The Great Propitiation, Exhortation
EXHORTATION.
1. STudy this Truth, this Myſtery of Chriſt's death more. The Angels themſelves deſire to look into it; they are Students in this piece of Divinity, though it little concern them in compariſon of us. Socrates ſaid of Philoſophy, That it was nothing elſe but a meditating on death. We may with more ſhew ſay of Chriſtianity, Chriſtian Divinity; It is nothing elſe but meditatio mortis Chriſti, the Meditation on Chriſt's death. How unworthy are they of the name of Chriſtians, that neglect this ſtudy? that had rather hear or read any Moral Diſcourſe of commendable Heathens, than the Goſpel of Chriſt? When Auſtin could take little delight in Tully's Works (though worthy ones in their kind) becauſe the Name [Jeſus] was not found there: Yet ſome look on Chriſtianity, and the ſtudy of Chriſt, as below them.
How unworthy of that worthy Name, wherewith yet they would be called, are that ſort of people riſen up in our days, that call our Chriſt a carnal Chriſt? that call this Chriſt without us, that dyed at Jeruſalem, roſe again, and ſits in Heaven, A carnal Chriſt? They are all for a Chriſt within us, a Spiritual Chriſt (as they ſpeak), and that in oppoſition to a Chriſt without us. What do they mean by a Chriſt within us? a work of Grace on the heart? Let us grant they take it in ſuch a ſober ſenſe: This is indeed the condition of our intereſt in Chriſt without us; but this is not the Atonement, the Propitiation that the Angels deſire to look into: For, this Holineſs they have in a more glorious manner, than our Chriſt within us, our imperfect holineſs, can preſent to their view. This was not that Chriſt crucified that the Apoſtle did ſo prize the knowledg of. And this work of Grace could never have been within us, had it not been for a Chriſt without us; and had it been within us, yet it would never have been available to Salvation or Juſtification, but for the Chriſt without us. There is no blood, no ſatisfaction in this Chriſt within us; nothing but what would have been eſteemed by God, and is, in reality, as menſtruous rags, in reſpect of attaining Juſtification without this work of Chriſt without us upon the Croſs. And yet theſe would make, Grace ſhould I ſay? I rather ſay, Morality and Civility; yea, to ſpeak truly of ſome of them, Incivility and Diſcourteſie, their righteouſneſs; though it be a Goſpel-command to be courteous. Theſe delight ſo little in our Chriſt without us, that it is with much difficulty that they will confeſs Chriſt come and crucified in the fleſh, if indeed they will confeſs it: for-ſome ſhrink at ſuch a queſtion, and would fain put it off. And I dare ſay, That any of you that ever heard them talk, can bear witneſs, that they ſpeak not as men delighting in, or making any account of this Propitiation, Ranſom, &c.
Curſed are they that love not our Lord Jeſus. Theſe honour not God. The honour that cometh to God by works of Creation and Providence, is counted as no honour in compariſon of the honour that comes to him by this Redemption; therefore it is ſaid, He that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father. God accounteth all honour as no honour in compariſon of this; Hence we read Epheſ. 3. ult. Ʋnto him be glory in the Church, by Jeſus Chriſt. Phil. 1. 11. Being filled with the fruits of righteouſneſs, which are by Jeſus Chriſt unto the glory and praiſe of God. And, Spiritual ſacrifices acceptable to God by Jeſus Chriſt. And in Heaven the loudeſt and higheſt praiſes will be upon this account, Worthy is the Lamb to receive honour, &c. Theſe ſeeking to eſtabliſh their own righteouſneſs, make void the righteouſneſs of God, through their ignorance of the righteouſneſs of God. Wonderful! that ever the Devil ſhould ſo bewitch people! that ever the God of this world ſhould ſo far blind men's eyes! that ever he ſhould ſo prevail with this device to work Chriſtianity out of men's hearts, ſo as to make them renounce the Chriſtian Religion, under pretence of high Chriſtianity! to look on Chriſt as a carnal Chriſt, or the blood of Chriſt as a common or unholy thing; on our Redeemer (whom all Chriſtians venerate and adore) as a low nothing; and to call his faithful Miniſters Lyers and Deceivers.
