abjectness of spirit then many of his servants the Martyrs were and to fall hudgely below that holily-heroick and magnanimous courage and resolution wherewith they adventured on extream Sufferings and most exquisite Torments which would be very unworthy of and a mighty reflection upon him who is the valiant Captain of Salvation made perfect through suffering who drank of the brook in the way Heb. 2.10 Psal 110.7 and therefore lifted up the head But here is the great and true reason of the difference betwixt his sad and sorrowful deportment under his Sufferings and their solacious chearful and joyful deportment under theirs that they through his Sufferings and Satisfaction were perswaded and made sensible of God's being pacified towards them and were mightily refreshed by his gracious comforting presence with them amidst their Sufferings while be on the contrary looked upon himself as one legally obnoxious to punishment fisted before the terrible Tribunal of the Justice of God highly provoked by and very angry at the sins of his People who was in a most signal manner pouring out upon his soul the vials of his Wrath and Curse which made him lamentâ—bly and aloud to cry out of desertion though not in respect of the persoâ—al union as if that had been dissolved nor yet as to secretly supporting yet as to such a measure at least of sensibly comforting and rejoicing presence My God my God why hast thou forsaken me here Faith was in its Meridian though it was dark Mid-night as to Joy wherewith as such his Body could not be immediatly affected spiritual desertion not falling under bodily sense Whence we may see how justly the Doctrine of Papists is to be exploded who deny all suffering in his Soul immediatly to salve their darling dream of his local descent as to his Soul while his Body was in the Grave into Hell and to Limbus Patrum to bring up thence into Heaven the souls of the Fathers whom without giving any reason or alleadging any fault on their part they foolishly fancy after their death till then to have been imprisoned there though quiet and under no punishment of sense yet deprived of all light and vision of God and so under the punishment of less the greatest of punishments even by the confession of some of themselves whereby they put these holy and perfected souls for there they say there is no more purgation from sin that being the proper work of their profitable Purgatory in worse case all that length of time after their death then they were when alive on the Earth where doubtless they had often much soul-refreshing fellowship with God and the light of his Countenance lifted up upon them Neither were these his Sufferings in Soul and Body only to confirm the Doctrine taught by him if that was at all designed by him as an end of his Sufferings so much stumbled at in the time which yet I will not debate let be peremptorily deny his Doctrine being rather confirmed by his Miracles and Resurrection and to leave us an example and pattern how we should suffer as non-christian and blasphemous Socinians over which were mightily to depretiate and disparage nay to enervate and quite to evacuate his Sufferings by attributing no more to them then is attributable to the sufferings of his Servants and Martyrs it 's true his Example was an infallible Directory the Example of all Examples but theirs not so yet this doth not at all influence any alteration of the nature of the end 2 Cor. 5 21 Gal. 3.13 1 Per. 2.24 Isa 53.5 6 8.10 12 Eph. 1.7 Col. 1.14 1 Joh. 2.2 but also and mainly by them undergone for his People and in their room and as sustaining their persons vice and place truly and properly by the Sacrifice of himself to satisfy Divine Justice for their sins And who I pray can put any other comment on these Scripture-expressions whthout manifest perverting and wresting of them He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law being made a curse for us Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree which is by the Apostle subjoyned as a superior end of his sufferings to that of leaving us an example discoursed by him immediatly before He was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities and the chastisement of our peace was upon him The Lord laid upon him the iniquity of us all For the transgression o my people was he stricken When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin He bare the sins of many In whom we have redemption through his blood Who is the propitiation for our sins and the like Nor did he undergo these sad sufferings for all men in the world to satisfie Justice for them and to reconcile them to God but only for the Elect and such as were given unto him For First The chastisement of their peace only was laid on him who are healed by his stripes as it is v. 5. of this 53 of Isai For the iniquities of my people was he stricken saith the Lord v. 8. The same who are called the Mediators people Ps 110.3 for saith blessed Jesus to his Father Joh. 17.10 All mine are thine and thine are mine Who shall without all peradventure or possibility of misgiving be made willing in the day of his power He only bare the iniquities of these whom he justifieth by his knowledge v. ii For otherwise the Prophets reasoning would not be consequent He only bare the iniquities of as many trangressors as he makes intercession for v. 12. And that he doth not make intercession for all but for these only who are given to him that is all the Elect is undenyably manifest from Joh. 17.9 where himself expresly saith I pray not for the world but for these whom thou hast given me Now Gods eternall electing love and his giving the Elect to the Mediator in the Covenant of Redemption to be satisfied for and saved by him and his intercession for them are commensurable and of equal extent as is most clear from Joh. 17.6 Where he saith Thine they were to wit by election and thou gavest them to me to wit in and by the Covenant of Redemption Gods decree of election being in order of nature prior to this donation or gift of the Elect in the Covenant of Redemption compared with v. 9. where he saith I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them whom thou hast given me for they are thine It is observable that he saith twice over I pray for them manifestly and emphatically restricting his intercession to them and excluding all others from it Why then should not also his sacrifice the price of the Redemption of these elected and given ones agreed upon in that Covenant betwixt these two mighty Parties be commensurable with the former three Especially since he saith v. 19. For their sakes sanctifie I
the sins of the Elect are exprest in an applicatory way And that noâ—able place Gal. 2.20 Where as if it were not enough to say he loved us and gave himself for us he draws it nearer and more home and saith Who loved me and gave himself for me But that ye may not mistake the point my meaning is not that every body off hand should make application of Christs death O! the presumption and desperat security that destroyes thousands of souls here as if there were no such distinction as we held forth in the first Doctrine nor any Barr to be put in the way of that fancied universal application of Christs dying for all sinners whereas we shew that it was for his sheep and these given to him of the Father only that he died and for no moe But this is my meaning that as it is 2 Pet. 1.10 ye would give diligence to make your calling and election sure and â—â—â—t in an orderly way ye would sâ—cure and sicker your interest in Christs death Not to make this the first thing that ye apprehend for the foundation of your Faith that he died for you in particular for that were to come to the top of the Stairs before ye begin to set foot on the first step But the orderly way is to make sure your fleeing to Christ in the sense of sin and your closing with him on his own terms and your having the characters of his people ingraven on you And then from such premisses ye may draw this conclusion as the result thereof Surely he hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows Then ye may be satisfiedly confirmed in this that when Christ transacted and bargained with the Father about the Elect when he prayed and took the Cup of his Fathers wrath and drank it out for them he minded your names and was made a curse in your room The reason is drawn from the advantage of such a Doctrine as having hanging on it the consolation of all the promises of God for we can never comfortaâ—ly apply nor be delighted in the promises till we coâ—e to make particular application of Christs purpose and purchase in the work of Redemption This is it that rids Marches and draws a Line betwixt us and reâ—robat ungodly men aâ—d that keeps from the fear of eternal death that pursues them And it gives some ground of hope to lay hold on and grip to as to our enjoying of Christs purchase I knâ—w there is nothâ—ng that fâ—â—k had more need to be sober and warry in the search of and in the securing themselves in then this yet by the same command that injoyneth us to make our Covenant-state our Calling and Elâ—ction sure we are bound to make our Redemption sure And having at some length spoken of the way of making sure our believing on the 1. vers We may insist the less on this of making sure our Redemption â—y Christ The 1. Use serves for Information To let you know 1. That there are many prosessing Christians that account this a curious nice and conceity thing to study to be sure and to make it sure that Christ in his death and sufferings minded them in particular Others may be think it impossible And all may think it a right hard and difficult thing and indeed so it is But yet we would have you to consider 1. That simply it is not impossible â—lse we should say that the comfort of the people oâ— God were impossible 2. That it is no curious thing for the Lord doth not lay the obligation to curiosity on any though we would wish that many had a holy curiosity to know God's mind towards them that they might not live in the dark about such a concerning business 3. That the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him Psal 25.14 And even this same secret concerning Redemption is with them and he will shew them his Covenant And indeed it were no small matter to have this manifested And therefore as a 2. Use of the point we would commend to you the study of making this sure for it hath many notable advantages attending it it would provoke to humility and to thankfulness to him that loved us and washed us from ouâ— sins in his own blood It would make a câ—mfortable and chearful Christian liâ—e It would warm the heart with love to God and to Jesus Christ who hath thus loved us as to give himself for us When we commend this to you it 's no uncouth nice needleslâ— curious or unattainable thing nor would we have you when ye cannot attain it to fit down discouraged neither would we have you take any extraordinary way to come by it nor waiting for any new light but that which is in the Bible nor would we have you resolving to do no other thing till ye attain to this But this we would have you to do even to make Faith in Christ sure by fleeing to him and casting your burden on him by cordial receiving of him and acquiescing in him and then ye make all sure The committing of your selves to him to be saved by his price payed to Divine Justice and resting on him as he is holden ouâ— in the Gospel is the way to read your interest in his Râ—demption And this is it that we have Gal. 3. and 2.19 Where it is disputed at length that we are Heirs of Abraham by believing and by the Law saith the Apostle I am dead to the Law that I might live unto God I am crucifiâ—d with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ lives in me and the life which I live in the fl sh is by the Faith of the Son of God Hence he concludes Who loved me and gave himself for me And this he proves in the last words I do not frustrate the grace of God I do not disappoint it I marr it not in its end and design It is as if he had said seeking a lost sinner to save and I give it a lost sinner to be saved For though God's Decree be the first step to Salvation and the work of Redemption follows on it and then believing on both yet to come to the knowledge of Gods Decree of Election and of our concern in the Covenant of Redemption we look downward and seek first to know if we have right to make application of that which was thought upon long since concerning us and this we do by reflecting on the way we have come to believing If we have been convinced and made sensible of sin and of our lost condition by nature if we have not smothered that conviction but cherished it If we have not run to this or that duty for satisfying of Divine Justice and for making of our peace therâ—by but were necessitate to betake our selves to Jesus Christ made offer of in the Gospel for the salvation of sinners and if we have closed with him as he was offered And if we have done so
And considering the nature of the Mediators death that it was a violent and cursed death that which had extream anguish and sorrow going before and alongst with it It shews that the Lord hath purposly taken that way to make it known how bitter a thing Sin is how terrible a thing His Wrath is and how holily severe His Law is and to let all know that it is a dreadful thing to come in topes with Him who did so put His own Son to it Use 1. This Doctrine though it hath been spoken to before is a soveraign Doctrine yea the Soveraign Doctrine and the corner stone of all Religion That Christ hath died for the Sins of His People It gives us accesse to preach the Gospel which is therefore called the preaching of Christ crucified know therefore and believe that the Mediator died and that it behoved Him to die For it was required as a condition of the Covenant of Redemption to be performed by Him to which He yeelded and consented O! what love is here to article such a thiâ—g before Sinners had any Being It was more then to be hungry and thirsty and weary He behoved to die and to be made a curse when Sacrifices and burnt Offerings will not do He sayes Lo I come in the volumne of the book it 's written of me I delight to do will O! my God I hearitily accept of the bargain Use 2. It speaks an sadly alarming Word to all you who are secure Athiests and care not for the Wrath of God O! what will become of you when the Wrath of God and you shall meet If Sin brought the Cautioner to death O! what Wrath shal ye come under when ye shall be put to reckon for your own Sins The smitting of the Sheperd was more then if all the Sheep had been smitten and though now ye think little of Sin yet the day comes wherein ye shall know to your cost that it is an evil and bitter thing to depart from God and that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Use 3. See here the necessity of making use of Christs Death either ye must do it or die and come under the Curse of God your selves there is not a midse If ye have Sin how will it be gotten put by and satisfied for not by your Prayers let be by a laughter or smile nor by your living of an honest life as ye call it Christ had infinitly more of this then any of you and yet He got not Sin so put by we may here allude to that Eccles 8.8 There is no discharge in tbat war neither shall wickedness deliver these that are given to it Death when it hath a commission and Gods Terrour backing it O! how will it handle the secure stubborn Sinner when the hand of God shall pursue him eternally Alace what are many doing that never fear the Wrath of God that suspend put of and delay the closing of their accompts and all endeavours to die to Sin and to live to Righteousnesse and either passe over their dayes as Athiests or as formal Hypocrites and such are some of you that hear me this day who never seek to be found in Christ nor to improve His death to the mortifying of Sin What will ye do in the day when ye shall be called to a reckoning ye will curse the day that ever ye heard the Gospel and that this was concluded that Christ should die it will be the savour of death to you through all eternity and will be the most Soul-searching and tormenting Word that ever ye heard and ye will wish that the Work of Redemption had never been heard of nor resolved upon Use 4. It 's a comfortable and encourraging Word to sensible Sinners such betaking themselves to Christ may be sure to get good of Him for He hath payed the Price already and hath given His Word for it That such as believe in him shall never perish but that he will raise them up at the last day Ye would not think that it will be displeasing or dissatisfying to the Father or to the Son that ye come to Him and take hold of Him for it was for that end that God sent Him and that He laid down His Life and died but He dies no more It will be no trouble to Him but satisfaction to His Soul for all the travel of it to make application of His purchase to you And seing it will not displease but be most acceptable to Him that ye believe on Him and be saved by Him and since not believing rubes shame in a manner upon Him why do ye not betake your selves unto Him by Faith for His satisfaction and your own Salvation 2dly He not only died but it 's said He poured out his soul unto death which implyes two things 1. The intensness of it it was an uncouth and strange Death not only was His Body afflicted but His Soul was poured out 2. It looks to His good will readiness and cheerfulnesse in dying Father as if He had said must I die and wilt thou have my Soul sorrowful and heavy I am content to be so thou shalt have my Life He comes not prigging to die to speak so but casts down His blessed Life at His Fathers feet and plentifully gives it out to the uttermost so that He will not as it were leave one drop of His Blood but will needs pour and yett it out in aboundance even all of it Hence Observe That our blessed Lord Jesus was most hearty in laying down His Life for Sinners was most cheerful in undertaking and most willing and cheerful in executing what He did undertake He makes not two Words of the bargain to speak so but when Sacrifice and Offering will not do it as it is Psal 40. Then sayes He Lo I come in the volumne of the book it is written of me I delight to do thy will O my God There is no standing nor disputing here on the Mediators side but a present willing and heartsome undertaking Therefore Prov. 8. He sayes Though he was continually with the father even from everlasting yet his delights were with the sons of men rejoycing in the habitable parts of the earth Ere ever the World was made ere there was a Sinner in beeing to be redeemed He rejoyced before hand thinking there would be such an opportunity to manifest His good will grace and mercy And if we look through the Gospel how often will we find this made good No man taketh my life from me but saith He I lay it down of my self and I take it up again and when they came to take Him and Peter drew his sword he said Could not I command twelve legions of Angels but all that is written of me must be fulfilled I have bargained to lay down my Life and it must be and I have a baptisme to be baptized with and how am I straitned till it be accomplished and
which may be gathered from Heb. 4.1 that stout confidence that thinks it's impossible to miss the Promises is a suspect and dangerous Faith not to be loved it 's a much better Faith that fears then that Faith that 's more stout except there be a sweet mixture of holy stoutness and fear together It 's said Heb. 11.7 that by Faith Noah being moved with fear prepared an Ark c. Noah had the Faith of God's Promise that he should be keeped free from being drowned by the Deluge with the rest of the World and yet he was mourning and trembling in preparing the Ark If there were much Faith among you it would make many of you more holily feared then ye are Love not that Faith the worse that ye never hear a threatning but ye tremble at it and are touched by it in the quick 2. It 's a good token of Saving Faith when it hath a discovery and holy suspition of Unbelief wairing on it so that the Person dare not so lippen and trust his own Faith as not to dread Unbelief and to tell Christ of it There is a poor Man that comes to Christ Mat. 9.23 24. to whom the Lord faith If thou canst believe or canst thou believe yes Lord says he I believe help thou mine unbelief there was some Faith in him but there was also Unbelief mixed with it his Unbelief was so great that it was almost like to drown his Faith but he puts it in Christ's hand and will neither deny his Faith nor his Unbelief but puts the matter sincerely over upon Christ to strengthen his Faith and to amend and help his Unbelief It 's a suspect Faith that 's at the top of Perfection at the very first and ere ever ye wot There are some serious Souls that think because they have some Unbelief that therefore they have no Faith at all but true Faith is such a Faith that is by and beside suspected and feared or seen Unbelief That Faith is surest where Folk fear and suspect Unbelief and see it and when they are weighted with their Unbelief and cry out under it and make their Unbelief an errand to Christ it 's a token there is Faith there 3. The third Character is That it will have with it a sticking to Christ and a fear to presume in sticking to Him There will be two things striving together an eagerness to be at Him and a fear that they be found presumptuous in medling with Him and an holy trembling to think on it yet notwithstanding it must and will be adventured upon the Woman spoken of Mark 5.28 lays this reckoning with her self If I can but touch his cloathes I shall be whole and she not only believeth this to be truth but crouds and thrimbles in to be at him yet vers 33. when she comes before Christ she trembles as if she had been taken in a fault not having dared to come openly to Him but behind him she behoved to have a touch of him but she durst not in a manner own and avouch her doing of it till she be unavoidably put to it It 's a suspect and unsound Faith that never trembled at minting to Believe there is reason to be jealous that Faith not to be of the right stamp that never walked under the impression of the great distance between Christ and the Person the sense whereof is the thing that makes the trembling I say not desperation nor any utter distrust of Christ's kindness but trembling arising from the consideration of the great distance and disproportion that 's between Him and the Person Faith holds the Sinner a going to Christ and the sense of its own sinfulness and worthlesness keeps him under holy fear and in the exercise of Humility Paul once thought himself a jolly man as we may see Rom. 7.9 but when he was brought to believe in Christ he sees that he was a dead and undone man before I give you these three marks of a true Faith from that Chapter 1. It discovers to a Man his former Sinfulness and particularly his former Self-conceit Pride and Presumption I was saith Paul alive without the Law once c. a man living upon the thoughts of his own Holiness but when the Law came I died he fell quite from these high thoughts A second Mark is A greater restlesness of the Body of Death it becoming in some respect worse Company more fretful and strugling more then ever it did before Sin revived saith Paul though he had no more Corruption in him then he had before but it wakened and bestirred it self more I dare say that though there be not so much Corruption in a Believer as there is in a natural Man yet it strugleth much more and is more painful and disquieting to the Believer and breeds him a greate dale more trouble for says the Apostle on the matter when God graciously poured Light and Life into me Sin took that occasion to grow angry and to be enraged that such a neighbour was brought in beside it it could not endure that as an unruly and currish Dog barks most bitterly when an honest Guest comes to the House so doth Corruption bark and make more noise then it did before when Grace takes place in the Soul There are some that trow they have the more Faith because they feel no Corruption stir in them and there are others that think they have no Faith at all because they feel Corruption strâ—gling more and growing more troublesome to them but the stirring and strugling of Corruption if Folk be indeed burdened and affected and afflicted with it will rather prove their having of Faith then their wanting of it Love that Faith well that puts and keeps Folk bickerring to say so in the Fight with the Body of Death for though this be not good in it self that Corruption stirreth yet Sin is of that sinful nature that it flies always more in their face that look God and Heaven-wards then of others that are sleeping securely under its Dominion A third Mark is When the Soul hath never Peace in any of its Conflicts or Combats with Corruption but when it resolves in Faith exercised on Jesus Christ as it was with Paul in that Chapter after his Conversion That is a sound Faith that only makes Peace at first by Christ but that cannot to say so fight one fair stroke in the Spiritual Warfare nor look Corruption in the face nor promise to it self an outgate from any assault of the Enemy but by Faith in Jesus Christ as it was with the Apostle who toward the end of that Chapter lamentably crys O! wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death yet immediatly subjoyns Faiths triumphing in Christ I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord he belike before his Conversion thought he could do well enough all alone but it is not so now when he can do nothing without Christ especially in this sore
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
Life And we say that such an exercise suppons Life to be though it be not descernable in it's exercise to the Soul it self There are many Poor Creatures born and brought forth into the World that can neither Talk nor Walk but must be carried and keeped Tenderly and that are some way as if they were not brought out of the Womb So is it with many Believers and it were good to be in Christ's Common as for Life so for bringing Life to exercise and by diligence and waiting on Him in the use of His own appointed Means to seek to come to some Distinctnesse in Neating and Exercising of any Life that He hath given And it is no small incouragement to this That Christ shall see his seed That He must have Saints and Believers in Him which should make Poor Souls that have no Life in themselves with the more confidence to commit themselves to Him upon this very ground that the Father hath ingadged to Christ that He shall have many such for His Seed The which Promise is performed to Him in the gathering in of Poor confused and Mind-perplexed Sinners to be in His Debt for Life and to hold their Life of Him for ever It will sure be no small part of the ground of Saints praise in Heaven that He not only bought Life for them but that He made Application of Life to them And trained them on till He got them fitted to speak to His Prâ—ise Wherein the Body of Death makes many a sad stop and makes poor Believers to Stammer as it were while they are here But it 's good News that Jesus Christ hath bought Life and brought it to Light And that by this Gospel He is making Application of it and declaring that He is content to bestow it freely on all them that will be in His Common for it SERMON XLI ISAIAH LIII X. Vers 10. He shall see his seed He shall prolong his dayes And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand IT was once a Riddle how out of the strong could come forth Meat and how out of the Eater could come forth Sweet It 's here most clearly Unridled and that in a most Wonderfull and Comfortable Manner Our Lord Jesus the strong Lyon of the Tribe of Judah it put to grief and bruised and his soul is made an offering for sin and here is the Sweet Meat that comes out of it He shall see his seed he shall prolong his days c. The substance of the Words is That by His Death many shall be brought to Life It 's the same Death that hath given us the hope we have of Life And all the ground that we have to speak of it to you which had never been had He not been bruised and put to grief We shew that here is holden forth the Lord 's great design in the Contrivance of the Work of Redemption And that these Words are a further answer to the Stumbling Objection proposed before to wit How the innocent Son of God could Suffer It pleased the Father to bruise him when he should make his soul an offering for sin c. Which Justifies God in that proceeding and serves to weep away that Reproach that might seem to stick to Him In sum it is this If we consider the notable and noble Fruits and Comfortable Effects that followed on His Sufferings and Death there is no ground to stumble at God's giving His Son or at the Sons Condescending as Mediator to Suffer to be Dispised and put to Dâ—ath And this is the first Fruit and Eff ct thereof that He shall see his seed Whereby is meaned that by His Death the Elect who are given to Him do by Faith in Him recâ—ive a new Life from Him aâ—d are taken in under a most sweet and kindly Relation to Him by their being begotten again to a lively hope through His Resurrection from the Dead We spoke to â—â—is Point That Believers are Christ's Seed which shews the great Priviledge that they are admitted to and their great Obligation to Christ on that account they are oblidged to Him for their Spiritual Life and Beeing as Children are oblidged to their Natural Parents for their Natural Life and Beeing And Infinitely more oblidged in as much as the one Life is Infinitly Preferable to the other There are three things more to be Observed from the Words And 1. Considering them as they stand in Dependence on the Former That God's Design in sending His Son into the World and the Mediators Dâ—sign in coming so low is to have a Seed begotten to the Hope of Eternall Life and to have â—oor Souls dead in themselves shareing of Life in and through Him even to have many partaking of Life through His Death 2. Considering the Words as foretelling the event of Christ's Death and Sufferings We have this Observation from them That Our Lord's Deaâ—h shall certainly procure Life to many Or thus it cannot be but His Death must have truâ—â— to the saving of Souls from Death and to the making of them partakers of Life 3. Looking on the Words as a Promise made to the Mediator We Observe from them That the Seeing of a Seed is exceeding much thought of by Jesus Christ It pleased Him wondrous will Therefore this Promisâ— of a Seed is mâ—de to Him to incourage Hâ—m to lay down His Life We shall speak a Word to each of these And shall leave the consideration of the Words as they hold out not only our Lord 's out-living his Sufferings but His seeing a Seed on the back of them to the Second Effect that follows He shall prolong his days For the First Doctrine we suppose It will be clear if we consider how the seing of his seed is Subjoyned to and Dependeth upon the former Words anent His making His soul an offering for sin which holds out this That the great Design of God and of Christ the Mediator it s His Sufferings is to beget a People to â—ternal Life And to make way that Sinners Naturall Dâ—ad in Sin may partake of Spiritual and Hâ—avenly Life and may be begotten to the Hope of Eternal Life through Him And what other Design I pray could there be then this For the Lord had nothing to procure to Himself To speak simply there could be no addition made to the Glory of God thereby Therefore it 's said John 6.39 40. This is the Fathers will that hath sent me that of all that be hath given me I should loss nothing but should raise it up at the last day And this is the will of him that sent me that every one who seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation and what is it That Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners and that John 10.10 I came that they might have life and that they might
is satisfied in the undertaking and performing of the Work of Redemption it 's also set down here He shall see of the fruit of the travel of his soul and shall be satisfied Which in a Word is this He shall see many who had perished if He had not Suffered getting good of His Sufferings and to be benefited by them Who by His taking on Him the Curse and by His undergoing this Soul travel shall be fred from the Curse and made to partake of the Benefits Priviledges and Comforts that He hath bought by so great and precious a Price We proposed this as the main Doctrine from the Words the last day That it is great Satisfaction to Our Lord Jesus to see Sinners making use of and getting good of Hâ—s Sufferings Or thus That Sinners making use of Christ's Sufferings for their good is His Satisfaction for all the Soul-travel and Sufferings â—hat He indured He shall see of the Fruit of the travel of his soul and shal be satisfied I shall insist no further in clearing and confirming this but come closs to the Use of it And if any Point of Doctrine have Use this may have and hath it to the Glading and making Joyfull and Fain the Hearts of lost Sinners That Our Lord Jesus should Suffer so much and seek no more Satisfaction â—or it all but to see Sinners improving His Sufferings for their good to have a Seed brought forth by His Soul-travel and to have them getting Life by His Death and the Blessing by His bearing of the Curse and yet this is it that this Doctrine bears forth We may draw the 1. Use to these Four from and by which we may learn and know in some measure how to answer this Question seing we have heard so much of Christ's Sufferingâ— and Soul travel what shall we give to Christ for all that how shall we satisfie Him â—f there w re any affected suitably with thankfulness from the hearing of Christ's being brought so low by His sad Sufferings This would be and could not but be their Question Hâ—re is an Answer to it That Our Lord Jesus seeks no more as a Satisfaction for all His Sufferings but that ye improve them for your good This will Delight and Satisfie Him ye cannot do Him a greater pleasure noâ—hing will be â—ore acceptable nay nothing will be acceptable to Him nor taken off your hâ—nd but thiâ— even to see you coming in to Him and making use of His Sufferings for your own good That as to your particular His Sufferings may not be in vain and for nought but that ye improve them and so improve them as ye may not Live and Die in the Case that ye would have been in for ever had He not Suffered That is under the dominion of Sin and Sathan under the Wâ—ath and Curie of God in an anxious heartless Life without God and without Hope in the World It is even this in a Word That hearing of His sad Sufferings and of the Designe of them ye may betake your selves to Him for Pardon of Sin for Sanctification in both the Parts of it and for Consolation and that in the end ye may get your Souls â—aved on the account of His Sufferings and by vertue thereof 1. then ye would seek to be reconciled to God as the Apoâ—â—le 2 Cor. 5.20 21. exhorts We as ambassadours for â—hrist and in his stead beseech you to be reconciled to God And the Argument whereby it is pressed is the same that the Doctrine holds forth For he was made sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him Hence it follows also Chap. 6.1 We beseech you receive not this grace of God in vain Are there â—ny of you who are convinced that Christ should be Satisfied and that He should not be at all this Travel and Pains for nought And that think ye would fain Satisfie Him if it were in your power Behold Our Lord hath told you what will satifie Him It is not thousands of Rams nor ten thousand Rivers of Oyl but that His Sufferings be so improven by you as the native Fâ—uiâ—s of them may follow and be found in you That considering the wofull case ye are in by Nature ye may make use of His Satisfaction to Divine Justice as as the alone Atonement and may by Faith take hold of it as the Ground of your Peace if this be not Câ—rist will be to you as if He had never Suffered 2dly It calls for Holinesse and Mortification of Sin This is much pressed Rom. 6. from v. 2 to 14. And by this same Argument to wit That seing Christ died for Believers we should die with Him That being it wherein the Power of His Death kythes even in the Mortification of our Lusts which He came to destroy But when Folks live as they had wont to do in their Prophanity and Loosness thâ—re is nothing of the Fruit of the Travel of His Soul to be seen in them 3 Christ Travelled for the Consolation oâ— His People And this is another Fruit of His Death and Suffâ—rings that these who have betaken themselves to Christ may comfort themselves on â—his Ground Thâ—t once and that ere long they will get the Mâ—stery over a body of Death and will get both Sathan and it bruised under their Feet through Him Who was delivered for our offences and rose again for our justification and who hath blotted out the hand writing of ordinances that was against us nailing it to his cross And that through the vail which is his flesh there might a way be made Patent to us unto the most holy And that with confidence we might approach to God and in His Sufferings drâ—wn all our Challenges And indeed Believers are behind and greatly at a loss who have betaken themselves to Christ and yet live as Anxiously and Uncomfortably as if they had not a slain Mediator to comfort themselves in who by His Sufferings Soul-travel and Death hath made a Purchase of so great things for them And in a Word The up-shot of His Sufferings is to get the Sâ—uls of Believers in Him carried unto Heaven and keeped there perfect till the Body be raâ—sâ—d and in a perfect â—ate be Reâ—unâ—â—ed to the Soul at the Great Dâ—y according to that of the Apostle Eph. 5.26 27 He gave himself for his church that he might sanctifie and cleâ—nse it and present her to himself a glorious church without spot and wrinkle or any such thing And when Souls are not taking the right way to heaven he hath nothing of the Travel of his Soul from such more then if he had not undergone it or not Suffered at all Use 2. If this be Christ's Satisfaction for all the Travel of his Soul that he see Sinners getting good of his Sufferings Then if any Motive be weighty to move People to give Him their Soâ—ls to save this must sure have weight with them even that
