1. 8, to the end. Offer unto God thanksgiving, and ́ and pay thy vows unto the Most High: call upon me in the day of trouble.' Again, Mark xii. 33, To love (God) with all thy heart---and thy neighbour as thyself---is more than all burnt-offerings and sacrifices.' Heb. xiii. 15, 16, May we offer always the sacrifices of praise unto God; and to do good, and to impart good-are such sacrifices with which God is well pleased. All good Christians are qualified to offer up such spiritual sacrifices,' they being a holy priesthood: and as St. John, Rev. i. 6, and v. 10, are madekings and priests by Christ, to his own God and Father. The sum of the Christian doctrine on this head is,

1. Christ was not a priest, or high-priest,' according to the law of Moses: nor did he ever offer, as such, any kind of sacrifice appointed by that law for himself or others.

2. Christ was styled a 'high-priest,' by the author of the epistle to the Hebrews, upon better grounds, and more excellent reasons, than the Jewish priests: for their sacrifices were only shadows, and external signs of devotion; but Christ's whole innocent life, ministry, and exercise of devotion and obedience towards God, living and dying, was one continued sacrifice of himself to his God, and, our God.

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3. And the followers, or disciples of Christ, who follow his rules and examples, are, and may be mostjustly styled a holy priesthood; for they offer, and are commanded to offer up spiritual sacrifices,' which are most acceptable to Almighty God.

In what sense, and with what views, the death of Christ is called an offering or sacrifice to God, in the holy scriptures, will be considered in the following chapter, concerning the death of Christ.

CHAP. LIII.

Of the death of Jesus Christ.

JESUS Christ informed his disciples privately, that he, the son of man, should be delivered to the chief priests, &c. and they would condemn him to die.' Mat. xx. 18.

Upon the foresight of his death, Christ told his disciples, xxvi. 36, 37, 38-45, that his soul was exceeding sorrowful, even unto death.' Could this possibly be, if he was personally united with the divine nature? And if he had, as some speak, undertaken, by compact with God the Father, to satisfy God's justice, and to save the elect by his death? So far were such thoughts from Christ's mind, that he fell on his face, and prayed saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, or desire, but as thou wilt.' Could Christ pray to the Father against his own (pretended) compact with the Father? Could Christ earnestly desire to avoid making the great and only atonement (as some speak) for the salvation of the elect? What reason had Christ to pray to the Father, if Christ was God himself?But he well knowing his dependance on God, prayed a second time, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass from me, except 1 drink it, thy will be done.' An act of a most resigned submission to the will of God! An excellent pattern to all his followers!-To express his own humble and earnest request to God to save him, and his submission to God's will, he withdrew a third time, and prayed (to God the Father,) saying the same words. His repeating thrice, this derout act of prayer to God, is the highest demonstration of his dependance upon, and his resignation to the will of God; and could be no more, or other, than the act of a most pious and religious person, entirely devoted to submit to the divine will and pleasure.

St. Mark represents this passage of Christ's behavi

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our, in prospect of his death, almost in the same terms: Mark xiv. 32-39, which most evidently demonstrates, 1. How unwilling he was to suffer death. 2. How earnestly he prayed to the Father for deliverance. 3. How he submitted, at last, his own will to the will of his God. 4. How little it is possible from his words to infer, his compact with God to suffer death, and to atone God for the sins of mankind, &c. 5. How lastly, he cried out with a loud voice, saying, O my God, O my God, why hast thou forsaken me?'

