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Post by Admin on Jul 16, 2024 16:22:22 GMT -5
PART I.
OF CHRIST’S INCARNATION.
christ became incarnate, or, which is the same thing, became man, to put
himself in a capacity for working out our redemption. For though Christ,
as God, was infinitely sufficient for the work, yet to his being in an
immediate capacity for it, it was needful that he should not only be God,
but man. If Christ had remained only in the divine nature, he would not
have been in a capacity to have purchased our salvation; not from any
imperfection of the divine nature, but by reason of its absolute and
infinite perfection: for Christ, merely as God, was not capable either of
that obedience or suffering that was needful. The divine nature is not
capable of suffering; for it is infinitely above all suffering. Neither is it
capable of obedience to that law which was given to man. It is as
impossible that one who is only God, should obey the law that was given
to man, as it is that he should suffer man's punishment.
And it was necessary not only that Christ should take upon him a created
nature, but that he should take upon him our nature. It would not have
sufficed for Christ to have become an angel, and to have obeyed and
suffered in the angelic nature. But it was necessary that he should become
a man, upon three accounts.
1. It was needful in order to answer the law, that the very nature to which
the law was given, should obey it. Man's law could not be answered, but
by being obeyed by man. God insisted upon it, that the law which he had
given to man shall be honoured, and fulfilled by the nature of man,
otherwise the law could not be answered for men. The words, "Thou shalt
not eat thereof," &c. were spoken to the race of mankind, to the human
nature; and therefore the human nature must fulfil them.
2. It was needful to answer the law that the nature that sinned should die.
These words, "Thou shalt surely die, Genesis ii. 17. " respect the human
nature. The same nature to which the command was given, was that to
which the threatening was directed.
3. God saw meet, that the same world which was the stage of man's fall
and ruin, should also be the stage of his redemption. We read often of his
coming into the world to save sinners, and of God's sending him into the
world for this purpose.—It was needful that he should come into this
sinful, miserable, undone world, in order to restore and save it. For man's
recovery, it was needful that he should come down to man, to man's
proper habitation, and that he should tabernacle with us: John i. 14. "The
Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us."
Concerning the incarnation of Christ, I would observe these following
things.
I. The incarnation itself; in which especially two things are to be
considered, viz.
1. His conception; which was in the womb of one of the race of mankind,
whereby he became truly the Son of man, as he was often called. He was
one of the posterity of Adam, a child of Abraham, and a son of David,
according to God's promise. But his conception was—not in the way of
ordinary generation, but—by the power of the Holy Ghost. Christ was
formed in the womb of the Virgin, of the substance of her body, by the
power of the Spirit of God. So that he was the immediate son of the
woman, but not the immediate son of any male whatsoever; and so was
the seed of the woman, and the son of a virgin, one that had never known
man.
2. His birth.—Though the conception of Christ was supernatural, yet after
he was conceived, his human nature was gradually perfected in the womb
of the virgin, in a way of natural progress; and so his birth was in the way
of nature. But his conception being supernatural, by the power of the
Holy Ghost, he was both conceived and born without sin.
II. The second thing I would observe concerning the incarnation of
Christ, is the fulness of the time in which it was accomplished. It was
after things had been preparing for it from the very first fall of mankind,
and when all things were ready. It came to pass at a time, which in
infinite wisdom was the most fit and proper: Gal. iv. 4. "But when the
fulness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman,
made under the law."
It was now the most proper time on every account. Any time before the
flood would not have been so fit a time. For then the mischief and ruin
that the fall brought on mankind, was not so fully seen. The curse did not
so fully come on the earth before the flood, as it did afterwards: for
though the ground was cursed in a great measure before, yet it pleased
God that the curse should once, before the restoration by Christ, be
executed in an universal destruction, even of the very form of the earth,
that the dire effects of the fall might be seen before the recovery. Though
mankind were mortal before the flood, yet their lives were almost a
thousand years in length, a kind of immortality in comparison with what
the life of man is now. It pleased God, that the curse, Dust thou art, and
unto dust thou shalt return, should have its full accomplishment, and be
executed in its greatest degree on mankind, before the Redeemer came to
purchase a never-ending life.
573 It would not have been so fit a time for Christ to come, before Moses;
for till then mankind were not so universally apostatized from the true
God; they were not fallen universally into heathenish darkness; and so
the need of Christ, the light of the world, was not so evident. The woeful
consequence of the fall with respect to man's mortality, was not so fully
manifest till then; for man's life was not so shortened as to be reduced to
the present standard, till about Moses's time.
It was most fit that the time of the Messiah's coming should not be till all
nations, but the children of Israel, had lain long in heathenish darkness;
that the remedilessness of their disease might by long experience be seen,
and so the absolute necessity of the heavenly Physician.
Another reason why Christ did not come soon after the flood probably
was, that the earth might be full of people, that he might have the more
extensive kingdom, that the effects of his light, power, and grace, might
be glorified, and that his victory over Satan might be attended with the
more glory in the multitude of his conquests. It was also needful that the
coming of Christ should be many ages after Moses, that the church might
be prepared by the Messiah's being long prefigured, foretold, and
expected. It was not proper that Christ should come before the
Babylonish captivity, because Satan's kingdom was not then come to its
height. The heathen world before that consisted of lesser kingdoms. But
God saw meet that the Messiah should come in the time of one of the four
great monarchies. Nor was it proper that he should come in the time of
the Babylonish, the Persian, or the Grecian monarchy. It was the will of
God that his Son should make his appearance in the world in the time of
the Roman, the greatest and strongest monarchy, which was Satan's
visible kingdom in the world; that, by overcoming this, he might visibly
overcome Satan's kingdom in its greatest strength and glory, and so
obtain the more complete triumph over Satan himself.
It was not proper that Christ should come before the Babylonish
captivity. For, before that, we have not histories of the state of the
heathen world, to give us an idea of the need of a Saviour. Besides,
learning did not much flourish, and so there had not been opportunity to
show the insufficiency of human learning and wisdom to reform and save
mankind. Again, the Jews were not dispersed over the world, as they were
afterwards; and so things were not prepared in this respect for the
coming of Christ. The necessity of abolishing the Jewish dispensation was
not then so apparent as it was afterwards, by reason of the dispersion of
the Jews; neither was the way prepared for the propagation of the gospel,
as it was afterwards, by the same dispersion. Many other things might be
mentioned, by which it would appear, that no other season before that
very time in which Christ came, would have been proper for his
appearing.
III. The next thing that I would observe concerning the incarnation of
Christ, is the greatness of this event. Christ's incarnation was a greater
and more wonderful thing than ever had yet come to pass. The creation of
the world was a very great thing, but not so great as the incarnation of
Christ. It was a great thing for God to make the creature, but not so great
as for the Creator himself to become a creature. We have spoken of many
great things that were accomplished between the fall of man and the
incarnation of Christ: but God becoming man was greater than all. Then
the greatest person was born that ever was or ever will be.
IV. Next observe, concerning the incarnation of Christ, the remarkable
circumstances of it. He was born of a poor virgin; a pious holy person, but
poor, as appeared by her offering at her purification: Luke ii. 24. "And to
offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A
pair of turtle-doves, or two young pigeons." Which refers to Lev. v. 7. "
And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons." And this poor virgin was espoused to a
husband who was but a poor man. Though they were both of the royal
family of David, which was the most honourable, and Joseph was the
rightful heir to the crown; yet the family was reduced to a very low state;
which is represented by the tabernacle of David being fallen, Amos ix. 11.
"In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close
up the breaches thereof, and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as
in the days of old."
He was born in the town of Bethlehem, as was foretold: (Mic. v. 2.) and
there was a very remarkable providence of God to bring about the
fulfilment of this prophecy, the taxing of all the world by Augustus
Caesar, (Luke ii.) He was born in a very low condition, even in a stable,
and laid in a manger.
V. Observe the concomitants of this great event.—And,
1. The return of the Spirit; which indeed began a little before, but yet was
given on occasion of his birth. I have before observed how the spirit of
prophecy ceased, not long after Malachi. From about the same time
visions and immediate revelations ceased also. But on this occasion, they
were granted anew, and the Spirit in these operations returns again. The
first revealed instance of its restoration is the vision of Zacharias, the
father of John the Baptist, (Luke i.) The next is the vision which the
Virgin Mary had, (ibid.) The third is the vision which Joseph had, (Matt.
i.) In the next place, the Spirit was given to Elisabeth, (Luke i. 41.) Next, it
was given to Mary, as appears by her song, (Luke i. 46, &c.) Then to
Zacharias again, ( ibid. ver. 64.) Then it was sent to the shepherds, (Luke
ii. 9.) Then it was given to Simeon, (Luke ii. 25.) Then to Anna, ( ver. 36.)
Then to the wise men in the east. Then to Joseph again, directing him to
flee into Egypt; and after that directing his return.
