Part 14
the dominion of that covenant to which the curse belongs; but the rest are blinded, they cannot read it there. But God will write another full commentary on it after the last judgment, whence all the men of the Lord's curse shall, in their horrible experience, learn what was in it, namely, in the threatening of the covenant of works. The dregs of the cup of the curse shall then be brought above, and they shall drink them.
1. In virtue of the curse, the pit, having received them, shall close its mouth on them. A fearful emblem of this we have, Numb. 16:32, 33, in the case of Korah and his company; "And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. They, and all that appertained to them went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them." Compare that threatening, Psalm 21:9, "Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger, the Lord shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them." They shall be cast into the lake of fire, as death and hell are, to be shut up there without coming forth again any more, Rev. 20:14, 15. By the force of the curse upon them, they shall be confined in the place allotted for damned men and devils. It shall so draw the bars of the pit about them, that sooner shall they remove mountains of brass than remove them. It shall be stronger than chains of iron to bind them hand and foot that they make no escape, Matth. 22:13, yea and to bind them in bundles for the fire of God's wrath, that companions in sin may be companions in punishment, Matth. 13:30.
2. The curse shall shall then be like a partition wall of adamant, to separate them quite from God, and any the least comfortable intercourse with him, Matth. 25:41. While on the other side of the wall the light of glory shines, more bright than a thousand suns,filling the saints with joy unspeakable, and which we cannot
com prehend, and causing the arch of heaven to ring with their songs of praise; on their side is nothing but utter darkness, without the least gleam of light; and there shall be weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth. For why, God himself is the only true happiness of the creature, and Christ the only way to the Father; but then there is a total and final separation betwixt God and Christ, and them. The day of the Lamb's wrath is come, all possibility of reconciliation is removed, and patience towards them is quite ended, and the curse hath its full stroke; so God, the fountain of all good, departs quite from them, abandons them, casts them off utterly, and that moment all the streams of goodness towards them dry up, and their candle is quite extinguished. Then shall be known what is in that word, Hos. 9:12, "Wo to them when I depart from them." And then there is no getting over the wall, no passing of the great gulf for ever, Luke 16:26.
3. It shall hence be a final stop to all sanctifying influences towards them. While they are in this world, there is a possibility of removing the curse, and that the worst of men may be made holy; but when there is a total and final separation from God in hell, sorely there are no sanctifying influences there. The corrupt nature they carried with them thither, must then abide with them there; and they must needs act there, since their being is continued; and a corrupt nature will ever act corruptly, while it acts at all, Matth. 7:17. And therefore there will be sin in hell after the last judgment, unless one will suppose that they will be under no law there; which is absurd, seeing a creature, as a creature, owes obedience to God in what state soever it be. Yea, they will sin there at a horrible rate, in blasphemies against God, and other sins akin thereto, as men absolutely void of all goodness, in a desperate state of misery, Rev. 14 ult.; Matth 22:13. The curse will be a dry wind, not to fan nor to cleanse, but to wither, blast, and kill their souls.
4. It shall be the breath that shall blow the fire continually, and keep it burning, for their exquisite torment in soul and body; Isa. 30:33, "For Tophet is ordained of old: yea, for the king it is prepared: be hath made it deep and large; the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it." There the worm which shall gnaw them, shall never die, for the curse will keep it in life; the fire that shall burn them shall never be quenched, for the curse shall nourish it, and be as bellows blowing it, to cause it flame without intermission. The curse shall enter into their souls, and melt them like wax before the fire; it shall sink into their flesh and bones, like boiling lead, and terment them in every part. It will stake them down there as marks for the arrows of God, which, dipt in the poison of the curse, shall be continually piercing them and burning them up. No pity, no compassion to be shewn any more, but the fire-balls of the curse will be flying against them incessantly; Rev. 14:11, "The smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night."
5. Lastly, The curse shall lengthen out their misery to all eternity; Matth. 25:41, "Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire." It binds the sinner to make complete and full satisfaction, for all the wrongs he has done to the honour of an infinite God; it binds him to pay till there be a sufficient compensation made for them all. Now, there being no proportion betwixt finite and infinite, the finite creature can never, by its sufferings, expiate its crimes against an infinite God. Hence, when the sinner has suffered millions of ages in hell, the curse still binds him down to suffer more, because he has not yet fully satisfied; and since he can never fully satisfy, it will bind him down for ever and ever, Rev. 14:11, and will bring new floods of wrath over his head; and renew its demands of satisfaction through the ages of eternity, but never, never say, It is enough.
THE COVENANT OF GRACE
The Covenant of Grace,
The Grand Foundation of all Saving Mercy to Lost Sinners of Adam's
Race
1. It is the foundation of the first saving mercy that a poor sinner meets with; and that is the first grace given to the dead soul, viz. spiritual life, the new heart, the first resurrection, by which the soul is enabled to believe and embrace Jesus Christ, Ezek. 36:26. 'A new heart will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you.' This is saving mercy, Tit. 3:5. 'According to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.' Upon what bottom can this stone in the building be laid, but on the covenant betwixt the Father and Christ? No doing of the sinner can be pretended here, for life and salvation, since the sinner is really dead spiritually, and can do nothing; but it is a performing of the promise of the covenant to Christ, Eph. 2:5. 'Even when we were dead in sins, he hath quickened us together with Christ.'
2. It is the foundation of the middle saving mercies. Look to the soul's actual believing; it is the budding of a promise, a branch of that covenant, Psal. 22:29, 31. 'None can keep alive his own soul. They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness.' Compare John 6:37. 'All that the Father giveth me shall come to me.' Justification is the fruit that grows upon it, Isa. 53:11. 'By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many.' So is Sanctification; they are sanctified in Christ Jesus, in virtue of that covenant, as they were corrupted and defiled in Adam by virtue of the breach of the first
covenant, 1 Cor. 1:2 compare Ezek. 36:25. 'I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols will I cleanse you.' This is an absolute promise with respect to the sinner. All their obedience itself, and persevering in holy obedience, are fruits of the covenant, ver. 27. 'I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them,' Jer. 32:40. 'I will put my fear in their hearts, and they shall not depart from me;' and so belong to the promise of it, and are no part of the proper condition of it, which must go before partaking of the fruits of it.
