the treasure precious Jesus Christ lyeth most obvious and open are certainly most pleasant and beautiful And amongst these such as hold forth his sufferings and himself as crucified most evidently before mens eyes have a peculiar and passing pleasantness and beauty in them If so then sure this fifty third Chapter of the Prophesies of Isaiah cannot but be lookt at as a transcendantly pleasant beautiful sweet-smelling and fragrant piece of Divine Scripture-field wherein the Evangelick Prophet discourseth of the sufferings of Christ as particularly and fully as plainly and pathetically even to the very life as if he himself had been a spectator and eye witness of them However this sweetest Chapter from beginning to end as also the three last Verses of the fore-going be by the greatly learned Grotius most miserably perverted while he industriously diverts it from the Messiah and by stretching and curtailing thereof at his pleasure as the cruel Tyrant Maezentius did the men he laid on his bed to make them of equal length with it wholly applyes it to the Prophet Jeremiah in the first place only not denying that it hath accommodation to Christ of whom too he takes but little or no notice in all his Annotations thereon The impertinencies and wrestings of which application are convincingly holden forth by famous Doctor Owen who looks on this portion of Scripture as the sum of what is spoken in the Old Testament concerning the satisfactory death of Jesus Christ that Mell of Socinians in his Vindiciae Evangelicae against Bidle and the Râ—covian Catechism who was a burning and shining light in the Reformed Churches though now alace to their great loss lately extinguished And indeed the dealing of that very learned man professing himself to be a Christian with this most clear and to all true Christians most comfortable Scripture is the more strange and even stupendious considering 1. That several passages in it are in the New Testament expresly applyed to Christ * Matth. 8.17 Mark 15.28 Luk. 22.27 Acts 8.28 c. 1 Pet. 2.22 and 24. but not one so much as alluded to in reference to Jeremiah 2. That the ancient Jewish Doctors and the Chaldee Paraphrast as Doctor Owen in the foresaid learned and savoury Book gives an account do apply it to him 3. That a late Doctor of great note and honour among the Jews Arabinel affirmeth that in truth he sees not how one Verse of the whole several of which he toucheth on can be expounded of Jeremiah and wonders greatly that any wise man can be so foolish as to commend let be to be the Author of such an Exposition as one Rabbi Gaon had been which is saith he so utterly alien and not in the least drawn from the Scripture 4. That several Jews do profess that their Rabbins could easily have extricated themselves from all other places of the Prophets a vain and groundless boast if Isaiah in this place had but held his peace as Halsius very late if not present Hebrew-Professor at Breda declares some of them did to himself 5. That a Rabbi by his own confession was converted from a Jew to a Christian by the reading of this 53. of Isaiah as the excellent Mr. Boyl in his delicate Discourses on the stile of the Holy Scriptures informs us yea that diverse Jews have been convinced and converted to the Christian Faith by the evidence of this Prophecy as learned and laborious Mr. Pool affirms in his lately published English Annotations on this Scripture 6. That the Socinians themselves have not dared to attempt the accommodation of the things here spoken of to any other certain and particular person then the Messiah though being so much tortured thereby they have shewed good will enough to it And 7. That himself had before written a Learned Defence of the Catholick Faith concerning Christs satisfaction against Socinus wherein also he improved to notable purpose several Verses of this same Chapter But in these later Annotations being altogether silent as to any use-making of them that way he as much as he can delivers that Desperado and his Disciples from one of the sharpest Swords that lyes at the very throat of their cause for if the Chapter may be applyed to any other as he applyes it wholly to Jeremiah no solid nor cogent Argument can be drawn from it for confirming Christs satisfaction and by his never re-inforcing of that defence of his against the assaults made upon it by the Socinian Crellius though he lived twenty years thereafter he seems for his part quite to have abandoned and delivered it up into the hands of these declared enemies of Christs satisfaction yea and of his God-head By which Annotations of his as by several others on other Scriptures how much on the matter at least great Grotius hath by abusing his prodigious Wit and profound Learning subserved the cursed cause of blasphemous Socinus and further hardened the already alace much and long hardened poor Jews And what bad service he hath done to our Glorious Redeemer and to his Church satisfied-for and purchased by his blood by his sad sufferings and fore soul-travel most clearly and comfortably discoursed in this Chapter let the Lord himself and all that love him in sincerity judge I wish I could and had reason to say no worse of this admirably learned person here then that Quandoque dormitat Homerus Which very many and various very great and most grievously aggravated Sufferings were endured by him not only in his Body nor only in his Soul