The pilgrim's progress, from this world to that which is to come. … complete in two parts. By Mr. John Bunyan, … Part II. To which are now added, notes, explanatory, experimental, and practical… 1782: Vol 4
Bunyan, John
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(1) When he'was baptized, N , 505-268 Po | | 7 And Jeſus when he was baptized went up ſtrait way out of the water ; 2nd be heavens were open unto him, and he ſaw the Spirit of God deſcending like 2a dove, and lighting upon him; and lo, a voice from heaven, ſaying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleaſed.” | Pas ONS. | (2) The Father's teſtimony: concerning the transfiguration, ves « And he took Peter, and James, and John, and went up into a mountain to pray: and as he prayed, the faſhion of his countenance was altered, and his rai- ment was White and glittering, &c. And there appeared Moſes and Elias talkin with him, and a cloud from heaven overſhadowed them; at which the three dii- ciples began to be afraid. Then there came a voice out of the cloud, ſaying, This is my beloved Son, hear him.“ 8 2. This is that teſtimony of God which Peter ſpeaks of, ſaying, We have not followed cunningly-deviſed fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, but were eye-witneſſes of his majeſty ; for he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came ſuch a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleaſed : And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.“ 5 85 , RS. (3) God gave teſtimony of him by ſigns and wonders. | _ «« Behevelt thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me. The wards that I ſpeak unto you, I ſpeak not of myſelf, but the Father that dwelleth in me,. he doth the works: God alſo bearing them witneſs, (that preached. falvation:by- , ' | Jeſus), beth with figns and wonders, and with divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghoſt, according to his own will,” | Concerning Juſas, how he put himfelf pos the 60 among his adver/arits. The Lord Jeſus alſo putteth himſelf upon the teſt among his adverſaries divers weys. e ee e e N Ps 1. He urpeth the time of the apyearing of the Meſſias to be come. | The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand ;** repent ye, an belieye thegeſpel. © ol nun nn os * Ny | For this he had a threefold proof: 1. The Heathens had invaded and taken the land, according to that of Daniel, Dan. ix. 25, 26. 2. The ſcepter was de- parted from Judah,“ according to that of Jacob, (Gen. xlix. 10.) to which alſo ſuited that prophecy, „Before the child ſhall know to refuſe the evil, and chuſe the good, the land which thou abhorreſt ſhall be forſaken of both her kings.” 3. The Roman emperor had not only ſubdued the nation, and put down the_kingly race of the Jews, but had ſet up and eſtabliſhed his own power over thein. In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Cæſar, Pontius Pilate was governor of judea, Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, Philip tetrarch of Itarea, and Lyſanias tetra: ch of Abilene, all Heathens, and of Tiberius his making. | 5 Beſides, the kingly race of Judah was at this time become fo low by reaſon of the Roman oppreſſion, that the chief of them were put to get their living by their own hands, even Joſeph, the, ſuppoſed Father of Jeſus; was then become a car- penter. Poor man! when Jéſus was born, he. was fain to thruſt into a-ftabie ; tor thete was in the inn no room for ſuch guelts as they, "Theokering alio which „ / a . WA: 8 ; : 1 i * — * * 4 * X 7 ? = n n | , N | | 2295 Tus WHOLE WORKS or Ma. JOHN BUNYAN. was brought unto God at the time when Jeſus was preſented unto the Lord, was two turtle-doves, 'or two young pigeons; a ſacrifice allowed only for them that were poor, and could provide no bigger. rn rg « And if ſhe be not able to bring a lamb, then ſhe ſhall bring two turtle doves, or two young pigeons, the one for a burnt-offering, the other 2 a ſin- offering.“ Beſides, Jeſus himſelf ſaitk, Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have neſts, but the Son of man hath not whereon to lay his head.