Funeral Sermon for Thomas Rosewell, Sermon
JOB XXXIII. 23, 24.
If there be a Meſſenger with him, an Interpreter, one among a thouſand, to ſhew unto man his Ʋprightneſs.
Then he is gracious to him, and ſaith, Deliver him from going down to the Pit, I have found a Ranſom.
I Have not my ſelf choſen this Text, nor ſhould I have pitched upon it for this occaſion. But he in his life time choſe it, who was himſelf ſuch a one as is deſcribed in it: namely, An Interpreter, one of a thouſand.
The words are a part of Elihu's Diſcourſe with Job during that ſevere Trial he was under, both from God and Satan, and that both in his outward and inward man. Which Trial, tho it was exceeding ſharp and afflictive during his exerciſe under it, yet it was very comfortable and ſweet in the iſſue and event of it. Job 42 1…For his latter end was better then his beginning. As you may read in the laſt Chapter of this Book.
In this Chapter Elihu undertakes to aſſert the Soveraignty of God over Man; for tho he is juſt and righteous in all his doings, yet he is unaccountable in what he doth. He giveth no account of any of his matters, verſe 13. It is enough for us to know, that tho his Providences are ſometimes dark, yet they are always just: tho his Diſpenſations are very myſterious, yet they are never unrighteous. Tho Clouds and Darkneſs are round about him, yet Righteouſneſs and Judgment are the Habitation of his Throne, Pſal. 97.2.
But tho God be ſo great as to be foreign, not obliged to give any account of himſelf, yet he is ſo gracious, as to condeſcend to Man frequently, and to give ſuch intimations of his will, and of the reaſon of his doings, that Man is not ſo left in the dark, but that he may perceive the mind of God concerning him, and the reaſon of his diſpenſations towards him! For God ſpeaks once, yea twice, verſe 14.
Tho he doth not ſpeak as Man, yet he ſpeaks ſo as to make his mind known to Man. Tho he doth not ſpeak ſyllabically, yet he ſpeaks intelligibly. Tho he doth not ſpeak to the outward Organ, yet he ſpeaks to the Mind and Underſtanding.
And in this ſenſe God hath various ways of ſpeaking to Man. Of which Elihu here gives ſeveral Inſtances.
1. The firſt is his ſpeaking by Dreams and Viſions, verſ. 15. In a Dream, in a Viſion of the Night, when deep ſleep falls upon Men. And what God's end is in this way of ſpeaking he tells you in the following verſes. It is to inſtruct, to humble, to ſave.
1. To inſtruct, verſe 16. Then he opens the Ears of Men, and ſealeth their Inſtruction.
2. To humble, verſe 17. That he may withdraw Man from his purpoſe, and hide pride from Man.
3. To ſave, verſe 18. He keepeth back his Soul from the pit.
2. Another way of God's ſpeaking is by Pains and Diſeaſes, verſ. 19, 20, 21, 22. He is chaſtened with pain upon his Bed, and the multitude of his bones with ſtrong pain. This is a ſad way of ſpeaking, and muſt neceſſarily make ſorrowful hearers. When God ſpeaks in puniſhing, Man muſt needs hear in pain. He ſets down a threefold Effect of this Pain.
The firſt is, loſs of Appetite, and loathing the neceſſary ſupports of Life. His life abhorreth bread, and his ſoul dainty meat, verſe 20.
A ſecond Effect is, a total waſte, and univerſal decay of Nature, verſe 21. His fleſh is conſumed away that it cannot be ſeen, and his bones that were not ſeen, ſtick out.
A third Effect is, a readineſs to expire and give up the Ghoſt, verſe 22. His Soul draws near to the Grave, and his Life to the Deſtroyers. And this is a ſecond way of God's ſpeaking to Man.
3. A third way is, by a Meſſenger ſent from God to teach Man. Which Meſſenger is deſcribed two ways.
1. By his Character.
2. By his Meſſage.
1. By his Character. He is an Interpreter, one among a thouſand. Which is meant of the faithful Miniſters of Chriſt; for they are his Meſſengers. As the Father hath ſent me, ſo ſend I you, John 10.21.
And they are ſent to be Interpreters of the mind and will of God to ſinners. And that, as to Peace and Reconciliation, and as to Grace and Salvation, ſo alſo to Duty and Holineſs of Converſation.
And it is a rare skill to be a true Interpreter between God and Sinners. To be able to diſcover the mind of God aright; to bring the Soul to a firm cloſing with the great Truths and Promiſes of the Goſpel. To know how to ſpeak a word in ſeaſon to him that is weary, (Iſa. 50.4.) and ſo to eaſe the wounded Conſcience by directing it to its true reſt: Mat. 11.28.Theſe are right words, and how forcible are right words, (Job 6.25.) foreign how powerful to ſway the Judgment, Mah nimretſu.and carry the mind after it. One word rightly timed, and ſuited to the caſe, O what a relief it is to the troubled Conſcience!
He that can do this is an Interpreter indeed, not of Tongues and Languages, but of Secrets and Myſteries. He is taught of God, he hath given to him the Tongue of the Learned. And ſuch an Interpreter is a rare thing, He is one among a thouſand.
O how ſhould this teach you to prize faithful Meſſengers when the Lord ſends them; and how readily ſhould you receive the Grace of God which is tendered by them; and how deeply ſhould you lay it to heart when the Lord doth at any time remove them; for it is a great Judgment. And ſo is the taking away this Meſſenger of God from you, unleſs the Lord help you to improve the Meſſage he delivered to you. And that brings me to the ſecond thing.
2. He is deſcribed by his Meſſage, which ſhews what his work and buſineſs is. And that is in the next words, to ſhew unto Man his uprightneſs; or his righteouſneſs; foreign may be underſtood either way.
But whoſe Righteouſneſs is this (called here His Righteouſneſs) which the Meſſenger ſhews to Man?
Some underſtand it of the ſick perſon in the fore-going verſes; who hath an uprightneſs of his own, and doth not know it. His heart, by renewing Grace, is right with God, and yet his Spirit is dark and clouded, ſo that he cannot ſee it. It is no new thing for the beſt of the Children of God to be in great darkneſs at ſome times about their ſpiritual ſtate. They may have attained to great Grace by ſeeking, and yet may ſometimes have all their Grace to ſeek. Sometimes Corruptions from within, and Temptations from without, and Deſcritions from above may ſo darken his Sky, as that there may not be the appearance of one Star to give him light.
It is ſeldom that a Believer can read the Evidences of the goodneſs of his ſtate by any other light then that of Gods Countenance. But alas, that doth not ſhine always. Where is the Chriſtian that hath always ſat in this Sunſhine, without any gloomy days, or winter ſtorms? Who ever taſted of the waters of life, but they have drank leſs or more of thoſe waters of Marak. There are few that ever found God, but may ſay that they have often loſt him.
And it is a diſtreſſing caſe for a Man to want communion with God, after he hath once enjoyed it. To be ſhut out of that Heaven which the light of God's Face makes in the Soul, muſt be to a Saint as Hell it ſelf.
So it was to Heman, Pſal. 88. 3d, to verſe the 7th. My Soul is full of troubles, and my Life draweth nigh to the grave. I am counted with them that go down to the pit.—Free among the dead, like the ſlain that lye in the Grave, whom thou remembreſt no more.—Thou haſt laid me in the loweſt pit, in darkneſs, in the deeps. Thy wrath lyeth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy ways. What deſpairing Language is this out of the mouth of an eminent Saint and Servant of God, as if he were dropping into Hell, and paſt all hope.
As the enjoyment of God is a good that puts lightneſs into all our Troubles, ſo the loſs of him is an evil that clouds all our Comforts. The loſs of another mercy is but a particular evil, it is but as the blowing out our Candle at noon, when we have light enough to ſee without it. But the loſs of this is as the ſetting of the Sun, which leaves us dark and comfortleſs. No preſence can make up his abſence.
Nothing looks ſo like Judgment as this. In other afflictions a Chriſtian doth but conflict with Creatures, but in this there ſeems to be a conteſt between him and God. And as God is infinitely above him, ſo the ſenſe of his Wrath is ready to ſink him.
And when God is thus hidden, it is no wonder tho a Believer be hidden to himſelf. If the light of God's Face be clouded, his Evidences are very apt to be obſcured; and then he queſtions his Right, becauſe he can't ſee to read his Title. As the Comforts of a Believer are a ſecret to others, ſo the Graces of a Believer are many times a ſecret to himſelf. He is like a Tree in Winter, that ſeems dead, tho there be life in the root. So when Temptations and Doubts prevail upon him, he gives all up for dead, Job 19.28.tho the root of the matter is in him.
