blood but as is here said By thy blood not by the blood of any of the offerings or sacrifices which were commanded in and offered by the Law It is true indeed under the Law the blood of their Sacrifices did make a typical atonement for them for all their sins Lev. 6. 30. and Chap. 16. 15-34 But truly and really it was not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats could take away sin either from before the presence of God or out of their consciences Wherefore when he cometh into the world he saith Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not but a body hast thou prepared me In burnt-offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure then said I Lo I come in the volume of thy Book it is written of me to do thy will O God Heb. 10. 1-4-9 and Chap. 9. 9 13. No it 's by the blood of him whom they worship of him who is the true God and eternal life by which peace was made and redemption wrought for them Col. 1. 20. and hereby also they were bought unto God and washed from their sins and pollutions in their minds and consciences For if the blood of bulls and of goats and the ashes of en beifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the blood of Christ who thorow the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 9. 13 14-22 and Chap. 10. 22. with Chap. 12. 24. Now here for our further usefulness we may enquire and consider 1. What is meant by and contained in this blood of Christ here spoken of by which they were redeemed unto God 2. How were these holy ones redeemed by it 1. To the first we may say that by the Blood of Christ we are to understand 1. The whole of his abasement and sufferings in that Body which the Father prepared for him and most directly his death or pouring out his soul unto death as here it is said Thou wast slain and hast redeemed us unto God by thy blood He even this glorious one took part with us of flesh and blood that he might die and thorow death destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil Heb. 2. 14. Blood and death are words of a like signification in Scripture compare Psal 72. 14. with Psal 116. 15. Sometimes indeed his blood is distinguished from his flesh as in Joh. 6. 53-56 and in the Supper 1 Cor. 11. 2â— 25. But here and elsewhere when it is mentioned alone it includes and contains all his Humiliation sufferings and death 1 Joh. 5. 6. and his blood is sometimes called the blood of his Cross because thereon he died and gave up the Ghost Col. 1. 20. and sometimes all his sufferings are supposed and contained in the word Cross because He humbled himself and became obedient unto death the death of the Cross Ephes 2. 13. with vers 15. Gal. 6. 14. 1 Cor. 1. 23. and Chop 2. 2. Phil. 2. 6 7 8. 2. And by his blood may also be meant the vertue and procurement thereof or what he hath thereby done and obtained into himself for us and is become So many times in Scripture that which is gotten procured or obtained by any thing is called by the name of that thing by which it was so gotten procured or obtained So a mans servant is called his money because he is obtained hired or bought with his money Exod. 21. 21. so that which is earned or gotten by work or labour is called by the name of labour or work Psal 127. 2. Isa 40. 10. and 49. 4. Jer. 4. 18. So the water which Davids three mighty men drew out of the Well of Bethlehem and brought unto David is called Blood because they gat it with blood as it were putting their lives into their hands for it as David saith Is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives 2 Sam. 23. 15-17 1 Chron. 11. 17-19 So that field is called the field of blood which was bought with blood or with the price of blood Mat. 27. 6-8 Act. 1. 19. see the fuller discovery pag. 112-114 And in this sense the Cross of Christ answers to the Gospel 1 Cor. 1. 17. with ver 18. For by the blood of his Cross he hath made peace Col. 1. 20. Obtained the forgiveness of our personal sins Ephes 1. 7. Col. 1. 14. received the spirit and all spiritual blessings Rev. 5. 6 12. Joh. 3. 35. with Chap. 10. 17 18. Confirmed a new Testament and everlasting Covenant of exceeding great and precious promises c. Mâ—t. 26. 28. Heb. 10. 29. and 9. 12. and Chap. 13. 20. Phil. 2. 8 9. Eph. 4. 8-10 with Psal 68. 10 18. 2. How were these holy ones redeemed by his Blood To that we may say 1. As to Christs redeeming men in himself so he carried his blood in the vertue of it into Heaven and presented it unto the Father as a price of redemption Not by the blood of goats and calves but by or with his own blood be entred in 〈◊〉 having obtained eternal redâ—â—ption Heb. 9. 12. with vers 7. And he thorow the eternal spirit offered himself in the vertue of his blood without spot or fault to God Heb. 9. 