sinfull motions in Christ yet He took that course which He knew would be most effectual to prevent them in his Followers whom He would have to follow his steps in this as a mean to keep them down When he was reviled he reviled not again c. but committed himself to Him that judgeth righteously Vers 24. Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree that we being dead to sin should live unto righteousnesse by whose stripes ye were healed The Apostle repeateth and enlargeth his fourth argument it being the sweetest and strongest of all the rest to presse patient suffering for well-doing to wit That since Christ hath born the weight of our sins by enduring the wrath due to us for them in his own Person upon the crosse how patiently should his Redeemed Ones bear light afflictions for his sake And withal he adds some further arguments to presse the same point taken from the sweet ends of Christ's death and the advantages Believers have thereby The ninth in number is That the very end of Christ's death being to purchase vertue for the slaying of sin in his own and for quickning them to the duties of holinesse it doth become all his Redeemed Ones to follow their duty without desire of revenge upon those who put them to suffer wrongfully The tenth is That seing the Redeemed by Christ have spiritual and eternal health and welfare by vertue of those wounds which he received from God and men for them therefore they ought not to take in evil part wounds and stripes from men for following their duty to him Hence Learn 1. Christ's suffering in the room of the Redeemed is a subject that they should not soon weary to think and speak of it being to them a ground of much patience and comfort under their sufferings to consider that God cannot now be avenging himself upon them for their sins who are fled to Christ nor taking satisfaction to his justice at their hands he having received it already from Christ Therefore the Apostle having held forth Christ's sufferings ver 21. as an argument to constancy in duty notwithstanding of persecution from men he loveth to come over the same argument here again Who his own self bare our sins c. 2. The sufferings of Christ were not only exemplary that we might have a copy how to carry our selves right under our sufferings but they were expiatory of our sins and satisfactory for them to the Fathers justice for after the Apostle had set forth Christ in the former words as casting us a copy of the right way of suffering lest any should think that to be his greatest design in suffering he addeth this Who his own self bare our sins in his own body 3. Jesus Christ our Mediatour who was altogether free of any guiltiness inherent in himself as was cleared from vers 22. had all the sins of the Elect upon him by imputation and was handled by divine justice as if he had been guilty of them all as is imported in this expression He bare our sins which frequently in Scripture signifies to bear the punishment of sin See Lev. 20.17 20. Ezek. 23.49 4. As sin is to a waking conscience one of the heaviest burdens that ever was felt Psal 38.4 So Jesus Christ hath by his satisfaction upon the crosse lifted up as the word here signifieth that weight from off the conscience of those who feel as much of it as chases them to him for ease so as it shall never presse any such down to hell or to despair for the Apostle speaketh of his own sins and the sins of other penitent and believing sinners as a weight that none but Christ was able to lift and which he hath lifted up and born Who his own self bare our sins 5. That the second Person of the blessed Trinity might be fit to bear our sins he behoved to be incarnate and to take on a true body not borrowed or assumed for a time but a body of his own which with his soul being personally united to his Godhead he will keep for ever and ever that his conversing in Heaven with his Creatures that have bodies may be the more sweet for he bare our sins in his own body 6. Although the principal part of Christ's sufferings for us was in his soul Isa 53.10 Mat. 26.38 Yet he is said to bear our sins in his body not only because that is an ordinary designation of the whole Person consisting of soul and body but because it is most wonderful that ever the Son of God should have assumed so frothy a being as a body of flesh because his bodily sufferings did visibly represent his love to sinners and the desert of sin and because his soul suffered only while it was in his body before his death therefore the Apostle saith He bare our sins in his body 7. Our Mediatour behoved to be put to a painfull lingering and shamefull death because he was in the room of many who deserve such kind of deaths even by humane Laws that he might the better illustrate the terror of God against sin and might take the sting out of such kind of deaths to any of his own who should endure the like for his sake for these causes he bare our sins in his own body on