There are two things very difficult; one is, to convince a preſuming Hypocrite that his Confidence is groundleſs, and his caſe is full of danger; the other is to perſwade the doubting Chriſtian that his heart is right, and his ſtate ſure. As many are confident of the goodneſs of their condition whom yet the Lord abhors; ſo many condemn themſelves for Hypocrites and Caſt-a-ways, who are his Jewels, and and in whom he delights. And in this caſe there needs a Meſſenger, an Interpreter, one among a thouſand, to ſhew to (ſuch a) Man his uprightneſs; Job 3.23.i. e. to convince him that his heart is right, tho his way be dark.
2. Some underſtand the uprightneſs here, called his uprightneſs, of the righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt, in and by which we are reconciled to, and made one with God. And this, ſays a late Expoſitor, is the uprightneſs chiefly intended here.
And indeed there is no Righteouſneſs like this, eſpecially when a Man's caſe is ſuch as Elihu here ſpeaks of, when he is ſo chaſtened with pain upon his bed, Job 33.19, 22.that his ſoul draws near to the grave, and his life to the deſtroyers. Let a Meſſenger then ſhew to him this Righteouſneſs, and he will ſay of it, as David did when he asked Ahimeleck for a Sword, 1 Sam. 21.8, 9.and the Prieſt told him here is the Sword of Goliah, if thou wilt take that, take it. O, ſays David, there is none like that, give it me. No Righteouſneſs like the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt to ſuch a one. Tell him of his own Duties, and Good Works; his Prayings, Repentings, Faſtings, Alms-Deeds, &c. and he counts them all but Dung in compare with this Righteouſneſs.Phil. 3.8.
This is a Righteouſneſs which ſatisfies offended Juſtice, appeaſes the Wrath of God, ſilences the Curſe, and the Tumults of our own Conſciences. This Righteouſneſs affords a Remedy for the ſting of ſin, and the doubts and fears of our minds. It is a righteouſneſs which covers our Nakedneſs, and beautifies our Souls; Thy beauty was perfect through my Comlineſs which I put upon thee, Ezek. 16.14. It is a Righteouſneſs that pleads for us in Heaven, that hath more ſtrength then our ſins, and more prevalency then our Accuſer. It is a Righteouſneſs that ſecures us againſt the Terrours of Death, and intitle us to the Glory of Heaven. And, therefore no Righteouſneſs like this; for it is not the Righteouſneſs of a meer Man, but of God bleſſed for ever.
Wherever God ſees this Righteouſneſs he imputes no ſin, he diſcharges the Perſon from Guilt, and receives him into Grace and Favour. And that is the ſenſe of the next words.
Then he is gracious unto him, and ſaith, Deliver him from going to the Pit, I have found a Ranſom.
As in the former words you had the Meſſenger deſcribed, in theſe you have the Meſſage declared. And that is, a Deliverance from the Pit by a Ranſom found out by God.
In which you have
The Inventor, I.
The Invention, A ranſom.
The manner of Inventing, Found.
The fruit of the Invention, Deleverance from the Pit.
The Spring and Source of all, The Grace of God.
Then he is gracious to him, and ſaith, Deliver him from going down to the Pit. I have found a Ranſom.
I cannot ſpeak to the words ſo diſtinctly as I would. I ſhall indeavour to open them a little in ſpeaking to four Queſtions.
1. What Pit is it that is here intended?
2. What Deliverance is it that is here ſpoken of?
3. What Ranſom is this that is ſaid to be found?
4. Who finds this Ranſom? and where doth he ſind it?
Quest. 1. What Pit is it that is here intended?
Anſw. A Pit in general, is any Miſchief or Evil that a Man falls into, either Temporal, Spiritual, or Eternal.
Sometimes Temporal Evils, tho outward, are called a Pit. So Pſalm 7.15. He made a Pit, and digged it, and is fallen into it himſelf: i. e. He deviſed Miſchief againſt others, and the Miſchief is fallen upon his own Head.
Sometimes the Grave is called a Pit; and that frequently. So Pſalm 88.3, 4. My life draws nigh to the grave, I am counted with them that go down to the pit. So Job 17.16. They ſhall go down to the bars of the pit, when our reſt together is in the duſt. The Grave is a Pit with bars. The Decree of God is the Bar of the Grave, and his Purpoſe locks it up till the appointed time comes when all ſhall ariſe to Judgment, and then the ſound of the laſt Trumpet ſhall break the bars of the Pit, and bring forth all (both good and bad) to make their Appearance at the Bar of God.
Sometimes Spiritual Evils are called a Pit: either Sins, or Temptations, or Deſertions; So Pſalm 40.2. He brought me up out of an horrible Pit. It is meant of Soul Diſtreſſes. And Zech. 9.11. By the blood of thy Covenant I have ſent forth thy Priſoners cut of the Pit, wherein is no water. Tho this literally is ſpoken of their deliverance from Babylon, yet it points to the deliverance of the Soul from the miſery of a natural ſtate, and the bondage of Corruption.
Sometimes Hell is called a Pit. So Rev. 9.1. you read of the bottomleſs pit, and of the ſmoke of the pit, and of the Angel of the bottomleſs pit. Verſo 11. and of the Beaſt out of the bottomleſs pit, Rev. …1.7. In all theſe places the Pit is meant of Hell.
You ſee there are many Pits in Scripture. The Pit of Miſchief, the Pit of the Grave, the Pit of Temptation, the Pit of Deſertion, and the Pit of Hell. And all theſe Pits ſin digs to bury the Comforts of the Soul in.
Now I take the Pit in the Text to be chieſly intended in the laſt ſenſe. And ſo it is in the 18th and 28th verſes; He will deliver his Soul from going into the pit. Now what Pit is that the Soul goes into? not into the Grave, but into Hell.
And if we take it thus, the ſenſe of the Text will be more plain and obvious, Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ranſom. All for whom Chriſt is a ranſom are not delivered from the Pit of the Grave, Job. 30.23.for that is the Houſe appointed for all living. But they are all delivered from the Pit of Hell.
The higheſt degree of Spiritual Life, as Man is conſtituted, cannot free him from Natural Death. Wherever ſin hath but a being, Death will have a footing. And therefore as dieth the fool, ſo dieth the wiſe man, Eccleſ 2.16. that is, as to the firſt death, but not as to the ſecond; for over ſuch the ſecond death hath no power, Rev. 20.6. And why? becauſe the Grace of God hath ſigned a Warrant, ſealed with the Redeemers Blood, for his Diſcharge; ſo ye have it in the Text, He is gracious to him, and ſaith, Deliver him from going down to the pit, for I have found a ranſom.
Quest. 2. What Deliverance is this that is here ſpoken of?
Why ſuch as the Pit is, ſuch is the Deliverance. As the Pit is intended of Death and Damnation, ſo the Deliverance carries in it a compleat Redemption. A Redemption from ſin, the cauſe of Damnation; and a Redemption from Damnation, the fruit of ſin.
1. It implies a redemption from ſin. A ſtate of ſin is a ſtate of bondage and thraldom. As while he is under the power of ſin, he is inſlaved to Satan; ſo while he is under the guilt of ſin, he is bound over to damnation.
When ſin is pardoned, and the guilt removed, then the bonds that held his Soul are looſed; Thou haſt looſed my bonds, ſays David, Pſal. 116.16. And here our redemption begins; according to that of the Apoſtle, Eph. 1.7. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveneſs of ſins. So that when God pardons ſin, then he is gracious, and ſays, Deliver him from going down to the pit.
2. This Redemption is compleated in Salvation. There is a ſtate to which he is redeemed, as well as from which. The ſtate from which, is a ſtate of Condemnation. There is no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt Jeſus, Rom. 8.1. The ſtate to which, is Salvation and Glory. It is not enough to be redeemed from Sin, and Death, and Hell, and Satan, unleſs we are redeemed to God. The Blood of Chriſt purchaſed poſitive Mercies as well as negative. He doth not ſee the travel of his ſoul to ſatisfaction in delivering us from Hell and Satan, till he hath lodged us ſafe in the boſom of God. And therefore this is that which compleats the Song of the Beaſts and Elders, Rev. 5.9. Thou waſt ſlain, and haſt redeemed us to God by thy blood.
And therefore Redemption is ſpoken of in Scripture as a thing to come, a priviledge to be injoyed in the next World, and therefore 'tis to be waited for at preſent, Rom. 8.23. We which have the firſt fruits of the Spirit groan within our ſelves, waiting for the Adoption, to wit, the Redemption of our Body. And when is that, not till the general Reſurrection. Therefore that is called the Day of Redemption, Epheſ. 4.30. Ye are ſealed to the Day of Redemption.
