Sermon 64

Isaiah 53:12 — Verse 12. Therefore will I 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 he made intercession for the transgressors.

This covenant of redemption is a great bargain; there was never such parties as the Lord Jehovah, and the Mediator; and we may say there was never such conditions, and articles in any bargain, as are in this; the verse now read does contain the sum of that which was agreed upon, between these parties; the promises upon Jehovah's side made to the Mediator, and what He shall have on His accepting of the offer, and performing of the condition required of Him; and what are the terms proposed to the Mediator, and the conditions which He is to perform, or rather has performed.

1. There are two things promised to the Mediator, I will divide him a portion with the great, a fair and large victory, and a good and glorious out-gate; and He shall divide the spoil with the strong; as these that are conquerors and victors use to share most largely, and deeply in the spoil, so our Lord Jesus shall have a rich spoil, a large booty, many redeemed souls, a bride whom He shall present blameless to the Father; these are the spoil, the jewels that He fights for, and the prey He chooses; when the world is burnt, and the rest are sent to hell, He gathers out so many for Himself. 2. The conditions on the Mediator's side are four; He comes to this victory, and triumph, because He has poured out His soul to death; because He was numbered with transgressors; because He bore the sins of many; and because He made intercession for the transgressors, therefore shall He be sure of all this.

Although there be no express name of a covenant here; yet you see the thing; because as in covenants among men there are two parties, and their engagements are mutual, and the performance of these engagements in the one depends on the performance of them in the other; so is it here. 1. The parties are Jehovah, and the Mediator. 2. There are two things promised to the Mediator, a glorious victory, and a rich spoil, the justifying of many. 3. The conditions on the Mediator's side, on which the performance of the promises depends, He condescends to die, and to die willingly, to be numbered with transgressors, to bear their sins; and to make intercession for them; this Jehovah condescends to accept of, and upon this many, to wit, all Elect sinners are justified through faith on him, as it is, verse 11.

1. From the promise made to Christ (where the person is changed) I will divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, I will grant Him such a thing, and He shall obtain it, take this general observation, as the reason of it; that all the promises made by Jehovah to the Mediator are certain, and shall actually be performed, I will grant this to Him, and He shall get it; the connection does also confirm it; because he has poured out his soul to death: so, Psalm 89:34-35, Once I swore by my holiness, that I will not lie to David; my covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips; and indeed it cannot but be so; if we consider either the person that makes the promise; He is God unchangeable in Himself, absolutely faithful, and cannot deny Himself, Once have I sworn and I will not lie to David; or the party to whom the promise is made, He is the Mediator God-man, in whom the Father is well pleased; and the Mediator having performed what He undertook for the Elect, there is no ground to question the performance of the promises made to Him.

