Sermon 35

Isaiah 53:9-10 Verse 9. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Verse 10. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him, He has put him to grief: When you shall make his soul an offering for sin, He shall see his seed, He shall prolong his days, And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

We were speaking somewhat the last day of our Lord Jesus His innocency, which is here summed up in these two: 1. That there was no violence in his hands. 2. That there was no deceit in his mouth; however he was accounted of among men, and by them numbered among transgressors, yet he was so in very deed, and before God.

The Prophet proceeds, and answers an objection, How came He then to suffer, if He was so innocent? Especially His sufferings being ordered by God, Who is said to give His grave with the wicked? He answers the objection, and removes the offense by giving three grounds for this in verse 10. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him, He has put Him to grief; This is the first reason, and it is taken from the fountain from where His sufferings proceeded, God's good pleasure graciously ordered it so; It was the good pleasure of Jehovah, that so it should be. The second reason is taken from the nature or end of His sufferings, in these words when you shall make His soul an offering for sin; Though He suffered before men as a sinner, yet before God it was an offering for sin: To satisfy for, and to remove the sins of His elect people; The word may be either, When you, or, when He, shall make His soul an offering for sin: But both come to one thing, which is this, That His sufferings were not such as befell other men, in fact, nor such as befell innocent men, but they were ordered on a higher design, and for a higher end, even to be a satisfaction for sinners, and to make way for their freedom. A third reason is this, as His sufferings flowed from God's good pleasure, and were a satisfaction for the sins of His elect people; so it has notable and noble effects. And there are three mentioned here: 1. He shall see His seed, He shall have a numerous offspring, many that shall hold eternal life of Him; men by their suffering of death are incapacitated to increase their offspring, but this is a quickening suffering, and a death that has a numerous offspring. 2. He shall prolong His days, which seems to be another paradox; For men's days are shortened by their sufferings and death; But though He be dead and buried, yet He shall rise again and ascend, and sit down on the right hand of the Father, and live forever, to make intercession for His people. A third effect, which is the upshot of all: The pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand; God has designed Him for a work, which is the great work of redemption, even the bringing of many sons to glory; This is the will of Him that sent Him, that He should give eternal life to as many as should believe on Him: And this is called God's good pleasure which shall thrive and prosper in His hand; He shall pull many captives from the devil, and set many prisoners free; He shall by His sufferings overcome the devil, death and the grave, and all enemies; and shall gather the sons of God together, from the four corners of the earth; and that work shall not miscarry, nor be frustrated, but thrive in His hand. So then in this text, we have much of the gospel summed up in few words.

We shall speak a little to one observation, more from the close of verse 9, where Christ Jesus His sinlessness and innocency is held out, in these two: There was no violence in his hands; no sinful practice in Him; And there was no deceit in his mouth, which looks not only to His sinless behavior before men, and so says, that He was no liar nor dissembler in His dealing and conversation with them, but also to His doctrine; And so says, that there was no doctrinal deceit in Him; Which is, when men lie of God to men, which is a gross sort of lying, and a deceiving of souls, in making them to take that for truth which is no truth: And in derogating from the truth, and making them take that for error which is truth? As the Apostle speaks of such, that they speak lies in hypocrisy: These words, There was no deceit in his mouth, look to both, especially to the last, that is, the doctrinal deceit of corrupt teaching (whereof he was free altogether) I say it looks especially to that, because he was calumniated, traduced, and called a deceiver of people. That is (as if the Prophet had said) most untrue of Him, There is no deceitful word in all His doctrine; though it was imputed to Him, yet He was most free of it. Therefore observe, That exact holiness and blamelessness takes in holiness in a man's conversation in respect of practice, and soundness in his judgment in respect of doctrine; for if our Lord be a pattern of holiness, that which was in Him as our pattern, is called for from us, even to be pure as He is pure. No violence was in his hands, He was no stealer, nor robber, nor oppressor, (to speak so with reverence) And there was no deceit in his mouth; The word and worship of God was not wronged by Him, and He is held forth for an example to us in both.

