applies it to him, and is filled with wonder at the accomplishment. The legs of those who were crucified at the same time were purposely broken, (John xix.) but our Lord was passed by; and that it should be so, was inti. mated near fifteen hundred years before, in this charge concerning the lamb. Again, we find, that in several places where a bullock was commanded to be slain for a sin-offering, it was enjoined, that the flesh and the skin should be burnt without the camp; and from the epistle to the Hebrews, (chap. xiii.) we learn, that this was not a slight or arbitrary circumstance. We have there this explication: "For the bodies of those beasts whose blood is brought into the sanctuary, by the high-priest, for sin, were burnt without the camp. Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth, therefore, without the camp, bearing his reproach." I must not enlarge any farther, or it were easy, by the clue the apostles in their writings have given us, to trace the important meaning of many of those institutions, which scoffers, who are wise in their own conceits, though neither acquainted with themselves nor the subject, presume to censure as frivolous. The sense of the sacred writings lies too deep for a captious, superficial, volatile survey; it must be a search, a scrutiny; a humble, diligent, sincere, and persevering inquiry, or no satisfaction can be expected. it. We should perhaps have wondered to find so much said upon such a subject, in a book which we profess to believe was written by divine inspiration; we should probably have presumed to arraign the divine wisdom, in descending to particulars, in which, according to our views of the fitness of things, we could discern nothing either interesting or instructive. To guard us from these rash mistakes, to explain the true meaning of this particular transaction, and at the same time to furnish us with a key for understanding many passages of the like nature, in which human wisdom can discover neither beauty nor benefit,-it has pleased God to favour us with an infallible exposition of the whole matter. Not for the sake of Abraham, or Isaac, or Ishmael, or Hagar, was this recorded; much less merely to gratify our curiosity. No: "These things," saith the apostle Paul, "are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sina, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. For this Agar is mount Sina in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.-Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. Nevertheless, what saith the scripture? Cast out the bond-woman and her son: for the son of the bond-woman shall not be heir with the son of the free-woman. The import of the scripture-testimony conSo then, brethren, we are not the children cerning Christ, which was the third thing I of the bond-woman, but of the free," Gal. iv. proposed to speak of, must be deferred to I must not detain you by showing at large another opportunity. I hope what has been how the apostle teaches us to discover the already said, may, through the divine blessspirit and privileges of the gospel, together ing, engage you to search the scriptures. with what all who truly receive it must ex- Remember, it is the command of our Lord pect to encounter, in a passage which we Jesus Christ: it is the only appointed way to might otherwise have thought superfluous, if the knowledge of him, whom to know, so as not impertinent. Keep this in your mind to love, serve, and obey him, is both the founwhen you read the scriptures. Assure your-dation and the sum of our happiness, here and selves, that there is nothing vain or useless hereafter. We, as well as the Jews, think in the word of God. Compare one place with another, the law with the gospel, the prophets with the evangelists; pray unto God that he would open your understandings to understand the scriptures, as he did for the disciples; (Luke xxiv.) and in a little time you will find, that Christ is not only spoken of in a few verses, here and there, but that, as I said before, he is the main scope and subject of every book, and almost of every chapter. I would add an instance or two of the meaning of the ceremonies, to what I have observed of Hagar in reference to the types. In the law of the Passover, it was especially enjoined, (Exod. xii.) that not a bone of the paschal lamb should be broken. Now, who would have thought that this referred to Christ! yet we see the evangelist expressly we have eternal life in the scriptures, and shall, like them, be inexcusable and selfcondemned if we neglect it. Let us not be like fools, with a prize, an inestimable prize, in our hands, but without heart or skill to use it. Better would it have been for us to have lived and died in the wilds of America, without either means of grace or hopes of glory, than to slight this record which God has been pleased to give us of his Son. But happy the man whose delight is in the law of his God! He has sure direction in every difficulty, certain comfort in every distress. The beauty of the precepts is preferable in his eye to "thousands of gold and silver," Psalm exix. The comforts of the promises are sweeter to his taste, "than honey or the honey-comb," Psalm xix. He is happy in life; for the word of God is to him as a "foun tain of living water." He shall be happy in | immense variety of topics that offer. For this death; the promises of his God shall support being the great end