Use, And it is a very comfortable one; look, whatever is promised to the Mediator in reference to particular, private, or public mercies, all shall be most certainly and infrustrably performed: Christ is the party, to whom the promises are made, and Jehovah cannot fail to perform what is promised to the Mediator, more than the Mediator has failed in performing what He undertook. Now it's promised to the Mediator (Psalm 110:3), "Your people shall be willing in the day of your power, in the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning, you have the dew of your youth": Where there are these things promised to Christ. 1. That His people shall be made willing, in the day of His power; which is expounded in that (John 6:44), "No man can come to me; except the Father who has sent me draw him" — God takes away the stubbornness and contrariness that is in the elect, and makes them pliable to embrace, and receive, and give up themselves to Christ. 2. That His people shall be numerous, the youth of His womb shall be numerous, as the dew in the morning. 3. They shall be holy, and shining in holiness, in the beauty of holiness. Again, it's promised to the Mediator, that all believers in Him shall be justified, as it's verse 11, "By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many", and this is according to that (John 6:39-40), "This is the will of him that sent me, that of all that he has given me, I should lose none, and this is the will of him that sent me, that every one that sees the Son, and believes on him, may have everlasting life". The poor sinner that by faith betakes himself to God's promise — the promise cannot fail him, because the Mediator is considered as the party, to whom the promise is made; and the absolute salvation and redemption of believers is in the same place promised. Though they be in hazard through many sins, indwelling lusts, temptations and snares, to be drawn away, yet they shall have eternal life, they shall never perish, none shall pluck his sheep out of his hand; He shall see his seed, of all that are given him, he shall lose none. This would commend believing to us, as a sure and sicker bargain; because the ground of our faith is articled between God and the Mediator, and it's as impossible that it can fail, as it's impossible that God can be unfaithful, and that the Mediator can fail, in that He is engaged. Again, if you look to promises of public mercies, as that He shall have a church in the world, and that she shall be continued and preserved, etc. These promises shall certainly be performed, as that (Psalm 2:6), "I have set my king upon my holy hill of Zion, ask of me, and I will give you the heathen for your inheritance, and the uttermost ends of the earth for your possession". A fruit of which promise, is our preaching, and your hearing the gospel here this day. And the promises (Psalm 89, from verse 20, and forward): "With him my hand shall be established, and my arm shall strengthen him, the enemy shall not exact upon him, nor the son of wickedness afflict him; I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him, I will set his hand on the sea, and his right hand on the rivers; I will make him my first-born higher than all the kings of the earth, my mercy will I keep for him, his seed shall endure for ever, if his children forsake my law, then I will visit their transgression with the rod; nevertheless my lovingkindness I will not utterly take from them, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail." There is (Hosea 3) a promise of the ingathering of the Jews. And (Isaiah 9:6) it's said, that "The government shall be upon his shoulders, and of the increase of his government there shall be no end". And (Revelation 11:15) it is proclaimed, "The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ". All these, and many the like promises, shall be accomplished; though the world should be turned upside down every month once, let be every year. The ground of the church's continuance, and preservation is not, because such and such persons govern: otherwise, what would have become of the church when Antichrist prevailed, but the promises made to the Mediator. Here lies the Christian's peace, when he has to do with challenges, it's impossible that the believer in Christ can perish: And here is insured the church's preservation, even by God's promise to the Mediator, that He shall have a seed, and that many shall be justified, that He shall divide the spoil. And though we see but very little appearance of the spreading of the gospel among the Jews, and Pagans, or where Antichrist reigns; the visible church being now for many years rather encroached upon than extended; yet there is not one word here promised, but it shall be accomplished. And this is both a ground of our peace, and of our confidence in prayer, as it is (Psalm 7:2), "Prayer also shall be made for him continually, and daily shall he be praised". Two sweet exercises, daily to be praying for that which is in the pattern of prayer, "Let your kingdom come", and daily to be praising Him for the coming of His kingdom.

But second, what is spoken of Christ the Mediator's part, we take it for granted, that there is nothing spoken of, but it is, or shall be performed; the Father engages to perform to Him, whatever promises are made to Him, because He has performed whatever He undertook; and although Isaiah, long before the Messiah came in the flesh, spoke of it as a thing done in the preterite, or bygone time, when as yet it was not actually done; yet He does so, because it was as certain as if it had been already done. Observe, hence, that there is no part of Christ's undertaking, as Mediator in the Covenant of Redemption, but it is, and shall be actually performed. O! but there are two responsive and faithful parties in this covenant; it is not God and Adam who broke the covenant, and played the traitor; but it's God upon the one side, and the Mediator Immanuel God with us, on the other side. Therefore there is faithfulness in the Mediator's performing according to His undertaking, as well as there is faithfulness in God's performing whatever He has spoken of Him, or promised to Him. You shall only take two or three testimonies for this. The first is (Matthew 3:14 and 17:5): This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased; He undertook to satisfy for the elect's debt, and has accordingly performed it, so that the Father is well pleased. A second is (John 17:4), where He appears before the Father, and uses it for an argument for His glorifying him with the same glory he had with the Father before the world was: I have glorified you on earth, I have finished the work which you gave me to do; I have gotten a task, and piece of work committed to me, and now it's performed. And that other word which He has on the cross, is remarkable to this purpose: It's finished; now the task and work is ended, and I have no more to do, but presently to pass to the victory, and to the dividing of the spoil. And a third testimony is our Lord Jesus His ascension to heaven, and the glory that He will appear in, at the day of judgment, when His kingdom shall be consummated; that shall be a proof and testimony, that He left nothing undone, that was given Him to do, that He bore the sins of many, that He gave His back to the smiters, and His cheeks to them that pulled off the hair, and that He satisfied justice freely, and ascended to heaven, as it is (1 Timothy 3:16): Great is the mystery of godliness, says the Apostle, God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the spirit, fully absolved, as having performed all whatever He undertook, seen of angels and raised up to glory.

