The Sufferings of Christ, Part 1 · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV. The Vindication of Iſa. 53.4, 5.
Iſa. 53.4. Surely he hath born our griefs, and carried our ſorrows.
Dialogu. HE ſaith not only (ſaith M. Jacob) that he ſuſtained ſorrows, but [our] ſorrows: yea, the Text hath it more ſignificatively [our very] ſorrows, or our ſorrows themſelves, that is to ſay, thoſe ſorrows that elſe we ſhould have born.
Anſw. This Expoſition of M Jacob underſtood according to that diſtinction premiſed, Chap. 1. M. Jacob on Chriſts Sufferings. p 33.is both ſolid and acute, and that this Learned Authour is ſo to be interpreted, his own words ſufficiently argue.
Dialogu. The Evangeliſt Mathew hath expounded this text in a quite contrary ſenſe, Mat. 8.17. ſaying, that this Text was fullfilled when Christ did bear our infirmities and ſickneſſes from the ſick, not as a Porter bears a burthen by laying them on his own body, but bearthem away by his own power.
Anſw. That the Prophet in this Text by griefs and ſorrows intends ſufferings due to us for ſinne, is plain from the ſcope of the Chapter, and the comparing of the 4. and 5. verſes with 1 Pet. 2.24. that by bearing thoſe griefs and ſorrows, he intends Chriſts bearing them in our ſtead, appears ver 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12. of this chapter, as alſo from the collation of the two Hebrew words uſed in this very place; for though Naſa, he hath born, be of more generall uſe, ſignifying ſometimes to bear as a Porter beareth a burthen,foreign and ſometimes otherwiſe; yet Sabal he hath carried, ſignifying properly to bear as one beareth a burthen, reſtraineth the ſenſe of the former word, and limits it to the received interpretation.
This Text therefore in Iſaiah may either be underſtood as a compound Propoſition, containing theſe two truths,
1. That Chriſt ſhould bear our ſpirituall griefs and ſorrows for us.
2. That he ſhould heal bodily diſeaſes as a type and figure of his bearing our ſpirituall griefs and ſorrows.Piſcat. in Mat. 8.17. Veritas magis quid quam figura habere debet, ficut dicitur plus hic eſt quā Jonas. Park. l. 3. de Deſc. n. 63. Dialogu. So the word [fullfilled] in Mathew is true properly of the type or ſpecimen, and ſymbolicaly or typically of the thing ſignified: or the word [fullfilled] in Mathew is taken figuratively, i. e. metonymically, viz. the ſign, namely, healing bodily diſeaſes, put for the thing ſignified, namely, a healing-bearing of ſpiritual diſeaſes.
That of your coherence which concerns the queſtion, is already anſwered, the reſt is either impertinent or uncontroverted.
Iſa. 53.5. But he was wounded for our tranſgreſſions, he was bruiſed for our iniquities; The chaſtiſement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed.
Theſe words I confeſſe do plainly prove that Chriſt did bear divers wounds, bruiſes, and ſtripes for our peace and healing: but yet the Text doth not ſay that he bare theſe wounds, bruiſes, and ſtripes of Gods wrath for our ſins.
1. It was Satan by his instruments that wounded and bruiſed Chriſt, according to Gods prediction, Gen. 3.15.
2. Chriſt bare theſe wounds bruiſes and ſtripes in his body only, not in his ſoul; for his ſoul was not capable of bearing wounds, Satan could not wound his ſoul: the Jews fullfilled all his ſufferings, Act. 13.27, 29. Peter expounds the Text of his bodily ſufferings only, 1 Pet. 2.24. If Peters phraſe, He bare our ſins in his body on the Tree, had meant any thing of his bearing Gods wrath for our ſinnes, the caſe of his ſufferings had not been a fit example to exhort to patience, his appeal to God had …ot been ſuitable. 3. The end was a triall of his mediatoriall obedience and our peace.
Anſw. Satan by his inſtruments did wound and bruiſe him; true; but not only Satan by his inſtruments, Satan and his inſtruments were all inſtruments herein: In thoſe effects wherein Satan and men are inſtruments; God is the firſt and univerſall efficient, not a meer counſeller, fore-ſpeaker, and permitter. The efficiency of the ſecond cauſe is the effect of the firſt cauſe: Satan, the Sabeans and Chaldeans were ſubordinate cauſes and inſtruments of Jobs ſufferings, yet he ſaith God hath taken away, Job 1.21. So Joſeph Gen. 45.8. David Pſa. 39 9. in caſes much alike.
