Redemption from the Curse, Chapter 3
Chap. 3.
Sect. 1. The ſecond Concluſion; what this imports, that Chriſt was made a curſe for us.
THe ſecond Concluſion or Doctrine which theſe words hold forth unto us, is this: Chriſt was made a curſe for us which are under the curſe of the Law; Jeſus Chriſt the Son of God, the ſecond perſon in Trinity, became a curſe for the ſons of men, who ſtand accurſed by the doome of Gods righteous Law.
Let it be obſerved, that he is not onelyonly accurſed, but a curſe; and this expreſſion is uſed both for more ſignificancy and fulneſs, to note out the truth and realneſs of the thing, and alſo to ſhew the order and way he took for bringing us back unto that bleſſedneſs which we had loſt. The Law was our righteouſneſs in our innocent condition, and ſo it was our bleſſedneſs, Jam. 1.25. but the firſt Adam falling away from God by his firſt tranſgreſſion implunged himſelf into all unrighteouſneſs, and ſo inwrapped himſelf in the curſe: Now Chriſt the ſecond Adam, that he may reſtore loſt man into an eſtate of bleſſedneſs, he becomes that for them, which the Law is unto them, namely a curſe;Rom. 10 4. beginning where the Law ends, and ſo going backward to ſatisfie the demands of the Law to the uttermoſt; he becomes firſt a curſe for them, and then their righteouſneſs, and ſo their bleſſedneſs.
For making good this truth, I ſhall endeavour to clear theſe two things:
1. What this is, that he is made a curſe for us; and wherein it ſtands?
2. By whom, or by what power he was made a curſe for us?
For the former:
Chriſts becoming a curſe for us, ſtands in this; that whereas we are all accurſed by the ſentence of the Law, becauſe of ſin, he now comes into our room, and ſtands under the ſtroak of that curſe which of right belongs to us; ſo that it lies not now any longer on the backs of poor ſinners, but on him, for them, and in their ſtead; therefore he is called a ſurety, Heb. 7.22. the ſurety ſtands in the room of a debtor, malefactor, or him that is any way obnoxious to the Law; ſuch is Adam and all his poſterity: we are by the doom of the Law, evil doers, tranſgreſſors; and upon that ſcore we ſtand indebted to the juſtice of God, and lie vnderunder the ſtroke of his wrath. Now the Lord Jeſus ſeeing us in this condition, he ſteps in, and ſtands between us and the blow; yea, he takes this wrath and curſe off from us unto himſelf; he ſtands not onelyonly, or meerly, after the manner of a ſurety among men, in the caſe of debt: for here the ſurety indeed enters bond with the principal for the payment of the debt; but yet he expects that the debtor ſhould not put him to it, but that he ſhould diſcharge the debt himſelf, he onelyonly ſtands as a back-ſet of good ſecurity. No, Chriſt Jeſus doth not expect that we ſhould pay the debt our ſelves, but he takes it wholly to himſelf, as a ſurety for a murtherer or traitor, or ſome other notorious malefactor, that hath broken priſon and is run away; he lies by it body for body, ſtate for ſtate, and undergoes whatſoever the malefactor is chargeable withall for ſatisfying the Law: even ſo the Lord Jeſus ſtands ſurety for us, runnagate malefactors, making himſelf liable to all that curſe which belongs to us, that he might both anſwer the Law fully, and bring us back again to God. As the firſt Adam ſtood in the room of all mankind fallen:1 Pet. 3.18. ſo Chriſt the ſecond Adam ſtands in the room of all mankind which is to be reſtored; he ſuſtains the perſon of all thoſe which do ſpiritually deſcend from him, and unto whom he beares the relation of an head.
But to open it yet more fully, I conceive that to this making of him a curſe for us, theſe three things do concur:
1. His taking upon him the nature of man, which is both ſinfull and accurſed; the children were partakers of fleſh and blood, and he alſo took part of the ſame, Heb. 2.14. he came in the likeneſs of ſinfull (and therefore of accurſed fleſh) Rom. 8.3. he took upon him the nature, not of this or that particular man, as Abraham, David, Peter, or any other, but the nature of mankind in general; even that ſelf-ſame nature that ſinned, and is therefore accurſed. It was not a ſimilitude or ſhadow of fleſh, or a meer ſhew of being a man, but truly, really, ſenſibly fleſh or manhood, as himſelf avouched to his Diſciples after his reſurrection, bidding them handle him, that they might be ſatisfied that it was not a ſpirit which they ſaw, but the very ſame true body which he had before, Luk. 24.39. The Word or ſecond Perſon in Trinity, took the nature of man into the unity of his perſon, that it might dwell and have its ſubſiſtence in the Godhead onelyonly, John 1.14.
2. The real imputation of our ſin (or the guilt of our ſin) to him.Iſa. 53.6. He was made ſin for us, even he which knew no ſin, 2 Cor. 5.21. All the ſins of the Elect were charged upon him, both original and actual, and he had them all by imputation, without any inherence of ſin in him at all; he had no ſin of his own, neither of nature nor practice, for he was conceived by the overſhadowing of the Holy Ghoſt, and ſo was born holy, Luk. 1.35. And beſides, had the guilt but of one, even the ſmalleſt perſonal ſin been upon his ſoul, it would have utterly diſabled him from the work of his Mediatorſhip, Heb. 7.26. yet he had the ſins of others; the ſin of the world was laid at his door, as if it had been his own; he was numbred with the tranſgreſſors,Mar. 15.28. Iſaiah 53.12. Luk. 22.37. And thus the Lord looked upon him as a ſinner upon our account. If this had not been ſo, how could either death have been juſtly inflicted upon him, or his merit have been imputed unto us? This muſt be Luthers meaning, when he ſaith Chriſt was the greateſt ſinner; he was Manaſſeh that Idolater, David that adulterer, Peter that denier of his Maſter, &c. to wit, by imputation onelyonly, he being made ſin for them, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks.
3. An actuall undergoing and ſuffering the wrath of God, and the fearful effects thereof, in the puniſhments threatned in the law. As he became a debtor, and was ſo accounted, even ſo he made payment thereof; he was made a ſacrifice for ſin, and bare to the full all that ever divine juſtice did or could require, even the uttermoſt extent of the curſe of the Law of God. He muſt thus undergo the curſe, becauſe he had taken upon him our ſin: The juſtice of the moſt high God revealed in the Law looks upon the Lord Jeſus as a ſinner, becauſe he hath undertaken for us, and ſeizeth upon him accordingly, pouring down on his head that curſe and thoſe puniſhments which are threatened in it againſt ſin; for the curſe followeth ſin, as the ſhadow the body, whether it be ſin inherent, or ſin imputed: even as the bleſſing follows righteouſneſs, whether it be righteouſneſs inherent, or righteouſneſs imputed. The Scripture is very clear and full in holding forth this, as the main part of the curſe; it was propheſied of long before, Iſa. 53.4, 5. &c. he was ſtricken or ſmitten, and this ſtriking was even unto wounding, and this wounding was accompanied with bruiſing. And becauſe all our iniquities (in the puniſhments of them) met in him, as all rivers in one ſea, all arrows in one butt, all the Regiments of an Army in one place of rendezvous, therefore he was oppreſſed; for he was brought forth as a Lamb to the ſlaughter, in his humiliation his judgment was taken away, Acts 8.33. yea, he was cut off from the Land of the living: It was alſo fore-typified and repreſented by many ſorts of Sacrifices in the Law.1 Cor. 5 7. All thoſe Prophecies and types were accompliſhed in him; he told his diſciples often in the days of his fleſh, that he muſt ſuffer many things; and ſo he did; ſee Heb. 9.26. & 28. He hath appeared once in the end of the world, to put away ſin by the ſacrifice of himſelf; and, He was once offered, to bear the ſins of many. All this ſuffering is comprehended in that ſentence, Gen. 2.17. In the day that thou eateſt, thou ſhalt die; this was the puniſhment which Divine Juſtice did award againſt ſin; therefore this he muſt ſuffer.
But becauſe the main ſ…eſs, and (as it were) the very dregs of this bitter cup, lies here; it may be worth our labour to conſider it a little more particularly; and that, 1. In the preparation thereunto. 2. In the main brunt it ſelf.
