Page images
PDF
EPUB

And the Manner of it was (it hath been faid) to bring the Blood into the Sanctuary, and sprinkle it before the Lord, but to burn the Body without the Camp.

Eph. ii. 14.

2 Cor. v. 21.

With Allufion to this, Chrift is not only

called our Peace, and faid to be mad. Sin for us: But more particularly, the fame Ceremonies are observed to be nicely regarded, in the Place and Manner of his Death. For thus the Author to the Hebrews argues, The Bodies of theje Beajls, whofe Blood is brought into the Sanuary Chap. xiii. 11,12. for Sin, are burnt without the Camp. Wherefore Jefus elfo, that he might fantify the People with bis own Blood, fuffered without the Gate.

One more remarkable Type there is, denoting both the Kind, and the Efficacy, of this Death. When the Ifraelites in the Wilderness were stung with fiery Serpents, Mofes was commanded to fet a brazen Serpent, resembling thofe in Form, on high upon a Pole; And as many as looked upon This, were healed of their Plague. Our Lord, in like manner, tho' made in the Likeness of finful Flefh, yet knew no Sin himself: As that brazen Serpent had the Refemblance only, but none of the Fire and Venom of thofe Serpents, whofe Sting it was ordained to cure. Nor did the fixing it in view effect a Recovery, by any natural and neceffary Operation; but the Benefit of Healing was confined to them, that fix'd their Eyes upon it; and, confequent to that, turned themselves to this Wifd. xvi. 6, 7. Sign of Salvation, (as the Wisdom of Sclomon expreffes it) This Action made them capable of the Mercy of God, working in, and by, that Emblem. Thus is the Death of Chrift effectual for curing the Sins of Men; Not of all indifferently, and without Diftinction; but of fuch, as qualify themfelves by Faith. All which cannot be more fully illuftrated, than by that Paffage in our Lord's Difcourfe with Nicodemus, (John iii. 14, 15.) As Mojes lifted up the Serpent in the

[ocr errors]

Wilderness, even fo must the Son of Man be lifted up; That whofoever believeth on Him, fhould not perish, but have eternal Life. And, that there is a peculiar Propriety, in that Phrafe of being lifted up, with regard to the Crucifixion of our Bleffed Saviour, the fame Evangelift hath inftructed us (Chap. xii. 32, 33.) who upon the Occafion of thofe Words, And I, if I be lifted up from the Earth, will draw all Men unto me; adds, by way of Explanation to this Term, This faid Jefus, fignifying what Death he Jhould die. Let this fuffice for Proof, that Thus it was written, and Thus That there was the it behoved Chrift to Suffer.

fame Neceffity, and upon the fame Account, for his Rifing again, fhall be the Subject of to Morrow's Meditations.

26.

*Μ M

Eafter Tuesday.

For the EPISTLE.

Acts xiii. 26.

EN and brethren, children of the flock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation fent. 27. For they that dwell at Jerufalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every fabbath day, they bave fulfilled them in condemning him.

28. And though they found no cause of death in him, yet defired they Pilate that be fhould be flain.

29. And when they had fufilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a

Sepulchre.

30. But God raised him from the dead.

31. And he was feen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Ferufalem, who are bis witnesses unto the people.

32. And we declare unto you glad tidings, bow that the promife which was made unto the fathers,

33. God bath fulfilled the fame unto us their children, in that be bath raised up Jefus again, as it is also written in the fecond Pfalm: Thou art my fon, this day bave I begotten thee.

34. And as concerning that be raised him up from the dead, now no more return to corruption, be faid on this wife, I will give you the fure Mercies of David.

to

35. Wherefore

35. Werefore be faith also in another Pjaim, Thou shalt not fuffer thine holy men See corruption.

36. For David, after be bad ferved his own generation by the will of God, fill in feep, and was la duntokis fathers, and saw corruption.

37. But be whom God raised again faw no corruption.

38. Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man a preached unto you the for ivenels of fins.

39. And by him all that believe, are juftified from all things, from which je tai not be justified by the Law of Mojes.

40. Beware therefore, left that come upon you, which is speken of in the P phets,

41. Behold, ye despifers, ard wonder, and perish: for I work a swork in yor days, a work which you fall in no wife believe, though a man declare it am you.

36.

J

The GOSPEL.

Luke xxiv. 36.

ESUS bimfelf food in the midst of them, and faith unto them, Peace be unto you:

37. But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they bad sen

a spirit.

