By Jonathan Edwards
HAVING thus considered Christ’s coming into the world, and
his taking on him our nature, to put himself in a capacity for the purchase of
redemption, I come now, secondly, to speak of the purchase itself. — And in
speaking of this, I would,
1. Show what is intended by the purchase of redemption.
2 Observe some things in general concerning those things
by which this purchase was made.
3. I would orderly consider those things which Christ did
and suffered, by which that purchase was made.
SECTION I
What is intended by Christ’s purchasing
redemption.
I WOULD show what is here intended by Christ’s purchasing
redemption. And there are two things that are intended by it, viz. his
satisfaction, and his merit. All is done by the price that Christ lays down.
But the price that Christ laid down does two things. It pays our debt, and so
it satisfies. By its intrinsic value, and by the agreement between the Father
and the Son, it procures a title for us to happiness, and so it merits. The
satisfaction of Christ is to free us from misery, and the merit of Christ is to
purchase happiness for us.
The word purchase, as it is used with respect to the
purchase of Christ, is taken either more strictly or more largely. It is oftentimes
used more strictly, to signify only the merit of Christ. And sometimes more
largely, to signify both his satisfaction and merit. Indeed most of the words
which are used in this affair have various significations. Thus sometimes
divines use merit in this affair for the whole price that Christ offered, both
satisfactory, and also positively meritorious. And so the word satisfaction is
sometimes used, not only for his propitiation, but also for his meritorious
obedience. For in some sense, not only suffering the penalty, but positively
obeying, is needful to satisfy the law. The reason of this various use of these
terms seems to be, that satisfaction and merit do not differ so much really as
relatively. They both consist in paying a valuable price, a price of infinite
value. But only that price, as it respects a debt to be paid, is called
satisfaction. And as it respects a positive good to be obtained, is called
merit. The difference between paying a debt, and making a positive purchase is
more relative than it is essential. He who lays down a price to pay a debt,
does in some sense make a purchase. He purchases liberty from the obligation.
And he who lays down a price to purchase a good, does as it were make
satisfaction. He satisfies the conditional demands of him to whom he pays it.
This may suffice concerning what is meant by the purchase of Christ.
SECTION II
General Observations concerning those things by
which this purchase was made.
I NOW proceed to some general observations concerning
those things by which this purchase was made. — And here,
I. I would observe, that whatever in Christ had the nature
of satisfaction it was by virtue of the suffering or humiliation that was in
it. But whatever had the nature of merit, it was by virtue of the obedience or
righteousness there was in it. The satisfaction of Christ consists in his
answering the demands of the law on man, which were consequent on the breach of
the law. These were answered by suffering the penalty of the law. The merit of
Christ consists in what he did to answer the demands of the law, which were
prior to man’s breach of the law, or to fulfill what the law demanded before
man sinned, which was obedience.
The satisfaction or propitiation of Christ consists either
in his suffering evil, or his being subject to abasement. For Christ did not
only make satisfaction by proper suffering, but by whatever had the nature of
humiliation, and abasement of circumstances. Thus Christ made satisfaction for
sin, by continuing under the power of death, while he lay buried in the grave,
though neither his body nor soul properly endured any suffering after he was
dead. Whatever Christ was subject to that was the judicial fruit of sin, had
the nature of satisfaction for sin. But not only proper suffering, but all
abasement and depression of the state and circumstances of mankind below its
primitive honor and dignity, such as his body’s remaining under death, and body
and soul remaining separate, and other things that might be mentioned, are the
judicial fruits of sin. And all that Christ did in his state of humiliation,
that had the nature of obedience or moral virtue or goodness in it, in one
respect or another had the nature of merit in it, and was part of the price
with which he purchased happiness for the elect.
2. I would observe, that both Christ’s satisfaction for
sin, and also his meriting happiness by his righteousness, were carried on
through the whole time of his humiliation. Christ’s satisfaction for sin was
not only by his last sufferings, though it was principally by them. But all his
sufferings, and all the humiliation that he was subject to from the first
moment of his incarnation to his resurrection, were propitiatory or
satisfactory. Christ’s satisfaction was chiefly by his death, because his sufferings
and humiliation in that were greatest. But all his other sufferings, and all
his other humiliation, all along had the nature of satisfaction. So had the
mean circumstances in which he was born. His being born in such a low
condition, was to make satisfaction for sin. His being born of a poor virgin,
in a stable, and his being laid in a manger, his taking the human nature upon
him in its low state, and under those infirmities brought upon it by the fall,
his being born in the form of sinful flesh, had the nature of satisfaction. And
so all his sufferings in his infancy and childhood, and all that labor, and
contempt, and reproach, and temptation, and difficulty of any kind, or that he
suffered through the whole course of his life, was of a propitiatory and
satisfactory nature.
And so his purchase of happiness by his righteousness was
also carried on through the whole time of his humiliation until his
resurrection, not only in that obedience he performed through the course of his
life, but also in the obedience he performed in laying down his life.
3. It was by the same things that Christ both satisfied
God’s justice, and also purchased eternal happiness. This satisfaction and
purchase of Christ were not only both carried on through the whole time of Christ’s
humiliation, but they were both carried on by the same things. He did not make
satisfaction by some things that he did, and then work out a righteousness by
other different things. But in the same acts by which he wrought out
righteousness, he also made satisfaction, but only taken in a different
relation. One and the same act of Christ, considered with respect to the
obedience there was in it, was part of his righteousness, and purchased heaven,
but considered with respect to the self-denial, and difficulty, and
humiliation, with which he performed it, had the nature of satisfaction for
sin, and procured our pardon. Thus his going about doing good, preaching the
gospel, and teaching his disciples, was a part of his righteousness, and
purchase of heaven, as it was done in obedience to the Father. And the same was
a part of his satisfaction, as he did it with great labor, trouble, and
weariness, and under great temptations, exposing himself hereby to reproach and
contempt. So his laying down his life had the nature of satisfaction to God’s
offended justice, considered as his bearing our punishment in our stead: but
considered as an act of obedience to God, who had given him this command, that
he should lay down his life for sinners, it was a part of his righteousness,
and purchase of heaven, and as much the principal part of his righteousness as
it was the principal part of his satisfaction. And so to instance in his
circumcision, what he suffered in that, had the nature of satisfaction. The
blood that was shed in his circumcision was propitiatory blood. But as it was a
conformity to the law of Moses, it was part of his meritorious righteousness.
Though it was not properly the act of his human nature, he being an infant. Yet
it being what the human nature was the subject of, and being the act of that
person, it was accepted as an act of his obedience, as our Mediator.