14. Every High-Priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices wherefore it is of necessity that this man our great High-Priest have somewhat to offer And he hath given himself his own body which was delivered for our offenceâ— and raised again for us an offering and a sacrifice to God as we have before said Heb. 8. 1-3 4. with Chap. 10. 10. Eph. 5. 2. 1 Tim. 2. 6. And so acceptable and well-pleasing was his gift and offering unto God that thereby he hath redeemed mankind from the curse of the Law drawn all men unto himself and God hath given him power over all flâ—sh and committed all judgment and government unto him that all men should honour the son c. Gal. 3. 13. Joh. 12 31 32. and Chap. 17. 2. Psal 2. 6-8-9-12 Joh. 5. 22 23. 2. As to the redeeming men in their own persons unto God he is tendring his blood unto them as a price to out-bid all other things and buy them off from their vanities Idols and vain conversation and so his blood answers to money though yet it infinitely exceeds it 1 Pet. 1. 18. 19. He puts his blood in and by his Gospel and himself as a price into the hands of men to redeem them from their evil and sinful thoughts ways and companions that they might count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledg of Jesus and go on to count them but dung that they might win him and be found in him Phil. 3. 7-9 Prov. 17. 16. He by his spirit so glorifies himself and renders his blood so precious in his Gospel that men might look unto him and be
Nature Children of Wrath even as others as the rest of Mankind Eph. 2. 2 5. We our selves were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers Lusts and Pleasures living in Malice and Envy hateful and hating one another Col. 2. 12 13. 1 Pet. 4. 3. Tit. 3. 3 4 5. Oh let us shew all meekness to all men and pity and pray for them considering our selves Tit. 3. 2 3. Mat 18. 23 35. Are there not Sins with us even with us also against the LORD our God 2 Chron. 28. 10. and such we have been guilty of as others have been even such as are properly called our Sins our own Personal Sins against Light and Grace vouchsafed 3. Needful it is that we be washed from our Sins otherways we cannot be accepted of him who is of purer eyes then to behold Iniquity nor have admission into his presence here or Kingdom hereafter Unless we be washed we can have no part with Christ Joh. 13. 8. Without Holiness no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12. 14. The Unrighteous cannot inherit the Kingdom of God unless they be washed sanctified and justified in the name of the LORD JESVS CHRIST and by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6. 9 11 Eph. 5. 3 7. Col. 3. 5 8. 4. He washed us from our Sins We could not wash our selves in any wisdom or strength of our own if we had washed our selves with Snow-water and made our Hands never so clean yet he would have plunged us into the Ditch our own Cloths would make us to be abhorred Job 9. 30 31. Though we had taken to us Nitre and much Soap yet our Iniquities would still have been marked before the LORD Jer. 2. 22. Isay 66. 17. Indeed he calls upon us to wash us and make us clean c. Isay 1. 16. But not in any Fountain or with any Water of our own but in the light and strength of his Grace But still he is the first and principal doer hereof and worker herein and unless he wash us we can have no part with him Joh. 13. 8. Hence the Psalmist begs of the Lord that according to the multitude of his mercies he would wash him thorowly from all his Iniquities and cleanse him from all his Sins That he would purge him with Hysop and he should be clean that he would wash him and he should be whiter then Snow Ps 51. 2 7. Oh the wonderful humility of Jesus Christ It was great condescension in him to wash his Disciples Feet Joh. 13. But how greatly doth his Humility appear that he would wash us from our Sins which are more filthy then the filthiest thing in this World ye know that he was manifested to take away our Sins and in him is no Sin 1 Joh. 3. 5 6. 5. He washed us from our Sins in his own Blood He is the Author of our washing and this is the way and means That he might do it it was needful he should partake of the Flesh and Blood and that he should dye for our Sins Gal. 1. 4. And rise again without which we should have been still in our Sins 1 Cor. 15. 16 17. No washing away of our Sins without Blood Without Blood-shedding there is no remission nor purgation of Sins Heb. 9. 22 23. Nor could there be any washing without his own Blood It was not possible that the Blood of Bulls and Goats could take away Sin Wherefore he came into the World in a Body prepared for him and laid down his Life and took it up again that he might become a Fountain in and thorow his own Blood for the washing us from our filth and uncleanness Heb. 10. 