away the fear of Death from Believing Souls That he might deliver them Heb. 2.15 who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage Christ delivereth his from spiritual death in sin and from eternal death for sin and as for natural death the death of the body unto which God hath appointed them it is not now formidable the sting of it being plucked out by Christ it is that which Saints have desired which is welcome to Souls stedfast in the faith of the promises because death frees them from the power of sin and annoyance of corruption puts an end to their sinning which is grievous to a gracious heart Now comes that happy deliverance from the body of death which St. Paul so earnestly longed for and by death they have their passage to everlasting life 5. Regeneration and the sanctification of souls is the fruit of Christ's dying he of God is made to us sanctification 1 Cor. 1.30 1 Pet. 2.24 he his own self bare our sins in his body on the tree that we being dead to sin should live unto righteousness he gave himself for us Tit. 2.14 that he might redeem us from all iniquitie and purifie to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works The mortification of sin in us and the vivification of grace the healing of our nature and the renewing of the image of God in us is a great benefit of Christ's death he merited this for the Elect obtaining at God's hand that the holy Spirit should be given to sanctifie them that the Spirit of his Son should be sent into their hearts 6. Christ by his Death hath purchased eternal life for Soules God gave his onely begotten Son â— John 3.16 that whosoever believeth in him shâ—uld nâ—t perish but haeve everlasting life 1 Joh. 5.11 God hath given us Eternal life and this life is in his Son Thus the full benefit of Christs Death is a full redemption from all evil to all good from sin Satan Wrath Death and Hell to Grace and Glory to the enjoyment of all good here and hereafter Now unless we know these things and except we know our selves to be interessed in Jesus Christ whose Death is of such exceeding great advantage to those for whom he died we can take no comfort in the notion of Christ his Death Therefore having counselled you to search out what the benefits of Christs Death are I should in the next place exhort you to make sure your share in them to labour to clear up to your selves your interest in Christ and in the advantages of his Death But this will be a special part of the application of that other point which is to be opened and improved therefore our second counsel now shall be this Did God give his Son to Death Counsel 2. to satisfie for us to reconcile us to God to obtain for us Remission of sins and Sanctification of the Spirit and life eternal then let pardon of sin and peace with God and the grace of Sanctification and the hope of Eternal life be valued by us according to the price that was paid for the purchase of them It was the Bloud of the Son of God which was of infinite value Therefore that which was purchased by it is more worth then all the World Carnal hearts have no such estimation of these things if they had they would look more after them and seek them diligently in the use of the means Buâ— alas how many poor souls are theâ—e that have no apprehension of the worth of these mercies Gold is of more account with them then Grace and the countenance of man is more lookt after then the favour of God but David can tell us that a comfortable apprehension of God's love is more worth then all worldly enjoyments and Solomon his judgmant is that Wisdom i. e. Grace is the most excellent thing that the most desirable things in the World are not to be compared with it Now therefore let Christians who by faith have laid hold on Christ and are intâ—rrâ—ssâ—d in the benefits of his death let them know what and an excellent portion they gottâ—n and let them judge of their priveledges by the price that was paid for the purchase of them and prize them accrdingly And let Worldlings consider the meanes by which Spiritual blessings soul-mercies the Christians Priviledges were procured and let them esteem them accordingly never resting till they come to be made pertakers of them Did God give his son to Die for sinner Counsel 3. then let us take heed of sinning against Christs Death Abel his blood cried for vengeance on them that shed it What will Christ his Bloud doe Certainly the Blod of the Son of God is very precious and they who sin against it draw horrible guilt upon themselves Now there are many waies by which souls sin against the Death of Christ 1. When men do denie the efficatious merit of Christ his Death and will piece it up with their own merits as Papists who teach and boast of humane satisfactions 2. They who râ—sist or despise the means of the application of Christ Crucified to themselves 3. They who have low thoughts of those things for the purchase whereof Christ died The priviledge of Justification and Sanctification and the Scriptures of God and a Gospel Ministrie and Gospel Ordinances and all Gospel priveledges and all true Gospellers in the Church are all the purchase of Christ his Bloud So that it is clearly a sinning against the Death of Christ to cry down or reproach or slight any of these 4. They who make much of sin which caused the Death of Christ and that allow in themselves and maintain the life of that for the destruction of which Christ died they sin against the Death of Christ And many other waies do people sin against Christ his Death Now let us take heed of this that we sin not against the Bloud of the Son of God which was given to be shed for us I may take a hint from the Doctrine to counsel you to mercifulness to your own sulles Counsel 4. Is God so merciful to us not be cruel to our selves Did Christ die to Redeem us and set us free then let us not enslave our selves let us not yeild our selves servants unto sin and Satan Did Christ die to Redeem us from destruction let us not be self destroyers I remember what Paul saith in the case of Scan al 's what a charge he giveth to shun giving of offence and upon what ground Do not for meats sake Rom. 14.15 destrom him for whom Christ died Oh do not for any Lusts sake destroy thy soule for which Christ died 5. This consideration is to be urged upon our selves Couns 5. as a motive to mercifulness towards others Hath God bin so merciful to us as to give his own Son for us let this stir up in us bowels of compassion toward our brethen and
Abraham's Seed throughout their Generations This Doctrine is clearly offered from the Text for if the promise made to Abraham were not intended for and belonging to Believers in after Generations then the confirmation of it to Abraham had not tended to the consolation of New-Testament Believers as here this is expressed to be the end of God's Oath to Abraham that we might have strong consolation who have fled for refuge c. this is as I said a description or paraphrase of Believers Now with respect to the Doctrine in prosecution of it First I shall hint something explicatorily Secondly I shall prove the point Thirdly I shall make some improvement of it by application By way of explication Explication I shall shew 1 What the Covenant is 2 How it is confirmed 3 Who are Believers to whom it is confirmed who are Abraham's Seed to whose consolation the confirmation of the Covenant tendeth 1 What this Covenant is It s kind The Covenant what It s substance 1 As to the kind of it It s kind it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Testament or Testamental Covenant wherein Legacies of Grace are bequeathed wherein good things are freely given by God in and through Jesus Christ unto his people It is called in Scripture the Covenant of Promise Gods Covenant of Peace the Covenant of Gods love a Covenant of Grace it is a Covenant or Promise founded in Christ the Mediator and a Testament that is put in force by the death of Christ the Testator and this Testament or Covenant is an unchangeable dispensation an everlasting Covenant It s substance 2. As to the substance of the Covenant it is diversly expressed in Scripture in the sundry branches or particular promises but we have a very full account of it in few words Genes 17. where we find that God's Promise or Covenant established with Abraham and his Seed after him in their Generations is this That he will be a God to him and to his Seed after him for ever The expression is short but very full and comprehensive there could not be any thing more put into the Covenant for nothing is excluded where God is included Here is a promise of blessings Spiritual Temporal and Eternal This short expression carries in it all the Covenant of Promise which God gave from the first man to the manifestation of Christ it is as one saith the Epitome or sum of the whole Gospel it is God's promise of pardon and peace of righteousness and life of Justification and Sanctification and Salvation of all grace and blessing here and hereafter This is the substance of the Covenant and it is substantial indeed hath substance enough in it How is this Covenant confirmed Covenant confirmed how It is confirmed by Gods Word and Oath and Seals and by the Death of Christ 1 We have God's Word his written Word to shew for it he hath given it us under his hand in many places of Scripture 2 There is God's Oath for the confirmation of the Covenant his Oath to Christ The Lord sware Heb. 7.21 and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedeek The sense or meaning of that Scripture is this God sware to Christ that his Priesthood should be for ever available and effectual for the salvation of sinners that he would justifie and bless and save sinners through him according to the Covenant of Promise