Discourses Upon the Attributes of God, Sermon 9
SERMON IX.Vol. VI. The Wiſdom of God in the Redemption of Mankind.
1 COR. I.24.
— Chriſt, the power of God, and the wiſdom of God.
I Have in the ordinary courſe of my Preaching been treating of the Attributes and Perfections of God, more particularly thoſe which relate to the Divine Underſtanding; the Knowledge and Wiſdom of God. The firſt of theſe I have finiſht; and made ſome progreſs in the ſecond, the Wiſdom of God; which I have ſpoken to in general, and have propounded more particularly to conſider thoſe famous Inſtances and Arguments of the Divine Wiſdom, in the Creation of the World; the Government of it; and the redemption of mankind by Jeſus Chriſt. The two firſt of theſe I have ſpoken to, namely the Wiſdom of God, which appears in the Creation and Government of the World. I come now to the
III. Inſtance of the Divine Wiſdom, the redemption of mankind by Jeſus Chriſt; which I ſhall, by God's aſſiſtance, ſpeak to from theſe words, Chriſt, the wiſdom of God.
The Apoſtle in the beginning of this Epiſtle, upon occaſion of his mentioning the Diviſions and Parties that were among the Corinthians, where one ſaid, I am of Paul; another, I am of Apollos; asks them, whether Paul was crucified for them? or whether they were baptized into the name of Paul? To convince them that they could not pretend this, that they were Baptized into his Name, he tells them at the 14, and 15 th verſes; that he had not ſo much as baptized any of them, except two or three; ſo far was he from having Baptized them into his own Name; and at the 17 th verſe, he ſays, that his work, his principal work, was to preach the Goſpel, which he had done, not with Humane Eloquence, not in wiſdom of words, but with great plainneſs and ſimplicity, leſt the Croſs of Chriſt ſhould be made of none effect; leſt, if he ſhould have uſed any Artifice, the Goſpel ſhould have been leſs powerful. And indeed his Preaching was unaffectedly plain, and therefore the Goſpel did ſeem to very many to be a fooliſh and ridiculous thing. The Story which they told of Chriſt Crucified, was to the Jews a ſtumbling block, and to the Greeks fooliſhneſs. The Jews, who expected another kind of Meſſias, that ſhould come in great Pomp and Glory, to be a mighty Temporal Prince, they were angry at the Story of a crucified Chriſt. The Greeks, the Philoſophers, who expected ſome curious Theories, adorned with Eloquence, and delivered and laid down according to the exact Rules of Art, they derided this plain and ſimple Relation of Chriſt, and of the Goſpel.
But tho' this Deſign of the Goſpel appeared ſilly and fooliſh to raſh and inconſiderate and prejudiced Minds, yet to them that are called, to them that do believe, both Jews and Gentiles, Chriſt, the power of God, and the Wiſdom of God; Chriſt, that is, the way of our Redemption by Jeſus Chriſt, which the Apoſtle preached, the wiſdom of God, an eminent Inſtance of it.
So that the redemption of Man by Jeſus Chriſt is a Deſign of admirable Wiſdom.
This I ſhall endeavour to confirm to you.
