eyes; they beheld two sad objects, he saw | God is appeased, but a propitiation, whereby

God becomes gracious and friendly to us. Christ is our mercy-seat, from which God gives answers of peace to us.

3. Christ died that he might make good his last will and testament with his blood; there were many legacies which Christ bequeathed to believers, which had been all null and void, had not he died, and by his death confirmed the will, Heb. ix. 16. A testament is in force after men are dead; the mission of the Spirit, the promises, those legacies, were not in force till Christ's death; but Christ by his blood hath sealed them, and believers may lay claim to them.

his enemies insulting, and his mother weeping.-2. In his ears; his ears were filled with the revilings of the people, Matt. xxvii. 42, "He saved others, himself he cannot save."-3. In his smell; when their drivel fell upon his face.-4. In his taste; when they gave him gall and vinegar to drink, bitterness and sharpness.-5. In his feeling; his head suffered with thorns, his hands and feet with the nails. Totum pro vulnere corpus; now was this white lily dyed of a purple colour.-2d. In the sufferings of his soul. He was pressed in the wine-press of his Father's wrath. This caused that vociferation | and outcry on the cross, "My God, My God," 4. He died that he might purchase for us cur deseruisti? Christ suffered a double glorious mansions, therefore heaven is called eclipse upon the cross, an eclipse of the sun, not only a promised, but a purchased posand an eclipse of the light of God's counte-session,' Eph. i. 14. Christ died for our How bitter was this agony! The preferment; he suffered that we might reign; he hung upon the cross that we might sit upon the throne. Heaven was shut, &c. crux Christi, clavis Paradisi,--the cross of Christ is the ladder by which we ascend to heaven. His crucifixion is our coronation.

nance.

evangelists use three words to express it: "He began to be amazed," Mark xiv. 33; "He began to be faint;" "To be exceeding sorrowful," Matt. xxvi. 37. Christ felt the pains of hell in his soul, though not locally, yet equivalently.

QUEST. Why did Christ suffer?

ANS. Surely not for any desert of his own, Dan, ix. 26, "The Messiah shall be cut off, but not for himself:" it was for us, Isa. liii. 6. Unus peccat, alius plectitur; he suffered, that he might satisfy God's justice for us. We, by our sins, had infinitely wronged God; and, could we have shed rivers of tears, of fered up millions of holocausts and burntofferings, we could never have pacified an angry Deity; therefore Christ must die, that God's justice may be satisfied.-It is hotly debated among divines, whether God could not have forgiven sin freely without a sacrifice. Not to dispute what God could have done, yet when we consider God was resolved to have the law satisfied, and to have man saved in a way of justice as well as mercy, then, I say, it was necessary that Christ should lay down his life as a sacrifice.

1. To fulfil the predictions of scripture, Luke xxiv. 46, "Thus it behoved Christ to suffer." 2. To bring us into favour with God. It is one thing for a traitor to be pardoned, and another thing to be made a favourite. Christ's blood is not only called a sacrifice, whereby

Use 1st. In the bloody sacrifice of Christ, see the horrid nature of sin; sin, it is true, is odious as it banished Adam out of paradise, and threw the angels into hell; but that which doth most of all make it appear horrid, is this, that it made Christ veil his glory, and lose his blood. We should look upon sin with indignation, and pursue it with a holy malice, and shed the blood of those sins which shed Christ's blood. The sight of Caesar's bloody robe, incensed the Romans against them that slew him. The sight of Christ's bleeding body should incense us against sin; let us not parley with it, let not that be our joy, which made Christ a man of sorrow.

Use 2d. Is Christ our priest sacrificed? See God's mercy and justice displayed. I may say as the apostle, Rom. xi. 22, "Behold the goodness and severity of God." 1. The goodness of God in providing a sacrifice had not Christ suffered upon the cross, we must have lain in hell for ever, satisfying God's justice.-2. The severity of God: though it were his own Son, the Son of his love, and our sins were but imputed to him, yet God did not spare him, Rom. viii. 32, but his wrath did flame

against him. And if God were thus severe to his own Son, how dreadful will he be one day to his enemies? Such as die in wilful impenitency, must feel the same wrath as Christ did; and because they cannot bear it at once, therefore they must be enduring it for ever.

