Sermons on Various Subjects Volume 1, Sermon 2
SERMON II.
Of Juſtification by CHRIST.
1 COR. vi. 11.
But ye are juſtified.
The whole Verſe runs thus:—And ſuch were ſome of you, but ye are waſhed, but ye are ſanctified, but ye are juſtified in the Name of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and by the Spirit of our God.
IT has been objected by ſome, who are ſo unhappy as to diſſent from, nay, I may add by others alſo, who actually are Friends to the preſent Eccleſiaſtical Eſtabliſhment, That the Miniſters of the Church of England preach themſelves, and not CHRIST JESUS our Lord, that they entertain their People with Lectures of mere Morality, without declaring to them the glad Tidings of Salvation by JESUS CHRIST. How well grounded ſuch an Objection may be, is not my Buſineſs to enquire: All I ſhall ſay at preſent to the Point is this; namely, that whenever ſuch a grand Objection is urged againſt the whole Body of the Clergy in general, every honeſt Miniſter of JESUS CHRIST ſhould do his utmoſt to cut off all manner of Occaſion from thoſe that deſire an Occaſion to take Offence at us; that ſo by hearing us continually ſounding forth the Word of Truth, and declaring with all Boldneſs and aſſurance of Faith, that there is no other Name given under Heaven, whereby they can be ſaved, but that of JESUS CHRIST; they may be aſhamed of this their ſame confident Boaſting againſt us.
It was an Eye to this Objection, joined with the Agreeableneſs and Delightfulneſs of the Subject (for who can but delight to talk of that which the bleſſed Angels deſire to look into?) that induced me to diſcourſe a little on that great and fundamental Article of our Faith; namely, our being freely juſtified from all our Sins by the precious Blood of JESUS CHRIST. But ye are waſhed, ſays the Apoſtle, but ye are ſanctified, but ye are juſtified, in the Name of our Lord JESUS CHRIST, and by the Spirit of our GOD.
The Words beginning with the Particle But, have plainly a Reference to ſomething that went before; it may not therefore be improper, before I deſcend to Particulars, to conſider the Words, as they ſtand related to the Context. The Apoſtle, in the Verſes immediately foregoing, had been reckoning up many notorious Sins, ſuch as Drunkenneſs, Adultery, Fornication, and ſuch like, the Commiſſion of which, without a true and hearty Repentance, He tells them plainly, would certainly ſhut them out of the Kingdom of GOD. But then, le…t the ſincere Corinthian Converts, who we find were once infamous for moſt or all of theſe Vices, ſhould either on the one hand grow ſpiritually proud by ſeeing themſelves differ from their unconverted Brethren, and therefore ſhould be tempted to ſet them at nought, and to ſay with the ſelf-conceited Hypocrite in the Prophet, Come not nigh me, for I am holier than thou: Or, on the other hand, by looking back on the Multitude of their paſt offences, ſhould be apt to think their Sins were too many and grievous to be forgiven: He firſt, in order to keep them humble, reminds them of their ſad Eſtate before Converſion, telling them in plain Terms, Such (or as it might better be read, theſe things) were ſome of you; that is, Not only one, but all that ſad Catalogue of Vices I have been before drawing up, ſome of you were once guilty of; but then, at the ſame time, to preſerve them from Deſpair, behold he brings them glad Tidings of great Joy: But ye are waſhed, ſays he, but ye are ſanctified, but ye are juſtified in the Name of our Lord JESUS CHRIST, and by the Spirit of our GOD.
The former Part of which Text, namely our being Sanctified, I did, in ſome meaſure, treat of, when I diſcourſed on the Nature and Neceſſity of the New Birth: I come now, as was before propoſed, to enlarge on the latter Part of it, namely, of our being freely Juſtified from all our Sins, by the precious Blood of JESUS CHRIST: But ye are Juſtified in the Name of our Lord JESUS CHRIST.
From which Words I ſhall endeavour to conſider theſe Three Things:
I. Firſt, What is meant by the Word Juſtified.
II. Secondly, I ſhall endeavour to prove, that all Mankind in general, and every individual Perſon in particular, ſtands in need of being juſtified.
III. Thirdly and Laſtly, That there is no poſſibility of obtaining this Juſtification, which we ſo much want, but by the precious Blood of JESUS CHRIST.
