not the light of his word and his Law written in the Scriptures to many Nations yet he giveth to them all the light and Law of Nature and therefore the transgressions of the Law of Nature are sins against God The Apostle saith until the Law sin was in the world but sin is not imputed where there is no Law nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses even over them that had not sinned after tbe similitude of Adams transgression Sin was in the world before the Law was given on mount Sinai But how can it be just to charge sin upon them who had no Law against which to sin Nevertheless death raigned from Adam to Moses even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression Who are they Some seem to understand Infants only who sinned not actually in their own persons as Adam did yet dying in their infancy were guilty of original sin Others take it for all that lived between the time of Adam and Moses who sinned not after the similitude of Adams transgression because they sinned not against an express Law given by revelation from Heaven as Adam did who sinned against that express prohibition of God forbidding him to eat of the fruit of the Tree of knowledge of good and evil under the pain of certain death and destruction I conceive this latter sense more probable because of that special limitation of time from Adam to Moses for the case of those that dye in their Infancy for ought I know is the same whether before or after the time of Moses before and after the Law written but the condition of those that lived between Adams time and that of Moses differed from those that lived after Now the Apostle sheweth that death the punishment of sin fell upon them so did many other judgements the flood destroying the old world the showr of fire and brimstone upon Sodom fell within the compass of that time and therefore certainly they were guilty of sin and justly punished because these calamities were the just judgements of God who is the righteous judge of all the world and therefore although these sinned not against any positive Law of God delivered to them either by word or writing yet they sinned against the light and Law of Nature which God had given them Secondly This may shew us the reason and the justice of those severe executions of God upon Heathen Nations who had no Scripture nor written Law to sin against They sinned against the Light and Law of Nature for the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness because that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them c. The Judgements and Calamities publick national private personal brought upon any of mankind in several ages are evidences of Gods wrath and displeasure against them and therefore proofs of their sin and guiltiness against God otherwise the Lord who is perfectly righteous would not bring these evils upon them and among the rest the death of the body is a universal declaration of the wrath of God against mankind for sin If any should be free from all other evils yet this alone would be a sufficient proof of their sinfulness and therefore the Lord said unto Adam and in him to each particular person of his posterity soon after he had sinned and they had sinned in him Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return By one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned Euery dead Corps every Funeral that ye see or hear of all the persons that have died from the beginning of the world unto this day have by their death manifested the wrath of God against sin and mens guiltiness before the Lord for though through the grace and mercy of God in Christ the death of a true believer is turned into a blessing and made an inlet or entrance into everlasting life yet in its own Nature it is a consequent of sin and sin was the original of it In special the Heathens who had not the mind of God so fully revealed to them as those within the Church yet had the Light and Law of Nature and in sinning against that Light and Law were justly punished for they held the Truth in unrighteousness This common Light and Law of Nature was the Truth of God und they by opposing their wills and lusts against it and so not following the guidance of it were found guilty of fighting against God and crossing that Light which the Lord had given them and therefore the Lord dealt with them as Enemies So the Lord punished Sodom and the Cities adjoynning with fire and brimstone So the Canaanites and Amorites were destroyed for their sins against the Light and Law of Nature and Israel was planted in their Land The Lord told Abraham that his seed should possess it but not until after four hundred years Why Because the iniquity of the Amorites was not yet full so that it was the fullness of their iniquity which was the cause of their destruction it was because their sin was come to its full height that they were rooted out So the Lord having forbidden Israel the practice of divers great sins saith Defile not your selves in any of these things for in all these things the Nations are defiled which I cast out before you And the Land is defiled therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it and the Land it self vomiteth out the Inhabitants The Lord threatned divers grievous Judgements by the Prophet Amos against many Heathen Nations Syria the Philistines Tyrus Edom Ammon Moab All the miseries of war brought upon Heathen Nations what were they but revelations and reall demonstrations of the wrath of God from Heaven for their sins against the