1. There was a preparation to it by many ſmaller and lighter skirmiſhes; for (having emptied himſelf of his glory, ſo that he did not appear to be that which indeed he was, and ſubjected himſelf to the ſtate of a ſervant, and ſo a meet object of ſuffering) he became a man of ſorrows all his life long, Iſa. 53.3. compaſſed about with infirmity, Heb. 5.2. as ſoon as he was born he was laid in a manger, becauſe there was no room for him in the Inne; while he was very young he was perſecuted, and forced to flie into Aegyptforeign, he was tempted of Sathan. Quod illud dictum civium ſatis arguit. Uſſer. Annal. per poſter. p. 552.; he wrought for his living at the trade of his reputed father, as it is more than probable by that ſpeech of the Mazarenes, Mar. 6.3. Is not this the carpenter, &c? He was the object of mans reproach, he was called a wine-bibber, a friend of publicans and ſinners, an enemy to Caeſar, one that hath a devil; he was ſubject to the infirmities which are incident to mankind, as hunger, thirſt, poverty; he was betrayed by Judas, forſaken by his diſciples, abuſed by the Jews, mocked, buffetted, ſpit upon, crowned with thorns, accuſed, arraigned, condemned as the vileſt malefactor. In one word, he was a worm, and no man, Pſal. 22.6.
2. The main brunt it ſelf was, that he was ſtruck with death. The Sacrifice in the Law was to be ſlain; the goat which was to be offered for a ſin-offering for the people, muſt be killed, and the blood of it muſt be brought within the veil, Lev. 16.15. The ſame courſes (as to killing) was to be taken with the burnt-offering, peace-offering, and treſpaſs-offering; as we may ſee in the 1, 3, 5, 6, 7. chapters of Leviticus. So it was propheſied, Iſa. 53.12. he poured out his ſoul unto the death; and elſewhere often.
Now this death which Chriſt did undergo, was both of the body and ſoul.
1. He ſuffered the death of the body, called the firſt death; this Gabriel the Angel revealed to the Prophet Daniel ſome 1006 years before, Dan. 9.26. the Meſſiah ſhall be cut off; the accompliſhment whereof the ſtories of the Evangeliſts relate very largely, Iſa. 53.8. Acts 8.33. his life is taken from the earth. We by ſin had deſerved the firſt death, the taking down of this earthly frame, by the ſeparation of the ſoul and body, therefore Chriſt our ſurety muſt die that death for us; the particular end of death which he ſhould and did ſuffer, was the death of the croſs; which was ſo deſigned and ordered by the all-wiſe counſel and providence of God, both becauſe it was very painfull and grievous, and alſo becauſe it was a moſt ſhamefull and ignominious death; but eſpecially becauſe it was, even by divine appointment, ſtigmatized with this brand of infamy, that whoſoever was hanged on a tree, was to be accounted ceremonially accurſed, as it is avouched in the cloſe of the verſe. It was not neceſſary that he ſhould ſuffer all the ſeveral ſorts of death, as ſtoning, burning, ſawing, beheading, &c. it was ſufficient that he ſuffered that one kind of death, which the wiſdom of God ſaw to be moſt fit and ſuitable; neither yet was it neceſſary, that his death ſhould be attended with ſuch cruelties, as ſome men have been enforced to ſuffer, as pulling the fleſh from the bone, pinching it with hot pincers, and the like: Theſe are rather perſonal, than natural, and meerly accidental, not eſſential to the firſt death: Therefore the legs of Chriſt were not broken; and although his body was laid in the grave, yet he ſaw no corruption, becauſe theſe infirmities did not conſiſt with the dignity of his perſon; and the latter would have made void the fruit and effect of his ſufferings. Therefore the Scripture declares both theſe to be contrary to Gods will. See Jo. 19.33-36. Acts 2.31.
2. He ſuffered the death of the ſoul, or that which is called the ſecond death. Sin brought death into the world; not onelyonly that death which pulls down this earthly frame, but alſo that which makes a wofull ſeparation of the whole man from God: Therefore the Lord Jeſus muſt undergo this death too, Iſa. 53.10. he made his ſoul an offering for ſin. And this death ſtood in theſe two things.
1. There was a ſtoppage or withdrawing of the ſenſe of his fathers love and favour from his ſoul. This he complains of as a forſaking, Pſal. 22.1. and it anſwers to that [poena damni] puniſhment of loſs, which we ſhould ſuffer. But we muſt underſtand this to be done in ſuch manner and meaſure as becomes the perſon ſuffering;foreign. it was not a pulling the Godhead from the manhood; this union continued entire all the time of his ſufferings, and ſhall do to all eternity. Neither was it a deprival of the ſpirit, wherewith his humane nature was filled even from the womb, that did ſtill abide in him, and ſhall never be taken away from him; according to that precious promiſe, Iſa. 59.21. which I conceive muſt be fulfilled firſt in him, and then in his ſeed with him. Neither was it a total or perpetual withdrawing, but onelyonly in part, and for a time; the Lord turned away his face from him for a little ſeaſon, he hid himſelf out of his ſight, and would not be found; he took off the ſweet influence of the joy and comfort of the ſpirit, ſuſpending them for a time, and keeping off from him at a great diſtance, Pſal. 22.1. yet all this while God was preſent with him by his ſupporting grace, ſo that he had ſome intermiſſions, and an Angel came to comfort him, Luke 22.43.foreign. and he was heard in that he feared, H…b. 5.7. or he was heard from his feare; that is, he was heard and delivered.
2. There was a letting out, and ſeizing of the Lords wrath and indignation upon his ſoul; God did put into his hand a cup of the red wine of his wrath full of the mixture of the bittereſt ingredients, and he drank it off. This anſwers to that [p…na ſenſus] puniſhment of pain which we ſhould ſuffer. All the waves of Gods diſpleaſure went over his head. See Pſalm 18.4, 5. & 88.6, 7, 16, 17. This ſupernatural death he ſuffered in both the kinds before mentioned; firſt in the garden, and after that on the croſs.
In the garden, Mat. 26.36. John 18.1. there the wrath of God did encounter him, and he was put to grapple with it hand to hand; he bare three ſeveral ſtorms one after another, and ſo took a deep draught of this bitter cup. The manner of it is deſcribed by ſundry expreſſions,foreign. Mark 14.33. [he began to be ſore amazed] which notes a dreadfull aſtoniſhment, ariſing from a ſudden commotion of all the powers of his ſoul together; [and to be very heavie] that is,foreign. to be ſurprized and poſſeſſed with a very great and preſſing anguiſh of ſpirit, through the unſpeakable horrour of divine wrath. And verſe 34. he complains thus [my ſoul is exceeding ſorrowfull; or,foreign. Crux anto crucem. foreign. beſet round with ſorrow, unto death.] So Luke comprehends all this in one word, calling it an agony, Luke 22.44. where he alſo deſcribes it by the effects, both that it put him upon more than ordinary vehemency, and (as it were) more outſtretchedneſs in prayer; which the Apoſtle expreſſeth by ſtrong crying and tears, Hebr. 5.7. and alſo that it cauſed him to ſweat, as it were great drops of blood trickling downe to the ground.
2. On the croſs; here was the main blow; he bare our ſins on the tree, 1 Pet. 2.24. here the wrath of Almighty God lay on his ſoul, in the whole weight of it. Now the juſtice of God muſters all his forces, and gathers together all his regiments, to fall upon Chriſt with his whole army, as if he would rout him at once. He deſcended into hell, I mean not locally, into the place of the damned; for after death his body went down to the grave, and was locally there for the ſpace of three days; and his ſoul went into paradice; that is, into heaven, the place of bliſs and glory; as Luke 23.43. but onelyonly virtually and effectively, in that being Mediator, and ſtanding in our ſtead, he did, even while he was on the croſs, before he gave up the ghoſt, undergo thoſe helliſh pains and ſorrows in his ſoul, which were due to us for ſin. The Lord took him and plunged him into the ſea of his wrath; all the waves and billows of it came rouling over his head, and he ſunk down into the very depths of death. The Prophet Jonah being in the belly of the whale, was a type of Chriſt, both in his corporal and ſpiritual death; therefore thoſe things may truly be applied to his ſoul-ſufferings, which he complains of, John 2.3, 4, &c. the extremity whereof forced him to cry out with a loud voice, Why haſt thou forſaken me? Matth. 27.46, even as Jonah had ſaid long before, I am caſt out of thy ſight, Jon. 2.4. To conclude this; Chriſt on the croſs hath the fury of the battel poured down upon him, ſo that he bare the very heat and burden of it; here he drank up the very dregs and bitterneſs of the cup, even to the bottom.
