characters of the persons for whom he died, observed before; and so is called the grace of Christ, free grace, unmoved and unmerited by any thing in the creature; and to this is attributed the whole affair of our redemption and salvation by Christ, 2 Cor. viii. 5; pity and compassion in his heart towards his people, in their miserable and enthralled state, moved him to undertake and perform the work of their redemption: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them, as he did Israel of old, Isa. lxiii. 9. This love, grace and mercy, influenced and engaged him to resolve upon the redemption of them; hence he said, I will ransom them, I will redeem them; as from the grave and death, so from every other enemy, Hos. xiii. 14; and as he entered into covenant-engagements with his Father from everlasting; he considered himself as under obligation to perform this work, and therefore spoke in language which imports the same; as that he must work the works of him that sent him, of which this is the principal ; that he ought to suffer and die as he did; and that he must bring in those the Father gave him, and he undertook for, and bring them safe to glory.

II. The fitness of Christ to be a Redeemer of his people, is worthy of notice. As he engaged in it, he was every way fit for it; none so fit as he, none fit for it but himself; no creature, man or angel: no man, for all have sinned, and so every one needs a redeemer from sin, and can neither redeem himself nor any other; nor could an angel redeem any of the sons of men; God has put no trust of this kind in those his servants the angels, knowing that they were unequal to it the angel Jacob speaks of, that redeemed him from all evil, was not a created, but the uncreated angel: the angel and messenger of the covenant, the Messiah. Now Christ's fitness for the work of redemption, lies in his being God and man in one person. It was the Son of God that was sent to redeem men, who is of the same nature, and possessed of the same perfections his divine Father is; the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person; who was in the form of God, and thought it no robbery to be equal to him: this Son of God is the true God, the great God, and so fit to be the Redeemer and Saviour of men; and a mighty redeemer he must be, since he is Jehovah, the Lord of hosts, and therefore equal to such a work as this, and he is both God and man; he is the child born, as man, and the son given, as a divine person; he is Immanuel, God with us, God in our nature, God manifest in the flesh, and so fit to be a mediator between God and man; and to be an umpire, a days-man to lay hands on both; and to do the work required of a Redeemer of men, to make reconciliation for their sins and to take care of things pertaining to the glory of God, his justice and holiness. As man he could be made, as he was made, under the law, and so capable of yielding obedience to it, and of bearing the penalty of it; which it was necessary he should, as the surety and redeemer of men; as man, he had blood to shed, with which most precious blood he could redeem them unto God; had a life to lay down, a sufficient ransom-price for his people, and was capable of suffering and dying in

their room and stead, and so of making full satisfaction for them. As God, he would be zealously concerned for the glory of the divine perfections, and secure the honour of them in the redemption wrought out by him; as such, he could put an infinite virtue into his blood, and make it a full and adequate price for the purchase of his church, and the redemption of it, as such he could support the human nature under the load of sin and of sufferings for it, and of carrying it through the work, otherwise insupportable; as both God and man, he had a right to redeem; as Lord of all, he had a right as well as power to redeem them that were his; and being, as man, their near kinsman, the right of redemption belonged to him, and therefore bears the name of Goel, which signifies a redeemer, and a near kinsman; and who so fit to be the redeemer, of the church, as he who is her head and her husband?

II. The means by which redemption is wrought out by Christ; and that is by his blood, his life, to which it is often ascribed, 1 Pet. i. 18, 19; this was shed and shed freely, for the remission of sins, and for the redemption of men; had it been shed involuntarily, by accident or by force, against his will, it would not have been a proper redemption-price, or have answered such an end; but it was purposely and voluntarily shed, and with full consent; Christ, as he had the full disposal of his own life, freely gave his life a ransom-price for many; I lay down my life for the sheep, says he, as a ransom price for them; I lay it down of myself, Matt. xx. 28, John x. 15, 18; and the blood that was thus freely shed, was the same with that of those for whom it was shed, which was necessary; not the blood of bulls and goats, which could not be an adequate price of redemption, but human blood; Christ partook of the same flesh and blood with the children for whom he died; only with this difference, it was not tainted with sin as theirs is; which is another requisite of the ransom-price; it must be the blood of an innocent person, as Christ was: much notice is taken in Scripture of the innocence, holiness, and righteousness of the Redeemer; that he was holy in his nature, harmless in life, knew no sin, nor ever committed any; that he, the just and holy one, suffered for the unjust; a great emphasis is put upon this, that the price with which men are redeemed, is the precious blood of Christ, 1 Pet. i. 18, 19; for if he had had any sin in him, he could not have been a redeemer from sin, nor his blood the price of redemption: and yet more than all this, it is necessary to make this price a full and adequate one, it must not be the blood of a mere creature, but of one that is God as well as man, and such is Christ; hence God, who is Christ, is said to purchase the church with his own blood; being God and man in one person, this gave his blood a sufficient virtue to make such a purchase; and a peculiar emphasis is put upon his blood, being the blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God, which cleanses from all sin, Acts xx. 28, 1 John i. 7. Now this price is paid into the hands of God, whose justice is offended, whose law is broken, and who is the lawgiver, that is able to save and to destroy; and against whom all sin is committed; and who will not clear the guilty, unless his justice is satisfied; for he

