Sermons Preached on Romans 8, Chapter 13 (3 of 3)

Sermons Preached on Romans 8 · Chapter 13 (3 of 3)

p. 529But to argue more cloſely! That the Euchariſt is no propitiatory Sacrifice, I prove by theſe Arguments.

1. As Iſaac once to his Father Behold the fire and the wood, Gen. 22.7.Gen 22:7but where is the Lamb for a burnt-offering? ſo I would ſay, behold the bread and the wine, the body and the blood, but where's the Prieſt to turn theſe into and to offer them up as a Sacrifice? Are there Prieſts now under the Goſpel entruſted with an Office and inveſted with a power of ſacrificing? 'twas alwayes thought that with the ceaſing of the old Law-ſacrifices the ſacrificing Prieſthood ceas'd alſo. I know 'tis very uſual to give the title of Prieſts to Goſpel-Miniſters (which if taken in ſuch a ſenſe may be admitted); but if by Prieſts you underſtand perſons in Office to whom it ſhould appertain to offer up new expiatory Sacrifices, in that ſenſe all p. 530PROTESTANTS deny any ſuch now to have a being: whence it follows, that as where there are no Sacrifices there there is no Prieſthood, ſo where there is no Prieſthood there there are no Sacrifices (for theſe two mutually depend each upon the other); and conſequently that the Lords Supper is no Sacrifice upon the defect of this Prieſthood. We are told indeed that our Saviour when this ordinance was inſtituted by him, did authorize and impower his Apoſtles, and after them all Miniſters ſucceſſively, at the conſecration of the Elements to turn them into a Sacrifice, whereupon they may ſtrictly and properly be looked upon as Prieſts: Which if it be ſo (as it is not) they muſt then be Prieſts either according to the Aaronical order or according to that of Melchiſedeck, (thoſe being the two Orders to which the ſacrificing Prieſthood did belong); but neither of theſe can be true; not the firſt, the Aaronical Prieſthood being abrogated; not the ſecond, the Prieſthood of Melchiſedeck being incommunicable to any but to Chriſt himſelf (as the Apoſtle ſtrongly proves Heb. 7.). 'Tis obſervable amongſt the Levitical Prieſts, whilſt the High Prieſt himſelf was miniſtring in the Holy of Holy's, ſuch as were of a lower rank were not at that time to ſacrifice without: and why not ſo here? Chriſt our High Prieſt is now in Heaven, preſenting the merit of his great Sacrifice offered upon the Croſs; and he himſelf being ſo imploy'd, 'tis not for any ordinary Prieſts to be ſacrificing (in an expiatory way) here on earth. And further, thoſe Prieſts ſo long as they liv'd were to execute their office themſelves, into which none were to intrude till by their death room was made for others ſucceſſion; ſo that if they had liv'd for ever none had medled with ſacrificing but they: Chriſt therefore living for ever to manage the buſineſs of what is propitiatory, none without great intruſion can pretend in a thing of that nature to joyn with him. Heb. 7.23, 24. And they truly were many Prieſts, becauſe they were not ſuffered to continue by reaſon of death; But this man, becauſe he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable Prieſthood, (or that Prieſthood**foreign. which paſſeth not from him to another): When Chriſt was here on earth he offered up himſelf as a propitiatory Sacrifice, if any now after him ſhould pretend in that way to offer up his body and blood, as to the matter of the Sacrifice they would (in part) do that which he himſelf did; and ſo there would be a paſſing of his Prieſthood (in ſome way of equality though not of ceſſation) to others.

2. It hath been obſerved, that in every expiatory Sacrifice there was the deſtruction or conſumption of the thing ſacrificed, either in p. 531part or in the whole; there being therefore no ſuch thing in the Lord's Supper, it cannot be look'd upon as a true and proper expiatory Sacrifice. Pray what is deſtroy'd therein? doth Chriſt's body and blood ceaſe to be what they were? in his Sacrifice upon the Croſs there was a deſtruction (in the ſeparation of his Soul and Body for a time), but what is there like to this in the Sacrament? **De Miſsâ. l. 1. c. 2.BELLARMINE having taken notice of this Argument thinks to elude it with a very pretty diſtinction; viz.††—De Miſsacirc;. l. 1. c. 27. that Chriſt's body in it-ſelf is untouch'd in the Sacrament, it looſing nothing of its eſſe naturale when 'tis eaten there; yet it doth looſe its eſſe ſacramentale, the bread being eaten by which it was ſignified and made viſible. Anſw. As if the ceaſing of ſomething which was but external, viſible and repreſentative, the thing it ſelf remaining untouch'd and the ſame that it was before, would amount to that deſtruction which was in the Levitical Sacrifices? and which was neceſſary to be made upon the body of Chriſt at his death in order to his being an expiatory Sacrifice? Surely either we are a ſort of men ſo weak and ſottiſh as that wee'l believe any thing, or they are a ſort of men ſo wedded to their Opinions as that they'l ſay any thing that will but ſuit with their purpoſe; otherwiſe ſo great a Man had never given ſo pitiful an Anſwer to ſo conſiderable an Objection.

3. Thirdly, if the Sacrament be a real, propitiatory Sacrifice, then ſo many Sacraments ſo many propitiatory Sacrifices; and as oft as that is adminiſtred ſo oft there is a real, ſubſtantial oblation of Chriſt's body and blood, in a propitiatory way: but this is directly contrary to what the World ſaith; therefore 'tis by no means to be admitted. For that ſpeaks but of one only propitiatory Sacrifice, of Chriſt's once offering himſelf (namely when he died upon the Croſs); which one offering was ſo full and perfect, ſo effectual to all intents and purpoles for redemption, propitiation &c. as that it is not in any wiſe to be repeated or reiterated: Heb. 7.27. Who needeth not daily as thoſe high Prieſts, to offer up Sacrifice, firſt for his own ſins and then for the peoples; for this he did [once] when he offered up himſelf: Heb. 9.12.—by his own blood be entred in [once] into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us:—Verſ. 26, 27, 28. For then muſt he often have ſuffered ſince the foundation of the world; but now [once] in the end of the world hath be appeared to put away ſin by the Sacrifice of himſelf. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment; So Chriſt was [once] offered to bear the ſins of many, &c. Heb. 10.10, 12, 14. p. 532By the which will we are ſanctified, through the offering of the body of Jeſus Chriſt [once] for all. But this man after he had offered [one Sacrifice] for ſins for ever, ſat down on the right hand of God: For by [one offering] he hath perfected for ever them that are ſanctified: Now how ſhall we reconcile the multiplication of propitiatory Sacrifices, the reiteration of Chriſt's offering, with theſe Texts? there is (ſaith the Apoſtle) but one only propitiatory Sacrifice (that which our Saviour offered upon the Croſs); nay (ſay our Adverſaries) but there is, the MASS is a propitiatory Sacrifice alſo: the true propitiatory Sacrifice (ſaith he) was made but once; nay but (ſay they) 'tis not ſo, it is renew'd, repeated, and made over and over again: Chriſt (ſayes he) did once (and but once) offer up himſelf; nay (ſay they) but he is offered again and again, as often as the MASS is celebrated, (in which his body and blood are as really offered as they were when he dy'd upon the Croſs): Chriſt (ſaith he) by the one oblation of himſelf hath obtained eternal redemption, put away ſin, perfected for ever them that are ſanctified; nay (ſay they) but he hath not, for beſides that there muſt be the propitiatory oblation of him in the Sacrament. Now let every perſon judge whether theſe things be not flat contradictions to the Word of God (according to what we charge them with).

For the ſolving of this therefore they give us another pretty diſtinction, (viz.) of our Saviours bloody and unbloody Sacrifice, of that which was offered on the Croſs and that which is offered at the Maſs: that (they ſay) 'tis very true was but once and is not to be iterated, but 'tis not ſo with the latter; wherefore the Apoſtle in all that hath been cited, muſt be underſtood as deſigning to exclude only the multiplying and repeating of the bloody but not of the unbloody Sacrifice; and ſo the Maſs is not at all concerned therein.

To which I anſwer, in ſhunning one contradiction they run upon another; for what can be more contradictory to the Word (as alſo to the nature of the thing) than an unbloody, propitiatory Sacrifice? it ſayes**Heb. 9.22.Heb 9:22 Without ſhedding of blood there's no remiſſion: yes (ſay they) but there is, in the Sacrament there's no ſhedding of blood and yet thereby there is remiſſion: do they not ſtill maintain that which plainly contradicts the Scripture? and inſtead of ſtopping one gap do they not make another? The Apoſtle after he had been ſpeaking ſo fully of Chriſt's Sacrifice upon the Croſs, in the perfection and unrepeatableneſs thereof, draws an inference p. 533univerſally to exclude all other propitiatory Sacrifices; Heb. 10.18. now where remiſſion of theſe is, there is no more offering for ſin: they then muſt be highly bold who will preſume to except and limit where the Spirit of God doth not, and where the matter ſpoken of doth not require any ſuch exception or limitation: nay, where indeed the matter will not bear any ſuch thing (as here it will not); for if by Chriſt's oblation ſin be fully remitted, how can any further Sacrifice be joyned with it in order to remiſſion? To me this is a moſt neceſſary principle, (viz.) when men will diſtinguiſh upon the letter of the Scripture, ſo as to affirm what that denyes or to deny what that affirms, or ſo as to enlarge what that ſtraightens and to ſtraighten what that enlarges; it highly concerns them to look to this, that their diſtinctions be well grounded upon other Scriptures and conſonant thereunto; for otherwiſe they muſt run themſelves into dangerous errors without all poſſibility of being convinced; and without this all Religion will be undermin'd, and the Word of God made wholly inſignificant: Now to apply this Rule! our Diſſenters when we urge the forementioned places (which are ſo clear and cogent for what we hold,) would put off all by diſtinguiſhing of a bloody and unbloody Sacrifice; I deſire to know what Scriptureground or warrant they have for this diſtinction (in the ſenſe wherein they uſe it)? what is there to be found there to juſtifie ſuch a thing as an unbloody propitiatory Sacrifice?

Something I know they offer at, but (alas!) 'tis that which will not ſatisfie or command the faith of ſuch who are ſerious and conſiderative. For inſtance, Gen. 14.18. And MELCHISEDECH King of SALEM brought forth bread and wine, and be was the Prieſt of the moſt high God: whence they thus argue, MELCHISEDECH did ſacrifice bread and wine, there (ſay they) was an unbloody Sacrifice, and that which was typical of Chriſt's Sacrifice, and of his being offered at the Sacrament modo incruento under the Species's of bread & wine: therefore there was ſuch a Sacrifice thereat to be offered; which accordingly was done firſt by Chriſt himſelf, and yet is done ſucceſſively by his Miniſters: yea, they tell us that this unbloody Sacrifice was the great thing in reſpect of which he is ſaid to be a Prieſt**Heb. 6.20. Pſal. 110.4.Heb 6:20Ps 110:4 after the order of MELCHISEDECH. Anſw. all this is deny'd with the ſame (but better grounded) confidence with which it is affirm'd: 'tis ſad that any ſhould build ſo great an Article of Faith (as this is amongſt the ROMANISTS) upon ſo weak and ſandy a bottom; but how much more ſad is it, that mens zeal ſhould be ſo fierce upon it as to make it a matter of p. 534Life or Death, accordingly as 'tis believ'd or not believ'd? (for the truth is, that which they call the unbloody Sacrifice hath occaſionally been made bloody enough, in the death of thouſands of Martyrs who could not look upon it as Others do). But as to the Argument our DIVINES reply,

(1.) 'Tis not evident, that what MELCHISEDECH here did was done in the way of a Sacrifice to God: 'tis ſaid he brought bread & wine, 'tis not ſaid that he offered bread or wine to God; there's a great difference betwixt protulit and obtulit, betwixt a civil gift to Men and a religious offering to God. **Antiq. Jud. l. 1. c. 11. foreign &c.JOSEPHƲS carries this bringing of bread and wine, no higher than MELCHISEDECHS kindneſs or hoſpitality to ABRAHAM and his weary Souldiers.

