Christ Crucified, Sermon 60
SERMON LX.
ISAIAH LIII.XI.
Verſ. 11. — By his knowledge ſhall my righteous ſervant juſtifie many; For he ſhall be or their iniquit…e….
THis is a great aſſertion, and of mighty moment, wher…in, to the Knowledge of Chriſt, the Juſtification of many is attributed; and indeed, if we knew what an advant…ge and benefit it were, there would be nothing more ſtudied then how to obtain it; For it is the v…ry in let, and opens the door to Glorification; and if to be happy in the enjoyment of God be a benefit of great concerment, then this of Juſtification muſt be ſo.
We propoſed to ſpeak of the way how this benefit is applyed; and that is by Faith, ſet out under this expreſſion, His knowledge, or the knowledge of him, and touched on the benefit of Faith, and the neceſſity thereof, for attaining Juſtification, God having ſo ordered it in the Covenant, that none others ſhould be Juſtified, but ſuch as have Faith. 2. We ſpoke alſo to the Object of this Faith, Chriſt Jeſus as our Righteouſneſſe, and Peace; So that Chriſt becomes in a peculiar manner the Object of Faith, beſide any other thing; Becauſe it's only in Chriſt, it can find a ſhelter; Therefore it's only to Chriſt that it fl…es, when it is purſued. 3. We ſpake likewiſe of the nature of this Faith, or it's Act, it being the hearts truſting it ſelf to Chriſts Righteouſneſſe, whereon it hazards the weight of it's Peace, and relyes here; And as all the Terms of Juſtification are borrowed from Law, wherein there is ſuppoſed a Charge, a Tribunal, and a Judge; So is this reſting in like manner; It's in effect, an arraigned Perſons making of Chriſt's Righteouſneeſſe his Legal Defence againſt all Challenges; The ſubſtance of the phraſe is in that of, Philip. 3.9. That I may be found in him not having my righteouſneſs, &c. Where preſuppoſing a lybelling and Charge, where to does the Apoſtle betake himſelf, and what is his refuge? It's Chriſt and His Righteouſneſſe, even to be found in Him; as if the queſtion were propoſed, Paul, what wilt thou do in the day of Judgement, what wilt thou lean to for a Defence in that day? To which he anſwers, not to my own Righteouſneſſe, but this is it, even to be found in Him; which he expones to be, the having on His Righteouſneſs by Faith, that's the Righteouſneſſe of Chriſt by Faith taken hold of by me, which F…ith ſhuts up as it were Paul in that R…ghteouſneſſe, and hids him ſo, as he is paſt over, as if there were no unrighteouſneſſe at all in him.
The Eff…ct of this Faith follows, when a Perſon …s chaſed and hath fled into, and laid hold on Chriſt; the effect, I ſay is, he ſhall be Juſtified; we may conſider this ſeveral ways, and for explication's ſake I ſhall ſhortly put by ſome of them.
1. Then, according to the expoſition of the words, take this obſervation, That there is ſuch a thing as Juſtification diſtinct from Sanct…fication; That benefit of Juſtification follows on Faith's taking hold of Chriſt becauſe it's ſuch a benefit as follows Chriſt taking on our Sin; By his knowledge ſhall he ju…tifie many, for he ſhall be… their iniquities; Now Sanctification is not that, but the infuſing of Hol…neſſe in us, and is the work of Gods Spirit, inwardly working a change in the man, we did ſome way clear and confirm this in the expoſition of the Words, and ſhew you how Sanctification differeth from Juſtification; Now ye are justified, now ye are ſanctified, Sayes the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 6. Making them diſtinct benefits: To clear it a little further, Two things are to be conſidered in Sin, both which are to be removed by Chriſt, but differently: 1. Something that defils and polluts us, and makes at diſconform to Gods Image, hence Sin is in the Scripture compared to Boills and Sores, and menſtruous Cloaths, and is called filthineſs. 2. There is a guiltineſſe that follows on this, whereby we are not only preſuppoſed unclean, but are made lyable to the Laws Certification, wherein it's ſaid, Curſed is every one that continueth not in every thing written in the book of the law to do it; Now if we ſpeak of the removing of theſe two, Juſtification takes away the guilt of Sin, when the Sinner is purſued before God's Tribunal, he is diſcharged by the imputation of Chriſts Righteouſneſſe, to which he is fled for refuge; The Law abſolves him not becauſe he wants Sin, but becauſe the Mediator hath ſa…isfied for his Sin; and that Satisfaction is by Faith laid hold of; Sanctification takes away the pollution, and blot of Sin, the Perſon that had theſe Boills and Sores is cleanſed, or healled, or is a healling, and under cure, (for there is no compleat healling while on this ſide of Heaven) As ſuppone a man by tranſgreſſing the Law, had wounded himſelf, in wounding or hurting another, there is here both a guilt, and a deformity, a guilt in tranſgreſſing the Law, by hurting his neighbour, and a deformity in wounding himſelf: Juſtification is as if the penalty of the breach of ſuch a Law were not exacted, by the interpoſing of a Cautioner; and Sanctification is like the healling of the Wound in a mans ſelf, by taking or application of ſome Phyſick, or Plaiſter; So is it here, Juſtification ſets us free from the guilt, and Sanctification cures us of the wound of Sin; mans fall was a guilt, and by that fall he wounded himſelf; and by Chriſt bo…h are removed from the Believer; by His Satisfaction He j ſtifies, and by His Grace and Spirit, He Sanctifies him.