3. It is the foundation of the crowning mercy, eternal life in heaven, Tit. 1:2. To whom could this be promised before the world began, but to the Son of God in the eternal compact? So that the sinner comes to be partaker of it in him, as he is of death in Adam, John 17:2. 'Thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.' Hence notwithstanding all the good works of the saints, wrought all their life long, they receive eternal life as freely, and as much a gift, as if they had nothing, Rom. 6:21. 'The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.' Hence they who have done most for God, are as deep in the debt of free grace for their crown, as the thief on the cross, who believed in Christ and then expired. For all is made over to the several persons of the seed, upon one bottom of the covenant, the proper condition of which was fulfilled by Jesus Christ.
To confirm it, consider,
1. The justice of God could not admit of mercy to lost sinners, but upon the ground of this covenant; whereby the repairing of the honour of the law by obedience and suffering was sufficiently provided for, Psal. 40:6, 7. The first covenant being broken, the
breakers must 'die without mercy,' Heb. 10:28 unless salvation to them be brought about by another covenant, that shall repair the breach; which could be no other but that made with the chosen One.
2. All saving relation betwixt Christ and us is founded on that covenant. Christ obeyed and died; but what benefit have the fallen angels thereby? They were left hopeless for all that, and must encounter with unatoned justice. Why? Not that Christ's doing and dying was not able to save them; the blood of infinite value can have no bounds set to its sufficiency: but because their names were not in that covenant, it had no relation to them, but to lost sinners of Adam's race, Heb. 2:16.
3. The very design of making that covenant was, that it might be the channel of saving mercy, in which the whole rich flood of it might run, for the quickening, purifying, blessing, fructifying, and perfecting of an elect world, lying under the bands of death and the curse by the breach of the first covenant, Psal. 89:2. 'Mercy shall be built up for ever;' compared with the text, I have made a covenant with my chosen. It was the Father's design; and it was the Son's design, Cant. 3:10. Men are apt to devise unto themselves other channels of mercy; but this being the only channel designed by infinite wisdom, here the sinful creature will find saving mercy flowing freely, but all other channels he will find quite dry.
4. Lastly, It has been the ground of all the saints' expectations and hopes of mercy, in all ages. It was first published in the promise made to Adam, Gen. 3:15. 'The seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the serpent;' and that was the stay of the souls of the faithful till Abraham's time: then it was more clearly discovered in the promise given to him, Gen. 22:18. 'In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.' The ceremonial law, and the prophecies of
Christ, pointed out very fully. And thus believers under the Old Testament built their faith of mercy on it. And since that time it has been most clearly and fully discovered in the gospel; and so the New Testament church have raised their faith of mercy on it.
Instructions Deduced from the Consideration of Saving Mercy Exhibited
in the Covenant of Grace
1. Behold here the freeness of saving mercy. There is a fountain of mercy opened to sinful creatures; and it was not only provided for them without any merit of theirs, but without so much as any application made by them for it, Rom. 11:34. A covenant of grace is made betwixt the Father and his own Son as party-contractor on man's side, who doth this for their salvation while they knew nothing about the matter. Here is rich and free grace.
2. It is a vain thing to remain about the ruins of the old building, which stood on the covenant of works, and to expect mercy, life, or salvation there, Gal. 2:10. 'Man is not justified by the works of the law. It is evident, that man must have mercy now, else he is ruined for ever, without any possible outgate from his misery. If the building of mercy could have been without a new foundation, why was it laid, and laid so deep? But a new foundation was not laid in vain, but because it was necessary that it should be. Therefore expect no mercy in the way of the first covenant. Mount Sinai shews only thunders and lightnings, the voice of the trumpet waxing louder and louder, and the voice of words, which sinners are not able to bear. There is no voice of mercy and grace but from mount Zion.
3. What a wretched disposition in man's nature is it, to be so much addicted to the way of the covenant of works? God saw that there was no hope for fallen man that way; therefore he made a new covenant to build mercy upon. But fallen man will not see it, but still aims to make a shift for himself that way. Our father Adam was well housed indeed in the first building, if he had managed well; but it was by his sin laid in ruins. Yet his sinful children still abide about these ruins, building cottages to themselves of the ruins, seeking righteousness as it were by the work of the law, Rom. 9:32 and pretending to repair it for themselves. The Jews were never more addicted to the temple, than mankind naturally is to that building on the first covenant. The Jews, after their temple had been laid in ruins, never to be rebuilt, did notwithstanding, in the days of Julian the apostate, attempt to rebuild it; and ceased not, till by an earthquake which shook the old foundation, and turned all down to the ground, and by fire from heaven which burned all their tools, they were forced to forbear. Thus it fares with men with respect to the building on the old covenant; they will never give it over, nor cry for a Mediator in earnest, till mount Sinai, where they work, be all on fire about them. O the mischief of this practice! They thereby affront the wisdom of God, which found out this new way; they despise the grace, free love, and mercy of it; they trample upon the great salvation brought about by it, Heb. 2:3. And withal they fight against their own interest; will not enter by the door that is opened for them, but hang about the door that is closed, and shall never be opened to them, and so perish. Thus they forsake their own mercy,' Jonah 2:8.
4. Lastly, Quit the old Covenant, then, and take hold of the new, that yon may be personally entered into it. This you may do by taking hold of Christ, in the way of believing; for he is given for a covenant of the people, Isa. 42:6. So the proposal of the covenant is made to you, Isa. 55:3. And thus shall ye be lodged in the building of saving
mercy; and mercy shall be built up to you for ever. But if you do not take hold of this covenant, ye are off the foundation of mercy, and can look for none of it.
How Christ the Son of God Became the Second Adam. and How the Covenant of Grace was made With Him as the Second
Adam
First, How Christ the Son of God became second Adam? This we may take up in two things.
1. The Father willed and designed, that his own Son, the eternal Word, should, for the purpose of mercy towards mankind lost, take on their nature, and become man. He saw that sacrifice and offering would not answer the case; the debt was greater than to be paid at that rate; the redemption of souls could not be managed but by a person of infinite dignity: wherefore, having purposed that the darling attribute of mercy should be illustrated in the case of lost mankind, he willed the human nature to be united in time to the divine nature, in the person of the Son.
