me; thou mayest curse and condemn, but not my soul; for I have a righteous Jesus, a holy Jesus, a soul-saving Jesus; and he hath delivered me from thy threats, thy curses, and thy condemnation.  I am brought into another covenant, under better promises of life and salvation, freely to comfort me without my merit, through the blood of Jesus; therefore though thou layest my sins to my charge and provest me guilty, yet so long as Christ hath brought in everlasting righteousness and given it to me, I shall not fear thy threats.  My Christ is all, hath done all, and will deliver me from thine accusations.”  Thus also thou mayest say, when death assaulteth thee, “O death, where is thy sting?  Thou canst not devour; I have comfort through Jesus Christ, who hath taken thee captive and taken away thy strength; he hath pierced thy heart and let out all thy soul-destroying poison.  Though I see thee, I am not afraid of thee; though I feel thee, I am not daunted; for thou hast lost thy sting in the side of the Lord Jesus, through whom I overcome thee.  Also, O Satan, though I hear thee make a hellish noise, and though thou threaten me highly, yet my soul shall triumph over thee so long as Christ is alive and can be heard in heaven—­so long as he hath broken thy head and won the field—­so long as thou art in prison and canst not have thy desire.  When I hear thy voice, my thoughts are turned to Christ my Saviour; I hearken to what he will say, for he will speak comfort:  he hath gotten the victory and doth give me the crown, and causeth me to triumph through his most glorious conquest.

“And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne stood a Lamb as it had been slain.”  Rev. 5:  6.  That in the midst of the throne is our sacrifice, with the very marks of his death upon him, showing to God that sitteth upon the throne the holes of the thorns, of the nails, of the spear; and how he was disfigured with blows and blood when at his command he gave himself a ransom for his people; for it cannot be imagined that either the exaltation or glorification of the body of Jesus Christ should make him forget the day in which he died the death for our sins; especially since that which puts worth into his whole intercession is the death he died, and the blood he shed upon, the cross for our trespasses.

Since Christ is an intercessor, I infer that believers should not rest at the cross for comfort:  justification they should look for there; but being justified by his blood, they should ascend up after him to his throne.  At the cross you will see him in his sorrows and humiliations, in his tears and blood; but follow him to where he is now, and then you shall see him in his robes, in his priestly robes, and with his golden girdle about him.  There you shall see him wearing the breastplate of judgment, and with all your names written upon his heart.  Then you shall perceive that the whole family in heaven and earth is named of him, and how he prevails with God the Father of mercies for you.  Stand still awhile and listen, yea, enter with boldness unto the holiest, and see your Jesus as he now appears in the presence of God for you; what work he makes against the devil and sin, and death and hell, for you.  Ah, it is brave following of Jesus Christ to the holiest:  the veil is rent; you may see with open face as in a glass the glory of the Lord.