The Bowels of Tender Mercy Sealed in the Everlasting Covenant, Religious treatise · Part 1 · Chapter 7 · Section 5
SECT. V.
5. I Now proceed unto the fifth particular. viz. What did concern Chriſt to do and What did concern Chriſt to do and ſuffer for us as a Mediatour. Whatſoever we were bound to do and ſuffer, that did Chriſt do and ſuffer for us.ſuffer for us as our Mediatour.
The anſwer is this, That whatſoever we are bound to do, or to ſuffer by the Law of God, all that did Chriſt do and ſuffer for us as being our Surety and Mediatour. Now the Law of God hath a double challenge or demand upon us; One is of Active Obedience in fulfilling what it requires; The other is of paſſive obedience in ſuffering that puniſhment which lies upon us for the tranſgreſſion of it, in doing what it forbids: For as we were created by God, we did owe unto him all obedience which he required; and as we ſinned againſt God, we did owe unto him a ſuffering of all that puniſhment which he threatned: And we being fallen by tranſgreſſion, can neither pay the one debt, nor yet the other: We cannot do all that the Law requires (nay of our ſelves) we can do nothing, neither can we ſo ſuffer as to ſatisfie God in his Juſtice wronged by us, or to recover our ſelves into life and favour again: And therefore Jeſus Chriſt (who was God made Man) did become our Surety, and ſtood in our ſtead or room, and he did perform what we ſhould, but could not perform: And he did bear our ſins and our ſorrows; he did ſuffer and bear for us, what we our ſelves ſhould have born and ſuffered, whereby he did fully ſatisfie the Juſtice of God, and made our peace, and purchaſed life for us.
I will ſpeak ſomething unto both theſe particulars.
1. Jeſus Chriſt did perform that active obedience unto the Law of God, which we ſhould (but by reaſon of ſin) could not perform: In which reſpect, he is ſaid, Gal. 4. 4. Chriſt did perform that active obedience to the Law of God, which we ſhould, but could not perform.to be made under the Law, that he might redeem them that were under the Law. So far was Chriſt under the Law, as to redeem them that were under the Law. But redeem them that were under the Law, he could not, unleſs by diſcharging the Bonds of the Law in force upon us; and all thoſe bonds could not be, and were not diſcharged, unleſs a perfect righteouſneſs had been preſented (on our behalf who were under the Law) to fulfil the Law.
Now there is a two-fold Righteouſneſſe neceſſary to the actual fulfilling of the Law; One is an internal Righteouſneſſe of the Nature of man; The other is an external Righteouſneſs of the life or works of man; both of theſe doth the Law require: The former, Thou ſhalt love the Lo…d thy God with all thy heart, &c. which is the ſum of the firſt Table; And thou ſhalt love thy neighbour as thy ſelf, which is the ſum of the ſecond Table. The latter, Do this and live, Levit. 18. 5. He that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them, is curſed, Gal. 3. 10. and both theſe Righteouſneſſes were found in Chriſt.
The Internal, Heb. 7. 26. He was holy, harmleſs, undefiled, ſeparated from ſinners, 9. 14. And offered himſelf without ſpot to God. 2 Cor. 5. 21. He knew no ſinne.
The External, 1 Pet. 2. 22. He did no ſin, neither was guile found in his mouth. Joh. 17. 4. I have finiſhed the works which thou gaveſt me to do. Matth. 3. 15. He muſt fulfil all righteouſneſſe. Rom. 10. 4. Chriſt is the end of the Law for Righteouſneſſe to every one that believeth.
2. As Jeſus Chriſt did for us perform all that active obedience which the Law And he did ſuffer the puniſhments we had deſerved.of God required; So he did alſo ſuſtain or ſuffer all thoſe puniſhments which we had deſerved by the tranſgreſſion of the Law of God, in which reſpect he is ſaid, 2 Cor. 2. 22. To be made ſinne for us. 1 Pet. 2. 24. Himſelf to bear our ſins in his own body on the tree 1 Pet. 3. 18. For Chriſt alſo hath once ſuffered for ſin, the Just for the unjuſt, that he might bring us to God. Phil. 2. 8. To humble himſelf, and to become obedient unto death, even the death of the Croſs. Gal. 3. 13. To be made a curſe, an execration for us. Epheſ, 5. 3. To give himſelf for us, an Offering and Sacrifice unto God. Heb. 9. 15. And for this cauſe is he the Mediatour of the New Teſtament, that by means of death for the Redemption of the tranſg eſſions th…t were under the firſt Teſtament, they which were called might receive the promiſe of eternal inheritance.
Now concerning the Paſſive obedience or ſuffering of Chriſt, I would preſent unto you theſe Concluſions.Concluſions concerning the paſſive obedience of Chriſt. Chriſts ſufferings we…e voluntary and not conſtrained.
