BOOK 6. THE DEATH.
CHAPTER 3.
6.3.5. Of Believing in Jesus in that Respect.
Of Believing in Jesus in that Respect.
Let us believe in Jesus, carrying on the great work of our salvation for us, during his sufferings and death, every one looks upon this as an easy duty, only the humble soul, the scrupulous conscience cries out, what, "Is it possible that Christ should die, suffer, sited his blood for me? His incarnation was wonderful, his iife on earth was to astonishment; but that the Son of God should become man, live amongst men, and die such a death, even the death of the cross, for such a one as I am, I cannot believe it; it is an abyss past fathoming; the more I consider it, the more I am amazed at it:" suppose I had an enemy in my power, man or devil, one that provokes me every day, one that hunts my soul to take it away, should I not say with Saul, "If a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away?" 1 Sam. xxiv. 19. It may be an ingenious spirit (such as David) would do thus much; but would David, or any breathing soul, not only spare his enemy, but spill himself to save his enemy? Would a man become a devil to save devils? Would a man endure hell pains to free all the devils in hell from their eternal pains? And yet what are these in comparison of what Christ hath done or suffered for us. It is not so much for us to suffer for devils (for we are fellow creatures) as it is for Christ God-man, man-God to suffer for us; Oh! What an hard thing is it, considering my enmity against Christ, to believe that Christ died for me, that he gave himself to the death, even to the death of the cross for my soul?
Trembling soul! throw not away thyself in a way of unbelief. It may be thou wouldst not die for an enemy, an irreconcilable enemy; but are not the mercies of God above all the mercies of men? O believe! And that I may persuade effectually, I shall lay down first some directions, and secondly, some encouragements of faith.
1. For the directions of faith in reference to Christ's death, observe these particulars: --
(a). Faith must directly go to Christ, not first to the promise, and then to Christ. But, first, to Christ, and then to the promise; the person ever goes before the prerogative.
(b). Faith must go to Christ "as God in the flesh;" this was the difference betwixt the New Testament and Old Testament believers; their faith directs only to God, but our faith looks more immediately to Jesus Christ, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved."
(c). Faith must directly go to Christ as God in the flesh, "made under the law." He continued in all things written in the book of the law to do them, and so our faith must look upon him: but of these before; I shall now say nothing more to these particulars.
(d). Faith must go to Christ, not only as made under the directive part of the law by his life, but under the penal part of the law by his death; in both these respects, "Christ was made under the law;" the one half of the law he satisfied by the holiness of his life, he fulfilled the law in every jot and every tittle; the other half of the law he satisfied by his enduring the death of the cross; he paid both the principal and the forfeiture; and though men do not so, yet Christ did so, that the whole law might be satisfied fully, by his being under both these parts of the law, pay, and penalty; come then, and look upon Christ as dying; it was the serpent "as lifted up," and so looked at, that healed the Israelites of their fiery stings. Alas! we are diseased in a spiritual sense, as they were, and Christ Jesus was "lifted up, as a remedy to us, as the serpent was unto them; it remains therefore, that as they looked up to the brazen serpent, so we look up to Jesus, believe in Jesus as lifted up for life, and for salvation." "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but have eternal life," John iii. 14, 15. Indeed some difference there is betwixt the serpent and Christ, as: --
(i). The brazen serpent had not power in itself to cure, as Christ hath.
(ii). The serpent cured the Israelites but only for a time, to die again; but whomsoever Jesus cures in a spiritual sense, he cures forever, "They shall never die," John xi. 26. The serpent also had its time of curing, it did not always retain the virtue, but during the time they were in the wilderness; only Jesus Christ our brazen serpent, doth ever retain his power and virtue to the end of the world; and hence it is, that in the ministry Christ is still held forth as lifted up, that all that but look on him by faith may live.
