OF THE SATISFACTION OF CHRIST. 503
interpretation of ff-Tr'spfMaroc AQpaa/ju IntCkaiiZanraj, Heb. ii. 1 6, yet if it be " apprehendit/' and expressive of the effect, not " assumpsit," relating to the way of his yielding us assistance and deliverance, the same thing is intimated.
[2.] That in this " body," or human nature, he should be a " ser- vant," or yield obedience. Hence God calls him his servant, Isa. xlii. ] , " Behold my servant, whom I uphold." And that this was also the condition prescribed to him our Saviour acknowledges, Isa. xlix. 5, " Now, saith the Lord that formed me from the womb to be his ser- vant," etc. And in pursuit hereof, Christ takes upon him "the form of a servant," Phil. ii. 7: and this is his perpetual profession, " I came to do the will of him that sent me;" and, "This command- ment I have received of my Father." So, " though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience." All along, in the carrying on of his work, he professes that this condition was by his Father prescribed him, that he should be his servant, and yield him obedience in the work he had in hand. Hence he says his Father is greater than he, John xiv. 28, not only in respect of his humiliation, but also in respect of the dispensation whereunto he, as the Son of God, submit- ted himself, to perform his will and yield him obedience. And this God declares to be the condition whereon he will deliver man: Job xxxiii. 23, 24, " If there be a messenger (a servant), one of a thou- sand, to undertake for him, it shall be so, I will say, Deliver man ; otherwise not."^
[3.] That he should suffer and undergo what in justice is due to him that he was to deliver; — a hard and great prescription, yet such as must be undergone, that there may be a consistence of the justice and truth of God with the salvation of man. This is plainly expressed, Isa. liii. 10, it^'SJ D*^'X D'-bri-D^?^ "When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin," or rather, " If his soul shall make an offering for sin, then he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand." As if he should say, " If this work be brought about, and if the counsel of peace which we have consented in be carried on, if my pleasure therein be to prosper, thou must make thy soul an offering for sin." And that this was required of our Saviour, himself fully expresses even in his agony, when, praying for the removal of the cup, he submits to the drinking of it in these words: " 'Thy will, O Father, be done;' this is that which thou wilt have me do, which thou hast prescribed unto me, even that I drink of this cup;" wherein he "tasted of death," and which comprised the whole of his sufferings. And this is the third thing in this convention and agreement.
3. Promises are made, upon the supposition of undertaking that which was required, and these of all sorts that might either concern 1 Vid. Cocceium in loc.
504 VINDICIJS EVANGELIC^.
the person that did undertake, or the accomplishment of the work that he did undertake.
(1.) For the person himself that was to undertake, or the Lord Jesus Christ, seeing there was much difficulty and great opposition to be passed through in what he was to do and undergo, promises of the assistance of his Father, by bis presence with him, and carry- ing him through all perplexities and trials, are given to him in abundance. Some of these you have, Isa. xlii. 4, " He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth;" and verse 6, " I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thy hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people;" — "Whatever opposition thou maystmeet withal, I will hold thee, and keep thee, and preserve thee." " I will not leave thy soul in hell, nor suffer mine Holy One to see corruption," Ps. xvi. 10. So Ps. Ixxxix. 28, " My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my co- venant shall stand fast with him." And hence was our blessed Sa- viour's confidence in his greatest trial, Isa. 1. 5-9. Verses 5, 6, our Saviour expresses his unde'i'taking, and what he suffered therein ; verses 7-9, the assistance that he was promised of his Father in this great trial, on the account whereof he despises all his enemies, with full assurance of success, even upon the Father's engaged promise of his presence with him. This is the first sort of promises made to Christ in this convention, which concern himself directly, that he should not be forsaken in his work, but carried through, supported and upheld, until he were come forth to full success, and had " sent forth judgment unto victory." Hence, in his greatest trial, he makes his address to God himself, on the account of these promises, to be delivered from that which he feared: Heb. v. 7, "Who in the days," etc. So Ps. Ixxxix. 27, 28.