bondmen from everlasting slavery What is the bondage to man in respect of the bondage to Satan or what is the libertie amongst men in respect of the libertie of Christ Jesus From what are we freed yea from what are we not freed from the dominion of sinne the slavery of the Law the tyranny of Satan and the gates of the pit of hell and destruction By what art thou freed yea by what art thou not freed From sinne by the precious incōparable inestimable bloud of Christ out of the jawes of Satan by the potent invincible and unconquerable strength of Christ from the force of death by the vertuall and efficatious death of Christ and from the cursing condemning and arraigning power of the Morall Law by the full and satisfactory obedience of Christ It hath not been in the power of man nor the will of man to worke out the work of satisfaction or the worke of Redemption the Wine-presse of Gods wrath would have been too hotte and too heavie for him It hath not been in the minde of Angells it would have crusht them to the earth yea to hell to have born that weightie wrath and fierce indignation of God against sinne when neither speare nor shield was found among any in the world for the delivery of mankinde strength and power hath been found in the armes of Christ fully to performe the worke of deliverance if a world had been given for the Redemption of one soule it would have been refused an infinite would admit of nothing finite O! what worth what value what price is the bloud of Christ which is of sufficiency to redeeme all men all the power of the Creature could not bring one soule out of the slavery of the Devill Oh! what power what strength what worth of excellency is there in Christ who by his power strength and might hath brought thousands out of the bondage and slavery of hell and the Devill All the Angells in heaven could not by their skill remove one poore soule from the barre of Justice and bring it to the mercy-seate to heare one word of mercy What a Sea of wisdome is in Christ who by his wisdome can bring all the poore and distressed Consciences to the throne of mercies to receive whole Rivers of mercy from thence unto their soules Sampson overthrew more at his death then he did all his life Christ did more in the Redemption of his in death then he did in the time of his life Let us therefore lift up our eyes to heaven and behold the bountifull and benignous mind of God unto us that whilest our cases were desperable and we saw no way for delivery God hath found out a way and hath sent from heaven the Sonne of his love to be our deliverer A Ram was not provided but a Lamb that through his bloud tooke away the sinnes of the world satisfied Gods Justice and procured for his people a joyfull and glorious freedome God manifested his power from the Cloud and overthrew Pharoah his Charets and horsemen in the red Sea God manifested his mightie strength in the subverting of Satan and sinne through the bloud of Christ When Peter was in bonds the Angell set Peter free when we were bound by chaines in the dungeon of darknesse and death Christ hath set us free So that now the consciences and spirits of the faithfull and ours also are free to grace and to the enjoyment of the Kingdome of felicitie let the Christian therefore thinke on these things and triumph with the Apostle Oh death where is thy sting oh hell where is thy victory let him not feare neither Law nor hell nor death nor the Devill sith he is redeemed from the world though he live in the world to God above who is all in all to whom be ascribed the praise of all for evermore 1 Tim. 1.17 Now unto the King eternall immortall invisible and the onely wise God be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen CHAP. VIII Concerning Christs Mediation Definition 1. THe Mediation of Christ is the presentation of himself that externall and infinite oblation once offered to God his Father to that end that the riches of heavenly grace might be infused his redeemed might have free accesse to his Fathers Majestie and his Father everlastingly reconciled to his peculiar and selected Hebr. 7.25 26 27. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them For such an high Priest became us who is holy harmlesse undefiled separate from sinners and made higher then the heavens Who needeth not daily as those high Priests to offer up sacrifice first for his own sins and then for the peoples for this he did once when he offered up himself 2. It is convenient that Christ who is the Mediatour betwixt God and man should be God-man unlesse he had been man he had not been a fit sacrifice unlesse he had been God he had not been of sufficient vertue 1. Tim. 2 5. For there is one God and one Mediatour between God and men the man Christ Jesus 3. Through the personall union of both natures Christ Mediatour is become King of his Church and head of the same kind with his body Ephes 1.22 23. And hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be the head over all things to the Church Which is his body the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all 4. The humiliation of Christ through which he submitted himself to answer the righteousnesse of God and his exaltation which was manifested when he rose again from the dead ascending on high leading captivitie captive hath obtained a perfect redemption for the faithfull Ephes 4.8 Wherefore he saith when he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men Hebr 9.12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves but by his own blood he entred in once into the holy place having obtained eternall redemption for us 5. The satisfaction and merit of Christ Mediatour hath taken away condemnation and hath brought eternall life and salvation Colos 1.13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darknesse and hath translated us into the kingdome of his dear Son 6. The merit and satisfaction of Christ differ in divers operations 7. The exaltation of Christ is no part of the merits or satisfaction of Christ through which he mediates for his with his Father The ground is this sith the exaltation of Christ Mediatour followeth his crosse or satisfaction 8. Christ is said to be Mediatour betwixt God and the faithfull not that it wholly agreeth to the humaine nature of Christ but also to his divine nature Act. 20.28 Take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the flock over which the holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood 9. The satisfaction of Christ according to the substance of it