2. The next concomitant of Christ's incarnation is, the great notice that
was taken of it in heaven, and on earth. How it was noticed by the
glorious inhabitants of the heavenly world, appears by their joyful songs
on this occasion, heard by the shepherds in the night. This was the
greatest event of Providence that ever the angels had beheld. We read of
their singing praises when they saw the formation of this lower world:
Job xxxviii. 7. "When the morning-stars sang together, and all the sons of
God shouted for joy." And so they do, on this much greater occasion, the
birth of the Son of God, who is the Creator of the world.
The glorious angels had all along expected this event. They had taken
great notice of the prophecies and promises of these things: for we are
told, that they desire to look into the affairs of redemption, 1 Pet. i. 12.
They had been the ministers of Christ in this affair of redemption, in all
the several steps of it from the very fall of man; as in God's dealings with
Abraham, with Jacob, and with the Israelites. And doubtless they had
long joyfully expected the coming of Christ; but now they see it
accomplished, and therefore greatly rejoice, and sing praises on this
occasion.
Notice was taken of it by Elisabeth and the Virgin Mary before the birth of
Christ; not to say by John the Baptist before he was born, when he leaped
in his mother's womb as it were for joy, at the voice of the salutation of
Mary. Elisabeth and Mary most joyfully praise God together, with Christ
and his forerunner in their wombs, and the Holy Spirit in their souls. And
afterwards what joyful notice is taken of this event by the shepherds, and
by those holy persons, Zacharias, and Simeon, and Anna! How do they
praise God on the occasion! Thus the inhabitants of heaven, and the
church on earth, unite in their joy and praise on this occasion.
Great part of the universe takes joyful notice of the incarnation of Christ.
Heaven takes notice of it, and the inhabitants sing for joy. This lower
world of mankind, both Jews and Gentiles, take notice of it. It pleased
God to put honour on his Son, by wonderfully stirring up some of the
wisest of the Gentiles to come a long journey to see and worship him at
his birth. They were led by a miraculous star, signifying the birth of that
glorious person who is the bright and morning-star, going before, and
leading them to the very place where the, young child was. Some think
they were instructed by the prophecy of Balaam, who dwelt in the eastern
parts, and who foretold Christ's coming as a star that should rise out of
Jacob. Or they might be instructed by that general expectation there was
of the Messiah's coming about that 574 time, from the prophecies the
Jews had of him in their dispersions in all parts of the world.
3. The next concomitant of the birth of Christ was his circumcision. But
this may more properly be spoken of under another head, and so I will
not insist upon it now.
4. The next concomitant was his first coming into the second temple,
when an infant, on occasion of the purification of the blessed Virgin. We
read, Hagg. ii. 7. "The desire of all nations shall come, and I will fill this
house, (or temple) with glory." And in Mal. iii. 1."The Lord, whom ye
seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the
covenant." And now was the first instance of the fulfilment of these
prophecies.
5. The last concomitant I shall mention is the sceptre's departing from
Judah, in the death of Herod the Great. The sceptre had never totally
departed from Judah till now. Judah's sceptre was greatly diminished in
the revolt of the ten tribes in Jeroboam's time; and the sceptre departed
from Israel or Ephraim at the time of the captivity of the ten tribes by
Shalmaneser. But it remained in the tribe of Judah, under the kings of the
house of David. And when the tribes of Judah and Benjamin were carried
captive by Nebuchadnezzar, the sceptre of Judah ceased for a little while,
till the return from the captivity under Cyrus: and then, though they were
not an independent government, as they had been before, but owed fealty
to the kings of Persia; yet their governor was of themselves, who had the
power of life and death, and they were governed by their own laws; and so
Judah had a lawgiver from between his feet during the Persian and
Grecian monarchies. Towards the latter part of the Grecian monarchy,
the people were governed by kings of their own, of the race of the
Maccabees, for near a hundred years; and after that they were subdued by
the Romans. But yet the Romans suffered them to be governed by their
own laws, and to have a king of their own, Herod the Great, who reigned
about forty years, and governed with proper kingly authority, only paying
homage to the Romans. But presently after Christ was born he died, as we
have an account, Matt. ii. 19. and Archelaus succeeded him; but was soon
put down by the Roman emperor; and then the sceptre departed from
Judah. There were no more temporal kings of Judah after that, neither
had that people their governors from the midst of themselves, but were
ruled by a Roman governor sent among them; and they ceased to have
the power of life and death among themselves. Hence the Jews say to
Pilate, " It is not lawful for us to put any man to death," John xviii. 31.
Thus the sceptre departed from Judah when Shiloh came.
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Post by Admin on Jul 16, 2024 16:24:11 GMT -5
PART II.
THE PURCHASE OF REDEMPTION
Having thus considered Christ's coming into the world, and his taking on
him our nature, to put himself in a capacity for the purchase of
redemption, I come now to show what is intended by the purchase of
redemption to make some general observations concerning those things
by which this purchase was made—and then to consider those things
more particularly which Christ did and suffered, by which that purchase
was made.
SECT. I.
The purchase itself, what?
By Christ purchasing redemption, two things are intended, his
satisfaction, and his merit. All is done by the price that Christ lays down,
which does two things: it pays our debt, and so it satisfies; it procures our
title to happiness, and so it merits. The satisfaction of Christ is to free us
from misery, and the merit of Christ is to purchase happiness for us.
The word purchase, in this connexion, is taken either more strictly or
more largely. It is oftentimes used more strictly, to signify only the merit
of Christ; and sometimes more largely, to signify both his satisfaction and
merit. Indeed most of the words used in this affair have various
significations. Thus sometimes divines use merit for the whole price that
Christ offered, both satisfactory, and positively meritorious. And so the
word satisfaction is sometimes used, not only for his propitiation, but
also for his meritorious obedience. For in some sense, not only suffering
the penalty, but positively obeying, is needful to satisfy the law. The
reason of this various use of these terms seems to be, that satisfaction and
merit do not differ so much really as relatively. They both consist in
paying a valuable price, a price of infinite value: but only that price, as it
respects a debt to be paid, is called satisfaction; and as it respects a
positive good to be obtained, is called merit. The difference between
paying a debt and making a positive purchase is more relative than
essential. He who lays down a price to pay a debt, does in some sense
make a purchase: he purchases liberty from the obligation. And he who
lays down a price to purchase a good, does as it were make satisfaction:
he satisfies the conditional demands of him to whom he pays it. This may
suffice concerning what is meant by the purchase of Christ.
SECT. II.
Some general observations concerning those things by which this
purchase was made.
1. And here observe, That whatever in Christ had the nature of
satisfaction, was by virtue of the suffering or humiliation that was in it;
but whatever had the nature of merit, was by virtue of the obedience or
righteousness there was in it. The satisfaction of Christ consists in his
answering the demands of the law on man, which were consequent on the
breach of the law. These were answered by suffering the penalty of the
law. The merit of Christ consists in what he did to answer the demands,
which were prior to man's breach of the law, or to fulfil what the law
demanded before man sinned, which was obedience.
The satisfaction or propitiation of Christ consists either in his suffering
evil, or his being subject to abasement. Christ did not only make
satisfaction by proper suffering, but by whatever had the nature of
humiliation and abasement of circumstances. Thus he made satisfaction
by continuing under the power of death, while he lay buried in the grave;
though neither his body nor soul properly endured any suffering after he
was dead. Whatever Christ was subject to that was the judicial fruit of sin,
had the nature of satisfaction for sin. But not only proper suffering, but
all abasement and depression of the state and circumstances of mankind
below its primitive honour and dignity, such as his body remaining under
death, his body and soul remaining separate, &c. are the judicial fruits of
sin. And all that Christ did in his state of humiliation, that had the nature
of obedience, moral virtue or goodness, had the nature of merit, in it, and
was part of the price with which he purchased happiness for the elect.
2. Both Christ's satisfaction for sin, and also his meriting happiness by his
righteousness, were carried on through the whole time of his humiliation.
Christ's satisfaction for sin was not by his last sufferings only, though it
was principally by them; but all his sufferings, and all his humiliation,
from the first moment of his incarnation to his resurrection, were
propitiatory or satisfactory. Christ's satisfaction was chiefly by his death,
because his sufferings and humiliation in that was greatest. But all his
other sufferings, and all his other humiliation, all along had the nature of
satisfaction; the mean circumstances in which he was born; his being
born of a poor virgin, in a stable, and laid in a manger; his taking the
human nature upon him in its low state, and under those infirmities
brought upon it by the fall; his being born in the form of sinful flesh, &c.
And so all his sufferings in his infancy and 575 childhood, and all that
labour, contempt, reproach, temptation, and difficulty of any kind which
he suffered through the whole course of his life, was of a propitiatory and
satisfactory nature.—And so his purchase of happiness by his
righteousness was also carried on through the whole time of his
humiliation till his resurrection: not only in that obedience he performed
through the course of his life, but also in the obedience he performed in
laying down his life.
