Sermon 24

Isaiah 53:5. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed.

If there were more deep conviction among us of our natural deadness in sin, and of that fearful condition that naturally we lie under by our liability to the wrath and curse of God, all men and women having by nature God's curse, as the sentence of the law registered against them; the reading of such a text wherein a way of remedy is held forth, would be more welcome to us; and we are persuaded that such a thorough conviction would not only make the word more lovely and delightful to us, but more plain and easy to be understood by us, and would be sooner taken up by us; and one preaching would thus be more profitable and effectual than many are to you while in a secure condition; when people are not under the deep and due conviction of their sin and misery, they have no serious thoughts that the word of the gospel concerns them in particular, and that their souls stand in need of that which is spoken to them therein.

You may remember we spoke somewhat from these words for clearing the way of making peace between God and sinners; and for holding forth the way that God in his infinite wisdom has laid down for setting of poor sinners that are lying under his curse, free; for this end there was an eternal transaction and covenant entered into by the Father and the Son, the Father demanding, and the Son accepting, and satisfying as Mediator and sinners' guarantor what was due to justice for the sins of the elect, as was determined in the counsel of God; from which blessed bargain all our salvation flows as from the fountain, and runs down as a river to us.

That which now we are to speak a little to, is some profitable uses which are the scope of all, and tend to lead you in to know the use of such doctrine, and not only to know it, but to engage you to make suitable practical improvement of it.

There are several sorts of uses that flow from this verse from which the preceding doctrines have been drawn.

The first sort is for information; which you who are more ignorant, and have not so much light in you as to discover the way to Heaven, would especially take heed to, though they be useful to all. And first, you would know and be informed in this, that all men and women without exception are lying under transgressions and iniquities, and liable to be smitten and cursed of God till these be taken away; but this having been spoken of in the forenoon, we need not insist on it now; but the truth is, neither law nor gospel has gained this much ground on the great part of you as to bring you really to know that naturally you are dead in sins and trespasses, and till this be drunk in and digested, other truths cannot to any purpose profit you.

Second, you would know and consider the necessity of a satisfaction to the justice of God before sinners can be freed from sin, and from the curse and wrath of God that they are under and liable to, by reason of their original corruption and actual transgressions. Do you think that Jesus Christ did needlessly enter into the covenant of redemption, and engage to satisfy, and actually and really did suffer and satisfy justice? If men might come so easily to Heaven as many suppose, it had been needless: Would God (think you) have wounded the guarantor, his own dear Son, if those who lie under sin and wrath might have by another way satisfied his justice and restored him to his honor? No, either peace could be made this way, or it had to be; and yet I must doubt if many do think that there is any such distance between God and them, which a word of prayer, or confession, or some penance cannot remove: this is, alas, the woeful ignorance of many that live under this gospel; but you would know that a satisfaction had to be, and such a satisfaction as was equivalent to the wrong done, and suitable and satisfying to him that was wronged by sin, and that among all the creatures it could not be found. Indeed, you may read from this the dreadful effects of sin, and what a horrible thing it is to have your transgressions to account for with God yourselves: if sin brought such heavy things on the guarantor, what will it bring on you a sinner? who has continued all his days in strife with God, to speak so, and would not make peace with him when he was earnestly invited to it? Indeed we may from this know, what is that most horrible, dreadful, and confounding sentence which is awaiting all of you that stand it out, and do not make your peace with God through this satisfaction of our blessed Lord Jesus, when you shall be made eternally to bear the wrath that sin deserves, which yet is intolerable.

Third, you would hence know, and study to be clear and distinct in your knowledge of this precious truth, how a sinner that by nature is under sin and wrath, and has ground every day to look for it, may be freed from that curse and wrath? To prevent which, the Lord has made a covenant with the Son who is appointed Mediator for making peace between God and sinners by satisfying his justice for them, and by paying the same debt that was due by them, so that this wrath is prevented, and their peace is made by virtue of this covenant of redemption; wherein these two clauses are agreed and concluded upon between these two infinitely responsible parties: first, that Christ shall become the sinner, and be handled as a sinner, though there was no sin in him; second, that the elect sinner that by nature was a child of wrath even as well as others, shall be freed from the wrath to come by virtue of his satisfaction. These are two pillars that our salvation is built upon, and that our peace and reconciliation with God flow from; by his wounding and bruising we are pardoned, the chastisement of our peace was on him, and by his stripes we are healed.

