Sermon Cloud

[1.] For the first, that alone is discovered in Christ. Many inquiries have

the sons of men made after an atonement, — many ways have they entered into

to accomplish it. After this they inquire, Mic. vi. 6, 7, â€oeWill any manner

of sacrifices, though appointed of God, as burnt-offerings, and calves of a

year old; though very costly, thousands of rams, and ten thousand rivers of

oil; though dreadful and tremendous, offering violence to nature, as to give

my children to the fire;â€

David doth positively, indeed, determine this business, Ps. xlix. 7, 8,

â€oeNone of themâ€

brother, nor give to God a ransom for him; for the redemption of their soul

is precious, and it ceaseth for ever.â€

be made; yet men would still be doing, still attempting: hence did they heap

up [191] sacrifices, some costly, some bloody and inhuman. The Jews, to this

day, think that God was atoned for sin by the sacrifices of bulls and goats,

and the like. And the Socinians acknowledge no atonement, but what consists

in men’s repentance and new obedience. In the cross of Christ are the mouths

of all stopped as to this thing. For, —

1st. God hath there discovered that no sacrifices for sin, though of his own

appointment, could ever make them perfect that offered them, Heb. x. 11.

Those sacrifices could never take away sin; [192] — those services could

never make them perfect that performed them, as to the conscience, Heb. ix.

9; as the apostle proves, chap. x. 1. And thence the Lord rejects all

sacrifices and offerings whatever, as to any such end and purpose, verses

6–8, Christ, in their stead, saying, â€oeLo, I come;â€

â€oejustified from all things, from which we could not be justified by the

law,â€

as wholly insufficient in the least to make an atonement for sin. And how

great a thing it was to instruct the sons of men in this wisdom, the event

hath manifested.

2dly. He hath also written vanity on all other endeavours whatever, that

have been undertaken for that purpose. Rom. iii. 24–26, by setting forth his

only Son â€oeto be a propitiation,â€

that in themselves they could make no atonement; for â€oeif righteousness were

by the law, then were Christ dead in vain.â€

made a propitiation, were not we ourselves weak and without strength to any

such purpose? So the apostle argues, Rom. v. 6, when we had no power, then

did he by death make an atonement; as verses 8, 9.

This, wisdom then, is also hid in Christ. Men may see by other helps,

perhaps, far enough to fill them with dread and astonishment, as those in

Isa. xxxiii. 14; but such a sight and view of it as may lead a soul to any

comfortable settlement about it, — that only is discovered in this treasury

of heaven, the Lord Jesus.

[2.] Our disability to answer the mind and will of God, in all or any of the

obedience that he requireth, is in him only to be discovered. This, indeed,

is a thing that many will not be acquainted with to this day. To teach a man

that he cannot do what he ought to do, and for which he condemns himself if

he do it not, is no easy task. Man rises up with all his power to plead

against a conviction of impotency. Not to mention the proud [193] conceits

and expressions of the philosophers, how many that would be called

Christians do yet creep, by several degrees, in the persuasion of a power of

fulfilling the law! And from whence, indeed, should men have this knowledge

that we have not? Nature will not teach it, — that is [194] proud and

conceited; and it is one part of its pride, weakness, and corruption, not to

know it at all. The law will not teach it: for though that will show us what

we have done amiss, yet it will not discover to us that we could not do

better; yea, by requiring exact obedience of us, it takes for granted that

such power is in us for that purpose: it takes no notice that we have lost

it; nor doth it concern it so to do. This, then, also lies hid in the Lord

Jesus. Rom. viii. 2–4, â€oeThe law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath

made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do,

in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the

likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh; that the

righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us.â