Grace 't is called the Blood of the everlasting Covenant Heb. 13. 20. Now in the Covenant of Grace God promised a World of mercies yea no less than an eternal World of mercies to his people and the sum of this Covenant is this I will be their God and they shall be my people But this he branches out into many exceeding great and precious Promises wherein he saies he will do thus and thus and all that is needful for his people Take all the Promises of the Gospel together and there you have the whole Covenant of Grace unfolded and explained and oh what a glorious Covenant ' t is how much doth even one of the Promises of this Covenant carry in it so that we may say Blessed and for ever blessed are all they who are partakers of them that are the heirs of all those great things that are contained in them they have Portion enough that have part in the Promises But beloved all this Covenant and all the Promises of it would be as nothing were it not for this Blood of Christ by which God Seals all to believers 't is true indeed that the Sacraments of the New Testament are now the Signs and Seals of this Covenant of Grace but these are but Seals of a second nature outwardly and Visibly but that which is represented and signified by the Water in Baptism and by the Wine in the Lords Supper is the Blood of Christ this is the first and great Seal And therefore 't is said 2 Cor. 1. 20. that all the Promises of God in him are yea and in him Amen You know when there is a Covenant or Conveyance made a man makes great account of the Conveyance but why Because it hath the Seal to it for 't is that which makes it to be all of force if the Seal were gone what were all else worth Now when Jesus Christ came to redeem his people he was fain as I may so express it to pawn his great Seal for us that which ratifies and confirms all that ever God hath said he will do for them that fear him 2. You will see the excellency of this Blood of Christ in this too That no Service or Duty that ever was performed since the fall of man or shall be to the end of the World ever was or ever will be accepted at the hands of God but upon the account of this Blood I say since the fall because before that God dealt with Adam upon another score he was to be accepted in the way of perfect obedience to the Law but since that if ever God did accept of one Service or one Sacrifice or of one Duty it was always and altogether for the sake of this Blood What was the Blood of all the Beasts that were offered in Sacrifice tho in never so great abundance as you read there in 1 Kings 8. 63. There were two and twenty thousand Oxen and an hundred and twenty thousand Sheep offered at one time yet I say what was all this to God had it not been for this Blood of Christ And so what 's all that we do or can do in any Service if we don't look to this Blood in the Performance of it and if God doth not look upon us and our best works in this blood 't is but Abomination to him That 's a notable place in Heb. 10. 19 20 21 22. Having therefore brethren boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus c. Ver. 22. Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith i. e. let us come and present our Persons and our Services before the Lord and that with boldness noting that there is acceptance for us But how by the Blood of Jesus without that all would be nothing Now what a precious thing must this Blood of Christ be that puts value to all the Services of the Saints throughout the World And therefore take heed how you go to any Duty without looking at it and pray that God would not look upon any Duty of yours without sprinkling this Blood upon it And by the way what a case are you in that rest in your Duties and don 't look to Christ in them but think 't is well enough if you do but take a Bible and read or down upon your knees and pray and a hundred such things but you have no Faith in the Blood of Christ in what you do you may think you have done some great matter now and oh this must needs be accepted whereas God never did nor ever will accept of any mans person or work but upon the account of this Blood I pray mind that Scripture well there is much in it to this purpose Rev. 8. 3 4. And another Angel came and stood at the Altar having a golden Censer and there was given unto him much Incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all Saints upon the golden Altar which was before the throne And the smoke of the Incense which came with the prayers of the Saints ascended up before God out of the Angels hand Mark some things 1. This Angel is Christ 2. His standing at the Altar is his being as it were ready for us whenever we go to Duty for on the Altar under the Law were the Sacrifices offered 3. He hath a golden Censer in which there was much Incense which is his own righteousness 4. And with this he offers their prayers he perfumes their Duties with his own spiritual Incense 5. They are not the prayers barely of men but of Saints Gods own Children whose prayers are more pure and heavenly then others are even their Duties must have this perfume 6. Nor of some Saints but all 7. And then that which makes them ascend before God that is be accepted of him is because the smoke of this Incense went up with them without that they would never be a sweet savour unto God 3. This Blood of Christ is such a precious thing that it makes God amends for sin If we did but know what unspeakable wrong sin doth to God and what unspeakable dishonour God hath by it we should even be ready to ask this question How is it ever possible to make his blessed Majesty the least shadow of amends for it Beloved if you wrong or trepass your Neighbour you can put that to an Arbitration and make him amends for it but who is there of you that can make God a recompence for the sins which you have commited against him yea for the least transgression see Mic. 6. 6 7. All your Tears and Blood can never quench that fire of Gods Wrath which is kindled against it 1 Sam. 2. 25. When you have spoken but one idle word or thought but one vain thought if you have no more help to get off the Curse and Condemnation that is due to it than Men and Angels can afford you with all their utmost ability you are undone for ever it makes such
