504 SUMMARY OF DOCTRINAL AND [CHAP. IX. 24,
lasting fountain and spring of all sanctification and sacred dedi- cation.
VER. 24.—1. The distinct offices of Christ give direction and en- couragement to faith. 2. Christ accepted of God on our behalf, is the spring of all spiritual consolation.
Ver. 25.—1. Such is the absolute perfection of the one offering of Christ, that it stands in need of, that it will admit of, no repeti- tion in any kind. 2. This one offering of Christ is always effectual unto all the ends of it, even no less than it was in the day and hour when it was actually offered. 3. The great call and direction of the gospel is to guide faith, and keep it up unto this one offering of Christ, as the spring of all grace and mercy. 4, Whatever had the greatest glory in the old legal institutions carried along with it the evidence of its own imperfection, compared with the thing signified in Christ and his office.
Ver. 26.—1. It was inconsistent with the wisdom, goodness, grace, and love of God, that Christ should often suffer in that way which was necessary to the offering of himself, namely, by his death and blood-shedding. 2. It was impossible, from the dignity of his person. 3. It was altogether needless, and would have been useless. 4, As the sufferings of Christ were necessary unto the expiation of sin, so he suffered neither more nor oftener than was necessary. 5. The assured salvation of the church of old, from the foundation of the world, by virtue of the one offering of Christ, is a strong confirma- tion of the faith of the church at present to look for and expect everlasting salvation thereby. 6. It is the prerogative of God, and the effect of his wisdom, to determine the times and seasons of the dispensation of himself and his grace to the church. 7. God had a design of infinite wisdom and grace in his sending of Christ, and his appearance in the world thereon, which could not be frustrated. 8. Sin had erected a dominion, a tyranny over all men, as by a law, 9. No power of man, of any mere creature, was able to evacuate, disannul, or abolish this law of sin. 10. The destruction and disso- lution of this law and power of sin was the great end of the coming of Christ for the discharge of his priestly office in the saerifice of himself. 11. It is the glory of Christ, it is the safety of the church, that by his one offering, by the sacrifice of himself once for all, he hath abolished sin as to the law and condemning power of it.
VER. 27, 28.—1. God hath eminently suited our relief, the means and causes of our spiritual deliverance, to our misery, the means and causes of it, as that his own wisdom and grace may be exalted and our faith established. 2. Death in the first constitution of it was penal. 3. It is still penal, eternally penal, to all unbelievers. 4. The death of all is equally determined and certain in God’s con-
CHAP. X. 3.] PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS. | 505
stitution. 5, The ground of the expiation of sin by the offering of Christ is this, that therein he bare the guilt and punishment due unto it. 6. It is the great exercise of faith, to live on the invisible actings of Christ on the behalf of the church. 7. Christ’s appear- ance the second time, his return from heaven to complete the salva- tion of the church, is the great fundamental principle of our faith and hope, the great testimony we have to give against all his and our adversaries. 8. Faith concerning the second coming of Christ is sufficient to support the souls of believers, and to give them satis- factory consolation in all difficulties, trials, and distresses. 9. All true believers do live in a waiting, longing expectation of the com- ing of Christ. 10. To such alone as look for him will the Lord Christ appear unto salvation. 11. Then will be the great distinction among mankind, when Christ shall appear, unto the everlasting confusion of some, and the eternal salvation of others. 12. At the second ap- pearance of Christ there will be an end of all the business about sin, both on his part and ours. 13. The communication of actual salvation unto all believers, unto the glory of God, is the final end of the office of Christ.
Cuap. X. Ver. 1.—1. Whatever there may be in any religious institutions and the diligent observance of them, if they come short of exhibiting Christ himself unto believers, with the benefits of his inediation, they cannot make us perfect, nor give us acceptance with God. 2. Whatever hath the least representation of Christ or rela- tion unto him, the obscurest way of teaching the things concern- ing his person and grace, whilst it is in force, hath a glory in it. 3. Christ and his grace were the only good things that were abso- lutely so from the foundation of the world, or the giving of the first promise. 4, There is a great difference between the shadow of good things to come and the good things themselves, actually exhibited and granted unto the church, 5. The principal interest and design of them that come to God, is to have assured evidence of the perfect expiation of sin. 6. What cannot be effected for the expiation of sin at once, by any duty or sacrifice, cannot be effected by its re- iteration or repetition. 7. The repetition of the same sacrifices doth of itself demonstrate their insufficiency to the ends sought after. 8. God alone limiteth the ends and efficacy of his own institutions.