themselves cannot be supposed to be infinite for the habits cannot exceed the capacity of the subject if the humane soul of Christ be but a created thing then the habits of grace which are in it are not simply infinite yet notwithstanding this the love which is to be found in Christs humane nature is exceeding great and a love surpassing the love of men or Angels and the reason is the humane soul of Christ hath the Divinity inhabiting in it now as the Son receives all the Father hath in the eternal Generation the whole substance of the Father is communicated to the Son in the eternal Generation there is no perfection that is in the Father but it is to be found in the Son therefore by consequence it follows that the love of the Father must necessarily be communicated to the Son and doth reside in the Son and there is but one and the same Divine love both in the Father and in the Son Now the Son the second person in Trinity taking our nature both the love of the Father and the Son for as an Holy man observes Sweet is this contemplation doth in some sort abide and reside in our nature therefore the humane Soul of Christ being inflamed and set on fire with the fire of Divine love which is so near it which inhabits and dwells in it must needs be fuller of love than any creatures heart ever was The humane nature of Christ by means of its Union and Conjunction with the Divinity takes in the influence of the Divinity and the Divinity thus personally united to the Humanity must needs fill his soul with that love that no creature was ever filled with therefore we must necessarily suppose there was the greatest love imaginable in Christs humane soul the greatest as was possible there could be in any created nature The Godhead dwelling in Christ bodily that infinite love of God must be supposed in some sense to dwell in the heart of Christ Man How loving how tender how affectionate must that heart be that hath all the love of the Father and the Son poured out into it For consider it the Son receives all from the Father by eternal Generation the Son takes up our nature and dwells in it the humane nature united to the Son takes in the influence of the Fathers and the Sons love by means of its personal Union with the Son And thus the humane nature is not only warmed but wholly set on fire by the Divinity inhabiting in it Therefore it is well observed by one of the Ancients There is some warmth some heat that comes from Christ the eternal Word into all the Saints hearts In hac anima ipse ignis divinus substantialiter requievisse credendus est Orig. but in Christs humane Soul the very fire of Divine love dwells substantially there it rested substantially for in him the fulness of the Goahead dwells bodily Col. 2.9 Therefore there is the greatest love imaginable to be found even in the humane Soul of Christ More particularly the love that was in the humane Soul of Jesus Christ may be described and set forth under three considerations 1. The heart of Christ-Man was filled with the most sweet tender merciful compassionate dispositions that ever any heart was filled with Hence is it that we have those expressions that he is a merciful and a faithful High Priest Heb. 2.17 that he is touched with the feeling of our infirmities Heb. 3.15 We read also of the bowels of Christ the meekness the gentleness of Christ 2 Cor. 10.1 Never were there such words of love and sweetness spoken by any man as by him never was there such a loving and tender heart as the heart-of Jesus Christ Grace was poured into his lips Psal 45.3 Certainly never were there such words of love sweetness and tenderness spoken here upon this earth as those last words of his which were uttered a little before his Suffering and are recorded in the 13 14 15 16 17 Chapters of John Read over all the Books of love and friendship that were ever written by any of the sons of men they do all come far short of those melting strains of love that are there expressed So sweet and amiable was the conversation of Jesus Christ that it is reported of the Apostle Peter in the Ecclesiastical History that after Christs Ascension he wept so abundantly that he Quoties recordaretur illius suavissimae conversationis Christi was always seen wiping his face from the tears and being asked why he wept so he answered He could not chuse but weep as often as he thought of that most sweet conversation of Jesus Christ 2. The love of Christ as Man or which was in his humane nature may be seen in the compliance of his humane will with the Divine will in point of suffering It is true it was the Divine will that gave up the humane nature to suffer Joh. 6.51 The bread which I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world It was the Divine will that gave up the humanity to suffer yet his humane will complied with the Divine will Father not as I will but as thou wilt There is a will and a will in Christ a Divine will and a humane will and the humane will complies with the Divine will Father save me from this hour nevertheless for this cause came I to this hour Joh. 12.27 Hence is it that the Apostle tells us he was obedient unto the death Phil. 2.8 The Lord Jesus knew right-well how great a burden the weight and pressure of his Fathers wrath was and yet he was content to undergo this burden for our sakes The cup which my Father hath given me to drink shall not I drink of it Joh. 18.11 I have a baptism to be baptized with and how am I straitned till it be accomplished Luk. 12.50 It is true had he not been God he could never have stood under such a burden as the burden of Divine wrath and had not his love been more than a created love had his love been the love of a meer creature he would never have undertaken such a work But being supported by the Godhead he was inabled to undergo his Sufferings and also his humane will influenced by the Deity was made willing to suffer therefore it is said For their sakes I sanctifie my self Joh. 17.19 There was a concurrence of his Divine and humane will in his suffering the Divine will in the person of the Son sanctifies and sets apart the humane nature to suffer the humane will concurs with the Divine and is made willing to suffer Joh. 10.17 18. Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life The person that lays down his life is the Son of God incarnate the life which he lays down is the life of his Humanity for the life of his Divinity could never be laid down Now the Divine person had the
humane soul and body united to himself in the bond of personal Vnion The Divine person gives up the humane soul and body to be separated from each other at his death and yet holds them both to himself in the bond of personal Union Divines use an apt similitude to illustrate this by It is as if a man held a sword in his hand sheathed and should draw forth the sword out of the sheath the sword and sheath are separated one from the other yet the hand holds both Here then is the acting of the Divine will the Divine will in the person of the Son gives up the humane nature to suffer this is intimated in those expressions No man taketh away my life from me but I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it up again Now the humane will knowing that it is the pleasure of the Divine will that the humanity should be given up to suffer submits unto and complies with the Divine will this is implied in that expression This commandment have I received of my Father Joh. 10.18 The Divine will of the Father and of the Son are all one Now the humane will knowing that it was the pleasure of the Divine will that the humane nature should be given up to suffering and death complies with the Divine will herein 3. The third consideration to set forth the love of Christ as he is Man or in his humane nature is this The love of Christ as he is Man may be seen in the Petitions he offered up to the Father for us whilst he was here on earth Much of that love which dwelt in his humane soul may be seen by the prayers and petitions he offered up to the Father for us It is true Christs Intercession is a work that belongs to him as Mediator now Christ is Mediator not according to one nature only but according to both natures and there is a communion of both natures in this action of his praying for us as well as in the rest of his Mediatory actions but yet although the person praying for us be God-man that very person who subsists in both natures yet that nature in which he is most properly said to pray is his humane nature as in his sufferings the person suffering is God-man yet the nature according to which he is said to suffer is the humane nature therefore he is said to be put to death in the flesh 1 Pet. 3.18 So in his praying for us the person praying is God-man but the nature in which he prays is the humane the whole action proceeds from the person but the proximate and immediate principle is the humane will Christs praying was the act or desire of his humane will though it be true that will was acted influenced and governed by the Divine will Hence is that saying of the Ancients Christus orat ut homo ut Deus adoratur ut homo orat Patrem Christ prays as he is man as he is God so he is prayed unto as he is man so he intercedes prays and supplicates to the Father for us Now we may consider the love of Christ in the desires that were in his humane will for us It is true it was the Godhead that directed and inclined his humane will to those desires and gave that virtue and efficacy to his prayers If they had been the prayers of a meer man they had not had such efficacy But yet we may consider the love that was in his humane soul when he prayed here on earth for us There was no small love in the Humane soul of Christ when he asked such great things for us a little before his going out of the world It is true his humane love is not all or the principal thing to be considered in the great things he asked for us If his love had not been more than the love of a man he could not have asked such great things for us as we read of in Joh. 17. yet certainly there was a great deal of love in his humane soul which was filled by the Divinity inhabiting in it His heart was brim-full of love when he came to make that last prayer of his to the Father for us Judge of his love by the things he asks for us Cujus Christiani cor non liquescit dum manifestè cognoscit Filium Dei aeternum pro se rogâsse Patrem ut unum sit cum ipsis What are the things Christ asks No less than Union with himself and the Father Joh. 17.21 23. It is a good speech of one of the Ancients What Christian heart is it that doth not melt when he doth clearly understand that the eternal Son of God did ask for him in particular that he might be one with him and the Father Can we desire a greater happiness than this to be one with the Father and the Son This is the happiness Christ asks for us that we might be one in the Father and the Son And as he prays for this Union the top of all so he prays for many other blessings as 1. That the Father would keep all that are his through his own Name vers 11. How would he have them kept He would have them kept unto this union So it follows That they may be one as we are one As the Father and the Son had intended the Elect unto this union so he prays that they may be preserved unto this union preserved unto eternal life preserved from miscarrying that they might come unto that union the Father and the Son had elected them unto What comfort is this that our Lord Jesus hath prayed we may be kept to our last happiness that God would be his own power keep us to Salvation The Salvation of the Elect must needs be secure when Christ hath prayed the Father that he would keep all his by his own power to Salvation 2. He prays that we might be kept from the evil of the world vers 15. You that fear to be overtaken with any scandalous sin you may know the worth of this prayer 3. He prays for our Sanctification vers 17. 4. He prays that we might be where he is vers 24. 5. He prays that we might have a share in his Glory not only that we might be with him but also behold the glory that the Father had given him What love must that heart needs be filled with that prays for such things It is true it was not the love of a meer man that could ask such things but it was the Divine love filling his humane soul and acting of it that carried him forth to ask such things And thus I have finished the consideration of the love that was in the humane nature of Christ 2. There is the love that is in Christs Divine nature The love which is in the humane nature is very great but the love of the Divine nature is infinitely greater The love
humane nature assumed so that the humane nature as it is well exprest by one is by means of this union rooted in the Divine stock To understand this we must know that the Son of God was a person before his Incarnation and subsisted in the Divine nature by the work of his Incarnation the humane nature having no subsistence of its own hath the Divine person of the Son communicated to it and so subsists in and by that person so that now here is one and the same person that subsists in two natures The same person who subsisted in the Divine nature only before his Incarnation after his Incarnation subsists in both natures the Divine and humane nature All this is implied in that great Scripture Joh. 1.14 The Word was made flesh The Evangelist speaks of Christ the Son of God the eternal Word The Word was made flesh that is the Son of God the second person in Trinity was made flesh or became man That Christ was a person and had his subsistence in the Divine nature before his Incarnation that the Evangelist had shewn us in the two first verses In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God Here the Evangelist shews us plainly that Christ had his subsistence before his Incarnation he subsisted in the Divine nature he subsisted with the Father in the same Divine Essence Now after he comes to acquaint us that this very person whom he calls the Word and who did first of all subsist in the nature of God only did afterwards become man and was made flesh and after his Incarnation subsists in both natures the nature of man as well as the nature of God who before his Incarnation subsisted in the nature of God only The Word was made flesh How is this to be understood made flesh Not by any conversion in the natures as if so be the Divinity was absorpt by or turned into the humanity or as if so be the humanity was swallowed up into the Divinity but the Word is made flesh thus we ought to conceive of it the Word that is the eternal Word the second person of the Trinity who was a person before draws the humane nature into the Vnity of his own person so that the natures remain distinct and unconfounded but the person is but one The Word who was a person before his Incarnation assumes and takes the humane nature destitute of any personal subsistence of its own into the unity of his own personal subsistence so that now by means of the Incarnation of the Word there is one and the same person of the Word and the humane nature assumed This is in short the sum of that Doctrine which we call the Hypostatical or personal Union which is therefore called the Hypostatical or personal Union because both the natures the Divine and the humane nature are united into that one Hypostasis or person of the Son of God Now consider the greatness of Christs love in this Union This union the union of the two natures in that one person of Christ is the greatest of all unions next to the union of the three persons of the Sacred Trinity which indeed may not so properly be called a Vnion as a Vnity Summa illa TrinÃtas nobis hanc exhibuit Trinitatem The highest Trinity hath exhibited to us this Trinity that these three the Word the flesh and humane soul of Christ should be one one not by any confusion of substance but one in person In the Sacred Trinity the persons remain distinct but the nature is one in the personal Vnion the natures remain distinct but the person is but one Now this is the highest of all unions next that of the three persons in the Trinity in one and the same Essence namely that a created nature as the humane nature in Christ is should be made one person with the Son of God who also himself is God By this union God communicates himself after the highest manner that was possible unto the creature and the nature of the creature is united to God in the most perfect manner as it was possible for the creature to be united to God In the Incarnation of the Son of God man who is the last creature in Creation is joyned with his first Cause and Principle in such a union as that there is none greater under God To illustrate yet farther the greatness of this union that is made in the two natures in the person of Christ consider There is a presence of God and an inhabitation of his Spirit in the Saints but this falls far short of the personal Vnion which we are now speaking of for notwithstanding the mystical Union notwithstanding the inhabitation of the Spirit in Believers yet a Believer remains a true person the person of a Believer and the person of Christ remain distinct persons though Christ and Believers be one mystically and spiritually The Scripture He that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit There is a mystical spiritual Union between Christ and Believers yet Christ and Believers remain distinct in their persons but in this other union the personal union the union of the two natures in the person of Christ the humane nature of Christ hath no subsistence of its own but subsists wholly in and by the person of the Son of God who was a person from Eternity and gives his own person to the humane nature destitute of any personality of its own so that could we suppose it were possible for the humane nature to be deserted by the Divine person that supports it it would be reduced to nothing so that here is a vast difference between this union and all other unions Yet a little farther to illustrate this It is the observation of a Learned Divine this Union is so near individual inseparable indissoluble that the Divine nature of the Son will not cannot ought not to be thought on sought for apprehended out of this union which it hath with the humane nature but it ought to be thought of sought for apprehended in that most near union and conjunction it hath with the humanity and the humane nature which is assumed ought not not to be thought of conceived or apprehended out of but within the most intimate embracings of the second person in Trinity who assumed it And that God is not to be sought for any where but in Christ is clear from that passage 1 Joh. 5.20 The Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding that we might know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ this is the true God The sum of this Scripture saith Calvin is this When once we have Christ then we have the true and eternal God because God is to be sought for no where else The Son of God hath so assumed a part of our nature as that he hath made it his own proper flesh so