manifest signs and tokens of a person in slavery what 's the meaning that thou art so in love with sin and under the power and dominion of these and these Lusts that thou art so given to such and such wicked Ways and so contrary to all that is good That thou hast such an unclean Heart and such a disobedient Life such a dark Mind such vile Affections such a rebellious Will Why doth not this speak that thou art an Enemy to God and a Child of Wrath Would or could any Man or Woman live such a carnal vain Conversation as thine is if they were not in an unregenerate condition Therefore you read Joh. 16. 9. that it is the Spirit that reproves the world of sin Again It is the Spirit that humbles the soul that is to be saved that abases and laves it low in the sight of its own sin and misery that makes sin grievous and odious to it and that brings the Soul under a sense of that wrath that belongs to the workers of iniquity So that it shall cry out Oh what have I done Oh what have I deserved what a dangerous case am I in Here 's this and that sin forbidden by God and yet committed by me and thereupon the Law threatens thus and thus Oh how shall I escape Here 's this and that Duty commanded by God and yet neglected by me and thereupon the Law threatens thus and thus again Oh what shall become of me Hence that sorrow and heaviness that is in such a Soul now is called the spirit of heaviness Isa 61. 3. to note that this heaviness comes from the Spirit 't is he that sets the Soul a mourning thus Again It is the Spirit that discovers to the Soul that is to be saved where its remedy is for all this that acquaints it with the Gospel and Salvation by Christ and what things God hath freely given to his People in and by his Son 1 Cor. 2. 12. That shews it Tho thou art such a great sinner yet there is a great Saviour one that is a Physician appointed to cure such Diseases as thine are one that 's a Surety appointed to pay such Debts as thine are 'T is said here that the Spirit makes those who shall be saved to know such things as these are what God hath done for the raising and recovering of poor sinners in a way of free Grace what a glorious Contrivance he hath found out by Jesus Christ revealed in the Gospel to shew mercy to them and indeed that 's a knowing that is worth the having to know these things so as the Spirit makes them known to the People of God There be many that have a kind of Knowledge of these things by bare reading of them and hearing of them and by common Illumination of the Spirit but this knowing here is another manner of thing Again It is the Spirit that doth help and inable the Soul to look out for this Christ to use all the means and to go all the ways that may be to come to this Christ and to get an interest in him that works in it faith to lay hold upon him and that makes the Soul able to take him Eph. 3. 16 17. That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthned with might by his spirit in the inner man that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith Mark 't is the Spirit that by his might doth strengthen the inner man that Christ may dwell in the heart by faith Take notice by the way what a deal of Power there must go out from this Spirit to make a Soul believe with the true saving Faith They that have the false Faith they can believe with ease there needs not an Almighty Arm to be stretched out to work their Faith they give it themselves and have had it all their days they find no difficulty either in the getting of it or in the keeping of it But the true Faith comes into the hearts of Saints by no less a strength than that which God by his Spirit puts forth See Eph. 1. 19 20. Again It is the Spirit that seals and witnesses to the Soul the Assurance that this Freedom doth belong to it and that proves to the Soul that it is so by such Evidences as it gives out of the Word Eph. 1. 13. This is he that carries as I may say God's Privy Seal and when and to whom he pleases he gives it but he gives it to none but them that are sanctified The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will show them his covenant And this is an unspeakable mercy to have the Spirits Seal set to our Graces to have ones repentance sealed for a true Repentance and ones faith sealed for a true Faith and ones comfort sealed for true Comfort and ones interest in Christ sealed up We must make our state of Grace sure by Signs but the Spirit can make it sure by Seal Again It is the Spirit that ingages and stirs up the Soul to such a walking as is sit for one that is brought into a state of Freedom therefore 1 Pet. 1. 