Fellowship with God, Sermon 27
SERMON XXVII·
1 Joh. 2.2.
And he is the propitiation, &c.
HEre is the strength of Christs plea, and ground of his advocation, that he is the proti…tion. The Advocate is the Priest, and the Priest is the Sacrifice, and such efficacy this sacrifice hath, that the propitiatorie-sacrifice may be called the very propitiation, and pacification for sin. Here is the marrow of the Gospel, and these are the breasts of consolation, which any poor sinner might draw by faith, and bring out soul-refreshment. But truly, it comes not out, but by drawing, and there is nothing fit for that but the heart, that alone can suck out of these breasts the milk of consolation. The well of salvation in the word is deep, and many of you have nothing to draw with, you want the bucket that should be let down, that is, the affection…t meditation and consideration of the heart; and therefore, you go away empty. You come full of other cares, and desires, and delights, no empty room in your hearts for this, no soul-longings, and thi…stings aft…r the righteousnesse of God: and therefore, you return as you came, empty of all solid and true refreshment. Oh, that we could draw it sorth to you, and then drop it into your hearts, and make it descend into your consciences.
In these words, you may consider more distinctly, who this is, and then, for whom he is made a sacrifice, and withall, the efficacy of this sacrifice, and the sufficiency. Who this is, is pointed out as with the finger, (He is) that is, Iesus Christ the righteous. The Apostle demonstrats him as a remarkable pe…son, as in his Evangel, the Baptist, doth. Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the World. And the Church, Isa. 63.1. taketh a special notice of this person. Who is this that cometh from Edom? and that which maketh him so remarkable, is his strange habit after the treading the Wine-presse of wrath alone, that he was made a bloody sacrifice to pacifie God, and to shew you, how notable a person he is, he is signally, and eminently pointed …ut by the Father, Is…. 42.1. Behold my servant, &c. As if he would have the eyes of all men fixed upon him, with wonder and admiration; and for this end, he singled him out from the multitude, by a voice from heaven, which testified unto him particularly, this is my welbel…ved Son, hear him. Therefore the Apostle had reason to say, 2 Cor. 5.14 That he is One for all, so notable an one, that he may serve for all; He stands in more value, in the compt of God, the… all mankind; all creatures are Cyphers, which being never so much multiplied, come to nothing, amount not beyond nothing, but set him before them, put Christ on the head of them, and he signifies more then they all do, and gives them all some estimation in the compt. And so they stand in Pauls calculation, Phil. 3. which he makes with very great assurance and confidence, yea doubtlesse I count all dung, but the superexcellent knowledge of Christ. Christ is only the figure, that hath signification, and gives signification to other things.
But in this businesse, the consideration of the persons interessed, (he, and us,) maketh us behold a great Emphasi… in the Gospel: he, a propitiation, and that for our sins, is … str…ng… combination of wonders. If it had been some other person, lesse distant from us, that w…r… thus given for us, and standing in our room, then we would have better understood the exchange. Things of like wor…h, to be thus shuf… ed together, and stand in one …nothers place, is not so strange. But between the persons mentioned, him, and us, there is such an infinit distance, that it is wonderful, how the one descend… to the room of the other, to become … sac…ific… for us. O, that we could expresse this to our own hearts, with all the Emphasis that it hath; He, the Lord, and we, the servant…; he, the King ▪ and we ▪ the poor beggers; He, the brightn…sse of his Fathers glory, and we, the shame and ignominy of t…e whole creation; he, counting it no robbery to be equal with God, and being in the form of God, and we, not equal to the worst of creatu…es, because of sin, and being in the form of devils. Had it been … holy, and righteous man for sinners, it had been a strange enough exchange; but He is not only holy and harmlesse, but higher then the heavens. O, what a vast descent was this, from heaven to earth, from a Lord to a servant, from an ete…nal Spirit, to mortal flesh, from God to creatu…es, and to descend thus far, for such persons, not only unworthy in themselves, such as could not conciliat any liking, but such as might procure lo…thing, as is described, Ezek. 16. and Rom. 5.6. and 1 Pet. 3.18. While we were enemies, and might have expected … commissioner from heaven, with vengeance against us. Behold, how the mysterious designe of love breaks up, and opens it self to the world, in sending his own Son for us; and this is exceedly aggravated, from the absolute freedom of it, that there was nothing to pre-ingage him to it, but infinit impediments in the way to disswade him; many impediments of his affection, and many difficulties to his power, and then, no gain nor advantage to be expected from such creature…, notwitstanding of such an undertaking for them.
