The Gospels Glory, Chapter 4
CHAP. IV.
Containeth the fulneſſe of ſalvation by Jeſus Chriſt, expreſſed by the Apoſtle, in the perſon who is the firſt efficient cauſe; he that provides this ſalvation, which is, God, even God the Father.
SECT. 1.
THe firſt truth the Apoſtle fixeth us upon 2. By ſix truths expreſſed, as 1. God is he that provides this ſalvation.expreſly, demonſtrating the fulneſſe of ſalvation for ſinners to be had in Jeſus Chriſt, is this.
God is the firſt mover; the primary efficient of the wonderful work of ſaving a ſinner, [God ſent his own Son.]
Here begins the excellency and fulneſſe of ſalvation for ſinners through Jeſus Chriſt, that it is God that provides it. Iſa. 43. 13.If he work, who ſhall let it? what God doth, is for ever; what God doth, is done Eccleſ. 3. 14.indeed; his work is perfect: nothing can be put to it, nor can any thing be taken from it: upon this word, GOD, muſt we muſt put our accent, it is written with emphaſis, as the Apoſtle in ver. 33. of this Chapter faſtens us upon this thought, ſaying; it is GOD that juſtifieth; ſo here, GOD ſending his Sonne, condemned ſinne; this then is of high and ſerious thought.
What hath this of conſideration in it? and what concluſions flow from hence? dwell awhile on theſe two.
(1.) What matter of due and high What matter of higheſt conſide… tion is in this; ſeven fold. Pſ. 83. 18. Rev. 1. 4, 8 Exod. 3. 14conſideration is there in this, that GOD is the worker here? this word GOD carrieth our thoughts,
1. To the true God, Jehovah, the one only God, whoſe name alone is J… hovah, the force of which name is delivered thus in the New Teſtament, which is, which was, which is to come; who is, I am, that I …m; who hath his being of himſelf, and giveth to all things their being, who gives a being to all his words which he ſpeaketh, and to his gracious promiſes in their ſeaſon, ſo that no tittle of 1 King. 18. 39.them ſhall fall to the ground; this Jehovah he is the God, he is the God. All other whom men call God, are not God by nature, they are but either the creatures, or the inventions of their own braines, the work of their own hands: they are Idols, and an Idol is nothing in the world, it hath no deity at all, and therefore as ſuch, 1 Cor. 8. 4, 5.it hath no being at all; and having no being, it can do neither good nor evil, it is profitable and good for nothing. God Jehovah, he who is, and none beſides him, he gives this Saviour, and therefore his who are taken into this Covenant of Mal. 3. 6.ſalvation, are not conſumed, nor can ever periſh.
2. To God as the Majeſty offended, as he againſt whom all our ſinnes are: who might have glorified in his juſtice upon the ſinner; but mercies to forgiveneſſe and to eternal life do pleaſe him. Who can of right remit, becauſe the wrong is againſt him, againſt him onelyonly; if he acquit and juſtifie, who can lay any thi…g to their charge? if he be for the ſinner, Pſal. 51. 2. Rom 8. 33, 31.who can be againſt him?