I. By general Teſtimonies of Scripture. And
II. By a more particular enquiry into the nature of this Deſign, and the Means how it is accompliſh'd.
I. By Teſtimonies from Scripture. You know I have all along, in my Diſcourſes of the Attributes of God, uſed this Method of proving them, from the Dictates of Natural Light, and the Revelation of Scripture: But now I muſt forſake my wonted Method, for here the Light of Nature leaves me. The Wiſdom of Creation is manifeſt in the things which are made; the heavens declare the glory of God's Wiſdom, and the firmament ſhews his handy-work. The Works of God do preach and ſet forth the Wiſdom of the Creator; but the Sun, Moon, and Stars, do not preach the Goſpel. The Wiſdom of redemption is Wiſdom in a myſtery, hidden wiſdom, which none of the Princes, or Philoſophers, of this World knew. The ſharpeſt Wits, and the higheſt and moſt raiſed Underſtandings amongſt the Heathens, could ſay nothing of this. Here the Wiſdom of the Wiſe, and the Ʋnderſtanding of the Prudent is poſed, and we may make the Apoſtles challenge, v. 20. of this Chapter, Where is the Wiſe, where is the Diſputer of this World? There is no Natural Light diſcovers Chriſt; the Wiſe men cannot find him out, unleſs a ſtar be created on purpoſe to lead and direct to him. Therefore in this I ſhall only depend upon Divine Revelation. 1 Cor. 2.7, 8. the Goſpel is called the wiſdom of God in a myſtery, even the hidden wiſdom which God ordained before the world unto our glory; Which none of the Princes of this world knew. Eph. 1.7, 8. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveneſs of ſins, according to the riches of his grace, wherein he hath abounded toward us in all Wiſdom and Prudence. Eph. 3.10, 11. The manifold wiſdom of God, according to the eternal purpoſe which he purpoſed in Chriſt Jeſus our Lord. This work of our redemption by Jeſus Chriſt is ſo various and admirable, that it is not below the Angels to know and underſtand it. To the intent, that unto principalities and powers in heavenly places, might be known the manifold wiſdom of God.
II. By inquiring more particularly into the nature of this Deſign, and the Means how it is accompliſht. This is Wiſdom, to fit Means to Ends; and the more difficult the End, the greater Wiſdom is required to find out ſuitable and ſufficient Means for the accompliſhment, of the End. Now the wiſdom of redemption will appear, if we conſider the caſe of fallen Man; and what fit, and proper, and ſuitable Means, the Wiſdom of God hath deviſed for our Recovery.
1. Let us conſider the Caſe of fallen Man, which was very ſad, both in reſpect of the Miſery, and the Difficulty of it.
1. In reſpect of the Miſery of it. Man, who was made Holy and Upright by God, having, by his voluntary Tranſgreſſion, and wilful Diſobedience, fall'n from him, did preſently ſink into a corrupt and degenerate, into a miſerable and curſed Condition, of which Heaven and Earth, and his own Conſcience bore him Witneſs. Man, being become a Sinner, is not only deprived of the Image of God, but is liable to his Juſtice; here was his Miſery.
2. The difficulty of the Caſe was this, Man could not recover himſelf and raiſe himſelf out of his own ruin; no Creature was able to do it; ſo that our help is only in God; and indeed he is a merciful God, and doth not deſire our Ruin, nor delight in our Deſtruction: But ſuppoſe his Mercy never ſo willing to ſave us, will not his Holineſs, and Juſtice, and Truth, check thoſe forward Inclinations of his Goodneſs, and hinder all the Deſigns of his Mercy? Is not ſin contrary to the Holy Nature of God? hath not he declared his Infinite hatred of it? hath not he threatned it with heavy and dreadful Puniſhment? and ſaid, that the ſinner ſhall die, that he will not acquit the guilty, nor let ſin go unpuniſh'd? Should he now, without any ſatisfaction to his offended Juſtice, pardon the Sinner, remit his Puniſhment, and receive him to favour? would this be agreeable to his Holineſs, and Juſtice, and Truth? would this become the Wiſe Governour of the World, who loves Righteouſneſs and Order; who hates ſin, and is obliged duplicate page duplicate page by the eſſential rectitude of his Nature to diſcountenance ſin?
So that here is a conflict of the Attributes and Perfections of God. The Mercy of God pities our Miſery, and would recover us, would open Paradiſe to us; but there is a flaming Sword that keeps us out; the incenſed Juſtice of God that muſt be ſatisfied; and if he take vengeance of us, we are eternally ruin'd; if he ſpare us, how ſhall Mercy and Juſtice meet together? how ſhall God at once expreſs his Love to the Sinner, and his hatred to ſin? here is the difficulty of our Caſe.
