Vol 01 - Chapter 04 - That CHRIST is the true Book of Life.

Chapter 04 - That CHRIST is the true Book of Life
1. ALL those that believe in Jesus CHRIST, the Son of GOD, are " written in the book of life." This shall be made manifest in that great day wherein the Lord will to confess their names before his Father, and before his angels." But besides, the Lord Jesus himself is a complete book and unspotted mirror of a truly Christian life, he being, as the word and wisdom of the Father, made man, to teach us by his life and death, and by his conduct and conversation, to set a pattern before us for our imitation.
2. The whole of his life, beginning with his tender infancy, and ending with his death, was made up of a continual series of crosses and afflictions; insomuch, that he took hardly any steps without the inseparable attendance either of poverty, contempt, or pain. He was poor in relation to outward things. " The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has not where to lay his head." As soon as he entered into the world, he entered into want and poverty, choosing to be born at Bethlehem, the least among the cities of Judah, and from a mother too that was destitute of all wealth and worldly greatness. Nor did he ever court the favor of great men, declining it even when it was offered.
3. But he became more eminently poor by his humiliation, whereby, laying aside the "form of GOD, he humbled himself, and made himself of no, reputation." He thereby entered into the depth of our misery, partaking of all -our weaknesses and infirmities. He was wearied with the journeys he undertook, to finish the work he was sent for. How many tiresome paces did he Fo; when he went about doing good Healing multitudes of sick and diseased, that continually crowded to him from all parts, and surrounded him often to that degree, that he could not so much as eat bread, and his very friends thought him to be beside himself. "
Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses;" never withdrawing from any hardship or calamity, never shrinking under the burden of poverty, of cruel mockings, and of other evils, let them be never so sharp and numerous. And whereas he might have been served by all the creatures of GOD, and waited on by legions of angels; yet dispensed he with all this glory, and did not exert that sovereign power which was lodged in him. He suffered his head to be torn by thorns, his hands to be tied, his sacred body to be scourged, his hands and feet to he nailed to the cross, his side to be pierced with a spear. All this he cheerfully submitted to, though it had been in his power to prevent it, and with one word to restrain the fury of all the creatures from thus insulting their Creator.
4. For oar sakes, he made himself subject to all the creatures. He took upon him the form of a servant, that by his lowliness he might repair our losses, and reinstate us in that. dominion over all the creatures, which we forfeited in Adam. He rose from the dead, and gained a perfect conquest, thereby to purchase for us an everlasting victory. He suffered himself to be tempted by the devil, hurried about by his malice, tormented by his instruments, fastened to the cross. And all this he underwent to rescue mankind from their spiritual thraldom, from the power of the devil leading them captive at his will.
Thus the strongest became weak; the almighty, infirm; the most glorious was made most despicable; the most exalted most exposed himself to temptations of all kinds, to sufferings and difficulties, to pains and hardships; thereby to check our tenderness and effeminacy, things utterly misbecoming spiritual soldiers, and to inure his followers betimes to the straight, though despised way of self-denial and mortification. Alas! How tender and delicate arc now generally the minds of those that style themselves Christians! How unlike are they to the pattern from whence they take their denomination, to the original copy they pretend to write after! The smallest cross is complained of as an insufferable burden. A little trouble they are to undergo for God and their neighbor, seems a sufficient plea to start back into the smooth way, and to drop entirely the article of the cross. Not to mention here, how uneasy they are, how impatient even under those trials the Lord sends, for promoting thereby the recovery of their own souls, and the glory of his name.
5. The Lord forsook all that is great and pompous in the eye of the world. He was a King, yet would he be subject to kings and magistrates, nay, to his father and mother, though so mean and indigent. “He went down with his parents to Nazareth, and was subject unto them," and, as some will have it, wrought at his father's trade. He was Lord over all; and yet when he came into the world, “he came not to be ministered unto, but to minister," clothing himself in all the dress of poverty and meanness. He was the great and wise prophet, nay, the substantial wisdom of God; and yet did he choose disciples of the lowest rank, a plain and simple people, not raised at all above the cornmon level of men.
