An infinite person

 Doctrine.

It is by Christ alone that eternal life is ever communicated to men.

It was by Christ that eternal life has been communicated from the foundation of the world. 

It was by Christ that holy men in the old world, before the flood, received life; 

'twas by faith in him that Enoch was translated; 

'twas by the reception of Christ that Abraham received eternal life; 

'twas [by] faith in him Moses received eternal happiness, that faith whereby he esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt. 

It was by Christ and him alone that Job, Samuel, David, and the prophets were saved; he is the lamb slain from the foundation of the world, in whose blood the godly have been washed and with whose righteousness they have been clothed—never ever have been or ever will be saved any other way to the end of this world. There is none else can communicate eternal life to us, or deliver us from eternal death.

I. We cannot obtain it by ourselves. Our own strength, our own righteousness, our own suffering, are all good for nothing to procure this life we speak of. If we make our ways never so clean, if we worship God never so well, if we sacrifice thousands of rams and ten thousands of rivers of oil, yea, if man should sacrifice the fruit of his body for the sin of his soul, it is nothing.

Abraham's being so freely willing to offer his only son, Isaac, was not sufficient to satisfy God for the least of Abraham's sins, not for the least wrong thought and sinful action; but it was Christ that satisfied for Abraham's sin, and it was through that faith in Him by which he offered him up that he received pardon of sin and eternal life, and it was for His sake that this action of his was accepted and rewarded.

II. All the world can't procure eternal life for us. If all the men in the world should offer to be crucified for the sake of one man, it would be absolutely to no purpose; instead of satisfying for all our sins, they could not satisfy for one of them; instead of procuring eternal life, they could not procure one drop of water for us in hell: the flames of hell would not be at all the cooler for it. They are not able to pay one farthing of all that ten thousand talents which we owe, but we must have been in hell till we had paid the uttermost farthing, notwithstanding all that they could do or suffer; and so,

III. Neither could angels help us. If the archangel, the chief angel in heaven, with all the rest of those bright, excellent, and glorious spirits, should assume human bodies and all undergo as much disgrace as Christ did, and should hang upon crosses in pain and intolerable torment thousands of years, 'twould be to as little purpose.

[IV.]2 'Tis the Lamb of God alone that can take away the sins of the world, and it is the Lion of the tribe of Judah alone that is strong enough to work our way through to everlasting happiness. The reasons why it is so are:

First. None else is able to endure the wrath of God against sin. God's hatred of sin and his wrath against it are infinite, and no finite person can bear such an infinite weight. No angel or man could have held out to bear what Christ bore, but before the [agony] grew to that height as to cause them to sweat blood as Christ did, their strength would fail, and they would relent. Now, Christ was able to lay down his life, and was able to take it again of himself.

Second. The suffering and righteousness of none but Christ could have been sufficient and satisfactory. The least sin deserves eternal punishment, and the suffering of none but of an infinite person can be equivalent to eternal sufferings. Christ is an infinite person, and he is one that the Father loves with an infinite love; and therefore whatever he doth is accepted upon his own account, upon the account of that love which the Father hath to him.

Third. None other is of power and wisdom and grace enough to fit us for, to bring us to, and make us eternally happy in heaven, but Christ alone. Our old natures must be destroyed, or else heaven, although it be bought for us, cannot be bestowed upon us. We must be sanctified and made holy, and all the men and angels in the universe can't do that; they have not power enough to raze3 out the old image of Satan, nor skills enough to draw the image of God upon our souls. This [is] a work of the almighty power and wisdom of God, which is Christ: 1 Corinthians 1:24, "Christ the power of God, and wisdom of God"; Ephesians 1:19, "And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power."

There is none else that can fill our hearts with grace: we must receive of his fullness and grace for grace. 'Tis he alone that has received the Spirit without measure: "For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God, for God giveth not the spirit by measure unto him" (John 3:34). He is an infinite vessel; he has enough for himself and for us too, but it is not so with angels.

