VI. and immortality to light-Having abolished in his flesh CHAP. the enmity-And by the cross, having slain the enmity. Neither did he finally suffer: yet on account of that sinful nature which he took upon him, and which he had in him to slay and abolish, he frequently suffered pain and sorrow of soul, both in relation to himself and others. 6. Hence we read of his being tempted of the de- vil; spending whole nights in prayer to God who was able to deliver him-weeping over Jerusalem; and of his sufferings in the garden, when in an agony, he cried, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death. Such was the nature of his sufferings in the flesh, until that enmity which he took upon him was slain, and that death abolished, as to him and hence the body of sin and death was the final sufferer, and not the Lord Christ Jesus. 7. Therefore it was not he who abolished death, and slew the enmity, that finally suffered or died; but that enmity which, in his own flesh, he abolished and slew, by a daily cross; and whereby he set the example for others to slay the enmity in their own flesh, as he had done in his. 8. Hence it is written, "Christ hath once suffered 1 Pet. ii. for sins, the just for the unjust, (or rather the just 18. upon the unjust,) that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise Rom. reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin; but alive unto God.-Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with [or in conformity to] him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 6, 10, 11. 9. From all which it is most evident, that it was not the Son of God that suffered the wrath of his Father at all; nor was there any design in the case to release the sinner from the punishment which was his just desert. But on the contrary, "As the children Heb. ü, are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same: that through death [through the means of that nature of sin, which is death and enmity which he took] he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the Devil.” 14. CHAP. VI. 10. But there was no changing the nature of things in the case, or converting holiness into sin, or life into death: for that which he took he inhabited and possessed, and that which he possessed he destroyed, and in destroying it, he destroyed that part of death which he took, and him that had the power of it: But he did not destroy himself, nor was it either God, or the Son of God, that was destroyed on the occasion. 11. But this is evident, that it was flesh and blood, sin and death, and the devil, neither of which can enter into the kingdom of God, which according to the apostles, strictly speaking, suffered and died. Not that all sin and death was by him destroyed, which has reigned in the world ever since; but so far as the first-born in the new creation, bears a proportion to the whole of that creation, or as the head bears a proportion to the whole body. 12. He died unto sin once, but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. And unto whatsoever he died, unto the same he also suffered; and therefore it was unto that which had the nature and root of sin that he suffered. Not that innocence and justice suffered in the room and stead of sins: therefore the same that finally suffered, also died; and that which died never did, nor ever will arise again to life. 13. And therefore the plain and pointed contrast is continued, and the death is said to be once, or final, and the coming forth into life parallel on the other side, being put to death in the flesh, and coming forth in the Spirit. Which is perfectly the same as crucifying the flesh with its affections and lusts, and walking after the Spirit; or putting to death that which is fleshly, sensual, and devilish, and bringing forth into eternal life that which is spiritual, pure, and of God; and not bringing to life again the same that was put to death For if I build again the things that I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. 14. And thou that sayest, God died for sinners, and rose again, what advantage could it be for a holy Being to be made flesh and sin, and as such to suffer and die, and as such to rise again, that the sinner in the flesh and in sin, might lie wallowing in the blood of his nativity in reconciliation with God? VI. 15. As the human and divine nature, or rather the CHAP. nature of sin and holiness met together in Christ Jesus, doubtless it was necessary that one or the other should suffer and die; either that which was natural pertaining to flesh and blood, or that which was spiritual and of God. 16. But as that which was natural was the earthly part, and that which was spiritual was the Lord from heaven, it could not be the quickening Spirit or Spirit of Anointing, which constituted Jesus the Lord from heaven, that either suffered or died; but that which was natural and earthly, which the Lord Jesus overcame and abolished. 