IV. Firſt then, I am to conſider what is meant by the Word Juſtified.
But ye are juſtified, ſays the Apoſtle; which is all the ſame as though he had ſaid; You have your Sins forgiven, and are looked upon by GOD, as though you never had offended him at all: For that is the Meaning of the Word juſtified, in almoſt all the other Paſſages of Holy Scripture where this Word is mentioned. Thus when this ſame Apoſtle writes to the Romans, he tells them, that whom GOD calls, thoſe he alſo juſtifies; that is, forgives them their Sins: And again, ſpeaking of Abraham's Faith, he tells them, that Abraham believed on HIM that juſtifies the Ungodly: That is, who forgives the ungodly Man his Sins: Which Expreſſion the Apoſtle himſelf explains by a Quotation out of the Pſalms; Bleſſed is the Man, ſays he, to whom the LORD i…puteth no Sin. From all which Proofs, and many others that might be urged it is evident, that being juſtified, or having our Sins forgiven, are the ſame as to Signification: So that what the Apoſtle here affirms of the Corinthian Converts, namely, that they were juſtified, amount to what all of us profeſs to hold when we juſt now repeated our Creed, and each of us declared in his own Perſon, I believe the Forgiveneſs of Sins. Which leads me directly to the
II. Second Thing propoſed, namely, To endeavour to prove that all Mankind in general, and every individual Perſon in particular, ſtands in need of being thus juſtified, or having his Sins forgiven.
And indeed the Apoſtle ſuppoſes this in the Words of the Text: But ye are juſtified, ſays he, thereby implying, that the Corinthians (and conſequently all Mankind, there being no Difference, as will be ſhewn hereafter) ſtood in need of being thus juſtified.
But, not to reſt in bare Suppoſitions, in my farther Enlargement on this Second Head, I ſhall endeavour to prove that we all ſtand in need of being juſtified, on two Accounts: Firſt, as we ſtand chargeable with Original—Secondly, as we have been guilty of Actual Sin.
And firſt, I affirm that we all ſtand in need of being juſtified, as we are chargeable with Original Sin: Which, though a Propoſition that might be denied by a ſelf-juſtifying Infidel, who will not come to CHRIST that he may have Life, and ſtoop to thoſe Terms GOD has graciouſly ſettled for his Salvation; yet can never be denied by any one who believes that St. Paul's Epiſtles were written by Divine Inſpiration, where we are told, that in Adam all die; that is, Adam's Sin was imputed to all: And leſt we ſhould forget to make a particular Application, it is farther added in another Place, that there is none that doeth good (that is, … Nature) no, not one: That we are all gone out of the Way; namely, of Original Righteouſneſs; and are by Nature the Children of Wrath. And even David, who was the Man after GOD's own Heart, and if any one could, might ſurely plead an Exemption from this univerſal Corruption, yet he confeſſes, that he was ſhapen in Wickedneſs, and that in Sin did his Mother conceive him. And, to mention but one more Text, as immediately applicable to the preſent Purpoſe, St. Paul, in his Epiſtle to the Romans ſays, that Death came upon all Men, for the Diſobedience of one Man, namely, of Adam, even upon thoſe ſays he, (that is, little Children) who had not ſinned after the Similitude of Adam's Tranſgreſſion; or, had not been guilty of actual Sin, and therefore could not be puniſhed with temporal, Death (which came into the World, as this ſame Apoſtle elſewhere informs us, only by Sin) had not the Diſobedience of our firſt Parents been imputed to them. So that what has been ſaid on this Point, ſeems to be excellently ſummed up in that Article of our Church, where ſhe declares, That Original Sin ſtandeth not in the following of Adam, but it is the Fault and Corruption of the Nature of every Man, that naturally is ingendred of the Offspring of Adam; whereby Man is very far gone from Original Righteouſneſs, and is of his own Nature inclined to Evil, ſo that the Fleſh luſteth always contrary to the Spirit; and therefore in every Perſon born into this World it deſerveth GOD's Wrath and Damnation.
