2. Again, Tbis ' revived ' is added to shew the kind of his life, differing from tbat life be lived before. Tbat life be lived before be died, was supported witb meat and drink and refresbings, even as our poor lives are. It was a life subject to deatb tbat be died in, but after bis resurrection, except it were for a particular dispensation, to confirm tbe faitb of bis disciples, be needed no more to eat or drink or sleep, or any natural supports and belps ; for be was enlivened immediately by tbe Spirit of God wbicb flowed into bim. He was full of tbe Spirit, and tbat did supply all otber tbings wbatsoever. Even as in beaven, ' God sball be all in all,' 1 Cor. XV. 28 ; tbat is, be sball be so immediately to us, to supply all, as we sball neitber eat nor drink nor sleep, nor bave magistrates nor ministers ; but tbe Spirit of God will be all in all ; so it was witb tbis life of our blessed Saviour wben be revived. Tbe Spirit supplied tbe absence of all otber supports wbatsoever tbat be used before be died. And indeed our Saviour Cbrist came to bestow tbat life upon us tbat be lived after bis resurrection ; not tbis natural life of om's, tbat needs meat and drink and refresbings. Tbis is not tbat life tbat Cbrist specially aimed at wben be came to die, but tbat spiritual and eternal life tbat be lived after tbe resur- rection ; a life not subject to deatb ; a spiritual life, not needing any created support wbatsoever.
You see tbe grounds ; tbe inference from tbese grounds follow in tbese words, ' tbat be migbt be Lord botb of tbe dead and of tbe living.' Tbe ground batb tbree brancbes : deatb, resurrection, and reviving. How all tbese do flow and give strengtb to tbis inference, I will toucb in tbe parti-
PURCHASED BY HIS HUMILIATION. 329
culars. First, then, Christ died ' that he mijht be Lord of the dead and of the living,'
Christ died, 1 Peter i. 18, to offer himself a sacrifice, to redeem us by his precious blood. ' We are not redeemed with gold or silver, but with the blood of Christ.' He could not be our Lord till he had bought us. Now his death was the price of our redemption ; I say ' redemption,' not ' emption.' A thing may be bought that was never sold away before. Now we were sold to Satan, and under a contrary government. Now Christ satisfying divine justice redeems us. He buys us again. We had subjected ourselves to the devil, and put ourselves under his regiment,* till we were ransomed by Christ. Now Christ shall have no right to us till the price be paid to divine justice ; for mercy must have justice satisfied ; the attributes of God must not fight one against another. Christ, therefore, is Lord of us, because by death he gave full content to divine justice. So that now, notwithstanding justice, yet Ave are Christ's, and are saved. Nay, now the justice of God helps us. The most terrible attribute, justice, is a ground of comfort, for it stands not with justice to have the same debt paid twice. For God is just and faithful, saith the apostle, 1 John i. 9. So then jou see there is a ground from death why we are the Lord's. We are Christ's because we cost him dear. He hath paid a price for us that is worth more than the whole world. Now God shewed his love in nothing more than in this, that he parted with that that is next himself, the greatest, his Son, who being God, yet died, in that nature that could die, to redeem us, and here- upon becometh Lord.
2. Secondly, He rose again, therefore ' he is Lord of the quick and the dead.'
(1.) First, Because his rising again n-as a manifestation that his death was a full satisfaction to divine justice, or else our sins should have kept him in the grave still, he being our surety. But our surety being out of prison, it is a sign he hath fully discharged all our debt, and the price is paid. If the surety and the creditor be agreed, we know the debt is paid.
(2.) Secondly, In that he rose again, he is Lord, because in rising again he entered into the possession and exercise of that Lordship that he had pur- chased. The right is one thing, and the use and possession of the right is another. Christ was Lord of us before he died. He was Lord of us when he died. But he did not enter into possession of his Lordship till he rose again. Therefore he saith, ' All power is given to me, both in heaven and earth,' Mat. xxviii. 18, when he was ready to go up to heaven, to shew that by his resurrection the right he had by death was manifest.
(3.) Lastly, Because his rising again shewed that the Father ivas fdhj pacified. He obtained the gift of the Spirit, which next Christ himself is the greatest gift. God gave his Son first, and then the Spirit that comes from the Father and the Son. The Spirit was not given till his resurrection and ascension, as it is John vi. ; vii. 39. Why ? Because till all enemies were fully subdued by his death, and witnessed to be subdued by his resurrection, the Spirit could not be so fully given, the Spirit being a declaration of the good will of God that sent it. Now when the enemies of Christ were triumphed over, and God had shewed by the raising of his Son again, that he was fully satisfied, then the Spirit comes as the Son-)- of God's favour, Avhich Spirit doth enable us to be subject to Christ, and makes us come under Christ's kingdom, which is a spiritual government. Where- fore because he obtained the Spirit for his members upon his resurrection, * That is, ' government.' — G. t Qu. ' sun' ? — En.