Christ Crucified, To the reader
Unto the Readers, and more particularly unto the Inhabitants of the City of Glaſgow, of all Ranks.
THough the whole Field of the Sacred and infallibly inſpired Scriptures, be very pleaſant and beautiful (a ſpiritually cool and cleanſing, a fructifying, freſh, refreſhful and wholſome air breathing continually there) yet if we may compare ſome parts thereof with others, thoſe wherein the treaſure, precious Jeſus Chriſt lyeth most obvious and open, are certainly most pleaſant and beautiful; And amongst theſe, ſuch as hold forth his ſufferings, and himſelf as crucified, moſt evidently before mens eyes, have a peculiar and paſſing pleaſantneſs and beauty in them: If ſo, then ſure this fifty third Chapter of the Propheſies of Iſaiah cannot but be lookt at as a tranſcendantly pleaſant, beautiful, ſweet-ſmelling and fragrant piece of Divine Scripture-field, wherein the Evangelick Prophet diſcourſeth of the ſufferings of Christ as particularly and fully, as plainly and pathetically, even to the very life, as if he himſelf had been a ſpectator and eye witneſs of them. However this ſweetest Chapter from beginning to end, as alſo the three last Verſes of the fore-going, be by the greatly learned Grotius moſt miſerably perverted, while he induſtriouſly diverts it from the Meſſiah, and by ſtretching and curtailing thereof at his pleaſure (as the cruel Tyrant Maezentius did the men he laid on his bed to make them of equal length with it) wholly applyes it to the Prophet Jeremiah in the firſt place, only not denying that it hath accommodation to Chriſt, of whom too he takes but little or no notice in all his Annotations thereon: The impertinencies and wrestings of which application, are convincingly holden forth by famous Doctor Owen (who looks on this portion of Scripture as the ſum of what is ſpoken in the Old Teſtament concerning the ſatisfactory death of Jeſus Chriſt) that Mell of Socinians, in his Vindiciae Evangelicae againſt Bidle and the R…covian Catechiſm, who was a burning and ſhining light in the Reformed Churches, though now alace! to their great loſs lately extinguiſhed: And indeed the dealing of that very learned man profeſſing himſelf to be a Christian, with this moſt clear, and to all true Chriſtians moſt comfortable Scripture, is the more ſtrange and even ſtupendious, conſidering, 1. That ſeveral paſſages in it, are in the New Teſtament expreſly applyed to Chriſt*Matth. 8.17. Mark 15.28. Luk. 22.27. Acts 8.28. &c. 1 Pet. 2.22. and 24., but not one ſo much as alluded to, in reference to Jeremiah. 2. That the ancient Jewiſh Doctors, and the Chaldee Paraphraſt, (as Doctor Owen in the foreſaid learned and ſavoury Book, gives an account) do apply it to him. 3. That a late Doctor of great note and honour among the Jews, Arabinel, affirmeth, that in truth he ſees not how one Verſe of the whole (ſeveral of which he toucheth on) can be expounded of Jeremiah; and wonders greatly that any wiſe man can be ſo fooliſh as to commend, let be to be the Author of ſuch an Expoſition, (as one Rabbi Gaon had been) which is (ſaith he) ſo utterly alien and not in the leaſt drawn from the Scripture. 4. That ſeveral Jews do profeſs that their Rabbins could eaſily have extricated themſelves from all other places of the Prophets (a vain and groundleſs boaſt) if Iſaiah in this place had but held his peace, as Halſius (very late if not preſent) Hebrew-Profeſſor at Breda, declares, ſome of them did to himſelf. 5. That a Rabbi by his own confeſſion was converted from a Jew to a Chriſtian by the reading of this 53. of Iſaiah, as the excellent Mr. Boyl in his delicate Diſcourſes on the stile of the Holy Scriptures informs us; yea that diverſe Jews have been convinced and converted to the Chriſtian Faith by the evidence of this Prophecy, as learned and laborious Mr. Pool affirms in his lately publiſhed Engliſh Annotations on this Scripture. 6. That the Socinians themſelves have not dared to attempt the accommodation of the things here ſpoken of to any other certain and particular perſon then the Meſſiah, though, being ſo much tortured thereby, they have ſhewed good will enough to it. And 7. That himſelf had before written a Learned Defence of the Catholick Faith concerning Chriſts ſatisfaction against Socinus, wherein alſo he improved to notable purpoſe ſeveral Verſes of this ſame Chapter; But in theſe later Annotations being altogether ſilent as to any uſe-making of them that way; he as much as he can delivers that Deſperado, and his Diſciples from one of the ſharpeſt Swords that lyes at the very throat of their cauſe (for if the Chapter may be applyed to any other, as he applyes it wholly to Jeremiah, no ſolid nor cogent Argument can be drawn from it for confirming Chriſts ſatisfaction); and by his never re-inforcing of that defence of his, against the aſſaults made upon it by the Socinian Crellius, (though he lived twenty years thereafter) he ſeems for his part quite to have abandoned and delivered it up into the hands of theſe declared enemies of Chriſts ſatisfaction, yea and of his God-head. By which Annotations of his, as by ſeveral others on other Scriptures, how much (on the matter at leaſt) great Grotius hath by abuſing his prodigious Wit, and profound Learning ſubſerved the curſed cauſe of blaſphemous Socinus; and further hardened the already alace much and long hardened poor Jews; And what bad ſervice he hath done to our Glorious Redeemer, and to his Church ſatisfied-for, and purchaſed by his blood, by his ſad ſufferings, and fore ſoul-travel, most clearly and comfortably diſcourſed in this Chapter, let the Lord himſelf and all that love him in ſincerity judge; I wiſh I could and had reaſon to ſay no worſe of this admirably learned perſon here, then that, Quandoque dormitat Homerus.