and design of the scrip him through that dark valley; and he shall tures, to proclaim the excellency of Christ be happy for ever in the presence and love Jesus our Lord, "that we, through him, may of him for whose sake he now searches the have strong consolation," (Heb. xii.) it is inscriptures; “Whom, having not seen," yet, culcated in so many places, set in such a from the testimony there given of him, "he diversity of views, and couched under such loves; in whom, though now he sees him not, deep and comprehensive expressions, that not yet believing, he rejoices with joy unspeak- only our present opportunity but my whole able and full of glory," 1 Pet. i. future life, would be too short, if I would collect, state, and explain all that properly Pleraque autem (si detur libere loquendi belongs to this single article. For order's venia) quæ etiam in Theologicis scholis trac- sake, I shall reduce the little I must say at tantur, et magno cum apparatu et strepitu this time to three or four distinct particulars, docentur, et disputantur, spinosum forte acu--what the scriptures testify of Christ, as to men habent, sed simul certe spinosum sterili- his person, his offices, his power, and his love. tatem: lacerare et pungere possunt, animos When we hear of some great undertaking pascere non possunt: "Nemo enim ex spinis to be performed, we inquire of course about uvas colligit unquam, aut ex tribulis ficus." Quorsum alta (inquit quidam) de Trinitate disputare, si careas humilitate, et sic Trinitati displiceas!" Et apte S. Augustinus ad illud Esaiæ, "Ego Deus tuus docens te utilia;" “utilia (inquit) docens, non subtilia." Et hoc est quod opto et oro; ut nobis pro modulo nostro subdocentibus, ille efficaciter vos perdoceat, qui cathedram in cœlo habens, corda | docet in terris. 66 ARCHIEP. LEIGHTON, Prælect. Theol. SERMON VI. THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED. Search the scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me.—John v. 39. In a former discourse on these words, I mentioned four things as highly requisite, if we would acquire an useful knowledge of the scriptures,--sincerity with respect to the end, diligence in the use of means, a humble sense of our own weakness, and earnest prayer to God for the assistance of his grace and Spirit. To engage us to this practice, and perseverance therein, I next considered how the scriptures, when properly searched into and compared, do clearly, and in every part testify of Christ, that he is the end of the law, the sum of the prophets, the completion of the promises, the scope of the types and ceremonies, and the great object of the whole Old Testament dispensation. I am now to say something to the third point I proposed. III. Concerning the import of the testimony which the scriptures bear to Christ. The principal difficulties on this head are, where to begin on a subject absolutely boundless, and what to select that may be most suitable and useful to this assembly, from the the person who is chiefly concerned in it; so, when we are told of the mighty works Jesus Christ engaged to perform, to redeem a lost world, to satisfy divine justice, to make an end of sin, to abolish death, and to bring life and immortality to light; the first question that occurs is, Who is he? Search the scriptures, and you will have a clear and decisive answer. The prophet Isaiah, "rapt into future times," describes him thus: "Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and he shall be called Wonderful, Counsel, lor, the Mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace," Isaiah ix. 6. The union of the divine and human natures in the Messiah is so strongly asserted, the names and attributes of God are so clearly ascribed, in this passage to one who should be born into the world, that he who runs may read; the way-faring man, though a fool, must understand it; and it requires a considerable share of unhappy ingenuity, to wrest the words to any other than their obvious meaning. This text, though it stood alone in the Bible (supposing the scriptures to be a revelation from God,) would be a full warrant, and a firm foundation, for that great point of christian faith and doctrine, That Jesus Christ is very God, and very man; or, as the apostle better expresses it, "God manifest in the flesh." But it is not alone: on the contrary, the Messiah is seldom mentioned, but something is either said of him, or referred to him, which teaches us the same important truth. "Behold the days come, saith the Lord, (by Jeremiah, chap. xxiii.) that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS." Isaiah in general styles him, "A child to be born:" Jeremiah more particularly, a "Branch of David:" Isaiah ascribes to him the name of "The Mighty God;" Jeremiah says, he shall be called "The Lord our righteousness." You have the word LORD in capital letters here, as in other places, where it is in the original JEHOVAH. Some of the names of God are occasionally applied to inferior subjects, to angels, to magistrates, and sometimes to idols. But Jehovah is allowed by all to signify the essential and incommunicable name of the Most High God. Yet this is not the only place where it is expressly and directly applied to the Messiah. David himself speaks to the same purpose: "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand," Psalm cx. That the Messiah was to be David's son, was known and acknowledged by the Jews