Light for Them that Sit in Darkness, Book · Demonstration 9
The Ninth Demonstration.
THat Jesus Christ by what he hath done, hath paid full price to God for Sinners, and obtained Eternal Redemption for Sinners is evident, Because of the Threatnings wherewith God hath threatned, and the Punishments wherewith he punished those that shall refuse to be saved by Christ, or seek to make insignificant the Doctrine of Righteousness by Faith in him.
This Demonstration consisteth of three parts.
1. It suggesteth that some refuse to be justified or saved by Christ, and also seek to make insignificant the Doctrine of Righteousness by Faith in him.
2. That God doth threaten these.
3. That God will punish these.
That some refuse to be saved by Christ is evident, from many Texts. He is the Stone which the Builders have rejected: He is also disallowed of Men: The Jews stumble at him, and to the Greeks he is foolishness; both saying this Man shall not rule over us, or how can this man save us? Psal. 118. 22. Mat. 24. 42. 1 Pet. 2. 4. 1 Cor. 1. 23. Luk. 19. 14.
The Causes of mens refusing Christ are many.
1. Their Love to sin.
2. Their Ignorance of his Excellency.
3. Their Unbelief.
4. Their Deferring to come to him in the acceptable Time.
5. Their leaning to their own Righteousness.
6. Their entertaining Damnable Doctrines.
7. Their loving the praise of Men.
8. The meanness of his Ways, his People, &c.
9. The just Judgment of God upon them.
10. The Kingdom is given to others.
Now these, as they all refuse him, so they seek more or less, some practically, others in practice and judgment also, to make insignificant the Doctrine of Righteousness by Faith in him.
1. One does it by preferring his Sins before him.
2. Another does it by preferring his Righteousness before him.
3. Another does it by preferring his Delusions before him.
4. Another does it by preferring the World before him.
Now these God threatneth, these God punisheth.
First, God threatneth them. Whosoever shall not receive that Prophet, shall be cut off from amongst his People, Acts 3. 23. The Prophet is Jesus Christ; the Doctrine that he preached was that he would lay down his Life for us, that he would give us his Flesh to eat, and his Blood to drink by Faith: and promised, that if we did eat his Flesh, and drink his Blood, we should have Eternal Life. He therefore that seeth not, or that is afraid to venture his Soul for Salvation on the Flesh and Blood of Christ by Faith, he refuseth this Prophet, he heareth not this Prophet; and him God hath purposed to cut off. But would God thus have threatned, if Christ by his Blood and the Merits of the same, had not paid full price to God for Sinners, and obtained Eternal Redemption for them.
Secondly. Sit thou on my Right Hand until I make thine Enemies thy Foot-stool, Psal. 110. 1. Mat. 22. 44. Heb. 1. 13. The Honour of sitting at God's Right Hand, was given him because he died, and offered his Body once for all. This Man when he had offered up one Sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the Right Hand of God, from henceforth expecting till his Enemies be made his Foot-stool, Heb. 10. 11, 12, 13. Expecting, since God accepted his Offering, that those that refused him should be trodden under foot, that is, sunk by him into, and under endless & unsupportable vengeance. But would God have given the World such an account of his Sufferings, that by one Offering he did perfect for ever them that are sanctified? yea, and would he have threatned to make those foes his Foot stool, that shall refuse to venture themselves upon his Offering (for they are indeed his Foes) had not his Eternal Majesty been well pleased with the Price he paid to God for Sinners; had he not obtained Eternal Redemption for them?
Thirdly. He shall come from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming-fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 Thes. 1. 7, 8.
Here he expresly telleth us wherefore they shall be punished: Because they know not God, and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, where also is notably intimated that he that obeyeth not the Gospel of Christ, knoweth not God, neither in his Justice or Mercy. But what is the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, but good tidings of good things; to wit, Forgiveness of Sins by Faith in his Blood, an Inheritance in Heaven by Faith in his Blood, as the whole of all the foregoing discourse hath manifested? Now, I say, can it be imagined that God would threaten to come upon the World with this Flaming-Fiery-Vengeance to punish them for their Non-subjection to his Sons Gospel, if there had not been by himself paid to God full price for the Souls of Sinners; if he had not obtained Eternal Redemption by his Blood for Sinners?
Fourthly. And Enoch, the seventh from Adam also prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly Deeds, which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard Speeches which ungodly Sinners have spoken against him, Jude 14. 15.
The LORD that is here said to come with ten thousands of his Saints, is Jesus Christ himself: and they that come with him are called his Saints, because given to him by the Father, for the Sake of the shedding of his Blood. Now in that he is said to come to execute judgment upon all, and especially those that speak hard Speches against him; 'tis evident that the Father tendereth his Name which is, Jesus, a Saviour, and his undertaking for our Redemption; and as evident that the hard Speeches, intended by the Text, are such as vilify him, as Saviour, counting the Blood of the Covenant, unholy, and trampling him, that is Prince of the Covenant under the Feet of their reproachful Language; this is counted a putting of him to open shame, and a despising the riches of his Goodness, Heb. 10. Chap. 6. Rom. 2. Time would fail to give you a view of the revilings, despiteful sayings, and of the Ungodly Speeches which these abominable Children of Hell, let fall in their Pamplets, Doctrines, and Discourses, against this Lord the King. But the threatning is, He shall execute judgment upon them for all their ungodly Deeds, and for all their hard Speeches that ungodly Sinners have spoken against him.
