thing to be marked Observe That all men even the Elect themselves not excepted are naturally in a most sinful and desperat state and condition so that if ye would know what they are by Nature this is a description of their state All we like sheep have gone astray and every one hath turned to his own way And when it 's called our own way there needs no other Eâ—â—thete to set out the desperatness of it That which I mean is this that all men are naturally under these two 1. They are under guilt before God Eph. 2.1 2. Dead in sins and tresp sses childâ—en of wrath and heirs of condemnation lyable to the curse of God by vertue of the Covenant which Adam broke 2. Which is mostly aimed at here there is in every one a sinful nature a sinfulness or sinning sin an inclination to sin every one hath a straying humour So that although the similitude of sheep aâ—ree not to them in that senâ—e as sheep are innocent creatures yet it agrees to them in this sense that they are silly foolish Creatures And in this respect it is said Gen. 6.8 That all tha imaginations of the thoughts of the heart in man are only evil continually And Eph. 2.1 They are said to be dead in sin not only in respect of their being obnoxious to God's curse but in respect of their natural deadness of their sinful nature and want of spiritual life So Rom. 3 9 10. and forwards the Apostle describes the sinfulness of man's nature at large not only in respect of its guilt but of its inclination to sin and says that their throat is an open Sepulchre Insinuating thereby that men naturally are like to a Tomb and that the Corps within the Tomb is death and sin and that all that comes from them savours of that Their feet are swift to shed blood with their tongues they use deceit c. Every member and part of the body and every faculty of the soul is bent to that which is evil These three may further confirm it 1. If we look in general to what the Scripture speaks of men by nature Eph. 2.1 2 3. Rom. 3 and 5. Chapters They being as it is Isaiah 57. penult As the raging Sea that casts out dirt and mire continually It is alwayes moving and working one way or other and more especially in a storm so that though at one tide ye should sweep the Shore never so clean it will be as foul and dirty the next Tide that cometh So are these hearts of ours as Peter speaks 2 Epist 2. And Jude vers 13. foaming out their own shame And James saith Chap. 4.5 The spirit that dwells in us lusteth to envy It hath as great eagerness after and as great delight in sin as a Drunkard hath after and in drink 2. Experience also confirms it Go thorow all the Men and Women that ever were in the World our blessed Lord Jeâ—us being excepteâ— as not descending oâ— Adam by the ordinary way of Generation and that will be found true which the Apostle hath Rom. 3. There is none that doth good no not one And that which is spoken Gen. 6. All flesh hath corrupted their way And what is the spring of all the aâ—ominations that are in the World and the rise of these particular evils that are in believers and Saints mentioned in Scripture as in David Peter and others But this same corrupt nature this body of death as it is called Rom. 7.14 All which strongly prove a fire to be within when there is such a smoak without 3. We may confirm it from well-grounded reason for it cannot be otherwise If the root be of such a nature can the branches be otherwayes Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean thing No not one Job 14.4 When Adam fell the root was corrupted and the branches cannot be fresh the fountain was defiled and the streams cannot be clean and clear Hence when Adam begot Seth an Elect in whom the Church was continued it is said that he begat a son after his own likeness Gen. 5. He himself was created after Gods Image but begat children after his own Image Though this be a commonly received Doctrine yet it s not without good reason nor for no use insisted on so much here and in other Scriptures We shall therefore speak a little to these four Uses of it The 1. Use of it serves for Information and we may make it a looking-glass wherein we may see clearly our own most sinful state and condition Would ye know what ye are by nature This Text tells you that not only all men have strayed but that each of us or every one of uc hath turned to his own way But knowing how ready we are to shift the challenge we would be perswaded that we are by nature lyable to Gods curse for Adams sin dead in sin and inclined to all evil Sheep are no readier to go the wrong way and will no more readily stray if they want a Shepherd then we are inclined to do There is a common word in many of your mouths that we are all sinners by nature but when it 's searched into we find that there is much ignorance amongst you of what it means many count themselves to be sinners only because of their being guilty of the first sin and so put no difference betwixt the first sin and Original sin which is an effect that flows from and follows upon the first sin The first sin was Adam's deed and is legally ours being imputed to us As it is Rom. 5. Death reigned over all even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam 's transgression because Adam in his standing and falling stood in our room representing all mankind that was to come of him But Original sin is inherent in us and cleaveth closs to us and is that which we are born and bred and grow up with And therefore ye would distinguish these sins that ye may know that ye are not only guilty of Adams first sinful deed but that ye havâ— a present sinful and corrupt nature though it be not â—lways alike exercising and acting it self Others again look only upon their nature as inclined to evil and look not on it as that which makes them lyable to wrath by reason of the first sin But ye would put both together and know that though your sinfulness doth not consist only in an inclination to evil that yet your sinfulness lyes mainly in that and that it will not be long a going wrong And it 's not only your actual straying and going wrong that ye would take notice of but also and mainly of your sinful nature that inclines disposes and sets you on work to go wrong It 's your filthy corrupt Nature the Body of Death the smell and savour whereof to say so is the kything of some actual sin We may clear it in a similitude or two We are by this