II. Let us now enquire what Means the Wiſdom of God uſeth for our recovery. The Wiſdom of God hath deviſed this expedient to accommodate all theſe Difficulties, to reconcile the Mercy and Juſtice of God. The Son of God ſhall undertake this work, and ſatisfie the offended Juſtice of God, and repair the ruin'd Nature of Man. He ſhall bring God and Man together, make up this Gulph, and renew the Commerce and Correſpondence between God and us, which was broken off by Sin. The work that God deſigns is the redemption of Man, that is, his recovery from a ſtate of Sin and Eternal Death, to a ſtate of Holineſs and Eternal Life. The Son of God is to engage in this Deſign of our Redemption, to ſatisfie the offended Juſtice of God toward us, ſo as to purchaſe our deliverance from the Wrath to come, and ſo as to reſtore us to the Image and Favour of God, that we may be ſanctified, and be made Heirs of Eternal Life.
For opening of this, we will conſider,
1. The fitneſs of the Perſon deſigned for this Work.
2. The fitneſs of the Means whereby he was to accompliſh it.
1. The fitneſs of the Perſon deſign'd for this Work; and that was the eternal Son of God, who in reſpect of his Infinite Wiſdom and Power, the Dignity and Credit of his Perſon, his dearneſs to his Father, and Intereſt in him, was very fit to undertake this Work, to mediate a Reconciliation between God and Man.
2. The fitneſs of the Means whereby he was to accompliſh it; and theſe I ſhall refer to two Heads, his Humiliation and Exaltation. All the Parts of theſe are very ſubſervient to the Deſign of our Redemption.
I. The Humiliation of Chriſt, which conſiſts of three principal Parts; his Incarnation, his Life, and his Death.
1. His Incarnation, which is ſet forth in Scripture by ſeveral Expreſſions; his being made fleſh, and dwelling among us, John 1.14. His being made of the ſeed of David according to the fleſh, Rom. 1.3. His being made of a woman, Gal. 4.4. The manifeſtation of God in the fleſh, 1 Tim. 3.16. His taking part of fleſh and blood, Heb. 2.14. His taking on him the ſeed of Abraham, and being made like unto his brethren, Heb. 2.16, 17. His coming in the fleſh, 1 John 2.2. All which ſignifies his taking upon him Humane Nature, and being really a Man as well as God. The Eternal Son of God, in the fulneſs of time took our Nature; that is, aſſumed a real Soul and Body into Union with the Divine Nature. Now this Perſon, who was really both God and man, was admirably fitted for the Work of our Redemption.
In general, this made him a fit Mediator, an equal and middle Perſon to interpoſe in this Difference, and take up this Quarrel between God and Man. Being both God and man, he was concerned for both Parties, and intereſted both in the Honour of God, and the Happineſs of Man, and engaged to be tender of both; and to procure the one by ſuch ways as might be conſiſtent with the other.
More particularly, his Incarnation did fit him for thoſe two Offices which he was to perform in his Humiliation, of Prophet and Prieſt.
1. The Office of Prophet, to teach us both by his Doctrine and his Life.
By his Doctrine. His being in the likeneſs of Man, this made him more familiar to us. He was a Prophet raiſed up from among his Brethren, as Moſes ſpeaks, and he makes this an Argument why we ſhould hear him. Should God ſpeak to us immediately by himſelf, we could not hear him and live. God condeſcends to us, and complies with the weakneſs of our Nature, and raiſeth up a Prophet from among our brethren; We ſhould hear him. And then his being God, did add Credit and Authority to what he ſpake; he could confirm the Doctrine which he taught, by Miracles. Of his teaching us by his Life, I ſhall have occaſion to ſpeak preſently.
2. For the Office of Prieſt. He was fit to be our Prieſt, becauſe he was taken from among Men, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks; fit to ſuffer as being, Man having a body prepared, as it is Heb. 10.5. and fit to ſatisfie by his ſufferings for the Sins of all Men, as being God, which put an infinite Dignity and Value upon them, the ſufferings of an infinite Perſon being equal to the offences done againſt an Infinite God. And thus the Mercy of God is exalted, without the Diminution of his Juſtice.
