Exposition of Revelation 13, Part 11
Rev. 13. 8. latter part of the verſ.
The Lamb ſlaine from the foundation of the world.
CHriſt is here deſcribed. Firſt by the ſimilitude of a Lamb. 2. By his paſſion, a Lamb ſlaine. Thirdly, his paſſion is amplified by the antitiquity of it, ſlain from the foundation of the world.
We ſhewed the laſt time, that Chriſt was as a Lamb. Now we come to the next part of the deſcription of Chriſt; the next note then concerning Chriſts paſſion is this.
Chriſt though a Lamb was ſlain and ſlaughtered.
Though a Lamb.] That is to ſay, though innocent, meek, and patient, yet ſlain and ſlaughtered: So you read in Acts 2. 23. Him being delivered by the determinate councell and fore-knowledge of God, yee have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and ſlain; and in Acts 7. 52. You have ſlain them which ſhewed before of the coming of the juſt one, of whom you have been now the betrayers and murderers. He was a Lamb murdered, ſlain, and ſlaughtered; He was led as a Lamb to the ſlaughter. Slaughter implyes a violent death put upon him, partly by the juſtice of God, partly by the wickedneſſe of men, and partly by the malice of Satan. By the juſtice of God: the word is very ſtrong in Iſa. 53. 10. It pleaſed the Lord to bruiſe him, it is tranſlated, but it ſignifies properly to grind him: the ſame word is tranſlated deſtruction in Pſal. 90. 3. Thou turneſt man to deſtruction: and ſo it pleaſed the Father thus to grinde him to powder that he might have nothing of chaffe; he ground him to duſt with grief, and horror, anguiſh, and agony, and terrour, and pain, Iſa. 53. 6. The Lord laid upon him the iniquity of us all: and ſo he ground him to duſt for our tranſgreſſions, I mean to diſſolution of ſoul and body. And ſo by the wickedneſſe of men, he was accuſed, condemned, and accordingly executed. What think you of him ſaith Caiphas, you have heard his blaſphemies; and they anſwered and ſayd, he is guilty of death, Mat. 26. 66. And Pilate himſelfe, though he thought him to be guiltleſſe, yet delivered him to be crucified, Mat. 27▪ 26. And the people ſayd, We have a Law, and by our Law he ought to dye, John 19. 7. Thus was he delivered by the wickedneſſe of men: and Pilate knew they did it of envy, Mat. 27. 18. So that it was a great wickedneſſe in Pilate to gratifie the people, and to ſuffer ſuch an innocent Lamb to be crucified; yet rather then he will looſe the favour of Caeſar, and of the people, he delivers him to be crucified.
And which is more then ſo; as he dyed by the juſtice of God, and the wickedneſſe of men, ſo by the malice of Satan: for our Saviour ſaith in Luke 22. 52. This is the very hour and power of darkneſſe. The gates of Hell were opened to powre upon him all the vengence they were able. It was fore-tould in Gen. 3. 15. It ſhall bruiſe they head, and thou ſhalt bruiſe his heel. The Serpent ſhould bruiſe his heel, that is Chriſt, the ſeed of the woman. His heel, you will ſay that falls far ſhort of death; to pinch a man on the heele, it may make him go lamely, but not kill him: but the holy Ghoſt intends, that all the miſchief that Satan works againſt Chriſt or any of his members, it doth but reach to the bruiſing of the heele. It bruiſed his heele, that implies, that Chriſt ſhould have a body like ours: and his heele, that is the lower part of Chriſt, his humanity, Satan ſhould bruiſe it. And he ſhall break thy head; it is the ſame word, and therefore you may take them both for breaking, or both for bruiſing: therefore Peter expounds it well (in 1 Pet. 3. 18.) when he tells you Chriſt ſuffered for ſinne, The juſt for the unjuſt, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the fleſh: His heele was bruſed, that is, his fleſh. So that though the Lord ſuffered unſupportable miſery, to be forſaken of his Diſciples, betrayed by one, and forſworn by another, to be forſaken of his Father in regard of any comfortable fellowſhip he had with him: Though he ſuffered all this, in inward and outward man, to ſuch extremity that made him ſweat drops of blood, and in the end to g…ve up the ghoſt, yet all this was but the heele, the lower part of Chriſt as it were; for his perſonal union is not in the leaſt meaſure intercepted: his head and councel ſtands ſure, and all his indeavours will finde a bleſſed accompliſhment. Whereas the Lord breakes the head of Satan, not onelyonly cuts him off from all hope of fellowſhip in grace, but all his plots ſhall be diſappointed at length, and all execution of his deſignes, they ſhall be bruſed: the Sonne of God comes to d…ſſolve the works of Satan, to undoe them. Thus comes the Lamb to be ſlaine. The reaſon of the point is double.