To clear this a little; this covenant would be considered, first, as it looks to the parties and their several actions; second, as it looks to the execution thereof in all the steps of it.

For the first, there are three parties that concur in their own place. 1. God is the party offended, and he is here bruising and wounding the Mediator: He is the Judge, and stands ready to execute the sentence that stands in his law against sinners if he gets not an equivalent satisfaction. 2. Jesus Christ the Mediator is the party wounded and bruised: the Mediator's part is to satisfy justice, to pay the price and perform the satisfaction resolved upon in the counsel of God, of suitable and sufficient value for the redemption of the elect, according to his engagement; and he is actually wounded and bruised: God determined what shall satisfy, Christ Jesus accepts of the determination, engages to satisfy, and does actually satisfy for elect sinners. A third party is, we poor sinners — He was wounded for our transgressions, etc. It is the elect sinner, or the sinner, who being made in due time sensible of sin, and afraid of wrath, and who being kindly touched with the apprehension of it, and cleared regarding the firmness and freeness of the covenant, and regarding the fullness of Christ's satisfaction, does by faith flee to Jesus Christ and submit to his satisfaction, and betakes himself [reconstructed: wholly] to that for righteousness; Christ lays down the price, and the believing sinner pleads for interest in it, and for the benefit of it, and by faith gets title and right to an absolution from his debt and guilt. If it then be asked what is the thing whereby a sinner is pardoned and justified, [reconstructed: reconciled] to God, and delivered from wrath and healed? I answer, It is by believing in Jesus Christ. If it be again asked, what is the ground or reason why the believing sinner obtains that favor? I answer, Because our Lord Jesus has sufficiently satisfied for, and fully paid the debt of, so many as are brought to believe on him. If it be thirdly asked, how comes it that Christ's satisfaction becomes a ransom, and is accepted for such and such a believer? I answer, It is by virtue of the eternal covenant of redemption, or transaction made between the Father and the Son; wherein it was agreed that his suffering and satisfying of justice, should be accepted for believing sinners, as if themselves had satisfied; according to that of [reconstructed: John] 6:39-40. This is the Father's will that sent me, that of all that he has given me I should lose nothing; and this is the will of him that sent me, that whoever sees the Son and believes on him, may have everlasting life. So our believing is the first immediate step whereby we came to obtain pardon of sin and peace with God; Christ's righteousness or satisfaction, is that on which our believing grounds itself; yet so as it has a respect to the eternal covenant of redemption, from which both Christ's satisfaction and our believing do flow, and without which we could have no warrant to expect righteousness through a Mediator; for unless we know that Christ has satisfied justice for elect sinners that shall believe on him, we cannot rest on him for righteousness; and unless we have an eye to the covenant of redemption, we cannot expect that this satisfaction will be accepted for us. And therefore if we will trace these steps back again, the first rise of our salvation is in the counsel of God; the prosecution of it is in Christ's satisfaction; and the application of his satisfaction, is by our fleeing to it, and accepting of it by faith. And therefore we would learn in our looking and stepping up to heaven, to look to these three in this order — we would first begin at faith, and in believing we would consider Christ's satisfaction, and from that we would ascend to the rise of it, to wit, the covenant of redemption, and the terms of it; all which put together, give a very clear ground of expecting righteousness through Jesus Christ. I shall illustrate it by a Scripture similitude, wherein I shall show you how all the three concur, yet so as there is a difference in their concurrence. You know that under the law there were cities of refuge appointed, which were types of Jesus Christ, in whom we find a shelter. In these cities of refuge, consider these three that concurred for saving the person that had committed manslaughter: 1. God's determination appointing such a thing, and that the man-slayer being within such a city, should be safe from the avenger of blood, and this gave the rise to the other two that follow. 2. The city itself as a shelter or refuge to the man-slayer. 3. The persons fleeing or running to hide themselves in it. Now the safety of the person of the man-slayer did flow from all the three. 1. The law, appointing such a city, was the ground. 2. The city was the shelter. 3. The person's actual running to the city, gave him a claim and title to the privilege of the city; for though the former two had been, if he had not fled to the city he had not obtained the benefit of safety. Even so, the believer that would be saved, is to consider these three: 1. God's determining such a way of salvation to elect sinners by a Mediator. 2. The Mediator privileged as the city of refuge for this end. And 3. The sinner's fleeing to him, which is his believing on him, and his seeking and pleading for the benefit of Christ's satisfaction according to the terms of the covenant. Now suppose a person to flee to the city of refuge, he is preserved in it, justice cannot follow him further than the gates, yet so, as he has the benefit by God's determination and appointment of the city for such an end, and yet so as he must flee into it before he can plead for the benefit of the city. So, suppose a sinner to be fled to Jesus Christ by faith, he may plead for exemption from wrath, by God's determining and appointing a Mediator for such an end; and the Mediator Jesus Christ has this privilege conferred on him, that he that thus flees to him shall be safe; yet it is also supposed that such a sinner has fled to him, else he could not expect safety through him, notwithstanding of God's determining the Mediator for safety. Thus we would have these three put together; and yet (as we said) they differ; for God's determination is the efficient cause and fountain of all; Christ's satisfaction is the meritorious cause, and our believing is the ground on which we have right to plead for the benefit of his satisfaction. Even as the man that fled to the city of refuge, his safety was not by any virtue in his running, but by God's determination, yet his running to the city was requisite as the means, and except he run or fled to it, he could not plead for the benefit of the city. So our believing gives us ground to plead a right and title to Christ and his satisfaction, without which we could not have that right.

