to our sins, he therefore must have those accidental consequences which
are found to accompany damned souls.
Objection Third. But the Scripture saith, that the wages of sin is
everlasting punishment: ‘Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting
fire, prepared for the devil and his angels’ (Matt 25:41).
Answer. This objection is partly answered already in the answer to that
foregoing. But further,
First. Consider, the wages of sin is death, and punishment under the
wrath of God—till those that die the death for sin have paid the utmost
farthing (Matt 5:26; Luke 12:58,59).
Second. So, then, the everlastingness of the punishment lieth here, if
the person suffering be not able to make amends to justice for the sins
for which he suffereth; else justice neither would nor could, because
it is just, keep such still under punishment.
Third. The reason, then, why fallen angels and damned souls have an
everlastingness of punishment allotted them is, because, by what they
suffer, they cannot satisfy the justice of God.
Fourth. The conclusion then is, though the rebukes of God for sin by
death, and punishment after, be the rebukes of eternal vengeance, yet
the eternity of that punishment is for want of merit. Could the damned
merit their own deliverance, justice would let them go.
Fifth. It is one thing, therefore, to suffer for sin by the stroke of
eternal justice, and another thing to abide for ever a sufferer there:
Christ did the first, the damned do the second.
Sixth. His rising, therefore, from the dead the third day doth nothing
invalidate his sufferings, but rather showeth the power of his merit.
And here I would ask a question, Had Christ Jesus been more the object
of faith, if weakness and endless infirmity had kept him under the
curse, than by rising again from the dead; want of merit causing the
one, sufficiency thereof causing the other?
Seventh. If men will not believe that Christ hath removed the curse
because he is risen again, they would much more strongly have doubted
it had he been still in the grave. But, O amazing darkness! to make
that an argument that his sufferings wanted merit, which to God himself
is sufficient proof that he hath purged our sins for ever—‘For this
man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on
the right hand of God’ (Heb 10:12).
Objection Fourth. But the Scripture saith, Christ is our example, and
that in his very death (1 Peter 2:21).
Answer. Christ in his sufferings and death is both sacrifice and
example.
First. A sacrifice—‘Christ our passover is sacrificed for us.’ And
again, ‘He gave himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God, for
a sweet-smelling savour.’ And thus he made reconciliation for iniquity,
and brought in everlasting righteousness (1 Cor 5:7; Eph 5:1,2; Dan
9:24).
Second. He was also in his sufferings exemplary, and that in several
particulars—(1.) In his meek deportment while he was apprehended (Isa
53:7). (2.) In doing them good that sought his life (Luke 22:50,51).
(3.) In his praying for his enemies when they were in their outrage
(Luke 23:34). (4.) ‘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).
In these respects, I say, he was exemplary, and brought honour to his
profession by his good behaviour; and O how beautiful would
Christianity be in the eyes of men, if the disciples of our Lord would
more imitate him therein!
But what? because Christ is our pattern, is he not our passover? or,
because we should in these things follow his steps, died he not for our
sins? Thus to conclude would not only argue thee very erroneous, but
such a conclusion would overthrow the gospel, it being none other but a
great sleight of Satan to shut out the whole by a part, and to make us
blasphemers while we plead for holiness.
Look, then, upon the death of Christ under a double consideration—1. As
he suffered from the hand of God. 2. As he suffered from the hand of
men. Now, as he suffered by God’s hand, so he suffered for sin; but as
he suffered from men, so he suffered for righteousness’ sake.
Observe, then, that as he suffered for sin, so no man took away his
life; but as he suffered for righteousness, so they slew him by wicked
hands. What is it then? Christ must needs have suffered, and the wisdom
of God had so ordained that ‘those things which God before had showed
by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so
fulfilled’ (Acts 3:18). Thus, therefore, we ought to distinguish of the
causes and ends of the death of Christ.
Again; as Christ suffered for sin, so he would neither be taken at
man’s pleasure, nor die at man’s time. 1. Not at man’s pleasure; and
hence it was that they so often sought his life in vain, ‘for his hour
was not yet come’—to wit, the hour in which he was to be made a
sacrifice for our sin (John 13, 17:1,2, 18:1,2). 2. Not at their time;
but, contrary to all expectation, when the due time was come, ‘he bowed
his head and gave up the ghost’ (John 19:30).
