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fore, for the further confirmation and clearing of the fore mentioned motive, he mentioneth that which will be a standing monument to all generations, of God's unparallelable love, and most tender respect, toward them, viz. his giving Chrift to the death for them; and this is fet out with a great emphafis, the more to illuftrate it: And, 1. he fays, He fpared not; by no means would he forbear to have justice fatisfied by him: And, 2. his Son: When men would quite with any thing, how dear foever it be, for their children's fake, yet he was content to quite with his Son. 3. His own Son; that is, his only begoten Son, not a begoten fon, but his own and only begoten Son, even him he would not fpare; 4. But delivered him up to the death; from eternity did fore-ordain that he fhould lay down his life, and in due time fent him into the world for that end, and delivered him not only to fcourgings, want, and other hardfhips, but even to death itself, fuffering Judas and others, to put him to death. Then, 5. fays he, for us; for us poor, finful, fecklefs, unworthy wretches, who could deferve nothing at his hand, and from whom nothing could be expected. And, 6. for us all; that is, not for all and every individual man and woman in the world, for to fay fo, were to cross the apoftle's fcope, which, as we fhall hear, is to hold forth this as a notable ground of confidence, that they fhall want nothing that is for their behoof, viz. that he has given Chrift for them, and given him to the death for their ufe; now, had he given Chrift to death equally for the reprobate and elect ones, how could it be any ground of encouragement to the one, to fear no danger in adverfities? That which is com mon to many, cannot be proper to a few; and if the reprobate wicked ones might fay, that Chrift was given for them, how could the elect godly ones draw this comfortable conclufion from it, that they should get all things? might not the wicked, with

the like liberty draw the fame conclufion therefrom for their comfort? But, more. over, we fay, that Chrift and all things here mentioned go together, and to whom the one is given, the other is granted alfo; now, fure I am, none will fay, that thefe all things here mentioned are given to the reprobate and wicked ones, otherways the apoftle's argument fhould be made null, and his motive fhould indeed be no motive: therefore neither is Christ given to death for them: But this all is for all these he has been fpeaking of before, who are predeftinated to life, and whom the Lord hath called, or purposed to call, juftify, and glorify, amongst whom the apoitle reckons himfelf, faying, us all; Now, fays he, he has given him for us all, and not for a few of us, who are more eminent in holiness than the reft; not for a few in one nation, but the good of this gift redounds to all ranks, qualities, and nations. And having thus emphatically fet forth this rare and admirable gift, he thence gathereth a feventh motive, yet further to prefs chearfulnefs in afflictions; and it is an argument drawn from the more to the lefs: as if he had faid, I know one thing among ft many, which troubleth you in a time of diftrefs, is, fear of want and of pinching: now why do you fear that; He that spared not his own fon, but delivered him up for us all, how shall be not with him also freely give us all things? He that has given you the more, will he not give you the lefs alfo? What are all these things to the gift you have goten already? nothing in comparison with that; and therefore the confideration of this fhould arm you against all these fears.

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divine effence, with all the effential attributes, as, eternity, John viii. 5. Col. i. 17. Prov. viii. 22. 24. Micah v. 2. omniprefence, Matth. xviii. 20. and xxviii. 20. John iii. 13. omnifcience, John ii. 24. and xxi. 17. omnipotence, John x. 29. Phil. iii. 21. and immutability, Heb. i. 12. and xiii. 8. and hence we find him geting divine titles, Ifa. ix. 6. Rom. ix. 5. and divine worship, Acts vii. 59. and ix. 14. Heb. i. 6. Rev. v. 12. John xiv. 1. and v. 23. 1 Cor. xv. 19. and working divine works, John i. 3. v. 21. and vi. 45. Col. i. 16. 17. Heb. i. 3. : His own San.

II. Tho' Chrift Jefus hath the felf-fame individual effence with the Father, yet is he a diftinct perfon from the Father; and fo tho' there be but one effence, yet are there more perfons than one in the Godhead; for he is called his Son, and fo a perfon diftinct from him.