in our Saviour's time; but how he could be the son of David, and yet his Lord, was a difficulty that utterly posed and silenced the most learned Rabbis and Scribes among them; because, being destitute of that sincerity and humility we have before spoken of, they could not understand the scriptures, which were read in their synagogues every day. Now, although this important doctrine was not to be discovered by the light of nature, or the powers of human reason, yet, since it has pleased God to make it known to us, our reason, humbly tracing the steps of divine revelation, can easily prove the expediency, and even the necessity that it should be so. When we are informed from scripture, that all mankind being sunk into a state of sin and misery, God had in great mercy appointed a person to atone for the one, and deliver them from the other; we may safely, from these principles, infer, by our own reason, 1st, That this person cannot be mere man for as the whole human race, and consequently every individual, is supposed to be previously involved in the same circumstances of guilt and condemnation, it is impossible that any one of these should be able either to answer or satisfy for himself, much less be qualified to interpose in behalf of another. From hence reason may ascend a step higher, and conclude, 2d, That no mere creature, however great and excellent, can undertake this part; for the two great points necessary in order to our redemption, to satisfy the justice of God, and to restore the divine image in man, are either of them beyond the sphere of finite power. We read in the scriptures of angels, archangels, thrones, principalities, and powers; and from several texts we may collect, that their number and excellencies are beyond any conceptions we can form. Could we suppose that the virtues and endowments of all these various and exalted beings were united and centred in one of them; however glorious this being would be in other respects, when we consider him as a creature of the divine power, he will be found to be as unfit, and as unable, to interfere in the behalf of sinful man, as the meanest worm that crawls upon the earth. It is the duty of every being. great and small, to be entirely devoted, according to the extent of its capacity, to the service and glory of its great Creator; there fore an angel is no more capable than a man of performing the smallest work of supererogation. The highest archangel could not magnify the law of God, and make it honourable on the behalf of man, being already bound thereto for himself: much less can we suppose such a being capable of expiating the sins of mankind by suffering. If divine justice insisted on a propitiation, it must follow, that nothing less than an equivalent could be accepted. But what would be the temporary sufferings of a creature, or of all creatures, in this view? A finite satisfaction, however heightened and exaggerated, would at last be infinitely short of the demand. As to the other branch of redemption, the restoration of the image of God in the soul, I need only mention it; for it appears, at first glance, that this must be the prerogative of divine power alone to effect. It remains, therefore, that the deliverance of mankind could only be attempted by him, who, we are assured by the apostle, agreeable to the passages already cited, is over all, God blessed for ever. That the Son of God should take upon him the nature and circumstances of our humanity, sin excepted, in order to atone for our transgressions, is indeed such an instance of condescension and love, as must for ever dazzle and astonish the brightest understandings. It is true, some persons in these refined times affect to speak of this point with admirable coolness and precision. But in the beginning it was not so. Either the apostle Paul was less master of his temper, or more unequal to sublime speculations, than these gentlemen, or else we must allow he had a very different view of the subject: for he cannot mention it without appearing to be transported, and (if I may use the expression) swallowed up by the thought; his ideas seem too great for words; and it is well if his best attempts to explain himself have not exposed him, in the judgment of some of his readers, to the charge of solecism. However, though this doctrine, above any other, is a proof that God "is able to do for us exceeding abundantly beyond all we could ask or think," it is not, upon the premises I before mentioned, in the least repugnant to right reason; rather it is exactly calculated to remove all those surmises which would rise in the mind of a reasonable sinner upon the first intimation of possible forgiveness. In our nature Christ fulfilled the law which we had broken: he sustained the penalty we had incurred: he vanquished the enemies we had to encounter; he trod the path which he has marked out for us; he is entered in our name into that heaven he has promised us; and retains a sympathy with us in all our sufferings and temptations, "in as much as he himself has suffered, being to make life useful and comfortable, and to tempted," Heb. ii. I am next to consider the testimony of scripture, concerning the offices of Christ. These are, in general, included in the character of Mediator. "There is one God, and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus," 1 Tim. ii. In this word is summed up all that Christ has already done, now does, or