We have Redemption now in the application, but not in full poſſeſſion. It is bogun, but it is not perfected. We are redeemed from the guilt and power of ſin, but not from the defilement, Gal. 1.13.and penal effects of ſin. We are now redeemed from the curſe of the Law, but we are not yet poſſeſſed of all the Comforts of the Goſpel.
The Priviledges we now injoy are the Fruits of Chriſt's purchaſe, but we do not injoy all which he hath purchaſed. We have a right by Faith to the whole inheritance, but we cannot as yet inherit upon that right. Though Redemption be perfectly wrought by Chriſt, yet it is applied but in part in the preſent ſtate. We muſt ſtay till the great Reſurrection, before we can be put into full poſſeſſion.
This Body that is ſown in diſhonour, 1 Cor. 15.43.muſt firſt be raiſed in glory, and this corruptible muſt put on incorruption, and this mortal muſt put on immortality; Verſ. 54.and then (as Elihu ſays in the words following the Text,) his fleſh ſhall be freſher then a Childs, Job 33 25, 26.he ſhall return to the days of his youth. And then God will be favourable to him, and he ſhall ſee his face with joy.
All this is included in the Deliverance here mentioned. 1 Theſſ. 1.10. Eph. 1.14.It is not only a deliverance from wrath to come, but a redemption to the purchaſed poſſeſſion. This Ranſom reaches from Death to Life, from Satan to God, from the Pit to Paradiſe, from Hell to Heaven. It is ſuch a Deliverance as carries a compleat Salvation in it: and nothing ſhort of this can be fully expreſſive of that Grace which found it out. For he is gracious, and ſaith, Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a Ranſom. And that brings me to a third Query.
Quest. 3. What Ranſom is this that God is ſaid to find, and upon the account of which, Souls are delivered from the Pit?
A Ranſom properly is that which purchaſes Redemption. It is a Redemption by price. To be redeemed, and to be ranſomed is the ſame thing. The redeemed ſhall walk there, and the ranſomed of the Lord ſhall return and come to Sion with Songs, Iſa. 35.9, 10.
It is the Lord Jeſus Chriſt that is the Ranſom in the Text, his Merit and Righteouſneſs, both in doing and ſuffering, is the price of our Redemption, and that from the Curſe of the Law, from the Juſtice of God, from the Power of Satan, and from Death ſpiritual and eternal.
There is a redemption by power, and a redemption by price. We are redeemed out of the Soul deſtroying hand of Satan by power, but we are redeemed out of the Sin revenging hand of God by price. And that price is no common price, it is no leſs then the Blood of Chriſt, 1 Pet. 1.18, 19. Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as ſilver and gold,—but with the precious blood of Chriſt, as of a Lamb without blemiſh, and without ſpot. Therefore Chriſt is called the Redeemer, Iſa. 59.7. The Redeemer ſhall come to Zion. And under this Title Job appropriates him to himſelf, Job 19.25. I know that my Redeemer lives. And he is ſaid to obtain eternal redemption for us, Hebr. 9.12. And this is the Ranſom in the Text: and it implies two things.
1. The Miſery of the ſtate ſin had brought us into. A ſtate of Bondage and Thraldom; a ſtate of Death and Damnation. That is the caſe of every Son of Adam by the Fall: all Humane Nature was dropping into everlaſting Deſtruction.
2. It implies the voluntarineſs of Chriſt in giving himſelf for a Ranſom. Had not his undertaking been free and voluntary, it could not have been meritorious. For he who acts by conſtraint, cannot merit by his doing. He who parts with what he cannot keep, can merit nothing by parting with it.
The Apoſtle tells us (Rom. 4.4.) what Merit is: It is ſuch an adjunct of obedience as whereby the reward is reckoned not of grace, but of debt. God in the covenant of Redemption having propoſed to Chriſt a Law of Obedience, with promiſes of ſuch and ſuch Rewards, upon condition of his fulfilling the Obedience required; and Chriſt having performed that Obedience, hence the reward is reckoned to him of debt. For whatever was promiſed to Chriſt upon a Condition, he performing that Condition, might righteouſly claim as the reward of his Merit.
There are two things in the Death of Chriſt, payment and purchaſe; ſatisfaction and procuration. By the one we are ranſomed from Miſery, by the other we are intitled to Glory. The firſt fruit of his Death is Deliverance wrought, the next is an Inheritance purchaſed.
Now the blood of Chriſt had been unavailable to both, had it not been laid down freely. Had he been compelled to die, he could not have merited ought for us by dying. What was the fruit of Force, could not have been meritorious. Therefore he ſays, No man takes my life from me, I lay down of my ſelf, John 10.18.
And from the voluntarineſs of his Death in purſuance of the eternal compact between the Father and the Son, and the inſinite value of it, as being the blood of God; ſo it became a ſufficient price, not only to ranſom us, but to purchaſe all grace and glory for us.
O how great is the Grace of Chriſt! how ſhould the Meditation of it refreſh, yea nouriſh our hearts. What Balaam ſays, by way of admiration, of the works of God for Iſrael, Numb. 23 23.What hath the Lord wrought? the ſame we may ſay of the undertaking of Chriſt for his People, What hath Chriſt purchaſed? what a ranſom, what a ſalvation, what a deliverance, what an inheritance, what mercy for the preſent, what glory for the future?
O how precious is the blood of Chriſt! there is an infinite value in the price of it. So that if there were as many worlds of men, as there are men in the world, it would be a ranſom ſufficient for them all.
Queſt. 4. But inaſmuch as this Ranſom is here ſaid to be found. It will be queried,
Who found it?
Not Man. Man is found ranſomed, but Man did not find the ranſom. I am found of them that ſought me not, Iſa. 65.1. The Grace of God ſinds it. Then he is gracious, and ſays, Deliver him, I have found a ranſom. But where did he ſind it? It was not to be found any where out of himſelf. It was found in his own boſom. Jeſus Chriſt came out of the boſom of the Father, John 1.18. This is the Lord's doing, and therefore ſhould be marvellous in our eyes, Pſal. 118.23. I have found a ranſom.
The manner of Expreſſion implies in it three things.
1. The weakneſs and utter impotency of the Creature to have found out a way for its own ranſom. If all the Men on Earth had ſat in counſel from the Fall to this day to have found out a way how ſinning Man might be redeemed from the condemning Sentence of the Law, without damage to the Juſtice of God, all their Wiſdom would have proved Fooliſhneſs in this matter. They could never have found it out.
In Rev. 5.1. you read of a Book in the right hand of him that ſat on the Throne; and in the next verſe there is an Angel makes a challenge, who is worthy to open the Book, and to looſe the ſeals thereof? and it is ſaid, (v. 3.) no man in heaven or earth was able to open the Book, nor look thereon. Much leſs could they have found out a remedy againſt the damning miſchief of ſin.
2. This finding a ranſom implies that God the Father was the firſt Author and Inventer of this bleſſed project of Redemption. Tho it was wrought out by Chriſt, yet it was contrived by the Father. For,
1. It was he who firſt ſummoned that great Counſel held by all the Perſons in Elohim, when neither Men nor Angels exiſted. Then did God ſit in Conſultation with his Wiſdom and Love, his Word and Spirit about the great buſineſs of redeeming Man. Iſa 40.13, 14.God the Father was firſt in it.
2. It was he that firſt pitched upon the Son, and laid him as the foundation of the whole ſtructure of Salvation. I have laid help upon one that is mighty, Pſal. 89.19. Our help is in Chriſt, to him we muſt look; but it is God that made him a help. He is a ranſom to redeem us, but it is God who found him for us. I have found a ranſom. It is the Lord's doings, foreign(meeth Jehovah) this is from the Lord, Pſal. 118.23.
The whole Model of Redemption from firſt to laſt is ſaid to be propoſed from Eternity in Jeſus Chriſt, Eph. 3.11. becauſe God choſe him out to bottom all his Counſels and Purpoſes upon in the whole of the work. Chriſt's Merits had no hand in his being made a Redeemer tho they are the price of redemption. He was a Redeemer by Election and choice, not by merit and price.
