Sermon 63

Isaiah 53:12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong: because he has poured out his soul to death: and he was numbered with the transgressors, and he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

There has been a compendious sum of the covenant of redemption delivered by the prophet, in this chapter, wherein, what is required as the price for elect sinners from the Mediator, is [reconstructed: held forth] on the one side, in a [reconstructed: large] description of His sufferings; and that is proposed as the fruit that should follow, and as the satisfaction that the Mediator should have for His sufferings, is on the other side also laid down; as, that He should see his seed, and prolong his days, and that the pleasure of the Lord should prosper in his hand: That he should see of the travail of his soul and be satisfied, and that by his knowledge many should be justified. In this verse, we have a summary re-capitulation, and repetition of this mutual bargain; only it is proposed in a different method; For before what was required, and undertaken by the Mediator, was first set down; and then the promises made to Him were next set down; Here the method is altered, and the promises made to the Mediator are first set down, and the conditions required of Him last set down; it's like to show the oneness of the covenant, and the mutualness of the terms of it; and that though, as to our conceiving, and up-taking of it, there be something first, and something last, yet with God there is no such thing, but it is one present act. The promises made to the Mediator are in two expressions, with an inference in the word, Therefore, knitting this to what went before; I will divide him a portion with the great; and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; In short the similitudes here used, are taken from conquerors, and victors, who having been in a war and fight, and having defeated, and routed all their enemies, and put them off the field, have a notable out-gate, victory, and triumph, and a great spoil, as the [reconstructed: fruit] of the war; And so the meaning is, That the Mediator by His undertaking to [reconstructed: satisfy] for the elect, should have a great fight, and combat with many enemies — but He should lose nothing by it, He should have a notable out-gate, an excellent victory, and glorious triumph, great glory and spoil; So that as there was never war like His, nor enemies like these that He had to encounter with, so there should never be such victory, triumph, and spoil, as our Lord Jesus should have. The word portion is not in the original, but well supplied, It is only, I will divide him many, as the word is often used, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, That is, He shall in dividing the spoil, be above the strongest.

The words infer, and take in these three, 1. A great defeat of, and victory over all the Mediator's enemies, the Devil, Death, and the Curse; He gets a great victory over them, and gives them a great defeat, so that they are quite beat off the field, as dividing the spoil implies (Psalm 68:12), She that remained at home divided the spoil; and (Isaiah 9:3), As men rejoice, when they divide the spoil. 2. The great number of captives that our Lord in His victory, and triumph takes, and brings off; that is, He gets a great booty; which is that spoken of in the words before, By his knowledge shall many be justified; and it's that which is expressed in (Psalm 68:18), You have ascended on high, you have led captivity captive, that is, these that were formerly captives you have redeemed from their captivity, and led them captive that carried others captive; as the people of God pray (Psalm 126:4), Turn again our captivity. 3. It takes in the excellent victory, the great triumph and glory, that the Mediator should have by this means; He is exalted above every name that is named, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, of things in earth, and of things under the earth: For further clearing of it, we shall recommend to you two or three places, in which it's like there is an allusion to this; as that (Colossians 2:14-15), Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, and contrary to us, taking it out of the way, and nailing it to his cross; tearing as it were the obligation that the law had over the elect, by His paying of their debt; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it: There is His victory, and triumph; He combats with, subdues, and treads under foot, all His, and His people's enemies, by satisfying the justice of God for the elect's debt, and spoils them of many souls that were led captive by them; and triumphed openly over them, declaring Himself to have gotten the victory in a most majestic manner; A second place is (Philippians 2:8-9), Being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient to the death, even to the death of the cross, therefore God has highly exalted him, and given him a name, which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, of things in heaven, in earth and under the earth — and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father; This is His victory, triumph, and glory, such as none in heaven or earth ever had, or shall have the like: A third place is that (Ephesians 2:21), [reconstructed: raised] him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand, in the heavenly places, far above all principalities, and powers, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but in that which is to come, and has put all things under his feet, and given him to be head over all things to the church; Whether they be devils, or good angels, or men, saints militant, or triumphant, He is above them all, all are made subject to Him, and He is the head of His Church.