(2.) Suppoſe this was done in the way of a Sacrifice, how will it be prov'd that it was done in the way of a propitiatory Sacrifice? ſince 'tis only ſaid that he bleſſed Abraham (Verſ. 19.). Nay

(3.) ſuppoſe that too, yet what will it be to thoſe who cannot (juſtly) pretend to be …rieſts according to the order of MELCHISEDECH, (that being an incommunicable order)? And

(4.) the Apoſtle Heb. 7. opening this MELCHISEDECH (in his Prieſthood, and in this very act, ſhewing how he was the type of Chriſt and wherein Chriſt the antitype ſuited with him), doth not at all inſtance in his bringing of bread and wine or in his offering any unbloody Sacrifice (which ſurely he would have done, had the reſemblance or analogie betwixt Chriſt and him ly'ne in that), but he inſtances in the oneneſs of Melchiſedechs Prieſthood, in his eternity, in his authoritative benediction (even of Abraham himſelf), in Abraham's paying tythes to him &c. theſe are the things wherein all along in that Chapter he illuſtrates Chriſt's agreement with MELCHISEDECH.

So that for any to infer, from his bringing of bread and wine that Chriſt at the Sacrament (for I do not love the word MASS) is offered up to God, by every ordinary Prieſt, as an unbloody, propitiatory Sacrifice; I ſay, for any to make ſuch an inference from ſuch premiſes, it argues them to be either injudicious or over credulous, or too much devoted to a party. The Paſchal Lamb alſo is alledg'd for the making good of this diſtinction (with ſome other things), but neither barrel better herrings, (as is fully made out by our PROTESTANT Writers where perſons are not reſolv'd to ſhut their eyes upon the cleareſt light).

4. Fourthly, In the preſent conteſt 'twill be beſt to have recourſe to the inſtitution of the Sacrament. Now if that (with the whole adminiſtration about it) be conſulted, what ſhall we find to give it p. 535the notion of a Sacrifice? Obj. 'Tis ſaid this we find, Chriſt there faith Do this in remembrance of me Luk. 22.19. 1 Cor. 11.24. now this hoc facite is as much as hoc ſacrificate. Anſw. What is it to play with the Scripture if this be not ſo? a few things being confidered the vanity of this Criticiſm will ſoon appear. If this do was as much as this ſacrifice, certainly that would have been a thing of ſuch high import, as that of the three Evangeliſts (which ſet down the Sacramental inſtitution) two of them would not have wholly omitted it; and yet ſo it is, LƲKE recites it but MATTHEW and MARK make no mention at all of it. And if that was the ſenſe of the word, then the ſacrificing act would lie upon the people as well as upon the Prieſts, for as the Do this was ſpoken by Chriſt to the Diſciples Luk. 22.19, ſo it was alſo ſpoken by Paul to the body of the Saints at CORINTH 1 Cor. 11.24. When there's nothing ſpoken in the whole Inſtitution of the Lord's Supper as referring to a Sacrifice, 'tis ſomewhat ſtrange that this **Ineptum eſt interpretari verbum facere ſenſu ſacrificatorio, ubi nulla in totâ reliquâ narratione fit Sacrificii aut oblationis mentio. Forbeſ. Inſtruct. Hiſtorico-Theol. p. 616.word ſhould come in by it-ſelf and carry ſuch a Sacrificial ſenſe in it. Beſides, doth not that which follows ſufficiently clear it up? Do this, how? or for what end? to be a Sacrifice? no, but in remembrance of me. We deny not but that††Cum faciam vitulâ &c. Virgil. facere doth ſometimes ſignifie to ſacrifice (anſwerably to the Hebrew word‖‖Numb. 6.16. Pſal. 66.15.Num 6:16Ps 66:15 foreign and the Greek **foreign. Caſaub. in Athen. l. 15. c. 23.foreign): but where hath foreign (which is here uſed) that ſignification? nay, where have the other words that ſignification, but when they are joyn'd with a Noune ſetting forth a thing that is uſually deſign'd and ſet apart for Sacrifices? whereas the word here is joyn'd with a bare Pronoune.

Object. But they have a ſtronger plea than this, grounded upon the words of the Inſtitution: where Chriſt ſaith This is my body which is **Luk. 22.19.Luke 22:19given for you, (and††1 Cor. 11.24.1 Cor 11:24 broken for you &c.) This Cup is the new Teſtament in my blood which is ‖‖Luk. 22.20. Matth. 26.28.Luke 22:20Matt 26:28ſhed for you &c. now doth not this body as given and broken, and this blood as ſhed, prove a Sacrifice? yea, that under the bread and wine there was a real oblation of Chriſt's body and blood?

Anſw. No; unleſs it be underſtood (as it ought to be) of his oblation upon the Croſs, and not at the Table. When he ſaith This is my body which is given for you &c. and this is my blood which is ſhed &c. did he mean that giving of his body or that ſhedding of his blood which was done juſt at the Sacrament? that we utterly deny: What then did he mean? why, that which would ſhortly be when he ſhould die on the Croſs; then his boody ſhould be broken and his blood poured out in a real and ſubſtantial manner, but not till then. p. 536And this Interpretation is not at all weakened by Chriſt's expreſſing himſelf in the Preſent Tenſe [which is given, which is ſhed], it being uſual in the Scripture to put that Tenſe for the Paulo-poſt-futurum: and (I hope) this Anſwer will not be either oppoſed or ſlighted by our Adverſaries, ſince the Vulgar tranſlation it ſelf renders the words in the Future tenſe, which ſhall be given, ſhall be ſhed; yea, in their Canon Miſſae too they are ſo rendred.

2. But Secondly having ſhewn what the Lord's Supper is not, I am now to ſhew what it is. As to that (in brief) 'tis a lively repreſentation & ſolemn commemoration of that Sacrifice which the Lord Jeſus offered up to God when he dy'd upon the Croſs: 'tis not a Sacrifice but a memorial of a Sacrifice; herein lies the nature of this Ordinance and this was the great end of Chriſt in the inſtituting of it: Do this (ſaith he) in remembrance of me Luk. 22.19. As oft as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do ſhew the Lord's death till he come 1 Cor. 11.26. This too was the great end of the Paſſeover (unto which the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper ſucceeds); Exod. 12.14. And this ſhall be unto you for a memorial. Great mercies have alwayes had their**See Vines on the Sacrament. p. 143, 144. memorials that they might not be forgotten; what a mercy was Chriſt's dying and ſacrificing himſelf! what glorious and unſpeakable benefits do believers receive thereby! therefore leaſt this ſhould wither and decay in their memories this Ordinance was appointed to be a ſtanding memorial thereof. And this is that notion which the††This prov'd by Morn. de Euch. l. 3. c. 4, & 5. (with divers others). FATHERS had of the Sacrament (though ſome would fain draw them to be of another Opinion, then which nothing more falſe): 'tis not to be deny'd but that they very often did call it a Sacrifice; yea, ſometimes they ſpeak of‖‖Euſeb. Demonſtr. Evang. l. 1. c. ult. unbloody Sacrifices; but did they thereby mean any real, propitiatory, unbloody Sacrifice in the POPISH ſenſe? no, they explain themſelves by the**foreign. Chryſoſt. Hom. 17. in Ep. ad Heb. Quid ergo nos? nonne per ſingulos dies offerimus? offerimus quidem, ſed recordationem facientes mortis ejus. Ambroſ. in Ep. ad Heb. c. 10. Illud quod ab hominibus appellatur Sacrificium ſignum eſt veri Sacrificii, in quo caro Chriſti poſt aſcenſionem per Sacramentum memoriae celebratur. Auguſt. de Civit. Dei l. 10. c. 15. Vide etiam contra Fauſtum Manichaeum l. 20. c. 21 Theodoret. in c. 8. Ep. ad Heb.—Sacrificium quod quotidiè in Eccleſiâ offertur, non eſt aliud à Sacrificio quod ipſe Chriſtus obtulit, ſed ejus commemoratio. Aquin. in 3. p. Qu. 22. Art. 3. reſp. ad 2. Illud quod offertur & conſecratur, vocatur Sacrificium & oblatio, quia memoria eſt & repraeſentatio veri Sacrificii & ſanctae immolationis factae in arâ crucis &c. Lombard. L. 4. Diſt. 12.Heb 10 commemorating of Chriſt's Sacrifice, by the offering up of praiſes, thanksgivings, penitential tears to God (& the like); in which reſpects only they did ſo ſpeak of it.

p. 537To this alſo we may add, the Lord's Supper is not only a memorial of but a**See Dr. Cudworths true Notion of the Lord's Supper. chap. 5. Feaſt upon Chriſt's Sacrifice; the believing Soul doth therein by Faith feed and feaſt it ſelf upon a crucify'd Saviour. Antiently Sacrifices were attended with††Stuckius de Sacrif. p. 145. Roſin. Antiq. Rom. l. 3. c. 33. Ubi quod Diis tributum erat conſlagraſient, ad epulas ipſi & convivia vertebantur, &c. Feaſts, nullum Sacrificium ſine epulo; as ſoon as the Sacrifice was over men uſed to have a Feaſt, to eat and drink together: and this cuſtom prevail'd both amongſt‖‖Dr. C. chap. 2. Jews and Gentiles. Gen. 13.54. Then Jacob offered Sacrifice upon the Mount, and called his brethren to eat bread &c. Exod. 18.12. And Jethro, Moſes father-in-law, took burnt offerings and Sacrifices for God: and Aaron came and all the Elders of Iſrael to eat bread with Moſes father-in-law before God: (See alſo Exod. 34.15. Numb. 25.2. 1 Cor. 10.18. &c.) Now parallel to this, after Chriſt's Sacrifice there's the Sacramental Feaſt, wherein the Communicant doth ſpiritually feed upon the body and blood of the Lord Jeſus, eats and drinks of the bread and water of Life: here is not oblatio but participatio Sacrificii. The Apoſtle having ſpoken to the Sacrifice, Chriſt our Paſſeover is ſacrificed for us, he preſently ſubjoyns the Feaſt which was to go along with that Sacrifice, Therefore let us keep the Feaſt, not with old leaven &c. 1 Cor. 5.7, 8. At the Sacrament there is not only a commemoraion of Chriſt's death, but there is the Chriſtians fetching out of the ſweet and comfort thereof for inward ſtrength and nouriſhment.

Yet further, the Lord's Supper is a Seal of all thoſe bleſſings which Chriſt by his Death and Sacrifice did purchaſe for his; (but this I muſt paſs over). I have been very long upon this Fourth Inferenee, but no longer than what the Nature of the thing and our preſent ſtate did make to be neceſſary: 'tis highly requiſite that we ſhould all have right apprehenſions concerning the bleſſed Sacrament; therefore to help you therein, and to obviate all POPISH deluſions, I have been thus large upon this Head.

The happineſs of Believers under the Goſpel above that of them who liv'd under the Law.5. Fifthly, I infer the happineſs of ſuch who live under the Goſpel above thoſe who liv'd under the Law. 'Tis none of the leaſt of our mercies that we are caſt under the Evangelical, rather than under the Legal adminiſtration: Old-Teſtament believers were the elder brethren, but the younger (thoſe who live under the New-Teſtament) are the beſt provided for. For the making out of this, I ſhall not inſiſt upon the comparing of Sacraments and Sacraments, Prieſthood and Prieſthood, Priviledges and Priviledges, but only touch upon the matter of Sacrifices. In reference to which we have the advantage in ſundry reſpects: for they (in a manner) had p. 538but the ſhell, 'tis that we have the kernel; they had but the ſhadow, 'tis we that have the ſubſtance: they had but the type, 'tis we that have the antitype. All their Sacrifices were but darker adumbrations of that great Sacrifice which is now fully revealed to us and actually exhibited for us: they had variety and multiplicity of them, we have all in one; theirs were coſtly and burdenſom, ours coſts us nothing but thankful application; theirs (of themſelves) could only cleanſe from ritual and civil guilt, ours from all guilt whatſoever; they had the blood of Beaſts, we the blood of God's own Son. One of the**Vide Alting. Shiloh l. 5. c. 17. In hoc Sacrificio vertitur omnis ratio & variatio faederis &c. great differences 'twixt the Covenant of Grace as then and as now diſpenſed, lies in the difference of the Sacrifices: to them, it was teſtified and ratified by the blood of ordinary Creatures; to us, 'tis ſo by the blood of Chriſt; (compare Exod. 24.8. with Matth. 26.28.). Surely we have the advantage over them, God having provided ſome better thing for us, that they without us ſhould not be made perfect, (as 'tis Heb. 11.40.): O what degree of thankfulneſs can be high enough for that knowledge of, intereſt in, benefit by Chriſt's Sacrifice which we now have under the Goſpel, above what they had who liv'd under the Jewiſh Sacrifice!

