The Sinners Sanctuary, Sermon 37
SERMON XXXVII.
Rom. 8.14.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Vers. 15.
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear: but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
THE li…e o… Christianity, take it in it self, it is the most pleasant and joyful life that can be, exempted from these fears and cares, these sorrows and anxieties, that all other lives are subj…ct unto; for this of necessity must be the force and efficacy of true Religion, i… it be indeed true to its name, to disburden and ease the heart, and fill it with all manner of consolation. Certainly it is the most rich Subject, and most compleatly …urnished with all variety of delights to ente…tain a soul, that can be imagined: Yet, I must confess, while we consult with the experience and practice of Christians, this bold assertion seems to be much weakned, and too much ground is given to confirm the contrary misapprehe… sions of the world, who take it to be a sullen, melancholick, and d… consolat life, attended with many …ears and sorows. It is, alas! too evident, that many Christians are kept in bondage, almost all their l…fe-time, through fear o… ete…nall death, how many dismall representations of sin and wrath, in the souls of some Christians, which keep them in much thraldom? at least, who is it that is not once, and often, brought in bondage a…ter conversion, and made to apprehend fea…fully their own estate, who hath such constant uninterrup…ed peace and joy in the holy Ghost, or lyes under such direct beams of divine favour, but it is sometimes eclipsed, and their souls fill…d with the darknes of horrour and terrour, and …ruly the most part, ta…e not so much sweetness in Religion, as make… them uncess…nt and unwearied in the wayes of Godliness: yet not withstanding of all this w… must vindicat Christianity it self, and not impute these things unto it, which are the infirmities and faults of the followers of it, who do not improve it unto such an use, or use it so far as in it self it is capable. Indeed, it is true that o…ten we are brought to fear again, yet withall it is certain, that our allowance is larger, and that we have received the Spirit, not to put us in bondage again to fear, but rather to seal to our hearts that love of God which may not only expell fear, but bring in joy. I wish that this were deeply considered by all of us, that there is such a life as this attain…ble; that the word of God doth not deceive us in promi…ing fair things, which it cannot perform, but that there is a certain reali…y in the life of Christianity, in that peace and joy, tranquility and serenity of min… that is holden out, and that some have …eally found it, and do find it; and that the reason why all of us do not find it in expe…ience, is not because it is not, but because we have so little apprehension of it, and diligence after it. It is strange, that all men who have pursued satisfaction in the things of this life, being disappointed, and one generation witnessing this to another, and one person to another, that notwithstanding, men are this day as fresh in the pursuit of that, as big in the expectations as ever: and yet in this business of Religion, and the happiness to be found in it, though the Oracles of God in all ages have testified from Heaven how certain and possible it is, though many have found it in experience, and left it on record to others; yet there is so slender belief of the reality and certainty of it, and so slack pursuit of it, as if we did not believe it at all. Truly, my beloved, there is a great mistake in this, and its generally too: all men apprehend other things more …easable and attainable then personal holinesse and happinesse in it; but truly, I conceive there is nothing in the world so practicable as this, nothing made so easie, so certain to a soul that really minds it.
Let us take it so then, the fault is not Religions, that these who professe it are subject to so much fear and care, and disquieted with so much sorrow; it is rather because Christianity doth not sink into the hearts and souls o… men, but only puts a tincture on their out-side, or because the …aith of divine truths is so supe…ficial, and the consideration o… them so slight, that they cannot have much efficacy and influence on the heart, to quiet and compose it. Is it any wonder that some souls be subject again to the bondage of fear and terrour, when they do not stand in aw to sin? Much liberty to sin, will certainly embondage the spirit of a Christian to fear. Suppose a believer in Jesus Christ be exempted from the haz…rd of condemnation; yet he is the g…eatest fool in the world that would on that account venture on satisfaction to his lusts; for though it be true that he be not in danger of eternal wrath, yet he may find so much present w…ath in his conscience, as may make him think it was a …oolish bargain; he may lose so much of the sweetnesse of the peace and joy of God, as all the pleasures o… sin cannot compense: The…efore to the end that y…u whose souls a…e once pacified by the blood of Christ, and composed by his word of promise, may enjoy that constant rest and tranquility, as not to be enthralled ag…n to your old fears and terrours, I would advise and recommend to you these two things; one is, that ye would be much in the studie of that allowance which the promises of Christ affords: be much in the serious apprehension of the Gospel, and certainly your doubts and feares would evainish, at one puff of such a rooted and established meditation. Think what you are called to, not to fear again, but to love rather, and honour him as a Father; and then, take heed to walk suitably, and preserve your seal of adoption unb…otted, unrusted: you would study so to walk, as you may not cast dirt upon it, or open any gap in the conscience for the re-entry of these hellish-like fears, and dread…ul apprehensions of God. C…rtainly …ts impossible to preserve the Spirit in freedom, if a man be not watchfull against sin and corruption. David prayes, re-establish me with thy free Spirit; as if his spirit had been abased, embondaged, and enthraled by the power of that corruption. If you would have your spirits kept free from the …ear of wrath, study to keep them free from the power of sin, for that is but a f…uit of this: and its most suitable that the soul that cares not to be in bondage to sinful lusts, should by the righteousnesse of God, tempered with love and wisdom, be brought under the bondage he would not, that is, o… …ear and terrour; …or by this means the Lord makes him know how evil the first is, by the bitternesse of the second.