Use: This is also, though a general, yet a very comfortable doctrine, to the people of God; in as far, as from it, they may know that there is no more to be paid to the justice of God for the sins of the elect; it has gotten full satisfaction, the guarantor has paid all their debt, and is now exercising His offices, for applying to them His purchase; making intercession for them, overseeing them, proving a tutor to them, guiding them, and all that concerns them, and His church; even doing all things well, managing the affairs of His Father's house, as a Son, and He cannot but guide all well. Other sheep, says He, I have, which are not of this fold, them I must bring in, and they shall hear my voice, and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; a most pregnant ground of comfort to the believer, that his eternal well-being cannot but be sure, and secure, because it has the Father and the Mediator their faithfulness engaged for it. If Jehovah performs the promises made to the Mediator, and if the Mediator performs His engagement to Jehovah, and raises up believers at the last day, then it must follow, that their salvation is sure. This is the main ground on which believers' peace is founded; and here we may allude to that (Hebrews 6): He has sworn by two immutable things, wherein it is impossible for God to lie, that the heirs of promise, who are fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before them, may have strong consolation. Even so here, there are two immutable things, to wit, God's promise to the Mediator, and God will, and must keep His word to Him, and the Mediator's engagement to God, and He will and must keep His word to Him. And indeed we have good proof of both already: for it was this engagement that made the Father send the Son of His love, out of His bosom, to be incarnate, and to undergo the work of elect sinners' redemption; and it was this engagement that made the Mediator die; of whom the Father exacted the price, till He declared Himself satisfied, and well pleased. Now when these things that seemed most difficult are accomplished, what can fail?

1. Then there is here ground to fix our faith upon, and indeed there is need to fix it rightly; the ground that our salvation, and perseverance in the faith is founded on, is not our continuing to pray, to believe, and to love God, but this engagement between the Father and the Son; and it is the cause procuring the other, as a necessary and infallibly certain effect; it's mainly on this, that believers should rest quiet and confident. 2. It should make believers humble and cheerful, seeing, though they be weak in themselves, yet here they have a grip, and hold for every hand, as it were; Jehovah's word, and the Mediator's word for their sustaining them through. 3. It should much commend believing, and the state of a believer, who have such ground of assurance; the greatest monarch on earth has not such ground of assurance for his dinner or supper, as the poor believer has for eternal life; for the word spoken by Jehovah to the Mediator, and the undertaking of the Mediator to Jehovah, cannot fail; and the believer has that to rest upon, as the ground of his assurance.