And so even his being born in such a low condition, had
the nature of satisfaction, by reason of the humiliation that was in it, and
also of righteousness, as it was the act of his person in obedience to the
Father, and what the human nature was the subject of, and what the will of the
human nature did acquiesce in, though there was no act of the will of the human
nature prior to it.
These things may suffice to have observed in the general
concerning the purchase Christ made of redemption.
SECTION III
The obedience and sufferings by which Christ
purchased redemption particularly considered.
I NOW proceed to speak more particularly of those things
which Christ did, and was the subject of, during the time of his humiliation,
whereby this purchase was made. — And the nature of the purchase of Christ, as
it has been explained, leads us to consider these things under a two-fold view,
viz.
1. With respect to his righteousness, which appeared in
them.
2 With respect to the sufferings and humiliation that he
was subject to in them in our stead.
§ I. I will consider the things that passed during the
time of Christ’s humiliation, with respect to the obedience and righteousness
that he exercised in them. And this is subject to a threefold distribution. I
shall therefore consider his obedience,
1. With respect to the laws which he obeyed.
2. With respect to the different stages of his life in
which he performed it.
3. With respect to the virtues he exercised in his
obedience.
I. The first distribution of the acts of Christ’s
righteousness is with respect to the laws which Christ obeyed in that
righteousness which he performed. But here it must be observed in general, that
all the precepts which Christ obeyed may be reduced to one law, and that is
that which the apostle calls the law of works, Rom. 3:27. Every command that
Christ obeyed may be reduced to that great and everlasting law of God that is
contained in the covenant of works, that eternal rule of right which God had
established between himself and mankind. Christ came into the world to fulfill
and answer the covenant of works, that is, the covenant that is to stand
forever as a rule of judgment. And that is the covenant that we had broken, and
that was the covenant that must be fulfilled.
This law of works indeed includes all the laws of God
which ever have been given to mankind. For it is a general rule of the law of
works, and indeed of the law of nature, that God is to be obeyed, and that he
must be submitted to in whatever positive precept he is pleased to give us. It
is a rule of the law of works, that men should obey their earthly parents. And
it is certainly as much a rule of the same law, that we should obey our
heavenly Father. And so the law of works requires obedience to all positive commands
of God. It required Adam’s obedience to that positive command, not to eat of
the forbidden fruit. And it required obedience of the Jews to all the positive
commands of their institution When God commanded Jonah to arise and go to
Nineveh, the law of works required him to obey. And so it required Christ’s
obedience to all the positive commands which God gave him.
But, more particularly, the commands of God which Christ
obeyed, were of three kinds. They were either such as he was subject to merely
as man, or such as he was subject to as he was a Jew, or such as he was subject
to purely as Mediator.
1. He obeyed those commands which he was subject to merely
as man. And they were the commands of the moral law, which was the same with
that which was given at Mount Sinai, written in two tables of stone, which are
obligatory on mankind of all nations and all ages of the world.
2. He obeyed all those laws he was subject to as he was a
Jew. Thus he was subject to the ceremonial law, and was conformed to it. He was
conformed to it in his being circumcised the eighth day. And he strictly obeyed
it in going up to Jerusalem to the temple three times a year. At least after he
was come to the age of twelve years, which seems to have been the age when the
males began to go up to the temple. And so Christ constantly attended the
service of the temple, and of the synagogues.
To this head of his obedience to the law that he was
subject to as a Jew, may be reduced his submission to John’s baptism. For it
was a special command to the Jews, to go forth to John the Baptist, and be
baptized of him. And therefore Christ being a Jew, was subject to this command.
And therefore, when he came to be baptized of John, and John objected, that he
had more need to come to him to be baptized of him, he gives this reason for
it, that it was needful that he should do it, that he might fulfill all
righteousness. See Mat. 3:13, 14, 15.
3. Another law that Christ was subject to was the
mediatorial law, which contained those commands of God to which he was subject,
not merely as man, nor yet as a Jew, but which related purely to his
mediatorial office. Such were the commands which the Father gave him, to teach
such doctrines, to preach the gospel, to work such miracles, to call such
disciples, to appoint such ordinances, and finally to lay down his life. For he
did all these things in obedience to commands he had received of the Father, as
he often tells us. And these commands he was not subject to merely as man, for
they did not belong to other men. Nor yet was he subject to them as a Jew. For
they were no part of the Mosaic law; but they were commands that he had
received of the Father, that purely respected the work he was to do in the
world in his mediatorial office.
And it is to be observed, that Christ’s righteousness, by
which he merited heaven for himself, and all who believe in him, consists
principally in his obedience to this mediatorial law. For in fulfilling this
law consisted his chief work and business in the world. The history of the evangelists
is chiefly taken up in giving an account of his obedience to this law. And this
part of his obedience was that which was attended with the greatest difficulty
of all. And therefore his obedience in it was most meritorious. What Christ had
to do in the world by virtue of his being Mediator, was infinitely more
difficult than what he had to do merely as a man, or as a Jew. To his obedience
to this mediatorial law belongs his going through his last sufferings,
beginning with his agony in the garden, and ending with his resurrection.
As the obedience of the first Adam, wherein his
righteousness would have consisted, if he had stood, would have mainly
consisted, not in his obedience to the moral law, to which he was subject
merely as man, but in his obedience to that special law that he was subject to
as moral head and surety of mankind, even the command of abstaining from the
tree of knowledge of good and evil. So the obedience of the second Adam,
wherein his righteousness consists, lies mainly, not in his obedience to the
law that he was subject to merely as man, but to that special law which he was
subject to in his office as Mediator and surety for man.
Before I proceed to the next distribution of Christ’s
righteousness, I would observe three things concerning Christ’s obedience to
these laws.
(1.) He performed that obedience to them which was in
every respect perfect. It was universal as to the kinds of laws that he was
subject to. He obeyed each of these three laws. And it was universal with
respect to every individual precept contained in these laws, and it was perfect
as to each command. It was perfect as to positive transgressions avoided. For
he never transgressed in one instance. He was guilty of no sin of commission.
And it was perfect with respect to the work commanded. He perfected the whole
work that each command required, and never was guilty of any sin of omission.
