and Council of Saints Not one of the sinners shall remain in the company of the righteous nor appear in their Society 2. The wicked are raised ex officio Iudicis not beneficio Mediatoris they are raised by Christ as a Judge but not by him as a Redeemer The one sort are raised by the power of his vindicative Justice the other by the Holy Ghost by vertue of his Covenant Rom. 8.11 He shall quicken your mortal bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in you The one by Christs power from without put forth by him as Judge of dead and living The other by an inward quickning influence that flows from him as their proper head When the Reaper gathers the Wheat into his Barn the Tares are bound in bundles and cast into unquenchable Fire Matth. 15.30 3. The wicked are forced to appear and cannot shift that dreadful Tribunal the other go joyfully forth to meet the Bridegroom and when the sentence of condemnation shall be executed upon the one the other by vertue of Christs Life and Resurrection shall enter into the possession of a blessed and Eternal Life wherein they shall injoy God and Christ and the company of Saints and Angels and sing Hallelujahs for ever and ever Thirdly How is this an evidence and assurance to all good Christians of their happy and glorious Resurrection 1. The Resurrection of Christ doth prove that there shall be a Resurrection 2. That to the faithful it shall be a blessed and glorious Resurrection 1. There shall be a Resurrection it is necessary to prove that partly because it is the foundation of all Godliness if there were not another Life after this there were some ground for that saying of the Atheists Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall dye 2 Cor. 15.32 If there be no future estate nor being after this Life let us enjoy the good things of the World whilst we can for with in a little while death cometh and then there is an end of all These Atheistical discourses and temptations to sensuality were more justifiable if men were annihilated by death no the soul is immortal and the body shall rise again and come into the judgment and unless we live Holily a terrible judgement it will be to us Partly because we cannot easily believe that the same body shall be placed in heaven which we see committed to the Grave to rot there Of all Articles of Religion this is most difficultly assented unto now there is relief for us in this business in hand Christ is the first-born from the dead There were many praeludia resurrectionis foretokens and pledges of the Resurrection given to the old World in the Translation of Enoch the Rapture of Elijah the reviving of these few dead ones which I spake of before but the great and publick evidence that is given for the assurance of the World is Christs rising from the Grave this makes our Resurrection 1. Possible 2. Easie. 3. Certain and Necessary 1. Possible the least that we can gather from it is this that it is not impossible for dead men to rise for that which hath been may be We have the proof and instance of it in Christ see how the Apostle reasoneth 1 Cor. 15.13 If there be no Resurrection from the dead then Christ is not risen and then our whole Faith falleth to the ground For all Religion is bottomed on the Resurrection of Christ if therefore Christ be risen why should it seem an incredible thing to us that others should be raised also 2. It is Easie for by rising from the dead he hath conquered death and gotten the victory of it 1 Cor. 15.57 A separation there will be of the soul from the body but it is not such as shall last for ever The victory over sin is the victory over death and the conquest of sin makes death an entrance into immortality The Scriptures often speak of Christs destroying the power of death Heb. 2.14 That through death he might destroy him that had the power of death The devils design was by tempting men to sin to keep them for ever under the power of death but Christ came to rescue men from that power by a Resurrection from Death to Life Again it is said he hath abolished death and brought Life and Immortality to light in the Gospel He hath voided the power of death by taking a course for the destruction of sin and made a clear Revelation of that Life and Immortality which was not so certainly known before We look to the natural impossibilities how what is turned to dust may be raised again because we do not consider the power of God but the moral impossibility is the greater for the sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law that which makes sin able to do us hurt is the guilt of sin otherwise it would be but as a calm sleep and this guilt is bound upon us by the Law of the righteous God which threatneth eternal Death to the sinner Now get free from sin and it is easie to believe the conquest of death I will prove two things that Christs Râ—surrection shews both his victory over sin and his victory over death 1 His victory over sin That he hath perfectly satisfyed for sin and appeased the wrath of God who is willing to be reconciled with all those that come to the Faith and Obedience of the Gospel which could not be if Christ had remained under the power of death for the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 15.17 If Christ had not risen ye are yet in your sins that is God is not pacifyed there is no sufficient means of atonement or foundation layed for our Reconciliation with him but his Resurrection declareth that he is fully satisfyed with the ransom paid for sinners by Jesus Christ for it was in effect the releasing of