Christ the true victim and conqueror. A history of the war, in which the Son of God engaged with all the powers of darkness, concerning the righteousness of God as moral governor--How it commenced; and how he decided it, by being made a victim and sacrifice in the devil's kingdom; by means of which, he conquered and destroyed God's enemies--made atonement for sin--paid the price of our ransom--merited the kingdom of the universe to himself--and redeemed multitudes to God out of every nation. / By Josiah Sherman, A.M. ; Published at the desire of the hearers. ; [Three lines from Jonathan Edwards]

Christ the true victim and conqueror. A history of the war, in which the Son of God engaged with all the powers of darkness, concerning the righteousness of God as moral governor--How it commenced; and how he decided it, by being made a victim and sacrifice in the devil's kingdom; by means of which, he conquered and destroyed God's enemies--made atonement for sin--paid the price of our ransom--merited the kingdom of the universe to himself--and redeemed multitudes to God out of every nation. / By Josiah Sherman, A.M. ; Published at the desire of the hearers. ; [Three lines from Jonathan Edwards]

Christ the true victim and conqueror. A history of the war, in which the Son of God engaged with all the powers of darkness, concerning the righteousness of God as moral governor--How it commenced; and how he decided it, by being made a victim and sacrifice in the devil's kingdom; by means of which, he conquered and destroyed God's enemies--made atonement for sin--paid the price of our ransom--merited the kingdom of the universe to himself--and redeemed multitudes to God out of every nation. / By Josiah Sherman, A.M. ; Published at the desire of the hearers. ; [Three lines from Jonathan Edwards]

Table of contents

Title page

Christ the true victim and conqueror. SERMON I.

IMPROVEMENT.

SERMON II.

IMPROVEMENT.

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Christ the true victim and conqueror.

A History of the War, In which the SON OF GOD engaged with all the powers of darkness, concerning the righteousness of God as moral Governor—How it commenced; and how he decided it, by being made a victim and sacrifice in the devil's kingdom; by means of which, he conquered and destroyed God's enemies—made ATONEMENT for sin—paid the price of our ransom—merited the kingdom of the universe to himself—and redeemed multitudes to God out of every nation.

By Josiah Sherman, A. M.

Published at the desire of the Hearers.

'WHICH immense debt we owe to God, and have nothing to pay.'

"CHRIST obtains the benefits men have through him, by a proper merit of condignity; and a true purchase by an equivalent."

President EDWARDS.

LITCHFIELD: Printed by T. COLLIER, in the South End of the Court-House.

Christ the true victim and conqueror. SERMON I.

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Rev. v. 9.

"And they sung a new song, saying—Thou art worthy to take the book and open the seals thereof; for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood—out of every kindred and tongue, and people and nation."

THE work of man's redemption, through the merit of the Son of God, is a most important theme! It is the principal design and subject of divine revelation—comprehends in it all divine and saving knowledge—It is a subject which the angels desire to look into, nor is one desire gratified, 'till new ones arise;—for here is scope for alternate inquiry, and pleasing admiration, 'till time shall be no more, and to all eternity—And this truth known and embraced by men, will make them wise to salvation.—It is a song that is, and ever will be new—a song melodious in the ears of God himself—entertaining to saints and angels on earth and in heaven, and will be their delightful employment to all eternity. And a clear knowledge and understanding of the truths contained in it, will be the means, in the hand of the spirit, of dispelling all the clouds of ignorance and mists of error, that have so long overvailed the nations, and diffusing thro' them all, knowledge and grace, purity and joy—the means of converting thousands and ten thousands from sin to holiness; delivering them from the power of darkness, and translating them into the kingdom of God's dear Son—the means of bringing on the latter day glory; breaking the serpent's head; exposing his infernal [Page] designs, and destroying his kingdom and power over the hearts of men, and of happyfying saints and tormenting devils and wicked men for ever and ever.—And the words I have now read to you, afford us a very comprehensive view of this subject.—"Thou art worthy to take the book and open the seals thereof; for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood."——And in treating on them, I shall do the following things—

I. Shew what is implied in our redemption to God.

II. How the Son of God hath accomplished this work.

III. The honours conferred on him as the reward of his merit.

Lastly, make improvement.

I. I am to show what is implied in our redemption to God.

And in general, it implies that we are in a state of bondage—out of which the Son of God hath redeemed us, by paying the price of our ransom, and by conquering and subduing that power by which we were held.

Man, in his first creation, was made in the image of God. His soul consisted of three faculties, understanding, principle and will. —His understanding is the seat of ideas and speculative knowledge; his principle is the seat of sensation, perception and moral taste— his will is the seat of exercises and volitions.

The principle of the soul, as it is a distinct faculty, is sometimes called disposition of heart, temper, affection, instinct, &c. In scripture it is called mind, nature, treasure, fountain, &c. And it is evident that understanding or will cannot supply the place of principle, by being the seat of sensation, perception or moral taste.*—

And the soul created with these faculties, dependent on the will of God for its existence and activity, is capable of forming ideas, perceptions and volitions itself. Though God creates and upholds these faculties; yet God doth not create the ideas, perceptions and volitions, with their rectitude or sinfulness, which are only contingent modes of the exercises.

The ideas, perceptions and volitions of the mind, are transient; but the three faculties of the soul are permanent; and will remain the same in substance to all eternity, though they may alter as to their moral quality and perfection.

And in these faculties of soul consisted the natural image of God, in which man was created. And the moral image of God, in which man was created, consisted in the rectitude of his principle; which laid a foundation for right perception, or moral taste, of those objects that were formed in his understanding. The understanding is not the seat of moral rectitude or taste; but the heart, including theSee Pr. Edwards on Orig. Sin, part 2d, chap. 1st, sec. 1. [Page] principle and will is the seat of all holiness and sin. And as the principle, in the first creation of angels and men, was right and uncorrupted, all the perceptions and exercises of their principle and will, were holy: God made man upright; in his own image, in knowledge, righteousness and true holiness.

And regeneration is a rectifying this principle, and removing its corruption, by the supernatural influences of the holy spirit of God, which is again ministred to mankind, through the knowledge of Christ and his gospel. See 2. Pet. i. 3.4. Man being provided with the means of knowledge, was capable of forming the truth of God's character, law and government in his understanding; and of perceiving and relishing the moral beauty and excellency of them, in his principle, and his will was disposed and inclined to love God's character, obey his law, and submit to his government, and all his subordinate affections and passions to a proper exercise. Man, then, placed his happiness in the knowledge of God, love to him and joy in him. And now, when God had brought moral creatures into existence, it was necessary that there should be a moral government; and therefore God gave them a law, and established a moral government over his intelligent creatures—to this law he annexed a penalty, in order to support the authority of it, and the dignity and vigour of his government. And it was necessary that the threatening of this law be inflicted on transgressors; otherwise God himself could not uphold moral government over his intelligent creatures. To suppose that God governs rational creatures without a law, enforced by promises and threatenings, rewards and punishments, but by irresistible force, or divine efficiency, is to confound the distinction between natural and moral government—For God to create or produce sin and righteousness, obedience and transgression, by omnipotent power, as he doth a world or light, is inconsistent with the very idea of moral government—of blame or praise—or any accountableness for our exercises or actions. Sin is not a created existence produced by God, but only a contingent mode of exercise, originated by a rational creature in transgression; and always pre-supposes error in the understanding of such a creature, which is incompatible with a being perfect in knowledge. And the great God, in order to manifest and support the honour of his own character, as moral Governor, and the authority and dignity of his law and government, and command obedience, and so promote the peace, prosperity and happiness of his moral kingdom; declared himself to be infinite, eternal and immutable in his existence, knowledge, wisdom and power. And in his moral perfections, such as benevolence, justice and truth, or in one word, his righteousness or holiness. And, consequently, that his laws must be holy, just and good, and his government [Page] righteous. So that all the subjects of his moral kingdom may put an implicit faith in his word, and yield an implicit obedience to his laws and commands, and an implicit subjection to his government.

And God's moral kingdom was now in peace; and all the subjects of it high in the divine favour; possessed of liberty and life; and probationers for immortality, in a state of holiness and happiness in the favour of God forever. They were disposed to love God's moral character, and yield an implicit obedience to his commands, and rejoice in his government and works— And when the foundations of the world were laid, all the sons of God shouted for joy! And the law of God, as a transcript of his moral perfections, expressed his will, and was calculated to manifest the RIGHTEOUSNESS of God as moral Governor; i. e. his benevolence, his justice and truth; and so to lead them into a more perfect knowledge of God; and consequently to increase their conformity to him, in holiness and happiness. And they had the indwelling of the holy spirit, in its vital influences, to accompany the truth of God's character, and increase their love to it.

The righteousness of God exhibited in his law (as we just observed) consists in three things, viz. Benevolence, Justice and Truth —By benevolence, I mean the goodness, love, mercy and grace of God—by justice, I mean his distributing to every one rewards and punishments according to their deserts—of treating every one according to his moral character—And by truth, I mean the divine veracity and faithfulness to his threatenings and promises; or his punctually fulfilling his word. The moral law is a transcript of these perfections of God—and the moral perfection of any intelligent creature is a conformity of heart and life, to these perfections of the Deity. This was the righteousness of the holy angels, and of innocent man in paradise. This righteousness of God, as moral Governor, the moral law was designed to manifest. The law, in its precepts, promises and threatenings, expressed God's infinite regard to his own glory, and his benevolence to his moral kingdom, and his disposition and determination to promote the peace, prosperity and happiness of it; by communicating to them, the knowledge of himself in his true character; and their duty to him, themselves and each other. The precept of the law is holy; suited to conform the sinless observer to the moral image of God, and so promote his happiness. The rewards promised in the law are good, infinitely exceeding the merit of the most perfect observer—And the penalty just, and shows the infinite displeasure of God against sin; and is no more than adequate to the crime; and is well suited to deter from transgression, and so maintain the peace and happiness of the obedient. And this law, as it manifests God's righteousness as moral Governor, hath a natural and moral tendency to promote the happiness of its observers.

[Page]And unless the Governor of the Universe, makes it appear by his punctually conferring the promised rewards, and executing the threatened punishments of his law, that he is infinite in his benevolence, inflexible in his justice, and inviolable in his truth; his government cannot be supported, but will be unhinged in the minds of his subjects, and will fall into contempt, and tend to dissolution.

And God, in his first creation of intelligent creatures, placed them in a situation near to himself, and surrounded them with the happy fruits and testimonies of his love, and under this holy, just, and good law, every way suited to advance his honour and glory, and their happiness and well being. And all this happiness was suspended upon condition of their yielding an implicit obedience to a known, positive command of God; given them for their trial; disobedience to which command, was threatened with death: which death implied a withdrawment of the divine favour, and the indwelling of the holy spirit, in its vital influences, and so, in the total corruption of the moral principle—and in the loss of liberty, life and immortal happiness, in the divine favour—and in a confirmed state of wickedness and misery, under the wrath and curse of God for ever.

A number of the angels (perhaps not seeing the reasonableness of some plain, positive command given to them for their trial) transgressed, and revolted from God, and fell under the penalty or curse —and had it immediately executed upon them, without any mercy or reprieve. Upon this revolt, a grand moral contest commenced between heaven and hell, concerning the righteousness of God as moral Governor: and the devil set himself to oppose God's moral government, not by natural force, but by temptation, by beguiling, deceiving, and so prevailing on the subjects of Gods moral kingdom, to believe and embrace that error, "God will not execute the threatened penalty, if you do transgress his command." This implied that God is not inflexibly just, and inviolably true; and that it is inconsistent with his infinite benevolence to inflict the punishment according to the threatening. And in consequence of this, infinite dishonour is cast on God's character, and infinite damage done to his moral kingdom.

The devil having risen in rebellion against God by disobeying his will, seeks to set up a kingdom founded in error and wickedness, in opposition to God's moral kingdom, founded in truth and righteousness. The devil (as I have before observed) doth not contend with the Almighty for the natural kingdom or dominion of the universe—or seek to resist the natural power or omnipotence of God by force. But he contends with God for the moral kingdom —and opposes God, by opposing his truth and righteousness—The devil opposes God, by leading his subjects into erroneous notions concerning God's moral character, law and government, and inducing [Page] them to believe, that it is for their interest to embrace them and practice upon them; and to disbelieve the threatening of God; or believe that God will not execute the threatening, if they transgress his commands. And the nature of virtue and vice, and the very essence of moral government, forbid that moral agents should be overruled, compelled or influenced by natural force or divine efficiency; but require that they be influenced by the manifestation of truth to their minds, and by proposing to them rewards and punishments, in promises and threatenings.

Man being put in a state of trial, under a plain, positive command of God; satan, under the form of a serpent, or rather a seraph (as it is in the original) deceived, beguiled, and so prevailed upon our first parents to believe that God would not execute the threatening on them if they did transgress—and upon this temptation, they were emboldened to partake of that fruit which was pleasant to the eyes, good for food, and desired to make them wise; tho' they knew it was prohibited by an express command of their all-wise and benevolent Creator. And the evil of this sin consisted, in its being rebellion to the known command of their rightful Lord and Sovereign; to whose known and express commands, they were under infinite obligation to yield an implicit obedience, though to them, no reason for the command appeared, but the contrary. With such a command Abraham was tried, and yielded an implicit obedience to it, though to him no other reason for obedience appeared, but only it was a command of God; in every other view it must have appeared unreasonable.

The first sin was not enmity to God's moral character; for that implies a previous withdrawment of the holy spirit of God from the soul, in its vital influences; and a corruption of the moral principle, which must have been a judicial act of God, or punishment for sin, which could not consistently precede transgression.

But some may say, How could there be transgression without previous enmity, since all sin now proceeds from corruption of principle, and want of love to God? To this I answer, it is evident there may be transgression which doth not proceed from want of love to God's moral character, but from deception. We have an instance of it 1 Kings xiii. in the prophet of the Lord that was sent to Bethel, to denounce judgements against that place, and was expressly commanded by God, "To eat no bread, nor drink water, in that place:" and the prophet appeared well disposed to obey the command of God; till an other prophet pursued him, and overtook him in his return; and said to him, "I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me, by the word of the Lord, saying, bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread, and drink water. But he lied unto him." "So he went back with [Page] him and did eat bread in his house, and drink water." And will any one suppose that the disobedience of the prophet, that came from Judah, proceeded from want of love to God? Did it not evidently proceed from his being deceived and beguiled by the prophet, that lied to him, in the name of the Lord? And yet was not his disobedience a horrid sin in the sight of God, which cost him his life? Had that prophet been in the exercise of supreme love to God, without any enmity to his moral character, would this have been any security against his being deceived, or his disobedience? Did he not act as much under the influences of love to God, in the last act, as in the first?

And may we not as rationally suppose, that Eve was influenced by the devil to disobedience in the same manner? The devil came to her, in the form of a seraph; which form, holy angels often assume when they bring messages to this world from God; and it is very probable, that the devil before his fall, as an angel of light, had appeared to our first parents in the same form, as their guardian angel, with messages from God; and now he transforms himself again into an angel of light. To which instance, the Apostle may have reference, 2. Cor. xi. 14. "For satan himself is transformed into an angel of light." And the devil tells them as an express a lie, in the name of God, as the old prophet told the other —and by this lie the woman was deceived, and so was in the transgression. And love to God's moral character could not have secured her against the deception. But yet this was an horrid sin in our first parents, and subversive of all moral government. For it is impossible that moral government, over creatures, that are imperfect in their knowledge and wisdom, should be supported, unless they will put an implicit confidence in the wisdom, an implicit faith in the word, and yield an implicit obedience to the command of their sovereign, whose wisdom and benevolence they have no reason to doubt. What confusion would it make in an army, if the under officers and soldiers refuse obedience to the commands of their General, but insist upon seeing the reasonableness of every command before they execute it? Love to the moral character of the Sovereign, and sincere benevolence to the interest of his moral kingdom, would neither secure their obedience, or excuse their transgression. God might have prevented their deception, and secured their obedience, by immediate revelation of the truth of his will, and their danger; but I do not see how this could have been done, by increasing their love to his moral character, by internal influences. And in consequence of this transgression of our first parents, and not before, the favour of God, and the vital influences of his holy spirit, were withdrawn from the soul; in consequence of which their moral principle became totally corrupted and depraved [Page] —they lost all love to God, and were filled with enmity to truth, righteousness and holiness—and love to darkness, error and wickedness—lost their liberty, life and immortal happiness—became prisoners of divine justice—involved in death spiritual, and exposed to death temporal, became dead in law, and were consigned over by God, to a confirmed state of darkness, error and wickedness and misery; under the wrath of God, the power of sin, the tyranny of the devil, with sinning angels in hell; according to the threatened penalty or curse, "In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." To be thus left of God, under the power of spiritual death, and given up to their own hearts lusts, to walk in their own counsels, and chuse their own delusion, and destruction, is not only the sin of men, but their punishment. as you may see, Psal. lxxxi. 11.12. Sin, being the sinner's own choice and delight, doth not make it a less punishment but a greater curse. And God threatens sinners with such spiritual plagues—and in these moral evils a great part of the punishment of the damned consists.