3. It was by the same things that Christ hath satisfied God's justice, and
also purchased eternal happiness. He did not make satisfaction by some
things, and then work out righteousness by other different things; but in
the same acts by which he wrought out righteousness, he also made
satisfaction, but only taken in a different relation. One and the same act
of Christ, considered with respect to the obedience there was in it, was
part of his righteousness, and purchased heaven: but considered with
respect to the self-denial, and difficulty, and humiliation, with which he
performed it, had the nature of satisfaction for sin, and procured our
pardon. Thus his going about doing good, preaching the gospel, and
teaching his disciples, was a part of his righteousness, and the purchase
of heaven, as it was done in obedience to the Father; and the same was a
part of his satisfaction, as he did it with great labour, trouble, and
weariness, and under great temptations exposing himself hereby to
reproach and contempt. So his laving down his life had the nature of
satisfaction to God's offended justice, considered as his bearing
punishment in our stead: but considered as an act of obedience to God,
who had given him this command, that he should lay down his life for
sinners, it was a part of his righteousness and purchase, and as much the
principal part of his righteousness as it was the principal part of his
satisfaction. And to instance in his circumcision, what he suffered in it,
had the nature of satisfaction: the blood that was shed therein was
propitiatory blood; but as it was a conformity to the law of Moses, it was
part of his meritorious righteousness. Though it was not properly the act
of human nature, he being an infant; yet the human nature being the
subject of it, and being the act of his person, it was accepted as an act of
his obedience, as our mediator.—And even his being born in such a low
condition, has the nature of satisfaction by reason of the humiliation that
was in it; and of righteousness, as it was the act of his person in
obedience to the Father, what the will of the human nature did acquiesce
in, though there was no act of the will of the human nature prior to it.—
These things may suffice to have been observed in general, concerning
the purchase Christ made of redemption.
SECT. III.
Those things in particular by which the purchase was made.—Christ's
obedience and righteousness.
I now proceed to consider the things that passed during the time of
Christ's humiliation, and first, with respect to his obedience and
righteousness. And this is subject to a threefold distribution. I shall
therefore consider his obedience, with respect to the laws which he
obeyed—the different stages of his life in which he performed it—and the
virtues he exercised in his obedience.
I. The first distribution of the acts of Christ's righteousness is with respect
to the laws which he obeyed. But here it must be observed in general, that
all the precepts which Christ obeyed may be reduced to one law, and that
is what the apostle calls the law of works, Rom. iii. 27. Every command
that Christ obeyed may be reduced to that great and everlasting law of
God that is contained in the covenant of works, that eternal rule of right
which God had established between himself and mankind. Christ came
into the world to fulfil and answer the covenant of works; that is, the
covenant that is to stand for ever as a rule of judgment. The covenant that
we had broken, was the covenant that must be fulfilled.
This law of works indeed includes all the laws of God that ever have been
given to mankind; for it is a general rule of the law of works, and indeed
of the law of nature, That God is to be obeyed, and that he must be
submitted to in whatever positive precept he is pleased to give. It is a rule
of the law of works, That men should obey their earthly parents: and it is
certainly as much a rule of the same law, That we should obey our
heavenly Father: and so the law of works requires obedience to all the
positive commands of God. It required Adam's obedience to that positive
command, Not to eat of the forbidden fruit; and it required obedience of
the Jews to all the positive commands of their institution. When God
commanded Jonah to arise and go to Nineveh, the law of works required
him to obey: and so it required Christ's obedience to all the positive
commands which God gave him.
But, more particularly, the commands of God which Christ obeyed, were
of three kinds; they were such as he was subject to either merely as man,
or as he was a Jew, or purely as Mediator.
1. He obeyed those commands which he was subject to merely as man.
These were the commands of the moral law, which was the same with
that which was given at mount Sinai, written in two tables of stone, which
are obligatory on mankind of all ages and all nations of the world.
2. He obeyed all those laws he was subject to as he was a Jew. Thus he
was subject to the ceremonial law, and was conformed to it. He was
conformed to it in his being circumcised the eighth day; and he strictly
obeyed it in going up to Jerusalem to the temple three times a year; at
least after he was come to the age of twelve years, which seems to have
been the age when the males began to go up to the temple. And so Christ
constantly attended the service of the temple, and of the synagogues.
To this head of his obedience may be reduced his submission to John's
baptism. For it was a special command to the Jews, to go forth to John
the Baptist, and be baptized of him; and therefore Christ, being a Jew,
was subject to this command: and therefore, when he came to be baptized
of John, and John objected, that he had more need to come to him to be
baptized of him, he gives this reason for it, That it was needful that he
should do it, that he might fulfil all righteousness. (See Matt. iii. 13-15.)
3. Christ was subject to the mediatorial law; or that which related purely
to his mediatorial office. Such were the commands which the Father gave
him to teach such doctrines, to preach the gospel, to work such miracles,
to call such disciples, to appoint such ordinances, and finally to lay down
his life: for he did all these things in obedience to the commands he had
received of the Father, as he often tells us, (John x. 18. xiv. 31.) These
commands he was not subject to merely as man; for they did not belong
to other men: nor yet was he subject to them as a Jew; for they were no
part of the Mosaic law: but they were commands he had received of the
Father, that purely respected his mediatorial office.
Christ's righteousness, by which he merited heaven for himself, and all
who believe in him, consists principally in his obedience to this
mediatorial law: for in fulfilling this law consisted his chief work and
business in the world. The history of the evangelists is chiefly taken up in
giving an account of his obedience to this law. This part of his obedience
was attended with the greatest difficulty; and therefore his obedience in it
was most meritorious. What Christ had to do in the world by virtue of his
being Mediator, was infinitely more difficult than what he had to do
merely as a man, or as a Jew. To his obedience to this mediatorial law
belongs his going through his last sufferings, beginning with his agony in
the garden, and ending with his resurrection.
As the obedience of the first Adam, wherein his righteousness would have
consisted, if he had stood, would have mainly consisted in his obedience
to that special law to which he was subject as moral head and surety of
mankind, even the command of abstaining from the tree of knowledge of
good and evil; so the obedience of the second Adam, wherein his
righteousness consists, lies mainly in his obedience to that special law to
which he was subject as mediator and surety for manBefore I proceed to the next distribution of Christ's righteousness, I
would observe three things concerning his obedience to these laws.
576 1. He performed that obedience to them which was in every respect
perfect. It was perfect with respect to the work commanded; and the
principle from which he obeyed. It was perfect with respect to the end he
acted for; he never had any by-ends, but aimed perfectly at such as the
law of God required. It was perfect with respect to the manner of
performance: every circumstance of each act was perfectly conformed to
the command. It was perfect with respect to the degree of the
performance: he acted wholly up to the rule.—It was perfect with respect
to the constancy of obedience, without any interruption; and with respect
to perseverance. He held out in perfect obedience to the very end, in all
the changes he passed through, and all the trials that were before him.
The meritoriousness of Christ's obedience, depends on the perfection of
it. If it had failed in any instance, it could not have been meritorious: for
imperfect obedience is not accepted as any obedience at all in the sight of
the law of works, to which Christ was subject. That is not accepted as
obedience to a law that does not fully answer it.
2. Christ's obedience was performed through the greatest trials and
temptations that ever any obedience was. His obedience was attended
with the greatest difficulties, and most extreme abasement; which was
another thing that rendered it more meritorious and thankworthy. To
obey another when his commands are easy, is not so worthy, as it is to
obey when it cannot be done without great difficulty.
3. He performed this obedience with infinite respect to God, and the
honour of his law. The obedience he performed was with infinitely greater
love to God, and regard to his authority, than that of angels. The angels
perform their obedience with a sinless perfection of love; but Christ
performed his with infinite love. Though the human nature of Christ was
not capable of love absolutely infinite, yet Christ's obedience in that
nature, is the obedience of his person, as God-man; and therefore there
was infinite love manifest in that obedience. And this, together with the
infinite dignity of the person who obeyed, rendered his obedience
infinitely meritorious.
II. The second distribution of the acts of Christ's obedience, is with
respect to the different parts of his life, wherein they were performed.
And in this respect they may be divided into those which were performed
in private life, and those which were performed in his public ministry.
1st, Those acts he performed during his private life.—He was perfectly
obedient in his childhood. He infinitely differed from other children, who,
as soon as they begin to act, begin to sin and rebel. He was subject to his
earthly parents, though he was Lord of all, Luke ii. 51. and was found
about his Father's business even when a child, Luke ii. 42.—He then
began to fulfil the mediatorial law, which the Father had given him. He
continued his private life for about thirty years, dwelling at Nazareth in
the house of his reputed father Joseph, where he served God in a private
capacity, and in following a mechanical trade, the business of a carpenter.
