A Complete Body of Divinity, Sermons · 101 (Question 27 cont.)
SERMON CI
WE have been confidering … humbled himſelf in his Life … we have traced from his Entrance … World, till he had done his Work … was now ready to go out of it, … miliation, or Obedience, did not … but paſs'd over from a ſorrowful … curſed Death; and hither are we … low him, and take notice of his … Love to his Choſen in it. Chriſt … lived, but alſo died for us, and … tranſcendent Kindneſs. We may … take an Account of his Death Gen… … then deſcend to a view of the Par… …
Firſt, IN the General Confideration … Death, there are two things wor… … quiry into, viz.
1. The Neceſſity of …
2. The Nature of his Death.
1. TOUCHING the Neceſſity … The clearing up of which Article, is … Uſe for the Demonſtration of his … Love to us, If fallen Man could … happy without this, Chriſt's good will herein had been ſuperfluous, which muſt needs highly derogate from the Glory of his Sufferings. … is neceſſary therefore that this Neceſſity … made to appear, eſpecially in this Age, wherein Chriſt's Satisfaction is ſo much fl…uted, and ridicul'd, by S…cini… Teachers. We … here call to mind, what hath formerly …een intimated, viz. that Neceſſity comes under a double Conſideration. It is either Ab…e, or Connex and Hypothetical. Here then,
1. WHEN we ſay that it was neceſſary that …iſt muſt die, it doth not in…end an abſolute neceſſity. For this neceſſity cannot be aſſerted of any of God's works ad extra. For, as God is his own laſt end, ſo whatſoever is r…qui… to his own perfect happineſs, is in himſelf; not can he receive any thing from the creature, which hath all from him. Hence, whatſoever is without him, is not aſcribed to his nature, whoſe acts are nec…ſſary and …nent, but to his will, whoſe tranſient acts are contingent. The fu…urition of the creature, as to the decree, and the creation of it in time, were not natural, but voluntary acts of God. It was an arbitrary thing with him, whether he would make a World, and Man in it; and had it pleaſed him not to have done it, he had been holy ſtill. If Chriſt's dying fer us had been neceſſary, his love to us in ſo doing had been the left remarkable.
2. HENCE the Death of Chriſt muſt come … the conſideration of…en hypo…hetical ne…ry: i. e. it was neceſſary by conſequence, upon the ſupp…ſition of ſome Premiſes, which we may deſcend unto by theſe ſteps.
(1.) IT was not neceſſary th…. Chriſt muſt dye to make men happy. If G… ſhould create …. This neceſſity doth not depend upon the ſuppoſition of the Creation of man; for … was in his Creation made capable of being happy, without the Death of Chriſt. The law given to man at firſt was in a Covenant way, and ſo it was his Directory unto happineſs: And the Threatning of Death, annexed to the law, in caſe of Diſobed ence inferred a Promiſe of Life, upon the Obedience of man. And the Apoſtle certities us, that this is the T…or of the law, according to M…ſes, Rom. 10.5. For Moſes deſcribeth the righteouſneſs which is of the law, that the man which doth thoſe things ſhall live by them. Now, the Image … God which was put upon man in hhis creation, contained in it, as an habitual con…ity to that holy law, ſo alſo a concreated Principle, enabling him to an actual confor…y thereunto; which had he exerted, he …, according to the Covenant, have been … happy, as a promiſed Reward of ſuch Obedience; and that he dit not, but ſell … of it, was not by a compulſive neceſſity, … want of power to obey, but it was a free and voluntary act of his own, in con…ting to the temptation.
(2.) IT was not abſolutely neceſſary that man ſhould fall, and ſo give an occaſion for Chriſt's dying. This Hyp…th… indeed is neceſſary that in order to Chriſt's dying for man's Redemption Man muſt be in ſuch a condition, as to need ſuch a Redemption There is no need to redeem one that is not become a Captive. We muſt therefore conceive, that in order to Chriſ… … to dye … mans account, and to … that man is fallen un… … of Death. But that … fall, that … Chriſt might die, is not neceſſary in it ſelf. … could have prev…ed Man's Fall, as … that of an innumerable company of An…: He could have kept off the Tempter, or have fortified man's Free Will with aſſiſting influences, and determined it, without any compulſion, to have rejected the infi…uations of Satan, and ſo have prevented … need of Chriſt's coming into the World and …ying. No doubt, had God ſeen meet, he could have kept up his trading with man in the Corevant of Works, confirmed man in his Obedience, and ſo have made him happy for ever in that way.