Some things are the fruits of his Merit, as Juſtification, Adoption, Sanctification, &c. But ſome things were purely God's act without any merit of Chriſt. And ſuch was Election, both Chriſt's and ours. Chriſt neither merited our Election, nor his own miſſion and incarnation. Election is the proper act of the Father, and all thoſe means which were appointed for the accompliſhing the ends of it, are of the Father's contrivance; and ſo was the Mediator himſelf. So ſays the Holy Ghoſt in 1 Pet. 1.20. Who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the World. Foreordained for what? to be a ranſom, ſo it is ſaid in the two former Verſes.
So that Chriſt is the Elect of God, as well as you Behold mine Elect in whom my Soul delighteth, Iſa. 42.1. Our Redeemer came out of the Womb of the Virgin in the fulneſs of time, Gal 4.4.but he came out of the womb of the Decree long before that, even from Eternity. He is not elected to be a Son, but a ranſom. He is a Son by eternal generation, but a Redeemer by election. And therefore tho both are eternal acts of the Father, yet his being a Son is in order of nature before his being a Redeemer. For his being a Son is from God's nature, and therefore he is ſo neceſſarily; but his being made a Redeemer is from God's will and pleaſure, and therefore that is arbitrary; he was a Son before he was a Redeemer, and he had been a Son tho he had never been a Redeemer. For the one was neceſſary, the other was arbitrary. Begotten as a Son, but elect as a Saviour. Chriſt was firſt choſen as the Well-head of Grace and Glory, and then God choſe out ſuch, on whom, by and through Chriſt, theſe bleſſings ſhould be conferred. And therefore the Scripture ſpeaks of the undertaking of Chriſt in ſuch a manner as fully atteſts the priority of the Father in the work. I was ſet up from everlaſting, Prov. 8.23. And Iſa. 42.6. I the Lord have called thee in righteouſneſs, and will give thee for a Covenant of the People, for a Light of the Gentiles. To open the blind eyes, to bring out the Priſoners from the priſon, and them that ſit in darkneſs out of the Priſon-houſe. This is the very ſame language which the Text ſpeaks, Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ranſom.
All thoſe Scriptures prove this, where Chriſt is ſaid to be ſent of God, and the gift of God, John 6.38. John 4.10. Iſa. 43.1. John 14.31. John 10.7.and the ſervant of God, and to obſerve the commands of God, and coming to do the will of God. And ſo where he is ſaid to be made of God to us wiſdom, righteouſneſs, ſanctification, and redemption, 1 Cor. 1.30.
He is our wiſdom, but God made him ſo. He is our righteouſneſs, but God made him ſo. He is ſanctification to us, but God made him ſo. He is our redemption, but God made him ſo; i. e. he found the ranſom.
And therefore the Holy Ghoſt diſtinguiſhes the Father from the Son by this Character; The Father of whom are all things, and Jeſus Chriſt by whom are all things, 1 Cor. 8.6. All things are of the Father in point of invention, and by the Son in point of execution. The Father is the firſt contriver, and Chriſt is the great undertaker. The whole model of mercies is of the Father's drawing, but the injoyment of mercies is of Chriſt's purchaſing. He pays the ranſom, which is the price of our redemption, but the Father finds the ranſom by chooſing him to be a redeemer. I have found a ranſom.
3. This finding a ranſom implies the acquieſcency of the heart of God in it. It is a ranſom by ſuch a price as is every way ſatisfactory to the Juſtice of God, and that was the blood of the Son of God. Nothing leſs could have been a ſufficient Satisfaction. For pray mind this; Whence doth the ſatisfactorineſs of Chriſt's undertaking reſult? It is not from the dignity of his perſon; no, that indeed makes it to be of infinite value and worth, but it doth not make it to be a Satisfaction. For God might have refuſed it, notwithſtanding the dignity of the Perſon that offered it, had nothing elſe interpoſed. As Chriſt was under no neceſſity to give Satisfaction, ſo the Father was under no neceſſity to accept it.
The ſame might be ſaid of the greatneſs of his Sufferings; the Satisfaction of Juſtice doth not ariſe from them. No, but it ariſes from that Agreement that paſſed between the Father and the Son in the Covenant of Redemption. Such a Covenant the Scripture holds out, in which there are certain Articles and Conditions concerning the redemption of Man voluntarily conſented to, and to be perſormed by each party. There was ſomething to be performed by Chriſt to the Father, and ſomething by the Father to Chriſt.
Chriſt's part was to take up Humane Nature, Rom. 8 3.to be made in the likeneſs of ſinful fleſh, to become a Surety for Man to God, to be made ſin, to bear the Curſe due to it, to anſwer all the Demands of Juſtice, for the diſhonour ſin had done to injured Majeſty; that ſo God and Sinners might be brought into a ſtate of Reconciliation and Amity.
The Father on his part ingages to prepare him a Body, to accept him as a Surety, to fit him for the work, to ſtrengthen him in it, and to accept his performance as a full Satisfaction to his Juſtice, and thereupon to pardon and ſave all, that lay hold of his Righteouſneſs.
And this expounds that dark place in Zech. 9.11. As for thee, by the Blood of thy Covenant I have ſent forth thy Priſoners out of the pit wherein is no water. Moſt underſtand this of the redeeming the captived Jews out of Babylon. I do not deny this ſenſe, but ſure they have a farther ſenſe then this. I take them as the words of the Father to the Son. The pit wherein is no water is the natural ſlate. The priſoners in the pit, are not ſinners in general, for all are not ſent forth. But ſuch as the Father gave to Chriſt to redeem; therefore called, thy priſoners. Priſoners in regard of their bondage to ſin; thy priſoners, as being given to Chriſt to ranſom and redeem. The ſending forth the Priſoners, being ſpoken of as the Fathers act, I have ſent them forth, is an evidence of his full ſatisfaction for ſin. And that which ſatisfies him is the blood of Chriſt, as it is the blood of the Covenant, viz that Covenant of Redemption that paſſed in Eternity between the Father and the Son. By the blood of thy Covenant I have ſent forth thy Priſoners. So that this Scripture is of one ſound and ſenſe with the Text, Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have ſound a ranſom.
I ſhould have ſpoken to one thing more mentioned in the Text, viz. the ſpring and ſource of this Ranſom and Deliverance, and that is, the Grace of God. This had the firſt hand in the work. He is gracious to him, and ſays, Deliver him from going down to the pit.
What a woful Abyſs of Miſery was poor Man plunged into by the Fall! obnoxious to all the Severities of Divine Vengeance, ſo that his caſe was become deſperate, and nothing to be looked for, but Wrath and Damnation.
Now what ſhall prevent this? Where is there a Remedy to be found? It lies only in the Soveraign Grace of God. Man in his lapſed ſtate cannot deſerve a Ranſom; much leſs ſuch a Ranſom as this in the Text, made up of ſuch a price as the blood of God. Where nothing remains but deformity and deſilement, there can be no deſert; Innocency it ſelf cannot merit of God, much leſs Pollution and Filth. Redemption is from meer Grace, a Favour not procured by the worth of Man who receives it, but excited by the Grace of God who diſpenſes it.
Nothing can be an Obligation upon God to redeem Man, tis his own Grace obliges him. Man was ſo far from laying Obligations upon God by deſert, that he never once attempted to ingage his Compaſſion by requeſt. Tho he was ſunk into the depth of Miſery, yet he had no deſire of a better ſtate. Supplications and Tears are prevailing Solicitors with melting Bowels, and ſuch are the Bowels of God; but the ſinner was ſo far from drawing them forth, that by his contemptuous Refuſals he rather indeavoured to ſtop them up. And yet our miſery and undoneneſs moved God, when there was nothing elſe to draw forth his Compaſſions.
Grace runs through every part of this ranſoming work from firſt to laſt. Grace pitched upon Chriſt to undertake it. And oh how early was God in it! for the Ranſom was provided long before the Vaſſalage commenced. Sin was never thought on by the Creature, when a Redeemer was ordained of God. Nay, Man's redemption was contrived, before his being was beſtowed; for it was laid from Eternity, whereas he began to be in time. God foreſaw Man would ſin and be miſerable, and therefore provided him a Goel, 1 Pet. 1.10.a Redeemer, before the Foundation of the World.
And as Grace ordained Chriſt to this work, ſo it was Grace that fitted him for it, and it was Grace that called him to it, and Grace that accepted him in it. Juſtice muſt have Satisfaction for ſin, but it is Grace that ſpares the ſinner, and takes the Surety, Gen 22.13as Abraham ſpares Iſaac, and offers the Ram in his ſtead. There can be no Deliverance out of the hands of Juſtice but by a full price, and therefore Grace finds out a Ranſom.