not called from Pharaohs dungeon but from the dungeon of darknesse to be a sonne of God the Father and a brother to the Prince of grace and glory therefore I shall see my Fathers face and behold his glory Rev. 22.4 And they shall see his face and his Name shall be in their foreheads Verse the fift And they shall reigne for evermore CHAP. VI. Concerning Adoption Definition ADoption is the gracious sentence of God through which he doth accept of the faithfull for sonnes and daughters in Jesus Christ 1. Joh. 3.1 Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sonnes of God therefore the world knoweth us not because it knew him not In Adoption there is a gracious manifestation of the good will and pleasure of God that he would adopt us in Christ for his peculiar who by sin were the children of wrath and of the devill and were by nature the children of wrath as well as other Ephes 2.3 4. But God who is rich in mercie for his great love wherewith he loved us Ephes 1.5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ unto himself according to the good pleasure of his will Adoption proceeds from Gods decree it is collocated in Christ and sealed to the Saints through the Spirit of adoption Rom. 8 15. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Adoption is not onely for Christs sake who hath merited the same for us but it flows also from Gods benignitie and bountie towards his elect and chosen Galat. 4.6 And because ye are sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts crying Abba Father The faithfull do not onely look for eternall life through the title they have by redemption but also through the title they have by adoption Rom. 8.23 And not onely they but our selves also which have the first fruits of the Spirit even we our selves groane within our selves waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our body The sweetnesse and consolation of the faithfull ariseth when instead of the sons of the devill they through faith apprehend themselves to be the sonnes of God Joh. 1.12 But as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God even to them that beleeve on his Name 7 As the Lord Christ in justification is applyed as a garment to cover sinnes so in Adoption he is applyed as the Prince of our life and salvation Hebr. 2.10 For it became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many sons unto glory to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings 8. This conjunction is so strong that although Christ is properly the Son of God by nature hence tearmed the first begotten of God notwithstanding by this grace of adoption and communion with God in Christ all the faithfull are called the sonnes of God 2. Cor. 6.18 And I will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my sonnes and daughters saith the Lord Almightie 9. Although Adam was the sonne of God by creation yet not by the mysticall conjunction and union with Christ as we are by adoption Joh. 17.21 That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us that the world may know that thou hast sent me 10. The dignitie which we have through adoption doth not onely superabound that common relation which every creature hath to Godward but also that which Adam possest before he relinquisht his puritie and integritie 11. God hath taken the adopted into the number of his own flock or family and given to them his name and hath undertaken to be their eternall protector in the time of danger Revel 3.12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the Temple of my God and he shall go no more out and I will write upon him the Name of my God and the name of the City of my God which is the new Jerusalem which cometh down out of heaven from my God and I will write upon him my new Name Isa 4.4 5. the 4. When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Sion and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgement and by the spirit of burning The 5. And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Sion and upon her assemblies a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night for upon all the glorie shall be a defence 12. The inheritance to which the faithfull are adopted is eternall life glorious communion and everlasting blessednesse Joh. 17.2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternall life to as many as thou hast given him 13. That blessednesse which belongeth to the Saints redeemed and beloved is not communicated to them for their merits or deservings but through free grace through which they have obtained the dignitie of sons through adoption or filiation Isa 56.3.5 Neither let the sonne of the stranger that hath joyned himself to the Lord speake saying The Lord hath utterly separated me from his people neither let the Eunuch say Behold I am a drie tree The 5. Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better then of sonnes and daughters I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off 14. Divine Adoption is not ordained to succession but to the participation of an inheritance assigned Ephes 1.18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightned that ye may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glorie of his inheritance in the Saints 15. The proper adjunct of adoption is the testification of the holy Spirit which is given to the faithfull Hence they are said to be sealed by the Spirit 2. Cor. 1.21 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ and hath anointed us is God The 22. Who hath also sealed us and given the earnest of his Spirit in our hearts 16. God hath adopted his elect unto himself not that he had no other Son for Christ was tearmed his beloved and onely begotten Sonne but amongst the sons of men he had no other untill they were adopted to be beloved in Christ Gal. 3 26. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus 17. Through the Spirit of Christ we have faith through which we lay hold on the death of Christ Mediatour and the promise of God our benevolous and gracious Father by which we are adopted to be sons and daughters Galat. 3.26 vide 18. By Adam we were alienated from God wherefore God hath sent his onely begotten and beloved Sonne that through him he might chuse many sons out of humane generation Hence