is it said Every one That so Christ himself saith he might not be excluded Christ who was blessed in his own Righteousness was yet accursed for our sins The curse prevailed so far as to take away Christs life to separate his soul from his body It is true the curse could not prevail so far as to separate either from his person to separate his soul or his body from his person the Person of the Son of God the second Person in Trinity remained united to the soul and body of Christ even when his body and soul were separated each from other and it is our greatest happiness that it was so viz. that the curse could not reach the Person of Christ if I may so express it that is reach his Person so as to dissolve the Union of the two Natures for if the curse could have reached the Person of Christ in the sense I am now speaking of that is if the curse could have extended it self to the Person of Christ so as to dissolve the Union of the two Natures this would have made the death of Christ ineffectual if death could have dissolved the personal Vnion Christs death would have been no more than the death of a meer man of a just man and so his death could not have been meritorious and have satisfied for the sins of the world But though the curse could not take hold of Christs Person so as to dissolve the union between his Person and our nature yet the curse took hold of our nature united to Christs Person The curse did prevail so far as to separate his humane soul from his body To understand this a little more clearly let us consider the Divine nature in Christ was above the Law and above the curse the curse could not reach his Divine nature it could not possibly hurt that but now Christ having assumed our nature and voluntarily made himself subject to the Law and to the curse in our nature the Law hath to do with our nature in Christ We being under sin and under the curse the curse had dominion over us therefore the Apostle tells us That sin reigned unto death Rom. 5.21 Now Christ being our Surety and the Law finding our nature in Christ and that Christ had transferred the guilt of our sins upon himself the Law armed with the curse deals with Christ as a sinner and it proceeds so far as to make the utmost breach upon our nature that it can it rends his holy soul from his pure body And thus for a time the curse seems to triumph over our nature as it stood in Christ Hence is that of the Apostle Rom. 6.9 Christ being dead dyeth no more death hath no more dominion over him This plainly intimates that death and the curse had dominion over Christ for a time and the curse proceeded so far as to the extinction of his natural life his soul was separated from his body though the union between the two natures was not dissolved I come to the third and last Particular and that is this How it was possible for this to be Christ was most blessed in himself how then was it possible for him thus to be made a curse The curse implies anger wrath displeasure in him that pronounceth and inflicts it as hath been shewn how then was it possible for Christ to suffer the wrath of God that was always beloved of God To this several things are to be answered 1. Consider Christ in himself and so he was always beloved of God Mat. 3.17 This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Isa 42.1 Behold mine Elect in whom my soul delighteth And Christ as he was man had more titles than one to his Fathers love 1. Christ had a title to his Fathers love as his Humanity is taken into so near a relation to the natural Son of God The humane nature in Christ is made one in person with the natural Son of God so that there is not another subsistence of the second Person in Trinity and the humane nature but there is one subsistence to the second Person in Trinity and to the humane nature therefore the humane nature being taken in as it were to have its subsistence in the person of the natural Son of God being taken into the unity of the same person must needs be beloved of the Father upon that account above all creatures 2. Christ is beloved of the Father as he is a just and an innocent person and he must needs be beloved of the Father upon that account Isa 46.8 The Lord loveth the righteous Christ being a just and a righteous pâ—â—son the Father could not but love him as considered in himself 3. The Father loved Christ upon the account of his obedience Joh. 10.17 Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life for my sheep and in the next verse This commandment have I received of my Father Christ obeying his Father in laying down his life for his sheep is one title he hath to his Fathers love therefore consider Christ in himself so he was always beloved of the Father 2. Christ suffered the wrath of God as he was our Surety and as he stood in our stead 1 Pet. 4.1 Christ hath suffered for us 1 Pet. 3.18 Christ hath once suffered for sin the just for the unjust This is a clear Text Christ was a just person in himself and as he was a just person so he was always beloved of God and could not but be beloved of him But now as he that was a just person in himself gave himself to suffer for the unjust so it was that he bare the wrath of God The wrath of God was due to the unjust Tribulation and anguish indignation and wrath upon every soul of man that doth evil Rom 2. Therefore if the just will suffer for the unjust in their room and stead he must then suffer what they must have suffered It is a true speech of Austin Mors Christi fuit conditionis non criminis Aug. The death which Christ underwent was not in respect of any crime or offence that he himself had committed but it was in respect of the condition that he brought himself into that is Christ suffered the wrath of God not for any crime or offence of his own but in the condition of a Mediator because of our sins Hence is it said That he was delivered up for our offences Rom. 6. ult So in that of the Prophet Isa 53.5 He was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him Christ took upon him the discharge and payment of our debt therefore though he was always beloved of God in himself yet as personating and representing us who were sinners so it was that he sustained the wrath of God All we like sheep have gone astray saith the Prophet and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all Isa 53.6 We
he expresseth it thus Of his fulness we receive and grace for grace which expression intimateth thus much That the humanity of Christ is the first receptacle of all grace To understand this we must know that our nature had lost original righteousness our nature was deprived of the image of God was alienated from the life of God and the way was barred and shut up as to our reception of grace for our iniquities had separated between God and us as the Prophets expression is Isa 59.1 The Son of God therefore by his Incarnation hath so united the Divine nature to the humane that he hath brought down and deposited as it were the whole fulness of the Godhead in the humane nature assumed that so grace life salvation from which we were estranged and alienated by sin might be brought near to us again and grace being now deposited in a part of our nature from this part of our nature which is taken into personal union with the Son of God which is a nature consubstantial with ours and near akin to us grace life salvation might be derived to us from his fulness we might receive grace for grace Heb. 2.14 Because the children were made partakers of flesh and blood he also took part of the same Now saith the Apostle elsewhere No man ever as yet hated his own flesh He that is a brother indeed it is no grief to him to part with some of his substance with some of the goods he is possessed of to his own brethren who are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone It is a great Scripture yet farther to illustrate this As the Father hath life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself and hath given him authority to execute judgment because he is the Son of man Joh. 5.26 27. Calvin observes from that expression because he is the Son of man Christ was therefore ordained by the Father to be the Author of life that so we might not have life to seek afar off Christ received nothing for himself as if he needed any thing for himself but he received that wherewith he might inrich us and the sum of these two verses he makes to be this That is laid open to us in Christ man which did before lye hid in God because the Majesty of God as it is at a great distance from us is like to a spring that lyes hidden and latent Habemus promptum expositum fontem ex quo haurire licet Calvin therefore God hath displayed himself openly to us in Christ We have in Christ a fountain that is near and ready at hand and that which lyes open to us from whence we might receive all grace 10. The love of Christ in his Incarnation appears in this In that by means of the Incarnation of the Son of God grace is not only brought near to us but it is made most firm and sure That which a meer man received might be taken away and lost as it was in Adam therefore grace was deposited in the hands of one who was God as well as man that so grace might be made most sure and firm The best of creatures are mutable things and subject to change hence is that expression Job 4.18 Behold he puts no trust in his servants and his Angels he chargeth with folly The Angels themselves which are the highest rank of creatures are subject to change the good Angels who never sinned yet might have sinned and fallen had they not been confirmed by Divine grace And that they might have done so it appears plainly by the instance of the evil Angels The evil Angels were created at first in the same state of dignity and glory as the good Angels were but they being left to the mutability of their own will fell from God whereas the good Angels were confirmed by grace It is a wise speech of Austin God Deum sic ordinâsse Angelorum hominum vitam ut in ea priùs ostenderet quid posset liberum arbitrium deinde quid posset gratiae suae beneficium Aug. saith he hath so ordered and disposed concerning the life of Angels and men that he hath shewn first of all what free-will could do and then what the benefit of his grace could do Free-will both in Angels and men discovered it self to be a mutable thing therefore that grace might be laid sure it was laid in the hands of one who was God as well as man Austin observes Christ was predestinated to be Head of the Church and we are predestinated to be his members Now grace in the Head of the Church is laid most sure The Godhead in Christ is an indeficient never failing Principle of grace So that the humane nature of Christ had not only created habits in it as Adams soul had but the Godhead was personally united to it so that unless we could suppose a dissolution of the Hypostatical or personal Union it is impossible that the humane nature in Christ should cease to be filled with Divine grace Hence is that expression of Christ Joh. 6.57 As the living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father It is as much as if our Saviour had said The Godhead is a living spring a living fountain of grace It is usual with Christ when he speaks of those things which belong to the Divine nature which is common to him and the Father to attribute them to the Father therefore he saith I live by the Father The Father is the first person in the Deity and although the Son be possessed of the same Deity yet when Christ speaks of such things as belong to the Deity or the Divine nature he useth the name of the Father in which expression his own Divinity is comprehended So Joh. 14.10 The Father that dwelleth in me he doth the works his meaning is the Divine nature The Divine nature is common to him and the Father but he expresses it thus The Father in me doth the works Now saith he As the living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father his meaning is the Divinity which is united to my flesh is a living Spring and fountain of grace my humanity receives all grace life and virtue from the Divinity inhabiting in it The Divine nature in the person of the Son holds the humane nature in the nearest closest and most indissoluble union and being so nearly and strictly united to the humanity fills the humanity with all grace So that the firmness and sureness of grace to the Elect depends upon a treble Basis or foundation 1. It depends upon the firmness and indissolubility of the Union that is between the two Natures in Christ 2. It depends upon the Indeficiency of grace and the inexhaustible Fulness that is in the Godhead 3. It depends upon a Believers Union with Christ 1. If the personal Union can never be dissolved then the humane nature which always abides in the nearest union
corroborated and strengthened the humane nature in suffering so that as the Apostle saith it was Christ that was offered There was a concourse of both natures in his Satisfaction If he were not man he could not have suffered and if he were not God he could not have satisfied Christ is a Priest in our nature and as the High-Priest under the Law bare all the names of the children of Israel upon his Breast-plate so Christ bears all the names of the Elect upon him Christ sustains the persons of all the Elect Because the children were made partakers of flesh and blood he also took part of the same Christ assuming the nature of man sustains the persons of all the Elect and in their room and in their stead in a part of their nature presents himself to God and taking their guilt upon him is willing to bear the punishment due to them therefore he suffers and dyes in their nature and remains under the power of death for a time 2. Christ by his Incarnation is fitted for the work of his Intercession As it was the work of the Priest to offer Sacrifice and make atonement so to intercede and pray for the people Now Christ by taking our nature is fit for this work also Christ as to his Divine nature is equal with the Father and so is the object of prayer together with the Father but Christ according to his humane nature is inferiour to the Father and so fit to intercede And therefore it is a common saying among Divines Christ intercedes and prays as he is man and Mediator 3. Christ by assuming our nature performs the Office of a King to the Church Christ hath a natural Kingdom and he hath a dispensatory Kingdom As he is God so he hath a natural Kingdom over all creatures Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and thy dominion is an everlasting dominion As he is God-man so he hath a Kingdom by way of donation and dispensation Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Sion Psal 2.6 The Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment to the Son Joh. 5.22 that is to the Son incarnate Christ as Head and King of the Church dispenseth all grace to the Church rules and governs the Church in and by the humane nature assumed Eph. 1.21 22 23. Thus have we shewn how that Christ by the work of his Incarnation lays the foundation for the work of Mediatorship in general and for the executing of those three great Offices of Prophet Priest and King in particular 16. The love of Christ in his Incarnation is seen in this In that by means of Christs Incarnation our nature which was alienated from God deprived of communion with him lay under the curse was subject to all sorts of miseries and unto death it self is now restored to communion with God again delivered from the curse set above all misery and death cloathed with immortality and possessed of perfect happiness 1. The Son of God by his Incarnation hath restored our nature unto communion with God Adam by his Fall was turned out of Paradise banished from the presence of God lost his communion with God Now the Son of God taking a part of our nature into unity of person with himself hath brought our nature near to God again our nature in Christ is admitted to the sight of God and communion with him Christi humana natura semper usque à primordio incarnationis vidit Deum Divines observe That the humane nature in Christ had the sight of God from the beginning of his Conception and Incarnation and the reason of this assertion is this Christ was full of grace he had the Spirit of God given to him not by measure Aquinas observes That Christ from the beginning of his Incarnation had more grace given to him than the Saints in Heaven Now the Saints in Heaven are admitted to a clear sight and vision of God therefore if Christ had more grace given to him from the beginning than the Saints in Heaven we must suppose Christ had a clear sight and vision of God besides the great demonstration of Christs love in his sufferings was that he was content to be deprived of the sight and comfort of his Fathers love therefore he crys out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me This argues Christ had been used and accustomed to the sight of his Fathers face and countenance otherwise why did he cry out Why hast thou forsaken me But for our sakes he was content to have his Fathers face hid from him for a time that it might not be hid from us for ever Now then Christ in his humane nature being admitted to the sight of God all the Elect in their measure shall have a share in this priviledge Scientia visionis competit Christo ut capiti electis ut membris The knowledge of vision is first given to Christ as the Head to the Elect as Members and although all the Elect be not as yet admitted to the vision of God yet it is certain they shall be as Christ now is When he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 1 Joh. 3.3 and in the mean time our life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3.3 hid as in the fountain root Tanquam in fonte radice principio and principle of that life Christ in his humane nature being admitted unto the sight of God and communion with him is an argument all the Elect also shall be brought to the same happiness 2. The Son of God by his Incarnation hath delivered our nature from the Curse set it above misery sorrow and death and cloathed it with immortality The sentence pronounced concerning man was That in case he sinned he should dye the death Gen. 2.17 Christ by taking our nature and dying in it hath born the substance of that curse The curse comprehended two things in it First natural death the separation of the soul from the body Secondly spiritual death the separation of the soul from God Here lay the sting of the curse Thou shalt dye the death or In dying thou shalt dye thou shalt not dye once only but dye twice as it were thy soul shall not only be separated from thy body but both body and soul shall be separated from me Now Christ under-went both parts of the curse if rightly understood First Christ in a right sense endured that part of the curse which consisted in a separation from God for although the personal Vnion was never dissolved neither was Christs humane soul ever separated in love or affection from his Father his soul clave in love and affection to his Father in the midst of all his sufferings Christ did not undergo separation from God in either of those respects yet his humane soul was separated for a time from the light and comfort of his Fathers love as was hinted before when he cryed out My God
