Page images
PDF
EPUB

V.

CHAP. and the inner man; the old man, and the new man ; the first Adam and the second Adam; which in subsance make one and the same distinction. And as ach body must have a mind, or seed, or centre of influence; so the apostles as plainly distinguish between the carnal mind, or mind of the flesh, which is enmity against God, and the spiritual mind, or mind which was in Christ.

20. Then the whole history of the work of God, in the first appearing of Christ, takes it for granted, that it began in that which was natural, and that out of that which was natural, the true spiritual and everlasting offspring of God, gradually came forth.

21. And as the first decreased, the second increas ed; as the second was set at liberty, the first became a captive; as the first suffered, the second triumphed; as the first died, the second revived; and finally, when the first was completely dead, being crucified, the second was completely alive and glorified, and in the full and perfect stature of a new creature, selfexistent and wholly independent of the old forever.

22. From this principle of a distinction and sepa ration, between that which is natural, and that which is spiritual, the fundamental doctrines relating to the sufferings of Christ, arise; which are stated in such plain and positive terms, through all the New-Testament, that none can mistake the sense, who have any light, unless the most pointed testimony of those who were eye witnesses of the work of God, from the beginning, is wilfully perverted.

23. The birth of Jesus is stated, as being in the natural appearance of common humanity: that he grew in stature, and in favour with God and man: that he was subject to his supposed parents until he was of age that he then received the Holy Ghost, began to suffer and die, as to the common course and principles of nature: That he became obedient to his heavenly Father, even unto death: that he learn ed obedience by the things he suffered : that he was made perfect through sufferings: that he suffered in the flesh, but was quickened, or made alive in the Spirit: that he died unto sin; but was made alive unto God.

[graphic]

24. That having finished his work on earth, in that CHAP. human form which was put to death by the Jews, he departed, and afterwards appeared again, in different forms, to his disciples, and shewed himself alive, by many infallible proofs, in his spiritual state of existence, until he vanished wholly out of their sight, as to natural appearance: That in this spiritual state, they dwelt in him, and he in them: that they suffered and died as he did, after his example, and sat together with him in heavenly places.

25. Therefore it is a grand deception, that many have lain under, who have imagined that the holy, harmless, and undefiled Son of God, suffered and died in the room and stead of sinners, to rescue them from that death and punishment, which they deserved; and that his sufferings and death fully satisfied Divine Justice, so that no further sufferings were necessary for the salvation of mankind.

26. What mind, upon the slightest reflection, could admit that Jesus of Nazareth suffered and died in the room and stead of the patriarchs and prophets? when it is testified, that they had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, of bonds and imprisonment: that they were stoned, were sawn asunder, were tempted, Heb. x2 were slain with the sword: that they wandered about in sheep-skins and goat-skins, in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth, being destitute, afflicted and tormented.

4

27. As well might Jesus have argued, that the fathers had died in his room and stead, that he might live as a universal monarch upon earth, as that any of his followers should draw such an inconsistent and groundless inference from his sufferings. For it is clearly manifest from his discourses to his disciples, that a great part of his doctrines, as well as the whole of his example, was expressly to encourage them to undergo the same sufferings which he suffered, and to die the death that he died.

28. But all that human nature suffered, from the fall to the coming of Christ, was not even the begin ning of sorrows compared with what was yet to follow, in the work of Regeneration.

CHAP.

V.

2 Tim. i.

11, 12.

Rom. viii

17.

[ocr errors]

29. And as the sufferings, exhibited in the bringing forth of the first born, were designed as a perfect example, and were but the real beginning; so it was the highest aim of his true followers to copy after that example, in enduring the same sufferings which he also suffered: being fully persuaded, as the apostle expresses it, that, If we be dead with Christ, we shall also live with him: If we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him. And again, If so be that we suffer with [or in conformity to] him, that we may be glorified together.