Christ's priestly office.-2. Christ's sacrifice is meritorious; he not only died for our example, but to merit salvation; the person who suffered being God as well as man, did put virtue into his sufferings; and now our sins are expiated, and God appeased. No sooner did the messengers say, "Uriah is dead," but David's anger was pacified, 2 Sam. xi. 21. No sooner did Christ die, but God's anger was pacified.—3. This sacrifice is beneficial. Out of the dead lion Samson had honey; it procures justification of our persons, acceptance of our service,-access to God with boldness,-entrance into the holy place of heaven, Heb. x. 19. Per latus Christi patescit nobis in cœlum, Israel pass

Use 3d. Is Christ our priest, who was sacrificed for us? Then see the endeared affection of Christ to us sinners. "The cross," saith Austin, "was a pulpit, in which Christ preached his love to the world." That Christ should die, was more than if all the angels had been turned to dust; and that Christ should die as a malefactor, having the weight of all men's sins laid upon him, that he should die for his enemies, Rom. v. 10. The balm-ed through the Red Sea to Canaan; so tree weeps out its precious balm, to heal those that cut and mangle it: Christ shed his blood, to heal those that crucified him. And that he should die freely: it is called the of fering of the body of Jesus,' Heb. x. 10. And though his sufferings were so great that they made him sigh, and weep, and bleed; yet they could not make him repent, Isa. liii. 11, 'He shall see of the travail of his soul, and be satisfied." Christ had hard travail upon the cross, yet he doth not repent of it, but thinks his sweat and blood well bestowed, because he sees redemption brought forth to the world. O infinite, amazing love of Christ! A love that passeth knowledge, Eph. iii. 19, that neither man nor angel can parallel! How should we be affected with this love! If Saul was so affected with David's kindness in sparing his life, how should we be affected with Christ's kindness in parting with his life for us? At Christ's death and passion, the very stones did cleave asunder, Mat. xxvii. 51,"The rocks rent." Not to be affected with Christ's love in dying, is to have hearts harder than rocks.

through the red sea of Christ's blood, we enter into the heavenly Canaan.

Use 4th. Is Christ our sacrifice? then see the excellency of his sacrifice. It is perfect, Heb. x. 14, "By one offering, he hath perfected them that are sanctified." Therefore, how impious are the Papists, in joining their merits and the prayers of saints with Christ's sacrifice? They offer him up daily in the mass, as if Christ's sacrifice on the cross were imperfect; this is a blasphemy against

Use 5th. Of exhortation. 1. Let us fiducially apply this blood of Christ; all the virtue of a medicine is in the applying; though the medicine be made of the blood of God, it will not heal, unless by faith applied. As fire is to the chymist, so is faith to the Christian; the chymist can do nothing without fire, so there is nothing done without faith. Faith makes Christ's sacrifice ours, Phil. iii. 8, "Christ Jesus my Lord." It is not gold in the mine that enricheth, but gold in the hand; faith is the hand that receives Christ's golden merits. It is not a cordial in the glass refresheth the spirit, but a cordial drunk down. Per fidem Christi sanguinem sugimus, CYPR. Faith opens the orifice of Christ's wounds, and drinks the precious cordial of his blood. Without faith Christ himself will not avail us.

2. Let us love a bleeding Saviour, and let us show our love to Christ, by being ready to suffer for him. Many rejoice at Christ's suffering for them, but dream not of their suffering for him; Joseph dreamed of his preferment, but not of his imprisonment. Was Christ a sacrifice ?-Did he bear God's wrath for us?-We should bear man's wrath for him. Christ's death was voluntary, Ps. xl. 7, "Lo, I come to do thy will, O God," Luke xii. 50, "I have a baptism to be baptised with, and how am I straitened till it be accomplished! Christ calls his sufferings a

OF CHRIST'S INTERCESSION.

