(Ist.) By way of representation. His bitter sufferings are an instance of God's great wrath against sin and sinners : for if Christ must thus be handled rather than sin shall go unpunished, it warneth us to be very cautious how we meddle with the forbidden fruit. When we remem- ber his bitter agonies, his accursed, shameful death, we should cry out Oh, odious sin ! This is the meaning of that expression, Rom, viii. 3, * And for sin he condemned sin in the flesh ; ' that is, by a sin-oft'ering, or the sacrifice of Christ, he hath condemned sin, he hath left a brand or mark of his displeasure against sin, which should induce us to be very cautious and watchful against it ; for if these things be done in the green tree, what shall be done in the dry ?
{2d.) By way of impetration and purchase. Christ came not only to expiate the guilt of it, but to get it out of our hearts. As he pacified the wrath of God, so he purchased the Spirit ; in which sense our old man is said to be crucified with him, Rom. vi. 6, namely, as grace was obtained whereby it might be crucified. Now we are sluggish and cowardly if we tamely yield to our lusts, and pretend want of power, when it is want of will to cast them off.
{3d.) By way of obligation, by this great instance of his love to induce us to kill our love to sin : 1 Peter ii. 24, ' Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sin, should live unto righteousness, by whose stripes we are healed.' Since he hath borne the weight of our sins, and endured the wrath due to them in his own person, if we have any esteem of Christ's love, certainly we would not spare our most beloved lusts, nor be still alive to sin and dead to righteousness, nor wittingly and allowedly do the least thing that is offensive to him : Ezra ix. 14, ' Should we again break thy com- mandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations, wouldst thou not be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us, so that there should be no remnant nor escaping ? '
(3.) The next is a king. He is one whose heart was so set upon the
412 SERMON UPON HEBREWS I. 9.
love of rifjjhteousness, and the hatred of all iniquity, that he would come- as a prophet himself to teach the sinful lost world how to become holy again. And as a priest to die for the guilty world to reconcile them to God. Surely he was fit also to rule and govern the world. There are two parts of government — laws and actual administration. His laws are all good and equal, the same witli his doctrine. As he giveth notice of these things as a prophet, so he giveth charge about them as a king. Of his laws we need not further speak, but the administration is undei our consideration. Now in the righteous ordering the affairs of his kingdom he showeth himself to be one that loveth righteousness and hateth iniquity. As the laws are good and equal, so the administra- tion is right and just. Tlie administration of this kingdom is twofold — internal and external.
(Is^.) Internal. Christ is set over the church of God as a glorious head and chief, who is to recover a lost people unto God. His internal administration is either effective or remunerative.
(1st.) Effective by his preventing grace, as he changeth our hearts, bringeth us into his kingdom, worketh faith in us, and maketh us willing subjects to him. Conversion is one of his kingly acts, wrought in us by the efficacy of his preventing grace ; otherwise we cannot enter into his kingdom : Mat. xviii. 3, ' Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven ; ' Col. i. 13, ' Who hath delivered us from the power of dark- ness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.'' Till he subdue the power of sin and Satan in our hearts, we shall still groan under that tyranny : Acts xxvi. 18, 'To open their eyes, and to tura them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God.'
(2d.) Eemunerative, by the rewards of godliness here and hereafter. Here : Rom. xiv. 17, ' For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.' Peace of conscience, increase of grace, joy in the Holy Ghost. They shall not want encouragement who seriously set themselves to love righteousness and hate iniquity : 2 Peter i. 11, ' For so an entrance shall be minis- tered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.' Hereafter, heaven is the portion of the sanctified : Acts xx. 32, ' And now, brethren, I commend you to God and the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.' He doth sanctify all that believe on him, and then gives them eternal life.