as a reason of the former and the one part of them is a reason of the other he had said before Who can declare his generation Who can sufficiently declare and unfold how gloriously the Mediator is exalted And he gives this for the reason of it For he was cut off out of the land of the living The force of which reason is that he humbled himself therefore God hath highly exalted him as the Apostle reasons Philip. 2.9 So tha this is not added as being posterior to his Exaltation but as a reason shewing the connexion of his Exâ—ltation with his Humiliation And left it should be a stumbling to any that this glorious person suffered death he gives the reason of that also which strengthens the reason of his Exaltation For the transgression of my people was he stricken or as the word is The stroak was on him he suffered not for any wrong in himself but for the sins of his own elect people The first part clearly looks to Christs death which was a Prophesie in Isaiah his time but is now a Historical narr tion to us we having the Gospel as a Commentary on it To be cut off out of the land of the living is to have an end put to the natural life which is ordinarily done by death But cutting off here signifies to be taken away not in an ordinary but in an extraordinary way to be removed by a violent death by the stroak of Justice We may shortly take these two Observes here for the confirmation of two Articles of our Faith Looking on it 1. As a Prophesie we may Observe That our Lord Jesus behoved to suffer and die it was Prophesied of him That he should be cut off out of the land of the living And Dan. 9.26 it is plainly and clearly asserted that the Messiah shall be cut off which being compared with the History of the Gospel we have it as a truth â—ulfilled for our Lord Jesus was cut off and as he himself sayes Luke 24. It behoved him to suffer these things and to enter into his gloâ—y Aâ—d supposing the Elect to be sinners and the curse to be added to the Covenant of Works The day thou eats thou shalâ— surely die supposing also the Mediator to have ingaged and undertaken to satisfie Juâ—â—ice and undergo that curse for the Elâ—ct There was a necessity that he should die as it is Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us which curse was evidenâ— in his death for it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree 2. Observe That our Lord Jesus behoved to die a violent death and not an ordinary natural one which this expression and that other Dan 9 clearly holds forth And consideriâ—g his sinless nature that was not lyable to death and that he had not these principles of dying in him disposing him to die that we sinful miserable mortals have is us And considering withal that the Lord Jâ—hovah was to speak so pursuing him as siâ—ners Câ—uâ—ioner at the Bar of Justice it was meet yea necâ—ssary that our blessed Lord should not die an ordinary death as men die ordinarily through weakness or sickness on their beds but a violent death Use It serves to be a confirmation of this truth that the Messiah behoved thus to die therefore we say in the Belief He suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried Which shews 1. The reality oâ— his satisfaction and the compleat payment that he made to Justice when he layes down that price which the sinner ought to have laid down 2. It shews the reality of our Lord's sufferings and that they were not imaginary but that as he was a real and true man so his sufferings were most real His soul was separat from his body though the union betwixt both his body and soul and the God-head continued still 3. It holds forth a proof and confirmation of our faith in this that our Lord Jesus is the Messiah that was Prophesied of and promiâ—ed in whom all the suffâ—rings in his soul and body that were spokâ—n of to go before his death were accomplished and in whom this was also accomplished that he was cut off out of the land of the living So that if we look rightly on the Scriptures our Lords sufferings will be so far from being matter of stumbling that they will rather be a clear convincing and evident proof that Jeâ—us of Nazareth is the true Messiah and that in him all th t was spoken concerning the Messiah is fulfi led and came to pass 4. It 's mâ—tter of great consolation to believers that our Lord Jesus who is now exalted died and so death is spoiled and there needs not be any great fear for them to yoke with it This land of the living is not their rest within a little they must be gone hence Our Lord was cut off from it and that by a shameful death for the behove and sake of others and not for himself and therefore his death cannot but be made forth-coming for them for whom he under-went it and their petty suffâ—rings need not much to vex them Those plainest truths that are most ordinary have in them most of spiritual sap juâ—ce and life to strengthen Faith and to furnish consolation to Believers And were they rightly understood and fed upon by Faith O how lively might they be And were there no more but these two words in thâ— Text. O how much consolation do they yield in lâ—fe and in death Our Lord is gone before Believers and they may be greatly heartned to follow him The last part of or the last thing in the words seem to have some more obscurity in it and therefore we shall insist the more in opening up of the same For the transgression of my people was he stricken These words do not look to the reason why Pilate and the Priests condemned him for they had no thoughts of the sins of Gods people Though Caiaphas stumbled as to himself by guess on a Prophesie of his dying for them but they give a reason why he was cut off out of the land of the living And look to the Court and Tribunal of God's Justice before which he was standing by which he was to be sentenced to death for the transgressions of God's people and also absolved He was thus stricken in respect of God's purpose and design For clearing of the words it may be inquired 1. What is meant here by my people 2. What is it to be stricken or smitten for them For the 1. My people it is a discriminating or differencing thing of some from others And therefore by my people here is not meant 1. All the world or all that ever lived and had a beeing We find not any where in Scripture that these are called my people or God's people but when ever my people is spoken of it is used to rid Marches betwixt his people and
other people that are not his as Joh. 10 26 27. Ye believe not because ye are not of my sheep my sheep hear my voice and I know them which supposeth that some are his and others not so his and so my people cannot be all the world Neither 2. Can it be meant of the whole visible Church who in respect of the external administration of the Covenant are sometimes called his people as all Israel are There is a narrower march or boundary drawn John 10.26 Where the Lord speaking of them that were only externally in Covenant with him sayes Ye art not my sheep to shew that his reckoning there must not go upon external profession And vers 16. Some that were not for the time professing themselves to be his people are reckoned Other sheep I have which are not of this fold them also I must bring in Nor 3. Can it be limited to them that were actually converted and Believers for he says as I iust now hinted that he hath other sheep that are not yet brought in and he is said to gather together into one the children of God that were scattered abroad John 11.52 So then by my people must be understood these who in Gâ—d's eternal purpose are separat by the Decree of Election to be his own even these whom he hath chosen to glorifie himself in and by them through his Grace and to glorifie them with himself Even these spoken of John 17.6 Thine they were and thou gavest them me They are the people who were transacted for in the Covenant of Redemption and that were given by the Father to the Son to be redeemed by him It was for their sins even for the sins of the Elect that our Lord Jesus was stricken As for the 2d What is it to be stricken for their transgression The meaning is