Souls these are special seasons for putting Him to exerce His Office in Justifying of them and this day this Scripture is fulfilled in your ears and ye should let it sink in your hearts that Our Lord Jesus is pursuing His Commission and performing His Service keeping up the Treaty and inviting and perswading Sinners to come to Him that the pleasure of the Lord may prosper in His hand And therefore know assuredly that this is it that Christ is imployed in and taken up with even to get sinners fred from the Guilt of Sin and from Wrath by His Righteousnesse It is not only nor mainly to get them brought to the Church and to His Supper or to get them made Formal and to abstain from Cursing Swearing and Profanity though these will follow of will but it is to get them brought in to Himself and Justified And we have these two Words to say to you further in this matter 1. There is here good ground of encouragement to a poor Soul that would fain make Use of Christ for Pardon of Sin This is even it that Christ is intrusted with It is for this end that He is Legated and Commissioned of the Father And will He not thinks thou do that which He is intrusted with and for which He is mainly sent This is saith He John 6.39 the will of him that sent me that every one that seeth the Son and believeth on him should have everlasting life and that I should raise him up at the last day Which is in Sum That by his knowledge many should be justified And it 's added For he shall bear their iniquities To anticipat and answer an objection For a sensible Sinner might say how can I be justified that have so many Sins Here is a Solution of that doubt He shall satisfie for them All these Words are as it were big with Child of Consolation being the very Heart and Life of the Gospel as any thing that comes so near to Christs Commission and unfolds so much of it is A 2d Word is this That ye mistake Christs Errand Work and Service very far who think to content Him and put Him off with this who would give Him the Name of a Saviour and yet would be at the saving of your selves without Him who would complement Him as it were with fair Generalls but will have none of His Phisick or of His Cures nor will renunce your own Righteousness and make use of His for your Justification This says one of these Four Either that He is not Commissionated and Trusted for this end or that He is not meet for that Trust or that He is not Faithfull in it Or else that ye can do your own turn without Him and that there is no need of His Office And which of all these can abyde the Tryal before God And yet it shall be upon one of these that ye shall be found to have cast at Christ and to have refused to permit Him so far as ye could hinder and abstruct to do His Fathers business and if ye Just not accompts with Him there will be a most dreadfull Reckoning betwixt God and you 2dly Observe That this particular Trust anent the Justifying of Sinners Our Lord Jesus doth most Righteously Diligently Dextrously Tenderly and Faithfully Discharge It was His Fathers will that He should be Baptized and fulfill all Righteousness and more especially that He should Justifie many in this He is very Skilfull and Faithfull and it is on this account He is called The good shepherd and that He is said to lay down his life for his sheep That He is called a faithfull high Priest and is said to be one that is able to save to the uttermost these that come unto God through him and that He is Holy harmless and separat from sinners fit to make Peace betwixt God and Sinners another sort of Priest than Aaron was or any that were before Him He is in a word such a high Priest as became us and as we stood in need of who needed not to Offer Sacrifice for His own Sins He had no more to do but to Satisfie for us The Prophet Isaias Chap. 40.11 Tells how tender he is in bringing Souls to Heaven He gathers the lambs with his arme he carries them in his bosome and gently leads those that are with young And Chap. 42.3 That a bruised reed he will not break and the smoaking flax he will not quench And it is said 1 John 2. If any man sin we have an advocat with the Father and who is he Jesus Christ the righteous Righteous in the Faithfull managing of His Trust by making Sinners Peace with God Would ye know then in what respects or on what account it is that Christ is called Servant We answer in these Respects 1. Though we have failled and broken the Law yet He hath not and God will not look down on Him 2. In this Respect That He pleads for no Sinners Pardon but He can fully pay their Debt and hath done it if He seek one thing from God He yeelds in another and according to the Covenant of Redemption exactly proceeds For He is a propitiation He seeks nothing but he payes for it and wrongs not him in the least who hath Trusted him the Lord Jehovah is not a lâ—ser but hath His Honour restored by Him 3. In respect of His keeping Faith to the Persons that have need of Him for whom He hath undertaken He is not only faithfull to the Master but to the Children and Servants He owns and acknowledges them when they come to Him under their necessities and is forthcoming to them every way suitable and answerable to His Place and Trust in doing good to Sinners Use Had we sensible Sinners to speak to Sinners groaning under a Body of Death with pricked hearts crying out What shall we do for the wrongs that we have done to God Sinners under holy fear to spoil and mar the Bargain and to hazard their own Souls had we I say such Sinners to speak to There are good news here to them the Trust of saving Souls is committed to a Faithfull Shepherd it is not committed to your selves for so it had been a dolefull Trust but it is committed to Him that hath gotten the Sheep by Name given to Him to be kept by Him and He will not suffer them to miscarrie nor to go quite wrong And what more would ye have A salvation and a Price is much but it is more to have a Saviour to make the Application of His Purchase a Bishop of Souls to Justifie and carrie Sinners through to make it sure before God and to make it out the Sinner may sleep sound which in the sense of Sin hath betaken himself to Him to be Justified by His Righteousness and to be in His Debt and Common for obtaining of Pardon and for making the Application of what by His Sufferings He hath Purchased We can say but little to
that their Souls are in and that they look at peace with God as an easie business But one day it wil be found to be a great matter to be at peace with Him that Sin is bitter and Wrath heavy and that to be in good terms with God is better then a thousand Worlds God Himself make you wise to think seriously on it in time SERMON LXV ISAIAH LIII XII Vers 12. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great and he shall divide the spoil with the strong because he hath poured out his soul unto death and he was numbred with the transgressours and he bare the sins of many and he made intercession for the transgressours THere was never bargain so seriously entered in as this betwixt Jehovah and the Mediator never bargain was of such concernment and weight It is therefore no marvel it be insisted upon The Prophet hath been holding forth the terms and conditions of it on both sides and now he sums them up in this last Verse that the businesse may be left cleâ—r and distinct setting forth what the Lord Jehovah ingageth for to the Mediator and what the Mediator ingageth for to Jehovah only with this difference that in the former part of the Chapter the Mediators ingagment is first set down and then what are the Promises that the Lord Jehovah made to him But in this Verse where the Covenant is resumed what the Lord ingageth for to the Mediator is first set down and then what the Mediator is to perform in the last place To shew as I said the mutualnesse of the Covenant of Redemption and that it is but one bargain one link whereof can never be loosed on either side In the last part of the Verse what the Mediator is to perform is set down in Four Expressions as past and done because of the certainty efficacy of the Mediators Sufferings and of His performing what He undertook and of divine Justice It 's acceptation thereof The 1. is because He hath poured out his soul unto death It was proposed to the Mediator to die which he undertook and in the execution goes cheâ—rfully about it He poured out his soul unto death without any prigging grace and love to speak so with reverence were so liberal and prodigal of the Life of our Lord Jesus for the Salvation of lost Sinners That His blessed Soul was separat from his Body and he made obnoxious to the Curse which most willingly he underwent his Life or Soul was poured out unto death The 2d is He was numbred with the transgressours which implyes Three things 1. It suppons that he was indeed no transgressour there was no guile found in His mouth yet he behoved to stoop so low as to be reckoned among or numbred with transgressours as the former expression holds out the painfulnesse of his Death So this holds out the ignominie of it he not only died and behoved to die but he was looked on as a despicable person even so despicable that Barrabas a thief and robber was preferred unto him and of this we spake from verse 3. He was dispised and rejected of men 2. It implyes mens ingratitude that when our blessed Lord came to redeem them they did not count him worthy to live but looked on him as a transgressour This was also fulfilled in the History of the Gospel as John 18.30 They say unto Pilat If he were not a malefactor we would not have delivered him unto thee 3. It implyes the low condescendence and depth of the love of our Lord Jesus Christ which hath no bottom he will not only die but die a shamful and cursed Death and take on reproach and ignominy with the Debt of Sinners when they are dispysing him The Cautioner must not only die but die a shamful death some deaths are creditable and honourable and men will with a sort of vanity affect them but it behoved not to be so with our Lord Jesus when he entered himself Sinners Cautioner he must not only die but be despicable in his death as it is Chap. 50.5 He gave his back to the smiters and his cheeks to them that plucked off the hair he hid not his face from shame and spitting because it was so articled and agreed upon when he was reviled he reviled not again O! what condescending-love shins forth here in the Mediator It was much to pay the Debt and die but more in his dying to be counted the transgressour much to be Cautioner but more to be counted the dyvour As if some wicked and perverse Officer ceazing on the Cautioner should not only arrest him for the Debt and exact it of him but account and call him the dyvour Debtor yet he bears all patiently It would learn us to bear reproach for him he bare much more for us then we can bear for him he was railed on and reviled bufferted and spitted on they in derision said unto him Hail king of the Jews they mocked him nodded the head at him hanged him up betwixt two thieves as the most eminent malefactor of the three and Mark saith Chap. 15.28 That this scripture was fulfilled which saith and he was numbred with the transgressours God had appointed it and the Mediator had condescended to it and therefore it behoved so to be We spake to the matter of this before and will not now insist on it any further The 3d. is He bare the sins of many which is also causal as the former are It 's put in here 1. To shew the end of his dying and the nature of his death His death was a cursed death but not for his own Sin but for the Sins of others even to pay the Debt that was owing by his Elect the many here are the same many spoken of in the former verse who by his knowledge are justified It 's not the Sins of all that Christ bare but the Sins of many and the many whose Sins he bares are the many that are justified and all who are justified their Sins he bare and of no moe So that as many as have their Sins born by Christ are justified and whoever are justified had their Sins born by him 2. It shews also how the Sins of these many are taken away It was by Christs bearing the punishment due for their Sins this it that which we spake to from verse 6. The Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all In a word it 's this The Mediator articleth and agreeth to take on the guilt of the Sins of the Elect though not their Sins themselves formally considered he took the deserving or burden of their Debt Of this we have also spoken before and will not therefore insist any more particularly on it The 4th and last Article or part of the condition required of the Mediator is He made intercession for the transgressours There was more required of him then to die and to die such a death for the Elect's Sins He must
blackest hour pleasantly sweetly and submissively subjoyned and said to his Father Luk. 22.42 Mat. 26.32 Nevertheless not my will but thine be done Not as I will but as thou wilt Twelfthly and finally If it be considered That when the whole contexture and web of Providences and more especially about the Catholick visible militant Church and every individual Member thereof shall be wrought out and in its full length and breadth as it were spread forth in the midst of all the redeemed perfected glorified and triumphant company of Saints standing round about and with admiration beholding it there will not be found to say so one misplaced threed nor one wrong set colour in it all but every thing will be found to have fallen in in the fittest place and in the most beautiful season and order thereof O! so rare so remarkable so renowned and so ravishing a piece as it will by them all unanimously and with one voice be judged and declared to be even worthy of the most exquisite Art and infinite Skill of the great Worker thereof the severest Criticks and most difficultly satisfiable of them all while here below about more publick and more particular Cross-providences will then fully and to the height be satisfied and will all without any the least hesitation or jarring readily and chearfully bear him this concordant testimony Mark 7.37 that he hath done all things well every thing in particular and all things in the general though when he was a doing of them they often presumptuously took on them rashly to censure and to offer their impertinent and crabbed Animadversions on and their Amendations and Alterations of several of them and will most cordially bless him that he wrought on in his own way about his Church and each of themselves without consulting them or following their way which would have quite marred the beauty and darkned the lustre and splendour of that most close and curious divine contexture Every one of these Considerations hath much reason in it to perswade to this intire and absolute submission to God's will and pleasure in what is cross to you afflicted and sorrowful Christians but O! how much weight and strength of sound spiritual reason is there in them all united together beside the many other excellent Considerations dispersed up and down these choice Sermons stuffed full with strong Cordials fitted both to recover and to preserve you from fainting under your many several Afflictions powerfully to perswade and prevail with you even the most averse untoward way ward and cross-gained to say so of you all without further debate demur or delay in these things that are most afflicting to you and do most thwart your inclination to come in his will and pleasantly without any the least allowed reluctancy or gainsaying to submit to him how might ye thus possess your Souls in patience and how quiet calm sedate and composed might ye be more especially in troublesome Times amidst these things wherewith others are keeped in a continual hurry almost to the hazard of being distracted by them Let them all my Noble Lord prevail with your Lordship in particular reverently to adore silently to stoop unto and sweetly to acquiesce in the Lord 's soveraign holy and wise ordering your many and various complicated Trials and more especially his late removing your excellent Lady the desire of your Eyes the Christian and comfortable Companion of your Youth by his stroak As indeed all the tyes of nearest and dearest Relations betwixt Husbands and Wives Parents and Children Brothers and Sisters c. are capable of dissolution and will all ere long by Death be actually dissolved there being but one tye and knot of Marriage-union betwixt precious Jesus Christ and the Believer that by divine ordination is eternally incapable of any dissolution even by Death it self which though it dissolve the strait-union that is betwixt the Soul and the Body yet doth not at all loose the straiter bond of Union that is betwixt him and both of them but it remains still inviolable and by vertue thereof the Believers vile dead Body shall be raised again at the last Day conform to his own glorious Body and be reunited to the perfected-soul which two old Intimats will then meet in far better case then when they were parted and pulled asunder for he is an Husband that cannot grow old sick or weak neither can he die he is an Husband whose Bride and Spouse is never a Widow neither hath he any Relicts The drawing on of which matchless Match and marvellous Marriage is one great design of these sweet Sermons wherein pregnant reasons are adduced by this friend of the Bridegroom to perswade Sinners to embrace the offer thereof made to them in the Gospel and to make them who by his own gracious and powerful insinuations on their Hearts have entertained his Proposal towards making up and final closing of the Match to bless themselves in their choice and to bless him that ever he vvas pleased to stoop so very lovv as to become a Suiter to them vvith a peremptory resolution to admit of no refusal but infrustrably to carry their Hearts consent to take him for their Lord Head and Husband to be to them a Saviour a Physician and Treasure even their All in all their All above all which day of Espousals as it was the day of the gladness of his heart so it will never be any grief of heart to them Let all mutinous thoughts about his dealings with you be silenced with It 's the Lord let not too much dwelling on the thoughts of your Affliction to the filling of your heart still with Sorrow incapacitate you for nor divert you from humble asking the Lord what he aims at by all these Dispensations what he would have you to learn out of them what he reproveth and contends for what he would have you amending your hand in and what he would have you more weaned self-denied and mortified in and what he would have you a further length and a greater proficient in He hath told you the truth that these things are expedient for you study to find them to be so in your own experience Sure he hath by them written in great legible and capital Characters yea even as with a Sun-beam Vanity Emptiness Uncertainty Mutability Unsatisfactoriness and Disappointment upon the forehead of all Creature-Comforts and with a loud voice called your Lordship yet more seriously then ever to seek after solid Soul-satisfaction in his own blessed and all-sufficient Self where it is most certainly to be found without all peradventure or possibility of misgiving make haste my Lord yet to come by a more closs confining of all your desires and expectations of Happiness and Satisfaction to your Soul to God only contracting and gathering them in from the vast and wearisome circumference of earthly Comforts and concentering them all in himself as their point study through Grace in a sweet Soliloque to bespeak
and me in the Covenant of Redemption when as theirs is love from bottom even to brim whatever mixture may sometimes be of paternal and domestick Justice proper and peculiar to God's own Family and which as the Head and Father thereof he exerciseth therein not so much as one gut or scruple of vindictive wrath being left therein Ah! it 's both a sin and shame that there shoâ—â—d be with such even with such so much shyness and shrinking to drink after him in the cup of his Cross especially considering that there is such a high degree of honour put upon the suffering Believer for Christ above and beyond what is put on the simple Believer in him so that in the Scripture accompt the suffering Believer is not only but also according to what the Apostle saith Philip. 1.29 To you it is given in the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him but also to suffer for his sake Eighthly Concerning what mighty obligation lyeth on Believers to mourn and weep to be sad and sorrowful for sin how can they look on him whom they have thus bruised wounded and pierced by their sins without the tear in their eye without mourning for him and being in bitterness as a man is for his first-born and for his only begotten son when they think as all of them on serious consideration will find reason to think that if their sins keeped the tryst and rendezvous when all the sins of all the Elect did meet and were laid on him then sure there came no greater company and more numerous troop of sins to that solemn rendezvous from any of all the redeemed then came from them and that he had not a heavier load and burden of the sins of any then he had of theirs whereby he was even pressed as a cart is pressed down under the sheaves and was made most grievously to groan even with the groanings of a deadly wounded man and that if he was wounded and pierced by their iniquities then surely he was more deeply wounded and pierced by the iniquities of none then by theirs O! what mourning should this cause to them even such mourning as was at Hadadrimmon in the Valley of Megiddo on the occasion of the sad slaughter and death of that good and desirable king Josiah this is indeed one of the most genuine and kindly one of the most powerful and prevalent one of the sweetest and strongest springs of and motives to true Gospel-repentance sorrow and mourning for sin Ninthly Concerning the notable and non-such obligation that lyeth on Believers to study the crucifixion and mortification of sin Was it not their sins that crucified and killed precious Jesus Christ the prince of life was it not their sins that violently drove the Nails thorow his blessed hands and feet and thrust the Spear thorow his side to the bringing forth of water and blood shall they not in their burning zeal and love to him and in the height of holy indignation at themselves be avenged on that which brought such vengeance on him shall they not seriously seek to be the death of that which brought him to death and whereof the death and destruction was one of his great designs therein on which he was so intent that in the prosecution of it he did amidst his dying pangs and agonies breathe out his soul O! let it never be heard for shame that ever any of them shall find the least sweetness in that accursed thing that was so bitter to him that ever any of them shall be found to dally with or to hug that serpent and viper in their bosom that so cruelly stung him to death But this being the great subject of these following Sermons wherein the Preacher being in a good measure wise Eccles 12.10 11. hath sought to find out acceptable words and words I hope of uprightness and truth O that they may be to the Readers as goads and nails fastened by him who is the great master of assemblies I shall insist no further only I think I may humbly say that to my knowledge none have preached on this whole Chapter to better purpose every way many may have done vertuously but it 's probable he will be found to excell them all nay if I should say that for any thing I know this Book for so much is amongst the best Books of this nature the World hath seen I suppose hardly will any judicious Christian thorowly exercised to Godliness after he hath read it all over and pondered it think that I have greatly if at all hyperbolized There are in these choice Sermons deepths as it were for Elephants to swim in whereof his surprâ—â—sing sublimely spiritual and very deep diving discourses concerning the Nature of Christs Intercession and the right improvement of it in the last six Sermons is a notable instance and shallows for Lambs to wade in Heb. 5.13 14. There is in them milk for babes in Christ and stronger meat for such as are of full age who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil Nay I may in a good measure say of these Sermons as it 's said of the learned Discourses of a late great man That in the doctrinal part of several of them ye will find the deepth of Poleâ—ical Divinity and in his inferences from thence the sweetness of Practical somethings that may exercise the profoundest Schollar and others that may edifie the weakest Christian nothing readily is more nervous and strong then his Reasonings and nothing more sweetly and powerfully affecting then his Applications There is in them much for information of the Judgment for warming of the Affections and for direction toward a Gospel-becoming Conversation there is much for clearing and expeding the doubts and difficulties of more weak and more darkned Christians and much for edifying confirming and establishing of more growen ones there is much for conviction reproof warning humbling for stirring up and provoking to the serious exercise of Godliness and much for the comforting and refreshing of such as stand in need and are capable of Consolation there is much for discovering rouzing awakening and all â—raming of carnal secure unsound hollow-hearted and hypocritical professours of Religion and much for beating and hammering down of the pride of conceity self-justifying Professors much for training on of young beginners and much for advancing and carrying on in their Christian course such as are entered into it and have made any tollerable progress therein In a woed 2 Tim. 2.15 he doth in a great measure approve himself to God as a work-man that needs not be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth and as a skilful and faithful Steward giving to every one his portion in due kind measure and season It may be some Readers will think that there are in these Sermons several co-incidencies of purposes and repetitions To which I shall but presume to say that beside that there is a great
War with his Corruption That is a sound Faith that makes the Sinner to make use of Christ in every thing he is called to that yoaks him I mean Christ to work on every occasion and particularly when it comes as it were to grapling and hand blows with this formidable Enemy the Body of Death this Monster whereof when one Hâ—aâ— is cut off another as it were starts up in its place For a close of this Purpose I beâ—eech and obtest such of you as are strangers to Saving Faith who are I fear far the greatest part to consider seriously all I have spoken of the nature and native evidences of it that you may be undeceived of your Soul-ruining Mistakes about it and let sincere and sound Believers from aâ—l be more cleared confirmed and comforted in their Faith SERMON XIII ISAIAH LIII I And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed THere are many mistakes in the way of Religion wherewith the most part are possâ—ssed and amongst the rest there is one that generally the Hearers of the Gospel think it so easie to Believe that there is no difficulty in that by any thing they think it hard to Pray to keep the Sabâ—ath to be Holy but the most part think there is no difficulty in Believing and yet Unbelief is so rife and Faith so rare and difficult that the Prophet Isaiah here in his own name and in name of all the Ministers of the Gospel crys out Lord who hath believed our report he complains that he could get but very few to take the Word off his hand and because it weighted him to find it so and because he would fain have it to take impression on his Hearers he doubles expressions to the same purpose and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed which in sum is there is much Preaching and many Hearers of the Gospel but little believing of it few in whose Heart the work of Faith is wrought It 's but here one and there one that this Gospel hath efficacy upon for uniting of them to Jesus Christ and for working a work of Saving Grace in them the effectual working of God's Grace reaches the Hearts but of a few For opening the words we shall speak a little to these three 1. To what is meant by the Arm of the Lord. 2. To what is meant by the revealing of the Arm of the Lord. 3. To the scope and dependance of these words on the former For the first In general know the Arm of the Lord is no to be understood properly the Lord being a Spirit hath no Arms Hands nor Feet as Men have But it 's to be understood figuratively as holding out some Property or Attribute of God By the Arm of the Lord then we understand in general the Power of God the Arm of Man being that whereby He exerceth His Power performeth Exploits or doth any Work So the Arm of the Lord is His Power whereby He produceth His Mighty Acts as it 's said in the Psalms The right hand of the Lord hath done valiantly His hand and his arm hath got him the victory and because the Power of God is taken either more generally for that which is exerced in the Works of common Providence or more particulâ—rly for that which is put forth in the Work of Saving Grace We tâ—ke it here in short to be the Grace of God exercing its Power in and by the Gospel for the converting of Souls and causing them savingly to Believe so Rom. 1.16 I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God to salvation to every one that believes not simply as it consists in speaking of good sweet and seasonable words but as it cometh backed by the irresistable Power of the Grace of God as the word is 1 Cor. 1.23 24. We preach Christ to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness but unto them who are called both Jews and Greeks the power of God and the wisdom of God and that it is so to be taken here the conâ—â—â—â—ion of these words with the former will make it clear for sure he is not speaking of the Power of God in the works of common Providence but of His Power in the conversion of Souls to Christ even of that Power which works Saving Faith in the Elect. For the second The revealing of the Arm of the Lord By this we do not understand the revealing of it objectively as it 's brought to light by the preaching of the Gospel for thus it 's revealed to all the Hearers of the Gospel it 's in this respect not keeped hid but brought forth clearly to them in the Word And therefore secondly The revealing of this Arm or Power of the Lord is to be understood of the subjective inward manifâ—sting of it with efficacy and life to the Heart by the effectual operation of the Spirit of the Lord as it 's said of the great things prepared for them that love God 1 Cor. 2.10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit it 's that which is called 1 Cor. 2. the demonstration of the spirit and of power which makes plain and powerful to the spirit of the Hearer inwardly that which the Word preacheth outwardly to the Ear which without this would strick only on the Ear and yet remain still an hidden Mystery This is the revealing of the Lord's Arm that is here spoken of because it is that on which Believing dependeth and of the want whereof the Prophet sadly complaineth even where there was much Preaching For the third to wit the Scope Dependance and connexion of these words with the former We conceive they come in both for Confirmation and for Explication of the former words 1. For Confirmation There are as hath been said but few that Believe for there are but few that have this saving and effectual work of God's Grace reâ—ching their Heart though they have the Word preached to them yet they have not the Arm of the Power of God's Grace manifested to them and so He confirms His former Doctrine concerning the paucity of Believers under the preaching of the Gospel First By asserting the fewness of them that are brought to Believe to be converted and effectually called by the Gospel which comes to pass through their own Unbelief And Secondly By asserting their fewness in respect of God's soveraign applying of His Grace in the Gospel which is but to few it 's but few that Believe for it 's but few that He makes effectual application of His Grace to 2. We say it comes in to clear and explicate the former words whether we take it by way of a Reason or of an answer to an Objection For if it be said how can it be that Isaiah Paul yea and our Lord Jesus Christ himself should preach so powerfully and yet that so few should Believe he answers it 's not to be marvelled at in respect of God as if he