And it was perfect with respect to the principle from which he obeyed. His
heart was perfect. His principles were wholly right. There was no corruption in
his heart. And it was perfect with respect to the ends he acted for. For he
never had any by ends, but aimed perfectly at such ends as the law of God
required. And it was perfect with respect to the manner of performance. Every circumstance
of each act was perfectly conformed to the command. And it was perfect with
respect to the degree of the performance. He acted wholly up to the rule. And
it was perfect with respect to the constancy of obedience. He did not only
perfectly obey sometimes, but constantly without any interruption. And it was
perfect with respect to perseverance. He held out in perfect obedience to the
very end, through all the changes he passed through, and all the trials that
were before him.
The meritoriousness of Christ’s obedience, depends on the
perfection of it. If it had failed in any instance of perfection, it could not
have been meritorious. For imperfect obedience is not accepted as any obedience
at all in the sight of the law of works, which was that law that Christ was
subject to. For that is not accepted as an obedience to a law that does not
answer that law.
(2.) The next thing I would observe of Christ’s obedience
is, that it was performed through the greatest trials and temptations that ever
any obedience was. His obedience was attended with the greatest difficulties,
and most extreme abasement and sufferings that ever any obedience was, which
was another thing that rendered it more meritorious and thank worthy. To obey
another when his commands are easy, is not so worthy, as it is to obey when it
cannot be done without great difficulty.
(3.) He performed this obedience with infinite respect to
God, and the honor of his law. The obedience he performed was with infinitely
greater love to God, and regard to his authority, than the angels perform their
obedience with. The angels perform their obedience with that love which is
perfect, with sinless perfection. But Christ did not do so, but he performed
his obedience with much greater love than the angels do theirs, even infinite
love. For though the human nature of Christ was not capable of love absolutely
infinite, yet Christ’s obedience that was performed in that human nature, is
not to be looked upon as merely the obedience of the human nature, but the
obedience of his person, as God-man. And there was infinite love of the person
of Christ manifest in that obedience. And this, together with the infinite
dignity of the person that obeyed, rendered his obedience infinitely
meritorious.
II. The second distribution of the acts of Christ’s
obedience, is with respect to the different parts of his life, wherein they
were performed. And in this respect they may be divided into those which were
performed in private life, and those which were performed in his public
ministry.
First. Those acts he performed during his private life. He
was perfectly obedient in his childhood. He infinitely differed from other
children, who as soon as they begin to act, begin to sin and rebel. He was
subject to his earthly parents, though he was Lord of all, Luke 2:51. He was
found about his Father’s business at twelve years of age in the temple, Luke
2:42. He then began that work that he had to do in fulfillment of the
mediatorial law, which the Father had given him. He continued his private life
for about thirty years, dwelling at Nazareth in the house of his reputed father
Joseph, where he served God in a private capacity, and in following a mechanical
trade, the business of a carpenter.
Second. Those acts which he performed during his public
ministry, which began when he was about thirty years of age, and continued for
the three last years and an half of his life. Most of the history of the evangelists
is taken up in giving an account of what passed during these three years and an
half. So is all the history of the Evangelist Matthew, excepting the first two
chapters. So is the whole of the history of the Evangelist Mark. It begins and
ends with it. And so also is all the gospel of John, and all the gospel of
Luke, excepting the two first chapters, excepting also what we find in the
evangelists concerning the ministry of John the Baptist. Christ’s first
appearing in his public is what is often called his coming in Scripture.
Thus John speaks of Christ’s coming as what is yet to be, though he had been
born long before.
Concerning the public ministry of Christ, I would observe
the following things. 1. The forerunner of it. 2. The manner of his first
entering upon it. 3. The works in which he was employed during the course of
it, and, 4. The manner of his finishing it.
1. The forerunner of Christ’s coming in his public
ministry was John the Baptist. He came preaching repentance for the remission
of sins, to make way for Christ’s coming, agreeable to the prophecies of him,
Isa. 40:3, 4, 5, and Mat. 4:5, 6. It is supposed that John the Baptist began
his ministry about three years and an half before Christ, so that John’s
ministry and Christ’s put together, made seven years, which was the last of
Daniel’s weeks. And this time is intended in Dan. 9:27, “He will confirm the
covenant with many for one week.” Christ came in the midst of this week, viz.
in the beginning of the last half of it, or the last three years and an half,
as Daniel foretold, as in the verse just now quoted, “and in the midst of the
week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease.”
John Baptist’s ministry consisted principally in preaching
the law, to awaken men and convince them of sin, to prepare men for the coming
of Christ, to comfort them, as the law is to prepare the heart for the
entertainment of the gospel.
A very remarkable outpouring of the Spirit of God attended
John’s ministry. And the effect of it was that Jerusalem, and all Judea, and
all the region round about Jordan, were awakened, convinced, went out to him,
and submitted to his baptism, confessing their sins. John is spoken of as the
greatest of all the prophets who came before Christ, Mat. 11:11, “Among those
that are born of women, there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist,”
i.e. he had the most honorable office. He was as the morning star, which is the
harbinger of the approaching day, and forerunner of the rising sun. The other
prophets were stars that were to give light in the night. But we have heard how
those stars went out on the approach of the gospel day. But now the coming of
Christ being very nigh, the morning star comes before him, the brightest of all
the stars, as John the Baptist was the greatest of all the prophets.
And when Christ came in his public ministry, the light of
that morning star decreased too. As we see, when the sun rises, it diminishes
the light of the morning star. So John the Baptist says of himself, John 3:30,
“He must increase, but I must decrease.” And soon after Christ began his public
ministry, John the Baptist was put to death. As the morning star is visible a
little while after the sun is risen, yet soon goes out.
2. The next thing to be taken notice of is Christ’s
entrance on his public ministry, which was by baptism, followed with the
temptation in the wilderness. His baptism was as it were his solemn
inauguration, by which he entered on his ministry, and was attended with his
being anointed with the Holy Ghost, in a solemn and visible manner, the Holy
Ghost descending upon him in a visible shape like a dove, attended with a voice
from heaven, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,” Mat.
3:16, 17.
After this he was led by the devil into the wilderness.
Satan made a violent onset upon him at his first entrance on his work. And now
he had a remarkable trial of his obedience, but he got the victory. He who had
such success with the first Adam, had none with the second.
3. I would take notice of the work in which Christ was
employed during his ministry. And here are three things chiefly to be taken
notice of, viz. his preaching, his working miracles, and his calling and
appointing disciples and ministers of his kingdom.
(1.) His preaching the gospel. Great part of the work of
his public ministry consisted in this. And much of that obedience by which he
purchased salvation for us, was in his speaking those things which the Father
commanded him. He more clearly and abundantly revealed the mind and will of
God, than ever it had been revealed before. He came from the bosom of the
Father, and perfectly knew his mind, and was in the best capacity to reveal it.