will hereafter do, either on the part of God or on that of man. But for our better apprehension, it is proposed to us under three distinct and principal views, answerable to the three particulars in which the misery of fallen man does principally consist. gild the gloom of death with the bright pros pect of a glorious immortality, is there contained: so that, instructed by these writings alone, a poor illiterate mechanic has been often enabled to converse upon a dying-bed with more dignity, certainty, and influence, than any, or all the philosophers, ancient or modern, could attain. affections became wholly disobedient to his law. But when a divine light has in some measure discovered the heart to itself, and at the same time set an offended God in view, every such sensible sinner would undoubtedly imitate our first parents, and flee (were it possible) from the presence of his Maker and his Judge. "I heard thy voice," says Adam, But, besides the natural ignorance of fallen man, he was chargeable with aggravated guilt. Guilt and ignorance are reciprocally causes and consequences of each other. Every additional guilt tends to increase the stupidity of the human soul, and every increase of And, first, man, having departed from God, this increases in the same proportion the na"became vain in his imaginations, and his tural indisposition for the practice or the love foolish heart was darkened," (Rom. i.) so that of virtue, makes the soul more blind to conhe totally lost the knowledge of his Creator, sequences, more base in its pursuits, and thus and how entirely his happiness depended to become a more willing and assiduous serthereon. He forgot God and himself, and vant of iniquity. No wonder, therefore, that sunk so low as to worship the work of his when the understanding was totally darkenown hands. His life became vain and mise-ed as to the knowledge of God, the will and rable in prosperity, without security or satisfaction; in adversity, without support or resource his death dark and hopeless; no pleasing reflection on the past, no ray of light on the future. Such was the unhappy case when Christ undertook the office of a Prophet: in which character, under various dispensations, first by his servants inspired of old, and afterwards more clearly in his own" and I hid myself, for I was afraid," Gen. iii. person, and by his apostles, he has instructed us in the things pertaining to our peace; not only renewing in us the knowledge of the true God, which, where revelation prevailed not, was universally lost out of the world, but disclosing to us the counsels of divine love and wisdom in our favour, those great things which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, and which never could have entered into the heart of man to conceive, had not he who dwelt in the bosom of the Father declared them to us. We can now give a sufficient answer to that question, which must have for ever overwhelmed every serious awakened mind, “Wherewithal shall I appear before the Most High God?" Mic. vi. We have now learned how God can declare and illustrate his righteousness and truth, by that very act which, without respect to satisfaction given, would seem the highest impeachment of both, I mean his justifying the ungodly. We have now a glass by which we can discover the presence of the Creator in every part of his creation, and a clue to lead us through the mysterious mazes of divine providence. But who can enumerate the various, the important, the interesting lessons we receive from this heavenly Teacher, when, by the influence of his Holy Spirit he powerfully applies his written word to the hearts of his real disciples, who search the scriptures with a sincere desire to be made wise unto salvation! Whatever is necessary Vain attempt! and, if it were practicable, a dreadful alternative! since absence from God imports the utmost misery to a creature who can be happy only in his favour. But here the scriptures bring us unspeakable comfort, testifying of Christ as our great High-Priest. To point out and illustrate this part of his character is the chief end and design of the whole Levitical law, the main points of which are explained, and applied to our blessed Lord, throughout the epistle to the Hebrews. The principal parts of the priests' office were, to sacrifice in behalf of the people, to make atonement, to pray for them, and to bless them in the name of the Lord. No sacrifices could be offered or accepted, no blessings expected, but through the hands of the priests whom God had appointed. Thus Christ, the High-Priest of our profession, offered himself a sacrifice without either spot or blemish: he entered with his own blood within the vail, to the immediate presence of our offended God, and through him peace and good-will is proclaimed to sinful men. He continues still to exercise the other part of his appointment: he makes continual intercession for his people; he presents their prayers and imperfect services acceptable before the throne; he gives them confidence and access to draw nigh to God; and he bestows upon them those gifts and blessings which are the fruits of his sufferings and obedience. The Levitical priests were, like their people, sinners, 66 or altogether, employed to ruin us; behold greater is he that is in us, than he that is in the world;" (1 John iv.) "Christ has overcome the world for us," (John xvi.) and has promised to make us