The Covenant of Grace, Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
Of the parts of the gift severally, and first of Redemption.
NOw we are to speak of the parts severally; and first, of redemption, in these words, That we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies. Where wee are to note.
Three things.
1. The parties that are rede… med.
2. The party, by whom, and after what manner.
3. The parties from whom, our enemies.
1. The parties redeemed are We, who have Abraham to our Father; that is to say, the faithfull: not all men, but those only that believe. For, so God loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Sonne, that whos… ever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life, Ioh. 3. 16. Thus he is said to have saved his people from their sins, Matth. 1. 21. to lay down his life for his sheep, Iohn 10. 15. to have given himself for his Church, Ephes. 5. 25. that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and might purifie to himself a peculiar people, Titus 2. 14. The Prophet Esay te…tifieth that Christ by his knowledge (that is, by the knowledgement of him, which is faith) shall justifie many, Esay 53. 11, 12. for he shall bear their iniquities; and that he bare the sin of many: and our Saviour himselfe, Matth. 26. 18. that his blood was shed for many for remission of sins. It is true, that Christ his death is a s…fficient price of ransome for the sinnes of the whole world: Yea, of more worlds, if there were more then one, for his blood and his sufferings, whereby he redeemed us, were the blood and sufferings of him that was and is God: Act, 20. 28. but yet they are effectual only to those that do believe.
Arg. 1. For if Christ had redeemed all men, then all should be saved. 1. For all that are redeemed are also justified and all that are justified shal be glorified. 2. For, for whom Christ died, for them he hath satisfied the justice of his father, so that there is no condemnation to them, whom Christ hath redeemed. 3. For whom Christ dyed, them by his death he reconciled to God; now they, who when they were enemies were reconciled to God by the death of his Son; much more being reconciled … be saved by his life.
Arg. 2. Neither may we think, that Christ would die for them, for whom he would not pray. But for the world, faith he, Iohn 17. 9. that is for the company of the … and repro…at…s I pray not: but for them whom thou hast given me out of the world.
Arg. 3. But if the Oath of an honest man, ought to be the end of controversie, much more ought the Oath of God in this place end this controversie concerning universall redemption. For God hath sworn, that to so many as he redeemeth, he wil give them to worship him in holsness and righteousness, But the greater part of mankind have never the grace to worship God in holyness and righteousness, and therefore to them the benefit of redemption doth not belong.
Now, when we do profess our selves to be the redeemed of the Lord, we do withall confess, that in our selves we are bondmen, and servants, whom Christ came to redeem out of this bondage. But howsoever all will challenge to themselves the benefit of Redemption, yet how few, in comparison, do acknowledg their bondage? But like the unbelieving Iews, when our Saviour promised them liberty, profess, that they never were in servitude, Iohn 8. 33. and so bewray themselves not to be redeemed. But this humble conceipt of our selves before our Justification is necessary for us, if either we would seek to Christ, or have him to respect us. For if by nature we be not in bondage, what need we a redeemer? If not lost, what need we a Saviour? Mat. 9. 12. The whole need not the Physitian, but they that are sick, Christ came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentauce, Mat. 9. 13. to preach redemption to the Captives, Luke 4. 1…. and to save that which was lost. He was given unto us of his Father, to be our wisdom, our lustification, our redemption, our sanctification, our life our salvation, 1 Cor. 1. 30. If therefore we would be made partakers of these benefits, we must acknowledg our selves to be fools in spiritual things, that in him we may become wise; guilty of. death & damnation, that in and by him we may be absolved and justified: defiled and polluted with sin, that by him we may be sanctified: dead in sin, that in him we may be quickned and revived: lost, that in him we may be saved: captives and bondmen, that by him we may be redeemed.
2. As touching the party by whom we are redeemed; the text saith; he would give us that we should be redeemed: which, in the beginning of this Psalm is more plainly expressed: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who hath visited and redeemed his people, or as the words are, hath wrought redemption to his people. How? By raising an horn of salvation, that is, a mighty saviour For us, who according to the flesh was the Son of David. The father therefore redeemeth us by giving his son for us: the son redeemeth us, by giving himself to be a price of redemption for us. 1 Tim. 2. 6. The holy Ghost also redeemeth us, when working in us the grace of …aith, he applieth unto us the benefit of redemption. The father redeemeth, as the gracious Author and Donor; the Son, as the meritorious worker, the holy Ghost, as the effectual applier. The good wil and love of God the Father is the foreign or antecedent moving cause, the death and obedience of Christ is the foreign or meritorious cause; the application of the holy Ghost is the foreign or effectual cause, by which we are made actually partakers of redemption, which is the grace wrought by Christ, proceeding from the love of the father, 2 Cor. 13. 14. applied unto us by the communion of the holy Ghost.