3. To God as cloathed with all his Attributes, with all his Eſſential glory. In this ſalvation through the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, look upon his Almightineſſe, or All-ſufficiency; he cometh forth and ſaith to his poor cteature, the ſinner whom Gen. 17. 1.he calleth, I am God Almighty, I am God All-ſufficient, to me nothing is hard, nothing impoſſible; have me and thou haſt enough, thou haſt all, thou needeſt not go out to any other, nor be to ſeek, and at a loſſe for any thing, or in any eſtate; look upon his Infinity or Infiniteneſſe, the Alpha and Omega, who hath Phil. 1. 6.begun and will perfect his work. Behold his Eternity, is he not from everlaſting Hab. 1. 12.the Lord their God, the…r holy one? they ſhall not dye. All the greateſt enemies, the mighty Lord God hath ordained and eſtabliſhed but for the correction of his people. Behold his Ʋnchangeableneſſe; Heb 6. 17. Numb. 23. 19, 20.the immutable God is willing here to ſhew unto the heirs of promiſe, the immutability of his Counſel by interpoſing himſelf by an oath; he will not repent of this his Word: and no conjuration can reverſe it; hear what he ſaith, I will ranſome them from the power of the grave, I will redeem them from death; O death, I will be thy plagues: O grave, I will be thy deſtruction: Repentance ſhall be hid from Iſa. 64. 5.mine eyes; this unchangableneſſe cauſeth continuance in his ſaving wayes when his people raiſe his wrath againſt them, and they ought to ſay thereupon, we ſhall be Jer. 31. 20.ſaved; this unchangeableneſſe ſhines in the ſounding of his bowels towards them repenting: and though their provocations are ſuch as would weary and tire out Hoſ. 11. 8, 9.any created patience, yet he is God, and not man; the thoughts of giving them up, turn his heart within, and his immutable counſel makes his repentings to be kindled together: ſo far is repentance from God; his gifts and calling are without repentance. Rom. 11. 29. Mat. 3. 17. & 17. 5. Zeph. 3. 17 Tit. 1. 2. Iſa. 54. 9, 10. Jer. 31. 35, 36. Pſal. 89. 33, 34, 35. Iſa. 47. 4. Iſa. 57. 15.In this his beloved Son he is for ever well-pleaſed; he reſts in his love. Behold his truth, God who cannot lye hath promiſed eternal life; and his faithfulneſſe, he cannot deny himſelf, 2 Tim. 2. 13. This Covenant is as the waters of Noah unto God; more ſtable than the Mountains and Hills; as ſure as the Ordinances ſet with the heavens: Gods holineſſe is here pawned; in this redemption it is moſt gloriouſly manifeſted. Conſider his holineſſe, who only is holy, and therewith his height and loftineſſe, and never the like manifeſtations of lower condeſcenſions then in this work of ſaving the poor humble ſinner; he is the holy one of Iſrael; never the like manifeſtation of holi…eſſe as in this work, though God be holy in all his works, and of purer eyes than to behold iniquity with any liking; here the glory of his wiſdome is Rom. 16. 27.illuſtrious, the only wiſe found out this way: no Angel of light, none of the 1 Cor. 2. 7.wiſe of the world could ever have thought of it. It is the hid wiſdome of God, wiſdome in a myſtery; the contrivance is ſuch, that when it is made known, all the Eph. 3. 10. 1 Pet. 1. 12 Eph. 1. 9. 1 Pet. 1. 2. 2 Tim. 2. 19. 1 Cor. 3. 19. Iſa. 44. 25, 26.holy Angels admire it as the manifold wiſdome of God, and are never enough ſatisfied in the delightful viewi…g of it, and prying into it; the whole buſineſſe is of deep myſterious wiſdome; all is according to fore-knowledge. God knoweth them that are his; he cannot be deceived, none can go beyond him, nothing can eſcape him; he taketh the wiſe in their craftineſſe, and turneth them backwards, and maketh diviners mad, but confirmeth the word and counſel of his meſſengers to whom he gave the word of this ſalvation; he d…ſpenſeth full ſeaſons, for making Eph. 1. 10.known this myſtery of his will in ſtupend wayes of wiſdome, he brings home his choſen both of Jews and Gentiles through Rom. 11. 32, 33.inveſtigable paſſages of Providence; he ſo calleth and bringeth to glory, that his fooliſhneſſe is wiſer than men, and by fooliſh 1 Cor. 1. 25, 27.things he confounds the wiſe world: but above all, behold God here, gracious and juſt, exactly, infinitely juſt, and yet mercy and grace exalted through juſtice, and above juſtice.
This word (GOD) carrieth out or thoughts,
4. To God as the faithful Creator, the Maker of heaven and earth; of all things viſible and inviſible, who hath engaged all Iſa. 42. 5, 6. & 41. 1, 2. & 44. 24. & 45. 11, 12, 18.his glory as he is the Creator, to fulfill this work of Redemption. And as he layeth all that his glory at the ſtake to aſſure it; ſo he layes out no leſſe efficiency in the performing of this ſalvation in every part of it, then what was put forth in the Creation. Rom. 4. 17. Pſ. 51. 10. Iſa. 57. 19.He calls the things that are not, as if they were, he creates in them clean hearts, he creates the fruits of the lips to be peace, and ſo you muſt conceive of every piece of this ſalvation that appertains to the being or well-being and comfort of the ſaved ones, all is done in the power of a Creation.
