Nazareth; yea, though he was his avowed enemy, seeking to put out his
name from under heaven, yet the voice from heaven, ‘I am Jesus,’ &c.,
‘I am the Saviour,’ how did it conquer him, make him throw down his
arms, fall down at his feet, and accept of the forgiveness of sins
freely by grace, through redemption by faith in his blood!
Third. They at Samaria (though before Philip preached to them)
worshipped and admired the devil in Magus, yet when they believed
Philip’s preaching of Christ unto them, and forgiveness of sins through
faith in his name, great joy was amongst them, and they were baptized,
both men and woman (Acts 8). ‘He preached,’ saith the text, ‘the things
concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ’—that is,
all the blessings of life, through the name of Jesus Christ; for he is
the Mediator, and without his blood come no spiritual blessings to men.
Fourth. How was the sturdy jailer overcome by a promise of forgiveness
of sins by faith in Jesus Christ! It stopped his hand of self-murder,
it eased him of the gnawings of a guilty conscience and fears of
hell-fire, and filled his soul with rejoicing in God (Acts 16:30-34).
Fifth. How were those that used curious arts, that were next to, if not
witches indeed; I say, how were they prevailed upon and overcome by the
word of God, which is the gospel of good tidings, through faith in the
blood of Christ! (Acts 19:17,18).
Sixth. How were the Ephesians, who were sometimes far from God; how, I
say, were they made nigh by the blood of Christ! (Eph 2:13).
Seventh. The Colossians, though sometimes dead in their sins, yet how
were they quickened by God, through the forgiveness of all their
trespasses; and they had that through his blood! (Col 1:14, 2:13).
What shall I say? No man could as yet stand before and not fall under
the revelation of the forgiveness of sins through a crucified Christ,
as hanged, as dying, as accursed for sinners; he draws all men unto
him, men of all sorts, of all degrees.
Shall I add, how have men broken through the pricks to Jesus when he
hath been discovered to them! Neither lions, nor fires, nor sword, nor
famine, nor nakedness, nor peril, ‘neither death, nor life, nor angels,
nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to
separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord’
(Rom 8:35-39).
THE FIFTH DEMONSTRATION.
FIFTH. That Jesus Christ, by what he hath done, hath paid full price to
God for sinners, and obtained eternal redemption for them, is evident,
by the peace and holiness that by that doctrine possesseth men’s souls;
the souls of men awakened, and that continue so. By awakened men I mean
such as, through the revelation of their sin and misery, groan under
the want of Jesus to save them, and that continue sensible that they
needs must perish if his benefits be not bestowed upon them; for
otherwise the gospel ministereth neither peace nor holiness to any of
the souls of the sons of men; that is to say, not saving peace and
holiness. The gospel of grace and salvation is above all doctrines the
most dangerous, if in word only it be received by graceless men; if it
be not attended with a revelation of men’s need of a Saviour; if it be
not accompanied in the soul by the power of the Holy Ghost. For such
men as have only the notions of it are of all men liable to the
greatest sins, because there wanteth in their notions the power of
love, which alone can constrain them to love Jesus Christ. And this is
the reason of these scriptures—They turn the grace of God into
wantonness. ‘They turn the grace of our God into lasciviousness’ (Jude
4).
For some, when they hear of the riches of grace through Christ, that
hearing not being attended with the faith and love which is in Christ
Jesus, those men receive the notions of this good doctrine only to
cloak their wickedness, and to harden themselves in their villainies.
Others, when they hear, being leavened before with the leaven of some
other doctrine, some doctrine of the righteousness of the world, or
doctrine of devils, forthwith make head against and speak evil of the
blessed doctrine; and because some that profess it are not cleansed
from their filthiness of flesh and spirit, and do not perfect holiness
in the fear of God, therefore others conclude that all that profess it
are such, and that the doctrine itself tendeth to encourage, or at
least to tolerate, licentiousness, as they imagined and affirmed of
Paul that he should say, ‘Let us do evil, that good may come’ (Rom
3:8).
