By Rev. JOHN MACLAURIN, Glasgow.
III.
(Continued from p. 231.)
“But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.”—Gal. vi. 14.
The curse of the law was a weight sufficient to crush a world. They who first brought it on themselves found it so. It sunk legions of angels who excel in strength, when they had abused that strength against the law, from the heaven of heavens to the bottomless pit. The same weight that had crushed rebel angels, threatened man for joining with them. Before man could bear it, before any person could have his own proportion of it, it behoved, as it were, to be divided into numberless parcels. Man, after numberless ages, would have borne but a small part of it. The wrath to come would have been always wrath to come to all eternity; there would have been still infinitely more to bear. Christ only had strength to bear it all; to bear it all in a manner at once; to bear it all alone. None of the people were with Him. Our burden and our help was laid on One who was mighty; and His bearing it was a glorious manifestation of His might—of the noblest kind of might—that He was mighty to save. It is true, that load bruised Him; but we should not be surprised at that, if we considered the dreadfulness of the shock. Could we conceive the weight of eternal justice ready to fall down, like lightning, with violence upon a world of malefactors, and view that sacred body interposed betwixt the load of wrath from above, and the heirs of wrath below, we would not wonder at these bruises, we would not despise them. We should consider the event, had that wrath fallen lower. Had it met with no obstacle, it would have made havoc of another kind. This world would have been worse than a chaos, and been covered with the dismal effects of vindictory justice, and divine, righteous, vengeance.
Although His sacred flesh was both mangled and marred with that dismal load, yet we should consider that it sustained it. Here was incomparable strength, that it sustained that shock which would have ground mankind into powder; and He sustained it (as was said before) alone. He let no part of it fall lower. They who take sanctuary under this blessed covert, are so safe, that they have no more to do with that load of wrath but to look to it (John, iii. 14, 15). To allude to the Psalmist’s expressions (Psalm xci. 7, 8) “It shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked;” but they shall see it given to that righteous One; and all that in effect is left to them in this matter, is by faith to look and behold what a load of vengeance was hovering over their guilty heads; and that guiltless and spotless body being interposed, how it was crushed in an awful manner.
But it is the end of the conflict that shows on which side the victory is. In that dreadful struggle, Christ’s body was brought as low as the grave; but though the righteous fall, he rises again, Death was undermost in the struggle (I. Cor. xv. 26). It was Christ that conquered in falling, and completed the conquest in rising. The cause, design, and effects of these wounds show incomparable power and strength appearing in them. The same strength appeared in His behaviour under them; and the manner in which He bore them, we see in the history of His death. He bore them with patience, and with pity and compassion towards others. A small part of His sorrow would have crushed the strongest spirit on earth to death. The constitution of man is not able to bear too great violence of joy or grief; either the one or the other is sufficient to unhinge our frame. Christ’s griefs were absolutely incomparable, but His strength was a match for them.
These considerations serve to show, that it is the greatest stupidity to have diminishing thoughts of the wounds of the Redeemer. Yet, because this has been the stumbling block of the Jews, and foolishness to the Gentiles, and many professing Christians have not suitable impressions of it, it is proper to consider this subject a little more particularly. It is useful to observe how the Scripture represents the whole of Christ’s humiliation as one great action, by which He defeated the enemies of God and man, and founded a glorious everlasting monarchy. The prophets, and particularly the Psalmist, speak so much of Christ as a powerful conqueror, whose enemies were to be made His footstool, that the Jews do still contend that their Messiah is to be a powerful temporal prince, and a great fighter of battles; one who is to subdue their enemies by fire and sword; and by whom they themselves were to be raised above all the nations of the world. If pride and the love of earthly things did not blind them, it were easy to see, that the descriptions of the prophets are vastly too high, to be capable of so low a meaning. This will be evident by taking a short view of them; which at the same time will show the glory of that great action just now spoken of, by showing the greatness of the design, and the effects of it. The prophets ofttimes speak more expressly of the Messiah as a great King, which is a name of the greatest earthly dignity. The hand of Pilate was overruled to write that title of honour even on His cross. The glory of the kingdom that He was to found is represented in very magnificent expressions by the prophet Daniel, chap. ii. 35-45, and chap. vii. 9, 10, 13, 14. In these prophecies are lively representations of unparalleled greatness, an everlasting kingdom to be founded, strong obstacles to be removed, powerful enemies to be defeated.
It is useful to observe the universal importance of this design; no part of the universe was unconcerned in it. The glory of the Creator was eminently to be displayed, all the divine persons were to be gloriously manifested, the divine attributes to be magnified, the divine works and ways to be honoured. The earth was to be redeemed, hell conquered, heaven purchased, the law to be magnified and established (Isa. xlii. 21), its commandments to be fulfilled, its curse to be suffered, the law was to be satisfied, and the criminal that broke it to be saved, and his tempter and accuser to be defeated. The head of the old serpent was to be bruised, his works to be destroyed, and the principalities and powers of darkness to be spoiled, and triumphed over openly. (Col. ii. 15). The principalities and powers of heaven were to receive new matter of everlasting hallelujahs, and new companions to join in them; the fallen angels were to lose their old subjects, and the blessed angels to receive new fellow-citizens. No wonder this is called the making a new heaven and a new earth; and even the face of hell was to be altered. Surely a more glorious design cannot be conceived; and the more we consider it, the more we may see the greatness of the action that accomplished it.
