Oh, how unworthy are we of this love! How little do we think of it! But, most of all, the angels may be astonished to see how little we are affected by that which we pretend to know. But neither can this prevail with him to put us out of the scroll in which all the names of them are written for whom he doth make intercession to God. Let us cry, Grace, Grace unto it.
Fourth, Hence again I infer that they shall be saved that come to God by Christ, when the devil and sin have done what they can to hinder it. This is clear, for that the strife is now, who shall be lord of all, whether Satan, the prince of this world, or Christ Jesus, the Son of God; or which can lay the best claim to God’s elect, he that produces their sins against them, or he that laid down his heart’s blood as a price of redemption for them? Who, then, shall condemn when Christ has died, and doth also make intercession? Stand still, angels, and behold how the Father divided his Son ‘a portion with the great; and how he divided ‘the spoil with the strong: because he hath poured out his soul unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors, and bared the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.’ (Isa 53:12) The grace of God and the blood of Christ will, before the end of the world, make brave work among the sons of men! They shall come to a wonderment to God by Christ, and be saved by a wonderment for Christ’s sake—’Behold these shall come from far: and lo, these from the north and from the west, and these from the land of Sinim.’ (Isa 49:12)
Behold, these, and these, and these shall come, and lo, these, and these, and these from the land of Sinim! This is to denote the abundance that shall come into God by Christ towards the latter end of the world—namely when Antichrist is gone to bed in the sides of the pit’s mouth; then shall nations come in and be saved, and shall walk in the light of the Lord. But, I say, what encouragement would there be for sinners thus to do if the Lord Jesus, by his intercession, were not able to save ‘even to the uttermost’ them that come unto God by him.
Fifth, hence again, I infer that there is ground for confidence in those who come to God through Christ. Confidence to the end becomes us who have such a High Priest, such an Intercessor as Jesus Christ; who would dishonor such a Jesus by doubting that all the devils in hell cannot be discouraged by all their wiles? He is a tried stone, he is a sure foundation; a man may confidently venture his soul into his hand, and not fear, but he will bring him safely home. Ability, love for the person, and faithfulness to trust committed to him will do all; and all these are with infinite fullness in him. He has been a savior these four thousand years already—two thousand before the law, two thousand in the time of the law—besides the sixteen hundred years he has in his flesh continued to make intercession for them that come unto God by him. Yet the day is to come, yea, will never come, that he can be charged with any fault, or neglect of the salvation of any of them that at any time have come unto God by him. What ground, then, is here for confidence that Christ will make a good end with me since I come unto God by him, and since he ever lived to make intercession for me. Let me, then, honor him, I say, by setting on his head the crown of his undertakings for me, by the believing that he can save me ‘even to the uttermost, seeing he ever lived to make intercession for me.’
Sixth, Hence also I infer that Christ ought to bear and wear the glory of our salvation forever. He has done it, he has wrought it out. ‘Give unto the Lord, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength.’ Do not sacrifice your own inventions, do not give glory to the work of your own hands. Your reformations, your works, your good deeds, and all the glory of your doing, cast them at the feet of this High Priest, and confess that glory belongs unto him—’Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.’ (Rev 5:12) ‘And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his Father’s house, and offspring and the issue, all vessels of small quantity, from the vessels of cups, even to all the vessels of flagons.’ (Isa 22:24) Oh! the work of our redemption by Christ is such as wanted, not provocation to us to bless, praise, and glorify Jesus Christ. Saints, set to the work and glorify him in your body and in your souls; him who has bought us with a price, and glorify God and the Father by him. (1 Cor 6:20)
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