Poffibly, the faithful Soul, when difengaged from our prefent Incumbrances, may blaze out into a Degree of Excellency equal to the highest Honours, the most important and extenfive Services. Our Lord has made us Kings and Priests unto his God and Father, and we shall fit together in heavenly Places, and reign with him. To him that overcomes the Trials of this prefent State, he will give to fit with him in his Throne. True, many from among Mankind fhall perish, among the vile and worthlefs, for ever: And fo fhall many of the Angels. Thefe Confiderations may fatisfy us, that, poffibly, Mankind are not fo defpicable, as to be below the Interpofition of the Son of God. Rather, the furprifing Condefcenfions and Sufferings of a Being fo glorious fhould be an Argument, that the Scheme of Redemption is of the utmost Importance; and that, in the Eltimate of God, who alone confers Dignity, we are Creatures of very great Confequence. Laftly, God by Chrift created the World; and if it was not below his Dignity to create, it is much lefs below his Dignity to redeem the World, which, of the two, is the more worthy and honourable. 162. Thus I have endeavoured to explain and clear the Scheme of Redemption by the Blood of Christ, or his fpotlefs Goodness and Obedience; the nobleft and most acceptable Sacrifice any Being can offer to the fupreme Father, the God of perfect Goodness, Truth and Righteoufnefs. In which Method all the Means and Ends of our Redemption are fecured, and our Salvation is, in every Refpect, fully provided for. For thus, I. Pardon and all the Bleffings of the Gofpel are freely given us. And yet, 2. Our Subjection, and Obedience to God are well fecured. For, being founded upon the perfect Obedience of Chrift, the Grace of Forgiveness cannot prompt us to have indifferent Thoughts of the Authority of the Law of God, or of our Obligations to obey him. 3. Thus the Luftre of Righteoufnefs appears among us in the utmost Perfection; the Son of God having exercifed all God-like Love to us, and all due Obedience to the fupreme Father; and thus has fet before us the most perfect and engaging Example for our Imitation. 4. In this Way, all proper Means are provided for our Inftruction, Comfort, Direction, and for giving us the promised Inheritance. And, 5. The most powerful Motives, the Love of God, and of the Redeemer, the Promifes of the Gofpel, and the Profpects of Immortality, are propofed to animate our Obedience, Self-denial and Perfeverance. And thus, 6. A Perfon is conftituted to manage the great Affairs of our Salvation, and to complete our Redemption, who has demonftrated himself to be altogether worthy of the Office of Lord and Saviour; and who is made Head over all Things for the Church, having all Power given him in Heaven and Earth *. away 163. I * And in most, if not in all, of these fix Refpects, Chrift is faid to "take the Sin of the World," John i. 29; "to redeem us from all Iniquity," Tit. ii. 14." from a vain Converfation," 1 Pet. i. 18; I to purge our Sins by himfelf," Heb. i. 4; "to put away Sin by the Sacrifice of himfelf," Heb. ix. 26; "to bear our Sins in, or by, his own Body on the Tree," 1 Pet. ii. 24. This Place feems to be taken from Ifai. liii. 4, 11, 12, Surely he has born our Griefs, and carried our Sorrows.". "He fhall bear their Iniquities." A a 4 "He 163. I have been the longer upon this Article, because it is of Importance. I fhould indeed have thewn, that the Scripture Notion of Atonement exactly fits this Way of accounting for our Redemption by the Blood of Chrift. But that would have fwelled this Work too much; and what I have faid is fufficient for my prefent Purpose. However, it is my Defign to attempt to flate and clear the Scripture-Account of Atonement, if Health and Life be continued. CHAP. "He bare the Sins of many." That the Apostles did not understand thefe Expreffions, as denoting the Imputation of our Sins to Chrift is plain from St. Matthew's applying the 4th Verfe to our Saviour's healing Difcafes, Mat. viii. 17. Obferve, 1. That N, which we render bath born, Ver. 4, 12, fignifies fo to bear, as to carry or take away. And in this Senfe it is, at leaft, fix times used by the Prophet Ifaiah, and fo rendered in the English Bible. Ifai. viii. 4,————“The Spoil of Samaria fhall be taken away," NU xv. 7,-" that which they have laid up, fhall they carry away." xxxix. 