Christ Crucified, Sermon 25
SERMON XXV.
ISAIAH LIII.VI.
Verſ. 6. All we like ſheep have gone aſtray, we have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
YE have in the Former Verſes ſomewhat of our Lord's ſuffering, and of his ſuffering for ſinners, that he was wounded and bruiſed, &c. In this Verſe the Prophet proceeds to clear how this came to paſs, that Chriſt Jeſus was made to ſuffer for the Elect, the Seed that God had given him; which he doth by laying down the Occaſion and Fountain-cauſe whence it proceeded, 1. The Occaſion of it in theſe words, All we like ſheep have gone aſtray; All the Elect, as well as others, had wandered, and every one of us had turned to our own way; We had denuded our ſelves of all right and title to eternal life, and had made our ſelves liable to Gods curſe and wrath through our ſinning. 2. The Fountain-cauſe is, The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all; When we had all ſtrayed Jehovah took our Lord Jeſus, as the Sacrifices under the Law were taken, and put him in our room, and laid on him the puniſhment due to us for our ſins, and actually purſued him for our debt.
So the words are an anſwer to that queſtion, How comes it to paſs that our Lord Jeſus ſuffered thus for ſinners? It's anſwered, The Elect had made themſelves lyable to the wrath and curſe of God, through their ſtraying; and to keep them from that wrath, God deſigned and provided his Son Jeſus Chriſt to be the Redeemer, and according to the Covenant of Redemption laid on him the puniſhment due to them for their iniquities; In a word, their ſin, and God's appointing him to be Cautioner, made him liable to ſatisfie for all their debt.
The firſt part of the words holds out our natural diſeaſe; The 2. part holds out Gods gracious cure and remedy.
In the firſt part we have theſe three, 1. The natural ſtate and condition of all Men and Women, even of the Elect themſelves (who are mainly to be look'd on here) All we have gone aſtray. 2. This is illuſtrat by a ſimilitude, We have gone astray like ſheep. 3. It is amplified, Every one of us hath turned to his own way; Several words being put together to ſet out the deſperat ſinful condition whereinto the Elect as well as others had brought themſelves.
1. Our natural ſtate and condition is ſet down in this word ſtraying; To ſtray, is to wander out of the way, to go wrong, to be be wildered; For God hath ſet a rule to men to walk by in the way to life, the rule and way of holineſs, and whoever walk not in that way, do go aſtray, and wander out of the right way.
2. This is, as I ſaid, illuſtrat by a ſimilitude of ſheep; The comparing of the Elect to ſheep here, is not at all to extenuat the ſinfulneſs of their ſtraying; though ſometimes the innocency of that Creature in ſome other compariſons is inſinuated; But it is to hold out the witleſſneſs, ſpiritual ſillineſs ad bruitiſhneſs of their ſtraying, the Scripture uſually pointing out that Beaſt to be diſpoſed and given to wandering; And both Nature and Experience tells us, that in a Wilderneſs where there is greateſt hazard, they are readieſt to run on the hazard; ſuch is their ſilly, and to ſpeak ſo, fooliſh inclination; Juſt ſo are the Elect by Nature.
3. It's amplified by this, That every one hath turned to his own way; Before, it was collectively ſet down, A…l we have gone aſtray; But now leſt any ſhould exeem himſelf, it is diſtributively ſet down, Every one, even Iſaiah, Jeremiah, and others ſuch, not one excepted: This turning to our own way, holds out two things, 1. It's called our own way, to diſtinguiſh it from Gods way, as it is, Pſal. 81.11. He gave them up to their own hearts luſts, and they walked in their own counſels, That is, in their own inventions, or according to their own will, humour and inclination. 2. While it is ſaid, that every one turns to his own way, it's to ſhew this, that beſide the common way that all ſinners have to turn away from God, diſtinguiſhed from God's way, every ſinner hath his own particular and peculiar way whereby in his way he is diſtinguiſhed from another ſinner; There is but one way to Heaven, but many ways to Hell, and every one hath his different way, ſome have one predominant luſt, ſome another; But they all meet here, that every one turns from God's way, and every one takes a wrong way of his own.
Conſidering the ſcope, we ſhall ſhortly and paſſingly point at two general Obſervations, whereof the 1. is this, that it contributes much for folks conceiving and conſidering of Chriſts ſufferings aright, to be well acquainted with their own ſinful nature and diſpoſition; Men will never look rightly on Chriſts ſufferings, nor ſuitably eſteem of him, nor make him, and the Doctrine that holds him and his ſufferings forth cordially welcome, except they have ſome ſenſe of their ſinful nature and di…poſition; Hence it was that many of the Phariſees and Hypocrites of that time wherein the Lord exerciſed his Miniſtry amongſt the Jews, never welcomed him, nor prized his ſufferings, whereas among the Publicans and Sinners many were brought to get good of him.
Not to inſiſt in the Uſe of this, only in a word, ſee here a main reaſon why Jeſus Chriſt is ſo meanly thought of, and the reſpect of his ſufferings is ſo little welcomed and eſteemed, even becauſe ſo few walk under the due ſenſe of this, that like loſt ſheep they have gone aſtray.
The 2d. general Obſervation from the ſcope, putting both parts of the Verſe together, is this, that we ſhould never look on Chriſt's ſufferings but with reſpect to the Covenant of Redemption, and God's tranſacting with him as our Cautioner; Therefore the laſt part comes in, The Lord hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all: For albeit we know that Chriſt hath ſuffered much, yet, if there be not an eye to, and ſome acquaintance with, the Covenant, the riſe of his ſufferings, and God's hand and end in his ſufferings, it will be to no purpoſe; Therefore when Peter is to ſpeak of his ſufferings, Acts 2.23. He premits theſe words, Him being delivered by the determinat counſel and fore-knowledge of God, and then ſubjoyns his being crucified: Looking on Chriſt's ſufferings with reſpect to the Covenant. 1. It lets us know that Chriſt's ſufferings come not by gueſs, but by the eternal counſel o… God, and by vertue of that tranſaction betwixt the Father and the Son, and this takes away the ſcandal off them, which the Prophet ſets himſelf here to remove. 2. It gives Faith acceſs to make uſe of his ſufferings when we look on him as purpoſely deſigned for this end. 3. It holds out the love of God, Father, Son, and Spirit towards Elect Sinners; That howſoever God looked angry like on the Mediator, as perſonating them, and ſuſtaining their room; yet that Jehovah had the deviſing and deſigning of theſe ſufferings, and that he ſent his Son to ſuffer thus, it holds out wonderful love.