That which we would say further on this, shall be in a word of use; Where we may clear both the branches of the doctrine, to meet with two exceeding prejudicial tenets among men.

There are some who if they be not erroneous in their opinions, and sectaries, they think they are well enough, and insult over the infirmities of poor folk, that fall into these errors; and they will, (like these spoken of) whore, drink, steal, lie, etc. and yet lean upon the Lord, and say, is not the Lord among us, no evil shall come to us; such half and divided godliness; they will not be Papists, Puritans, nor Sectaries, but there is much unholiness in their practice, much self-seeking, pride, hypocrisy, formality, deceiving, cozening, falsehood: and they cover all with this, that they are sound as to their profession; though only hearing, and not doing, professing and not practicing; but they would consider, that Christ says not, Blessed are they that hear only, but blessed are they that do the will of God. O! beware of this great deceit; it is a piece of Christ's innocence and holiness, that no violence was in his hands, there was no sinful thing in his practice, no sinful word came from his mouth. You shall never be accounted followers of Christ, though you give your bodies to be burnt for the truth, (as it is to be feared few of you would do,) if your conversation be not suitable, God shall never accept of your testimony, therefore divide not these things which God has put together; let holiness be in your practice, otherwise Papists and Quakers, indeed, the grossest and most abominable heretics, and you will be utterly disclaimed.

2. The other branch of the use is, that suppose there were never so much apprehended tenderness in folks' walk, though they were much in duty, and though they would quite all they had to the poor, yet if deceit be in their mouth, if they corrupt the truth, and teach others so to do, there is a want of the half of holiness, yea, in some respect, of the best and chief half of it. And the reason is, 1. Because the image of God consists as much in the truth as in the practice, nay if practice be not conform to truth, it is no true holiness, and where error is drunken in, there is in so far an utter unsuitableness to the holiness of Christ, as well as where profaneness appears in the conversation, for there was no deceit in his mouth. 2. Because this Word of God prescribes the doctrine of faith to be believed, as well as duties to be performed, and the right grounding of faith is a main, if not the main thing wherein the image of God consists, to wit in knowledge, and error is as inconsistent with knowledge, as ignorance is, yea, more; in so far as it leaves a contrary impression of untruth on the soul, which is worse than simple ignorance. 3. Because, when a person miscarries, by turning aside from the truth to error, he also miscarries in his practice, at least in so far; the right conceiving of truth, being both the ground of our faith, and the rule of our practice: as for instance, let once the conceit and fancy come in, of folks being above ordinances, no conscience is thenceforth made of sanctifying the Sabbath, or Lord's day, nor of any other duty of worship, but men become almost, if not altogether atheists. Yea, 4. The incoming of error begets a sort of presumptuous confidence, therefore Christ says, he that breaks one of these commandments, and teaches men so to do, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of God; he not only breaks the command himself, but he seeks to engage others to do so likewise, so that an error from the truth, is a sin against the first table, and so among the greatest evils; and the teaching, and propagating of error, is a sin against the second table, because it hazards the soul of our neighbor; whereas violence in the hands hurts only his person or estate. And fifthly, if we look to the rise of error, or from where it comes, we will find it to be a fruit of the flesh (Galatians 5:19), and that which flows from our corruption, and is therefore ranked in with witchcraft, adultery, fornication, idolatry, hatred, variance, etc. 6. If we look to the Scriptures' account of it, and of the propagators of it, we will find that (2 Corinthians 11:13), they are called false apostles, deceitful workers, ministers of Satan, not common sins, transforming themselves into the ministers of Christ, and no marvel, for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light: for their work is to gather in souls to the Devil, to hale them, as in a net to him, to be disciples to him. Or, 7. if we look to the effects that follow upon error, and upon the propagation of it, we will find them to be dreadful; for as it is (2 Peter 2:1), they draw upon themselves swift destruction. And (2 Peter 3:16), they wrest, or pervert the Scriptures to their own destruction. In all these respects, error in judgment is as evil, (if not worse) than profaneness in practice. And if we look through the churches of Christ, we will find that there has been more palpable havoc, and destruction of souls since Antichrist arose, by his gross errors, and damnable delusions, than has readily been by sin in practice; which men do not own and avouch, as they do these delusions: think therefore seriously on this; whoever would be pure as Christ is pure, would study soundness in judgment, as well as tenderness in practice; and yet how many are readily mistaken in this? Who, if they meet with some that can speak a few good words, and make pretences to a holy walk, though the second command be baffled and disgraced by them, and the name of God torn? And though the fourth command be made of none effect, or price by them, it's thought but little of, all is covered with this, that they are good folks, and of a tender walk; but, oh! can they be good, who abuse that wherein the name and image of God are most tenderly concerned? And will God account that to be holiness agreeable to His law, that slights, [reconstructed: depreciates], and vilifies the best part of His law? Let me therefore beseech you to take in, and to close error with other sins, and to look upon unsoundness in the truths of God, as a fruit of the flesh; and withal to look upon sound knowledge in the mind and the form of sound words in the mouth, as being a duty, that is called for from you, as well as other duties. We the rather take occasion to speak to this, because the Devil is seeking to turn men mere atheists, Gallio's as to the truths of God, to care for none of these things; and as to wear out the esteem of truth, so to make people to look upon error, as if there were no hurt by it; it's sad that there is not more being scared of, and keeping distance from the company of such; if they can but give a parcel of good words, and make shows of respect to piety: in this lukewarm time, there is need to guard against this temper, or rather distemper; and to look well that we [reconstructed: halve not], nor divide the pattern and copy which God in His Word has cast to us, and set before us; we would study purity and tenderness in our walk, and growth in sound knowledge; and would walk humbly under the impression of our hazard. It's sad when folks are ill girded and yet scarcely discern it: it seems to be a winnowing time, and some are already taken off their feet, who thought not some months, or years since to have carried in reference to the truth, as they have done; it has been God's mercy to this place, that He has hedged us about hitherto; at which the Devil has raged not a little; be humbled, and have an eye to Him that can keep His people, and can establish them in the truth, and make them unblamable in holiness till the coming of the Lord.