2. the People of God are said to have the sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience And Oh! how much are they beholding unto this Spirit for many heavenly Notions that he gives in to them and for fresh quicknings when they find abundance of deadness and formality in their Duties hath seised upon them This Spirit is often calling upon the Saints to pray more fervently to hear more profitably to walk more closely to bring forth more fruit to God who hath done so much for them It often minds them of their Mercies that they may be more stirred up to Duties and of the hope of their Calling that so they may walk more worthy of it Again It is the Spirit that preserves and keeps them in the state of Freedom that they shall not lose it again and that makes them to persevere to the end in a holy life that so they may come at last to the full injoyment of all that their dear Redeemer hath purchased and prepared for them This Spirit is that Power of God by which they are said through Faith to be kept unto Salvation See Ezek. 36. 27. Thus you see that both the Father and the Holy Ghost have a hand in this Freedom But yet according to the second thing that was said in answer to the Question our Freedom in other respects comes from Christ personally and peculiarly so as that in some sense he is and must be look'd upon as more immediatly our Redeemer for he did that in his Person which the other Persons did not They did not take our nature and come in the likeness of sinful flesh but the Son did Rom. 8. 3. and therefore 't was not they but he that was made under the Law and that yielded perfect obedience to it neither did they but he died
how to conceive that there should be such kind of things done here as use to be in the making of a purchase The Answer may be twofold 1. Beloved whatever darkness there is in our understanding of things yet to be sure the language of the Scripture is very proper and suitable and the fault is not in the Scriptures expression but in our conception that 's weak and short and dull Nicodemus could not conceive aright of what Christ said about being born again he was ready to think that Christ did speak nonsense how can these things be saith he and yet Christ spake most properly and suitably and 't was Nicodemus was the fool in the things of God So now this is the Scripture Expression that this Freedom is the purchase of Christ whether we can understand it or no. And how many other things doth the Scripture speak of which it may be we can understand no more than we do this and yet are very clear in themselves tho not to us I 'll only say this The less we can understand the things of God the more cause we have to be humbled for our Ignorance and to cry to God so to teach us that we may be in the number of those to whom 't is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God But 2. Yet why may we not very fitly and somewhat more easily conceive of this Freedom under the notion of a purchase if we should but speak of it according to the custom that is amongst men How doth it use to be amongst men in the matter of purchase consider that and you shall find there was the like here tho in a more glorious manner Now for this I will turn you to one Scripture where you shall read there was a purchase made and then see how things will agree The place is in Jer. 32. 6 7 8 9 10. In this purchase there are divers things 1. There was something to be purchased i. e. the Field that was in Anothoth in the countrey of Benjamin 2. The person selling it and that was Hanameel Jeremiahs Vncles Son 3. The person buying it was Jeremiah And I bought the Field c. 4. Here was these two persons being together and treating about this business v. 8. Hanameel mine Vncles Son came to me and said unto me buy my Field c. 5. Here 's a sufficient solid Reason why Jeremiah should be the man that should buy it for the right of inheritance is thine and the redemption is thine i. e. because he was the next Kinsman 6. Here is the Price at which it was to be sold and that was seventeen shekels of silver and this was paid down he weighed him the money v. 9. 7. Here was the writing drawn or the Evidence or Conveyance for this and Jeremiah Subscribes and Seals to it And then 8. There were Witnesses to it v. 10. and so he takes it to himself and disposes of it as he pleases it being now his own Now if we should go over these things again and see how it was in the business we have in hand certainly we may well say that this was a purchase for here was something also to be purchased and that was Freedom for poor sinners that were in Bondage then here is the Person that was to sell this and that is God the Father then here 's the Person buying this Freedom and that is Christ the Son then here 's these two Persons being together and treating about this business so they did in Heaven then the like Reason holds why Christ should be he that should buy this Freedom for us he was to be our near Kinsman and so the right of Inheritance would be his And then for the Price at which it was to be sold which was paid down by Christ in full weight we shall come to that in its place And then for the Conveyance or Evidence for this one of which in Jeremiah's case was sealed and the other open as the manner then was among the Jews to have two writings one sealed up that they kept to themselves and the other open that any body might read it why there was the Covenant between God and Christ alone that 's the sealed Evidence and then there was to be the Book of the Scriptures wherein this Covenant of Grace is unfolded this is the open Evidence that all may look into And then Christ subscribed as it were and sealed to this Covenant or Conveyance by giving his full consent to all that was in it and binding himself by Promise to his Father to perform what he undertook in it And then as for Witnesses the truth is there was no creature by when this was done for 't was done before the World began But beloved they were Witnesses to one another and as we use to say God is more than a Thousand Witnesses And 't is enough to tell you that the faithfulness of these persons is such that their agreement together must needs stand See Tit. 1. 