And as his Incarnation did qualifie him for ſuffering, ſo for compaſſion, and fellow-ſuffering with us, Heb. 2.17, 18. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high-prieſt, in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the ſins of the people; for in that he himſelf hath ſuffer'd being tempted, he is able to ſuccour them that are tempted.
2. His Life was a means admirably fitted to bring Men to Holineſs and Goodneſs. I might go through all the parts of it, but becauſe I intend to be very ſhort upon theſe Heads, I ſhall only take notice of that Part of his Life, which was ſpent in his publick Miniſtry; he went about doing good; the Doctrine that he Preached was Calculated for the deſtroying of Sin, and the promoting of Holineſs; the great End and Deſign of it was to advance Righteouſneſs, and Goodneſs, and Humility, and Patience, and Self-denial; to make us mortifie our ſenſual Deſires, and brutiſh Paſſions, to contemn and renounce this preſent World; and this being the deſign of it, it was a moſt proper Engine to demolſh the Works of the Devil: and to make way for the entertainment of his Doctrine, the whole frame of his Life, and all the circumſtances of it did contribute. His Life was the practice of his Doctrine, and a clear comment upon it. The meanneſs of his Condition in the World, that he had no ſhare of the poſſeſſions of it, were a great advantage to his Doctrine of ſelf-denial and contempt of the World. The Captain of our Salvation, that he might draw off our Affections from the World, and ſhew us how little the things of it are to be valued, would himſelf have no ſhare in it, Mat. 8.20. The Foxes have holes, and the Birds of the air have neſts; but the ſon of Man hath not where to lay his head. The mean circumſtances of his Condition were very eminently for the advantage of his Deſign; for had he not been ſtript of all worldly Accommodations, he could not have been ſo free from ſuſpition of a worldly Intereſt and Deſign; nay he could not have been ſo Conſiderable; he was really greater for his Meanneſs. The very Heathens did account this true Greatneſs, (as we find in Ariſtotle) not to admire the Pleaſures, and Greatneſs, and Pomp of the World. And that his Meanneſs might be no Diſadvantage to him, thoſe Evidences that he gave of his Divinity in the wonderful Things that he did, rendred him conſiderable, and gained more Reverence and Authority to his Doctrine, then his Meanneſs could bring Contempt upon it.
Beſides, the manner of his Converſation was a very great Advantage to him; he was of a very ſweet and converſable and obliging Temper; and by this Means he did gain upon the People, and was acceptable to them; and thus he did apply himſelf to them in the moſt Humane ways, to make way for the Entertainment of his Doctrins. The Miracles that he wrought did confirm his Doctrine beyond all Exception, as being a Divine Teſtimony, and ſetting the Seal of God to the truth of it; yet becauſe many were blinded with prejudice, and tho' they did ſee, yet would not ſee, Chriſt the Wiſdom of God did ſo order the buſineſs of his Miracles, as to make them Humane ways of wining upon them, for they were generally ſuch as were beneficial, he healed all manner of Diſeaſes and Maladies by this Miraculous Power; and ſo his Miracles did not only tend to confirm his Doctrine, as they were Miracles, but to make way for entertainment of it, as they were benefits; this was a ſenſible demonſtration to them that he intended them good, becauſe he did them good; they would eaſily believe, that he who healed their Bodies, would not harm their Souls. This for his Life.