2dly, Those acts which he performed during his public ministry, which
began when he was about thirty years of age, and continued for the three
last years and a half of his life.—Most of the evangelic history is taken up
in giving an account of what passed during that time. Indeed all the
history of Matthew, except the two first chapters; the whole of Mark; all
the gospel of John; and all of Luke, except the two first chapters;
excepting also what we find in the evangelists concerning the ministry of
John the Baptist. Christ's first appearing in his public ministry, is what is
often called his coming in Scripture. Thus John speaks of Christ's coming
as future, though he had been born long before.
Concerning the public ministry of Christ, I would observe the following
things.
1. The forerunner of Christ's coming in his public ministry was John the
Baptist. He came preaching repentance for the remission of sins, to make
way for Christ's coming, agreeable to the prophecies of him, Isa. xl. 3-5.
and Matt. iv. 5, 6. It is supposed that John the Baptist began his ministry
about three years and a half before Christ; so that John's ministry and
Christ's put together, made seven years, which was the last of Daniel's
weeks; and this time is intended in Dan. ix. 27. "He will confirm the
covenant with many for one week." Christ came in the midst of this week
of years, as Daniel foretold,"And in the midst of the week he shall cause
the sacrifice and the oblation to cease." 627627 Daniel ix. 27.
John the Baptist's ministry consisted principally in preaching the law, to
awaken and convince men of sin, to prepare them for the coming of
Christ, and to comfort them, as the law is to prepare the heart for the
entertainment of the gospel. A very remarkable outpouring of the Spirit
of God attended John's ministry; and the effect of it was, that Jerusalem,
and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan, were awakened and
convinced. They went out to him, and submitted to his baptism,
confessing their sins. John was the greatest of all the prophets who came
before Christ, Matt. xi. 11. "Among those that are born of women, there
hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist;" i.e. he had the most
honourable office. He was as the morning-star, which is the harbinger of
the approaching day, and forerunner of the rising sun. The other
prophets were stars that gave light in the night; but those stars went out
on the approach of the gospel-day. Now the coming of Christ being very
nigh, the morning-star comes before him, the brightest of all the stars, as
John the Baptist was, in the sense mentioned, the greatest of all the
prophets. And when Christ came in his public ministry, the light of that
morning-star decreased too; as we see, when the sun rises, it diminishes
the light of the morning-star. So John the Baptist says of himself, John
iii. 30. "He must increase, but I must decrease." And soon after Christ
began his public ministry, John the Baptist was put to death; as the
morning-star is visible a little while after the sun is risen, yet soon goes
out.
2. Christ's entrance on his public ministry was by baptism, followed with
the temptation in the wilderness. His baptism was as it were his solemn
inauguration, by which he entered on his ministry; and was attended with
his being anointed with the Holy Ghost, in a solemn and visible manner,
the Holy Ghost descending upon him symbolically, in a visible shape like
a dove, attended with a voice from heaven, saying, "This is my beloved
Son, in whom I am well pleased," Matt. iii. 16, 17. After this he was led by
the devil into the wilderness. Satan made a violent attack upon him at his
first entrance on his work; and now he had a remarkable trial of his
obedience; but he got the victory. He who had such success with the first
Adam, had none with the second.
3. I would take notice of the work in which Christ was employed during
his ministry. And here are three things chiefly to be noticed, viz. his
preaching, his working of miracles, and his calling and appointing
disciples and ministers of his kingdom.
(1.) His preaching the gospel. Great part of the work of his public ministry
consisted in this; and much of that obedience by which he purchased
salvation for us, was in his speaking those things which the Father
commanded him. He more clearly and abundantly revealed the mind and
will of God, than ever it had been revealed before. He came from the
bosom of the Father, perfectly knew his mind, and was in the best
capacity to reveal it. As the sun, as soon as it is risen, begins to shine; so
Christ, as soon as he came into his public ministry, began to enlighten the
world with his doctrine. As the law was given at mount Sinai, so Christ
delivered his evangelical doctrine, (full of blessings, and not curses,) to a
multitude on a mountain, Matt. v.-vii.
When he preached, he did not teach as the scribes, but as one having
authority; so that his hearers "were astonished at his doctrine:" 628628
Mark i. 22. He did not reveal the mind and will of God in the style of the
prophets, as, "Thus saith the Lord;" but in such a style as this, "I say unto
you," "Verily, verily, I say unto you." He delivered his doctrines, not only
as the doctrines of God the Father, but as his own doctrines. He gave
forth commands, not (as the prophets were wont to do) as God's
commands, but as his own. He spake in such a style as this, "This is my
commandment," John xv. 12. "Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I
command you," ibid. 14.
(2.) Another thing that Christ was employed in during 577 the course of
his ministry, was working miracles. Concerning which we may observe,—
Their multitude. Besides particular instances, we often have an account of
multitudes coming at once with diseases, and his healing them. They
were works of mercy. In them was displayed not only his infinite power
and greatness, but his infinite mercy and goodness. He went about doing
good, healing the sick, restoring sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf,
and the proper use of their limbs to the lame and halt; feeding the
hungry, cleansing the leprous, and raising the dead.
They were almost all of them such as had been spoken of as the peculiar
works of God, in the Old Testament. So with respect to stilling the sea,
Psal. cvii. 29. "He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are
still; walking on the sea in a storm, Job ix. 8. "Which alone—treadeth
upon the waves of the sea;" and casting out devils, Psal. Ixxiv. 14. "Thou
breakest the heads of leviathan in pieces." So as to feeding a multitude in
a wilderness: Deut. viii. 16. "Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna;"
telling man's thoughts, Amos iv. 13. "Lo, he that declareth unto man what
is his thought—the Lord, the God of hosts is his name;" and raising the
dead, Psal. ixviii. 20. "Unto God the Lord belong the issues from death."
So as to opening the eyes of the blind, Psal. cxlvi. 8. "The Lord openeth
the eyes of the blind;" healing the sick, Psal. ciii. 3. "Who healeth all thy
diseases;" and lifting up those who are bowed together, Psal. cxlvi. 8.
"The Lord raiseth them that are bowed down."
They were in general such works as were images of the great work which
he came to work on man's heart; representing that inward, spiritual
cleansing, healing, renovation, and resurrection, of which all his
redeemed are the subjects.—He wrought them by his own power, and not
as the other prophets did. They were wont to work all their miracles in
the name of the Lord; but Christ wrought in his own name. Moses was
forbidden to enter into Canaan, because he seemed by his speech to
assume to himself the honour of working only one miracle. Nor did Christ
work miracles as the apostles did; but by his own authority and will:
Thus, saith he, "I will, be thou clean," Matt. viii. 3. And in the same strain
he put the question, "Believe ye that I am able to do this?" Matt.ix. 28.
(3 ) Another thing that Christ did in the course of his ministry, was to call
his disciples. He called many disciples, whom he employed as ministers.
He sent seventy at one time in this work: but there were twelve that he set
apart as apostles, who were the grand ministers of his kingdom, and as it
were the twelve foundations of his church. (See Rev. xxi. 14.) These were
the main instruments of setting up his kingdom in the world, and
therefore shall sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
4. I would observe how he finished his ministry. And this was, in giving
his dying counsels to his disciples, and all that should be his disciples,
which we have recorded particularly in the 1—In instituting a solemn
memorial of his death, the sacrament of the Lord's supper, wherein we
have a representation of his body broken, and of his blood shed.—In
offering up himself a sacrifice, to God in his last sufferings. This act he
did as God's minister, as God's anointed priest; and it was the greatest act
of his public ministry, the greatest act of his obedience, by which he
purchased heaven for believers. The priests of old used to do many other
things as God's ministers; but the highest execution of their office was
their actually offering sacrifice on the altar. So the greatest thing that
Christ did in the execution of his priestly office, and the greatest thing
that he ever did, and the greatest thing that ever was done, was the
offering up himself a sacrifice to God. Herein he was the antetype of all
that had been done by all the priests, in all their sacrifices and offerings,
from the beginning of the world.
III. The third distribution of the acts by which Christ purchased
redemption, regards the virtues that he exercised and manifested in
them. Christ in doing his work for our redemption, exercised every
possible virtue and grace. Indeed there are some particular virtues that
sinful man may have, which were not in Christ; not from any defect of
virtue, but because his virtue was perfect, and without defect. Such is the
virtue of repentance, brokenness of heart for sin, mortification, and
denying of lust. Christ had no sin of his own to repent of, nor any lust to
deny. But all virtues which do not presuppose sin, were in him in a higher
degree than in any mere creature. Every virtue in him was perfect. Virtue
itself was greater in him than in any other; and it was under greater
advantages to shine in him than in any other. Strict virtue shines most
when most tried: but never any virtue had such trials as Christ's had.
The virtue that Christ exercised in his work may be divided into three
sorts, viz. the virtues which more immediately respect God, those which
immediately respected himself, and those which immediately respect
men.