(3.) NOR was is neceſſery that man …uſt fall, …nd ſo give occaſion for the Death of Chriſt, that way might be made for the …aniſe…tation of the attribute of Grace. It is true, that the Glory of Grace was deſigned to be made known by the Death of Chriſt; but yet Grace might have appeared without it. Mercy indeed, in the ſtrict meaning of i…, requires a Miſerable Object, no other being a Subject capable of mercy in the proper notion of it; but not ſo of Grace. The firſt Coverant was not ſo of Works, but that it was of Grace too. If God doth any thing freely for the creature, which it could not earn of him by an antocedent merit, it beſpeaks his Grace, according to the genuine notion of it. The Merit of that Obedience which was required in the firſt Covenant, was not ſuch as did exclude the demonſtration of Grace in the Reward. It was man's due, not for the worth of his obedience, but becauſe God promiſed it to him if he did obey. Had he given to man a Law without a Covenant, it had not been beyond his Prerogative. It was therefore Grace to promiſe Happineſs to this Obedience; and it would have been Grace to accept of the ſmall rent paid by it, in order to bellowing eternal happineſs on him, according to the leaſe that was thus granted to Adam, his heirs, and ſucceſſors for ever. See, Rom. 11.35.
(4.) IT was not ne…ry, that if man fall, Chriſt muſt needs die to repair him. Though man's making himſelf miſerable by ſi…, gave the Occaſion for, yet it did not give the Neceſſity to Chriſt's Death. The Salvation of fallen man did not depend on God's Nature, but his Will. If it were neceſſary, he muſt then have ſaved all: He makes it appear to be but arbitraty, in that he ſaves but ſome; and thoſe according as he ſees meet, without reſpect to any Difference in the Subject. Rom. 9.18. Theref…re hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will be hardeneth. If God had ſeen meet, he could have left apoſtate man under the triupms of divine revenge: He might have forſaken men as he did fallen Angels, and never provided them with a Redeemer, and who could have charged him with wrong in ſo doing? Man's Apoſtaſy could not merit Chriſt's Dying; it made man miſerable, but it did not neceſſitate God to be merciful to him.
(5.) GOD ſo tranſacted with man in the Covenant of Works, that if one Sinner be ſaved, Chriſt muſt needs dye. Such was the frame and conſtitution of that Covenant; that, upon the ſuppoſal of man's becoming guilty of fin, this disjunction ſtands undeniable, that either all mankind muſt die for ever, or if ever any of them be ſaved, Chriſt muſt die for them; and there is no room for a third ſuppoſal. God indeed might have choſen whether he would have beſtowed Salvation upon any, and ſo have prevented his Sons dying: But ſuppoſing his purpoſe to ſave ſome, His giving of his Son to ſuffer for them, neceſſarily follows. There are three things may be here look'd into, 1. What foundation there is for this in the firſt Covenant? 2. How fallen man's Condition d…th neceſſitate it? 3. Why it muſt …eds center on the Perſon of Chriſt? Of theſe in order,
1. IT will appear what foundation is laid for this in the firſt Covenant, if theſe things be well pondered,
(1.) THAT the thing poſitively threatned in that Covenant, on the ſuppoſal of man's diſobedience, was Death. Gen. 2.17. The puniſhment of fin was limited to one, and not left to arbitrement, whether any other penalty might be taken in the room of it. God did not only threaten man with puniſhment in general, reſerving to his Sovereignty the determination of the kind: nor needs there any diſpute whether he might have maniteſted another, or leſſer; in as much as it is certain that he did not, but ſet this down definitely, that if man ſhould be ſo daring, as to tranſgreſs the holy Law which was given him for his rule, he muſt forfeit his life for it, and become a ſubject of death.