neither Penance Performances nor any other thing will do it but it 's Lo I come in the volum of thy book it s written of me I delight to do thy will O my God Take this then as another ground of Saving Knowledge that it is our blessed Lord Jesus that satisfies Justice even he who being God was content to become Man and is God and Man in one Person He and he only undertaking the Debt satisfies Justice 4. How does he satisfie Justice Ans He was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was on him and by his stripes we are healed In which words observe these three things 1. In Christs satisfaction for us there is an actual undertaking he becomes Cautioner and enters himself in our room when all other things are casten Angels Men with their Sacrifices thousands of Rams ten thousand rivers of Oil and the fruit of the Body then our Lord Jesus comes in and undertakes Psal 40.7 Lo I come he satisfies for our Transgressions which supposes that Justice could not have sought our Debt of him if he had not undertaken it therefore Heb. 7.24 He is called the surety of a better testament for he comes in our room and place and undertakes to pay our Debt even as if a man under Debt were a carrying to Prison and another able rich man should undertake to pay the Debt although the Debt should ly over for a while unpayed yet the Creditor will get a Decreet on the Cautioner for payment of the Debt when he pleases to put at him so Jesus Christ enters Cautioner for our Debt and becomes lyable to the payment of it 2. Christs performance and payment of the Debt according to his undertaking implys a Covenant and Transaction on which the application is founded which we shew was also implyed in the foregoing words ver 4. He hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows God the Father Son and Holy Spirit are the Party wronged by Sin Jesus Christ considered personally and as Mediator is the Party undertaking The terms are that he shall suffer and satisfie Justice for us and that we shall go free that his paying shall be our freedom that the Debt which he pays for us shall not be exacted off us our selves 2 Cor. 5. ult He who knew no sin was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him and here the chastisement of our peace was on him it was transferred from us to him that by his stripes we might be healed by his stripes and blanes health was procured and brought to us 3. Our Lord Jesus in fulfilling the Bargain and satisfying Justice payed a dear price it was at a very dear rate that he bought our freedom He was wounded bruised suffered stripes and punishment So that ye may take the answer to the question in sum to be this our Lord Jesus performed and satisfied for all that was due by us by undertaking our Debt and paying a dear price for Sinners according to the Covenant of Redemption He came under the Law and the Law struck at him as Cautioner and he answered the Laws demands and fully and condiguly satisfied the Justice of God for us As for that Question Whether Christ might not by one drop of his blood have satisfied and such like we think them very needless too curious and little or not at all edifying But if it be asked why Christ payed so much we answer 1. It behoved Christ to pay a condign price to give a condign satisfaction to Justice 2. It was meet that he should pay all that he payed First We say it behoved to be a condign satisfaction For 1. It behoved to be a price equivalent to all that the Elect should have suffered had not he interposed 2. It behoved to be proportionable to the Justice of God for God having laid down such a way of shewing Mercy that his Justice should be salved there behoved to be condign satisfaction for the vindication of Justice which was done by Christs suffering to the full undoubtedly if we consider 1. The excellency of the Person that suffered God and Man in one Person 2. If we consider the nature of his Sufferings that they were exceeding great heavy and pressing And 3. If withall we consider the manner of his Sufferings that it was with much readiness and chearfulness of obedience to the Fathers will That such and so excellent a Person should suffer and suffer so much and suffer in such a way this sure makes a condign Satisfaction and so Justice is fully thereby satisfied and made as glorious as if all the Elect had suffered eternally therefore we say that his sufferings were a condign and proportionable satisfaction to Justice for them whose Debt he payed by this Justice is compleatly and gloriously satisfied Secondly We said that it was meet that he should pay all that he payed and so it is if we consider 1. The excellency of immortal Souls a little price as all that Men or Angels could have payed would have been the finest Gold Silver and precious Stones could not have done it the redemption of the soul is precious and ceaseth for ever to wit amongst all the Creatures Psal 49.8 2. The severity of Justice on the just account of Sin called for such a price 3. Gods end which was to make both his Grace and Justice glorious required and made it meet that our Lord should suffer condignly and in his Sufferings suffer much even all that he did suffer And in this ye have an answer to this question why Christ suffered so much as the loss to speak so of his declarative glory for a time outward sufferings and inward sufferings even the bâ—â—isiâ—g and squeezing that hiâ— Soul was under which made him to say that it was heavy unto death and exceeding sorrowful Let not sinners then think it a little or a light thing to get a Soul saved the redemption whereof ceaseth for ever as to us or any Creature Behold herein the glory of Grace eminently shineth forth when there is such a price payed for that which in some respect is of so little worth and also the glory of Justice when so great a price is demanded and payed down for its satisfaction by so worthy and excellent a Person and let none think little of Sin the guilt whereof could not be otherwise expiaâ—â—d the chastisement of our peace behoved to be on him 5. What are the benefits that come by these Sufferings Answer 1. The benefits are such that if he had not suffered for us we should have suffered all that he suffered our selves 2. More particularly we have 1. Peace and Pardon of Sin 2. Healing by his Sufferings so that if it be asked what procured pardon of Sin and peace with God We answer it 's Christs Sufferings Or if it be asked what is the cause of Gods justifying Sinners We answer it 's
no dominion over him he had a glorious out-gate He was taken out and set free from the prison or straits wherein he was held And from these judgements that past upon him The reason of the Exposition is drawn from the plain meaning of the words which must run thus He was taken from judgement the very same which is in the following expression He was cut off out of the land of the living that being the ordinary signification of the preposition from the meaning must be this that he was taken out of the condition wherein he was It agrees also best with the scope of the very next words Who shall declare his generation Wherein he proposeth an admirable aggravation of this delivery The 2d thing hath a connexion with the former and therefore take a word or two for clearing of it What to understand by Generation here is somewhat difficult to determine the word in the Original having several meanings yet generally it looks to one of two as it is applyed to Christ 1. Either to the time past and so it 's used by many to express and hold forth Christ's God-head and so the meaning is though he was brought very low yet he was and is the eternal Son of God Or 2. as commonly it is taken it looks to the time to come and so the meaning is who shall declare his duration or continuance Generation is often taken thus in Scripture for the continuance of an Age and of one Age following another successively as Joshua 22. This Altar shall be a witness to the generations to come So then the meaning is he was once low but God exalted him and brought him thorow and who shall declare this duration or continuance of his exaltation As it is Phil. 2.8 9. He humbled himself c. Therefore God highly exalted him As his humiliation was low so his exaltation was ineffable it cannot be declared nor adequatly conceived the continuance of it being for ever There is no inconsistency betwixt these two Expositions His duration or continuance after his suffering necessarily presupposing his Godhead brought in here partly to shew the wonderfulness of his suffering it being God that suffered for the man that suffered was God Partly to shew Christ's glory who notwithstanding of his suffering was brought thorow and gloriously exalted And these reasons make it evident 1. Whatever these words Who shall declare his age or generation do signifie certainly it is something that can be spoken of no other but of Christ and that agrees to him so as it agrees to no other Now if we look simply to the eternity of his duration or continuance that agrees to all the Elect and will agree to all men at the Resurrection Therefore the Prophet must look here to his continuance and duration as he is God 2. Because Who shall declare his genaration is brought in here to shew the ineffableness of it and so to make his sufferings the more wonderful it was he who suffered whose continuance cannot be declared 3. It 's such a continuance as is brought in to shew a reason why death could not have dominion over him nor keep him according to that Rom. 1.4 He was declared to be the Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead And the reason subjoyned to this will someway clear it for he was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people was he stricken Thereby insinuating that because of the great work which he had to do there behoved to be some singularness in the person that had the work in hand who notwithstanding of the greatness and difficultness of it came thorow and was hereby exalted However it be the Prophets scope being to set out Christ's Humiliation and Exaltation his Humiliation before and his Exaltation after which is as we said ordinary in Scripture We conceive the meaning we have given is safe and agreeable to the Prophets scope We may observe three things from the first part of the words 1. That our Lord Jesus Christ in his performing the work of Redemption was exceedingly straitned or pinshed or held in as the word is elsewhere rendered bound up and hemmed in as men are who are in Prison and by these straitnings we mean not only such as he was brought into by and before men whereof we spoke before but especially these that were more inward and these being amongst the last steps of his Humiliation more immediately preceeding his Exaltation and spoken of as most wonderful we conceive they look to these pressures that were upon his spirit and we shall instance several places of Scripture that serve to hold them out the first is that of John 12.27 28. Now is my soul troubled and what shall I say Father save me from this hour here our blessed Lord is troubled in Spirit and so pinshed and hedged in as in a Prison that he is holily non-plussed what to say The 2d Scripture is Matth. 26.38 My soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death which is like the expressions used by the Apostle 2 Cor. 11.8 We were pressed above measure above strength in so much as we despaired of life and we had the sentence of death in our selves there was no outgate obvious to humane sense and uptaking so is it here wherein we are not only to consider his Soul vexation but that his Soul vexation was very great extreamly pinshing vexing and in a manner imprisoning to him The 3d Scripture is Luke 22.44 He being in an agony prayed more earnestly and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground there was such a striving wrestling and conflicting not with man without him but with inward pressures on his spirit that he is like one in a Barrace or Cockpit or engaged in a Duel with a mighty Combatant sore put to it very far beyond ought that we can conceive of so that he swat great drops of blood and says father if thou be willing remove this cup from me nevertheless not my will but thine be done it is in Matthew if it be possible and thereafter if it be not possible which says there was no winning out of the grips of the Law and Justice till they were fully satisfied and these dreadful words uttered by him on the Cross My God my God why hast thou forsaken me hold out that from the sinless humane nature of Christ the comfortable and joyful influence of the God-head for a time was in a great measure suspended though the sustaining power thereof was exercised mightily on him so that he looks on himself some way as forsaken and left in the hand of the Curse To clear this a little we would consider these pressures that were on our Lords Spirit 1. In respect of their cause 2. In respect of their effects 1. In respect of their cause There is upon the one side his undertaking for
be libelled for sin though not for his own sin and what it was to be sentenced and to meet with wrath which gives to sinners a safe and refreshful shelter under him as under the shadow of a great rock in a weary land This is the great design of the Gospel to make proffer of the benefite of these sufferings to you and to pray you in Christs stead to be reconciled to God Now God himself perswade you to it SERMON XXIX 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 EVery step of Christs way to sinners and every word whereby it is exprest is wonderful And therefore it is no marvel that the Prophet doth by way of admiration cast in this word And who shall declare his generation We shew you that we conceive these words to be these that express the Prophets turning of himself from Christs Humiliation to his Exaltation He hath insisted long in setting out his wonderful abasement exinanition and humiliation which these words import He was brought from prison and from judgement Which look not only to his external imprisonment to his coming to judgement bâ—fore men but also and mainly and principally to the pinches and straits that he was brought into and his arraignment before Gods Tribunal and so to the cause of his suffering to wit for the transgression of his people as the words following hold out which was not the cause of his censure before men but the procuring cause of what he met with from and before God But though he was brought to prison and to judgement to death and to the grave yet they did not they could not detain him He was taken or as the word signifies he was lift up from prison and from judgement being the same word that followeth He was cut off out of the land of the living which supposes a turn and change from his Humiliation to his Exaltation and these words Who shall declare his generation Set out the unconceivable and unexpressible glory that Christ is exalted unto so Acts 8.33 35. Where these words are cited it 's said In his humiliation his judgement was taken away That is in his lowest step of his Humiliation his judgement or that to which he was adjudged was taken from him and he was declared free However since in these words our Lords Humiliation is implyed and his Exaltation expressed as following on it we think it safest to understand them so The words put together hold out the high degree of Christs glorious exaltation so as his generation cannot be declared He was taken from prison and from judgment and gloriously exalted in another manner and to another degree of glory then either Angels or Believers are or are capable to be For he that is exalted is God whose generation cannot be declared Death having no more dominion over him and he having the keyes of hell and of death In a word we take this Who shall declare his generation most immediatly to relate to Christ's Exaltation as Mediator and to the glory wherewith he was invested and to the dominion that he hath over all creatures yet considering that the Prophets scope is to set out this as wonderful and considering that the first step of his Exaltation is his Resurrection whereby as the Apostle speaks Rom. 1.4 he was declared to be the Son of God with power His Resurrection being singular in this respect that he rose by his own power and considering that Acts 8.35 Philip began to preach to the Eunuch Jesus Christ as the object of Faith We think it reasonable to conceive that he preached Christ to be God from this Text so as the Eunuch might have a solid foundation for his faith And this subserving the scope which is to set out the wonderfulness of Christs love to Elect sinners who being God yet condescended to come thus low for saving of them We may take in his God-head mediatly from which as the former steps of his Humiliation received worth and efficacy so he was thereby sustained and born up under all these sufferings whereby his people are saved From the first and second expressions put together we shall draw three Doctrines relating to three main Articles of our Faith The 1. whereof is this That our Lord Jesus had an out-gate from and victory over the lowest and most pinching pieces of His Humiliation and suffering so that though he was at prison and judgement yet he was lift up from both and had a glorious out-gate This takes in three things which the same grounds will confirm 1. That in his lowest state and step of Humiliation he was sustained and carried thorow so that all the assaults which he was put to endure and encounter with from all his enemies wicked Men and Devils did not overcome him 2. That as he in himself was born thorow and sustained So in respect of God's bar at which he was arraigned he was absolved and set free He so came thorow by paying of the debt that he had an Absolviture as it is 1 Tim. 3. ult Great is the mystery of godliness God was manifest in the flesh justified in the spirit Our blessed Lord Jesus being sustained by the power of his God-head was carried thorow in his sufferings payed the Elects debt and received the sentence of absolution even as a person to speak with reverence in such a subject having payed the debt for which he was imprisoned is absolved and set free 3. It takes in our Lords actual delivery he not only received the sentence of absolution but was actually set free so that as he was pleased to put himself in prison and in straits for us so he was brought from every step of his humiliation from prison and from judgement from death and from the grave He nailed the hand-writing which was against us to his cross as the Apostle saith Col. 2.14 15. And having spoiled principalities and powers he made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in it And as it is 1 Cor. 15. at the close He took the sting from death disarmed it and trode upon it And there was necessity for this even such necessiâ—y that it was impossible it could be otherwayes as we have it Acts 2.24 It was not possible that he could be holden of death This will be clear if we consider these things 1. The person that suffered he was not an ordinary nay nor a meer man but God-man As is clear Acts 2.27 cited out of Psal 16. where it is said Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell neither wilt thou suffer thy Holy One to see corruption 2. The end of Christs sufferings which was to satisfie for the debt of his people there having been no reckoning on his own score or account he being still in Gods favour and his Holy One
in whom his Soul delighted all along his sufferings His sufferings being for the sins of his Elect and he being to make application of his satisfaction and of the purchase made thereby to the Elect for whom he suffered and purchased these things by his intercession There was a necessity that he should come thorow otherwayes he should not have been a perfect and compleat Saviour Able to save to the uttermost these that come unto God by him as the Apostle speaks Heb. 7.25 But such a High Priest became us who is holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners and made higher then the Heavens 3. It 's clear also if we consider the nature of the Covenant and of the promises made to him therein upon his ingaging and undertaking for the Elect as particularly vers 10. of this Chapter He shall see his seed and prolong his dayes his duration shall be for ever The pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand and I will divide him a portion with the great and he shall divide the spoil with the strong Our Lord's Exaltation and victory over death being on the Lord's side conditioned to him the Mediator as well as he ingaged to suffer hence it 's said Psal 110. He shall drink of the brook in the way therefore shall he lift up the head The Uses are two The 1. whereof serves for clearing and confirming our Faith in a fundamental Article of Christianity without which it were needless for us to preach and needless for you to hear or believe and that is that our Lord Jesus suffered and also got the victory over suffering that he was raised from the dead and declared to be the Son of God with power intimating that Justice had gotten full satisfaction in evidence and testimony whereof he was declared free which is a main thing that believers have to believe even that we have an exalted Christ a raised up Saviour who could not be detained by all the Elects guilt in prison 2. It serves to be matter of strong consolation it puts life in all Christ's Offices and Qualifications and in all the Promises made to Believers to wit that our Lord Jesus is a living Christ over whom death had no dominion and he overcame it now to die no more So that as it is Heb. 7.25 He is able to save to the uttermost these that come unto God by him seing he ever liveth to make intercession for them There is nothing that a Soul needs or can desire but it is to be had in him And if we would look to particular instances much consolation will arise from this ground For 1. Hath a believing sinner to do with challenges at the Bar of Justice is it not unspeakable consolation that their debt is payed Hence it 's said Rom. 8.33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It 's God that justifies who shall condemn It 's Christ that died yea rather that is risen again It 's that which gives proof of compleat payment of the Elects debt and defiance to any challenges and accusations to come against the Believer to his prejudice because Christ hath not only died but is also risen Justice being well pleased with his satisfaction he is let out of the Prison 2. If the Believer hath to do with corruption with the Devil and with many enemies Is it not strong consolation that our Lord is risen and up that the Prince of this world is judged that Satan is troden under foot and that be shall and must reign till all his enemies be made his foot-stool 3. Our Lord's Resurrection hath a twofold further consolation with it to Believers 1. It serves to be a ground for the exercising of Faith on him that as he is risen so Rom. 6. may we expect that being spiritually dead with him to sin we shall be with him raised up to newness of life 2. It is a pledge of Believers Exaltation and compleat victory over Death and the Grave and over all Enemies for Christ being raised as the Common Head of all Believers who are his Members they by vertue of his Resurrection and by that same efficacy shall be raised And it 's impossible that they can ly under corruption This is our great consolation who are Believers and live under the Gospel that we have not these things as a Prophesie of things to come but as a plain History of things in part done and by and by to be compleatly done 4. It hath also in it consolation in respect of temporal difficulties what are they all They are not sure such as Christ's were and the day is coming when Believers shall have an out-gate from them all And therefore since our Lord is up let not Believers be afraid of any changes whatsoever 2dly Observe That our Lord Jesus being raised up from his state of Humiliation is invested and put in a most excellent and glorious condition even such as the Prophet cannot express Who can declare his generation saith he Who can declare how glorious he is now Take two or three Scriptures to confirm this 1. That Eph. 1.20 21. He hath set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places far above all principalities and powers and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but also in that which is to come and hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be head over all things to the Church Our Lords Throne is exalted far above Angels and Archangels even out of sight The 2d is Phil. 2.9 Where having spoken of his Humiliation it follows Wherefore God hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in Heaven and c. His Exaltation is such as hath a Dominion and Supremacy with it over every name He having as it is Col. 1.18 in all things the preheminency The 3d. place is Heb. 8.1 Of the things which we have spoken this is the sum we have such an High Priest who is set on the right hand of Majesty in the Heavens Where Christs Exaltation is set out to be such as hath exalted him to the right hand of the Majesty on high Because this is one of the great Articles of our Faith to wit That Christ rose from death the third day and ascended into Heaven and is set down on the right hand of God We shall add a little more to clear it and 1. We would know that this Exaltation of our Lord is not to be understood of his exaltation properly as he is God in which respect there is no up nor down in him though his declarative glory was valid for a time during his humiliation yet in himself as he was God he was still glorious and blessed over all 2. When we speak of Christ's Exaltation as Mediator and as Man we do not mean that his Humane Nature hath lost the
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
wickedness deliver these that are given to it the most powerful wicked man cannot prevail over it nor is he able to resist and withstand it these who conquer most of the World are constrained at length to be content with some few foots of ground and their Bodies are turned into dust Job in the 3d Chapter of his book speaks of it as common to all to rich and poor to high and low to the King and the Beggar all are there in one Category if any were freed from it it would readily be rich men but as it is Psal 49.6 7. their riches will nor be a ransom for them They that trust in their wealth and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches none of them can by any means redeem his brother nor give to God a ransom for him so precious is the soul thaâ— the redemption of it ceases for ever Amongst all Mortals there is none that can buy himself from coming to the Church-yard or from coming to the grave but were he never so rich and honourable he must be said in a hell as well as the poor man the bravest and best guided Tomb is but a grave that sentence past by God must stand and will stand Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return The translation of Enoch and Elias who old not see death do not alter the common rule though it shew the soveraignty and power of God what he can do Use 1. O! think more on Death and on the Grave these sure would be much more profitable subjects of thoughts then many things which our thoughts run ordinarily on It 's appointed for men once to die and thereafter cometh the judgment As we walk over and trod on the Graves of others now so some will be walking over and troding on ours ere long and within a few years our bodies will be turned into dust and our dust will not be known from the dust of others that lived before us it were good to have the faith of this more rooted and that we did meditate more frequently and seriously on it Use 2. It reproves the pride of men and women and their lusting after earthly vanities When death and the grave come where will all their brave Houses and Cloaths and well drest Beds be And what will become of your Silver and Gold These things will not go to the grave with you As ye brought nothing into the world so its certain that ye shall carry nothing out of it The consideration whereof would be a restraint and aw band to mens exorbitant desires The time is coming when six or seven foot in length and two or three foot in breadth of ground will serve the richest and most honourable And within a few years the Lord Provost's dust will not be known from the dust of the poor body that got a share of the common Contribution the dust of both will be alike Dress and pamper the body as ye will that beauty will not abide with you Wherefore then serves all this pride â—anity and â—ravity Seing a very little whiles time will lay it all in the dust and when all our projects will take an end as Job saith Chap. 17. Mâ— purposes are broken and what did break them off The grave saith he is waiting for me I have said to corruption to the rottenness of the earth thou art my mother and to the worms ye are my brother and sisters they and I must ly together These that now cannot get their bed made fine and soft enough the worms and they will lye together ere long in the grave the Chest or Coffin will not be so closs but they will win in nay they will breed in their own bodies do we not see this daily Were it not then good that when ye are going to the burials and graves of others ye were thinking on your own lying down in the grave And what will be your thoughts in that day of all things in this world If dead Corpses could speak out of their graves they would preach sharp warning to them that are alive and would say to such as are carrying them thither Beware of putting off thoughts of death and of the grave Though this be a common point of truth yet few walk suitably to it but we are generally in our practice as if it were not a truth no more minding death and the grave than if we were eternally to live here Use 3. As this should make folks sober in prosperity so it should make them patient in adversity A iittle time will make us all equal and what is the matter what our condition be if our peace be made sure with God Heathens may shame many of us that are professing Chriâ—â—ians who by the consideration of death have been brought to be much more sober in their carriage then alace many of us are 2dly Observe That the Messiah behoved to come to the grave and be buried It was so designed fore-told and fore-prophesied of He made his grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death Hence the Apostle Acts 2.30 citing Psal 16 8. gathers that as there was a necessity of his being in the grave so there was a necessity of his resurrection out of it because he should not see corruption in it His foul was not left in hell or in the grave neither did his flesh see corruption And in all the Evangelists It's clear that after death he was remarkably laid in the grave and very particular and special notice is taken of it Take here shortly some few reasons of this necessity according to the Lords appointment and no further The 1. whereof is this that the unstainedness and purity of Divine Justice may appear and that thereby the compleatness and perfection of his satisfaction as Mediator to the Justice of God may be confirmed If he had not been buried it might have been questioned whether that which folk suffer after death be a reality or not But his three days lying in the grave is a greater evidence of the unstainedness and purity of Justice and of its impartiality then the imprisoning of many Creatures for many tâ—ousands of years would have been This shews him to be a just God when sinners Cautioner is not only pursued to death but to the grave And therefore this is alwayes accounted the lowest part or step of his suffâ—rings And in the Creed his descending into hell is spoken of which in our excellent Catechism is expounded to be his continuing under the power of death for a time 2 It is much for the manifestation of the great love of God and of the rich condescending grace of the Mediator who is not only content to die but to come to the grave and to suffer death to have a kind of dominion over him for a time So that as death had power to separate his soul from his body so it prorogats that power during his being in the grave His enemies
as it were cry Take him up now and they seal the stone and set a watch to keep him in the grave 3. It 's for the consolation of the Believer and serves mightily to strengthen him against the fear of death and the grave So that the Believer needs not be afraid of death but may ly down quietly in the grave because it was Christs bed warmed to say so by him he was there before him and the grave is now to the Believer no part of the curse more than death is The grave will not swallow him up with a sort of dominion and right as it doth the reprobate 4. It serves to confirm the truth of the Resurrection of Christ more than if he had never been in the grave as the Apostle proves 1 Cor. 15. from the beginning to the close even till he come to that O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory Our Lord by dying and being buried hath delivered his people from both As neither a great Stone nor a Seal put on it could keep him in the grave but that he rose again the third day so no thing will be able for ever to keep Believers at under and as he died to disarm death so his entering in the grave was to disarm the grave and to open a door for Believers to come thorow it by his power who was dead and laid in the grave but now is risen and alive for evermore The Uses are 1. To shew the full conformity and agreeableness that is betwixt what was foretold of the Messiah and what is fulfilled and so serves to confirm our Faith in this that he is the true Messiah who was crucified dead and buried This is one of the Articles of our Faith foretold by Isaiah now fulfilled and recorded to be so in the Gospel 2. It shews the severity of Justice that when any person is made lyable to the lash of it were it but as Cautioner it will exact of him satisfaction to the uttermost Therefore when Christ enters himself our Cautionrr it not only exacts death and pursues him till he give up the Ghost but after death pursues him to the grave It will needs have that satisfaction of the Mediator and he yields to it so as to lay himself by as a dead man O what a revengful thing is Justice when a sinner must answer to it When the Mediator was so pursued by it what will it do to others who are out of him Here we may apply that word Daughters of Jerusalem weep not for me but weep for your selves and your children If it be done so to the green tree what will be done to the dry When the fire of the vengeance of God shall kindle that lake that burns with fire and brimstone and when sinners shall be cast into it as so many pieces of Wood or as so many pieces of dry sticks what will be their condition It were good in time to fear falling into the hands of the living God which is indeed a most fearful thing Heb. 10.31 3 It shews the Believers obligation to God that hath so fully provided a satisfaction for him and hath furnished him with such a ground of consolation Beside what is done for the satisfying of Justice which is the great consolation there is here ground of consolation against all crosses pain sickness death and the grave There is not a step in the way to Heaven but our Lord hath gone it before us We have not only a Mediator that died but that was buried And O! but this is much when Believers come to think on their going to the grave Will it devour them or feed upon them for ever No he hath muzled it to say so They rest in their grave as in a bed in their bodies being united to him and their dust must be counted for It s true the bodies of the reprobate must be raised up yet upon another account and not by vertue of their union with Christ and of Christs victory over death in their stead as Believers are In a word they have many advantages that have Christ and they have a miserable life a comfortless death and a hard lying in the grave that want him Therefore as the short cut to have a happy life and a comfortable death and burial and the grave sanctified to you seek to have your interest in Christ made sure then all things are yours and particularly death and the grave which will be as a Box to keep the particles of your dust till it restore them faithfuly to Christ to whom it must give an account But as for you that sl ght and misken Christ ye have a dreadful lot of it no interest in Christ living no union with him in the grave nor at the Resurrection And if ye did but seriously câ—nsider that ye will die ye would also coâ—sider that it 's good dying and being in the grave with Christ and that it 's a woful thing to be and to be in it without him 3ly Observe That all the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ to the least particular circumstance of them were ordered of God and before hand determined and concluded upon none of them came by guess upon him That he should suffer and die and what sort of death he should die and that he should be laid in the grave all was before concluded and determined When we read thorow the Gospel it were good to take a look of the Old Testament-Prophesies of the Covenant of Redemption and of the ancient determinations concerning him as Peter doth Acts 2.27 Him being delivered by the determinate counsel of God ye have with wicked hands crucified God's fore knowledge and determination fixed the bounds and laid down the rule to speak so to these wicked hands in the crucifying of him without all tincture or touch of culpable accession to their sin and in looking over his sufferings we would call to mind that this and this was the Lords purpose and that in these sufferings and in every part and piece of them the Mediator is telling down the price that he undertook to pay All which demonstrats the verity of our Lords being the true Messiah 4ly From comparing the two parts of the first part of the verse together He made his grave with the wicked as to the estimation of men and with the rich in his death in respect of Gods ordering it Observe That oâ—ten God hath one design and men another and that God will have his design to â—â—and and infrustrably to take effect When some would design shâ—me to his people he will have them honoured The 1. Use serves to comfort Gods people when they are in their lowest condition and when their enemies are in highest power our Lord is driving on his design and making his and their enâ—mies to fulfill it Pilate and the Chief Priests with the Scribes and Pharisees are putting Christ to death the multituâ—e arâ— crying Crucifie him
