Thomas Manton · 36 of 57

The Sixth Verse. · Part 3

[2.] Suppose God should commit it to ourselves, yet we should never do that which would please him. If God had left us no direction but the light of our own reason, we would never reach the right way, but there would be divers hindrances; as—

(1st.) Ignorance. Natural men know not which way to go about it: they are described, Rom. i. 21, to be such as ‘became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.’ A frivolous mind every man hath; the word is διαλογισμοῖς, they are vain in their discourses and reasonings: they have very unsavoury apprehensions of the ways of God. It is spoken of the heathen there. And the like you shall see of the Jews, and of natural men within the church: Jer. iv. 22, ‘For my people is foolish; they have not known me, they are sottish children, and they have no understanding; they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.’ Men of parts are sometimes extremely ignorant in point of duty towards God and man, and therefore certainly their own path must needs be a wrong way. Brethren, it signifies not what men in a notional way can discourse or argue concerning duty, for their foolish darkness will be discovered when it cometh to practice.

(2dly.) Their antipathy against anything that concerneth the ways of God. Our way must needs be seen, for our heart is exceeding averse to the will of God: Rom. viii. 7, ‘The carnal mind is enmity against God.’ Mark, it is not only an enemy, but enmity. There is the spirit of malice in it against all the ways of God. Therefore, God’s appointments and carnal devices will never be brought together; if you be wise to the flesh, you cannot be wise to duty. A carnal wise heart must needs err in its choice then. There is a disallowing of all that is good, and an approving of all that is naught: this is most suit able to us. See Isa. v. 20, ‘Woe unto them that call evil good and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness, that put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.’ The prophet useth divers expressions to set out that wicked disvaluing of the ways of God that is in all carnal hearts. They think all the comfort and sweetness is in their own ways of jollity and excess, and for God’s ways they look upon them as bitter and dark, such as will banish mirth and eat out all contentment, and fill the heart with sad fears and darkness. Oh, how are these men mistaken!

(3dly.) We have a base, paltry heart, and are loth to serve him as far as we know. It is said, Rom. i. 28, ‘They did not like to retain -God in their knowledge.’ They do not approve or make such precious account of the ways of God as they should do. Carnal men are loth to go contrary to their desires. They like the knowledge that they have, and are better content with ignorance,—as it is said, 2 Peter in. 5: the apostle Peter saith, ‘They are willingly ignorant’ of what might make against them. This they are angry at, that they know so much, and are willing to practise so little; and, therefore, what is chosen and followed with full consent by such hearts must needs be a wrong way. You may well suspect whatever nature deviseth so willingly, and practiseth so cheerfully. This is the first reason: Our own way is not the right way, because we can never please God in it.

2. Our own way is not the right way to do ourselves good. The more we please the flesh, the more we wrong our own souls: passions and corrupt affections do but blind the heart to its own destruction. As the fishes that play down the pleasant streams of Jordan devolve themselves into the Dead Sea, so ways that are altogether suitable to our nature do but end in destruction: Prov. xvi. 25, ‘There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.’ Mark, it is the plural, ways,—it is multiplex. A man ruineth himself many ways, by one sin or another; some their way is adultery, that wasteth the strength, blasteth the beauty, bringeth infamy, poverty, reproach, horror of conscience, death, and eternal destruction. Another drunkenness, which besots the brain, wasteth the estate, betrayeth a man to reproach, brawneth the heart, and bringeth death and destruction. I will not stand longer upon the reasons, but apply it.

Use 1. Is caution to you not to go in your own ways, neither in worship nor conversation; that is the sin of men in their natural condition. Now, that you may not do so—

1. I shall give you some cautionary propositions.

2. A few directions.

The cautionary propositions I shall spread before you for the greater quickening and incitement of you.

[1.] God may not like what men like: Prov. xvi. 2, ‘All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes, but the Lord weigheth the spirit.’ A man that doth not weigh his service in the balance of the sanctuary is not sensible of the defects of it God weigheth and can look beneath the veil of pretences: so Luke xvi. 15, ‘For that which is highly esteemed amongst men is abomination in the sight of God.’ You may please yourselves in your ways, and yet you may very much displease God. The rule holdeth in duties. You may pass it off as if it were a seemly beast for an offering, whereas God looketh upon it as a poor, sick sacrifice, a corrupt thing, Mal. i. 14. This rule likewise holds good in conversation. Men please themselves in an easy moral way, but God can find a great deal of evil in it. We look upon sins as they are odious abroad, but God considereth inward guilt. Now, when men live in an easy, voluptuous, sensual way, they do not check themselves for it because others do not, but God may hate them for it.

