Christ Crucified, Sermon 26
SERMON XXVI.
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.
IN the former verſe the Prophet hath aſſerted three moſt wonderful truths, and very concerning to the people of God, and yet ſuch truths as will not be eaſie got digeſted by natural reaſon. 1. That our Lord Jeſus was put to ſore and ſad ſufferings, He was wounded and bruiſed, &c. 2. That theſe ſad ſufferings were for us the Elect; it was for our ſins, and what was due to the Elect, he was made to bear them, He was wounded for our tranſgreſſions, he was bruiſed for our iniquities. 3. The end of theſe ſufferings, or the effect that followed on them to us, pardon of ſin, peace with God, and healing, The chaſtiſement of our peace was on him, and by his stripes we are healed.
And each of theſe being more wonderful then another, therefore the Prophet goes on to clear their riſe, which is no leſs wonderful; How it came to paſs that he ſuffered, and ſuffered ſo much, and that we have ſuch benefite by his ſufferings; It could not (would he ſay) be otherwayes, but it behoved our Lord Jeſus to ſuffer, and to ſuffer ſo much, and for us; Neitheir was it unreaſonable that it ſhould be for our benefite, For we had all like lost ſheep gone aſtray, and every one of us had turned to his own way: And there was no way of relief for us but by Chriſt's ſtepping into our room, and interpoſing for us, and ingaging to pay our debt; and by vertue of that interpoſition and bargain, The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all: And therefore, 1. Would ye have the reaſon of Chriſt's ſo great ſufferings? Here it is, the Elect had many ſins, and he interpoſing for them, their compt was ſcored-out, and they were reckoned on his ſcore. 2. If the cauſe and reaſon be asked, How it came to paſs tha… Chriſt ſuffered ſo much for us? Here it is, he undertook to ſatisfie for our iniquities, and God imputed them to him; Even as if a Dyvour were purſued, and one ſhould ſtep in and be Cautioner for him, and being enacted Surety, ſhould take on, and become lyable for the Debt; The exacting it of him is the laying it on him. But 3. If it be aſked how it comes to paſs that his ſufferings become our healing, and bring peace to us? It is anſwered, it was ſo tranſacted and agreed upon; He was content to pay all our debt, and the Father accepted of his payment for ours; Our bleſſed Lord Jeſus engaging and ſatisfying, the Elect are ſet free, and Juſtice betaketh it ſelf to him as the more reſponſal Party; This is the ſcope of the words, which though but few, yet exceeding full and ſign…ficant, as holding out the fountain and fundamental grounds of the Goſpel: We ſhall look upon them in theſe three reſpects, 1. As they imply a Covenant and Tranſaction, whereby the Elects ſins are tranſacted on Chriſt, and his righteouſneſs is made application of to them; Chriſt undertaking to pay their debt, and Jehovah accepting thereof, and promiſing that his ſatisfaction made for the behove of the Elect, ſhall be applyed to them. 2. In reſpect of the effects, which are two; Which though they ſeem contrary, the one to the other, yet they are well conſiſtent together, and ſubordinat the one of them to the other; The 1. is of Juſtice on Chriſts ſide, he ſatisfies for the debt due by the Elect. The 2. is of Mercy and Grace to the Elect, which is alſo implyed, but comparing theſe words with the former, it is very clear; He is wounded and bruiſed, and they are healed, the chaſtiſement of their peace was on him, the imputing of their debt to him, makes that it is not imputed to them. 3. In reſpect of the influence that the eternal Covenant hath on theſe effects, it lays down the way how theſe may be juſtly brought about, which is the ſcope of all, even to ſhew how Chriſt Jeſus being the innocent Son of God, and without ſin, was made lyable to the debt of the Elects ſin; He became Cautioner for them, and is made lyable on that account to ſatisfie for them; It clears alſo how his ſufferings ſtood for theirs; which may ſeem to be unreaſonable and unjuſt among men, that the ſufferings of an innocent party ſhould ſtand for the guilty; It was ſo articled in the Covenant of Redemption that the Son as Mediator interpoſing and undertaking to pay the Elects debt, the Lord Jehovah the Creditor, ſhould not reckon it on their ſcore, but on the Mediators, and that he ſhould count for it: The Prophet in every verſe almoſt, is ſtriking on the ſweet and pleaſant ſtring of this noble plot and contrivance of God conc…rning the Redemption of Elect ſinners, called the Covenant of Redemption; Which theſe words conſidered with reſpect to their ſcope, do in all the parts of it clearly hold out; And therefore the clearing of it being the clearing of a main ground of our Faith in reference to Chriſts ſufferings, and to the way how they are made forth-coming to us, and withal to the benefits that come by them to us, we cannot ſpeak too much nor too often of it, if we could ſpeak of it ſuitably to the paſſing excellency of the matter.
