SHould I trace all the Steps and Mazes of God's Providence, should I recount all the marvellous Acts, and the won­ders that he has done for the Chil­dren of Men; yet all these together can ne­ver so display the Riches of his Mercy, or the Glory of his Kingdom, as that happy Re­demption which we this day commemorate.

Never was such an everlasting Memorial of his abundant Kindness, never such wretched Monuments of Pity, that either more need­ed, or less deserv'd it.

When Nature groan'd under the weight of its Crimes, when all its Powers lay fetter'd under the strongest Oppression and Tyranny, when they that hated us became Lords over us: Then did God arise and laid help upon one that was Mighty, Heaven conspired, and those glorious Persons of the Blessed Trinity took sweet Counsil together, they enter'd into Covenant, form'd the Design, and laid the Scene of an unheard Deliverance.

When Justice and Mercy had strove toge­ther, when Paternal Affection had been strug­ling with a sense of Honour, and Authority, then by an Almighty Counsil, were all those Attributes admirably reconciled, as in the Mutual Illustration of each other, so in the glorious Redemption of the poor Captive man.

So deeply was Providence engaged for the Salvation of Mankind, that the Son himself must come down from Heaven, be humbled as low as those Slaves, he came to purchase, and be at the Expence of his own Bloud, as the Price of their Redemption. Ye are bought with a price, &c.

In which words I shall insist on these four things, all which are either formally express'd or imply'd.

• I. That we may understand how we were bought, I shall shew, how miserably we were sold under Sin, and plagued with Guilt be­fore this Redemption was wrought for us.
• II. The Price that was laid down to pro­cure our Release, and Discharge; and that was the Bloud of Christ.
• III. The Effects and Benefits of that Bloud in reference to the Dominion, and Guilt of Sin, and in what Condition it has instated us.
• IV. The Obligation that does arise from this Consideration, that we are thus bought with a Price, and that is, we should glorifie God with our Body and Spirit, which are God's.

As to the first, it consists in these two things.

• 1. As we were Sinners we were the great­est Slaves and Captives to our Lusts, until we were released by the Bloud of Christ.
• 2. We lay under such Guilt, and Obliga­tions to Punishment, as could not have [Page 4]been cancell'd without the Bloud of a Redeemer.

1. We were the greatest Slaves, &c.

Though every Sinner does make the great­est pretensions to Liberty, yet there is no Captive whatever, that does exercise less, whilst he impiously glories that he has shook off all the Fetters of Laws, he does misera­bly sink under those that are much heavier, his Crimes; for as every Crime is an abuse of our natural Liberty, so the growth and advance of it does continually lessen and impair it.

Our Slavery is advanced in proportion to its Dominion, and the more Arbitrary that is, the more the Rights of a reasonable Creature are invaded.

So many Vices as we harbour, so many Lords rule over us, and as they pass from strength to strength, so we are led on into Cap­tivity into the Enemies hands.

There is no such Tyrant in the World, as an old-grown Lust, no such despicable Slaves, as those that serve it. He that works at the Galleys is much more free, than he that works Drudgery to the Flesh, and to be sold under Sin is far more intolerable, than to be sold under the Roman Spear. All other Slavery [Page 5]is extended only to the Body, but this does bear down, and conquer the whole man.

The most Arbitrary Power on Earth can command only our Exterior Service, it can neither bestow nor invade the freedom of our Wills, but the Tyranny of Lust does force a servile resignation of both. Whatever Fetters are laid upon us by Humane Powers, yet there is this Comsort still, that our inward Thoughts and Desires are free; but when we are the Servants of Sin. our Minds are as much enslav'd in a Spiritual Sense, as our Bodies can be in a Natural. And this which I men­tion in general may he exemplisied in particu­lar Instances. Do but set before your Eyes the Example of a covetous Slave, he has no more Liberty left him, than he that is stak'd to the Ground. For the Exercise of all true Liberty does depend upon the large Capacity and Freedom of our Thoughts; and the more narrow and confined our Conceptions are, the more strained and determin'd is the Li­berty of our Choice; and therefore since such a man's Thoughts can rise no higher than a worldly Interest, he must be closely ty'd down by those Weights and Clogs, and the desires of his Will as much fetter'd, as the motions of his Mind.

