Spiritual Bondage and Freedom, Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
Wherein the Fifth Branch of the Doctrine is handled; namely, That this Freedom which Chriſt offers, is an excellent Freedom; and in particular, concerning its excellent Names.
THe laſt (but not the leaſt) Branch of the Point which I now come to, is, That this Freedom which Chriſt offers to Sinners, and gives to Believers, is an excellent Freedom; according to Chriſt's words here in the Text, If the Son ſhall make you free, ye ſhall be free INDEED: As if he ſhould have ſaid, If I make you free, it ſhall be a Freedom to purpoſe, a Freedom with a Witneſs; you your ſelves, if you have it, ſhall ſay 'tis ſo, ſhall find it ſo. Beloved, there's not a Soul made free by Chriſt, but is ready, as it were, to ſet its Hand and Seal to this, That 'tis an excellent Freedom that the Lord Jeſus beſtows upon ſuch as believe in him; and to ſay to Chriſt upon this account, as Laban did to Jacob in another caſe, I have found by experience that the Lord hath bleſſed me for thy ſake, Gen. 30. 27. I will preſently proceed to the opening of the Excellency of it; only I would tell you two things, by way of Preface to it.
1. There is more in this Freedom than I am able to make known to you. I ſhall endeavour to do ſomething towards it, and the Lord help me in it: but you muſt not expect that I ſhould ſet it forth as it is. I confeſs mine own inability to handle this Subject as it deſerves: If you had ſome others to ſpeak to you about it, they would lead you further into it than I can: but whoever ſhould ſpeak to you about it, no Tongue of Man is able to unfold it in ſuch a manner as to ſay, Now I have told you all, and there is no more in this Freedom than you have heard of it. Beloved, this Freedom by Chriſt is one of the deep things of God; we cannot fathom it, 'tis ſo deep; we cannot reach it, 'tis ſo high; we cannot meaſure it, 'tis ſo broad and ſo large. If we could but ſee it as it is, it would be with us as it was with the Queen of Sheba, of whom you read, that when ſhe came and ſaw the Glory of Solomon, ſhe was ſo raviſhed with it, that there was no more ſpirit in her, 1 Kings 10. 4, 5. And tho ſhe confeſſed, that the report that ſhe had heard of it before was true; yet ſhe ſaw that in it when ſhe beheld it, that the half was not told her, ver. 6, 7. And therefore, if it were no more but this that I ſhould ſay about this Freedom by Chriſt, That it is ſuch a kind of thing, that all the Miniſters of the Goſpel in the World are not ſufficient to ſet it forth: Why, you might conclude even from thence, Then certainly 'tis a very excellent Freedom. For, Oh, what abundance doth the Lord help his Miniſters to declare about Chriſt and heavenly things! And yet, that not one, not any, not all of them, with all their Gifts, with all their Graces, with all their Study, with all their Prayers, are able to open this Freedom as it is; Why truly then, you may even ſay with aſtoniſhment concerning it, as they did when the Lord had ſo ſtrangly turned the captivity of Zion, Pſal. 126. 2. The Lord hath done great things for his people; there is ſome great, ſome excellent thing in it without doubt.
2. I would tell you this alſo before I go any further, That when we have done what we can through Gods aſſiſtance, to ſet out the excellency of this Freedom; and when you have heard, it may be, ſuch things about it, as may even cauſe you to ſay, Well, now we have had this Subject opened to us, we cannot but acknowledg that this Freedom by Chriſt, hath abundance of worth in it: oh, what a precious thing it is! Yet ſtill that which muſt make it excellent indeed in the eye and eſteem of your Souls, is your having an intereſt in it. Beloved, a man may ſay of Chriſt, and of the things of Chriſt, they are precious, and yet they may not be precious to him; no doubt but many a wicked man hath ſaid, that Chriſt is precious, and yet he was not ſo to him, becauſe he did not believe in him, 1 Pet. 2. 7. Ʋnto you therefore which believe, he is precious. Mark, he is precious to you: this is the difference between an unbeliever and a believer, the one ſays that Chriſt is precious, but the other prizes him. Nothing will make this Freedom ſo precious to you, as your part in it. Our propriety in a thing puts a kind of excellency upon it in our account, tho it be but mean in it ſelf; and the want of that, makes us have but low thoughts of a thing, tho it be never ſo good; one may drop ſome words by way of commending a good thing; but if it be not ones own, one hath no prizing thoughts of it. You know if a man hath but an ordinary houſe of his own, tho he may ſay of one that is anothers, and ten times better than his, ſuch a one hath a brave ſeat; yet his prizing thoughts run moſt out to his own; he hath an intereſt and propriety in that, but he hath not in the other. So you may in words commend this Freedom, and ſay, what an excellent thing 'tis; but if it ſhould be with you, as Peter ſaid to Simon, Acts 8. Thou haſt neither part nor lot in this matter, for thy heart is not right in the ſight of God, it will not be excellent to you. Tho Chriſt cannot be more beautiful then he is, as to himſelf, yet propriety in him will make him look, as to us, ten thouſand times more lovely then otherwiſe, Cant. 5. ult.
Well, now to proceed to the clearing up of this, that this is an excellent, moſt excellent Freedom, I ſhall make it out by opening theſe Seven following things.
1. The excellent Names by which it is called.
2. The excellent Perſon by whom it was performed.
3. The excellent Price by which it was purchaſed.
4. The excellent properties belonging to it.
5. The excellent Priviledges which come by it.
6: The excellent Ʋſes that may be made of it.
7. The many Wonders that may be obſerved in it.
And when I have gone through theſe things, I ſhall make Application of this Branch of the Doctrine, and ſo finiſh my whole work upon this Text.
To the 1. This Freedom by Chriſt is an excellent Freedom, as we may gather from the excellent Names which are given to it in the Scriptures. It was taken for a great honour amongſt the Romans, to have more Names than one; and when they would reprove one that was of a low condition, that did take more upon him, than became his place, they would tell him that he carried himſelf as if he had three names; for that was a note of excellency among them, to have three names. Now 'tis the excellency of this Freedom by Chriſt, that it hath more than three, it hath many names, and every one of them will help you to ſee what an excellent Freedom 'tis.