accepting his Sacrifice for them and there is God's Oath to Believers Heb. 6.13 14 17. in this Chapter as in the Text so in the thirteenth and fourteenth verses 3 This Covenant is confirmed by God's Seals both external and internal external the Sacraments Circumcision is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Seal of the righteousness of Faith Rom. 4.11 which is the great promise of the Covenant of Grace and is Synecdochically put for the whole Covenant The internal Seal is the Spirit perswading and assuring our hearts of the truth of the promise and of our interest in it 4 The Covenant is confirmed by the Death of Christ He was appointed to be the Mediator of the Covenant to mediate as a Surety and he hath mediated by Bloud hath fulfilled the Law of a Redeemer and fully answered his engagement of Suretiship so that God cannot now in Justice withhold any thing that he hath promised to give nor refuse to do any thing which he hath promised to do upon Christ his dying Christ having died according to that agreement betwixt his Father and him is to be satisfied for his dying as well as by his death he hath satisfied his Father now nothing will satisfie Christ but to have the end of his death which is that they for whom he died be justified and saved Isai 53.11 He shall see of the travel of his Soul and shall be satisfied So that Christ his death makes the Covenant sure without all question to be performed 3 To whom is the Covenant confirmed Our Doctrine saith Covenant confirmed to whom to all Believers the Seed of Abraham Now who are Believers interessed in the Covenant to whose consolation the confirmation of the Covenant tendeth Why they are all such as have a true justifying Faith To believers who are called the seed of Abraham are his spiritual seed ye are all the Children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus Gal. 3.26 â—9 and if ye be Christ's then aâ—â— ye Abraham's seed and Heirs according to the Promise Rom. 4.16 Therefâ—r it is of Faith or through the righteousness of Faith as v. 13. that it might be by Grace to the end that the Promise might be sure to all the seed not to that only which is of the Law but to that also which is of the Faith of Abraham i. e. not only to the believing circumcised Jews but also to the believing uncircumcised Gentiles Now I shall shew you what Faith is and how it is evidenced that you may understand who are Believers Abraham his seed interessed in the Promise not to mention the divers acceptions of the word Faith nor the several sorts of Faith it is a justifying Faith that we are speaking of Faith what the Faith of Gods Elect which is subjected in the understanding and in the will 1 Faith in the understanding is a right apprehension and certain knowledge of its object which is either general or special general the whole Word of God more special the promise of Grace or the Gospel-promise of Remission and Reconciliation and Justification and Salvation by Christ Jesus or Christ put to death in the flesh and quickned by the Spirit with all the benefits of his Death and Resurrection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Faith in the heart and will is a firm assent unto and confidence and acquiessence in the promises of the Gospel called a confident perswasion and assurance What hath been hitherto spoke of Faith amounts to this short definition It
or less that we have of these things if it be but a little Oyl in the Cruse and a hand-full of meal in the Barrel assurance of a Covenant interest in God will make it enough to us and render it good for want of this poor hearts are full of fears and cares and discontents even in the midst of abundance of outward things which they possess but this I say will sweeten our enjoyments to us for being assured of God we know that what we have comes from love and is a pledge of greater love and is that which our God sees to be good for us and is blessed to us 3 This assurance will give the foul boldness to come unto God and make it familiar with him and much sweeten and heighten Communion This will fill us with comfort in our approaches to the Throne of Grace when we can confidently call God Father Am I in great straights or do I lye under some sore afflictions is this or that wanting to me what a comfort is it now that I have a God to go to a God in Covenant with me that can succour and deliver me that can supply my wants and is able to do for me exceeding abundantly above all that I can ask or think 4 Assurance of a Covenant interest in God will take off the fear of Death a true believer that applies the covenant with assurance of Faith doth not put the day of Death far from him as being loath to see it and even affraid to think of it no but he desires to be dissolved and to be with Christ he knows that Death is Vltimus morborum medicus that which cures all diseases cures the Pride and Covetousness and Hardness and Frowardness and Unbelief and sluggishness of the heart cures the body of the Dropsie Scurvie Gout Stone c. frees it from all diseases pains and griefs he knows that Death will let him into a clear full and everlasting enjoyment of God and therefore he is glad when his glass is run whereas the awakned Soul that hath no upprehension of an interest in God cannot but be troubled at the thoughts of Death and even affrighted at the grimm countenance of that King of Terrours As one of the Kings of England once in his straights cryed out A Kingdom for a Horse a Kingdom for a Horse So will an awakned Soul cry out when Death presents it self Oh a Kingdom a World ten thousand Worlds if I had them for assurance of an interest in the Covenant of Grace but Oh how comfortable and delightfully may an assured Soul think of Death which is a passage to his everlasting rest and happiness in the nearest sweetest fullest enjoyment of his God and Saviour for evermore 5. The thoughts of the Judgment to come will be sweet to those that have a known interest in the Covenant of Gods his love for the Judge is their friend their brother their head their husband and the day of Judgment Acts 3.19 Eph. 4.30 shall be to them the time of refreshing the day of their Redemption of their full Deliverance from all misery and corruption the day of their publick absolution and perfect justification and the time of the manifestation of Gods love to them in the fullest measure 6. He that is certain of his interest in Gods Covenant is certain of his interest in Salvation and so the thoughts of Heaven must needs be delightful to him while he is certain that it is the blessed rest prepared for him the place of his everlasting abode in happiness yea this assurance gives the Soul a present possession of Heaven brings Heaven down as I may say into the bosom of a believer while he is upon Earth Faith is the sâ—bstance Heb. 11.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the subsistance of things hoped for it gives a real existance or being to that which is held forth in the promise an assured Soul hath Heaven within it Thus you see the benefit of assurance some special advantages and comforts that thence accrue to the Soul which should be a great inducement to put us upon care and pains to get it doth it not bring a sufficient reward with it Doth not the profit and comfort that comes by it far exceed the greatest profit in the World and the greatest comfort that Earth affords Therefore though the Covenant may be savingly applyed by Faith where assurance is not yet let us strive to assurance that we may live and die comfortably in assurance of God his everlasting love towards us in Christ Jesus Now I shall shew you how assurance may be attained and how it may be discerned from presumption Way to assurance 1. Concerning the way and means to attain assurance We must be much in exercising and acting all Grace must be diligent in trading with our stock of Grace that we may attain to the riches of assurance Col. 2.2 as the Apostle calls it The diligent hand maketh rich That we may have comfort and assurance we must beware of negligence and sluggishness and laziness in duty and of remisseness in the exercise and actings of Grace True is that which a reverend Doctor now with God hath told us in a Treatise of his That it is the lazie Christian commonly that wants assurance and that the way of painful dutie is the way of fullest comfort Sloth and idleness stops the fountain of comfort causeth Christ to with-hold his comforts Parents are not wont to smile but frown upon their Children when they are negligent and careless of their duty and neglective of their observance toward them All the honour that God hath from us is from the exercise and actings of Grace and the more we strive to honour God the more will he comfort us with the manifestations of himself and the revelations of his love in our hearts Active Christians shall have most of Gods love and of the manifestation of his Grace to them He that hath my Commandements Joh. 14.21 and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be beloved of my Father and I will love him and manifest my self tâ— him Again sloath and negligence causeth want of peace and comfort for this reason because Grace is not sensible apparent and evident to the Soul but in the exercise and actings of it as the fire that is in the flint is not discernable till you smite and force it out In acting Faith upon Jesus Christ and the promises of God and in acting love toward God and Christ you will know that you have the grace of Faith and Love will know that ye believe and that ye love God and so will know that God loveth you for we love God because he loved us first and our believing is a fruit of the promise of Grace 2. We must be much in the application of the Covenant with a faith of adherence and innitency cleaving to the promises and casting our selves by Faith