His Soul does in a true sense cleave unto the Ground, his Conceptions are fastened to his Bags, and tho' he be tyed with the Chains of Gold, he carries far greater marks of Sla­very, than he that drags those of Iron. And 'tis much the same with the lustful and in­continent; as he has no power over the in­clinations of his Body, so he has nothing of a Rational and a Manly Liberty. Being damn'd wholly to the Pleasures of Sense, he is as much determin'd as the Beast by his Fancy; he steers just like the Bruit, not by a free Conduct, but by a blind Swinge; and in­stead of managing the Biass, he does fatally close with it. And what a slavish Captivity was this, when we thus lay at the mercy of every Lust, and servily crouch'd to a Devil from abroad, and another from within? And yet this was the common Condition of Hu­mane Nature, when the Lord came to de­liver those Spirits that were thus in Prison, and to turn our Captivity as the Rivers in the South. And though the Heathen Morals may seem a Contradiction to this, yet I am sure their Lives were much more a Contradiction to their Principles. Whilst they gloried in their Natural Liberty, they were as much Slaves to their Inclinations, as if they had [Page 7]been the Ministers of Fate, not Masters of their own Actions. Their Reason did but serve to upbraid not to govern their Practice; and when their Doctrine was most refin'd, they themselves were settled upon the Lees: and tho' some of them by the excellency of their Temper, and the impressions of Grace, were more free and dis-engaged from the Power of Vice, yet as those Instances were but rare and extraordinary, so their Vertues generally were as rotten and unsound as the Springs from which they issued. And what has been faid of the Heathens, was no less true of the Jews, for the Apostle to the Ro­mans makes but very little difference betwixt Jew and Gentile, tho' they had the benefit of a new Revelation, yet this Spirit of Bon­dage still dwelt upon them, and the Yoke of their Sins was far heavier than that of their Ceremonies. Wherefore if by the account of our Slavery we may form a judgment of the greatness of our Deliverance, what a mighty Redemption was this that was wrought in Israel? What a glorious Release was pur­chased by the Lord that bought us, especi­ally if we consider in the Second place, that this Redemption was not only a discharge from the Captivity and Dominion of Sin, as [Page 8]the Socinians imagine, but from its guilt too, and obligations to Punishment, which brings me to the next thing to be consider'd, viz.

2. That we all lay under such Guilt and Obligations to Punishment, as could not have been cancell'd without the Blood of a Re­deemer.

As the Divine Law does induce upon us an Obligation to Obedience, so the breach of that Obedience does lay upon us another Obligation to Punishment. For all Laws be­ing made up of Rewards and Punishments, the not living up to the encouragements of the one, does render us obnoxious and liable unto the other. And tho' every act of sin be as transient as that time in which it is com­mitted, yet the guilt of it is a lasting Obli­gation, and dwelleth upon the Conscience, according to that known Saying, Sin lyeth at the doors. Forasmuch then as the Scripture had concluded all under sin, and by the guilt of it we became Debtors to God's vindictive Ju­stice, our Punishment was as unavoidable as our Satisfaction was impossible. For since the Law had given Sentence, that the Soul that sinned should dye, what was there in us to arrest Vengeance, or to put a stop to the [Page 9]Execution of Justice? In us, I say, who in­stead of attoning for one Offence could only accumulate more, and contract new Debts only, but never lessen the old: Wherewithal should the guilty man redeem his own Soul, or that of his Brother, when it would cost more (than ever he could pay) to redeem their souls, so that he must let that alone for e­ver: Wherewith, says the Prophet, should I come before the Lord, and bow my self before the high God? Should I come before him with burnt offerings, and with the calves of a year old? And will the Lord be pleased with thou­sands of rams, and ten thousand rivers of oyl? Shall I give my first born for my transgression, Micah 6.6.7. or the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

What is the impure issue of thy Bodyto expiate the impurities of thy Soul? What merit is there in the richest Sacrifice to repair the Honour of the great Patron of Justice and Right?