Sometimes 'tis called deliverance, ſee Joel 2. 32. In mount Zion and Jeruſalem ſhall be Deliverance. In this place, this Freedom by Chriſt is alluded to and prophecied of; and hence Chriſt himſelf is called the Deliverer, Rom. 11. 26. Now what an excellent thing is deliverance counted among us. If any body be in trouble, affliction, pain, or danger any way; oh, they would fain have deliverance. If a woman be in travel; oh, how ſhe groans for deliverance, Rev. 12. 2. and when ſhe is delivered, oh, how glad ſhe is of it, John 16. 21. Deliverance is ſuch a thing, if one be in diſtreſs, that they who want faith will have it, if it be poſſible, tho they uſe unlawful means for it: Yea 'tis ſuch a thing that Gods own people many times cannot tell how to wait for it. We are very apt to be impatient till deliverance comes. Every body concludes that deliverance is an excellent thing. Well now this Freedom is deliverance; we ſhall be all delivered, if we be made Free by Chriſt. I don't tell you from what yet, I am not come to that; therefore I ſpeak as yet in a general way.
Again, Another name by which this Freedom is called, is Redemption, Rom. 3. 24. and thoſe that are made Free by Chriſt, are very often in the Scripture ſaid to be redeemed. Now the word Redemption properly ſignifies the buying back again of things or perſons, that were alienated from the right owner, by being gotten into Bondage. Hence it appears what an excellent thing this Freedom by Chriſt is, in that it is ſet out by this word, 'tis a bringing of out of us Captivity; a bringing of us back to God, who is our right owner; 'tis a fetching of us out of the Houſe of Bondage, an opening of the priſon, as 'tis called, Iſa. 61. 11. this Freedom by Chriſt is a Goal-delivery: You may fitly apply that Scripture to this in Pſal. 107. 10. to 17. when the poor wretch is caſt into ſome loathſom Priſon, and there he ſits in darkneſs, and 'tis ſuch a darkneſs as is the very ſhadow of Death, and he is not only thus, but he is bound too, and that not with Cords, but with Iron; and there his very heart is brought down, all his ſpirits, and courage, and ſtrength, are gone out with the miſery he undergoes. I ſay, when 'tis thus with a poor wretch, oh, what a precious thing would it be to him to have Redemption! how doth his Soul long to be out of that condition! Iſa. 51. 14. The captive exile haſteneth that he may be looſed, he is in heaſt, that is, it is in his deſires, that he might be redeemed. Why now this Freedom by Chriſt brings Redemption, it breaks the yoke of our oppreſſion; by this we come out of the Iron Fornace.
Again; Sometimes this Freedom is called Salvation, Tit. 2. 11. The Grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared, &c. The Greek word ſignifies a keeping ſafe: oh, what an excellent thing is that, to be kept ſafe, that come what can or will come, never ſuch dreadful ſtorms, never ſuch blackneſs, and darkneſs, and tempeſt, yet to be ſafe. Safety is ſo highly accounted of, that every body looks after it; for the outward man to be ſafe from poverty, and ſafe from infection, and ſafe from falling, and ſafe from fire, and water, &c. They take a World of care to be ſafe, if they are afraid of Thieves; oh, how they will watch! and if they do but ſuſpect that any danger is near them, how circumſpect they'l be to prevent it, and all becauſe they deſire to be ſafe! and if that people would but look about them thus, and be careful in the matters of their Souls, oh how well would it be! but here generally people fear no dangers, no, tho we cry Fire, Fire, to ſinners, and tell them there is a deep Pit of Damnation before them, and they'l certainly fall into it, if they don't take heed; yet here they are inſenſible; only here, where there is the greateſt danger, they fear the leaſt; and tho they will thank any body from their hearts, that will forewarn them of outward dangers, and count them their great friends, and tell them, Well, if had not been for you, at ſuch a time I might have been drowned, or have broke my neck, and have been killed outright; I might have been loſt if I had had a hundred lives; yet they don't care to hear of their inward and eternal dangers; and the more they are told of them, the more ſome diſlike thoſe that warn them; the ready way to get ſome mens hatred, is to ſhew the greateſt love to them; what greater love can there be expreſſed to a ſinner by any man, than to give him a friendly warning that he do not loſe his Soul by living in ſin? and yet for this, ſome will become enemies, Joh. 7. 7.
Again, Another excellent name by which this Freedom is called, is Reſt, Mat. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you Reſt, that is, I will ſet you Free. Now what a precious thing is Reſt, this is ſuch a precious thing that Heaven it ſelf is compared to it, Heb. 4. 9. To have no Reſt, you know what a ſad condition this is, Rev. 14. 11. Oh, what would a man give for Reſt that cannot ſleep, or that is quite tired; how refreſhing and comfortable is it, if he can get but a little of it! how thankfully will ſome ſpeak when they have been without it a great while! oh, they will ſay, Bleſſed be God they have got ſome Reſt, what a Mercy is this! yea ſo 'tis indeed; you that can go to your Beds at Night, and find Reſt there, don't forget to be thankful when you awake, 'tis a great mercy: Yea, but then what a great mercy is this Freedom by Chriſt? what an excellent thing is that which is Reſt indeed? Oh! take heed, don't forget this Reſting place, Jer. 50. 6. I remember 'twas the Speech of Naomi to Ruth when ſhe was propounding a good match to her, Ruth 3. 1. My daughter ſhould I not ſeek Reſt for thee, that it may be well with thee? And then ſhe directs her how to order her matters, that ſhe might get Boaz her Kinſman to be her Husband, v. 2. She was a poor Woman, and brought to great wants, and ſo was fain to go a gleaning, which was next to going a beging; but her Mother in Law, made no doubt that if ſhe could but get ſuch a rich and good Husband as Boaz was, that would be a condition of Reſt for her; and then ſhe would do well: So that when ſhe propounded ſuch a one as Boaz to Match with, there were many arguments included in it, to ſtir her up to look out to get him. One was, that her was a good man; he would be a gracious Husband for her: ſhe would not caſt her ſelf away by being Married to him, but ſhe would be well beſtowed. For this Boaz was a man that feared God; his whole carriage in the buſineſs after wards declares it. Another Argument was this, That he was rich too: for ſo he was; he had a great Eſtate, as you may ſee in this ſtory; he was ſo rich, that beſides a great deal he had already, he was able to purchaſe more, cap. 4. 