III. His Death, which was the loweſt ſtep of his Humiliation, and the conſummation of his ſufferings. Now the Death of Chriſt did eminently contribute to this Deſign of our Redemption. The Death of Chriſt did not only expiate the guilt of Sin, and pacifie Conſcience, by making plenary Satisfaction to the Divine Juſtice; but did eminently contribute to the killing of Sin in us, Rom. 6.6. Knowing this, that our old Man is crucified with him, that the body of ſin might be deſtroyed, that henceforth we might not ſerve Sin. Rom. 8.3. God ſending his own Son in the likeneſs of ſinful fleſh, and for ſin (that is by being a ſacrifice for Sin) condemned ſin in the fleſh. The Death of Chriſt convinceth Sin to be a great Evil; and doth Condemn it, becauſe the impartial Juſtice of God did ſo ſeverely puniſh it in his own Son, when he appeared in the Perſon of a Sinner; and this is the moſt powerful Argument to us to crucifie Sin, that it crucified our Saviour. That ſo Innocent and Holy a Perſon ſhould ſuffer ſo cruel and ignominious a Death for our Sins, ſhould ſet us for ever againſt it, and make us hate it with a perfect hatred.
The circumſtances of Chriſt's ſufferings are with admirable Wiſdom fitted for the conquering of Sin and Satan. Sin came by the Woman: the ſeed of the Woman ſuffers for Sin, and by ſuffering Conquers it. Sin began in the Garden: and there our Saviour began his ſufferings for Sin. Sin came by the Tree: and Chriſt bears the curſe of it in hanging upon the Tree, and crucifies it by his Croſs.
And as he conquer'd ſin, ſo he overcame Satan by his own Arts. The Devil found Chriſt in the likneſs of a Man, he judged him Mortal, and his great Deſign was to procure his Death, and get him into his Grave. Chriſt permits him to bring about his Deſign, he lets him enter into Judas, he lets the Jews crucifie, and put him into his Grave, and roll a great ſtone upon it: but here his Divine Wiſdom appears, in ruining the Devil by his own Deſign, and ſnaring him in the works of his hands; Heb. 2.14. By death he deſtroys him, that had the power of death, that is the Devil.
I know the ſufferings of Chriſt were, by the wiſe of the World, made the great Objection againſt the Wiſdom of this diſpenſation; the Croſs of Chriſt was to the Greeks fooliſhneſs: and yet the wiſeſt of them had determined otherwiſe in general, tho' not in this particular Caſe. Plato (in the ſecond Book of his Common-Wealth) ſaith, That a Man may be a perfect Pattern of Juſtice and Righteouſneſs, and be approved by God and Men, he muſt be ſtript of all the things of this World, he muſt be poor and diſgraced, and be accounted a wicked and unjuſt Man, he muſt be whipt, and tormented, and crucified as a Malefactor; which is, as it were, a prophetical Deſcription of our Saviour's ſufferings. And Arrian, in his Epict. deſcribing a Man fit to reform the World, whom he calls the Apoſtle, the Meſſenger, the Preacher and Miniſter of God, ſaith, he muſt be without Houſe and Harbour, and worldly Accommodations; muſt be armed with ſuch Patience for the greateſt ſufferings, as if he were a Stone, and devoid of Senſe; he muſt be a ſpectacle of Miſery and Contempt to the World. So that by the acknowledgment of theſe two wiſe Heathens, there was nothing in the ſufferings of Chriſt that was unbecoming the Wiſdom of God, and improper to the End and Deſign of Chriſt's coming into the World; beſides that they ſerved a further end, which they did not dream of, the ſatisfying of Divine Juſtice.
Secondly, His Exaltation. The ſeveral parts of which, his Reſurrection, and Aſcenſion, and ſitting the right hand of God, were eminently ſubſervient to the perfecting and carrying on of this Deſign.
The Reſurrection of Chriſt is the great confirmation of the truth of all that he deliver'd, Rom. 1.4. Declared to be the ſon of God with power, foreign, by the Reſurrection from the Dead. This great Miracle of his Reſurrection from the Dead did determine the Controverſie, and put it out of all Doubt and Queſtion, that he was the Son of God. And then his Aſcenſion, and ſitting at the right hand of God, this gives us the aſſurance of a Bleſſed Immortality, and is a demonſtration of a life to come, and a pledge of everlaſting Glory and Happineſs. And can any thing tend more to the encouragement of Obedience, and to make us Dead to the Pleaſures and Enjoyments of this life, than the aſſurance of Eternal Life and Happineſs.