Law and Light of Nature The ruining of the Babylonish Monarchy by the Medes and Persians of the Persian by the Macedonians and Grecians the Macedonians by the Romans of the Roman by the Saracens and Turks on the one side and divers Northern Nations on the other these and the like were just Judgements of God upon Heathens for sins against the Light and Law of Nature So I conceive the cruel Spaniards were unjust executioners of the righteous Judgements of God upon the poor Indians or Americans for their sins against the same common Light and Law of Nature for the Lord executeth just Judgements by wicked men yea by Divels who aime not at all at the Lords end but either delight to exercise their malice and cruelty or act thus to make a ful conquest and utterly disable a people to make head again Thirdly This may clearly convince us that the sins of Christians are far more heinous then the sins of Infidels and Heathens because they sin against the same Law
of men but of God The same Apostle saith that Abraham received the sign of Circumcision and seal of the righteousness of faith These Scriptures compared together shew that Circumcision did seal the Covenant of Grace between God and his people on the one side confirming the promises of God to them as a seal added to the blood of his Covenant on the other side engaging them to answer the ends of the Covenant by Circumcising their hearts mortifying their corruptions and forsaking their sins The sum of Gods promises sealed by the Sacrament of Circumcision is delivered in these words I will establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting Covenant to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee I conceive this conteineth as much as all the promises of the Gospel For what is there in all the promises concerning pardon of sin justification adoption the graces of Sanctification the comforts and joyes of the holy Ghost Communion with God strength against temptation protection against the assaults of Satan and the world hearing and answering of prayers support under afflictions victory over death everlasting life and salvation and other promises and priviledges granted to Believers in the Gospel I say what is there in all these which is not comprehended in this promise I will be their God God is all sufficient he is all in all and when he giveth himself he giveth all good things and blessings and this was sealed by Circumcision Now this promise and Covenant is fulfilled in Christ for out of Christ men and women are both strangers and Enemies to God and have no interest in him The Lord is so far from being their God that he is their Enemy saith the Apostle When we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son The best of men and women are in a state of enmity with God until they are reconciled by Christ. And that Covenant sealed by Circumcision wherein the Lord promised to be the God of Abraham and of his seed was the same for substance with that where he saith I will bless thee and make thy name great and thou shalt be a blessing and I will bless them that bless thee and curse him that curseth thee and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed I conceive the promise of Christ is twice included here when it is said I will make thee a blessing and again in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed Abraham was made a blessing and the Nations and families of the Earth were blessed in him in this regard because Christ according to the flesh or humane nature was to issue out of his loynes according to that in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed that is in Christ. So that Abraham found that in Christ which was sealed to him by Circumcision Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness and he received the sign of Circumcision a seal of the righteousness of faith which he had yet being uncircumcised Circumcision attained its end in Christ and he was the substance of this shadow in him believers are reconciled to God and he becometh their God and they are made his people being justified by his righteousness and by his spirit they are circumcised in heart their corruptions are mortified and their body of sin destroyed which is an evidence of their union with Christ and justification by him and this may move us to labour to be found in Christ that we may be circumcised in heart that the power of sin may be killed in us that we may be conformed unto his death our sinful lusts and affections being crucified by virtue of his death on the Cross that so as the Apostle saith we may be circumcised with the circumcision made without hands in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the Circumcision of Christ. 