9. ſo that if ſhe had him, ſhe would have a purchaſing Husband; he was ſo rich. And then a third Argument, that ſhe uſes was this, That he was one that was near of kin to her; for in the caſe that Ruth was now, in the next Kinſman had right to Marry her: And then add this to all that ſhe tells her, that ſhe was now in a reſtleſs condition; 'twas ſo with her, that ſhe had great need of ſuch an Husband as this was; and if ſhe could but get him, oh there would be Reſt, then ſhe would be well, ſhe need take no further care for her. I have briefly opened this ſtory thus, becauſe it is of ſuch excellent uſe to the thing which I have in hand. Oh poor ſinners! I may apply all this to you, concerning your matching with Chriſt. If you would have a good Husband for your Souls, one that is holy and full of grace, why this is he: If you would have one that hath a great Eſtate, why this is he. If you marry with Chriſt, you'l have a purchaſing Husband of him. Never was there ſuch a purchaſer as this is; this is one that hath purchaſed Heaven it ſelf for believers. And then he is your near Kinſman; he is become a kin to us, by taking our nature unto him; he hath a Body now in Heaven that is of kin to mankind. And then for your parts, you are in a reſtleſs condition; ſo full of Miſery, ſo full of Poverty, ſo full of Iniquity, that there is no true Reſt to be gotten where you are; but if you do but match with this Husband Chriſt, you will have Reſt; it will be well with you; his Freedom is Reſt, that ſame excellent thing Reſt: Yea, 'tis a glorious Reſt, as 'tis called, Iſa. 11. 10. Oh! call upon your Souls now, and ſay, My Soul, ſhould I not ſeek Reſt for thee, that it may be well with thee? Oh, that you could be reſtleſs till you have got this Reſt! you are ſo in the truth of your condition; but oh that you could be ſo in your ſpirits, and in your deſires, and in your endeavours, and take encouragement to be ſo from what you find here recorded concerning Ruth. You ſee when ſhe ſet upon the work of getting this Boaz for her Husband, how ſhe proſpered; ſhe went and lay at his feet, verſ. 7, 8. of cap. 3. and then verſ. 9. ſhe prayed him to pread his Skirt over her, i. e. to become an Husband to her; and ſee how this wrought, and how the heart of Boaz inclined to her; firſt, he highly commends her for her pitching upon him, that ſhe would be ſatisfied with none but him, v. 10. and then he promiſes her, that he would grant her all her requeſt, v. 11. and then in the next, chap. he doth ſolemnly Marry her. So the Lord Jeſus is inclinable and willing to Marry you. Go and try if he be not. Lye you at his feet, beg earneſtly that he would ſpread his Skirt over you, ſee if he do not; can you think that he is not willing; when inſtead of your coming to woo Chriſt (as Ruth here did Boaz), Chriſt comes to woo you? he would fain be your Saviour, be your Husband; he tells you ſo, and all, that when you have him, you may have Reſt, and that it may be well with you; which it never will till you have him.
Again, Another Name by which this Freedom by Chriſt is ſet forth, to ſhew the excellency of it, is Health, or Healing, Iſa. 53. 5. With his ſtripes we are healed; we get Health by them, 'tis all one with this Freedom here: And Pſal. 67. 2. where this is prayed for, that it might be manifeſted to the World, and that the knowledg of Salvation by Chriſt might be ſpread all over the Earth (as it was to be in the days of the Goſpel); 'tis called Saving Health: That thy way may be known upon earth, thy ſaving health among all nations. Now you all know what an excellent thing Health is; ſome by the enjoying of it, and ſome by the want of it; this is ſuch a mercy that whatever one hath beſides, yet if there be no Health with it, all is imbittered, it makes life it ſelf burdenſom, and uncomfortable; and tho ones condition in the World be but poor in other reſpects; yet ſometimes you ſhall hear people ſay, but thanks be to God they have their Health tho, and as long as they have that, they may make the better ſhift. Health, beloved, is more then a ſingle mercy, 'tis a double, treble, yea a tenfold, yea a hundredfold mercy, becauſe it helps us to take the comfort, and taſte the ſweetneſs of all elſe; what is all the World to a man that is very Sick, or near to Death? Health is ſuch an excellent thing, that no body can tell what to do without it. 'Tis an uſual expreſſion or cry with perſons that have it not, and are Sick, and are in pain; oh, what ſhall I do? and you know how they will be enquiring of this Neighbour, and that, which comes to viſit them, whether they can tell what they ſhould take; and they'l ſend to the Phyſician, and he muſt come and ſee them; and tho he preſcribes ſharp or loathſom things, yet they'l take them; they'l Purge, they'l Vomit, they'l Bleed, they'l Sweat, and all to have their Health again. Well, now this is the nature of this Freedom by Chriſt, 'tis Health; if a man be Sick at his very heart, 'twill recover him; if he be never ſo like to dye, I mean by it, if he be never ſo like to be damned, which is the Second and the worſt Death: If he never ſo much faint away in his Spirits, through the Anguiſh and Terror of a wounded Conſcience; yet this Freedom by Chriſt, if he believes in it, will fetch him again; if he hath never ſo many ſores this will bind him up. There are ſome very obſervable things about Chriſts manner of healing, while he was here upon Earth; I would deſire you to take much notice of them, becauſe the thing that we are to gather from it, is what this ſame bealing Freedom by Chriſt will do.
1. Obſerve, That Chriſts manner of healing perſons that were diſeaſed, was by touching; he touched them, and they touched him, See Matth. 8. 3, 15. There Chriſt touched them; and in Mark 6. 56. There you find that they touched Chriſt: now there is much to be learnt by this. If you would have healing by Chriſt, he muſt touch you by the finger of his Spirit, (for 'tis ſpiritual healing that we are now ſpeaking of; and therefore the touch muſt be ſpiritual now, both in him and you), and you muſt touch him by the finger of Faith; for you muſt have Faith to be healed. See what a Queſtion Chriſt put to the Blind men, Matth. 9. verſ. 27. Two blind men followed him, crying, and ſaying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us: then v. 28. you have his Queſtion, Believe ye that I am able to do this? And their Anſwer, They ſaid unto him, Yea, Lord. And what followed upon it, you read afterwards, verſ. 29, 30. Then touched he their eyes, ſaying, According to your faith be it unto you: And their eyes were opened. So you have ſuch and ſuch ſpiritual diſeaſes; you have inward blindneſs, and inward deafneſs, and inward hardneſs; but do you believe that Chriſt can heal you? Doth not unbelief keep off the cure in you? Do you touch him by Faith? Chriſt and you, as I ſaid but now, muſt touch one another, that you may be healed: He by his Spirit, and you by your Faith. Beloved, this finger of the Spirit is ſuch a thing, that by it Chriſt can touch you, tho you be upon Earth; and on the other ſide, this finger of Fath is ſuch a thing, that by it you can touch Chriſt, tho he be in Heaven. If Chriſt doth but ſend his Spirit to you, it will tell you where you are; it will find you out, and it will give you ſuch a touch as you'l never forget; and when Chriſt hath thus touched you, he will help you to touch him, he will work Faith in you by his Spirit. Oh! look after theſe touches, and don't think you are healed if Chriſt hath not touched you, and you have not touched him.