And if our ſtate be better than theirs, how much more is it better than the ſtate of the poor Gentiles! As to Jews and Chriſtians 'tis happineſs and happineſs compar'd together, but as to Gentiles and Chriſtians 'tis happineſs and miſery: the Jews had their Sacrifices from God himſelf, to whom they were offered, and by whom they were owned; but in the Pagan Sacrifices there were none of theſe; they were neither inſtituted by God, nor directed to him, therefore it could not be expected that ever they ſhould be bleſſed by him. And beſides this, there was nothing of Chriſt in their Sacrifices; Men-Sacrifices they had, but as to the Sacrifice of Chriſt God-Man that they knew nothing of: without which, what could all their Sacrifices ſignifie for the purging away of guilt? They had great variety of them, ſome blind notions of expiation, purgation, atonement by them, but (alas!) not being offered to the true God, nor back'd with the true and only propitiatory Sacrifice of Chriſt, they were all in vain. They us'd to twit Chriſtians with their want of**Origen. contra Ceiſum. l. 8. Temples, Altars, Sacrifices &c. but we can eaſily anſwer them, we have all in Chriſt; whoſe one Sacrifice upon the Croſs was more than all their Hecatombs and Sacrifices whatſoever: we may be the objects of their deriſion, but ſurely they ſhould be the objects of our compaſſion; and whilſt we p. 539pity them let us be highly**See the Grounds of this fully ſet forth by Stuckius de Sacrif. f. 154. &c.—in his Antitheſis Ethniciſmi & Chriſtianiſmi. thankful for our ſelves, that ever this one, only, perfect Sacrifice was made known to us as well as offered for us.

Of the excellency of Chriſt's Prieſthood and Sacrifice.6. Sixthly, we may from hence take notice of the excellency of Chriſt's Prieſthood and Sacrifice: (I put them together, becauſe they do mutually prove the excellency each of the other; his Prieſthood muſt needs be excellent becauſe he offered up ſuch an excellent Sacrifice, and his Sacrifice muſt needs be excellent becauſe it was offered by ſuch an excellent Prieſt). The ſetting forth of the excellency of both, is the main ſcope and buſineſs of the Apoſtle in his Epiſtle to the Hebrews (that full and moſt Evangelical Commentary upon the Levitical Sacrifices); but he reduces the latter under the former, proving the glory and excellency of the Prieſthood of Chriſt from the excellency of his Sacrifice. Indeed in the making out of that, he makes uſe of ſeveral other Mediums or Arguments: as

(1.) the greatneſs and dignity of Chriſt's Perſon, Heb. 4.14;

(2.) the extraordinarineſs of his Call, Heb. 5.4, 5.

(3.) the preheminence of the Order (according to which he was Prieſt) above the Aaronical order, (he being Prieſt after the order of MELCHISEDECH) Heb. 5.6.10.—Chap. 6.20.

(4.) his oneneſs and ſingleneſs in this office, Heb. 7 23, 24.

(5.) his ſolemn inauguration into it, Heb. 7.20, 21.

(6.) its perpetuity and everlaſtingneſs, Heb. 5.6. Heb. 7.16, 24.

(7.) the excellency of the Sanctuary where 'tis diſcharg'd, Heb. 8.1. &c. Heb. 9.11, 12, 24.

(8.) the betterneſs of the Covenant to which it refers, Heb. 8.6. &c.

All theſe Heads the Apoſtle doth diſtinctly inſiſt upon; but that Medium or Argument which he is moſt large upon to prove the excellency of Chriſt's Prieſthood, is the excellency of his Sacrifice above all the Law-Sacrifices: and that he makes out

(1.) from the matter of it. The Prieſts under the Law offered ſuch and ſuch things only, not themſelves: but Chriſt offered himſelf; they the blood of Creatures, he his own blood; Heb. 9.12. Neither by the blood of Goats and Calves, but by his own blood he entred in once into the holy place &c.—Verſ. 14.—How much more ſhall the blood of Chriſt, who through the eternal Spirit offered himſelf &c.—Verſ. 23. It was therefore neceſſary that the patterns of things in the heavens ſhould be purified with theſe (i.e. the blood of beaſts), but the heavenly things themſelves with better ſacrifices than theſe: Heb. 1.3. When he had by himſelf purged our ſins: ſo Heb. p. 5407.27.—9.26.

(2.) From the virtue and efficacy of it: The Law-Sacrifices were weak and unprofitable, could make nothing perfect, Heb. 7.18, 19. could not make him that did the ſervice perfect, as pertaining to the Conſcience; they only ſanctified as to the purifying of the fleſh, Heb. 9.9, 13. It is not poſſible that the blood of Bulls and of Goats ſhould take away ſins, Heb. 10.4. But Chriſt by his Sacrifice hath obtained eternal redemption Heb. 9.12. that reaches the Conſcience to purge it from dead works &c. Heb. 9.14.—

(3.) Thoſe Sacrifices being thus weak were many, and often to be repeated; but this of Chriſt having ſuch an efficacy in it was but one, and but once offered, never any more to be repeated: Heb. 7.27. Who needeth not daily as thoſe high Prieſts to offer up Sacrifice, for this he did once when he offered up himſelf: Heb. 9.12. by his own blood he entred in once into the holy place—25. &c. Nor yet that he ſhould offer himſelf often, as the high Prieſt entereth into the holy place every year with the blood of others: For then muſt he often have ſuffered ſince the foundation of the world; but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away ſin by the Sacrifice of himſelf: Heb. 10.1. &c. The Law having a ſhadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with thoſe Sacrifices, which they offered year by year continually, make the comers thereunto perfect: For then would they not have ceaſed to be offered? becauſe that the worſhippers once purged, ſhould have had no more Conſcience of ſins &c. to theſe now the Apoſtle oppoſes Chriſt's Sacrifice Verſ. 5, 6, &c. and of that he ſaith, Verſ. 10. By the which will we are ſanctified through the offering of the body of Jeſus Chriſt once for all: Verſ. 11, 12. And every Prieſt ſtandeth daily miniſtring, and offering oftentimes the ſame ſacrifices which can never take away ſins: But this man after he had offered one Sacrifice for ſins for ever, ſat down on the right hand of God: Verſ. 14. For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are ſanctified. The HEATHENS had their Sacrifices which they call'd**Succidaneae dictae, ſi permis hoſtiis litatum non erat aliae poſt eaſdem ductae hoſtiae caedebantur, quae quaſi prioribus jam caeſis luendi piaculi gratia ſubdebantur & ſuccedebant. Gyrald. Synt. 17. p. 465. Saubert. de Sacrif. c. 19. p. 477. Hoſtiae ſuccedaneae, which they offered up to their GODS in caſe thoſe which they had offered before did not ſucceed: the Lord Jeſus by his one Sacrifice did ſo effectually do what he deſigned and the Sinner needed, as that there is no room for or need of any hoſtia ſuccedanea.—

(4.) The Apoſtle makes it out from the ſanctity of Chriſt's Perſon and the perfection of his Sacrifice. The Law-Prieſts offered firſt for their own ſins and then for the ſins of the people Heb. 7.27. they ought, as for the people, ſo alſo for themſelves, to offer for ſins Heb. 5.3. the High Prieſt went once every year into the ſecond Tabernacle, not without p. 541blood, which he offered for **Levit. 16.11.Lev 16:11himſelf, and for the errors of the people, Heb. 9.7. But now as to Chriſt he was holy, harmleſs, undefiled, ſeparate from ſinners, Heb. 7.26. he had no ſin (of his own) to expiate by his Sacrifice; he was made ſin, but yet he knew no ſin 2 Cor. 5.21. Under the Law both Prieſt and Sacrifice were to be perfect, (i. e.) without any open and external blemiſh: as to the firſt, reade Levit. 21.17. (to the end); as to the ſecond, God gave ſeveral precepts about it; the Paſchal Lamb was to be without blemiſh Exod. 12.5. the oblation for Vows and for Free-will-offerings, the Sacrifice of Peace-offerings were to be without blemiſh, perfect, otherwiſe they ſhould not be accepted, Levit. 22.18. to 25. ſo the red Heifer was to be without ſpot, and wherein there was no blemiſh, Numb. 19.2; ſo the Firſtlings of the Cattle, Deut. 15.21; and all Sacrifices whatſoever, Deut 17.1. (And this the**foreign. Athen. Deipn. l. 15. c. 5.—&c. quas cum immolabant, niſi purae integrae que fuiſſent, minus proficere putabant. Gyrald. p. 491. HEATHENS themſelves made conſcience of in their Sacrifices). In correſpondency to all this, in a moral and ſpiritual ſenſe our Lord's Sacrifice was perfect, without the leaſt blemiſh; he offered himſelf without ſpot to God Heb. 9.14. he was a Lamb without blemiſh and without ſpot 1 Pet. 1.19.—

(5.) The excellency of Chriſt's Sacrifice appears from the great effects of it;—he put away ſin by the ſacrifice of himſelf Heb. 9.26. ſo that there is no more offering for ſin Heb. 10.18. being made perfect, he became the author of eternal ſalvation unto all them that obey him Heb. 5.9. by this Sacrifice ſin was condemned, aboliſhed, expiated; God appeaſed; the Law ſatisfied; ††Heb. 9.12.Heb 9:12eternal redemption obtained; O what an excellent Sacrifice was Chriſt's Sacrifice! and conſequently what an excellent Prieſthood was Chriſt's Prieſthood!

Of the Evil of Sin.7. Seventhly, was Chriſt a Sacrifice for ſin in order to the condemning of it? and could it be condemn'd by nothing ſhort of that? hence we are informed that Sin is a very evil thing and of a very heinous nature. Had it not been a notorious and capital Offender, would God have condemn'd, and thus condemn'd it? would he ſo ſeverely have puniſhed it in the fleſh of his own Son? muſt even this Son be offered up upon the Croſs as a Sacrifice for the expiation of it? O what a curſed heinous thing is ſin! that had made ſuch a breach between God and his Creatures, that Chriſt muſt die or elſe no reconciliation; that had ſo highly ſtruck at the Honour of the great God, that nothing below the ſharpeſt ſufferings of his deareſt Son could make Satisfaction for it; its poiſon and venom was ſuch, that there was no cure for the Sinner (into whom that poyſon had got) but only the precious blood of Chriſt himſelf: God had p. 542ſuch an hatred and abhorring of it, as that for the**Grot. de Sat. Chriſti. p. 67. teſtifying thereof, even he (whom he lov'd from all eternity) muſt be made a ††Gal. 3.13.Gal 3:13Curſe; what a demonſtration was this of the tranſcendency of the evil of Sin! Would you take a full view thereof? pray look upon it in and through this glaſs; a ſacrific'd Chriſt gives the cleareſt, the fulleſt repreſentation of ſins hainouſneſs. True, we may ſee much of that in Sins own Nature (as 'tis the tranſgreſſion of God's moſt holy and moſt excellent Law); as alſo in the threatnings which are denounc'd againſt it; and further in the dreadful Effects of it, both here and hereafter, (the loſs of God's image, and favour, and eternal damnation); is it not a very evil thing? What a miſchievous thing hath this ſin been! it caſt the falling Angels out of Heaven into Hell and turn'd them into Devils; it thruſt Adam out of Paradiſe, made God to be an enemy to him who but now was his favourite, cut off the entail of happineſs, and inſtead thereof entail'd miſery and a curſe upon all his poſterity; it made God at once to drown a whole world, it laid Sodom in aſhes, levell'd Jeruſalem it-ſelf to the ground, cauſed God to forſake his own people the Jews &c. ('twould be endleſs to enumerate all the ſad miſchiefs of Sin).

