Works of John Bunyan: THE DOCTRINE OF THE LAW AND GRACE UNFOLDED. 543

 

Thus I have shown you, in particular, that the Covenant of Grace of God is free and unchangeable to men—that is, in that it hath been obtained for men, and that perfectly, to the satisfying of justice, and taking all things out of the way that were anyways a hindrance to our salvation (Col 2:14).

 The opposers answered that the Covenant of Grace is unchangeable.

The second thing for the discovering of this freeness and constancy of the Covenant of Grace of God is manifested thus—

First, whatsoever any man hath of the grace of God, he hath it as a free gift of God through Christ Jesus, the Mediator of this covenant, even when they are in a state of enmity to Him, whether it be Christ as the foundation-stone, or faith to lay hold of Him, mark that (Rom 5:8,9; Col 1:21,22). "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves," not for anything in you, or done by you for the purchasing of it, but "it is the gift of God," (Eph 2:8) and that bestowed on you, even when ye "were dead in trespasses and sins" (Eph 2:1,9). Nay, if thou hast so much as one right desire, it is the gift of God; for of ourselves, saith the Apostle, we cannot speak a good word or think a good thought (2 Cor 3:5).

Was it not grace, absolute grace, that God made a promise to Adam after transgression? (Gen 3:15). Was it not free grace in God to save such a wretch as Manasseh was, who used enchantments, witchcraft, burnt his children in the fire, and wrought much evil? (2 Chron 33). Was it not free grace to save such as those spoken of in the 16th of Ezekiel, which no eye pitied? Was it not free grace for Christ to give Peter a loving look after he had cursed, swore, and denied Him? Was it not free grace that met Paul when he went to Damascus to persecute, which converted him and made him a vessel of mercy?

And what shall I say of such that is spoken of in 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10, speaking there of fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, effeminate, abusers of themselves with mankind, thieves, covetous, drunkards, revilers, extortioners, the basest of sinners in the world, and yet were washed, and yet were justified; was it not freely by grace? O saints, you that are in heaven cry out, "We came hither by grace, and you that are on the earth, I am sure you cry. If we go thither, it must be freely by grace!"

Second. In the next place, it appears to be unchangeable in this—1. Because justice being once satisfied does not use to call for the debt again. No; let never such a sinner come to Jesus Christ, and so to God by Him, and justice, instead of speaking against the salvation of that sinner, it will say, I am just as well as faithful to forgive him his sins (1 John 1:9). When justice itself is pleased with a man, and speaks on his side, instead of speaking against him, we may well cry out, Who shall condemn? 2. Because there is no law to come in against the sinner that believes in Jesus Christ; for he is not under that, and that by right comes in against none but those under it. But believers are not under that—that is, not their Lord. Therefore that hath nothing to do with them; and besides, Christ's blood hath not only taken away the curse thereof but also He hath in His own Person completely fulfilled it as a public Person in our stead. (Rom 7:1-4). 3. The devil that accused them is destroyed (Heb 2:14,15). 4. Death, and the grave, and Hell are overcome (1 Cor 15:55; Hosea 13:14). 5. Sin, that great enemy of man's salvation, that is washed away (Rev 1:5). 6. The righteousness of God is put upon them that believe, and given to them, and they are found in it (Phil 3:8-10; Rom 3:22). 7. Christ is always in Heaven to plead for them and to prepare a place for them (Heb 7:24; John 14:1-4). 8. He hath not only promised that He will not leave us, nor forsake us, but He hath also sworn to fulfill His promises. O rich grace! O free grace! Lord, who desired Thee to promise? Who compelled Thee to swear? We used to take honest men upon their bare word, but God, "willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel," hath "confirmed it by an oath: that by two immutable things," His promise and His oath, "in which God couldn't lie," or break either of them, "we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us" (Heb 6:17-18). I will warrant that God will never break His oath; therefore, we may well have good ground to hope from such a good foundation as this, that God will never leave us. Amen.

