CHAPTER
3
I.
The agent in, and chief author of, this great work of our
redemption is the whole blessed Trinity; for all the works which
outwardly are of the Deity are undivided and belong equally to
each person, their distinct manner of subsistence and order being
observed. It is true, there were sundry other instrumental causes
in the oblation, or rather passion of Christ but the work cannot
in any sense be ascribed unto them; for in respect of God
the Father, the issue of their endeavors was exceeding contrary
to their own intentions, and in the close they did nothing but
what the
hand and counsel of God had before determined should be done, Acts 4:28;
and
in respect of Christ they were no way able to accomplish what
they aimed at, for he himself laid down his life, and none was
able to take it from him, John 10:17, 18: so that they are to be
excluded from this consideration. In the several persons of the
holy Trinity, the joint author of the whole work, the Scripture
proposeth distinct and sundry acts or operations peculiarly
assigned unto them; which, according to our weak manner of
apprehension, we are to consider severally and apart; which also
we shall do, beginning with them that are ascribed to the Father.
II.
Two peculiar acts there are in this work of our redemption by
the blood of Jesus, which may be and are properly assigned to the
person of the FATHER:
First,
The sending, of his Son into the world for this employment.
Secondly,
A laying the punishment due to our sin upon him.
1.
The Father loves the world, and sends his Son to die: He
sent
his Son into the world that the world through him might be
saved, John 3:16,.17.
He
sending his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, Romans 8:3, 4.
He
set him forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, Romans 3:25.
For
when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons, Galatians 4:4, 5.
So
more than twenty times in the Gospel of John there is mention of
this sending; and our Savior describes himself by this
periphrasis, Him whom the Father hath sent, John
10:36; and the Father by this, He who sent me, John
5:37. So that this action of sending is appropriate to the
Father, according to his promise that he would send us a
Savior, a great one, to deliver us, Isaiah 19:20; and to
the profession of our Savior,
I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord God, and his Spirit, hath sent me, Isaiah 48:16.
Hence
the Father himself is sometimes called our Savior: 1 Timothy 1:1,
According to the commandment Qeou~ swth~rov hJmw~n,
of God our doubtless, from a misprision that Christ
alone is called Savior. But directly this is the same with that
parallel place of swth~rov hJmw~n Qeou~, According
to the commandment of God our Savior, where no
interposition of that conjunctive particle can have place; the
same title being also in other places ascribed to him, as Luke
1:47, My spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. As
also 1 Timothy 4:10, We trust in the living God, who is the
Savior of all men, specially of them that believe; though
in this last place it be not ascribed unto him with reference to
his redeeming us by Christ, but his saving and preserving all by
his providence. So also Titus 2:10, 3:4; Deuteronomy 32:15; 1
Samuel 10:19; Psalm 24:5, 25:5; Isaiah 12:2, 40:10, 45:15;
Jeremiah 14:8; Micah 7:7; Habakkuk 3:18; most of which places
have reference to his sending of Christ, which is also
distinguished into three several acts, which in order we must lay
down:
(1.)
An authoritative imposition of the office of Mediator, which
Christ closed withal by his voluntary susception of it, willingly
undergoing the office, wherein by dispensation the Father had and
exercised a kind of superiority, which the Son, though in
the form of God, humbled himself unto, Philippians 2:6-8.
And of this there may conceived two parts:
[1.]
The purposed imposition of his counsel, or his eternal counsel
for the setting apart of his Son incarnate to this office, saying
unto him,
Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the nations for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession, Psalm 2:7, 8.
He
said unto him, Sit thou at my right hand until I make thine
enemies thy footstool; for the Lord swore, and will
not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of
Melchizedek, Psalm 110:1, 4. He appointed him to be
heir of all things, Hebrews 1:2, having
ordained him to be Judge of quick and dead, Acts
10:42; for unto this he was ordained before the foundation
of the world, 1 Peter 1:20., and determined, oJrrisqei>n,
to be the Son of God with power, Romans 1:4, that he
might be the first-born among many brethren, Romans 8:29. I
know that this is an act eternally established in the mind and
will of God, and so not to be ranged in order with the others,
which are all temporary, and had their beginning in the fullness
of time, of all which this first is the spring and fountain,
according to that of James, Acts 15:18, Known unto God are
all his works from the beginning of the world; but yet, it
being no unusual form of speaking that the purpose should also be
comprehended in that which holds out the accomplishment of it,
aiming at truth and not exactness, we pass it thus.
