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and fo it ftands in no Force, either against him or us; thus, the Strength of Sin which is the Law, is removed, and by this Means, Sin is condemned in the Flefb, by the Suffering of his Flefb, it is fallen from all its Plea againft Sinners; for, that upon which it did hang, viz. the Sentence of the Law, is taken out of the Way, fo that it hath no apparent Ground

ner, that flies into Jefus Chrift, and no Ground at all to condemn him, it is wholly difabled in that Point; for, as the the Philiftines found where Samfon's Strength lay, and cutted his Hair, fo Chrift hath in his Wisdom 'found where the Sin's Plea, against Man lay, and hath cutted off the Hair of it, that is, the Hand-writing of Ordinances which was against us.

very Strength of Sin, for he knew where its Strength did ly, and fo did encounter, first of all, with that, even the Justice of his Father, The Hand-writing of Ordinances that was against us; for if once be can set them afide, as either vanquished or fatisfied, he hath little elfe to do. Now, he doth not take a violent Way in, this either, he doth it not with the ftrong Hand, but deals wifely, and (to fpeak foto faften any Accufation upon a poor Sinwith Reverence) cunningly in it, be came under the Law, that he might redeem them who were under the Law, Gal. iv. 4. Force will not do it, the Law cannot be violated, Juftice cannot be com pelled to forego its Right; therefore, our Lord Jefus chooseth, as it were, to compound with the Law, to fubmit unto it, He was made under the Law, he who was above the Law, being Law-giver in Mount Sinai, Acts vii. 38. Gal. iii. 19. This is that which hath been shadowed . He cometh under the Bond and Tye of it, out, from the Beginning of the World, to fulfil it. I came not to deftroy the Law, by the Types of Sacrifices and Ceremo but to fulfil it, Mat. v. 17. He would not nies: All thefe Offerings of Beafts, of offer Violence to the Law, to deliver Sin Fowls, and fuch like, under the Law, ners, contrary to the Commination of it, held forth this one Sacrifice, that was of or without Satisfaction given unto it, for, fered in the Fulness of Time, to be a that would reflect upon the Wisdom and Propitiation for the Sins of the World; Righteoufnefs of the Father who gave the and fomething of this was used among Law: But he doth it better, in an amica- the Gentiles, before Chrift's coming, cerble Way, by Submiffion and Obedience to tainly by Tradition from the Fathers, allits Demands; whatsoever it craved of who have looked afar off to this Day, the Sinner he fulfils that Debt, he fatisfies when this fweet Smelling Sacrifice should the Bond, in his own Perfon, by fuffering, be offered up to appeafe Heaven. And it and fulfils all, the Commandments by is not without a fpecial Providence, and Obedience: And thus, by Subjection worthy the remarking, that fince the pleto the Law, he gets Power over the nary and fubftantial One was offered, . Law, because his Subjection takes away all the Cuftom of facrificing hath ceafed its Claim and Right over us; therefore, throughout the World; God, as it were, it is faid, that be blotted out the Hand proclaiming to all Men by this Ceffation of writing of Ordinances, which was a- Sacrifices, as well as Silence of Oracles, gainst us, by nailing it to bis Crofs, and that the true Atonement and Propitia Jo took it out of the Way, Col. ii. 14. tion is come already, and the true ProHaving fulfilled the Bond, he cancell'd it,phet is come from Heaven, to reveal