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None else can give us spiritual wisdom, for none know the things of the Spirit; and Christ alone can send into our hearts the Holy Spirit to dwell in us, to teach us heavenly things.

There is no other vine that we can [be] ingrafted into, that can communicate vital and spiritual nourishment, and, at last eternal life unto us but Christ alone, by whom and for whom are all things, who is before all things, by whom all things consist. There needs an almighty power to give us our natural life, and less will not suffice to give us our spiritual.

There is no one else can conquer our enemies but Christ alone: that can conquer the world; that can triumph over the devil and make a show of him openly, as Christ did upon the cross; that overcame death and break his bands, that can take away his sting, and that can raise us up at the last day.

Or that [can] make us happy when we get into the other world. Christ Jesus is the only source and fountain of true happiness; 'tis he alone that can fill the soul and satisfy it forever.

Christ Jesus is the only complete Redeemer that has worthiness enough, that has power, wisdom, and an inexhaustible fountain of grace, sufficient for our spiritual life here and our eternal life hereafter.

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7 Wherefore, it must needs be an infinite atonement—save it should be an infinite atonement this corruption could not put on incorruption. Wherefore, the first judgment which came upon man must needs have remained to an endless duration. And if so, this flesh must have laid down to rot and to crumble to its mother earth, to rise no more.

(2 Nephi 9:7)

sea of happiness

We are saved wholly and entirely by Christ's righteousness. 

Now by "salvation" is meant a perfect deliverance from all misery and the bestowment of eternal life; by "eternal life" is meant happiness that is perfect or that fills the capacity of the creature. 

But this hinders not but that the saints' being of various capacities may have various degrees of happiness, and yet the perfect happiness of every one be the fruit of Christ's purchase.

Indeed, it can't be properly said that Christ purchased any particular degree of happiness; but in the general he purchased perfect happiness, or which is the same thing, he purchased that everyone's capacity should be filled. 

The saints are like so many vessels of different sizes cast into a sea of happiness, where every vessel is full. 

This is eternal life for a man, forever to have his capacity filled. 

This Christ purchased. 

The daughter of Zion

IN the foregoing chapter is a prophecy of the glorious kingdom of the Messiah: how that "there should come a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots"; and how that "the wolf should dwell with the lamb, and the leopard lie down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together"; and how that the Gentiles should seek to that root of Jesse, and after due time, the Jews also should be called, and they and the Gentiles should be joined together in the worship of the true God, and in a trust on the same Savior.

They are very glorious times of the church that are there prophesied of, by reason of an extraordinary flourishing of religion, and the glorious kingdom of Jesus Christ.

This chapter is a song of the church on this joyful occasion, and suited to such a glorious dispensation as is here prophesied of; and there being but six verses of it, I will read the whole of it to you. 

"And in that day thou shalt say, O Lord, I will praise thee: 

though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortest me. 

Behold, God is my salvation; 

I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. 

Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. 

And in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted. 

Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth. Cry and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee." 

In this last verse, which I have taken for my text,

1. Who is here called upon, and that is the "inhabitant of Zion"; by which is intended the church. 

She is here called the inhabitant of Zion, and is often in Scripture called the "daughter of Zion." 

Zion was a particular part of the city of Jerusalem that was strong by nature, being built upon a steep rocky mountain, which mountain was called Mount Zion. The same was called the city of David, because David took it from the Jebusites, and dwelt there. 2 Samuel 5:7, "Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion: the same is the city of David."

This city of Zion, or this part of the city of Jerusalem called Zion, was one of the principal types of the church of Christ, and was fitly so made use of upon several accounts. 

It was part of that city that God had chosen to place his name there, part of the Holy City, as it was called. It was as it were a city within a city. 

And then it was built exceeding strong upon a high rock or mountain; and therefore suitably represents the church of Christ, that is built upon the everlasting rock; and is like Mt. Zion, that "cannot be removed, but abideth forever" [Psalms 125:1]. 