And then the Conſequents of his Exaltation, they do eminently conduce to our recovery. The ſending of the Holy Ghoſt to lead us into all truth, to ſanctifie us, to aſſiſt us, and to comfort us under the greateſt Troubles and Afflictions; and the powerful Interceſſion of Chriſt in our behalf; and his return to Judgment; the expectation whereof is the great Argument to Repentance and Holineſs of Life. Acts 17.30, 31. And the times of this ignorance God winked at, but now commandeth all Men every where to repent: Becauſe he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the World in righteouſneſs, by that Man whom he hath ordained, whereof he hath given aſſurance unto all Men, in that he hath raiſed him from the dead. And thus I have endeavoured to prove that the Redemption of Man by Jeſus Chriſt is a Deſign of admirable Wiſdom.
The uſe I ſhall make of it, is to convince us of the Uunreaſonableneſs of unbelief, and the Folly and Madneſs of Impenitency.
Firſt, The unreaſonableneſs of Unbelief. The Goſpel reveals to us the wiſe Counſel and Diſpenſation of God for our Redemption; and thoſe who disbelieve the Goſpel, they reject the counſel of God againſt themſelves, as it is ſaid of the unbelieving Phariſees and Lawyers, Luke 7.30. The Goſpel reveals to us a deſign ſo reaſonable and full of Wiſdom, that they who can diſbelieve it are deſperate Perſons, devoted to ruin, 1 Cor. 1.18. The croſs of Chriſt is to them that periſh fooliſhneſs. 2 Cor. 4.3, 4. But if our Goſpel be hid, it is hid to them that are loſt; in whom the God of this World hath blinded the eyes of them that believe not, leſt the light of the glorious Goſpel of Chriſt, who is the image of God, ſhould ſhine unto them. The Goſpel carries ſo much light and evidence in it, that it cannot be hid from any but ſuch whoſe Eyes are blinded by the Devil and their Luſts.
He that will duly weigh and conſider Things, and look narrowly into this wiſe diſpenſation of God, ſhall find nothing to object againſt it; nay ſhall diſcover in it the greateſt motives and inducements to believe. We are apt to believe any thing that is reaſonable, eſpecially if it be for our Advantage; now this wiſe diſpenſation of God is not only reaſonable in it ſelf, but beneficial to us; it does at once highly gratifie our Underſtandings, and ſatisfie our Intereſt; why ſhould we not then believe and entertain it.
I. The deſign of the Goſpel is reaſonable, and gratifies our Underſtandings. And in this reſpect the Goſpel hath incomparable Advantages above any other Religion. The end of all Religion is to advance Piety and Holineſs, and real Goodneſs among Men; and the more any Religion advanceth theſe, the more reaſonable it is. Now the great Incitements and Arguments to Piety, are the Excellency and Perfection of the Divine Nature; fear of Puniſhment, and hopes of Pardon and Rewards. Now the Goſpel repreſents all theſe to the greateſt advantage.
1. It repreſents the Perfections of God to the greateſt advantage, eſpecially thoſe which tend moſt to the promotion of Piety, and the love of God in us; his Juſtice and Mercy.
(1.) His Juſtice. The Goſpel repreſents it inflexible in its Rights, and inexorable, and that will not in any caſe let Sin go unpuniſh'd. The impartiality of the Divine Juſtice appears in this Diſpenſation, that when God pardons the Sinner, yet he will puniſh Sin ſo ſeverely in his own Son who was the Surety. Now what could more tend to diſcountenance Sin, and convince us of the great evil of it?