Now (I ſay) in theſe things we may ſee much of the evil of it, but not ſo much as what we ſee in the Death and Sufferings of the Lord Chriſt; there, there is the higheſt diſcovery and fulleſt repreſentation of it: He to be**Iſa. 53.3.Isa 53:3 a man of ſorrows and acquainted with grief? he to be bruiſed and broken, yea and his Father to be††Iſa. 53.10.Isa 53:10 pleaſed in the bruiſing of him? he in his own perſon to undergo the Laws penalty? to tread the‖‖Iſa. 63.3.Isa 63:3 winepreſs of the wrath of God? he to be**Phil. 2.8.Phil 2:8 obedient to death, even the death of the Croſs? he to cry out My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? he to be kill'd, and ſlain, and††Acts 5.30.Acts 5:30 hang'd upon a tree? and all this for ſin? O what an exceſs of evil doth this hold forth to be in it! Indeed that the poor Creatures ſhould be ſo deſtroy'd in the Law-Sacrifices, that ſo many millions of them (they in themſelves being harmleſs and innocent) ſhould die and be ſacrific'd for mans ſin, this repreſents very much of its curſed nature; but yet that comes infinitely ſhort of that repreſentation thereof which we have in a dying, crucify'd, ſacrific'd Chriſt: the death of all thoſe Sacrifices was nothing to the death of this one Sacrifice; whereby Sin eminently appears in its own colours. What a ſad thing is it that men generally make ſo little a thing of it (as though there was not much evil either in it or by it)! but in ſo doing how do their thoughts p. 543differ from God's thoughts! for ſurely if he had not judg'd it to be very heinous, he had never carried it towards his Son as he did. I would deſire Sinners to take their proſpect of it through this medium, of Chriſt's being a Sacrifice for it; if any thing in the world will bring them to the ſight of its malignity, this will do it. It pleaſes God to look upon believers through a dying Chriſt, and ſo he loves them; but could we but look upon Sin (a thing never to be lov'd) through a dying Chriſt, how ſhould we hate it!

Of the ſeverity of God's Juſtice.8. Eightly, this demonſtrates alſo the ſeverity, impartiality, terribleneſs of God's Juſtice. By Chriſt's death and Sacrifice we have not only a declaration of the Juſtice of God in it-ſelf, (in that he would not remit ſin without blood for ſatisfaction Rom. 3.25.), but a declaration alſo of the adjuncts and properties of his Juſtice, (viz.) that 'tis very ſevere, impartial, and terrible. He was inflexibly ſet upon the puniſhment of ſin; ſuch was his hatred of it and his reſpect to the honour of his Law, that Sin ſhall not by any means eſcape his puniſhing hand: and every puniſhment too ſhall not ſuffice, but if ſhall be ſuch as may fully anſwer the heinouſneſs of the offence; I and if his own Son ſhall interpoſe in the Sinners ſtead, and take his guilt upon him, and become his Surety, even he (be he never ſo dear to God) muſt undergo the utmoſt puniſhment (that ever he was capable of) both for matter and degree; God will fall upon him and**Rom. 8.32.Rom 8:32 not ſpare him, no not in the leaſt; O how ſevere and impartial is his Juſtice! Never was there ſuch an inſtance or demonſtration of theſe, as in the ſufferings of the Lord Jeſus: For (pray conſider) what it was that he ſuffered; beſides all the ſufferings of his Life, at laſt he ſuffered death; and that not a common or ordinary death, but the very worſt of deaths; a death that had all ingredients into it to make it bitter, wherein was all that bitterneſs which either the wrath of man or (which was much worfe) of God himſelf could ſqeeze into it: And though Chriſt (foreſeeing what this death was) pray'd again and again that he might be**Joh. 12.27.John 12:27 ſaved from it, that this ††Mat. 26.39, 42, 44.Matt 26:39Matt 26:42Matt 26:44cup might paſs from him, yet his Father was inexorable and would not hear him; but die he muſt, and ſo die too; ſurely here was divine Juſtice under the higheſt ſeverity and impartiality, (yet without the leaſt mixture of injuſtice). And when the thoughts and ſenſe of this were upon Chriſt, they made his ‖‖Mat. 26.38.Matt 26:38Soul exceeding ſorrowful, caſt him into moſt bitter agonies, inſomuch that**Luk. 22.44.Luke 22:44 he ſweat as it were great drops of blood falling to the ground; how dreadful and terrible is punitive Juſtice! p. 544what a**Heb. 10.31.Heb 10:31 fearful thing is it to fall into the hands of the living God! this we ſee and know in our Saviours caſe, O that we may never know and feel it in our own experience!

I might further infer from the premiſes (9.) the unſearchable Wiſdom of God. (10.) alſo his unconceiveable Love and Grave: (11.) the preciouſneſs of Souls: (12.) the coſtlineſs of Salvation. (13.) the great dignity of Chriſt's perſon, from which his Sacrifice deriv'd all its vir…ue & efficacy: (but I muſt not ſpeak to all that this vaſt Subject would lead me to). So much for the Inferences drawn from the main Point.

2. The next Ʋſe ſhall be Exhortation, Ʋſe 2. Of Exhortation.in which I would preſs ſome of thoſe Duties which do beſt ſuit with the Truth before us: hitherto I have chiefly been upon the informing of the judgment, I now come to matters of practice.

Chriſt as a Sacrifice to be much ſtudied and meditated upon.1. And firſt, as Chriſt's Sonſhip and Incarnation (of which before) ſo his being a Sacrifice, and thereby condemning ſin, ſhould be very much the object of your ſtudy and meditation. This you are to ſtudy that you may know more of it; to meditate upon, that you may draw out and improve what you already know about it, (for ſo I would at preſent diſtinguiſh betwixt theſe two, ſuppoſing the one to be like the filling of the veſſel, the other like the drawing out of that veſſel). As to the firſt, I would be earneſt with you to be much in ſtudying a ſacrific'd, crucify'd Chriſt; if the knowledge of him as taking fleſh is to be laboured after (as you have heard it is), ſurely the knowledge of him as dying in fleſh, and as condemning ſin in his fleſh, is alſo to be laboured after. In this Sacrifice of Chriſt you have the very mirror of the Grace of God, the maſterpiece and higheſt elevation of his Love, the glorious product of his infinite Wiſdom, the great baſis and foundation of mans happineſs; ſhould it not therefore with the greateſt diligence be look'd into? Our excellent Apoſtle determin'd to know nothing ſave Jeſus Chriſt, and him crucified 1 Cor. 2.2. the preaching of this was the great matter of his Miniſtry, 1 Cor. 1.23. We preach Chriſt crucified—; and he makes the Goſpel in its revelation mainly to point to this, which therefore he calls foreign the word of the Croſs 1 Cor. 1.18. it being ſo, how ſhould the conſideration hereof heighten our endeavours after a full and diſtinct knowledge of it! God's own Son to be offered up as a Sacrifice for the ſin of man? O admirable and wonderful diſpenſation! what a myſtery is this! how ſhould all be prying into it! Here we have Chriſt at his worſt; now the knowledge of him as at the worſt is the beſt knowledge for p. 545Chriſtians; for they having their beſt by his worſt, the knowledge of him (under that notion) muſt needs be the beſt knowledge for them. If Chriſt, as a Sacrifice, in the full import thereof, was but better underſtood by Sinners, O what benefit and advantage would thereby accrue to them! how ſteddily would they believe, how ardently would they love, how patiently would they ſuffer, how thankfully would they adore, how chearfully would they walk! ſhould not theſe be prevailing inducements to ſuch to labour after a fuller knowledge of him (as ſo conſidered)? But in the enforcing of this duty let me not be miſtaken; 'tis not a notional, hiſtorical knowledge only of Chriſt as ſacrific'd that I would have you to purſue after, but I would ſtate it as practical, as operative and powerful; this, this is that knowledge which is to be deſired. When Paul had ſpoken ſo high of the knowledge of Chriſt,**Phil. 3.8.Phil 3:8 Yea doubtleſs and I count all things but loſs, for the excellency of the knowledge of Chriſt Jeſus my Lord; ſee how he opens that knowledge of him which he look'd upon as ſo excellent; Verſ. 10. That I may know him, and the power of his reſurrection, and the fellowſhip of his ſufferings, being made conformable unto his death. 'Tis a poor thing to have light about this in the head, if that light be not attended with power and efficacy upon the heart and life; the cleareſt notions concerning Chriſt's death without ſuitable impreſſions within, and that which in the Sinner himſelf may bear ſome analogie and conformity thereunto, do not profit: O therefore ſo ſtudy a crucified Saviour as to be**Gal. 2.20.Gal 2:20 crucified with him, ††Rom. 6.8.Rom 6:8dead with him; ſo as to feel the energie of his death in the heavenlineſs of your affections, and holineſs of your converſations; this is the knowledge which we ſhould ſtudy and pray for and aſpire after.

For the Second, Chriſt as a Sacrifice is alſo much to be meditated upon: O how frequent, how ſerious and fixed ſhould our thoughts be upon this! how ſhould we be often reviving this upon our minds, never ſuffering it to decay or wither in our memories! This is ſo great and neceſſary a duty, that we have an Ordinance inſtituted by Chriſt on purpoſe and for this very end, often to inminde us of his dying (as our Sacrifice) and to keep it freſh upon our memories for ever:**1 Cor. 11.24, 26.1 Cor 11:241 Cor 11:26 Do this in remembrance of me; As oft as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do ſhew the Lord's death till he come. But 'tis not enough to think of this juſt before or at the Sacrament, but we ſhould live in daily, frequent meditation upon it: I ſay we ſhould do ſo, but (alas!) 'tis to be feared we do not ſo; O how little is a dying, crucified Chriſt thought of! the dying Friend or p. 546Relation is remembred, but the dying Saviour is forgotten: this proclaims to the world that we have but a low ſenſe of his great love, that we ſee but little in his oblation; for ſurely if we did, we ſhould think oftner of it, and after another manner, than now we do. Chriſtians! pray be ſenſible of former neglects, and let it be better for the future; let not a day paſs over you wherein ſome time ſhall not be ſpent in remembring and conſidering what Chriſt your Sacrifice upon the Croſs ſuffered for you. Upon this alſo you would reap great advantages; for certainly was Chriſt's death but duly thought of and improved, Oh 'twould highly imbitter ſin, effectually wean from the world and the ſenſual delights thereof, mightily encourage and ſtrengthen Hope and Faith, ſtrongly engage the Soul to Obedience &c. therefore pray be perſuaded to think leſs of other things and more of this! And do not barely think of it but think what there's in it; yea labour to go to the very bottom of it, and by ſerious meditation to preſs out all that juyce and ſweetneſs which is in it: the believer ſhould be alwayes ſitting upon this flower and ſucking comfort from it. What's the full breaſt to the child that doth not draw it? Chriſt as a Sacrifice for ſin is a full breaſt, but yet if Sinners by Faith, Prayer and Meditation, do not draw from this breaſt, they will be little the better for it. He was indeed but once offered, but that one oblation is often to be remembred and continually to be improved (with reſpect both to Duty and Comfort): how that is to be done the following particulars will ſhew.