[2.]
The actual inauguration or solemn admission of Christ into his
office; committing all judgment unto the Son, John
5:22; making him to be both Lord and Christ, Acts
2:36; appointing him over his whole house, Hebrews
3:1-6; which is that anointing of the most
Holy, Daniel 9:24; God anointing him with the oil of
gladness above his fellows Psalm 45:7: for the actual
setting apart of Christ to his office is said to be by unction,
because all those holy things which were types of him, as the
ark, the altar, etc., were set apart and consecrated by
anointing, Exodus 30:25-28, etc. To this also belongs that public
testification by innumerable angels from heaven of his nativity,
declared by one of them to the shepherds. Behold,
saith he, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which
shall be unto all people; for unto you is born this day in the
city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord, Luke
2:10, 11; which message was attended by and closed with
that triumphant exultation of the host of heaven,
Glory be to God on high, on earth peace, towards men good-will, Luke 2:14:
with
that redoubled voice which afterward came from the excellent
glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am
well-pleased, Matthew 3:7, 17:5; 2 Peter 1:7. If these
things ought to be distinguished and placed in their own order,
they may be considered in these three several acts: First,
The glorious proclamation which he made of his nativity, when he
prepared him a body, Hebrews 10:5, bringing his
First-begotten into the world, and saying, Let all the
angels of God worship him chap. 1:6, sending them to
proclaim the message which we before recounted. Secondly, Sending
the Spirit visibly, in the form of a dove, to light upon him at
the time of his baptism, Matthew 3:16, when he was endued with a
fullness thereof, for the accomplishment of the work and
discharge of the office whereunto he was designed, attended with
that voice whereby he owned him from heaven as his only-beloved.
Thirdly, The crowning of him with glory and honor, in
his resurrection, ascension, and sitting down on the right
hand of the Majesty on high. Hebrews 1:3; setting him
as his king upon his holy hill of Zion, Psalm 2:6; when
all power was given unto him in heaven and in earth,
Matthew 28:18, all things being put under his feet
Hebrews 2:7, 8; himself highly exalted, and a name given
him above every name, that at, etc., Philippians 2:9-11. Of
which it pleased him to appoint witnesses of all sorts;
angels from heaven, Luke 24:4, Acts 1:10; the dead out of the
graves, Matthew 27:52; the apostles among and unto the living,
Acts 2:32; with those more than five hundred brethren, to whom he
appeared at once, 1 Corinthians 15:6. Thus gloriously was he
inaugurated into his office, in the several sets and degrees
thereof, God saying unto him, It is a light thing that thou
shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to
restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a
light to the Gentiles that thou mayest be my salvation unto the
end of the earth, Isaiah 49:6.
Between
these two acts I confess there intercedes a twofold promise of
God; one, of giving a Savior to his people, a Mediator,
according to his former purpose, as Genesis 3:15, The seed
of the woman shall break the serpents head; and,
The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, till Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be, Genesis 49:10.
Which
he also foresignified by many sacrifices and other types, with
prophetical predictions:
Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you; searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into, 1 Peter 1:10-12.
The
other is a promise of applying the benefits purchased by this
Savior so designed to them that should believe on him, to be
given in fullness of time, according to the former promises;
telling Abraham, that in his seed all the families of the
earth should be blessed, and justifying himself by the same
faith, Genesis 12:3, 15:6. But these things belong rather to the
application wholly, which was equal both before and after his
actual mission.
(2.)
The second act of the Fathers sending the Son is the
furnishing of him in his sending with a fullness of all gifts and
graces that might any way be requisite for the office he was to
undertake, the work he was to undergo, and the charge he had over
the house of God. There was, indeed, in Christ a twofold fullness
and perfection of all spiritual excellencies: First, the
natural all-sufficient perfection of his Deity, as one with his
Father in respect of his divine nature: for his glory was
the glory of the only-begotten of the Father, John
1:14. He was in the form of God, and thought it not robbery
to be equal with God, Philippians 2:6; being the
fellow of the LORD of hosts, Zechariah 13:7. Whence
that glorious appearance, Isaiah 6:3, 4, when the seraphims cried
one to another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of
hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. And the posts of the
door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was
filled with smoke. And the prophet cried, Mine eyes
have seen the King, the LORD of hosts, Isaiah 6:5. Even
concerning this vision the apostle saith, Isaiah saw him,
and spoke of his glory, John 12:41. Of which glory ejke>nwse,
he as it were emptied himself for a season, when he was
found in the form or condition of a servant,
humbling himself unto death, Philippians 2:7, 8; laying
aside that glory which attended his Deity, outwardly appearing to
have neither form, nor beauty, nor comeliness, that he
should be desired, Isaiah 53:2 But this fullness we do not
treat of, it being not communicated to him, but essentially
belonging to his person, which is eternally begotten of the
person of his Father.
The
second fullness that was in Christ was a communicated fullness,
which was in him by dispensation from his Father, bestowed upon
him to fit him for his work and office as he was and is the
Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 1
Timothy 2:5; not as he is the LORD of hosts, but as
he is Emmanuel, God with us, Matthew 1:23; as he was
a
son given to us, called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace, upon whose shoulder the government was to be, Isaiah 9:6.
It
is a fullness of grace; not that essential which is of the nature
of the Deity, but that which is habitual and infused into the
humanity as personally united to the other; which, though it be
not absolutely infinite, as the other is, yet it extends itself
to all perfections of grace, both in respect of parts and
degrees. There is no grace that is not in Christ, and every grace
is in him in the highest degree: so that whatsoever the
perfection of grace, either for the several kinds or respective
advancements thereof, requireth, is in him habitually, by the
collation of his Father for this very purpose, and for the
accomplishment of the work designed; which, though (as before) it
cannot properly be said to be infinite, yet it is boundless and
endless. It is in him as the light in the beams of the sun, and
as water in a living fountain which can never fail. He is the
candlestick from whence the
golden pipes do empty the golden oil out of themselves, Zechariah 4:12,
into
all that are his; for he is
the beginning, the first-born from the dead, in all things having the pre-eminence; for it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell; Colossians 1:18, 19.
In
him he caused to be hid all the treasurer of wisdom and
knowledge, Colossians 2:3; and in him dwelt all the
fullness of the Godhead bodily (swmatikw~n), substantially
or personally, Colossians 2:9; that of his fullness we
might all receive grace for grace, John 1:16, in a
continual supply. So that, setting upon the work of redemption,
he looks upon this in the first place.
The Spirit of the Lord God, saith he, is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn, Isaiah 61:1, 2.
And
this was the anointing with the oil of gladness which
he had above his fellows, Psalm 45:7; it was
upon his head, and ran down to his beard, yea, down to the skirts
of his garments, Psalm 133:2, that every one covered with
the garment of his righteousness might be made partaker of it
The Spirit of the LORD did rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD, Isaiah 11:2;
and
that not in parcels and beginnings as in us, proportioned to our
measure and degrees of sanctification, but in a fullness, for
he received not the Spirit by measure, John 3:34;
that is, it was not so with him when he come to the full
measure of the stature of his age, as Ephesians 4:13; for
otherwise it was manifested in him and collated on him by
degrees, for he increased in wisdom and stature, and in
favor with God and man, Luke 2:51 Hereunto was added
all power in heaven and earth, which was given unto
him, Matthew 28:18; power over all flesh, to give
eternal life to as many as he would, John 17:2. Which we
might branch into many particulars, but so much shall suffice to
set forth the second act of God in sending his Son.
(3.)
