on the creature’s head, in whole or in part?
The least perception, that hereby the sinner’s
song, “ascribing blessing, honour, glory, and
power unto him that was slain, and hath redeemed them
to God by his blood, out of every kindred, and tongue,
and people, and nation; and hath made them, unto their
God, kings and priests,” shall be marred, will
be enough to render that device detestable, and convince
the soul, that it is not the gospel of the grace of
God and of Christ, but rather the mystery of iniquity.
What a peculiar savouriness doth the humbled believer
find in the doctrine of the true gospel-grace, and
the more that he be thereby made nothing, and Christ
made all; that he in his highest attainments be debased,
and Christ exalted; that his most lovely peacock feathers
be laid, and the crown flourish on Christ’s
head; that he be laid flat, without one foot to stand
upon, and Christ the only supporter and carrier of
him to glory; that he be as dead without life, and
Christ live in him, the more lovely, the more beautiful,
the more desirable and acceptable is it unto him.
O what a complacency hath the graced soul in that contrivance
of infinite wisdom, wherein the mystery of the grace
of God is so displayed, that nothing appeareth from
the lowest foundation-stone to the uppermost cope-stone
but grace, grace, free grace making up all the materials,
and free grace with infinite wisdom cementing all?
The gracious soul can be warm under no other covering
but what is made of that web, wherein grace, and only
grace, is both wooft and warp; and the reason is manifest,
for such an one hath the clearest sight and discovery
of his own condition, and seeth that nothing suiteth
him and his case but free grace; nothing can make
up his wants but free grace; nothing can cover his
deformities but free grace; nothing can help his weaknesses,
shortcomings, faintings, sins, and miscarriages but
free grace. Therefore is free grace all his salvation
and all his desire. It is his glory to be free
grace’s debtor for evermore; the crown of glory
will have a far more exceeding and eternal weight,
and be of an hyperbolically hyperbolic and eternal
weight, and yet easily carried and worn, when he seeth
how free grace and love hath lined it, and free grace
and free love sets it on and keeps it on for ever;
this makes the glorified saint wear it with ease,
by casting it down at the feet of the gracious and
loving purchaser and bestower. His exaltation
is the saint’s glory, and by free grace, the
saints receiving and holding all of free grace, is
he exalted. O what a glory is it to the saint,
to set the crown of glorious free grace with his own
hands on the head of such a Saviour, and to say, “Not
unto me, not unto me, but unto thee, even unto thee
alone, be the glory for ever and ever.”
With what delight, satisfaction, and complacency will
the glorified saint, upon this account, sing the redeemed
and ransomed their song? And if the result and
effect of free grace will give such a sweet sound there,