LVI. SERM. putting them in mind of that grand sacrifice which He had just before promised should be offered up for the sins of the world. And this seems to be the original of that general custom of sacrificing beasts, that hath obtained in all places and ages ever since; which could not have been so universally received by mankind, as it hath been, if it had not come from their common head. But Almighty God having been pleased to foreshew how He would offer up the flesh, which He had promised to take of the seed of the woman, as an expiatory sacrifice for the sins of mankind, by slaying beasts, and then covering the first man and woman with their skins: He thereby sufficiently signified it to be His will, that the memory of His said promise should be kept up the same way, even by offering beasts in sacrifice to Him, in all ages till it should be fulfilled. And therefore, although we do not find that Adam himself did it, his wearing the skins that God Himself clothed him with, being a sufficient token of it to him; yet it is plain that his son Abel did it, and God approved of his doing it. For when Cain had offered of the fruit of the ground, and Abel of the firstlings of his flock, and the fat thereof, God had respect to Gen. 4. 4, 5. Abel and his offering, but not to Cain's. Abel's being such a sacrifice as God Himself had ordained to represent the death of His Son: he thereby shewed his faith in the promise which God had made of it. And therefore it is written, Heb. 11. 4. "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was rightGod testifying of his gifts: and by it, he being dead, yet speaketh." He having offered beasts of the firstlings of his flock to God, as a sign of his faith in the promised seed, and being thereby accepted of as righteous before God, and Matt.23.35. called " righteous Abel" by Christ Himself; "He being dead, yet speaketh;" He preacheth the Gospel, declaring to all the world, that God by the seed of the woman, even by Jesus Christ, hath redeemed mankind, from the state of sin and death into which they were fallen, into a state of righteousness and salvation: so that by faith in Him, men may be made and accounted righteous again, and so be restored unto, and live with Him in Paradise for ever. [Ps. 118. 23.] eous. "This was the Lord's doing, and it was marvellous in our eyes." But wherefore did He redeem man in such a wonderful manner? He did it for Himself. As when the children of Israel had provoked him, He "nevertheless saved Ps. 106. 8. them for His name's sake, that He might make His mighty power to be known." So when all mankind were fallen under His displeasure, yet nevertheless He redeemed and saved them for his own sake, that the glory of His Divine perfections might appear and be known in the world. He had discovered His infinite wisdom, power and goodness, and many other perfections in His creation and government of the world. But there are some of them, which could not be exerted in such kind of works; particularly His mercy and truth. For mercy cannot be shewn, but where there is sin and misery. Though He made all things good, and is accordingly good to all, yet He cannot be properly said to be merciful to any but such as have offended Him and incurred His displeasure. Neither could He have shewed Himself to be true or faithful to His promises, unless He had first made them. But both these perfections, which otherwise had never been seen, shine forth most gloriously in His redemption of mankind by Jesus Christ. His mercy in giving His onlybegotten Son to die for their sins, and in promising them all sorts of blessings and favours in Him; and His truth, in the faithful performance of all such promises: wherefore it is written, that "grace, or mercy, and truth, came by Jesus John 1. 17. Christ." They came into the world by Him, and without Him had never been seen in it: but in Him God is so merciful, as to promise pardon and Salvation to all that repent and believe the Gospel; "And in Him all the promises of 2 Cor. 1. 20. God are Yea and Amen, to the glory of God by us." By us who believe, and so give Him the glory of His mercy and truth; hence it is that faith is so indispensably required in order to Salvation; because unless men believe in the merciful promises which God hath made, they do not answer His end in making them, but deprive Him of the glory, and by consequence, themselves of the benefit of them. Whereas they who live with a firm belief and trust on the promises which He hath made of grace and mercy, He is accordingly gracious and merciful to them for Christ's sake, in that they LVI. Rom. 4. 20. 10. [1 Pet. 1.9.] SERM. give Him the glory which He designed to Himself by Him. As it is said of Abraham, that "he was strong in faith, giving 2 Thess. 1. glory to God." And God is said to "be admired in all them that believe." Who therefore "attain the end of their faith, 1 John 5. 