A Golden Mine Opened, Sermon 26
HEB. II. 3. How ſhall we eſcape if we neglect ſo great Salvation?
Serm. V.I AM upon the Proof and Demonſtration of the greatneſs of the Salvation of the Goſpel. I cloſed with the ninth Reaſon of the Point the laſt time.
Tenthly, Goſpel-Salvation is a great and glorious Salvation, if Goſpel-Salvation great conſidering what we are raiſed unto by it.we conſider what ſuch who have intereſt in it are raiſed up unto, or do and ſhall partake of; I mean, what great Bleſſings and wonderful Privileges they are inveſted with by it.
Firſt, Pardon of Sin: This Bleſſing have all they that receive it.
1. Conſider the Blood of Chriſt is the way of Goſpel-Remiſſion, no Remiſſion of Sin without the ſhedding of Blood; there is remiſſion Heb. 9. 22.of Sin, but no Blood could procure this Remiſſion but the Blood of Chriſt: he paid our Debts, in whom we have redemption Col. 1. 14. Pardon of Sin contained in Goſpel-Salvation.through his Blood, even the Forgiveneſs of Sins. It was by his offering himſelf an Expiatory Sacrifice to God; there's no Salvation without Pardon of Sin, and no Pardon of Sin without a Compenſation be made by Jeſus Chriſt to the Law and Juſtice of God.
2. Conſider who are pardoned, even all that believe, though they were never ſuch great Rebels againſt God; ſuch were Traitors and Enemies once, who are now forgiven. Here is a Pardon for the vileſt Sinner, that ſees his horrid Evil and Rebellion, and takes hold of Jeſus Chriſt, or looks up to him by Faith.
3. Conſider the Nature of this Pardon and Goſpel-Remiſſion: Such are pardoned for ever; I will remember their Sins no more, they are blotted out for ever. God promiſes to all penitent and believing Sinners, to throw their Sins into the Depth of the Sea.
4. Conſider the Terms of Pardon, it is a free Forgiveneſs, we having nothing to pay: God of his meer Grace and Goodneſs doth forgive us through the Atonement of Chriſt's Blood freely; Even Iſa. 43. 25:I am he that blotteth out thy Tranſgreſſion for my own ſake, and will not remember thy Sins: This is ſpoke to a People that had wearied the Lord with their Iniquities. O what a glorious Salvation is this, that here is Remiſſion and free Pardon for rebellious Sinners, ſuch that deſerve nothing but Wrath and Hell!
5. It is a Pardon of all Sins, great and ſmall, Sins of Omiſſion, and Sins of Commiſſion, Sins of all ſorts and ſizes.
6. 'Tis God that blotteth out our Sins; he that can forgive, he whoſe right it is to pardon, he againſt whom we have ſinned; and he who when he gives a Pardon, none can ſuperſede it nor revoke it, let them do what they can.
Secondly, Reconciliation with God is another Bleſſing of this Salvation: God doth not only forgive us, but he takes us into his Boſom, he is fully reconciled to us in Jeſus Chriſt; he cries, Fury is not in Iſa. 27. 4.me. Again he ſays, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleaſed. When we were Enemies, we were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son: And none can make God our Enemy again for ever, if we Rom. 5. 10. Rom. 8. 39, 40.are Believers; none can ſeparate us from his Love in Jeſus Chriſt our Lord, as ſomething ag… I ſhewed you, no not Sin nor Satan.
Thirdly, By this Salvation we come to have Union with God, Union with God a Bleſſing of Goſpel-Salvation.and to be made one Spirit with Jeſus Chriſt: and how great and glorious is this ſa…red Union! but having formerly ſpoken to it, I ſhall not ſay more to it n…w. Moreover, we are not only brought into a State of Union but are alſo admitted to have Communion with the Father, and the Son. Brethren, it is one thing for a Traitor to be pardoned, and another thing for him to be admitted into the King's Preſence, and to become one of his great Favourites: Truly our Fellowſhip is with the Father, and with his Son Jeſus Chriſt.1 Joh. 1. 3.
Fourthly, By this Salvation alſo we are juſtified: Juſtification is a high Privilege; By him all that believe are juſtified from all things, from which ye could not be juſtified by the Law of Moſes. Let me Acts 13. 39.ſhew you what it is to be juſtfied, that ſo this Salvation may appear the more great and glorious to you.