2. In as much as circumcision was a seal of that Covenant whereby God gave himself to his people to be their God in Christ and a seal of the righteousness of saith and so of the pardon of sin and justification through the righteousness of Christ apprehended by faith It is clear that all the Arguments of the Anabaptists fall to the ground which they build either upon the pretended difference of Baptisme and circumcision or of the Covenants sealed by them or upon the incapacitie of Infants for it is evident that the same Covenant which is confirmed by Baptisme was also sealed by circumcision and if Infants under the old Testament were capable of circumcision how are they made uncapable of Baptism under the Gospel And accordingly you may observe how the Apostle compareth baptisme and circumcision together and sheweth how the latter cometh in place of the former for having warned believers not to hearken to those who would bring them in bondage unto Iewish Ceremonies he telleth them ye are compleat in hi scil in Christ aâ—d so need not to observe those shadows of the Law in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ. So that they have the same circumcision in Christ w ch their Fathers had under the Law and therefore needed not the outward circumcision But lest any should think thus our faith under the Gospel needeth outward helps to confirm it as well as theirs under the old Testament he addeth these words ver 12 Buried with him in baptisme wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the dead as if he had said instead of Circumcision ye have the Sacrament of baptisme signifying the same thing and sealing the Covenant of grace and righteousness of faith Secondly The other Sacrament was that of the Passeover this was instituted by the Lord while Israel was in Egypt and was first celebrated that same night that they came out of that house of Bondage The sum of the ordinance was this that every family should chuse a Lamb a male of the first year without blemish they were to separate it from the rest of the flock on the tenth day of the Month setting apart four days until the fourteenth day at even when it was to be killed they were to take of the blood and strike it upon the two side-posts and on the upper door-posts of the houses wherein the Lambs was to be eaten and the same night they were commanded to eat the flesh of the Lamb roasted with fire and with unleavened bread and bitter herbs but if any family were too little for a Lamb it was to joyne with the next and they were to eat it in hast with their loines girded their shoes on their feet and their staffe in their hand as men prepared to travel
strive to purge out this Leaven of sin and errour and keep the feast with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth Sixthly This feast of unleavened bread which was joyned with the Passover was to be kept seven days and seven in Scripture is noted for a number of perfection and therefore let Christians labour to purge out more and more the old Leaven of sin and corruption and to walk in sincerity and truth all the days of their life even till the seventh day that is until they come to keep an eternal feast and Sabbath of Rest with Christ in his glorious Kingdom Seventhly As they kept the feast with their loins girded So let your loins be girded about and your lights burning and ye your selves like unto men that wait for the Lord when he will return from the Wedding that when he cometh and knocketh they may open unto him immediately Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching They that wear long garments need to gird them up when they are either to walk or to work They that would have communion with him need to call in and gather up their straggling thoughts their wandring minds their loose affections to unite the powers of their souls to fix them upon Christ and the things of Christ that they may be always ready for any way or work of Christ. Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind be sober and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Iesus Christ. As they were to eat the Passeover with their shoes on their feet and their staffe in their hand as being ready for their departure out of Egypt so let those that will rightly keep the spiritual Passeover and feed upon Christ be affected as strangers and sojourners expecting daily their departure out of this world labouring to be ready to enter into the heavenly Canaan How should they condemn that earthly mindedness when they are of such a temper as if they had a continuing City here not seriously seeking one to come Eighthly They were to eat the Passeover with bitter herbs let those then that would indeed feed upon Christ unto eternal life feed upon this Lamb of God with bitter herbs of Godly sorrow for sin holy anger and indignation against themselves afflicting their souls looking upon him whom they have pierced by their sins and mourning for him as one mourneth for his only Son and being in bitterness for him as one that is in bitterness for his first-born Let them feed upon Christ by faith with self-denial which is as it were a bitter herb to the flesh denying themselves in their dearest lusts and carnal affections not sparing the right hand or the right eye Let them joyn repentance with faith otherwise they can never keep the feast according to the mind of Christ. Lastly Ye may read of the Law of the Passeover and unleavened bread and presently after that the ordinance of the first-fruits Speak unto the children of Israel and say unto them when ye be come into Land which I give unto you and shall reap the harvest thereof then ye shall bring a sheafe of the first fruits of your harvest unto the Priest and he shall wave this sheafe before the Lord to be accepted for you on the morrow after the Sabbath the Priest shall wave it It is conceived that this Sabbath or day of rest was the first day of unleavened bread scil the fifteenth day of the first month on whatsoever day of the week it fell but in the year wherein Christ suffered it fell upon the last day of the week so that it was a double Sabbath the paschal Sabbath and the weekly Sabbath meeting together upon the same day Now the sheaf of first-fruits was to be waved or offered before the Lord on the morrow after the Sabbath which was the day on which