2. So I have done with that 1st Question Quest 2. But why did it not please God that this Freedom should he given to us and there an end Why must it first he purchased by Christ Why did God carry it thus here by poor sinners in bondage they shall be set free if you will pay the price Answ Two things to this 1. In those things which God doth it were a sufficient Reason if we knew none other to say that God would have it so So was his will and pleasure And if no other Reason could be given we were to rest satisfied and ro be silenced with this as the highest Reason of all This Reason you shall find is given for things that are above our reach as namely why some should be elected and others past by Eph. 1. 5. and why the great things of God and the Gospel should be revealed to poor simple creatures and hid ftom the wise and prudent Matth. 11. 25 26. and why such and such should be saved and others left in their damnable condition Rom. 9. 18. Now beloved if we had nothing else to say to be sure we may say this It was the will of God that Christ should purchase this Freedom that you have expresly in Joh. 10. 17 18. And therefore Christ knowing that it was the will of his Father to be sure being such an obedient Son as he was he would do it He would by no means have his will to lye cross to his Fathers will But 2. There is another great Reason for it and we have more to say in this case than so and that is this That God was so to carry on this business of our Freedom as not only to have respect to our Good but also and chiefly to his own Glory While he was to see the one secured he must see that the other did not suffer Now you must know that God could not have all his Glory but in this way
a breach between God and you as the whole Creation cannot make up But now there is one thing and but one that can make God amends and full amends for sin yea for all manner of sins and for never so many and never so great sins and that is this Blood of Christ 1 Joh. 1. 7. and 2. 1 2. Tho thou hast been never so vile and ungodly yet if thou can'st but get this Blood sprinkled upon thee through Faith in it it will make God himself to say deliver him for I have found a Ransom this will make amends for thy Swearing and for thy Drunkenness and for thy Uncleanness and for all the wicked Abominations of thy heart and life Oh what a precious Blood is this then And take but one thing more for it which is 4. The dreadful Vengeance which God doth take upon men wherever the Guilt of this Blood of Christ lies If he doth but come once to avenge the blood of a man he doth that severely if any one hath committed wilful murder upon his Neighbour God is resoved that that man shall be surely put to death for it Numb 34. 31. but when he comes to take vengeance for the Blood of his Son here the Vengeance is dreadful beyond all others You have divers Instances that I might give you of it in Scripture How terribly did God deal with Judas for the betraying of this innocent Blood he filled him with that horror of conscience that he must be his own Executioner Matth. 27. 5. and in the hanging of himself he fell headlong and burst asunder in the midst and all his bowels gushed out Acts 1. 18. And after all this he sent him to his own place and that was a sad one vers 25. So the people of the Jews that brought upon themselves the Guilt of Christs Blood Matth. 27. 25. they have been under the Curse of God for this these Sixteen hundred years And such as are guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord by eating and drinking unworthily in the Sacrament you see what Vengeance God saith he will take of them 1 Cor. 11. 27 29. And if any Professor shall prophane this Blood by sinning wilfully after he hath received the knowledg of the truth you may see what a dreadful doom God denounceth against him in Heb. 10. v. 26. There remains no more sacrifice for sins but a certain fearful looking for of judgment c. to the end of v. 31. Well now beloved this blood which is the great seal of the Covenant of Grace and without which no service or duty ever was or ever shall be accepted from the hands of any man and which is the blood of Atonement for all manner of sins and the guilt of which God will so dreadfully avenge wherever it shall be found to lye I say this blood was the price wherewith the Lord Jesus Christ purchased this Freedom And therefore your selves being Judges Was it not an excellent price and hereupon is not this Freedom an excellent Freedom since Christ may well say of it as the chief Captain did to Paul Acts 22. 