St. Luke hath the same account, in substance : Luke xxii. 41-45, for he saith, Christ withdrew from his disciples, and kneeling down, he prayed,saying, O Father, if thou be willing, remove, or take away this cup from me; however, not my will, but thy will be done. After which words, St. Luke adds these very remarkable words:-' And there appeared unto' Christ an angel from heaven, strengthening him.' Had Christ been God in the highest sense, no angel or being can be supposed, or could possibly strengthen or support him. Yet after this, his fear and trouble of mind was so great, that St. Luke saith, Christ was in an agony,-prayed more earnestly, and his sweat fell from him like drops of blood.' How great was his reluctance! How most earnest was his prayer! And how most exemplary his resignation! Are all these the proper acts of a person, who was God by essence or nature? Are they not the acts of a man, and of a man truly pious, and religious? Whose last words as he was expiring, were, O Father, into thy hands I commend (or resign) my spirit.' Words most proper for a dying person, and taken out of Psalm xxxi. 5.

St. John more briefly mentions Christ's words thus: Now is my soul troubled, and what shall I say? O Father, save me from this hour; but for this I came to this hour,' John xii. 27. That is, notwithstanding I have prayed to be saved from this hour, yet am I

come hither to submit; and that not my will, but God's will may be done.

The author of the epistle to the Hebrews, v. 7, 8, plainly refers to this conduct of Christ, saying, that Christ in the days of his flesh offered up prayers, and supplications, with strong crying and tears, to him who was able to save him from death; and was heard for his piety, or reverence. Now these words plainly express Christ's desire, his earnest desire to avoid suffering; but his submission to suffer, if it were God's will that so it should be.

Thus far we find not one word in the four evangelists, &c. that intimates in the least, that any agreement or compact had been made between him and God the Father, for Christ's suffering death by way of atonement or satisfaction to God, &c. But all the words of Christ most strongly shew the contrary:

1. That his mind was exceedingly troubled when his death drew near,

2. That he most earnestly besought God, though with submission, that he might not die.

3. That Christ's behaviour was pious, devout, and resigning to the will of God.

4. That Christ owns that his will was to be submitted to the will of God the Father, as the most wise, and unerring rule of Christ's behaviour on this great

occasion.

5, That all this conduct demonstrates incontestably, that Christ knew nothing of a secret compact between the sacred three, before his supposed incarnation; wherein it was agreed, that he should be incarnate, and suffer death for the sins of the world. Should he, if conscious of such agreement, yet complain as he did, O my God, O my God, why hast thou forsaken me?' The very words used by David in his distress.

6. Consequently, Christ himself knew not, and was not in the least conscious of any personal union of the divine nature with him, or that it was personally united to him. Had he been truly God and man in one

person, he (that one person) could not have complained, and said, O my God, O my God, why hast thou forsaken me?' Mat. xxvii. 46, Psa. xxii. Í. These are the true circumstances of Christ's behaviour before and at his death.

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After his resurrection, St. Matthew and St. Mark mention no words spoken by Christ, but that he had received all power and authority from God; and thereupon he sends his apostles to preach or make disciples in all nations, by teaching them to observe whatsoever he had commanded them.' Mat. xxviii. 10, 19, 20, Mark xvi, 15-18.

St. Luke's account hath more particulars, viz. That Christ reproved his apostles, &c. for their unbelief-opened the scriptures-eat with them-told them from the scriptures, that Christ was to die, and rise on the third day-that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached or published to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem-ordered his apostles to wait at Jerusalem, till they were endued with power or authority from on high." And lastly, He blessed them.' Luke xxiv. 25-30.

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St. John mentions other words spoken by Christ, as, 'Go tell my brethren, I am ascending to my Father, and your Father; to my God, and to your God. As my Father hath sent me, I also send you. Whosesoever sins ye shall remit, they are remitted; whosesoever ye shall retain, they are retained. Peter, lovest thou me ?. feed my sheep,' &c. John xx. 16-29, xx1. But not one word is mentioned by John from Christ, of his dying in our stead; to satisfy God's justice; to propitiate God for us; to purchase by his death our redemption and life eternal. Which doctrines are now highly magnified, and much insisted on every where, as the sole foundation of all our hopes of any favour from Almighty God.

If Christ during his whole ministry, at the time of his death, and after his resurrection, made no mention of the doctrines before-said: it will be proper to inquire, what notions were held by his disciples con