it was necessary to our recovery one should undertake for us that could answer the rigour of the Decree by his Sufferings and supply the defects both of Men and Angels by the Innocence and Worth of a Sacrifice Innocence to prepare and Worth to crown the Oblation Now that Christ was thus qualified to appear in our stead may be easily evinc'd if we will but consider either the purity of his Humane nature which was without spot 1 Pet. 1.19 Rom. 9.5 or the Majesty of his Person who is God blessed for ever The first of these would serve to make his Offering holy the latter would give it infinite value by both which he was fitted to pay our debt and bear all the wrath of his Father due to our sins And that He actually did what He was so qualified to perform we have the like evidence from Scripture The whole Oeconomy of the Jews and the strain of the Gospel confirms it The Sacrifices of the Old Law were Types and dark Images of this Great one that was once to be offered for the sins of the people The Gospel-phrase points altogether to this Truth and therefore when it speaks of Christ Mat. 20.28 it calls him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a price of ransome nay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a price by way of exchange 1 Tim. 2.6 in supplying our place again we are said to be justified by his Blood reconciled through his Death and to have redemption by his Sufferings all which expressions signifie the proper effect of his Death was the remission of our sins This He himself testifies how that his Blood was shed for the remission of sins Matt. 26.28 whence we may take comfort in his Death and rejoyce in the vertue of his Attonement whereby our pardon is obtain'd Should we now with the Socinian make plain words that express all this to be meer Metaphors and Figures we may as well joyn with the old Hereticks the Valentinians that made a Figure of his Living Dying and Rising in that they denied the reality of his Flesh nor can their Opinion be more contrary to the Faith than this For as to hold He was but the Image of a Man destroys a Christ so to hold He was but the Image of a Priest destroys a Saviour Thus to wrest the Scripture is to wrest it to our destruction for what follows upon it If he be not in a true sense offer'd for us we are still in our sins the Curse of the Law yet abides and his Death becomes altogether unprofitable when it brings us deliverance but in shadow I might add how his suffering upon any other account than in our stead to redeem us has nothing of justice in it and therefore cannot demonstrate the justice of another whereas his Blood and the declaring of Gods righteousness are joyned together Rom. 3.25 but if He who was all innocence in himself did not bear our guilt when He suffer'd the Death He underwent being properly a punishment because sins wages would be so far from declaring Gods righteousness that it could onely manifest the Tyranny of the Inflicter Yet these kind of men are the great pretenders to Reason who reject the Doctrine of Satisfaction but cannot maintain what they deliver without laying their ground-work in impiety which is to assert He was no God that suffer'd where how grosly they renounce their reason will appear in this that denying him to be God they deny themselves to be True Worshippers and proclaim to the world their Idolatry in adoring Man But their absurdity farther appears when denying the Meritoriousness of his Satisfaction they can yet make his Sufferings to be meritorious of Divine Power as if there were any proportion betwixt meer humane actions and so high a reward Now what Merit is this that could raise him to be the Head of Angels and Governour of all created Beings nay to be adored and worshipped equally with the Father which Honours the collected services of the whole Creation cannot reach to May not the Heathens scoff at their Idolatry who pretending to Christianity set up a made God to pray to and expect Salvation from One who is exalted for the vertue of his sufferings in maintaining his Religion as they consecrated theirs for the Gallantry of publick actions Behold this is onely to refine but not to change the nature of Gentilism as likewise it utterly overthrows the Mystery of Godliness and destroys the Greatness of Divine Love which consisted chiefly in abasing the Deity for Mans sake whereas this makes it ridiculous and dishonourable in thus exalting the Humanity But I leave them to their Judg above and their Books to Judges below I shall now onely briefly inquire into Two things for the better opening this Point and so proceed to my Second Observable 1. How Christs Death is the Cause of the remission of our sins 2. From what Time we should date the Benefit of that remission as it is made ours 1. How Christs Death is the Cause c. I answer thus God the Father was mov'd for that price his Son layd down which was his precious Blood to free us from that punishment we deserved in our own persons