The firſt Doctrine ſuppoſed here is, that there is an eternal Covenant and Tranſaction betwixt the Lord Jehovah and the Mediator, wherein the whole buſineſs concerning the Redemption and Salvation of the Elect is c…ntrived; There is an eternal Covenant paſt betwixt God and the M…diator, wherein all that is executed, or will be, concerning the Elect till the day of Judgement, was contrived; There is nothing relating to the Elects Salvation, but it was in this Tranſaction exactly contrived and laid down, even as it is in time executed; And it's called a Covenant in Scrip ure, and we call it ſo, not ſtrictly and properly, as if all things in Covenan…s among men were in it, but becauſe materially and ſubſtantially it is ſo, and the reſemblance will hold for the moſt part; The Lord having laid down in it the plot of man's Salvation in a legal way, ſo as his grace and mercy may be glorified, and his juſtice ſatisfied, hath put it in this form ſo as it may bear the name of a Covenant. Wherein we have, 1. Mutual Parties, the Lord Jehovah the Party offended on the one ſide, and the Lord Mediator, Him, the Party engaging to ſatisfie on the other ſide; Which ſhews the freeneſs of the Redemption of the Elect as to them, and the certainty of their Salvation; And withal, the immutability of Gods purpoſe, for the Parties are not mutable Creatures, but on the one ſide Jehovah, and on the other ſide the Mediator, though conſidered as to be Incarnat and the Head of the Elect; This whole buſineſs bred there, to wit in the Council of the God-head, for promoving of that great end, the glorifying of the Grace and Juſtice of God in the Elects Salvation. 2. Whereabout is it? It's about this matter, how to get the Elect ſaved from the curſe, to which on their foreſeen fall and ſinning they were made lyable; Redemption neceſſarily preſuppoſing mans fall and the Covenant of Works, to which the certification and threatning was added, The ſoul that ſins ſhall die, and the Elect preſuppoſed as fallen as well as others, are lyable to that curſe, except a ſatisfacton for them do interveen; So that the Elect are conſidered as having ſins, and as being in themſelves loſt: And what is the Lord Jehovah and the Mediator doing, what are they about in this Covenant? It's how to get the puniſhment due to the Elect for their ſin removed from them: And theſe perſons us all in the Text, are all the Elect, wherein there is imlyed a paticular conſideration of them that are deſigned to Life and Salvation, and a particular conſideration of all their ſins, and of their ſeveral aggravations, that there may be a proportion betwixt the price and the wrong that God hath gotten by their ſinning againſt him. 3. The occaſion of this Covenant, and the reaſon why it behoved to be, is holden forth in the firſt, All we like ſheep had gone aſtray, and turned every one of us to his own way; The Elect as well as othe…s had made themſelves through their ſinning lyable to Gods wrath and curſe, and they were uncapable of Life and Salvation till the curſe was removed; And ſo there is a lett and obſtruction in the way of the execution of the Decree of Election (which muſt ſtand for the Glorification of God's Grace and Mercy, primarly intended in all this work) and till this lett be removed, the Glorification of God's Grace is letted and obſtructed; For the removal of which obſtruction there is a neceſſity of a Redeemer, for the Elect are not able to pay their own debt themſelves; Now that there may be a Redeemer, and that a price of Redemption may be laid down, there is alſo a neceſſity of a Covenant, otherwiſe the Redeemer cannot be, if a Tranſaction do not preceed, on which the Redeemers interpoſing is founded. 4. What is the price, what is the ſtipulation, or that which the Mediator is ingaged to, and that which provoked Juſtice required? It is even ſatisfaction for all the wrongs that the ſins of the Elect did or were to do to the Majeſty of God; Theſe ſins deſerved wounding and ſmiting, and the Capitulation runs on this, that Juſtice ſhall get that of the Mediator, that the Elect may be ſpared; And comparing this verſe with the former, upon the one ſide our Lord Jeſus gives his back to bear their burden, and engages to ſatisfie for their debt, and to undergo the puniſhment due to them; And upon the other ſide Jehovah accepts of this offer and engagement, and lays over the burden of their debt on him; As the Mediator inſtates and inacts himſelf in their room for payment of their debt, ſo he lays it on him, and accepts of it. 5. The end of this great Tranſaction, to wit, of the undertaking on the Mediators ſide, and of the acceptation on the Fathers ſide, is, that the Elect may have pardon and peace, and that by his ſtripes they may be healed; That Juſtice may ſpare them and purſue him, and that the diſcharge of the debt purchaſed by him, may be made forth-coming to them, as if they had payed the debt themſelves, or had never been owing any thing to Juſtice.