But ſtudy you theſe things, that you may admire Chriſt; for he is, and is to be admired in, and of all his people. Here is not ſuch obſcurity, as to diſcourage your endeavo…rs; nor ſuch facility as to occaſion your contempt. You may eaſily ſee enough to admire all your days, and yet ſtill you are to learn. It may be ſaid to them of the higheſt form, Go and learn what it means, what Chriſt crucified means. Here is a riddle of Mercy, a riddle of Wiſdom, a riddle of Juſtice. Chriſt is called [Wonderful]; He is ſo in his Natures, Offices, Death. Let theſe things be much in your mind. It is like his complaint, Diem perdidi, I have loſt a day; to have cauſe to ſay, I have lived another day, and have not had a ſerious thought of Chriſt and his Death. Do this in remembrance of me. Look upon him whom we have pierced. Study the reaſons and ends of his ſorrows and ſufferings. He dyed not as a fool dieth; it was for ſome great End, and this end muſt not be fruſtrated. Wo to us if it be as to us! This knowledg would be better to us than our daily bread; this ſtudy is more neceſſary than our appointed food. Is there but one Medicine in the World to heal us, and will you not learn it, ſtudy it, and the uſe and virtue of it, and how to apply it by Meditation. that it may have its diverſity of effects upon us? St. Paul deſired to know nothing but Chriſt and him crucified. And Peter's laſt words of Exhortation in his laſt Epiſtle are, Grow in grace, and in the knowledg of our Lord Jeſus. And acting our faith and knowledg of theſe things, by Meditation, would be hugely influential to work and encreaſe Grace. Come to other knowledg, and he that encreaſeth knowledg, encreaſeth grief and ſorrow: but he that encreaſeth in this knowledg, and is ſuitably affected with it, layeth a foundation for perfect peace, quietneſs, and aſſurance for ever.
Let Miniſters ſtudy this more, and ſo preach this more. I deſire to know nothing among you (that is, to know ſo as to preach nothing among you) ſave Chriſt and him crucified. Preach not your ſelves, but Chriſt. Ʋſe much plainneſs of ſpeech. Preach not like Moſes, with a vail on your face. Let not people live and dye in ignorance of Chriſt, if you can help it: Diſcover all to ſinners. Let them ſee the Lord their Righteouſneſs.
Now in ſtudying and contemplating theſe things: Admire!
1. Admire the Juſtice of God. Never was ſuch Juſtice heard of ſince the world began; Juſtice in a Myſtery; He ſpared not his Son, that he might ſpare Sinners. He hardned his heart againſt the cry of his Son, that he might opeu his heart to the cry of Sinners. Behold how he not only loved us, but hated ſin! The dreadful inſtances of man caſt out of Paradiſe, the drowning of the World, the deſtruction of Jeruſalem, the reſervation of the faln Angels in horror and darkneſs, are fearful Monuments of God's hatred of ſin.
But here Juſtice and Holineſs ſhine as the Sun in the Firmament. When his beloved Son ſtood in the place and ſtead of Sinners, he muſt dye ſuch a ſhameful, painful, accurſed death. Surely had there been any reſpect of perſons with God, could Juſtice have been perverted and drawn aſide with any conſiderations, his only beloved Son ſhould have eſcaped. Here is inexorable Juſtice! inflexible Juſtice! This declared his Righteouſneſs indeed, that he would not ſpare Sin, but puniſh it, though on his innocent Son. Here is infinite Juſtice, fear it, dread it. Make this God thy fear and thy dread.
2. Admire the love of the Father and the Son. The Father: Bleſs God for this Propitiation. How dreadful was our condition! How if Juſtice had taken thee by the throat, and ſaid, Pay me what thou oweſt? thou couldſt not have reply'd, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. God lays great engagements upon us, in cauſing his Sun to ſhine, in giving rain and fruitful ſeaſons, in making proviſion for our bodies; but that which ſhould endear him moſt to the world, and ſhould occaſion our higheſt praiſes, ſhould be the providing a Righteouſneſs for our ſouls. Oh that the Lord ſhould look upon ſuch dead dogs as we are. What is man that thou art mindful of him; and the ſon of man, that thou ſhouldſt viſit him! That thou ſhouldſt give him ſuch a Phyſician as thy Son, to cure him with his blood! What is man that thou ſhouldſt magnifie, and ſet thy heart upon him! Admire and wonder at the love of the Son; that Chriſt, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, ſhould be willing to dye for ſuch dead dogs! That God's fellow ſhould be willing to be ſmitten and wounded, that by his ſtripes we might be healed! that he ſhould give Himſelf, his Blood, and Soul, a Ranſome for Traytors, for Enemies! That he ſhould intercede, as Moſes, Blot me, I pray thee, out of the book of life; and ſay as Paul, Let me rather be accurſed! That he ſhould ſay to his Father, If they have wronged thee, put it on mine account, I will pay it; written, not with my hand, but with my blood! That he ſhould ſay with Rebeccah, On me be thy curſe, my Son! That Chriſt ſhould go into the fire, that we may be as brands pluckt out of the fire! That the moſt bleſſed ſhould be willing to be curſed, that we curſed ones might be bleſſed! That ſuch a Tree of life, ſuch a fruit-bearing Tree, ſhould be willing to be cut down and dye, to ſave Trees of death, dead, dry, and barren Trees, cumbring the ground. It is commonly ſaid of men undone by Suretiſhip, Their own kind hearts undid them: We may ſay of our Redeemer, His own kind heart laid him thus low, brought theſe calamities upon him. How dear ſhould he be to us! Quanto pro me vilior tanto mihi charior.