2. Obſerve, that as they muſt touch him that would be healed; ſo they were healed if they did but touch him, Matth. 9. 20, 21. Here is a great deal of comfort for weak believers. Many a poor Soul is ready to think, that becauſe they have not Faith in that ſtrength and growth, and full aſſurance that ſome have, therefore, alas! they ſhall get nothing from Chriſt; do no good at all with that poor, ſorry, ſtaggering Faith of theirs. Truly, poor Soul, I wiſh thy Faith were ſtronger; but I tell thee, if thou haſt but a grain of true Faith, tho it be never ſo weak, if it be but true, 'twill bring thee a cure; for 'twill touch Chriſt, if it be true, tho never ſo ſmall.
3. Obſerve, that as many as touched him, were healed, Mark 6. laſt words of the chapt. He did not turn away one that did it; he accepted of the weakeſt Faith; there is not one that comes to Chriſt ſhall be refuſed.
4. Obſerve, that they who touched him, were not almoſt healed by him, but they were healed perfectly, Matth. 14. 36. You that are the people of God, you have yet a great many weakneſſes, and imperfections; you can't ſay yet, I am well, my heart is clean enough. No, I know 'tis your grief that you are no better: Yea, but go on to touch Chriſt ſtill, keep the finger of Faith upon him, and you ſhall find by that time he hath done, that you ſhall be made perfectly whole; he hath begun to cure you already, and he will finiſh what he hath begun.
5. Obſerve, how quickly Chriſt healed them, Luke 13. 13. immediately, which ſhews what a ſpeedy Alteration the Lord Jeſus can make in your condition. 'Tis, it may be, very ſad with thy Soul now; but how ſoon, if he pleaſe, can he bring you to a better paſs? If he ſpeak but a word, 'twill be done; therefore wait with patience for a recovery and a reviving in thy Soul; think of this, it may be done immediately for ought I know: Why then ſhould I be out of hope?
6. Obſerve again, That Chriſt healed them of whatſoever Diſeaſes they had, Matth. 4. 23, 24. 'tis that which lies many times very heavy upon the Souls of ſome: What ſuch a ſinner as I be received! I find mercy! one in my condition! why my caſe is an extraordinary caſe for Sin and Guilt, and Miſery. But mind here, he healed all manner of Sickneſſes; as if the Evangeliſt ſhould have ſaid, he healed all manner of ſinners that come to him, for that is the ſpiritual meaning of it, ſee Matth. 12: 31:
7. Obſerve, that he healed thoſe who could not be healed of any other, Luke 8. 43. the poor Womans caſe was deſperate as to any other Phyſician, ſhe could not be healed. Very like the words may be delivered in the ſame language that her Phyſicians had ſpoken to her; they might tell her when they had tried all means, Now you cannot be healed, and yet Chriſt healed her. Beloved, a ſinner may be given up for Deſperate; and a Soul may give up its caſe for Deſperate, and yet healing may come from Chriſt for all that. And therefore take heed both to others, tho they be very wicked, and as to your ſelves too, tho your condition be very ſinful, and very ſad, that you do not caſt away all hope, tho it looks never ſo much like a condition that cannot be healed; take heed, don't undervalue Chriſts skill: when thou ſayeſt this ſinner cannot be turned, this condition cannot be got out of, thou forgetteſt how thou undervalueſt Chriſts skill.
8. Obſerve again, You find that when Chriſt had healed them, they had an inward perceiving of it, See Mark 5. 29, 33. ſhe felt in her, ſhe knew what was done in her. Oh! how ignorant are many of this, who profeſs that they have come to Chriſt, and have touched him, and ſome of them I believe have done ſo: Ah! but how many be there, even of Gods own Children, that have not that feeling, that knowledg of it, as to ſay, Sure enough I have been healed by Chriſt, otherwiſe it could not be thus and thus with me, as it is, bleſſed be God; I feel the healings of Chriſt within me. I know there is ſome feeling, ſome ſenſe of it in thoſe who are healed; and therefore examine, you that think you are in this healed condition; What do you feel? What Knowledg have you of any ſuch thing done in you? I obſerve in mine own experience, that when it comes to this cloſe queſtion, If a Miniſter of Chriſt ask ſome, who are too ready to look upon themſelves as converted when they are not; Well, pray what have you inwardly found or felt of ſuch a change? They have nothing to ſay.
9. Again obſerve, what a running, and ſtriving, and crowding there was by them, to come to this healer, See Mark 3. 9, 10. and chap. 6. 54, 55, 56. Oh! that we could ſee this forwardneſs and diligence in people, to get ſpiritual healing from Chriſt! Oh Friends, did they do thus for their bodies, and will you not do it for your Souls? Chriſt ſuffered it to be thus when he was upon Earth, that they that came for healing, ſhould throng in upon him, to teach us how earneſtly we ſhould make out to him for our precious Souls.
10. One thing more obſerve, That Jeſus Chriſt would certainly have us to look after this healing by him in a ſpecial manner on the Lords dayes, and while we are gathered in religious Aſſemblies; for you ſhall find how he went into their Synagogues, and healed on the Sabbath-days, See Luke 13. 10, &c. Mark 1. 21, &c. Beloved, I beſeech you mind this well, for I bring it to you, that you may be very careful to improve your Lords days opportunities of meeting together in Gods Worſhip and Ordinances, that you may get healing from Chriſt on theſe days. Beloved, theſe are ſuch kind of days as you read of Luke 5. 17. Wherein the power of the Lord is preſent to heal perſons. Oh! that this day in this Aſſembly you may have healing from Chriſt.