But secondly, Because one will take up this under one notion, and another under another; to clear it therefore a little further, we shall again consider in this covenant these three steps. 1. The determination of it, as it is enacted in the Council of the Godhead, which in sum is this, that such and such persons shall be satisfied for by the mediator, and his satisfaction accepted for them. 2. The execution of this covenant, where we take in all our Lord's sufferings; all the strokes and wounds that Justice pursued him with, as Cautioner for the elect; and God's accepting and justifying of him, and declaring his accepting of him, and being well satisfied with what he did and suffered by his raising him from the dead. 3. The application of his purchase by his accepted satisfaction; which consists in these: 1. That those that were given to Christ on this condition that his satisfaction should stand good for them, should be justified and saved, that is, that in due time application of his satisfaction should be made to the persons given him to be saved by him; which takes in Christ's making intercession, that renewing grace, faith, and so on, may be given to such persons. 2. That the work of the Spirit, who, as the sanctifier, begets faith, and persuades to embrace Jesus Christ, shall be given them. Then 3. follows the believer's actual coming to Christ, being sweetly and powerfully drawn to rest on him and his satisfaction; whereupon follows the application of the sentence of justification and absolution that results from the former. So that whereas it was before, Cursed is he that continues not in all things written in the Law; now it is, He that believes on Jesus Christ has eternal life, and shall never come into condemnation. All these go and agree well together, the covenant as the ground, Christ's satisfaction as the meritorious cause, and the application of his satisfaction by faith, which entitles and gives the believer a right to it.

The reason why we have so much insisted on this, is, that we may teach you to join respect to the covenant of Redemption, Christ's suffering, and your believing together. It will not be faith that will justify, that is without respect to the covenant; neither will the covenant and Christ's satisfaction justify without faith. Yet you would so put them together, as the glory of salvation through grace may not lie on faith, but on God's everlasting love, and on Christ's satisfaction. And indeed it is no little practice for a soul sensible of sin, in the exercise of faith, so to lay the weight of its salvation on Christ and the covenant, as it neglects not running to Christ by [reconstructed: Faith]; and so to lay hold on Christ by faith, as it lay not the weight on faith, but on Christ and the covenant. As in the comparison before used, suppose a man that had killed another unawares, had been taken before he reached the City of Refuge, God's determination was not the cause of that, but his not running, or his not coming at the city. So it may be that some are apprehended by the Justice of God, that are less sinful than others; yet the reason or [reconstructed: cause] is not in God's covenant, nor in [reconstructed: Christ's] want of worth, but in the persons not running, or not fleeing to Christ, as to the City of Refuge. And therefore they are not heard to plead for immunity by virtue of that satisfaction before the bar of God.