Now, our redemption by the Son of God consists, in his delivering us from the penalty or punishment, threatened in the divine law, to sin—from the wrath and curse of God, and the dreadful prison of hell; from the power of spiritual death, ignorance, error and wickedness; from the delusion and tyranny of the devil, and all that everlasting shame and misery, to which we are liable, whilin the devil's kingdom—and restoring us to the moral image and favour of God—and to liberty, life, and eternal glory and felicity in the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In redeeming us to God, he redeems us to all the sacred trinity; and reinstates us in the favour of all.

II. We proceed to consider, how the Son of God hath accomplished this work of redemption.

And in order to have a comprehensive view of this matter, we must take into our consideration, that eternal stipulation or compact which was made between the Father and the Son, called the covenant of redemption or of peace, and the law of mediation, of which law or covenant the Psalmist speaks, psal. xl. 7.8. "Then said I, lo I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me: I delight to do thy will, O my God; yea, thy law is within my heart." And Zach. vi. 13. "And the covenant of peace shall be between them both." This covenant contained in it certain conditions to be performed by the Son as God's servant, and certain honours to be conferred upon him as the reward of his merit, by the Father. And the righteousness of Christ, by which he paid the price of our redemption, made satisfaction for sin, and merited all the honours conferred on himself, and all the benefits bestowed on his spiritual seed, consists in what he did and suffered in obedience to this law or [Page] covenant; for in fulfilling this law, consisted his chief work and business in this world. And as a distinct divine agent, previous to his being under any obligation to obey, God the Son took upon him the office of Mediator and Redeemer, before he assumed human nature—and executed several parts of the mediatorial office without human nature. He drew nigh to God the Father, and treated with him about terms of peace and reconciliation for men —entered into a covenant of redemption with the Father—and the human nature had no voice in this stipulation—before he assumed human nature he became a surety for men, and received promises and blessings for them upon the credit of that fountain of merit which he engaged to procure by his services and sufferings in time—and he agreed, in the covenant, to do and suffer all that the Father required of him, in order to procure such a fountain of righteousness or merit. And to make such terms, agreements and promises, no more required a human nature in the Son, than in the Father. But when it was proper for him to perform these services and endure these sufferings, it was necessary for him to assume human nature (and cloath it with the moral character of his divine, that he might put his divine character in the power of his enemies) and not before. And as a divine agent he obeyed the law of mediation in the execution of the offices of prophet, priest and king. And he fulfilled all that was required of him, as to obedience and sufferings, in the covenant of redemption. The Son engaged to declare the righteousness and glory of God as moral Governor— support the dignity and authority of the divine law and government and secure, maintain and promote the good of his moral kingdom, more fully than they could have been, by the punishment of the sinner, recording to the threatening—and manifest the evil of sin, and the displeasure of God against it, and his disposition and determination to punish the sinner, unless satisfaction be made adequate to the crime; and display his justice in punishing the sinner, in such a manner that the sinner may be convinced that it is an evil and bitter thing to violate the law of God—and the violation deserves, and may be expected to be followed with the most awful consequences. The Son engages to make it fully appear, by what he shall do and suffer, that God is infinite in his benevolence, inflexible in his justice, and that his truth is inviolable; that his law is holy, just and good, and his government righteous, and that he is the same in execution as in legislation. And these things being done, atonement and satisfaction are made; and God can, consistent with his justice, be propitious to him that receives this atonement, by believing in Jesus—and can pardon, justify and confer eternal life upon the sinner. For on this covenant of redemption God hath founded a covenant of grace, in which he hath promised these benefits [Page] to all that shall believe in his Son. And the Son of God engaged in the covenant of redemption, not only to make satisfaction to divine justice for sin, and a purchase for believers; but he also engaged to deliver his people from the power of darkness, and translate them into his own kingdom, and gain their hearts to himself, and set up his kingdom in their hearts, and destroy God's enemies. Now, to answer these purposes, the Son of God came into this world to engage in a war with God's enemies—and to decide the moral contest concerning God's righteousness; and so take the possession of the hearts of sinners for himself, by delivering them from the error, delusion and wickedness of the devil's kingdom— and causing them to embrace truth and righteousness, and so build up a kingdom for himself, upon the ruins of the devil's kingdom. And the grand controversy is, Whether it is consistent with the righteousness of God as moral Governor of the universe, i. e. with his justice, benevolence, love and goodness to his moral kingdom, to inflict eternal death upon any of his creatures for disobedience or transgression. God declares, that his righteousness or glory, as moral Governor, obliges him to do this—He hath threatened it in his law, and to remit the penalty in one instance, unless adequate satisfaction be made, so as to secure the rights of government; is to give up the honour of his truth and justice, and his benevolence to his moral kingdom. And God will not pardon sinners, unless he can do it in a way consistent with his own glory and the good of his moral kingdom—a way, in which the dignity and authority, of the law and Legislator, and the existence and righteousness of moral government may be preserved. That which rendered the punishment of the sinner necessary was, that the infinite evil of sin, and righteous displeasure of God against it, might be expressed— and the dignity and authority of the law might be maintained—the vigour of divine government be supported, and the happiness of God's moral kingdom by this mean advanced.

The devil saith, God is not righteous; he cannot maintain his truth inviolable, his justice inflexible, and yet manifest his infinite benevolence—and he will not execute the threatening. And sinners are in the devil's kingdom and interest, they espouse his cause, and are continually contending with the Almighty, and replying against God. They cannot see how it is consistent with his benevolence to verify the truth of his threatening on sinners. Hence they deny the eternity of hell torments, and plead for universal salvation, and an other state of probation after this life is ended. And presuming upon the goodness and benevolence of God, they transgress his commands with the hope of impunity. You cannot make an infidel or impenitent sinner believe, by the preaching of the law, that God will verify the threatening on sinners. To convince sinners [Page] of this is what the law cannot do, because it is become weak through the flesh; but God sending his own Son, in the likeness of sinful flesh, his being made a sacrifice for sin hath condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in all that believe in Christ Jesus, and walk not after the flesh but after the spirit; by faith in this sacrifice, the sinner is fully convinced of sin, righteousness and judgement, and is interested in a righteousness which fully answers the demands of the law; and so the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in them. See Rom. viii. 3.4.

But here let us enquire, and shew particularly,

First, How the Son of God was slain.

Secondly, How his blood is a mean of our redemption to God. And,

Thirdly, Wherein his worthiness or merit doth consist, "Thou art worthy—for thou wast slain; and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood."

First, I am to show, how the Son of God was slain. And he was slain as a victim a sacrifice. A sacrifice (in Heb.) is minchah, and presupposes a victim, a conquest or victory, obtained over an enemy; and is that which is slain, or that on which they feast, in triumph of the victory obtained. Thus, among ancient nations, when any one obtained a victory over an other in war; the conqueror supposed he had a right to slay the victim or conquered foe, and take their substance as a prey; and they slew beasts, and prepared a feast of the spoils. And sometimes among the barbarous, they feasted on the flesh and blood of the victims; and this was called a sacrifice, or a feast upon a victim. Corban, (in Heb.) is any kind of gift or offering made to God. But Minchah is a sacrifice or feast upon a victim.

And thus was Christ, the Son of God slain, as a victim and sacrifice in the devil's kingdom, by the hand of his enemies, in the exercise of all their spight, enmity and malice to his moral character, as the HEIR of the kingdom. "This is the HEIR (say they) come let us kill him, and seize on the inheritance."

By the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God the Father, he is delivered up, and set forth to be a propitiation, i. e. a victim and sacrifice. And God the Son assumes human nature, and cloaths it with the moral perfections of his divine, on purpose to put his divine, moral character into the power of his enemies— And then this great Theanthropos, as the high priest under the law, offers up himself—to be made a victim and sacrifice, by his enemies—and they with wicked hands did to him, what ever God's hand and counsel determined before to be done; not as passive weapons in the hand of God the Father; but as free, distinct agents from God; who could form their own designs, and execute them, [Page] in opposition to God's designs, in carrying on this war. And they first conquer him, and then sacrifice and slay him, and triumph in their conquest. They first slay him in a moral sense—i. e. deprive him of his divine moral character, in the view of his moral subjects.

The moral character of a holy being is his life in a moral sense— And the divine character of Christ, as moral Governor, suffered in an infinite degree when he hung upon the cross; and his enemies denied his divinity; and challenged his veracity—saying, "He said, he was the Son of God"—and, "If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross, and we will believe"—and he appeared to be so under the power of his enemies, that he was unable to save himself, or vindicate his character from these reproaches and slanders—And says, "This is your hour, and the power of darkness." And this was all the death it was possible for any one to die, in a moral sense. It was not possible for the Deity to suffer in his essence: But God the Son could, and did suffer to an infinite degree in his divine and moral character as the Governor of the universe, in the view of his moral subjects, when he hung on the cross. But all the reproach was wiped off by his resurrection from the dead, in the view of all that believed that he arose. By his resurrection from the dead, he was declared to be the Son of God with power—and the truth of all he said, concerning his Father's righteousness, and his own divinity, was confirmed.

This death, which the Son of God suffered, in the reproaches cast on his divine character, when he was obliged to endure the cross, despising the shame, was the most bitter ingredient in all the cup that his Father put into his hand to drink. The prospect of this overwhelmed his holy, benevolent soul, in the garden. When God the Son represented to his human soul, the great evil of sin, as it casts such infinite reproach on the divine character as moral Governor, the infinite displeasure of God against it, and the dreadful consequences of it to the damned: This put him into an agony, and caused him to sweat drops of blood, and say, "Now is my soul troubled;" all out of love to holiness and benevolence to sinners, and a sense of their sin and danger, and his desire of their salvation. And when his enemies reproach him, and insult him, as if he was forsaken of God, because he was not rescued from the cross; "He trusted in God (say they) let him deliver him if he would have." This was a very cutting part of his sufferings, that they should be made the occasion of such a thought as this, that God had forsaken him, and that there was no help for him in God— This causes the human nature of Christ to cry to God the Son, in the exercise of a most steadfast sense of his love and union with him, and continuance of his trust in his power and grace. "My God, [Page] my God, why hast thou forsaken me!" i. e. in the view of my enemies, which hath given them occasion thus to reproach and insult my confidence in thee—not that the Son had in himself any distrust of God's power or love and favour; or apprehension of any real desertion or dereliction of his Father. This is not the cry of God the Son to God the Father; but of the human nature to God the Son, who was the God and Father and Creator of his human nature, and was now in an intimate union with it. For God the Son could not in any sense be forsaken of God the Father.

His enemies also slay his body by crucifying him in a most ignominious, cruel and distressing manner; and this being in union with his divine nature—and being put to death out of enmity to his divine and moral character as the heir of the kingdom, exceedingly aggrevate his sufferings, and the sin of his crucifiers. And the Son of God willingly submits to be thus conquered and slain by his enemies, in the exercise of the greatest humility, patience, meekness and condescention; and is, by them, "Brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep dumb before her shearers; and so he opened not his mouth." He laid down his life of himself, though he was not his own executioner, nor did he create the sin of his crucifiers.

To this victim and sacrifice of the Son of God, all the victims and sacrifices under the law, had reference; and especially the lamb slain for a burnt offering. These were all, but so many prophecies and types of this real victim and sacrifice of the Son of God incarnate—they all point to this—and are suited to direct the mind of the offerer from his own merit and righteousness, to the merit of this victim and sacrifice for sin, conquered and slain by his enemies; when he was substituted by God, to make atonement for sin, by the sacrifice of himself; and did actually sacrifice his liberty, life and glory to redeem ours. His sufferings were vicarious. And wherever a sacrifice is mentioned in scripture, it presupposes such a victim or conquest. The beast, before it was slain for a sacrifice, evidently represented such a victim, and was so called. It was to be considered as a conquered foe, lead forth to be slain, and patiently submitting to the sacrificial knife. And when the Lord is said to have a sacrifice in Bozrah, a conquest of enemies is presupposed, and this is a feast in triumph of such a conquest. The bread and wine brought forth by Melchizedek to Abraham, was a feast upon a conquest. And the invitation of wisdom, Prov. ix. 5. "Come eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled," is to represent a feast upon a victim. "Wisdom hath killed her victims;" as you may see ver. 2.

And the sacrament of the Lord's supper is a feast upon the victim, and sacrifice of the Son of God, by his enemies, by which [Page] means he obtained a compleat victory over them, and will finally sacrifice them all, if they submit not in heart to his government. And the Lord's supper is designed to represent this victim and sacrifice of the Son of God, by his enemies; and the conquest he obtains over them, in this way. And this wonderful transaction we celebrate in that sacred feast! How the blessed God, when he set forth his Son to be a propitiation, i. e. a victim and sacrifice, through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness; was so well pleased for his righteousness sake—that he passed over believers in the execution of his wrath; and caused his displeasure to fall on their enemies; as was the case in Egypt, in consequence of the sacrifice and sprinkling of blood. To this the Apostle refers, i. Cor. v. 7.8. "For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us; therefore, let us keep the feast." And hence Christ is called the Hilasteerion, or mercy seat, and the propitiation; because he interposed himself between the wrath of God and curse of the law, and his people, and renders him propitious. The mercy-seat was that which covered the ark of the covenant, in which the tables of the Law were deposited;—upon this mercy-seat God is represented as setting between the cherubim, that were fixed on each end of this seat, so as to form a throne with their wings; and this mercy-seat, and these cherubim, were of pure gold. And as this mercy-seat, or propitiation, came between God and the law, that contained the curse; so Jesus Christ, as our Mediator, by being made a victim, sacrifice, or a curse for us, interposeth himself between God our Judge, and the law by which we stand condemned and cursed; and by being made such a curse, i. e. a victim and sacrifice for us, delivers us from the curse of the law, and renders God propitious.

Secondly, We are to consider, how his blood is a mean of our redemption to God. By his blood here we are to understand all he suffered while here upon earth, in his divine character, and his human nature as the HEIR of the kingdom and moral Governor of the universe. The blood signifies the life; and in taking away his divine character as moral Governor, they took away his liberty, his life and glory. And had not this been taken away, the shedding his blood, and the sufferings he endured in his human nature, would have been of no avail in making atonement for sin.— The infinite evil of sin, and the righteousness of God, would not have been declared, nor his infinite wrath and displeasure against sin been manifested, or his love to holiness displayed by his death, or adequate satisfaction made.

And the way in which the blood of Christ is a mean of our redemption to God, is in that, hereby God's righteousness is manifested and declared to all that have saith in his blood, as the life of [Page] the Son of God taken away for sin: And that sin is both the procuring and instrumental cause of his death. The righteousness of God hath been declared by the law, as hath been shewn, and it hath been witnessed by the prophets.

And the Son of God declared, by his preaching, the righteousness of God's character, law and government. This was the grand theme of his preaching, as a teacher sent from God,—and he confirmed his mission by miracles—and in him all the prophecies of the old testament were accomplished. And he declared the righteousness of the law, by his yielding a sinless obedience to it, in human nature, to all that believed in his divinity: For surely that must be a holy, righteous and good law, to which the Son of God himself yields a perfect and sinless obedience. Whoever believes his divinity, will not doubt of the righteousness of the law, to which he paid such great respect.

But this righteousness of God, which was witnessed by the law and the prophets, and which was confirmed by the preaching and obedience of our Saviour—is manifested without the law, by this victim and sacrifice, in a more conspicuous and convincing manner to all that believe in Christ. Every branch of God's righteousness is declared to all that shall be convinced, that this was the blood of the Son of God, a person of infinite dignity and merit. As all shall be convinced of it, either in this world for their salvation, or at the day of judgment for their eternal condemnation and punishment—Then both men and devils shall be convinced of this truth, by the blood of Christ, that the judgment of God, in condemning sinners to eternal death, for their sin and disobedience, is according to truth and righteousness. By this mean the infinite benevolence of God is declared; which is one very important branch of his righteousness.

The benevolence of God, was manifested in the law (as hath been shewn) but how much more fully manifested in the blood of Christ? For God not to spare his son, infinitely dear to him, but to substitute him to make satisfaction for sin, as our surety, and deliver him up for us all—for sinners, for enemies, and when we as sheep were gone astray, to lay on him the iniquities of us all; to impute to him that immense debt we owed to divine justice, that he might satisfy for it—that it should please the Father to bruise him and put him to grief, by delivering him up out of his bosom, into the hands of his enemies, to be wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities, when the chastizement of our peace was on him, that by his stripes we might be healed—that he should wake up the malice and rage of his enemies against him, by the manifestation of truth to their consciences, saying, "Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man that is my fellow"— [Page] what great benevolence must it manifest! For though God the Father was not himself the executioner, or inflictor of any sufferings on his Son, by his decree, efficiency or command—nor was the Son ever the object or victim of his Father's wrath, but always the object of his infinite love, under his greatest sufferings; yet, in delivering him up into the hands of his enemies, to be made a victim and sacrifice by them for the cause of truth, meekness and righteousness, the Father signified his pleasure that he should suffer in this manner, as sully as if he had himself inflicted these sufferings on his Son: So that it may with great propriety be said, that it pleased the Father to bruise him, and put him to grief, "and we esteemed him stricken and smitten of God;"—for his enemies could have done nothing, unless it had been given them from above, and the Father and the Son had put him in their power: And therefore his suffering in this manner is a wonderful proof and manifestation of the love of God, who set him forth to be a propitiation for sin.

