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the free gift came upon all, to justification of life. But now once in the end of the world, he hath appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself:" and again, "Christ was once offered, to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him, shall he appear a second time, without sin, unto salvation." Thus we see, all is accomplished; there needs no more to be done by us, to satisfy God's justice. This is already completely effected, "It is finished."

3. The resurrection of Christ from the dead, is a farther evidence of the completeness of his work.

This was a testimony to the dignity of his character, and the perfection of his sacrifice; and a proof that the holiness and justice of God had accepted that sacrifice. "Christ was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead." The resurrection of the Saviour, did not add any thing to the validity of his sacrifice; but it was a demonstration of its acceptance. Unless Christ had completely satisfied divine justice, how could God, who, as a just judge, had appointed him to die for our sins, have raised him from the dead? If he had not effected the precious purpose of God, would he have given this testimony of it? But "the God of peace brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant. The resurrection of Christ, therefore, was an ample demonstration of the perfection of his work.

4. The ascension of Christ into heaven, is another evidence of his finished work of redemption.

Forty days after the resurrection, our blessed Lord, in the presence of his disciples, ascended into heaven, and displayed his triumph, in the work of man's redemption, among the celestial spirits who surround the throne of God; the holy angels had beheld with amazement, the incarnate Son of God, suffering, bleeding, dying. But now they celebrated his victories, when they saw that by the sacrifice of himself, he had defeated the purposes of the great adversary of God and man, and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. Here it is of importance to remark, that it was not merely the Godhead of the Redeemer that ascended; it was the MAN Christ Jesus, that was received up into heaven, "and set on the right hand of God." The human nature of the Saviour, which was assumed in the Virgin's womb, and which suffered and died on the cross, was raised to heaven to sit "in the midst of the throne of God. Christ "by his own blood entered once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. This man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, for ever sat down on the right hand of God; from henceforth expecting, till his enemies be made his footstool." As the mediator, Christ ascended into heaven; and as the mediator, he has all power and authority committed into his hands in heaven and in earth. In order to recompence the voluntary humiliation of Jesus for the work of man's redemption, and to

kingdom. Satan is called the Prince of this world, because he exercises dominion over men. Sin has given him that power. But Christ, by his death, "has made an end of sin, and brought in everlasting righteousness;" and by this means he has delivered from his dominion all believers, who, by the virtue of his death, will be the everlasting monuments of his redeeming love and power. At the crucifixion, the contest between Christ and Satan was brought to its crisis. The period was now arrived when "the seed of the woman was to bruise the serpent's head." Through death, the Saviour accomplished the defeat of this adversary of God and man. By death Jesus became the Prince of Life. All power and authority are committed into his hands; and he is constituted the Lord of universal empire. Satan's temples must now totter and fall, and his usurped dominion be destroyed. "For this purpose was the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil." And though this enemy still retains a sway over the children of disobedience, yet he is continually obliged to resign his vassals and slaves into the hands of the Lord Jesus; and the period is at hand when he will be bound for a thousand years, and afterwards cast into the lake of fire. Death likewise, the last enemy of man, when Christ said, "It is finished," was conquered. With reference to the people of God, his spectre only remains, his dart is taken away. In regard to believers, who are members of Christ, he left his sting in the body of their Redeemer on the accursed tree. Hence to the

Christian, death is changed from the king of terrors into the messenger of peace. Every believer, therefore, may anticipate the period, when he will sing the song of triumph, "Death is swallowed up in O grave, victory. O death, where is thy sting? where is thy victory? Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 6. The sufferings of Christ are ended.

From He was a man of sorrows" all his days. the manger to the cross, the life of our blessed Lord was one continued scene of suffering. He was persecuted from his birth. No sooner was he born than an attempt was made on his life by the cruelty and jealousy of Herod. To avoid this, he was taken by Joseph and Mary as an exile into Egypt. From the earliest period of his life to its termination, he was, in the emphatic language of the prophet, "acquainted with grief." When exercising his public ministry as "The the Messiah, he was afflicted with poverty. foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man had not where to lay his head." View him in his reputation: he was charged with being a wine-bibber, a blasphemer, and a demoniac. Look at him in his final sufferings: follow him to Gethsemane; and see him in his agony in the garden, afflicted by the powers of darkness, and by the hand of God, causing him to sweat great drops of blood falling down to the ground, before he was touched by man. Accompany him to Calvary: and see him with his head crowned with thorns, nailed to the accursed tree; and hear him, in the distress of

display his ability to save, "God hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name; that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things on earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father." The ascension and exaltation of Christ as the mediator, is a satisfactory proof of the completion of his work of redemption, and of the truth of his dying exclamation, "It is finished."

5. I shall mention one evidence more, of the veracity of our blessed Lord's declaration; and that is, the descent of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost.

Previous to the last sufferings of Jesus, he had promised his disciples that he would send them another comforter, the Holy Spirit, who should teach them all things, bring all things to their remembrance, guide them into all truth, and enable them to do greater miracles than he had wrought himself. And immediately before his ascension, he "commanded his disciples that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which (saith he) ye have received of And ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem and all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the utmost part of the earth." Accordingly, ten days after the ascension, the promised event took place, on one of the great festivals of the Jews, called Pentecost, which signifies

me.