Of Those Things Which, in the Work of Redemption, Are Peculiarly Ascribed to the Person of the Son

Of these things which, in the work of redemption, are peculiarly ascribed to the person of the Son.

The Son was an agent in this great work; concurring by a voluntary susception, or willing undertaking of the office imposed on him: for when the Lord said, Sacrifice and offerings he would not, in burnt offerings and sacrifice for sin he had no pleasure; then said Christ, Lo, I come, (in the volume of the book it is written of me).to do thy will, O God, Heb. x. 5, 6,7. All other ways being rejected as insufficient, Christ undertaketh the task; in whom. alone the Father was well pleased, MM/atth. iii. 17. Hence he professeth, that he came not to do his own will, but the will of him that sent him, John vi. 38. yea that it was his meat and drink, to do his Father’s will, and to finish

D2 his work, John iv. 34. The first words that we find recorded of him in Seripture, are to the same purpose; Wist you not that I must be about my Father’s business, Luke i. 49, And, at the close of all, he saith, I have glorified thee on the earth, I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do, John xvil.4. calling it every where his Father’s work that he did, or his Father’s will which he came to accomplish; with reference to the imposition, which we before treated of. Now this undertaking of the Son may be referred to three heads. The first being a common foundation for, both the other, being as it were the means in respect of them as the end; and yet, in some sort, partaking of the nature of a distinct action, with a goodness in itself, in reference to the main end proposed to all three; we shall consider it apart. And that is, I. His incarnation, as usually it is called; or his taking of flesh, and pitching his tent amongst us, John 1. 14. His being made of a woman, Gal. iv. 4. is usually called his évoapxwecs or incarnation; for this was the mystery of godliness, that God should be manifest in the flesh, 1 Tim. 11, 16. thereby assuming, not any singular person, but our human nature, into personal union with himself: tor, For as much as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power

of death, that is, the devil, Hed. ii. 14. It was the children that he considered, the children whom the Lord had given him, ver. 13. Their participation in flesh and blood, moved him to partake of the same: not because all the

world, all the posterity of Adam ;, but because the chil-

dren were in that condition, for their sakes he sanctified himself. Now this emptying of the Deity, this humbling

of himself, this dwelling amongst us, was the sole act of -

the second person, or the divine nature in the second person; the Father and the Spirit having no concurrence in

it, but by liking, approbation, and eternal counsel =~

IJ. His oblation, or offering himself up to God for us without spot, to purge our conscience from dead works, Heb. ix. 14. for he loved us, and washed us from our sins

in his own blood, Rev. i. 5. he loved the church, and gave

himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it, Eph.

Chap. IV. As eternally intended. 48

y. 25, 26. taking the cup of wrath at his Father’s hands, due to us, and drinking it off, but not for himself, Dan. ix. 26. for, for our sakes he sanctified himself, John xvii. 19. that is, to be an offering, an oblation for sin: for, when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly, Rom.v.6. This being that which was typified by all the institutions, ordinances and sacrifices of old; which when they were to have an end, then said Christ, Lo, I come to do thy will. Now, though the per- -fecting or-consummating of this oblation, be set out in the Scripture, chiefly in respect of what Christ suffered, and not so much in respect of what he did; because, it is chiefly considered as the means used by these three blessed agents, for the attaining of a further end: yet, in respect of his - own voluntary giving up himself, to be so an oblation and a sacrifice, without which it would not have been of, any value, (for if the will of Christ had not been in it, it could never have purged our sins;) therefore, in that regard, I refer it to his actions. He was the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world, John1. 29. the lamb of God, which himself had provided for a sacrifice: and how did this lamb behave himself in it? with unwillingness and struggling? no; he opened not his mouth, he was brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and asa sheep before her shear- ‘ers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth, Jsa. lini. 7. whence he saith, I lay down my life, 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, John x. - 17, 18. He might have been cruciated on the part of God; .but his death could not have been an oblation and offering, had not his will concurred: but he loved me (saith the apostle,) and gave himself for me, Gal. ii. 20. Now that alone deserves the name of a gift, which is from a free anda willing mind; as Christ’s was, when he loved us, and gave himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour, Eph. v. 2. He does it cheerfully; Lo, I come to do thy will, O my God, Heé, x. 9. and so, his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, 1 Pet. ii. 24. Now this oblation or offering of Christ, I would not tie up to-any one thing, action, or passion, performance or suffering; but, it compriseth the whole economy and dispénsation of God manifested in the flesh, and conversing. among us; with all those things. which he performed in the days of his flesh, when he offered up prayers and supplications, with strong cries and tears, until he had fully by himself purged our sins, and sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high, Hed. i. 3. expecting till his enemies be made his footstool, Hed. x. 13. All the whole dispensation of his coming and miinistering, until he had given his soul a price of redemption for many, Matth. xxvi. 28. But for his entering into the holy of holies, sprinkled with his own blood, and appearing so for us, before the majesty of God, by some accounted as the continuation of his oblation; we may refer unto, III. His intercession for all and every one of those, for whom he gave himself an oblation. He did not suffer for them, and then refuse to intercede for them; he did not do the greater, and omit the less. The price of our redemption is more precious in the eyes of God and his Son, than that it should, as it were, be cast away on perishing souls; without any care taken of what becomes of them afterwards: nay, this also is imposed on Christ, with a promise annexed; Ask of me (saith the Lord) and I shall give thee the eather for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession, Psalm 11.8. Who accordingly tells his disciples, that he had more work to