Firſt,Reaſon 1. to fulfil all the former types of the Legall Sacrifices. The Iſraelites were to ſlay the Paſchal lamb in the evening (at the ninth hour of the day) Exod. 12. 6. about the ſame time he was ſlain: And all other Sacrifices for reconciliation were to be killed, neceſſary therefore he ſhould be ſlain; The daily Sacrifice which conſiſted of a Lamb in the morning, and a Lamb in the evening, were both ſlaine, though without blemiſh, and ſo was Chriſt. But that was but a ſhadow, for Chriſts ſuffering was rather the cauſe of them: but it is the Scripture phraſe, this was done, that this and that may be fulfilled, becauſe ſuch a thing in after times was fulfilled.
Secondly, the cheif reaſon why it was requiſite Chriſt ſhould be ſlaine, and why he would be ſlaine, was
That he might lay down his life for a ranſome or price for his people,Reaſon 2. Mat. 20. 28. The Sonne of man came to give his life a ranſome for many. A ranſome of what? or price of what? The Scripture holds forth a price of Redemption, and a price of Purchaſe.
A price of Redemption; We are not redeemed with Silver and Gold, but with the precious bloud of Chriſt, as of a Lamb without blemiſh and without ſpot, 1 Pet. 1. 18, 19, 20. He paid a price for our redemption, that ſo he might diſcharge the debt of our ſinnes which lay upon us, Rom. 6. 23. Gen. 2. 17. What day ſoever thou eateſt thereof thou ſhalt ſurely dye. And partly by this means to ſatisfie the juſtice of God, who had threatned according to the curſe of the Law, that curſed is every one that continues not in all things written in the Law to doe them: Behold, ſaith the Lord, I ſet before you life and death; obey it and live, do it not, and dye; This is the ſanction and ratification of the Law of God throughout the books of Moſes. And therefore that he might ſatisfie the Law, and the wrath of God (Ezek. 18. 20. The ſoul that ſinneth, it ſhall dye) that he might diſcharge the debt wee ran into, and ſatisfie for our defects, it was neceſſary to pay this price of redemption, to ſave us from death, and all evils that drew on death. And conſequently therefore he hath ſaved us from ſinne, Rev. 1. 5. He hath loved us, and waſhed us from our ſinnes in his bloud. He hath redeemed us alſo from the world, Gal. 1. 4. Who gave himſelfe for our ſinnes, that he might deliver us from this preſent evill world: and he hath alſo given himſelfe unto the death, that he might deſtroy through death, him that had the power of death, that is the Devill, Heb. 2. 14. So this is one part of the reaſon, and the ſum of the ends why Chriſt gave himſelfe to be ſlaughtered, and his life as a price of redemption to redeem us from evill, for redemption is from captivity and bondage from ſinne and Satan, and the world. This was a principal end of his death; but it was but part of it. Here is a price to redeem us from evil, from ſo many captivities wherein we were overwhelmed. But there is a price given of purchaſe, to the praiſe of his glory, Epheſ. 1. 14. It is a price of purchaſe of ſome glorious poſſeſſion: and for that end it was alſo given in a principal manner. Now what is the purchaſed poſſeſſion which the Lord hath given his bloud as a price to pay? Truly as the Lord hath redeemed us from the three great enemies of our ſouls, ſo he hath purchaſed the three greateſt bleſſings the ſonnes of men are capable of, and they are the greateſt bleſſings they can reach to.
1. He hath purchaſed reconcilement with the Father. He hath reconciled us by the death of his Son, Rom. 5. 10. God loved us indeed from eternity when he choſe us, but we were by nature children of wrath as well as others. How came we to be reſtored and reconciled to the Father, from whom we fell as much as we could, by the bloud of the Lamb, that hath reconciled us to God.
Secondly, by his death, he hath paid a price of purchaſe for union, and poſſeſſion of union with the Sonne. So doth the holy Apoſtle teach us, Epheſ. 2. 13. to 16. You that were ſometimes farre off, are made nigh by the blood of Chriſt: For he is our peace who hath made both one (Jewes and Gentiles both one) and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us: So that he hath made Jewes and Gentiles one houſhold of God, and hath built us upon Jeſus Chriſt the cheif corner ſtone.
This is the ſecond purchaſe which the Lord hath given his blood for the price of. We had never been united to Chriſt, nor by Chriſt been brought to the Father, but by the bloud of his croſſe: his blood hath flain all enmity between God and us.
Thirdly, by the ſame price he hath alſo purchaſed us the holy Spirit. Theſe are the three perſons in Trinity, a poſſeſſion of Chriſt to be our head: of the Father to be our God and King, and our Father, as his Father; therefore he tels his Diſciples in John 20. 17. ſaith he, Touch me not, for I go to my Father, and your Father, to my God, and your God.
As ſoon as he had by death overcome death, now I go to my Father and your Father: He hath purchaſed the poſſeſſion of Gods fatherly love: he hath alſo purchaſed union with himſelfe, and therefore he prayed that his paſſion might be available to this end, that all that ſhould beleive through the Apoſtles preaching ſhould be one with them, John 17 21, 23. That they all might be one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they alſo may be one in us, that the world may believe that thou haſt ſent me.
