Sermon 51

Isaiah 53:11 _Verse 11._—By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many, &c.

There has been much spoken from this sweet Scripture of our Lord Jesus His sufferings; and somewhat also of the promises made to Him, that His sufferings should not be for nothing; in these words, we have a compendious explication of the effects that [reconstructed: flow] from them, by which He shall be satisfied for them all; which you may take up in these four. 1. The great benefit itself that is held out here, and that is justification. 2. These to whom it shall come, it is many, so that His having a seed, spoken of (verse 10), is expounded here by this, that many shall be justified. 3. The way how this is derived to them, by his knowledge, which we show is to be understood, of faith in Him. 4. The ground from which this flows, and on which it is built, and that confirms it; for He shall bear their iniquities; and as it is in the following verse, He bore the sin of many, and therefore they must be justified; it being but reason, that these many, whose iniquities He bears, and whose debt of sin He pays, should be justified.

We may speak more particularly to the explication of each of these, as we come to them; we shall then first expound, and give the meaning of this word, justification, or to justify, before we come to the doctrine, because it will serve to clear it, and will make way for it, and so much the rather, as it is the very [reconstructed: hinge] of the gospel, and that on which our salvation depends, though yet but very little, and very ill understood, there being many that cannot tell what it is, though there are not many words more frequently mentioned in the Scripture, and though it be that whereby a person is translated from the state of enmity, into the state of friendship with God.

As for this word, to justify, or justification then; there are three senses given of it; two of which are erroneous, and the last only is according to the mind of the Spirit of God, speaking in the Scripture, which we shall clear, and confirm.

1. Some take this word physically, as if it were to make just, by the infusing of habitual grace, or by a physical, and real change; and so taken, it is the same with that which we call sanctification; but in all the Scripture we know not one place, where necessarily the word is so to be understood. Although this acceptance of the word, is the great rise of the Popish error, in that controversy concerning justification. Secondly, others take it for God's revealing, manifesting, or declaring the way, how a guilty person comes to be just; and so to justify, is for ministers to teach the way to people, how they may live holily; as it is said (Daniel 12:3), they that turn many to righteousness, &c. By which sense, some wickedly, and blasphemously detract from Christ's satisfaction; as if His justifying were no more, but a teaching of sinners the way how to be [reconstructed: justified]; to wit, by living holily and justly. But the word that follows in the text — for He shall bear their [reconstructed: iniquities] — [reconstructed: cuts] the throat of that exposition; for it is by Christ's bearing of the punishment of the elect's iniquities, and for paying of their debt, that they come to be justified; therefore the one is given for a reason of the other. Thirdly, considering the word according to the meaning of it in Scripture, we take it for a legal, forensic, or court word, borrowed from men's courts, wherein a person arraigned for such a crime is either condemned, or absolved; and when he is absolved, and declared to be acquitted, or made free from that which is laid to his charge, he is said to be justified; so is it before God, and in His court: justification is the freeing of a sinner, from the charge that the law gives in against him, and the absolving and declaring of him to be free from the guilt of sin, and from the punishment thereof, which by the sentence of the law is due to him. The former two senses run to the making of a man to be inherently holy, or without a fault; which is, as if a guilty man, or a criminal, being sifted before a civil court of judicature, were declared to be innocent; but this true meaning of the word, sets out a man arraigned before God's tribunal, and charged with guilt, and found faulty, but absolved, and acquitted, not because he lacks sin, but because his debt is paid, and his sins satisfied for, by a surety; even as a man that is called before a civil court, for such a sum of money, and is found liable to the debt; but his surety coming in, and paying the debt for him, there is both in reason and in law just ground, why that man should be absolved, and declared free of the debt: so is it here, Christ Jesus taking on, and satisfying for the debt of the elect, and procuring [reconstructed: absolution] for them, for whom He paid the price; there is reason, and ground in law, that they should be justified and absolved. All these opinions agree in these two: 1. That men naturally have sin, and that they must account for it. 2. That this [reconstructed: justification], whatever it be, where it is, does fully absolve and acquit the sinner, and makes him free of sin, as to the guilt, the punishment, and consequents of it, death and the curse, as if he had never had sin. But the difference lies here, that this last acceptance of the word, absolves a man, though he has sin in himself, by the interposing of a surety, who pays his [reconstructed: debt], and procures the sentence of absolution to him; and in this sense, justification is, as if a man were standing at the bar of God's tribunal guilty, and having a witness of his guilt in himself, and God, out of respect to the Mediator His satisfaction, and payment of His debt, which He has laid hold upon by faith, does pronounce that sinful person to be free, absolved, and acquitted from the guilt and punishment of sin; and does accordingly absolve him upon that account. So then justification is not to be considered, as God's creating, and infusing of gracious habits in us; but the declaring of us to be free, and acquitted from the guilt of sin, upon the account of Christ's satisfying for our debt.