Fifthly. Take heed therefore lest that come upon you which is spoken of in the Prophets: Behold, ye Despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a Work in your days, a Work which you shall in no wise believe, though a Man declare it unto you, Act. 13. 40, 41.
This Work is the same we have been all this while treating of, to wit, Redemption by the Blood of Christ for Sinners, or that Christ hath paid full price to God for Sinners, and obtained Eternal Redemption for them. This is manifest from ver. 23 to ver. 29. of this Chapter.
Now, observe, there are, and will be Despisers of this Doctrine, and they are threatned with the Wrath of God. Behold, ye Despisers, and wonder, and perish: But would God so carefully have cautioned Sinners to take heed of despising this Blessed Doctrine, and have backed his Caution with a threatming that they shall perish, if they persist, had not himself received by the Blood of Christ full price for the Souls of Sinners?
Secondly. As God threatneth, so he punisheth those that refuse his Son, or that seek to vilify or make insignificant, the Doctrine of Righteousness by Faith in him.
1. He punisheth them with the abidings of his Wrath. He that believeth not the Son, shall not see life, but the Wrath of God abideth on him, Joh. 3. 36.
The Wrath of God for men; for sin stands already condemned by the Law; & the Judgment is, that they who refuse the Lord Jesus Christ, shall have this Wrath of God for ever lie, and abide upon them: For they want a Sacrifice to pacific wrath for the Sin they have committed, having resisted, and refused the Sacrifice of the Body of Christ. Therefore it cannot be that they should get from under their present condition who have refused to accept of the undertaking of Christ for them.
Besides, God to shew that he taketh it ill at the Hands of Sinners, that they should refuse the Sacrifice of Christ, hath resolved that there shall be no more Sacrifice for sin. If therefore we sin wilfully after we have received the Knowledg of the Truth; there remaineth no more Sacrifice for sin, Heb. 10. 26. God doth neither appoint another, neither will he accept another who-ever brings it. And here those sayings are of their own natural force; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great Salvation! And again, See that ye refuse not him that speaketh, for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on Earth, (Moses) How shall we escape if we turn away from him (Christ) that speaketh from Heaven! Heb. 2. 3. Chap. 12. 25.
This therefore is a mighty Demonstration that Christ by what he hath done, hath paid full price to God for the Souls of Sinners, because God so severely threatneth, and also punisheth them that refuse to be justified by his Blood: he threatneth as you have heard, and punisheth by leaving such men in their Sins, under his heavy and unsupportable Vengeance here.
Secondly. He that believeth not shall be damned, Mar. 16. 16. damned in Hell-Fire. He that believeth not, but what should he believe? Why!
1. That Jesus is the Saviour. If, saith he, ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your Sins.
2. He that believeth not that he hath undertaken and compleatly perfected Righteousness for us, shall die in his Sins, shall be damned and perish in Hell-fire: For such have no cloak for their Sin, but must stand naked to the shew of their Shame before the Judgment of God, that fearful Judgment. Therefore, after he had said, there remains for such, no more sacrifice for sin▪ he adds, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment; there is for them left nothing but the Judgment of God, and his fiery Indignation which shall devour the Adversaries. He that despised Moses's Law died without mercy under two or three Witnesses; of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and counted the Blood of the Covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an Unholy thing, and done despite to the Spirit of Grace? Heb. 10. 25, 26.
See here, if fury comes not up now into the Face of God: now is mention made of his fearful Judgment and fiery Indignation. Now, I say, is mention made thereof, when it is suggested that some have light thoughts of him, count his Blood unholy, and trample his Sacrificed Body under the Feet of their Reproaches: Now is he a Consuming fire, and will burn to the lowest Hell. For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompence, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judg his People, Heb. 10. 28, 29, 30. These words are urged by the Holy Ghost, on purpose, to beget in the Hearts of the Rebellious, reverend thoughts, and an high esteem of the Sacrifice which our Lord Jesus offered once for all upon Mount Calvary unto God the Father for our Sins; for that is the very argument of the whole Epistle.
It is said to this purpose in one of Paul's Epistles to the Thessalonians, That because men receive not the Love of the Truth, that they might be saved; For this cause God shall send them strong delusions, that they should believe a ly and be damned, 2 Thes. 2.
The Truth mentioned in the Place, is Jesus Christ. I am the Truth, saith he, Joh. 14. 6. The Love of the Truth, is none else but the Love and Compassion of Jesus Christ, in shedding his Blood for Mans Redemption. Greater love than this hath no man, that a Man lay down his Life for his Friends, Joh. 15. 13. This then is the Love of the Truth (of Jesus) that he hath laid down his Life for us. Now that the rejectors of this Love, should by this their rejecting procure such wrath of God against them, that rather than they shall miss of damnation, himself will chuse their Delusions for them, and also give them up to the effectual Working of these Delusions: what doth this manifest, but that God is displeased with them that accept not of Jesus Christ for Righteousness, and will certainly order that their end shall be everlasting Damnation; therefore Jesus Christ hath paid full price to God for Sinners, and obtained Eternal Redemption for them.