On Delighting in the gracious Methods of our Redemption by Jefus Chrift.

DISCOURSE V.

ROMANS V. II.

-We joy in God through our Lord Jefus

T

Chrift.

confider the Works of God, as exhibiting the Displays of his Glory and Perfection, is not only a very useful but a delightful Employment. This hath been already fhewn with Regard to the Works of Creation and Providence, the Contemplation of which yields a pure and noble Delight to a rational and well-difpofed Mind. Let us now take a View of the wonderful Work of our Redemption and Salvation by Jefus Chrift, in which the Glory of God is illuftrioufly

illuftriously manifefted, and which, if duly confidered, hath a Tendency to fill the Heart with holy Admiration, Love, and Joy. This is what the Apoftle here fignifies, when he faith, We joy in God through our Lord Jefus Chrift, by whom we have received the Atonement. And elsewhere he gives it, as the Character of real Chriftians, that they worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Chrift Jefus. Phil. iii. 3. And St. Peter, writing to thofe who made an open Profeffion of their Faith in Jefus Chrift in the Face of many Difficulties and Dangers, expreffeth himself thus: Whom having not feen ye love, and in whom, though now ye fee him not, yet, believing, ye rejoice with Joy unfpeakable and full of Glory. 1 Pet. i. 8. Good Men under the Old Teftament rejoiced in the Prospect they had of the Saviour which was to come. Thus did that great Patriarch Abraham, concerning whom our Lord declares to the Jews, Your Father Abraham rejoiced to fee my Day; and he faw it, and was glad. John viii. 56. But we, who live after Chrift's actual Manifeftation in the Flesh, have in this Refpect a vast Advantage above those that lived under any former Difpenfation. The original Word Egyénov, which we render Golpel, properly fignifieth good Tidings; and it is fitly fo called,

I

as

as it bringeth the beft, the happiest Tidings that were ever published to the World: Thefe Things write we unto you, faith the Apostle John, that your foy may be full. 1 John i. 4. Hither therefore let us turn our Meditations for a While, and fee what there is in fefus Chrift, and in the admirable Methods of our Redemption through him, which may lay a juft Foundation for the fpiritual Joy, and tend to heighten the Pleafures of a religious Life.

The amiable and glorious Character, under which Chrift is generally reprefented in the New Teftament, is that of the Saviour, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And justly is he fo called, inafmuch as, according to the Reprefentation made to us in the Gofpel, it is through him that the most ineftimable Benefits are communicated to Sinners of the human Race; through him they are pardoned, juftified, and faved: And he is exprefsly faid to be the Author of eternal Salvation to all them that obey him. Heb. v. 9. He is also defcribed to us under the Character of the Mediator. We are exprefsly affured, that, as there is one God, fo there is one Mediator· between God and Man, and that Jefus Chrift is he. 1 Tim. ii. 5. And he is elsewhere called the Mediator of the New Covenant.

Heb.

Heb. xii. 24. What is included in the Idea of the Mediator is only to be known by the Light which the Scripture affordeth us, this being a Doctrine of pure Revelation. And, according to the Account there given us, it is by Means of the Mediator that the holy Majefty of Heaven seeth fit to carry on the Defigns of his Mercy towards finful Creatures of the human Race, for reconciling them to himself, and recovering them from the Miferies and Ruins they had brought upon themselves by their Apoftacy and Difobedience; fo that in this View the Character of the Saviour, and of the Mediator between God and Man, comes in Effect to the fame Thing. This Conftitution of the Mediator is not to be understood, as if God was not, of himself, mercifully difpofed towards us, or willing to be reconciled to his offending Creatures. On the Contrary, it

was, because he had the kindeft Intentions towards us, and was determined to fhew us Favour in a Way worthy of himself, that he hath appointed a Mediator, through whom he would deal with us upon the Terms of a gracicus Covenant, and communicate to us the Bleffings of his Grace. It is an Expedient devifed by his infinite Wisdom and Love for tranfacting with his guilty Creatures, and difpenfing his Favour

and

and Benefits to them in fuch a Way as is most for his own Glory, and for their Advantage and Comfort. By this Method God hath provided for maintaining and fecuring the Honour of his fovereign Majefty, and the Dignity and Authority of his Government and Laws. This Conftitution tendeth to imprefs upon our Minds a juft and awful Senfe of his glorious Greatness and spotless Purity, and a moft humbling Conviction of our own Guilt and Unworthinefs, in that he would not receive fuch finful Creatures to his Grace and Favour, but through the Intervention of a Mediator of the highest Worth and Dignity, and in Confideration of his most perfect meritorious Obedience and Sufferings on our Behalf. And, on the other Hand, by this Method God hath almost effectually provided for the Benefit and Comfort of the Sinners themfelves, and for difpelling their guilty Jealoufies and Fears. It is no eafy Matter to affure the Hearts of Creatures, that have a juft Senfe of the great Evil and Malignity, of Sin, and are confcious of manifold Tranfgreffions of the Divine Law, that a God of unchangeable Righteousness and Purity, the wife and holy Governor of the World, will not only pardon all their Iniquities, though they have been attended with heinous Aggravations;