Labour to know the love of God and Chriſt, which paſſeth knowledg, that you may be able to comprehend with all Saints, the heighth, length, depth, and breadth of it, Eph. 3. 18, 19. Had we hearts as full of love as they could hold, yea, as full as all the hearts of Men and Angels could hold, we could not love him as he deſerves from us. We had need, with the Widow, to beg and borrow Veſſels to fill; our hearts cannot hold enough. Were we not cold frozen pieces of earth, the fire would burn while we are muſing. This love of God and Chriſt would ſet our hearts on fire.
3. Admire the Wiſdom of God in this great Tranſaction! This was matter of reproach amongſt the Heathen, their grand Objection againſt Chriſtianity, Deus veſter Patibulo affixus eſt: Your God was crucified: and, Chriſt crucified was to the Jews a ſtumbling-block, and to the Greeks fooliſhneſs. But it is wiſdom to them that are perfect; and to them that are ſaved by Chriſt, Chriſt is the wiſdom of God, and the power of God, 1 Cor. 1. 8, 24, 25. Never was ſuch a ſtrain of Wiſdom heard of as this, ſince the World began. O the wiſe plot and contrivance of the Trinity, for the ſalvation of loſt man! here are Treaſures of Wiſdom; unſearchable riches of Wiſdom; Wiſdom in a myſtery, to find out a way for the greateſt Juſtice and Mercy to meet. Wiſdom bringing light to us out of Chriſt's darkneſs, life out of his death; making the fall of Chriſt the riſing of the World. Such Wiſdom as the Princes of this World knew not; ſuch Wiſdom as the ſubtil Devils could not fathom. Wiſdom confounding the Devils, and making them to help forward our ſalvation, by endeavouring our ruin in deſtroying Chriſt. He deſtroyed his own Kingdom, in ſeeking to deſtroy Chriſt's Kingdom.
2. Exhort. Keep humble and low thoughts of your ſelves; yea, be aſhamed and confounded in your ſelves, becauſe of his kindneſs in being thus pacified toward you. Look to the hole of the pit whence you were digged, and ſee what you were by nature, and what your lot and portion was. Look at your ſelves, at the beſt, but as Beggars in the elder Brother's Clothes. Say of your Righteouſneſs, Alas, it was but borrowed! Some are admiring their own virtuous lives, the innocent lives they have lived; theſe cannot but ſleight the Death and Satisfaction of Chriſt: This is a direct oppoſition to the Grace of the Goſpel: and Publicans and Harlots will have benefit by this, before them that juſtifie themſelves. What needed Chriſt to dye for thee, if thou be ſo good as thou wouldſt make thy ſelf? The deſign of the Goſpel is, That every mouth might be ſtopped in boaſting, and all fleſh be guilty in their own ſight before God. And this is one part of the condition of life and righteouſneſs through Chriſt, To be deeply ſenſible how juſt it would have been with God to have damned us. And the full ſoul, in this ſenſe, cannot but loathe this honeycomb. And theſe Truths would be ſweet unto us, were we pinched with want and hunger.
3. Prize your Souls; ſet a high value on them, ſince God did ſo, Chriſt did ſo: They were ranſom'd at a high rate. You have heard ſometime of the ranſome of a King, as a huge matter; it is nothing to the ranſome of a Soul; this is precious indeed, Chriſt that well knew the worth of Souls, paying ſo dear for them. Our ſouls were not redeemed with corruptible things, as ſilver and gold; do not ſell them away for ſilver and gold, for that which could not purchaſe them. We were not free-born; with a great ſum was this freedom, this reprieve and hopeful time of trial obtained; ſell them not away for trifles. Thirty and two years and upwards was this Temple in building, this Soul in redeeming, by Jeſus Chriſt the Son of God; loſe it not, ſell it not, for the ſinful fading pleaſures of a few days; deſtroy it not in three days.
4. Look too, that this Blood be not loſt; this great Counſel of Heaven loſt as to us. Look to your ſelves, that we loſe not the things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward, 2 Joh. v. 8.