the meritorious cause of their stroak was on Christ which intimats to us that his sufferings and death were procured by the sins of the Elect of God His stroak or the stroak that was upon him as the word is was the amends that Justice got for their sins In a word the stroak that the Elects sins procured and merited Took him out of or away from the land of the living brought him to prison and to judgement and made his soul an offering for sin Neither can this be otherwayes understood For it is not said that for their good or for their behove only or to be an example and pattern of patience only to them he was stricken as some grossly erroneous and prophane men expound the words but for their transgressions was he stricken That is it was their guilt which he having undertaken and engaged to satisfie for which made him lyable to this stroak In this part of the words thus opened up we have two notable Points concerning the Covenant of Redemption 1. The Party for whom it is contrived and intended and that is the Elect or God's People It is not all the World nor all Visible-Church-members that God transacted for in the bargain with the Mediator but my people the Elect of God they were so considered in the transaction and in the execution 2. The great price that was sought or required that was offered and that was agreed upon for the Redemption of the Elect to wit the death of the Mediator even his dying the cursed death of the Cross This is the sum for the transgressions of God's people the stroak was upon him God's design being to glorifie his grace in the salvation of so many sin having interveened to bring them under the curse There is upon the one side the Lord 's giving of them to the Mediator to be redeemed by him and upon the other side the Mediators accepting of them on the terms proposed he is content to satisfie for them to take the stroak on himself deserved by them that they may go free each of these may be considered several wayes for furnishing of sweet Doctrines 1. From the first of these Observe that there are some differenced from others in respect of God's purpose some chosen of God for his people beside all the rest of the World For some are here God's people ere they be born and ere Christ die for them John 17.16 Thine they were and thou gavest them me They are supposed to be God's people in some peculiar respect ere they be given to Christ to be redeemed by him In a word the Lord hath an elect people or a people chosen to salvation in his eternal purpose and decree an elect people or a people chosen out of the world which in this respect are not his people or are not elected There are four qualifications or properties in this Doctrine which will serve to clear it 1. When we say there is such a decree of Election we say that it is a discriminating or differencing decree wherein or whereby there is a taking of some and not all a taking of one and leaving another a taking of Isaac and a leaving of Ishmael a taking of Jacob and a leaving of Esau as it is Rom. 9. And this discrimination or differencing hath these four steps 1. There is a differencing in Gods purpose in respect of the end while all men are alike before him some are designed to erernal life others not therefore Mat. 25.34 it 's said Come ye blessed of my Father inherite the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world and in this respect the Book of Life is said to be opened Revel 20.12 2. This differencing is in respect of God's offering and giving of them to the Mediator in the Covenant of Redemption wherein some not all are given to Christ John 17 2. That he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him out of the world Where it is clear that so many are given to him in reference to whom he is to exercise his offices 3. There is a differencing in respect of Christ's undertaking and executing his Offices for them he accepts of them John 17.9 For their sakes I sanctifie my self I have separated my self to the Office of Mediator and do offer my self for them that they also may be sanctified And I pray for them I pray not for the world it 's of them that he maketh that sweet account John 6.39 This is the Fathers will that sent me that of all that he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day And of whom he saith John 10.28 29. I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand He answers and is accountable for them and for them only he will count for no other as being redeemed by him and to be made partakers of his glory 4. This differencing is in respect of the promises made upon Gods part to the Mediator in favours of the Elect and of the benefits that flow to them from the
I shall first passingly touch upon and then come to these Doctrines that are more directly held forth in the words 1. Then it is implyed that there is a people of God separated from others and chosen by him on whom he intended and purposed before the World was to glorifie his grace The very designation that they get here clears this It 's my people not only of the Jews nor my people only of the Gentiles but my people both of Jews and Gentiles as Christ sayes John 10. Other sheep have I which are not of this fold them I must bring iâ— 2. It is implyed that this Decree of Election is antecedanius to and goes before the Covenant of Redemption in order of Nature it flows not from Christs death as the effect of it but is prior to it for if Christs death be the mean or price as indeed it is Whereby the sins of God's Elect people are satisfied for then the Decree of Election must preceed it Only we would beware to ascribe to God any priority or posteriority in his Decrees in order of time for he is infinite in wisdom and foresight and able to look on all things with one blink of beholding and to decree things infinite in number at once which we cannot conceive of nor comprehend But this we say that considering the order of things the Decree of Election is not a fruit or effect of Christs death but prior to it and Christ's death follows as a mean to make it effectual He is appointed to save the Elect from their sins and from that which their sins deserved For the transgression of my people was he stricken They were God's people by Election before Christ's ingagement to suffer and satisfie for them much more before his actual suffering and so their Election cannot be a fruit and effect of his suffering Use It serves to vindicate this truth from an error and mistake of the Arminians who as they overthrow the design of grace in the salvation of sinners in other steps thereof So do they in this in making Christ's death to preceed Election and Election to follow it But as we hinted before the Decree of Election is Soveraign being an Act of Grace absolutely free the Lord in it having designed some for manifesting the glory of his grace upon them as the end he hath taken in Christs death and other midses for the promoving of it 3. It is implyed here that even the Elect or God's People are considered as sinful in the Covenant of Redemption For the transgression of my people was he stricken They were considered as sinful as well as others when they were bargained for We need not here dispute whether they were considered as sinful in the Decree of Election it not being necessary in this place nor profitable for you but sure in Christ's undertaking for them they are considered as sinful for God sent not Christ neither came he into the world to purchase life and salvation to righteous folks but he was sent and came to lay down his life a ransome for many to wit sinners and therefore it is given as the reason of his Name Matth. 