(2.) IT was a Covenant threatning, and ſo God brought himſelf under an obligation of fulſilling it. For, a Covenant is a mutual Obligation between two parties, each whereof ſtands firmly obliged to the performing of what is his part in the Covenant. Now the conditional Promiſe and Threatning were God's part in this Tranſaction; ſo that if man fail of his duty, or depart from it, he dies by Covenant. And there is no Obligation can be more firm, then what is made by Contract. If man had obeyed, God's word was paſt, to reward him with Life; and anſwerably, if he diſober, his word is equally gone forth that he will puniſh him, and with that penalty which is ſpecified in the threatning, in as much as he hath ſo expreſt it. And if any ask, Why God made this bond ſo firm, as to leave no room for a mitigation? The Anſwer is, It was his pleaſure in this way, to prepare for the manifeſtation of the riches of his … abundant Grace, in due time: That … deplorable miſery might be a foil to for … his wonderful mercy in and by Jeſus Chriſt. Rom. 5.20, 21.
(3.) THERE are diverſe Attributes …i… are in honour engaged to the fulfilling of this threatning. God aims at his declarative Glory in all his works; and that is by the … feſtation of thoſe glorious Perfections of his, in which he would diſcover himſelf … the creature. Now there are ſeveral of … which are concerned in this. There is … Truth: He ſhould not act like a God, l… like a ſorry man, if he ſhould do other…. Hence that, Numb. 23.19. God is not …, that he ſhould lie, not the ſon of man, that … ſhould repent: hath he ſaid, and ſhall …e … do it? or hath be ſpoken, and ſhall act be made it good? Not doth it only reſpect the Promiſes, but the Threatnings too. So he, … 15.29. And alſo the ſtrength of Iſrael … nor lie, not repent: for he is not a … he ſhould repent. God ſpake as he intended; and hereby be gives a proof of it. … Faithfulneſs ſtands bound to it; for he had uttered it with a note of certainty, and … mency. He would not then be faithful … himſelf, to his own word, ſhould he not do it. His Holineſs, which is very dear and precious to him, would elſe ſuffer a blemi…, for by this he ſtands bound for his own Glary, which is to be recovered, when violated by the ſin of man; and in nothing more it … diſplayed. Hab. 1.13. His Relative J… is alſo deeply here intereſted; which … do that which is right, and render to … according to their works; which reward is to receive its meaſures from the Co…t; for that was the rule of Relative J…, which God had fixed, according to which he would make diſplays of that Attribute i…, his Governing the World. Now according to this foundation, there is a Death due, … man, for his diſobedience; and it muſt … place on the offender, or his ſurety; elſe… firſt Covenant is vacated; whereas Chriſt aſſure us that it ſhall be fulfilled to the … moſt, Mat. 5.18.
2. FALLEN man's Condition is ſuch, … upon the forecited ſuppoſition, neceſſitates other to undergo this Death in his stead, if … he be ſaved from it. For,
(1.) THERE is nothing but ſuffering … anſwer the Law. That ſaith in ſo many w…k, Rom. 6.23. For the wages of ſin is death, … Ezek. 18.4. The ſoul that ſinneth it ſ… …. If the man could, as it is certain he … pay all after-obedience to the Law, w… it requires, and keep the commands, … out failing in any one article, this would … no wiſe clear him; there is guilt lying upon him, and the curſe hath laid hold of him and he muſt die, or ſome one muſt die … him. This is the Apoſtles remark, Heb. 9.…. And alſo all things are by the law p…ged … blood: and without ſhedding of blood is … us. …. Not is it all his Repentances that obtain an abatement of the ſentence; but … muſt be full anſwering of the Law, … that muſt be by dying. Nor can any …ceed or plead for him, but one that … ſuch a Death to preſent the Juſtice of … withal, in order to the manifeſtation …is Grace, for theſe muſt agree in one. …. 45.10.
