The Great Duty of Self-Resignation to the Divine Will, Section 2 · Chapter 14
CHAP. XIV. That the consideration of Christ crucified is a very effectual means for the crucifying of the old man.
XIV. NInthly, Let thy mind dwell much upon the meditation of Christ crucified. Bring thy Self-will and inordinate affections to Mount Calvary, and there nail them to the Cross of Christ. As Christ blotted out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against us, and contrary to us, viz. the Jewish Law, the Mosaical Rites, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his Cross; so should a Christian do with the law in his members, or the law of sin and death. The nailing it to the Cross of Christ is a most effectual means to take it out of the way.
The Cross of Christ, I say, is a proper instrument for the crucifying the old man, and the body of sin, and the consideration of Christ crucified a powerful Engine, mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds, to the beating down of all those fortifications sin hath raised in the Soul, all imaginations, all carnal reasonings and affections, every high thing that would exalt it self against the knowledge of God, and the obedience of Christ.
St. Paul speaks his own experience of the success he found in the serious consideration of Christ crucified; Gal. vi. 14. God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Iesus Christ, whereby the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. That is, the vanities and hurtful allurements of the world, whether they be those of its riches, honours or pleasures, are become liveless and untempting to me, have no energy or force to perswade me to an eager pursuit or fond embracement of them; I am so little affected towards them, so mortified to them, as to place no part of my happiness in such things.
Now then the meditation on Christ crucified is a means greatly available to the subduing our Self-will, and irregular appetites, in that
1. His dying on the Cross, as the Scripture declares that it was to make atonement and expiation for sin, so it affirms that it was also designed to root out and destroy it. This is asserted in many Texts.
Particularly in 1 Pet. ii. 24. Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we being dead to sin, should live unto righteousness, by whose stripes ye were healed.
2 Cor. v. 14, 15. For the Love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge: that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live to themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
1 Pet. i. 18, 19. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation, &c. but with the precious bloud of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
Gal. i. 4. Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father.
Titus ii. 14. Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purifie to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Rom. viii. 3, 4. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit.
2. Christ's dying on the Cross was designed to be an exemplary pattern of our crucifying the body of sin. As his Resurrection is a figure of the Spiritual Resurrection of Christians, their rising up to a life holy, heavenly and divine, so his Death on the Cross is a figure and representation of that Spiritual Death that is to pass upon the old man.
And because this is a necessary important truth, as well as pertinent to the point in hand, I shall observe three passages of Scripture to this purpose, and a little discant upon them.
First, that in 1 Pet. iv. 1. For asmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm your selves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin.
The suffering in the flesh which the Apostle here tells us we are to imitate our Saviour in, is not to be meerly understood of suffering afflictions in the body, but of resembling the suffering and dying of Christ, in dying unto sin. This appears from what next follows, he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin. Some Greek Copies leave out the Particle foreign, and read foreign he that hath suffered or died to the flesh: the same with that phrase, Rom. vi. 2. dead to sin. He that hath suffered or died to the flesh, or he that hath suffered pain and smart in the flesh, in the mortifying of his sinful life, and the deeds of the body, hath ceased from sin, as he that is dead ceaseth from the actions that belong to the natural life.
This also appears from Ver. 2. That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh, to the lusts of men, but to the will of God; not live any longer in the gratification of those fleshly appetites that captivate and inslave the greater part of mankind; but on the contrary live a life of entire obedience and conformity to the Will of God.
A second passage to the like purpose is that in Philippians iii. 10. That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death: Which last words are a key to the foregoing; and this conformity to the death of Christ implies that it hath in it something of Pattern and exemplary Consideration, to be spiritually resembled and imitated by a Christian.
