Lectures Upon Philippians, Lectures · Chapter 2 · Lecture 28
LECTƲRE XXVIII.
PHILIP. 2. Verſe 8.
Hee humbled himſelfe, and became obedient vntounto the death, euen the death of the Croſſe, &c.
HE humbled himſelfe, &c.] In which words the Apoſtle firſt propoſeth this ſecond humiliation of Chriſt in generall, ſaying, Hee humbled himſelfe. Secondly, the Apoſtle deſcribeth it more particularly by the obedience of Chriſt vntounto the death, ſaying, and became obedient vntounto the death. Where the Apoſtle noteth a two-fold obedience of Chriſt, the one before his death in his whole life, the other in and at his death; the former conſiſting in Chriſt his fulfilling of the Law, the latter in his whole ſufferings of death, and all the paines and ſorrowes thereof: for in that it is ſaid, that Chriſt became obedient vntounto the death, the Apoſtle his meaning is, that Chriſt was obedient in all things that the Law required of him, both doing the will of his Father in the whole courſe of his life, and further ſubiecting himſelfe vntounto the death; ſo that hee was not only obedient to his Father to fulfill the Law for vsus, but he was obedient vntounto the death, to lay downe his life for our ſakes. Laſtly, this circumſtance of his death is amplified by the kinde thereof, hee became obedient vntounto the death, euen the death of the Croſſe, which was the moſt ſhamefull and moſt accurſed kinde of death. So that the meaning of the Apoſtle in this place is, that Chriſt who ſo had already humbled himſelfe, that of the Sonne of God he was now become the ſonne of man, did yet further humble and abaſe himſelfe, and became obedient vntounto his Fathers will in all things that the Law required of him, euen vntounto the ſuffering of death for vsus miſerable ſinners, ſubmitting himſelfe vntounto death for vsus, and that the moſt ſhamefull death of the Croſſe. This I take to be the meaning.
In theſe words then wee are to note foure doctrines touching Chriſt. The firſt is touching his humiliation: The ſecond touching his obedience in his life: The third is touching his death: The fourth is touching his kinde of death.
In his humiliation I note firſt the perſon that was humbled, ſecondly the manner of his humiliation, both ſet downe by the Apoſtle, when he ſaith, he humbled himſelfe. For the firſt, touching the perſon, hence it appeareth that hee who being God, and equall with the Father, was now become man, humbled himſelfe, and became &c. The perſon then that was humbled was Chriſt, God and man, perfect God and perfect man, ſubſiſting of a reaſonable ſoule and humane fleſh. And neceſſary it was that he who was now to worke the worke of our redemption, ſhould be both God and man: man, that as man had ſinned, ſo ſinne might bee puniſhed in man, for ſo Gods iuſtice required: God, that he might be able to ſuſtaine the grieuouſneſſe of the puniſhment due to our ſinnes, which ſhould be temporall, but yet equiualent to eternall paines; for our ſinnes being infinite, and the puniſhment due vntounto them being infinite, becauſe thereby wee had grieued an infinite God, the perſon muſt needs be infinite which ſhould pay the price of our ſinnes. Againe, it was neceſſary that he ſhould be man, that he might ſuffer death, becauſe for ſinne man had deſerued death; and neceſſary likewiſe that he ſhould be God, that he might be able to wreſtle with the wrath of God, which none elſe could doe but he that was God. Needs therefore muſt he be both God and man. And that he was ſo, as by this place it is plaine,Act. 20.28. ſo by that likewiſe in the Acts, where the Apoſtle exhorteth the Elders of Epheſus to feed the Church of God, which he (ſaith the Apoſtle) hath purchaſed with his owne bloud. In which place, he who hath purchaſed a Church vntounto himſelfe, is both called God, and alſo witneſſed to be true man, in that he purchaſed it with his owne bloud.