As the design was great, the preparations were solemn. The stage of it was to be this earth; it was chiefly concerned in it; it was solemnly prepared for it. This is the view given us of the providences that preceded it. They fitted the stage of the world for the event in the fulness of time. If we saw clearly the whole chain of them, we should see how they pointed toward this as their centre, and how they contributed to honour it, or rather it reflected the greatest honour upon them. The forecited prophecies in Daniel, besides several others, are instances of this: they show how the great revolutions in the heathen world were subservient to this design, particularly the succession of the four monarchies represented in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream: their rise and overthrow were subservient to the rise of this monarchy, never to be overthrown.
We see but a small part of the chain of Providence, and even that very darkly; but this, perhaps, is worth the observing briefly, that universal empire came gradually from the eastern to the western parts of the world, from the Assyrians and Persians to the Greeks and Romans. By this means greater communication and correspondence than formerly was opened, between distant nations of the earth, from the rising to the setting of the sun. The kingdom represented by the stone cut out of the mountain was to extend to both (Dan. ii. 34, 35). Whatever we think of this, it is certain, that if we saw the plot of providence unfolded, we should see these and other revolutions contributing to the fulness of times, and adjusting the world to that state and form of things that was fittest for the Redeemer’s appearance.
These were a part of the preparations for the work in view; but they were but a part of them; for all the sacrifices offered every morning and evening for so many ages, were preparations for it and shadows of it. The same may be said of other figures and types. The church of God, for four thousand years, waited with longing looks for this salvation of the Lord; they were refreshed with the sacrifices that prefigured it. The heathen themselves had their sacrifices. They had sinfully lost the tradition of the true religion and the Messiah, handed down from Noah; yet Providence ordered it so, that they did not wholly lose the rite of sacrificing. There is reason to acknowledge a particular Providence preserving tradition on this point; for how otherwise could it enter into men’s heads to serve their gods by sacrificing their beasts? It was useful that the world should not be entirely unacquainted with the notion of a sacrifice. The substitution of the innocent in the room of the guilty pointed towards this great oblation which was to make all others to cease. The predictions of the prophets in different ages from Moses to Malachi, were also preparations for this great event. John the Baptist appeared as the morning star, the harbinger of the Day-spring from on high; it was his particular office to prepare the way of the Lord before Him. The evidence of the prophecies were bright,—the Jews saw the time approaching,—their expectations were big. Counterfeit Messiahs took advantage of it; and not only the Jews, but even the heathen, probably by report from them, had a notion of an incomparably great person who was to appear about that time. These, besides many other great things, serve to show what glorious preparations and pomp went before the great work we are speaking of.
Here it may perhaps occur to some, that it is strange an action that had such great preparations before it happened, was so little observed when it did happen. Strictly speaking, this was not true. It was not much noticed indeed among blind and ignorant men,—this was foretold; but it had a noble theatre,—the whole universe was in effect spectators of it. The Scripture teaches us to reflect on this, particularly to consider the principalities and powers in heavenly places as attentive lookers on this glorious performance. We may infer this from Eph. iii. 10, besides other Scriptures. These morning stars shouted for joy, and sang together at the old creation (Job, xxxviii. 7). There was a new creation to sing at; a more amazing spectacle than the old. In that the Son of God acted in the form of God; now He was to act the low form of a servant. Nor was that the lowest part of it—He was to suffer in the form of a criminal; the Judge in the form of a malefactor; the Lawgiver in the room of the rebel. The creation was a mean theatre for so great an event, and the noblest creatures unworthy judges of such an incomprehensible performance: its true glory was the approbation of its infinite Contriver, and that He, at whose command it was done, was fully well pleased with it.
Yet to us, on whose natures example has so much influence, it may be useful to consider the honourable crowd of admirers and spectators that this performance had; and to reflect how heaven beheld with veneration what was treated on earth with contempt. It was a large theatre, multitudes as the sand on the sea-shore—a glorious company. In Scripture, angels, in comparison of men, are called gods. We are not sensible of their glory, which struck prophets almost dead with fear, and tempted an Apostle to idolatry; but these, when the First-begotten is brought into the world (Heb. i. 6, compared with Psalm xcviii. 7), all these gods are commanded to worship Him. The place of Scripture where angels are called gods, is the place where they are commanded to worship Christ; and according to the same Apostle (Heb. i. 6), it was a special time of His receiving this glory from the hosts of heaven, when His glory was to be veiled among the inhabitants of the earth. It is evident that they were spectators of all that He did in that state, and no doubt they were attentive spectators: they desired to look, as it were, with outstretched necks into these things (I. Peter, i. 12). Nor could they be unconcerned spectators: they were, on divers accounts, interested. They did not need a redemption themselves; but they delighted in ours: they loved Christ, and they loved His people: their love interested them in the glory of the one and the other. All we know of their work and office, as Luther expresses it, is “to sing in heaven, and minister on earth;” our redemption gave occasion for both. They sang for joy when it began at Christ’s birth (Luke ii. 13); they went with gladness on messages of it beforehand to the prophets, and to the Virgin Mary; they fed Christ in the desert; they attended Him in His agony, and at His resurrection; and they accompanied Him at His ascension. They were concerned to look into these things in time, that were to be remembered to all eternity; and into that performance on earth, that was to be the matter of eternal hallelujahs in heaven. It should not, therefore, hinder our esteem of this great work, that the great men on earth took no notice of it. They were but mean and blind, ignorant and vulgar, compared to the powers and thrones just now mentioned, who beheld it with veneration. It is no disparagement to an excellent performance, that it is not admired by ignorant persons who do not understand it.