“ Now, I ſay, all theſe things were ſo apparent to the Jews, that they could not object: they ſelt the Romans were come, they knew the ſcepter was gone, they ſmarted under the Roman tyranny, and knew the kingly race of Judea was overthrown. How then could they object, that the time was not come for Chriſt to be born? Further, the people was generally convinced, that the time was come, and therefore, ſaith the text, they were in expectation.“ And as all the people were in expectation, and all men muſed in their hearts of John, whether he was the Chriſt or not, the unbiaſſed people obſerving the face of things, could do no other but look for the Meſſias. And hence it is, that the Lord Jeſus gives the. Phariſees, thoſe mortal enemies of his, ſuch fore rebukes, ſaying. O ye hypo- crites, ve can diſcern the face of the ſky, but can you not diſcern the ſigns of the times? The kingdom is loſt, the Heathens are come, and the ſcepter is departed from Judah.” Ve hypocrites, ye can diſcern the face of the ſky, and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not diſcern the time? 2. He yet again puts himſelf upon the teſt, by the miracles which he wrought before them: ; | 2 | = Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me, or elſe believe me for the very works ſake.” * For the works which the Father hath given me to finiſh, the ſame works that Ido, bear witneſs of me, that the Father hath ſent me.“ Cee: This proof they could not withſtand; but granted that he did many miracles, while they did nothing: Then gathered the chief prieſts and Phariſees a council, and faid, What do we? fer this man doth many miracles. If we let him alone, all men will believe on him; and the Romans ſhall ceme and take away both our place and nation.“ x Yea, ſo did Jeſys confound them, that by their own records and laws, by which they were to prove perſons clean or unclean, they, in reading their lectures, did o * juſtify him, and overthrow themſelves. For inſtance, it was written in their law, If he that hath an iſſue ſpit upon him that is clean, that ſpittle ſhould make him unclean,” Lev. xv. 8. Now, Jeſus, whom they counted moſt unclean, becauſe he ſaid he was the Son of God, (as they thought ſpeaking blaſphemy,) he ſpits upon people, and makes them whole: Je ſpat and made clay of the ſpittle, and with that clay made a blind man ſee, John ix. 6. Alſo he ſpit on the eyes of another, and made him ſee, Mark viti. 23, 24, 25- Again he ſpit, and with his ſpittle touched the tongue of one that was dumb, and made him ſpeak immediately, Mark vii. 33, 34, 35- Thus he proved himſelf clear of their accuſations, and maintained before them, that by their law he was guiltleſs, and the Son of God; for the miracles which he wroaght were to prove him ſo to be. nt; | Again, in their law it was written, « That whoſo touched the altar of incenſe ſhould be holy,” 'Exod. xxix. 37. A woman with a bloody iſſue touched him, and is whole of her plague. Yea, they brought to him many Uiſeaſed perſons, | and beſought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment, and as many 45s touched were made perfectly whole.” | 1 Tieus was he juftified before them out of their own law, and had his glory manifeſt before their faces, to their everlaſting confuſion and contempft. Indeed the Jews did make one objection againſt Jeſus Chriſt, that ſeemed to them to have weight in it; and that was, becauſe he firſt began to appear, and {ore teraptation ; for ſtill, as ſome affirmed him to be the Chiiſt, others as fait 5 5 go x 4 objected, 4 manifeſted his glory, in Cana of Galilee. At this, I ſay, they ſtumbled: it was their ET No. 56. 13 M — re — > 6G G 2 8 Liehr for them that ſit in DARK NE: 2297 dobjected, & Shall Chriſt come out of Galilee? Art thou alſo of Galilee? Search ad look, for out of Galilee ariſeth no prophet.“ But this their ſtumble might ariſe, either, 1. From the cruelty of Herod 3 ory 2. From their own not obſerving, and keeping in mind the alarm that God gave them at his birth. | ED =" 1. It might ariſe, or be occaſioned through the cruelty of Herod : © For Jeſus was born in Bethlehem, the city where David dwelt.” „But when Herod ſent out to kill him, and for his ſake killed all the young children in Bettilehem, then was Joſeph warned by an angel of God, to take the young child and his mother, and fly into Egypt, and ſo he did, and was there till the death of Herod,” Match. ii. 1, 13, 16, 19, 20. After this the angel comes to them in Egypt, and bids them take the young child, and return into the land of Iſrael; wherefore they BD Þ aroſe arid went? But hearing that Herod's ſon, that tyrant, ruled in the room of his father, they were affaid to $0 to Bethlehem, but turned aſide into the parts of Galilee, where they remaine till the time of his ſhewing to Iſrael.” | 2. This ſtumble of theirs might arife from their not obſerving and keeping in mind the alarm that God gave them of his birth. 