And hereunto the Son, as the eternal Word, the second person of the glorious Trinity, having no nearer relation to man than as his sovereign Lord Creator, readily agreed: Heb. 10:5, "Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not, but a body hast thou prepared me."—Ver. 7, "Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me) to do thy will, O God." The eternal Word consented to be made flesh, that all flesh might not perish: he consented to become man, to take unto a personal union with himself a human nature, to wit, a true body and a reasonable soul, according to the eternal destination
of his Father. This was an instance of amazing condescension. The highest monarch's consent to lay aside his robes of majesty, to clothe himself with rags, and become a beggar, is not to be compared with it. Nay the highest angel's consent to become a worm, is not to be named in one day with the eternal Son of God, the Father's equal, his consenting to become man: for the distance between the divine nature and the human is infinite; whereas the distance between the angelic nature, and the nature of worms of the earth, is but finite.
Now, the effect of this was, that hereby the Son of God was constituted substantial Mediator, or Mediator in respect of nature, between God and man. Being from eternity God equal with the Father, he so stood related to heaven: and having from eternity consented to become man, he so stood related to earth: for though he did not actually take on him the nature of man until the fulness of time appointed by the Father; yet, forasmuch as he had from eternity consented to take it on, and it was impossible that his consent should miss to take effect, he was recokened in law, to all intents and purposes thereof, as if he had actually been incarnate. A type of this his substantial mediation was Jacob's ladder, which was "set upon the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven," Gen. 28:12. A clear emblem of the divine and human nature in Christ, through whom, as substantial Mediator, there was a way opened towards a communication for peace between heaven and earth. Accordingly our Lord Jesus applies it to himself: John 1:51, "Hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the "angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man;" to wit, as on Jacob's ladder, Gen. 28:12.
2. The Father chose him to be head of the election; to be the last Adam, federal head and representative of such as sovereign pleasure should pitch upon to be vessels of mercy, and inrolled in the book of
life; a head and representative with whom he might make the new covenant for life and salvation to them.
And to this also he readily agreed, consenting to be the last or second Adam, head and representative of the election; to sustain their persons, and transact in their name: Isa. 43:1, "Behold—mine elect in whom my soul delighteth." Psalm 89:19, "I have exalted one chosen out of the people." 1 Cor. 15:47, "The second man is the Lord from heaven." The breach between God and man was greater than to be done away by a mere intermessenger, who travelling between parties at variance, reconciles them with bare words. There could be no covenant of peace betwixt God and sinners without reparation of damages done to the honour of God through sin, and without honouring of the holy law by an exact obedience: but these things being quite beyond their reach, Christ the Son of God saith, "Lo, I come; I am content to take their place, and put myself in their room as a second Adam."
Now, the effect of this was, that hereby he was constituted last Adam, or the second man, 1 Cor. 15:47; and official Mediator, or Mediator in respect of office, between God and man, 1 Tim. 2:5, 6, "There is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all." Being called of his Father unto that office, and having embraced the call thereto, he was invested with the office, and treated with as such, before the world began, Tit. 1:2. And indeed he, and he only, was fit for it. The two families of heaven and earth being at war, there could be no peace between them but through a Mediator. But where could a mediator be found to interpose between such parties, who would not either have been too high, or else too low, in respect of one of the parties at variance? Man or angels would have been too low, in respect of God; and an unveiled God would have been too high, in respect of sinful men,
unable to bear intercourse with such heavenly majesty. Wherefore the Son of God, that he might be fit to mediate; as he being God equal with the Father, was high enough in respect of the party offended; so he consented to become low enough in respect of the party offending, by his becoming man.
Secondly, It is to be inquired, How the covenant was made with Christ as second Adam? And this also may be taken up in two things.
1. The Father designed a certain number of lost mankind, as it were by name, to be the constituent members of that body chosen to life, of which body Christ was the designed head; and he gave them to him for that end: Phil. 4:3, "My fellow-labourers, whose names are in the book of life." John 17:6, "Thine they were, and thou gavest them me." These were a chosen company, whom sovereign free grace picked out from among the rest of mankind, on a purpose of love, and gave to the second Adam for a seed; on which account they are said to have been chosen in him, Eph. 1:4; being in the decree of election laid upon him as the foundation-stone, to be built upon him, and obtain salvation by him, 1 Thess. 5:9; which decree, as it relates to the members elect, is therefore called the book of life; being as it were the roll which the Father gave to the second Adam, the headelect, containing the names of those designed to be his seed, to receive life by him.
Now, our Lord Jesus standing as second Adam, head of the election, to wit, such as sovereign pleasure should pitch upon to be vessels of mercy, did accept of the gift of the particular persons elected or chosen by his Father: John 17:6, "Thine they were, and thou gavest them me." Ver. 10, "And thine are mine." Like as the first Adam, in the making of the first covenant, stood alone without actual issue, yet had destinated for him a numerous issue, to be comprehended with
him in that covenant, to wit, all mankind; the which Adam did at least virtually accept: so a certain number of lost mankind being elected to life, God, as their original proprietor, gave them to Christ the appointed head, to be his members, and comprehended with him in the second covenant, though as yet none of them were in being; and he accepted of the gift of them, being well-pleased to take them in particular for his body mystical, for which he should covenant with his Father. And, in token thereof, he as it were received and kept as his own the book of life containing their names, which is therefore called the Lamb's book of life, Rev. 21:27.
2. The Father proposed to him as second Adam, the new covenant for life and salvation to them, in the full tenor, promises, and condition thereof; treating in him with all those particular persons of lost mankind elected unto life, and given to him, even as he treated with all mankind in Adam in the first covenant. The promises therein proposed, were indeed great and glorious; but withal the condition, or terms, on which they were proposed, were exceeding high.
Howbeit, as the first Adam, standing as head and representative of all his natural seed, entered into the first covenant with God, accepting the promise thereof, upon the terms and condition therein proposed, which he engaged to fulfil; so our Lord Jesus standing as second Adam, head and representative of the particular persons of lost mankind, by name elected to life, and given to him as his spiritual seed, entered into the second covenant with his Father; accepting the promises thereof, upon the terms and condition therein proposed; consenting and engaging to fulfil the same, for them. And thus the covenant of grace was made, and concluded, betwixt the Father and Christ the second Adam, from all eternity; being the second covenant, in respect of order and manifestation to the world, though it was first in being: 1 Cor. 15:47, "The second man
is the Lord from heaven." Isa. 53:10, "When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed." Tit. 1:2, "In hope of eternal life, which God that cannot lie, promised before the world began." Psalm 40:6, "Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire, mine ears hast thou opened"—7, "Then said I, Lo, I come"—8, "I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart."
