The Plain Doctrine of the Justification of a Sinner in the Sight of God, Sermon 3
Redemption by Chriſt, ſufficient.
THE THIRD SERMON
ON
Rom. 3.24, 25.
Juſtified through the Redemption that is in Jeſus Chriſt.
HAving ſpoken before of the Efficient Cauſe of the juſtification of a Sinner, as alſo of the inward impulſive Cauſe, that is the free grace of God; Come we now to the meritorious cauſe of Juſtification (through the redemption that is in Jeſus Chriſt) which redemption, hath the nature of the Meritorious or impetrating cauſe or Procatarctical Cauſe of a ſinners juſtification: 1 Becauſe it was the means which Gods juſtice did require, before grace could actually juſtify. 2 It hath the nature of the formal cauſe, ſo far forth as it is accepted for us, that it being imputed and applyed to us, God pronounces the ſentence of our abſolution, Now to open the words: firſt inquire,
Queſt. 1 What is meant by Redemption here?
Anſw. 1 Redemption is taken in Scripture two waies; firſt improperly and generally, and ſo it ſignifies any deliverance from evil, or danger, or enemies, as it is uſed, Exod. 15.13. Thou in thy mercy haſt lead forth thy people, whom thou haſt redeemed; The deliverance out of Egypt is called a Redemption. There were of old three waies of redemption: firſt by Manumiſſion, when a King doth let his vaſſal voluntarily go out free; thus we could not be redeemed, for the devil never meant to let us go free; and eſpecially it could not ſtand with Gods bleſſed nature; Holineſs, Juſtice, Truth, Hatred of ſin, thus to ſet us at liberty. Secondly, by Permutation: thus we could not be redeemed for recompence could not be made to God, by exchange of any creature, for that infinite wrong done to him by mans ſin, Matth. 16.26. Thirdly, By violent oblation or conqueſt, as Abraham redeemed Lot by reſcuing him: but mankind might not bee redeemed by this alone, for though Chriſt might juſtly ſpoil Satan of his prey, which hee by ſubtile wiles, methods, and falſhoods, had gotten; yet mankind being guilty of high treaſon againſt God, and therefore locked up under his wrath and curſe, no power was ſtrong enough, to redeem us out of his hands; but theſe are all improper waies of redemption; and too low, to reach the thraldome, mankind was faln into.
2 Properly, in a more ſpeciall way of Redemption; by giving a price or ranſome, for a poor Captive or Slave; this is plainly ſignified by the word uſed in the Text, which hints redemption by way of Ranſome; there is foreign in it, 1 Tim. foreign2.6. Chriſt gave his life a Ranſome for all. The ordinary word uſed for redemption, is the buying of any thing again, by paying a Price.
Object. Some Hereticks object: Sin and Satan to whom ſinners are Captive, receive no price for Ranſome.
Sol. Wee are primarily Gods Captives, who is the Judge, againſt whom wee have ſinned, to whoſe Wrath, Curſe, judgement, and vengeance, wee are in bondage; the ranſome therefore, is paid to God as the Judge: Satan is but the Goaler, ſin the bonds and chains, the World and Death, as the Priſon, and Torments. Wee are indeed (when the ranſome is paid to the juſtice of God) ſet at liberty, from thoſe other, in a way of power and lawful conqueſt: So Chriſt is ſaid to lead Captivity Captive, Eph. 4.8. that is, all thoſe enemies that had lead us Captive, but the price is paid to God himſelf; to whom wee do therefore pray, for the forgiveneſs of our ſins: and that in regard of the ranſome paid by Jeſus Chriſt, Heb. 2.14. Luke 11.21. Chriſt may bee (in ſome ſort) called, the ſtrong man armed; that is ſtronger than Satan, and ſpoils him of his goods, &c.
Queſt. 2 What is meant by the Redemption that is in Chriſt Jeſus?