(2.) His Mercy. This Diſpenſation is a great demonſtration of the Mercy, and Goodneſs, and Love of God, in ſending his Son to die for Sinners, and in ſaving us by devoting and ſacrificing him, John 3.16. For God ſo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son. Rom. 5.8. But God commendeth his love towards us, in that while we were yet Sinners, Chriſt died for us. 1 John 4.9, 10. In this was manifeſted the love of God towards us, becauſe God ſent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and ſent his Son to be the propitiation for our ſins. Now this repreſentation of God's Mercy and Love which the Goſpel makes, is of great force and efficacy to melt our Hearts into love to God.
2. The Second Argument to Piety is fear of Puniſhment. The Goſpel hath revealed to us the miſery of thoſe who continue in their Sin; it hath made clear and terrible diſcoveries of thoſe Torments which attend ſinners in another World, and hath open'd to us the Treaſures of God's Wrath; ſo that now under the Goſpel, hell is naked before us, and deſtruction hath no covering; and this is one thing which makes the Goſpel ſo powerful an Engine to deſtroy ſin, Rom. 1.16, 18. The Goſpel is the power of God unto ſalvation; for therein is the wrath of God revealed from heaven againſt all ungodlineſs, and unrighteouſneſs of men.
3. Hopes of Pardon and Reward. And this, added to the former, renders the Goſpel the moſt powerful Inſtrument to take men off from ſin, and engage them to Holineſs, that can be imagin'd. The Means to draw Men from ſin, when they are once awaken'd with the fear of Vengeance, is hopes of Pardon and Mercy; and the way to encourage Obedience for the future, is hope of Reward. Now as an Argument to us to retreat and draw back from ſin, the Goſpel promiſes pardon and indempnity to us; and as an incitement to Holineſs, the Goſpel opens Heaven to us, and ſets before us everlaſting Glory and Happineſs, and gives us the greateſt aſſurance of it.
This is the Firſt, The Deſign of the Goſpel is reaſonable, in that it does eminently and directly ſerve the ends of Piety and Religion.
II. This Diſpenſation of God is beneficial to us, and ſatisfies our Intereſt; and this adds to the unreaſonableneſs of our Unbelief, this Deſign of God being not only reaſonable in it ſelf, but deſirable to us, that it ſhould be ſo; becauſe of the eminent Advantages that redound to us by it. The Deſign of the Goſpel is to deliver from the Guilt and Dominion of Sin, and the Tyranny of Satan; to reſtore us to the Image and Favour of God; and by making us partakers of a Divine Nature, to bring us to Eternal Life. And is there any thing of real Advantage which is not comprehended in this? Is it not deſirable to every Man, that there ſhould be a way whereby our guilty Conſciences may be quieted and appeaſed; whereby we may be delivered from the fear of Death and Hell? Is it not deſirable to be freed from the ſlavery of our Luſts, and reſcued from the Tyranny and Power of the great Deſtroyer of Souls? Is it not deſirable to be like God, and to be aſſured of his Love and Favour, who is the beſt Friend, and the moſt dangerous Enemy; and to be ſecur'd, that when we leave this World, we ſhall be unſpeakably happy for ever? Now the Goſpel conveys theſe Benefits to us; and if this be the Caſe of the Goſpel, and there be nothing in this Deſign of our Redemption, but what is Wiſe and Reaſonable, and exceedingly for our Benefit and Advantage; why ſhould any Man be ſo averſe to the Belief of it? Why ſhould Unbelief be counted a piece of Wit? Is it Wit to ſet our ſelves againſt Reaſon, and to oppoſe our beſt Intereſt? 'Tis Wickedneſs, and Prejudice, and inconſiderateneſs which disbelieves the Goſpel. Thoſe who do conſider things welcome this good News, and embrace theſe glad Tidings. Wiſdom is juſtified of her Children. To them who are truly ſenſible of their own Intereſt, and willing to accept of reaſonable Evidence, this is not only a true ſaying, but worthy of all acceptation; that Chriſt came into the World to ſave ſinners.