So that the whole of Redemption is Grace, and Riches of Grace; ſo the Apoſtle calls it Epheſ. 1.7. In whom we have Redemption through his blood,—according to the Riches of his Grace. It is Grace to find out a Ranſom, it is Grace to accept it, and to deliver and ſave ſinners upon the account of it Thus is God gracious, and ſays, Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have ſound a ranſom.
But I ſhall proceed no farther in Explication; I muſt make ſome improvement of theſe things by Application.
Infer. 1. What a curſed thing is ſin, how dreadful are the fruits of it; Rom. 6.21.the end of theſe things is death. It brings the Soul down to the pit, yea to ſuch a pit from which nothing but the precious blood of the Son of God can be a Ranſom.
Infer. 2. How is the Wiſdom of God to be admired in the contrivance of ſuch a way for the ranſoming and redeeming of loſt ſinners. His wiſdom is to be adored in all his Works, in Creation, in Dominion, in all his works of Providence; but his wiſdom in the work of Redemption tranſcends all. This is the chief of all the works and ways of God. Herein he is ſaid to have abounded towards us in all wiſdom and prudence, Epheſ. 1.8. Wiſdom referreth to the myſtery of it, Prudence to the time and way of diſcovery. Wiſdom in the eternal counſel, Prudence in ordering things to attain the end of his counſel. There is all Wiſdom in the contrivance, and all Prudence in the accompliſhment.
Here is the Debtor diſcharged without being at any coſt; and yet Satisfaction made without any abatement. Sin puniſhed without ſhewing mercy, Rom. 8.32.and yet the ſinner acquitted without bearing the penalty. And ſo God at once infinitely righteous, and yet infinitely gracious. O how doth all wiſdom and prudence abound herein!
The Apoſtle (in Epheſ. 3.10.) calls it the manifold wiſdom of God. It is as various as it is myſterious. foreignA conjunction of excellent ends, and excellent means to bring them about. The ends are the glory of God, and the ſalvation of man. The means are, God made Man, the union of two infinitely diſtant Natures in one perſon, and ſo made fit to be a Redeemer. Ranſoming us from Death by dying. Delivering us from the pit, by going down into the Grave; Redeeming us from the Curſe by being made a Curſe. O how ſhould this Wiſdom be admired by all who ſhare in this Ranſom!
Infer. 3. How unſpeakable great is the Love and Grace of God the Father in the work of Redemption. We are more apprehenſive of Chriſt's Love, becauſe he bled and died for us, then we are of the Love of the Father, becauſe that lies more out of ſight; it is not ſo viſible in its effects.
I would not ſpeak one word that ſhould look like a leſſening the Love and Grace of Chriſt, God forbid. It was great, it was wonderful. All his Tranſactions were nothing elſe but Love expounded and made manifeſt? What was his Incarnation? but Love in Swadling Clothes. What were his Sufferings? but Love in travel. What was his Burial? but Love laid in the Grave. What was his Reſurrection and Aſcenſion? but love in its triumph.
Nothing could have brought Chriſt to do what he did, and ſuffer what he ſuffered, but Love. He knew what the Redemption of Souls would coſt, how dear it would be to him; and yet Love conſents to be at all the charge. He loved us, and gave himſelf for us an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a ſweet ſmelling ſavour, Epheſ. 5.2. Let that new Song therefore be for ever ſung to his praiſe, Thou waſt ſlain, and haſt redeemed us to God by thy blood.
But yet the Father had the firſt hand in it. Redemption had its firſt riſe in the Eternal purpoſe of his Free Grace: he ordained, and anointed, and ſent Chriſt to bring it about; ſo that the ranſom was of his finding. And therefore let all the ranſomed of the Lord for ever admire the riches of his Grace herein.
Infer. 4. How willing and ready muſt God be to pardon and ſave the worſt of ſinners who come to him by Chriſt. What greater Argument can there be to prove it, then giving the Lord Chriſt for a Ranſom to effect it? Who ſpared not his own Son, Rom. 8.32. It pleaſed the Lord to bruiſe him, he hath put him to grief, Iſai. 53.10.
What can be more abhorrent to the heart of a tender Father then to have a hand in the Death of his own Son, eſpecially if he be an only Son, and a dutiful Son, a Son that never in the leaſt diſpleaſed or offended him? Who can bear to part with ſuch a Son?
It goes to the heart of a Parent but to ſtand by and ſee the Death of a Child. And therefore Hagar, when her Son was in diſtreſs, lays him down, and ſat at a diſtance; And why? Alas! ſhe could not bear to ſee him die. Let me not ſee the death of the Child, ſaid ſhe, and ſhe lift up her voice and wept, Gen. 21, 16. But to contrive a Son's death, to reſolve it, to have a hand in it, to order all things about it, who can do this? and yet all this God did. And can there be a greater proof of his willingneſs to ſave ſinners.
Why then ſhould any entertain ſuch hard and unbecoming thoughts of God as many do? O what Jealouſies and Fears ariſe in awakened ſinners concerning God! from a ſenſe of the greatneſs of their ſins, and unworthineſs. They dare not come to God, they dare not pray, they dare not believe. —will God own ſuch a vile ſinner, ſuch a polluted wretch as I am? They look on him as a God of Wrath, rather then as a God of Peace, rather with a Sword in his hand, then Love in his heart.
Aggravate thy ſins to the higheſt, in order to humbling, but let it not work to diſcouragement; for this Red Sea of Chriſt's blood is deep enough to drown all theſe Egyptian Luſts, tho they are a mighty Hoſt. Whatever thy Bondage and Vaſſalage is by reaſon of them, yet here is a ſufficient ranſom: For with him there is plenteous Redemption, Pſal. 130.7.
None ſhall ever be able to lay their Deſtruction at God's Door, nor to ſay, Lord, I was willing to come to thee, but thou wouldſt not receive me. I would have renounced all my ſins, and took thee upon thy own terms, and thou wouldſt not. No; for God is not willing that any ſhould periſh, but that all ſhould come to repentance, 2 Pet. 3.9. He makes a free tender of his Ranſom to all in the Miniſtry of the Goſpel. Act. 20.25.And therefore if the Apoſtle Paul could ſay, I am pure from the blood of all men, becauſe he had preached Chriſt; ſurely God may ſay ſo much more, who hath freely given Chriſt, that whoever believes in him might not periſh, but have everlaſting life, John 3.16. How ſhould the conſideration of this ſcatter all our Doubts and Fears for ever. If God had not been infinitely willing to ſave the worſt of ſinners from going down to the pit, he would never have found out ſuch a Ranſom.
Infer. 5. What precious Jewels are our immortal Souls! The Ranſom found out and paid down for them, is a ſufficient evidence of the value of them. Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as ſilver and gold,—but with the precious blood of Chriſt, 1 Pet. 1.18, 19. Gold and Silver may redeem Men from Algier or Trepoly, but not from Hell and Eternal Miſery. Only the blood of God is an equivalent price for the redemption of Souls from that ſtate. And yet (which is ſad to conſider) at how cheap a rate do moſt Men ſell their Souls: for a little gain, for a puff of honour, for a momentary pleaſure, for a luſt, for a ſtrumpet, for any thing, for nothing. O what folly and madneſs is this! the Lord awaken Men to ſee it before it is too late.
Infer. 6. Seeing God hath been ſo gracious to find a Ranſom, it is our duty to labour to find it too. And that is, by a diligent ſeeking after Chriſt, who is the Ranſom here intended. It is not enough that God hath found him, for notwithſtanding this, we ſhall be utterly loſt unleſs we find him. We are at preſent every one of us by the Fall in a loſt eſtate. And as God hath ſent Chriſt to ſeek and ſave them that are loſt, Matth. 18.11.ſo he hath promiſed that they that are loſt ſhall find him, if they ſeek him and ſearch for him with all their heart, Jer. 29.13. And therefore let us give all diligence ſo to ſeek him, that we may find him, and be found in him, not having our own righteouſneſs, which is of the Law, but that which is through the Faith of Chriſt, the Righteouſneſs which is of God by Faith, Phil. 3.9.
Infer. Laſt. What admirable Comfort reſults from this Truth to all that are made ſharers in this Ranſom, who are the redeemed of the Lord.
1. It is matter of Comfort, with reſpect to the Law. For you are for ever freed from all the rigid Exactions of it, as it is a binding Covenant. So that it hath no more to do with you in that ſenſe; for ye are not under the Law, Rom. 6.14 A Believer is ſtill under the Law for conduct, but not for judgment. He is under the Law for direction, Rom. 8.1.but not for condemnation: for the Son hath made him free. And if the Son make you free, then are ye free indeed, John 8.36. So that the Law ſhall never be able to hurt one Believer. Indeed it hath terrible Inditements againſt all that are under it but it ſhall never be able to produce any thing againſt ſuch as are freed from it. Gal. 5 23.For against ſuch there is no Law.