And for this last work, he had power given him of God—that is, power to
die when he would. ‘I have power,’ said he, ‘to lay down my life, and I
have power to take it again.’ This power never man had before. This
made the centurion wonder, and made Pontius Pilate marvel; and indeed
well they might, for it was as great a miracle as any he wrought in his
life; it demonstrated him to be the Son of God (Mark 15:38,39). The
centurion, knowing that according to nature he might have lived longer,
concluded therefore that his dying at that instant was not but
miraculously. And when he ‘saw that he so cried out, and gave up the
ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.’
And the reason why he had power to die was, that he might offer his
offering willingly, and at the season. 1. Willingly—‘If his offering be
a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he
shall offer it of his own voluntary will, at the door of the tabernacle
of the congregation before the Lord’ (Lev 1:3). 2. He must offer it at
the season—‘Thou shalt keep this ordinance,’ the passover, ‘in his
season’ (Exo 13:10).
Now, both these offerings having immediate respect to the offering of
the body of Christ for sin—for he came in the room of all burnt
sacrifices—the passover also was a type of him (Heb 10:3-6; 1 Cor
5:7,8). Therefore, he being now the priest as well as sacrifice, must
have power and will to offer his sacrifice with acceptation; and this
the Scripture testifieth he did, where it saith, ‘In due time Christ
died for the ungodly’ (Rom 5:6). In due time, that is, at the time
appointed, at the acceptable time.
Thou must, therefore, unless thou art willing to be deceived, look upon
the sufferings of Christ under a double consideration, and distinguish
between his sufferings as our example and his suffering for our sins.
And know, that as he suffered as our example, so he suffered only for
righteousness’ sake from the hands of wicked men; but as he suffered
for our sins, so he suffered, as being by God imputed wicked, the
punishment that was due to sin, even the dreadful curse of God. Not
that Christ died two deaths, one after another; but he died at the same
time upon a double account—for his righteousness’ sake from men, for
our sins from the hand of God. And, as I said before, had he only
suffered for righteousness’ sake, death had not so amazed him, nor had
he been so exceeding heavy in the thoughts of it; that had never put
him into an agony, nor made him sweat as it were great drops of blood.
Besides, when men suffer only for righteousness’ sake, God doth not use
to hide his face from them, to forsake them, and make them accursed;
‘but Christ hath delivered us from the curse of the law, being made a
curse for us.’
Objection Fifth. But if indeed Christ hath paid the full price for us
by his death, in suffering the punishment that we should have done,
wherefore is the Scripture so silent as not to declare that by his
death he hath made satisfaction?
Answer. No man may teach God knowledge; he knoweth best how to deliver
his mind in such words and terms as best agree with his eternal wisdom,
and the consciences of those that are truly desirous of salvation,
being overburdened with the guilt of sin. Perhaps the word
‘satisfaction’ will hardly be found in the Bible; and where is it said
in so many words, ‘God is dissatisfied with our sins?’ yet it is
sufficiently manifest that there is nothing that God hateth but sin,
and sinners for the sake of sin. What meant he by turning Adam out of
paradise, by drowning the old world, by burning up Sodom with fire and
brimstone from heaven? What meant he by drowning of Pharaoh, by causing
the ground to swallow up Korah and his company, and by his destroying
Israel in the wilderness, if not to show that he was dissatisfied with
sin? That God is also satisfied, yea, more than satisfied, by Christ’s
sufferings for our sins, is apparent; for, granting that he died for
them as these scriptures declare—Isaiah 49:4-6, 53; 1 Corinthians 5:8,
15:1-4; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 1:4, 3:13; 1 Peter 2:24, 3:18; 1
John 2:2, 3:16, 4:14; Revelation 1:5, 5:9.—
First. It is apparent, because it is said that God smelled in that
offering of the body of Christ for our sins a sweet-smelling savour—‘He
gave himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God, for a
sweet-smelling savour’ (Eph 5:2).
Second. It is apparent, because it is said expressly that God for
Christ’s sake doth now forgive—‘Be ye kind one to another,
tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake
hath forgiven you’ (Eph 4:32).