Sect. 2. Some uſefull obſervations, tending to clear it further.
FRom all theſe particulars we may obſerve (onelyonly as by the way) theſe three things:
1. That the ſufferings of Chriſt were not ſeeming, and in ſhew onelyonly, but real, and indeed.
2. That the bodily ſufferings and death of Chriſt, were not ſufficient to ſatisfie for the ſins of the world, but he muſt alſo undergo the ſufferings and death of the ſoul. For the proper ſeat and ſubject of ſin is the ſoul, not the body (which is but as the ſouls ſhop, uſing it as the Smith doth his hammer and anvile) therefore if he had not ſuffered in ſoul, the plaiſter had been narrower than the ſore.
3. That the ſufferings of the ſoul were not barely mediate, or by conſent from the body, as ſympathizing onelyonly with it, but proper and immediate. The ſoul is the firſt and principal in ſin, the body but the inſtrument. It is moſt agreeable to juſtice, that the principal ſhould be rather deeper in the puniſhment than the inſtrument; which holds not here, if the body ſuffer immediately, and the ſoul onelyonly by ſympathy. Doubtleſs, that ſame wrath of God, thoſe terrors and torments of hell (for the ſubſtance of them) fell down-right upon the ſoul of Chriſt, which ſinners ſhould, and reprobates muſt endure in their ſouls for ſin.
Yet ſtill this muſt be underſtood foreign, in ſuch a way as ſuits with the dignity of the perſon ſuffering; there was a mitigation or abatement in his ſoul-ſufferings from the rigour which the damned ſhall be put to, in three particulars:
1. In the place of ſuffering; this is but a circumſtance in the buſineſs; hell [the place of the damned] is no part of the debt, therefore neither is ſuffering there locally any part of the payment of it: no more than a priſon is any part of an earthly debt, or of the payment of it. The ſurety may ſatisfie the creditor in the place appointed for payment, or in the open court; which being done, the debtor and ſurety both are acquitted, that they need not go to priſon; if either of them goe to priſon, it is becauſe they do not, or cannot pay the debt: for all that juſtice requires, is to ſatisfie the debt, to the which the priſon is meerly extrinſecal: even ſo the juſtice of God cannot be ſatisfied for the tranſgreſſion of his Law, but by the death of the ſinner; but it doth not require that this ſhould be done in the place of the damned. The wicked goe to priſon, becauſe they do not, they cannot make ſatisfaction otherwiſe; Chriſt having fully diſcharged the debt, needed not to go to priſon.
2. In the time of continuance; the damned muſt bear the wrath of God to all eternity, becauſe they can never ſatisfie the juſtice of God for ſin, therefore they muſt lie by it world without end; but Chriſt hath made an infinite ſatisfaction in a finite time, by undergoing that fierce battel with the wrath of God, and getting the victory in a few hours, which is equivalent to the creatures bearing it, and grapling with it everlaſtingly. The lenth or ſhortneſs of durance, is but a circumſtance, not of any neceſſary conſideration in this caſe. Suppoſe a man indebted 100 l. and likely to lie in priſon till he ſhall pay it, yet utterly unable; if another man comes and lays down the money on two hours warning, is not this as well, or better done? That which may be done to as good or better purpoſe, in a ſhort time, what need is there to draw it out at length? The juſtice of the Law did not require, that either the ſinner or his ſurety ſhould ſuffer the eternity of hells torments,Non aeternitatem, ſed duntaxat extremitatem. but onelyonly their extremity. It doth abundantly counterpoiſe the eternity of the puniſhment, that the perſon which ſuffered was the eternal God. Beſides, it was impoſſible that he ſhould be detained under the ſorrows of death, Act. 2.24. and if he had been ſo detained, then he had not ſpoiled Principalities and Powers, nor triumphed over them, but had been overcome, and ſo had not attained his end.
3. In a companion of the pains of the ſecond death, unavoidably attending it in reprobates; to wit, deſperation; an utter hopeleſneſſe of any good; a certain expectation and waiting on the worſt that can befall. I ſhall not enter into a diſpute, whether the deſpair of the damned in hell, be properly a ſin ot not; there be good Divines, both ancient and modern, that hold the negative; which to me ſeemes moſt probable, not ſo much from that ground on which they go, that there is no ſin in hell (it being the place of ſuffering, not of doing) nor from this, that deſpair being the privation of hope, as hope is not of the things which are ſeene,Rom. 8.24. ſo deſpair is not of the things which are already felt. Whence ſome would infer, that as hope in the glorified Saints ceaſeth, becauſe they have now the enjoyment of the bleſſedneſs which they expected: ſo deſpair ſhall ceaſe in the damned, becauſe they are poſſeſſed already of everlaſting deſtruction. But I ſuppoſe it cannot rationally be denied, that the damned in hell do deſpair; onelyonly I ſay, it is very probable that this deſpair is not properly a ſin; for as hope doth ever ſuppoſe and eye a promiſe of ſome good thing to come, apprehending it as certain, and waiting for the accompliſhment: ſo deſperation (hopes contrary) muſt needs be exerciſed about the ſame object, but puts forth a contrary act, apprehends the promiſe as impoſſible, and caſts off all expectation of the accompliſhment of it. Now promiſes are confined to this life onelyonly, although the things promiſed (for the beſt part of them) are to be enjoyed in the life to come; there are no promiſes made to them that are actually damned in hell, of any future good; and therefore as it would be no vertue in them to hope, ſo it is no ſin in them to deſpaire. But to returne; the wretched ſinner in hell ſeeing the ſentence paſſed againſt him, Gods purpoſe fulfilled, never to be reverſed, the gates of hell made faſt upon him,Luk. 16.26. and a great gulfe fixed betwixt hell and heaven, which renders his eſcape impoſſible, he now gives up all, and reckons on nothing but the uttermoſt miſery. Now this deſpair is not an eſſential part of the ſecond death, but onelyonly a conſequent, or (at the moſt) an effect, occaſioned by the ſinners view of his irremedileſſe wofull condition. But this neither did, nor could poſſibly befall the Lord Jeſus; he was able by the power of his God-head, both to ſuffer, and to ſatisfie, and to overcome, therefore he expected a good iſſue, and knew that the end ſhould be happy, and that he ſhould not be aſhamed,Pſ 16.9.10. Acts 2.26, 27, 28, 31. Iſaiah 50. ver. 6, 7, &c. Even as a very ſhallow ſtreame would eaſily drowne a little childe, there could be no hope of eſcape, unleſſe ſome man ſhould come in due time to relieve it, becauſe it wants ſtrength to ſave it ſelfe; whereas a growne man might hope well enough to eſcape out of a far deeper place, becauſe by reaſon of his ſtature, ſtrength and skill, he could wade or ſwimme out. Truly the wrath of the Almighty manifeſted in hell, is like the vaſt ocean, or ſome broad deep river, and therefore when the ſinfull ſons and daughters of Adam (which are without ſtrength) are hurled into the midſt of it, they muſt needs lie downe in their confuſion, as altogether hopeleſſe of deliverance or eſcaping; but this deſpaire could not ſeize upon Jeſus Chriſt, becauſe (although his Father took him, and caſt him into the ſea of his wrath,Iſa. 9.6. & 57.16. & 63.1, 3, 5. ſo that all the billowes of it went over him, yet) being the mighty God, with whom nothing is impoſſible, he was very able to paſs thorow that ſea, which would have drowned all the world, and to come ſafe to ſhore. Thus of the firſt Branch.
Sect. 3. Shewing by whom, or by what power, he was made a Curſe.
BUt then ſecondly, we may make a further inquiry, by whom, or by what power he was thus made a Curſe for us; we finde that he was made of the ſeed of David, according to the fleſh, Rom. 1.3. made of a woman, and under the Law, Gal. 4.4. made Surety of a better Teſtament, Heb. 7.22. and ſo here made a Curſe: But who made him, or how comes he, who is the Son of God bleſſed for ever, to be a Curſe? For the clearing of this, I ſhall ſpeak ſomething to it, 1. Negatively. 2. Poſitively.
1. Negatively. It was not done, 1. By any power, or authority which the Law had over him, in reſpect of himſelf, for he did no ſin, neither was guile found in his mouth, 1 Pet. 2.22.1 Pet. 1.19. foreign. 1 Tim. 19. Yea, he was as a Lamb without blemiſh, and without ſpot, therefore the Law could not take hold on him; it had nothing at all to lay to his charge, nor could poſſibly faſten the leaſt guilt upon him, ſave onelyonly as he ſtood ingaged for us, it lay not againſt him.