When it was in his power to behave himself like a Lord and Master; yet did he divest himself of that right, being GQ among them- as one that served." He chose rather to be a- master in life and doctrine, than in any other grandeur and pre-eminence. Thus when he taught the duty of obedience, he showed at -the same time a pattern of obedience-in his own life and conduct. When he endeavored to instil into his disciples a sense, of humility, of patience, of subjection to their' superiors, and of other Christian virtues; he practiced them first, that so his example might have a more powerful influence upon the lives of others. Thus, being Head and Master, he thought it becoming his character to be chief also in bearing affronts, reproaches, injuries, poverty, misery, and in performing the most contemptible services, even " washing his disciples' feet." And thus he proved a master and teacher, not in doctrine only, but in life also, in example; and practice.
6. But., alas! how are we fallen from so glorious a pattern! Our Head despised worldly honor, and we pursue it. He submitted to crosses and trials, and we shrink back at the very sight thereof; unwilling to be disturbed in the enjoyment of our ease and prosperity. He became obedient unto death, and we indulge ourselves, as if self-will was the standing rule of our actions. Alas! this does not agree with the example the Lord has set before us, nor with the spiritual maxims contained in the book of life. Consider, therefore, O man, how near the way wherein thou-walkest comes to that way wherein thy Lord and Master walked. If you despise the narrow way of Jesus, and follow the way of the world; then know for certain, that the way, though smooth for a while, will end in utter destruction.
7. After you have seriously considered the lesson of poverty, in the book of life exhibited by the Lord; consider also the deep and unaffected humility, which was so eminently seen in his whole life and conduct. Never did he catch the applauses of men; never was he acted by ambition, or thirst of honor: whenever men offered to bestow honors, praises and dignities upon him, he fled from them; he declined them both with words and deeds: never did he accept of any honor from men; not even when "they would have taken him by force, and made him a king."
8. On the other hand, with what inexpressible humility did he bear all the insolences, the reproaches, and calumnies wherewith his enemies loaded him He was cried down for the vilest Samaritan, and his miracles ascribed to the power of Beelzebub. That doctrine, he brought down from heaven, was most daringly exploded as a piece of blasphemy; and he who taught it every where insulted by foul and uncharitable censures, and the blackest lies and slanders. His life was a scene of perpetual misery and contempt. He was betrayed and sold; he was denied and buffetted; be was spit upon, and crowned with thorns; he was derided and scourged; he was smitten and sentenced to death; he was condemned to the ignominious " death of the cross." He was forsaken by God and men; ahd in fine, stripped of all; was executed in the midst of scandalous malefactors, hanging on the tree like a cursed one!
9. He was then made the common gazing-stock of all his enemies, and hissed at by priests, scribes, and elders. His prayers were turned into ridicule, and at the approach of the very pangs of death, he had nothing to refresh himself but "vinegar mingled with gall." At last, when all was finished, he. expired on the cursed tree, full of the reproaches, hatred, and indignation of the world; insomuch that, even after his death, he had his body " pierced with a spear," and " his grave made with the wicked." Being risen from the dead, and triumphing over his enemies, they then boldly denied his resurrection, and left no stone unturned to blacken his Divine character, and to run down all the transactions of his life for cheat and imposture. Thus was the Lord, both in the beginning, progress, and end of his ever-blessed life, " despised and rejected, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief."
10. In this course of our Lord's life is not only displayed the abounding treasure of redemption gained by CHRIST; but in this scene of sufferings also he is our great Doctor and Master, our Prophet and Shepherd, our Instructer, Light, and constant Monitor; that we, by looking unto him, may learn to despise earthly pomp; and by closely adhering to him, like trite members to their Head, " grow up into him in all things," being rendered conformable unto bis life, "and rested and grounded in his love."
11. Every Christian ought most carefully to behold the life of CHRIST under the cross, together with that of all the saints in general. This wag of the cross is copiously spoken of in the book of Psalms, in order to render it the more familiar unto us, and to teach us, " that we must, through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." The 109th Psalm, in particular, contains at large a prayer of CHRIST, expressed in the midst of his sufferings; and it mentioneth, in the latter part, three sorts of troubles more especially, wherewith the Lord, whose type David was, found himself oppressed.