1. Those virtues which more immediately respect God. There appeared in
him a holy fear and reverence towards God the Father. Christ had a
greater trial of his virtue in this respect than any other had, from the
honourableness of his person. This was the temptation of the angels that
fell to cast off their worship of God and reverence of his majesty, that they
were beings of such exalted dignity themselves. But Christ was infinitely
more worthy and honourable than they; for he was the eternal Son of
God, and his person was equal to the person of the Father: and yet, as he
had taken on him the office of mediator, and the nature of man, he was
full of reverence towards God. He manifested a wonderful love toward
God. The angels give great testimonies of their love towards God, in their
constancy and agility in doing his will; and many saints have given great
testimonies of their love, who, from love to God, endured great labours
and sufferings: but none ever such testimonies of love to God as Christ
has given. He manifested the most wonderful submission to the will of
God. Never was any one's submission so tried as his was. And he
manifested the most wonderful spirit of obedience that ever was
manifested.
2. In this work he most wonderfully manifested those virtues which more
immediately respected himself; as humility, patience, and contempt of
the world. Christ, though he was the most excellent and honourable, yet
was the most humble; yea, he was the most humble of all creatures. No
angel or man ever equalled him in humility, though he was the highest in
dignity and honourableness. Christ would have been under the greatest
temptations to pride, if it had been possible for any thing to be a
temptation to him. The temptation of the angels that fell was the dignity
of their nature, and the honourableness of their circumstances; but Christ
was infinitely more honourable than they. The human nature of Christ
was so honoured as to be in the same person with the eternal Son of God,
who was equal with God; and yet that human nature was not at all lifted
up with pride. Nor was the man Christ Jesus at all lifted up with pride
with all those wonderful works which he wrought, of healing the sick,
curing the blind, lame, and maimed, and raising the dead. And though he
knew that God had appointed him to be the king over heaven and earth,
angels and men, as he says, Matt. xi. 27. All things are delivered unto me
or my Father;" though he knew he was such an infinitely honourable
person, and thought it not robbery to be equal with God; and though he
knew he was the heir of the Father's kingdom: yet such was his humility,
that he did not disdain to be abased and depressed down into lower and
viler circumstances and sufferings than ever any other elect creature was;
so that he became least of all, and lowest of all. The proper trial and
evidence of humility, is stooping or complying with those acts or
circumstances, when called to it, which are very low, and contain great
abasement. But none ever stooped so low as Christ, if we consider either
the infinite height that he stooped from, or the great depth to which he
stooped. Such was his humility, that though he knew his infinite
worthiness of honour, and of being honoured ten thousand times as
much as the highest prince on earth, or angel in heaven; yet he did not
think it too much when called to it, to be bound as a malefactor, to
become the laughing-stock of the vilest of men, to be crowned with
thorns, to have a mock robe put upon him, and to be crucified like a slave
and male-factor, 578 as one of the meanest and worst of vagabonds and
miscreants, and an accursed enemy of God and men, who was not fit to
live. And this was not for himself, but for some of the meanest and vilest
of creatures, even some of those accursed wretches that crucified him.
Was not this a wonderful manifestation of humility, when he cheerfully
and most freely submitted to this abasement?—And how did his patience
shine forth under all the terrible sufferings which he endured; when he
was dumb, and opened not his mouth, but went as a lamb to the
slaughter!—And what contempt of the glory of this world was there, when
he rather chose this meanness, and suffering, than to be invested with the
external glories of an earthly prince, as the multitude often solicited him!
3. Christ, in a wonderful manner, exercised those virtues which more
immediately respect other men. And these may be summed up under two
heads, viz. meekness, and love.
Christ's meekness was his humble calmness of spirit under the
provocations that he met with. The greatness of provocation lies in two
things, viz. in the degree of opposition by which the provocation is given;
and, secondly, in the degree of the unreasonableness of that opposition,
or in its being very causeless, and without reason, and the great degree of
obligation to the contrary. Now, if we consider both these things, no man
ever met with such provocations as Christ did, when he was upon earth.
How much he was hated, what abuses he suffered from the vilest of men;
how great his sufferings, and how spiteful and contemptuous they were in
offering him those abuses! How causeless and unreasonable were these
abuses, how undeserving he was of them, yea how much deserving of the
contrary, viz. of love, and honour, and good treatment at their hands! If
we consider these things, no man ever met with a thousandth part of the
provocation that Christ met with from men: and yet how meek was he
under all! how composed and quiet his spirit! how far from being in a
ruffle and tumult! When he was reviled, he reviled not again; and as a
sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth. No
appearance was there of a revengeful spirit: on the contrary, what a spirit
of forgiveness did he exhibit! so that he fervently and effectually prayed
for their forgiveness, when they were in the highest act of provocation
that ever they perpetrated, viz. nailing him to the cross: Luke xxiii. 34.
"Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do."
And never did there appear such an instance of love to men. Christ's love
to men, especially in going through his last sufferings, and offering up his
life and soul under those sufferings, which was his greatest act of love,
was far beyond all parallel. There have been very remarkable
manifestations of love in some of the saints, as in the apostle Paul, the
apostle John, and others; but the love to men that Christ showed when on
earth, as much exceeded the love of all other men, as the ocean exceeds a
small stream.
And it is to be observed, that all the virtues which appeared in Christ
shone brightest in the close of his life, under the trials he met with then.
Eminent virtue always shows brightest in the fire. Pure gold shows its
purity chiefly in the furnace. It was chiefly under those trials which Christ
underwent in the close of his life, that his love to God, his honour of God's
majesty, his regard to the honour of his law, his spirit of obedience, his
humility, contempt of the world, his patience, meekness, and spirit of
forgiveness towards men, appeared. Indeed every thing that Christ did to
work out redemption for us appears mainly in the close of his life. Here
mainly is his satisfaction for sin, and here chiefly is his merit of eternal
life for sinners, and here chiefly appears the brightness of his example,
which he hath set us for imitation.—Thus we have taken a brief view of
the things whereby the purchase of redemption was made with respect to
his righteousness that appeared in them.
SECT. IV.
Christ's sufferings and humiliation.
Among those things in particular by which the purchase was made, we
must reckon the sufferings and humiliation to which Christ was subject,
whence arose the satisfaction he made for sin.
I. He was subject to uncommon humiliation and suffering in his infancy.
His mother not only suffered in bearing him, but when her travail came
upon her, it is said, "there was no room in the inn," Luke ii. 7. She was
forced to betake herself to a stable; where Christ was born. And we may
conclude, that his mother's circumstances in other respects were
proportionably strait and difficult, and that she was destitute of the
conveniences necessary for so young an infant which others were wont to
have. Besides, he was persecuted in his infancy. They began to seek his
life as soon as he was born. Herod, the chief man of the land, was so
engaged to kill him, that, in order to it, he killed all the children in
Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under.
And Christ suffered banishment in his infancy, was driven out of his
native country into Egypt, and without doubt suffered much by being
carried so long a journey, when he was so young, into a strange country.
II. Christ was subject to great humiliation in his private life at Nazareth.
He there led a servile, obscure life, in a mean, laborious occupation; for
he is called not only the carpenter's son, but the carpenter: Mark vi. 3. "Is
not this the carpenter, the brother of James and Joses, and Juda, and
Simon?" By hard labour he earned his bread before he ate it, and so
suffered that curse which God pronounced on Adam, (Gen. iii. 13. "In the
sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread." Let us consider how great a degree
of humiliation the glorious Son of God, the Creator of heaven and earth,
was subject to in this, that for about thirty years he should live a private
obscure life among labouring men, and all this while be overlooked, not
taken notice of in the world, more than other common labourers. Christ's
humiliation in some respects was greater in private life than in the time of
his public ministry. There were many manifestations of his glory in the
word he preached, and the miracles he wrought: but the first thirty years
of his life he spent among ordinary men, as it were in silence. There was
not any thing to make him to be taken notice of more than any ordinary
mechanic, only the spotless purity and eminent holiness of his life; and
that was in a great measure hid in obscurity; so that he was little taken
notice of till after his baptism.
III. Christ was the subject of great humiliation and suffering during his
public life, from his baptism till the night wherein he was betrayed.
1. He suffered great poverty, so that he had not where to lay his head,
(Matt. viii. 20. compared with John xviii. 1, 2. and Luke xxi. 27. and chap.
xxii. 30.) So that what was spoken of Christ in Cant. v. 2." My head is
filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night," was literally
fulfilled. And through his poverty he doubtless was often tried with
hunger, thirst, and cold. Matt. iv. 2. xxi. 18. His mother and natural
relations were poor, not able to help him; and he was maintained by the
charity of some of his disciples while he lived. So we read in Luke viii. at
the beginning, of certain women that followed him, and ministered unto
him of their substance. He was so poor, that he was not able to pay the
demanded tribute, without a miracle. See Matt. xvii. 27. And when he ate
his last passover, it was not at his own charge, but that of another, as
appears by Luke xxii. 7, &c. And from his poverty he had no grave of his
own to be buried in. It was the manner of the Jews, unless they were
poor, to prepare themselves a sepulchre while they lived. But Christ had
no land of his own, though he was possessor of heaven and earth; and
therefore was buried by Joseph of Arimathea's charity, and in his tomb,
which he had prepared for himself.