The expressions run in different persons; the first is in the first person, I will divide him a portion: it is a promise of God the Father, to the Mediator, for His attaining the victory, as it is said (Ephesians 1:20), God raised him from the dead. The 2nd expression is in the 3rd person, He shall divide the spoil, to show that the Mediator, God man, concurred in the attaining the victory; therefore (Romans 1:4) He is said to raise himself. And in that it is said, I will divide, and He shall divide: it is to hold out the Mediator His attaining, and possessing of what was promised, and to show that there is nothing promised to the Mediator but actually He is, and shall be put in the full possession of it.

The last part of the words holds out the conditions on the Mediator's side, in four expressions. First, because he has poured out his soul to death; that is, because He willingly condescended to die, He poured out His soul to death. Second, He was numbered with the transgressors: He had a reproached and shameful life, and a reproached and cursed death; He was thought the worst of the world, so that Barabbas a murderer was preferred to Him. It also points out the respect that His death had to a satisfaction for the sins of the elect; He was legally numbered, and counted among transgressors, though He was no transgressor. Third, He bore the sins of many, which expounds the former; and says this much: that not only He simply died, and died a shameful death, but that He died for this end, to bear, and by His bearing to remove the sins of the elect, for it relates to the many, that in the former words are said to be justified by his knowledge. And it cannot be but these many shall be justified, because He did bear their sins, as to the punishment, and curse due to them; and whoever sins are borne by Christ, these are, and shall be justified. And therefore He must be victorious, and have a glorious triumph and out-gate, because He lays down His life for His sheep, as it is (John 10:17), Therefore does my Father love me, because I lay down my life, and take it up again. And by the way, it is a strange thing, that the only begotten Son of God, should be loved on this account, accepted, and glorified in this work, even because He poured out his soul to death, out of zeal to His Father's glory, in prosecuting the work of sinners' redemption. Fourth, And he made intercession for the transgressors: which points out His making application of His death, and the benefit thereof to the many, whose sins He bore; He died to take their sins away, and intercedes to have His purchase made effectual. For though this be applied usually to His prayer on the cross, yet that is but one particular of His intercession, which is of larger extent; and therefore, it is noted as a condition required of the Mediator, that He must not only die, but also intercede, that the benefits of His death might be made forthcoming for them, for whom He died.

Thus you see we have the sum of God's covenant here, as if the Lord were proposing to the Mediator: Now Son, if you will pour out your soul to death, and thereby bear the sins of my elect people, and make intercession for them, you shall lose nothing by it, you shall have a notable victory, and triumph, and a great spoil. In the words before, the Mediator having accepted the terms of the covenant, and performed them, though not actually at that time, but in the purpose and decree of God — which now are actually performed — therefore the promises are turned over in a concluded covenant, and in an absolute right to Him.

What needs further explication, we shall endeavor to reach it, as we speak to the observations, and because the words for the most part yield the same doctrines that have been spoken to before, we shall not insist in them.

First, then from the repetition, observe, in general, that the nature and terms of the covenant of redemption between God, and the Mediator, is a profitable doctrine, and useful to be understood, and believed by the people of God; therefore it is so clearly proposed, and again and again repeated, and laid before their eyes; and summed and repeated in this verse, to keep them in mind of it. Those that know the covenant of redemption, as that which has in it the sum of all the foundations of our faith, and the ground of our access to God, and of our peace with Him; they will easily grant that it is very necessary to be studied, known, and believed. For first, by it we know what we may expect from God, because what we are to expect, is promised to Christ in this covenant, as to our head; this portion with the great, and this dividing of the spoil with the strong, He has it as our head. Second, because we know by this covenant, how we come by these things promised: and that is by pouring out of his soul into death, bearing of our sins, and interceding for us; which supposes, and includes our betaking of ourselves to Him by faith. Third, because by this covenant, the rich and free grace of God has its due glory; for there is nothing considered here, as the reason of setting captives free, but Christ's paying of the price; it comes freely to us, as a gift bestowed.

