Christ Crucified, Sermon 38
SERMON XXXVIII.
ISAIAH LIII.X.
Verſe 10. When thou ſhalt make his ſoul an offering for ſin, be ſhall ſee his ſeed, he ſhall prolong his dayes, and the pleaſure of the Lord ſhall proſper in his hand.
SIn was eaſily brought into the World, a little buſineſſe brought in Sin, and the Curſe and Wrath of God with it; and without any great difficulty, Men can continue in Sin, and lye under Gods Wrath and Curſe; but the taking away of Sin; and the Satisfying of the Juſtice of God for it, is no eaſie matter; (that if we may ſo ſpeak,) did put Heaven and Earth both to it; There was ſuch a contrivance of this way, and ſuch a mean choſen, and made uſe of, that Sin might be removed, and the Curſe taken away, as the like was never heard of.
The Intimation and Manifeſtation of this Way, is in the firſt part of this Verſe, Yet it pleaſed the Lord to bruiſe him; In Gods Council, and by His Pleaſure it was Contrived, and the Way found out; and the Mean is ſet down, in theſe Words, When thou ſhalt make his ſoul an offering for ſin; The Mediator, even he who was the Spotleſs Lamb of God, in whoſe Mouth was found no Guile, was bruiſed, and put to ſad Suffering, to get this Effectuat; That the Curſe might be removed from Sinners, He was made the Sin-offering.
We ſhew that Jeſus Chriſt is the only Sin-offering, by which Sin is taken away; and that it is implyed here; So that it is denyed to all other Things, or Means to have any Effecacie, Vertue, or Merit in them, as to the removing of Sin, and the Curſe brought on by it; this is, I ſay, ſo peculiarly applyed to Chriſt's Offering; that it is denyed to every thing elſe; which ſhews 1. How much Sinners are oblidged to Chriſt, who, when no other thing could do it, interpoſed Himſelf. 2. The neceſſity of making uſe of this one Offering, without which never Soul can be Perfected or Saved: He is the alone Foundation of Sinners Peace, and of all the Conſolation that they can have in the Promiſes of God.
Now to proceed, and to hint at ſome few things more from the Words; wherein the End and Nature of Chriſt's Sufferings are ſet forth: He in His Suffering, and Offering up of Himſelf; did ſtep into the Room of the Sinfull Elect, that by Juſtice exacting of Him the Debt that was due by them; they might eſcape, and be ſet free; Hence Obſerve. 1. That when there was no other Thing, nor Mean, that could ſufficiently ſatisfie Divine Juſtice, or be a Sacrifice for Sin; Our Lord ſtepped to, and undertook, and became the Sacrifice to take away Sin; according to that often cited Pſal. 40.7▪ 8. Sacrifice, and offering thou didſt not deſire, in burnt offering thou hadst no pleaſure: He is not ſpeaking of what God required in the Law, as Typicall; for He required Sacrifices and Offerings in that reſpect; but not to be a Propitiation for the Sins of the Elect World, becauſe they could not do it; and then follows, Lo I come, or I am here: mine ear hast thou bored, It is Heb. 10: A body haſt thou given unto me: which ſets out His being put in a Capacity to be a Sacrifice; I delight to do thy will, O my God. Here there are theſe Four Things implyed. 1. A lyableneſs in the Elect to the Juſtice of God for Sin; and as to all other Means and Wayes of Relief, but by this One Sacrifice, a Diſperatneſs and Impoſſibility; and conſidering the Sentence, which God had Pronunced; The day thou eats, thou ſhalt ſurely die: And curſed is every one that continues not in all things written in the Law to do them; No Sacrifice can be accepted but this only; Thouſands of Rams, and ten thouſands of Rivers of Oyl have no acceſs; He did not in that reſpect, require theſe, neither would He capitulat on theſe Terms. 2. That when no other Sacrifice could do the turn, Chriſt Jeſus came in, and was content to interpoſe, and to be the Sacrifice for Sin, Lo, ſaith He, I come, I am here ready to Satisfie for my Elect People; For this is an Old Deſign, and He had undertaken from Eternity to carry it on. 3. There is implyed here a great Willingneſſe, a Delightſome, and Heartſome Condeſcending in the Mediator, to be the Sacrifice, He ſteps in affectionatly, in the Room of the Elect, as the Sacrifice for them, to receive the Stroak of Juſtice, that they may eſcape and go free. I delight to do thy will, O my God: This is Gods Will, as to the Work of Redemption, as it is, John 6.38. I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that ſent me. And John 17.4. I have finiſhed the work thou gaveſt me to do; That will and this work is all one; And Heb, 10. It's ſaid by which (or by this) will we are ſanctified. 