1. God began to giye them the alarm at the birth of John the Baptiſt; where he was aſſerted “ that he was to go before the face of the Lord Jeſus, and to prepare his ways; and fear, came upon all that dwelt round about them, and all theſe ſayings were no:ſed abroad through- out all the hill-countries of Judea,” 2. Again, What a continuation of this alarm was there alſo at the birth of Jeſus, which was about three months after John the Baptiſt was born! Now comes a ftrange ſtar over the country to lead men of the eaſt to the ſtable where Jeſus was born; and now was Herod, the prieſts, the ſcribes, and alſo the city of Jeruſalem, awakened and ſore troubled ; for it was noiſed by the wiſe men, that Chriſt the King and Saviour was born; beſides the ſhepherds, Simeon and Anna, gave notice of him to the people: They ſhould therefore have retained the memory of theſe things, and have followed God in all his dark providences, until his Sun of righteouſneſs ſhould ariſe among them with healing under his wings. | | | „ 3. | may add another cauſe of their ſtumble; they did not underſtand the pro- Phecies that went before of him. - | (1) He was to come to them out of Egypt: Out of Egypt have I called my Son.“ (2) He turned afide ints Cana of Galilee, and dwelt in the city of Nazareth; *© That it might be fulfilled which was ſpoken by the prophets; he ſhall be called 4 Nazareen;”. 3. Duet. 3. What was it for him to come to be a Saviour? For the further handling of this queſtion I muſt ſhew, t. What it is to be 2 0 Saviour; * and it was a great judgement of God upon v „* „„ — — | 1 MW | J | ( Saviour. _ "To theſe three briefly. * 2298 TuT WHOLE WORKS or Ms. JOHN BUNYAN. _ | 2. What it is to come to be a Saviour, 3. What it is for Jeſus to come to be a Saviour. | | | : DPueft. 1. What it is to be a Saviour? 1. A faviour ſuppoſeth ſome iti miſery; and himſelf one that is * deliver ; f ; 2. A ſaviour is either ſuch an one miniſterially, or meritoriouſly. Miniſterially, Is when one perſon engageth, or is engaged by virtue of reſpect or command from ſuperiors, to go and obtain by conqueſt, or the king's redemp- tion, the captives or perſons grieved by the tyranny of an enemy. And thus were Moſes and Joſhua, and the judges and kings of Iſrael, ſaviours : * Thou deliverędſt them into the hand of their enemies who vexed them, and in the time * a\ of their trouble when they cried unto thee, thou heardeſt them from heaven; and according to thy manifold mercies thou gaveſt them ſaviours, who ſaved them out of the hand of their enemies.” Thus was Jeſus Chriſt a Saviour, he was en- gaged by virtue ef reſpect and command from God, to obtain by conqueſt and redemption, the captives or perſons gfieved : God ſent his Son to be the Savi- cur of the world.“ _ Meritoriouſly, Is when the perſon enga ng ſhall, at his own proper coſt and charge, give a ſufficient value or price for thoſe he redeemeth. Thus thoſe under the law were redeemed by the money called the redemption- money: And Moſes gave the money of thofe that were redeemed unto Aaron and to his ſons.” KT 5 Ad thus was Jeſus Chriſt a Saviour; he paid a full price to divine juſtice for nners, even his own. precious blood: Foraſmuch as you know that you were not redeemed from your vain converſation, received by tradition from your theres with corruptible things, as filver and gold, but with the precious blood of hriſt.“ | | And forafmuch as in man's redemption the undertaker muſt have reſpe&, not only to the paying ofa price, but alſo to the getting of a victory; for there is not only juſtice to ſatisfy, but death, devil, hell, and the grave to conquer; therefore bath he alſo by himſelf gotten victory over theſe. "i | 1. He hath aboliſhed death, 2 Tim. i. 10. 