Anſw. Chriſt is prefixt with three ſeveral Prepoſitions in the Scripture phraſe. 1 For Chriſt, Phil. 1.29. To you it is given, for Chriſt; not only to beleeve, but alſo to ſuffer. 2 In Chriſt, Eph. 1.3. Who hath bleſſed us with all spiritual bleſſings, in Chriſt. 3 Through Chriſt, Rom. 7.24. Bleſſed bee God who hath given us victory through Chriſt; The reaſon of them is,
1 Wee have redemption in Chriſt, becauſe in Chriſt as a common ſtore-houſe, every bleſſing is firſt laid up, and then imparted to his members. As our death and condemnation was in the firſt Adam, before it was applyed, or actually received by us.
2 Wee have redemption through Christ, becauſe Chriſt doth by his obedience purchaſe it, which in due time is communited to us; as from the firſt Adams deſert came condemnation.
3 For Christ; ſeems to bee uſed, in regard Chriſt is as well the Mediatour of application as impetration, obtaining grace for us, and working grace in us; Hence Faith and Patience are ſaid to bee wrought in the Elect. The words thus opened afford two points.
1 That the juſtification of every ſinner, is through the redemption, and ſatisfaction wrought by Chriſt.
2 That there is a ſingular and plentiful redemption wrought by Chriſt, ſufficient to make ſatisfaction to God for the vileſt ſinners. Of which in the firſt place.
Doct. 1 That there is a ſingular and plentiful redemption, Redemption by Chriſt ſufficient for the vileſt ſinners.wrought by Christ, ſufficient to make ſatisfaction to God, for the vileſt Sinners. The Text is emphatical, it is That redemption that is in Jeſus Chriſt, ſuch as was never heard of before, nor matched in the worlds voluminous Hiſtories or Records. Tis deſcribed, Matth. 20.28. Chriſt came to give his life a Ranſome for many, that muſt needs bee a plentiful redemption, that was wrought by the death of the Son of God. So 1 Tim. 2.6. Hee gave his life a ranſome for all. foreign, ſignifies a ranſom paid for Captives; and Chriſt himſelf muſt needs bee a great Price: and for the ſufficiency of it,
1 It is ſpiritual, of the ſoul as well as body, Pſal. 49.15. God will redeem my ſoul from the hand, &c.
2 It is an irreſiſtible and mighty redemption, Luke 1.67. Hee hath raiſed up a Horn of ſalvation, that is, a Kingdome, power, Dignity, and ſtrength of ſalvation, every way ſufficient to ſuccour.
3 Perfect: not only in impretation of a poſſibility of deliverance, but alſo in actual application to call the Elect, to bring their ſoules to glory, Rev. 5▪9. Thou haſt redeemed us to God by thy blood: ſo alſo from all our enemies, Luk. 1.71. That wee ſhould bee ſaved from our Enemies: from all our iniquities, Tit. 2.14. from death, Hoſ. 13.14. I will ranſome thee from the power of the grave: from the power of Satan, Heb. 2.14. By death hee deſtroyed him that had the power of Death, that is the Devil: from the World, Gal. 1.4. from the wrath of God, Rom. 5.9. not onelyonly preſent but to come, 1 Theſſ. 1.10. from the whole curſe of the Law, being made a curſe for us, Gal. 3.15. from all that which the juſtice of God hath pronounced, againſt tranſgreſſors: yea, both of ſoul and body to eternity, Eph. 4.30. Heb. 9.12.
Reaſ. 1 Taken from the fitneſs of Chriſts Perſon (being the word Incarnate) to accompliſh the work of our redemption; for three things are required.
1 Power to redeem us, and to vanquiſh our Enemies, Hell, Death, World, Devil. Chriſt is God over all, Rom. 9.5.
2 Right to redeem, not only of propriety, but of propinquity; the next kinſman onelyonly can redeem, Deut. 25.5. the ſecond Perſon in the Trinity that took mans nature, was foreign next of kin, Eph. 5.30. fleſh and blood.