obedience had not been perfect and compleat it had not been such an obedience as the Law requires and accepts for the Law accepts of nothing but perfect obedience and that consummate to the end of a mans life Cursed is he that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the Law to do them There must not be the doing of some things only which the Law requires but there must be the doing of all things and that to the end of a mans life if a man gives that obedience which the Law will accept and therefore we must suppose that there was not the least interruption in any one act of obedience in our Saviour no he was obedient unto the death as the Apostle expresses it Phil. 2.8 He was obedient unto the death even the death of the cross his obedience ran throughout his whole life and it extended it self to the very end and last period of his life He was obedient unto the death 3. It was not desertion in point of support Christ was not so deserted in his sufferings as not to be supported under them Hence is that of one of the Ancients Derilictus fuit non per miseriam â—ed per misericordiam nec amissione auxilii sed definitione moriendi Leo. Christ was forsaken not in respect of misery as to himself but out of mercy towards us Christ was forsaken not by the loss of Divine help but in his being left to dye unto which he was determined by the forcknowledge of God Christ had supportation in his sufferings otherwise he had sunk under them It is true our Saviour was not so sensible of that support which he had many of the Saints are supported under great tryals sore afflictions and temptations that they meet with and yet they are not always so sensible of that support that is given to them So was it with our Saviour he had support and yet he was not so sensible of his support and therefore is it that he complains Psal 22.1 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and mark what follows Why art thou so far from helping me He was holpen of God but yet he had little sense of help the sense of support was much taken from him Why art thou so far from helping me and from the words of my roaring I cry in the day time and thou hearest not Though our Saviour had indeed support yet he complains as one that had no sense and feeling of it there may be support under great tryals and afflictions and yet there may be little feeling of that support and therefore is it that some of the Saints have complained of being overwhelmed Consider the title of Psal 102. A prayer of the afflicted when he is overwhelmed the Saints may be overwhelmed Then is a person said to be overwhelmed when he is under great sorrows and sufferings and hath little or no sense of comfort and support given in to him Thus hath it been with the Saints and thus was it with the Head of the Saints the Lord Jesus he had support but yet he had little sense of support the support he had for it was the Divinity that strengthened and corroborated him to bear all his sufferings therefore is it said That by the eternal Spirit he offered himself without spot to God Heb. 9.14 It was by the power of the Deity that he was corroborated to suffer what he did suffer and yet he complains of the want of the sense of support in the place formerly mentioned Thus we have seen what this dereliction was not It was not a dissolution of the Vnion of the two Natures not a desertion in point of grace not desertion in point of support What then was it I answer It was desertion in point of comfort dereliction in point of manifestation To understand this we must know That in the death of Christs body when his body dyed the soul was separated from the body but how not personally Non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but in respect of place only the humane soul of Christ and his body were separated one from the other but yet neither the soul nor the body were separated from his person Divines have an apt similitude to illustrate this A man that hath his sword in his scabbard holds it in his hand for a time then draws his sword out of his scabbard the sword and the sheath are separated one from the other but neither is separated from the man the man holds both in his hands In like manner in the death of Christ Christs humane soul was separated from his body but neither was separated from the Divinity the Divinity held both so that in the death of Christs body the soul was separated from the body not personally but in respect of place So in this of his dereliction which was as it were the supernatural death of his soul the Deity was separated from Christs soul but how not personally the personal Vnion remained still how then was it separated only in respect of operation there was not that operation of the Divinity in the humane soul of our Saviour in a way of comfort in a way of manifestation as before the separation was in point of comfort and manifestation Quaedam ibi derelictio suit ubi nulla suit in tanta necessitate virtutis exhibitio nulla majestatis ostensio Bern. not otherwise This is elegantly expressed by one of the Ancients after this manner Christ saith he was after a sort forsaken when there was no visible tendring of help to him in so great necessity when there was no beaming forth of the Majesty of God upon him but the face of God and his favour was turned away from him because of the wrath of God that was due to us because of our sins This then was that dereliction that our Saviour underwent the beams of the Divinity contained themselves as it were from shining forth upon the humane soul of our Saviour the Divinity that was wont to shine upon his humane soul before withdrew its rays The Ancients and some other modern Learned men have many elegant expressions to set forth this dereliction of our Saviour Some of the Ancients call the sufferings of Christ the Sleep as it were of the Divinity had the Divinity or Godhead exerted it self in Christ as it might have done it could easily have prevented all suffering and death therefore the Divinity suspending its operations is said by the Ancients to sleep and rest as it were that so the humane nature might be capable of suffering Passio Christi fuit dulcis Divinitatis somnus Aug. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Compressissa se Deitatem Subduxit se ad tempus Divinitas Sequestratâ delectatione Divinitatis aeternae Hence is that expression of Austin The Passion of our Saviour was as it were a sweet sleep of the Divinity Other of the Ancients have this expression That the Divinity did rest that is
performed This is of marvellous sweet consideration to consider that the guilt and punishment of our sins is taken off from us and transferred upon Christ our Surety Not but that we are Sinners still considered in our selves and that we are obnoxious unto punishment as we are Sinners considered as in our selves but here lyes the sweetness to consider that such is the free grace of God towards us that he hath transferred the guilt and punishment of our sins upon Christ our Surety and exacts that from Christ who stands in the place of our Surety that he might have exacted from us who were the principal debtors Thus we read of the scape Goat that the iniquities of the Children of Israel were put upon him Lev. 16.21 Aaron was to lay his hand upon the head of the scape Goat and to confess over him the sins and iniquities of the Children of Israel and he was to put them upon the head of the Goat So the expression is in the Text Putting their sins upon him The scape Goat was certainly a Type of Christ Christus peccata nostra in se transtulit Calvin and herein was intimated as Calvin well observes That Christ did transfer our sins upon himself The twelfth Proposition is That Christ as our Surety did freely and voluntarily offer himself to suffer what we should have suffered As God did charge our sins upon Christ and laid the guilt and punishment of them upon him so Christ our Head and Surety did freely and voluntarily offer himself to suffer what we should have suffered as the Father did charge upon Christ the payment of our debts so Christ did freely and voluntarily take upon him the payment of them Isa 53.6 He was afflicted and he was oppressed the vulgar Latine renders it Oblatus est quia ipse voluit Christ was offered because he himself would Had he not been willing he might have chosen whether he would have been offered but he freely offers himself No man taketh away his life but he lays down his life for his sheep he lays it down of himself Joh. 10.15 This is a marvellous sweet consideration Look as the sin and disobedience of the first Adam was voluntary so the obedience of Christ our Surety was voluntary Adam did voluntarily break and transgress the Law of God and Christ our Surety did voluntarily obey the Law Adam sinning deserved punishment for that sin and Christ did voluntarily undergo that punishment Hence is it that Adams disobedience and Christs obedience are compared together Rom. 5.19 As by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one many shall be made righteous Adam was not more voluntary in his sin and disobedience than Christ our Surety was voluntary in his obedience Much of the dignity and excellency of Christs Satisfaction is to be seen in this That as sin was voluntarily committed in our nature so obedience was performed voluntarily in our nature and suffering was voluntarily undergone in it by him who was our Surety Look as sin was voluntarily committed in the nature of man by the first Adam so we have the same nature of man in the person of the second Adam voluntarily obeying and voluntarily suffering whatever Divine Justice would require from us and when we come to transact things between God and our souls in the matters of our salvation we shall find these things of infinite concernment more than now we may be aware of This also is farther to be considered That as Christ freely and voluntarily offered himself to suffer for us so he did offer himself to suffer for us with this intention to make satisfaction for our sins Mat. 20.28 The Son of man came not to be ministred unto but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many Christ speaks here of the end of his coming it was the end of his Incarnation to give his life a ransom for many and this was his intention in his death to make satisfaction for our sins I lay down my life for my sheep that is I do it intentionally for the good of my sheep For their sakes I sanctifie my self Joh. 17.19 The thirteenth Proposition is God having charged upon Christ the guilt and punishment of our sins and Christ having freely and voluntarily offered himself to suffer what we should have suffered and having actually suffered what we should have suffered Divine Justice can now demand no more Here lyes the very essence of satisfaction The School men describe satisfaction to be a voluntary rendring of that which is equivalent of somewhat which was otherwise not due Redditio voluntaria aequivalentis aliàs indebiti for some wrong or injury that hath been done Also they tell us that satisfaction speaks some compensation that is commensurate or correspondent to some precedent injury and that this must be voluntary for if it be not voluntary it is not so properly satisfaction as satispassion Take a damned soul in Hell from whom punishment is exacted for the sins that he hath committed such an one bears punishment but he doth not satisfie properly because he doth not suffer voluntarily and therefore the torments of the damned never expiate and take away sin although they still detain and keep the person under the power and hand of Divine Justice But now where there is a voluntary submission unto punishment and this punishment is equivalent to the offence committed and as much as Justice can require this is properly satisfaction and this makes the Satisfaction of our Saviour most perfect and compleat where the person that tenders the satisfaction tenders as much as the person wronged and injured can require by way of compensation and when the person that hath received wrong and injury receives as much by way of reparation as is suitable to the wrong and injury that is done to him and as much as he desires here is satisfaction Now Christ hath made a full compensation to Divine Justice the utmost punishment that the Law could inflict upon us as we are sinners Christ hath voluntarily undergone he hath suffered that grief those pains that death of the body which we deserved he hath undergone those dolors those perplexities in his mind that dereliction that curse in his soul that was due to us therefore the whole punishment which the Law denounced being executed upon Christ our Surety Divine Justice can demand no more When the penalty that the Law demands and is pronounced against such a crime is undergone the Law is satisfied it can demand no more If a man commit a crime worthy of death all that which the Law requires is death if death be undergone if the person be cut off from the land of the living the Law is satisfied and can demand no more Now the Law hath had its full force and stroke upon Christ Isa 53. He was cut off from the land of the living Now the curse of the Law being poured out upon Christ
all the money he hath to purchase that inheritance it is a sign he loves that child well So is it in this case the things that God intends to bestow upon his people are the greatest things and he hath been at the greatest cost and charges to bring them to this inheritance 1. God bestows upon his people the greatest things and therein he shews how strong his love is to them What things are they no less than himself his own glory and blessedness all the riches of Heaven Heirs of God coheirs with Christ Rom. 8.17 Heirs of God what is that We shall inherit God himself for our portion we shall enjoy all that he is all that God hath so far as we are capable or according to the measure and capavity of creatures 2. As the things are great in themselves which God bestows upon his people so God hath been at great charge and expences to bring us to this inheritance He hath given us his Son his Spirit his Promises his Providences his Ordinances to bring us to this inheritance All things work together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to his purpose Rom. 8.28 Observe the last expression the called according to his purpose Those whom God hath a purpose to save those whom he hath laid out his eternal love upon all things are ordered to bring them to that happiness he hath purposed to bestow upon them God lays the train of all his providences so as to bring his Elect to that happiness he hath chosen them to 3. The love of Christ is constant unchangeable and everlasting The unchangeableness of Gods love ariseth from the unchangeableness of his nature Mal. 3.6 I am the Lord I change not therefore the sons of Jacob are not consumed As much as if God should have said My nature is unchangeable and that is the reason my love and mercy towards you is never changed The manifestation of Gods love may be changed towards us we may not apprehend the same effects of love at one time as at another therefore doth the Church complain Lam. 5. ult Thou hast utterly rejected us thou art very wroth against us but yet the root and fountain of Gods love is still the same Whom the Lord loves he rebukes and chastens Rev. 3.20 Gods correction of his people proceeds from his love Not but that God is truly displeased with the sins of his people when his people give way to such particular sins he disapproves of such particular acts of theirs and disapproves of them in relation to those acts therefore when David committed that sin in taking Vriah's wife the Text saith expresly but the thing which David did displeased the Lord 2 Sam. 11. ult It is contrary to the nature of God who is Holiness it self to approve of the sins of his people or of them with relation to such sinful acts nay God may be so far angry for particular miscarriages in his people as to take up the rod and correct them yet in this very case Gods original love remains The Scripture is very clear to this purpose Psal 89.30 31. If his children forsake my law c. then will I visit their transgression with the rood c nevertheless my loving-kindness will I not utterly take from him Here we see Gods paternal displeasure or his fatherly corrections may consist with his love yea in some sense Gods corrections are the Fruit of his love 1 Cor. 11.32 We are chastened of the Lord that we may not be condemned with the world he therefore chastens that he may not condemn Gods love to his people is a fixed unalterable thing Gods love is founded in his eternal purpose now there is no changing of Gods purpose It is a great expression that of the Apostle Rom. 9.11 That the purpose of God according to election might stand The purpose of God in election stands firm and this is matter of singular and unspeakable comfort to the Saints of God If thou canst once see a line of electing love drawn forth upon thee thou mayst conclude the purpose of God remains unalterable concerning thee Now it is possible a Saint may know his election 1 Thess 1.4 Knowing beloved your election of God A Saint may know his Election by his Vocation 2 Pet. 1.10 Give diligence to make your calling and election sure Now if thou canst find out thy election thou mayst conclude the purpose of God stands unalterable to thee Christs love is from Eternity and his love never ends Having loved his own he loved them to the end Joh. 13.1 2. Having spoken of the Properties of Christs love I come to speak of the love that is to be found in both his Natures in the Divine and in the humane nature The Love of Christ is a great love if we consider the love that is to be found in each of his Natures the Divine and humane nature Eph. 5.25 it is said Christ hath loved the Church and given himself for it Christ as God hath loved the Church from Eternity therefore is it said I have loved thee with an everlasting love Jer. 31.3 Now to this ancient and first love of his there was a new love added and that was the love of Christ as Man this love which is founded in his humane nature had a beginning even as the humanity it self had a beginning but yet it is such a love as never shall have an end Christ therefore loves his Church with a twofold love with a Divine and a humane love each of which is the most sincere the greatest the most perfect the most constant and abiding love I shall speak 1. Of the love that is in his humane nature because that will help us to conceive the better of the love that is in his Divine nature the love that is in the humane nature is the product or effect of the love that is in his Divine nature and if the love of his humane nature be so great the love of his Divine nature must needs be far greater as we shall hear The love which is in his humane nature is exceeding great To understand which we must consider as there are two natures in Christ the Divine and humane nature so there are two wills the Divine and humane will and as there are two wills in Christ so we must necessarily suppose a twofold operation of those wills and so by consequence a twofold love in Christ for love is nothing but the efflux of the will some motion in the will whereby some good is willed to another now the love that is in Christs humane nature is exceeding great It is true that which the School men call Habitual grace which is in the soul of Christ is not simply infinite and the reason that they give is this The humane soul of Christ being but a creature and not infinite the habits of grace which do inhere in his humane soul as the subject they