The ground of that wicked conclusion of theirs was, because he by the
allowance of God affirmed that, as sin had reigned unto death, so grace
reigned unto life in a way of righteousness by Jesus Christ our Lord.
Nay, then, says the adversary, we may be as unholy as we will, and that
by the doctrine you preach; for if where sin abounds grace abounds
more, the consequence of a wicked life is but the heightening,
advancing, and magnifying of grace. But what saith the apostle? My
conclusions are true that grace doth reign above sin, but to say, ‘Let
us therefore sin,’ that man’s damnation is just; because such an one
abuseth and maketh the most devilish use of the blessedest doctrine
that ever was heard of in the world amongst men. Besides, it is evident
that such know not the power thereof, nor have felt or savoured its
blessedness; for where this gospel cometh in truth, it naturally
produceth peace and holiness.
First. Peace. He is our peace, he is the Prince of peace, he giveth
peace in his high places. This word ‘peace’ hath in it a double
respect.
1. It respecteth God—He hath ‘made peace by the blood of his cross’;
that is, he hath made peace for us with God, having appeased the rigour
of his law, and satisfied justice for us. Hence it is said, ‘The peace
of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and
minds through Christ Jesus’ (Col 1:20; Phil 4:7). ‘The peace of
God’—that is, the doctrine of reconciliation by Christ’s being made to
be sin for us, THAT shall keep the heart—that is, from despair or
fainting, under apprehensions of weakness and justice. But yet this
peace of God cannot be apprehended, nor be of any comfort to the heart,
but as the man looks for it through Christ Jesus; therefore that clause
is added, ‘through Christ Jesus’; for he is peace-maker, it is he that
reconcileth us to God ‘in the body of his flesh through death’; for by
his doing and suffering he presented God with everlasting
righteousness, with everlasting righteousness for sinners. Upon this we
have peace with God. Hence Christ is called King of righteousness
first; ‘first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after
that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace’ (Heb 7:1,2). For he
could not make peace with God betwixt us and him but by being first the
Lord of righteousness, the Lord our righteousness; but having first
completed righteousness, he then came and preached peace, and commanded
his ambassadors to make proclamation of it to the world, for it was
want of righteousness that caused want of peace (2 Cor 5:19-21). Now,
then, righteousness being brought in, it followeth that he hath made
peace. ‘For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken
down the middle wall of partition between us; having abolished in his
flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances;
for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; and that
he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain
the enmity thereby: and came and preached peace to you which were afar
off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by
one Spirit unto the Father’ (Eph 2:14-18).
2. This word ‘peace’ respecteth our inward quietness of heart which we
obtain by beholding this reconciliation made by Christ with God for
us—‘Being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord
Jesus Christ’ (Rom 5:1). ‘The God of peace fill you with all joy and
peace in believing’ (Rom 15:13).
This peace is expressed diversely—(1.) Sometimes it is called
‘quietness,’ for it calms the soul from those troublous fears of
damning because of sin—‘And the work of righteousness shall be peace,
and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance for ever’ (Isa
32:17). (2.) Sometimes it is called ‘boldness’; for by the blood of
Christ a man hath encouragement to approach unto God—‘Having, brethren,
boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and
living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is
to say, his flesh’ (Heb 10:19,20). (3.) It is sometimes called
‘confidence’; because by Jesus Christ we have not only encouragement to
come to God, but confidence, that if we ask anything according to his
will, he not only heareth, but granteth the request which we put up to
him (1 John 5:14,15). ‘In whom we have boldness and access with
confidence, by the faith of Jesus’ (Eph 3:12). (4.) Sometimes this
peace is expressed by ‘rest’; because a man having found a sufficient
fulness to answer all his wants, he sitteth down, and looks no further
for satisfaction—‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest’ (Matt 11:28). (5.) It is also expressed by
‘singing’; because the peace of God when it is received into the soul
by faith putteth the conscience into a heavenly and melodious frame.
‘And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs
and everlasting joy upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and
gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away’ (Isa 35:10). (6.)
