relation of these words. Some are of opinion, that the antecedent is the legal types and ceremonies ; and so make this to be the mean- ing *; It is finished: that is, all the types and prefigu rations that shadowed forth the redemption of souls, by the blood of Christ, are now fulfilled and accomplished. And, doubtless, as this is itself a truth, so it is such a truth as may not be excluded, as foreign to the true scope and sense of this place. And though it be objected, that many types and prefigurations remained at this time unsatisfied, even all that looked to the actual death of Christ, his continuance in the state of the dead, and his resurrection ; yet it is easily removed, " by considering that they are said to be finish- U ed, because they were just finishing, or ready to be finished : " and it is as if Christ had said, I am now putting the last hand to " it -J-," a few moments of time more will complete and finish it ; I have the sum now in my hand, which will fully satisfy and pay God the whole debt.
It is now but bow the head, and the work is done, and all the types therein fulfilled. So that this cannot exclude the fulfilling of the types in the death of Christ, from their just claim to the sense of this place. But yet, though we cannot here exclude this sense, we cannot allow it to be the whole or principal sense : for lo ! a far greater truth is contained herein, even the finishing or completing of the whole design and project of our redemption, and therein of all the types that prefigured it. Both these judicious Cal- vin conjoins, making the completing of redemption the principal ; and the fulfilling of all the types the collateral and less principal sense of it.
Yet it must be observed, when we say, Christ finished re- demption-work by his death, the meaning is not that his death alone did finish it ; for his abode in the grave, resurrection, and ascension, had all of them, their joint influence therein ; but these being shortly to follow, all are included in the scope of this place. According then to the principal scope of the place, we observe,
Doct. That Jesus Christ hath perfected and completely finished the great work of redemption, committed to him by God the Father.
To this great truth the apostle gives a full testimony, Hcb. x. 14. " By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are " sanctified." And to the same purpose speaks Christ, John xvii. 4. " I have glorified thee on earth ! I have finished the work thou
* He teaches us that the full accomplishment of our salvation, and every part thereof, was contained in his death : the cancelling all the legal ceremonies is con- nected with this doctrine. Calvin,
| Factum elicit, quod jam in cofuit, et pane factum esset. Cam.
432 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. SERM. XXXV.
" gavest me to do." Concerning this work, and the finishing thereof by Jesus Christ upon the cross, we shall enquire what this work was ; how Christ finished it ; and what evidence can be pro- duced for the finishing of it.
First, What was the work which Christ finished by his death ?
It was the fulfilling the whole law of God in our room, and for our redemption, as a sponsor or surety for us. The law is a glo- rious thing ; the holiness of God, that fiery attribute, is engraven or stamped upon every part of it ; Deut. xxxiii. % " From his right " hand went a fiery law." The jealousy of the Lord watched over every point and tittle of it, for his dreadful and glorious name was upon it ; it cursed every one that continued not in all things contained therein, Gal. iii. 10. Two things, therefore, were ne- cessarily required in him that should perfectly fulfil it, and both found in our Surety, and in him only, viz. a subjective and effective perfection.
Fir St, A subjective perfection. He that wanted this, could never say, It is finished. Perfect working always follows a perfect Being. That he might therefore finish this great work of obe- dience, and therein the glorious design of our redemption ; lo ! in what shining and perfect holiness was he produced ! Luke i. 35. " That holy thing that shall be born of thee, shall be called the " Son of God.1' And indeed, " such an High-priest became us, " who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners," Heb. vii. 26. So that the law covdd have no exception against his person ; nay, it was never so honoured since its first promulgation, as it was by having such a perfect and excellent person as Christ to stand at its bar, and give it due reparation.
Secondly, There must be also an effective perfection, or a perfec- tion of working and obeying, before it could be said, It is finished. This Christ had ; for he continued in ali things written in the law, to do them : He fulfilled all righteousness, as it behoved him to do, Mat. iii. 15. He did all that was required to be done, and suf- fered all that was requisite to be suffered ; he did and suffered all that was commanded or threatened, in such perfection of obedience, both active and passive, that the pure eye of divine justice could not find a flaw in it ; and so finished the work his Father gaye him to do ; and this work finished by our Lord Jesus Christ was both a necessary, difficult, and precious work.
First, It was a necessary work which Christ finished upon the cross ; necessary, upon a threefold account.
Opus necessarium ex parte Patris ; It was necessary on the Fa- ther' account . I do not mean that God was under any necessity, from his nature, of redeeming us this or any other way ; for our re- demption is opus liberi conciiil, an act of the free counsel of God;
SERM. XXXV. THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 433
but when God had once decreed and determined to redeem and save poor sinners by Jesus Christ, then it became necessary that the counsel of God should be fulfilled ; Acts iv. 28. " To " do whatsoever thy hand and counsel had before determined to " be done."
Secondly ', Ex parte F'rf'ii. It was necessary with respect to Christ, upon the account of that precious compact that was betwixt the Father and him about it. Therefore it is said by Christ himself, Luke xxii. 22. " Truly the Son of man goeth as it was deter- " mined," i. e. as it was fore-agreed and covenanted ; under the necessity of fulfilling his engagement to the Father, he came into the world ; and being come, he still minds his engagement, John ix. 3. " I must work the works of him that sent me.1'