A second sort of uses are for exhorting and encouraging sinners to come to Christ. There is here then 1. a clear ground to our faith, and a plain way opened to Heaven, and a mighty encouragement to persuade sinners to lay hold on Christ, and to take this way for obtaining of life. This text opens as it were the gates of the City of Refuge, and points out the way how to eschew the wrath which is to come. There is a way here laid down in the wisdom, justice, goodness and grace of God, which is made offer of in the Gospel. And since it is so, we beseech you that you would not receive this grace in vain, but seeing there is a covenant well ordered and sure, a mediator and a ransom provided, and a way laid down how to come to Christ by faith, let all of you who come under the conviction of sin and apprehension of wrath, step to and close with him, and plead for pardon by virtue of his wounds, and for healing through his stripes with respect to the covenant.

There are these four things here that will serve to give ground for this application, if we consider: 1. The great ground of faith that is here. 2. The great reason we have to make use of this ground. 3. The great encouragement we have so to do. And Fourthly, the great necessity we have to make this application; a little to each of these. But we shall premise one word to all, and it is this: that considering you are all in trying terms with God, whether you live at a distance from him, the Use will by way of exhortation reach you; or whether you be brought to greater nearness under the sense of sin, and have some seriousness in seeking after God, it will reach you for consolation; in a word, we would exhort all and it may convince some, and comfort others. But to the first thing we proposed: we declare and proclaim this as a true and faithful saying, that there is here an everlasting covenant, wherein the salvation of the elect is concluded through Christ's satisfaction to justice for them, and a way laid down for making peace between God and all them that will thoroughly renounce their own righteousness and lay hold on this satisfaction, even such a way as procures justification and healing to them. And for your confirmation consider in general, if it be possible that this covenant of redemption, the sufferings of the Mediator, and the promises made to believing, can be for nothing; did the Father pursue the surety so hotly for nothing? Or did the surety pay such a ransom for nothing? No certainly, if it had not been to communicate pardon and peace, with healing by his wounds and stripes to them who were liable to condemnation, and under the dominion of sin, neither of these would have been. And therefore for grounds of your faith more particularly, see here: 1. A full satisfaction — God has made way to sinners' peace with himself, by satisfying himself fully in Christ the Mediator for the sins of elect believers, so that a sinner that in the sense of sin betakes himself to him, needs not to fear any back-accounts, because whatever might make for our peace, was fully paid on him, so that we may with holy and humble boldness say, that we are not come to the mount that might not be touched nor to blackness and darkness and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet; but we are come to mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling. Our invitation therefore to you, is not to bid you come and account for your own debt yourselves, but to come and accept of Christ's payment of it, and of his satisfaction, whereby justice is completely satisfied. 2. See here as another ground of faith, the justice of God — not with respect to us, but to the bargain between the Father and the Son who are the principal parties, and we (to speak so) but parties accidentally in this covenant; the covenant being primarily and mainly between God and the Mediator. The justice of it appears in this, that it has respect to a covenant which is fulfilled on all sides, and therefore the elect's believing and taking hold of the Mediator's satisfaction, cannot but be accepted as if he had paid the debt himself; the Father (to speak so) had the carving of the bargain and what satisfaction his justice was to receive, to his own mind; and as it was justice on the Son's side to satisfy according to his undertaking, so it is justice on the Father's side to pardon and be at peace with the sinner that by faith flies to Jesus Christ. 3. See in this bargain not only justice, but mercy; as it is just, so it is a graciously free bargain; which is wonderful and may seem somewhat strange if not paradoxical, yet it is nothing inconsistent with the way of grace. It is just that the surety should pay the debt; and yet that debt is most freely and frankly pardoned as to us; it is justice in the height as to the Mediator, but free grace as to us in the height; we come to it freely and without price though it cost him dear. And that is one of the Mediator's undertakings that it should be free to his seed (John 6:40): "This is the will of him that sent me, that he who sees the Son and believes on him should have eternal life." 4. Consider the reality and sureness of the bargain — it is such as it cannot fail, having such pillars to lean on, the faithfulness of God engaged on just and equal terms and the glory of God as the end; and having a most necessary and certain effect, to wit, healing to all to whom this sovereign medicine is applied. This stability and sureness of the covenant flows from God's engaging to the Mediator, and the Mediator's engaging to God; from the Mediator's satisfying and the Father's accepting of his satisfaction, which being confirmed by the blood of the Testator, it becomes a testament which cannot be annulled nor altered or changed. And if all this be so, let me put the question: is there not good ground here to exhort the hearers of the gospel to believe in Christ, and on believing, to look for life through him? And a most solid ground laid down on which to build the hopes of eternal life? And therefore seeing this is the upshot of all, that life is to be gotten freely by faith in Jesus Christ, improve this way of salvation for making your peace under no less certification than this, even as you would eschew reckoning with divine justice in your own persons for the least farthing of your debt.