Now, herein is the strongest support of saith, and the greatest incentive to love, and the mightiest perswasive to obedience, that can be. I say, the strongest support of …aith; for, a soul apprehending the greatnesse and hainousnesse of sins, and the inviolablenesse of Gods righteousnesse, with the purity of his holinesse, can hardly be … ▪ that any thing can compe… … infinit w…ong that is done to his Majesty, though ordina…ily the small and superficial app…ehen…ion of sin, makes a kind of facility in this, or an empty c…edulity of the Gospel. The reason why most men do not question and doubt of the Gospel, and of their acceptance before God, is not because they are stablished in the faith, but rather because they do not so seriously and deeply believe, and ponder their own sins, and Gods holinesse; which if many did, they would find it … gre…ter difficulty to attain to a solid and quieting perswasion of the grounds of the Gospel: they would find much ado… to settle that point, of the …eadinesse of God to pardon and accept sinners. But now, I say, all this difficulty, and these clouds of doubts, will evanish at the bright appea…ance of this Sun of Righteousnesse, that i…, at the solid conside…ation of the glorious excellency of him that was given … ransome for us, herein the soul may be satisfied, that God is satisfied, when he considers what a person hath undertaken it, even Iesus the righteous, the only Son of God, in whom his soul delighteth, whose glorious divine Majesty puts the stamp of infinit worth upon all his sufferings, and raiseth up the dignity of the sacrifice, beyond the sufferings of all creatures: For there are two things needful, for the full satisfaction of a troubled soul, that apprehends the hainousnesse of sin, and hight of wrath▪ nothing can calm and settle this storm, but t…e appearance of two things; First, of Gods willingnesse and readinesse to pardon sin, and save sinners; Next, of the an…werablenesse of a ransome to his Ju…ice, that so, there may be no impediment in hi… way to forgive. Now, let this once be estab…ished in thy heart, that such an one, so beloved of God, and so equal to God, is the propitiation for our sin…, that God hath sent his only begotten Son, for this very businesse, unrequired, and unknown of us; then, there is the …learest demonstration of these two things, that c…n be, of the love of God, and of the worth of the ransome. What difficulty c…n be supposed in it, actually to pardon thy hainous sins, when his love hath ove…come infinit greater difficulties, to send one, hi… own Son, to procure pardon, John 3. Certainly, it cannot but be the very delight of his heart to forgive sins, since he spared not his Son, to purch…se it; since he hath had such an everl…sting design of love, which broke out in Christs coming, and then, such a person he is, that the merit of his sufferings, cannot but be an valu…ble and sufficient compensation to justice, for our personal ex…mption, because he is one above all, of infinite highnes… ; and therefore, his lownesse hath an infinite worth in it, of infinite fulnesse, and therefo…e his emptin…sse is of infinite price; of infinite glory, and so, his shame i… equivalent to the shame and malediction of all mankind. So then, wh…so…ver thou apprehend of thy own sins, or Gods holinesse, that seemeth to render thy pardon difficult, l…y but in the ballance with that, fi…st, the free and rich …pression of the infinite love of God, in sending such an one for a ransome, and sure, that speaks as much to his readinesse and willingnesse, as if a voice spake it just now from heaven; and then, to take away all scruple, lay the infinit worth of his person, who is the propitiation, with thy sins, and it will certainly out-weigh them; so that, thou may be fully quieted, and sati…fied in that point, that it is as easie for him to pardon, as for thee to con…esse sin, and …sk pardon: nay, that he is more ready to give it thee, then thou to ask it.
But in the next place, I desire you to look upon this, as the greatest incentive of affection: O, how should it inflame your hearts to consider, that such an one became … s…crifice for our sins; to think that Angels hath not such a word, to comfort themselves withal; these innumerable companies of Angels, who left their station, and were once in dignity above us, hath not such glad tidings to report one to another in their societies, as we have; they cannot say, he is the propitiation for our sins. This is the wonderful mystery, that blessed Angels desire to look into, they gaze upon it, and fix the eyes of their admiration upon God manifested in the flesh, wondering at the choice of mort…l man, before immortal spirits, that he is a ransome for them, and not for their own brethren, who left their station; how should this endear him to our souls, and his will to our hearts, who h…th so loved us, and given himself for us; Hath he given himself for us, and should we deny our selves to him, especially wh…n we consider what an infinit disparity is between the wo…th, and difference in the advantage of … he gave his blessed self, a sacrifice, he offered himself to death for us, not to purchase any thing to himself, but life to us, and what is it he requires? but your base and unworthy self, to offer up your lusts and sins in a sacrifice, by mortification, and your hearts and affections, in a thanksgiving-offering, whe…ein your own greatest gain lyes too: for this is t…uly to find and save your selves, thus to quite your selves to him.