the soul that is in Covenant with him 3. God hath tied himself by â—ovenant to his People to heal â—â—m and help them and to give â—â—m all needful good things and to be all in all to them I will make an everlasting Covenant with them Jer. 32.40 that I will not turn away from them to do them good yea I will rejoyce over them to do them good Now the Soul knows that God is no Covenant breaker and therefore in remembrance of this tye which God hath laid upon himself while faith is awake and active the believer hath a dependance on his God O Lord thou art my God I will trust in thee I shall not perish I shall not want there is wisdom enough and power enough and goodness enough in my God and these Attributes of his are engaged to me that I may stay my self upon them Oh Christians the acting of faith with strength and vigour upon Gods Covenant would make us to depend on him and have confidence in him even in a Sea of miseries in the deepest affliction casting our selves upon the power and mercy and faithfullness of our God when our condition seems to be desperate Is it thus and thus with me are maters brought to this pass yet I will not let go the Covenant I will not lose my hold on God I know God will deliver me one way or other even in that way which he sees to be best for me This well be one happy improvement of our interest in the Covenant by acting faith upon it 7. By this means our interest in the Covenant would be improved unto love toward God and obedience to him I put them together as for hafts sake so in regard of their necessary connection and conjunction they being insâ—perable in as much as obedience doth naturally flow from love I say the more constant and the stronger the actings of faith upon the Covenant are the more affectionâ—tly will the Soul love God and the more chearfully and constantly obey him True faith is a loving faith which carries the affection of love unto God who hath given the Covenant of his love unto us and it is a lively working faith which moves and acts the soul towards God and gives it up to him who hath not with-held himself from us but hath bestowed himself upon us A clear apprehension of an excelling good and a knowledge of my interest in it must needs draw my affection to it Relation hath ever been a ground of affection where loveliness is apprehended Now the Lord full of all glorious excellencies transcendently good is my God my Father my Husband he love's me with an abounding immense constant everlasting love oh how can I chuse but love him yea love him much while he vouchsafes to give himself full of all goodness and blessedness into my bosome and so satisfies my soul fills me with himself I cannot chuse but love a satisfying good and oh I truly desire to please him my soul is grieved for any unkindness of mine toward him or disobedience to him Gospel-grace the grace of the Covenant which appeareth bringing salvation teacheth us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts Tit. 2.12 and to live soberly and righteously and godlily in this present world This is another notable effect and fruit of acting Faith upon the Covenant of grace 8. By this means our interest in the Covenant will be improved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to that strong consolation spoken of in the sext Therefore God with whom the soul is in Covenant is called the God of all consolation 2 Cor. 13. Now they are as hath been said pure full sure comforts that are fetcht from the Covenant by the extractory vertue and power of Faith which is a rare Chymist indeed God comforteth the believer acting faith upon him shall tribulations in every pressing pinching condition This is my Comfort in affliction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 119.50 for thy word hath quickned me When the believer is damped in spirit and as it were dead in regard of spiritual operations and affections faith reviveth him drawing lift out of the word of promise from the Covenant of God Though it be thus and thus with me yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant The sence hereof doth not only support the soul but rejoyce it The soul is comforted against sin and Satan and death and Hell and amidst sorrows and afflictions in the world when a Christian remembreth what he hath in the Covenant and how he stands related to God and are these consolations of God small 9. Faith acted upon the Covenant leads the soul as it were to the top of an exceeding high hill or mountain and thence shews it the kingdome of heaven and the glory thereof And saith All this will God the Father give thee this is thy inheritance thy God hath given in thee in promise and will give it thee in hand for his Covenant is sure Faith acted upon the promise of God giveth the soul a lively hope of salvation verily there remaineth a rest to the people of God it is certain to them by the certainty of God's promise God's Covenant gives believers a right to it and it is certain to them as to their fruition of it by God's unchangeable decree Though it be to be enjoyed upon condition of enduring to the end of persevering in faith and new obedience yet in as much as that condition is likewise absolutely promised and Christ hath undertaken to be the worker and finisher of our faith and perfecter of our salvation this salvation is still absolutely certain upon promise Hope O my Soul saith faith hope to the end for the salvation which is to be brought to thee at the revelation of Jesus Christ Wilt thou distrust God hast thou not his promise to rest upon hath he not given thee his Covenant and Oath for thy assurance rance When the flesh hath nothing wherein it may rejoyce yet do thou O believing soul keep the rejoycing of hope firm unto the end 10. A lively acting of faith upon the Covenant will raise the Christian to heavenly mindedness to have his heart much in heaven with his God who is his portion and his treasure when faith reads the love and goodness and desirableness of God as he hath expressed himself in the lines of the Covenant and gives the soul a true account of it now the soul must needs love where it is thus loved and where there is such lovliness for this is attractive of love Now anima est ubi amat the heart the soul is where it loveth if the treasure be in Heaver there will the heart be therefore if we would have our hearts to be in Heaven let us keep them still possessed with true believing thoughts and apprehensions of the free abounding grace and love of God toward us expressed in the Covenant which he hath given us Oh if we could by faith lodge our
souls in the bosome of Gods Covenant that there we may see how God loves us with the truest and fullest and most constant and most advantagious love it would not then be a hard matter to have our hearts with God and surely when the heart is with him it is where it should be and where it finds the sweetest being Thus you have seen the fruits of acting faith upon the Covenant the improvement of the Covenant thereby to such sweet advantages of the soul thus our Covenant interest in God will be improveed 1. To the sweetning of our thoughts of God 2. To a holy boldness in our approaches to God 3. To the sweetning of all mercies to us 4. Unto patience and chearfullness in afflictions 5. To contentedness with our conditions 6. To a firm setled dependance on God 7. Unto love and obedlence 8. Unto consolation of the heart in tribulations 9. To a lively hope of Salvation 10. The heavenly mindedness and a heavenly conversation Now to proceed to a Ninth counsel If you have applyed Gods Covenant Couns 9. so that you have a feeling apprehension of your interest in it then let not the enjoyments and outward supposed felicity of men in the World be an eye-sore to you or move you to envy Alass they are not to be envyed but to be pittied because they have not such an inheritance as you have their enjoyments are but small heaps of dust whereas the believers enjoyments and hopes are great Mountains of Gold O happy believers if they know their own happiness in such an interest We read in History That when the Spanish Ambassador boasted of the largeness of his Masters Dominitions and his many Titles that he was King of this and that and the other Kingdom and Prince of such a place aâ—d Duke of such a place The French Ambassadour answered My Master is King of France King of France King of France intimating that France was more worth than all places under the King of Spain his Power When the men of the World shall boast that this is theirs and that is theirs and shall cry out O their riches O their honours now let the believer make his boast in the Lord his God and cry Oh the Covenant Oh! the Covenant of Grace Oh! the Covenant of Gods Love is mine why this is more worth than all the riches and glory of the World 10. Hath God been pleased to make a Covenant with us Couns 1â— and to give it so confirmed to us oh let us then more and more break off the Covenant and disanul the agreement between our Nature and the Devil and let us break off the league which hath been and is between our souls and any lust or vanity let us renounce all for God and as he vouchsafeth to become our God so let us give up our selves more and more unto him as his People as he is a Covenanting Covenant-keeping God so let us be a Covenanting Covenant-keep in People Let us with all our hearts accept the Lord to be our God solemnly and cordially entering into Covenant with him and yielding our selves up unto him to be wholly at his disposal resolving that we will not be led by the Devil or the World or the Flesh any more but that our God shall lead us and order us in all things And