Sometimes it is expressed or discovered by a heavenly glorying and
boasting in Jesus Christ; because this peace causeth the soul to set
its face upon its enemies with faith of a victory over them for ever by
its Lord Jesus—‘Let him that glorieth, glory in the Lord’ (Jer
9:23,24). And, ‘My soul shall make her boast in the Lord; the humble
shall hear thereof, and be glad’ (Psa 34:2). (7.) Sometimes it is
expressed or discovered by joy, ‘joy unspeakable’: because the soul,
having seen itself reconciled to God, hath not only quietness, but such
apprehensions do now possess it of the unspeakable benefits it
receiveth by Christ with respect to the world to come, that it is
swallowed up with them—‘Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though
now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable, and
full of glory’ (1 Peter 1:8). (8.) Lastly, it is expressed or
discovered by the triumph that ariseth sometimes in the hearts of the
believers, for they at times are able to see death, sin, the devil, and
hell, and all adversity, conquered by, and tied as captives at the
chariot-wheels of Jesus Christ; taken captive, I say, and overthrown
for ever. ‘Thanks be unto God which always causeth us to triumph in
Christ’ (2 Cor 2:14). ‘O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God
with the voice of triumph’ (Psa 47:1).
[The Authors of this peace.]—Now that all this should be a cheat is
impossible—that is, it is impossible that believers should thus have
peace with God through the blood of his cross, he having not paid full
price to God for them; especially if you consider that the authors of
this peace are all the three in the Godhead, and that upon a double
account.
1. In that they have given us a gospel of peace (Rom 10:15). Or a new
testament which propoundeth peace with God through the redemption that
is in Christ. Now as this is called the gospel of peace, so it is
called the gospel of God (1 Thess 2:9). The gospel of Christ (Rom
15:19; 2 Thess 1:8). A gospel indited by the Holy Ghost (1 Thess 4:8).
I say, therefore, that redemption and salvation being that through
Christ, and the truth thereof proclaimed by the Father, the Word, and
the Holy Ghost, in the word of the truth of the gospel, it must needs
be that we who believe shall be saved, ‘if we hold fast the confidence
and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.’
2. As the three in the Godhead are the authors of this peace by
inditing for us the gospel of peace, or the good tidings of salvation
by Jesus Christ, so they are the authors of our peace by working with
that word of the gospel in our hearts. And hence, (1.) The Father is
called the God of peace, ‘Now the God of peace be with you all’ (Rom
15:33). ‘And the very God of peace sanctify you’ (1 Thess 5:23). And
because he is the God of peace, therefore he filleth those that believe
in his Christ with joy and peace through believing (Rom 15:13). (2.)
Again, Christ is called the Prince of peace; therefore the prayer is,
‘Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus
Christ’ (2 Thess 1:2). (3.) The Holy Ghost also is the author of this
peace, this inward peace, even ‘righteousness and peace, and joy in the
Holy Ghost’ (Rom 14:17).
And I say, as I also already have said, the procuring or meritorious
cause of this peace is the doings and sufferings of Christ; therefore
by his doings and sufferings he paid full price to God for sinners, and
obtained eternal redemption for them; else God would never have indited
a proclamation of peace for them, and the tenor of that proclamation to
be the worthiness of the Lord Jesus; yea, he would never have wrought
with that word in the heart of them that believe, to create within them
peace, peace.
Second. [Holiness.] As peace with God is an evidence—the blood of
Christ being the cause thereof—that Christ hath by it paid full price
to God for sinners, so holiness in their hearts, taking its beginning
from this doctrine, makes its fifth demonstration of double strength.
1. That holiness, true gospel holiness, possesseth our hearts by this
doctrine it is evident, because the ground of holiness, which is the
Spirit of God in us, is ministered to us by this doctrine. When the
apostle had insinuated that the Galatians were bewitched because they
had turned from the doctrine of Christ crucified, he demands of them
whether ‘they received the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the
hearing of faith?’ (Gal 3:1-4). That is, whether the Spirit took
possession of their souls by their obedience to the ten commandments,
or by their giving credit to the doctrine of the forgiveness of their
sins by faith in this crucified Christ, strongly concluding, not by the
law, but by the hearing or preaching of faith—that is, of the Lord
Jesus as crucified, who is the object of faith.