This we will find to be very clear, if we consider how the word is taken, both in the Old and New Testament, as namely, Isaiah 5:23: Woe to them that justify the wicked for a reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him. And Proverbs 17:15: He that justifies the wicked, and he that condemns the just, even they both are abomination to the Lord. Where the plain meaning of the word can be no other than this, that when a judge pronounces a man to be just, although he be unjust, it is a wicked thing which the Lord abhors. And so, Psalm 51:4: That you might be justified when you speak. That is, that you might be declared to be so. And, Matthew 11:19: Wisdom is justified of her children. 2. We will find this meaning of the word to be clear, if we consider justification, as distinguished from sanctification, for in that Popish sense, they are both made one and the same; but they are distinguished in Scripture. As 1 Corinthians 6:11: Such were some of you, but you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified. Where he looks on these two benefits of justification and sanctification as distinct, and distinguishes the one of them from the other; now sanctification being the grace that renews our nature and makes an inward spiritual change; justification must needs be that act of God's grace, that takes away the guilt of sin, and makes sinners to be friends with God, through Christ's righteousness; and so is a relative change of their state. 3. It will be clear if we consider to what it is opposed in Scripture; it is not opposed to sinning, as sanctification is, but to these two. 1. To the charging of a sinner with somewhat to condemnation. And 2. To the act of condemning; now the opposite to condemnation is absolution, as is clear, Romans 8:33: Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies, who shall condemn? Etc. God's justifying is put in as opposite to the charging, and libeling of the elect, and to the condemning of them; therefore none of these can be; and so justification there, looks both to the part of an advocate pleading, and declaring a man to be free, and to the part of a judge pronouncing him to be absolved, and justified; which well agrees to our Lord Jesus, who justifies his people both ways. 4. It may also be cleared from parallel scriptures, where justifying is called reconciling; as 2 Corinthians 5:18-20: God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us, etc. And how that comes to pass, is told in the last verse. For he made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. So that to be made the righteousness of God is to be justified, and to be justified is to be made friends with, or to be reconciled to God; and that not by working a moral change; but upon the account of Christ's satisfaction, bringing us into friendship with God. So, Ephesians 1:6: Where to be justified, is explained, to be made accepted in the Beloved. And what else is that, but to be in good terms with God, to have him passing by all quarrels, as having nothing to say against us, but accepting us through Christ as righteous? So, Acts 13:38-39: Be it known to you, that through this man is preached to you forgiveness of sins, and by him, all that believe are justified from all things, from which you could be justified by the law of Moses. A place that clearly holds forth, that as all the elect are naturally chargeable by the law, as being guilty of the breach thereof, and that they cannot be absolved from it by anything in themselves; so they are through faith in Jesus Christ freed from it: As if the Lord had said, you are freed from the sentence of the law, because, through Christ is preached to you remission of sins, and there is a way laid down for your absolution, who believe, from the guilt of sin, and from all the consequents of it. Fifthly, it is clear from the text, because it is such a justifying, as has in it Christ's being sentenced in our room, as the cause of it; now he was sentenced in our room, not by having sin infused in him, which were blasphemous to think, but by having our sin imputed to him; and therefore our justification must be our absolution, by having his righteousness imputed to us, as is clear throughout this chapter. Therefore it is said, he has carried our sorrows, and born our griefs; he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, by his stripes we are healed, he laid on him the iniquity of us all, and in these words, By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities. It is a justification that comes to us by Christ's taking on our debt; and this we cannot imagine to be otherwise, but by a legal change, or by a change of law-rooms; he coming as surety in our room, and we having absolution, by virtue of his satisfaction. So that the meaning of the words in short is, as if the prophet had said, would you know what we have by Christ's sufferings? Even this, to wit, that many, as many as whose iniquities he bore, and satisfied for, shall be acquitted, and absolved from the guilt and punishment of their sin, through his satisfaction. They shall be freed from the sentence, and curse of the law, which they deserved; and shall be declared righteous, through the righteousness of their cautioner, which they have laid hold upon by faith.