Which very many and various, very great and moſt grievouſly aggravated Sufferings, were endured by him, not only in his Body, nor only in his Soul, by vertue of the ſympathy it had with his Body from the in-time and ſtrait union betwixt them: But alſo, and mainly, in his bleſsed humane Soul immediatly; ſince he redeemed, ſatisfied for, and ſaveth his Peoples Souls as well as their Bodies; and the Soul having principally ſinned, and being the ſpring and ſource of Sin; Sinners withall deſerving puniſhment in their Souls as well as in their Bodies; and, being without the benefite of his Mediation, to be puniſhed eternally both in their Souls and Bodies, and mainly in their Souls; there is no doubt, the ſame cogent reaſon for the Mediator's ſuffering in both parts of the Humane Nature aſſumed by him, that there is for that Natures ſuffering which ſinned: Which, his ſad complaints of the exceeding trouble of his Soul, putting him to ſay theſe ſtrange and ſtupendious words, What ſhall I ſay? Joh. 12.27 Mat. 26.38 Mark 14.33. Luk. 22.44 Heb. 5.7and of the great Sorrow and Heavineſs thereof, even to Death, his Amazement, ſtrong Crys, and Tears, with his Agony and Sweat of Blood, (and that before any pain was cauſed to his Body by men, and his conditionate deprecating of that bitter Cup, put beyond all reach of ranional contradiction: And to think or ſay, that only the fear of his bodily ſufferings quickly approaching him, did make theſe ſad impreſſions upon him, and draw theſe ſtrange expreſſions from him, would make him who is Lord and Maſter to be of far greater abjectneſs of ſpirit then many of his ſervants the Martyrs were, and to fall hudgely below that holily-heroick and magnanimous courage and reſolution wherewith they adventured on extream Sufferings, and most exquiſite Torments; which would be very unworthy of, and a mighty reflection upon him, who is the valiant Captain of Salvation, made perfect through ſuffering, who drank of the brook in the way, Heb. 2.10 Pſal. 110.7and therefore lifted up the head: But here is the great and true reaſon of the difference betwixt his ſad and ſorrowful deportment under his Sufferings, and their ſolacious, chearful and joyful deportment under theirs; that they through his Sufferings and Satisfaction, were perſwaded and made ſenſible of God's being pacified towards them, and were mightily refreſhed by his gracious comforting preſence with them amidst their Sufferings; while be on the contrary looked upon himſelf as one legally obnoxious to puniſhment, fiſted before the terrible Tribunal of the Justice of God, highly provoked by, and very angry at the ſins of his People, who was in a moſt ſignal manner, pouring out upon his ſoul the vials of his Wrath and Curſe, which made him lament…bly and aloud to cry out of deſertion, though not in reſpect of the perſo…al union as if that had been diſſolved, nor yet as to ſecretly ſupporting; yet as to ſuch a meaſure at leaſt of ſenſibly comforting and rejoicing preſence, My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? (here Faith was in its Meridian, though it was dark Mid-night as to Joy); wherewith as ſuch, his Body could not be immediatly affected, ſpiritual deſertion not falling under bodily ſenſe. Whence we may ſee how juſtly the Doctrine of Papiſts is to be exploded, who deny all ſuffering in his Soul immediatly, to ſalve their darling dream of his local deſcent as to his Soul, while his Body was in the Grave, into Hell, and to Limbus Patrum to bring up thence into Heaven the ſouls of the Fathers; whom, without giving any reaſon, or alleadging any fault on their part, they fooliſhly fancy, after their death till then, to have been impriſoned there, though quiet and under no puniſhment of ſenſe, yet deprived of all light and viſion of God, and ſo under the puniſhment of leſs, the greateſt of puniſhments, even by the confeſſion of ſome of themſelves, whereby they put theſe holy and perfected ſouls (for there they ſay there is no more purgation from ſin, that being the proper work of their profitable Purgatory) in worſe caſe all that length of time after their death, then they were when alive on the Earth, where doubtleſs they had often much ſoul-refreſhing fellowſhip with God, and the light of his Countenance lifted up upon them.
Neither were theſe his Sufferings in Soul and Body, only to confirm the Doctrine taught by him (if that was at all deſigned by him as an end of his Sufferings ſo much ſtumbled at in the time (which yet I will not debate, let be peremptorily deny) his Doctrine being rather confirmed by his Miracles and Reſurrection) and to leave us an example and pattern how we ſhould ſuffer (as non-chriſtian and blaſphemous Socinians over) which were mightily to depretiate and diſparage, nay to enervate and quite to evacuate his Sufferings, by attributing no more to them then is attributable to the ſufferings of his Servants and Martyrs (it's true his Example was an infallible Directory, the Example of all Examples, but theirs not ſo, yet this doth not at all influence any alteration of the nature of the end;2 Cor. 5, 21 Gal. 3.13. 1 Per. 2.24 Iſa. 53.5, 6, 8.10, 12 Eph. 1.7 Col. 1.14 1 Joh. 2.2) but alſo and mainly by them undergone for his People and in their room, and as ſuſtaining their perſons, vice and place, truly and properly by the Sacrifice of himſelf to ſatisfy Divine Justice for their ſins: And who I pray can put any other comment on theſe Scripture-expreſſions, whthout manifest perverting and wreſting of them? He hath made him to be ſin for us who knew no ſin: Chriſt hath redeemed us from the curſe of the law, being made a curſe for us: Who his own ſelf bare our ſins in his own body on the tree, (which is by the Apoſtle ſubjoyned as a ſuperior end of his ſufferings to that of leaving us an example, diſcourſed by him immediatly before) He was wounded for our tranſgreſſions, he was bruiſed for our iniquities, and the chaſtiſement of our peace was upon him; The Lord laid upon him the iniquity of us all; For the tranſgreſſion o my people was he ſtricken; When thou ſhalt make his ſoul an offering for ſin: He bare the ſins of many; In whom we have redemption through his blood: Who is the propitiation for our ſins; and the like.