do for them in heaven; I go, (saith he) to prepare a place for you, that I may come again and receive you unto myself, John xiv. 2,3. Forasthe high priest went into the second tabernacle alone, once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and the errors of the people, Heb. 3s so, Christ being an high priest of good things to come, by his own blood entered j in once into the holy place, having obtained for us eternal redemption, Hed. ix. 11, 12. “Now, what was this holy place whereinto he entered, ‘thus sprinkled with the blood of the covenant; and to what end did he enter into it? why, he is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us, ver. 24. And what doth he there appear for? why, to be our Advocate, to plead our cause with God, for-the application of the good things procured by his

Chap. IV. was eternally intended:: 45

eblation, unto all them for whom he was an offering; as the apostle tells us, if any man sin we have an advocate with the Father, even Jesus Christ the righteous, 1 John ii. 1.3 why? how comes that to pass? he is a propitiation for our sins,. ver. 2. his being ‘aacpos, a propitiatory sacrifice for our sins, is the foundation of his interceding, the ground of it: and therefore they both belong to the same persons. Now (by the way) we know, that Christ refused to pray for the world, in opposition to his elect: I pray for them; (saith he) I pray not for the world, but for them which ‘hon hast given me. John xvii. 9. ‘And therefore there was no foundation for such an interceding for them, because he was not ‘aacuds for them.. Again, we know the Father always heareth the Son; for I know, saith he, that thou hearest me always, John xi. 42. that i is, so as to grant his request, according to the forementioned engagement, Psuhin ii. 8. And therefore, if he should intercede for all, all should undoubtedly be saved; for he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing. ever liveth to make intercession for them. Hed: vn. “Hence is that confidence of the apostle, upon that rotation of Christ: Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? it is God that justifieth; who is he that condemneth? it is Christ that died, yea rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Rom. vill. 33, 34. Where also we cannot but observe, that those for whom he: died may assuredly conclude he maketh intercession for them, and that none shall lay any thing to their charge: which breaks the neck of the general ransom; for, according to that, he died for millions that have no “interest in his intercession, who shall have their sins laid to their charge, and perish under them. Which might be further cleared up, from the very nature of this intercession; which is not an humble dejected supplication, which beseems not that glorious state of advancement which he i is possessed of that. sits at the right hand of the Majesty on high; but an authoritative presenting himself before the throne of his Father, sprinkled with his own blood, for the making out to his people all. spiritual things that are procured by his “oblation; saying, Father, I will that those whom thou hast given me, be with me where Iam, John xvii. 24. so that for whomsoever he suffered, he appears for them in heaven with his satisfaction and merit. Here also, we must call to mind what the Father promised his Son, upon his undertaking of this employment; for there is no doubt, but that for that, and that alone, doth Christ, upon the accomplishment of the whole, intercede with him about: which was in sum, that he might be the captain of salvation to all that believe on him, and effectually bring many sons to glory. And hence it is, having such an high priest over the house‘of God, we may draw near with the full assu- - rance of faith; for by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are justified. Hed. x. 14.21, 22. But of this more must be said afterwards.;