Christ Crucified, Sermon 62
SERMON LXII.
ISAIAH LIII.XI.
Verſ. 11. — For he ſhall bear their iniquities.
IT's a thing that can neither be eaſily believed, nor yet underſtood, how, by Chriſts knowledge, or by Faith in Him, many ſhall be juſtified; In theſe Words, the Prophet adds a Reaſon that both confirms and clears it; It ſhall be, ſaith he, that many ſhall be Juſtified through Faith in Him, For he ſhall bear their iniquities; He ſhall take on, and pay their Debt; And ſo, (as I ſaid) it is a reaſon confirming the former Truth, and ſhewing that it cannot be otherwayes, but they muſt be abſolved through Faith in Him, becauſe He bears the puniſhment due to them for their Sin; It ſerves alſo to clear how Juſtification is attained by Faith, to wit, not by any vertue, or efficacy that is in Faith, abſtractly conſidered, as if believing of it ſelf did the turn, but by vertue of Chriſts bearing their iniquities, and making Satisfaction for them, which Faith layes hold on; So that when he ſaid, By his knowledge ſhall many be juſtified; It is not by any efficacy attributed to their believing, but by vertue of Chriſts Righteouſneſſe, and Satisfaction which only Faith gives a Title to; and is the midſe, and way by which a Believer comes to it; and ſo (as I have ſaid) it ſerves for explication of the former Truth: So that if the queſtion be aſked, how can Sinners be Juſtified by believing? It's here anſwered, becauſe Chriſt ſhall take on their Debt, and the Righteouſneſſe purchaſed by Him ſhall redound to them, and be reckoned theirs; It's the ſame on the matter, with that which we have, 2 Cor. 5. ult. He that knew no ſin, was made ſin for us, and what follows? That we might be made the righteouſneſs of God in him, which clears that this way of Juſtification which the Goſpel holds out, is not as (I juſt now ſaid) by any efficacy, or worth in Faith it ſelf, nor by any inherent qualifications in the perſon that believes; but this is the ground of it, Chriſts bearing of our iniquities; The Elect were Sinners, and Chriſt hath taken on Him their iniquities, Therefore they cannot but upon their fleeing to Him by Faith be Juſtified, when they plead His Satisfaction for their Defence before God, their Abſolution muſt needs follow; This is the ſcop of theſe Words; which are as it were the bond knitting all the reſt together, and containing the foundation whereon our Juſtification is founded; There are only Three Words here that need a little of explication. 1. By iniquity is not meaned Sin formally taken; We ſhew when we ſpake of the 6. v. That Chriſt was not the Sinner formally conſidered, that being inconſiſtent with His holy Nature, and with the perſonal union of the Man head with the God-head; But the meaning is, that He took on Him the puniſhment due to our iniquities; or the puniſhment that our iniquities deſerved. 2. When He is ſaid to bear their iniquities; it imports a burdenſome bearing, or His bearing of it with a weight, and that there was a weight in it, as it's ſaid, verſe 3. and 4. He was a man of ſorrows, and acquainted with grief; ſurely he hath born our griefs, and carried our ſorrows; And therefore the Apoſtle, 1 Pet. 2.24. ſaith, He his own ſelf bare our ſins in his own body on the tree; when He was made a curſe for us; as it is, Gal. 3.13. He did bear our Sins, by coming under the Curſe that was due to us for them; In a word, His bearing of our iniquities is a real ſatisfying of the Juſtice of God for them; by interpoſing His own bleſſed back, and taking on the ſtroaks that were due to us. 3. When it's ſaid, Their iniquities, It relats to the many that in the former Words, are ſaid to be juſtified through His Knowledge, it's ſpoken of the iniquities of the Elect, and Believers, who through Chriſt are made friends with God; And therefore theſe being the many, they cannot but be Juſtified, becauſe Chriſt hath come, and payed their Debt, according to His Ingagement. Theſe Words as almoſt every other verſe of this Chapter contain the ſubſtance of the Goſpel; Take ſhortly Five or Six Obſervations from them, which we ſhall put together. The 1. Is, That the Perſon who is to be Juſtified by Faith in Chriſt, is naturally lying in iniquities; this is ſuppoſed, while it is ſaid, that Chriſt ſhall bear their iniquities; …ven the iniquities of them who are to be Juſtified, through Faith in Him; So it's ſaid before, The Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all; and we all like ſheep have gone aſtray; Theſe, and many other Scriptures, nay the whole current of the Scriptures, confirm the point, and put it beyond debate.