2. He suffered great hatred and reproach. He was despised and rejected
of men; one of little account, slighted for his low parentage, and his mean
city Nazareth. He was reproached as a glutton and drunkard, a friend of
publicans and sinners; was called a deceiver of the people; sometimes
was called a madman, and a Samaritan, and one possessed with a devil.
(John vii. 20. viii. 48. and John x. 20.) He was called a blasphemer, and
was accounted by many a wizard, or one that wrought miracles by the
black art, and by communication with Beelzebub. 579 They
excommunicated him, and agreed to excommunicate any man that
should own him. (John ix. 22.) They wished him dead, and were
continually seeking to murder him; sometimes by force, and sometimes
by craft. They often took up stones to stone him, and once led him to the
brow of a hill, intending to throw him down the precipice, to dash him in
pieces against the rocks.
He was thus hated and reproached by his own visible people: John i. 11.
"He came to his own, and his own received him not." And he was
principally despised and hated by those who were in chief repute, and
were their greatest men. Indeed the hatred was general. Into whatever
part of the land he went, he met with hatred and contempt; in
Capernaum, and Jericho; in Jerusalem, which was the holy city, even
when he went to the temple to worship; also in Nazareth, his own city,
among his own relations, and his old neighbours.
3. He suffered the buffetings of Satan in an uncommon manner. One time
in particular, he had a long conflict with the devil, when he was in the
wilderness forty days, with wild beasts and devils; and was so exposed to
the devil's power, that he was carried about by him from place to place,
while he was otherwise in a very suffering state.—So much for the
humiliation and suffering of Christ's public life, from his baptism to the
night wherein he was betrayed.
IV. I come now to his last humiliation and sufferings, from the evening of
the night wherein he was betrayed to his resurrection. And here was his
greatest humiliation and suffering, by which principally he made
satisfaction to the justice of God for the sins of men. First, his life was
sold by one of his own disciples for thirty pieces of silver; which was the
price of the life of a servant, Exod. xxi. 32. Then he was in dreadful agony
in the garden. There came such a dismal gloom upon his soul, that he
began to be sorrowful and very heavy, and said, that his "soul was
exceeding sorrowful, even unto death, and was sore amazed. 629629
Mark xiv. 33. " So violent was the agony of his soul, as to force the blood
through the pores of his skin; so that while his soul was overwhelmed
with amazing sorrow, his body was clotted with blood. The disciples, who
used to be as his friends and family, at this time above all appeared cold
towards, and unconcerned for him, at the same time that his Father's face
was hid from him. Judas, to whom Christ had been so very merciful, and
who was treated as one of his family or familiar friends, comes and
betrays him in the most deceitful, treacherous manner. The officers and
soldiers apprehend and bind him; his disciples forsake him, and flee; his
own best friends do not stand by him to comfort him in this time of his
distress. He is led away as a malefactor to appear before the priests and
scribes, his venomous, mortal enemies, that they might sit as his judges.
Now they had got him into their hands, they sat up all night, to have the
pleasure of insulting him. But because they aimed at nothing short of his
life, they set themselves to find some colour to put him to death, and seek
for witnesses against him. When none appeared, they set some to bear
false witness; and when their witness did not agree together, they
examined him, in hope to catch something out of his own mouth. They
hoped he would say, that he was the Son of God, and then they thought
they should have enough. But because they see they are not like to obtain
this, they adjure him, in the name of God, to say whether he was or not:
and when he confessed that he was, then it was a time of rejoicing with
them, which they show, by spitting in his face, blindfolding him, and
striking him in the face with the palms of their hands and then bidding
him prophesy who it was that struck him; thus ridiculing him for
pretending to be a prophet. And the very servants have a hand in the
sport: Mark xiv. 65. "And the servants did strike him with the palms of
their hands."
During the sufferings of the night, Peter, one of the chief of his own
disciples, instead of standing by to comfort, appears ashamed to own
him, and denies and renounces him with oaths and curses. And after the
chief priests and elders had finished the night in so shamefully abusing
him, in the morning, (the morning of the most wonderful day that ever
was,) they led him away to Pilate, to be condemned to death by him,
because they had not the power of life and death in their own hands. He
is brought before Pilate's judgment-seat, and there the priests and elders
accuse him as a traitor. And when Pilate, upon examining into the matter,
declared he found no fault in him, the Jews were but the more fierce and
violent to have him condemned. Upon which Pilate, after clearing him,
very unjustly brings him upon a second trial; and then not finding any
thing against him, acquits him again. Pilate treats him as a poor
worthless fellow; but is ashamed on so little pretence to condemn him as
a traitor.
And then he was sent to Herod to be tried by him, and was brought before
his judgment-seat; his enemies followed, and virulently accused him
before Herod. Herod does not condemn him as a traitor, or one that
would set up for a king, but looks upon him as Pilate did, as a poor
worthless creature, not worthy to be noticed, and makes a mere laugh of
the Jews accusing him as dangerous to Caesar, as one setting up to be a
king against him; and therefore, in derision, dresses him up in a mock
robe, makes sport of him, and sends him back through the streets of
Jerusalem to Pilate with the mock robe on.
Then the Jews prefer Barabbas before him, and are instant and violent
with loud vociferations to Pilate, to crucify him. So Pilate, after he had
cleared him twice, and Herod once, very unrighteously brings him on
trial the third time, to try if he could not find something sufficient to
crucify him. Christ was stripped and scourged: thus he gave his back to
the smiters. After that, though Pilate still declared that he found no fault
in him; yet so unjust was he, that for fear of the Jews he delivered Christ
to be crucified. But before they execute the sentence, his spiteful and
cruel enemies take the pleasure of mocking him again; they get round
him, and make a set business of it. They stripped him, put on him a
scarlet robe, a reed in his hand, and a crown of thorns on his head. Both
Jews and Roman soldiers were united in the transaction; they bow the
knee before him, and in derision cry, Matt. xxvii. 29."Hail, king of the
Jews." They spit upon him also, take the reed out of his hand, and smite
him on the head. After this they led him away to crucify him, made him
carry his own cross, till he sunk under it, his strength being spent; and
then they laid it on one Simon, a Cyrenian.
At length, being come to mount Calvary, they execute the sentence which
Pilate had so unrighteously pronounced. They nail him to his cross by his
hands and feet, then raise it erect, and fix one end in the ground, he being
still suspended on it by the nails which pierced his hands and feet. Now
Christ's sufferings are come to the extremity: now the cup, which he so
earnestly prayed might pass from him, is come; he must, he does drink it.
In those days crucifixion was the most tormenting kind of death by which
any were wont to be executed. There was no death wherein the person
experienced so much of mere torment: and hence the Roman word,
which signifies torment, is taken from this kind of death.—Besides what
our Lord endured in this excruciating corporeal death, he endured vastly
more in his soul. Now was that travail of his soul, of which we read in the
prophet; now it pleased God to bruise him, and to put him to grief; now
he poured out his soul unto death, as in Isa. liii. And if the mere
forethought of this cup made him sweat blood, how much more dreadful
and excruciating must the drinking of it have been! Many martyrs have
endured much in their bodies, while their souls have been joyful, and
have sung for joy, whereby they have been supported under the sufferings
of their outward man, and have triumphed over them. But this was not
the case with Christ; he had no such support; but his sufferings were
chiefly those of the mind, though the other were extremely great. In his
crucifixion Christ did not sweat blood, as he had done before; not because
his agony was now not so great, but his blood had vent another way. But
though he did not sweat blood, yet such was the sufferings of his soul,
that probably it rent his vitals; when his side was pierced, there came
forth blood and water. And so here was a kind of literal fulfilment of that
in Psal. xxii. 14. "I am poured out like water;—my heart is like wax, it is
melted in the midst of my bowels."
580 Now under all these sufferings the Jews still mock him; and wagging
their heads say, "Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three
days, save thyself: if thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross."
630630 Matthew xxvii. 40. And even the chief priests, scribes, and elders,
joined in the cry, saying, "He saved others, himself he cannot save.
631631 Mark xv. 31. " And probably the devil at the same time tormented
him to the utmost of his power; and hence it is said, Luke xxii. 53. "This is
your hour, and the power of darkness."
Under these sufferings, Christ, having cried out once and again with a
loud voice, at last said, IT IS FINISHED, (John xix. 30.) "and bowed the
head, and gave up the ghost." And thus was finished the greatest and
most wonderful thing that ever was done. Now the angels beheld the
most wonderful sight that ever they saw. Now was accomplished the main
thing that had been pointed at by the various institutions of the
ceremonial law, by all the typical dispensations, and by all the sacrifices
from the beginning of the world.
