Imatges de pàgina
PDF
EPUB

and was made under the law, Gal. iv. 4.
perfectly fulfilling the fame, Matth. iii. 15.
and v. 17. and fuffered in foul and body,
Matth. xxvi. 37. 38. and chap. xxvii. and
died, Phil. ii. 8. and fatisfied juftice, Eph.
v. 2. It was he who gave himfelf a ranfom,
1 Tim. ii. 6. and we are redeemed by his
blood, 1 Pet i. 18. 19. fee Gal. iii. 13.
2 Cor. v. 21, Eph. i. 7. For this redemption
is faid to be in Chrift. See 1 Cor. vi. 20.
Rev. v. 9. and xiv. 3.

VII. This price which Chrift did lay down, is the only meritorious price, and meritorious caufe of our juftification; in him alone we have redemption, Eph. i. 7. he has trade the wine-prefs alone, and of all the people there was none to help him, Ifa. Ixiii. 3. in him alone is the Father well pleafed, Matth. xvii. 5. The law could help nothing, being weak through the flesh, but God fending his only Son---for fin condemned fin in the flesh, Rom. viii. The law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did, Heb. vii. 19. Gifts and facrifices could not make them that did the fervice perfect, as to the confcience,---But Chrift being come, &c. Heb. ix. 9. 11. fee Heb. x. 4.-10. Therefore it is faid, that we are justified through the redemption that is in Chrift.

3.

fo is pardon, distinct from the fatisfaction made. For here the apostle joineth both in one verfe, faying, We are juftified freeby by his grace, through the redemption that is in Chrift: Thereby fhewing, that the price impairs not the freedom, nor its freedom diminisheth not the price: yea, the apoftle's words would rather prove, that our juftification were free, because it is through the redemption of Christ, and

that

upon a double account: 1. When God might have entered into judgment with man's felf, according to the rigour of juftice, he was content to pass from him, and feek reparation in another. And, 2. In that when he might have refused the fatisfaction offered, he fat down contented therewith, and thereupon juftified finners. See more, Doct. 3d.

I

IX. Chrift Jefus did properly redeem us by doing and fuffering what he did; we were captives, kept under juftice, law, Satan, death, and the grave, as our goal; and he comes, by laying down his life a ranfom, to fet us at liberty: hence it is called a redemption, Eph. i. 7. Col. i. 14. Luke ii. 38. and he is faid to redeem, Luke i. 68. fee alfo Heb. ix. 12. fo is it called a ransom, Mark x. 45. Matth. xx. 28. 1 Tim. ii. 6. fo is he faid to deliver, 1 Theff. i. to. VIII. That there is a price laid down, Col.i.1 3. In every proper redemption there which is the meritorious caufe of our juf- is, 1ft, Captives, and we are fuch, Ifa. Ixi. tification, doth no way hurt or obfcure the 1. and xlii. 7. and xlix. 9. 25. Zech. ix. 11. gracious freeness thereof; for though it. Yea, and in bondage, Heb. ii. 15. 2dly, be free as to us, who contributed nothing Some caufe deferving imprisonment, as thereto, Tit. iii. Rom. iv. 5. yet it coft debt or offences; now fin is both a deb, Chrift his life its freedom is to be un- Matth. vi. 12. and v. 25. 26. and a crime. derstood in respect of us, and not in re- 3dly, A principal creditor and king; and fpect of Chrift, who bought it with his here is God, Matth. vi. 12. Pfalm li. 4. blood. It is true, real pecunial debts are James iv. 12. Pfalm x. 16. and he it is that no more debts when once reparation and imprifoneth principally, Rom. xi. 32. Safatisfaction is made; but in perfonal offen- tan is only the officer or jailor, and fin is ces, fatisfaction and remiffion may confift; only the fetters. 4thly, A delivery out of yea, satisfaction here makes way for par- prifon; fo here we are freed from the curse don, and is fubfervient thereto: for when of God, the power of Satan and fin, 2 Tim. fatisfaction is made, the offended muftii. 26. Tit. ii. 14. 1 Pet. i. 18. Gal. iii. t 3. moreover leave off to be any more dif- Rom. v. 9. Heb.ii. 15. Hof. xiii. 14. 5thly, pleafed: And this is an act of the will, and A delivery by price; fo here is a price,

[ocr errors]

|

God effentially, but as God-man, God incarnate, and to did participate of both natures, and was a mid man and Mediator; and fo though in him there be but one perfon, yet there are two natures, which is enough to make a difference, Gal. iii. 20. | Now a mediator is, not a mediator of one; but God is one.