Uſe, We obſerve it only in paſſing, becauſe it ſerves to clear all that concerns Juſtification, and therefore when we ſpeak of Juſtification by Chriſts Righteouſ…eſſe. 1. It's not as if we had a Righteouſneſſe communicat to us, and were made actu…lly holy; but it's the i…putation of Chriſt's Righteouſneſſe to us; the confounding of theſe two does ill, and is very prejudicial, not only to Papists, but to others, who think they are Juſtified, when they think they have ſome good frame, which being wanting, they ſuſpect their Juſtificat on. 2. The meaning is not as if Chriſts Righteouſneſſe were our Sanctification, which is the Error of the Antinomians, who make all Sanctification to be Juſtification, even as the Papiſts make all Juſtification to be Sanctification; therefore we would learn to diſtinguiſh theſe two, yet not ſo as to ſeparat them.
2dly, Obſerve, That this effect, Juſtification, is not only, nor mainly the ſenſe of being pardoned and abſolved; but it's real abſolution and pardon it ſelf; becauſe this Juſtification that follows Faith, is that which Chriſt hath purchaſed by His Soul-travel, and bearing of our iniquities, and intitles the Juſtified Perſon to Him, and makes him to be of His Seed; and that is not to have the ſenſe that we are Juſtified, but actually to be Juſtified: And here there is another miſtake to be adverted to, to think Juſtification to be the evidence of that which is paſt before we were born, yea from Eternity; The Juſtification here ſpoken of, is that which makes us ſtand before God; is oppoſit to Works, and to the Curſe; and frees us from it; But the ſenſe of Juſtification is not that, whereby we ſtand before God, and is oppoſit to Works and the Curſe; and therefore take this Advertiſement, that Juſtification is not to be ſenſible of our Juſtification, but it is really to be ſo, whether we know and be ſenſible of it or not; and that by vertue of Chriſts Righteouſneſſe apprehended by Faith.
The Third, and main thi…g in this effect, is, That laying hold on Chr…ſt by Faith, as He is offered in the Goſpel, does before God ſerve to the Juſtifying of a Sinner, and the abſolving of him from the guilt of Sin; That is, when a Sinner ſenſible of Sin, is brought to lay hold on Chriſt's Righteouſneſſe, then follows Gods abſolving of him, as if he had never had Sin; or had ſatisfied for his own Sin; which is not only holden out here, but is frequently ſpoken of through the Epiſtles and is the Juſtification that ſtands in oppoſition to the way of Works; to wit, when a poor Sinner ſenſible of Sin, is perſwaded by Gods Spirit to flee unto, and reſt upon Chriſts Righteouſneſſe offered in the Goſpel, upon which follows Gods abſolving of him; This Doctrine takes in the ſubſtance of the Text, By the knowledge of my righteous ſervant ſhall many be juſtified.
There are ſeveral things that will fall to be cleared in the proſecuting of this, which we ſhall ſpeak to ſhortly, for clearing of that Queſtion of the Catechiſm, what is Juſtification? becauſe this Doctrine holds out the Form of it, and deduceth it in this order. 1. A Sinner is here ſuppoſed to be lying under Gods curſe, according to that, Gal. 3.10. Curſed is every one that continues not in all things written in the law, This is mans condition by nature. 2. It is ſuppoſed that Chriſt becomes Cautioner for elect Sinners, and takes on their Debt, and ſatisfies for them; on condition that if they ſhall believe on Him, they ſhall be Juſtified, and have His ſatisfaction imputed to them, and that the Lord Jehovah accepts of the Mediators Satisfaction, and ingageth to make out the condition.