and to enter into a New Covenant with us offering us Pardon of sin and Eternal Life upon new easie terms of faith and sincere obedience whereas before rigorous Justice bore the sway and shut us all up under a a sentence of condemnation without hope of mercy Therefore He is called the Mediator of a better Covenant and whereas in the old League we were used as Gibeonites and made slaves in this New one procured by Christ we are treated as a free People and made capable of the Privileges of his Kingdome This He ratified in his own Blood whence his Blood is called the Blood of the New Testament wherein all his promises of Grace are confirm'd and the Legal Curse done away See here the Love of a Saviour that would thus die to restore us buy our peace at the price of himself and bring us terms of salvation so dearly purchased which before we could not hope for This shows the wretchedness of our state and the need we stood in of such an Expiation when He who could create us at first with the ease of a word is not allowed to create us anew but with the pain of suffering The Cross upon which He did this work is a sad spectacle to Sense but a glad object of Faith the one presents him naked in our Flesh but the other covered with our Sins the one shows him in his Blood but the other in our Guilt the burden of which He carried up thither encountred his Fathers wrath and at the very point of death proclaimed his Victory It is finished which is all one with this The Attonement is wrought because the Victim is slain 2. From what time we should date the Benefit of that Remission when it is made ours
to the excellency of that discovery For the whole Mosaïck Oeconomy was made up of Types and Figures and a thick Night continually overspread their Tabernacle Their Promises and Curses literally concerned the things of this life and it required a piercing Faith spiritually to interpret them a vulgar eye would surely stay upon the Surface but for to be able to take in the depth this must proceed from a strong enlightning which we read only a few were blest with that like Moses were carried up to see the hidden things of the Mount when the generality stood below and saw nothing but Clouds There was then great need of a Saviour to appear whether we regard Jew or Gentile and that not only for the work of saving Mankind but for redeeming Truth which was so obscur'd by the one and lost by the other Now Christ has discharg'd his Office in this particular and for this Prophet alone was reserv'd all the glory of Divine Revelation who being the express Image of his Fathers Person was the Signifier also of his Will in the brightest Character We know in the Creation Light was Gods first work but in restoring of Religion his last He judg'd it not fit to bring bright day on his People at first but by degrees to prepare their weak sight that it might be the better confirm'd and when the full time came the Gospel was published which put an end to farther discoveries and seal'd up the Vision This being premis'd it remains I should speak one word to shew how Gods wrath by way of eminency is revealed in the Gospel which will appear by considering 1. The Cleerness of it in the Letter 2. The Publick Promulgation of it to the World 1. For the Clearness of the Letter nothing can be more lively shown than the Sinners Hell whose Worm is said not to dye neither is his Fire quenched Nor does the Second Death cease from hurting him Should we now conclude with the Socïnian Eternal Punishment to be nothing else but Perdition or a Negation of Existence we must flatly deny those phrases of Scripture before mentioned for the Worm it self dies if its prey does so the Fire is put out if the matter it feeds upon be not lasting and the Second Death is not in the least hurtful if it imply nothing of torment But besides were this granted them what 's become of the fierceness of Gods wrath when neither felt nor endured Where is his Judgment and severe reckoning with evil doers if they partake with Brutes in their end It is folly to fear where Justice is not known and consequently a wide gap is opened by such men to all impiety when they take off the Terrors of Death leaving men as unconcern'd to be nothing an hundred years hence as an hundred years past to be unborn O the vanity of that Reason they pretend to which breaks the Authority of Gods Laws O the cruelty of their Compassion to Mans nature whereby Religion it self is destroy'd But Christ has otherwise instructed the World and knowing it needful that Everlasting Punishment should be equally set before us with Life Eternal He has joyned them both in the Sentence that we might be every way convinc'd Eternity is our lot and therefore a full motive to Duty In the Old Testament Tophet or the Valley of the Children of Hinnom where their Sons and Daughters were sacrificed to Moloch was used by the Prophet Isaiah as his greatest Type and Representation of Hell But how short it fell of a Gospel-description