And the glory which thou gaveſt me, I have given them, that they may be one, even as we are one. So that this is the purchaſe which the Lord by his blood hath purchaſed, reconciliation with the Father, and union with the Sonne, and alſo the inhabitation of the holy Ghoſt, as 1 Cor. 3. 16, 17. Know yee not that yee are the Temple of God, and that the ſpirit of God dwelleth in you. And as he tels us in Epheſ. 2. 18. Through him we have an acceſſe by one ſpirit unto the Father. So that this is a purchaſe of unſpeakable bleſſings which the Lord hath given his blood for. It was not meet the blood of the Sonne of God ſhould be ſpilt in vain (it were abhomination to God) therefore he gives it to avoyd the greateſt evill that can befall us, to cleanſe us from ſinne, and Satan, and to redeem us from the curſe of God; and to free us alſo from death, and hell, and the world, and all the enemies of our ſouls.
He gave his blood for all this, not to redeem us from croſſes, but from the curſe in croſſes, and that is the part which drives us from God, Matth. 25. 41. Depart from me yee curſed. So farre as any affliction might ſeparate us from God, he hath redeemed us from it.
Now from thence, as Chriſt hath given his blood for reconciliation with the Father, and for union with the Sonne, and for communion with the holy Ghoſt; ſo he hath given his blood for the purchaſe of ſome bleſſings that flow from theſe. For by communion with the ſpirit we have.
1. Firſt communion with Chriſt in his death, mortifying ſinne, and communion with him in his reſurrection raiſing us up to righteouſneſſe. Whence the Apoſtle profeſſeth, that he deſires to rejoyce in nothing but the croſſe of Chriſt, whereby the world is crucified to him, and he unto the world, Gal. 6. 14. And in Rom. 6. 6. Our old man is crucified with him, that the body of death might be deſtroyed, that henceforth we ſhould not ſerve ſinne.
So there is the power of the ſpirit of Chriſt applying his death, killing and crucifying ſinne and the world in us, cruſhing the head of the Serpent, and conſequently all the power of the Beaſt, of the Catholick Church of Rome, and the head of that Beaſt which is the Pope. He did therefore ſhed his blood that he might deſtroy all the power of the enemy, That we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, might ſerve him without feare all the dayes of our life, Luke 1. 74. This is the mighty power of the ſpirit applying the warme blood of Chriſt to our foules.
2. The ſecond fruit that flows from union with the bleſſed Trinity, is ratification of the Covenant of Grace. And Chriſt layd downe his bloud for that end to ratifie all the promiſes that a reconciled God hath made; and that is God in a Covenant of Grace, That he will write his law in our hearts; that he will forgive our ſinnes, and remember our iniquities no more; that we ſhall know him, Jer. 31. 33, 34. Chriſt gave his blood to ratifie this Covenant, Heb. 9. 15, 16, 17. And as the Teſtament of a Teſtator ſtands not in force till the death of him that made it, ſo the death of Chriſt ratifies this Covenant: and as all the Covenants were confirmed by bloud, ſo hath Chriſts blood done in a ſpeciall manner. And when he ſpeaks of ratifying the Covenant, he doth not onelyonly ſpeak of ratifying of it in word, but cheifly in the hearts of Gods people; and no price could have done that, but the blood of the Sonne of God, by which he hath ratified all the promiſes of God to the conſciences of Gods people: That when the heart and conſcience of a ſinner is overwhelmed with inward agony, and fear of the wrath of God, and the curſe of the Law, the fear of death and Hell: now what ſhall ſatisfie a chriſtian in this, but the death of Chriſt? and what ſhall ratifie it? His death hath purchaſed reconciliation with the Father, union with the Son, and communion with the holy Ghoſt; now he hath ſhed his ſpirit in our hearts, whereby we cry Abba Father, Gal. 3. 14. This ſpirit of God works faith in the hearts of Gods people, whereby all theſe promiſes are confirmed: they are all certainly made good, becauſe ſuch is the value and virtue of the death of this innocent lamb of God, they are now free from the terrour of death. It was not poſſible the bloud of Buls and Goats ſhould take away ſinne, therefore ſtill they had new ſacrifices, for the conſcience had loſt the copy by which it pleaded reconciliation by the ſpirit of God: now he applying the death of Chriſt to the ſoul, doth fully pacifie the conſcience, and ratifie the Covenant to the ſoul, that now all the promiſes of Grace belong to this or that ſervant of Chriſt: and I pray mark it, becauſe it is as weighty as any point of Religion: And of all the doctrines of Religion, there is none ſanctified ſo effectually, and immediatly to beget faith in the ſoul, as the preaching of the croſſe of Chriſt: All the doctrines of the Goſpel are for the begetting of faith, but they have no efficacy this way, further then they are ſprinkled with the blood of Chriſt: other promiſes do confirme faith, and they may alſo beget it, but it is with reference to the croſſe of Chriſt. That which gives ſatisfaction to Gods juſtice, that gives ſatisfaction to our conſciences, for conſcience is convinced, that if God deal in juſtice (as he knows no reaſon but he ſhould) then he of all men is moſt miſerable: the burden of th…s lies heavy, and is ready to plunge him to hell: what will ſatisfie the conſcience now? nothing in the world except it ſee ſome reaſon why Gods juſtice ſhould be ſatisfied; and how ſhall that be done? onelyonly by the death of the lamb of God. So that well doth the Apoſtle make the croſſe of Chriſt the ratification of the Covenant, for that cuts of all ſinne, and curſe, and the rigor of the Law, hell and death, and devill, and damnation, and all evil that can befall us in this or another world, and doth ſatisfie