We come now to the 10th verse; and from the first part of it, yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him, he has put him to grief. These three things arise clearly. 1. That though our Lord Jesus was most innocent in His own Person; yet was He put to exceeding sore trials, and sharp sufferings, For 1: He was bruised, to wit, like corn between the upper and neither millstones, or like grapes in the wine press, which respects not so much his outward sufferings, though great (for a bone of him was not broken,) as His inward soul-sufferings, and the inward pressures of wrath that were on His human soul. 2. He was put to grief; was sore straitened and punished, and these expressions import so much, my soul is exceeding sorrowful, even to death, my soul is sore troubled and what shall I say; and my God my God why have you forsaken me? The particulars of this grief were spoken to before; and we show in what respect He was so humbled, and that He was most sinless, and without any the least carnal mood or passion, under these expressions, in which the sense of grief vented itself most in Him. Only if it be here asked, what is the reason, why the Prophet does so much insist, in pointing out Christ's sufferings, and the extremity of them, that scarce almost is there one verse, but he has in it some one or other new aggravation of them? We conceive the reason of it is, 1. Because there is nothing wherein the greatness of the love of God, and the kindliness of the Mediator's condescending does appear in this; for the more He suffered, the more the love of God shined; and His condescendency appeared the more; this being the great instance, and demonstrative proof of the love of God, God so loved the world, that he gave His only begotten Son, as it is (John 3:16). O! manifold and vastly comprehensive So, what is unfolded in it, Eternity will but suffice fully to unfold; and this being the great instance of the Mediator's condescendency, and of His commending His love to sinners; That while we were yet enemies, he died for us. As it is, (Romans 5). The Lord loves to have this the subject of our thoughts, that we may be led thereby into the soul-ravishing, and satisfying contemplation of the love from where it came. 2. Because there is not any one thing that lies nearer, or that is readily of greater concern to believers, than to be well acquainted with Christ's sufferings, wherein the Lord would have his people spiritually thoroughly familiar with: and it is of their concern, in a twofold respect. 1. As it is the ground of their peace, Therefore He is called our Peace, and a Propitiation; for by being acquainted with Christ's sufferings, believers have a solid ground for their faith, whereby they discover access to peace with God, to pardon of sin, and justification, the Mediator having undergone these sufferings for this end. 2. As it is the ground of their consolation; considering that they have a suffering Mediator, that has paid the price that was due by them; even such an one that knows what it was to be bruised with wrath, and is therefore very tender of, and compassionate towards souls that are under challenges, and apprehensions of wrath; These are sweet words, which we have to this purpose. (1 John 2:1) If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, who is the propitiation for our sins, who was content to suffer and satisfy for them: O! consider then what you are doing, when you read of His sufferings, for the very marrow of the Gospel, and the life of the consolation of the people of God lies here. 2. From these words. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him, he has put him to grief; Observe, That the Lord Jehovah had the main and principal hand, in all the sufferings of this innocent Mediator: It was not the Jews, nor the Scribes and Pharisees, nor Pilate; but it pleased the Lord to bruise him, and to put him to grief. As is clear, (Acts 4:27-28). Herod and Pontius Pilate, the Gentiles and people of Israel were gathered together, to do whatever your hand and your counsel determined before to be done. In all that they did, they were but doing that which was carved out before, in the Eternal counsel of God; and therefore Peter says (Acts 2:23). Him being delivered by the determinate counsel, and foreknowledge of God, you have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain. The Lord's hand was supreme in the business; and we may gather the supreme and sovereign influence of the Lord's hand, in these three respects, in Christ's sufferings. 1. In respect of His appointing them; It was concluded in the counsel of God, what He should suffer, what should be the price that Jehovah would have, and the sacrifice that he would accept of from His hand. 2. In respect of the ordering and over-ruling of His sufferings, when it came to the execution of His ancient decree; He who governs all the counsels, thoughts, and actions of men; did in a special manner, govern and over-rule the sufferings of the Mediator, though wicked men were following their own design; and were stirred and acted by the Devil, who is said to have put it into the heart of Judas to betray Christ; yet God had the ordering of all, who should betray Him, what death He should die, how He should be pierced, and yet not a bone of Him broken. 3. In respect of His having had a hand actively in them; and as he was the chief party that pursued Christ; it was He that was exacting the elect's debt of Him; therefore the Lord looks over Pilate and Herod to Him; and says to Pilate you could have no power over me except it were given you from above; and to His Father, Father take this cup from me; and my God my God why have you forsaken me? He was pursued as standing surety in our room; in which respect it is said, (Romans 8). He that spared not his own Son; He spared Him not when He cried, but would have Him drinking out the cup, and (Zechariah 13:7). Awake O sword against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, smite the shepherd. The message comes from Him, and He gives the sword a charge, and orders it to smite Him: In all which respects, it is said, The Lord bruised him, and he has put him to grief. It was this, more than sword, or nails, or spear, or whip, that made Him cry out, another, and a higher hand brought his sinless soul to more bitterness, than all the sufferings He endured from men.