Nor did he undergo theſe ſad ſufferings for all men in the world, to ſatisfie Juſtice for them, and to reconcile them to God, but only for the Elect, and ſuch as were given unto him.
For Firſt, The chaſtiſement of their peace only, was laid on him, who are healed by his ſtripes, as it is, v. 5. of this 53 of Iſai. For the iniquities of my people was he ſtricken, ſaith the Lord, v. 8. The ſame who are called the Mediators people, Pſ. 110.3. for ſaith bleſſed Jeſus to his Father, Joh. 17.10. All mine are thine, and thine are mine) Who ſhall, without all peradventure or poſſibility of miſgiving, be made willing in the day of his power; He only bare the iniquities of theſe whom he juſtifieth by his knowledge, v. ii. For otherwiſe the Prophets reaſoning would not be conſequent; He only bare the iniquities of as many trangreſſors as he makes interceſſion for, v. 12. And that he doth not make interceſſion for all, but for theſe only who are given to him, that is, all the Elect, is undenyably manifeſt from Joh. 17.9. where himſelf expreſly ſaith, I pray not for the world, but for theſe whom thou haſt given me. Now Gods eternall electing love, and his giving the Elect to the Mediator in the Covenant of Redemption, to be ſatisfied for, and ſaved by him; and his interceſſion for them, are commenſurable and of equal extent, as is moſt clear from Joh. 17.6. Where he ſaith, Thine they were, (to wit by election) and thou gaveſt them to me, to wit, in and by the Covenant of Redemption (Gods decree of election being in order of nature prior to this donation or gift of the Elect in the Covenant of Redemption) compared with v. 9. where he ſaith, I pray for them, I pray not for the world, but for them whom thou haſt given me, for they are thine; It is obſervable, that he ſaith twice over, I pray for them, manifeſtly and emphatically reſtricting his interceſsion to them, and excluding all others from it: Why then ſhould not alſo his ſacrifice (the price of the Redemption of theſe elected and given ones, agreed upon in that Covenant betwixt theſe two mighty Parties) be commenſurable with the former three? Eſpecially ſince he ſaith, v. 19. For their ſakes ſanctifie I my ſelf, or ſeparate my ſelf to be a ſacrifice. 2. Christs ſatisfaction and his interceſsion being the two parts of his Prieſtly Office, and his interceſsion being founded on his ſatisfaction, as it is clearly, v. 12. of this 53. of Iſaiah; (yea, … very learned man affirms, that Chriſts appearance in Heaven and his interceſsion are not properly Sacerdotal acts, but in ſo far as they lean on the vertue of his perfected ſacrifice); What juſt, relevant, or cogent reaſon can there be to make a diſjunction betwixt theſe parts of his Office, and to extend the moſt difficult, operous and costly part to all men, and to narrow the other which is the more eaſie part, as that whereby he only deals for the application of what he hath made a purchaſe of by his ſatisfaction, which put him to much ſad and ſore ſoul-travel, and to reſtrict it to the elect and gifted ones? 3. Doth not the Scripture hold forth his death, and the ſhedding of his blood, as the great demonstration of his ſpecial love to his own elect people? As is clear elſe-where, ſo particularly Joh. 15.13. Greater love then this hath no man, then that a man lay down his life for his friends; Nay, purchaſed reconciliation through the death of Christ, is by the Holy Ghoſt made a greater evidence of divine love in ſome reſpect, then the glorification of the reconciled, according to what the Apostle ſaith, Rom. 5.10. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled, we ſhall be ſaved by his life. 4. All the other gifts of God to ſinners, even the greateſt ſpiritual ones, fall hugely below the giving of Jeſus Chriſt himſelf, that gift of God by way of eminency; As the Apoſtle reaſoneth irreſragably, for the comfort of believers, Rom. 8.32. He that ſpared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how ſhall he not with him alſo freely give us all things? Will he give the greateſt gift and not give the leſser? As Juſtification, Adoption, Sanctification and Glorification; Which, how great ſoever in themſelves, are yet leſser then the giving of Chriſt himſelf to the death; And if it be undeniably certain that he giveth not theſe to all which are the leſſer and lower gifts, why ſhould it be thought that he hath given the higher and greater? 5. Shall that grand expreſſion of the ſpecial love of God, be made common, by extending it to all the world, the greateſt profligats and Atheiſts not excepted, no not Pharaoh, nor Ahab, not Judas the traitor, nor Julian the Apoſtat, nay, nor any of all the damned reprobates who were actually in Hell when he died and ſhed his blood? 6. If he died thus for all, it ſeems that the new Song of the redeemed, Rev. 5. would have run and ſounded better thus, thou haſt redeemed us all and every man, of every kindred and tongue and people and nation to God by thy blood, then as it there ſtands by inſpiration of the Holy Ghoſt, Thou waſt ſlain, and haſt redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; But who may preſume by ſuch an univerſality to extend and ampliat what he hath ſo reſtricted, and to make that common to all which God hath peculiarized to a few favourites? But the Author having much to better purpoſe on this Head in theſe Sermons, I need add no more here.