1.21 Thou shalt call his Name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins Use 1. It serves to humble the Elect greatly who when ever they come to get grace they get it most freely for they were no better by nature than others whom God past by as is clear Eph. 2.1 We were dead in trespasses and sins and were by nature children of wrath even as others Peter and Paul were by nature children of wrath as well as Judas And David was a child of wrath by nature as well as Saul when this transaction concerning the work of Redemption was agreed upon and concluded betwixt these most responsal Parties 2. It serves also much for the encouragement of a Believer who is sensible of sin and afraid of wrath and in that posture betakes himself to Christ for refuge though his misbelief should make him say with Peter Depart from me for I am a sinful man O Lord yet this consideration may hearten him to draw near that Christ was stricken for sinners for the transgressions of his Elect people yea if tâ—ere had not been sin and if the Covenant of Works had holdâ—n foot there needed not to have been a Saviour and therefore sinners have here a solid ground to lay hold upon for life and salvation And therefore as a 3d. Use of it it is an unsafe assertion beside the curiosity of it that Antinomians maintain which is that though man had never fallen yet Christ would have become Man For we see here that Christs becoming Man and his being stricken flowed from his being Surety for Elect sinners and his being Surety flowed from the Covenant of Redemption concerning Elect sinners To be wise without or beside and above what is written in the Scriptures it 's vanity pride and folly 4. It is implyed here that sin where-ever it is deserves stroaks even the sin of the Elect Yea we may add this to it that not only do the sins of the Elect deserve stroaks in themselves being breaches of God's Law but that there is an actual curse standing against them till it be removed And God's threatning The day thou eats thou shalt surely die infers a necessity of stroaks This we say is clearly implyed here because the Mediator entering himself Surety for the Elects debt behoved to be smitten and when he was so smitten sure sin must deserve much We speak not of an absolute necessity but God having revealed to man his duty and added a threatning that in the day he should eat he should die there is a necessity in respect of God's truth faithfulness and unchangeableness who had spoken the word that stroaks should follow sin for sin cannot be removed till the threatning be satisfied Use This may point out to us that sin is no little nor light thing neither is the obtaining of pardon any easie business whatever men generally think of them There are many sad stroaks that follow sin which will hotly pursue sinners who are not in Christ O! do not then think lightly of sin which is the Fountain of so much misery and woe to the sinner If ye knew how exceedingly bitter wrath and the curse is that foâ—lows sin ye would as soon put your head in the fire as ye would meddle with it If ye believed that word to be true which is in Exod. 34 He will by no means clear the guilty And if ye believed God's faithfulness that is ingaged to make good his threatnings challenges for sin would be more strong and stinging 5. It is implyed here that though the Elects sins deserve wrath and that there must be a satisfaction ere they can be removed that yet the Elect cannot satisfie for themselves For the transgressions of my people was he stricken Christ behoved to be smitten ere their sin could be removed If
the riches of the free grace of God there being a Decree of Election for saving so many and for bringing them to Glory And they being under sin there is another decree and threatning that goes forth for cursing the sinner and these two seeming to be altogether irreconciliable the Question comes in on the one hand how is it possible that a sinner under the curse can be saved And upon the other hand how is it possible that an Elect of God can be damned The wisdome of God looseth the knot Spotless Justice is satisfied by taking hold of and falling on the Cautioner Wonderful Grace and Love vent themselves in pardoning the sinner and in accepting of a ransome for him And manifold wisdome manifests it self in knitting these two together so as none of them can want its effect But all returns to the manifestation of the Glory of Grace in the up-shot It cannot be that the Elect shall be damned Yet here stands the threatning of a just God and his curse ready to be execute but here is the reconciliation The curse is execute on the Mediator whereby God shews himself to be a hater of sin and an avenger of the wrong done to his Justice And the Elect sinner is pardoned whereby God manifesteth the freedome of his grace and his wonderfully condescending love But now we come to a 9th Doctrine which is more directly held forth in the words and it hath two Branches that our Lord Jesus his death and sufferings is a proportionable price and satisfaction laid down for the sins of the Elect and for them only This is in the express words of the Prophet If the Question be asked Wherefore suffered Christ all this He answers he suffered it as a price for transgression If it be asked again for whom or for whose transgression did he suffer He answers not for all Men and Women in the World but for the transgression of my people was he stricken or the stroak was on him for their transgressions The first Branch of the Doctrine is to this purpose that Christs suffering is intended to satisfie for the transgression of Gods elected people and with respect to satisfying for their sins did he suffer And if we take these to be truths that we marked before as implyed in the words this will natively and necessarily follow If he engaged to be Cautioner and Surety for the Elects debt then his laying down his life must be on the same account and for the same end Now when we speak of Christs laying down a price to satisfie for the transgressions of the Elect we mean not only this that his sufferings and death have a value in themselves to satisfie for their sins but that they are so intended by him in undergoing of them and that they are so accepted of God according to his purpose and according to the transaction that past betwixt Jehovah and the Mediator They are not only as Socinians say to be a confirmation of the Doctrine which he preached and to be a rule and example to us of patient suffering and of giving obedience to the death as he did But it 's also and mainly to satisfie the Justice of God for our debt So then this wicked Tenet of the Socinians is exceeding derogatory to the sufferings of Christ and to the matchless love that shined in them yea and even to the whole design of Redemption For if Christs sufferings be