(iii). The serpent, sometimes a remedy against poison, was after turned, even to poison the Israelites, which made Hezekiah to crush it, and break it, and stamp it to powder; but Jesus Christ ever remains the sovereign and healing God, "he is the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever." He is unchangeable in his goodness, as he is an holy and divine nature; he can never be defaced, nor destroyed, but he abideth the Saviour of sinners to all eternity; why then, let us rather "look unto Christ, and believe in Christ as lifted up," (i.e.) As he was crucified, and died on the cross. In this respect he is made a fit object of sinners faith to trust upon, and to rest upon; "Christ as crucified, as made sin, and a curse for us, is the object of our pardon:" O this is it that makes Christ's death so desirable! Why, therein is virtually and meritoriously pardon of sin, justification, redemption, reconciliation, and what not? Oh! Cries a sinner, "Where may I set my foot? How should I regain my God? My sin hath undone me, which way should I cast for pardon!" Why, now remember, that in seeking pardon, Christ was crucified, Christ as dying is principally to be eyed and looked at; "Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died," Rom. viii. 34. No question Christ's active obedience during his life, was most exact, and perfect, and meritorious, yet that was not the expiation of sin only his passive obedience, Christ only in his sufferings, took away sin, the guilt of sin, and punishment of sin, "We have redemption through the blood of Christ, even the forgiveness of sins," Eph. i. 7. If any humble soul would have recourse to that Christ, who is now in heaven, let him first, in the actings of his faith consider him as crucified, as lifted up, as made sin for us, as through whom (under that consideration) he is to receive pardon of sin, justification, redemption, reconciliation, sanctification, salvation.
(e). Faith in going to Christ, as lifted up, it is principally and mainly to look unto the end, meaning, intent, and design of Christ in his sufferings as he was lifted up; we are not barely to consider the history of Christ's death, but the aim of Christ in his death; many read the history, and they are affected with it; there is a principle of humanity in men, which will stir up compassion, and love, and pity towards all in misery; while Christ was suffering, the women followed after him weeping, but this weeping, not being spiritual or raised enough, he said to them, "Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves." The way of faith drawing virtue out of Christ's death, it is especially to look to the scope, and drift of Christ in his sufferings: as God looks principally to the meaning of the spirit in prayer; so doth faith look principally to the meaning of Christ in his sufferings: mistake not, my meaning is not that we should be ignorant of the history of Christ's death, or of the manner of Christ's sufferings; you see we have opened it largely, and followed it close from first to last: but we must not stick there, we should above all, look to the mind and heart of Christ in all this: some observe, that both in the Old and New Testament we find this method; first the history, and then the mystery; first the manner, and then the meaning of Christ's sufferings; as in the Old Testament, we have first, the history in Psalm xxii. written by David; and then the mystery in Isaiah liii. written by Isaiah; and in the New Testament, we have first, the manner of his sufferings; written at large by all the evangelists; and then the meaning, written by the apostles in all their epistles. Now, accordingly are the acts of faith, we must first "look on Jesus as lifted up," and then look at the end and meaning, why was this Jesus thus lifted up? Well, but you may demand, what was the end, the plot, the great design of Christ in this respect?
I answer, some ends were remote, and others were more immediate; but omitting all those ends that are remote, his glory, our salvation, etc. I shall only answer in these particulars: --
(i). One design of Christ's death, was to redeem us from the slavery of death and hell, "He hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us, as it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree," Gal. iii. 13. Hence it is, that we say, That "by his sufferings Christ hath redeemed us from hell, and by his doings Christ hath given us a right to heaven; he was made under the law, that he might redeem them that were under the law" Gal. iii. 4, 5. Alas! we were carnal, sold under sin, whereupon the law seized on us, locked us up as it were in a dungeon; yea, the sentence passed, and we but waited for execution; now to get us rid from this dismal, damnable estate, Christ himself is made under the law, that he might redeem us; redeem us, How? Not by way of entreaty, to step in and beg our pardon; that would not serve the turn; sold we were, and bought we must be; a price must be laid down for us, it was a matter of redemption; but with what must we be redeemed? Surely with no easy price: Ah! No, it cost him dear, and very dear, "Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ," 1 Pet. i. 18. His precious blood was the price we stood him, which he paid when "he gave his life a ransom for many," Matt. xx. 28, the case stood thus betwixt Christ and us in this point of redemption, we all like a crew or company of malefactors, were ready to suffer, and to be executed: now, what said Christ to this? "Why, I will come under the law, said Christ, I will suffer that which they should suffer, I will take upon me their execution, upon condition I may redeem them:" Now this he did at his death; and this was the end why he died, that by his death we might be redeemed from the slavery of death and hell.