3. The Lord, in the Word of the Goſpel hath revealed this; and hath comprehended the way of a Sinners Juſtification in the Goſpel Covenant, and promiſes, and makes offer of it to all that hear of it, ſaying, He that believes in the Son ſhall not periſh, but have eternal life, and all that believe on him ſhall be juſtified from all things, whereby they could not be juſtified by the law of Moſes: This is the external inſtrumental cauſe of Juſtification, that holds out the way to Life; which ſuppoſes the former. 4. When this is made offer of in the Goſpel, there is the o…eration of Gods Spirit on the Soul illightning the Mind of the Sinner, convincing him of his hazard, chaſing him to Chriſt, and powerfully perſwading him to take hold of His Righteouſneſſe made offer of to him; whereupon the Soul comes to put forth the Act of Faith, and to reſt upon His Righteouſneſſe; as when it was ſaid by Philip to the Eunuch, Act. 8. If thou believeſt thou mayeſt juſtified; The Soul anſwers, I believe in Christ the Son of God; whereupon it becomes a bargain; and this is the inward mean, or inſtrumental cauſe of Juſtification. 5. Follows Gods imputing to that Sinner, that receives Chriſt as He is offered, and reſts upon Him by Faith, His Righteouſneſſe, and Chriſts payment and ſatisf…ction to Juſtice is counted his, and according to this, his Sins are pardoned, for the merit of that Righteouſneſs, and he himſelf is accepted & accounted Righteous, as if he had never ſinned; and he hath ſuch a ſentence paſt on him, as is held forth in theſe words of Pſal. 32.1. Bleſſed is the man whoſe tranſgreſſion is forgiven, whoſe ſin is covered, to whom the Lord imputs to iniquity; and in theſe, Rom. 8.1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them who are in Chriſt Jeſus, &c. Even as before he fled to Chriſt, there was a Curſe ſtanding againſt him: And this is an Act of God, the Soveraign and efficient Cauſe, To declare his righteouſneſs, that he might be juſt, and the juſtifier of him that believes in Jeſus, as it is, Rom. 3.26. which is the final cauſe.
We may confirm this either as to the poſitive part, that by believing a Sinner is Juſtified, or as to the negative part, that there is no other way poſſible whereby a Sinner can be Juſtified, but by believing; So that this great Effect follows from a ſenſible Sinners taking hold of Chriſts Righteouſneſſe by Faith: Ye may look upon a few Scriptures to this purpoſe, as namely, Gal. 2.16. Where the Apoſtle entering in the debate layes down this concluſion, Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jeſus Chriſt, even we have believed in Jeſus Chriſt, that we might be juſtified by the faith of Chriſt; as if he had ſaid, we have taken this way for the attaining of this end, believing that we might be juſtified; The Apoſtle ſpeaks here, 1. Of a Juſtification by Faith, which is oppoſit to Works, and as he aſcribes it to Faith, ſo he denyes it to Works. 2. He makes it excluſive, and will have no other thing to concur in the manner at leaſt, but Faith; Knowing (ſaith he) that a man is not juſtified by works, but by faith. 3. He holds out his own, and other Believers practice; Even we have believed, that we might be juſtified; As if he ſaid, we took this way of Faith to be abſolved before God, which by the Law, or the Works of the Law, would never have been; See alſo to this purpoſe the Epiſtle to the Romans 1, 2, 3, 4. and 5. Chapters, eſpecially the 3, and 4. In the 3d. chap. v. 25. When he is ſumming the Doctrine of Juſtification into a compend, he ſayes, Whom God hath ſet forth to be a propitiation through faith, to declare his righteouſneſſe for the remiſſion of ſins, &c. Where Chriſts Righteouſneſſe is called a Propitiation through faith, and Faith is holden out as the Channel in which Juſtification runs; and in the words following the Believer is holden out as the Object of it; So Chap. 4. It's holden out in the inſtance of Abraham, particularly v. 5. To him that worketh not, but believeth on him that juſtifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteouſneſſe; Where the Apoſtle propones Two wayes of a perſons aiming to be Juſtified; The 1. whereof is, when a man works, or worketh not on that account to be Juſtified by them, and on that account ſeeks to be Juſtified, and that way is rejected. The 2. is, when a man hath no works, but by Faith betakes himſelf to Chriſt's Satisfaction; and that way is eſtabliſhed, for that mans Faith is counted for Righteouſneſſe, and is the ground of his peace before God; we gave ſome Scriptures before for this, and ſhall not therefore now inſiſt. There is alſo good reaſon, why it cannot be otherwayes, 1. If we conſider what man is in himſelf, ungodly, rebellious, having nothing to preſent unto God; but when a Righteouſneſſe is preſented to him by way of offer, and he is through Grace brought to accept of the offer of Righteouſneſſe of another, nothing can be conceived to be brought to receive it but his Faith; and i… Chriſts Satisfaction be his Juſtification, and if it be Faith that takes hold of it, we have a clear reaſon why Juſtification is attributed as to Faith. 