How could the slaughter of a Beast propi­tiate for the guilty Man, or the Bloud of the most spotless Lamb wash away the stain of a conscious Mind. The Apostle indeed affirms, That without Bloud there could have been no remission, or pardon of Sins; but then he further assures us, that it could not be ob­tain'd [Page 10]by that of Bulls and Goats. 'Tis true, men in all Ages lying under the Conscience of their Guilt, took Sanctuary in their Sacri­fices, as the only expedients to put a stop to Divine Wrath; but this was rather a ground­less presumption upon his Goodness, than a satisfaction to his Justice. And though God himself did appoint those Sacrifices under the Law to make an attonement for their Offer­ers; yet as the efficacy of these did not ex­tend to any greater Offences, so neither could they have expiated the less by any o­ther vertue than what was derived from the Bloud of Christ. Insomuch, that had there remained no other Sacrifice for Sin, we must have perish'd like those Beasts, that were slain upon the Altar, and in the sin that we had sin­ned, and in the trespass that we had trespassed; in them we must have died. But Blessed be the Father of our Lord Jesus, who not only ac­cepted, but prepared a better Sacrifice for us. Ever Blessed be that Lamb, that sitteth upon the Throne, who when all other Exepdients, fail'd, when neither the Steams of Bloud, nor the Clouds of Incense could prevail with Heaven, when Judgment and Vengeance hung over our Heads, when the Grave and Hell lay open upon us, did by an amazing [Page 11]condescention make his soul an offering for sin, Isa. 53.10. and bought us with a price.

2. Which is the second general Head to be consider'd: Namely, the Price that was laid down to procure our Discharge.

What the deliberate Counsil of God had be­fore determin'd, what the ancient Prophecies had long since foretold, that the Messiah should shed his Bloud and die, was this day punctu­ally accomplish'd. Thus it was written, says St. Luke, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer: Luke 24.46. And thus, When we were yet without strength, Rom. 5.6. in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

Not only his Disciples do testifie these things, but the most senseless part of the Cre­ation was both a Witness, and a joint Suffer­er under them. Nature it self felt the Ago­nies of the day, and gave publick Testimo­ny to them, by its trembling and Convulsi­on. The Sun fell into an unnatural labour at the setting of this glorious Sun of Righte­ousness; the veil of the Temple was rent in peices, and the Rocks gave out, that their Great Shepherd was Dead.

And as 'tis certain that he died, so 'tis no less evident, that he suffered for us Men, and for our Redemption. By the same Authori­ty we believe that he laid down his Life, we [Page 12]must believe too, that he gave it as a Price, or Ransom for us. We live indeed as if we had been redeemed with Silver and Gold, or at the small expence of the Bloud of Bulls and Goats; but the Apostle assures us, that we were not redeem'd with those corruptible things, 1 Pet. 1.18. but with the precious bloud of Christ. Which expression, as 'tis a just Comment upon my Text, so it informs us, that what Silver and Gold is in a civil Contract and Purchase, the same was the Bloud of Christ in this spiritual one; and as the former is usually laid down for the release of a party that stands bound and obliged, so the latter was no less design'd for the discharge of our Guilt. This was the great end of his coming into the World as St. Matthew assures us,Matt. 20.28. to give his life a ransom for many. By which 'tis intimated to us, that as our Saviour's Life was given in exchange and commutation for ours, so the great end of laying it down was, that he might buy off the Punishment of our Transgressions with the price of his Bloud, agreeable to that of the Apostle, who tells us, that he died for the redemption of transgressions. Heb. 9.15.

Every one knows that a Ransom is nothing else but a price paid down to discharge the personal obligation of another, and therefore [Page 13]if the Life of Christ was a Ransom for us, it must be given in lieu of ours, and substitu­ted as much in our stead, as the life of the Beast under the Law was in the room of the Offerer.