Christ being thus brought under the power of death, continued under it
till the morning of next day but one. Then was finished that great work,
the purchase of our redemption, for which such great preparation had
been made from the beginning of the world. Then was finished all that
was required in order to satisfy the threatenings of the law, and all that
was necessary in order to satisfy divine justice; then the utmost that
vindictive justice demanded, even the whole debt, was paid. Then was
finished the whole of the purchase of eternal life. And now there is no
need of any thing more to be done towards a purchase of salvation for
sinners; nor has ever any thing been done since, nor will any thing more
be done for ever and ever.
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Post by Admin on Jul 16, 2024 16:25:18 GMT -5
PART III.
IMPROVEMENT OF THE SECOND PERIOD.
In surveying the history of redemption, we have now shown how this
work was carried on through the two former of the three main periods
into which this whole space of time was divided, viz. from the fall to the
incarnation of Christ, and from thence to the end of the time of Christ's
humiliation. In the first of these periods, we have particularly explained
how God prepared the way for Christ's appearing and purchasing
redemption; and in the second period, how that purchase was made and
finished. I would now make some improvement of what has been said on
both these subjects considered conjunctly.
SECT. I.
An use of reproof.
I begin with an use of reproof; a reproof of unbelief, of self-righteousness,
and of a careless neglect of the salvation of Christ.
1. How greatly do these things reprove those who do not believe in, but
reject, the Lord Jesus Christ! i.e. all those who do not heartily receive
him. Persons may receive him in profession outwardly, and may wish that
they had some of those benefits that Christ has purchased, and yet their
hearts not receive him. They may be hearty in nothing that they do
towards Christ; they may have no high esteem of, nor any sincere respect
to, Christ; they may never have opened the door of their heart to him, but
have kept him shut out all their days, ever since the salvation has been
offered to them. Though their hearts have been opened to others, their
door flung wide open to them, with free admittance at all times; though
they have been embraced, and the thrones of their hearts have been
allowed them; yet Christ has always been shut out, and they have been
deaf to all his calls. They never could find an inclination of heart to
receive him, nor would they ever trust in him.
Let me now call upon such to consider, how great is their sin, in thus
rejecting Jesus Christ. You slight the glorious person, for whose coming
God made such great preparation in such a series of wonderful
providences from the beginning of the world, and whom, after all things
were made ready, God sent into the world, bringing to pass a thing before
unknown, viz. the union of the divine nature with the human in one
person. You have been guilty of slighting that great Saviour, who, after
such preparation, actually accomplished the purchase of redemption; and
who, after he had spent three or four and thirty years in poverty, labour,
and contempt, in purchasing redemption, at last finished the purchase by
closing his life under such extreme sufferings as you have heard; and so
by his death, and continuing for a time under the power of death,
completed the whole. This is the person you reject and despise. You make
light of all the glory of his person, and of all the glorious love of God the
Father, in sending him into the world, and all his wonderful love
appearing in the whole of this affair. That precious stone which God hath
laid in Zion for a foundation in such a manner, and by such wonderful
works as you have heard, is a stone set at nought by you.
Sinners sometimes are ready to wonder why unbelief should be looked
upon as a great sin; but if you consider what you have heard, how can you
wonder? If this Saviour is so great, and this work so great, and such great
things have been done in order to it; truly there is no cause of wonder
that the rejection of this Saviour is so provoking to God. It brings greater
guilt than the sins of the worst of heathens, who never heard of those
things, nor have had this Saviour offered to them.
II. What has been said, affords matter of reproof to those who, instead of
believing in Christ, trust in themselves for salvation. Is it not a common
thing with men to take it upon themselves to do that great work which
Christ came into the world to do? to trust in their prayers, their good
conversations, the pains they take in religion, the reformation of their
lives, and their self-denial, in order to recommend them to God, to make
some atonement for their past sins? Let such consider three things :
1. How great a thing that is which you take upon you. It is to do the work
of the great Saviour of the world.—Though you are poor, worthless, vile,
and polluted, yet you arrogantly take upon you that very work for which
the only-begotten Son of God became man; and in order to which God
employed four thousand years in all the great dispensations of his
providence, aiming chiefly to make way for Christ's coming to do this
work. This is the work that you foolishly think yourself sufficient for; as
though your prayers, and other performances, were excellent enough for
this purpose. Consider how vain is the thought which you entertain of
yourself. How must such arrogance appear in the sight of Christ, whom it
cost so much. It was not to be obtained even by him, so great and glorious
a person, at a cheaper rate than his going through a sea of blood, and
passing through the midst of the furnace of God's wrath. And how vain
must your arrogance appear in the sight of God, when he sees you
imagining yourself sufficient, and your worthless, polluted performance
excellent enough, for the accomplishing of that work of his own Son, to
prepare the way for which he was employed in ordering all the great
affairs of the world for so many ages!
2. If there be ground for you to trust, as you do, in your own
righteousness, then all that Christ did to purchase salvation, and all that
God did from the fall of man to prepare the way for it, is in vain. Your
self-righteousness charges God with the greatest folly, as though he has
done all things in vain, to bring about an accomplishment of what you
alone, with your poor polluted prayers, and the little pains you take in
religion, are sufficient to accomplish for yourself. For if you can appease
God's anger, and commend yourself to him by these means, then you
have no need of Christ; Gal. ii. 21. "If righteousness come by the law, then
Christ is dead in vain."
If you can do this by your prayers and good works, Christ might have
spared his pains; he might have spared his blood; he might have kept
within the bosom of his Father, without coming down into this evil world
to be 581 despised, reproached, and persecuted to death. God needed not
to have busied himself, as he did for four thousand years, causing so
many changes in the state of the world all that while, in order to bring
about that which you can accomplish in a few days, only with the trouble
of a few religious performances. Consider, what greater folly could you
have devised to charge upon God than this, that all those things were
done so needlessly; when, instead of all this, he might only have called
you forth, and committed the business to you, which you think you can do
so easily. Alas! how blind are natural men! and especially how vain are
the thoughts which they have of themselves! How ignorant of their own
littleness and pollution! What great things do they assume to themselves!
3. You that trust to your own righteousness, arrogate to yourselves the
honour of the greatest thing that ever God himself did. You seem not only
sufficient to perform divine works, but such is your pride and vanity, that
you are not content without taking upon you to do the very greatest work
that ever God himself wrought. You see by what has been said, how God
has subordinated all his other works to this of redemption. God's works
of providence are greater than those of creation; and all his works of
providence, from the beginning of the generations of men, were in order
to make way for the purchasing of redemption. To take on yourself to
work out redemption, is a greater thing than if you had taken it upon you
to create a world. What a figure you would make, if you should seriously
go about to create a world: or decking yourself with majesty, should
pretend to speak the word of power, and call an universe out of nothing,
intending to go on in order, and say," Let there be light; Let there be a
firmament," &c. But then consider, that in attempting to work out
redemption for yourself, you attempt a greater thing than this, and are
serious in it, and will not be dissuaded from it. You strive in it, are full of
the thought that you are sufficient for it, and big with hopes of
accomplishing it.
You take upon you to do the very greatest and most difficult part of this
work, viz. to purchase redemption. Christ can accomplish other parts of
this work without cost; but this part cost him his life, as well as
innumerable pains and labours. Yet this is that part which self-righteous
persons go about to accomplish for themselves. If all the angels in heaven
had been sufficient for this work, would God have set himself to effect
such things as he did in order to it? and would he ever have sent his own
Son, the Creator of the angels, into the world, to have done and suffered
such things?
What self-righteous persons take to themselves, is the same work that
Christ was engaged in when he was in his agony and bloody sweat, and
when he died on the cross, which was the greatest thing that ever the eyes
of angels beheld. Great as it is, they imagine they can do the same that
Christ accomplished by it. Their self-righteousness does in effect charge
Christ's offering up himself in these sufferings, as the greatest instance of
folly that ever men or angels saw, instead of being the most glorious
display of the divine wisdom and grace. Yea, self-righteousness makes all
that Christ did through the whole course of his life, all that he said and
suffered, and his incarnation itself, and not only so, but all that God had
been doing in the great dispensations of his providence from the
beginning of the world to that time, as nothing but a scene of the most
wild, extreme, and transcendent folly.
Is it any wonder, then, that a self-righteous spirit is so represented in
Scripture, and spoken of, as that which is most fatal to the souls of men?
And is it any wonder, that Christ is represented in Scripture as being so
provoked with the Pharisees and others, who trusted in themselves that
they were righteous, and were proud of their goodness, and thought that
their own performances were a valuable price of God's favour and love?
Let persons hence be warned against a self-righteous spirit. You that are
seeking salvation, and taking pains in religion, take heed to yourselves
that you do not trust in what you do. Harbour no such thoughts, that God
now, seeing how much you are reformed, how you are sometimes
affected, will be pacified towards you, and will not be so angry for your
former sins; that you shall gain on him by such things, and draw his heart
to show you mercy. If you entertain the thought, that God is obliged to do
it, and does not act justly if he refuse to regard your prayers and pains; if
you quarrel with God, and complain of him for not doing it, this shows
what your opinion is of your own righteousness, viz. that it is a valuable
price of salvation, and ought to be accepted of God as such. Such
complaining of God, and quarrelling with him, for not taking more notice
of your righteousness, plainly shows that you are guilty of arrogance,
thinking yourself sufficient to offer the price of your own salvation.