The benevolence or love of God, is not the effect, but the cause of Christ's coming into the world, and suffering what he did in it. Christ did not die to purchase the love of God to sinners, or to incline him to love them, and exercise mercy and grace to them, but to open the way for God freely to exercise his grace to sinners, consistently with his justice. "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son." See John iii. 16.17. And the Apostle John speaks of it, as being as great an expression and proof of God's love, and benevolence, as if God had laid down his own life. See i. John iii. 16. "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because HE laid down his life for us." The character of any being is his life in a moral sense.

No being, but one of infinite benevolence, would part with a son so dear to him, and equal to himself, in every divine perfection, and deliver him up into the hands of his enemies, to be treated by them in such an ignominious, cruel manner, for the sake of opening a way for the salvation of rebellious sinners. Had God sent his Son merely to yield obedience to his holy law, without requiring any sufferings, his love to sinners would not have appeared so great; because this would have been easy, and honourable, and no self-denial would have been exercised.

And the divine benevolence, is manifested not only in God's sending his Son to bear our sins, and suffer in our room and stead; but also in the Son's consenting to become a servant, and freely offer up himself, and submit to such great humiliation and sufferings, in order to work out our redemption. His great love and benevolence to sinners—his relation to them, and the desire he had of their salvation—was the occasion of all that overwhelming distress and sorrow of his soul, that great agony and bloody sweat he endured in [Page] the garden, when he cried out, "What shall I say! Father deliver me from this hour?" (No) 'For this cause came I to this hour:' (But this I will say) "Father glorify thy name." Here was the travel of his soul in bringing many sons to glory. He felt for sinners the evil of sin, its turpitude and guilt, and the displeasure of God against them on account of sin, more than they could feel for themselves, by reason of his great love to them. No tender and indulgent parent could feel so much for a beloved child, when justly exposed to suffer a most shameful, dreadful death from the hand of justice, as Christ now felt for sinners; as they were polluted, guilty and justly exposed to the wrath and vengeance of Almighty God. And thus by sympathy, as well as otherwise, he bore our sins; when he made satifaction for them. And what great love and benevolence to sinners must it argue, for the Son of God to engage in such a war, with all the powers of earth and hell for the sake of redeeming sinners, enemies, when he knew it would cost him his liberty, life and glory! "Greater love hath no man, than that a man lay down his life for his friend; but God hath commended his love to us, that while we were enemies Christ died for us."

And the inflexible justice of God (which is another branch of his righteousness) is manifested and declared, in that God will not pardon, justify and release the sinner from the punishment, unless a satisfaction be made by the surety, adequate to the damages he hath sustained by sin, in the honour of his character and the interest of his kingdom, as moral governour.

And his truth expressed in the threatening, is declared to be inviolable in that no sinner can be pardoned and justified on account of this satisfaction, 'till he is united to the Redeemer by faith in his blood, and so is interested in his merit. And then God can exercise his grace freely in pardoning and justifying the sinner, consistent with his justice, as you may see Rom. iii. 23, 24, 25, 26. "For all have sinned, come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation thro' faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins—that he might be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus." And by this law of faith all boasting is excluded, because the believer receives the righteousness by which he is justified by faith alone: "It is by faith that it might be by grace"

And God the Son, by thus declaring his Father's righteousness in being made a propitiation (i. e. a victim and sacrifice) for sin hath judged, condemned, conquered and destroyed all God's enemies; and decided the grand moral controversy; and layed a sure foundation to put an eternal end to the war. By this mean sin, [Page] that implacable enemy to God and his moral kingdom, is condemned and the dominion and power of it destroyed. Every one that really believes that Christ was the Son of God, must be convinced, by his death, that sin is an infinite evil in its nature and tendency— that it is pregnant with moral enmity to God, and mischief to his moral kingdom; and would dethrone God, and destroy him as moral governor, and ruin his kingdom, if it had sufficient power on its side. The devil knew that Christ was the holy one of God, that he was the heir of the kingdom, and that he came to be the Saviour of the world, and this was his motive in putting him to death: and it was in the devil's kingdom, by his subjects, and under his influence that the Lord of Life and Glory was crucified. See Rev. xi. 8. And sin, or the temper of the devil, and his disposition to oppose God and his righteousness, was never acted out in persecuting the saints, or in slaying the prophets, or at any other time, as it was in the crucifixion of the Son at God. Satan and his subject say, "This is the heir, come let us kill him and seize on the inheritance." Now doth not this evidently show sin to be an infinite evil? and consequently that it is a holy, just and good law, that threatens it with an infinite or endless punishment, in miserably destroying Satan's kingdom and subjects.

And in the death of Christ the devil, as the prince of this world, is judged, condemned, conquered and destroyed in a moral sense. See John xii. 31, 32, and xvi. 11. And how this is effected by the death of Christ, appears in that ancient prediction of this war, Gen. iii. 15. "It shall bruise thy head, and thou shall bruise his heel." Here it is foretold how the devil, by making the Son of God, in human nature, his victim and sacrifice for a time, bruised Christ's heel; and by conquering and slaying Christ, the seed of the woman, the devil, destroyed himself in a moral sense. Jesus Christ by submitting to be conquered and slain in the devil's kingdom broke the serpent's head, laid open all his wicked designs against the character and kingdom of God; and destroyed Satan's power and dominion over the hearts of men. The Son of God by his death upon the cross, and his resurrection from the dead, conquered the devil, exposed him openly, and disarmed him at once, of all three of his weapons, the curse of the law, the strength of sin, and the power of death; and led him at his chariot wheels, as a victim and captive. See Co [...]. ii. 5. And thus he destroyed him that had the power of death; and delivers those who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage. And Samson, in this, was a lively type of Christ: by being conquered himself, he conquered the enemies of his people; and by being slain he slew them. And thus Phine has made atonement, and [...] God's wrath by executing judgment on God's enemies, See Numb. xxv.

[Page]And the Son of God carried on this war in a manner diverse from all others, and of which the devil was not aware. "For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise and garments rolled in blood, but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire—" without any noise or violence; and yet effectual to destroy his enemies, See Isa. ii. 5.

"He did not cry nor strive, neither did any man hear his voice in the street—he did not break the bruised reed nor quench the smoaking flax, 'till he brought forth judgment unto victory." See Isa. xl. 1, 2. compared with Mat. xii. 17, 18.

And in Isa. lxiii. we have a remarkable prophecy of this war, and how it was decided, and all his enemies slain—and a feast upon a victim or sacrifice prepared in Bozrah. Here the Son of God appears in dyed garments, red with his own blood first, and then the blood of his enemies is sprinkled upon his garments, and he stains all his raiment, by treading them down in his anger and trampling them in his fury▪ to recompence them for their iniquities, and work out redemption for his people.

And Psal. xlv. we have a prediction of this battle and conquest, and the conqueror returning with the spoils of his enemies—his garments smelling of myrrh, and aloes and cassia. And Psal. cx. contains a clear prophecy of this battle and the victory obtained.

And we have an account of the prosecution of this same battle after the controversy was decided on the cross. And now it is carried on by the truths manifested by this transaction, See Rev. vi. 2. "And I saw, and behold a white horse, and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him; and he went forth conquering and to conquer." This white horse represents the gospel. He that sat on him the Son of God, in the power of his spirit; the bow the word of truth; and the arrows the truths of the gospel exhibited in the cross: And the conquests he makes are souls converted by his word and spirit of truth.

And Rev. xix. We have an account of the destruction he makes by his word and spirit of truth, of all his implacable and incurable enemies; who will not submit to the sceptre of his grace. The battle here described is a decisive one; and the most bloody and awful battle that ever was or will be fought: and this is of a moral kind. The sword by which this mighty sacrifice of God's enemies is made, is the word of truth, which proceedeth out of the mouth of him that sat upon the horse. And all the spirits are called to feed on these victims or sacrifices; the flesh of kings and captains and mighty men, and all men both free and bond, small and great. And all this victim and sacrifice is made by virtue and efficacy of the blood of the Lamb of God shed upon the cross by his enemies, when he was by them made a victim and sacrifice in the devil's [Page] kingdom; that great city, spiritually called Sodom and Egypt, where our Lord was crucified, See Rev. xi. 8. And all the angels and saints in heaven are called to this sacrifice made by Christ of God's enemies; and to feast on these victims. And this feast consists in a display of the vindictive justice of God, in the righteous judgment executed on his obstinate and finally impenitent and implacable enemies, which will be a feast to holy beings in heaven to all eternity.

The design of the Son of God's coming into this world, and being made a victim and sacrifice in the devil's kingdom, was not only to open a way for God to display his free and sovereign grace, in the salvation of all that believe in him, but also that he may display his wrath and vindictive vengeance in executing judgment upon devils, and upon all among the children of men that shall obstinately reject his Son, and finally continue in sin and unbelief. And in what a striking light must the infinite displeasure of God against sin, and sinners, and his love of righteousness, appear in this view of the matter! For God to deliver up his infinitely dear and most glorious Son to engage in such a hazardous and bloody war, for the cause of condemning sin, and punishing sinners, according to their demerit! This shews how determined God is to support the honour of his law by executing the threatening on sinners. Had we seen eternity run through, and the threatening executed according to the truth and justice of it, it could not afford a more convincing proof of the justice and truth of the Legislator; and his disposition and determination to execute the threatening, notwithstanding his infinite benevolence to his creatures, than is now manifested to every believer in the death of Christ, and the design of it. This transaction expresses God's displeasure against sin, as fully as it doth his love to righteousness, and the heirs of glory, whom he undertook in this manner to redeem▪ What an evil and a bitter thing must sin appear in this view to the convinced sinner! That sin, under the influence of which, the Lord of Life and Glory was slain, by the devil and his agents, must appear an infinite evil: And the wrath of God and the Lamb against it, must appear most awful; since God delivered up his Son, and did not spare him: and the Son ha [...] sacrificed his liberty, life and glory, in order to execute judgement and wrath upon sinners, in a most aggrevated and dreadful manner!

O, who can stand before their indignation, or escape their wrath! What can express God's infinite hatred of sin more clearly, than his being at such an infinite expence, to deliver mankind from the guilt, power and consequences of it; and to execute his wrath and displeasure upon sinners! Sin, in its nature, must be infinitely opposed to the will of God; he never created it; nor would he ever have permitted it to come into his kingdom, had he not known that he could overrule it for great good.

[Page] Thirdly, We are to show, wherein the worthiness or merit of the Son of God doth consist. And the worthiness or merit of the Son of God consists in three things,—

First, in the dignity of his person—Secondly, in the honour brought to God, and the good brought to his moral kingdom—And, thirdly, the means and method by which he procured this honour, and obtained this good.— And all these being considered, will make it appear, that the worthiness and merit of the Son of God is infinite—and that the value God the Father hath received of him is infinite—and it was procured and obtained at an infinite price.— The infinite dignity of the Son of God, consists in his being God equal with the Father, and independent on his Father's will or act for his existence or happiness; being in himself self-existent, self-sufficient and independent, and possessed of every divine perfection. And he brought infinite honour to God and good to his kingdom, by declaring his righteousness and executing judgement on his enemies. And in order to procure and obtain these, he sacrificed his own liberty, life and glory. (in the manner which hath been shewn) which is an infinite sacrifice—his whole divine character, as moral Governor of the universe, was sacrificed for a time.

Now this merit of Christ was the price of our redemption; by this our ransom was paid; and hence we are said to be bought with a price; "and redeemed, not by corruptible things, such as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ; as of a Lamb without blemish, and without spot. See 1 Pet. i. 18.19.

We were led captive by satan, and have lost our liberty, life and inheritance—and this merit of the Son of God is the price of our redemption—and in this sense, he may be said to redeem us to God by his blood.

And the other sense, in which his blood is the mean of our redemption is, as by the truths manifested in his cross, attended by the holy spirit, sin is condemned, and the power of satan in the soul destroyed, by convictions of sin, and in our conversion to God; and so we are reconciled to God, to his character, law and government, and the heart is gained.

The Son of God, by his blood, hath not only paid the price of our ransom; but made an infinite purchase for believers by an equivalent. He hath purchased the holy spirit in all its gifts and graces —and the kingdom of heaven in all its glory and felicity.

IMPROVEMENT.

BEFORE we proceed to the next head of this discourse, we shall make the following inferences from what hath been said—

[Page]First, From what hath been said upon the origin of moral evil, we may learn, that God is in no sense the maker, creator, or author of that mode of exercise called sin, or moral evil, either by his decrees, efficiency, commands, or by tempting his creatures with evil. God cannot be the creator or author of sin, in forming his decrees in eternity, because this implies no causeality in them—as hath been shewn. He cannot be the maker or author of sin by his efficiency, or executing his decrees in time, because this is to destroy the idea of moral government; as it supposes that God governs the moral world as he doth the material world, without instructions or motives, or any moral law: And that the obliquity or retrograde motion of a planet is as sinful as the transgression of a moral agent▪ and that moral agents are no more blame-worthy or accountable for their exercises, than a machine for its motions. Sin is enmity against God; and can God create enmity and opposition, and rebellion to himself? Sin is confusion and war in God's kingdom; but God is not the author of confusion and war, but of peace. 1 Cor. xiv. 33. And sin could not possibly exist before there was a creature imperfect in knowledge, and so liable to conceive or form error in his understanding, and mutable in his nature and so liable to change in his preceptions and choice. And when God had created the heavens and the earth, and all their numerous hosts, upon the first six days, no sin was then created, nor did exist among all God's works; for they were all very good. But God created angels and men free moral agents, but imperfect in their knowledge and mutable in their nature, and so liable to form error in their understandings and sin in their hearts. And they could not be created otherwise than imperfect and mutable. And he introduces his first begotten Son, (i. e. one that was of the same nature and essence, and likeness in all perfections with himself, and infinitely near and dear to him, and heir of all things, and worthy of equal honour with himself) with this command—Let all the angels of God worship him!—Some of the angels refused to put an implicit faith in God's word, and yield an implicit obedience to his commands, and so became transgressors of a known command of their infinitely wise and benevolent Creator. And in consequence of transgression, they became sinners, and were by sin transformed into devils, and filled with error, pride and enmity to God and holiness. God never made a sin or a devil—God made those who are now devils, holy angels, in his own moral image; but they made sin, by transgression, and so made themselves devils. And the scripture no where tells us, that sin is the work or creature of God, but expressly tells us that it is the work of the devil. See John viii. 44. "The devil was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, be speaketh of his own; for he is a liar, and the father of it." And the devil is in this sense the father of error, sin [Page] and sinners. And he that maketh sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil." But if error and sin are the works of God, created by him; then we should read thus—" For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of God—works which God created and made:" but who doth not see the blasphemy of this? (But this is according to Home's ideal scheme.)

And as God did not make or create sin in forming or executing his decrees, or by his immediate efficiency; so neither is he the author of it by his commands, or by tempting his creatures with evil. "Out of the mouth of the Most High doth not evil and good proceed." See Lam. iii. 38. "Let no man say, when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted, neither tempteth he any man, with evil." "But every good gift, and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights," &c. See James i. 13.17 All error and sin or wickedness, is from the devil, the father of darkness; and all truth and righteousness is from God, the Father of lights. If God created the sin and enmity of wicked men and devils, and all their rebellion▪ he must carry on both sides of the war, and act in direct opposition to himself; and if he is the author, he can manifest no glory of vindictive justice in punishing the sinner for it. God permits sin, and overrules it for his own glory. But God made angels and men holy and upright—and he was not accessary to their original sin or apostacy. He did not create their sin by his decree or efficiency; nor did he command them to sin—nor did he induce or incline them to sin by tempting them with evil—nor did he corrupt their moral principle, or withdraw or withhold from them, that fell, any divine influences that were necessary to their standing, (which he granted to those that stood) until they did wilfully transgress a known, positive command. The angels might take the Son of God to be a creature; and for that reason refuse to pay divine worship to him; but this was to set up their own reason in opposition to an known, express command of God, which is subversive of all moral government. And man, under the influence of satan, disbelieved the threatening, and so was embolden to transgress. But this was not because God withdrew or withheld the holy spirit or any internal divine influences from them, before they transgressed. But immediately upon transgression, all divine favour and influences of the holy spirit were withdrawn in a judicial way; and then the moral principle became totally corrupt. But God hath been pleased, in his sovereign grace, to make provision for the restoration of mankind, and to convey to them the holy spirit by the revelation of the gospel; so that all who will hear and understand the gospel, and receive the truths of it by faith and love, may be saved: and if they do not hear and [Page] understand, &c. they will be left without excuse, if they enjoy the means of knowledge and grace.—And should any enquire, why did not all the angels transgress, if they all were equal as to divine influences?—To this I answer, it is probable some waited till they saw the effect of apostacy in others before they refused obedience; and this opened their eyes and prevented their fall, and confirmed them in obedience. And it is probable, that if Adam had waited 'till he saw the effect of transgression in Eve, and the angels that sinned, he never would have transgressed, but been confirmed in holiness, as the saints will in heaven, to all eternity, by the punishment of sinners in hell. This is perfectly consistent with moral government.