the tree to wit of the crosse 8. That which doth most heighten our esteem of Christ's love in giving himself to die for us and most strongly oblige us not to spare our persons for him is the consideration of the excellency of his Person and of our unworthinesse for whom he suffered both which the Apostle leads Believers unto here while he doth so often mention him and us Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree that we c. 9. Till the merit of Christ's death be applied by Faith to the hearts of sinners they are alive to sin being active and delighting in the commission thereof they are dead to righteousnesse being no lesse impotent for any spiritual act or holy performance than dead men are for the actions of the living as is supponed in this That Christ's death was for these ends that we being dead to sin might live to righteousnesse 10. Christ's intention in dying for sinners which he doth in some measure gain in all his Redeemed Ones in this life and will fully attain in the other was That the love of sin in their hearts might by the vertue purchased with his bloud be so weakened that they might have no more pleasure in the commission of it than dead men have in the delights of the living and that their hearts might be quickened with spiritual life for holy performances and they might live eternally praising their Redeemer for that righteousnesse of his bestowed upon them whereby they are justified sanctified and saved for these two are here made the great ends of Christ's death that we being dead to wit being made
intention in dying that He might lead us by the hand as the word here signifieth and give us ready accesse to a reconciled God He hath suffered for sins the Just for the unjust that He might bring us unto God 6. No lesser degree of suffering could be accepted from our Cautioner than the suffering of death there being no other way except all had eternally died to illustrate the exact justice and righteousnesse of God in punishing sin Rom. 3.24 25. and his faithfulnesse in executing that just threatning Gen. 2.17 to take away the sting out of the first death to His own 1 Cor. 15.55 and keep them from tasting of the second Joh. 8.51 for which cause the Apostle here affirms of our Mediator That He suffered being put to death 7 Although Christ did truly humble Himself even in respect of His Deity by assuming frail flesh in a personal union therewith Joh. 1.14 and obscuring the glory thereof for a time with the vail of flesh Philip. 2.6 7. Yet the Godhead being altogether impassible His sufferings were properly in His humanity to wit both in His soul which suffered the unspeakable wrath of God Joh. 12.17 Mat. 26.38 and in His body which suffered all sorts of torments whereof it was capable Luke 22.44 both which parts of humane nature are here comprehended in one because His soul suffered only while it was dwelling in flesh before His death being put to death in the flesh 8. Our Cautioner having paid our debt could not be holden in the prison of death but by the power of His own Spirit or Godhead which are essentially one was quickened in His humanity by the union of His soul to His body and raised up as an evidence that He was discharged of our debt and we in Him Rom. 4.25 as a pledge that we shall be quickened by the vertue of His Resurrection to newnesse of life Rom. 6.4 c. and after death raised to possess glory with Him 1 Cor. 15.20 for He was put to death in the flesh but quickened by the Spirit 9. All the considerations of our suffering Mediatour whereof the Apostle doth here mention several are strong inducements to His Redeemed People to suffer for Him when He calls them to that honour for so may every particular here mentioned be applied that since the Son of God being so innocent and just did suffer and by suffering did so compleatly satisfie Justice for so mis-deserving wretches and did suffer to the very death for so sweet an end to bring sinners to God and had so glorious in outgate It becometh all His Redeemed Ones to adventure chearfully upon suffering for Him to which every expression hâ—â—e may be applied as a motive For even Christ hath suffered for sin the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God being put to death in the flesh but quickened through the Spirit Vers 19. By which also He went and preached unto the spirits in prison 20. Which sometime were disobedient when once the long-suffering of God waited in the dayes of Noah while the Ark was a preparing wherein few that is eight souls were saved by water Here is the seventh argument pressing upon Christians constant obedience to the Gospel notwithstanding of hardest sufferings The sum whereof is That since there are many souls of men and women to whom Christ did once by his Spirit in the Ministery of Noah and others of his Servants make plain the way to life and salvation who are now imprisoned in Hell for evermore because of their slighting so much patience