6. Another excellent name by which this Freedom is called, is Light, Iſa. 9. 2. The people that walked in darkneſs, have ſeen a great Light: they that dwell in the land of the ſhadow of death, upon them hath the light ſhined. This Scripture is a Prophecy, that Freedom by Chriſt ſhould be made known unto us blind and ignorant Gentiles; and the Apoſtle tells them there in 1 Pet. 2: 9. who were now partakers of this Freedom, that God had called them out of darkneſs into his marvellous Light. What a marvellous Light this is, we ſhall ſpeak ſome thing to it, when we come to ſhew the many wonders that are to be obſerved in this Freedom; but for the preſent let us conſider a little the name it ſelf. Light, what an excellent thing is that! Eccl: 11. 7. Truly the Light is ſweet. The excellency of Light will appear by comparing it with it's contrary, and by conſidering it in it ſelf: what's the contrary to Light? Why Darkneſs. Now you know that this is a thing in which there is neither Beauty, nor Order, nor Safety, nor Comfort; 'twas one of Egypts Plagues, and the laſt but one of all the Plagues they had; which ſhews what a dreadful thing 'tis; the ſaddeſt Afflictions outward or inward are compared to Darkneſs: The Devil is called the Prince of Darkneſs; Hell it ſelf is called the place of Darkneſs. And then if you conſider Light as it is in it ſelf, why 'tis one of the deſirableſt things that is in the World. You have not a houſe but they will have Windows in it to let in Light; this was the firſt thing which God made; and as ſoon as he had made it, he commended it, Gen. 1. 3, 4. God ſaw the Light that it was good. God himſelf is ſaid to dwell in Light, 1 Tim. 6. 16. Heaven it ſelf is compared to Light, Col. 1. 12. 'tis called the Inheritance of the Saints in Light. Now this Freedom by Chriſt is Light, and therefore ſure 'tis an excellent Freedom. To make out this, let us conſider a little what Light does, and you ſhall ſee that this Freedom by Chriſt doth the ſame things in a ſpiritual may.
1. Light is an awakening thing; you know tho perſons be never ſo faſt aſleep in the dark, yet when the Light breaks in, that awakens them, it makes them think 'tis time to riſe; they ſtart out of their Beds when the Light compaſſes them about, they'l ask what a clock 'tis, and they are afraid they have lien a bed to long. Beloved, ſpiritually thus 'tis with this Freedom by Chriſt, when it gets into a Soul, it may be called Light: For oh! how it awakens the Soul! it calls it up to work for Eternity, it makes the Soul aſhamed to think how long it hath been a bed in carnal ſecurity; 'tis a rowzing thing when it takes hold on the heart; it ſpeaks to a man, according to that in Prov. 6. 9. How long wilt thou ſleep, O ſluggard? when wilt thou ariſe out of thy ſleep? Or according to that which the Ship-maſter ſaid to Jonah, when there was a mighty Tempeſt in that Sea, and Jonah was gone down into the ſides of the Ship, and he lay and was faſt aſleep, Jon. 1. 6. What meaneſt thou, O ſleeper? ariſe, call upon thy God, &c. This Freedom by Chriſt ſhews them that have it, that they muſt be no ſleepers; mind two Scriptures, 1 Theſ. 5. 5, 6, 7, 8. Ye are all children of light,—Therefore let us not ſleep as do others, &c. And mark in the 9th verſ. what a Reaſon he gives for this, For God hath not appointed us to wrath: but to obtain ſalvation by our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. As if he ſhould ſay, why Freedom by Chriſt is come, therefore no ſleeping for us now. See alſo Rom. 13. 11, 12. And that knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of ſleep: for now is our ſalvation nearer then when we believed. The night is far ſpent, the day is at hand: let us therefore caſt off the works of darkneſs, and let us put on the armour of light. Mark how he brings it in knowing the time. As if he ſhould ſay, Do you know what a time this is? that 'tis a time of Freedom by Chriſt, and therefore 'tis not only time, but high time to awake out of ſleep, &c. This is the Reaſon, why thoſe that are in the darkneſs of an unconverted condition, ſleep as they do, becauſe the Light of this Freedom hath not broken in upon them.
2. Light is a diſcovering thing, it brings things into view that were hid before; you know when you are in a dark Room, it may be there be many things there, yea perhaps things that are very precious, and that would wonderfully affect one with the Beauty and Luſter of them; but to one that is in the dark, 'tis as if there were no ſuch things; but when Light comes, that diſcovers them. So when a Soul comes into this ſtate of Freedom, then, and not till then, the Beauty and Glory of heavenly things appears. You have an excellent place for this, 2 Cor. 4. 3, 4, 5, 6. Ah Sirs! there's a Goſpel among you, a glorious Goſpel, as 'tis called, 1 Tim. 1. 11. There's a Chriſt preached to you, a precious Chriſt; but as long as any of you are in the Bondage of Sin, you know not what they mean; you never ſaw any thing in them, to raiſe your hearts towards them, to beſtow your beſt affections upon them; alas, can the Children of Night and of Darkneſs ſee any Beauty in Chriſt, tho he be never ſo beautiful; or any need of Chriſt tho he be never ſo needful? If I ſhould reckon up ſpiritual things one after another, I might ſhew you how the Scripture ſaith, That they who are in this Bondage do not know ſo much as one of them; why, the Scriptures, alas! they do not know them, Matth. 22. 29. No, tho they can read them, they don't know them; tho they can talk of them, they don't know them. Again, the ways of God, alas, they don't know them neither, Heb. 3. 10. Again, the Spirit that dwells in the Saints, they don't know him, Joh. 14. 17. Again, God that made them, why they know him not, Joh. 17. 25. Again, the Children of God, they don't know theſe neither, 1 Joh. 3. 1. But there is not one that is brought into this Freedom, but hath ſome ſpiritual diſcerning of heavenly things; Unto them 'tis given to know the Myſteries of the Kingdom of God.
3. Light is a preſerving thing, it keeps a man from manifold dangers which they who are in darkneſs are expoſed to, Joh: 11. 9, 10. Darkneſs is full of dangers; there be many Pits, and Snares, and Stumbling-blocks in the way, which may be ruſht upon before one is aware, from which the Light will ſecure one. So this Freedom by Chriſt is a great defence againſt Soul-miſchiefs; they that are in this State are ſaid to be preſerved in Jeſus Chriſt, Jude 1. and to have eſcaped the corruption that is in the World through Luſt, 2 Pet. 1. 4. They are inabled to ſee through this Light; there is ſuch a Sin and ſuch a Sin that many have been overthrown by, and therefore I will take heed of it; they do in ſome meaſure ſee the Temptations and the Occaſions to ſin, that others do not take notice of: Being entred into this Freedom, they are poſſeſſed with a holy fear of offending God, and with a godly Jealouſly over their hearts and ways; and tho 'tis true they have a fall now and then, yet it is not ſo dangerous; they don't bruiſe and batter their Souls, and their Conſciences as others do. Hence you have thoſe gracious Promiſes which are made to ſuch as cloſe with Chriſt, of being kept from evil ways, See Prov. 2. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. & 3. 23. & 4. 12.