For What, Christ, in the Covenant of Grace, became Surety to God, for His
People
1. He became surety for their debt of punishment, which they as sinners were liable in payment of, as the original phraseth it, 2 Thess. 1:9. That was the debt owing to the divine justice, for all and every one of their sins, original or actual. The demerit of their sins, as offences against an infinite God, was an infinite punishment. They were liable to bear the pains of death, in the full latitude thereof; to suffer the force of revenging wrath, to the complete satisfaction of infinite justice, and full reparation of God's injured honour. This was their debt of punishment: a debt which they themselves could never have cleared, though paying to the utmost of their power, through the ages of eternity. But this their debt Christ became surety for, obliging himself to lay down his life for theirs which was lost in law: Psalm 40:6, 7, "Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire, mine ears hast thou opened—Then said I Lo, I come." John 10:15, "I lay down my life for the sheep." Ver. 18, "I lay it down of myself; I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father." Here is a suretiship that never had a match! David in a transport of grief for the death of his son Absalom, wishes he had died for him 2 Sam. 18:33; Reuben will venture the life of his two sons for Benjamin, Gen. 42:37; and
Judah will venture his own for him, chap. 43:9, while yet there was hope that all would be safe: but our Lord Jesus deliberately pledgeth his own life for sinners, when it was beyond all peradventure, the precious pledge would be lost in the cause, and that the death he would suffer, would be a thousand deaths in one. Some have offered themselves sureties in capital causes, and embraced death, for their country or friends: and "peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, (and enemies), Christ died for us," Rom. 5:7, 8, 10.
Now, in the second Adam's suretiship for the criminal debt of his spiritual seed, there was not an ensuring of the payment thereof one way or other, only; as in simple cautionary: but there was an exchange of persons in law; Christ substituting himself in their room and taking the whole obligation on himself. This the free grace of God the creditor did admit, when he might have insisted, that the soul that sinned should die: and, a delay being withal granted as to the time of the payment, God thus manifested his forbearance, celebrated by the apostle, Rom. 3:25. And, in virtue of that substitution, Christ became debtor in law, bound to pay that debt which he contracted not; to restore that which he took not away, Psalm 69:4. For, becoming surety for them, to the end there might be laid a foundation, in law and justice, for exacting their debt of punishment from him, there guilt was transferred on him, Isa. 53:6. "The Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all." This was pointed at, in the laying of the hand on the head of the sacrifices under the law, especially on the head of the scape-goat, Lev. 16:21. "And Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat." All the sins of all the elect were at once imputed to the surety, and so became his,
as his righteousness becomes ours, namely, in law-reckoning, 2 Cor. 5:21. "For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." And he himself speaks so of them, Psalm 40:12. "Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me;" as several valuable interpreters do understand it, according as the apostle gives us direction, determining Christ himself to be the speaker in this Psalm. Heb. 10:5, 6, 7. He was indeed without sin inherent in him; but not without sin imputed to him, till in his resurrection he got up his discharge, having cleared the debt by his death and sufferings. Then was he justified in the Spirit, 1 Tim. 3:16, and so shall appear the second time, without sin, Heb. 9:28; the sin which was upon him, by imputation, the first time he appeared, being done away at his resurrection. This relation of our sin to Christ, is necessary from the nature of suretiship for debt; in which case, no body doubts but the debt becomes the surety's, when once he hath stricken hands for it. And how else could the law have justly proceeded against Christ? How could our punishment have been, in justice, inflicted on him, if he had not had such a relation to our sin? If the law could not charge our sin on him, in virtue of his own voluntary undertaking, it could have no ground in justice to inflict our punishment on him.
2. He became surety for their debt of duty or obedience; the which also is a debt according to the style of the holy scripture, Gal. 5:3, "A debter to do the whole law." The law as a covenant of works, though it was broken by them, and they had incurred the penalty thereof, yet neither lost its right, nor ceased to exact of them the obedience which at first it required of man, as the condition of life. They were still bound to perfect obedience, and on no lower terms could have eternal life, as our Lord taught the lawyer for his humiliation, Luke 10:28, "Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live." The paying of the debt of punishment might satisfy as to the penalty of
the bond; but there is yet more behind, for him who will meddle in the affairs of the broken company. How shall the principal sum therein contained, be paid; namely, the debt of obedience to the law, for life and salvation? The honouring of God could not allow the quitting of it: and they were absolutely unable to pay one mite of it, that would have been current in heaven; forasmuch as they were without strength, Rom. 5:6, and dead in trespasses and sins, Eph. 2:1, quite as unfit for the doing part, as for the suffering part. But Christ became surety for this debt of theirs too, namely, the debt of obedience to the law as a covenant, which was, and is the only obedience to it for life; obliging himself to clear it by obeying in their room and stead, and fulfilling what the law could demand of them in this kind: Psalm 40:7, 8, "Then said I, Lo, I come, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart." Matth. 3:15, "Thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness." Chap. 5:17, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil."
And here also there was an exchange of persons in law, Christ substituting himself in their room, and taking their obligation on himself: in virtue of which, he became the law's debtor for that obedience owing by them; and this he himself solemnly owned, by his being circumcised, Luke 2:21, according to that of the apostle, Gal. 5:3, "I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law." For becoming surety for them in this point also, he transferred on himself their state of servitude, whereby the law had a right to exact that debt of him, which they, upon the breach of the covenant of works, were liable in payment of.
For clearing of this, it is to be considered, that all mankind was by the first covenant, the covenant of works, constituted God's hired servants; and actually entered into that their service, in their head the first Adam. And in a token hereof, we are all naturally inclined in
that character to deal with God; though by the fall we are rendered incapable to perform the duty of it, Luke 15:19, "Make me as one of thy hired servants." The work they were to work, was perfect obedience to the holy law; the hire they were to have for their work, was life, Rom. 10:5, "The man that doth those things, shall live by them." The penalty of breaking away from their master, was bondage under the curse, Gal. 3:10, "Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them." But violating that covenant of hired service, they brake away from their Lord and Master: so they not only lost all plea for the hire, but they became bond-men under the curse; still obliged to make out their service, and that, furthermore, in the misery of a state of servitude or bondage, Gal. 4:24, "These are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage." Their falling under the curse inferred the loss of their liberty, and constituted them bondmen; as appears from the nature of the thing, and instances of the cursed in other cases, as Gen. 9:25, "Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be." Josh. 9:23, "Now therefore ye" (namely, the Gibeonites) "are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bond-men." The very ground being cursed, (Gen. 3:17.) falls under bondage, according to the scripture, Rom. 8:21.
