1 nailed it to the cross:" Col. ii. 14. whereby he hath triumphed over all our enemies, as death, satan, hell, and the curse of the law, as God hath spoken by the prophet Hosea, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ :" 1 Cor. xv. 55, and 57. who hath also (according to the promise of God) bruised the head of the devil, in whose power we were kept captives, by reason of the transgressions of sin. God, to the end that he might deliver us therefrom, hath given us his dearest pledge, namely, his only beloved Son in whom the Father is well pleased, and commands us to hear him. propitiation and a ransom. world, that he gave his only Whom he hath given for a "For God so loved the begotten Son, that whoso ever believeth in him should not perish, but have ever lasting life." John iii. 16. "Also in this was manifested the love of God towards us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him." 1 John iv. 9. "And this is life eternal (saith Christ) that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." John xvii. 3. He is the true Messiah, who came into the world in the fulness of time; true God to crush the power of the devil; and true man to be our mediator before God, that he might deliver those who were captive under the law. He is that lamb without blemish, that was wounded and offered for our transgressions, to be a propitiation for all our sins, as Isaiah clearly testifies." And he who was rich, for our sakes became poor, that we through his poverty might be rich." 2 Cor. viii. 9. For he hath given unto us, all his goods, all his benefits, all his righteousness, merits and holiness: therefore we must embrace him in faith, and be thankful to him with love and obedience, And who would not love him who first loved us? in that when we were yet his enemies he delivered and reconciled us," how much more being reconciled, shall we be saved by his life?" Rom. v. 10. For how can one have greater love, than to lay down his life for his friends? John xv. 13. Which Christ as a good shepherd hath done, who hath been obedient to his Father, "unto death, even the death of the cross;" Phil. ii. 8.. and we see Jesus, "who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour, that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.' ." Heb. ii. 9. Also he is the true Samaritan, who hath poured oil and wine into our wounds, that is to say, he hath poured out his precious blood for our sins, and bought us with such a precious price. Luke x. 34. "For we are not, (saith Peter) redeemed with corruptible things as gold and silver, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a. lamb without blemish and without spot.' 1 Pet. i. 18,, 19. "Neither by the blood of goats or calves, but by his own blood, he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us :" Heb. ix. 12. who hath also 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, even the forgiveness of sins. Col. i. 13, 14. Since we certainly know this, that we only obtain eternal salvation, without our merits, (for we have none, wherefore we are unprofitable servants) through the death and resurrection of Christ, “we must therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may ob tain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Heb. iv. 16. And since we always stand in need of help, we must go unto him; for he saith, by the proph et David," call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee." Psa. I. 15. And although a moth er might forsake her child, yet will I never forsake thee; you rest, and ye should we go?" He John vi. 68. and life is made manifest in him. He is that heavenly manna, which eternally satisfies our souls, that heavenly bread of which he that eateth through faith, shall never hunger, and whosoever drinketh of his blood shall never thirst. Again Christ saith by the apostle John, "Let him that is athirst, come and take the water of life freely." Rev. xxii. 17. "He that believeth on me, (as the scripture hath said) out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water;" John vii. 38. which are the operations of the Holy Ghost; whosoever drinketh of that living water shall never thirst, for the water that I shall give him, shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. John iv. 14. As God hath said by the prophet Isaiah," Every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money come buy and eat; yea, come buy wine and milk, without money, and without price." Isa. Iv. 1. Therefore let us go to this fountain for our refreshment, and not to stinking wells which contain no water. "“For of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace; for the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." John i. 16, 17. He is the true Mediator who stands between God and us, to be our advocate against all our accusers: "For there is one Mediator between God and man,the man Christ Jesus." 1 Tim. ii. 5. For this cause he is also the Mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. Heb. ix. 15. "Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost, that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for us;" Heb. vii. 25. with which the apostle John agreeing, saith, If any man sin we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world:, 1 John ii. 1, and 2. namely, for all people and nations of the whole world, who sincerely repent and turn themselves to God: for the Lamb was slain, from the beginning of the world for believers, as Christ himself saith, that Abraham saw his day and was glad. John viii. 56, 58. Thus we see "that God is no respecter of persons." Acts x. 34. Rom. iii. 29, 30. For God is not only the God of the Jews, but of the Gentiles also: namely he is a God who justifies the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith; for he hath justified us by faith, without the deeds of the law. After which manner David also speaks, that salvation is only come unto the man to whom God imputeth righteousness without works, where he saith, "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity." Psa. xxxii. 1, 2. Rom. v. 1. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have a certain access into the holy place, by his blood, whereby he hath made peace between God and us; for he is our true peace, wherefore we have nothing more to fear. For Paul saith, Rom. viii. 31, 33, 34, 35, "If God be for us, who can be against us? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth, who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who mak eth intercession for us; who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?" Therefore though we have daily actual and other sins remaining in us, we must not despair. For the prophet Isaiah saith, "though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool;" Is. i. 18. And this is done through Jesus Christ, who hath washed away our sins by his blood, of which baptism is a sign; and the Lord's supper is a token unto us, that we are redeemed by the sacrifice of Christ once offered on the cross, that he might deliver us from the wrath to come, and all iniquity; and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works, by which the Lord may be praised. Tit. ii. 24. We then knowing for certain, that we are reconciled to God by Jesus Christ, ought (according to the word of God) to have an earnest desire of being delivered from this mortal body, by which we must come to that glorious inheritance of all the children of God, which is prepared for us in heaven. This, Paul, that chosen vessel of God, desires, when he saith, Rom. vii. 24. "O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" Moreover he saith, "We know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, eternal in the heavens: for in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house, which is from heaven, and we are always confident, knowing that whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord; therefore we are willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." 2 Cor. v. 2, 6, and 8. Again Paul saith, Rom. viii. 22. we know that the whole creation groaneth with us, and not only they, but we ourselves groan |