The efficacy of this is holden out in the word, propitiation for our sins, the vertue of Christs sacrifice is to pacifie Justice, and make God propitious, that is, favourable and merciful to sin…ers. In which there are three considerable things imported, one is, that sin is the cause of enmity between God and man, and sets us at an infinit distance, that sin is a hainous provocation of his wrath; another is expressed, that Christ is the propitiation, in opposition to that provocation, he pacifies wrath, and then conciliat… …avour, by the sacrifice of himself; all the expressions of the Gospel, import the damnable and deplorable estate that sin puts man into: Reconciliation imports the standing enmity and …eid between God and men, Propitiation imports the provocation of the holy and just indignation of God again… man, the …ewel whereof is our sins: Iustificati… implyes the lost and condemned estate of a si…ner, under the sentence and curse of the Law… all that is in the Gospel minds us of our orig…nal, of the forlo…n estate he found us into, no… pitying us, nor able to help us. I would de…i… that this might first take impression on yo… hearts, that sin sets God and men at infinit distanc… and not only distance, but dissaffection and enm…ty, it hath sowen the seeds of that wofull discord and kindled that contention, which if it be no quenched by the blood of Christ, will burn to ever…lasting, so that none can dwell with it, and ye… sinners must dwell in it, there is a provoking quality in it, fit …o alienat the holy heart of God, and to incense his indignation, which when once it is kindled, who can stand before it? Do but consider what you conceive of wrongs done to you, how they stir your passions, and provoke your patience, so that there is much adoe to get you pacified, and what hainousnesse must then be in your offences against God, both in regard of number and kind? Oh, that you could but impartially weigh this matter, you would find, that in the view of God, all wrongs and injuries between men evanish. Against thee alone have I sinned; that relation and respect of sin to God, exhaust… all other respects of injuries towards men. It is true, that his Majesty is free from passion, and is not commoved and troubled as your spirit… are, yet such is the provoking nature of sin, that it cryes …or vengeance, and brings a sinner under the dreadfull sentence of divine wrath, which he both pronounceth, and can execute, without any inward commot…on or disturbance of spirit. But, becaus… we conceive of him after our manner, therefore he speaks in such te…ms to us. But that which he would …gn…fie by it, is that the sinner is in as dreadfull and damn…ble a condition by sin, as if the Lord were mightily inflamed with anger and rage; the just punishment is as due and certain, as if he were subject to such passions as we are, and so much the more certain, that he is not. Now, I desire you to consider, how mightily the hainousnesse of sin is aggravated, partly, by the quality o… the person…, and partly, by the con…ideration of his benefit… to us. A great man resents a light wrong heavily, because his person makes the wrong heavier. O, what do you think the most High should do, considering his i…finit distance …rom us, his glorious Majesty, and greatness, hi… pu…e holiness, his absolute power and supremacy, what vile and abominable characters of presumptions and rebellion do all these imprint upon disobedience? Shall he suffer himself to be despised and neglected of men, when there is no petty creature above another, but he will be jealous of his credit, and vindicat himself from con…empt? and then, when ingratitude is mingled, in with rebellion, it makes sin exceeding si…ful; and sinful sin exceeding provoking, to proclaim open war against the holy and righteous will of him▪ whom we owe our selves to, and all that w… are, or have; To do evil, because he is good, and be unthankful, because he is kind, to take all his own members, faculties, creatures, and imploy them as instruments of dishonour against himself, there is here …ewel …or feeding everlasting indignation; there is no indignity, no vilenesse, no wickednesse to this; all the provocations of men, how just soever, are in the sight of this, groundless and vain, like a childs indignation; all are but imaginary injuries, consisting but in opinion, in regard of that which sin hath in the bosome of it against God.
But, how shall any satisfaction be made for the injury of sin? What shall pacifie his justly deserved anger? Here is the question indeed, that would have driven the whole world to a nonplus, if once the Majesty and holinesse of God had been seen. But the ignorance of Gods greatnesse, and mens sinfulnesse, made the world to fancy some expiations of sin, and satisfactions to God, partly, by sacrifices of b…asts, partly, by prayer, and repentance for sins.