Sermons Volume 2, 2 Corinthians 5 · Sermon 34
SERMON XXXIV.
2 Cor. 5.19.
To wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and hath committed to us the word of reconciliation.
THe Apostle having mentioned reconciliation in the former verse, doth now inforce, amplify and explain it, and insist upon it in this and the following verses. Here you have three things.
1. The Sum and Substance of the Gospel, or the way on Gods part; God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself.
2. The fruit of this reconciliation; not imputing their trespasses to them.
3. The means of application, or bringing it about on mans part; foreign, placed in us.
For the first clause, God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself: This is the Sum of the whole Gospel. There is more glory in this one line, than in the great volume of the whole creation; there we may read God Infinite, and Glorious in his Majesty and Power, but here in his Wisdom, and Grace. A God reconciled should be welcome news to the faln creature. Reconciliation is good in any case. The misery of the World cometh from the differences and disappointments which are in the World. How happy were we if all differences were taken up between man and man; much more between God and man; if Heaven and earth were once at an agreement. We are at a loss how to make up our breaches with one another; 'tis easie to open the flood-gates, and let out the waters of strife, but to set things at rights again, and to reduce every stream into its proper channel, who hath the skill to do that? If we could once compose our own differences by compromise, yet to take up the quarrel between us and God is not so easie; though men and Angels had joined in consultation about a way and project, how to bring it to pass, we had still been to seek; but when man was at an utter loss, God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself.
In the words observe,
1. A priviledge, Reconciliation; which is a returning to grace and favour after a breach.
2. The Author of the design; God the Father, who in the mystery of redemption is the highest Judge, and wronged party. God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself.
3. The means [in Christ.] Reconciliation is considerable either as to the purchase, or application of it; as to the purchase, God was in Christ reconciling. God hath used Christ as a means to make peace between him and us, Col. 1.20. The application God is in Christ reconciling by vertue of our union with him, in Christ. God that was formerly far from us is come nigh to us, and in Christ we draw nigh to God, in him we meet, and we in him, and he is in us.
4. The parties interessed, on the one hand the World, on the other God; [to himself.]
1. The World. The expression is used indefinitely, though not universally. First, The World; to shew that men, and not Angels, 2 Pet. 2.4. The sinning Angels had no Mediator, nor Reconciler. Secondly, To note which is the ground of the Gospel tendry, John 3.16. God so loved the World, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have Eternal Life. Thirdly, To represent the freeness of Gods grace, 1 John 5.19. And we know that we are of God, and the whole World lyeth in wickedness. This World that lay in sin, was God reconciling. In themselves Gods Elect differ nothing from the rest of the World, till grace prevent them, they were as bad as any in the World, of the same race of cursed mankind, not only living in the World, but after the fashions of the World; dead in trespasses and sins, and obnoxious to the curse and Wrath of God. Fourthly, To shew the Amplitude of Gods Grace, the greater and worser part of the World, the Gentiles as well as the Jews, Rom. 11.15. If the casting away of them, be the reconciling the World. So 1 John 2.2. And he is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole World. Fifthly, To awaken all that are concerned to look after this priviledge which is common to all nations; the offer is made indifferently to all sorts of persons where the Gospel cometh, and this grace is effectually applyed to all the Elect of all Nations, and all sorts, and conditions, and ranks of persons in the World; if thou art a member of the World, thou shouldest not receive this grace in vain.
2. The other party concerned is the Great God; [to himself.] To be reconciled to one another, when we have smarted sufficiently under the fruits of our differences, will be found an especial blessing, much more to be reconciled to God; this is the comfort here propounded. To himself of whom we stand so much in dread, 1 Sam. 2.15. If one man sin against another the Judge shall judge him, but if a man sin against God who shall plead for him? A fit Umpire and Mediator may be found out in matters of difference, and plea between man and man, but who shall arbitrate and take up the difference between us and God. Here, first, the greatness of the priviledge, That God will reconcile us to himself.
Doct. There is a reconciliation made in and by Iesus Christ, between God and man.
First I shall premise three things in general.
