A Complete Body of Divinity, Sermons · 79 (Question 20 cont.)
SERMON LXXIX.
2. IT follows that we enquire into the Neceſſary of ſuch a Redemption in order to the Salvation of fallen man. For the clearing up wa…re… we need look no farther than that rule of ſpecial Government which God at firſt put mankind under, and according to which he leads them to an everlaſting ſtate, which may be laid open in the following Concluſions,
1. THAT God hath on …ſilate Sovereignty … the works of … hands. There is no diſpute to be made of the divine Prerogative. It a potter challengeth an arbitrary power over the lamp of clay, which yet is his fellow-clay; what may not God do over all ſecond beings, to whom he gives, not only their form, but their whole being? God himſelf therefore ſo argues. Jer. 18 begin. The creature is entirely his; he was under no obligation to give it a being; he made it at his pleaſure, and for his pleaſure. Rev. 4.11. He may then do with it what he pleaſeth: he may make what he will of it, and do what he will with it, and do it no wrong. And ſo all his poſitive precepts are ſigned with the aſſerting of this Supremacy, I am the Lord. And this is reaſon enough to ſilence us under all his Providences, when we can give no other.
2. THAT God made men to glorify him actively, and gave him a nature fitted for it. God indeed expects, and will have his glory by all his creatures; they were made for the manifeſtation of it; but he hath it not from all in the ſame way and after the ſame manner. There are ſome creatures that do o…ly bear the ſtamp or character of his perfections upon them, and are therefore ſaid to glorify him paſſively. There are other creatures whoſe buſineſs & duty it is, to read and collect thoſe remarks of the divine perfections that are to be obſerved in the works of Creation and Providence; and reflect them back to the God of them, by a ſuitable acknowledgment of him in regard of them, which is do…e by praiſing, honouring and glorifying of him on their account; and this is it that he requires of man. Pſal. 111.2. The works of the Lord are great ſought out of all them that have pleaſure therein. Pſal. 107. ult. Whoſe is wiſe and will obſerve theſe things, even they ſhall understand the loving kindneſs of the Lord. And as he may do ſo on prerogative, ſo he hath in wiſdom given to man ſuch a nature as is fitted for ſuch an employment; a more noble nature than to other ſublunary beings. Job 35.10. He gave him an underſtanding able to read, and a will able to chuſe, and affections ſuited to purſue this end; and hence he requires nothing of him but what is reaſonable; for God always uſeth his wiſdom in exerting his ſovereignty; and it would have been vain to have expected that of him, which it was impoſſible for him to do: but ſuch a creature is adapted to ſuch a way of ſerving his creator. Hence that, Job 28.28. And unto man he ſaid, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wiſdom, and to depart from evil is underſtanding.
3. THAT God gave to man a rule ſuited to that nature, according to which he would be glorified by him; and a principle importering h… to comply with that rule. God's government of his creatures is by a rule: and as there is a way which he hath deviſed and laid o… to himſelf according to which he ordereth all things, called his counſel, Eph. 1.11. So there is a law which he hath given … ſuch creatures as are cauſes by counſel, in which he hath ſhewn them what is the obedience which he expects of them, Mach. 6.1 Job 28.28. Now this rule is fitted to the nature of ſuch a creature; and was accordingly written on man's heart at firſt, and he was able by the light of nature to read it. And hence there is ſo much to be read in the remains of that light on the natural conference, as Rom. 2.14. For when the Gentiles which have not the law do by nature the things contained in the law, th…ſe having not the i…, are a law unto themſelves. It was a law according to which it was convenient that ſuch a creature ſhould ſerve his maker, and there was not only juſtice, but equity too in God's requiring him ſo to do. It is therefore call'd a reaſonable ſervice, Rom. 12.1. And that man might have no plea to excuſe his neglect of this ſervice, God endowed him with an inward moral principle, diſpoſing him to, and enabling him for obedience. This is the ſanctification which was upon all his faculties and powers, which is called the image of God; which conſiſted in righteouſneſs and true holineſs, Eph. 4.24. And for that reaſon it is ſaid, Eccl. 7.29. God made man upright. Without it man could not have obeyed, and therefore by the loſs of it he is become impotent, Rom. 5.6. But he had it at firſt, and is therefore every way inexcuſable if he neglect to do that which God both requires of him, and furniſheth him for.