Now here are divers things to be observed. 1. The infinite and unspeakable love of God the father, in giving his only begotten Son, and of God the Son in giving himself for us; and of God the holy Ghost the spirit of grace, in communicating unto us the mercy and love of God, and the merit and vertue of all that Christ did or su…ered for us.
For the first, herein is love, saith the beloved Apostle, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Sonne to be the propitiation for our sinnes. 1 John 4. 10. So God loved the world, so infinitely, so unspeakably, so beyond all comparison, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Ioh. 3. 16. And again, Ro. 8. 32. that he spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us al. But her in especialy god mendeth his love towards us, that whilest we were sinners, and by sin enemies, Christ died for us, Rom. 5. 8. 10.
If this love of God be shed abroad in our hearts by his holy spirit, Rom. 5. 5. that is, if by the Holy Ghost working in us faith, we are truly perswaded and assured of it, these effects wil follow, 1. that we shal love God again, the beams of his love inflaming our hearts, and reflecting back some heat of love. For therefore do we love God, because he loved us first, 1 Joh. 4. 19. Magnes amor is amor: Love is the loadstone of love. The woman in the Gospel, who had many sins remitted, did therefore love much. Luk. 7. 47. If it be demanded, why, and how we should love God, I answer with Bernard, Lib…de dilig. Deum, initio. Causa diligendi Deum Deus est; modus, sine modo diligere. God is good without measure, and without measure he hath loved us, therefore without measure, if it were possible, we ought to love him. But though we cannot do so, yet we ought to love him with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our might. Lev. 6. 5. Mat. 22. 37. Or if we cannot do so by reason of the flesh, yet at the least with an upright soul, and a sincere heart, to the uttermost of our power. And this our love we must express by keeping his commandements, Ioh. 14. 15. Exod. 20. 6. and that willingly. For this, saith Saint John, is the love of God, 1 Ioh. chap. 5. ver. 3. that we keep his Commandments, and his Commandements are not grievous.
2. We shal love our neighbour for the Lords sake, it is the use which S. Iohn make…h in the place even now cited, 1 Ioh. 4. 10. 11. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his son to be the pr…pitiation for our sins. Beloved (saith he) if God so loved us, we ought also to love … another.
3. The perswasion of this love of God affordeth unto us singular comfort, in divers respects. As first in afflictions. For therefore do we glory in afflictions, Rom. 5. 3, 4, 5. knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, and hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is given … us: that is, because by faith wrought in us by the holy Ghost, we are perswaded of the love of God in Christ, which love God commendeth towards us, in that, when we were sinners, Christ died for us.
The second comfort. If God did so love us, when we were his enemies; much more when by Christ we are become his friends. For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled unto God by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled we shal be saved by his life.
The third comfort. If God so loved us, that he spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shal he not then with him also freely give us all things, Rom. 8. 32. all things that be expedient for us.
2. The love also of God the Son exceedeth all knowledg, Ephes. 3. 19. who so lo…ed the Church, that he gave himself for it, Eph. 5. 25. who so loved us, that he washed us from our sins in his own blood, Apoc. 1. 5. Greater love hath no man then this, that a man lay down his life for. his friends. Iohn 15. 13. But Christ our sweet Saviour, being not only man, but God also, gave himself not for his friends but for his enemies; and that, not to a commo…and ordinary death, but to the most painful, most shameful, and most accursed death of the Cross; and not only to fuffer a corporall death, but also in his soul, to undergo the wrath of God in our steed; the fear whereof, when he was in that grievous agony, caused him to sweat great dropps of blood, Luke 22. 44. and the sence thereof on the Cross, being in his own sence as a man forsaken of God, made him cry out. My God, my God, why hast thou for saken me? Mat. 27. 46.
The acknowledgment of this wonderful love of Christ, ought first to work in us a love in some measure answerable to his; that as he gave himself for us an offering and sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour, Eph. 5. 2. so we should present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto him, which is our reasonable service, Rom. 12. 1. And as he gave himself for us, so should we b…willing and ready, if occasion serve, to lay down our lives for him, the rather because he hath promised, that whosoever shal lose his life for his sake and the Gospels, shal save it, Mar. 8. 35. We owe our selves unto Christ in a double or treble respect: first, for that in our creation he gave us to our selves: secondly, because in our redemption, when we were lost, he restored us to our selves: thirdly, when in restoring us, he gave himself for us. For our selves given and restored, we may and ought to give and render our selves; but what retribution shal we make him for himself? For though we should give and render our selves to him, or for him a thousand times yet what are we to him? As Bernard sweetly argueth. Lib. de delig. Deo.
