Christ Crucified, Sermon 47
SERMON XLVII.
ISAIAH LIII. XI.
Verſe 11. He ſhall ſee of the travell of his ſoul, and ſhall be ſatisfied: by his knowledge ſhall my righteous ſervant juſtifie many: for he ſhall bear their i…iquities.
AS it is a moſt wonderfull Work that Our Lord Jeſus hath in hand, and a mighty great Bargain, that coſt Him the Travel of His Soul; So it may be thought, that it muſt be a very great Price that Our Lord Jeſus hath to expect, as His Satisfaction for all that ſore Labour and Travel; This is it that the Text holds forth, He ſhall ſee of the fruit of the travel of his ſoul; Which in Sum is this, He ſhall ſee poor Sinners getting good of Him, Juſtified by His Grace, and admitted to friendſhip with God, and that to His Satisfaction, as the Words following clear, He ſhall be ſatisfied, to wit, as to that Fruit, and ſhall acquieſce in it, as His Satisfaction for all the Travel of His Soul.
We told you, that there were three things in theſe Words, 1. The Price that is called for from the Mediator, in performing the Work of Redemption, and making Reconciliation betwixt God and Sinners, to wit, The travel of his ſoul, The ſad and ſorely pinching Straits, and Preſſures that He was put to, and brought under, not only in His Body, but alſo in His Soul. 2. The Promiſe made to Him upon His undertaking, and paying of the Price, He ſhall ſee of the travel of his ſoul, That is, the Fruits and Effects of His Soul travel; It ſhall not be for nought, but ſhall certainly have Fruit, He ſhall have a numerous Seed and Iſſue. 3. There is here holden forth the Mediators acquieſcence in the Bargain ſo propoſed, That He undertaking the Condition of laying down His Life, on theſe ſame Terms, that He ſhall ſee a Seed, He requires no other Satisfaction, and therefore He accepts of it, and acquieſces in it, as the Reſult of this Deſigne, and ſhal be ſatisfyed.
Having ſpoken of the former Two, We come now to ſpeak of the Third, And we may conſider it, in theſe three Reſpects. 1. As it looks to Chriſt's Deſigne, Who is like to one that is running a Race, and hath the Prize before him, and in his eye; and this is implyed here, That He hath ſomething before Him, in laying down of His Life, which He ſhall not miſs, but ſhall reach and be Satisfied in it; ſo many are given Him, for whom He enters Cautioner, on Condition, that His Righteouſneſs ſhall be made furthcoming to them, and that none of them ſhall be without, or want it. 2. As it looks both to the number, and certainty of the Effects, and Fruits in reſpect of them that are given to Him; He ſhall be ſatisfied, He ſhall have, though not all Men and Women, yet a ſufficient number, even as many as ſhall ſatisfie and content Him, And whatever was intended by Him, in the laying down of His Life, He ſhall want nothing of it, but ſhall be ſatisfyed in it; and thus the Words are to be Actively underſtood, to wit, of Gods Actual performing of that which ſhall be Satisfying to the Mediator. 3. It may be looked on as the Effect and Conſequent following upon the former Promiſe; and ſo it is to be underſtood Paſſively for the delight that He takes in the Fruit of His Sufferings, and in the ſeing of Sinners getting the good of them; and the ſo meaning is, That He ſhall be fully contented, and throughly well Satisfied with, yea, even delighted, and (to ſpeak ſo) comforted in this, for all the Travel of His Soul, when many ſhall be brought to believe in Him, and to get good of Him.