1. Jeſus Chriſt his ſufferings were voluntary, and not conſtrained or forced. Saint Auſtin ſaith that Chriſt did ſuffer Quia voluit, & quando voluit, & quomodo voluit. Joh. 10. 17. I lay down my life, verſe 18. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of my ſelf; I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. Gal. 2. 20 Who gave himſelf for me: His ſufferings did riſe out of obedience to his Father, (Joh. 10. 18 This Commandment have I received of my Father, and Joh. 18. 11. The cup which my Father hath given me, ſhall I not drink it?) and out of love to us, Epheſ. 5. 25. As Chriſt loved the Church, and gave himſelf for it: Had his ſufferings been involuntary, they never could have been a part of his obedience, much leſſe could they have mounted to any thing of merit for us.
Object. Nor doth that earneſt Prayer of his (Father, if it be poſſible, let this cup paſſe from me, Matth. 26 30) denote abſolutely his unwillingneſs, but rather ſet out the greatneſs of his willi…gneſs.
Sol. For although Chriſt as Man was of the ſame Natural affections with us, and deſires; a…d abhorrencies of what was deſtructive to nature, and therefore did fear and deprecate that bitter cup which he was now ready to drink; yet as our Mediatour and Surety, and knowing it would be a cup of ſalvation to us, (though of exceeding bitterneſs to himſelf) he did yield and lay aſide his natural reluctancies as Man, and willingly obeyed his Fathers will to drink it as our loving Mediatour, as if he ſhould ſay, O Father, whatſoever become of me, of my natural fear or deſire, I am content to ſubmit to the drinking of this cup; thy will be done.
2. Whatſoever puniſhments Chriſt did ſuſtain for us, you muſt refer them only Whatſoever puniſhments Chriſt did ſuſta…n for us, muſt be referred only to the ſubſtance and not to the circumſtances of them.to the ſubſtance, and not unto the circumſtances of puniſhment. And the reaſon is, becauſe though the enduring of the puniſhments, as to the ſubſtance of them, could and did agree with him as a ſurety, yet the circumſtances of thoſe puniſhments could not have befallen him, unleſs he had been a ſinner: And therefore every inordination in ſuffering was far from Chriſt, and a perpetual duration of ſuffering could not befall him; For the firſt of theſe had been contrary to the holineſs and dignity of his Perſon, and the other had made void the end of his Suretiſhip and Mediatorſhip, which was ſo to ſuffer, as yet to conquer and to deliver: and therefore though he did ſuffer death for us (in the ſubſtance of it) yet he neither did, nor cou…d ſuffer death in the circumſtance of it, ſo as for ever to be held by death: For then in ſuffering death he ſhould not have conquered death nor delivered us from death.
3. The puniſhments which Christ did ſuffer for our ſins, theſe were in their The puniſhments which he ſuffered were in their kinds, parts, and degrees, the ſame which were due to us.kinds, and parts, and degrees, and propertion, all thoſe puniſhments which were due unto us by reaſon of ou… ſins, and which we our ſelves ſhould otherwiſe have ſuffered: Whatſoever we ſhould have ſuffered as ſinners, all that did Chriſt ſuffer as our Surety and Mediatour, alwayes excepting thoſe puniſhments which could not be endured without a pollution and guilt of ſin: The chaſtiſement of our peace was upon him; and including the puniſhments common to the nature of man, not the perſonal ariſing out of imperfection, and defect, and diſtemper.
The puniſhments due to us for ſin, were Corporal and Spi…itual; and again, they were the puniſhments of loſſe, and of ſenſe, and all theſe did Chriſt ſuffer for us: Shall I touch at theſe?
1. That he ſuffered Corporal puniſhments, the Scriptures clearly report unto us Chriſt ſuffered corporal puniſhments.you read of the injuries to his Perſon; of the crown of thorns on his Head, of the ſmit…ing of his Cheeks, of ſpitting on his Face, of the ſcourgings of his Body, of the Croſs on his Back, of the vinegar in his Mouth, of the Nailes in his Hands and Feet, of the Speare in his ſide, and of his crucifying and dying on the Croſſe. 1 Pet. 2. 24 Who himſelf in his own body on the Tree bare our ſins. 1 Cor. 15. 2. Chriſt dyed for our ſins, according to the Scriptures. Rev. 1. 5. and waſhed us from our ſins in his own blood.
2. That he ſuffered likewiſe in his ſoule; The Scriptures likewiſe are expreſs He ſuffered in his ſoule.for it. Matth. 26. 38. My ſoule is exceeding ſor…owful, even unto death. Iſa. 53. 10. When thou ſhalt make his ſoule an offering for ſin, he ſhall ſee his ſeed, &c. Joh. 12. 27. Now is my ſoul troubled; and what ſhall I ſay? Father ſave me from this hour. But for this cauſe came I unto this hour. The Papiſts ſay that Chriſt did not truely and properly, and immediately ſuffer in his ſoul, but only by way of ſympathy and compaſſion with his Body to the Myſtical Body, and that his bare bodily ſufferings were ſufficient for mans redemption.