I obſerve it for theſe Ends and Uſes, which will ſhew why it is ſo frequently marked. 1. That the freedom of Gods Grace may kyth the more in their Juſtification; They are Sinners even as others are; and it's Grace that makes the diff…rence; Therefore their Juſtification muſt be free; If then any would have good, or have gotten good by the Goſpel, and by Chriſt offered to them therein, let them know that it is freely. 2. That a Believer who is Juſtified ſhould be very humble, for he was a Sinner as well as others, and is ſtill a Sinner in part; Therefore it becomes him to walk fortly, with a ſtopped mouth, and to be tender and compaſſionat towards other Sinners; There is not a Believer, but the weight of his iniquities would have born him down to H…ll, had not Chriſt interpoſed, and taken them on him; and therefore he ought to be both humble, and thankful. 3. That Sinners, who have the offer of Chriſt's Righteouſneſſe in the Goſpel, may not diſpair how great ſoever their Sins be; Indeed if they reſolve to continue in Sin, or to Sin that Grace may abound, they have no ground to expect pardon; the Apoſtle doth, with abhorrency reject the drawing of ſuch concluſions from the Grace of God, Rom. 3. But for a guilty Sinner, that hath no good in himſelf to commend him to Chriſt, to lean to, and to believe in Him who juſtifies the ungodly, is a Doctrine which the ſame Apoſtle approves, and gives an open door to them that deſire to abandon Sin, and to expect Juſtification through Chriſt's Satisfaction; Thus a door is ſet open to you, to b…lieve in Him who juſtifies ungodly Sinners, to betake your ſelves to Him who is the Saviour. 4. To confound and ſtop the mouths of all Self-righteous men, as having nothing to do with Chriſt; He came to take on iniquity, and to bear it; He came to ſeek and to ſave that which was loſt, and hath not a commiſſion to ſave Self-righteous Folks; For he came not to call the righteous, but ſinners to repentance; and ſo long as they continue in that condition; they cannot look on themſelves, as perſons whom He came to call, neither can they take any comfort in, or from His coming.
The 2d. Obſervation is, That wherever iniquity is, it's a burden, a heavy burden, There is nothing more heavy then Sin, it being that which preſſes the guilty perſon to the loweſt Hell, It brought the fallen Angels out of Heaven, to the pit: ye may t…ke an inſtance or two of it's weight on a Sinner, when he becomes ſenſible of Sin, Pſal. 38.4. My iniquities, ſayes David, are gone over my head, as a heavy burden they are too heavy for me: It's true, Sins are not alwayes weighty to Folks ſenſe, yet in themſelves they are weighty, and ſometime they will be found to be ſo, by the Sinner. So, Pſal. 40.12. innumerable evils ſayes the Pſamiſt, have compaſt me about, my iniq…ities have taken h…ld of me, ſo that I am not able to look up, th y are moe then the hairs of my head▪ therefore my heart faileth me; In a word, if the wrath of God, and His curſe be heavy, Sin muſt be heavy; Is not that heavy, which damned, and drowned the old World; and will burn and bury in aſhes, this World that now is ſtanding? Is not that heavy, that hath brought on ſo many weighty curſes on the Creatures, and ſubjected them to vanity? Is not that heavy, that brings by it's weight ſo many thouſands and millions to Hell? and that made our bleſſed Lord to cry, yet without all ſinful anxiety, My God my God why haſt thou forſaken me; and my ſoul is heavy to the death? And is it not that which makes the Lord ſay, that He is preſſed, with his profeſſing peoples Sins, as a cart is preſsed with ſheaves; all the indignation, and oppoſition of the men of this World is nothing to Him, in compariſon of the Sins of His people; He can break through briers and thornes, and conſume them together; But the iniquities of His people are ſaid to preſſe Him; to ſhew the abominable loathſomneſſe and weightineſſe of them.
