Of Communion with God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

I shall be the more brief in handling of this because on another design I have elsewhere at large treated of all the concernments ¹of it.

I shall be the more briefe in handling of this because on another designe I have elsewhere at large treated of all the concernements ¹of it.

1. 1Vindic. Evan. cap. 20, 21, 22

Now the Death of Christ as it is a spring of that purchased Grace wherein we have Communion with him, is in the Scripture proposed under a threefold Consideration.

1. Of a Price. 2. Of a Sacrifice. 3. Of a Penalty.

1. It is a Price: we are bought with a price, 1 Cor. 6. 20. ¹being not redeemed with Silver and Gold, and corruptible things but with the precious blood of Christ, 1 Pet. 1. 17, 18. which therein answers those things in other contracts: He came to lay down his life a ransom for many. Math. 20. 28. A price of Redemption: 1 Tim. 2. 6. The proper use and energy of this expression in the Scripture, I have elsewhere declared.

1. It is a Price: we are bought with a price, 1 Cor. 6. 20. ¹being not redeemed with Silver and Gold, and corruptible things but with the pretious bloud of Christ, 1 Pet. 1. 17, 18. which therein answers those things in other contracts: He came to lay down his life a ransome for many. Math. 20. 28. A price of Redemption: 1 Tim. 2. 6. The proper use and energie of this expression in the Scripture, I have elsewhere declared.

1. 1Nil quidom emitur nisi interveniente pretio; sed hoc tamen addit ū magnam emphasin habet. Bez.Nil quidom emitur nisi interveniente pretio; sed hoc tamen addit ū magnam emphasin habet. Bez.

Now the proper effect and issue of the death of Christ as a §. 28 price or Ransom, is as I said, Redemption. Now Redemption is the deliverance of any one from bondage, or captivity, and the miseries attending that condition, by the intervention or interposition of a price or Ransom paid by the Redeemer to him by whose Authority the Captive was detained.

Now the proper effect and issue of the death of Christ as a §. 28 price or Ransome, is as I said, Redemption. Now Redemption is the deliverance of any one from bondage, or captivity, and the miseries attending that condition, by the intervention or interposition of a price or Ransome pay'd by the Redeemer to him by whose Authority the Captive was detained.

1. In General it is a deliverance: Hence Christ is called the deliverer, Rom. 11. 26. giving himself to deliver us; Gal, 1. 4. He is Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come, 1 Thess. 1. 10.

1. In Generall it is a deliverance: Hence Christ is called the deliverer, Rom. 11. 26. giving himselfe to deliver us; Gal, 1. 4. He is Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come, 1 Thess. 1. 10.

2. It is the delivery of one from bondage or captivity; we are without him, all prisoners and captives: bound in prison Isa. 61. 1. sitting in darkness, in the prison house Isa. 42. 7. Chap. ⟨p. 189⟩49. 9. Prisoners in the pit wherein there is no water Zech. 9. 11. the captives of the Mighty and the prey of the terrible Isa. 49. 25. under a Captivity that must be lead captive: Psal. 68. 18. this puts us in bondage, Heb. 2. 14.

2. It is the delivery of one from bondage or captivity; we are without him, all prisoners and captives: bound in prison Isa. 61. 1. sitting in darkenesse, in the prison house Isa. 42. 7. Chap. ⟨p. 189⟩49. 9. Prisoners in the pit wherein there is no water Zech. 9. 11. the captives of the Mighty and the prey of the terrible Isa. 49. 25. under a Captivity that must be lead captive: Psal. 68. 18. this puts us in bondage, Heb. 2. 14.

3. The person committing thus to prison and into bondage, is God himself. To him we owe our debts Math. 6. 12. chap. 18. 27. 28, 29. against him are our offences Psal. 51. 5. He is the Judge and Law-giver James 4. 12. to sin is to rebel against him. He shuts up men under disobedience. Rom. 1•. 32. And he shall cast both body and soul of the impenitent into Hell fire: Math. 10. 28. To his wrath are men obnoxious, Joh. 3. 36. and lye under it by the sentence of the Law, which is their prison.

3. The person committing thus to prison and into bondage, is God himselfe. To him we owe our debts Math. 6. 12. chap. 18. 27. 28, 29. against him are our offences Psal. 51. 5. He is the Judge and Law-giver James 4. 12. to sinne is to rebell against him. He shuts up men under disobedience. Rom. 1•. 32. And he shall cast both body and soul of the impenitent into Hell fire: Math. 10. 28. To his wrath are men obnoxious, Joh. 3. 36. and lye under it by the sentence of the Law, which is their prison.