To clear it furder, We may take the Words as alluding to ſeverall Similitudes, As, 1. To that of hungry and thirſty Perſons, who are ſaid to be ſatisfied, when their hunger and thirſt are removed, by meat and drink; which implyes, That Jeſus Chriſt in His purſuing and performing the Work of Redemption, had a Holy Hunger and Thirſt, and this His Hunger and Thirſt Is Satisfyed in their Salvation, and what leadeth to it; As Himſelf ſaith. John 4.32. (Where He makes uſe of this ſame Similitude) I have meat to eat that ye know not of. 2. It may allude to a Man's taking pains in planting of an Vine-yard, or Orchard, to whom it is a Satisfaction when all the Trees grow, thrive well, and bear Fruit; and ſo the meaning is, That Our Lord Jeſus ſhall be at vaſt Expence, and great Labour and Pains, in making Sinners to become Trees of righteouſneſs, but that all theſe for whom He Suffered, and was at all this Expence and Pain ſhall hold ſo well, and be ſo Fruitfull at length, that He ſhall be fully Satisfied in them, and think all well beſtowed; Or, 3. We may take it in alluſion to a Woman in Travel, who is ſaid, John 16.21. To have ſorrow, while her pains are upon her, but ſo ſoon as ſhe is delivered, ſhe no more remembers her ſorrow, for joy that a man child is born; And this Similitude is here eſpecially alluded unto, therefore Our Lords Sufferings are called Travel, becauſe of the Pains that He was put unto in them, and becauſe the End of them was to bring forth Children, before called His ſeed; As if the Prophet had ſaid, Our Lord Jeſus ſhall be put to great Sorrow in Suffering, but He ſhall bring forth; And as a Woman hath Joy in the Man-child brought forth, ſo ſhall He have more comfort and delight in the bringing forth of Believers, then He had ſorrow in the procuring of Life to them, though that was very great.
From the Words thus conſidered and explained, take theſe two Obſervations, 1. That Our Lord Jeſus is exceedingly delighted, ſatisfyed, and well-pleaſed with poor Sinners, making uſe, and getting good of His Sufferings; It's a thing moſt Satisfying, and Well-pleaſing to Him. 2. That ſeing Our Lord Jeſus is ſo well-pleaſed with Sinners making uſe of Him, there is all equity and reaſon for it, that He ſhould have this Satisfaction; and this follows not only on the former, but clearly riſeth from the Words; For this Satisfaction is allowed Him for His Soul-travel; and as it's Juſt, that they that Labour ſhould partake of their Labour, and that the Hirling ſhould have his hire, ſo, it's not only Satisfying to Chriſt, that Sinners get good of Him, but it's Juſt, He having Purchaſed it at ſo dear a Rate.
For the Firſt of theſe, That Our Lord Jeſus is exceedingly delighted and ſatisfyed with Sinners making uſe, and getting good of Him; If there were no other Scripture to confirm it, this ſame is ſufficicient; Would ye then know what Chriſt aims at in His Sufferings, what will content and ſatisfie Him, as a Recompence for all His Soul-travel? It's even this, To ſee the of fruit of the travel of his ſoul, To have Sinners getting good of Him, and ſaved by Him, and there is nothing but this that will Satisfye Him; It were a great matter to have the Faith of this Settled, and Rooted in our Hearts; if we could rightly take up what He hath Suffered, how low He hath condeſcended to come, even to be a Man, and a Man of ſorrows, and acquainted with grief, To be reproached and mocked, to take on Him the Curſe, and to be in Pain and Soul-travel; And then if we could rightly take up what He aimed at, and deſigned in all this, and what He accounted to be a recompence to Him for it all; even this, That when His Goſpel is Preached, ſuch and ſuch poor Sinners under hazard of Wrath and Challenges for Sin, ſhould, through cloſing with Him, be brought to anſwer all their Challenges by this; Our Lord Jeſus hath ſatisfied Juſtice for Sinners; and when poor Sinners are under the ſenſe of a hard heart, that they ſhould caſt their Eye on the ſame ground for a remedy of that Spiritual Malady, and Plague, even His Sufferings, which have purchaſed the mollifying of the heart, as well as Juſtification, and Pardon of Sin; And when a Sinner is diſconſolat, and dejected, becauſe of Sin, and Divine Diſpleaſure that He ſhould be Cheered and Comforted in His Sufferings; This, even this is refreſhing, and is delightſome to Him: We ſay, it were much to get this throughly believed; That Sinners are not half ſo fain to come in under His Sufferings for ſhelter and refreſhing, as Our Lord Jeſus is, (to ſpeak with reverence) to ſee them Sheltered, Refreſhed, and Thriving; The very mentioning of this ought to be as marrow to the bones.