Christ rose from the dead See how the Apostle applyeth this Christ is risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that sleep It seemeth there was such an exact agreement and correspondence between the Type and the Antetype the shadow and the substance that the Lord Christ arose from the dead the very same day that the sheafe of first fruits was to be offered and he arose as the first fruits of them that slept or of the dead I conceive the meaning is that as the first fruits being offered to God did sanctifie the whole increase of the fruits of the earth that year so Christ as the first fruits of the dead arose from death to eternal life and glory and in himself and his resurrection did as it were offer up to God the dead bodies of all his members not always to lye under the power of death and corruption but to be raised to immortality and everlasting glory Let us labour then to have part in the first resurrection rising with Christ by virtue of his quickning spirit to newness of life that this may be an earnest and sure evidence unto us of a second resurrection to everlasting life So much for the Sacraments of the Ceremonial Law CHAP. IV. SEcondly in the next place follow the Sacrifices It seemeth there were but few sorts of creatures used for Sacrifices Of sensible creatures such as have life and sense but five sorts whereof three were of four-footed beasts scil Bullocks Sheep and Goats old or young and so comprehending under them Calves Lambs and Kids and two sorts of fowls as turtle doves and young pigeons Thefe were creatures that were meek and gentle above many others and such as were in a special manner subject and serviceable to men so the Lord Christ who was appointed to be a Sacrifice to the justice of God was meek and lowly in heart He was lead as a sheep to the slaughter and like a Lamb dumb before the shearer so opened he not his mouth who being in the form of God thought it robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a seâ—vant and was made in the likeness of men and being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Cross. Lions Bears Tigres Leopards wild-beasts beasts of prey fierce and cruel creatures Eagles Hawks Vultures or other ravenous fouls were not appointed for Sacrifice These were not fit to represent the Lord Christ in his state of humiliation in his suffering condition as he was appointed to be a Sacrifice for sin It is true Christ is called the Lion of the Tribe of Iudah I conceive to represent him in regard of his mighty powers in protecting his Church and subduing his enemies but not to resemble him as a Sacrifice for so he was in a state of suffering and of service and therefore Christians according
God that ye present your bodies that is I conceive taking a part for the whole their bodies and souls their whole selves a sacrifice living holy acceptable unto God And therefore all that will approve themselves unto God must look upon themselves as under a double consecration as dedicated to God under a twofold Notion and Respect both as Priests and as Sacrifices How then should they study labour and follow after holiness Both Priests and sacrifices under the old Testament were consecrated to God as holy He that was unclean was not fit as a Priest to sacrifice How should they strive to be holy as the Lord is holy who should be both Priests and Sacrifices And therefore it is said Be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good that perfect and acceptable will of God As the Priests were chosen out and separated from other men and consecrated as holy to the Lord and the sacrifices were chosen out and severed from the common herds and flocks to be offered up to God so Christians must not be conformed to this world nor follow the common throngs and herds according to the course of the world but be transformed new framed in conformity to Christ that they may be both Priests and sacrifices acceptable to the Lord. Secondly as Priests of the new Testament they must offer holy services and duties of obedience as spiritual sacrifices to the Lord. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness and put your trust in the Lord. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit a broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise So the Apostle speaking of that contribution which the Philippians sent unto him being a Prisoner for the Gospel of Christ said I have all and abound I am full having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you an odour of a sweet smell a sacrifice acceptable well pleasing to the Lord. It might also be noted how the Priests and Levites were teachers in Israel as Christ is the great Preacher and Prophet of the Church but I know not whether herein he be not more lively represented by the Prophets of the old Testament this belonging to his Prophetical office But here by the way I think it seasonable to put you in mind that in all the new Testament I am confident it cannot be found that the Ministers of the Gospel are called Priests in respect of their particular calling or office The extraordinary Ministers are called Prophets Apostles Evangelists the ordinary are termed Pastors Teachers sometimes Bishops or Overseers Elders or Presbyters never Priests for a Priest by office is one that offereth sacrifice for Propitiation for appeasing the wrath of God and so there is no Priest of the new Testament but the Lord Jesus Christ and therefore when prophane persons do in scorn call the Preachers of the Gospel Priests they commit a double sin and shew double prophaneness 1. Attributing that name to them which iâ— proper to Christ. 