4. Light is an adorning thing, it caſts a Beauty and Brightneſs upon things when it ſhines upon them. So this Freedom by Chriſt: Oh, how it adorns them that have it; it adorns them ſo, that it makes them all new Creatures, 2 Cor. 5. 17. There is a beauty in the eyes of men, and there is a beauty in the eyes of God: Now there be many that are beautiful▪ in the eyes of men, and yet God ſees no beauty in them, for he is not taken with the outward appearance of things, as we are; but now beloved, God himſelf ſees a beauty in all thoſe perſons that are made Free by Chriſt, this is a thing that doth adorn us in his eye: And therefore when Chriſt looks upon his redeemed Spouſe, obſerve how he ſpeaks to her, Cant. 4. 7. Thou art all fair my love, there is no ſpot in thee: Thou haſt raviſhed my heart, my Siſter, my Spouſe, thou haſt raviſhed my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chaine of thy neck. And chap. 6. 5. the former words of it, and chap. 7. 6. 'Tis the Glory of this Freedom, that as it makes Chriſt excellent to us, ſo it makes us excellent to Chriſt: we ſee a preciouſneſs in him above all others; and he ſees a preciouſneſs in us above all others too; we cannot but love him, we are ſo taken with him; and he cannot but love us, he is ſo taken with us.
5. Light is a rejoycing thing; as darkneſs breeds ſadneſs, ſo Light begets cheerfulneſs, Prov. 15. 30. 'tis a thing that raiſes up the ſpirits. So this Freedom by Chriſt is Light upon that account; it brings joy to the heart where it comes. No ſooner was the Jaylor entred into this, but 'tis ſaid he rejoyced, Acts 16. 34. 'tis ſuch a condition that one would even wonder that any that are in it ſhould ever be ſorry; and that any that are out of it ſhould ever be merry: And ordinarily there be but two Reaſons why any that are in this condition do not rejoyce, pray mark them. Either,
1. Becauſe, they fear they are not in this condition; for one may be in it, and not know it with ſuch aſſurance and certainty as to put him out of fear: Now fear is a great hindrance to joy and comfort. You ſhall obſerve many times that's the great thing that caſts down many a poor Soul, whoſe condition we look upon as very comfortable in it ſelf: Oh! they cannot ſay but ſuch and ſuch things have been done in them, that they ſpeak ſome hope; but when they conſider what a rare work a right work is, and how deceitful the heart is, and how far they may go, and yet be an hypocrite: Oh! then how they fear whither yet a ſaving change hath paſſed upon them; they would rejoyce, yea, and ſing aloud, and ſhout for joy, if they did but know upon ſure grounds that they belonged to Chriſt; but alas there's their fear. They that are aſſured they are in Chriſt, they rejoyce, and well they may; but it cannot be expected that they ſhould do ſo that fear it. Fear hath torment in it, and ſeeing it is ſuch a tormenting thing, tho a Soul ſhould be in Chriſt, yet till 'tis in ſome good meaſure ſatisfied about it, and perſwaded that 'tis ſo, ſorrow muſt needs be the moſt prevailing thing there. And therefore if you would have the comfort of this condition, you muſt not only be in it, but labour to ſee that you are in it, and then you would find that this Freedom by Chriſt is a moſt rejoycing thing to your Souls, 'tis your uncertainty that hinders your joy, See Rom. 5. 1, 2. We have peace, &c. Mark that word we have it! and what then? why we rejoyce, &c.
2. Or, becauſe they forget they are in this condition. I mean for the preſent 'tis out of their minds. When the Saints are under ſadneſs they are under a forgetfulneſs; and 'twas their forgetting where they are, that was the great cauſe that brought them to it. As now to make it out thus; It may be a Child of God, and one that knows, for the main, he is a Child of God, and hath ſuch grounds for his perſwaſion as will undeniably hold good by the word of God; and therefore as to the main he knows that he hath not built his Houſe upon the Sand, but upon the Rock. Yet I ſay, it may be this Child of God for all this, hath turned again to folly, and is guilty of ſuch and ſuch back-ſlidings, and he hath not kept up his Communion with God by ſuch a cloſe walking as he ought; and ſo now his comfort and his joy is gone, and he is now brought to ſuch a paſs as David was in his Soul, there in Pſal. 51. by reaſon of the ſins that he had fallen into, and is fain to pray over his Petitions; becauſe now 'tis his own caſe, ver. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. and I pray what is it that hath brought him to this ſadneſs? Why truly, becauſe, by ſinning thus he forgat where he was, he did not mind, as he ſhould have done; Why I am a Child of God, and in a ſtate of Grace; and therefore I muſt not return to theſe Sins, I muſt not yield to theſe Temptations, I muſt not grieve the holy Spirit by unbecoming walking; but alas he forgot this, and ſo ran himſelf firſt into ſin, and then into ſadneſs.