And then it was the city of David, that king that was the most remarkable type of Christ. It was a city that David took out of the hands of his enemies by his own valor, as Christ redeemed the church out of the hands of his enemies. There was David's palace, as Christ hath as it were his house and dwelling place in the church. Therefore that [that] is here called the inhabitant of Zion, is the church, the spouse of the King of Zion.

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And awake, and arise from the dust, O Jerusalem; yea, and put on thy beautiful garments, O daughter of Zion; and strengthen thy stakes and enlarge thy borders forever, that thou mayest no more be confounded, that the covenants of the Eternal Father which he hath made unto thee, O house of Israel, may be fulfilled.

(Moroni 10:31)

The downside of apologetics

from Religious Affections 

After religion has revived in the church of God, and enemies appear, people that are engaged to defend its cause, are commonly most exposed, where they are least sensible of danger. While they are wholly intent upon the opposition that appears openly before 'em, to make head against that, and do neglect carefully to look all round 'em, the devil comes behind 'em, and gives a fatal stab unseen; and has opportunity to give a more home stroke, and wound the deeper, because he strikes at his leisure, and according to his pleasure, being obstructed by no guard or resistance.

And so it is likely ever to be in the church, whenever religion revives remarkably, till we have learned well to distinguish between true and false religion, between saving affections and experiences, and those manifold fair shows, and glistering appearances, by which they are counterfeited; the consequences of which, when they are not distinguished, are often inexpressibly dreadful. 

By this means, the devil gratifies himself, by bringing it to pass, that that should be offered to God, by multitudes, under a notion of a pleasing acceptable service to him, that is indeed above all things abominable to him. 

By this means, he deceives great multitudes about the state of their souls; making them think they are something, when they are nothing; and so eternally undoes 'em: and not only so, but establishes many, in a strong confidence of their eminent holiness, who are in God's sight, some of the vilest of hypocrites. 

By this means, he many ways, damps and wounds religion in the hearts of the saints, obscures and deforms it by corrupt mixtures, causes their religious affections woefully to degenerate, and sometimes for a considerable time, to be like the manna, that bred worms and stank; and dreadfully ensnares and confounds the minds of others of the saints, and brings 'em into great difficulties and temptation, and entangles 'em in a wilderness, out of which they can by no means extricate themselves. 

By this means, Satan mightily encourages the hearts of open enemies of religion, and strengthens their hands, and fills them with weapons, and makes strong their fortresses; when at the same time, religion and the church of God lie exposed to 'em, as a city without walls. 

By this means, he brings it to pass, that men work wickedness under a notion of doing God service, and so sin without restraint, yea with earnest forwardness and zeal, and with all their might. 

By this means, he brings in, even the friends of religion, insensibly to themselves, to do the work of enemies, by destroying religion, in a far more effectual manner, than open enemies can do, under a notion of advancing it. 

By this means the devil scatters the flock of Christ, and sets 'em one against another, and that with great heat of spirit, under a notion of zeal for God; and religion by degrees, degenerates into vain jangling; and during the strife, Satan leads both parties far out of the right way, driving each to great extremes, one on the right hand, and the other on the left, according as he finds they are most inclined, or most easily moved and swayed, till the right path in the middle, is almost wholly neglected. 

And in the midst of this confusion, the devil has great opportunity to advance his own interest, and make it strong in ways innumerable, and get the government of all into his own hands, and work his own will. 

And by what is seen of the terrible consequences of this counterfeit religion, when not distinguished from true religion, God's people in general have their minds unhinged and unsettled, in things of religion, and know not where to set their foot, or what to think or do; and many are brought into doubts, whether there be anything at all in religion; and heresy, and infidelity, and atheism greatly prevail.

Therefore, it greatly concerns us to use our utmost endeavors, clearly to discern, and have it well settled and established, wherein true religion does consist. Till this be done, it may be expected that great revivings of religion, will be but of short continuance: till this be done, there is but little good to be expected, of all our warm debates, in conversation and from the press, not knowing clearly and distinctly, what we ought to contend for.