The Heart (in the ſenſe of this) to be broken for ſin and from ſin.2. This ſhould have a very powerful influence upon you to break your hearts for ſin and from ſin. Firſt for ſin: was Chriſt indeed made a Sacrifice? as ſuch was his body broken and his precious blood poured forth? did he undergo ſuch ſufferings in his life, and then compleat all in his dying on the Croſs? and all for ſin? how can this be thought of (with any ſeriouſneſs) and the heart not be kindly and thoroughly broken! what will cauſe the hard heart to melt and thaw into godly ſorrow for ſin, if the conſideration of Chriſt's Sacrifice and death will not do it! Oh me thinks his blood (as ſhed for Sinners) ſhould ſoften the moſt Adamantine heart that is. Did we but conſider our Saviours paſſion in the matter and quality of it, in its bitter ingredients and heightning circumſtances; and then alſo conſider that our ſins were the meritorious cauſe of it, that they brought him to the Croſs and laid the foundation of all his ſorrows; did we (I ſay) but conſider this, certainly we ſhould be more deeply afflicted for Sin than now we are. p. 547What? that I ſhould be acceſſary to the death of the Son of God? that I ſhould bring the nails and ſpears which ſhould pierce him? that I ſhould be the occaſion of all his ſufferings in Soul and Body what a cutting, heart-breaking conſideration is this! Zech. 12. 10.—they ſhall look upon me whom they have pierced, (what follows?) and they ſhall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only Son; and ſhall be in bitterneſs for him as one that is in bitterneſs for his firſt-born: the true penitent cannot look upon a crucified Saviour (eſpecially when he conſiders what he hath done to further his Saviours crucifixion,) without the higheſt degree of holy grief. But eſpecially this heart-brokenneſs ſhould be in us when we are at the Sacrament, where we have ſuch a ſenſible and lively repreſentation of Chriſt's Death and Sacrifice: Oh ſhall we there ſee his broken body, and yet our hearts be unbroken? ſhall we view him there ſhedding his blood, and we ſhed no penitential tears? ſhall we there behold what he endured and felt for Sin, and we yet have no pain, no contrition for it? how unſuitable is ſuch a frame to ſuch an object, under ſuch a repreſentation! What was the temper think you of the Women who were**Mat. 27.55.Matt 27:55 ſpectators of Chriſt when he was hanging upon the Croſs? unqueſtionably they were filled with inexpreſſible ſorrow: why (Sirs!) when you are at the Lord's Table, in a ſpiritual way you ſee him alſo as dying upon the Croſs, he is there before your eyes evidently ſet forth and crucified among you (Gal. 3.1.); Oh how ſhould your**Lam. 3.51.Lam 3:51 eye affect your heart, even to fill you with Evangelical ſorrow!

Three things in the Text to ſet men againſt Sin.But this is not enough, therefore (2.) there muſt be brokenneſs from ſin as well as for ſin: ſurely after ſuch a thing as Chriſt's death Sin muſt be lov'd and liv'd no more; the heart muſt eternally be broken off from it. Pray look into the Text and ſee what preſſing motives there are in it for this:

(1.) Here's Chriſt dying as a Sacrifice, making his Soul an offering for ſin. Now (Sinners!) ſhall that live in you or will you live in that which made your Saviour to die? ſhall he die for ſin and will you yet live in ſin? ſhall his death (as to you) be in **Ergo & tu dignum te gere tali pretio, ne veniat Chriſtus qui te mundavit, qui te redemit, & ſi te in peccato invenerit dicat tibi, Quae utilitas in ſanguine meo? quid profeci tibi dum deſcerdo in corruptionem &c. Ambroſ. de Virgi.vain? will you continue ſin upon the Throne when Chriſt was upon the Croſs? do you deſire to have him there again, crucified afreſh (as the Apoſtle ſpeaks Heb. 6.6.)? would you renew his wounds and cauſe them to bleed again? was it not enough for ſuch a perſon to be once ſacrific'd? can you made even through his precious blood to the gratifying of your baſe luſts? O dreadful! I remember that paſſage of DAVID 2 Sam. 23.15. &c. where you find him longing for the waters of Bethlehem, p. 548Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the Well of Bethlehem which is by the gate: upon this his earneſt deſire, three of his mighty men brake through the Hoſt of the Philiſtines and brought him ſome of this water; but (ſaith the ſtory) he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the Lord: why ſo? O (ſaith he) be it far from me that I ſhould do this; is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? So here; ſometimes your deſires and inclinations are ſtrongly carried out to ſuch and ſuch ſins, but pray conſider there's blood in the caſe; thoſe ſins coſt Jeſus Chriſt his blood, he did not only jeopard but actually loſe his life; will you then meddle with them (be they never ſo ſweet or pleaſing to the fleſh)? I hope you will not, I'm ſure you ſhould not. To ſtrengthen this further, pray conſider what Chriſt's end (or ends) were in his being thus a Sacrifice: they refer either to God or to you; to God, as he deſign'd to ſatisfie his Juſtice, appeaſe his Wrath, vindicate his Honour &c. to you, as he deſign'd your Sanctification, Holineſs, the abolition of Sins power &c. (I ſay, the abolition of ſins power; for though the primary end and the moſt immediate effect of Chriſt's Sacrifice was the expiation of its guilt, yet in ſubordination to this (however in conjunction with it), the breaking of its power and freedom from its evil acts were by him alſo aimed at therein: Gal. 1.4. Who gave himſelf for our ſins, that he might deliver us from this preſent evil world, according to the will of God, and our Father. Tit. 2.14. Who gave himſelf for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purifie unto himſelf a peculiar people, zealous of good works. 1 Pet. 2.24. Who his own ſelf bare our ſins in his own body on the tree, that we being dead to ſin, ſhould live unto righteouſneſs, by whoſe ſtripes ye were healed. Now was this one of Chriſt's great Ends in his ſacrificing of himſelf, and ſhall he not have it? hath he accompliſhed his ends with reſpect to God and ſhall he not accompliſh his ends with reſpect to you? would you divide and compound with him to let him have half of what he deſign'd and purchas'd, but no more? would you ſeparate between Juſtification and Sanctification? (that will not be allowed). How ſmartly doth the Apoſtle argue for the death of ſin from the death of Chriſt! Rom. 6.3. to the 11. Know ye not that ſo many of us as were baptized into Jeſus Chriſt, were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptiſm into death, that like as Chriſt was raiſed up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even ſo we alſo ſhould walk in newneſs of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeneſs of his death, we ſhall be alſo in the likeneſs of his reſurrection: p. 549Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of ſin might be deſtroyed, that henceforth we ſhould not ſerve ſin. For be that is dead, is freed from ſin. Now if we be dead with Chriſt, we believe that we ſhall alſo live with him: knowing that Chriſt being raiſed from the dead, dieth no more, death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto ſin o…e: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Sirs! was Chriſt ſacrific'd for ſin? I'le tell you what we ſhould now do, let us ſacrifice our ſins for Chriſt; there's a great difference in the ſenſe of the one and of the other, yet (take but that aright) and both are true; Chriſt was a bleſſed Perſon and he was ſacrific'd out of love, but Sin is a curſed thing which therefore muſt be ſacrific'd out of hatred; 'twas pity that Chriſt ſhould die, 'tis pity that ſin ſhould live: He was ſacrific'd for our ſin that he might take that away which was injurious to us, we muſt ſacrifice our ſins for him that we may take that away which is ſo injurious and offenſive to him. But to go on in the Text!

(2.) God condemned ſin: there's very much in this alſo to ſet us againſt ſin (in whatever notion the word condemning be taken); did God condemn it, and ſhall we approve of it? hath he paſs'd a ſentence of death upon it, and ſhall we yet be for the life of it (as if we would reverſe or contradict his ſentence or hinder the execution of it)? did he look upon it as a traitor, rebel, capital offender, and ſhall we look upon it as an harmleſs and innocent thing? hath he in the death of his Son given out ſuch a declaration of his hatred of it, and ſhall we yet love it, and like it, and live in it? Yea

(3.) God condemned ſin in the fleſh of Chriſt: now ſhall it be judged, puniſhed, aboliſhed in Chriſt's Fleſh, and yet**Rom. 6.12.Rom 6:12 reign in ours? ſhall he in his fleſh ſuffer for it, and we in ours commit it? what an abſurd incongruous thing would this be! Upon the whole matter therefore, how do we all ſtand engaged by the ſtrongeſt obligations that are poſſible, to be holy and not to ſin! let it be condemned in our fleſh as (in a different reſpect) it was condemn'd in Chriſt's; as God hath condemn'd it (ſo as that we ſhall not die for it), ſo let us condemn it (ſo as not to live in it). And (in ſpecial) whenever it ſhall come to tempt you to what is evil, pray remember that Chriſt was made a Sacrifice for it; and let it appear by your holy and circumſpect walking that you have a due ſenſe, thereof, and that you do not from thence fetch any encouragement to ſin againſt God, (which was one of**foreign l. 2. p. 97. PORPHYRY's Objections p. 550againſt Sacrifices in general, viz. they would encourage men to be wicked).

All to labour after an intereſt in Chriſt's Sacrifice, and in the benefits thereby procured.3. Thirdly, I would excite you to labour after, and to make ſure of a perſonal intereſt in this great Sacrifice, and in the benefits reſulting from it. For 'tis a thing to be reſented with the greateſt ſadneſs imaginable, that where …ere is ſuch a Sacrifice (ſo at firſt offered up to God, and now ſo revealed to men,) that yet ſo many millions of Souls ſhould periſh, and (as to their ſpiritual and eternal ſtate) be little the better for it; becauſe they regard not (as to themſelves) either the thing or the good that flows from it. My Brethren! I beſeech you (if you have any love for your Souls) let it not be ſo with you; but let it be your greateſt care to ſecure an intereſt in this Sacrifice, and to partake of the bleſſings procured by it: be often conſidering and queſtioning with your ſelves, here's a Sacrifice for expiation and atonement, but what's this to us? here's a dying Chriſt, but did he die for us? ſhall we be ever the better for his death? if this propitiatory oblation be not ours what will become of us? Under the Law the Gentile-ſtrangers were to offer Sacrifices as well as the born-Jews, (ſee Numb. 15.14, 15. Lev. 17.8.); and amongſt the Jews the poor as well as the rich; with reſpect to which difference in mens outward condition, God accordingly appointed different Sacrifices (Lev. 14.21.); but yet ſomething or other both were to Sacrifice: and in their offerings for the ranſome of their Souls all were to give alike; Exod. 30.15. The rich ſhall not give more, the poor ſhall not give leſs than half a Shekel: Now all this was to ſhadow out two things about Chriſt's Sacrifice;

(1.) its equal extent to all men, notwithſtanding all national or civil differences; be they Jews or Gentiles, rich or poor, 'tis the ſame Chriſt to all (if they believe), for there is no difference Rom. 3.22.—

(2.) the equal obligation lying upon all men to look after, make ſure of, and reſt in this one and the ſame all-ſufficient Sacrifice; none (in order to remiſſion, juſtification, atonement, eternal life) need to carry more to God (by Faith and Prayers), and none muſt carry leſs.

Sirs! let us all put in for a ſhare in Chriſt's offering, and in the benefits purchaſed thereby; for if we ſhould come ſhort of that, we are loſt eternally. Are not reconciliation with God, the expiation of ſin, eternal redemption &c. things moſt neceſſary and moſt deſireable? if ſo, where can we hope to have them but in a ſacrific'd Redeemer? but in the imputation of the merit of his death and Sacrifice? And I add, do not only make ſure of the thing (objectively conſidered), but labour alſo after the ſubjective p. 551aſſurance of it: Oh when a Chriſtian can ſay Chriſt dy'd for me, **Gal. 2.20!Gal 2:20gave himſelf for me, his body was broken and his blood ſhed for me, he took my guilt and bare my puniſhment; how is he filled with††1 Pet. 1.8.1 Pet 1:8 joy unſpeakable, with||Phil. 4.7.Phil 4:7 peace that paſſes all underſtanding! what a full-tyde of comfort is there in his Soul! This is the receiving of the atonement (as ſome open it), and that is very ſweet; Rom. 5.11. And not only ſo, but we alſo joy in God, through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, by whom we have now received the atonement.