Hence Deductions may be made holding forth ſeveral points of truth, As, 1. Concerning the determinatneſs of the number of the Elect. 2. Concerning the vertue and efficacy of the price which the Mediator hath payed, and the fulneſs of his Satisfaction. 3. Concerning imputed Righteouſne…, which is or may be called the laying of his Righteouſneſs on us as our Iniquity was laid on him; he is counted the Sinner by undertaking our Debt, and the Elect by receiving the offered Righteouſneſs in the Goſpel, are accounted righteous by vertue of his ſatisfying for their Debt. 4. Concerning the ground and matter of wonderful Soul ſatisfaction and raviſhment that it is here; that God ſhould be thus minding the ſalvation of the Elect, and thus contriving and ordering the work of their Redemption, that their Debt ſhall be payed, and yet nothing (to ſpeak ſo) come out of their Purſe; and that by ſo excellent a mean as is the intervention of the Mediator, and that this ſhall notwithſtanding of the dear price payed by him, be made freely forthcoming to the Elect.
Uſe 1. O! Look not on the ſalvation of Sinners, and the bringing of a Sinner to Heaven, as a little or a light buſineſs and work; it's the greateſt work and moſt wonderful that ever was heard tell of; yea its in effect the end of all things which God hath made, and of his preſerving and guiding the World in the order wherein it is governed, even that he may have a Church therein for the praiſe of the glory of his Grace; we are exceeding far and ſinfull… wrong in this, that we value not the work of Redemption as becomes, and that we endeavour not to pry …nto, and take up the admirable love an… deep wiſdom of God that goes along and ſhines brightly in this whole contexture; who could ever have found out this way? when he Elect were lying under Gods Curſe and Wrath, that then the Son of God ſhould undertake to ſatisfie for them, and that the Majeſty of God ſhould be ſo far from all partiality and reſpect of Perſons, that he will purſue his own dear Son for the Elects Debt when he undertakes it; This is the riſe of our Salvation and the channel wherein it runs; O! rare and raviſhing, O! admirable & amiable, O! beautiful & beneficial contrivance, bleſſed, eternally bleſſed be the contriver.
Uſe 2. The ſecond Uſe ſerves to ſtir us up to ſtudy to know ſomewhat, and to know more of the way of Salvation under this notion of God's covenanting with the Mediator; not thereby to aſtrict God to mans laws & forms, but for helping us to the better & more eaſie up-taking of theſe great things; and that we may ſee that the ſalvation of the Elect is ſure, foraſmuch as it it laid down by way of Bargain, Tranſa…ion or Covenant betwixt Jehovah and the Mediator, whom the Lord will no more fail in performing the promiſes made to him, then he hath failed in giving the ſatisfaction required: This would help both to clear and confirm the faith of Believers, and to ſtrengthen the hope of all who are fled for refuge to take hold of him, in the certain expectation of theſe things engaged for in the Covenant; ſeing there is no leſs reaſon to think that Jehovah will be forthcoming to the Mediator, then there is to think that he hath performed all that he engaged himſelf for.