6,-" fhall be carried to Babylon." xl. 24"the Whirlwind fhall take them away." xli. 16," the Wind fhall carry them away." So Chap. Ivii. 13. Ixiv. 6,- "Our Iniquities like the Wind have taken us away." Gen. xlvii. 30. Lev. xi. 25, 40. Num. xvi. 15. 1 Sam. xvii. 34. Ezek. xii. 7. Dan. i. 16, &c. It is the Word which is ufed in the Cafe of the Scape-goat, Lev. xvi. 22, " And the Goat fhall bear," or carry away, upon him all their Iniquities into a Land not inhabited." Signifying thereby the total Removal of Guilt from the penitent Ifraelites. See alfo Exod. xxviii. 38, "Bear away the Iniquity." Lev. x. 17. Hai. xlvi. 4. Hence, as bearing Iniquity, in fome Cafes, is taking it away, the Word N to bear, frequently fignifies to forgive; and is fo tranflated, Gen. iv. 13. Margin. xviii. 24, 26, [fpare] 1. 17. Exed. xxxii. 32. xxxiv. 7. Num. xiv. 18, 19. Josh. xxiv. 19. Pfal. xxv. 18.. xxxii. 1, 5. lxxxv. 2. Ifai. i. 14. ii. 9. . 66 2. That the Word 720, which in Ifai. liii. 4, we tranflate carried [car ried our Sorrows], and Ver. 11, bear, ["he fhall bear their Iniquities"], though a Verb but feldom ufed, will alfo admit the Senfe of carrying off, or away, as a Porter carries a Burthen. Ifai. xlvi. 4, "Even I will carry you off," or away, " and I will deliver you." As the Iniquities and Tranfgreffions of the Children of Ifrael were put upon the Head of the Scape-goat, and he carried off all their Iniquities, to signify that they were fully pardoned, Lev. xvi. 21, 22; fo the Lord laid upon our Saviour the Iniquities of us all; and he bare, or carried them away, Hai. lii. 6, 11. Signifying that our Sins are fully pardoned, and in every Refpect quite removed, by the Atonement of our Lord's Goodnefs and Obedience, as above explained. "He was wounded for our Trangreffions,the Chafifement of our Peace [which was expedient to accomplish our Peace, Reconciliation, &c.] was upon him, and with his Stripes we are healed," all our Difoiders, fpiritual and natural, are removed. Thus the Citation in Mat. viii. 17, (“ himself took [away] our Infirmities, and bare [carried off] our Sickncfes"), is very proper. For our Lord was then acting one Part of his faving Work, which the Prophet Ifaiah fpeaks of, when he was removing the Griefs and Sorrows of the People. Thus allo the Senfe of 1 Pet. ii. 24, will be easy, and ftand thus; "His own felf bare away our Sins on his own Body on the Tree, that we being dead unto," or rather, feparated from, "Sin," being freed from the Guilt of Sin, "fhould live unto Righteoufnefs." Note; that, tearate, Mat. viii. 17. amugmur, 1 Pet. ii. 24, will allo admit CHA P. IX. Further Reflections upon the Gospel. moting true Religion and Virtue. Difcourfes and Parables. 164. A It is a Scheme for restoring and pra- 2 Cor. ND as the whole Grace of the Gospel is in or by Christ, for this Reason, Chrift, or the Lord, are frequently put for the whole Gospel. Rom. ix. 1, 3, "I fpeak the Truth in Chrift. I could with myself accurfed from Chrift." xvi. 7, "In Christ before me." Ver. 8, Beloved in the Lord:" So Ver. 9, 11, 12, 13. iii. 16, "Nevertheless when it [the vailed Heart of the Jews] fhall turn unto the Lord," [that is, the Gofpel, in Contradiftinction to Mofes, in the foregoing Verfe; who in like Manner, is put for the Law, which was given by him.] Ver. 17, "Now the Lord is that Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty." Ver. 18,Ver. 18," Beholding as in a Glafs the Glory of the Lord," &c. Phil. iii. 1, Rejoice in the Lord," iv. 4. iv. 1, "Stand faft in the Lord, my dearly Beloved." And in other Places. 