God's

God's Mind unto the World. There were many Ceremonies in facrificing obferved to hold out unto us the Perfection of our Atonement and Propitiation : They laid their Hands on the Beaft, who brought it, to fignify the Imputation of our Sins to Chrift, that he who knew no Sin, was made Sin for us, that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him. And truly it is worth the Obfervafo tion, that even thofe Sacrifices for Sin were called Sin, and fo the Word is used promiscuoufly in Leviticus, to point out unto us, that Jefus Chrift fhould make bis Soul Sin, Ha. liü. 10. that is, a Sacrifice for Sin, and be made Sin for us, that is, a Sacrifice for Sin. When the Blood was poured out (be caufe without fbedding of Blood, no Reconciliation, Heb. x..the Sea, and fent away as far as the Eaft the Prief Sprinkled it feven Times before the Lord, to fhadow out the Perfection of that Expiation for our Sins, in the Vertue and Perpetuity thereof, Heb. ix. 26, that he should appear, to put away Sin by the Sacrifice of himself; to put it away, as if it had never been, by taking it on him, and bearing it: And then the High-priest was to bring in of the Blood into the boly Place, and within the Vail, and Sprinkle the Mercy-feat, to fhew unto us, that the Merit and Efficacy of Chrift's Blood, should enter into the highest Heavens, to appease the Wrath of God. Our High-prieft by his own Blood hath entered into the Holy Place, baving obtained èternal Redemption for us, Heb. ix. 12. And truly this is that Sacri fice, which being offered without Spot to God, pacifies all, ver. 14. Sin hath a Cry, cryeth aloud for Vengeance; this Blood filenceth it, and compofeth all to Favour and Mercy. It hath fo fweet and fragrant a Smell in God's Account; that it fills Heaven with the Perfume of it. He

is that true Sape-goat, who, notwith ftanding that he did bear all the Sins of his People, yet he did efcape aliye, albe- ́ it he behoved to make his Soul a Sacrifice for Sin, and fo die for it; yet by this Means he hath condemned Sin, by being condemned for Sin; by this Means he hath overcome Death and the Grave, by coming under the Power of Death, and is now alive for ever, to improve his Victory for our Salvation; and by taking on our Sins, he hath fully abolished the Power and Plea of them, as the Goat that was fent to the Wilderness out of all Men's Sight, was not to be feen again. Truly this is the Way how our Sins are buried in the Grave of Oblivion, and removed as a Cloud, and caft into the Depths of

is from the Weft, that they may never come in Judgment against us, to condemn us, becaufe Chrift, by appeafing Wrath, and fatisfying Juftice by the Sacrifice of himself, hath overthrown them in Judg ment, and buried them in the Grave with his own Body.

You fee then, my Beloved, a folid Ground of Confolation against all our Fears. and Sorrows, an Answer to all the Accufations of our Sins, here is one for all, one above all. You would have particular Answers to fatisfy your particular Doubts, you are always feeking fome Satisfaction to your Confciences betides this; but believe it, all that can be faid befides this Atonement and Propitiation, is of no more Vertue to purge your Confciences, or fatif fy your perplexed Souls, than these repeat ed Sacrifices of old were. Whatfoever you can pitch upon befides this, it is infuf ficient; and therefore you find a Neceffity of feeking fome other Grace or Qualification to appease your Confciences, even as they had need to multiply Sacrifices;

but

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ut now, fince this perfect and full Propiti- encountred with the Wrath due to your ation is offered up for our Sins, should Sins, and fo hath cut off all the Right that not all these vain Expiations of your own Sin hath over you. If thou can unfeignedWorks ceale? Truly there is nothing can ly, in the Lord's Sight, fay, that it is pacity Heaven but this, and nothing can thy Soul's Defire to be delivered from -appeafe thy Confcience on Earth, but this Sin, as well as Wrath,. thou would gladly too. If you find any Accufation against fly from Condemnation; then come to you, confider, Chrift hath by a Sacrifice him who hath condemned Sin, by fufferfor Sin, condemned Sin in his owning the Condemnation of Siu, that he Fleb; the Marks of the Spear, of the might fave thefe who delire to ry from it Nails, of the Buffettings of bis Fleft, to him. thefe are the Tokens and Pledges, that he i

SERMON XIV.

Verf. 4. That the Righteoufness of the Law might be fulfilled in us, &c.