Secondly, and more particularly, observe that though our Lord Jesus Christ, in the work of sinners' redemption, had a sore combat and fight, yet He has a glorious way out, triumph, and victory. It was the greatest, fairest, and most serious onset and assault that ever was heard of, that our Lord Jesus encountered with. As the remembrance and consideration of what has been spoken — of His being in an agony, and sweating drops of blood, of His praying that if it were possible that cup might depart from Him, of His crying, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me," etc. — will most convincingly make out the justice of God pursuing Him for all the guilt of the elect, principalities and powers being in His tops, the Devil, the Prince of this world, having all His instruments yoked and at work, some to nod the head, some to mock and scourge Him, etc. Yet He did abide it all out; He gave His back to the smiters, and His cheeks to them that pulled off the hair, and hid not His face from shame and spitting; and had a most glorious victory and triumph over all. What we said in expounding of the words clears it somewhat, and that word (John 12:31): "Now is the judgment of this world, now shall the prince of this world be cast out" — to point out His victory over the world and the Devil. And that word (Colossians 2:14-15): He spoiled principalities and powers, He unclothed them, and left not (as we use to speak) a whole rag on them; He, by a strong hand, pulled all the elect from them, and left none of them in their possession; He broke open the prison doors and set them all at liberty. This was indeed a great victory; He has also a great spoil of many captives, and great glory, being exalted in our nature at the right hand of majesty on high, having a name above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee might bow. And that passage (Ephesians 1:20-21) is to the same purpose: He has put all things under His feet, etc. If we look to reason, it cannot be otherwise. First, if we consider what our Lord Jesus was in His person, being the Son of God, He cannot but be glorious (John 17:5): He prays, "Father, glorify me with the glory which I had with you before the world was." Though by being man He became of no reputation, and a veil was drawn over the declarative glory of the Godhead in His person for a time, yet He remained still the Son of God, and glorious in Himself, and it cannot be but He that is God must be glorious in His exaltation, when that veil that obscured His glory is taken away. Second, His office as Mediator and head of the elect proves it; He that was appointed head over all things to the Church could not but be great and glorious, and therefore when that of (Psalm 16:10) is cited by the Apostle (Acts 2:24 and Acts 13:35), it is said that it was impossible that death could keep Him. Third, it will be clear if we consider the work itself with which He was entrusted, it being a work that was so well liked and approved by God, He could not but have a glorious victory and way out. Therefore He says (John 10): "My Father loves me, because I lay down my life for my sheep." And (Philippians 2:8) it is said, "Because He humbled Himself and became obedient to death, therefore God has highly exalted Him." It was the contract between God and the Mediator, that He should first become low, and then be exalted, and therefore He had to be exalted and made very glorious.

Use 1: Learn not to undervalue, nor to veil and obscure the glory of the [illegible] Mediator, from the consideration of His sufferings; for though He was low, yet He is now exalted, He had a most noble, excellent, and glorious victory and triumph over all His enemies. There are none of us all but shall at the day of judgment, when He will be seen to be Judge of the living and the dead (which is a part of His triumph), having so many redeemed slaves (to speak so) at His back, have a confirmation of this truth in our bosom. And indeed it is no little part of religion to get this point deeply impressed on our hearts — that our Lord Jesus, who was once low, is now exalted to such glory. Look to it, and we will find a great part of our deadness and unsoundness here: that His greatness does not bulk suitably in our eye. Alas, we do very much undervalue Him; but His humiliation being for us, it should not make us think the less of Him, nor make us lessen the high esteem we should have of Him, but should in reason make us think the more of Him, and put the greater price on Him.