Second, We may infer from what hath been said upon redemption, that those do greatly err, who say, that the atonement and satisfaction made by Christ, consists only in his obedience to the moral law, and that he did not die for our sins, or in our room and stead; but only for our sakes, or for our good and benefit, to set us a perfect example of patience and submission under sufferings. But if Jesus Christ was made a propitiation for sin; if he was slain for us as our sacrifice; if he offered up himself to be a victim and sacrifice in order to declare God's righteousness, and conquer and destroy his enemies, that by the merit of his blood, the price of our redemption might be paid, before our sins could be remitted consistent with the justice of God—if he died, not only by the sins of men, but for them: and his death is to be considered, not merely as a pledge to assure us of the mercy of God, but as a real, proper victim and sacrifice, wherein the legal victims and sacrifices had their final accomplishment; then he must have died in our room, and as substituted in our place, to discharge our immense debt to justice, which we contracted by our rebellion. The ends for which atone-were designed, could not have been answered by mere obedience, (as hath been shewn) The infinite evil of sin, and the infinite displeasure of God against it; and his disposition and determination to punish it to all eternity; and the love of God and Christ to sinners, and many other important truths, could not have been expressed by the mere obedience of an holy being to a holy law. And unless these truths had been manifested, sin could not have been pardoned, or one sinner justified in the sight of God, consistent with his righteousness as moral Governor: So, true it is, that, "Without shedding of blood, there can be no remission." The blood of Christ (not typical blood) doth truly and properly atone for, and take away sin. He died for our sins, as our substitute, in our stead, as the sacrifices under the law, did for the sins, and in the stead of the offenders.

Third, We may infer, that there is a trinity of persons in the God-head. This is a doctrine denied by many at this day, because [Page] they cannot see its consistency with reason. The being and perfections of one God, may be fully proved from the light of nature; but the trinity of persons or agents in the divine essence, depends upon immediate revelation for its proof. And this doctrine is often represented as a speculative point, of no great importance, whether it be believed or not: so mysterious and curious that it had better be let alone. But it is evident that it enters into our salvation in all its parts—into all the doctrines of the gospel, and into the experience of the saints. As soon as ever a man is convinced of his sinful and miserable state by nature, he sees that there is a Divine Person offended, and there needs another Divine Person to make satisfaction for his offences, and a third to sanctify him.

And it is no more repugnant to reason, that three distinct agents should depend for their existence upon one essence; and exist eternally and necessarily in one essence—than that one infinite agent should exist eternally and necessarily without any cause of his existence; or that thousands of distinct agents should depend on one will (the will of God) for their existence. And when the second person in the sacred trinity is called a SON, an only begotten or first born SON, these, I take, to be figurative expressions, not to express his work or office, but to denote his being of one and the same nature and essence with the Father, the express likeness of his person, infinitely dear to him, and the heir of all things equally with the Father; as children are of the same nature and image of their earthly parents, and so exceedingly dear to them, and heirs, by birth, to their estates. But these epithets are not designed, when applied to the second person in the Godhead, to express any priority or superiority in the Father, or any will or act of the Father in generating or giving existence to the Son; as if the Son depended on the will or act of the Father for his existence: For eternal generation or creation is a solecism in speech.

Paraclet [...]s, or comforter, denotes work or office in the third person of the trinity—and servant, Mediator, Surety, Advocate, &c. denote work or office in the second person: but Father, Son or Holy Spirit, are not designed to express work or office, but nature, essence, &c. And although God the Son took on himself the form of a servant, and engaged in the office of a Mediator, and became obedient to the Father in the covenant of redemption, even to the death; yet he was a Son by nature and essence, and heir of all things, and so equal with the Father, and the creator of all things, both in heaven and on earth. And where he is called the protokotos, rendered first born of every creature; it should have been rendered first progenitor of every creature; "for by him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible. And he is before all things, and by him all things consist." See Col. i. 15.16.17. And not in respect to his office, but in respect to his [Page] nature, essence, heirship, likeness and dearness to the Father, he is called a Son. But God doth not depend on his own will for his existence, nor on the will of any other being, because his existence is necessary and eternal; nor do either of the persons in the sacred trinity depend on their own will, or the will or act of each other, for their existence; but all exist eternally and necessarily, in one and the same essence; though their agency and operations are distinct, free and limited by their wisdom and will.

And that there is an eternal plurality of persons in the Godhead, seems to be necessarily implied in the perfection of their happiness; for happiness lies not in solitude, but in society—and the sacred trinity must have enjoyed infinite delight, communion, complacency and happiness in themselves, before any creature existed. See Prov. viii. 30. And had not our Redeemer been God, a person of infinite dignity and merit, and under no previous obligation to obey, he could not have merited any thing at the hand of God.

No mere creature, by any thing he can do or suffer, can merit of God by way of condignity, because he owes his all to him, and can render nothing to God, but what he first received from him; and he can never pay his own debt, for his existence and happiness, be he ever so holy and obedient. The honour he brings to God, and the good he does to his moral kingdom, is small in comparison of the benefits he receives from God—and when once he hath sinned, the merit of all the creatures in the universe could not make amends for the dishonour done to God's character by one sin: For God could not, consistent with his justice, pardon one sin for a merit of congruity, or out of respect to the tried virtue and obedience of all created beings; to do it would be an infinite reproach to his character.

And none but one of infinite perfections could conquer and subdue satan, and triumph over all the powers of earth and hell, as the Son of God hath done, in order to make atonement; and who but a God could execute the office of a Redeemer? God's own arm brought salvation! And the scripture is abundant in the proof of this doctrine of a trinity.

Fourth. We infer that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was well qualified for this work.—Jesus Christ was one to whom the rights of the Deity must be exceeding dear; so that he upon no account would see them violated in the least degree; for he was himself God; and an holy God would trust no other in this affair, in which his own glory was so nearly concerned. And he was a person of infinite dignity and merit, and none but such an one could make atonement for sin. And he had a sincere and ardent love for sinners, and a great desire for their salvation, so that he was willing to take their destruction upon himself, and expend as much of his own interest and happiness for their sakes, as was equivalent to the whose of theirs.

[Page]And how wonderful is this love and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ to sinners! Consider God the Son as self-existent and independent on all his creatures for his happiness, but rich in all the perfections and glories of the Deity—and what great love must that be, that could move him to pay such regard to his creatures! Consider the world sunk in sin, without any good desert, but deserving everlasting punishment; and what wonderful love must that be, that could move Him to have compassion upon such a world, so as to lay aside the robes of his glory and become poor, assume human nature into a personal union with his divine, appear in our world, now become the seat of the devil's kingdom! And consent to become a victim and sacrifice—be deprived of his liberty, life and glory, for the sake of redeeming sinners! It was a great thing for Him to create this world for our residence—and bestow upon us the bounties of his providence continually, with such a liberal hand! but what is it to speak an all-creating word for our existence, and to open his all-liberal hand for our support, in comparison of shedding the blood of his heart for our redemption!

Well may you that are the children of God cry out, "Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed on us!"

O let the love of Christ constrain you to live not to yourselves but to Him that hath loved you and died for you.

Notes

*

See Pr. Edwards Orig. Sin, p. 157.

↵

SERMON II.

[Page]

REV. V. 9.

And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof; for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people and nation.

We proposed,

I. TO shew what is implied in our redemption to God.

II. How the Son of God hath accomplished this work.

III. Consider the honours conferred on him as the reward of his merit.

The two first of these propositions have been considered.—We have shewn, that our redemption implies, that we are in a state of bondage—and the Son of God hath delivered us from that state. By our sin and rebellion, we have reproached the character of God as moral Governor, and so have forfeited his favour, and our liberty, life and inheritance; and have incurred his displeasure and the curse of the law, which is a confirmed state of sin and misery, under the wrath of God forever. We have revolted from God, and are in the kingdom of the devil, and led captive by him. And we are unable of ourselves to pay the price of our redemption by making good the damages God hath received or sustained by sin, in the honour of his character, as moral Governour, and therefore are liable to suffer the penalty to all eternity; and we have neither inclination nor power to deliver ourselves from the power of sin and the tyranny of satan. And from this state of guilt and corruption the Son of God redeems us. And in accomplishing this work God the Son, as a divine agent, equal with God the Father, being self-existent, self-sufficient and independent on the will of God the Father for his existence or happiness, and unsubordinate to him, freely took on himself the office of a Mediator and Redeemer, and entered into a covenant of redemption. And by fulfilling [Page] the conditions of that covenant, in the execution of the offices of Prophet, Priest, and King, as God's servant and our Redeemer, hath procured an infinite, inexhaustible fountain of merit with the Godhead, by vindicating, and bringing infinite honour to the character of God, as moral Governor, and so infinite good to his moral kingdom. In this affair God the Father hath received more in value, by the righteousness of his Son, than he could have received by the perfect service of angels, had they never sinned, or by inflicting the penalty of the law on devils and all mankind, for sin, to all eternity.— His benevolence, his wisdom, his law, his justice, his truth, and all his perfections are manifested, and proved in a more illustrious manner.—So that God will lose nothing in the honour of his character, law or government, by the sin of angels or men—or by dispensing pardons freely to sinners through the merit and righteousness of his Son.

But, the Son of God not only redeems his chosen people, by paying the price of their ransom to God; but, by the power of those truths, manifested by his cross, accompanied with the influences of his spirit, he redeems them from the power of sin, and tyranny of satan.

III. We proceed to consider, the honours conferred on our Redeemer, as the reward of his merit.—And all the honours and glory conferred on Christ, as the reward of his merit, are comprehended in these words, in our text, "To take the book, and to open the seals thereof." God the Father, hath delivered the kingdom of the universe into his power, "the Father judgeth no man; but hath committed all judgment unto the Son," &c And that he may be able to govern, and dispose all things according to the divide plan, formed from eternity, in the divine mind, the book of God's eternal decrees, containing his whole plan of government, all the counsels of infinite wisdom, and all divine truth, are delivered into his hand, from the right hand of God the Father; and he hath undertaken to reveal and execute all these decrees. For God in forming his decrees produces no effects; creates no worlds, nor creatures, nor things whatever: these things are produced not in forming decrees in eternity, but in executing them in time. For, forming decrees implies no causality in them. And this mediatorial kingdom of Christ extends to all parts of the universe, that he may manage them all, so as to advance his own glory, as moral Governor, and promote the good of his friends, and baffle and overwhelm all opposition. And the holy spirit, as the fruit of his infinite merit, is appointed the great agent in his kingdom of grace, to reveal his will, and to operate with divine truth, to carry his purposes into execution. All the holy angels are ministering spirits in his kingdom, to execute his orders in every part of his vast [Page] empire. And the inanimate world is subjected to him; he causes the sun to shine, the rain to fall, and the earth to yield her increase, to furnish provision for the subjects of his kingdom in this world; and all times and seasons are at his controul. And the moral government of the universe is committed to him; he overrules all the wicked designs of devils to promote his own glory, and the good of his friends; though he doth not form or create any of their wicked designs. The government and disposal of the whole world of mankind, as moral agents, are committed to him, as a reward of his merit; and he will have the honour to dispose of them all according to his pleasure, so as to bring glory to his name. And the sceptre of his kingdom, by which he rules moral agents, is truth —as he himself declares. "For this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, to be a witness to the truth—and all that are of the truth hear my voice." By the truth, accompanied with the holy spirit, he enlightens, convinces and converts some, and makes them holy and happy. And by the manifestation of the same truth, attended with the holy spirit, he hardens and torments others to all eternity.

And in order to spread abroad the truth, and communicate the speculative knowledge of it, he employs some of the children of men, as the ministers of his word and ordinances, and these are workers together with him. And all among the children of men, that are delivered from the kingdom of darkness and translated into the kingdom of his grace, shall be accounted to him for sons, and daughters—and of these he shall have a numerous offspring at last to present before the throne with exceeding joy.

And all those multitudes among the children of men, who continue impenitent, and in unbelief, and in rebellion to his government, and enemies to his true character, belong to him as a reward of his merit, as much as his friends; he hath purchased these, and will be glorified in them—"Ask of me (says God the Father) and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." Psal. ii. 8. So that the damnation of all may be as fully proved from the infinite merit of Christ with the Father, as the salvation of all. The Son of God, by a merit of condignity, hath purchased the honour of damning his enemies, as much as he hath of saving his friends. It will be a great honour to Christ, at the last day, to pass the sentence of condemnation on wicked men, and devils; and say, "Go, ye cursed into everlasting fire." And to execute it, by saying. "Those my enemies that would not that I should reign over them, bring them hither, and slay them before me." And when the smoke of their torments shall ascend up for [Page] ever and ever, all the heavenly host will ascribe glory to him, the glory of his vindictive justice. So that none of the merit of Christ will be lost by the damnation of sinners; nor will Christ by this means lose any of his reward.

And Jesus Christ received great honour as a reward of his merit, when he arose from the dead. In his resurrection he triumphed over death, and all the powers of earth and hell, and all the enemies of his people; and entered into his kingdom. In raising Christ from the dead God set to his seal, that he had executed faithfully, the important commission he had received.

And Jesus Christ in his ascention into heaven was distinguished with signal honours. Angels appeared, who proclaimed his ascent; and that in the same manner he should descend again to judgment. See Psal. lxviii. 17.18.19.

And his reception into heaven, as a mighty conqueror, is represented in lofty expressions, Psal. xxiv. 7.

And when he sat down on his Father's right hand in heaven, and was glorified with the same glory he had with his Father before the world was, he received great honour, as a reward of his merit. In heaven he received the worship and adoration of all the heavenly inhabitants, saying, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to take the book, and open the seals thereof," &c. "Blessing and honour and glory and power and salvation be to him that sitteth on the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever."

In heaven he appears as the advocate of his people; showing the wounds that he hath received in his Father's cause, but not from his Father's hand, but from the hands of his enemies. And by virtue of his merit he makes prevalent intercession for all that come to God by him. And he there reigns in majesty and glory, as King of kings; vested with universal rule in the kingdom of nature, providence and grace. By his spirit and truth he rides in the chariot of his gospel conquering and to conquer; making his omnipotent power appear in the dreadful famines, pestilence, wars and earthquakes; and all the judgments he sends on the inhabitants of the earth; to draw their attention to the truth. And he will reign till he hath destroyed the kingdom and power of darkness, by the efficacy of his word, and spirit of truth. And instead of error and wickedness, he will cause truth and righteousness to prevail; "Till the kingdom, and the greatness of the kingdom and dominion under the whole heavens shall be given to the saints of the most high God." And the latter day glory of the church shall fill the whole earth—and he shall become king of nations, and he shall reign a thousand years.

Thus hath God highly exalted him, and given him a name, which is above every name.

[Page]And in a little time he shall descend from heaven to judge the universe in righteousness. He shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's glory; and all his holy angels with him. And he shall have the honour to raise the dead; which shall all hear his voice, and come forth. And then shall he sit on the throne of his glory, and all nations shall be gathered before his august tribunal. And he shall declare the righteous judgment of God. And men, angels and devils shall receive their final doom from the sentence of his mouth: Either "Come ye blessed," or "Go ye cursed." And when all the solemnities of that awful day shall be over, and each one shall receive his final and irreversible award—The wicked shall go away into everlasting punishment; but the righteous into life eternal. And these shall attend their ascending Judge into the highest heavens; where they shall live and reign with him, in his everlasting kingdom; seated on thrones of glory; with never fading crowns of victory on their heads; in joy and triumph, and happiness for ever and ever. And all this honour of passing the sentence of condemnation, and inflicting punishment on his enemies, and pronouncing the sentence of justification, and conferring rewards on his friends, hath the Son of God obtained by the merit of his blood.

IMPROVEMENT.

First. WE may learn from what hath been said, in what the atonement and satisfaction of Christ consists. Some have supposed that it consisted only in Christ's obedience to the moral law. in human nature: and they support it by what the apostle affirms, Rom. v. 19. "For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one many shall be made righteous." And his sufferings (say they) were not designed to make satisfaction, but only to express the strength of his obedience in the most trying circumstances. Others hold that the satisfaction and merit of Christ consisted principally, if not entirely, in his suffering the individual penalty or curse, threatened to the sinner, in the moral law inflicted on him, by the immediate hand, decree or command of God the Father; and as his human nature was in union with the divine, and a God of infinite power and perfections inflicted the curse or penalty, this rendered his sufferings infinitely meritorious, and so sufficient to make satisfaction & atonement for sin.

But now, is it not evident that the mere obedience of an holy being to the moral law, cannot make satisfaction or avail for the remission of one sin: since without suffering or shedding of blood there is no remission? It was by the virtue of the sacrifice and death of the Son of God, in our room and stead, that he made satisfaction and atonement. And although Christ did yield a perfect and sinless [Page] obedience to the moral law in human nature, yet, his merits, by which he made atonement, did not consist in his obedience to the moral law. And the curse which Christ was made, was not the individual curse or penalty threatened to the sinner in the moral law; but the substitute of it: as hath been shewn; nor was it inflicted by the hand, decree or command of his Father; but by his enemies, in exercise of enmity to his divine character. Had God the Father inflicted the curse, with his own hand, on the human nature of Christ thousands of ages, this would not have rendered his sufferings infinite; for the infinite dignity, power, and perfections of the inflictor cannot make the sufferings of a creature infinite, nor in any wise increase the merit of them; but really diminishes it. And the divine character could not suffer by the hand of the Father. But all these difficulties vanish, when we consider, that neither the obedience, or sufferings of Christ, by which he made atonement and satisfaction for sin, and merited honour for himself and benefits for men, were required of him in the moral law, but in the mediatorial law, or covenant of redemption; which contained those commands of God, to which he was subject, only as he was our mediator and surety. As the obedience of the first Adam, wherein his righteousness would have consisted, if he had stood, was not obedience to the moral law—but to a plain positive command, to abstain from the tree of knowledge of good and evil; which was not a command contained in the moral law, but in a special covenant or law, to which Adam was subject, as the moral head and surety of all mankind; so the obedience of the second Adam, in which his righteousness consists, lies not in his obedience to the moral law, to which he was subject merely as a man; but to that special law or covenant of redemption, to which he was subject in his office, as mediator and surety for man. And when the apostle saith (as in the before cited Rom. v. 19.) "For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one many shall be made righteous." Neither the disobedience of Adam, or the obedience of Christ, respect the moral law, but these special covenants or laws to which they were subject as public heads, and sureties. And to this law or covenant of redemption, and not to the moral law, the Psalmist hath respect, Psalm xl. 6, &c, "Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; my ear hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. Then said I, lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me: I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart."