1. That to reconcile is to bring into favour and friendship after some breach made, and offence taken, as Luke 23.12. The same day Herod and Pilate were made friends, for before they were at enmity between themselves. So Joseph and his Brethren were made friends, and the woman faulty is said to be reconciled to her husband, 1 Cor. 7.11. So Matth. 5.23, 24. If thou bringest thy gift to the Altar, and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee; go thy may and be reconciled to thy Brother. All which places prove the natural notion of the word, and so 'tis fitly used for our recovery, and returning into grace and favour with God after a breach.
2. That the reconciliation is mutual; God is reconciled to us, and we to God. Many will not hear that God is reconciled to us, but only that we are reconciled to God: But certainly there must be both. God was angry with us, and we hated God; the Alienation was mutual, and therefore the reconciliation must be so; the Scripture speaketh not only of an enmity, and hatred on mans part, Rom. 5.10. For when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, but also of wrath on Gods part, not only against sin, but the sinner, Eph. 2.3. Being Children of wrath by nature. Certainly God doth not only hate sin, but is angry with the wicked because of it, Psal. 7.11. God is angry with the wicked every day. And we must distinguish between the work of Christ in order to God, and the work of the Minister, and Christ by the ministry in order to men. The work of Christ in order to God, which is to appease the Wrath of God: Therefore 'tis said, Heb. 2.17. That he is a merciful and faithful High-priest, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people, foreign: Surely there Gods being reconciled to us is intended by Christs Sacrifice and Intercession: For Christ as an High-priest hath to deal with us as Gods Apostle with men, Heb. 3.1. We in Christs stead pray you to be reconciled, verse 20th. Besides, our reconciliation is made the fruit of Christs death in contradistinction to his life, Rom. 5.10. The death of Christ mainly respected the appeasing of the Wrath of God, whereas, if it only implyed the changing of our natures, it might as well be ascribed to his life in Heaven, as his death upon earth. Again, the Scripture maketh this reconciliation to be a great instance of Gods love to us. Now if it did only consist in laying aside our enmity to God, it would rather be an instance of our love to God, than his love to us. Once more, the Text is plain that Gods reconciling the World to himself, did consist in not imputing our trespasses to us, his laying aside his suit and just plea he had against us; so that it relateth to him. Therefore upon the whole we may pronounce that God is reconciled to us, as well as we to God. Indeed the Scriptures do more generally insist upon our being reconciled to God, than Gods being reconciled to us, for two reasons. 1. Because we are in a fault. 'Tis the usual way of speaking amongst men; He that offendeth is said to be reconciled, because he was the cause of the breach, and he needeth to reconcile himself, and to appease him whom he hath offended, which the innocent party needeth not, he needeth only to forgive, and to lay aside his just anger. We offended God, not he us; therefore the Scripture usually saith, we are reconciled to God. 2dly. We have the benefit; 'tis no profit to God, that the Creature enters into his peace: He is happy within himself, without our love or service, only we are undone, if we are not upon good terms with him. If any believe not, the Wrath of God abideth upon him, John 3.36. And that is enough to make us eternally miserable.
3. That reconciliation in Scripture, is sometimes ascribed to God the Father, sometimes to Christ as Mediator, sometimes to Believers themselves.
1. To God the Father▪ as in the Text, God was in Christ, reconciling the World to himself, and in the verse before the Text, who hath reconciled us to himself. And Col. 1.20. Having made peace by the Blood of his Cross, by him, to reconcile all things to himself. To God the Father, as the primary cause of our reconciliation, he found out, and appointed the means, as he decreed from everlasting to restore the Elect, faln into sin, unto grace and favour, and prepared whatever was necessary to compose and take up the difference between him and sinners.
2. Christ is said to reconcile, Eph. 2.16. That he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the Cross. And Col. 1.21. Yet now hath he reconciled. Not as the primary, but meritorious cause of reconciliation, which respects both God and us; chiefly God, as he was appeased by the merit of his Sacrifice, as he procured the Spirit, that same Spirit whereby our enmity might be overcome, and we might yield up our selves to God, to love, and serve, and please him, for we, by his blood, are purged from dead works, that we might serve the living God, Heb. 9.14.