will be made evident if we consult the place the number it was prepared for and the time of its burning the place though deep yet had bottom the number though great yet was limited to one People and the time of its burning though fierce yet had end On the contrary the Gospel reveals a bottomless Gulf a multitude of all Nations that enter and a perpetual duration of their torments So that here we have a clear light of the Letter wherein the Jews were defective Neither does the excellency of a Revelation stop here but we may consider in the second place 2. The Publick Promulgation of it to the World and the Seal it carries of an Universal Publishing answerable to the Majesty of him that came to set up an Universall Kingdom Behold the Sentence of Divine Wrath was before hid with the Jews but now the knowledg of it spreads into all parts and so it proves a new Light in regard of its extent through all quarters That Sun of righteousness that has risen shines round about not only with healing under his wings to preserve but with Flames too of vengeance to consume And this He manifested here on Earth when he proclaimed the Glad-tydings of Salvation and pronounc'd many a Blessing upon his People yet lest they should forget the Justice of a Saviour Woes and Threatnings were ushered in to allay and temper all his Ministry Therefore those that heard him had reason to fear and not think themselves freed from Legal terrors since the Thunder of Sinai continued still though the Darkness of it was gone And as He thus awed them with his own Teaching so He commissioned his Servants to do likewise when He sent them abroad to teach all Nations Mercy alone was not their Theme nor the riches of Divine Grace in mans Redemption which is such welcome news to the receiver but the Curse was also annext and the Charge of future Judgment that if the former did please the latter might bind Before this Ignorance might be some way pleaded by the Gentiles that they obeyed not Gods Law when Life and Immortality were not known but after these were cleared up in the Gospel then their Condemnation was perfected For now they could be no longer termed unhappy for sitting in Darkness and in the Shadow of Death which is a kind of Sanctuary to the Pleader but Wicked for loving the Shadow which is the beginning of Hell Upon this account He no more winks or spares but judicially eying their steps denounces against them his heaviest Judgment I know many refer the Revelation of Gods Wrath to the Experiments of it in the world and make his outward Judgments upon sinners as so many Witnesses to confirm it But were no higher meant than those Instances we should be still in the dark convinc'd perhaps he was wroth but not wroth to a distinction wherein Justice is revealed None can spell out Characters of Providence nor read the special Hand-writing upon the Wall without the benefit of Vision What is all our sight of a just God here but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a Riddle a Riddle that has busied Philosophers to resolve and hardned their doubts by the enquiry If Wrath be manifested let the bad feel its burden but alas Gods Tempests here seem onely to fall upon his own Chosen They may call it Grace thus to suffer but it is Grace not seen nor acknowledged by others all
expecting a reward so that to deny him our hearts is to joyn Sacrilege and folly together when we rob God and impoverish our selves We are all covetous of Life and of Life too in its best estate For though sin has corrupted mens choice of the way yet it has not blasted their desires of the end But our Lord has farther provided those desires should not be frustrated if we follow his rule and strictly adhere to his Commands in mortifying our affections and lusts and as it were spirituallizing the whole man to be thereby fitted for his Kingdom It is from us he expects this work should be performed and not from age Age may indeed prove the mortifier of a Lust but withall it kills the service Little is the glory of overcoming the Tempter when he does not assault us but to break fleshly motions in all their strength this is a true Conquest Neither should it be thought strange for any Disciple to deny thus self in Christianity for Heaven being the object of that work will easily destroy the Miracle of doing it How can any of us contemplate the happiness above and yet not be willing to forsake his proper sins sins how colour'd soever yet in the midst of their Varnish deform'd Where is true beauty but that of Life which only in the Counterfeit we admire where is true wealth but that of Immortality which only in the Glitter we esteem since then such a fair and substantial Treasure is there offer'd us we ought like wise-men to determine our choice and forsaking the vanities of other objects become fixt and settled in our endeavours that we may obtain and compass that Good which yields so bright so weighty so glorious a recompence to the Pursuer The Fourth