III. Chrift Jefus, as God, was not begoten of the Father as bodies are begoten, nor by any efflux, or partition of the divine effence, which is the fame in both, but by an internal and perfonal action of the Father, whereby, from eternity, he begat, from himfelf, in the fame effence, his Son, as his own image, and fo did communicate to him the fame whole divine effence; hence he is faid to be, begoten, Pfalm ii. 7. and the only begoten of the Father, John i. 14. the image of the invifible God, Col. i. 15. and the exprefs image of his perfon, Heb. i. 3.; and here he is called his own Son, as being his natural Son, naturally begoten, and not adopted as believers are.

IV. Jefus Chrift, tho' the eternal Son of God, equal with the Father in power and glory, Phil. ii. 6. did take upon him man's nature, by taking a true body, being conceived in the womb of the Virgin, and a reasonable foul; for he is faid to be delivered unto death, and fo behoved to be man, for God cannot die: See John i. 14. Phil. ii. 7.

V. The Lord having made a law, and made death the penalty of a broken cavenant, there was a neceflity upon that account, that ere juftice fhould be fatisfied, man, or his cautioner, fhould die; and man not being able to fatisfy juftice and efcape death, the Lord appointed his cautioner Chrift to die; and thus he is faid to be delivered to death; no lefs than this could fatisfy, one drop of blood, one tear, or figh, would not do the turn.

VI. Jefus Chrift flanding in our room as cautioner, making fatisfaction to juftice for us, did not only undergo the miferies of this life, as, reproach, Ita. liii. 3. shame, Matth. xxvii. 29. Mark xv. 20 Luke xviii. 32. xxii. 63. and xxiii. 11. 36. hunger, Matth. iv. 2. Mark xi. 12. thirst, John iv. 7. weariness, John iv. 6. and the like, but was alfo betrayed, taken captive, imprifoned, condemned, and executed, and died the fhameful and painful death of the cross: He was delivered to death.

VII. Chrift Jefus did not thus die by mere chance, or any fatal neceffity, but according to the counfel and determination of God, Acts iv. 28. notwithstanding whereof Chrift did willingly, without any conftraint or coaction flowing therefrom, lay down his life, John x. 18. and xiv. 30. and his executioners did also most willingly, yea, and chearfully, act their part; therefore it is faid, that God delivered him to death.

VIII. As the Lord did from all eternity decree whatfoever cometh to pass, according to the counfel of his own will, Eph. i. 11. fo in particular hath he decreed that fin fhall be in the world by his permiffion, and yet he cannot be the author of fin, Janes i 13. whereof there can be no caufe, but a deficient, fin being the tranfgreffion of a law, or the want of conformity thereto, 1 John iii. 4. yea, he hath a holy hand about the felf-fame individual actions which finful men are commiting, and is thereby executing his own decrees, by his actual

and

and efficacious providence; therefore it is faid, he delivered him to death. See John iii. 16. Zech. xiii. 7. Matth. xxvi. 31. IX. Jefus Chrift, as he took the nature of man upon him, only for the good of mankind, and was in all things like us, except fin, Heb. iv. 15.; fo in every part of his office, both in his eftate of humiliation and exaltation, he eyed the good of his own, and did and fuffered all for their caufe; therefore it is faid, he was delivered for us all.

X. Chrift Jefus's death was fo fully and completely fatisfactory to juflice, in the behalf of fuch for whom he willingly offered up himself, that fuch certainly fhould get good of him, and be actually delivered from the curfe under which they did ly; and fo he did not die, that all, or none at all, might, if fo it had pleafed them, get good of him, but he died as reprefenting them, and acting in their ftead for whom he died, as an advocate acts for his client; therefore it is faid, he was delivered for us all. See 2 Cor. v. 15. John vi. 51. x. 11. xi. 50. and xv. 13.

XI. Chrift laid not down his life a facrifice to fatisfy the juftice of God for all and every man, but only for fuch as were given to him from eternity, being predeftinated to be conformed to the image of his Son, and whom God purposed to call and justify in due time, and at length to glorify: He delivered him to death for

us.