3. Believers are said to reconcile themselves to God, 2 Cor. 5.20. We pray you in Christs stead, be ye reconciled to God. As they do imbrace the offered benefit, and lay aside their enmity, and love God that loveth them, and devote themselves to his use and service.
2. More particularly I shall do three things.
1. State the foregoing breach.
2. Shew you the nature of this reconciliation.
3. Shew you how Christ is concerned in it.
1. To state the foregoing breach, take these Propositions.
1. God and man were once near friends. Adam was the Lords favourite. You know till man was made, 'tis said of every rank and species of the Creature, God saw that it was good: But when man was made in his day, Gen. 1.31. God saw what he had made, and behold, it was very good. An object of special love. God expressed more of his favour to him, than to any other Creature except the Angels. Man was made after his Image, Gen. 1.26. When you make the Image or Picture of a man, you do not draw his feet, or his hands, but his face; his tract or foot-print may be found among the creatures▪ but his Image and express resemblance with man, and so he was fitted to live in delightful Communion with his Creator. Man was his Vice-roy, Gen. 1.27. God intrusted him with the care, charge and dominion over all the Creatures. Yea he was capable of loving, knowing, or injoying God; other Creatures were capable of glorifying God, of setting forth his Power, Wisdom, and Goodness, objectively, and passively: but man of glorifying God actively, as being appointed to be the mouth of the Creation.
2. Man gets out of Gods favour by conspiring with Gods grand Enemy. His Condition was happy, but mutable, before Satan, by insinuating with him, draweth him into Rebellion against God, and upon this Rebellion he forfeiteth all his priviledges, Gods Image, favour and Fellowship. God would deal with him in the way of a Covenant, Gen. 2.17. In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. Do and live, sin and die. The comminatory part is only expressed, because that only took place. So that by this Rebellion he lost the integrity of his nature, and all his Happiness; he first run away from God, and then God drove him away, he was first a fugitive, and than an exile.
3. Man faln draweth all his posterity along with him. For God dealt not with him as a single, but as a publick person, Rom. 5.13. Whereas by one man sin entred into the World, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all, for that all have sinned. And 1 Cor. 15.47. The first man is of the earth earthy, the second man is the Lord from Heaven There's a first man and a Second man; nos omnes eramus in illo unus homo. Adam and Jesus. are the two great Institutions, the one consistent with the Wisdom and Justice of God, as the other with the wisdom and grace of God, so that Adam begets enemies to God, Gen. 5.3. Adam begot a Son in own likeness. And 1 Cor. 15.49. we read of the Image of the earthly one. Every man is born an enemy to God, his nature opposite, his ways contrary to God; and so is eternally lost and undone, unless God make some other provision for him.
4. The Condition of every man by nature is to be a stranger and an enemy to God, Col. 1.21. And you that were sometimes alienated, and enemies in your minds, That double notion is to be considered. Strangers; there is no Communion between God and us, we cannot delight in God, nor God in us, till there be a greater suitableness, or a divine nature put into us. If that be too soft a notion the next will help it, we are enemies; there is a perfect contrariety, we are perfectly opposit to God, in nature, and ways. We are enemies directly or formally, and in effect, or by interpretation; formally men are enemies open or secret; open are those, that bid open defiance to him, as Pagans, and Infidels, and Idolaters: Secret; so are all sinners; their hopes and desires are, that there were no God, they would fain have God out of their way; rather than part with their lusts, they would part with their God, Psa. 14.1. The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God. 'Tis a pleasing thought and supposition that there were no God. In effect, and by Interpretation, they do things, or leave things undone contrary to to Gods will, and take part with their sins against him. As Love is a Love of duty and subjection, so hatred is a refusal of obedience. Love me and keep my Commandments, Exod. 20.6. They are angry with those, who would plead Gods interests with them: But how can men hate God who is summum bonum, & fons boni? The School-men put the Question. We hate him not as a Creator, and Preserver; but as a Law-giver, and Judge. As a Law-giver, because we cannot injoy our lusts with that freedom and security, by reason of his restraint. God hath interposed by his Law against our desires, Rom. 8.7. Because the carnal mind is enmity to God, for it is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be. As a Judge and avenger of sin, not only desire of carnal liberty, but slavish fear is the cause of this enmity: Men hate those whom they fear. We have wronged God, exceedingly, and we know that he will call us to an account, we are his debtors, and cannot answer the demands of his Justice. And therefore we hate him, what comfort is it to a guilty prisoner, to tell him that his Judge is a discreet person, or of a stayed Judgment; he is one that will condemn him. A condemning God can never be loved by a guilty creature, as barely apprehended under that notion.