Hence, Observe, 1. That all men and women, even all the elect themselves, are by nature liable to an arraignment before the justice-seat of God; that they are justified, supposes a bringing of them, as it were, before His tribunal, before they can be justified, and have the sentence of absolution passed in their favors. The apostle takes this for granted (Romans 14:10): We shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. And (Hebrews 9:29): It is appointed for all men once to die, and after that comes the judgment. There is a solemn decree passed, that, as all men shall die, so every man shall be brought to a reckoning, and judgment. And (Acts 17:31): He has appointed a day in which he shall judge the world in righteousness, etc., and that cannot be reversed. See (2 Corinthians 5:10): For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ — we must; there is an unavoidable necessity of it. For further clearing, and confirming of this, you should know that there are three courts, that especially the hearers of the gospel are liable to, which we should make ourselves ready for; they are all put together (Romans 2:12, 15, 16). There is 1. the court of the word, wherein God keeps a justice-seat, or tribunal, condemning the wicked, and absolving the righteous: as Christ says (John 12): The word which I speak shall judge you in the last day. And this is it that the apostle has in that previously cited place (Romans 2:12): As many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law. A 2. court is the court of the conscience; and this is more broad and extensive, reaching all men, without, as well as within the church; wherein God has His own way of libeling and accusing, and passing sentence upon sinners. As verses 14-15: When the Gentiles who have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these having not a law, are a law to themselves, which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing, or else excusing one another. A third court, or judgment-seat, is that which is more discernible, distinct and terrible, and that is the judgment-seat of God, when He shall convene all and every one before Himself immediately, and shall judge and pass sentence upon them; whether this be done to a particular person, or to the whole world, as verse 16: In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

Use: We would have you confirmed in the faith of this truth, that there are none of us but we are liable to all these courts; and therefore you should live so, as you may be in a posture fit for this appearing. Many of us, alas, live as if we were never to be called to an account, and as if there were no tribunal that we were to appear before.

Secondly, observe that all men and women, even the elect themselves, are naturally, and as in themselves obnoxious to condemnation, and liable to the sentence of it before God's tribunal; for Jesus Christ His justifying of them, and procuring their absolution, implies this much, that they, as considered in themselves are liable to, and cannot receive another sentence than that of condemnation; it says that not only they have sinned, but that because of their sin, they are liable and obnoxious to condemnation; that for their sin, God's curse is due to them (John 3:18, 36): He that believes not is condemned already; and he that believes not shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him; the sentence is standing against him unrepealed; even that sentence which we have (Galatians 3:10): Cursed is every one that continues not in all things written in the book of the law to do them; the sinner comes no sooner to look to the court of the Word, nor to the court of his own conscience, but that sentence is laid before him, and when he comes before God, he can expect no other thing, the Lord proceeding according to the rule of the Word; so (Romans 3:19): We know that whatever the law says, it says to them who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God; which supposes a liableness to His curse, and a subjection to the judgment of God, as the Word is rendered in the margin; there are none, as considered in their natural condition, who have a word to say against it. To clear it a little, you would consider two things in the law, as it is a covenant of works, under which all men are by nature. First, the directive or commanding part of it, that carves out man's duty, and so it is the rule of righteousness to men and women, and what is not conform to the commands and directions of it, is sin, and has a guilt with it; this is most certain, that the law, even as to believers, is a rule of righteousness, according to which they are to walk. Second, there is in it the sentence of a curse, whereby the person that sins, is not only declared to be guilty, but liable to God's wrath and curse; this may be separated from the former; the law was no doubt a law of righteousness to man in his innocence, and is so to the believer still, who is absolved from the curse of it; but yet the believer, as considered in his natural condition, is not only guilty, but placed under the curse; and this is the meaning of the doctrine: that naturally, not only are all men sinful, but they are placed under the curse of God; the law says in effect, man and woman you have not abided in what is written, and therefore you must die, you are liable to the curse, which will come if it be not prevented. If there were any need of reasons to prove this, they are not wanting. It is so, first, that the Lord may humble all flesh, as the Apostle says (Romans 3:19): that every mouth may be stopped, and that all the world may become guilty before God. Second, it is so ordered, that His grace may shine the more conspicuously; when the person is found guilty, and obnoxious to the curse by the law, grace shows itself to be wonderful, in pulling the sinner from under the lash of the law; as Isaac was set free, and a sacrifice was accepted in his room; so the sinner is set free, and the Mediator in His satisfaction is accepted in His room; to this purpose it is said (Romans 11:32): God has concluded them all in unbelief, that He might have mercy on all; not that He shows mercy on all that are in unbelief, but this is the meaning, that it might be mercy to all that should get good of the Mediator, and alone mercy to the elect, both of Jews and Gentiles. It is on this ground that (Ephesians 2:3) the Apostle not only says, You were dead in sins and trespasses; but also turning it over on himself, he adds, And we are all the children of wrath even as others; liable by sin to the curse of God, if it had not been graciously prevented.