This is to be ey'd and only rely'd upon.4. In the actings of Faith eye Chriſt as a Sacrifice for ſin, and there let all your hope and confidence be bottom'd. I ſay, in the actings of Faith eye Chriſt as a Sacrifice; for indeed this grace hath to do with him mainly and principally as dying and ſacrific'd: the Apoſtle ſpeaks of Faith in his blood Rom. 3.25. 'tis a bleeding, crucified Saviour that is the great and moſt proper object of Faith: true it takes in a whole Chriſt, all of Chriſt, his Nativity, holy Life, Reſurrection, Aſcenſion, Interceſſion &c. but that which it primarily and chiefly fixes upon is his death and paſſion. When a Soul is brought into Chriſt to cloſe with him in the way of believing, what of him is firſt in its eye in that act? is it a Chriſt as aſcending, as ſitting at the right hand of God, as interceding? no, (thus it beholds him for the after-encouragement and ſupport of Faith); but that which it firſt conſiders is a Chriſt as dying upon the Croſs, and ſo it layes hold upon him. And no wonder that 'tis ſo, ſince all the great bleſſings of the Goſpel do mainly flow from Chriſt's death; they are aſſur'd and apply'd by his Reſurrection, Aſcenſion and Interceſſion, but they were procur'd and purchas'd by his death (as the Scriptures abundantly ſhew, Rom. 5.9, 10. Eph. 1.7. et paſſim): now tnat which hath the moſt cauſal and moſt immediate influence upon theſe, that deſerves to be firſt and moſt eyed by Faith. Here's the difference 'twixt Faith and Love; this chiefly looks to the excellencies of Chriſt's Perſon, but that to the merit and efficacy of his Sacrifice. When the Apoſtle Gal. 2.20. had ſpoken ſo high of his Faith in the Son of God, he tells you in what notion he did therein conſider him, by adding who loved me and gave himſelf for me. The ſtung Iſraelite was to look upon the brazen Serpent as lifted up, and ſo he was healed; do you deſire to find healing, redemption, ſalvation by Chriſt? O look upon him as lifted up upon the Croſs, ſo all good ſhall come to you.

Further I ſay, let all your hope and confidence be bottom'd here: this is that firm rock which you muſt only build upon for pardon, peace with God, ſalvation, for all. Oh take heed of relying upon p. 552any thing beſides this Sacrifice; Gal. 6.14. God forbid that I ſhould glory ſave in the Croſs of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt: he that glory's or truſts in any thing beſides that, his glorying is vain. The forlorn undone Sinner ſhould be alwayes claſping and clinging about this Croſs, reſting upon the merit of Chriſt thereon, and upon that only; for all that hope will be but dying hope which is not ſolely bottom'd upon a dying Saviour. The**Quum ſis ipſe nocens moritur cur victima pro te? Stultitia eſt morte alterius ſperare ſalutem. Heathens could not believe that ever the death of Sacrifices ſhould do the guilty perſon good, they look'd upon it as folly to hope for life by anothers death: but (bleſſed be God) we ſee that which they did not! we firmly believe and ſteadily hope for expiation and Salvation by Chriſt's one offering of himſelf, and lay the ſole ſtreſs of our Faith and happineſs upon that which they counted folly. But let us be ſure we do not miſtake here, I mean let us indeed place our whole confidence in Chriſt's meritorious death, for if we rely partly upon that, and partly upon ſomething elſe, we ſpoyl all.

Goſpel-Conditions to be per formed on the Sinners part, notwithſtanding Chriſt's Sacrifice.5. Fifthly, you muſt ſo confide and relie upon Chriſt's one, moſt perfect, and all-ſufficient Sacrifice, as yet withal to be careful that you (on your part) do perform thoſe Goſpel-conditions which God enjoyns and requires of you, in order to remiſſion, juſtification, glorification: (this word of advice is ſo neceſſary that 'tis by no means to be paſſed over). Chriſtians! 'tis a thing of very high importance for you rightly to underſtand your ſelves in this matter; therefore take it thus: All your truſt and relyance is ſolely to be bottomed upon the Death and Sacrifice of the Lord Jeſus; but yet you can…ot regularly and warrantably act this truſt and relyance upon this …nly ground or foundation, unleſs in your own perſons you perform thoſe conditions which God preſcribes in his Word. The whole buſineſs of merit and ſatisfaction lies upon Chriſt, that is wholly out of your hands and only in his; but as to believing and repenting (the two grand Goſpel-conditions) they lie upon your ſelves, (I ſpeak with reſpect to the act, not to the power,) and muſt be done by your ſelves: yea, and the doing of theſe is as neceſſary on your part under the notion of Conditions, as ſuffering and dying was on Chriſt's part under the notion of merit. And 'tis moſt certain that the latter without the former will not profit you, becauſe Chriſt never deſign'd to impute or make over his merit to any, further than as they ſhould make good theſe Conditions of Faith and Repentance. We have here two dangerous rocks before us (and it muſt be our care and skill to ſhun both of them); the one is the ſetting of inherent grace or duty too high, as when we make it to ſhare p. 553with Chriſt in merit and truſt; the other is the ſetting of inherent grace or duty too low, as when upon the pretence of Chriſt's alone merit and full ſatisfaction, we quite throw it off and are altogether careleſs about it, as ſuppoſing it now to be a thing wholly unneceſſary: Now we are exceedingly prone to daſh upon the one or the other of theſe rocks; either we run our ſelves upon POPERY (in the former), or upon ANTINOMISM and LIBERTINISM (in the latter); O what need have all to beg the guidance of the unerring Spirit, that thereby they may eavenly ſteere betwixt both and avoid each extreams! which they ſhall moſt happily do, if Chriſt and his Sacrifice be only eyed by them in the way of relyance, and yet Holineſs, Obedience, Faith, Repentance have alſo that reſpect which is due to them as means and conditions. Much hath been ſaid concerning the perfection and ſufficiency of Chriſt's Sacrifice, that he hath thereby put away all ſin, fully expiated its guilt, perfected for ever them that are ſanctified &c. ſhall any now from hence infer that all is done by Chriſt, that the Creature hath nothing to do but only to receive the benefits prepared and purchaſed? God forbid! True, Chriſt's Sacrifice was perfect in ſuo genere but not in omni genere; 'twas perfect as to what was meritorious and ſatisfactory, ſo as to exclude all other Sacrifices and ſupplements whatſoever upon that account; but not ſo as to exclude all Conditions which God will have the Creature to perform: which though they can add nothing to the perfecting of the believers great Sacrifice, yet they do prepare and fit Sinners for the participation of the benefits merited thereby.

To inſtance in all theſe Conditions, or to enlarge upon any one of them, would be a long work; briefly therefore, as ever you deſire to be the better for a dying Saviour, to ſhare in the great and bleſſed effects of his Sacrifice, look to it that you repent and believe. O if you be found at laſt in the number of the impenitent and unbelieving, all that Chriſt hath done or ſuffered will be a very nothing to you; notwithſtanding all that you will eternally periſh. Here is indeed an expiatory Sacrifice, I but yet (as to you) no repentance, no expiation; here is Sin condemned by Chriſt's oblation of himſelf, I but yet if the Sinner doth not penitentially condemn …n in himſelf and himſelf for ſin, for all this hee'l be judicially condemned at the great day. The Scripture every where makes repentance the way to and condition of remiſſion of ſin, Acts 2.38. Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jeſus Chriſt, for the remiſſion of ſins & Acts 5.31. Him hath God exalted with p. 554his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Iſrael, and forgiveneſs of ſins: (with very many other places to this purpoſe). The Apoſtle having ſaid 1 Joh. 1.7. The blood of Jeſus Chriſt his Son cleanſeth us from all ſin; preſently ſubjoyns Verſ. 9. If we confeſs our ſins, he is faithful and juſt to forgive us our ſins, and to cleanſe us from all unrighteouſneſs: great is the efficacy of Chriſt's blood, but 'tis upon condition of the Sinners Repentance, if we confeſs our ſins &c. At the JEWISH anniverſary Expiation all the ſins of the people were by the Sacrifices done away, yet God would have them then to afflict their Souls Levit. 16.29. and the High Prieſt was (in their ſtead) to confeſs their iniquities and all their tranſgreſſions in all their ſins (Verſ. 21.): we under the Goſpel have our great expiation by the death of Chriſt, but this alſo muſt be attended with penitential abaſement and humilation. So likewiſe as to Faith: this too is a grace or condition indiſpenſably neceſſary to the partaking of the benefits of Chriſt's propitiatory Sacrifice. Therefore the Apoſtle (ſpeaking of propitiation) brings in our Faith as well as Chriſt's blood, it having an inſtrumental as well as that a meritorious influence thereupon; Rom. 3.25. Whom God hath ſet forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood &c. To the bleſſings of the new Covenant as the blood of Chriſt was neceſſary, that thereby there might be**Grotius de Sat. p. 141. impetration; ſo Faith alſo is neceſſary, that thereby there may be application. Our Lord's Sacrifice is every way ſufficient for atonement, yet he that believeth not, the wrath of God abideth on him, Joh. 3.36; ſo alſo 'tis ſufficient for expiation, yet 'tis only whoſoever believeth on him ſhall receive remiſſion of ſins, Acts 10.43. Under the Law the blood of the Sacrifice was to be ſo and ſo**Exod. 12.22. Heb. 9.19.Exod 12:22Heb 9:19 ſprinkled with a bunch of hyſſope, (to which cuſtom David alludes Pſal. 51.7. Purge me with hyſſop and I ſhall be clean): now anſwerably to this, Paul ſpeaks of the blood of ſprinkling Heb. 12.24. 'twas not enough for Chriſt only to ſhed his blood, but that muſt be ſprinkled upon the Sinner, how? why by Faith (which under the Goſpel anſwers to the hyſſop under the Law). Well! after our Saviours being an offering for ſin as we have nothing further to do but only (through Grace enabling of us)**Vid. Cameron. Miſc. p. 529. to perform theſe Evangelical conditions; ſo nothing leſs than that will ſerve our turn for a ſhare and intereſt in the great effects and fruits thereof.

Frequent application to be made to this Sacrifice.6. Sixthly, you are not to reſt in ſome one, ſingle application of your ſelves, or in the firſt application of your ſelves at your firſt believing to this great Sacrifice, for expiation and remiſſion; but you p. 555are to repeat and renew it daily. For though ('tis true) all the guilt of believers is removed thereby, yet that is done in this method, 'tis removed as 'tis contracted, and as the benefit of it is accordingly drawn forth by the freſh applications of it. O do not reſt in what you did at your firſt Converſion, but be you every day applying your ſelves to a ſacrific'd Chriſt! new guilt muſt have new pardons, and daily ſins call for daily expiations. 'Tis obſervable, that Chriſt is ſet forth not only by the yearly expiatory Sacrifices, or by thoſe that were but ſeldom offered; but alſo by the daily Sacrifices; Joh. 1.29. Behold the Lamb of God &c. We ſhould not lie down in our beds at night, before we have applyed our ſelves to a dying Chriſt, for the cleanſing of our perſons from the guilt of the ſins of the day paſt. Yea, we ſhould never go to God in duty but we ſhould revive upon our thoughts and make uſe of this Sacrifice: Under the Law the blood was to be ſprinkled even upon the Mercy-ſeat, Levit. 16.14. God ſits upon a Throne of Mercy, but even that requires the blood of Chriſt; no mercy from him, no acceptance with him can be expected, but upon the intervention of this Sacrifice.

