The Inseparable Communion of a Believer with God, Sermons · Sermon 3
ROM. 8.38.36.
VVE are come to the third particular viz. the primary and principal ſubject, in which the love ef God to us centred, and that is Jeſus Chriſt,— which is in Chriſt Jeſus.
Doct. That love of God, which is the bond of communion between himſelf, and believers, with all its gracious effects, Bleſſings, Priviledges is manifeſted and diſpenſed to us, only in and through Jeſus Chriſt.
Our life and ſalvation is firſt in God himſelf, with whom is the fountain of life, and who is the Father of lights, in whom our life is ſaid to be hid, Coll. 3.3. and ſo in him it is ours, by the eternal purpoſe of his love, and grace in himſelf.
This love of God, as it was the only moving cauſe to God, of the eternal purpoſe of his grace, concerning us; ſo it is the chief Agent and principal Efficient of all grace in us, as we declared in the laſt Point.
Yet we muſt conſider, the only Medium or means by which God doth manifeſt his love to us, through which he doth diſpence all the effects of his eternal love and grace to us, is Jeſus Chriſt, who is appointed of God to be the only Executor of all his Decrees of love and grace, and is ordained to come in as Mediatour, in all things between God and us.
This I ſhall endeavour to demonſtrate.
1. Demonſt. Jeſus Chriſt was anointed with all that love which God the Father had taken up in his own boſom, to be laid out on all his elect ones; and thus he became Son and Heir of all the love of God to his beloved.
Hence Chriſt is made known to us as the eminently beloved one of the Father, Mat. 3.17. The beloved with an Amphaſis, in whom we are ſaid to be accepted, Eph. 1.6. his dear Son, or the Son of his love, into whoſe Kingdom we are ſaid to be tranſlated. Col. 1.13. And from the love of God to him is the love of God derived to us, John 17. ult.
2. Dem. Jeſus Chriſt alone is the great manifeſtation of Gods eternal love to us, as being the firſt and moſt immediate effect of it, 1 John 4.10. ſo as we cannot, nor ever could come to the leaſt meaſure of knowledge of Gods eternal love to us, but only in Ieſus Chriſt, 2 …or. 4.6.— Knowledge of his glory in the face of Jeſus Chriſt. By the glory of God we are in a ſpecial manner to underſtand it, of the glory of his eternal love and grace; if with this we compare, Eph. 1.6. and 12. every believers experience will bear witneſs to this truth.
3. Dem. God did firſt accompliſh all that grace in Chriſt, which his eternal love had purpoſed to perform in us, 2 Cor. 1.20. Hence Chriſt became the firſtborn, Rom. 8.29. the firſt-fruits, 1 Cor. 15.23. The Image, Patern, and Exemplar of all the grace and glory of God to us.
2. Our ſalvation was founded on the eternal Election of God; Chriſt was elected, Iſa. 42.1. He was not only one choſen out of all Creatures, Men and Angels, but choſen out of all the three Perſons in Trinity, to be the Mediatour of our Peace; by the Election of Chriſt ours is ratified and confirmed.
Secondly, our ſalvation includes in it a Predeſtination to the Adoption; We were ordained to be ſons of God.
So Chriſt in our nature, by its perſonal Union with the Divine, was the Son of God, Luke 1.45. Gal. 4.4, 5.
Thirdly, our ſalvation is carried on by our Calling; Ieſus Chriſt had his Call of God to all the Offices that concerned him in the Work of our Redemption, Heb. 5.4, 5.
Fourthly, our ſalvation is carried by Iuſtification; ſo Chriſt was firſt juſtified, Iſa. 50 8. 1 Tim. 3.16.
Fiſthly, our ſalvation is carried on unto a final victory over all our enemies, for Chriſt Ieſus he hath firſt overcome, Rev. 3.21.
Sixthly, our ſalvation is perfected by the Reſurrection from the dead, and a poſſeſſion of glory; for Chriſt firſt roſe from the dead, and entred into his glory, Eph. 4.5, 6.
So what faith, hope, love, holineſs, patience, humility, obedience God ſhould require of us, was firſt performed by Chriſt who became a Pattern, and Examplar of all grace, unto obedience for us, John 15.10. and our conſtant Growth and Increaſe in Grace, is called a growing up in all things to Chriſt our Head, Eph. 4 15.
4. Dem. All theſe treaſures of ſalvation, which God hath in his eternal love decreed to lay out on his Elect, both in grace and glory, are given into Chriſt, Col 1.19. Col. 2.3. Chriſt Heir of all things by appointment, Heb. 1.3. Here he is ſaid to be made of God unto us, whatever God intended to make our ſalvation compleat by, viz. Wiſdom,—1 Cor. 1.30. Righteouſneſs, Sanctification and Redemption. Theſe four Ingredients are perfect and compleat ſalvation. So that of Chriſts fulneſs we ſtill receive grace for grace, and glory for glory, 2 Cor. 3.18. John 1.16. and our compleatneſs is in him, Col. 2.9, 10.
Hence Chriſt is ſaid to be not only given us for a Saviour, but to be the ſalvation of God to us, Luke 2.30. becauſe he contains in himſelf the whole matter of our ſalvation, every part and parcel that makes our ſalvation compleat.
5. Dem. When God actually performs any of that grace his eternal love purpoſed and decreed for us; he firſt makes us to be in Chriſt, makes us one with Chriſt, 1 Cor. 1.30. Of God are ye in Chriſt Ieſus, — he gathers into one in Chriſt, Eph. 1.10, he calls them into the fellowſhip of Chriſt, 1 Cor. 1.9. whom he intends to ſave.
