Spiritual Bondage and Freedom, Chapter 10
CHAP. X.
Concerning the excellent Ʋſes that may be made of this Freedom.
THE Sixth way of making out the excellency of this Freedom by Chriſt, is to acquaint you with the excellent Ʋſes that may be made of it. The worth and value of any thing is ſeen in the Uſes to which it may be put. That which is of no uſe, is naught: that which is of ſome uſe, is good: that which is of great uſe, is very good: but that which is of the greateſt uſe, is beſt of all. Now beloved, to give this Freedom its due place, I muſt put it amongſt thoſe things which are of the higheſt uſe. and in doing ſo, I ſhall not ſet it one jot above what it deſerves: for the higheſt place doth of right belong to it. Now in ſpeaking upon this, I might ſhew,
1. The excellent Ʋſes which Chriſt makes of this Freedom.
2. The excellent Ʋſes which Chriſtians may make of it.
I ſhall be brief upon the firſt, becauſe I do chiefly intend the latter.
To the 1ſt I will hint but Four excellent Uſes which Chriſt makes of it.
1. By this Freedom, he brings home all the elect of God: He fetches them one after another into the Kingdom of Grace and Glory. It was the will of God concerning thoſe whom he hath choſen in the eternal purpoſe of his love, that they ſhould be made holy in this World, and happy in the World to come. Now by this Freedom Chriſt doth accompliſh that will of his Father: he brings them unto holineſs by it, Tit. 2. 14. and he brings them to happineſs by it, 2 Tim. 1. 10. So that this Freedom will diſcover who they are that are elected, and who are not: For they that are elected, will be ſanctified and glorified; and they that are not, will remain in their ſins, and be damned. It will ſeparate between the precious and the vile, between the Tares and the Wheat, between the Sheep and the Goats. By that time the work of this Freedom is finiſhed, it will ſet the children of God by themſelves, and the children of the Devil by themſelves, that they ſhall never come near one another more, Matth. 25. 31, 32, 46.
2. By this Freedom Chriſt repairs the great breach by the Fall of mankind. He heals that deadly wound, and makes up that unſpeakable loſs for as many as believe on his Name. In that Apoſtacy from God, the Devil did a World of miſchief to the Sons of Men: but by this Freedom Chriſt undermines him, and out-plots him; and he brings his whole deſign againſt the Elect of God to nothing: and thereof you read, 1 John 3, 8. that Chriſt was manifeſted for this purpoſe, that he might destroy his works. The Devil was hard at work when he brought in the Fall, and all the ſin and miſery that followed upon it. He never wrought harder in his life, than he did at this time, and at one more, and that was when Jeſus Chriſt was in the World, and now come in perſon to reſtore liberty by the Goſpel; Then he wrought ſo hard to withſtand the ſalvation of ſinners by Chriſt, that I may ſay, after our manner of expreſſing things, he ſweat till he dropt again: He was, as it were, all of a foam with rage: And he ſhewed it ſufficiently from the very Birth, to the very Death of Chriſt. And 'tis obſervable for this, what Chriſt ſaith in Luke 22. 53. when Judas and his company were come to take him, that that time was the power of Darkneſs; i. e: Satan was then at work with all his might. But to look back again to the Fall, Oh, how he was at work there! And when he had prevailed with our firſt Parents in the Temptation, no doubt but he thought that he had made ſtrong and ſure work of it; that all was now his own for ever: for he knew that man could never recover himſelf: and he knew that all the Angels in Heaven were not able to do it: and he knew, that tho God in mercy could have pardoned them, yet that muſt not be neither, without ſatisfaction to his Juſtice: and he little thought of any ſuch way to be taken, as for God to ſend his only begotten Son into the World, that the World through him might be ſaved, tho it was not long after, but he had an incling of it, Gen. 3. 15. Now Chriſt by this Freedom, cruſhes and breaks the Devil's head; i. e. ſpoils all the Maſter-peice of his malice and ſubtilty; reſtores that Image of God of which he had robb'd us; brings in a Covenant of Grace for a Covenant of Works broken; and begins the World a-new, as it were.