2, He hath deſtroyed the devil, Heb, 3]. 14, 15. 3. He bath been the deſtruction of the grave, Hol. xiii. 14. 4 He bath gotten the keys of hell, Rev. i. 1 719. And this I ſay he. did by himſelf at his own proper coſt and charge, when he triumphed over them upon his. croſs, Col. ii. 14, 15. Que. 2. What it is to come to be a Saviour? 1. To come to be one, ſuppoſeth one ordained, and fore- prepared for that work: Ihen ſaid he Lo; I come, a body haſt thou prepared me.“ 2. To come to be a faviour, ſuppoſeth one commiſſionated, or authoriſed to that work: The: Spirit of the Lord is upon me, becauſe he hath anointed me (autho- riſed me) to preach the goſpel to the poor; he hath ſent me to bind up the broken- hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of fight to the blind, and to ſet at liberty them that are bruiied + And-:pon this account it is, that he is ſo often called Chriſt, or the anointed | one; the anointed Jeſus, or jeſus the anointed Saviour: Thou art the Chriſt the Son of God, that ſhould come into the world. This Jeſus whom I preach unto vou is Chriſt :” He teſtified to the Jews, that Jeſus was Chriſt, and he confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damaſcus, proving by the ſcriptures that this is the very .Chriſt, the very anointed of God, or he whom God authoriſed and qualified to be the Saviour of the world. 3. To come to be a faviour, ſuppoſeth a reſolution to do that work before he goeth back: I will ranſom them from the power of the grave: I. will redeem. them from death: O death, I Gill be thy plague, O grave, I will be thy deſtruc- Bon, repentance ſhall be hid from mine eyes.“ : | And —— 2 — — — ws Lickr for them that ſit in DARKNESS, 2299 And as he reſolved, ſo he hath done: 1. He hath purged our fins, Heb. i, 2. 2. He hath perfected for ever {by one offering) them that are ſanctified, Heb. x. 14. 3. He nath obtained eternal redemption for them,“ Heb. ix. 12. See further, 2 Tim. i. 10. Heb. ix. 26, Col. ii. 15. Heb. vi. 18—20, | 2ueft. 3. 1 come now to the third queſtion. What is it for Jeſus to come to be a Saviour? i | 1. Anſ. It is the greateſt diſcovery of man's miſery and inability to ſave himſelf therefrom, that ever was made in the world, Muſt the Son of God himſelf come down from heaven, or can there be no ſalvation ? Cannot one ſinner ſave another? Cannot man by any means redeem his brother, nor give toGod a ranſom for him'? Cannot an angel do it? Cannot all the angels doit? No, Chriſt muſt come and die to do it. | | NT a6 | 2. It is the greateſt diſcoyery of the love of God, that ever the world had: For God ſo loved the world, as to fend his Son: For God fo commended his love to the world, as to ſend it to them in the blood of his Son! Amazing love! John iii. 16. Rom. v. 8. | | ; 3. It is the greateſt diſcovery of the eondeſcenſion of Chriſt that ever the world had: 1. That he ſnould not come to be miniſtred unto, but to miniſter, and to give his life a ranſom for many, Matth. xx. 28. 2. That he ſhould be manifeſt for this purpoſe, ** that he might deſtroy the works of the devil.” 3. That he ſhould come that we might have life, and that we might have it more abun- dantly.” 4. That the Son of God ſhould come to ſeek and to ſave that which was loſt.” 5. That he ſhould net come © to judge the world, but to ſave the world.” 6. That Chriſt Jeſus ſhould come into the world to fave finners, of whom I am chief.” 7. That he ſhould love us, and waſh us from our fins in his own blood,” What amazing condeſcenſion and humility is this! *' How Jeſus Chrift addreſſed himſelf to the work of our redemption. J come then in the next place to ſhew you how Jeſus Chriſt addreſſed himſelf t the work of man's redemption. The ſcripture faith, He became poor; that he made himſelf of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a ſervant ; that he kumbled himſelf unto death, even the death of the croſs,” But particularly, Ne | 1. * He took upon him one” told. 2. He was made under the law, 3. He took upon him our fins. 4. He bore the curſe due to our fins.” : 1. ** He wok upon him our fleſh.” I ſhewed you before that he came in our fleſh, and now I muſt ſhew you the reaſon of it: namely, becaute that was the way to addrefs himſelf to the work of our redemption. 