There is a knowing of the power of Christ's Resurrection and Sufferings without us, as they refer to God the Father, in purchasing his favour, procuring the Pardon of our sins, and Reconciliation with him: For Christ was delivered (to death) for our offences, and rose again for our justification, Rom. iv. 5. And besides there is the knowing of the power of Christ's Death and Resurrection within us, there is something to be done and transacted in us that is answerable and bears conformity thereunto. There is a foreign, a partaking of his Sufferings in a spiritual sense; when we are enabled by the power of God to suffer the pain and agonies that accompany the crucifying of the flesh or body of sin, and to die unto sin as he died for it. And there is a partaking of Christ's Resurrection in a spiritual sense, when we are enabled to rise to a new and heavenly life, when we seek, and savour, those things which are above, where Christ sits at the right hand of God, Col. iii. 1.
This is that excellent knowledge of Christ for which the Apostle counted all things but loss and dung, ver. 8. Had he rested in a mere speculative, historical knowledge of the Death and Resurrection of Christ without him, and been impatient of the energy and power of both within him, had he not so known Christ dying and raised again to life, as to be spiritually crucified with him, and to rise with him to newness of life; such a knowledge would not have availed him in the end.
The third passage is that in Rom. vi. 4, 5, 6. Like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life: For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.
By this likeness of Christ's Death, and likeness of his Resurrection, it appears that there is a lively resemblance of both which a Christian is obliged to endeavour after. Then it follows: Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
3. The Death and Sufferings of Christ are very powerful to engage and enable us to the great duties of crucifying worldly lusts, and mortifying corrupt affections, as they are effectual to work in us the most heart-bleeding sorrow for sin, the most vehement hatred and detestation of it, and to raise the soul to the greatest degrees of love and ingenuous gratitude.
1. To work in us the most heart-bleeding sorrow for sin. Who can seriously consider Christ crucified, Christ bleeding on the Cross, bleeding from the sixth to the ninth hour, (from our twelve a Clock to three) his bleeding Head, crowned with sharp thorns, his bleeding Hands and Feet, and Side; I say, who can consider this and not bleed within? Who can look upon him that was pierced, and not be inwardly pierced himself, not be prickt to the heart, as they are said to be Acts ii. 37. at the preaching of Christ crucified.
And when we consider that he was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities, or (as the words are rendred by some) of our transgressions and iniquities: When we consider that we have crucified the Lord of Life and Glory, that our sins nailed him to the Cross, wounded him to the heart, and put him to all the grief and pain he underwent, how can it be that our hearts should not be wounded within us? How can we forbear to express our sorrow for sin in some such words as those of Ieremiah, My bowels, my bowels, I am pained at the very heart: O that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears!
And can we consider his Agony in the Garden, the exceeding sorrowfulness of his Soul, his extream heaviness and sore amazement, his strong crying and tears, and his sweating great drops of bloud, and not be melted into holy mournings and relentings for our sins, and for all our unkind and unworthy behaviour towards Christ, who thus suffered for us?
How hard is that heart, which the so great and dolorous sufferings of our Saviour cannot melt and dissolve!
At the Passion of Christ (besides other Prodigies) it is said the rocks rent; and are our hearts harder than rocks, not to be affected with remorse at the consideration of Christ crucified?
Omnis creatura Christo morienti compatitur; sol obscuratur, terra movetur, petrae scinduntur, velum Templi dividitur, sepulchra aperiuntur: Solus homo non compatitur, pro quo solo Christus moritur.It is Saint Hierom's observation: When Christ died, all creatures were his fellow-sufferers; the sun was eclipsed, the earth shook, the rocks were cleft in sunder, the veil of the Temple was rent in twain, the graves opened: Man alone, for whom onelyonly Christ died, suffered not with him.
Certainly, if the consideration of our Saviour's Sufferings for our sakes cannot prevail to melt our hearts into an holy sorrow for our sins, nothing will ever do it.
And if it hath such a peculiar and soveraign efficacy to work an heart-bleeding sorrow for Sin, it will consequently be very effectual to the disengaging us from it, to the taking us off from all those vanities and lusts which were formerly most dear and pleasing to us.
If we are grieved at the heart for our Self-will, Self-love, and manifold disobediences, we will not continue to make provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof.