3 Dignity muſt bee given to the price paid, Act. 20.28. theſe things ſuited none but Chriſt.
Reaſ. 2 From things requiſite to a ſufficient redemption and ſatisfaction, as
1 Price muſt bee ſuch as will content the perſon to whom 'tis due, but the ranſome paid by Chriſt, was according to the Fathers will, Heb. 10.9. and a ſweet ſmelling ſavour to God. Eph. 5.2.
2 There muſt be an equality too; of the debt or wrong in the Price paid; for therefore ſatisfaction is required; the ſin of man made all things unequal, between God and man; now Juſtice requires equality, foreign, Ariſt. Eth. Ezek. 18.29. Oh yee houſe of Iſrael, are not my waies equal? are not your waies unequall? ſuch is the ſatisfaction of Chriſt to all the ſinnes and puniſhments, temporal and eternal, of all the Elect: and is a juſt recompence, for all the diſhonour and wrong, done to God by them, which the glory of the World could not have reached to, 1 Pet. 1.18, 19. you were not redeemed with corruptible things as ſilver and gold, &c. It was ſuch a Price, as by one offering perfected for ever (Heb. 10.14.) thoſe that are ſanctified, and what would we have more than perfection? was the Law broken? Chriſt is better than the Law, hee is the eſſential word of God; doth ſin rob God of his Glory? Chriſt is the brightneſs of his Fathers Glory, Heb. 1.3.
3 The Price paid muſt bee voluntary, not forced, for otherwiſe it would rather bee ſatispaſſion than ſatisfaction. The damned in Hell do not ſatisfy for ſin. Chriſts payment was voluntary, Joh: 10.15. I lay down my Life, and verſ. 18. I have power to lay it down. He gave himſelf for us, Eph. 5.2.
4 Satisfaction muſt bee of that which is otherwiſe undue: ſuch was Chriſts, the Father could in Juſtice exact no ſuch matter at his hands, being innocent. He made him to be ſin who knew none, 2 Cor. 5.21.
5 It muſt bee clear and evident, to ſecure Captives or Debtors, and to give their Souls and Conſciences ſatisfaction: but ſuch was Chriſts redemption, Heb. 9.9, 14. The gifts and Sacrifices of the Law, could not make him, that did the ſervices, perfect as pertaining to the Conſcience, &c. but Chriſt, offered through the eternal Spirit (that is the God-head of Chriſt) purged the conſcience from dead works. Witneſs alſo the Reſurrection; the full price is paid, ſeeing our ſurety is ſet at liberty from the grave. Rom. 4.25. the Priſon into which hee was caſt for our ſins.
Ʋſe 1. To confute ſundry errors and Hereſies, Confutation of Popiſh partial redemption and Socinian blaſphemies that deny it.as of Papiſts that make Chriſt a partial Redeemer, and his ſatisfaction imperfect, that bee ſatisfyes onelyonly for the fault, and leaves us to ſatisfy for the puniſhment, or that he redeemed us from the eternal, but would leave us to ſatisfy for the temporal puniſhment. If Chriſts redemption bee perfect, there is nothing left to bee done by us, nor ſuffered, in way of ſatisfaction, Heb. 7.25. Chriſt ſaves to the utmoſt, and needs not our botching.
For the Socinians, they aſcribe no more than Turks to Chriſts redemption; Let us ceaſe to rake in thoſe Dung-hills, their Nomination is a ſufficient confutation.
Uſe 2. This ſingular redemption by Chriſt, Bondage of unregenerate.neceſſarily infers a ſingular bondage and ſlavery, in which all unregenerate ſinners lye, Jer. 10.14. Egypt was never ſuch an iron Furnace as the ſinner is in. Were wee not enthralled, what need a ranſome? what need of redemption? bodily bondage (as in the Turkiſh ſlavery) mony might redeem; but nothing leſs than the blood of God could redeem us. See the eſtate of the ungenerate.