Consider these sweet words Rom. 5.10 If he died for us while we werâ— yet enemies how much more shall we be saved by his life I shall close this discourse with these two words the 1. whereof is for encouragement If there be any body here that would fain have Christs love and partake of his death Take courage seing our Lord out of the great desire he had to promove the Salvation of sinners Gave him self to death and to the grave will he not willingly make application of his purchase to them when they seek it That he was willing to undergo all this is a far greater matter then to welcome a sinner coming home to him And if he did all that he did for this very end will he stand on it when it comes to the application The 2d word is that this is and will be a ground of conviction to all who think little of our blessed Lord Jesus and of his love and who will not part with a base lust for him and who will not make choise of him but will refuse reject undervalue and despise him with all that he hath done and suffered it will exceedingly aggravat your condemnation that when he was so willing to die for the good of sinners ye were not willing to live for his satisfaction Think on it O! think seriously on it These things are the truths of God and the main truths of the Gospel that ly very near the ingaging of hearts to Christ And if such truths do you no good none other readily will God give us the Faith of them SERMON XXXIV ISAIAH LIII IX Vers 9. And he made his grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death because he had doâ—e no violence neither was any deceit in his mouth THis is a most wonderful Sujâ—ct that we have to think and sâ—eak of which concerns the â—uffâ—rings that our blessed Lord was pleased to undergo for sinnâ—rs And this makes it to be the more wonderful â—hen we consider what he was made and what his carriage was He was numbered with the transgressours and gave his grave with the wiâ—ked And yet he hath this teâ—â—imony that there was no violence in his hands nor any deceit in his mouth He was a sinless Mediator not only before men but before God These words considered in themselvâ—s hold out a little sum and short compend of an holy walk most perfectly and exactly fulfilled in the conversation of Jesus Christ He had done no violence or there wâ—s no violence in his hands that is there was no sinful deed contrary to the Law of God in all his practice and walk And there was no deceit or no guile in his mouth that is no sinful or deceiâ—ful expression Ioâ—um neither in deed nor in word was there sin in him He did wrong to none by his deeds and he deceived no body by his words This guile or deceit as it looks to the first Table of the Law imports th t there was no falshood nor corrupt Doctrine in his Ministry He did not beguile nor seâ—uce the souls of any in leading them wrong And as it looks to the second Table of â—he Law more immediatly it imports that he was sincere and upright that there was no deceit no violence or disâ—embling in his carriage so that whether we look to him â—s God's publick Servant in the Ministry or to him in his privat walk he was compleatly innocent and without all sin as the word is 1 Pet 2 22 Who did no sin neither was guile â—ound in his mouth However men accounted of him he was an innocent and sinless Saviour If we look on them as they depend on the former words they are a reason of that diffâ—rence which in his death and buriaâ— God did put betwixt him and others Though he was by wicked men put to death as a wicked person yet God in his providence so ordered the matter that he was honourably buried with the rich Why so Tâ—is is the reason of it because though they esteemed him a false Prophet and a Decâ—iver a Wine-bibber c. Yet he had done no wrong to any neither by word nor by deed and therefore God would have that respect puâ— on him after his death in his burial and so a remarkable difference to be made betwixt him and others Observe hence 1. That our Lord Jesus the High Priest of our profession that laid down his life for sinners is compleatly and perfectly holy He hath thâ—t testimony from the Prophet here that He did no violence neither was there any deceit in his mouth He hath this testimony from the Apostles from Peter 1 â—et 2.22 He did no sin neither was any guile found in his mouth From John 1. John 3 5 He was manifested to take away sin and in him is no sin And from Paul Heb. 7.27 He was holy and harmless and undefiled separate fâ—om sinners In this respect there is a difference betwixt him and all men in the world And iâ— wâ—s necessary and requisite for Believers consolation that it should be so It became us saith the Apostle to have such an High Priest 1. If we consider the excellency of his person he could not be otherwise being God and Man in one Person and having the fulness of the Godhead dwelling in him bodily 2. It was necessary if we consider the end of his Offices he being to offer up an acceptable Sacrifice to God behoved to be holy and harmless otherwise neither the Priest nor the Sacrifice could have been acceptable 3. It was necessary if we consider the dignity of his Office It behoved him to differ from the former Priests under the Law And if he had not been without sin he should not have so differed from them 4. It was necessary for the persons for whom he undertook these Offices Such a High Priest became them and another could not have done their turn All these we will find to be put together Heb. 7.26 27. Where the Apostle having said vers 25. That he is able to save to the uttermost these that come unto God through him subjoyns For such an High Priest became us who is holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners made higher then the heavens who needeth not daily as these high Priests to offer up sacrifices first for his own sins and then for the sin of the people The most holy of all the Priests had sins for which they behoved to offer Sacrifices and so had the holiest of the pople but Christ was holy and blameless and had no sin and it behoved him to be so As I said just now his sacrifice could never have been accepted for others if he had needed to offer up sacrifices for himself The Uses are these Not to speak how it vindicats our Lord Jesus Christ from all these aspersions cast upon him by wicked men who called him a Glutton a Wine-bibber a friend of Publicans and Sinners a Deceiver c. He
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
rich man nor to the wise man c. God hath not choâ—en many of these as is clear 1 Cor. 1.26 buâ— say to the righteous or holy man it shall be weâ—l with him and is herâ— any thing that should have so much influence on men and take them so much up as how to be well in the close Folk may have a fighting life of it here and may suffer much and be under reproach for a time as Christ was but if thou be holy ere thy Body be laid in the Grave it shall be well with thy Soul And as for all who have chosen the way of Holiness we are allowed to say this to you that it shall be well with you at death and after death at Judgment and even for evermore To them saith the Apostle Rom. 2.9 who by patient continuance in well-doingr seek for glory and honour and immortality eternal life O how many great and good things are abiding all the honest-hearted Students of Holiness Eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor heart conceived what they are 3ly It 's ground of expostulation with them that neglect and slight Holiness As it will be well with the Righteous or Holy so they shall have a miserable and desperate lot of it who either despise or neglect Holiness Wo to the wicked saith Isaiah 3 1â— it shall be ill with him Some of you may think that ye are rich and honourable are well cloathed fit in fine Houses and have richly covered Tables when poor Bodies are keeped at the door and are destitute of these things and are ready to bless your selves as being well though ye care not for nor seek after Holiness but wo unto you for ye must die and go to the bottomleâ—s Pit and there ye will not get so much as a drop of water to cool your Tongues in these tormenting Flames neither your Riches nor Honours nor Pleasures will hold off the heat and fury of the vengeance of God nor in the â—eâ—st ease you in your exâ—ream pain but as it is Rom. 2.9 Indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish four sore words wiâ—l be upon every soul of man that doeth evil O dâ— ye believe this â—'s the truth of God and a very plain truth and we are perswaded none of you will dare downright to deny it Holiness will have a sweet and comfortable close and the neglect of it will have fearful effâ—cts following on it what is the reason then that Holiness is so little thought of aâ—d followed do ye believe that ye will die and think ye ever to come to Judgment or to hear that word Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdom prepared for you for I was hungry and ye fed me naked and ye cloathed me c. O what will become of many of you when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels iâ—flaming fire to render vengeance to all them who know not God and who obey not the Gospel and will say to you Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels for when I was hungry ye fed me not c. this is I grant a general truth yet if it be not received we know not what truth will be received and if it were received the practice of Holiness would be more studied there would be less Sin and more Prayer Reading Meditation more seeking after Knowledge and more watchfulness and tenderness in Folks Conversation always in this the Lord shews the connexion that is betwixt Holiness and Hâ—ppiness and hâ—re ye have the copy and pattern of an examplary walk 3ly From this that the holiâ—ess and blamâ—nleâ—eâ—s of Christ here spoken of is marked in him as peculiar to him for it fits him to be a High Priâ—st and proves that only he could be the Priest that â—uited and became us anâ— that no other could do our turn as the Apostle râ—asons Heb 7 26 27 28. For the law maketh men priests that have infirmity but the word of â—he oath which was since the law maketh the son who is consecrated for evermore From this I say Obseâ—ve That all men even the most holy except Christ who was both God and Man a e sinful and not one of them sinless while living here on earth and the reâ—son is becâ—uâ—e 〈◊〉 any were sinless then this that is said here would not be peculiar to our Lord Jesus Christ that He diâ— no violence neither was there deceit â—n his mouth This being a singular character of our High Priâ—st that none of his Types could clâ—â—m to it exclusively agreeth to him so as it agreeth to none other The Scripture is full to this purpose in asserting that not only all mâ—n are sinnâ—rs as considered in theiâ— naturâ—l condition but that even Bâ—lieveâ— are sinful in part for the same Apostle John that saiâ—h 1 Epist 1.3 Truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ saith also vers 8. If we say we have no siâ— we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us and vers 10. If we say that we have not sinned we make him a liar and his word is not in us and 1 Kings 8.46 and Eccles 7.20 There is no man that doth good and sinneth not plainly insinuating that all have need of an Intercessouâ— We shall not insist in this only from these words compared with the scope making it peculiar to Christ to be without sin and implying that none other are so we would consider the necessity of its being so 1. For differencing and separating of Jesus Christ from all others by putting this dâ—gnity on him of being holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners this is his prerogative and badge of honour above others 2. It 's necessary for this end to demonstrate the need that there is of his offering himself a Sacrifice for sinners and that it was not for himself but for sinners that he offered up himself and that there is a continual necessity of making use of that Sacrifice for if there were not a continuance of sin in part while Believers are out of Heaven there would be no need of this part of Christs office if we were holy and harmless our selves we needed not such an High Priest Use 1. To establish us in the faith of this Truth That among all men there is none that were true men except Christ that is without sin sin is still abiding in them while in this world of none of them all it can be said that they have done no violence neither is there any deceit in their mouth none of them could ever say since Adam fell the prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me yea this is a special qualification of Christ Jesus for his Priest-hood that he was without sin and behoved to be so I am not pleading that sinners should take a liberty to sin because there is no perfection to be win at in this life God
forbid wo unto them that make such an use of this truth nor do I speak of it to allow any to dispense with or to give way to themselves to sin for we shew before that Christ is here proposed as our Patern and we are bidden purifie our selves as he is pure But this we say that none living here on the earth are without sin the most perfect men that are on this side Eternity carry about with them a body of death called five or six times sin Rom. 7. that hath actual lustings and a power as a law of sin to lead captive and that makes the man guilty before God Use 2. For reproof to two sorts of enemies to this Truth 1. These inveterate enemies of the Sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ to wit the Papists that black train that follows Antichrist who plead for a perfection according to the law as attainable in this life saying down two grounds to prove this perfection 1. That the inward lustings or first risings and moâ—ions at least of the body of Death are no sins And 2. Their exponing of the law so as it may suit to their own apprehension and opinion yet so as they say that every Believer or godly Person wins not to this perfection to keep the law wholly but only some of their Grandees This the Lord hath mercifully banished out of the Reformed Churches as Inconsistent with the experience of the Saints who find a law in their members warring against the law of their mind and leading them captive to the law of sin that is in their members inconsistent with the Scriptures which clear that none have attained nor do attâ—in perfection in this life but the contrary that in many things we offend all and inconsistent with Grace that leaves sinners still in Châ—ists common and debt as standing in need of his imputed Righteousness This perfection they place in inherent Holiness and habitual Grace but we insist not on it 2ly Another sort of enemies reproved here are the old Familists who are owned by these who are called Antinomians several of which miserable persons are now going up and down amongst us who say that the People of God have no sin in them wherein they are worse then Papists for Papists make it peculiar to some only but they make it common to all Believers And Papists make their perfection to consist in inherent holiness but they make the nature of sin to be changed and say that sin is no more so in a Believer even though it be contrary to the Law of God We grant indeed that the people of God are free of sin in these respects 1. In this respect that no sin can condemn them they are not under the Law but under Grace in that respâ—ct Rom. 8.1 It 's said that There is no condemnation to them who are in Christ 2. In his respect that they cannot fall into that sin which as unto death as is clear 1 John 5.17 18 And 3. in this respect that they cannoâ—â—o sin â—s to ly or be under thâ—â—â—â—gn and â—omiâ—ion of sin as is evident Rom. 6 14. The Believer delights in thâ— Lâ—w â—f God according to the inner man Râ—m 7.22 And is not in sin neither doth câ—mmit sin as the unbeliever doth for the seed of God abideth in him and is kept from being involved in that which hiâ— corrupt nature inclines the Believer to So then what the Scriptuâ—e speaks of the Believers being free of sin is to be understood in one of these respects But to â—ay 1. That a Believer cannot sin at all sad expâ—rience and the practice of the Saints is a proof of the contrary Or 2. To say that sin in a Believer is no sin because of his faith in Christ is as contrâ—â—y to Scripture For the Law of God is the same to the Believer and the unbeliever and sin is the same in both Adultery is Adultery and Murâ—her is Murther in David as well as in â—ny other man Sure when Christ bade his Disciples pray for forgivenness of sin daily he taught them no such Doctrine as to account their sins to be no sins For if so they should neither repent of sin nor seek the pardon of it as some are not a shamed to say they should not That which we aim at is to â—lear it to be Christs prerogative only to be free of sin none oâ—her in this life can claim it And to teach Bâ—lievers to carry about with them daily all along their mortal life that which is for their good even the sense â—f sin I know it is now an up cast â—rom some pretended perfectionists to the people of God that they think and say that they have sin and aâ—e not perfect And we are by these men called Antichristian Priests and Jesuits because we Preach that Doctrine Buâ— let it be soberly considered whether it doth better agree with Papists and Jesuits to say that Believers are without sin or to say that they have sin They who say that Believers or the Saints have no sin do agree in this with the Papists who maintain a perfection of holiness or a conformity to the Law in some in this life and who deny the lustings of the body of death to be sin without which opinâ—on though most gross they would not nor could with the least shadow of reason mainâ—ain their Doctrine of Juâ—tification by Works And yet some now among us will needs call us Popish because we say that we have sin and that none of God's people are â—ithout sin in this life Tâ—is seems to be very strâ—â—ge But that wâ—ich hath been the thought of some sharp-sighted and sagacious men since the bâ—ginning of our confusions to wit that Popery is a working as an under-hand design is by this and other things mâ—de to be more and more apparent Is there any thing more like Popery working in a mystery yea more Popish then to say that the motions of corruption in Believers are no sins thaâ— a man or woman may attain to perfection in holiness here and yet to carry on this with that subtilty as confidently to averr that it's Popery to say the contrary Nay if the Scâ—iptures they make use of in their Papers or Pamphlets be well considered we will find that not only a perfection in Holinâ—â—s and Good works is pleaded for but a possibility of fulfilling the Law and Covenant oâ— Works as namely 1 Pet. 1.15 1 John 3.3 and 5.5 and Matth. 5. ult Will ye say they call your selves Saints that are not purified even as he is pure And will ye câ—ll your selves Believers that havâ— not overcome the world c As if all that is commanded duty might be or were perfectly reached in this life and as if no diâ—tinction betwixt begun yea considerably advanced holiness and intire perfection were to be adâ—itted That for which I mark this is to shew that the design of Popery seems to be on foot the Devil
in some inconsiderable persons venting these things when the great Patrons and Authors of them lye derned and hid And it is observable which we have heard of late that some Ring-leaders in this time have declared themselves expresly for Popery Though we have reason to bless God that the people in this place are kept free of these things yet this truth is worthy the vindicating and the hazard and danger is to be guarded against by all of us when this foul Spirit is driving so hard and prevailing with some to publish abroad this errour in Papers And so seeking to draw people into the snare Lay down but these two Principles both now maintained that they that have Faith have no sin and that they that want Grace should not pray what would they turn to and resolve in Satan's design in this is doubtless to make all untender and it is both sad and strange that it is not seen and observed What a terrour and torrure would it be to an exercised and tender Christian and how would it put his Conscience on the wrack to say to him What a Faith is this of yours that cannot keep you altogether from sin and that cannot quite overcome the world God be blessed that hath given poor Believers other and better grounds in the Gospel by which to judge of their Faith so that they may own their Faith as found though they have a mixture of unbelief with it and yet unbelief is alwayes a sin and may say with that poor man Lord I believe help thou my unbelief 4ly Observe That to the making up of a perfect holy walk there is a necessity both of holiness in practice and of foundness in judgement that no deceit or guilt be in the mouth and that no violence be in the bands And this is needful to be taken notice of because many have an aptitude to think that folks may be truly holy be of what opinion judgement and perswasion they will As if God had left the mind of man to be a bare empty Table or Board that he might Write on it what-ever he liked or pleased But our Lord is vindicated here from the scandal of corrupt Doctrine as well as from scandals in his practice And therefore as we would say on the one hand to you who are sound in your judgement and hate errour that if ye be gross and untender in your practice the soundness of your judgement will not prove you to be holy So upon the other side we would say that though it were possible ye could be sinless in your practice if ye take a latitude and liberty as to your judgement to be corrupt and to vent what ye please ye will never get Gods approbation as being holy persons therefore let both be joyned together soundness in Judgement and tenderness in Practice God give the right use of these things SERMON XXXV ISAIAH LIII IX X. Vers 9. And he made his Grave with the Wicked and with the Rich in his death because he had done no violence neither was any deceit in his mouth Vers 10. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him He hath put him to grief When thou shalt make his Soul an offering for sin He shall see his seed He shall prolong his dayes And the the pleâ—sure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand WE were speaking somewhat the last day of our Lord Jesus His Innocency which is here compended and summed up in these two 1. That there was no violence in his hands 2. That there was no deceit in his mouth however he was accounted of among Men and by them numbred among transgressours yet he was so in very deed and before God The Prophet proceeds and answers an objection How came He then to Suffer if He was so innocent especially His Sufferings being ordered by God Who is said to give His Grave with the wicked He answers the Objection and removes the Offence by giving three Grounds for this v. 10. Yet it pâ—eased the Lord to bruise Him He hath put Him to grief This is the first Reason and it is taken from the Fountain whence His Sufferings proceeded Gods good Plâ—asure graciously ordered it so It was the good pleasure of Jehovah that so it should be The second Reason is taken from the Nature or End of His Sufferings in these Words when thou shalt make His Soul an offering for sin Though he suffered before Men as a sinner yet before God it was an Offering for sin To satisfie for and to remove the sins of His Elect People The word may be either When thou or when he shall make His Soul an offering for sin But both come to one thing which is this That His sufferings were not such as befell other Men nay nor such as befell innocent Men but they were ordered on an higher design and for an higâ—er End even to be a Satisfaction for Sinners and to make way for their Freedom A 3. Reason is this as His Sufferings flowed from God's good Pleasure and were a satisfaction for the sins of His Elect People so it hath notable and noble effects And there are Three mentioned here 1. He shall see His seed He shall have a numerous Off-spring many that shall hold Eternal Lâ—fe of Him Men by their suffering of death are incapacitate to increase their off-spring but this is a quickning Suffering and Death that hath a numerous off-spring 2. He shall prolong His dayes Which seems to be another paradox For Mens dayes are shortned by their Sufferings and Death But though He be dead and buried yet he shal Rise again and Ascend and sit down on the right-hand of the Father and live for ever to make Intercession for his People A 3. Effect which is the upshot of all The pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand God hath designed Him for a Work which is the great Work of Redemption even the bringing of many Sons to glory This is the Will of Him that sent Him that He should give Eternal Life to as many as should believe on Him And this is called God's good pleasure which shall thrive and prosper in His hand He shall pull many Captives from the Devil and set many Prisoners free He shal by His Sufferings overcome the Devil Death and the Grave and all Enemies and shall gather the Sons of God together from the four Corners of the Earth and that Work shall not misgive nor be frustrated but thrive in His hand So then in this Text we have much of the Gospel compended in few Words We shal speak a little to one Observation more from the close of the 9. v. Where Christ Jesus His Sinlesness and Innocency is holden out in these two There was no violence in his hands no sinfull practice in Him And there was no deceit in his mouth Which looks not only to His sinless carriage before Men and so sayes that He was no Liar nor Dissembler in His Dealing and
is pure would study soundnesse in Judgement as well as tendernesse in Practice And yet how many are readily mistaken in this Who if they meet with some that can speak a few good Words and make pretences to a holy Walk though the Second Command be baffâ—ed and disgraced by them and the Name of God torn And though the Fourth Command be made of none effect or price by them it 's thought but little of all is covered with this that they are good Folks and of a tender walk But Oh! can they be good who abuse that wherein the Name and Image of God are most tenderly concerned and will God account that to be Holinesse aggreeable to His Law that slights depreclars and vilifies the best part of His Law Let me therefore beseech you to take in and to close Error with other sins and to look upon unsoundnesse in the Truths of God as a Fruit of the Flesh and withall to look upon sound knowledge in the Mind and the form of sound words in the Mouth as being a Duty that is called for from you as well as other Duties We the rather take occasion to speak to this because the Devil is seeking to turn Men meer Athiests Gallio's as to the Truths of God to care for none of these things and as to weir out the esteem of Truth so to make People to look upon Error as if there were no hurt by it it 's sad that there is not more scarring at and keeping distance from the company of such if they can but give a parcel of good Words and make shewes of respect to Piety in this lukewarm time there is need to guard against this Temper or rather Distemper and to look well that we half not nor divide the Pattern and Copie which God in his Word hath cast to us and set before us we would studie Purity and Tenderneâ—â—e in our Walk and Growth in sound Knowledge and would walk humbly under the impression of our hazard It 's sad when Folks are ill girded and yet scarcely discern it It seems to be a winnowing time and some are already taken off their feet who thought not some Moneths or Years since to have carried in reference to the Truth as they have done It hath been Gods mercy to this place that he hath hedged us about hitherto at which the Devll hath raged not a little Be humbled and have an eye to Him thâ—t can keep his People and can establish them in the Truth and make them unbleamable in holiness till the coming of the Lord. We come now to the 10. verse and from the first part of it yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put him to grief These three things arise clearly 1. That though our Lord Jesus was most innocent in His own Person yet was He put to exceeding sore Tryalls and sharp Sufferings For 1 He was bruised to wit like Corn betwixt the upper and neither Milstones or lâ—ke Grapes in the Wine presse which respects not so much his outward sufferings though great for a bone of him was not broken as His inward Soul-sufferings and the inward pressures of Wrath that were on His Humane Soul 2. He was put to grief was sore straitned and punished and these expressions import so much my soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death my soul is sore troubled and what shal I say and my God my God why hast thou forsaken me The particulars of this grief were spoken to before and we shew in what respect He was so humbled and that He was most sinless and wâ—thout any the least carnal mude or passion under these expressions in which the sense of grief vented it self most in Him Only if it be here asked what is the reason why the Prophet doth so much insist in pointing out Christ's Sufferings and the extremity of them that scarce almost is there one Verse but he hath in it some one or other new aggravation of them we conceive the reason of it is 1. Because there is nothing wherein the greatness of the Love of God and the kindlinesse of the Mediators condescending doth appear in this for the more He Suffered the more the Love of God shined and His condescendency kythed the more this being the great instance and demonstrative proof of the Love of God God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son As it is John 3.16 O! manifold and vastly comprehensive So what is unfolded in it Eternity will but suffice fully to unfold and this being the great instance of the Mediators condescendencie and of His commending His Love to sinners That while we were yet enemies he died for us As it is Rom. 5. The Lord loves to have this the subject of our thoughts that we may be led thereby in to the Soul-ravishing and satisfying contemplation of the Love whence it came 2. Because there is not any one thing that lyes nearer or that is readily of greater concern to Believers then to be well acquainted with Christ's Sufferings wherein the Lord would have his People spiritually perqueir and it is of their concernment in a twofold respect 1. As it is the ground of their peace Therefore He is called our Peace and a Propitiation for by being acquâ—inâ—ed with Christ's Sufferings Believers have a solid ground for their Faith whereby they discover access to peace with God to Pardon of sin and Justification the Mediator having undergone these sufferings for this end 2. As it is the ground of their Consolation considering that they have a suffering Mediator that hath payed the Price that was due by them even such an One that knows 〈◊〉 what it was to be bruised with Wrath and is therefor very tender of and compassionat towards Souls that are under challenges and apprehensions of Wrath These are sweet words which we have to this purpose 1 John 2. 1. If any man sin we have an advocat with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous who is the propitiation for our sins who was content to Suffer and Satisfie for them O! consider then what ye are doing when ye read of His sufferings for the very Marrow of the Gospel and the Life of the Consolation of the People of God lyes here 2. From these words Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put him to grief Observe That the Lord Jehovah had the main and principal hand in all the Sufferings of this Innocent Mediator It was not the Jews nor the Scribes and Pharisees nor Pilat but it pleased the Lord to bruise him and to put him to grief As is clear Act. 4.27 28. Herod and Pontius Pilat the Gentiles and People of Israel were gathered together to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsell determined before to be done In all that they did they were but doing that which was carved out before in the Eâ—ernal Counsel of God and therefore Peter sayes Act. 2.23 Him being delivered by the determinat