But theſe are unſound Aſſertions: For
1. Chriſt bare our ſorrows, Iſa. 53. 4. what ſorrows we ſhould bear, but the ſorrows due unto us for our ſins were not corporal only, but Spiritual alſo; and thoſe did Chriſt bear in his ſoule.
2. What Chriſt took of ours, that he in ſuffering offered up for us (for his aſſuming of our nature was for this end, to ſuffer for us in our Nature) but he took our nature in Body and in Soul; Suſcepit animam meam, ſuſcepit corpus meum, ſaith Ambroſe. And he delivered our ſoules as well as our bodies; and the ſins of our ſoules did need his ſacrifice as well as the ſins of our bodies (and our ſoules were crucificed with Chriſt as well as our bodies; Mens mea in Christo Crucifixa eſt, ſaith Ambroſe; & incipio in Chriſto vincere, unde in Adam vinctus ſum, l. 4. in loco) Si totus homo periit, totus beneficio ſalvatoris indiguit, if our whole man was loſt, then our whole man did need the benefit and help of a whole Saviour; and if Chriſt had aſſumed only our fleſh, our body, then our ſouls adjudged to puniſhment, had remained under tranſgreſſion without hope of pardon.
3. Again, that puniſhment which was pronounced againſt the firſt Adam (our firſt Surety) and in him againſt us, that ſame did Chriſt the Second Adam (our next and beſt Surety bear for us, or elſe it muſt ſtill lie upon us to ſuffer it.) But the puniſhment threatned and denounced againſt Adam for tranſgreſſion was not only corporal, reſpecting our bodies, but Spiritual alſo, reſpecting our ſoules. There was a Spiritual malediction due unto our ſoules, as well as a corporal, &c.
4. That fear which fell on Chriſt, and his agony, was a real fear and agony; and it was in his ſoule, and did not ariſe from the meer contemplation of bodily torments only. The very Martyrs in the encountring of them have feared little. Certainly there was ſome great matter that lay upon the very ſoule of Chriſt which made him ſo heavy and ſorrowfull, and ſo afraid, and in ſuch an agony.
5. He ſhall ſee of the travell of his ſoule, Iſa. 53. Here the ſoule is taken properly; and the travel of Chriſts ſoule is his ſufferings; for it follows, and he ſhall bear their iniquities.
6. Chriſt gave himſelf, &c. But the body only is not himſelf.Chriſts ſufferings in ſoul were exceedingly high and great.
3. That the ſuffering of Christ in his ſoule was exceedingly high, and great, and wonderful, both as to the puniſhment of loſſe, and as to the puniſhment of ſenſe; all which I ſhall expreſſe in four particulars.
1. Jeſus Chriſt did ſuffer dereliction for a time.
2. Jeſus Chriſt did feel and ſuffer the wrath of God.
3. Jeſus Chriſt did feel and ſuffer the torments of hell.
4. Jeſus Chriſt was verily made a curſe for us, and did in his ſoule and body bear that curſe of the Law, which by reaſon of tranſgreſſion was due unto us.
1. That Jeſus Chriſt did ſuffer dereliction of God really: He was indeed deſerted Chriſt did ſuffer dereliction for a time.and forſaken of God. Matth. 27. 46. My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? yet well underſtand me in this, I do not mean that there was any ſuch deſertion of Chriſt by God as did diſſolve the union of the Natures in the Perſon of Chriſt (for Chriſt in all his ſufferings ſtill remained God and Man) nor do I mean an abſolute deſertion in reſpect of the preſence of God (for God was ſtill preſent with Chriſt in all his ſufferings, and the God head did ſupport his Humanity in and under his ſufferings, but that which I mean is this; That as to the ſenſible and comforting manifeſtations of Gods preſence; thus he was for a time left and forſaken of God; as David (who in this particular was a Type of Chriſt ſuffering) cryed out, Pſal. 22. 1. My God, my God, Why haſt thou forſaken me? Why art thou ſo far from my help? He was indeed really forſaken of God; God did indeed leave him in reſpect of his ſenſe and feeling; ſo was Chriſt: Though God did ſtill continue a God to David, yet in Davids apprehenſion and feeling he was forſaken of God. Though God was ſtill a God to Chriſt, yet as to his feeling he was left of God to wraſtle with God, and to bear the wrath of God due unto us. Relinquit Deus dum non parcit, ſaith Tertullian. That was truly a dereliction, Ʋbi nulla fuit in tanta neceſſitate virtutis exhibitio, nulla oſtenſio Majeſtatis. So Bernard. Quoniam delicta aliena ſuſcepi, etiam delictorum alienorum verbera ſuſcepi, &c. So Ambroſe. And as he ſaith, flagellata his ipſe eſt ne nos flagellaremur, Chriſt was ſcourged that we might not be ſcourged; ſo Chriſt was forſaken that we might not be forſaken.