More particularly, the articles on the Mediator's side are (as I said) in these four expressions: He has poured out his soul to death; He was numbered with the transgressors, he bore the sins of many; and made intercession for the transgressors. 1. He must die, expressed in these words, He poured out his soul to death; which implies three things. 1. That it is an article of the covenant of redemption, and of the Mediator's undertaking that he should die for sinners; and so it is a needless, curious, and unwarrantable dispute, whether fallen man might have been redeemed any other way, or whether a drop of His blood was not enough to redeem man? Because we see here it is determined, and articled in the covenant of redemption, that He should die — Jehovah will have the Mediator dying; and be possible what may to God's sovereignty (which we would not make to clash with His justice, nor His justice with His sovereignty) this may bound and limit us, that it's concluded in this covenant of redemption, that the Mediator shall lay down His life, and it being concluded; it's certain. 1. That God has given man a law, threatening him, that if he should break that law, he should die. 2. That all mankind, and so the elect have broken that law, and so are liable to the threatening and curse. 3. That the Mediator became surety, and undertook to satisfy for the elect's debt; it was necessary that He should die because He undertook to pay their debt, and to satisfy for their sin, which was death by the law to them; and so the justice of God is vindicated, He cannot be called unjust, nor partial, nor unholy, though He do not actually punish every sinner, that has sinned in his own person, because God's holiness and justice appears conspicuously, that He would rather execute what was due to the elect on His own Son, than that their sins should go unpunished. And considering the nature of the Mediator's death, that it was a violent and cursed death, that which had extreme anguish and sorrow going before, and along with it; it shows that the Lord has purposely taken that way, to make it known how bitter a thing sin is, how terrible a thing His wrath is, and how holily severe His law is; and to let all know that it is a dreadful thing to [reconstructed: cope] with Him, who did so put His own Son to it.

Use 1. This doctrine, though it has been spoken to before, is a sovereign doctrine, indeed, the sovereign doctrine, and the cornerstone of all religion; that Christ has died for the sins of His people; it gives us access to preach the gospel, which is therefore called, the preaching of Christ crucified; know therefore, and believe that the Mediator died; and that it behooved Him to die. For it was required as a condition of the covenant of redemption, to be performed by Him, to which He yielded, and consented; O! what love is here to article such a thing before sinners had any being; it was more than to be hungry and thirsty, and weary, He behooved to die, and to be made a curse; when sacrifices and burnt offerings will not do; He says, Lo I come in the volume of the book, it's written of me, I delight to do [reconstructed: your will], O! my God, I heartily accept of the bargain.

Use 2. It speaks a sadly alarming word to all you who are secure atheists, and care not for the wrath of God; O! what will become of you, when the wrath of God and you shall meet; if sin brought the surety to death, O! what wrath shall you come under, when you shall be put to reckon for your own sins? The smiting of the shepherd was more than if all the sheep had been smitten; and though now you think little of sin, yet the day comes wherein you shall know to your cost, that it is an evil and bitter thing to depart from God, and that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Use 3. See here the necessity of making use of Christ's death, either you must do it, or die, and come under the curse of God yourselves; there is not a [reconstructed: middle way]; if you have sin, how will it be gotten put by and satisfied for? Not by your prayers; let be by a laughter or smile; nor by your living of an honest life, as you call it, Christ had infinitely more of this than any of you, and yet He got not sin so put by; we may here allude to that, Ecclesiastes 8:8. There is no discharge in that war, neither shall wickedness deliver these that are given to it; death when it has a commission, and God's terror backing it, O! how will it handle the secure stubborn sinner, when the hand of God shall pursue him eternally? Alas, what are many doing that never fear the wrath of God, that suspend, put off, and delay the closing of their accounts, and all endeavors to die to sin, and to live to righteousness; and either pass over their days as atheists, or as formal hypocrites; and such are some of you, that hear me this day, who never seek to be found in Christ, nor to improve His death to the mortifying of sin; what will you do in the day when you shall be called to a reckoning? You will curse the day that ever you heard the gospel, and that this was concluded that Christ should die, it will be the savor of death to you, through all eternity; and will be the most soul-searching, and tormenting word that ever you heard; and you will wish that the work of redemption had never been heard of, nor resolved upon.