3. And more particularly, from the firſt part of the words, which is the main thing to be marked, Obſerve, That all men, even the Elect themſelves not excepted, are naturally in a moſt ſinful and deſperat ſtate and condition, ſo that if ye would know what they are by Nature, this is a deſcription of their ſtate, All we like ſheep have gone aſtray, and every one hath turned to his own way; And when it's called our own way, there needs no other E…thete to ſet out the deſperatneſs of it; That which I mean is this, that all men are naturally under theſe two, 1. They are under guilt before God, Eph. 2.1, 2. Dead in ſins and treſp ſſes, child…en of wrath, and heirs of condemnation, lyable to the curſe of God by vertue of the Covenant which Adam broke. 2. Which is moſtly aimed at here, there is in every one a ſinful nature, a ſinfulneſs or ſinning ſin, an inclination to ſin, every one hath a ſtraying humour; So that although the ſimilitude of ſheep a…ree not to them in that ſen…e as ſheep are innocent creatures, yet it agrees to them in this ſenſe that they are ſilly fooliſh Creatures; And in this reſpect it is ſaid Gen. 6.8. That all tha imaginations of the thoughts of the heart in man are only evil continually; And Eph. 2.1. They are ſaid to be dead in ſin, not only in reſpect of their being obnoxious to God's curſe, but in reſpect of their natural deadneſs, of their ſinful nature, and want of ſpiritual life; So Rom. 3 9, 10. and forwards, the Apoſtle deſcribes the ſinfulneſs of man's nature at large, not only in reſpect of its guilt, but of its inclination to ſin, and ſays that their throat is an open Sepulchre; Inſinuating thereby that men naturally are like to a Tomb, and that the Corps within the Tomb is death and ſin, and that all that comes from them ſavours of that; Their feet are ſwift to ſhed blood, with their tongues they uſe deceit, &c. Every member and part of the body, and every faculty of the ſoul is bent to that which is evil. Theſe three may further confirm it, 1. If we look in general to what the Scripture ſpeaks of men by nature, Eph. 2.1, 2, 3. Rom. 3, and 5. Chapters; They being as it is, Iſaiah 57. penult, As the raging Sea that casts out dirt and mire continually; It is alwayes moving and working one way or other, and more eſpecially in a ſtorm, ſo that though at one tide ye ſhould ſweep the Shore never ſo clean, it will be as foul and dirty the next Tide that cometh; So are theſe hearts of ours (as Peter ſpeaks, 2 Epiſt. 2. And Jude verſ 13.) foaming out their own ſhame; And James ſaith, Chap. 4.5. The ſpirit that dwells in us luſteth to envy; It hath as great eagerneſs after, and as great delight in ſin, as a Drunkard hath after, and in drink. 2. Experience alſo confirms it, Go thorow all the Men and Women that ever were in the World (our bleſſed Lord Je…us being excepte…, as not deſcending o… Adam by the ordinary way of Generation) and that will be found true which the Apoſtle hath, Rom. 3. There is none that doth good, no not one; And that which is ſpoken, Gen. 6. All fleſh hath corrupted their way; And what is the ſpring of all the a…ominations that are in the World, and the riſe of theſe particular evils that are in believers and Saints mentioned in Scripture, as in David, Peter, and others: But this ſame corrupt nature, this body of death, as it is called. Rom. 7.14. All which ſtrongly prove a fire to be within, when there is ſuch a ſmoak without. 3. We may confirm it from well-grounded reaſon, for it cannot be otherwiſe; If the root be of ſuch a nature, can the branches be otherwayes? Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean thing? No, not one, Job 14.4. When Adam fell the root was corrupted, and the branches cannot be freſh; the fountain was defiled, and the ſtreams cannot be clean and clear: Hence when Adam begot Seth, an Elect in whom the Church was continued, it is ſaid, that he begat a ſon after his own likeneſs, Gen. 5. He himſelf was created after Gods Image, but begat children after his own Image.
Though this be a commonly received Doctrine, yet its not without good reaſon, nor for no uſe inſiſted on ſo much here and in other Scriptures; We ſhall therefore ſpeak a little to theſe four Uſes of it.
The 1. Uſe of it ſerves for Information; and we may make it a looking-glaſs wherein we may ſee clearly our own moſt ſinful ſtate and condition; Would ye know what ye are by nature? This Text tells you that not only all men have ſtrayed, but that each of us, or every one of uc hath turned to his own way; But knowing how ready we are to ſhift the challenge, we would be perſwaded that we are by nature lyable to Gods curſe for Adams ſin, dead in ſin, and inclined to all evil; Sheep are no readier to go the wrong way, and will no more readily ſtray if they want a Shepherd, then we are inclined to do: There is a common word in many of your mouths, that we are all ſinners by nature, but when it's ſearched into, we find that there is much ignorance amongſt you of what it means; many count themſelves to be ſinners, only becauſe of their being guilty of the firſt ſin, and ſo put no difference betwixt the firſt ſin and Original ſin, which is an effect that flows from, and follows upon the firſt ſin; The firſt ſin was Adam's deed, and is legally ours being imputed to us; As it is, Rom. 5. Death reigned over all, even over them that had not ſinned after the ſimilitude of Adam's tranſgreſſion, becauſe Adam in his ſtanding and falling ſtood in our room, repreſenting all mankind that was to come of him; But Original ſin is inherent in us, and cleaveth cloſs to us, and is that which we are born and bred and grow up with; And therefore ye would diſtinguiſh theſe ſins, that ye may know that ye are not only guilty of Adams firſt ſinful deed but that ye hav… a preſent ſinful and corrupt nature, though it be not …lways alike exerciſing and acting it ſelf; Others again look only upon their nature as inclined to evil, and look not on it as that which makes them lyable to wrath by reaſon of the firſt ſin; But ye would put both together, and know that though your ſinfulneſs doth not conſiſt only in an inclination to evil, that yet your ſinfulneſs lyes mainly in that, and that it will not be long a going wrong; And it's not only your actual ſtraying and going wrong that ye would take notice of, but alſo and mainly of your ſinful nature, that inclines, diſpoſes, and ſets you on work to go wrong; It's your filthy corrupt Nature, the Body of Death, the ſmell and ſavour whereof, to ſay ſo, is the kything of ſome actual ſin; We may clear it in a ſimilitude or two; We are by this Original ſin as young Serpents before they can ſting actually, or like Ravenous Birds before they come out of the Neſt, yet we call theſe, Serpents and Ravenous Birds, becauſe they are come of ſuch a kind; In our Swadling-clouts we have the venomous and Ravenous Nature, to wit, Original ſin in us; And in our Actual ſinning we are like Serpents when they come to ſting actually, or like Ravenous Birds when they come to catch the Prey; And our Actual ſin is a fruit of Original ſin: Or take it in this ſame ſimilitude in the Text, there are many Shep that never actually ſtrayed; yet they are called ſtraying witleſs Creatures, becauſe they are inclined to ſtray, and ready to ſtray; Or take it in this ſimilitude, there are ſome diſeaſes that follow ſuch a Houſe and Family, ſome are inclined to a Conſumption, ſome to the Stone, ſome to one diſeaſe, ſome to another, which is from ſome defect of the Body, even ſo it is here, that from a defect of our Nature, infected by Original ſin, that all Actual ſins flow.