Vse 1 Never will you find any love to match this love you may go from creature to creature but never find any love like the love of Christ Look upon the love of Christ-man it is the sweetest love that ever was never any created love like to his but then look to his Divine love and where will you find a parallel What are a few drops to the Ocean All the love that is scattered among the creatures is but as a drop the Godhead that is the Sea and Ocean of love Here are you drawn by a double cord of love by the love of his humanity and his Divinity When Christ would win upon souls how doth he do it He sets his love before them I love them that love me Prov. 8.17 If any man love me he shall be loved of my Father and I will love him Joh. 14.21 Love is the thing which is most naturally loved who can withstand the power of love Can you hear of all this love in the heart of this amiable person the Lord Jesus and not find it in your hearts to love him Never will you find so much love and sweetness any where else as in the Lord Jesus The things that have been set before you are the greatest realities and not meer notions of words or love We hear much of love in this world men speak much of love but the love that is spoken of in the world is for the most part nothing but words and air there is little reality in it but the love of Christ is the most real solid substantial love Here is the love of God himself the love of the Divinity here is love lodged in a part of your own nature lodged in that nature which is akin to you here is the love of your own flesh and blood should not the consideration of this sweet matchless love of Christ joyned with the consideration of your extreme misery and necessity make up the most powerful argument to draw souls to Christ Here you have the sweetest and most glorious love in the world to invite you on the one hand and on the other you have the necessity of your own misery Vnless you believe that I am he you shall dye in your sins Joh. 8.24 He that believes not on the Son the wrath of God abideth on him Joh. 3. ult As many as are under the law are under the â—erse Gal. 3.10 If you despise and reject this Lord Jesus do you know where to find another Saviour If ever you be saved Divine Justice must be satisfied an angry God must be pacified your debts must be discharged otherwise your â—â—ns will be all charged upon you another day If you neglect such a Saviour whose love is most sweet and your need of him so great your condemnation will be most just If any man love not the Lord Jesus let him be anathema maranatha You that are the Saints of God Vse 2 learn from hence to study and contemplate the love of Christ more and more Ye complain your hearts are cold and frozen ye cannot get them inflamed with love to Christ warm your cold and frozen hearts by the fire of Christs love Love is the Load-stone of love Consider well the love that â—s in both his natures consider the sweetness of his humane nature consider the sweet kind compassionate sympathizing heart of Christ as man consider that love is lodged in the heart of one that is your elder Brother that it is seatâ—d in that nature that is near akin to you and â—s in all things made like to you sin only exceptâ—d and then consider the fulness and perfection â—f his Divinity consider well the infinite treaâ—ures of love and kindness that are lodged in his Divine nature let us ponder and consider these things surely our hearts are hard frozen indeed if they will not melt under these considerations The end of the second Sermon SERMON III. Eph. 3. vers 17 18 19. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith that ye being rooted and grounded in love May be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge WE are yet under the consideration of the Love that is in Christs Divine Nature we have mentioned one consideration about it the second follows 2. The second Consideration about the love that is in Christs Divine nature To help us to conceive of the love that is in the Divine nature of Christ consider That love is most natural to God We have heard in the first consideration That the Divine nature of the Father is in the Son As the Father hath the whole nature of God in him so the Son hath the whole nature of God in him therefore doth John say of the Son This is the true God 1 Joh. 5.20 The Father and the Son are but one and the same true God Now love is most natural to God love is his very Essence hence it is said God is love 1 Joh. 4.7 I do not remember in all the Scripture that God is called anger wrath or hatred It is true anger wrath hatred are attributed to God but I do not remember that it is formally or categorically expressed thus that God is wrath anger hatred but God is love his very nature and essence is love In some sense we may say Had it not been for sin there had been no such thing as hatred in God Not that we do or can suppose that there are or can be any new immanent acts in God for then it could not be said that God was without variableness or shadow of change Jam. 1.17 God always was what now he is God was from Eternity that which now he is all the change is from the creatures part there is no change in God what God is once he is for ever there is no manner of change in him But thus we ought to conceive of it That property in God whereby he is inclined to hate sin which is natural and essential to him as the Psalmist tells us Thou lovest righteousness and hatest iniquity had never had an object to work upon had not sin entred into the world But now God had himself and his own goodness to love had there been no such thing as sin for him to hate therefore love is most natural to God it is most natural to God to love yea it were a wonder he should not love Austin observes it is as natural for God to love as it is for him to be and live God is an intellectual Being and being so he must needs know understand and love himself and God being a pure Act he cannot sometimes love and sometimes not love but as he knows himself always so he loves himself always It is true Gods love to the creature is not necessary as it is to himself God loves himself necessarily but he loves the creatures freely and arbitrarily but
The twelfth Proposition for the clearing of this Mystery and shewing the greatness of Christs love in the work of his Incarnation is this That by means of the Incarnation of the Son of God God hath brought himself down to us rendred himself more facile and easie to be apprehended and conceived by us and also more sweet for us to approach to him We have shewed before how that by means of the Incarnation of the Son of God grace is brought down to us lodged in our nature now we shall shew how that by the Incarnation of the Son of God God himself is brought down to us brought near to us so that we may the better apprehend and conceive of him and also he is made more sweet for us to approach to him 1. By means of the Incarnation of the Son of God God hath brought himself down to us and rendred himself more facile and easie to be apprehended and conceived of by us If we consider God in his simple and absolute nature God dwells in light inaccessible and of him it is said Whom no man saw nor can see 1 Tim. 6.16 The naked simple absolute Divinity is too bright an object for our weak eyes to look upon therefore God who is invisible in himself hath made himself visible as it were in the person of his Son therefore is it said Christ is the image of the invisible God Col. 1.15 and the light of the knowledge of the glory of God shines in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 In the face of the Son incarnate we may see and behold all the glory of God Joh. 1.18 No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father he hath revealed him It is Calvins observation That as Christ is the Mediator of Reconciliation so he is the Medium of Revelation he reveals God to us and by him we come to the knowledge of God To understand this more clearly and distinctly we must know Eadem natura Divinitatis tota perfecta est in singulis personis this is a sure Maxime The same nature of the Divinity is whole and perfect in each of the persons The Godhead is not divided each person is whole God therefore doth our Saviour say Joh. 14.7 If ye had known me ye should have known my Father also When the Divinity of the Son is known Quaelibet persona est totus Deus the Divinity of the Father must needs be known there being but one and the same Divinity common between them both Now then when the Son of God the second person in Trinity assumes our nature the whole nature of God is brought down to us in Christ This is the true God 1 Joh. 5.20 And he that hath seen me hath seen the Father Joh. 14.9 There is but one and the same Divinity common between the Son and the Father therefore he that sees and apprehends the Divinity of the Son doth at the same instant apprehend and see the Divinity of the Father Now the humanity of the Son is the Medium by which we come to see and apprehend the Divinity of the Son and of the Father The humanity is not the Divinity yet the humanity is the Medium by which we are helped to conceive and apprehend the Divinity and that is the meaning of that expression He that hath seen me hath seen the Father That is as a Learned man expounds that passage As my Divinity is seen and apprehended by this assumed flesh of mine Sicut mea Divinitas per hanc carnem assumtam videtur ita etiam videtur Divinitas Patris quae eadem est so also is the Divinity of the Father apprehended by this assumed flesh of mine which is one and the same Divinity Hence is that expression of our Saviours Joh. 12.44 Jesus cryed and said He that believes on me believes not on me but on him that sent me Our Saviour lays much stress upon it he crys and saith as if he would proclaim it to all the world and would have all the world take notice of it And what is the truth he proclaims with so much solemnity He that believes on me believes not on me but on him that sent me What believe in Christ and not believe in Christ this is a seeming contradiction But the plain meaning is this he that believes in me believes not in me only but he believes on him that sent me Our Saviour would have all men take notice of this That his Divinity and the Divinity of the Father was one and the same therefore he saith He that believes on me believes not on me but on him that sent me As much as if he had said The Father is in me the Divinity Power Majesty Essence all the Divine perfections of the Father are found in me and ye need not seek for God any further than in me therefore he saith Joh. 14.1 Ye believe in God believe also in me Our Saviour doth not here intimate that there is a double object of faith as if the Father were one object of faith and he another for though the Father and the Son be distinct persons yet the Divinity common to them both is but one and the same and there is but one object of faith in both When therefore he says Ye believe in God believe also in me his meaning is that we should direct our faith to God inhabiting in him inhabiting in his humane nature It is a great help to faith that we may conceive of God in and by the humanity of Jesus Christ The humanity of Christ is the Temple of the Divinity as hath been shewn heretofore In this Temple it is we must seek for God and here we may find him In the days of the Old Testament the Ark of the Covenant was the Symbol of Gods presence and that external Symbol was some help to their faith The people of God in those days directed their prayers to God before the Ark and they worshipped him that dwelt between the Cherubins In the days of the New Testament Christ is our Ark God hath manifested himself to us in and by the flesh of his Son Col. 2.9 In him the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily It is the observation of a Learned man That one fruit of the Incarnation of the Son of God Bishop Vsher and of the conjunction of the two natures the Divine and humane nature in Christ is this That whereas God hath no shape comprehensible either to the eye of the body or the soul and the mind of man cannot rest but in a representation of something that his mind and understanding can in some sort reach unto man considering God in the second person of the Trinity who hath taken our nature whereby God is revealed in the flesh hath whereupon to stay his mind Faith begins at the humanity of Christ and then by degrees climbs up to the Divinity this
us to him that he might be a fit Mediator takes upon him the nature of man that so being God and man in one person and having interest in both parties he might bring God and man together Hence is it that the Mediator hath this appellation of Christ given to him Luk. 2.17 Vnto you is born this day a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. Christ you know signifies the anointed Under the Old Testament Kings Priests and Prophets were wont to be anointed Now Christ being to undertake the office of Mediator in general and those three Offices in particular of Prophet Priest and King he also is anointed Christs Vnction or Anointing properly belongs to his humane nature Act. 10.38 God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost For although it be true that Christ is the name of the person subsisting in both natures and the name of Christ doth not only agree to Christ as he is man but as he is God manifested in the flesh yet Christs anointing properly respects his humane nature As God he needed not any anointing for he had all fulness in himself therefore he was properly anointed as man If it be asked what this anointing of Christ was I answer It is that plenitude and fulness of the gifts of the Holy Ghost yea the fulness of the Godhead which dwells personally in the humane nature assumed whereby he is qualified to perform the office of Mediator Christ being to undertake the Office of Mediator hath his humanity filled with all habitual grace and also the presence of the Divinity inhabiting personally in his humane nature So that Christs assumption of our nature anointing it with the Spirit of all grace lays the foundation for the great work of his Mediatorship It is well observed by a Judicious Divine That we may more firmly believe Chemnitius that the benefit of Redemption doth belong to us therefore did the Son of God assume a nature that was of the same substance with ours and near akin with us by which in the virtue of the Divinity he might accomplish our Redemption that as by humane nature in Adam sin and death entred into the world so by the same nature in Christ righteousness and life might be restored to the world 2. As the Incarnation of Christ lays the foundation and prepares the way to the work of Mediatorship in general so by the Incarnation Christ is fitted and prepared as it were to enter upon the execution of those three great Offices of his the Office of a Prophet Priest and King 1. The Lord Jesus assuming mans nature performs the office of a Prophet to the Church in the humane nature assumed The great work of the Prophets of old was to be the Messengers of God to the people the Interpreters of Gods mind and will they were to reveal Gods mind and will to the people The Lord Jesus undertaking our nature is the great Messenger of the Covenant the Interpreter of the Fathers counsels he hath revealed the whole will and mind of the Father to us Heb. 1.2 God hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son Joh. 15.15 All things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you Should God speak to us immediately from Heaven we should be affrighted at his presence and terrified with his Majesty as they were when they heard God speaking to them from Mount Sinai and said Let not God speak to us but let Moses speak