2. Much leſs was it not by any power or contrivement of the creature, for then it muſt be either Sathan, or man, but 1 Sathan could not do it; for although he be the Prince of the world, and had an heart brim full of malice againſt him, yet he had nothing at all in him, no power, or authority over him, no not in the leaſt meaſure,foreign. Joh. 14.30. How could he, when the unclean ſpirits were at his command, he caſt them out with a word. 2. Neither was man able to put him into this condition, to make him a Curſe, no, nor all the men in the world. It was not the iniquity of the times, into which he was fallen; although it was a very evill time (their very hour, and the power of darkneſs, Luke 22.53.) yet that was not the proper working cauſe of it. Neither was it the perfidiouſneſs of Judas his houſhold ſervant; that was but a remote interveening means for the bringing, of it on, or raiſing it up to the height. Nor was it the miſchievous diſpoſition, and plottings of the high Prieſts, and Jews againſt him; he could eaſily have befooled, and prevented them all; he could for a word of his mouth have had a guard of more than twelve legions of Angels for his aſſiſtance, or reſcue, Matth. 26.53, 54. And when they came to apprehend him, he did but ſpeak a word, and they went backward, and fell to the ground, Joh. 18.6. Neither was it laſtly, the timorouſneſs of Pilate, whereby he yeelded to the importunity of the Jews, even againſt his own conſcience. See Mat. 27.18, 24. Luke 23.4, 14.22. &c. And when Pilate did proudly boaſt of his power over him, he checked him, and told him roundly, that all his power was no more, but an inferiour, delegated power, meerly at the pleaſure of an higher, Joh. 19.10, 11. So then it was not any one of theſe, nor all theſe put together, that could poſſibly bring the Son of God under the Curſe; they were onelyonly ſubordinate inſtruments, acting in ſome parts of it; but he was infinitely above them all. We muſt ſeek out ſome higher cauſe; Therefore,
2 Poſitively. The Scripture holds forth three things, very remarkable to this purpoſe, which (being taken joyntly) are that ſoveraign power, whereby Chriſt was made a Curſe.
1 The decree and appointment of God. As he was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world, 1 Pet. 1.20. ſo he was delivered [to death] by the determinate counſel, and fore-knowledge of God. The hands whereby he was taken, crucified, and ſlain, were wicked hands, yet thoſe hands therein did that very thing, which the hand and counſel of God determined before to be done, Act. 2.23. & 4.28. Therefore he is called the Lamb ſlain from the foundation of the world, Rev. 13.8. that is, 1. In reſpect of Gods eternal purpoſe manifeſted by the promiſe made in Paradiſe, That the ſeed of the Woman, ſhall break the Serpents head, Gen. 3.15. And 2. Of the efficacie of his death upon all the Elect from the beginning of the world, although the world was four thouſand years old, before he was actually ſlain. It is obſervable, that the Scripture aſcribes the diſpenſation of this whole work to God the Father, as the firſt moover, and ſovereign Manager of it; He laid on him our iniquity, Iſa. 53.6. He made him to be ſin for us, 2 Cor. 5.21. He ſet him forth, Rom. 3.25. He ſent him, Rom. 8.3. Gal. 4.4. It pleaſed the Lord to bruiſe him, Iſa. 53.10. The Lord calls on the ſword, Zach. 13.7. to awake and ſmite his Shepherd, the man that is his fellow, he means Jeſus Chriſt, God-man, who is equal to the Father as God, but inferiour to him, as man, appointed to be the great Shepherd of the ſheep, the Lords little flock: But, ſaith the Lord, I will ſmite the Shepherd.Symbol. Athanaſ…. The application of this Propheſie we have, Matth. 26.31.
2 Chriſts voluntary condeſcention thereunto, Joh. 14.31. having diſavowed Satans power over him, he profeſſeth his own willingneſs (and that from a principle of love) to do that which his Father had commanded him. Compare this with Joh. 10.18. where he ſaith, I lay down my life of my ſelf, &c. And it will appear, that this was his own act, to be made a Curſe for us, in that he did freely, and of his own accord, ſubmit to his Fathers Commandment touching the laying down of his life, God the Father made him perfect by ſufferings, Heb. 2.10. and he ſanctified himſelf, Joh. 17.19. by preparatory ſufferings firſt, and then by offering up himſelf, even as the Prieſts in the Law were firſt ſanctified by the ſprinkling of blood upon them, and then they offered for the ſins of the people, Exod. 29.20, 21. He gave himſelf for our ſins, Gal. 1.4. He made himſelf of no reputation: He took on himſelf the form of a ſervant, he humbled himſelf, and became obedient, &c. Phil. 2.7, 8. yea although he knew before, what was his Fathers will, and his own duty, yet by the ſufferings themſelves he learned obedience, that is, he came experimentally to know (as a man) what it is to obey, and how hard a thing it is for the creature to grapple with the wrath of the Almighty, and to ſubmit to the pleaſure of his juſtice in conflicts with the ſecond death,Vide Bezam Pareum, Gerhardum in Locum. Heb. 5.8. His willingneſs appears further, by his ſetting his face ſtedfaſtly to go to Jeruſalem, when the time of his ſuffering drew near, Luke 9.51. by his taking up Peter very ſharply, for diſcouraging, and diſ-ſwading him from it, Matth. 16.22, 23. and by his ſpeech to him at his apprehenſion when he had cut off the ear of Malchus; The cup which my Father hath given me, ſhall I not drink it? Joh. 18.11.
3 A compact or agreement ſolemnly made betwixt God, and Chriſt the Mediator, which is the reſult of the two former, Gods Commandement, and Chriſts obedience. We may preſent it to our underſtanding in this form. God the Father ſaith to Chriſt the Mediator, I look upon Adam, and his poſterity, as a degenerate ſeed, a generation of Apoſtates and back-ſliders, yea Traitors and Rebels, liable to my ſevereſt wrath, and utterly undone; yet I cannot finde in my heart to ſee them all periſh, I have determined to ſhew mercy upon a conſiderable number of them, to ſave them, and bring them to glory: If therefore thou wilt undertake for them, becoming a Curſe in their ſtead, and ſo making ſatisfaction to my juſtice for their ſins, I will give them unto thee, to take care of them, and to bring them up to my Kingdome, for the manifeſtation of the glory of my grace. Well, ſaith Chriſt, I am content, I will do it with all my heart, and ſo the agreement is made. This may be gathered from Pſal. 2.7, 8, 9. and Pſal. 40.6, 7, 8. Chriſt the Son ſpeaks in both places. In the former he publiſheth the Decree or Ordinance of heaven touching himſelf, and bringeth in the Father inſtalling him into the Prieſthood, or office of Mediator, for ſo the Apoſtle applieth that Text, Heb. 5.5.Thou art my Son, &c. and alſo avouching this Covenant, and agreement in the two main parts of it.
1 The Condition, which he will have performed on Chriſts part, or what Chriſt muſt do: He muſt ask of God; that is, not onelyonly verbally by prayers and ſupplications, beg mercy, pardon, righteouſneſs, and ſalvation for poor loſt ſinners, but alſo really, by fulfilling the righteouſneſs of the Law both in doing and ſuffering, and ſo by his ſatisfaction and merit, purchaſing acceptation for them at his hands.
2 The Promiſe, which he ingageth to perform on his part, or what he will do himſelf thereupon. The Son muſt ask, and the Father will give, he will give him the heathen, &c. that is, he ſhall both be the Lords ſalvation to the ends of the earth,Iſa. 49.…6. M…t. 28.18. Phil. 2.10, 11. and have all power given him in heaven and earth, ſo that all knees ſhall bow to him, and every tongue ſhall confeſs him to be Lord. In the other Text before mentioned, Pſal. 40. Chriſt declares his compliance to the agreement; and his ſubſcribing the Covenant on his part, when he came into the world, as the Apoſtle explains it, Heb. 10.5. &c. Mine ears (ſaith he) haſt thou digged, or pierced, Lo I come to do thy will; as if he ſhould ſay, Oh Father, thou doſt ingage me to be thy ſervant in this great work of ſaving ſinners, Lo, I come to do the work, I here covenant and agree to yeeld up my ſelf to thy diſpoſing, and to ſerve thee for ever. It ſeems to be an alluſion to the Maſters boaring through the ſervants ear, Exod. 21.6. we have an abridgement of this Agreement, Iſa. 53.10. in both parts:
Si poſuerit ſacrificium pro reatu animam ſuam, or Si poſuerit ſacrificium anima e…us.1 On Chriſts part, his ſoul ſhall be made an offering for ſin.