XII. The death of Chrift, he being the Son of God, was able to fatisfy juftice for many a condemned wretch; and tho' the elect be of different conditions, tho' all alike plunged in original guilt, yet not alike guilty of actual tranfgreffions; yet Chrift is a common perfon for them all, and laid down his life alike for all, and not for one more than for another: He was delivered for us all.

XIII. Tho' man was the law-breaker, and thereby liable to deftruction, and bound to think upon a way how justice

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fhould be fatisfied; yet the way tion never bred in his breaft; it was never his plot or device, but the invention of God who was the party offended; it was he and he only who found out the remedy; therefore it is faid, He fpared not his own Son, but delivered him to death for us all.

XIV. Amongst many other temptations which even the elect of God, for whom Chrift died, are affaulted with, and in hazard of being overthrown by, fear of want in a world, efpecially in a time of perfecution, and affliction, is one; this is the evil against which he is comforting them here, faying, How shall he not with him freely give us all things?

XV. Such as have fled in to Chrift, and have an intereft in him, are in fuch a condition, as they fhall want nothing that is good for them, be their straits and neceffities what they will, although they be often complaining and crying out, that they want this and the other thing: As they have a right to, fo fhall they actually onjoy every thing which is really for their good: How shall be not with him freely give us all things? See 1 Cor. iii. 22. 23. Pfalm xxxiv. 10.

XVI. The ground of the right which Chriftians have to any thing in a world, and of their actual poffeffion of any good thing which they enjoy, is not in themfelves, or in any thing they have or can do, but all they get is in and through Chrift Jefus, he is the ground of their charter; therefore it is faid, How shall be not with him freely give us all things?

XVII. Whatever external favours even believers receive of God, there is nothing in them meriting or procuring the fame, but all are free gifts of God, flowing from grace and free love in God; and when we rightly take up curfelves, and the particular favours we receive, we will be forced to acknowledge free grace to be their original and fountain: How shall be not freely give us all things?

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XVIII. Howbeit believers be often Sf 2 doubt

doubting of receiving any particular which they stand in need of, when they meet with a ftrait, especially when they confider how juft and righteous a God they have to do with; how finful and unworthy they themfelves are, and how great the mercy is which they defire; yet the confideration of the matchleffnefs of the love and free grace, which eminently and wonderfully fhine forth in his fending (who was the party offended) and not fparing his Son, and his own Son, but delivered to death, (the greatest and most unparallelable gift, and the fruit of the frangeft love, that ever was heard of,) and that for us, who were moft unworthy, deferving death and deftruction; may abundantly loofe all the doubts and fcruples of believers about their wants here-away, and fufficiently confirm their faith as to thefe things; yea, it is a fhame for fuch as do not question their interest in Christ, and dare not deny but they have received that great gift of love, to doubt of God's bestowing of those leffer favours upon them, as their neceffity calleth for This is his argument, He that fpared not his own Son, but gave him for us all to death, how full be not with him give us all things alfo?

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difpenfations, drooping and fainting-like, and not with that chriftian courage and magnanimity which becometh; and therefore to remove this out of their way, the apoftle goes on triumphing, the more to encourage and animate fainting believers, and valiantly and courageously steps out again, and challengeth any, be what they will, the devil, the world, or confcience, to fee if they can make their putt good, in challenging poor believers; and fo he gives a double challenge to the fame purpofe, faying, Who hall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? that is, who dare give in any bill of complaint against them? who dare put in any accufation, or enter a plea, or fuit of law against them, before a court? The next is, Who fhall condemn? What judge dare pass any fentence in their prejudice? Now, in thefe challenges there are negative anfwers contained, thus: None hall indict a bill against them, none dare condemn them; or if they do, it fhall be in vain, and to no purple. And therefore fhows the grounds, why he is, and would have all believers, fo ftout as not to fear any accufation, or condemn ation; and the firft is couched in that word, God's elect: Such as do now believe in him, and are effectually called out of the world, and feparated by grace from the rest, were from all eternity chofen of God, and feparated, in his wonderful love; they were chofen to life before the foundation of the world was laid, and what can any enemy do to them? They are the elect and chofen jewels of God, and is any able to pluck them out of his hand? 2. It is God who justifieth: They are affoiled at the highest court of juftice; he that is Juftice-general, and the fupreme Judge, from whom there is no appeal, hath decreed in their favours; he hath acquited them from all that was or could be laid to their charge, and who then dare now prefume to table a new plea against them? who can think to get a reduction of the former decreet, and get a fentence paft against them?