I have been the more particular in treating of this Point, becauſe it is the very Foundation of the Chriſtian Religion: For I am verily perſuaded, that it is nothing but a Want of being well grounded in the Doctrine of Original Sin, and of the helpleſs, nay, I may ſay damnable, Condition each of us comes into the World in, that makes ſo many Infidels oppoſe, and ſo many that call themſelves Chriſtians, ſo very Lukewarm in their Love and Affections to JESUS CHRIST. It is this, and I could almoſt ſay this only, that makes Infidelity abound amongſt us ſo much as it does: For alas! we are miſtaken, if we imagine that Men now commence or continue Infidels, and ſet up corrupted Reaſon, in Oppoſition to Revelation, merely for want of Evidence, (for I believe it might eaſily be proved, that a modern Unbeliever is the moſt credulous Creature living;) No, it is only for want of an humble Mind, of a Senſe of their Original Depravity, and an Unwillingneſs to own themſelves ſo depraved, that makes them ſo obſtinately ſhut their Eyes againſt the Light of the Glorious Goſpel of CHRIST. Whereas, on the contrary, were they but once pricked to the Heart with a due and lively Senſe of their natural Corruption and Liableneſs to Condemnation, we ſhould have them no more ſcoffing at Divine Revelation, and looking on it as an idle Tale; but they would cry out with convicted Paul,—LORD, what wouldſt thou have me to do? Or, with the trembling Jailor, on a like Occaſion, Men and Brethren, what ſhall we do to be ſaved? It was an Error in this Fundamental Point, that made ſo many reſiſt the Evidence the Son of GOD himſelf gave of his Divine Miſſion, when he tabernacled amongſt us. Every Word he ſpake, every Action he did, every Miracle he wrought, proved that he came from GOD. And why then did ſo many harden their Hearts, and would not believe his Report? Why, He himſelf informs us, when he tells us, They will not come to me that they may have Life: They will obſtinately ſtand out againſt thoſe Means GOD had appointed for their Salvation: And St. Paul tells us, that if the Goſpel he hid, it is hid to them that are loſt: In whom the God of this World hath blinded the Minds of them which believe not, le…t the Light of the Glorious Goſpel of CHRIST, who is the Image of GOD, ſhould ſhine upon them.—2 Cor: iv. 3, 4.
But to return from this Digreſſion, which I could not very well avoid making; if it be asked, How it ſuits with the Divine Goodneſs, to impute the Guilt of one Man's Sin, to an innocent Poſterity? I ſhould think it ſufficient, to make uſe of the Apoſtle's Words: Nay, but O Man; Who art thou that replied againſt GOD? Shall the Thing formed ſay to him that formed it' Why haſt thou made me thus? But, to come to a more direct Reply,—Perſons would do well to conſider, that in this firſt Covenant GOD made with Man, Adam acted as a Publick Perſon, as the common Repreſentative of all Mankind, and conſequently we muſt ſtand or fall with him. Had he continued in his Obedience, and not eaten the forbidden Fruit, the Benefits of that Obedience would doubtleſs have been imputed to us: But ſince he did not perſiſt in it, but broke the Covenant GOD made with him, and us in him; who dares charge the righteous Judge of all the Earth with Injuſtice, for imputing that to us alſo? But I ſhall have an Occaſion by and by, to vindicate the Divine Proceeding in this Point more particularly, and therefore I chuſe to wave all farther Conſideration of it in this Place, and proceed to the other Thing propoſed under this Second general Head, namely,
II. To endeavour to prove, That we all ſtand in need of being juſtified, not only as we are chargeable with Original but as we ſtand convicted of Actual Sin.
That GOD, as he made Man, has a Right alſo to demand his Obedience, I ſuppoſe, is a Truth no one will deny: That He hath alſo given us both a natural and a written Law, whereby we are to be judged, cannot be queſtioned by any one who believes St. Paul's Epiſtle to the Romans to be of Divine Authority: For in this we are told of a Law written in the Heart, and a Law given by Moſes; and that each of us hath broken theſe Laws, is too evident from our own ſad and frequent Experience. Accordingly the Holy Scriptures inform us that there is no Man which liveth and ſinneth not; that in many things we offend all; that if we ſay we have no Sin we deceive ourſelves, and ſuch like. And if we are thus found Offenders againſt GOD, it follows that we ſtand in need of Forgiveneſs for thus Offending Him; unleſs we ſuppoſe GOD ſhould enact Laws, and at the ſame Time not care whether they are obeyed or no; which is as abſurd as to ſuppoſe that a Prince ſhould eſtabliſh Laws for the proper Government of his Country, and yet let every Violater of them come off with Impunity, But GOD has not dealt ſo fooliſhly with his Creatures: No, as he gave us a Law, he demands our Obedience to that Law, and has obliged us univerſally to obey it, under no leſs a Penalty than incurring his Curſe and eternal Death for every Breach of it. For thus ſpeaks the Scripture: Curſed is he that continueth not in all Things that are written in this Book to do them; as the Scripture alſo ſpeaketh in another Place, The Soul that ſinneth, it ſhall die. Now it has already been proved that we have all of us ſinned, and therefore, unleſs ſome Means can be found out to ſatisfy GOD'S Juſtice, we muſt periſh eternally.
