the name of some other, since justice was provoked by our sin, if he
had not undertook to make up the difference that by sin was made
betwixt justice and us? For though there be in this Jesus infinite
worth, infinite righteousness, infinite merit, yet if he make not with
these interest for us, we get no more benefit thereby than if there
were no mediator. But this worth and merit is in him for us, for he
undertook to reconcile us to God; it is therefore that his name is with
God so prevailing for us poor sinners, and therefore that we ought to
go to God in his name. Hence, therefore, it is evident that Jesus
Christ hath paid full price to God for sinners, and obtained eternal
redemption for them.
THE SEVENTH DEMONSTRATION.
SEVENTH. That Jesus Christ, by what he hath done, hath paid full price
to God for sinners, &c., is evident, because we are commanded also to
give God thanks in his name—‘By him, therefore, let us offer the
sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips,
giving thanks to his name’ (Heb 3:15).
‘By him therefore.’ Wherefore? Because he also, that he might ‘sanctify
us with his own blood, suffered without the gate’ (v 12).
He sanctified us with his blood; but why should the Father have thanks
for this? Even because the Father gave him for us, that he might die to
sanctify us with his blood—‘Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath
made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light;
who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated
us into the kingdom of his dear Son; in whom we have redemption through
his blood, even the forgiveness of sins’ (Col 1:12-14). The Father is
to be thanked, for the contrivance was also his; but the blood, the
righteousness, or that worthiness, for the sake of which we are
accepted of God, is the worthiness of his own dear Son. As it is meet,
therefore, that God should have thanks, so it is necessary that he have
it in his name for whose sake we indeed are accepted of him.
Let us therefore by him offer praise first for the gift of his Son, and
for that we stand quit through him in his sight, and that in despite of
all inward weakness, and that in despite of all outward enemies.
When the apostle had taken such a view of himself as to put himself
into a maze, with an outcry also, ‘Who shall deliver me?’ he quiets
himself with this sweet conclusion, ‘I thank God through Jesus Christ’
(Rom 7:24,25). He found more in the blood of Christ to save him than he
found in his own corruptions to damn him; but that could not be, had he
not paid full price for him, had he not obtained eternal redemption for
him. And can a holy and just God require that we give thanks to him in
his name, if it was not effectually done for us by him?
Further, when the apostle looks upon death and the grave, and
strengtheneth them by adding to them sin and the law, saying, ‘The
sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law,’ he
presently addeth, ‘But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory,
through Jesus Christ’ (1 Cor 15)—the victory over sin, death, and the
law, the victory over these through our Lord Jesus Christ: but God hath
given us the victory; but it is through our Lord Jesus Christ, through
his fulfilling the law, through his destroying death, and through his
bringing in everlasting righteousness. Elisha said to the king of
Israel, that had it not been that he regarded the presence of
Jehoshaphat, he would not look to him nor regard him (2 Kings 3:14);
nor would God at all have looked to or regarded thee, but that he
respected the person of Jesus Christ.
‘Let the peace of God [therefore] rule in our hearts, to the which also
ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful’ (Col 3:15). The peace of
God, of that we have spoken before. But how should this rule in our
hearts? He by the next words directs you—‘Let the word of Christ dwell
in you richly’—that is, the word that makes revelation of the death and
blood of Christ, and of the peace that is made with God for you
thereby.
‘Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father, in the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ’ (Eph 5:20). For all things; for all
things come to us through this name Jesus—redemption, translation, the
kingdom, salvation, with all the good things wherewith we are blessed.
These are the works of God; he gave his Son, and he brings us to him,
and puts us into his kingdom—that is, his true body, which Jeremiah
calleth a putting among the children, and a ‘giving us a goodly
heritage of the hosts of nations’ (Jer 3:19; John 6).
‘Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ’
(2 Cor 2:14).
