CHAP.

V.

2 Tim. ii.

11, 12.

Rom. vai

17.

29. And as the sufferings, exhibited in the bringing forth of the first born, were designed as a perfect example, and were but the real beginning; so it was the highest aim of his true followers to copy after that example, in enduring the same sufferings which he also suffered: being fully persuaded, as the apostle expresses it, that, If we be dead with Christ, we shall also live with him: If we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him. And again, If so be that we suffer with [or in conformity to] him, that we may be glorified together.

30. This is the whole tenor of the doctrines of the apostles, concerning the sufferings of Christ; that as he suffered, so did they and as the body is not complete without the head, so neither is the head complete without the body; and each member of the body suffers in a just proportion, as the members bear a proportion to the head: so that in all things, the first-born had the pre-eminence.

31. Therefore, Christ Jesus having suffered his proportion as the head, every member of the body, according to their several lots and offices, fill up their proportion of the sufferings of Christ, that the whole may be perfected and glorified together. Hence Col. i. 24. saith the apostle to the Colossians, "Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is left behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh, for his body's sake, which is the Church."

Rom. vi. 3,4,6.

32. And to the Romans he saith, "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with (or in conformity to) him by baptism into death. Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin."

33. In all this there is not the least intimation of the sufferings and crucifixion of Christ on a wooden cross; nor of his dying at the instigation of Jewish priests, by the hands of Roman soldiers; nor of his followers suffering in conformity to him, in that manner. But the sufferings and crucifixion of Christ, both in relation to the head and members of his body, were, strictly speaking, the crucifixion, sufferings,

and death of the flesh, the old man of sin, who was crucified and put to death by a daily cross.

CHAP.

V.

1 Pet.

34. "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of Gal. i. the law, (saith Paul,) being made a curse for us. Who 13, his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, 24. (saith Peter,) by whose stripes ye were healed."

35. But how was he made a curse for them? how did he bear their sins? and how were they healed by his stripes? was it without suffering as he did? In no wise. The history of their whole life and testimony witnesses to the contrary. But it was by his example, that they might also follow his steps in the same sufferings.

1, 2.

36. For even hereunto were ye called, (saith 1 Pet. Peter ;) because Christ also suffered for you, leaving 21. you an example, that ye should follow his steps.Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the chap.iv. flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh, to the lusts of men, but to the will of God."

37. Thus the sufferings of Christ do not merely respect the head, or first-born of his body, as having ceased from sin, by suffering in the flesh; but every member of his body, who hath suffered in the flesh, after his example, hath ceased from sin: For if the root be holy, so are the branches; and being crucified, in conformity to the example of Christ, they are dead unto sin, and cannot live any longer therein.

38. But what kind of a body would it be to have sin wholly abolished out of the head, and the enmity reigning in all the members? A pure head, and members wholly corrupt. "A head obedient unto Boston death, and heels kicking against heaven." Can such be the body of Christ? Nay verily, "If one mem- 1 Cor. xã. ber suffer, all the members suffer with [or in confor- 20:13. mity to] it." And all the members are partakers of Phil.i. Christ's sufferings, and have a fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable to his death.

iv.

10.

CHAP.
VL.

Heb. x. 7, 10, 14.

16, 17.

CHAPTER VI.

The Subject continued.

HE head of every man is Christ, and the head

THE

of Christ is God. So when Christ cometh into the world, his language is, "Lo, I come to do thy will, O God.”—By which will we are sanctified, (saith the apostle,) through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all: that is, a final offering. And thus by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. But the offering up of the body once for all, is more than the offering up of the head, it includes the whole body, from the head to the least member.

2. And as Christ Jesus was sanctified by being obedient to the Will of his Father and head, in offering up himself; so each member of his body is sanctifi- | ed by the same Will, in being obedient to their head, and in offering up themselves once for all: and thus the whole body is sanctified and perfected forever, by one offering, which is one and the same in relation to the head and the members.