2. Accounting that Title of Christ a word of reproach And therefore I find not that Ministers of the new Testament are any where called Priests in Scripture but only as all other true believers are which Christ hath made Kings and Priests to offâ—â— spiritual sacrifices If the Popish shavelings will take upon them that Title as pretending to offer the very body of Christ to God iâ— the Mass What is that to the Ministers of the Gospel who detest that abominaâ—â—on Sixthly Take notice of some sacred thingâ— that were subservient to sacred or holy â—ses And First The Tabernacle which the Lord directed Moses to raise instead whereof afterwards Solomon erected a Temple In some things these two agreed in some they differed 1. Both of them were framed by the Lords appointment For the Tabernacle thâ— Lord gave command to Moses Exod. the 25 and the 26. And David shews that the Lord made choice of Solomon his Son to build hiâ— house and his Courts and David gave to Solomon the pattern of the Temple and thâ— things belonging to it by the spirit all thâ— said David the Lord made me to understand by his hand upon me even all the works 〈◊〉 this pattern 2. Both were dedicated to God as places designed for his special presence and therefore each of them was called his house both were places appointed for special ordinances of God not to be used elsewhere They differed in that the Tabernacle was a slight frame of boards and Curtains the Temple a substantial building The Tabernacle was a moveable Tent that might be carried from place to place The Temple fixt upon its foundation in one certain place I conceive both of them did 1. Primarily signifie the precious body the flesh the humane nature of Christ the word was made flesh and dwelt among us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in a Tabernacle in a mortal weak body exposed to sufferings and death Christ being come a High-Priest of good things to come by a greater and more perfect Tabernacle not made with hands c. So the Lord Christ calleth his body a Temple destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up The Iews seemed to take it of the Temple of Hierusalem but he spake of the Temple of his body As God is said to dwell in the Tabernacle and Temple made with hands because there he vouchsafed his special presence there he setteth up his worship and ordinances so God dwelleth in a peculiar manner in the humane nature of Christ in him dwelleth all the fullness of the god-head bodily or substantially The godhead is united personally to the humane nature of Christ for verily he took not on him the Nature of Angels but he took on him the seed of Abraham The Lord Christ made choice of the Nature of Man for his Tabernacle rather than of the Nature of glorious Angels Hence that part of the great mystery of godliness God was manifest in the flesh the invisible God taking the humane Nature into the unity of his person became not only visible but actually seen and manifest in the flesh This sheweth 1. His wonderful condescension and voluntary abasement of himself that he who filleth Heaven and Earth was pleased to dwell as it were in a Cottage in the flesh in the Nature of man The Creator became a creature yet still remaining the Creator The Son of God became also the Son of man He who made all things as he is God was made of a woman as he is man 2. Herein appeareth his unconceivable love to mankind that he was pleased to become bone of their bone and flesh of their flesh their kinsman of the same blood for all Nations of men are made of one blood so that there is a consanguinity between Christ and other men he was pleased to become their
them as are brought forth into outward act defile the body also some of them more some less according to their natures and degrees Now there is a severe threatning formerly mentioned If any man defile the Temple of God him shall God destroy As ye desire the salvation of your souls and bodies to prevent the destruction of both take heed of defiling these Temples of God make a through search and cast out all the filth which ye find there by sincere repentance and reformation watch against all future defilements and as atonement was made for the Tabernacle by the blood of the sin-offering so seek to clear your selves from the guilt of your sins by the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus applied by faith Seventhly Next to the Tabernacle or Temple ye may take notice of the Altar of burnt-offering and as the sacrifices offered up on this Altar and High-priest who was the principal officer were Types of Chirst so it seemeth was the Altar We have an Altar whereof they have no right to eat that serve the Tabernacle 1. It was commanded to be made of Shittim Wood which is thought to have been a choice kind of wood that would not rot and so fit to resemble the precious body of our Lord Jesus Christ of whom it is said He whom God raised again saw no corruption The Lord Christ though he freely laid down his life for his people and suffered death yet He rose again in so short a time as to prevent all putrefaction and rottenness He saw no corruption and as he preserved his own natural body from corruption so he shall deliver his mystical body his Church and the members of it out of corruption and raise them incorruptible But 2. The Altar was to be over-laid with Brass for though the wood might be free from rotting and