Owen - Houston-Packer Collection BX9315 .O8 1721

13O Of CoMMUNION with to give my life a ranfom, it was the teftimony he bare to all he did in the world. This intendment of his is efpecially to be eyed. From eternityhe had thoughts of what he would do for us, and delighted himfIf therein. And when he was in the world, u all he went about, he had frill this thought, This is for them, and this is for them, my beloved. When he went to be baptized, fays ,John, I have need to come to thee, andcornett thou to me ? Matt. iii. 14, 15. as if he had Paid, Thon haft no need at all of it. But fays Chrift, Sufer me now, for fo it becometh us to fulfil all righte- oufnefs, I do it for them whohave none at all, and Elandobligedunto all. [z.] In what he fuffered ; this is more dear, Dan. ix. 26. Meffias (hall be cut of , andnot for himfelf; and the apoftle lays down this as a main difference between him, and the high priefis of the Yews, that when they made their folemn offerings, they offered firft for themfelves, and then for the people, but Jefus Christ offreth only for others, lie had no fin and and could make no facrifice for his own fin, which he had not, but only for others. He tailed death for all, Heb. ü. q. Gave his life a ranfom for many, Matt. xx. lo. The iniquity of us all was made to meet on hint, Ifa. liii. 6. He bare our fin in his body on the tree, t Pet. i. Loved his church, and gave himfelf for it, Ephef. v. 26. Gal. ii. 20. Rom. iv. 25: Rev. i. 5, 6. Tit. ii. 14. 1 Tim. ii. 6. Ifa. liii. t2. fob. xvii. 19. But this is exceeding clear and confefl'ed, that Chrift in his fuffering and oblation, had his intention only upon the good of his died, and their acceptation with God ; Suffering for us, the jufl for theunjufl, thathe mioht bring us to God. To compleat this communion on the part of Chrifi, it is required, (t.) That there be added to what he bath done, the Gofpel tenders of that compleat righteoufnefs and acceptation with God, which arifeth from his perfe& obedience and fufferings. Now they are twofold. ft.] Declaratory, in the conditional promifes of the Gofpel. Job. vii. 37. Matt. xi. 28. He that believeth(hall be Paved, come to me andyou fhallhave life. As theferpent was liftedoff, tkc. Chrifl is the endof the lawfor right, teoufnefs to them that believe, Rom. x. 4. and innumerable others. Now declaratory tenders are very precious ; there is much kindnefs in them, and if they be rejefted, they will be the favour of death unto death, but the Lord Christ knows that the outward letter, though never fo effectually held out, will not enable any of his for that reception of his righteoufnefs, which is necelfary to intereft them therein ; wherefore,. [2.] In this tender of acceptation with God, on the account of what he bath done and fuffered, a law is eftablithed, that whofoever receives it, Than be fo accepted. But Chrift knows the condition and date of his in this world, This will not do. If he donot effectually inveft them with it, all is loft. Therefore, (2.) He fends them his Holy Spirit to quicken them, job. vi. 63 to taufe them that are dead, to hear his voice, Job. v. and to work in them, whatever is required of them, to make them partakers of his righteoufnefs, and accepted with God. Thus cloth Christ deal with his ; he lives and dies with an intention to work out, and compleat righteoufnefs for them.; their enjoying of it to a perfeft acceptation before God, is all that in the one and other he aimed at. Then he tenders it unto them, declares the ufefulnefs and precioufnefs of it to their fouls, Birring them up to a de- Ere and valuation of it ; and laftly of &wally bellows it upon them, reckons it unto them as theirs ; that they Ihould by it, for it, with it, be perfe&ly accepted withhis father. Thus

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