2. The Death and Sufferings of Christ are effectual to work in us the most vehement hatred and detestation of Sin. It appears from thence how hateful and abominable a thing Sin is to God, who is original Rectitude and infinite Purity. For how could he demonstrate a greater antipathy and displeasure against Sin, than in being pleased to bruise and put to grief the Son of his love, and to give up the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person to inexpressible dolours to the end he might make expiation for it.
If Sin were a sleight inconsiderable thing, if it were not a thing of a most odious and vile nature, a high injury to God, and of sad and dismal consequence to man, he would not have required such a Sacrifice for it.
This consideration must needs be most forceable to the working in us detestation of Sin, whatsoever grace and favour it hath found in our eyes. Suppose we our selves to have seen Christ in the last Scene of his Sufferings, and to have accompanied him from the Garden of Gethsemene, where he was in his Agony, and sweat drops of bloud, to the High Priests house, thence to the Judgment Hall before Pilate, thence to Mount Calvary, in which places he was reproached, spit upon the face, scourged, and at last nailed alive to the Cross: And suppose him speaking to us, as in another sence Pilate spake of him, Behold your King; Behold your Lord and Saviour: See the wounds which your Sins have given me; See how they have torn my flesh, and despitefully used me: But the unseen wounds, the inward sorrows of my Soul are such, as the heart of man cannot conceive, as neither hath the eye seen, nor the ear heard what may compare to them. Thus have your lusts dealt with me, and in all this see their cruelty. If we had, I say, beheld our blessed Lord in his direful Sufferings, and heard him thus expressing himself to us, do we think we could still cherish and entertain, hug and embrace those Enemies of his which have put him to all this shame and torment?
But if we have an inward knowledge and feeling of Christ crucified, it will most undoubtedly inflame us into a just indignation against those Lusts which suckt the Life-bloud of Christ, which slew and crucified the Lord of Glory. We shall say concerning them, what the Iews cried concerning him, Away with them, away with them, they are not worthy to live: Let these murderers of the just one die the death, but let Iesus live, and let the Life of Christ be manifested in us. How can that be longer sweet to me, which made Christ's Cup so exceeding bitter? How can I delight in that which made his Soul sorrowful unto death? How shall that be my pleasure, which was his pain, and put him to grief, such grief, that there was no sorrow like unto his sorrow? How should I glory in that, which put him to such an open shame?
3. The Death and Sufferings of Christ are powerful to raise the Soul to the greatest degrees of Love and Gratitude. We have already shewn that there never was a Love like the Love of Christ, comparable to that Love he exprest in giving himself an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for us.
Now, not to part with our Lusts for him, who parted with Life it self for us, not to put our selves to some smart and pain in crucifying the Lusts of the Flesh, in denying our Self-will, and taking up the Cross and following him, who hath, to amazement denied himself, and taken upon him the greatest of Sufferings for our sakes; this would be an instance of the unworthiest and vilest ingratitude, and the greatest unkindness imaginable done to Christ. This will be more grievous to him, than all his Sufferings from the Iews and Romans, it being a frustration and disappointment of him in the great design, which we shewed, he had in submitting to those Sufferings.
But a Soul truly sensible of the Love of Christ in giving himself for us, can think nothing too dear and precious to part with for him, cannot look upon his Commands of Self-denial and Self-Resignation as grievous and unsufferable.
I will adde, that the particular circumstances of Christ's last Sufferings have a special force to the enabling a Christian against such and such particular sins, as prevail most among men, and which are the fruitfullest sprouts and branches that grow out of that cursed stock of Self-will: As,
1. Self-esteem: An over-dear valuing a man's self, his fame and regard in the world; a seeking the praise and respects of men, and being disturbed at their disrespects.
Now of how great efficacy must it needs be to the subduing this corruption to consider him who endured such contradictions of sinners against himself, and how he was exercised with all manner of scorns and derisions, all sorts or abuses, reproaches, injuries, and indignities, that the wit and malice of his enemies could devise, to render him base and despicable before men.
He was called a blasphemer, a deceiver, an enemy to Caesar, (or traiterous person) a seditious stirrer up of the people, and all this about the time of his last Passion; as before he was called a Samaritan, (or Heretick) and Beelzebub.