5. God hateth sinners, as they hate him. For we are Children of wrath from the womb, Eph. 2.3. And that wrath abideth on us till we enter into Gods peace, John 3.36. And the more wicked we are, the more we incur Gods Wrath. Psal. 7.11. He is angry with the wicked every day. They are under his curse, Gal. 3.10. Whatever be the secret purposes of his grace, yet so they are by the sentence of his Law; and according to that we must Judge of our condition.
2. The nature of this reconciliation.
1. As the enmity is mutual, so is the reconciliation; God is reconciled to us, and we to God. On Gods part, his Wrath is appeased▪ and our wicked disposition is taken away by regeneration; for there are the causes of the difference between him and us, his Justice▪ and our sin: His Justice is satisfied in Christ, so that he is willing to offer us a new Covenant. Matth. 3.17. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. He is satisfied in Christ, that he is willing to forgive the offences done to him, for the Text saith, God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself, not imputing their trespasses to them. And our wicked disposition is done away, and our hearts are converted and turned to the Lord, Acts 9.6. And he trembled, and astonished, said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And 2 Chron. 30.8. But yield your selves unto the Lord, and enter into his Sanctuary, which he hath sanctifyed for ever, and serve the Lord your God, that the fierceness of his Wrath, may be turned from you And we are drawn to enter into Covenant with the Lord, even that new Covenant, which is called, the Covenant of his peace, Isa. 54.10. And so of enemies we are made friends, as Abraham, because of his Covenant-relation is called, the friend of God, Jam. 2.23. In the new Covenant God offereth pardon, and requireth repentance; when we accept the offer, the pardon procured for us by Christ, and submit to the Conditions, lay down the weapons of our defiance, and give the hand to the Lord, to walk with him in all new obedience, then are we reconciled.
2. This reconciliation is as firm and strong, as our estate in innocency, as if there had been no foregoing breach, and in some considerations better, especially when we look to the full effect of it. As good as if the first Covenant had never been broken, for God doth not only put away his anger, but loveth us, as if we never had been in hatred; he doth not only pardon sinners, but delight in them, when they repent. Men may forgive a fault, but they do not forget it; the person liveth in Vmbrage and suspicion with them still. Absolom was pardoned, but not to see the Kings face, 2 Sam. 13.14. Shimei had a lease of his life, but lived always as a hated and a suspected man, 1 Kings 2.8. But now 'tis otherwise here, we find not only mercy with God, but are as firmly instated into his love as ever. Our sins are cast into the depths of the Sea, Hosea 7.19. And Hosea 14.4. I will love them freely. And Rom. 9.25 And her Beloved which was not Beloved. He not only passeth by the injury, but calls her Beloved. Breaches between man and man are like deep wounds; though healed, the scares remain, something sticketh; or like a vessel sodered, weak in the crack; but here Beloved, delighted in. The Lord delighteth in thee, Isa. 62.4. And he will rest in his love. In some sort 'tis more sure, 'tis not committed to us, and the freedom of our wills. A bone well set is strongest where broken. Adam was happy, but not established.
3. This active reconciliation draweth many blessings along with it.
1. Peace with God, Rom. 5 1. Being justifyed by faith we have peace with God. To have God an enemy is to have a sharp sword always hanging over our heads by a slender thread: How can we look him in the face, lift up our heads to Heaven, think of him without trembling? There is a God, but he is our enemy; how can we eat, drink, or sleep, while God is our enemy? Did we know what 'tis to have God our enemy, we should soon know, that he cannot want instruments of revenge, death may way-lay us in every place, if we eat, our meat may poyson or choak us; if we go abroad, God may cast us into Hell before we come home again; if we sleep, his wrath may take us napping: For our damnation slumbereth not, 2 Pet. 3.3. Surely 'tis such a dreadful thing to be at enmity with God, that we should not continue in that estate for a moment; but when once you are at peace with God, you stop all evil at the fountain head.