I ſhall only further ſay of theſe aſtoniſhing, in a manner non-pluſsing, and ſurpaſing great ſufferings of bleſſed Jeſus, that, as they were equivalent to what all the elect deſerved by their ſins, and ſhould have ſuffered in their own perſons throughout all eternity, conſiſtently with the innocency and excellency of his Perſon, and with the dignity of his Mediatory Office; Therefore it is ſaid, v. 9. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, or as it is in the Original, In his deaths, in the Plural Number, as if he had died the death of every one of the Elect, or as if there had been a conjunction and combination of all their deaths in his one death; And v. 6. That the Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all, or as the word is, made the iniquity of us all to meet on him, there having been a ſolemn tryſt, convocation, and rendezvous (as it were) of all the iniquities of all the Elect more common and more peculiar, in all their various aggravating circumſtances, not ſo much as one committed ſince Adams firſt tranſgreſsion, or to be committed to the day of Judgement, being abſent in the puniſhment of them upon his perſon; no wonder that ſuch a load of innumerable thouſands and millions of iniquities made him heavily to groan, and that the conſideration thereof made great Luther ſay, That Chriſt was the greateſt ſinner in all the world, to wit, by imputation of the guilt of all the ſins of all the Elect to him, and by his having had the puniſhment of them all laid upon his perſon: So we may from them be inſtructed in theſe things.
Firſt, Concerning the hight of holy diſplicence and deteſtation, that the Majesty of God hath at ſin, the only thing in the whole world that his ſoul hates, and which in the vile and abominable nature of it hath an irreconciliable antipathy with, and enmity againſt, his infinitely pure, holy, and bleſſed nature, and hath a tendency, could it poſsibly be effected, to ſeek after the deſtruction and annihilation of the very beeing of God, and is interpretatively Deicide; The Language of it being, O that there were not a God; That he cannot behold it in his own ſinleſs innocent, and dearly beloved Son, though but by imputation (for he was not made formally the ſinner, as Antinomians blaſphemouſly averr) but he will needs in ſo terrible a manner, teſtify his great diſlike of, and deep displeaſure at it, and take ſuch formidable vengeance on it, even in his perſon: Ah! the nature of ſin which God who is of pure eyes, cannot, whereever it be, behold, without perfect abhorrency of it, is but little thorowly understood and pondered; Would we otherwiſe dare to dally and ſport with it, or to take the latitudes in committing of it at the rate we do? I have ſometimes thought, that it is an errour in the first concoction (to ſay ſo) of Religion in many Proffeſſors of it end pretenders to it; that we have never framed ſuitable apprehenſions of the moſt hateful, vile, and abominable nature of ſin (which hath a great influence on the ſuperficiarineſs and overlineſs of all duties and practices of Religion) and that many of us had need to be dealt with as skilful School-masters uſe to deal with their Schollars that are foundered in the firſt Principles of Learning, leſt they prove but ſmatters all their days; to bring them back again to theſe; even to be put to learn this firſt Leſſon in Religion better and more thorowly to understand the jealouſie of God, as to this curſed thing Sin; For which, though he graciouſly for the ſake of theſe ſufferings of Chriſt, pardon the guilt of it to his people, and hear their Prayers, yet will needs take vengeance on their inventions, Pſal. 99.8be they never ſo ſeriouſly holy, and eminently ſerviceable to him and to their generation according to his will, whereof Moſes the Man of God, is a moſt memorable instance: That Ancient conceived rightly of the nature of ſin, who ſaid, That if he behoved neceſſarily either to commit the leaſt ſin, or go to Hell to be tormented there eternally, he would rather wiſh to deſire to go to Hell, if he could be there without ſin.
Secondly, Concerning the ſeverity of Divine Juſtice in puniſhing ſin, whereof its puniſhment in the Perſon of the Son of God at ſuch a rate, is one of the greateſt, cleareſt, and moſt convincing evidences imaginable, to whom he would not abate one farthing of the Elects debt, but did with holy and ſpotleſs ſeverity exact the whole of it; And though he was the Fathers Fellow, yet he would needs have him ſmitten with the awakened Sword of ſin-revenging Juſtice and Wrath:Zech. 13.7 As if all the executions that had heed done in the earth on men for ſin, as on the old World of the ungodly drowned by the Deludge. On the miſcreant Inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah and of theſe other Cities, upon whom he ſhowered down liquid flames of fire and brimſtone, even ſomewhat of Hell in a manner out of Heaven (Coelum pluebat Gehennam) burning them quick, and frying them to death in their own skins: On Core, Dathan, and Abiram, and their aſſociats, upon whom the earth opened and ſwallowed them up in a moſt ſtupendious manner alive, the reſt being conſumed by fire ſent down from Heaven. On the one hundred eighty five thouſand men of Senacheribs Army, all ſlain in one night by an Angel: And on the Iſraelites, who, by many and various plagues were waſted and worn out to the number of ſix hundred thouſand fighting men in the ſhort ſpace of fourty years; Reflections on which made Moſes, a witneſs of all, with aſtoniſhment to cry out,Pſal. 90.11 Who knows the power of thy anger? As if, I ſay, all theſe terrible executions of Juſtice, had been done by a Sword aſleep, or in the Scabbard, in compariſon of the execution it did on Jeſus Chriſt the Elects Cautioner, againſt whom it awakened was unſheathed, forbiſhed, and made to glitter; So that we may ſay, had all the Sons and Daughters of Adam, without the exception of ſo much as one, been eternally deſtroyed, it would not have been a greater demonſtration of the ſeverity of the Juſtice of God in puniſhing ſin.
