Gospel Reconciliation, Chapter 18
CHAP. 18. Eight Conſequences of Our Reconciliation being made in Chriſt. 1. It is a deep Myſtery. 2. It is very free. 3. It is ſure and certain. 4. It is full. 5. It is an honorable way. 6. Yet in ſuch a way as doth debaſe man. 7. It is firm and everlaſting. 8. This Reconciliation was a very difficult work.
THere are yet the Fift, and Sixt, particulars mentioned in the Twelfth Chapter that follow in the Explication of this point of Reconciliation with God in Chriſt, and when we have done them we ſhal come to the Application of all the ſix thiings.
And the Fift is, ſome Conſequences that follow from what hath been ſpoken. for if we be Reconciled to God in Chriſt, we may from thence draw diverſe Coſequences; I ſhall not now do it by way of Application, but only ſhew you how ſuch Conſequences as I ſhal name do naturally flow from what hath been ſaid. For if, the Reconconciliation between God and us be in Chriſt then there are theſe particulars of it; and theſe things may be ſaid concerning it.
Conſequence. 1.
Firſt, Hence it followeth, that the Reconciliation of the Children of men with God, is a very great and deep myſtery, it is not a thing that can ordinarily be undeſtood, it is not a thing that is wrought in a natural way. But to reconcile any ſoul unto God, is done in a way that is moſt deep, and hidden, and is (of it ſelf) a moſt glorious Myſtery. And therefore when the Scripture ſpeaks of our Reconciliation with God in Jeſus Chriſt; it tels us, that it is the hidden Wiſdom of God, 1 Cor. 2.7. We ſpeak the Wiſdom of God in a Myſtery; even the hidden Wiſdome which God ordeined before the World to our glory. It ſpeaks of the very ſame thing, that my Text ſpeaks of; viz. That God was Reconciling the world to hemſelf in Jeſus Chriſt, and this he ſaith was the Wiſdom of God in a Myſtery the hidden Wiſdom which God ordeined before the world to our glory. And then again, verſe. 10. God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit; the particle [them] is not in the Greek, but only thus. God hath revealed to us by his Spirit; that is, This Myſtery, for the Spirit ſeacrheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. That is the firſt thing that followeth. It is a Myſtery.
Conſequence. 2.
The Second is this. Hence our Reconciliation with God is very free, it is a work of free grace; it is reconciling himſelf in Chriſt; it is not reconciling himſelf to us: for what we do our ſelves, or for what we can do; No, there is nothing that we do, or can do, nothing that Angels do or can do for us, that can reconcile us unto God, but we are reconciled unto God in Chriſt; therefore the work of Reconciliation of us is nothing but free grace, we do not contribute any thing at al unto this great work, it is al done in Chriſt; it is altogether free. If there be anything required of us, yet it muſt be God and Chriſt that muſt work it; all, every thing of our Reconciliation (whatſoever particular there is in it) it is al in Chriſt, and therefore altogether free Grace towards us; Chriſt is the guift of God, and every thing that is indeed in him, and by him, is a free guift to us. That is the Second thing that may be ſaid of this Reconciliation, that it is free.
Conſequence. 3
The third thing that may be ſaid of it, is this; That it is ſure and certain, there is a certainty, a ſureneſs of this Reconciliation; Why? Becauſe God hath wrought ſo ſtrangly about the work, and he would never work ſo ſtrangely about ſuch a work but he would have it come to ſomwhat; he would not have this work (after he hath done all) to vaniſh. Thoſe indeed that hold the Doctrine of free wil, and ſay, that indeed there is a price payd upon condition if we do beleeve, but we are left to our ſelves, either to beleeve or not beleeve, and God onelyonly propouds the means; What do they teach but thus much? That after al the Councels of God that are wrought for our Reconciliation, and after thoſe great things which God hath done for us in Chriſt, it is in the power of man to make al to be void and of none effect, and that there ſhould not be any one man in the world reconciled at laſt; for ir muſt needs follow, that if it be left to man to beleeve or not to beleeve, and that it is in his power whether he wil or not; then it is in his power likewiſe to make al the Councels of God, and the great works of God in Chriſt to be of none effect at al; that after God hath from al eternity plotted the work, and ſent his own Son into the world to be made a Curſe for the ſin of man, to die & to make al that ado, & al that work about the matter of Reconciliation, & Atonement; yet, (if that Doctrine were true which is a Belzebub error a falſe Doctrine of the greateſt magnitude) it had been poſſible, hat (notwithſtanding the doing of al this) all had een loſt, and Chriſt might have dyed in vain, and not one ſoul in the world ſaved; I ſay this muſt needs follow upon that Doctrine. But now if that we hear that there is ſo much done, as there is for the making up of our peace & Reconciliation with God; then on the other ſide, this muſt neceſſarily follow, & certainly be concluded on, that there are ſome that are to be reconciled to God, and that this work ſhal never be loſt; God wil never plot ſo great a work, and ſend his Son into the world to do ſo much as he did for the ſin of man, and at laſt ſuffer it al to be loſt; but he wil certainly bring ſome unto ſalvation. I