Works of John Bunyan: THE DOCTRINE OF THE LAW AND GRACE UNFOLDED. 542

 

Third. It is yet far more evident that He hath indeed pleased God in the behalf of sinners, in that God hath given Him gifts to distribute to sinners, yea, the worst of sinners, as a fruit of His satisfaction, and that at His ascension (Psa 68:18). Christ hath so satisfied God, that He hath given Him all the treasures both of Heaven and earth to dispose of as He seeth good; He hath so pleased God, that He hath given Him a name above every name, a sceptre above every sceptre, a crown above every crown, a kingdom above every kingdom; He hath given Him the highest place in Heaven, even His own right hand; He hath given Him all the power of Heaven and earth, and under the world, in His own hand, to bind whom He pleaseth, and to set free whom He thinks meet; He hath, in a word, such a high esteem in the eyes of His Father, that He hath put into His hands all things that are for the profit of His people, both in this world and that which is to come; and all this as the fruit of His faithfulness in doing of His work, as the Mediator of the new covenant (Phil 2:9; Rev 19:6). Thou hast ascended on high, Thou hast led captivity captive, Thou hast received gifts—mark, Thou hast received them—for men, even for the worst of men, for the rebellious also; and hath sent forth some, being furnished with these gifts; some, I say, for the work of the ministry, to the edifying of them that are already called, and also for the calling in of all those for whom He covenanted with His Father, till all come in the unity of faith, etc. (Eph 4:8-13).

Fourth. It doth still appear yet far more evident; for will you hear what the Father Himself saith for the showing of His well-pleased in these two particulars—First, in that He bids poor souls to listen and to do as Christ would have them (Matt 3:17; Luke 9:35). Secondly, in that He resolves to make them that turn their backs upon Him, that dishonor Him, which is done in a very great measure by those that lay aside His merits done by Himself for justification; I say, He that resolved to make this His footstool, where He saith, "Sit Thou at My right hand until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool" (Psa 110:1). Are they enemies to Thee? Saith God. I will be even with them. Do they slight Thy merits? Do they slight Thy groans, Thy tears, Thy blood, Thy death, Thy resurrection, and intercession, Thy second coming again in heavenly glory? I will tear them and rend them; I will make them as mire in the streets; I will make Thy enemies Thy footstool (Matt 22:44; Heb 1:13; 10:13). Ay, saith He, and "Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel" (Psa 2:9). Look to it you that slight the merits of the blood of Christ.

Fifth. Again further; yet God will make all the world to know that He hath been and is well pleased in His Son, in that God hath given, and will make it appear He hath given, the world to come into His hand; and that He shall raise the dead, bring them before His judgment-seat, execute judgment upon them, which He pleaseth to execute judgment on to their damnation; and receive them to eternal life whom He doth favor, even so, many as shall be found to believe in His name and merits (Heb 2). "For as the Father hath life in Himself; so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself; and hath given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of man. For the hour is coming, in the which all in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation" (John 5:26-29). Ay, and the worst enemy that Christ hath now shall come at that day with a pale face, with a quaking heart, and bended knees, trembling before Him, confessing the glory of His merits, and the virtue there was in them to save, "to the glory of God the Father" (Rom 14:11; Phil 2:11).

Much more might be added to discover the glorious perfection of this Man's satisfaction; but for you that desire to be further satisfied concerning this, search the Scriptures, and beg of God to give you faith and understanding therein; and as for you that slight these things, and continue so doing, God hath another way to take with you, even to dash you in pieces like a potter's vessel; for this hath Christ received of His Father to do unto you (Rev 2:27).

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Object. This is much; but is God connected with this? Is He satisfied now in the behalf of sinners by this Man's thus suffering? If He is, then how doth it appear?

Answ. It is evident, yea, wonderful evident, that this hath pleased Him to the full, as appeareth by these following demonstrations.—

First. In that God did admit Him into His presence; yea, receive Him with joy and music, even with the sound of the trumpet, at His ascension into Heaven (Psa 47:5). And Christ makes it an argument to His children that His righteousness was sufficient, in that He went to His Father, and they saw Him no more, "of righteousness," saith He, "because I go to My Father, and ye see Me no more" (John 16:10). As if He had said, My Spirit shall show to the world that I have brought in a sufficient righteousness to justify sinners withal, in that when I go to appear in the presence of My Father on their behalf, He shall give Me entertainment, and not throw Me down from Heaven, because I did not do it sufficiently.