our Surety out of Prison so it is said Rom. 4.15 He was delivered for our offences and raised up for our Iustification he dyed to expiate and do away sin and his Resurrection sheweth it was a sufficient Ransom and therefore he can apply the vertue of it to us 2. His victory over death For he got out of it which not only shews there is a possibility for a man by the power of God to be raised from Death to Life but a facility as a second Adam he brought Resurrection into the World there were two Adams the one Man brought Death and another brought Resurrection into the World The sentence of death is gone out against all the children of Adam as such and the Regenerate Believers that are recovered by Christ shall be raised to immortal Life he hath gotten out of the power of death so shall we 3. Certain and necessary For several Reasons 1. Our relation to Christ he is the head of the body now the head will not live gloriously in Heaven and leave his members behind him under the power of death Believers are called the
of Ransom to God We are not delivered from this bondage by prayer or intreaty nor by strong hand or meer force nor yet by the sole condescension and pity of the injured party without seeking reparation of the wrong done but by the payment of a sufficient price and just satisfaction to provoked Justice This Price was not payed indeed to Satan who detaineth souls in slavery as a rigid usurping Tyrant or merciless Gaoler from him indeed we are delivered by force but the price was paid to God Man had not sinned against Satan but against God to whom it belongeth to condemn or absolve And God being satisfied Satan hath no power over us but is put out of office As the Executioner hath nothing to do when the Judge and Law is satisfied Now that Redemption implyeth the paying of a price is clear because the word importeth it and the Scripture often uses this Metaphor Matth. 20.28 The son of man came not to be ministred unto but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many 1 Tim. 2 6. Who gave himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time Redemption in the general is a recovery out of our lost estate God could have saved men by the Grace of Confirmation but he chose rather by the Grace of Redemption This recovery was not by a forcible rescue but by a Ransom Christ in recovering his people out of their lost estate is sometimes set forth as a Lamb sometimes as a Lion In dealing with God we consider him as the Lamb slain Rev. 5.5 6. In dealing with Satan and the Enemies of our salvation he doth as a Lion recover the Prey But why was a Ransom necessary Because God had made a former Covenant which was not to be quit and wholly made void but upon valuable consideration least his Justice Wisdom Holiness Veracity Authority should fall to the ground 1. The Honour of his governing Justice was to be secured and freed from any blemish that the awe of God might be kept up in the World Rom. 3.5 6. And Gen. 18.25 That be far from thee to do after this manner to slay the righteous with the wicked and that the righteous should be as the wicked that be far from thee shall not the judge of all the earth do right If God should absolutely pardon without satisfaction equivalent for the wrong done how should God else be known and reverenced as the Just and Holy Governour of the World Therefore Rom. 3.25 26. 't is said whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God To declare I say at this time his righteousness that he might be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Iesus 2. His Wisdom The Law was not given by God in jest but in the greatest earnest that ever Law was given Now if the Law should be recalled without any more ado the Law-giver would run the hazard of Levity Mutability and Imprudence in constituting so solemne a Transaction to no purpose Paul was troubled when forced to retract his Word 2 Cor. 1.17 18. that his word should be yea to day and nay to Morrow Therefore when God had said Thus I will govern the World he was not to part with the Law upon light Termes 3. His Holy Nature would not permit it There needed some way to be found out to signifie his purest Holiness his hatred and detestation of sin and that it should not be pardoned without some markes of his displeasure His soul hates the wicked and the righteous God loveth Righteousness Psal. 11.6 4. His Authority It would be a derogation from the Authority of his Law if it might be broken and there be no more ado about it Now that all the World might know that it is a dangerous thing to transgress his Laws and might hear and fear and do no more presumptuously God appointed this course that the penalty of his Law should be executed upon our surety when he undertook our Reconciliation with God Gal. 4.4 5. The Veracity and Truth of God It bindeth the Truth of God which sinners are apt to question Gen. 3.5 Hath God said And Deut. 29.19 20. We look upon the Threatnings of the Law as a vain Scare-crow therefore for the Terror and warning of sinners for the future God would not release his Wrath nor release us from the power of Sin and Satan which was the consequent of it without a price and valuable compensation Thirdly None was sit to give this ransom but Jesus Christ who was God man he was man to undertake it in our name and God to perform it in his own strength a man that he might be made under the Law and humbled even to the death of the Cross for our sakes and all this was elevated beyond the worth of created actions and sufferings by the divine nature which was in him