The 2d. thing here, Is the native effect or fruit of the Covenant, and that which the Prophet aims at; even to ſhew how it came to paſs that Chriſt ſuffered ſo much, becauſe it was ſo covenanted, ſtatute and ordained, becauſe he was by a prior contrivance and contract ſubſtituted with his own hearty conſent in the room of the Elect who had many and great ſins to compt for; whence …bſerve, That by vertue of this eternal Covenant betwixt Jehovah and the Mediator, all the ſins of the Elect with their ſeveral aggravations, are imputed to Jeſus Chriſt, and reckoned upon his ſcore; Or take it thus, by this eternal Covenant that paſt betwixt God and the Mediator, the compleat puniſhment that was due to all the Elect for their ſins in their greateſt aggravations, was laid upon Jeſus Chriſt; Jehovah laid upon him the iniquity of us all; this is frequently touched on in this Chapter, as particularly in the words going before, He carried our ſorrows, he was wounded for our tranſgreſſions and bruiſed for our iniquities, &c. and it's ſufficiently confirmed in the New Teſtament, as 2 Cor. 5. He who knew no ſin was made ſin for us; he had no ſin in himſelf, but by vertue of this Covenant, he was made the Sacrifice for our ſin, and made to bear the puniſhment thereof; and Gal. 3.13. He hath redeemed us from the curſe of the law, he himſelf being made a curſe for us.
There are two words which we ſhall a little clear in this Doctrine; and ſecondly, give ſome reaſons of it; and then thirdly, we ſhall ſpeak to ſome Uſes from it.
1. For the two words or things in the Doctrine to be cleared, they are theſe, Firſt, What we mean by this, when we ſ…y iniquity is laid upon Chriſt; the ſecond is, How it is laid upon Chriſt? As to the firſt, When we ſay in…quity is laid upon Chriſt, we mean theſe things ſhortly, 1. That our Lord Jeſus is really made comptable and lyable to Juſtice for theſe iniquiti…s as if they had been his own, by vertue of his Covenant; in Gods Juſtice he having engaged to pay Elects Debt, his engagement makes him lyable to it. 2. We mean thats not only our Lord Jeſus is made lyable to our Debt, but that really he is made to ſatisfie for it,; In ſhort, we have done the wrong, but he makes the amends as if he had done the wrong himſelf, The juſt ſatisfied for the unjuſt; He in whoſe mouth there was no guile, was made to ſatisfie for guilty Sinners as if he had been the guilty perſon himſelf; By the ſins of the Elect God's declarative Holineſs ſuffered; Creatures malapertly brake his Command, and his Juſtice was wronged; Creatures topped with it, to ſay ſo, and that even after the Curſe was pronounced, and after they had believed the Devil more than God; But our Lord Jeſus comes in to make the amends, and the Holineſs of God is vindicate by his obedience, and his Juſtice is vindicate by his ſuffering; the Elect have deſerved wounding, but ſays the Mediator, let the wounds which they have deſerved come on me, let them be mine; and thus he makes reparation of the wrong and the amend, becauſe though the Elect be ſpared, yet hereby the Lord is known to be as really and as much a hater of ſin, and as juſt in fulfilling his threatning, as if the Elect had been ſmitten in their own perſons; becauſe he puniſhed Sin in his own Son; yea by this means he is ſeen ſo much the more to be holy, ſevere, pure and ſpotleſs; and that the Son of God ſweetly ſubmits to his becoming Man; and to theſe terrible Sufferings for ſatisfying Divi… Juſtice; Here, O! here the ſpotleſs and ſeverity of the Juſtice of God, as alſo the greatneſs of the glory of the free Grace and Love ſhine forth conſpicuouſly. 3. It implyes this, That really there was a conventing and turning of that Wrath and of theſe ſufferings proportionably on Jeſus Chriſt, which Juſtice was to have inflicted on the Elect eternally if he had not interpoſed for them; and that altogether in a full Cup propined to him and put in his hand; that which would have been in ſo many drops an eternal Hell to Elect Sinners, is made to meet on him in one great Sea; He gets it to drink up dregs and all; in which reſpect Gal. 3.13. He is ſaid to be made a curſe for us; The Lord will not paſs from one Farthing of what was due to him, and will be ſatisfied with no leſs than proportionable ſatisfaction to that which was due to Juſtice by the Elect themſelves, though the Surety was his own only Son; Therefore it behoved Chriſt to come under the Curſe, in which ſenſe he is ſaid to be made a curſe for us, which ſuppoſeth that he endured the ſame curſe and puniſhment due to the Elects ſins in all the eſſentials of it; He behoved to die, and to have his Soul ſeparate from his Body for a time, and for a ſeaſon to want in a great meaſure the comfortable manifeſtations of Gods favour and preſence, and to have wrath purſuing him, and to have horrour ſeizing upon him; though our bleſſed Lord being ſpotleſs and without ſin, and having a good Conſcience, was not capable of theſe ſome way accidental circumſtances, of Unbelief, ſinful Anxiety and Deſperation, that ſinful finite Creatures are lyable to when they come under wrath.
