A Complete Body of Divinity, Sermons · 107 (Question 27 cont.)
SERMON CVII.
WE have c…ſidered the I…ch…ation of Chriſts Death both Spiritual and Co… p…l, we … now to proceed to the Perfect… Conſummation of it. And this is to … …ved in his Cruc…fixion, and the Con…ts of it; or all that followed from … paſſing the Sentence on Him, till he … up his Spirit on the Croſs.
…nd here obſerve,
THERE were ſomethings that went before … …cifition. Account whereof ſee par…ly, Mark 15.10, 10 22. The Pretorian …, which waited upon, and were a …, to me Gover…ur, were uſed alſo …e…ecution on capital Offenders and tho' … reſpects, the R…mins were a civil …, yet they had one very b…tharous … viz. That ſuch Perſons as were con…d to the Croſs, were alſo leſt to the … of the Soldiers, to ſhew them what In… they pleaſed: this Liberty did theſe wa…s Jeſas Chriſt: and, as it is were not … to take away His Li…e by the igno…s Croſs, they kill Him before Hand … …atumely, and opprobr…ous Carriage; …ating Him as a Mock King, cloathed …ple Robe, & wearing a th…ny Crown, …inful and ludibrious: they bow to … Scorn, and mix pretended Honours, … manifold Abuſes, bowing the knee, and … ſhiting him on the Head; ſpitting on him, and he… … this … his and … which yet he … with …
2. THE Cra… … com…ta… of it. Ot … preſent only gather … Paſſig…, in … both … …red. Here ….
(1.) THE … Croſs, was a Tr… or P…ſt, with a … a…er to t… to … was faſt…ed, and on wh… he was n…, and made to ha…g till he … by a…ll … Death. And … was uſ…d after the … Manner. Being there … brought to … Place appointed, v…z. … … tical Place, and …ly intimati…g that … died to reſtore dead Sinners to Eternal Life; here they treated Him after this Manner. [1.] THEY …ſered Him to drink. Wi…e … Myrth (Mer… … He refuſed it. The a ring this drink was in fa…ur to the P…ſ…n ſuffering, that it m…ght intoxicate him and ſo abate the Seaſe of the intollerable Pain, which that ſort of Death was arrended withal. Chriſt therefore would not drink it, being appointed to bear our Grie…s for us, I…ai. 53. …. The Lord ba…h le…d on him the iniquity of us …il. [2.] HE this … naked before the whole Multitude. For his Garments were taken from Him, and divided, and caſt lots for by the Soldiers, whiles he was hanging on the Croſs, Mark 13.24. And this was the cuſtom in crucifying, to put the more diſgrace on the Perſon by the wing him ſt…k naked; this Chriſt bare, becauſe we, by S…n, had made ourſelves naked. [3.] THEY la…d his Body on the Cr…ſ…; and na…ling his Feet to the Tree, they …erched his Hands on the C…ſs-…ar, and nailed them faſt to that. This alſo belonged to the manner of Crucifying. And of this we have him complaining, Pſal. 22.16. They pierced my hands and my ſeet. Hence that, Joh. 20.25. But he ſaid unto them, Ex…ept I ſhall ſee in his hands the print of the na…ls, and put my ſinger into the print of the nails, and thruſt my …nd into his ſi…, I will not be here. And thus is he cruelly fait…d to his ſorrows, becauſe use deſerved to be ſtaired down under the wrath of God. [4.] BEING thus ſait…ed, he is i…ſt… upon the Croſs into the Air, where it is let …al into a Socket, and ſo is he leſt hanging. This was typed by the Br…en Se…pen…, Joh 3.14, 15. The firſt Adam ſinned by eating the fruit of a Tree, and the Second Adam explates this Guilt on a Tree, 1 Pet. 2.24. He ſuffered in the Air; partly becauſe it was the Devils Kingdom, that Satan might have all po…ble advantage againſt him, and yet be conquered by him; this hour is therefore called the power of darkneſs, Luk. 22.53. Partly, to be made a ſpectacle of ſhame & diſgrace to the World. Here obſerve.