the juſtice of God that it might remove all theſe, and bears the whole burden of the deſert of our ſinnes, purchaſeth reconciliation with the Father, union with the Sonne, communion with the holy Ghoſt. But what is all this to me, will the ſoul ſay, unleſſe theſe be ſo given that faith be wrought in my heart to diſcerne all theſe, and finde them? The Lord doth indeed all theſe; the ſpirit of God comes and ſo preacheth the Goſpel, and ſo applyes the Goſpel, as that in preaching theſe things, he doth beget faith in the heart to believe that all theſe things are indeed belonging to ſuch a ſoul, and to every one whom he is pleaſed to accept, to the benefit of the croſſe of Chriſt, and to fellowſhip therein: and now indeed is the whole Covenant of Grace confirmed when by the death of Chriſt the virtue of it is applyed by the ſpirit to the ſoul: Not that there is a reconcilement to God before faith, and union with the Sonne, and communion with the holy Ghoſt before faith: It is before in Gods purpoſe, and Chriſts purchaſe, but when the ſpirit comes to apply this (whoſe work it is to give accompliſhment to the work of the other perſons;) he applying this, works ſaith, and ratifies the Covenant, and thereupon the heart is ſatisfied, and the juſtice of God ſatisfied, and the ſpirit at reſt from unſupportable anguiſhes which did before plow up the tender heart of a chriſtian that he lay ſprawling as it were in his blood.
3. A third benefit that flowes from the former in reſpect of the price paid, and in regard of the virtue and efficacy of the price when it comes to be applyed: you have not onelyonly lawfull right unto the creatures to eat and drink, &c. but ſome right and title to them by the blood of Chriſt. And he hath alſo paid a price for the poſſeſſion of eternall glory. Ʋntill the redemption of the purchaſed poſſeſſion unto the praiſe of his glory, Epheſ. 1. 14. Untill doth argue, that there is a purchaſe we do not yet receive: and when ſhall that be received? when both we our ſelves, and the creatures ſhall be redeemed to the glorious liberty of the ſons of God. Then ſhall we receive the full benefit of the price which he hath paid whiles he ſuffered upon the Croſſe. Therefore wonder not, that though Chriſt being a lamb yet he was ſlain, that he being ſlain we might be redeemed, and might enjoy the purchaſed poſſeſſion, redemption from all evill in every kinde, from ſorrow, paine, &c. from the evil of them. And his blood alſo was a price for a purchaſed poſſeſſion of reconciliation with the Father, of union with the Sonne, of communion with the holy Ghoſt; dominion over all ſinne, ratification of the Covenant to our ſoules, and at length the poſſeſſion of everlaſting glory. This was the reaſon why the lamb was ſlaine, and had it not been for theſe divine, and ſupernatural, and bleſſed ends, he would not have proſtituted his life to ſuch a bitter and ſhamefull death, as the death of the Croſſe was. It was not meet the onelyonly begotten Sonne of God ſhould come down into the world to lead a miſerable life, and to dye an accurſed death, but for noble and glorious ends, and you have the ſum in theſe particulars.
For the uſe of it.
Firſt,Ʋſe 1. it is a cauſe of juſt humiliation to us, whoſe ſins were ſo out of meaſure ſinful, as that there is no ranſome to be given for them, but ſuch an invaluable price, as the blood of the Sonne of God. All the Gold of Ophir; all that the world can give, what is it, to this invaluable blood of the Sonne of God? Yet this was our caſe, and eſtate, that if we had had many worlds for our inheritance, and given them all for the redemption of one ſoule, it had not been ſufficient. This was our eſtate, and this is the eſtate of all ſuch as yet live in ſinne to this day. It is a deſperate eſtate that cannot be repaired, nor themſelves reſcued from by ranſome, but the blood of Chriſt. If our ſinnes had been of a leſſe nature, a leſſe price might have made ſatisfaction: And yet ſuch is the pride of the hearts of the ſonnes of men; that becauſe we live civil lives (though yet natural) we have good natures, are ſo well bred, do ſo many good offices, that we think it is not ſo dreadful a matter, nor that we are ſo dangerous for our eſtate as others: If it go ill with us, what will become of deſperate roaring ruffines? whatever becomes of them, it is a frivolous matter to you, or to ſuch as are civil, and hinder the free paſſage of the grace of God: but if our natures be ſo good, and our carriage ſo comely, I pray you what need ſuch an invaluable price be given? If a ſmall matter would have ſaved us from the world, what need ſuch an invaluable price be given to reſcue us from it? You will ſay, I hope I am not ſo addicted to the world, I would drive a bargaine home to the head, and would not be cheated. But is that all you know by your ſelves? certainly there is more; for if the Lord did not ſee that inveglement which the word hath of us, and that cloſe combination of us to it, the Lord would not have thought it needful to ſend his onelyonly Sonne to redeeme us from this preſent evill world. Frugality is not a vice in any, but a virtue; and if there were no more but good huſbandry, ſurely there need not ſuch a price to be paid to redeeme us from the world: But certainly the Lord ſees ſuch power of worldlineſſe, and untemperance in us, and ſuch power of paſſions and luſts, that no means would reſcue us therefrom but the power of the blood of his Sonne: and the world hath ſuch hold of us, and we of it, that if it were not for the blood of the Sonne of God, we ſhould never be reſcued from that engagement. And therefore let all flesh know, there is that power of ſinne, and of the world, in the beſt natures, and beſt education, that unleſſe the Lord come with the blood of his Sonne, we ſhould be wedded to the world, and our ſins, and luſts, and perish everlaſtingly.