III. What has been said on this subject, affords matter of reproof to those
who carelessly neglect the salvation of Christ. These live a senseless kind
of life, neglect the business of religion and their own souls, not taking any
course to get an interest in Christ, or what he has done and suffered, or
any part in that glorious salvation he has purchased. They have their
minds taken up about the gains of the world, or the vanities and pleasures
of youth, and make light of what they hear of Christ's salvation, to that
degree, that they do not at present so much as seek after it. Let me here
apply myself to you in some expostulatory interrogations.
1. Shall so many prophets, and kings, and righteous men, have their
minds so much taken up with the prospect, that the purchase of salvation
was to be wrought out in ages long after their death; and will you neglect
it when actually accomplished? You have heard what great account the
church in all ages made of the future redemption of Christ; how joyfully
they expected it, how they spoke of it, how they studied and searched into
these things, how they sung joyful songs, and had their hearts greatly
engaged about it, though they did not expect that it would be
accomplished till many ages after their death, 1 Pet. i. 10-12. How much
did Isaiah and Daniel, and other prophets, speak concerning this
redemption! And how much were their hearts engaged, and their
attention and study fixed upon it! How was David's mind taken up in this
subject! He declared that it was all his salvation, and all his desire; 2 Sam.
xxiii. 5. How did he employ his voice and harp in celebrating it, and the
glorious display of divine grace therein exhibited! and all this although
they beheld it not as yet accomplished, but saw that it was to be brought
to pass so long a time after their day.—And before this, how did Abraham
and the other patriarchs rejoice in the prospect of Christ's day, and the
redemption which he was to purchase! And even the saints before the
flood were affected and elated in the expectation of this glorious event,
though it was then so long future, and it was so very faintly and obscurely
revealed to them.
Now these things are declared to you as actually fulfilled. The church now
has seen accomplished all those great things which they so joyfully
prophesied of; and you are abundantly shown how those things were
accomplished: Matt. xiii. 17. "Verily I say unto you, that many prophets
and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and
have not seen; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not
heard then." And yet, when these things are thus abundantly set before
you as already accomplished, how light do you make of them! How
unconcerned are you about them, following other things, and not so
much as feeling any interest in them! Indeed your sin is extremely
aggravated in the sight of God. God has put you under great advantages
for your eternal salvation, far greater than those saints of old enjoyed. He
has put you under a more glorious dispensation; has given you a more
clear revelation of Christ and his salvation; and yet you neglect all these
advantages, and go on in a careless course of life, as though nothing had
been done, no such proposals and offers had been made you.
2. Have the angels been so engaged about this salvation which is by Christ
ever since the fall of man, though they are not immediately concerned in
it, and will you who need it, and have it offered to you, be so careless
about it? You have heard how the angels at first were subjected to Christ
as mediator, and how they have all along been ministering spirits to him
in this affair. In all the great dispensations which you have heard of from
the beginning of the world, they have been active and as a flame of fire
582 in this affair, being most diligently employed as ministering spirits to
minister to Christ in this great affair of man's redemption. And when
Christ came, how engaged were their minds! They came to Zacharias, to
inform him of the coming of Christ's forerunner.—They came to the
Virgin Mary, to inform her of the approaching birth of Christ. They came
to Joseph, to warn him of the danger which threatened the new-born
Saviour, and to point out to him the means of safety. And how were their
minds engaged at the time of the birth of Christ! The whole multitude of
the heavenly hosts sang praises upon the occasion, saying, " Glory to God
in the highest, on earth peace, good will towards men." And afterwards,
from time to time, they ministered to Christ when on earth; at the time of
his temptation, of his agony in the garden, at his resurrection, and at his
ascension. All these things show, that they were greatly engaged in this
affair; and the Scripture informs us, that they pry into these things: 1 Pet.
i. 12. "Which things the angels desire to look into." And how are they
represented in the Revelation as being employed in heaven in singing
praises to him that sitteth on the throne, and to the Lamb! Now, shall
these take so much notice of this redemption, and of the purchaser, who
need it not for themselves, and have no immediate concern or interest in
it, or offer of it; and will you, to whom it is offered, and who are in such
extreme necessity of it, neglect and take no notice of it?
3. Did Christ labour so hard, and suffer so much to procure this salvation,
and is it not worth the while for you to be at some labour in seeking it?
Did our salvation lie with such weight on the mind of Christ, as to induce
him to become man, to suffer even death itself, in order to procure it?
And is it not worth the while for you, who need this salvation, and must
perish eternally without it, to take earnest pains to obtain an interest in it
after it is procured, and all things are ready?
4. Shall the great God be so concerned about this salvation, as often to
overturn the world to make way for it; and when all is done, is it not
worth your seeking after? What great, what wonderful things has he
done; removing and setting up kings, raising up a great number of
prophets, separating a distinct people from the rest of the world,
overturning nations and kingdoms, and often the state of the world; and
so has continued bringing about one change and revolution after another
for forty centuries in succession, to make way for the procuring of this
salvation! And when at the close of these ages, the great Saviour comes,
passing through a long series of reproach and suffering, and then
suffering all the waves and billows of God's wrath for men's sins,
insomuch that they overwhelmed his soul; after all these things done to
procure salvation for sinners, is it not worthy of your being so much
concerned about it, but that it should be thrown by, and made nothing of,
in comparison of worldly gain, gay clothing, or youthful diversions, and
other such trifling things?
O! that you who live negligent of this salvation, would consider what you
do! What you have heard from this subject, may show you what reason
there is in that exclamation of the apostle, Heb. ii. 3. "How shall we
escape if we neglect so great salvation?" And in Acts xiii. 41. "Behold, ye
despisers, and wonder, and perish; for I work a work in your days, a work
which you shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you."
God looks on you as great enemies of the cross of Christ, as adversaries
and despisers of all the glory of this great work. And if God has made
such account of the glory of salvation as to destroy many nations, in order
to prepare the way for the glory of his Son in this affair; how little account
will he make of the lives and souls of ten thousand such opposers and
despisers as you, who continue impenitent, when your welfare stands in
the way of that glory! Why surely you shall be dashed to pieces as a
potter's vessel, and trodden down as the mire of the streets. God may,
through wonderful patience, bear with hardened careless sinners for a
while; but he will not long bear with such despisers of his dear Son, and
his great salvation, the glory of which he has had so much at heart, before
he will utterly consume without remedy or mercy.SECT. II.
An use of encouragement.
I will conclude with a second use, of encouragement to burdened souls to
put their trust in Christ for salvation. To all such as are not careless and
negligent, but make seeking an interest in Christ their main business,
being sensible in some measure of their necessity, and afraid of the wrath
to come; to such, what has been said on this subject holds forth great
matter of encouragement, to venture their souls on the Lord Jesus Christ.
And as motives proper to excite you so to do, let me lead you to consider
two things in particular.
1. The completeness of the purchase which has been made. You have
heard, that this work of purchasing salvation was wholly finished during
the time of Christ's humiliation. When Christ rose from the dead, and was
exalted from that abasement to which he submitted for our salvation, the
purchase of eternal life was completely made, so that there was no need
of any thing more to be done in order to it. But now the servants were
sent forth with a message, Matt. xxii. 4. "Behold, I have prepared my
dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come
unto the marriage." Therefore, are your sins many and great? Here is
enough done by Christ to procure their pardon. There is no need of any
righteousness of yours to obtain your pardon and justification: no, you
may come freely, without money and without price. Since therefore there
is such a free and gracious invitation given you, come, come naked as you
are; come as a poor condemned criminal; come and cast yourself down at
Christ's feet, as one justly condemned, and utterly helpless. Here is a
complete salvation wrought out by Christ, and through him offered to
you. Come, therefore, accept of it, and be saved.
2. For Christ to reject one that thus comes to him, would be to frustrate
all those great things which God brought to pass from the fall of man to
the incarnation of Christ. It would also frustrate all that Christ did and
suffered while on earth; yea, it would frustrate the incarnation itself. All
the great things done were for that end, that those might be saved who
should come to Christ. Therefore you may be sure Christ will not be
backward in saving those who come to him, and trust in him; for he has
no desire to frustrate himself in his own work. Neither will God the
Father refuse you; for he has no desire to frustrate himself in all that he
did for so many hundreds and thousands of years, to prepare the way for
the salvation of sinners by Christ. Come, therefore, hearken to the sweet
and earnest calls of Christ to your soul. Do as he invites and as he
commands you, Matt. xi. 28-30. "Come unto me, all ye that labour, and
are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and
learn of me; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy,
and my burden is light.''
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