Third. It is apparent that God is satisfied with Christ’s blood for our
sins, because he hath declared that he can justify those that believe
in, or rely upon, that blood for life, in a way of justice and
righteousness—‘Being justified freely by his grace, through the
redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a
propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness
for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of
God; to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might
be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus’ (Rom
3:24-26).
Now, I say, to object against such plain testimonies, what is it but to
deny that Christ died for sin; or to conclude, that having so done, he
is still in the grave; or, that there is no such thing as sin; or, no
such thing as revenging justice in God against it; or, that we must die
ourselves for our sins; or, that sin may be pardoned without a
satisfaction; or, that every man may merit his own salvation? But
‘without shedding of blood is no remission’ (Heb 9:22).
To avoid, therefore, these cursed absurdities, it must be granted that
Jesus Christ by his death did make satisfaction for sin.
But the word ‘satisfaction’ may not be used by the Holy Ghost, perhaps
for that it is too short and scanty a word to express the blessedness
that comes to sinners by the blood of Christ.
1. To make satisfaction amounts to no more than completely to answer a
legal demand for harms and injuries done. Now this, when done to the
full, leaveth the offender there where he was before he committed the
injury. Now, if Christ had done no more than this, he had only paid our
debt, but had not obtained eternal redemption for us.
2. For a full satisfaction given by this man for harms done by another
may neither obtain the love of the person offended, nor the smallest
gift which the person offending hath not deserved. Suppose I owe to
this man ten thousand talents, and another should pay him every
farthing, there remaineth over and above by that complete satisfaction
not one single halfpenny for me. Christ hath therefore done more than
to make satisfaction for sin by his blood. He hath also ‘made us kings
and priests unto God and his Father,’ and we ‘shall reign with him for
ever and ever’ (Rev 1:6, 22:5).
[Additional scriptures in proof of this doctrine.]
But take a few more scriptures for the proof of the doctrine before
asserted.
First. ‘We have redemption through his blood’ (Col 1:14). 1. Redemption
from sin (Eph 1:7). 2. Redemption from death (Heb 2:14,15; Hosea
13:14). 3. Redemption from Satan (Heb 2:14). 4. Redemption from the
world (Gal 1:4). 5. Redemption to God (Rev 5:9). 6. Eternal
redemption—‘Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own
blood, he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal
redemption for us’ (Heb 9:12).
Second. We are said also to be washed in his blood. 1. Our persons are
washed—He ‘loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood’ (Rev
1:5). 2. His blood washeth also our performances—‘Our robes are washed,
and made white in the blood of the Lamb’ (Rev 7:14).
Third. We are said to be purged by his blood. 1. Purged from sin before
God—‘When he had by himself purged our sins, he sat down on the right
hand of God’ (Heb 1:3). 2. Purged from evil consciences—‘How much more
shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered
himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to
serve the living God?’ (Heb 9:14).
Fourth. We are said to be made nigh to God by his blood—‘But now in
Christ Jesus, ye who sometimes were far off, are made nigh by the blood
of Christ’ (Eph 2:13).
Fifth. Peace is said to be made by his blood. 1. Peace with God (Col
1:20). 2. Peace of conscience (Heb 10:19-23). 3. Peace one with another
(Eph 2:14).
Sixth. We are said to be justified by his blood. ‘Much more then, being
now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him’
(Rom 5:9). Justified, that is, acquitted—1. Acquitted before God (Eph
5:26,27). 2. Acquitted before angels (Matt 28:5-8). 3. Acquitted by the
law (Rom 3:21-23). 4. Acquitted in the court of conscience (Heb 9:14).
Seventh. We are said to be saved by his blood (Rom 5:8,9).
Eighth. We are said to be reconciled by his blood (Col 1:20-22).
Ninth. We are said to be sanctified by his blood (Heb 13:12).
Tenth. We are said to be admitted into the holiest by his blood
(Heb 10:19).
Eleventh. We are said to have eternal redemption by his blood (Heb
9:12).
Yea, lastly, this blood which was once spilt upon the cross, will be
the burden of our song in heaven itself for ever and ever (Rev 5:9).