Again; if you consider the high esteem that God the Father doth set on the death of His Son, you will find that He hath received good content thereby. When the Lord Jesus, by way of complaint, told His Father that He and His merits were not valued to the worth, His Father answered, It is a light thing that I should give Thee, O My Servant, to bring Jacob again; "I will also give Thee for a light to the Gentiles, that Thou mayest be My salvation unto the end of the earth" (Isa 49:6). As if the Lord had said, "My Son, I do value Thy death at a higher rate than that Thou shouldst save the tribes of Israel only; behold the Gentiles, the barbarous heathens, they also shall be brought in as the price of Thy blood. It is a light thing that Thou shouldest be My Servant only to bring, or redeem, the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give Thee for a light to the Gentiles, that Thou mayest be My salvation unto the end of the earth." 

Again; you may see it also by the carriage of God the Father to all the great sinners to whom mercy was proffered. We do not find that God maketh any objection against them to come to Him for the pardon of their sins; because He did want a satisfaction suitable to the greatness of their sins. There was Manasseh, who was one that burned his children in the fire to the devil, that used witchcraft, that used to worship the host of heaven, that turned his back on the Word that God sent unto him; nay, that did worse than the very heathen that God cast out before the children of Israel (2 Chron 33:1-13). Also those that are spoken of in the Nineteenth of Acts, that did spend so much time in conjuration, and the like, for such I judge they were, that when they came to burn their books, they counted the price thereof to be fifty thousand pieces of silver (Acts 19:19). Simon Magus also, that was a sorcerer, and bewitched the whole city, yet he had mercy proffered to him once and again (Acts 8). I say, it was not the greatness of the sins of these sinners; no, nor of an innumerable company of others, that made God at all to object against the salvation of their souls, which justice would have constrained Him to had He not had satisfaction sufficient by the blood of the Lord Jesus. Nay, further, I do find that because God the Father would not have the merits of His Son to be undervalued, I say, He doth therefore freely by His consent let mercy be proffered to the greatest sinners—in the first place, for the Jews, that were the worst of men in that day for blasphemy against the Gospel; yet the Apostle proffered mercy to them in the first place—"It was necessary," saith he, "that the Word of God should first have been spoken to you" (Acts 3:26; 13:46). And Christ gave them commission so to do; for, saith He, Let repentance and remission of sins be preached in My name among all nations, and begin—mark that, "beginning at Jerusalem" (Luke 24:47), Let them that but the other day had their hands up to the elbows in My heart's blood have the first proffer of My mercy. And, saith Paul, "For this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting" (1 Tim 1:16). As the Apostle saith, those sinners that were dead, possessed with the devil, and the children of wrath, He hath quickened, delivered, and saved. That He might, even in the very "ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us," and that "through Christ Jesus" (Eph 2:7).

Second. It is evident that that which this Man did as a common person He did it completely and satisfactorily, as appears by the openness, as I may so call it, which was in the heart of God to Him at His resurrection and ascension—"Ask of Me," saith He, "and I shall give Thee the" very "heathen for Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession" (Psa 2:8). And this was at His resurrection (Acts 13:33). Whereas, though He had asked, yet if He had not given a full and complete satisfaction, justice would not have given Him any thing; for justice, the justice of God, is so pure, that if it be not completely satisfied in every particular, it giveth nothing but curses (Gal 3:10).

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.

Works of John Bunyan: THE DOCTRINE OF THE LAW AND GRACE UNFOLDED. 539

Third. The third thing now to be spoken about is to show where and how Jesus Christ outwent and went beyond these priests, in all their qualifications and offices, for the comfort of poor saints.

1. They who were called to the priesthood under the law were men, but He is both God and man (Heb 7:3,28).

2. Their qualifications were very scanty, but Jesus was in every way qualified in an infinite and full way.

3. They were consecrated but for a time, but He for evermore (Heb 7:23,24).

4. They were made without an oath, but He with an oath (Verses 20,21).

5. They as servants, but He as a Son (Hebrews 3:6).

6. Their garments were but such as could be made with hands, but His the very righteousness of God (Exo 28; Rom 3:22; Phil 3:8,9).