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&c. What could we expect, if this be ful filled (as it would appear, God's Truth and Holiness requires?) then we are gone, Place for Mercy, if this be not fulfilled,

doning Sin) then the Truth and Faithfulnefs of God feems to be impaired. This is the Strait that all Sinners would have been into, if God had not found such an Enlargement as this, how to shew Mercy, without wronging Juftice, and how to fave Sinners, without impairing his Faithfulness. Truly we may wonder, what was it that could ftraiten his Majefty fo. that he muft fend his own Son, fo belov

OD having a great Defign to declare unto the World, both his Justice and Mercy towards Men, he found out this Mean moft fuitable and proportioned unto it, which is here spoken of in the 3. ver.(that the Mercy may be fhewed in parto fend his own Son, to bear, the Punishment of Sin, that the Righteousness of the Law might be freely and gracioufly fulfilled in Sinners. And indeed it was not imaginable by us, how he could declare both, in the Salvation of Sinners. We could not have found out a Way to declare his Righteoufnefs and Holinefs, which would not have obfcured his Mercy and Grace, nor a Way to manifeft his Grace and Mercy, which would not haveed of him, and bruise him, and hide his reflected upon his Holiness and Justice, according to the Letter of the Law that was given out, as the Rule of Life, He that doth them ball live in them, and eurfed is every one that doth them not,

Face from him, yea, and torment him, and not let the Cup pass from him, for any Intreaties; might he not more easily have never added fuch a Commination to the Law, thou shalt die; or more

eafily relaxed and repealed that Sentence, and past by the Sinner, without any more, than exacted fo heavy a Punishment from one that was innocent? Was it the Satiffaction of his Juftice that ftraitned him, and put a Neceffity of this upon him? But truly it feems it had been no more contrary to Righteoufnefs to have pa over the Sinner, without Satisfaction, than to require and take it off one who was not really guilty? The Truth is, it was not fimply the indifpenfible Neceffity of fatisfying Juftice, that put him upon fuch an hard and unpleant Work, as the bruising of bis own San; for, no doubt, he might have as well difpenfed with all Satisfaction, as with the perfonal Satisfaction of the Sinner; but here the Strait lay, and here was the Urgency of the Cafe, he had a Purpofe to declare his Juftice, and therefore a Satisfaction must be had, not fimply to fatisfy Righteoufnefs, but rather to declare bis Righteoufnefs, Rom. iii. 25. Now indeed to make these two Thine together, in one Work of the Salvation of Sinners, all the World could not have found out the like of this; to difpene with perfonal Satisfaction in the Sinner, which the Rigour of the Law required, and fo to admit a fweet Moderation and Relaxation, that the Riches of his Grace and Mercy might be manifefted,and yet withal, to exact the fame Punishment of another, willingly coming in the Sinners Piace, to the End that all Sinners may behold his Righte u nefs and Juftice: And fo this Work of the Redemption of Sinners, hath thefe Names of God published by himself, Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7. to Mofes, engraven deeply upon it, Mercy and Goodnels fpelled out at length in it, for Love was the Rife of all, and Love did run alongft in all; yet fo, as there is Room to fpeak out his Holinefs and Righteoufnefs,

and Justice, not so much to affright Sinners, as to make his Mercy the more amiable and wonderful.

I know not a more preffing Ground of ftrong Confolation, nor a firmer Bulwark of our Confidence and Salvation, than this Conjunction of Mercy and Juf tice in the Bufinefs: There might have been always a fecret Hink of Jealoufy and Sufpicion in our Minds, when God publifheth Mercy and Forgiveness to us freely. O! How fhall the Law be fatisfied, and the Importunity of Juftice and Faith fulnefs, that hath pronounced a Sentence of Death upon us, anfwered? Shall not the righteous Law be a Lofer this Way, if I be faved, and it not fatisfied by Obe. \ dience or Suffering? How hard would it be to perfuade a Soul of free Pardon, that fees fuch a fevere Sentence standing againft it? But now there is no Place for doubting, all is contrived for the Encouragement and Happiness of poor Sinners, that we may come to him with full Perfuafion of his Readiness and Inclinableness to Pardon, fince Jefus Chrift hath taken the Law and Justice of God off our Head, and us off their Hand; and fince he hath reckoned with them, for what is due by us, and payed it without us, then we have a clear Way, and ready Access to Pardon, and to believe his Readiness to pardon. And this is it which is holden out here, Chrift condemning Sin in the Flefb, or punishing Sin in his own Fleb, giving a vifible and fenfible Reprefentation of the Juftice and Righteousness of God, in punishing Sin, and that in his own Flefb, offering up himfelf as the condemned Sinner, and hanging up to the View of all the World, as an evident Testimony of the Juftice and Righteousness of God against Sin, and by this Means cutting off the very Strength of Sin, the Law, by