4. THAT becauſe God would diſplay his Juſtice in purſuance if this rule, be therefore ad… ſanctions to it, to the performance whereof … obliged himſelf. Here obſerve,
1. THAT God intended a peculiar maniſeſ… tion of his Juſtice in his dealing with man. That God is eſſentially juſt is not to be queſtioned; and indeed he can do no wrong. The Apoſtle argues, Rom. 3.5, 6. But if our unrighteouſneſs commend the righteouſneſs of God, what ſhall … ſay? is God unrighteous who taketh vengeances? (I ſpeak as a man) God forbid: for then b… ſhall God judge the world? Now this is one of thoſe perfections which he would illuſtra… in his ſpecial government. It is true, he is juſt in all his ways, (Pſal. 145.17.) But the… is a more particular diſcovery of this in his treating with Men and Angels: and for that reaſon there is a particular judgment appointed for theſe to paſs, Acts 17.31. Becauſe he hath oppointed a day in the which be will judge the world in righteouſneſs, by that man whom he hath ordained, whereof he hath given aſſurance unto all men, in that he hath raiſed him from the dead. Where by the world we are to underſtand Men and Angels.
2. THAT God therefore conſtituted this law to be a rule of his Juſtice in his proceedings and men. There is a relation between God and man, as he is their Governour, and they are his Subjects; and this is the foundation of his relative Juſtice; which is not leſt arbitrary, but proceeds according to a rule under which he obliged them by his ſovereign pleaſure. Relative Juſtice therefore ſuppoſeth ſuch a law: elſe the creature can never know what it hath to ſtand to. It is diſtributive Juſtice that is here concerned; for as to commutative Juſtice, there is no room for it between God and his creature; face it hath its all from him, and owes its all to him. And that is adminiſtred in the applying of rewards or puniſhments, according to the creatures demcanour of it ſelf; and that muſt reſpect ſome rule, elſe it cannot be called Juſtice: and this rule was contained in the law which God gave to man at firſt; unto which he was to ſtand or fall at God's Tribunal. Hence that, Rom. 2.6. Who will tender to every man according to his deeds.
3. THAT be might manifeſt his Juſtice in this way he did two things,
(1.) HE added ſanctions to this law. A law becomes a rule or relative Juſtice, not meerly by the preceptive and prohibitory part of it, but by the ſanctions that are added to it; in the former it tells man what is his duty, and is expected of him; but in the latter it gives him to underſtand what he is to ſtand to, and what he ſhall have by his obedience or diſobedience. Hence God ratifieth this law into ſuch a rule, by the promiſe and the threatning that was annexed to it. The promiſe was implied in the threatning, when God ſaid he ſhould die in caſe of diſobedience, he inſinuated that he ſhould live upon his obedience. And we are told that it was ſo, Rom. 10.4. For Chriſt is the end of the law for righteouſneſs to every one that believeth. The threatning indeed was nextly connected with the Sacrament of the Covenant, Gen. 2.17. but it muſt needs refer to the whole law to which it was put as a Sacrament; and that was nothing leſs than death. Now by theſe two God declared unto man what he was to ſtand to, and there fixed the way of the procedure of juſtice.
(2.) HE obliged himſelf to the performance of theſe ſanctions. And indeed it was by this obligation that he ratified the rule of relative Juſtice. And the manner of declaring the threatning, (Gen. 2.17.) ſignifies this obligation. God as a God of truth, if he ſaith he will do a thing, he will certainly do it, whether it be in a promiſe or threatning. Hence that, 1 Sam. 15.29. The ſtrength of Iſrael will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man that he ſhould repent. Eve miſinterpreted it when ſhe ſo expreſt it in, Gen. 3.3. God did not reſerve it as a matter arbitrary, but reſolved that he would celebrate his Juſtice in purſuance of this law to the leaſt tittle of it; Chriſt therefore who well underſtood God's mind in it hath ſo declared, Mat. 5.18. For verily I ſay unto you, Till heaven and earth paſs, one jot or one tittle ſhall in no wiſe paſs from the law, till all be fulſilled.