The 2d. Uſe is for Conviction and Reproof, and indeed we cannot well tell where we ſhall begin here; However the firſt thing that it reproves is our natural Pride, Though this be the ſinfulneſs of our very Infancy, yet we are ready to look upon our ſelves as ſomething; it's a true ſaying, though much miſapplyed, that Job hath chap. 11.12. Vain man would be wiſe, though man be born as an wild …ſſ…s colt; a Colt hath a wild humour, and …s the moſt witleſs of Creatures, and this ſame is it that is implyed in that ſaying of James 4.5 Do ye think the Scripture ſaith in vain, the ſpirit that is in us luſteth to envy, which ſaith this much, that the moſt part never trow that they have ſuch a ſpirit in them that's enclined to all evil, bent to have God and every thing that is good. 2. I… reproves the great ſecurity that is amongſt the moſt part; It this be a truth that M…n and Women are thus born under the Curſe of God, and enclined to every thing that is evil, born enemies to God and enclined to aggrege & highten the quarrel, how comes it then to paſs that the great part ſleep as ſoundly and ſecurely as if they were in no hazard? If ye were all poſed and put to it, how many of you can give a ſolid proof that ye are reconciled, that your Peace is made, that ye are changed and your nature renewed, and the quarrel betwixt God and you taken away? and yet if we look up and down, ye are generally as ſ…cure and quiet as if ye were born friends with God; There are but few taking with a Conviction, and ſaying within themſelves, Is yonder Doctrine true of me? as if the Scripture had ſpoken in vain whatever it ſpeaks of Original Sin: Ah! ſhall this never be amended? will ye never lay your ſinfulneſs to heart? ſhall ye ſtill think nothing of that which gives the occaſional riſe to the Covenant of Redemption and to Chriſts Satisfaction? all the preaching that ye hear daily if it be not now laid to heart, it ſhall be moſt terrible and dreadful to you one day; and the Peace that ye now have ſhall end in red War and great bitterneſs. 3. It reproves Folks exceeding great unwatchfulneſs and their truſting to their own Nature and following their own Council; the wiſe man ſaith, Prov. 28.26. He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool; Is it not reproof-worthy for a man to be as bruitiſh as the very beaſt that periſheth; as it is Pſal. 49. and yet to be as little watchful and as much truſtful, or to truſt as much to a mans own guiding, as if nothing of a milguiding humour and diſpoſition were in him? we may more then allude to theſe words of our Saviour here, If the blind lead the blind, ſhall not both fall into the ditch? many of you think that ye are inſtructed as Scribes in the way to Heaven, and will be read… to ſay, God forbid we ſhould be ignorant of that, and what have we been doing all our days if we be yet to learn that leſſon? but we will tell you what ye have been doing, ye have even been like ſilly witleſs Sheep ſtraying all your days: And we would the rather ſpeak to this, becauſe it is ſo neceſſary to be known and believed, and yet ſo little known and credited; For, 1. Ye will never be rightly humbled nor make uſe of Jeſus Chriſt, nor walk watchfully and ſoberly; In a word ye will never believe and repent till …e know, be convinced of, and believe this to be your natural Inclination and the ſinfulneſs of your nature: And yet 2. Tho this be ſo neceſſary that the want of it mars the fruit of the Word in you, and Preaching doth but buff on you to ſay ſo; How many are there that are as little ſenſible of it as the very ſtones of the Wall that are before us, or the boards that they lean upon as to their own particular ſtate and condition? I would but aſk you, Is it poſſible that ye could live ſo ſecurely and ſatisfied with your own caſe if ye believed indeed that ye had ſuch a ſinful nature, and that ye were lyable to Gods Wrath and Curſe? or would ye give ſuch way to your natural ſinful humours and inclinations, and ſo contentedly ſlight Jeſus Chriſt and the offers of the Goſpel as many of you do? and yet we ſee amongſt them with whom we converſe, Men and Women not only as ſecure as if they had not ſuch natures, but even belſhing and foaming out their own ſhame: We would have you therefore to be convinced and know, that not only ye are Sinners in the general, but that every one of you is ſuch in particular.
To make it the more clear, I ſhall give you two or three Qualifications that are requiſite to a ſuitable conviction of your ſinfulneſs. 1. It would be particular. 2. It would be ſenſible, ye would not in bare words take with it that ye are Sinners, but ye would ſee and be convinced that in this and this ye have ſinned, and ye would be kindly affected with it. 3. It would be diſtinct, not a gueſſing, but a thing that from the ſeeing and feeling of it ye would be clear in. 4. It would have ſuch i…fluence on the moving of your Aff ctions, and ſuch an inward working on your hearts, as that ye may loath …our nature, and your ſelf becauſe of it: We may ſee all theſe in Paul, Rom. 7. verſ 10. and forward, who, though he was greatly renewed, yet ſaith he, I ſee a law in my members rebelling againſt the law of my mind; he feels and is very ſenſible of that which leads him in captivity, and he crys out, Who ſhall deliver me; &c. his affections are mightily ſtirred with it, What I do I allow not, &c. O miſerable man that I am, &c. If ye believe this to be a truth, and that Paul lived in the faith and feeling of it; then judge if there be not juſt ground to expoſtulate with moſt part of you, as being yet without the faith and feeling of this mo… concerning thing.
The 3…. Uſe of it ſerves wonderfully to ſet forth the glory of the free and rich Grace of God, that all this buſineſs is made and this tranſaction entered into, that Chriſt comes to ſatisfie and doth actually ſatisfie Juſtice for a number of ſuch wretches that had gone aſtray like loſt ſheep; This comes in as he ſcope; we have ſtrayed & done the wrong, but he hath payed the debt, & ſatisfied for the wrong done: and from comparing this v. with the foregoing, we may take theſe five Conſiderations that ſerve to heighten the glory of Gods Grace and Free-love, and to ſhame Believers that are ſo little in wondring at it. 1. Who is ſmitten? his own Son; we ſinned and he was ſmitten, even he who was and is the Fathers fellow, the Sword awakes againſt him and we go free. 2. What did our Lord ſuffer? He was wounded and bruiſed, the chaſtiſement of our peace was on him, he laid on him the iniquity of us all; It was not a complemental or faſhional ſuffering, but he was arraigned before the Tribunal of Juſtice, and did really pay our Debt, and ſatisfie Juſtice for our Sins. 3. Who ex…ct…d this Satisfaction? who did ſmite him? It's the Lord Jehovah, it's the Father; which makes the glory of Grace ſhine the more; It's God the Father whoſe Heart was tender to the Son of his love that ex…cts the full price of him, ſo that as he ſaid of Abraham, By this I know that thou loveſt me, becauſe thou haſt not withheld thy Son, thine only ſon Iſaac from me; we may ſay, by this we know God's love to the Elect, when he hath not withheld nor ſpared his own Son from them, but hath laid on him the iniquities of them all. 4. For whom did he ſmite him? for Sinners, for ſtraying Sheep, for Covenant-breakers, for ſuch as had gone a whoring from God, and were bent to ſin againſt him, I mean the Elect. 5. When was it that he ſuffered for them? even when they were ſtraying, rejecting, deſpiſing, nodding the head at him, ſpitting in his face, and ſaying away with him, even then he is praying and dying for them: Now put all theſe together, that ſuch a price ſhall be exacted of ſuch a Cautioner, and for ſuch Sinners, and at ſuch a time, behold & ſee therein how God commends his love to us, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks Rom. 5.8. In that while we were yet ſinners Christ died for us; when we were in our ſin, not praying to him, nor in capacity to pray or give him thanks for any thing that he did or ſuffered, he then died for us; Is there any thing here but freedom of Grace? and does not this exceeding highly commend the love of God, that he exacts the Debt due by us of his Son, and the wonderful love of the Mediator and Cautioner, that at ſuch a time and for ſuch tranſgreſſions he ſhould pay ſuch a price?
