may all be summed up in eternal life, begun in every be liever in this world, and perfected in the world of glory.

3. Who purchased this Redemption. Even Jesus Christ, the Son of God in our nature, 1 Thess. i. ult. forecited. He took on him our nature, and became our near kinsman, that he might redeem the slaves and the captives, and redeem to them their mortgaged inheritance. For he made a full redemption, not only buying sinners from under the curse, but withal purchasing for them the blessing they had forfeited. This was a work too great for any lower person: rivers of oil would not have done it; the stock of angels could not have answered this strait of mankind. But God ' laid help upon one that is mighty,' Psal. lxxxix. 19.

4. What was the ransom paid. All that Christ did and suffered for sinners comes under the name of the ransom. For he himself was the ransom, 1 Tim. ii. 6. 'Who gave himself a ransom for all.' He did not give gold, money, or lands, for us; for such mean things could not have been accepted: but he gave himself for us: Who gave himself for me,' says Paul, Gal. ii. 20. He gave body for body, soul for soul, bare our sins in his own body, and made his soul an offering for sin. And as our ransom,

(1.) He obeyed, gave punctual perfect obedience unto all the commands of the law, and so fulfilled all righteousness. Whereas we were born sinners, he was born holy; whereas we lived sinners, keeping none of the commands, he lived sinless, and kept them all. So that the law had all its demands of obedience from him.

(2.) He suffered and bare what the law threatened; and so satisfied justice in the room of sinners. Both these we have, Gal. iv. 4, 5. When the fulness of time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons,' Phil. ii. 8. Being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." Hence, when the scripture attributes our redemption to his blood, Eph. i. 7. 1 Pet.i. 18, 19. it is not to be understood exclusively of his obedience and other sufferings, but of his bloody death, which was the completing of the ransom; John xix. 30. Jesus cried, It is finished and therefore his blood is named, as supposing the other parts of his obedience and sufferings;

as if one should say, that a man is delivered from prison, by one's paying the utmost farthing for him.

5. For whom this redemption was purchased. The ransom paid was sufficient for the redemption of all mankind; but the elect only were actually redeemed; it was designed for them only, John x. 15. I lay down my life for the sheep.' Chap. xvii. 9. I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me.' It is certain that many perish, and that satisfaction is exacted of themselves for their own debt; so that if Christ died for them, he so far died in vain, Gal. ii. 21. as I have formerly shewn at large.

II. As to the application of this redemption, consider, 1. What this application is. It is the actual interesting us in it, investing us in the possession of it, and making it effectual to us for the ends for which it was purchased; and therefore the text calls it a saving us. So the immediate consequent of this application is twofold.

There

1st. Deliverance from sin and the wrath of God, Rom. vi. 18. Being made free from sin.' Chap. viii. 1. is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.' The chains of guilt binding over the sinner to God's wrath are broken off; the cords are loosed, and thrown away from the prisoner; he is freed from the slavery and reigning power of lusts, and so brought out of Satan's prison.

2dly, Restoration to peace with, and the favour of God, and to a right and title to heaven, and, in a word, being entitled to all the benefits of Christ's purchase, and actual enjoying them in our own persons. This is the effectual application of it to us, even as a salve applied heals the sore.

2. The necessity of this application. It is so necessary that none can have saving benefit by it until it be applied, John i. 12. In contemplation of the purchased redemption, the lives of the elect are spared, and they have means of grace given them, till they be brought in to Christ. But still in the mean time they are in a state of wrath, their sins are unpardoned, and they are without actual right to the inheritance of the saints. As a remedy cannot recover a man unless it be applied; so men must die eternally, notwithstanding of the death of Christ, unless his redemption be applied to them in particular, for their recovery.

3. Who applies this redemption. It is the office of the

Holy Spirit to apply it. The Father sent our Redeemer; the Son purchased our redemption; and the Holy Spirit applies it, as says the text. Our Lord Jesus is the royal Bridegroom; who offers himself and all his benefits unto sinners, upon their marriage with him; it is the Holy Spirit that gains the sinner's consent, and so brings the soul to Christ, whereby it has interest in his purchase. Now,

1st. The outward means the Spirit makes use of for this end is the ministry of the word, i Cor. iii. 5. This is suited to the nature of rational creatures, wherein their sin, danger, and need of Christ, his ability and willingness to save, are laid before them, and they are invited and persuaded to accept of the Redeemer, who thereby comes to their prison doors, offering them liberty; and to their bedsides, offering healing. And faith comes by hearing.