Satan and men were Inſtrumens in inflicting ſuch a ſtroak, therefore it is no ſtroak of divine vindicative juſtice, is no good conſequence: All evils inflicted upon the reprobate, whether corporall or ſpirituall, are ſtroaks or acts of vindicative juſtice: So often then as Satan or men are inſtrumentall in inflicting ſuch evils, ſo often Satan and men are inſtrumentall in ſtroaks of vindicative juſtice, judicial puniſhment of ſin with ſin is an act of vindicative wrath; but of this parents are inſtrumental in the propagation of original ſin to their Reprobate children. The ſpiritual diſtres of an excommunicate perſon that is a Reprobate, is an effect of vindicative wrath; But in ſuch diſtreſſes Satan is inſtrumental, 1 Cor. 5.5. That deluſion of which, 2 Theſ. 2.9, 10, 11, 12. is an act of vindicative juſtice; But in working it, Satan and men are inſtrumentall. Caſting the wicked men into hell, is alſo an act of vindicative juſtice; in which Gods Angels are inſtruments, Matth. 13.42. Creatures then both good and bad may be inſtruments of Gods vindicative wrath inflicted both on body and ſoul. Yet we muſt diſtinguiſh between the wounds, bruiſes, and ſtripes inflicted upon Chriſt, and the ſin in inflicting of them. Satan and his agents were the ſole authours and actors of ſin, yet as concerning the wounds, bruiſes, ſtripes themſelves: though Satan and men were the ſubordinate inſtruments, yet God himſelf was the Authour and principall efficient of them. The Lord hath laid upon him the iniquities of us all, Iſa. 53.6. Yet it pleaſed the Lord to bruiſe him, verſ. 10.
The ſufferings of Chriſt included in this Text, are not only ſuch wherein Satan and men were Inſtruments, but ſome of them were inflicted immediatly of God, without any ſecond means as inſtruments thereof.
Not only the body but the ſoul alſo is capable of bearing wounds, bruiſes, and ſtripes: hence we reade of a wounded spirit, Pro. 18.14. A wounded conſcience, 1 Cor. 8.12. The broken and bruiſed in heart, Luke 4.18. The plague of the heart, 1 King. 8.38. The words proceeding from the very ſame Hebrew roots, with the very words uſed in this Text, are in the Scripture applied to the ſoul: My ſoul is wounded within me, Pſa. 119.22. A broken and a contrite spirit, Pſa. 51.17. Receive inſtruction or caſtigation and not ſilver, Pro. 8.10. which words proceed not only concerning corporeal, but alſo concerning ſpiritual chaſtening. Should the ſoul be ſuppoſed to be uncapable of wounds, bruiſes chaſtenings properly, yet experience ſhews it is capable of them metaphorically. Satan being a ſpirit may have acceſſe unto, and conſequently both may and doth afflict the ſpirit, 1 Cor. 5.5. Eph. 6.12, 16. If Satan could not, God can. Chriſt ſuffered not only in body but in ſoul, Iſa. 53.10. when thou ſhalt make his ſoul a ſacrifice for ſin: My ſoul is exceeding ſorrowfull even unto death, Mat. 26.38. Mar. 14.13. His great heavineſſe, ſore amazement, agony, ſweat as it were drops of bloud, Mar. 14.33, 34. Luk. 2….44. cannot be looked at in a perſon that was God-man as leſſe then the effects of ſoul-ſorrows, hell-ſorrows. Thou ſhalt not leave my ſoul in hell, The ſoul is by judicious and learned Authors underſtood properly,Rivet. Hell metaphorically, that is for pains aequivalent to the pains of hell it ſelf.Parker de Deſc. l. 3. n. 62. foreign Vir dolorū. His ſufferings are in the plurall number called paſſions, not a ſingle paſſion, 1 Pet. 4.13. Death's not a ſingle death, Iſa. 53 9. to ſhew, as ſome conceive, his ſufferings, both of ſoul and body. He was a man of ſorrows, Iſa. 53.3. The word [All] Act. 13.29. is to be taken in a limited ſenſe (as you were told before) for all that he was to ſuffer by them there mentioned, not for all that he was to ſuffer.
He bare our ſins in his body, 1 Pet. 2.24. therefore our ſins were imputed to him; he bare them in his body, but not only in his body: he hung upon the tree being made a curſe, Gal. 3.13.
The curſe is not only bodily but ſpirituall: As we were delivered from our ſin, ſo he bare our ſin. But we were delivered not only from the bodily, but alſo from the ſpiritual puniſhment of ſin. Therefore
Moſt aptly from the example of Chriſts ſuffering patiently the puniſhment of our ſins he committed not, are we exhorted to ſuffer patiently our chaſtiſement for the ſinnes which we have committed.
With good reaſon did he appeal in his ſufferings unto the righteous Judge; becauſe though he ſuffered juſtly in reſpect of God, yet he ſuffered moſt unjuſtly in reſpect of men.
The demonſtration of the Mediatorly obedience of Chriſt is truly acknowledged as a ſubordinate end of his ſufferings, but the ſupream end you leave out, namely, the manifeſtation of the glory of Gods mercy tempered with juſtice; Mercy to the elect, juſtice unto Chriſt. To declare, I ſay, at this time, his righteouſneſſe [or juſtice] that he might be juſt, and the justifier of him that beleeveth in Jeſus.
