4. It makes our obedience more ready, for Jesus Christ came to
34G THE SIXTEENTH SERMON. [JOHN III. IG.
live by tlie ?.ime law that we were bound to: Gal. iv. 4, 'When the fulness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law.' Yea, to obey God at the dearest rates : Heb. v. 8, 9, ' Though he were a son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he sulfercd : and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.' He submitted unto and performed the whole law : his obedience cost him dear, since an ignominious and shameful death was apart of it.
11. God, that gave Christ for us, giveth him also to us, and with him the benefits of pardon, reconciliation, adoption, and right to eternal life, if we be duly qualified. Tlie ofier is made in the gospel : on our part there is required only a thankful acceptance of Christ on his own terms. This also is the greatest gift, for the other is in order to this, and this is the completing of it, and applying it for our com- fort. 1 shall prove it by three reasons : —
1. Witiiout Christ there is no recovery of what we lost.
2. No removal of that misery w-e incurred.
3. No obtaining of what we should desire and pursue after as our proper happiness.
1. No recovery of what we lost. What did we lose by the fall ? — the image and favour of God, and fellowship with God.
[1.] The image of God was defaced by sin. Man abode not in the honour of his creation, but became as the beasts that perish. Now the restitution of this great gift we only have by Christ, who is the pattern and author of it. The pattern: 2 Cor. iii. 18, ' We all, with open face beholding as in a gla.ss tlie glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.' The author : Titus iii. 5, 6, ' Not by works of righteousness which ye have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour.' Till we are in him, and be one with him, we have not this great benefit: 2 Cor. V. 17, ' If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.' We are destitute of that image of God wherein we were created, and better we liad never been born, unless new born.
[2.] The favour of God, which is an immediate consequent of his image. God delighted in man as innocent, but man sinful is the object of God's wrath, loathing, and aversion. Therefore Christ died to recover man to the love and favour of God : 2 Cor. v. 14, To make peace between the offended sovereign and subject offending; to interpose between God angry and man guilty. Now this breach continueth till we are reconciled by Christ, till we love God, and are beloved l)y him. And better we had been in a lower rank of creatures, than to continue under God's displeasure; for the misery of the beast dies with them, death puts an end to all their pains at once ; but the wrath of God, not a])pcased by Christ, continues on the sinner for ever.
[3.] Fellowship with God was lost by the fall. Man was driven out of ]»;iradise, and shut out of God's presence l)y a flaming sword (Gen. iii. 24), the emblem of his wrath, and all intercourse was broken off; but Christ came to open the way, ' by whom we have access unto God
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with boldness and confidence,' Eph. iii. 12. Heb. iv. 16, 'Let 113 therefore come boklly unto the throne of j^rcace. that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to lielp in a time of need.' We need daily access to God, we cannot live without him. How can we look him in the face with any comfort when we have no mediator ? we cannot have any serious thoughts of him without trembling.
2. There is removal of that misery which we have incurred, which is the death and curse wlierein we are involved by sin. As long as the curses of the law stand in full force against us, we can have no firm confidence ; if we look to time past, there is a huge heap of sins, the least of wliich is enough to sink us into hell ; if we look to time present, our nature being not yet healed, our hearts swarm with divers lusts, and we are ready to sin again ; if to time to come, death, hell, and judgment affright us. Christ findeth us where Adam left us, in the highway to hell and damnation : John iii. 18, ' Condemned already ; ' and to hope for any release, unless it be upon God's terms, is to make him untrue and unjust. Certainly God will not break his word, and disturb the order of his covenant for your sakes. Therefore how will you escape the curse and condemnation of the law if Christ be not given to you ?