Now, if we be redeemed, washed, purged, made nigh to God, have peace
with God; if we stand just before God, are saved, reconciled,
sanctified, admitted into the holiest; if we have eternal redemption by
his blood, and if his blood will be the burden of our song for ever;
then hath Christ paid the full price for us by his death, then hath he
done more than made satisfaction for our sins.
SEVERAL DEMONSTRATIONS MORE, PROVING THE FORMER DOCTRINE.
But before I conclude this answer, I will give you nine or ten more
undeniable demonstrations to satisfy you, if God will bless them to
you, in the truth of this great doctrine—to wit, that Jesus Christ, by
what he hath done, hath paid the full price to God for the souls of
sinners, and obtained eternal redemption for them.
THE FIRST DEMONSTRATION.
FIRST. And, first, I begin with his resurrection. That God that
delivered him up unto death, and that made him a curse for sin, that
God raised him up from the dead—‘But God raised him from the dead’
(Acts 3:15, 13:30). Now, considering that at his death he was charged
with our sins, and accursed to death for our sins, that justice that
delivered him up for them must have amends made to him before he
acquits him from them; for there can be no change in justice. Had he
found him in our sins in the grave, as he found him in them upon the
tree (for he had them in his body on the tree), he had left him there
as he had left him upon the tree; yea, he had as surely rotted in the
grave, as ever he died on the tree (1 Peter 2:24). But when he visited
Christ in the grave, he found him a holy, harmless, undefiled, and
spotless Christ, and therefore he raised him up from the dead—‘He
raised him up from the dead, having loosed the pains of death; because
it was not possible that he should be holden of it’ (Acts 2:24).
Quest. But why not possible now to be holden of death?
Answ. Because the cause was removed. Sin was the cause—‘He died for our
sins.—He gave himself for our sins’ (1 Cor 15:1-3; Gal 1:4). These sins
brought him to death; but when God, that had made him a curse for us,
looked upon him in the grave, he found him there without sin, and
therefore loosed the pains of death; for justice saith, this is not
possible, because not lawful, that he who lieth sinless before God
should be swallowed up of death; therefore he raised him up.
Quest. But what did he do with our sins, for he had them upon his back?
Answ. It is said he took them away—‘Behold the Lamb of God which taketh
away the sin of the world.’ It is said he put them away—‘Now once in
the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice
of himself’ (John 1:29; Heb 9:26). That is, by the merit of his
undertaking he brought into the world, and set before the face of God,
such a righteousness that outweigheth and goeth far beyond that sin,
and so did hide sin from the sight of God; hence, he that is justified
is said to have his sins hid and covered—‘Blessed is he whose
transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered’ (Psa 32:1). Covered
with the righteousness of Christ—‘I spread my skirt over thee, and
covered thy nakedness,’ thy sins (Eze 16:8). Christ Jesus, therefore,
having by the infiniteness of his merit taken away, put away, or hidden
our sins from the face of God, therefore he raised him up from the
dead.
You find in that sixteenth of Leviticus mention made of two goats, one
was to be slain for a sin-offering, the other to be left alive; the
goat that was slain was a type of Christ in his death, the goat that
was not slain was a type of Christ in his merit. Now this living goat,
he carried away the sins of the people into the land of
forgetfulness—‘And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon 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, and shall send him away by the hands of a
fit man into the wilderness; and the goat shall bear upon him all their
iniquities unto a land not inhabited’ (Lev 16:21,22). Thus did Jesus
Christ bear away by the merit of his death the sins and iniquities of
them that believe; wherefore, when God came to him in the grave, he
found him holy and undefiled, and raised him up from the dead.
And observe it, as his death was for our sin, so his rising again was
for our discharge; for both in his death and resurrection he
immediately respected our benefits; he died for us, he rose from the
dead for us—‘He was delivered for our offences, and was raised again
for our justification’ (Rom 4:25). By his death he carried away our
sins, by his rising he brought to us justifying righteousness.
There are five circumstances also attending his resurrection that show
us how well pleased God was with his death.
First. It must be solemnized with the company, attendance, and
testimony of angels (Matt 28:1-8; Luke 24:3-7; John 20:11,12).