1 They are in hands of ſuch Lords, as do rule with rigour and ſeverity over them.
2 They have not freedome of will to do any thing they could do, in their ſtate of innocency, for God.
3 They are forced to indure moſt intollerable things, to be born.
1 The Lords over natural men are of two ſorts, 1 Principal, 2 Miniſterial. The Principal is the moſt juſt and terrible God, whoſe Juſtice they have wronged by ſin; therefore wee are ſaid to bee redeemed from under the curſe of the Law, Gal. 4.4, 7. that is from under the revenging Juſtice of the Law; As Malefactors are called the Kings Priſoners properly, not the Goalers that keep them, So Sinners are Gods Priſoners, and who can deliver them out of his hand? but Chriſt, Miniſteriall Lords are the Devil and his Angels, and the Conſcience, accuſing, condemning, and tormenting, for ſin. Hence Sinners are ſaid, before Converſion, to bee under the Devils power, Act. 26.18. under the power of darkneſs, Col. 1.13. and taken as beaſts alive of the Devil at his will, 2 Tim. 2. ult. Yea, God makes a mans Conſcience his keeper, going up and down conſtantly with him, haling him to condemnation; Thus the Spirit often works, through the Law, in the affrighted Conſcience; and though ſome make this their Keeper Drunk, that they may eſcape, yet God awakens him, to his former terror.
2 A natural man hath no ſpiritual liberty to do nor enjoy good, by any Promiſe, Ordinance, or Priviledge: his heart is weary and burthened by all, Mal. 1.13. hee is led by the noſe as a ſlave, ſerving divers luſts and pleaſures, Tit. 3.3, led along like bruite beaſts, with ſenſuality, and hurried on by a violent appetite, as 2 Pet. 2.12. and chained faſt to his luſt, by the bonds of iniquity, Act. 8.23. his own iniquity ſhall take the wicked, Prov. 5.22.
3 Hee ſuffers innumerable miſeries and intollerable. Heb. 2.15. through fear of death, &c. When a man hath ſpent his wit, youth, ſtrength, ſtate, and worn out himſelf in the Devils drudgery, when his body, ſoul and Credit are all loſt, by the Devils ſervice; what reward for his true and truſty obedience? Rom. 6. ult. The wages of ſin is death; and Pſal. 11.6, 7. Fire ſnares, brimſtone, ſtormy tempeſts, of Gods furious indignation, this is the portion of his Cup.
1 Aggravation of this bondage of ſinners.O the miſery of natural man! far ſurpaſſing that of a Beaſt; if a Dog bee chained hee howls, if the Swine bee bound hee cries, but ſinful man laughs in the middeſt of his bondage; hee counts it his liberty to live a ſlave to the Devil, and thinks to gratify his fleſhly luſts is liberty: yea, and promiſe others liberty in this courſe too, whileſt themſelves are ſervants of corruption. 2 Pet. 2.19. though they have no more liberty, than the Oxe that is lead to the ſlaughter.
2 They will not beleeve nor underſtand their bondage; as when Chriſt offered liberty to the Jews, Joh. 8.32. they ſaid, they were never in bondage to any▪ Their thraldome entered not into their thoughts, and they diſliked that our Saviour ſhould mind them of it. As it fared with thoſe men, that Eliſha lead to Samaria, they were bands of the Syrians, yet followed the Prophet (being blind) into the City of their enemies, thinking they had gone to Damaſcus: So it is with theſe, while the Devil lead them to Hell, where they muſt periſh, beyond all hope, and take up a room amongſt murthering Spirits, they yet conceive they are walking towards Heaven, and defie the Devil, as having nothing to do with him, who are at the very Pits mouth, the very brink of Hell, and by no means will bee ſtopped. O beloved, Let no man deceive himſelf, imagining that if the Laws of men take not hold of him, but hee goes where hee liſts, and doth what hee will, then hee is the onelyonly man that leadeth a free Life, but rather know, that every States Free-man, is not Chriſts Free-man, or redeemed one: No, no; there bee many that fare daintily, live in all Lieentiouſneſs, have their fill of Worldly Pleaſures, and run at randome like the Beaſts in the Wilderneſſe; that are more arrant Slaves, than thoſe that row in the Gallies of Turky. Let them turn the inſide outward, and they will finde Legions of domineering Devils commanding over them. If thou didſt never feel this ſpiritual bondage, 'tis a certain ſign thou art under it ſtill, Coloſ. 1.13. Who hath delivered us, &c. See Luke 11.21. its aggravation.