2. That Jeſus Chriſt did feele and ſuffer the wrath of God, which was due Chriſt did feel and ſuffer the wrath of God due to us.unto us for our ſins: The Prophet, Iſa. 53. 4. ſaith that he was plagued and ſmitten of God; and verſe 5. The chaſtiſement of our peace was upon him. To be plagued and ſmitten of God, is to feel and ſuffer the ſtrokes of his wrath. And ſo to be chaſtiſed of God as to make peace with God, or to appeaſe him, is ſo to ſuffer the wrath of God as to ſatisfie God and to remove it: And truely how Chriſt ſhould poſſibly eſcape the feeling of the wrath of God incenſed againſt our ſins, he ſtanding as a Surety for us, with our ſins laid upon him, and for them fully to ſatisfie the juſtice of God, is not Chriſtianly or rationally imaginable.
Object. And whereas ſome do object that Chriſt was alwayes the beloved of God, and therefore could never be the object of Gods wrath.
Sol. I anſwer, by diſtinguiſhing of the Perſon of Chriſt whom his Father alwayes loved, and as ſuſtaining our ſins, and in our room ſtand…ng to ſatisfie the juſtice of God, and as ſo, the wrath of God fell upon him, and he bore it, and ſo ſatisfied the juſtice of God, that we thereby are now delivered from wrath through him; ſo the Apoſtle, Rom. 5, 9. Much more being juſtified by his blood, we ſhall be ſaved from wrath by him.
3. That Jeſus Chriſt did feele and ſuffer the very torments of hell, though not after a helliſh manner. Indeed Jeſus Chriſt did not go down into Hell to ſuffer Chriſt did feel and ſuffer the torments of hell.there amongſt the damned in hell; nor did he ſuffer helliſh darkneſſe, nor the flames of hell, nor the worm that never dies, nor final deſpair, nor guilt of conſcience, nor gnaſhing of teeth, nor impatient indignation, nor eternal ſeparation from God.
Theſe were abſolutely inconſonant with the purity and with the dignity of his Perſon, and with the Office of a Mediatour and Redeemer: But yet we ſay that Chriſt in his ſoule did ſuffer for our ſins, ſuch horror, agony, and conſternation as amounted unto Cruciatus Infernales, and are in Scripture called the ſorrows of hell (Pſal. 18. 5. The ſorrows of Hell did compaſs me about) It was a great expreſſion of a very learned man, that ſetting iniquity and eternity of puniſhment aſide (which Chriſt might not ſuſtain) Chriſt did more vehemently and ſharply feel the wrath of God, than ever any man did or ſhall; no not any perſon reprobate and damned excepted.
And verily I think the reaſon annexed to prove this expreſſion is very weighty, becauſe all the wrath that was due for all the ſins of the Elect (all whoſe ſins were laid on Chriſt, Iſa. 53. 6.) was greater than the wrath which belonged to any one ſinner, though damned for his perſonal ſinning: And beſides this, if you do ſeriouſly conſider thoſe ſufferings of Chriſt in his agony, in the Garden, you may (by them) conjecture what helliſh torments Chriſt did ſuffer for us. Not yet to ſpeak of the curſed death which he alſo ſuffered; In that agony of his, he was afraid and amazed, and fell flat on the ground (Matth. 14. 33. He began to be ſore amazed, and to be very heavy, verſe 34. and ſaith unto them, my ſoule is exceeding ſorrowfull unto death) and his ſweat was at it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground, Luke 22. 44. He did ſweat clotted blood in ſuch abundance, that it ſtreamed through his apparel, and did wet the ground; which dreadful agony of Chriſt, how it could ariſe from any other cauſe than the ſenſe of the wrath of God, parallel to that in hell, I do not know.
4. I will add but one thing more about theſe ſufferings of Chriſt, viz. That Chriſt was indeed made a curſe for us.Jeſus Chriſt was indeed made a curſe for us, and did in his ſoule and body bear that curſe of the Law, which by reaſon of tranſgreſſion was due unto us, Gal 3. 53. Chriſt hath redeemed us from the curſe of the Law, being made a curſe for us; for it is written, Curſed is every one that hangeth on Tree.
Cur erubeſcam fateri quod Apoſtolus non ernbuit alta voce profiteri? ſaid Ambroſe: Such a curſe or execration was Chriſt made for us, as was that from which he redeemed us; and that curſe from which he redeemed us, was no other than the curſe of the Law; and that curſe of the Law included all the pun…ſhment which ſinners were to bear or ſuffer for tranſgreſſion of the Law, of which his hanging on the Croſs was a ſign and ſymbol, and this curſe was Chriſt made for us (that is) he did bear and ſuffer it to redeem us from it; Qui Benedictus in ſua juſtitia maledictus ob delicta noſtra, ſaid Auſtin.
Whether it were not againſt juſtices that an innocent perſon ſhould ſuffer for the nocent,Queſt. Now before I make Application of this unto our ſelves, there is one queſtion concerning all theſe ſufferings of Chriſt, whether it were not againſt the juſtice of God, that Chriſt who was in himſelf innocent (without all ſin, a Lamb without ſpot) ſhould bear and endure all theſe puniſhments for us who were the offending, and guilty, and obnoxious perſons only.