2. Access to God with boldness, and free trade into Heaven, Rom. 5.2. By whom we have access by faith. And Eph. 2.18. For through him we have both access by one Spirit unto the Father. When a peace is made between two warring Nations, Trading is revived. When you have occasion to make use of God, you may go to him as your reconciled Father; there is no flaming sword to keep you out of paradise.
3. Acceptance both of your persons and performances; your persons are accepted, Eph. 1 6. He hath accepted us in the Beloved, to the praise of his glorious grace. You are looked upon as members of Christ, favourites of Heaven; your duties and actions are accepted, Heb. 11.4. By faith Abel offered a more excellent Sacrifice than Cain. The sinful failings of our best actions are hid and covered, they are not examined by a severe Judge, but accepted by a loving Father.
4. All the graces of the Spirit are fruits of our reconciliation with God, Rom. 5.11. We joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have received the ato…ement: Jewels of the Covenant wherewith the Spouse of Christ is decked. Christ prayed, that we might be loved as he was loved, John 17. Not for degree, but kind▪ John 3 34. These are given as tokens and evidences of his Love; the priviledge is so great, that we cannot believe it, without some real demon…ration of Gods heart towards us. When Jacob heard, that Joseph was alive, and Governour of Egypt, he would not believe it: but when he saw the Waggons which Joseph sent to carry him, Gen. 45.27, 28. Then his Spirit revived within him. So here, 1 Thessa. 1.5. For our Gospel came not to you in word only, but in power, and in the Holy-Ghost, and in much assurance.
5. All outward blessings are sanctified, especially the in…oyment of them, which we have by another right and tenure. Surely one that is reconciled to God cannot be miserable, for all things are his 1 Cor. 3.23. Whatsoever falleth to his share, comfort and cross cometh with a blessing. And all worketh for good, Rom. 8.28. Gods enmity is declared by raining snares, Psal. 11.6. There is a secret war against the Soul; but his love, that always worketh for good. Out of what corner soever the wind bloweth, it always bloweth for good to his people.
6. 'Tis a pledge of Heaven, Rom. 5.10. For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled by his death, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. The glorifying of a Saint is a more easie thing, than the reconciling of a sinner; suppose the one, and you may suppose the other, if God would pardon us, and take us with all our faults, he will much more glorify us, when we are reconciled and sanctified.
7. Our right to this priviledge beginneth assoon as we do believe in Christ. For upon these terms God hath set forth Christ, Rom. 3.24. Being justified freely by …his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ. When our hearts are drawn to receive Christ upon these terms, we are legally capable of his favour. Now faith is nothing else but a broken hearted and thankful acceptance of Christ, with a resolution to give up our selves to God by him. The true notion of Christs death is the Sacrifice of atonement; now in the Sacrifices of atonement, they were to come with brokenness of heart, confessing sin over the head of the beast, Psal. 51.17. Owning the Messiah to come; and a stipulation of obedience, Psa. 50.5. Gather my Saints together, that make a… Covenant with me by Sacrifice. Well then, when in a broken hearted manner we make our claim by Christ, thankfully acknowledging our Redeemers grace, and sue out our release and discharge in his name, and devote our selves to God, then our right is begun. The evidence of this right is, when Faith is made fruitful in holiness. God is an holy God, and Christ came not to make God less holy. He may be reconciled to our persons, but never to our sins; sin ever was, and ever will be the make-bate between God and us, Isa. 59.2. Your sins have separated between you and me. There must be a zealous renouncing of all things that have bred estrangement between us and God. Every thing in this reconciliation implyeth holiness. The party with whom we do reconcile, God; and he must not lightly be offended, but pleased, Col. 1.10. That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing. Tender of offending God. The nature of the reconciliation is mutual, we with God, as well as God with us. A real change goeth along with the relative, or else we are taken for enemies still, Psal. 68.21. The Covenant is a league offensive and defensive. Pax nostra bellum contra Satanam. We cannot be at peace with God, till faln out with sin we resolve to war against the Devil, the World, and the flesh, you must not make him a Patron and Pandar to your lusts, Exod. 23.20, 21, 22. Behold I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared: Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not, for he will not pardon your transgressions, for my name is in him. But thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to thy enemies, and an adversary to thy adversaries. We must carry our selves with great reverence to the Angel of the Covenant, 1 Cor. 10.9. The sanctifying grace of the Spirit for the application of the merit of Christ, and the gift of the Spirit, are inseparable. God will not pardon our sins, while we remain in them, we must be sanctified and justifyed, & then we shall have peace & comfort. What peace as long as the Whoredom of thy Mother Jesabel remaineth? Men that sin freely know not what peace with God meaneth. This holy friendship, which resulteth from the Covenant, implyeth an indignation against sin, Hosea 14.8. What have I any more to do with idols. And Isa. 30.22. Thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloath, thou shalt say unto it, get ye hence.
