The rule of faith, or, An exposition of the Apostles Creed so handled as…

Now for the third question in the division: Christ was crucified for these Reasons or Uses. First, that thereby it might appear that he was the true Messiah and Saviour promised ⟨p. 388⟩to the Fathers, as he himself saith, John 8. 28. Secondly, that thereby he might derive the malediction of the Law upon himself which was due to us, and that we might possess and inherit the blessing, Gal. 3. 13, 14. Thirdly, that by a virtue flowing from his crucifying, the viciousness of our corrupt natures might be abolished, that we might not afterwards serve sin, Rom. 6. 6. Fourthly, that our debts being there paid, the hand-writing that was against us might be cancelled, so as our sins should be no more remembered of God, Col. 2. 14. But the special thing to be considered in Christs crucifying is to look upon it as a sacrifice offered up to God for the sins of the elect, in which an atonement and expiation is made for our sins. About this Sacrifice divers things are to be inquired into: As first, who is the Priest? And that is Christ, considered in both Natures, as is proved in many chapters of the Epistle to the Hebrews. And he is indeed the only Priest of the New Testament, considered really, for he came in stead of all the Levitical Priests, & his Priesthood is everlasting, Heb. 7. 24. because it doth not pass from man to man by succession, as the Levitical High Priesthood did. Secondly, what is the Sacrifice? and that is Christ as he is man, or the manhood of Christ: so we are said to be sanctified by the offering up of the body of Jesus, Heb. 10. 10. and this Sacrifice of his was not an Eucharistical, but an whole burnt offering, or a propitiatory Sacrifice, such a Sacrifice as was seized upon by the fire of Gods wrath and all burnt to ashes. Thirdly, what was the Altar? And that was the Godhead of Christ, not the Cross properly, because the Altar sanctifieth the gift,