and to make them partakers of eternal life in the world to

come.

The reason and neceffity for our belief that Chrift fuffered appears from the affurance we thence receive that The use and he was truly man; which if he were not, man neceffity of could not be redeemed by him. We are alfo here- this faith. › by affured, that fatisfaction is made to the juftice of God for our fins; whereof in his decree no remiffion could be but by fhedding of blood. We likewife learn from this faith, that he is truly affected with the utmost compaffion of our afflictions, and is a most faithful and merciful high-priest, touched with the feeling of our infirmities, and therefore ready to fuccour them that are tempted. And finally, fuch a belief as this prepares us to receive with patience the fufferings of this life: for, if God fpared not his own Son, how shall he spare his adopted ones, whose best evidence of their being his children is their being under his fatherly correction? otherwise, as the apostle obferves, we should be baftards, and not fons: but if, when we fuffer with him, we also fuffer like him, and follow the admirable pattern he has left us of humility and patience, and abfolute fubmiffion to the will of God, we then shall be made partakers of his divine holiness. And, by his crucifixion, our Saviour cancelled the obligation we were under to perform the whole law, and blotted out the hand-writing of ordinances, which was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his crofs; so we ought to learn, that, if we will be Chrift's, we must crucify the flesh, with the affections and lufts, and glory in nothing, fave in the cross of Jefus Chrift crucified. And

3

II. Although Jefus was both God and man, yet he did truly and properly die, by an actual departure of Of Chrift's his foul from his body; in whofe union his life, as death. man, confifted: as appears not only from the many plain texts of fcripture, which fay that he died; but farther from those texts, Father, into thy hands I commend my fpirit: and having thus faid, he gave up the ghoft by the means of a violent death, caused by the pains and tortures inflicted on him, which could not, without a miracle, but diffolve that natural difpofition of the body, which is neceffary to continue its

[Sund. 4. union with the foul. He voluntarily, I fay, fubmitted himfelf to that violence, which could not have been forced upon him without fuch a fubmiffion; and therefore he faith, No man taketh away my life from me, but I lay it down of myfelf, &c. And, after he had so submitted himself, he could not by the course of nature avoid that death.

After this view of the humiliation of our bleffed Saviour, it cannot be improper for us to confider what effect his life, doctrine, and fufferings fhould have upon us, and to remark by what steps he draws us to God: in which inHow Chrift draws us to quiry we shall foon be convinced, that his method God. to prevent our falling into finful actions was to lay a restraint upon our thoughts, which lead to them, and tooblige us to govern our looks, which give birth to our thoughts. To obviate all thofe evils which proceed from an By precept. inordinate defire of riches, he hath difcovered to us that admirable temper of mind diftinguished in his gofpel by poverty of spirit, which maketh us even fit loofe to the good things we poffefs. To keep us at a distance from the temptations of lying and detraction, he hath forbid all idle words, that the care to avoid them might secure us from falling into those greater crimes. To hinder the fatal effects of anger and revenge, he hath nipped these paffions in the bud, by commanding us to love our enemies, and to do good to them that hate us. To facilitate the virtue of patience, so necessary in this vale of tears, he hath manifested to us the treasures that are hid in adverfity, and the advantage of being perfecuted for his fake; that what the world calls misfortune and calamity often proves the bleffed occafion of making us happy both in this and the next life: Bleffed are they that mourn; bleffed are they that are perfecuted. And to make us quiet and easy in ourselves, and gentle to others, he requireth us to have a quick sense of our own weaknesses and defects, and readily to condefcend to the lowest offices for the good of our diftreffed brethren.

All which commands he inforces by his own example; for in his own person he hath recommended to us the By example. moft hard and difficult, as well as thofe that are most useful and serviceable. To teach us piety and devotion