which perfumed his humanity and all done by it and in it This put the stamp upon the mettal and made it current Coin imposed an infinite value upon his finite obedience and sufferings By taking humane Nature a price was put into his hands to lay down for us Heb. 10.15 and His divine Nature made it sufficient and responsible for it was the Blood of God Acts 20.28 Feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own Blood And Heb. 9.13 For if the Blood of Bulls and Goats and the ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifyeth to the purifying of the Flesh how much more shall the Blood of Christ who through the spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your Conscience from dead works to serve the Living God It was that Flesh and Blood which was assumed into the unity of his person as a slip or branch grafted into a stock is the branch of the stock and the fruit of it is the fruit of the stock A naked Creature without this Union could not have satisfied the Justice of God for us This made his blood a precious blood and his obedience a precious obedience In short God-man the Son of God and the Son of Adam was he that Redeemed us So in short there were different parties to be dealt with before the fruit of Redemption could be obtained God Satan Man God was an Enemy that could not be overcome but must be reconciled Satan was a usurper and was to be vanquished with a strong hand Man was unable and unwilling to look after the fruits of Redemption and our obstinacy and unbelief could onely be overcome by the Spirit of Christ. Fourthly Nothing performed by Christ could be a sufficient ransom for this end unless he had crowned all his other actions and sufferings by laying down his life and undergoing a bloody and violent death This was the compleating and crowning act Partly to answer the Types of the Law wherein no Remission
inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession The inchoate or begun deliverance is that measure of deliverance which believers enjoy now by Faith which consists of two parts Iustification and Sanctification Sanctification 1. Pet. 1.18 Tit. 2.14 Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works When we are free from the power and weight of sin Iustification so it is in the Text and Eph. 1.7 When sin is freely pardoned and our debt cancelled and we are delivered from evil and wrath to come II. As it is a part so it is a principal part This will appear if you consider the evil we are freed from As 1. The power of the Devil is destroyed All the advantage which he hath against us is as we are sinners guilty sinners before God For we are put into his hands when we have forfeited the protection of our righteous Lord but forgiveness of sins gives us a release from him Acts 26.18 When Christ came to procure it he destroyed the devils Power when we are converted we are interessed in the priviledge 2. The reign of sin is broken for sanctifying Grace is inseparable from pardoning Grace yea I will venture to say that the gift of the sanctifying Spirit is a part of our pardon executed and applyed for a part of the punishment of sin was spiritual death or the loss of Gods Image Col. 2.13 He hath quickned you together with Christ having forgiven all your trespasses When God pardoneth he sanctifieth and createth us anew that we may be fit for his service so that we are renewed by the Spirit as well as recovered out of the sâ—ares of the devil 3. We are eased of tormenting fears in a great measure Man can have no firm peace and comfort in his own soul while sin remaineth upon him our case is dangerous whether we be sensible of it or no because our condition is not to be valued by our sense and feeling but by the sentence of the Law of God which we have broken and violated if there be any difference in the case the more insensible we are the more miserable The generality of men indeed are senseless and careless put far away the evil day from them and so make light work of reconciling themselves to God but are they the more safe for this No if they will dance about the brink of Hell and go merrily to their execution it argues not their safety but their stupidness The thoughts of danger is put off when the thing it self is not put away but if they be serious they cannot be without trouble Rom. 1.32 Knowing the judgement of God they conclude that they that do such things are worthy of death The very light of Nature will revive many unquiet thoughts within them The justice of the supream Governour of the World will still be dreadful to them whose law they have broken and whose wrath they have justly deserved They may lull the soul asleep by the stupifying potion of carnal Delights and while Conscience is asleep please themselves with stoln waters and bread eaten in secret which is soon disturbed by a few serious and sober thoughts of the world to come God is offended and what peace can they have 4. Death is unstinged That 's the usual time when Convictions grow to the height and the stings of an awakened Conscience begin to be felt 1 Cor. 15.28 Then the thoughts of Death and Judgement to come are very terrible to them and men begin to see what it is to bear their own sins and how happy they are who are sure of a pardon 5. The obligation to Eternal punishment ceases Pardon is dissolving and loosing that obligation Now the punishment is exceeding great Hell and damnation are no vain Scare-crows Eternity makes every thing truly great the poena damni an everlasting separation from the comfortable presence of the Lord Matth. 