Uſe 4. Seing this was our ſtate that we were Sinners, and that yet herein was the love of God commended, that he laid o… his Son the iniquity of us all, then, is there not good ground to take with Sin and to make uſe of the Remedy, to take with Sin and to cloſe with Chriſt? We might take occaſion here to exhort, 1. To Watchfulneſs, and to walking ſoberly and humbly, from this ground, that we have ſuch a Nature. 2. To exhort every one to Repentance, becauſe by Nature ye are all in ſuch a ſinful ſtate and condition; …t may be ground of exerciſing Repentance even long after your juſtification and peace made with God who are juſtified; with whom it ſhould be as we ſee it was with David. But 3ly. Seing by Nature ye are under God's Wrath and Curſe, and in a ſtate of enmity with him, it mainly ſerves to exhort you to flee unto Jeſus Chriſt and not to reſt till ye g…t the quarrel taken away; It might be in reaſon thought that Folks would be ſoon and eaſily induced to this even to run unto Jeſus Chriſt, and to welcome the Goſpel with good will, for preventing the Curſe and Wrath due to them for ſin, and for ſubduing of this ſinful nature and inclination to ſtray from God and his Way: Therefore ſeing there is a fountain opened to the houſe of David for ſin and for uncleanneſs, ſince there is a ſatisfaction given to Juſtice for removing the guilt of ſin, & ſince the Spirit is purchaſed for mortifying of ſin & making holy; let as many as think that they have gone aſtray and have turned to their own way, as they would not be found ſtill at this diſtance with God, make uſe of Chriſt for making their friendſhip with God; it's the word that Peter uſeth, 1 Pet. 2. ult. All we like ſheep have gone aſtray, but we are now turned unto the ſhepherd and biſhop of our ſouls; hold, O hold you near this Shepherd, and make uſe of his Righteouſneſs for making your Peace; If we could rightly underſtand the words, we would ſee in them, 1. A Motive to put us on to believing in Chriſt, and can there be a greater motive then neceſſity? We have ſinned and gone aſtray, he is the only Saviour, there is no other name given under Heaven whereby Sinners can be ſaved. 2. There is alſo in them an Encouragement to Believing; It was for Sinners, ſuch as we are, that Jeſus Chriſt ſuffered all that he ſuffered, which may be ground of hope and encouragement to ſtep forward; and if neither our need, nor Chriſt's being a Saviour willing to make Sinners welcome will prevail, we know not what will do it: It will turn to this, and ye will be put to it, Whether are ye Sinners? and if Sinners, whether is it not a deſperate thing to ly under Sin and Wrath? If ye be not Sinners we have no warrand to propoſe this Doctrine to you, to invite or make you welcome to a Saviour; but if ye grant that ye are Sinners, will ye contentedly ly under Sin? will ye be able to bear it out againſt God? or think ye that ye will be well enough for all that? and if ye dare not reſolve to ly under Sin, I would aſk, what way will ye win from it? think ye it eaſie to win from under it? muſt not the Juſtice of God be ſatisfied? ſome of you think that ye can pray your ſelves out of Sin, but what need was there of Chriſts ſufferings if a ſatisfaction might have been made to Juſtice another way? and if none but Chriſt can ſatisfie, it turns to this, that by all means ye would make uſe of him, elſe ye will moſt certainly drown and die in your ſins; And this is the thing that we would commend to you, that under the ſenſe of ſin, and in the faith of Gods condeſcending love, ye wouldflee to Jeſus Chriſt, and give him employment for making your peace with God, and taking away your ſin and ſanctifying of you; O but this be ſuitable to Sinners; and if ye think your ſelves Sinners, prejudge not your ſelves of the benefite of a Saviour.
This ſhould be a diſtinct Sermon.
EVery expreſſion that the Ptophet uſeth to ſet forth the grace of God in Jeſus Chriſt to ſinners by, is more wonderful then another, becauſe indeed every thing that he expreſſeth is more wonderful then another; And there is ſo much grace and infinite love in the way of the Goſpel, that it's hard to know where there is moſt of it, whether in its riſe, or in its execution; whether in the decree of God, or in Chriſts ſatisfaction; whether in the benefits that we enjoy, or in the way by which we are brought to enjoy them; Sure all together make a wonder paſſing-great, a moſt wonderful wonder, even a world of wonders: It is a wonder that (as it is, verſ. 5.) he ſhould be wounded for our tranſgreſſions, bruiſed for our iniquities, that the chaſtiſement of our peace ſhould be on him, and that by his ſtripes we ſhould be healed; And when here he comes to explain this, and to ſhew how it came to paſs that Jeſus Chriſt ſuffered ſo much, he holds out another new wonder, All we like ſheep have gone aſtray, &c. As if he had ſaid, would ye know how it came to paſs that the Mediator behoved to ſuffer, and ſuffer ſo much? All we, the Elect People of God had gone aſtray like ſo many wandring ſheep, as well as others, not one excepted; And there was not another way to recover and reclaim us but this, The Lord Jehovah laid on him the iniquity of us all: To recover us when we were loſt, Jeſus Chriſt was ſubſtituted in our room by the eternal Decree of God, and the iniquities of all of us who are his Elect people as to their puniſhment were laid upon him; This then is the ſcope, to ſhew the riſe of Chriſts ſufferings, and how it came to paſs that our Lord ſuffered, and ſuffered ſo much, the occaſion of it was the Elects ſin, and the Fountain cauſe, the Fathers laying of their ſin on him by an eternal Decree, and making him to anſwer for it according to that Decree, with his undertaking, which was the Covenant of Redemption whereof Chriſt's ſuffering was the execution: Thus we have the Fountain whence our Lord's ſufferings flowed; He is in the Covenant of Redemption ſubſtitute & judicially enacted the Elects Cautioner, and takes on their debt, and being ſubſtitute in their room, Juſtice purſues the Claim, and Sentence paſſes againſt him for making him anſwerable and liable to the debt of their ſins; Which ſets out as it were a Judge on the Throne Jehovah, and two Parties at the Bar, We and Him; We the Principal Debtors, and Him the Cautioner Jeſus Chriſt in our room and place; The Law by which the Judge proceeds is the Covenant of Redemption; And we the Principal Debtors not being Law-biding, he is made liable to the Debt, and on this ground the Sentence paſſes againſt him for ſatisfying what we were owing, and hereupon followed his ſufferings; So then the riſe of his ſufferings is, that it was ſo tranſacted by the Wiſe, Juſt, and Gracious God, and thus this verſ. comes well in to explain and further to clear what he aſſerted in the former verſ. Though the words be few, yet they are a great compend and ſum of the Goſpel; How therefore to ſpeak of them ſo as to unfold them aright, is not eaſie: And becauſe the Devil who ſeeks by all means to marr the beauty of the Goſpel, doth more fiercely aſſault where moſt of its beauty ſhines, and hath therefore ſtirred up ſeveral ſorts of enemies to wreſt theſe words, and to obſcure the beauty of grace that may be clearly ſeen in them; We ſhall a little open the few words that are in this laſt part of the verſe, And the Lord hath laid on hIm the iniquity of us all; Having ſpoken to the former part of it the laſt day.