And then again, another Child of God it may be, and that hath had good Scripture-Evidences of his being ſo, tho he perhaps hath not ſo gone away from God by the forementioned back-ſlidings; yet, (as it doth indeed ſometimes thus fall out), he hath his time of darkneſs too; and he is ſo ſad, he cannot tell what to do; why what's the great Reaſon now that his ſadneſs is thus upon him? The man, it may be, hath been very careful to keep up his Communion with God, and there's nothing in all the World that he hath been as much afraid of, as of diſpleaſing his loving Father, and yet ſometimes he cannot rejoyce: Well, what is the cauſe of his ſadneſs? Why now he forgets where he is, and whoſe Child he is, and what his Priviledges are, and what Promiſes are made to ſuch a one as he is, and what a Covenant God hath taken him into. If he could but remember himſelf, and ſtir up himſelf to ſet Faith a work upon theſe things, and think, Why is my Countenance ſad, ſince I am the Son of a King? and why do I walk thus dejectedly, ſince the Lord loves me, and hath done ſuch great things for me, and will yet do greater? I ſay, if he could but well remember theſe things, and improve the remembrance of them, would not he rejoyce? Yes that he would to be ſure; but alas, he forgets for the preſent that he is in this comfortable condition, and ſo hath not the comfort of it; but when God helps him to remember, then the man will rejoyce again: See that remarkable place, Pſal. 63. 5, 6. David was now in a wilderneſs-condition, as the title ſhews, Well ſaies he here, but I ſhall rejoyce and praiſe thee again, My mouth ſhall praiſe thee with joyful lips; but which way muſt this joy come in: Oh! ſaies he, when I remember thee upon my bed, &c. As if he ſhould haveſaid, If I could but get into this Remembrance, think upon what God is to me, and think upon what I am to him; this would do it. So that this ſame Freedom by Chriſt 'tis Light, 'tis a rejoycing thing in it ſelf; only the Reaſon why many of Gods people dont't rejoyce in it, is either, becauſe they fear they are not in this condition, or they forget it.
7. Another name by which this Freedom is called, that ſets out the excellency of it, is Life. Now I need not much ſtand upon it, to ſhew you that Life is an excellent thing; what's the great care of people taken up about generally, but how to provide for their Life: Why have they ſo many earneſt thoughts, and why do they put themſelves upon ſuch unwearied labours as they do, but to provide for their Life? and when they are ſick, and fallen into ſome dangerous diſeaſe, what's the great, and the greateſt fear that then moſt have? Oh, that their Life will be gone; they prize Life; ſo that when we would ſet out the doing of a thing with the greateſt care, we uſe to expreſs it thus, We did it as for our Lives; and Life is ſuch a precious thing, that tho one lives in a great deal of pain and miſery, yet one is very loath to leave it. And we ſhew what an high eſteem we have of Life, by the rejoycing that we have in us, when any of our dear Relations have been dangerouſly ſick, and it hath pleaſed God that they have recovered again; oh, how glad are we that their Life is preſerved, that they ſhall continue longer with us; and then when any one of them are taken away by Death, why the ſorrow and grief that follows upon that, and the mourning that we make for deceaſed Friends, confirms the truth of this, that Life is an excellent thing. Well, now this Freedom by Chriſt is Life, Joh. 6. 33.—He giveth Life to the World: and chap: 5. 40. Ye will not come unto me that ye might have Life; that is, that you might have Freedom by me. And here I will ſpeak a little about this ſuitableneſs of this Name, how ſuitable it is that this Freedom by Chriſt ſhould be called Life. You know Life puts a quickning Principle into them that have it, ſo doth this Freedom by Chriſt. Take notice of four things here.
1. It puts Life into our Souls. Souls do not live ſpiritually, and unto God, till they come into this Freedom, Eph. 2. 1. they are only ſuch as are intereſted in it, that are paſſed from Death to Life. Now to have a Soul that is dead within one, is a dreadful thing, and dead in the worſt ſenſe of all too; for the Soul to be dead, ſo as that it was never quickned. 'Tis true, Gods Children complain many times how dead their hearts are, and what great need they have of quickning; and oh, how much do they pray, that they might not be ſo dead as they are, as you ſhall ſee David often doth in Pſal. 119. 25, 37, 40, 88, 107, 149, 154, 146, 159. Yea, but here is ſomething to be conſidered, that tho they are dead now, it may be, yet, they have been quickned; 'tis not a deadneſs that is from want of Life, but from want of livelineſs; but the deadneſs of thoſe that are not made Free by Chriſt, is ſuch that ſpeaks they were never quickned, and ſo their Souls are dead in the worſt ſenſe of all, they have no ſpiritual Life in them.
2. This Fredom by Chrſt, it puts Life into Ordinances. There be ſome that find the Ordinances of Chriſt living things, as David ſaies, Pſal. 119. 50. that he had found the word to be a living word; But who are they that have this Experience? Why they which are made Free by Chriſt. I tell you, opportunities and means of Grace are other manner of things to them, than they are to others. You that are yet in the Bondage of Sin, you can ſpeak nothing that ſuch an Ordinance was bleſt to you at ſuch a time, and then another at another time; you cannot ſay, Oh, the ſweet Communion that I had with God upon ſuch a Sabbath, and at ſuch a Sermon: You had ſuch a meeting with Jeſus Chriſt, and there were ſuch incomes from the Lord upon your Spirits, and ſuch drawings out of your hearts towards God, that you would not for the whole World but you had been there; but they that are made Free, there be thoſe amongſt them that can ſay ſo. I my ſelf heard a good man ſay once, after Prayer had been made to God by a Miniſter in the company of ſome Chriſtians, who were together to that purpoſe, that he would not for all the World, but he had been there that time. And what do you think made David ſpeak that in Pſal. 84. 10. A day in thy courts is better than a thouſand: but becauſe he being one that belonged to Chriſt, found Life in the Ordinances? Oh! this is that which makes Gods people deſire to come to Ordinances, and to bleſs God for them, becauſe they do find Life conveyed to their Souls by them; that's a notable place in 1 Cor. 1. 18. That the preaching of the Goſpel is the power of God; to whom? why, to us that are ſaved, i. e. that are partakers of this Freedom by Chriſt, one of the names of which, as you have heard, is Salvation.