4. The miseries that attend this condition are innumerable, Bondage to Satan, Sin, and the world, comprises the sum of them, from all which we are delivered by the death of Christ as a Price or Ransom. God hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, in whom we have Redemption through his blood: Col. 1. 13. 14. And he redeems us from all iniquity Tit. 2. 14. from our vain Conversation, 1 Pet. 1. 18, F 19. even from the guilt & power of our sin, purchasing us to himself a peculiar people zealous of Good works: Tit. 2. 14. so dying for the Redemption of transgressors Heb. 9. 15. Redeeming us also from the world, Gal 4. 5.

4. The miseryes that attend this condition are innumerable, Bondage to Sathan, Sin, and the world, comprizes the summe of them, from all which we are delivered by the death of Christ as a Price or Ransome. God hath delivered us from the power of darknesse, and hath translated us into the Kingdome of his deare Son, in whom we have Redemption through his blood: Col. 1. 13. 14. And he redeems us from all iniquity Tit. 2. 14. from our vaine Conversation, 1 Pet. 1. 18, F 19. even from the guilt & power of our sin, purchasing us to himselfe a peculiar people zealous of Good workes: Tit. 2. 14. so dying for the Redemption of transgressours Heb. 9. 15. Redeeming us also from the world, Gal 4. 5.

4. And all this is by the payment of the price mentioned into the hand of God, by whose supreme Authority, we were detained captives under the sentence of the Law. The debt is due to the great householder, Math. 18. 23, 24. And the penalty, his curse, and wrath from which by it we are delivered, Rev. 2. 5.

4. And all this is by the payment of the price mentioned into the hand of God, by whose supreame Authority, we were detained captives under the sentence of the Law. The debt is due to the great housholder, Math. 18. 23, 24. And the penalty, his curse, and wrath from which by it we are delivered, Rev. 2. 5.

This the Holy Ghost frequently insists on, Rom. 3. 24, 25. Being justified freely by his grace, through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ. whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins: so also 1 Cor. 6. 20. 1 Pet. 1. 18. Math. 20. 28. 1 Tim. 2. 6. Ephes. 1. 7. Col. 1. 13. Gal 3. 13. And this is the first consideration of the death of Christ, as it hath an influence into the procurement of that Grace wherein we hold communion with him.

This the Holy Ghost frequently insists on, Rom. 3. 24, 25. Being justified freely by his grace, through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ. whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousnesse for the remission of sinnes: so also 1 Cor. 6. 20. 1 Pet. 1. 18. Math. 20. 28. 1 Tim. 2. 6. Ephes. 1. 7. Col. 1. 13. Gal 3. 13. And this is the first consideration of the death of Christ, as it hath an influence into the procurement of that Grace wherein we hold communion with him.

Secondly it was a Sacrifice also. He had a body prepared him, Heb. 10. 5. wherein he was to accomplish what by the typical §. 29 oblations and burnt offerings of the Law was prefigured. And ⟨p. 190⟩that body he offered, Heb. 10. 10. that is his whole humane nature, for his Soul also was made an offering for sin, Isa. 53. 10. on which account he is said to offer himself, Ephes. 5. 2. Heb. 1. 3. Heb. 9. 24. He gave him self a sacrifice to God of a sweet smelling savour. ¹And this he did willingly, as became him who was to be a Sacrifice. The Law of this obedience being written in his heart: Psal. 40. v. 9. that is, he had a readiness, willingness, desire for its performance.

Secondly it was a Sacrifice also. He had a body prepared him, Heb. 10. 5. wherein he was to accomplish what by the typicall §. 29 oblations and burnt offerings of the Law was prefigured. And ⟨p. 190⟩that body he offered, Heb. 10. 10. that is his whole humane nature, for his Soule also was made an offering for sinne, Isa. 53. 10. on which account he is said to offer himselfe, Ephes. 5. 2. Heb. 1. 3. Heb. 9. 24. He gave him selfe a sacrifice to God of a sweet smelling savour. ¹And this he did willingly, as became him who was to be a Sacrifice. The Law of this obedience being written in his heart: Psal. 40. v. 9. that is, he had a readinesse, willingnesse, desire for its performance.