See here our cause of triumph is through Christ Jesus; and God causeth
us through him to triumph, first and chiefly, because Christ Jesus hath
done our work for us, hath pleased God for our sins, hath spoiled the
powers of darkness. God gave Jesus Christ to undertake our redemption;
Christ did undertake it, did engage our enemies, and spoiled them—He
‘spoiled principalities and powers, and made a show of them openly,
triumphing over them’ upon the cross (Col 2:14,15). Therefore it is
evident that he paid full price to God for sinners with his blood,
because God commands us to give thanks to him in his name, through his
name—‘And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the
Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him’ (Col 3:17).
Take this conclusion from the whole: no thanks are accepted of God that
come not to him in the name of his Son; his Son must have the glory of
conveying our thanks to God, because he was he that by his blood
conveyeth his grace to us.
THE EIGHTH DEMONSTRATION.
EIGHTH. In the next place, 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 we are exhorted to wait for,
and to expect, the full and glorious enjoyment of that eternal
redemption, at the second coming of the Lord from heaven—‘Let your
loins by girded about, and your lights burning; and ye yourselves like
unto men that wait for their Lord,—that when he cometh and knocketh,
they may open unto him immediately’ (Luke 12:35,36).
Jesus Christ hath obtained by his blood eternal redemption for us, and
hath taken it up now in the heavens, is, as I have showed, preparing
for us there everlasting mansions of rest; and then he will come again
for us. This coming is intended in this text, and this coming we are
exhorted to wait for; and that I may more fully show the truth of this
demonstration, observe these following texts—
First. It is said, he shall choose our inheritance for us—‘He shall
choose our inheritance for us; the excellency of Jacob whom he loved.
Selah. God is gone up with a shout,’ &c. (Psa 47:4,5). These latter
words intend the ascension of Jesus Christ; his ascension, when he had
upon the cross made reconciliation for iniquity; his ascension into the
heavens to prepare our mansions of glory for us; for our inheritance is
in the heavens; our house, our hope, our mansion-house, and our
incorruptible and undefiled inheritance is in heaven (2 Cor 5:1,2; Col
1:5,6; John 14:1,2; 1 Peter 1:3-5).
This is called the eternal inheritance, of which we that are called
have received the promise already (Heb 9:14,15).
This inheritance, I say, he is gone to choose for us in the heavens,
because by his blood he obtained it for us (Heb 9:12). And this we are
commanded to wait for; but how ridiculous, yea, how great a cheat would
this be, had he not by his blood obtained it for us.
Second. ‘We wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead,
even Jesus [Christ], which delivered us from the wrath to come’ (1
Thess 1:10). He delivered us by his blood, and obtained the kingdom of
heaven for us, and hath promised that he would go and prepare our
places, and come again and fetch us thither—‘And if I go and prepare a
place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that
where I am, there ye may be also’ (John 14:3). This, then, is the cause
that we wait for him, we look for the reward of the inheritance at his
coming who have served the Lord Christ in this world.
Third. ‘For our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for
the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ’ (Phil 3:20). We look for him to
come yet as a Saviour—a Saviour he was at his first coming, and a
Saviour he will be at his second coming. At his first coming, he bought
and paid for us; at his second coming, he will fetch us to himself. At
his first coming, he gave us promise of the kingdom; at his second
coming, he will give us possession of the kingdom. At his first coming,
he also showed us how we should be, by his own transfiguration; at his
second coming, ‘he will change our vile body, that it may be fashioned
like unto his glorious body’ (Phil 3:21).
Fourth. Hence therefore it is that his coming is called our blessed
hope—‘Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the
great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ’ (Titus 2:13). A blessed hope
indeed, if he hath bought our persons with his blood, and an eternal
inheritance for us in the heavens; a blessed hope indeed, if also at
his coming we be certainly carried thither. No marvel, then, if saints
be bid to wait for it, and if saints themselves long for it. But what a
disappointment would these waiting believers have, should all their
expectations be rewarded with a fable! and the result of their blessed
hope can amount to no more, if our Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ either
denieth to come, or coming, bringeth not with him the hope, the blessed
hope that is laid up for us in heaven, whereof we have certainly been
informed by ‘the word of the truth of the gospel’ (Col 1:5).
