his venomous sting, which was sin. He not only triumphed over him by the cross, to his death; but pursued him even into the grave, which is his residence and strong-hold, and there, as it were, for the last time, bruised his head. But, Secondly, It is likewise clear from our blessed Lord's burial, that he really and truly rose again from the' dead. By his resurrection he manifested his triumph over death, and put an end to the power of death over himself; he demolished death's stronghold, and set up the trophies of his victory therein. At the same time, he laid the foundation of our justification; hence St. Paul says, 'That he was raised again for our justification,' (Rom. iv. 25.) For as our blessed Saviour was himself justified in his resurrection, i. e. he was publicly discharged by the decree of the supreme judge from all further demands, from suffering any thing more on account of sin; so all penitent souls, who by faith are found in Him, are justified by his person. Now these comforts spring from Christ's death, the certainty of which, as well as that of his resurrection, is confirmed by his burial. 4. Thy sacred word, which never fails, Prefigures things to come; The lion's den, th' enormous whale, Here we are referred to that part of scripture, in which the burial of Christ was both predicted and prefigured. That the burial of Christ was foretold in Holy Writ, may be inferred from these words of St. Paul: He was buried and rose again the third day, according to the scripture,' (1 Cor. xv. 4.) Thus, for instance, when it is said in the Psalms, Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell [or in the state of departed souls] neither wilt thou suffer thine HOLY ONE to see corruption,' (Psalm xvi. 10.) It presupposes that the Messiah was to be laid in the grave, which is the usual place of corruption Isaiah says, that the Messiah made his grave, &c. and this likewise contains a clear prophecy of the burial of Christ. But his burial is further typified in the Old Testament by two persons mentioned in this hymn, namely, the prophets Daniel and Jonah. The belly of the whale, in which Jonah, after he was thrown into the sea, remained three days and nights, and on the third day was cast forth alive, and without any hurt, was a type of the sepulchre of Christ, where he was to lie part of three days, well secured and uncorrupted, and from which he was to come out again alive on the third day. Of this we are assured by the Lord Jesus himself in these words: For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly, so shall, the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth,' (Matt. xii. 40.) But the prophet Daniel is a type no less remarkable. For first, on account of his excellency above the other princes and wise men of the country, he was undeservedly, and out of mere envy, persecuted, and represented to the idolatrous Darius, as a despiser of his commands. Whereupon, 2. He was cast into the den of lions, the door of which was seated with the king's signet. But from thence, 3. He was early in the morning taken out alive. 5. His enemies were themselves cast as a prey to the hungry lions. Thus Jesus Christ in like manner was, 1. Out of mere envy, brought before an idolatrous governor, as a rebel against the Roman emperor, by the princes and rulers of the Jewish people. 2. He was condemned to die, and afterwards laid in a sealed sepulchre. But, 3. He came forth alive early in the morning, and thus was delivered from the jaws of that lion (Psalm x. 21.) which destroys all things living. 4. He was thereupon crowned with honours and glory, and exalted above all the works of God. 5. His enemies, on the other hand, shall be plunged into the pit of perdition, which they had dug for him. Thus God's truth gloriously displays itself in the burial of our blessed Saviour; and thus several prophecies and types of the Old Testament are accom, plished by it. 5. Thou like a fruitful corn of wheat Art to the earth consign'd, Whence thou shalt rise, and with thee bring These words bring to our mind what the Lord Jesus himself had foretold of his burial and resurrection. He alludes to his burial by these words: Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground, and die, it abideth alone." He then alludes to his resurrection, by adding, but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit,' (John xii. 24.), By these words our blessed Lord gives us to understand, that his death and burial were no less necessary to his resurrection, than the dying of a corn of wheat is to its vegitation and fertility. For unless the grain be cast into the earth, and given up to corruption, it bringeth forth no fruit; thus, unless Christ had died, and at least been laid in the place of corruption, he could not have acquired for us the grace of God, and a right to eternal. life. O the transcendent love of Christ, who, by dying, hath begotten us again to a glorious and an immortal life! 6. Even in thy darksome grave I see Which in full blaze on the third morn The burial of Christ is to be considered, First, As a seal of his innocence. Thus both are connected together; hence the prophet says, 'He was with the rich in his death,' i. e. he was laid in the sepulchre of a rich man, because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth,' (Isaiah liii. 9.) As Jesus, during his life, was infinitely separated from sinners; so in his burial he was to be distinguished from the malefactors who were crucified with him, whose bodies were exposed to birds and beasts of prey, or thrown into a common receptacle for executed bodies, and half covered with earth. Secondly, The burial of Christ is a mirror of his exaltation, in which we see the dawn of his approaching glorification; since some beams of his glory were displayed at the sepulchre in which his body was laid. At the same time, this is an earnest that the bodies of believers, after the separation of their souls shall rest in their graves under God's particular care, till their resurrection, and glorification, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven in flaming fire, (2 Thess. i. 7, 8.) 7. Since then my Saviour did descend This is a very comfortable inference which is drawn from our Saviour's burial; namely, that our grave is thereby sanctified, and changed into a calm and quiet recess for sleep. Anciently the evil spirits in demoniacs made their abode among the tombs, (Mark v. 5.) and these were the ensigns of their triumphs, which, since the introduction of sin, they had erected among mankind. But since the only begotten Son of God has condescended to be laid in the grave, the sepulchres are become silent recesses for sleep and rest; and are so far sanctified by his short abode among the tombs, that even the angels of light are not ashamed to appear there, (John xx. 12.) Who will now dread the grave, since, through Christ, it is made as it were the gloomy passage that leads to the regions of eternal day? 8. As in the font I die to sin, And wash my guilt away, Grant I may rise, and with the mount In these words we are directed to Christ's burial, as a source of comfort. St. Paul says, 'If one died for all, then were all dead;' (2 Cor. v. 14.) hence we may further infer, that if one was buried, then were all buried. For as the first Adam, in his fall, represented the whole race of mankind: so in the work of redemption, the second Adam, in his circumcision, crucifixion, death, and burial, was likewise the representative of all mankind. Therefore it is said in scripture of believers who enter into the fellowship of the blessed Jesus, That they are circumcised with Christ, crucified with Christ, dead with Christ, &c.' (Rom. vi. 4, 8. Col. ii. 11, 12.) To this fellowship with Christ's burial we are brought by baptism; hence St. Paul says, that we are buried with him in baptism,' (Col. ii. 12.) For as anciently the whole body was immersed in the water of baptism, and thus as it were buried and concealed for some moments, from the sight of spectators; this short continuance under the water signified that baptised persons are, as it were, buried with Christ, and consequently are entitled to all the benefits which our Saviour purchased for us by his death and burial. From this intimate union with the buried Jesus, a person that is baptised is to be accounted as one really dead unto sin; and as one who by Christ's passion has really made satisfaction to God's justice; so that neither sin nor the curse attending it, neither the world nor the devil, dare triumph over him any longer, since he is in Christ Jesus. But our Saviour's burial was followed by his resurrection; so we, that are buried with Christ, must also rise again with him from the grave of sin, and walk in newness of life. Let us praise our faithful Saviour, who already, is it were, in our infancy has received us into the fellowship of his burial, when we could only lament our misery with tears, but had not words to express our indigence and request such a benefit of him. But let us, at the same time, enter on a careful ex |