Here then we may ſee the hainouſneſſe and grieuouſneſſe of our ſinnes, and the greatneſſe of our miſerie by reaſon of them. God bleſſed for euer muſt become man, and God and man muſt be vnited into one Chriſt, and being thus vnited, muſt be humbled vntounto the death, and muſt pay the price of our ſinnes by ſhedding of his owne bloud, or elſe the euerlaſting curſe of Gods wrath abideth vponupon vsus, and our portion is with the Deuill and his Angels in the lake that burneth with fire and brimſtone for euer. And yet what account or reckoning at all is made of ſinne? Surely ſo little, that it may bee very well ſaid vntounto vsus which Hoſea the Prophet ſometime ſaid vntounto the children of Iſrael, Heare the word of the Lord, Hoſ. 4.1.1.ye children of Iſrael, for the Lord hath a controuerſie with the inhabitants of the land, becauſe there is no truth, &c. And yet what remorſe of theſe things euen now when the whole land mourneth for them, and groaneth vnderunder the burden of them? It had not beene poſſible to ſatisfie Gods iuſtice for the leaſt of our ſinnes otherwiſe than by euerlaſting death, vnleſſe God had become man, and ſo humbled himſelfe to ſuffer whatſoeuer was due for mans ſinne: and yet who is he that conſidereth in heart his ſinnes, to reforme the wickedneſſe of his way? O conſider this, yee that forget God, and grieue his holy ſpirit by your continuall committed ſinnes, leſt he plucke you away, and there be none to deliuer you. Flie from ſinne as from a Serpent. Chriſt Ieſus both God and man hath paid the price for our ſinnes. Let vsus not therefore henceforth ſerue ſinne in the luſts thereof, but let vsus glorifie God both in our bodies and in our ſpirits.
The ſecond thing which I noted in Chriſt his humiliation was the manner of Chriſt his humiliation: which I note 1. was voluntarie. 2. that both his manhood and his Godhead was abaſed. That his humiliation was voluntarie appeareth by that it is ſaid, that he humbled himſelfe. As then his firſt humiliation, when being God he tooke on him mans nature, was voluntarie; ſo his ſecond humiliation, when being both God and man he ſubiected himſelfe vntounto the law, and vntounto death, was voluntarie. How then is it ſaid, that he was made obedient for ſo it is read in the originall. He was made obedient, not of any other but of himſelfe, neither forcedly, but willingly he made himſelfe obedient, euen as willingly hee humbled himſelfe. Now for the other point that Chriſt was abaſed and humbled both according to his Godhead and his manhood. 1. For his manhood it doth appeare, in that it was made ſubiect to the infirmities of mans nature, as alſo to the miſeries and puniſhments which were due vntounto man for ſinne 2. for his Godhead, it was alſo abaſed, not as it is conſidered in it ſelfe, for ſo it is immutable; but in reſpect of the vaile of the fleſh, vnderunder which it was ſo couered, that it lay hid from the firſt moment of Chriſt his incarnation, to the time of his reſurrection, without any great manifeſtation of his power and maieſtie therein.
Did he then who was both God and man thus voluntarily humble himſelfe in his Godhead, and in his manhood? did he ſo abaſe himſelfe that he would be borne in a cratch, conuerſe with poore fiſhermen, eat and drinke with Publicans and ſinners, be baptized of Iohn, be tempted of the Deuil, waſh his Diſciples feete, and as a Lambe before the ſhearer ſo not open his mouth? What ſhould this teach vsus my brethren? Euen willingly to ſubmit our ſelues one vntounto another; and all of vsus to decke our ſelues inwardly with lowlineſſe or minde. If abundance of wiſdome and knowledge, if greatnes in honor and dignitie, if ſoueraigne power and authoritie had beene ſufficient motiues and inducements for our Sauiour Chriſt to ſtay himſelfe from thus humbling himſelfe, his name was wonderful, counſeller, the mighty God, the euerlaſting father, the prince of peace, to him did belong all honor and glory, in him were hid all the treaſures of wiſdome & knowledge, & of his fulneſſe hauehave all we receiued, & grace for grace: yet for all this he thus humbled himſelfe willingly, as yee hauehave heard. Let not therefore the conceit of wiſdome and knowledge in our ſelues; let not the conceit of our wealth and riches, of our preferments and honors, of our birth and friends cauſe vsus to ſwell with pride of our owne gifts, or to lift vp our ſelues aboue our brethren, to diſdaine our inferiors; let not theſe be any ſtaies why …ere ſhould not be in vsus the ſame mindes that was in that …hriſt Ieſus. Let eueryevery man make himſelfe equall vntounto them of the …eſt degree, and let eueryevery man eſteeme other better then himſelfe: …e God reſiſteth the proud, and giueth grace vntounto the humble. …nd let this be noted touching Chriſt his humiliation. It …loweth.