25.41 Go ye cursed Luk. 13.27 Depart ye workers of iniquity When God turned Adam out of Paradise his case was very sad but God took care of him in his Exile made him Coats of skin gave him a day of Patience afterwards promised the seed of the woman who should recover the lapsed estate of mankind intimated hopes of a better Paradise That estate therefore is nothing comparable to this for now man is stripped of all his comforts sent into an endless state of Misery whence there is no hopes of ever changing his condition So for the poena sensus the pain Mark 9.44 Where their worm never dieth and their fire is never quenched The worm is the worm of Conscience reflecting on past folly and disobedience See here a man may run away from the rebukes of Conscience by many shifts sleeping sporting distracting his Mind with a clutter of business but there not a thought free but is always thinking of slighted means abused mercies wasted time the offenses done to a merciful God and the curse wherein they have involved themselves the fire is the wrath of God or these unknown pains that shall be inflicted on body and soul which must needs be great when we fall into the hands of the living God! If a little mitigation a drop to cool your Tongue be thought a great matter oh what a blessedness is it to be freed from so great an evil Perhaps you coldly entertain the offer of a pardon now but then to be freed from wrath to come oh blessed Jesus 1 Thes. 1.10 2. The good depending on it Luk. 1.77 To give us the knowledge of salvation by the remission of sins Eternal life dependeth on it for you are not capable of enjoying God till his wrath be appeased As all evil was introduced by sin so all happiness by pardon This is an initial blessing which maketh way for the rest VSE Of Exhortation To perswade you to seek after this benefit All of us once needed it and the best of us till we are wholly freed from sin still need it 1. We all of us once needed it for we are not onely criminal persons liable to condemnation but actually condemned in the sentence of Gods law Ioh. 3.18 He that believeth not is condemned already Now should not a condemned man make means to be pardoned and should not we accept of Gods terms especially when there is but the slender thred of a frail life between us and execution He that securely continues in his sins despiseth both the curse of the Law and the grace of the Gospel Oh consider nothing but a pardon will serve the turn not forbearance on Gods part not forgetfulness on yours 1. Not forbearance of the punishment on Gods part God may be angry with us while he doth not actually strike as the Psalmist saith Psal. 7.11 12 13. God is angry with the wicked every day if he turn not he will whet his sword He hath bent his bow and will make it ready
this Relation bindeth us unto As obedience and self-denial 1. Obedience to his Laws and the motions of his Spirit His Laws Luke 6.46 Why call you me Lord Lord and do not the things which I say The motions of his Spirit Rom. 8.14 As many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sons of God 2. Self-denial Christ spared not his natural body to promote the good of his mystical Body he exposed his life for our Salvation we should hazzard all for his Glory Nature teaches us to lift up the hands to save the head 4. There must be sutableness and imitation 1 Ioh. 2.6 He that abideth in him ought to walk as he walketh 5. If you be planted into his Mystical body you will make conscience of Love and Tenderness IV. Vse Let us Triumph in this Head depend on him There are two Arguments his Ability and his Sympathy 1. His Ability He can give us Life Strength Health Eph. 3.16 That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthned with might by his spirit in the inner man Col. 1.15 Strengthned with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness 2. His Sympathy He is touched with the feeling of our Infirmities Heb. 4.15 We have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points â—empted like as we are yet without sin The Head is concerned for the Members SERMON VI. COL 1.18 Who is the beginning the first born from the dead I Come now to consider the first particular Title which is given to Christ There are two other Titles given to Christ the one respects the state of Grace the other the state of Glory And First With respect to the state of Grace he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beginning that is Origo mundi meliâ—ris the beginning of the new Creature as well as the Old for the same place and dignity which Christ hath in the order of Nature he hath in the order of Grace also Therefore he is called the beginning of the creation of God Rev. 3.14 The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not taken there passively as if it were the first thing that was created but actively that he giveth a being and beginuing to all things that are created and by the Creation of God is meant the new Creation So that the Point is Doctrine That Iesus Christ is the Author and beginning of the new Creatiâ—â— I shall briefly explain this and pass to the next branch Christ is the beginning two wayes I. In a way of Order and Dignity II. In a way of Causality 1. In a way of Order As first and chief of the renewed state This is many ways set forth in Scripture Two things I shall take notice of 1. That he is the builder of the Church 2. The Lord and Governour of it 1. As Founder and Builder of the Church Matth. 