28. With a great sum attained I this freedom Now I will end this with but Two Considerations briefly 1. Consider from hence this for your instruction you that are Believers Be often thinking What shall I do for this Christ that hath done so much for me Obj. But it may be you 'l say What doth Jesus Christ look for a requital Alas then we are undone on t'other side I answer No Whatever you do for Christ you must be sure you do nothing upon the account of requiting of him as who should say you are greatly in his debt and you 'l do what you can to come out of it 'T is not a recompence that I call upon you for you are never able to do that but the manifestation of your gratitude to him by an obediential fruitfulness Do but live as those that are his and that 's all he desires Why now shall he that hath paid this great price for you require any duty at your hands and will you not do it or call you to any difficulty for his sake and will you stick at it Remember Christ observes how you walk after such great things as he hath done for you and don 't give him cause to say to you by your unfaithfulness to him as Absalom said to Hushai concerning David Is this thy kindness to thy friend Why wentest thou not with thy friend 2 Sam. 16. 17. Oh! keep with your friend 2. Consider this from hence for your consolation This Jesus Christ who hath bought you will never sell you You know men many times after they have bought a Purchase and made it their own they sell it again Something or other is in it that they do not like and so they 'l part with it But I am sure and be you sure that Christ will never deal thus with you Obj. But you 'l say We have such great sins that we fear he will Ans Yea but you know that after a Man hath married a Wife unless she offend him so by Adultery as utterly to break the bond of Wedlock which Christ will never suffer true Believers to do tho she hath a great many faults yet he resolves he won't put her away The Law of the Land won't let him nor which is more the Law of his Love won't let him He thinks when he looks upon her with all her failings Ay but she is mine I have made her mine tho So is it here See 1 Sam. 12. 20 22. And Samuel said unto the people Fear not ye have done all all this wickedness yet turn not aside from following the Lord but serve the Lord with all your heart For the Lord will not forsake his people for his great name sake because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people CHAP. VIII Concerning the excellent properties belonging to this Freedom AND now in the Fourth place I am to demonstrate that this is an excellent Freedom by the excellent Properties belonging to it That you may plainly understand what I mean by these Properties it is as much as this That I am now to speak that of this Freedom which is peculiar or proper to it self and that cannot be said of any other Freedom Tho you read of other Freedoms in the Scripture as that of the children of Israel out of Egypt and afterwards out of Babylon which indeed were very great and glorious deliverances yet they will not reach to this Never was there the like to this As the Book of Canticles is called the Song of Songs for the excellency of it so I may call this Fredom the Freedom of Freedoms because there is none to be compared with it And therefore this may be the 1st Property That you may take of it That it is an incomparable Freedom It hath not any fellow nor any match That which was done in this Freedom
thereof you read 1 John 3 8. that Christ was manifested for this purpose that he might destroy his works The Devil was hard at work when he brought in the Fall and all the sin and misery that followed upon it He never wrought harder in his life than he did at this time and at one more and that was when Jesus Christ was in the World and now come in person to restore liberty by the Gospel Then he wrought so hard to withstand the salvation of sinners by Christ that I may say after our manner of expressing things he sweat till he dropt again He was as it were all of a foam with rage And he shewed it sufficiently from the very Birth to the very Death of Christ And 't is observable for this what Christ saith in Luke 22. 53. when Judas and his company were come to take him that that time was the power of Darkness i. e Satan was then at work with all his might But to look back again to the Fall Oh how he was at work there And when he had prevailed with our first Parents in the Temptation no doubt but he thought that he had made strong and sure work of it that all was now his own for ever for he knew that man could never recover himself and he knew that all the Angels in Heaven were not able to do it and he knew that tho God in mercy could have pardoned them yet that must not be neither without satisfaction to his Justice and he little thought of any such way to be taken as for God to send his only begotten Son into the World that the World through him might be saved tho it was not long after but he had an incling of it Gen. 3. 15. Now Christ by this Freedom crushes and breaks the Devil's head i. e. spoils all the Master-peice of his malice and subtilty restores that Image of God of which he had robb'd us brings in a Covenant of Grace for a Covenant of Works broken and begins the World a-new as it were 3. By this Freedom Christ executes the three great Offices of a Prophet Priest and King God the Father appointed and anointed him to all these Offices and by this redeeming-work he does discharge them His Office of a Prophet is to teach his Church the things that are needful to their Salvation by this Freedom he discharges that therefore Joh. 15. 