If it be objected here by any, 1. We are at enmity with God and cannot satisfy, I answer, This text tells you that satisfaction is not sought from you, but from the Mediator who has already given it, and the Father has accepted it for all such as shall by faith plead the benefit of it. 2. If you shall say, we know not how to win at God, we are such as cannot step one foot forward, and so very sinful and miserable that we know no such transgressors and wretches. I answer, Was it not for such that the Mediator transacted, even for such as we transgressors, rebels, despisers of him, and such as judged him to be smitten and plagued of God? If he had been caution only for righteous folks, there had been some reason for such an objection, but it is for sinners, for most heinous sinners: in fact, this way of reasoning and pleading says on the matter, that Christ needed not have laid down his life. 3. If it be said, We are so sinful and backsliding, so filthy and polluted that we think we are not within the reach of healing: I answer, This reasoning would if it held, turn in effect to this, that you are not within the reach of God's grace and of Christ's satisfaction; which is not only injurious but even blasphemous to the grace of God and to the satisfaction of the Mediator; if your sin be ugly and horrible, he suffered horrible wrath; he was wounded, bruised, chastised, etc. 4. If it be said further, We can do nothing for ourselves, we cannot come to Christ, we know not what it is to believe, or if we win to do anything, alas all our goodness is as the morning cloud and early dew that soon passes away; I answer, The covenant is not transacted between God and you, but between God and the Mediator, and the ground of your peace, as to the procuring cause, depends on the Mediator's performing his part of the covenant in your name: And further, as for your believing, it is a piece of the Father's engagement to the Mediator, and must certainly be made as effectual as the Father must keep his word to the Son, according to these promises of the covenant, I will put my law in their hearts, and write it in their minds, they shall all know me; and they shall be all taught of God; And your people shall be willing in the day of your power, and the like; All these promises were in the covenant between the Father and the Son; and the application of them is but their execution as to us; and therefore seeing such a City of Refuge is cast open to manslayers and transgressors, step humbly and boldly forward and run into it. There is yet a 5th objection which will possibly be sticking with some, and it is this, we know not whether we shall believe or not, for we know not if we be in the covenant or not: I answer, Would you have thought that he who had committed manslaughter would have reasoned well if he had reasoned thus, I know not if that City of Refuge was appointed or built for me, and when the gates of it were cast open should be afraid to enter in it on this account? When it was told him that it was appointed for such: Just so is it here: And suppose one should say, I cannot believe, it is as if such a man should say, I cannot, I dare not run to the City; or rather, though he had been feeble, yet he would have creeped, [reconstructed: crawled and limped] to it as he might: Even so here, in a word, a man should not dispute whose name is in the covenant, but should step forward to the shelter and refuge; as it is (Hebrews 6:18-19). where the Apostle borrows the same illustration, and says, God has confirmed his promise by an oath, that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie, that we might have strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us: Men in their natural condition are compared to the manslayer, lying under the stroke of the law, or under the hazard of being pursued by the Avenger of Blood; Christ is compared to the City of Refuge; and the heir of promise being pursued, what shall he do? Will his election simply save him? No, but he must flee to Jesus Christ as to his City of Refuge: And therefore, by all means run and flee to him, as having this fear, lest the Avenger of Blood pursue and overtake you; and if you cannot run so fast as you would, yet run as you may; and you have this advantage that the City of Refuge is not far off, it's near you even at your door, as the Apostle speaks (Romans 10). The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart; the most crippled body among you all has Christ at your door that you may enter into him as into a City of Refuge, and that he may come in and sup with you; so that though you cannot lift your feet so quickly in running to him, if you can but in good earnest roll yourselves over upon him, you shall be safe: Seeing then that this way of salvation is so full, so free, so equal and effectual, take heed lest you prejudge yourselves of it.