Discourse Rom. 8.34 Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again THe Justification of a Sinner and the way God has prescribed to save men by is so mistaken in the world that no Point has begot more disputes nor is there any Theme wherein Scripture has more suffer'd Yet this quarrel amongst men cannot be charg'd upon any want of evidence in this particular but either an humour of pride to contradict or the interest of a Party to pursue or the prejudice of Opinion to defend have been the main cause of that contention Would we come with a sincere mind to the reading of the Word especially the Writings of this Apostle we should find the difficulty of that Truth clear'd and the glorious effects of Christs Mediatorship laid open upon which our Justifying does depend Now for the better handling this Text which I have here chosen to discuss I shall a little explain the verse before it by reason of their necessary connexion together In which verse we may observe 1. The Triumphant Challenge he makes summoning any Adversary to appear in Court 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who will charge or accuse 2. The Ground of his confidence how little that Accusation would avail because of the mercy of the Judge that acquits the offendor It is God that justifies 3. The limitation of the Charge in respect of the party against whom it is drawn and the limitation of the act of Justifying Grace in respect of the party to whom it belongs Who will lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It is God that justifies that is those Elect where by Gods Elect he means the same that are spoken of in the first verse of the Chapter namely such as are in Christ Jesus that walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit that is who perform all the conditions required in the New Covenant For these alone are the chosen of God whom He has decreed to reward with Eternal Life But because the grace of Justification does necessarily suppose a work of Satisfaction since the goodness of God could have no place for justifying a sinner were not the way first made by attoning his Justice he therefore proceeds in my Text to clear that point and show whence Pardoning Mercy springs namely from Christs undertaking our Cause and reconciling us to his Father by the vertue of his Mediatorship Acts 4.11 12. He indeed is the Stone upon which all our salvation is built so that without him there neither is nor can be given either Pardon of sin here or Glory hereafter Hence the Apostle with regard to his satisfaction does further urge and more strongly confirm what he laid down in the former verse Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again The words contain in them a True Believers full discharge and the Reason or Ground of it The fulness of the discharge is held forth in that Question Who is he that condemneth The reason of it is exprest in that double work of our Redeemer but one of them more dignified than the other It is Christ that died yea rather is risen again The sense of the whole may be resolv'd into these Three Propositions 1. That there is a Proper and Peculiar Vertue to be ascribed to Christs Death in the act of redeeming us 2. That there are Proper and Peculiar Advantages in Christs Rising above that Death 3. That Christs Death in particular but more eminently his Rising has procur'd the Saints freedom from Condemnation 1. That there is a Proper and Peculiar Vertue to be ascribed to Christs Death in the act of Redeeming us In the handling of it I shall premise some Truths First I take for granted what Scripture so clearly reveals that the breach of a Positive Law which was given to Adam in Paradise did not onely involve him but his Posterity too in the Curse there threatned so that the propagation of Mankind from him was but the propagation of persons condemn'd all of us being lyable thereby to Death Temporal and Eternal Secondly though God considered in his Absolute Power could forgive Man the sin he had committed yet considered in the Decree he had made of punishing his Sin and as a Governour bound to maintain it so he was hindred from the exercise of that power Thirdly No creature could possibly reverse that Decree nor expiate the violation of this Governours Authority for want of a Satisfaction which He demanded For where was the Creature that could give it Angels withdraw from the brightness of Gods Glory how then would they flee from the Fire of his wrath Man cannot bear the punishment due to one of his own how then would he sustain the sins of a World Had either of them been deputed to this Task they had sunk under it poor Mankind had been lost and God still unreconcil'd For to the work of Satisfying him Srength as well as Innocence is required but the Creature at best is too weak to intercede the price of its suffering too mean the merit of which cannot extend to another and so Divine Justice instead of accepting would quite devour the Sacrifice Therefore