In theſe few words then, we have, 1. ſomething ſpoken of iniquity which three Parties have ſome acts about, to wit, 1. The Elect, us all. 2. Him, to wit the Mediator. 3. The Lord, to wit Jehovah; Then we have the expreſs act of the Lord, to wit, his laying on Him the Mediator, the iniquity of us all. 1. As for this word iniquity, by it is meant ſometimes 1. Sin formally taken as it hath a diſconformity to the Law of God, and ſuppoſeth a ſpot and defect, and ſo it is commonly taken when we pray for pardon of ſin; And when David ſays, Pſal. 51. My ſin is ever before me; And Pſal. 38. My iniquity is gone over my head; And ſo it is the tranſgreſſion of the Law of God. 2. It is ſometimes taken for the effect that ſin procureth, and ſo it's in effect the puniſhment of ſin, as Levit. 7. the 18, and 20. verſes being compared together; verſ. 18. it's ſaid, He ſhall bear his iniquity, which verſ. 20. is, He ſhall be cut off, and ſo it is clearly meant of the puniſhment of iniquity; For to bear his iniquity, and to be cut off, are the ſame thing there; And that word of Cain, Gen. 4.14. My iniquity or puniſhment is greater then I can bear, hath a manifeſt reſpect to Gods curſe inflicted on him for his ſin, and is, as if he had ſald, I will not get lived under the puniſhment that is inflicted upon me, for every one that finds me will cut my throat; and ſometimes it is tranſlated puniſhment, as in that of Gen. 4.13. The Queſtion then is, Which of theſe two is underſtood here in this Text, whether iniquity or ſin formally taken, or iniquity taken for the puniſhment thereof? Theſe who are called Antinomians plead, that it is to be underſtood of ſin formally taken: But though it be hard ſo much as to mention this, it being ſo blaſphemous-like to aſſert, that our bleſſed Lord Jeſus ſhould be formally a ſinner, and have the ſpots and defilementt of ſin on him, which we wonder that any Chriſtian ſhould dare to aſſert, or preſume to maintain; Yet becauſe this Scripture is alleadg'd for it, we ſhall clear, that iniquity is not here to be taken for ſin formally, but for ſin in the puniſhment of it; And the 1. reaſon that we give ſhall be drawn from the plain ſcope of the words, the Prophet having in the 5. verſ ſaid, that he was wounded for our tranſgreſſions, and bruiſed for our iniquities; The ſcope of this verſ. is to ſhew how it came to p…ſs that Chriſt ſuffered, and ſuffered ſo much; which he doth by declaring that it could not be otherwiſe, becauſe the puniſhment of all the ſins of the Elect was laid upon him; And that which was called wounding and bruiſing in the former verſ. is here called on the matter a bearing of their iniquities, (for if they were laid on him he did certainly bear them) the ſins of all the Elect tryſted on him as to their puniſhment; And this ſhews how that Chriſt behoved not only to ſuffer, but to ſuffer all that he ſuffered; So in the 8. verſ. it is ſaid, He was cut off out of the land of the living, and for the tranſgreſſion of my people was he stricken; That which is here called the bearing of iniquity, is there called being cut off and ſtricken for the tranſgreſſion of his people; And this may be the 2d. reaſon of the Expoſition, as we have given it; becauſe when iniquities are ſpoken of they are not called Chriſts, as inherent in him, but they are called his peoples iniquities, they being formally theirs, but his judicially and legally only; Even as the debt is formally the Bankrupts, but legally the Cautioners. A 3d. reaſon is drawn from comparing this Text with other parallel places of Scripture, that which is called bearing of iniquity here, is called, Gal. 3.13. His being made a curſe for us, ſo that his bearing of our iniquity, is his being made a curſe for our iniquity, and his bearing the wrath of God due to us for our ſin: I ſhall illuſtrat it by a compa…iſon, whence the 4. reaſon will clearly reſult, our iniquities become Chriſts as his righteouſneſs becomes ours, for theſe two are parallel, 2 Cor. 5. ult. He was made ſin for us who knew no ſin, that we might be made the righteouſneſs of God in, or through him; Where 1. it's clear, that Jeſus Chriſt is ſo the ſinner in our room, as we are righteous in his room; and contrarily we are righteous in his room as he was the ſinner in our room. 2. That righteouſneſs is not …o derived to us that it is formally made ours, and to be inherently in us, but is ours only by imputation it ſelf, or the vertue of it being imputed to us; And it is upon this ground that Rom. 4. Imputed righteouſneſs is often mentioned, that is, when God accounteth a man to be righteous though he be yet a ſinner in himſelf; even ſo our ſin is imputed to Chriſt, and reckoned his becauſe he became our Surety: And though Antinomians have a vain notion to elude this, yet the Scripture is very clear, as holding forth a legal procedour; the debt is accounted his, becauſe of his obligation to be anſwerable for it, and in Ju…tice and Law he is lyable to it: And there is no other way that we can rationally imagine how our bleſſed L…rd can bear our iniquities, For 1. It cannot ſtand with his abſolute purity to have any ſpot of ſin, or to be formally the ſinner: Neither 2. is it neceſſary that he ſhould be the ſinner, but only that he ſhould pay the penalty due by us, it being the nature of Contracts among men, that where the Principal Debtor ſuccumbs, the Cautioner comes in his room, ſo is it here. Yea, 3. If Jeſus Chriſt were the ſinner formally, it would incapacitat him to be our Cautioner, to pay the penalty, or to ſatisfie Juſtice the debt of our ſins: We would not have ſpoken ſo much to this, were it not that this ſame place is preſſed in a moſt faſtidious manner by the abuſers of the grace of God to maintain their errour: So then we take this in ſhort to be the meaning of this part of the verſe, that Jeſus Chriſt did bear the puniſhment due to us for our ſins.
3. The three parties that have ſome acts about iniquity, are 1. Us all. 2. Him. 3. The Lord Jehovah. 1. Us all, and here we meet with the Aminians, another party that abuſeth and perverteth this place, as if it were to be extended to all Men and Women that ever ſinned or went aſtray; For, ſay they, it's the iniquity of all them that went wrong that is laid on Chriſt, and that is the iniquity of all Men and Women in the World: But (as we ſhew before) the ſcope of the words is not ſo much to ſhew the univerſality of all Men and Womens ſinning, as to ſhew that all the Elect as well as others went aſtray, and turned every one of them to their own way, therefore it's reſtricted, All we; And the word All is no bro…der then the word We, now the We that …s here meant, is the We who in the former words are healed by his ſtripes; And that ſure is not all Men and Women that ſin, but the Elect only; And verſ. 11. it's they that by his knowledge, that is, by Faith in him are juſtified; It's theſe All who…e iniquities he bare, and no moe: So that in ſhort, Us all, is not all men ſimply conſidered, but Us all that are Elect, and thus it is neceſſarily to be reſtricted to the Prophets ſcope.