Now, Christ saw all his spiritual seed in this state of servitude; but unable to bear the misery of it, or to fulfil the service: and he put himself in their room, as they were bond-men; transferring their state of servitude on himself, and so sisting himself a bondservant for them.
The holy scripture sets this matter in a clear light. That is a plain testimony unto it, Phil. 2:6, 7, 8, "Who being in the form of God— took upon him the form of a servant—and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." The form of a servant which he
took upon him, was the form of a bond-servant. For so the word in the original properly signifies; being the same word that is constantly used in that New Testament phrase, which we read bond or free, or bond and free, 1 Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:28; Eph. 6:8; Col. 3:11; Rev. 13:16. and 19:18. And the apostle leads us to understand it so here, telling ns, that this great surety-servant became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. The which kind of death was a Roman punishment, called by them, the servile punishment, or punishment of bond-servants; because it was the death that bond-men malefactors were ordinarily doomed unto; freemen seldom, if ever, according to law. And forasmuch as his being in the form of God, denotes his being very God, having the very nature or essence of God; for the form is that which essentially distinguisheth things, and makes a thing to be precisely what it is; and this form is, according to the apostle, the foundation of his equality with God his Father, which nothing really different from the divine essence, can be: therefore his taking upon him the form of a bond-servant, must necessarily denote his becoming really a bond-servant, as really as ever man did, who was brought into bondage, or a state of servitude.
The Father solemnly declares the transferring of our state of servitude on Christ, speaking to him under the name of Israel, as was cleared before, Isa. 49:3, "Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified." As if the Father had said to him, "Son, be it known, it is agreed that I take thee in the room and place of Israel, the spiritual seed, to perform the service due in virtue of the broken original contract: Thou in their stead art my servant; my bondservant," as the word is rendered, Lev. 25:39, and elsewhere: "it is from thy hand I will look for that service." Agreeable hereunto is the account we have of our redemption from the curse, Gal. 3:13. namely, that it was by Jesus Christ being made a "curse for us: for it
is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:" the which Christ did, dying on a cross, the capital punishment of bond-men.
Behold the solemnity of the translation, Psalm 40:6, "Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire, mine ears hast thou opened." The word here rendered opened, properly signifies digged, as may be seen in the margin of our Bibles: and so the words are, "Mine ears thou diggedst through;" that is, boredst, as it is expressed in our paraphase of the Psalms in metre, "Mine ears thou bor'd." This has a manifest view to that law concerning the bond-servant, Exod. 21:6, "Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the doorpost: and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him for ever;" that is, in the language of the law, till death. This is confirmed from Hos. 3:2, "So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver;" which was the half of the stated price of a bond-woman, Exod. 21:32. In the original it is, "So I digged her through me;" the same word being here used by the Holy Ghost, as Psalm 40:6. It is a pregnant word, which is virtually two in signification; and the sense is, I bought her, and bored her ear to my door-post, to be my bond-woman: according to the law, Deut. 15:17, "Thou shall take an awl, and thrust it through his ear unto the door, and he shall be thy servant for ever: and also unto thy maidservant thou shalt do likewise." That the boring of her ear as a bondwoman, was noways inconsistent with the prophet's betrothing of her to himself, Hos. 3:3, appears from Exod. 21:8.
Joseph was an eminent type of Christ, as the Father's servant. And it is observable, that he was first a bond-servant, and then an honorary servant. In the former state, being sold for a servant, Psalm 105:17, he was a type of Christ, a bond-servant in his state of humiliation; whose most precious life was accordingly sold by Judas for thirty pieces of silver, the stated price of the life of a bond-servant; Exod.
21:32, "If the ox shall push a man-servant; or maid-servant; he shall give unto their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned." In the latter state, being made ruler over all the land of Egypt, Psalm 105:21, 22; Gen. 41:40, he was a type of Christ, in that most honourable and glorious service or ministry, which was conferred on him in his state of exaltation, wherein he was constituted a servant, for whose law the isles shall wait, Isa. 40:1, 4; God having given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, Phil. 2:9, 10. This latter service of Christ belongs to the promise of the covenant: but the former, to wit, the bond-service, being his surety-service, belongs to the condition of the covenant. Wherefore, rising from the dead, having fulfilled the condition of the covenant, paid the debt for which he became surety, and got up the discharge, he put off for ever the form and character of a bond-servant, "and rose and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living," Rom. 14:9.
And hence it clearly appears, how the obedience of the man Christ comes, in virtue of the covenant, to be imputed to believers for righteousness, as well as his satisfaction by suffering: for that kind of obedience which he performed as our surety, was no more due by him, antecedently to his contract of suretiship, than his satisfaction by suffering. It is true, the human nature of Christ, being a creature, owed obedience to God in virtue of its creation; and must owe it for ever, forasmuch as the creature, as a creature, is subject to the natural law, the eternal rule of righteousness: but Christ's putting himself in a state of servitude, taking on him the form of a bondservant, and in the capacity of a bond-servant, performing obedience to the law, as it was stated in the covenant, for life and salvation was entirely voluntary. Obedience to the natural law was due by the man Christ, by a natural tie; but obedience to the positive law, binding to be circumcised, baptized and the like, which is supposed guilt on the
party subjected thereto, was not due, but by his own voluntary engagement. And the obedience of a son to the natural law, he owed naturally: but obedience to that or any other law, in the character of a bond-servant, and thereby to gain eternal life and salvation, he owed not but by compact. The human nature of Christ had a complete right to eternal life, and was actually possessed thereof in virtue of its union with the divine nature; so that there was no occasion for him to gain life to himself by his obedience. Wherefore, Christ's taking on him the form of a bond-servant and in that character obeying the law for life and salvation, were a mere voluntary work of his, as surety for sinners; wherein he did that which he was no otherwise. bound to, than by his own voluntary undertaking. Now, forasmuch as the obedience of Christ imputed to believers for righteousness, is his obedience of this kind only; there is a clear ground for its imputation to them according to the covenant.