ROM. viii. 34. Who also maketh intercession for us.

II. WHEN Aaron entered into the holy makes a melodious sound in the ears of God. place, his bells gave a sound: so Christ Christ, though he be exalted to glory, hath having entered into heaven, his intercession not laid aside his bowels of compassion, but

is still mindful of his body mystical, as Joseph was mindful of his father and brethren, when he was exalted to the court. "Who also maketh intercession for us." To intercede is to make request in the behalf of another. Christ is the great master of requests in heaven; Christus est Catholicus Ratris Sacerdos, TERTUL. QUEST. What are the qualifications of Of what a bloody colour was David's sin! our intercessor? Yet it did not exclude Christ's intercession. QUEST. What doth Christ in the work of

the sins of believers. In the law there were some sins the high priest was neither to offer sacrifice for, nor yet to offer prayer for, Numb. xv. 30, "The soul that doth ought presumptuously shall be cut off." The priest might offer up prayer for sins of ignorance, but not of presumption; but Christ's intercession extends to all the sins of the elect.

ANS. He is holy, Heb. vii. 26, "For such

ANS. Three things.

a high priest became us, who is holy, unde-intercession?
filed, separated from sinners." "Christ knew
no sin," 2 Cor. v. 21. He knew sin in its
weight, not in the act. It was requisite that
he, who was to do away the sins of others,
should himself be without sin. Holiness is
one of the precious stones which shine on
the breastplate of our high priest.

1. He presents the merit of his blood to his Father, and, in the virtue of that price paid, pleads for mercy. The high priest was herein a lively type of Christ. Aaron was to do four things: 1. Kill the beasts.-2. To enter with the blood into the holy of holies.A. 2. He is faithful, Heb. ii. 17, “It be-3. To sprinkle the mercy-seat with the blood. hoved him to be made like unto his brethren, -4. To kindle the incense, and with the that he might be a faithful high priest." smoke of it cause a cloud arise over the Moses was faithful as a servant,-Christ as mercy-seat; and so the atonement was made, a son, Heb. iii. 5. He doth not forget any Lev. xvi. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. Christ our cause he hath to plead, nor doth he use any high priest did exactly answer to this type: deceit in pleading. An ordinary attorney he was offered up in sacrifice, that answers may either leave out some word which might to the priest's killing the bullock: and Christ make for the client, or put in a word against is gone up into heaven, that answers to the him, having received a fee on both sides; but priest's going into the holy of holies,-and Christ is true to the cause he pleads; we may he spreads his blood before his Father, that leave our matters with him, we may trust our answers to the priest's sprinkling the blood lives and souls in his hand. upon the mercy-seat,-and he prays to his Father that for his blood's sake he would be propitious to sinners, that answers to the cloud of incense going up,-and through his intercession God is pacified, that answers to the priest's making atonement.

A. 3. He never dies. The priests under the law, while their office lived, they themselves died, Heb. vii. 23, "They were not suffered to continue, by reason of death;" but "Christ ever lives to make intercession," Heb. vii. 25. He hath no succession in his priesthood.

2. Christ by his intercession answers all bills of indictment brought in against the QUEST. Who Christ intercedes for? elect. Believers, do what they can, Sin, and ANS. Not for all promiscuously, John xvii. then Satan accuseth them to God, and con9, but for the elect. The efficacy of Christ's science accuseth them to themselves: now, prayer reacheth no further than the efficacy Christ by his intercession, answers all these of his blood; but his blood was shed only for accusations, Rom. viii. 33, “Who shall lay the elect, therefore his prayers only reach any thing to the charge of God's elect? it them. The high priest went into the sanc-is Christ that maketh intercession for us." tuary with the names only of the twelve tribes upon his breast: so Christ goes into heaven only with the names of the elect upon his breast. Christ intercedes for the weakest believers, John xvii. 20, and for all

