Works of John Bunyan: THE DOCTRINE OF THE LAW AND GRACE UNFOLDED. 540

 

Fifth. He is run thither to receive gifts for us. All spiritual and heavenly gifts had been kept from us had not Christ, so soon as the time appointed was come, run back to the Kingdom of Glory to receive them for us. But I cannot stand to enlarge upon these glorious things; the Lord, enlarge them upon your hearts through meditation. [These things have I spoken to show you that saints are under grace.]

Christ completely fulfilled the conditions of the new covenant.

Here now, I might begin to speak of His prophetical and kingly office and the privileges that do and shall come thereby, but I fear I shall be too tedious; therefore, I shall pass them by at this time. Thus, you may see how the Covenant of Grace doth run, with whom it was made, and what the conditions were.

Now, then, this grace, this everlasting grace of God, comes to be free to us through the satisfaction, according to the conditions, given by Another for us; for though it be free, and freely given to us, yet the obtaining of it did cost our Head, our public Man, a very dear price. "For ye are bought with a price," even with the precious blood of Christ. So it is by Another, I say, not by us; yet it is as indeed made over to us, even to so many of us as do or shall believe, as if we had done it, and obtained the grace of God ourselves (1 Cor 6:20; 1 Peter 1:9). Nay, surer; for consider, I say, this grace is free to us, and comes upon an apparent score, by the labor and purchase of Another for us; mark, that which is obtained by Another for us is not received for us by ourselves—No, but Christ hath, not by the blood of goats and calves, "obtained eternal redemption for us," which were things offered by men under the law, "but by His own blood," meaning Christ's, "He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us" (Heb 9:12).

It comes to be unchangeable through the perfection of that satisfaction that was given to God through the Son of Mary for us, for whatever the Divine, infinite, and eternal justice of God did call for at the hands of man, if ever he intended to be a partaker of the grace of God, this Jesus, this one Man, this public Person, did, did completely give satisfaction to it, even so effectually; which caused God not only to say, I am pleased, but "I am well pleased"; completely and sufficiently satisfied with Thee on their behalf; for so you must understand it (Matt 3:17). Mark therefore these following words—"And, having made peace," or entirely, thus, made up the difference, "through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled," how? "in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy," mark, "holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight" (Col 1:20-22). And thus it is, unchangeable grace to us; because it was obtained, yea, wholly obtained, for us, by Jesus Christ, God-man.

Object. But some may say, How was it possible that one man Jesus, by one offering, should so wholly obtain and bring in unchangeable grace for such an innumerable company of sinners as are to be saved?

Answ. First. In that, He was in every way fitted for such a work. And, Second. In that, as I said before, He did in every way completely satisfy that which was offended by our disobedience to the former covenant.

[First. He was in every way fitted for such a work]. And, for the clearing of this,

1. Consider, was it the man that had offended? He was a Man who gave satisfaction—"For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead" (1 Cor 15:21).

2. Was it God that was offended? He was God that did give Satisfaction—"Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.—and His name shall be called The mighty God" (Isa 9:6). "He thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but," for our sakes, He "made Himself of no reputation," etc. (Phil 2:6-7).

3. For the further clearing of this, to show you that in everything He was rightly qualified for this great work, see what God Himself saith of Him; He calls Him, in the first place, Man; and, secondly, He owns Him to be His Fellow, saying, "Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, and against the Man"—mark, "the Man that is My Fellow, saith the LORD of hosts" (Zech 13:7).

So that now, let Divine and infinite justice turn itself which way it will, it finds one that can tell how to match it; for if it says, I will require the satisfaction of man, here is a Man to satisfy its cry; and if it says, But I am an infinite God, and must and will have an endless satisfaction; here is One also that is infinite, even fellow with God, a fellow in His essence and being; fellow in His power and strength; fellow in His wisdom; fellow in His mercy and grace; together with the rest of the attributes of God; so that, I say, let justice turn itself which way it will, here is a complete Person to give a full satisfaction (Prov 8:23; 1 Cor 1:24; Titus 2:10; compared with Verse 11). Thus much of the fitness of the Person.