even blood, Acts xx. 28. Pet. i. 18. 19.
Heb. ix. 4. John i. 7. Col. i. 14. Eph.
i. 7. 6thly, The price must be paid to him
who detaineth; fo is it here paid to God, for
he only it is who detaineth the captives by
jurifdiction, right, law, and power; and
it is from his wrath we are delivered,
I Theff. i. o. and his curfe, Gal. iii. 13.
and his law, Gal. iv. 4. fee these two
exprefs texts, Eph. v. 2. Heb. ix. 4.
And, lastly, it must be accepted; and fo
it is here, for his facrifice was a fweet
Smelling favour to God, Eph. v. 2. More-
over, we find that his death and fufferings
were properly punishments, and thereby
fatisfaction was made to God for us; as is
clear, Ifaiah liii. He was afflicted, bruised,
wounded, and chaftifed, and that not for
his correction, for he had done no violence;
he was cut off, but not for himself; and fo
properly punished, and that for the iniqui-
ties of us all, verfe 6th; and he bare their
inquities, verfe 14th: fo he is faid to be
delivered for our offences, Rom. iv. 25. and
v. 8. 1 Pet. iii. 18. 2 Cor. v. 21. Gal. iii.
13. Yea, we find that God appointed,
and determined, or required, in the cove-
nant of redemption; and that it was pro-
mifed accordingly by the Son, that he
fhould properly redeem his people, Heb. x.
The Father requireth not of him facri-
fices, &c. but that, ift, he should become
man, verfe 5th; and, 2dly, fuffer, Ifa. liii.
10. The Son affenteth, Pfalm xl. 7. 8. and
accordingly performeth, Dan. ix. 24. Job
xxxiii. 24. and thus is he called the Second
Adam; because that as Adam by his guilt
and difobedience, procured death to his
pofterity, by way of demerit; fo Chrift by
his obedience and fufferings, did purchase
and procure life and freedom to his, by way
of merit and fatisfaction, Rom. v. Thus the
apoftle faith, we are juftified by the re-
demption which is in Chrift. And this will
no way impeach the Godhead of Chrift, as
if then it would follow, if he was God,
he fhould fatisfy himfelf; because he made
not fatisfaction or redemption as he was

VERSES 25. 26. Whom God hath fet forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood, to declare his righteoufnefs for the remiffion of fins that are paft, through the forbearance of God;

To declare, I fay, at this time his righteoufnefs that he might be juft, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jefus.

HE apostle proceedeth in explaining

THE

the nature of juftification; and in clearing the true manner how we are juftified before God; wherein there are many arguments couched, tending to confirm his main thefis. He had faid, in the end of the last verse, that we were redeemed through Chrift, that it was he who laid down the price of our redemption: Now, this meritorious caufe he farther explicates here: First, From the main author thereof; God hath fet him forth: God confidered effentially, or the Father hath from eternity defigned, ordained, and appointed him for this work, (for fo the word fignifieth, Eph. i. 9.) and fet him forth in types and facrifices before hand, and in the fulness of time fent him forth in the flefh, Gal. iv. 4. 1 Pet. i. 20. 21. 22. and then fent and authorized his meffengers to publish and proclaim him to the world, that now he might be feen of all, the vail being now taken away, 2 Tim. i. 9. 10.

I I.

1o be a propitiation, or propitiatory. He was a Prieft, and offered a facrifice which pacified God, appeafed his wrath. and averted his difpleafure, which he had against us becaufe of fin, when nothi elle would do: And herein he alludeth to the mercy feat, which carrieth this nan.e

which declared God to be atoned and appealed by the blood of the facrifice that was offered without, Lev. xvi. till this was done there was no beholding of the mercyfeat; fo Christ is now fet forth as having made atonement, and is the true mercyfeat, in whom we may fee God fully reconciled to us. Again he fhews how this propitiation was made, viz. by blood; fhewing, that he was the antitype of all the bloody facrifices; his facrifice was bloody alfo and by it is understood, all his fufferings, from his entry in the work till his death, which put a period to them. 2dly, Then he fheweth, how or what way this becometh a propitiation unto us, viz. by faith, and faith in his blood, (for in his blood, may refer both to faith, and to pro pitiation) faith respecting his bloody facrifice and atonement; and leaning on that as fufficient to answer all accufations from the law, Satan, confcience, or others. 3dly, He explains this propitiation more by its fruit, and fweet effect; and that is, remiffion of fins; and that even of these under the law, Heb. ix. 15. viz. thofe that are past, whofe fins the blood of bulls could not expiate, Heb. x. 4. Such force had this expiatory facrifice before it did exift, being a moral caufe; whereby the apoftle would fhew, that all did not perish who died before Chrift came; nor did God pafs by their fins altogether, nor only punish them with temporal punishments; only he did put off their punishment: and this is it which is meant by the patience of God, or forbearance: But all the pardon they met with, was in and thro' Chrift to come, in whom the faithful among them believed and refted God indeed then fhewed his goodness, in fufpending his judgments which he might have inflicted upon th world, and not deftroying them, though the way of complete fatisfaction was not opened as yet. Lailly, The matter is explained from the end which God propof ed, viz. To declare his righteousness; to manifeft, fhew, and make appear, not his