(2.) THE ſhame and miſery that he ſuffered in this kind of Death. [1.] THE ſhame was very great. Though he deſpiſed it for our ſakes, Heb. 12.2. It was a very ſhameful thing to be ſtript naked in the fight of all ſorts of ſpectators, and a multitude of lookers on. And the very kind of Death that he ſuffered, was a very curſed, & ſhameful thing. Gal. 3.13. Curſed is every one that bangeth on a trec. Hence that, Heb. 13.13. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. Hinging was in the repute of men, the moſt villanous ſort of Death; and that on the Croſs, of all hanging was the moſt ig…ominious. Shameful it was alſo, in the co…comitants of it, ſpecially, in that he ſuffered between two Thieves, as though be had been the greateſt Thief of all. Thus was be numbred with Tranſgreſſors. Mar. 15.27, 28. And it added to his ſhame, that ſuch Varlets as theſe joined in railing at him, ver. 32. Shameful it was in the many reviling tau its and opprobrious carriages towards him on all hands whiles he was aſive on the Croſs; almoſt every one caſting gall and wormwood into his Cup, to make it ſo much the more bitter; they that paſſed by, ver. 29, 30. the chief Prieſts, Scribes, & Thieves themſelves, ver. 31, 32. Thus was that verifyed, Pſal. 69. And 22.7, 8. Yea, they that gave him vinegar and gall, (ver. 36.) added a taunt to it, of which he complains, Pſal. 69.21. They gave me alſo gall for my meat, and in my thirſt they gave me vinegar to drink. [2.] THE miſery was alſo great. It was a torment that he ſuffered: for having the moſt noble temper of Body, and exquiſite Seaſes, he was, more then other men, liable to ſuffering: and the Death of the Croſs is very torturing; for, the palms of the hands, and ſoles of the feet, having the greateſt concourſe of the nerves, which are the inſtruments of the ſenſe of feeling, being pierced with great nails, by which they were broken, could not but be in extream pain. It is probable alſo that the Crown of Thorns remained on his Head, which by the force of the Croſs, muſt add to his wounds, & bruiſes, beſides the whole weight of his Body hanging on thoſe nails, and ſuffering both a violent concuſſion by the force, &c. and a continued extenſion upon them, made it a rack, by ſtretching all his nerves and ſinews to the uttermoſt; and becauſe none of his vitals were wounded, but abode ſound, it was by this very pain that he was to die a lingring Death: ſo that his continuance on the Croſs added to his tortures, which was at leaſt three hours. All which while, the Sun alſo withdrawing its light, and leaving him in darkneſs, added to the horror of it, ver. 33, 34. Thus of the Crucifixion it ſelf.
2. NOW let us obſerve in it, How Chriſt ſuffered both the firſt and ſecond Death in their perfection.
1. HE ſuffered the perfection of the ſecond Death: and this was whiles he was alive on the Croſs. For, me formerly obſerved, that the Order was inverted in Chriſt, be being to finiſh the work of Redemption in his … dily Death. It was on the Croſs, and … after he was taken from it, that he was made a curſe for us. It was there that he drank the dregs of the Cup of divine Fury, it was the… he finiſhed his Satisfaction. Joh. 19.30. When Jeſ… therefore had received the vinegar, be ſaid, … is finiſhed: & he bowed his head & gave up the gh… His Soul no ſooner left his Body, but it w… to Parad…ſe, Luk 23.43. And we cannot with reaſon conceive, that while his Soul was happy and glorifyed, there remained any Satisfaction to be made. Here then he wreſtled with the wrath of an angry God, encount…ed the powers of darkneſs. All thoſe three … of darkneſs was Chriſt wreſtling with the wrath of his Father, and ſuffered the p…s of Hell for us.