let us see that we prove not unfaithful in the Covenant which we have made unto God wherein we have promised to renounce the Devil and the World and the Flesh and to serve our God only Oh let us labour to keep Covenant strictly with the Lord our God Let us not conform our selves to the World Let us not willingly give one affection or thought unto any lust Let us labour to work our hearts to and keep them in an abhorrency of the Devil and all his works and let us be still warring against the Devil and the World and the Flesh and let us labour to become daily more spiâ—tâ—â—l anâ— holy and heavenly 〈…〉 God and more 〈…〉 â—o him endeavoring thâ—◠〈◊〉 may be found in all things to the praise and glory of God Oh that we may love him and delight in him and walk with him and live to him who hath loved us and set his eyes and his heart upon us and hath given the Covenant of his love into the bosom of our souls It is so that the Covenant confirmed to Abraham is confirmed to all belivers to the Worlds end confirmed I say as by Gods Word and Oath and Seals so by the death of Christ by his perfect all-sufficient satisfaction Oh then what a feast of comfort what a banquet of sweet-meats is here for believers Here is that which is sweeter than the honey and the honey-combe Believers The Covenant wherein you are interested that is so confirmed to you is most comprehensively comfortable carrying in it all matter of sweet consolation so that from this confirmed Covenant Gods Covenanted ones may fetch sufficient consolation against any thing that may put in for their discomfort This Covenant is comfortable against sin and all self unworthiness for what saith God in his Covenant I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their transgressions will I not remember any more Oh how many and how great have my sins been saith the poor soul how exceedingly aggravated I have sinned against God who wonderfully made me and hath graciously preserved me and plentifully provided for me I have sinned against the bowels of Gods mercies against the bloud of Jesus Christ against the riches of Gods free Grace are there any sins like to my sins now is there any pardon any mercy any hope for such a sinner Now let a sinner fasten mediation upon this branch of the Covenant which is confirmed by the death of Christ and consider here is pardon of sin offered in the promise and it is Gods pardon and it is a Free pardon and it is a Final pardon never revoked Here is admirable comfort for humble souls that are pressed down even to the Gates of Hell under the sense of their own sinfullness and guilt The Covenant of Grace confirmed to believers is comfortable against sin And hence it follows that it is comfortable against the wrath of God and the threatnings of the Law and against Death I might shew you how this Covenant answers all objections against and removes all impediments of the believers happiness and Salvation how it is set up against the guilt and filth and power of sin against the curse and condemnation of the Law against discouragement from weakness of graces and imperfection of duties against death and Devil and whatsoever may be supposed to hinder the Salvation and Happiness of Gods Covenant-people Would I stand further to instance in the several positive priveledges and blessings of the Covenant I might shew you what abundant comfort flows from each of them How great is the comfort of Redemption and Reconciliation and Justification
and Sanctification and the Promise and hope of Glory and now all these Well-springs of comfort are carried in the Covenant which is confirmed to believers by the death of Christ Here now Christians is Wine and Milk here is Nâ—ctar and Ambrosia here are delicates indeed for those that have laid hold upon this Covenant of Gods love Eate O Children of Abraham drink yea drink abundantly O ye believing Souls Blessed Soul that can say Gods Covenant is mine God's Christ OUR'S Rom. 8.32 He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things IN the former verse the Apostle boasts of his own and every Believer's security against all enemies and evils grounding this his triumph of Faith the upon unchangeable love of God towards Believers and the presence of his Grace with them And whereas the flesh is ready to cast many doubts and the weak Christian is apt to be discouraged by cross events and afflicting providences and by the consideration of the Devils malice and the Worlds enmity against believers the Apostle obviating such doubts and anticipating such objections answers and clears off all that faith may not be entangled with any of them The scope of the Text the Apostle h drift therein Scope is to take off from the children of God the fear of want assuring them of all needfull good things and for this purpose he useth an argument drawn from the consideration of what God hath done for us what he hath given he hath given us his own Son a gift more worth than ten thousand Worlds why then should we doubt but that he will give us other things undoubtedly the love of God which hath been commended to us in such a wonderful gift will not stick at small matters How shall he not with him also freely give us all things This interrogation hath the force of an affirmation with an asseveration Shurely God who for our sakes hath not spared the life of his own only dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ but hath delivered him up to death for us will together with him give us all things Though there be not much difficulty in the words yet it may not be amiss to give a little light to the termes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he who relates to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God The Apostle insisteth on the commendation of the love of God illustrating that and seeking to establish Souls upon it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his own Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth most strictly signifie propriety and a peculiar interest in a person or thing and it is one of those distinguishing notes whereby the natural Son of God is distinguished from the rest of his Sons who are not Sons by Nature but by Grace by Adoption and Regeneration Gods own Son is Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He spared not but delivered up The Apostle here amplifyeth the great love and rich grace of God he spared not but gave i. e. he sticked not to give he spared not the Life of his own Son his dearly beloved Son but delivered him up for us delivered him â—up â—o Death thus Rom. â— 2â— Christ wâ—s delivered for our offences i. e. He was by his Father delivered to death that there we must so understand it is clear from the opposite term raised and he was raised again for our justification was raised from the dead We have other Texts speaking this plainly For the suffering of Death Heb. 29. that he by the grace of God should taste of Death for all men 1 Peâ— 3.18 Christ also hath once suffered for sins being put to death in the flesh thus here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for us pro nobis i. e. vice nostri in our stead and propter nos or bono nostro for our benefit we sinners must have died if Christ had not died for us for Death is the wages of sin God therefore delivered up his Son to death for us that we might not dye And surely very many and great are the benefits and advantages that accrue to sinners from Christ his dying for them which may be all reduced to and sum'd up in this one word Redemption which is the great fruit and effect of Christ his Mediation and being taken in its full Latitude is all spiritual grace and blessing in this World and the World to come The whole work of Gods grace toward sinners in Christ Jesus is usually in Systems of Divinity called Redemption Pro nobis hec nostrae salutis causâ nostrâ vice ac loco nempe ut morte suâ peccatis nos tris expiatis a morte nos redimeret justitiam atque vitam amissam nohis repararet Par. Christ was delivered to death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for us in our stead suffering what we should have suffered that we might not suffer but might be set free and for us for our sakes to our behoof that he might obtain eternal Redemption for us as Heb. 9.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he doth not say for all but for us all for me and such as I am Elect and Beloved as afterwards ver 33.34 35 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect. It is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth It is Christ that dyed Who shall separate us from the love of Christ see here who they are for whom Christ dyed to clear them from accusation to set them above Condemnation they are Gods Elect they are those that have Christ his love so that here in the Text we have an universal Particle with a restriction upon it Vs is exclusive of some of many of all others according to that of our Saviour John 10.15 I lay down my life for the Sheep for them only And indeed the Scripture doth limit and appropriate the death of Christ the fruit and benefit of it to a certain sort of persons those for whom he undertook to be their Redeemer and doth not extend it to all He gave himself to dye for his Church his body Eph. 5.23 25. now the Church is not the World in the universality of Men and Women but Gods portion in the Woâ—â— contradistinguished to the World Jo. 17.9 those that are Redeemed unto God Rev. 5.9 by the bloud or Christ out of every Kindred and Tongue and People and Nation he doth not say all Kindreds and People but some out of every kindred c. here is no holding forth of Universal Redemption Christ is said Jo. 10.11 15. to give his Life to lay it down for his sheep nâ—w not all men and women are the Sheep of Christ Mat. 25.32 we read of Goats as well as sheep Christ died for his People to Redeem them Mat. 1.21 to save them from their sins viz. for those that are in a special consideration the People of God Rom. 11. those whom he hath foreknown