And he became obedient, or, he was made obedient] Whence I …te the ſecond point which I propoſed to be ſpoken of, to …t, Chriſt his obedience in his life vntounto the law to fulfill the …v. For if the queſtion be asked, when, and how long was …riſt obedient? The Apoſtle anſwereth, vſque ad mortem, vn… the death; not as if his death were no part of his obedi…ce, but the Apoſtle plainely implieth thereby, that, as in the … of his life he was obedient vntounto his Fathers will, to fulfill …e law for vsus; ſo was he obedient in his death to redeeme vsus …m death, hell, and the Deuill. Touching his obedience vn… the law to fulfill the law, the Apoſtle ſaith, that when the …neſſe of time was come, Gal. 4.4.God ſent forth his Sonne made of a man; and made vnderunder the law, that is, ſubiect vntounto the law to fill the law. And of himſelfe thus our Sauiour himſelfe …aketh;Mat. 5.17. thinke not that I am come to deſtroy the Law or the …ophets; I am not come to deſtroy them but to fulfill them. Chriſt …n was made ſubiect to the law, and came into the world to …fill the law. And therefore he was circumciſed the eight …y, he was repreſented to the Lord after the daies of Maries …rification, and as the text ſaith,Luc. 2.39. all things were done for him …ording to the law of the Lord. He gaue ſight to the blinde, …de the deafe to heare, the dumme to ſpeake, the lame to goe &c. Eſ. 35.5, 6.…it was ſo written of him. He preached the Goſpell to the …re, bound vp the broken hearted, 61.1, 2.preached deliuerance to the …tiues, ſet at libertie them that were bruiſed, preached the accep…le yeare of the Lord &c, as it was ſo written of him. He was …uted with the tranſgreſſors, though he had done no wickedneſſe, 53.12.…ther any deceit was in his mouth▪ he bare the ſinnes of many, and …yed for the treſpaſſers, as it was ſo written of him. In a word, …atſoeuer was written of him in the law of Moſes, and in the Prophets, and in the Pſalmes, all that he fulfilled. And therefore when Iohn would hauehave put him backe from his baptiſme, he ſaid vntounto him,Mat. 3.15. Let be now, for thus it becommeth vsus to firſt all righteouſneſſe; as if he had ſaid, ſtay not this act of my baptizing; for we muſt render perfect obedience vntounto the Father in all things which he hath ordained. Now will yee know the reaſon why Chriſt thus fulfilled the law, as it was written … him.Gal. 4.5. The Apoſtle giueth it, where he ſaith, for this cauſe … was made ſubiect vntounto the law, that he might redeeme them when were vnderunder the law; Rom. 8.4.or as the ſame Apoſtle ſaith, that the right… ouſneſſe of the law might be fulfilled in vsus, which walke not after the fleſh, but after the ſpirit, .i. that his fulfilling of the law in o… fleſh might be imputed for righteouſnes vntounto the children o… his kingdome, as well as if they had fulfilled the law in the owne perſons. For when (as the ſame Apoſtle there ſpeake… by reaſon of our ſinnefull fleſh we were not able to fulfill the law, and therefore muſt needs periſh by the law, then God ſ… ding his owne Sonne in the ſimilitude of ſinnefull fleſh ma… him obedient vntounto the law, that his fulfilling of the law migh… be imputed for righteouſnes vntounto vsus which beleeue in Chriſt Ieſus whom he hath ſent, and walke not after the fleſh, but are the ſpirit. Againe, the worke of our redemption conſiſted not onelyonly in Chriſt his ſufferings and death, but in his ful… ling of the law alſo. For the ſufferings and death of Chri… conſidered apart from his legall obedience, onelyonly takes a… the guilt and puniſhment, frees man from death, and make him of a ſinner to be no ſinner; but that he may be fully reconciled to God, and accepted as righteous to life euerlaſting this legall obedience of Chriſt muſt bee imputed vntounto v…. Witnes the Apoſtle,Rom. 3.19. where he ſaith, As by the diſobedience of … man many were made ſinners, ſo by the obedience of one ſhall … be made righteous: where ſpeaking generally of obedience, b… meaneth Chriſt his whole obedience, which in all his life time he performed. For as in the diſobedience of Adam there … tranſgreſſio legis vnde facti ſumus peccatores, ſic in obedience Chriſti fuit impletio legis, vnde ſumus iuſti: the tranſgreſſne… the law whereby we are made ſinners, ſo in the obedience of Ch… there was the fulfilling of the law, whereby we are made iuſt. And therefore that he might be made of God vntounto vsus perfect iuſtication and redemption, beſides that he ſuffered and died for …s that he might free vsus from ſinne and death, he alſo fulfilled …he law for vsus, that ſo we might be made the righteouſneſſe of …od in him.
