Use 2. Is consolation to jjelievers. Here is ample encouragement for your faith : every grain in the life of Christ should be weighed, Now this is a material consideration, that he was ordained by God the Father.
1. That the offended party beginneth first to think of a remedy : 1 John iv. 19, ' He loved us first.' Certainly it is a great relief and support to our thoughts ; God thinketh of a pardon before we could think of the sin. It pleased the Father to take the sufferings of Christ into his eternal thoughts. Oh, then, when you have offended the Father, think you have a Christ to present to him, one that he thought of before all worlds.
2. Here is encouragement. Christ is a sacrifice of the Father's ordaining. He was pleased to bruise him. Therefore, rejoice and triumph in believing. You have found him who is acceptable to Grxl the Father, Tliis is the great intpiiry of men, how to appease God. When they are filled with fears, und a sense of divine wrath, what would tliey give to redeem their souls from guilt ? You shall bee the offers of the creature are very large : Micah vi. 6, 7, ' Where-
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with shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God ? Shnll I come before him with burnt-offerings and calves of a year old ? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, and ten thousands of rivers of oil H Shall I give my first-born for my transgression, and the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul ? ' Thus, you see, they bid high. Oh, this will be your disposition when you are scorched with God's wrath. Anything for a pardon, for a testimony of his love. How shall you please him ? Though he will not accept of thy first-born, yet he will of his own Son, whom himself hath given thee. It is not the creature's shift, but the Lord's appoint- ment. You may be sure here is somewhat will please the Father ; you have it from heaven : ' This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.' But God will have all believers know it. Oh, say with joy then. Job xxxiii. 20, ' I have found a ransom.' God will say so too : it was his ordination for reconciliation.
3. Here is comfort against sins of deliberation. It may be you have catered for your lusts, and devised wickedness upon your beds. It is sad when so much of your hearts hath gone out to the ways of sin. Sins of counsel and premeditation do most sadly wound the Spirit ; but here is your balm and comfort. Christ was the result of God's eternal thoughts. The Lord was devising the remedy as well as we the sin.
Use 3. Is information. It informeth us of divers things.
1. The greatness of God's love: John iii. 16, 'God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son.' Christ himself speaketh of it with admiration. So loved ! as if there were not an expression great enough to show how much: 1 John iv. 10, ' Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be a pro- pitiation for our sins.' If you speak of love, this is love indeed. When Abraham offered Isaac, and would part with his son, how doth the Lord make him promises upon it ? Oh, then, consider what it was for God, of all persons, to choose the second person in the Godhead, his Son, and to give him up for you — to determine so great sufferings against him, to awaken the sword against the shepherd his fellow — and all for your sakes. Consider of it in your thoughts, and let these thoughts of God be sweet and endearing to you. He was not bound to it ; you could oblige him by no merits, by no satisfaction you could make him, — only it pleased him. Oh, study this his love, the dying love of our dear Kedeemer.
2. The ancientness of God's love in Christ. The oldness of love is the conmiendation of it ; therefore God saith, Isa. liv. 8, ' With an everlasting kindness will I have mei'cy on thee.' His pleasure in Christ was conceived before all worlds. Christ manifested in time was the effect of an eternal love. You shall see the scriptures voucheth the ancientness of the promise often : Titus i. 2, 'In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.' A promise that went before all time.
3. It teachetli us to bless God the Father for giving and appointing of Jesus Christ. It is good to look what endearment every person hath upon our spirits, that so we may keep them up in our thoughts as a proportioned object for our worship and respects. Here is the great
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endearment : — The election of the Father caused the donation of tlie Son : Eph. i. 3, ' Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with spiritual blessin<^s in heavenly ])laces in Christ.' Bless him not only as your creator and preserver, but as the God and Father of Christ.