The meaning of both parts of the verſe together then, is this,We all, even the Elect as well as others went aſtray, and turned every one of us to our own ſinful way, and the Lord Jehovah made him to bear the puniſhment of all our ſins, and it could not be but a mighty great puniſhment, and a moſt huge and horrible ſuff…ring, when the Lord made the iniquities of Us all, his Elect to meet upon Chriſt.
There is not much debate about the other two parts, The 1. whereof is Him, that is the Mediator J…ſus Chriſt, the eternal Son of the eternal Father, the brightneſs of the Fathers Glory and the expreſs Image of his Perſon, who remaining God, became Man, to perform and bring about the work of our Redemption according to his under taking.
The other Party is the Lo…d Jehovah, the Judge and the Party offended; as we are the Party offending, and Jeſus Chriſt …he ſatisfier; And the Lord is here conſidered eſſentially as Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, having one common Eſſence and Juſtice, and who being all three one God, are to be ſatisfied, He is Jehovah.
But how is this pun…ſhment of our iniquities laid on Jeſus Chriſt? And here Socinians make as great abuſe and buſineſs, the Devil intending (if he could effect is) to blow up the very foundation of the Goſpel, bends all his Forces againſt ſuch places as do moſt lively hold it forth: But the words are clear and moſt ſignificant as they are rendered according to the Hebrew on the Margent, thus, The Lord hath made the iniquity of us all to meet on him; The in…quities of the Elect are as ſo many Brooks and R vol…ts, any one of which is hard and diffi…ult for them to paſ… over; But O! when Chriſt comes to ſatisfie for them, they are brought and gathered into a great Lake, or rather into a vaſt Sea or Ocean together, they all collected and combined met on him, and he did meet with them in a mighty ſhock, and ſure they could not but be great ſufferings that he endured when he had ſuch a Sea to paſs thorow; Or the ſins of the Elect were like ſo many Companies or Regiments of Men, any one whereof they could never have overcome, but when Chriſt came to ſatiſfie Divine Juſtice for them, all the Companies and R…giments of ſins (ſo to ſpeak) Rendezvouzed and brought in one formidable Army together, met on Chriſt; The word is well rendered here were laid on him, being the ſame word in the Root that Saul uſed when he commanded Doeg to …all upon the Lords Prieſts, 1 Sam. 22.18. The word is, Lay upon them, or lay at them; As when one is angry with another, he will cry, Lay upon him; and this ſhews the exceeding greatneſs of Chriſts ſufferings, when all the ſins of all the Elect met together as a huge and heavy Hoſt, did fall and do terrible execution upon our bleſſed Lord Jeſus. This then being the meaning of the words, the Queſtion is Whether the Lord Jehovah did lay this puniſhment really upon Chriſt, or whether, as Socinians fondly imagine, he only int…rceeded for them? But for Anſwer, 1. What ſort of meaning of the words would that be I pray? The Lord made the in…quities of us all to interceed on him, when the T…xt ſayes plainly, that they were laid on him, and on the matter that he bare them, and …xpr…ſly ſo, verſ. 11. For he ſhall bear their iniquities: Yea, 2. Conſider the ſcope, and it c…mes in as a reaſon why Chriſt ſuffered …o much, and would that, (can any thi…k) be a good reaſon for ſo great and grievous ſufferings undergone by Chriſt, that God made him to interceed for all the ſins of the Elect? But if you look upon the words in their true meaning, they are a clear reaſon why he was wounded, exceedingly bruiſed and chaſtened, and why he endured ſo many ſtripes, even becauſe all the ſins of all his Elect met on him, becauſe he was made to bear the puniſhment of them all; Alſo the words following clear it, He was cut off out of the land of the living, for the tranſgreſſion of my people was he ſtricken; And Gal. 3. He was made a curſe for us, He ſuffered, the juſt for the unyuſt; He actually and really ſuffered that which we ſhould have ſuffered: If it be asked, Wh t is this, to lay iniquity on Christ? Or how is it ſaid, that the iniquity of the Elect was laid on him? Or in what reſpect? I anſwer, 1. In reſpect of Gods eternal Covenant; the puniſhment due for our ſins is laid upon him by an eternal deliberat Counſel or Conſultation of the Perſons of the God-head; Wherein (as we ſhew before) Chriſt enters Surety for us, accepts of, and engages to pay our debt. 2. In reſpect of Gods actual purſuing Chriſt having thus engaged himſelf, putting in his hand the Cup, and making him drink, and the Bill of our account, and making him countable. 3. In reſpect of Gods acceptation of that ſatisfaction which Chriſt performed and payed down for them.
This being the meaning of the words, we come to point at ſome things from them, and the very opening of them may give us ſome In-ſight in the way of the Goſpel, and of a notable ground of footing to our Faith, If we could rightly apprehend God making this tranſaction with the Mediator, we might not only have a ground to our Faith, but a great encouragement to come to Chriſt, and to reſt on him who hath thus fiſted himſelf in our room before the Tribunal of Diving Juſtice, and it would waken and warm Faith and Love towards him.
But Obſerve here more particularly, 1. That all the Elect People of God are lyIng under iniquity even as others; This we ſpoke to the laſt day, and ſhall not repeat what was then ſaid; It's with reſpect to iniquity in the Elect that all the buſineſs of Redemption is tranſacted, and from hence as the occaſion, it hath its riſe, even from God's being offended, and from the neceſſity of a Mediator; For this doth preſuppoſe our debt, and a ſtanding ſentence againſt us, till Chriſt interpoſed for the removing of it.
2. From its being ſaid before, that every one turned to his own way, and here, that the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all, Obſerve, that every one of the Elect beſide the common ſtate of ſin wherein all are, hath his own particular guilt that is in his own way; This is clearly holden out here, while it is ſaid, that not only like ſheep we have gone astray, but that every one hath turned to his own way; Which as it holds forth a way in them all different from God's way, ſo alſo a way in every one of them ſomewhat different from anothers way; And this is called a walking in the counſel of our own heart, Pſal. 81. and a mans own ſore, 2 Chron. 6.29. and a mans own iniquity, Pſal. 18.23. Becauſe it's in a ſpecial manner his. To clear it a little, conſider that ſin is peculiar to a Believer, or may be called his own way, in theſe reſpects; 1. In reſpect of his being more addicted to one ſin then another, which is uſually called a mans predominant; Two men may both be covetous and paſſionat, but the one of them may be called a covetous man, becauſe he is eſpecially given to that ſin of covetouſneſs, and the other may be called a paſſionat man, becauſe he is eſpecially given to paſſion. 2. In reſpect of ſome peculiar aggravating circumſtances; Though we will not dar particularly to determine as to perſons, yet if we look thorow all men and women, it will be readily found that there is ſome ſin which in reſpect of ſome or ſeveral aggravations, is in ſome a greater ſin then it is in others; And hereby God hath given ground of humiliation to all; There is not a man (as we juſt now hinted) but readily he hath an evil which is at a greater hight in him then in another; As for inſtance, one may be given more to the ſin of Drunkenneſs, another more to Hypocriſie, another more to Uncleanneſs, &c. I do not ſpeak ſo much here of the divers kinds of ſin, as of the ſeveral aggravations of this or that ſin that they are given to; ſuch and ſuch a man may have aggravations that will aggrege ſuch a predominant evil in him far beyond what it is in others: And it is from this ground that a Believer not in a complementing way, but moſt really and ſincerely, doeth call and account himſelf the chief of ſinners, becauſe there are ſome aggravations that elevat his ſin above the ſins of others, or above that ſame ſin in others; as a weak Believer may have ſome one good thing in him more commendable than it is in a ſtronger Believer, ſo the ſtronger Believer may have ſome one ſin that in reſpect of its aggravations, may give him ground to look on himſelf as beyond others in ſin.