Thirdly, Concerning the greatneſs, incomprehenſible vaſtneſs, and unparalellableneſs of the love of God to the Elect World, which he ſo loved (O wonderful ſo! Eternity will but be ſufficient to unfold all that is infolded in that myſterious ſo; an foreign that hath not an foreign, an ita that hath not a ſicut, a ſo that hath not an as, That he gave his only begotten Son to ſuffer all theſe things,Joh. 3.16 and to be thus dealt with for them; And of the Mediator who was content,Phil. 2.6, 7, 8. Iſa. 53.3 5 though thinking it no robbery to be equal with God, to empty himſelf, and be of no reputation, to take on him the ſhape of a ſervant, to be a man of ſorrows and acquainted with gri…f, to be chaſtized, ſmitten, wounded, and bruiſed for their iniquities; To ſtep off the throne of his declarative Glory, o… of his Glory manifeſted to the Creatures, and in a manner to creep on the Foot-ſtool thereof in the capacity of a Worm, and to become obedient even unto the death, the ſhameful and curſed death of the Croſs: This is indeed matchleſs and marvellous love,Joh. 15.13 Greater then which no man h…th, to lay down his life for his friends; But he being God-man, laid down his life for his enemies that he might make them friends!Rom. 5.10 Eph. 39, 10 O! the hight and depth, the bread…h and length of the love of Chriſt, whereof, when all that can be ſaid, is ſaid, this muſt needs be ſaid, that it's a love that paſſeth not only expreſſion but knowledge, its dimenſions being altogether unmeaſurable: So that we may ſay, if it had ſeemed good to the Lord, and been compatible with his ſpotleſs Juſtice, and with his infinite Wiſdome, as Supream Rector and Governour of the World giving a Law to his Creatures, to have pardoned the ſins of the Elect in the abſolutene…s of his dominion that knows no boundary but what the other Divine attributes ſet to it, without any intervenient ſatisfaction to his Juſtice at all, (which needs not to be debated here, eſpecially ſince God hath determined, and in the Scriptures of truth made publication of his determination, that he will not pardon ſin without a ſatisfaction, and particularly without this ſatisfaction made by Jeſus Chriſt); It would not have been a greater and more glorious demonſtration of the freeneſs and riches of his love, then he hath given, in pardoning them through the intervention of ſo difficult and toilſome, of ſo chargeable and coſtly a ſatisfaction, as is the ſad ſufferings, and the ſore ſoul-travel of his own dear Son: Who yet is pleaſed to account ſinners coming to him, and getting good of him, ſatisfaction for all that ſoul-travel: And indeed, which of theſe is the greateſt wonder and demonstration of his love, whether that he ſhould have undergone ſuch ſoul-travel for ſinners, or that he ſhould account their getting good of it, ſatisfaction to him for the ſame, is not eaſie to determine, but ſure both in conjunction together make a wonder paſsing great, even a moſt wonderful demonſtration of love.
Fourthly, Concerning what dreadful meaſure all they may look for who have heard of theſe ſufferings of Chriſt, and make not conſcience in his own way to improve them for their being reconciled to God thereby, and whoſe bond to Juſtice will be found ſtill ſtanding over their heads uncancelled in their own name as proper debters without a Cautioner; When the innocent Son of God, who had never done wrong, Iſa. 53.9and in whoſe mouth no guile was ever found, having but become Surety for the Elects debt, was thus hotly purſued, and hardly handled, and put (through ſad ſoul-trouble) to cry, What ſh…ll I ſay? Joh. 12.27And falling a-groof on the ground with the tear in his eye, in much ſorrow and heavineſs even to death, and in a great agony, cauſing a ſweat of blood, though in a cold night and lying on the earth, conditionally to pray for the paſsing of that Cup from him, and for his being ſaved from that hour; So formidable was it to his holy Humane Nature, which had a ſinleſs averſation from, and an innocent horrour at what threatned ruine and destruction to it ſelf ſimply conſidered; And which, had it not been mightily ſupported by the power of the God-head united thereto in his perſon, would have quite ſhrunk and ſuccumbed under ſuch an heavy burden, and been utterly ſwallowed up by ſuch a Gulf of Wrath: What then will ſinners, even all the dyvour debtors, not having ſeriouſly ſought after, nor being effectually reached by the benefite of his ſuretyſhip, do, when they come to grapple with this wrath of God, when he will fall upon them as a giant, breaking all their bones, and as a roaring lion,Pſal. 50.22. Ezek. 22.14. Iſa. 33.14. Rev. 6.16, 17. tearing them to pieces when there will be none to deliver? will their hands be ſtrong, or their hearts able to endure in the day that he ſhall deal with them? then, O! then they will be afraid, and fearfulneſs will take hold of them, and make them ſay, who can ſtand before the devouring fire, and who can dwell beſide the everlaſting burnings? and to cry unto the hills and mountains to fall on them and to hide them from the face of the Lamb, and of him that fits on the throne, for the day of his fierce wrath is come, and who is able to ſtand? then it will be found in a ſpecial manner to be a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God: Heb. 10.31All ſuch man ſee in the great ſufferings of Christ, as in the cleareſt glaſs, what they are to look for, and most certainly to meet with, for if it was thus done in the green tree, Luk. 23.31what ſhall be done in the dry? O! it's a ſad, even one of the ſaddeſt ſubjects of thoughts, to think, that a rational creature ſhall be eternally ſupported, preſerved, and perpetuated in its beeing, by the one hand of God's Omnipotency, that it may be everlastingly capable of terrible vengeance to be inflicted by the other hand of his Justice.