And as an expression of their contempt, they spit upon his Face, that sacred Face which the glorious Angels delighted to look upon, which Abraham and many Kings and Prophets, and righteous persons did desire to see. What indignity like to this! Then they smote him on the Face, adding father contempt accompanied with pain, to the disgrace of having his Face besmeared with their filthy spittle. And withall they covered his Face, saying, Prophesie unto us, thou Christ, who it is that smote thee.
Thus contumeliously did they use the Anointed of the Lord; and as in the last passage they mockt at his Prophetical, so did they afterwards at his Kingly Office; putting on him a gorgeous Robe, platting Thorns into the form of a Crown, and putting it on his head, and a Reed for a Sceptre into his hand, and then bowing the knee before him, saying, Hail King of the Iews.
These are some few instances of the many dishonours and disgraceful indignities done unto him.—I might adde that the kind of Death he suffered was as ignominious as painful, the death of slaves and vile offenders; and to adde to the disgrace, they crucifie him between two Thieves.
Yea, even when he was bleeding upon the Cross they would not forbear to deride and revile him, expressing their scorn both in words was gestures. Nor were they that did thus, the foreign, the rude rabble onelyonly, but the chief Priests, Scribes and Elders.
Now consider this, O Christian, how it fared with Christ thy great Lord and Master, what affronts, what dishonours and reproaches he endured, and how unconcernedly and undisturbedly he bare them, how he despised the shame, how little he cared either for the applause or contempt of the world, how he chose rather to be reputed and dealt with as the most abject and basest of men, than to be glorious in the world, and to shine in its vain honours: And will not this prevail with thee to set thy self against thy Pride and Self-esteem? Surely it is not possible that thou, who art infinitely beneath thy blessed Saviour, shouldest set a high value on thy self, and affect the praises of men, or be greatly concerned at the contemptuous behaviour and affronts of the world, when thou seriously considerest how Christ was used, reproached, contemned and despised, and with what calmness and sedateness of spirit he bore it. The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his Lord, Matth. x. 24. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his Lord, ver. 25.
2. As for that lust of Self-pleasing, the love of ease and pleasure, an averseness to endure hardships, a studious care to gratifie the cravings of our fleshly appetites, is there not enough in the consideration of Christ crucified to cure also this distemper of the Soul? Did not Christ out of dear compassion towards men leave his Fathers house, where was all fulness and all joy, and humbled himself to become man, and took upon him the form of a servant? He endured cold and heat, hunger and thirst, wearisome labours, long fastings, and faintness, he bare our griefs, and carried our sorrows, and (as hath been shewn) endured inexpressibly worse griefs and sorrows than any of ours.
Now how can we consider this, and be any longer dearly affected to our Carkasses, sollicitous for the pleasing of our appetites, and pampering our Bodies, curious about Meats and Drinks, and studious for that which is most delicious and grateful to the flesh? And as for the impure pleasures of the world, no consideration can be more powerful to extinguish in us all desires to them, than that of *Cum me pulsat turpis aliqua cogitatio, recurro ad vulnera Christi, & sanabor.Christ upon the Cross.
3. Revenge and Hatred: Who can harbour these Lusts in his Soul that considers that Christ laid down his life for his enemies? And that almost the last words he spake on the Cross, amidst that shame and torment they put him to, were a prayer for them: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do, Luke xxiii. 34.
4. Covetousness, or the Love of Money: Who that considers, that though Christ was rich, yet he became poor, that we through his poverty might be rich; and that it was this lust that betrayed the Lord of Life to his merciless enemies, can find it difficult to mortifie and subdue his inclinations to it?
To conclude this: To the serious Christian the word of the Cross of Christ is sharper than any two-edged sword, to the destroying all our evil and corrupt affections.
But I fear that it is not considered, as it ought, by most of us. Christians generally consider the Sufferings of Christ onelyonly as they were designed to expiate sin, and in reference to what he hath done for them without them, not to the extirpation of sin, not to the crucifying the flesh with the affections and lusts: And hence it is that their consideration thereof is no more available to this great end.