Human nature in its fourfold state ... In several practical discourses

1 who comes seasonably to the sick man. He is an Interpreter, the great Interpreter of God's counsels of love to sinners, John i. 28 One among a thousand, even the chief among ten thousand, Cant v 10. One chosen out of the people, Psal lxxxix. 29. One to whom the Lord hath given the tongue of the learned,—to speak a word in season to him that is weary, Isa l. 4, 5, 6. It is he that is with him, by his Spirit, now, to convince him of righteousness, John xvi. 8 as he was with him before, to convince him •f sin •nd judgment. His work now is to show unto him his uprightness, or his righteousness, i. e. the Interpreter Christ his righteousness; which is the only righteousness arising from the paying of a ransom, and upon which a sinner is delivered from going down to the pit, ver. 24. And thus Christ is said to declare God's name, Psal. xxii. 22. and to preach righteousness, Psal. xl. 9. The phrase is remarkable: it is not to show unto the man, but unto man, his righteousness; which not obscurely intimates, that he is more than a man, who shows; or declareth this righteousness. Compare Amos iv. 13. He that formeth the mountains, and created the wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought. There seems to be in it a sweet allusion to the first declaration of this righteousness unto man, or as the word is, unto Adam after the fall, while he lay under terror from apprehensions of the wrath of God: which declaration was made by the Messenger, the Interpreter, namely, the eternal word of the Son of God, called The voice of the Lord God, Gen. iii. 8. and by him appearing probably in human shape. Now, while, by •his Spirit he is the Preacher of righteousness to the man, it is supposed the man lays hold on the offered righteousness; whereupon the ransom is applied to him, and he is delivered from going down to the pit: for God hath a ransom for him. This is intimate to him: God saith Deliver him, ver. 24. Hereupon his conscience, being purged by the blood of atonement, is pacified, and sweetly quieted: he shall pray upon God—and see his face with joy, which before he beheld with horror, ver. 26. That is a New Testament language, Having an High-priest over the house of God, she shall draw near with a true heart, in […]