And for the Devil, you ſay you defie him, and did renounce him in Baptiſme, and promiſe it, or ſome other in your ſtead.
But if there were not a ſtrong power of Satan in us, how comes it that the blood of Chriſt muſt be ſhed, to deſtroy him that had the power of death, that is the Devill, Heb. 2. 14. And therefore conſider of it, ſo ſtrongly did the cu…ſe of the Law …reaten us, ſuch power hath ſin over the beſt nature, that were it not for the blood of the Sonne of God, is were not poſſible we ſhould be redeemed from them.
Therefore if thou haſt a good opinion of thy ſelfe, that the world hath no hold of thee, nor thy paſſions and luſts, and the Devill leaſt of all, whatever the Law of God ſaith: know that there was nothing could redeem us from this, but the blood of the Sonne of God; and if thou doſt not believe this (however thou art thus naturally born) the truth is, thou trampleſt under foot the blood of Chriſt, as not worth the ſpilling: If men be thus exact in their courſes, ſo equal in their dealings, if the Devil have no power over you, to what end did he through death deſtroy the Devill that had the power of death? If ſinne have no dominion over you, wherefore did he ſhed his blood, that the power of ſinne ſhould be deſtroyed? And therefore all the while a man is out of Chriſt, and the warme blood of Chriſt is not applyed thee, thy ſoule is a bleeding to death.
That look as it is with ſome men when in a conſumption, & have little hope of recovery, then they wil kill ſome lamb, and while it is warme, will take the warme body of the lamb and faſten it to them that they may be repaired: Truly thus doth the Lord with us, he knowes we are farre conſumed, in a ſtate of worldlineſſe, and a ſtate of ſinne, and Satan: how ſhall the Lord reſcue us, and repaire us? No way but this, here is an innocent Lamb, he wraps him about us, warmes us with his blood, and ſo he recovers us againe from our conſuming condition, conſuming with ſinfull luſts, and paſſions, and Satanical deluſions. Look as Phyſitians, they will ſoon gheſſe what the diſeaſe is by the receipt: If the Lord preſcribe ſuch a receipt as this, the blood of the innocent Lamb of God, then know it for a certain truth, we were in a deſperate condition, conſuming and waſting, and dead too, overſpread with the world and Satan, and ſo had everlaſtingly periſhed, had not the Lord provided ſuch a plaiſter as this.
And indeed this will yet humble us the more, in caſe the Lord make it appear that all this is done for me, and thee; we may ſay as Mephiboſheth, 2 Sam. 19. 28 what are we, but as dead dogs in the ſight of God, that the Lord ſhould give his onelyonly Sonne to recover ſuch dead dogs as we from that wofull eſtate in which we and our fathers lived, and many of them dyed in, yet the Lord hath been more mercifull to us; but what are we all but that the Lord might have cut us off? Herein the Lord commends his love to us, that when we were ſinners Chriſt dyed for us, Rom. 5. 8.
Secondly,Ʋſe 2. it may ſerve to teach us, the wonderful and unſpeakable love of God and of his Chriſt to us; the one, that was thus willing to ſend his Sonne, the other thus willing to go, that his blood ſhould be thus ſpilt like water upon the ground, and himſelfe caſt aſide of men for the while (but for ever accepted of God) that we might be ſaved. Herein the Lord magnifies his mercy to mankinde; his juſtice, that he will be ſatisfied; his mercy, that he will have ſatisfaction in his Sonne, and doth not require it of our perſons. It is rich Grace, that ſo we may ſtand, and wonder that the Lord ſhould ever do it to ſuch as we, to give his Sonne (an innocent Lamb) for us.
Thirdly,Ʋſe 3. it may teach us for ever to loath and abhor all ſinne, as that which ſo deeply diſpleaſeth God, ſo as no ſatiſfaction might be made for ſinne, but the blood of his own Sonne; and no blood could ſatisfie but that, and this ſin hath been the ſlaughterer of the innocent Lamb of God. It provokes God greatly, and ſlaughters his own Sonne; this is the power and venome of Sinne. And therefore unleſſe we take delight in the deep diſpleaſure of God, which is unappeaſable, but in the blood of his Sonne, how ſhall we that are dead to ſinne, live any longer therein? Rom. 6. 2. He means dead through Chriſt; Chriſt is dead, and we in him, and with him, all that have fellowſhip with him.
