1.30-34 of Christ's Death

Section 1.30. Of the Kind of Christ's Death, an Oblation.

That Christ's death was an oblation, and a price of redemption, is evident by the death of those beasts which were offered up for a sacrifice, and therein were a type of Christ's death. But expressly it is noted by this apostle, where he says, Christ hath given himself for us, an offering and sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour, [Eph 5:2] and again, Christ gave himself a ransom. [1 Tim 2:6] The phrases of redeeming, [1 Pet 1:18-19] purchasing, [Acts 20:28] buying [2 Pet 2:1] with the like, attributed to Christ and his blood, do further confirm the same.

Use. Learn hereby to consider Christ's death, not as the death of a private man, but of a public person, of a surety, of a pledge, that in our room and stead was made sin, [2 Cor 5:21] and was made a curse [Gal 3:13] to redeem us from our sins, and from the curse which by sin was fallen upon us. The comfort and benefit of Christ's death is lost, if this be not known and believed. In this consists a main difference between the death of Christ, and all other men, not the most righteous martyrs excepted. Their death was but a duty, and debt: no satisfactory oblation, no price, no ransom, as Christ's was.

Section 1.31. Of the Infinite Value of the Price of Our Redemption.

The object, or thing which Christ gave for a ransom was himself, not his body alone, nor his body and soul only, but his person consisting of his two natures, human and divine.

How the Person of Christ Being God-man, was Given for Us

Question. How could his divine nature be given up? Could it suffer? Could it die?

Answer 1. The Deity simply considered in and by itself, could not die. For the Son of God assuming an human nature into the unity of his divine nature, and uniting them together without confusion, alteration, distraction, separation, in one person, that which is done by one nature is done by the person, and in that respect the scripture often attributes it to the other nature: as when it is said, They crucified the Lord of glory: [1 Cor 2:8] and God purchased the church with his own blood. [Acts 20:28]

Answer 2. Though the divine nature of Christ suffered not, yet did it support the human nature, and add dignity, worth and efficacy to the sufferings of that nature.

Answer 3. Christ's divine nature had proper and peculiar works in the work of redemption, as to sanctify his human nature, to take away our sins, to reconcile us to God, and the like.

Doctrine. Thus then in three respects the whole person of Christ was given to us.

1. In regard of the inseparable union of both natures.

2. In regard of the assistance of the Deity in those things which the human nature of Christ did.

3. In regard of some proper actions pertaining to the Deity.

Uses. In that the person of Christ God-Man was given up, I gather that—

The price of our redemption is of infinite value. [1 Pet 1:19] Not Christ, nor God himself could give a greater. Heaven and earth and all things in them are not of like worth. Well therefore might saint Peter call it precious blood: and prefer it before silver, gold, and all other things of great price.

1. What place can be left for despair in those that know and believe the worth of this ransom?

    

    2. What can be held too dear for him, that notwithstanding the infinite excellency of his person gave himself for us? can goods, can friends, can children, can liberty, can life, can anything else?

3. What just cause have we to give up ourselves a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable [Rom 12:1] to him that gave himself for us?

4. How ungrateful, how unworthy of Christ are they, that for his sake will not forsake their unstable honors, fading wealth, vain pleasure, garish attire, and such like trash?

Section 1.32. Of Christ's Seeking the Good of the Church.

Doctrine. The End why Christ gave himself was, for the church: for as Christ in his death aimed at our good. [2 Cor 5:21] He was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in him: he was made a curse for us, and hath redeemed us from the curse of the law. [Gal 3:13] He gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us: [Gal 1:4] he laid down his life for the sheep. [John 10:15]

This proves Christ's giving of himself to be a fruit of his love: for love seeketh not her own. [1 Cor 13:5]

Use 1. Learn we hereby to apply all that Christ did to ourselves. If for us he gave himself, he, and all pertaining to him, is ours. [see Section 28]

Use 2. Learn we also hereby how to manifest love: namely by seeking, and procuring the good of others. Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth. [1 Cor 10:24] If this were practiced, would there be such oppressing, such undermining, such deceiving, such wrongdoing of one another as there is? Too truly is the apostle's complaint verified in our days. All seek their own. [Phil 2:21] But let that mind be in us which was in Christ Jesus, and thus manifest our love, as we desire to partake of this fruit of Christ's love.

Christ Merited Not for Himself

From hence by just consequence it follows that Christ merited not for himself. Was there any need that Christ should come down from heaven on earth, to purchase anything for himself? When he was going out of the world, thus he prayed, Now, O Father, glorify thou me with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. [John 17:5] Did Christ by anything which he did on earth merit that glory which he had before the world was? All the exaltation whereunto he was advanced even in his human nature, was due to the dignity of his person.

Objection 1. He endured the cross for the joy that was set before him. [Heb 12:2]

 Answer. He used that joy which of right was due to him as an help to support him in the weakness of his human nature, not as a recompense which he should deserve.

