III.

SER M. fcend to a fimple remiffion of our debts; yet so, that, faving his right and honour, he did ftoop lower for an effectual abolition of them. He would make good his word, not to let our trefpaffes go unpunished; yet so, that by our punishment we might re-. ceive advantage. He would manifeft his deteftation of wickedness in a way more illuftrious, than if he had perfecuted it down to hell, and irreversibly doomed it to endless torment.

But how might these things be effected? Where was there a Mediator proper and worthy to intercede for us? Who could prefume to folicit and plead in our behalf? Who fhould dare to put himself between God and us, and offer to screen mankind from the divine wrath and vengeance? Who had so great an interest in the court of heaven, as to ingratiate fuch a brood of apoftate enemies thereto ? Who could affume the confidence to propofe terms of reconciliation, or to agitate a new covenant, wherewith God might be fatisfied, and whereby we might be faved? Where, in heaven or earth, could there be found a priest fit to atone for fins fo vaftly numerous, fo extremely heinous? And whence fhould a facrifice be taken, of value sufficient to expiate for fo manifold enormities, committed against Alalay - the infinite Majefty of Heaven? Who could find out e. Heb. the everlasting redemption of innumerable fouls, or lay down a competent ranfom for them all? Not to fay, could also purchase for them eternal life and blifs?

τρωσιν εὑρά

μενος. ix. 12.

a6.

Thefe are queftions, which would puzzle all the wit of man, yea, would gravel all the wisdom of angels to refolve: for plain it is, that no creature on earth, none in heaven, could well undertake or perform this work.

Where on earth, among the degenerate fons of Heb. vii. Adam, could be found fuch an high priest as became us, boly, harmless, undefiled, feparate from finners? and how could a man, however innocent and pure as a feraphim, fo perform his duty, as to do more than.

merit or fatisfy for himself? How many lives could s ER M. the life of one man ferve to ranfom; feeing that it is afferted of the greatest and richest among men,

that None of them can by any means redeem his brother, Pfal. xlix. or give to God a ransom for him.

And how could available help in this cafe be expected from any of the angelical hoft; feeing (befide their being in nature different from us, and thence improper to merit or fatisfy for us; befide their comparative meannefs, and infinite diftance from the majefty of God,) they are but our fellow-fervants, and have obligations to discharge for themselves, and cannot be folvent for more than for their own debtsof gratitude and fervice to their infinitely-bountiful Creator; they also themfelves needing a Saviour, to preferve them by his grace in their happy ftate?

7.

Indeed, no creature might afpire to fo auguft an honour, none could atchieve fo marvellous a work, as to redeem from infinite guilt and mifery the nobleft part of all the vifible creation: none could prefume to invade that high prerogative of God, or attempt to infringe the truth of that reiterated proclamation, I, even I, am the Lord, and befide me there is no Ifa. xliii. Saviour.

11. xlv. 21.

Hof. xiii. 4.

Wherefore, seeing that a fupereminent dignity of perfon was required in our Mediator, and that an immenfe value was to be prefented for our ransom; feeing that God faw there was no man, and wondered Ifa. lix. 16. (or took special notice) that there was no interceffor ; ***. it must be his arm alone that could bring falvation; none befide God himfelf could intermeddle therein.

But how could God undertake the bufinefs? Could he become a fuitor or interceffor to his offended felf? Could he prefent a facrifice, or disburse a fatisfaction to his own juftice? Could God alone contract and stipulate with God in our behalf? No; furely man alfo muft concur in the transaction: fome amends muft iffue from him, fomewhat must be paid out of our ftock: human will and confent muft

κατενόησε,

III.

SER M. must be interpofed, to ratify a firm covenant with us, inducing obligation on our part. It was decent and expedient, that as man, by wilful tranfgreffion and prefumptuous felf-pleafing, had fo highly offended, injured, and difhonoured his Maker; fo man alfo. by willing obedience, and patient fubmiffion to God's pleasure, fhould greatly content, right, and glorify him.

Ephef. i. 8.

Tit. iii. 4.

Gal. iv. 4.

iv. 15.

i. 14.

Ephef. i. 6.

Here then did lie the ftrefs; this was the knot, Luke i. 78. which only divine wifdom could loofe. And fo inEphef. i. 5. deed it did in a moft effectual and admirable way; Rom. v. 8. for in correfpondence to all the exigences of the John vi. 38. cafe, (that God and man both might act their parts Join faving us) the bleffed eternal Word, the only Son Heb. v. 2. of God, by the good-will of his Father, did vouchfafe to intercede for us, and to undertake our reConft. A demption; in order thereto voluntarily being fent poft. viii. down from heaven, affuming human flesh, fubjecting 1 Tim. ii. himself to all the infirmities of our frail nature, and Tit. ii. 14. to the worst inconveniences of our low condition 4 Heb. ix. 15. therein meriting God's favour to us, by a perfect Col. i. 22. obedience to the law, and fatisfying God's juftice by a moft patient endurance of pains in our behalf; in completion of all, willingly laying down his life for the ranfom of our fouls, and pouring forth his blood in facrifice for our fins.