2. As this doctrine conveyeth the ground or groundwork, which is the
Spirit, so also it worketh in the heart those three graces, faith,
hope, love, all which as naturally purify the heart from wickedness as
soap and nitre cleanseth the cloth. He purified ‘their hearts by
faith,’ by faith in Christ’s blood. ‘And every man that hath this hope
in him, purifieth himself, even as he is pure.’ And also love, you
shall see what that doth if you look into the text (Acts 15:9; 1 John
3:3,4; 1 Cor 13). Now, I say, this faith groundeth itself in the blood
of Christ; hope waiteth for the full enjoyments of the purchase of it
in another world; and love is begot, and worketh by the love that
Christ hath expressed by his death, and by the kindness he presented us
with in his heart’s blood (Rom 3:24; 1 Cor 15:19; 2 Cor 5:14).
Besides, what arguments so prevailing as such as are purely gospel? To
instance a few—(1.) What stronger than a free forgiveness of sins? ‘A
certain man had two debtors, the one owed five hundred pence, and the
other fifty; and when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them
both; tell me therefore which of them will love him most?’ (Luke
7:41,42,47). (2.) What stronger argument to holiness than to see that
though forgiveness comes free to us, yet it cost Christ Jesus
heart-blood to obtain it for us. ‘Herein is love, not that we loved
God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for
our sins.’ And this love of God in giving his Christ, and of Christ in
dying for us, there is no argument stronger to prevail with a sensible
and awakened sinner to judge ‘he should live to him that died for him,
and rose again’ (2 Cor 5:15). (3.) What stronger argument to holiness
than this: ‘If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus
Christ the righteous?’ (1 John 2:1). Unsanctified and graceless
wretches know not how to use these words of God; the hypocrites also
fly in our faces because we thus urge them; but a heart that is
possessed with gospel ingenuity, or, to speak more properly, that is
possessed with gospel grace, and with divine considerations, cries, If
it be thus, O let me never sin against God, ‘for the love of Christ
constraineth me’ (2 Cor 5:14). (4.) What greater argument to holiness
than to see the holy Scriptures so furnished with promises of grace and
salvation by Christ, that a man can hardly cast his eye into the Bible
but he espieth one or other of them? Who would not live in such a
house, or be servant to such a prince, who, besides his exceeding in
good conditions, hath gold and silver as common in his palace as stones
are by the highway side? ‘Having, therefore, these promises, dearly
beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and
spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God’ (2 Cor 7:1). (5.) What
greater argument to holiness than to have our performances, though weak
and infirm from us, yet accepted of God in Jesus Christ (1 Peter
2:4-6). (6.) What greater argument to holiness than to have our soul,
our body, our life, hid and secured with Christ in God? ‘Mortify
therefore your members which are upon the earth, fornication,
uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and
covetousness, which is idolatry’ (Col 3:1-5). (7.) What greater
argument to holiness than to be made the members of the body, of the
flesh, and of the bones of Jesus Christ? ‘Shall I then take the members
of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid’ (Eph
5:30; 1 Cor 6:15).
Now all these, and five times as many more, having their foundation in
the love, blood, and righteousness of Christ, and operating in the soul
by faith, are the great arguments unto that holiness to which is
annexed eternal life. It is worth our observing, that in Acts 26:18,
the inheritance belongs ‘to them which are sanctified by faith in Jesus
Christ’; for all other pretences to holiness, they are but a stolen
semblance of that which is true and acceptable, though it is common for
even that which is counterfeit to be called by the deluded the true,
and to be reckoned to be in them that are utter strangers to faith, and
the holiness that comes by faith. ‘But whosoever compoundeth any like
it, or whosoever putteth any of it upon a stranger, shall even be cut
off from his people’ (Exo 30:23). God knoweth which is holiness that
comes by faith in forgiveness of sins, and acceptance with God through
Christ; and God knows which is only such feignedly; and accordingly
will he deal with sinners in that great day of God Almighty.
