Christ the Redeemer
Quest. 19. How does the Spirit apply to us the redemption purchased by Christ?
Resp. The Spirit applies to us the redemption purchased by Christ, by working faith in us, and uniting us thereby to Christ in our effectual calling.
Here are in this answer two things,
1. Something implied, namely, That Christ is the glorious purchaser of our redemption, in these words, The redemption purchased by Christ.
2. Something expressed, namely, That the Spirit applies to us this redemption purchased, By working faith in us, &c.
1. The thing here implied, That Jesus Christ is the glorious purchaser of our redemption: The doctrine of redemption by Jesus Christ is a glorious doctrine; 'tis the marrow and quintessence of the Gospel. In this all a Christian's comfort lies. Great was the work of creation, but greater the work of redemption: it cost more to redeem us than to make us; in the one there was but the speaking a word, in the other shedding of blood (Luke 1:51). The creation was but the work of God's fingers (Psalm 8:3). Redemption the work of his arm (Hebrews 9:12): Having obtained eternal redemption for us. Christ's purchasing redemption for us, implies that our sins did mortgage and sell us: had there not been some kind of mortgaging, there had been no need of redemption: Redimere, q. rursus emere, Hierom. Now Christ when we were thus mortgaged and sold by sin, did purchase our redemption: Christ has the best right to redeem us, for he is our kinsman: the Hebrew word for Redeemer, Goel, signifies a kinsman, one that is near in blood: in the Old Law the nearest kinsman was to redeem his brother's land (Ruth 4:4). Thus Christ being near akin to us, flesh of our flesh, is the fittest to redeem us.
Quest. How does Christ redeem us?
Resp. By his own precious blood (Ephesians 1:7): In whom we have redemption through his blood. Among the Romans he was said to redeem another, that laid down a price equivalent for the ransom of the prisoner. In this sense Christ is a Redeemer, [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], he has paid a price. Never such a price paid to ransom prisoners (1 Corinthians 6:20): You are, Pretio Empti, bought with a price; and this price was his own blood. So in the Text, By his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. This blood being the blood of that person who was God as well as Man, is a price sufficient for the ransom of millions.
Quest. From what does Christ redeem us?
Resp. From sin. To be redeemed from Turkish slavery is a great mercy, but it is infinitely more to be redeemed from sin. There is nothing can hurt the soul but sin; it is not affliction hurts it, it often makes it better, as the furnace makes gold the purer; but it is sin that does damnify. Now Christ redeems us from sin (Hebrews 9:26): Now once in the end of the world has he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
Quest. But how are we redeemed from sin? Do we not see corruption stirring in the regenerate? Much pride and unmortified passion?
Resp. We must distinguish of redemption: Redemption is either Inchoata or Plena; a redemption but begun and perfect: sin cannot stand with a perfect redemption, but here it is but begun; sin may stand with an imperfect redemption. There may be some darkness in the air at the sun's first rising, but not when the sun is at the full meridian: While our redemption is but begun, there may be sin; but not when it is perfected in glory.
Quest. But in what sense has Christ redeemed justified persons from sin?
Resp. A Reatu, from the guilt of sin, though not the stain: guilt is the binding a person over to punishment. Now, Christ has redeemed a justified person from the guilt of sin; he has discharged his debts. Christ says to God's Justice, as Paul to Philemon, If he has wronged you anything, or owes you anything, put that on my account, Verse 18.
2. A justified person is redeemed à Dominio, from the power and regency of sin, though not the presence. Sin may furere, but not regnare, it may rage in a child of God, but not reign: lust did rage in David, fear in Peter, but it did not reign; they recovered themselves by repentance (Romans 6:14): Sin shall not have dominion over you. Sin lives in a child of God, but it is deposed from the throne, it lives not as a king but a captive.