In this law or covenant of redemption the Father gave his Son commands to teach such doctrine, to preach the gospel, to work such miracles, to call such disciples, to appoint such ordinances, and go through such humiliation, abasement and sufferings, and [Page] at last to lay down his life; and he did all these things in obedience to the commands he had received of his Father; not in the moral law, but in the covenant of redemption. 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 from the dead. And he performed his obedience to this covenant, freely, perfectly and universally, and under the greatest trials and temptations, and in the exercise of infinite love to God, and the cause of truth and righteousness, and benevolence to mankind. And his obedience and sufferings, are not to be considered as being performed or indured by him, merely in human nature, but as God the Son, in his divine character as heir of the universe. It was a person of infinite dignity that obeyed and suffered in his divine character—and this rendered his obedience and sufferings infinitely meritorious. Not that he suffered in his divine nature or essence, but in his divine character, as Heir of the kingdom. In all that reproach and ignominy cast on his divine character by devils, and wicked men he suffered. Had he not suffered in his divine character, his sufferings or sacrifice, would not have been infinite or sufficient to make satisfaction for one sin, or have answered the purposes of redemption. And the infinite virtue of his obedience consisted in its being yielded to the covenant of redemption, as a divine person—He, as God-man in the exercise of infinite love to God became obedient unto death. And in this obedience there was infinite virtue and merit. And as his duty and work, so his reward was assigned, and ascertained; not in the moral law, but in the covenant of redemption. And unless we attend to this distinction between the law of mediation, and the moral law, and the curse threatened to the sinner, and the curse which Christ was made, we cannot have a clear idea how Christ paid the price of our redemption to God by his blood. But here we can see how the satisfaction of Christ frees believers from misery, as it pays their debt contracted by sin; and how the merit of Christ by its intrinsic value, and by the agreement between the Father and the Son, in the covenant of redemption, procures a title to happiness, for all that believe in him. And here we may see the impropriety of applying the term passive to any part of the obedience of Christ; since it was the obedience of God the Son to the covenant of redemption.

Secondly. We may infer, from what hath been said, that the merit of Christ the Son of God, is a merit of condignity. By a merit of condignity I understand, a merit that is equal in value to the reward. And we have heard what the reward is, which God the Father hath bestowed on the Son; and which he promised to him, not in the moral law, but in the covenant of redemption. And we have heard in what his merit consists. And let any one judge, [Page] if the merit of the Son of God, considering the dignity of his person, as being equal with God the Father, and independent on his will or act for his existence or happiness, and under no obligation from without himself, to obey, antecedent to his own voluntary consent to the covenant of redemption, into which he entered with his Father. And considering the great honour he brought to God, and the good to his moral kingdom, which must be of infinite value, and be esteemed so by God from eternity.

And considering the means and methods by which he procured this honour, and obtained this good; even by his infinite humiliation, arduous services and great sufferings; in sacrificing his liberty, life and divine glory; in being made a victim and sacrifice, in the devil's kingdom, in order to declare God's righteousness, and execute judgement on God's enemies, and decide the moral controversy, and put an end to the dreadful war; and advance God's glory, and promote the peace, prosperity and happiness of his kingdom to an infinite degree: which great ends could by no other person or means be effected. I say, let any one judge, if this merit of the Son, is not equal to all the honours the Son hath received from God the Father for himself, and all the benefits men receive from God through him. And if so, then his merit is a proper merit of condignity; and whatever he hath purchased of the Father, he hath purchased by an equivalent.

But this doth not imply that God hath received any new adition to his honour or felicity, or hath any increase of knowlege. For these were all comprehended in his infinite understanding, and composed a part of his glory and happiness, in eternity, and the value was then received.

Nor doth this imply that God is under any obligation to save all mankind. For, the salvation of mankind doth not depend upon the condignity or sufficiency of the merit of the Son of God, but upon the agreement made between the Father and the Son, in the covenant of redemption, what his particular reward should be. The merit is sufficient for, and equivalent to the salvation of all; for it is of infinite value to God the Father, otherwise it would not have been sufficient for the salvation of one. But God the Father did not see cause to assign the salvation of all to him as his reward, in the covenant of redemption. God might have promised him the salvation of all as his reward, if he had seen it to be consistent with his wisdom, and his benevolence to his moral kingdom; but we are assured he hath not; and that all will not eventually be saved; for all will not repent, and believe in Christ; and he that believes not shall be damned. God hath promised him the free pardon, justification and salvation of all that shall believe on him, through his word acompanied by his spirit of truth; and this shall be a numerous [Page] offspring which he shall present at last, before the throne, with exceeding joy; saying, "Here am I, and the children thou hast given me." But all will not believe in Christ—but multitudes will remain enemies to him, and have to appear at his left hand, in the retinue of satan, and hear the dreadful sentence from his mouth, "Go ye cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." And they will feel the execution of this dreadful sentence, when Christ shall say, "Those my enemies that would not that I should reign over them, bring them hither and slay them before me." And to pass this sentence and to execute it on his enemies, will be as real a part of the reward of Christ's merit of condignity, as to pass the sentence of absolution and justification, and bestow rewards upon his friends. But Christ will be considered as having paid the price of the redemption of all the heirs of glory, by a proper merit of condignity; and to have purchased their happiness by an equivalent: and they will to all eternity ascribe the glory of their redemption to the price and power of his blood, as the Lamb slain. Neither doth the condignity of Christ's merit detract any thing from the freeness of divine grace, in the pardon and justification of the sinner. Plenary satisfaction and free pardon are perfectly consistent on this plan. For, though what Christ hath done to make atonement secures the honour of God, the authority of the law, and the dignity and vigour of government, and consequently the peace, prosperity and happiness of his kingdom, in the salvation of all that believe in Jesus; yet the atonement and satisfaction made by Christ, and repentance of sin, and faith in his blood, do not alter the personal character of the sinner; so as to cause him to cease to be a sinner, or a debtor to divine justice, or to deserve punishment, or give the sinner any claim to pardon, upon the score of justice. Even Christ himself could lay claim to the pardon and justification of the sinner, notwithstanding the condignity of his merit, only upon the foundation of the stipulation or promise made to him by the Father, in the covenant of redemption; were it not for that promise and agreement, God the Son could lay no claim to that particular favour as his reward; though his merit was sufficient to purchase it—yet God in his infinite wisdom, and free and sovereign grace must determine that this, shall be his reward. And it was infinite love, unpurchased, unmoved love (by any thing without himself) that determined God the Father to bestow these as a reward upon his Son. The merit of the Son laid him under no obligation to make this distinction. He might have sent his Son (as his reward) to condemn the whole world; they all deserved it; but it was free and sovereign grace that prevented it.

And the believer in Jesus can lay no claim upon the score of justice. The merit of Christ, and the repentance, faith and love [Page] and good works of the believer, do not cause him to cease to be a sinner; or intitle him to the merit or righteousness of Christ, on account of any moral goodness there is in them. The believer doth not by these earn or merit any favour, but by faith he lays hold on the promise, and receives the atonement; and all the benefits of Christ's purchase. And were it not for the free promise the believer must still remain in a state of guilt and condemnation. But the believer can lay claim to these promises of the covenant of grace. But the merit of the believer, who is united to Christ by faith, is only a merit of congruity, i. e. a suitableness to receive favours from a righteous God. And God can as consistently justify a believer in Christ, as he can Gabriel. But though a creature may have a merit of congruity, yet no creature can have a merit of condignity with respect to God; because he is infinitely indebted to him, for his being, &c. And therefore no creature could make atonement for sin, or purchase any favour of God, for himself or any other. Adam in innocency had, and all the holy angels in heaven now have, a merit of congruity. And could God have pardoned sin out of respect to the merit of congruity, or out of respect to the tried virtue of one who was under obligation from justice, or any thing from without himself, antecedent to his own consent to obey; then there would have been no need of a person of infinite dignity, co-equal, co-essential and co-eternal with God the Father, to undertake this work. Because an holy creature by his obedience and sufferings might have accomplished it with the assistance of the Deity. And to deny the condignity of the merit of Christ, is in effect to deny his divinity, and equality with the Father. For, if one that had only a merit of congruity would have answered, to substitute one that had a merit of condignity was not wise; because it supposes a needless expence of merit. The wisdom of substituting a person of infinite dignity, consists in the necessity of it. But had not the Mediator been a person of infinite and divine dignity, and his merit a merit of condignity with God, no atonement or satisfaction could have been made by his obedience and sufferings; out of respect to which God could have pardoned one sin, consistent with his righteousness, as moral Governour. And hence infinite wisdom and benevolence is displayed in this substitution. "When he looked, there was none to help, —none to uphold; therefore his own arm brought salvation unto him!" See Isa. lxiii. 5. But God in pardoning the sinner, out of respect to the merit of Christ, acts as freely as if no atonement had been made; since the atonement made by Christ or the condignity of the merit, laid God under no obligation to discharge one sinner from his debt to justice, antecedent to stipulation: nor in the least alter the personal character of the sinner. Nor can God, consistent: with his justice, pardon, justify or save one sinner on account of the [Page] infinite merit of Christ, 'till the sinner believeth in Jesus; and then he treats him infinitely more favourably than his personal character deserves. But, the condignity of Christ's merit hath opened a way for the consistent exercise of this free grace to the sinner—but laid God under no obligation to exercise it to any one.

And I would here observe the distinction between free and sovereign grace.

UNCONDITIONAL FAVOURS, to which the sinner can lay no claim on the score of justice, or by any promise of God made to him, are bestowed on him in the exercise of God's sovereign grace. Such are election, the gift of Christ, the revelation of the gospel; and the gift of the Holy Spirit in its internal influences, and all the means of grace, and the production of regeneration, conviction, repentance, faith and love in the soul; these are all unconditional favours; and bestowed on sinners in the exercise of sovereign grace, without respect to any moral qualification in them, as deserving these favours. But when the sinner by believing in Christ, hath complied with the condition of the covenant of grace, to which the promise is made—pardon, justification and eternal life, may be said to be bestowed in the exercise of free grace, more properly than sovereign grace. For the believer in Christ hath a right humbly to lay claim to the promise, and to plead the justice and faithfulness of God, for the fulfilment of it. See 1 John i. 9. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness," i. e. If with penitent believing hearts we confess our sins, God hath obliged himself in covenant to pardon, justify, sanctify and save us.

Thirdly. We may learn how the substitution of the Son of God, and his vicarious sufferings, and the imputation of his merit or righteousness to penitent, believing sinners, for their pardon, justification and eternal salvation are consistent with reason and justice. Had God the Father, with his Son's consent substituted him to bear the individual penalty or punishment threatened to the sinner, in the moral law, and had the Father inflicted this penalty on his Son with his own hand, I do not see how this would have been consistent with reason or justice, or answered any ends in making atonement or satisfaction. I do not see how it could be any satisfaction to an infinitely wise and holy God to inflict any sufferings on his innocent, holy and infinitely glorious Son, with his own hard or immediate command. And indeed for God to reproach the divine character of his Son as the Heir of the kingdom, would have been as impossible as for God to deny himself. And if God had crucified his Son, how could sinners he told with truth or propriety, "Ye have taken and with wicked hands have crucified and slain the Prince of life? repent therefore," &c. As in acts ii. 37. And [Page] how would his being made a sacrifice for sin, have condemned sin, in devils and wicked men; as pregnant with mortal enmity to God's character and kingdom? And how did he endure the contradiction of sinners against himself?

But consider God the Son as being under the covenant of redemption, as distinct from the moral law, and being substituted by the Father and his own consent to become a servant, to do and suffer what should fulfil the conditions of that covenant, and answer its requirements, in deciding this war; and here we shall see the agency of God the Father—the agency of God the Son—and the distinct agency of the enemies of truth and righteousness, in their proper light and importance. In this affair God the Father expresses his infinite benevolence in delivering up his only begotten, i. e. co-essential, infinitely dear, transcendently glorious, and divinely excellent Son from his bosom, and setting him forth to be a propitiation for sin. God the Son displays his infinite grace and love in offering up himself, to become a victim and sacrifice, in the devil's kingdom. The enemies of truth and righteousness manifest their mortal enmity to God's character, as moral Governour, and the interest of his kingdom, and the infinite evil of sin, in its nature and tendency, in conquering and sacrificing the Son of God, and depriving him of his liberty, life and divine glory, as the Heir of the kingdom. God the Father declares his inflexible justice, in his insisting on an infinite satisfaction, before he pardons one sinner. God the Son makes this satisfaction, by declaring God's righteousness, and executing judgement on his enemies; and laying a foundation for the conviction and conversion of sinners, and the destruction of satan's kingdom; and the increasing the moral kingdom of God in glory and felicity, to an infinite degree, by occasion of sin. And every one from among the children of men that believeth in Jesus, and receives by faith and love the atonement he hath made, may, out of respect to his merit, be pardoned, justified, and saved in the exercise of God's free and sovereign grace, consistent with his justice, and to the honour of his character, law and government. And though the curse that Christ was made for us, was not the individual curse threatened to the sinner, in the moral law, nor was it inflicted on him by the hand or command of his Father, yet, considering the dignity of his person, and the greatness of his humiliation in submitting to be conquered and slain, in such an ignominious manner, on the cross, and in having his divine character reproached, and his divine glory eclipsed, by the insults of his own sinful creatures, that were enemies to truth and righteousness; the curse Christ was made, and the sufferings he endured were greater than the curse threatened to the sinner in the moral law; and more than equivalent in supporting the rights of government, and making [Page] atonement and satisfaction for sin. For, by this means God's justice appears inflexible and his truth inviolable, when his justifies the sinner that believeth in Jesus. And should any enquire, How doth the infinite evil of sin appear, in Christ's enemies conquering and slaying him, since his crucifiers did it through ignorance; they did not know he was the Lord of glory—but took him to be an imposter! how then doth their enmity in putting him to death appear to be aimed against his divine character as Heir of the kingdom? To this I answer, That it is probable that many that had an immediate hand in his crucifixion, did not believe him to be the true Messiah, and Saviour of the world; if they had they would have committed the unpardonable sin in crucifying him. And therefore the Apostle tells them, "Ye did it ignorantly, as did also your rulers; repent therefore," &c. but though their ignorance alleviated their guilt, yet it did not excuse them, because they had sufficient means of knowledge, but their love of darkness and wickedness prevented their attending to these means; and in this consisted their condemnation. But though the immediate crucifers of Christ, did not know he was the true Messiah and Lord of glory, yet the devils knew it. "We know thee, who thou art, the holy one of God." And this is the language of the devil, as the prince of darkness, and god of this world; and the languege of his subjects and agents. "This is the Heir, come and let us kill him, and seize on the inheritance." And all Christ's crucifers were under the influence of the error and temper of the devil. And if the sin of devils contains in it mortal enmity to God's character, as moral Governour, and so is an infinite evil, pregnant with infinite mischief to being in general, the sin of men is the same. And if the sin of devils is condemned by the cross of Christ as an infinite evil, and so deserving of an infinite or endless punishment, then the sin of all mankind stands equally condemned; notwithstanding any deficiency of speculative knowledge or natural powers. And one great reason of Christ's being made a sacrifice for sin, was thus to condemn sin in devils, and wicked men, and so destroy the power of satan, over the hearts of men, and destroy him in a moral sense.

Fourthly. We may infer, from what hath been said, that the gospel must be of divine original.

Prophecies, and miracles afford us very strong and convincing proofs of this truth, and ought to bear great weight upon the mind. The prophecies, seem to be rather descriptions, and histories of past transactions than predictions of future events; and whoever attends to them properly, must be convinced that they are derived from supernatural inspiration. The miracles recorded in the New Testament were certainly a convincing proof to those that saw [Page] them, of the divine mission of Christ, and his Apostles; and come as well attested to us, as any other historical facts: as they were seen of numbers, and wrought on so great and wonderful an occasion. For it is in no wise incredible, that a supernatural revelation should be foretold, and inforced by supernatural means. And from this book, may be collected a system of morality or eithicks, which exceeds all others for its purity and perfection; and to which the wisest philosophers, of preceding ages, can make no pretentions. All its moral precepts are founded in reason—tend to improve our natures, and are conducive to the happiness of mankind.—Read the decalogue—And what other religion, besides the Christian, ever carried the moral virtues of piety to God, benevolence to men, justice, charity, temperance and sobriety to so high a degree of purity and perfection; and so severely prohibited the commission of the contrary vices, which tend to debase our natures, and by mutual injuries, introduce universal disorder; and consequently universal misery?