NOW he ſuffered the perfection of the ſecond Death,
(1.) IN the puniſhment of Loſs. This is ſhadowed to us, partly in the three … darkneſs, ver. 33. Herein the Sun was … culouſly eclipſed, and denied him its …, and no creature comfort, was in the l…ſt afforded him to refreſh himſelf which: partly in that mournful expreſſion of his, …. 34. ſhewing that he ſuffered a total pri…ion of the ſe ſe of his Fathers love, and the ſweetneſs of it, for the reality of it, be … not; His Everlaſting Love never ceaſed, but the comforting applications of it, were … ſuſpended. For the God of all Glory, the Fountain of Lite & Light forſook hi…, … from whom all Conſolation comes, depa… from him. The Man Chriſt was a … ture forſaken. God the Father his … face away from him, deprived him of … beatifical Viſion, drew in the light of … Countenance from his Soul. Pſal. 13. … long wilt thou forget me (O Lord) for ever … long wilt thou hids thy face from me? … God would not ſend any meſſage of con… unto him. In the Garden an Angels is … ſtrengthen him, (Luk. 22.43.) but no… … whole Creation ſtand off in a deadly … and there was none to comfort him. P… 20. Yea, God hid himſelf from him, & the… he ſought him, he could not find him, thought he cryed he would not be entreated, Pſal. 1, 2. God left him, and all comfort dep… from him.
(2.) IN the puniſhment of Senſe. He was … only forſaken, but accurſed, i. e. filled … the apprehenſion of all the bitterneſs of … wrath, Gol. 3.13. He grapled with S… Luk. 23.53. The Devils had now power … vent their malice upon him. Now was that great battle fought, Col. 2.14, 15. How the Devil would have driven him to deſpair. … 22.8. And he ſtrove with the imme… wrath of God; He was ſmitten by him, … 53.4. He cauſed a confluence of miſer… … ſettle upon him. He was made a Curſe in the Abſtract, Gal. 3.13. Was in the very de… of woes and miſeries, Pſal. 69. begin. … was a Death of ſorrow, and not of ſin; but his ſorrow; were unconceivably great.
2. Now follows the perfection of this Bodily Death: In which two things are obſervable, viz. the Death it ſelf, and the Dominion of …over him.
1. HIS Bodily Death its ſelf is expreſſed, in, Luk. 29.46. And when Jeſus had cried with a … wice, he ſaid, Father, into thy hands I command my ſpirit: and having ſaid thus, be gave up the ghoſt. Where,
(1.) HE commended his Soul into his Fathers …ls. After this manner he dyed, and therein teſtifyed the free reſignation of himſelf unto Death, or a voluntary willing Dying: that it was no fear nor terror to him to dye. The phraſe is ferch'd from, Pſal. 31.5. Into thy hand! commit my ſpirit; thou haſt redeemed me O Lord God of truth. By God's …s, underſtand his mighty power and protection: And this reſignation intimates, that he died in full aſſurance of being received into Heaven, yea, that his Soul ſhould …rth with go to Glory; not to deſcend to …ell, to ſhew himſelf to the Damned, and triumph over the infernal Spirits, but go into his Fathers Boſom.
(2.) HE gave up the Ghoſt. He could by his power have drawn our his Life a great deal longer; nay, he died ſooner than was ordinary or expected. Pilate wondred at it, Mar. 15.44. Chriſt was not meetly paſſive, … active too, in his very dying; He dyed by his own free and voluntary conſent, Job. 10.18. He reſigned himſelf to the natural cauſes of Death. Concerning which obſerve,
1. THAT it was a real Death that Chriſt …red. He truly dyed. For,
(1.) HIS Humanity was deprived of all its …ſes. Theſe are the inſtruments of the …able Soul, by which it acts the Body, and in which it communicates itſelf thereto; theſe were diſſipated: and this was typed by the taking down the Tabernacle, Num. 10.17.