7. Their offerings were but the body and blood of beasts, and such like, but His offering was His own body and soul (Heb 9:12,13; 10:4,5; Isa 53:10).

8. Those were at best but a shadow or type, but He was the very substance and end of all those ceremonies (Heb 9:1,10,11).

9. Their holy place was but made by men, but His, or that which Jesus is entered, is into Heaven itself (Heb 9:2,3,24).

10. When they went to offer their sacrifice, they were forced to offer for themselves, as men compassed about with infirmity, but He holy, harmless, who did never commit the least transgression (Heb 7:26; 10:11).

11. when they went to offer, they were fain to do it standing, to signify that God had no satisfaction therein; but He, when "He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God," to signify that God was very well pleased with His offering (Heb 10:12).

12. They were fain to offer "oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins,"; but He, "by one offering hath perfected forever them that are sanctified" (Heb 10:11,14).

13. Their sacrifices at best could but serve for the cleansing of the flesh, but His for cleansing both body and soul—the blood of Jesus Christ doth purge the conscience from dead works, to live a holy life (Heb 9:13,14).

14. Those high priests could not offer but once a year in the holiest of all, but our High Priest He ever liveth to make intercession for us (Heb 9:7; 12:24,25).

15. Those high priests, notwithstanding they were priests, were not always to wear their holy garments,can but Jesus never puts them off of Him, but is in them always.

16. Those high priests, death would be too hard for them, but our High Priest hath vanquished and overcome that cruel enemy of ours, and brought life and immortality to light through the glorious Gospel (Heb 7:21,23; 2:15; 2 Tim 1:10).

17. Those high priests were not able to save themselves; but this is able to save Himself, and all that come to God, by Him (Heb 7:25).

18. Those high priests' blood could not do away sin; but the blood of Jesus Christ, who is our High Priest, "cleanseth us from all sin" (1 John 1:7).

19. Those high priests sometimes, by sin, caused God to reject their sacrifices, but this High Priest doth always the things that please Him.

20. Those high priests could never convey the Spirit by virtue of their sacrifices or office; but this High Priest, our Lord Jesus, He can and doth give all the gifts and graces that are given to the sons of men.

21. Those high priests could never, by their sacrifices, bring the soul of any sinner to glory by virtue of itself, but Jesus hath by one offering, as I said before, perfected forever those that He did die for. Thus, in brief, I have shown in some particulars how and wherein Jesus our High Priest doth go beyond those high priests, and many more without question might be mentioned, but I forbear.

Christ the forerunner of the saints.

FIFTH. A fifth office of Christ about the second covenant was that He should be the forerunner to Heaven before His saints who were to follow after. First, He strikes hands in the covenant, [and then] He stands bound as a Surety to see everything in the covenant accomplished that was to be done on His part; [next] He brings the message from Heaven to the world; and before He goeth back, He offered Himself for the same sins that He agreed to suffer for; and so soon as this was done, He goeth post-haste to Heaven again, not only to exercise the second part of His priestly office but as our forerunner, to take possession for us, even into Heaven itself, as you may see, where it is said, "Whither the Forerunner is for us entered" (Heb 6:20).

First. He is run before to open Heaven's gates—Be ye open, ye everlasting doors, that the King of Glory may enter.

Second. He is run before us to take possession of glory in our natures for us.

Third. He runs before to prepare us for our places, and we come after, "I go to prepare a place for you" (John 14:1- 3).

Fourth. He is run thither to make the way easy, in that He hath first trodden the path Himself.

 

Works of John Bunyan: THE DOCTRINE OF THE LAW AND GRACE UNFOLDED. 538

 

1. There is a pleading of the virtue of His Blood for them that are already come in, that they may be kept from the evils of heresies, delusions, temptations, pleasures, profits, or anything of this world which may be too hard for them. "Father, I pray not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world," saith Christ, "but that Thou shouldest keep them from the evil" (John 17:15).