univerfal righteoufnefs, purity and integrity, abfolutely confidered, for this vill only demonitrate a part of his perfection; not his mercy, which is fometimes fignified indeed by this word; for whatever can be thought to be intended by it, is expreffed in that word, freely, through grace? and there is mention made of a propitiation, which will fay, that there is fome other thing meant by righteousness, even his juftice, whereby he readers to every man according to his ways, as the word is ufed, 2 Theff. i. 6. Heb. ii. 2. Acts xvii. 31. Rom. xvi. 5. 7. Hence is he called, the righteous Judge, Rom. i. 32. The time when this is demonftrated is now in the days of the gofpel, wherein Chrift is come, and actually has fuffered the cruel death of the crofs for man's fins; now is it clearly and evidently demonftrated, that God will not fuffer fin to go away unpunished, but ere juftice be not fatisfied, he will fend his own Son to fuffer. And then he adds, that he might be jut, in fulfilling all his promifes and prophecies, as Ifa. ix. Micah v. anent the Meffias, and redemption through him; and also just in executing the threatenings of the covenant of works upon our Cautioner, this being no way contrary to law; and the gracious Lawgiver yielding to a merciful condefcenfion. And, laftly, it is added, And the juftifier of him which believeth in Fefus, that now a way might be made open, how fome poor finners might be received into favour again; and thus, as his juftice, fo his mercy might appear in this work, in pardoning and accepting of poor finners, even fuch as believe in Christ, and reft upon him.

Thus he layeth together many arguments, confirming his main purpofe, which may be taken afunder thus:. If God has intended of old, and in time declared another way of uftification than by works, then are we not juftified by works: But the former is clear; Therefore, etc. The minor is clear; for he has fent his bon to

P

be

be a propitiation, etc. 2. If we are justified thro' faith in his blood, then not by works: But we are justified by faith in his blood; Therefore, etc. 3. Whatever way we are pardoned, by that fame way are we juftified: But we are pardoned not for works, but for the propitiation in Chrift's blood; Therefore, etc. 4. Whatever way the fins of those under the law were pardoned, that way are we juiftfied: But, etc. Therefore, etc. 5. Whatever way tends moft to declare God's righteoufnefs, that is the way: But, etc. Therefore, etc. So that, in fhort, juftification by works deftroyeth the whole nature of juftification. 1. It thwarteth with the principal caufe, God purpofing; 2. with the inward moving caufe, free grace; 3. with the external moving caufe, Chrift's redemption and propitiation; 4. with the main and only condition requifite, faith in his blood; 5. with that which fome call the formal caufe, but whatever it be called, it is the remiffion of fins; 6. with the final caufe, God's glory, in his goodness and juftice.

and faid to obey, Heb. x. 7. 9. and that he came to do his Father's will; and not my will but thy will be done, fays he: and being in our room, it pleafed the Lord to bruife him, to put him to grief, to make his foul an offering for fin, a. liii. 10. For Paul fays, God fet him forth to be a propi tiation. See John iii. 16. Rom. v. 8. 9.

OBSERVATIONS.

I. Tho' it was God against whom we had fined, whofe covenant we had broken, and who in justice might have fent us all to hell; yet he, even he, out of his free grace and wonderful goodnefs, for the glory of his great name, contrived the great work of the falvation of his own chofen by an act of fovereign power and dominion, he defigned and appointed from eternity his only Son to mediate, Acts iv. 8. and ii. 23, and in due time (after he had fignified it to the people of old by types and facraments, formed him a body, plepared and fited him for the work, Heb. x. 5. and fo fent him forth in the likenefs of finful flefb, Rom viii. 3. and Gal. iv. 4. laid our fins, or caufed them meet upon him, Ifa. liii. 6. and made him to be fin for us, who knew no fin, 2 Cor. v. 2. Laid commands upon him, therefore is he called his fervant, Isa. xlii. 1. and xlix. 5. Phil. ii. 6.