16.18 Thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church Christ challenges it to himself as his own peculiar prerogative to build the Church More fully the Apostle Heb. 3.3 4 5. For this man was â—â—unted worthy of more glory than Moses in as much as he that builded the house hath more honour than the house for every house is built by some man but he that buildeth all things is God And again Moses was faithful in all his house as a servant but Christ as a Son over his own house The scope of the Apostle is to prove that Christ must have the preheminence above all others that have been imployed in and about Gods House Moses was one of the chief of that sort that had greater familiarity with God than others and intrusted by him in very great and weighty matters yet Christ was not onely equal to Moses but far above him he proveth it by a comparison taken from a Builder and an House and from a Lord of the House and a Servant in the House but Christ is the builder of the House and Moses but a part of the House Christ is the Lord and Moses but the servant therefore Christ is more excellent and worthy of greater honour One of the Noblâ—st works of God is the Church of the First-born none could build frame and constitute this but the Son of God coming down in our flesh and so recovering the lost world into an holy society which might be dedicated to God For the materials of this house are men sinful and guilty neither Men nor Angels could raise them up into an holy Temple to God none but the Eternal word or the Son of God Incarnate â—e that buildeth all things is God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all these things the things treated of he doth not speak of the first creation but the second the restoring of the lapsed World to God 2. The other Honour is that Christ is Lord of the new creation as well as the founder and builder of it for the World to come is put in subjection to him not to the Angels Heb. 2.7 By the World to come is not meant the state of Glory but the state of the Church under the times of the Gospel It is made subject to God the Redeemer it is solely and immediately in his Power and under his Authority and cast into a dependance upon him II. In a way of Causality So he is the beginning either as a Moral or efficient cause 1. As a moral Meritorious cause We are renewed by Gods creating power but through the intervening Mediation of Christ Or Gods creating power is put forth with respect to his Merit The life of Grace is purchased by his death 1 Ioh. 4.9 God sent his onely begotten son into the world that we might live by him Here spiritually hereafter eternally For life is opposite to death incurred by sin We were dead legally as sentenced to death by the Law and spiritually as disabled for the service of our Creator And how by him that he speaketh of verse 10. by his being a propitiation We were in the state of death when the doors of Mercy were first opened to us under the guilt and power of sin but we live when the guilt of sin is pardoned and the power of sin broken but this life we have not without Christs being a propitiation for our sins or doing that which was necessary whereby God without impeachment of honour might shew himself placable and propitious to Mankind 2. As an efficient cause by the efficacy of his Spirit who worketh in us as Members of Christs Mystical Body Wherefore it is said 2 Cor. 5.17 If any man be in Christ he is a new creature And Eph. 2.10 We are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus unto good works Whatever Grace we have cometh from God through Christ as Mediator and from him we have it by virtue of our union with him It is first applied by the converting
as well as verbum oris This Covenant is carried on in soul Language Psal. 16.21 O my soul Thou hast said unto the Lord thou art my Lord. So Psal. 27.8 When thou saidst seek ye my face my heart said thy face Lord will I seek The Lord offereth or representeth himself as our Lord and we prosess our selves to be the Lords No eye seeth or ear heareth what passeth between God and the Soul Now without this Personal inward Covenanting all the priviledge of the Covenant will do us no good And this Personal inward covenanting amounts to full as much as My Lord my God Therefore it concerneth every one of us see whether we have thus particularly owned Christ if there hath been any Treaty between God and our Souls and whether it came to any conclusion and particular Soul engagement That you could thus own Christ. Not only as God and Lord but as your God and your Lord. SERMON VIII Col. 1.20 And having made peace by the blood of his Cross to reconcile all things to himself by him I say whether they be things in earth or things in heaven IN these words observe First What Christ was to do Secondly The manner how he did it Or First The End for which he was appointed To be our Mediator and Redeemer and accordingly promised and sent into the world to reconcile all things to God Whether they be things in heaven or things in earth Secondly The means by which he accomplished it Having made peace by the blood of his Cross that is by his bloody sacrifice on the Cross thereby answering the sacrifices of Attonement under the Law In the first branch take notice of 1. The Benefit Reconciliation with God 2. The person procuring it by him and it is repeated again I say by him 3. The persons to whom this Benefit is intended expressed 1. Collectively 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things 2. Distributively Whether they be things in earth or things in heaven As they are Collectively Expressed it teaches us that grace is revealed and offered in the most comprehensive expressions that none may be excluded or have just cause to exclude themselves As it is distributively expressed the latter clause is of a dubious Interpretation some by things on earth understand Men but by things in heaven the Angels Surely not the fallen Angels for they are not in Heaven neither was Christ sent to reconcile them nor relieve them in their Misery and reduce them to God Heb. 2.