3. The Captain of our salvation was made perfect through sufferings, and became the author of eternal salvation to all them that obey him; and as he was obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, and died for, (or in) all, and every part of that nature which deserved death; therefore he not only became dead to that nature which he took upon him, but that nature became eternally dead as to him.

4. Hence the apostle justly concludes, that we who live, should henceforth not live unto ourselves ; but unto him who set this example of dying, and was 16or thereby raised from the dead. "Wherefore (saith he) henceforth know we no man after the flesh : and expressly adds, If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new: and all things are of God.

2 Tim. i. 10.

Eph. ii. 15, 16.

5. Then it was not Christ Jesus the Lord from heaven that died, in the strictest sense of death; but on the contrary, he abolished death, and brought life

VI.

and immortality to light-Having abolished in his flesh CHAP. the enmity-And by the cross, having slain the enmity. Neither did he finally suffer: yet on account of that sinful nature which he took upon him, and which he had in him to slay and abolish, he frequently suffered pain and sorrow of soul, both in relation to himself and others.

6. Hence we read of his being tempted of the devil; spending whole nights in prayer to God who was able to deliver him-weeping over Jerusalem; and of his sufferings in the garden, when in an agony, he cried, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death. Such was the nature of his sufferings in the flesh, until that enmity which he took upon him was slain, and that death abolished, as to him and hence the body of sin and death was the final sufferer, and not the Lord Christ Jesus.

:

7. Therefore it was not he who abolished death, and slow the enmity, that finally suffered or died; but that enmity which, in his own flesh, he abolished and slew, by a daily cross; and whereby he set the example for others to slay the enmity in their own flesh, as he had done in his.

1 Pct. i.

18.

8. Hence it is written, "Christ hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, (or rather the just upon the unjust,) that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but mode alive in the Spirit. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise Rom. vi. reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin ; but alive unto God.-Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with [or in conformity to] him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

6, 10, 11.

9. From all which it is most evident, that it was not the Son of God that suffered the wrath of his Father at all; nor was there any design in the case to release the sinner from the punishment which was his just desert. But on the contrary, "As the children Heb. are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same: that through death [through the means of that nature of sin, which is death and enmity which he took] he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the Devil."

14.

CHAP.

VL

:

10. But there was no changing the nature of things in the case, or converting holiness into sin, or life into death for that which he took he inhabited and possessed, and that which he possessed he destroyed, and in destroying it, he destroyed that part of death which he took, and him that had the power of it : But he did not destroy himself, nor was it either God," or the Son of God, that was destroyed on the occasion. 11. But this is evident, that it was flesh and blood, sin and death, and the devil, neither of which can enter into the kingdom of God, which according to the apostles, strictly speaking, suffered and died. Not that all sin and death was by him destroyed, which has reigned in the world ever since; but so far as the first-born in the new creation, bears a proportion to the whole of that creation, or as the head bears a proportion to the whole body.

12. He died unto sin once, but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. And unto whatsoever he died, unto the same he also suffered; and therefore it was unto that which had the nature and root of sin that he suffered. Not that innocence and justice suffered in the room and stead of sins: therefore the same that finally suffered, also died; and that which died never did, nor ever will arise again to life.

13. And therefore the plain and pointed contrast is continued, and the death is said to be once, or final, and the coming forth into life parallel on the other side, being put to death in the flesh, and coming forth in the Spirit, Which is perfectly the same as crucifying the flesh with its affections and lusts, and walking after the Spirit; or putting to death that which is fleshly, sensual, and devilish, and bringing forth into eternal life that which is spiritual, pure, and of God; and not bringing to life again the same that was put to death: For if I build again the things that I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.

14. And thou that sayest, GoD died for sinners, and rose again, what advantage could it be for a holy Being to be made flesh and șin, and as such to suffer and die, and as such to rise again, that the sinner in the flesh and in sin, might lie wallowing in the blood of his nativity in reconciliation with God?