1 4. c. He hath made Peace for us by the Blood of his Cross Col. 1. 20. And obtained forgiveness of our following Sins Eph. 1. 7. And is become a Fountain for Sin and for Vncleanness Zech. 13. 1. He discovered the preciousness thereof to us in his Gospel 1 Joh. 5. 6. And washt us from the Dominion of Sin in our minds from our Ignorance and enmity Tit. 3. 3 5. Acts 26. 18. Joh. 9. 7 11 15. from the guilt of Sin in our Consciences Ps 51. 1 7. Acts 10. 43. and ch 13. 39. and from the service of our divers Lusts and Vanities Heb. 10. 22. 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. 6. This was the fruit of his love He loved us and washed us from our Sins in his own Blood Oh infinite love it was in him that he should partake with us of the Flesh and Blood and shed his precious Blood and pour out his Soul to death for us that he might redeem us from our Iniquities and make known and evidence his Blood to us with the ends and vertues thereof and apply it to and sprinkle it upon us that our hearts thereby might be sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our Bodies washed with pure Water Heb. 10. 22. and ch 9. 14. This was the fruit of his love of his first-love fundamentally and of his following also Ezek. 16. 8 9. He gave himself for his Church that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of Water in the word And to this his love led him Eph. 5. 25 27. Oh! learn we of him thus to testifie love one to another If he our Lord and Master have washed us because he loved us we ought also to wash one anothers Feet for he hath given us an example that we should do as he hath done to us Joh. 13. 1 4 13 15. Oh let us not then hate one another in our hearts but let us rebuke one another in Love and not suffer Sin one upon another Lev. 19. 17. To this end consider him He hath loved us and washed us from our Sins in his own Blood To him be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever Bless the LORD O our Souls who forgiveth all your Iniquities who healeth all the Diseases of your Soul who redeemeth the life of your Soul from Destruction c. Ps 103. 1 3 4. Verse 6. And hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father to him be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever Amen In this Verse is laid down and declared to us what further Cause and Reason there is for such as are redeemed unto God to ascribe Glory and Honour unto the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ with the Doxology or giving praise it self unto him upon all these accounts mentioned v. 5 6. And hath made us Kings and Priests This is the consequent of his loving and washing us from our Sins c. v. 5. Vnto him who loved us and washed us and hath made us Kings c. Ezek 16. 9 12. 1 Cor. 6. 9 11. And herein it appears that he is the Prince of the Kings of the Earth as it shall be when he makes all things New For he hath made us Kings c. And is and shall be the Lord of Kings Dan. 2. 47. Some understand by this Phrase he hath
ver 13. and therefore shall speak the more briefly here He is in the midst of them Namely visibly and conspicuously presenting himself in the view of them as a Lamb that hath been slain that so They might always see know and consider that this most mighty and glorious One is akin to them having been made partaker with them of flesh and blood without which he could not have been thus slain Heb. 2. 11-14 He hath taken our nature into union of person with the Divine nature and is married unto it Matth. 22. 2. And this is the Root and Foundation of all he hath done for us poor sinners of mankind and of what he hath obtained into himself for us and of that perfect and compleat preparation which is in him for us Matth. 22. 2-4 And those that so hear and learn of the Father as to come unto and believe in him are members of his Body of or out of his flesh and out of his bones Eph. 5. 30. And he may say to them as David bid Zadok and Abiathar the Priests say concerning himself unto the Elders of Judah Ye are my Brethren ye are my bones and my flesh 2 Sam. 19. 11 12. with Heb. 2. 11-13 And they may say unto and concerning him what the men of Judah said concerning David The King is near of kin to us ver 42. He is indeed a friend that loveth at all times and a Brother that is born for Adversity Prov. 17. 17. Oh this is our Goel our Kinsman and Redeemer to whom the right of Redemption appertained Lev. 25. 48 49. Ruth 2. 20. and Chap. 3. 9. and 4. 14. with 1 Tim. 2. 6. Gal. 3. 13. and Chap. 4. 