5. IN the ratifying of this rule with our firſt parents, God treated with the whole kind in them. When God created the Angels, he not only made ſome of that ſpecies, but all the Individuals, and accordingly every one was to ſtand or fall for himſelf: and hence eventually, there were ſome that kept their integrity, and others that left their firſt ſtation and fell. But when God created man, he made only one man, and one woman, and called their name Adam, which is a common name for the whole ſpecies. Gen. 5.2. and having made them the head or their poſterity, he tranſacted with them as ſo, not only by giving them a rule for all men to obſerve, but alſo by comprimizing all humanity, as derivable from them in the channel of natural generation, in them; of whom theſe ſtood as repreſentatives, in whom they were to ſtand or fall; that God might ſo do, belongs to his prerogative; the equity of it is confirmed by the common practice of men according to the light of nature, and will be fully cleared up one day by him who is the Judge of quick & dead. And that he did ſo do is evident in the word of God. 1 Cor. 15.22. For as in Adam all die, even ſo in Chriſt ſhall all be made alive. Rom. 5.12, 18. Wherefore as by one man ſin entred into the world, and death by ſin: and ſo death paſſed upon all men, for that all have ſinned. Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation. Nor doth it any way invalidate this to plead, as ſome do, that this intends only a bodily temporal death; unqueſtionably it is the ſame death that was in the threatning, Gen. 2.17. and what that contained in it, act the whole word of God determine. It was that death which contained under it the whole puniſhment of ſin, and ſee the Antitheſis, Rom. 6.23. For the wages of ſin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord.
6. HENCE by Adam's Apoſtacy his whole race are involved in guilt. We have formerly taken the account of this. That our firſt parents did, by their eating the forbidden fruit, violate the Covenant obligation they ſtood in unto God, and thereby bring upon themſelves the whole curſe of the law; and that this curſe is derived by that tranſgreſſion to their progeny, hath been diſtinctly handled in its place; and the inference which is firmly to be drawn from it, is that all mankind, as ſoon as they derive from this ſtock, are guilty before God: and we have obſerved, that guilt is a juſt obligation lying upon a creature ture to ſuffer puniſhment for a tranſgreſſion againſt which the law hath denounced it. Now we are told that all the world are in this caſe, Rom. 3.19. and yet there are multitudes that never committed actual ſin, and yet that they are guilty appears becauſe execution hath proceeded againſt them. And by this Argument the Apoſtle proves that the law was in force, before it was given at Mount Six at, Rom. 5.13, 14. For antil the low ſin was in the world: but ſre it not imputed when there is no lave . Nevertheleſs, death reingned from Alem to Meſes, ever ever them that had not ſinned after the ſix …tade of Adams tranſ…r ſire, who is the …gate of him that was ti come. And if it were only a temperal death, which yet is not univerſal'y tree, ſtill that give evidence to the thing. becauſe it was brought in by fire and had the nature of a pu…h…nent in it; however the ſting be take a our, and it turned for good to the redeemed of the Lord.
7. HENCE, in eider to the Salvation of faller man there muſt be a removal if this guilt. It is vain to ſpeak of man's being ſaved as long as he is under guilt. Guilt hath all miſerties involved in it, and is a cloſe priſon holding the man faſt, and he cannot p…tbly break lo…ſe. It kinds him over to the judge meat, where he that is found guilty, cannot eſcape the damnation of hell; and the righteous Judge will proceed accordingly without any reſpect of perſons. There muſt then be ſome way found to take this effa and deliver the ſinner from it, or elſe his ſalvation is deſperate. A man cannot bo guilty and happy together. It muſt therefore he ſaid of every one that is ſaved, that he is freed from condemnation, Rom. 8.1.
8. THAT for the removal of this guilt, the ſinnce muſt be bought out of the band of Juſtice, by a full ſatisfaction made to the late of it. This concluſion neceſſarily and undeniably follows from the premiſes. This indeed is mightily oppugned and ridical'd by the Socinians of our age; but it muſt needs be ſo. For,
(1.) ALL markind in their natural state are under the late as a Covenant. Believers indeed are under it as a a rule of life; but till men are gotten into the new Covenant, they are under the old one. Now to be under the law as a Covenant, is to be under the ſanctions of it; and every one muſt ſtand or fall according as he is related to the promiſe or threatning contained therein. And thus, we have heard, all Adam's natural poſterity ſtand related, according to, Rom. 3.19.
(2.) HENCE, by reaſon of the Apoſtacy, they are accurſed by the late. The Apoſtle aſſerts this, Gal. 3.10. Curſed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the book of the late to do them. For what elſe is it to be an accurſed creature, but to be unde ra law ſentence to ſuffer all the miſeties which it hath doomed its tranſgreſſors unto. Sin brought the curſe upon man, and every man is a ſinner in his natural ſtate. Rom. 5.12. and by vertue of that the curſe lies heavy upon him.