by vertue of the sympathy it had with his Body from the in-time and strait union betwixt them But also and mainly in his blessed humane Soul immediatly since he redeemed satisfied for and saveth his Peoples Souls as well as their Bodies and the Soul having principally sinned and being the spring and source of Sin Sinners withall deserving punishment in their Souls as well as in their Bodies and being without the benefite of his Mediation to be punished eternally both in their Souls and Bodies and mainly in their Souls there is no doubt the same cogent reason for the Mediator's suffering in both parts of the Humane Nature assumed by him that there is for that Natures suffering which sinned Which his sad complaints of the exceeding trouble of his Soul putting him to say these strange and stupendious words What shall I say Joh. 12.27 Mat. 26.38 Mark 14.33 Luk. 22.44 Heb. 5.7 and of the great Sorrow and Heaviness thereof even to Death his Amazement strong Crys and Tears with his Agony and Sweat of Blood and that before any pain was caused to his Body by men and his conditionate deprecating of that bitter Cup put beyond all reach of ranional contradiction And to think or say that only the fear of his bodily sufferings quickly approaching him did make these sad impressions upon him and draw these strange expressions from him would make him who is Lord and Master to be of far greater
clear if we compare Gods purpose and decree with the event and eff ct for as a thing is in the event and â—ffâ—ct so God intended and purposed in his decree it should be thus the Lords final sentence at the day of Judgment is but the result of his eternal purpose the book of life containing the names of all the Elâ—ct was written to speak so before the Elect existed and as it 's said Acts 15. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning so in a special manner and peculiar way this great work of the Redemption was and they that were to be redeemed particularly knowen and written down in the book of God's decree of election hence it 's said Rom. 11.7 Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for but the election hath obtained and John 6.37 All that the Father hath given me shall come unto me and John 10.28 I give my sheep eternal life and they shall never perish there is Rom 8.30 a concarination linking together of things from Gods purpose and decree of election â—ven to eternal glory which is the result of elâ—ctâ—on And it being very clear thaâ— some are admi ted and owned 〈◊〉 Christ in the great day and othâ—rs nor this is also cleaâ— that there was a differencing decree betwixt these so admitted and owned before the world was and others not so owned and admitted especially considering that this diffâ—â—encing aâ— the great day of Judgment is drawen from tâ—e decree of election Matth 25. Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdom pâ—epared for you before the foundation of the world was laid as if the Lord had said there was a purpose and design of bringing you to Heaven before the world was A 4th ground is taken from the nature of Gods Covenant of Râ—demption which holds clearly forth â—he truth of this Doctrine concerning election in all the steps of it As 1. In Gods making the offer and gift of some to the Mediator it 's only some that he gives and not all 2. In Christs acceptation of the offer and gift He prays for some he sanctifies himself for some and for some he compts and not for all 3. There is not a promise in all the Covenant of Redemption whether it be of Grace or of Glory but it is intended for the Elect only and not for all I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish John 10. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power Psal 110.3 Christs undertaking is for them only John 10. Other sheep have I which are not of this fold them also I must bring in there is a necessity of the bringing in of them and of no others because he undertook for them and for no others We the rather take notice of and insist so much on this because it will much serve to clear the following Doctrine concerning the redemption of the Elect for if there be a differencing of them from others by the decree of election then there must be a differencing of them from others in Christs laying down of his life for them and not for any others Election is the key of all there is such a people and they are the object of the Covenant of Redemption whose good is sought after and agreed upon therein and not of any others Use 1. It serves for the confirmation of a weighty truth and we would have you not to think little of any piece of truth We shall not here follow the subtile cavillings of Advâ—rsaries against this truth only we would have you confirmed in the faith of it For 1. If ye be not clear and established in the faith of this truth ye will be in great hazard not only to make muddy but to obstruct and stop the whole current and tract of Grace so that Grace shall be a common thing Heaven and Happiness shall go by by guess Redemption shall be universal c. but let this truth be once well established that God hath a peculiar people for whom the Mediator transacted and these errors fall to the ground and evanish for it is the love of election from which all the rest of the benefits that come to the elect flow and this love is peculiar therefore there cannot be a common application of it it 's the peculiarness