3.

Not only doth he thus fhew, that believ-| ers are affoiled before the highest court of justice, but for the greater encouragement of believers, and the further ftrength. ening of their faith, he fets down the grounds of the abfolution, and how the fentence is according to juftice and equity, and fo they need fear the lefs any reduction; for, (1.) fays he, Chrift died; Chrift as our head and cautioner paid the whole fum, and the penalty of the bond, and fo as our cautioner laid down his life for fatisfaction to justice. (2.) Not only fo, but alfo, Christ is rifen again; and this fhould further confirm believers of their abfolution. and prove encouragement and ftrength unto their faith; for he brings it in with a yea rather; and fo his refurrection fays, that juftice is indeed fatisfied, and that the bond is cancelled; he being a public perfon acting in our flead, his coming out of prifon with the bond cancelled, was virtually our abfolution and juftification. (3) He fays, Who is even at the right hand of God; kindly welcomed of the Father, as one that had fully finished the employment he was fent about, and hath goten the fovereignty of power and authority, having all things put under his feet, Eph. i. 20. 22. and fo is enabled to fulfil all his own wilt, and be executor of his own teftament, John xvii. 2. and there he fits as a common perfon, entering thither as our attorney, Heb. i. 3. 4 5. Eph. i. 21. 22. preparing a place for us, John xiv. 2. 3. fo that he being our head, in a manner, we are fiting there with him, Eph. ii. 6. Rev iii. 21 Luke xxii. 30. And then, (4.) Who maketh interceffion for us; we need not fear condemnation, feeing Chrift our cautioner is up at court, to pur, as it were, God in mind of the fatisfaction made, and to interceed and ufe moyen for new outbreakings, pleading and advocating cur caufe against all accufations whatfoever, I John ii. 1.

And thus, as he layeth down folid grounds upon which faith might triumph, fo here

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by he giveth an eighth motive to stir believers to a patient and chriftian deportment under afflictions, thus; Such as have ground whereupon to triumph and answer all objections, from whatfoever hand they come, need not faint in a day of adverity, tho' then they thould be much affaulted with temptations, guilt, and accufations: But fo it is that believers, being the elect of God, have folid grounds whereupon to answer all accufations and challenges, and wherewith to stop the mouths of all accufers; as that God has juftified them, Chrift having died for them, rifen in their ftead, afcended up into heaven, and fitten down at the Father's right hand, and is daily as our high-prieft making interceffion for them; Therefore fach may have courage in every diftrefs.

From verfe 33. OBSERVE,

I. Tho' believers be justified and abfolved before God, having all their iniquities pardoned through faith in Christ; yet will not this exeem them from challenges and accufations from Satan, the world, and · a milinformed confcience, but they may refolve to meet with infults from thefe their fpiritual enemies; as here the apoftle intimateth, when he is laying down grounds of encouragement against thefe, faying, Who fhall lay any thing to the charge ofGod's elect? It is God that justifieth.

II. As always Satan, who daily goeth about as a roaring lion, feeking whom he may devour, and the reft of our fpiritual enemies, are waiting for an opportunity to overturn our hopes, and undermine our grounds of comfort; fo efpecially, in the time when we are wrestling with outward affliction, and our back is at the wall, Satan fets on, and mufters up our iniquities against us, and indiâs a libel to brangle our faith, and shake our confidence, which fhould make believers more careful to ftrengthen that part of the wall, at that tine, and to fortify themfelves against any fuch temptations: therefore, when the

apostle

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