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fulfilling it. In Chrift's Sufferings you may behold, as in a clear Mirror, the Hatred and Displeasure of God against Sin, the Righteoufnefs of God in punishing Sin, Him bath God fet forth to the World to be a Propitiation, to declare the Righteoufness of God, Rom. iii. 24, 25. In this crucified Lord, you may behold the fenfible Image, and the most lively Demonftration of Holiness and Righteoufnefs; Chrift's Flesh bare the Marks of both, Holiness in hating Sin, Righteoufhefs in punishing it, and both in his beloved and only begotten Son's Perfon, in his Flefb; and all for this Purpose, that the Law might be no Lofer by our Salvation, That the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us, &c.

This is that which Chrift fays, I came not to destroy the Law, but to fulfil it; and which Paul feconds, Is the Law then made void by Faith, God forbid, it is rather established, Mat. v. 17. Rom. ii. 31. The Law and Juftice comes better to their own, by our Cautioner, than by us; there is no fuch Way conceivable, to fatisfy them fully, as this, whether you look to the Commandment or the Curfe. The Commandment never got fuch Satisfaction in any Perfon, as in Chrift's, he hath fulfilled it by Obedience. It becomes us, faith he, to fulfil all Righteousness, Mat. iii, 15. both moral and ceremonial; fo that there was no Guile found in bis Mouth, be knew no Sin, be was Holy and Harmless: His Father's Will was his Soul's Delight, I delight to do thy Will, Pfal. xl. 8. It was more to him than his neceffary Food, bis Meat and Drink. There was fo abfolute a Correfpondency between his Will and God's Will,and between his Way and his Will, that it was not poffible that any Difference should fall between them. His O

bedience had more Good in it (fo to fpeak)

than Adam's Difobedience had Evil in
it, Rom. v. 18, 19. Adam's Difobedi-
ence was but the Sin of a finite Creature,
but Chrift's Obedience was the Work of
an infinite Perfon. I think there was
more real Worth in Chrift's Obedience
to the Commands, than in all the united
Service and Obedience of Men and Angels,
all the Love, Delight, Fear and Obedi-
ence flowing from these, take them in one
Bundle, as they will be extended and mul-
tiplied to all Eternity; there is fomething
in Chrift's that elevates it above all, and
puts a higher Price upon it, the tranfcen
dant Dignity of his Perfon, his own Son,
made under the Law, Gal. iv. 4. That
is more Worth than if all Men and Angels
had been made under it. It had been
no Humiliation, but rather the Exaltation
of an Angel, to be obedient to God, that
Subordination to a Law, is the highest
Top of the Creature's Advancement : But
he was fuch a Perfon, as his Obedience was
a humbling himself, He bumbled bim-
felf, and became obedient, even to the
Death, Phil. ii. 8. And though be was
the Son of God, yet be ftooped to learn
Obedience, Heb. v. 8. Now indeed the
Cominandment comes to it better, by this
Means, to have fuch a glorious Person un-
der it, than if it had poor naughty us
under it; and that it is fulfilled by him,
when otherwife it would never have been
done. I fuppofe that Justice had exacted
the Punishment of us, as we could never
have ended Suffering to all Eternity, fo
we would never have begun new Obedi-
ence to the Command to all Eternity;
thus, except Chrift had taken it off us, and
us off its Hand, it fhould never have been
fulfilled, fince it was firft broken. Next,
the Curfe of the Law could not get fuller
Satisfaction, than in Chrift: I fuppofe, It

had

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