A Commentary on 1 Peter 1-3, Exposition of chapter 1 · Exposition of verse 18
Verse 19.
But with the precious bloud of Christ, as of a lambe undefiled and without spot.
GReat is the wonder of Gods works of nature in the making of this huge …rame of heaven and earth of nothing, and in the providence about all creatures, especially in divers things more eminent in those works. But of all the works of God, the works of grace, even the great work of mans redemption is beyond all comparison wonderfull, that hee should set his love upon such forlorne wretches, as men in their corruption are, and that hee should provide for them such an excellent happinesse. But above all, the meanes by which he doth this, is infinitely beyond the reach of all the judgements and affections of all creatures: and this is it which is most effectually comprehended in this verse: That he should effect this redemption by his owne Sonne, such a Sonne, so richly qualified, with such a price as the very bloud of his Sonne, with such a strict account of him, that his nature and works for man must not have a spot or blemish in them: oh how should we be swallowed up with admiration, and cry out, oh the depths of the wisdome and mercy of God! yea how should we be vext at the vile dulnesse and deadnesse of our hearts, that cannot be more affected with those indelible ravishments? How justly might we perish for ever, that have no more mind to seek after such a Redeemer, and cleave unto that God and Father of mercies, that hath found out such a way of redemption for us?
But that the nature and use of this great point may be urged yet more fully, I consider of the particulars in this verse concerning the meanes of our redemption: For here are two things to be noted:
1. By whom we were redeemed.
2. How we were redeemed.
1. In respect of his passion: by his precious bloud.
2. In respect of his obedience: by his righteousnesse.
1. Of nature: A lambe without blemish.
2. Of action: A lambe without spot.
Christ.] This word is a collective: it imports not onelyonly the person, but also the office of the Messias. For Christ is not God alone, or man alone, but God and man united in one person: for it is a word alwaies used of the person, sustaining both natures. Nor doth it rest there, but it signifies his annointing of God, as the word signifieth, and so that hee hath accomplished all that was signified by the anointings in the law, and so he was in substance all, that the anointing of Prophets, Priests, and Kings could signifie: and so …mmarily it puts us in mind of the excellencies of our Saviour in person and office above all things in the world. So then if you aske, By whom man was redeemed? The Apostle by saying by Christ doth as it were particularly tell you, that we are redeemed by him,
1. Th… from all eternity was the begotten Son of God.
2. That in time was conceived so miraculously by the over-shadowing of the holy Ghost, and borne of a Virgin (a most transcendent wonder,) made a true man, and this h…ne nature of ours was taken into the subsist…ce upon the person of his divine nature, so as he was now foreign ▪ a God and a man, Rom. 9.5.
3. That in both these united natures by an unspeakable mission from God the Father, he did undertake that marveilous office of mediation betweene God and man, wherein he tooke it upon him to unite us to God, and God to us for ever. This is our Saviour, and this is he alone that claimes the glory of this worke: he alone trode the wine-presse of Gods wrath; he alone is our Saviour, and there is no other, Act. 4. Esay 64. 1 Cor. 1.30. there is no … in heaven and earth by which we can be saved, but onelyonly by his.
Vses.The Uses follow.
1. We may here observe the wonderfull wisdome and mercy of God in the choice of our Redeemer: for this is he that was fore-ordained of God: by him we are restored, by whom we were created: by him we partake of Gods love, that was the Sonne of his love: in him we obtaine the adoption of …, that was himselfe the onelyonly begotten Sonne and heire of God by …, that God and man might be one in covenant. This one is made God and man in person.
2. For instruction we may learne divers duties.
1. To blesse God for our Saviour Christ, as the foundation of all our happinesse. Shall … talke of his righteousnesse all the day? Shall not everlasting joy be upon our heads▪ Psal. 103.1, 2. & 71.23. Esay 35.10. 1 Cor. 30, 31. Eph. 1.6, 7.