Secondly, we are to imitate our blessed Saviour, as the Apostle exhorteth us in respect of his love, shewing it self in his duplicate page duplicate page wonderful humiliation and obedience for us. Phil. 2. 5. Let the same mind be in you, which was in Christ Iesus, who being God coequall with his Father, for our sakes abased himselfe to become man: and being man, humbled himself, not only to all active obedience, performing all righteousness, as being made subject to the Law for us; but also to the passive obedience, being obedient to death, even the death of the Crosse; and all this for us men, and for our salvation.
Thus you have heard the love of the Father, in giving his Son, and the love of the Son in giving himself for us; whereunto we may add the love both of the Father and the Son, in sending the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of love to accompl…sh our redemption, and also of the Holy Ghost, who furnisheth with his graces, and furnished, sendeth forth the Embassadours and Ministers of God, committing unto them the meanes of our salvation; in and by which, hee having united us to Christ, and made us partakers of him, he worketh effectually in the hearts of Gods chosen, all those saving and sanctifying graces, wherby they are not only enti…led unto Gods Kingdome, but also fitted and prepared for the same.
But as in the work of our Redemption we have observ… the … love of God: so in the second place we are to observe his infinite justice manifested in the same. For such is the justice of God, that rather then he would suffer the sins of his own elect children to go unpunished, he hath punished them in the death of his only begotten Son. The consideration whereof ought to strike a terror in them that do not believe, nor repent. For if God punished the sins of the faithful in Christ, what shal become of them, who have no part in Christ? Undoubtedly every sin, as it deserveth death, so is it punished with death; either with the death of Christ in the behalf of them that believe, or with the death of the parties themselves, who are not in Christ. And as it ministreth terror to the wicked; so it affordeth singular comfort to the faithful, who are in Christ. For they may from the consideration of this justice of God, safely conclude; that to them, being in Christ, there is not only no condemnation, but not so much as any punishments so properly called, which in order of justice is inflicted by way of vengeance to satisfie the justice of God. For Christ having fully satisfied the justice of his Father in the behalf of all them that believe; it cannot stand with the justice of God to punish the same sins in the party, which he hath already punished in Christ. The children of God are indeed subject to manifold afflictions, which are mala poenae, but unto them the nature of them is changed, so that they be not punishments to them, but either fatherly chastisements, (for when we are judged, 1 Cor. 11. 32. that is, afflicted for our sins, we are chastised of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world) or else trials for their good.
Thirdly, we observe how heynous, and how detestable our sins are in the sight of God: the guilt whereof could not be expiated, nor the justice of God satisfied, nor his wrath for them appeased, by any other means, but by the most precious blood of the eternal Son of God. That both in respect of our sins past we should be touched with remorse, when we consider that by our sins we nayled our Saviour to the Cross, (to which end we are to pray, that the Lord would pour upon us the spirit of grace and supplication, that when we look upon him, whom we have pierced, we might lament and mourn, as a father mourneth for his only son:) and also in respect of the time to come, we should not be animated to commit any sin, as being smal; seeing there is none so smal, but the price of it was the precious blood of Christ: none so light, but that if we be not eased from the burthen of it, by the merits of Christ, it is of sufficient weight to presse us down to hell.
The third thing to be considered in the doctrine of Redemption, are the enemies from whom we are delivered; which are not carnall, as the Jews imagine, dreaming that their Messias should be a temporal Monarch, who having subdued their enemies, which held them in subjection, should restore the Kingdom to Israel, but spirituall. And these are the Law, sin, death, and the devill; the La… being the strength of sinne, sinne the sting of death, and death the power of the devil; from the hand, that is, from the power of all which our Saviour Christ hath delivered us.
If it be demanded, why among the enemies, I do not reckon the world. I answer, if by World, be meant worldly desires, as 1 Ioh. 2. 15, 16. they are comprehended under the title of sin: if wicked worldlings, they are but the feed of the Serpent, and the instruments of the Devill. And in both senses, not only our Saviour hath overcome the world for us, Ioh. 16. 33. but the faithfull also in and by him, 1 Ioh. 4. 4. and 5. 4, 5.
The Law by reason of our transgression is an enemy unto us; whether we consider the yoke of the Ceremonial Law, or the bondage wherein the Morall Law did hold us, From the yoke of the Ceremonial Law, Act. 16. 10▪ which neither we nor our Fathers were able to bear, our Saviour Christ delivered us, blotting out, or cancelling the hand-writing of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nayling it to his Crosse, Col. 2. 14. and abolis… ing in his flesh the enmity, even the law of the Commandements consisting in ordinances, Ephe…. …. 15.