Objection 2. He became obedient to the death of the cross, Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him. [Phil 2:9]

Answer. That particle wherefore does not declare the cause, but the order of his exaltation: noting a consequence that followed after his death. After he had humbled himself so low, he was most highly advanced.

Objection 3. Christ being man was bound to the law: and therefore for himself he ought to fulfill it.

Answer 1. If he had been mere man, that were true. But he uniting his human nature unto his divine, and making of both one person, which person was God as well as man, he was bound to nothing further than it pleased him voluntarily to subject himself unto for our sakes.

Answer 2. If Christ were bound to the law, of duty he must have fulfilled it: and if of duty he was to fulfill it, how could he thereby merit so high a degree of honor as he is advanced unto?

This conceit of Christ's meriting for himself, does much extenuate the glory of Christ's grace and goodness in giving himself.

Section 1.33. Of the Particular Ends, why Christ gave Himself, and of the Condition of the Church before Christ Took Her.

Eph 5:26.—That he might sanctify it, and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.

The general end of Christ's giving himself being before intimated in this phrase for us is in this and the next verse particularly exemplified: and that in two branches.

One respects the estate of the church in this world. [Eph 5:26]

The other respects her estate in the world to come. [Eph 5:27]

The latter of these two is the most principal.

The former is subordinate to the latter, an end for the accomplishing of the other end, for the church is here made pure, that hereafter it may be made glorious.

In laying down the former he notes—

1. The end whereat Christ aimed.

2. The means. whereby he effected that which he aimed at. That end is set forth in these words, that he might sanctify it, [see Section 39] having cleansed it (thus may they word for word be translated) so as that which for order of words is in the latter place, for order of matter is in the first place.

The word cleansing pointed out our justification.

The word sanctifying expresses our sanctification.

The means of effecting these, are two.

1. Baptism comprised under this phrase, washing of water.

2. The word.

The two branches of the former end, namely cleansing and sanctifying do in general imply two things.

1. The condition of the church in itself.

2. The alteration thereof by Christ.

The condition is presupposed, which is, that she was impure, polluted, in the common estate of corrupt man. Things in themselves pure, are not cleansed, but things foul and impure: persons of themselves freed, and exempted from a common misery, need not another's help to free and exempt them. Seeing then that the church stood in need to be cleansed and sanctified surely—

The Church in Herself Polluted

Doctrine. The church in herself was, as the world, polluted. Very lively is this set forth by the prophet Ezekiel under the similitude of a wretched infant born of a cursed parentage, whose navel was not cut, who was not washed, salted, nor swaddled, but cast out in the open field, polluted with blood. [Ezek 16:4-6] Oft does the apostle, setting forth the wretched estate of the world, note of the true members of the church, that we ourselves also were such. [Titus 3:3; Eph 2:3; 1 Cor 6:11]

The church consists of none other than of such as came out of Adam's loins. Now as all the brood which comes from vipers, adders, toads, spiders, and other venomous dams, are infected with poison, so all the sons of Adam are polluted with sin. That which is born of the flesh (as is every mother's child, not the members of the church excepted: for they have fathers and mothers of their flesh) is flesh; [John 3:6] that is, polluted and corrupt. Therefore when we are taken into the church, we are born again. [John 3:3,5]

Our Natural Condition to be Thought of Often

This our former estate by nature is often and seriously to be thought of, and that in respect of Christ, ourselves, and others.

1. In regard of Christ, the more to magnify his love. Our former estate, before he cast the wings of his mercy upon us, shows our unworthiness, our vileness, and wretchedness, and in that respect it opens our heart and mouth to think and say, O Lord our Lord, what is man that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that thou visiteth him! [Ps 8:1,4] Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world! [John 14:22] The right knowledge of our former estate, and a due consideration thereof, makes us ascribe all the glory of our present dignity, and happiness, to Christ that altered our estate, as saint Paul, [1 Tim 1:12] I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who hath enabled me, who was before a blasphemer. Yea it makes us the more to prize and esteem the present estate, as David. [2 Sam 7:18]

2. In regard of ourselves this is to be thought of, to humble us, and to keep us from insolent boasting in those privileges whereof through Christ we are made partakers. To this purpose does the apostle thus press this point, Who maketh thee to differ from one another? And what hast thou that thou didst not receive? Now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it? [1 Cor 4:7] When a man is exalted from a mean, to a great place, and thereupon waxes proud and insolent, we say, he has forgotten from whence he came. So as remembrance of our former condition is a means to preserve humility, and to suppress insolence.

3. In regard of others it is to be thought of, to move us the more to commiserate their woeful estate, who yet remain as we once were; to conceive hope that their estate may be altered as well as ours was; to pray and use what means we can that it may be altered. To provoke Christians to show all meekness to them which were without, the apostle renders this reason, for we ourselves also in times past were foolish, etc. [Titus 3:3] Read how forcibly this is urged, Rom 11:18-20.