2. Conſider, That this contributs moſt to Gods end, which is to glorifie himſelf, eſpecially in his Grace, in the Juſtification of Sinners, even to hold forth the manifold riches of His Grace; and nothing contributs to this ſo much, and ſo well, a… that which ſpeaks the Sinner to be empty; and nothing empties the Sinner more then Faith; it being the great Act of Faith to bring the Soul of it's own bottom, and to ſtop all boaſting; to drive it out of it ſelf to be found in Him; Therefore, it's ſaid to be of faith, that it might be of grace, Rom. 14.16. As if he had ſaid, if it were by any other thing, it could not be by Grace, but Faith claims nothing but the Righteouſneſſe of Chriſt to reſt on; He hath payed the price, and made the Satisfaction, and that Satisfaction is mine, ſaith Faith, becauſe it was offered to me, and I have been brought to lay hold on it; and the nature of this pleading ſtops the mouth of the creature, and proclaims Juſtification to be alone the effect of Gods Grace, and of Chriſts procurement. 3. Conſider, That if it depended on any other thing, our Juſtification could never be perfit; when we ſpeak of Juſtification, and call it perfite; It is not ſo to be underſtood, as if Faith were perfite, but Chriſts Satisfaction which is our Righteouſneſſe, and which Faith layes hold on is perfite, …hough our Faiths grip be weak; Hence it is, that the weak Believer is Juſtified, as well as the ſtrong; all who look unto Chriſt, though with a weak ſighted eye, yet Salvation through him as well as Abraham; becauſe His Righteouſneſſe is perfite, which weak Faith takes hold of as well as ſtrong Faith: Now if Juſtification were founded on ought within us, it could never be perfit, but by him all that believe are juſtified from all things from which they could not be juſtified by the law of Moſes: And one of them made at free as another; It's not here as if one part of the Debt were ſcored and blotted out, and not ano…her, but all is blotted out, becauſ… the Righteouſneſſe preſented before God's Tribun…l, and imputed to us; which is the Defence that Faith gives in, is perfi…e? We may compare ſtrong and weak Faith to two Advocats, the one more able, and the other we…ker, pleading the cauſe before a juſt Judge; ſtrong Faith pleads more ſtr…ngly, fully, and diſtinctly, weak Faith pleads not ſo fully and diſtinctly; but both pleading on the ſame ground, God the Judge Judgeth not according to the diſtinctneſſe, or undiſtinctneſſe of the pleading, but according to the Defence, or Reaſon given in, and abſolves both alike, and the weak Believer is as fully pardoned as the ſtrong is.
The Uſes are many and comfortable, 1. It ſerves for our Direction; if any were aſking; how they may come to be Juſtified? This Doctrine anſwers by Faith in Jeſus Chriſt; by taking with your Sin, and taking hold of Chriſts Righteouſneſſe offered to you in the Goſpel, and by making that your D…fence before God; And is not this a Leſſon worthy the learning? which the whole Word of God aims at, even to inſtruct you how to make your peace with Him; It's by the knowledge of Chriſt, or by Faith in Him, by reſting on Him, as He is offered in the Goſpel; and this cannot but be a ſolid and ſicker way of Juſtification, becauſe we have Gods Word for it, it's founded on His Faithfulneſſe, and on the Tranſaction made betwixt God and the Mediator; we have alſo the experience of all the Saints for it, Abraham before the Law, David under the Law, and Paul, ſince the Law; all of them were led the ſame way: ye would take no…ice of this, not only as the great queſtion in Catechizing, or Examination, but as ground whereon ye build your peace, if ye were dying; There is a perfite Righteouſneſſe in Chriſt made offer of to you in the Goſpel, on condition ye will receive Him as He is offered; and if ye ſo receive Him, it ſhall be yours, and ye ſhall at Gods Ear be abſolved; the Righteouſneſſe of Chriſt ſhall be as effectual for your abſolution, as if it were inherent in your ſelves, and Faith ſhall unite you to Him, and make you one with Him: In a word, ye muſt all come before Gods Tribunal, and there are but two Defences to be propoſed; either ſomething in your ſelves, as your love and charity, or good carriage and duties; or to take with your Sin, to condemn your ſelves, and to flee to Chriſt, and preſent His Righteouſeneſſe, as the Righteouſneſſe of the Cautioner that hath payed your Debt, and according as ye take the one way, or the other, ye may expect to be Juſtified or not; and this Doctrine rejects the one way, and own… and confirms the other, which is by Faith.