4. The Fathers admitting and accepting of Him, to Interpoſe in the Room of them, for whom He Offered Himſelf, is implyed here; for otherwayes His Offering up of Himſelf, could not have been a Sacrifice Satisfactory to Juſtice, if the Lord Jehovah had not been content ſo far, to …el…xe His Threatning, and Curſe, in reference to the Partie Offending? as to admit o… a cautioner, in the Room of the Dyvour Sinners, to Satisfie for them; of which Satisfaction He accepted: All theſe things put together, make Chriſt's Interpoſing Himſelf as a Sacrifice, and Surity compleat; I delight to do thy will, ſuppoſes not only God's pleaſure, that He ſhould Interpoſe, but His accepting of His Interpoſing: And this is, (to ſpeak ſo) the Flooring, and Founda ion of the Work of Redemption; The S ntence ſtands over the Elect's Head, Curſed are the Guilty, Chriſt comes in and I…terpoſes Cheerfu ly to take on the Debt, and ſayes, here I am, Let the Curſe fall on me, and let Satisfaction be taken from Me; And this being Offered according to God's Will, it is accepted, and Chriſt's Satisfaction becomes an Offering in their Room.
Uſe. See here a deſperat Condition wherein, by Nature, we are all lying; it ſets us well, in ſpeaking of Grace, to take a view of what we were: And it ſhews how much Sinners are in Chriſt's Debt and Common, that Interpoſed for us, in this condition. Could we ſuitably make inquiry what caſe we were in, under the hand of Juſtice, and it's Stroak ready to light on us; And could we behold our Lord Jeſus Chriſt Interpoſing for us, and the Sword of Juſtice awaking againſt Him, and ſmiting Him for us; and the Lord Jehovah accepting of His Interpoſing, and making His Soul an Offering for Sin; And Him Willingly; and Delightſomly Offering up Himſelf in our Room; we would ſee our obligation to God, who was pleaſed to contrive, admit, and accept of this Way, and Mean of our Redemption; And could we conſider, what a…vantages we have by this Redemption; and what it coſt Chriſt to obtain it; we would ſee our ſelves much, unſpeakably much in His Debt: The day is coming, when it will be thought a favour, and when the Sweet Effects of it ſhall be made fully forthcoming to them, that now Cordially cloſe with it; And when the Fruit of Diſpiſing it ſhall be found to be bitter like Gall, and Wormwood.
2. From it's being ſaid, when thou ſhalt make; Or, when His Soul ſhall make it ſelf, or He Himſelf ſhall make Himſelf an offering for ſin; Obſerve, That as Chriſt undertook, and by undertaking, Interpoſed to come in Sinners Room, to Satisfie for their Sins; So His Death and S…fferings are really the performing of that und…r…aking; And His Death an… Sufferings are ſo to be looked on, and conſidered by us. as an Offering for Sin; or thus, Chriſt's Death is the Sin-…ff …ing, that Satisfi…d▪ the Juſtice of God, in t…e Room of …lect Sinners; This is the Sum, or Compend of all that is ſpoken of His Sufferings; If then it be aſked, what meaned they all? Here it is, He was made a Sin-offering; we ſhall clear it a little in theſe three, or four Parts, or Branches. 1. Chriſt is properly a Sin-offering, or a Sacrifice for Sin; He is properly the Propitiatory Sacrifice for Sin; That Satisfice the Juſtice of God for the Sins of the Elect. 2. This Sacrifice was eſpecially Offered by …im, in His Death, and Sufferings, It's His Suffering, and Humiliation that is moſt properly this Sacrifice, for i…'s that which is related here. 3. That by Chriſt's Offering up of Himſelf, He was not only outwardly Pi…ched, but His Soul was deeply affected, and troubled; In Satisfyin… the Sin-revenging Juſtice of God, both His Soul and Body were Straitned, and Streſſed. 4 By His Suffering, there is a Sufficient Satisfaction given to Juſtice, for the Sins of His People, a Propitiation, or Propitiatory Sacrifice, that makes God Propititious to Elect Sinners; as in Satisfying the Juſtice of God for Sin; all other things are denyed to have a hand; So there is a ſufficient Efficacy, and Worth in this …acrifice to do the turn: and by God it is accepted as ſuch, And ſo there is a fair way m…de to them, for whom He Off…rs this Sacrifice to eſcape Sin, and the Wrath and Curſe of God; and to be ſet free.