Secondly, This doth convince Men of the madneſs and folly of impenitency. Now the Wiſdom of God hath contrived ſuch a way of our Recovery, and by the Declaration of God's Wrath, and diſpleaſure againſt ſin, hath given us ſuch Arguments to Repentance, and by diſcovering a way of Pardon and Mercy, hath given us ſuch encouragement to Repentance, how great muſt the Folly of impenitency be? For conſider,
1. That impenitency Directly ſets it ſelf againſt the Wiſdom of God. If after all this we continue in our Sins, we reject the counſel of God againſt our ſelves, we deſpiſe the Wiſdom of God, and charge that with Folly; and we do it againſt our ſelves, to our own injury and ruine. If we live in our Sins, and cheriſh our luſts, we directly oppoſe the end of our Redemtion, we contradict the great Deſign of the Goſpel, we contemn the admirable Contrivance of God's Wiſdom, who ſent his Son into the World on purpoſe to deſtroy Sin; for we uphold that which he came to deſtroy, 1 John 3.5. Ye know that he was manifeſted to take away our Sins. Now ſhall we continue in Sin, when we know, the Son of God was manifeſted to take away Sin? God cannot but take it very ill at our hands, when he hath laid out the Riches of his Wiſdom in this deſign, for us to go about to defeat him in it; this is at once to be unthankful to God, and injurious to our ſelves; 'tis ſuch a madneſs, as if a condemned Man ſhould deſpiſe a Pardon, as if a Priſoner ſhould be fond of his Fetters, and refuſe Deliverance; as if a Man, deſperately ſick ſhould fight with his Phyſician, and put away Health from him. If we do not comply with the wiſdom of God, which hath contrived our recovery; we forſake our own mercy, and neglect a great Salvation; we love death, and hate our own Souls, Prov. 8.14, 15, 16.
2. Conſider, we cannot expect the wiſdom of God ſhould do more for our recovery, than hath been already done; the wiſdom of God will not try any further means. Mat. 21.37. laſt of all he ſent his Son. If we deſpiſe this way, if we tread under foot the Son of God, and count the blood of the Covenant, whereby we are ſanctified, an unholy thing, there will remain no more ſacrifice for ſin, Heb. 10.26, 29. What can expiate the guilt of ſin, if the Blood of Chriſt do not? What ſhall take us off from ſin, what ſhall ſanctifie us, if the blood of the Covenant be ineffectual? We reſiſt our laſt Remedy, and make void the beſt Means the Wiſdom of God could deviſe for our Recovery, if, after the revelation of the Goſpel, we continue in our Sins.
3. If we fruſtrate this Deſign of God's Wiſdom for our Recovery, our Ruin will be the more dreadful and certain. Impenitency under the Goſpel will increaſe our Miſery. If Chriſt had not come, we had had no ſin, in compariſon of what we now have; but now our ſin remains, and there is no cloak for our ſin, foreign. We ſhall not be able at the day of Judgment to Preface any thing by way of Excuſe or Apology for our Impenitency. What ſhall we be able to ſay to the Juſtice of God, when that ſhall condemn us, who rejected his Wiſdom, which would have ſaved us. We would all be ſaved, but we would be ſaved without Repentance; now the Wiſdom of God hath not found out any other way to ſave us from Hell, but by ſaving us from our ſins. And thou that will not ſubmit to this Method of Divine Wiſdom, take thy Courſe, and let's ſee how thou wilt eſcape the damnation of hell. I will conclude all with thoſe dreadful words which the wiſdom of God pronounceth againſt thoſe that deſpiſe her, and refuſe to hearken to her Voice, Prov. 1.24, 25, 26. Becauſe I have called, and ye refuſed, I have ſtretched out my Hand, and no man regarded; But ye have ſet at naught my Counſel, and would none of my reproof: I alſo will laugh at your calamity, I will mock when your fear cometh. They who will not comply with the Counſel of God for their Happineſs, they ſhall inherit the Condition which they have choſen to themſelves; they ſhall eat the fruit of their own ways, and be filled with their own devices.