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to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all."-This was typified by the facrifices under the law, on the head of which the offerer laid his hand, typically transferring the fin upon the beaft; which was really accomplished in that true facrifice of Chrift, who gave himself for us," an offering and a facrifice to God for a fweet fmelling favour," Eph. v. 2. (3.) His fufferings and death were most exquifite: "God fpared not his own Son." In the death of Chrift there was a complication of deaths; they murdered his reputation, execrating him as a blasphemer against God, and a traitor against the government; placing him between two malefactors, as if he had been the greateft of the three. They murdered his body, and that in a moft cruel manner: The wrath of God

fell upon his foul, the first drops of which made him cry out, "My foul is exceeding forrowful." His enemies fhewed no pity, but gave him vinegar to drink. He got judgement without mercy from God: Even the fun was darkened, that he might not have the light of it, because it is pleasant to the eyes. (4.) His fufferings and death were fatisfactory, and that fully. By his one facrifice, he hath for ever perfected them that are fanctified. He was Lord of his own life: He voluntarily laid it down, and that upon a compact betwixt the Father and him. Being God, the fulness of the Godhead dwelling in him, the fulness of merit cannot. be doubted; for fo his fufferings were of infinite value, to which nothing can be added. He was God, and purchased the church with his own blood, Acts xx. 28: There was a proportion between the fins of the elect and the fufferings of Chrift: Sin is an infinite evil, his fufferings were of infinite value. His deity ftamped an infinite value on his sufferings; and in this refpect they

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do more than equal all the poffible sufferings of ALL CREATURES together; for what would they all be to GOD DYING?

2. As to his refurrection, and the life to which he was reftored. The text fays, Behold, I am alive. Had he lain ftill in the grave as dead, all the hopes of believers had died with him; but behold, we have David's comfort: his foul was not left in hell, neither did he fee corruption, Pfal. xvi. 10. Here confider, (1.) That God raised up Chrift, Acts ii. 24. "Him God hath raised up, having loofed the pains of death; because it was not poffible that he should be holden of it." There was the weight of all the elect's fins lying on him as a grave-ftone. This was rolled away, and he was raised up by the exceeding greatnefs of God's power, Eph. i. 19. By this power, alfo, the Father declared him to be his Son indeed, Rom. i. 4. ; and that he was fully fatisfied for the debt Chrift undertook to pay.. Therefore, though Chrift himself.could have rolled away the ftone, yet an angel, God's officer, is fent to do it, to open the prifon-door; thereby declaring, that the Judge had no more to exact of him, that the debt was completely paid. (2.) Where he now lives. It is in heaven, the better country, which we had forfeited by fin, but where we ftill would fain be. Forty days after his refurrection, he afcended into heaven. As a public perfon he died, and as fuch he afcended. There the forerunner is for us entered, even Jefus, made an High-Prieft for ever, after the order of Melchifedec. He is fet down on the Father's throne, and is at his right hand. Having offered his bloody facrifice, he is now gone into the holieft of all, and there will continue till the reftitution of all things. (3.) For what he lives. The apoftle tells us, that it is to make interceffion for us; and he himself fays, it is to prepare

prepare a place for us in his Father's houfe, where there are many manfions. He went there to take infeftment of heaven for us, and he lives to keep poffeffion. He lives there as the Advocate of the faints, who have continual business at the court of Heaven, yet have no fkill to manage it; " but," fays Paul, Chrift is entered there to appear in the prefence of God for us." This is faid in allufion to a cuftom among confederated states and princes, who have their agents, who, upon all occafions, appear in the prefence of the prince in behalf of those they reprefent, and for whom they negotiate, to take up any emergent differences, or manage whatever business may be put into their hands.-We now go on,

3. To the eternity of this life: The man Christ lives for evermore. Amen. Says Paul," He ever liveth," and that as God-man. The faints cannot outlive their Advocate; nay, through eternity they fhall behold his glorious face. He will never lay afide our nature. He is now for ever out of the reach of death. He dieth no more, death hath no more dominion over him. Jofeph's brethren, when they faw their father was dead, were in a great fear, left Jofeph fhould avenge the wrong they had done him. No fuch fear needs the believer have. Jefus lives for ever, to be the eternal bond of the faints eternal communion with God. For, feeing we can neither come to God by ourselves, nor by ourselves abide in communion with him, it is neceffary, that as we come to God by Christ, so by him alfo must we abide with God for ever. The members must receive influences and glory from their Head, to whom they shall remain for ever united. He lives for ever, to be their prophet, for the Lamb is the light of the New Jerusalem, Rev. xxi. 23.; and he will be their Priest for ever; he conti

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nueth for ever, having an unchangeable priesthood, Heb. vii. 24. He will eternally reprefent his own facrifice as the foundation of our eternal glory; and as for his kingdom, it is an everlasting kingdom, that fhall not be deftroyed, Dan. vii. 14. -Let us,

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4. Attend to his Mediatorial fovereignty. hath the keys of hell and death. He hath all power over the present and future worlds. Hell and death are terrible to the believer; but Christ holds the keys of both. He went down to the grave, opened the door, and brought the keys away with him. None go to hell but whom he fends there, and confequently the keys of heaven. are in his hand; which is here alfo understood. He has "all power in heaven and earth," Matth. xxviii. 18. Of this, Jofeph's exaltation in Egypt was a type, Gen. xli. 40. And these keys are the purchase of his blood, Phil. ii. 8. 9. " Because he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the crofs. Wherefore God alfo hath highly exalted him, and given him a name. which is above every name," &c.

Now, these things, the death, refurrection, life, and power of Jefus, may be confidered three ways, in order to improve them for confolation to the faints. (1.) As patterns and examples. It is the ordinary way of diftreffed perfons, to conclude there is no forrow like their forrow; and if ye can fatisfyingly answer that ordinary question of theirs, Was there ever any in my cafe that got fafely out of it? you will do much to allay their grief, and raise their hopes. Thus we find the apostle im proving the fufferings and glory of Chrift, Heb. xii. 3. "For confider him," fays he, " that endured fuch contradiction of finners against himself, lest ye be wearied, and faint in your minds."

Yea, Jefus

Jefus himself fays, Rev. iii. 21. "To him that overcometh will I grant to fit with me on my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father on his throne." (2.) As pledges, affuring the faints of what they with for. Thus the apoftle improves the refurrection of Chrift, to affure believers they shall not lie ever confuming in a grave, but shall be raised up to glory. Chrift fays he is rifen from the dead, the firft-fruits of thofe that flept, 1 Cor. xv. 20.; and Jesus tells us, that his life is a pledge of ours: "Because I live, ye shall live alfo," John xiv. 19. (3.) As containing in them fufficient falves for all their fores. Thus are these the magazine of the faint's consolation, his wounds are the clefts of the rock, wherein the poor creature may safely hide itself. Only bruife the fpices, pour out the ointment, confider them in their nature and effects, and affuredly they will fend forth a pleasant fmell, fufficient to revive and comfort a fainting soul.-We are now,

II. To point out the nature of that confolation which faints may derive from thefe. For this purpofe, let us take a view of the fountains of their fears and distrust.

1. There is the fupereminent glory and infinite majesty of the great God. This, when feen and confidered by poor worm man, whofe habitation is in the duft, is a great fource of fear. This made John fall down at his feet as dead. Who can behold the glorious majesty upon this earth, and not be ready to dwindle into nothing? How do fome tremble at the view of their fellow-creatures exalted above them in power and dignity! But O what a vaft difproportion betwixt God and the greatest monarch! This challenges our fear indeed, but the faints ought not to let it degenerate into flavish

fear.

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