The 2d. word or thing to be cleared in the Doctrine, is, How are Iniquities laid upon Chriſt Jeſus? In three reſpects, 1. In reſpect of the eternal Tranſaction betwixt Jehovah and him as Mediator ſuſtaining the perſon of the Elect; even as one man hath anothers Debt laid on him, when by a Law-ſentence he is made lyable to it; ſo is Chriſt made lyable to the Elects iniquity, when their account is blotted out, and the Debt as it were written down in his accompt to be ſatisfied for. 2. In reſpect of Juſtice purſuing him for it; When he becometh Cautioner and full Debitor for the Elect, he is put to pay their Debt to the leaſt Farthing; the Lord muſters up againſt him his terrours, and commands his ſword to awake and to ſmite the man that is his fellow. But 3ly. and mainly. In reſpect of his actual undergoing the Curſe and Suffering, that which the Elect ſhould h ve ſuffered; for It is not the work of a Court to paſs a ſentence, but alſo to ſee to the execution of the ſentence; not only are orders given to the ſword to awake and ſmite, but the ſword falls on and ſmites him actually; and though from the apprehenſion of the anger of God, as Man, and without the ſenſible and comforting manifeſtation of his Fathers love, and his ſeemingly forſaking him for a time; He prayed, Father if it be poſſible, let this cup paſs from me; yet it will not be, and he ſubmits moſt ſweetly to it; and not only is the cup put in his hand, but the dregs of wrath are, as it were, wrung out into it, and he muſt needs drink it up all; which manifeſtly kythes in his agony in the garden when he is made to ſweat blood; and in his complaint (if we may ſo call it) My ſoul is exceeding ſorrowful, and what ſhall I ſay? and in theſe ſtrange words uttered by him on the Croſs, My God, my God, why hast thou forſaken me? all which tell us plainly, that not only was he enacted Sure…y, and had the ſentence paſt on him, but that really he ſatisfied, and had the ſentence executed on him; that in his Soul he was really pierced and wounded, and that with far deeper wounds then theſe were which the Souldiers by the ſpear and nails made in his Body; before the Elects diſcharge of their Debt could be procured and obtained: What it was more particularly that he ſuffered, the following words hold out: But here it's clear, that he ſuffered really, and ſuffered much; that not only he undertook to pay, but that he was actually purſued and made to lay down to the leaſt Farthing whatever was due to Juſtice by the Elect: And this is the cauſe why theſe words are brought in as the reaſon why he ſuffered ſo much, even becauſe ſo many and ſo great ſins with all their aggravations were laid upon him; and if his ſufferings were not great and undergone for this end, to ſatisfy for the Elects Debt that they might be ſet free, the Prophets ſcope would not be reached, neither would there be a ſuitable connexion betwixt the latter and the foregoing words.
As for the 2d. To wit ſome Reaſons of the Doctrine, we ſhall ſhortly give you theſe three why the Elects ſins were laid on Chriſt and put on his account, and why he was made to underly the compleat puniſhment of them by vertue of the Covenant of Redemption. 1. Becauſe it did much contribute to the glory of God, for he had deſigned in his eternal Council that his Grace ſhould be glorified in the ſalvation of the Elect; and that his Juſtice ſhould alſo be glorified in puniſhing of ſin either in themſelves or in their Cautioner; and as free Grace and Mercy muſt be glorious in ſaving the Elect, and Juſtice in being ſatisfied for their ſins; ſo it's to that end, that ſince the Elect cannot pay their own Debt, that their Cautioner pay it, and pay it fully, that the Lord in exacting ſatisfaction from him in their name, may be known to be juſt. 2. This way makes much for the confirmation of the Faith of the believing Elect and for their conſolation; for the confirmation of their Faith, for what can Juſtice demand that it hath not gotten? it is fully ſatisfied; and then for their conſolation; ſeing the Father put his own Son to ſuffer, and to ſo great ſuffering for them, what is it that they may not confidently expect from ſuch a Fountain? 3. This ſerves to hold out the wonderful great obligation of the Elect to God and to the Mediator; for the greater their ſin was the more he ſuffered; the greater their Debt was, the more he payed; and they are the more in his common and the greater Debters to him; and ought the more to love him, and their duty for his ſake; as it is ſaid of the woman, Luk. 7. She loved much for much was forgiven her; ſo this way of paying the Elects Debt, calls and ſtrongly pleads, and alſo makes way for much warm and tender love in them to Jeſus Chriſt.
