The Gospel Method of Gods Saving Sinners, Discourse · Proposition 4
PROPOS. IV. Of Chriſt's actual Satisfaction by his Obedience and Sufferings.
JEſus Chriſt, according to the tenour of this Eternal Covenant, did in time aſſume the Humane Nature, and therein, as Man's Surety, actually do and perform all that the Law of Righteouſneſs required at the hands of the guil…y Creature, and conſequently all that was any way requiſite, either to the repairing of his Fathers Honour, or effecting the Creatures Redemption and Happineſs. Pſal. 40.6, 7, 8. God had for ſome while taken his Sons word, and ſaved ſouls upon his ſingle promiſe of making ſatisfaction in their behalf, and in the interim accepted of typical Sacrifices and O…lations, the blood of Bulls and Goats, as daily memorials of what he expect…d from the hands of h…s own Son, though not as things pleaſing and acc…pt…ble in themſelves: Yea, but now God will no longer admit of theſe Shadows, or be ſatisfied with Bonds or Promiſes, but requires the actual payment of the Debt, and therefore now Chriſt comes, according to his engagement, to diſcharge it: Then ſaid I (that is Chriſt) Lo I come, in the Volume of thy Book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God! And for the full accompliſhment of this great Undertaking, he cloaths his Divinity with the Humane Nature; A body haſt thou prepared me, (for ſo the Author to the Hebrews, chap. 10.5. renders thoſe words of the Pſalmiſt (ver. 6.) Mine ears haſt thou digged) as was before obſerved, or as the Apoſtle expreſſeth it, Gal. 4.4. He was made of a Woman, made under the Law: Yea, and being found in faſhion as a Man, and in the form of a Servant; ſubject to the Law of a Creature, he alſo humbled himſelf, and became obedient, ſaith the ſame Apoſtle, Phil. 2.8. and that not only in ſome more ſignal and momentous inſtances of Obedience, but even to the leaſt tittle and Iota commanded by the Law, Math. 5.17, 18. He fulfilled all Righteouſneſs, and he tells you it behov…d him ſo to do, Mat. 3.5.
Nor yet did he only thus render himſelf ſubject to the Commands of the Law, and pay a perfect active obedience to them, but he alſo undertook and ſuffered the moſt rigorous penalties, that were therein threatned againſt ſinners. He was a man of ſorrows, and acquainted with our griefs: He was wounded for our tranſgreſſions, and bruiſed for our iniquities, and the chaſtiſement of our peace was upon him, Eſa. 53.3, 4, 5. He was in all things tempted, or afflicted, even as we are tempted, ſin only excepted, Heb. 4.15. He loved us, and gave himſelf for us an Offering and a Sacrifice to God, for a ſweet ſmelling ſavour, Epheſ. 5.2. He humbled himſelf, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the Croſs, Phil. 2.8. He was made ſin for us, who knew no ſin, &c. 2 Cor. 4.18, 19. Yea a Curſe, that we might be bleſſed, Gal. 3.13. And all this that he might ranſom our ſouls, Math. 20.28. and propitiate God to ſinners, 1 Joh. 2.2. and vindicate his Fathers Authority, Law, and Juſtice, his Truth and Holineſs, that he might, conſiſtent with his honour, pardon the guilty Creature, and reaccept him into favour, Rom. 3.25, 26. And thus Jeſus Chriſt by his active and paſſive Obedience (which here are not to be ſeparate, or diſtinguiſhed, ſince both were paid ſolely upon the ſinners account) finiſhed the whole work which his Father gave him to do, in order to Man's recovery, Joh. 17.4. and ſo being made perfect through ſufferings, he became the Author of eternal ſalvation to all them that obey him, Heb. 5.9.