13. with vers 15. when he tells them that he had shewed his great love to them in laying down his life for them that is to make them free he adds this that he had made known all things to them which he had heard of his Father that is which his Father had sent him to teach them in for their spiritual and eternal good His Office of a Priest was to suffer and satisfie for them upon Earth and to intercede for them in Heaven and by this Freedom he discharges that Heb. 2. 17. His Office of a King is to rule in his Church by way of increasing preserving defending and ordering of it and by this Freedom he discharges that as in Isa 9. 6 7. you may see So that all that Christ doth it relates to this Freedom either 't is in order to the giving of it or else 't is the fruit and effect of his having given it we cannot name any thing that ever he did or yet doth or shall do as Mediator but it some way or other runs into this 4. By this Freedom Christ leaves matter of the highest Condemnation upon the refusers of the Gospel Sirs I beseech you consider this The Lord Jesus is resolved to make use of this Freedom one way or other with all of you either to save or damn you Where he can't make the one use that is to save sinners he will make the other use of it that is to sink sinners Where it doth not serve as an Engine to raise them 't will serve as an Engine to ruin them Doubt not of it Christ will have enough to say from this salvation of his when he hath offered it and you have despised it to leave you without excuse 'T will furnish him abundantly with Arguments to plead against you that will stop all your mouths at the last day when he shall tell you how he had prepared a Remedy that would have delivered you from all your misery and how he did most willingly shed that precious blood of his which would have washed away all your sins and if you had but come to him you might have been as safe and as blessed as others that believed in him but nothing would prevail with you to bring you in You either did not look after him at all or if you did it was not to purpose You could not find in your hearts to turn every sin out of doors there must be something of your Lusts that must be spared and something of his Terms that must be abated You were afraid of buying Christ too dear Well now what shall Christ do but make use of this Freedom and Gospel for a Witness against you and be sure of it he is resolved to do it That place doth intimate so much to you before-hand in John 3. 18 19. But I shall say no more of the Uses which Christ makes of this Freedom but shall come to shew the excellent Uses that Christians may make of it And in reference to them I shall lay down in Twelve things what this Freedom is good for 1. To make them from their hearts to pity Christless persons To do that in some measure which you read of Christ concerning Jerusalem which did not know the things of their peace in the day of their visitation when he came near the City he beheld it and wept over it So beloved this Freedom is good to make them that have it to weep over them that have it not and to say Ah poor sinners ah precious souls where are you what will become of you It will present unconverted men and women to the mind and thoughts of a Believer in Christ as the saddest spectacles that ever their eyes beheld Their Freedom now makes them sensible what 't is to be a sinner While they were in the Bondage themselves they saw not the danger that was in that condition but now they do and so they are prepared to pity every one that is left behind Indeed they see and 't is commonly to be seen that these Christless persons are secure and merry as if all were as well as could be But all this makes those that have this Freedom to pity them the more It would be some comfort to them to see them struck down with Convictions that things are not well within them and to hear them cry out as the Jaylor did to Paul and Silas Sirs what must I do to be saved c. But to see them in their sins and yet to be secure to see them under the Curse and yet to be
merry Oh! this sets their hearts a bleeding Now take some Scriptures where you shall see that this Freedom is good for this excellent use and purpose see Psal 119. 158. also ver 136. Rivers of waters run down mine eyes because they keep not thy law Obj. But you 'l say this is the Old Testament Ans What tho it be the Freedom was in force then and David was a partaker of it But would you have something out of the New Testament for it see then Phil. 3. 18. Rom. 9. 1 2 c. where you find that Paul who was in this Freedom had tears in his eyes and heart-breaking grief within him for those that went Christless And beloved this Freedom will teach Ministers that have it to pity their Christless Hearers and Parents that have it to pity their Christless Children and Masters that have it to pity their Christless Servants c. And is not this an excellent use now I dare say you can't be in this Freedom any of you but your bowels and compassion will work in some measure insad be moaning the wretched condition of persons in a state of Nature 2. It is good to make us understand the Gospel This Freedom sets up a light to shew us what that is Friends this word Gospel is a Mysterious word and carries such things in at as no natural man can receive or percieve 1 Cor. 2. 