out either soul or body; but after it was made flesh, it was never parted from the one or from the other. A separation was made between his soul and body, but no disunion of them and his deity.

Q. How is the necessity of this part of the article made evident?

A. The death of Christ is the most intimate and essential part of the Mediatorship, and that which most intrinsically concerns every office and function of the Mediator, as he was Prophet, Priest, and King.

1. As to the prophetical office, it was necessary that Christ should die, that the truth of his doctrine might be confirmed by his death.

2. His death was necessary to the performance of the sacerdotal office. "For every high priest taken from among men, is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins," (Heb. v. 1.) But Christ had no other sacrifice to offer for our sins than himself. "For it was not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins," (Heb. x. 4.) And therefore did Christ determine to offer himself for us. We all had sinned, and lay under the sentence of death, and could only be redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot," (1 Pet. i. 19.) "For when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son," (Rom. v. 10.) We were sometime alienated, and ene

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mies in our minds by our wicked works; yet now hath he reconciled us in the body of his flesh through death," (Col. i. 21.) Thus the death of Christ was necessary towards the great act of his priesthood, as the oblation, propitiation, and satisfaction, for the sins of the whole world, as well as for our assurance of the power and efficacy of it, and of the happiness flowing from it.

3. Christ's death was also necessary, in reference to his regal office, "O king, live for ever," (Dan. ii. 4. iii. 9.) is the language addressed to temporal princes; but Christ showed his sovereign power in his death. On this occasion Pilate wrote, and maintained what he had written, "This is the King of the Jews," (Matt. xxvii. 37.) Thus, when on the cross, having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it," (Col. ii. 15.) and "through his death, destroyed him that had the power of death, that is, the devil," (Heb. ii. 14.) By his death, he also obtained further dominion.

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He humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him; and given him a name which is above every name," (Phil. ii. 8, 9.) "For to this end Christ both died and rose, and revived, that he might be the Lord of the dead and living," (Rom. xiv. 9.)

Q. Since it has been proved that the soul of Christ was really separated from his flesh, and

thus, that he was truly dead; show the ground of your belief in his having been buried.

A. This rests on the declaration, that the Messias was to be buried, and on the fact that Jesus was so buried.

Q. State the manner in which it was declared that the Messias was to be buried.

A. It was typified in the person of Jonas: for as that prophet "was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so was the Messias, or, the Son of Man to be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth," (Matt. xii. 40.) It was farther foretold suppositively and expressly. A suppositive intimation was given, when the Psalmist, speaking in the person of Christ, said, "My flesh shall rest in hope, for thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption," (Ps. xvi. 9, 10.) There is an express intimation of the burial of the Messias, in that eminent prediction of Isaiah, "he was cut off out of the land of the living, and he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death," (Isa. liii. 8, 9.)

Q. Prove that Jesus, whom we believe to be the true Messias, was buried.

A. Joseph of Arimathea boldly besought Pilate, that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate giving him leave, commanded the body to be delivered to him: he came, therefore, and

took the body of Jesus, (Matt. xxvii. Mark xv. Luke xxiii. John xix.) Nicodemus also came, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes; and these, taking the body of Jesus, wound it in linen clothes, with the spices, after the manner of the Jews, (John xix. 39, 40.) The same Joseph placed the body in his own new sepulchre, which was in a garden near the place where Christ was crucified, wherein never man was laid, and which Joseph had hewn out of a rock for his own tomb. There Jesus was laid, and a great stone rolled to the door of the sepulchre, (Matt. xxvii. Mark xv.)

Q. Wherein consists the necessity of this part of the article?

A. 1. Because it gives a testimony and assurance of the truth both of Christ's death preceding, and of his resurrection following. Men are not put into the earth before they die; nor can they be said to rise who never died. Therefore, that we might believe Christ truly rose from the dead, we must be assured that he died; and a greater assurance we cannot have, than that his body was delivered by his enemies from the cross, and laid by his disciples in the grave.

2. A belief that Christ was buried is necessary, to work in us a correspondence and similitude of his burial: for we are "buried with him in baptism," (Col. ii. 12.); even "buried with him in baptism unto 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," (Rom. vi. 4.)

3. It was convenient that these pious solemnities should be performed on the body of our Saviour, that his disciples might learn what honour was fit to be received and given at their funerals; as, previous to this, burning of bodies was the general usage.

Q. What is the fifth article?

A. "He descended into hell: the third day he rose again from the dead."

Q. Was all this article in the ancient creeds? A. No; the descent into hell appears to have been first used in the church of Aquileia, less than four hundred years after Christ; after which it came into the Roman Creed, and others, and has been acknowledged as a part of the Apostles' Creed ever since.

Q. Did the Church of England, at the Reformation, make the descent into hell one of the Articles of Religion?

A. Yes.

Q. In what manner was it propounded?

A. In the fourth year of King Edward VI., it was referred to 1 Pet. iii. 19, and thus delivered: "That the body of Christ lay in the grave until his resurrection; but his Spirit, which he gave up, was with the spirits which were detained in prison,

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