3. A believer is redeemed à Maledictione, from the curse due to sin (Galatians 3:13): Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. Christ said to his Father, as Rebecca to Jacob, Upon me, upon me, be the curse, let the blessing be upon them, but upon me be the curse. And now there's no condemnation to believers (Romans 8:1). An unbeliever has a double condemnation; one from the law which he has transgressed, the other from the Gospel, which he has despised. But Christ has redeemed a believer from this malediction, he has set him out of the power of hell and damnation.
Quest. To what has Christ redeemed us?
Resp. He has redeemed us to a glorious inheritance (1 Peter 1:4): To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fades not away, reserved in heaven for you.
1. To an inheritance.] Christ has not only redeemed us out of prison, but he has redeemed us to a state of happiness, to an inheritance: heaven is not a lease which soon expires, but an inheritance; and a glorious inheritance (Colossians 1:12): An inheritance, [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], in light. Lumen actuat colores: Light adorns and gilds the world: What were the world without light, but a prison? The heavenly inheritance is irradiated with light: Christ as a continual sun enlightens it with his beams (Revelation 21:23).
2. To an inheritance incorruptible: It does not moulder away, or suffer dissolution. Earthly comforts are shadowed out by the tabernacle, which was transient, but heaven is set out by the temple, which was fixed and permanent, built with stone, overlaid with gold. This is the glory of the celestial inheritance; it is incorruptible, [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], &c. Chrysostom. Eternity is written upon the frontispiece of it.
3. Undefiled: The Greek word for undefiled alludes to a precious stone called Amiantus, which cannot be blemished: such a place is Heaven, undefiled, nothing can stain it; there's no sin there to eclipse its purity. For the holiness and undefiledness of it, it is compared to pure gold, and to the sapphire, and emerald (Revelation 21). The sapphire has a virtue, says Pliny, to preserve chasteness; the emerald to expel poison. These are the lively emblems of Heaven, to show the sanctity of it; no fever of lust, no venom of malice, there are none but pure virgin spirits inhabit.
4. It fades not away: The Greek word is the name of a flower Amarantus, which keeps a long time fresh and green, as Clement Alexandrinus writes. Such is the heavenly inheritance, it does not lose its orient color, but keeps its freshness and greenness to eternity; the beauty of it fades not away. To this glorious inheritance has Christ redeemed the saints: an inheritance which cannot be fully described, or set forth by all the lights of Heaven, though every star were a sun: and that which is the diamond in the ring, the glory of this inheritance, is the eternal sight and fruition of the blessed God. The sight of God will be the most alluring, heart-ravishing object: king's presence makes the court (John 3:2). We shall see him as he is. It is comfortable to see God showing himself through the [reconstructed: lattice] of an ordinance, to see him in the Word and sacrament. The martyrs thought it comfortable to see him in a prison: O then, what will it be to see him in glory, shining ten thousand times brighter than the sun! And not only see him, but enjoy him for ever: Proemium quod fide non attingitur, Augustine. Faith itself is not able fully to comprehend this reward. And all this blessedness has Christ purchased through the redemption of his blood.
Use 1. Branch 1. See into what a wretched, deplorable condition we had brought ourselves by sin; we had sinned ourselves into slavery — slavery, so that we needed Christ to purchase our redemption: Nihil durius servitute, Cicero. Slavery is the worst condition. Such as are now prisoners in Algiers think so. But by sin we were in a worse slavery, slaves to Satan, a merciless tyrant, who sports in the damnation of souls. In this condition were we when Christ came to redeem us.
Branch 2. See in this as in a transparent glass, the love of Christ to the elect, he came to redeem them: these he died intentionally for. Were it not great love for a king's son to pay a great sum of money to redeem a captive, but that he should be content to be a prisoner in his stead, and die for his ransom; this were matter of wonder. Jesus Christ has done all this, he has written his love in characters of blood — it had been much for Christ to speak a good word to his Father for us, but he knew that was not enough to redeem us. Though a word speaking made a world, yet it would not redeem a sinner (Hebrews 9:22). Without shedding of blood is no remission.
