But there is a second duty in having Christ for a Saviour; and that is, in looking up to Christ, and cleaving to him, and not only desiring salvation from him, from all our distresses, 1but salvation also from all our sins; and he that hath Christ for a Saviour, he from would be saved from all his sins, as well as from all his miseries, Act. 5.31. God hath appointed him a Prince, and a Saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins; there is therefore this salvation to be had in Christ, not only deliverance out of the hands of dangers, but from the hands of all our sins and rebellions, and to be saved from them, by turning from them, and repenting of them; and we desire not only forgiveness of them, but salvation from them, to be saved from our stubborn spirits, and saved out of our covetousness, and wantonness, and worldliness, and carnal vanity of heart and life that we are subject to; to be saved from the vain fashions, and in all these we look for salvation from Christ; we desire to be saved not only from all our distresses, but especially from the sinful distempers of our souls. It is a notable Psalm, the 130.1. If thou Lord should mark iniquity, who should stand? but there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared. I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope; My soul waiteth for the Lord, more then they that watch for the morning. Let Israel wait for the Lord, for with him is mercy and plenteous redemption, and he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities, ver. 7, 8. and he is therefore called, Jesus, Matth. 1.21. And notable is that expression, Hos. 14.2. Take away all our iniquities, and receive us graciously, so will we give thee thanks. Thus they desire salvation from all their iniquities, and not so much salvation in the pardon of all their iniquities, for there is more in it then forgiveness of sin, but a turning them from them; they desire both pardoning, and healing, and God so understood them, as appears by vers. 4. God answers them, That he would pardon them, and heal them; he will remove them all away from them, not an hoof be left behind, but ⟨p. 80⟩all taken away. There is a generation of men that are marvellous unwilling to yield to this, so that you see it is an ordinary thing for men to say, they have Christ for a Saviour, but it is a rare thing to be so indeed;
But there is a second duty in having Christ for a Saviour; and that is, in looking up to Christ, and cleaving to him, and not only desiring salvation from him, from all our distresses, 1but salvation also from all our sins; and he that hath Christ for a Saviour, he from would be saved from all his sins, as well as from all his miseries, Act. 5.31. God hath appointed him a Prince, and a Saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and forgivenesse of sinnes; there is therefore this salvation to be had in Christ, not only deliverance out of the hands of dangers, but from the hands of all our sins and rebellions, and to be saved from them, by turning from them, and repenting of them; and we desire not only forgivenesse of them, but salvation from them, to be saved from our stubborne spirits, and saved out of our covetousnesse, and wantonnesse, and worldlinesse, and carnall vanity of heart and life that we are subject to; to be saved from the vaine fashions, and in all these we looke for salvation from Christ; we desire to be saved not only from all our distresses, but especially from the sinfull distempers of our soules. It is a notable Psalme, the 130.1. If thou Lord should marke iniquity, who should stand? but there is forgivenesse with thee that thou mayest be feared. I waite for the Lord, my soule doth wait, and in his word doe I hope; My soule waiteth for the Lord, more then they that watch for the morning. Let Israel waite for the Lord, for with him is mercy and plenteous redemption, and he shall redeeme Israel from all his iniquities, ver. 7, 8. and he is therefore called, Iesus, Matth. 1.21. And notable is that expression, Hos. 14.2. Take away all our iniquities, and receive us graciously, so will we give thee thankes. Thus they desire salvation from all their iniquities, and not so much salvation in the pardon of all their iniquities, for there is more in it then forgivenesse of sinne, but a turning them from them; they desire both pardoning, and healing, and God so understood them, as appeares by vers. 4. God answers them, That he would pardon them, and heale them; he wil remove them all away from them, not an hoofe be left behind, but ⟨p. 80⟩all taken away. There is a generation of men that are marvellous unwilling to yeeld to this, so that you see it is an ordinary thing for men to say, they have Christ for a Saviour, but it is a rare thing to be so indeed;
- 1Christ a Saviour from sin as well as from distress.Christ a Saviour from sin as well as from distresse.