5 y Wherefore, when the apoſtle treated of the incarnation of Chriſt, he addeth e the reaſon, to wit, That he might be capable ta work out the redemption of men.. There are three things to be conſidered in this firſt head: 1. That he took our Aefti for this reaſon, That he might be a Saviour. 2. How he took the fleſn, that he might be our Saviour. 3. That it was neceſſary that he ſhouid take our fleſh, if indeed he will be our Saviour. A Wy 1. For the firſt, That he took our fleſh, for this reaſon, that he might be a Saviour: For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the fleſh, . God ſending his own Son in the likenefs of ſinful fleſh, and for ſin condemned fin in the fleſh,” 1 The ſum of the words is, Foraſmuch as the law could do us no good, by reaſon of the inability that is in our fleſh to do it, (for the law can do us no good until it be fulfilled), and becauſe God had a deſire that good ſhould come to us, therefore did he ſend his Son in our likeneſs, clothed with fleſh, to deſtroy by his doing the law, the tendency of the ſin that dwells in our fleſh. He therefore took our fleſh, that our ſin, with its effects, might by him be condemned and overcome. 4 The reaſon therefore why he took fleſh, is, Becauſe he would be our Saviour. | edt CON Iz MA 1 Foraſmuch r = ng tr I rpm —-— —ê * — 3 — ; |... our Sa * 2300 Tux WHOLE WORKS or Ms. JOHN BUNYAN, + Foraſmuch then as the children are partakers of fleſh and blood, he alſo like- wiſe took part of the ſame, that through death he might deſtroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil, and deliver them, who through the fear of death were all their lifetime ſubje& to bondage.” Dy In theſe words it is aſſerted that he took ou: fleſh for certain reaſons. () Becauſe the children, the heirs of heayen, are partakers of fleſh and blood: % Foraſmuch then as the children are partakers of fleſh and blood, he alſo himſe:f took part of the ſame.” Had the children, the heirs, been without fleſh, he himſelf had not taken it upon him: Had the children been angels, he had taken ppon him the nature of angels; but becauſe the children were partakers of fleſh, therefore leaving angels, or refuſing to take hold of angels, he took fleſh and plopd, the nature of the. children, that he might put himſelf into a capacity to ſave and deliver the children. Therefore it follows, “ That through death he might deſtroy. him that had the power of death, that is the devil.“ (2) This therefore was another reaſon, that he might deſtroy the devil. The devil had bent himſelf againſt the children; he is their adyerſary, and goeth forth to make war with them: The devil your adverſary : And he went to make war with the remnant of her {eed,”” 1 Pet. v. 8. Rev. xii. 17. Now the children could not deſtroy him, becauſe he had already caſt them into fin ; defiled their. nature, and laid them under the wrath of God. Therefore Chriſt puts himſelf among the children, and into the nature of the children ; that he might by means of his dy- ing in their fleſh deſtroy the devil, that is, take away fin, his work, “ that he might deſtroy the works of the devil ;?* for ſin is the great engine of hell, by which he overthroweth all that periſh : Now this did Chriſt deſtroy, by taking on him the ſimilitude of ſinful fleſh ; gf which more anon, 2 | „ That he might deſtroy Eim that had the power of death, that is the devil, and deliver them.“ This was the thing in chief intended, that he might deliver the children, that he might deliver them from death, the fruit of their fin, and from ſin, the fling of thatdeath : ** That he might deliver them, who through the fear of death were all their lifetime ſubje& to bondage.” „ He took fleſh therefore, becauſe the children had it; and that he might die for the children, and deliver them from the works of the devil; that he might deliver them. Two reaſons are rendered in this text why he muſt take fleſh z namely, that he might be their Prieſt, to offer ſacrifice, to wit, his body and blood for them; and that he might be merciful and faithful, to pity and preſerve them unto the kingdom h 1 appointed for them. - | Mark you therefore, how the apoſtle, where he