Question 20

1. Tim. 1. 15. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came in the world to save sinners.

Of all Doctrines that ever were published to men, this contained here is the choisest, as you see the very preface prefixed to it import. And truly; as it is the most excellent in it self, it could not but be sweet unto us, if we had received into the heart the belief of our own wretchedness & misery. I do not know a more soveraign cordial for a fainting soul, then this faithful saying, That Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. And therfore we are most willing to dwel on this subject, and to inculcate it often upon you, That without him ye are undone, and lost, and in him you may be saved. I profess, all other subjects (howsoever they might be more pleasing to some hearers) are unpleasant and unsavory to me. This is that we would once learn and ever be learning, to know him that came to save us, and come to him.

We labored to show unto you the state of sin and misery that Adams first transgression hath subjected all mankind unto, which if it were really and truly apprehended, I do not think but it would make this saying welcome to our souls. Man being plunged into such a deep pit of misery, sin and death having over-flowed the whole world, and this being seen and acknowledged by a sinner, certainly the next question in order of nature is this, Hath God left all to perish in this estate? Is there any remedy provided for sin and misery? And this will be indeed the query of a self-condemned sinner. Now there is a plank after this broken ship, there is an answer sweet and satisfactory to this question: Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.

We shal not expatiate into many notions about this, or multiply many branches of this. The matter is plain and simple, and we desire to hold it out plainly and simply, that this is the remedy of sin and misery. When none could be found on the right hand or left hand, here a Savior from heaven comes down from above, whence no good could be expected, because a good God was provoked. Can any good come out of Nazareth; that was a proverb concerning him. But I think in some sense, it might be said, can any good thing come down from heaven, from his holy habitation to this accursed earth? Could any thing be expected from heaven but wrath and vengeance? And if no good could be expected that way, what way could it come? Sure if not from heaven, then from no part: yet from heaven our help is come, from whence it could not be looked for, even from him who was offended, and his justice engaged against man, that he might both satisfie justice, and save man, that he might not wrong himself, nor destroy man utterly, he sends his only begotten Son, equal with himself in majesty and glory into the world, in the state of a servant, to accomplish mans salvation, and perform him satisfaction. Therefore Christ came into the world to save sinners.

There were two grand impediments in the way of mans salvation, which made it impossible to man; one is Gods justice, another is mans sin: these two behoved to be satisfied or removed, ere there can be access to save a sinner. The sentence of divine Justice is pronounced against all mankind. Death past on all. A sentence of death and condemnation. Now, when the righteousness and faithfulness of God is engaged into this, how strong a party do you think that must be? What power can break that prison of a divine curse and take out a sinner from under Justice hand? Certainly there is no coming out till the uttermost farthing be paid that was owing, till compleat satisfaction be given to all wrongs. Now truly the redemption of the soul had ceased for ever (it’s so precious that no creature can give any thing in exchange for it) except Jesus Christ had come into the world, one that might be able to tread that winepress of wrath alone, & give his life a ransomer in value far above the soul, and pay the debt of sin that we were owing to God And indeed he was furnished for this purpose, a person suted and fitted for such a work. A man to undertake it in our name, and God to perform it in his own strength. A Man, that he might be made under the Law, and be humbled even to the death of 〈◊〉 cross, that so he might obey the commandment, and suffer the punishment due to us; and all this was elevated beyond the worth of created actions or sufferings by that divine nature. This perfumed all his Humanity, and all done by it, or in it: this put the stamp of Divinity upon all, and imposed an infinite value upon the coyn of finite obedience and sufferings: And so in his own person, by coming into the world, and acting and suffering in the place of sinners, he hath taken the first great impediment out of the way; taken down the high wall of divine Justice wich had enclosed round about the sinner, and satisfied all its demands by paying the price, so that there is nothing upon Gods part to accuse or condemn, to hinder or obstruct salvation.

But then there is an inner wal, or dark dungeon of sin, into which the sinner is shut up, and reserved in chains of his own lusts, until the time of everlasting darkness; and when Heaven is opened by Christs death, yet this keeps a sinner from entring in Therefore Jesus Christ who came himself into the world to satisfie Justice, and remove its plea, that there might be no obstruction from that airth, 〈◊〉 sends out his powerful Spirit with the Word, to deliver poor captive sinners, to break down the wal of ignorance and blindness, to cast down the high tower of wickedness and enmity against God, to take captive and chain our lusts that kept us in bondage. And as he made Heaven accessible by his own personal obedience and sufferings, so he makes sinners ready and free to enter into salvation, by his Spirits working in their persons. In the one, he had God, as it were, his party; and him he hath satisfied so far, that there was a voice came from heaven to testifie it, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And therefore, in testimony of it, God raised him from the dead. In the other, he hath Satan and mans wicked nature as his party, and these he must conquer and subdue; these he must overcome, ere we can be saved: A strange business indeed, and a great work, to bring such two opposite and distant parties together; a holy and just God, and a sinful and rebellious creature, and to take them both as parties, that he might reconcile both.

Now, what do ye think of this, my beloved, that such a glorious person is come down from Heaven, for such a glorious work as the salvation of sinners? 〈◊〉 put no doubt, it would be most acceptable unto you, 〈◊〉 ye knew your misery; and knowing your misery, you could not but accept it, if you believed that it were true and faithful. I find one of these two, the great obstruction in the way of souls receiving advantage by such glad tydings, either the absolute necessity and excellency of the Gospel is not considered, or the truth and reality of it is not believed. Men either do not behold the beauty of goodness in it, or 〈◊〉 not see the light of truth in it; either there is nothing discovered to engage their affections, or nothing seen to perswade their understandings. Therefore the Apostle sounds a Trumpet, as it were, in the entry, before the publication of these glad news, and commends this unto all men, as a true and faithful saying, and as worthy of all acceptation. There is here the highest truth and certainty to satisfie the mind, It’s a faithful saying; and there is here also the chiefest good to satiate the heart, It’s worthy of all acceptation. Now, if you do really apprehend your lost and miserable estate, you cannot but behold that ravishing goodness in it; and behold that you cannot, til you see the other first: Whence is it, I pray you that so many souls are never stirred with the proposition of such things in the Gospel, that the riches and beauty of salvation in JESUS CHRIST doth not once move them? Is it not because there is no lively apprehension of their misery without him?