(2) All his Bodily Organs totally ceaſed from their Operations. His merciful Hands …d not; His compaſſionate Eyes were do…; His attentive Ears were ſtop'd; His … that were wont to travel for the good of Sinners, were ſhackled with the fetters of Death; His gracious Tongue was now tied, and his ſweet Lips were now ſhut up.
(3.) HE was deprived of all the Excellency of Life, which the preſence of the Soul with the Body is wont to give. He loſt all his Bodily length, nor could he move himſelf; but is when by others, and laid in his Grave, Mat. 17.59, 60. And when Joſeph had taken the body, he …opped it in a clean linnen cloth. And …d it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn … in the rock: and he rolled a great ſtone to the door of the ſepulchre, and departed. He loſt thee glorious beauty and majeſty of his Countance that was wont to appear in it, and become an Object of aſtoniſhment to the be…lers. Iſai. 52.14. His Body was deprived of honour, and ſilled with ſhame. A dead Body is an ignominious …ectacle, being ſpectacle of the diſmal effects of …in. 1 Cor. 15.4…. It is ſ…an in diſ…on…. He was deprived of all the comforts, and good things of this Life; of …od & raiment, … pleaſures and delights. He was out oft, Dan. 9.26. … from Life it ſelf and all the enjoyments of it.
THAT it was a moſt miſerable Death. And that,
(1). BECAUSE it was a part of the puniſhment of our ſins: For this alſo is contai…ed in the threatning, Gen. 2.17. Thou ſhall ſurely die. Though it be n… all. And to die for ſin, or be a reputed Sinner, is a miſery, Chriſt was out off as a Malefactor, by the Judgment of God, and the ſtroke of divine revenge. Iſai. 53.8.
(2.) IT was a ſeperation of the union of his bleſſed Soul and Body. Theſe two intimates, which were made to dwell together, were now parted aſunder. And Death it ſelt is a very bitter thing to nature, becauſe, by the ſnapping aſunder of this union, the communion of theſe integrating parts of man is diſſolved.
(3.) HE retained his Underſtanding & Senſe in their vigour, to the moment of his Death. The other that were Crucifyed, loſt their ſenſes by degrees, their Spirits failed, and the apprehenſion of their pain abated; whereas his was on the increaſe; as appears by his loud cry at laſt, Matth. 27.50. which very thing convinced the Centurion, Mat. 15.39. And when the Centurion which ſtood over againſt him, ſaw that he ſo cried out, and gave up the ghoſt, he ſaid, Truly this man was the Son of God.
(4). HE was out off by a violent and cruel Death, in the midſt of his days. When all his ſenſes were moſt vigorous & active. The Sacrifices were many of them, to be of the firſt Year: Chriſt died about the middle of that which is called the Age of a Man, when there was no decay in any of his natural powers. There were indeed glorious Concomitants of this Death, that were evident tokens of the excellency of his Perſon, and efficacy of his Sufferings. The vail of the, Temple was rent; to ſhew that he opened a living way to God. Heb. 10.20. And that the Ceremonies were aboliſhed. The Earth quaked, and Rocks rent; to teſtify his Majeſty and Divinity; and how dreadful he ſhould be to a wicked World. The Graves opened, and the B…d…s of Saints roſe; to ſhew that by his Death he had procured a glorious Reſurrection for his Redeemed. But ſtill, his Death it ſelf, by which he made way for all thoſe benefits, was therefore miſerable, that it might procure theſe Everlaſting Mercies for us.
2. CONCERNING the Dominion of this B…dly Death over him: Of which our Catechiſm ſaith, that He continued under the power of Death for a time; and our Creed, that He deſcended into Hell; being dead and buried: And the Scripture informs us of his being dead three days; His Body being in the Grave, and his Soul in a ſtate of Separation. This we may call a Complement of his Death, or an Adjunct to it, being the utmoſt bound of his Humiliation. Here obſerve,
1. THAT the continuation of Chriſts Death, was not properly a puniſhment, or a part of his Satisfaction for Sin. For of that he ſaid, It is finiſhed, when he gave up the Ghoſt, and his Soul went to Heaven; but it was, as it were, a Concluſion of his ſtate of Humiliation, or a ſtately Adjunct of it: And had he riſen the next hour Satisfaction had been fully made.