Anſwered. Sol. The Socinians are very eager in this, who cannot ſee any ſatisfaction performed by Chriſt for us to God, nor yet any juſt proceeding in God, that Chriſt ſo innocent in himſelf ſhould thus bear our puniſhments.
But truely ſetting aſide the fooliſh Tragedie of their exclamations, the matter in queſtion will be but this, Whether God were not unjuſt to give his Son Jeſus Chriſt to be our Surety, and Mediatour, and Redeemer, and Saviour? For as much as Chriſt could not be any one of theſe, for and unto us, but by a willing ſuſception of our ſins, upon himſelf, to be for them reſponſible unto the juſtice of God, in ſuffering thoſe puniſhments which were due for our ſins.
Object. And whereas they do object that God might have freely pardoned all our offences and puniſhments without any of theſe ſufferings of Chriſt; I anſwer, This is no more but to quarrel with the love and wiſdom of God in giving Chriſt to be a Mediatour for us; and to teach God a better way to ſave ſinners, than he himſelf hath deviſed and declared, who will ſo ſave ſinners by his Son as Mediatour, that both in his juſtice againſt our ſins, and in his mercy unto our ſouls, his own glory may be admired and magnified.
But now to ſpeak a few words unto the main queſtion, I ſay it is not alwayes and in all caſes unjuſt, but it is ſometimes, and in ſome caſes very juſt to puniſh one who is in himſelf innocent, for him, or thoſe who are the nocent and guilty: The innocent may be puniſhed for the nocent.Grotius in his Book de ſatisfactione gives divers inſtances, but I ſhall inſiſt only on two; as
1. In caſe of conjunction, where the innocent party, and the nocent party do become legally one party: and therefore if a man marries a woman indebted, he In caſe of conjunction.thereupon becomes obnoxious to pay her debts, although abſolutely conſidered he was not obnoxious thereunto.
2. In caſe of vadimony or Suretiſhip, where a perſon knowing the weak and inſufficient condition of another, doth yet voluntarily put forth himſelf, and will In caſe of Suretiſhip.be bound to the Creditor for him as his ſurety to anſwer for him; by reaſon of which ſuretiſhip the Creditor may come upon him, and deale with him as he might have dealt with the principal Debt or himſelf: And this courſe we do ordinarily take with Sureties for the recovery of our right without any violation of juſtice: Now both theſe are exactly appliable to the buſineſs in hand; for Jeſus Chriſt was pleaſed to marry our nature unto himſelf; he did partake of our fleſh and blood, and became Man and one with us: And beſides that, he did both by the will of his Father, and his own free conſent become our Surety, and was content to ſtand in our ſtead or room, ſo as to be made ſin and curſe for us (that is) to have all our debts and ſorrows, all our ſins and puniſhments laid upon him, and did engage himſelf to ſatisfie God by bearing and ſuffering what we ſhould have born and ſuffered: And therefore although Jeſus Chriſt (abſolutely conſidered in himſelf) was innocent, and had no ſin inherent in himſelf, which therefore might make him lyable to death, and wrath, and curſe, yet by becoming one with us, and ſuſtaining the Office of our Surety, our ſins were laid on him, and our ſins being laid upon him, he made himſelf (therefore) obnoxious (and that juſtly) to all thoſe puniſhments which he did ſuffer for our ſins. I do confeſs that had Chriſt been unwilling, and forced into this Suretiſhip, or had any detriment or prejudice riſen to any party concerned in this tranſaction, then ſome complaint might have been made concerning the juſtice of God. But,
1. There was a willingneſs on all ſides for the paſſive work of Christ: His Father There was willingneſs on all ſides for this Paſſive work of Chriſt.(who was the offended party) he was willing, which Chriſt aſſures us of, when he ſaid (thy will be done) and we ſinners (who are the offending party) are willing, we accept of this gracious and wonderful Redemption, and bleſs God who loved us, and gave his Son for us! and Jeſus Chriſt was willing to ſuffer for us: Behold I am come, ſaid Chriſt: And ſhall I not drink of the cup which my Father hath given me? I have a Baptiſme to be baptized with: and how am I ſtraitned till it be accompliſhed!
2. No parties whatſoever were prejudiced or loſt by it: We loſt nothing by it, for we are ſaved by his death, and reconciled by his death: And Chriſt loſt No parties were prejudiced or loſt by it.nothing by it. Ought not Chriſt to have ſuffered theſe things, and enter into his glory? Luke 24. 26. And God the Father loſt nothing by it, for he is glorified by it; I have glorified thee on earth, I have finiſhed the work which thou gaveſt me to do, Joh. 17. 4. Yea he is fully ſatisfied and repaired again in all the honour which he loſt by our ſinning; I ſay he is now fully repaired again by the ſufferings of Chriſt, in which he found a price ſufficient, and a ranſome, and enough to make peace.