[2.] Nay, the more thy way pleaseth thee, the more thou shouldest suspect it doth not please God. Whence cometh all this vigilance? Either the thing is carnal, or, if it be spiritual, thou art set on by the concernments of the flesh. Certainly, thy carnal heart is set on by something that is suitable. David did not dare touch the waters of Bethlehem, because he longed for them: 2 Sam. xxiii. 15, 16, ‘Oh that one would give me of the water of Bethlehem!’ He would not drink of it, because they went in jeopardy of their lives that fetched it, but poured it out before the Lord. I say, in doubtful things, when thou art so vehement, suspect thy heart; and the more thy life pleaseth thee, fear it is the less acceptable to God. Consider not what thou art willing to do, but what God alloweth. Nature would not be so strongly bent upon a thing, if there were not corruption in it. These are the two quickening propositions. The rules or directions are three:—

[1.] Lead your life by a divine rule; have respect to the commandment. See how heartily David prayeth, Ps. cxix. 10, ‘With my whole heart have I sought thee; let me not wander from thy commandments.’ That is the rule—the law a man should go by. Advise with the word. ‘Bind it continually about thine heart, and tie it about thy neck.’ The commandment is a lamp, and the law is light. ‘When thou goest it shall lead thee, when thou sleepest it shall keep thee, and when thou wakest it shall talk with thee,’ Prov. vi. 21-23. He would not deviate into his own path: Gal. vi. 16, ‘As many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God;’—they that walk by this rule, that is, according to the word of God. The law is the expression of God’s will to us creatures, therefore conform to that. If Christians had oftener recourse to the rule, they would have a better sight of duty.

[2.] Beg divine assistance. We cannot keep to God’s rule without God’s power; beg it of God, then, as David in the psalm before mentioned. There are divers places hint this in scripture. It is a sign we run beyond ourselves when we would not be directed by God. When God leaveth us to ourselves, then we leave his law: Acts xiv. 16, ‘In times past God suffered the Gentiles to walk in their own ways.’ A man left to himself cannot but err; and, therefore, desire God that he would guide you; for a blind mind and a wicked heart cannot guide you in his ways. This is called a taking heed to the word, Ps. cxix. 9; and ver. 101, ‘I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep thy word;’ and David prayeth, ver. 133, ‘Order my steps in thy word.’ God must order every step, or else we shall soon go astray.

[3.] Look up to divine encouragement. As you must take the word for your rule, and the Spirit for your guide, so the promises for your encouragement: 2 Cor. vii. 1, ‘Having, therefore, these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all. filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God;’ 2 Peter i. 4, ‘Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises; that by these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.’ Worldly wisdom is seen otherwhere: Rom. viii. 5, ‘For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; and they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.’ Christians should fetch in a supply that way; it is a sign you are in God’s way when you eye God’s encouragements. Some mind only to compass their carnal ends, and sweeten all their endeavours by fleshly considerations; they are in their own way: ‘To be carnally minded is death.’ To savour only fleshly encouragements argueth a very naughty heart.

Use 2. Is examination, to try whether you be in the state of nature or no. Your own way is a sinful way; and, therefore, what is the generality of your conversations? Is it not a turning to your own way? But, you will say, how shall I know that?

1. By the suitableness of it to nature. A life led in pleasures, without self-denial and mortification, certainly is none of God’s way; it is a way of your own choosing: 1 Tim. v. 6, ‘She that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.’ Though she liveth a natural life, she dieth a spiritual death. This is even just as nature would have it. Observe what compliance it hath with your carnal desires and delights.

2. By the easiness of it to nature. It is your own way, for you can walk in it by your own strength. It is often said of such as were in a natural state, ‘He did that which was right in his own eyes.’ You have shaped out to yourselves such an easy course; but what difficulty is it to be such a Christian? Solomon saith, ‘Lean not to thine understanding,’ Prov. iii. 5, ‘but trust in the Lord with all thine heart.’ That is necessary to true Christianity; but now here men keep up themselves well enough, though no intercourse be between them.