As we are ſaid to be choſen in Chriſt, Eph. 1.4. ſo we are ſaid to be made the ſons of God in Chriſt, Gal. 3.26. reconciled in Chriſt. 2 Cor. 5.19. to be made the righteouſneſs of God in him, 2 Cor. 5. ult. to be made new creatures in him, 2 Cor. 1.17. to be made an habitation of God in him, Eph. 2. ult. to be ſanctified, preſerved, called in Ieſus Chriſt, Iude 1. hence we are called the Workmanſhip of God in Chriſt, Eph. 2.10.
The grounds of this truth, why God ſhould make out all the manifeſtations and diſpenſations of his love to us in Chriſt Ieſus may be,
1. Chriſt only is that among all three Perſons in Trinity which God did ordain us to be, viz. the Son of God. The grace of our Adoption is the ſupreme Priviledge of all that grace we receive from Gods love, 1 Iohn 3.1. and is our Right and Title to all other bleſſings, if ſons then heirs. We muſt be ſons before we can have right to any part of the Inheritance.
Now Chriſt having this Prerogative peculiar to himſelf to be the Son of God, it was neceſſary that we ſhould be made the ſons of God in Chriſt Ieſus, Eph. 1.5.
Secondly, becauſe Chriſt was; as the only begotten Son of God, ſo the only beloved of the Father, ſole Heir of all his Fathers love, and his Fathers bleſſings, both in grace and glory. Therefore it behoved, that the manifeſtations of the Fathers love, and the diſpenſations of his love to us, in the bleſſings of grace and glory, ſhould be made in Ieſus Chriſt.
Thirdly, that the glory of our ſalvation, might not be communicated in any part to the creature, but to God alone, of whom, through whom, to whom are all things, to whom be glory for ever.
It is God, who of himſelf, and in himſelf, and by himſelf worketh all grace in us; of himſelf as the Father, in himſelf as the Son, by himſelf as the holy Spirit.
The Uſes of this Point are,
I. For Information.
Firſt, it informs us how miſerable men are who are yet out of Chriſt, they are in no capacity to receive one token of Gods ſaving love.
They may love themſelves, and do good to themſelves; the world may love, friends may love them and ſhew them love, but God will ſhew them no love, out of Chriſt.
Secondly, it informs us of that excellent order and method the Wiſdom of God hath obſerved in ſtating our ſalvation. The love of God, which is the great ſpring of life and grace, is firſt in God himſelf as the original.
Then it is in Chriſt as he to whom belongs the Birth-right, and the bleſſings of it, in whom all the Promiſes of God are Yea and Amen.
Then it is in us, who are in Chriſt Ieſus, in whom we are made Partakers of the righteouſneſs, holineſs, and glory of God.
Thirdly, that no natural goodneſs in our ſelves, nothing we can do in conformity to the Law of God, no external duties of Worſhip to God, no moral Righteouſneſs towards man, can be the leaſt part of that Righteouſneſs that can bring us into a ſtate of love and favour with God.
It muſt be what God doth beſtow on us in Ieſus Chriſt, for no man is made that unto which the love of God hath predeſtinated him, in himſelf, and through himſelf, but in and through Chriſt only.
Fourthly, it informs us in what glaſs we may moſt clearly behold the love of God to us in all its effects; it is Ieſus Chriſt. Would we know the love of God to us, look upon his love to Chriſt, or know the dignity of our Adoption; look upon the Sonſhip of Chriſt, or know the dignity of our Iuſtification: look upon the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, or know the glory God intends us.
Many things that concern our ſalvation have yet no other ſubſiſting in us, but what ſaith giveth them, which yet are actually accompliſht in Chriſt, they, are in us yet imperfect, which are compleated in Chriſt.
Fifthly, it informs, firſt, of the infinite lovelineſs,
1. Of Chriſt, who had all the pourings out of divine love on him, all the love of God that was due to himſelf and to all the Saints beſides.
Secondly, the infinite capacity of Chriſts Perſon, who can contain in himſelf all the love, and all the Priviledges of the love of God to all his Elect, both in grace and glory.
Thirdly, the infinite love of Chriſt to us, in being willing to impart to us a ſhare of that love of God, that grace and glory of God that was only due to him, in the right of the firſt and only begotten.
2. Uſe. For inſtruction.
1. When we go to God for any manifeſtation of his love, or any diſpenſation of love, in any ſpiritual or heavenly bleſſings go out of your ſelves, get into Chriſt, in him alone we can know his love and receive the bleſſings of i…, Eph 1.3.
Nothing comes to us immediately from God, but mediately in and through Chriſt, who is Mediatour between God and us in all things divine have hath decreed for us
Secondly, how much doth it concern us, a mong the higheſt and chiefell concernments of ſalvation to have our union with Chriſt, our intereſt in Chriſt cleared up.
There only we can know what divine love purpoſed for us from everlaſting, what it hath done for us, what it hath further to beſtow upon us, how it is forming and faſhioning us by degrees, into a bleſſed Conformity with the Son of God in grace and glory.
Thirdly, let this teach us how to manifeſt our love to God, how to return our love to God in faith, and all the duties of our worſhip and obedience; after the manner of all the diſpenſations of Gods love to us; that is, do all to God in and through Ieſus Chriſt, 1 Pet. 2.5. Col. 3.17.
3. Uſe. In point of Conſolation.
1. Admirable comfort to be loved of God, with any kind of love is ſweet, but to be loved of God in Chriſt, to be loved as Chriſt, this excelleth.
To have fellowſhip with Chriſt in his ſufferings, afflictions, reproaches is great honour; but to have fellowſhip with Chriſt in the love of God, and all the wonderful effects of it; This is to Admiration.
Secondly, therefore the love of God huſt needs abide, and the ſtate of Saints …ternal, immurable, unchangeable in Gods love, becauſe …t is in Chriſt Ieſus; …nd they, ma…e of God to be, not in …hemſelves, but in Chriſt.