Let us here then ſtand a while, and ſee in what a deplorable Condition each of us comes into the World, and ſtill continues, till we are put into a State of Grace. For ſurely nothing can well be ſuppoſed more deplorable than to be born under the Curſe of GOD; to be charged with Original Guilt; and not only ſo, but to be convicted as actual Breakers of GOD'S Law, the leaſt Breach of which juſtly deſerves Eternal Damnation. Surely this can be but a melancholy Proſpect to view ourſelves in, and muſt put us upon contriving ſome Means whereby we may ſatisfy and appeaſe our offended Judge. But what muſt thoſe Means be? Shall we Repent? Alas! there is not one Word mentioned about Repentance in the firſt Covenant: The Day that thou eateſt thereof, ſays GOD, thou ſhalt ſurely die. So that if GOD be true, unleſs there be ſome Way found out to ſatisfy his Juſtice, we muſt periſh, and there is no room left for us to expect a Change of Mind in GOD, though we ſhould ſeek it with Tears. Well then, if Repentance will not do, ſhall we plead the Law of Works? Alas! By the Law ſhall no Man living be juſtified: For by the Law comes the Knowledge of Sin. It is that which convicts and condemns, and therefore can by no means acquit, much leſs juſtify us. Wherewith then ſhall we come before the LORD, and bow down before the Moſt High GOD; in order to procure the Forgiveneſs of our Sins? Shall we come before him with Calves of a Year old, with Thouſands of Rams, or ten Thouſands of Rivers of Oil? Alas! GOD has ſhewed thee, O Man, that this will not avail. For he hath declared, I will take no Bullock out of thy Houſe, nor He-Goat out of thy Fold: For all the Beaſts of the Foreſt are mine, and ſo are the Cattle upon a Thouſand Hills. Will not the LORD then be pleaſed to accept our Firſt-born for our Tranſgreſſion, the Fruit of our Bodies for the Sin of our Souls? Even this will not purchaſe our Pardon: For He has declared that the Children ſhall not bear the Iniquities of their Parents. Beſides, they are Sinners, and therefore, being under the ſame Condemnation, equally ſtand in need of Forgiveneſs with ourſelves. They are impure, and will the LORD accept the Blind and Lame for Sacrifice? O wretched Men that we are! Who ſhall deliver us from this. Body of Death? Why, I thank GOD, our Lord JESUS CHRIST. Which naturally leads me to the Third general Thing propoſed, which was to endeavour to prove,
III. That there is no Poſſibility of our obtaining this Juſtification, which we ſo much want, but by the precious Blood of our Lord JESUS CHRIST: But ye are juſtified in the Name of our Lord JESUS CHRIST.
But this having been in ſome Meaſure, proved by what has been ſaid under the foregoing Head, wherein I have ſhewn that neither our Repentance, Works or Sacrifices could poſſibly take away, or make Attonement for our Sins; nothing remains for me to do under this Head, but to ſhew that the Death of JESUS CHRIST has done it for us.
And here I ſhall ſtill have Recourſe to the Law and to the Teſtimony. For after all the moſt ſubtle Diſputations on either ſide, nothing but the lively Oracles of GOD can give us any Satisfaction in this momentous Point: It being ſuch an inconceivable Myſtery, that the Eternal, only begotten Son of GOD ſhould die for ſinful Man, that we durſt not have preſumed ſo much as to have thought of it, had no… GOD revealed it in his Holy Word. It is true, Reaſon may ſhew us the Wound, but Revelation only can lead us to the Means of our C…re. And though the Method God has been pleaſed to take to put us in a Way of being happy, may be to the Infidel a Stumblick-block, and to the wiſe Opiniator and Diſputer of this World Fooliſhneſs; yet Wiſdom, that is, the Diſpenſation of our Redemption, will be juſtified, or approved of, and ſubmitted to by all her truly wiſe and holy Children, by every ſincere and honeſt Chriſtian.