Can we ſee the wrath of God riſing again, firſt in our ſoules, and breaking forth in fierceneſſe of the Lords indignation? How ſhall we dare to tread under foot the blood of the Covenant, as if it were an unholy thing? If there were no other argument to diſcourage from ſinne, this alone might prevaile, the nature of ſinne, that ſo deeply diſpleaſeth God, as there is no ſatisfaction but by the blood of Chriſt; and to conſider, that ſinne hath ſlaughtered Chriſt Jeſus. And therefore the meditation of the ſlaughter and death of Chriſt, ſhould be as a ſlaughtering knife to cut aſunder all temptations to ſinne. What is it that all pleaſures and profits can put upon us, to countervaile the loſſe of the favour of God, and the blood of the Lamb? can any ſinne procure the favour of God, or any thing anſwerable to the favour of God? or can any allurements of the world, or temptations that can put upon us, or Satans ſuggeſtions; can they make the blood of Chriſt an unworthy thing? or give us greater matters then the blood of Chriſt hath purchaſed? And therefore how ſhall we ſinne againſt the love of God? how ſhall we commit this great wickedneſs, and ſinne againſt God? ſinne againſt the blood of this immaculate Lamb of God. Theſe very conſiderations are enough to cut off all ſinne.
Fourthly,Ʋſe 4. this may ſerve therefore to teach us all to give up our ſelves back again to Chriſt, that we may now live to him. That we may now live to the father, and to the Son; that we may not live to ſinne, to Satan, to the world, But to him that hath dyed for us, and given himſelfe for us; I live by the faith of the Sonne of God, Gal. 2. 20. Chriſt ſuffered for ſinne, he dyed for us, that we might not now live to our ſelves, nor to the luſts of men, but to the will of God, 1 Pet. 4. 1, 2, 3. 2 Cor. 5. 15. So that this is that which the Lord now cals us to, to wit, to live now no longer to thoſe things from which we were redeemed by an invaluable price.
We are redeemed from the bondage of ſinne, and Satan, and from the world: and not onelyonly redeemed from theſe, but purchaſed to life, as a reconciled people to God, to be as the friends of God: Abraham was called the friend of God. Though a man make no bones of breaking out againſt an enemy; yet now being reconciled eſpecially to him in whom we live, or move, and have our being, it is for us to walke as thoſe that are reconciled to God, as thoſe that are united to Chriſt, as thoſe that are ſanctified by his Spirit, as thoſe that have the grace of Chriſt applyed to our ſoules, as thoſe that are dead to ſinne, and alive to righteouſneſſe; It is for us to walk as thoſe that look for a purchaſed poſſeſſion to the glory of Gods grace when this life ſhall be no more. If we be dead with Chriſt, why are we not free from all that which is evil, and free to all that is good? Col. 2. 20. It is a ſtaine and blemiſh to the blood of Chriſt, to ſee a child of God live in any durty corruption, to ſee a child of God a worldling, to yeild to any temptation, it is a ſtaine to the blood of Chriſt: To ſee a child of God ſet looſe from the Father, or the Sonne, or the Spirit, it is a ſtaine to the blood of Chriſt; for the blood of Chriſt is a purchaſe to redeem us from all evill, and to purchaſe to us all good.
For a fifth uſe,Ʋſe 5. it may teach us to apply effectually the blood of Chriſt: as we for our parts in our Miniſtery, ſo you in your meditations, and repititions; there is the ground of your peace. No conſcience that hath been troubled with ſence of ſinne, but there lies his grief, the wrath of God that is upon his unbeleiving ſoule. He is condemned; the wrath of God abideth on him. If you ranſack it to the bottom, there is it that cruſheth the ſpirit: all other will be caſt off in caſe we be clear in this principle, about the ſatisfaction of Gods juſtice provoked againſt us by our many and great tranſgreſſions: what ſhall ſatisfie the ſoule now? There is nothing in the world ſo fit to beget faith, as the preaching of the croſs of Chriſt: If I be lift up from the earth, I will draw all men unto me, John 12. 32. If Chriſt be drawn up on the Croſſe, held forth for his drawing of people that are troubled about the wrath of God, and the removing thereof, and about ſatisfaction to God about all our iniquities, this will draw ſoules unto him: For how will you uphold any man to bear his burden of the apprehenſion of Gods wrath with any tolerable eaſe? No way but by holding forth Chriſt the innocent Lamb of God, crucified upon the croſſe, and his blood ſpilt as a price of ſatisfaction to Gods juſtice, as a price of redemption from all evill, and purchaſe of all good: then ſaith the ſoule, me-thinks there is ſome hope, even for me; For who ſhall hinder the power of the blood of Chriſt? and who ſhall hinder the free paſſage of Gods grace? if the Lord Jeſus hath undertaken it, and hold it forth eſpecially to men that are ſick, and oppreſſed, and caſt downe, and ready to periſh for want of ſuccour: In ſuch a caſe, while this is held forth, there is the blood of Chriſt held forth, which was ſhed to purchaſe the ſpirit of grace; as it is written in Gal. 3. 13, 14. Chriſt hath redeemed us from the curſe of the Law, being made a cu…ſe for us, that we might receive the promiſe of the ſpirit. The ſame blood of Chriſt, that hath redeemed us from the curſe, and hath purchaſed the communion of the ſpirit, he is wont in the preaching of the croſſe of Chriſt, to open Heaven to the ſoule, to open the doors of the heart to beleive on this blood, thus h…ld forth, and ſo by this means you ſhall finde a ſupport, ſome ſatisfaction to all turmoils, and agonies of conſciende. It is a wonder to ſee how this blood of Chriſt is mighty through God to make our peace, while the ſpirit doth conveigh the efficacy thereof to the quieting, and eſtabliſhing the ſoule, In fellowſhip with Chriſt, and reconcilement with the Father; that the ſoule ſees, Chriſt hath not dyed in vaine, that he hath not heard the word in vaine, nor waited upon Chriſt in vaine, but ſees there is life, and peace, and all in the blood of Chriſt. And therefore wonder not now that the Apoſtles were ſo carefull in preaching the croſſe of Chriſt, ther's the ground of all our reconciliation: That ſatisfies the juſtice of God, and that ſatisfies the ſoule, the ſpirit applying it begets faith to receive it; and there is they ſtay of the ſoul.
