Hopkins - HP BR75 .H65 1710

to Save SimtcrJ, &c. t. He faves thofe that judge themfelves worthy of Eternal Death, yea, indeed hefavcs no other, t Cor. IT. 3· If we judge our jeiws we /h:rlJ not be judg ed. And why is this [elf-judging fo ueceffary in order to our being acquitted by God, but only becJufe it is Chrift's defign in faving Sinners to glorifie his exceeding Great and A\1-iuffi.dent Power, and therefore we muft acknowledge our fclves to be loft in our felves, that fo God's Power may be owned to be exceeding great and glorious in faving of us. :2,. Chrift can fave thofe who do not only Judge themfelvcs worthy of Eternal Death, but who judge themfelves appointed to it. He can fJve thofe who think it impoffible they fhould be faved. And queftionlefs there is now many a Soul in Heavco·, who on Earth cried out, There is no Hope, no Mercy for them, that Hell and Wrath was their only ~onion. And this fhews what an All-fufficient Savi.. our Chrift is, who can favc beyond our Hopes, and contrary to our Expcdations. And thns l have arrived at the end of the Demonftrations of Chrift's All-fuffici, ency to fave from the greateft Mifery, and to relieve us in our greateft and moft · prcfling Wants, he is able to fave us when none elfe can, and he is able to fave thofe that condemn themfelves, and think their own Salvation a thing impoffible; he is able both to fave thofe that think themfelves worthy of Eternal Death, and tho(e that think themfelves appointed to it. Now having thusdifplay'd, though weakly, the All-fufficiency of Chrift to fave, we will proceed to dofe up the Subjc8:, with fame brief Application of this Doctrine. VS E l . This lbould teach us, To hav e moft high and honourable thoughtJ of the Lord 'Jefus Chr ~fl, who is thus Afi-Juf/i€imt to fave. Omnipotency, though it were but to de. ftroy us, .,.,,ere juftly the Obj(ft of our dread and reverence, but Omnipotency to fave, defcrves our mort affeCl:ionatc eftcem. It fhould raife wonder in us, when we Confider God's Power and Goodnefs in the Works of Creation; but when we Contemplate the Wo~k of Redemption it lhould raife our wonder to an Ecfrafie. Chrift's Almighty Power was not fo glorious then when he fpake the J-f!orld out nothing, then when he lifted up the Sun into the Firmament, and kindled the StarJ as fo many fuioing Torches that dart forth Light upon the World~ and extend their Im1uences to the whole Univerfe, as when he appeared in Flefh, defpifed, and of no account, in the form of a Servant, to accomplifh the wonderful Work of our Redemption. What he c!id in the former, was by the AflOciation and Joint-workmanfhip of the other Perfons of the Blelfed Trmity, Lut in this the whole \Vork lay upon him . l-ie trod the Wine-pr(Js of Father's Wr.ath alone. In the former, though he Jhewed his Power to be great, yet he did not put it forth to the uttcrmoft; he could have Created more Worlds, and he might have made more of each fort of Creatures, and thefe far more beautiful and glorious than they arc; but in the Work of Redemption Chrift's Infinite Power is extended to the uttermoft, his Perfon was Infinite, and his Sufferings were Infinite, one proportionable to the other. His Omnipotency as our Redeemer, is far more glorious than his Omnipotency as our Creator. Chrift firft gives the honour of his All-fufficiency to this end, that for his undertaking fo great an Employment as the Accomplifh... rnent of the Work of our Redemption, we might honour him in his own Perfon; as we honour the Father in his, 'john 5· 26. Certainly there is good reafon why we fhould afcribe Honour to liim from whom we receive Salvation. V SE II. Is Chrift an All-fufticient Saviour? Why do we then rely upon that which is altogether infufficient? What the Prophet faid iu another cafe, 2 Kings 1. 6, 7• Is it becau[e there is no God in lfrael, that thou fondeft to mquire of Beelzcbub the God of Ekron ~ The fame may I fay, Is it becaufe there is none deputed to be a Sav iour, becaufe thcrt: is none appointed, none able to fave, that Men betake themfclves to falre Refuges, to broken Reeds to truft in, that arc fa far from fupport· ing, that certainly they will both betray any wound them? It is a moft ftrange Folly that moft Meu are guilty of, that when God hath provided them a Saviour to their Ha ads> one that is able to fave to the uttermoft, yet with a areat deal of o Toil

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