It is ſad thing for a man to complain, I have beaten the air, and ſpent my ſtrength in vain. Have you done and ſuffered ſo many things in vain, if it be yet in vain? But much more ſhould this prevail with us; Take heed that you loſe not the things that Chriſt hath wrought. A ſad thing for Miniſters to complain, We have ſpent our ſtrength in vain; but much more for Chriſt to ſay, I have loſt my labours, tears, wounds, death, as to theſe men.
The Righteouſneſs, and Pardon, and Life, which he hath purchaſed, were not for Himſelf; he hath no more need of them, than the Heavens have need of rain, or the Sun of light. Cut off, but not for himſelf: therefore, if you refuſe this offer, you endeavour interpretatively that it may be ſaid of Chriſt, He died as a fool dieth. You ſay to Chriſt's face virtually, You might have been wiſer than to work and take pains for one that gives you ſo little thanks.
Is this thy kindneſs to thy Friend? Is this thy thanks to thy Redeemer? Hath not Chriſt deſerved thee? If the Devil and Sin have, and will do more for thee, let them take thee: Say then, I love my Maſter Sin and Satan, and will not go out free. But ſtudy how thou wilt anſwer it to God, and look thy Redeemer in the face. Do you mock God, and your Redeemer? and ſay, You might have ſpared your ſelf, as Peter bade you? Who bade you thus love me? You might have let the loving me alone. God will not be mocked; Be you not mockers leſt your bonds be made ſtrong; And Chriſt will yet have ſome reward in well-doing, and honour in thy ruin; thy refuſal, and puniſhment for it.
But theſe are ſecondary Ends, and Ends only upon ſuppoſition of rejection of his Grace. The primary End of his Death and Law of Grace, is your Salvation: for, he came not into the world primarily to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be ſaved. God ſweareth, he deſires not the death of the wicked, but rather that he would turn and live. The primary End of the Goſpel and Law of Grace, is your Obedience and Salvation; and ſecondarily, upon ſuppoſition of your refuſal, Condemnation. It cannot be ſaid of a Governour making a Law, It was weakly done of him when he foreſaw many would break it, except he want Power or Juſtice to vindicate it. Dare you ſay, It was not wiſely done of God to make the firſt Covenant with Promiſe to Adam, becauſe he foreſaw he would loſe the benefit of it, and incur the curſe? And dare you ſay, It was no kindneſs? Suppoſe God had not known; Would that have made any change in the thing, by making the ſin greater, and God's kindneſs more? This is to ſay, God's Omniſcience hinders him from being Rector of the World, from being able to make gracious Promiſes to the obedient, and juſt Threatnings to the diſobedient. Take heed of ſuch Doctrines as would in their own nature cauſe you to have hard thoughts of God, and diſcourage your return to him; and conclude they are falſe, that are ſo expreſly contrary to the whole tenour of the Goſpel: Though you know not how to anſwer the Objections, I dare confidently tell you others can, and have anſwered in the main ſuch difficulties ſatisfactorily, and that in a way well agreeing with ſpecial grace. And I could do it ſatisfactorily to you I think; and ſhould now, if I thought it not inconvenient to turn to an alien ſubject. But ſuppoſe I could not, no nor the ableſt men, muſt we therefore deny plain Scripture-truths, becauſe men know but in part, and can anſwer many difficulties but imperfectly? But to return: Shall Chriſt fall ſhort of the primary End of the travel of his ſoul? This is the reward and fruit Chriſt waits for, To ſee the travel of his ſoul; to ſee his ſeed, a generation of ſinners, turning and accepting his offered ſalvation; and then he will ſay, My blood was well ſhed indeed; I am well paid, well ſatisfied, ſo Iſrael be but thus gathered: and this he waits for, and ſtrives with thee about.
Again, Is this thy kindneſs to thy own ſoul, Not to hearken to the cry of its neceſſity for a Saviour? It is in your power to reject the counſel of God againſt your ſelves, to your hurt; it is in your power to fruſtrate all, and to make your ſelves of thoſe that ſhall have neither lot nor portion in this matter. But if you periſh, it is not long of Chriſt, but of your ſelves; you chuſe it. Would you be wiſe, you ſhould be wiſe for your ſelves: but, if you be ſcorners, you alone ſhall bear it. Once all was loſt, hopeleſs and helpleſs you were; but through this Propitiarion it is once more brought to your choice whether you will periſh or no. Why will you dye? If you will dye, who can help it? I cannot: I can only witneſs, I called, and you refuſed to come: And I hereby call you, Noverint univerſi, &c. Be it known therefore unto you, Men and Brethren, That through this Man, and this Name, is preached to you the forgiveneſs of ſins; and by him all that ſhall believe, all that ſhall receive him, ſhall be juſtified. And there is no other Name under Heaven given whereby you can be juſtified and ſaved; and if you refuſe him, it is in vain to look for another.