1. To be juſtified, is more than to be pardoned. A Man may be forgiven, and yet not have the Guilt removed from him, nor The Nature of Juſtification opened.be declared Righteous and Innocent. To be juſtified, is to be pronounced Juſt and Righteous in God's Sight, through the perfect Righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt, or to be actually acquitted upon Trial, or diſcharged from the Guilt and Puniſhment of Sins; not that we are not Sinners in our ſelves but as Chriſt was made Sin for us who knew no Sin (in himſelf) ſo we are made the Righteouſneſs of God in him, who knew no Righteouſneſs in our ſelves. As our Sin was imputed unto Chriſt, ſo his Righteouſneſs is imputed unto us: God in Juſtification deals not with us in a way of Mercy only, (as he doth in Pardon of Sin) but in a way of Juſtice and Righteouſneſs alſo; we paid all that was due to vindictive Wrath and Juſtice in Jeſus Chriſt, (I mean, Jeſus Chriſt for us as our Surety hath done it).
2. Juſtification is ſo great a Bleſſing, that the Juſtice of God hath nothing to lay to the Believer's Charge, for Juſtice as well as Mercy does acquit him.
3. Nor hath the Law any thing to lay to the …arge of them that God juſtifies, Chriſt in our ſtead having anſwered all the Demands thereof, and born the Penalty it denounces upon the Tranſgreſſors of it: Chriſt hath redeemed us from the Curſe of the Gal. 3. 13.Law, being made a Curſe for us.
4. And as the Law can lay nothing to our Charge if God juſtifies us, ſo can none elſe: Who ſhall lay any thing to the Charge of Rom. 8. 32, 33, 34.God's Elect? It is God that juſtifieth, who ſhall condemn us? None can implead ſuch, or put in an Accuſation that ſhall be heard at God's Bar; if it is God that doth acquit us, that juſtifies us, what ſignifies any Charge that can be brought in againſt us? What though for want of clear Light our Hearts ſhould condemn us, or wicked Men, or Satan; our Hearts may charge us unjuſtly and ignorantly, for want of Light, and wicked Men and Devils maliciouſly.
5. Moreover, none can condemn ſuch that God juſtifieth, becauſe it is Chriſt that died: Hath not his Death Worth and Merit enough in it? It is Chriſt that died, he who was God as well as Man; our Debt is long ago paid; and when we believe, we receive an actual Diſcharge. The Apoſtle challenges all the Enemies of our Souls, to come in and ſee what they can do to condemn a juſtified Perſon; Come World, come Devil, come Law, come Sin, come Conſcience, what can you lay to the Charge of thoſe that Chriſt died for, and God hath actually acquitted? Bring forth your Plea, your Charge of Eternal Condemnation; Hath not Chriſt born the Puniſhment due to theſe for all their Sins they have, do, or may commit? Is not his Satisfaction more than enough? Hath he not purchaſed and merited ſuperabundant Grace? Come ſaith a poor Believer, I will ſtand Trial with you now, though I have but one ſingle Plea, It is Jeſus Chriſt that died for me, and in my room: I appeal to the Great God and Judg of Heaven and Earth, whether my Plea is not good, and according to Law, and allowable. Sirs, by this Plea all are ſilenced and impleaded at once.
6. All that are juſtified, are compleat in Jeſus Chriſt, they are without Spot before the Throne of God: And ye are compleat in Col. 2. 10.him, which is the Head of Principalities and Powers. Chriſt's Compleatneſs and Perfection, in reſpect of his Suretiſhip-Righteouſneſs, being accounted to us, we are compleat touching our Juſtification; we want nothing, our Garment is without Hem, and there is no Spot nor Stain in it: Thou art all fair, my Love, and Cant. 4. 7.there is no Spot in thee. Behold, thou art fair, my Love, behold thou art fair. Thou waſt exceeding beautiful, and thy Renown went forth among the Heathen for thy Beauty: for it was perfect, through Ezek. 16. 13, 14.my Comelineſs which I had put upon thee, ſaith the Lord.
Queſt. Whether is Juſtification all at once, or a continued Act in God?
