good Ebedmelech, comes and
casts down a cord to us, and draws us up out of the pit of sin and misery.
He comes to this prison, and opens the door to let captives free. So then
we have God holden out to us as a redeemer, as a repairer of our
breaches,--"God in Christ reconciling the world,"--"O Israel, thou hast
destroyed thyself, but in me is thine help," Hos. xiii. 9. He finds to
himself "a ransom to satisfy his justice," Job xxxiii. 24. He finds a
propitiation to take away sin,--a sacrifice to pacify and appease his
wrath. He finds one of our brethren, but yet his own Son in whom he is
well pleased, and then holds out all this to sinners that they may be
satisfied in their own consciences, as he is in his own mind. God hath
satisfied himself in Christ, you have not that to do. He is not now to be
reconciled to us, for he was never really at odds, though he covered his
countenance with frowns and threats, since the Fall, and hath appeared in
fire and thunders and whirlwinds which are terrible, yet his heart had
always love in it to such persons; and therefore he is come near in
Christ, and about reconciling us to himself. Here is the business then, to
have our souls reconciled to him, to take away the enmity within us, and
as he is satisfied with his Son, so to satisfy ourselves with him, and be
as well-pleased in his redemption and purchase as the Father is, and then
you believe indeed in him. Now if this were accomplished, what have we
more to do but to love him and to live to him? When you have found in the
Scripture, and believed with the heart, what man once was, and what he now
is, what God once appeared, and what he now manifests himself in the
gospel, ye have no more to do but to search in the same Scriptures what ye
henceforth ought to be. Ye who find your estate recovered in Christ, ask,
"What manner of persons ought we to be?" And the Scripture shall also give
you that "form of sound words," which may not only teach you to believe in
him, but to love him and obey his commands. The law that before condemned
you is now by Christ put in your hands to guide you and conduct you in the
way, and teacheth you how to live henceforth to his glory. "The grace of
God that bringeth salvation hath appeared unto all men, reaching us, that
denying ungodliness, and worldly lusts, we should live soberly,
righteously, and godly in this present world," Tit. ii. 12. Here is the
sum of the rule of your practice and conversation, pie