3. The serviceableness of it to nature, and to natural ends and courses. Every man naturally is for himself, to attain honour, plea sure, profit, or satisfaction to his lusts. Our own way will serve for our own end. Though many things that man may do be of divine appointment, yet it is but your own way still; you borrow means of God to further your own purposes. The glory of God is the great Christian end, but men value themselves by other things.

Use 3. Is exhortation; to press men in their natural condition to turn from their sottishness and foolish ways by repentance. Now repentance first beginneth with turning from our own ways, as the prophet Jeremiah calleth it: Jer. xxvi. 13, ‘Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the Lord your God.’ To this end a few things must be spoken to.

There are two things that make this exhortation fruitless:—

1. Carnal prejudices. Do not believe what your own hearts suggest to you concerning the folly and uncomfortableness of God’s ways, for these prove the best and most comfortable to the soul. Other pleasures are but for a season, Heb. xi. 25. Natural reason calleth sour sweet. The best way to know is to try them once, then you will see how all was delusive; mistakes and prejudices will vanish then.

2. Despairing stubbornness. Men have been in an ill way, and they are loth to quit it: they think now they must try the worst of it: Jer. xviii. 12, ‘And they said there is no hope, but we will walk after our devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart.’

But I would not tarry too long on these black lines and dark shadows of man’s sin and misery which are in the text; therefore I come now to the comfortable part, viz., God’s remedy: and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all. There I propounded three things:—

1. The author of our deliverance: the Lord; that is, God the Father.

2. The nature or manner of our deliverance: he hath laid our iniquities on him.

3. The parties interested: the iniquities of as all.

1. The author: ‘the Lord.’ You may take it essentially for the whole Deity, or personally for God the Father, who, in the mystery of redemption, is looked upon as pars offensa, the wronged party against whom the offence is committed, and the supreme Judge to whom the satisfaction is tendered. The point is—

Doct. That God the Father laid our iniquities on Christ.

I shall a little open this point to you, and therein you shall see, that whatever Christ did as Mediator, or whatever was done to Christ, is attributed to God the Father, to his counsel and appointment.

1. He designed the person, and therefore it is said: Gal. iv. 4, ‘God sent forth his Son;’ Rom. viii. 3, ‘God sending his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh;’ 1 John iv. 14, ‘God sent his Son to be the Saviour of the world.’ It noteth the decree and designation of God the Father concerning the second person: John x. 36, ‘Whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world.’ When a thing or person is set aside for divine uses and purposes, it is said to be sanctified. And so it is said, John vi. 27, ‘For him hath God the Father sealed.’ The Father cannot but accept of the obedience of Christ in the name of those for whom it is offered, and who do lay hold upon him by faith, seeing Christ did not come of himself, but was sent of the Father to pay our ransom for us. Moses, that interposed of his own accord, was denied: Exod. xxxii. 32, ‘If thou wilt not forgive their sin, blot me out of thy book.’ But God told him, ‘The soul that sinneth, him will I blot out of my book.’ But Christ interposed not of his own accord. This sending his Son was a remedy of God’s appointing. So in the place forementioned, John x. 36, ‘Whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world;’ that is, consecrated him from eternity unto the office of Mediator, and then sent him into the world to assume human nature into the unity of his own person. ‘Him hath the Father sealed;’ that is, the Father hath authorised him to be the Saviour and Redeemer of lost sinners. He hath a commission under the broad seal of heaven. Thus kings give commissions to their ministers of state, who are employed in their affairs: Esther viii. 8, ‘For the writing which is written in the king’s name, and sealed with the king’s ring, may no man reverse.’ Christ coming in God’s name is fully authorised to do your souls good.

2. He qualified him for his office, and therefore he is said to be ‘anointed with the Spirit of the Lord to preach the gospel to the poor, and to heal the broken-hearted.’ Luke iv. 18; and John iii. 34, ‘For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God, for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.’ As Mediator he is endowed with the Spirit for the discharge of his office, that he might be a full storehouse of all grace for his people: 1 Cor. i. 30, ‘Who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.’ Surely we may use him for what he was made of God.