Whileſt you ſo often affirm the obedience of Chriſt to be meritorious, and yet all along deny it to be performed in a way of juſtice, you ſo oft affirm a contradiction: The very nature of merit including juſtice: for merit is a juſt deſert, or a deſert in way of juſtice, as Chap. 1.
Dialogu I hold it neceſſary often to remember this diſtinction, namely, that Chriſt ſuffered both as a malefactor, and as a Mediator at one and the ſame time.
Anſw. Though the notions of a Mediatour and a Malefactour are clearly diſtinct in themſelves, yet your diſtinguiſhing between Chriſt dying as a Mediatour and as a malefactor is unſound; becauſe it implieth that in dying as a Mediatour, he died not as a Malefactor, no not imputatively; whereas to be a malefactor imputatively was (for the times) a part of his Mediatorly office, and eſſentiall to the death of the Mediator.
The Dialogue makes him a malefactor, in reſpect of mens falſe imputations only, but denies any imputation of ſin unto him by God.
Dialogu. He bare our ſins in his body upon the tree, 1 Pet. 2.24. Peter means he bare the puniſhment of ſin (inflicted according to the ſentence of Pilate) in his body on the tree: ſin is often put for the puniſhment of ſin.
Anſw. True; ſin is here taken for the puniſhment of ſin, though not only ſo, but for the guilt of ſin alſo: 'Tis true alſo that Chriſt in enduring the ſufferings inflicted upon him by the Jews, bare, as you ſay, our puniſhments and our ſins, i. e. the eſſentiall part of our puniſhment due to us for our ſin; From your own words I inferre then; Chriſt bare our puniſhment and our ſins, either in the account of the Jews, or in the account of God: Not in the account of the Jews, they charged them as his proper crimes, without any regard to the ſins of the elect; therefore he bare our puniſhment and our ſins in the account of God.
In that then Chriſt ſuffered puniſhment.Paraus in Heb. 10. and bare our ſin in the account of God, it followeth, Chriſt bare guilt in the account of God, becauſe guilt and puniſhment are relates.
Puniſhment doth not only ſignifie a ſuffering, but ſuch a ſuffering, that is, ſuffering for offence in way of juſtice. Had Chriſt ſuffered death without guilt imputed, his death could not have been called a puniſhment: thus, whileſt you acknowledge Chriſt to have born puniſhment and born ſin, and that by juſt conſequeoce at leaſt in the account of God, and yet deny the imputation of ſinne, you run your ſelf into a contradiction.
He bare our ſins in his body, but not only in his body: Body is here taken ſynechdochically both for body and ſoul: a part of the humane nature for the whole: he bare them upon the tree, that is, he bare the curſe due to ſin, Gal 3.13. Chriſt hath redeemed us from the curſe of the Law being made a curſe for us; for it is written, Curſed is every one that hangeth on a tree: he bare the morall curſe which was the truth ſignified by the Ceremoniall curſe, Deut. 21.23. the morall curſe extendeth both to ſoul and body.
Dialogu. I will ſhew you how Chriſt did bear our ſins divers waies, in ſeveral ſenſes.
1. When he bare away our diſeaſes as I have expounded, Iſa. 53 4.
2. As our Prieſt and ſacrifice, as I have expounded, Iſa. 53.5.
3. As a Porter bears a burden, as I have expounded, 1 Pet, 2.24.
4. When he did patiently bear our ſinful imputations, and falſe accuſations, and imputations of the malignant Iews, Pſa. 40.12. Pſa. 69.5. In theſe words Chriſt doth not complain or grudge againſt his father for his imputing of our ſins unto him, as the common doctrine of Imputation doth make the ſtream of Interpreters to ſpeak
Anſw. How the Dialogue hath not only not expounded, nor only miſ-interpreted, but corrupted the three former texts, viz. Iſa. 53.4, 5. 1 Pet. 2.24. We have ſeen before. 'Tis very true that Chriſt bare our ſins as our Prieſt and ſacrifice, and as a porter bears a burden, yea as a ſurety: but very falſe that he bare them only in your ſenſe. Scripture is in ſenſe and not in ſound only.
foreign.Your calling of the Jews unjuſt criminations of Chriſt, ſometimes our ſinful imputations, ſometimes the falſe accuſations of the Jews, ſounds too harſh, without a diſtinction.
'Tis true that Pſal. 40.12. and Pſal. 69.5. hold forth a type of Chriſt complaining under the injuries of the Jews, from which their falſe imputations are not excluded, though neither of them only, nor chiefly. To complain unto God is blameleſſe and no grudging: To cemplaln againſt God is a ſin and ſheweth grudging. M. Ainſworth whom you oft make uſe of in his notes on Pſal. 69.5. is amongſt thoſe who acknowledge ſin to be in Chriſt by imputation, yet (your conſcience herein appealed unto) where did you ever reade in him or any other orthodox Interpreter, that Chriſt complained againſt God, as (ſay you) the common doctrine of Imputation doth make the ſtream of Interpreters to ſpeak.