2. To seeke redemption in him both from the guilt of our sins, Rom. 3. 24, 25, Esay 44.22. and from the power of them, and from the punishment of them, Psal. 1 30.7. Iob 19.25. Psal. 34.19. &c. Esay 63.16. & 50.2. Psal. 31.7. & 55.18. Hos. 13.14.
3. Therefore we must serve him in holinesse, and righteousnesse all our daies, Luke 1.68, 74. Esay 59.20. Tit. 2.14.
4. Let us follow the example of his humility, and let him that would be great amongst us, be the servant of all, Mat. 20.28. Coherence.
5. Honour the redeemed of Jesus Christ, and ever say, what one Nation is like to Christs people?
By his bloud.]
Hitherto of the person by whom we were redeemed: now followes the manner. We were redeemed, 1. by the passion of Christ: 2. by the obedience of Christ; and well are they joyned together: for the justice of God required both, and it hath ever been the nature of the Devill, and the world to powre out flouds of tribulation after innocency, especially in the eminent: As it was with Christ, so it is with all his members, who are conformed unto him both in sufferings and obedience: and as any are more innocent, so is their passion the greater: but let that passe.
The first point here intended is, that the Holy Ghost would have us to know, and knowing to be deeply affected with it, that wee were ransomed by bloud, yea by the bloud of Iesus Christ, God and man. For the explication of this point, foure things briefly would be considered. 1. That it is. 2. What it is. 3. Why it is. 4. How it is.
1. The first: that our ransome was to be payed in bloud, was foretold continually from the very fall by sacrifices in bloud, and is proved by expresse Scriptures, Heb. 9.13, 14. Act. 20.28.
2. For the second: The bloud of Christ is diversly taken: sometimes sacramentally, and so the wine in the Sacrament is his bloud, Mat. 26. sometimes mystically, and so the bloud of the Martyrs is the bloud of Christ, and so they are said to fulfill the rest of the passion of Christ: sometimes imputatively, and so the Saints have their robes made white in the bloud of the Lambe, Revel. 7.14. but most an end properly for his naturall bloud, and so it is taken here. For no Saints nor bloud of Martyrs can make atonement for our sinnes: But by his bloud (He) syne…d…chically meanes all his passion, even all that hee suffered of the malediction of the law, as the surety for our sinnes.
3. For the third: If any aske,Quest. why Christ in suffering endured this kinde of suffering? I answer,
1. Expiation for sinne was a way universally conceived of to be fittest done in bloud.Answ. Why Christ shed his bloud.
2. Hereby he fulfilled both the Scriptures of the Prophets, and the types went before of him.
3. It was not onelyonly for example, but also for the sanctification of the like sufferings in the Martyrs of all ages.
4. It was one of the curses of the law.
5. It was his good pleasure hereby to shew his matchlesse love to us.
If we aske, why this part of the passion of Christ is so much stood upon,Quest. and so often remembred? I answer,Answ. Why the bloud of Christ of all other things in his passion is most urged.
1. To shew the extremity of Christs humiliation.
2. To shew the full accomplishment of all types.
3. To confirme our faith in the assurance of the compleatnesse of our ransome.
4. To settle our hearts with more affection to him.
4. For the fourth: Christ shed his blood for us many times: As first in his Circumcision, as the first fruits, and pledge of the rest. 2. In his sweate in the garden. 3. When hee was crowned with thornes and whipped. 4. When he was nailed on the Crosse. 5. When his side was pierced with a speare: The last is chiefly intended.
The Use may be divers.
Vse.1. It may informe us of our extreame misery by nature: men must think upon it, their native condition is most servile, else there had not needed such a ransome by such blood.
2. It may import the horrible misery of wicked impenitent sinners, when they shall fall into Gods hands: If Christ being but a surety for others suffered such extreame things, oh what mercy can wicked men expect? The very dolours of Christ should teach them, how miserable their case shall bee.
