The harmony of the divine attributes in the contrivance and accomplishment of man's redemption…

2. The true expiation of sin is the effect of Christs Death. He is called the Lamb of God,¹ that takes away the sins of the World. Now sin may be taken away in two manners.

1. 11 John 29.

First, by removing its guilt, and exempting the ⟨p. 258⟩Person that committed it from Death; and when this is effected by enduring the punishment that was due to sin, 'tis properly expiation.

Secondly, By healing the corrupt inclinations of the Heart, from whence actual sins proceed. 'Tis true, our Redeemer takes away sin in both these respects: he delivers from the Damnation and Dominion of it: for he is made of God our Righteousness and Sanctification. ¹But the first sense is only convenient here: for 'tis evident that the Lamb took away sin, that is, the guilt of it, by dying instead of the sinner, and had no effect for the destroying the malignant habits of sin in those who offered them. It appears further that this Divine Lamb hath taken away the guilt of our sins,² in that He bore them in his own Body on the Tree. For the native force of the word signifies, not only to take away,³ but to carry and bear, which applied to sin is nothing else but to suffer the penalty of it. And 'tis to be observed, when Cleansing, Purifying, and Washing are attributed to the Blood of Christ, they have an immediate respect to the guilt of sin, and declare its efficacy to take off the obligation to punishment. Thus 'tis said that His Blood cleanseth from all sin: