made an offering for sin. His yielding up the ghost in death, and his commending his spirit into his Father's hands, as well as his resurrection from the dead, are earnests and pledges of the blessed death, happy end, glorious departure, and certain resurrection, of the saints; who commend their souls to God, die in faith, and yield up the ghost, when the soul returns to the Almighty, and is numbered and arranged among the spirits of just men made perfect, while the body rests in hope of a glorious and certain resurrection. And such was the blessed end of the Saviour when he had finished the work upon the cross: "He made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth." He made his grave with the wicked by becoming our surety, or by being made sin for us by imputation, and so was numbered with the transgressors; but his grave was made with the rich in his death. Mark that, in death he made his grave with the rich; not among the poor and wretched, miserable, blind, and naked, who go quick into hell; but with the rich he made his grave; rich in faith, rich towards God, possessed of all true riches, rich in merit, rich in good works, and heir of all things: and in the possession of all these true riches he made his grave, as soon as the work was finished.

Furthermore, the blood of the sacrifice is cal led the life of it; and by the blood of the sacrifice

were the Israelites cleansed in a ceremonial way; and so, when the blood of Christ was shed, our redemption was completely obtained; for we are declared to be redeemed by the blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. Our redemption is always said to be by the blood of Christ, but never by the torments of hell fire.

I add, further, that when the Saviour bowed his head he declared, as his dying testimony, "It is finished." But Mr. Loud objected to this; saying that his meaning was, that the mockery and insults of the Jews were finished. This is a very empty meaning, if the dying testimony of our great Deliverer contains no more than this. Besides, if this were the Lord's meaning, it is not true; for the Jews insulted him, mocked, reviled, and railed on him, both in his person and in his members, long after this. They blasphemed him, compelled some of his followers to curse him; and Paul persecuted him; of which he complains out of heaven long after this. Yea, the mockery and insults of Jews and infidels are not finished yet, nor will they be so long as the long-suffering mercy of the Lord permits such wretched men as Mr. Loud to live upon the earth. It remains, therefore, that the words" It is finished" must have a better, a truer, and a more pregnant meaning.

"He bore our sins in his own body on the tree;" and no further than the tree did he bear them. There the Surety paid the fatal score, and cancelled the total debt; that was finished,

He was made a curse for us; for it is written "Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree." That curse pursued him no further than the tree; redemption from the curse was then and there finished.

The seed of the woman was to bruise the serpent's head. He spoiled principalities and powers; he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in the death of the cross. Victory over devils, therefore, was obtained, and the complete conquest of them was then and there finished.

the wrath of

The handwriting of ordinances, that was against us, which was contrary to us, he took out of the way, nailing it to his cross. The bondage of the law, the terrors of the law, God revealed in the law, pursued and held the Saviour no further than the cross. This was all accomplished in the death of the Saviour; for to the cross he nailed the handwriting that was against us and there left it, and never carried it into hell fire.

The ceremonial law had every part of it accomplished in him on the cross, when he poured out his soul unto death; but no further; in death was that work finished.

The moral law had all its precepts obeyed be fore in his life, and all its curses and threatenings he endured upon the cross. His active and pas

sive obedience both ended in his death, not in the bottomless pit. "He was obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." His obedience here

is said to be unto death, not unto hell fire. This work then, of his obedience, was there finished.

"Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sins might be destroyed." The old man got his death, and the destroying, governing, and damning, power of sin, got its destruction, in the crucifixion of Christ upon the cross, not in hell fire. "Our old man was crucified with him." This was finished.

Our sanctification was effected when the Saviour commended his spirit into his Father's hands, "That he might sanctify the people with his own blood, he suffered without the gate." This was finished, not in hell fire, but on Mount Calvary without the gates of Jerusalem,

The sword of God was awaked, and the shepherd was smitten on the cross. Judgment was fully executed, and vindictive Justice got full satisfaction, and promised to throw open the prison doors to all the prisoners for whom Christ died. This was obtained by the blood of the lamb; as it is written, "By the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit, wherein is no water." By the blood of the covenant was this gaoldelivery obtained, and not by the torments

of hell fire.

We read of the obedience of the Surety, and of the obedience of the saints both. "He was obedient uno death, and there it stopped: and we are commanded to be the same, in laying down our life for the brethren. But there never was,

nor ever will be, nor do we ever read of, any obedience performed in hell fire.

Hence it appears plain, that the ceremonial law had its full accomplishment and its end in the death of Christ. The moral law was magnified by a perfect obedience both to its precept and penalties, the body of sins were destroyed, the old man was crucified, devils spoiled and conquered, judgment was fully executed, truth was cleared, wrath appeased, the paschal lamb offered, and the gates of heaven opened, the grand oblation was offered, complete atonement made, reconciliation obtained, the flaming sword sheathed, peace made, a new and living way consecrated, Justice fully satisfied, God well pleased, the ransom price paid, everlasting righteousness brought in, a gaoldelivery proclaimed, a fountain for sin opened, a sure foundation laid, the elect sanctified and redeemed, the middle wall of partition broken down, and salvation in the executionary part completed and eternally finished, without any suffering in the regions of the damned. He made peace for us by the blood of his cross. All the above things are implied in the dying testimony of the faithful and true witness, the Lord Jesus Christ, when he bowed his head, and said, "It is finished."

But Mr. Loud objects this text; "Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death; because it was not possible that he should be holden of it." Which he says were the pains that he endured in hell fire, which were loosed