of Grace that commends it to the souls of Believers and makes it wonderful to them that God should have taken notice of them that were by nature separate from God as well as others that their case being common his love should be peculiar is indeed just and great matter of wonder hence comes in that song Rev. 5.9 Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation not all of every nation people tongue and kindred are redeemed but some out of every one of these let this then be taken for a solid truth that the Lord in his eternal purpose hath made a difference and separation of some from others which is the great ground of the title that God hath to these some 2ly Clearness in this truth serves to keep the hearts of Gods people in awe of him to lift him up very high in their esteem as Soveraign over the Creature And if any should quarrel with God and say why did God so that of the Apostle comes well in for an answer Who art thou O man that replyest against God it's his soveraign pleasure who is supream Potter and hath power over the clay to make one vessel to honour and another to dishonour when the Soul doth thus take up God as having all Mankind before him as a lump of Clay and choosing out of it and writing up one man and not another it must needs in a transport of admiration say O! what a great and soveraign God must he be who did determine and write down the eternal condition of men before ever the world was 3ly This to the people of God 1. Preacheth wonderful grace when they having gotten their calling and election made sure come in and read their names in Gods decree of election before they had a Being And 2. It is to them matter of exceeding great consolation 1. I say it preacheth wonderful grace that freely choosed them and that when thousands of great Men and Noblemen were passed by such a poor body that was half a fool in comparison with them should be chosen according to that 1 Cor. 1. Not many wise after the flesh not many mighty not many noble hath God called but he hath chosen the foolish things of the world weak and base and things that are not to make them kings and priests unto God and his Father 2. It 's matter of exceeding great consolation to them that it 's free and sure free even so free that it stops the mouth of boasting for what I pray hath an elect more to speak of as a ground of boasting than a Pagan in America or
often cited 40. Psalm in the volum of thy book it is wretten of me I delight do thy will Consider 4ly The effects of his bringing to Judgment A sentence passes 1 Tim. 3. ult Great is the mystery of godliness God manifested in the flesh justified in the spirit not before Pilate but in Gods Court having satisfied for the Elects Debt according to his undertaking he gets an absolviture which reaches not only to himself but to all them whose persons he sustained as is clear 2 Cor. 5. ult He was made sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him and the Elects obtaining eternal Redemption and Absolution by his death with the accrescing of his satisfaction to their justification clears that he stood there judicially at the Bar of God in their name to answer for them And there are three steps of this his judicial answering 1. He gets the Libel of the Elects Debt put in his hand though there was no guile in his mouth yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him he laid on him the iniquity of us all and for the iniquity of my people was he stricken these are the persons that he undertook for and for their Debt he answers the verity of the fact is clear for they are under guilt the Laws claim is clear for it 's broken and upon this the Libel is put in his hand hence it 's said He died for us He was made sin for us and he died for our sins 2. As the Libel is put in his hand so a sentence passes accordingly he is found lyable to the Elects Debt and must answer for it as the former word is it was exacted on him and 2 Cor. 5. ult He was made sin for us and Gal. 3.13 He was made a curse for us that is by the sentence of Justice he is decerned to bear the curse 3. The sentence is executed as it was past the cup is put in his hand and not only is he decerned and doomed to the curse but actually he is made a curse and all this as judicially sustaining the persons of the Elect and as their Cautioner and Surety Here we have some sweet and profitable Uses 1. See here and take up the way of Redemption contrived so as it runs on Mercy and Justice Mercy to the Elect and Justice to the Cautioner their Debt being fully exacted of him 2. It learns us how to establish our Faith and also gives us a ground of Believing To make it distinct Justice behoved to be satisfied without which no Mercy could be shewed to the Sinner and God hath laid down the way by the Cautioners interposing even as it is among men the Cautioners being imprisoned and satisfying is the Debtors liberation and as God hath condescended to deal with us by way of Covenant so he condescended in the Covenant of Redemption to proceed legally and judicially with Christ that we might have the clearer way to make application of it 3. Are there any here that look for Redemption thorow Christ and hope that their sins were in the Libel given to him O! how warming would this be to your hearts and how should it make them to melt in love and godly sorrow to behold Christ standing at Justice-bar and that for you O! what