What other religion ever required of its votaries that humility and poorness of spirit, that forgiveness of injuries and charity to all men, as the best expedient to prepare them for the kingdom of heaven!—Read our blessed Saviour's sermon on the mount, and hear him say, "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.—Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy: But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you." A new commandment give I unto you (saith our blessed Lord) that ye love one another, as I have loved you, by this shall all men know, that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." And did he not speak as never man spake? And read the Apostle Paul's admirable description of charity; "Charity suffereth long and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself; is not puffed up; doth not behave itself unseemly; seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked; thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things; hopeth all things; endureth all things.

But the prophecies and miracles contained in the scriptures, and the excellency and purity of the morals therein prescribed, though they are very weighty and good arguments, and demand our most serious attention and admiration, yet they are by no means the only, or even the principal proofs of their divine origin. But, the principal and most conclusive evidences of the divine origin of the gospel, are the doctrines peculiar to divine revelation; such as the trinity of persons or agents in the divine essence—the apostacy of angels and man. The grand contest that commenced upon this [Page] apostacy between heaven and hell, concerning the truth and righteousness of God's character as moral Governour, and how this concontroversy hath been carried on from age to age; and how it was decided by God the Son upon the cross; and his resurrection from the dead; the appointment of the eternal Logos to engage in this controversy, when it was impossible for any other to decide it. The covenant of redemption, into which he entered with the Father, and the terms of that covenant. The incarnation of the Son of God, his amazing humiliation, arduous services and great sufferings; when he was made a victim and sacrifice in the devils kingdom; by which means he declared the truth and righteousness of God's character as moral Governour, and so made atonement, and paid the price of man's redemption, and opened a way for God to justify him that believeth in Jesus, consistent with his justice; and by the same means layed a foundation for the conviction and conversion of sinners, and to condemn sin as an infinite evil, pregnant with infinite mischief to God's character and government—and destroy satan in a moral sense, and finally ruin his kingdom and dominion over the hearts of men, and prepare the way for the manifestation of the righteous judgment of God at the last great day. And all that is required of sinners in order to their being interested in all the precious benefits of his purchase is comprehended in faith, which is a self emptying, Christ magnifying and God exalting grace: which brings nothing but receives all of free and sovereign grace. In exercise of faith in the Mediator, the sinner gives up all created wisdom, and depends only upon divine revelation for direction. Gives up all righteousness of his own; and depends on the merit of Christ for righteousness and life, grace and glory. Gives up self government, and depends on Christ to rule in and reign over him, and expects to overcome his enemies only by the blood of the Lamb, and the testimony he holds.— Now these are things that no created benevolence could ever conceive, no created wisdom ever devise, or created power accomplish; and do as fully prove the divine origin of the holy scripture, as the marks of infinite wisdom, power and goodness manifested in the works of creation, do that this world is of divine original; and could not be planned or made by any creature: because no created wisdom or power is equal to such a production.

The devil never invented this plan of salvation; for it is subversive of his kingdom and interest. It is inconsistent with the character of any good creature to put such a cheat upon mankind (if he was able) as to attribute that to God, of which he himself was the author. But no created being was able to lay out such a plan, thus to display the perfections of God by the occasion of sin; and even render them more illustrious, than if sin had never entertered [Page] into his kingdom; and thus to bring the greatest good out of the greatest evil! bring righteousness out of sin, and life out of death! to conquer by being conquered, and slay his enemies by being slain by them! and by being sacrificed, to enter into his kingdom! at one and the same time to appear as a lamb, and a lion! a victim and a conqueror!

This plan of salvation hath never been corrupted; if it had, it never could have been rectified, and appear as it now doth, in its divine glory and perfection! Let any rational infidel read and understand the gospel, and he will be obliged to confess, that not one doctrine it contains is repugnant to reason, but the whole is harmonious and consistent.

Infidels impute the mistaken notions of fallible men, and their corrupt explanations of the scriptures, to the scriptures themselves; and then villify and reproach the scriptures, as containing such unreasonable doctrines; which is very unfair: It would be much more rational, if they would first study the scriptures, and well understand them, and the doctrines they contain, before they reject and villify them.

Fifthly, Let all be exhorted and prevailed upon to receive the atonement, and be reconciled to God immediately. God the Father hath manifested his infinite benevolence to sinners, and his willingness to be reconciled to them, and hath opened a way for reconciliation, consistent with his righteousness, by sending his Son to die.

The Son hath discovered his infinite love and grace to sinners, and his interest in the court of heaven, by making a complete atonement and satisfaction; so that the honour of his Father's law and government may be supported, and advanced, in the salvation of all that will receive the atonement. God the Father hath already received the atonement, and set to his seal, that he hath approved all that his Son hath done and suffered, as our Mediator and Surety. He hath raised him from the dead, and declared with a voice from heaven, that Christ is his beloved Son in whom he is well pleased; and commanded all to hear him and believe in him.

And all that remains to compleat the union is, that you give your hearts to Christ, and cordially receive Him as your Mediator, renouncing all merit or righteousness in yourself, and owning the sentence of the law just, and relinquish the kingdom of satan, and become Christ's friend, and lay hold on his covenant; and all that he hath done and suffered shall be made over to you for your everlasting advantage. These benefits cost the Father dear, and the Son dear; but they will cost you nothing: you may freely receive them, and they will become yours without money and without price: they are as free and unmeritted as to you, as if no atonement had been made: God requires no good desert in you, previous to your receiving his Son.

[Page]And will you not heartily approve, and fall in with this way of salvation, which God in infinite love and wisdom hath provided for sinners? Will you not give your hearts to Christ, and declare him to be your beloved Saviour, in whom you are well pleased? Do not all created and uncreated glories center in him? If you reject the atonement, do you think you can devise some wiser, easier and better way of salvation than this? or that any other prince or saviour hath a better claim to your hearts?

Sixthly, We learn how impossible it is, that he who neglects this salvation, and finally rejects Christ Jesus, should escape the eternal wrath and vengeance of God. It is inconsistent with the righteousness of God, as moral Governor of the universe, that any such should escape. The righteousness of God (as we have observed) consists in his benevolence, justice and truth; and should he violate either of these he would cease to be righteous; and his government must fall into contempt among his subjects, and tend to annihilation. And this would introduce confusion and ruin into his moral kingdom. And if God should pardon one sin till adequate satisfaction be first made, he must violate his righteousness; for he hath threatened death to every sin: "The soul that sins shall die;" and his truth stands engaged for the execution of this threatening; and his truth must appear inviolable: and his justice, as well as his truth, demands that this threatening be executed; and this must appear inflexible; for sin, as it is committed against God, and is pregnant with mortal enmity to his character, as moral Governor, and tends to dethrone him and ruin his kingdom, deserves an infinite or endless punishment; and to remit this penalty in one instance of disobedience, is inconsistent with inflexible justice. And infinite benevolence to his moral kingdom, and the best good of all the moral subjects of it, demands that the rights of moral government be supported: for the whole of the peace and happiness of a kingdom depends upon the righteousness of the character, law and government of the Supreme Ruler. He must appear the same in execution that he is in legislation, or his government will fall into contempt among his subject. And it was this that rendered an infinite atonement or satisfaction necessary, in order to open a way for God to exercise his mercy to sinners, consistently with his justice. Had not God set forth his Son to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness, he could not have justified one sinner consistently with his justice. But since Christ hath taken our law place, so as to make satisfaction for our sins, God can justify the greatest sinner that by faith in Jesus Christ receives the atonement which he hath made, as consistently as he can the most holy angel in heaven. And God's insisting on such an infinite satisfaction being made, and the sinner's being interested in it, before he pardons him, declares that sin is an infinite evil in God's esteem; and [Page] that every sinner that is not interested by faith, in the satisfaction which his Son hath made, must suffer an infinite or endless punishment: for there is no way far the truth and justice of God in the threatening to be vindicated, and the rights of government to be supported, but one of these two—an infinite satisfaction, or an endless punishment. And there was no being in the universe that could make this infinite satisfaction but God the Son; and it cost him his liberty, life and divine glory; which was an infinite sacrifice. And this was the only remedy. And the sinner can receive no benefit from the infinite satisfaction Christ hath made, any way but by being united to him, and one with him in a covenant relation. The rights of government must be supported by inflicting on all others a punishment adequate to their crime. There is no other name or way in which we can be saved but by Jesus Christ; and if we neglect this way, and reject this Saviour, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin. And in neglecting this way, we offer the greatest affront to God, who hath in infinite mercy provided this Saviour for us!—What a strange punishment, then, will be inflicted on them who despise and reject God's own eternal Son; turn a deaf ear to his gospel, and stifle and grieve his spirit! Verily, though he that believeth on him is not condemned, yet he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God. Unbelief, or rejecting Christ, is the formal cause of the sinner's damnation: It is that sin which binds the guilt of all his other sins upon him, and consigns him over to damnation. This sin not only procures damnation, but no damnation like it. Wherefore we may justly conclude, that whosoever finally neglects or rejects Christ and the common salvation purchased and offered by him to sinners, shall in no wise escape the eternal wrath and vengeance of God.

Lastly, Let all unregenerate, christless sinners, be exhorted, directed and prevailed upon, to attend to the gospel, and hear and understand the saving truths therein contained, and receive them by faith and love, as the only means of being made partakers of this salvation.

I have endeavoured to set before you, your own true character, as you are sinners in satan's kingdom and interest, in a state of enmity and rebellion to God, justly condemned to eternal misery; helpless and hopeless in yourselves; destitute of all righteousness: dead in law, and spiritually dead; and entirely in the hands of a sovereign God.

I have represented to you the character of God, as he is infinite in his benevolence, and yet inflexible in his justice, and his truth is inviolable; and he will in no wise clear the guilty. And I have prohibited to you the character of Jesus Christ, as he is the true Messiah and the only Saviour of the world. And I have opened unto [Page] you the only method by which you can be saved; the only method that can afford the least gleam of hope to a convinced perishing sinner. And this salvation is brought to your very door by divine revelation; and put in the power of every sinner that lives under the light of the gospel, and hath capacity and opportunity to hear and understand the truths therein contained. God the Father hath devised this method of salvation; God the Son hath purchased it; and God the Spirit hath revealed it: and the ministers of Christ exhibit and explain it to you. But neither God the Father, Son, or Holy Spirit, or the ministers of Christ, can receive it for you. This must be your own act, as free and distinct moral agents. And it is the wisest, the easiest and best method, for the salvation of a sinner, that can be devised or desired. And if you understand, and cordially fall in with this method, you may be saved in a way that will bring honour to God's character, law and government.

But you will say, How can we be entitled to this salvation, since we have no righteousness of our own, and are dead in law? To this I answer, That the righteousness of Christ is sufficient to justify you in the sight of God, and free you from condemnation, and entitle you to this salvation. And you must come to Christ and receive his righteousness by trusting in his merit alone by faith. But you will say, How can we come to Christ, and by faith receive his righteousness? You tell us we are spiritually dead, and have no power to change our hearts. And our Saviour tells us—"No man can come to me except the Father which sent me draw him."—To this I answer, That though you are spiritually dead, and have no power to change your hearts; and you cannot come to Christ unless drawn by the Father; yet the spirit of God is able to communicate spiritual life to your souls. And the Father is able to draw you to Christ, by his word and spirit of truth. And what you have to do is to receive this word and spirit of truth, by hearing and learning of the Father, by attending to the truths of divine revelation. We have no need to make use of any metaphysical distinction between natural and moral power, in order to understand our Saviour's meaning here, or to fasten blame upon the sinner that is not drawn by the Father, and so cannot come to Christ. The blame of the Scribes and Pharisees, is their not attending to divine revelation, and to the instructions of our blessed Saviour, and being taught of God; or hearing and learning of the Father: their inordinate love of worldly honour, and strong prejudices in favour of error, and conceit of their own knowledge and righteousness, kept them in ignorance of the truth of their own character, the character of God and his righteousness, and the character of Christ and the way of salvation by him. And it was impossible this ignorance, error and prejudice should be removed, and they brought to receive the truth in the love of it, and give up their own righteousness, and [Page] depend upon the righteousness of Christ alone for salvation, 'till they could be prevailed upon to hear and learn the gospel, and understand the truths of it. They erred, not knowing the scriptures: and it was not because God withheld any internal influences, or was wanting as to the means of instruction; but it was because they would not hear and learn the gospel, and receive the spirit in its vital influences, by obtaining the knowledge of the truth. Had they heard and learned of the Father, they would have received the spirit of truth; and the knowledge and spirit of truth could soon have removed their ignorance, corrected their errors, humbled their pride, mortified their self-righteous spirit, changed their hearts, and drawn them to receive his truth and righteousness, and eternal life, through faith in his name. But they perished for lack of knowledge, because they would not hear and learn of God the Father— See John vi. 44.45.

It is the excellency of the holy scriptures, above all other writings, that they contain and reveal to us the knowledge of this salvation: and it is the excellency of the gospel that it is the ministration of the spirit to sinners, in its vital influences, by means of this knowledge. And it is this that causes the power of divine truth to be so omnipotent, when it takes hold of the mind. The words of Christ are spirit and life. And when divine truth enters the mind, how soon are the clouds of ignorance, darkness and error dispelled from the understanding? What divine light doth it diffuse through the soul? It gives life to the dead, and calls dead sinners from their tombs; and gives light to the blind. This divine truth converts the soul—makes wise the simple—rejoices the heart—enlightens the eyes, and endures forever. By receiving the knowledge of divine truth, the poor will find gold tried in the fire, to enrich them! The naked will find white raiment to clothe them! And the blind find eye salve to restore their sight! The truths of the gospel are a feast provided by infinite wisdom for hungry, perishing souls: and they are offered to all; and if sinners obtain the knowledge of them, they may expect that the spirit of truth will accompany them, and by his powerful influences, remove the corruption of the principle of the heart. Regeneration is produced in the principle of the soul, by an immediate, instantaneous, irresistible operation of the spirit of God: but to obtain this knowledge, is a work of time and pain [...]: and all such as arrive to a high degree of perfection in this knowledge, free from errors and prejudices, before regeneration, will be full grown christians, and able also to teach others, upon their first receiving this saving change by the spirit of God. But such as have been regenerated forty years, but have made but small attainments in this orthodox knowledge of the scriptures, will be but babes in Christ, and novices in religion. "And when for the time they ought to have been teachers, they have need that one teach [Page] them again, which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk and not of strong meat." See Heb. v. 12. But let their attainments in knowledge, before regeneration, be ever so high, unless they attain that pure knowledge or understanding of the truths of the gospel, which is essential to salvation, all their attainments in knowledge will but serve to increase and aggravate their damnation. And they will not be able to excuse themselves by saying, that God withheld from them those influences of his spirit that were needful to change their hearts. For unless they first obtain this knowledge themselves, by attending to the gospel, they have no reason to expect the spirit will ever change their heart. But the blame will lie at their own door for neglecting these means and opportunities. And never think you have obtained this knowledge 'till you find a love to the truth produced in your hearts. And none may expect to receive the spirit in its vital influences, and a love to the truth, but those who first obtain this knowledge, in the exercise of their natural principles and powers. And this is called divine knowledge, as it is obtained only from the light of divine revelation, and not from the light of nature, by human reason. The moral law, and the light of nature, are a ministration of death and condemnation; but the gospel is a ministration of the spirit of life and of righteousness—See 2 Cor. iii. And this causes the gospel to exceed all other dispensations in glory. And it is by hearing the gospel, so as to obtain the knowledge of it, that the holy spirit of life is received by sinners—See Gal. iii. 2. And faith comes by hearing the word of God—Rom. x. 17. And all saving blessings are communicated to sinners through the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Through this knowledge sinners receive the holy spirit, in its regenerating influences, and so are made partakers of a divine nature, and escape the corruption of the world—See 2 Pet. i. 2.3.4.

After sinners have obtained this knowledge of the truth, and so have received the spirit of truth, in its vital influences, and are regenerated by the spirit, they have the love of the truth; and this is called spiritual knowledge, as it is produced in principle, immediately by the spirit of God, in what is called passive regeneration, and it is a sense of heart, or perception of the spiritual beauty and excellency of divine objects, that are formed first in the understanding. But that knowledge, of which I am now speaking, is very different from this spiritual knowledge: and it is called speculative or doctrinal knowledge: and is not produced in the soul by the holy spirit in regeneration, as spiritual knowledge is; but by objective light let into the understanding, and it may be produced before the spirit is received; but spiritual knowledge cannot. And it is this speculative, divine knowledge of the saving truths contained in divine revelation, that the Psalmist esteemed above gold, yea above [Page] much fine gold. And the wise man commends so highly, in his writings under the name of wisdom and understanding, and exhorts sinners to seek to obtain, with the greatest vigour and perseverance. This is that knowledge which the Apostle Paul prefers to all the wisdom of this world, and all the knowledge of the learned Grecian and Heathen princes and philosophers. This is not the knowledge which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the holy ghost teacheth, not in regeneration, but in divine revelation.