The third act of this sending is his entering into covenant and
compact with his Son concerning the work to be undertaken, and
the issue or event thereof; of which there be two parts:
First, His promise to protect and assist him in the
accomplishment and perfect fulfilling of the whole business and
dispensation about which he was employed, or which he was to
undertake. The Father engaged himself, that for his part, upon
his Sons undertaking this great work of redemption, he
would not be wanting in any assistance in trials, strength
against oppositions, encouragement against temptations, and
strong consolation in the midst of terrors, which might be any
way necessary or requisite to carry him on through all
difficulties to the end of so great an employment; upon
which he undertakes this heavy burden, so full of misery and
trouble: for the Father before this engagement requires no less
of him than that he should
become
a Savior, and be afflicted in all the affliction of his
people, Isaiah 63:8, 9:
yea,
that although he were the fellow of the LORD of host,
yet he should endure the sword that was drawn against
him as the shepherd of the sheep, Zechariah 13:7;
treading the winepress alone, until he became red in his
apparel, Isaiah 63:2, 3: yea, to be stricken, smitten
of God, and afflicted; wounded for our transgressions, and
bruised for our iniquities; to be bruised and put to grief; to
make his soul an offering for sin, and to bear the iniquity of
many, Isaiah 53.; to be destitute of comfort so far as to
cry, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Psalm
22:1. No wonder, then, if upon this undertaking the Lord promised
to make his mouth like a sharp sword, to hide him in the
shadow of his hand, to make him a polished shaft, and to hide him
in his quiver, to make him his servant in whom he would be
glorified, Isaiah 49:2, 3; that though
the kings of the earth should set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against him, yet he would laugh them to scorn, and set him as king upon his holy hill of Zion, Psalm 2:2, 4, 6;
though
the builders did reject him, yet he should
become the head of the comer, to the amazement and
astonishment of all the world, Psalm 118:22, 23; Matthew 21:42,
Mark 12:10, Luke 20:17, Acts 4:11, 12, 1 Peter 2:4; yea, he would
lay him for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner-stone, a sure foundation, Isaiah 28:16,
that
whosoever should fall upon him should be broken, but upon whomsoever he should fall he should grind him to powder, Matthew 21:44.
Hence
arose that confidence of our Savior in his greatest and utmost
trials, being assured, by virtue of his Fathers engagement
in this covenant, upon a treaty with him about the redemption of
man, that he would never leave him nor forsake him.
I gave, saith he, my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting, Isaiah 50:6.
But
with what confidence, blessed Savior, didst thou undergo all this
shame and sorrow! Why,
The Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know; that I shall not be ashamed. He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me. Behold, the Lord GOD will help me; who is he that condemn me? Lo! they shall all wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up, Isaiah 50:7-9.
With
this assurance he was brought as a
lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth, Isaiah 53:7:
for
when he was reviled, he reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously, 1 Peter 2:23.
So
that the ground of our Saviors confidence and assurance in
this great undertaking, and a strong motive to exercise his
graces received in the utmost endurings, was this engagement of
his Father upon this compact of assistance and protection.
Secondly,
[His promise] of success, or a good issue out of all his
sufferings, and a happy accomplishment and attainment of the end
of his great undertaking. Now, of all the rest this chiefly is to
be considered, as directly conducing to the business proposed,
which yet would not have been so clear without the former
considerations; for whatsoever it was that God promised his Son
should be fulfilled and attained by him, that certainly was it at
which the Son aimed in the whole undertaking, and designed it as
the end of the work that was committed to him, and which alone he
could and did claim upon the accomplishment of his Fathers
will. What this was, and the promises whereby it is at large set
forth, ye have Isaiah 49: Thou shalt be my servent,
saith the Lord, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to
restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a
light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation to the
end of the earth. Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall
worship, because of the LORD that is faithful. And he will
certainly accomplish this engagement: I will preserve thee,
and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the
earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; that thou
mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in
darkness, Show yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their
pastures shall be in all high places. They shall not hunger nor
thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that
hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water
shall be guide them. And I will make all my mountains a way, and
my highways shall be exalted. Behold, these shall come from far:
and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from
the land of Sinim, verses 6-12. By all which expressions
the Lord evidently and clearly engageth himself to his Son, that
he should gather to himself a glorious church of believers from
among Jews and Gentiles, through all the world, that should be
brought unto him, and certainly fed in full pasture, and
refreshed by the springs of water, all the spiritual springs of
living water which flow from God in Christ for their everlasting
salvation. This, then, our Savior certainly aimed at, as being
the promise upon which he undertook the work, the
gathering of the sons of God together, their bringing unto God,
and passing to eternal salvation; which being well considered, it
will utterly overthrow the general ransom or universal
redemption, as afterward will appear. In the 53rd chapter of the
same prophecy, the Lord is more express and punctual in these
promises to his Son, assuring him that when he
made his soul an offering for sin, he should see his seed, and prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD should prosper in his hand; that he should see of the travail of his soul, and be satisfied; by his knowledge he should justify many; that, he should divide a portion with the great, and the spoil with the strong, Isaiah 53:10, 12.
