A30167:369
Light for them that sit in darkness, or, A discourse of Jesus Christ, and that he undertook to accomplish by himself the eternal redemption of sinners also, that the Lord Jesus addressed himself to this work, with undeniable demonstrations that he performed the same : objections to the contrary answered / by John Bunyan.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
And here we must distinguish between sin charged, and sin forgiven. Sin forgiven, may be seen without guilt or burden, though I think not without shame in this World: But sin charged, and that by the Justice of God, for so it was upon Christ; This cannot be, but guilt and the burden, as inseparable companions, must unavoidably lye on that Person. Poor Sinner, be advised to take heed of such deluded Preachers, who with their Tongues smoother than Oil, would rob thee of that Excellent Doctrine, God hath made him to be sin for us: for such, as I said, do not only present thee with a feigned deliverance and forgiveness, with a feigned Heaven and Happiness, but charge God and the Lord Jesus as mere Impostors, who while they tell us that Christ was made of God to be sin for us, affirm, that it was not so REALLY, suggesting this Sophistical Reason, no wrong Judgment comes from the Lord. I say again, this Wicked Doctrine is the next way to turn the Gospel in thy thoughts, to no more than a Cunningly-devised Fable, 2 Pet. 1. and to make Jesus Christ in his dying for our Sins, as brutish as the Paschal-Lamb in Moses's Law.
And here we must distinguish between sin charged, and sin forgiven. Sin forgiven, may be seen without guilt or burden, though I think not without shame in this World: But sin charged, and that by the Justice of God, for so it was upon Christ; This cannot be, but guilt and the burthen, as inseparable companions, must unavoidably lye on that Person. Poor Sinner, be advised to take heed of such deluded Preachers, who with their Tongues smoother than Oil, would rob thee of that Excellent Doctrine, God hath made him to be sin for us: for such, as I said, do not only present thee with a feigned deliverance and forgiveness, with a feigned Heaven and Happiness, but charge God and the Lord Jesus as meer Impostors, who while they tell us that Christ was made of God to be sin for us, affirm, that it was not so REALLY, suggesting this Sophistical Reason, no wrong Judgment comes from the Lord. I say again, this Wicked Doctrine is the next way to turn the Gospel in thy thoughts, to no more than a Cunningly-devised Fable, 2 Pet. 1. and to make Jesus Christ in his dying for our Sins, as brutish as the Paschal-Lamb in Moses's Law.
Wherefore, distressed Sinner, when thou findest it recorded in the Word of Truth, that Christ ⟨p. 68⟩died for our Sins, and that God hath made him to be sin for us: Then do thou consider of sin as it is a Transgression against the Law of God, and that, as such, it procureth the Judgment of God, torments and afflicts the Mind with guilt, and bindeth over the Soul to answer it: sever not sin and guilt asunder, left thou be an Hypocrite like these wicked Men, and rob Christ of his true Sufferings. Besides, to see sin upon Christ but not its guilt, to see sin upon Christ, but not the Legal Punishment; what is this but to conclude, that either there is no guilt and punishment in sin, or that Christ bare our sin, but we the Punishment? for the Punishment must be born, because the Sentence is gone out from the Mouth of God against sin.
Do thou therefore, as I have said, consider of sin as a Transgression of the Law, 1 John 3. and a Provoker of the Justice of God, which done, turn thine Eye to the Cross, and behold those Sins, in the Guilt and Punishment of them, sticking in the Flesh of Christ. God condemned sin in the Flesh of Christ. He bare our Sins IN his own Body on the Tree, Rom. 8. 3. 1 Pet. 2. 24.
I would only give thee this Caution, not sin in the Nature of sin; Sin was not so in the Flesh of Christ, but sin in the Natural Punishment of it, to wit, Guilt, and the Chastising Hand of Justice. He was wounded for our Transgressions, ⟨p. 69⟩he was bruised for our Iniquities: The Chastisements of our Peace were upon him, and by his Stripes we are healed, Isa. 53.