12. In the first place, the Lord complaineth of a vehement an,vviety of heart, declared in this manner, " I and poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me." Behold what complaints this sacred person is reduced to! and what is the reason thereof Surely, to acquaint us, in the most moving terms, what he has suffered for our sake. He says, " I am poor!" And lo i you toilest to get estates, to hoard up riches, and yet you art still poor and discontented in the possession of them. He says, am needy;" and You, O man, art bent upon ease, prosperity, andfulness of bread! He complains, " My heart is wounded within me." How unreasonable is it then, that you should be gratified in all thy vain desires! Nothing will go down with thee but what is seasoned with mirth; sorrow and melancholy being far banished from thy heart. But (lost you never reflect upon the life of that Master, whose servant you pretendest to be He complains that " his heart was wounded within him;" it was bruised, and as it were smitten with rods, and exceeding heavy. Let the consideration of this give thee ease under any grief, and make thee relish the better those untainted pleasures which will certainly succeed the cross.
13. After the Lord had spoken of inward sorrow that pressed upon him, he - goes on to give us a view of his bodily sufferings; " I am gone, (says he) like the shadow when it declineth: I am tossed up and down as the locust. My knees are weak through fasting, and my flesh faileth of fatness." A most expressive description of the common frailty of human nature! What is a shadow, but a mere nothing, an empty, lifeless appearance To this the Lord suffered aimself to be reduced whilst he dwelt among us! He who is life and light itself, and the bottomless fountain of life, is exposed to labor and infirmities. And should not men hereby learn to think themselves far more perishing shadows than the Lord of life himself
14. But he goes on; I am tossed uh and down as the locust. The Lord had no settled habitation upon earth as men of the world have, whose delight is in ample buildings, and stately palaces. He was in a constant pilgrimage towards that kingdom which cannot be moved. For this reason he is said to have only tabernacled among us, and is here compared to a locust, which, having no nest or abiding place, is fearful, and tossed to and fro, and driven away with every wind. And even in this has our blessed Savior left us a pattern, to walk as he walked; and seeing we have no continuing city here,, to seek one to come, which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
15. What is farther added of the weakness of his knees, and the failing of his flesh, did abundantly appear about the time of his passion, when his strength was dried up like a potsherd; and should we complain of a fit of sickness, when the Lord of life pined away into' weakness, and languished in misery Should we pamper our bodies, when the Lord endured faintness and fastings And what matters it, if our bodies be weak, so our souls be in a vigorous habit It is this on which we ought to lay out our time and diligence; it is this we ought to look after most carefully; it is this which ought to "eat that which is good, and delight itself in spiritual fatness, that so it may grow strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
16. He next explaineth the contempt he underwent, to stop us in our pursuit after honor. " I am (says he,) a reproach unto them; when they look upon me, they shake their heads." The enemies of CHRIST insulted him in the vilest and most licentious manner. All Which the anointed of the Lord endured, to rescue man from eternal infamy. For man being become a scorner and hater of GOD, defying him and the offers of his grace, CHRIST now designed to make atonement for so heinous a sin, by the extreme contempt he willingly embraced. That we may the better transcribe the life of CHRIST in our own conduct and conversation, let us carefully observe the following particulars
17. CHRIST never sought upon earth his own glory in any thing that he did; but accounted it sufficient for him, that God alone was his glory. So let us reject the glory of this world in all we do; endeavoring only that God may be glorified, saying, " Ah Lord God! give us the heart of thy Son, that we may have our glory in thee alone, and not in ourselves; that we may have our glory in heaven only, and not upon earth."
2, It was the highest glory of CHRIST, that he was the only begotten Son of God. And for this reason did the world persecute and blaspheme him. So should a Christian look for no other honor than what he enjoys in the paternal love of GOD, by the witness of the Spirit residing in him. " Grant us also, O GOD, that it may be our greatest glory and joy, that we are thy children; that so we may obtain the eternal fruition of thy love, and possess in thee an everlasting inheritance; and that we may remember, if the world do hate, envy, reproach and persecute us, it has done the same to thy most holy child Jesus."
3, It is the glory of the Lord CHRIST, that he wrought so many Divine works; that he went about continually doing the most wondrous acts of beneficence; and that out of pure love, and the highest compassion to the miseries of fallen nature. However for all this, he received nothing but hatred and most heinous unthankfulness. Hence also our hearts ought to break forth in some such manner as this.
18. " Ah God! give us such grateful, such faithful hearts, that we may be always ready to do good to all men; and that we may be never deterred, either by the unthankfulness of a hardened world, or by the unworthiness of the objects; ascribing not to ourselves, but to thy name only, the glory of all we do."