Use, 2. It is a most comfortable doctrine, in reference to all ups and downs of the time, and to all the straits that His Church and people can be put to; it cannot be ill with Christ, and it shall not be ill with them: He may have contests, but He shall get, indeed, He has gotten the victory; He once died to die no more; all that He has now to do, is to make application of His purchased redemption, and to divide the spoil; to notice, (which He does most narrowly) what of His purchase is yet in the Devil's possession, and to rescue, and set it free; He has gotten the possession and government of the kingdom, and it must, and it shall go well, let the world rage, and let the sea roar; and the floods lift up their voice, and the mountains be cast in the sea; whatever confusions and overturnings come, or whatever troubles be, Our Lord Jesus has gotten the victory, and is dividing the spoil; He will take no other division, than what Jehovah has made, and carved out to Him; It will not be what devils, or men, what great men, kings, princes, parliaments, potentates, [reconstructed: armies], etc. are pleased to give, or allow to Him, but He must needs have the portion promised Him with the great, and the spoil with the strong; He shall certainly get that, and none shall be able to bereave Him, or take a bit of it from Him; indeed, none shall possess a foot broad of ground bestowed on Him, and His followers; He shall have a Church, and ordinances dispensed therein, where He intends it; and souls shall be gathered to Him, from all quarters, as they were given to Him; and despite all the malice, and proud opposition of devils and men, all that the Father has given to Him, shall come to Him, without all chance, or possibility of misgiving; they shall not, by all their opposition, and persecution, be able to keep any one of the gifted ones, from coming to Him, in the season agreed on, between Jehovah and Him. Secondly, it is comfortable to God's people, as to their own particular case; corruption is a strong, and formidable enemy, the Devil is a restless enemy, and goes about like a roaring lion seeking whom He may devour; the world is a deceitful, ensnaring enemy, and does often, in a manner even overwhelm them; but Our Lord Jesus has the victory, and parting of the stakes, (to say so) or the dividing of the spoil; those that remain at home, the weakest boy, or girl, lad or lass shall divide the spoil; This is it that Job comforts himself with (Job 19), I know that my redeemer lives, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth, to wit, as sole and absolute conqueror, the victory being entirely on His side, with these eyes shall I see him, and no other for me, though worms destroy this body: Believers, O Believers there is a good day coming, He has gotten the victory, and so shall you: The God of peace shall tread Satan under your feet shortly; And whatever wrongs you suffer, and whatever straits you be under now, while the wicked are in prosperity, there will be a new decision, indeed, a new division before long; all shall be snatched from wicked men, but your cup shall run over; There shall be no more fighting, no more parties to give you battle, or to oppose you, when He shall have beaten all enemies off the field; It will be a poor and sorry portion that many will get in that day, who did not trust in Christ's spoil, when you believers shall be sharers with Him in it.

Use, 3. This says that it is both hard, and sad to top with Christ, and to be found in opposition to Him; I speak not so much of public contests, such as Pilate, Herod, the Scribes and Pharisees had with Him, and which many great ones of the earth still keep up against Him, who will find the smart of their opposition before long; but of all that contend with Him in His ordinances, and who say by their practice at least, Let us break his bands asunder, and cast away his cords from us, as it is (Psalm 2), And we will not have this man to reign over us, as it is (Luke 19). He will say, Bring out these mine enemies and slay them before me: Beloved hearers, this day is coming, when all of us will stand before Him, and shall see Him divide the spoil; and woe, woe will be to that person that day, that would not submit to His government; O what a dreadful thing will it be to be slain before the Mediator, to have the Prince of Life taking holy pleasure in your death, because you sided with the Devil, and the lusts of your own heart, because you resisted and quenched His Spirit, and barricaded the way of His access to you, and would not let Him in to reign in your heart, nor yield yourself as a subject to Him? But it shall be well, unspeakably well with Christ, and all that are His in that day, He, and they shall triumph most gloriously: The splendor, spiritual state, and majesty of that triumph, shall infinitely transcend all that has been looked at, with wonder in the most glorious triumphs of the greatest emperors, kings, or captain-generals in the world.