and pains as the Lord did exercise toward them especially during the time of Noah's preparing the Ark wherein a few only escaped destruction by the flood Therefore it doth concern those who have the Gospel more clearly preached to them to give obedience thereunto whatever they may suffer for it within time Hence Learn 1. The second Person of the blessed Trinity hath been exercising his Mediatory Office long before his incarnation and by his Spirit the third Person speaking through his Servants hath been publickly inviting sinners to repentance and faith in himself for this preaching to the old world here spoken of must be the same in substance with that which is more clearly held forth now under the Gospel it being Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 13.8 who did then preach by his Spirit who speaks his mind only Job 10.13 14. By which he went and preached 2. When the mind of Christ is plainly held forth by the Ministery of his Servants then Christ himself comes to them to bestow himself and fellowship with him by his Spirit upon them that receive his Word and to deal with others in wrath as if they had rejected him immediatly and in his own Person dealing with them for though Christ did not preach in Person to the old world but only in the Ministery of Noah and others of his Servants Yet of Him it is here said that by his Spirit He went and preached 3. It pleaseth the Lord to invite to repentance and make offers of his grace unto many who will never obey his counsel nor imbrace his offers that he may make his grace more manifest while he doth more effectually prevail with his own that are among them Act. 18.10 and may take away all excuse from them that wilfully disobey his counsels and reject his offers Joh. 15.22 for there are spirits or souls who once had Christ preached to them that are now in prison 4. The souls of men and women do not 〈◊〉 to nothing nor die as their bodies but so soon as they are separated from the body must either go immediately to the place of blessednesse Luke 23.43 or else to this place of their everlasting imprisonment for though it could not be told where their bodies were that drowned in the â—â—ood Yet their souls are to the fore and 〈◊〉 spirits in prison 5. Hell is a place of safe custody 〈◊〉 â—â—ame of it here imports where there is no 〈…〉 Devils and damned souls to torment one another out of which there is no possibility of escaping for by this prison can be meant nothing else but Hell which elswhere in Scripture hath this same name Rev. 20.7 it being the place where only the spirits of them who were disobedient to the Lord are now in prison 6. Of all the sins that men and women commit who have the way of salvation truly preached to them this is of the highest nature and the chief cause of their damnation that they will not be perswaded to accept the offers of God's grace and mercy in Christ will not obey the sweet directions of his Word will not follow the motions and strivings of his Spirit with them thereby in which course whosoever do continue they look like those that are appointed for the prison of Hell for it is clear by comparing this Text with Gen. 6.3 that these here spoken of had
and ought not to content themselves with a high esteem of the written Word or of the preaching thereof in the general in the mean time having a slender esteem of these portions of Truth which God carves out to them by the Messengers whom He sends to them for the Apostle leads those to whom he writes to look upon that commendation of the Word which Isaiah had given out before him as agreeing to the Word written and preached to them by himself and others of the Lord's Servants in that time And this is the Word which by the Gospel is preached unto you 9. Although the precepts and threatnings of the Word have their own efficiency as instruments in Gods hand to prepare the soul for the new life by breaking and humbling of it Act. 2.37 Yet it is mainly the Gospel or the glad tydings as the word signifies of free salvation through Jesus Christ to all lost sinners who get grace to receive the offer thereof whereby a new life is conveyed to and increased in the soul and whereby it is brought into that excellent state of Regeneration for the Apostle applies the commendation of the Word which is the seed of Regeneration mainly to the Gospel And this is the Word which by the Gospel is preached unto you CHAP. II. IN this Chapter the Apostle goes on to presse such duties of holiness as are most suitable for that excellent state of the Regenerate described in the former In the first part of it he exhorts to growth and progress in such duties of holiness as concern all Christians in whatsoever relation they stand in the world as namely the study of mortification ver 1. a hearty indrinking of the Doctrine of the Gospel because their so doing is the means of their spiritual growth ver 2. It is the way to prove that they had experimentally tasted of