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than nothing, that's lefs than a Cypher, for tho Cypher by its felf ftands for nothing, yet it is fomething, as the mark of a Pen that was used by fome Hand, fo tho' all the Nations as Sinners have marred themselves, and fo are lefs than nothing, or then when they were Cyphers, which by themfelves in Accompt to him were as nothing, yet as the Work of his Hand they were as the Drop of a Bucket, or fmall Duft of the Ballance; here then is the Infiniteness of his Being fet forth as a Demonftration of his being Lord GOD and as there is a Union of this Infinitenefs, with the Man the Shepherd, and fo a farther Demonftration of the great Ability of Jefus Chrift, for his Work, for it was this Union of the Man to or in GoD, that made his human Obedience to be of fuch worth and excellency beyond all others, as will farther appear, if we well confider and underftand the Mind of GoD in the 16th verfe here.

And Lebanon is not fufficient to burn nor the Beafts thereof fufficient for a burnt-offering. If any enquire what they were infufficient for, I anfwer, the Wood to burn, or all the Beafts thereof were not fufficient for a Sacrifice to make Atonement for Sin, no not for one.

PERHAPS the Spirit in the Prophet here points, unto the Temple built of the Wood of Lebanon, and to all the Offerings there offered up. For tho' there was a numberlefs Number there offered in the many Years of that Temple Service, yet they all were infufficient to fatisfie Juftice for the Sins of the Offerer of them. For GOD knew they could

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not do that, though many of the ignorant Of ferers did conclude fo, and truft therein, as many ignorant Profeffors of Chrift do now to religious Duties, GOD therefore declares that he neither (b) defired nor required them. Now it must be thus understood, that he never defired them for to fatisfie his Juftice, nor required them upon any fuch Account, but only as a way of Religious Worship, by which they fhould by Types and Shadows be looking unto the Subftance, that was held forth by them as being that alone that was fufficient for to fatisfe Juftice, for the Sins of all for whom he offered up himfelf a Sacrifice, with which, Sacrifice Juftice or GOD (for Juftice being a property of Gob, is or my be call' Gor) is well pleafed. Therefore when Jefus Chrift as the Covenant-man, is fpeaking of the Covenant that he had entred into, I may fay with Juftice,. he faith unto his (c) Father, Sacrifice and Offering thou didit not defire, mine Ears haft thou opened, that is, thou haft told me that I maft go and die a Sacrifice, to fatisfie Thee or Justice, for the Sins of thofe that thou haft chofen and given unto me, for there is one that has Sufficiency in them, neither haft thou required any for that End, for thou hadft no Pleasure in them. Verfe Then faid I, Lo, I come in the volume of the Book it is written of me: I delight to do the will, O God, yea thy Law is within my Heart. This is as if the Man in GoD, or the Son of

(b) Pf. 40. 6. (c) Pf. 40. 6.

GOD

GOD (this Almighty one I have been describing) fhould fay, Father, I know that thou must have a Sufficient Sacrifice to take away Sin, and I know alfo that all the Sacrifices, or Services of all Creatures, is not fufficient. For it is not (d) poffible that the Blood of Bulls, or of Goats fhould take away Sin; for there is no Sacrifice which can eyer take away Sins. But I will come and offer up my felf according as it is in the Covenant Volume, for I delight to do thy will, for it is in my Heart, for to anfwer all the De mands of Law and Juftice, I will fulfil the one, and fatisfie the other; I am able and willing to do it. Tho' Lebanon and all the Beafts there of, be not Sufficient, yet the Perfon here de fcribed is able, yea, has offered up a Sacrifice, with which GOD, or Justice is well pleafed withal, as is abundantly evidenced in the Old and New Teftament.

HERE the Father fpeaks faying, (e) bekol my Servant whom I uphold, mine Elect in whom my Soul delighted.

As if he fhould fay, Lo, this is he that is able to offer up a Sufficient Offering; Lo, this is he whom I have chofen for the Work; Lo, this is he in whom my Soul delighteth, or is well pleafed that is, in his Undertakings and in all his Per formances, for there is no Defect in him or his Work, and what was his Work is fpecified in the 21ft Verfe, it was magnifying the Law, and

(d) Heb. 10. 4. Verse 11. (e) Ifai. 42. 1, 21.

making of it Honourable, that is in his fulfilling it fo perfectly as the Surety for his Brethren, not only as a fingle Perfon, but as a publick Perfon, and (f) Surety for all the Family, and he hath fo done it, that it is more (g) compleatly done than if they had all kept it; for his fulfilling it for them was more then their keeping it, for his keeping it fo perfectly and fulfilling of it fo fully as not one (h) Jot, or one Tittle, did in any wife pafs away from it, but was fulfilled by him for them for whom he was a Surety; this was the Righteoufnefs that the LORD was well pleafed withal, thus he magnified or made the Law great and honourable, or made it appear to be fo, even as Paul faith, to (i) be holy, just and good.

ALL this is plainly evinced in Ifai. 50. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. here in the 8th Verfe, we have this Surety declaring that God or Juftice is near, and has acquitted or given him a Difcharge, for his having paid whatfoever was (k) laid to his Charge as a Surety and Head, or publick Perfon.

HE faith, he is near that juftifieth me, therefore is very bold, and faith, who will contend with me, or as the old Tranflation renders it, who will fue me at Law? It is as if he thould fay, here is he that I-entred into Covenant withal, and he justifies me, who then will, or can, or dare contend with me, or what Law can be in force,

(f) Heb. 7. 22. (g) Col. 2. 10. (b) Mat. 5. 17, 18. (i) Rem. 7. 12, 16. (k) Ifai. 53. 6.

feeing I have fulfilled every Jot and Tittle of the Law. Therefore faith, if there be, let him come forth, let us ftand together, who is my adverfary let him come near to me, and here is he that doth justifie me; Who is my Adverfary or Mafter of my Caufe, as the Margin reads it: Let him come near to me and I can fhew him a full Difcharge. Thus it is plain from these two Texts in the Old Teftament with many more that might be brought to the purpose, it is evident that the LORD Jefus Chriff, the LORD GOD, the Man, the Shepherd in Ifai. 40. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. Verfes, was able, and from the 40 Pf. 7, 8: was willing, and from thefe, with fome New Teftament Texts, he did offer up a Sufficient Sacrifice by offering up himself, though Lebanon be not fufficient to burn, nor all the Beats thereof fuficient for a burnt Offering to fatisfie Juftice, nor all the Obedience of the whole World is not fufficent to make Atonement, no not for one Sin, but his one Offering was fufficient for to fatishe for all the Sins of thofe for whom he became a Surety. For further Demonftration of this foundation Truth, pray read (and I pray Gon you may underftand) thefe * new Teftament Texts. For I have not room to open them nor cite them at length. So that all thefe Things

* Mat. 30. 38. Luke 24. 26. John 1. 29. 10. 10, 11, 74, 15.' 35, 17, 18, Verfes. Acp. 4. 10, 11, 20, 28. Rom. 3. 24,25, 26, 8. 31. 32, 33. 34. 2 Cor. 8. 9. Gal. 5. 13. 4. 4. 5. Epl. I. 213,14,15,16 5. 2. Col. I. 23. 1 Tim. 2. 6. Heb. 1. 3,5, 7. A5, 27, 28. 9. 12, 14, 15, 26. 10. 10, 12, 14. ! Put 2.24.

8.9.

3. 18. Rev. 5. §, 9,