The Holy Arbor, Chapter 6 · Section 4
IV.
REdemption is a Deliverance from our Sins, by the Imputation of the Pains and Suffering of the due puniſhment thereof in the perſon of our Mediator: For Redemption is aſcribed unto the Son, becauſe he is that perſon which executeth the Fathers will concerning the Redeeming of Mankinde, and doth immediately perform the Work of our Redemption; for the Son onelyonly was ſent into the Fleſh, and hath paid the Ranſom or Price for our ſins, not the Father nor the Spirit. Now Chriſt is called the Redeemer of all Mankinde, not becauſe all are actually Redeemed by him, but becauſe no man is Redeemed by any other but Chriſt onelyonly; the meaning is, he is the onelyonly Redeemer of all men who attain this great benefit of Redeemption and Salvation: Or, he Redeemed all men; that is, in regard of the Sufficiency of that he did and ſuffered, for his Paſſion being ſuitable to his Perſon, his dying was more then equivalent to all the Worlds periſhing everlaſtingly in Hell: So that wicked men and unbelievers are not hereby ſecured, but more juſtly and deeply damned, as treading under foot the Son of God, and prophaning his Blood: For though Redemption be virtually Univerſal, yet the Faithful onelyonly have their part in it, being ineffectual to them as have not the grace of God to receive it. Thus the Sun giveth light generally to all the World, yet are there many particular perſons that enjoy it not. But all that are eternally choſen out of the World into the Church, and continue uſing the means of Salvation, are Redeemed; it is otherwiſe in reſpect of all choſen temporally to a certain Office in the Church, as it was with Judas. Thus Chriſt in his Paſſion and Death offereth himſelf to all, but is given onelyonly to the Elect; to all by the Preaching of the Goſpel, but he is the Savior onelyonly of the Faithful, Rom. 1.16. Now the cauſe that moved God to ſend this Redeemer, was not any foreſeen Faith or worthineſs of man, nor any merit or deſert by good Works, nor any inherent Righteouſneſs in us, but the Freegrace and Favor of God, his own Infinite and Incomprehenſible love and goodneſs.
Redemption is twofold; viz.
1. Corporal, ſuch as that of the Iſraelites from Egypt.
2. Spiritual, which is underſtood of our deliverance by Chriſt, typified in the former.
Redemption may be four ways; viz.
1. When the Captive is ſent away freely and voluntarily: Sin and the Devil would never let us go ſo.
2. When one Captive is exchanged for another: No creature could be an exchange for man.
3. By a violent taking away of the Captive by force: Thus onelyonly man was not delivered.
4. By paying a Ranſom: And this way were we Redeemed by Chriſt; for the Devil did hold us Captive by right for Sin, till Chriſt paid his Blood, Eph. 1.7. Col. 1.14.
Chriſt is ſaid to Redeem us three ways; viz.
1. Becauſe he alone is both God and Man, ſo is neither the Father nor the Holy Ghoſt, which was neceſſary to the Work of our Redemption, Acts 20.28.
2. He alone was appointed of the Father to work our Redemption, Heb. 3.2.
3. In the Redeemer two things are required; viz.
1. Power and ability to encounter and overcome the Enemy: This power was in Chriſt.
2. The right of Redemption, which is twofold; viz.
1. The Right of Propriety: This Right Chriſt hath in us as True God, it belonging to the whole Trinity.
2. The Right of Propinquity: and this Chriſt hath as True Man, and this he hath alone.
Chriſt taketh away our ſins three ways; viz.
1. By Imputation, whereby our ſins become his, and his Righteouſneſs made ours, 2 Cor. 5.21.
2. By Expiation and Propitiation, whereby he removed them out of the ſight of God, 1 Joh. 2.23.
3. By Mortification, thereby removing them from us in this life, and in death by perfect Sanctification.
Or thus; Chriſts Blood doth ſave us from all ſin:
1. By Expiation, which is the ſatisfying of Gods Wrath due to ſin, by bearing the heavy burthen thereof, Phil. 1.8. He laid down his life for us, 1 Joh. 3.16.
2. By Sanctification, which is the virtual diffuſing of his Blood in our hearts, and in every corner thereof, by the working of his Holy Spirit, to the cleanſing of them from ſin; ſo as it hath no more dominion over us, Rom. 6.3.
This Redemption by Chriſt is Eternal in two reſpects:
1. In regard of Eternal Predeſtination, which was before the Foundation of the world.
2. In regard that the vertue of this Redemption doth extend it ſelf from the beginning of the world unto the end thereof, neither is there any other to be looked for.
In this doctrine of Redemption, conſider
1. Who are Redeemed; and they onelyonly the Elect of all ſorts of people, both before and ſince the coming of Chriſt.
2. Who hath Redeemed us; that is, Chriſt alone the onelyonly-Mediator between God and us, as being the onelyonly Head of the Church.
3. That this Redemption is Spiritual from ſin, the cauſe of Death Eternal, and from Satan the Author of Sin, and all the ill conſequents of ſin.
4. OnelyOnly by the Blood of Chriſt, the onelyonly purgation from ſin.
5. The cauſe moving Chriſt thus to Redeem us, which was the riches of his Grace.
Chriſt Jeſus hath made an Atonement between God and us by his Blood, and is thereby become our Advocate and Redeemer:
1. Becauſe thereby God is well pleaſed and his wrath appeaſed, ſo that he accounteth Chriſts Death as a full Price and ſufficient Ranſom paid for our ſins, Mat. 3.17. Eph. 5.2.
2. Chriſt took the whole burthen of our ſins upon his ſhoulders, preſenting himſelf before God in our perſon, and offering us to God in his perſon: So that he took upon him our Unrighteouſneſs, and imputed to us his Righteouſneſs, Iſa. 53.4, 12.
3. There could otherwiſe be no Remiſſion of ſins: So that it is the Blood of Chriſt in the Suffering of the Croſs that purgeth away our ſins, Heb. 9.22.
4. Nothing but the Death of Chriſt could quench the ſcorching wrath of God, as a conſuming fire kindled againſt us, and countervail his ſevere Juſtice, Heb. 9.5.
In that Chriſt is ſaid to be the lamb ſlain from the beginning of the world, is ſignified,
1. That he is in reſpect of the Application of his Merit a perpetual Sacrifice ſatisfactory, although the ſlaying it ſelf is at a certain time.
2. He was ſlain typically from all Ages, in Types and Figures, which did ſhadow forth his Death to the life.
3. He was ſlain from the beginning in his Members, the Saints, as Abel, the Prophets, &c.
4. By the Eternal Decree of God the Father, he ſhould expiate the ſins of the world.
The Doctrine of the Eternity of Chriſts Redemption is a threefold Uſe:
1. Not to doubt of the Salvation of the Fathers in the Old Teſtament before Chriſt came.
2. Not to Judge, Cenſure or Condemn our Brethren.
3. Not to deſpair of Gods Mercy.
The delivery we have by Chriſts Redemption, is fourfold; or Chriſt hath Redeemed us from a fourfold Bondage; viz.
1. From the Bondage of Blindeneſs and Ignorance by the light of his holy Spirit, Ezek. 18.2. Tit. 3.3.
2. From the Bondage of Sin, enduing us with a lively Faith, and regenerating us: From Sin, which is the perfect, both pardoning of Sin, that it may not for ever be imputed, and alſo aboliſhing of it in us by Regeneration or Newneſs of life, which is begun here, but to be perfected in the world to come.
3. From the Bondage of Death and Corruption by the work of his Redemption, Rom. 8.21. 1 Cor. 15.54. From Death, both from Deſperation, or the Feeling of Gods Wrath, which being in the wicked here begun, ſhall continue everlaſtingly; and from Corporal Death, and all Calamities and Miſeries, by our Reſurrection and Glorification.
4. From the Bondage of the Law, by taking away the exaction and ſtrict urging of perfect obedience, Gal. 3.13.
The uſe that we are to make of our Redemption:
1. To hate, loath and deteſt all ſin whatſoever.
2. To glorifie Chriſt both in Soul and in Body.
3. To live wholly unto him, not to our ſelves.
4. To take heed of defiling our ſelves again with ſin.
5. To love Chriſt unfeignedly, willingly, perpetually.
6. To live and walk as becometh thoſe that are Redeemed.
The uſe that we are to make of the Freeneſs of Chriſts Redeeming us without any deſert of ours; viz.
1. Not to abuſe Gods Mercy by Carnal Preſumption.
2. To accept of it, and Repent more ſpeedily.
3. Never to Deſpair of this Mercy finally and totally.
4. To give all poſſible Praiſe and Thanks for ever for this unſpeakable Mercy.