And is not this Comfort? If the Law frowns, Chriſt ſmiles; and the frowns of the Law cannot extinguiſh the ſmiles of Chriſt. If the Law threatens, Chriſt promiſes; and the threats of the Law can't make void the promiſes of Chriſt. If the Law curſes, Chriſt bleſſes; and the curſes of the Law can't reach that Soul that is bleſſed with all ſpiritual bleſſings in heavenly things in Chriſt.Eph. 1.3.
2. By this Ranſom the Believer is for ever freed from ſin. Tho he is not, as yet freed from the preſence of it, yet he is freed from the power of it, both its condemning and its raigning power.
1. Sin hath no condemning power in a Believer. Tho he often condemns himſelf for ſin, yet ſin ſhall never condemn him. And why? Becauſe it hath been it ſelf condemned by Chriſt. Rom. 8.3. God ſent his own Son in the likeneſs of ſinful fleſh, and for ſin, (i.e. by being a Sacrifice for ſin) condemned ſin in the fleſh. And if ſin was condemned in the fleſh of Chriſt, how can it condemn the Chriſtian? That which hath been charged upon Chriſt, ſhall never be charged upon you.
Hath God received a full Satisfaction of Chriſt, or hath he not? If not, why was he taken from Priſon, and from Judgment? Iſa. 53 8. 1 Tim. 3.16. Hebr. 8.1.How came he to be juſtified in the Spirit, and received up into Glory? Why is he ſet on the right hand of the Throne of the Majeſty in the Heavens? Theſe are undeniable proofs that God is fully ſatisfied. And if ſo, then how can ſin condemn any Soul in Chriſt? Therefore every Believer may triumphingly take up the Apoſtles challenge in his own right, Rom. 8.33, 34. Who ſhall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect? It is God that juſtifies. Who is he that condemns? It is Chriſt that died. This is the Ranſom which being once paid, can never be unpaid; having been once accepted, it can never be refuſed. God can no more condemn a Believer when he looks upon Chriſt, then he can drown the World againſt his promiſe, when he looks upon the Rain-bow in the Clouds. And is not this Comfort?
2. Sin hath no raigning power in a Believer. Tho it hath ſtill a being in him, yet it hath not dominion over him. I do not ſay he is perfectly redeemed from the power of ſin at preſent. Rom. 7.18. Rom. 7.23.It hath not ſuch a power as it hath in the Unregenerate, but yet a power it hath ſtill, a moleſting power, a warring power, a captivating power, a tyrannical power, but yet it hath not a raigning power. Sin cannot be ſaid to raign in any Believer; God hath ſaid it ſhall not, Rom. 6.14. It is ſtill preſent, but it is not predominant. Corruption is ſtill working, but it is not raigning. It may trouble us, but it ſhall not govern us. It is with ſin in a Believer, as with the Beaſts in Daniel's Viſion, who, tho their lives were prolonged for a ſeaſon, yet their Dominion was taken away, Dan. 7.12. Auſtin ſpeaks of Man in a four-fold State; Before the Law, under the Law, under Grace, and in Glory.
Before the Law, we did neither fight nor ſtrive againſt ſin.
Under the Law, we fight, but are overcome.
Under Grace we fight and conquer.
But in Glory there is all Conqueſt, and no more Combates to eternity. But that ſtate is yet to come. In the mean time, wherever the virtue of Chriſt's Croſs takes place, it is the ruine of ſins throne.
And is not this Comfort?
For no Dominion ſo vile, ſo intollerable as that of ſin, and no Service ſo baſe in the uſe, Rom. 6.21.and ſo deſtructive in the iſſue for the end of theſe things is death.
But wherever ſin is now put out of dominion, there it ſhall ſhortly be put out of being. Chriſt's firſt coming was to free you from ſins power, his next coming ſhall be to free you from ſins preſence. His great deſign is to perfect Sanctification in you, that you may be without ſpot, or wrinkle, or any ſuch thing. Eph. 5.27.And therefore it will not be long before you ſhall be perfectly redeemed from all ſin for ever.
3. Chriſt a Ranſom affords great comfort againſt the temptation of Satan. There are two things in the Children of God which are the matter of his envy; their Graces and their Comforts. And his deſign is levelled againſt the one and the other, to extinguiſh both our Graces and our Comforts. But becauſe he knows he can never ſucceed in the former, therefore he ſets himſelf with the greater ſubtilty and malice againſt the latter: that if he cannot make us walk ſinfully, yet he may cauſe us to walk dejectedly. And this greatly ſerves his deſign; for it diſhonours God, it grieves the Comforter. It reproaches Religion, as if it were the troubler of all peace and comfort; it ſtops our own progreſs in grace, and frights and ſcares others from coming into the ways of God, which are attended with ſuch conſequences.
And therefore he uſes all Arts and Devices to obſtruct the Chriſtian's comfort. Sometimes he ſills the Soul with Doubts and Deſpondencies about its ſpiritual ſtate.
Sometimes he tempts it to downright ſinning againſt God. And when upon any fall into ſin, the Spirit of God comes with new Convictions, and opens the ſluce of godly ſorrow, then doth Satan ſet in, and aggravates the guilt, till the Soul concludes it unpardonable; and thus he raiſes a flood, that the waters do even ſink the Soul. And this was David's caſe, Pſal. 69.1, 2. I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.
Some times he lays his Brats at the Believer's door; charging thoſe ſins to his account, which are properly his own. This is very common, eſpecially in the caſe of thought-ſins; unclean thoughts, murderous thoughts, blaſphemous thoughts, &c.
Satan doth inject them into the mind, and then the Believer, not diſcerning the cunning of Satan on the one hand, and knowing the filthineſs of his own heart on the other, takes them to be his own, and charges himſelf with the guilt of them, as if he were the filthieſt ſinner, and vileſt blaſphemer in the World. And this muſt needs extinguiſh comfort.
Some times he charges our Duties with ſin, and then argues from the ſinfulneſs, to the non-acceptance of them. Is not God a holy God? and can Duties that are done with ſuch a dead frame, ſuch a wandering mind, ſuch diſtracted thoughts, and ſuch carnal affections, ever ſind acceptance with ſuch a God? Thus by diſcouraging the Chriſtian in his work, he cuts off his comfort, which uſually comes in this way.
Some times he puzzles him, about his Election, and ſo ſets him to the wrong end of his work, that he may have no comfort in working; whereas we are not to intangle our ſelves with the intricacies of Election, but to look to our Calling. This being cleared, clears the other. Tho God's chooſing be the firſt act, yet our believing is the firſt Evidence. The Husbandman knows it is Spring by the putting forth of the Earth, tho he be altogether ignorant in the poſition of the Heavens.
Some times he poſes him about the time of his Converſion, and ſo robs him of the comfort of the thing, by puzzling him about the time; as if the work could not be wrought, unleſs I know the time of working it? Will a man queſtion the water in the ſtream, becauſe he knows not the head of the River? Shall I deny that the Sun ſhines, becauſe I do not know what hour it riſes? the truth of Grace is beſt known by the fruits of it; the fruit ſhews that the Tree lives, tho we know not when it took root.
Some times he makes a man queſtion the truth of all his former evidences, tho they have been many and great. He ſo far unravels the work within, as to perſwade the Soul all was but deluſion which he took for a well-grounded hope. Thou a Believer? what haſt to ſhew? thy deeds are all forged, thy evidences were never ſealed in the Spirit's Office, but with the counterfeit Seal of a ſelf-deluded heart. That which thou haſt taken for aſſurance of the goodneſs of thy ſtate, is nothing but groundleſs preſumption. And thus by bringing a man to let go his evidences, he cuts off all his comfort at once. Theſe are ſome of the many ways which Satan hath to rob a Chriſtian of his comforts.
But they that are the ranſomed of the Lord may ſetch comfort and ſupport from this truth under all the temptations of Satan: for neither principalities, nor powers ſhall be able to ſeparate us from the love of God which is in Chriſt Jeſus our Lord.