The Absolute Necessity of Christ's
Priesthood
1. Those whom he represented, were sinners: and there could not be a new covenant without provision made for removing of their sin; and that required a priest. The first covenant was made without a priest, because then there was no sin to take away; the parties therein represented, as well as the representative, were considered as innocent persons. But the second covenant was a covenant of peace and reconciliation between an offended God and sinners, not to be made but by the mediation of a priest, who should be able to remove sin, and repair the injured honour of God: Zech. 6:13, He shall be a priest upon his throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both." And there was none fit to bear that character but Christ himself. No man was fit to bear it; because all men were sinners
themselves, and such an high priest became us, as was undefiled, separated from sinners, Heb. 7:26. It is true, the elect angels were indeed undefiled; but yet none of them could be priest of the covenant; because,
2. Sin could not be removed without a sacrifice of sufficient value, which they were not able to afford. The new covenant behoved to be a covenant by sacrifice, a covenant written in blood; and without shedding of blood, there was no remission, Heb. 9:22. Therefore the typical covenant with Abraham was not made without the solemnity of sacrifice, Gen 15:9; that he might know the covenant to be a covenant of reconciliation, in which a just God did not shew his mercy, but in a way consistent with the honour of his justice. Now the sacrifices of beasts, yea, and whatsoever the creatures could afford for sacrifice in this case, were infinitely below the value. But Jesus Christ becoming a priest, gave himself a sacrifice to God, for establishing the covenant; and that sacrifice was for a sweet-smelling savour, Eph. 5:2, or, as the Old Testament phrase is, a a savour of rest, Gen. 8:21, marg. The represented being sinners, were corrupt and abominable before God; and he as it were smelled a savour of disquiet from them, they being a smoke in his nose, Isa. 65:6; their sin set his revenging justice and wrath astir. But the sacrifice of Christ himself, was fit to send forth such a sweet smelling savour unto God, as should quite overcome the abominable savour rising from them, and lay his revenging justice and wrath to the most calm and profoundest rest.
The necessity of a sacrifice in the second covenant, arose from the justice of God requiring the execution of the curse of the broken first covenant; whereby the sinner should fall a sacrifice for his sin, according to that, Psalm 94:23, "He shall bring upon them their own iniquity, and shall cut them off in their own wickedness." It was an
ancient custom in making of covenants, to cut a beast in twain, and to pass between the parts of it: and that passing between the parts, respected the falling of the curse of the covenant upon the breaker: Jer. 34:18, "And I will give the men that have transgressed my covenant, which have not performed the words of the covenant which they had made before me, when they cut the calf in twain, and passed between the parts thereof;" or rather, more agreeably to the original, "I will make the men that have transgressed my covenant— the calf which they cut in twain, and passed between the parts thereof:" that is, I will make them as that calf which they cut in twain; I will execute the curse on them, cutting them asunder as covenant-breakers, Matth. 24:51. Now, the covenant of works being broken, justice required this execution of the curse of it, in order to the establishing of a new covenant, tip covenant of grace and peace. But had it been executed on sinners themselves, the fire of wrath would have burnt continually on them; but never would such a sacrifice have sent forth a savour smelling so sweet, as to be a savour of rest to revenging justice; forasmuch as they were not only mere creatures, whose most exquisite sufferings could not be a sufficient compensation for the injured honour of an infinite God; but they were sinful creatures too, who would still have remained sinful under their sufferings. Wherefore Jesus Christ, being both separate from sinners, and equal with God, consented in the covenant to be the sacrifice, on which the curse of the first covenant might be executed in their room and stead.
This is lively represented in the covenant made with Abraham, in which he was a type of Christ, Gen. 15. In that covenant God promised the deliverance of Abraham's seed out of the Egyptian bondage, and to give them the land of Canaan; a type of the deliverance of Christ's spiritual seed from the bondage of sin and Satan, and of putting them in possession of heaven, vers. 13, 14, 16,
18. Awful was the solemnity used at the making of this covenant. There were taken a heifer, a she-goat, and a ram, each of them of three years old; typifying Christ, who was about three years in his public ministry, ver. 9. These were each of them, divided in the midst, hacked asunder by the middle; which typified the execution of the curse of the broken first covenenant on Christ our surety and sacrifice for us, ver. 10. Abraham's driving away the fowls that came down upon the carcases, typified Christ's victory over the devils all along during the state of his humiliation, and especially his triumphing over them on the cross, ver. 11. And finally, there was a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between the pieces; which signified the revenging wrath of God seizing on Christ the sacrifice, and justice therewith satisfied, ver. 17.
3. No sacrifice could be accepted, but on such an altar as should sanctify the gift to its necessary value and designed effect, Matth. 23:19. And who could furnish that but Christ himself, whose divine nature was the altar from whence the sacrifice of his human nature derived its value and efficacy as infinite? Heb. 9:14, "How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit, offered up himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works?" His blessed body suffering and bleeding to death on the cross, and his holy soul scorched and melted within him with the fire of the divine wrath, both in the meantime united to his divine nature, were the sacrifice burning on the altar, from which God smelled a sweet savour, to the appeasing of his wrath, and satisfying of his justice fully. Not that Christ was a sacrifice only while on the cross; but that his offering of himself a sacrifice, which was begun from his incarnation in the womb, the sacrifice being led on the altar in the first moment thereof; and was continued through his whole life; was completed on the cross, and in the grave: Heb. 10:5, "Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, sacrifice and
offering thou wouldst not, but a body hast thou prepared me:"—ver. 6, "Then said I, lo, I come." Isa. 53:2, "When we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him." Ver. 3, "He is—a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief." 2 Cor. 5:21, "He hath made him to be sin for us."
4. Lastly, There behoved to be a priest to offer this sacrifice, this valuable sacrifice, unto God upon that altar; else there could have been no sacrifice to be accepted, and so no removal of sin, and consequently no new covenant. And since Christ himself was the sacrifice, and the altar too, he himself alone could be the priest. And forasmuch as the weight of the salvation of sinners lay upon his call to that office, he was made priest of the covenant by the oath of God, Heb. 7:20, 21. As he had full power over his own life, to make himself a sacrifice for others; so his Father's solemn investing of him with this office by an oath, gave him access to offer himself effectually; even in such sort as thereby to fulfil the condition of the condition, and to purchase eternal life for them.