to us Exod. 20.19 Therefore hath the Son of God assumed our nature and appeared visibly in flesh and conversed among men like one of us that we might receive the Law at his mouth The humanity of Christ is the Organ of the Divinity And this is one great commendation of the office of the Ministry as Peter Martyr hath observed That the Son of God who was God over all blessed for ever was pleased to take up humane nature that he might perform the office of a Minister in it Therefore is Christ called Rom. 15.8 A Minister of the Circumcision that is to the Jewish Church There is some Controversie among Divines concerning the knowledge that was in the humane soul of Jesus Christ but this is certain Christ as man had all things made known to him that did concern our salvation now whatsoever the Lord Jesus as man received from the Father that as the great Prophet of the Church he hath faithfully revealed to his people Joh. 17.8 I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me Christ as man receives all from the Father and he gives out all to the Church Thus his Incarnation prepares him for the execution of his Prophetical Office 2. The Son of God by assuming mans nature is prepared for the execution of his Priestly Office Two great works were incumbent on the Priests under the Law 1. To offer Sacrifices and make atonement for the people 2. To intercede and pray for the people 1. One Office of the Priest was to offer Sacrifice and make atonement So Heb. 8.3 Every High-Priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices 2. Another office of the Priest was to pray for the people Therefore saith Samuel God forbid that I should cease to pray for you Now the Son of God by assuming our nature is qualified to perform both these works of a Priest 1. Christ by his Incarnation is fitted to offer Sacrifice God took no delight in the Sacrifices of beasts and cattle Sacrifices and burnt-offerings thou wouldst not therefore did the Son of God take a true humane body and offered himself for a Sacrifice Heb. 9.26 Now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself Christ is Priest Altar and Sacrifice Christ is the Sacrifice that is offered so vers 28. Christ was offered to bear the sin of many Christ is the name of the person subsisting in both natures so that there is a concourse of both natures the Divine and humane nature in the work of Satisfaction The humane nature was the nature suffering and the Divine nature that sanctified the sufferings of the humanity The Divinity was in the humanity in the time of its offering that body which hung upon the Cross which suffered and dyed was the body of him who was God it was filled and replenished with God the Godhead did personally inhabit in it in the time of its suffering Although the Godhead did not put forth its operation as it might have done but did rest and suspend its operations for a time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it might give liberty to the humane nature to suffer for if the Godhead should have put forth its operation as it might it could have hindred all passion and suffering in the humane nature yet the personal union always remained the Son of God did always retain and keep the humane nature in the bond of personal union in the height of his sufferings and he
so framed by God as that it was set and inclined to do that which was good for otherwise it could not have been said of man as it was said of all the other Works of God that God beheld all the things which he had made and behold they were all good very good If man had not been made with such a frame and constitution at first as that he had not the least inclination to evil but that he was framed and made so as that he was fitted to do good it could not be said of man as of other the Works of God That they were good but God made all things very good so also did he make man Man was made upright according to the Image of God and this is that which is commonly called Original Righteousness Man was indued at first with original righteousness now God creating man in such a state of Purity and Righteousness at first he doth still require that purity and righteousness from man in which he was at first created for God may justly expect that from man which first he gave him God created him in a state of Purity and God expects man should retain that purity in the inward frame and disposition of his heart And therefore Divines observe As Original sin is forbidden so Original righteousness is commanded in the last Commandment when it is said Thou shalt not covet 2. The Law requires actual obedience to whatsoever is commanded by it The righteousness of the Law speaks on this wise That the man that doth these things shall live by them Rom. 10.5 The Law requires that there should be a doing an actual performance of the things that are commanded by it and the Law saith Cursed is every one that continues not in all things that are written in the book of the Law to do them Gal. 3.10 Now our Saviour sums up the duty of the Moral Law in those two great Precepts the first is That we should love the Lord our God with all the heart and with all the soul and with all the mind and the second is That we should love our neighbour as our self Mark 12.30 Now Christ being made under the Law for us took upon him all this debt of obedience which the Law required of us 1. Whereas the Law of God requires purity and integrity of nature the Lord Jesus assuming our nature adorns and invests it with all that habitual purity and sanctity which the Law of God requires Hence was it that Christ took up our nature without sin brought original righteousness into it and hath preserved it in a state of purity all along Christs Conception and Nativity were without sin therefore is he said to be that holy thing which should be born of the Virgin Luk. 1.35 The inward dispositions of Christs soul were such as the Law of God required to be therefore is the Law said to be in his heart Psal 40.8 And in general it is said of him that he was holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners Heb. 7.26 That in him was no sin 1 Joh. 3.5 That he was a Lamb without blemish and without spot 1 Pet. 1.19 All these things speak the Purity and Sanctity of his nature that Christ in the inward frame of his nature answered that habitual purity the Law of God required and called for 2. Whereas the Law required actual obedience to what is commanded by it Christ being made under the Law for us left no part of the Law unfulfilled Christ did perfectly perform in thought word and deed what the Law commanded He fulfilled the Law as to every branch of it this we heard before that not one iota or tittle of the Law was to pass away till all was fulfilled All was perfectly and exactly fulfilled by Christ Hence is it that he is called the holy One and the Just Acts 3.14 Hence also is it that he challengeth the Jews Which of you can accuse me of sin Joh. 8.46 And it was prophesied of him before That he had done no violence neither was any deceit found in his mouth Isa 53.9 Christ performed all duties towards God and all duties towards man 1. For duties towards God He loved his Father perfectly feared him perfectly obeyed him perfectly Hence is it said of him He always did the things that were pleasing in his sight Joh. 8.29 And therefore when he came to dye he could say I have glorified thee on earth I have finished the work that thou gavest me to do Joh. 17.4 2. As for duties towards man Christ was so exact in all moral Righteousness that in the matter of paying Tribute though he knew he was not in strictness bound to it yet to prevent offence and avoid all appearance of evil he would work a Miracle rather than leave it undone Mat. 17.24 4. The fourth Proposition to illustrate the greatness of the love of Christ in being made under the Law for us is this Christ having taken upon him the whole debt of obedience which the Law required persevered and continued in the course of his obedience till all was finished Hence is it said of him He became obedient unto death even the death of the Cross Phil. 2.8 Christ was obedient all along his obedience lasted throughout his whole life he was obedient unto death It is an emphatical expression He was obedient unto death that is his obedience continued through the course of his life and continued unto death and his death was the last act of his obedience Hence was it when our Saviour came to dye he used this speech It is finished He had finished all that obedience which the Law had required and his Father had injoyned him The Law requires constant perpetual obedience as well as perfect obedience The Law requires obedience not only in one time and season but in the whole of our life Now there was no failing in any part of Christs obedience to the law at any time He was never found guilty of any sin in the whole course of his life Hence is that expression Isa 53.9 In him was found no violence neither was any deceit in his mouth And as he was never found guilty of the least sin so he persevered in all acts of obedience to the last Hence is it said Joh. 4.34 His meat and drink was to do the will of him that sent him and to finish his work 5. The fifth Proposition is The greatness of Christs love in being made under the Law appears in this In that what Christ did in a way of obedience to the Law it was for us Hence is it said that Christ is made sin for us and we are made the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 Christ took upon him our person Christ sustained the persons of all the Elect Christ did that for us which we should have done Hence is it that Christ is said to be the second Adam The obedience which Christ performed to the Father was in
exposeth us to Divine wrathhence is it said That by nature we are children of wrath Eph. 2.3 And the sentence of the Law is Indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil Rom. 2.8 9. Wrath is due to us as we are sinners now Christ by the work of his Satisfaction turns away this wrath from us He it is that trod the wine-press of divine wrath Isa 63.3 And Christ bearing the wrath of God for us delivers us from that wrath Hence it is said We are saved from wrath through him Rom. 5.9 And that We are delivered from wrath to come by him 1 Thess 1. ult Jesus that delivereth us from the wrath to come 2. The second effect of Christs Satisfaction is the procuring of pardon of sin for us Thus in those known words of the Institution of the Lords Supper our Saviour tells us This is the new Testament in my blood that was shed for the remission of sins The blood of Christ was shed on purpose to procure the pardon of sin and it doth procure pardon of sin for us Eph. 1.7 In whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins One great fruit of Christs Satisfaction and our Redemption by Christ is that by means of that Satisfaction and Redemption of his we should have forgiveness of sins therefore in the Text mentioned before it is said Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins Rom. 3.25 The meaning I take to be this That God having received satisfaction through the death and sufferings of Christ thereupon he gives forth pardon and remission of sins to us 3. The third effect of Christs Satisfaction is eternal life Christ by his Satisfaction procures eternal life for us hence is it that we read of the promise of an eternal inheritance through the death of Christ Heb. 9.15 Christs sufferings are not only satisfactory but they are also meritorious Christs sufferings did not only turn away the evil of punishment from us but they procured the good of eternal life for us Hence it is said That grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 5. ult The obedience of Christ active and passive is operative to bring us to eternal life 1. Vse 1 See what infinite reason there is that we should seek after a part and interest in Christs Satisfaction For 1. Without an interest in Christs Satisfaction we are liable to answer to Divine Justice in our own persons Divine Justice will be satisfied one way or other for God himself hath pronounced it That he will by no means clear the guilty Exod. 34.7 God is just and the justifier of them that believe in Jesus Rom. 3.26 Therefore if we do not get an interest in Christ that he may fatisfie for us we are liable to be cast into prison by the hand of Divine Justice and we shall not come forth thence till we have paid the uttermost farthing 2. Without an interest in Christs Satisfaction Divine wrath still hangs over us It is Christ only that by his Satisfaction pacifies and turns away Gods wrath therefore unless we have a part in Christs Satisfaction infinite and unsupportable wrath hangs over our heads every moment and will assuredly fall upon us and we know not how soon it may do so He that believes not on the Son hath not life but the wrath of God abides upon him Joh. 3. ult 3. Without an interest in Christs Satisfaction we cannot have the pardon of sin for it is by the Satisfaction of Christ as we have heard that pardon of sin is procured We are liable to answer to Gods Justice for all our sins and all our sins will certainly come in against us to condemn us unless we have a part in Christs Satisfaction 4. Without an interest in Christs Satisfaction we can make out no title to eternal life Heaven is called the purchased inheritance Vntil the redemption of the purchased possession Eph. 1.14 Heaven is the purchase of the death and sufferings of Christ therefore unless we have an interest in the virtue of Christs sufferings we can have no title to the heavenly inheritance Here it may be said But what shall we do that we may have a part in Christs Satisfaction 1. Let us labour to see our infinite need of Christ and his Satisfaction we never see the worth of Christs Satisfaction till first we see our selves to be condemned persons O let us be more deeply sensible what the Law and Divine Justice have against us As we are sinners we are condemned persons in Law The wages of sin is death The soul that sins shall dye This is the sentence of the Law O let us labour to be deeply sensible of this and then we shall see the need of Christs Satisfaction 2. If we would have an interest in Christs Satisfaction let us labour to know Christ and him crucified Paul saith That he determined to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2.2 You will say Why is the knowledge of a crucified Christ so necessary to Salvation The reason is because the death and sufferings of Christ is the only means of atonement and to bring us unto reconciliation with God Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood Rom. 3.25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation There is no pacifying of an angry God but by the Blood of Jesus Christ and it is Faith in his Blood that gives us an interest in the atonement Him hath God set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood We must therefore close with a crucified Christ by faith cast an aspect of faith upon the Son of God in our nature offering himself up to God as a Sacrifice for our sins It is faith in this Sacrifice of Christ that must procure reconciliation for us Joh. 3.14 15. As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness even so must the Son of man be lifted up that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have eternal life Christ is lifted up as the brazen Serpent was lifted up It was their looking on the brazen Serpent that brought healing to them that were stung by the fiery Serpents and it is our looking upon a crucified Christ by an eye of faith casting an aspect of faith upon Christ as crucified and the virtue of his sufferings that must bring Salvation to us who are sinners and who deserve to perish as we are such The end of the third Sermon SERMON IV. Joh. 15.13 Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends I Now proceed to the second thing which is to lay down several distinct and particular Propositions for the clearing of this great Doctrine the Doctrine of Christs Satisfaction And here the Propositions that I shall lay down