Fifth. ‘For Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto
them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto
salvation’ (Heb 9:28). Here we have it promised that he shall come,
that he shall appear the second time, but not with sin, as he did
before—to wit, with and in the sin of his people, when he bare them in
his own body; but now without sin, for he before did put them away by
the sacrifice of himself. Now, then, let the saints look for him, not
to die for the purchasing of their persons by blood, but to bring to
them, and to bring them also to that salvation that before when he died
he obtained of God for them by his death.
These things are to be expected therefore by them that believe in and
love Jesus Christ, and that from faith and love serve him in this
world; they are to be expected by them, being obtained for them by
Jesus Christ. And he shall give the crown, saith Paul, ‘not to me only,
but to all them also that love his appearing’ (2 Tim 4:8,9).
Now forasmuch as this inheritance in the heavens is the price,
purchase, and reward of his blood, how evidently doth it appear that he
hath paid full price to God for sinners! Would God else have given him
the heaven to dispose of to us that believe, and would he else have
told us so? Yea, and what comfort could we have to look for his coming,
and kingdom, and glory as the fruits of his death, if his death had not
for that purpose been sufficiently efficacious? O ‘the sufferings of
Christ, and the glory that shall follow!’ (1 Peter 1:11).
THE NINTH DEMONSTRATION.
NINTH. That Jesus Christ, by what he hath done, hath paid full price to
God for sinners, and obtained eternal redemption for sinners, is
evident, because of the threatenings wherewith God hath threatened, and
the punishments wherewith he punisheth those that shall refuse to be
saved by Christ, or seek to make insignificant the doctrine of
righteousness by faith in him.
This demonstration consisteth of three parts—First. It suggesteth that
some refuse to be justified or saved by Christ, and also seek to make
insignificant the doctrine of righteousness by faith in him. Second.
That God doth threaten these. Third. That God will punish these.
[First.] That some refuse to be saved by Christ is evident from many
texts. He is the stone which the builders have rejected; he is also
disallowed of men; the Jews stumble at him, and to the Greeks he is
foolishness; both saying, This man shall not rule over us, or, How can
this man save us? (Psa 118:22; Matt 21:44; Luke 19:14; 1 Cor 1:23; 1
Peter 2:4).
The causes of men’s refusing Christ are many—1. Their love to sin. 2.
Their ignorance of his excellency. 3. Their unbelief. 4. Their
deferring to come to him in the acceptable time. 5. Their leaning to
their own righteousness. 6. Their entertaining damnable doctrines. 7.
Their loving the praise of men. 8. The meanness of his ways, his
people, &c. 9. The just judgment of God upon them. 10. The kingdom is
given to others.
Now these, as they all refuse him, so they seek, more or less, some
practically, others in practice and judgment also, to make
insignificant the doctrine of righteousness by faith in him. One does
it by preferring his sins before him. Another does it by preferring his
righteousness before him. Another does it by preferring his delusions
before him. Another does it by preferring the world before him.
Now these God threateneth, these God punisheth.
Second. God threateneth them.
1. Whosoever shall ‘not hear that prophet shall be destroyed from
amongst the people’ (Acts 3:23). The prophet is Jesus Christ; the
doctrine that he preached was, that he would lay down his life for us,
that he would give us his flesh to eat, and his blood to drink by
faith; and promised, that if we did eat his flesh, and drink his blood,
we should have eternal life. He therefore that seeth not, or that is
afraid to venture his soul for salvation on the flesh and blood of
Christ by faith, he refuseth this prophet, he heareth not this prophet,
and him God hath purposed to cut off. But would God thus have
threatened, if Christ by his blood, and the merits of the same, had not
paid full price to God for sinners, and obtained eternal redemption for
them?