counsel and fore knowledge of God ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain The Lords hand was supream in the businesse and we may gather the Supream and Soveraign Iâ—fluence of the Lords hand in these three respects in Christs Pufferings 1. In respect of His appointing them It was concluded in the Counsel of God what He should Suffer what should be the Price that Jehovah would have and the Sâ—crifice that he would accept of from His hand 2. In respect of the Ordering and Over-ruling of His Sufferings when it came to the execution of His Ancient Decree He who governs all the Counsells Thoughts and Actions of Men did in a special manner govern and over-rule the Sufferings of the Mediator though wicked men were following their own designe and were stirred and acted by the Devil who is said to have put it into the heart of Judas to betray Christ yet God had the ordering of all who should betray Him what death He should die how He should de pierced and yet not a bone of Him broken 3. In respect of His having had a hand actively in them and as he was the chief Partie that pursued Christ it was He that was exacting the Elects Debt of Him therefore the Lord looks over Pilat and Herod to Him and sayes to Pilat thou couldest have no power over me except it were given thee from above and to His Father Father take this cup from me and my God my God wby hast thou forsaken me He was pursued as standing Cautioner in our room in which respect it is said Rom. 8. He that spared not his own Son He spared Him not when He cryed but would have Him drinking out the Cup and Zach. 13.7 Awake O sword against my shepherd and against the man that is my fellow smite the shepherd The Message comes from Him and He gives the Sword a charge and orders it to smite Him In all which respects it 's said The Lord bruised him and he hath put him to grief It was this more then Sword or Naills or Speir or Whipe that made Him cry out another and a higher hand brought his sinless Soul to more bitterness then all the Sufferings He endured from Men. Use This leads us in to the vendicating of the Soveraign and Holy Providence of God in that wherein Men have a most sinful hand and are most unexcusable though Judas that bettayed and Pilat that condemned the Innocent Son of God acted most sinfully yet the Lord himself hath an active over-ruling Hand in carring on His own design and what Judas and Pilat with other wicked Men did was so far from being by guess that they were the executions of His Ancient Decrees and He is most Pure and Spotless in venting and manifesting Grace Holiness and Justice when men were venting their Corruptions Impiety and Injustice most Therefore the Holy Providence of God mixeth n more as to any sinless participation with mens sin in their sinfull and wicked actings than the Covenant of Redemption mixed it self with the sinfulnesse of them that crucified Christ Nay this is a principal Diamond in His Crown that He cannot only govern all the natural second Causes that are in the World in their several Courses and Actings and order them to His own glory but even Devils and wicked Men and Hypocrites their most corrupt and abominable Actions and make them infrustrably subservient to the promoving of His own holy ends and purposes and yet be free of their sin for which they shall count to Him And as it was no excuse to Judas nor to Pilat that they did what before was decreed of God so it shall be no excuse to any Man in a sinful course that God hath a hand in every thing that comes to passe who yet is just and holy in all It may also stay our hearts when the Devil and his Instruments as it were are runing mad that they can do no more then what God permits â—ay some way commissionateth them to do The Devil could not so much as touch a tail of one of Job's sheep without leave â—sked and given O! the deepth both of the knowledge and of the wisdom of God how unsearchable are his wayes and his judgments pasi finding out 3. As we may see here the concurrence of the Persons of the blessed Trinity Father Son and holy Ghost the concurrence of Jehovah with the Mediator for carrying on the same design the work of Mans Redemption for it pleased them all So taking the Lord Jehovah essentially as comprehending all the three Persons we may Observe That the Lord is well willed to and hath delight in prosecuting the work of Redemption though even to the bruising of the second Person of the God-head considered as became Man and Mediator not that He delighted in the Sufferings as such of His Innocent Son for he affects not willingly the children of men but considering the end and the effects that were to follow to wit the Seed that He should beget ro Eternal Life and the Captives whom He was to redeem In that respect it was not only against His will but it pleased Him well or as the word is in the New Testament It was his good pleasure alluding as â—â—is like to this of the Prophet Hence when Christ speaks of the work of Redemption He calleth it the Fathers will and work the Fathers will when He sayes I came not to do my own will but the will of him that sent me The Fathers work while He sayes I have finished the work thou gavest me to do And here it is called His pleasure for there was nothing without Himself to move Him to it when He might have suffered all fallen Mankind to lye still in their forlorne condition It pleased Him to give His Son of His own good will to redeem several of them Use If we put these Doctrines together they affoord us wonderful matter of Consolation 1. That we have an able Saviour that hath given a sufficient ransome for us a price that cannot be overvalued 2. A willing Mediator that gave himself no man took His Life from Him but He laid it down of Himself and took it up again 3. A willing Jehovah contriving and taking pleasure in contriving the Redemption of Elect Sinners through the Death of His own Son Which reproves and gives check to the wonderfully strange mistakes that are often found with some poor Souls concerning the way of Peace as some will be ready to say if Câ—rist were as willing to take me as I am to take Him as willing to welcome me as I am to come to Him But is not this a proof of His willingnesse that He was content to be bruised and put to grief about the work of your Redemption others have a secret apprehension that if God were as willing to receive and save them as Christ is they would have more confidence but sayes the Prophet here that it pleased the father
to the Work of Redemption as it is John 6.38 I came down from heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me And John 17.4 I have finished the work thou gavest me to do That will and this work is all one And Heb 10. It 's said by which or by this will we are sanctified 4. The Fathers admitting and accepting of Him to Interpose in the Room of them for whom He Offered Himself is implyed here for otherwayes His Offering up of Himself could not have been a Sacrifice Satisfactory to Justice if the Lord Jehovah had not been content so far to â—elâ—xe His Threatning and Curse in reference to the Partie Offending as to admit oâ— a cautioner in the Room of the Dyvour Sinners to Satisfie for them of which Satisfaction He accepted All these things put together make Christ's Interposing Himself as a Sacrifice and Surity compleat I delight to do thy will supposes not only God's pleasure that He should Interpose but His accepting of His Interposing And this is to speak so the Flooring and Founda ion of the Work of Redemption The S ntence stands over the Elect's Head Cursed are the Guilty Christ comes in and Iâ—terposes Cheerfu ly to take on the Debt and sayes here I am Let the Curse fall on me and let Satisfaction be taken from Me And this being Offered according to God's Will it is accepted and Christ's Satisfaction becomes an Offering in their Room Use See here a desperat Condition wherein by Nature we are all lying it sets us well in speaking of Grace to take a view of what we were And it shews how much Sinners are in Christ's Debt and Common that Interposed for us in this condition Could we suitably make inquiry what case we were in under the hand of Justice and it's Stroak ready to light on us And could we behold our Lord Jesus Christ Interposing for us and the Sword of Justice awaking against Him and smiting Him for us and the Lord Jehovah accepting of His Interposing and making His Soul an Offering for Sin And Him Willingly and Delightsomly Offering up Himself in our Room we would see our obligation to God who was pleased to contrive admit and accept of this Way and Mean of our Redemption And could we consider what aâ—vantages we have by this Redemption and what it cost Christ to obtain it we would see our selves much unspeakably much in His Debt The day is coming when it will be thought a favour and when the Sweet Effects of it shall be made fully forthcoming to them that now Cordially close with it And when the Fruit of Dispising it shall be found to be bitter like Gall and Wormwood 2. From it's being said when thou shalt make Or when His Soul shall make it self or He Himself shall make Himself an offering for sin Observe That as Christ undertook and by undertaking Interposed to come in Sinners Room to Satisfie for their Sins So His Death and Sâ—fferings are really the performing of that undâ—râ—aking And His Death anâ— Sufferings are so to be looked on and considered by us as an Offering for Sin or thus Christ's Death is the Sin-â—ff â—ing that Satisfiâ—d the Justice of God in tâ—e Room of â—lect Sinners This is the Sum or Compend of all that is spoken of His Sufferings If then it be asked what meaned they all Here it is He was made a Sin-offering we shall clear it a little in these three or four Parts or Branches 1. Christ is properly a Sin-offering or a Sacrifice for Sin He is properly the Propitiatory Sacrifice for Sin That Satisfice the Justice of God for the Sins of the Elect. 2. This Sacrifice was especially Offered by â—im in His Death and Sufferings It 's His Suffering and Humiliation that is most properly this Sacrifice for iâ—'s that which is related here 3. That by Christ's Offering up of Himself He was not only outwardly Piâ—ched but His Soul was deeply affected and troubled In Satisfyinâ— the Sin-revenging Justice of God both His Soul and Body were Straitned and Stressed 4 By His Suffering there is a Sufficient Satisfaction given to Justice for the Sins of His People a Propitiation or Propitiatory Sacrifice that makes God Propititious to Elect Sinners as in Satisfying the Justice of God for Sin all other things are denyed to have a hand So there is a sufficient Efficacy and Worth in this â—acrifice to do the turn and by God it is accepted as such And so there is a fair way mâ—de to them for whom He Offâ—rs this Sacrifice to escape Sin and the Wrath and Curse of God and to be set free As for the First of these to wit That our Lord Jesus in His Dying and Suffering was Properly the Propitiatory Sacrifice or is Properly a Propitiatory Sacrifice for the taking away of Sin To clear it alittle we would consider 1. That Sacrifices are sundry wayes taken in Scripture 1. Sometimes they are taken improperly for Duties as Alms Prayers Praises c. Psal 51. The sacrifice of a broken heart thou wilt not dispise So also Heb. 13.15 16. 2. They are taken more properly for such Sacrifices as were Offered under the Law as of Bullocks Lambs Rams and Goats yet none of these was the true Propitiatory Sacrifice as is clear Heb. 10.4 It was impossible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sin But Christ's Sacrifice is properly the Propitiatory Sacrifice It being by this Sacrifice that Believers under the Old Testament became partâ—kers of Redemption and obtained Remission of Sins as well as Believers do now under the New If it be then asked What is necessary to a Sacrifice properly so taken I answer these four things all which we will find to be in Christ's Sacrifice 1. That there be some thing or matter set a part to be Offered to God in the Room of some other thing as it was in the Typicall Sacrifices 2. That there be some appointed to offer the Sacrifice that there be some set a part for that very thing 3. That there be a Killing or Destroying of the thing that is Offered in a Sacrifice which especially in the Sin-offering was necessary to wit that it should be Kilâ—ed or Destroyed as we see in Exod. 29. and Leviticus frequently This had a Signification and the Lord would thereby point out Mans great guilt and the necessity of a Mediator in Order to the obtaining of Pardon for there could be no Remission or Pardon of Sin without Blood as it is Heb. 9.22 Therefore the Sinner behoved either to die himself or to have another to die for him and in his Room 4. The Sacrifice behoved to be Offered according to the manner prescribed by God as to all the Rites and Cerimonies injoyned Now we may see all â—â—â—se in Christ's Sacrifice For 1. He Himself is the Sacrifice Heb. 7.26 Heb. 9.26 Heb. 10.10 And â—requently elsewhere in that Epistle and 1. Pet. 2.24 Who his
own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree And when He had Offered up Himself as a Sacrifice he sat down on the right hand of majesty on high He is the alone Sacrifice that comes properly in the Room of Elect Sinners 2. As there behoved to be One to Offer the Sacrifice so Christ Jesus is the Priest that Offered up the Sacrifice of Himself He is not only the Sacrifice but the Priest And in this He differed from other Priests Heb. 7.26 Such an high Priest became us who is holy harmless seperat from sinners and made higher then the heavens and then follows who needs not dayly as these high priests to offer up sacrifices first for their own sins and then for the sins of the people for this he did once when he offered up himself There are three things ordinarly Attributed to Christ as to His Sacrifice to wit That He was the Sacrifice the Altar and the Priest 1. He was the Sacrifice in respect of His Humane Nature which we are not so to look upon as Abstracting and Dividing it from His Divine Nature For though He Suffered in the Flesh yet it was the same Person that was God that Suffered 2 He was the Altar by which His Sacrifice received a speciall Efficacy Vertue Value and Commendation As it 's said The Altar sanctifies the offering So Christ Jesus according to His God-head was the Altar which did put an special excellency on His Sufferings and made them to be of such Worth and Value Therefore Heb. 9.14 It 's said that he through the eternal spirit offered up himself without spot unto God It was the Suffering of the Person that was God that made the Sacrifice to be accepted 3. He was the Priest and that according to both His Naturs each Nature concurring and that joyntly as in one Person to the making of the Sâ—crifice Offered up to God acceptable 3. We have in Him a reall destruction but do not mistake the Word It is not so to be understood as if He were annihilated or had been utterly destroyed and undone but the meaning is this That He was Killed or put to Death and His Soul seperat from His Body in which respect He ceased to be what He was before for a time having been really Slain Dead and Buried And 4. All this was according to God's prescription and appointment in the Covenant of Redemption This commandement saith He John 10.18 have I received of my Father to wit that I should lay down my life for my sheep And most emphatically He says John 14.13 as my Father gave me commandement even so mark even so most exactly in conformity to the Commandement do I It was all as to every circumstance ordered according to the good pleasure of God who was pleased thus to bruise Him and to put Him to Grief The 1. Use of it serves To teach us how to Conceive and Consider of Christ's Death and Sufferings rightly to wit even as a Sacrifice designed by God to come in the Room of Elect Sinners and how to look upon His Death not as the ordinary Death of ordinary or meer Men who by necessity of Nature Die but to look on it as being appointed of God to be a Sacrifice properly so taken for the Sins of His People 2dly This serves to clear some Truths concerning our Lord Jesus His Sacrifice For we must consider it as satisfying to Justice and Meritoriously procuring the escaping from Wrath and Salvation of them for whom He Interposed It is from the gross Ignorance or from the wicked denyal of this ground that the damnable denyers of Christ's Satisfaction do also deny the Propriety of His Sacrifice on Earth and bound it to Heaven whereas it is bounded to His Death though by vertue of this One Offering He continues to interceed for us in Heaven 3dly It teaches Sinners what is the native Use which they should make of this Sacrifice They should look upon it as the only Sacrifice to prevent Eternal Death and the Curse of God anâ— so it demonstrats to us that either Jesâ—s Christ must be received by Faith and His Sacrifice rested on or we must resolve to meet with Wrath and the Curse of God our selves in our own Persons 4ly It serves to clear us anent the Way and Tract of Grace to wit how it came to passe that our Lord who was innocent and without Sin was so bruised and put to grief He came to be a Propitiâ—tion for the Sins of His People and sisted Himself in our Room as our Cautioner as a Sin-offering for us It would doubtlesse gnash many Questions and Doubts that arise in the Hearts of Believers if it were well understood They may say we should have been in such and such a sad condition this and that terrible thing would have come on us if He had not Interposed never enough can these words be spoken and thought of that we have 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 5ly It serves for notable Consolation to Believers who have betaken themselves to Christ and have many Challenges for Sin to buckle with That His Death was to be properly a Sacrifice for Sin and was so accepted of God in their Room So that ye see the right uptaking of Christs Death is a matter of no little moment Christ crucified being the very Substance of the Gospel It helps much to keep alive the Impression of our Sinfulness and of the Goodness of God and gives us Direction how to escape Wrath by puting Him in our Room There is nothing wherein Folks more readily miscarry in making of their Peace with God then in not making the right use of Christ and of His Sacrifice and Death Some praying for Pardon of Sin from Him and not for Him or for His sake when they know not what they are saying as we hinted at before Some praying for strength from Him for Dutie that they may do for themselves not considering that we are Justified by His Interposing in our Room and by Faith's closing with Him under that consideration as fisting Himself at the Bar of Justice and as being content to be a Sin-offering and the Lord accepting of Him in the Room of Elect Sinners This being well considered gives to Faith much clearness how to take Him up when the Soul honestly aims to partake of the benefit of His Sufferings 2ly For clearing this a little further we would know That there are as Divines observe Four or Five wayes how the Death of Christ is to be considered or how Christ in procuring by His Death Redemption Peace and Pardon to Sinners is holden forth in Scripture 1. He purchases Redemption and Pardon of Sin Meritoriously or He Merits it by His Death this Respects the Value of Christ's Sufferings and Satisfaction So that if we consider Christ in Himself and the Elect in themselves His Death
and these Sufferings are more then if all the Elect had Suffered Eternally in Hell 2 His Death is considered as a Satisfaction And this looks to the Wrong that Men by Sin have done to God That the finit and feckless Creature durst be so malapert as to break God's Command It required a Satisfaction equivalent to the Wrong done though the Word Satisfaction be not in Scripture yet the thing is Christ Jesus for the Restoring of God to His Honour That was as to the Manifestation of it wronged by Mans Sin comes in to perform the will of God and to Satisfie for the wrong done Him by Man that it may be made known that God is Holy and Just who will needs avenge Sin on His own Son the Holy and Innocent Cautioner when He Interposes in the Room of the Sinner which vindicats the Spotless Justice and Soveraignity of God as much as if not more then if He had exacted the satisfaction off the Sinners themselves As it is Rom. 3.16 To declare his righteousness that he might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus 3 Christ's Death is considered as a Redemption of Man from Sin the Law and the Curse because lyable to a Debt which he cannot of himself pay and His Death was in this respect a paying of the Debt that Man was owing and a loosing of the Captive and Imprisoned Sinner even as when a Piece of Land is morgaged and a Person comes in and payes that for which it was Morgaged So Jesus Christ comes in and as it were asks what are these Men owing and what is due to them It 's answered they are Sinners Death and the Curse are due to them well saith He I will take their Debt on my Self I will pay their Ransom by undergoing all that was due to them He hath redeemed us from the curse of the law saith the Apostle Gal. 3.13 being made a curse for us that the blessing of Abraham might come on us Gentiles And so Christ's Death in this respect is to be looked on as a laying down of the same Price that Justice would have exacted of Men His Death is the paying of our Ransom and Satisfying of the account that was over our head 4. His Death is considered as it furthered the Work of the Redemption of Elect Sinners by a powerful annulling of the Obligation that was against us and by a powerfull overcoming of all enemies that kept us Captive He grapled and yocked with the Devil in that wherein he seemed to be strongest and overcame him He tore the Obligation that stood over Sinners heads as it is Coll. 2.14 15. Blotting out the hand writting of ordinances that was against us and that was contrary to us he took it out of the way nailing it to his cross and having spoiled principalities and powers he made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in it In this respect though His Death be one of the lowest steps of His Humiliation yet considering Him as in it prevailling over the Devil and other Enemies He is to be looked on as powerfully Working and efficaciously perfecting our Salvation In the former respect He payes God the Debt that was due by Sinners in the Latter Respect considering the Devil and Spiritual Enemies as so many Jaylours keeping Sinners Prisoners He by His Death wrings as it were the Keyes out of their hands and sets the Prisoners Free 5. Christ's Death is considered as it is in the Text As an Offering and Sacrifice for Sin In this respect it looks to God as displeased with Man and our Lord Jesus Interposes to pacifie Him and to make Him well pleased and that by the means of His Death God's Peace Favour and Friendship may be recovered to poor sinfull Men All these Considerations of the Death of Christ are but one and the same upon the matter Yet thus diversified they serve to shew how unexpressibly much Sinners are oblidged to Christ what great advantages they have by Him And what a desperat condition they are in who are without Him having nothing to satisfie Justice nor to pay their Debt with 2dly We said that this Sacrifice was especially Offered by Him in His Death Therefore He is said to Offer this Sacrifice on the Cross He himself as Peter hath it 1 2.24 bare our sins in his body on the tree Heb. 9. at the close And Heb. 10.14 It is said that he once offered up himself to bear the sins of many and by his once offering he hath perfected for ever these who are sanctified So that this Offering is to be applyed to that which He suffered on Earth before He ascended and it is in this respect that He is a Propitiatory Sacrifice though as I said the Vertue thereof is still communicated by Him now when He is in Heaven Use This serves to remove two Errors about Christ's Sacrifice The 1. is that which bounds and limits Christ's Offering and Priest-hood to His going to Heaven thereby to enervat the Efficacy of His Sufferings and Death quit contrary to this Scripture wherein the Prophet explicating His Sufferings on Earth calleth them an offering for sin The 2. is that Blasphemous Conceit and Fancie of the Papists who account their abominable Mass a Propitiatory Sacrifice for taking away the Sins of the Quick and oâ— the Dead which as it is most horrid Blasphemy So it is most expresly against this Text for if Christ's Sacrifice for the taking away of Sin be peculiarly applyed to His Humiliation and Death which brought with it such a change as made Hâ—m not to be for a time what He was before Then certainly there can be nothing of that now which can bear that Name there being no other thing to which the properties of a real Sacrifice can agree but this only 3. I said that Christ's Offering up of Himself in a Sacrifice was in His Soul as well as in Hiâ— Body and that He was therein obnoxioâ—s to the Wrath of God That is as He stood Cautioner for the Elect and had the Cup of Wrath â—u in His hand He Suffered not only in His Body but also and Mainly in His Soul which the Jews could not reach and He is here holden out as a Sin-offering in His Soul yea considering that it was the Wrath of God and His Curse due to the Elect that He had to deal with His Soul was more capable to be affected with it then His Body Hence He sayes when no hand of Man touched Him John 12.27 Now is my Soul troubled and what shall I say and Matth. 26.38 and Luk. 22.44 Now is my soul exceeding sorrowful even unto death and being in an agony he prayed c. That which looked like strong Armies mustered and drawn up against Him was not the Souldiers that came to take Him nor the Bodily Death which was quickly to follow but it was the Fathers coming with His awakned Sword to exact of Him the Debt due
now they bear the image of the heavenly Adam Not that they come up in all things to be exactly like to the Pattern but it is their aim and other things that disconform them to Him are deformed loathsome and ugly in their sight Their old Inclination is burdensome to them And is the continual ground of an inward Contest and Wrestling and in a manner they are troubled at the very heart how to keep down what is opposit to Christ And when their Corruption Over-masters them they are the more discomposed and disquieted They discern something in them that is not like to Christ and they abhor that though it be never so near and dear to them their very Self they see something also like to Christ in them And they Cherish and make much of it they would fain be at more of it and to have His Image more deeply impressed on their Spirits which they reckon their greatest yea their only Beauty The 3. Use is for Direction to Believers if ye be Christ's Seed ye must be other sort of Folks in your Designs and in your Deportment and carriage King's Children ought not to carrie as others It would be highly unsuitable yea even abominable to see them walk so trivially and lightly as every Base Ill-bred Beggers Child doth It 's no less Incongruous and Unbecoming that Believers should be taken with this and that Vanity that meer Worldlings are taken with and hunt after The 4th Use Speaks a Word of Consolation to Believers And holds forth the greatness of the Priviledge of being Christ's Seed It will be much to perswade a Poor Sinner duely sensible of Sin to believe this And that the Lord is in earnest when He speaks thus That such an one who hath betaken Himself to Christ for Life and humbly Claims Right to nothing but by Verture of Christ's Right the main thing that our Union with Him is bottomed upon who is content to be in Christ's Common for Life and goes not about to establish his own Righteousnesse but leans to His Righteousnesse for Life and Salvation should be His Seed and have all the Priviledges of Sons derived to Him And yet it is the Lord 's faithful Word Neither hath Eye seen nor Ear heard nor hath it entered into the Heart of Man to conceive what good things are laid up for such a Person and that are stuffed up in these Expressions of our Relation to Christ Jesus Use 5. It may be also a quieting and comforting Word to some Believers who are in Affliction Poverty and Straits in the World That our Lord Jesus is a Kindly Affectionat Parent more kindly and tender hearted then the tenderest Father or Mother and indeed it may sufficiently quiet them that they have such a kindly Overseer and Provisor who is also a Cordial Sympathizer with them what ever their Condition be He will not deny His Off-spring and Seed whom He laid down His Life to Purchase The 6th Use May be for Incitement and Provocation to all that would be Happy to place it here Interest in Christ Jesus by Believing on Him brings us to have Interest in the enjoying of Him and all that is His and can there be any more sought after or wished for Are there any but would think it a good Life to be here And who are they of whom He speaks so It is not of some sort of strange and uncouth Folk that were once in the World but are now all out of it And of whom there are none now in it It is not such as want Sin and derive their Life from their own Works but it is such as are 1. As considered in themselves dead in Sins and Trespasses and without Spirituall Life and Being And who know that all the pains that they can take will not acquire it And who it may be are quite Dead to their own apprehension and sense oftentimes And who have Judged themselves and have the Sentence of Death in themselves 2. It 's such as look to Him for the obtaining of Life and who acknowledge Him for any Life or Livelinesse they have And who expect it and bruike it by vertue of His Purchase which is that on which all their Plea for Life is founded Now I know that all this will not readily clear some There are so many things that look counterfit like But I am now speaking to them who have some sticklings of Spiritual Life which yet are not so Lively as they can discern them to be the Stirrings and Sticklings of Life And they have a Body of Death in them which is ready to extinguish that Life and often they think it is extinguished already They have Convictions of their own Deadness and that things are wrong in their Condition and are quite out of all Hopes of Righteousness from and by themselves or from any thing that they have done or can do And they have some confused looks to Christ but they cannot Rid their Feet in the Matter of their Faith and Duties go not so with them as they expected and would have them To such I shal speak a Word or two and close 1. I would aâ—â— whence comes that Stickling of Life or Feeling of that Bodie of Death What is the Original of it will Nature discover the Corruption of Nature and bring Folks to be out of Love with Corrupt Nature Certainly where this is it 's not like Nature but is the Life of Christ especially when it puts Folks to discern and take up their own Deadnesse to quit their own Righteousness and to be content to lay their Mouth in the Dust and to betake themselves to the Righteousnesse of Christ if they could win to be distinct in it This looks to be from Christ whose Spirit convinces the World of sin and of the sin of unbelief in particular And of righteousness as being only to be had in Christ and of judgement that is of the reasonablenesse that He should have a Dominion over them and that they should walk in Holinesse Yet notwithstanding of all this they are hanging in a kind of Suspence and hover and know not whether to look on themselves as Believers or not They wot well that it is not right with them that they are lost in themselves and that no other way will do their turn but Faith in the Righteousnesse of a Mediator The thing whereat they Stick and halt is that they know not how to through and maintain the consent that they have given and they cannot think that their Faith is true Faith because they know not how to follow forth the exercise of it though they have renunced their own Righteousnesse And laid their Reckoning to be in Christ's Debt and Common for Righte usnesse and Life if ever they come by them All their difficulty is how to through their Believing Now it is not to the founding of Life that we are here speaking but to the exercise of Life and to the finding out of
have it more abundantly There are two things that we would speak a Word to for clearing of the Doctrine And then make Use of it The 1. is How this can be God's Design in Christ's Humiliation to beget many Sons to Life 2. How Christ's Death Contributs to this Design For the First When we speak of God's Design hâ—re we mean not His last and ultimat Design but His immediat Design in the Gospel which is subservient to that His last and ultimat Design to wit The Glorifâ—ing of His Grace and Justice in giving the Mediator to Satisfie Justice for Dyvour Sinners who are not able to Satisfie for themselves and He having chosen this as the Midst to that highest end we may well say that this is His immediat Design in the Gospel that thereby the Glory of His Grace and Justice might be manifested For the 2d Which is How Christ's Sufferings contribute to this end It may be soon cleared if we consider that there is a twofold Let in the way of Sinners partaking of Life which Christ's Suff rings do remove The 1. Let is a standâ—ng Quarrel betwixt God and the Elect they having Sinned and having nothing to pay their Debt This our Lord Jesus by His Death removes He payes the Debt and tears the Obligation called the hand writing that was against them nailling it to his Cross Col. 2. And in this respect His Death is called a ransome for many And in the Words before He is said to have made his Soul an offering for sin On the same account to wit That the Principal Debâ—or might be set free The 2d Let is Mans utter unfitnesse to walk with God For though the Debt were taken away yet they have no Life But Jesus Christ by His Death hath laid down a ground how a Sinner may be reconciled to God and may partake of Grace here And so be in case to walk with God even while sojourning in the World in some good measure and of the Life of Glory hereafter His Sufferings are not only a Ransome for their Debt but also a Bridge to speak so to step over the Gulf of the distance thâ—t is betwixt God and them unto Glory whither He as the Fore-runner is gone before them In this sense we have our Graces as the Fruits of Chriâ—t's Suffâ—rings the Life of Grace Faith Love Perseverance c. We have also Protection Preservation and Guiding in the way till we be brought through to Eternal Life As that Word is John 6.39 40. cited before That of all whom the Father hath given me I should loss nothing In the First respect Christ is surity for our Debt In the Second respect He is surity for our Duty In the First Respect we are admitted into Covenant with God In the Second we are entertained in it by Him who lives for ever to make Intercession for us Use 1. See here Believers what ye are in the Fathers Debt for sending His Son And what ye are in the Sons Debt for coming to die for you Ye behoved to have born the Curse your selves if He had not born it but He took it on H mself that ye might be Freed from it Thus it stood with you ye deserved to be shut out for ever from God to have the Sword of His Justice awakened against you And he gave his back to the smitters and his cheecks to them that plucked of the haire And was content that the Sword of Justice should awake against Him and smite Him that He might by His strips heal them and by His Death procure Life to them Yea it stood thus with you and it could not be otherwayes The Justice of God being provocked and the Elect being under the Curse as it is Gal. 3.10 Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the Law to do them Ezek. 18.4 The soul that sins shall die Either they behoved to die or the Cautioner and our Lord was content to be a Sin-offering thereby to set Sinners free To be lifted up on the cross that he might draw all men after him to pay their D bt which all the Creatures could never have payed And therefore we would asâ— you if ye think Heaven and Glory to be of Worth and if ye think it to be a great mercy to be free from the Wrath to come and from the Damned State and Condition of Reprobat Angels and of Reprobat Men and Women in Hell And to be admitteâ— to enter with Abraham Isaac and Jacob into the Kingdome of God and into these Hâ—avenly Mansions Are ye not much in Chrisâ—'s Debt that procured this for you and at such a Rate that thereby Life might be communicate-to you who were Naturally Dead in Trespasses and Sins whatever the rest of the World think of it if any of you be Born again as you ought in a special manner to think much of it so ye will do in some measure for ye are as much in Christ's Common as all that is worth who was content that Poor Sinners should partake of Him and of the Life that is in Him to taste of Hâ—mself and who hath said Because I live ye shall live also In aâ—most wonderful way His Dâ—ath is the Price by which Life is Communicated to Us And it would become Bâ—â—â—â—vers well to be often reckoning what they are in His Debt It 's an of God's great Ends in the Work of Redemption even to have Sinners esteeming highly of and much Ravished with His Grace and with His Love brightly shinning in the way thereof yet less Conscience is made of this then of many other Duties by Believers We will send an Ear to a Practical Point of Doctrine and will some way ayme to mind it If we be bidden pray we will pray if we be commanded to Mortifie Sin we will endeavour it and so in other Duties But who minds this as a Dutie when we are called of God to Admire and Praise His Grace and Love and Humbly to Glory in Him so as seriously to set our selves to fall about it And yet this were a most Native Proper and Kindly Exercise for Believers even like the Work of those who say Salvation to our God that sits upon the throne and unto the Lamb Rev. 7.10 To him who loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood c. Rev. 1.5 To be taken up with such sweet Soliloquies in our selves about this Subject and with such Songs of Praise to Him who hath given us so noble a Beeing and Life which is convoyed to us by His Blood is sure a suitable Use of this Point For if our Life be of much Worth He must be of Infinitly much more Worth in Himself and should be so to us who purchased it at such a Dear Price The 2d Use is to exhort you whom we suppose to be renewed as some of you now hearing me are and O! that all of you were that when ever ye