3. By this Freedom, Chriſt executes the three great Offices of a Prophet, Prieſt, and King. God the Father appointed and anointed him to all theſe Offices, and by this redeeming-work he does diſcharge them. His Office of a Prophet, is to teach his Church the things that are needful to their Salvation; by this Freedom he diſcharges that; therefore Joh. 15. 13. with verſ. 15. when he tells them that he had ſhewed his great love to them in laying down his life for them, that is, to make them free; he adds this, that he had made known all things to them, which he had heard of his Father, that is, which his Father had ſent him to teach them in, for their ſpiritual and eternal good. His Office of a Prieſt, was to ſuffer and ſatisfie for them upon Earth, and to intercede for them in Heaven, and by this Freedom he diſcharges that, Heb. 2. 17. His Office of a King, is to rule in his Church by way of increaſing, preſerving, defending, and ordering of it, and by this Freedom he diſcharges that; as in Iſa. 9. 6, 7. you may ſee. So that all that Chriſt doth, it relates to this Freedom; either 'tis in order to the giving of it, or elſe 'tis the fruit and effect of his having given it; we cannot name any thing that ever he did, or yet doth, or ſhall do as Mediator, but it ſome way or other runs into this.
4. By this Freedom Chriſt leaves matter of the higheſt Condemnation upon the refuſers of the Goſpel. Sirs, I beſeech you conſider this, The Lord Jeſus is reſolved to make uſe of this Freedom one way or other, with all of you, either to ſave or damn you: Where he can't make the one uſe, that is to ſave ſinners, he will make the other uſe of it, that is to ſink ſinners. Where it doth not ſerve as an Engine to raiſe them, 'twill ſerve as an Engine to ruin them. Doubt not of it, Chriſt will have enough to ſay from this ſalvation of his, when he hath offered it, and you have deſpiſed it, to leave you without excuſe. 'Twill furniſh him abundantly with Arguments to plead againſt you, that will ſtop all your mouths at the laſt day; when he ſhall tell you, how he had prepared a Remedy that would have delivered you from all your miſery, and how he did moſt willingly ſhed that precious blood of his, which would have waſhed away all your ſins: and if you had but come to him, you might have been as ſafe, and as bleſſed as others that believed in him: but nothing would prevail with you to bring you in: You either did not look after him at all, or if you did, it was not to purpoſe: You could not find in your hearts to turn every ſin out of doors: there muſt be ſomething of your Luſts that muſt be ſpared, and ſomething of his Terms that muſt be abated: You were afraid of buying Chriſt too dear. Well now, what ſhall Chriſt do, but make uſe of this Freedom and Goſpel for a Witneſs againſt you? and be ſure of it, he is reſolved to do it. That place doth intimate ſo much to you before-hand, in John 3. 18, 19. But I ſhall ſay no more of the Uſes which Chriſt makes of this Freedom; but ſhall come to ſhew the excellent Uſes that Chriſtians may make of it.
And in reference to them, I ſhall lay down in Twelve things, what this Freedom is good for.
1. To make them from their hearts to pity Chriſtleſs perſons: To do that in ſome meaſure which you read of Chriſt, concerning Jeruſalem, which did not know the things of their peace in the day of their viſitation; when he came near the City, he beheld it, and wept over it. So, beloved, this Freedom is good to make them that have it, to weep over them that have it not; and to ſay, Ah poor ſinners! ah precious ſouls! where are you? what will become of you? It will preſent unconverted men and women, to the mind and thoughts of a Believer in Chriſt, as the ſaddeſt ſpectacles that ever their eyes beheld. Their Freedom now, makes them ſenſible what 'tis to be a ſinner. While they were in the Bondage themſelves, they ſaw not the danger that was in that condition; but now they do: and ſo they are prepared to pity every one that is left behind. Indeed they ſee (and 'tis commonly to be ſeen) that theſe Chriſtleſs perſons are ſecure and merry, as if all were as well as could be. But all this makes thoſe that have this Freedom, to pity them the more. It would be ſome comfort to them, to ſee them ſtruck down with Convictions, that things are not well within them; and to hear them cry out as the Jaylor did to Paul and Silas, Sirs, what muſt I do to be ſaved? &c. But to ſee them in their ſins, and yet to be ſecure; to ſee them under the Curſe, and yet to be merry, Oh! this ſets their hearts a bleeding. Now take ſome Scriptures where you ſhall ſee that this Freedom is good for this excellent uſe and purpoſe; ſee Pſal. 119. 158. alſo ver. 136. Rivers of waters run down mine eyes; becauſe they keep not thy law. Obj. But you'l ſay, this is the Old Teſtament. Anſ. What tho it be? the Freedom was in force then, and David was a partaker of it. But would you have ſomething out of the New Teſtament for it? ſee then Phil. 3. 18. Rom. 9. 1, 2, &c. where you find, that Paul, who was in this Freedom, had tears in his eyes, and heart-breaking grief within him, for thoſe that went Chriſtleſs. And beloved, this Freedom will teach Miniſters that have it, to pity their Chriſtleſs Hearers; and Parents that have it, to pity their Chriſtleſs Children; and Maſters that have it, to pity their Chriſtleſs Servants, &c. And is not this an excellent uſe now? I dare ſay, you can't be in this Freedom, any of you, but your bowels and compaſſion will work in ſome meaſure, inſad be moaning the wretched condition of perſons in a ſtate of Nature.