2. In case the devil should aspire up into the presence of God, to accuse any of the poor saints, and to plead their backslidings against them, as he will do if he can, then there is Jesus, our Lord Jesus, ready in the Court of Heaven, at the right hand of God, to plead the virtue of His Blood, not only for the great and general satisfaction that He did give when He was on the Cross but also the virtue that is in it now for the cleansing and fresh purging of His poor saints under their several temptations and infirmities; as saith the Apostle, "For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life"—that is, by His intercession (Rom 5:10).

3. The maintaining of grace is also by Jesus Christ's intercession, the second part of His priestly office. O, had we not a Jesus at the right hand of God making intercession for us and conveying fresh supplies of grace unto us through the virtue of His Blood being pleaded at God's right hand, how soon would it be with us as it is with those for whom He prays not at all (John 17:9)? But the reason why thou standest. In contrast, others fall; thou goest through the world's many temptations and shake them off from thee, while others are ensnared and entangled therein because thou hast an interceding Jesus. "I have prayed," saith He, "that thy faith fail not" (Luke 22:32).

4. The elect are brought in partly by the virtue of Christ's intercession. Many who have not yet been brought into Christ are to come to Christ. It is one part of His work to pray for their salvation too—"Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe," though as yet they do not believe "on Me," but that they may believe "through their word" (John 17:20). And let me tell thee, soul, for thy comfort, who art a-coming to Christ, panting and sighing, as if thy heart would break, I tell thee, soul, thou wouldst never have come to Christ, if He had not first, under His blood and intercession, sent into thy heart an earnest desire after Christ; and let me tell thee also, that it is His business to make intercession for thee, not only that thou mightest come in, but that thou mightest be preserved when thou art come in (Compare Heb 7:25; Rom 8:33-39).

5. It is by the intercession of Christ that the infirmities of the saints in their holy duties are forgiven. Alas, if it were not for the priestly office of Christ Jesus, the prayers, alms, and other duties of the saints might be rejected because of the sin that is in them; but Jesus being our High Priest, He is ready to take away the iniquities of our holy things, perfuming our prayers with the glory of His own perfections. Therefore, an answer is given to the saints' prayers, and they are accepted for their holy duties (Rev 8:3,4). "But Christ being come a high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this cause He is the mediator of the New Testament," or covenant, "that through death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called," notwithstanding all their sins, "might receive the promise of eternal inheritance" (Heb 9:11-15).

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2. [Second part of the high priest's office]. This was one part of his office; when this was done, he was in the next place (1.) To put on the glorious garment, when he was to go into the holiest, take off sacred the blood, carry it thither, etc., he was to put on the holy garment which signified the righteousness of Jesus Christ. (2.) He was in this sacred garment, which hath in it the stones, and in the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel, to appear in the holy place. "And thou shalt take two onyx stones, and grave on them the names of the children of Israel: six of their names on one stone, and the other six names of the rest on the other stone, according to their birth" (Exo 28:9,10). This was to signify that Jesus Christ was to enter into the holiest, and then He was there to bear the names of His elect in the tables of His heart before the Throne of God and the Mercy-seat (Heb 12:23). (3.) With this mercy seat, he was to take of the blood of the sacrifices and carry it into the holiest of all, which was a type of Heaven, and there was he to sprinkle the mercy-seat; and this was to be done by the high priest only; to signify, that none but Jesus Christ must have this office and privilege, to be the people's High Priest to offer for them. "But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people" (Heb 9:7). (4.) He was there to make an atonement for the people with the blood, sprinkling of it upon the mercy-seat; but this must be done with much incense. "And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin-offering which is for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin-offering which is for himself: and he shall take a censor full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the Lord, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the veil: and he shall put the incense upon the fire before the Lord, that he cloud of the incense may cover the mercy-seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not: and he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy-seat eastward, and before the mercy-seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times. Then shall he kill the goat of the sin-offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the veil, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy-seat and before the mercy-seat." (Lev 16:11-15). Now this was for the priest and the people; all which doth signify that Jesus Christ was after His death to go into Heaven itself, of which this holy place was a figure, and there to carry the sacrifice that He offered upon the Cross into the presence of God, to obtain mercy for the people in a way of justice (Heb 9). And in that he is said to take his hands full of sweet incense, it signifies that Jesus Christ was to offer up His sacrifice in the presence of His Father in a way of intercession and prayers.