5. To God his abſolute Soveraignty, and Royal Dominion; who makes all for his own wills ſake, who is not bound to give account to any of any of his matters; who is not bound to any, who hath mercy becauſe he will have mercy; who, as the Potter, hath power over us his clay, and makes ſome veſſels to honour, when for his own glory he might make all unto diſhonour; who makes one to honour and another to diſhonour, when he might ſhew his power in annihilating, as well as his skill in making; or if he will ſhew his skill, might ſhew it in faſhioning it another way to other uſes; or if he will ſhew his skill in ſuch ſalvation, might ſhew it upon one, or on a few, or upon thoſe whom he paſſeth by, and not on us. In this work his Soveraignty is full of Regality, God is Lord and King; here Majeſty and Righteouſneſſe ſhine in ſplendor. The 2 Tim. 6.bleſſed and only Potentate, Lord of Lords, and King of Kings, will in his time ſhew his Chriſt; his will is with perfect juſtice, and his juſtice to the utmoſt ſhewed to ſet off and make his mercy upon the veſſels of mercy more Renowned. And his Dominion is mighty, holy, wiſe, good, and reaching to every thing and action of all his creatures, to bring about his intended ſalvation.
6. To Gods eternal good pleaſure within Epheſ. 1. 4, 5, 6.himſelf; doing the whole work according to the counſel of his own will to the praiſe of the glory of his grace.
7. For this word GOD carrieth our minds to God the Father; God ſent his own Sonne, he hath a Son whom he ſends, therefore he is a Father, this God is God the Father. God muſt here be thought on, as he is the God and Father of Jeſus Chriſt; in this glorious manifeſtation of himſelf is God to be beheld in this work of Redemption, as he is the Father of his own, only, eternally begotten Sonne, his beloved in whom he is well-pleaſed, and not only as the Fountain of being; he is to be beheld in his love and goodneſſe, not that of a Creator, but that love of a Father, of the Father of his only begotten Son, the Son of his love, the Son of his boſome, the eternal delights of the eternal Father.
SECT. 2.
(2.) What concluſions do iſſue from What concluſions flow from this; ten.hence? is God the Author of this ſalvation, then it followeth,
1. Here is love, as the Apoſtle ſaith, 1 Joh. 4. 10. Not that we loved God, but that he loved us and ſent his Sonne, &c. God firſt loved us, here is love 1 Joh. 4. 10, 9, 19. Joh. 3. 16. 1 Joh. 4. 11 Ver. 19.that is firſt, love manifeſted, love ſo, as cannot be paralleld, ma…chleſs love, love that is the perfect ſampler of love, love that is the fountain and former of all true love: we love him becauſe he firſt loved us. The Laws voice to man is, Thou ſhalt love God above all, and thy neighbour as thy ſelf. The Goſpels voice The voice of the Law, and of the Goſpel differ.is to man hateful and hating, God ſo loved the world that he gave his only begotten Sonne, that whoſoever believeth on him, ſhould not periſh, but have everlaſting life. The Goſpel excells the Law, as much as Gods love excells mans; it ſuperexcells, for it declares and proclaims Gods love to man void of the love to God which the Law commands.
2. God is love; to us in this way of 1 Joh. 4. 16manifeſtation all love: out of this way it is a terrible ſight to look on God, on ſinne, death, the grave and hell; upon the Law, on any miſery or affliction, on the judgment to come: but in this way nothing ſo delightful as the preſence of God, and the light of his countenance gives peace and joy, againſt which is no Law, and which no death nor guilt of ſin can deſtroy. The Law is delightful, death deſirable, and ſinne it ſelf made humbling and profitable, becauſe now hateful and abominable to us, by how much the more we believe and know that thus God is love.