more sweet and comfortable is that speech of Ambrose My mind or spirit is crucified in Christ Mens mea in Christo crucifixa est Ambr. the meaning of which I take to be That the punishment which was due to my mind or spirit is laid upon Christ and I having suffered that in my mind or spirit in Christ my Head which I deserved to suffer I hope hereby to be set free from that punishment Christ I say suffered in his Soul hence is it said that Christ was smitten of God Isa 53.4 We did esteem him stricken smitten of God and it pleased the Lord to bruise him and to put him to grief vers 10. Christ was stricken of God immediately stricken in his Soul Psal 69.26 They persecute him whom thou hast smitten Mat. 26.31 I will smite the shepherd If Christ was smitten of God how should that be but immediately in his Soul Hence is that of one of the Ancients God saith he was justly angry with us for our sins and Christ interposing himself as the middle person took off the stroke and bare the punishment that hung over us Neither may it seem strange to us that our Saviour should suffer in his Soul for as much as he was pleased to take upon him the guilt of all our sins It is a memorable passage of a late modern Divine The guilt Dickson Therapeut Sacr. saith he of all our sins wickednesses and most hainous offences which from the beginning of the world to the end of it have been committed by any of the Elect all these were imputed to one Christ altogether and all at once and although Christ by taking the guilt of all these sins upon him did not pollute or defile that holy Soul of his yet nevertheless he did burthen his Soul with them by obliging himself to suffer the punishment that was due to the sins of the Elect as if so be those very sins had in some sort been his own sins Now saith he whenas we see the most profligate and impure sinners lyars thieves adulterers and the like when we see these they cannot patiently hear themselves to be called lyars or thieves or adulterers though guilty of such enormous crimes although it is manifest that they are guilty of them neither can they bear the shame and disgrace of their own guilt that yet doth manifestly lye upon them with how great a grief and passion of mind with how great a darkening of that sanctity and glory that was in our Saviour must we suppose that Christ did take upon his shoulders this most noisom dunghil of all our sins than which nothing could be more abhorring from the purity and sanctity of nature 4. Christ suffered death it self for us hence is it said That he tasted death for everyman Heb. 2.9 Nothing less than death could satisfie the Law the sentence of the Law was That the soul that sins shall dye therefore he that will be our surety and bear the punishment due to us must undergo death it self for us Some of the Papists tell us That such was the dignity of Christs person that the least drop of his Blood the least tear the least sigh of his heart would have been sufficient to redeem us But our Divines do well answer To what purpose then were all the rest of Christs sufferings his temptations his grief his reproaches and all that which he underwent both in his life and death If one drop of Christs blood had been sufficient to redeem us then all the rest that Christ suffered must needs be supposed to be superfluous and unnecessary But we must know that notwithstanding the dignity of Christs person the Law requires death In the day that thou eatest thou shalt dye the death therefore Divine Justice demanded the same punishment to be undergone which was threatned by the Law therefore death being threatned by the Law nothing less than death would satisfie Divine Justice The Apostle tells us in the Epistle to the Hebrews That under the Law without shedding of blood there was no remission the sacrifice must be killed and slain before there could be remission of sins Christ therefore being the true Sacrifice for our sins he was to be slain and put to death before remission of sins could be obtained for us It is true there were many advantages that did accrue by the dignity of Christs person some of which are such as these which Divines mention 1. That the death of one should be sufficient for the Redemption of so many If Christs person had not been of that dignity and worth it could not have been supposed that the death and suffering of one person would have sufficed for the Redemption of so many It is well observed by one of the Ancients If Christ had not been God how could he alone have been sufficient to have been a price for our Redemption Therefore there is that advantage which ariseth from the dignity of Christs person that the excellency of his person is such he being an infinite person that he is able to make satisfaction for all 2. The dignity of Christs person made the death of Christ to be meritorious for what may we not suppose that so great a Person who was of equal Majesty and Glory with the Father should not merit at the hand of his Father 3. The dignity of Christs person was available as to this That some circumstances of punishment which were not fit for him to undergo Christ undergoing that which was equivalent might be omitted as one circumstance which Divines mention is this namely That the torments of Hell which were to be suffered and undergone by us in the next life were suffered and undergone by Christ in this life These advantages did accrue from the dignity of Christs person yet notwithstanding this dignity of Christs person he that was to be our Surety was to undergo the substance of that punishment that we were to undergo Now death being the punishment that was to be suffered by the transgressors of the Law as being threatned by the Law Christ being our Surety was to undergo and suffer death for us 5. Christ did not only undergo natural death but he also tasted of supernatural death and so by consequence suffered the pains and torments of Hell for us Christ suffered the whole curse of the Law as to the substance of it Hence is that of the Apostle Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us Gal. 3.13 Now the Curse of the Law was In the day that thou eatest thou shalt dye the death or as it may be rendred In dying thou shalt dye that is thou shalt dye doubly thou shalt dye a twofold death thou shalt dye naturally and thou shalt dye spiritually thou shalt dye a natural death in having thy soul separated from thy body and thou shalt dye a spiritual death in having thy soul separated from me Therefore it is well observed by one
consummate and compleat sorrows and pains which our Saviour did suffer and undergo for our sake In Psal 22. which is certainly a Prophecy of Christ and a description of his sufferings we have these sufferings notably set forth in vers 1. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and vers 14. I am poured out like water all my bones are out of joynt my heart is like wax it is melted in the midst of my bowels my strength is dryed up like a potsherd and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws and thou hast brought me into the dust of death He that thinks this is spoken of some ordinary sufferings which are common to other men must needs have a very slender consideration of these things certainly they are more than common ordinary sorrows that drew such expressions from our Saviour in whose person here the Psalmist speaks our Saviour then tasted of supernatural death he did undergo the pains of Hell for us Now that I may unfold a little more particularly and distinctly how it was that Christ suffered the pains and torments of Hell for us I must do it in some particular Propositions and I would speak of this a little for these two ends 1. That we might more fully understand what it was that we deserved by our sins 2. That we might admire the love of Christ so much the more that he should suffer such pains and torments for us that we might be delivered from them 1. Our Saviour suffered the greatest and most inexpressible dolors anxieties and perplexities in his mind for us and yet without sin no sorrows were ever like to his sorrows Hence is that expression Mark 14.33 He began to be sore amazed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to be very heavy or He began to be afraid and grievously troubled The first word properly signifies to be struck with fear or to be astonished with fear our Saviour was as a person astonished this is the proper import of the word This amazement as we express it was such a passion as was stirred up in our Saviour by which from the sudden commotion of all the faculties of his Soul he was as a person astonished all over in a fear astonished at the greatness of the things he had to suffer neither dâ—d this astonishment speak any imperfection of Holiness in the humane nature of our Saviour but only demonstrated the greatness of his sufferings for it is possible that the mind by some sudden and vehement commotion from some terrible object may be so occupied and taken up that there may not be the free exercise of the thoughts for the present and yet this without sin this was the case of our Saviour he was like a person astonished at the greatness of the sufferings that he was to undergo and that he saw coming upon him all the faculties of his Soul were moved and stirred in him at the torrent of Divine wrath that he saw ready to break in upon him 2. The second word used by the Evangelist is He began to be amazed and very heavy This word is well rendred by our Translators very heavy for I find that Phavorinus renders the Substantive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phavorinus sadness of soul He began to be amazed and very sad Now concerning this fear and this grief that our Saviour underwent I shall speak more particularly hereafter but before we proceed to that I shall make some use of what hath been already opened Learn from hence in the first place Vse 1 how great an evil sin is nothing shews more clearly what an evil sin is than those great sorrows and sufferings of our Saviour that God should cast so innocent a person as Christ was in himself meerly because he was our Surety and took upon him the guilt of our sins into such great sorrows and inexpressible dolors both in soul and body this shews what an infinite evil sin is and how much God hates it and what it is that we deserve by it We may slight sin and think it a light and trivial thing but O let us stand by the Cross of Christ a while and see what it was that the Son of God and God suffered in our nature consider what grief what anguish what trouble and perplexity of soul he underwent and then we shall see that God doth not look upon sin as such a slight and trivial thing whatever we may do Would God have exposed his own innocent Son who was so near to him who was so tenderly beloved by him who always pleased him and who never offended him to so much ignominy to so much contempt and shame to so much pain grief and sorrow had he not hated sin infinitely had not his soul been infinitely set against it O when we find our hearts begin to play and dally with sin it is good for us to soak our hearts in the meditation of Christs sufferings to take a turn at the Cross of Christ and behold the Son of God incarnate made a spectacle to men and Angels and bearing the wrath of God to expiate the guilt of our sins Learn from hence what remains still to be suffered by Vnbelievers those dolors those sorrows Vse 2 those torments of soul and body that death which Christ hath not suffered for them remains still to be suffered by them in their own persons for the sentence of the Law must take place therefore unless thou have suffered in a surety thou art liable to suffer in thy own person the sentence of the Law is In dying thou shalt dye dye nuturally and dye spiritually taste of natural and supernatural death therefore unless thou have suffered this in a surety thou art liable to suffer this in thy own person Now all Unbelievers who are guilty either of positive or negative unbelief have no part in Christ or his sufferings 1. They who are guilty of positive unbelief such as reject Christ and will have nothing to do with him as they said We will not have this man to reign over us these have nothing to do with Christ and his sufferings 2. Such as are guilty of negative unbelief such who do not believe on Christ who do not close with him who do not embrace him by a lively faith all such have no part in Christ and in his sufferings therefore it necessarily follows that that which Christ hath not suffered for them remains still to be suffered by them in their own persons Joh. 3. ult He that believeth not on the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him O how should this make every soul of us to tremble lest we should be found out of Christ Canst thou bear the terrour of the first death when the sting of it is not taken away Or canst thou bear the fear of supernatural death to have thy soul separated from God for ever If thou hast not a part in Christ and in his death thou art liable to both
ceased from its operations it did not put forth and exert it self in that way as before Others express it thus That the Deity contained and kept it self in Others That the Divinity withdrew it self for a time And it is an elegant expression which Ambrose hath That the delight which the Humanity had from the eternal Divinity was now as it were sequestred and withdrawn from it The vision which our Saviour had before in his humane soul of the Deity was now withdrawn from him and this must needs be the highest affliction imaginable Our Saviours happiness as he was man consisted in the sight and vision of God look as the Essence of our happiness consists in the sight of God so the happiness of our Saviour as he was man consisted in the sight of God Christ as he was man had God for his God and for him to be deprived of the sight of the face of his God this must needs be the greatest affliction to him therefore doth he cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me The happiness of Christ as he was man consisted in the sight of the face of his God and therefore for him to be deprived of the sight of this face must needs be the greatest affliction to him This subduction or withdrawing of the Divinity in point of manifestation the hiding of the face of God from Christ must needs be the greatest affliction to him upon these two considerations 1. Because our Saviour had been inured and accustomed to the sight of God and knew what the happiness of it was Our Saviour had walked in the light of his Fathers countenance all his days until now therefore is it that he saith in one place That the Father was with him and in another place That the Father had not left him alone and elsewhere he saith That he had seen the Father It is the common opinion of Divines That Christ had the sight of God from the first moment of his conception Now for him that had once tasted of the light of Gods countenance to lose it this must needs be the greatest and most bitter affliction to him The greatest misery we say is for a person once to have been happy and then to lose his happiness It is not so much for a man that never knew what the sweetness and comfort of Gods love meant to be without it as it is for another person that hath been ravished with the suavity and delights of Gods love to be deprived of them Now this was our Saviours case our Saviour had tasted of the sweetness of his Fathers love he knew what happiness was in the beatifical Vision and now for him to come to be deprived of it O how great an affliction must this needs be This consideration may well put us upon this contemplation whether the sorrows and sufferings of our Saviour in this respect did not exceed those of the damned The damned in Hell indeed want the beatifical Vision they have not the sight of God for the present neither are they ever like to have it O but they never had experience what the sweetness and happiness of the injoyment of God was It is true the damned shall have their faculties much more inlarged than now they have to apprehend what a loss they do sustain in being deprived of such an infinite good as God is they will have greater apprehensions at last how great a loss the loss of an infinite good is but they never had an experimental sense and taste what the sweetness and happiness is that is to be found in God But now our Saviour had this experimental taste of the sweetness delight joy satisfaction that the sight of God could afford to his humane soul and therefore for him to be deprived of it his sorrows in this respect seem to exceed the sorrows of the damned The damned may bewail an infinite good that they have lost though they know not what he is nor have any experimental taste of his sweetness but now Christ knew what the excellency of God was and had the most familiar acquaintance with him and yet was separated from all that sweetness for a time which he had so lively a taste of before 2. This desertion of our Saviour must needs be the highest affliction to him of all others because the humane soul of Christ had the clearest sight of God that ever any creature had The humane soul of Christ by means of the personal Vnion was brought nearer to the Deity than ever any creature man or Angel was brought unto look therefore as the habitual grace that is in the humane nature of Christ by means of the personal Union which is the cause of it doth far excel as to measure and degree all that grace that is found either in men or Angels so for the same reason we must suppose that Christ as he was man by virtue of the personal Vnion had a clearer sight of God than ever any creature had Now then for him that had so clear a sight of the Divinity that he who had his faculties inlarged to the uttermost to contemplate the excellency and perfection of the Deity should all of a sudden lose this sight that all of a sudden the glorious light that had shone upon his soul all his life time before should be withdrawn and that he should be left in perfect darkness what a change must this needs be This was that which made him utter those words with so much bitterness My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and the manner how he uttered them is most observable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jesus cryed out with a loud voice My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Mat. 27.46 He cryed out with a great voice Persons are seldom wont to make any out-crys till they come to some great extremity our Saviour was now in the very top of all his sufferings he was now come to his greatest extremity and when he is in his greatest extremity he crys out with a loud voice My God my God why hast thou forsaken me It was the inward grief and perplexity of his mind as Calvin observes that extorted this cry from him and how great must the sorrows of our Saviour be that forced him to such an out-cry as this is that the standers-by must take notice of it We read of many of the Martyrs that bare their sufferings without any such sensible commotion we read of no such out crys from them when they were in the midst of the flames Now our Saviour had his heart fortified and strengthened with far more Grace than any of them God gave him grace not by measure he had grace conferred upon his Humanity in the highest degree that a created nature was capable of How inexpressible then must the sorrows of Christ be and how far did they exceed the sorrows of all others that he should make such an out-cry as this is the reason of