I might have branched these things into several particulars, but I would be brief. I say, therefore, the priest's office was to carry the blood into the holy place and present it before the mercy seat, with his heart whole of intercessions for the people for whom he was a priest (Luke 1:8-11). This is Jesus Christ's work now in the Kingdom of Glory, to plead His own blood, the nature and virtue of it, with a perpetual intercession to the God of Mercy on behalf of us poor miserable sinners (Heb 7:25).

[Comfortable considerations from Christ's intercession]. Now, in the intercession of this Jesus, which is part of His priestly office, there are these things to be considered for our comfort—

Works of John Bunyan: THE DOCTRINE OF THE LAW AND GRACE UNFOLDED. 536

 

3. The priests under the law were not to be hard-hearted, but pitiful and compassionate, willing and ready, with an abundance of bowels, to offer for the people, and to make an atonement for them (Heb 5:1,2). To signify that Jesus Christ should be a tender-hearted High Priest, able and willing to sympathize and be affected with the infirmities of others, to pray for them, to offer up for them His precious blood; He must be such a One who can have compassion on a company of poor ignorant souls, and on them that are out of the way, to recover them, and to set them in safety (Heb 4:15). And that He might thus do, He must be a man that had experience of the disadvantages that infirmity and sin did bring unto those poor creatures (Heb 2:17).

4. The high priests under the law were not to be shy or squeamish in case any had the plague or leprosy, scab, or blotches. Still, they must look on them, go to them, and offer for them (Lev 13), all of which is to signify that Jesus Christ should not refuse to take notice of the several infirmities of the poorest people but to teach them, and to see that none of them be lost because of has us their infirmity, for want of looking to or tending of. 

This privilege also have we under this second covenant. This is the way to make grace shine.

5. The high priests under the law were to be anointed with very excellent oil, compounded by art (Exo 29:7; 30:30). To signify, that Jesus, the Great High Priest of this new covenant, would be in a most eminent way anointed to His priestly office by the Holy Spirit of the Lord.

6. The priest's food and livelihood in the time of his ministry was to be the consecrated and holy things (Exo 29:33). To signify that it is the very meat and drink of Jesus Christ to do His priestly office and to save and preserve His poor, tempted, and afflicted saints. O, what a new-covenant High Priest have we!

7. The priests under the law were to be washed with water (Exo 29:4). To signify that Jesus Christ should not go about the work of His priestly office with the filth of sin upon Him but was without sin to appear as our High Priest in the presence of His Father, to execute His priestly office there for our advantage—"For such a high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens" (Heb 7:26).

8. The high priest under the law, before they went into the holy place, was to be clothed—with a curious garment, a breastplate, an ephod, a robe, an embroidered coat, a miter, and a girdle, and they were to be made of gold, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen. There must be precious stones in his garment and glorious ornaments, and on those stones, the names of the children of Israel (read Exodus 28). All this was to signify what a glorious High Priest Jesus Christ should be, and how in the righteousness of God He should appear before God as our High Priest, to offer up the sacrifice that was to be offered for our salvation to God His Father. But I pass that.

Second, Now I shall speak to His office. The office of the high priest, in general, was twofold. 1. To offer the sacrifice without the camp. 2. To bring it within the veil—that is, into the holiest of all, which did type out Heaven.

1. [First part of the high priest's office]. (1.) It was the priest's office to offer the sacrifice, and so did Jesus Christ; He did offer His own Body and Soul in sacrifice. I say, HE did OFFER it, and not another, as it is written, "No man taketh away My life, but I lay it down of Myself; I have the power to lay it down, and I have the power to take it again" (John 10:17,18). And again, it is said, "When He," Jesus, "had offered up one sacrifice for sin, forever sat down on the right hand of God" (Heb 10:12). (2.) The priests under the law must offer up the sacrifice that God had appointed, and none else, a complete one without any blemish; and so did our High Priest, where He saith, "Sacrifice and offering Thou wouldest not, but a body has Thou prepared Me," and that I will offer (Heb 10:5). (3.) The priest was to take of the ashes of the sacrifice sepulcher and lay them in a clean place; and this signifies sacrifice sepulcher that the Body of Jesus, after it had been offered, should be laid into Joseph's sepulchre, as in a clean place, where never any man before was laid (Lev 6:11, compared with John 19:41,42).