As for the Firſt of theſe, to wit, That our Lord Jeſus, in His Dying▪ and Suffering, was Properly the Propitiatory Sacrifice; or is Properly a Propitiatory Sacrifice for the taking away of Sin? To clear it alittle, we would conſider. 1. That Sacrifices are ſundry wayes taken in Scripture. 1. Sometimes they are taken improperly for Duties; as Alms, Prayers, Praiſes, &c. Pſal. 51. The ſacrifice of a broken heart thou wilt not diſpiſe? So alſo Heb. 13.15, 16. 2. They are taken more properly for ſuch Sacrifices as were Offered under the Law; as of Bullocks, Lambs Rams, and Goats; yet none of theſe was the true Propitiatory Sacrifice, as is clear, Heb. 10.4. It was impoſſible that the blood of bulls, and goats could take away ſin. But Chriſt's Sacrifice is properly the Propitiatory Sacrifice; It being by this Sacrifice, that Believers under the Old Teſtament became part…kers of Redemption, and obtained Remiſſion of Sins, as well as Believers do now under the New; If it be then aſked? What is neceſſary to a Sacrifice properly ſo taken? I anſwer theſe four things, (all which we will find to be in Chriſt's Sacrifice) 1. That there be ſome thing, or matter ſet a part to be Offered to God, in the Room of ſome other thing, as it was in the Typicall Sacrifices. 2. That there be ſome appointed to offer the Sacrifice; that there be ſome ſet a part for that very thing. 3. That there be a Killing, or Deſtroying of the thing that is Offered in a Sacrifice; which eſpecially, in the Sin-offering was neceſſary; to wit, that it ſhould be Kil…ed, or Deſtroyed; as we ſee in Exod. 29. and Leviticus frequently; This had a Signification, and the Lord would thereby point out Mans great guilt, and the neceſſity of a Mediator, in Order to the obtaining of Pardon; for there could be no Remiſſion, or Pardon of Sin without Blood; as it is, Heb. 9.22. Therefore the Sinner behoved either to die himſelf, or to have another to die for him, and in his Room. 4. The Sacrifice behoved to be Offered according to the manner preſcribed by God, as to all the Rites and Cerimonies injoyned. Now we may ſee all …ſe in Chriſt's Sacrifice; For 1. He Himſelf is the Sacrifice, Heb. 7.26. Heb. 9.26. Heb. 10.10. And …requently elſewhere, in that Epiſtle, and 1. Pet. 2.24. Who his own ſelf bare our ſins, in his own body on the tree; And when He had Offered up Himſelf as a Sacrifice, he ſat down on the right hand of majeſty on high; He is the alone Sacrifice, that comes properly in the Room of Elect Sinners. 2. As there behoved to be One, to Offer the Sacrifice, ſo Chriſt Jeſus is the Prieſt, that Offered up the Sacrifice of Himſelf: He is not only the Sacrifice, but the Prieſt; And in this He differed from other Prieſts, Heb. 7.26. Such an high Prieſt became us, who is holy, harmleſs, ſeperat from ſinners, and made higher then the heavens; and then follows, who needs not dayly, as theſe high prieſts, to offer up ſacrifices; firſt for their own ſins, and then for the ſins of the people; for this he did once, when he offered up himſelf. There are three things ordinarly Attributed to Chriſt, as to His Sacrifice, to wit, That He was the Sacrifice, the Altar, and the Prieſt; 1. He was the Sacrifice, in reſpect of His Humane Nature, which we are not ſo to look upon, as Abſtracting, and Dividing it from His Divine Nature; For though He Suffered in the Fleſh, yet it was the ſame Perſon, that was God that Suffered. 