498 Chrift the Author; and Obediènce the Vol. procured for Mankind ? Thus you fee of what force and advantage the Example of our bleffed Saviour is toward the Recovery and Salvationof Mankind. idly, He is the Author of Eternal Salvation, as he hath purchafed it for us, by the Merit of hisObedience andSufferings, by which he hath obtained Eternal Redemption for us; not only deliverance from the wrath to come; but Eternal Life and Happi- nefs, whenby ourSins we had juftly incurr'd the wrath and difpleafure of Almighty God, and were liable to Eternal Death and Mífery. He was contented to be fubfti- tuted a Sacrifice for us, to bear our Sins in his own Body on the Tree, and to expiate the guilt of all our Offences by his own Sufferings. He died for us, that is not on ly for our Benefit and Advantage, but in our place and head; fo that if he had not died we had eternally perifh'd 5 and becaufe he died, we are faved from that eternal Ruin and Punifhment, which was due tous for our Sins. And this, tho' it be no where in Scripture call'd by the Name or Term of Satisfa. a;en, yet, which is the fame thing in effeft, it is call'd the prize of our Redemption; for as we are Sinners, we are liable and indebted to the Juftice of God, and our bleffed Saviour by his Death and Sufferings hathdifcharged this Obligation; which Difcharge, fince it was obtained for us by the f7edding of his precious Blood, without which, the Scripture exprefly fays, there had been no Rem fion ofSin, why it may not properly enough be called Payment and Satisfaction, I confefs I cannot underhand. Not that God was angry with his Son, for he was always well pleafed with him; or that our Saviour fuffer'd the very fame which the Sinner fhould have done in his own Perfon, the proper Pains and Torments of the damned : but that his perfe l O- bedience and grievous Sufferings, undergone for our fakes, and upon our account, were of that Value and Elleem with God, and his voluntary Sacrifice of himfelf in our Read, fo highly acceptable and well pleafing to him, that he thereupon was pleafed to enter into a Covenant of Grace and Mercy with Mankind ; wherein he hath promifed and engaged himfelf to forgive the Sins of all thofe who fincerely re- pent and believe, and to make them partakers of EternalLife. And hence it is, that the Blood of Chrift, which was fbed for us upon the Crofs, is call'd the Blood of the Covenant; as being the Sanftion of that newCovenant of theGofpel, into which God is entred with Mankind ; and not only theConfirmation, but thevery Foundation of it ; for which reafon, theCup in theLord's Supper (which reprefents to us the Blood of Chrilt) is call'd the New Tefiament inhis Blood, which was fbed for many for the remiion of Sins. 4thly, and lafily, Chrift is faid to be the Author of our Salvation, in refpeft of his powerful and perpetual IntercefJon for us at the right Hand of God. And this feems to be more efpecially intimated and intended, in that Expreflion here in the Text, that being made perfetl he became the Author of eternal Salvation to them that obey him. Which Words of his being perfetled, do, as I have fhew'd before, more immediate- ly refer to his Sufferings, and the Reward that followed them, his Exaltation at the right handofGod, where he lives for ever to make Interceon for us? by which perpe- tual and molt prevalent Interceon of his, he procures all thofe Benefits to be be- flowed upon us, whichhe purchafed for us by his Death i the forgivenefs of our Sins, and our Acceptance with God, and perfelt Reftitution tohis Favour, upon our Faith and Repentance, and the Grace and Affiftance of God's holy Spirit to finable us to a fincere Difcharge of our Duty, to llrengthen us againft all the Temptations of the World, the Flefh, and the Devil, tokeep us from all Evil, and to preferve us tohis Heavenly Kingdom. And this is that which our Apoftle calls obtaining of Mercy, and finding Grace to help in time ofneed, ch. q. v. s 6. of this Epilt. Our bleffed Saviour, now that he is advanced into Heaven, and exalted on the right handof the Majefy on high, doth out of the tenderelt Affe&ion and Compafiìon to Mankind, íN11 profecute that great and merciful Defign of our Salvation which was begun by him here on Earth, and in Virtue of his meritorious Obedience andSufferings does offer up our Prayers toGod, and as it were plead our Caufe with God, and reprefent to him all our Wants and Necellities, and obtain a favourable Anfwer of our Petitions put up to God in his Name, and all neceffary fupplies of Grace and Strength, Proportionable to our Temptations and Infirmities. And by Virtue of this powerful Interceffion of ourbleffed Saviour and Redeemer, our
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