aſſerteth that the Lord Jeſus took our fleſh, ufged the reaſon why he took our fleſh : . That he might deſtroy the devil and death, that he might deliver them. It behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be merciful and faithful; that he might make reconciliation for the fins of the people.” The reaſon therefore why he took our fleſh is declared, to wit, That he might be our Saviour,” And hence you find it ſo often recorded, *©* He hath ſlain the enmity by his fleſh ; and you who were ſometimes aliens and enemies if your minds by wicked works; yet now hath he reconciled, in the body of his fleſh, through death, to preſent you holy and un- blameable in his ſight,” Eph. ii. 15, 16. Col. i. a1, 22. 1 2. I come now to the ſecond queſtion, to wit, How he took our fleſh ? This muſt be inquired into; for his taking fleſh was not after the common way; never any took man's fleſh upon him as he, ſince the foundation of the world. 1 . - L (1) Be — —ä4ä—ñi —ͤ—ͤ— — 7. 1 „„ A | Lie Hr for them that ſit in DarKness. 230 (1) He took not our fleſh like Adam, who was formed out of the ground: „Who was made of the duſt of the ground,” Gen. ii. 7. iii. 19. 2. He tock not our fleſh as we do by carnal generation : ** Joſeph knew not his wife, neither did Mary know any man, till ſhe had brought forth her firſt- born Son,” Luke i. 34. Matth. i. 25. 3. He took fleſh then, by the immediate working and overſhadow- ing of the Holy Ghoſt : And hence it is ſaid expreſsly, . She was found with child of the Holy Ghoſt,” Matth. i. 18. Now the birth of Jeſus Chriſt was on this wiſe : When as his mother Mary was eſpouſed to Joſeph, (before they came toge- ther), ſhe was found with child of the Holy Ghoſt.” And hence again, when Joup doubted of her honeſty, (for he perceived ſhe was with child, and knew be nad not touched her), the angel of God himſelf comes down to reſolve his doubt, and ſaid, ** Joſeph, thou ſon of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in her, is of the Holy Ghoſt,” Matth. i. 20, (1) But again, though the Holy Ghoſt was that by which the child Jeſus was formed in the womb, ſo as to be without carnal generation; yet was he not formed in her without, but by her conception: © Behold, thou ſhalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a Son, and ſhall call his name Jeſus,” Luke 1. 21. where- fore he took fleſh, not only in, but of the Virgin. Hence he is called her Son, the ſeed of the woman, And hence it is alſo that he is called the ſeed of Abraham, the ſeed of David; their ſeed according to the fleſh, Cz | And this the work he undertook required. : (1) It required that he ſhould take our fleſh, (2) It required that he ſhould take our fleſh without fin, which could not be, had he taken it by reaſon of a carnal generation; for ſo all children are conceived in ſin, and poliuted with fin, Pſal. li. And the leaſt pollution, either of fleſh or ſpirit, had utterly diſabled kim for the work, which to do, he came down from heaven. Therefore, * Such an High-prieft became us, who is holy, harmleſs, undefiled, ſeparate from ſinners, and made higher than the heavens,” Heb. vii, 26. „ . ; PS This myſtery of the incarnation of the Son of God was thus completed; I ſay, „That he might be in all points like as we are, yet without fin ; for fin in the fleſh diſableth, and maketh incapable to do the commandment.” Therefore was he thus made, thus made of a woman: And this the angel aſſigneth as the reaſon of this his marvellous incarnation : ** The Holy Ghoſt (ſaith he) ſhall come upon | thee, and the power of the Higheit ſhall overfhadow thee; therefore alſo that | holy thing that ſhall be born of thee, ſhall be called the Son of God,” Luke 1. 357 . 85 | The overſhadowing of the Holy Ghoſt, and the power of the Higheſt; the Father, and the Holy Gholt, broyght this wonderful thing to paſs; for Jeſus is a won erful one in his conception and birth. This myſtery is that, next to the myſtery of three perſons in one God ; It is a great myſtery. Great is the myſtery of godlineſs ; God was manifeſted in the fleſh.” 