Kindly Warmness in the Heart to Him again even till the Soul be put in a Holy Low or Flame of Love to Him more of this Love would make Christ and the Gospel much more Sweet and would make every one of these words that expresseth His Love in His Sufferings to be like Marrow and Fatness and would also make the Promises to be like Breasts full of Consolation It would withall cause that there would not be such mistakes of Christ nor such gaddings and whorings from Him and such preferrings of Idols to Him as alace there are Where this Love is not there can be no other thing that will be acceptable We shall say no more for the time but only this That we do appeal to your Consciences if there be not here an excellent and non-such Object of Love and if there be not here much reason to be in Love with that Object A very Heathen will return Love for Love and should not we much more do so in this case God Himself kindle this Love in us and make us know more the great advantages of it SERMON XLV ISAIAH LIII XI Verse 11. He shall see of the travell of his soul and shall be satisfied by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many for he shall bear their iniquities THe Work of Redemption is a business that was very gravely and very seriously contrived and prosecuted in respect of God and of the Mediator there was much earnestness in it as to them and yet notwithstanding which is a wonder Men whom it concerns so much whose Salvation depends on it and to whom the benefit of it redounds are but very little serious in their thoughts of it Our Lord Jesus was in Travel Soul-travel sore Soul-travel to bring about this Work and that the Gospel might be Preached to Sinners that they might have thereby a ground to their Faith to expect Life and Remission of Sins through Him Is it not then sad that we should speak and hear of it and be in a manner like the stone in the wall no more or little more affected with it than if it were a matter that did not at all concern us The Reading and Hearing of these Words will doubtless be a great Conviction to secure Sinners that our Lord Jesus was at such pains and put to such sore Soul-travel and Suffering and that yet such Sinners were never stirred nor made serious to have the Application of this Purchased Redemption made to them The Scope of these Words is to shew the great inward Soul-travels Conflicts and Straits that our blessed Lord Jesus had and was put to in throughing of the Work of Redemption and in paying the Price due to the Justice of God for the Sins of the Elect It 's a wonder that ever we should have it to speak of and that ye should hear of this Subject which is the very Text to say so and Sum of the Gospel And therefore before we leave it we shall speak a little more to the Use of it and truly if we make not use of this Doctrine we will make use of none though I confess it is a great practique how to draw it to Use and to conform ourselves in our practice to the Use of it We proposed somethings the last day which we could not then prosecute As 1. something for Exhortation 2. Something for Reproof and Expostulation which rising clearly from the Doctrine drawn from the Words we may now insist a little in them 1. For Exhortation Considering Christs Sufferings and the extremity of them and that they were undergone for Sinners we would exhort you to love Him as ye ought There is ground and warrand here to require it of you seing that Love in His bosome came to such an hight that He was content to lay down His Life yea seing He was in such a hot flame of Love that the Cup of Wrath did not quench it but His Love drank and dryed it up Greater love then this hath no man It is a most wonderfull Love considered with all the circumstances whereby it is hightened And there is ground here to excite and stir you up to give Him a kindly meeting and to welcome His Love with Love It will sure be a great shame if our Lords Love stood at nothing so that He might do the Fathers will and finish the Work committed to Him which was the perfyting of the Work of Sinners Redemption the Redeeming of His lost Sheep It every triffle or any triffle shall quench Love in our hearts to Him O! What a shame will it be in the Day of Judgement to many when this Man shall be brought forth loving this Idol and another Man loving that Idol more then Christ this Man loving his Lust that Man his Ease and another Man hâ—s Wealth or Honour and preferring them to Christ and when it shall be found that they would not quit nor part with their right Eye nor their right Hand which are not worth the name of Members being called so because they are Members of the Body of Death out of Love to Him Think Folks what they will that native impression of the obligation that lyes upon them to love Christ is wanting and that Divine and Soul-ravishing Influence that His Love should have on hearts It is true ye all think that ye love Him unless it be some of them who indeed love Him but if ye could reflect upon your selvâ—s ye would find that ye have little or no love at all to Him indeed And therefore for undeceiving of you beside what we said the last day take two or three Characters of kindly love to Christ 1. This Love is never satisfied with any degree or measure that it hath attained so as to sit down on it It hath these two things in it A desire to be further on in Love and a weightedness that it cannot win at growth in Him The loving Soul is disposed to think that it's Love to Christ is not worthy to be called Love and it breaths after it even to have it self warmed therewith to Him and to be brought to a further nearness to Him as we may see through the Song of Solomon And particularly Chap. 7. at the close There will I give thee my loves And Chap. 8. O that thou wert as my brother that sucked the breasts of my mother Kindly Love to Him puts the Soul to long for an opportunity to vent it's Love towards Him 2. Where this Love is the Soul will be as serious in praying for it that it may attain it as if it wanted it and it will be as much affected for the want of the lively exercise of it and will be as much challenged for coming short in it as it will be for any other Sin There is no benefit that it seeks more after then to have the heart circumcised to love Him and O! but it will be accounted a great benefit to get love to Christ And
I could never have expected mercy 2. In the solid Faith of a Believer there is as an Use-making of Christ Crucified allenarly as the meritorious Cause of Justification and Life So he is exercised in this to be allenarly settled on Him as such As for presumptuous Souls as they find it easy to believe so they find it easie to believe and to rest on Him only but as the true Believer hath it for one Piece of Exercise to Him how to win to Christ so it 's a Second Piece of Exercise to Him to get Him rested on only and to get Him as Crucified made the Ground of his Faith As the Apostle insinuates when He sayes 1 Cor. 2.2 I determined to know nothing among you but Christ Jesus and him crucified Where we have three Grounds of Sâ—ving Faith or Knowledge 1. Jesus Christ 2. Him as Crucified and 3. A determining to know no other thing but Him to rest upon for Life and Salvation It 's in this Respect that the Apostle Philip. 3. Doth count all things to be but loss and dung and cast as it were all over board that he may wâ—n Christ and be found in Him Many find it no difficult business to rest on Christ only and to keep out other things from being joyned with Him and never once suspect themselves in this by any thing But the Believer as I just now said hath here an Exercise and Difficulty to get Christ alone rested on so that nothing else be in the least rested on Because he knows nothing else to be a sure Foundation and because he knows that it 's natural to him to rest on other things beside Christ 3. The true Believer is taken up not only to have a sure Ground to build on but also to have his own Gripping at and Building on that Ground made sure It 's his exercise to have it out of question that his Faith is true Faith and not Presumption or Guessing To have the Grace of Faith Actually and Really taking hold of or apprehending Christ Whereas another that presumeth and hath only an Opinion or Conjecture in place of Faith As he is in his own Opinion easily brought to Christ so he finds it easy to exercise believing on Him he will it may be grant that he cannot Sanctifie the Sabbath-day and yet he can believe as if Believing were less difficult then to Sanctifie the Sabbath So many will grant that they cannot Pray and therefore do decline Worshipping of God in their Families who yet will confidently say that they can believe and that they do believe alwayes as if believing were lesse difficult then to Pray for a quarter or half a quarter of an hour But where solid Faith is the exercise of it is a difficult thing and the Person that hath it hath a holy Jealousy of it And the experience of many others and of himself sometime telling him that he may be mistaken he is often trying it and doth not nay he dar not trust much to it and is put often with that Man spoken of Mark 9. To cry and sometimes with tears Lord I believe help my unbelief He dar not trust much to his own Grip and therefore hath recourse to Christ to get it sickered and to have Him taking and keeping the Grip of his Grip as it was with the Apostle Phil. 3.12.4 When Believers have betaken themselves to Christ they have a new Exercise to know that it is so indeed It 's not only an Exercise to them how to Ground their Faith right how to quite all other things and to betake themselves to Christ only and to cast their burden on Him But it 's an exercise to thâ—m to clear that it 's Christ indeed that they rest on or to be clear that they have rested on Him It 's no good token when folk are soon Satiâ—fiâ—d with their Believing and never put it to the Tryâ—l And this is it that mâ—kes many go on guessing till they come to Death which makes a devorce betwixt them and their fancied Faith and discovers it to be but a Delusion Wheras it is Believers Work to try whether they have and to know that they have believed which they win not soon to know and the Reason is because the sense of Sin the apprehension of Wrath and their love to God and to Christ the Mediator with their desire to enjoy Him suffer them not to be quiet till they be sicker We may see all the Four together Philip. 3.7 8 9 10. Where the Apostle speaking of his case when he was a converted Christian in opposition to what it was when he was a Pharisee and thought himself to be very well and a strong Believer sayeth What things were gain to me I counted loss for Christ yea doubtless I count all things to be but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dâ—ng that I may win Christ and be found in him not having mine own righteousness c. The oâ—jâ—ct he would be at is Christ The manner how is Not having mine own righteousness The meâ—n through whâ—ch is Faâ—th in Him This is it that brings him to Union with Him And then he would know experimentalâ—y that he doth know Him savingly as a Believer in Him By finding the power of his resurrection by having fellowship in his sufferings And by being made comformable unto his death Whereby he would prove and make out to his own Quieting and Consolation that he is indeed a Believer The Bâ—liever is never right till he be in Christ and it s his Exercise to be quit rid of all other things and to rest upon him alone neither doth he rest here but he must be clear that he is in Him and that he hath fellowship in His Sufferings and Conformity to His Death This we would recommend to you as your main study as ever ye would comfortab y evidence to your selves your believing in Him SERMON XLVI ISAIAH LIII XI Vers 11. He shall see of the travell of his soul and shall be satisfied by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many for he shall bear their iniquities THE Bargain of Redemption is a great Bargain and we may say that it is a good Bargain wherein the greatest things that ever were imagined are transacted The sum whereof is in these two 1. What shall be the Satisfaction that must be given to the infinit Justice of God or what shall be the amends that must be made to God for the Satisfying of His Justice for the Sins of all the Elect and that is compended in these Words The travel of Christs soul That is the condition or these aâ—e the Terms on which only the Lord Jehovah will Tryst to speak so and He will Tryst on no other Terms 2. What shall be the Satisfaction that the Mediator shall have for all His Sufferings and Soul-travel
And this is summed up in these Words He shall see of the travel of his soul and shall be satisfied Upon which two stands the Covenant of Redemption And hence it is That all things relating to the Salvation of the Elect are to sicker and fiâ—m that there is no possibility of the misgiving or failing of whatever is here transâ—cted upon We have spoken somewhat of the Price which the Son the Mediator was to give and of the Soul-travel which He underwent in the paying of it We shall now speak of the Words as they hold out thâ— Promises made to the Mediator and it 's two fold 1. He shall see of the travel of his soul Which Words being an Explication of the former and looking also to these which follow there is a Word to be supplied which will â—â—k in both and it is fruit He shall see the fâ—uit of the travel of his soul That is He cannot but have a Seed and a numerous off-spring because of His Soul-travel in bringing them Forth and so the Promise in this respect shews the certainty of the eff ct that is that He shall most certainly bring forth in H s travelling The 2. Promise is That He shall see the Fruit of His Soul-travel or His Seed It 's much to have a Seed but it 's more to see it it 's not only this That Christ shall have a numerous Isâ—ue but that He shall Out-live Death to see and over-see and be a a Tuâ—or to them though by His Death He Purchase Life to them We shall from the first Promise take two Observations The 1. is this That our Lord Jâ—sus by His Suffering and Soul travel shall câ—rtainly attain the Fruit He aims at in it His Death and Sufferings shall not be Fruitless but shall certainly have the intended Fruit Whatever we take the Fruit to be whether we take it our of the former Words it 's a Seed that he shall see or have Or whether we take it out of the following Words It 's the Justifying of many Both these come to the same thing and it shall certainly come to pass and be made effectuall in the Up-shot of it As the Lord Himself sayeth John 12.24 Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die it abideth alone but if it die it bringeth forth muâ—h fruâ—t Where He compares His own Death to the sowing of Seed which when sown doth rot and then springs up and hath Fruit so as if He had s id my Death shall be a Seed or Seed-time whereon abundant Fruit shall follow for the Good and Salvation of many This Doctrine supposes 1. That our Lord Jesus had a respect in the laying down of His Life to the Salvation of Hâ—s own Elect People or thus that our Lord Jesus in the laying down of His Life had a designe and purpose to save the Elect as often He saith I lay down my life for my sheep And here they are called a Seed and Fruit and such as are Justified in due time 2. That this purpose should by His Sufferings be certainly made effectual this being the Fathers Promise to Him He shall see His seed or the travel of his soul and shall be satisfied It cannot be frustrated And we may furder confirm it from these Grounds 1 Because it is a Covenanted and Transacted business betwixt the Father and the Son and is here Promised If therefore there cannot be a failling of the Transaction and Bargain it must certainly have the full effâ—ct 2 Because the Mediator hath faithfully â—ulfilled His part of the Covenant And if He haâ—h been so faithfull on His side Then Jehovah on the other side of the Covenant who hath in it promised Satisfaction to Him for the travel of His Soul cannot but perform His part also The Mediator performed His Part even till it câ—me to these sweet Words uttered by Him on the Cross It is finished And therefore as I said the other part That he shall see the fruit of his Soul-travel must also be performed 3. It 's also clear from the End and Designe of the Covenant of Redemption betwixt the Father and the Son and of Christs laying down His Life which was to bring about Life unto and to make it forthcoming for all them that the Father had given Him and to and for no more nor to and for no fewer Therefore He saith All that the Father hath given me shall come unto me And I give them eternal life and will raise them up at the last day Now this being the End of the Covenant and of Christs Death and the mean whereby the Glory of Grace is manifested that Life might not only be Purchased to the Elect but also actually conferred on them according to the Fathers and the Mediators designe in the Covenant Christ Jesus cannot but have the Promise made good unto Him there being an engadgement of and on the God-head to speak after the manner of Men as to the Reality Certainty and Success of the performance and for making out this Promise to the Mediator The 1. Use Serves for Instructing and Clearing of us in several things contraverted by unsound men For if this be a Truth That our Lords Sufferings and Soul-travel cannot but have Fruit and the Fruit that He aimed at therein then 1. There is a definit particular and certain number Elected to partake of the Benefit of Christ's Sufferings because there is only such a particular number that is given to Christ to be Redeemed by Him and that do actually partake of the Benefit of His Sufferings which cannot fail 2. That Christ's Sufferings are not intended as a Price and Satisfaction for the Sins of all and every one for so He should not see the Fruit of the Travel of His Soul but should in a great part miss and loss it if He had intended that the Travel of His Soul should have been undergone for Judas as well as for Peter 3. There is here a Ground for the Certainty and Efficacy of the Grace of God in converting Elect Sinners for Christ Jesus cannot loss these who are committed to Him to be Redeemed more then He can loss the Fruit of His Suffering then sure Faith is not left pendelous on Mans Free-will but is put out of question as to all His own through His undertaking As He saith That no man can come to me except the Father draw him so He saith These that are given me shall and must come to me There is a Put or Powerful Draught of the Spirit of God which is nothing else but the efficacy of His Grace by which this is made infrustrably sure and not left contingent 4. See here the Truth of the Perseverence of Elect and Regenerat Saints who are appointed to be the Fruit of His Soul-travel and a Satisfaction to Him for the same For if they should fail and not persevere to the End The Promise here made to the Mediator should be cast loose and not
be necessarily performed and fulfilled 5. See here how the Salvation of Elect Sinners depends on the ingadgement betwixt God and the Mâ—diator Their Redemption depends on Hâ—s paying of the Price and their attaining the benefit of it depends on God's ingadgement to the Mediator Therefore we are said 1 Pet. 1. To be keeped by the power of God through faith unto salvation It serves withall to clear the Soveraignity of God and the Freenesse of His Grace when Sinners cannot pretend to have any hand in the Work to mar the Beauty and Efficacy of Grace that shine therein Use 2. There is here 1. something for the incouragement of such as would fain believe in Christ And 2. Somewhat for Comfort to and for Confirmation of them who have betaken themselves by Faith to Christ 3. It serves withall to incourage them who would be at believing and find difficulty in the way while they are breathing after Him It 's certainly promised that He shall have a seed and shall see of the fruit of the travel of his soul such therefore may expect that they shall come speed who would fain be at that which is the fulfilling of Gods ingadgement to the Mediator for it was Transacted in the Covenant of Redemption that His Suffering should be for the good of Elect Sinners and that the Father should make Application of His Purchase made thereby to them I say 2dly It serves to Comfort Incourage and Confirm such as are fled to Christ and find their own difficulty how to win through for they haye a good Cautioner to make out their Faith and what concerns their Salvation Gods Promise to the Mediator shall not be for nought nor in vain but shall have it's accomplishment if poor sinners were leâ—t to their own guiding the bargain should never take effect nor be made out but it may incourage and comfort the poor Believer though it should also humble him that the business is put in another and better hand then his own This hath strengthened the wavering hearts of many Believers before that both sides of the Covenant as to their forth-coming and performance depend on the Father and on the Mediator the Mediator undertaking the payment of their Debt and the Lord Jehovah undertaking to draw them in to the Mediator and by His Power to bear them through till they get all that the Mediator hath Purchased for them conferred on them 2dly Observe That all the benefits and advantages that any have ever gotten or shall get that lead to Life Eternal and which concurr to promove the Work of their Salvation are the Fruits of Christ's Purchâ—se by His Soul travel is a Sinner brought to Bâ—lieve I 's a Fruit of His Suffering iâ— a Siâ—neâ— Glorified It 's the Fruit of the same And therefore when in the one woâ—d it is said He shall see his seed It 's â—aid in the next word He shall see of the fruit of the travel of his soul To shew that a Souls ingadging to Christ by Faith wherebâ— the Person becomes one of His Seed flows from His Suffering and is a Fâ—uâ—t of the Travel of His Soul As it is 2 Cor. 5. ult He was made sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God thâ—ough him or in Him Where our righâ—eousness and what conduces to our Juâ—â—ification is derived from His being made Sin or a Sin-offâ—ring for us And Gal. 3.13 It ' said that Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law being made a curse for us that the blessing of Abraham might come on us gentiles Whatever is comprehended under that Bâ—essing as taking in both the l nd aâ—d Meâ—ns by which we come by it flows from His being a curse for us and from His being brought under sad Suffering and sore Soul-travel for us In this Doctrine ye would consider something for clearing of it or rather take the Doctrine it self several wayes and it will help to clear it elf 1. Then when we speak of the Fruit of Ch ists Sufferings we mean not only tâ—at our Justification the Pardon of ouâ— Sins and our entry into Heâ—ven are Fruâ—ts of it But that our Believing Repenâ—ance Holâ—ness and every thing that leads thereunto are Fruits of it also Therefore it 's promised to Christ Psal 110.3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power And that these that are given to Christ shall come is a Promise â—s well as it 's a Promise that these that come shall be Justified and the one foâ—lows upon Christs Ingaging and performing of the Ingagement as well as the other 2. If we take the Doctrine thus That there is nothing thaâ— a Sinner gets that leads to Life and Salvâ—tion but it 's a Fâ—uit of Christ's Purchase We get neither Repentance nor Faith nor Holiness nor any other such thing but on the account of Christs Satisfaction Or 3dly Take it thus Whatever is needfull for compleating of them that are Châ—ists Seed whom He hath Purchased whatever they want or stand in need of whether Righteousness Holiness Repentance Faith Hâ—pe c. All are purchased by Him and are the Fruits of His Death and Souâ—-travel This riseth clearly from the Words He shall see of the fruit of the travel of his soul That is He shall see Sinners believing on Him and repenting for sin as well as Hâ— shaâ—l see them Glorified which will be clear if we consider these two Reasons 1. The nature of the Covenant wherein all the Promises concerning Sinners Salvation are comprehended there being but one Covenant of Redemption and that being a Promise of this Covenant to circumcise the heart to love God and to writ his law in it as well as to pardon Sin and all the Promises of the Covenant depending on Christs Sâ—ipulation and these things in the Promises flowing from the Covenant betwixt God and the Mediator Sinners can have no Right to any thing that is Promised but by a. Covenant neither can they have any access to them but through Christs Suffering 2. It 's clear from the End of the Covenant that whatever Sinners have need of they must be in Christs common for it now if we had Faith or Repentance or any other Grace from our selves or on our own account we should not be in His Debt and Common for all that we need as indeed we are according to that 1 Cor. 30 31. He is made of God unto us wisdom to be our Guide and Teacher righteousness to be our Justifier and the meritorious Cause of it sanctification To be the Worker and the Procurer of it and in a Word compleat Redemption and this is subjoyned as the Reason of all That he that glories or rejoyces may glorie or rejoyce in the Lord that is Whether there be a looking to Faith or Repentance or any other Grace there may be no cause to be Vain or Proud of it but that knowing these to be from Christ and
with that which they had bought He sayes to them I have meat to eat that ye know not of And when they begin to wonder what that could be He sayes further to them It is my meat to do my Fathers will and to finish his work And what was that a poor whotish Woman is spoken to by Him and brought by His speaking to acknowledge Him to be the Messiah and to accept of Him as such And by that blessed Work His Hunger and Thirst were Satisfied So Luke 22.15 He saith to His Disciples with desire have I desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer And Luke 12.50 I have a baptisme to be baptized with and how am I straitned till it be accomplished Though he drinking of that Cup was terrible to Him and though mockings and reproaches were not pleasant in themselves yet the love that He had to Sinners good mastered all the bitterness that was in these and made them sweet 3. There is nothing that He more complains of nothing angers and grieves Him more then when He is not made use of Ye will not saith He John 5. come to me that ye may have life To shew that the best interâ—ainment that they could give Him was to come and get Life from Him And it 's told us that He was angry and grieved for the peoples unbelief and hardness of heart Yea He weeps over them because of this Luke 19. All which prove the great delight that He had and hath still in Sinners getting good of Him And frequently in the Song as Chap. 2 and 6. He is said to feed among the lillies There is all His intertainment that He gets in the World He feasts only on the Fruits of His own Spirit in them that welcome Him I shall name but one place more and that is Psal 147.10.11 He delights not in the strength of a horse nor in the legs of a man but in them that fear him The following Words clear it more what it is that delights Him In them that hope in his mercy that is in them that draw into Him by believing He delights in these Beyond all the World Use 1. It were a desirable thing to be believing this Are there any so prophane but are ready to think that if they knew what would please God or Christ they would do it The Question is here answered that this is pleasing and only pleasing to Him If this be wanting there is nothing that will please Him even that ye make use of Christs Sufferings and imploy Him in His Offices for getting the good that may be had by them This is it that ye are câ—lled to and which delighteth Him and if this be not though ye would give Him thousands of rams and ten thousands of rivers of oyl yea the first born of your body for the sin of your souls it will not satisfy Him nor be accepted because this alone is the Satisfaction that He will have for His Soul-travel I shall a liâ—tle explain this and then prosecute the Use of it Ye will ask then What is the Fruit of Christ's Soul-travel that satisfies Him I answer That we take in under it not only 1. That ye should aim to be at Heaven neiâ—her 2. â—his That ye be serious in the Duties of Holiness as if these were Well-pleasing to God without respect to Christ's Sufferings but it is the Use-making and improving of Christ's Sufferings for attaining of these When Folk by this midse by this New and Living Way step forward to Heaven and seek to be Seriâ—us in the study of Holiness when they that could not walk in the way of Holinesse do now walk in it leaning on their beloved and study to live by Faith in Him Tâ—is is it mainly wherein His Delight and Satisfaction doth lye even when a poor Sinner is brought to make Use of Him for Peace and Reconciliation with God for through bearing in all called for Duties for his Consolation and for his Admission to Heaven in the close And therefore they do not only fail here who are Prophane living securely never minding Heaven their Peace with God nor the study of Holiness Neither only these who cast the Law and its Reproofs behind their backs thâ—se are loathsome to God and to Jesus Christ but by this These are also reproved that do not improve the Sufferings of Christ for Peace and Reconciliation with God for Righteousnesse and for Strength for Comfort and encouragement and who hope not in Hâ—â— Mercy The Reason is because though it were possible they could make progresse in Hâ—liness and attain to Comfort and Peace â—hat â—ay yet it would not be thus The Fruit of the Travâ—l of Christs Soul He being paâ—â— by and â—o could not be Satisfaction to Him Buâ— where a poor Sinner sees that he caâ—noâ— câ—me to God of himself cannot make his Peace nor can He walk in the way of Holiness so as to please God and so flies to Christ for refuge and make use of His Purchase there lyeth Christs delight to see such a Sinner come and hide himself under the shâ—ddow of His Sufferings and in this respect the more hardly a Sinner is put at it is the more satisfaction to Him that He in His Death and Sufferings be made use of because this way the Sinners Life is more intirely the benefit of His Sufferings and that such a Person hath any Strength Comfort or Peace and is admitted to Heaven It is allenarly through the Travel of His Soul which is His great Satisfaction And therefore we would 2dly commend to you That as you would do Christ a favour to speak so with reverence And O! what a motive is this for vile Sinners the dust of His Feet to be put in a capacity to do Him a pleasure Endeavour this especially that as to you Christ may see the Fruit of the Travel of His Soul and be satisfied and that all His kindness offered to you may not be Fruitlesse This is the great hing of the Gospel as to that which is pressed upon you and this is the wonderfull motive that is given to presse it That it 's delightsome to Christ and therefore ye should believe on Him It were incouragement enough that it's profitable to your selves But if ye had hearts of stone this should move you to it That Our Lord Jesus seeks no more Satisfaction from you for all His Soul-travel but that ye make use of His Sufferings that ye do not receive this Offer of His Grace in vain nor be Fruitless under it In a word we have here laid before us and think upon it the most Wonderfull Inconceivable and Inexpressible Sute and Request of Him who is the Creator to us poor sinfull creatures and what is it I have been sayes He on the matter in sore Travel and Pain for you now I pray you let it not be for nought let me see the Fruit of it And to speak it with reverence of
many come before Him when it shall be told them That He craved no more Satisfaction from them for all that He Suffered but that they would have improved His Sufferings for their own good and that yet they would not give Him that much Doeth not this say that their is need that we should look well what Fruit there is of His Sufferings that there may be more then if He had not Suffered at all 9. Consider the great weight that will be laid on this Sin of refusing to believe and to Satisfy Him in this to wit in improving of His Sufferings above all other Sins This is a Sin that will be found to be against Equity Thankfullnesse and Ingenuity that when He had done and Suffered so much He was so ill requited Yea it will be found to be a wilfull and malicious Sin That when your Good and His Satisfaction were joyned together ye would rather choise to destroy your selves then to Satisfie Him in saving your selves through Use-making of His Sufferings There are two remarkable Words to this purpose Heb. 6.10 In the 6. Chap. it 's said of such That they crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame That is they do displease and anger Him and do what in them lyes to cast reproach upon Him as if He were no Saviour at all or an insufficient Saviour to put Him to Suffer over again in His wanting of Satisfaction for His Sufferings As it is a great pain for a Mother to be in Travel but it 's another and in some respect a greater pain if the Child die in the bringing forth In the 10. Chap. v. 28. It 's called A trading under foot the son of God and an accounting the blood of the Covenant to be an unholy thing And in the 26. v. Before it 's said There remains no more sacrifice for sin but a certain fearful looking for of judgement And it 's upon this very account As we did at another occasion make use of these two Scriptures to a like purpose and did thus Caution our Application of them against mistakes For what greater indignity can be put on Him then when His Satisfaction depends on the improving of His Sufferings yet people will not do it As nothing pleases Him better then to improve His Sufferings so on the contrary There is no Sin that doth displease Him more then when they are not improven And if ye will not now believe this to be a Truth yet when the Lord shall call you to count for it ye will find it to be a most certain and sad Truth That He called you to believe and that ye would lye still in your Unbelief Ignorance and Prophanity That ye destroyed your own Souls and made His Sufferings as uselesse as to you as if there had never a door been opened to Sinners to Heaven by them Is there any of you that will be able to answer to this challenge If not Then let Him have this Satisfaction by improving of His Sufferings that He may find to say so that His Death hath not been for nought as to you Study to have Him great in your esteem and to have your Souls saved by the vertue and efficacy of His Sufferings otherwayes the challenge will be unanswerable Considering that He declared that this would satisfie Him and ye knew that it would have pleased Him and removed the quarrel and saved your selves And that withall by this means a comfortable sentence at Judgement might have been procured to you And that yet ye disdained to do it And therefore since it stands so with you be intreated to make earnest and greater earnest of believing and of the great work of getting your own Souls saved which He hath thought so much of else it had been better for you that ye had never had a delightsome hour in the World And sad will the encounter be that ye will have with Him and with your own Conscience in that Day when it shall have this to tell you that ye cannot now expect any Good or Favour from the Judge Because when He would have saved you ye would not have it so but would needs run on your own damnation And therefore we say again either give Him Satisfaction by improving of His Sufferings and by making Earnest of the businesse of your Salvation Or resolve to meet with a most terrible Pursuer of the Quarrel against you The Wrath of God is dreadfull but much more the Vengeance of the Mediator who because ye would not give Him His will in your Salvation He shall have it in your Ruine and Destruction 4. There is here a sweet Word of Consolation to poor Souls that faln would have Sin taken away and are afraid to presume Our Lord will never be angry that ye make use of His Sufferings for your own good Nay He accounts it a Satisfaction to Him that ye improve them That when ye find your selves Arrested for Sin ye put it on His Score and draw a Bill on Him to pay your Debt That when you find your selves under that which to you looks like the dominion of Sin ye look to His Cross for Vertue to Crucifie Kill and Subdue it If therefore as I have often said ye would do Him a Favour or Pleasure make use of Him Be assured that the more weight ye lay on Him ye do Him the greater pleasure And this is all the amends that He seeks for all the wrâ—ngs ye have done to Him and all the Satisfaction that He seeks for all the good turns He hath done to you That ye come to Him thus to make use of Him And it is good Reason even all the Reason in the World that He get this amends made to Him and this Satisfaction granted to Him SERMON XLIX ISAIAH LIII XI Verse 11. He shall see of the travell of his soul and shall be satisfied by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many for he shall bear their iniquities THere are two things of great Concernment for Men to know for sinfull Men to know if any thing be of Concernment The one is how the Justice of God that is provoked may be Satisfied or what it is by which provoked Justice is Satisfied And the other is What the way is how we come to get that Satisfaction applyed to us or what is the way to get the Benefit of it made ours And both of them are Answered in this v. clearly and shortly The first is holden out in the first part of the v. To be the travel of Christs soul Which hath a special look to the Covenant of Redemption and to the Condition on which it is Accomplished and Performed That is His Soul-travel under which all His Sufferings are comprehended The other is in the Latter Part of the verse By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many for he shall bear their iniquities This holds forth in short the Gospel nay how