2. ‘Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy
footstool’ (Psa 110:1; Matt 22:44; Heb 1:13). The honour of sitting at
God’s right hand was given him because he died, and offered his body
once for all. ‘This man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins
for ever, sat down on the right hand of God, from henceforth expecting
till his enemies be made his footstool’ (Heb 10:12,13). Expecting,
since God accepted his offering, that those that refused him should be
trodden under foot; that is, sunk by him into and under endless and
insupportable vengeance. But would God have given the world such an
account of his sufferings, that by one offering he did perfect for ever
them that are sanctified? yea, and would he have threatened to make
those foes his footstool that shall refuse to venture themselves upon
his offering—for they are indeed his foes—had not his eternal Majesty
been well pleased with the price he paid to God for sinners; had he not
obtained eternal redemption for them?
3. He shall come ‘from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire,
taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the
gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ’ (2 Thess 1:7,8).
Here he expressly telleth us wherefore they shall be punished; because
‘they know not God, and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ’;
where also is notably intimated that he that obeyeth not the gospel of
Christ knoweth not God, neither in his justice nor mercy. But what is
the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ but good tidings of good things—to
wit, forgiveness of sins by faith in his blood, an inheritance in
heaven by faith in his blood, as the whole of all the foregoing
discourse hath manifested? Now, I say, can it be imagined that God
would threaten to come upon the world with this flaming, fiery
vengeance to punish them for their non-subjection to his Son’s gospel,
if there had not been by himself paid to God full price for the souls
of sinners, if he had not obtained eternal redemption by his blood for
sinners?
4. ‘And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying,
Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints, to execute
judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of
all their ungodly deeds, which they have ungodly committed, and of all
their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him’
(Jude 14,15).
The Lord that is here said to come with ten thousands of his saints is
Jesus Christ himself; and they that come with him are called his
saints, because given to him by the Father, for the sake of the
shedding of his blood. Now in that he is said to come to execute
judgment upon all, and especially those that speak hard speeches
against him, it is evident that the Father tendereth his name, which is
Jesus, a Saviour, and his undertaking for our redemption; and as
evident that the hard speeches intended by the text are such as vilify
him as Saviour, counting the blood of the covenant unholy, and
trampling him that is Prince of the covenant under the feet of their
reproachful language; this is counted a putting of him to open shame,
and a despising the riches of his goodness (Heb 6:10; Rom 2). Time
would fail to give you a view of the revilings, despiteful sayings, and
of the ungodly speeches which these abominable children of hell let
fall in their pamphlets, doctrines, and discourses against the Lord the
King. But the threatening is, he shall ‘execute judgment upon them for
all their ungodly deeds, and for all the hard speeches which ungodly
sinners have spoken against him.’
5. ‘Beware therefore, lest that come upon you which is spoken of in the
prophets; 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’ (Acts 13:40,41).
This work is the same we have been all this while treating of—to wit,
redemption by the blood of Christ for sinners, or that Christ hath paid
full price to God for sinners, and obtained eternal redemption for
them. This is manifest from verses 23 to 29 of this chapter.
Now, observe, there are and will be despisers of this doctrine, and
they are threatened with the wrath of God—‘Behold, ye despisers, and
wonder, and perish.’ But would God so carefully have cautioned sinners
to take heed of despising this blessed doctrine, and have backed his
caution with a threatening that they shall perish, if they persist, had
not he himself received by the blood of Christ full price for the souls
of sinners?
Third. As God threateneth, so he punisheth those that refuse his Son,
or that seek to vilify or make insignificant the doctrine of
righteousness by faith in him.
1. He punished them with the abidings of his wrath—‘He that believeth
not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him’
(John 3:36).
The wrath of God for men; for sin stands already condemned by the law;
and the judgment is, that they who refuse the Lord Jesus Christ shall
have this wrath of God for ever lie and abide upon them; for they want
a sacrifice to pacify wrath for the sin they have committed, having
resisted and refused the sacrifice of the body of Christ. Therefore it
cannot be that they should get from under their present condition who
have refused to accept of the undertaking of Christ for them.