2. Use of trial: If Christ came to purchase our redemption, then let us try whether we are the persons whom Christ has redeemed from the guilt and curse due to sin. This is a needful trial, for, let me tell you, there is but a certain number whom Christ has redeemed. O say, sinners, Christ is a Redeemer, and we shall be saved by him! Beloved, Christ came not to redeem all; then we overthrow the decrees of God. Redemption is not as large as creation. I grant, there is a sufficiency of merit in Christ's blood to save all; but there's a difference between sufficiency and efficiency. Christ's blood is a sufficient price for all, but it is effectual only to them that believe: a plaster may have a sovereign virtue in it to heal any wound, but it does not heal unless applied to the wound. And if it be so that all have not the benefit of Christ's redemption, only some, then it is a necessary question to ask our souls, whether we are in the number of them that are redeemed by Christ, or no?
Question. How shall we know that?
Answer. Such as are redeemed are reconciled to God; the enmity is taken away — their judgments approve, their wills incline ad bonum (Colossians 1:21). Are they redeemed that are unreconciled to God? Who hate God and his people, (as the vine and laurel) have an antipathy, who do all they can to disparage holiness — are these redeemed who are unreconciled? Christ has purchased a reprieve for these, but a sinner may have a reprieve and yet go to hell (John 5:6).
2. Such as are redeemed by Christ, are redeemed from the world (Galatians 1:4). Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver (or redeem) us from this present evil world. Such as are redeemed by Christ, are risen with Christ (Colossians 3:1). As the birds though they light upon the ground to pick up a little seed, yet immediately they take their wings and fly up to Heaven again: so the redeemed of the Lord, though they use the world, and take the lawful comforts of it, yet their hearts are presently off these things, and they ascend to Heaven; live here, trade above. Such as Christ has died for, are dead to the world (Galatians 6:14). I am crucified to the world; to the honors, profits, and preferments of it. What shall we think of them who say they are the redeemed of the Lord, yet are lovers of the world? Like the tribes who desired to have their portion on this side Canaan (Philippians 3:19). Who mind earthly things. They pull down their souls to build up an estate: they are not redeemed by Christ, who are not redeemed from the world.
3. Use of Comfort, to such as are redeemed: You are happy, the lot of free grace is fallen upon you; you who were once in the devil's prison, you have broke this prison; you that were once bound in the chains of sin, God has begun to beat off your chains, and has freed you from the power of sin, and curse due to it. What a comfort is this? And is there any consolation in Christ, it is yours; is there any sweet fruit growing upon the promise, you may gather it; are there any glorious privileges in the Gospel, they are your jointure, Justification, Adoption, Coronation; is there any glory in Heaven, you shall shortly drink of that river of pleasure; do you have any temporal comforts, these are but a pledge and earnest of more: Your meal in your barrel is but a bait by the way, and an earnest of that angels' food which God has prepared for you. How may you be comforted in all worldly afflictions, though the fig-tree flourish not? Or rather, in case of death, death has lost its sting: Mors obiit morte Christi. Death shall carry you to your Redeemer: fear not dying, not happy but by dying.
Use last, of Exhortation: Long for the time when you shall have a full and perfect redemption in Heaven, an eternal Jubilee; when you shall be freed not only from the power but from the presence of sin. Here a believer is as a prisoner that has broke prison, but walks with a fetter on his leg. When the banner of glory shall be displayed over you, you shall be as the angels of God; you shall never have a sinful thought more. When no pain or grief, no aching head or unbelieving heart, you shall see Christ's face, and lie forever in his arms. You shall be as Joseph (Genesis 41:14). They brought him hastily out of the dungeon; and he shaved himself, and changed his clothing, and came in to Pharaoh. Long for that time when you shall put off your prison-garments, and change your clothing, and put on the embroidered garment of glory. O long, yet be content to wait for this full and glorious redemption, when you shall be more happy than you can desire, when you shall have that which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor can it enter into man's heart to conceive.