Uſe 1. It ſerves much for our Humiliation, in as far as this adds to our ſinfulneſs; There are none of us, but beſide the common way of ſinning incident to all, we have ſomething that is peculiar to our ſelves, we have our own way wherewith we are chargeable above and beyond others; we will readily all grant that we are ſinners, but who of us will take with our particul…r and peculiar guilt that doth more eaſily beſet us? who, amongſt many are as Doves of the Vallies on the Mountains, every one mourning for his own iniquity, for his own Plague and Sore, that by ſeveral circumſtances may be aggreged as to its ſinfulneſs beyond the ſin of others?
Uſe 2. The ſecond Uſe which is the ſcope, ſerves to ſhew the exceeding greatneſs of Chriſts ſufferings; O! what a ſhock he was in when he had not only all the common ſins of the Elect to ſatisfie for, but when all their peculiar ſins with their reſpective aggravations, rend…zvouzed and trifted on him? It ſerves likewiſe to exalt the free Grace of God, and the condeſcendency of our bleſſed Lord Jeſus who took in altogether in his making ſatisfaction for them when there were ſeveral ſorts of them, as if every one of the Elect had been ſet to invent a new ſin; what great and ſore ſuffering was here when he condeſcended to drink the Cup that had the wonderful effects of all the ſins of the Elect wrung into it? when not only in groſs he takes on the ſins of the Elect, but this and that mans particular ſins, which were all reckoned and ſummed on Chriſts account, and for which he was made to ſatisfie; and wherein Juſtice proceeded equally and equipollently; this notably confirmed the reality of Chriſts ſatisfaction, by ſuffering what all the Elect ſhould have ſuffered eternally, or the equivalent of it; for if there had not been a proportional ſatisfaction in his ſufferings, wherefore ſerves ſuch an enumeration of his ſufferings.
Uſe 3. The third Uſe ſerves to lead us in to know how much we are in Chriſts Debt, and what a great encouragement we have to believe, and withall, what notable ground of conſolation Believers have: I ſay, 1. It ſhews how much we are in Chriſts Debt, when we take a view of all our ſins, and conſider that there was a particular view taken of them in the Covenant of Redemption, not only all our common ſins, but even all the particular and peculiar ſins of Believers were reckoned unto Chriſt the Cautioner, and put on his account, and he engaged to ſatisfie for all, and pay the whole Reckoning; doth it not lay a great obligation on us to him who counted for the leaſt farthing of our Debt? we like a pack of bank-rupt Dyvours did take on the Debt, and the Accompt was put in his Hand, not only (as I juſt now ſaid) of all our common ſins, but of this and that particular ſin, with all their ſeveral aggravations, and the ſinful circumſtances that did highten them; and he ſatisfied for them all: And of this we would take ſpecial notice, for it may readily wrong us to look upon the Covenant of Redemption as a Bargain in groſs; there is a particularneſs in it, to ſhew not only the ſoveraignty but the exactneſs of Juſtice, and alſo the riches of Gods Grace, and of the great condeſcendency of Chriſts love to elect ſinners. 2. It's a great encouragement to believe; for even theſe ſins that would fright and ſkar ſerious and exerciſed Souls from coming forward to Chriſt, were all compted on Chriſt's ſcorce, and were all ſatisfied for by him. 3. It's a notable ground of conſolation to B…lievers when they are diſpoſed and ready to think that their particular ſins are inſuperable and unpardonable; they think that courſe might be taken with all their common evils, but as for this moſt ſinful and ſhameful unthankfulneſs, this deſpiſing of his Grace, this woeful Unbelief, &c. it ſtairs them in the face, and they know not well how that will be got done away: But Believers in Chriſt who are ſorrowful and ſadly perplexed on this account, is that your own way? it's tranſacted on Chriſts ſcore with the reſt; every one of us hath turned to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all; O! impregnable ground of ſtrong conſolation, which is as good news from a far country, a non-ſuch cordial to a fainting ſoul.
3. Obſerve here, That a believing Elect, or an elect Believer, will not only be ſenſible of ſin in the general, but of his own particular and peculiar ſinful way; or thus, it's a good token when Folk look not only on ſin in common, but on their own peculiar ſinful way; or thus, that Folk ſhould conſider their ſinfulneſs not only in common but in particular with its ſeveral aggravations; The Scriptures which we cited before do confirm this, as Pſal. 18.23. I keeped my ſelf from mine iniquity; and 2 Chron. 6.29. where ſaith Solomon, when every one ſhall know his own ſore and his own grief; or as it is 1 King. 8.38. The plague of his own heart: This implys theſe two things, 1. A diſtinct aggravating of ſin, when a man not only looks on himſelf as a ſinner, but looks on his ſin by reaſon of ſeveral aggravating circumſtances as being above and beyond the ſin of others, and abhorreth and loatheth himſelf as the chief of ſinners, as David doeth, when he ſaith Pſal. 51. Againſt thee, thee only have I ſinned; he is not there extenuating his ſin as if it were done only againſt God, but aggreging his ſin, as the words following ſhew, and I have done this evil in thy ſight, as if he had ſaid, thy concern in the matter doth moſt affect and afflict me, Thou loveſt truth or ſincerity in the inward parts; but I have been (alace) all this time jugling and greatly playing the Hypocrite, which makes it to be a wonderful great evil; and Pſal. 65.3. Iniquities prevail againſt me; and as Paul doth, who calls himſelf the chief of ſinners, 1 Tim. 1.15. So that Believe…s before converſion, yea and in reſpect of their natural inclination even after their converſion, are wofully inclined each of them to a ſinful way of their own, called Eccleſ. 11. the way of a mans own heart: And of this Believers would be ſenſible, not only of their ſinfulneſs in general, and of their particular acts of ſin, but of their peculiar ſinful acts, and that for theſe ends or uſes.
1. It ſerves deeply to humble, and to preſs forth (to ſpeak ſo) Repentance; When we conſider our own way to be ſinful beyond others, and that ſuch and ſuch a man hath ſinned, but his ſin hath not ſuch aggravations as mine, this makes the Soul to bluſh, and to ſay as it is Pſal. 40.12. Innumerable evils have compaſs…d me about, mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, ſo that I am not able to look up, they are moe then the hairs of mine head, therefore my heart faileth me; he wonders at himſelf how a man can be ſo given to ſin, and every day to add one new ſinful ſtep to another, & never to weary and give over; this makes him to bluſh and to be aſhamed, as it is Ezek. 16.63. the remembering of common ſins and of this and that particular act of ſin, will not ſo aff…ct this; but when a ſinner remembers that ſuch a ſin hath been his own way, that humbles and ſtops his mouth exceedingly.