Here then is an exceeding great comfort for eueryevery faithfull Chriſtian ſoule. Chriſt hath fulfilled the law for vsus; and his …bedience vntounto the law is now made our righteouſnes; ſo that …ow there is no condemnation vntounto them that are in Chriſt …eſus. Whatſoeuer the law required of vsus, all that he hath …ulfilled in his owne perſon, that ſo the righteouſnes of the …aw, which was impoſſible for vsus to performe, might be im…uted vntounto vsus, and we deliuered from the bondage of the …aw. He made himſelfe ſubiect vntounto the law, that by fulfilling …f the law for vsus he might free vsus from all feare of condemna…ion by the law. Doth then the law preſent before thine eyes … curſe and condemnation, if thou doeſt not continue in all …hings that are written in the booke of the law to doe them? …nd doth thine owne conſcience tell thee that in many things …hou haſt offended, and many waies thou haſt tranſgreſſed …he law of thy God? Be not troubled, nor feare. Caſt thy …urthen vponupon Chriſt Ieſus. He hath fulfilled the law, not for himſelfe, but for thee, that his obedience might be imputed for righteouſneſſe vntounto thee. Againe, knoweſt thou that nothing that is vnpure or vncleane hath at any time entred into Gods ſight, and wouldeſt thou be preſented pure and vnblameable before him in that day? Here is the garment of thy elder brother Chriſt Ieſus: in this his obedience thou ſhalt appeare righteous before thy God in that day. Thine owne obedience, thine owne works, thine owne righteouſnes, ſeeme it neuer ſo great and goodly muſt vaniſh as a morning cloud in that day: for euen thy beſt righteouſneſſe is but as the menſtruous cloathes of a woman, as the Prophet ſpeaketh. The cloke where withall thy nakednes muſt becouered, is the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt Ieſus, which righteouſneſſe is made thine owne, if thou by a true and liuely faith lay hold on him where he ſitteth at the right hand of the Father in the higheſt places. What greater comfort can there be vntounto thine afflicted ſoule, then this, both to be deliuered from the curſe of the law for not keeping it, and to be preſented pure before thy God a that day? And all this comfort thou maieſt hauehave by this obedience of Chriſt Ieſus.
And as this obedience of Chriſt Ieſus vntounto his Fathers wi… to fulfill the law for vsus, may iuſtly miniſter this comfort vntounto vsus, ſo may it further teach vsus to yeeld all obedience vntounto the will of our heauenly Father. For howſoeuer we be freed from the condemnation of the law, becauſe Chriſt hath fulfilled the law for vsus; yet are we not freed from the performance of our obedience vntounto the morall law of God, but euen by th… example of our Sauiour Chriſt we are more ſtraitly tied therevnto.1 Joh. 2.6. For he that ſaith he remaineth in Chriſt ought euen ſo to walke as he hath walked, in all humilitie, and in all obedience to his heauenly Fathers will. He that ſaith he knoweth God, and keepeth not his commandments, 4.is a liar, and the truth is not in hi… but he that keepeth his word, in him is the louelove of God perfect indeed and hereby we know that we are in him, and that we louelove him, if …e keepe his commandements. 5.As therefore Chriſt walked in the law, and performed all obedience vntounto his Fathers will, ſo remember thou to walke with thy God, and to keepe his commandements with thine whole heart. Beware that thou diſſemble not; beware that thou preſent not thy ſelfe in the aſſembly of Gods ſaints to heare his word, or to receiue his holy ſacrament either for faſhions ſake, or for feare of the law onelyonly to ſaue thy purſe: for ſo thou purchaſeſt vntounto thy ſelfe a fearefull iudgement. Beware how thou dallieſt with thy God: for he ſeeth not as man ſeeth. Well thou maieſt diſſemble with man, but he ſearcheth the heart and the reynes, and he knoweth all thy thoughts long before they be conceiued by thee. Let thy heart be ſound with thy God, and his commandements, let them be in thy heart to doe them. And ſo much of Chriſt his obedience.