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what then shall we understand by things in heaven Some think the holy Angels others the glorified Saints 1. Those that assert the first argue thus that the Angels are properly inhabitants of Heaven and so fitly called things in Heaven and they are Enemies to Men whilst they are ungodly Idolatrous and Rebels to God as good Subjects hold with their Prince and have common Friends and Enemies with him but are reconciled to them as soon as they partake of the Benefits of Christs Death as we are told of joy in heaven among the angels of God at the conversion of one sinner Luk. â—5 10 Now if there be so much joy over one Sinner repenting how much more when many sinners are snatched out of the Jawes of Hell They make the sense to be thus before for the sins of men they weâ—â— aliâ—nated from them but then reconciled but this Scripture speaks not of the Reconciliation of Angels and Men but the Reconciliation of all things to God for so it is expresly in the Text to reconcile all things to himself Now the good Angels cannot be said to be reconciled to God for there was never a breach between them sâ— nunquam cum matre in gratiam rediisse 2. Therefore I interpret it of the glorified Saints See the like expression Eph. 1.10 To gather together in one all things to Christ which are in heaven and in earth And more clearly Eph. 3.15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named Meaning thereby the Faithful who are already in Heaven and those who are now remaining upon Earth This is a comfortable note and teaâ—hâ—s â—s 1. That the Apostle Paul knew no Purgatory or third place for Souls after Death 2. That the Saints departed are now in Heaven as to their Souls and gathered to the Rest of the Spirits of just men made perfect 3. The souls now in Heaven once needed the Merit of Christ even as we do None come thither but they were first reconciled to God By him their peace was made and they obtained Remission of sins by the blood of his Cross as ye do In short all that go to Heaven go thither by the Mediation Sacrifice and Meritorious Righteousness of the same Redeemer Doct. One great benefit we have by Christ is Peace and Reconciliation with God Here I shall shew 1. What this Reconciliation is 2. How it was obtained 3. What Assurance we have that it is obtained 4. How and upon what terms it is applied to us 1. What this Reconciliation is I Answer It is not an original Peace but a returning to Amity after some foregoing breach Now the breach by sin consisted in two things an aversion of the Creature from God and an aversion of God from the Creature so before Peace and Reconciliation can be made two things must be removed Gods Wrath and our sinful Nature God must be pacified and man Converted Gods Wrath is appeased by the blood of Christ and our Natures are changed and healed by the Spirit of Grace First Gods Wrath is appeased and then the Spirit is bestowed upon us for while God is angry and offended no saving benefit can be expected from him This Text speaks not how he took away our enmity but how he appeased God for us not so much of the Application as the impetration of this benefit The Application is spoken of verse the 21. how it is applied to us but here the Apostle more directly speaks of the impetration how it was procured and obtained for us namely by Christs satisfying Gods Justice for that wrong which caused the breach or the dying of the Son of God for a sinful World Now this hath an influence on Gods pardon and our Conversion for by vertue of this Reconciliation we are justified and pardoned Therefore we are said to be justified by his blood Rom. 8.9 that is the price is paid by Christ and accepted by God there needeth nothing more to be done on the Mediators part by virtue of the same peace made we are also sanctifyed and converted unto God 2 Cor. 5.18 The gift of the sanctifying spirit is given us as the fruit of Christs death 2. How it was obtained by the blood of his cross he made peace This implyeth death and such a death as in appearance was accursed for the death of the cross is the vilest and most cruel death Gal. 3.13 Christ hath Redeemed us from the curse of the Law being
by Men or Angels There was in it so much love to man so much self-denyal humility and patience so much resignation of himself to God who had appointed him to be our Redeemer that it cannot be parallel'd The great and most remarkable thing in Christs death was obedience Rom. 5.18 Phil. 2.7 8. God delighted not in more blood but blood offered in obedience as the best way to impress upon man a sense of his duty and to teach him to serve and please God at the dearest rate 5. This death commendeth the love of God to us for it is the great demonstration of it Many draw a quite contrary conclusion as if he were with much a do brought to have mercy on us but they forget that he is first and chief in the design 2 Cor. 5.19 God was in Christ Reconciling the World unto himself Christ came from heaven to declare to us the greatness of Gods love God thought nothing too dear for us not the Son