not a satisfaction to Justice we are left without all just plea and apology for our selves at Gods Bar and if we have none then that curse looks the wakened sinner full in the face The day thou eats thou shalt surely die And however men in their security may please themselves with such dreams and think that a satisfaction to Justice is not needful yet if the conscience be once wakened it will not be quieted without one And if mens Faith give not credit to Gods threatnings they can have but little or rather no comfort at all in his promises There is therefore a necessity of a satisfaction and if Christs sufferings be not the satisfaction there is not another and so the whole work of Redemption is overturned So then though Christ in his sufferings hath left us a Copy how we should suffer yet that is not the only nor the principal end of them but it is contrived in the Covenant of Redemption and intended by the Medi tor and withall accepted by Jehovah that they should be the meritorious cause of procuring pardon to the Elect and the price of their Redemption This may be further cleared and confirmed 1. From the phrase that is ordinarily made use of in Scripture He suffered for the sins of his people And in the Text For the transgression of my people was he stricken Their sins had a peculiar influence in bringing the stroak on him And what influence I pray could they have but as they procured the stroak to him And if his stroaks were procured by our sins then the desert of them was laid on him and his sufferings behoved to be the curse that we elect sinners should have suffered So when he is called their Cautioner it tells that he undertook their debt and his laying down of his life is the performance and fulfilling of his undertaken Suretyship and Cautionry And considering that their debt was exacted of him and that he was arraigned before Gods Tribunal as their Surety in their room and that this could be for nothing else but to answer for them as being their Cautioner His sufferings behoved to be intended as a satisfaction for their sins For the Elects sins were not the cause why Pilate the people of the Jews and the Scribes and Pharisees pursued him to death but for our sins he was sisted before God's Tribunal and being our Cautioner he was called to reckon for them and they were put upon his account or score 2. It 's clear also from the names that his sufferings get in the Scripture where they are called the price of our Redemption a buying of us a propitiation for our sins that pacified God Rom. 3.25 and 1 John 2.2 A Sacrifice often and Ransome Matth. 20.28 The Son of man came to give his life a ransome for many that is for all his Elect people to relieve them from the bondage they were under which plainly shews the respâ—ct that his sufferings had to our sins that they were a propitiation for them to God 3. It 's clear if we consider that Christs death as to its object is for the transgressions of all Gods people of all the Eâ—ect that lived before he suffered whether they died in their infancy or at age and for all that lived or shall live and die after his suffering to the end of the world Now what benefite could redound to them that died ere Christ came in the flesh by his sufferings if it were as Socinians say for his death could not sure be a pattern
free so the Offer is very broad and comprehensive as we see Isaiah 55.1 Ho every one that thirsts come to the waters and Revel 22. Whosoever will let him come and take of the water of life freely And we find these expressions all that believe and whosoever believes to be frequently used in the Scriptures which takes in all that will yeeld themselves to Him on the terms of the Covenant to close the bargain with Him 4. Consider God's end in the Justification of Sinners which is to make His Grace to shine and to triumph and to make it's victory over mans Sin Conspicuous and Glorious by being beyond it not in respect of the number of Persons but in this respect that as Adams one Sin brought Death on many so the Death of Christ hath brough Justification to many as it is Rom. 5. The judgement was by one to condemnation but the free gift is of many offences unto justification Whereas Adams one Offence brought Death on many here the relieving of one Sinner is the procuring of freedom to many because in that respect Christ is a Satisfaction for many Offences But it may be Objected here is it not said that the way to Heaven is strait and few their be that enter in thereat They are thin sown to say so that are Heirs of this Inherâ—tance I answer by a distinction Though they be comparatively few yet considered in themselves absolutely they are mâ—ny or they are simply many though comparatively but few Consider and Compare them with the multitude of reprobats that are even in the visible Church they are few yet if ye will consider them in themselves they are many and it 's most true that is spoken Revel 7.9 I saw a number which no man could number if we look since the beginning of the World how some are taken in this Age and some in that some of this Nation and some of another they will be found to be but few when all of all Nations are put together yet in themselves they are many There are these three Uses of it which may be Reasons why it is put in here The 1. is to let us see the largeness of the extent of the worth of Christ and of the allowance of Grace in reference to the Justification of Sinners through Him which should make us stand pause and wonder It had been much if Grace had saved but one more if it had saved a thousand or twenty thousand But O! what ground of admiration is it when many are saved by it This is the native end why it is put in here even to shew that it is not for nought that Christ died It shall be a blessing to many I marke it because though the presumptuous thoughts of many lead them to extend the Merits of Christ to all in the visible Church yet it may be that in others there are too narrow and limiting thoughts of the extent of His Merits and of the allowance of Grace as to the number of the Elect that shall be saved It being certain that as we are in hazard and ready to abuse any thing so this if it be said that they are many that are Justified we are ready to exclude none and if it be said that they are few we are ready to make Grace as it were an a nigard and Churle and to contract and narrow too much the application of it The 2d Use of it Which is a Second Reason why this Word many is put in here may serve for encouragement to Sinners and to hearten them to assay to get this benefit of Justification made their own many trow and in some respect it is a truth that it 's a singular and odd thing to come by Justification and hence they conclude that they will never get it and indeed if the thought of it's Singularity and Rareness made them careful to win at the thing it were an profitable use of it but when it makes them heartlesse to attain the thing it 's a wrong and prejudicial use of it But Sinners there is here ground of Encouragement Provocation and up-stirring to you to seek after Justification through Jesus Christ because there are many that are the Objects of it The Righteousnesse of Christ is a Righteousness that will save many