Works of John Bunyan: THE DOCTRINE OF THE LAW AND GRACE UNFOLDED. 535

 

Quest. Could He not have suffered without His so suffering? Would not His dying only of a natural death have served the turn?

Answ. No, in nowise. [1]. The sins for which He suffered called for the torments of Hell; the conditions upon which He died did call for the torments of Hell; for Christ did not die the death of a saint, but the death of a sinner, of a cursed and damned sinner; because He stood in their room, the law to which He was subjected called for the torments of Hell; the nature of God's justice could not bate Him anything; the death which He was to suffer had not lost its sting; all these being put together do irresistibly declare unto us that He, as a sacrifice, did suffer the torments of Hell (Gal 3:13). But, 2. Had He not died and suffered the cursed death, the covenant had been made void, and His Suretyship would have been forfeited, and, besides this, the world damned in the flames of Hell-fire; therefore, His being a sacrifice was one part of the covenant; for the terms of the covenant were that He should spill His blood. O blessed Jesus! O blessed grace! (Zech 9:10,11).

Quest. But why, then, is His death so slighted by some?

Answ. Because they are enemies to Him, either through ignorance or presumption, either for want of knowledge or out of malice, for indeed did they love or believe Him, they could not choose but break and bleed at heart to consider and to think of Him (Zech 12:10,11.)

Christ the High Priest of the New Covenant.

FOURTH, [A fourth office of Christ under the new covenant is His priestly]. Thus, passing this, I shall now speak something to Christ's priestly office. But, if any, I should think that I spin my thread too long in distinguishing His priestly office from His being a sacrifice, the supposing that for Christ to be a priest and a sacrifice is all one and the same thing. It may be it is, because they have not thought on this so well as they should—namely, that as He was a sacrifice He was passive, that is, led or had away as a lamb to His sufferings (Isaiah 53); but as a priest He was active—that is, He did willingly and freely give up His Body to be a sacrifice. "He hath given His life a ransom for many." This consideration being with some weight and clearness on my spirit, I was and am caused to lay them down in two particular heads.

And therefore I would speak something to is this, that as there were priests under the first covenant, so there is a Priest under this, belonging to this new covenant, a High Priest, the Chief Priest; as it is clear where it is said, We "having a high priest over the house of God" (Heb 3:1; 5:5,10; 7:24-26; 8:1, 4; 10:21).

Now the things that I shall treat upon are these—First, I shall show you the qualifications required of a priest under the Law; Second, his office; and, Third, how Jesus Christ did according to what was signified by those under the law; I say, how He did answer the types, and where He went beyond them.

 [THE NEW COVENANT FREE AND UNCHANGEABLE, WHO ARE UNDER IT, AND THEIR PRIVILEGES.]

First, For his qualifications:—

1. They must be called thereto of God—"No man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God, as Aaron" (Heb 5:4). Now Aaron's being called of God to be a priest signifies that Jesus Christ is a Priest of God's appointment, such ais one that God hath chosen, likes of, and hath set on work—"Called of God a High Priest," etc. (Heb 5:10).

2. The priests under the law must be men, complete, not deformed—"Speak unto Aaron," saith God to Moses, "saying, Whosoever he be of thy seed in their generations that hath any blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God. For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach; a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or anything superfluous, or a man that is broken-footed, or broken-handed, or crook-back, or a dwarf, or that hath a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy, or scabbed, or hath his stones broken; no man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the Lord made by fire; he that hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God" (Lev 21:17-21). What doth all this signify but that indicate (1.) He must not be lame to signify he must not go haltingly about the work of our salvation. (2.) He must not be blind, to signify that he must not go ignorantly to work, but he must be quick to understand the things of God. (3.) He must not be scabbed, to signify that the priest must not be corrupt of filthy in his office. (4.) In a word, he must be complete to signify to us that Jesus Christ was to be, and is, most complete and perfect in things on God about His second covenant.