2. On the Fathers part, he promiſeth that thereupon Chriſt ſhall ſee his ſeed, he ſhall have a numerous ſpiritual poſterity, begetting and bringing many thouſands to the obedience of his Father; Yea further, verſ. 11. So ample ſhall be the fruit of his ſufferings, that he ſhall be ſatisfied, in ſeeing the travel of his ſoul, he ſhall have abundant joy and contentment, even in that which hath coſt him deareſt, he ſhall juſtifie many poor guilty condemned ſinners, by their knowledge of him, or by faith in his Name, for he ſhall take upon him their iniquities, and acquit them from blame.
And this Covenant of God with Chriſt, is the very baſis or bottome of the Covenant of Grace. God made a Covenant with Chriſt, the ſpiritual David, Pſal. 89.3, 4. that he might make a Covenant with all his Elect in him, Rom. 11.26, 27. He made this Agreement with Chriſt as the Head, and on this is reared up the whole frame of precious promiſes, compriſed in the Covenant of Grace, as a goodly building upon a ſure foundation. And herein the Levitical Prieſthood was a type of the Prieſthood of Chriſt. That was ſettled on Aaron, and his ſucceſſors, and continued unto them by Covenant, their anointing was to be an everlaſting Prieſthood, Exod. 40.15. and more fully, Numb. 25.12, 13. he gave to Phineas, and to his ſeed, the Covenant of an everlaſting Prieſthood; and by vertue thereof, they were inabled to manage the Covenant of life and peace, which was with them, Mal. 2.5. as to the Legal and Ceremonial adminiſtration of it; even ſo the true Prieſthood is ſettled on Chriſt, and continued to him by Covenant, and by vertue of this he manageth the Covenant of Grace in its Evangelical and Spiritual adminiſtration. And as they muſt bear the iniquity of the Congregation, and ſo be made [typically] a Curſe for them, Lev. 10.17. So Chriſt muſt be made a Curſe [truly by imputation] by bearing the iniquity of the Congregation of the firſt-born, which are written in heaven. Only the Apoſtle gives us this difference betwixt theſe two Covenants, that thoſe in the Law were made Prieſts without an oath, but Chriſt was made with an oath, Heb. 7.20, 21. For the proof of which, he brings Pſal. 110.4. noting out a ſpecial preheminence of his Prieſthood above theirs, that theirs was changeable, and ſo had an end; but his is unchangeable and perpetual; the Lord having confirmed the Covenant by his Oath, and ſo infeoffed him in it by a grant never to be revoked. Therefore Covenant and Oath are ſometimes put together, as Pſal. 89.3.
But I am ſenſible, that I have expatiated too far. The iſſue of all is this in ſhort; Chriſt being made a Curſe for us, proceeds from the purpoſe, and good pleaſure of God appointing him, and calling him out thereunto; and it is the execution of a wonderfull and glorious deſign, or contrivement agreed upon by God and Chriſt, for working out the ſalvation of the Elect. I haſten to the Application.
Sect. 4. Uſe 1. Information in four particulars.
ANd firſt, This Truth will afford us matter of very uſeful Information, to eſtabliſh our judgements in ſome particulars of ſpecial concernment.
1 It holds forth unto us the ſtrange miſchievouſneſs of ſin in the nature and workings of it. Oh the exceſſive ſinfulneſs, the unſpeakable poyſonfulneſs of ſin, that could reach as high as heaven, and bring the Son of the Eternal God under the Curſe. Oh that the ſons and daughters of Adam would look about them, & begin at length ſeriouſly to conſider, what an hideous Monſter they nouriſh, what a venemous Serpent they keep, yea hug in their boſomes. Look upon it in this glaſs, and ſee how black, and ugly it appears. If you have not ſeen it by the Miniſtry of the Law, ſo as to humble you, and to lay you low before the Lord, I beſeech you, turn your eyes unto Jeſus Chriſt, and ſee what foul work it hath made, what miſchief it hath brought on him. Behold here a ſtrange ſight, a ſad ſpectacle, the bleſſed Son of God made acurſed. The juſtice of the Law hath found him amongſt ſinners, and ſingled him out from all the company, and ſet him as a mark to ſhoot at, yea, hath ſpent all the arrows of its quiver upon him, and thereby hath mangled, and rent, and torn, and wounded him grievouſly, yea hath brought him down to the gates of death, even as low as hell. When thou haſt preſented him to thy minde in this pittiful pickle, then reflect upon thy ſelf, and ſay, What evill beaſt hath done this? Was it any offence that he hath done againſt the Law in his own perſon, that hath provoked it to pour out ſuch a flood of curſes upon him▪ Oh no, he was holy, harmleſs, undefiled, there was no ſpot of unrighteouſneſs in him. It was for my rebellion, treaſon, apoſtacy from my Maker,Me, me, adſum qui feci. I have ſinned, and Chriſt hath ſuffered the curſe for my ſin. Take now a ſurvey of the ſeveral branches of this curſe, and ſee how it dogged him all along from his birth, to his burial, eſpecially the griefes, and the groans, the ſorrows, and the ſweats, the tears, the terrors, and the torments of his ſoul under the power of the ſecond death, and then ſay in thy heart, Oh fool that I was, I did not beleeve, that ſin had been ſo exceeding bad as it is, I ſee now it is no tame beaſt, but an unreaſonable ravenous devouring Serpent, full of deadly poyſon. Canſt thou ſee all this heavy load lying on the back of Chriſt, and yet judge any ſin to be ſmall, or go on with a proud heart, and a high look, maintaining thine old league with ſin, and continuing in the hell of thine accurſed natural condition, as if it were thy heaven?
2 It re-mindes us further of the greatneſs of that miſery, whereinto man is implunged by ſin: For if Chriſt be made a curſe, who had no ſin of his own, but onelyonly ours laid upon him; What a grievous curſe then, muſt needs lye upon them, who have the guilt of their perſonal ſins ſticking cloſe to their conſciences, and ſtill lye weltring in their own gore-blood? eſpecially on thoſe wretched ſouls which muſt bear the wrath due to ſin in their own perſons for ever? The men of the world put the evil day far from them, they feel no harme, they fear no danger, and therefore they bleſſe themſelves in their preſent ſtate, and ſay, No curſe ſhall take hold upon them: But oh how much better were it to reaſon thus? Chriſt was made a curſe for ſinners, therefore ſurely ſinners in themſelves, and without Chriſt are in a deſperate condition. If we ſhould ſee a man grievouſly tormented, and put to death with extraordinary tortures, and ſhould withall underſtand, that he ſuffered all theſe things for another mans crimes, and not for his own, we would conclude thus, Surely, that man was a notorious Malefactor; and if the ſtroke of Juſtice had fallen upon his own head, what a terrible death muſt he have indured? If this curſe was ſo bitter, his wrath ſo heavy on Chriſt our Surety, how unſpeakably bitter, and heavy would it be on us the principals? Yea bring it home to thy ſelf, and ſay, Alas, What have I done? I have ſurely ſpun a fair thred, I have brought my ſelf into a lamentable condition, that either the Son of God muſt come down from heaven, and be made a curſe for me, or elſe I muſt lye by it for ever. Let us work this meditation on our hearts for our deeper humiliation.