Use 1: Let all of us take a view of our natural condition; and indeed it were the better for us that we were more frequently viewing it. What is it, will you say? It is even this: you are all liable to appearing before God's justice seat; you are all guilty, and by the sentence of the law, under God's curse, and condemned already; because God has said, He that sins shall die; we are, I say, all thus by nature.

Use 2: It gives a great commendation to the grace of God in Christ Jesus; it makes grace wonderfully glorious, that takes the sinner at this nick, and in this pinch. We shall not dispute here; nor is it needful, nor edifying, whether God might have forgiven sin freely, without any intervenient satisfaction to His justice, seeing He has declared His mind concerning that in His Word (Exodus 23:7): I will not justify the wicked; and (Exodus 34:7): That will by no means clear the guilty; and (Genesis 3): The day you eat, or sin, you will surely die. This is it that puts man as considered, in his natural condition, to be as it were in hell, while he is on earth, and puts him in such a near capacity to the wrath of God, if we may so speak, and to the actual undergoing of it; that there needs no more but the blowing out of the breath, to put him in the pit; yes, while he is living, he is a prisoner in chains, till the day of execution come; if grace does not reprieve him. You would think much of grace — oh, how very much! — if you were seriously comparing these two together; to be so near hell, and yet as it were, to have a ladder set up for you to ascend to heaven by; and that in such a way, as by Christ's becoming a curse. They will certainly never think much of the grace of God, and of the love of Christ, they will never think much of their own hazard, nor will they ever in earnest make use of Christ's righteousness, who have not some quick and lively impression, and sense of this their condition by nature. And therefore, whenever you go to read, to hear, to pray, to meditate, etc., take up yourselves, as naturally arrested before the court of God, and obnoxious to His wrath; this would lay your pride, and make Christ's offers in the gospel lovely to you.

Use, 3. This shows, that those who get any good of Christ, are much in Christ's debt and common, and have in themselves no cause to boast of it; if this be true, even of the elect, that they are all once under the sentence of condemnation, else they could not be justified, and absolved by Christ. You that think yourselves to be something, what have you to boast of? Who has made you to differ, and what have you, but what you have received? It sets you well therefore to be humble, and to put a price upon Christ, as the Apostle does on the same consideration (Galatians 2:20). When he says, Who loved me and gave himself for me — that makes Him relish sweetly to the believer; and this is the ground of His triumph (Romans 8:33-34). Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies, who is he that condemns? It is Christ that died, indeed, rather that is risen again, etc. This way of justification makes Christ's death wondrous lovely, and it is on this that the song of the redeemed is founded (Revelation 1:5). To him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and has made us kings and priests to God, and his Father, to him be glory, and dominion for ever and ever amen; and of that new song (Revelation 5:9-10). You are worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof, for you were slain, and have redeemed us to God by your blood, etc. It is an evil token, when folk can talk at a high rate of their hope of being justified, when, in the meantime, they have so little estimation of Christ, and their hearts are so little warmed with love to Him, who is so lovely to believers; and when they can so confidently make application of His purchase to themselves, and yet cannot tell when their heart was ever in the least measure ravished with the consideration of Christ's love, neither did it ever relish to them, nor were their hearts ever in the least engaged to Him on that consideration.