Fifthly, Concerning the very great obligation that lyeth on Believers to love Jeſus Chriſt, who hath thus commended his love to them, by undergoing all theſe ſad ſufferings for their ſakes; even out of love to them to become a Curſe, to bleed out his precious life, and to pour out his ſoul to death for them; which to do he was under no neceſſity, nor in the leaſt obliged by them, being infinitly removed from all poſſibility of being reached by any obligation from his creatures, whom be loved, and for whom he deſigned this grand expreſſion of his love, the laying down of his life for them, before they or the world had any beeing: nay, being by their ſins infinitly diſobliged: Ah! that moſt of theſe whom he loved ſo much, ſhould love him (who is altogether lovely) their duty, his friends and intereſts for his ſake ſo little; Even ſo very little, that if it were poſsible he could rue or repent of what he hath done and ſuffered to commend his love to them, they would tempt him to it: And indeed there is nothing that more ſpeaks forth the freeneſs of his love then this, that he ſhould love them ſo fervently, and continue thus to love them, even to the end, who are often ſo very cool in their love to him; Sure, ſuch when in any meaſure at themſelves, cannot but love themſelves the leſs, and loath themſelves the more, that they love him ſo little, and earneſtly long for that deſirable day, wherein he ſhall be admired in, and by all them that believe, and when they ſhall get him loved as well as ever they deſired to love him, and as well as he ſhall will them to love him, and when they ſhall be in an eternal extacy and tranſport of admiration at his love.
Sixthly, Concerning the little reaſon that Believers have to think much of their ſmall and petty ſufferings undergone for him: For what are they all, even the greateſt and moſt grievous of them, being compared with his ſufferings for them? They are but as little chips of the Croſs in compariſon of the great and heavy end of it that lighted on him, and not worthy to be named in one day with his: All the ſad and ſorrowful dayes and nights that all the Saints on earth have had under their many and various, and ſadly circumſtantiated croſſes and ſufferings, do not by thouſands of degrees, come near unto, let be to equal that one ſad and ſorrowful night which he had in Gethſemane (beſide all the ſorrows and griefs he endured before that time) where he was put to conflict with the awakened Sword of ſin-revenging Juſtice, that did most fiercely lay at him, without ſparing him; Which terrible Combat laſted all that nighe, and the next day till three a clock in the afternoon, when that ſharpeſt Sword, after many ſore wounds given him, killed him outright at laſt, and left him dead upon the place (who yet, even then when ſeemingly vanquiſhed and quite ruined, was a great and glorious Conquerour, having by death overcome and deſtroyed him that had the power of death that is the devil, and having ſpoiled principalities and powers, Heb. 2.14. Col. 2.15.making a ſhew of them openly, and triumphing over them in his croſs, the ſpoils of which glorious victory Believers now divide, and ſhall enjoy to all eternity.) Ah! that ever the ſmall and inconſiderable ſufferings of the Saints, ſhould ſo much as once be made mention of by them where his ſtrange and ſtupendious ſufferings offer themſelves to be noticed.
Seventhly, Concerning the unſpeakably great obligation that lyeth on Believers, readily, pleaſantly and chearfully, not only to do, but alſo to ſuffer for Christ as he ſhall call them to it, even to do all that lyeth in their power for him, and to ſuffer all that is in the power of any others to do againſt them on his account, who did willingly and with delight do and ſuffer ſo much for them; they have doubtleſs good reaſon heartily to pledge him in the cup of his croſs, and to drink after him, there being eſpecially ſuch difference betwixt the cup that he drunk and that which they are put to drink; his cup was ſtirred thick with the wrath of God, having had the dregs thereof in a manner wrung out to him therein, ſo that it was no wonder that the very ſight of it made him conditionally to ſupplicate for its departure from him, and that the drinking of it put him in a moſt grievous agony, and cast him in a top-ſweat of blood; yet ſaith he on the matter, either they or I muſt drink it; they are not able to drink it, for the drinking of it will diſtract them and put them mad, will poiſon and kill them eternally; but I am able to drink it, and to work out the poiſon and venom of it, and though it ſhall kill me, I can raiſe up and reſtore my ſelf to life again, therefore Father, come away with it, and I will drink it up and drink it out, this to the everlasting welfare of theſe dear ſouls; not my will but thine be done, for thus it was agreed betwixt thee and me in the Covenant of Redemption; when as theirs is love from bottom even to brim (whatever mixture may ſometimes be of paternal and domeſtick Justice proper and peculiar to God's own Family, and which as the Head and Father thereof he exerciſeth therein) not ſo much as one gut or ſcruple of vindictive wrath being left therein: Ah! it's both a ſin and ſhame, that there ſho…d be with ſuch, even with ſuch, ſo much ſhyneſs and ſhrinking to drink after him in the cup of his Croſs eſpecially conſidering that there is ſuch a high degree of honour put upon the ſuffering Believer for Chriſt, above and beyond what is put on the ſimple Believer in him, ſo that in the Scripture accompt, the ſuffering Believer is not only but alſo, according to what the Apoſtle ſaith Philip. 1.29. To you it is given in the behalf of Chriſt, not only to believe on him, but alſo to ſuffer for his ſake.
Eighthly, Concerning what mighty obligation lyeth on Believers to mourn and weep, to be ſad and ſorrowful for ſin, how can they look on him whom they have thus bruiſed, wounded and pierced by their ſins without the tear in their eye, without mourning for him and being in bitterneſs as a man is for his firſt-born, and for his only begotten ſon? when they think (as all of them on ſerious conſideration will find reaſon to think) that if their ſins keeped the tryſt and rendezvous when all the ſins of all the Elect did meet and were laid on him, then ſure there came no greater company and more numerous troop of ſins to that ſolemn rendezvous from any of all the redeemed then came from them; and that he had not a heavier load and burden of the ſins of any then he had of theirs, whereby he was even preſſed as a cart is preſſed down under the ſheaves, and was made most grievouſly to groan, even with the groanings of a deadly wounded man: and that if he was wounded and pierced by their iniquities, then ſurely he was more deeply wounded and pierced by the iniquities of none then by theirs; O! what mourning ſhould this cauſe to them? even ſuch mourning as was at Hadadrimmon in the Valley of Megiddo, on the occaſion of the ſad ſlaughter and death of that good and deſirable king Joſiah? this is indeed one of the moſt genuine and kindly, one of the moſt powerful and prevalent, one of the ſweeteſt and ſtrongeſt ſprings of, and motives to, true Goſpel-repentance, ſorrow and mourning for ſin.