It followeth; And became obedient euen vntounto the death] His death being likewiſe a part of his voluntarie obedience vntounto his Fathers will; for both in fulfilling the law, and in ſuffering death for vsus, he ſhewed his obedience vntounto his Father, and wrought the works of our redemption. Here then is the third doctrine touching Chriſt which I propoſed to be obſerued, which is touching his death: vnderunder which name I vnderſtand not onelyonly the ſeparation of his ſoule from his bodie, but all the paines and agonies which he ſuffered both in ſoule and bodie. For as it was written of him, He bare our infirmities, Eſay 53.4.and caried our ſinnes, he was wounded for our tranſgreſſions, he was broken for our iniquities, he made his ſoule an offering for ſin, the chaſtiſement of our peace was vponupon him, and with his ſtripes we are healed; as thus, I ſay, it was written of him, ſo thus he ſuffered, and was obedient vntounto the death. Will you then ſee what manner of death Chriſt ſuffered? He ſuffered not onelyonly a bodily death, and ſuch paines as follow the diſſolution of nature, but he ſuffered likewiſe in his ſoule the wrath of God for the ſinnes of the world lying ſo heauy vponupon him that it wounded his fleſh and his ſpirit alſo as the ſcripture ſpeaketh euen to death. For if he had ſuffered no more but in bodie, then he ouercame no more but a bodily death, and then were our ſtate moſt miſerable: but our ſinnes hauing deſerued not the bodily death onelyonly, but euen death both of body and ſoule, by the death which he ſuffered he ouercame death and the power of it both in our bodies and in our ſoules. Whence was it that when his death approched he began to be in ſorrow and heauineſſe? Whence was it that he ſaid vntounto his Diſciples, my ſoule is very heauy euen vntounto the death? Whence was it that ſo often he fell on his face, and praied, that if it were poſſible that cup might paſſe from him? Whence was it that an Angell appeared from heauen vntounto him to comfort & ſtrengthen him? Whence was it that as he praied, his ſweat was like drops of bloud, trickling downe to the ground? Was not this and all this euen from the paines which he felt in his ſoule by reaſon of the wrath of God againſt ſinne? Can we thinke that all this came to our Sauiour Chriſt for feare of a bodily death? HaueHave his ſeruants that receiue of his fulneſſe ſo deſpiſed this death of the body, that either they wiſht for it to be with Chriſt, or reioyced in the middeſt of it before the perſecutor, and did our Sauiour himſelfe ſo feare and tremble at the remembrance of it? Did the Apoſtles ſing in priſon, and reioyce when they were whipt and ſcourged? Did Paul glory in the tribulations which he ſuffered, and did our Sauiour in ſuch like paine crie in the bitternes of his ſoule, my God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? Nay my brethren, that which made Chriſt to be heauie would hauehave cruſht his Apoſtles in pieces: that which made him ſweat bloud in the garden would hauehave ſunke them into hell: that which made him crie would hauehave held both men & Angels vnderunder euerlaſting woe and lamentation. Beſides his bodily death therefore, and the paines that followed thereupon, hee felt in his ſoule moſt grieuous paines through the wrath of God which was vponupon him for our ſins. And thus ye ſee what death he ſuffered for our ſakes, when he was made obedient to the death.