Had I no other Authority for this; yet what we read of the Jewish Sacrifices will suf­ficiently warrant the Interpretation; for 'tis most certain, that the Bloud of the Sacrifices amongst them was nothing less than a stated price for the Redemption of the Offeuder. And I may as well question whether there were any such Sacrifices at all, as whether they were a Ransom for him that offer'd them. And consequently if all those Sacrifices were prefigurative only of our Saviours, as the A­postle makes them: If there was such an exact congruity and correspondence betwixt both, we may rationally conclude, that what was in­tended there by the Bloud of the Beast, was more effectually accomplished by that more excellent Sacrifice the Bloud of Jesus. This is the easiest and most natural Construction of all those places, wherein he is said to die for our Sins, to bear our Iniquities, to be made a Curse, a Sacrifice, and Sin for us. The sense of all which is so clear and obvious, that you may justly wonder, why I should insist on them.

But you cannot be ignorant, that there are many in the World, that take up with a quite different sense of them, who deal with Scripture, as some do with Witnesses, tor­ture them so, and force them, till they speak what they themselves please, and being not willing to stretch their Faith beyond their own Reason, are resolved to shape all my­steries to it.

They allow indeed, that Christ's Bloud was shed for us, that is in a large sense for our Good and Benefit, but not as a proper Ran­som and Offering to God for us; that he laid down his Life to seal the truth of his Do­ctrin, and to be an Example to us of suffer­ing for the same; but they will not grant, that he parted with it by way of compensa­tion and satisfaction to Divine Justice. And whether those Expressions before mentioned do import no more, I leave it to you to Judge.

'Tis true, indeed, that where 'tis said, he laid down his Life for us, it may be inter­preted in their sense for our good and bene­fit only, without making any attonement, or satisfaction for our Sins. But when the sacred Writings do assure me,1 Pet. 2.24. That he did bear our sins in his own body, so as to feel the Chastise­ment [Page 15]of our peace upon him,Isa. 53.5. that he so far en­dured the Punishment of our Sins, as to have his Soul made an Offering for them, that he suffered so in our stead, as to be made Sin for us; What else can I conclude but this, that his Bloud was a true Sacrifice to turn God's Wrath from us, and a valuable Price offered in our behalf to propitiate Heaven?

That his Bloud was shed for the Remission of our Sins, may be wrested to signifie what these men would have it, that 'twas shed on­ly to give us assurance of Pardon and Remis­sion; but when the Scripture is so express, that now in the end of the World he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself; Heb. 9.26. and since the Apostle by telling us,Heb. 10.4. That the bloud of bulls and goats could not take away sins, does plainly insinuate, that the Bloud of Christ was therefore shed to supply that defect of the legal Sacrifices, What other sense can I fix on it, but this, that his sacred Bloud was pour­ed out to make an attonement for our Souls, and to procure the expiation of our Guilt?

It seems strange indeed, that God should exact the Bloud of his own Son, when being a free Sovereign Power, he might have relea­sed the Sinner without any price, or satisfa­ction at all: For so far it must be granted, [Page 16]that every supreme Independent Governour may discharge an Offender at pleasure, with­out any Compensation. And therefore there is no such vindictive Justice in God, as to de­termine him necessarily to punish the Guilty, either in his own Person, or his Undertaker. But then we must remember that could we assign no Reasons for God Almighty's pro­ceedings, yet our Faith ought to remove those Mountains, which our Reason cannot; his Judgments are unsearchable, and his ways past finding out: But yet there are very good Reasons why he should require the Price of Bloud; for had he quitted the Offender with­out some reasonable satisfaction, he could neither have vindicated his own Honour, nor secured the Authority of his Laws and Go­vernment: For he that pardons the Guilty without a valuable Consideration, does but expose his Justice by an indiscreet Mercy, and invite new Provocations, by giving im­punity to the old. Whereas now by execu­ting the Punishment upon Christ our Under­taker, he has contrived such an admirable Method of our Deliverance, as might at once preserve his own Authority, as well as the Souls of the Offenders.

