396 Book IV. JL.rotung unto jjcfttS'. Chap.3.sea. 5. ~------------------~~--~~----------- caufe it is fuch a righteoufnefs as God _is fatisfied with; he looks for no better, yea there can be no better. 2. Tlus worth ts not only m refpect of the dignity of the ,er– fon, but alfo in refpect of the price offered; 0 it was the blood of Chrift one drop .MlS2o. ,g, whereof is of more worth than thoufands of gold and filver. It was thi; blood that purchajed the ':Vhole Ch";rch of God,_ which a thoufand worlds of wealth could never have done. 3. Thts worth ts not only t~ refpect of the perfon and price neither, but alfo in 1 Pet. r t8. refped: of the manner of the oblauon; Chnft rnufl dye on the Crofs asitwasdetermi– l!ed ; the price in i~ felf, is ~ot enough, unlef~ it be ordered and proportioned accord– mg _to t~e wtll of htm, who ts to_bef~m~ed; tf a man fhould give for a captive !'l'ifoner an mfimte fum of money, fuffictent m tt felf to redeem a thoufand, yet if not accord– ing to fuch away as the~onquerour prefc~ibeth, if not according to the condition, it t:ould not be called a famfactton ; now thts was the condition that Chrift mull die and dye that death of the crofs, and accordingly he undertook, and performed, whi~h fee a lullre, and glory, and excellency, and worth upon his death. 0 the worth 0 the excellency of this death of Chri(l! - --many are apt to complain, 0 the fi lth of my fins ! Oh the inj11riestmd unk_indnefs that have been in mine iniquities! it ;, not mymifery, my deftruffton that (o mtteh troubleJ me. Mthat God u difpltafed. Sweet foul! turn thine eyes hither; fur~fy this death of Chrift is more fatisfad:ory to God, than all thy fins pollibly can be dtfpleafing t? God; t~ere was more fweet favour inChri!t's facrifice, t~an there could be offence maU thy l~ns; the ex~ellency of Chrift's death in making rtghteous, doth fuper-abound che filthmefs of fin m making a finner. Come on then, and dofe with Chrilt upon this encouragement ; there is a dignity, an excellency, in this objea of faith, Chrifl crucified. 3. Confider the fuitablenefs of this bleftcd object, The death of Chrifl. There is in ' it a fuitablenefs ro our finful condition, whatfoever the fin is ; it is the cry of fome , They dare not believe, they dare n•t tQUch Chrift crucified, they dare not approach to that preciom blood, bec~u(e of thi< fin, and that fin, and th: other Jin. Wher.eas in the death and blood of Chnft ( tf they could but take a full vtew of tt) they mtght find Come– thing fuitable to their !late: As for inftance, fuppofe thy fin the gteateft fin imaginable, except that againfl the holy Ghofl:; art thou a munherer? haft thou had thy hands im– brued in the blood of Saints? why fee now bow Chrifl: for thy fake was elleemed of the Jews, a murtherer, and worfe than amurtherer; BarabbM i< prtferredbefore Jefu,, BarabbM is releafed, and Jefu is murthered; yea his blood is/bed, towafhaway' thy blood-fhed: art thou a Sorcerer, a Negromancer? is thy fin the fin of Manaj[.-h, of 2 Chron.33 6 whom it is faid, that he ufed inchantments, and witchcraft; anddealt with a familiar fpi– rit, and with wiz.ards ; why, fee now how Jefus Chnfl for thy fake was efleemed of the Jews as an impofl:er, an inchanrer ; for fo fome fay, thathe got the Name of God, and fowed it in his thigh, and by vertue thereof he wrought all his miracles ; and they commonly reported of him rhat he had adevil, and that he cafl out dtvils through Belz.e– bub Prince of devils. Art thou a blafphemer? hafl thou joyned with thofe in thefe fad times, who have opened their mouths againfl: the God of Heaven, enough to make a Chritlian rend his heart, and weep in blood? why fee now how Jefus for thy fake was judged of CaiphM, and all the Sanhedrim, for abla(phemer of God, and that inthe highMat. !6. .Ss. eft kind of blafphemy, Mmaking himfelf equalwitb'God; yea, fee how the h'.!',h Priefl rends hu clothes, faying, he hath JPok!n b/A{phemy; Surely all thrs he endured, that very blafphemers may find mercy, if they wilf'but come in, and believe in Jef~s. I might inftance in other fins. art thou a traytor, a glutton, a drunkard, a wme-btbber, a thief,a feducer, acomp~nion of finners? why,fee now how Jefus Ch~ifl: ':Vas for thy fake, thus called, reputed. accounted; whatever the fin is, there s fomethmg m Chnfl that an– fwers that very finfulnefs ·thou art a finner,and he is made fin, tofatisfiethewrathof God even for thy fin . thou art fuch, and fuch a finner, and he is accounted fuch and fuch a finner for thy fake, that thou mighrefi ~nd in hi~ fo~ething fuitable tO .rby con– dition, and fo the rather be encouraged to beheve, that mhtm, and through htm all thy fins fhall be done away. Away, away unbelief,, diftrufl, defpair! you fee.now the bra– zen ferpent lifted Uf>, you fee what a blelfed ~bJeCT ts before you; Obeheve .! ~loo~ up unto (efur: 0 believe in him thus carrymg on the ~ork of thy falvatton m hts death. SEC!·
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