And as touching the morall law, our Saviour hath delivered us, first from the curse of the law, and consequently from all punishments of sin, whether temporall or eternall, himself being made a curse for us, Gal. 3. 13▪ & not only so, but hath also made us … of the blessednesse promised in him to Abraham, and to his feed, that is, to all the faithfull, who are the … of promise.
2. From the rigour and … of the law, e…acting of us perfect righteousnesse, inherent in us, and perfect obedience to be performed by us to our justification, by performing perfect righteousnesse in his owne person for us, by which righteousnesse being apprehended by faith, we are justified be one God, without the works of the Law, that is, without respect of any righteousnesse inherent …n us, or obedience performed by us, Rom. 3. 28. Now this two-fold bondage was most miserable, to be subject to the fearfull curse of God, if we did break the law, when we could do nothing els but break it: & to be excluded frō justification & salvation, if we did not perfectly fulfil the law, which by reason of the flesh is impossible unto us, …. 8. 3.
3. From the terrour, and coaction of the law working servile feare in those who are under the Law, forcing them by fear of punishment, as bondslaves by the whip, to the outward, though unwilling performance of it. From this spirit of fearfulnesse, … Tim. 1. 7. which is also called the spirit of bondage, Rom. …. 15. Christ hath freed us, that as a voluntary people. Psal. 110. 3. Zealous of good works …. 2. 14. we may worship God … as it …o…oweth in my text, without servile fear, with upright hearts and willing minds, 1 Chron. …8. 9. as not being under the Law, but under Grace.
4. From the irritation of the Law, in regard wherof especially it is called the strength of sin, 1 Cor. 15. 56. whereunto our own corruptions did make us subject, as unto an husband, Rom. 7. 15. begetting foule issue by us tending to death. For such is the corruption of our untamed nature, until we be renewed by the Spirit of God that when the Law which is holy and good, forbiddeth sin, and seeketh to b…idle our sinful affections▪ like an untamed … rebelleth so much the more; and that it might appear exceedingly sinfull, taketh occasion by the Law forbidding sinne, to work in us al manner of concupiscence, Rom. 7. 8. 13. But when we being adopted in Christ, are also regenerated by the Spirit, and so made dead to sinne; we are mortified to the Law, and the Law to us, in respect of this irritation accidentally caused by our corruption, alwayes prone to that which is forbidden: and consequently are delivered from the bondage of the Law, as of a former husband being dead, Rom. 7. 2, &c.
Secondly, we are by Christ freed from death, both from the first death, as it is a punishment, and from the second. For as of all other afflictions, so of death the nature is changed in respect of the faithfull, to whom it is not a punishment or curse, the sting of it (which is sin) being taken away; but rather a blessing; no losse, but advantage, because to them it is the end of sin, and consequently of all misery, the beginning of happiness, a passage from the vale of tears to the kingdom of glory, the end of a mortall life, and the beginning of a life immortall.
Likewise from the second death, for he hath delivered us from the wrath that is to come, 1 Thes. 1. 10. so that to them that are in Christ, there is no condemnation, Rom. 8. 1. this being the main promise of the Gospel, that whosoever beleeveth in him shall not pe…ish, but have everlasting life, Ioh. 3. 1…, 16, 18.
Thirdly, from the power of the d…vil: that howsoever he may assault us, yet he shall not hurt us. Because he that is in us, being greater then he that is in the world, 1 Ioh. 5. 18. hath overcome this strong man, Luk. 11. 22. & hath bound him, as being stronger then he. For by his death he hath overthrown him that had the power of death, that is the devil, delivering them who through fear of death were all their life-time subject to bondage, Heb. 2. 14, 15. & having spoiled principaliti…s and powers (meaning the devill and his ang…ls) he hath made a shew of them openly, and triumphed over them on the crosse, Col. 2. 15.