14. Now oh what an excellent thing would it be to understand those things which all the wisdom of the men of this World who understand abundance upon other accounts is not able to tell what to make of Why now come into this Freedom and the mind and the Mysteries of God will be unfolded to you you will be brought out of darkness into the marvellous light Christ and the Covenant of Grace will be revealed to you you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free vers 32. of this 8th of John As Luther said when he was brought to the knowledg of Christ and of justification by faith that the whole Scripture seemed to be a new thing to him he saw that in it which he never saw before so 't will be with you What 's the reason that persons are so ignorant of heavenly things as they are of the new Birth of the Life of Faith of Communion with Christ but because they are not brought into this Freedom Certainly this would make the Bible another manner of thing to many of you than ever 't was yet Oh the insight that those get into the Wisdom and Grace of God who are brought into this liberty of that they had before Now they can speak of Salvation by the Son of God and the things which belong to it like knowing men this Freedom hath opened the eyes of their understanding Beloved what Sampson said to the Philistines when he had propounded a riddle to them the meaning of which they were not able to pick out but by the help of his Wife Judg. 14. 18. If saith he ye had not plowed with my heifer ye had not found out my riddle the same I may say of the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God you 'l never discern them if you don't make use of Christs Freedom for they are like the Book Rev. 5. which was sealed with seven seals and none was able to open it or to look thereon with any understanding till Christ had opened the Seals thereof In Eph. 1. 7. the Apostle-speaks that they had gotten this Freedom by Christ and then in vers 9. he brings in this Having made known to us the Mystery of his will then they came to know it 3. Another excellent use of this Freedom is this It is good to endear Christ to the Soul Alas what is Christ to those who remain in the Bondage of sin What beauty do they see in him What breathings have they after him You were even as good tell them of a chip as tell them of Christ for any regard they have to him there 's nothing that is of less account or esteem with them than he is He is called there in Isa 49. 7. one whom man despiseth and whom the nation i. e. of the Jews did abhor What two greater words for undervaluing of Christ can you meet with than to despise him and abhor him But now the having of this Freedom oh 't will make Christ a precious Christ to the Soul 1 Pet. 2. 7. they can't but prize him who have been redeemed by him when they consider what he hath done for them that he came down from Heaven for them and became poor for their sakes and that he was mocked and scourged and spit upon for them and upon the Cross for them and bear the Wrath and Curse of God for them Oh how doth this make them to be highly in love with him and to wish that they had a thousand times more love for him then they have And certainly you that believe in Christ this is one great means to raise up your love to him when you do find or fear that your Affection to him begins to be chilled to set your selves to meditate upon the Freedom that he hath given you and how abundantly he hath shewed his dear Love to you in dying for you and in washing of you in his own Blood ply your hearts a while as hard as you can with deep and serious thought about this I am perswaded 't will prove a love-kindling and a love inflaming consideration to you you will find that you have affections and dear affections for Christ again 4. It is good to make all ones life comfortable As the being without this Freedom is the way to make all ones life miserable so the having of it and the knowing that one hath it laies in matter of daily consolation Let whatever will befall a man this will be always at hand to cheer him there is no cordial to the heart like it when a man can look upon his troubles and say Notwithstanding 't is thus and thus with me yet blessed be God he hath had mercy on me I belong to Christ and what can hurt me You would not much fear living comfortably if you had but two things in your comfort 1. That it were so strong that nothing could overcome it And 2. That it should be so lasting that it would never have an end Why now such comfort this Freedom brings Heb. 6. 18. and 2 Thess 2. 1. in the one place 't is called strong Consolation and in the other everlasting Consolation And therefore away with that vile reproach which some are apt to cast upon the condition of Gods people that 't is a melancholy life as if persons must never look to be merry more in this World after they are once turned Godly the Devil hath always something or other to blind and befool sinners and to make them think that their condition is the merry condition and the Saints condition the mopish
