re
is no mercy for such as fear not justice, and there is no justice for such
as flee from it unto mercy. The Lord exhibits himself in a twofold
appearance, according to the condition of sinners. He sits on a throne and
tribunal of grace and mercy, to make access to the vilest sinner who is
afraid of his wrath and would fain be at peace with him, and he sits on a
throne of justice and wrath, to seclude and debar presumptuous sinners
from holiness. There were two mountains under the law,--one of cursings,
and another of blessings. These are the mountains God sets his throne
upon, and from these he speaks and sentences mankind. From the mountain of
cursings, he hath pronounced a curse and condemnatory sentence upon all
flesh, "for all have sinned." Therefore he concludes all under sin that
all flesh might stop their mouth, and the whole world become guilty before
God. Now, the Lord having thus condemned all mankind because of
disobedience, he sits again upon the mountain of blessings, and pronounces
a sentence of absolution, of as many as have taken with the sentence of
condemnation, and appealed to his grace and mercy, and those which do not
so, the sentence of condemnation stands above their heads unrepealed. He
erects his tribunal of justice in the world for this end, that all flesh
might once be convicted before him, and therefore he cites, as it were,
and summons all men to present themselves and appear before his tribunal,
to be judged. He lays out an accusation in the word against them. He takes
their consciences witness of the truth of all that is charged on them, and
then pronounces that sentence in their conscience, "Cursed is he that
abideth not in all things," which the conscience subsumes, and concludes
itself accursed, and subscribes to the equity of the sentence. And thus
man is guilty before God, and his mouth stopped. He hath no excuses, no
pretences, he can see no way to escape from justice, and God is justified,
by this means, in his speaking and judging. Psal. li. 4. The soul ratifies
and confirms the truth and justice of all his threatenings and judgements,
Rom. iii. 4. Now, for such souls as join with God in judging and
condemning themselves, the Lord hath erected a throne of grace and
tribunal of mercy in the word, whereupon he hath set his Son Jesus Christ,
Psal. ii. 6, lxxxix. 14, xlv. 6, Heb. i. 8. And O! this throne is a
comfortable throne. Mercy and truth go before the face of the king to
welcome