Uſe, 1. It may make us wonder that men and women think ſo little of Sin; There are many that will tuſh at a challenge or threatning for Sin; but let me ſay it, that mountains of Leid, yea, though all this World were turned into one Maſs, or Lump of Leid, it ſhould not be ſo heavy, as Sin ſhould be to you; your Drunkenneſs, Filthineſs, Covetouſneſs, Lying, the vaging of the mind in privat Duties of worſhip throughout the Week, and in publick Duties on the Lords Day; your neglect of Prayer in Secret, mocking at Piety, &c. ſhall (however light now) one day be found to be weighty; when as it is, Revel. 6.6. Ye ſhall cry to the hills and mountains to fall upon you, and hide you from the wrath of the Lamb; A mountain would be thought light in that day; but the Face and Wrath of the Lamb ſhall be terrible; Therefore, either give up with Sin, and ſtudy Holineſſe, or make you for this dreadful poſtour, that ye would wiſh to have a hill or a mountain tumbling on you; and yet ſhal not get that wiſh granted; what mean ye, O! Atheiſts, and deſperatly ſecure pleaſers of your ſelves, with your idols, that ye dare thus to ly and live under this burden? Will ye be able to come before the Throne of God with it upon your back? It's a truth, that Sin is ſuch a burden as will ſink you to the pit, if ye ſeek not in Gods way to ſhake it off in time.
2dly. If it be ſuch a burden, make this twofold Uſe of it. 1. Beware of keeping ſtill upon you the burden of bygone Sins; but take with them, ſeek to be ſuitably affected with them; betake your ſelves with all ſpeed to Chriſt, and caſt your ſelves, and your burden on Him; It's for this reaſon that Faith is called a leaning on Christ, becauſe, when the burden of Sin is like to break the Sinners back, Faith caſts himſelf, and his burden over on Chriſt. 2. For the time to come ſtudy holineſſe, and take on no more of this burden; alwayes remembring, that when ye take on the Debt of the leaſt Sin, or ſeek to hood-wink (as it were) the conſcience, and to put out the eyes of it, that ye may Sin the more ſecurely, and with the greater liberty, ye are all the while but hightning your burden, and making the weight of it the more intollerable; and is that wiſdom, think ye, to be taking on a burden of that which will preſſe, cruſh, ſink and drown you eternally under its grievous and inſupportable weight.
3dly. Obſerve, That for as heavy a burden as Sin is, Chriſt ſtooped down, and took it on His bleſſed back, John 1.29. Behold the lamb of God that taketh away, or beareth, and by bearing, taketh away the ſins of the world. 1 Pet. 2.24. He him own ſelf bear our ſins in his body on the tree, So the juſt ſuffered for the unjuſt; Heb. 9. ult. He was once offered to bear the ſins of many: Whether it was the ſame very burden that the Elect ſhould have born, or the equivalent of it, we will not now Debate having ſpoken ſomewhat more particularly to it before; either of them being according to the terms of the Covenant of Redemption, and accepted of the principal Creditor; yet it would ſeem that He did bear the curſe in the eſſentials of it, and in that reſpect came under the ſame burden; He died, becauſe it was threatned, The day thou eats, thou ſhalt ſurely die, and the ſoul that ſins ſhall die; and He died a curſed death, becauſe a curſed death was threatned, as it is Gal. 3.10. compared with 13. And ſo come under the curſe: Here is love indeed, and a true friends kind turn, that when Sin was ſuch a heavy burden, Chriſt came in betwixt the Elect and it and took it on Himſelf, and ſtood at the Bar of God, as chargeable with our Debt, which was really charged on Him, as it is, Iſa. 50.6. He gave his back to the ſmiters and his cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; he bide not his face from ſhame, and ſpiting; all theſe buffetings of prophane ſouldiers, were but little to that weight of wrath that was laid on Him, to the making of Him groan; to that cup which in the Garden He drank out, and which made Him ſweat Blood; and cry our, My ſoul is exceeding ſorrowful and heavy even unto death; And, Father if it be poſſible, let this cup paſſe from me, yet not my will, but thine be done: O! what a weight was it that made Him ſo cry out? There needs no more to prove that He bare our Sins, and that there was an exacting of Him what we were owing, and that His Sufferings are indeed a Satisfaction to Juſtice, for them, even for the Sins of all the Elect.