his Elect People Christ gave himself for his Children his seed Heb. 2.13 14 15. And whereas it â—s said ver 9. That he tasted Death for every man It is to be understood of every sort of men Gentiles as well as Jews for this is afterward limited to Sons Brethren and children of Christ The Spiritual seed are those many and all those for whom Christ suffered Death Christ died only for those that were given him of his Father Thou hast given him power over all â—lesh Jo. 17.2 that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him How doth Christ give them eternal life by dying for them thus purchasing by his death and â—hen applying to them the purchased redemption Surely Christ did not dye for all â—e would not dye for those for whom he would not pray Jo. 17.9 now see what he himself saith of this I pray 〈◊〉 for the world but for those whom 〈◊〉 hast given me out of the world He who delivered by his own â—on for us all saith the Apostle in â—he Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how â—all he not freely give give of grace and with gracious thoughts â—nd purposes This word stands 〈◊〉 opposition to â—an's merits and â—o Gods common bounty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with him viz. with â—hrist All the good of souls is â—easured up in Christ and all the â—â—joyments of Christians are â—â—etened and become valuable â—â—d profitable to them by their enjoyment of Christ He that hath not Christ hath nothing that is truly good to him or that will prove comfortable in the end there is no more than a shadow of good things without him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things Some expound this of all things that God hath made others interpret it thus all things that are good and necessary others all things that may be furtherances of our salvation The two latter senses hold very clearly and the other may be admitted if we distinguish between the right of God's children and their possession God hath given them a right in and through Christ to all things for their good 1 Cor. 3.22 all things are yours and ye are Christs and Christ is Gods and as for possession of earthly things it 〈◊〉 given or witheld according to the most wise and gracious dispensation of God as he sees to be for the good of his children Well thus understand the Apostle God who hath given his Son will with him freely graciously and in good will give all things that may further our salvation and that are good and necessary for us Now there are two general parts of the Text. Parts of the Text. 1. An argument of God his surpassing love toward the elect that he gave his own Son to dye for them 2. A most comfortable inference thereupon that having given his Son he will give all things with him The words being opened the Text gives us many doctrines Doctrines deducted 1. That Jesus Christ who is here called Gods own Son is very God 2. That this Son of God was given by God for the ransome of souls 3. That God did not give his Son nor did Jesus Christ give himself to dye for all but only for the Elect. 4. That the love of God is wonderfully made out to souls in giving his Son to dye for them These four observations lye very clear in the antecedent viz. that God spared not his own Son but delivered him up to death for the Elect. Now in the consequent or inference that God will surely together with Christ give all other things we have these notes 1. That even all earthly things are given and dispensed by God Doctrines 2. That Jesus Christ is the great gift of God 3. That where God giveth Christ he will give all other needful good things 4. That all the enjoyments of believers are gifts of grace where Christ is given there is a gracious gifts of other things with him 5. Where Christ is not given nothing is given with a purpose of grace 6. That where the love of God in giving Christ is apprehended and particularly applied there faith hath sure footing to stand and bear up the soul in expectation of all other needful good things This comes up to the scope of the Text. Thus you see this 32th verse of this 8th Chapter of the Epistle to the Romanes is like a special branch of a fruitful tree singularly well loaden with precious fruit yielding us many useful observations But now I shall pluck and give you to eat only two of those choise Apples which grow upon this most fruitful bough Two doctrines handled opening and improving two of those Doctrines which the Text gives The points are these 1. God the Father delivered his own Son Jesus Christ unto death for the redemption of souls 2. Jesus Christ is the principal gift of God God the Father delivered his own Son Jesus Christ unto death Doct. 1 for the redemption of souls Bâ—fore I take into consideration the express terms of this proposition Explication I shall premise something that here is supposed and implied 1. It is supposed that this Son of God was made Man here is a necessary supposition of the incarnation of the Son of God for as God he could not dye the divine nature is impassible The Word therefore must be made flesh the Son of God must become Man that he might be capable of suffering for sinners who were to be redeemed by his death 2. Here is necessarily implied the union of two natures in the person of Christ he was both God and Man therefore he is called Immanuel God with us and hence it is said Acts 20.28 that God purchased his Church with his owe bloud Christ as God had no bloud to shed and considered as a mear man his bloud could not be a valuable price for the redemption of souls he must be man therefore that he might be in a capacity to dye and he must be God that his death might be satisfactory and meritorious Now to the point as it is expressed herein we are to consider the Agent the Action the Object and the End 1. The Agent God that is his name the Father that is his relation to the Son who is the Object here 2. The Act delivered to death Obj. But the Evangelists tells us that Judas delivered him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same word that is here used though there it is englished betrayed him Ans The same action may very well be ascribed both to the principal Sol. and the instrumental cause God the Father was the principal cause of the delivery of his Son to death appointing and by his providence ordering the actions of Judas and the Jews and of Pilate in this business God by the teachery of Judas and by the malice and cruelty of the rest of the actors of that Tragedy delivered his Son to death He was smitten of God
Isa 53. The Lord laid on him the iniquities of us all it pleased the Lord to bruise him and to put him to grief 3. The object his own Son Jesus Christ Of this term of special relation or singular appropriation I spake something when I opened the letter of the Text I shall say no more of the object now 4. We have in the point the end of this act put forth by this agent upon this object that is the redemption of souls Redemption deliverance The word Redemption noteth both a Deliverance and the way of accomplishing it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to redeem is Emere ri to buy off or buy out a person or thing to set a person free from prison Dato pretio asserere in libertatem or punishment or slavery to set a thing free from alienation or engagement or morgage or forfeiture be it house or land or goods to clear it to fetch it off by the payment of a price 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 redemption signifies both the act of delivering or freeing and the effect the liberty or freedome procured and enjoyed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 redemption is improperly taken up sometimes to note any deliverance from any danger or evil as Heb. 11. this word is used concerning a temporal deliverance from the danger of death Heb. 11.39 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—st liberatlo allcusuâ— ab Incommodo intereâ—dente Others were tortured not accepting deliverance Properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est vinditatis personae vel rei c. is a vindication a clearing or freeing of a person or thing captived or allâ—nated by paying or giving a price And such redemption is either corporal or spiritual Now Christ his redemption is not corporal but spiritual Man before he finned had spiritual liberty this being lost by sin there comes in the room of it guilt and a spiritual captivity partly under the wrath and judgement of God hâ—s Judge and the curse of the Law partly under spiritual enemies sin devil death and hell Now there is a spiritual redeemer given the mediator Christ Jesus and a spiritual price or ransome paid the death of Christ which however according to the history it was corporal yet in respect of the end of it is wholly spiritual and the fruits and benefits of this redemption are spiritual viz. a deliverance from the wrath of God and the curse of the Law and the power of Satan death and hell remission of sins adoption regeneration and eternal salvation and in our doctrine we say it is the redemption of souls This is the redemption that is in Christ or by Christ purchased procured effected by his death which was satisfactory to the justice of God so that upon account hereof God is ready to release sinners from his curse and wrath and the punishment due for sin and destructive to the Devil's power and kingdome so that in respect of Satan the Redeemer fetcheth of his poor captives from him by strong hand an almighty power Thus the redemption that we are speaking of is the vindication or recovery of sinners from the bondage in which they were under sin Satan death and the wrath of God into the contrary spiritual liberty by the payment of a sufficient price which was the bloud of the Son of God Yet let me add a word more concerning this redemption As there is a twofold adoption pointed out in Scripture the one inchoat whereby we are made the Sons of God the other consummate whereby we are manifested to be the Sons of God and entered into a full possession of the inheritance of Sons which adoption the Sons of God are said to wait for so there is a twofold redemption Rom. 8. 