1 In that it is of the Soul. Peter Epiſt. 1. Chapter. 3. ſpeaks of Spirits in Priſon; a natural mans ſpirit is one of them, and ſhuts up in Sin too, which is the worſt Priſon.
2 Here the means of eſcape are far more difficult; another Slave may run away, or his bolts bee removed, or hee may buy his liberty; but here is no poſſibility of it, Rom. 7.24.
3 Here bee more bad Maſters; they ſerve divers Luſts, Tit. 3.3. So many Luſts, ſo many Maſters. Jacob found it hard to pleaſe Laban, one bad Maſter.
4 Here men love their bondage; ſo that if liberty bee offered they refuſe it. Joh. 8.36. Chriſt proclaimed liberty to the Jews but they refuſed it,
Yea, Caution to children of godly Parents not to think they are born free,by way of Caution, know, That the Children of godly Parents (though they uſe to think themſelves born free, through their Parents Covenant) are not free from this bondage. It was the Jews great deluſion, Joh. 8.33, 39. that they ſtood ſo much upon their parentage, that they were Abrahams ſeed. Chriſt tells them another ſtory, you are of your Father the Devil: and ſo ſaid the Baptiſt, Matth. 3.9. Think not to ſay within your ſelves, &c. you are a Generation of Vipers. To ſpeak then a word in mercy to all Church-Children, and to all the Children of Godly Parents; 'Tis true you have a great bleſſing, and precious priviledges, that are born of ſuch Parents; but know, that this ſpiritual Freedome comes not by diſcent, Joh. 1.13. Which are born not of the fleſh, &c. Yea, more godly parentage makes a Childes condemnation much worſe, whileſt hee lies ſtill in his natural eſtate: Ezekiel 16.3. your Father was an Amorite, &c. They were in the ſight of God but as the Nations devoted to deſtruction, if they do evil, though of the ſtock of Iſrael. Manaſſes the Sonne of Godly Hezekiah did worſe than the Amorites, 2 King. 21.11. So many Children of Godly Parents are worſe than the Indian Salvages. And it is to bee feared, that when your Parents are gathered to their Fathers, as it follows, verſ. 12, 13. The Lord will ſtretch over New-England the Line of Samaria, and the Plummet of the houſe of Ahab, and will wipe New-England as a man wipes a diſh; wiping and turning it upſide down. You have more to anſwer for, than the Indians have: you have publick priviledges and private inſtruction, and examples. Remember that the Lord will one day ſay to you, if you continue in this eſtate, as he did to the Jews, Joh. 8.40. you do thus and thus, ſo did not Abraham: you are lofty and proud, ſo was not your father: you follow looſe company, ſo did not your Father: you love the pot and revelling, ſo did not your father: you care not what miſchief you do to others, ſo did not your Father: you live in unclean courſes, you talk curſedly, &c. as it is v. 39. if you were Abrahams children in Gods account, you would do the works of Abraham: that is, you would be godly and humble, and righteous, and ſober, as your Parents were. Therefore lay aſide all ſuch fooliſh conceits, and look to the rock from whence you were hewen, Iſa. 51.1. and tread in the ſteps of your godly Parents.