So this is the principall duty, as for us to teach, ſo for the people of God continually to attend unto, to ponder upon this: eſpecially thoſe whoſe hearts are at a loſſe about ſatisfaction of Gods wrath, and pardon of their ſinne; It is that which in a ſpeciall manner they ſtand in need to attend unto.
For a ſixth uſe:Ʋſe 6. If any man ſhall aske, how ſhall I know that all this belongs to me? what it is for thee we cannot yet tell, in caſe a man have had no impreſſion upon his ſoule yet it may be to thee for ought thou canſt tell, becauſe all the Elect are not yet called home, but are to be called: Therefore it is not the thing, to ſay they have no hope in it, becauſe they are not yet waſhed by it, for they may be before they dye.
But if for the preſent you would know whether you have part in it or no: you ſee what the nature of it is, where the blood of Chriſt comes, where it is ſprinkled, you ſee what it doth; it hath a redeeming power in it, and a purchaſing power: It doth redeem thee from all evill, from the power of ſinne, and Satan, and of this world, and of thine owne heart, and withall from the wrath of God, and the curſe of the Law, ſo that the Conſcience is more pure and peaceable then before, and both theſe go together.
But mind what I ſay further, if this blood hath had this free paſſage in thine heart, it hath purchaſed reconcilement with the Father, union with the Sonne, communion with the Spirit, conformity to Chriſt, and comforting thee in Chriſt: Conforming thee to Chriſt in his death, and comforthing thee in Chriſt and the fruits of his death, the favour of God, and the pardon of ſinne, and the bleſſed priviledges that his death hath purchaſed. I ſay this is the efficacy of the blood of Chriſt where it is received in power: If theſe fruits be in us, they are lively pledges of the love of God in our hearts: If theſe things be ſmothered and d…ubed, and overwhelmed with many Temptations, and worldly buſineſſes, diſtracting cares, and temptations; though it is true, the children of God may be at many loſſes, yet mark what I ſay, the blood of Chriſt is a living Spring, and a running Fountaine; though it may be troubled, yet it will runne cleare againe; if it do not, it is a ſigne it was not from the blood of Chriſt, but from a deluſion: But if it were from the blood of Chriſt, thou ſhalt finde hee will purifie and pacifie thy conſcience, for he will not looſe the value and efficacy of that rich blood; great is the power of it, and he will not looſe the vertue of it.
I know there may be many pangs to Temptations, and Chriſtians in this new world may meet with new Temptations, and Chriſtians are at a loſſe becauſe paſſions breake in, we have loſt all our peace, and comfort of our union, and the power of it; it may be ſo, it is not unuſuall; but (minde what I ſay) truly if the blood of Chriſt have any efficacy in us, or power upon us, you will find that the fountaine of the blood of Chriſt is higher then any other fountain
A fountaine that ſprings from a low place may be ſtopped, but if it comes from a high place, higher then the higheſt, no creature here below can hinder it, nor created thing below it can intercept the flowing of it: The Lord will redeeme thee from the world, and from theſe paſſions and luſts, and from the Satanicall, and malignant diſtempers, and the Lords blood will reſtore thee to reconcilement with the Father, and bring thee to union with the Son, and the comfort of the Spirit, and the ſence of it. And therefore know, if he have left thee to live in ſuch diſtempers, and thou doſt bleſſe thy ſelfe in them, and canſt not looke further, and there is nothing in the blood of Chriſt that much takes up thy heart, for redemption from evill, or purchaſing good, it is much to be feared thou haſt not yet taſted of the blood of Chriſt: what there may be in heaven wee know not, but no man on earth can give thee a comfortable ſigne of a good eſtate.