It 's an Article of the Covenant of Redemption that Christ shall get many the Promise will give Title and Right to many He will not be content if He get not many now putting these together it cannot but be very great encouragement to seek and a strong ground to expect Justification on this account because 1. That which a believing Sinner gets is Justification Pardon of Sin both Original and Actual and it 's compleat actual Justification not only the procuring the Offer of it but the Application of it Justification from all things from which we could not be justified by the law of Moses and Justification never to be reversed 2. This Justification is designed for and allowed to many the stepping in of some before others doth not wrong them and there needs not be disputs about Election for the Text sayes that the allowance of Grace is to many 3. It is Christ's Satisfaction that He get many to be Justified and the moe that step to to lay hold on this benefit He hath as it were the more Satisfaction And if the Sinner should say I know not if I be included in that number the terms of the Covenant run to all that believe if there be a fleeing to Christ by Faith for refuge there needs not be anxious disputing whether the Sinner will come speed but there should be a steping forward many have gotten good and many will get good and there is room sufficient for as many as will yeeld themselves up to Christ and rest upon His Righteousnesse It 's a large mantle that covers thousands and the Lord will have thousands to be hidden under it and Justifyed by it 3dly It serves to be a most terrible ground of inexcusableness to these to whom Christ's Righteousnesse is spoken of and offered in the Gospel who yet neglect to make use of it that He was content to lay down His Life and that as a ransome for many none needs to say I knew not if I will be welcome He said it was for many and though He said not it was for all yet it 's for all that will believe in Him And therefore it is not nor shall not because He hath confined the benefit to few that ye are or shall be excluded but because though He extended the benefit to many yet ye excluded your selves and none of you who hear this Gospel shall have it to say I betook my self to Christ by Faith but He refused to admit of me and He would have no moe then He had there are many who please themselves with such a Word as this when they hear that many will be saved But it will be the dearest bought
why Christ was rejected and despised as a Man of Sorrows and acquainted with Grief and why Men should not stumble at him for all that because it was for them now if he had only removed Sorrows from them as he did Sicknesses it had not been a cause of his Sorrow and Grief nor of any Mans stumbling at him but had been rather a cause of his exaltation in Mens esteem But it s given here as a cause of that which went before in the first part of the 3. Verse and also as a reason why Men should not stumble at him and withall as an aggravation of their guilâ— who did stumble at him Now it 's clear that the ground of the Jews despising and mocking of him was nor his removing of Sicknesses and Diseases but his seeming to be given over unto Deaths power 2. Because that which is called here bearing of sorrows and griefs is in the words following called a being wounded for our transgressions which imports not only that hâ— was wounded but that our Iniquities were the cause of his being wounded and that the desert of them was laid on him 3. This wounding is holden forth to be the stripes whereby we are healed and all we like sheep have gone astray and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all we did the wrong but he made the amends and it was such a wounding as proves a cure to us and makes way for our peace and reconciliation with God and such as without it there is no healing for us for by his stripes we are healed it 's by his swallowing up of the river and torrent of Wrath that was in our way and would have drowned us eternally had not he interposed for us that we escape 4. Consider the parallel places to this in the New Testament and we will find that this place holds our Christs reâ—l and actual bearing of our Sorrows and and Griefs I shall only name three The 1. Is that of the 2 Cor. 5.21 He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him which can be no other way exponed but of Christs being made an Offering and Sacrifice for our Sins he not being a Sinner himself but becoming our Cautioner and engaging to pay our Debt and to tell down the price for the satisfaction of Divine Justice he is reckoned to be the Sinner and our Sins are imputed to him and he is dealt with as a Sinner A 2d place is that of Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law by being made a curse for us as it is written cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree The Sorrows and Griefs that Isaiah says here he should bear are there exponed by the Apostle to be his being made a Curse or his bearing of the Curse that we should have born it 's not meant simply of his removing the Curse from us but it also sets out the manner how he removed to wit by his own bearing of it himself being nailed to the Cross according to the threatning given out before The 3d. place is that of 1 Pet. 2.24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree where there is a direct reference to this place of Isaiah which is cited for confirmation of what the Apostle saith and every word is full and hath a special signification and emphasis in it He his own self bare the same word that is here and our sins and in his own body and on the tree intimating the lowest step of his Humiliation by whose stripes ye were healed for ye were as sheep going astray c. by his bearing of our Sins the burden of Sin was taken off us and we are set free I know that place of Matth. 8.17 hath its own difficulty and therefore I shall speak a word for clearing of it he hath spoken vers 16. of Christ's healing all that were sick and then subjoyns in the 17. vers That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaias the prophet saying himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses whereupon these enemies of Christ would infer that this place of Scripture hath no other nor further meaning but of Christ's curing of some sick Folks and of the deputed or committed power which he hath to pardon sins but we suppose that the reasons which we have already given make it clear that this cannot be the meaning of the place to which we shall add first A Reason or two and secondly Give you the true meaning of it The Reasons why one cannot be the meaning of the place are 1. Because Acts 8.32 this Scripture is spoken of as being dayly a fulfilling by Christ and therefore it could not be fulfilled in these few days wherein he was in the Flesh upon Earth 2. Because this bearing of our Griefs and Sorrows is such a piece of Christs Humiliation as thereby he took on all the Griefs and Sorrows of all the Elect at once both of these who lived in Isaiah his time and of these who lived before and since his time and therefore cannot be restricted to the curing of Temporal Diseases in the days wherein he was on Earth nay not to the pardoning of the Sins of the Elect then living there being many Elâ—ct before and since comprehended in this his Satisfaction which was most certainly a Satisfaction for the Sins of the Elect that were dead and to be born as well as for the Sins of them that were then living 2. For the meaning of the place 1. We are not to look on Christ's curing of Sicknesses and Diseases Matth. 