And therefore, 2. (which is the great Uſe of all this Doctrine) here there is ground laid down to any that would be Juſtified, how they may win to it, and a warrand to propoſe Juſtification, as a thing attainable through Faith in Him; ye have it in your offer on theſe terms, and therefore let me earneſtly intreat you to accept of the offer; if this be the way of Juſtification, take this way; ſeing there is an abſolute neceſſity of Faith in every one that ſhould be at Juſtification, make it ſure that ye are indeed fled to Chriſt; and that it is His Righteouſneſſe which ye make your Defence before the Bar of Gods Tribunal: We ſhall branch forth this Uſe of Exhortation in theſe Two or Three words. 1. When Chriſt is ſpoken of in the Goſpel, let him be by Faith received; and if ye would know what this is, labour 1. To know, and to take up the difference betwixt ſelf-Righteouſneſſe, and that Righteouſneſſe which is by Faith; For many are ſo ignorant, that they know neither the one nor the other, or at leaſt not the one by the other. 2. When ye are come to know the difference betwixt theſe two, and are ſoberly weighing what ye would lippen to, in your coming before God; with indignation ſhuffle out, and caſt by, diſclaim, and renunce your own Righteouſneſſe, and grip to the Righteouſneſſe of Chriſt; here Faith will have a double Work, upon the one hand to reject Self-righteouſneſſe, and upon the other hand to reſt upon the Righteouſneſſe of Chriſt alone; according to that, Philip. 3.9. 3. When ye have gotten your own Righteouſneſſe caſten, and Chriſts Righteouſneſſe cloſed with, there is a neceſſity to cover and hide your ſelves in it, that ye may never ſo much as in the vaging conceit of your mind, be found out of it; It alluds to the City of refuge, wherein, when once entered into, and abiden in, the perſon was ſafe, bu… if he was at any time found without, he was in hazard to be killed by the aveng… of blood; which held out not only the Act of Faith fleeing to Chriſt, but it's abiding in Him, being hide in Him, containing and keeping it ſelf in Him, and continuing to plead it's Defence on that ground; There may be in a fit of ſad exerciſe a renouncing of our own Righteouſneſſe, but when that is over, and we begin to conceit ſomething of that which we have done, we are ready to forget Chriſts Righteouſneſſe, and to lean to our own; and that it in a manner to come out of Chriſt, and from our City of Refuge, if ever we were in Him: Faith, as it betakes it ſelf to Chriſt, ſo it States it ſelf in Chriſt, where only it dare abide the tryal. 2. We would commend this to you, as the great ground of your Peace and Hope, even that ye would put it to the tryal, and make it ſure whether ye be in the Faith or not; It is true there are many beguiled in this, and take themſelves to be in the Faith when they are not; and others queſtion their Faith, and their being Juſtified without juſt ground; yet it's impoſſible to win to clearneſſe of intereſt in Chriſt, or to the having of any ſolid and comfortable hope, of enjoying God, except there be ſome clearneſſe that we are in the Faith, and have indeed betaken our ſelves to Chriſt; which cannot be win at, without putting it to the t…al; Other evidences ſerve to clear our Juſtification, as they clear our Faith; and as they pr…ve Faith ſo they conclude and prove our Juſtification, and the out-gate promiſed; Now, if believing be ſuch an evidence of Juſtification, and of a well grounded hope of H…aven, is there not reaſon we ſhould put it in good …ear…eſ…, and frequently to the tryal, and ſeek to know whether we be in the Faith or not; The Apoſtle, 2. Cor. 13.5. Doubles his exhortation to this purpoſe, Examine your ſelves if ye be in the faith, prove your own ſelves, know ye not your own ſelves that …hrist is in you except ye be reprobats. We do the rather preſſe this, becauſe if we were ſerious in the tryal, there would, through Gods bleſſing, be more Faith in ſome, and leſſe preſumption in others; and theſe that have Faith; would have more peace and comfort in it. But that which makes many content themſelves with a counterfit inſtead of Faith, is that they put it not to the tryal; and that which makes them who have Faith to want peace, and to live in much anxiety, is, that they do not more prove themſelves, as to their Faith; Theſe are then the Two main parts of a Believers Dutie by Faith to take hold of Chriſt, and to reſt on and in Him; and by tryal to make it clear and ſure to themſelves, that they are Believers; and theſe Two are the great up ſhot of all this Doctrine, to perſwade us to believe, that we may be ſure, and to perſwade us to ſtudy to be ſure and clear in it, that we may be comforted thereby.