As the sun, as soon as it is risen, begins to shine. So Christ, as soon as he
came into his public ministry, began to enlighten the world with his doctrine.
As the law was given at Mount Sinai, so Christ delivered his evangelical
doctrine, full of blessings, and not curses, to a multitude on a mountain, as
we have an account in Matthew, chap. 5, 6 and 7.
When he preached, he did not teach as the scribes, but he
taught as one having authority, so that his hearers were astonished at his
doctrine. He did not reveal the mind and will of God in the style which the
prophets used to preach, as not speaking their own words, but the words of
another, and used to speak in such a style as this, “Thus saith the Lord,” but
Christ, in such a style as this, “I say unto you,” thus or thus, “Verily,
verily, I say unto you.” He delivered his doctrines, not only as the doctrines
of God the Father, but as his own doctrines. He gave forth his commands, not as
the prophets were wont to do, as God’s commands, but as his own commands. He
spoke in such a style as this, “This is my commandment,” John 15:12. “Ye are my
friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you,” John 15:14.
(2.) Another thing that Christ was employed in during the
course of his ministry, was working miracles. Concerning which we may observe
several things.
Their multitude. Besides particular instances, we often
have an account of multitudes coming at once with diseases, and his healing
them.
They were works of mercy. In them were displayed not only
his infinite power and greatness, but his infinite mercy and goodness. He went
about doing good, healing the sick, restoring sight to the blind, hearing to
the deaf, and the proper use of their limbs to the lame and halt, feeding the
hungry, cleansing the leprous, and raising the dead.
They were almost all of them such as had been spoken of as
the peculiar works of God, in the Old Testament. So with respect to stilling
the sea, Psa. 107:29, “He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof
are still.” So as to walking on the sea in a storm, Job 9:8, “Which alone
treadeth upon the waves of the sea.” So as to casting out devils, Psa. 74:14,
“Thou breakest the heads of leviathan in pieces.” So as to feeding a multitude
in a wilderness, Deu. 8:16, “Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna.” So as
to telling man’s thoughts, Amos 4:13, “Lo, he that declareth unto man what is
his thought — the Lord, the God of hosts is his name.” So as to raising the
dead, Psa. 68:20, “Unto God the Lord belong the issues from death.” So as to
opening the eyes of the blind, Psa. 146:8, “The Lord openeth the eyes of the
blind.” So as to healing the sick, Psa. 103:3, “Who healeth all thy diseases.”
So as to lifting up those who are bowed together, Psa. 146:8, “The Lord raiseth
them that are bowed down.”
They were in general such works as were images of the
great work which he came to work on man’s heart, representing that inward,
spiritual cleansing, healing, renovation, and resurrection, which all his
redeemed are the subjects of.
He wrought them in such a manner as to show, that he did
them by his own power, and not by the power of another, as the other prophets
did. They were wont to work all their miracles in the name of the Lord, but
Christ wrought in his own name. Moses was forbidden to enter into Canaan,
because he seemed by his speech to assume the honor of working only one miracle
to himself. Nor did Christ work miracles as the apostles did, who wrought them
all in the name of Christ, but he wrought them in his own name, and by his own
authority and will. Thus, saith he, “I will, be thou clean,” Mat. 8:3. And in
the same strain he put the question, “Believe ye that I am able to do this?”
Mat. 9:28.
(3.) Another thing that Christ did in the course of his
ministry, was to call his disciples. He called many disciples. There were many
that he employed as ministers. He sent seventy disciples at one time in this
work:
But there were twelve that he set apart as apostles, who
were the grand ministers of his kingdom, and as it were the twelve foundations
of his church. See Rev. 21:14. These were the main instruments of setting up
his kingdom in the world, and therefore shall sit on twelve thrones, judging
the twelve tribes of Israel.
4. I would observe how he finished his ministry. — And
this was,
(1.) In giving his dying counsels to his disciples, and
all that should be his disciples, which we have recorded particularly in John’s
gospel (John 14, 15, 16).
(2.) In instituting a solemn memorial of his death. This
he did in instituting the sacrament of the Lord’s supper, wherein we have a
representation of his body broken, and of his blood shed.
(3.) In offering up himself, as God’s high priest, a
sacrifice to God, which he did in his last sufferings. This act he did as God’s
minister, as God’s anointed priest. And it was the greatest act of his public
ministry, the greatest act of his obedience, by which he purchased heaven for
believers. The priests of old used to do many other things as God’s ministers.
But then were they in the highest execution of their office when they were
actually offering sacrifice on the altar. So the greatest thing that Christ did
in the execution of his priestly office, and the greatest thing that he ever
did, and the greatest thing that ever was done, was the offering up himself a
sacrifice to God. Herein he was the anti-type of all that had been done by all
the priests, and in all their sacrifices and offerings, from the beginning of
the world.
III. The third distribution of the acts by which Christ
purchased redemption, regards the virtues that Christ exercised and manifested
in them. And here I would observe that Christ, in doing the work that he had to
do here in the world for our redemption, exercised every possible virtue and
grace. Indeed there are some particular virtues that sinful man may have, that
were not in Christ, not from any want or defect of virtue, but because his
virtue was perfect and without defect. Such is the virtue of repentance, and
brokenness of heart for sin, and mortification, and denying of lust. Those
virtues were not in Christ, because he had no sin of his own to repent of, nor
any lust to deny. But all virtues which do not presuppose sin, were in him, and
that in a higher degree than ever they were in any other man, or any mere
creature. Every virtue in him was perfect. Virtue itself was greater in him
than in any other. And it was under greater advantages to shine in him than in
any other. Strict virtue shines most when most tried. But never any virtue had
such trials as Christ’s had.
The virtue that Christ exercised in the work he did, may
be divided into three sorts, viz. the virtues which more immediately respect
God, those which immediately respect himself, and those which immediately
respect men.
1. Those virtues which more immediately respect God,
appeared in Christ in the work that he did for our redemption. There appeared
in him an holy fear and reverence towards God the Father. Christ had a greater
trial of his virtue in this respect than any other had, from the honorableness
of his person. This was the temptation of the angels that fell, to cast off
their worship of God, and reverence of his majesty, that they were beings of
such exalted dignity and worthiness themselves. But Christ was infinitely more
worthy and honorable than they. For he was the eternal Son of God, and his
person was equal to the person of God the Father. And yet, as he had taken on
him the office of Mediator, and the nature of man, he was full of reverence
towards God. He had ordered him in the most reverential manner time after time.