3 . | The concluſion is, that Jeſus Chriſt too k our fleſh, that he might be a Saviour; and that he might be our Saviour indeed, he 5 took our fleſh. | | 3. Icome now to the third thing, namely, That it was neceſſary that he ſhould take our fleſh if he will be our Saviour. * | : | And that, (1) from the nature of the work: His work was to ſave, to ſave man, ſinking man; may that was going down to the pit, Job xxxiv. 24. Now he that will {ave him that is ſinking, mutt take hold on him. And ſince he was not to ſave a man, but men; therefore it was neceſſary that he ſhould take hold, not of one perſon, but of the common nature, clothing himſelf with part of the ſame. _ He took not hold of angels but took on him the ſeed of Abraham. For that fleſn was the ſame with the whole lump of the children, to whom the promiſe was made; and comprehended in it the body of them that ſhall be ſaved, even as in Adam was comprehended the whole world at firſt, Rom. v. Hence we are ſaid to be choſen in him, to be gathered, being in him, to be dead by - JIRA. 32 Tu WHOLE WORKS or Ms. JOHN BUNYAN. - by bim, to be riſen with him, and to be ſet with him, or in him, in heavenly places, already. 5 | | | | 57 Tmis then was the wiſdom of the great God, that the eternal Son of his love jeſus mould * hold of, and fo ſecure the ſinking ſouls of periſhing ſinners by aſſuming that their fleſh. 1 15 | n 9 2 by (2) * manner of his deing the work of a Saviour, did call for his taking of 11 Dur fle. : 3 0 glori He muſt do the work by dying: Ought not Chriſt to have ſuffered ? Chriſt * H. muſt needs have ſuffered, or elſe no glory follows. The prophets teſtified before- and; Hand the ſufferings of Chriſt, and the glory that ſhould follow; yea, they did it dom by the Spirit of Chriſt himſelf. This Spirit then did bid them tell the world, yea, even teſtify, that Chriſt muſt ſuffer, or no man be bleft with glory. For the threaten- etern ing of death, and the curſe of the law, lay in the way between heaven-gates and gave the fouls of the children, for their fins; wherefore he that will ſave them, muſt for o anſwer divine juſtice, or God muſt lye in ſaving them, without inflicting the pu- "© nimment threatened. Chriſt then muſt needs have ſuffered, the manner of the time work laid a neceſſity upon him to take our fleſh upon him; he muſt die, he muit law. die for us, he muſt die for our fins. And this was effectually foretold by all the 2 TN bloody facrifices offered under the law; the blood of bulls, and the blood of lambs, is nc the blood of rams, and the blood of calves, and the blood of goats and birds. in h: Si Theſe bloody ſacrifices, what did they ſignify, what were they figures of, but of but! i} the bloody ſacrifice of the body of Jefus Chriſt, their blood being a ſhadow of his fore | blood, and their fleſh being a ſhadow of his fleh? | = unde | Therefore when God declared, that he took no pleaſure in them, becauſe they on fe [1 could not make the worſhippers perfect, as 06k rom. to the conſcience; then + and & comes Jeſus Chriſt to offer his ſinleſs body and ſoul for the fin of the people: for. "It is not poſſible that the blood of butls and goats ſhould take away fin: where- the « 1 ' fore, When he cometh into the world, he ſaith, Sacrifices and offerings thou wouldſt were | not, but a body haſt thou prepared me; in barnt-offermys and facrifices for ſin , bow 3 thou haſt had no pleaſure. Then ſaid I, Io, I come, in the volume of thy book the | = "It is written of me, to do thy good will.” Since burnt-offering cannot do thy ure i1 will, my body ſhall ; fince the blood of bulls and goats cannot do thy will, my I oh | blood ſhall. | BED apt 5 „ | Then follows, By the will of God we are ſanctified through the offering up of fore | the body of Jeſus Chriſt once for all.” | | : yall [.) The end of the work required, That Chriſt, if he will be our Saviour, { Jinn mould take upon him our fleſh. _ | 8 | | was The end of our ſalvation is, That we might enjoy God, and that he by us might to le be glorified for ever and ever, 5 | Chr. (1) That we might enjoy God: I will dwell in them, and they ſhall be my | how People, and I will be their God.” This indwelling of God, and conſequently into vur enjoy ment of him, begins firſt in its eminency, by his e Fang fleſh in were the perſon of Jeſus Chriſt. Hence his name is called Emanuel, God with us; * and the Word was made fleſh, and dwelt among