, Thou shalt call me, My Father, and shalt not turn away from me. A most blessed answer to a dreadful question. Ver. 4. Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My Father, thou art the guide of my youth? An interest in God by Christ is offered and promised to all in the gospel; plead it by faith, and it is yours..

3. We find instances in the word, (and the like the Lord can make again), of great confidence in some at their first coming to the throne of grace: As the blind man, Mark x.

46,-52. He only heard of Christ's passing by: he staid not for Christ's calling him, but began to cry out, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. When many charged him to hold his peace, he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. "Christ was never in my way before, and he "shall not pass now without shewing mercy on me, if crying "may prevail." And that his crying was in faith, Christ witnesseth, ver. 52. In all appearance, the woman of Canaan was never at the throne of grace before, Matt. xv. 22,—28. at least, never at Christ's feet before: yet she managed her first address with that confidence, that she not only got her desire, but that high commendation with it, O woman, great is thy faith. So the centurion, Matt. viii. 5-10. But above all instances, is that of the believing thief on the cross, Luke xxiii. 40,-43. Never had the throne of grace so little to encourage an address to it, as when the King of grace was dying on the cross. Never had a sinner less encouragement to come to the throne of grace, than when the Saviour was nailed to one tree, and the sinner to another. Marvellous faith! a dying sinner, dying for his sins, employs a dying Saviour for salvation, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. How little did Christ nailed to, and dying on the cross, look like a King? How strong was the man's faith to believe, that Christ, through death, was going to his kingdom? and that Christ's gracious thought of him would save him? And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise. As if our Lord had said, "This is thy first and "thy last address to me, verily it shall be heard." Believers do not think how pleasing to the Lord, large and high thoughts of the sufficiency, fulness, and freedom of the grace that is in Jesus Christ, are. Believers should devise liberal things, and by liberal things they shall stand, Isa. xxxii. 8. Let a believer ask, and think on the warrant of the promise, as much as he can; the Lord is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that qvorketh in us. Unto him be, glory in the church by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. Eph. iii. 20, 21.

SERMON V.

HEB. iv. 16.

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

It is

T is God's great and wonderful mercy, that ever there was a throne of grace erected and revealed, and that he makes such a proclamation as this in his word, Let all men come boldly to it. I have spoken unto two things in the text. 1. Of the throne of grace, to which we are invited to come. 2. Of the boldness allowed in coming to it.

spoke to, the

And we must

HEAD III. The third thing follows to be ground of this boldness, implied in this therefore. look back to ver. 14, 15. for the finding the force of this therefore. The words are, Seeing then that we have a great High Priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For que have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly, &c.

The doctrine I am to handle from this inference of the apostle is this.

DOCT. That the main ground of all the boldness allowed in coming to the throne of grace, is in our Lord Jesus Christ.

The interest, and room, and place, that Christ hath in this throne of grace, is the ground of all allowed boldness in coming to it. When people are secure, nothing is more commonly practised by them, than fearless rushing into God's presence. Any carnal careless sinner can, when he will, bow the knee, and make that he calls a prayer to God. But when conscience is awakened, and light darts in to make them know somewhat of God, and of themselves, it is then found a matter of wonderful mystery and difficulty, to perceive any thing that can justly and sufficiently support the confidence of a self-con

demned sinner, in his approaches to God for mercy. Hence it is so often seen, that this is the common way of all the ungodly, and of such as are ignorant of God in Christ. While they are secure, and blind, and hardened, they feel nothing, and fear nothing: but when death and judgment approach, and stare them near in the face; and when they begin to think in earnest, that they must stand before God, and receive their eternal doom, being ignorant of a Mediator, and quite estranged from any believing employing of him, they sink in discouragement and despair. And, alas! how many miserable sinners are there, that are never awakened out of the sleep of security, until they are plunged in the very pit of despair?

The resolution therefore of this question, How a sinner may draw near to the throne of grace with confidence, so as he may be welcomed by him that sitteth on it, and may receive good things thence? is only in this, that this boldness is all in and by Jesus Christ. My work therefore at this time (and it is indeed the main work of ministers at all times) is, to declare and shew you, how our Lord Jesus Christ is the ground and foundation of true confidence in coming to God. And herein I would lead you to such things that concern the Lord Jesus as are commonly known, usually talked of, but rarely duly pondered and improved.

1. Let us consider the person of this Mediator by whom we may have access with boldness, Eph. iii. 12. A wonderful person! the Son of God made man; a marvellous man; by whom all men may be accepted with God, when there is not a man in the world that can be accepted of God in his own name: yet all that come in Christ's name are accepted. Our Lord Jesus Christ is God's own Son, the Son of God tabernacling in the flesh; God manifest in the flesh; the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of his person, Heb. i. 3. There is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time, 1 Tim. ii. 6, 7. In due time it will be seen, what this ransom was paid for, and for whom: for every One of the ransomed shall get their liberty and inheritance in God's time and way. People commonly profess the faith of Mediator is God and man. But how

this truth, That our