3 It preſents unto us the exactneſs and impartialneſs of the juſtice of God againſt ſinners, in that he will let the curſe fall even on the head of his onelyonly begotten Son, if he finde ſin upon him. Tribulation, and anguiſh muſt be upon every ſoul of man that doth evill, without reſpect of perſons, Rom. 2.9, 11. An unqueſtionable Maxime, for we ſee tribulation, and anguiſh have fallen heavy upon the ſoul of the Man-Chriſt, though he did no evil himſelf, onelyonly becauſe he was numbred with the Tranſgreſſors, and bare the ſins of many by imputation. We may look upon it as a miracle of Juſtice, and ſtand wondring at the Lords proceedings againſt Chriſt, how the curſe was inflicted on him; in all the puniſhments of it; yea, the moſt grievous and piercing that can be imagined. If any might have eſcaped, who more likely than the Son of his boſome, the Son of his delights? but he might not be ſpared. Juſtice will not ſuffer it, but puts in its plea, and ſaith, I expect reparation for the tranſgreſſion of my righteous Law; If therefore Jeſus Chriſt hath undertaken to pay this debt for ſinners, let him look to it, I muſt, and will be ſatisfied to the uttermoſt farthing. He is willing to be their Surety, and to ſtand in their room; let him therefore bear the whole burden, I will not acquit him, till he hath diſcharged the whole debt. No, no, his loud crying, and tears, his bloody and painful ſweats, his fervent, and heaven-piercing prayers, his often renewed petitions, that this cup might paſs away from him, not any one of theſe, nor all theſe could prevail, to ſtay the hand of Divine juſtice, but he muſt take off this cup of the Curſe, and drink it even to the bottome. Oh that our ſecure ſinners in Sion, would weigh theſe things ſadly, and take the meaſure of the Lords ſeverity againſt ſin, by his dealing with his own Son, and think thus, If theſe things be done in the green tree, what ſhall be done in the dry? Luke 23.31. If he was ſo ſtrict with his Son, what will he be to his ſlave? If he dealt ſo ſharply with his darling, how will he deal with his enemy? If his righteous ſervant eſcape thus hardly, where ſhall the ungodly, and ſinner appear? Prov. 11.31.
4 It commends unto us the unſpeakableneſs of the love of the Lord Jeſus to poor undone ſinners. Behold here, the Son of God, the only begotten of the Father, who is the image of the inviſible God, the firſt-born of every creature, the brightneſs of his Fathers glory, and the dearly beloved of his ſoul, who is cloathed with honour and majeſty, and whom all the Angels worſhip, even he is come down from heaven, hath laid aſide his Majeſty, put off the robes of his glory and abaſed himſelf to the lower parts of the earth, to become not onelyonly a worm, and a reproach of men, but alſo a curſe for Adam, & his wretched poſterity, to take off the curſe of the Law from their ſhoulders, and to ſtand accurſed in their ſtead? Liſten, and hear,…. Dien. Carth. how ſweetly he beſpeaks the Lord on our behalf. Holy Father, here is a company of poor miſerable debtors, very bankrupts, wretched malefactors, which lye under thy heavy diſpleaſure, and are the children of death; but I appear here as their Surety, I have taken all upon me, require no debt, inflict no puniſhment on them, put it all on mine accounts, I will diſcharge all their ſcores, I will anſwer whatſoever can be laid to their charge. Oh incomparable love, ſurpaſſing all that can be found in the creature; the higheſt pitch whereof reacheth but to friends, Joh. 15.13. that is, to ſuch as are friendly, kinde, beneficial to us, from whom we have received ſuch good turns, as do oblige us to a return of thankfulneſs; and yet even this love is very rare. To dare to dye for a good man, that is, a kinde man, that hath been good to us, is but a peradventure,So much doth foreign import in ſome places, as in Mat. 20.15. & Eph. 4.29. Rom. 5.7. But God commends his love to us, in that while we were ſinners, and therefore enemies, Chriſt dyed for us, verſ. 8.10. So then, here is unparalleld loving kindneſs; for who would ſtoop thus low? Who would become contemptible, yea, abominable for others? who would bee content to lye under the extremeſt miſeries for enemies, traitors, and the worſt of creatures? Who would entertain, and imbrace a curſe upon any tearms, and not rather ſhun, and avoid it? yet this hath the Lord Jeſus done for us. Oh that we had hearts to admire this miracle of mercy.
Sect. 5. Uſe 2. Exhortation in two branches.
SEcondly, Hence we may alſo draw wholeſome matter of Exhortation. Hath Chriſt undergone the Curſe? Was he made a Curſe in our ſtead, who lye under the curſe of the Law? Oh that all the ſons and daughters of Adam would take this into their ſerious thoughts, that thereby they may be excited to learn, and to practiſe two very neceſſary leſſons.
1 Of wiſdome for themſelves.
2 Of duty to the Lord Jeſus.
1 Such poor ſinners as have been convinced by the former doctrine, of their accurſed condition, ſhould now be wiſe for themſelves even to give free way to him to take the curſe from off them, that he may bear it, and not to take it to themſelves. Art thou now ſenſible of thy ſinfull condition? Doſt thou hear the Law curſing thee aloud in thy conſcience? And doſt thou feel the ſting and venome of it drinking up thy ſpirit? Then take to thy ſelf the boldneſs to ſend it to Chriſt, tell it, Jeſus Chriſt hath removed the curſe from thee, and laid it on his own ſhoulders: Say, Indeed I am a great ſinner, deeply implunged in tranſgreſſion, mine own iniquities have prevailed againſt me, and are gone over my head, and therefore the curſe doth juſtly lye upon me, and might preſſe me down into the nethermoſt hell; but the Lord Jeſus (bleſſed be his name for ever) is become a curſe for me, he hath born it in my ſtead, it lyes not now on me, but on him. If thou haſt ought to ſay againſt me, go to him, he will anſwer thee to the full. This might be very ſeaſonable (if well digeſted) to ſuch convinced humbled ſinners, as are of ſo little faith, that they dare not reckon of any good by Jeſus Chriſt. Oh ſaith the poor broken ſoul, Wo is me, I am undone, for I am a vile accurſed wretch: I hear indeed, that the Lord Jeſus is becomed a curſe for ſinners, but as for my ſelf, I fear the news are too good to be true, I cannot be perſwaded, that he is made a curſe for me. What? the Son of God made a curſe for me? for ſuch a baſe, ſinful, worthleſs creature as I am? It is not probable I cannot beleeve it. No, no, I muſt bear the curſe my ſelf, and for ought I ſee, it will preſſe me down to hell. But ſtay a little, and conſider, Chriſt is made a curſe for ſinners, which are under the curſe of the Law, thou art one of this unhappy number, thou ſeeſt, and bewayleſt thy woful condition, and abhorreſt thy ſelf. Wherefore then doeſt thou not own this, and take it home, and ſay, Chriſt is made a curſe even for me. If thou wert oppreſſed,See 1 T…m. 1.15, 16. & overburthened with debt, Creditors coming in on every ſide, ſo that thou couldeſt not tell which way to turne thee, no remedy but to priſon; Suppoſe now a man of very great wealth, ſhould offer himſelf to be thy Surety, to ſatisfie all for thee, were it not great folly in thee, to refuſe him, and to ſay, I have not deſerved ſuch favour, or to diſtruſt him, and to ſay, I cannot beleeve that he will do it? Or ſuppoſe thou wert a Traitor to the ſupreme Magiſtrate, convicted, condemned; if his Son ſhould undertake for thee, and yeeld up himſelf to juſtice in thy ſtead, Were it not madneſs in thee to reject him? eſpecially if thou ſhouldeſt underſtand, that this is done, not onelyonly by the Fathers conſent, but alſo by his appointment and approbation? Poor ſinner, this is thy caſe. Thou art this Debtor, this Traitor, and therefore under the curſe? Jeſus Chriſt is made a curſe for thee, even by the appointment of his Father, he comes to take it off from thee, and to lay it upon himſelf. Wilt thou now put him from thee, and ſay, This cannot be, he will never do this for me; and the rather pauſe a while, and reſolve to give him leave to take it. If thou be wiſe, thou wilt not ſtay long in the place of the breaking forth of children, Hoſ. 13.3. Thou art in darkneſs; here is a glympſe of light, thou art in priſon; there is a door of hope to eſcape. The curſe is too heavy for thee, Chriſt is willing to eaſe thee of it. Do not thou keep it to thy ſelf to be ſwallowed up by it, but let thine eye be towards him; Look upon him as made ſin and curſe for thee, and upon this ground diſpute for thy ſoul thus; Hath he indeed become a curſe for me? Why then, there is hope I may eſcape it.