3. How far Christ is concerned in it, and why.
1. God was resolved to lose no honour by the fall of man, but to keep up a sense of his Justice, Goodness, and Truth.
1. His Justice. Twas not fit, that any of his Attributes should fall to the ground, especially his Justice, the sense of which is so necessary for the Government of the World, Rom. 3.5, 6. Is God unrighteous, that taketh vengeance? God forbid! How then shall God judge the World? If God be not known for a just God, we cannot know him for the Governour of the World. Well then, there was a condecency in it, that mercy should be dispensed, so that Justice should be no loser; now▪ God saw, that men could not keep up the Honour of his Justice, our prayers, tears, repentance, will not do the deed without something else. If the Devils were supposed to be sorrowful for their sins, they would not be reconciled, because, they had no surety to die for them, and repair the honour of Gods Justice. In pitty God would not destroy all mankind, therefore findeth out a surety, if they had suffered, they would only be satisfying, rather than to satisfy and to have satisfied? But now Christ hath declared his righteousness, Rom. 3.24, 25. For the remission of sins.
2. His holiness, which is the Pattern of the Creatures perfection. Such was Gods hatred of sin, that he would not let it go without a mark or brand, he would be known to be an holy God, and that 'tis not an easie thing to regain his favour, if we yield to sin. People are apt to look upon it as a matter of nothing; 'tis an easie matter to sin, every fool can do that; but when the breach is made, 'tis not easie to reconcile again; none but the Son of God can do that. God stood upon a valuable compensation, 1 Pet. 1.18. We are not redeemed with corruptible things, such as silver and gold; but by the precious blood of the Son of God. The Son of God by the highest act of obedience and self-denyal must bring it about, for a caution to us, that we might not lightly break the law, or have favourable thoughts of sin any more.
3. His truth; God made a Covenant with Adam, in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. Adams sin was mainly the sin of unbelief; and presumption of impunity is very natural to us all; therefore the Law must have death to keep up its authority (lest the threatning should seem a vain scar-crow) either from the sinner himself, or from his Surety.
2. Christ was a fit Mediator.
1. Because of his mutual interest in God and us, Job 9.33. He is beloved of the Father, and hath a brotherly compassion to us. He did partake of the nature of both parties; he was Man to undertake it in our name, God to perform it in his own strength.
2. He is able to satisfy. All the Angels in Heaven could not lay down a valuable consideration, But he is able to save to the uttermost, Heb. 7.26. Christ undertaketh to pacify Gods Wrath, and to take away our enmity also, and so to bring us to God.
USE 1. Let us admire the mercy and grace of God, God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself. To this end consider,
1. This is an ancient mercy, of an old standing, Eph 1.4. He hath chosen us in Christ, before the Foundation of the World. And 1 Pet. 1.20 Who verily was foreordained before the Foundation of the World, but manifested in these last times for you. And who are we that the thoughts of God should be taken up about us so long ago? Nothing went before Creation, but meer and naked Eternity; Then was this business transacted between the Father and the Son, the result of Gods eternal thoughts.
