the fulness of time was come took to himself a true humane Body and Soul was conceived by the Holy Ghost was Born of a mean Virgin lived in a mean condition was owned by a voice from Heaven to be the only begotten and beloved Son of God who Preached the glad tidings of Salvation to Sinners confirmed his Doctrine by many Miracles who died for the Salvation of sinners and that the cursed death of the Cross was raised up the third day appeared to his Disciples after his Resurrection and after forty day in the sight of many Ascended up into Heaven where now he is at the Right Hand of God making Intercession for us Sixthly How doth Jesus deliver from the Wrath of God which is to come Jesus doth deliver from the wrath of God which is to come 1. By his Death hereby he hath purchased deliverance having hereby satisfied Gods Justice Jesus in his death did in our stead undergo that punishment which our sins deserved his Body was nailed to the Cross which was a cursed death and his Soul was afflicted with the immediate impressions of Gods wrath which was so weighty and grievous that any meer creature would have sunk under it but he being God-Man did bear up and break thorow and got loose from under the burden of wrath and the bands of death and the dignity of his person put a merit upon his sufferings especially the erernal compact or aggreement between him and his Father being such and so became a sufficient satisfaction to Justice and that accepted as fully as if sinners had done it in their own persons We read that Jesus himself bare our sins in his own body on the Tree 1 Pet. 2. 24. That he gave his life a ransom for many Mat. 20. 28. That we are Redeemed with his Blood 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. That we are Reconciled through his Death Rom. 5. 10. Jesus doth deliver from wrath by his death having therein undergone it himself in the room of his People 2. By his Intercession Christ doth deliver from wrath to come having offered up himself a Sacrifice to satisfie Divine Justice for sin he pleads the merit of it at the right hand of God in the behalf of sinners for their Redemption he is called not only our Surety to satisfie for us Heb. 7. 22. But also our Advocate to Plead for us 1 John 2. 1. Our deliverance from Wrath to come the damnation and punishment of Hell doth proceed not onely from Christ's death whereby he hath purchased it but also from his Intercession whereby he doth effectually impetrate and obtain it and therefore the Apostle doth join both together in the procurement of freedom from condemnation Rom. 8. 34. Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh incercession for us And upon this account he is said to be able to Save unto the uttermost Heb. 7. 25. Wherefore he is able to Save them to the uttermost that to come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them 3. By his Mission or sending of his Spirit effectually to call People to himself Jesus doth bring them into a state of Salvation and giveth them an actual Interest in this deliverance which he hath purchased for them and this leads to the next particular Seventhly How any do or may have a share in this deliverance by Jesus from wrath to come this is by faith in Jesus Christ which is wrought by his Spirit in effectual calling When the Lord by his Spirit doth open the eyes of Sinners and convinceth them of the guilt and evil of their sins awakeneth their conscience and worketh contrition and a sense of their misery and danger and when the Lord showeth and perswadeth them how utterly unable they are to Save themselves that no reformation or righteousness of their own which either they have or can attain unto can procure deliverance from wrath for them and withal that no meer Creature in the World is able to help them in this case and when the Lord by his Spirit doth discover himself as the only Saviour and All-sufficient and most willing to save and deliver them and withal doth most powerfully and irresistably and yet most sweetly how their wills and encline them to chuse him for their Saviour and grieving for sin and renouncing their own righteousness to call themselves and rest upon him alone for Salvation and this accompained with a free and resolved delivering themselves up to his Teaching and Government this is effectual calling wherein the Lord by his Spirit doth draw and lay hold on Sinners and enableth them by faith to lay hold on him and hence ariseth their union to and Interest in Christ and they come to have a share in the deliverance by Christ from wrath to come When the Jaylor cryed out with trembling to Paul and Silas Sirs what must I do to be saved the direction is Believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be Saved Act. 16. 30 31. It is Faith that giveth an Interest in Christ and hereby an Interest in the deliverance which he hath purchased It is Faith doth unite us unto Christ whereby we are said to be in him and there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8. 