3. Whatever was done to Christ as Mediator, was from God the Father; either, first, mediately by men; God ordered their cruelty with reference to his own designs: Acts iv. 28, ‘For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.’ God hath so laid the state of our redemption, that whatever was done to Christ, he ordereth the whole business from first to last. Or, secondly, immediately by God: Isa. liii. 10, ‘It pleased the Lord to bruise him, he hath put him to grief;’ Zech. xiii. 7, ‘Awake, O sword, against my Shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow.’ Our sin and punishment was not taken up by Christ without the Father’s privity and consent; it was not by our desire and will, but by the counsel of the Father, that he laid our iniquities upon him.

4. Whatever was done by Christ, you shall find in the scripture; Christ always going according to the appointment of the Father, the whole work being but a testimony of his obedience: Heb. x. 7, ‘Lo, I come to do thy will, O God.’ In the whole transaction Christ would be ordered by the will of his Father; the Son is become a servant in this business; therefore it is said, Phil. ii. 7, ‘He took upon him the form of a servant.’ So in that place, Heb. x. 5, ‘A body hast thou prepared me.’ It is in Ps. xl. 6, ‘Mine ears hast thou opened,’ or bored; that is, made me a wise and faithful servant in the work of redemption. They were wont, under the law, to bore the ears of their servants: Exod. xxi. 6, ‘So that he was to be a servant for ever.’ And thus you have Christ always professing his obedience to the Father. As if it were not his own business that he was set about, and he could not do as he would in it, but he must be acted and guided by another: John x. 37, ‘If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not;’ John x. 18, ‘I have power to lay down my life, and I have power to take it again; this commandment have I received of my Father.’ All which is a testimony that the Father was satisfied by his sufferings, and is a ground of strong consolation to believers. The way was agreed upon between God and Christ long before the accomplishment. It was not out of impotence, as if forced to give place to the devil and the violence of wicked men, but obedience to God’s designed way.

Now in two things Christ showeth this:—

[1.] As if he acted altogether by the Father’s power: John v. 19, ‘The Son can do nothing of himself.’ So ver. 30, ‘I can of mine own self do nothing;’ that is, the Father and he were distinct persons in themselves, but not separate in nature, power, and operation. The Son acts by the Father, and the Father in the Son. The Son doth nothing of himself, that is, separate from the Father. Or understand it of the manhood of Christ, that is guided by God the Father in its operations, it doth not act at pleasure. Christ would will or act nothing separate from the will and power of the Godhead. This is spoken to remove such a gross speculation, as if the union between God and Christ were no other than that between a natural father and son.

[2.] As if he acted by the Father’s appointment: for he would do nothing, neither lay down his life, nor take it up, unless God the Father said Amen to it; as where Christ speaketh of some power he had in himself, yet it was a power limited by the Father: John x. 18, ‘No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself: I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received from my Father.’ Christ would lay down his life for his people, and take it up again, and all because of the Father’s commandment. The words are spoken to exclude any external power or violence that could be offered to Christ; none could impose upon him, but at the Father’s commandment he would lay it down, and take it up again. Christ would leave a testimony of his love and obedience: John xiv. 31, ‘But that the world may know that I love the Father, as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do.’ No outward force can impose upon him, but the Lord can impose. Jehovah ‘laid on him the iniquities of us all.’

The reasons of the point.

1. Because none else had any power to lay it on Christ but God alone. That God could, it is clear by virtue of that interest he had in him. A loving son can deny the father nothing. Now, it being the ordination and the will of God, Christ would not gainsay it; and as long as the Father’s commandment lasted, he would obey; and therefore, when the burden of our sins lay sore upon him, to whom doth he address himself but to the Father? He laid it on, and he alone could take it off: Mat. xxvi. 39, ‘He fell on his face and prayed, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, riot as I will, but as thou wilt.’ Though it were a deadly cup, yet Christ would not have it any way to pass from him, unless it were the Father’s will. He had such an interest in him, that he would stoop to that: no other could have gained Christ to such a service but the Father.

2. Because if God should not lay iniquity upon Christ, it would be to no purpose; for to him it belongeth, because against him was the offence committed. Ps. li. 4, see what David saith there with eyes brimful of tears, ‘Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight.’ He had sinned against Bathsheba and against Uriah, yet ‘against thee only have I sinned.’ His sin was not known to many, for the plot was closely carried: 2 Sam. xii. 12, ‘Thou didst it secretly,’ as the prophet Nathan told him. But how should he do to get it expiated by him against whom the offence was chiefly committed, and who knew it well enough? Ps. xli. 4, ‘Lord, be merciful unto me, heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee.’ Against whomsoever else the offence be, the chiefest aggravation is that it is against God, and therefore he must have all the ordering how the iniquity must be forgiven: Isa. xliii. 25, ‘I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own ‘sake, and will not remember thy sins.’ God would have you to look to him as one that only hath to do about the guilt of his people’s sin: ‘I, even I, am he.’