2, He was the Altar, by which His Sacrifice received a ſpeciall Efficacy, Vertue, Value, and Commendation; As it's ſaid, The Altar ſanctifies the offering: So Chriſt Jeſus, according to His God-head, was the Altar, which did put an ſpecial excellency on His Sufferings, and made them to be of ſuch Worth and Value; Therefore, Heb. 9.14. It's ſaid, that he through the eternal ſpirit offered up himſelf without ſpot unto God; It was the Suffering of the Perſon that was God, that made the Sacrifice to be accepted. 3. He was the Prieſt, and that according to both His Naturs, each Nature concurring, and that joyntly, as in one Perſon, to the making of the S…crifice Offered up to God acceptable. 3. We have in Him a reall deſtruction, but do not miſtake the Word; It is not ſo to be underſtood, as if He were annihilated, or had been utterly deſtroyed, and undone; but the meaning is this, That He was Killed, or put to Death, and His Soul ſeperat from His Body: in which reſpect, He ceaſed to be what He was before for a time; having been really Slain; Dead and Buried. And 4. All this was according to God's preſcription, and appointment, in the Covenant of Redemption; This commandement, (ſaith He, John 10.18.) have I received of my Father, to wit, that I ſhould lay down my life for my ſheep; And moſt emphatically, He ſays, John 14.13. as my Father gave me commandement, even ſo; (mark, even ſo, moſt exactly, in conformity to the Commandement) do I: It was all, as to every circumſtance ordered according to the good pleaſure of God, who was pleaſed thus to bruiſe Him and to put Him to Grief.
The 1. Uſe of it ſerves, To teach us, how to Conceive, and Conſider of Chriſt's Death, and Sufferings rightly, to wit, even as a Sacrifice deſigned by God, to come in the Room of Elect Sinners; and how to look upon His Death; not as the ordinary Death of ordinary or meer Men; who by neceſſity of Nature Die; but to look on it, as being appointed of God, to be a Sacrifice properly ſo taken, for the Sins of His People.
2dly. This ſerves to clear ſome Truths, concerning our Lord Jeſus His Sacrifice; For we muſt conſider it, as ſatisfying to Juſtice, and Meritoriouſly procuring the eſcaping from Wrath, and Salvation of them for whom He Interpoſed: It is from the groſs Ignorance, or from the wicked denyal of this ground, that the damnable denyers of Chriſt's Satisfaction, do alſo deny the Propriety of His Sacrifice on Earth, and bound it to Heaven; whereas, it is bounded to His Death; though by vertue of this One Offering, He continues to interceed for us in Heaven.
3dly. It teaches Sinners what is the native Uſe which they ſhould make of this Sacrifice; They ſhould look upon it, as the only Sacrifice to prevent Eternal Death, and the Curſe of God; an… ſo it demonſtrats to us, that either Jeſ…s Chriſt muſt be received by Faith, and His Sacrifice reſted on; or we muſt reſolve to meet with Wrath, and the Curſe of God our ſelves in our own Perſons.
4ly. It ſerves to clear us anent the Way and Tract of Grace; to wit, how it came to paſſe, that our Lord, who was innocent, and without Sin, was ſo bruiſed, and put to grief: He came to be a Propiti…tion for the Sins of His People, and ſiſted Himſelf in our Room, as our Cautioner, as a Sin-offering for us: It would doubtleſſe gnaſh many Queſtions, and Doubts, that ariſe in the Hearts of Believers, if it were well underſtood: They may ſay, we ſhould have been in ſuch and ſuch a ſad condition; this and that terrible thing would have come on us, if He had not Interpoſed; never enough can theſe words be ſpoken and thought of, that we have, 2 Cor. 5. ult. He was made ſin for us, who knew no ſin, that we might be made the righteouſneſs of God in him.