But not to dwell too long on this, let us all fix our Meditations on that Bloud of Je­sus, and humble our selves rather under a deep sense of his Sufferings, than contest a­bout the Merits of them. And here I need not use any Artifice to excite your Affecti­ons, the subject itself is all Passion, and the very naming of the Bloud of Jesus is enough to fetch the same drops of Bloud from us, if we bear the same nature with him, for who can reflect upon the Bloud that was shed this day without being as much concern'd in the Sufferings, as our Sins were in the occasioning them. How strongly should we be affected, when we look back upon Innocence bleed­ing under unjust Violence, strugling with the Pain, as well as infamy of a Cross, and bearing the Iniquity no less than the con­tradiction of Sinners.

What deep Impressions should this work upon us, when by a lively representation we can view that Lamb stretch'd on an accursed Tree, labouring under the Vengeance due to our Crimes, and healing us with those stripes, which we our selves laid upon him? What a stupendious Mystery is this, that the sufferings of the Son should be a Ransom for the professed Rebels to the Father? That [Page 18]the bloud of God, Acts 20.28. as the Apostle calls it, should be laid down as the Price of an ac­cursed Slave, and that he who from Heaven might have been the revenger of our Crimes, should now be the only undertaker for them.

'Twas a strange surprise to the Heathens, as we read in the Acts of the holy Apostles, when they fancied that their Gods were come down, Acts 14.11. and appeared in the likeness of men. But what would they have said then, if they had seen them die like men too, and fall not like one of the Princes, but like Slaves? What an amazing thought is this, that he who was infinitely exalted far above all our Sacrifice, and Praise should now be not only the Vota­ry, but the Sacrifice himself, and be brought as a Lamb to the Altar, from whence he might have commanded all our Worship? This is such a wonderful Scene, as seems as much above our wonder, as our Faith, as far above the understanding of a Man, as it was beneath the Majesty of a God.

Instead therefore of a further discourse, we shall do much better by falling low upon our Knees, and silently adoring what we can never express.

But however this Mistery may stagger our belief, yet so much we may understand of [Page 19]it, that as the Son of God could never con­descend so low, but for the highest ends and purposes, so his Bloud was effectual for the accomplishment of them, and since the great end of his undertaking was to deliver us both from the Guilt and Dominion of our Sin; and we may therefore conclude, that 'twas available for the cancelling the Obligation of the one, as well as conquering the prevail­ing Power of the other, which brings me to the third General Head, viz.

The Effects and Benefits of Christ's Bloud in reference to the Guilt, and dominion of Sin, and in what condition it has instated us.

As we are assured that Christ died for us, so likewise that he bought us; it being equally certain that the Price was accepted, as that it was offer'd. For as that Bloud was infinite­ly valuable, so it could not fail of being ef­fectual.

Agreeably we find that it not only seald, but procur'd a new Covenant of Grace and Mercy. For which reason 'tis call'd by the Apostle, The bloud of the everlasting covenant: Heb. 13.20. Heb. 12.24. The bloud of sprinkling; because those over­tures of Mercy and Pardon which are offer'd to us, were both ratified and confirmed by [Page 20]his Bloud, as well as purchased by its Merits. To understand therefore what are the bene­fits of that Bloud, we must first know what are the terms and proposals of this new Cove­venant; because all the Acts of Grace and Favour that are contain'd and promulged in the one, are the pure Results and Effects of the other. And consequently, since the Gospel Covenant does on one side promise greater helps and assistance, for the discharge of our Duty, and on the other, pardon and remission for the Defects of it; we may be assured by the former, that he has deliver'd us from the Dominion of Sin, and by the latter, from the Guilt of it.

By providing such Helps and Abilities, he has subdued its Power, by opening a Foun­tain of Pardon, he has cancell'd its Obliga­tion.