So he manifested a wonderful love towards God. The angels give great
testimonies of their love towards God, in their constancy and agility in doing
the will of God. And many saints have given great testimonies of their love,
who from love to God, have endured great labors and sufferings. But none ever
gave such testimonies of love to God as Christ has given. None ever performed
such a labor of love as he, and suffered so much from love to God. So he
manifested the most wonderful submission to the will of God. Never was anyone’s
submission so tried as his was. So he manifested the most wonderful spirit of
obedience that ever was manifested.
2. In this work he most wonderfully manifested those virtues
which more immediately respected himself, as particularly humility, patience,
and contempt of the world. Christ, though he was the most excellent and
honorable of all men, yet was the most humble. Yea, he was the most humble of
all creatures. No angel or man ever equaled him in humility, though he was the
highest of all creatures in dignity and honorableness. Christ would have been
under the greatest temptations to pride, if it had been possible for anything
to be a temptation to him. The temptation of the angels that fell was the
dignity of their nature, and the honorableness of their circumstances. But
Christ was infinitely more honorable than they. The human nature of Christ was
so honored as to be in the same person with the eternal Son of God, who was
equal with God. And yet that human nature was not at afflicted up with pride.
Nor was the man Christ Jesus at all lifted up with pride with all those
wonderful works which he wrought, of healing the sick, curing the blind, lame,
and maimed, and raising the dead. And though he knew that God had appointed him
to be the king over heaven and earth, angels and men, as he says, Mat. 11:27,
“All things are delivered unto me of my Father.” Though he knew he was such an
infinitely honorable person, and thought it not robbery to be equal with God,
and though he knew he was the heir of God the Father’s kingdom, yet such was
his humility, that he did not disdain to be abased and depressed down into
lower and viler circumstances and sufferings than ever any other elect creature
was, so that he became least of all, and lowest of all. The proper trial and
evidence of humility, is stooping or complying with those acts or
circumstances, when called to it, which are very low, and contain great
abasement. But none ever stooped so low as Christ, if we consider either the
infinite height that he stooped from, or the great depth to which he stooped.
Such was his humility, that though he knew his infinite worthiness of honor,
and of being honored ten thousand times as much as the highest prince on earth,
or angel in heaven. Yet he did not think it too much when called to it, to be
bound as a cursed malefactor, and to become the laughingstock and
spitting-stock of the vilest of men, and to be crowned with thorns, and to have
a mock robe put upon him, and to be crucified like a slave and malefactor, and
as one of the meanest and worst of vagabonds and miscreants, and an accursed
enemy of God and men, who was not fit to live on the earth. And this not for
himself, but for some of the meanest and vilest of creatures, some of those
accursed wretches that crucified him. Was not this a wonderful manifestation of
humility, when he cheerfully and most freely submitted to this abasement?
And, how did his patience shine forth under all the terrible
sufferings which he endured, when he was dumb, and opened not his mouth, but
went as a lamb to the slaughter, and was like a patient lamb under all the
sufferings he endured from first to last!
And, what contempt of the glory of this world was there, when
he rather chose this contempt, and meanness, and suffering, than to wear a
temporal crown, and be invested with the external glories of an earthly prince,
as the multitude often solicited him!
3. Christ, in the work which he wrought out, in a wonderful
manner exercised those virtues which more immediately respect other men. And
these may be summed up under two heads, viz. meekness, and love.
Christ’s meekness was his humble calmness of spirit under
the provocations that he met with. None ever met with so great provocations as
he did. The greatness of provocation lies in two things, viz. in the degree of
opposition by which the provocation is given. And secondly, in the degree of
the unreasonableness of that opposition, or in its being very causeless, and
without reason, and the great degree of obligation to the contrary. Now, if we
consider both these things, no man ever met with such provocations as Christ
did, when he was upon earth. If we consider how much he was hated, what abuses
he suffered from the vilest of men, how great his sufferings from men were, and
how spiteful and how contemptuous they were, in offering him these abuses. And
also consider how causeless and unreasonable these abuses were, how undeserving
he was of them, and how much deserving of the contrary, viz. of love, and
honor, and good treatment at their hands. I say, if we consider these things,
no man ever met with a thousandth part of the provocation that Christ met with
from men. And yet how meek was he under all! How composed and quiet his spirit!
How far from being in a ruffle and tumult! When he was reviled, he reviled not
again. And as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.
No appearance was there of a revengeful spirit. On the contrary, what a spirit of
forgiveness did he exhibit! So that he fervently and effectually prayed for
their forgiveness, when they were in the highest act of provocation that ever
they perpetrated, viz. nailing him to the cross, Luke 23:34, “Father, forgive
them, for they know not what they do.”
And never did there appear such an instance of love to
men. Christ’s love to men that he showed when on earth, and especially in going
through his last sufferings, and offering up his life and soul under those
sufferings, which was his greatest act of love, was far beyond all parallel.
There have been very remarkable manifestations of love in some of the saints,
as in the Apostle Paul, the Apostle John, and others. But the love to men that
Christ showed when on earth, as much exceeded the love of all other men, as the
ocean exceeds a small stream.
And it is to be observed, that all the virtues which
appeared in Christ shone brightest in the close of his life, under the trials
he met with then. Eminent virtue always shows brightest in the fire. Pure gold
shows its purity chiefly in the furnace. It was chiefly under those trials
which Christ underwent in the close of his life, that his love to God, his
honor of God’s majesty, and his regard to the honor of his law, and his spirit
of obedience, and his humility, and contempt of the world, and his patience,
and his meekness, and his spirit of forgiveness towards men, appeared. Indeed
everything that Christ did to work out redemption for us appears mainly in the
close of his life. Here mainly is his satisfaction for sin, and here chiefly is
his merit of eternal life for sinners, and here chiefly appears the brightness
of his example, which he hath set us to follow.
Thus we have taken a brief view of the things whereby the purchase of redemption was made with respect to his righteousness that appeared in theme. — I proceed now,
IMPROVEMENT
IN surveying the history of redemption, from the fall of
man to the end of the world, we have now shown how this work was carried on
through the two former of the three main periods into which this whole space of
time was divided, viz. from the fall to the incarnation or Christ, and from
thence to the end of the time of Christ’s humiliation, and have particularly
explained how in the first of these periods God prepared the way for Christ’s
appearing and purchasing redemption; and how, in the second period, that
purchase was made and finished. I would now make some improvement of what has
been said on both these subjects considered conjunctly. — And this I would do,
1. In a use of reproof.
2. In a use of encouragement.
SECTION I
Reproof of unbelief, self-righteousness, and
careless neglect of salvation.