art and unto dust thou shalt return Gen. 3.9 Here is a present denunciation of evil upon sin and the general sentence of the Law is The soul that sins shall dye 4. We are under the Curse in as much as many penal evils are already inflicted upon us as part of the Curse and part of the punishment that is due to us by reason of sin Sickness pain infirmity of the body anguish grief sorrow in the mind are part of the miseries that we suffer in this life and these things materially considered are part of the Curse for as much as if there had been no sin there had been none of these things It was sin that brought in sickness infirmity pain grief and whatever miseries men have experience of in this life and these are part of the Curse and therefore the happy state of the New Jerusalem is described by this That there shall be no more curse there Rev. 22.3 When sin shall be removed the effects of sin all those miseries which sin hath brought in shall be removed 5. We are under the Curse that is we are liable to destruction of soul and body in Hell for ever as the just revenge which God executes upon us by reason of sin this is in the nature of the Curse that it brings destruction with it So that when we are said to be under the curse the meaning is that we are liable to the destruction of soul and body in Hell for ever The Curse hath not spent it self it hath not exhausted all its venom till it hath brought the sinner to the utmost degree of misery that the sinner is capable of Therefore when our Saviour pronounceth the sentenco of punishment upon the damned he expresseth it thus Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire Mat. 25.41 It is as much as if he had said You are cursed persons the Curse hath taken hold of you the Curse is come in its full power and strength upon you and there is none to deliver you from it therefore will the Curse carry you into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Nothing will satisfie the Curse but the utmost misery and destruction of the sinner 2 Thess 1.9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord. That which the Curse aims at is destruction Now wicked men are punished with destruction from the presence of the Lord destruction is brought upon them by the Curse as the just punishment of their sin Though wicked men have a being still in Hell yet their well being is taken away the Curse takes away their well being and brings them to the utmost degree of misery that they are capable of The second thing we have to speak unto is How it was that Christ was made a curse for us Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us Gal. 3.10 This I shall endeavour to open in some Particulars 1. Christ was made a curse for us in that the displeasure of God and his indignation against us for sin was poured forth upon Christ to the utmost Our Saviour began to conflict with the sense of Gods wrath in his Agony in the Garden there he saw the wrath of God approaching to him But now in his sufferings upon the Cross there it was that he bare the Curse fully there was the wrath of God fully poured out upon him The Curse speaks anger and displeasure as we have heard if therefore Christ be made a curse for us as the Scripture affirms plainly that he was then of necessity it follows that he must bear Gods wrath and anger in some sort or other for us Benedictus in justitia sua maledictus ob peccata nostra Aug. Maledictum est Deo quod odit Deus Beda It is a speech of Austin Christ that was blessed in respect of his own Righteousness was yet cursed by reason of our sins Another Learned man hath this expression If Christ were accursed then was he as one loathed and abhorred That is said to be cursed of God which God loaths and hates Isa 53.3 it is said there That Christ was despised and rejected of men He was cut off from the land of the living as a person not fit to live that was a sign that he was accurst of men But that is not all Christ was not only accurst of men but in some sense he was accurst before God himself For in that Text in Deuteronomy which I shall touch upon hereafter he that hangs upon a tree was accounted accursed by God himself So that Christ was not only accurst before men but in some respects he was said to be accurst of God himself Christ was accurst of God not in respect of himself as I shall shew more hereafter when I come to shew you how this could be that he that was most blessed could be made a curse but in respect of us whose sins he bare Yet Christ in respect of us the guilt of whose sins he bare was accurst of God The Apostle tells us that Christ was made a curse Who hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us Gal. 3.10 If Christ were made a curse of whom or by whom was it that he was made a curse Of his Father certainly He that made him sin for us made him also a curse for us Now who was it made him sin for us That was God himself so the Apostle tell us 2 Cor. 5.20 He hath made him to be sin for us He that might be made sin for us might be made a curse for us Christ was made sin therefore he was made a curse and it was God that made him sin therefore God that made him a curse If Christ then were made a curse by God himself for us then he was not only accursed before men and in the sight of men but as he was our Surety and as he bare the guilt of our sins though he were an innocent person in himself and as considered in himself always beloved of God he was accursed by him by whom he was made a curse That which also confirms this is this consideration That Christ was made a curse for us as undergoing that punishment the Law exacted so the Apostle teaches us He hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us If therefore Christ be made a curse in conformity to the Law he must sustain that Curse that the Law threatens and will inflict Now this is certain that the wrath of God is comprehended in the curse of the Law for what is the curse of the Law The curse of the Law is this Indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil Rom. 2.8 9. Therefore if Christ bare the curse of the Law he must of necessity bear the sense of Gods wrath in his soul for us Neither let us wonder at this That
a plain sign and token that he was looked upon and dealt with as a person accursed of God Maledicti symbolum crux Crux signum maledictae mortu The Cross was a Symbol of the Curse the Cross was a sign of an accursed death Now it is well observed by a Learned man The death of the Cross simply and in it self considered was no more accursed than any other kind of death but therefore was the death of the Cross an accursed death because the person that was to undergo it was an accursed person Transgressio pendentis maledictionem contrabit The transgression of him that was hanged upon the tree was that which did contract the curse If a person had committed a sin worthy of that death he was an accursed person If Christ had not taken upon him the guilt of our sins the death of the Cross could not have rendred him accursed Maledictum cones peccati The Curse is that which accompanies sin and follows upon it therefore it is an elegant passage of one of the Ancients Non ideo maledictus quia pendet sed ideo pendet quia maledictus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Maledictio Dei upensus A person is not therefore accursed because he hangs upon the tree but he is therefore hanged upon the tree because he is accursed The Text from whence the Apostle takes this is Deut. 21.23 He that is hanged is cursed of God so we render it and so the Septuagint renders it Cursed of God Arius Montanus renders it A person that is hanged is the curse of God He is the curse of God that is the curse of God is upon such a person and because the curse of God is upon him therefore doth he suffer that punishment The Chaldee Paraphrase therefore renders it well For as much as he hath sinned against the Lord therefore he is hanged upon the tree Sin preceding brings the curse and the curse of God being upon such a person that kind of punishment was to be inflicted Our Saviour therefore being carried to the Cross and crucified saw plainly that the punishment of our sins was laid upon him our sins were imputed to him as our Surety and he being by this means led to the Cross saw plainly that he suffered the punishment that was due to us The Cross was a sign and Symbol of Christs being made a curse for us And Learned men have this apprehension that in this place in Deuteronomy the Lord did before-hand in his infinite Wisdom point out that kind of death hanging upon the tree as an accursed death because he intended that the death and sufferings of Christ should be signified thereby and that Christ dying in this manner his death should be the expiatory Sacrifice to expiate and take away the Curse that lay upon the whole world By way of admonition Vse 1 Let us be admonished to take heed of being offended at the Cross of Christ Flesh and blood carnal reason are apt to be offended at the Cross of Christ the wisdom of this world is apt to be offended at Christs sufferings carnal reason cannot bear that he that is the Saviour of the world should be exposed to so much shame and contempt Christ crucified saith the Apostle was to the Jews a stumbling-block and to the Greeks foolishness 1 Cor. 1. The Jews in derision call Christ He that was hanged up Talui suspensus But we may say with the Apostle God forbid that we should glory in any thing save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ He that is ashamed of the cross and sufferings of Christ let him be ashamed of his own Salvation Christ suffering what he did was the cause of our Salvation if ever we saved We may speak to such as are offended at Christs cross and at the shamefulness of his sufferings in the words of Tertullian Parce unicae spei totius orbis quodcunque Deo indignum est mihi expedits Tertul. Be contented to spare the only hope of the whole world thou that destroyest so necessary a pillar of faith whatsoever it is that may seem unworthy of God that was most necessary and expedient for man This is plain and evident if Christ had not been crucified and born the curse of the Law the curse of the Law had still lain upon us and remained to be born by us The Law saith expresly Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written therein to do them and as many as are of the works of the Law are under the curse Therefore if we are under the curse as certainly we are if Christ hath not born the curse for us we must have been still left to bear it Therefore we have reason to be so far from being offended at the sufferings of Christ and at the ignominiousness of his death that we have infinite reason to be so much the more thankful Quantò major est injuria tantò major debetur gratia by how much the greater injury and indignity Christ underwent for us by so much the more thanks we owe to him for suffering so much for us for what relief or comfort could we have had against the pains of Hell and that curse which we deserved if Christ had not suffered the pains of Hell and been made a curse for us Therefore take heed of being offended at the Cross of Christ Vse 2 This shews us how sad and deplorable our condition by nature is Hath Christ been made a curse for us then we by nature are all under the curse Christ that was most blessed in himself was made a curse for us Christ was not born for himself nor lived for himself nor suffered nor dyed for himself but all that Christ did and suffered was for us If therefore Christ was made a curse for us it is a certain sign we are all by nature under the curse and O what a sad and deplorable thing is it to be under the curse of God! The curse is the comprehension of all evil it is the Epitome of all misery the curse comprehends in it all the miseries in this life and eternal damnation in the next The Apostle opens the nature of the Curse to us at large when he saith Rom. 2.8 9. Indignatin and wrath tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil This is but a Paraphrase on the Curse and this is the curse that all of us by nature are subject to Indignation wrath tribulation anguish who can bear the thoughts of these things Who of us can think of remaining and abiding under the wrath of God at present and of suffering eternal damnation hereafter Of how much concernment then is it to every one to see that he come out from being under the curse For this is certain we are all by nature under the curse and what will it be to lye under the power of the curse and under the power of the
the love of God because he laid down his life for us Still we see when the Scripture speaks of the love of Christ it expresseth it by what he suffered for us Now the greatness of Christs love the heights and depths and lengths and breadths of Christs love in his sufferings and in the work of his Satisfaction may be illustrated by several Particulars And I shall propound several things for the clearing up of this truth 1. That the sufferings of Christ were the lowest degree of his humiliation The Scripture speaks of Christs Exinanition or emptying himself Phil. 2.7 He made himself of no reputation so we translate it the word in the Original is he emptyed himself out of all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ex omni seipsum ad nihilum redegit exhausit Tertul. he reduced himself to nothing One of the Ancients renders the expression he exhausted himself Now this Exinanition or emptying of the Son of God was his own voluntary laying aside of his own glory as to manifestation and also his subjecting himself to the lowest abasement for our sakes The Son of God did not could not divest himself of his essential glory he did not cease to be the Son of God and God in the lowest state of his humiliation but he did strip and divest himself of his manifestative glory he was content not to appear to be what indeed he was and he submitted-himself to the lowest abasement for our sakes Now there were two parts of Christs Exinanition or emptying of himself The first was his Incarnation his assumption of our nature The second was his suffering death for us and the Apostle speaks of both these in this place The first part of Christs Exinanition was his Incarnation He made himself of no reputation or emptied himself How so He took upon him the form of a servant he was in the form of God saith the Apostle and made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant That he who was in the form of God should take upon him the form of a servant this was emptying himself indeed That the eternal God should become a mortal man this was great humiliation indeed He was in the form of God saith the Apostle and yet he was made in the likeness of men and was found in fashion as a man These expressions must cautiously be understood we must not understand them as some ancient Hereticks did that Christ only had a fantastical body that is the shew and appearance of a body because it is said here the likeness of men and that he was found in fashion as a man I say we must not understand them as if Christ only had a fantastical body not a true and a real body for the Scripture tells us plainly That Christ was made of the seed of David and he was in all things made like unto us sin only excepted And it is a true expression that of the Ancients 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That which was not assumed was not healed If the Son of God had not had the verity of humane nature in him humane nature could never have been restored If he had not assumed a true humane soul and a true humane body our fouls and bodies which were tainted with original sin could never have been recovered therefore when it is said He was made in the likeness of men and found in fashion as a man we must not understand it as if Christ had the likeness of a humane body and not a true humane body but these expressions Made in the likeness of men and found in fashion as a man not only set forth the greatness of his humiliation and condescension that he that was God blessed for ever that he who was so far above men did yet take to himself the common nature of men He was made in the likeness of men and found in fashion as a man The plain meaning seems to be That the Son of God taking our nature appeared among men as to his external visage and appearance as another man as one like the rest of men It is true spiritual eyes could behold the beams of the Divinity breaking through the veil of his flesh Joh. 1.14 The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory as the glory of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth The Apostles and other Believers who saw Christ in the days of his flesh with spiritual eyes and hearts that were given to them could see the beams of the Divinity breaking through his Humanity they could see something more than a man in him But look upon him as to his external form and habit and so he appeared to the generality of men like one of the rest of men he was wrapt up in swadling cloaths laid in a Manger he was subject to his Parents he did hunger and thirst and eat and drink and he was subject to the same common infirmities with other men and therefore doth the Apostle say He was made in the likeness of men and found in fashionas a man that is as to his external form and habit he seemed to be like to the common sort of men Hence are those expressions of the Prophet He was as a root out of a dry ground He hath no form nor comeliness and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him Isa 53.2 This is the first part of Christs humiliation Creator ac Dominus omnium rerum unus voluit esse mortalium that he who was in the form of God should yet take to himself the form of a servant He that was the Creator and Lord of all things as Leo expresseth it would yet become one of mortal men and he that abiding in the form of God did also make man himself the very same person taking on him the form of a servant himself is made man The second part of Christs Exinanition or emptying himself was his subjecting himself to death for us This is that which the Apostle takes particular notice of in the Text Phil. 2.8 He humbled himself and how did he humble himself He humbled himself and became obedient to the death even the death of the cross It is observable that when the Apostle had spoken of Christs Incarnation or his taking our nature he calls that his emptying himself so likewise when he comes to speak of Christs sufferings he calls that his humbling himself He humbled himself and became obedient to the death This was great humiliation indeed that the Lord of glory should be crucified that the Prince of life should be killed and hung upon a tree Impassibilis Deus non dedignatus est esse homo passibilis immortalis mortis legibus subjacere Leo. He that was God impassible did not yet refuse to become a passible man and he that was immortal did not refuse to subject himself to the laws of death It was a
