Looking unto Jesus a view of the everlasting gospel, or, the souls eying of Jesus as carrying on the great work of mans salvation from first to last / by Isaac Ambrose ...

SECT. III. Of desiring Jesus in that Respect.

3. LEt us desire after Jesus, carrying on the work of our salvation in his death; Je∣sus Christ to a fallen sinner is the chief object of desire, but Jesus Christ as crucified is the chief piece of that object. Humbled souls look after the remedy, and they find chiefly in Christ crucified; and hence are so many cryes after bathings in Christ's blood, and hiding in Christ's righteousness, active, and passive. Indeed nothing doth so cool and refresh a parched, dry, and thirsty soul as the blood of Jesus; which made the poor woman cry out so earnestly, I have an husband, and Children, and many other comforts, but I would give them all, and all the good that ever I shall see in this world, or in the world to come, to have my poor thirsty soul refreshed with that precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

But what is there in Christ's blood or death that is so desirable? I answer,—

1. There is in it the person of Christ, he that is God-man, man-God, The bright∣ness of his father's Glory, and the express Image of his Person, it is he that dyed; every drop of his blood was not only the blood of an innocent man, but of one that was God as well as man, God with his own blood purchased the Church; now surely every thing of God is most desirable.

2. There is in it a worth, or price; Christ considered under the notion of a sacrifice is of infinite worth; now this sacrifice (saith the Apostle) he offered up, Heb. 9.28. He offered up, not in Heaven, as the Socinians would have it, in presenting himself be∣fore God his Father, but upon earth, viz. in his Passion upon the Cross. No wealth in heaven or earth besides this, could redeem one soul, and therefore the Apostle sets this against all corruptible things, as silver and gold, the things so much set by amongst the men of this world; Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver, and gold,—but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish, and with∣out spot.

3. There is in it a merit and satisfaction; the Scripture indeed doth not expresly use these words, but it hath the sense and meaning of them; As in that text, He hath

made us accepted in the beloved; to whom we have redemption through his blood. I know there is a different notion in these words; for merit doth properly respect the good that is to be procured, but satisfaction the evil that is repelled; but in Christ we stand not on these distinctions, because in his merit was satisfaction, and in his satisfaction was merit. A great controversie is of late risen up, Whether Christ's death be a satisfaction to Divine justice? But the very words redeeming and buying, do plainly demonstrate; that a satisfaction was given to God by the death of Jesus; He gave himself for us that he might redeem us, ye are bought with a price; and what price was that? why his own blood. Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood; (i.e.) by thy death and Passion. This was the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that ransome which Christ gave for his Elect; The Son of man came to give his life a ransome for many; or as the Apostle, He gave him∣self a ransome for all, the word is here 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which signifies an adequate price, or a counterprice; as when one doth, or undergoeth something in the room of another; as when one yields himself a Captive for the redeeming of another out of Captivity, or gives up his own life for the saving of another man's life; so Christ gave himself 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a ransome, or counterprice, submitting himself to the like punishment that his redeemed ones should have undergone.

The Socinians tell us that Christ's sufferings and death were not for satisfaction to God, but in reference to us, that we might believe the truth of his Doctrine confirmed and sealed (as they say) by his death, and that we might yield obedience to God ac∣cording to the pattern that he hath set before us, and that so believing and obeying, we might obtain the remission of Sins and eternal Life.

But the Scripture goes higher; in that mutual compact and agreement betwixt God and Christ, we find God the Father imposing, and Christ submitting to this satisfaction. 1. The Father imposeth it by charging the sins of his Elect upon Je∣sus Christ. The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all; not the sins them∣selves, not the evill in them, or fault of them, but the guilt and penalty belonging to them; this God laid upon his Son, and charged it upon him; he charged it as a Credi∣tor chargeth the debt upon the Surety, requiring satisfaction. 2. Christ undertook it. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, or as some translate, It was exacted, and he an∣swered; (i.e.) God the Father required satisfaction for sin, and Jesus Christ was our Surety answered in our behalf; He bear the Sins of many, he bear them as a porter that bears the burthen for another which himself is not able to stand under; he bear them by undergoing the punishment which was due for them, he bear them as our Surety, sub∣mitting himself unto the penalty which we had deserved; and by that means he made satisfaction to the justice of God. Surely Christs death was not only for confirmati∣on of his Doctrine, but for satisfaction to God.