8 16. as a proper fulfilling of this place Isa 52.4 but as many Scriptures are spoken by way of allusion to other Scriprures so is this there is indeed some fulfilling of the one in the other and some resemblance betwixt the one and the other and the resemblance is this even to shew Christs tenderness to the outward condition of Folks bodies whereby he evidenced his tenderness and respect to the inward sad condition of their immortal Souls whereinto they were brought through their Sin the great thing aimed at by the Prophet 2. If we consider the Griefs and Sorrows that Christ bare and suffered complexly in their cause and effâ—cts he in healing of these Diseases and Sicknesses bare our Griefs and carried our Sorrows because when he took on our Debt he took it on with all the consequences of it and so though Christ took on no Disease in his own Person for we read not that he was ever sick yet in taking on the Debt in common of the Elect he virtually took on all Sicknesses and Diseases or what they suffered in all Diseases or should have suffered he took it on together and hereby he had a right to speak so to the carrying of all Diseases and in carrying of them he had respect to the cause of
land of the living fâ—r the transgression of my people was he stricken THere is nothing that concerns us more than to be well acquainted with the doctrine of Christ Jesus and his Sufferings The Prophet hath therefore been much in shewing what Christ suffered in the former words and hath largely described his Humiliation to Judgment and Death for saith he he was cut off out of the land of the living In the words read he answers two important questions concerning his sufferings 1. To what end were all these sufferings he answers that they were for transgressions even to be a satisfaction to Justice for them The 2. Question is For whose sins were the sufferings of Christ to be a satisfaction It is answered expresly in the words for the transgression of my people was he stricken or the stroak was upon him it was for the sins of the Elect and of the Elect only for this is the Prophets scope who having spoken of Christs sufferings and death holds forth the meritorious and procuring cause and end thereof and this is the result design and sum of all even to be a satisfaction for Gods elect People for as we shew by Gods People are not meaned all men in the world nor the Jews only for Christ hath many sheep beside them but it 's Gods peculiar People in opposition to the multitude who are not his People The Doctrine or rather the branch of the Doctrine we left at was this and it 's exclusive that Christ's death is only intended to be a price for the sins of God's elect People and was laid down with respect to them his death and sufferings are to be looked upon and considered only as a price and satisfaction for their sins and for the sins of none other or thus Jesus Christ in his suffering and in the laying down of his life had a respect to the elect and intended the removing of the sins and transgressions of God's elect people only and of none other we know nothing that we can make of these words nor of the Prophets scope in them but this who as he hath been describing Christs sufferings in all other respects so doth he in this to wit in respect of the persons for whom he suffered and of the meritorious cause and end of his sufferings for says the Text for the transgressions of my people that is of Gods elect people was he stricken This branch of the Doctrine is of great weight and concernment in the whole strain of Grace for if this march-stone be lifted and removed Grace becomes common and as some call it universal and so to be in effect no grace at all for Grace hath a peculiar channel of its own wherein it runs towards a certain select number and not towards all I do not mean of grace taken in a large sense for so all men as they are partakers of any mercy or of common favours may be said to have grace extended to them but I mean God's special grace favour and good will which is extended only to the Elect for whose sins Christ suffered the right bounding of which Doctrine shews forth both God's soveraignty in the dispensing of grace and the freeness thereof in communicating and manifesting of it to whom he will and which thus considered is especially engaging of the hearts of them on whom he pleaseth to manifest it Ere I come to confirm this branch of the Doctrine take a word or two of advertisement in the entry 1. That Christ's death may be considered two ways 1. In respect of it self and as abstracting from the Covenant of Redemption wherein it is contrived as to all the circumstances of it in which sense as his death and sufferings are of infinite value worth so they are as Divines use to speak of value to redeem the whole world if God in his design and decree had so ordered and thought meet to extend it 2. We are to consider his sufferings and death as a price agreed upon in the Covenant or Bargain of Redemption wherein these two or three things concur 1. God's proposal 2. Christ's acceptation and design in laying down his life 3. The Fathers acquiescing therein and declaring himself well pleased therewith we speak not here of Christ's death in the first respect that is as abstracting from the Covenant for in that respect he might have laid down his life for few or moe for some or for all if it had been so intended but we speak of it in the second respect as it 's a price agreed upon in God's purpose and Christ's design and in God's acceptation and thus we say that his death is only intended as a satisfaction and recompence for the sins of the Elect and was laid down for them only 2ly We may consider Christ's sufferings and death in the fruits of it either as they respect common favours and mercies common gifts and means of grace which are not peculiar and saving but common to Believers with others being bestowed upon professors in the visible Church or as they are peculiar and saving such as Faith Justification Adoption c. Now when we say that Christ's sufferings and death are a price for the sins of his People we exclude not the Reprobate simply from temporal and common favours and mercies that come by his death they may have and actually have common gifts and works of the Spirit the means of Grace which are some way effects and fruits of the same Covenant but we say that the Reprobate partake not of saving Mercy and that Christs death is a satisfaction only for the Elect and that none others get pardon of Sin Faith Repentance c. by it but they only it was intended for none others and this we clear and confirm from and by these following grounds and arguments which we shall shortly hint at The 1. Argument is drawen from this same assertion of the Prophet thus If Christs death be only a satisfaction for the sins of Gods People then it is not a satisfaction for the sins of all but it 's a satisfaction only for the sins of Gods People therefore not for all for his People are not all men or all men are not his People but his People are a peculiar People separate from others in God's purpose and decree as we cleared before from John 17. Thine they were and thou gavest them me and the Text says expresly for the transgressions of my people was he stricken he respected the sins of God's People in accepting of the Bargain and in laying down his Life and for their sins only God accepted him yea the very mentioning of them thus here secludes all others and we must expone them exclusively as taking in none others and must look upon the things spoken of them as agreeing to no other even as it 's said Heb. 4. There remains therefore a rest to the people of God which is certainly exclusive of all others and hence when our Lord