The Uſes are two, 1. It ſerves to hold out and confirm this truth, That our Lord Jeſus His Sufferings were a real Satisfaction to Juſtice, for the Sins of the Elect; and that by His Sufferings He was indeed put to bear their iniquities, and that they were not only, nor mainly for example, though we may well make that uſe of them; but He was made lyable for our Debt; we Sinned, and He ſuffered, and Satisfied for our Sin, we debauched our our Stock, and played the bankrupts, He payed our Debt. 2. It ſerves hudgly to commend to us the Love of God, that gave His Son, and of the Mediator, that came to buy and redeem Elect Sinners, at ſo dear a rate, and to take on ſuch a weighty burden to eaſe them of it; Were there any here (as we hope there are) that know the weight of Sin, O! but they would think much of this; even of Chriſts taking on the burden of Sin, and caſting it by, having Satisfied Juſtice for it, and looſed the knot of the Law, and of the Curſe that tyed it to them; To become Man was much, but to bear the burden of our Sins was more; Angels wonder at this, that He, who is their head ſhould become ſo low, as to fiſt Himſelf before Gods Tribunal, and to undergo the Suffering of Death, and to take on the weighty burden of the Elects Debt, and to Satisfie for it; If we were in a right frame of Spirit, we could not hear this word, but it would raviſh our hearts, and put us to a pauſe, and holy nonplus; but the moſt part, alace! walk lightly under the burden of Sin, without ever conſidering what Chriſt hath done to remove it from off His People; nay, I am afraid that Believers, who have ground to be lightned, through Chriſts condeſcending to bear their burden, do not as they ought acknowledge Him, who hath taken the burden off them.
4ly. From comparing theſe words with the former, Many ſhall be justified; for he ſhall bear their iniquities, Obſerve, That Chriſt's bearing of our iniquities, and His Satisfaction for our Sins, is imputed to us as the immediat ground of our Abſolution, and Juſtification before God; So that if it were aſked, what is the ground on which a Sinner is Juſtified before God? The Text anſwers, Becauſe Chriſt hath born their iniquities, He hath payed their Debt, even as (to make compariſon fore clearing of it) when a Debtor is purſued, and hath nothing to pay, yet he pleads that the Debt cannot be exacted of him, becauſe his Cautioner hath payed it; and the ground on which that Debtor is abſolved, is his inſtructing that the Cautioner hath payed that Debt, which being done, he is ſet free; So is it here, The Believer he is Gods Debtor, Chriſt Jeſus is his Cautioner, who hath payed his Debt; who, when he is brought to the Bar of God and ſomewhat is laid to his charge, he pleads upon the ground of Chriſts Satisfying for his Debt, and that therefore he ought not to be put to anſwer for it himſelf; according to that Word, Rom. 8.34. Who ſhall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect? It is God that juſtifies, who ſhall condemn? and the ground fol ows, It is Chriſt that died, He hath payed the Debt.