12.

6.

ii. 9.

1 Tim. iii. .16.

This is that great and wonderful mystery of godlinefs, (or of our holy religion) the which St. Paul here doth exprefs, in these words concerning our bleffed Saviour; Who being in the form of God, thought it no robbery to be equal with God; but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a fervant, 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.

In which words are contained divers points very obfervable. But feeing the time will not allow me to treat on them in any measure as they deserve, I fhall (waving all the reft) infift but upon one parti

cular,

.III.

cular, couched in the laft words, Even the death of s ER M. the cross; which by a special emphafis do excite us to confider the manner of that holy paffion, which we now commemorate; the contemplation whereof, avizy as it is most seasonable, fo it is ever very profitable.

Now then in this kind of paffion we may confider divers notable adjuncts; namely thefe: 1. Its being in appearance criminal. 2. Its being most bitter and painful. 3. Its being moft ignominious and fhameful. 4. Its peculiar advantageoufnefs to the defigns. of our Lord in fuffering. 5. Its practical efficacy.

a

2 Cor. v.

21.

I. We may confider our Lord's fuffering as criminal; or as in femblance being an execution of juftice upon him. He (as the Prophet foretold of him) was Ifa. liii. 12. numbered among the tranfgreffors; and Ged (faith St. Paul) made him fin for us, who knew no fin: that is, God ordered him to be treated as a moft finful or criminous perfon, who in himself was perfectly innocent, and void of the least inclination to offend.

vii. 12.

61. xxvii.

40.

Conft. A

So in effect it was, that he was impeached of the higheft crimes; as a violator of the divine laws in John v. 18. divers inftances; as a defigner to fubvert their reli- x. 30, &c. gion and temple; as an impoftor, deluding and fe- Matt. xxvi. ducing the people; as a blafphemer, affuming to himself the properties and prerogatives of God; as a Luke xxiii. feditious and rebellious perfon, perverting the nation, Matt.xxvii. inhibiting payments of tribute to Cæfar, ufurping 63. royal authority, and styling himself Chrift a king: in a word, as a malefactor, or one guilty of enormous acis. offences; fo his perfecutors avowed to Pilate, If, faid they, he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee. As fuch he was reprefented and arraigned; as fuch, although by a fentence wrefted by malicious importunity, against the will and confcience of the judge, he was condemned, and accordingly suffered death.

Now whereas any death or paffion of our Lord, as being in itfelf immenfely valuable, and most precious in the fight of God, might have been fufficient

toward

poft. v. 14.

John xviii.

30.

SER M. toward the accomplishment of his general defigns, III. (the appeafing God's wrath, the fatisfaction of divine juftice, the expiation of our guilt;) it may be enquired, why God fhould thus expofe him, or why he fhould choose to fuffer under this odious and ugly character? Which enquiry is the more confiderable, because it is especially this circumstance which croffeth the fleshly fenfe and worldly prejudices of men, fo as to have rendered the Gospel offenfive to the fuperftitious Jews, and despicable to conceited Orig. c. Gentiles. For fo Tryphon in Juftin Martyr, al83. v. though, from conviction by teftimonies of Scripture, 368. Aug. he did admit the Meffias was to fuffer hardly, yet 10. 28. Cy. that it fhould be in this accurfed manner, he could ril. c. Jul. not digeft. So the great adverfaries of Christianity vi. p. 194. (Celfus, Porphyry, Julian) did with most contempt

vii. p.

de Civ. D.

urge this exception against it. So St. Paul did obCor. i. 23. ferve, that Chrift crucified was unto the Jews a fumbling-block, and unto the Greeks foolishness. Wherefore to avoid those scandals, and that we may better admire the wifdom of God in this difpenfation, it may be fit to affign fome reafons intimated in holy Scripture, or bearing conformity to its doctrine, why it was thus ordered. Such are these.

1. As our Saviour freely did undertake a life of greatest meannefs and hardship, fo upon the like accounts he might be pleased to undergo a death most loathsome and uncomfortable. There is nothing to man's nature (especially to the best natures, in which modefty and ingenuity do furvive,) more abominable than fuch a death. God for good purposes hath planted in our conftitution a quick fenfe of difgrace; and, of all difgraces, that which proceedetl from an imputation of crimes is moft pungent; and being conscious of our innocence doth heighten the

P.

* Cur fi Deus fuit, et mori voluit, non faltem honefto aliquo mortis genere affectus eft? &c. Lact. 4. 26. Juft. M. Dial. 317.

fmart;