4, It is the highest glory of our Lord Jesus CHRIST, that he has, out of pure love, laid down his life for us; that he has purchased us with his own blood; that he has been obedient to the Father, even unto death; that with the greatest meekness he has endured the vilest reproach, and with the utmost patience, the exquisite pains of the cross. "O GOD, our glory, help! help us that we may overcome our enemy with love; subdue our flesh with _ godly obedience; bear the reproach of the world with the meekness of CHRIST; obtain the victory through patience; and being strong in the Lord, be made more than conquerors through him that loved us!"
5, The sovereign glory of_ the blessed Jesus is his exaltation to the right hand of God; and the name which is given him, which is "above every name, that every knee both in heaven and in earth must bow to his name, and all tongues be obliged to confess him to be their Lord."
19. " Help, O gracious God! that we may ever esteem it our highest glory to be made conformable to our ever blessed Head; that so, when he shall be revealed in power and majesty, we may also appear with him in glory, after we have here endured the cross, and been faithful to the world."
6, The glory of CHRIST is, that he is the only head of the church in general, and of every member thereof in particular; a glorious King of his people; and an everlasting High-Priest, making intercession for us. "Help us, O GOD, that we may evermore account it our greatest glory, that we are the members of thy Son, that we are the subjects of his kingdom, and that we may enjoy all the privileges purchased by his intercession, sacrifice, and benediction."
20. The conclusion of the matter is this: It is God who is to be our glory alone; it is not the world, nor wealth, nor honor, nor greatness, nor the arm of flesh, nor the wit and prudence of men, that I may call my glory; but GOD, and only GOD, is m' glory! Wherefore " Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, not let the rich man glory in his riches; but let him that glorieth, glory in this, that he understandeth and knows me, that I and the Lord." Jeremiah 9:23-24.
21. The third branch of the crosses and afflictions of CHRIST, consists in that unspeakable grief he underwent, even from his infancy. Which was also still the more aggravated, the higher he approached to the time appointed for his passion. This himself testifies, saying, " My soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death intimating thereby the unutterable anguish of spirit that forced from him that sweat which like drops of blood, fell down to the ground. And what pains he suffered in his most tender and sensible body, no tongue of men is able to declare. And this greatness of torment was caused first by the greatness of sin; which being an infinite and unexpressible evil, its full punishment and atonement could not but cause in the Son of GOD, immense and most exquisite torments too; which to a mere man had been altogether insupportable.
22. The second reason of this exquisite grief was, because he bore the sins of the world; not these only, which from the beginning of the world had been committed; but those also which men should become guilty of through all ages down to the end. And therefore such as is the number and height of all the sins of all men through all generations, such must needs have been also the pains and sorrows endured by the Lord. For which cause he prayed upon the mount of Olives; “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me!"
23. Thirdly, the torments of CHRIST were not a little heightened by that most perfect love he bore to his heavenly Father. The greater one's love is, the greater is also the grief occasioned by what interferes with it. Since therefore CHRIST loved his heavenly Father with a most exalted love; his affliction must have been exceeding grievous, on account of the heinousness of sin, wherewith fallen men did insult over so beloved a father; insomuch that the sins of the whole world, with the pains he endured for them, did not affect him in so lively a manner as the sorrow he felt on account of the indignity offered to a GOD, who in his very nature is love. And surely it was upon account of this love to the Father, (which deserved all the returns of love of which the creature was capable,) that CHRIST sustained most exquisite pains, and a most ignominious death, via. that by a satisfaction proportionable to the offence he might regain unto wretched mortals, that love and favor of GOD, which they, by a heinous apostasy, had forfeited in Adam.
24. In the fourth place, the suffering of CHRIST was increased by his great love to mankind. For as he died for all, and bore the sins of all, so also was he exceedingly desirous to see the ha:hpy effects of his blood, which is the salvation of all men. IHence the unbelief and wickedness of men every where overflowing the world, and hindering this love from taking its effect upon sinners, caused him most grievous and bitter torments; but especially for such as by their profligate lives and final impenitency, did throw away their souls for a handful of dust and vanity.
