2. This is to slight the price of our redemption ; for since with so much cost this work of taking away sin is carried on, for you to be indifferent whether sin be taken away or no is to disvalue and put a slight on the wisdom of God, and the wonderful condescension of his love in Christ, as if so much ado were made about a matter of nothing. This argument is urged by the apostle : 1 Peter i. 18, 19, ' Foras- much as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without spot and blemish.' To enhance the benefit, the greatness of the price is mentioned. Spiritual privileges, such as freedom from sin, should be more regarded by us, because they are so dearly bought. We many times neglect them for trifles, forfeit them for trifles, lose that for gold and silver which cannot be bought for gold and silver. They that slight anything bought by Christ's blood are accounted in scripture to slight the blood of Christ itself; as the apostate who revolteth from Christ for the honours, pleasures, and profits of the world is said to 'trample his blood under foot, and to account it a common thing ; ' as suppose of a malefactor, or any common sufferer. Our respect to Christ's blood is judged according to the respect we have to the benefits purchased thereby. As, to instance in these two great benefits, the favour of God and the image of God. He that despiseth the favour of God, and doth not make it his business to get it and keep it, but preferreth corruptible things before it, hath no esteem of Christ's merit, and the great cost God hath been at in sending his own Son to take away sin, and recover a lost world into his grace and favour. So whosoever doth not esteem the image of God, which standeth in righteousness and true holiness, doth not esteem the blood of Christ, but hath lessening thoughts of the mystery of his incarnation and passion, as if his blood were shed for trifles.
3. It is in effect to renounce all benefit by Christ ; for this way he saveth us, by taking away sin. The scripture everywhere insists upon
8 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SeR. VIII.
redemption from sin as the only way to redemption from the curse. Sin brought in tlie curse, therefore Christ would go to the bottom and fountain-head, and cure us of sin, that he might take off the curse, and cure us : he doth it not only by the remission of sin, but by sanctifying and healing our natures. You seek but a half cure if you seek pardon '■only. You neglect and despise the chiefest part of his work; yea, you cannot have pardon unless you be sanctified; and so in effect you have no benefit by Christ at all. For this let me give you these reasons —
[1.] Sin is the great makebate between God and his creatures. The first breach was by sin, and still it continueth the distance : Isa. lix. 2, ' Your iniquities have separated between me and you.' Therefore, till that be taken out of the way, there can be no perfect reconciliation, no communion between God and the creatures ; though the sinner may be pardoned on God's terms, yet the purity of God is irreconcilable to sins ; and therefore, if you live in sin and continue in sin, there can be no commerce between God and you.
[2.] Sin is the great disease of mankind, which disableth us for the service of our Creator. Therefore the Kedeemer came to take away sin, for he considered God's interest as well as ours : Heb. ix. 14, ' How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your consciences from dead works, to serve the living God ? ' Christ's end was to fit us for God's use, and therefore to sanctify and free us from sin, that we might be in a capacity to love and please God again. This is the great work of the physician of souls.
[3.] The taking away of sin is a greater benefit than impunity, or the taking away of punishment, as sin in some sense is worse than damnation. Those means which have a more immediate connection with the last end are more noble than those which are more remote. The last end in respect to us is the vision and fruition of God, or to see him and be like him. Now the taking away of sin hath a nearer con- nection than pardon and impunity ; they both concur. The sentence of death must be taken off, which maketh us incapable ; but holiness is a part and an introduction into the blessed estate ; it doth disposi- tively prepare us for it. On God's part the pleasing and glorifying of God is the last end. Now he is more pleased with us as holy than as pardoned, for his complacency and delight is in the reflection of his image on us ; and he is more glorified in our passive reception of his grace, but objectively more glorified in us in our being sanctified and purified, and made like him. Now this is to be minded, partly because men seek to get rid of trouble and temporal affliction, but not of sin. Pharaoh could say, ' Take away this plague ; ' but the church saith, ' Take away all iniquity,' Hosea xiv. 2. Those who are sensible of the true evil do mainly desire the taking away of sin ; that is their chief care and solicitude how to get rid of it ; that is it they complain of in the first place as their chief burden. This is necessary to be showed, partly because some, if they mind spiritual things, they mind only pardon of sin and ease of conscience, not to be freed from the power of sin ; as if a man that had broken his leg should only desire to be eased of his ismart, but not to have it set again. No ; the true j^enitent is troubled ''with the stain as well as the guilt. Therefore the promise is suited :