1. 1Observatum est a Sacrificantibus, ut si hostia quae ad aras duceretur, fuisset vehementer reluctata, ostendissetque see invitam altaribus admoveri, amoveretur, quia invito deo eam offcrri putabant: quae vero stetisset oblata, hanc volenti numini dari existimabant. Macrob. Saturnal. lib. 3. Hoc quoque notandum, vitulos ad aras humeris hominum allatos non fere litare; sicut nec claudicante, nec aliena hostia placari deos, neque trahente se ab aris. Plin. lib. 8. cap. 45.Observatum est a Sacrificantibus, ut si hostia quae ad aras duceretur, fuisset vehementer reluctata, ostendissetque se invitam altaribus admoveri, amoveretur, quia invito deo eam offcrri putabant: quae vero stetisset oblata, hanc volenti numini dari existimabant. Macrob. Saturnal. lib. 3. Hoc quoque notandum, vitulos ad aras humeris hominum allatos non fere litare; sicut nec claudicante, nec aliena hostia placari deos, neque trahente se ab aris. Plin. lib. 8. cap. 45.

Now the end of Sacrifices, such as his was, bloody and for sin, Rom. 4. 3. Heb. 2. 17. was Atonement and Reconciliation. This is every where ascribed to them, that they were to make atonement, that is in a way suitable to their nature. And this is the tendency of the death of Christ, as a Sacrifice, Atonement and Reconciliation with God. Sin had broken friendship between God and us, Isa. 63. 10. whence his wrath was on us, Joh. 3. 36. and we are by nature obnoxious to it: Ephes. 2. 3. This is taken away by the death of Christ, as it was a sacrifice: Dan. 9. 24. when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son Rom. 5. 10. And thereby do we receive the Atonement: v. 11. For God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not imputing to them their sins, and their iniquities 2 Cor. 5. 19, 20, 21. So also Eph. 2. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. and in sundry other places: And this is the second consideration of the death of Christ, which I do but name, having at large insisted on these things elsewhere.

Now the end of Sacrifices, such as his was, bloody and for sinne, Rom. 4. 3. Heb. 2. 17. was Attonement and Reconciliation. This is every where ascribed to them, that they were to make attonement, that is in a way suitable to their nature. And this is the tendency of the death of Christ, as a Sacrifice, Attonement and Reconciliation with God. Sin had broken friendship between God and us, Isa. 63. 10. whence his wrath was on us, Ioh. 3. 36. and we are by nature obnoxious to it: Ephes. 2. 3. This is taken away by the death of Christ, as it was a sacrifice: Dan. 9. 24. when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne Rom. 5. 10. And thereby doe we receive the Attonement: v. 11. For God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe, not imputing to them their sinnes, and their iniquities 2 Cor. 5. 19, 20, 21. So also Eph. 2. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. and in sundry other places: And this is the second consideration of the death of Christ, which I do but name, having at large insisted on these things elsewhere.

Thirdly it was also a punishment. A punishment in our stead. §. 30 He was wounded for our sins, and bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our Peace was on him, Isa. 53. v. 5. God made all our iniquities (that is the punishment of them) to meet upon him v. 6. he bare the sins of many. v. 12. His own self bare our sins in his body on the Tree, 1 Pet. 2. 24, 25. And therein he who knew no sin, was made sin for us, 2 Cor. 5. 21. what it is in the Scripture to bear sin, see Deut. 19. 5. 20, 17, Numb. 14. 33. Ephes. 18. 20. ⟨p. 191⟩The nature, kind, matter, and manner of this punishment I have, as I said before elsewhere discussed.

Thirdly it was also a punishment. A punishment in our stead. §. 30 He was wounded for our sinnes, and bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our Peace was on him, Isa. 53. v. 5. God made all our iniquities (that is the punishment of them) to meet upon him v. 6. he bare the sinnes of many. v. 12. His own selfe bare our sins in his body on the Tree, 1 Pet. 2. 24, 25. And therein he who knew no sinne, was made sinne for us, 2 Cor. 5. 21. what it is in the Scripture to beare sinne, see Deut. 19. 5. 20, 17, Numb. 14. 33. Ephes. 18. 20. ⟨p. 191⟩The nature, kind, matter, and manner of this punishment I have, as I said before elsewhere discussed.

Now bearing of Punishment tends directly to the giving satisfaction to him who was offended, and on that account inflicted the punishment. Justice can desire no more then a proportion all punishment due to the offence. And this on his own voluntary taking of our persons, undertaking to be our Mediator, was inflicted on our dear Lord Jesus. His substituting himself in our Room, being allowed of by the Righteous judge, satisfaction to him doth thence properly ensue.

Now bearing of Punishment tends directly to the giving satisfaction to him who was offended, and on that account inflicted the punishment. Justice can desire no more then a proportion all punishment due to the offence. And this on his own voluntary taking of our persons, undertaking to be our Mediatour, was inflicted on our deare Lord Jesus. His substituting himselfe in our Roome, being allowed of by the Righteous judge, satisfaction to him doth thence properly ensue.