an aspect would his sufferings have on us if we were clear about our interest in him and could hear him in our name saying Father here am I if thou take me let these go thy will be done for this cause came I here to answer for my peoples debt to take with the challenges given in against them and to undergo thy sentence for them then says Justice thou must pay their Debt Content says he Here am I and so he gives his back to the smiter and his cheeks to them that plucked off the hair and hid not his face from shame and spitting If we were clear that our share was there and that our iniquities came in among the rest to make up the Libel and if we could aright discern him so pinshed and straitned in satisfying for us would we not think our selves eternally obliged to him to hate sin and to glorifie him in our bodies and spirits which are his as it it 1 Cor. 6. ult If indeed ye be Christs as ye are all ready to profess your selves to be he pays dear for you and if so will not this ly upon you as a just Debt to him to glorifie him in your bodies and in your spirits for both in body and spirit he payed for you 4. It 's a notable ground of consolation to Believers against dispondency and fear to appear before the Throne of Godâ— because our Lord Jesus Christ hath been before us and in our name and hath answered for us to the full and hath satisfied all that Justice could crave of us What wakens terror at Death and makes the thoughts of Christ's appearing to be dreadful but our looking on our appearing at the Bar of God but it is a comfort against it that Christ as our Cautioner was brought to Prison to Judgment and was also brought from both yea which is more and without which the consolation is but halved he was brought to both for us and he was also brought from both as our Surety as Surety for all them that betake themselves by Fâ—ith to him He was carried to Prison and to Judgment as Cautioner for the Elect and he was pursued as their Cautioner and therefore his payment of the Debt as Cautioner must be accepted in name of them for whom he payed the Debt Our Lord Jesus not only died and was laid in the Grave but he went further in to speak so he was even at the Bar of Justice libelled exacted upon and sentenced and the sentence executed upon him else wo had been unto us on this ground is that triumph Rom. 8. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect it's God that justifies who shall condemn it's Christ that died year rather who is risen again c. and it 's said Rom. 7. That we are delivered from the law being dead to that wherein we were held the Law had us in Prison and a lock on the door and had us under irons but our Lord came and as Sampson did in another case carried the ports and bars to the hill top He spoiled principalities and powers and triumphed openly over them on the cross so that now the prince of this world is judged These are the true and faithful sayings of God We have through Christ access and may with boldness come to the throne of Grace having him as high priest who is touched with the feeling of our infirmities and was in all things tempted like as we are he knew not only what it was to be hungry and thirsty and weary to be pained and to die but what it was to come before the terrible Tribunal of God and to
one in Hell Who made thee to differ or what hast thou O man that thou hast not received it's election that makes the difference and it 's sure for their salvation is founded on Gods purpose and decree which is the solid rest of a Believer kindness began not on our side but on Gods as Christ says Ye have not chosen me but I have chosen you John 15.16 4ly It says this That all of you had need to make your calling and election sure that is the very hinge of Believers consolation even to have the proof of it in your Conscience that ye are inrolled here to get out the extract of this decree that ye may see and read your names in it Hence many streams of consolation flow out if it be so with you then ye were given to Christ Christ undertook to satisfie Justice for you ye shall get Faith and more Faith ye shall get Repentance and Sanctification and ye shall get Heaven and Glory at the end of your course If it be said this is much how shall it be brought about we answer it 's not impossible and to make it out take but two words that are both directions and marks the practice whereof will give a solid proof of your inrolment in Gods book whence all these great and glorious things have their rise 1. Where there is a yielding to Christs call in the Gospel a closing with him that evidenceth election for it is certain that none shall nor can come to Christ and believe in him but the Elect and whoever are elected must and shall come sooner or later John 6.37 All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me and John 10.4 His sheep follow him and know his voice they accept of and make welcome Christs call in the Gospel and they that accept of it are elect So that there is no need of any new revelation about the matter neither needs there any torturing anxiety to know how to come by thy name in the roll of the Elect try it by this if thou hast given obedience to the call of the Gospel if thou hast in the sense of thy need of a Saviour fled unto â—esus Christ and on his own terms closed with him by this thy tenure or holding is sure and by this thou hast an evidence that thou art an elect