any more Heb. 2.14 15 Verse the 14. For as much then as the Children are partakers of flesh and bloud he also himselfe likewise tooke part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Deuill Verse the 15. And deliver them who through feare of death were all their life time subject to bondage 16. God hath commended his love to us who gave Christ the price of Redemption for us commanding us to flee for succour to his bloud that through that we might stand secure in the day of Judgement Rom. 5.8 God hath commended his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us 17. Christ hath been subject to the righteousnesse of God that he might performe what was required of us fully performing what was necessary to the delivery of those who are true beleevers Rom. 10.4 For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that beleeveth 18. The great grace and righteousnesse of God is manifested in the freedome of his from evill to enjoy the chiefest good Psal 136.23 Which remembred us in our low estate for his mercy eadureth for ever Verse the 24. And hath delivered us from our enemies for his mercy endureth for ever 19. The application of delivery is the singular worke of the Spirit of life and Adoption Hence the Spirit is said to be the earnest of the Saints Redemption and the seale of their everlasting delivery and liberation 20 Redemption floweth from the divine Decree and Donation of GOD whereby he doth give certaine men unto Christ that he might redeeme and save them from sinne and iniquitie Luk. 1.68 69. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people And hath raised up an horne of salvation for us in the house of his servant David 21 Redemption is not without the minde of Christ being Christ determined that his satisfaction should be for the good of them whom he would redeeme by his bloud unto God Rev. 5.9 And they sung a new song saying Thou art worthy to take the booke and to open the seales thereof for thou wast slaine and hast redeemed us to God by thy bloud out of every kindred and tongue and people and Nation 22. The shedding of the bloud of Christ is not without the acceptation of his Father being his Father accepteth his satisfaction through his bloud as sufficient to salvation redemption and reconciliation Col. 1.20 And having made peace through the bloud of his Crosse by him to reconcile all things to himselfe by him I say whether they be things in earth or things in heaven 23. Liberation or Redemption from sinne and death not onely hath been established in Gods Decree but also in Christ and granted to us in him before it be received of us 1 Joh. 2.2 And he is the propitiation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world 24. Christ did satisfie for them onely who by him are saved although in respect of his sufficiency he hath satisfied for all and every one 1 Tim. 2.6 Who gave himselfe a ransome for all to be a testimonie in due time 25. The death of Christ frees from sinne the bloud of Christ from the anger of God and iniquitie The power of Christ from the jawes of Satan and Christs active and passive obedience from the force of the morall Law Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us For it is written cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree 26. Through the delivery or freedome from these we have not onely assurance that wee shall inherit the Kingdome of glory but also in the state of grace we have assurance that wee shall continually have supplyes of that abundant and overflowing grace which is in Christ Jesus 1 Joh. 1.16 And of his fulnes have all we received and grace for grace 27. Peace of Conscience joy in the holy Ghost holinesse of conversation are adjuncts of this freedome or Redemption Luke 1.74 75. That he would grant unto us that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without feare 75. In holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our life 28. Redemption hath been once performed twice manifested in the day of grace and the houre of Judgement Rom. 8.23 And not onely they but our selves also which have the first fruits of the Spirit even we our selves groane-within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the redemption of our body 29. Redemption doth so farre free the Christian that he is wholly taken from the barre of Justice and placed alwayes at the throne of grace and mercy Heb. 12.18.22 23 24. Verse the 18. For yee are not come unto the Mount that might be touched and that burneth with fire nor unto blacknesse and darkenesse and tempest Verse the 22. But yee are come unto Mount Sien and unto the Citie of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of Angells Verse the 23. To the generall Assembly and the Church of the first borne which are written in heaven and to God the Judge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect Verse the 24. And to Jesus the Mediator of the Covenant and to the bloud of sprinkling that speaketh better things then that of Abel 30. The comfort and consolation of the Redemption by the hand of Christ Redeemer is according to the act of faith in Christ by whom this redemption is wrought Psal 116.8 Thou hast delivered my soule from death mine eyes from teares and my feete from falling Isaiah 51.11 Therefore the Redeemed of the Lord shall returne and come with singing unto Sion and everlasting joy shall be upon their head they shall obtaine gladnes and joy and sorrow shall flee away 31. There is an inseparable conjunction between Election and Redemption sith that before the foundation of the world Christ was chosen to be the Redeemer of his chosen and peculiar Ephes 9.7 Having made knowne unto us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure which he had purposed in himselfe Verse the 7. In whom we have reaemption through his bloud the forgivenesse of sinnes according to the riches of his grace Contemplation SUch was the kindnesse of God to Israel that once in fiftie yeare they had a yeare of Jubile in which he who was in bondage and thraldome was set at libertie and freedome Such hath been the bountie of God to us that he hath appointed a yeare of deliverance by the hand of Christ that we being Captives might be set free and being also bondslaves we might be set at libertie Christ was anointed for that end not with the oyle of Olives or other materiall substance but with the abundant and overflowing grace of God that hee might bring poore Captives from Captivitie and wee who were poore