I will now make ſome uſeful Application of all this unto our ſelves.
Ʋſe. 1 Did Jeſus ſuffer this (as you have heard) and could he not be our Mediatour; could he not have made Peace, unleſſe he had thus ſuffered? Then
Behold the juſtice of God provoked by our ſins, how ſure it is, and how dreadful Behold the juſtice of God.it is!
1. It is ſure. God is righteous, and God hath revealed his wrath from heaven How ſure it is.againſt all ungodlineſs, and unrighteouſneſſe of men, Rom. 1. 18. He ſaid unto Ad…m, In the day that thou eateſt thereof, thou ſhalt ſurely dye, Gen. 2. 17. and he hath ſaid, Curſed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them, Gal. 3. 10. Now whatſoever death, or wrath, or curſe God hath threatned againſt ſin, God will certainly inflict it one time or other, he will do ſo: Although for a time he may forbear the ſinner, yet in his appointed time he will be avenged on the ſinner: His threatned wrath will be poured forth, his juſtice will never put up the diſhonour, and the provocations, and the injuries which we by our ſins have offered unto it: Our ſins muſt and ſhall be puniſhed (and we ſhall not eſcape) either in our own perſons muſt we ſuffer for them, or elſe they muſt be ſuſtained in the Perſon of a Mediatour; death, and wrath, and curſe are ſo neceſſarily entailed on ſin, that God will as ſoon ceaſe to be a juſt God, as he will alter the inflictings of them; hence it was that Jeſus Chriſt was made Man, and did ſuffer; for juſtice would not be ſatisfied without either our own ſuffering of an eternal duration, or Chriſts ſufferings which were of an eternal worth for ſatisfaction.
2. It is dreadful; the very glancings of it, or ſhadows into which the godly How dreadfull it is.ſometimes fall, do extreamly aſtoniſh them; and the vials of it poured on the conſciences of the ungodly, do infinitely diſtract and ſink them: but above all the effectual influence which we finde of it on Chriſt himſelf, that is a plain demonſtration of the dreadfulneſs of the wrath of God: Queſtionleſs the weight of it is unexpreſſibly heavy, which made the very Son of God (though ſupported with his Deity) to fall flat on the earth, to ſweat drops of blood, to be amazed, to be in an agony, and to fear, and to cry out, My God, my God, &c.
When we Miniſters preach againſt your ſins, and tell you of the ſeverity of Gods juſtice and wrath which will befall you for them, you make light of them, but you will finde (one day) that it is a fearful thing to fal into the hands of the living God, and that God is a conſuming fire, and that none is able to dwell with everlaſting burnings. Why! If the wrath of his juſtice, if the drinking of that cup were ſo amaſing and ſinking unto Chriſt himſelf; what will it be to ſinners themſelves who are utterly deſerving of the utmoſt of that wrath, and who are utterly deſtitute of ſuch a power to ſuſtain them, and deliver them as Chriſt had!
2. Behold your ſins, what they will bring upon you, if you get not your part Behold your ſins, what they will bring upon you without a part in Chriſt.in Chriſt. We weep ſometimes with a natural kind of ſorrow when we read or hear of the grievous paſſions of Chriſt, and I am perſwaded that ſome of us Admire at what this day we have heard of the ſeveral ſorts of the ſufferings of Chriſt. Well! but then let me tell you, what Chriſt did ſuffer, you ſhould have ſuffered! and what Chriſt did ſuffer, all that you ſhall ſuffer if you believe not on him. Chriſt was amazed, and ſo ſhall you; and Chriſt was afraid, and ſo ſhall you; and Chriſt was in an agony, and ſo ſhall you; and Chriſt did drink the cup of his Fathers wrath, ſo ſhall you; and Chriſt was made a curſe, and ſo ſhall you.
Indeed, a repenting and believing perſon may look upon the ſufferings of Chriſt with joy and hope; but an impenitent and unbelieving perſon muſt look upon them with confuſion and horror: The more he ſees of Chriſt ſorrows, and the ſharper he findes Chriſts ſorrows, the more perplexed may his ſoule be: For what puniſhments Chriſt did ſuffer for ſin, as to the ſubſtance, that ſame muſt the impenitent and unbelieving perſon ſuffer, as to the ſubſtance, yea and as to the circumſtance of puniſhment. Chriſt ſuffered death, and thou ſhalt ſuffer eternal death; Chriſt ſuffered ſhame, and thou ſhalt ſuffer eternal ſhame; Chriſt ſuffered wrath for a time, but thou ſhalt ſuffer wrath for ever, and fear for ever, and ſeparation from God for ever, and the torments of hell for ever.
3. Behold your Chriſt! Pilate ſaid, Behold the man, when Chriſt was brought in with his Crown of Thornes. But I ſay, behold your Chriſt, look on him who Behold your Chriſt.was crucified for you, and look on him who was crucified by you.