Ninthly, Concerning the notable and non-ſuch obligation that lyeth on Believers, to ſtudy the crucifixion and mortification of ſin; Was it not their ſins that crucified and killed precious Jeſus Christ, the prince of life? was it not their ſins that violently drove the Nails thorow his bleſſed hands and feet, and thruſt the Spear thorow his ſide, to the bringing forth of water and blood? ſhall they not in their burning zeal and love to him, and in the height of holy indignation at themſelves, be avenged on that which brought ſuch vengeance on him? ſhall, they not ſeriouſly ſeek to be the death of that which brought him to death, and whereof the death and deſtruction, was one of his great deſigns therein, on which he was ſo intent, that in the proſecution of it, he did amidſt his dying pangs and agonies breathe out his ſoul? O! let it never be heard for ſhame, that ever any of them ſhall find the least ſweetneſs in that accurſed thing that was ſo bitter to him; that ever any of them ſhall be found to dally with, or to hug that ſerpent and viper in their boſom, that ſo cruelly ſtung him to death.
But this being the great ſubject of theſe following Sermons, wherein the Preacher being in a good meaſure wiſe,Eccleſ. 12.10, 11. hath ſought to find out acceptable words, and words I hope of uprightneſs and truth (O that they may be to the Readers as goads and nails faſtened by him who is the great maſter of aſſemblies.) I ſhall inſiſt no further, only I think I may humbly ſay, that to my knowledge, none have preached on this whole Chapter to better purpoſe every way; many may have done vertuouſly, but it's probable he will be found to excell them all: nay if I ſhould ſay, that for any thing I know, this Book for ſo much, is amongst the beſt Books of this nature the World hath ſeen, I ſuppoſe hardly will any judicious Chriſtian, thorowly exerciſed to Godlineſs, after he hath read it all over, and pondered it, think that I have greatly, if at all, hyperbolized.
There are in theſe choice Sermons, deepths as it were for Elephants to ſwim in (whereof his ſurpr…ſing, ſublimely ſpiritual and very deep diving diſcourſes concerning the Nature of Chriſts Interceſſion, and the right improvement of it, in the laſt ſix Sermons, is a notable inſtance) and ſhallows for Lambs to wade in;Heb. 5.13, 14. There is in them milk for babes in Chriſt, and ſtronger meat for ſuch as are of full age, who by reaſon of uſe have their ſenſes exerciſed to diſcern both good and evil; Nay, I may in a good meaſure ſay of theſe Sermons, as it's ſaid of the learned Diſcourſes of a late great man, That in the doctrinal part of ſeveral of them, ye will find the deepth of Pole…ical Divinity, and in his inferences from thence, the ſweetneſs of Practical; ſomethings that may exerciſe the profoundeſt Schollar, and others that may edifie the weakeſt Chriſtian; nothing readily is more nervous and ſtrong then his Reaſonings, and nothing more ſweetly and powerfully affecting then his Applications: There is in them, much for information of the Judgment, for warming of the Affections, and for direction toward a Goſpel-becoming Converſation; there is much for clearing and expeding the doubts and difficulties of more weak and more darkned Chriſtians, and much for edifying, confirming and eſtabliſhing of more growen ones; there is much for conviction, reproof, warning, humbling, for ſtirring up and provoking to the ſerious exerciſe of Godlineſs, and much for the comforting and refreſhing of ſuch as ſtand in need, and are capable of Conſolation; there is much for diſcovering, rouzing, awakening and all …raming of carnal, ſecure, unſound, hollow-hearted, and hypocritical profeſſours of Religion, and much for beating and hammering down of the pride of conceity ſelf-juſtifying Profeſſors; much for training on of young beginners, and much for advancing and carrying on in their Chriſtian courſe ſuch as are entered into it, and have made any tollerable progreſs therein; In a woed,2 Tim. 2.15 he doth in a great meaſure approve himſelf to God as a work-man that needs not be aſhamed, rightly dividing the word of truth, and as a skilful and faithful Steward giving to every one his portion in due kind, meaſure and ſeaſon.
It may be ſome Readers will think, that there are in theſe Sermons, ſeveral co-incidencies of purpoſes, and repetitions; To which I ſhall but preſume to ſay, that beſide, that there is a great affinity amongſt many of the purpoſes delivered by the Prophet in this piece of his Propheſies, if not a holy co-incidency of them, and a profitable repetition now and then of the ſame thing in different expreſſions; As there is in ſome other Scriptures, without any the leaſt imputation to them, as that truly Noble and renowned Gentle-man Mr. Boyl ſheweth in his elaborat, eloquent, and excellent Conſiderations, touching the ſtile of the Holy Scriptures: And that the ſame midſes, and nearby in the ſame expreſſions, may very pertinently be made uſe of, to clear and confirm different points of Doctrine; It will be found, that if there be in ſo many Sermons or Diſcourſes on Subjects of ſuch affinity, any co-incidencies or repetitions, they are at ſuch a convenient diſtance, and one way or other ſo diverſified, and appoſitely ſuited to the Subject of his preſent Diſcourſe, that the Readers will not readily nauſeat, nor think what is ſpoken in its place, impertinent, ſuperfluous, or needleſs, though ſomewhat like it hath been ſaid by him in ſome other place; Or if there be any not only ſeeming but real repetitions of Purpoſes and Expreſſions, as they have not been grievous to the Preacher,Phil. 3.1. ſo he with he Apoſtle Paul judged them needful at the time for the Hearers.