1. We are justified by Faith Rom. 5. 1 And so are absolved from the guilt of Sin and all obligation unto punishment The Lord Jesus Christ having fully satisfied Gods justice for our sins by his death in our stead and this being imputed unto us through Faith and accounted as if we had done it our selves as a surety's paying our Debt is accounted by the Creditor as if we had paid it we are acquitted and no more exposed unto the wrath of God and punishment of Hell than if we had never committed any one sin to deserve it Use 1. For Information 1. See here the worth of Jesus he is the Deliverer and the only Deliverer from wrath to come Jesus Christ is a person of the greatest worth in himself the Divine and Humane Nature being united in him rendereth him infinitely glorious altogether lovely and hence it is that he is replinished with such transcendent excellencies and perfections as are not to be found again in any Creature either in Earth or Heaven and Jesus Christ is esteemed to be the most worthy person by those that know him and understand what real worth is especially sinners when awakened and made sensible of the curse which lyeth upon them for sin and the wrath of God which hangeth over them and when they come to apprehend how fearful a thing it is to fall under the strokes of Gods vengeance and see no way of escape but only by Jesus the only Deliverer from future wrath of all persons and things in the World Jesus Christ is most precious unto them never did there appear in the world a person
of such high dignity of such admirable beauty and such wonderful Love as the Lord Jesus Christ who came down from the Father and clothed himself with our nature for this end that he might become our Saviour and Redeemer our Surety and Advocat and that he might deliver us from wrath to come 2. See here the value of Christ's Death without shedding of Blood there is no Remission Heb. 9. 22. And if no remission then no deliverance from wrath to come if guilt doth remain punishment will ensue and that of God's eternal wrath in Hell It was not the blood of Bulls and Goats Sacrificed under the Law that could remove guilt and procure remission of Sin Heb. 10. 4. For it is not possible that the blood of Bulls and Goats should take away Sin But it was through Christ's Sacrifice of himself once for all and shedding of his blood upon the Cross that Remission of sins and by consequence this deliverance from wrath to come was purchased It was not thousands of Rams or ten thousand rivers of Oil or all the Treasures of the Earth that could have procured remission of Sin because all this would have been no satisfaction unto Gods Justice but the Blood of Jesus who is God-man hath satisfied Gods Justice by his death Christ hath paid the full price which was due for sin surely then his death is of greater value than the riches were there so many of ten thousand worlds 3. Here see the excellency of Faith we read in the first Epistle of Peter of a precious Christ Chap. 2. 7. And of Christ's precious Blood Chap. 1. 19. And of precious Faith also Chap. 1. 7. Of all other graces Faith is called precious and it hath above other graces a peculiar excellency not in respect of it self so much but in regard of it's object as it doth give Interest in the precious Christ and make application of his precious Blood whereby we come to attain a share in this deliverance by Christ from wrath to come Christ is most precious as the Author of our deliverance Christ death is most precious as the merit of our deliverance and Faith is most precious as the instrument of our deliverance 4. Here see what a Priviledge it is to have the Gospel Preached amongst us which is a means to make discovery unto us of Jesus Christ the only Deliverer from wrath to come as also to work Faith in us which cometh by hearing Rom. 10. 17. Whereby alone we come to have Interest in Jesus Christ and his deliverance Such as are without the Gospel are in darkness and unbelief and are hastening forward towards the regions of eternal darkness and they know not whither they are going It is of more use to have the Light of the Gospel than to have the light of the Sun and the total removal of this light is a greater judgement than any temporal calamity since it is the means to prevent eternal misery Vse 2. For Examination Is Jesus the only Deliverer from wrath to come it concerneth all of you them to examine your selves whether you have an Interest in this Jesus and the deliverance from wrath which he hath purchased and through him alone is to be obtain'd All of you are Sinners you were born in sin and you have liv'd in sin and should you dye in sin too as certainly as the guilt of sin doth lye upon you so certainly will the wrath of God come upon you without an Interest in Jesus Christ there can be no escaping for you you may know whether you have an