2. God is first in the design, he who is the wronged party, the highest Judge, of whose vengeance we stand in dread, of whom we beg pardon; we were first in the breach, but God in the design of love; the motion of sending a Saviour and Redeemer into the World was first bred in Gods heart, 1 John 4.19. We love him, because he loved us first.
3. This love is the more amplified by the worthlesness of the persons for whom all this is done, the World, that lay in wickedness, and rebellion against God, the sinful race of Apostatized Adam. At our best… how little service and honour can we bring to him, but he considered us as lying in the corrupt mass of polluted mankind; yet this World would God reconcile to himself, and not Angels: God would not so much as enter into a parley with them. As if a King should take Rusticks, and Skullions into his favour, and pass by Nobles and Princes. There lay no bond at all to shew mercy to us, more than to them; we had cast him off, and rebelled against him, as well as they.
4. And this done by Jesus Christ, that so costly a remedy should be provided for us, Rom 8.32. God spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all. God may be said to spare either in a way of impartial justice, or in a way of bountiful and condescending love; the first hath its use, this latter is the case there. We are sparing of what is precious, of what we value; but though Christ was his dear Son, yet he spared not him. 'Tis the folly of man to part with things of worth and value for trifles.
5. The benefit it self, that he would reconcile us to himself. First, In laying aside his own just wrath, which is our great terrour, Isa. 27.4. Fury is not in me; He being pacifyed in Christ. Secondly, That he would take away the enmity that is in the hearts of men by his converting and healing grace, which is our great burden, Psal. 110.3. Thy people shall be a willing people in the day of thy power. Thirdly, That he will enter into league & Covenant with us; God with us & we with God, Heb. 8.10. I will put my Laws into their minds, and write them upon their hearts, and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people Fourthly, That from hence there floweth an intire friendship, John 15.15. Henceforth I call you not Servants, but Friends; for all that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you Fifthly, This friendship produceth most gracious fruits and effects, especially free Commerce with him here, till we are admitted into his Immediate presence, Heb. 10.22. Let us draw nigh with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
USE 2. Let us consider seriously the mystery of Christ's death, which is the Sacrifice of our atonement. 'Tis full of riddles, 'tis a spectacle which represents to you the highest mercy in Gods sparing sinners, and calling out his own Son to die in our stead; and the highest Justice in punishing sin, though transacted upon Christ; if this be done to the green tree, what shall be done to the dry; here you have Christ made sin, and yet at the same time the fountain of holiness, 2 Cor. 5.21. And John 1.16. Out of his fulness we receive grace for grace. So again, the fountain of blessedness made a curse for all the World, Gal. 3.13. In mans account never more weakness and foolishness shewn, yet never more wisdom and power, 1 Cor. 1.25. The foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God stronger then men. He had said before that Christ was the Wisdom of God, and the Power of God. The Devil never seemed to Triumph more, yet never more foiled, Luke 22.53. comp. with Col. 2.15. Christ is the true Sampson, destroyed more at his death, than in all his life. The cross was not a Gibbet of shame and infamy, but a Chariot of Triumph. This was the holiest work and the greatest act of obedience that ever was, or can, or will be performed; and yet the wickedest work that ever the Sun beheld. On Christs part an high act of obedience, and self-denial, Phil. 2.7. On mans part the greatest act of villany, and wickedness, Acts 2.23. Who by wicked hands have crucified, and slain. The highest act of meekness, and violence. The truest glass wherein we see the greatness, and smalness of sin; the heinousness of sin is seen in his Agonies, and bloody sufferings, the nothingness of it in the merit of them. Christ's death is the reason of the great Judgment faln upon the Jews, 1 Thes. 2.15, 16. And yet the ground upon which we expect mercy, both for our selves and them, Eph. 2.16. In short here is Life rising out of Death, Glory out of Ignominy, Blessedness out of the Curse, from the abasement of the Son of God, Joy, Liberty and confidence to us.