In the 3d. place, We come to the Uſes of the Doctrine; To which I ſhall premit this word of deſire to you, That ye would not look on theſe things as taſteleſs or unſavoury; for had we not had theſe precious truths to open up to you, we ſhould have had no meetings to this purpoſe, no ground to ſpeak of life to you, nor any the leaſt hope or expectation of life; And indeed it may be ſadly regrated, that amongſt a multitude of profeſſing People, theſe ſubſtantial truths of the Goſpel are ſo werſh and little reliſhing to the moſt part; which too evidently appears in the unconcerned, wearying, and gazing poſture of ſome, & in the ſlumbering & ſleeping of others in our publick Aſſemblies; If our hearts were in a right frame, half a word, to ſay ſo, to this purpoſe would be a wakening and allaruming to us; However this is a great priviledge in it ſelf; Heathens may and do know ſomething of moral duties, but it's a priviledge which we have and they want, that the fundamental truths of the Goſpel are amongſt us and not amongſt them.
The 1. Uſe ſerves to let us ſee the brightneſs of the Glory of Grace and Truth; of Mercy and Juſtice ſhining clearly here; Can there be any greater mercy, and more pure mercy than this, that the Lord ſhould be gracious to ſinners, and to great ſinners, rhat had turned every one of them to their own way, in providing a Mediator, and ſuch a Mediator, in providing ſuch a help for them, and laying that help upon one that is mighty, and that he ſhould have done this of his own head (ſo to ſpeak with reverence) when the Elect were in their ſins, and when th…re was nothing to be the impulſive or meritorious cauſe of it; And that the Father ſhould have laid this weight of puniſhment on Chriſt the Son of his love, and purſued him at this rate of holy ſeverity for ſinners debt? O! what grace and mercy ſhines here? And 2. The ſpotleſs Juſtice of God doth alſo here wonderfully manifeſt it ſelf; O! How exact is Juſtice, when it will not quite a farthing even to the ſecond Perſon of the Godhead, when he became Man, and man's Surety? But ſince he hath put himſelf in the room of ſinners, The L…ed maketh all their iniquities to meet on him; This is matter of admiration to Men and Angels, to conſider how Juſtice and Mercy run in one Channel, and ſhine in one Covenant, the one of them not incroaching upon the other.
Uſe 2. We may gather from this ſame inſight and clearneſs in the very great ſufferings of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; For theſe things are here put together, 1. That he ſuffered for all the Elect, Us all. 2. For all the ſins of all the Elect, and for all the ſins of all the Elect in their higheſt and moſt aggravating circumſtances, the particular reckoning of them all, as it were, being caſt up, they are all put on his ſcore. 3. All theſe meet togcther in a great Sea and ſhock upon him at one time, as they came from ſeveral Airts, like ſo many Rivers; Or they were like ſo many Regiments, or rather Armies of men, all meeting together and Marſhalled, to fall pell mell (to ſay ſo) on him; One ſin were enough to condemn, the many ſins of one is more, but all the ſins of all the Elect is much more; They deſerved to have lyen in Hell eternally, but he coming in their room all their ſins met as the violent preaſs of Waters on him; What then behoved his ſufferings to be, when he was ſo put to it for all the ſins of all the Elect, and that at once?