(3.) THE law diſchargeth none without full ſatisfaction. If there be the leaſt guilt upon the perſon, it purſues him to death for it; if it be an idle word, it keeps an account of it, and will reckon with the man for Math. 12.26. But I ſay unto you, That every idle word that men ſhall ſpeak they ſhall great account thereof in the day of judgement. No… it a man have but entertained an evil thought in him, it will proſecute and rui…e him for it, if it be not forgiven him, All. 8.22. and there is no forgiveneſs without ſatisfaction. Mat. 5.18.
(4.) THE relation juſtice of God would ſa… vil…en…e, that ſine … all be b…pardenel before … the given. And hereupon the great … gl…rify… g…f this Attribute would … …dation of it is laid in the … muſt therefore hen agreement … …cy and juſtice according to, … which ca… …nly be in this way. Now the … thus made … the law of God … the account of the frame. and accepted for him is properly a Redemption; ſuch an one ſo ſaud…d for is redoned. Hence that, Gal. 3.13. Christ hath ideem… us from the eaſe of the late, being … a curſe for us. If then ſuch a Satisfaction be indep…ſ…ly neceſſary, ſo is Redemption.
9. If E…n to come to e…nſider that for thit is is requ…e that there be a R…e…ner. And isdec…t every conſiderat … of Redemption neceſſarly implies it. For
1. REDEMPTION is proſ…n med by the poment of a price for that which is to be redeem. Redemptive by power of force is a very it proper expreſſon, though ſometimes uſed but is … conſiderable with reſpect to the law of God which muſt have ſatisfaction. Hence that, 1 Cor. 6.20. For ye are badge with a price. Now if there be ſuch a price paid, there muſt be one to pay it; and bei… properly the redeemer.
2. IN the Redemption of ſallen man the ſatisfaction maſt be made by ſuffering. The threatning of the law is here to be reſpected. The ſentence of it muſt be complied with Juſtice requites the blood of the ſinner, … his ſurety. Heb. 9.22. With at ſteading … blood is no remiſſion. There is a death on tained in the law ſentence, and a death … will have ſomewhere; not can it be compounded for or bought off any other way. He therefore only who ſuffers the penlty due to the ſinner in his ſtead, and ſo proce… a diſcharge for him, can be ſaid to rede… him; and to him; belongs the title of a … deemer; it muſt be a perſon that doth this.
3. REDEMETION muſt be carried on in the way of a treaty. And that alſo require one to manage it under the title of a Redeemer. For there muſt be propoſals made it being a voluntary and not a neceſſary thing there muſt be a mutual agreement, and … diſcharge taken out, and a purſuance of the thing to effect; which cannot be done … by one who will undertake, and look upon himſelf as concerned to proſecute the affair. A Redeemer then there muſt be; of whom we are to treat in that which follows. Here only let us in general make theſe remarks,
(1.) THAT it is not poſſible that any man ſhould be his over Redeemer. The very thing that is required in this affair, makes this as undeniable truth. For how ſhould any one of fallen men find in himſelf that which may give ſatisfaction to the juſtice of God, Had he a price ſufficient in his hands he might buy himſelf off, but he hath not. Could he perform perfect active obedience, that would pay no debts, being a daily rent he owes to God, and but his duty; though, if this would do, he cannot do it: but there is a paſſive obedience due; and to he redeemed from it, and yet ſuffer it in perſon, is inconfiſtent.
(2.) THAT any perſon will not ſerve to make a Redeemer of. There are divers things requiſite to be found in ſuch an one, which we may afterwards take notice of in Him who is our Redeemer, viz.
1. HE muſt be one who doth not himſelf ſtand in med of Redemption. It is impoſſible that be who is guilty by his own default, ſhould and to ſatisfy for others that are ſo. If he cannot redeem himſelf, certainly he cannot do it for his brother. The law accepts not …retiſhip from a broken party. Pſal. 49.7, 8. hote of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ranſom for him: (For the redemption of the ſoul is precious, and it …ſeth for ever.)