Use. This leads us into the vindicating of the sovereign and holy providence of God, in that wherein men have a most sinful hand, and are most inexcusable; though Judas that betrayed, and Pilate that condemned the Innocent Son of God, acted most sinfully; yet the Lord himself has an active over-ruling hand, in carrying on His own design; and what Judas and Pilate, with other wicked men did, was so far from being by guess, that they were the executions of His ancient decrees, and He is most pure and spotless, in venting and manifesting grace, holiness and justice, when men were venting their corruptions, impiety and injustice most. Therefore the holy providence of God [reconstructed: mixes no more] as to any sinless participation with men's sin, in their sinful and wicked actings, than the Covenant of Redemption mixed itself with the sinfulness of them that crucified Christ. In fact, this is a principal diamond in His Crown, that He cannot only govern all the natural second causes that are in the world, in their several courses and actings, and order them to His own glory, but even devils, and wicked men, and hypocrites, their most corrupt and abominable actions, and make them infrustrably subservient to the promoting of His own holy ends and purposes, and yet be free of their sin; for which they shall account to Him. And as it was no excuse to Judas, nor to Pilate that they did what before was decreed of God; so it shall be no excuse to any man in a sinful course; that God has a hand in every thing that comes to pass; who yet is just and holy in all. It may also stay our hearts when the Devil, and his instruments, as it were, are running mad; that they can do no more than what God permits, in fact some way commissions them to do. The Devil could not so much as touch a tail of one of Job's sheep, without leave asked and given. O! the depth both of the knowledge, and of the wisdom of God; how unsearchable are his ways, and his judgments [reconstructed: past] finding out. 3. As we may see here the concurrence of the persons of the blessed Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit; the concurrence of Jehovah with the Mediator, for carrying on the same design, the work of man's redemption, (for it pleased them all;) So taking the Lord Jehovah essentially, as comprehending all the three persons, we may observe, that the Lord is well willed to, and has delight in prosecuting the work of redemption, though even to the bruising of the second Person of the Godhead, considered as He became man and Mediator, not that He delighted in the sufferings as such, of His Innocent Son, for He affects not willingly the children of men; but considering the end, and the effects that were to follow, to wit, the seed that He should beget [reconstructed: to] eternal life, and the captives whom He was to redeem. In that respect, it was not only against His will, but it pleased Him well, or as the word is in the New Testament, It was his good pleasure, alluding, as it is like to this of the prophet. Therefore, when Christ speaks of the work of redemption: He calls it the Father's will and work; the Father's will, when He says, I came not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me, the Father's work, while He says, I have finished the work you gave me to do; And here it is called His pleasure; for there was nothing without Himself to move Him to it; when He might have suffered all fallen mankind to lie still in their forlorn condition; It pleased Him to give His Son of His own good will, to redeem several of them.