Uſe 3. We may gather hence a juſt account of the truth of Chriſt's ſatisfaction, and a ground of refutation of the Socinian error, a blaſphemy which is moſt abominable to be once mentioned, as if our Lord had ſuffered all this only to give us an example, and as if there had not been a proportionable ſatisfaction in his ſufferings to our debt, nor an intention to ſatisfie Juſtice thereby: Every verſe almoſt, not to ſay every word in this Chapter refutes this; If he had not ſatisfied for our ſins, why is he ſaid to be here on the matter put in our room? And if his ſufferings had not been very great, what needed the Prophet to ſhew the reaſon of his great ſufferings, in all the ſins of all the Elect their meeting on him? There was ſure a particular reſpect had to this, even to ſhew that the meeting of all theſe ſins of all the Elect together upon Chriſt, did cauſe and procure great and extream ſufferings to him; He ſuffered the more that they had had ſo many ſins, ſeing their many ſins are given for the cauſe of his ſo much ſuffering.
Uſe 4. Here is great ground of conſolation to believing ſinners, Out of this eater comes meat, and out of this ſtrong comes ſweet; The more ſharp and bitter theſe ſufferings were to Chriſt, the report of them is in ſome reſpect the more ſavoury and ſweet to the Believer, whoſe effectual Calling diſcovers his Election; And indeed I cannot tell how many grounds of conſolation Believers have from this Doctrine; But 1. If they have ſinned, there is here a Saviour provided for them. 2. This Saviour hath undertaken their debt. 3. He hath undertaken it with the Fathers allowance. 4. As he hath undertaken it, ſo the Father hath laid on him all their iniquity. 5. All the Elect come in here together in one Roll, and there is but one Covenant, and one Mediator for them all; The ſin of the poor body, of the weakeſt and meaneſt, is tranſacted on him, as well as the ſin of Abraham that great friend of God, and Father of the Faithful, and the Salvation of the one is as ſure as the Salvation of the other; All Believers from the ſtrongeſt to the weakeſt have but one Right of Charter to Heaven, but one holding of the Inheritance. 6. The Lord hath laid on him all the iniquities of all the Elect with a particular reſpect to all their aggravations, and to all the ſeveral ways that they have turned to ſin; Their Original ſin, and all their actual tranſgreſſions, with their particular predominants, as to their puniſhment; And there is reaſon for it, becauſe the Elect could not ſatisfie for the leaſt ſin; And it is neceſſary for the glorifying of Grace, that the Glory of the work of their Salvation be not halfed, but ſolely and ſinglely aſcribed and given to God, therefore the ſatisfaction comes all on the Mediators account, and none of it on theirs. 7. All this is really done and performed by the Mediator without any ſuit or requeſt of the Elect, or of the Believer, at leaſt as the procuring cauſe thereof; He buyes and purchaſes what is needful for them, and pays for their diſcharge; And they have no more to do, but to call for an extract, and to take a ſealed remiſſion by his blood: The application whereof, the Uſes that follow will give occaſion to ſpeak to.
Uſe 5. Since it is ſo, then none would think little of ſin; which checks the great preſumption that is amongſt men and women, who think little and light of ſin, and that it is an eaſie matter to come by the pardon of it; They think there is no more to do but barely and ba…chly to confeſs they have ſinned, and to ſay, God is merciful, and hence they conclude that God will not reckon with them: But, did he reckon with the Mediator, and that ſo holily rigidly and ſeverely too, and will he, think ye, ſpare you? If he dealt ſo with the green tree, what will become of the dry? Be not deceived, God will not be mocked.
And therefore 6ly, As the cloſe of all, ſee here the abſolute neceſſity of ſharing in Chriſts ſatisfaction, and of having an intereſt therein by this Covenant derived unto you, elſe know that ye muſt count for your own ſins; And if ſo, woe eternally to you; Therefore either betake your ſelves to the Mediator, that by his Eye-ſalve ye may ſee, that by his Gold ye may be inriched, that by his Garments ye may be cloathed, that the ſhame of your nakedneſs do not appear; And that ye may, by being juſtified by his knowledge, be free from the wrath to come, or otherwayes ye muſt and ſhall ly under it for ever.
Thus ye have the fulneſs of Gods Covenant on the one ſide, and the weightineſs and terribleneſs of Gods wrath on the other ſide laid before you; If ye knew what a fearful thing his wrath were, ye would be glad at your hearts to hear of a Saviour, and every one would run and make haſte to be found in him, and to ſhare of his ſatisfaction, and to be ſure of a diſcharge by vertue of his payment of the debt, and they would give all diligence to make ſure their Calling and Election; For that end the Lord himſelf powerfully perſwade you to do ſo.