(ii). Another design of Christ's death, was to free us from sin; not only would he remove the effect, but he would take away the cause also, "whom God hath sent forth to be a propitiation -- for the remission of sin, Rom. iii. 25 . -- Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world, John i. 29. -- He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him," 2 Cor. v. 21. -- "Once hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself, Heb. ix. 26. -- And the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin," 1 John i. 7. This was the plot which God by an ancient design aimed at in the sufferings of Jesus Christ; that he would take away sin; and thus faith must take it up, and look upon it. When Peter had set forth the heinousness of the Jews' sin; in killing Christ, he tells them at last of that design of old, "All this was done, (said he,) by the determinate council of God," Acts ii. 23. His meaning was, first to humble them, and then to raise them up, q.d. it was not so much they that wrought his death, as the decree of God, and the agreement of God and Christ; there was an ancient contrivement that Jesus Christ should die for sin, and that all our sins should be laid on the back of Jesus Christ; and therefore he seems to speak comfort to them in this, that howsoever they designed it, yet God and Christ designed, a further end in it than they imagined, even to remission of sins; "Who was delivered to death for our sins, and rose again for our justification," Rom. iv. 25. The death of Christ (as one observes) was the greatest and strangest design that ever God undertook; and therefore, sure he had an end proportionable to it: God that willeth not the death of a sinner, would not for any inferior end, will the death of his Son, whom he loved more than all the world besides; it must needs be some great matter for which God should contrive the death of his Son, and indeed it could be no less than to remove that which he most hated, and that was sin. Here then is another end of Christ's death, it was for the remission of sin, one main part of our justification.
(iii). Another design of Christ's death was to mortify our members which are upon the earth. Not only would he remit sin, but he would destroy it, kill it, crucify it; he would not have it "reign in our mortal bodies, that w T e should obey it in the lusts thereof," Rom. vi. 12. This design the apostle sets out in these words, "He bare our sins in his own body upon the tree, that we being dead unto sin, should live unto righteousness," 1 Pet. ii. 24. Christ by his death had not only a design to deliver us from the guilt of sin, but also from the power of sin; "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified to me, and I unto the world," Gal. vi, 14. Paul was a mortified man, dead to the world, and dead to sin, but how came he so to be? Why, this he attributes to the cross of Christ, to the death of Christ; the death of Jesus was the cause of this death in Paul, "How much more shall the blood of Christ -- purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living God?" Heb. ix. 14. There is in the death of Christ, first, a value, and secondly, a virtue; the former is available to our justification, the latter to our sanctification: now sanctification hath two parts, mortification and vivifacation; Christ's death or passive obedience is more properly conducive to the one, his life or active obedience to the other. Hence believers are said to be "ingrafted with Christ in the likeness of his death," Rom. vi. 5. There is a kind of likeness betwixt Christ and Christians: Christ died, and the Christian dies; Christ died a natural death, and a Christian dies a spiritual death; Christ died for sin, and the Christian dies to sin: this was another end of the death of Christ; there issues from his death a mortifying virtue, causing the death of sin in a believer's soul, one main part of our sanctification.
(e). O my soul look to this, herein lies the pith and marrow of the death of Christ; and if now thou wilt but act and exercise thy faith in this respect, How mightest thou draw the virtue and efficacy of his death into thy soul? But here is the question. How should I manage my faith, or how should I act my faith, to draw down the virtue of Christ's death, and so to feel the virtue of Christ's death in my soul mortifying, crucifying and killing sin. I answer,
(i). In prayer, meditation, self-examination, receiving of the Lord's Supper, etc. I must propound to myself and soul the Lord Jesus Christ, as having undertaken and performed that bitter and painful work of suffering, even unto death, yea, that of the cross, as it is held out in the history and narrative of the gospel.
(ii). I must really and steadfastly believe, and firmly assent, that those sufferings of Christ, so revealed and discovered, were real and true undoubted, and every way unquestionable as in themselves.
(iii). I must look upon those grievous, bitter, cruel, painful, and withal opprobrious, execrable, shameful sufferings of Christ, as very strange and wonderful; but especially considering the spiritual part of his sufferings, viz, the sense and apprehension of God's forsaking, and afflicting him in the day of his fierce anger, I should even be astonished and amazed thereat; what? That the Son of God should lav his head on the block, under the blow of divine justice? That he should put himself under the wrath of his heavenly Father? That he should enter into the combat of God's heavy displeasure, and be deprived of the sense and feeling of his love and mercy, and wonted comfort? How should I but stand aghast at these so wonderful sufferings of Jesus Christ? 4.
(iv). I must weigh and consider what it was that occasioned and caused all this, viz. Sin, yea, my sin, yea, this and that sin particularly. This comes nearer home; and from this I must now gather in these several conclusions. As, --
- It was the design of Christ by his sufferings, to give satisfaction to the infinite justice of God for sin.
- It was intended and meant (at least in a second place) to give out to the world a most notable and eminent instance and demonstration of the horridness, odiousness, and execrableness of sin, since no less than all this, yea, nothing else but this would serve the turn to expiate it, and atone for it.