God and Chriſt to be admired and adored upon this.7. Seventhly, Upon this Sacrifice and what followed thereupon God and Chriſt are highly to be admired and adored by you. This holy admiration hath been already again & again preſs'd upon you, under the foregoing gracious acts mention'd in the Text; but ſurely that (which is now before us) doth as much deſerve and call for it as they or any other whatſoever: Is God to be admired becauſe he ſent his own Son? becauſe he ſent this Son in fleſh? yea in the likeneſs of ſinful fleſh? and is he not to be admired alſo for his making of him to be a Sacrifice for ſin? and for the condemning of ſin in his fleſh? doubtleſs he is! What? Chriſt a Sacrifice? a Sacrifice for ſuch as we? ſuch great things brought about thereby? O what matter is here to draw out admiration! what ſo great, ſo wonderful as this! how much are the higheſt thoughts, the moſt raiſed affections below the greatneſs of this myſtery! It hath (my Brethren) been largely ſet before you, now I would ask How are your hearts affected with it? 'tis very ſad, if we can hear of ſuch ſtupendious mercy and yet be but little wrought upon under the hearing of it. Pray fancy to your ſelves what the Angels thought of this, what frame they were in when they ſaw the Son of God hanging and dying upon the Croſs (as an expiatory Sacrifice); Oh you may well ſuppoſe that it fill'd them with aſtoniſhment, they were even amaz'd at this ſtrange and wonderful ſpectacle; never p. 556ſuch wondring in Heaven as when the Lord Jeſus was thus ſuffering on earth: now ſhall that be little to you which was ſo great to them? ſhall they thus admire, and will you (who were moſt concern'd in the thing and the greateſt gainers by it) be ſtupid and unaffected? In Chriſt's being a Sacrifice God (on his part) hath diſplay'd and advanc'd all his Attributes, yea, they by this have received their utmoſt advancement; infinite Wiſdom, Juſtice, Holineſs, Mercy, could go no higher than a Chriſt crucifi'd: and (on your part) by this your work is done, your happineſs being every way ſecur'd and your miſery fully prevented; by this you are reconcil'd to God and God to you, condemning-ſin is condemn'd it-ſelf, all its guilt expiated, the righteouſneſs of the Law fulfill'd &c. by a ſtrange and unthought-of method God hath fetch'd the greateſt good out of the greateſt evil, by Chriſt's dying you live: all which being conſidered, is there not ſufficient ground why you (and all) ſhould admire and adore God? And (amongſt other things) pray in ſpecial admire his love, his tranſcendent, ſuperlative, matchleſs love: what manner of love was this that God ſhould give his Son to be a ſacrifice for you! 1 Joh. 4.10. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and ſent his Son to be the propitiation for our ſins. Rom. 5.8. But God commendeth his love towards us, in that while we were yet ſinners, Chriſt died for us. Had not Chriſt been a perſon infinitely dear to God, the thing had not been ſo much; but that he ſhould devote him to be ſacrific'd whom he ſo dearly lov'd, there's the incomprehenſibleneſs of his love. 'Tis reported of the PHOENICIANS that in their Sacrifices they did not uſe to Sacrifice an enemy or a ſtranger, but**Porphyr. do Abſtin. l. 2. foreign ſome one that they had a ſpecial love for: this I'm ſure was done by God in his giving of the Son of his love to be a Sacrifice for us; therefore what admiration can be high enough for him! When**Gen. 22.10. &c.Gen 22:10 Abrahaham had the knife in his hand and was juſt going to offer his Son Iſaac, God ſtop'd his hand, and provided a cheaper Sacrifice for him: this was more than what he did for his own Son, him he would have to be offered up, and would admit of no other Sacrifice; and when the hand of Juſtice was lifted up, ready to deſtroy us, then God (to ſecure us) interpos'd and found out a Sacrifice of propitiation, not a Ram but his only begotten Son: O the heights, bredths, lengths, depths of his love!

And muſt not Chriſt be admired alſo? ſurely yes! was not his love too admirable as well as the Fathers? Oh well might the Apoſtle ſay Gal. 2.20. Who loved me, and gave himſelf for me: p. 557Eph. 5.2. And walk in love, as Chriſt alſo hath loved us, and hath given himſelf for us, an offering and a ſacrifice to God for a ſweet ſmelling ſavour: Verſ. 25.—as Chriſt alſo loved the Church and gave himſelf for it. Rev. 1.5. Ʋnto him that loved us, and waſhed us from our ſins in his own blood: this was loving indeed! When the**Joh. 11.36.John 11:36 JEWS ſaw Jeſus weeping over LAZARƲS, they ſaid, Behold how he loved him! but (alas!) what was Chriſts weeping over him to his dying for us! what was the ſhedding of a few tears to the ſhedding of his blood! how may we come with a more emphatical Behold, behold how he loved us! He that**2 Cor. 5.21.2 Cor 5:21 knew no ſin was willing to be made ſin, ††1 Pet. 2.24.1 Pet 2:24to bear our ſins in his own body vponupon the tree, to put himſelf in our ſtead, yea to die in our ſtead, for our ſakes to be‖‖Phil. 2.8.Phil 2:8 obedient to death even the death of the Croſs, to let out his precious blood for the expiation of ſin (when nothing elſe would do it), and when all Moſaical Sacrifices were weak he (by a far higher Sacrifice) undertook the work,**Heb. 10.7.Heb 10:7 Lo, I come to do thy will, O God: was not here love? even love††Eph. 3.19.Eph 3:19 paſſing knowledge? ſuch high affection on his part ſhould draw out high admiration on our part.

Let me here add, we ſhould ſo admire God and Chriſt as to love them and to be thankful: Have they‖‖Joh. 3.16.John 3:16 ſo loved us and ſhall not we return love for love? what monſters and prodigies ſhall we be, if after ſuch a manifeſtation of their love to us there be not reciprocation of our love to them! God deſign'd and prepar'd the Sacrifice, therefore he muſt have our love; Chriſt was the Sacrifice, therefore he muſt have our love too: both deſerve it, both muſt have it. Joh. 10.17. Therefore doth my Father love me, becauſe I lay down my life—; now doth the Father love him for this, and ſhall not we much more? did we but think of this Sacrifice and hold our hearts cloſe to it in holy meditation, ſurely it would cauſe them to love Chriſt!

Then (I ſay) be thankful; yea, let your whole Soul upon this go out in thankfulneſs; be ever praiſing, magnifying God for his unſpeakable mercy in Chriſt your Sacrifice, your Redeemer, your Saviour: often call upon your ſluggiſh hearts and ſay, Bleſs the Lord, O my Soul, and all that is within me bleſs his holy name. Did God**Rom. 3.25.Rom 3:25 ſet forth Chriſt to be a propitiation? did he††Iſa. 53.5, 6.Isa 53:5Isa 53:6 lay upon him the iniquities of you all? was the chaſtiſement of your peace upon him, and by his ſtripes are you healed? that guilt and wrath which would have ruin'd you for ever, are they now both done away, ſo as that they ſhall never hurt you? did Chriſt p. 558die **Mediator noſter puniri pro ſeipſo non debuit, quia nullum culpae contagium perpetravit: Sed ſi ipſe indebitam mortem non ſuſciperet, nunquam nos à debitâ morte liberaret. Gregor. l. 3. moral. c. 13.that you might not die, but live for ever? did you ſin and he ſuffer? was the † innocent perſon puniſhed that the guilty might be acquitted? was ſin condemned for you who deſerv'd to be condemn'd for it? what praiſe and admiration can be high enough for ſuch things as theſe! The JEWS in the day of atonement were to make the trumpet ſound throughout their land, Lev. 25.9. So we, having received the atonement by Chriſt's Sacrifice ſhould evermore be ſounding forth the praiſes of the moſt high. You reade of the Elders Rev. 5.8. &c. they fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of Saints: And they ſang a new ſon, ſaying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the ſeals thereof; for thou waſt ſlain, and haſt redeemed us to God by thy blood &c.**Peccat iniquus & punitur juſtus; delinquit reus & vapulat innocens; offendit impius & damnatur pius; quod meretur malus patitur bonus, &c. Quò Nate Dei, quò tua deſcendit humilitas? quo tua flagravit charitas? &c. Ego iniquè egi, tu poenâ mulctaris; ego facinus admiſi, tu ultione plecteris &c.—Me ad illicitam concupiſcentiam rapuit arbor, te perfecta charitas duxit ad crucem; ego praeſumſi vetitum, tu ſubiiſti aculeum, &c. Auguſt. in Queſt. in V. & N. Teſtam. Qu. 55. Chriſtians! why are not your harps alwayes in your hands? why are not your Souls alwayes full of holy affections (as the golden Vials full of odours), in the remembrance of him who was ſlain and ſacrific'd for you?

Chriſt having offered his Sacrifice, we are to offer ours.8. Laſtly, Do you offer to God the Sacrifices proper to you as Chriſt offered to God the Sacrifice proper to him. For expiatory Sacrifices, as you need them not (Chriſt's one Sacrifice being every way ſufficient for that end), ſo you are not able to come up to them (for you can preſent nothing to God properly and formally expiatory); yet there are other Sacrifices which you may offer up to him: And though the external and fleſhly Sacrifices of the Law are out of date, yet there are the internal and ſpiritual Sacrifices of the Goſpel, which you now are as much oblig'd to obſerve and offer as ever the JEWS were the former. What are they? why, you are to preſent your ſelves, your bodies, Souls, the whole man, a living Sacrifice, holy, and acceptable to God, Rom. 12.1. you are to dedicate your perſons to Chriſt, ſo as to live to him who dy'd for you 2 Cor. 5.15. yea, ſo as to be ready to be offered in ſacrifice, by dying for him, (to allude to that Phil. 2.17.). You are as an holy Prieſthood, to offer up ſpiritual Sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jeſus Chriſt, 1 Pet. 2.5. (which ſpiritual Sacrifices are ſpiritual Dutys and Evangelical Worſhip, propheſy'd of Mal. 1.11.—in every place incenſe ſhall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering): Here p. 559come in**Oratio purè directa de corde fideli, tanquam de arâ Sanctâ ſurgit incenſum. Auguſt. in Pſal 141.Ps 141 Prayer and Praiſe, thoſe two eminent Sacrifices under the Goſpel; Pſal. 141.2. Let my Prayer be ſet forth before thee as Incenſe: and the lifting up of my hands as the evening Sacrifice: Pſal. 116.17. I will offer to thee the ſacrifice of thanksgiving: and will call upon the name of the Lord: (ſo Pſal. 107.22. Pſal. 54.6.) Heb. 13.15. By him therefore let us offer the ſacrifice of praiſe to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name: this is ſet forth as here by the fruit of the lips ſo elſewhere by the free-will-offerings of the mouth Pſal. 119.108. by rendring the calves of our lips Hoſ. 14.2. And for the pleaſingneſs of this to God above all the Levitical Sacrifices, ſee Pſal. 50.13, 14. Pſal. 69.30, 31. O this is a Sacrifice which we ſhould often be offering up to God through Chriſt Jeſus. Another Evangelical Sacrifice is a broken Spirit; than which (next to a broken Chriſt) nothing more acceptable to God: Pſal. 51.16, 17. For thou deſireſt not ſacrifice, elſe would I give it, thou delighteſt not in burnt-offering: The ſacrifices of God are a broken ſpirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not deſpiſe. So alſo bounty to the poor diſtreſſed Saints, this is an odour of ſweet ſmell, a ſacrifice acceptable, well pleaſing to God, Phil. 4.18. But to do good and to communicate forget not, for with ſuch ſacrifices God is well pleas'd, Heb. 13.16. And (to ſumme up all) holineſs of heart and life that's an excellent Sacrifice, excelling all the old Law Sacrifices whatſoever; 1 Sam. 15.22. Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt-offerings and ſacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey, is better than ſacrifice; and to hearken, than the fat of rams. Micah. 6.6, 7, 8. Wherewith ſhall I come before the Lord, and bow my ſelf before the high God? ſhall I come before him with burnt-offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleaſed with thouſands of Rams, or with ten thouſands of rivers of oyl? ſhall I give my firſt-born for my tranſgreſſion, the fruit of my body, for the ſin of my ſoul. He hath ſhewed thee, O man, what is good: and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do juſtly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? The**Vis Deos propitiare? bonus eſto. Satis illos coluit quiſquis imitatus eſt. Senec. Ep. 9.5. Non immolationibus & ſanguine multo colendus eſt Deus; ſed mente purâ, bono honeſtó que propoſito. Idem. foreign. Porphyr. foreign. l. 2. p. 62. foreign. Ariſt. Rhet. l. 3. (with many more in Stuck. de Sacrif. p. 153. col. 2. Saubert. de Sac. c. 1. p. 4.). HEATHENS themſelves, upon the light of Nature, look'd upon moral goodneſs as the beſt and moſt acceptable Sacrifice; I'me ſure Evangelical Holineſs is ſo. The wickedneſs of the Jews made God even to p. 560abhorre and ſlight the Sacrifices which were inſtituted by himſelf; (as we find Iſa. 1.11. &c. Iſa. 66.3. Jer. 6.20.—7.21. &c. Amos 5.21, 22.): if we live in ſin, we may offer this and that to God but 'tis all nothing, nay that makes all our Sacrifices an abomination to him, Prov. 15.8.—Oh live the holy life, keep the heart pure, mortifie whatever is evil, do good, ſhun all exceſſes, be heavenly in your affections, in all things act in complyance with God's Nature and Will, &c. this will pleaſe him more than the moſt coſtly oblations which you can bring to him. Theſe are the Sacrifices which now under the Goſpel we are to offer; and ſurely we ſhould offer them with all readineſs and faithfulneſs: our Lord having ſubmitted to the bloody Sacrifice of himſelf on the Croſs, and left us none but theſe eaſie and delightful Sacrifices, how reareadily ſhould we cloſe with them! (But ſo much for this Ʋſe.)