165. It is further to be obferved; that the whole Scheme of the Golpel in Chrift, and as it ftands in Relation to his Blood, or Obedience unto Death, was formed in the Council of God, before the Calling of Abraham, and even before the Beginning of the World. Acts xv. 18, "Known unto God are all his Works [the Difpenfations which he intended to advance] from the Beginning of the World." Eph. i. 4, "According as he hath chofen us in him [Christ] before the Foundation of the World." [oxzτabcdn; xosμ&* | 2 Tim. i. 9, “Who hath faved us and called us,according to his own Purpose and Grace, which was given us in Chrift Jefus before the World begant." Pet. i. 20, " Who [Christ] verily was fore-ordained before the Foundation of the World [o araborn. * but was manifeft in thefe laft Times for you" [Gentiles.] Hence it appears; that the whole Plan of the Divine Mercy in the Gospel, in Relation to the Method of communicating it, and the Perfon, through whofe Obedience it was to be difpenfed, and by whofe Miniftry it was to be executed, was formed, in the Mind and Purpose of God, before this Earth was created. God, by his perfect and unerring Knowledge, foreknew the future States of Mankin; and fo, before-appointed the lacans, which he judged proper for their Recovery. Which Foreknowledge admit the Senfe of carrying or taking away. Mat. v. 40. xv. 26. Rev. iii. 11. Mark xiv. 13. Luke vii. 14. John xii. 6. xx. 15. Acts xxi. 35. Mat. xvii. I. Luke xxiv. 51. *Though A and gora ao may have Reference to the Jewish Difpenfation, yet furely naraCon 20e mult refer to the Creation of the World. See Mat. xxv. 34. Luke xi. 50, 51. John xvii. 24. Heb. iv. 3. ix. 26. See the laft Note upon Rom. xvi. 25. 378 knowledge is fully confirmed by the Promife to Abraham, and very copiously by the repeated Predictions of the Prophets, in Relation to our Lord's Work, and particularly to his Death, with the End and Design of it. Scheme of Redemption purposed before the World began. CH. IX. 22,—— 166. Again; it is to be noted, that all the fore-mentioned Mercy and Love, Privileges and Bleffings, are granted and confirmed to the Chriftian Church, under the Sanction of a Covenant; [63] which is a Grant or Donation of Bleffings confirmed by a proper Authority. The Gospel Covenant is established by the Promife and Oath of God, and ratified by the Blood of Chrift, as a Pledge and Affurance, that it is a Reality, and will certainly be made good. Matt. xxvi. 28, "This is my Blood in the New Teftament," or Covenant. Luke xxii. 20, " This Cup is the New Teftament," Covenant, " in my Blood." 2 Cor. iii. 6, " Made us able Ministers of the New Teftament," Covenant. Heb. vii. 22, "Jefus made a Surety of a better Teftament." Heb. viii. 6, "He is the Mediator of a better Covenant established upon better Promises." viii. 8. ix. 15. xii. 24. xiii. 20.-Here Obf. 1. Jefus is the Surety [Eyyvos] Sponfor, and Mediator [MT ] of the New Covenant, as he is the great Agent appointed of God to negociate, tranfact, secure, and execute all the Bleffings, which are conferred by this Covenant. Obf. 2. That as the Covenant is a Donation or Grant of Bleffings, hence it is, that the Promife, or Promifes, is fometimes put for the Covenant; as Gal. iii. 17, "The Covenant that was confirmed before, to Abraham, of God in Chrift the Law, which was 430 Years after, cannot difanul, that it fhould make the Promife of none Effect. For if the Inheritance be of the Law, it is no more of Promife: But God gave it to Abraham by Promife." And fo Ver. 19. Again, Ver. 21, "Is the Law then against the Promife of God?" Ver. 22. Obf. 3. That the Gofpel Covenant was included in that made with Abraham, Gen. xvii. 1, &c. xxii. 16, 17, 18. As appears from Gal. iii. 17, and from Heb. vi. 13, "When God made Promife to Abraham, because he could fwear by no greater, he fware by himfelf," &c. Ver. 17, " He confirmed [EDITFUGEE he mediator'd] it by an Oath: That by two immutable Things," the Promife and Oath of God, "we [Chriftians] might have ftrong Confolation, who have fled for Refuge to lay hold on the Hope fet before us.' 167. But what fhould carefully and fpecially be obferved, is this; that the Gofpel-Conftitution is a Scheme, and the most perfect and effectual Scheme for restoring