is the judge of all the earth, who will do right; wherefore Christ is said to redeem men unto God by his blood. The price of redemption, which is the blood of Christ, was paid unto God, whereby redemption from vindictive justice was obtained; it was not paid into the hands of Satan, or any other enemy that had power over the redeemed; for the power of Satan was only a usurpation; he had no legal right to hold them captives; and therefore the delivery of them out of his hand, is by power and not by price: but the justice of God had a legal right to shut them up, and detain them as prisoners, till satisfaction was given; and therefore redemption from avenging justice, which is properly the redemption that is by Christ, is by a price paid to justice for the ransom of them.

III. The final cause, or causes, or ends, for which redemption was wrought out and obtained by Christ in this way; and they are these. -1. That the justice of God might be satisfied in the salvation of a sinner; that God might appear to be just, whilst he is the justifier of him that believes in Jesus; and be just and faithful in forgiving sins, and cleansing from all unrighteousness; that the attributes of his justice, holiness, truth and faithfulness, might be glorified in the redemption of men, as well as the other perfections of his, Rom. iii. 25, 26.-2. That the people of God might be reconciled unto him, and have peace with him, and joy through believing in Christ; for the price of redemption being paid for them, and satisfaction given, they are reconciled to God by the death of his Son; even to his justice, as they always stood in his love and favour; and peace being made by the blood of Christ on such a footing, they may joy in God through Christ, by whom they have received the atonement, Rom. v. 10, 11.-3. Another end of redemption by Christ is, that the redeemed might enjoy the blessing of adoption; for so it is said that God sent his Son to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons, Gal. iv. 4, 5; for though the saints are predestinated to the adoption of children in the purpose of God from everlasting; and this blessing is provided and secured in the covenant of grace; yet sin having thrown a remora in the way of the enjoyment of it in their own persons, consistent with the holiness and justice of God, this is removed by the redemption which is through Christ; so that they come to receive and enjoy this blessing of grace in themselves in virtue of their redemption by Christ, and through believing in him. -4. The sanctification of God's elect, is another end of redemption by Christ; Who gave himself for them, that he might redeem them from all iniquity; and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works, Tit. ii. 14; and again, Christ is said to love the church, and give himself for it, a ransom-price for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it, Eph. v. 25, 26; and the redeemed are said to be redeemed by his blood from a vain conversation, for in consequence of redemption by Christ, the Spirit of Christ comes as a Spirit of sanctification, and begins and carries on that work in the souls of God's people; and by applying the grace and benefit of redemption, lays them under the highest obligation to holiness of life and conversation: in a word, the

end of Christ's redeeming his people is, that they might be freed from all evil, from every enemy, and all that is hurtful, sin, Satan, the world, law, hell, and death; and that they might be put into the possession of every good thing. Christ has redeemed them from the curse of the law, being made a curse for them, that the blessing of Abraham, even all the blessings of the covenant of grace in which Abraham was interested, might come on them through Jesus Christ, Gal. iii. 13, 14.6. And lastly, the subordinate end of redemption, is the everlasting salvation of God's elect, and their eternal life and happiness; and the ultimate end, is the glory of God, of his grace and justice, and of all the perfections of his nature.

OF THE OBJECTS of REDEMPTION.

