Sidor som bilder
PDF
ePub

The Effects of perfonal entering into the Covenant of Grace, are, Deliverance out of the Estate of Sin and Mifery, and being brought into a State of Salvation. The Bands of our Sin and Mifery are loofed in the Covenant of Grace, through our being fet free from the Covenant of Works: Rom. vii. 5. 6. For when we were in the flesh, the 'motions of fins which were by the law, did work

in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. But now we are delivered from the law, that being ' dead wherein we were held; that we fhould ferve ' in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the ' letter.' I Cor. xv. 56. 57. The sting of death is fin; and the strength of fin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory, through " our Lord Jefus Chrift.' And we are fettled in a State of Salvation in the Covenant of Grace, through our being married to Chrift: Rom. vii. 4. forecited. Col. ii. 9. 10. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are compleat in him.', Now, God thus brings his Elect out of the Estate of Sin and Mifery, into a State of Salvation by a Redeemer. A Redeemer, in Scripture-fenfe, is one who delivers another by Price or by Power: Lev. xxv. 51. If there be yet many years behind; aceording unto them he shall give again the price of his redemption, out of the money that he was bought for.' Exod. vi. 6. Where'fore fay unto the children of Ifrael, I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage and I will redeem you with a ftretched-out arm, and with great judg'ments.' And fuch a Redeemer was neceffary for the Elect, as fhould redeem them, both by

[ocr errors]

Price and Power. It was neceflary that they fhould be redeemed by Price, because they were Debtors to Juftice, and Criminals in Law: Heb. ix. 22. Without shedding of blood is no remiffion.' It was neceflary that they should be redeemed by Power, because they were in Bondage to Sin and Satan: Luke i. 6 74. That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, might ferve him without fear.' And fuch a Redeemer was provided for the Elect, in the Covenant of Grace: Pfal. lxxxix. 19. Then 'thou fpakeft in vifion to thy holy One, and faidft, I have laid help upon one that is mighty: I have exalted one chosen out of the people.'

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

Queft. 21. Who is the Redeemer of God's Elect?

Anf. The only Redeemer of God's Elect is the Lord Jesus Christ, who, be- ́ ing the eternal Son of God, became Man, and fo was and continueth to be God and Man, in two diftinct Natures, and one Perfon, for ever.

EXPLICATION.

The Redeemer of the Elect is the Head of the Covenant of Grace, the Lord Jefus Chrift. And there is no other Redeemer befides him, he is the only Redeemer : Acts iv. 12. ( Neither is there 'falvation in any other for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be faved.' The first Part of his Name,

:

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

to wit, the Lord, fignifies JEHOVAH, the true God, the Moft High: If. xlvii. 4. As for our Redeemer, the Lord of hofts is his name, the holy One ' of Ifrael.' Chap. xlviii. 17. Thus faith the Lord • thy Redeemer, the holy One of Ifrael,' &c. 1 Cor. xii. 3. No man can fay that Jefus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghoft.' But the Titles our Lord, one Lord, and the like, denote his Dominion: Acts x. 36. Jefus Chrift is Lord of all.' The second Part of his-Name, viz. Jefus, fignifies a Saviour: And he is fo called, because he faves his People from their Sins, and confequently from Wrath: Matth. i. 21. And the fhall bring forth a fon, and thou 'fhalt call his name Jefus: for he fhall fave his 'people from their fins.' 1 Theff. i. 10.- Jefus

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

which delivered us from the wrath to come.' The third and laft Part of his Name, to wit, Chrift, fignifies Anointed: And he is fo called, becaufe he was anointed by the Father, with the Holy Ghoft: Acts x. 38. God anointed Jefus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost, and with power;' that is to fay, the Father folemnly defigned him, and withal furnished him, for his Office, by the Holy Ghoft remaining on and in him: John i. 33. He that 'fent me to baptize with water, the fame faid unto me, Upon whom thou fhalt fee the Spirit de'fcending and remaining on him, the fame is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghoft.' Chap. iii. 34. For he whom God hath fent, fpeaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. The true Interpretation then of the Name of our Redeemer, the Lord Jefus Chrift, is, JEHOVAH, the Saviour, the anointed One. He was the fit Perfon to mediate between God and Man, because of his com

[ocr errors]

mon

mon Relation to both, peculiar to himself. His Relation to God, was, that he was the eternal Son of God; and that by eternal Generation of JEHOVAH the Father: Heb. i. 5. For unto which of the angels faid he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, 'I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me < a Son?' His Relation to us, was, that he was our near Kinfman: Heb. ii. II. For both he

[ocr errors]

that fanctifieth, and they who are fanctified, < are all of one: for which caufe he is not ashamed " to call them brethren.' He is then our Kinsmanredeemer, who redeems by Right of Kin: Job xix. 25. I know that my Redeemer liveth."Compared with Ruth iii. 12. And now it is true, that I am thy near kinfman: howbeit there is "a 'kinsman nearer than I.' Now, the eternal Son of God came to be our Kinfman, inasmuch as he became Man: Gal, iv. 4. But when the ful"ness of the time was come, God fent forth his Son made of a woman.' By his becoming Man, he was both God and Man: Matth. i. 23. • Be

[ocr errors]

hold, a virgin fhall be with child, and fhall bring forth a fon, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted, is, God with ' us. And he will continue to be God and Man for ever: Heb. vii. 24. 25. 'But this Man, be'cause he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able alfo to fave them to the uttermoft, that come unto God by him, féeing he ever liveth to make interceffion ' for them.'

Our Redeemer then hath two Natures; namely, the Nature of God, and the Nature of Man: Rom. ix. 5. Whofe are the fathers, and of whom

[ocr errors][merged small]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

:

'as concerning the flesh Chrift came, who is over < all, God bleffed for ever.' He was God from all Eternity; but not Man, till he came in the Flesh, about the four thousandth Year after the Creation of the World: Mic. v. 2. But thou, 'Beth-lehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee fhall he come forth unto me, that is to be ruler 'in Ifrael: whofe goings forth have been from of 'old, from everlafting.' Matth. i. 17. So all the 'generations from Abraham to David, are fourteen generations and from David, until the carrying · away into Babylon, are fourteen generations : ' and from the carrying away into Babylon unto 'Chrift, are fourteen generations.' The divine and human Natures were in no ways turned into one Nature, in Chrift becoming Man; but they remain for ever two diftin&t Natures, having each of them their own diftinct Properties: 1 Pet. iii. 18. For 'Chrift alfo hath once fuffered for fins, the juft for the unjuft, (that he might bring us to God), being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit. Yet are they not divided neither; but they are united in his Perfon: Jefus Chrift our Redeemer is not then two Perfons, but one only: Eph. iv. 5: 'There is one Lord.' 1 Tim. ii. 5. There is one Mediator between God and men, the man Chrift Jefus.' It was neceffary, that our Redeemer fhould be Man, that he might be capable to fuffer Death in our Nature, who had finned: Heb. ii. 14. " Forafmuch then as the chil 'dren are partakers of flesh and blood, he also 'hinfelf likewife took part of the fame; that through death he might deftroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil. Cor.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
« FöregåendeFortsätt »