The principalities in heaven understood, and therefore admired. Nor were the principalities and powers of darkness wholly ignorant of it: their example should not be a pattern to us; but what they beheld with anguish, we should behold with transport. Their plot was to make the earth, if possible, a province of hell. They had heard of that glorious counterplot; they were alarmed at the harbingers of it; they looked on, and saw their plot, step by step, defeated, and the projects of eternal mercy go on. All the universe, therefore, were interested onlookers at this blessed undertaking. Heaven looked on with joy, and hell with terror, to observe the event of an enterprise that was contrived from everlasting, expected since the fall of man, and that was to be celebrated to all eternity.
Thus we have before us several things that show the glory of the performance in view: the Design, of universal importance; the Preparation, incomparably solemn; a company of the most honourable, attentive Spectators. As to the performance itself, it is plain it is not a subject for the tongues of men. The tongues of men are not for a subject above the thoughts of angels; they are but desiring to look into it; they have not seen fully through it; that is the work of eternity. Men may speak and write of it; but it is not so proper to describe it as to tell that it cannot be described. We may write about it; but if all its glory were described the world would not contain its books (John, xxi. 25). We may speak of it; but the most we can say about it, is to say that it is unspeakable; and the most that we know is, that it passeth knowledge. It is He that performed this work that can truly declare it; it is He who contrived it that can describe it. He it is, who knows it. None knoweth the Father but the Son, and he to whom He shall reveal Him. It is from Him we should seek this knowledge (Eph. i. 17). What of it is to be had here is but in part (I. Cor. xiii. 9), but it leads us to the place where it will be perfect. Here we think as children, we speak as children; yet we are not therefore to neglect thinking or speaking of it. Our thoughts are useless without contemplating it; our speech useless without praising it. The rest of the history of the world, except as it relates to this, is but a history of trifles or confusion, dreams and vapours of sick-brained men. What we know of it here is but little; but that little incomparably transcends all other knowledge, and all other earthly things are but loss and dung to it (Phil. iii. 8-11). The least we can do is, with the angels, to desire to look into these things; and we should put up these desires to Him who can satisfy them, that He may shine into our hearts by the light of the knowledge of the glory of God (II. Cor. iv. 6). The true object of this knowledge is the glory of God; the means of obtaining it is light shining from God; and as to the place into which it shines, it is into our hearts. We are therefore to desire that light from Him who is light itself. But our prayers should be joined with other means; particularly that meditation which Paul recommends to Timothy (I. Tim. iv. 15). We ought to meditate on those things, so as to give ourselves wholly to them. Our meditation should be as lively, and as like to seeing the object before us as possible. But it is not by strength of imagination that the soul is profited in this case, but by having the eyes of the understanding enlightened (Eph. i. 18).
The makers and worshippers of images pretend to help us in this matter by pictures presented to the eye of the body; but it is not the eye of sense, or force of imagination, but the eye of faith, that can give us true notions and right conceptions of this object (II. Cor. v. 16). Men may paint Christ’s outward suffering, but not that inward excellency from whence their virtue flowed, namely His glory in Himself, and His goodness to us. Men may paint One crucified; but how can that distinguish the Saviour from the criminals? On each side of Him we may paint His hands and His feet fixed to the cross; but who can paint how those hands used always to be stretched forth for relieving the afflicted, and curing the diseased? or how those feet went always about doing good? and how they cure more diseases, and do more good now than ever? We may paint the outward appearance of His sufferings; but not the inward bitterness, or invisible causes of them. Men can paint the cursed tree, but not the curse of the law that made it so. Men can paint Christ bearing the cross to Calvary, but not Christ bearing the sins of many. We may describe the nails piercing His sacred flesh, but who can describe eternal justice piercing both flesh and spirit? We may describe the soldier’s spear, but not the arrows of the Almighty; the cup of vinegar which He but tasted, but not the cup of wrath which He drank out to the lowest dregs; the derision of the Jews, but not the desertion of the Almighty forsaking His Son, that He might never forsake us, who were His enemies.
(To be continued.)
God’s Mercy.—There is a breadth, and length, and depth, and height in this mercy, when God will please to open it, that can swallow up not only all thy sins, but all thy thoughts and imaginations. This, therefore, is a wonderful thing, and shall be wondered at to all eternity; that river of mercy that at first did seem to be but ankle deep should so rise, and rise, and rise, that at last it became waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over!—John Bunyan.