[3.] It was also a jiunishment, — -a punishment in our stead. '' He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities : the chastisement of our peace was upon him," Isa liii. 5. God made all our iniquities (that is, the punishment of them) " to meet upon him," verse 6. " He bare the sins of many," verse 12 ; " his own self bare our sins in his OAvn body on the tree," 1 Pet. ii. 24 ; and therein he " who knew no sin, was made sin for us," 2 Cor. v. 21. What it is in the Scripture to bear sin, see Deut. xix. 15, xx. 1 7 ; Numb. xiv. S3 ; Ezek. xviii. 20. The nature, kind, matter, and manner of this punish- ment I have, as I said before, elsewhere discussed.
Now, bearing of punishment tends directly to the giving satisfaction to him who was offended, and on that accoimt inflicted the punish- ment. Justice can deske no more than a proportional punishment,
' " Observatum est a sacrificantibus, ut si hostia quse ad aras duceretur, fuisset vebementer reluctata, osteiidissetque se invitam altaribus admoveri, amoveretur, quia invito Deo earn offerri putabaat; qua} vero stetisset oblata, hauc volenti numini dari existimabant." — Macrob. Saturnal. lib. iii. " Hoc quoque notandum, vitulos ad aras humeris hominum allatos uon fere litare; sicut nee claudicante, nee aliena hostia placari deos; neque trahente se ab aris." — Pliu. lib. viii. cap. 45.
IGS OF COMMUNION WITH T!IE SON JESUS CHRIST.
due to the offence. And this, on his own vohmtary taking of our persons, undertaking to be our mediator, was inflicted on our dear Lord Jesus. His substituting himself in our room being allowed of by the righteous Judge, satisfaction to him doth thence properly ensue.
And this is the threefold consideration of the death of Christ, as it is a principal spring and fountain of that grace wherein we have com- munion with him ; for, as will appear in our process, the single and most eminent part of purchased grace, is nothing but the natural exurgency of the threefold effect of the death of Christ, intimated to flow from it on the account of the threefold consideration insisted on. This, then, is the second rise of purchased grace, which we are to eye, if we will hold communion with Christ in it, — his death and blood-shedding, under this threefold notion of a price, an offering, and punishment. But, —
(3.) This is not all : the Lord Christ goes farther yet ; he doth not leave us so, but follows on the work to the utmost. ^ " He died for our sins, and rose again for our justification." He rose again to caiTy on the complete work of purchased grace, — that is, by his intercession ; which is the third rise of it. In respect of this, he is said to be " able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them," Heb. vii. 25.
Now, the intercession of Christ, in respect of its influence into pur- chased grace, is considered two ways: —
[L] As a continuance and carrying on of his oblation, for the making out of all the fruits and effects thereof unto us. This is called his " appearing in the presence of God for us," Heb. ix. 24 ; that is, as the high priest, having offered the great offering for expiation of sin, carried in the blood thereof into the most holy place, where was the representation of the presence of God, so to j^erfcct the atonement he made for himself and the people; so the Lord Christ, having of- fered himself as a sweet-smelling sacrifice to God, being sprinkled with his own blood, appears in the presence of God, as it were to mind him of the engagement made to him, for the redemption of sin- ners by his blood, and the making out the good things to them which were procured thereby. And so this appearance of his hath an in- fluence into purchased grace, inasmuch as thereby he puts in his claim for it in our behalf
[2.] He procureth the Holy Spirit for us, effectually to collate and bestow all this purchased grace upon us. That he would do this, and doth it, for us, we have his engagement, John xiv. 1 6. This is pur- chased grace, in respect of its fountain and spring ; — of which I shall not speak farther at present, seeing I must handle it at large in the matter of the conmiunion we have with the Holy Ghost.
' Rom. iv, 2.5.
OF COMMUNION WITH THE SON JESUS CHRIST. 1G9
CHAPTER VII.
The nature of purchased grace ; referred to three heads : — 1 . Of our acceptation with God; two parts of it. 2. Of the grace of sanctification ; the several parts of it.
The fountain of that purchased grace wherein the saints have communion with Christ being discovered, in the next place the nature of this grace itself may be considered. As was said, it may be referred unto three heads: — 1. Grace of acceptation with God. 2. Grace of sanctification from God. 3. Grace of privileges with and before God.
1. Of acceptation with God. Out of Christ, we are in a state of^ alienation from God, accepted neither in our persons nor our services. Sin makes a separation between God and us : — that state, with all its consequences and attendancies, [it] is not my business to unfold. The first issue of purchased grace is to restore us into a state of accepta- tion. And this is done two ways: — (1.) By a removal of that for which we are refused, — the cause of the enmity. (2.) By a bestowing of that for which we are accepted.