44 THE EXCELLENCIES OF tears could not suffice, nor any thing below his blood but our buying is receiving; we have it freely without money and without price.(y) A thankful acceptance of a free acquittance, is no paying of the debt. Here is all free : if the Father freely give the Son, and the Son freely pay the debt; and if God freely accepts that way of payment, when he might have required it of the principal ; and if both Father and Son freely offer us the purchased life on our cordial accept- ance, and if they freely send the Spirit to enable us to accept ; what is here, then, that is not free? Oh the everlasting admiration that must needs surprise the saints to think of this freeness! " What did the Lord see in me, that he should judge me meet for such a state ! that I, who was but a poor diseased despised wretch, 'should he clad in the brightness of this glory ! that I, a creeping worm, should be ad- vanced to this high dignity ! that I, who was but lately groaning, weeping, dying, should now be as full ofjoy as my heart can hold ! yea, should be taken from the grave, where I was rotting, and from the dust and darkness, where I seemed forgotten, and be here set before his throne ! that I should be taken, with Mordecai, from captivity, and be set next unto the King! and with Daniel from the den, to be made ruler of princes and provinces! Who can fathom unmeasureable love ?" If worthiness were our condi- tion for admittance, we might sit down and weep with St. John, because no man was found worthy. But the Lion of the tribe of Judah is worthy, and bath prevail- ed ;(z) and by that title we must hold the inheritance. We shall offer there the offering that David refused, even praise for that which cost us nothing.(a) Here our commission runs, `Freely ye have received, freely give ; "(b) but Christ 'lias dearly bought, yet freely gives. § 4. If it were only for nothing, and without our merit, the wonder were great ; but it is moreover (y) isa. lv. i. (a) 2 Sam. xxiv. 24. (a) Rev. v. 4, 5. (b) Matt. x. 8.
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