If a man bleſſe himſelfe in theſe engagements, and in theſe imbondagements to the enemies of his ſoule, and thinks his captivity is his liberty, hee doth not know what the Lord Jeſus hath purchaſed, there is little hope ſuch a man hath redemption from the blood of Chriſt. This is the condition of all the people of God in the greateſt temptations, unleſſe it be in ſome extreame hurry of paſſion, it is a captivity to him, and a burden to him that he wants Chriſt Jeſus, and that is a good ſigne of a mans liberty purchaſed by Chriſt: This Chriſt who hath reconciled others to God, and done great things for them in a way of grece, and hath alſo reconciled him to God, and delivered him from death to ſee this captivity, and to groane under it, it is a ſigne this man hath had ſome other liberty in times paſt: For otherwiſe there is no man naturally but he thinks this is his freedom to have his owne minde not croſſed, to have his full liberty in the world, to have good bargains, and not to be pinched in this and that, and not for conſcience to fly in his face; it is a ſign a man is yet a natural born captive. But when a man feels his captivity, and looks at it as his burden, that he feeles not the favour of God, and union with Chriſt, and communion with the Spirit: It is a ſigne God hath called him to liberty, but he hath ſold himſelf for a captive again; & now he cryes as the Apoſtle, Rom. 7. 24. O miſerable man that I am, who ſhall deliver me from this body of death: There he is carryed captive. I ſee another law in my members warring againſt the law of my minde, and bringing me into captivity to the law of ſinne which is in my memebers, verſ. 23. Here is a ſign of redeeming love by the blood of the Lamb.
O the wofull captivity that naturall corruption is to a redeemed ſoule, and the great liberty it is to a carnall heart, that hee thinkes it a liberty to have his thoughts free, and none to tell him: But to a good conſcience that hath been waſhed and redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, the body of death is a wofull bondage to him.
This body of death it is not actuall tranſgreſſions, but a powerfull body of carnall corruption that hangs about us; that though we do not break out into actuall ſinnes as other men do, yet we ſee a body of death in us, and this is our captivity. So then, if the Lord hath redemed a ſoul, and purchaſed theſe comfortable bleſſings as brings us to the ſence of our wofull condition by reaſon of the loſſe of this liberty, all theſe are witneſſes of the redeeming love of Chriſt.
Laſtly,Ʋſe 7. it may be a uſe of conſolation to every ſuch ſoule thus farre (even ſo farre as there is no bounds and limits to it) it is a marvellous ſatisfaction to a ſoule in temptation, nothing more then this I now ſpeak of. One would think it were a great miſery to live in horrour of conſcience continually, and ſo it is: but if a man be redeemed by the blood of this Lamb, then it is not terrour of conſcience that can ſeparate thee from God; for Chriſt himſelfe was under terrour of conſcience as much, and more then thou art without ſin, that he ſweat drops of blood, and cries out and bemoans it in a holy manner. Why will you ſay, but will you have me ſet ſuch things at my heele? the deſertions of God at my heele? Is the favour of God to be ſet a… the heele? it will not hinder your union with your head, though you have loſt the ſenſe of it.
All that Chriſt ſuffered, all his deſertions, it did not hinder his fellowſhip with the ſecond perſon in Trinity, neither will it hinder yours. The Serpent bruiſeth our heel, makes us go heavily and lamely. Pſal. 43. 2. Thou art the God of my ſtrength, why doſt thou caſt me off? why goe I mourning becauſe of the oppreſſion of the enemy? It makes us go heavily while God forſakes us, as a man goes that is cruſhed by an enemy, but yet it will not break his head. And what great conſolation is this, it is not terrour of conſcience that can ſeparate a man from Chriſt: Nay I may ſpeake a greater thing then that, it is not the power of your corruptions that can break your head, though they will make you go more lamely and heavily, yet pride and paſſions, &c. do not ſeparate union. It muſt therefore raiſe up the heart of a Chriſtian above his temptations, above corruptions, above the world, above all the enemies of his ſoule, what can they all doe? If the Lord be with us, who can be againſt us? He that delivered up his owne ſonne to death for us, how ſhall he not with him freely give us all things? Rom. 8. 31, 32. So that wee are freed from all annoyance from the curſe of the Law, the rigour of the law, free from deſertion and corruption, and the Lord hath given us himſelfe, and his Son, and his Spirit, and his C…venant, and Kingdome, and his Church and people, and Ordinance, and all is yours, 1 Cor. 3. 22, 23. And how comes all to be ours? By the blood of the Lamb that hath purchaſed all good things, and the removall of all evill, therefore how comfortable may the ſoules of Gods people be, if they did attend to the blood of the Lamb.
And therefore let not thoſe that have any part and portion in the blood of Chriſt Jeſus be diſcouraged; let them in Gods feare meditate more of this blood, and of the power and vertue of it: As you deſire your lives may be more comfortable and ſerviceable to God and man, and your death more peaceable, ſo be much in meditation of this blood: And if you be doubtfull of your ſpirituall eſtate, then more ſeriouſly meditate of it, who hath ſuffered, and what, and for what end he layd downe his life, and lay all together, and ſee if all will not amount at length to the begetting of Faith where it is wanting, and to the reviving of it where it is, that we may live fruitfully, and holily, and dye comfortably.