Second, to press this yet a little further, consider what good reason you have to run; take but this one word, you are sinners lying under the curse and wrath of God, and have you any other way of obtaining pardon or of making your peace? And if you believe that you are sinners and under the curse, is there not need that you should run to a shelter from it? If we were preaching to angels that had never sinned, there might be some reason for their slighting or laying little weight upon such a word of exhortation, but seeing you are sinners, and liable to God's curse, why do you slight a Savior, having so much need of him?

Thirdly, consider yet further, that you have encouragement to run, and nothing to discourage you; what prejudice is in believing? There is no prejudice at all in this way, but many advantages; doubtless salvation will not fail them that believe: indeed, we may add from the words of the Text, for encouraging to this, that the man or woman that is sensible of sin, and afraid of wrath, has the covenant to look to, for begetting and throughing the work of faith in them with power; for if it be true that all the midses are in the covenant, as well as the end; and if we may lay weight on the covenant for the effect, to wit, the pardon of sin, and healing, then we may also lay hold on the covenant for furthering us to that effect. I speak not this as if folk could of themselves act faith on the covenant, before faith be given them; but I speak it to encourage young beginners that think they have no faith at all, that they may act what they have, and may look more and more to the covenant, to be enlightened, quickened, and strengthened, and that they may say with the poor man in the Gospel, Lord, I believe, help my unbelief; and with the Spouse (Song of Solomon 1), Draw me; and we will run after you.

4. And finally, for pressing of this, consider the absolute necessity that you are under of making use of this way of salvation, of getting your peace made by Christ's satisfaction, and your wounds healed by his stripes. There is no mids, but either you must hazard on a reckoning with God on your own score, or accept of his satisfaction. There was never a covenant made by God with man but two: a covenant of works for perfectly righteous folks, by which covenant no sinner was ever able to come to life; and a covenant of grace wherein Christ is made sin for us, and as many as flee by faith to him, are made the righteousness of God through him. Therefore either betake yourselves to his way, or resolve on compting with God yourselves without a mediator and surety; or if you think it a fearful thing to compt thus with God, and if it be certain that many have been condemned for taking the way of works; let me earnestly entreat you to welcome and make more use of Christ's righteousness for obtaining pardon of sin, and peace with God. This way will do your turn when the other will quite fail you; but as for them who take this way, I will adventure to say in his name, that as certainly as Christ was smitten, as certainly shall pardon and healing come to them; even to as many as creep in to him, and by believing lay hold on him. And on the other side, I say in the same name to all of you who take not this way of salvation, that you shall most certainly be brought to reckon with God yourselves without a mediator, and to undergo his curse according to the tenor of the covenant of works. Thus this Text sets before you life and death; God's blessing and God's curse; life, and God's blessing, if you betake yourselves to Christ, as to your alone City of Refuge; and death, and God's fearful curse if you do it not. God himself make you wise to make the right choice.