Thirdly, consider what this spoil is, even to see his seed and to justify many, and to get them brought in to Him, and made partakers of His grace and glory. Observe, that it is a part of Christ's victory, triumph, and glory, to get the devil defeated in, and driven out of souls, and to get them converted, justified, and saved through His blood. When He is triumphing over enemies, as it is (Colossians 2:14-15), what is He doing? He is even tearing the bond that was above the elect's head, and blotting out their debt, in that He triumphs most gloriously. So (Psalm 68), "You have ascended on high, you have led captivity captive" — there is His triumph and spoil, even a company of poor slaves, redeemed by Him. The weapons, says the Apostle, of our warfare are not carnal, but spiritual, and mighty through God, to the bringing down of strongholds, and leading every thought and imagination lifted up against God captive to the obedience of Christ. There is Christ's victory and triumph — what are the strongholds that He batters, storms, and takes in? He makes some proud hearts to stoop, and yield to Him, and carries some that were rebels to Him, captive to His obedience. O, happy captivity! It is not meant in respect of thralldom and bondage, but in respect of voluntary subjection to Him. This is a most noble, notable, and lovely victory, and triumph, and a glorious day indeed, which is ours, as well as His; it being the redeeming of poor captive sinners, and bringing in of many followers to the Lamb. And therefore, verse 11, it is called satisfaction for the travail of his soul, and the justifying of many — that is the spoil and the prey. Verse 10, it is called the pleasure of the Lord; and in this verse, His portion and spoil. What does our blessed Lord Jesus take to Himself, what does this David claim, or take to Him, as His spoil, who is alone the Monarch of this great universe? It is a number of poor sinners. "Come to me," says he, "you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you" — He has no more, He seeks no more, but so many souls as He minded to do good to. When the Lord divided the nations, as it is (Psalm [reference omitted]), He chose Jacob for His portion. If we consider a little more particularly, we will find the justification and salvation of sinners to be our Lord Jesus His victory, triumph, and spoil; because in this He is victorious, and triumphs, and gets the glory of His obedience, faithfulness, grace, power, and love. The glory of the Mediator shines manifestly and conspicuously in all these here. 1. The glory of His obedience, when He has it to say, as it is (John 18:9), "Of all that you have given me, I have lost none" — He gets so many souls committed to Him of the Father to redeem, and when He has done and performed the work, and brought them in, He has the glory of His obedience to His Father, who says to Him: "You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." 2. The glory of His faithfulness — according as He did engage and undertake to Jehovah, He has kept His word, and there is a necessity lying on Him that it should be so, that of all committed to Him, He should lose none, but present them without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing. Therefore He is called the faithful shepherd, because He loses none of the sheep that are given Him. 3. The glory of grace and infinite love — the more that are saved, the more grace and love shines forth in paying their debt and ransom, and in bringing them in to be partakers of His love. Therefore (John 17), He says, "That the love with which you have loved me, may be in them, and I in them" — He would have the love communicated by the Father to Him, to be in them, that it may be known that He has loved them, as the Father has loved Him. There cannot be such a proof and demonstration of love as this. It is evidenced in His exaltation as their head, and in their being brought where He is.

4. The glory of power shines forth here, that trampled upon, and triumphs over all difficulties, that are in the way of saving elect sinners; and, O! what difficulties there are in the way of saving sinners? He having the Devil and the world without, and a deceitful heart, and a fickle humor within themselves to encounter with: so many sins to mortify, and snares to lead through; yet none plucks His sheep out of His hand. Therefore, they are said to be kept by the power of God, through faith to salvation (1 Peter 1); in a word, as it was the manner of old for conquerors to ride in triumph, and all their prisoners led after or before them, at their back: so our Lord, for manifesting the glory of His grace, faithfulness and power brings so many sinners through, to glory, and has so a greater train, than ever any conqueror had; and He counts it His glory, and triumph to get many lost souls saved (John 17). "Yours they were, and you gave them me, and I am glorified in them; how is that? I have given them your word, and they have received it." He counts himself glorified in sinners submitting to Him, in their believing on Him, and in their taking pardon from Him. Now let me say, that if we were [reconstructed: willing] and making choice of a doctrine, to warm the heart of a sensible sinner, to shame unbelief out of the world, and to give impregnable ground to hazard on Christ; here it is, that our Lord Jesus places His victory, glory, and triumph and spoil in this, even in doing good to sinners, and in having sinners getting good of Him. It is His portion when (to say so) the world is dealt, that He gets a number of lost sinners to save as His share; and though He be the heir of all things, and the firstborn, yet He loves that better than a thousand kingdoms; when He has His spoil, and prey at the taking, this is it, and He chooses no other. O! sinners do you think this little? Or do you think little of this? Had He placed His glory, in crushing under foot all the prisoners of the earth, or in bringing the world to nothing, who could have said, what do you do? But when He places His glory and triumph in this, to overcome the Devil, to cast him out of souls, to relieve poor sinners, and to bring them in to acknowledge Him, as the author of eternal salvation, and as the author and finisher of their faith; if you would have something to wonder at, is it not here? He will burn the world into ashes, and leave it, and will cast many kings and great men into hell, and yet He gathers poor elect sinners out of that burnt heap, as it were, as the thing He has designed for His spoil; He has no more, and He seeks no more, (as I said) and yet He gets no [reconstructed: gain] of these poor sinners for all this.