1. The work of redemption once wrought Plena ac perfecta beratio liomnibus gradibus numeris absoluta redemptio tumanimae tum corporis in die judicii Gerh. in Harm Eu. whereby we are redemed from sin and death pardoned and reconciled to God c. 2. That which is called the redemption of the body Rom. 8. and the redemption of the possession Ephes 1. which is a full deliuerance and freedome from all corruption and misery unto a full fruition of immortality and blessedness which believers are said to wait for which they shall have at the day of Judgement This is the end for which Christ was delivered to death God the Father contrived commanded and ordered the death of Christ of his own Son as a satisfactory price to his Law and Justice that thereby poor sinners might be redeemed i. e. bought out of slavery and misery delivered from the guilt and power of sin and as the means by which they might be rescued from out of the hand of Satan and from all the powers of darkness and vindicated into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God Now for proof of the point Proof To those Texts that were hinted in opening the Word I shall add othe s He made him to be sin for us 2 Cor. 5.21 which knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him i. e. He made his own guiltless Son to become a sacrifice for sin offered up to God for the expiating of our sins He of God is made to us redemption 1 C 30. Gal 3 13. He hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us Thus you have had the Quid siâ— and the Quod sit the Explication and proof of the Point Now as to the Cur sit Demonstration the why so of the Doctrine there are two questions about this which shall be satisfied in two words Quest 1. Quest 1 Why must Jesus Christ needs be delivered to death for the redemption of sinners Ans 1 Ex hypothesi Answ There must needs be a mediator of redemption for the recovery of lost sinners God having decreed this way of saving souls and he that would deliver sinners must mediate for them by bloud must answer the offended law and justice of God which could not be satisfied but by the death of the sinner or of an undertaker or surely for him this was the price of satisfaction Man could not by himself any way satisfie God's law and justice for that required infinite satisfaction but a finite creature cannot make infinite satisfaction nay a finite sinner can make no satisfaction at all therefore one that was no sinner and one that was true man and one that was more than man no less than God must be the redeeming Mediator to deliver poor sinners by paying down a price a sufficient price satisfactory to the justice of God and that must be his bloud Heb. 9.22 For without the sheding of bloud there is no remission of sins So that it must needs be Jesus Christ God and Man that must suffer death in the flesh for the redemption of souls Quest 2. Why would God deliver his own Sâ—n up to death for
the redemption of sâ—uls Answ 2. This may satissie us because so it pleased him it proceeded only from the free grace and good pleasure of God there was no other impâ—lsive or moving cause This is a part and a great act of God's special gracious providence toward his Elect which is a stupendious argument of the freeness and the riches of his grace to sinners God was not cruel to his own Son but merciful and most tenderly compassionate toward poor sinners wretched creatures that had undone themselves either we must dye eternally or the Son of God must dye for us must be under the power of death for a time Now guilty sinners are spared and the innocent Son of God the Son of his love is given to death for us that we might live This is grace indeed and as this proceeded from grace Eph. 1.5 6 7 so it was aimed by God at the glorifying of his grace to all eternity So much to the Doctrinal part of the Point I come now to Application APPLICATION First Vse 1 Information I shall draw up some inference for information 1. It follows hence that by nature we are all miserable captives and wretched slaves otherwise there needed not a Redeemer The Prophet tells us Iâ—a 61.1 what was the office of Christ and to what purpose he was sent to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to those that are bound Paul tells us Rom. 7.14 that he was by nature sold under sin and though he was redeemed with the bloud of Christ and regenerated by the spirit of Christ yet sin did still hang about him he could not shake off his fetters nor get wholly clear from his bonds but he was still so clogged and fettered with corruption that he cries out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O wretched man that I am who shall delivâ—r me And as for unregenerate men 2 Tim. 2.26 they are said to be taken captive by Satan according to his will the Devils absolute slaves Ah woful is the condition of those souls to whom Jesus Christ is not a Redeemer And now by the way the worse the disâ—ase is the better is the remedy and the more to to be prized the more wretched the condition of poor souls is by nature the more is grace to be esteemed and adored that translateth us out of so bad an estate into so good a condition that from such a depth of misery raiseth us up unto such a height of happiness as souls are advanced to by Christ Jesus Surely the greater the viler our bondage is the more gracious the more glorious is the work of our redemption and the more precious should our Redeemer be to us 2. This informeth us of the vileness and cursedness of sin Infer 2. which brought us into such bondage and slavery unto Satan death and hell that the Son of God must dye to deliver us from it which when it took hold on Christ our surety took away his life as dear â—s he was to God if he undertake for sinners he must dye surely then those sinners must dye for whom he did not dye wo to those souls whose guilt is not transferred upon Christ that have no share in the redemption purchased with his bloud Let wicked persons that trample under foot the bloud of Christ that contemn the doctrine of Christ and wallow in the filth of their lusts refusing the grace of God which is offered to them and rejecting Christ the Redeemer let them consider what they are like to suffer for sin from the impartial justice of God Oh that sinners may be awakened to repentance that they may seek to make their pâ—aâ—e with God coming in and closing with Jesus Christ that in him they may have redemption through faith in his bloud Oh that our hearts may be wrought to a due hatred of sin considering that it brought the Son of God under the power of death when it was imputed to him 3. This informs us of or we may hence infer Infer 3. the exceeding worth or souls The Lord did set a great prize upon them or else â—e would not have given such a price for them he spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us if God had not valued the souls of men at a great rate he would not have laid out the life of his Son for them Ah what foolish creatures are Men and Women so to undervalue their own souls as to prostitute them to base lusts and to the Devil's pleasure and to sell them for toys Let us consider the worth of our souls and make more account of them and be more careful of them and watchful over them 4. We are hence to take notice of several attributes of God Infer 4. wonderful glorious in the redemption of sinners 1. His wisdome in finding out a way and such a way for the effecting of it 2. His power in thus confounding and overcoming Satan and sin and death and all the powers of darâ—ness opposing themselves against poor man 3. His justice in requiring such a satisfaction before he would remit the offence and release the sinner 4. The immense mercy of God is here to be admired who would rather that his own Son should suffer a most shameful and painful and accursed death then that Mankind should perish The sending of Jesus Christ into the world to be a Redeemer is a special evidence and a wonderful stupendious demonstration of the mercy of God 1 Jo 4.9 Herein was manifested the love of God toward us that he sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him hereby perceive we the love of God because he laid down his life for us this is the mercy of mercies It was not with gold or silver or any corruptible thing that we were redeemed but with the precous bloud of God's own dear Son and this is that which commendeth the exceeding riches of God's grace that he gave his son to die for sinners for enemies for rebels to reconcile them to God 2. Vse 2 Terrour Here is matter of terror to all wicked despisers of such Gospel-grace are not souls worthy to perish if when God sends his Son to save them they will not be saved God delivered his own Son up to death for the redemption of souls and Jesus Christ offers himself to you as a Redeemer and foolish creatures prefer bonds before liberty will still continue the servants of sin slaves to lusts the Devils vassels they care not for Christ his redemption Oh how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation Christ will be one day terrible to them who now despise the Gospel-offers of his grace 3. Here is encouragement for poor sinners that feel themselves pinched Vse 3 and galled with the yoke of sin and groan by reason of their spiritual bondage that see in what a miserable case they are by nature and long