There is a four-fold ſight of Chriſt.
1. One in Carne, when he came into the world.
2. A ſecond in Cruce, when he was leaving the world.
3. A third in Caelo, when he ſhall receive us unto himſelf out of the world.
4. A fourth in Judicio, when he ſhall tome to judge the world: But the ſight which I would deſire you to behold, is Chriſt on the Croſs, Chriſt ſuffering and dying for you. O look on this Chriſt awhile as deſpiſed of men, as forſaken of God, as ſorrowful to the death, as wounded for our traſgreſſions, as drinking the cup of his Fathers wrath, as crying out, as dying the curſed death of the Croſs, as made a curſe for us: I ſay, behold your Chriſt in theſe ſufferings, ſo long, untill
1. You ſee his infinite love to your ſoules: thus ſuffering in your ſtead, thus ſuffering what you ſhould have ſuffered; and thus ſuffering that you might not ſuffer.
2. Your hearts be melted into tears for your ſins, which were the cauſe of all thoſe ſufferings by Chriſt: Look on him whom you have pierced, and mourn. Let your eyes weep for your making Chriſt to weep; let your hearts be wounded for wounding Chriſt; let your ſoules be humbled for making Chriſt to poure out his ſoule.
3. Your hearts can love this Christ who loved you, and gave himſelf for you, and waſhed you from your ſins, in his own blood.
4. Your hearts can hate your ſins, which made Chriſt a curſe or execration; and untill you forſake your ſins which made Chriſt to be forſaken (for a time) of God; untill you crucifie thoſe ſins which did crucifie your Chriſt.
Beloved! The more that Chriſt hath ſuffered for us, the dearer ſhould Chriſt be unto us; his love ſhould be unto us therefore the more ſweet, by how much the more bitter his ſufferings were for us: And our ſins ſhould therefore be the more odious unto our hearts, becauſe they were ſo grievous unto Chriſt: The Apoſtle tells us in 1 Pet. 4. That becauſe Chriſt hath ſuffered in the fleſh, we ſhould therefore ceaſe from ſin; and Chap. 2. 24. That he bare our ſins in his own body on the tree, that we being dead to ſin, ſhould live unto righteouſneſſe. And therefore we ſhould purge the old leaven (that is) our ſinful luſts, becauſe Chriſt our Paſſeover is ſacrificed for us, 1 Cor. 5. 7.
Ʋſe. 2 Hath Jeſus Chriſt as our Surety and Mediatour, done and ſuffered ſo much for us? what comfort, what ſupport may this be for all diſtreſſed, penitent, and believing Comfort for diſtreſſed, penitent, and believing perſons.perſons!
Luther profeſſeth that this is that Ineffabilis & infinita miſericordia Dei, that Abyſſus profundiſſima, & zelus ardentiſſimus divinae miſericordiae towards us: That the Omnipotent God Creatour of all things, ſhould be ſo good and ſolicitous for me a loſt ſinner, a child of wrath, and eternal death, as not to ſpare his own Son, but give him up to a moſt ignominious death, that he ſhould be made for me (a curſed ſinner) ſin and curſe, &c. and therefore he urgeth us not to reſt ſatisfied with believing only that Chriſt is puriſſima Perſona (though he be ſo) and then know that he is God and Man; yet ſtay not there; for yet thou haſt not Chriſt; but then verè habes cùm credis hanc puriſſimam perſonam tibi donatam à patre, ut eſſet pontifex & ſalvator, imo Servus Tuus, who took on him thy ſinful perſon, and bare thy ſinne, and death, and Croſſe, and was made a Sacrifice and curſe for thee.
Object. But you will ſay, Where lies the ſtay and comfort of Chriſts ſufferings for us?
Sol. In this it lies; Then you are freed, then you ſhall never ſuffer in a way of Then you are freed from ſuffering in ſatiſfaction to Divine juſtice.ſatisfaction to Divine Justice; you ſhall never bear wrath, nor curſe for your ſins! And the reaſon is, becauſe Chriſt hath ſuffered already thoſe things due unto you for your ſins.
Object. O but did Chriſt ſuffer that which was due for all my ſins!
Sol. Yes, He ſuffered all, even to the worſt and utmoſt for all that the Law threatned was a curſe, and Chriſt was made a curſe for us.
Object. But did he not owe ſomething for himſelf, and ſuffered for that!
Sol. Surely no, for he knew no ſinne (of his own) but was made ſinne for us.
Object. O but what if he ſuffered all, may I not yet be made to ſuffer!
Sol. No; for what Chriſt ſuffered, he ſuffered as our Surety in our ſtead; and therefore what he ſuffered for us, is as if we had ſuffered all that our ſelves.
Object. But did he verily intend our good in all theſe ſufferings?
Sol. Ask the Apoſtle in 2 Cor. 5. 22. He was made ſin for us, that we might be made the righteouſneſs of God in him. And Gal. 3. 13. He was made a curſe for us to redeem us from the curſe of the Law.
