Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he hath poured out his soul unto death : and he was numbered with the transgressors, and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
JlN this chapter, the gospel seems to be epitomized; the subject- matter of it is the death of Christ, and the glorious issue there- of: by reading of it, the Eunuch of old, and many Jews since, have been converted to Christ. Christ is here considered abso- lutely, and relatively ; Absolutely, and so his innocency is indus- triously vindicated, ver. 9. Though he suffered grievous things, yet not for his own sins, " for he had done no violence, neither " was any deceit in his mouth ;" but relatively considered in the capacity of a surety for us : so the justice of God is so fully vindicat- ed in his sufferings ; ver. 6. " The Lord hath laid upon him the " iniquity of us all.''1 How he came to sustain this capacity and relation of a surety for us, is in these verses plainly asserted to be by his compact and agreement with his Father, * before the worlds were made, verse 10, 11, 12.
In this verse we have, 1. His work. 2. His reward. 3. The respect or relation of each to the other. (1.) His work, which was indeed a hard work, to pour out his soul unto death, aggravated by the companions, with whom, being numbered with transgressors ; the capacity in which, bearing all the sins of the elect, " he bare the " sins of many ;"" and by the manner of his bearing it, viz. meek- ly, and forgivingly, " he made intercession for the transgressors ; This was his work. (2.) The reward or fruit which is promised him for this work, " therefore will I divide him a portion with " the great, and he will divide the spoil with the strong ;" where- in is a plain allusion to conquerors in war, for whom are reserved the richest garments, and most honourable captives to follow the
* Norton's Orthodox Evangelist^ p. 41. The call of the Lord Jesus unto office, in- cludes election on the Father's part, and acceptation on the Mediator's part, and is set down after the manner of mutual transaction between God and Christ ; whereby he was designed thereunto, as it were by way of covenant. If his soul should set itself an offering for sin, (for so, according to the original, do good authors read the text) " he shall see his seed, prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall pros- • per in his hand," verse 10,
5ERM. III. THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 53
conqueror, as an addition to his magnificence and triumph ; these were wont to come after them in chains, Isa. xlv. 14. see Judges v. 3. (3.) The respect or relation betwixt that work and this triumph : some will have this work to have no other relation to that glory, than a mere antecedent to a consequent : others give it the respect and relation of a meritorious cause to a reward. It is well observ- ed by Dr. Featly, that the Hebrew particle pb which we render therefore, noting order, is not worth so much contention about it, whether it be the order of casualty, or mere antecedency ; neither do I foresee any absurdity in calling Christ's exaltation the reward and fruit of his humiliation : however, it is plain, whether one or other, it is that the Father here agrees and promises to give him, if he will undertake the redemption of the elect, by pouring out his soul unto death ; of all which this is the plain result :
Doct. That the business of man! s salvation was transacted upon covenant terms, betwixt the Father andthe Son, from all eternity.
I would not here be mistaken, as though I were now to treat of the covenant of grace, made in Christ betwixt God and us ; it is not the covenant of grace, but of redemption, I am now to speak to, which differs from the covenant of grace, in regard of the fe- derates ; in thiSj it is God the Father, and Jesus Christ, that mu- tually covenant ; in that, it is God and man : they differ, also in the preceptive part ; in this it is required of Christ that he should shed his blood, in that it is required of us that we believe. They also differ in their promises ; in this, God promises to Christ a name above every name, ample dominion from sea to sea ; in that, to us, grace and glory : so that these are two distinct covenants. *
The substance of this covenant of redemption is, dialogue- wise, expressed to us in Isa. xlix.-)- where, (as divines have well observed) Christ begins, at the first and second verses, and shews his com- mission, telling his Father, how he had both called, and prepared him for the work of redemption ; The Lord hath called me from the womb — he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword, and made me a po- lished shaft, &c. q. d. by reason of that superabundant measure of the spirit of wisdom and power wherewith I am anointed and filled ; my doctrine shall, as a sword, pierce the hearts of sinners ; yea, like an arrow, drawn to the head, strike deep into souls standing at a great distance from God and godliness.
* The author writes in the popular style of the last age. However, later wri- ters, for very important reasons, have rejected the distinction as not only inaccurate* but as pregnant with consequences highly inimical to the sovereignty of grace. See Witsius de Oeconomia Fcederum, Boston s View of the Covenant of Grace, and Gib's Sacred Contemplations. Editor.
f Vide Goodwin's Triumph of Faith.
54 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. SEEM. Ill,
Having told God how ready, and fit he was for his service, he will know of him what reward he shall have for his work, for he resolves his blood shall not be undervalued ; hereupon, verse 3. the Father offers him the elect of Israel for his reward, bidding low at first (as they that make bargains use to do) and only offers him that small remnant, still intending to bid higher : But Christ will not be satisfied with these, he values his blood higher than so : therefore, in verse 4. he is brought in complaining, " I have la- " boured in vain, and spent my strength for nought," q. d. This is but a small reward for so great a suffering, as I must undergo ; my blood is much more worth than this comes to, and will be suf- ficient to redeem all the elect dispersed among the isles of the Gen- tiles, as well as the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Hereupon the Father comes up higher, and tells him, he intends to reward him better than so ; and therefore, verse 6. says, " It is a light " thing that thou shouldst be my servant to raise up the tribes of " Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel ; I will also give " thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salva- " tion to the ends of the earth." Thus is the treaty carried on betwixt them, transacting it after the manner of men.