Use 4. It's a comfortable, and encouraging word to sensible sinners; such betaking themselves to Christ, may be sure to get good of Him; for He has paid the price already, and has given His word for it, that such as believe in him shall never perish, but that he will raise them up at the last day. You would not think that it will be displeasing, or dissatisfying to the Father, or to the Son, that you come to Him, and take hold of Him; for it was for that end that God sent Him, and that He laid down His life, and died, (but He dies no more) it will be no trouble to Him, but satisfaction to His soul, for all the travail of it, to make application of His purchase to you. And seeing it will not displease, but be most acceptable to Him, that you believe on Him, and be saved by Him, and since not believing [reconstructed: brings] shame, in a manner upon Him, why do you not betake yourselves to Him by faith, for His satisfaction, and your own salvation?

Secondly, He not only died, but it's said, He poured out his soul to death, which implies two things. 1. The intenseness of it — it was an uncouth and strange death, not only was His body afflicted, but His soul was poured out. 2. It looks to His good will, readiness, and cheerfulness in dying; Father, (as if He had said) must I die? And will you have my soul sorrowful, and heavy? I am content to be so, you shall have my life, He comes not prigging to die, (to speak so) but casts down His blessed life at His Father's feet, and plentifully gives it out to the uttermost, so that He will not, as it were, leave one drop of His blood, but will needs pour and yet it out in abundance, even all of it.

Hence, Observe, That our blessed Lord Jesus was most hearty in laying down His life for sinners, was most cheerful in undertaking, and most willing and cheerful in executing what He did undertake; He makes not two words of the bargain, (to speak so) but when sacrifice and offering will not do it, as it is (Psalm 40), then says He, Lo, I come in the volume of the book, it is written of me, I delight to do your will, O my God: There is no standing nor disputing here on the Mediator's side, but a present willing and heartsome undertaking. Therefore (Proverbs 8), He says, Though He was continually with the Father, even from everlasting; yet His delights were with the sons of men, rejoicing in the habitable parts of the earth: before ever the world was made, before there was a sinner in being to be redeemed, He rejoiced beforehand, thinking there would be such an opportunity to manifest His good will, grace and mercy. And if we look through the Gospel, how often will we find this made good? No man takes my life from me, but (says He) I lay it down of myself, and I take it up again: and when they came to take Him and Peter drew his sword, He said, Could not I command twelve legions of angels; but all that is written of me must be fulfilled: I have bargained to lay down my life, and it must be; and I have a baptism to be baptized with — and how am I constrained till it be accomplished? And when it came to be accomplished, though He gave evidences of His power, in making them fall backward, who came to apprehend Him, yet He raises them again, and goes with them. And when they mock Him, and buffet Him, and nod the head at Him, and bring Him to the bar, and question Him, and when they said, If you be the king of Israel come down from the cross, and we will believe on you; which we may think He could have done, though they were but tempting Him; yet in all these He is silent, and never opens His mouth, till He come to that, It is finished: He never spoke a repining word. It was wonderfully much to suffer, and to die so cheerfully, but to pour out His soul to death, to take His life in His own hand, and to be so holily prodigal of it, as to pour it out, there having never been such a precious life, and so precious blood poured out; this was much more.

Use, It shows what esteem you should have of souls, and every one of you, of your own souls: Our Lord Jesus poured out His soul to death for souls; He values souls so much, that He gave His precious life for them: Therefore it's said (1 Peter 1:19), We are not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ. If He esteemed so much of souls, what will it be thought of when you waste your souls, and you know not whereon? He bought souls dear, and you sell them cheap, for a little silver or gold, or for that which is worse, and far less worth: what an unsuitableness is here between Christ's estimation of souls, and yours, between His buying them at so dear a rate, and your casting them away, for that which is very vanity? What do the most part of you get for your souls? Some a bit of land, some a house, some a feckless pleasure, some a sport, some the satisfaction of their lust, or a moment's sinful mirth; O! pitifully poor bargain; what will become of that mirth, or lust, or pleasure, of this house, or of that land, when kings, and great men will lie crawling, like so many worms before the Lamb? You will not get your house or land with you, you will not get leave to wear your brave clothes, you will have no silver nor gold in your purse, in that day. And suppose you had it, the redemption of the soul is precious, and ceases for ever by any such price. It's a wonderful thing, that when Christ esteems so much of souls, that sinners should esteem so little of them; Is it not just that such souls should go to hell, when they esteemed them so little worth?