10. even the salvation of their souls." But "he that believeth not God, hath made Him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of His Son." And all such not believing in Him, by whom alone they can be made and accounted righteous, they are all in the number of the wicked, which the wise man here speaks of, saying, that He made "the wicked also for the day of evil." Though He did not make them wicked, yet He made them, together with the rest of mankind and He made them all upright. And when they were fallen in their first parents, He gave them a Saviour, by whom they might rise again and become righteous, if it was not their own personal fault. And although He foreknew that they would choose to continue in their wickedness, yet notwithstanding He made them, but He made them for "the day of evil." He made them, as He made all things else, for Himself; that His glory might appear in them: as He said to Pharaoh, Rom. 9. 17; "Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I Exod. 9. 16. might shew My power in thee, and that My name might be 7-10. declared through all the earth." So He made such as He foresaw would make themselves wicked, to shew His power and justice in them. How illustriously did His power appear in His destruction of the old wicked world, by breaking up the foundations of the great deep, and opening the windows of Heaven? That is, by letting loose both the sea and clouds upon them, in His consuming Sodom and Gomorrah by fire and brimstone from Heaven, and in His causing the earth to open her mouth and swallow up Korah, and his accomplices. There are many such instances of God's infinite power in altering the very course of nature, for the punishment of wicked men. And how glorious will His justice also shine upon them 2 Thess. 1. all in the evil day! evil indeed to them, "when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with His mighty Angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall be punished with everlasting destruction, from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power; when He shall come to be glorified in His Saints, and admired in all them that believe." And in all them that believe not too; seeing they would not give Him the glory of His mercy and truth, He will shew forth the glory of His power and justice upon them. And so will have His glory one way or other from all. Wherefore, brethren, you had best to look to yourselves. If notwithstanding all that God hath done for you, you will be wicked still, and not glorify Him yourselves, He will glorify Himself upon you. And then woe be to you. You will find it "a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the [Heb. 10. 31.] living God." If He once take you to task, He will make thorough work. It is not your wit, or your wealth, that can help you. He will not lose His end in making and redeeming you: He did it for His own glory, and He will have it ; either by your serving Him, or His punishing you. The evil day is coming, in which His justice shall appear as illustrious in His destruction of the wicked, as His mercy in the Salvation of the righteous. And therefore you had need take care before it be too late: there is no dallying with Omnipotence. The Almighty Creator of the world will make all men know that He made them, and that He made them for Himself, to advance His glory; and if they will not do it, He will do it Himself, by making them everlasting monuments, not of His mercy, but of His justice and truth. Let us therefore now resolve, by His assistance, to set upon this "great work" in good earnest; now especially, that He hath not only made, but redeemed us to Himself. "We are bought with a price, and therefore should glorify 1 Cor. 6. 20. God, both in our body and in our spirits, which are God's." And let us accordingly make it the chief care and business of our life, to "shew forth the praises of Him, who hath [1Pet.2.9.] called us out of darkness into His marvellous light; and to give Him the glory that is due unto His Name:" the glory [Heb. 12. of His power, by worshipping and serving Him with "reve- 23.] rence and godly fear:" the glory of His goodness, by loving Him with all our hearts: the glory of His righteousness, by LVI. SERM. observing all His laws: the glory of His wisdom, by submitting to His will: the glory of His truth, by believing all that He hath revealed to us in His Holy Word: the glory of His mercy, by living with a sure trust and confidence on Him for all things necessary to our Salvation by Jesus Christ: and the glory of all His perfections, by our constant admiring and praising the wonderful works that He hath done that when we go out of the world, we may be able in some measure to say, as our Saviour did unto the Father, "I have glorified Thee on the earth, I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do." And in the meanwhile, let us sing with the quire of Heaven, "Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb; Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God, for ever and ever." Amen. John 17.4. Rev. 7. 10, 12. |