Christ Fulfilling All Righteousness, as the
Surety and Representative of His People,
is the Ground and Only Condition of the
Covenant of Grace
1. Christ's fulfilling all righteousness as second Adam is what the Father proposed unto him, as the terms on which his seed should be saved, and upon which he founded his promise of eternal life to be given them; and not any work or deed of theirs: Isa. 53:10, "When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed." Ver. 11, "He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he
shall bear their iniquities." Luke 22:20, "This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you." And the same is that which Christ as the second Adam did from eternity consent unto, undertake, and bind himself for; and which he did in time, according to agreement perform. Thus he himself represents it, Matth. 3:15, "Thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness;" namely, as it becometh a person of honour and credit to fulfill his bargain. Luke 24:26, "Ought not Christ to have suffered these things?" to wit, as one ought to perform the condition of a covenant or bargain he has agreed to.
2. This is the only ground of a sinner's right and title to eternal life; and upon nothing else can he safely found his plea before the Lord for life and salvation; Eph. 1:7, "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace." Phil. 3:8, 9, "That I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteusness—but—the righteousness which is of God by faith." Surely upon the condition of the covenant fulfilled, one may found his plea before the Lord for the benefits promised in the covenant: but no man may found his plea before the Lord for these on any work or deed of his own whatsoever, no not on faith itself; but only on Christ's fulfilling all righteousness: therefore no work nor deed of ours whatsoever, no not faith itself, can be the condition of the covenant of grace properly so called; but only Christ's fulfilling all righteousness. The sinner standing in the court of conscience, trembling before the Lord, flees in under the covert of that righteousness fulfilled by the Mediator, and dare oppose nothing but it to the condemning sentence of the law, giving up with all other pleas for life and salvation. Believing in Christ is the pleading upon that ground, not the ground of the sinner's plea: it saith, "My Lord and my God" in the promise, upon the ground of Christ's fulfilling all righteousness allenarly, as the condition of the covenant. If any will
make it the ground of their plea, they must needs produce it as a work of a law, that is, as a deed done by them, whereby they have fulfilled and answered a law, and whereupon they crave the benefit promised: which will, according to the scripture, be found a dangerous adventure, Rom. 3:20; Gal. 2:16; and 5:4.
3. It is by this, and this alone, the salvation of sinners becomes a debt: therefore this alone is the condition of the covenant. For the reward is of debt to him, and him only, who fulfills the condition of a covenant: to him that worketh, not to him that worketh not, but believeth, Rom. 4:4, 5. And so it is of debt to Christ alone, not to us; and therefore it was he that fulfilled the condition of the covenant; we fulfil no part of it. This is confirmed from the primitive situation of mankind with reference to eternal life, in the first Adam's covenant, duly considered. The condition thereof was perfect active obedience. And, according to the nature of that covenant, if this obedience had been fulfilled by Adam, eternal life to him and his would thereupon have become a debt to him. And the plea of his posterity for life, in that case, would not have been founded on their personal obedience coming after that fulfilment; since it would not have been the performance of the condition, but the fruit of the promise, of the covenant: but it would have been founded on that performance of Adam their representative; forasmuch as, in the case supposed, it would have been the only obedience whereby the condition of that covenant was fulfilled; and so they would have obtained life, not for any personal work or deed of theirs, but for the obedience of the first Adam their representative, to which God did graciously make the promise of life, in the first covenant.
4. Faith and obedience are benefits promised in the covenant, upon the condition of it, as hath been already evinced; and, in virtue of the promises of the covenant, they are produced in the elect: therefore
they cannot be the condition of the covenant. And elect infants are saved, though, they are neither capable of believing nor of obeying: howbeit, the condition of the covenant must needs be performed, either by themselves who are saved, or else by another in their stead. Therefore Christ's fulfilling all righteousness, which is the only obedience performed in their stead, must be the alone proper condition of the covenant.
5. Lastly, The covenant of grace doth so exclude our boasting, as the covenant of works did not. This is clear from Rom. 3:27, "Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith." But if any deed or work of ours be the condition of the covenant of grace, in whole or in part, our boasting is not excluded, but hath place therein, as in the covenant of works; the difference being at most but in point of degrees: for, according to the scripture, it is working, or fulfilling the condition of a covenant, that gives the ground of boasting; forasmuch as to him that worketh, the reward is reckoned of debt: and life being of or by works in the covenant of works, though not in the way of proper merit, but in the way of paction or compact only, this gave men the ground of boasting in that covenant, according to the scripture. Therefore, so far as life and salvation are of or by any work or deed of ours, as fulfilling the condition of the covenant of grace, our boasting is not excluded, but hath place therein, as in the covenant of works. Wherefore, since the covenant of grace is so framed, as to leave no ground for our boasting, no work nor deed of ours, but Christ's fulfilling all righteousness, even that alone, is the condition of the covenant of grace: and our life and salvation are neither of works, nor by works, as fulfilling the condition of the covenant: Tit. 3:5, "Not by works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us." Eph. 2:9, "Not of works, lest any man should boast."
God forbid we should go about to justle faith and obedience out of the covenant of grace: those who do so in principle or practice, will thereby justle themselves out of the kingdom of heaven: Matt. 5:19, "Whosoever shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven;" that is, he shall be treated as he treated that one of these commandments, he shall be judged unworthy of the fellowship of that kingdom. Faith is necessary savingly to interest us in Jesus Christ the head of the covenant: and none can attain to eternal happiness, without actual believing, who are subjects capable of it; nor can any attain it without the Spirit of faith indwelling in them. Obedience is necessary, as the chief subordinate end of the covenant, being that whereby God hath his glory he designed therein: and without obedience begun here, none who are subjects capable of it, can see heaven. But withal it is necessary, that they be kept in the place and station assigned them in the covenant by the Father and the Son from eternity. By faith we personally embrace the covenant, consent to, and rest in the condition of the covenant fulfilled by Christ; and so are justified and brought into a state of salvation: John 10:9, "I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved." Compare John 1:12; and 3:16; and 14:6. By evangelical repentance and gospel-obedience, we testify our thankfulness to God, and evidence the truth of our faith, and our being within the covenant: 1 Pet 2:9, "Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:" ver. 10, "Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy." Compare Rom. 6:13. and 12:1, 2; 1 Cor. 6:20.