3. This Freedom by Chriſt puts Life into our Communion; I mean that converſe which we have one with another, when we are in company together. Oh! if we are but made Free by Chriſt, and then come into one anothers ſociety, we are fitted by it for a living Diſcourſe together, for the having of ſome heart-warming conference each with other. If there be two or three, or more of theſe perſons met together, 'tis to be hoped that they wont part one from another without ſome ſpiritual good to one anothers Souls. Their being thus related one to another in the Freedom that Chriſt gives to believers, will ſtir up their hearts to heavenly Communication, to help one another forward in the ways of God. They whoſe Priviledg and State this is, they carry ſpiritual heat about them, ſo that when they come into the company of others, they'l glow; as Mary and Elizabeth, when they come together, Luke 1. they did as it were ſparkle in their gracious Diſcourſe one with another: When they that are in the Bondage of ſin, and ſtrangers to Chriſt, meet together, many times there you ſhall have the Language of Hell in their mouths, corrupt Communication, that diſcovers what they are, for their Speech bewrays them; and others of them, tho they are civilized, yet their talk 'twill be but earthly; oh, how their breath ſmells of the earth! If one ſtrive to get them into any diſcourſe that is above the things of this World, oh what dead companions they are! then you put them out of their Element; and if you would not have them ſpeak of things below, then you ſtop their mouths, they muſt ſay nothing: for they ſavour not the things of God. And tho 'tis true that Hypocrites may hold diſcourſe about good things, if they be perſons that have parts and gifts, and brain knowledg; yet, oh, there's no Life in that Communion; they are not in this ſtate of Freedom by Chriſt that ſhould put Life into it, and make them ſpeak of good things from a Principle within; but now Chriſts redeemed ones, they are living companions, and Communion with them is ſometimes as it were a corner of Heaven. If they can but once get into gracious diſcourſe together, as that is to often ſomewhat hard to do, what for want of coming oftner together, and by reaſon of deadneſs and backwardneſs to ſuch a good work as edifying of one another in love when they are together, and for want of making it, (as ſometimes they ſhould) the very deſign and end of their coming together, to build up one another in their moſt holy faith, &c. But I ſay, if they can but once get into it, and eſpecially if they be not only true Chriſtians, but fervent: Oh, what comfortable, profitable Communion will there be ſometimes between them, that their very hearts will be knit together by it, as it was between Jonathan and David, when they had had Communion together, The ſoul of Jonathan, was knit to the ſoul of David, and they loved one another as their own Souls. Now, the having of this living Communion together, is a thing which the Lord ſets a very high eſteem upon. I ſpeak this to encourage Gods people to be more frequent and forward in it, then many of us are, See Mal. 3. 16. Then they that feared the Lord, ſpake often one to another, and the Lord hearkned, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him, for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name. This is a Scripture that one would think ſhould make you even long to be more at this work; for mark what encouragement it carries in it. 1. The Lord: hearkned, as it were by way of Attention; and 2. Heard it, as it were by way of Acceptation: And then 3. This muſt not only be accepted, but it muſt be written. 4. Not in ſome looſe little Paper or Scroll, but in a Book. And 5. This Book muſt be called a Book of Remembrance, Remembrance muſt be the very name of it. And 6. That it might be remembred, it muſt not be laid away, but be before him.
4. This Freedom by Chriſt (we being intereſted in it), puts Life into our Hopes. If we have not this, all our Hopes of Mercy and Salvation are but dead Hopes; and you'l have no more benefit by them, then you will have of a man that you had great hopes in that he would be a mighty Friend to you in your diſtreſs, and you count upon it before your diſtreſs comes upon you, that certainly you ſhall have ſuch a Friend as paſſes of that man; and thus you go on, and when your great diſtreſs comes upon you, then you begin to look out for this Friend, that he may now do for you according to what he put you in hope he would do; and when you have enquired after him, and now have ſuch great need of help, you find the man is dead. So if you are not partakers of this Freedom by Chriſt, hope what you will, it will come to nothing; and therefore what the Apoſtle tells the people of God they ſhould not do, I tell you that are not the people of God, that you ſhould do it, Heb. 10. 35. He ſaith they muſt by no means caſt away their confidence. But, oh Sirs, you that are out of Chriſt▪ muſt by all means caſt away yours, you muſt throw it out for a caſt-away, and if you don't make that a caſt-away, that will help to caſt away you. What a ſlave to ſin! and yet hope to enjoy the Priviledges and Happineſs of them that are made Free by Chriſt! Away with it; In this Senſe I pray with all my heart that God Almighty would bring you to final deſperation. What ſinner▪ doſt thou think to live by a dead Hope? Obj. But how do you prove that my Hope is a dead Hope? Anſw. I will tell thee but even in three words. 1. Becauſe the Scripture calls it no Hope, Eph. 2. 12. As a dead man is as good as no man, ſo a dead Hope is no Hope. 2. Becauſe 'tis not a Hope to which God hath begotten thee, thou haſt given thy ſelf this Hope; but the living Hope is that which God hath given to his people by begetting of them to himſelf, by cauſing them to be born again, 1 Pet. 1. 3. 3. Becauſe it doth not bring forth any purifying fruits; thou keepeſt thy Hope, and keepeſt thy ſins too; thy Hope and Holineſs do not go together; thou canſt allow thy ſelf in ways of wickedneſs, and mindeſt not a being like to God. Whereas 'tis otherwiſe with them that have the living Hope; they purifie themſelves as he is pure, 1 Joh. 3. 3.
8. One thing more briefly, about this Freedom by Chriſt, as to another name by which 'tis called, ſerving to ſet out the excellency of it, and that is, 'tis called the Bleſſing of God. Now that's a precious things indeed; What's all that we have, if we have not Gods Bleſſing with it? Why 'tis his Bleſſing that keeps us from his curſe; when God intended the greateſt good to Abraham, he ſummed it up in this, I will bleſs thee, Gen. 12. 2. And ſo when you wiſh the greateſt mercy to others, you pray that God would bleſs them; his bleſſing is the comfort of every Calling, of every Relation, of every Condition. Why now this Freedom by Chriſt is Gods bleſſing, See Acts 3. ult. Ʋnto you firſt, God having raiſed up his Son Jeſus, ſent him to bleſs you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities. And therefore all that I ſhall ſay upon it, is this, That if you have not this Freedom by Chriſt, you'l never have Gods bleſſing, and therefore you'l have Gods curſe, that will be your Portion. I grant that in ſome ſenſe you may be ſaid to have his bleſſings, that is, you may have outward mercies; in which reſpect God ſaid he would bleſs Iſhmael himſelf, tho he were the Son of the Bondwoman, Gen. 17. 20. But he may bleſs you thus, and yet you may be curſed for ever, and ſo you will be if Chriſt doth not make you Free: And oh Sirs, what a dreadful thing will it be to lye under the curſe of God to eternity! Do you think you are ſtrong enough to bear ſuch a load as this is World without end? You may ſee ſome inkling of it now, what a dreadful thing this curſe is, if God doth but let fall a drop of it, upon a great Eſtate, how it moulders; or upon any perſon for his wickedneſs, what a forlorn Creature he becomes, as Cain. Why this is a thing that will dry one up to the roots, as the Fig-tree when Chriſt curſed it, immediatly it whithered away. But what then will it be in Hell where it ſhall be in its full force! But as for them who are intereſted in this Freedom by Chriſt, I may ſay to them, as in Pſal. 115. 15. You are bleſſed of the Lord which made heaven and earth.