Besides, God, to show that he taketh it ill at the hands of sinners
that they should refuse the sacrifice of Christ, hath resolved that
there shall be no more sacrifice for sin. Therefore ‘if we sin
willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there
remaineth no more sacrifice for sins’ (Heb 10:26). God doth neither
appoint another, neither will he accept another, whoever brings it. And
here those sayings are of their own natural force: ‘How shall we escape
if we neglect so great salvation?’ And again, ‘See that ye refuse not
him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake
on earth (Moses), much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from
him (Christ) that speaketh from heaven’ (Heb 2:3, 12:25).
This therefore is a mighty demonstration that Christ by what he hath
done hath paid full price to God for the souls of sinners, because God
so severely threateneth, and also punisheth them that refuse to be
justified by his blood: he threateneth, as you have heard, and
punisheth, by leaving such men in their sins, under his heavy and
insupportable vengeance here.
2. ‘He that believeth not shall be damned,’ damned in hell-fire (Mark
16:16). ‘He that believeth not.’ But what should he believe? Why,
(1.) That Jesus is the Saviour. ‘If,’ saith he, ‘ye believe not that I
am he, ye shall die in your sins.’
(2.) He that believeth not that he [Jesus] hath undertaken and
completely perfected righteousness for us, shall die in his sins, shall
be damned, and perish in hell-fire; for such have no cloak for their
sin, but must stand naked to the show of their shame before the
judgment of God, that fearful judgment. Therefore, after he had said,
‘there remaineth’ for such ‘no more sacrifice for sin,’ he adds, ‘but a
certain fearful looking for of judgment’; there is for them left
nothing but the judgment of God, and his fiery indignation, which shall
devour the adversaries. ‘He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy
under two or three witnesses; of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye,
shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God,
and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was
sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of
grace’ (Heb 10:28,29).
See here, if fury comes not up now into the face of God; now is mention
made of his fearful judgment and fiery indignation. Now, I say, is
mention made thereof, when it is suggested that some have light
thoughts of him, count his blood unholy, and trample his sacrificed
body under the feet of their reproaches; now is he a consuming fire,
and will burn to the lowest hell. ‘For we know him that hath said,
Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And
again, The Lord shall judge his people’ (Heb 10:30). These words are
urged by the Holy Ghost on purpose to beget in the hearts of the
rebellious reverend thoughts, and a high esteem of the sacrifice which
our Lord Jesus offered once for all upon Mount Calvary unto God the
Father for our sins; for that is the very argument of the whole
epistle.
It is said to this purpose, in one of Paul’s epistles to the
Thessalonians, that because men receive not the love of the truth, that
they might be saved; ‘for this cause God shall send them strong
delusion, that they should believe a lie; that they might be damned’ (2
Thess 2:11,12).
‘The truth’ mentioned in this place is Jesus Christ. ‘I am the truth,’
saith he (John 14:6). The love of the truth is none else but the love
and compassion of Jesus Christ in shedding his blood for man’s
redemption. ‘Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down
his life for his friends’ (John 15:13). This, then, is the love of the
Truth (of Jesus), that he hath laid down his life for us. Now, that the
rejecters of this love should by this their rejecting procure such
wrath of God against them, that rather than they shall miss of
damnation, himself will choose their delusions for them, and also give
them up to the effectual working of these delusions, what doth this
manifest but that God is displeased with them that accept not of Jesus
Christ for righteousness, and will certainly order that their end shall
be everlasting damnation? therefore Jesus Christ hath paid full price
to God for sinners, and obtained eternal redemption for them.
THE USE OF THE DOCTRINE.
I come now to make some use of and to apply this blessed doctrine of
the undertaking of Jesus Christ, and of his paying full price to God
for sinners, and of his obtaining eternal redemption for them.
THE FIRST USE.