He
was, you see, to see his seed by covenant, and to raise up a
spiritual seed unto God, a faithful people, to be prolonged a
preserved throughout all generations; which, how well it consists
with their persuasion who in terms have affirmed that the
death of Christ might have had its full and utmost effect and yet
none be saved, I cannot see, though some have boldly
affirmed it and all the assertors of universal redemption do
tacitly grant, when they come to the assigning of the proper ends
and effects of the death of Christ. The pleasure of the
LORD, also, was to prosper in his hand; which
what it was he declares, Hebrews 2:10, even
bringing of many sons unto glory; for God sent his only-begotten Son into the world that we live through him, 1 John 4:9;
as
we shall afterward more abundantly declare. But the promises of
God made unto him in their agreement, and so, consequently, his
own aim and intention, may be seen in nothing more manifestly
than in the request that our Savior makes upon the accomplishment
of the work about which he was sent; which certainly was neither
for more nor less than God had engaged himself to him for.
I have, saith he, glorified thee on earth, I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do, John 17:4.
And
now, what doth he require after the manifestation of his eternal
glory, of which for a season he had emptied himself, John 17:5?
Clearly a full confluence of the love of God and fruits of that
love upon all his elect, in faith, sanctification, and glory. God
gave them unto him, and he sanctified himself to be a sacrifice
for their sake, praying for their sanctification, John 17:17-19;
their preservation in peace, or communion one with another, and
union with God, John 17:20, 21,
I pray not for these alone (that is, his apostles), but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us;
and
lastly, their glory, John 17:24,
Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me.
All
which several postulata are no doubt grounded upon the fore-cited
promises which by his Father were made unto him. And in this, not
one word concerning all and every one, but expressly the
contrary, verse 9. Let this, then, be diligently observed, that
the promise of God unto his Son, and the request of the Son unto
his Father, are directed to this peculiar end of bringing sons
unto God. And this is the first act, consisting of these three
particulars.
2.
The second is of laying upon him the punishment of sins,
everywhere ascribed unto the Father:
Awake; O sword, against my shepherd, against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered, Zechariah 13:7.
What
here is set down imperatively, by way of command, is in the
gospel indicatively expounded.
I
will smite the shepherd,: and the sheep of the flock shall be
scattered abroad, Matthew 26:31.
He
was stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted; yea, the
LORD laid upon him the iniquity of us all; yea, it
pleased the LORD to bruise him, and to put him to grief,
Isaiah 53:4, 6, 10.
He
made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made
the righteousness of God in him, 2 Corinthians 5:21.
The
adjunct in both: places is put for the subject, as the opposition
between his being made sin and our being made righteousness
declareth. Him who knew no sin, that is, who
deserved no punishment, him hath he made to be
sin, or laid the punishment due to sin upon him. Or
perhaps, in the latter place, sin may be taken for an offering or
sacrifice for the expiation of sin, aJmarti>a answering in
this place to the word taF;jl in the Old Testament, which
signifieth both sin and the sacrifice for it. And this the Lord
did; for as for Herod, Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the
people of Israel, when they were gathered together, they did
nothing but
what his hand and counsel bad determined before to be done, Acts 4:27, 28.