corrupting yet I conceive it could not endure the force of that fire which was to burn upon it and therefore it was to have a brazen covering This seemeth to note unto us the Godhead of Christ united to his manhood or that strength which the Godhead thus united gave to the manhood whereby it was so mightily forâ—ified that the wrath of God due to the Sons of men did not consume it as the wood of the Altaâ— was not consumed by the fire wherewith the Sacrifices were burnt 3. This Altar was placed by the door of the Tabernacle of the Tent of the congregation it seemeth this was set in the open Court that all the people might see it and behold the Sacrifices offered upon it that their hearts might be raised in expectation of that great and all-sufficient sacrifice of Christ which alone satisfieth for sins so now Christ in the preaching of the Gospel is set forth as it were crucified before the eyes of believers The Altar upon which the sacrifices were offered was set by the door of the Tabernacle at the entrance into it whosoever will have a place in the Courts of the Lord and abide in his house for ever must get entrance by Christ and his sacrifice sin shutteth the door against all only Christ makes way for those that truly come to him and by him to God Saith the Lord Christ I am the door by me if any man enter in he shall be saved And again I am the way c. No man cometh unto the Father but by me whosoever will come to God enjoy his favour enter into Covenant and have communion with him must come to him by Christ. 4. There was an Altar to burn Incense upon of the same wood with the former but overlaid with pure Gold Christ is the Golden Altar upon whom the prayers and other services of his people are offered up as sweet Incense unto God by whose merit and intercession they find acceptance 2. No strange Incense was to be offered thereon so no strange worship must be offered to God in the Name of Christ of mans deviseing only such services are to be presented to him as the Lord himself hath appointed in his word In vain do they worship me teaching for doctrine the traditions of men The Lord alloweth not any strange Incense to be offered up to him Eighthly There was the Ark overlaid with pure Gold into which was put the Testimony by which I understand the Tables of stone wherein the Law was written by the finger of God This Ark was a special token of God his presence with his people and upon the Ark was placed a mercy-seat of pure Gold and the mercy seat was put above upon the Ark. As the mercy seat was set above upon the Ark wherein the Law was so the Lord in dealing with repenting and believing sinners in Christ exalteth and magnifieth his mercy and covereth their sins whereby they have transgressed his holy Law He sitteth upon a mercy-seat to receive poor sinners that fly from the curse of the Law for refuge to the riches of his grace in Christ. Let all poor souls without strive and hasten to escape from the severity of Gods dreadful justice to his mercy-seat through Christ whose blood hath opened a way unto it They that are sincerely willing to renounce their dearest sins and to yeild subjection unto Christ may have free access to the mercy-seat and receive an answer of peace in Christ. This Ark wherein the Tables of the Law were written and the mercy-seat was of the same measure for breadth and length so they that will have their hearts assured of the saving mercy of God in Christ must have the Law of God written by the finger of God in their hearts they must be regenerate and renewed by the spirit of Christ and conformed to his holy Law Poor souls pursued with the guilt of their Consciences and curse of the Law must flee to the mercy-seat of God in Christ though as yet they do not find any such work in themselves but they cannot have their hearts established in the assurance of this priviledge that their sins are forgiven until they find this gracious work wrought in them and therefore the Lord in dâ—câ—aring his Covenant joyneth these two together This is the Covenant c. I will put my Laws into their mind and write them in their hearts and I will be merciful unto their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more The Lord promiseth to the same prâ—sons to pardon their sins and to write his Laws in their hearts As for those that go on securely in sin and yet rely upon the mercy of God in Christ for pardon of sin they deceive themselves The Ark wherein the Law was put and the mercy-seat were just of the same size and repentance which is a change of heart and life is always joyned with forgiveness of sins There were two Cherubims of beaten Gold at the two ends of the mercy-seat with their faces one
Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all If the whole Congregation sinned they were to bring a young Bullock to be offered for their sin and before it was killed the Elders of the Congregation representing all the people under the Government were to lay their hands on the head of the Bullock before the Lord It seemeth bâ— this Ceremony they did as it were put off the sins of all the people from the guilty sinners upon the Sacrifice So the Lord Christ before he suffered for the sins of his people first took upon himself the guilt of all their sins for he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him the guilt of mens sins was imputed unto him and put upon his account as his righteousness is imputed to Believers and accounted theirs 4. He subjected himself to the Curse of the Law due to men for their sins against the Law for it is written Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them then it followeth ver 13. Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us for it is written Cursed is every on that hangeth on a tree Thus he exposed himself to the flames of divine wrath which would have been a consuming fire to a meer Creature but as the wood of the Altar for burnt offering was overlaid with Brass that it might not be devoured by the fire so his humane nature being united to the God-head was so fortified to endure the burning heat of the wrath and Curse of God that it was not consumed by it but although the God-head was inseparably united to the manhood and did not leave it for a moment yet it did so withhold its divine influence from the Manhood for a time that it suffered extream and unconceivable torments in body but especially in soul as appeareth in the holy story for though God the Father loved him infinitely as his Son and as one that was perfectly holy and righteous in his own person yet he executed his justice upon him to the full as he presented himself before him burdened with the guilt of mans sins against the Law It pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put him to grief Saith the Apostle He spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us He spared not his own Son He found him engaged to satisfie the Law for the sins of men and therefore he executed the severity of the Law upon him and spared him not but delivered him up for us all saith the Text. He did as it were deliver him up with his own hand for sinners delivering him up by the hand of his love towards sinners to the hand of his justice to be punished for their sins so that I conceive it may be said that Christ had judgement without mercy that through him mercy might glory over judgment toward repenting and believing sinners Fifthly He actually suffered death He did shed his most precious blood He humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Cross. He poured out his soul unto death Iesus when he had cried again with a loud voice yeilded up the Ghost When they came to Iesus and saw that he was dead already they brake not his leggs but one of the Souldiers with his Spear pierced his side and forthwith came thereout blood and water Lastly That it might be manifest that the Prince of life was really dead for the satisfaction of the Law He suffered his body to be caried to Prison to be shut up in the grave and held under the power of death untill the third day Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden and in the Garden a new Sepulchre wherein was never man yet laid there laid they Iesus Thus ye see the Lord Jesus Christ satisfied the Law to the full endured the rigour and bare the penalty of it Secondly by satisfying the Law and endruing the severity of it he established the Law I suppose it is not necessary to speak much of this particular because the opening of the former giveth light unto it breifly thus 1. The Law required perfect obedience as ye heard the full performance of every branch and tittle of it 2. In case of disobedience transgression defect and failing in obedience the Law denounced a grievous penalty a Curse death and destruction as was noted also yea the Law given to mankind in Adam had the sentence of death annexed In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die 3. Hence it followeth that if neither the Law be fulfilled in a way of obedience nor satisfied by the inflicting of the punishment then it is made void and declared to be of no force to have lost its authority its vigour and to be frustrated of its end 4. Thereupon we may infer by the rule of contraries that the Lord Jesus Christ having in the nature of man born the full penalty severity and Curse of the Law due to the sins of men against the Law and by his God-head to which his humane nature wherein he suffered is personally united gave sufficient value and worth to his sufferings to make full satisfaction to the Law to the uttermost that the Law in its greatest rigour could require hence it clearly followeth that Christ established the Law This was a reall and full acknowledgement of the Authority of the Law the wonderful abasement the grievous sufferings of the Son of God were signal evidences infallible demonstrations of the force and authority of the Law the Lord of glory appearing in the form of a Servant to make way for satisfying the Law he that is the brightness of the Fathers glory enduring the shame of the Cross did abundantly witness to the world the Authority of the Law The Lord Jesus Christ spared not his most precious blood but freely poured it forth to satisfie the Law for the sins of his people and thereby ratified and sealed the Authority of the Law How should this be improved to stir up poor souls without delay to turn to the Lord and flee to Christ For in as much as the Lord Jesus did both perform perfect obedience to the Law and bear the full penalty and curse of the Law and by both these establish the Law it sheweth clearly that the Law standeth in full force against all that are out of Christ they being guilty of sin against the Law are subject to the Curse of the Law for being not found in Christ they have no part in his perfect righteousness and full satisfaction and therefore are every moment in danger of the sentence of condemnation denounced by the the Law It is true that Christ hath fully satisfied the Law But what doth this help them that remain in their natural estate