But for furder clearing of it, we would ſpeak a Word. 1. To what this Delight, and Satisfaction is, 2. To ſome grounds to confirm the truth of it, that Our Lord Jeſus is indeed delighted to ſee poor Sinners coming to Him, and getting good of Him
For the First, of theſe, We did, when we was ſpeaking of theſe Words, v. 10. The pleaſure of the Lord ſhall proſper in his hand, Shew, how it was a delightſome thing to Jehovah; And now ſpeaking of it from this 11. v. in reference to the Mediator, we ſhall take it up in theſe particulars. 1. There is in Our Lord Jeſus, not only a delight in Sinners getting good of Him, as it is a thing He calls for, and is agreeable to His revealed will, and as being required of them as their Duty, in which reſpect it's acceptable to God, and cannot but be acceptable and well-pleaſing to Him; neither, 2. Is this delight only in reſpect of the End of His Sufferings, which were undergone to make a way for, and to ſtrick open a Door to the Throne of Grace, through the Vail which is His Fleſh; that poor Sinners might come to a Fountain and waſh, and have acceſs to God through Him; Which being the End He had before Him in His Death, cannot but be acceptable to God, becauſe it was His End in the giving of His Son to Die; and ſo it's delightſome to the Mediator; but alſo 3dly. It is ſo in theſe two reſpects further; Sinners coming to Him, reſting on Him, and getting good of Him, is His delight. 1. In reſpect of the Honour that is done unto Him; when a Sinner believes on Him, He counts it the putting of the Crown on His Head, As it is Cant. 3 11. ſee alſo to this purpoſe, John 5.23, 24. And though there could have been a poſſibility of honouring of God before, yet there is no Honouring of the Mediator, till Folk make uſe of His Sufferings by Faith; And it is on this ground that Chriſt complains when He is not made uſe of; and therefore, when Sinners give Him credit, by committing the ſaving of their Souls to Him, and by making uſe of His Offices for that End, and for His performing in them that wherefore they were appointed, it cannot but be acceptable and well-pleaſing to Him. 2. In reſpect of that Sympathy that Our Lord Jeſus hath with His own Members; For though the Mediator be now glorified in H aven, yet He hath a hum…ne Heart, and affection ſtill, though inconceivably glorious, and ſo a kindly Sympathie with them, and is ſome way affected with both their good and their ill; And conſidering Him thus, He hath a delight in the good and well-fare of His People, and their being delighted in, and ſatisfied with Him, proves a Delight and Satisfaction to Him.
For the next thing, to wit, the clearing and confirming of it; It might be cleared and confirmed from many Grounds, but we ſhall only touch on ſome, that may make it out moſt convincingly, that it's moſt delightſome to Jeſus Chriſt, to ſee Sinners making uſe of Him, and getting good of His Sufferings; And this His Delight may be drawn from Eternity, and carried on to Eternity, 1. In the making of the Covenant of Redemption, it was delightſome to Him to enter in it, As is clear Pſal. 40. I delight to do thy will, O my God; The Bargain was no ſooner propoſed (if we may ſpeak ſo to that which is Eternal) But heartily it was cloſed with by Him; And this is confirmed, Prov 8.32. Where the Subſtantial Wiſdom of the Father is brought in, ſaying, Then I was by him as one brought up with him, and I was dayly his delight, rejoycing in the habitable parts of his earth, and my delights were with the Sons …f men; Our Lord Jeſus, before the World began, was delighted in the forethought that ſuch a thing was a coming, that in ſuch and ſuch parts of the World, ſuch and ſuch poor Sinners ſhould be called by His Grace, and get the good of His Suffufferings; As a Man in a long Journey, or Voyage, may be delighted in the Forefight of the End of it, before He come at it. 2. Look foreward to H…s …xecuting of His Office of Mediator, an… to His going about the work of R…demp…on, and we will find that He does it with delight, Therefore, John 4. When H… is ſitting on the Well ſide, and is weary with H…s Journey, and hath neither to eat nor to drink, He falleth a Preaching …o a poor ſinfull Woman, and when the Diſciples would fain have refreſhed Him with that which they had bought, He ſayes to them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of, And when they begin to wonder what that could be, He ſayes further to them, It is my meat to do my Fathers will, and to finiſh his work, And what was that, a poor whotiſh Woman is ſpoken to, by Him, and brought by His ſpeaking to acknowledge Him to be the Meſſiah, and to accept of Him as ſuch; And by that bleſſed Work, His Hunger and Thirſt were Satisfied: So Luke 22.15. He ſaith to His Diſciples, with deſire have I deſired to eat this paſſover with you, before I ſuffer: And Luke 12.50. I have a baptiſme to be baptized with, and how am I ſtraitned till it be accompliſhed? Though he drinking of that Cup was terrible to Him, and though mockings and reproaches were not pleaſant in themſelves, yet the love that He had to Sinners good, maſtered all the bitterneſs that was in theſe, and made them ſweet. 