Use. Is to inform us what abundant matter here is for your faith to work upon. Jehovah laid the iniquities of us all on him. God, whom you most fear, God the Father, he is first in the design, and he layeth the command upon the bowels of Christ. Do but lay it abroad in some particular considerations before you pass over this circumstance: the Lord. Certainly all the triumph of faith cometh from it.

1. The Lord, to whom belongeth forgiveness. It is not the business of others to lay it upon Christ, it is not their right, it is not what they say, but what the Father saith; you must look to that. You see when ‘Christ prayeth for pardon he addresseth himself to his Father, as if it were not in his own single power: Luke xxiii. 34, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’ The Son prayeth, there is hope: ‘Father, forgive them.’ If it passeth with God the Father, the matter is ended. So 1 John ii. 1, Christ is said to be ‘an advocate with the Father.’ And so you shall see frequent places, as John xiv. 16, ‘I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter.’ Forgiveness and mercy and comfort, they all proceed from the Father. It is true, we read Mat. ix. 6, that ‘the Son of Man hath power on earth to forgive sins,’ but it is by commission from the Father, and as having the mind of the Father in it; as it is said, John v. 22, ‘For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment to the Son.’ So the immediate dispensation of all censures is given to the Son by the Father, whose will passeth for a law. God the Father, in all the work of salvation is to be considered as a superior wronged. And what an encouragement is it to a poor soul, in the matter of its faith, to understand that God has laid its iniquities on Christ! Oh, then, as you would magnify the sufficiency of the Son’s merit, so magnify the largeness of the Father’s mercy. Look upon Christ as able to save you, and look upon God as willing to give Christ to you. Christ hath fully satisfied for iniquities; the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all. Tell me then, where should the soul stick? Usually it sticketh here: they doubt whether Christ be for them or no. No pardon is granted but it first passeth the Father. Why? because the Father is first in the design. God sent the Son. If men would reason thus out of the scriptures, how might they shame their hearts in the sense of their unbelief! Oh, wait then for the Spirit to fix this truth upon you. Though a man should frame never so many deductions without the Spirit, it would not do. Therefore, I cease to wonder why men do not believe, though they can object nothing against the free grace of God.

2. The God whom you have wronged. Sin is against all the persons of the Trinity, but it is chiefly against the Father. You may despise the Son, and grieve the Spirit, but the chiefest injury is against the Father, because he is the fountain of all; nay, all that is done to the other persons redounds to the Father’s dishonour. Thus our Saviour often reasoneth with the Jews, ‘He that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me.’ And the injury to the Spirit, it is called a vexing of his Spirit: Isa. lxiii. 10, ‘They rebelled and vexed his Holy Spirit.’ Therefore the prophet inquireth, Isa. vii. 13, ‘Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also?’ Oh, what a grievous thing is this, to do all this despite to God, that you have vexed and wearied God by your stubborn resisting of the motions of his Spirit! Why, yet this God puts Christ upon this task, the Lord hath laid on him our iniquities. He whom you have most cause to fear is your greatest friend. A soul that is sensible of sin is sensible of the wrong he hath done to God. Why, though you have wronged him, he is chief in the design of mercy. You have not only the Son on your side, but you have the Father. Jehovah laid our iniquities upon him. You shall see the apostle maketh it a great advantage to mercy that we have the Son and Father too: 2 John 9, ‘He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.’ He hath one that is willing and one that is able to save him, and therefore the wronged party is of his side and reconciled to him. O Christians! triumph now in this great design of salvation, if you believe you have an interest in the Father’s affection, as well as the Son’s merit. Nay, to invite you to believe, consider what a remedy here is against all your doubts; it was the Lord that put Christ upon all that he did for you. I use the more words that I may bring you to weigh these things. Why should you stick at your sins? The first motion to pardon cometh from him that should avenge them. You have sinned against Jehovah, and Jehovah hath laid on him the iniquities of us all.