confeſſe, when a poor ſinner, that is made ſenſible of what ſin is, and of the Breach that ſin hath made between him, and God; when he thinks of the greatneſs of the work, what it is to be reconciled unto God, he trembles, and ſhaketh in hmſelf, fearing it were to good news to be true, and leaſt it were not certain and ſure. Yea, but when he comes to underſtand what God hath done for the accompliſhment of that work, how God not only hath promiſed it; but we can ſay now, that it is done, that the Lord hath indeed ſent his Son into the world and that he is made man, and that he hath been under the Curſe of God for mans ſin, and he hath been C…ucified dead and buried, and is aſcended into Heaven, and ſits at the right hand of the father, and al thoſe glorious Myſteries of the Goſpel (ſpoken of in the Old Teſtament) are now fulfilled, and accompliſhed; when a ſinner comes to underſtand this, O! then he thinks, ſurely there is a certainty, a ſureneſs in this work of Reconciliation with God. And as when Jacob heard that Joſeph his Son (whom he loved) was yet alive, the Text ſaith, the heart of the old man failed, he did not beleeve it, he thought it was two good to be true; But when his other Somes came and ſhewed him the Charriots that Joſeph had ſent, and gave him ſuch real demonſtration of the thing; not only that he was a live, but that he was the greateſt man in Egipt, and next unto Pharoah himſelfe; then the text ſaith; that the Spirit of Jacob revived, and he ſaid, is Joſeph my ſone a live? I have enough: So when a Siner that comes to be made ſenſible of the evil of ſin, and the greatnes, and widenes of that Breath that is between God and him; when he comes and hears one preach of the Doctrine of Reconciliation, and of Attonement between God and the Soul, and how that al his Sins may be pardoned, and God may become an intire frind unto him, and he come to be ſaved, and glorified eternally in the higeſt Heavens: The hearts of a poore Sinner beginns to fail; but when he can tel him what great things God hath done to bring this work about; that God hath in his infinite wiſdome found out ſuch a glorious way for reconciliation, that he hath ſent his ſon, and he is become man, and hath been under the wrath of his father, and Satisfied for mans Sin, and died, and ſhed his blood, and is now aſſended into Heaven, and is at the right hand of the Father, and an Advocate, and an interſceſſor; upon this, the ſinner may come to beleeve that there is a reallity in the thing, a Certainty in this worke of reconciliation. My Brethren, the work of reconciliation, is a Sure thing indeed: it is not a notion, fancy, or an imagination, but there is a reality. and a certainty in it; and al this follows from hence; that it is [in Chriſt:] we could never be ſo ertain of the thing, except we had theſe real demonſtrations of Gods heart towrads us. Suppoſe God had ſent an Angel from Heaven to preach to the Children of men the Doctrin of reconciliation, and to tel them, that God was wiling to be reconcilied unto them; alas, this could never be made out to be ſo Certain unto them; but ſtil the hearts of poore Siners would have been afraid, and would have thought, ſurly whatſoever is ſaid unto us, is but a little to quiet us for the preſent; certainly the mater is not ſo, as it is declared unto us, this would not have been ſo certain, though an Angel from Heaven had declared it; but when God ſhal pleaſe to give this evidence to us of his heart being towards us, and of his willingnes to be reconciled unto us, that he hath wrought ſo ſtrangly for us in ſending the ſecond Perſon in trinity to be made man, and him to do thus, and thus to worke out this work of Reconciliation: Upon this we may come certainly to conclude: that the heart of God is real in the wo…k. In Rom: 4.16. we have an expreſſion to this purpoſe; therefore it is of faith ſaith the Apoſtle: it is: what is that? that is the promiſe of life and peace; for of that the Apoſtle is ſpeaking in that place: It is of faith; why? that it might be by greace, ſo the end the promiſe might be ſure. Mark here theſe two properties of our reconciliation with God, Wee are reconciled in Chriſt. Upon that, firſt it follows that it is a great miſtry. And then ſecondly, that therfore it is free; [therfore] (ſaith he) it is of faith that it might be free. It is of faith; as if he ſhould ſay; it is from God in Chriſt; for faith doth relate alwaies unto Chriſt: It is of faith; that is of faith in Chriſt: that it might be by greace. as if it had not been by faith; if it were by any works that we ſhould do, then it were not free; it were not by grace; but it is by faith in Chriſt, that it might be by grace. And then ſecondly: it is of faith in Chriſt, to the end that the promiſe might be ſure you wil ſay: would it not be ſuer though it had not been by faith? ſuppoſe God had only ſent an Angel (as I hinted before) would it not have been ſure? No, not ſo ſure as now it is; for in that it is by faith upon Chriſt, we have Chriſt to pitch upon as the Object of our faith for our reconciliation with God, and by that it coms to be more ſure then it cold be by any other way. We cannot conceive that it were poſſible for the Lord by any way to reveale the reallity of his heart, and the certainty of his work in reconciling the world to himſelf ſo as by this means, in that he hath reavled it to be in Chirſt. And that is the Third thing that follows from it.
