a Sacrifice of his own, we must at present SERM.
go on to observe how he followed the High
Priest of the Law in every particular Circum,
Itance and Step.

For first did the High Priest present the
Sacrifice alive to God, before it was slain,
and devote it to die for the Sins of the Peos
ple * ? Let us but attend to the Acts of
our Lord (which sure are worth our Atten-
tion, since it was for us they were transacted)
and we shall find a very folemn Dedication
of himself to God, whilst he was at Liber-
ty and free, as a Sacrifice for the Sins of
Mankind. , For at the last Passover which
with Defire he had desired, Luke xxii. 15.
or which he had earnestly desired, to eat
with his Disciples before be suffered, be took
Bread, and when, after a solemn Benedic-
tion, he had broken it, be gave it to them,
faying, This is my Body. which is given for
you : Ver. 19.- given for them; and
then given :But given to whom?

? To God most affuredly : To whom, by that Rite, he had then devoted his Body to be a Sacrifice for the World. Likewise alfo [he gave them] the Cup after Supper, saying, This Cup is the New Testament in my Blood * See Jobnson's Unbloody Sacrifics, Vol. I. p. 68.

IX.

SER M. which is shed for you, ver. 20. or as the

Words ought to be translated, This Cup which is poured forth for you, is [i. e, represents] the New Testament in my Blood *: or, This Cup which is now, by this Action of mine, poured forth to my Father, as a Dedication or Consignation of my Blood to him, is a Seal or Confirmation of the new Covenant I have made. So that by this Rite of breaking the Bread and pouring forth Wine, as his facramental or representative Body and Blood, before his father, our Lord made a voluntary Oblation of his own proper Body and Blond for a Sin-Offering to God. Under these Figures he solemnly offered and cona secrated himself to die and suffer as a Victim in out stead: And that, as I have said before, at a Time when he was fully and perfectly at Liberty, at his own Disposal, under the Power of nond, Verifying what he himself had deelared before :- I lay down my Life for the Sheep: Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my Life that I may take it again. No Man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself : I have Power to lay it down, and I have Power to take it again. This Commandment have I received of my Father, John x. 15, 17, 18.

in See Knarchbull in loc.

So

IX.

So that the fixing of his Body, and the SERM.
Thedding of his most precious Blood, on the
Cross, though feemingly done with the most
malicious Intent, was yet in Pursuance of
his own holy Will, and in Consequence of
his own first Offering himself under the
Symbols of Bread and Wine. For in that
Action he died and suffered in Will, as it was
upon

the Cross that he died and suffered in
Deed. And this his own most affectionate
Prayer, which he used at that Time, evi-
dently sets forth. We have it in the 17th
Chapter of St. John: These Words Spake
Jefus, and lift up bis Eyes to Heaven, and
said, --Father, the Hour is come : Glorify
thy Son, that thy Son may also glorify theé : As.
thou haft given him Power over all Flesh,
that be fhould give eternal Life to as mariy as
1 hou baft given him, John xvii. I, 2. And
then as the High Priest used to pray over the
Sacrifice, not only for himself, but also for
his House, 1. l. all the rest of the Priests,
and for the whole Body of the Nation ; fo.
doth Jesus proceed to pray most passionately
for his Apostles, and for all that should be-
lieve.on him tsrough their Preaching or Word,
ver. 19, 20, for whose Sakes (faith he) I
fan&tify myself, i. e. offer myself a Victim,

IX.

SERM. as many of the 'venerable Fathers of the

Church explained those words.

And having thus freely devoted himself an Offering for Sin, and being also accepted as fuch by his Father, it mattered not much by whose Hands he was sacrificed or laini Or rather he ought to be flain by those Perfons for whom he died. For the common Sacrifices among the Jews for Trespasses and Sins, i. e, those that were offered for single Persons, or private Families, were generally killed by thofe in whose Behalf they were offered..." And when the Priest killed the Sacrifice, the saying, and offering it were Acts distinct. : The Offering consisted in the Priest's consecrating it to God, before it was killed, and in properly applying the Blood of it afterwards. In the great Atonement indeed, on the Day of Expiation, the High Priest was indispensably obliged, not only to present, but also to kill, the Goat himself : But why fo? Why because it was offered for the whole Body of the People, of which he himself was not only one, but in Things pertaining to God, the Chief. For be him. self was compassed with Infirmity, and by Reafon hereof, be ought, as for the People, la also for himself, to offer for Sins, Heb. v. 2, 3.

And

IX.

And therefore as the Goat was a Sacrifice for SERM. himself, as well as for all the Nation besides; it was fit it should be slain by himself, as a Sinner, and the Representative of all the Sinners there.

But with Jefus it was not so: He, being holy, harmless, undefiled, made higher than the Heavens, had no need, as those High Priests, to offer up Sacrifice, first for his own Sins, and then for the Peoples ; chap. vii. 26, 27 But having presented and devoted himself for the People ; leaves it to the People themselves to slay him, to whom by sacrifical Rites it belonged.

Having therefore performed, in the Presence of his Apostles, as I have shewed above, his Office as Priest, he next comes forth and proceeds as the Victim. And if it was always accounted a happy Omen, if the Sacrifice came to the Altar without Reluctance, willing and free ; never certainly was so great an Assurance given as now ; when this Victim came on, conscibus of what he was going to suffer, and yet seeking, forwarding, and importuning his Death.

For so we find, that as soon as he had concluded the Prayer of Oblation, I have mentioned before ; when Jesus (faith the Evangelist) had finished these words, he then, knowVOL. II.

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