Use, 4. All of you, who are lying in this natural condition, and know not what is your hazard, who are living in your profanity, or at best, in your hypocrisy, civility, formality, not regenerated, or born again, but have still the same faith, and love that you were born with, and no other, what is your posture? You are not in Christ, but lying naked, obnoxious to the wrath and curse of God, condemned already; and what if your breath go out in this doleful condition? What if a palsy, or apoplexy overtake you suddenly? What if a stone fall upon you, ere you go home out of this place? There is even but that much between you and hell; you are liable to be arrested before the court of God's justice, and how will it be with you, when you come there? And when it shall be said, that such a person has broken the law, and therefore God's curse is due to him, and therefore away with him; for he judges according to men's works; are there none of you afraid of this? Do you believe it to be a truth? O, that you did, who are lying contentedly, and secure in your natural condition, and yet it does not trouble you; will you yet lie still contentedly in this dreadful state? Is it possible that you can be well in this condition? Though you would heap up riches as the sand, you cannot look into the Bible, nor into your own heart, but it curses you; you cannot look to the bar of God's justice, but the sentence meets you, Depart from me you cursed; this is the truth of God. And if you think there be any here lying still in black nature (and we are not sure all renewed) think then upon your case, O, that you saw your posture; the handwriting coming forth on the wall, did not so affright Belshazzar, as this curse would affright you, if it were believed. And, secondly, if this be your natural condition, and if you believe it to be truly so, we would expostulate with you, and even wonder. First, how comes it to pass, that so many of you lie still in your natural condition, and endeavor not a change of your state; it will be wondered at by angels, and by all the elect; indeed, and even by the reprobate, that never heard of Christ, that so many heard the gospel, and had the offer of Christ, and yet did not stir up themselves to make use of him: is it not a wonder that folk can sleep secure, under the curse of God, and bless themselves, till their iniquities be found to be hateful? To be in this condition, and to sleep quietly under it, will have a doleful waking. Secondly, how is it that so few take pains to try how it is with them? If many of you were lying under a decree of a hundred pound Scots, you would not be so secure, till you knew that you were freed of it; and if it be true, that this is your condition by nature, to be under the standing sentence of the law, and the curse of God, how is it, you never try if you be come out of that condition? I ask the most profane men among you, were you never under this sentence? If you say not, the word of God will stand up against you, and say to you, that you lie falsely; and if you be under it, is it not hazardous to be so? But I fear, that many of you dream, that the curse of God, wears away as you grow up. Thirdly, think you never of coming to judgment, and of God's proceeding in judgment against you? Think you never that you will die, and after death come to judgment, according to the general appointment past upon all men? How comes it, that you are not thinking on it, and what may be the judge's procedure toward you? He will judge you according to this word, and all that are out of Christ, and not justified by him, will be cast into the pit of hell; there is no new sentence to be past, or to be executed upon you, but that which was standing over your head before. Fourthly, know you how long he may treat with you, or how long you may be in capacity to get your state changed? Are there not many taken suddenly away, of whose estate we shall not judge, but may it not be so with you? Why are you then so secure, why decline you the word, and refuse to let it search you, while you know not whether the curse be removed, and whether the sentence be changed, or recalled? Some of you, perhaps will say, The Lord knows that, it is not for us to know; and that says, that you do never so much as attempt to know, and to win to clearness about your state. Others of you, will it may be say, that you hope all will be well, and yet that at the best is but a guessing, and you would be loath to speak so of a decree that were past against you, about a sum of money, in any poor court of judicature on earth; and will you suffer this terrible sentence to stand over your head, in the court of God's justice, and not study to be distinct, and at a point upon solid, and good grounds, that it is repealed? If you did really believe that it was once so with you, and that yet you are in hazard of this sentence, you would not, you could not, I am sure, you should not be at rest, till you knew that it were removed; it would put you to make use of Christ in good earnest for your peace, and to seek after an extract of the repealed sentence, and of your absolution, sealed up in your bosom. And this is the thing that we aim at in all this, even that as you would not have a terrible meeting with God before the bar of his justice, that you would seek to have the curse that you are naturally lying under, removed, and to have your peace made with God, and to have some well grounded clearness about it, that you might live comfortedly, and die with solid confidence, and Christian courage, without which you can do neither.