2. It is good to make us underſtand the Goſpel. This Freedom ſets up a light to ſhew us what that is. Friends, this word Goſpel, is a Myſterious word, and carries ſuch things in at, as no natural man can receive or percieve, 1 Cor. 2. 14. Now, oh, what an excellent thing would it be to underſtand thoſe things which all the wiſdom of the men of this World, (who underſtand abundance upon other accounts) is not able to tell what to make of! Why, now come into this Freedom, and the mind and the Myſteries of God will be unfolded to you; you will be brought out of darkneſs into the marvellous light; Chriſt and the Covenant of Grace will be revealed to you; you ſhall know the truth, and the truth ſhall make you free, verſ. 32. of this 8th of John. As Luther ſaid when he was brought to the knowledg of Chriſt, and of juſtification by faith, that the whole Scripture ſeemed to be a new thing to him; he ſaw that in it which he never ſaw before: ſo 'twill be with you. What's the reaſon that perſons are ſo ignorant of heavenly things, as they are, of the new Birth, of the Life of Faith, of Communion with Chriſt, but becauſe they are not brought into this Freedom? Certainly this would make the Bible another manner of thing to many of you, than ever 'twas yet. Oh, the inſight that thoſe get into the Wiſdom and Grace of God, who are brought into this liberty, of that they had before! Now they can ſpeak of Salvation by the Son of God, and the things which belong to it, like knowing men; this Freedom hath opened the eyes of their underſtanding. Beloved, what Sampſon ſaid to the Philiſtines, when he had propounded a riddle to them, the meaning of which they were not able to pick out, but by the help of his Wife; Judg. 14. 18. If, ſaith he, ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle; the ſame I may ſay, of the Myſteries of the Kingdom of God; you'l never diſcern them, if you don't make uſe of Chriſts Freedom; for they are like the Book, Rev. 5. which was ſealed with ſeven ſeals, and none was able to open it, or to look thereon with any underſtanding, till Chriſt had opened the Seals thereof. In Eph. 1. 7. the Apoſtle-ſpeaks, that they had gotten this Freedom by Chriſt; and then in verſ. 9. he brings in this, Having made known to us, the Myſtery of his will; then they came to know it.
3. Another excellent uſe of this Freedom is this: It is good to endear Chriſt to the Soul: Alas, what is Chriſt to thoſe, who remain in the Bondage of ſin? What beauty do they ſee in him? What breathings have they after him? You were even as good tell them of a chip, as tell them of Chriſt, for any regard they have to him; there's nothing that is of leſs account or eſteem with them, than he is. He is called there, in Iſa. 49. 7. one whom man deſpiſeth, and whom the nation, (i. e. of the Jews) did abhor. What two greater words for undervaluing of Chriſt, can you meet with, than to deſpiſe him, and abhor him? But now the having of this Freedom, oh, 'twill make Chriſt a precious Chriſt to the Soul, 1 Pet. 2. 7. they can't but prize him, who have been redeemed by him, when they conſider what he hath done for them; that he came down from Heaven for them, and became poor for their ſakes, and that he was mocked and ſcourged, and ſpit upon for them, and upon the Croſs for them, and bear the Wrath and Curſe of God for them: Oh how doth this make them to be highly in love with him! and to wiſh that they had a thouſand times more love for him, then they have. And certainly, you that believe in Chriſt, this is one great means to raiſe up your love to him; when you do find or fear that your Affection to him begins to be chilled, to ſet your ſelves to meditate upon the Freedom that he hath given you, and how abundantly he hath ſhewed his dear Love to you, in dying for you, and in waſhing of you in his own Blood; ply your hearts a while, as hard as you can, with deep and ſerious thought about this; I am perſwaded 'twill prove a love-kindling, and a love inflaming conſideration to you; you will find that you have affections, and dear affections, for Chriſt again.