he

he frequently retired, and spent whole nights in prayer; and from worldly occurrences raised matter for fpiritual thoughts; and conformed not only to divine inftitutions, but to human appointments that tended to promote virtue. That we might learn humility, this Prince of glory condefcended to the poverty of a stable; this Wifdom of the Father became dumb, and was reduced to the fimplicity of an infant; he spent thirty years of his life in retirement, fubject to his parents, and unknown to the world. That we might be ready to exercife univerfal charity to the bodies and fouls of men, the whole course of his life was employed in good works. That we might suppress all ambitious defires, he refused the offer of the kingdoms of this world, and the glory of them; and, when the people would have made him a king, he withdrew, and they knew not where to find him out. That we might be obedient to government, he paid tribute, though he was free from any fuch obligation, and was forced to work a miracle to perform it. That we might live above the world, he chofe to have no part or fhare in the poffeffion of it, the Son of man not having where to lay his head. He was perfectly contented in his mean circumitances, that in all our fufferings we might be refigned to the will of God: in his bitter. agony he renounced the strongest inclinations of nature, and fubmitted to the appointment of the Almighty. That a regard to the judgment of the world might not prevail upon us to tranfgrefs the laws of our God, he made himself of no reputation; and, in order to do good to mankind, was contented to be esteemed one of the worft of men, a magician, an impoftor, a friend and companion of publicans and finners, and a feducer of the people. And for us to refift all temptations to anger, and preferve an evenness of mind under all provocations, he bore with the dulnefs and flowness of his disciples, both in their understanding and believing what he plainly taught; and answered the sharpest reproaches of his enemies with calm arguments and modeft filence, never bringing a railing accufation instead of a found reason. That we might practife that difficult duty of loving our enemies, he prayed moft earnestly for his, even when he felt the most cruel effects of their malice, and imputed it to their igno

rance :

rence: Father, fays he, forgive them, for they know not what they do. And, that he might excite us, to the performance of our duty, he has offered pardon and forgiveness of what is past, and perfect reconciliation to God, by the merits of his death and paffion; provided we return to him by fincere repentance, faith, and obedience to his law.* He strengthens us at present, and inables us to do our duty,

by enlightening our dark minds, byexciting ourwills By grace. to that which is good, and by raising our courage under difficulties, dangers, and temptations: he raises our fears by the threatenings of eternal punishment in the next life, and encourages our hopes by the promises of everlasting rewards to the whole man, body and foul: which are the most powerful confiderations to take men off from fin, and bring them to goodness, whereby they may obtain eternal life.

What we

bence.

Wherefore, it should be our greatest care to please him, by a conftant regard to his commandments, and ought to an endeavour to prevail on others to do the fame; learn from by making a daily progress in virtue and piety, that we may be conformed to the likeness of that beloved object; by setting a great value upon all means and opportunities of converfing with him, in prayer and meditation, in hearing his word, and receiving the bleffed tokens of his love, which he hath left us in the bleffed facrament of the Lord's Supper; by being more provoked to hear his holy name blafphemed, than for any reproach that can be caft upon ourselves; and by longing for his glorious appearing, that we may enjoy him without interruption to all eternity, in the glory of God the Father.

His burial.

III. Chrift, being taken down from the cross, was buried, as has been typified by Jonah lying three days and three nights in the whale's belly; and intimated in that of the Pfalmift, My flesh fhall reft in hope, &c. which plainly teacheth, that the body was to be buried, but not lie in the grave to fee corruption. Ifaiah is more exprefs, faying, He made his grave with the wicked, and with the

See this explained on page viii. in the Preface to this book by the 18th Article

ick.

T

1

the rich in his death. Whence this part of our chriftian faith should work within us correspondent to it: Its influence. for we are buried with him in baptism unto death, that, like as Chrift was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life, being raised from the death of fin unto the life of His defcent righteousness. And, as Chrift died for us and into hell. 'was buried, fo alfo is it to be believed, that he went down ' into hell.* And here

Let it be remarked, that the pious folemnities used in the burial of our Saviour, the honourable mention of Recommends the perfons concerned in it, and of the women decent bu who brake the box of precious ointment to pre- rials. pare his body for it, have been in all ages thought fufficient grounds for the decent burials used in the christian church : and this custom of the church is faid to have had a great influence in the conversion of the Heathens: and after chriftianity had got poffeffion of the Roman empire, it foon put an end to the old cuftom of burning the bodies of the dead. Nature itself directs, that some respect feems due to the dead bodies of men, for the fake of the fouls which once inhabited them, but much more to thofe, which have been the living temples of the Holy Ghost, and, being bought by Christ, fhall be one day made like unto his glorious body, according to that mighty working whereby he is able to fubdue all things to himself.

IV. In the fifth ARTICLE of our chriftian faith we profefs to believe, that JESUS CHRIST on the third day of the rearofe again from the dead: for the beloved and only- Jurrection of begotten Son of God, who was crucified and died Christ. for our fins, did not long continue in the state of death; but on the third day, + by his infinite power, did truly revive and raise himself again from death, and took again his body, with flesh, bones, and all things appertain

See the 3d Article of Religion.

⚫ing

He was buried three days, according to the common computation of days, both ancient and modern, and particularly in fcripture computation. So Lazarus is faid to be four days dead, though the fourth day, whereon he was raised, was one of them. Eight days were faid to be accomplished for Chrifl's circumcifion but the day of his birth and circumcifion too went both into that account