Look then upon Christ crucified to be as the sin of the World, as if He only had broken the Law; which done, behold him perfectly innocent in himself, and so conclude, that for the transgressions of God's People he was stricken: That when the Lord made him to be sin, He made him to be sin FOR US.
Fourthly, As he, was made Flesh under the Law, and also Sin; so he was made a Curse for us. Christ hath redeemed us from the Cross of the Law, being made a Curse for us; as it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree. This Sentence is taken out of Moses being passed there upon them that for Sin are worthy of death. And if a Man have committed a Sin worthy of death, and thou hang him on a Tree, his Body shall not remain all night upon the Tree, but thou shalt in anywise bury him that Day, for he that is hanged is accursed of God. By this Sentence Paul concludeth that Jesus Christ was Justly hanged, because sin worthy of Death was upon him. Sin, not of his own but ours. Since then he took our ⟨p. 70⟩Sins, he must be cursed of God; for sin is sin where-ever it lies, and justice is justice wherever it finds it: wherefore since Jesus Christ will bear our Sin, he must be numbered with the Transgressors, and counted worthy to die the Death.
FOurthly, As he, was made Flesh under the Law, and also Sin; so he was made a Curse for us. Christ hath redeemed us from the Cross of the Law, being made a Curse for us; as it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree. This Sentence is taken out of Moses being passed there upon them that for Sin are worthy of death. And if a Man have committed a Sin worthy of death, and thou hang him on a Tree, his Body shall not remain all night upon the Tree, but thou shalt in anywise bury him that Day, for he that is hanged is accursed of God. By this Sentence Paul concludeth that Jesus Christ was Justly hanged, because sin worthy of Death was upon him. Sin, not of his own but ours. Since then he took our ⟨p. 70⟩Sins, he must be cursed of God; for sin is sin where-ever it lies, and justice is justice whereever it finds it: wherefore since Jesus Christ will bear our Sin, he must be numbred with the Transgressors, and counted worthy to die the Death.
He that committeth sin is worthy of death: This, though Christ did not personally do, his Members, his Body, which is his Church, did: and since he would undertake for them with God, and stand in their Sins before the Eyes of his Justice; He must die the Death by the Law.
Sin and the Curse cannot be severed. Sin must be followed with the Curse of God: Sin therefore being removed from us to the Back of Christ, thither goes also the Curse; for if sin be found upon him, he is the Person worthy to die, worthy by our Sins. Wherefore Paul here setteth forth Christ clothed with our Sins; and so taking from us the Guilt and Punishment. What punishment, but the Wrath and Displeasure of God. Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law, being made a Curse for us.
In this word [Curse] are two things comprised.
In this word [Curse] are two things comprized.
1. The Reality of Sin, for there can be no Curse where there is no Sin; either of the Persons own, or made to be his by his own Consent or the Imputation of Divine Justice. And since Sins are made to be Christ's by Imputation, they are his, though not naturally, yet really, and ⟨p. 71⟩consequently the Wages due: He hath made him to be sin; he was made a Curse for us.
2. This word Curse compriseth therefore the Punishment of Sin, that Punishment properly due to sin from the Hand of God's Justice, which punishment standeth in three things.
2. This word Curse comprizeth therefore the Punishment of Sin, that Punishment properly due to sin from the Hand of God's Justice, which punishment standeth in three things.
1. In charging sin upon the Body and Soul of the Person concerned: and hence we read that both the Body and Soul of Christ, were made an Offering for Sin, Isa. 53. 10. Heb. 10. 10.
2. The Punishment standeth in Gods inflicting of the Just merits of sin upon him that standeth charged therewith, and that is Death in its own nature and strength; to wit, Death with the Sting thereof: The Sting of Death is sin. This Death did Christ die, because he died for our Sins.
3. The Sorrows and Pains of this Death therefore must be under-gone by Jesus Christ. Now there are divers Sorrows in Death.
1. Such Sorrows as Brutes are subject to. 2. Such Sorrows as Persons are subjects to, that stand in sin before God. 3. Such Sorrows as those undergo who are swallowed up of the Curse and Wrath of God for ever.