4. There is in it not only a true, but a copious, and full satisfaction; Christ's death and blood is superabundant to our sins; The grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant 1. Tim. 1.14. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 it was over-full, redundant, more than enough. Many an humble soul is apt enough to complain, Oh if I had not been so great a sinner, if I had not committed such and such transgressions, there might have been hope; This is to underva∣lue Christ's redemption, this is to think there is more in sin to damn, than in Christ's suf∣ferings to save; whereas all thy Sins to Christ are but as a little cloud to the glorious Sun; yea, all the Sins of all the men in the world, are but to Christs merits as a drop to the Ocean. I speak not this to encourage the presumptuous sinner; for alass, he hath no part in this satisfaction; but to comfort the humble sinner, who is loaden with the sense of his Sins; what though they were a burthen greater than he can bear? yet they are not a burthen greater than Christ can bear; there is in Christ's blood an infinite trea∣sure, able to sanctifie thee, and all the World, there is in Christs death a ransome, a coun∣terprice sufficient to redeem all the sinners, that ever were, or ever shall be; the price is of that nature, that it is not diminished, though it be extended to never so many; as the Sun hath fulness of light to enlighten all the world; and if the blind do not see by it, it is no any scarcity of light in the Sun, but by reason of his own indisposition; so if all men are not acquitted by Christ's death, it's not because that was insufficient, as if it had not vertue enough to reach them as well as others, but because they by their unbelief do reject this remedy. Oh what large room hath saith to expatiate in! sit down, and dive, and dive, yet thou canst not come to the bottom of Christ's blood; but as the Prophet Ezekiel saw still more and greater abominati∣ons, so mayest thou in the sufferings of Christ observe more and more fulness.

See what a notable opposition the Apostle makes, Rom. 5.15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21. between the first and second Adam; proving at large that Christ doth super-abound in the fruits of his grace, above the first Adam in the fruits of his sin; he calls it grace, and the abundance of grace, and this abundance of grace reigneth to life; so that these Texts should be like so much oyl poured into the wounds of every broken-hearted sin∣ner. Oh is there any thing that can be desired more than this?

5. There is in it remission of sins; so saith Christ, This is my blood of the New Te∣stament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins, Remission of sins is attributed to Christ's death as a cause; it is not thy tears, or prayers, or rendings of heart that could pay the least farthing, Without shedding of blood (saith the Apostle) there is no remission. God will have tears and blood also, though not for the same purpose; for all thy tears thou must flie to Christ only as the cause; it is true, thou must mourn, and pray, and humble thy self, but it's Christ's blood only that can wash us clean; Oh re∣member this! God will not pardon without satisfaction by the blood of Christ. And surely this makes Christ's death so desirable; Oh my sins afflict me, (cries many a one) Oh I am loathsome in mine own eyes, much more in Gods, surely God is offended with my dulness, slothfulness, and my thousand imperfections; I am all the day long entangled with this sin, and that sin, and the other sin; but let this contrite spirit look on Christ's death, and therein he may find all sin is pardoned: see here what an Argument is put into thy mouth from these sufferings of Christ, well mayest thou say, O Lord I am unwor∣thy, but it is just and right that Christ obtain what he died for; O pardon my sins for his death's sake, and for his precious blood sake.

6. There is in it reconciliation and peace with God, In Christ Jesus ye who some∣times were afar off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ, for he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us.—When we were enemies, we were reconciled unto God by the death of his Son—that he might reconcile both (viz. Jews and Gentiles) unto God in one body by the Cross.—And having made peace through the blood of his Cross, by him ••o reconcile all things to himself. This certain∣ly should admirably support the drooping soul; it may be thou cryest, My sins have made a breach betwixt God and my soul; I have warred against heaven, and now God wars against me; and oh what odds? if the Lord be angry, yea, but a little; what will become of my poor soul? is a little stubble able to contend with the consuming fire? how then should I contend with God? but come now, and look on Christ's death as the means and meri∣torious cause of reconciliation, and thou canst not but say, O this death is desirable! When God the Father looks at a sinner in the bloody glass of Christ, then saith God, Oh now fury and wrath is not in me; I have no more quarrel or controversie with this soul: seeing Christ hath suffered, it is enough, I have as much as my justice can demand, my frowns are now turned into smiles, and my rod of iron into a Scepter of grace. Why this is it that makes Christ's death and blood so desirable to the soul; what shall Jacob so rejoyce in seeing Esau's face altered to him? shall he say to Esau, I have seen thy face, as the face of God? how much rather may the humble and believing sinner be filled with gladness, when through Christ's blood shall be thus appeased and reconciled with him?