Interest in Jesus Christ by your Faith by your Life by your Love by your Likeness and by your Obedience 1. If you have an Interest in Jesus Christ then you have Faith I don't mean an Historical Faith only to believe the History and report which the Gospel doth give of Jesus Christ what he hath done and suffered nor a temporary Faith which is the food presumption of some formal hypocrites whereby they may seem to cleave unto Christ when indeed their hearts cleave chiefly to sin whereby through misapprehension of Gospel Priviledges and misapplication of Gospel promises they may attain unto some kind of fleshly love and joy which endures but a while and they usually if put upon great tryals do end in open Apostacy But if you have an Interest in Christ indeed you have a true justifying Faith whereby being first convinced of sin humbled and emptied of your selves resolvedly parting with all your sins as to affection and sincerely renouncing all your own righteousness as to dependance you cast your selves upon Christ lean and depend upon him expecting remission and Salvation alone through his perfect righteousness made yours by imputation Have you by Faith discerned Christ have you by Faith applyed Christ are you by Faith joyned unto Christ have you been by Faith taken off your own bottoms and built upon Christ the chief corner stone have you by Faith been cut off your old Stock and engrossed into Christ the choice Vine have you by Faith been divorsed from sin and married unto Christ the best Husband are you indeed got unto and into Christ by Faith and have you received him into your hearts by Faith without this true faith there can be no true union to Christ without union to Christ there can be no Interest in Christ without Interest in Christ there can be no remission of sin no Salvation and deliverance from wrath to come 2. If you have an Interest in Christ you have Life 1 John 5. 12. He that hath the Son hath Life and he that hath not the Son hath not life He that hath an Interest in Christ the Son of God hath life he shall have Eternal life hereafter and he hath Spiritual life which is eternal life begun here such besides their natural life which they receiv'd from their Parents in their generation they have a principle of spiritual life which they receive from the Spirit of God in their regeneration they are the only persons that are quickned from their Spiritual death but he that hath not the Son hath not life such shall never see life hereafter but the wrath of God abideth on them John 3. 36. And they are spiritually dead here they are dead in trespasses and sins Eph. 2. 1. You may know whether you have an Interest in Jesus Christ by your spiritual Life I do not say by your constant liveliness this may be wanting at sometimes in true believers but you may know it by your spiritual life you were dead but you are alive and you may know your spiritual life by your spiritual motion from sin and towards God by your spiritual senses to discern between good and evil by your spiritual appetite after Christ and his righteousness and communion with God in his ordinances and the like if these be no symptoms of this spiritual life in you it is a sign that Christ is not in you and if Christ be
think sinners moreover how injurious you are hereby unto your selves what folly and madness you are guilty of Do you know what you are if you do you know that without Christ you are cursed wretches and children of wrath behold a wonder in Christ everlasting burnings are become everlasting mercies and he that will come at the last day as a Judge in flaming fire to take vengeance upon you if you be found without an interest in him doth now profer to be your Saviour and Advocat to deliver you from wrath to come and is it not depth of folly and sottishness to slight and refuse such a person and by refusing him to plunge your selves into unavoidable ruine and destruction when you may have Christ and with him all things needful in this world and that with greater security than by all your inordinate desires and endeavours and moreover such riches as do exceed all Earthly Treasures and besides this a Crown of glory in the other world and notwithstanding this to neglect Christ and chuse rather the pleasures of sin for a season the gratifying of some base lusts unto the everlasting damnation of your Souls and Bodies in Hell to refuse with Christ everlasting happiness and head-long to run your selves into everlasting burnings if this be not folly and madness I don't know what is You can't contrive or consult greater mischief and injury to your selves for I am perswaded that such as go to Hell out of England especially out of London where they have or might have such plentiful means of Grace of all others will have the lowest and hottest place O how will it sting and gnaw and rack and torture you for ever to remember what seasons and opportunities what calls and invitations you have had but by your right of getting an interest in the Lord Jesus the Deliverer from wrath to come you have brought ruine upon your selves Think Sinners how unavoidable the wrath to come is without an interest in Christ and think O think how intollerable this wrath will be when it is come Who can dwell with devouring Fire Think of the extremity of pain and anguish which is prepared for you and think of the eternity of Hells torments that when you have been there as many thousand Millions of years as there are Stars or Sands your torment will be but beginning and Never Never Never will it have any ending me thinks this should certifie all Christless sinners who are already condemned to his place of torment John 3. 