(2.) THE man himſelf cannot b…th ſuffer and …ved. Theſe two are utterly inconſiſtent, … the Sinner to bear his own puniſhment, … yet to obtain Salvation: for if we ſup… ſuch a thing, we muſt ſuppoſe that he … fully anſwered the Law, and diſcharged … Debt that he was obliged to in it, and … fulfilled the righteouſneſss of the Law, … perfect obedience to it; all of which is … poſſible. That be cannot fulfill the righteouſneſs of the Law by active obedience, is evi…, becauſe he is ungodly, and conſequently …bout ſtrength; and if a good thought is … big for him, ſurely he cannot keep pace …th the Law in its exceeding breadth. And … he cannot ſatisfy Justice for ſin by ſuffering. … as to expiate his guilt, and ſo get out of …e hands of the Law, is certain: for though …ernity is not eſſential to the penalty of ſin; …ſe the man Chriſt muſt have ſuffered Eter…lly, for he could not have diſcharged his …etiſhip, if he had not ſuffered what was …ſential) yet it is inſeperable from thoſe …fferings, if they fall upon the man himſelf. … eath muſt be born, and he that will both … and get rid of it, muſt overcome it; for … be cannot overcome Death, it will hold …, an everlaſting Priſoner. Now there is … other victory to be gained over it, but only … ſatisfying the Law; for there is the ſtrength … death, 1 Cor. 15.56. And the Law muſt … ſatisfied by Death; and that is by ſuffer…g proportionably to the merit of ſin, which …en-man connot do in a ſhorter duration … Eternity. It the threatned Death ſhould …ll upon him at once in its weight, it would …il…te him. Infinite wrath cannot take … leſs than an eternal duration to ſatisfy it … upon a finite creature, becauſe of its …potency to bear it all at o…ce; which is … true moral reaſon of the Eternity of the …ffering of the dam…ed.
(3.) HENCE, except ſ…me undertake, and be …epted to dy… for him, ſinful man cannot be …ed. Capital Crimes, are the ruine of him … ſuffers them: l…ſſer penalties may be …e through, and a man get up again: but …e muſt die, he is not like to live again. …d therefore ſince there muſt be a Death …tained on the account of ſin; whomſ…ever …s found to lie upon in its guilt, unleſs … man hath one that will put in to take … place, and God will take him in exchange … the ſinner, his eternal perdition is utter… voidable.
3. THAT this muſt needs center on Chriſt, … upon him to dye. It muſt of neceſſity the lot of the Son of God in our nature. And this is a roper reſult from the forther; and will be further made evident by theſe things,
(1.) HE muſt be a Man that muſt die for us. The proper ſubject of the firſt Covenant, was Mankind. Adam who appeared in it, did repreſent the whole ſtock that were to deſcend from him by natural generation. As it was man that ſinned, ſo it is man that muſt die for ſin. This is therefore taken notice of, Heb. 2.14. Foraſmuch then as the children are partakers of fleſh and blood; he alſo himſlf likewiſe took part of the ſame, that through death he might deſtroy him that bad the power of death, that is the devil. And further commorated on, ver. 16. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels: but he took on him the ſeed of Abraham. And this was pointed to of old, by that law which made the right of Redemption belong to the next of kin. So that no Angel, or Arch-angel was capable of this, becauſe they are of another ſpecies of being; tho' he had been otherwiſe capable of ſuſtaining the puniſhment, and expiating the guilt, which yet the Angels were not.
(2.) HE muſt be a man capable of ſuſtaining the place of a Surety for us. For in no other way could he die for us, ſo that his Death might extend in vertue and efficacy unto us, but as he ſtood charged with our ſins. Hence they are ſaid to be laid upon him, Iſai. 53.6. And he is ſaid to be made ſin for us, 2 Cor. 5.21. which re…ers to the Sin-offering, on the head whereof, the ſins of Iſrael were laid; and it was for them, to expiate their guilt. And for this he could not be a man deſcending from Adam by ordinary generation: for they are all ſinners, Rom. 5.12. and under death, 1 Cor. 15.22. And therefore needing a Surety for themſelves, they could not be Sureties for others: Beſides, that no meer man could diſcharge the Suretiſhip to effect.
(3.) HE muſt be a Perſon of God's appointing and accepting. The caſe was Criminal; Mankind was fallen into the Hands of Juſtice, the ſinner deſerved to die: God was not obliged to take a Surety in exchange for him, He therefore muſt chuſe the Perſon: And upon an impoſſible ſuppoſition, that any other could have ſufficed for the work, and had, in kindneſs to the unhappy Sinner offered himſelf in exchange, it was abitrary with God, whether he would accept him or no: and therefore the Scripture takes notice of this: God calls him his …ſen, Iſai. 42.1. and tells us that God is well p…eaſed in him, Mat. …. 17.