of his love nor his death ignominy and shame Rom. 5.8 God commendeth his love in that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us When we had alienated our hearts from God refused his service and could expect nothing but the rigour of his Law and vindictive Justice then he spared not his own Son to bring about this Reconciliation for us 6. As God is pacifyed so it gives us hopes our business lyeth not with a God offended but with a God Reconciled if we had not to do with a pacifyed God who could lifâ— up his face to hâ—â— or think a comfortable thought of him but this gives us hope Rom. 5.10 For iâ— when we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his Life We were enemies by sin in us which God hateth and declareth his wrath against it in the Law Then by the satisfaction wrought by Christ we were restored to his favour so far that free and easie conditions were procured in the Gospel and his spirit is offered to prepare and fit us for a Life of Glory We have heard what Christ hath done Thirdly What assurance have we that this peace is obtained Consciences are not easily settled therefore some visible evidences are necessary that God is pacifyed I shall name three or four 1. Christ Resurrection and Ascension into glory this shews that God was propitiated and hath accepted the ransom that was given for Souls We read Rom. 4.25 that he dyed for our offeâ—ces and rose again for our Justification his dying noteth his satisfaction his rising again the acceptance of it God by raising him up from the dead shewed that he had received the death of his Son as a sufficient ransom for our sins for he dyed in the quality of a surety and in that quality was raised up again By his death he made the payment by his Resurrection the satifaction of it was witnessed to the World for then our surety was let out of prison Isa. 53.8 He shall be taken from prison and from judgment in his death he was in effect a prisoner under the arrest of divine vengeance but when he rose again he was discharged therefore there is great weight layed upon it as to our acquittance Rom. 8.34 yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God There is some special thing in his Resurrection comparatively above his death which hath influence on our Justification that is it was a visible evidence given to the World that enough was done for the expiation of sins and to assure us of our deliverance if we be capable and his ascension into glory doth further witness it he being exalted to the greatest dignity is able to defend and protect his people and hath the advantage of interceding with his father for the supply of all our wants 2. The grant of the New Covenant which is therefore called the Covenant of his peace Isa. 54.10 The Covenant of my peace shall not be removed Ezek. 37.26 I will make a Covenant of peace with them it is so called not only because thereby this peace and Reconciliation is offered to us but the terms are stated and the conditions required are far more equitable gracious and commodious for us then the terms of the Law Covenant Man as a sinful creature is obnoxious 〈◊〉 Gods wrath for the violation of the Law of nature and so might perish without remedy and no impeachment to Gods goodness can happen thereby but when God will give bounds to his soveraignty over him and câ—ter into terms of Covenant witâ— him and give him a bottom to stand upon whereon to expect good things from him upon the account of his faithfulness and righteousness this is a condescension and so far condescended in the first Covenant that after that man hath cast away the mercies of his creation and his capacity to fulfill that covenant this was mere mercy and grace that God would enter into a second Covenant it is not from any mutableness in God but from the merit and satisfaction of a Redeemer Surely there must be some great and important cause to change alter and abrogate a covenant so solemnly made and established to lay aside one covenant and to enter into an other especially since the former was so Holy Righteous and Equal fit for God to give and us in the state we then were in to receive Now what was the important reason Christ came to salve Gods honour in the first covenant and to secure the ends of his Government though a second covenant should be set up the blood of his cross hath made this Covenant everlasting Heb. 13.20 and upon gracious terms doth convey great and precious priviledges to us 3dly The pouring out of the spirit which certainly was the fruit and effect of Christs death and also an evidence of the worth and value of it The Apostle telleth us That Christ was made a curse for us that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles by faith in Iesus Christ. And what blessing was that the gift of the Spirit Gal. 5.13 14. And in another place when he interpreteth the Types of the Law He telleth us that the Fathers did all eat of the same spiritual meat that we do and did all drink of the same spiritual drink for they drank of the Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ. If the Rock was Christ the water that gâ—shed out of the Rock was the spirit often compared to waters in Scripture Iohn 4.14 And Iohn 7.38 39. And the Rock yielded not this water till it was smitten with the Rod of Moses a figure of the curses of the Law Christ was stricken and smitten of God and so procured the spirit for us Iohn 7.39 The Holy Ghost was not yet given for Iesus was not yet glorifyed That is had not finished his passion and the acceptance of it was not yet attested to