A third ſhall put an end to this Subject, and that is of Comfort. Was Chriſt a Sacrifice for ſin? Ʋſe 3. For Comfort to Believers.did he thereby condemn ſin? what doth this Truth drop but honey and ſweetneſs to them who are in Chriſt! (I ſay, to them who are in Chriſt; for they are the perſons only who can lay hold upon the grace contain'd in it: as the non-condemnation of the perſon in the firſt verſe, ſo the condemnation of ſin in this belongs only to ſuch). You that are in the number of theſe to you I bring glad tydings, matter of great joy: out of the bitter comes ſweet; for Chriſt to do die as a Sacrifice this was bitter to him but 'tis ſweet to you: his death, paſſion, and whole humilation ſpeak nothing to you but conſolation. Oh did Believers (eſpecially ſuch as are under a troubled ſpirit) but better underſtand and better improve this ſin-condemning Sacrifice, they would certainly have more of inward peace and comfort than now they have. I muſt not in fiſt upon the particular and full drawing out of that conſolatory matter which it affords; therefore ſhall conclude with a brief review only of what the Text offers.

And ſo 1. here's a Sacrifice for ſin. All men in ADAM having ſinned wilfully, after that they had receiv'd the knowledge of the truth, there might have been no Sacrifice for their ſin (to allude to that Heb. 10.26.); but the gracious God notwithſtanding all this was pleas'd to admit of a Sacrifice; yea, himſelf to find out and ordain that Sacrifice; here's matter of comfort.

2. Chriſt himſelf was this Sacrifice. And if ſo, how pleaſing muſt it needs be to God! Eph. 5.2.—and hath given himſelf for us, an offering and a Sacrifice to God for a ſweet-ſmelling ſavour: I tell you, there was infinitely more in this one Sacrifice to pleaſe God p. 561than there is in all your ſins (put them all together) to diſpleaſe God. If Chriſt be the Sacrifice, there muſt be an infinite efficacy and merit in it; from the dignity of his perſon an infiniteneſs of merit muſt needs reſult: if he will die and ſhed his blood what can be too high for you? ſurely too there's more in his Offering to ſave you than there is in Sin to damn you. If he be the Sacrifice, no queſtion but the Father did accept of it: and indeed of this he hath given ſufficient evidence to the world; not only by his carriage towards the Saints, but alſo (and chiefly) by his carriage towards Chriſt himſelf: for whereas of old he was wont to teſtifie his acceptation of the Sacrifices, by conſuming them by fire from heaven. (Gen. 15.17. Levit. 9.24. Judg. 6.21. 2 Chron. 7.1.); here (with reſpect to Chriſt's Sacrifice) he teſtify'd his acceptance in an higher way, viz. by raiſing him from the dead, taking him up to heaven, re-admiting him into his preſence, and ſetting him at his Son, had he not been well-pleaſed with his perſon and oblation? Oh there's a convincing evidence of this in his going to the Father, Joh. 16.8, 10. By this Sacrifice (thus accepted) you are made perfect, (as you have often heard out of Heb. 10.14, 18.); there's nothing now to be done by Chriſt or by you, but only to apply and improve what he hath already done: is not this ground of ſtrong conſolation? And know further (for your comfort), that the vertue of Chriſt's Offering is as great now as it was at the firſt; his blood is as effectual with God for your good now as it was when it was juſt running warm from his veins, and**Adeò magnum eſt hoc Sacrificium, ut quamvis unum ſit & ſemel oblatum, ſufficiat ad aeternitatem, Anſelm. ſo it ſhall be to the end of the world. And that he may make the beſt of it he is entred into the holy place, where 'tis his buſineſs to preſent and plead the merit thereof; he back's his oblation on earth with his interceſſion in heaven: and what can be ſpoken higher for your ſupport & comfort! he that was the Sacrifice here is the Advocate there.

3. By this Sacrifice Sin was condemn'd. Sin condemn'd? what a word is that! that which would have condemned you, and which only can condemn you, that is by Chriſt condemn'd it-ſelf; condemning ſin is condemn'd by a condemned Saviour: And ſhall it be condemn'd and you too? ſhall Chriſt ſuffer the penalty due to it and you too? O no! as God was juſt to puniſh it once ſo he is gracious (and juſt too) not to puniſh it twice. What this condemning of ſin is you have heard: if you follow the word the comfort lies thus, a condemnatory Sentence is by God upon Chriſt's account paſs'd upon it, he hath adjudg'd it to die for all the miſchiefes p. 562done by it, both againſt himſelf and againſt you too; this curſed Tyrant, this heinous Malefactor is under a ſentence to be cut off, that it may no longer either diſhonour God or hurt you: and ſhould not you rejoyce in this? who fears a condemn'd perſon? what do the accuſations of a condemn'd man ſignifie? ſin is a condemned thing, fear it not. If you leave the Word and come to the main import of it, then the comfort lies thus; the guilt of all your ſins is fully done away and expiated by Chriſt's Sacrifice; this Lamb of God (as offered) hath taken it all away; his blood hath cleanſed you from all ſin; your Scape-goat hath carried all your iniquities into the land of forgetfulneſs. Oh your guilt was charg'd upon Chriſt, and it ſhall not be charg'd upon you too; you are to mourn over it, but yet know he hath fully ſatisfied for it: what would you have more? You have in the former Verſe the power of ſin aboliſh'd by the Law of the Spirit, in this, the guilt of ſin aboliſhed by the Sacrifice of Chriſt; O how compleat is your redemption! the plaiſter is every way as large as the ſore. What holy triumphs may you now make over all which may ſeem to endanger you! Rom. 8.34. Who is he that condemneth? it is Chriſt that **Mortuum Caeſarem quis metuat? ſed morte Chriſti quid efficacius? Cyprian. de dupl. Martyrio.died &c.

4. Obſerve 'tis Sin that was condemn'd: The Apoſtle ſpeaks of it in the lump and maſs, and ſo (he ſaith) 'tis expiated. Our Lord's Sacrifice did not take off the guilt of this or that particular ſin, but of all ſin; his expiation was totall and univerſal: Under the Law-Sacrifices the blood was to be ſprinkled**Levit. 16.19.Lev 16:19 ſeven times, thereby to prefigure the thoroughneſs and perfection of the expiation of ſin by Chriſt's Sacrifice.

5. This is brought in as God's act: God ſent his own Son and for ſin condemned ſin. He that was the perſona laeſa, the injur'd perſon, the just Judge, againſt whom ſin was committed, and who therefore was to puniſh it, he who is the ſupream and authoritative Agent in and about the great concerns of Souls; he appointed Chriſt to be a Sacrifice, owned and accepted his ſacrifice, and upon that acquits Sinners from all guilt; Oh there's much in this to encourage the drooping Chriſtian. Rom. 8.33. Who ſhall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect? it is God that juſtifieth. The Father cannot but be well-pleaſed with Chriſt's propitiatory Sacrifice, ſince this was of himſelf; Rom. 3.25. Whom God hath ſet forth to be a propitiation &c.

6. This was done too in Chriſt's Fleſh, (which alſo hath great ſweetneſs in it). 'Tis added (ſaith**Deodat. inloc. One) for our further aſſurance, to the end that we may not doubt of the forgiveneſs of our ſins, p. 563which are deſtroy'd in our proper Nature which the Son of God took upon him: Had Chriſt done and ſuffered what he did in the Nature of Angels, we might have queſtion'd whether any good would thereby have accrued to us; but all being done in**Addit Paulus in came, quo certior ſit noſtra fiducia, dum videmus peccatum in ipsâ Naturâ noſtrâ fuiſſe devictum & abolitum; ſic enim ſequitur, naturam noſtram vere fieri participem ejus victoriae. Calvin. our Nature ſurely he did it for us, and we ſhall reap the benefit thereof.

7. To all this let me add one thing further (and 'tis a great one), namely That by this Sacrifice of Chriſt you have not only the bare condemnation or expiation of ſin, but with that you alſo have a right and title unto, and collation of all Goſpel-bleſſings and priviledges whatſoever. Was it only the taking off of guilt, and the appeaſing of divine wrath, that would be very much; but over and beyond theſe there is (Chriſt's active fulfilling the Law being taken in) a poſitive righteouſneſs made over to you, an intereſt in God's fatherly love, the purchaſe of Heaven; (and in this ſenſe we are for a redundancy of Chriſt's merit). The benefits of Chriſt's Sacrifice to Believers are not only thoſe which are privative (ſuch wherein they are freed from all evil), but there are alſo thoſe which are poſitive, ſuch wherein they are intitled to and inſtated in the poſſeſſion of all good; yea, even of the heavenly bleſſedneſs it ſelf: Heb. 5.9. And being made perfect, he became the Author of eternal ſalvation unto all them that obey him. Heb. 9.12.—having obtained eternal redemption for us; (it comes in as the effect of Chriſt's blood and Sacrifice). In his great undertaking to redeem and ſave Sinners, we may ſuppoſe him to have two things in his eye; the one was that he ſhould have a people in the world; the other was that through him this people ſhould partake of all bleſſings requiſite to their happineſs: now both of theſe were effected and ſecured by his Sacrifice. As to the firſt that was made ſure by this, according to that promiſe or prediction Iſa. 53.10, 11.—When thou ſhalt make his ſoul an offering for ſin, he ſhall ſee his ſeed, &c. He ſhall ſee of the travel of his ſoul, and ſhall be ſatisfied: in relyance upon which he himſelf ſaid, And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me, Joh. 12.32. and that upon his death and Sacrifice he had a people, and a numerous people too, the Evangelical Hiſtory doth abundantly teſtifie. Then as to the ſecond that alſo was promoted and ſecured by his Sacrifice, inaſmuch as thereby the Covenant of Grace (the ſummary of all bleſſings) was ratify'd and confirmed. 'Twas an**—Et caesâ jungebant foedera portâ. Virgil. See Mr. Medo on Mal. 1.11.Mal 1:11 ancient cuſtom uſed amongſt men at p. 564the ſanction and ratification of their Covenants to make uſe of Sacrifices, (as we find Gen. 21.22, 23, 24, &c. Jer. 34.18. Exod. 34.7, 8. in alluſion to which cuſtom 'tis ſaid Pſal. 50.5 Gather my Saints together unto me, thoſe that have made a Covenant with me by Sacrifice: Anſwerably now to this Chriſt by his Sacrifice confirm'd and ratify'd the Covenant of Grace 'twixt God and Believers; wherefore he ſaid, This cup is the new Teſtament in my blood (i.e. the ſeal and ratification of the new-Covenant) Matth. 26.28. 1 Cor. 11.25. and the Apoſtle doth in ſpecial inſiſt upon this in Heb. 9.15, 16, &c. Well then, by Chriſt's Sacrifice (the blood of the Covenant as 'tis called Zech. 9.11.) all bleſſings whatſoever are inſured and made over to God's people: and if ſo, is not that a ſufficient ground of comfort to ſuch? What ſhall I ſay? if the atoning of an angry God, the waſhing away of all ſin, the fulfilling of a righteous Law, the ſatisfying of infinite Juſtice, the ratification of the Covenant of Grace, the purchaſe of Heaven; if there be any thing in all theſe things (as ſurely there is) to promote ſpiritual joy, you have them all by this great Sacrifice: therefore rejoyce, and again I ſay rejoyce. So much for this Head! which I very well know I might have diſpatch'd with much more brevity, but it containing that matter in it which is not commonly ſo fully opened, and which is of ſo high concern to us, therefore I have been thus large upon it.