II. Tho' it be a sweet truth, and worthy of all admiration and acceptation, that God fent his Son, and fet him forth; yet this is no hinderanee unto the price that Chrift paid; his death and fufferings were a propitiation and price of redemption no whit the lefs; fecing (notwithstanding that Chrift in working out our redemption was a fervant to the Father, yet) that the price he paid was his own; the life he laid down his own, John x. 15. --- And I lay down my life for the Sheep; the blood he fhed was his own; it was He, the fecond perfon in the Trinity, that gave himself a ransom, Eph. v. 2. and not the Father; and what he did, he did in his own name, he laid down his own life: and fo in a proper and ftrict fenfe, the Father did not fatisfy, or lay down the price to himfelf; but the Son, who is a diftinct perfon from the Father, laid down his own life, at the command, indeed, of the Father: for though God fet him forth, yet it was to be a propitiation; the one juftles not out the other, but they agree harmoniously in the apoftle's judgment.

III. Tho' at first, in the state of innocency, there was peace and friendship betwixt God and man, God had no enmity against man, whom he had created in his own likeness, Gen. i. 27. and approven to be very good, verfe 31. nor had man any enmity againft his Maker; yet now be caufe of fin this peace is broken up, divi fion, and feparation of friendship come Ifa. lix, 2. and xlviii. 22. fo as not only is there enmity in our hearts against God Rom. viii. 7. Tit. iii. 3. Col. i. 21. Ep ii. 12. 13. Rom. v. 10. but alfo enmity o God's part against us; he has renounce

peac

love by which he fent his Son was a lovel of purpofe and good pleasure, called a love of benevolence and beneficence; and fuch a love as that, being an eternal and free act of his will and purpofe, Rom. ix. 11. his good pleasure, and the purpose which he purpofed in himself, Eph. i. 9. which was to have an efficacy by the means appointed, hath no confiftency with legal enmity, fuch as his love of delight and complacency, friendhip, approbation, and acceptation hath; for this cannot be till fin be removed, justice fatisfied, and fatisfaction made, because of God's juftice and truth: but notwithstand

peace and friendship with us: hence are we called, children of wrath, Eph. ii. 3. as being liable to the stroke of God's wrath and divine anger; fo that now his wrath abides on us, John iii. 36. and he is faid to be angry with the wicked every day. Hence read we fo often of his wrath, wrath kindled, anger, and the like: not as if God were strictly and properly angry, or wroth, but this is to be understood after the manner of men, for there is no paffion in God, nor is he mutable. And herein is held forth, a law-enmity on God's part; that is, because his law was broken, unto which he had annexed a threatening, faying, Thating of this legal enmity, God, according to day thou eatest, thou shalt die, Gen. ii. 17. and Curfed is every one that abideth not in all that is written, Deut. xxvii. 29. and he is juft and righteous, who will not fuffer finners to go unpunished, 2 Thef. i. 6. Therefore as he is difpleafed with their tranfgreffions, being holy, Hab. i. 13. Jof. xxiv. 19. fo will he make good his threatenings, and therefore reject their perfons as abominable, Pfal. i. 4. 5. 6. and their fervices, Prov. xv. 8. 9. and prepare fad ftrokes for them in his own time, Rom. ii. 5. And this is clearly intimated, in that Chrift's fufferings are called, a propitiation, as rendering God propitious and favourable, who was not fo formerly: and, as we fhewed in the explication, it has refpect unto the cover of the ark, which did ftill fignify God to be atoned and made propitious, and that thro' the blood of the facrifice, which behoved to be flain before this cover was to be seen.

IV. Tho' it be an uncontroverted truth, that God's giving of his Son to die was out of love, and fo a fruit of love, and moft intenfe love, because it is fo held forth, John iii. 16. Rom. v. 7. 8. 1 John iv. 1o. yet this will not contradict what was delivered in the last doctrine; nor will it hence follow, that Chrift's death was not properly a ranfom, or propitiation, or that God was not angry at us before he was atoned with that propitiation; fecing the

the good pleasure of his will, may purpose to deliver us, without any breach of justice; he may pity mankind, and find out and purpose a way to pardon them: for here, though God fet forth this propitiation, yet it is a propitiation ftill, and fo fuppofes enmity.

V. Albeit it was Chrift the fecond perfon that did lay down his life for us, and thereby gave proof of his matchlefs and incomparable love; yet are we not more bound to him than to the Father, as fome do foolishly and falfely gather our obligation to both, and either refpectfully, is fo great, that it can be no greater; we are bound to both in the abfolutely highest degree; for had either Father or Son been against it, it had never been: For here, as often elsewhere, the Father is shown to have had a great hand in this matter, fo as the rile and fountain is affigned to be the love of the Father; for as the propitiation was in Chrift's blood, fo it was God the Father, or rather the whole Trinity (feeing all their works in and about the creatures, belongeth to them all alike, excepting only the order of operation) that fet him forth to be a propitiation.

VI. It should fully fatisfy us, touching our inability to fatisfy juftice, and purchase a righteousnefs to curfelves, thro' which we might ftand juftified before God, that the infinite wifdom of God, which

P

Was

« AnteriorContinua »