Answer. Christ in his sufferings and death is | have power,' said he, 'to lay down my life, and I both sacrifice and example.

First. A sacrifice-Christ our passover is sacrificed for us.' And again, 'He gave himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God, for a sweetsmelling savour.' And thus he made reconciliation for iniquity, and brought in everlasting righteous

ness. 1 Co. v. 7. Ep. v. 1, 2. Da. ix. 24.

Second. He was also in his sufferings exemplary, and that in several particulars—(1.) In his meek deportment while he was apprehended. Is. liii. 7. (2.) In doing them good that sought his life. Lu. xxii. 50, 51. (3.) In his praying for his enemies when they were in their outrage. Lu. xxiii. 34. (4.) When he was reviled, he reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously.' 1 Pe. ii. 23.

In these respects, I say, he was exemplary, and brought honour to his profession by his good behaviour; and O how beautiful would Christianity be in the eyes of men, if the disciples of our Lord would more imitate him therein !

have power to take it again.' This power never man had before. This made the centurion wonder, and made Pontius Pilate marvel; and indeed well they might, for it was as great a miracle as any he wrought in his life; it demonstrated him to be the Son of God. Mar. xv. 38, 39. The centurion, knowing that according to nature he might have lived longer, concluded therefore that his dying at that instant was not but miraculously. And when he 'saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.'

And the reason why he had power to die was, that he might offer his offering willingly, and at the season. 1. Willingly If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord.' Le. i. 3. 2. He must offer it at the season- -Thou shalt keep this ordinance,' the passover, in his season.' Ex. xiii. 10. Now, both these offerings having immediate respect to the offering of the body of Christ for sin for he came in the room of all burnt sacrifices

1 Co. v. 7, 8. Therefore, he being now the priest as well as sacrifice, must have power and will to offer his sacrifice with acceptation; and this the Scripture testifieth he did, where it saith, ‘In due time Christ died for the ungodly.' Ro. v. 6. In due time, that is, at the time appointed, at the acceptable time.

But what? because Christ is our pattern, is he not our passover? or, because we should in these things follow his steps, died he not for our sins?-the passover also was a type of him. He. x. 3—6. Thus to conclude would not only argue thee very erroneous, but such a conclusion would overthrow the gospel, it being none other but a great sleight of Satan to shut out the whole by a part, and to make us blasphemers while we plead for holiness. Look, then, upon the death of Christ under a double consideration-1. As he suffered from the hand of God. 2. As he suffered from the hand of men. Now, as he suffered by God's hand, so he suffered for sin; but as he suffered from men, so he suffered for righteousness' sake.

Observe, then, that as he suffered for sin, so no man took away his life; but as he suffered for righteousness, so they slew him by wicked hands. What is it then? Christ must needs have suffered, and the wisdom of God had so ordained that 'those things which God before had showed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.' Ac. iii. 18. Thus, therefore, we ought to distinguish of the causes and ends of the death of Christ.

Again; as Christ suffered for sin, so he would neither be taken at man's pleasure, nor die at man's time. 1. Not at man's pleasure; and hence it was that they so often sought his life in vain, for his hour was not yet come' to wit, the hour in which he was to be made a sacrifice for our sin. Jn. xiii, xvii. 1, 2; xviii. 1, 2. 2. Not at their time; but, contrary to all expectation, when the due time was come, 'he bowed his head and gave up the ghost.'

Thou must, therefore, unless thou art willing to be deceived, look upon the sufferings of Christ under a double consideration, and distinguish between his sufferings as our example and his suffering for our sins. And know, that as he suffered as our example, so he suffered only for righteousness' sake from the hands of wicked men; but as he suffered for our sins, so he suffered, as being by God imputed wicked, the punishment that was due to sin, even the dreadful curse of God. Not that Christ died two deaths, one after another; but he died at the same time upon a double account for his righteousness' sake from men, for our sins from the hand of God. And, as I said before, had he only suffered for righteousness' sake, death had not so amazed him, nor had he been so exceeding heavy in the thoughts of it; that had never put him into an agony, nor made him sweat as it were great drops of blood. Besides, when men suffer only for righteousness' sake, God doth not use to hide his face from them, to forsake them, and make them accursed; but Christ hath delivered us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us.'