17. And speaking exclusively of the nature of sin, that the natural part, which was subject to weariness and pain, did die, is indisputable; and if the Lord from heaven died, then neither obtained the victory; nor could either be said to be immortal, for, in the strictest sense of death, that which is immortal cannot die; neither can it suffer, only in consequence of its being united to that which, in reality, deserves both to suffer and die. 17 and 18. And as the quickening Spirit, the Lord from heaven, was begotten and brought forth of the Ever- 1 Tm. i. lasting God, he was justly called, The king immortal, eternal, invisible, the only wise God, who only hath immortality. Therefore it was not possible that he could die; nor could his soul or spiritual body, through any degree of suffering, (by reason of that enmity which he had taken upon him,) be held under the power of death any longer than until that which was appointed unto death was, by him, overcome and destroyed. 19. Thus, in the body of Christ Jesus, the flesh and Spirit, or the nature of sin and holiness strove, like blood and fire upon the altar, until the blood was consumed by the fire; so the flesh or nature of sin was overcome and consumed by the Spirit. 20. But it would seem that the sufferings and death of God, in the room and stead of sinful flesh, was a doctrine reserved for those latter times of departing, or standing off from the faith, and bringing in dam Eee CHAP. nable heresies, even denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. VI. Watts. Feel. ix. 21. If "God the Mighty Maker died for man the creature's sin;" or if "God himself comes down to be the offering" and is a sacrifice or sin offering, well might the beast and the false prophet rejoice at his death for it must be the living that have the dominion; and the living must be superior to the dead. 22. According to the true proverb, "A living dog is better than a dead lion." And upon the same principle, a living man is better than a dying, or dead God. For that which is dead can never raise itself to life; and if the dead are raised, it must be by the power of the living. Therefore, if sinners were real enemies to God, and he actually died in their stead, that they might live in sin, and in their blood, during life, and be saved from punishment hereafter, it certainly depended on the living whether the dead should ever rise. 23. Wo to him that is alone, for if he fall, who shall help him up? Hence the necessity of another link in this chain of darkness, "Behold a God descends and dies." That is, one of the Gods dies, to satisfy the justice and appease the wrath of the other, in behalf of sinners; and the other, as soon as he was satisfied, raised up the dead one: and the dead one, after he was raised up, stood day and night, perpetually showing his wounds, and pleading before his Father, that he suffered and died in the room and stead of sinners, as a satisfaction to his justice. 24. But what God or what justice could take satisfaction in beholding the marks of cruelty in the innocent, while the guilty went unpunished? Such black and infernal darkness, is too disgusting to the reason of man, and too distressing to any enlightened soul, to merit a serious investigation; but must be sent back, with the beast and false prophet, to the bottomless pit from whence it arose. 25. The truth is, that as two contrary natures, the flesh and Spirit, the seed of the serpent and the seed of God, met in one visible human form, both were included under one common name, until they were gradually separated, and the weaker suffered and died. CHAP VI. 26. From this mysterious contrariety of two natures, in one external form, the apostles are frequently under the necessity of using apparent contradictions: Thus St. Paul, "It is Christ that died, yea, rather that is risen.-I am crucified with Christ: 34. nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.” Gal. ii. 20 27. So Christ Jesus is said to have two natures in him, not united, but at pointed variance; and when it is said that Christ suffered and died, and rose again, and ascended up into glory, these things are plainly and expressly ascribed to those distinct natures, respectively, according to the character and just desert of each. 28. So that the sufferings and death of Christ, both in relation to the head and members of his body, in the strictest sense, applies to that old nature of the first Adam, which is a state of death, out of which the new man arose, and from which he became fully and finally separated, and ascended into the divine nature and likeness of his Father, as the first-born and first-fruit in the work of redemption. 29. And as the redemption of Christ had respect to the full headship, and membership of the redeemed, or all who should be regenerated and born again; and as his second appearing was to be in the second part of man's fallen nature; therefore, the sufferings of that nature could never be filled up, in their full and perfect measure, as to the order of both male and female, until the second appearing of Christ actually took place. 30. And therefore, the blessed Mother of our redemption, in all respects, suffered her due proportion, and died, upon the same fundamental principles that the sufferings and death of Christ were necessary, in his first appearing. 31. And in that she died, she died unto sin, once for all, as he did, and revived, and rose again, and ascended into the same divine nature and everlasting union in the Spirit; and being regenerated and born out of the corrupt nature of the first woman, she was the first-born and first-fruit unto God in the order of the female, having in all points been tempted like as they are; but through the power of God never Rom. vli |