2. That the grounds of his abiding in a ſtate of Death ſo long, might be, (beſides the Sovereign pleaſure of God) (1.) Tho ſhew that he ſubmitted to the Power and Authority of Death: That he did voluntarily give himſelf up to bear our Puniſhment. And, (2.) To make it appear, that he was indeed Dead: That it was no fictitious Death that he underwent, that it was not only a deliquium, or fainting of his ſpirits. There have been many that have lain in a ſwoon for many hours, ſo that by-ſtanders ſuppoſed them to be really dead, till afterwards they recovered again. And it was needful that he ſhould give proof of his being deal, becauſe it is by his Death that we live. (3.) THAT Death might triumph over Him. For though the was to gain a victory upon Death, 1 Cor. 15.55,&c. Yet it was by dying, and Death was firſt to lead him as a Conquerour; and wherein could it more apparently triumph, then by holding him for ſome ſpace of time in the Grave? Hence,
3. HIS Body mean while lay in the Grave. He was put ito a Tomb. It was the Roman ceſtom to burn their dead Bodies, and gather up their Aſhes, and put them in an Urn; but he was butied after the manner of the Jews, who embalmed their Bodies, and put them in Sepulchres: And this is all we are to underſtand by that expreſſion in the Creed, He deſcended into Hell. The word Sheol, ſignifies both the Grave and Hell. And that, Acts 2.31. That his ſoul was not left in hell, neither his fleſh did ſee corruption: is tranſlated from, Pſal. 16.10. For thou wilt not leave my ſoul in hell; neither wilt thou ſuffer thine holy One to ſee corruption. Where this word is uſeds, and intends, that his Soul was not left in a ſtate of Separation; and that his Body did not lie ſo long as to putrify in the Grave. And touching his Burial, we have an account given of it, in the Prophecy, Iſai. 53.9. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death.
4. HIS Soul was all this time in a ſtate of ſeparation from his Body. Theſe two Companions were kept ſeveted each from the other; which was Death's triumph over him: and this was at leaſt a ſuſpenſion of his perfect felicity, and an appendix of his ſtate of Humiliation: For his Body, which was the Tabernacle of this our High Prieſt, was at preſent unſerviceable to thoſe … Operations of his in it: His Soul alſo w… his Body to dwell in, and ſo the felicity of it, was ſo far incomplear, one part of his Humanity being parted from the other: yet it is not neceſſary to annumerate it to his Puniſhment for Satisfaction properly: He was bleſſed from the inſtant of his Death, though his ſacred Body could not, for the while ſe… ſibly partake in that felicity. Thus was his Body kept for a ſeaſon in the Grave, that he might ſanctify the Grave to all his Redeemed, and make it leſs formidable.
TOUCHING the Adjuncts of Chriſt's … rial, much need not be ſaid. Three Paſſages are remarkable,
1. He was laid in a Tomb. Partly to fulfil the Prophecy, Iſai. 53.9. Partly to ſignify the manner of his Sepulture: His Body was not corrupted or waſted, but kept whoſe and eatire, Pſal 16.10.
2. IN a new Tomb. Mat. 27.60. One in which none had had been before buried. Luk 13.53. Divine Providence wiſely ordered this, to prevent all Objections that might elſe have been made, that none might have any pretence to ſay, that it was not this individual Body, but ſome other that was raiſed.
3 THE Prieſts and Phariſees ſecared his Tomb, that none might open the Grave without their knowledge. Mat. 27.62, &c. And hereby the Providence of God, wiſely ordered it, that what they did to prevent forgery, ſhould be a very convincing Argument to prove the certainty of his Reſurrection to the Worlds end; ſo making their malice ſerve to his Glory.