Conſequence. 4.
The Fourth thing from thence is this. That if it be in Chriſt, then as it is ſure; ſo it is full. Indeed were it in any other way that God did reveal Reconciliation to us then in Chriſt, we might be afraid that there were ſomething in the heart of God againſt it, that the heart of God did not fully cloſe with us, & to be fully Reconciled with us: but when we hear what God hath done to Reconcile us to himſelf; what a price he hath paid for it, what coſt he hath been at to accompliſh it, and that his own Son hath undertaken to bring us and the Father together, and ſo to make up this Reconciliation; then we may conclude it a full, and perfect Reconciliation. Jeſus Chriſt would never undertake ſuch a work, but he would Compleat it, and he hath Compleated it; and therefore when you hear this word of the Goſpel that we are Reconciled to God in Chriſt, we may conclude, that the work is a ful, and a compleat work, becauſe it is done in him. That is another Conſequence.
Conſequence. 5.
Further, if the Reconciliation we have with God be in Chriſt: hence in the Fifth place it follows, that God is Reconciled unto man upon very honorable tearms, it is an honorable Reconciliation, for it is ſuch a Reconciliation wherein God ſuffers nothing at all, but he hath all made up. If God had come, and only paſſed by our offences, and ſo had been reconciled to us without any more ado, the Devils perhaps might have cried out againſt him, and have ſaid: Where is the glory of thy Juſtice? theſe have ſinned againſt thee as wel as we, and the Breach they have made upon thy Juſtice is no way made up; thou haſt been by them diſhonored, and that diſhonor that thou haſt receivd by them is no way anſwered. But now, Man being reconciled to God in Chriſt; none of the Devils in Hell can ſpeak againſt Gods Juſtice, or againſt his Righteouſneſs; for as God is Reconciled, ſo he is Reonciled upon honorable tearms. Indeed a man that hath an inferior who hath offended him, when he can ſee no other way to help himſelf; but that he muſt put up al the wrong, and injury that hath bin done him. It is a far different thing, then to be reconciled to the party offending upon honorable terms; for if he could come to have this wrong made up again, and not only he that hath offended come to ſubmit himſelf to him but all the injury that he hath done him fully ſatisfied; this were honorable. So is the Reconciliation between God and us, it is ſo honorable a Reconciliation, that it wil be the glory of God before the Angels, and Saints to al Eternity and it is that which God doth much rejoyce in, as being exceedingly pleaſed with it, ſeeing his honor is made up in this Reconciliation. That is a fifth Conſequence from hence.
Conſequence. 6.
Sixtly: Followeth this; If we be reconciled to God in Chriſt, Hence our Reconciliation is in ſuch a way as doth altogether debaſe man; and though it be upon honorable tearms; yet it is in a way, wherein man hath no cauſe to glory in himſelfe: It is the greateſt way for the lowing, and humbling of man that poſibly can be there could be no way deviſed, wherein man ſhould be reconciled to God, and yet be abaſed ſo much, as he is in this way of Reconciliation, when he truly Conſidereth it. For it is true, we are reconciled, but how? we began it not our ſelves, we did nothing in it our ſelves, al was done by Chriſt: therefore in Rom. 3.27. ſaith the Apoſtle; where is bouſting? It is excluded; by what Law? of works? no, but by the Law of Faith. God (indeed) hath done great things for us, but al that which is done for us, is not thankworthy to our ſelves; it was al done without us. God was [in Chriſt] Reconciling the world, to himſelfe; and therfore though it is in honorable tearms (in reſpect of God) yet, when we ſeriouſly Conſider of it, we have ground, and Cauſe ſufficient to be abaſed in our ſelves; even to the very duſt. And then.
Conſequence, 7.
Yet further. Our Reconciliation being in Chriſt; Hence it follows: That it is a moſt firme, and laſting Reconciliation, an everlaſting Reconciliation; as it is in Chriſt, here is the ground of the Everlaſtingneſs of it; Hence it is, that there is nothing can make a Breach again between God, and us, ſo as we ſhould become Enimies againe unto him; ſo that when we underſtand this Reconciliation with theſe properties, and Conſequences; then we underſtand aright what it is to be Reconciled unto God.
Conſequence 8.
There is one Conſequence or poperty mor of this Reconciliation that I muſt ad to what I mentioned before. And that is this. That if it be in Chriſt that we are Reconciled unto God. Then certainly the work of Reconciliation is a very difficult work; it is a mighty hard thing; Heaven, and Earth muſt be moved before this can be done, and God even ſhakes the Heaven and the Earth in this work. It was the difficulteſt work that ever God himſelf undertooke; and the difficulteſt work the Son undertook; for when he undertook it; you find that he did ſweat at it, and before he had done it, it coſt him his very hearts blood; therefore it was not an ordinary and ſlight work to reconcile God & man together, but a moſt difficult work, becauſe it was in Chriſt.