Object. But did God appoint him thus to ſuffer?
Sol. He did ſo, Rom. 3. 25. Whom God hath ſet forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, and 1 Cor. 1. 30. He is of God made unto us Wiſdom, Righteouſneſs, Sanctification, and Redemption.
Object. But did his ſufferings appeaſe God, and ſatisfie him, and reconcile him?
Sol. It did ſo; For God was in Chriſt reconciling the world to himſelf, 2 Cor. 5. 19. not imputing their treſpaſſes unto them: And Epheſ. 2. 16. He hath reconciled both (Jews and Gentiles) unto God in one body on the Croſs, having ſlaine enmity thereby.
Why! what a ſumme of comfor…s are here? Jeſus Chriſt took upon him all our ſins, they were all of them laid upon him: And he bare or ſuffered all the wrath and puniſhment due for them. And he ſuffered all as our Surety in our ſtead, and for our good; and his Father deſigned him for all this, and accepted of it, as ſufficient and effectual on our behalf.
Ʋſe. 3 Did Jeſus Chriſt as Mediatour thus do and ſuffer for us? Then let believers in all their fears and conflicts, Remember the ſufferings of Chriſt, and cleave to the ſufferings Remember the ſufferings of Chriſt in all fears and conflicts.of Chriſt, and plead the ſufferings of Chriſt, and by faith offer up unto God all the ſufferings of Chriſt for their ſoules: This is Luthers direction, Diſcamus in omni tentatione, peccatum, mortem, maledictionem & omnia mala quae premunt nos, à nobis transferre in Christum: Let us learn in every tentation which preſſeth us, (whether it be ſin, or death, or curſe, or any other evil) to tranſlate it from our ſelves to Chriſt: And all the good in Chriſt let us learn to tranſlate it from Chriſt unto our ſelves: Do your ſins terrifie you? then remember Chriſt bare your ſins in his body for you: Doth death appear deadly unto you? then remember that Chriſt dyed for you, and his death did ſwallow up death in victory: Doth the curſe threatned in the Law kill you? then remember that Chriſt Redeemed us from the curſe of the Law, being made a curſe for us! Doth the wrath of God amaze you? then remember that Chriſt ſuffered that wrath, that he might ſave and deliver us from wrath? Do deſertions lie upon you? then remember that Chriſt was forſaken that we might not be forſaken in judgement. …om. 8. 33. Who ſhall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect? it is God that juſtifieth. 34. Who is he that condemneth? It is Chriſt that dyed? Do the fears of hell and damnation duplicate page duplicate page lie upon you? remember the ſufferings of Chriſt, who in them did deliver us from the power of darkneſs, ſo that there is no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt. This is your ſure and only way under all temptations, and fears, and conflicts, and doubts, and diſputes by faith to remember Chriſt, and the ſufferings of Chriſt as your Mediatour and Surety! Tu Chriſte! & peccatum & maledictum meum, or rather Ego ſum peccatum tuum, maledictum tuum, mors tua, ira Dei Tua, infernus tuus! And thou, O Chriſt! Tu es juſtitia, benedictio, vita, gratia Dei, caelum meum. O Chriſt! Thou art my ſin, in being made ſin for me! and thou art my curſe, in being made a curſe for me! Or rather, I am thy ſinne, and thou art my Righteouſneſſe; I am thy curſe, and thou art my Bleſſing; I am thy death, and thou art my Life; I am the wrath of God to thee, and thou art the love of God to me; I am thy hell, and thou art my Heaven!
Why ſirs! Let me tell you, that your hearts will ſink into deſpaire, if you think of God, and of your ſins, without thinking on Chriſt: If you think of your ſins, and of Gods wrath, if you think of your guiltineſſe, and of Gods juſtice, your hearts will faile you; for you can never bear that wrath of God, and you can never ſatisfie that juſtice of God: you do not only take Chriſts Office of Mediatourſhip out of his hand, nor only deny and renounce him for your Surety; but now you draw your ſelves from all helps, and hope, in expoſing your poor ſoules to ſtand at the Bar and Tribunal of Gods Juſtice alone, and you take all your ſins upon your ſelves, and all the puniſhment of your ſins upon your ſelves, and ſo you your ſelves muſt be either a ſacrifice for them, which is impoſſible, or you muſt be damned for them, which is certain, but yet intolerable: Therefore come off from your ſelves, and look up by faith unto that Mediatour whom God hath appointed for you, and who hath done and ſuffered all for you, and in his Name, and upon his Account plead with God to pardon your ſins, to excuſe you from wrath and curſe, becauſe Jeſus Chriſt hath ſuffered theſe for you! This you may plead becauſe Chriſt is yours, and you are his; and what he did he did for you, and what he ſuffered he ſuffered for you. If any man ſin, we have an Advocate with the Father, even Jeſus Chriſt the Righteous; who is the propitiation for our ſins, and he was made ſin for us, and he did ſhed his blood for the Remiſſion of our ſins, &c.