5ly. It ſerves for notable Conſolation to Believers, who have betaken themſelves to Chriſt, and have many Challenges for Sin to buckle with; That His Death was to be properly a Sacrifice for Sin; and was ſo accepted of God in their Room: So that ye ſee the right uptaking of Chriſts Death, is a matter of no little moment; Christ crucified, being the very Subſtance of the Goſpel: It helps much, to keep alive the Impreſſion of our Sinfulneſs, and of the Goodneſs of God; and gives us Direction how to eſcape Wrath, by puting Him in our Room: There is nothing, wherein Folks more readily miſcarry, in making of their Peace with God, then in not making the right uſe of Chriſt, and of His Sacrifice, and Death: Some praying for Pardon of Sin from Him, and not for Him, or for His ſake, when they know not what they are ſaying, as we hinted at before; Some praying for ſtrength from Him for Dutie, that they may do for themſelves, not conſidering that we are Juſtified by His Interpoſing in our Room, and by Faith's cloſing with Him, under that conſideration, as fiſting Himſelf at the Bar of Juſtice; and as being content to be a Sin-offering: and the Lord accepting of Him in the Room of Elect Sinners: This being well conſidered, gives to Faith much clearneſs how to take Him up, when the Soul honeſtly aims to partake of the benefit of His Sufferings.
2ly. For clearing this a little further, we would know, That there are (as Divines obſerve) Four or Five wayes, how the Death of Chriſt is to be conſidered; or how Chriſt, in procuring by His Death Redemption, Peace, and Pardon to Sinners is holden forth in Scripture. 1. He purchaſes Redemption, and Pardon of Sin, Meritoriouſly, or He Merits it by His Death; this Reſpects the Value of Chriſt's Sufferings, and Satisfaction: So that if we conſider Chriſt in Himſelf, and the Elect in themſelves; His Death, and theſe Sufferings, are more; then if all the Elect had Suffered Eternally in Hell. 2: His Death is conſidered, as a Satisfaction; And this looks to the Wrong, that Men by Sin have done to God: That the finit and feckleſs Creature durſt be ſo malapert as to break God's Command; It required a Satisfaction equivalent to the Wrong done; though the Word Satisfaction, be not in Scripture, yet the thing is: Chriſt Jeſus, for the Reſtoring of God to His Honour, That was, as to the Manifeſtation of it, wronged by Mans Sin; comes in to perform the will of God, and to Satisfie, for the wrong done Him by Man; that it may be made known, that God is Holy and Juſt, who will needs avenge Sin on His own Son, the Holy and Innocent Cautioner; when He Interpoſes in the Room of the Sinner, which vindicats the Spotleſs Juſtice, and Soveraignity of God as much, as, if not more, then if He had exacted the ſatisfaction off the Sinners themſelves: As it is, Rom. 3.16. To declare his righteouſneſs, that he might be juſt, and the juſtifier of him that believeth in Jeſus. 3 Chriſt's Death is conſidered as a Redemption of Man, from Sin, the Law, and the Curſe, becauſe lyable to a Debt which he cannot of himſelf pay; and His Death was in this reſpect a paying of the Debt, that Man was owing, and a looſing of the Captive and Impriſoned Sinner; even as when a Piece of Land is morgaged, and a Perſon comes in, and payes that for which it was Morgaged: So Jeſus Chriſt comes in, and as it were, aſks, what are theſe Men owing? and what is due to them? It's anſwered, they are Sinners, Death, and the Curſe are due to them; well, ſaith He, I will take their Debt on my Self, I will pay their Ranſom, by undergoing all that was due to them. He hath redeemed us from the curſe of the law, (ſaith the Apoſtle, Gal. 3.13.) being made a curſe for us, that the bleſſing of Abraham might come on us Gentiles: And ſo Chriſt's Death in this reſpect is to be looked on, as a laying down of the ſame Price, that Juſtice would have exacted of Men: His Death is the paying of our Ranſom, and Satisfying of the account that was over our head. 4. His Death is conſidered, as it furthered the Work of the Redemption of Elect Sinners, by a powerful annulling of the Obligation that was againſt us, and by a powerfull overcoming of all enemies that kept us Captive: He grapled and yocked with the Devil, in that wherein he ſeemed to be ſtrongeſt, and overcame him; He tore the Obligation that ſtood over Sinners heads, as it is, Coll. 2.14, 15. Blotting out the hand writting of