This knowledge is called life eternal, by our blessed Saviour. And wherever this speculative divine knowledge is received into the soul, by saith and love, eternal life is already begun in that soul. And for the neglect of the means of obtaining this knowledge, God had a controversy with his people; and for lack of this knowledge his people were destroyed; and for rejecting it, God rejected his priests, See Hos. iv. This was all speculative knowledge of the scriptures, for these things could not be predicated of spiritual knowledge or love of the truth. And though this knowledge and conviction of revealed truths, by means of which the spirit is at first received in its vital influences, is not in itself saving to the sinner that obtains it, 'till embraced by faith and love; but may be rejected by enmity and unbelief, and so increase his damnation: yet it is essential to the existence, exercise, and increase of every saving grace and virtue. There can be no saving conviction, repentance, faith, love or spiritual knowledge, or well grounded hope, or joy, or happiness in time, or in eternity without it. Without it, sinners cannot move one step towards heaven; nor can saints grow in grace, or increase in happiness any faster than they grow in this knowledge.

And all who have capacities, means and opportunities, may obtain this divine knowledge before they receive the spirit in its regenerating influences, or have any saving change of heart, if they will but only apply their minds to the study of the gospel, as of any other book, and make use of those means and advantages for instruction, that all may enjoy, who live in a land of gospel light. And it needs no very great capacities or great degrees of learning and knowledge, in other things, in order to obtain this saving knowledge, if the mind be but free from error and prejudice. Not many wise men after the flesh obtained this hnowledge, in the days of our Saviour and his apostles; because they were so conceited of their own knowledge and goodness, and prejudiced in favour of error, that they would not attend to divine instruction. But babes and sucklings and publicans and harlots and Peter's bearers, many of whom, it is probable, could not read a word, and had but small natural capacities, but free from prejudicies and errors, could obtain it in a short time, by attending in earnest to the means of instruction. And by obtaining this knowledge, they received the spirit, and [Page] were regenerated and converted by his preaching. And the first step that you must take, in order to your being made partakers of this salvation, is, to obtain this speculative knowledge of the truths contained in divine revelation. This is the key, by means of which, sinners enter into the kingdom of Christ; and till this is obtained, no sinner can enter the strait gate; or go one step towards heaven, or ever see, receive or enjoy any of the benefits of the gospel. But such as obtain this knowledge, are not far from the kingdom of God, but are lifted up to heaven, though they may be cast down to hell at last, for not receiving it with faith and love. But none may expect to receive the spirit of truth, or any saving change of heart by the influences of the spirit, or to receive the truth with faith and love, 'till they first obtain this speculative knowledge of the truth. And therefore, when God designs to communicate his spirit, in its vital influences, he first sends the means of this knowledge to that people, by the dispensers of the gospel; and in this way, he is often found of them that sought him not, and made manifest to them that asked not after him.

As in Ezekiel's vision, "whither the spirit was to go, there the living creatures went." These living creatures are the dispensers of the gospel; and these always go before the spirit of truth; that they may communicate the truth, and make manifest the savour of the knowledge of Christ, in every place. And where the teachers are essentially ignorant or erroneous in their instructions, they take away the key of knowledge from the people that depend upon their instructions. And they enter not into the kingdom of heaven themselves, and those that are entering they hinder. And if sinners will neglect to hear and read and attend to the gospel, where it is dispensed in the power and purity of it, but will read corrupt books, and having itching ears, will run after ignorant, enthusiastic erroneous, corrupt teachers, they must perish for lack of saving knowledge, however learned and knowing they may be, in other things. "For, if the blind lead the blind they will both fall into the ditch." And though many may esteem this knowledge of salvation by the cross of Christ, unintelligible or mysterious foolishness, and so may perish in their sin, rather than attend to it, and seek to understand it; yet, it pleases God by the preaching of this foolishness to save them that believe. And it is the great business of the ministers of Christ to exhort, and stir up unregenerate, christless sinners, to attend and seek with the greatest earnestness and perseverance, to obtain this knowledge in the first place. Ministers cannot produce regeneration, love of the truth, repentance, faith or any grace in the hearts of sinners, by their instructions or exhortations; this is the sole work of the spirit: but ministers can communicate this knowledge, and stir up sinners to obtain it. — But you will say, are not all these exercises and endeavours of the unregenerate, christless [Page] sinner in obtaining this knowledge sin? And does God require any such exercises and endeavours? To these objections I answer, that these exercises are not sin, in themselves considered. The sin of the unregenerate doth not consist at all, in their attending on means; hearing, and seeking, and praying, and crying for mercy, and deliverance from hell, only from natural principles. Their sin doth not consist at all in the light or knowledge of the truth, which they obtain, before regeneration, but only in that enmity and unbelief which attends these exercises and endeavours; the strength of which increases, as their light and knowledge of the truth increases. And more sin may attend the exercises of repentance, faith and love, in true believers, than attends the hearing, praying and seeking of the unregenerate; so that when we exhort unregenerate sinners to exert these exercises and endeavours, while they have a wicked heart, we no more exhort them to sin, than we exhort them to sin, when we exhort them to repent and believe, &c. when we know that great enmity of heart to God, and aggravated sins will attend these exercises. And it is no more for, or on account of the moral goodness that there is in faith, that the righteousness of Christ is imputed to the believer; than it is for, or on account of the moral goodness that there is in the hearing, praying, and seekings of the unregenerate, that the holy spirit is communicated to them. And God can as consistently communicate the holy spirit, in its vital influences, to the unregenerate sinner, in consequence of his obtaining this orthodox knowledge of divine truth, and crying for mercy, as he can impute the righteousness of Christ to the believer, in consequence of his faith in Christ. In Psal. cvii. 6.13.19.28. we have instances of remarkable temporal deliverances granted to sinners in consequences of their prayers and cries to God for mercy, when it doth not appear that their cries or prayers, proceeded from love or friendship to God; but purely from their sense of their own danger, and conviction that there was no help for them but in God alone. And though this is act a moral, yet it is a natural preparation in sinners to receive mercy from God.

And God doth require these exercises and endeavours of the unregenerate. For this orthodox knowledge is as essential to saving repentance and faith as love is. And therefore, when God requires repentance and faith, he necessarily requires this knowledge, and every exercise and endeavour of obtaining it; and every thing that is essential to these graces, as much as he doth love, or the exercises of the graces themselves. God never required a sinner to repent and believe without this knowledge, for this would be a natural impossibility. And the soul cannot be good without knowledge, or have any holy exercises. And for any to say, they exhort [Page] sinners to repent and believe, but they do not exhort them first to obtain that knowledge which is essential to repentance and faith, is a solecism in speech. And moreover, God expresly commands sinners to exert those exercises and endeavours, which they may exert before regeneration; and which they must exert in order to obtain this knowledge, before they can receive the spirit of truth, or have any saving change. God calls upon the whole world to hear his word, Jer. xxii. 29. "Oh! earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord."—And he expresly commands the worst of sinners to hearken to him without any mention of their previously having a good heart. See Isa. xlvi. 2. "Hearken unto me, ye stout hearted sinners that are far from righteousness." And our blessed Saviour exhorts the self-righteous Pharisees to search the scriptures, in order to find eternal life. And numerous texts might be quoted, in which such exercises are required, and enjoined by God himself, as unregenerate sinners may perform without doing any duty acceptable to God. And sinners are condemned, and deprived of great favours, for not exerting such exercises and endeavours. But we cannot find one instance in the gospel where God forbids these exercises, and commands sinners, first to obtain a good heart, to love him, and a righteousness of their own, or any morally good qualification, before they hear and understand the gospel—and seek and pray and cry for mercy. But sinners are expressly exhorted to come to this fountain of knowledge and grace, without money and without price. Sinners should come empty handed, deeply sensible that they have no righteousness, no good heart, no moral qualification to bring with them; and utterly unable to change their own heart, or exercise love, or any grace: sensible that they are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked; and cry unclean, unclean— God be merciful to me a sinner! They must come to receive that which is freely given, and not to earn or purchase it with their good heart or good works. To say, I do not exhort you to come to hear the word, unless you come with a good heart, is legal preaching; and exceeding dangerous to the souls of sinners: and tends to discourage the use of means, and tends to banish the knowledge of the gospel, and all true religion out of the world.

Supreme love to God, and perfect sinless obedience to his will, were required in the covenant of works, as duties, and the condition of eternal life. But hearing and obtaining the knowledge of of the gospel, conviction and repentance of sin, and faith in the Mediator, or love to God, or any act of obedience, are not required under the gospel as duties or conditions of obtaining the holy spirit, in its vital influences, or of pardon, justification and eternal life, but only as graces or the means of receiving these benefits. [Page] And shall we exhort sinners first, in the neglect of these means, to wait 'till they receive the holy spirit, and a good heart, and then to hear and use the means appointed by God, in the use of which they are to receive them? Is not this to pervert the order that God hath established? Faith comes by hearing: but shall sinners be exhorted to wait for faith before they hear?—The spirit comes by hearing, but shall sinners wait 'tilll they receive the spirit before they hear? or shall sinners be told that there is no probability of receiving the spirit or faith by hearing, unless they first have that good heart which the law requires?

But you will say, If unregenerate sinners may do that before regeneration, by which the holy spirit is received in its vital influences, and so hath a connection with eternal life, will they not have reason to boast as making themselves to differ from those who do not obtain salvation?—To this I answer, That the Apostle clears this objection—See 1 Cor. iv. 7. "For who maketh thee to differ from another? And what hast thou that thou didst not receive? Now, if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it?" If we do not earn, procure, merit or purchase any favour, by all we do, but only receive it, as a beggar doth a free gift, what reason have we to glory or boast as if we made ourselves to differ from others, who do not receive it? If we procured, purchased or meritted it by what we do, then we should have whereof to glory. The truth, the spirit, the Saviour and his righteousness, and pardon, justification and eternal life, are all procured by God, and sent down from heaven in the gospel; and sinners have nothing to do but to receive them as they are therein offered, by receiving the knowledge of the truth; and this none can do for them. But their merely receiving them by hearing and by faith, gives them no reason to boast or glory. It is by hearing and by faith, that salvation is received, that it may be by grace; and thus the Apostle argues, Eph. ii. 8.9. By grace are ye saved through faith, and therefore not of yourselves; salvation is the gift of God. Not of works lest any man should boast. We do not change our heart ourselves, nor work faith in ourselves, nor work out any righteousness of our own, but they are all the gift of God, and the work of his spirit.

Hath a condemned rebel any reason to glory, when a pardon is offered to him freely by his prince, and the prince inclines him to embrace it, (upon his hearing it) merely because he received and heared it? It is true, if he never had heard and understood it, he never could have felt the influence of the truths contained in it; but this gives him no reason to boast.

But you will say, Is there not danger of promoting and encouraging a self-righteous spirit by such exhortations?—To this I answer, [Page] That such as are directed, exhorted, and prevailed upon to attend, hear, and understand the truths of the gospel, so as to obtain this speculative, orthodox knowledge, and under the direction and influence of this, are praying, seeking, and crying for mercy, are in no danger of entertaining a self-righteous spirit: but it is those who cannot be prevailed upon to attend, hear and understand, so as to obtain this knowledge of the truth, that are in danger of this. The reason why the Pharisees, in our Saviour's time, entertained such a spirit, was their ignorance of the gospel method of salvation. And the reason why the Jews in the Apostle's time indulged this spirit, was their lack of this knowledge; and they could not be prevailed upon to hear and learn, so as to obtain it. The reason why they went about to establish a righteousness of their own, and did not submit to the righteousness of God, was because they were ignorant of God's righteousness, as revealed in the gospel—See Rom. x. 3, Remove this ignorance, by obtaining this orthodox knowledge, and a self-righteous spirit will be soon cured; but it cannot be cured without this.

But you will say, Are there any promises made in scripture to these exercises and endeavours of unregenerate, christless sinners? And if not, what encouragement have they to exert them?—To this I answer, That I grant there are no absolute promises made to these exercises and endeavours, and there is no indissoluble connection between sinners exerting these exercises and endeavours, and their obtaining any saving benefit: yet there is such a probable connection as gives them sufficient encouragement to exert them in the most vigorous and persevering manner, in order to obtain this orthodox knowledge of the truths of divine revelation, free from errors and prejudices; since this is the only way in which salvation can be received by sinners. And if they receive it not in this way, they must perish for the lack of this knowledge. Do we not all exert our endeavours in worldly concerns upon such a probability? Doth not the farmer rise early, and set up late; till his land, and plant and sow? Doth not the merchant venture his whole interest to sea, and the soldier face death in all its formidable shapes, upon a less probability? And is not this accounted a part of wisdom in them? And is it not then a part of wisdom in perishing sinners, to use those means, and improve those opportunities, in the use of which alone, they can expect to receive the salvation of their souls? When the probability of obtaining in this way is so great, and the consequences of their obtaining or not obtaining are so very important. If sinners watch daily at wisdom's gates, and wait at the posts of her doors; if they attend to the holy scriptures, and incline their ear to wisdom and apply their heart to understanding; if they seek her as silver and search for her as for hid treasure; they need not [Page] fear but they will obtain this orthodox knowledge: and if they obtain this knowledge of salvation, there is a great probability that they will obtain the salvation itself. There is a great probability (if not a certainty) that by obtaining this knowledge of the truth, they will receive the spirit of truth; and so convictions, repentance, faith and love, through the influences of the word and spirit of truth, and then eternal life will be begun in their souls. And it is highly probable, that not one in ten thousand, who have obtained this knowledge free from essential errors, in this life, ever failed of eternal salvation: and, perhaps, none ever fail but such, as through an inordinate love of the world, and of error and sin, and out of enmity and malice to the truth itself, sin wilfully after they have received the knowledge of it; and to them there remains no more sacrifice for sin. And if any think they have obtained this knowledge, when they do not feel these effects upon their souls, they deceive themselves: for our Saviour tells us expressly, "Every man, therefore, that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me."—See John vi. 45.

But you will say, If this speculative knowledge of the truths contained in divine revelation, must be obtained, before any one can receive the holy spirit in its vital influences, so as to be regenerated, or exercise repentance, faith, love, or any saving grace, what becomes of infants, who die before they are capable of receiving this knowledge; and of heathen, who have not the means of this knowledge?—To this I answer, That we have an account in scripture, of a certain supernatural, spiritual change, of which all the corrupt race of Adam must be the subjects, before they enter heaven: all that die in the moments of death, and all that shall be alive and remain, till the second coming of Christ, at the sound of the last trumpet: and all who are the subjects of this change, at death, in the moment in which the union between the soul and body is dissolving, all moral corruption and evil shall be removed from the soul, and it shall be made perfect in holiness, and prepared to pass immediately into glory. And in order to the producing this change, no knowledge of the truth in the understanding of the subject of it, is necessary; but it is produced by the immediate almighty power of the spirit of God. And the believer in Christ, who hath by faith in his merit given up himself and offspring to God, according to the covenant of grace, hath as good a foundation, from the declarations and promises of the covenant of grace to hope, that his infant child, that dies before it is capable of receiving the knowledge of the truth, may be the subject of this change as himself, who hath received the knowledge of the truth. But none have any warrant from scripture (that I can see) to expect any other saving change will be produced in their own souls, or the souls of their children that [Page] live to be capable of moral exercises, unless they first attend to the truth, as it is in Jesus, and receive the speculative knowledge of it, in some degree, so as to receive the spirit and exercise faith in the atonement. I doubt not but God is able, before death, to rectify the principle, and change the heart of those who have no degree of this knowledge in their understanding: but I do not find that he hath any where declared in his word that he will; and I know of no instance in which he hath done it: for tho' it is said concerning Jeremiah, that, before he came forth put of his mother's womb, God sanctified him, and ordained him to be a prophet unto the nations. And concerning Paul, that God seperated him from his mother's womb to reveal his Son in him; yet these declarations do not imply that either of them were regenerated in their infancy; but only that they were by divine appointment seperated, sanctified or set apart to office. But it appears inconsistent with the method of divine operation, to produce a principle of spiritual life in the soul long before provision is made for the support of it, by the knowledge of the truth. And if this moral corruption is removed, by the spirit of God in infancy, then such a child is free from original sin and moral corruption, and different from the rest of mankind, none of whom are freed from it till death.

But I think parents have no warrant from scripture to hope that any of their children, that live to be capable of receiving this knowledge, will receive the spirit, or be regenerated, till this knowledge of the truth is obtained by hearing and learning instruction from the word of God.

And it is of the last importance, in this view of the matter, that parents begin early to instruct their children, and indoctrinate them in the truths of the gospel, as they value their souls; and use these best endeavours to prevent their minds being corrupted by reading [...]ad books, and hearkening to instructions which tend to prejudice their minds against the truth, and the orthodox ministers of the gospel. Parents should train up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. "Whom shall he teach knowledge? (saith the prophet) Whom shall he make to understand doctrine? Them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts; for precept must be upon precept; precept upon precept; line upon line; line upon line; here a little and there a little."—Isa. xxviii. 9.10.—And if parents would thus train up their children to attend, hear and learn the truth, which is the way in which they should go, they have great reason to hope, that they will receive the Knowledge of the truth, and the spirit of truth, and the love of the truth; and when they are old they will not depart from it. Some children have obtained so much knowledge of the truth at four years old, as hopefully to receive the spirit in its saving influences; where [Page] their attention to the truth hath been excited, in such early life, by the conversation of those under convictions, and serious impressions.

