[2.] It yieldeth matter of thankfulness that Christ would expose his body to so many violences and indignities for man's sake. It is mangled Avitli whips, because one prophet speaketh of stripes. It is nailed to the cross, because it is said in another, ' They pierced my hands and my feet,' Ps. xxii. 16. Wounded with a spear, because it is said again, ' They shall look upon him whom they have pierced,' Zech. xii. 10. Christ's body, though it were excellently tempered, seemeth to be assumed for no other purpose but to be harassed with sorrows and extremities. How should this increase our thankfulness ! Soldiers, to endear themselves to their country, are wont to show their wounds and scars received in public service. Christ hath wounds and marks to show : as he said to Thomas, John xx. 27, ' Eeacli hither thy finger, and behold my hands ; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side, and be not faithless, but believing.' In the sacrament these things are represented to faith. Christ doth, as it were, show you his marks and his wounds. Remember Christ retaineth them in his glori- ous body as tokens of his sufferings and combats, and this body you are to look upon by faith. Remember it, and cry out, 0 my dear Lord, and my God ! with Thomas ; a vehement, abrupt speech, noting an admiration of Christ's mercy. Twice in that chapter we read that he showed his wounds, ver. 20 and 27. Christ loveth to show his wounds. Quanta vilior pro nobis /actus est, tanto cliarior esse debet. By how much the cheaper he was made for us, so much the dearer he ought to be to us.
Let all this endear him to your souls. When you take the cup of blessing, remember that cup was filled out of the side of Christ. When thou art drinking, thou art spiritually drinking his blood, that thou mayest indeed bless God.
2. I look upon this circumstance as a certain pledge of Christ's death. The flowing of water and blood showeth the pericardium was pierced, a bag which keepeth water about the heart. The place in which the heart is enfolded is full of a waterish matter, which by this stroke was let out ; so that it did not appear by the former passages that Christ was dead, but this was a certain evidence which made it manifest ; his heart being pierced, which is certainly mortal, if he had been living before. Now his enemies could not say he was half dead, and that his
SERMON UPON JOHN XTX. 34-37. 37
resurrection was hut a reviving out of a swoon. And this is one reason St John is so earnest in his attestation of this circumstance, becauso all our faith and hope is built on the truth and certainty of Christ's death. Beyond death there can be no more required. They that ar(3 thirsty of revenge can never be quiet till the party be dead. God's justice was thirsty of satisfaction, but now Christ is dead all is finished. What would you have more ? The flux of water and blood is a certain seal and confirmation. Divine justice pursued Christ, and the affronts and injuries of men are not ended till the bag about the heart be pierced, and there issue out water and blood, so that all the world should have a visible testimony that Christ was really dead.
From this circumstance I shall a little speak of the certainty and the necessity of Christ's death, and the comfort thereon depending, a matter weighty and of great importance in religion : 1 Cor. xv. 3, ' I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scripture.' There was a real expira- tion and delivery up of his soul to God, which was now showed openly and truly, and not done in show and fiction. To confirm the truth his heart is pierced, and he remained three days in the grave, under the power and dominion of it. However, Christ died, yet not whole Christ died, but only according to his human nature. Though he yielded u]) the ghost, that is, the natural human life, yet the hypostatical union was not dissolved. There was a separation of the soul from the body, yet both remained united with the divine nature. So that here was no dissolving of the person of Christ ; and therefore he is said to raise him- self. His human body, though it lay in the grave, was still a part of his person.
3. The necessity of Christ's death. I shall instance but in a double relation to the covenant —
(1.) As a surety ; and (2.) As a testator. Christ was to die — [1.] As a surety. We had deserved death, but our surety was to pay our debt. The sentence under which man lay was a sentence of death ; therefore his life was laid down to redeem ours. As Paul undertook for Onesimus, Philem. 18, ' If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account ; ' so Christ for us : ' He sufiered for our sin, the just for the unjust,' 1 Peter iii. 18. He died in our room and stead ; 1 Tim. ii. 6, ' He gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.' He died not by any weakness of nature, but by voluntary consent. Christ had to do with several parties, and so died under several relations. He had to do with the devil and his agents, so he died as conqueror ; with the Jews, and so he died as a martyr ; he had to do with his Father, so he died as a surety ; and as a person in covenant with the elect, so he died as a sacrifice. The devil was his enemy, God his judge, and himself his own priest. The Father issued out a process, and Christ offered up himself to be killed by the Jews.