3. There is nothing that He more complains of, nothing angers and grieves Him more, then when He is not made uſe of, Ye will not (ſaith He, John 5.) come to me, that ye may have life, To ſhew, that the beſt inter…ainment that they could give Him, was, to come and get Life from Him; And it's told us, that He was angry and grieved for the peoples unbelief, and hardneſs of heart; Yea, He weeps over them becauſe of this, Luke 19. All which prove the great delight that He had, and hath ſtill, in Sinners getting good of Him; And frequently in the Song, as Chap. 2, and 6. He is ſaid to feed among the lillies; There is all His intertainment that He gets in the World, He feaſts only on the Fruits of His own Spirit in them that welcome Him: I ſhall name but one place more, and that is, Pſal. 147.10.11. He delights not in the ſtrength of a horſe, nor in the legs of a man, but in them that fear him; The following Words clear it more, what it is that delights Him, In them that hope in his mercy, that is, in them that draw into Him by believing, He delights in theſe, Beyond all the World.
Uſe, 1. It were a deſirable thing to be believing this; Are there any ſo prophane, but are ready to think, that if they knew what would pleaſe God, or Chriſt, they would do it? The Queſtion is here anſwered, that this is pleaſing, and only pleaſing to Him; If this be wanting, there is nothing that will pleaſe Him, even that ye make uſe of Chriſts Sufferings, and imploy Him in His Offices, for getting the good that may be had by them; This is it that ye are c…lled to, and which delighteth Him; and if this be not, though ye would give Him thouſands of rams, and ten thouſands of rivers of oyl, yea, the firſt born of your body for the ſin of your ſouls, it will not ſatisfy Him, nor be accepted; becauſe this alone is the Satisfaction that He will have for His Soul-travel.
I ſhall a li…tle explain this, and then proſecute the Uſe of it; Ye will aſk then, What is the Fruit of Chriſt's Soul-travel that ſatisfies Him? I anſwer, That we take in under it not only, 1. That ye ſhould aim to be at Heaven, nei…her 2. …his, That ye be ſerious in the Duties of Holineſs, as if theſe were Well-pleaſing to God, without reſpect to Chriſt's Sufferings; but it is the Uſe-making and improving of Chriſt's Sufferings for attaining of theſe; When Folk by this midſe, by this New and Living Way ſtep forward to Heaven, and ſeek to be Seri…us in the ſtudy of Holineſs; when they that could not walk in the way of Holineſſe, do now walk in it, leaning on their beloved, and ſtudy to live by Faith in Him, T…is is it mainly wherein His Delight and Satisfaction doth lye, even when a poor Sinner is brought to make Uſe of Him for Peace and Reconciliation with God, for through bearing in all called for Duties, for his Conſolation, and for his Admiſſion to Heaven in the cloſe: And therefore they do not only fail here, who are Prophane, living ſecurely, never minding Heaven, their Peace with God, nor the ſtudy of Holineſs: Neither only theſe, who caſt the Law and its Reproofs behind their backs, (th…ſe are loathſome to God and to Jeſus Chriſt,) but by this, Theſe are alſo reproved, that do not improve the Sufferings of Chriſt for Peace and Reconciliation with God, for Righteouſneſſe, and for Strength, for Comfort, and encouragement, and who hope not in H… Mercy; The Reaſon is, becauſe, though it were poſſible they could make progreſſe in H…lineſs, and attain to Comfort and Peace …hat …ay, yet it would not be thus, The Fruit of the Trav…l of Chriſts Soul, He being pa… by, and …o could not be Satisfaction to Him: Bu… where a poor Sinner ſees that he ca…no… c…me to God of himſelf, cannot make his Peace, nor can He walk in the way of Holineſs, ſo, as to pleaſe God, and ſo flies to Chriſt for refuge, and make uſe of His Purchaſe; there lyeth Chriſts delight, to ſee ſuch a Sinner come and hide himſelf under the ſh…ddow of His Sufferings; and in this reſpect, the more hardly a Sinner is put at, it is the more ſatisfaction to Him, that He in His Death and Sufferings be made uſe of, becauſe this way, the Sinners Life is more intirely the benefit of His Sufferings; and that ſuch a Perſon hath any Strength, Comfort or Peace, and is admitted to Heaven, It is allenarly through the Travel of His Soul, which is His great Satisfaction.