Uſe, Among other things, there are two conſequences that follow upon this Doctrine, that ſerves to clear the Doctrine of Juſtification. 1. That the Righteouſneſſe whereby we are Juſtified, is imputed to us and accepted of God, as if it were our own: ye are ſometimes hearing of imputed Righteouſneſſe, and it's of great concernment to you to know it well, yet I am afraid, that many of you are very ignorant of it: I ſhall therefore, in a word or two explicat it, by comparing the two Covenants; The Righteouſneſſe of the Covenant of Works is an inherent Righteouſneſſe, as it is, Tit. 3.5. Not by works of righteouſneſſe which we have done; It's a Righteouſneſſe of our own doing, made up of our Praying, Hearing, and other Duties, as they are Acts of ours; The Righteouſneſſe of the Covenant of Grace, is an imputed Righteouſneſſe, that is, when Chriſts doing and Suffering is accounted ours: Take both in this compariſon; The Righteouſneſſe of the Covenant of Works is like a Debtor, or Tennent, his paying of his own Debt, or Rent, by his managing his buſineſſe providently, and dexterouſly, and none other is troubled with it; The Righteouſneſſe of the Covenant of Grace is like one that hath ſpent up and debauched all, and hath not one penny to pay his Debt or Rent with, but hath a worthy, able and reſponſal Cautioner, who hath payed for him; Both being purſued, and brought before the Judge; The firſt man is abſolved, becauſe what he was owing he payed it at the term preciſely, The other man grants, that he was owing the Debt, but pleads that his Cautioner hath payed it, a…d the Law excepts of the Cautioners payment, and purſues the Debtor no further, but abſolves him; So is it here, when the Believer comes to ſtand at Gods Bar, it is nothing in himſelf that he pleads upon, but it's Chriſts Sufferings; who ſaid on the Croſs, it is finiſhed, The Debt of my People is fully payed, and Faith pleading for Abſolution on that ground, according to the Law of Faith, he is abſolved, as if he had payed the Debt himſelf, or had been owing none: If then it ſhould be aſked, Believers, what ground have ye to expect to be Juſtified? The Prophet anſwers here, Chriſt hath born our iniquities, and this is the Believers Defence; and therefore ſee here a poſſibility to reconcile theſe Two, that ſome men ſcorn and flout at, as irreconcileable, to wit, how one can be a Sinner, and yet Righteous, he may be ſinful in himſelf, and yet Righteous through the imputation of Chriſts Righteouſneſſe, So, 2 Cor. 5. ult. He was made ſin for us, who knew no ſin, that we might made the righteouſneſſe of God in him, Rom. 4.5. To him that worketh not, but believeth on him who juſtifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteouſneſſe; The man ungodly in himſelf is juſtified through the Satisf…ction of Chriſt, imputed to him for Righteouſneſſe, and laid hold on by Faith; as if he had not Sinned, or had actually ſatisfied himſelf.
2dly. This conſequence followeth, That it ſerves to clear how Faith Juſtifies; as when we ſay Faith is our righteouſneſſe, and is imputed to us for righteouſneſs, we are not to look on Faith properly, as a Grace in us, and divided, or abſtracted from the Object; no, by no means; but as it is a laying hold on the Object, It's Faith in him that juſtifies; and Through his knowledge ſhall many be juſtified, becauſe he ſhall bear their iniquities; Faith Juſtifies by vertue of Chriſts Satisfaction, and as taking hold of it; Faith does not Juſtifie, as it is an Act of Grace in the Sinner, but as cloſing with Chriſt the Object of it; even as in the ſimilitude we made uſe of before; It's not enough that the Cautioner hath p…yed ſuch a mans Debs, but the man muſt inſtruct it by producing the Diſcharge; the production whereof is the cauſe of his Abſolution in Law; yet the vertue that makes the Diſcharge ſo to concur, is not the Diſcharge it ſelf, but the Cautioners payment, or Satisfaction mentioned, and contained in the Sinners Diſcharge; even ſo is it here, It's Chriſts Righteouſneſſe that concurreth, as the meritorious cauſe of the Sinners Abſolution, and Faith concurres as the Inſtrumental Cauſe, in the pleading of that Defence, whereon Juſtification follows, as an effect of theſe Cauſes: We know not when, or if ever hereafter we may have occaſion to ſpeak ſo much to the Doctrine of Juſtification; Therefore let me preſſe the …udy of it upon you again and again; Seek to know what this imputed Righteou…neſſe is, and how different from that which is in your ſelves; What is the true meaning of it, as a main …hing of the Goſpel, without which the Covenant of Grace can never be underſtood aright; the Ignorance whereof makes many live in ſecurity upon the one ſide, and keeps many in much anxiety upon the other.