It is usual on such a Scripture as this, to propound many questions, and debate many practical cases, as whether a soul after believing can be under legal bondage? and wherein these d…ffer, the bondage o… a soul after believing, and in it, fi…st conversion? And how far that bondage o… fear is preparatory to faith? and many such like, but I choose rather to hold forth the simple and naked truth for your edification, then put you upon, or intertain you in such needlesse janglings and contentions. All I desire to say to a soul in bondage, is, to exhort him to come to the Redeemer, and to consider that his case calls and cryes for a delivery: Come, I say, and he shall find rest and liberty to his soul. All I would say to souls delivered from this bondage, is, to request and beseech them to live in a holy fear of sin, and jealousie over themselves, that so they may not be readily brought under the bondage of the fear of wrath again: Perfect love casts out the fear of hell, but perfect love b…ings in the fear of sin: Ye that love the Lord hate ill, and if ye hate it, ye will fear it in this state of infirmity and weaknesse, wherein we are: And if at any time ye through negligence and carelessness of walking, lose the comfortable evidence o… the Fathers love, and be reduced again to your old prison o… legal terrour, do not despair for that, do not think that such a thing could not be…all a child of God, and from that ground do not raze former foundations; for the Scriptures saith not that whosoever believes once in Christ, and receives the Spirit of Adoption, cannot fear again; …or we see it otherwise in David, in Heman, in Iob, &c. all holy Saints; but the Scripture saith, ye have not received the spirit of bondage for that end to fear again: it is not the allowance of your Father: your allowance is better and larger, if you knew it, and did not sit below it.
Now, the great gi…t, and large allowance of our Father, is expressed in the next words, but ye have received the Spirit of Adoption, &c. Which Spirit of Adoption is a Spirit of Intercession, to make us cry to God as our Father. These are two gifts, Adoption or the priviledge of Sons, and the Spirit of Adoption revealing the love and mercy of God to the heart, and framing it to a soul-like disposition: compare the two states together, and its a marvelous change: a Rebel condemned, and then pardoned, and then adopted to be a Son of God: a sinner under bondage, a bound slave to sin and Sat…n, not only freed from that intollerable bondage, but advanced to this liberty, to be made a Son of God, this will be the continued wonder of eternity, and that whereabout the song o… Angels and Saints will be: accursed rebels, expecting nothing but present death, sinners arraigned and sentenced be…ore his Tribunal, and already tasting Hell in their Consciences, and in fear of eternal perishing, not only to be delivered from all that, but to be dignified with this priviledge to be the Sons of God: to be taken from the Gibbit, to be Crowned, that is the great my…tery of wisdom and grace revealed in the Gospel, the proclaiming whereof will be the joynt labour of all the innumerable companies above for all eternity. Now if you ask how this est…te is attainable, Himself tells us, Iohn. 1.12. As many as believed or received him, to them he gave the priviledge to be the Sons of God. The way is made plain and easie, Christ the Son of God, the natural and eternal Son of God, became the son of man; to facilitate this, he hath taken on the burden of mans sin, the chastisement of our peace; and so of the glorious Son of God he became like the wretched and accursed sons of men; and there…ore God hath proclaimed in the Gospel not only an immunity and freedom from wrath, to all that in the sense of their own misery, cordially receive him, as he is offered; but the unspeakable priviledge of Sonship and Adoption for his sake who became our elder brother, Gal. 4.4, 5. Men that want children use to supply their want by adopting some beloved friend in the place of a son: and this is a kind of supply o… nature for the comfort of them that want: But it is strange, that God having a Son so glorious, the very character of his Person, and brightnesse of his glory, in whom he delighted …rom eternity, strange, I say, that he should in a manner losse and give away his only begotten Son, that he might by his means adopt others, poor despicable creatures, yea rebellious, to be his sons and daughters! Certainly, this is an act infinitly transcending nature, such an act that hath an unsearchable mystery in it, into which Angels desire to look, and never cease looking, because they never see the bottom o… it. It was not out of indigency he did it, not for any need he had of us, or comfort expected …rom us, but absolutely …or our necessity and consolation, that he might have upon whom to pour the riches of his grace.