:

30. This is the whole tenor of the doctrines of the apostles, concerning the sufferings of Christ; that as he suffered, so did they and as the body is not complete without the head, so neither is the head complete without the body; and each member of the body suffers in a just proportion, as the members bear a proportion to the head: so that in all things, the first-born had the pre-eminence.

31. Therefore, Christ Jesus having suffered his proportion as the head, every member of the body, according to their several lots and offices, fill up their proportion of the sufferings of Christ, that the whole may be perfected and glorified together. Hence Col. 24. saith the apostle to the Colossians, "Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is left behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh, for his body's sake, which is the Church."

Rom. vi. 5,4,6.

32. And to the Romans he saith, "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with (or in conformity to) him by baptism into, death. Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin."

33. In all this there is not the least intimation of the sufferings and crucifixion of Christ on a wooden cross; nor of his dying at the instigation of Jewish priests, by the hands of Roman soldiers; nor of his followers suffering in conformity to him, in that man ner. But the sufferings and crucifixion of Christ, both in relation to the head and members of his body, were, strictly speaking, the crucifixion, sufferings,

and death of the flesh, the old man of sin, who was crucified and put to death by a daily cross.

CHAP.

V.

1 Pet.

34. "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of Gal. iii. the law, (saith Paul,) being made a curse for us. Who 13 his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, 24. (saith Peter,) by whose stripes ye were healed."

35. But how was he made a curse for them? how did he bear their sins? and how were they healed by his stripes? was it without suffering as he did? In no wise. The history of their whole life and testimony witnesses to the contrary. But it was by his example, that they might also follow his steps in the same sufferings.

21.

1,2.

36. "For even hereunto were ye called, (saith 1Pet. Peter ;) because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps.Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the chai flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh, to the lusts of men, but to the will of God."

37. Thus the sufferings of Christ do not merely respect the head, or first-born of his body, as having ceased from sin, by suffering in the flesh; but every member of his body, who hath suffered in the flesh, after his example, hath ceased from sin: For if the root be holy, so are the branches; and being crucified, in conformity to the example of Christ, they are dead unto sin, and cannot live any longer therein.

38. But what kind of a body would it be to have sin wholly abolished out of the head, and the enmity reigning in all the members? A pure head, and members wholly corrupt. "A head obedient unto Boston. death, and heels kicking against heaven." Can such be the body of Christ? Nay verily "If one mem- 1 Cor. x. ber suffer, all the members suffer with [or in confor- 20.1Pet. mity to it." And all the members are partakers of Phil. Christ's sufferings, and have a fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable to his death.

iv.

10.

CHAP.
VI.

Heb. x. 7, 10, 14.

16, 17.

CHAPTER VI.

The Subject continued.

HE head of every man is Christ, and the head

THE

of Christ is God. So when Christ cometh into the world, his language is, "Lo, I come to do thy will, O God.”—By which will we are sanctified, (saith the apostle,) through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all: that is, a final offering. And thus by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. But the offering up of the body once for all, is more than the offering up of the head, it includes the whole body, from the head to the least member.

2. And as Christ Jesus was sanctified by being obedient to the Will of his Father and head, in offering up himself; so each member of his body is sanctified by the same Will, in being obedient to their head, and in offering up themselves once for all: and thus the whole body is sanctified and perfected forever, by one offering, which is one and the same in relation to the head and the members.

3. The Captain of our salvation was made perfect through sufferings, and became the author of eternal salvation to all them that obey him; and as he was obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, and died for, (or in) all, and every part of that nature which deserved death; therefore he not only became dead to that nature which he took upon him, but that nature became eternally dead as to him.

4. Hence the apostle justly concludes, that we who live, should henceforth not live unto ourselves; but unto him who set this example of dying, and was 2 Cor. v. thereby raised from the dead. "Wherefore (saith he) henceforth know we no man after the flesh and expressly adds, If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new: and all things are of God.

2 Tim. i. 10.

Eph. ii. 15, 16.

:

5. Then it was not Christ Jesus the Lord from heaven that died, in the strictest sense of death; but on the contrary, he abolished death, and brought life

« PreviousContinue »