Whence
the great shakings of our savior were in his close conflict with
his Fathers wrath, and that burden which by himself he
immediately imposed on him. When there was no hand or instrument
outwardly appearing to put him to any suffering or cruciating
torment, then he began to be sorrowful, even unto
death Matthew 26:37, 38; to wit, when he was in the garden
with his three choice apostles, before the traitor or any of his
accomplices appeared, then was he sore amazed, and very
heavy, Mark 14:33. That was the time,
in the days of his flesh, when he offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, Hebrews 5:7;
which
how he performed the evangelist describeth, Luke 22:43, 44:
There appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening
him. But being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his
sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the
ground. Surely it was a close and strong trial, and that
immediately from his Father, he now underwent; for how meekly and
cheerfully doth he I submit, without any regret or trouble of
spirit, to all the cruelty of men and violence offered to his
body, until this conflict being renewed again, he cries, My
God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And this, by the
way, will be worth our observation that we may know with whom our
Savior chiefly had to do, and what was that which he underwent
for sinners; which also will give some light to the grand query
concerning the persons of them for whom he undertook all this.
His sufferings were far from consisting in mere corporal
perpessions and afflictions, with such impressions upon his soul
and spirit as were the effects and issues only of them. It was no
more nor less than the curse of the law of God which he underwent
for us: for he freed us from the curse by being made a
curses, Galatians 3:13; which contained all the punishment
that was due to sin, either in the severity of Gods
justice, or according to the exigence of that law which required
obedience. That the execration of the law should be only temporal
death, as the law was considered to be the instrument of the
Jewish polity, and serving that economy or dispensation, is true;
but that it should be no more, as it is the universal rule of
obedience, and the bond of the covenant between God and man, is a
foolish dream. Nay, but in dying for us Christ did not only aim
at our good, but also directly died in our stead. The punishment
due to our sin and the chastisement of our peace was upon him;
which that it was the pains of hell, in their nature and being,
in their weight and pressure, though not in tendence and
continuance (it being impossible that he should be detained by
death), who can deny and not be injurious to the justice of God,
which will inevitably inflict those pains to eternity upon
sinners? It is true, indeed, there is a relaxation of the law in
respect of the persons suffering, God admitting of commutation;
as in the old law, when in their sacrifices the life of the beast
was accepted (in respect to the carnal part of the ordinances)
for the life of the man. This is fully revealed, and we believe
it; but for any change of the punishment, in respect of the
nature of it, where is the least intimation of any alteration? We
conclude, then, this second act of God, in laying the punishment
on him for us, with that of the prophet,
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all, Isaiah 53:6:
and
add thereunto this observation, that it seems strange to me that
Christ should undergo the pains of hell in their stead who lay in
the pains of hell before he underwent those pains, and shall
continue in them to eternity; for their worm dieth not,
neither is their fire quenched. To which I may add this
dilemma to our Universalists: God imposed his wrath due
unto, and Christ underwent the pains of hell for, either all the
sins of all men, or all the sins of some men, or some sins of all
men. If the last, some sins of all men, then have all men some
sins to answer for, and so shall no man be saved; for if God
enter into judgment with us, though it were with all mankind for
one sin, no flesh should be justified in his sight: If the
LORD should mark iniquities, who should stand? Psalm 130:3.
We might all go to cast all that we have
to the moles and to the bats, to go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, Isaiah 2:20, 21.
If
the second, that is it which we affirm, that Christ in their
stead and room suffered for all the sins of all the elect in the
world. If the first, why, then, an not all freed from the
punishment of all their sins? You will say, Because of
their unbelief, they will not believe. But this unbelief,
is it a sin or not? If not, why should they be punished for it?
If it be, then Christ underwent the punishment due to it, or not.
If so, then why must that hinder them more than their other sins
for which he died from partaking of the fruit of his death? If he
did not, then did he not die for all their sins. Let them choose
which part they will.