I BEGIN with a use of reproof, a reproof of three things:
1. Of unbelief.
2. Of self-righteousness.
3. Of a careless neglect of the salvation of Christ.
I. If it be as we have heard, how greatly do these things
reprove those who do not believe in, but reject the Lord Jesus Christ! (i.e.
all those who do not heartily receive him). Persons may receive him in profession,
and carry well outwardly towards him, and may wish that they had some of those
benefits that Christ has purchased, and yet their hearts not receive Christ.
They may be hearty in nothing that they do towards Christ. They may have no
high esteem of Christ, nor any sincere honor or respect to Christ. They may
never have opened the door of their heart to Christ, but have kept him shut out
all their days, ever since they first heard of Christ, and his salvation has
been offered to them. Though their hearts have been opened to others, their
doors have been flung wide open to them, and they have had free admittance at
all times, and have been embraced and made much of. And the best room in their
hearts has been given them. And the throne of their hearts has been allowed
them. Yet Christ has always been shut out, and they have been deaf to all his
knocks and calls. They never could find an inclination of heart to receive him,
nor would they ever trust in him.
Let me now call upon you with whom it is thus, to consider
how great your sin, in thus rejecting Jesus Christ, appears to be from those
things that have been said. You slight the glorious person, for whose coming
God made such great preparation in such a series of wonderful provisions from
the beginning of the world, and whom, after all things were made ready, God
sent into the world bringing to pass a thing before unknown, viz. the union of
the divine nature with the human in one person. You have been guilty of
slighting that great Savior, who, after such preparation, actually accomplished
the purchase of redemption, and who, after he had spent three or four and
thirty years in poverty, labor, and contempt, in purchasing redemption, at last
finished the purchase by closing his life under such extreme sufferings as you
have heard, and so by his death, and continuing for a time under the power of
death, completed the whole. This is the person you reject and despise. You make
light of all the glory of his person, and of all the glorious love of God the
Father, in sending him into the world, and all his wonderful love appearing in
the whole of this affair. That precious stone that God has laid in Zion for a
foundation in such a manner, and by such wonderful works as you have heard, is
a stone set at naught by you.
Sinners sometimes are ready to wonder why the sin of
unbelief should be looked upon as such a great sin. But if you consider what
you have heard, how can you wonder? If it be so, that this Savior is so great a
Savior, and this work so great a work, and such great things have been done in
order to it, truly there is no cause of wonder that the sin of unbelief, or the
rejection of this Savior, is spoken of in Scripture as such a dreadful sin, so
provoking to God, and what brings greater guilt than the sins of the worst of
the heathen, who never heard of those things, nor have had this Savior offered
to them.
II. What has been said, affords matter of reproof to those
who, instead of believing in Christ, trust in themselves for salvation. It is a
common thing with men to take it upon themselves to purchase salvation for
themselves, and so to do that great work which Christ came into the world to
do. Are there none such here who trust in their prayers, and their good
conversations, and the pains they take in religion, and the reformation of
their lives, and in their self-denial, to recommend them to God, to make some
atonement for their past sins, and to draw the heart of God to them?
Consider three things:
1. How great a thing that is which you take upon you. You
take upon you to do the work of the great Savior of the world. You trust in
your own doings to appease God for your sins, and to incline the heart of God
to you. Though you are poor, worthless, vile, polluted worms of the dust, yet
so arrogant are you, that you take upon you that very work, that the only
begotten Son of God did when upon earth, and that he became man to capacitate
himself for, and in order to which God spent four thousand years in all the
great dispensations of his providence in the government of the world, aiming
chiefly at this, to make way for Christ’s coming to do this work. This is the
work that you take upon yourself, and foolishly think yourself sufficient for
it, as though your prayers, and other performances were excellent enough for
this purpose. Consider how vain is the thought which you entertain of yourself.
How must such arrogance appear in the sight of Christ, whom it cost so much to
make a purchase of salvation, when it was not to be obtained even by him, so
great and glorious a person, at a cheaper rate than his wading through a sea of
blood, and passing through the midst of the furnace of God’s wrath! And how
vain must your arrogance appear in the sight of God, when he sees you imagining
yourself sufficient, and your worthless, polluted performances excellent enough
for the accomplishing of that work of his own Son, to prepare the way for which
he was employed in ordering all the great affairs of the world for so many
ages!
2. If there be ground for you to trust, as you do, in your
own righteousness, then all that Christ did to purchase salvation when on
earth, and all that God did from the first fall of man to that time to prepare
the way for it, is in vain. Your self-righteousness charges God with the
greatest folly, as though he has done all things in vain, even so much in vain,
that he has done all this to bring about an accomplishment of that which you
alone, a little worm, with your poor polluted prayers, and the little pains you
take in religion, mingled with all that hypocrisy and filthiness, are
sufficient to accomplish for yourself without Christ’s help. For if you can
appease God’s anger, and can commend yourself to God by these means, then you
have no need of Christ, but he is dead in vain, Gal. 2:21, “If righteousness
come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”
If you can do this by your prayers and good works, Christ
might have spared his pains. He might have spared his blood. He might have kept
within the bosom of his Father, without coming down into this evil world to be
despised, reproached, and persecuted to death. And God needed not have busied
himself, as he did for four thousand years together, causing so many changes in
the state of the world all that while, in order to the bringing about that
which you, little as you are, can accomplish in a few days, only with the
trouble of a few sighs, and groans, and prayers, and some other religious
performances. Consider with yourself what greater folly could you have devised
to charge upon God than this, to do all those things before and after Christ
came into the world so needlessly, when, instead of all this, he might have
called you forth, and committed the business to you, which you think you can do
so easily.
Alas! How blind are natural men! How weak are the thoughts
they have of things! And especially how vain are the thoughts which they have
of themselves! How ignorant of their own littleness and pollution! How do they
exalt themselves up to heaven! What great things do they assume to themselves!
3. You that trust to your own righteousness, arrogate to
yourselves the honor of the greatest thing that ever God himself did, not only
as if you were sufficient to perform divine works, and to accomplish some of
the great works of God. But such is your pride and vanity, that you are not
content without taking upon you to do the very greatest work that ever God
himself wrought, even the work of redemption. You see by what has been said,
how God has subordinated all his other works to this work of redemption. You
see how God’s works of providence are greater than his works of creation, and
that all God’s works of providence, from the beginning of the generations of
men, were in order to this, to make way for the purchasing of redemption. But
this is what you take upon yourself. To take on yourself to work out
redemption, is a greater thing than if you had taken it upon you to create a world.
