Page:Harmony of the divine attributes displayed in the redemption and salvation of sinners by Jesus Christ.pdf/45

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

(45) The despairing sinner will not let God have the glory of his mercy and grace ; both are in a concert with the devil to break the harmony of the meeting. But O ! may virtue come from that glorious meeting in Christ, to the poor sinful meeting in this house, for dashing your unbelief to pieces, that we may see Mercy and Truth met together, righteousness and peace kissing each other 6. hence, see sure and noble ground, for the boldness and confidence of faith in Christ; In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him, Eph. iii.12. Here is an answer to all the objections of unbelief and diffidence,the chief whereof lies here; O! says unbelief may I sinful guilty I grip to the promise of mercy and peace in the gospel? When I see the great ordinance of the divine threatening hard charged with the truth and righteousness of God, and ready to be discharged against me, with shudder and lightening, saying, No Mercy, no Peace; he that made thee will not have mercy upon thee; and there is no peace says my God, to the wicked. Mercy and peace in the promise, then says unbelief cannot take Place, with respect to me for truth and Righteousness in the threatening, stand ’in the way like a flaming sword, to keep the way of the tree of life : Nay, but says faith,here the promise and the threatening have met together, and kissed each other in Christ; Mercy in the promise’ and justice in Ihe threatening have met and agreed in him ; In whom all the promises are yea and amen‘ and in whom all the threatening's are fully executed by drawing out all his heart blood. Thus then we have boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, Heb. x l9 By a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the veil of his flesh; Therefor let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith. O! what ground for the boldness and assured standing of the threatening: The threatening hath nothing to say to me, faith faith, for Christ hath spoken with it already and spoken out of breath; he hath left it speechless and breathless, not a breathing of wrath in it towards me. The believer may have a million of doubts, while his unbelief keeps the chair; but let gallant faith