3. All here is kid untill God reveal: All here is myſterious, 1 Cor. 2. 7. All James 1. 17, 18.is heavenly, all from above, from above Creation, from God under another notion 1 Cor. 2. 12, 14.then as a Creator. The animal or natural man cannot receive theſe things when told him, cannot finde them out, till they be told him; but the ſpiritual only, who hath received the Spirit of God, and not the ſpirit which is of the world. Nothing ſuits with theſe things of the Goſpel, but what is from above, the born from above can alone cloſe with theſe things. They are too high for the unregenerate man who is the fool under the power of folly, and values them as the Swine doth Pearls. A double revelation of the Spirit is abſolutely neceſſary to the diſcerning of the things of this ſalvation; the one of the Holy Ghoſt inſpiring the Prophets and Apoſtles to preach and write them; the other, of the ſame Holy Ghoſt as he is the Spirit of Wiſdome and Revelation inlightning the eyes of our underſtandings to know them, when in and by the Word they are declared to us, 1 Cor. 2. 10. Epheſ. 1. 17, 18.
4. Here is truth of ſalvation, and here is ſtrength of ſalvation; truth of ſalvation: for God is the rock, his work is perfect, all his wayes are judgment. A God of truth and without iniquity, juſt and right is he, Deut. 32. 4. And ſtrength of ſalvation; when he giveth quietneſſe, who then can make trouble? and when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? whether it be done againſt a Nation, or againſt a man only, Job 34. 29.
5. Here is ſatisfaction and aſſurance to the ſoul; ſatisfaction, for the Lord laid on his Sonne our iniquities: the Lord bruiſed him, God gave his Son; nothing can ſatisfie the awakened ſoul, nothing can ſet down the doubting ſoul, but God who is above the ſoul, and above the Law, above ſin and Satan. And aſſurance is here, it is no venture, but a ſtate in which we may glory, to caſt our ſelves on God; we Pſ. 62. 7. & 56. 10. Rom. 8. 31, 33, 36.may ſay every one for himſelf; in God is my glory, in God will I praiſe his Word, in God we are more than Conquerors.
6. Here is irreverſibleneſſe; God cannot lie, God cannot deny himſelf, God is not as man that he ſhould repent, he hath bleſſed, and who ſhall curſe? Tit. 1. 2. Numb. 23. 8, 19. His gifts and calling are without repentance, he will never repent of them, Rom. 11. 29.
7. God is in Christ; in Chriſt and in him alone is God reconciling the world to 2 Cor. 5. 19.himſelf; he is not nor can be found in the whole work of Creation, reconciling a ſinner, and not imputing treſpaſſes; no ſcience of the nature of the creatures, no knowledge of the connexion, and rational mutual chaining of the ſeveral creatures in this whole globe, as ſo many parts of the univerſe, having dependence one upon another, and influence into each other by way of cauſe and effect; no knowledge of the Deity that made all, and rules all; no principles and ſeeds of virtue and righteouſneſſe there learned and thence gathered by all the ſtrength of the principles of reaſon and light in man, and improved to the utmoſt for the framing of thoughts, deſires, geſtures, words and deeds; none of theſe, nor all theſe, nor whatever other manifeſtations of the infinite, inviſible, eternal God-head, as the inviſible world of Angelical ſpirits, be they Thrones, Dominions, Principalities or Powers, none, none of them have God in them reconciling a ſinful man to himſelf, not imputing treſpaſſes. In none of theſe, nor in all theſe layed together hath God ſet forth a ranſome for a ſinner, a price of a redemption for a ſoul that hath ſinned, a ſacrifice and ſin-offering; or himſelf appeaſed, propitious, and merciful, forgiving ſins, and receiving the ſinner into his favour: or any of them ſet forth as a propitiation, or in them as on a mercy ſeat, as upon a throne of grace; no, no, but God is in Christ, merciful, reconciling, pardoning, accepting into a ſtate of grace and favour: Chriſt Jeſus God hath ſet forth a ranſome, a price of redemption, a ſin-offering, and a propitiation for our ſins; Christ is the Lamb of God; God hath provided the Lamb for ſacrifice: as Abraham anſwered his ſon Gen. 22. 7, 8.Iſaac, who ſaid to him, My Father, behold the fire and the wood; but where is the Lamb for a burnt-offering? to whom Abraham ſaid, My ſon, God will provide himſelf a Lamb for a burnt-offering. Behold, the Lamb of God, as John the Baptiſt Joh. 1. 29.cryed.