USE. 1. THE Conſideration of theſe things, may ſerve to convince us of the groat evil and danger there is in Sin. It may be too ma…y, and particularly Young Ones, think it a ſmall and trifling matter to tranſgreſs the holy Law of God; and can with a g… deal of Liberty, and without remorſe co… Sin: But it you would be perſwaded well to ponder the preſent Subject, here is … which will help to make you think otherwiſe Let ſecure Sinners go to Golgoths, ſee, and ſeriouſly meditate on what Chriſt Suffered, and remember, all that was for Sin; and then ſay, whether you can maintain … former thoughts of it. Here you may find heart-breaking and melting Confiderations of it, and ſuch as may well ſet the …to… Sinner on trembling. Do not take your … ſure by the ſeeming pleaſure, that Sin … affords you, but rate it according to Chriſt's Sufferings for it, and there you will ſee that is is bitterneſs in the latter end. View … bearing his Croſs, ſtript of his Veſture, and made naked; ſee his ſacred Hands & Feet … with nails, His bleſſed Body hanging on the Tree, made a Spectacle of ſhame and ſorrow. Hear Him groaning under his miſery, and look upon him as relinquiſhed or forſi… one, the God of Glory turning away his face from him, refuſing him any comfort, and letting the whole weight of Divine fury …ill upon him: See infinite wrath poſſeſſing him, and the damned Devils ſeizing and afflicting him; the Sun hiding up its light from him, and Men flouting and reviling of him; God all the while, looking as if he had no regard for him. And then ſay, all this was on the account of ſin, becauſe the iniquity of his people was laid upon him. Yea, follow Him, till you ſee him breathing out his Soul, and becoming a Dead Man under all: And then think, What am I doing whiles I am purſuing m…e iniquity with greedineſs: And one would think, this ſhould never ſuffer you to entertain one kind thought for the leaſt Sin any more. What Chriſt ſuffered, witneſſeth what you alſo muſt undergo, and what will certainly be your portion, if you repent not. And remember, what he himſelf hath given you to chew upon when he was going to theſe Sufferings, Luk. 23 30, 31. Then ſhall they begin to ſay to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the b…lls, Cover us. For if they do theſe things in a green tree, what ſhall be done in the dry?
USE. II. LET every Believer here ſee, what …ſon you have to admire and be aſtoniſhed at the Love of Chriſt in Redeeming you. Of all the Wonders that ever were heard of, this is the moſt Wonderful of all; that ever the Eternally Beloved Son of God, ſhould take upon Him to undergo all this ſhame and ſorrow, which exceeds the utmoſt of our Conception, that he might expiare …e Guilt of our Sins, and ſo ranſom a… deliver poo… ſelf deſtroyed Sinners, from …al …irnetion; and let all that have had this …edemption applied to them, be often e…min… of their Affections unto Chriſt, by reflecting upon it. Follow him from the Garden to his Croſs, and commorate upon every paſſage as you go, and ſee how many …rauſ…endent Expreſſions of heart-alluring Love you ſhall find therein; and be ſure you ſtand ſtill when you come to Golgotha, and make particular remarks upon thoſe uncountable Sorrows, which he there underwent; what his Body, and eſpecially what his Soul endured. Look upon this bloody Saviout, and ſee him undergoing, not only the Rage of Men, and Fury of Devils, but the Wrath of God too, and the Puniſhments of Hell, to the wounding of his Soul, and making it an Offering for Sin, and all this in your Room and Place, and then ſay, what Love is comparable to his? This ruddy Saviour herein appears altogether lovely; loſe your Hearts in this Contemplation, and look yourſelves into Raptures: Meditate, till you find your ſelves tranſported, and your Affections all on a Blaze, making you, in a chearful readineſs to do, yea, to die for him, when called to it.
[MARCH 16. 1696.]