5ly. Obſerve, That although Chriſt Jeſus hath born the iniquities of many, even of all His own people, yet not the iniquities of all men and women, but only the iniquities of them that ſhall be Juſtified, and brought to the actual poſſ…ſſion of that which He hath purchaſed: This may be made out from theſe Three in the Text, 1. The relative Their, It's their iniquities, which are born by Chriſt, that ſha…l be Juſtified; and who theſe are, the former Words tells, Through his knowledge ſhall he juſtifie many. 2. The connexion made by the Prophet betwixt theſe two, Many ſhall he juſtified; for he ſhall bear their iniquities; All whoſe iniquities Chriſt hath born ſhall be Ju…ified; It could not be an argument to prove their Juſtification; if Chriſt ſhould bear the in quities of others or of all men and women multitudes of whom are never Juſtified; for it might be objected, That Chriſ… bears the iniquities of thoſe many who are never Juſtified, which would be qui…e contrary to Gods Covenant, and exceedingly ma… the conſolation of the Believer; Beſide that, it would make the Prophets reaſoning here inconſequent, and impertinent. 3. Conſider theſe Words, not only as they ſtand in connexion with the former, but as they are a reaſon why in Ju…ice ſuch ſhould be abſolved; and ſo they will alſo clear the Doctrine; for ſo conſidered, they imply that it's Juſt, that the Believer ſhould be Juſtified; even as when the Cautioner hath payed the Debt, it's juſt that the principal Debtor ſhould be abſolved; and upon the other hand, it is not juſt that the Debtor for whom the Cautioner hath not Satisfied ſhould be abſolved; The Words will bear theſe twofold conſequence, for he knits theſe two, their being abſolved, and Chriſt bearing their iniquities, and being made lyable to their Debt; and He conſequently disjoyns the…e two, Chriſts not bearing the iniquities of others, and their not being ab…olved; and ſo although Chriſt hath born the iniquities of many, only that is of the Elect, and hath Satisfied, and Suffered for them, yet not for all, but for the many, who in due time ſhall thro…gh His Knowledge, that is through Faith in Him, be Juſtified; and theſe who are left to pay their own Debt, Chriſt never died for them, it were very unlike the Prophets reaſoning, to ſay that ſuch a man is in Hell, and yet Chriſt bear his iniquities.
Uſe, 1. It ſerves to confirm the former truth, would ye know whoſe iniquities Chriſt …ath born? It's of as many as are Juſtified, the in…quities of ſuch He bare, and of no moe.
2. It ſerves to provock you that have gotten in Chriſt, this priviledge, to be very thankful; This is it, that makes the Song of praiſe heartſome, Revel. 5.9. Thou haſt redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, tongue and nation; Becauſe it's not a common, but a peculiar ſpecial mercy, if any be ſo.