THE SIXTH DEMONSTRATION.
SIXTH. That Jesus Christ, by what he hath done, hath paid full price to
God for sinners, and obtained eternal redemption for them, is evident,
because prayers are accepted of God only upon the account and for the
sake of the name of Jesus Christ—‘Verily, verily, I say unto you,
whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you’
(John 16:23). In my name, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, in
the name of him that came into the world to save sinners, by dying for
them a grievous, bloody death; in his name that hath by himself put
away sin, and brought unto God acceptable righteousness for sinners; in
his name. Why in his name, if he be not accepted of God? why in his
name if his undertakings for us are not well-pleasing to God? But by
these words, ‘in my name,’ are insinuated that his person and
performances, as our undertaker, are accepted by the Father of spirits.
We may not go in our own names, because we are sinners; not in the name
of one another, because all are sinners. But why not in the name of an
angel? Because they are not those that did undertake for us; or had
they, they could not have done our work for us. ‘He putteth no trust in
his saints, yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight’ (Job 4:18,
15:15). It may further be objected—
Since Jesus Christ is God, equal with the Father, and so hath naturally
the same power to give us the Father, why should the Father rather than
the Son be the great giver to the sinners of the world? and why may we
not go to Christ in the name of the Father, as well as to the Father in
the name of Christ? I say, how can these things be solved, but by
considering that sin and justice put a necessity upon it that thus must
our salvation be obtained. Sin and justice could not reconcile, nor
could a means be found out to bring the sinner and a holy God together,
but by the intercepting of the Son, who must take upon him to answer
justice, and that by taking our sins from before the face of God by
bloody sacrifice, not by blood of others, as the high-priests under the
law—‘For every high-priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices;
wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer’
(Heb 8:3). Which offering and sacrifice of his being able to perfect
for ever them that are sanctified and set apart for eternal life,
therefore the name of the person that offered—even Jesus, made of God a
high-priest—is acceptable with God; yea, therefore is he made for ever,
by his doing for us, the appeaser of the justice of God, and the
reconciler of sinners to him. Hence it is that HIS name is that which
it behoveth us to mention when we come before God, for what God hath
determined in his counsels of grace to bestow upon sinners, because for
his name’s sake he forgiveth them. ‘I write unto you, little children,
because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake’ (1 John 2:12).
‘To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name, whosoever
believeth in him shall receive remission of sins’ (Acts 10:43).
They therefore that would obtain the forgiveness of sins must ask it of
God, through the name of Jesus; and he that shall sensibly and
unfeignedly do it, he shall receive the forgiveness of them—‘Whatsoever
ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.’ Hence it is
evident that he hath not only paid full price to God for them, but also
obtained eternal redemption for them.
And it is observable, the Lord Jesus would have his disciples make a
proof of this, and promiseth that if they do, they shall experimentally
find it so—‘Hitherto,’ saith he, ‘have ye asked nothing in my name:
ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full’ (John 16:24). As
who should say, O my disciples, you have heard what I have promised to
you, even that my Father shall do for you whatsoever ye shall ask him
in my name. Ask now, therefore, and prove me, if I shall not make my
words good: ask, I say, what you need, and see if you do not receive it
to the joying of your hearts. ‘At that day ye shall ask in my name, and
I say not unto you that I will pray the Father for you.’ I do not bid
you ask in my name as if the Father was yet hard to be reconciled, or
unwilling to accept you to mercy; my coming into the world was the
design of my Father, and the effect of his love to sinners; but there
is sin in you and justice in God; therefore that you to him might be
reconciled, I am made of my Father mediator; wherefore ask in my name,
for ‘there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we
must be saved’ (Acts 4:12). Ask in my name; love is let out to you
through me; it is let out to you by me in a way of justice, which is
the only secure way for you. Ask in my name, and my Father will love
you—‘The Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have
believed that I came out from God’ (John 16:27). My Father’s love is
set first upon me, for my name is chief in his heart, and all that love
me are beloved of my Father, and shall have what they need, if they ask
in my name.