Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

DISCOURSE XXIX.

TITUS ii. 14.

Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all Iniquity, and purify to himself a peculiar People, zealous of good Works.

H

AVING fhew'd the Foundation of our Faith in the Holy Trinity; and likewife what our Creed teaches to believe of God the Father, the first Perfon in it, viz. That he made us and all the World:

I proceed, in the next place to what it teaches us to believe of God the Son, the fecond Perfon in the Bleffed Trinity; and that is, That he redeemed us and all Mankind. Where, as Creation is appropriated to the Father, fo is Redemption to the Son; of which therefore I fhall treat from the words read: where the Apoftle fpeaking of our Saviour Jefus Chrift, faith, that he gave himself for us, to redeem us, &c.

In fpeaking to which words, as they relate to the Catechifm, 'twill be neceffary to confider,

First, The Nature of Redemption, and in what fenfe Chrift is faid to be a Redeemer.

Secondly, The Price of our Redemption, or what it coft to redeem us.

Thirdly, The Perfons redeemed by him, and that is, we and all Mankind.

Laftly, The End and Defign of his redeeming them, which was, to purify to himself a peculiar People, zealous of good Works.

For the Nature of Redemption; it is, in its proper Notion, a fecond buying, or a buying back again of fomething, that was before alien'd, fold, or made away. And it relates chiefly to Perfons, Times or Things.

The redeeming of Perfons, is the releafing them from Bondage and Captivity: When any that have been taken

Prifoners,

347 Prifoners, or fold into Slavery, are by a certain Sum of Money bought out of Thraldom, and reftor'd to their former Liberty; they are then properly faid to be redeem'd.

The redeeming of Time, is the repairing the lofs of what is paft by a double diligence in that which is to come. When any by loofenefs or lazinefs hath fquander'd away and mifpent his Days, he is faid to have loft his Time; but when by a future care he hath employ'd it well, he is said to regain or redeem it.

The redeeming of Things, is the regaining a Title to Goods that were fold, or made away by Pawn, which when purchas'd and restor'd again, are faid to be redeem'd.

This is briefly the nature of Redemption, which is never apply'd to the firft buying, but always to the fecond purchafe, or gaining a new Title in fomething that was loft and out of poffeffion. By which we may learn, in what fenfe Chrift is faid to be our Redeemer; namely, by buying us out of the hands of our Enemies, to whom we were in Bondage, and reftoring us to the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God. This is afcrib'd fometimes to God the Father, who is faid to redeem Ifrael out of the hands of their Enemies: Mic. 4. 10. but more especially and frequently to God the Son, who is faid to be made unto us Wisdom and Righteousness, Sanctification and Redemption; 1 Cor. 1. 30. For which reafon, he is every where in the New Testament ftyl'd our Saviour and Redeemer.

Now Chrift's redeeming us implies, that we were before taken captive, and fold under Sin, and fo were in the Condition of Slaves: And likewife, that he hath bought us out of that Captivity, and inftated us again in the Privileges of the Sons of God.

1. I fay, Redemption fuppofes a former Bondage, Sale or Alienation, which is the natural State and Condition of all Mankind. Our Natures were alien'd from God in Adam, by whofe Disobedience all Men were made Sinners, and fo lay under the power and guilt of the firft Tranfgreffion. What is faid of Ahab, that he fold himself to work Wickedszefs, 1 Kings 21. 25. is in fome fenfe true of all Mankind they fold themselves to Sin and Satan, and thereby became miferable Bond-flaves unto both. So St. Paul speaks of all unregenerate Men, that they are carnal, and fold under Sin; Rom. 7. 14. In which natural Eftate, he tells us, they are Aliens from the Commonwealth of Ifrael, Strangers to the Covenant of Promije, without God, and without Hope in the World. But,

2. A

Part II. 2. A deliverance from this wretched Captivity is the Redemption here afcrib'd to God the Son, the fecond Perfon in the Holy Trinity, who hath refcu'd us from the Vaffalage we were in to Sin and Satan, and reftor'd us to the Liberty and Happiness of the Sons of God. In the Text he is faid to redeem us from all Iniquity; that is, from the Power that Sin had over us, and from the Punishment it render'd us liable unto Infomuch that Sin fhall no longer reign in our mortal Bodies, nor Satan have any dominion over us. And being thus made free from Sin, we are become the Servants of Righteousness. But,

Secondly, What was the Price of our Redemption; or what did God the Son give to redeem us? Why, our Text tells us, He gave himself for us; that is, he laid down his Life, and fhed his Blood for us: So faith the Prophet, He made his Soul an Offering for Sin, Ifa. 53. And the Evangelift, He gave his Life a Ransom for many, Mat. 10. 28. A great and invaluable Price this, one Drop of his moft precious Blood being of more worth than all the World: And yet nothing less than this was of fufficient Value to purchase it, for without hedding of Blood there was no Remiffion; and therefore the Blood of our Saviour must go for it, to obtain Eternal Redemption for us: and Death being the Wages of Sin, there could be no Redemption from it without the Death of the Redeemer. Silver and Gold (as St. Peter tells us) being earthly and corruptible things, were no valuable Confideration for heavenly and immortal Souls : It cost more to redeem a Soul (fays Holy David) and therefore that must be let alone for ever; Pfal. 49. 8. Nothing lefs than the precious Blood of Christ, as a Lamb without blemish, and without Spot: 1 Pet. 1. 18. was fufficient to effect it.