was holy and harmless and ere long he will gloriously appear to be holy when these who pierced him shall see him and be confounded I say the Uses are these in reference to the Church and People of God It serves 1 To shew the condescendency of love and the contrivance of infinite wisdome for the behove of sinners Such a high Priest became us Love condescended and wisdome contrived that he should become man and suffer the just for the unjust Wisdom set on work by grace provided for sinners such a High Priest as they stood in need of And indeed sinners have no want here for they have a High Priest becoming them and this is an evidence of it that he is holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners c. 2. It serves to be a great ground of encouragement to sinners to step to and make use of Christs Sacrifice our Lord had no sin and needed not to offer a Sacrifice for himself And if he offered Sacrifice for atonement wherefore did he so It was either for himself and that could not be for he was holy or for nothing or for no end and to say so were blasphemy or it must be for a real satisfaction for Elect sinners or such as should make use of him And thus Faith hath a sure ground to lay hold on and namely that his satisfaction was real And that it was for this end to be made forth-coming for the behove of such as should believe on him And therefore look upon Christ's suffering and upon his innocency who suffered and ye will find that ye have a suitable High Priest and atonement made for you O but that is a sweet word 2 Cor. 5. ult He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him 3ly It 's ground of great consolation to them that betake themselves to Christ why our Lords Sacrifice cannot but be accepted for there was in him no guile nothing that might make his Sacrifice unsavoury and as it commends the way of Grace to a sinner so it is ground of encouragement to a sinner to look to be accepted through him for if the temptation should say thou art a sinner and such and such a great sinner that is nothing to purpose for God hath accepted of Christ and of his Sacrifice and if thou make use of his Sacrifice it cannot but be accepted for thee here then is the consolation that we have such an High-Priest as became us who needed not to offer for himself but only for the sins of the People and of his own People 4ly It serves notably for our imitation He was holy and in his holy walking hath left us a copy to write aâ—ter and to walk by and therefore in your speaking of Christs Holiness or in your reading of it consider that he is thereby casting a copy to you and bidding you purifie your selves as he is pure to 〈◊〉 holy as he who hath called you is holy learn of him to be meek and lowly in heart to be humble and heavenly-minded and in whateveâ— respect his life and walk is proposed to us as a patern set your selves in his own strength to imitate it and be ye followers of him as dear children whenever ye read oâ— his obedience to the death of his holiness in all mâ—nner of conversation and of his fulfilliâ—g all righteousness let it provoke you singly and seriously to design and endeavour conformity to him therein in your practice 2ly From the connexion of these two That he was accounted a sinner before and at his death and that after his death God did put that note of respect upon him that he was buried with the rich because he had done no violence c. but was holy and harmless in his life Observe That however Holiness may suffer as long as holy persons live yet at death and after death there is ever a testimony of the Lords respect put on it or thus holy walkers are always seperated and differenced from others as their deâ—th it 's ever otherwise with them than it is with others when death comes however it hath been with them in their life He made his grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death because he had done no violence c. This hath been confirmed in the experience of all that ever lived The rich glutton Luke 16. hath the better life as to externals and Lazarus had a poor â—fflâ—cted life but when death comes the rich glutton goes to Hell and Lazarus goes to the bosom of Abraham This is laid down as a certain truth Eccles 8.12 13. Thâ—ugh a sinner do evil an hundred times and his days be prolonged yet surely I know that it shall be well with him that fears God but it shall not be well with the wicked there shall be a change at death and it cannot be otherwise whether we look 1. To the holy Nature of God who hath a complacency in Holiness as it 's said Psal 11. ult The righteous Lord loveth righteousness his countenance doth behold the upright Or whether 2. We look to the Word of God which Isa 3.10 11. bids say to the righteous It shall be well with them for they shall eat of the fruit of their doings for blessed are the dead which die in the Lord they rest from their labours and their works do follow them but we unto the wicked it shall be ill with him for the reward of his hands shall be given him the same connexion that was betwixt Christ's life though a suffering life and his death shall be betwixt the life of all his Members and their death If we suffer with him we shall also reign with him The Uses are 1. To let us see what is the true wâ—y to eternal well-being when this short life shall be at an end and it is the way of Holiness and so it serves to answer a great question who shall be happy at their death even they that are holy in their life whose hands have done no violence and whose mouth hath had no guile to wit with the full bensil of their will and without all gracious reluctation for absolute freedom from these in this life was proper only to our Lord Jesus since Adams fall Such may expect the Lords countenance when death separats their soul and body therefore take this as a mark for tryal observe and see what is your carriage and judge accordingly and seing the Lord hath joyned Holiness and Happiness together inseparably presume not to separate them 2ly Is it so that Holiness hath a good and comfortable close of a man's life which is the substance of the Doctrine it would commend to us the study of Holiness as the most precious advantagious honourable sickâ—r and safe course that a man can follow Say to the righteous it shall be well with him it 's not say to the honourable man nâ—r say to the