And therefore, we would, 2dly commend to you, That as you would do Chriſt a favour, (to ſpeak ſo with reverence; And, O! what a motive is this for vile Sinners, the duſt of His Feet, to be put in a capacity to do Him a pleaſure) Endeavour this eſpecially, that as to you, Chriſt may ſee the Fruit of the Travel of His Soul, and be ſatisfied, and that all His kindneſs offered to you may not be Fruitleſſe; This is the great hing of the Goſpel, as to that which is preſſed upon you, and this is the wonderfull motive that is given to preſſe it, That it's delightſome to Chriſt, and therefore ye ſhould believe on Him: It were incouragement enough that it's profitable to your ſelves; But if ye had hearts of ſtone this ſhould move you to it, That Our Lord Jeſus ſeeks no more Satisfaction from you for all His Soul-travel, but that ye make uſe of His Sufferings, that ye do not receive this Offer of His Grace in vain, nor be Fruitleſs under it: In a word, we have here laid before us (and think upon it) the moſt Wonderfull, Inconceivable, and Inexpreſſible Sute and Requeſt of Him who is the Creator, to us poor ſinfull creatures, and what is it? I have been (ſayes He on the matter) in ſore Travel and Pain for you, now I pray you let it not be for nought, let me ſee the Fruit of it; And (to ſpeak it with reverence of the Majeſty of God) It would ſay this to you, let not Our Lord Jeſus rue of His Sufferings; for as many as hear of this Offer, and do not credit Him with their Souls, they do what they can, to make Him repent that ever He became Man, and Suffered ſo much, when He is thus ſhifted, and unkindly requited by them, to whom He makes the Offer; and this is very home and urgent, preſſing of the neceſſity of making uſe of Him, when ſuch an Argument is made uſe of, for thus it ſtands with you, and His Offer ſpeaks this; Either make uſe of Chriſt, and of His Soul-travel, for ſaving of your Souls, that ſo He may be ſatisfied; or, if ye ſlight Him, ye not only deſtroy, and cauſe to periſh your own Souls, but ye refuſe to Satisfie Chirſt for His Soul-travel, and do what in you lyes to marr, and defeat the End and Deſigne of His Sufferings; and is not this a great and ſtrongly puſhing dilemma? The reſult of your receiving, or rejecting of Chriſt will be this, if ye receive Him, ye ſatisfie Him, if ye reject Him, ye ſay ye are not content that He ſhould be ſatisfied; and what can be expected to come of it, when Chriſt Suffered ſo much, and when all that was craved of you, was to make uſe of Him, and when it was told that, that would ſatisfie Him, and yet that was refuſed? What a horrible challenge will this be in the Great Day? And therefore to preſſe this Uſe a little, we ſhall ſhew you here, 1. What it is that we exhort you to, And 2. What is the force of this Motive, 1. We would commend to you in general, that ye would endeavour the Salvation of your own Souls, This is it, He cryes to you, Prov. 1.22. How long ye ſimple ones will ye love ſimplicity, and ye ſcorners delight in ſcorning, turn ye at my reproof, &c. He aims at this, that ye ſhould get your Souls ſaved from Wrath, and this ſhould not be prejudicial, nor at the long run unſatisfying to your ſelves, and it will be very ſatisfying to Him. 2. It is not only to aim at Salvation ſimply, but to aim at it by Him, to aim at Pardon of Sin, and Juſtification through His Righteouſneſſe and Satisfaction; And that ye would bring no other Argument before God to plead upon, for your Peace with Him, but this; and that ye would aim at Holineſſe, as a Fruit of His Death, He having purchaſed a peculiar