My design is to contribute my mite, and use my best (however feeble) endeavors to this end, in the ensuing treatise: wherein it must be noted, that my design is somewhat diverse from the design of what I have formerly published, which was to show the distinguishing marks of a work of the Spirit of God, including both his common, and saving operations; 

but what I aim at now, is to show the nature and signs of the gracious operations of God's Spirit, by which they are to be distinguished from all things whatsoever that the minds of men are the subjects of, which are not of a saving nature. 

If I have succeeded in this my aim, in any tolerable measure, I hope it will tend to promote the interest of religion. 

And whether I have succeeded to bring any light to this subject, or no, and however my attempt may be reproached, in these captious, censorious times, I hope in the mercy of a gracious and righteous God, for the acceptance of the sincerity of my endeavors, and hope also, for the candor and prayers of the true followers of the meek and charitable Lamb of God.

http://edwards.yale.edu/archive?path=aHR0cDovL2Vkd2FyZHMueWFsZS5lZHUvY2dpLWJpbi9uZXdwaGlsby9nZXRvYmplY3QucGw/Yy4xOjMud2plby4yNTMzNTI=

A time... [thoughts applicable for the new year]

And thus it is meet, that the last kingdom which shall take place on earth, should be the kingdom of God's own Son and heir, whose right it is to rule and reign; and that whatever revolutions and confusions there may be in the world, for a long time, the cause of truth, the righteous cause, should finally prevail, and God's holy people should at last inherit the earth, and reign on earth; and that the world should continue in tumults and great revolutions, following one another, from age to age, the world being as it were in travail, till truth and holiness are brought forth; that all things should be shaken, till that comes which is true and right, and agreeable to the mind of God, which cannot be shaken; and that the wisdom of the ruler of the world should be manifested in the bringing all things ultimately to so good an issue....

It is represented as a time of vast increase of knowledge and understanding, especially in divine things; a time wherein God would "destroy the face of the covering cast over all people, and the veil spread over all nations" (Isaiah 25:7), wherein "the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun sevenfold" (Isaiah 30:26), "and the eyes of them that see shall not be dim, and the heart of the rash shall understand knowledge" (Isaiah 32:3–4), "and they shall no more teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord, because they shall all know him from the least to the greatest" (Jeremiah 31:34). 

And a time of general holiness, (Isaiah 60:21) "Thy people shall be all righteous"; and a time of a great prevailing of eminent holiness, when little children should, in spiritual attainments, be as though they were "a hundred years old" (Isaiah 65:20), and wherein "he that is feeble among God's people should be as David" (Zechariah 12:8). 

A time wherein holiness should be as it were inscribed on everything, on all men's common business and employments, and the common utensils of life, all shall be dedicated to God, and improved to holy purposes; (Isaiah 23:18) "and her merchandise and hire shall be holiness to the Lord." Zechariah 14:20–21, "In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, 'Holiness unto the Lord'; and the pots in the Lord's house shall be like the bowls before the altar; yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the Lord of Hosts." 

A time wherein religion and true Christianity shall in every respect be uppermost in the world; wherein God will cause his church to arise and shake herself from the dust, and put on her beautiful garments, and sit down on a throne [Isaiah 52:1–2]; and the poor shall be raised from the dust, and the beggar from the dunghill, and shall be set among princes, and made to inherit the throne of God's glory [Psalms 113:7–8]. 

A time wherein vital piety shall take possession of thrones and palaces, and those that are in most exalted stations shall be eminent in holiness. Isaiah 49:23, "And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers." Isaiah 60:16, "Thou shalt suck the breasts of kings." Psalms 45:12, "The daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift, the rich among the people shall entreat thy favor." 