Anſw. 1. I do not believe it is a divided Act; as 'tis God's Act, ſo it is one Act only: but whether it be one entire Act, or as one tranſient Act, as if all were … out with a Pen at once, or a continued Act, I ſhall not determine; but this I will ſay, He that God accepteth and juſtifieth in Chriſt, …one of his Sins ſhall ever be charged upon him, as to that … Wrath and Vengeance that is due to them: for as the…e is an Imputation of Righteouſneſs unto us, ſo it follows that there is a Non-Imputation of Sin.
2. Juſtification admits of no Degrees tho it ſhould be thought to be a continued Act in God; and though in our ſight and feeling we may not thus apprehend it through want of Faith, and by reaſon of Satan's Temptations, yet as to the Act it ſelf, we are never leſs nor more juſtified, becauſe the Matter of our Juſtification, viz. the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, is not leſs or more, but always the ſame, and it cannot be loſt, as I have proved in this Treatiſe. As Chriſt, Brethren, was juſtified at his Reſurrection from all Sin that was laid upon him, or which met in him on the Croſs, ſo all Believers are cleanſed and juſtified from all Guilt, and that for ever; and this Chriſt pleads in Heaven for them as often as they ſin: By one Offering he hath perfected for ever them that are Heb. 10. 14.ſanctified.
Object. Why doth David ſay, Enter not into Judgment with thy Pſa. 143. 2.Servant O Lord; for in thy ſight ſhall no Fleſh living be juſtified?
Anſw. That is in himſelf, no Man can be juſtified by his own Righteouſneſs in God's ſight; all muſt ſay with Bildad, How can Man be juſtified with God, becauſe he hath ſinned, and daily doth Job 25. 4.Sin? Who dare appear at God's Bar in his own Duties, in his own ſincere Obedience, or in his inherent Holineſs? No, every one muſt fly to God in Chriſt, and plead his Juſtification and Diſcharge through him alone: No Man hath any thing to recommend him to God in point of Juſtification in his ſight, nor doth he need any other Righteouſneſs to diſcharge him or to acquit him before God; yet we as in our ſelves muſt …y with Job, If I juſtify my ſelf, my Job 9. 20.own Mouth ſhall condemn me.
7. Such is the bleſſed State of thoſe who by the Father are juſtified through this Salvation, that to them the Apoſtle affirms there is no Condemnation: There is therefore now no Condemnation to them which are in Chriſt Jeſus.Rom. 8. 1.
(1.) He doth not ſay there is nothing in them, which in its own Nature doth not deſerve Condemnation.
(2.) Nor doth he ſay, a true Believer ſhall never condemn himſelf, paſs a Sentence unjuſtly againſt himſelf; for that he may do.
(3.) Neither doth he ſay, Satan ſhall never condemn him: but let whoever will condemn ſuch, God will not, Chriſt will not, and Sin cannot, the Law cannot; no more can the Devil, nor a Believer's own Heart, I mean, ſo as to bring him under Eternal Condemnation.
8. And laſtly, All ſuch that are juſtified, ſhall be glorified; ſee Rom. 8. 30. O glorious Salvation, that brings in this bleſſed Privilege! how happy are all juſtified Perſons!
Fifthly. Adoption appertains to this Salvation: Every Believer is raiſed alſo to this great Privilege, and hath this Prerogative, he is made a Son of God, a Child of God. Adoption is to take ſuch to be Children, that naturally were not, as a ſpecial Act of Grace and Favour: So we who were the Children of Wrath by Nature, are made or adopted to be the Children of God by Grace through Jeſus Chriſt. And Chriſt in working out this Salvation, procured this glorious Bleſſing: Chriſt hath redeemed us from the Curſe of the Law, that we might receive the Adoption of Sons. To be Kings Gal. 4. 5.Children is no ſmall Dignity, yea, the Children of the King of Heaven and Earth: What manner of Love is this that the Father hath 1 Joh. 3. 1.beſtowed upon us, that we ſhould be called the Sons of God? Beloved, now are we the Sons of God, &c. God is not aſhamed to be called our God, nay, our Father.