Are you willing to comply with this deſign of God for your eternal welfare? Or muſt I ſay you refuſe to come? Will you, or will you not, accept Chriſt for your Lord Redeemer, to ſanctifie and ſave you? If you will indeed, you ſhall certainly be ſaved: If you will not, why will you not? What diſpleaſure have you taken againſt Chriſt? What blemiſh do you ſee in him? What is there that offends you in this wiſe ſtupendious diſpenſation of Chriſt crucified? What prejudice have you entertained againſt this Counſel of God? What, do you think his terms too hard, ſo that all things conſidered, it would not be for your good? Then you think Chriſt If any doubt of the truth of the Scripture Doctrine, let them, if they judg their ſouls worth ſo much pains, read thoſe learned Books lately written in Engliſh on this Subject, and doubt if they can.counſelleth you for your hurt: if ſo, you have interpretatively worſe thoughts of Chriſt, than you ought to have of the Devil; for, you ought to think the Devil no worſe than he is: and if you think Chriſt calleth you for your hurt and loſs, and tells you what you ſhall never find true; you think Chriſt envies your good, and would deceive and cheat you, by perſwading you out of it; and what is this, but to think him worſe than the Devil? for the Devil, though he would deceive you, yet he never dyed and ſhed his blood to deceive you: but, if it be for your hurt to turn from ſin, and deny your ſelves, and take up his yoke, Chriſt hath dyed to undo you; which would be ſtrange maliciouſneſs! O the hainouſneſs of this ſin of refuſing Chriſt! It is virtually to eſteem him the horrid'ſt Impoſtor that ever the Sun ſaw.
What a dreadful thing it is to ſtay a day or a night under the guilt of this refuſal of Chriſt! He that thus believeth not, is condemned already, and is yet under the curſe: and if he do but walk up and down the few more days, and ſleep out the few more nights of his life, he will be remedileſs: for there is no more ſacrifice for ſin.
But yet there is Balm in Gilead; there is a Phyſician there; why is not our health recovered? There are Treaſures in Chriſt; Treaſures of Righteouſneſs he would fain part with. Oh ſay, Theſe and theſe neglect Chriſt, deſpiſe his Riches; It may be thy Maſter (if thou be a ſervant) ſleights this great and honourable One's Treaſures, and will not receive at his hands the things which he hath bought and brought; but ſay thou, as Gehazi, As the Lord liveth, I will run after him, and take ſomething of him: and I can aſſure thee in his Name, whoſe Meſſenger I am, That he will be as ready to part with it to thee, as ever Naaman was to Gehazi.
5. Have nothing to do with Sin. The Philiſtines would not tread on the threſhold they thought brake their Idol Dagon's neck. The Jews would not put the Thirty pieces given for betraying Chriſt, into the Treaſury, becauſe it was the price of blood, Mat. 27. 6. Will you look on ſin as gain? on that which you have gotten by ſin, as gain? It is the price of blood. Should that be pleaſing to thee which was ſo bitter to Chriſt? David would not drink of the water his Worthies had ventured their lives for, but poured it out, and ſaid, Is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? 2 Sam. 23. 17. Wilt thou put that Serpent into thy boſome, that hath ſtung to death thy deareſt Relation? A ſtrange ſight for a Child to delight in that Sword or Knife that killed his Father. Some will break God's Law for the gain of two-pence. God made not ſuch a leight matter of the breach of his Law. Let this conſpicuous Juſtice of God be as a flaming-ſword to keep you from ſin. Since Chriſt hath dy'd for ſin, let us dye unto ſin; yea, let us rather chuſe to dye than to ſin.
Laſtly, Live to your Lord Redeemer; walk as they that are bought with ſuch a price; ſay to Chriſt, as the people …o Gideon, Rule thou over us, for thou haſt delivered us from the hand of our enemies. He died, that they which live, might not live to themſelves. A ſtrong and conſtraining bond of obedience and thankfulneſs, is laid upon us. Offer up Souls and Bodies a living ſacrifice to him, that offered up himſelf a dead ſacrifice for us. Be cheerful in ſuffering for him; grudg not at ſuffering any thing for him, that ſuffered ſo much for thee. Chriſt loved not his life unto the death for our ſakes.