- It holds forth again, as sin is horrid in itself, so it cannot but be exceeding grievous and offensive to Christ; Oh! it cost him dear, it put him to all this pain and torture, it made him cry out, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" How then should it but offend him above all, above anything in the world?
- If therefore there be in me any spark of love towards Christ, or any likeness to Christ, or, if I would have Christ to bear any affection, love, regard, or respect unto me, it will absolutely behove me, by all means, to loth sin, and to cast it away from me, and to root it up, to quit my hands, and to rid my heart of it. The truth is, I cannot possibly give forth a more pregnant proof of my sincere love, entire affection, respect, conformity, resemblance, sympathy to, and with Christ, than by offering all violence, using all holy severity against sin for his very sake.
Now, when the heart is thus exercised, God by his Spirit will not fail to meet us: our desire and endeavour of soul to weaken and kill sin in the soul is not without its reward: but especially when sin hath in this way, and by this means, lost the affection of the soul, and is brought in hatred and disesteem, it decays and dies of itself, for it only liveth and flourisheth by the warm affections, good thoughts, and opinion that the soul hath of it. So that matters going thus in the heart, the influence that should nourish and maintain sin is cut off, and it withers by degrees, till it be finally and fully destroyed.
2. Thus for directions; now for the encouragements of our faith to believe in Christ's death. Consider, --
(a). The fulness of this object Christ crucified; there is a transcendent all-sufficiency in the death of Christ. In a false sense it contains in it universal redemption: it is sufficient for the redemption of every man in the world, yea, and effectual for all that have been, are, or shall be called into the state of grace, whether Jews or Gentiles, bound or free. I know some hold, that Christ died for all and every man with a purpose to save; only thus they explicate.
- That Christ died for all men, considered in the common lapse or fall, but not as obstinate, impenitent, or unbelievers; he died not for such as such.
- That Christ died for all men in respect of the request or impenetration of salvation; but the application thereof is proper to believers.
- That Christ died not to bring all or any man actually to salvation, but to purchase salvability and reconciliation so far, as that God might and would (salva justitia) deal with them on terms of a better covenant.
- That Christ hath purchased salvability for all men, but faith and regeneration he hath merited for none; because God is bound to give that which Christ hath merited of him, although it be not desired, or craved!
I cannot assent to these positions; but this far I grant, that Christ's death in itself is a sufficient price and satisfaction to God for all the world; and that also it is effectual in many particulars to all men respectively in all the world; every man in one way or other hath the fruit of Christ's death conferred upon him; but this fruit is not of one kind, for;
- Some fruit is common to every man, as the earthly blessings, which infidels enjoy, may be termed the fruits of Christ's death.
- Other fruit is common to all the members of the visible church, as to be called by the world, to enjoy the ordinances, to live under the covenant, to partake of some graces that come from Christ.
- Other fruit is indeed peculiar to the saints of God, as faith unfeigned, regeneration, pardon of sin, adoption, etc. And yet this fruit is universal to all the saints, whether Jews or Gentiles: in which sense speaks the apostle, "He spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all," Rom. viii. 32. -- And "he gave himself a ransom for all," 1 Tim. ii. 6. -- "And God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all," Rom. xi. 32. -- And "by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life, Rom. v. 18. -- "He tasted of death for all men," Heb. ii. 9. -- or distributively for every man. All which texts are rightly interpreted by Caiaphas, "He prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation, and not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad," John xi. 51, 52. And thus John brings in the four beasts, and four and twenty elders, saying, "Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof, for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation," Rev. v. 9. and thus Paul rightly argues, "Is he the God of the Jews only; Is he not of the Gentiles also, yea, of the Gentiles also," Rom. iii. 29. O the fulness of Christ's death! -- Many are apt to complain, "Would Christ die for me? Why, alas, I am an alien, I am not of the commonwealth of Israel, I am a dog, I am a sinner, a grievous sinner, a sinner of the Gentiles:" and what then? "Ye who sometimes were afar off, are now made nigh by the blood of Christ, for he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us, that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross," Eph. ii. 13 14,16.
Oh! What encouragement is this for thee to believe thy part in the death of Christ?