2. And if we can take down this truth, ſo as to make account that he is made a curſe for us in particular, then we may look on our ſelves as engaged upon this ſcore, to the practice of a neceſſary duty. If the Lord Jeſus did not ſtick to be made a curſe for us, then ſhould not we be unwilling to be made a curſe for him. The onelyonly begotten Son of God, bleſſed for ever, did abaſe himſelf, he became a worm for us, the reproach of men, and contempt of the people, Pſal. 22.6, 7. he was deſpiſed, reviled, abuſed; yea, ſcorned, ſpitted on, and trodden under foot for us; and ſhall we thinke it too much to ſuffer thoſe things for him? he was content to undergo the diſpleaſure, the wrath; yea, the curſe of the moſt high God for our ſakes; and ſhall we, the ſorry ſons and daughters of the earth, the right heirs of the curſe, refuſe or ſhrink to undergo the diſpleaſure, the wrath, the curſe of man for his ſake? Oh no, let us lie down at his feet, let us lay our bodies as the ground,Iſa. 51.23. and as the ſtreet to them that go over; let us ſubmit to become any thing for Chriſt; let us not be evil doers, but if we be ſo accounted, and be put to ſuffer as evil doers, let us bear it patiently: we ſhould be ready to meet in the mid-way, and cheerfully to imbrace the greateſt injuries, the foulleſt indignities, which the devil or man can poſſibly heap upon us, either for Chriſt and his teſtimony, or with Chriſt in the proſecution and maintenance of any good cauſe, wherein the Lord calleth us to appear. Let not all the black-mouthed curſes that hell it ſelf can invent, knock us off from well-doing, or diſcourage us in the work of the Lord Jeſus. Whatſoever the work is, let it ſuffice us, if he accept us, and be glorified. Take, my brethren, the Apoſtles and Saints of God in times paſt, for your examples herein, 1 Cor. 4.9-13. I think (ſaith S. Paul, ſpeaking of himſelf and his fellows) that God hath ſet forth us, as it were men appointed to death; we are fools, weak, deſpiſed for Chriſts ſake—we are made as the filth of the world, and the off-ſcouring of all things; For thy ſake I have born reproach, ſaith David, Pſal. 69.7. yea, for thy ſake are we killed all the day long, ſaith the Church, Pſal. 44.22. which the Apoſtle applies to himſelf, Rom. 8.36. Mind well that ſerious exhortation,Act. 5.41. and the ground from whence it is inferred, Hebr. 13.11, 12, 13. As the bodies of thoſe beaſts whoſe blood was offered for the expiation of ſin, were burnt without the camp,Lev. 6.27. Lev. 4.11, 12, 21. ſo Jeſus alſo, that he might ſanctifie the people with his own blood, ſuffered without the gate. Thus the Lord Jeſus ſubmitted to the curſe for us; what muſt we do now for him? Why, even go forth unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. He went out of the city, and bare his own croſs to Golgotha, Jo. 19.17. We muſt with Simon the Cyrenean, bear it after him, Luk. 23.26. We muſt deny our ſelves, take up our croſs and follow him, Mat. 16.24. If we hate not all, even our own lives for him, he diſclaims us from being his Diſciples, Luk. 14.26, 27. yea our ſpirits ſhould be all on a flame within us, in affectionate deſires of the glory of Chriſt; ſo that we ſhould be content even to be accurſed from Chriſt,Vide Zanch. de Nat. Dei l. 5. c. 3. at leaſt in the loſs and forgoing of our ſhare in eternal bleſſedneſs, for the further enlargement of his kingdom, in the ſalvation of many. This was the mind of holy Paul, Rom. 9.3. and it ſhould be our mind alſo. Thoſe nice and delicate Chriſtians which look for every mans bleſſing and good word, which cannot endure a frowning brow, an harſh word, or an ill turn for Chriſt: but they are ready to faint in their minds, and to caſt off all, do requite the Lord Jeſus very badly, who endured ſuch contradiction of ſinners, yea the croſs it ſelf for them, Heb. 12.2, 3.Jer. 12 5. If running with footmen weary you, how will you keep pace with horſes? If ſome ſprinklings and daſhings of rain water in a fair day of proſperity do ſo diſquiet you, that you are ready to ſit down, and deſert your Saviour, then how will you do in the ſwelling of Jordan; when not onelyonly the rain falls, but the floods come, and the windes blow, and the ſtorms of perſecution aſſaile you on every ſide, threatening your utter overthrow? Oh then, what will you ſay to bonds and fetters, to the dungeon and little-eaſe, to racks and ſtrappadoes, to gibbets and gallows, to fire and faggot, to boyling oil and ſcalding lead, boring out your eyes, plucking off your skins, pulling the members of your bodies aſunder by piece-meale, and many the like barbarous uſages, deviſed by brutiſh men, skilfull to deſtroy, which Chriſtians have been put to ſuffer in ages paſt? and who can ſecure you from them in times to come? Poor ſoule, if thou canſt not with patience bear the curſe of a man, whoſe breath is in his noſtrils, bethink thy ſelfe how thou wilt bear that grievous curſe, which will ſurely overtake thee if thou be aſhamed of Jeſus Chriſt.
Sect. 6. Uſe 3. Lamentation, that ſinners put him to it ſtill.
THirdly and laſtly, from this concluſion thus preſented to us, we may take juſt occaſion to enter upon a ſad lamentation, while we look upon the great wickedneſs of too many, who not thinking it enough that Chriſt hath taken the curſe off from them, and laid it upon himſelf, do heap upon him ſtill more curſing, and lay a greater weight thereof on his back every day. If we ſhould ſee a brute beaſt (as an horſe) ſo laden with one pack upon another, or with one fardell added to another, that he is even falling down under it; and much more, if we ſhould ſee a poor ſervant having a burthen heavie enough lying on him already, to have ſtill more heaped upon his ſhoulders, till his back be ready to break under the load, we would all pity the oppreſſed creatures, and cry out of the oppreſſors, as moſt unmercifull and unreaſonable men. Oh then, what bowels of tender compaſſion ſhould be in us towards the Lord Jeſus, who hath ſtill new loads of curſes laid upon him from day to day? and how ſhould our hearts riſe in an holy indignation againſt them which deal ſo baſely with him?
But methinks I hear ſome ſay, What, are there any ſuch monſters in the world? or at leaſt in the Church? we can hardly believe it.
Yes verily, both in the world, and in the Church, and thoſe very many, and of ſundry ſorts; as
1. All thoſe which deny, or do not acknowledge Chriſt Jeſus to be that which indeed he is, in regard of the incomparable excellency of his perſon, in both his Natures Divine and Humane, and his Offices of Prophet, Prieſt, and King, &c. as thoſe Hereticks which began to ſpring up in the days of the Apoſtles, which denied that Jeſus was the Chriſt, 1 John 2.22. and did not confeſs that Jeſus Chriſt was comed in the fleſh.Ioh. 4.2, 3. 2 Jo. 7. the old and new Arrians, which deny the Godhead of Chriſt, and hold him to be but a creature; and the Jews, as in the days of his fleſh they looked on him as a meer man, John 10.33. ſo they have ſtill from that time perſiſted in the ſame errour, calling him the ſon of Mary, denying him to be the Lord and Chriſt. The Manichees alſo of old denied him to be true man; and the Papiſts by their fiction of tranſubſtantiation, by conſequence deny the ſame. It would be needleſs expence of time and paper, to bring in a liſt of all which might be inſtanced under this head. Theſe heretical and erroneous conceits of Chriſt, are in Gods interpretation no better than blaſphemies, yea curſes pronounced againſt Chriſt. Obſerve thoſe expreſſions, 1 Cor. 12.3. where to ſay, that Jeſus is the Lord, and to call Jeſus accurſed, are ſet down as oppoſites; whence it followeth, that to deny him to be the Lord, is to call him accurſed.S…e Beza, Morton.
2. Thoſe which abhor, contemn, deſpiſe (at leaſt in their hearts) the word of the Goſpel, the doctrine of ſalvation by Jeſus Chriſt. All Atheiſts, newters, ſenſual wretches, which reject the counſel of God againſt themſelves, and trample that pearl of truth, which is held forth and freely offered unto them, under their feet, preferring their pottage before their birth-right, as Eſau; What profit will this birth-right be to me (ſaith he) being at the point to die? Gen. 25.22. ſo ſay the profane unſavoury people of theſe times; when righteouſneſs and bleſſedneſs are tendered to them in the Goſpel, through the croſs and curſe of Chriſt Jeſus, they are reſolved to look to their bodies, and eſtates in this world, whatſoever become of their ſouls. They chooſe rather to forfeit their intereſt in that glorious priviledge of the Lords firſt-born, than to forgo their part in the baſe pleaſures of the fleſh, and profits of the world. As the Gadarens would rather have Jeſus Chriſt depart out of their coaſts, than loſe their hogs, Mat. 8.34. ſo theſe perſons prize the vileſt things of the earth, before grace, and the things of eternal life. Chriſt crucified,1 Cor. 1.23. is a ſtumbling-block to the Jews; and to the Greeks he is fooliſhneſs. Oh what a mean eſtimation have our people generally of thoſe ſpiritual riches, for the purchaſing whereof Jeſus Chriſt was made a curſe? where ſhall we finde the door, at which this damnable ſin doth not lie? yea, I fear it lies at the doors of ſome which account themſelves the choiceſt friends of the Lord Jeſus, and think the truth is with them onelyonly; even thoſe that ſleight the Miniſtery, Ordinances, and appointments of Chriſt in his Church; and in effect ſay unto him, We have no need of thee.