4 5. And thus the four living Creatures may continually be minded of by his thus standing and abiding in the midst and view of them that they may at all times rejoyce with joy unspeabable in the belief thereof 1 Pet. 1. 6-8 And he is in the midst of them as a Lamb that had been slain that they might never be unmindful or forgetful of his precious blood but that it should be always highly valued and prized by them 1 Pet. 1. 19. Of this the Spirit of Christ which was in the Prophets did bear witness and testifie before-hand 1 Pet. 1. 11. Act. 17. 2 3. and Câ—ap 26. 22-23 Luke 24. 25-27 44-46 this the Apostles also have now more plainly and revealedly proclaimed and shewed the excellencie of 1 Cor. 1. 17 18-23 Gal. 3. 1. and Chap. 6. 14. And this is here in the view and sight of the four living Creatures That they might in Christ's sufferings and death see his love which passeth knowledge Ephess 3. 19 with 1 John 3. 16 2 Cor. 8 9. And the infinite lâ—ve of the Father who spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all of which great and wonderful love the Holy Spirit beareth witness in the blood of Christ John 3. 16. 1 John 4. 8-14 and Chap. 5. 6. That therein they might see the vileness of their sins which is highly discovered in the Cross of Christ wherein God hath severely condemned and judged against sin and shewn the odiousness and hatefulness thereof unto himself Rom. 8. 3 32. and Chap. 6. 2 3 4. That they might see and remember whereby peace and attonement was made for their sins to wit by the blood of the Cross of Jesus Christ Col. 1. 20. with Lev. 6. 30 And whereby forgiveness of following sins is now in Christ for us In him we have redemption thorow his blood even the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of God's Grace Eph. 1. 7. Col. 1 14. For without blood-shedding there is no remission Heb. 9. 22. And whereby there is a way opened for their approach unto God we have liberty to enter into the Holiest by the blood of Jesus By a new and living way which he haeh consecrated for us thorow the veil that is to say his flesh c. Heb. 10. 19 20 That they might come unto and seed on him by faith for the Bread that he will give us is his flâ—sh which he hath given for the life of the world And except we eat of the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood we have no life in us John 6. 51-53-57 That they might come unto his blood as the blood of sprinkling that their hearts thâ—reby might be sprinkled frrom an evil Conscience and their Conscience from dead works to serve the living God and that they might in their whole man be thereby redeemed from their vain conversation Heb. 10 22. and Chap 12. 24. 1 Pet. 1. 19. Rev. 1. 5. and Chap. 5. 9. And he is in the view of them that are Inhabiters of Heaven that thereby they might be apted and occasioned to sing that new Song spoken of in this Chapter ver 8 and 9 and 10. and Chap. 14. 3. 3. And he stood and stands in the midst of the twenty four Elders Also that his pretious and excellent sufferings may never be forgotten by them but they also may sing that new Song ver 8-10 they who are present with the Lord are with this blood of sprinkling The Apostle therefore thus speaks The Spirits of just men made perfâ—ct and Jesus the Mediator of the New Testament or Covenant and the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel Joyning all these together and he that comes to the first comes to the latter also even to Jesus and to this excellent and incorruptible Blood Heb. 12. 23 24. 1 Pet. 19. 20. In the midst of these two viz. of the four â—â—ving Creatures and four and twenty Elders he stands for all his delight are in the Saints that are in the earth and in the excellent Ones Psal 16. 2 3. 2 Cor. 5. 6-8 Phil. 1. 21-23 See Notes on Chap. 1. ver 13. 4. We are now to consider what this Lamb had Having seven horns and seven eyes which are the seven Spirits God sent forth into all the earth 1. Having seven Horns This word sâ—ven as is generally noted and has been often said is a number of perfection and so it appears to be used in Scripture So the seven locks of Sampson's heaâ— may mean all the locks thereof Judg. 16. 3. And so evidently they do mean afterwards for it is said Dâ—lilah câ—lled for a man and she caused him to shave off the seven lâ—câ—s of his hâ—ad wâ—ich is the same with shaving him or cutting off all his locks compare Judâ— 16. 19. with ver 17. Thus also it is to be understood when it is said He shall deliver thee in six troubles yea in sâ—ven there shall no evil touch tâ—eâ— Job 5. 8 19. Wâ—sdom â—ath builded hâ—r house she hath hâ—wn out her sâ—ven Pillars â—o wit all her Pillars Prov. 91. Thâ—re arâ— sâ—ven abâ—minations in his heart to wit the Persection thereof rov 26 25 And in this sense this number is very freqâ—ently usâ—d in