358 A PRACTICAL EXPOSITION UPON [ISA. LIII. 8.
over Christ, as it seemed to do for a while ; but now Christ hath destroyed death : Kev. i. 18 : 'I am he that liveth and was dead, and behold I am alive for evermore. Amen ; and have the keys of hell and death.' Death and hell tlioiight to make sure of Christ, and to have him under lock and key, as it Avere ; but he could not be holden by them. But now Christ hath the power of death and hell, so that none goeth there but whom he pleaseth. Amen ; it is very certain it is so. This is the first reason ; having fully cleared the debt wherein he stood engaged to divine justice, he is no more liable to death.
2. That he might become a principle and fountain of life to us. Whatever Christ hath as Mediator, he hath it for us. He lived for us upon earth, and he died for us ; and he liveth for ever for us in heaven : 1 Thes. v. 10, ' Who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.' His life of glory is our life, as well as his life of grace ; and therefore he is said to be ' the Kesurrection and the Life :' 1 John v. 11, 12, ' And this is the record, that God hath given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life ; ' that is, the testimony of God's bounty, eternal life, which is by virtue of his life. And so Christ is said to have life in himself : John v. 26, ' For as the Father hath life in him- self, so he hath given to the Son to have life in himself ; ' that is, to have an original fountain of life. No creature in the scripture notion hath life in itself.
3. That he might perform all the other acts of the mediatorship, and so be doing something continually in heaven for the elect of God, that he may apply the merit of his sufferings, death, and resurrec- tion. Past acts would not satisfy the spirit ; they are more im- mediately for the comfort of those that have some evidence of their right in Christ. The soul saith, Here is much done, but what was this to me ? This was done for those that have interest in Christ, as his sufferings, dying, and resurrection. Ay ! but Christ liveth ; there is somethmg a-doing still — there is something a-negotiating in heaven for you. Therefore, he not only negotiated for you by the past acts of his life upon earth, his death, burial, and resurrection, but he yet liveth to be doing for you. His office required this : Heb. vii. 16, ' Who is made not after the law of a carnal command- ment, but after the power of an endless life.' The meaning is, the Levitical priests were by the law of carnal rites for a while, but Christ for ever. As a judicious divine observcth, present acts do most satisfy such doubtful spirits. Christ's life in heaven is for the effectual application of his merit, and other the great offices of the mediatorship. But what doth Christ in heaven for us ?
1. He intercedes for us : Heb. vii. 25, ' Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for us.' That is the end of his life, to beseech the Father for such as come to him ; he intercedeth for the application of his merit. Christ is a continual remembrancer in heaven, as it were, to God the Father ; he is praying that you may believe ; he is our soul's solicitor, as it were, to appear and plead our cause in heaven for us : Heb. ix. 24, he is said to ' appear in the pre-
ISA. LIII. 8.J THE FIFTY-THIRD CHAPTER OF ISAIAH. 359
sence of God for ns,' as our agent in heaven. He proveth the matter, he prayeth for what thou prayest for, and liveth to ajjpear before God for you in all your straits.
2. That he may seize upon his kingdom, and administer it to the destruction of his adversaries. Christ's life is their death : Ps. ex. 1, ' The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.' Christ must live, that they may fall and he under the feet of Christ. So the apostle saith, 1 Cor. xv. 25, ' For he must reign till he hath put all his enemies under his feet.' At the time of his ascension Christ was solemnly inaugurated into the regal office, that so he might destroy his adversaries : Kev. xvii. 14, ' The Lamb shall overcome.' It is Christ shall fight against them. Isa. Iviii. 8, ' Thy righteousness shall go before thee.' That which is comfort to God's people, is terror to the adversaries ; if they could make sure work of him, their business were at an end ;. but Christ is alive to destroy their persons, and blast their designs. Some of the people of God may fall before them, and all visible supplies may be dead, as Sarah's womb ; but ' the Lord liveth, and blessed be my rock, and let the God of my salvation be exalted.'