And therefore, as the first use of it, wonder at this, will it not be a glorious day, when Christ is crowned, and has all redeemed sinners at His back, with harps in their hands, singing, salvation, glory and power, to the Lamb? O! wonder, that there is not only a Savior, and life and salvation to be had through Him; but that it is such a salvation, as is wonderful in this respect, that He counts it His glory, and triumph to have many sinners saved, when He might have glorified Himself in sending us all to hell; may we not wonder at this? And yet we ought to believe it, and the little faith of it makes it be so little wondered at; ah! sinners for most part do not believe that Christ thinks so much of the saving of sinners; and therefore they wonder not at it, are not suitably affected, and taken up with it.

Use 2. There is here a sweet and solid ground for quieting, and settling the faith of sensible sinners, who would have footing to their faith; Christ counts it His glory and triumph to save such as you are, and if you perish that would fain be at Christ and His righteousness for life; Christ shall want His glory and triumph, and may not that serve and satisfy you? That your salvation is His glory and triumph, which He will not come short of; the Father has here promised it; and He shall not, He cannot want it; sinners, He must have, and shall have to be saved, because His victory, triumph and spoil depends on it. A wonderful condescension of grace (which is not easily believed) that all these are linked and coupled together, and through each other, as it were — sinners' salvation, Christ's victory, triumph, and spoil, and God's glory in His grace, love, faithfulness, and power; you reflect, no doubt on God's faithfulness, who suspect, and are jealous of your salvation, if indeed you do by faith betake yourselves to Jesus Christ.

Use 3. Does Christ think so much of the salvation of sinners, that He counts it His victory and triumph, His portion and spoil? Then, 1. All that give not Christ their souls to be saved, do what they can to lessen Christ's portion, and to frustrate Him of His glory. 2. If you would do Christ service that is most acceptable to Him, give Him your souls to be saved by Him; frustrate not His grace, lay your sins on Him, and look for salvation through Him in His own way; He came to fight with principalities and powers, and to vanquish them, and by the strong hand to rescue souls from them; and step you to at His back, for that is His satisfaction, His portion and spoil. We know well, there is here a strong and effectual motive to persuade to faith in Christ; and a stronger and more effectual cannot be thought upon; it will be Christ's triumph, to pull you out of the claws of the Devil, and if He does not do it, you on the matter allow the Devil some way to get the victory over Christ, which is yet impossible, but the Devil will certainly have victory over you; to whom you will be slaves and drudges for ever. There is also here ground of great terror, and of dreadful warning to such as yields not to Christ, because they do what they can to impede His victory; when He comes by His ordinances to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, they thwart with Him. The day is coming, when this doctrine will be comfortable to some, and terrible to others, when there shall be none of us, but we shall see it confirmed with our eyes, when He (as a man sorting and sharing His spoil after the victory) shall say to these on His right hand, Come you blessed of my Father inherit the kingdom prepared for you; and to others, Depart from me you cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. Even as if a conqueror should take some prisoners, and make them sons, and heirs, and set them upon thrones, and should cast others into perpetual prison, who loved not liberty. And indeed it will be a fearful prison who loved not liberty; and indeed it will be a fearful prison to be in Hell with the Devil, and His angels. Either we will be part of Christ's portion, and spoil in that day, or He will refuse, disown, and reject us, leaving us to be an everlasting prey to the Devil. Happy they whom He chooses, and woe to them eternally whom He casts as refuse ware. God give us wisdom to lay these things to heart.