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
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
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
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
from the tempest as Rivers of waters in a dry place as the shadow of a great Rock in a weary Land he hath a fellow-feeling of thy sufferings and will not suffer thee to be tempted above measure and his grace is sufficient for thee to strengthen and support and comfort thee in every affliction and troâ—ble and to give thee a great advantage by it causing sweet to come out of the sower and meat out of the Eater and in due time to deliver thee wholly to deliver the burden from thy shoulders So that believers may have what our Saviour promised to his Disciples peace and and comfort in Christ when in the world they have tribulations Doth death look upon thee with a grim countenance to put thee in fear Now consider that Christ who is thine hath overcome Death for thee and hath by his Death destroyed him that had the power of Death hath delivered thee from the wrath to come hath opened to thee the way to Heaven and every gate of Heaven he himself is the way and the doore for thee to enter in by and he will be to thee the Resurrection and the life Thus if Christ be thine he is thy Propitiation thy Justification thy Srength thy Salvation Wherefore let Faith carry thee to leane on him in all temptations and afflictions that thou maist be borne up by him and comforted with the thoughts of thy interest in him Yet I cannot thus leave this theam but must add something for a further amplification of the comfort of Believers who are received Christ As I have shewed you that the having of Christ is to believers a firm ground of comfort for Faith to pitch upon in all Spiritual and corporal inward and outward afflictions so I shall give you to see how Christ is actually effectually a Comforter in such cases to those that have received him If the soul be afflicted with strong temptations Christ comforteth it with this Word My grace is sufficient for thee to keep thee from being overcome and to make thee more then a Conquerour If Satan hath prevailed against the Christian by temptation and drawn him into some great sin whereupon there followeth soul affliction when the conscience is awakened Then Christ comforteth the soul leading to the Fountain which is set open for sin and for uncleanness presents to it the flowings of his Bloud sets before it the fulness and freeness of the Grace of God in Christ for the pardon of all sins for the refreshing of every weary soul for the satisfâ—ing of every hungring thirsting soul that hungâ—reth and thirsteth after Righteousness and when a humbled Christian closeth by faith with this Grace of Christ and washeth his soul in the Fountain of his Blood then is he comforted If Christ for the trial of a Christian do hide himself from him so that he is troubled and inwardly afflicted for want of the felt presence of Christ and for want of the manifestation of Christ his love to his soul in this case Christ will be a seasonable Comforter to the poor humbled soul he that casteth the soul down will lift it up again leading it by his Spirit to lay hold upon the comfort which lies for every child of God in that of the Apostle There is no temptation hath taken you but that which is common to men 1 Cor. 10.33 but God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted aboâ—e that ye are able but will the temptation also make to escape that ye may be able to bear it and Christ helpeth the soul to gather up comfort from those sweet words Isa 45.7 8. For a small moment have I forsaken thee In a litle wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy upon the sai h the Lord thy Redeemer And thus Christ returns in due time to receive the spirits of his humble ones Christ in the believer is seasonable Comforter in all Spiritual distress in all soul affliction So likewise in case of outward trouble and temporal distressess Christ in heart is a Comforter telling the Believer that he is all sufficient for him tells him that there is in him a sufficiency of Wisdom to find out a way for his deliverance and a sufficiency of power actually to accomplish his deliverance how great soever the evil be that lies upon him yea and a sufficiencie of Love and grace to make out his power and wisdom for his good and so comforteth him abundantly filling him with this perswasion that all things shall work together for good to him Here is the happiness of a Believer that he hath a Comforter in his bosome in the midst of all troubles This is made out clearly in the experience of the Saints of which I might give you sundry Scripture instances David in his soul trouble found Christ a Comforter When Peter was by Herod cast into prison was not Christ there a Comforter to him When the Jews fell maliciously and desparately upon Stephen and in their rage Stoned him did not he receive then glorious comfort from Christ dwel ing in him Paul found this to be true at sundry times and in sundry cases And Paul and Sylas together in the Prison had experience of this truth Where Christ is in the soul helping the soul to act faith upon him he is actually a Comforter in all conditions in every distress of soul and body Well now for a clâ—se I shall summ up in few words the happiness of believers upon account of their interest in Christ and possession of him Christ brings with him all good to those that enjoy him 1. They have by Christ all temporal good things as much as is needful for them and that which God sees good for them to have now if a man hath what is for his necessary use and so much as is for his good is he not well provided for and he that hath Christ hath that which will make full amends for all seeming and conceited wants that which is infinitely better than those things which God is pleased to withhold from them and Christ being in contentation to many pirits so that in a poor outward estate the believer is as well pleased as if he had abundance and so he hath all in contentation he that is content wants nothing 2. Christ bringeth spiritual good to the soul bringing in the treasures of grace and the riches of consolation though to some soul he giveth more of that treasure more of these riches than he doth to others Christ is made to us sanctification he is the author and worker of grace and holiness so that the hearts in which Christ is must needs be gracious and holy he giveth in wisdome and meekness and love and zeal and other graces of the spirit and he tells his Disciples and all believers in them that he will not leave them comfortless I am he that comforteth you saith the Lord Christ 3. Jesus Christ bringeth believers to the enjoyment of eternal good he bringeth them to heaven â—ven all those souls to whom he is united on earth Father I will that those whom thou hast given m be with me Jo. 17.24 where I am that they may see my glory My sheep hear my voice Jo. 10.27 28. and they follow me and I give unto them eternal life Every soul that is here an habitation of God through the spirit in whom Christ dwelleth shall be received into everlasting habitations with Christ This is the happiness of every soul that enjoys Christ And now as the Apostle saith Christ in you the hope of glory so I may say Christ in you a spring of comfort Blessed soul that can truly say Christ is mine FINIS