Hence on one side we are said to be recon­cil'd to God through the death of his Son, to have redemption through his bloud even the re­mission of sins; Colos. 1.14. Tit. 2.14. 1 Pet. 1.18. on the other hand we are said to be redeem'd from all iniquity, from a vain conversation, from the present evil world. This referring to the Dominion of Sin, the other to the Guilt of it.

But because the Gospel being a mutual Covenant betwixt God and Man does con­tain certain conditions to be perform'd on our parts too, and since the Grace and Par­don therein promised is dispensed agreeably to the performance of those Conditions; there­fore the Bloud of Christ thô infinitely me­ritorious, can be no further beneficial to us, than as we apply those benefits by a discharge of those conditions of Faith and Repen­tance.

Hence is it that we find Repentance and Remission of Sins so often linkt together, the one as the indispensable condition of the Gospel, the other as the inseparable Blessing annext to it by vertue of Christ's Bloud. For the same reason, when he is stiled a Pro­pitiation for us,Rom. 3.25. the Apostle adds through faith in his bloud. Would you be resolv'd therefore how you are bought, or redeem'd with this price, the Answer is obvious, that Christ has not so redeem'd us as actually to instate us in Salvation without a possibility of a miscarriage, but that by opening a Foun­tain of Mercy, and providing us means by which our Salvation may be accomplish'd, he has put us all in a glorious condition and capacity of attaining it.

Thus has the Lord visited and redeemed his People, and rais'd up a mighty Salvation in the house of his servant David; he has bro­ken the gates of Brass, and cut the bars of Iron asunder; he has struck off our Fetters, and cancell'd our Obligations upon the reasona­ble terms of Faith and Penitence. And be­ing thus set free, 'tis in your power now by the merits of Christ's Bloud to work out your own Salvation. Life and Death are fairly set before you, if Iniquity be your ruin, 'tis your choice too, and if you perish in your Sins, your destruction is from your selves. A mighty Redemption is wrought for you, and how shall we escape if we neg­lect so great Salvation? That we may not therefore trample upon the Bloud of the Co­venant, nor baffle all the great ends of our Saviour's undertaking; we must remember that as he has done great things for us, so there is something to be done on our sides too: Though he has deliver'd us from one Obligation, yet he has laid upon us another to Obedience. It was for this end that he deliver'd us from the hand of our Enemies, that we might serve him without fear, and he therefore bought us with a Price, that we might glorifie God with Body and Spirit which are Gods.

Which is the Fourth and last thing to be consider'd, viz.

The obligation that does arise from this consideration, that he has bought us, and that is, that we should glorifie God both with Body and Spirit which are Gods.

That we are purchas'd by the Bloud of Christ, is the most powerful Motive, and unanswerable Argument for our Obedience to him; for he that purchases any thing, as he has a just Title and Dominion over it, so there is all the reason in the World that he should have its use and service. This is no­thing else but what is agreeable to the stand­ing Rules of Justice. For by the ancient Laws to which the Apostle here alludes, the Servant was but the property of the Master, and his Service as much due, as that of any other Tool or Instrument.

'Tis a known Rule in the civil Law, Servi­le eaput nullum jus habet. The Servant has no power or disposal of himself, no right to possess any thing, but all things are at the pleasure, and for the benefit of his Lord. I appeal to your selves, and you may be judg­ed by your own measures, who ever bought a Vine without the reasonable expectation of the Fruit of it, who ever purchased a Field [Page 24]without appropriating to himself its encrease and productions: And 'tis the very same Case here, you are not your own, but bought with a price; and I know no other consequence than what the Apostle makes, that we should therefore glorifie him with Body and Spirit which are his.

And then wilt thou rightly discharge this duty, when every part that is in thee shall recognize this Title of a Redeemer by a pe­cular Consecration to his Service; when e­very faculty and power shall own the Lord that bought them, by an entire resignation to God's Will and Disposal.