(b). Consider the worth, the excellency of this glorious object, Christ crucified. There is an infinity of worth in the death of Christ; and this ariseth,
(i). From the dignity of his person, he was God-man; the death of angels and men, if put together, could not have amounted to the excellency of Christ's death: stand amazed, O believer, thou hast gained by thy loss, thou hast lost the righteousness of a creature, but the righteousness of an infinite being is now made thine: hence it is many times called the "righteousness of God," Rom. x. 3. 2 Cor. v. 21. Both because Christ is God, and because it is such a righteousness as God is satisfied with: he looks for no better, yea, there can be no better.
(ii). This worth is not only in respect of the dignity of the person, but also in respect of the price offered: O it was the blood of Christ, one drop whereof is of more worth than thousands of gold and silver! It was this "blood that purchased the whole church of God," Acts xx. 28. Which a thousand worlds of wealth could never have done.
(iii). This worth is not only in respect of the person and price neither, but also in respect of the manner of the oblation, 1 Pet. i. 18. Christ must die on the cross, as it was determined: the price in itself is not enough, unless it be ordered and proportioned according to the will of him who is to be satisfied: if a man should give for a captive prisoner an infinite sum of money, sufficient in itself to redeem a thousand, yet, if not according to such a way as the conqueror prescribeth, if not according to the condition, it could not be called a satisfaction. Now this was the condition that Christ must die, and die that death of the cross; and accordingly he undertook and performed, which set a lustre, and glory, and excellency, and worth upon his death. O the worth, O the excellency of this death of Christ! Many are apt to complain, O the filth of my sins! "O the injuries and unkindness that have been in mine iniquities! Is it not my misery, my destruction that so much troubles me, as that God is displeased?" Sweet soul! Turn thine eyes hither; surely this death of Christ is more satisfactory to God, than all thy sins possibly can be displeasing to God, there was more sweet savour in Christ's sacrifice, than there could be offence in all thy sins; the excellency of Christ's death in making righteous, doth superabound the filthiness of sin in making a sinner. Come on then, and close with Christ upon this encouragement: there is a dignity, an excellency in this object of faith, Christ crucified.
(c). Consider the suitableness of this blessed object, the death of Christ. There is in it suitableness to our sinful condition; whatsoever the sin is, it is the cry of some, "They dare not believe, they dare not touch Christ crucified, they dare not approach to that precious blood, because of this sin, and that sin, and the other sin." Whereas in the death and blood of Christ (if they could but take a full view of it) they might find something suitable to their state: as for instance suppose thy sin the greatest sin imaginable, except that against the Holy Ghost, art thou a murderer? Hast thou had thy hands imbrued in the blood of saints? Why, see now how Christ, for thy sake, was esteemed of the Jews a murderer, and worse than a murderer. Barabbas is preferred before Jesus, Barabbas is released, and Jesus murdered; yea, his blood is shed to wash away thy bloodshed: art thou a sorcerer, a necromancer? Is thy sin the sin of Manasseh, of whom it is said. That "he used enchantments, and witchcrafts; and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards," 2 Chron. xxxiii. 6. Why, see now how Jesus Christ, for thy sake, was esteemed of the Jews as an imposter, an enchanter: for so some say, that he got the name of God, and sewed it in his thigh: and by virtue thereof he wrought all his miracles; and they commonly reported of him that he had a devil, and that "he cast out devils, through Beelzebub prince of devils." Art thou a blasphemer? Hast thou joined with those in these sad times, who have opened their mouths against the God of heaven, enough to make a Christian rend his heart, and weep in blood? Why, see now how Jesus for thy sake was judged of Caiaphas, and all the Sanhedrim, for a blasphemer of God, and that in the highest kind of blasphemy, as making himself equal with God: yea, see how "the high priest rends his clothes, saying. He hath spoken blasphemy," Matt. xxvi. 65. Surely all this he endured, that every blasphemer may find mercy, if they will but come in, and believe in Jesus. I might instance in other sins. Art thou a traitor, a glutton, a drunkard, a wine-bibber, a thief, a seducer, a companion of sinners? Why, see now how Jesus Christ was for thy sake thus called, reputed, accounted: whatever the sin is, there is something in Christ that answers that very sinfulness; thou art a sinner, and he is made sin to satisfy the wrath of God even for thy sin; thou art such, and such a sinner, and he is accounted such, and such a sinner for thy sake, that thou mightest find in him something suitable to thy condition, and so the rather be encouraged to believe, that in him, and through him, all thy sins shall be done away. Away, away unbelief, distrust, despair! You see now the brazen serpent lifted up, you see what a blessed object is before you; O believe! O look up unto Jesus! O believe in him thus carrying on the work of thy salvation in his death.