And children should consider of what importance it is, in this view, to attend to religious instructions in early life; when their minds are most free from prejudices and errors. And then it may be said of you that are young, to your great honour and everlasting happiness, as it was of Timothy, That from children you have known the holy scriptures, which are able to make you wise to salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus. But if you will not attend and obtain this knowledge now, you will mourn at the last, when your flesh and body is consumed, saying, "How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof? And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined my ear to them that instructed me? (I was whispering, or laughing, or sleeping, or my eyes and heart were wandering) and I was almost in all evil, in the midst of the congregation and assembly."— See Prov. v. 11 &c.

But to return from this digression. As to the heathen, or those who have not the written word; though God is under no obligation to send the means of knowledge to any people, yet, the apostle assures us, that the gospel hath been preached to every creature which is under heaven—See Col. i. 23. "And have not they all heard (saith the apostle) their sound went unto all the earth, and their word unto the ends of the world."—See Rom. x. 18. So that all nations may have the means of knowledge, though they have not the written word. But such as have not capacities, means or opportunities of obtaining this knowledge, will not be condemned for not receiving the spirit, or not repenting, or not believing in Christ; but for the want of that principle of love to God, and obedience to his will, which is required in the moral law, or in the law of nature, written on men's hearts. But all those who are favoured with the gospel, and have capacities to obtain this knowledge, and do not improve the capacities, means and opportunities they have, will have this for their aggravated condemnation; that light is come into the world, and they have loved darkness rather than light, and would not come to the light.

But to conclude, We are all sensible that ignorance of the saving truths of the gospel prevails at the present day; notwithstanding all the means of knowledge we enjoy. And by reason of this ignorance and error is overspreading the christian world like a flood: and iniquity abounds; and the love of many waxes cold. And what method shall be taken for a remedy? The only probable method is this; The ministers of the gospel, like the living creatures in Ezekiel's vision, must take the lead in this affair. They must wake up, and preach the law, and gospel distinctly; and [Page] not blend them together; but rightly divide the word of truth, and exhort, and stir up the attention of sinners to the truth, by the manifestation of it to every man's conscience; and by this means remove the darkness, and ignorance and error that overvails their their understandings, and communicate to them the true knowledge of the scriptures: for this is not the work of the spirit, but of the word of truth. And withal pray earnestly that the law may prove a ministration of condemnation and death to their sins; and the gospel a ministration of the spirit, of righteousness and life to their souls. And then exhort sinners under these blessed influences, to repent of sin, believe in Christ, love God, and bring forth the fruits of the spirit.

Should we excite in sinners minds strong conditions of their sin and danger, by setting before them the terrors of the law, and exhorting them to repent; yet unless by obtaining this knowledge of the gospel method of salvation, ignorance and error are removed from their understandings, they will be in imminent danger of settling down on a false foundation; and receiving a false hope and joy; notwithstanding any internal influences of the spirit that they can receive by hearing the law. To attend to the gospel, and read it, and hear it preached; and seek to have a right understanding of the truths contained in it; is the first and principal direction to be be given to sinners, that are under awakenings and convictions. For by the knowledge of the truth, the spirit must be received, in its regenerating influences; and this knowledge must lay the foundation for the exercise of every grace in the soul. And the hope and joy of sinners, if not founded in the knowledge of the truth, will finally leave them ashamed.

If we are wise preachers, we shall teach the people knowledge. And if we are pastors according to God's heart, we shall feed them with knowledge and understanding: and with Paul, we shall reason with them out of the scriptures. And to arrest their attention, we are not first to address ourselves to their love of the truth, but to their fears of hell; and endeavour to convince them of the necessity and importance of their receiving the knowledge of the truth, as the only means of preserving the life, and restoring the health of their precious and immortal souls. And sinners must hear and seek to obtain the knowledge of the truth with silent attention; and depend on the word, and spirit of truth to move their affections; excite convictions, repentance, faith and love in their hearts; and then they will be genuine.

And all sinners, who have capacity, means and opportunity of obtaining this knowledge, are under infinite obligation to repent of sin, believe Christ Jesus, and love God, and give themselves up to him with all their heart immediately, and be baptized, and come [Page] to his table; and their want of this knowledge doth not excuse their neglect one moment. Jesus Christ and his apostles exhorted sinners to repent, believe and love God, and become friends to Christ immediately, and made no allowance for their want of knowledge; though it is essential to the exercise of every grace.—But instead of making the want of it an excuse for their continuing impenitent and in unbelief, under the light of the gospel, they consider it as the formal cause of their blame, and most aggravated condemnation.—And they exhort them to repent and believe immediately, though at the same time they let them know that they cannot come to Christ 'till they hear and learn of the Father. But their not hearing and learning and obtaining this knowledge, where they have the means, is no excuse for their impenitency and unbelief.—And their hearing and learning and obtaining this knowledge, will not save them in their impenitency and unbelief, or be any alleviation of their condemnation; but will greatly aggravate it if they finally perish.

The holy scriptures are a compleat and perfect rule; and the only rule to direct sinners to happiness; as you may see, 2 Tim. iii. 15.16.17. Let no man, therefore, that desires to be a preacher of the gospel, depend on the light of natural reason, or on human wisdom, or on the internal light or influences of the holy spirit in regeneration, or on his spiritual knowledge or love of the truth, or on any new revelation, to teach and instruct him what to say, in order to excite affections in others: but first seek to obtain this orthodox knowledge of the holy scriptures, which Timothy had before he was regenerated; and keep up his attention to this, 'till he finds he hath obtained a large degree of it, and also received the holy spirit in its vital influences, and the spiritual knowledge, or love of the truth, and saving faith in Jesus Christ; before he begins to preach: for the light of natural reason, or human wisdom, or this internal light or love of divine truth, qualifies no man to preach the gospel, unless he first obtain a good degree of this orthodox knowledge of the holy scriptures. "To the law and to the testimony, if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."—Isa. viii. 20. For ministers to tell their own experiences, or the experiences of others, or dreams or visions, and impulses and feelings, to excite affections in others, is not preaching the word of God, which is the only infallible rule; but such preaching causes people to err and think light of the word of God, and forget his name—See Jer. xxiii. 26.27.28, "The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully: what is the chaff to the wheat? saith the Lord. Is not my word like a fire? saith the Lord; and [Page] like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?" By this rule, every spirit must be tried, to know whether it be of God or not. "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul—Psal. xix. 7.

By the law of the Lord here, we are not to understand the moral law exclusive of the gospel; but the word of God including both: for the moral law is only a ministration of condemnation and death, and all that this law can do, is to convince and condemn the sinner: it cannot convert without the gospel, which is the only ministration of the spirit, of righteousness and of life; and unless a sinner hath the knowledge of Christ, and faith in him, he never will be converted from the love of sin to the love of holiness, by the preaching of the moral law. It is only where the gospel comes that sinners are regenerated and converted.

But if deists or infidels, arians, socinians, self-righteous moralists, anti-nomians, universalists and enthusiasts, who are led away by such errors and delusions at the present day, could but be prevailed upon, so to attend to the gospel as to obtain an orthodox knowledge and understanding of it, what a great alteration it would cause in their minds? How soon it would remove their ignorance, errors and prejudices; humble their pride, overcome their enmity, mortify their self-righteous spirit, convert their souls, and make them wise to salvation? But if they cannot be prevailed upon to attend to the gospel, and understand the truths of it, they must perish for lack of this knowledge and conviction, tho' they have means in plenty, because they will not make use of them!

And sinners, by turning a deaf ear to the truths of the gospel, shutting their eyes against the light, and rejecting the means of knowledge, vex the holy spirit of God, stifle his blessed motions on their hearts, quench his influences, and send him away grieved; and so reject God and Christ, and his gospel, and judge themselves unworthy of eternal life; and provoke God to say, "My spirit shall no longer strive with them; but I will give them up to their own hearts lusts, to walk in their own counsels."—See Psal. lxxxi. And God will become their irreconcileable enemy, and fight against them; and swear in his wrath, that they shall never enter into his rest. "And because they received not the truth in the love of it, that they might be saved, God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie; that they all may be damned who believe not the truth; but had pleasure in unrighteousness." And when they go down to hell, their neglect of particular opportunities of attending and seeking will haunt their guilty consciences for ever and ever. And they will not be able then to relieve their minds by casting off any blame from themselves upon the decrees of God, as the cause of their not being regenerated and saved— [Page] To say, the reason why they were not regenerated was, because they were not elected, or because they were decreed from all eternity to damnation; and therefore God could not regenerate them, would be blasphemy against God; —since the only cause will appear to be, their not improving their capacities, means and opportunities of attending to the holy scriptures, so as to obtain the knowledge of the saving truths therein contained, or rejecting them with enmity and malice.

And how great must be the sin and guilt of those, who say any thing that tends to discourage unregenerate sinners in using the means, or attending on a preached gospel? Such are accessary to the great evil of destroying souls; by causing them to provoke God to withdraw his holy spirit.

And what great reason have sinners to condemn themselves, and lament their folly, that they have neglected so many means and opportunities of obtaining the knowledge of these divine and saving truths!—And for the time to come to double their diligence!

And if you want evidence for faith, look into the word of God, and see how all the types and prophecies are fullfilled in Christ. The types have a peculiar respect to his being delivered up by his Father; and offering up himself, his liberty, life and divine glory; to be conquered, slain and reproached by his enemies, and so by them be made a victim and sacrifice. And the prophecies have a peculiar reference to his conquering and slaying his enemies, by means of his being thus conquered and slain by them; and so finally making them his victims and sacrifice. And who could have pointed out this wonderful affair, in such a clear manner, in such early ages, but a God of infinite wisdom? Attend to this plan of salvation, and you will find it carries its own evidence with it. Obtain the true knowledge and understanding of it, and see what a strange effect this knowledge and conviction of divine truth will have upon your minds; when attended with the spirit of truth!—What a wonderful effect it had upon the mind of Soame Jenyns, Esq. He was once a strong deist, but he tells us, that when he applied his mind to the study of the holy scripture, "on a candid inquiry he soon found that its pretensions of a supernatural revelation from God were founded on the most solid grounds." And what a wonderful effect hath this knowledge had upon the minds of ignorant, erroneous, self righteous and stout hearted sinners, that were far from having a good heart, or any righteousness that could save them, when they first attended to it?

And if you want power and strength to remove the moral corruption of your hearts, and enable you to repent of sin, and believe in Christ, and work out your own salvation: attend to the gospel; [Page] hear and understand the truths therein contained. This is the only way to have the spirit of God work in you, to will and to do, of his good pleasure. It is only through the knowledge of the truths of the gospel that you can receive from God grace to pardon or strength to help. You can derive no saving influences but in this way.—O prize divine revelation! Bless God for the gospel! give heed to it, as to a light that shines in a dark place! On the word of God you must trust. On this you must found all your hopes. From this the believer derives all his comforts—all his strength and all his joys! Improve the gospel, as you value your souls eternal peace and happiness. Sell all to purchase this field, which contains this treasure of great price! Love to the word is the best evidence of love to God.

And if you want motive to repent and believe, attend to the truths of the gospel. The gospel contains sufficient motives, and they will prove effectual if you attend to them; and they are accompanied by the efficacious influences of the spirit of God: and you cannot expect these efficacious influences in any other way, but by obtaining this knowledge.

And will you neglect and misimprove all your present privileges and opportunities of receiving this great salvation, upon a vain presumption that you will have another state of probation, and time of trial, after this life is ended? And that your punishment will not be eternal though you die under the power and guilt of sin, in impenitency and unbelief.—It is very evident that the doctrine of universal salvation, or another state of probation for sinners is not from God; and is not contained in divine revelation—Christ and his apostles never preached it; if they had, the contrary doctrine never could have had such a spread in the world; nor would they have been persecuted as they were; because this doctrine is so agreeable to the corrupt taste of mankind, and gives them such a high security for another world; that they would have held fast the doctrine upon so great an authority, and carressed the dispensers of it. And if it had been true, undoubtedly our blessed Saviour could and would have taught it plainly, without any reserve, Jesus Christ taught the contrary. He declares, that he that believes not shall be damned. But as the devil contradicted the express declaration of God to our first parents; so he doth now the express declaration of our blessed Saviour.

But if what hath been said upon this subject is true, sin is an infinite evil, and the sinner doth deserve an endless punishment, and God cannot remit it consistently with his righteousness, as moral Governour, unless the sinner is united to Christ by faith and so interested in that infinite atonement and satisfaction which [Page] he hath made at such an infinite expence. And sinners may receive this atonement new, if they will; and it is sufficient for all. And the offer is made to all that hear the gospel. And all that have sufficient capacities, means and opportunities to obtain the knowledge of it must be without excuse, if they do not believe in Christ, and receive this salvation immediately. And if they willfully misimprove. all these now, what reason can be given why they should have another state of probation; God hath no where revealed any other state of probation; and reason forbids there should be another. And all the perfections of God stand opposed to it. God hath declared in his word, that whom this state is at an end with sinners, his spirit shall no longer strive with them. He that is filthy must therefore remain so still. And that sinners are exposed to eternal damnation; and that their punishment shall be everlasting and have no end, cannot be expressed in any stronger terms, of which we can conceive. The eternity of sinners torments are expressed in the same words by which the eternity of God's existence, and the duration of the saints happiness in heaven are expressed. And had God revealed another state of probation for those who are disposed willfully to neglect and misimprove the present, he must future state the whole design of this state. And you cannot expect any future state of probation, unless God should deny himself, prove false to his threatening, and flexible in his justice, and unkind to the loyal subjects of his kingdom; by destroying the very foundation of moral government. But if you believe not, "God abideth faithful, he cannot deny himself."

And is it possible that Doctor Chauncy, with all his learning, and corrupt criticism—or that the deists, and universalists can persuade men, that have the holy scriptures in their hands, and are endued with reason and understanding, capable of judging and determining what is best, to believe that they are acting a wise part, when they willfully neglect and misimprove the present glorious opportunities and advantages for securing to themselves a blessed immortality; upon the presumption, that God will grant them another state of probation; if they wilfully abuse this!—But O look forward to the great day—when Christ shall be revealed from heaven to take vengeance on them that now know not God and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who must be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power!

And do you not believe there will be such a day! when the heavens shall be on fire, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, and the earth and all things that are therein shall be burnt up. And the Judge shall descend, with all his angels; and the [Page] trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised, and all nations shall be gathered before his august tribunal; and the righteous shall be placed on his right hand, and the wicked on his left—and each one hear his final and irreversible sentence proceed from his mouth!

And oh how happy will be your case then, if you shall be found to have so well improved your present opportunities, and state of probation, as to receive the knowledge and spirit of truth, and the Saviour; and be cloathed with his infinite righteousness and merit, and adorned with the graces of his spirit? Then will you lift up your heards with joy, at the prospect of your compleat redemption from all sin, sorrow and death! Then will you hear that heart-reviving sentence, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" And them you will be admitted into the joy of your Lord; where you will spend an eternity in singing anthems to Him, who hath loved you and washed you in his own blood from all your sins. To which blessed state and employment, may God of his infinite mercy, in Jesus Christ, bring us all. AMEN.

§

§

ERRATA. Page 20, line 5, from the top, for moral read mortal enmity—and line 17, for subject read subjects—Page 27, line 6, from the bottom, read prototokos.—Page 53, line 29, from the top, for consequences read in consequence of.

Information about this book

Title statement

Christ the true victim and conqueror. A history of the war, in which the Son of God engaged with all the powers of darkness, concerning the righteousness of God as moral governor--How it commenced; and how he decided it, by being made a victim and sacrifice in the devil's kingdom; by means of which, he conquered and destroyed God's enemies--made atonement for sin--paid the price of our ransom--merited the kingdom of the universe to himself--and redeemed multitudes to God out of every nation. / By Josiah Sherman, A.M. ; Published at the desire of the hearers. ; [Three lines from Jonathan Edwards]

Sherman, Josiah, 1729-1789.

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI :

Date

2009-04.

ID [DLPS]

N16147

ID [TCP]

N16147

ID [STC]

Evans 20704

ID [NOTIS]

APW5737

ID [IMAGE-SET]

20704

ID [EVANS-CITATION]

99011863

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This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

Series

Early American Imprints, 1639-1800 ; no. 20704.

Notes

(Evans-TCP ; no. N16147)

Transcribed from: (Readex Archive of Americana ; Early American Imprints, series I ; image set 20704)

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Source

— Christ the true victim and conqueror. A history of the war, in which the Son of God engaged with all the powers of darkness, concerning the righteousness of God as moral governor--How it commenced; and how he decided it, by being made a victim and sacrifice in the devil's kingdom; by means of which, he conquered and destroyed God's enemies--made atonement for sin--paid the price of our ransom--merited the kingdom of the universe to himself--and redeemed multitudes to God out of every nation. / By Josiah Sherman, A.M. ; Published at the desire of the hearers. ; [Three lines from Jonathan Edwards], Sherman, Josiah, 1729-1789..

Extent

66, [2] p. ; 22 cm. (4to)

Printed by T. Collier, in the south end of the court-house.,. Litchfield [Conn.]: :: [1787]. (Advertised in the Litchfield monitor, Oct. 8, 1787.) (Errata note, p. 66.)

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