8. All things are of God, 2 Cor. 5. 17, 18. that is, all things in the regeneration, in the Kingdome of Chriſt, in the buſineſſe of Redemption, in the Church of Chriſt as it is his Church; are of God; of God, not in the way and the putting forth of his power, and the manifeſtation of his glory as he is the faithful Creator, but they are of God as he is the God and Father of Jeſus Chriſt o…r Lord, as he is pleaſed to ſet forth himſelf, his power and glory in the way of Redemption: here they are all of God, and nothing of Angels or Men, or of any other whatſoever. Whatever is not of God in this work, but of men or any other, is altogether diſagreeable, to be rejected, unprofitable, and ſhall be rooted out.
9. Here we ſee, it makes nothing at all, neither is it a pin to chooſe, what, or which of the twain befall us; to be bleſſed of the world, or to be curſed: to be bleſſed of evil Miniſters, of Balaams, or to be curſed; to bleſſe our ſelves, or to have miſgiving thoughts of our ſelves. We ſtand or fall to God, and not to man, or to our ſelves: Heark what God ſaith of thee and to thee, and not what man, or thine own heart ſaith, as David ſaid of old, I will hear what God the Lord Pſal. 85. 8.will speak.
10. Here we ſee, believing is the work that God would have of us. He findes out in his own wiſdome, of his love and good pleaſure within himſelf, all that concerns this work, it is the myſtery of his will, his boſome ſecret and counſel; Epheſ. 1. 10.his Spirit muſt reveal and tell it, if he ſpeak not, if he give not out his Word, none can dive into it; now then he teſtifyeth, and we are to receive his teſtimony, and to believe his Word; he that believeth, ſets to his ſeal that God (who ſpeaketh) is true, John 3. 33. He that believeth not, maketh God a liar, 1 Joh. 5. 10. Becauſe he receiveth not his teſtimony or witneſſe; he that receiveth Chriſt Jeſus, receiveth God that ſent him: he that rejecteth Chriſt, rejecteth God. All reſpect or neglect in this great buſineſſe, runs up ſo high as to God himſelf.
SECT. 3.
The uſe of this point is to call upon us to entertain theſe thoughts, digeſt this The uſe hereof:truth, and it will work, warme it and rub it in by meditation, and it will enter into thy ſoul. Firſt, believe this truth in the general, that GOD doth thus tender the everlaſting ſalvation of poor ſinners, great ſinners: and then bring it home unto thy ſelf, that GOD offers life to thee a ſinner: Dwell awhile on theſe; if we lay away the principles of ſound doctrine, and care not to know them: if we ſtick in an overlie knowledge, and do not believe them with the heart, receiving them as the ſaving truths revealed by the Spirit of God, and teſtified to the children of men, as Gods own Record and Teſtimony, there is no talking of the application of faith upon them to our own ſouls.
Queſt. But ſome may ſay, how may one know that he hath apprehended aright this truth, that it is GOD that hath provided the way of ſalvation?
Anſw. In general thus; if rightly apprehended, then every word of this ſalvation will come to the ſoul, as the Word of God; not as the word of a man, though never ſo worthy credit; not as the word of a King, yet power goes with the word of a King; not as the word of an Angel, it is more than ſo, when it comes to thy heart as the Word of God. It 1 Theſ. 2. 13.will come to thee in the power of God, in divine life and ſtrength; it will work effectually in thee: Gods Word-runneth very ſwiftly, he commandeth, and the thing is done. Again, it will come to thy ſoul as the good Word of God, the Word, and Meſſage in which thy good, thy everlasting good doth lie; to ſuch a r Theſ. 1.heart the Goſpel comes in much aſſurance, and in the joy of the Holy Ghoſt: the Goſpel now ſtands to thee as an undoubted, unmovable truth, now it is the beſt news that ever came into the world, the glad tydings of great joy; the onelyonly light and life of thy heart.
In ſpecial, attend that God the Lord is the firſt and principal Agent or Worker here.