us.” The fleſh of Chriſt is the Conc tabernacle which the Lord pitched, according to that ſaying, ** The tabernacle of put God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they ſhall be his people, and deen God himſelf ſhall be with them, and be their God.” Here God beginneth to leaſt diſcover his glory, and to be defirabie to the ſons of men. N 5 3 SGod could net communicate himſelf to us, nor take us into the enjoyment of Soc himſelf, but with reſpect to that fleſh which his Son took of the Virgin, becauſe upo! fin ſtood betwixt. Now this fleſh only was the holy Jump, in this fleſh God could ſent dwell; and foraſmuch as this fleſh is the ſame with ours, and was taken up with Were intent, that what was done in and by that, ſhould be communicated to all the by b children; therefore, thtough that doth God communicate of himſelf unto his tain people: God was in Chriſt reconciling the world unto himſelf. And I am the FP way, (faith Chriſt), no man comzth to the Father but by me.“ | A Telf That paſſage to the Hebrews is greatly to our purpoſe; ** We have boldneſs, - fore brethren, Lo —U— - 2 IO | Lich for them that ſit in DARK ESSC. 230 brethren, to enter into the holieſt, (the place where God is), by the blood cf | Jeſi us, by a new and living way which he hath conſecrated for us through the vail,” | that is to ſay, his fleſh. but he took fleſh, and deſignedly put himſelf, or was made under the law; where- \ ' fore it is added, he was made under the law to redeem, to redeem them that were under the law. Wherefore here is a deſign, an heavenly contrivance and device q | on foot. Chriſt is made (that is, by deſign) ſubjected under the law, for the fake; | |: and upon the account of others, to redeem them that were under the law.” if „ Made under the law ;** that is, put himſelf into the raom of ſinners, into 4. the condition of ſinners; made himſelf ſubject to the ſame pains and penalties we 1 were obnoxious to. We were under the law, and it had dominion over us, Ft bound us upon pain of eternal damnation, to do completely all things written in 1. ö the law. This condition Chriſt put himſelf into, that he might redeem ; for aſ- $ ſuredly we had elſe periſhed. | * | % The law had dominion over us;“ and ſince we had ſinned, of right it pro- TE nounced the curſe, and made all men ſubject to the wrath of God. Chriſt there. fore did not only come into our fleſh, but alſo into our condition, into the | valley and ſhadow of death where we were, and where we are, as we- are | ſinners. He that is under the law, is under the edge of the ax. When David g was to go to viſit his brethren, and to ſave them from the hand of Goliah, he was | to look how his brethren fared, and to take their pledge. ' This is true of Jeſus 'Þ Chriſt, when he came to ſave us from the hand of death and the law, he looked } how his brethren fared, took to heart their deplorable condition, and put himic!f into the ſame plight, to wit, under the lad, that he might redeem them tat were under the law.“ | | I told you before, that he came ſinleſs into the world; that he had a miraculous | conception and wonderful birth.; and here you ſee a reaſon for it; he was to be * put or made under the law to redeem. He that will be made under the law to-re- | 5 deem, had need be ſinleſs and ſpotleſs himſelf; for the law findeth fault with the | | leaſt, and condemneth man for the firſt beginning of fin. | Without this, then, there could not have been redeniption, nor any the ſons of 4 God by adoption; no redemption, becauſe the ſentence of death had already paſſed 14 upon all; no ſons by adoption, becauſe that is che effect of redemption : · God | | ſent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that | | were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of ſous.” Chriſt, then, N q h by being made under the law, hath recovered his from under the law, gnd ob- i] tained for them the privilege of the adoption of ſons. =. 1 | For, as I told you before, Chriſt ſtood a common - perſon, preſenting in him- | Jelf the whole lump of the promiſed ſeed, or the children of the promite ; where- | 5 fore he comes under the law for them, takes upon him to do what the law required : of them, takes upon him to do it for them. 