7. There is in it immunity and safety from all the judgments and dangers threatned against our sins. Surely if there were such force in the blood of the type, that by the effusion of it the Israelites lay safe, and untouched of the revenging Angel, how much more in the blood of Christ? Satan himself is said to be overcome by the blood of the Lamb; and God's revenge due to our sins is said to be removed by the blood of Jesus, therefore it is called The blood of sprinkling, that speaks better things than the blood of Abel; the blood of sprinkling was for safety, and Christ's blood is for safety; it cries not for revenge, as Abel's blood cryed, but for mercy and for deliverance from all mi∣sery.

8. There is in it a blessed vertue to open Heaven, and to make passage thither for our souls, Having boldness or liberty to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus: it is the blood of Christ that rents the Vail, and makes a way into the Holy of Holies, that is, into the Kingdom of Heaven; without this blood there is no access to God; it is only by the blood of Christ that heaven is open to our prayers, and that Heaven is open to our persons; this blood is the key that unlocks Heaven, and lets in the souls of his Re∣deemed ones: And I looked (saith John) and behold a door was open in Heaven, and the first voice I heard, was as it were of a trumpet talking with me, which said, come up hither;

and no sooner was he in the Spirit, and entred in, but he heard the new song of the four beasts, and four and twenty Elders, saying to Christ, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof, for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood.

Come now, and gather in all these several particulars, there is in Christ's blood in∣clusively the person of Christ, the price of souls, a merit and satisfaction, a copious and full satisfaction, remission of sins, reconciliation with God, immunity from dan∣gers, a passage into glory; I might add all other priviledges, benefits, dignities of the soul, for they all flow from the blood of Jesus, and they are all contained either ex∣presly, or vertually in the blood of Jesus; and is not all this worth the looking after? O my soul, where is thy languor, and fainting towards this blessed object? Shall Ahab eagerly desire after Naboth's vineyard, yea, so eagerly desire it, that his desire shall cast him upon his bed? and is not Christ's blood better than Naboth's vineyard? how is it O my soul, that thou art not sick on thy bed in thy desires after Jesus? when David desired strongly after God's Law, he expressed his longings by the breaking and faint∣ing of his soul, My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath to thy judgment at all times;—and my soul fainteth for thy Salvation: Oh where be these breakings and faintings? strength of desire is expressed by the Apostle by groaning, which is the language of sickness; Oh where be these groanings after Christ's death? when I call to mind that Christ's death is my ransome, that Christ's wounds are my salves, that Christ's stripes are my cures, that Christ's blood is my fountain to wash in, and to be clean; how should I but pray in this sence, His blood be upon us, and on our children? Oh I am undone except I have a share in this blood; why it is only this blood that can heal my soul, it is only this Fountain opened to the house of David, and to the inhabitants of Jeru∣salem, that can quench my thirst; and now I have seen the Fountain opened, how should I but thirst, and cry out with the woman of Samaria, O give me this water that I thirst no more? But alas, I say it, I only say it. Oh that I could feel it! Oh my Jesus that thou wouldst breed in me ardent desires, vehement longings, unutterable groans, mighty gaspings; O that I were like the dry and thirsty ground, that gapes, and cleaves, and opens for drops of rain! when my spirit is in right frame I feel some desires after Christ's blood, but how short are these desires, how unworthy of the things desired? come Lord, kindle in me hot burning desires, and then give me the desirable Object.

Notes

• Heb. 1.3.
• Acts 20.28.
• Heb. 9.28.
• 1 Pet. 1.18.
• Ephes. 6.7.
• Tit. 2 14. 1 Cor. 6.20. Rev. 5.9.
• Mat. 20.28. 1 Tit. 2.6.
• Isa. 53.6.
• Ver. 7.
• Ver. 12.
• Ver. 17.
• Mat. 26.28.
• Heb. 9.22.
• Eph. 2.13, 14.
• Rom. 5.10. Eph. 2.16. Col. 1.20.
• Rev. 12.11.
• Heb. 12.24.
• Heb. 10.19.
• Rev. 4.1.
• Rev. 5.9.
• Psal. 119.20, 81.
• 2 Cor. 5.2.
• John 4.15.