people to himſelf to be zealous of good works, As it is, Tit. 2.14. And that ye would aim to do holy Duties, by His ſtrengthning of you; and that ye would live by Faith in Him, which is your victory over the world, and the very Soul of the practice of all holy Duties; And 3. That ye aim to have a Comfortable, Refreſhfull, and Chearfull Life in Him, and by what is in Him, as if it were your own, it being legally yours by Faith in Him; To be ſtoping your own mouth, as having nothing in your ſelves to boaſt of, and, (as I juſt now ſaid) to be chearing and delighting your ſelves from that which is in Him, And as it is Pſal. 147. Even to be hoping in his mercy; In a word, It is to be ſtudying peace with God through Him, to be ſtudying Holineſs in His ſtrength, and to be ſtudying a Comfortable and Chearfull walk through the grounds of joy that are given you in Him, which is very reaſonable; would ye then do Him a favour, and have Him Delighted and Satisfied, do but this, give Him your Souls to be ſaved by Him, in His own way; come to Him ſenſible of Sin, and founding your Peace on Him, though weak in your ſelves, yet ſtrong in Him, On whom as the mighty one God hath laid help; And ſtudying holineſs in His ſtrength; drawing vertue from Him, only to moritify your luſts; That it may be known that Chriſt hath died, and is Riſen again, becauſe Grace ſhines in ſuch a Perſon; And be Comforted in Him, He that glories, let him glorie in the Lord, having given up with Creature-comforts, and Confidences, with your own Gifts, Parts, Duties, &c. And having betaken your ſelves to the Peace, Strength and Conſolation that are in a Mediator, and which run through the Covenant of Grace, and flow forth from Him, as the Fountain from whom all the Grace, and Comfort that come to us are derived. 2dly. For the force of the Motive, conſider ſeriouſly, if this be not a pinching ſtrait that ye are put to; if this be it wherein Our Lords Satisfaction lyes, and wherein the Salvation and Edification of your own Souls conſiſt; we poſe you, if it be any great difficult, or unreaſonable thing, that is called for from you? and if the Motive whereon it is preſt be not moſt juſt and reaſonable? that theſe who have, or profeſs to have the Faith of this, that it will be Satisfaction to Him for all His Soul-travel, that Sinners make uſe of Him, ſhould yeeld it to Him; And whether in the Day of the Lord it will not be a moſt hainous, ſhamefull, and abominable Guilt, that when the buſineſs of your own Salvation ſtood on this, even on your Satisfying of Chriſt by yeelding, ye refuſed, diſdained and ſcorned it, and would not make uſe of Him for your Peace, and would no… in His ſtrength ſtudy Holineſs, though your own Souls ſhould never be ſaved, nor He ſatisfied or His Soul-travel; This, of all other Challenges will be the ſharpeſt, and moſt bitting; and upon the other hand, it may be moſt comforting to a poor bodie that is ſenſible of Sin, and afraid of Wrath; is there or can there be hazard to do Chriſt a pleaſure by believing on Him? It's a thing delightſome to Him, and therefore, let this be one great Motive to preſs believing in Chriſt, among the reſt, which, though it be croſs, and thwarting to the unbelieving heart, and may look like preſumption to look a Promiſe in the Face, and to offer to make application of it to the poor Sinners ſelf; Yet ſeing it's a thing ſo pleaſing to Chriſt, that it ſatisfies Him for all His Sufferings, eſſay it upon this very account, remembring alwayes, that He delights in them that hope in his mercy; and to him be praiſe, for ever.