II. The good depending on it: Luke i. 77, ' To give us the knowledge of salvation by the remission of sin>s.' Eternal life dependeth on it, for you are not capable of enjoying God till his wrath be appeased. As all evil was introduced by sin, so all happiness by pardon. This is an initial blessing, which maketh way for the rest.
Use, of exhortation : To persuade you to seek after this benefit. All of us once needed it, and the best of us, till we are wholly freed from sin, still need it. . .
426 REDEMPTION BY CHRIST. [SeR. I.
1. We all of us once needed it ; for we are not only criminal per- sons liable to condemnation, but actually condemned in the sentence of God's law: Johniii. 18, 'He that believeth not is condemned already.' Xow, should not a condemned man make means to be pardoned ? and should not we accept of God's terms, especially when there is but the slender thread of a frail life between us and execution ? He that securely continues in his sins, despiseth both the curse of the law and the grace of the gospel. Oh, consider! nothing but a pardon will serve the turn — not forbearance on God's part, nor forgetfulness on yours.
[1.] Not forbearance of the punishment on God's part. God may be angry with us while he doth not actually strike, as the psalmist saith: Ps. vii. 11-13, ' God is angry with the wicked every day ; if he turn not he will whet his sword. He hath bent his bow and will make it ready.' God, who is a righteous judge, will not dispense with the offences of wicked men, by which he is continually affronted and pro- voked. Though in the day of his patience he doth for a while spare, yet he is ready to deal with them commimcs, hand to hand, for he is sharpening his sword ; eminus, at a distance, for he is bending his bow. The arrow is upon the string, and how soon he may let it fly we can- not tell. We are never safe till we turn to him, and enter into his peace, and so the obligation to punishment be dissolved.
[2.] On our part, our senseless forgetfulness will do us no good. Carnal men mind not things which relate to God, or the happiness of their immortal souls ; but they are not happy that feel least troubles, but they that have least cause. A benumbed conscience cannot chal- lenge this blessedness. They put off the thoughts of that which God hath neither forgiven nor covered ; and so do but skin the wound till it festers and rankles into a dangerous sore. Our best course is to see we be justified and pardoned.
2, Tbe best of us still need it: partly because though we be justi- fied, and our state be changed, yet renewed sins need a new pardon. AVe are still sinning against God — either we are omitting good, or committing evil. What will we do if we be not forgiven ? Renewed sins call for renewed repentance. We do not need another Redeemer, or another covenant, or another conversion ; yet we do need renewed pardon, partly because our final sentence of pardon is not yet i^assed, nor shall be passed till the last judgment : Acts iii, 19, ' Repent ye, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.' We are now pardoned and justified constitutively by the tenor of the new covenant, and there by description. The sincerity of our faith and repentance is not presently evident ; it is possible, but difiicult, to know that we are sincere penitent believers ; but at last, when our pardon is actually pronounced by our judge's mouth, sitting on the throne, then all is clear, evident, plain, and open. And partly because daily infirmities call for daily repentance. We do not carry ourselves with that gravity and watchfulness, but that we need to cry for pardon every day.
Col. I. 15.] redemption by christ. 427
SEKMON II.
TVno is the image of the invisible God, the first-horn of every creatiire. —
Col. I. 15.
The apostle having mentioned our redemption, doth now fall upon a description of the Redeemer. He is set forth by two things : —
First, His internal relation to God.
Secondly, By his external relation to the creature.
Doct. It is a great part of a believer's work to have a deep sense of the Redeemer's excellency imprinted upon his mind and heart.
Here I shall show: — I. How it is set forth in this verse.
II. Why this should be much upon our minds and hearts.
I. How it is set forth in this scripture: —
1. That he is ' the image of the invisible Grod.'
2. ' The first-born of every creature.'
For the first expression there I shall consider : —
1. What belongs to an image.
2. In what respects Christ is the image of God.
3. How he differeth from other persons.
1, What belongeth to an image, and that all this is in Christ. In an image there are two things — impression and representation. Both are in Christ. There is a divine impression upon him, and he doth represent God to us.