8. He that believeth not is condemned already and you know not how soon execution may follow upon the Sentence if you dye this night out of Christ the wrath of God will seise upon you immediately and you will be miserable inrecoverably and to eternity Vse 4. For Comfort and that of all those who upon tryal find well-grounded evidence of their interest in this Jesus the only Deliverer from wrath to come You are the only persons in the world who are in a safe condition Rom. 8. 33 34. Who shall lay thing unto your charge If God do not charge you with guilt who can charge you besides through Christ God doth justifie you he pardoneth all your sins as if they had never been and accepteth of you as perfectly righteous through the perfect righteousness of Christ made yours by Faith Who is it that shall condemn you the Law may condemn you and Conscience may condemn you but since Christ died for you and in his death was condemned and suffered in your stead you are freed from the condemnation of God and the eternal damnation of Hell and being out of all danger of future wrath you may the better bear any evil of affliction which in this world may be your portion and you may comfortably wait for the coming of Christ from Heaven whom God hath raised from the dead even this Jesus who hath delivered you from wrath to come and who will bring for you and give to you everlasting glory and happiness at the day of his second appearance Vse 5. For Exhortation 1. Of such as are without an interest in Christ the Deliverer from wrath to come O be perswaded without any further delay to flee from this wrath of God which hath you in the pursuit and will overtake you ere long and that by fleing unto and getting an interest in this Jesus who only can deliver you O that I might be instrumental to bring some of you unto a closure with Jesus Christ Sinners will you be perswaded at length to accept of Christ you may have him and you must have him otherwise you are curst you are lost and you cannot escape eternal death and wrath If you would be delivered from wrath to come by Jesus Christ take these few directions 1. Labour for a thorow sense of your absolute need of Christ and that not only by reason of your guilt of sin and danger of Hell but also that there is no Salvation nor deliverance attainable by any other way but by Jesus Christ Think not that your repentance and reformation though this be necessary and without which there can be no Salvation for you yet that this can save you without Christ if you should attain this and rest in this you will as certainly go to Hell as the most wicked transgressour you cannot be saved by any of your own righteousness because your righteousness is imperfect and therefore cannot satisfie Gods Justice for your sins and therefore cannot deliver you from wrath to come should you weep for your sins till your eyes were out and sigh and grief for sin till your hearts did break should your wear you knees to the bones with kneeling and wear your Tongues to the roots with praying and consume your flesh to nothing with fasting should you be as just and temperate and charitable and as strictly Religious as any breathing yea as holy for the future as any Angel in Heaven all this would not wipe away the guilt of your sin nor deliver you out of the hands of Gods Justice which must be satisfied one saith very well if any would be saved by their own righteousness they must first go to Hell and there continue in torments to eternity and if that could be supposed which cannot be supposed to be done because there is no ending of those torments which are eternal and therefore no possibility of getting loose from them yet supposing that any could do this they must come back and fulfil the Law in every tittle both which being impossible for you who are guilty of sin you have absolute need of Christ's perfect righteousness in order to your deliverance from wrath to come It is this which damneth and sinketh many thousands in Hell the looking and seeking to be saved by a rigteousness of their own I know that most are damn'd for their unrighteousness and go to Hell in the broader way of gross impiety and wickedness yet if that be the broader way and