2. This adds a peculiarneſs to the Grace of God in the Believers eſteem, and maketh it ſo much the more amiable and admirable to him, as it is with Paul when he ſaith 1 Tim. 1.13. I was a blaſphemer, and a perſecuter, and injurious, nevertheleſs I obtained mercy, and the grace of God was exceeding aboundant towards me. This is a faithful ſaying and worthy of all acceptation, that Jeſus Chriſt came in the world to ſave ſinners, of whom I am the chief, howbeit for this cauſe I obtained mercy, that in me he might ſhew forth all long ſuffering, for a patern to them that ſhould hereafter believe on him: I was, as if he had ſaid, ſingular in ſinning, but Grace was eminent and ſingular in ſhewing Mercy, and hath caſt a Copy thereof in me that is ſingularly eminent; The peculiarneſs of Believers ſin, as it makes them know the aggravations of it beyond others, ſo it makes them exalt Grace the more.
3. It ſerves ſomeway to diſcriminat a ſound Believer from a Hypocrite, and a right ſight of Sin from that which is not ſo: It is not ſo much to know that we are ſinners, for the light of a Natural Conſcience will tell men that, eſpecially when their Lives are ſo bad; but its more to know, and rightly to take up the peculiarneſs that is in our own way of ſinning, to take up the many windings and turnings of the deceitful heart in following of ſuch a ſin that it is addicted to; This makes a Believer think that there is no bodies heart like his: We ſee ordinarily that but very few, if any natural men, will take kindl… with the peculiarneſs of their way of ſinning, and even when they will take with this that they are ſinners in general, yet they ſhun to take with it that they are given to ſuch a ſinful way of their own; and with the particular turnings, windings, and traverſings of their own hearts to that way; But few will grant that they are given to deſpiſing or ſlighting of Chriſt, to Hypocriſie, Self ſeeking, Lying, &c. I will not be peremptory here, to ſay that every body muſt know what is their own one peculiar ſinful way; For ſome ſee ſo many predominant ſins in themſelves, that hardly can they pitch upon one by another: nor upon the other ſide will I poſitively ſay that they are all gracious that ſee one ſin by another to carry ſway in them; But this I ſay, that this contributes much for the humbling of the ſinner, and for the exalting of free Grace; And that the Believer will ſee many windings and turnings in and to their own way, that others who are not Believers will not ſee, and will ſee one predominant after another; Whereas a natural man, though he complementingly call himſelf the chief of ſinners, yet he doth not really think himſelf to be ſuch; But rather if he be given to Drunkenneſs, to Filthineſs, or the like, he will readily caſt up David and Lot, or ſome others of the Saints to excuſe or extenuat it, but the Believer can get none to compare himſelf with in the point of ſinfulneſs, Iniquities prevail over me, ſaith David in the Singular Number, but when he ſpeaks of the pardoning and purging away of ſin, he ſpeaks in the Plural, aſſociating others with himſelf, As for our tranſgreſſions thou ſhalt purge them away, Pſal. 65. verſ. 3.
4. Conſidering our ſinful way as the occaſion of this tranſaction, and of the laying of our iniquities upon Chriſt, as the reſult of it, we have this ſweet Obſervation, that the Elect are conſidered in the Covenant of Redemption as foully and vilely ſinful, and with all the aggravations of their ſins and ſinful ways; ſo that they cannot be fouller and more vile in time then they were conſidered to be when they were given to Chriſt to be ſatisfied for by him; How were …hey then conſidered? The Text tells us even as straying ſheep; But that is not all, they are conſidered as ſuch who have had their own peculiar way of ſtraying from God, and have turned aſide to, and run on in their own ſinful way; Thus the Lord conſidered the Elect in the Covenant of Redemption, thus Jeſus Chriſt conſidered them in the undertaking for them, even with all the ſeveral aggravations of their ſinfulneſs, ſo that they are not, nor cannot be worſe in time then they were conſidered to be before time: This is ſo ordered by the Lord for theſe ends, 1. That Juſtice might be diſtinctly, exactly, and fully ſatisfied, and that it might be known that it is ſo, he would needs be reſtored to his honour, to his declarative, or manifeſted honour and glory, which ſuffered by man's fall, and by the many great and variouſly aggravated ſins of the Elect, and would have his Juſtice, as I ſaid, fully ſatisfied: And therefore as there is a Volumn of a Book, wherein all the Elect are written for whom Chriſt ſhould ſatisfie, ſo there is a Volumn of what, and for what he ſhould ſatisfie that there may be a proportional ſatisfaction and price told down to Juſtice. 2. Believers may have a more full view of the way of Grace, and of Chriſts undertaking for them; When Jeſus Chriſt undertook our debt, he had a full view of the ſum he was to pay, he knew what he had to pay to the leaſt farthing, and what his peoples ſins would coſt him, and yet he ſk…rred not to ingage to ſatisfie, but did ſatisfie according to his ingagement to the full. 3. It's alſo ordered ſo for this end, even to confirm the Believers Faith when he cometh to take hold of Chriſt, and of the Covenant, and when this O… jection mutters within him, dare ſuch a ſinful wretch as I take hold of Chriſt, who have been thus and thus polluted with ſin? Yes, ſaith the Text, for theſe ſins ſo and ſo aggravated, were not unknown to the Father, nor to the Mediator when thou waſt bargained about; Nay, theſe ſins with their aggravations were expreſly conſidered in the Covenant of Redemption, and there is no ſin already committed; or to be committed by thee in time, that was not conſidered before time: What was your poſture, Believers, when God paſſed by, and caſt the lap or skirt of his love over you? Were you not caſt out in the open field, wallowing in your own blood, with your navels uncut, having no eye to pity you, &c. As it is, Ezek. 16. And wherefore I pray is this ſet down? But as to let you know that ye are no worſe in time then ye were conſidered to be before ye had a beeing; So, to aggrege the Love and Grace of God in Chriſt, and to draw you in to him, that ſince God and Chriſt the Mediator in the tranſaction about your Redemption, ſtood not on your ſinfulneſs, ye may not ſtand on it when ſeriouſly taken with, but may ſubmit to his Righteouſneſs, and ſay, Be it ſo Lord, I am content to take what thou freely offereſt; And the more ſinful and loſt ye be in your ſelves when ſuitably affected therewith, the more wonderful is the grace of God in the Plot of your Redemption, the more ſtrong is your conſolation, and the greater ground of believing have ye; your ſins do not ſurprize God nor the Mediator, the Bargain was made before your ſins were committed, and therefore the price muſt reach them even when they are all ſummed up together; He was content to accept of them ſo as to ſatisfie for them, and bleſſed be he for evermore that accepted of the bargain, and payed the price according to his undertaking.