Objection Fifth. But if indeed Christ hath paid the full price for us by his death, in suffering the punishment that we should have done, wherefore

1. Peace with God. Colossians i. 20. 2. Peace of con- | upon the tree; yea, he had as surely rotted in the science. He. x. 19-23. 3. Peace one with another. grave, as ever he died on the tree. 1Pe. ii. 24. But Ep. ii. 14. when he visited Christ in the grave, he found him a holy, harmless, undefiled, and spotless Christ, and therefore he raised him up from the dead— He raised him up from the dead, having loosed the pains of death; because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.' Ac. ii. 24.

Sixth. We are said to be justified by his blood. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.' Ro. v. 9. Justified, that is, acquitted-1. Acquitted before God. Ep. v. 26, 27. 2. Acquitted before angels. Mat. xxviii. 5-8. 3. Acquitted by the law. Ro. iii. 21–23. 4. Acquitted in the court of conscience. He. ix. 14. Seventh. We are said to be saved by his blood.

Ro. v. 8, 9.

Col. i. 20-22.

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Quest. But why not possible now to be holden of death?

Answ. Because the cause was removed. Sin was the cause He died for our sins.-He gave himEighth. We are said to be reconciled by his blood. self for our sins.' 1 Co. xv. 1–3. Ga. i. 4. These sins brought him to death; but when God, that had made Ninth. We are said to be sanctified by his blood. him a curse for us, looked upon him in the grave, he found him there without sin, and therefore loosed Tenth. We are said to be admitted into the the pains of death; for justice saith, this is not holiest by his blood. He. x. 19. possible, because not lawful, that he who lieth sinEleventh. We are said to have eternal redemp- less before God should be swallowed up of death; tion by his blood. He. ix. 12. therefore he raised him up.

He. xiii. 12.

Yea, lastly, this blood which was once spilt upon the cross, will be the burden of our song in heaven itself for ever and ever. Re. v. 9.

Quest. But what did he do with our sins, for he had them upon his back?

Answ. It is said he took them away—' Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.' It is said he put them away- Now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put

Now, if we be redeemed, washed, purged, made nigh to God, have peace with God; if we stand just before God, are saved, reconciled, sanctified, admitted into the holiest; if we have eternal re-away sin by the sacrifice of himself.' Jn. i. 29. He. ix. 26. demption by his blood, and if his blood will be the burden of our song for ever; then hath Christ paid the full price for us by his death, then hath he done more than made satisfaction for our sins.

THE FIRST DEMONSTRATION.

FIRST. And, first, I begin with his resurrection. That God that delivered him up unto death, and that made him a curse for sin, that God raised him up from the dead—But God raised him from the dead.' Ac. iii. 15; xiii. 30. Now, considering that at his death he was charged with our sins, and accursed to death for our sins, that justice that delivered him up for them must have amends made to him before he acquits him from them; for there can be no change in justice. Had he found him in our sins in the grave, as he found him in them upon the tree (for he had them in his body on the tree), he had left him there as he had left him

That is, by the merit of his undertaking he brought into the world, and set before the face of God, such a righteousness that outweigheth and goeth far beyond that sin, and so did hide sin from the sight of God; hence, he that is justified is said to have his sins hid and covered-Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.' Ps. xxxii. 1. Covered with the righte ousness of Christ-'I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness,' thy sins. Eze. xvi. 8. Christ Jesus, therefore, having by the infiniteness of his merit taken away, put away, or hidden our sins from the face of God, therefore he raised him up from the dead.

You find in that sixteenth of Leviticus mention made of two goats, one was to be slain for a sin-offering, the other to be left alive; the goat that was slain was a type of Christ in his death, the goat that was not slain was a type of Christ in his merit. Now this living goat, he carried away the sins of the people into the land of forgetfulness—' And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities. of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hands of a fit man into the wilderness; and the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited.' Le. xvi. 21, 22. Thus did Jesus Christ bear away by the merit of his death the sins and iniquities of them that believe; wherefore, when

God came to him in the grave, he found him holy and undefiled, and raised him up from the dead.

And observe it, as his death was for our sin, so his rising again was for our discharge; for both in his death and resurrection he immediately respected our benefits; he died for us, he rose from the dead for usHe was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.' Ro. iv. 25. By his death he carried away our sins, by his rising he brought to us justifying righteousness.

There are five circumstances also attending his resurrection that show us how well pleased God was with his death.

First. It must be solemnized with the company, attendance, and testimony of angels. Mat. xxviii. 1-8.