This the prophet taught the Jewish church of old, Mic. 6:8, "He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of
thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" In the sixth verse, a most important question is put, concerning the acceptance of a sinner with God, how it may be obtained, "Wherewith shall I come before the Lord?" and several costly expedients for that purpose are proposed by the sinner, even to the giving of "the fruit of his body for the sin of his soul," ver. 6, 7. But the prophet answers that question in a word, tacitly upbraiding them with gross stupidity, in their groping for the wall in broad daylight, even as in the night: "He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good;" that is, what is goodly, valuable, and acceptable, in the sight of God, for that purpose, even for a sinner's obtaining pardon and acceptance with God; namely, the Messias, Jesus Christ sacrificed for sinners. This was what God had all along, by his prophets, and by the whole ceremonial law, pointed out to them, and set before them, as the good for that purpose, that they might by faith look thereunto, and be saved, Isa. 45:22. And, in the style of the Holy Ghost, Christ crucified is elsewhere spoken of under the same notion: 2 Chron. 30:18, "The good Lord pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seek God." Orig. "Jehovah the good make atonement for," &c. Psalm 85:12, "The Lord shall give that which is good;" or, shall give the good. Compare John 4:10, "If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is." Isa. 55:2, "Eat ye that which is good." Compare John 6:55, "My flesh is meat indeed." Job 34:4, "Let us know among ourselves what is good." Ver. 5, "For Job hath said, I am righteous." Now, being thus accepted of God, what doth he require of thee in point of gratitude, but to do justly, as one accepted not without a righteousness answering the demands of justice and judgment: and to love mercy, as one who hath obtained mercy; and to walk humbly with thy God, as one who is free grace's debtor? In the same manner of expression doth Moses address himself to the people secured of the possession of Canaan by the oath of God, and being just to enter upon it, Deut. 10:11, 12, "And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of
thee, but to fear the Lord thy God," &c.? namely, in point of gratitude, for his giving thee that good land.
Several Things of Awful Import, Agreed to Between the Father and the Son in the
Covenant of Grace
It was agreed to,
1st, "That the curse should be executed on his blessed body;" forasmuch as their bodies were liable to it, as being instruments of sin and dishonour to God: that he should be hanged on a tree, that all the world might therein read the anger of God against the breaking of the first covenant, by eating of the forbidden tree; and his being made a curse for us, since it is written, "Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree;" that the curse should go over, and death pass through, every part of that blessed body: that his head should be disgracefully wounded with a crown of thorns put upon it; his visage marred more than any man; his back given to the smiters; his cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; his face not hid from shame and spitting; his tongue made to cleave to his jaws; his hands and feet pierced, nailed to a cross; all his bones drawn out of joint; his heart like wax, melted in the midst of his bowels; his blood shed; his strength dried up; and that in end it should expire and die, be separate from his soul, pierced with a spear, and laid in the dust of death.
2dly, "That it should be executed on his holy soul, in a special manner;" forasmuch as their souls were the principal actors in sin: that he should undergo the wrath of God in it, being all along his life a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and that towards the
latter end, there should be an hour and power of darkness, wherein the malice of men, the power and rage of devils, should be jointly engaged against him, making their utmost efforts on him; and then the full floods of Heaven's revenging wrath should come rolling in upon his soul: that they should so overflow it, as to strike him with sore amazement, All him with trouble, load him with heaviness, and overwhelm him with exceeding sorrow: that there should be such a pressure of divine wrath on his holy soul, as should put him into an agony, even to his sweating great drops of blood; and should bring over it a total eclipse of comfort, and as it were melt it within him; that so, while he was dying a bodily death on the cross, he might die also a spiritual death, such as a most pure and holy soul was capable of.
Here was the death determined in the covenant, for the second Adam our representative; a death in virtue of the curse transferred on him, long-lasting and exquisite, for the full satisfaction of revenging justice. (1.) It was long-lasting death. He was a-dying, in the style of the covenant of works, not only upon the cross, but all along the time of his life; the death that was the penalty of that covenant, working in him from the womb, till it laid him in the grave. Wherefore he behoved to be conceived of a woman of low estate; and born in the stable of an inn, no room for him in the inn itself; laid in a manger, no cradle to receive him; his infant-blood shed in his circumcision, as if he had been a sinner; yea, his infant-life sought by a cruel persecutor, and his mother obliged to run her country with him, and go to Egypt. Returning, he behoved to live an obscure life in an obscure place, from which nothing great nor good was expected, John 1:46; and coming out of his obscurity, to be set up as the object of the world's ill-will and spite, obloquy and maltreatment, till by the hand of Jew and Gentile he was put to death on the cross. (2.) It was an exquisite death. No pity, no sparing in it: but the curse carried it
to the highest pitch. No sparing from an angry God, Rom. 8:32. No sparing from wicked men let loose on him, pushing him like bulls, roaring on him and devouring him like lions, and rending him like dogs, when once their hour And power of darkness was come, Psalm 22:12, 13, 16. Not a good word spoken to him in the midst of his torments, by those that stood by; but cruelly mocked and insulted by them. Much less a good deed done him. Not a drink of water allowed him, but vinegar offered him, in his thirst caused through the fire of divine wrath drinking up his spirits and moisture. Nay, the very face of the heavens was lowring on him: the sun must not give him its light, but wrap up itself from him in darkness; because "light is sweet, and it is a pleasant thing to behold the sun."
Lastly, In this article it was established, "That he should suffer all this voluntarily, submissively, and resignedly, out of regard to the wronged honour of God." Accordingly, speaking of his life, he saith, "No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself," John 10:18, compare Psalm 40:6, 7, 8. This the law demanded of them whom he suffered for, condemning all murmuring and impatience, and binding them to obedience and suffering conjunctly. But how could they have so borne the load of revenging wrath, who cannot bear a sharp fit of the gout or gravel, without some degree of impatience in the eye of the holy law? Wherefore it was provided, that Christ, as their representative, should bear their punishment voluntarily, and with perfect patience and resignation: that he should go "as a lamb to the slaughter," quietly resigning his human will to the divine will; and make his obedience in his sufferings, as conspicuous as his sufferings themselves: that, in midst of the extremity of his torments, he should not entertain the least unbecoming thought of God, but acknowledge him holy in them all, Psalm 22:3: nor yet the least grudge against his murderers; in token of which, he prayed for them