him giving himself to us for these are no vain words This is my body which was broken for you setting aside those gross conceits of the Papists That the bread is transubstantiated into the body of Christ and that Christ is corporally present under the outward form of the Elements I say setting aside their gross conceits there is certainly a real though spiritual presence of Christ to every believing soul in the Sacrament The humane nature of Christ indeed is really present in Heaven therefore is it said Whom the heavens must contain till the time of the restitution of all things Act. 3. Yet the virtue of Christs body and blood is still really communicated to every believing soul Corpus ipsum in quo passus est resurrexit yea not only so saith Calvin Not only the virtue of his Death and Resurrection but that very body that dyed and rose again this is offered to us in the Sacrament these are great Mysteries indeed Now not to have a due reverence to such great and sublime Mysteries as these are to come to these as if they were common and ordinary things or to come to them with a common and slight spirit this is to come unworthily 2. Then do we come unworthily to the Sacrament when we live in the practice of any gross sin or retain the love of any sin We profess by our coming to the Sacrament that we believe that Christ dyed for such and such sins and yet we love these sins or continue in the practice of those sins that cost Christ his life this is to offer the greatest indignity to the Son of God This is as if a Traitor should come to sit at Table with the King to dine or sup with him and yet never repent of his treason but retain a traiterous mind and intention in his heart all the while When a man sits at the same table to eat and drink with another it is a sign of friendship no one would willingly admit another to his table but whom he accounts to be his friend When we come to the Lords Table we profess the highest friendship to Christ now when we profess the highest friendship to Christ and yet retain that in our love and practice that is most directly contrary to the honour and glory of Christ this is the greatest indignity that can be This is that the Apostle calls the crucifying the Son of God afresh and putting him to an open shame Heb. 6.6 What is this but crucifying Christ afresh and making Christ as contemptuous as possibly we can whenas we profess to expect salvation by the death and sufferings of Christ and yet in the mean time love harbour entertain and practise those very things we say we believe Christ dyed for Certainly every loose Christian that makes a profession of Christ and yet lives in gross open sins makes a plain mock of Christ and his sufferings for he professeth that he believes he shall be pardoned by the sufferings and death of Christ and yet he continues in the love and practice of those sins as if so be the end of Christs death were that men might continue in their sins and not be delivered from them 3. Then do men come unworthily to the Sacrament when they come without examining themselves Let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup 1 Cor. 11.28 It is observable the Apostle opposeth this examining a mans self to his eating unworthily In the former verse he had said He that eats this bread and drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord now he adds But let a man examine himself so then if a man do not examine himself then he eats unworthily But it may be said Object What ought a man to examine himself about Concerning two things Answ 1. Concerning his state 2. Concerning the present frame and dispostion of his heart 1. A man ought to examine himself concerning his state whether he be in Christ whether he have a right to such an Ordinance 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves whether ye be in the faith prove your own selves Know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobate We must examine our selves concerning our fundamental estate whether that be good yea or no to examine what standing we have in Christ 2. We ought to examine our selves concerning the frame and disposition of our souls whether we be in a fit frame to partake of such an Ordinance We ought to examine our selves whether our hearts be strongly bent and inclined to any sin whether we be under the power of any sin this is the examination of our repentance We ought to examine what the frame of our hearts is God-ward whether the bent of our hearts be towards God and the ways of God this is the examining of our other graces Now when we rush upon the Sacrament without reflexion and examination of our spiritual state this is unworthy coming And here let us observe That the children of God themselves may in a degree come in an unworthy manner for there are several degrees of unworthy receiving They that have slight and contemptuous thoughts of this Ordinance they that live in gross and scandalous sins they are guilty of unworthy receiving in the highest degree But then they that have true grace and do not retain in their hearts the love of any sin yet if they are remiss in searching into their hearts to find out their secret corruptions and to judge themselves for them they come unworthily in a lesser degree and God may correct his own children for their spiritual remisness in this kind The Apostle tells us For this cause many were sickly and weak and many were fallen asleep 1 Cor. 11.30 that is for coming to the Sacrament without due preparation Others who grosly profane this Ordinance that come to this Ordinance and live in gross sins and continue to live and dye in them God punisheth them otherwise he punisheth them with eternal condemnation He that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself or judgment to himself as the word may be rendred The godly themselves coming in a rude and careless manner to this Ordinance may and oftentimes do bring the judgment of temporal chastisement upon themselves for not coming in a right manner to so great an Ordinance But such as are profane who come to this Ordinance and yet live in sin they eat to themselves the judgment of eternal condemnation Now to return unto what we first propounded to come unworthily to the Sacrament is one way of contemning Christs sufferings And if it be asked What is the reason of it why is the unworthy receiving of the Sacrament a contemning of Christs sufferings I answer 1. Because the Sacrament is a plain revelation and exhibition of Christ crucified This is my body which was broken
with the Divine must always partake of the power virtue and efficacy of the Divine 2. If the spring of grace which is in the Divine nature do never fail or be dryed up then the grace in the humane nature which is always fed and maintained by this spring can never cease 3. Believers standing in union and conjunction with their Head as members of his body must needs partake of the virtue and influence of their Head 1 Cor. 6.17 Eph. 5.30 1.23 I shall conclude this particular with a passage of one of the Ancients Those things which a meer man received might be taken away from him as they were from Adam that therefore grace and the gifts of God may remain firm therefore Christ who is God and man received power as he was man which he had always as he was God that his humanity receiving all things those things might be delivered over to us out of his humanity to be firmly and surely possessed by us Learn from what hath been spoken Vse 1 what it is that must comfort us in reference to the ruines of the Fall Man was a glorious creature an excellent piece as first he came out of the hand of God but what ruine what deformity hath sin brought upon this glorious and excellent creature Who is there that turns his eyes in and upon himself and hath not cause to lament the sad and miserable ruines sin hath made there The understanding is full of darkness the will perverse and wholly carried off from God the chief good the affections wholly bent and set upon sensible objects the whole man depraved and out of order lying under the sad effects of original sin What is it that may comfort us in reference to these ruines and this sad deformity sin hath brought but only the consideration of the Incarnation of the Son of God By the Incarnation of the Son of God our nature is restored to its ancient beauty and perfection let us turn our eyes upon the Head of the Church and there we may see Holiness shining forth in its greatest beauty and perfection there we may see our nature without sin a mind full of Divine light and knowledge a will exactly conformed to the Divine will affections most pure and regular Now our nature being thus repaired and restored to its ancient purity in our Head we have this assurance it shall be repaired in us We have in Christ an instance what we may expect if we be his members for God hath predestinated us to be conformed to the image of his Son and he is the first-born among many brethren Rom. 8.29 Vse 2 By way of Exhortation to poor Sinners that are in a natural condition O labour to get into Christ You are by nature children of wrath unlovely unacceptable in the sight of God if ever you be taken from being children of wrath to be children of God if ever you be made sons and daughters of God you must first of all be implanted by faith into him who is the natural Son of God if ever your persons be made lovely and acceptable in the sight of God you must be accepted in him who is the beloved Son of God This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased There is not one drop of Gods love runs out of Christ all the love of the Father descends upon the Son incarnate and it is conveyed and let down by him upon the sons of men If you be found out of Christ you cannot expect to see or taste one drop of the love of God towards you O labour to get into Christ Is it not sad to lye under Divine wrath to be alienated and estranged from God to be able to lay no claim to God as your God and your Father to have no ground for the acceptation of your persons Till you get into Christ and be implanted into him this is your condition you are under Divine wrath you are alienated and estranged to God you are able to lay no claim to God as your God and Father you have no ground for the acceptation of your persons For this is the beloved Son in whom the Father is well pleased The Father looks upon none with a favourable eye but whom he looks upon in the beloved Son if you have nothing to do with the beloved Son you have nothing to do with the Fathers love Let this press such as are yet strangers to Christ to give themselves no rest day nor night till they get into Christ By way of Exhortation to Believers Vse 3 to exhort them to keep close to Christ It is the interest and concernment of Believers to labour to keep close to Christ and to see that Christ dwell in their hearts by faith yet more and more The Apostle prays for the Ephesians Eph. 3.17 that Christ might dwell in their hearts by faith The more Christ dwells in our hearts by faith the greater sense we shall have of our Adoption and the acceptation of our persons The Son of God taking our nature lays the foundation for our Adoption and the acceptation of our persons therefore the more firmly we embrace the Son of God cloathed with our nature in the arms of our faith the greater sense we shall have of our sonship and acceptation Christ is the natural Son of God if we embrace him and adhere to him by faith the greater evidence shall we have that we are the adopted sons of God by faith in him Gal. 3.26 Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus That which makes us sons at first will be the means to continue the sight and comfort of this sonship to us It is faith makes us the sons of God therefore if we would have the comfort of our sonship let us look to this that Christ dwell in our hearts by faith When Christ promises to manifest the Fathers love to us how is it that he will do it He saith I in them Joh. 17.26 Let us consider it well the way by which Christ manifests the Fathers love to the Elect is by his being in them If ever we expect the manifestation of the Fathers love Christ must be in us and we in him Let us take heed therefore how we let our eye go off from Christ we can expect no love from the Father but as he looks upon us through the Son and we cannot expect to have the sense of the Fathers love let in upon us through the Son but as we take hold of the Son The more possession we have of Christ in our hearts by faith the greater sense and manifestation of the Fathers love will be let in upon us Learn from what hath been opened Vse 4 where to go for all supplies of grace We have a fountain near at hand we have grace brought down into a part of our own nature grace is lodged in the Son of God incarnate as in its proper fountain there may we repair and
fetch as much grace as our souls need Joh. 7.38 If any man thirst let him come to me and drink There is a spring of grace opened to us in a part of our own nature here may we come and be supplied Col. 1.19 It pleased the Father that in him all fulness should dwell If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink If you thirst for grace it is but turning your eyes upon the Lord Jesus who is God in your nature and there is a fountain of grace set open Vse 5 See the ground of the perseverance of the Saints and why none who are true Believers and are implanted into Christ can fall from grace The reason is because grace is kept sure and safe in the Head of the Church the fountain of grace the Lord Jesus Adam indeed had a stock committed to him but he being a creature and therefore mutable did not keep that stock committed to him the Lord Jesus Christ the second Adam the Head of the Church is God as well as man and grace being deposited in him it is now lodged in a sure hand Joh. 14.19 Because I live ye shall live also As much as if our Saviour had said Your life depends upon my life when my life fails your life may fail but while my life continues your life shall continue And our Saviour tells us The salvation of the Elect depends upon his and his Fathers power A great Scripture Joh. 10.27 28 29. he is there speaking of his sheep and of them he says None shall pluck them out of my hand my Father is greater than all and none shall pluck them out of my Fathers hand The sum of our Saviours asseveration is this That if he and his Father be able to keep the sheep from perishing and bring them to eternal life then they shall never perish never fail of eternal life therefore are we said to be kept by the power of God to salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 So that if the Divine power can preserve the Saints they shall be preserved to eternal life Let us labour to be in the number of Christs sheep such as truly follow him and he hath undertaken to keep us from perishing and to bring us safe to eternal life The end of the sixth Sermon SERMON VII Eph. 3. vers 17 18 19. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith that ye being rooted and grounded in love May be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge WE now come yet to some other Propositions for the opening of this great Mystery to shew the greatness of the Love of Christ in the work of his Incarnation 11. The eleventh Proposition is this The love of Christ in his Incarnation appears in this In that by means of the Incarnation of the Son of God there is a foundation laid for our Adoption and being made the sons of God It was a speech of Irenaeus The Son of God was made the Son of man Filius Dei factus est filius hominis ad hoc ut homo fieret filius Dei Irenaeus for this very end that man might be made the son of God Rom. 8.29 Christ is said to be the first-born among many brethren Peter Martyr observes from that expression So good is God that when as God had a Son and such a Son whom he took perfect delight and complacency in yet he was pleased to adopt more sons of the stock of mankind among whom Christ is the first born and whereas it is said He was the first-born among many brethren this must be understood in respect of his humane nature assumed for as to the Divine nature Christ is not so properly called Primogenitus as Vnigenitus the first born as the only begotten Son of the Father Christ is the Head of all the Elect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore he is said to be fore-ordained before the foundation of the world 1 Pet. 1.20 that is before the foundation of the world he was ordained to be the Head of the Church Sicut praedestinatus est ille unus ut caput nostrum esset ita multi sumus praedestinati ut essemus ejus membra Aug. Deus Christum ipsum quatenus homo est primum omnium praedestinavit in quo caeteros servaret It is Austins expression As Christ was that one only who was predestinated to be our Head so we being many are predestinated to be his members Hence is that expression we have Eph. 1.6 Having predestinated us to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ. The Original of our Adoption is Gods Predestination having predestinated us the foundation of our Adoption is in Jesus Christ having predestinated us to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ God did first of all predestinate Christ himself as he was man that in him he might save all the rest of the Elect. To understand this we must consider That Christ was the natural Son of God the only begotten Son of God from Eternity therefore is he said to be the only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father Joh. 1.18 Now the natural and only begotten Son of God being pleased to assume a part of our nature he is and remains to be the natural Son of God in and with the humane nature assumed Christ did not cease to be the natural Son of God by his Incarnation and taking our nature upon him As he was the natural Son of God before his Incarnation so he is after his Incarnation Now the natural Son of God being come into our nature the humane nature assumed is one in person with the Son of God and Christ remaining to be the natural Son of God after his assumption of our nature makes way for us to be the adopted sons of God The Civil Lawyers observe that no one can obtain the Right and Priviledge of Adoption but by leave of him who is the natural son If there be a natural son none can be an adopted son without the leave of the natural son Christ is the natural Son and he being come into our nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gave this Right or Power that we should become the sons of God even to as many as receive this natural Son by faith into their hearts Joh. 1.12 They who receive the natural Son by faith are made adopted Sons Hence is it said Gal. 3.26 Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ It is an excellent expression Zanchy hath upon that Text Eph. 1.5 Having predestinated us to the adoption of sons by Jesus Christ. For this very end did Christ assume our nature being made our Brother according to the flesh that we having his Spirit given to us might be made the sons of God and the brethren of Christ and for this cause is he said to be the first-born among many brethren 12.