But to come more directly to the Point before us. Two Things, as was before obſerved, we wanted, in order to make our Peace with GOD.
1. To be freed from the Guilt of Original Sin. And,
2. From that Puniſhment we had moſt juſtly deſerved for our actual Breaches of GOD'S Law.
And both theſe (Thanks be to GOD for this unſpeakable Gift) are abundantly ſecured to us by the Death and Paſſion of JESUS CHRIST. For what ſays the Scripture?
1. As to the firſt, or our being freed from the Guilt of Original Sin.—It informs us, that as in Adam all die, even ſo in CHRIST ſhall all be made alive. And again, As by the Diſobedience of one Man, or by one Traſgreſſion, namely, that of Adam, many were made Sinners, ſo by the Obedience of one, JESUS CHRIST, many were made righteous. And again, As by the Diſobedience of one M…n, Judgment came upon all Men unto Damnation; that is, all Men were condemned, on having Adam's Sin imputed to them: So by the Obedience of one, that is, JESUS CHRIST, the Free Gift of Pardon and Peace came upon all Men unto Juſtification of Life. Which by the Way clears up (as I promiſed to do before) that ſeeming Diſagreement between GOD's Attributes, in imputing Adam's Sin … us, (namely, his Juſtice and Mercy) and wholly takes off that Imputation of Injuſtice, which wicked and ungodly Men would blaſphemouſly caſt upon the Righteous Judge of all the Earth. Had GOD indeed imputed Adam's Sin to his innocent Poſterity, and left them to periſh in it: Had he looked upon and puniſhed them all as Sinners, without providing them a Saviour, we might perhaps have had ſome Pretence to complain of his Severity, though we could not even then but acknowledge his Juſtice in the Puniſhment of Sin. But ſince He has not dealt with us after our Deſerts, nor rewarded us according to our Iniquity; ſince the ſame Revelation acquaints us, that As in Adam all die, even ſo in CHRIST ſhall all be made alive: Since the ſame GOD that informs us that Death came even upon thoſe who had not ſinned after the Similitude of Adam's Tranſgreſſion, declares likewiſe, that He that believeth and is baptized ſhall be ſaved, or put into a State of Salvation: I ſay ſince theſe Things are ſo, What Reaſon have ſuch Worms as we to quarrel with the moſt High GOD? Doubtleſs no more than a condemned Criminal has to find fault with his Judge for condemning him for breaking the Law, only that he might give him the Pleaſure of a Reprieve. No; as for GOD, his Ways are perfect, and his Dealings with his Creatures are holy, juſt and good; and as in all his Diſpenſations, ſo more eſpecially in our Recovery from our fallen Eſtate by the Death of JESUS, we may juſtly ſay, Mercy and Truth have met together, Righteouſneſs and Peace have kiſſed each other. But,
2. Pardon for our actual Tranſgreſſion of GOD'S Law was another Thing which we wanted to have ſecured to us, before we could be at Peace with GOD. And this the Holy Scriptures inform us is abundantly done by the Death of JESUS CHRIST. The Evangelical Prophet foretels that the promiſed Redeemer ſhould be wounded for our Tranſgreſſions, and bruiſed for our Iniquities; that the Chaſtiſement of our Peace ſhould be upon him; and that by his Stripes we ſhould be healed; Iſaiah liii. 6. The Angel at His Birth ſays, that he ſhould ſave his People from their Sins: And St. Paul declares, that this is a faithful ſaying, and worthy of all Acceptation, that JESUS CHRIST came into the World to ſave Sinners: And here in the Words of the Text, Such (or, as I obſerved before, theſe Things) were ſome of you; but ye are waſhed, &c.—And St. Peter, alluding to the aforementioned Paſſage of Iſaiah, teſtifies of CHRIST, that His own Self bare our Sins in his own Body on the Tree, that we being dead to Sin, ſhould live unto Righteouſneſs; by whoſe Stripes, ſays he, ye are healed, 1 Pet. ii. 24. And in another Place the ſame Apoſtle ſays, Neither is there Salvation in any other; for there is none other Name under Heaven given among Men, whereby we muſt be ſaved, but the Name of JESUS CHRIST, Acts iv. 12. How GOD will be pleaſed to deal with the Gentiles who yet ſit in Darkneſs and in the ſhadow of Death, and on whom the Sun of Righteouſneſs never yet aroſe, is not for us to enquire. What have we to do to judge thoſe that are without? To God's Mercy let us recommend them, and wait for a Solution of this Point till the Great Day of Accounts, when all GOD's Diſpenſations, both of Providence and Grace, will be fully cleared up, by Methods to us, it may be, at preſent unknown, becauſe unrevealed. However, this we know, that the Judge of all the Earth will, moſt aſſuredly, do right.
