The Gospel Method of Gods Saving Sinners, Discourse · Proposition 1 – Proposition 2
PROPOSITION I. Of Man's miſery by his fall.
MAN being lapſed and fallen from God into a ſtate of ſin and miſery, beyond all poſſibility of recovery, either by means of his own, or the aſſiſtance of any created Power, it then pleaſed Divine Goodneſs to take up thoughts, not only to reſtore, but to advance him to a more ſtable and tranſcendent felicity, than that in and to which he was at firſt created. This we have moſt emphatically repreſented in the Prophet, by the reſemblance of a new-born Infant caſt out in the open field, in its menſtruous blood and uncleanneſs, having neither hand to help, nor eye to pity it, Ezek. 16.3, 4, 5, &c. Theſe words, I confeſs, are ſpoken with a particular reference to the Primitive ſtate of the Jews, at which time they were Heathen and Idolaters, being not yet called out of the World, and brought into the Bond of the New Covenant. But ſince they were then in no worſe condition, than the reſt of the degenerate Sons of Men; there being at firſt no diſtinction betwixt Jew and Gentile, till Free Grace ſtept in and made the difference, this Text commonly is, and without any violence offered to it, may be taken in a more large and extenſive ſenſe, and ſo be applyed, not only to the Sons of Heber, the Jews; but to the whole Seed of Adam, Man univerſally conſidered. When they and we, and all Mankind, lay wallowing in their blood and uncleanneſs, then God paſſing by, and beholding us in this miſerable and forlorn condition, he was pleaſed to make it a time of love. Joh. 3.16. God ſo loved the World (not only the Jews) that he gave his only begotten Son, &c. At the ſame time when God paſſed by apoſtate Angels, and left them in Chains of Eternal Darkneſs without relief, he then caſts his skirts over degenerate Man, and covers his nakedneſs, and in concluſion not only waſheth him from his blood and pollution, but anoints him with Oyl, and cloaths him with broidered Work, and ſets a Crown of Glory upon his head, and makes him (by the Ornaments he at laſt puts upon him) exceeding beautiful, as the Prophets expreſſion there is, concerning the Jewiſh Nation, to which I here allude.
PROPOS. II. Of Man's recovery by Jeſus Chriſt.
THAT this great Deſign of Man's Redemption might be carried on, and effected in a way moſt agreeable to the juſt and righteous Nature of God, and moſt for the honour and advancement of his Divine Perfections, his Holineſs, Juſtice, Truth, Goodneſs, &c. as alſo, that might lay the ſureſt foundation for the Faith and Hopes of a guilty and deſpondent Creature; God was pleaſed to ſend his only begotten Son, Jeſus Chriſt, the ſecond Perſon in the Deity, to aſſume the Humane Nature, that ſo he might become a fit Mediator and Surety for Man, who by his obeying and ſuffering in his ſtead, might make attonement and ſatiſfaction for ſin, and propitiate God to Sinners▪ This we have every where declared in Scripture, as the only way and medium by which God deſigns to ſave degenerate Man: Joh. 3.16. Eſa. 53.6. and 10. ver. Gal. 4.4, 5. Eph. 5.2. Gal. 3.13. 2 Cor. 5.21. Math. 20.28. 1 Tim. 2.6. 1 Joh. 4.10. Rom. 3.24, 25, 26.
From theſe ſeveral places 'tis plainly evident, that God, being moved by his own eſſential Goodneſs, did ſo far compaſſionate the caſe of fallen Man, as to give his own Son to be a Ranſom and Propitiation for their ſins, by being made under the Law, and bearing the Curſe and Penalties threatned by it, thereby declaring to the world, that he was a righteous God, loving Righteouſneſs and hating Iniquity, as the Pſalmiſt hath expreſt it, Pſal. 11.5.7.
And thus God having made ſufficient proviſion, by the Obedience and Sufferings of his own Son, that his Soveraign Authority over the Creature might be owned, and the Equity and Goodneſs of his Law acknowledged; and the Threatnings therein denounced fulfilled, and his Holineſs vindicated, and his Hatred againſt ſin, and vindictive Juſtice upon offenders declared, and Man for ever diſcouraged from ſin by hopes of impunity: This, I ſay, being effected by the undertaking of Jeſus Chriſt, the Son of God, he may now freely pardon the guilty Creature, and readmit him into his favour, and advance him to the fruition of an Eternal Happineſs and Glory, without either offering any violence to his own Righteous Nature, or weakning the order and foundations of his Government over the World, or eclipſing the Glory of any of his ſacred Attributes. And as God hath hereby abundantly ſecured his own Honour, ſo hath he alſo by the ſame means moſt effectually relieved the Creature againſt his guilty Fears, and laid a ſure and firm foundation for Faith and Hopes in his Mercy. Man having ſinned againſt God, 'tis impoſſible but the ſenſe of his own guilt and danger ſhould affect his Soul with amazing fears and jealouſies, eſpecially when he ſhould entertain any ſerious thoughts of the holy Nature of God, (his Majeſty, Power, and Juſtice) or of the ſtrictneſs and ſeverity of his Laws. No ſooner had Adam ſinned but he runs away from God, and ſeeks to hide himſelf from his preſence. I, but when the guilty offender ſhall now be aſſured from the mouth of God himſelf, that he hath found a Ranſom, and received full and abundant ſatisfaction at the hands of Jeſus Chriſt, his Surety, for all that wrong that ſin had done him, ſo that now he may at the ſame time be merciful to the ſinner, and yet take full vengeance upon his ſin; or as the Apoſtle ſpeaks to the ſame purpoſe, that he may be juſt, and yet the juſtifier of them that believe in Jeſus, Rom. 3.26. Yea that he may now reap as much Glory to himſelf, in pardoning humble and repenting ſinners, as if he had executed the Curſe and Penalties of his violated Law upon them: When the ſinner, I ſay, ſhall be well aſſured of this, his deſpondent fears and jealous thoughts of God muſt needs vaniſh, as Clouds and Darkneſs before the riſing Sun, and his Soul be quickened and encouraged to addreſs it ſelf with Faith and Confidence to the Throne of Grace, for Pardon and Acceptance. 1 Pet. 1.18.21. Heb. 4.15, 16. For if God the only party offended and concerned will acquit the humble ſinner, who then ſhall condemn him? as the Apoſtle argues, Rom. 8.33, 34.