Use 2. It should teach you to love, and heartily to welcome this Lord Jesus Christ; what argument of love, and of trust, what motive to welcome Him, can there be, if this be not? That He spared not His life, but poured it out to death for sinners; how long shall we halt between Christ and Belial? We do not endure to mortify a lust, to want our sport and laughter, or a bit of our credit or honor, though it should cost us the want of Christ: but, O! ungrateful fool, is that a becoming requital to Him, that took His innocent soul in His hand, and poured it out for sinners, and when it was some way melted, like lead in the fire of God's wrath, was content to pour it forth abundantly, out of love to their salvation? Should it not rather call for love to Him, for trusting and welcoming of Him; and to suffering for His sake, if He call you to it? Will you shrink from hazarding your life for Him, that poured out His soul for sinners? It would do a soul good to think how willingly, and cheerfully He suffered; but, Alas! how reluctantly, and unwillingly come we under suffering for Him? However, let me commend these three words to you. 1. Love Him, for even tax collectors will love these that love them, and give Christ love for love. 2. Credit and trust Him, do not look for ill at His hand, what ground is there to suspect Him? It is His glory to do good to sinners, and He counts them His triumph and spoil; and to make conquest of them, He poured out His soul to death, or as the word is, Philippians 2, He emptied himself; which seems to look to this word of the prophet, and is not that warrant sufficient for you, to trust and credit Him, and to lay the weight of what concerns you upon Him? And 3. welcome Him, which is a fruit of faith and love, He is a sweet wooer, He is that good shepherd that laid down his life for his sheep, he gave himself for his church, as it is, Ephesians 5. Therefore, I say, welcome Him; this is the great thing the Gospel aims at, such expressions are a great depth, and it would require time to read, to ponder them, and to wonder at them; and we would be much in praying for a right comprehension of them.

Thirdly, from the connection, because He has poured out His soul to death, observe: that our Lord Jesus His willing condescending to die, is most acceptable to the Father; therefore He says, I will give him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He has done so and so, and all the promises made to Him confirm this. That is a wonderful word, John 10:17: Therefore does my father love me, because I lay down my life for the sheep: the only begotten, and beloved Son of the Father, cannot but be loved; yet He says, therefore, or on this account, does my father love me; that is, as I am Mediator, the [reconstructed: Father's] minister, steward, or deputy, in this work of the redemption of sinners; and because I so willingly and cheerfully lay down myself for them, He has given me this victory and glory. So well pleasing to God is the willing and cheerful death of the Mediator, that it should be admired by us: and should have this weight laid on it by us, that seeing cheerfulness in obedience is so acceptable to God, we would study it, for He loves a cheerful giver, and cheerfulness in any duty. It's much we have this word to speak of to you, many nations never heard it, and you would make some other use of it, than if you had never heard it. O! but it will be dreadful to such as have heard it, and do slight it, their souls shall be poured out into Hell, even squeezed, and wrung eternally by the wrath of God; therefore look not lightly on it. Do not think all this transaction of grace to be for nothing; if we were serious, we would wonder what it means. Alas! we think little or nothing, to make our peace with God; and yet all this business is before the matter can be brought about. It's a great evidence of the stupidity, senselessness, and absurd unbelief of many, that they think nothing of sin and wrath, and of the hazard that their souls are in; and that they look at peace with God as an easy business. But one day it will be found to be a great matter to be at peace with Him, that sin is bitter, and wrath heavy; and that to be in good terms with God, is better than a thousand worlds, God Himself make you wise to think seriously on it in time.