conquerors, yea, more than conquerors, in our turn. What though the devil goes about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour;" (1 Pet. vi.) it is an argument of the strongest kind for watchfulness and prayer. But we need not and were therefore constrained first to make atonement for themselves; they were mortal, therefore their service passed from hand to hand; their sacrifices were imperfect, therefore needed continual repetition, and had at last only a typical and ceremonial efficacy; for it was not possible that the blood of bulls and goats (Heb. ix. and x.) could remove either the guilt or pollution of sin. "The law made nothing perfect." But Jesus, "the Mediator of the new covenant," is "such a High-fear him: The "beloved of the Lord shall Priest as became us; holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners; who needeth not (as those of old) to offer sacrifice, first for his own sins and then for the people; for this he did once, when he offered up himself," Heb. vii. The great inference from this doctrine, several times repeated by the apostle in a variety of phrase, is, that we may now have boldness to appear before God, that our prayers and services are pleasing in his sight, and all the blessings of grace and glory ready to be bestowed on us, if we faithfully apply for them, through the merits of his Son. Once more, man is not only ignorant of God and himself, and too full of guilt to plead in his own name, but he is likewise weak and defenceless; unable to make his way through the opposition that withstands his progress to eternal life, or to secure him from the many enemies" that rise up against him," Psalm iii. We read, that when the Gibeonites made a league with Joshua, (Jos. ix.) which was the only step that could save them from utter ruin, the neighbouring states and cities all united to destroy them: so the soul that is desirous to submit to Jesus Christ, immediately finds itself in the midst of war; the world, the flesh, and the devil, unite their forces, either to recall such a one to the practice and service of sin, or to distress him to the uttermost for forsaking it. And none could support this conflict, if not themselves supported by a higher hand. But Jesus, the antitype of Joshua, the true Captain of the Lord's hosts, reveals himself in his word as the King of his church. He can inspire the fainting soul with unseen supplies: he, when the enemy comes in like a flood, (Isa. lix.) can, by his Spirit, lift up a standard against him; he can take the prey even out of the hand of the mighty. He has said it of his church in general, and he will make it good to every individual that trusts in him, that the gates of hell shall never prevail against them. What though a sense of the guilt and remaining power of sin often fills the humble soul with inexpressible distress! He that stills the raging of the sea, and the violence of the winds, with a word, can with equal ease calm all the unruly motions of the mind. What though the world opposes in every quarter, and presents snares and terrors all around! What though rage or contempt, threats or allurements, are by turns, dwell in safety:" (Deut. xxxiii.) The "Lord shall cover him all the day long; he shall deliver him from the snare of the fowler;" (Psalm xci.) "his truth shall be a shield and buckler" to all who enlist under his banner; and at length, yea, shortly, "the God of peace shall bruise Satan under our feet," Rom. xvi. It is thus the scriptures, to help the weakness of our apprehensions, testify of Christ, under the threefold view of Prophet, Priest, and King of his people. These are his principal and leading characters, which include and imply the rest; for the time would fail to speak of him, as he is declared to be their head, husband, root, foundation, sun, shield, shepherd, lawgiver, exemplar, and forerun ner. In brief, there is hardly any comfortable relation or useful office amongst men, hardly any object in the visible creation, which either displays beauty or produces benefit, but what is applied in the word of God, to illustrate the excellence and sufficiency of the Lord Jesus Christ. The intent of all is, that we may learn to trust him, and delight to serve him; for these must go together. Whoever would be benefited by his mediation as a Priest, must submit to his instructions as a Prophet, and yield him universal obedience as a King. Fatal are the mistakes in this matter now in the world. Some talk highly of the death and sufferings of Christ, who are little solicitous to keep his commandments; others labour in the very fire to observe his law; but "being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own," (Rom. x.) they labour to no purpose. Dependence on the merits of Christ, and obedience to his commands, are inseparably united; and only the man who aims at both, can attain to either. I should now lay before you some scripture testimonies of the power and love of Christ; but I have anticipated this part of my subject in what I have already said. His divine nature proclaims his power, his offices display his love. We have seen, that he emptied himself of his eternal glories; that he bowed the heavens, and came down in the form of a servant; that he submitted to all imaginable sufferings; all that the malice of men, all that the avenging justice of God could inflict; and having by this means opened the kingdom of heaven, and taken posses |