yet can never quiet the Conscience nor Satisfie Gods Justice Yea our own Predecessours in this Nation were drowned in the same Errors And we were as foolishly and senslesly superstitious as the Inhabitants of any other Nations before the Light of the Gospel brake up among us accounting such and such Sins to be do Sins leaning to their Merits to the Merits of Saints to Indulgences Soul-masses Whippings and a nuâ—ber of things of that kind And now that God hath mercifully fred us of these foolries how much are we obliged to him Hath ever Scotland been thankfull as it becometh for this mercy We do by our unthankfulnesse darken and obscure the freedom of Grace that by this Gospel is preached unto us And there needs no other evidence of it but this That many are to this day as ignorant of the way of Justification of Sinners and as abstract from and as great strangers to the right way of making use of Christ's Righteousness as if it had never been revealed unto them or if they know and can speak any thing of it all the use that they make of it is to turn the Grace of God into wantonness And because Holiness is not the ground of making their Peace with God to take the more Liberty to Lousness These are not Fruits of the Gospel other Fruits must be brought forth or else ye will repent it when ye cannot mend it Let it therefore affect you that God is so ill requite for His goodness and study to be more thankfull to Him that we may speak of these Truths and discover their Errors and that we are not Judicially blinded as many other People and Nations are 4ly Pitie them that are lying under darkness of their Delusions and Errors and pray for them It 's a sore matter that the most part of the Christian World should have the Name of Christians and yet should maintain such Doctrine and lay down and hold such a way as keepeth from benefit by Christ Jesus yea as denyes on their matter that He is come For this is indeed the Spirit of Antichrist and of the Man of Sin that takes Souls off from Christ and yet how few make conscience to pray for these poor people and that God would pursue the whoore and brake up and skell that Market spoken of Revel 18. And would discover His Truth and make His Gospel to be purely preached to them that are fitting in the Region of Darkness and in the Shadow of Death ye would pity bound up and imprisoned Souls in this Error and pray for their reclaiming and that God would keep this Land from it It 's an old seated and rooted Error and the rest are but foolries in comparison of it This is the Devils great ingine and arme others are but vapourers to say so which may tell us that speaking and hearing of such a business is not altogether uselesse What if the day should come that all our Bibles and every English Book that serves to hold out Truth and to discover Error should be taken from you and ordered to be burned and that Books stuffed with their Errors should come in their room Many of you think little or nothing now of the Light and Liberty of the Gospel which ye enjoy but if Heaven be of so much worth this Gospel is of much worth to you and this Truth of it in particular 5ly Let not this Gospel be preached for nought O! receive not this Grace in vain that is this Grace offered to you in the Gospel and the clearing of such Truths to you O! What a challenge and aggravation of our Guilt will it be when we come before the Throne when many other Nations will be condemned because they leanned to their own Merits and made not use of Christ and many of us shall be condemned because though we professed an indignation at these Errors yet we made no more use of Christ than these who by their Doctrine excluded Him If our Predecessors could speak what could they say Would it not be this it is just that ye perish for ye had Christ and His Righteousness clearly preached to you which we had not and yet ye slighted Him Therefore take hold of and improve the opportunity God hath clearly revealed this Truth to the Land and to this Place walk in the Light while ye have it else your condemnation will be the greater as it is John 3.19 6ly Seing God hath given us this a singular mercy even the clear Revelation of the way of Justification by Christs Righteousness and Merits Let us not through our evil conversation make the Truth of God to be evil spoken of turn not the Grace of God into wantonness It was an evil that soon arose in the Primitive Church and which the Apostle disputs against Rom. 2.3 and 6. Because He preached Justification by Grace and not by the Works of the Law some were ready to abuse that sweet Doctrine and to say Let us sin that grace may abound and let us do evil that good may come of it whose damnation sâ—yes he is just And he follows out these Objections and insists in answering of them And O! but this is damnable from the abounding of Gods grace to take the more liberty to Sin and yet what other Language have the Lives of mâ—ny but this Because Justification and Hâ—ppiness are not builded on our Works â—herefore we may live as we list dispitfully and presuâ—ptuously reflecting on the way of Justification by Faith and on God who hath contrived it But if any of you will abuse Gods grace and Sin the more God shall charge it on your own heads this Gospel shall never do you good God will require it of you your Sins are multiplied and your Plagues shall be multiplied above any that have lived under black Popery I dar say many of you would probably have had a greater restraint on you from Sin and would have been more Charitable and Foreward in many external good Works if ye had been profest Papists than now ye are being profest Protestants a judicial stroak on you for the abusing of Grace And is this the Fruit of the Gospel No certainly Grace was never preached that Men should grow cold and indifferent in the practice of good Works but that through the laying hold on Christs Righteousnesse they might have peace with God and that thâ—ough the study of Holinesse God might be glorified Therefore study the exercise of Faith so as ye seclude not Holiness and study Holiness so as ye mar not the freedom o Grace and put these two together which are the Compend of the Gospel when suitably practised SERMON LIV. ISAIAH LIII XI Vers 11. By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many THis blessed Death and Soul-travel of Our Lord Jesus hath been good news to many and it is the ground of all the hope of Life that ariseth from the Word to a Sinner It should never be tastlesse nor dis-relishing
other Fruits of it were uselesse it will avail but little to be a Member of the visible Church to be Baptized and to be admitted to the Lords Supper to have Litural knowledge of the principles of Religion to have a Gift of Preaching or of Prayer c. these will not Justifie The peculiar thing aimed at in Christs Death and that which His People aim at and have to rejoyce in is Justification through his knowledge which is alwayes to be understood without prejudice to the study of Holinesse 2. It gives us this Use whoever would have Absolution before God would know that this was the very thing ingaged for to Christ and His intendment in His Death That Sinners believing on Him might be Absolutely and Actually Justified by Him it was not simply to propose Justification to them but that Absolutely they might be Absolved from the Curse of God due to them for Sin And now may I not ask whether this is more encouraging to Sinners to have Christ procuring Justification only conditionally to them or to have the thing absolutely conferred upon them This is a ground whereupon believing Sinners lift up their heads confidently and expect Justification through His Righteousnesse It is this that was promised to Christ and it is this that is the native fruit of His Death without which it will be fruitlesse And this may remove the great obstruction that readily a Sinner when he is serious seeth lying in his way to wit the want of Righteousnesse and the fear of not being Absolved the want of inherent Righteousnesse in himself which makes him lyable to the Curse of the Law when he seeth upon what terms Christ died First To procure a Righteousnesse to them that wanted Righteousnesse And 2. Upon these terms that Sinners through faith in Him might he Justified and fred from the Guilt of Sin as if they never had Sin themselves Considering this to be his intendment according to the terms of the Covenant of Grace what have they or what can they have to skar or fright them from expecting the fulfilling of this Promise Because the contryvance of the Covenant of Redemption is to buy Justification absolutely and not the possibility of it only nor to buy Grace to us whereby to Justifie our selves but Juâ—â—ification it self so as we may be beholden to Him alone for it Again 2dly When we say that the Justification of a Sinner is the proper result of Christ's Death it may be thus understood That the Righteousnesse whereby a Sinner is Justified is immediatly Christ's Death and Purchase as to the meritorious cause thereof to that if we look to what Justifies a Sinner as to the meritorious cause of it the knitting of these two together He shall see of the travel of his soul and shall be satisfied and By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many doth hold it forth to be Christ's Death and Purchase The travel of His Soul is and must be the ground on which a lost Sinner is Justified before the Throne of God This both confirms what we formerly proposed concerning this Doctrine and also shews that the Justification of a Sinner is not by inherent Holinesse whence comes it I pray that makes a Sinner acceptable before God It is not from habitual nor actual inherent Grace but from Christs Righteousness laid hold on by Faith that grippeth and adhereth to it But from the latter part of the Words we will have more particular occasion to speak to this where these two are knit together By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many for he shall bear their iniquity therefore we do now passe it The Object of this benefit is many many ordinarily in Scripture implyes these two things 1. A great number and so it shews the extent of the Object that is that Christ shall purchase and redeem many or by His Death procure Justification to many 2. A restriction and thus many is opposed to all and so the meaning is There shall many be Justified by Christ's Death but not all and therefore as none can from these Words plead for an universality in Justification So neither can they in Redemption for he only bare their iniquities whom by His knowledge He Justifies Looking on these many in these twofold considerations we may take these Observations from it 1. Taking it extensively Observe 1. That the Righteousnesse of Christ is of it self able to Justifie many It 's a Righteousnesse that can Satisfie for the Sins of many or thus That in the Covenant of Redemption there is an intended Application of Christ's Righteousness and Purchase to many 2. That there are many who shall indeed partake of Christ's Righteousnesse and be Justified by it It 's not one or two or a thousand but as it was intended to Justifie many so it shall be actually applyed to many for their Justification 3. Comparing the former Words He shall see of the travel of his soul and shall be satisfied with these Words By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many Observe That Christ is not satisfied for the Travel of His Soul except many be Justified Or thus It is Christ's Satisfaction how many there be that make use of Him and that by making use of Him come to be justified by Him as afterward we will see These many are all these that believe all these that have this true and saving knowledge of Him and do rightly acknowledge Him The making out of one of these Doctrines will make them all out That Christ's Righteousnesse is able to Justifie many that many shall be Justified by it and that it is His Sâ—tisfaction and Delight that many be Justified and get this good of it It 's said Matth. 20.28 That he came to lay down his life a ransome for many And Rom. 5.15 That the gift of grace which is by one man Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many and v. 19. As by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shalâ— many be made righteous Let but these Four things be put together and considered and it will be found that there is no just ground to quarrel these Doctrines 1. The native worth and intrinsick value that is in the Satisfaction of Christ It 's the blood of God of the Person that is God It 's an Offering that flows from a willing and cheerful Giver which makes it the more acceptable He was content with delight to pay the Price there cannot be a limiting or bounding of this Worth and Value because there cannot be any bounding or limiting of the Person that gives the Value to it if it be considered in it self 2. Consider the freeness of the Offer which takes in many Our Lord communicats very freely what He hath bought very dear and it 's done with respect to His taking in of many to take away all exceptions from the poor and needy and from them that want money 3. As the terms are
's said to rest or rely as it respects Christ and his Satisfaction the thing offered and received with regard to the charge to which it is lyable It 's here that it rests and to this it betakes it self as to it's defence when challenged It 's difficult to difference these two or peremptorly to say whether Christs Righteousnesse be received or rested upon yet it 's made our defence because it 's closed with and we make them two Acts of the same Faith though it 's hard to make the one of them to be the effect of the other or the one of them to be antecedent to the other in respect of time at least As a Proclamation of Pardon being made to Rebells they say this Proclamation gives a freedom from the Laws pursuit because they have embraced it and these Rebells make that the ground if ever they be challenged whereon they found their Defence they have this to lippen to and upon this they rest Though none of these Acts can well be said to be before or after the other in respect of time For clearing of this a little more consider that this resting may be looked on either Passively or Actively Passively in respect of the Believers acquiescing in Christ and assuring himself that all shall be well This is not that Act of Faith that is called for to Justification but supposes the Person to be Justified for he must be Justified ere he can rest or acquiesce in it Actively in respect of our resting on him that we may be Justified as the Apostle hath it Gal. 2.16 And this Isaiah 5.6 Is called a taking hold of Gods covenant It is an actual committing of our selves to Him that we may win to peace or a leaning on Him as suppose one were to rest upon a Staff it doth not only imply the effect his having of ease but also and firstly his leaning to or resting on it in order to ease Therefore it 's said Math. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy loaden and ye shall find rest The Act that Justifies is this last and active Act the Act of coming or leaning or resting and the passive Act of acquiescing or assurance is that which follows upon it as a fruit and effect of it And therefore we humbly conceive that it is not safe to define Justifying Faith by Assurance or to say that where-ever Faith is there is Assurance It is rather a resting on Christ that we may have rest and a ground of Defence and reason to be proposed if we should be quarrelled for or charged with the Debt of Sin The Uses are 1. To remove the difficulties as namely it may be asked here is there no confidence not assurance in this Active Act of Faith which is the Essence of it we answer shortly There are Three sorts of confidence pleaded for that are far from the nature of Faith and yet Faith wants not it's own Confidence and Assurance if it be taken in a right sense The 1. is for a man to believe that Christ died for him in particular at the first hand and to think that he hath no more to do but to believe that Christ Died and Suffered for him and that thereupon he is Justified For this layeth a ground for universal Redemption against the current of the Scriptures and can never be a ground of interest in Christ's Righteousnesse It supposes that to be done already and admits not the Soul to concur by believing for coming to the application and yet this is very rise amongst People I believe that Christ died for me and shed His precious Blood for me and so long as they can maintain this presumption and not suffer themselves to admit of any debating and questioning whether they have ground and reason for it or not they think they have Faith enough but this is no Act of Faith nor of the nature of true Justifying Faith which is to take hold of Christ offered that we may come to be absolved through Him Therefore when ever the Scripture puts us to believe It commands us to take hold of Christ offered and not at first hand to believe that he died for us in particular I suppose many are carried away with this presumption that will to their cost at last find it to be otherwayes 2. Others think that all Faith consists in this to believe that God loved them from all Eternity and that they are already Justified which is the Antinomian way They believe not that they may be justified which was Pauls way Gal. 2.16 but they believe that they are Justified And this also presuppons an universal Redemption and to presse it upon you were to bid you all believe that God hath loved you and pardoned you from all Eternity which were to bid you believe a lie for we wot well from the Scriptures of Truth that God hath not loved all from Eternity and yet this is the Faith that many of you presumptuously practises we are all naturally some way Antinomians Papists and Arminians in our practice and the way of Error is more consistent and current with our nature then the way of Truth But O! presumptuous hypocrites will ye darringly and without any ground believe Gods Love to you God shall shake you out of that confidence and blow upon it and make it evanish ye cry out on them that live in Error yet ye practise these same Errors to speak so as fast as ye can we cannot by much Preaching get you brought to the Knowledge of the Truth but ye can drink in Error ere ye hear of it and it will ruin your Souls if Grace prevent not and many of you shall find that thus you have destroyed your selves A 3d. Sort of rotten confidence is that which some have who cannot say they are for the time Justified yet they have a perswasion to get Heaven and to be Justified ere they die or that at death they will be sure of it and they wote well they shall not despair This is also naughty presumption and continued in as hazardous as outer disperation and killeth moe Souls then dispair doth for such rest quietly in their hope of being fred from wrath and having their peace made with God and yet never go to Christ to have it done this is like that mans presumption that sayes tush I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination of my own heart God is gracious and merciful and I hope he will not be so severe as He is called The Lord calleth this a believing of Him for He sayes in His Word that there is no peace to the wicked and the foolish presumer sayes I shall have peace shall His Word or theirs stand they say Jer. 5.12 and 7 9. The temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord are these they make a fair shew of attendence on ordinances and yet steall murder and commit adultery and say we are delivered to do all these things
is not this a gross believing of the Lord God shall beat back many of your vain confidences in your faces and your hearts shall tremble and your faces wax pale when God shall cause your Charge and Summonds to come unto Judgement sound in your Ears These and such like confidences will never bear you through it is not these we speak of Yet 2ly We say that the right exercise of Faith wants not it's own confidence comfort and assurance when taken in a right sense much whereof is attributed by by some to the definition of Faith for some mistake Faith and others are mistaken or misunderstood in their speaking of Faith Some Divines that writ of Faith speak of it's being an assurance defining it at it's hight yet generally they take in and presuppose the active Act of Faith resting on Christ others define it by these two Acts a receiving of and resting upon Christ Therefore we would never conceive of them at least of many of them as making this assurance to our sense to be essential and absolutely necessary to the being of Justifying Faith much lesse would we think that they mistaken and passe by the true Acts of receiving and resting upon Christ only some of them which we humbly think is their mistake having to do with Papists who place Faith in the understanding adde an assurance of Faith to the Former Acts In which we say there is a ground of confidence or a conditional assurance upon supposition that Souls receive Christ and rest upon Him they may be confident that that is a ground that will not fail them They may be confident that He will not deceive them a confidence in this that they may step to or lean upon Christ and not fear that He fail them or that they may without all fear of hazard cast themselves on Christ Therefore He is called a tryed elect precious corner-stone a sure foundation and indeed that is no small ground of confidence That when a Soul comes to Christ by believing it may be sure He will not fail it 2. Being sure that we have committed our selves to Christ which supposes Faith's being put to exercise and practice there may be a confidence in this respect we may be sure He will not fail us in particular 2 Tim. 1.12 I know in whom I have believed and that he is able to keep that I have committed to him and that I shall not be ashamed He puts both these together I know that He is able and that He will not fail me I shall not be ashamed So Rom. 8. I am perswaded that neither death nor life c. shall be able to separat us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus If Souls have received the offer they may be sure it will not misgive them 3. Adde that this actual or active resting on Christ may be seperat from the sense of it or from the passive Act of Faith or quietnesse that follows on resting on Christ for there is a resting on Christ which is very Faith it self and not the effect come and ye shall find rest coming is before finding of rest to our sense at least we are not to knit this passive rest with the other active Act of resting as if it were impossible to rest on Christ without present sensible ease Beside it is this active resting that gives us right to Christ and not the passive Gal. 2.16 We believe that we may be justified This necessarily goes before our believing that we are Justified To close with a Word of more particular Use let me exhort you to lay lesse weight on your bare thinking that ye believe on your present ill grounded hope and peace Aim and endeavour to Act and exercise Faith on Christ actively receiving and resting on Him for winning to Peace This practice of Faith is the over word to say so of the Doctrine of Just fication That seing there is such ground of Justification laid down the Righteousnesse of Christ and that it is proposed to you and seing this is the very Act of Justifying Faith to receive and rest on Christ as He is proposed and offered when this offer is made to you let your Faith receive take hold of and consent to the bargain and ground and found your Defence here for answering all challenges that the Law and Justice may present against you That there was a Saviour offered to you and that ye received Him and rested upon Him will be a ground that shall bear you out when ye come before God and except this be made sure our speaking and your hearing of Faith will be to no purpose SERMON LX. ISAIAH LIII XI Vers 11. By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many For he shall be or their iniquitâ—eâ— THis is a great assertion and of mighty moment wherâ—in to the Knowledge of Christ the Justification of many is attributed and indeed if we knew what an advantâ—ge and benefit it were there would be nothing more studied then how to obtain it For it is the vâ—ry in let and opens the door to Glorification and if to be happy in the enjoyment of God be a benefit of great concerment then this of Justification must be so We proposed to speak of the way how this benefit is applyed and that is by Faith set out under this expression His knowledge or the knowledge of him and touched on the benefit of Faith and the necessity thereof for attaining Justification God having so ordered it in the Covenant that none others should be Justified but such as have Faith 2. We spoke also to the Object of this Faith Christ Jesus as our Righteousnesse and Peace So that Christ becomes in a peculiar manner the Object of Faith beside any other thing Because it 's only in Christ it can find a shelter Therefore it 's only to Christ that it flâ—es when it is pursued 3. We spake likewise of the nature of this Faith or it's Act it being the hearts trusting it self to Christs Righteousnesse whereon it hazards the weight of it's Peace and relyes here And as all the Terms of Justification are borrowed from Law wherein there is supposed a Charge a Tribunal and a Judge So is this resting in like manner It 's in effect an arraigned Persons making of Christ's Righteousneesse his Legal Defence against all Challenges The substance of the phrase is in that of Philip. 3.9 That I may be found in him not having my righteousness c. Where presupposing a lybelling and Charge where to does the Apostle betake himself and what is his refuge It 's Christ and His Righteousnesse even to be found in Him as if the question were proposed Paul what wilt thou do in the day of Judgement what wilt thou lean to for a Defence in that day To which he answers not to my own Righteousnesse but this is it even to be found in Him which he expones to be the having on His Righteousness by Faith
the mutualnesse of the Terms of it and that though as to our conceiving and up-taking of it there be something first and something last yet with God there is no such thing but it is one present Act. Thâ— promises made to the Mediator are in two exprâ—ssiâ—â—s with an inference in the Word Therâ—fore knitting this to what went before I will divide him a portion with the great and he shall divide the spoil with the strong In short the similitudes here used are taken from Conquerours and Victors who having been in a War and fight and having defeat and routted all their Enemies and put them off the Field have a notable Out-gate Victory and Triumph and a great Spoil as the Fâ—â—iâ— of the War And so the meaning is That the Mâ—diator by His undertaking to Sâ—tâ— fie for the Elect should have a great Fâ—ght and Combat with many Enemies but He should losse nothing by it He shou d have a notable Our gate an excellent Victory and glorious Triumph great glory and spoil So that as there was never War like Hâ—s nor Enemies like these that He had to encounter with so there should never be such Victory Triumph and Spoil as our Lord Jesus should have The word Portion is not in the Original buâ— well supplied It is only I will divide him many as the Word is often used and He shall divide the spoil with the strong That is He shall iâ— dividing the Spoil be above the strongest The Words infer and take in these Three 1. A great defeat of and Victory over all the Mediators Enemies the Devil Death and the Curse He gets a great victory over them and gives them a great defeat so that they are quite beat off the Field as dividing the spoil imports Psal 68.12 She that remained at home divided the spoil and Isa 9.3 As men rejoyce when they divide the spoil 2. The great number of Captives that our Lord in His Victory and Triumph takes and brings off that is He gets a great bootie which is that spoken of in the words before By his knowledge shall many be justified and it 's that which is exprest in that Psal 68.18 Thou hast ascended on high thou hast led captivity captive that is these that were formerly captives thou hast redeemed from their capivity and led them captive that carried others captive as the people of God pray Psal 126.4 Turn again our captivity 3. It takes in the excellent Victory the great Triumph and Glory that the Mediator should have by this means He is exalted above every name that is named that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of thinge in heaven of things in earth and of things under the earth For further clearing of it we shall recommend to you Two or Three places in which it 's like there is an allusion to this as that Col. 2.14 15. Blotting out the hand writing of ordinances that was against us and contrary to us taking it out of the way and nailling it to his cross tearing as it were the Obligation that the Law had over the Elect by His paying of their Debt And having spoiled principalities and powers he made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in it There is His Victory and Triumph He combats with subdues and trods under foot all His and His peoples Enemies by satisfying the Justice of God for the Elects Debt and spoils them of many Souls that were led captive by them and triumphed openly over them declaring Himself to have gotten the Victory in a most Majestick manner A 2d place is Phil. 2.8 9. Being found in fashâ—on as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto the death even to the death of the cross wherefore God hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above eveâ—y name that at the name of Jâ—sus every knee should bow of things in heaven in earth and under the earth and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father This is His Victory Triumph and Glory such as none in Heaven or Earth ever had or shall have the like A 3d. Place is that Ephes 2.21 Hâ—â—alâ—ed him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places far above all principalities and powers and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but in that which is to come and hath put all things under his feet and given him to be head over all things to the church Whether they be Devils or good Angels or Men Sâ—ints militant or triumphant He is above them all all are made subject to Him and He is the head of His Church The expressions run in different Persons The first is in the First Person I will divide him a portion It 's a Promise of God the Father to the Mediator for His attaining the Victory as it 's said Ephes 1.20 God raised him from the dead The 2d Expression is in the 3d. Person He shall divide the spoil To shew that the Mediator God man concurred in the attaining the Victory Therefore Rom. 1.4 He is said to raise himself and in thâ—t it 's said I will divide and He shall divide It is to hold out the Mediator His attaining and possessing of what was promised and to shew that there is nothing promised to the Mediator but actually He is and shall be put in the full possession of it The last part of the Words holds out the conditions on the Mediators side in Four Expressions 1. Because he hath poured out his soul unto death That is because He willingly condescended to die He yetted or poured out His Soul to death 2. He was numbred with the transgressours He had a reproached and shameful Life and a reproached and cursed Death He was thought the worst of the World so that Barrabas a murtherer was preferred unto Him It also points out the respect that His Death had to a Satisfaction for the Sins of the Elect He was legally numbred and counted amongst transgressours though He was no Transgressour 3. He bare the sins of many which expones the former and sayes this much That noâ— only He simply died and died a shâ—meful Death but that He died for this end to bear and by His bearing to remove the Sins of the Elect for it relates to the many that in the former Words are said to be justified by his knowledge And it cannot be but these many shall be Justified because He did bear their Sins as to the Punishment and Curse due to them and whosoever Sins are born by Christ these are and shall be Justified and therefore He must be Victorious and have a glorious triumph and out-gate because He layes down His Life for His Sheep as it is John 10.17 Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life and take it up again And by the way it is a strange