3. To consider, that Christ hath bought us to himselfe by his blood, should compell our affections to resolve more unchangeably, and unfainedly to devote our selves to his service that paid so deare for us. Shall we not live to him in all sincerity, that was faine to shed his blood, before he could redeeme us to himselfe, as a peculiar people? If any thing will doe it, this should kindle the zeale of good workes in us.
4. It may comfort us many wayes. 1. It shewes that Christ wonderfully loves us. 2. That the satisfaction of our debt is fully made. 3. That his intercession daily for us must prevaile, since his blood cryes in heaven for us, and speakes better things then did the blood of Abel. 4. That our nourishment to eternall life shall bee surely effected, because he hath given himselfe as bread, and his blood as drinke for us.
5. It should teach us patience in all our afflictions, or combats with sin, seeing we have not resisted unto blood, as the author and finisher of our faith did, Heb. 12.3, 4.
Precious blood.]
O… the preciousnesse of the blood of Chr…t.The blood of Christ is commended for the marvellous preciousnesse of it, which may appeare besides the expresse affirmations of Scripture: 1. By the continuall view of the slaine sacrifices. 2. By the amasement of the creatures, when it was shed: The Sunne eclipsed, the vaile of the Temple rent, the rockstorne, the earth trembling, &c. 3. By the admirable effects of it: it appeased Gods anger. Rom. 3.25. it purchased the Church, Acts 20. 28. which all the gold and silver could not doe: it ratified the covenant, therefore called the blood of the covenant, Luke 22.20. Heb. 9.18. it is our drinke indeed, Iohn 6. it makes a holy consanguinity betweene Iew and Gentile, they are all allyed in the blood of Christ, Eph. 2.13. it overcomes the Devill, Rev. 12. it saves us from the destroying Angels, Heb. 11.18. it makes intercession for sins after calling continually in heaven, Heb. 12.24. it purgeth the conscience from dead workes, Heb. 9.14. and it opens the holy of holies ▪ and gives an entrance into the kingdome of heaven, Heb. 10.19.
Quest. But whence comes this preciousnesse into the blood of Christ?
Answ. I answer; many wayes, 1. Because it was shed willingly, Ioh. 10.
What mak…s the blood of Christ so precious.2. Because it was the blood of an innocent man; but especially because of the dignity of his person: it was the blood of him that was God as well as man, Acts 20.28. and therefore must needs be of infinite merit, and vertue.
Vse.Is the blood of Christ so precious?
1. Then let us for ever exalt that riches of grace in God, that spared not the blood of his owne Sonne, that hee might not destroy us, Ephes. 1.7. Revel. 1.5.
2. Then let us for ever detest merits of our owne workes, seeing the price is of such infinite value, and sufficiency, Rom. 3.25. Coherence.
3. …t should then augment the confirmation of our faith in our redemption against all the temptations of Sathan, or rebellion of our owne hearts, or oppositions of the world, Rom. 5.9.
4. If shewes, how carefull we should be of our selves, that were bought at so precious a rate, Mat. …6.
5. Let … all then take heed of sinning against the blood of Christ (for if it be thus precious, it must needs diffuse a horrible guilt upon such as offend against it: if Abels blood cryed so, what will Christs blood doe? &c.) as they doe, 1. That sweare by it. 2. That commit the sinne against the Holy Ghost. 3. That trust to their owne merits. 4. That receive the Sacrament unworthily, 1 Cor. 11.
As a lambe without blemish and spot.
Hitherto of his passion. Now followes his obedience, or innocency both of na…re and action, and both as they commend the excellency of him, that suffered for us: His innocency is set out by comparison of a spotlesse lambe, in which words it is Gods purpose to lift up our hearts to an apprehension of a wonderfull purity in Christ, as he is our surety and Saviour.