There were Two great Attributes amongst all the rest which God did intend to glorifie and that is his Mercy and his Justice His Mercy would have been pleased well enough if sinners had been set free without the purchasing of their Freedom But then his Justice would have been offended still How should that have been quieted and satisfied Therefore this must be so done as that mercy and truth might meet together and that righteousness and peace might kiss one another Justice would have made a loud cry that Heaven would have rung of it again if all should have been swallowed up in mercy and in giving away all without any consideration had to it For Law and Justice could say We have a curse against these sinners and they are as legally condemned as ever were any Traitors And therefore pray let us be heard for they shall not nor cannot go free if the Debt be not paid And therefore if they be not able to redeem themselves where 's the Surety that must do it for them that we may come upon him for all This now makes it necessary that Christ must purchase this Freedom Acts 17. 3. He must needs have suffered Why needs Because here was Justice to be glorified as well as Mercy Quest 3. But if we are thus purchased by Christ may believers say Then it may seem that God the Father hath quitted his interest in us for so 't is in the manner of purchasing amongst men he that sells to the purchaser quits all his right and title to that which is bought and we are very sorry for that we would be Christs but we would be the Fathers too Ans And so you are for all this See John 17. and compare ver 6. and 10. together In ver 6. saith Christ Thine they were and thou gavest them me This looks now as if the Father had quitted all his interest in them But 't is not so for in ver 10. and all mine are thine Still they are thine and thine are mine too saith he As if he should say We have a mutual interest in them their being mine doth not hinder them from being thine as well as their being thine doth not hinder them from being mine God had an interest in you upon the account of Creation and that he keeps still and which is more upon the account of Election or of everlasting love to you and that he keeps still and Christ he hath a right to you upon the account of Redemption And tho that doth enter you into a new relation to him yet it doth not break off your former relation to God the Father He loves you and delights in you as much as ever he did and your happiness by Christs buying of you is no way diminished but increased For both have an interest in you and both love you John 14. 21. Now for the Second thing That this Freedom was purchased with an excellent price Here I shall do Two things 1. I shall labour to make the truth of this appear to you That 't was an excellent most excellent price that Christ paid for it 2. I shall draw some profitable Considerations from it First For the truth of it Beloved Jesus Christ paidwell for this Freedom God did not deal with Christ in this case as you read Ephron the Hittite would have dealt with Abraham if he would have let him when he would purchase his Field and the Cave that was in it for a Burying-place Gen. 23. he would have given it him ver 11. He tells him indeed the Land was so much worth Four hundred Shekels of Silver if it should be sold to the full value of it but saith he what is that botwixt me and thee bury therefore thy dead ver 15. And thus he would even have forced it upon him for nothing But Abraham notwithstanding he stood upon it that if he had it he would lay down as much money as it was worth ver 9. and so he did in ver 16. Nor did the Father say to Christ as Ornan the Jebusite did to David when he would purchase the place of his Threshing-floor that he might there build an Altar to the Lord that the Plague might be stayed Take it to thee says he I give thee all 1 Chron. 21. 22 23. tho David would not accept of it So ver 24. Nay verily I will buy it for the full price So he did ver 25. But God stood upon his price his full price with Jesus Christ He held him up without any abatement of what this Freedom was worth He paid to the worth of it 'T is true 't is a worthy precious Freedom but yet I may safely say Christ gave enough and enough for it Oh the price that he paid for it He did not buy of his Father as we may buy of him without price Isa 55. 1. but he came as I may say to a dear Market when he came to make his purchase Quest Well then you will say pray what was the Price which Christ paid for this Freedom Ans Here I shall speak that which may make you wonder and that is this Truly beloved he did not pay one farthing for it there did not go a penny out of his Purse Now it may be that which will be next in you thoughts will be this truly then 't was even cheap enough of conscience here 's a Price indeed we expected that you would have named some vast sum of Silver and Gold that would have been so great as to have beggar'd any man in the World to give it No I have not one such word to speak to you but this I have to speak to you about it that Christ had been as good to have brought a company of Pebblestones to his Father for this Freedom as all the Gold and Silver in the World and one would have done as much as the other but he and his Son must drive another manner of trade than this to make poor sinners Free there must be anotherghess Price Why what was it Oh that which was infinitely beyond all the treasures of this World If these would have served Christ by his power could have rained them down from Heaven for a thousand years together But beloved there must be as I may so express it another rain it must rain Blood and Blood from the side and heart of Jesus Christ i. e. he must come down from Heaven and shed his Blood to make a Ransome for us see Acts 20. 28. Feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood there 's the Price that he paid Now mark a little while I shew you in a few things that this was a Price indeed an excellent Price The Blood of Christ to be sure is precious as you find it called in 1 Pet. 1. 19. For this weigh but these four things well and you 'l say 't is precious Blood 1. This Blood of Christ is the great Seal of the Covenant of