1. Brethren, this is an honourable Title: What were we once, how low, baſe and ignoble, before Grace?
2. This Privilege it appears coſt Chriſt dear.
3. And becauſe we are Sons, God hath ſent forth the Spirit of his Son into our Hearts, crying, Abba, Father.Gal. 4. 6.
4. And if we be Children, then Heirs, Heirs of God, and joint Heirs with Chriſt.
5. Then, Beloved, we alſo as Children ſhall be cared for, as Children be fed, as Children be clothed, as Children alſo be chaſtened; God in all Afflictions deals with us as his Children.Heb. 12. 5, 6, 7, 8.
6. And if Children, we ſhall be always Children, for we are not only the Children of God by Adoption, but we are alſo begotten and born of God, and ſo partake of his Divine Nature, which we cannot loſe.
Sixthly, By the Grace and Means of this Salvation, we are eſpouſed to Jeſus Chriſt. O what an Honour and Dignity is this, Believers are the Bride, the Lamb's Wife! And how is, and ſhall the Spouſe of Chriſt be clothed? Even in Gold of Ophir: She ſhall be brought to the King in Raiment of Needle-work. She is all glorious Pſal. 45. 9, 10.within, and ſhe ſhall be all glorious outwardly in Body too e're long, as well as ſhe is ſo now in her Soul and inward Parts. Jeſus Chriſt puts Chains about the Necks of all that are his, or that he eſpouſes, I mean, thoſe precious Graces of his Spirit which he hath purchaſed for them; For they ſhall be an Ornament of Grace unto thy Head, and Chains about thy Neck. The Father called for the beſt Prov. 1. 9.Robe to be put upon his Son, as ſoon as he returned home, and a Ring on his Finger. The inward Beauty of the Spouſe does even Luke 15. 22.raviſh the very Heart of Chriſt: Thou haſt raviſhed my Heart, my Siſter, my Spouſe; thou haſt raviſhed my Heart with one of thine Eyes, with the Chain of thy Neck. With one of thine Eyes: ſome underſtand by one of her Eyes, the Eye of Faith; no doubt that is a precious Grace in Chriſt's ſight. Every Believer partakes of Grace, and all Spiritual Gifts; every Grace is a glorious Ornament, and of great Price in the ſight of God. This Salvation makes Men and Women glorious Creatures, new Creatures, every one reſembles the Son of a King; they hereby come to partake of God's Holy Nature: And as the Grace of this Salvation makes glorious Chriſtians, ſo it does alſo make glorious Churches, Candleſticks of pure Gold.
Seventhly, This Salvation brings Peace with it. Peace is a precious Bleſſing, we receive Grace firſt, and then Peace: My Peace I give unto you, my Peace I leave with you. The Peace of God is ſo John 16.excellent a thing, that it paſſes all Mens Vnderſtanding. What would Spira or Child have given for true Peace and inward Serenity of Mind? O it is a great and glorious Salvation! Were theſe things conſidered, and could be fully opened, it would appear more abundantly; true Peace of Conſcience is never known to the Worth of it, but to ſuch who have known the want of it.
Eighthly, I might alſo ſpeak of Sanctification, which Bleſſing all they alſo partake of that have an Intereſt in this Salvation: Holineſs is an Heaven on Earth, it is Heaven begun here, and it fits and makes every Believer meet for that bleſſed Inheritance of the Saints in Light; the Spirit and Graces of the Spirit are given to this end, I mean, to make us holy in Heart and Life.
Ninthly, Free acceſs unto the Throne of Grace, is another Bleſſing and Privilege which all Believers receive who have a part in this Salvation. Chriſt hath made the Way eaſy for us to the Father; it is by a new and living Way which he hath conſecrated for us Heb. 10. 20.through the Vail, that is to ſay, his Fleſh, or by his Death.
Tenthly, All the Promiſes of God belong to Believers, and are procured for them in and by this Salvation: They are great, exceeding great and precious; there is a Fulneſs in them: the Promiſes 2 Pet. 1. 4.as they are ſure in Chriſt, Yea and Amen in Chriſt, ſo they anſwer every State and Condition any Believer can be in.
Eleventhly, All the Ordinances of the Goſpel belong to this Salvation, and are no ſmall Privilege; they are as golden Pipes to convey Heavenly Riches, or Sacred Treaſure to our Souls.