to be brought out of it why hear this God hath delivered his own Son to death for the redemption of poor creatures and he hath paid a sufficient price for the ransome of all therefore come to Jesus Christ and cast thy self upon him giving thy self up to him he can and will redeem thee from sin to God from death to life from the power of Satan into the glorious liberty of God's children 4. Was the Son of God himself delivered up to death for the redemption of souls Vse 4 here is abundant comfort for such as have by faith laid hold on Gospel-redemption they may be sure of their being thorowly redeemed it is a full redemption that is wrought by the Son of God God's work is perfect work the soul that cometh to Christ and by faith closeth with him is freed from the guilt of sin and the curse of the law and is certainly set above condemnation Though there be matter of condemnation in a believer that for which he deserves to be condemned yet actual condemnation there is none to him Christ hath taken it away he died for this purpose he was delivered to death for our offences and the dying of the Son of God cannot be in vain cannot fail of its end surely the satisfaction that Christ made to his Father was a very full satisfaction and his death was full of merit for those for whom he died For 1. The sufferings of Christ were infinite though not in respect of time yet in respect of the quantity and quality of them and in resâ—ect of the person suffering who was God as well as Man 2. Christ his death must needs be satisfactiory and meritorious on behalf of those for whom he died because it was that which God required the means of satisfaction and acquisition which he himself appointed it was according to the Covenant of redemption a performance of that Rom. 3.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hath fore-appointed Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation for sin through faith in his bloud This fore appointment of God must be referred not only to the person of the Redeemer as that God had appointed his Son to be the Mediator of Redemption but likewise to the manner and means of Redemption that Jesus Christ being made man should expiate the sins of men by the sacrifice of himself by shedding his bloud and that his death should be the meritorious procuring cause of righteousness and life and the favor of God and all blessing and happiness to those for whom he died So then here is that which may give satisfaction to Believers to cause them to rest in Christ's Redemption because he is God and because his Father from Eternity designed him to be our Redeemer and his Death to be the effectual means of a full Redemption Therefore when Satan tempteth and Conscience accuseth and the Law threatneth a Child of God and when Death and Hell would make him afraid let him turn his eye to Christ and let him fix meditation on the Death of Christ the Son of God it was to purpose the work which his Father gave him to do he did throughly he fully expiated Sin and so the Law is answered the Curse removed the Divel conquered the wrath of God appeased and righteousness and life restored to those for whom he died and the evil from which he hath redeemed them shall never return upon them and the good which he hath purchased for them shall never be lost from them 5. I shall now close with words of Counsel Vse 5 Exhort Did God give his Son to die for Sinners Then let us search out and consider what that good is which the death of Christ bringeth to souls that so we may take comfort in meditating on this great gift of God Certainly it was for special purpose that God gave his Son to die now we must know the advantage that hence redounds to souls or else we cannot taste the sweetness of such a mercy I shall instance in some fruits and benefits of Christ's death which comprehend all the the specialties of advantage by it amounting to a full redemption 1. Hereby full satisfaction is made to the justice of God for believers The word satisfaction indeed is not found in Scripture applied to the death of Christ but the thing is made out fully in other expressions as when it is said that he did bear the sins of many Isa 53.12 1 Pet. 2.24 and he bare our sins in his body on the tree the phrase importeth according to the signification of the original word the taking of the punishment of sin off from us upon himself and so intimates satisfaction Christ is said to be the propitiation for our sins 1 Jo. 2.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to expiate sin by making satisfaction to justice and so to render God propitious in what sense can Christ be said to be a propitiation for sin but by satisfying Gods offended justice and violated law The Apostle saith by the righteousness of one Rom 5 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the free gift came to the justification of life it may be read by one satisfaction Jesus Christ by death for sinners hath paid their debts hath not left one farthing upon the score hath satisfied for their sins not leaving one sin unsatisfied for so that they stand not liable to the justice of God which inflicteth everlasting punishment upon sinners as all poor souls will find who have not a part in Christ Christ hath made full satisfaction for all those who apply to themselves the fruits of his death so that they are acquited and justified by vertue of his death for the merit of his satisfaction 2. Gods justice being satisfied his anger is appeased he is reconciled to souls by this propitiatory sacrifice so that now God and they are friends there is amâ—ty betwixt them being enemies Rom. 9.10 We were reconciled to God by the death of his Son 2 Cor. 5.18 â—â—a 53.5 Modo Deo fiuamur propitio nihil metuendum a creaturis God hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ the chastisement of our peace was upon him Now as it is a fearful thing to have God to be our enemy so it is most sweet and comfortable to be in his favor for if God be for us who can be against us This reconciliation to God is a great priviledge indeed that which lets the soul into the injoyment of all other priviledges and blessings 3. The Divel that great Enemy of Souls is conquered the Serpents head is broken the Seed of the Woman hath broken it Jesus Christ the Son of God was made flesh that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death Heb. 2.14 that is the Divel 4. By Christ's dying 1 Cor. 15.54 2 Tim. 1.10 Death is swallowed up in victory Jesus Christ hath abolished Death and hath taken
let us be readie to do good to the soules and bodies of our fellow creatures specially let us desire and endeavour to be instrumental for the saving of others 6. Did God give such a price for us Couns 6. Then let us remember that we are not our ovvn vve are not Satans therefore we must not live as we list must not seek to please our selves must not be ruled by Satan If God hath given such a price for us Nor be devoted to the world he is worthy to have us and we must be wholly his own therefore let us yeild our selves unto God as those that are alive from the dead as the Redeemed of the Lord and our Members as Instruments of Righteousness unto God Consider my beloved wherefore God gave his Son and to what end Christ gave himself viz. That he might Redeem us from all Iniquity Tit. 2.14 and purifie to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Christ died not only to redeem us from Hell and Condemnation but also from our vain and wicked Conversation 1 Pet. 1.18 Christ was given to Death for us not only that we should not die for sin 1 Pet. 2.24 but that we should die unto sin and live unto Righteousness We are taught in Zacheriahs Song Lu. 1.74 That for this end Christ hath delivered us from the hands of our Enemies that we might serve him in holiness and Righteousness and if we refuse to serve our Redeemer thâ—s is to deny the Lord that bought us This was an Argument which the People used to provoke one another to return to their obedience to David and to cleave to his Service 2 Sam. 19.9 even the consideration of the deliverance that they had by him and this is the Argument which Ezra useth to tye himself and the people to strict Obedience to God Seeing thou O Lord hast given us such a deliverance as this Ezra 9.13 14. should we again break thy Commandements O let us Consider what a deliverance God hath wrought for souls by the Dâ—ath of his Son and let us think what horrible ingratitude this would be if we should deny his service and serve his Enemies Well to conclude this Use and so to finish this point Do vve lay claim to Christ and pretend to an interest in his Death vvhich he suffered for the Redemption of souls then let not the Devil have any more service from us let not lusts be any longer obeyed let us not make provision for the flesh let us not serâ—e Mammon Christ died to Redeem us from these Tyrants to himself therefore let us willingly serve our Redeemer and let us glorifie God in our soules and bodies for they are Gods I Come now to speak something to that other great point which I promised to take into consideration He who hath delivered up his own Son for us h w shall he not with him freely give us all things Sâ—e the te Text upâ—ned and dvided in the beginning of this dcoâ—rse and you will be able to prevent me in raising from hence the point which I am now about to hold forth to you from the Apostle his way of arguing and manner of expression this truth naturally â—â—weâ—â— Iesus Christ is