6ly. From the connexion, Obſerve, That although Chriſt hath not born the iniquities of all Men and Women, yet He hath born the iniquities of all that believe, and none ever believed on Him, but they may conclude that He hath born their iniquities; and on that pleads their Juſtification, through His Satisfaction; although there be a reſtriction upon the one ſide, yet there is none on the other; all are not Juſtified, but theſe only whoſe iniquities He hath born; yet all who through His Knowledge, or Faith in Him, are Juſtified, their iniquities He hath born: And hence it will follow, That never a Perſon believed but Chriſt hath born His iniquities; Not that the mans believing is the cauſe of Chriſts bearing, for His bearing 'of the mans iniquities is the cauſe of His believing; But it is to ſhew the connexion, betwixt His bearing, and the mans believing; and that His believing, is the evidence of Chriſts bearing of His iniquities: And this is more comfor…able then the Doctrine of univerſal Redemption a thouſand times; For it joyns Chriſts dying, and the Juſtification of all that believe on Him; So that there are none, that by Faith betakes themſelves to Him, but they may expect freedom from the Curſe, and Abſolution before the Throne of God; Whereas the Doctrine of univerſal Redemption, ſaith Chriſt hath died for all, yet all ſhall not be ſaved; and I wot not whether I ſhall be ſaved or not; and what ground of anxiety is that? but this Doctrine hath ſolid conſolation in it; Chriſt hath not died for all ſimply, but for all Believers, he hath born all their Sins; But I have betaken my ſelf to Him by Faith, therefore He died for me, He hath born my iniquities, and I ſhall never bear them my ſelf, but be Juſtified.
I ſuppoſe we need not to ſtay on the confirmation of this, 1. It's impregnably proved from the reaſoning of the Prophet in this place; All that are Believers cannot but be Redeemed and Juſtified, becauſe He hath born their iniquities, who by Faith betake themſelves to Him. 2. If Faith in Chriſt be a ſaving Fruit of His Death, and if none can believe but theſe, whoſe iniquities He hath born; then whereever Faith is, the perſon may conclude, that Chriſt hath born his iniquities, and that he ſhall be juſtified; But Faith in Chriſt is a ſaving Fruit and Effect of His Death, for He hath purchaſed it among the reſt of theſe Spiritual bleſſings ſpoken of, Epheſ. 1.3. Where we are ſaid to be bleſſed with all ſpiritual bleſſings in him; and it being a Promiſe of the Covenant of Grace, it cannot but be purchaſed by the Death of the Teſtator Chriſt Jeſus; Therefore, &c. 3. It's clear alſo from the Apoſtles reaſoning, Rom. 5.10. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled, we ſhall be ſaved by his life; Will he not, who hath payed ſuch a dear price for us, to purchaſe reconciliation to us, make it out by beſtowing on us the Fruits of His purchaſe?
The 1. Uſe Serves to vindicat this our Doctrine concerning Chriſts dying for, and bearing the iniquities of Believers only; which is moſt unjuſtly loaded with reproaches, and debated againſt, by mens cavillings, as if it were a comfortleſs Doctrine; ſure it's more comfortable, more ſure, and more agreeable both to the Wiſdom and Grace of God, then the Doctrine of univerſal Redemption is, For put theſe together, That all Believers are redeemed and juſtified; That Chriſt hath born their iniquities; that Faith is a ſaving Grace, and a Fruit of Chriſts Death, that ſuch as believe may conclude their Juſtification; and that Chriſt will make out the benefits of His purchaſe to them, what want Believers that may be for their comfort? Whereas, if we ſhould lay it for a ground, that Chriſt died for all, what comfort were in that? For all are not Juſtified, and Saved, but only Believers; yea, by the Doctrine of univerſal Redemption, though ye were even new Believers, ye could not conclude that ye ſhould be ſaved, becauſe ye might fall from it again: But our Doctrine of Juſtification hath ſolid conſolation, For, Rom. 1.16. It is the power of God unto ſalvation to every one that believes: And, Rom. 3.12. It's unto all, and upon all that believe; And it makes the Believer ſure of his perſeverance, for it's an expreſſe Article of the Covenant. We ſhall only ſay this; That ye will find that all that, in Doctrine, or Practice make the way to Heaven wydeſt, they make it moſt unſicker, and unſure, and they are in great confuſion; and indeed it's impoſſible it can be otherwayes; For if men go once out of Gods way, which is the ſtrait and narrow way, they can never be ſicker and ſolidly ſure, becauſe there is no ſolid ground of confidence in it.
