2, With respect to the parts of salvation. There is redemption and conversion, the one by way of impetration, the other by way of appli- cation. It is not enough that we are redeemed, that is done without us upon the cross ; but we must also be converted, that is real redemp- tion applied to us. We must again recover God's favour and image ; his image was first lost, and then his favour : so is our recovery ; first we recover his image : Titus iii. 5, ' He hath saved us by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost ; ' that is, put us into the way of salvation. Sanctification is spoken of as a principal branch of our salvation : Mat. i. 21, ' Thou shalt call his name Jesus, . for he shall save his people from their sins ; ' he hath his name and office for that use. And then, recovering the image of God, we also recover his favour, are adopted into his family, are justified and freed from the guilt of sin : Eph. ii. 8, ' By grace ye are saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.'
3. With respect to eternal salvation, which is the result of all, that is to say, it is the efi'ect of Christ's merit and of our regeneration ; for in regeneration that life is begun in us which is perfected in heaven. With respect to our justification, for thereby the sentence of death is taken off, and he that is justified 'shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death to life,' John v. 24. Yea, our sanctification is acted in obedience performed upon the encouragements and hopes of go.spel grace, before we are capable of eternal happiness ; for the apostle telleth us, Heb. v. 9, that Christ is 'become the author of eternal salva- tion to them that obey him.' He bringeth us at length to live in those eternal mansions which he hath prepared for us. This is the salvation, from whence Christ is chiefly denominated our Saviour, and that which we are to endeavour and look after throughout our whole life.
VOL. XVIII.
162 SERMONS UPON LUKE XIX. 10.
SEKMON 11.
For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which is lost
Luke xix. 10,
Secondly, I am to prove tliat this was Christ's great end and business.
1. It is certain that Christ was sent to man in a lapsed and fallen estate, not to preserve us as innocent, but to recover us as fallen. The good angels are preserved and confirmed in their first estate, they are kept from perishing and being lost. And so would Adam have been saved, if God had kept him still in a state of innocency ; but our salva- tion is a recovery and restoration, being lost and undone by the fall : Eom. iii. 23, ' For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God ; ' that is, lost the perfection of our nature and the consequent privileges.
2. Out of this misery man is unable to deliver and recover himself. Not able to reconcile or propitiate God to himself, by giving a suffi- cient ransom to provoked justice : Ps. xlix. 8, ' For the redemption of the soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever ; ' that is, if it should lie upon our hands. And man cannot change his own heart : 'Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean ? Not one,' Job xiv. 4. There is no sound part left in us to mend the rest, this is a work for the spiritual physician. We have need of a saviour to help us to repent- ance, as well as to help us to pardon.
3. We being utterly unable, God, in pity to us, that the creation of man for his glory might not be frustrated, hath sent us Christ. First, he was from the love of God predestinated to this end from all eternity, to remedy our lapsed estate : John iii. 16, ' God so loved the world, that he sent his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.' He was from all eternity appointed by the Father to save sinners. Secondly, he was spoken of and pro- mised for this end in paradise, presently after the fall : Gen. iii. 15, ' The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head.' Thirdly, he was shadowed forth in the sacrifices and the other figures of the law ; therefore said to be ' the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world,' Eev. xiii. 8. Fourthly, he was prophesied of by the prophets, as one that should ' make his soul an offering for sin,' Isa. liii. 10 ; as the anointed one that should ' be cut off, not for himself, but to make an end of sins, and make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness,' Dan. ix. 27-29. Fifthly, he was waited for by all the faithful, before his coming, as the consolation of Israel : Luke ii. 25, * And behold there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel ; ' John viii. 56, ' Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it, and was glad ; ' 1 Peter i. 10, ' Of which salvation the prophets have inquired, and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you.' Sixthly, in the fulness of time the Son of man came, not at first to judge or sentence any, but to save the lost world : Luke ix. 56, ' For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them ; ' John iii. 17, ' God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might