2. The sufferings of Christ did answer the law of God. That makes the next demand of us. The law is that which requires our poor guilty souls to punishment, in the name of the justice of God. Why, saith the apostle, " He hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us," Gal. iii. 13. By undergoing and suffer- ing the curse of the law, he redeemed us from it.
3. He suffered every thing that was required to repair and make up the glory of God. Better you and I, and all the world, should perish, than God should be endamaged in his glory. It is a truth, and I hope God will bring all our hearts to say, " Christ hath suffered to make up that." The obedience that was in the sufferings of Christ brought more glory to God than the disobedience of Adam, who was the original of the apostasy of the whole creation from God, brought dishonour unto him. That which seemed to reflect great dishonour upon God was, that all his creatures should, as one man, fall off by apostasy from him. God will have his honour repaired ; and it is done by the obedience of Christ much more. There cometh, I say, more glory to God by the obedience of Christ and his sufferings, than there did dishonour by the disobedience of Adam; — and so there comes more glory by Christ's sufferings and obedience upon the cross than by the sufferings of the damned for ever. God loses no glory by setting believers free from suffering, because of the sufferings of the Son of God. This was a fruit of eternal wisdom.
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Now, having thus touched a little upon the sufferings of Christ what shall we do in a way of duty?
(1.) Let us by faith consider truly and really this great substitu- tion of Jesus Christ (the just suffering for the unjust) in our stead, in our room, — undergoing what we should have undergone. The Lord help us to admire the infinite holiness, righteousness, and truth, that is in it. We are not able to comprehend these things in it ; but if God enables us to exercise faith upon it, we shall admire it. "Whence is it that the Son of God should be substituted in our place? Pray remember that we are now representing this infinite effect of divine wisdom in substituting Jesus Christ in our room, to undergo the wrath and curse of God for us.
(2.) Let us learn from the cross of Christ what indeed is in our sins; that when Christ, the Son of God, in whom he was always well pleased, that did the whole will of God, was in his bosom from all eternity, came and substituted himself in our room, " God spared him not." Let not any sinner under heaven, that is estranged from Christ, ever think to be spared. If God would have spared any. he would have spared his only Son. But if he will be a mediator of the covenant, God will not spare him, though his own Son. We may acquaint you hereafter what it cost Christ to stand in the room of sinners. The Lord from thence give our hearts some sense of that great provocation that is in sin, that we may mourn before him, when we look upon him whom our sins have pierced.
(3.) WTill God help us to take a view of the issue of all this; — of the substitution of Jesus Christ, placing him in our stead, putting his soul in the place of our souls, his person in the place of our per- sons ; — of the commutation of punishment, in which the righteousness, holiness, and wisdom of God laid that on him which was due unto us? What is the issue of all this? It is to bring us unto God, — to peace with God, and acquitment from all our sins; and to make us acceptable with the righteous, holy, and faithful God; to give us boldness before him; — this is the issue. Let us consider this issue of the sufferings of Christ, and be thankful.
DISCOURSE IX.1
" They worshipped him; but some doubted." — Matt, xxviii. 17.
It is the table of the Lord that we are invited to draw nigh unto. Our Lord hath a large heart and bountiful hand, — hath made plenti- 1 Delivered February 22, 1673-4.
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ful provision for our souls at this table; and he saith unto us, by his Spirit in his word, " Eat, 0 my friends, yea, drink abundantly/' It is that feast that God hath provided for sinners. And there are three sorts of sinners that I would speak a word unto, to stir them up unto a due exercise of faith in this ordinance, according as their con- dition doth require. There are such as are not sensible of their sins so as they ought to be, — they know they are not ; they are not able to get their hearts affected with their sins as they desire. There are some that are so burdened and overpressed with the sense of their sins, that they are scarce able to hold up under the weight of them, — under the doubts and fears wherewith they are distressed. And there are sinners who are in enjoyment of a sense of the pardon of sin, and do desire to have hearts to improve it in thankfulness and fruitfulness.