CHAPTER XIV.

OF MAN'S RESTORATION, AND OF CHRIST AS RE

DEEMER.

WE have hitherto considered the Providence of God in relation to the fall of man; we are now to consider it as operating in his restoration.

The restoration of man is the act whereby man, being delivered from sin and death by God the Father through Jesus Christ, is raised to a far more excellent state of grace and glory than that from which he had fallen. Rom. v. 15. but not as the offence, so also is the free gift for if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.'

v. 17.

for if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.' See also v. 21. Eph. i. 9, 10. ' according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself... that he might gather together in one all things in Christ.' 1 John iii. 8. he that

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committeth sin is of the devil . . . . for this purpose

the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.'

In this restoration are comprised the redemption and renovation of man.

Redemption is that act whereby Christ, being sent in the fulness of time, redeemed all believers at the price of his own blood, by his own voluntary act, conformably to the eternal counsel and grace of God the Father.

Conformably to the eternal counsel of God the Father. 1 Pet. i. 20. the Lamb.

before the foundation of the world.'

preordained See other pas

sages to the same effect in the fourth chapter, on Predestination.

Grace. Even before man had, properly speaking, confessed his guilt, that is, before he had avowed it ingenuously and in the spirit of repentance, God nevertheless, in pronouncing the punishment of the serpent, previously to passing sentence on man, promised that he would raise up from the seed of the woman one who should bruise the serpent's head, Gen. iii. 15. and thus anticipated the condemnation of mankind by a gratuitous redemption. John iii. 16. 'God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son-'. Rom. iii. 25. 'whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith.' v. 8. God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.' Heb. ii. 9.

'that he, by the

grace of God, should taste death for every man.' 1 John iv. 9, 10. in this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that

God sent his only begotten Son ....

loved God, but that he loved us.'

not that we

Hence the Father

เ

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is often called our Saviour,' inasmuch as it is by his eternal counsel and grace alone that we are saved. Luke i. 47. my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.' v. 68, 69. blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he hath visited and redeemed his people, and hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David.' 1 Tim. i. 1. by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope.' ii. 3. for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour.' iv. 10. we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men.' Tit. i. 3. according to the commandment of God our Saviour.' ii. 10. that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.' iii. 4-6. 'but after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour towards man appeared, ... according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour.' Jude 25. to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory;' where the Vetus Interpres and some of the Greek manuscripts add, through Jesus Christ our Lord."*

Christ being sent in the fulness of time. Gal. iv. 4. but when the fulness of time was come, God sent forth his Son.' Eph. i. 10. in the dispensation of the fulness of times.'

At the price of his own blood. Isai. liii. 1, &c. Acts xx. 28. the Church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.' Rom. iii. 25. a

*These words are found in fifteen manuscripts, according to Wetstein, and in the Vulgate, two Syriac, Coptic, and Arabic versions. See also Mill on this verse.

propitiation through faith in his blood.' 1 Cor. vi. 20.

ye are bought with a price.' iii. 13. being made a curse

See also vii. 23. Gal.

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for us.' Eph. v. 2.

that he should taste

through the blood

1 Pet. i. 19. with iii. 18. Christ also

' he hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God.' Heb. ii. 9. death for every man.' xiii. 20. of the everlasting covenant.' the precious blood of Christ.' hath once suffered for sins.' Rev. i. 5. that washed us from our sins in his own blood.' v. 9. thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood.' xiii. 8. the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.'

Isai. liii. 10. upon

By his own voluntary act. condition that his soul make a trespass offering,"* Horsley's Translation. Matt. xx. 28. 'to give his life a ransom for many.' John x. 15, 18. I lay down my life for the sheep: no man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself; I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.' Eph. v. 2. he hath given himself for us.' Philipp. ii. 8. became obedient unto death.' 1 Tim. ii. 6. 'who gave himself a ransom for all.

All believers. Rom. iii. 25. a propitiation through faith in his blood.'

There is no other Redeemer or Mediator besides Christ. Acts iv. 12. neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven

*That his soul should make the trespass offering, expresses that it was with the full consent of his own mind that he made the painful atonement. See Vitringa upon the place.' Horsley's Bibl. Crit. in loc. Quandoquidem semetipsum exposuit, Tremellius. If his soul shall make a propitiatory sacrifice. Lowth's Translation. A different sense is given to the passage in our authorized version: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin.

given among men, whereby we must be saved.' 1 Tim. ii. 5. there is one mediator....the man Christ Jesus.' John xiv. 6. no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.'

There was a promise made to all mankind, and an expectation of the Redeemer, more or less distinct, even from the time of the fall. Gen. iii. 15. I will put enmity.' xxii. 18. 'in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.' See also xxvi. 4. xxviii. 14. xlix. 10. until Shiloh, or the peacemaker come.' Deut. xviii. 15. Jehovah thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken: according to all that thou desiredst of Jehovah thy God in Horeb....saying, Let me not hear again the voice of Jehovah my God, neither let me see this more, that I die not.' Job xix. 25, 26.

great fire any I know that my Redeemer liveth.' In the Psalms and prophetical writings the advent of the Redeemer is intimated with less obscurity. Psal. lxxxix. 35, 36. 'once have I sworn by my holiness, that I will not lie unto David. His seed shall endure for ever.' Isai. xi. 1, &c. there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse.' Jer. xxx. 9. they shall serve Jehovah their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them.' xxxiii. 15. at that time will I cause the branch of righteousness to grow up unto David.' At the appointed time he was sent into the world. Gal. iv. 4. as above.

Two points are to be considered in relation to Christ's character as Redeemer: his nature and office.

His nature is twofold; divine and human. Matt. xvi. 16. 'the Christ, the Son of the living God.' Gen.