THE objects of redemption come next under consideration. These are a special and distinct people; they are said to be redeemed from the earth; that is, from among the inhabitants of the earth, as after explained, redeemed from among men; and one end of Christ's redemption of them is, to purify to himself a peculiar people. The inspired writers seem to delight in using the pronoun us, when speaking of the death of Christ, and redemption by it; thereby pointing at a particular people, as the context shows: Christ died for us,-God delivered him up for us all,-who gave himself for us,-that he might redeem us,―hath redeemed us unto God by thy blood, Rom. v. 8, and viii. 32, Tit. ii. 14, Rev. v. 9. They are many indeed for whom Christ has given his life a ransom, a ransom-price, the price of their redemption. But then these are so described, as show they are a peculiar people; they are the many who are ordained unto eternal life; the many the Father has given to Christ; the many whose sins he bore on the cross; the many for whom his blood was shed for the remission of their sins; the many who are made righteous by his obedience; the many sons, he, the Captain of their salvation, brings to glory. That the objects of redemption are a special people, will appear by the following observation.

I. The objects of redemption, are such who are the objects of God's love; for redemption, as has been observed, flows from the love of God and Christ; and which love is not that general kindness shown in providence to all men, as the creatures of God; but is special and discriminating; the favour which he bears to his own people, as distinct from others; Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated: and the love which Christ has expressed in redemption, is towards his own that were in the world, whom he has special right and property in, his people, his sheep, his church; as will be seen hereafter.

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II. The objects of election and redemption are the same; Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect?-It is Christ that died! died for the elect: so the same, us all, for whom God delivered up Son, are those whom he fore-knew, and whom he predestinated; and whose calling, justification, and glorification are secured thereby, Rom.

viii. 30–33; and the same us, who are said to be chosen in Christ, before the foundation of the world, have redemption in him through his blood, Eph. i. 4-7. Election and redemption are of equal extent; no more are redeemed by Christ, than are chosen in him; and these are a special people; what is said of the objects of the one, is true of the objects of the other. Are the elect the beloved of the Lord? and does the act of election spring from love? Election presupposes love: so the redeemed are the beloved of God and Christ; and their redemption flows from love. Are the elect a people whom God has chosen for his peculiar treasure? the redeemed are purified by Christ, to be a peculiar people to himself. Do the vessels of mercy, afore prepared for glory, consist of Jews and Gentiles; even of them who are called of both? so Christ is the propitiation, not for the sins of the Jews only, or the Redeemer of them only; but for the sins of the Gentile world also, or the Redeemer of his people among them. Are the elect of God a great number, of all nations, kindreds, people, and tongues? Christ has redeemed those he has redeemed unto God, out of every kindred, tongue, people, and nation. Is it true of the elect, that they cannot be totally and finally deceived and perish? it is true of the ransomed of the Lord, that they shall come to Zion, with everlasting joy; Christ will never lose any part of the purchase of his blood.

III. Those for whom Christ has died, and has redeemed by his blood, are no other than those for whom he became a surety. Now Christ was the surety of the better testament, or covenant of grace; and of course became a surety for those, and for no other, than who were interested in that covenant, in which he engaged to be the Redeemer Christ's suretyship is the ground and foundation of redemption; the true reason of the sin of his people, and the punishment of it, being laid upon him, and of his bearing it; of the payment of the debts of his people, and of redeeming them out of the hands of justice; was because he engaged as a surety, and laid himself under obligation to do all this. But for those for whom he did not become a surety, he was not obliged to pay their debts; nor to suffer and die in their room and stead. Christ's suretyship and redemption, are of equal extent, and reach to the same objects; they are the Lord's Benjamins, the sons of his right-hand, his beloved sons, that Christ, the antitype of Judah, became a surety for, and laid himself under obligation, to bring them safe to glory, and present them to his divine Father.

IV. The objects of redemption, are described by such characters as show them to be a special and distinct people; particularly they are called, the people of God and Christ. For the transgressions of my people, saith the Lord, was he stricken; that is, Christ was, or would be, stricken by the rod of justice, to make satisfaction for their sins; and thereby redeem them from them, Isa. liii. 8, and when he was about to come and redeem them, Zachariah, the father of John the Baptist, at his birth said, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel! for he hath visited and redeemed his people; by sending Christ, the dayspring from on high, as he afterwards calls him, to visit them, and