for his Sheep come unto him and hear his voice and as many of you as soundly believe on him and have betaken your selves to him for life and salvation have the seal and witness in your selves that your names were in Gods roll and book before the World was But if this be not debate dispute question as ye will about it whatever may be afterwards ye have no evidence for the time of your election 2. Where there is real Holiness or a real study and endeavour to be holy and more holy it is an evidence of election and of a persons being inrolled in the volumn of the book of Gods decree because Holiness is a fruit of election as is clear Eph. 1.4 According as he hath chosen us before the foundation of the world that we should be holy never a person is really holy but such as God designed should be holy to this purpose the Apostle having 2 Tim. 2.21 spoken of election The foundation of the Lord stands sure having this seal the Lord knows who are his and let every one that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity but in a great house are not only vessels of gold c. he subjoyns If a man therefore purge himself from these he shall be a vessel unto honour sanctified c. not that election dependeth on mans Holiness but by his holiness he shall be manifested to be and accompted an elect Vessel and may warrantably conclude himself to be such so that true holiness brings folk to be acquainted with the great secret of Election and gives them boldness to make the application of it There is nothing that men readily desire more to know than this whether they be elected or not here is a sure way to come by the knowledge of it even to study to believe and to be holy and then we may be confident that our names were written in the Lambs book of Life but if we slight faith in Christ and Holiness whatever may be in God's purpose about us we have for present no ground to conclude our election upon God himself fixus in these things that have such mighty consequents depending on them SERMON XXXI ISAIAH LIII VIII Vers 8. He was taken from prison and from judgement and who shall declare his generation For he was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people was he stricken THE Prophet hath been long in describing Christs Sufferings and hath showen what height they came to even to prison and to judgment and to death it self He was cut off out of the land of the living now he casts in a word to shew wherefore all this was or what was the procuring cause that brought all this suffering and sorrow on Christ which also was the end that he had before him in it in these words for the transgression of my people was he stricken we shew that by my people here was not meant all men and women in the world nay not all men who are externally called in the visible Church but his Elect only these whom he hath chosen to be his People and separated from others by an eternal decree of Election we shew also that these words for the transgression of my people was he stricken do not contain only a reason of Christ's extream suffering even of his being brought to prison and to judgment before men but also and mainly of his being brought so before God and of his being cut-off for the sins of Gods People are not laid to his charge before men but before God they are and so it does imply an influence that the sins of the Elect had upon Christs Sufferings and a respect that his Sufferings had to their sins the Elects sins procured these Sufferings to him and his Sufferings were undergone by him for the satisfying of Justice for their sins and for the removing of them I shall not insist further in the exposition of the words having opened them up the last day but shall hint at a few Doctrines from them and because they are general and more doctrinal I shall be the shorter in speaking to them though it may be ye think not so much of them yet they are not a little for your edification and if ye were suitably sensible of sin and of your hazard there is no Doctrine concerning the Covenant of Redemption but it would be useful and refreshing to you There are several things implyed here concerning the efficacy of the price of Christ's death and concerning the extent of it as it 's laid down as a price for the sins of the Elect which
the Elect could have done their own business they needed not to have been so much in Christs common and debt nor to have given him thanks for his undertaking But this is brought in to hold forth the condescendency of his love that when no other thing could do it he interposed as Surety The abominableness of sin was so great that the Majesty of God his infinite Holiness and his spotless Justice being wronged and the finite Creature not being able to make amends for the wrong done did require this For all mankind yea all the Holy Angels could not satisfie for the wrong done by one man to the infinite God therefore he sayes I am the Saviour and there is none else He gives defiance to all Saviours beside himself None can redeem his brothers soul from death nor give a price sufficient for it the redemption of it ceaseth for ever among the Creatures Use Study then to be suitably sensible of this ye may possibly think it to be but a common Doctrine but alaee ye walk not under the due and deep conviction and sense of it hence it comes to pass that so few think themselves in Christs common and that so few make their address to him Ask