324 SER.MONSupon r. How the Death of Chrift is here expreffed. 2. What a fnperflrulleere of grace is built thereupon. 3: The firength and force of the Inference. 4. Who have intereft in Chrift, and may more exprefly take comfort in it and reafon thus within themfelves. Serin. x x:.11 1. How the Death of Chriil is here expref d, as to God's ad about ir. I. Negatively : He 1eared not his own fin; where we have the All and the Objeú of it. God's Aa is intimated in that expreflion, he fpared not. There is a Two- fold not fparing, either in a way of impartial fnflice, or in a w.:y of free and eminent Bounty. I. Ina may of impartial Jss lice. So'tis laid, 2 Pet. 2. 4, 5. God Jj sr deeltheàngels . that f ntied. And again, He fpared not the old world ; that is, would ore. co clemency, but,gave them their deferved punilhment. So many would interpret this, ze imeroar, Ha fpared not Chrih,but Rirred up all his wrath againil him,when he took upon him to fatisfie for our fins : When he took upon him to fatisfit for our fins, Divine juflice would not abate him one farthing, Zech. 13.7. Awake. O (word, aping my fl ápherd, andagaie fl.jhv" man that is my fellow, faith the Lord of holls; I will finite the flsepherd, and the £Beep Thal/ be flattered. _ 2. In a way of eminent and free bounty. So we are faid to be fparing of thole things which are moil dear and precious to us ; but upon great occafions we part with them. In this feule when the Elea had need of Chrift, God did not fpare him, but cave off freely with him, John 3. 16. God fo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son; parted with him out of his bofom, gave him to die for our fakes. 2. The Objeil, his own Son ; that is, not an adopted Son, but only begotten : What dearer to Parents than their children ? Parents will part with their All to redeem their children, efpecially if they have but one, and that dearly beloved ; but God's love to Chrift is not to be meafured by an ordinary flandard; all is infinite between the Father and him ; Therefore this heightneth his grace to us, that he fpared not his own Son. Let us confider what might have moved God to (pare his Son. 1. The incomparable worth and excellency of his Perfon. Things which" are rare and.ex., cellent, ufe to be fpared, unlefs upon great neceffity. Now the Lord Jefus was fo the Son of God, that he was co-equal with him in divine honour and glory. Thus did tl.,e Jews underffand him, when he called himfelf the Son of God, John 5. 18, The Jews fought( the more to kill him, not only becaufe he had broken the fabbath, but faid alfo, that God was his father, making himfelf equal with God: And they were not mil1aken in it; For Chrift was indeed fo the Son of God, as to be equal in effence,power and glory with the Fa- ther : Their fault was, that they denied this Title to be due to Chrift. The Apoffle plaineth it, Phil. 2. 6. Who being in the form of God, thought it no robbery to be equal with God. 'Twos noBlafphemy, no Ufurpation of Divine Honour; Chrift was not thruft down from Heaven for Robbery and Ufurpation, as the finning Angels were, but was fent down. This Divine Honour did juftly and rightly belong to him : Now that God fpared him not on this occafion, is the great demonftration and condefcention of his Love. 2. The fingular and infinite love between God and Chriil : He is called his dear Son, Col. i. 13. =yáanr: The Father loved him dearly; and we are chary of what we tenderly love; Therefore the only begotten Son is laid to be in the bofom of the Father, John r. 18. which intimateth not only his co.exiflence with him from all eternity, but the mu- tual familiarity, delight and complacency which the Divine perlons have in one another, which is alto let forth, Prov. 8. 30. Then was I by him, as one brought up with him ; I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him: As two Mates or Companions of fuitable difpofitions, always bred up rogether, and rejoycing in one another. Thus is Heaven fain to lifp to us in our own Dialed, to let forth the intimacy, onenefs and delight that is between the Father and the Son ; yet God fpared him not. 3. Though he had no equal or advantageous exchange. Chrift is more worth than a thoufand Worlds, as the people could fay of David, thou art worth ten thaetfend of us, a Sam. 18. 3. How much more may it be laid of Chrift? What could God gain,thar might be an equal recompence for the Death of Chrilt? All the World fet againli God, is no- thing, let's than nothing, ¡fa. 40. 17. Now no man doth give much for what is but little efeemed ; but God gave his own Son to recover the pc riffling World of Mankind. 2. PO.
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