When Esculus was accused for some impiety, his brother stood up for him, and showed the magistrates how he had lost his hand in the service of the state, and so obtained his pardon: thus, when Satan accuseth the saints,

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A. 4. Efficaciously: it is a prevailing intercession. Christ never lost any cause he pleaded; he was never non-suited. Christ's intercession, must needs be effectual, if we consider,

1. The excellency of his person. If the prayer of a saint be so prevalent with God, (Moses's prayer did bind God's hand, Exod. xxxii. 10, "Let me alone;" and Jacob, as a prince, prevailed with God, Gen. xxxii. 28; and Elijah did by prayer open and shut heaven, James v. 17), then what is Christ's prayer? He is the Son of God, the Son in whom he is well pleased, Matt. iii. 17. What will not a father grant a son! John xi. 42, "I knew that thou hearest me always." If God could forget that Christ were a priest, yet he cannot forget that he is a son.

or when the justice of God lays any thing to him intercede with affection is, it is his own their charge, Christ shows his own wounds, cause which he pleads. He hath shed his and by virtue of his bloody sufferings, he an-blood to purchase life and salvation for the swers all the demands and challenges of the elect; and if they should not be saved, he law, and counterworks Satan's accusations. would lose his purchase. 3. Christ by his intercession calls for acquittance, Lord, let the sinner be absolved from guilt:' and in this sense Christ is called an advocate, 1 John ii. 1. He requires that the sinner be set free in the court. An advocate differs much from an orator; an orator useth rhetoric to persuade and entreat the judge to show mercy to another; but an advocate tells the judge what is law. Thus Christ appears in heaven as an advocate, he represents what is law; when God's justice opens the debt-book, Christ opens the lawbook: "Lord," saith he, "thou art a just God, and wilt not be pacified without blood; Lo! here the blood is shed, therefore in justice, give me a discharge of these distressed creatures; it is equal, that the law being satisfied, the sinner should be acquitted." And, upon Christ's plea, God sets his hand to the sinner's pardon. QUEST. In what manner Christ inter-will between Christ and his Father; Christ cedes? prays Sanctify them through thy truth;" ANS. 2. Freely he pleads our cause in and, "This is the will of God, even your sancheaven, and takes no fee. An ordinary law-tification," 1 Thess. iv. 3. So then, if Christ yer will have his fee, and sometimes a bribe prays for nothing but what God the Father too; but Christ is not mercenary, how many hath a mind to grant, then he is like to speed. causes doth he plead every day in heaven and 3. Christ prays for nothing but what he will take nothing? As Christ laid down his life hath power to give: what he prays for as he freely, John x. 15, 18, so he intercedes freely. is man, that he hath power to give as he is God, John xvii. 24, "Father, I will." Father, there he prays as a man; I will, there he gives as God. This is a great comfort to a believer, when his prayer is weak and he can hardly pray for himself, Christ's prayer in heaven is mighty and powerful. Though God may refuse prayer as it comes from us, yet not as it comes from Christ.

A. 3. Feelingly he is as sensible of our condition as his own, Heb. iv. 15, "We have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmity." As a tender-hearted mother would plead with a judge for a child ready to be condemned; O how would her bowels work! how would her tears trickle down! what weeping rhetoric would she use to the judge for mercy! Thus the Lord Jesus is full of sympathy and tenderness, Heb. ii. 17, that he might be a merciful high priest; though he hath left his passion, yet not his compassion. An ordinary lawyer is not affected with the cause he pleads, nor doth he care which way it goes; it is profit makes him plead, not affection; but Christ intercedes feelingly, and that which makes

2. Christ prays for nothing but what his Father hath a mind to grant. There is but one

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4. Christ's intercession is always ready at hand. The people of God have sins of daily incursion; and, besides these, sometimes they lapse into great sins, and God is provoked, and his justice is ready to break forth upon them; but Christ's intercession is ready at hand, he daily makes up the breaches between God and them, he presents the merits of his blood to his Father