Consider with yourself what a figure you a poor worm would make, if you should
seriously go about to create such a world as God did, should swell in your own
conceit of yourself, should deck yourself with majesty, pretend to speak the
word of power, and call a universe out of nothing, intending to go on in order,
and say, “Let there be light. Let there be a firmament,” etc. But then
consider, that in attempting to work out redemption yourself, you attempt a
greater thing than this, and are serious in it, and will not be beat off from
it, but strive in it, and are full of the thought of yourself that you are
sufficient for it, and always big with hopes of accomplishing it.
You take upon you to do the very greatest and most
difficult part of this work, viz. to purchase redemption. Christ can accomplish
other parts of this work without cost, without any trouble and difficulty. But
this part cost him his life, as well as innumerable pains and labors, with very
great ignominy and contempt besides. Yet this is that part which self-righteous
persons go about to accomplish for themselves. If all the angels in heaven had
been sufficient for this work, would God have set himself to effect such things
as he did in order to it, before he sent his Son into the world? And, would he
ever have sent his own Son, the great Creator and God of the angels, into the
world, to have done and suffered such things?
What self-righteous persons take to themselves, is the
same work that Christ was engaged in when he was in his agony and bloody sweat,
and when he died on the cross, which was the greatest thing that ever the eyes
of angels beheld. This, great as it is, they imagine they can do the same that
Christ accomplished by it. Their self-righteousness does in effect charge
Christ’s offering up himself in these sufferings, as the greatest instance of
folly that ever men or angels saw, instead of being the most glorious display
of the divine wisdom and grace that ever was seen. Yea, self-righteousness
makes all that Christ did through the whole course of his life, and all that he
said and suffered through that whole time, and his incarnation itself, and not
only so, but all that God had been doing in the great dispensations of his
providence from the beginning of the world to that time, as all nothing, but a
scene of the most wild, and extreme, and transcendent folly.
Is it any wonder, then, that a self righteous spirit is so
represented in Scripture, and spoken of, as that which is most fatal to the
souls of men? And, is it any wonder, that Christ is represented in Scripture as
being so provoked with the Pharisees and others, who trusted in themselves that
they were righteous, and were proud of their goodness, and thought that their
own performances were a valuable price of God’s favor and love?
Let persons hence be warned against a self-righteous
spirit. You that are seeking your salvation, and taking pains in religion, take
heed to yourselves that you do not trust in what you do, that you do not harbor
any such thoughts, that God now, seeing how much you are reformed, how you take
pains in religion, and how you are sometimes affected, will be pacified towards
you with respect to your sins, and on account of it will not be so angry for
your former sins; and that you shall gain on him by such things, and draw his
heart to show you mercy. Or at least that God ought to accept of what you do,
so as to be inclined by it in some measure to forgive you, and have mercy on
you. If you entertain this thought, that God is obliged to do it, and does not
act justly if he refuse to regard your prayers and pains, and so quarrel with
God, and complain of him for not doing, this shows what your opinion is of your
own righteousness, viz. that it is a valuable price of salvation, and ought to
be accepted of God as such. Such complaining of God, and quarreling with him,
for not taking more notice of your righteousness, plainly shows that you are
guilty of all that arrogance that has been spoken of, thinking yourself
sufficient to offer the price of your own salvation.
III. What has been said on this subject, affords matter of
reproof to those who carelessly neglect the salvation of Christ, such as live a
senseless kind of life, neglecting the business of religion and their own souls
for the present, not taking any course to get an interest in Christ, or what he
has done and suffered, or any part in that glorious salvation he has purchased
by that price, but rather have their minds taken up about the gains of the
world, or about the vanities and pleasures of youth, and so make light of what
they hear from time to time of Christ’s salvation, that they do not at present
so much as seek after it. Let me here apply myself to you in some expostulatory
interrogations.
1. Shall so many prophets, and kings, and righteous men,
have their minds so much taken up with the prospect, that the purchase of
salvation was to be wrought out in ages long after their death. And will you
neglect it when actually accomplished? You have heard what great account the
church in all ages made of the future redemption of Christ. How joyfully they
expected it. How they spoke of it. How they studied and searched into these
things. How they sung joyful songs, and had their hearts greatly engaged about
it, and yet never expected to see it done, and did not expect that it would be
accomplished until many ages after their death, 1 Pet. 1:10, 11, 12. How much
did Isaiah and Daniel, and other prophets, speak concerning this redemption!
And how much were their hearts engaged, and their attention and study fixed
upon it! How was David’s mind taken up in this subject! He declared that it was
all his salvation, and all his desire, 2 Sam. 23:5. How did he employ his voice
and harp in celebrating it, and the glorious display of divine grace therein
exhibited! And all this although they beheld it not as yet accomplished, but
saw that it was to be brought to pass so long a time after their day. — And
before this, how did Abraham and the other patriarchs rejoice in the prospect
of Christ’s day, and the redemption which he was to purchase! And even the
saints before the flood were affected and elated in the expectation of this
glorious event, though it was then so long future, and it was so very faintly
and obscurely revealed to them.
Now these things are declared to you as actually
fulfilled. The church now has seen accomplished all those great things which
they so joyfully prophesied of, and you are abundantly shown, how those things
were accomplished, Mat. 13:17, “Verily I say unto you, that many prophets and
righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen,
and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.” And yet, when
these things are thus abundantly set before you as already accomplished, how do
you slight them! How light do you make of them! How little are they taken
notice of by you! How unconcerned are you about them, following other things,
and not so much as feeling any interest in them! Indeed your sin is extremely
aggravated in the sight of God. God has put you under great advantages for your
eternal salvation, far greater than those saints of old enjoyed. He has put you
under a more glorious dispensation, has given you a more clear revelation of
Christ and his salvation. And yet you neglect all these advantages, and go on
in a careless course of life, as though nothing had been done, no such
proposals and offers had been made you.