Works of John Bunyan: THE DOCTRINE OF THE LAW AND GRACE UNFOLDED. 534

 

Now of what hath been spoken, this is the sum, that there is a sacrifice under the new covenant, as there were sacrifices under the old; and that this sacrifice did every way answer that, or those; indeed, they did but suffer for sin in show, but He in reality; they are the shadow, but He as the substance. O! When Jesus Christ did come to make Himself a sacrifice or to offer Himself for sin, you may understand that our sins were indeed charged to purpose upon Him. O! How they scarred his soul, how they break His body, insomuch that they made the blood run down His blessed face and from His precious side; therefore thou must understand these following things—First, that Jesus Christ by covenant did die for sin. Secondly, His death was not a mere natural death but a "cursed death," even such a one as men do undergo from God for their sins, though He had none, even such a death as to endure the very pains and torments of Hell. O sad pains and inexpressible torments that this our Sacrifice for sin went under! The pains of His body were not all, but the pains of His soul; for His soul was made an offering as well as His body, yet all but one sacrifice (Isa 53). [Christ did not suffer in His body without suffering in the soul, nor yet in the soul without His suffering in the body; it was because not the body without the soul, but both the body and soul of the saints should be forever saved]. To signify that the suffering of Christ was not only a bodily suffering, but a soul suffering; not only to suffer what man could inflict upon Him, but also to suffer soul torments that none but God can inflict, or suffer to be inflicted upon Him. O, the torments of His soul! They were the torments indeed; His soul was that that felt the wrath of God. "My soul," saith He, "is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death" (Matt 26:38). "Now is My soul troubled, and what shall I say?" (John 12:27). The rock was not so rent as was His precious soul; there was not such a terrible darkness on the face of the earth then as there was on His precious soul. O! The torments of Hell and the eclipsing of the Divine smiles of God were both upon Him at once; the devils assailing of Him, and God forsaking of Him, and all at once! "My God, My God," saith He, "why hast Thou forsaken Me?" (Matt 27:46). Now in my greatest extremity; now sin is laid upon Me, the curse takes hold of Me, the pains of Hell are clasped about Me, and Thou hast forsaken Me. O sad! Sinners, this was not done in pretense, but in reality; not in the show, but in very deed; otherwise Christ had dissembled, and had not spoken the truth; but the truth of it His bloody sweat declares, His mighty cries declare, the things which and for what He suffered declare. Nay, I must say thus much, that all the damned souls in Hell, with all their damnations, did never yet feel that torment and pain that did this blessed Jesus in a bit of time. Sinner, canst thou read that Jesus Christ was made an offering for sin, and yet go in sin? Canst thou hear that the load of thy sins did break the very heart of Christ and spill His precious blood? And canst thou find in thy heart to labor to lay more sins upon His back? Canst thou hear that He suffered the pains, the fiery flames of Hell, and canst thou find in thy heart to add to His groans by slighting His sufferings? O hard-hearted wretch! How canst thou deal so unkindly with such a sweet Lord Jesus?

Quest. But why did Christ offer Himself in sacrifice?

Answ. That thou shouldst not be thrown to the very devils.

Quest. But why did He spill His precious blood?

Answ. That thou mightest enjoy the joys of Heaven.

Quest. But why did He suffer the pains of Hell?

Answ. That thou mightest not fry with the devil and damned souls.

Quest. But could not we have been saved if Christ had not died? Answ. No, for without the shedding of blood, there is no remission. Besides, no death could satisfy God's justice but His, which is evident because there was none in a capacity to die or that could answer an infinite God by His so suffering but He.

Quest. But why did God let Him die?

Answ. He stands in the room of sinners, and in their names and natures, God's justice must fall upon Him; for justice takes vengeance for sin wherever it finds it, though it is on His dear Son. Nay, God favored His Son no more, finding our sins upon Him, than He would have favored any of us; for, should we have died? so did He. Should we have been made a curse? so was He. Should we have undergone the pains of Hell? So did He.

Quest. But did He indeed suffer the torments of Hell?

Answ. Yea, and that in such a horrible way too, that it is unspeakable.