the greatest and best gift of God Doctrine 2 I shall give a brief but full account of this assertion clearing up the truth of it and then shall improve it Christ is the principal best gift because 1. He is the most comprehensive good demonstration 2. He is a conveighing gift as well as a gift conveighed 3. He is the Engaging gift of God the Father 1 Iesus Christ is the most comprehensive good carrying in him that which serve 's for a supply of all the wants of Soules Hence it is that we have such resemblances of Christ that he is compared to those things which are most useful and comfortable Iohn 6. He is bread to feed the hungry Soul and to nourish it to everlasting life Ieâ— 2 13. He is a fountain of living waters of which who so drinketh shall never thirst more but this water shall be in the soul a well of water springing up unto life eternal Ioh. 4.14 hiâ— flâ—sh is meat indeed Ioh. 6.55 ch 15. v. 1. and his bloud is drink indeed he is a vine the true vine which beareth the sweet grapes of consolation Rev. 3.17 for the comforting and glading of the souls of his people he is rayment to cover the nakedness of people and to put a comliness upon them and adorne them Rom. 13.14 put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ he is a father and a husband to every believer his Name shall be called the everlasting Father Thy maker is thy husband Now Christ is held forth to us under such notions Isay 9.9 c 54. v. 5. and by such metaphors not only to way-lay our thoughts that we should look up to Christ in all these things but to teach us that whatsoever sweetness is in the creature all that and much more is to be found in Christ Is bread usefull is water useful is wine usefull is rayment usefull is a tender father or a good husband or wife or a towardly hopefull off-spring a blessing and a comfortable enjoyment why of more use of more concernment a greater comfort than any of these yea than all these is Iesus Christ to the soules that enjoy him 2. Christ is a conveighing gift he is the Lord high-Steward as I may say of God the Father who by the appointment of God giveth to every one of the houshold his portion It is in and by Christ Iesus that God blesseth us with blessings spiritual and temporal we are elected in him adopted in him justified by faith in his bloud sanctified through him and by his spirit and saved by him and all things are bestowed upon the people of God through him whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name ye shall receive Ioh. 16.23 Now it is good for us to note the fulness and the freeness of the conveighance of mercies and blessings made to us in and through Christ It is a full conveighance the fullness that was put into the person of the mediator was all for poor souls that of his fulnes we might receive grace for grace and there is through him a conveighance of all things pertaining to life and godliness 2 There is a free conveighance of Gods bounty to us through Christ Jesus how shall he not with him freely give us all things If the first gift were free the accessories must be free also but the first gift was free whether we look to the decree or the execution what was there to move God to appoint his Son to be mediator and to send him in the fulness of time to work out the redemption of sinners surely nothing unless it were the creatures misery 3 Jesus Christ is the engaging gift of God the Father
5 If God hath given us his Son Counsel 5. Give jour selves up to Christ and all things with him if Christ â—ath given himself for us and beâ—owed himself upon us then let â—s give up our selves wholly to â—im in all that we are and all â—hat we can do let us be his truly â—his is but just and alas What is my all to his We are infinitely advantaged by this gift which God hath given us Christ is in life and death advantage but we cannot in any thing be profitable unto God Can a man be profitable to God Job 22.2 Yet if we give our poore all unto God if we give our selves to him devoting our selves to his service though all this be nothing in comparison of God's gift to us Yet he is graciously pleased to account it something and taketh pleasure in the willing offering of his servants Thus it must be beloved and thus it will be with the Christian that hath Christ upon the receipt of this gift from God there is a giving up of the soul unto God Faith that takes Christ or rather Christ who is taken by Faith caries the believer unto God in all dutie Faith or the Spirit of Christ perswades the soul to make the Word of God its Rule and so to give it self up to God in all obedience Faith worketh by love Cant. 2.16 My beloved â—s mine and I am his saith the spouse of Christ when we do by faith truly apply Christ and all his grace â—o our selves we shall by holiness of life give our selves to Christ deâ—iring and endeavouring to do his will Couns 6. Let Christ be your support 6. If we have received Jesus Christ â—et us then to the honour of Christ make shew of our riches let it appear that we are possest of him let â—s not be so cast down by crosses or losses of any kind in the world as if we had no other or better portion to trust to or take comfort in but let us still rejoyce in Christ Jesus and amidst all the changes of this life and in all conditions let us walk chearfully in the way of our duty having a propriety in and possession of such riches and treasure as this which God hath given us let Christ be to us a support and comfort in sickness peace in trouble liberty in imprisonment riches in poverty enlargment in straits life in death Let him be to us a heaven upon earth certainly the believer may have and ought to have sweet peace and tranquillity in his soul in all conditions arising from his enjoyment of Christ I come now to the last Use of the Point with which I shall presently finish my work Vse 4 Consolatâ—on 4. Is Christ the great gift of God a gift above all gifts this is a ground of much comfort to Christians to true believers that by faith close with Jesus Christ A believer that hath Christ hath all in him and carries still his happiness â—ith him a happiness that cannot be lost the true Christian stands fast forever in his happy union with Christ so that here is the Christian his happiness above all others in the world that he alone is sure never to loose his happiness Now the happiness of a Christian in the enjoyment of Christ might be much amplified and held forth in many particulars I shall hint something for the comfort of Believers 1. As many as receive Christ have by him and with him this priviledge he makes them the Sons of God As many as received him Joh. 1.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—them gave he power rather priâ—iledge or prerogative to become â—he Sons of God The soul that takâ—th Jesus Christ receiveth sonship with him and surely many and great are the priviledges of God's Children in this world and in the world to come 2. They that have received Christ are by Christ interessed in â—he gracious providence of God which ordereth all things for their good 3. All things are theirs by Gods ordination and promise in respect of the use and end for which they â—re all things in kind not in the â—ndividuals This is held out by â—he Apostle in a notable enumeraâ—ion of particulars 1 Cor. 3.21 All things are â—urs whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the world or life or death â—r things present or things to come All Officers and Ordinances in the Church all creatures in the world â—ll conditions and all events all are for the good of believers are in this respect given them with Christ all things are yours 4. The having of Christ is a firm ground of consolation in all troubles and distresses Is the conscience troubled and distressed through the sense of sin and guilt 1 Jo. 2.2 Rom. 3 25. 1 Jo. 1.7 why Christ is the propitiation for the sins of believers him hath God set forth to be a propitiation for sin through faith in his bloud It is the bloud of Christ that cleanseth from all sin Now Christian this Christ is thine by whom thy sins are taken away through whom God is reconciled to thee by whose bloud thou art cleansed from thy sin Doth Satan come to winnow the soul by temptations and vex it with accusations telling the Christian that he is thus and thus sinful and guilty and that the Law which he hath transgressed threatens death and damnation to him what saith Paul for the believer his comfort in this case Rom. 8.33.34 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect it is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Who shall lay any thing to thy charge if Christ clear thee who or what shall condemn thee seeing Christ who is given to thee hath died for thee for thy sins and risen again for thy justification in as much as thou hast by faith laid hold on Christ who died and rose from the dead and sitteth at the right hand of God making intercession for thee And further this Christ is with thee in thee to strengthen thee in temptations that thy faith fail not and that thou be not overcome of the evil one Heb 2.18 he was therefore temptâ—d himself that he might succour them that are tempted Doth the consideration of thine own weakness discourage thee because thou hast not strength and abilities to do that good and perform those duties which thou â—houldst and wouldst do why now consider that Christ is thne for all sauing purposes for all soul advantages he will be thy strength and shew his power in thy weakness his spirit is with thee in thee to help thine infirmities Do outward troubles annoy thee art thou in an afflicted condition why Christ whom the Father hath given to thee gave himself for thee that he might deliver thee from this present evil world he is a covert