But it is Time for me to draw towards a Concluſion:
I have now then, Brethren, by the Bleſſing of GOD, diſcourſed on the Words of the Text in the Method I propoſed; and have in as plain a Manner as I could, ſhewn you what is meant by the Word Juſtified, that it ſignifies our having our Sins forgiven: And have alſo in ſome meaſure proved that we all ſtand in need of being thus juſtified, as we are chargeable with Original, and have been guilty of Actual Sin: And laſtly, that nothing but the Precious Blood of JESUS CHRIST has, or can procure this ineſtimable Priviledge for us.
Many uſeful Inferences might be drawn from what has been delivered; but as I have detained you, I fear, too long already, permit me only to make a Reflection or two on what has been ſaid, and I have done.
If then we are freely juſtified by the Death of JESUS CHRIST, let us here pauſe a while; and as before we reflected on the Miſery, let us now turn aſide and admire the Happineſs of Man. But alas! how am I loſt to think that GOD the Father, when we were in a State of Enmity by Original, and of Rebellion by our Actual Sins, ſhould notwithſtanding yearn in his Bowels towards us his fallen, his apoſtate Creatures: And becauſe nothing but an infinite Ranſom could ſatisfy an infinitely offended Juſtice, ſhould ſend his only and dear Son JESUS CHRIST (who is GOD, bleſſed for ever, and who had lain in his Boſom from all Eternity) to die a curſed, painful, ignominious Death, for us and for our Salvation! O who can avoid crying out, on the Conſideration of this great Myſtery of Godlineſs,—Oh the Depth of the Riches of GOD's Love to us his wretched, miſerable, undone Creatures! How unſearchable is his Mercy, and his Loving Kindneſs paſt finding out! Now know we of a Truth, O GOD, that thou haſt loveſt us, ſince thou haſt not with-held thy Son, thy only Son JESUS CHRIST, from thus dying for us.
But as we admire the FATHER ſending, let us likewiſe humbly and thankfully adore the SON coming, when ſent to die for Man. But alas! what Thoughts can conceive, what Words expreſs the infinite Greatneſs of that unparalleled Love, which drew the Son of GOD down from the Manſions of his Father's Glory to die for ſinful Man! The Jews, when he only ſhed a Tear … poor Lazarus's Funeral, ſaid, Behold how he loved him: How much more juſtly then may we cry out, Behold how he loved us, when he did not ſpare to ſhed not only a Tear, but his his own precious Blood for us.
And can any poor returning Sinner, after this, deſpair of Mercy? What, can they ſee their Saviour hanging on a Tree, with Arms ſtretched out to embrace them, and yet, upon their truly believing on him, doubt of finding Acceptance with him? No, away with all ſuch diſhonourable, ſuch deſponding Thoughts.—Look on his Hands, bored with Pins of Iron; look on his Side, pierced with a cruel Spear, on Purpoſe to unlooſe the Sluices of his Blood, and open a Fountain for Sin, and for Uncleanneſs.—And then deſpair of Mercy if you can! No, do but believe on him with your whole Hearts; Do not crucify Him afreſh, and put him again to open Shame, by leading wicked, lukewarm, ungodly Lives: In ſhort, do but labour to attain that Holineſs, without which no Man ſhall ſee the LORD; and then, though your Sins be as Scarlet, yet ſhall they be as Wooll; though they be as Crimſon, yet ſhall they be whiter than Snow.
Which GOD of his infinite Mercy grant, &c.