2dly, There is a powerful operation of the Spirit on all the faculties of the soul that accompanies it, 1 Thess. i. 5, 6. Our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost.' Hereby the prison-doors are made to fly open, and the fetters to fly off, like Sampson's green withs from the devil's captive, A new light is let into the mind, the soul is made willing to be made the Lord's only, wholly, and for ever, Psal. cx. 3. Phil. ii. 13. The conscience is quickened, the affections are spiritualized, and the whole soul is affected, so as with heart and good will to embrace Christ. And this is the proper work of the Lord's Spirit. Who else can do it? who can take of Christ's and give to poor sinners, but the Spirit of Christ? John xvi. 26.

4. Whom does he apply it to. He applies it to those, and those only, for whom it was purchased; that is, to the elect, Acts xiii. 48. As many as were ordained unto eternal life, believed.' The Holy Spirit knows the deep things of God, was privy to the counsel of peace that passed betwixt the Father and the Son from eternity: the book of life is open to him, and agreeable thereto he manages his application. Such as fall away may have slight touches of the enlightening Spirit, but they never had the spirit of sanctification resting on them for this application.

The bargain betwixt Christ and an elect soul may get many backsets; sometimes it may seem to be going fair on, and sometimes to be broken off, without hope of ever coming to again but he will never let it blow up for altogether, but will pursue it till it be an effectual match. We may say of the Spirit in this case as Naomi did to Ruth, The man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing,' Ruth iii. ult.

5. Lastly, Whether this application be completed at once or not. It is certain, that a whole Christ, with all his benefits, is at once made over to the sinner. But as certain it is, that there are many of these benefits which they are not presently put in possession of. And therefore the complete application comes not until the last day, which therefore is called our redemption-day, Eph. iv. 30. Rom. viii. 23. Hence the Spirit is still at work in believers carrying on this work, and will never leave it, till he have perfectly united them with him, and taken away every thing that occasions distance.

APPLICATION.

USE. I. Of information. This lets us see,

1. We are poor miserable creatures without Christ, Rev. iii. 17. That we need to be saved, speaks us to be lost; that we need to be redeemed, speaks us to be in bondage. O, sinner! know, that while thou art out of Christ, thou art not a free man. Nay, (1.) Thou art a prisoner of justice; for thou hast broken the law, and thou art taken and bound as in a prison and canst not escape, Isa, lxi. 1. (2.) Thou art Satan's captive, ib. Satan made war against heaven, and engaging with innocent Adam, took him captive, and all of us in his loins; and behold thou art born and livest in captivity. (3.) Thou art the slave of sin, 2 Pet. ii. 19. Thou canst do nothing but sin, and go the round from one sin to another; for that is the only work which Satan's captives get leave to work, Rom. vi. 20.

2. See the need ye have of the application of Christ's redemption. Ye need to have an interest in Christ, to have Christ applied to your souls, as much as ever a poor captive needs the applying of a ransom, or the sick man of a remedy; without which the former must die in the pit, and the latter of his disease, without remedy. The ransom may be paid,

and the remedy provided; but if they be not applied, it is all one to the captive and sick, as if there had been no ransom nor remedy.

3. See the happiness of the saints who are converted by the Spirit. Christ and all his purchase is theirs, 1 Cor. iii. 22, 23. We may say of them as of the prodigal, they were lost, but now found; dead, but now alive; prisoners, but now at liberty, &c. Their guilt is now removed, the power of sin in them is broken, and the indwelling power thereof shall be taken away. Heaven is theirs, the mortgaged inheritance is bought back, and they are infeft in it.

4. The Holy Spirit is a divine person, not a divine attribute; for it is his office to apply Christ's redemption to sinners, which cannot agree but to a person. He is the third person in the Godhead, to whom we owe the same faith, worship, and obedience, as to the Father and the Son. And therefore it is a more justifiable way of speaking of the Spirit to speak of the Spirit as a person, he, than as of a thing, it.

5. There is an absolute need of the Spirit's powerful working on our souls, in order to salvation. Redemption is purchased by Christ; but unless the Spirit apply it to us, we cannot have saving benefit by it. We cannot move towards the Lord in conversion, but as we are moved; for we are dead, and ‘It is the spirit that quickeneth,' John vi. 63. We are in darkness, it is the Spirit that enlightens. We are wayward, and will not turn, we must be made willing in a day of power. Therefore we have much need to seek the Spirit.

6. How just is the destruction of those that resist the Holy Ghost, whose office it is to apply Christ? If men will not have a remedy applied, they must die of their disease. If a captive will not have the ransom applied to him, he must die in the pit, since he refuses to be loosed. They that fight against the Spirit in stifling their convictions, sinning over the belly of light, their damnation is most just. They run a most dangerous risk.

7. What a glorious and great work is the work of man's salvation! At the making of man there was, as it were, a consultation of the Trinity, but the work was soon done, Gen. i. 26, 27. Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. So God created man in his own image.' But at