Fourthly, But the most pernic…ous enemy is that which we carry in our own bosom, and that is sin, from which if we be freed, we are delivered from all the rest. For if we be d…livered from sin, then are we freed from the curse of the Law, from the evill of death having lost his sting, from the danger of damnati…n being absolved from the guils of sin, from the malice of Satan, who, if we be freed from sinne, hath nothing to object against us. For who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect? It is God that doth justifie, who shall condemn? Christ having died and being risen again sitteth at the right hand of his Father making intercession for us, Rom. 8. 33, 34 Therefore in the Scriptures the whole benefit of our Redemption is expressed sometimes by deliverance from sin, as Eph. 1. 7. Col. 1. 14. By Christ we have red…mption, viz. …re…ssion of sins. For therefore Christ gave himself for us, that he might rede…m us from all iniquity, Tit. 2. 14. 1 Pet. 1. 18. Act. …3. 25, 26. Now, from sin he doth deliver us; first, in respect of the guilt thereof, by … us, and reconciling us unto God, Act. …3. 38, 39. 2 Cor. 5. 19.
Secondly, in respect of the corruption of sin, (which he … in us by degrees,) he … us from the bondage and dominion of …in; that howsoever it remaineth in the children of God, yet it shall no more reigne in them, Rom. 6. 14.
The use of this doctrine concerning our redemption, is:
First, seeing Christ our Saviour hath redeemed us from our enemies, that therefore we should not stand in fear of them, according to that, Esay 43. 1. Fear not, for I have redeemed thee. But as we are taught in the next words, we should all the dayes of our life worship him … fear: and in the end of our dayes commend our soules into the hand of God, saying with David, Psal. 31. 6. Into thy hands I commend my …, for thou hast redeemed me Lord God of truth.
2. When we have sinned against God, the remembrance of our redemption should encourage us to return unto him by unfained repentance, as himself exhorteth, Esay 44 22. These things, saith Saint Iohn, I write unto you, that you sin not; but if any man do sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the propitiation for our sins, 1 Ioh. 2. 1, 2.
3. Seeing our Saviour hath redeemed and bought us with so great a price, therefore we ought to acknowledg him to be our Lord in the right of Redemption, and our selves not to be our own men, but his servants. For therefore Christ died and rose again to life, that he might be the Lord both of the quick and of the dead, Rom. 14. 9. And if we acknowledg him to be our Lord, we must be carefull to do his will, otherwise in vaine do we call him so: Why do you call me Lord, and do not the things that I command you? Luke 6. 46. Not every one that saith Lord, Lord, shal enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Mat. 7. 22. Again, being bought with a price, we are not our own men, but his that bought us: and therefore ought not to seek our selves, or the satisfying of our own lusts; but to glorifie God both in our bodies and in our spirit, which are not ours but Gods, 1 Cor. 6. 19, 20. That body is not thine to spend in sin, but is to be offered unto God, as an holy and acceptable sacrifice. That tongue is not thine own, as the wicked say of theirs, Psal. 12. 4. to use, or rather abuse at thy pleasure, but to be used to the glory of God. That heart is not thine to be addicted to worldly vanities, but to be given to God. In a word. Christ died for al, that they which live should not henceforth live to themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again, 2 Cor. 4. 15.
4. Seeing Christ hath given himself for us to f…ee us from our enemies, let us stand fast in that liberty which Christ, at so de…r a price, purchased for us; and not suffer our selves to be entangled again with the yoke of bondage, Gal. 5. 1. For what can be, either more dishonorable to out Redeemer, then that we should revolt frō him to serve sin & Satan, or more pernicious to our selves; for then our latter end should be worse then our beginning, 2 Pet. 2. 20. Remember the Israelites, who being redeemed out of Aegypt, for desiring to return, perished in the wilderness. Remember Lots wife, Luk. 17. 32. who, being delivered out of Sodom, for looking back, was turned into a pillar of salt. The which I speak not as though I thought, that a man who is once truly justified & redeemed, can either totally or finally fall away from saving grace▪ but to admonish those, who think they stand, to take heed they do not fall, 1 Cor. 10. 12. For if any professing himself to be redeemed, shall fall away, his example will not prove, that a man may fall from saving grace: but his falling away will evidently prove, that he was never in the state of grace, 1 Ioh. 2. 19. …
5. For as much as Christ our … is sacrificed for us, 1 Cor. 5. 8. we should purge out the old leaven, and keep a perp…all feast of unleavened bread (signified by the … days of that feast,) not with the … hypocrisie, nor with the old leaven of naughtinesse, but with the unle…vened graces of sincerity and truth: but especially when we celebrate the memory of our redemption … the Lords day, or in any of our Lords Feasts, or at the celebrating of the holy …, which is the antitype to the Passeover.
6. Lastly, we are to be hear…dy thankfull unto God for this … benefit, wherby we, being … lost by sin, and therefore in our selves worse then nothing (for better were it not to be, then being lost, not to be redeemed) are restored to a betten estate then we lost in Adam, And this our thankfulness we are to expresse, partly by thanksgiving, whereunto we are excited in this Psalme, …