Tho Satan be a potent enemy, yet he is a conquered enemy; his Temptations may vex and trouble Believers, and poſſibly may in this or that particular caſe draw them to ſin, and defile them, but they ſhall never prevail ſo far as finally to overcome them. If he ſhould finally conquer any one Saint, he would conquer Chriſt; for every Saint is a Member of Chriſt: Matth. 16.18.and he hath ſaid it, That the Gates of Hell ſhall never prevail againſt them. He who hath delivered them from going down to the pit, will e're long deliver them from all Satan's ſnares. Rom. 16.20.It is his promiſe to tread Satan under your feet ſhortly. Chriſt don't think it enough to have him under his feet, unleſs he hath him under yours too. John 16.33.In Chriſt we have peace now, but ſhortly we ſhall have Victory and a Crown. And is not this comfort?
4. Here is comfort againſt that which is ſo much the matter of our fear, and that is Death. Why ſhould you be afraid to die? Would not every good man be willing to injoy the utmoſt of what Chriſt hath purchaſed? Why then he muſt be willing to die, for the beſt lies beyond the Grave. When God calls you to die, it is only a call to come and inherit the full of what Chriſt purchaſed for you when he gave himſelf a ranſom.
O what comfort is this againſt the fear of Death! it may diſſolve us, but it cannot hurt us, nor hold us. Deliver him from the pit, I have found a ranſom.
Laſtly. It is comfort, in that this ranſoming work will never be compleated, till every Believer be brought to Heaven. He never reckons he hath a full return of the purchaſe made by his Blood, till all his Members are glorified. Chriſt took up our fleſh, redeemed us from Hell in our fleſh, purchaſed Heaven for us in our fleſh; aſcended thither in our fleſh, and is glorified there in our fleſh; and all this as our Head: and therefore every Member of his ſhall in his own fleſh be e're long glorified with him. It is his will it ſhould be ſo; John 17.24. Father, I will that they whom thou haſt given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold (i. e. partake of) my glory.
Therefore every true Believer may ſay with as much confidence as Job did, Job 19 26.Tho worms deſtroy this body, yet in my fleſh ſhall Pſee God. And this is the next great work which our Lord Chriſt hath to do here in this World: for tho he is gone, yet he is to come again; there is a great deal of buſineſs yet lies upon his hand unfiniſhed.
He ſaid of the work of his Satisfaction, Joh 19.30.It is finiſhed. But he never ſaid ſo of the work of Salvation; that will not be finiſhed ſo long as one Believer is out of Heaven.
And therefore this is the buſineſs of his next coming. He came before to finiſh tranſgreſſion; Dan. 9.24.but when he comes again it is to finiſh Salvation: So ſays the Apoſtle, Hebr. 9.28. Chriſt was once offered to bear the ſins of many; and unto them that look for him ſhall he appear the ſecond time, without ſin, unto Salvation. 1 Theſſ. 4.18.Wherefore comfort one another with theſe words. And thus I have done with this Subject.
But there is another Subject which I would ſpeak a little to. Tho it is not my cuſtom to ſpeak of the dead, yet it is pity ſo much learning and worth, ſo much humility and modeſty, ſo much vertue and grace, ſo much ſervice and uſefulneſs, ſuch perſecutions and ſufferings for Chriſt ſhould be concealed, But I ſhall paſs all this by, having no Authority to take the Commiſſion out of the hand of his good works, Prov. 31.31.they are to praiſe him in the gates, and not I.
And therefore, whereas the manner is to ſhew the bright ſide of the deceaſed, I ſhall ſhew his dark ſide; viz. the troubles of his mind in his laſt ſickneſs; and which were (as one of his Phyſicians informs me) much occaſioned by it. Nor ſhould I ſpeak of this, but that I underſtand there are ſome who have made it a matter of ſcoff and reproach: which argues great ignorance of the perſon, and great prophaneneſs of Spirit.
That he was for ſome days under great darkneſs about his ſtate, and great troubles of mind by reaſon of the hidings of God, is true. But what of this? doth it make the goodneſs of his condition queſtionable? is it any new and unheard of thing? hath it not been ſo with the beſt of the Saints of God? Read but the 77th Pſalm, and conſider Aſaph's caſe: I remembred God and was troubled, V. 3. A 4. V. 7. V. 8. V. 9.and my ſpirit was overwhelmed. Thou holdeſt mine eyes waking; I am ſo troubled that I cannot ſpeak. Will the Lord caſt off for ever? will he be favourable no more? Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promiſe fail for evermore? Hath God forgotten to be gracious? Hath he in anger ſhut up his tender Mercies? What deſponding Language is this, which ſpeaks great trouble of mind, and great darkneſs of ſpirit? and yet Aſaph was an eminent Saint of God.
And ſo was Heman; and yet what dreadful troubles and terrours was he under? read the 88th Pſalm throughout, and you will ſee what a condition he was in, what doubts and fears, what clouds and darkneſs, what diſcouragements and deſpondencies he was under. V. 14 V. 15.Lord, why caſteſt thou off my Soul? why hideſt thou thy face from me? I am afflicted, and ready to die from my youth up: while I ſuffer thy terrours I am diſtracted. Thy fierce wrath goeth over me, V. 16.thy terrours have cut me off.
What amazing terrours did he lye under? And it ſeems to have been thus with him not for a few days, but all his days; I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up. And hence ſome have thought that his Sun aroſe in a Cloud, and ſet in a Cloud; and yet a man of great grace.
And this was David's caſe; and that not once, but often; and ſome times for a long while together. Pſal. 13.1. How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? And Pſalm 89.46. How long, Lord, wilt thou hide thy ſelf? for ever? ſhall thy wrath burn like fire? And yet who a man of greater holineſs then David? Act 13.22.A man after God's own heart.
And was it not thus with Job? See Chap. 13.24, 25, 26. Wherefore hideſt thou thy face, and holdeſt me for thine enemy? wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? wilt thou purſue the dry ſtubble? for thou writeſt bitter things againſt me. And Chap. 19.6. Know now that God hath overthrown me. Verſe 8. He hath ſet darkneſs in my paths. Verſe 11. He hath kindled his wrath againſt me, and counteth me one of his enemies. And yet Job was the None-ſuch of his day for holineſs; God himſelf ſays ſo, Job 2.3. There is none like him in the Earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and eſcheweth evil.
Therefore this is no new thing. How often have we known ſuch things in our own experience, or at leaſt known or heard of them who have. And that not among private Chriſtians only, but among the Miniſters of Chriſt, and ſuch as have been (like him who was lately yours) perſons of great grace, and great uſefulneſs; ſuch as Mr. Peacock, Mr. Perkins, and others which I could name, Men famous in the Church of God in their days, and yet full of darkneſs and diſtreſs of Conſcience upon a ſick and dying Bed.
And as this is no new thing for the Children of God to be thus exerciſed, ſo it is no new thing when the hand of God is upon them, to have the mouths of profane ones open againſt them. It was ſo with David, Pſal. 69.26. They perſecute him whom thou haſt ſmitten, and talk to the grief of thoſe whom thou haſt wounded. And it was Job's caſe too, tho in his Proſperity he was honoured of all, even of them that were old, (Chap. 29.8.) yet in his Affliction he was the ſcoff even of them that were young. Chap. 30.1, 9, 10. They that are younger then I have me in deriſion. And now I an their Song, yea I am their by-word. They abhor me—and ſpare not to ſpit in my face. Becauſe he hath looſed my cord, and afflicted me, they have alſo let looſe the bridle before me.
And this is a practice not only impious and ungodly, but inhumane and unnatural. Not only grace, but good nature and common ingenuity teaches us to pity them that are in Miſery. To ſorrow at anothers joys, or rejoyce in anothers ſorrows, are affections more becoming Devils then Men, eſpecially then Chriſtians. And therefore I ſhall paſs this by, as not worth the noticing. That which I judge more worthy to be conſidered, as being more for inſtruction and advantage, is the reaſon of this diſpenſation of God.
Queſt. Why doth God deal thus with his People? why doth he at any time hide himſelf, and leave them under ſuch darkneſs and diſcomfort?
Anſw. That is Anſwer ſufficient which Elihu gives to Job in the 12th and 13th Verſes of this 33d Chapter, God is greater then Man, he giveth not account of any of his matters. Rom. 9.20.Shall the thing formed ſay to him that formed it, why haſt thou made me thus? Let the potſheard ſtrive with the potſheards of the Earth.
But yet the Scripture holds forth ſeveral Reaſons of theſe Diſpenſations of God. And therefore I ſhall not ſpeak of that dusky honour and melancholy diſpoſition which many times, by diſtempering the Body, diſturbs the Soul too, which follows bodily temper, filling it with doubts and fears, and inclining it to ſuſpect the worſt in every caſe.
But I ſhall rather ſpeak of the ſpiritual Cauſes of ſuch darkneſs and trouble of mind.