3. Thoſe which make an Apoſtaſie from the doctrine which they have received, who having once entertained the truth, and made a profeſſion of Chriſt, according to the Goſpel, do ſhrink away from the truth, fall off from Chriſt, caſt away their profeſſion, and undo that which they have done, turning from the holy commandment delivered unto them, and imbracing this preſent world. Chriſt was once looked upon as precious, now he is a reproach; once they accounted him a bleſſing, now they flie from him, as from a curſe. Oh poor miſerable creature, hath not Chriſt abaſed himſelfe to beare on his owne ſhoulders the heavie curſe of thine enmity, thy rebellion, thy diſobedience againſt the Almighty, and all thy treacheries and abominations, whereby thou haſt provoked the eyes of his glory? and haſt not thou once eſcaped the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt? and wilt thou now tarry back with the dog, to lick up thine old lothſome vomit? wilt thou betake thy ſelf again to that ſtate and trade of ſin, which put him to grapple with the curſe of the Law, and whereof thou waſt once aſhamed? Truly in doing thus, thou even rolleſt the curſe back upon him, as it were with both thy hands. But he will have it no more; the curſe will fall upon thine own head, thy latter end will be worſe than thy beginning, 2 Pet. 2.20. &c. eſpecially thoſe which revolt ſo far, as to ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt, in their judgments profeſſedly contradicting, in their hearts, maliciouſly oppoſing, and in their words and works with all their power perſecuting Chriſt, his Goſpel, and the profeſſors of it; theſe crucifie to themſelves the Son of God afreſh, and put him to an open ſhame, as if he ſhould ſay, they lay the curſe upon him again, Heb. 6.6. The apoſtaſie of Julian recorded in the Hiſtory of the Church, reached even to blaſpheming and curſing Chriſt, and the doctrine of the Goſpel, and his end was lamentable; for in this caſe there remaineth no more ſacrifice for ſin, but a certain fearfull looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, &c. Heb. 10.26, 27. &c.
4. Thoſe profane and graceleſs perſons which have taught and accuſtomed their tongues to outragious and grizly ſwearing, ſuch as even rends the body of Jeſus Chriſt in pieces, and plucks it from his ſoul again, makes more wounds in it, tears away its fleſh, and ſqueezes his blood out of the veins. We are commanded when we take an oath, to ſwear by his name, Deut. 6.13. this muſt be both very rarely, and with great ſolemnity. The bounders of it are, truth, righteouſneſs, and judgment, Jer. 4.2. An oath thus taken, is an act of religion, and ſo a kind of bleſſing of God: but if it ſwerve from theſe rules, it is a fearfull ſin, ſtraitly forbidden by Chriſt himſelf, Matth. 5.34. &c. and by the Apoſtle James, chap. 5.12. and is no better than a curſing of God; eſpecially that helliſh kind of ſwearing, which is attended with ſuch outragious blaſphemies againſt the Lord Jeſus. If becauſe of ſwearing,Ier. 23.10. the Land mourneth; then much more for thoſe deſperate and bloody oaths, which reach to the curſing of Chriſt our Saviour. The word there uſed, ſignifieth both ſwearing and curſing; which ſhews the near affinity betwixt theſe two, and implies to us, that every irregular taking up of the Name of God, or Chriſt in an oath, is in effect a curſing of them. Alas my brethren, the heavie curſe of the Law of God, which is due to us all for ſin, and might have cruſhed us for ever, is fallen upon him, and hath torn and mangled him pitifully; and ſhall wretched creatures be ſo barbarous, as to toſs his holy Name up and down in their unhallowed mouths, and to tear and mangle him anew, by their horrible and villanous oaths? Is not this to lay more curſes upon him, and even to oppreſs him with curſes?
5. Thoſe, who making a general profeſſion of Chriſt, and expecting ſalvation by him, do yet walk on in their ſins, and take occaſion by the abounding of grace in the Goſpel, to be more licentious, and to adde ſin to ſin, as drunkenneſs to thirſt, making the pretence and profeſſion of Religion an emboldener to looſeneſs, to the abuſe of lawfull liberties, and to unwarrantable practiſes. The Apoſtle Jude gives us the character of theſe, calling them ungodly men, which turn the grace of God into laſciviouſneſs, and deny the onelyonly Lord God, and our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, Jude 4. And S. Paul gives us an hint of them, Rom. 6.1. the abounding grace of God manifeſted in Chriſt, is both the Motive and End of their continuing in ſin; they ſin both becauſe grace doth abound, and that it may abound. But oh! little do theſe perſons conſider, that this grace could not have been feaſable, but by Chriſts bearing the curſe for our ſins. And if it coſt ſo dear a price, ſhall we cauſe him to pay it again? ſhall we be ſo bold, as ſin ſtill, and thereby put him to bear the curſe over and over again, as often as we ſin? far be it from us to do ſo wickedly. The looſe and careleſſe Chriſtian, which makes account that Chriſt became a curſe for him, and yet followeth his old trade ſtill, doth (as it were) give Chriſt this malapert language; Lord Chriſt, I know thou art richly able to bear the curſe, were it a thouſand times heavier than it is: therefore I will put thee to it, I will ſin ſtill, and thou muſt bear the curſe ſtill, I will not reſtrain my ſelf from any of thoſe courſes which ſome men call ſinfull, but I will walk in the waies of mine own heart, and fill my ſelfe with the delights of the fleſh. Its pity thou ſhouldſt not have load enough, that art ſo good at bearing the curſe. Oh abominable ranting! that terrible denunciation, Deut. 29.19, 20. &c. may be applied to this caſe, by an argument from the leſs to the greater, thus: He that heareth that Chriſt is made a curſe for him, and yet bleſſeth himſelf in his heart, and encourageth himſelf in ſin, the Lord will not ſpare him, but all the curſes of Gods book ſhall lie upon him, &c. Yea laſtly, every miſcarriage in the profeſſion of Religion, willingly allowed, or continued in, through negligence or remiſſeneſs, is in ſome degree a curſing of God; which I gather from that ſpeech of Job concerning his ſons, Job 1.5. It ſeems the ſin which he ſuſpected they were guilty of, was the neglect of their watch, that they willingly ſuffered looſeneſs and vanity to ſeize upon their ſpirits,See the Engliſh Annot. & Caryl. in loc. which might bring forth ſome unſavoury fruits without. A malady to which even good men are ſubject, eſpecially in times of feaſting. And this he calls curſing God in their hearts.
Unto theſe, and all the reſt of their brethren in evil, I muſt ſpeak a word or two, taking up a lamentation, and pleading againſt them on the behalf of Chriſt. Oh ye ſons of men, what abominable thing is this that ye do? why do ye offer ſuch hard meaſures to him who hath put himſelf upon ſuch perilous adventures, yea extremities, that he might ſave you from utter deſtruction? Give ear, and hear the Lord Jeſus pleading his own cauſe againſt you thus, what iniquity have you found in me, that you deal thus baſely with me, that you handle me ſo cruelly? you can find none in me but that which lay firſt at your own doors, and is charged vponupon me on your account; or as Jeruſalem in the day of her ſore affliction bemoaning her condition, Lam. 1.12.Jer. 2.15. Is it nothing to you; all you that paſs by, behold and ſee if there be any ſorrow like unto my ſorrow; or, as Job earneſtly begging the compaſſion of his friends, who perſecuted him with great violence by their miſ-grounded accuſations, and thereby heaped more miſery upon him, Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends, &c. Job. 19.21, 22. Is it not enough, that I have born ſuch ſorrow as never man bare ſuch a curſe as would have preſſed you all down to hell, but I muſt have more burthens laid upon me ſtill, and that by my friends too? new curſes every day? I beſeech you have pity on me, and hold off hands; I have had enough of the curſe already, oh do not put me to it again. And if for all this thou wilt ſhut up thy bowels from him, and walk contrary to him, thou ſhalt finde it true at length to thy coſt,Jam. 2.13. that there ſhall be judgement without mercy to him, that hath ſhewed no mercy.