(4.) HE muſt be ſuch a Perſon as …all make full ſatisfaction to …ſ…tce b… …isl…e…th. Juſtice condemned the Sinner to die, and it was to ſatisfy the Law, it muſt therefore be a Law or Juſtice-ſatisfying Death, that muſt be …ofitable for us. It had been vain for any to die for us, if by ſo doing he could not ſt…p the mouth of the Law, and take off the guilt lying upon us: He muſt therefore …e i… himſelf an innocent perſon, who had to f…s i… his own perſonal: for the that muſt d… … his own ſins, cannot by it expiate the ſins of another: And therefore the Lamb of the Paſſover, was to be without blemiſh; and Chriſt's integrity, and ſinleſs purity is for this reaſon ſo celebrated, 1 Pet. 1.19.2.22. Heb. 7.26. And he muſt be ſuch an one, whoſe Death is ſo precious, and of ſuch a value, as to be an equivalent price, and give Juſtice a full ſatisfaction, as if all his redeemed had died in Perſon. It muſt therefore be a precious blood that was ſhed, 1 Pet. 1.18. elſe ſome of God's Attributes would be loſers by it, which muſt not be.
(5.) THIS could be no other but Jeſus Chriſt, God-Man. If any inferiour Perſon would have done, if a leſs worthy Blood would have anſwered the end; it had not then been neceſſary for Him, and he had done for us but an ordinary favour, and ſuch a kindneſs which if he had not, another perſon might have performed for us. But as there muſt Blood go for our ranſom, ſo none more vile, or leſs precious than that of the Eternal Son of God could be ſufficient. He muſt be Man to ſuffer, and he muſt be God to make his Sufferings of infinite worth: and this could be no other but the Son of God; it being only ſuited to his order and manner of ſubſiſtence in the God-head, to undertake in this affair & take our nature into union with his Perſon, and in it to die for us. The Scripture therefore limits it, to him alone, Act. 4.12.
USE LEARN hence, How infinitely we are beholden to God for giving his Son, and to Chriſt for giving Himſelf to Dye for us. The Apoſtle ſets its forth as the higheſt expreſſion of kindneſs that can be conceived of, Rom. 5.6, 7, 8. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For ſcarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man ſome would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love towards us, in that while we were yet ſinners Chriſt died for us. And what can better ſerve to raiſe up our hearts to the greateſt admiration of, and ſtrongeſt endearments to him for this, than the conſideration, & enlargement of our tho'ts upon the neceſſity of it. They therefore who deny his dying to redeem us, and do ſay that it was only to ſet us an example, do greatly derrogate from his honour on this account, and weaken our acknowledgements of his kindneſs in it. Let us then contemplate this Neceſſity, and f…ll our Souls with melting thoughts upon it. Say then, It was not Neceſſary on his account who was God bleſſed for ever, but it was our extremity that brought him to undergo thoſe Sufferings: We were the ungodly perſons, whereas he was righteous: It was when we were without ſtrength to do any thing for our ſelves, that he dyed for us: It was when the Law roared upon us, and inexorable Juſtice demanded its full ſatisfaction, and would not bate us one foreign, when an Arm of revenge was lighting down upon us, and ready to hew us in pieces, and there was none appeared to ſave us; then did his bowels yearn, and his heart …; then did his compaſſions boil over, and he put himſelf in our ſtead, and offered up … Soul a Sacrifice for our Sins: When we … caſt out to the loathing of our perſons, … wallowing in our own blood, and there … none eye pitied us; then He, in his in… mercy, interpoſed between us and a ju…, provoked God, and bare all his wrath up… himſelf; And had he not thus done … we muſt needs have periſhed, and b… … lorn, miſerable, helpleſs wretches, though Eternal Ages. It was not Judas's tre… not the Prieſt's malice, not Pilot's power, … made him to die; He could with eaſe … evaded all theſe; but it was our … And let theſe thoughts raviſh our … with endeared love to him.
[SEPTEMBER 29. 1696.]