1. It layes down in the heart of a ſinner, a poſſibility of his ſalvation. That which to the Law, to man whiles he ſtands to the Law, is impoſſible that GOD will yet do it, it becomes very poſſible, with God all things are poſſible; ſay to thy ſelf before the Lord, it is poſſible that ſuch a ſinner as I am, or as thou art mayeſt be ſaved; for GOD ſends a Saviour for ſinners; you, this layes down a poſſibility above all difficulties; the difficulties are great, our innumerable ſinnes, the bortomleſſe depth of the deceitfulneſſe and the deſperateneſſe of the wickedneſſe of our hearts, the impenitency of an hard heart that cannot repent, the death in ſ…n and treſpaſſes, the alienations, withdrawings and gain-ſayings of an heart that cannot believe; the curſed barrenneſſe in the heart and life of all grace and good fruit; the defilement and contagion of ſinne as a leprofie, and as the plague of peſtilence; the guilt and condemning power of ſinne; the diſtance and ſeparation; yea, the enmity between God and man which ſinne hath made: the great enemies; ſuch are, the Law, the Curſe, Mortality, Death, the Grave, Hell, Satan, Tentations, Perſecutions; the world with all its luſts and errours; the body of ſinne, called the body of this death; (Rom. 7. 24.) the Back-ſlidings and Apoſtaſies which we are ſubject unto; Satans ſtrong holds within in falſe principles, high thoughts, and deviſed devotions, depths, carnal reaſonings, fooliſh and ſnarling objections: beſides, the wiſdome of a conceited, the pride of a preſuming, and the dejections of a deſpairing heart. If theſe Armies of difficulties, and of impoſſibilities to created means ſhould beſet thee, yet that GOD ſhould reveale himſelf in a ſaving way, ſtayes the heart, and renders all of them Conquerable.
2. It awakens, it ſhakes the careleſſe ſoul, and fills with trembling. It ſaith with Jacob, God is here, in this Word of the Goſpel, and I was not aware; little thought I of ſuch a preſence in this contemned Word.
3. It layeth a baſis, a foundation unmovable thus; we have him to believe on, who ſupports Heaven and Earth, who is the Rock of Ages.
4. It ſets another face on God, and on all things. God is in Chriſt reconciling the world; God at peace, and all things become full of peace. Behold, all's new, there is now a new face of 2 Cor. 5. 18.things. In this light we ſee light, and have life; there is a bleſſing in all; through Gods bleſſing the worſt and moſt deadly are not onelyonly harmleſſe, but medicinal and helpful, the heart begins to live, at this preſence a heavenly calme paſſeth, beſpreadeth and dwelleth upon the ſoul. Tranq…illus Deus tranquillat omnia.
5. It heals the heart of hard thoughts of God, and of alienations from God; then I perceive ſaith the ſoul, the holy God will yet look after me.
6. It ſets the heart on God: is there hope yet for ſuch a one as I am? ſurely it is good for me to draw near to God.
7. It prevents and allayes the over-much grief for ſinne, or for afflictions and miſeries, our own, or the Churches; overmuch in both is hurtful to our ſoules, diſhonourable to God, ſcandalous to men; this delivers, I even, I am he that comforteth you, ſaith the Lord, Iſa. 49. 14, 15. I blot out your tranſgeſſions, Iſa. 43. 25.
8. It makes to cry to God out of the depth of our helliſh filth and guilt, Pſalme 130. 1. It boiles up the ſpirit to fervency in Prayer.
9. It puts an Awful, Reverential, Uniting feare into the ſoul, Pſalme 130. 3. There is forgiveneſſe with thee, that thou mayeſt be feared.
10. It enclines the ſoul to believe, hope, wait, and love, Pſalme 130. 4, 5.
11. It comforteth with comforrs rational and real; from grounds in God, from the preſence of God, 2 Cor. 6. 17. I will dwell in them, I will walke in them, I will be their GOD, and they ſhall be my People.
12. It devotes, it aſſures, it raiſeth to Triumph. What ſhall we ſay to theſe things! If GOD be for Rom. 8. 31. Eph. 1. 3. 1 Pet. 1. 3.us, who can be againſt us. What ſhall ſeparate us from the love of GOD; it fills with praiſe, and with gloryings, and humble boaſtings in God. This GOD is our GOD; GOD is become my ſalvation.
Thus of the perſon who is the firſt mover in the great work of a ſinners ſalvation.