ordinances that was againſt us, and that was contrary to us; he took it out of the way, nailing it to his croſs, and having ſpoiled principalities and powers, he made a ſhew of them openly, triumphing over them in it: In this reſpect, though His Death be one of the loweſt ſteps of His Humiliation; yet conſidering Him, as in it, prevailling over the Devil, and other Enemies, He is to be looked on, as powerfully Working, and efficaciouſly perfecting our Salvation: In the former reſpect, He payes God the Debt that was due by Sinners; in the Latter Reſpect, conſidering the Devil, and Spiritual Enemies, as ſo many Jaylours, keeping Sinners Priſoners, He, by His Death, wrings, as it were the Keyes out of their hands▪ and ſets the Priſoners Free. 5. Chriſt's Death is conſidered (as it is in the Text, As an Offering and Sacrifice for Sin; In this reſpect, it looks to God as diſpleaſed with Man; and our Lord Jeſus Interpoſes to pacifie Him, and to make Him well pleaſed; and that by the means of His Death, God's Peace, Favour and Friendſhip may be recovered to poor ſinfull Men: All theſe Conſiderations of the Death of Chriſt, are but one, and the ſame upon the matter; Yet thus diverſified, they ſerve to ſhew, how unexpreſſibly much Sinners are oblidged to Chriſt; what great advantages they have by Him: And what a deſperat, condition they are in, who are without Him; having nothing to ſatisfie Juſtice, nor to pay their Debt with.
2dly. We ſaid, that this Sacrifice was eſpecially Offered by Him, in His Death; Therefore He is ſaid to Offer this Sacrifice on the Croſs. He himſelf, as Peter hath it, 1, 2.24. bare our ſins in his body, on the tree: Heb. 9. at the cloſe: And Heb. 10.14. It is ſaid, that he once offered up himſelf to bear the ſins of many, and by his once offering he hath perfected for ever, theſe who are ſanctified: So that this Offering is to be applyed to that which He ſuffered on Earth, before He aſcended; and it is in this reſpect, that He is a Propitiatory Sacrifice: though, as I ſaid the Vertue thereof is ſtill communicated by Him, now when He is in Heaven.
Uſe, This ſerves to remove two Errors, about Chriſt's Sacrifice. The 1. is that, which bounds and limits Chriſt's Offering, and Prieſt-hood to His going to Heaven, thereby to enervat the Efficacy of His Sufferings, and Death; quit contrary to this Scripture, wherein the Prophet explicating His Sufferings on Earth, calleth them an offering for ſin. The 2. is that Blaſphemous Conceit, and Fancie of the Papiſts, who account their abominable Maſs, a Propitiatory Sacrifice, for taking away the Sins of the Quick, and o… the Dead; which as it is moſt horrid Blaſphemy; So it is moſt expreſly againſt this Text: for if Chriſt's Sacrifice, for the taking away of Sin, be peculiarly applyed to His Humiliation, and Death; which brought with it ſuch a change, as made H…m not to be for a time what He was before: Then certainly there can be nothing of that now, which can bear that Name; there being no other thing, to which the properties of a real Sacrifice can agree, but this only. 3. I ſaid, that Chriſt's Offering up of Himſelf in a Sacrifice, was in His Soul as well as in Hi… Body; and that He was therein, obnoxio…s to the Wrath of God: That is, as He ſtood Cautioner for the Elect, and had the Cup of Wrath …u in His hand, He Suffered not only in His Body, but alſo, and Mainly in His Soul, which the Jews could not reach; and He is here holden out, as a Sin-offering in His Soul, yea, conſidering, that it was the Wrath of God, and His Curſe due to the Elect, that He had to deal with, His Soul was more capable to be affected with it then His Body; Hence He ſayes, when no hand of Man touched Him, John 12.27. Now is my Soul troubled, and what ſhall I ſay? and Matth. 26.38. and Luk. 22.44. Now is my ſoul exceeding ſorrowful, even unto death; and being in an agony he prayed, &c. That which looked like ſtrong Armies muſtered, and drawn up againſt Him, was not the Souldiers that came to take Him, nor the Bodily Death, which was quickly to follow; but it was the Fathers coming with His awakned Sword, to exact of Him the Debt due, by the Elect: And to be avenged on Him for their wrongs, and His being to ſtep in into their Room, and to be ſmitten with that awaked, and furbiſhed Sword, and to Offer Himſelf the Sacrifice, as He had long before ingadged: Here O! here was the heat and ſtrength of the Battel.