Second. At, or just upon, his resurrection, the graves where many of
the saints for whom he died lay asleep, did open, and they followed
their Lord in full triumph over death—‘The graves were opened, and many
bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves
after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto
many’ (Matt 27:52,53). These saints coming out of their graves after
him, what a testimony is it that he for them had taken away sin, and
destroyed him that had the power of death; yea, what a testimony was it
that he had made amends to God the Father, who granted him at his
resurrection to have presently out of the grave, of the price of his
blood, even the bodies of many of the saints which slept! He was
declared to be the Son of God with power by the Spirit of holiness, and
the resurrection from the dead (Rom 1:4). It saith not, by his
resurrection, though that be true; but by the resurrection, meaning the
resurrection of the bodies of the saints which slept, because they rose
by virtue of his blood; and by that he was with power declared to be
the Son of God. They, I say, were part of his purchase, some of them
for whom Christ died. Now for God to raise them, and that upon and by
virtue of his resurrection, what is it but an open declaration from
heaven that Christ by his death hath made amends for us, and obtained
eternal redemption for us?
Third. When he was risen from the dead, God, to confirm his disciples
in the faith of the redemption that Christ had obtained by his blood,
brings him to the church, presents him to them alive, shows him openly,
sometimes to two or three, sometimes to eleven or twelve, and once to
above five hundred brethren at once (Acts 1:3, 10:40; Luke 24:13-16;
John 20:19, 21:1-23; 1 Cor 15:3-8).
Fourth. At his resurrection, God gives him the keys of hell and of
death (Rev 1:18). Hell and death are the effects and fruits of sin.
‘The wicked shall be turned into hell,’ and the wages of sin is death.
But what then are sinners the better for the death and blood of Christ?
O! they that dare venture upon him are much the better, for they shall
not perish, unless the Saviour will damn them, for he hath the keys of
hell and of death. ‘Fear not,’ saith he, ‘I am the first and the last,
I am he that liveth, and was dead, and, behold, I am alive for
evermore, and have the keys of hell and death.’ These were given him at
his resurrection, as if God had said, My Son, thou hast spilt thy blood
for sinners, I am pleased with it, I am delighted in thy merits, and in
the redemption which thou hast wrought; in token hereof I give thee the
keys of hell and of death; I give thee all power in heaven and earth;
save who thou wilt, deliver who thou wilt, bring to heaven who thou
wilt.
Fifth. At Christ’s resurrection, God bids him ask the heathen of him,
with a promise to give him the uttermost parts of the earth for his
possession. This sentence is in the second Psalm, and is expounded by
Paul’s interpretation of the words before, to be spoken to Christ at
his resurrection—‘Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.’ I
have begotten thee—that is, saith Paul, from the dead (Acts 13:33,34).
He hath raised up Jesus again, as it is also written in the second
Psalm—‘Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.’ Now mark, at
his raising him from the dead, he bids him ask, ‘Ask of me,’ and that
‘the heathen’; as if God had said, My Son, thy blood hath pacified and
appeased my justice; I can now in justice, for thy sake, forgive poor
mortals their sin. Ask them of me; ask them, though they be heathens,
and I will give them to thee, to the utmost ends of the earth. This is,
then, the first demonstration to prove that Jesus Christ, by what he
hath done, hath paid full price to God for the souls of sinners, and
obtained eternal redemption for them—namely, his being raised again
from the dead.
THE SECOND DEMONSTRATION.
SECOND. A second thing that demonstrateth this truth is, that he
ascended and was received up into heaven. ‘So then, after the Lord had
spoken to them, he was received up into heaven’ (Mark 16:19). This
demonstration consisteth of two parts—First, Of his ascending. Second,
Of his being received.
First. For his ascending—‘He ascended up on high’ (Eph 4:8). This act
of ascending answereth to the high-priest under the law, who, after
they had killed the sacrifice, he was to bring the blood into the most
holy place—to wit, the inner temple, the way to which was ascending or
going up (2 Chron 9).
Now, consider the circumstances that attended his ascending, when he
went to carry his blood to present it before the mercy-seat, and you
will find they all say amends is made to God for us.
1. At this he is again attended and accompanied with angels (Acts
1:10,11).
2. He ascendeth with a shout, and with the sound of a trumpet, with
‘Sing praises, sing praises, sing praises’ (Psa 47:6).