The fruites and benefits which wee receiue by Chriſt his death are theſe. 1. By his death we are freed from that death which is both of body and ſoule, hauehave the victory ouer that death which is the reward of ſinne, as witneſſeth the Apoſtle. For our Sauiour by his death hath pulled out the ſting of death, Heb. 2.14. Rom. 8.1.and on the croſſe hath triumphantly ſaid, O death where is thy ſting, ô graue where is thy victorie? and therefore when we feele the pangs of death approach wee ſhould not feare but be full of hope, conſidering that our death is now changed by the vertue of Chriſt his death, and is the entrance into an euerlaſting …ife. 2. By Chriſt his death we hauehave remiſſion and forgiueneſſe of our ſinnes, as ſaith our Sauiour himſelfe, where in the inſtitution of his ſupper,Math. 16.28. this my bloud which is ſhed for many for the remiſſion of ſinnes. For the remembrance of which his bleſſed death and fruits of his paſſion, he hath ordained this holy Sacrament of his ſupper to be continued in his Church for euer. In which holy ſupper the death and paſſion of our Sauiour, is ſo liuely repreſented vntounto vsus a, if we had ſeene it with our eies. the bread betokening the body, the wine the bloud of our Sauiour Chriſt; the breaking likewiſe of the bread ſignifying the breaking of his body with thoſe vnſpeakable torments which he ſuffered, and the pouring out of the wine the ſhedding of his moſt precious bloud, when his bleſſed ſide was gored with the ſpeare of a ſouldier; our eating of the bread and drinking of the wine, aſſuring vsus of our incorporation into Chriſt, to be made partakers of all the benefits of his paſſion. When ye come therefore to this holy Supper, remember that ye are called hither to continue the remembrance of his bleſſed death and paſſion, vntill his bleſſed comming againe. Repent you earneſtly of your manifold ſinnes for the remiſſion whereof Chriſt ſhed his owne hearts bloud. LoueLove one an other, euen as he hath loued vsus who laid downe his life for vsus. And hauehave faith in Chriſt Ieſus, whom God hath ſet foorth to be a reconciliation through faith in his bloud. By faith in Chriſt Ieſus we receiue remiſſion of our ſinnes, and all other benefits of his death and paſſion. By louelove of our brethren we teſtifie our louelove of God, who ſent his ſonne to be a reconciliation for our ſinnes. And with the contrition and ſorrow of our hearts for our ſinnes, the Lord is better pleaſed then with all burnt offerings and ſacrifices. Theſe are the things which the Lord requireth of vsus, euen faith, repentance, and louelove, and as at all times, ſo at this time eſpecially when we come to the receiuing of theſe holy myſteries let vsus thinke of theſe things. He that eateth and drinketh vnworthily, eateth and drinketh his owne damnation, crucifying againe vntounto himſelfe the Lord of glory, and King of our peace. But hee that examineth himſelfe, and ſo eateth of this bread, and drinketh of this cuppe, is made one with Chriſt, and Chriſt with him, and Chriſt ſhall raiſe him vp at the laſt day, ſo that he ſhall neuer ſee death, becauſe he belieueth in him who died for our ſinnes, and roſe againe for our iuſtification. It followeth.
Euen the death of the croſſe] The moſt ſhamefull death that they could put him vntounto. Here then is the fourth and laſt point which I noted in theſe words, which is, the kinde of his death, whereunto he ſubmitted himſelfe. The kinde of his death was, he was crucified betweene two Theeues, where he was mocked of all ſorts of men, where in feeling of the whole wrath of God vponupon him, he cried out, my God, my God why haſt thou f…ſaken mee, where hauing performed all things that were written, he ſaid, it is finiſhed, and ſo commended his ſpirit into the hands of his Father.
Whence 1. we may learne with bitterneſſe to bewaile our ſinnes, for which Chriſt was thus cruelly nailed on the croſſe, and there ſuffered the whole wrath of God. 2. To crucifie our fleſh, and the corruption of our nature, and the wickedneſſe of our hearts.Gal. 3.24. For they that are Chriſts crucifie the fleſh with the affections and the luſts. 3. It may teach vsus that when wee ſuffer any iudgement, croſſe, or calamity in body, or in minde, wee doe not ſuffer them as any curſes of God, but as the chaſticements of a louing father. For Chriſt Ieſus in his croſſe being accurſed for vsus, hath deliuered vsus from all curſe. Beloued, let vsus thinke of theſe things, mourning for our ſinnes, mortifying the deedes of the fleſh, and comforting our ſelues in the croſſe of Chriſt Ieſus, who abaſed himſelfe for vsus, fulfilled the whole law for vsus, died for our ſinnes, and was nailed to the croſſe for our iniquities.
O Lord teach vsus to humble our ſelues both before thee, and one vntounto another; teach vsus to doe thy will, teach vsus to die vntounto ſinne that we may liue vntounto thee, and daily more and more crucifie the old man in vsus, that being renued in the ſpirit of our mindes we may henceforth ſerue thee in holines and righteouſnes all the daies of our life.