[ocr errors]

But was the Blood of one Perfon, one fingle Lamb, a valuable Compenfation for the Sins of the whole World? Yes, of fuch a Lamb as this was, the like whereof never was, or can be for he was a Lamb that never went aftray, a Lamb without the leaft spot or blemish; yea, the Lamb of God that was defign'd from all Eternity to take away the Sins of the World. But above all, he was not only Agnus Dei, but Agnus Deus; not only the Lamb of God, but this Lamb himself was God, God blessed for evermore. So that the Blood of this Lamb was indeed the Blood of God, of which we read, Acts 20. 28. And that muft put fuch

an

an infinite Value and Dignity into it, as to make it an infinite Price of infinite Merit, and confequently able to fatisfy an infinite Juftice, and to appeafe an infinite Wrath. This was, in fhort, the Price which God the Son paid for our Redemption; to which the Apostle refers, in faying, Te are bought with a Price, 1 Cor. 6. 20. namely, the invaluable Price of Chrift's Blood, who gave himself for us. But,

Thirdly, Who are the Perfons thus bought and redeem'd by God the Son, the fecond Perfon in the ever-bleffed Trinity? Why, that the Catechifm teaches every one to believe; (1.) Singly and particularly of himself, He redeem'd me. And, (2.) More generally and in the lump, of all Mankind.

(1.) I fay, every one is here taught to apply this Redemption fingly and particularly to himself, faying, He redeem'd me. For this, we have the Example of St. Paul, who says, He gave himself for me, Gal. 2. 20. Which being a matter of vaft Concernment and Comfort to us, every one is by Faith to bring it home and apply it to himself. For as the highest Cordial can be of no ufe or Advantage, unless taken in and receiv'd by every fingle Perfon: fo neither can the Doctrine of Redemption by Jefus Chrift administer any Confolation, without a due and particular Application of it to ourselves; believing and faying, He redeem'd me. But yet,

(2.) Our Faith herein is not to be confin'd to ourselves, nor limited to a few, but muft extend to all Men; for we are here taught to believe, that he redeem'd me and all Mankind. So St. Paul likewife teaches, He gave himself a Ranfom for all, 1 Tim. 2. 6. This is the frequent Language of the Holy Scripture. St. John the Baptift ufher'd the Son of God into the World, with Ecce Agnus Dei! Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the Sins of the World! And St. John the Evangelift declares, That God fo loved the World, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him Jhould not perish, but have Everlasting Life; 1 John 3. 16. where the Love of God in fending his Son for our Redemption, is extended to the whole World, and the Promife of Salvation by him is general to all Believers. The fame is more exprefly deliver'd by the fame Apostle; If any Man fin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jefus Christ the Righteous: And he is the Propitiation for our Sins,

and

Part II. and not for ours only, but also for the Sins of the whole World; 1 John 2. 1, 2. meaning, that Chrift hath made a sufficient Atonement for the Sins of all Mankind, by which they are deliver'd from a neceffity of perifhing, and put in a Condition of being eternally happy. To the fame purpose speaks St. Paul, 1 Tim. 4. 10. Chrift is the Saviour of all Men, efpecially of those that believe. And, left we fhould think any to be excluded from this Mercy, he fays, 1 Tim. 1. 15. This is a faithful Saying, and worthy of all acceptation, That Jefus Chrift came into the World to fave Sinners. The Author to the Hebrews tells us, Chap. 2. 9. That he tasted Death for every Man. Yea, St. Peter extends his Redemption to his very Enemies, for he bought those that deny'd him, tho they afterward deny'd the Lord that bought them.

By all which, and many more places that might be produc'd to the fame purpofe, 'tis evident that God's Mercy is over all his Works, and that Chrift's Love is not so narrow and confin'd as fome would make it, but reaches all Mankind, and that he gave himself a Ranfom for all. But here it may be afk'd,

If Chrift redeem'd and dy'd for all, how comes it to pass that all are not fav'd?

Why,

That proceeds not from any defect in Chrift's Satisfaction, nor yet from any want of Love in him, by denying to any the Virtue and Merits of it; but from Mens being wanting to themselves, in refufing the Terms upon which it is offer'd to them: his Merits and Atonement are fufficient for all, tho they are effectual only to fuch as by Faith lay hold of them. For the Promifes of Redemption and Salvation by Jefus Chrift, are not Abfolute, but Conditional; and none but they who obferve the Conditions of Faith and Repentance, upon which they are tender'd, can receive any benefit by them. Chrift's dying for our Sins will be effectual only to thofe that die to them; for he for he gave himself to redeem us from all Iniquity, not to purchase for us a Licence or Indulgence in any. In fhort, our Bleffed Redeemer hath remov'd all Obftacles, and put all Men in a way and poffibility of Salvation; fo that they all may be fav'd if they please, and if any mifcarry, 'tis thro' their own Default, and their Deftruction is of themselves.

I have infifted a little longer on this, to fhew the Error of those who would confine the Mercy and Merits of Christ only to a few selected from all Eternity to Everlafting

« AnteriorContinuar »