A time of wonderful union, and the most universal peace, love and sweet harmony; wherein the nations shall "beat their swords into plowshares" [Isaiah 2:4], etc., and God will "cause wars to cease to the ends of the earth, and break the bow, and cut the spear in sunder, and burn the chariot in the fire" [Psalms 46:9]; "and the mountains shall bring forth peace to God's people, and the little hills by righteousness" [Psalms 72:3]; wherein "the wolf should dwell with the lamb" [Isaiah 11:6], etc., and wherein "God's people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and quiet resting places" (Isaiah 32:17–18 and Isaiah 33:20–21). 

A time wherein all heresies and false doctrines shall be exploded, and the church of God shall not be rent with a variety of jarring opinions; (Zechariah 14:9) "the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day there shall be one Lord, and his name one." 

And all superstitious ways of worship shall be abolished, and all agree in worshiping God in his own appointed way, and agreeable to the purity of his institutions; (Jeremiah 32:39) "I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for the good of them and their children after them." 

A time wherein the whole earth shall be united as one holy city, one heavenly family, men of all nations shall as it were dwell together, and sweetly correspond one with another as brethren and children of the same father; as the prophecies often speak of all God's people at that time as the children of God, and brethren one to another, all appointing over 'em one head, gathered to one house of God, to worship the king, the Lord of Hosts [Zechariah 14:16]. 

A time wherein this whole great society shall appear in glorious beauty, in genuine amiable Christianity, and excellent order, as "a city compact together" [Psalms 122:3], "the perfection of beauty" [Psalms 50:2], "an eternal excellency" [Isaiah 60:15], shining with a reflection of the glory of Jehovah risen upon it, which shall be attractive and ravishing to all kings and nations, and it shall appear "as a bride adorned for her husband" [Revelation 21:2]. A time of great temporal prosperity; of great health (Isaiah 33:24, "The inhabitant shall not say, I am sick."); of long life (Isaiah 65:22, "As the days of a tree, are the days of my people."). 

A time wherein the earth shall be abundantly fruitful; (Psalms 67:6; Isaiah 30:23–24; Amos 9:14 and many other places). A time wherein the world shall be delivered from that multitude of sore calamities that before had prevailed (Ezekiel 47:12), and there shall be an universal blessing of God upon mankind, in soul and body, and in all their concerns, and all manner of tokens of God's presence and favor, and "God shall rejoice over them, as the bridegroom rejoiceth over his bride" [Isaiah 62:5], and "the mountains shall as it were drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk" (Joel 3:18). 

A time of great and universal joy through the earth, when "from the utmost ends of the earth shall be heard songs, even glory to the righteous" [Isaiah 24:16], and God's people "shall with joy draw water out of the wells of salvation" [Isaiah 12:3], and God shall "prepare in his holy mountain, a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined" [Isaiah 25:6], which feast is represented (Revelation 19), as "the marriage supper of the Lamb." 

Yea, the Scriptures represent it not only as a time of universal joy on earth, but extraordinary joy in heaven, among the angels and saints, the holy apostles and prophets there (Revelation 18:20 and Revelation 19:1–9). 

Yea, the Scriptures represent it as a time of extraordinary rejoicing with Christ himself, the glorious head, in whom all things in heaven and earth shall then be gathered together in one. Zephaniah 3:17, "The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save; he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love; he will joy over thee with singing." And the very fields, trees and mountains shall then as it were rejoice, and break forth into singing. Isaiah 55:12, "Ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands." Isaiah 44:23, "Sing, O heavens, for the Lord hath done it; shout, ye lower parts of the earth; break forth into singing, ye mountains; O forest, and every tree therein; for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel."

Such being the state of things in this future promised glorious day of the church's prosperity, surely 'tis worth praying for. Nor is there any one thing whatsoever, if we viewed things aright, which a regard to the glory of God, a concern for the kingdom and honor of our Redeemer, a love to his people, pity to perishing sinners, love to our fellow creatures in general, compassion to mankind under its various and sore calamities and miseries, a desire of their temporal and spiritual prosperity, love to our country, our neighbors and friends, yea, and to our own souls, would dispose us to be so much in prayer for, as for the dawning of this happy day, and the accomplishment of that glorious event.