the most part how they think they will win to Heaven They will readily name many things and wayes ere they light on Christ and Faith in him If they have done a fault they say they will make a-mends or they will pray for pardon and they think that will do the turn Such have this language in effect that either there is no need of satisfaction for sin or that they can satisfie for themselves 6. It is implyed here that though the Elect have sinned and cannot satisfie for themselves yet it is necessary that a satisfaction be provided for them I do not say simply that whoever hath sinned must have a satisfaction made for them For the Lord hath left Legions of Angels and many thousands of reprobat Men and Women without hope of a Saviour or of a satisfaction But considering God's purpose to bring many Sons to Glory and his Decree of Election which must needs stand and that the Elects names are written in the Book of life It is impossible that they can ly still under the curse but must be satisfied for and redeemed from it For the transgression of my people was he stricken My people have sinned and must be redeemed On supposition of the Decree of Election our Lord undertook that great work the Elect cannot perish sin cannot draw them utterly away from God Not only shall no externals such as Devils or Men Persecution Tribulation c. be able to come betwixt them and life but not sin it self that is within them His Decree being peremptory must stand as he sayes John 10. I have other sheep which are not of this fold them also I must bring in God's purpose cannot be frustrated nor altered therefore of necessity their sins must be satisfied for 7. It 's implyed here that for this end to wit that the Elect might be saved from sin and that Gods Decree of Election might stand sure Christ Jesus became Surety and did undertake to satisfie for their sins otherwise he could not have been lyable to be stricken for them if he had not become Surety for them That he was for the transgression of God's people stricken sayes plainly that he was ingaged for them as it is Heb. 7.22 He was made Surety of a better Testament And Psal 40.7 Then said I Lo I come in the volume of the book it is written of me I delight to do thy will O my God These things being spoken after the manner of and borrowed from the bargainings or transactions that use to be amongst men we may conceive the business thus hinted before there is the Fathers refusing of somewhat Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desâ—re and his proposing of another thing and that is that the Mediator would engage for the Elect And upon the other side there is the Mediators offer to undertake and his actual undertaking and accepting of the Fathers proposal when Sacrifices and Offerings when thousands of Rams and ten thousand Rivers of Oyl will not do it Lo I come saith he And then for a conclusion of the Bargain and Transaction there is the Fathers accepting of his undertaking he is content to take his sufferings as the price for the Elects debt Hence John 17. he saith Thine they were and thou gavest them me that is thine they were by Election and thou gavest them me to be redeemed by me And Heb. 10.10 it 's said that it is by this will that we are sanctified that is by the will of the Father that the Son should be Surety Use Look upon the work of Redemption as a great gracious and glorious work about the designing and contriving whereof the Father Son and Holy Ghost were occupied to speak so with reverence before the World was He might have made Worlds of Angels and of sinless Men and Women at a word and yet he hath graciously condescended to this way for redeeming of the poor Elect. We are alace sinfully disposed to think little of the Salvation and Redemption of a Soul but it is a great matter in God's account the deepest of whose consultation to say so is taken up about it and in the contrivance whereof the manifold wisdom of God conspicuously shineth forth and as in other things therein so in this that there was an ancient undertaking and ingaging by Jesus Christ in the room of the Elect as their Surety 8. While it is said For the transgression of my people was he cut off and stricken it implyâ—s that Christ in his undertaking for the Elect did oblidge himself to undergo all these sufferings that were due to them and even the suffering of a cursed death which was the curse threatned against man for sin The day thou eats thou shalt surely die And though Christ becoming Surety and Cautioner the Party is altered yet the price is still continued to be the same as is clear Gal. 3.13 He was made a curse for us that the blessing of Abraham might come on us Gentiles Whereby the Justice of God is vindicat and he hath access to shew mercy to the Elect without any the least imputation to it Nay this way is more for the vindicating of God's Justice and for the making of his faithfulness to shine that Christ became Man and died for the Elect than if the curse had lighted and lyen on all the Elect themselves and it is a greater aw-band on sinners against sin I say again that hereby the pure and spotless Justice of God is more vindicated and hIs faithfulness more demonstrated when he will needs so severely and with so much holy rigidity exact of the Cautioner the Elects debt to the least farthing then if they had suffered themselves eternally It shews forth also both the manifold wisdome and