Use: If we put these doctrines together they afford us wonderful matter of consolation. 1. That we have an able Savior, that has given a sufficient ransom for us, a price that cannot be overvalued. 2. A willing mediator, that gave himself, no man took his life from him, but he laid it down of himself, and took it up again. 3. A willing Jehovah, contriving and taking pleasure in contriving the redemption of elect sinners, through the death of his own Son: which reproves, and gives check to the wonderfully strange mistakes that are often found with some poor souls concerning the way of peace; as some will be ready to say, if [reconstructed: Christ] were as willing to take me, as I am to take him; as willing to welcome me, as I am to come to him. But is not this a proof of his willingness, that he was content to be bruised, and put to grief about the work of your redemption? Others have a secret apprehension, that if God were as willing to receive and save them, as Christ is, they would have more confidence; but says the Prophet here, that it pleased the Father to bruise him? In whose breast (to speak so) bred the plot of sinners' redemption? Jehovah thought it good: he loved the salvation of sinners so well, that he was content to seem in a manner regardless of his own Son's cries and tears, for a time, to make way for performing the satisfaction that was due to justice; and he did this with good will, and pleasantly. We shall not insist more on particular uses; but is there, or can there be greater ground of consolation, than this? Or is there anything wanting here to complete the consolation? Is there not a well furnished Savior commissioned to give life to whom he will? Who has purchased it, that he may give it, and a well willing, loving, and condescending God, willing to give his Son, and willing to accept of his death for a ransom, and what would you have more? The party offended, is willing to be in friendship with the offending party, and to give and accept of the satisfaction; what can Temptation say, or what ground is there for jealousy to vent itself here? He that did not spare his own Son, but willingly and freely gave him to death for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? As it is (Romans 8). And if we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, when we were enemies, shall we not much more be saved by his life, as it is (Romans 5:10). There is a great disproportion between Christ, and other gifts, indeed and the gift of heaven itself; and shall a poor sinner have a suffering Savior given, and may he not also expect pardon of sin, justification, faith, repentance, and admission to the kingdom? There is here good and strong ground of consolation, to them that will build on it, let the Father's, and Christ's love to you be welcome in its offers; that his end in bringing many sons to glory, be not frustrated by any of you, so far as you can, though it cannot indeed be frustrated; for the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand, and he shall see the travail of his soul and be satisfied.