2. Have the angels been so engaged about this salvation
which is by Christ, ever since the fall of man, though they are not immediately
concerned in it, and will you who need it, and have it offered to you, be so
careless about it! You have heard how the angels at first were subjected to
Christ as mediator, and how they have all along been ministering spirits to him
in this affair. In all the great dispensations which you have heard of from the
beginning of the world, they have been active and as a flame of fire in this
affair, being most diligently employed as ministering spirits to minister to
Christ in this great affair of man’s redemption. And when Christ came, how
engaged were their minds! They came to Zacharias, to inform him of the coming
of Christ’s forerunner. They came to the Virgin Mary, to inform her of the
approaching birth of Christ. They came to Joseph, to warn him of the danger
which threatened the newborn Savior, and to point out to him the means of
safety. And how were their minds engaged at the time of the birth of Christ!
The whole multitude of the heavenly host sang praises upon the occasion,
saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, and good will towards
men.” And afterwards, from time to time, they ministered to Christ when on
earth. They did so at the time of his temptation, at the time of his agony in
the garden, at his resurrection, and at his ascension. All these things show,
that they were greatly engaged in this affair. And the Scripture informs us,
that they pry into these things, 1 Pet. 1:12, “Which things the angels desire
to look into.” And how are they represented in the Revelation as being employed
in heaven in singing praises to him that sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!
Now, shall these take so much notice of this redemption, and of the purchaser,
who need it not for themselves, and have no immediate concern or interest in
it, or offer of it. And will you, to whom it is offered, and who are in such
extreme necessity of it, neglect and take no notice of it?
3. Was it worth the while for Christ to labor so hard, and
do and suffer so much to procure this salvation, and was it not worth the while
for you to be at some labor in seeking it? Was it a thing of so great
importance, that salvation should be procured for sinners, as that it was
worthy to lie with such weight on the mind of Christ, as to induce him to
become man, and to suffer such contempt and labor, and even death itself, in
order to procure it, though he stood in need of nothing, though he was like to
gain no addition to his eternal happiness, though he could get nothing by those
that he saved, though he did not need them? Was it of such importance that
sinners should be saved, that he might properly be induced to submit to such
humiliation and suffering? And yet is it not worth the while for you, who are
one of those miserable sinners that need this salvation, and must perish eternally
without it, to take earnest pains to obtain an interest in it after it is
procured, and all things are ready?
4. Shall the great God be so concerned about this
salvation, as so often to overturn the world to make way for it? And when all
is done, is it not worth your seeking after? How has the Lord of heaven and
earth been as it were engaged about this affair! What great, what wonderful
things has he done from one age to another, removing kings, and setting up
kings, raising up a great number of prophets, separating a distinct nation from
the rest of the world, overturning one nation and kingdom, and another, and
often overturning the state of the world, and so has continued bringing about
one change and revolution after another for forty centuries in succession, to
make way for the procuring of this salvation! And when he has done all, and
when, at the close of these ages, the great Savior comes, and, becoming
incarnate, and passing through a long series of reproach and suffering, and
then suffering all the waves and billows of God’s wrath for men’s sins, in so
much that they overwhelmed his soul, after all these things done to procure
salvation for sinners, is it not worthy of your taking so much notice of, or
being so much concerned about, though you are those persons who need this
salvation, but that it should be thrown by, and made nothing of, in comparison
of worldly gain, or gay clothing, or youthful diversions, or other such
trifling things?
O! That you who live negligent of this salvation, would consider
what you do! What you have heard from this subject, may show you what reason
there is in that exclamation of the apostle, Heb. 2:3, “How shall we escape if
we neglect so great salvation? “and in that, Acts 13:41, “Behold, ye despisers,
and wonder, and perish; for I work a work in your days, a work which you shall
in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.” God looks on such as you
as great enemies of the cross of Christ, and adversaries and despisers of all
the glory of this great work. And if God has made such account of the glory of
salvation as to destroy many nations, and so often overturn all nations, to
prepare the way for the glory of his Son in this affair, how little account
will he make of the lives and souls of ten thousand such opposers and despisers
as you that continue impenitent, in comparison of that glory, when he shall
hereafter come and find that your welfare stands in the way of that glory? Why
surely you shall be dashed to pieces as a potter’s vessel, and trodden down as
the mire of the streets. God may, through wonderful patience, hear with
hardened careless sinners for a while, but he will not long hear with such
despisers of his dear Son, and his great salvation, the glory of which he has
had so much at heart, but will utterly consume them without remedy or mercy.
SECTION II
Encouragement to burdened souls to trust in Christ
for salvation.
I WILL conclude with a second use, of encouragement to
burdened souls to put their trust in Christ for salvation. To all such as are
not careless and negligent, but do make seeking an interest in Christ their
main business, being sensible in some measure of their necessity of an interest
in Christ, being afraid of the wrath to come, to such what has been said on
this subject holds forth great matter of encouragement, to come and venture
their souls on the Lord Jesus Christ. And as motives proper to excite you so to
do, let me lead you to consider two things in particular.
1. The completeness of the purchase which has been made.
As you have heard, this work of purchasing salvation was wholly finished during
the time of Christ’s humiliation. When Christ rose from the dead, and was
exalted from that abasement to which he submitted for our salvation, the
purchase of eternal life was completely made, so that there was no need of
anything more to be done in order to it. But now the servants were sent forth
with the message which we have account of in Mat. 22:4, “Behold, I have
prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are
ready: come unto the marriage.” Therefore all things being ready, are your sins
many and great? Here is enough done by Christ to procure their pardon. There is
no need of any righteousness of yours to obtain your pardon and justification.
No, you may come freely, without money and without price. Since therefore there
is such a free and gracious invitation given you. Come. Come naked as you are.
Come as a poor condemned criminal. Come and cast yourself down at Christ’s
feet, as one justly condemned, and utterly helpless in yourself. Here is a
complete salvation wrought out by Christ, and through him offered to you. Come,
therefore, accept of it, and be saved.
2. For Christ to reject one that thus comes to him, would
be to frustrate all those great things which you have heard that God brought to
pass from the fall of man to the incarnation of Christ. It would also frustrate
all that Christ did and suffered while on earth. Yea, it would frustrate the
incarnation of Christ itself, and all the great things done in preparation for
his incarnation. For all these things were for that end, that those might be
saved who should come to Christ. Therefore you may be sure Christ will not be
backward in saving those who come to him, and trust in him. For he has no desire
to frustrate himself in his own work. It cost him too dear for that. Neither
will God the Father refuse you. For he has no desire to frustrate himself in
all that he did for so many hundreds and thousands of years, to prepare the way
for the salvation of sinners by Christ. Come, therefore, hearken to the sweet
and earnest calls of Christ to your soul. Do as he invites, and as he commands
you, Mat. 11:28, 29, 30, “Come unto me, all ye that labour, and are heavy
laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; and ye
shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”