La. xxiv. 3-7. Jn. xx. 11, 12.

and blood of Christ? O! they that dare venture upon him are much the better, for they shall not perish, unless the Saviour will damn them, for he bath the keys of hell and of death. Fear not,' saith he, I am the first and the last, I am he that liveth, and was dead, and, behold, I am alive for evermore, and have the keys of hell and of death.' These were given him at his resurrection, as if God had said, My Son, thou hast spilt thy blood for sinners, I am pleased with it, I am delighted in thy merits, and in the redemption which thou hast wrought; in token hereof I give thee the keys of hell and of death; I give thee all power in heaven and earth; save who thou wilt, deliver who thou wilt, bring to heaven who thou wilt.

Fifth. At Christ's resurrection, God bids him Second. At, or just upon, his resurrection, the ask the heathen of him, with a promise to give him graves where many of the saints for whom he died the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession. lay asleep, did open, and they followed their Lord This sentence is in the second Psalm, and is exin full triumph over death-The graves were pounded by Paul's interpretation of the words beopened, and many bodies of the saints which slept fore, to be spoken to Christ at his resurrection— arose, and came out of the graves after his resur-Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.' rection, and went into the holy city, and appeared I have begotten thee—that is, saith Paul, from the unto many.' Mat. xxvii. 52, 53. These saints coming dead. Ac. xiii. 33, 34. out of their graves after him, what a testimony is it that he for them had taken away sin, and destroyed him that had the power of death; yea, what a testimony was it that he had made amends to God the Father, who granted him at his resurrection to have presently out of the grave, of the price of his blood, even the bodies of many of the saints which slept! He was declared to be the Son of God with power by the Spirit of holiness, and the resurrection from the dead. Ro. i. 4. It saith not, by his resurrection, though that be true; but by the resurrection, meaning the resurrection of the bodies of the saints which slept, because they rose by virtue of his blood; and by that he was with power declared to be the Son of God. They, I say, were part of his purchase, some of them for whom Christ died. Now for God to raise them, and that upon and by virtue of his resurrection, what is it but an open declaration from heaven that Christ by his death hath made amends for us, and obtained eternal redemption for us?

Third. When he was risen from the dead, God, to confirm his disciples in the faith of the redemption that Christ had obtained by his blood, brings him to the church, presents him to them alive, shows him openly, sometimes to two or three, sometimes to eleven or twelve, and once to above five hundred brethren at once. Ac. i. 3; x. 40. Lu. xxiv. 18-16. Jn. xx. 19;

xxi. 1-23. 1 Co. xv. 3-8.

Fourth. At his resurrection, God gives him the keys of hell and of death. Re. i. 18. Hell and death are the effects and fruits of sin. The wicked shall be turned into hell,' and the wages of sin is death. But what then are sinners the better for the death

VOL I.

He hath raised up Jesus again, as it is also written in the second Psalm-Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.' Now mark, at his raising him from the dead, he bids him ask, 'Ask of me,' and that 'the heathen;' as if God had said, My Son, thy blood hath pacified and appeased my justice; I can now in justice, for thy sake, forgive poor mortals their sin. Ask them of me; ask them, though they be heathens, and I will give them to thee, to the utmost ends of the earth. This is, then, the first demonstration to prove that Jesus Christ, by what he hath done, hath paid full price to God for the souls of sinners, and obtained eternal redemption for them—namely, his being raised again from the dead.

THE SECOND DEMONSTRATION.

SECOND. A second thing that demonstrateth this truth is, that he ascended and was received up into heaven. 'So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, he was received up into heaven.' Mar. xvi. 19. This demonstration consisteth of two parts-First, Of his ascending. Second, Of his being received.

First. For his ascending- He ascended up on high.' Ep. iv. 8. This act of ascending answereth to the high-priest under the law, who, after they had killed the sacrifice, he was to bring the blood into the most holy place to wit, the inner temple, the way to which was ascending or going up. 2 Ch. ix.

Now, consider the circumstances that attended his ascending, when he went to carry his blood to present it before the mercy-seat, and you will find they all say amends is made to God for us.

3 G

1. At this he is again attended and accompanied | but by his own blood; he entered in once into the

to his chariot-wheels-'When he ascended up on [Glorious circumstances attending his entrance into high, he led captivity captive.' Ep. iv. 8. That is, he led death, devils, and hell, and the grave, and the curse, captive, for these things were our captivity. And thus did Deborah prophesy of him when she cried, Arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam.' Ju. v. 12. This David also foresaw when he said, Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive.'