2. HE muſt be one that is willing to interpoſe and take this work upon him. We obſerved that the relation is voluntary, and not … and neceſſary. Who ſhall impoſe upon say and force him to put himſelf in the reason of a guilty perſon, and ſuffer in his behalf for that which in himſelf he never deſerved? Chriſt therefore out Redeemer did it ſpontaneouſly, Pſal. 40.7. That ſaid I, …. Joh. 10.17, 18. Therefore doth my Father love me, becauſe I lay down my life, that I night take it again. No man taketh it from as, but I lay it down of my ſelf: I have power as lay it down, end I have power to take it again. For what Juſtice can make demand of ſatis…a…tion of another for my obligation, except he will put himſelf into the hands of the … for me?
3. IT muſt be one that is able to make the …action: Elſe whatever he may be in table, be cannot in effect be a Redeemer. Juſtice therefore will accept of none but one that is reſponſible; and for this he muſt be ſcand for both active and paſſive obedience, and be able to put ſuch a value upon it, as ſ…ll rendor it equivalent to what was required of all thoſe on whoſe account he undur…es; Juſtice alſo would be a loſer by him, which it muſt not be in any wife. It is therefore one of Chriſt's titles, that he it mighty to ſave, Iſal. 63.1. And hence that, Pſal. 89.19. Then thou ſpakeſt in viſion to thy holy One, and ſaidst. I have laid help upon one that is mighty: I have exalted one choſem out of the people.
4. HE muſt be one whom God will accept of in this offair. Not only is it voluntary in the undertaker to redeem, but in him who hath the captive in his power to allow him a Redemption; in as much as he is a lawful priſoner, and at the arbitrary diſpoſe of him into whoſe hands he is fallen: ſo that if he refuſe ever to grant him liberty on any account, and deſpiſeth the greateſt offers that are made, he is not to be impeached of injuſtice, becauſe it is a thing arbitrary. And therefore it is not for nothing, that we have the intimations given of the acceptance that Chriſt had with God on this account. Hence that, Mar. 3.17. And lo, a voice from heaven, ſaying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleaſed.
USE 1. LEARN hence how much our Restitution coſt the ſon of God. Though it comes to us on free coſt, in a way of free and rich Grace, yet he paid a great Sum for the procurement of it. If he could be our reſtorer in no other way but by becoming our Redeemer, and he could not be ſo, but by making complear ſatisfaction to the law and juſtice of God in our ſtead, how much them may we conceive that this ſtood him in? The Apoſtle puts an Emphaſis upon it in, 1 Pet. 1.18, 19. For as much as ye know that we were not redeemed with corruptible things, as ſilver and gold: But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemiſh & without ſpot. How much then is his infinite love to poor ſinners diſplayed in this, and how glorious a luſtre doth the conſideration hereof put upon it? Well might the Apoſtle put ſuch obſervations upon it, Gal. 2.20. I am cruciſied with (briſt. Nevertheleſs I live; yet not I, but Chriſt liveth in me: and the life which I now live, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himſelf for me. Eph. 3.19. And to know the love of Chriſt, which paſſeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulneſs of God. And accordingly repreſent it before us as a thing that is without a parallel, Rom. 5.7, 8. For ſcarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man ſome would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love towards us, in that while we were yet ſinners Chriſt died for us. And this he did for us when we were caſt out to the loathing of our perſons, and there was none eye that ſo much as pitied us.
USE II. HENCE what ſtrong abligations doth this Redemption lay us under, to love, praiſe and glorify our Redeemer. The Apoſtle reckoned it argument enough to lay Chriſtains under an everlaſting obligation to this duty, 1 Cor. 6.20. For ye are bought with a price; therefore gloryfy God in your body, and in your ſpirit, which are God's. And doubtleſs he had this on his heart, when he uttered that fearful execration. 1 Cor. 16.22. If any man love not the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, let him he Anathema, Mar…er…e. We threfore have ſuch in…mations of the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 107.1, 2. O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy en…roth for ever, Let the redermed of the Lord ſay ſo, whom he hoth redermed from the hand of the enemy. Labour we then all, both Young and Old, to get a title to this Redemption, and the apprehenſion of it in out ſelres; and thea let us make this improvement of it, to put our ſelves upon making it our ſtudy what to reader as him for ſo great a bea…: and by meditati… the excellency and admirableneſs of it, … enkindle an holy zeal in us, in p…erſo…ed the mortification of ſin, and all ma… of holy converſation, according to the reading of the grace of God Tis. 2.11, 12.
[DECEMBER 25. 1694]