The 2. Uſe, ſerves, to anſwer a Queſtion, that ſome out of curioſity puſſel themſelves with, which if well, ſoberly, and wiſely followed, would be do curioſity, and it is this; How ſhall I know if Chriſt died for me? Anſwer, make it ſure that ye believe, and then ye ſhall be ſure of the benefits of His Death; For if He hath born the iniquities of theſe that believe, and if there be no way to make it ſure, that He hath born our iniquities but by believing; it is a needleſſe ſtir and noiſe that is made about the knowledge of Election, and of Chriſts intention in His Death, for though we would ſay that He died for all, it would not comfort, except we ſaid alſo, that all go to Heaven; But are ye burdened with Sin, and have ye by Faith fled unto Chriſt? and do ye actually reſt upon Him? Then ye may on that ground conclude your intereſt in Chriſt's Death, and from that aſcend to Election; That which makes many Believers to be in heſitation as to this, is their never throughing, and making it clear to themſelves, whether they have believed; and therefore, if ye would ſee your Election, and Intereſt in Chriſts Death, put the matter of your believing to a point; For it's the door whereby ye win in to other ſecrets of God, ſuch as Election is; and there is no other way to win to it; Therefore theſe two are knit together, John 6.39, 40. This is the will of him that ſent me, that of all that he hath given me, I ſhould loſe nothing; And if it ſhould be aſked, How ſhall I know, who are given to Chriſt to be redeemed by Him? The next verſe, anſwers, This is the will of him that ſent me, that every one which ſeeth the Son, and believeth on him may have everlaſting life, and I will raiſe him up at the laſt day: would ye then know who are given and redeemed? They are Believers; I mean of ſuch as are come to Age; for none will make the queſtion concerning Infants; And therefore if ye would know the way of the coming to Knowledge of your Juſtification, Redemption, and Election of God; begin at the loweſt ſtep of believing, and make that ſicker and all the reſt will follow of will; but if ye miſken and overlook this, and will go up to the top of the ladder, per ſaltum, and at the firſt; it will be juſt with God that ye never win at the Knowledge of theſe ſecrets which were in His heart before the World was.
Uſe, 3. It's matter of Conſolation to the Believer; who may as certainly conclude an intereſt in Chriſt's Death, as if he had heard the Tranſaction of Redemption read over, and had ſeen his name in the Book of Life, For our Lord ſaith, John 3.16. God ſo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten ſon, that whoſoever believeth in him ſhould not periſh, but have eternal life: If thou be a Believer thy name is there, Chriſt hath born thy iniquities; and what Conſolation is that to them who are clear anent their Faith? But, alace! it ſayes there is much Rotten, Unſound, and Slippery Faith among us, and alſo much Faith that is but little lively, that there is ſo little ſolid comfort following it.
Uſe, 4. It ſerves to demonſtrat the nec ſſity of believing the advantages of it, and the neceſſity of our indeavouring to be clear that we do believe; If theſe two go together, Juſtification and Believing, then there is a neceſſity of Believing, and if theſe two go together, clearneſs about our Believing, and the Knowledge that Chriſt did bear our iniquities; then there is in ſome reſpect a neceſſity, that we know we believe; otherwayes we can have little, or no comfort in Chriſts bearing of our iniquities, and of our being given to Chriſt to be redeemed by Him; From theſe two the advantages of Believing may appear, Therefore to make all ſure, Juſtification, Chriſts bearing of your iniquities, and …our being given to Chriſt, make it ſure that ye are in the Faith, and this way give all di…igence to make your Calling and E…ection ſure; And the Lord Himſelf prevail with you to do ſo.