true Religion, and for promoting Virtue and Happiness, that the World hath ever yet feen. [64] Upon profeffed Faith in Chrift Men of all Nations were admitted in the Church, Family, Kingdom and Covenant of God by Baptism; were all numbered among the juftified, regenerate or born again, fanctified, faved, chofen, called, Saints, and Beloved; were all of This is the only Place where our Lord is called a Surety, yvos, or Sponfor; not our Sponfor, or Surety; but the Sponfor of the Covenant. Now a Sponfor is one, who undertakes for the Performance of a Promise. A Mediaator, likewife, fecures the Accomplishment of promifed Bleffings. Thus (according to the Apostle, Heb. vi. 17.) God made his own Oath the Mediator of the Promife to Abraham. Eusovcey ogxw, he mediator'd it, that is, fecured the Accomplishment of it, by an Oath. of the Flock, Church, House, Vine and Vineyard of God; and were intitled to the Ordinances and Privileges of the Church; had exceeding great and precious Promifes, given unto them, especially that of entering into the Reft of Heaven. And in all thefe Bleffings and Honours we are certainly very happy, as they are " the Things which are freely given to us of God," 1 Cor. ii. 12. But because these Things are freely given, without Refpect to any Obedience, or Righteousness of ours prior to the Donation of them, is our Obedience and perfonal Righteousness therefore unneceffary? Or, are we, on Account of Benefits already received, fecure of the Favour and Bleffing of God in a future World, and for ever? By no Means. 168. To explain this important Point more clearly, I fhall proceed as before, [65, &c.] and fhew that these Privileges and Bleffings, given in general to the Chriftian Church, are antecedent Bleffings, given indeed freely, without any Respect to the prior Obedience of the Gentile World, before they were taken into the Church; but intended to be Motives to the most upright Obedience for the future, after they were joined to the Family and Kingdom of God. Which Effect if they produce, then our Election, and Calling, our Redemption, Adoption, &c. are made good: Then we work out our own Salvation; and become fo intitled to all the Bleffings promised in the Covenant, that they fhall be, not only a present Advantage, but fecured to us finally, and for ever. Upon which Account I fhall call them confequent Bleffings; because they are fecured to us, and made ours for ever, only in confequence of our Obedience. But, on the other Hand, if the antecedent Bleffings do not produce Obedience to the Will of God; if we, his chofen People and Children, do not obey the Laws and Rules of the Gofpel; then, as well as any other wicked Perfons, we may expect "Tribulation and Wrath ;" then we forfeit all our Privileges: And all our Honours and Relations to God, all the Favour and Promifes given freely to us, are of no Avail; we "receive the Grace of God in vain," and everlafting Death will certainly be our wretched Portion. 169. That this is the great End of the Difpenfation of God's Grace to the Chriftian Church; namely, to engage us to Duty and Obedience; or, that it is a Scheme for promoting Virtue and true Religion, is clear from every Part of the New Teftament, and requires a large and particular Proof: Not because the Thing in itself is difficult or intricate; but because it is of great Importance to the right Understanding of the Gofpel, and the Apoftolic Writings; and ferves to explain several Points, which ftand in clofe Relation to it. As particuÎarly; that all the fore-mentioned Privileges belong to all profeffed Christians, even to those that shall perish eternally. [138] For, 1. If the Apostles affirm them of all Chriftians to whom they write; 2. If they declare fome of thofe Chriftians, who were favoured with thofe Privileges, to be wicked, or suppose they might be wicked; 3. If they declare thofe Privileges, are conferred by mere Grace, without Regard to prior Works of Righteoufnefs; 4. If they plainly intimate those Privileges are conferred in order to produce true Holiness; 2 5. If |