And now, as for you, much Honoured, Right Worthy, and very dearly beloved Inhabitants of the City of Glaſgow, let me tell you, that I have ſometimes of late much coveted, to be put and kept in ſome capacity, to do the Churches of Chriſt, and you in particular, this piece of ſervice, in putting to the Preſs theſe ſweet Sermons on this choice Scripture before I die; And indeed after I had gone thorow a good number of them, not without conſiderable toil and difficulty (having all alongſt, had no Notes of his own, but the Sermons as they were taken haſtily with a current Pen from his mouth, by one of his ordinary Hearers, no Schollar, who could not therefore ſo thorowly and diſtinctly take up ſeveral of the Purpoſes handled by the Preacher) the Lord was pleaſed to give me a ſtop, by a long continued ſharp affliction, not altogether without ſome little more remote and gentle threatnings of death; But he to whom the iſſues from death do belong, graciouſly condeſcended to ſpare me a little, that I might gather ſome strength to go thorow the remainder of them. I have much reaſon to think, that if poor I had been Preaching the Goſpel to you theſe twenty years paſt, wherein we have been in holy providence ſeparated (which hath been the more afflicting to me, that ye were in my heart to have lived and died with you, and if it had ſo ſeemed good in the eyes of the Lord, it would have been to me one of the moſt refreſhing and joyful providences I could have been tr…sted with in this World, to have had fair acceſs through his good hand upon me, and his gracious preſence with me, to have Preached the Goſpel to you a while before my going hence and being no more) I would not by very, very far, have contributed ſo much to your edification, as theſe few Sermons may, and I hope through God's bleſsing ſhall: Several of you heard them Preached by him when he was alive amongst you, & now when he is dead, he is in a manner Preaching them over again to you (O that ſuch of you as then were not taken in the Preaching of them, might be ſo now in the ſerious reading of them) & by them ſpeaking to theſe of you that did not then hear them, who, as I ſuppoſe, are now the far greatest part of the City-Inhabitants: You will find your ſelves in them again and again ranked & claſſed according to your different ſpiritual eſtates, and the various caſes and conditions of your ſouls, and wonderful diſcoveries made of your ſelves to your ſelves, that I ſomething doubt, if there be ſo much as one Soul amongſt the ſeveral thouſands that are in Glaſgow, but will find it ſelf, by the reading of theſe Sermons, ſpoken to ſuitably to its ſtate and caſe, as if he had been particularly acquainted with the perſon and his ſpiritual condition (as indeed he made it a conſiderable part of his work, as the obſerving Reader will quickly and eaſily perceive, to be acquainted very thorowly with the ſoul-ſtate and condition of ſuch at leaſt of the Inhabitants as were more immediatly under his own inſpection and charge) and, as if he had ſpoken to the perſon by name; O! how inexcuſable will ſuch of you be, as had your lot caſt to live under the miniſtry of ſuch an able Miniſter of the New Teſtement, of ſuch a Scribe very much inſtructed into the kingdom of Heaven, who, as a good houſholder knew well how to bring out of his treaſure things new and old, Mat. 13.52if you were not bettered and made to profite thereby; God and Angels, and your own Conſciences, will witneſs, how often and how urgently the Lord Jeſus called to you by him and ye would not hear; and how inexcuſable will ye alſo be, that ſhall diſdain or neglect to read theſe Sermons (as I would fain hope none of you will) that were ſometime preached in that place by that faithful ſervant of Chriſt, who was your own Miniſter, which layeth ſome peculiar obligation on you beyond others to read them; or if ye ſhall read them and not make Conſcience to improve them to your ſouls edification and advantage; which contain more genuine, pure, ſincere, ſolid, and ſubſtantial Goſpel then many thouſands have heard it may be in an age, though hearing Preachings much of the while; even ſo much, that if any of you ſhould be providentially deprived of the liberty of hearing the Goſpel any more preached, or ſhould have acceſs to read no other Sermons or Comments on the Scriptures, theſe Sermons, through God's bleſſing, will abundantly ſtore and inrich you in the knowledge of the uncontravertably great myſtery of Godlineſs, God manifeſted in the fleſh, 1 Tim. 3.16 3 Tim. 3.15& according to the Scriptures make you wiſe unto ſalvation through faith which is in Chriſt Jeſus, much inſisted on in them: I would therefore humbly adviſe (wherein I hope ye will not miſtake me, as if by this advice I were deſigning ſome advantage to my ſelf, for indeed I am not at all that way concerned in the ſate of them) that every one of you that can read, and is eaſily able to do it, would buy a Copy of theſe Sermons; at least, that every Family that is able, wherein there is any that can read, would purchaſe one of them; I nothing doubt, but that ye will think that little Money very well beſtowed, and will find your old Miniſter, deſirable Durham delightful company to diſcourſe with you by his Sermons now when he is dead, and you can ſee his face, and hear him ſpeak to you by vive voce no more; whoſe voice, or rather the voice of Christ by him, was, I know very ſweet to many there now aſleep, and to ſome of you yet alive; who, I dare not doubt, never allow your ſelves, to expect with confidence and comfort to look the Lord Jeſus in the face, but as ſeriouſly and ſincerely ye make it your buſineſs to be found in his Righteouſneſs, ſo much cleared and commended to you; and in the ſtudy of Holineſs in all manner of Converſation, ſo powerfully preſſed upon you, here:
That theſe ſweet and ſavoury Goſpel-Sermons may come to you all, and more particulary to you my dear friends at Glaſgow, Rom. 15.29 Act. 20.32with the fulneſs of the bleſſing of the Goſpel, even of the word of his grace which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance amongſt them that are ſanctified, is the ſerious deſire of
Your Servant in the Goſpel, J. C.