1. God may act herein to ſhew his Prerogative and abſolute Soveraignty over Man. None can deny him a liberty to glorifie himſelf in his own way, and by what methods he pleaſeth.
God never wants a cauſe where ſin is, but yet he doth not always make ſin to be the cauſe; as he ſays of the young man that was born blind. John 92.Maſter, ſay the Diſciples, who did ſin, this Man, or his Parents, that he is born blind? Neither hath this man ſinned, V. 3.ſaith Chriſt, nor his Parents, but that the works of God ſhould be made manifeſt in him. They were not without ſin, but yet this blindneſs was not for ſin, but an act of God's prerogative. So in God's ſecret dealings with Job, he doth not put it upon his ſin, but upon his own Soveraignty. So much is implied in that of God to Satan, Thou moveſt me againſt him without a cauſe, Job 2.3.
2. God in his holy wiſdom thus exerciſeth his Children, to let us ſee that we hold not our graces and our comforts by the ſame tenure: our graces are held by the tenure of abſolute promiſes, but our comforts are held by the tenure of conditional promiſes; and therefore grace may live and thrive, tho our comfort withers and dies. God hath no where promiſed that we ſhall always injoy the light of his Countenance, Jer. 32.40.but he hath promiſed to put his fear into our hearts, that we ſhall not depart from him. 1 Job. 3.9.And therefore the Seed of God remains, when the ſight of God is loſt.
3. It is to teach us to diſtinguiſh between the being and the well-being of a Chriſtian, and what is neceſſary to one and the other. What is neceſſary to the being of a Chriſtian he ſhall never want, but what is neceſſary to his well-being only he may want: Now comfort is not neceſſary to the being of a Chriſtian; grace doth not depend upon comfort: A Man may be as eminent a Saint without the light of God's face as with it. Comfort is an arbitrary Mercy: one who hath leſs grace may have more comfort then another that hath much more: nay, the ſame Believer may have moſt comfort when he hath leaſt grace. Many feel more comfort at their firſt converſion then ever after.
4. God doth this for cure. The Soul hath its Diſeaſes and Sickneſſes as well as the Body; and where he finds any ſpiritual malady to prevail, this is his healing Medicine.
Some times dulneſs and deadneſs of heart grows upon us, and grace is leſs vigorous and active; now as Phyſicians uſe to caſt a Man into a Fevor to cure a Lethargy, ſo God gives theſe ſtrong Medicines to quicken our dull and ſleepy Spirits.
Some times the filial fear of God abates in us, and we grow careleſs and preſuming. And then tho God be a Father, yet he will ſhew his anger, and that is terrible, eſpecially when his love hath been much felt.
Some times the vigorous mortification of ſin is neglected, and we grow more ready to connive at it: and then it is with us as with Iſrael; the Canaamtes get head, and God leaves us in their hands to become Thorns and Goads to us.
Some times Ordinances are not attended upon as they ought to be; we grow idle and remiſs in Duties: and then no wonder tho our comforts are cut off, when the means of our Communion with God are neglected. Dark Diſpenſations are deſigned for a cure of theſe, and ſuch like Evils; He for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holineſs.Hebr. 12.10.
5. God doth it to take us off from living by ſenſe, and to diſcipline us more to the life of faith, which is a life peculiar to Believers, and diſtinct from all other ways of living: for all elſe live by ſenſe, all below them, and all above them. All in a ſtate of nature live by ſenſe, and all in a ſtate of glory live by ſenſe. Theſe in a ſtate of ſenſe depraved, thoſe in a ſtate of ſenſe glorified. Theſe live by ſenſe upon carnal comſorts, they live by ſenſe upon eternal enjoyments. The former live by ſenſe for want of faith, the latter I've by ſenſe, having gotten above ſaith: But the Believer lives partly by ſenſe, and partly by faith.
Now tho God by the light of his Countenance doth ſome times miniſter to ſenſe, Hab. 2.4.yet he would have his People live by faith, and not by ſenſe; it being the moſt noble life, which far excels that of ſenſe in the preſent ſtate. For,
1. Faith hath a better Object to live upon then ſenſe hath; Senſe lives upon preſent Diſcoveries, but Faith lives upon Promiſes and Propriety: and therefore Faith is never at a loſs, when Senſe is. Faith hath always ſomewhat to live upon, when ſenſe hath not. How often is the Believer's Sun ſhut in, and his beams cut off by interpoſing Clouds: no diſcoveries, no incomes, no comforting influences: and then you hear of ſad complaints, and doleful concluſions, and all from miſtaken ſenſe: not becauſe God is loſt, but becauſe he is not felt.
2. Faith ſecures things to us which ſenſe cannot. Nothing that ſenſe lives upon is ſure. No preſent comforts are ſure. The Light of God's Face is not ſure; the emations of his love are not ſure; the comforts of the Spirit are not ſure: theſe things come and go, they are loſt and found. A Chriſtian often hath them, but he knows not how long he ſhall injoy them, nor how ſoon he may be deprived of them, tho he be careful and diligent to preſerve them. I was not in ſafety, neither had I reſt, neither was I quiet, yet trouble came, Job 3.26.
But that which Faith lives upon is ſure. The Covenant is ſure, the Promiſe is ſure, and therefore Intereſt in God is ſure.
3. Faith glorifies God more then ſenſe can do. Senſe can't take God's word without a pawn, Hab. 3.17.Faith can. Tho the Figtree ſhall not bloſſom, &c. Senſe can't wait God's leiſure, Faith can: Iſa. 8.17.I will wait upon the Lord that hides his face from the Houſe of Jacob, and I will look for him. Senſe can't bear up under Diſcouragements, Job 13.15.Faith can: Tho he ſlay me, yet will I truſt in him. Senſe hath but one Light to work by, viz. the Light of God's Countenance, and when that light is hid, the working hand of ſenſe is ſealed up. But Faith hath another Light to work by, and that is, the Light of God's Command: and this is a ſurer and better Light to work by then the former: ſo that Faith hath Light when Senſe hath none. For when God puts out one Light, Senſe puts out the other; and ſo makes our caſe far worſe when God intended it, by putting Darkneſs in our Paths, when God canſes Darkneſs upon our Spirits.
Therefore one deſign of God in theſe hidings is to draw forth Faith to more vigorous Acts, and to teach the Believer to live upon his Intereſt in God without Evidence, Iſa. 50.10.and to ſay my God, when he cannot ſee God; as Chriſt did Matth. 27.26. Theſe Earth-quakes in the Soul, tho they ſhake Senſe, yet Faith is thereby made to ſtand the faſter upon its true Baſis.
The more we come to live by Faith, the more ſecure and quiet will our lives be. What ſad Complaints, and deſponding Out-cries are often heard out of the Mouths of good men! enough to make ſuch as judge according to outward appearance to take them for Reprobates and Caſtaways: whereas theſe (for the moſt part) are nothing but the pinings of ſpiritual ſenſe cut ſhort of it, wonted Meals, and ſo crying for lack of Bread. This was the reaſon of Job's complaining, Chap. 29. O that I were as in Months paſt, as in the days when God preſerved me—when by his light I walked through darkneſs. A Soul that hath once enjoyed the comfort and ſweetneſs of this light, cannot bear it to have his Spirit benighted by the hidings of God from him. But to be brief;
6. God doth ſome times deal thus with his own Children in Judgment to the Children of this World: that they that will not be convinced of the goodneſs and excellency of the ways of God, by the light of the word of God, may never be drawn by the comforts of the Children of God. As there are Myſteries in the Word of God, ſo there are alſo the Works of God: 2 Cor. 4 3. Pſal. 83.3.As his Goſpel is to ſome a hidden Goſpel, ſo are his People a hidden People. Their Graces are hidden under many Infirmities; their Beauty is hidden under mean outward Appearances; their Comforts are hidden under much ſpiritual darkneſs, and this is in Judgment to the World. As Chriſt's coming in ſuch a poor and low condition was; John 9.39. For Judgment I am come into this World.
7. Theſe dealings of God are ſuitable to their preſent ſtate, which is a ſtate of conflict. This Life is a ſeaſon of manifold Temptations, 1 Pet. 1.6. and therefore we ſhould be ſo far from wondering that any are tempted ſo much, that it ſhould rather be matter of wonder that all are not tempted more, only the wiſe God knows what kind of temptation is needful, and how much, and how long, and debates in meaſure.
Who wonders to ſee Storms and Tempeſts, Froſts and Snows, and lowring Heavens in Winter? Is it not the proper Seaſon? Tho the day be more pleaſant than the night, yet the night is as uſeful as the day.