thing that the only begotten Son of God should be loved on this account accepted and glorified in this Work even because He poured out his soul unto death out of zeal to His Fathers Glory in prosecuting the Work of Sinners Redemption 4. And he made intercession for the transgressours Which points out His making application of His Death and the benefit thereof to the many whose Sins He bare He died to take their Sins away and interceeds to have His purchase made effectual For though this be applyed usually to His Prayer on the Cross yet that is but one particular of His intercession which is of larger extent and therefore it 's noted as a condition required of the Mediator that He must not only die but also intercâ—ed that the benefits of His death might be made forthcoming for them for whom He died Thus ye see we have the sum of Gods Covenant here as if the Lord were proposing to the Mediator Now Son if thou wilt pour out thy Soul unto death and thereby bear the Sins of my Elect People and make intercession for them thou shalt losse nothing by it thou shalt have a notable Victory and Triumph and a great Spoil In the Words before The Mediator having accepted the Terms of the Covenant and performed them though not actually at that time but in the Purpose and Decree of God which now are actually performed therefore the Promises are turned over in a concluded Covenant and in an absolute Right to Him What needs further explication we shal endeavour to reach it as we speak to the Observations and because the Words for the most part yeeld the same Doctrines that have been spoken to before we shall not insist in them 1. Then from the repitition Observe in general That the nature and terms of the Covenant of Redemption betwixt God and the Mediator is a profitable Doctrine and useful to be understood and believed by the People of God Therefore it is so clearly proposed and again and again repeated and laid before their eyes and summed and repeated in this verse to keep them in mind of it These that know the Covenant of Redemption as that which hath in it the sum of all the Foundations of our Faith and the ground of our access to God and of our peace with Him they will easily grant that that it 's very necessary to be studied known and believed For First by it we know what we may expect from God because what we are to expect is promised to Christ in this Covenant as to our head This portion with the great and this dividing of the spoil with the strong He hath it as our head 2. Because we know by this Covenant how we come by these things promised And that is by pouring out of his soul into death bearing of our sins and interceeding for us Which supposes and includes our betaking of our selves unto Him by Faith 3. Because by this Covenant the rich and free Grace of God hath it's due Glory For there is nothing considered here as the reason of setting captives free but Christs paying of the Price it comes freely to us as a gift bestowed 2dly And more particularly Observe That though our Lord Jesus Christ in the Work of Sinners Redemption had a sore Combat and Fight yet He hath a glorious Out-gate Triumph and Victory It was the greatest fairest and most serious onset and assault that ever was heard of that our Lord Jesus encountered with As the remembrance and consideration of what hath been spoken of His being in an agony and sweating drops of blood of his praying that if it were possible that cap might depart from him Of His crying my God my God why hast thou forsaken me c. Will most convincingly make out the Justice of God pursuing Him for all the guilt of the Elect Principalities and Powers being in His tops The Devil the Prince of this World having all His Instruments yocked and at Work some to nod the head some to mock and scourge Him c Yet He did abide it all out He gave his back to the smiters and his cheeks to them that pulled of the hair and hid not his face from shame and spitting And had a most glorious Victory and Triumph over all what we said in exponing of the Words clears it somewhat and that Word John 12.31 Now is the judgment of this world now shall the prince of this world be cast out to point out His Victory over the World and the Devil and that Word Col. 2.14 15. He spoiled principalities and powers He uncloathed them and left not as we use to speak a whole rag on them He by a strong hand pulled all the Elect from them and left none of them in their possession He brake open the prison doors and set them all at liberty This was indeed a great Victory He hath also a great spoil of many Captives and great Glory being exalted in our nature At the right hand of majesty on high having a name above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee might bow and that passage Ephes 1.20 21. Is to the same purpose He hath put all things under his feet c. If we look to Reason it cannot be otherwayes 1. If we consider what our Lord Jesus was in His Person being the Son of God He cannot but be glorious John 17.5 He proves Father glorifie me with the glory which I had with thee before the world was Though by being Man He became of no reputation and a vail was drawn over the declarative Glory of the God-head in His Person for a time yet He remained still the Son of God and Glorious in Himself and it cannot be but He that is God must be Glorious in His Exâ—ltation when that vail that obscured His Glory is taken away 2. His Office as Mediator and head of the Elect proves it He that waâ— appointed head ovâ—r all things to the Church could not but be great and glorious and therefore when that of Psal 16.10 Is cited by the Apostle Act. 2.24 and 13.35 It 's said That it was impossible that death could keep him 3. It will be clear if we consider the Work it self wherewith He was intrusted it being a Work that was so well liked of and approven by God He could not but have a Glorious Victory and Out-gate Therefore sayes He John 10. My Father loveth me because I lay down my life for my sheep and Philip. 2.8 It 's said Because he humbled himself and became obedient unto death therefore God hath highly exalted him It was the contract betwixt God and the Mediator that He should first become low and then to be exâ—lted and therefore He behoved to be exalted and made very Glorious Use 1. Learn not to underâ—â—lue nor to vail and obscure the Glory of 〈◊〉 Mediator from the consideration of His Sufferings for though He was low yet He is now exalted He had a most
the Mediators performing according to His undertaking as well as there is faithfulnesse in Gods performing whatever He hath spoken of Him or promised to Him Ye shall only take two or three testimonies for this The 1. is Matth. 3.14 and 17.5 This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased He undertook to satisfie for the Elects Debt and hath accordingly performed it so that the Father is well pleased A 2d is John 17.4 Where He appeareth before the Father and useth it for an argument for His Glorifying him with the same glory he had with the father before the world was I have glorified thee on earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do I have gotten a task and piece of Work committed to me and now it 's performed And that other Word which He hath on the Cross is remarkable to this purpose It 's finished Now the task and work is ended and I have no more to do but presently to passe to the Victory and to the dividing of the Spoil And a 3d. Testimony is our Lord Jesus His ascension to Heaven and the glory that He will appear in at the day of Judgement when His Kingdom shall be consummat That shall be a proof and testimony that He left nothing undone that was given Him to do that He bare the Sins of many that He gave His back to the smiters and His cheeks to them that pulled of the hair and that He satisfied justice freely and ascended to Heaven as it is 1 Tim. 3.16 Great is the mystery of Godliness saith the Apostle God was manifested in the flesh justified in the spirit fully absolved as having performed all whatsoever He undertook Seen of Angels and raised up unto glory Use This is also though a general yet a very comfortable Doctrine to the People of God in as far as from it they may know that there is no more to be payed to the Justice of God for the Sins of the Elect It hath gotten full Satisfaction The Cautioner hath payed all their Debt and is now exercing His Offices for applying to them His purchase making intercession for them overseeing them proving a Tutor to them guiding them and all that concerns them and His Church even doing all things well managing the affairs of His Fathers house as a Son and He cannot but guide all well Other sheep saith He I have which are not of this fold them I must bring in and they shall hear my voice and I give them eternal life and they shall never perish A most pregnant ground of comfort to the Believer that his eternal well-being cannot but be sure and sicker because it hath the Father and the Mediator their faithfulnesse ingaged for it If Jehovah perform the Promises made to the Mediator and if the Mediator perform His ingagement to Jehovah and raise up Believers at the last day then it must follow that their Salvation is sure This is the main ground on which Believers peace is founded and here we may allude to that Heb. 6. He hath sworn by two immutable things wherein it is impossible for God to lie that the heirs of promise who are fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before them may have strong consolation even so here There are two immutable things to wit Gods promise to the Mediator and God will and must keep His Word to Him and the Mediators ingagement to God and He will and must keep His Word to Him And indeed we have good proof of both already For it was this ingagement that made the Father send the Son of His Love out of His bosome to be incarnat and to undergo the work of Elect Sinners Redemption and it was this ingagement that made the Mediator die of whom the Father exacted the Price till He declared Himself Satisfied and well pleased Now when these things that seemed most difficult are accomplished what can fail 1. Then there is here ground to fix our Faith upon and indeed there is need to fix it rightly The ground that our Salvation and Perseverance in the Faith is founded on is not our continuing to Pray to Believe and to Love God but this ingagement betwixt the Father and the Son and it is the cause procuring the other as an necessary and infallibly certain effect It 's mainly on this that believers shuld rest quiet and confident 2. It should make Believers humble and cheerful seeing though they be weak in themselves yet here they have a grip and hold for every hand as it were Jehovah's Word and the Mediators Word for their through bearing 3. It should much commend believing and the state of a Believer who have such ground of assurance The greatest Monarch on earth hath not such ground of assurance for his Dinner or Supper as the poor Believer hath for eternal Life For the Word spoken by Jehovah to the Mediator and the undertaking of the Mediator to Jehovah cannot fail and the Believer hath that to rest upon as the ground of his assurance More particularly The Articles on the Mediators side are as I said in these Four exprâ—ssions He hath poured out his soul unto death He was numbred with the transgressours he bare the sins of many and made intercession for the transgressours 1. He must die expressed in these Words He poured out his soul unto death Which implyes Three things 1. That it is an Article of the Covenant of Redemption and of the Mediators undertaking that he should die for Sinners And so it is a needlesse curious and unwarrantable dispute whether fallen man might have been redeemed any other way or whether a drop of His blood was not enough to redeem man because we see here it is Determined and Articled in the Covenant of Redemption that He should die Jehovah will have the Mediator dying And be possible what may to Gods Soveraignity which we would not make to clash with His Justice nor His Just ce with His Soveraignity this may bound and limit us that it 's concluded in this Covenant of Redemption that the Mediator shall lay down His Life and it being concluded It 's certain 1. That God hath given man a Law threatning him that if he should break that Law he should die 2. That all Mankind and so the Elect have broken that Law and so are lyable to the Threatning and Curse 3. That the Mediator became Cautioner and undertook to satisfie for the Elects Debt it was necessary that He should die because He undertook to pay their Debt and to satisfie for their Sin which was death by the Law to them and so the Justice of God is vindicat He cannot be called unjust nor partial nor unholy though He do not actually punish every Sinner that hath Sinned in his own Person because Gods holinesse and Justice appears conspicuously that He would rather execute what was due to the Elect on His own Son then that their Sins should go unpunished
when it came to be accomplished though He gave evidences of His power in making them fall backward who came to apprehend Him yet He raises them again and goes with them And when they mock Him and buffet Him and nod the head at Him and bring Him to the Bar and question Him and when they said If thou be the king of Israel come down from the cross and we will believe on thee which we may think He could have done though they were but tempting Him yet in all these He is silent and never opens His mouth till He come to that It is finished He never spake a repyning word It was wonderfully much to suffer and to die so cheerfully but to pour out His Soul unto Death to take His Life in His own hand and to be so holily prodigal of it as to pour it out there having never been such a precious Life and so precious Blood poured out this was much more Use It shews what esteem ye should have of Souls and every one of you of your own Souls Our Lord Jesus poured out His Soul unto Death for Souls He values Souls so much that He gave His precious Life for them Therefore it 's said 1 Pet. 1.19 We are not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold but with the precious blood of Christ If He esteemed so much of Soulâ— what will it be thought of when ye waste your Souls and ye know not whereon He bought Soulâ— dear and ye sel them cheap for a little Silver or Gold or for that which is worse and far lesse worth what an unsuitableness is here betwixt Christs estimation of Souls and yours betwixt His buying them at so dear a rate and your casting them away for that which is very vanity What do the most part of you get for your Souls Some a bit Land some a House some a fecklesse Pleasure some a Sport some the satisfaction of their Lust or a moments sinful mirth O! pitifully poor bargain what will become of that mirth or lust or pleasure of this house or of that land when Kings and great Men will lye crawling like so many wormes before the Lamb ye will not get your House or Land with you ye will not get leave to wear your brave cloathes ye will have no Silver nor Gold in your Purse in that day And suppose ye had it the Redemption of the Soul is precious and ceaseth for ever by any such Price It 's a wonderful thing that when Christ esteems so much of Souls that Sinners should esteem so little of them Is it not just that such Souls should go to hell when they esteemed them so little worth Use 2. It should teach you to love and heartily to welcome this Lord Jesus Christ what argument of Love and of Trust what motive to welcome Him can there be if this be not That He spared not His Life but poured it out unto death for Sinners How long shall we halt betwixt Christ and Belial We dow not endure to mortifie a Lust to want our Sport and Laughter or a bit of our credit or honour though it should cost us the want of Christ But O! ingrate fool is that a becoming requital to Him that took His innocent Soul in His hand and poured it out for Sinners and when it was some way melted like leid in the fire of Gods Wrath was content to yett it forth abundantly out of love to their Salvation Should it not rather call for love to Him for trusting and welcoming of Him and to Suffering for His sake if He call you to it Will ye skar to hazard your life for Him that poured out His Soul for Sinners It would do a Soul good to think how willingly and cheerfully He Suffered But Alace how reluctantly and unwillingly come we under Suffering for Him However let me commend these three Words to you 1. Love Him For even Publicans will love these that love them and give Christ love for love 2. Credit and Trust Him do not look for ill at His hand what ground is there to suspect Him It is His glory to do good to Sinners and He counts them His triumph and spoil and to make conquest of them He poured out His Soul unto Death or as the Word is Phil. 2. He emptied himself Which seems to look to this Word of the Prophet and is not that warrand sufficient for you to trust and credit Him and to lay the weight of what concerns you upon Him And 3. welcome Him which is a fruit of Faith and Love He is a sweet wooer He is that good shepherd that laid down his life for his sheep he gave himself for his church as it is Ephes 5. Therefore I say welcome Him This is the great thing the Gospel aims at such expressions are a great deepth and it would require time to read to ponder them and to wonder at them and we would be much in praying for a right uptaking of them 3dly From the connexion Because He hath poured out His Soul unto death Observe That our Lord Jesus His willing condescending to die is most acceptable to the Father Therefore He sayes I will give him a portion with the great and be shall divide the spoil with the strong because He hath done so and so and all the Promises made to Him confirm this That is a wonderful Word John 10.17 Therefore does my father love me because I lay down my life for the sheâ—p The only begotten and beloved Son of the Father cannot but be loved Yet He sayes Therefore or on this account does my father love me That is as I am Mediator the Fâ—tâ—ers Minister Steward or Deput in this Work of the Redemption of Sinners and because I so willingly and cheerfully lay down my self for them He hath given me this Victory and Glory So well pleasing to God is the willing and cheerful death of the Mediator that it should be admired by us and should have this weight laid on it by us that seing cheerfulness in obedience is so acceptable to God we would study it for He loves a cheerful giver and cheerfulnesse in any duty It 's much we have this word to speak of to you many Nations never heard it and ye would make some other Use of it then if ye had never heard it O! but it will be dreadful to such as have heard it and do slight it their Souls shall be poured out into Hell even squized and wrung eternally by the Wrath of God Therefore look not lightly on it do not think all this transaction of Grace to be for nought If we were serious we would wonder what it means Alace we think little or nothing to make our peace with God and yet all this business is ere the matter can be brought about It 's a great evidence of the stupidity senslessenesse and absurd unblief of many that they think nothing of Sin and Wrath and of the hazard
have be taken themselves to him may be justified pardoned and received in favour friendship and fellowship with God that Believers may be keeped from tentation that tentations may be prevented and they made to persever That Satan may not make their Faith to fail them as he designs and the Lord gives account of his design Luke 22.32 Satan hath sought to winnow you but I have prayed that thâ— faith fail not That they and their prayers and service may be accepted that the suits and supplications that they present and put up in his name may get a hearing That they may be armed against the fear of death That they may be carried on in the gradual advances of Sanctification to the end of their Faith the salvation of their Souls that they may be glorified and be where he is to behold his glory In a Word he interceeds for every thing needful and for every thing promised to them his Intercession being as broad as his Purchase 5ly How doth he perform this part of his Priestly Office for his People it's performed by his entrie into the most holy place in our nature and name as having satisfied Justice and vanquished death where he appears before God for us So that we are to look to Christ's being in heaven not simply as glorifying himself or as glorified in himself for himself but as our head and forerunner to answer all that can be said against his Elect for whom he suffered and satisfied as it is Heb. 9.23 24. It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices for Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands which are the figures of the true but into heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us So that our Lord Jesus by his entry into heaven doth declare I mean materially declare his victory in our name and appears there as a publick and not as a privat person His entry into heaven is not to be looked on as the entry of Moses or of Elias but as the entry of him who is head of the Elect whose entry there is a Declaration of what he would be at As by the power of his God-head he conveyed himself in thither So he hath taken possession in our name and according to the Covenant declares that these whose room he sustains may and must be admitted to glory And we must conceive an special efficacy in his being there for procuring to them what he hath purchased 2. His Intercession is performed through the efficacy of his blood and satisfaction flowing from the nature of the Covenant which hath a moral real cry for making effectual what he by his death hath procured As the Apostle speaking of Abels Blood and of making application of Christs Blood Heb. 12.24 Saith It speaketh better things then the blood of Abels For Abels Blood had a dmereit in it to cry guilt and could not but have a Curse following it because God had cursed the shedder of Blood But Christs Blood considered as the price of Redemption for the Elect hath an invaluable and unconceivable merit and worth in it and must have a cry for the blessings purchased to them by it 3. He performs this his Intercession by his constant care and by his continual willingnesse and actual willing that what he hath purchased for his Elect people may be applyed to them that such and such persons may be brought to believe that upon their believing they may be pardoned delivered from snares and tentations keeped in favour with God may be accepted in their performances c. For he had that prayer John 17.20.24 And he continues to have that same Sympathy His way on earth was alwayes sinless but now is glorious and majestick suited to his glorified state He continues to interceed according as he intended and his actual willingness is a main part of his Intercession which is not in renewing of acts to speak so but in his continuing desire willingness that what good he hath purchased may be conferred according to the Covenant For Christ in heaven is still a true man and hath a will as he had on earth continuing to seek that they may be glorified with him for whom he satisfied and this actual willing desiring and affecting that such a thing should be is called his Intercession because it cannot but be so esteemed as to have the effect to follow according to the Covenant as he sayes John 11.41 42. I thank thee Father that thou hast heard me and I know that thou hearest me alwayes This as to his actual willing cannot but be in heaven However we are sure that he is there and in our name and that his death and blood shed hath an efficacy to bring about what he hath purchased and that his will and affection are the same and have an efficacy with them and the effect certainly following so as nothing can go wrong there more then the man that hath a just cause in a Court of Judicature and an able Advocat with much moyen to agent and plead it before a Just Judge can be wronged or loss his Cause 6ly The grounds of his Intercession are 1. The excellency of his person who though he be man yet is he God also equal with the Father the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person and upholding all things by the word of his poweâ— As it is Heb. 1.2 Which cannot but add weight to his Intercession as well as to his Satisfaction the Person that interceeds being God The 2. is his Satisfaction which is the ground of his Intercession for upon his Satisfaction he maketh Intercession even as if a Cautioner would say I have payed such a mans Debt and therefore he ought to be absolved Therefore 1 John 2.1 2. These two are joyned We have an advocat with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins So Rom. 8.34 They are joyned It 's Christ that died who is at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for us 3. The Covenant of Redemption is the great ground on which his Intercession is founded Such and such persons are given to Christ and such priviledges and benefits offered to be conferred upon them on condition the Mediator would undertake and satisfie for them and he having undertaken and payed the price there is good ground for his interceeding for the making application of the purchase Therefore he sayes John 17. Thine they were and thou gavest them me c. This gives him right to plead and interceed for them seing he hath endured Soul-travel for them he ought to see his Seed and to have many Justified and fred from the curse and condemnation that they were obnoxious to as the fruit of that sore Soul-travel In and from the consideration of these we may gather what is the
Devil is put from the Throne and gets not violence â—cted he turns about and falleth on another waâ— and â—peâ—â—s out this flood of errour to devour the Woman and her Child But our Lord hath a voce here also Afâ—er the persecution of the Heathens is over Revel 7.1 2. John sees an Angel ascending from the east the great Lord Keeper or Chancellour of the Fathers Council the supream Deputy over all unâ—er Officers that hath the keeping of the great Seal of the living God and there is nothing relevant nor valid till it be sealed by him And mark the time when he appears It 's when the winds are holden and ready to blow as v. 1. but he cryes with a loud voice Hurt not the earth nor the sea nor the trees till we have sealed the Servants of God in the foreheads Stay saith he a little ere these winds blow that will take the most part off their feet ere that delusion go forward there are some servants of God that must be marked and put without the reach of the hazard and then the wind shall get leave to blow what reason then of anxiety is there or could be here if the solid and lively faith of this Intercessour and Advocat his being in heaven and thus interceeding were in our hearts 2dly As to the particular times and occasions when the people of God should more especially make use of this ground of consolation and comfort themselves in it I speak not of Christs Intercession simply but of the consolation that flows from It 1. In their most languid and lifeless conditions when the body of death comes in on them like a wave of the Sea and is ready as it were to drown them they ought to comfort themselves in this that they have an intercessour that can rebuke that when tentation is violent and a person fears he be undone he hath a grip here to hold himself by Jesus Christ is intercessour He prayes that my graces sail not That my Faith and Patience be not undone that the Devil get not his will of me the man would be desperat if he were not in heaven and interceeding but he gathers confidence from this ground and sayes I shall not die but live and see the salvation of God For he is able to save to the uttermoâ—t all that come unto God through him Seeing he evee liveth to make intercession for them And therefore although I cannot win out of the grips of this tentation yet he can rebuke it and break the force of it And hence is that comfortable word Heb. 2. last For that he himself suffered and was tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted Sometimes it will not meet with Believers condition that Christ suffered but this doth when he comes on and finds that he was tempted It 's true there was no corruption in him and tentations had no sinful influence on him and the more comfort to us He is the stronger to overcome in us yet he was set on and assaulted by the tentation he was tempted and that is a consolation when Joshua the high Priest is in his dutie Zech. 3. And the Devil is at his right hand to resist him and mar him in it and he can do or say little himself he boasts him with authority from marring his servant in his work A great consolation it is when the tentation is strong and we weak when the Devil is violent and we are dispairing to resist him that there is a high Priest at hâ—nd whole office is to do it A 2d time is when challenges are very fresh when the charge of ones Debt given in is long and large and the Law iâ— severe in exacting and Justice in pressing and pressing hard and the conscience cannot deny nor resist and the man hath nothing to pay his Debt and he â—s ike to be dragged to the Prison and there is none to undertake for him There comes in that word 1 John 2.1.2 I writ these things to you that ye sin not I give â—oot a dispensation to sin but if any 〈◊〉 sin we have an Advocat with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous And this is the grâ—â—â—d of Pauls triumph so often mentioned Rom. 8.34 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect it is God that justifies c. Though the charge should be given in what is the matter there is a way to be fred of it there is an Advocat at the right hand of God in heaven who became Cautioner for and payed the Elects Debt and is now interceeding for them and who can loss the cause when he pleads it and here he quiets and comforts himself giving a defiance to challenges and all that can be lybelled against him A 3d. time and occasion is under a Cross-condition when Christians have the world in their tops and their is confusion in publick things and there is darkness and indistinctness in our private condition It ought to comfort us that we have an Advocat in heaven who pleads our cause and will not dispise the suite of the poor and needy A 4th time is when we our selves cannot interceed for our selves when we pray but our prayers are much mangled and little worth and we think shame to look upon them we would then look on what accompt our prayers are put up If on the accompt of Christs Intercession a sigh a groan a broken word nay a breathing will be accepted the Intercessour hath his own incense to perfume it with and it 's accepted on the weight that it hath from him and though our prayer be but as the shaddow of a prayer if there be honesty in it it 's a comfort it will be accepted on that account Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name I will do And Revel 8. He accepts the prayers of all Saints the weakest as well as the best for the best goes not up but by his censer and incense and the weakest goes up that same way And there is in some respect no distinction of Believers and of their fervent or not fervent prayers there if honest the fervour of Christs Intercession and the favour of his incense makes all go up and be accepted because the reason of Gods hearing of our prayers is not in us else he should hear none of them but it 's in his intercession which is of equal worth and extent to all honest prayers of sound Believers He is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God through him though there be no ability nor worth in themselves because he lives for ever to make intercession for them but the two last things will clear this yet more 3dly Though this may seem strange like yet it is true if we consider the grounds warranding us to make use of his Intercession and to draw this Consolation from it And they are Four 1. That his Intercession suppons a defect in us a libel and charge given
in against us else what needed we to have an Advocat and Intercessâ—ur if our Plea were just and good as from our selves we needed not one to undertake for us the Judge would absolve us but the defects that are in us give access to this part of his Office which supposes us to have infirmities else we needed not an high Priest if we were like Adam in his innocency for he needed not an Intercessour and therefore in the Text it is for the transgressâ—urs that he makes Intercession and 1 John 2.2 If any man sin we have an advocat c. 2. All the weight of Christs Intercession and the grounds whereon he pleads are in himself and therefore none need to stand a back because there is nothing in themselves We have an advocat with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation Christ hath in him a fulnesse to pay the Debt himself and he pleads on that and on nothing in the creature He sayes not let them be pardoned because they have not sin nor because they have such and such qualifications but because I have been a propitiation for them I have payed their Debt Therefore he is called the righteous because he hath reason for that which he seeks He hath payed for what he seeks and therefore it cannot but be granted 3. There is a freedom in the application of all the application is free Grace every way and that is clear from the parable of the barren fig-tree what could the tree say when Justice pleaded it should be cut down There is nothing in it to procure a delay but the Gardner stands up and bids spare it and he will take pains on it and apply what is needful causes are not here cast back because the partie is poor nor because he hath much Debt on his score No If any man sin he hath an advocat the thing is obtained without money and without price would ye then have a Priest that suits you well ye shall have him and have him freely if ye imploy him to undertake for you he will do it freely and it 's his honour so to do 4. It 's free and effectuall It cannot misgive for who pleads is it not the Son before whom pleads he It 's before his own Father who heareth him alwayes for whom doth he plead It 's for them who are the Fathers own Elect and his also Thine they were and thou gavest them me and all mine are thine and thine are mine It 's for them whom the Father loves as well as he whaâ— does he seek and plead for for that which is covenanted and he pleads for it according to the terms of the Covenant Therefore it 's sure that though heaven and earth may be mixed and overturned yet none can louse a link here It 's impossible but what he interceeds for he must obtain and for whom he interceeds he prevails and that 's for all that imploy him 4ly For Advertisement or caveat It may be asked here may all comfort themselves in Christs Intercession Some will think that were good but in truth it would make the consolation of all unsure Therefore there are Four qualifications of a person that may and only may warrantably take the consolation whereof we have spoken 1. It 's a Person that hath betaken himself to Christs satisfaction for there are two parts of the Priestly Office His Satisfaction and his Intercession and there is no dividing of them nor making use of them but in the right order First he satisfies and then he iâ—terceeds and he must be taken and mâ—â—e use of in this order 1. In his Satisfaction to divine Justice and it 's on this ground that we must found our righteousnesse and plead for absolution and whoâ—ver haâ—e 〈◊〉 thi◠〈◊〉 of his â—â—â—faction may 〈…〉 â—â—â—â—selves in his 〈…〉 â—â—â—ed on his Satisfaction 1 John 〈…〉 he interceeds for these he is a 〈◊〉 and he is a propitiation for all who by 〈◊〉 have betaken themselves to him This is the very hinge of our Consolation 〈◊〉 to take with our Debt and to betake 〈◊〉 selves to him according to the 〈◊〉 lippening for salvation on that ground 〈◊〉 It 's these who are essaying and practising themselves in the duties of holinesse wrestling with a body of death and exercising themselves to Godlinesse that they may warrantably comfort themselves in Christs Intercession as Paul who Rom. 7. being put to it in the conflict with his corruption comforts himself thus I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord Though they be sorly harassed with a corrupt nature yet they may expect an outgate through vertue of his Intercession Therefore Revel 8. Christs incense as I have often said and the Saints Prayers go and go up together Lazinesse and security hath not this consolation but if a person be praying and be serious though weak in it he hath an Advocat who when it comes to he asked what shall be thought of such an ones Sacrifice pleads that it may be accepted 3. It 's the person that not only is aiming and minting to do dutie but is denyed to it laying no weight on it disparing ever to get victory over corruption in his own strength or to come by the hearing of his prayers through any worth that is in them and not daring to step forward his alone but leaving all he does at Christs feet to make it acceptable which leads to the 4th thing requisit viz. when persons whether their doing and duties be of worth or not Jesus Christ is made by them the upshot of all they lay weight on him to get them done and to get them accepted when they are done and without him all would be desperat in their esteem this was typified in the peoples giving the Sacrifices to the Priest to be offered and though it were but two Turtle doves or two young Pigions they were brought to the Priest as well as other Sacrifices But such as consider not the enimity and sinfulnesse that is in themselves and adventure to step into God without him cannot lay claim to this consolation which runs alwayes on this ground Heb. 7.25 He is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God through him Seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them Is there not then ground of Consolation here and such as there is reason to bestow a preaching upon it to teach us how to clear our selves in it and make use of it and how to chear our selves in it Ye that seclude your selves from this Consolation O! but ye spil and mar a good life to your selves and hazard your own cause that will most certainly go against you because ye put it not in the right hand which the Lord give you wisdom to amend and give us all the right use of this through Jesus Christ SERMON LXVIII ISAIAH LIII XII Verse 12. And made intercession for the transgressours IT were a very great Consolation and a