2. It showeth us the perfection of his satisfaction ; there needeth no other sacrifice to abolish sin ; for it is said in the text, ' In that he died, he died unto sin once,' and elsewhere the unity of the mediator and the sacrifice is pleaded to show the perfection of it. The unity of the mediator : 1 Tim. ii. 5, ' There is one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus ;' and Heb. x. 14, ' By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified ; ' and Heb. ix. 28, ' Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many.' The ground of this argument standeth thus : That Christ came to take away sin, the benefit which the world needeth. Either he hath done it sufficiently, or not done it ; if sufficiently, we have what we desire ; if not, it must be either because other mediators were necessary to supply his defects. But where are they ? Who can challenge this honour as authorised by God, and recommended to the world as Christ was ? Or what can they do beyond what he hath done ? No ; there is but one mediator. Or else because another sacrifice or offering was necessary, because this could not attain its end, then Christ needed again to undergo death ; for the single sacrifice did not the work, which was the taking away of sin. But this was enough to ransom all souls ; no other
Vers. 9, 10.] sermons upon Romans vi. 223
propitiatory sacrifice was necessary. Why, how doth it appear ? By the resurrection ; for when Christ was raised from the dead, our surety and mediator (which were the qualities he took upon himself) was let out of prison, and dismissed, as having done what he undertook : Isa. liii. 8, ' He shall be taken from prison and from judgment.' The debtor may have confidence the debt is cancelled when the surety is let out of prison and walketh freely abroad. When Christ is risen from the dead, and advanced to a glorious condition, surely his merit is full enough, and he hath a perfect release and discharge, as having done his work, and needeth no more to come under the power of death, which is a great encouragement to us to set about the destruction of sin. Christ hath paid a full ransom to purchase grace to make our endeavours effectual.
3. It is a visible demonstration of the truth of the resurrection and life to come. For Christ, who would be an example to us of all pain- ful and self-denying obedience, would also be a pattern of the glory and felicity that should ensue. Therefore, after a life of holiness and sufferings, he died and rose again, and entered into the glory that he spake of, which is a great encouragement to us to follow his steps ; for all this is a pledge of what shall be done in us. It is said, 1 Peter i. 21, ' That God raised him from the dead and gave him glory, that our faith and hope might be in God.' The resurrection of Christ, and the consequent honour and glory put upon him, is the great prop and foundation of our faith and hope. Certainly it much concerueth us to believe the truth of the resurrection and the reality of the unseen glory, else all holiness, patience, self-denial, and practical godliness would fall to the ground. Now, when our teacher, who hath told us of these things, hath given sufficient evidence of the truth of them in his own person, by his own rising from the dead, and his own ascend- ing into glory, it helpeth mightily to silence the objections of unbelief. The thing is not incredible nor impossible. Christ in our nature did arise from the dead, and ascend up into heaven ; nay, it is not only possible, but certain ; fur Christ is risen and entered into glory as our forerunner, Heb. vi. 20, to make the way accessible to us, and to seize upon it in the name and right of all true believers, and secure a landing-place for them after the storm of this world is over. When- ever they die, their place is ready for them, there is a friend on shore ready to receive them. So elsewhere : 1 Cor. xv. 20, ' Christ is risen as the first-fruits.' His resurrection is a certain proof that other men shall have a resurrection also, as by a handful of the first-fruits the whole harvest was blessed and consecrated to God. The first-fruits did not bless the tares, the cockle or the darnel, or the filthy weeds that grew among the corn, these are not carried home into God's barn ; but penitent believers may be confident of a joyful resurrection. If we be reconciled by his death, we may much more expect to be saved by his life.
4. Christ by his resurrection is the cause of our life ; for Christ liveth in heaven as a quickening head, who will give the spirit of grace to all his members, to change their hearts, and to bring them into the life of God : John xiv. 19, ' Because I live, ye shall live also.' Christ is the fountain of all life. The life of believers is derived from