Then wilt thou truly glorifie God in thy Body, when thou doest bear in thy own Bo­dy the marks of Christ Jesus, when thou caust shew the power of his Sacrifice by the Sacrifice of thy Lusts, and can'st view in thy own Flesh the Triumphs of his Cross, when thy crucified Flesh shall represent the Crucifixion of thy bleeding Master, when every mortified Member shall give a publick Attestation to thy belief of a mortisied Sa­viour, and all thy conquer'd Inclinations shall set forth the glory of his Purchase. Then wilt thou truly value the Price of his Bloud, when every sensual Appetite does share in [Page 25]the Agonies of his Passion, when that Body of thine is delivered from the body of sin and death, and when all those Members that were the Instruments of sin unto uncleanness shall be made the Instruments of righteousness unto God.

And as we must thus glorifie him with our Bodies, so likewise with the Spirit of our Minds. Thy Soul was to be made an Offer­ing to him that saved it, as his was an Offer­ing for thy Sin, and all its powers were to be put upon the stretch, and vigorously ex­ercis'd in the advance of his Glory. The Pride of thy understanding was to be humbled under the sense of his Meekness and Humi­lity: Thy Reason and Judgment must sub­mit to all those misterious Doctrines of that Faith which he publish'd to the World. E­very proud Imagination was to be cast down, and every Thought, as the Apostle expresseth it, was to be Captivated into the Obedience of Christ. All the desires of thy Will were to be regulated by those Eternal Laws of Holi­ness which he has preacht to us: Thy Af­fections must be rais'd as high as the Throne of thy Lord and Master, and screw'd up to a passionate Love and Admiration of his Good­ness. In short, then will thy Body and Soul [Page 26]glorifie God, and the Lord that bought them, when all thy Heart, all thy Strength, and all thy Soul shall be strongly engaged in pro­moting his Honour, in submitting to his Will, and fulfilling his Commands.

And this certainly, when all is done, was the great end of his dying for us, that they which henceforth live should no longer live unto themselves, 2 Cor. 5.15. but unto him that died for us. And the reason of it is strong and forcible, because whether we live or die we are the Lords. Rom. 14.8. For this purpose did he redeem us with his Bloud, that he might redeem us too from all iniquity, and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works, that henceforth we should no longer be the servants of Sin, but alive unto God: Wherefore if this be the great Design of our Saviour's underta­king; if all that he has done and suffer'd for us was to deliver us from our Crimes, and to fit us for his Service in order to our happiness, how just is our Damnation, if we don't act up in congruity to those ends.

If our own Interest on one side, or the principles of Justice on the other can't have a due Influence upon us; yet a Sense of Inge­nuity and Gratitude may justly prevail over us. For who can be so insensible to a Curse, [Page 27]as to neglect grateful returns, and suitable requitals for such an undeserved, and mighty Deliverance. Do but consult all Ages, what Honour and Esteem have been bestowed on those that have redeemed their Countries from Slavery, and unjust Dominion, what solemn acknowledgments have been paid to such publick Benefactors, even in the most barbarous, and uncivilized Nations, how they have erected Altars, Statues, and Mo­numents, adored their Memories, and eter­niz'd their Names by fixt and establisht So­lemnities of Worship.

And if the deliverance of our Bodies from a Temporal Slavery; if the recovery of our Civil Rights and Properties be worthy of such hearty Acknowledgments, what must be expected from us, who are redeem'd both in Body and Soul from Principalities and Powers, from the Terrors of Darkness, and the Shadow of an Eternal Death? How should this inflame all our Passions, make our Hearts hot within us, kindle the Fire till at last it breaks out into publick Acts of Praise and Thanksgiving. Let them give thanks, says the Prophet, whom the Lord hath re­deem'd, and deliver'd from the hand of the Enemy; let every Knee be bended in the [Page 28]Adoration of this Mighty Redeemer; let e­very Tongue be talking of his wondrous Works, and telling of his Salvation from day to day: And let us all affectionately joyn with that Heavenly Host above, crying out, and saying, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive Power, and Riches, and Wisdom, and Strength, and Honour, and Glory, and Blessing: And therefore Blessing, and Honour, and Glory, and Power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne, and to the Lamb for evermore.