Nay, and in the laſt place, there is a Crown of Glory that every Believer ſhall be raiſed unto, that hath a ſaving Intereſt in this Salvation; and not only a Crown, but a Kingdom alſo. Now is not this a great Salvation, which raiſes poor Creatures who were fallen as low as Hell, up to Heaven, and of being Slaves of Sin and Satan, to be Sons and Daughters of God? It was a great Salvation that Joſeph had when he was brought out of Priſon, where he lay in Irons, to be the chief Ruler under the King in Egypt: And it was a great Advancement of David from following the Sheep, to ſit on a Throne; but nothing like this of Believers. What is an Earthly Throne to an Heavenly one? He that overcometh, ſhall Rev. 3. 21.ſit down with Chriſt in his Throne, and reign for ever and ever.
APPLICATION.
1. Admire this Salvation, ſay it is no ſmall thing to have a part in it. I cannot particularly apply what I have inſiſted upon: But,
2. Bleſs God for Jeſus Chriſt. You cannot ſay that the Salvation he hath wrought is a barren Salvation. O what is and will be the product of it!
3. Particularly, Conſider what a Bleſſing Juſtification is, and take heed you are not drawn away nor corrupted about the nature thereof.
4. Be exhorted, you that are Saints, to ſtrive to exerciſe Faith in reſpect of your Juſtification: Believe the Goſpel-Teſtimony; He that believeth is juſtified from all things, &c. You have the Word of that God that cannot lie to aſſure you of it. Do not judg of your Juſtification according to the degree of your Sanctification, as if you were no further juſtified than you are ſanctified, or that your Sanctification is any Cauſe of your Juſtification; nor do not think you are more juſtified when you are in a lively frame of Duty, than at another time when deadneſs and dulneſs takes hold of you.
Object. I cannot believe ſo, as to riſe to a full perſwaſion that I am juſtified, and ſhall be ſaved, though I can relie upon Chriſt as a poor Sinner for my Juſtification and Eternal Life.
Anſw. 1. Well, bleſs God for that Faith: for a full Aſſurance doth not appertain to the Eſſence of true Faith, but it is the higheſt degree of it; and no doubt many are gone to Heaven that never attained to that degree of true Faith.
2. I knew a Godly Miniſter who told me in his Sickneſs, a little before he died, All his Hopes were gone, he could not come to Chriſt as a Saint, his Evidences were ſo clouded; this he uttered with Tears, as I remember, and with no ſmall grief: He preſently broke forth, and ſaid, But, Brother, I can come to him as a poor, burdened, loſt and heavy-laden Sinner, and I am ſure he will not refuſe me, or to that purpoſe. If thou canſt do ſo, certainly great Peace will come in; it is from the weakneſs of our Faith that a ſtrong and full Perſwaſion is wanting: a direct Act of Faith I am perſwaded muſt needs bring in the greateſt Joy and Comfort; a looking for all the ſigns of true Grace in us, oft-times confounds a poor Chriſtian. If there is no Sin that thou doſt allow thy ſelf in, but doſt hate Sin as Sin, and loveſt Holineſs, and art willing to follow Chriſt in all things according to thy Light, and loveſt all the Saints of God as ſuch, no doubt but thy State is good and ſafe.
3. But remember, if thou canſt not come to a ſatisfaction about what I ſpeak, in reſpect of thoſe Signs, yet know, if thou doſt believe, i. e. rely upon the Merits and Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, as a poor Sin-ſick Sinner, all may be well.
4. Take heed you do not look for a Righteouſneſs in your ſelves to recommend you to God, or to truſt in for Juſtification: Alſo know that it is not for the ſake of Chriſt's Merits, or for the ſake of his Righteouſneſs that we are juſtified, but that it is his Righteouſneſs that is the Matter of our Juſtification alone before God, as it is …puted unto us, and received by Faith. Chriſt's Merits render no our Faith and ſincere Obedience to be any part of our Righteouſ…eſs to Juſtification in God's ſight; 'tis his Righteouſneſs only which was perfect, and no other Righteouſneſs muſt thou be fo…nd in, in this reſpect, if thou art juſtified and eternally ſaved. Though 'tis true, that Man that has true Faith, ſhall find the Effects of it to be ſuch, that it will cleanſ… and purify his Heart and Life; and that Faith that hath not ſuch Effects and good Fruits to accompany it, is a dead Faith, as the Apoſtle James ſhews.