THE 1dtJMAN NATURE OP 01,1111ST. 109 Now concerning these instances wemay observe three things to our present purpose: (1.) These and the like gracious actings of the soul ofChrist, were the ways and means whereby, in his death and bloodshedding, which was violent, and by force, inflicted on him as to the outward instruments, and was penal as to the sentence of the law, he volun- tarily and freely offered up himself a sacrifice unto God for to make atonement. And these were the things, which from the dignity of his person, became efficacious and victorious. Without these, his death and blood- shedding had been no oblation. (2.) These were the things which rendered his offer- ingof himself to be a sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour unto God, Ephes. v. 2. God was so absolutely delight- ed and pleased with these high and glorious acts of grace and obedience in Jesus Christ, that he smelt, as it were, a savour of rest towards mankind, or those for whom he offered himself; so that he would be angry with them no more, curse them no more:: as it.is said of the type of it in the sacrifice of Noah, Gen. viii. 20, 21. God was more pleased with the obedience of Christ, than he was displeased with the sin and disobe- dience of Adam, Rom. v. 17, 18, 192 It was not then by the outward suffering of a violent and bloody death, which was inflicted on him, by the most horrible wick- edness that ever human nature broke forth into, that God was atoned, Acts ii. 23. Nor yet was it merely his enduring the penalty of the law, that was the means of our deliverance. But the voluntary giving up of himself to be a sacrifice in these holy acts of obedience, was that upon which in an especialmanner Godwas re- conciled unto us. All these thingsbeing wrought in the human nature by the Holy Ghost, who, in the time of his ofléring, actuated all his graces unto the utmost; he is said there- on to o'er himself unto God through the eternal Spirit,. by whom, as our high, priest, he was consecrated, spiri- ted, and actuated thereunto. Sect. 10.Eighthly; There was a peculiar work of the Holy Spirit towards the Lord Christ, whilst he was in the state of the dead. For here our preceding rule must be remembered; natnely, thatnotwithstanding the union ofthe human nature of Christ with the divine, in the person of the Son, yet the communications of God untoit, beyond subsistence, were voluntary. Tints, things that he suffered, Heb. v. 8. That is, he experi- enced obedience in suffering. It is true, that the Lord Christ, in the whole course of his life yielded obedience unto God, as he was made ofa woman, made under the law, Gal. iv. 4. But now he came to the great trial of it, with respect unto the especial command of the Fa- ther, to lay down his life, and to make his soul an offer- ing for sin, Isa. lüi. 10. This was the highest act of obedience unto God that ever was or ever shall be to all eternity. And therefore doth God so express his satis- faction therein, and acceptance of it, Isa. liii. he was 11, 12. Phil. ii. 9, l0. This was wrought in him, this wrought unto by the Holy Spirit, and therefore by him offered himself unto God. 4. There belongs also hereunto that faith and trust in God, which, with fervent prayers, cries, and sup- plications, he now acted on God and his promises, both with respect unto himself, and to the covenant which he was sealing with his blood. This our apostle repre- sents as an especial work of his testifiedunto in the Old Testament; Heb. ii. 13. I will put my trust in him. And this, (1.) respected himself, namely, that he should be supported, assisted, and carried through the work be had undertaken unto a blessed issue. Herein I con. fess he was horribly assaulted until he cried out, my God,- my God, whyhast thouforsakenme? Psal. xxii. 1. But yet after and through all his dreadful trial, his faith and trust in God were victorious. This he expressed in the depth and extremity of his trials, l'sal. xxii. 9, 10, I1. and made such an open profession of it, that his enemies, when they supposed him lost and defeated, reproached him with it, ver. 8. Matth. xxvii. 43. To this purpose he declares himself at large, Isa. 1. 7, 8, 9. So his faith and trust in God, as to his own support- ment and deliverance, with the accomplishment of all the promises that were made unto him upon hisengage- ment into the work of mediation, werd victorious. (2.) They respected the covenant andall the benefits that the church of the elect was to bemade partaker of thereby. The blood that he now shed was the blood ofthe cove- nant, and it was shed for his church; namely, that the blessings of the covenant might be communicated unto them, Gal. iii. I3, 14. With respect hereunto did he also exercise faith in God, as appears fully in his pray- which he made when he entered on his oblation, ,Johnxvii.
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