38. And be faid unto them, Why are ye troubled, and why do thoughts arife in y

bearts?

39. Bekold my bands and my feet, that it is I my felf: handle me and see, for t Spirit bath not flesh and bones, as ye jee me have.

40. And coken be bad thus spoken, he shewed them his bands and bis feet.

41. And while they yet believed nåt for joy, and wond, ed, he said unto them, Hove ye bere any meat?

42. And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an boney comb.

43. And he took it, and did eat before them.

44. And be faid unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, wbik! was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law j Mofes, and in the Prophets, and in the Pfalms, concerning me.

45. Then opened be their understanding, that they might understand the Scr ptures.

46. And faid unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Chrift to fofe and to rife from the dead the third day:

47. And that repentance and remiffion of fins fhould be preached in his name, em all nations, beginning at Jerufalem.

48. And ye are witnesses of these things.

.COMMENT.

I

COMMENT.

Now proceed, according to my Propofal Yefterday, to confider the Predictions and Types, of our Bleffed Redeemer's Refurrection. And that, Both as to the Thing in general, and as to the particular Time of it. For the Scriptures before us now extend to Both, That he fhould rife from the Dead, and, That he fhould rife the Third Day.

Gen. xxii. 18.

Gal. iii. 13, 14,

16.

Almighty God had promifed to Abraham, That in bis Seed all Nations of the Earth fhould be bleed; This Seed, St. Paul affirms to the Galatians, is Christ, who redeemed us from the Curfe of the Law, being made a Curfe for us, That the Bleffing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles through Jefus Chrift. And St. Peter acquaints the Jews, that this Promife was made good to them in our Lord's Refurrection. (Acts iii. 25, 26.) Ye are the Children of the Prophets, and of the Covenant, which God made with our Fathers, faying unto Abraham, And in thy Seed fhall all the Kindreds of the Earth be blessed. "Unto you first, God, having raifed up his Son Jefus, fent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his Iniquities.

David, in the Second Pfalm, magnifying the Mercy of God in his Son's Exaltation to the Throne, had faid, I will declare the Decree, the Lord hath faid unto me, Thou art my Son, this Day have I begotten thee. "And St. Paul, making the Epiftle for this Day his Sermon in the Synagogue at Antioch, contends for this, as the true Sense of these Words. We declare unto you Glad Tidings, fays he, how that the Promife, which was made unto the Fathers, God bath fulfilled

Acts xiii. 32, 33.

the fame unto us their Children, in that he bath raifed up Jefus again; As it is also written in the Second Pfalm, Thou art my Son, this Day have I begotten

thee.

thee. And, that this Pfalm had a peculiar Reference to the Meffias, we learn, from the Allufion made to it, by the whole College of the Apoftles, in the Fourib Chapter of the fame Book.

Pfal. xvi. 10.
Act. ii.29,30,31*

The fame Royal Prophet, in another Place, is carried out into Raptures of Truft and Holy Hope, which could not, in ftrict Propriety of Speech, belong to any but Chrift. And therefore of His Perfon we are to understand thofe Words, Thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell, neither wilt thou fuffer thine Holy One to fee Corruption. The Application whereof, to the Matter now in hand, St. Peter vindicates thus, in his Sermon on the Day of Pentecost, Men and Brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the Pa triarch David; that he is both dead and buried, and bu Sepulchre is with Us unto this Day; therefore, being a Prophet, and knowing, that God had fworn with an Oath to him, that of the Fruit of his Loins, according to the Flesh, he would raise up Chrift to fit on his Throne: He, feeing this before, fpake of the Refurrection of Christ, that His Soul was not left in Hell, neither did His Body fee Corruption. And St. Paul, in like manner, here to the Jews at Antioch, David, after be bad Acts xiii. 36, 37. ferved his own Generation, by the Will of God, fell asleep, and faw Corruption; But He, whom Gål raised up again, faw no Corruption.

But, In our Saviour's Refurrection, there was One particular Privilege, which diftinguifhed Him from any other Perfon, miraculously brought to Life again. 'Tis, that They only were called back, and, as it were, reprieved, for a certain Term of Time, but still continued fubject to Mortality; And, when that Period was expired, returned to their dark Prifons of the Grave, there to remain confined, till the General Gao! Delivery, at the great Aflizes of the whole World.

Rom. vi. 9.

But Chrift, as St. Paul obferves, being raifed from the Dead, dieth no more, Deats

bath

« PreviousContinue »