Uſe, This ſhews, 1. What a Dear Price Chriſt payed for Sinners. 2. The ſeverity of the Juſtice of God, in exacting the Elects Debt of the Cautioner. 3. How much we are oblidged to the Cautioner, who, ſo willingly undertook the Debt, and was ſo ready to pay it, though it coſt Him not only External and Bodily Sufferings; but Soul-ſuffering, and put Him to encounter with Gods Curſe and Wrath: We are perſwaded, could we conceive, and ſpeak aright of theſe Sufferings, that there is a great Myſtery here: And really it is a wonder, that we are not more affected wi…h it, even to conſider, that ſuch miſerable Creatures, ſhould be purſued by Juſtice, that can do nothing to avert the Stroak of it; And that ſuch a great and g…orious Perſon, as the Son of God, ſhould Interpoſe Himſelf; And that the Father ſhould ſpare the poor ſinfull Enemies, and make a way for them to eſcape, by the Diverting of His Juſtice from purſuing them, and by making it take hold of the Son of His Boſom, Exacting the Debt ſeverely from Him, O! what a wonder is this? That the Lord ſhould paſſe by the Enemy, and ſatisfie Himſelf of His own Son; Yea, that God ſhould take on Himſelf the place of a Mid-man, and Satisfie Himſelf: That God ſhould be in Chriſt reconciling the world to himſelf. This, this is the Wonder: Herein Infinit Wiſdom, Pure and Spotleſs Juſtice, Holineſs and Faithfulneſs, Grace and Mercy, to the Admiration of Men and Angels appear, and ſhine forth moſt Radiantly; It can hardly be known, in which of theſe the Glory of God ſhines moſt, in this Great and Glorious Work of Redemption. But of them all, we may ſay to you Elect, and believing Sinners, what could our Lord Jeſus do more for your Salvation? I ſay, what, could He do more, then to Offer up Himſelf, a Propitiatory Sacrifice for your Sins? In the Goſpel, He calleth upon you to make uſe of it, that by Vertue of His Sacrifice, your Peace may be made with God; as it is, 1 John 2.1, 2. If any man ſin, we have an advocat with the Father, Jeſus Chriſt the righteous, and then follows. He is the propitiation for our ſins: This may give abundant ground to Sinners, to go upon, in their Application to God, for Pardon and Peace, even this, that He hath made Himſelf a Sacrifice, for ſeting of them free; For whom He Offered Himſelf a Sacrifice: O! Sinners admire Him, employ; and make uſe of His Moyen, and Court in Heaven; Improve, and Welcome theſe glad Tydings, and let it never be ſaid, nor heard of, that He was Offered up a Sacrifice, and that ye would not admit of the benefit of it; that ye would not accept of Him, to be a Days-man, and Tryſter betwixt God and you, to remove all grounds of quarrel; O! for Chriſt's ſake, and as ye love your Souls, ſtep to, and ſeek Grace to make the right of uſe His Sacrifice, in order to the obtaining of the Pardon of your Sin, and the making of your Peace with God: Let Himſelf powerfully perſwade you to, and prevail with you, in this incomparably greatneſs of all concerns.