Eighteen sermons preached in Oxford 1640 of conversion, unto God. Of redemption, & justification,…

2. For all this, there is a Throne of grace erected; God hath not forgotten to be merciful, though thy sins be never so great: This is the next preparative for faith, namely, the discovery and acknowledgement of the Gospel of Christ Jesus; We see in Ezra 10.2. We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the Land; yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing; we have trespassed; What then? must we be the subjects of Gods wrath? No: Yet notwithstanding though we have committed this great offence, there is hope in Israel concerning this thing. What though we have provoked God to indignation, must we be the matter for his wrath to work on? No: There is balm in Gilead, Jer. 8. ult. Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no Physician there? Why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered? What though then we are sick to death? yet there is an help in time of need. And this knowledge of the people, that there is a Throne of grace, is the first comfort comes to a miserable ⟨p. 368⟩and sinful soul. A man that hath a deadly disease, though the Physician do him no good which he hath made use of, yet this he comforts himself in, when he sees a Physician that hath cured the same disease, he sees then there is some hope. Thus it is with a sinful soul. When the welcome news of the Gospel comes, after the Law hath discovered his disease, and says, Be not discouraged, there is a Throne of grace prepared for thee: God hath a seat of justice to deal with Rebels and open Traitors; but if thou art weary of thy estate, if thou wilt submit to God, take Christ for thy King, and cast down all thy weapons, if thou wilt live like a subject, he hath prepared a Throne of grace for thee. Christ is thy Attorney in the Court to plead for thee; he is not as the Papists make him, so stout, and one that takes such state on him, as that a man may not come near him. This is the highest injury that can be offered to Christ, to think that any creature hath more mercy and pity than he hath: It is to rob Christ of the fairest flower in his garden, when we rob him of his mercy and pity. Mark that place in Heb. 4.15. that we may not think him austere, We have not an High Priest that cannot be touched with our infirmities, with the feeling of our infirmities. Christ is no hard-hearted man;