25. Fifthly, another circumstance which pierced- the very heart of our Lord, was his being forsaken of God. For though it be true, God could not, strictly speaking, forsake him, who himself was GOD, and who did not cease to be God even when he hung on the cross; yet does he complain of being forsaken; and this lamentable complaint our Savior poured out to show thereby that God did withdraw from hiln, as man,
1: e. from his human nature, the support of his heavenly comfort, hiding himself in this dark hour of temptation. He manifests also by his exclamation, the extreme misery in which he then was. * It is evident, our Lord's words here must be viewed in the same light with his prayer in the garden. For as that prayer expressed only the feelings and inclinations of his human nature,, sorely pressed down with the weight of his sufferings; so his exclamation on the cross proceeded from the greatness of his sufferings then, and expressed the feelings of the same human nature, viz. an exceeding grief at God's withdrawing a comfortable sense of his presence, and a complaint that it was so. But, as his prayer in the garden was properly tempered with resignation to the will of his Father, while he said, Not as I will, but as you wilt; so his complaint on the cross was doubtless tempered in the same manner, though the evangelists have not particularly mentioned it. For that in the inward disposition of his mind he was perfectly resigned while he hung on the cross is evident, beyond all doubt, from his recommending his spirit to his Father in the article of death, which he could not have done, if he had either doubted of his favor, or been discontented with his appointments.
That the sufferings which caused our Lord to utter this exclamation, " were not merely those which appeared to the spectators, viz. the pains of death, which he was then undergoing, is evident from this consideration, that many of his followers have suffered sharper and more lingering bodily torture, ending in death, without thinking themselves, on that account, forsaken of God; on the contrary, they both felt and expressed raptures of joy under the bitterest torments. Why then should Jesus have complained, and been dejected under inferior sufferings, as we must acknowledge them to have been, if there were nothing in them but the pains of crucifixion Is there any other circumstance in his history, which leads us to think him defective in courage or patience
In piety and resignation came he behind his own apostles Were his views of God and religion more confined than theirs Had he greater sensibility of pain than they, without a proper balance arising from the superiority of his understanding; In short, was he worse qualified for martyrdom than they’('he truth is, his words on the cross cannot be accounted for, but on the supposition that he endured in his mind distresses inexplicable, in consequence of the withdrawing of his heavenly Father's presence, and a sense of the wrath due to the sins of mankind, which he was now suffering." Indeed, as Dr. Doddridge observes, " The interruption of a joyful sense-of his Father's presence, (though there was, and could not but be a rational apprehension of his constant favor, and high approbation of what he was now doing,) was as necessary as it was that CHRIST should suffer at all. For had God communicated to his Son on the cross, those strong consolations which he has given to some of the martyrs in their tortures, all sense of pain, and consequently all real pain, would have been swallowed up; and the violence done to his body not affecting the soul, could not properly have been called suffering." See Macknight's and Benson's Commentaries.
26. And who is, in the sixth place, able to explain what pains the Lord suffered in his most holy and delicate body Or who can doubt, that a body most delicate, most noble, most pure, conceived by the Holy Ghost, personally united with the Divine nature, filled with the Spirit of GOD, must feel most grievous and bitter pains, when smitten, scourged, wounded, pierced, crucified, and put to death No words are expressive enough to set forth the smart and acuteness thereof. And what is all our cross and affliction, compared with- this suffering of the Lord For we, being sinners, have most justly deserved eternal death and damnation; and yet we find, how even this small allotment of the cross designed for us, is too heavy a burden for our tender Christians, who do what they can to shift it off, though at the same time it be appointed as healthful physic to procure the happiness of their souls. Surely a soul, who is a sincere lover of CHRIST, can wish no other condition of life, but such as comes up nearest to the original of the blessed life of CHRIST. Which conformity of. our life to the life of CHRIST, we ought to account our greatest gain and dignity. In this, let the true lover of CHRIST rejoice, that he has been thought worthy to suffer with CHRIST his Savior.
27. What cause then can we pretend, why we should not most willingly walk in the path of the holy cross Especially, since we know the Son of God himself has traveled this way before us, and by his holy example sanctified it; not having entered into his glory but by sufferings And since he has, in spite of all the insults of the enemy, entered into glory; we may also assure ourselves that our affliction, which is but for a moment, shall be followed by an everlasting weight of glory. And as the Lord did not spare himself, but laid himself entirely out for the service of others, undergoing all this; by no other impulse but that of fervent love; so should this love of our Redeemer raise reciprocal flanics of Ioti--e in our souls, and never suffer us to grow faint and weary under any affliction whatever.