Obj. But how could Christ take our sins upon him and not be defiled therewith ?
Quest. He took not the stain of our sins, but the guilt of them. Now in guilt there is two things.
1 . A worthiness and desert of punishment.
2. An obligation and binding over thereunto.
Christ took not the desert of punishment upon him, from any fault in himself; he took whatsoever was penal upon him, but not culpable. As he was our surety, so he everyway discharged our debt, being bound over to all judgments and punishments for us.
Now we owe unto God a double debt.
1. A debt of obedience ; and if that fail,
2. A debt of punishment.
Christ's suffeeings for man s sin. 357
And both these hath Christ freed us from : first, by obeying the will of his Father in everything ; and, secondly, by suffering whatsoever was due to us for our transgressions.
Some heretics that would shake the foundation of our faith, will grant Christ to be a Mediator to intercede for us, and a Redeemer to set us at liberty from slavery, &c., but 7wt to be a surety to pay om* debt, by way of satisfaction to God for us.
Let such remember, that God's pleasure to redeem lost mankind, is not so much by way of power and strength, as by way of justice, and therefore it is said, Heb. vii. 22, ' Christ is become our surety ;' and Paul, when he became a mediator to Philemon for Onesimus, a fugitive servant, did it by way of surety, * If he owe thee anything I will discharge it,' Philem. 18 ; and Christ Jesus our Mediator blessed for ever, so intercedeth unto God for us, as that he fully satisfies his justice for our ofiences.
Quest. But why was Christ thus forsaken of his Father ?
Ans. 1. To satisfy God for our forsakinri of him. Chi'ist's forsaldng was satisfactoiy for all our forsakings of God. Beloved, we all forsook God in Adam, and indeed what do we else in every sin we commit, but forsake the Lord, and turn to the creatm-e ? what are all our sins of plea- sure, profit, ambition, and the like, but a leaving of the fountain of living waters, to fetch contentment fi'om * broken cisterns,' Jer. ii. 13.
2. But Chi'ist was chiefly forsaken, that he might bring m home again to God, that there might be no more a separation betwixt his blessed Majesty and us.
Some shallow heretics there are, that would have Christ to be an example of imtience and holiness in his life and death, and do us good that way only.
Oh no, beloved, the main comfoi-t we receive fi'om Christ is by way of satisfaction. There must be fii'st gi'ace, and then peace in our agreement with God. Sweetly, saith Bernard, I desire indeed to follow Christ as an example of humility, patience, self-denial, &c., and to love him with the same afi"ection that he hath loved me ; but I must eat of the Passover- Lamb, that is, I must chiefly feed on Christ dying for my sins. So eveiy true Christian soul desires to follow Christ's obedience, humility, patience, &c., and to be transformed into the likeness of his blessed Saviour. Whom should I desire to be like more than him, that hath done so much for me ? But yet the main comfort I receive from Christ, is by eating his body and drinking his blood ; my soul feeds and feasts itself most of all upon the death of Christ, as satisfying for my sins. And what a comfort is it that Christ being our surety, hath made full satisfaction for all our sins. Surely * we shall never be finally and wholly forsaken, because Christ was forsaken for us. Now we may think of God without discomfort, and of sin without despair. Now we may think of the law of death, the curse and all, and never be terrified — why ? Christ our surety hath given fuU content of divine justice for wrath and law, sin and curse, &c. They are all links of one chain, and Christ hath dissolved them all. Now sin ceaseth, wrath ceaseth, the law hath nothing to lay to our charge ; death's sting is puUed out. How comfortably, therefore, may we a^jpear before God's tri- bunal ! Oh, beloved, when the soul is brought as low as hell almost, then this consideration will be sweet, that Christ was forsaken as a surety for me ; Christ overcame sin, death, God's wrath, and all for me ; in him I triumph over aU these. What welcome news is this to a distressed sinner ! Whenever thy soul is truly humbled in the sense of sin, look not * That is, ' assuredly.' — G.
358 cheist's sufferings foe man s sin.
at sin in thy conscience (thy conscience is a bed for another to lodge in), but at Christ. If thou be a broken-hearted sinner, see thy sins in Christ thy Saviour taken away ; see what he hath endured and suffered for them ; see not the law in thy conscience, but see it discharged by Christ; see death disarmed through him, and made an entrance into a better life for thee. Whatsoever is ill, see it in Christ before thou seest it in thyself ; and when thou beholdest it there, see not only the hurt thereof taken away, but all good made over to thee ; for ' all things work together for the best to them that love God,' Rom. viii. 28. The devil himself, death, sin, and wrath, all help the main ; the poison and mischief of all is taken away by Christ, and all good conveyed to us in him. We have grace answer- able to his grace. He is the first seat of God's love, and it sweetens what- ever mercy we enjoy, that it comes from the fountain, God the father, through Christ unto us. I beseech you embrace the comfort that the Holy Ghost affords us from these sweet considerations.