The maine observation is, that God would have us to know affectionatly the wonderfull holinesse of Christ, as he is our Mediator and Redeemer: it is one chiefe thing we should be informed in. Hence the sacrifices still shadowed him out by the similitude of a spotlesse lambe, and therefore hee is called the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world, Rev. 13.8. and the Apostles for urging this point may well be called the Apostles of the Lambe, Rev. 21.24. Iohn calls him the Lambe of God, Ioh. 1.29, 36.
Christ may be called a Lambe:Christ like a lambe in six things.
1. For harmelesnesse.
2. For patience and silence in affliction, Esay 53.7. Ier. 11.19.
3. For price and value: for rarenesse and high account: it seemes lambes were of speciall account, Gen. 33.19. & 21.28, 30.
4. For infirmities: he tooke the infirmities were miserable, but not those were damnable.
5. For meeknesse and humility.
6. For sacrifice:The lambes in the ceremonial law what they signified in Christ. He was the substance of all that was signified by the typicall lambes: he was the substance of the paschall lambe, of the lambe for daily sacrifice, for the peace-offrings, for the trespasse-offrings, for the purification of women, and of the lepers, and the lambe for the first fruits, and for the trespasse-off…ing of the Nazarites, and for the free will offrings, or vowes; and the lambe for the sabbaths, and new moones, and the feast of trumpets; and the lambe for the day of humiliation, and for the feast of tabernacles; the lambe for the Priests, and the Princes, and the people.
It is by the sprinkling of his blood we scape the destroying Angels: It is for his sake, that God is every day pleased in his propitiation for our sinnes: He is our daily sacrifice, that we must still offer to God for our selves: It is he we must offer to God for our trespasses, and no gifts wee can bring to God will be acceptable without him: In him we are freed from the corruption of our natures, and from the leprosie of actuall transgressions: In him we have the confirmation of all our outward blessings: The Priests, and Princes, as well as the people must ascribe all their reconciliation to him: There are no persons so devoted to religion, but they must acknowledge their needs of Christ; nor can our best actions or times be accepted without him.
Whereas it is said, he was without spot or blemish, the Holy Ghost meanes to avouch, that he was most holy both in nature and life, there could not be a spot found in his actions, nor any the least blemish in his disposition.
And it was needfull Christ should be so pure:
1. Because else his passion could not be accepted.
2. Because he must become a righteousnesse to many.
Quest.If any aske how he could be so, seeing he came of Adam, and had his infirmities both of body and mind?
Answ.I answer, that he came of Adam, but not by Adam, that is, not by carnall propagation, but was conceived by the holy Ghost, and so originall sin stopped: and for his infirmities, I said before, he received such infirmities, as the Fathers call miserable, that is, such as were punishments, not sins; but not such as were damnable, as all sinfull infirmities are.
Vses.The Uses follow.
1. We should informe our selves by often meditation of this wonderfull righteousnesse in Christ, beholding by our medication the lambe of God that taketh away the sins of the world.
2. For instruction many things may be urged.
1. We should give honour to the lambe that sitteth upon the throne, whose praises fill both heaven and earth, Rev. 5.7. &c.
2. We should daily send this lambe to the ruler of the earth, daily present him to God for us, Esay 16.1.
3. These praises of Christ should convert us to his image: this very doctrine converted the Eunuch, Act. 8.31. we should imitate the praises of Christ, hereby imported, as these places shew, Rev. 14.1. to 6.
4. Let us for his testimony resist the gates of hell, by beleeving in him, and love not our lives unto the death for his sake, Rev. 12.11.
3. For consolation: Shall we not sing the song of Moses, and the song of the lambe? Rev. 15.3. Oh how happy are his servants! Revel. 22. What should dismay us, if we know we are contracted to this lambe of God, and shall enjoy eternall fellowship with him, and in the meane while to be clothed with the white linnen of … righteousnesse, Rev. 19.7, 8.
4. Woe unto them that will not rest upon him for righteousnesse; the smoke of their torment shall ascend for evermore, Rev. 14.10, 11.