the sweetness of Christ's grace ver 3. and because by their daily use-making of Christ offered in the Gospel they should find an increase of spiritual life and fitness for every duty ver 4 5. and that because the Scripture witnesseth Him to be given with the Father's good will for a solid foundation of salvation and comfort to every soul that flyes to Him ver 6. Whence the Apostle infers that Christ cannot but be very dear to Believers and that He shall not be the lesse glorious that many slight Him who by their so doing shall only ruine themselves and prove themselves Reprobates ver 7 8. But as for those whom he hath so highly honoured that they might be forth-coming for his praise who had made so remarkable a change upon them ver 9 10. Their great study ought to be to keep up the battel against their inward lusts ver 11. and to walk so as the most wicked among whom they converse may be allured to fall in love with Christianity ver 12. In the second part of the Chapter the Apostle presseth such duties as are suitable for Christians considered under some of their special relations And first he exhorts them as subjects under heathen Rulers to respect every form of lawfull Government whether in the person of the supream or inferiour Magistrate and this he presseth by many arguments First Because they should thereby evidence their respect to Gods Command Secondly Because Magistrates are appointed of God for so good ends as he expresseth ver 13 14. Thirdly They should thereby silence their slanderers ver 15. Fourthly Because otherwise they should abuse their Christian Liberty unto licentiousness ver 16. And fifthly Because other unquestionable duties did necessarily infer this ver 17. Secondly He exhorts them as servants under heathen persecuting Masters in which case many Christians then were to carry themselves dutifully toward such Masters and patiently under wrongs from them whether they were of the worst or better sort ver 18. and this the Apostle presseth to the end of the Chapter by severall reasons First Because they might expect a gracious reward from God if they were put to unjust sufferings from men for respect to his Commands ver 19. Secondly Because it would be a disgrace for Christianity if Christians did deserve hard usage from Heathens for their miscarriage ver 20. Thirdly Because they were obliged to patience under the Crosse by their Calling Fourthly Because Christ had suffered harder things for them Fifthly Because He had cast them a sweet Copy of the right way of suffering ver 21. Sixthly Because Christ was a most innocent sufferer ver 22. Seventhly Because He was the most patient And eighthly the most confident under greatest wrongs that ever was ver 23. Ninthly Because by His death He hath purchased Reconciliation with God And tenthly healing to all his Peoples wounds especially for his cause ver 24. Eleventhly Since they who were once in the way to perdition were now brought to a state of safety by Him ver last Therefore they ought patiently to suffer wrongs in following their duty to Him the pressing whereof is the Apostle's scope Vers 1. Wherefore laying aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and envies and all evil speakings THe Apostle's scope in the first part of this Chapter being to presse upon all Christians the study of progresse and growth in holiness as appears by the second and fifth Verses he doth in order to this stir them up to the battel against their unmortified corruptions giving instances of such as are most contrary unto that love of the Regenerate one toward another which he had prest before as an evidence of their Regeneration Chap. 1. ver 22. and to that hearty receiving of the Word which he presseth in the following Verse as the principal means of their growth in grace not excluding other evils not here mentioned but leading them by these to the knowledge of all the rest that are unbeseeming a regenerate state Doct. 1. There doth remain in the Children of the Lord not only after their Regeneration but even after some progresse in mortification many strong corruptions and filthy frames or spirit which are left to humble them Rom. 7.24 and to stir them up to earnest imployment of Jesus Christ both for mercy and power to subdue them 2 Cor. 12.8 for upon those whom the Apostle supponed to be not only born again Chap. 1.23 but to have attained to a good degree of mortification Chap. 1. ver 22. he doth here presse that they should lay aside malice and guile and hypocrisie c. 2. Our corruptions ought to be renounced with detestation as things very noisom to be longer kept Isa 30.22 and with a purpose never to meddle with them again Hos 14.8 for there is a metaphor in the words taken from a man putting off an old suit of cloaths full of filth and vermine which would be both hurtful and disgraceful to be longer worn Wherefore laying aside all malice c. 3. Even the Children of the Lord are ready to cleave very close to