4. It is good to make all ones life comfortable. As the being without this Freedom, is the way to make all ones life miſerable; ſo the having of it, and the knowing that one hath it, laies in matter of daily conſolation. Let whatever will befall a man, this will be always at hand to cheer him; there is no cordial to the heart like it, when a man can look upon his troubles, and ſay, Notwithſtanding 'tis thus and thus with me, yet, bleſſed be God, he hath had mercy on me. I belong to Chriſt, and what can hurt me? You would not much fear living comfortably, if you had but two things in your comfort. 1. That it were ſo ſtrong, that nothing could overcome it. And 2. That it ſhould be ſo laſting, that it would never have an end. Why now, ſuch comfort this Freedom brings, Heb. 6. 18. and 2 Theſſ. 2. 1. in the one place 'tis called ſtrong Conſolation; and in the other everlaſting Conſolation. And therefore away with that vile reproach, which ſome are apt to caſt upon the condition of Gods people, that 'tis a melancholy life; as if perſons muſt never look to be merry more in this World, after they are once turned Godly; the Devil hath always ſomething or other to blind and befool ſinners, and to make them think that their condition is the merry condition, and the Saints condition the mopiſh condition; but if ever he were a liar, he is a liar in this; and God will judg him and his inſtruments for bringing up this evil report upon the good Land which he hath given his people. Beloved, be not diſcouraged by this ſlander, from looking after this heavenly Canaan, as the Children of Iſrael were from entring into the earthly Canaan, when the Spies that went to ſearch the land had ſpoken evil of it to them; for as Caleb ſaid to them, the ſame I ſay to you, The Land is an exceeding good Land; I mean now, the ſtate into which Chriſt hath brought believers, is even in this World a joyful ſtate. You ſhall ſee how it was prophecied of, in the Old Teſtament, that it ſhould be ſo, Pſal. 67. read verſ. 1, 2. where he ſpeaks of the coming of this Freedom. God be merciful unto us, and bleſs us, and cauſe his face to ſhine upon us. Selah. That thy way may be known upon earth, thy ſaving health among all nations; and what follows, why verſ. 3, 4, 5. Let the people praiſe thee, O God: let all the people praiſe thee: O let the nations be glad and ſing for joy; there's the joy that it brings with it. So Iſa. 35. 10. this chapter is to he underſtood of Goſpel Freedom and Salvation; and mark what Joy here is now. The ranſomed of the Lord ſhall return, and come to Zion with ſongs, and everlaſting joy upon their heads: they ſhall obtain joy and gladneſs, and ſorrow and ſighing ſhall flee away. Obj. But where can you ſhew us the people in the New Teſtament, that live ſo comfortably and joyfully by this Freedom, and that in this World? Why, turn to Rom. 5. 2. By whom alſo we have acceſs by faith into this grace wherein we ſtand, and rejoyce in hope of the glory of God; and verſ. 10, 11. For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son: much more being reconciled, we ſhall be ſaved by his life. And not only ſo, but we alſo joy in God, through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, by whom we have received the attenement. Obj. But it may be they were a people that met with no great afflictions; if they had, it would have ſpoiled their joy, tho they were in this Freedom. Well, for that I'll give you a full Scripture, ſee 1 Pet. 1. Theſe were ſcattered abroad by perſecution, verſ. 1. They had manifold temptations, verſ. 6. And in v. 7. the Apoſtle ſpeaks of the tryal of their Faith by fire: Yet in verſ. 8. how comfortable they were for all this, In whom tho now ye ſee him not, yet believing, ye rejoyce with joy unſpeakable and full of glory. Sirs, you that are out of this Freedom; are hindred by it from abundance of joy; you don't know what true joy and true comfort is, without it.
5. It is good to make us taſte the ſweetneſs that is in the ways of God; 'twas the Spouſe of Chriſt, the redeemed company, that uttered that in Cant. 2. 3. I ſat down under his ſhadow with great delight, and his fruit was ſweet to my taſte: Duties, Ordinances are ſapleſs things without this, but they are refreſhing, yea, raviſhing things with it. What made David ſay, that a day in Gods Courts, was better than a thouſand otherwhere? 'twas becauſe he was in this Freedom. Why did the Lord call his Ordinances that ſhould be under the Goſpel, A feaſt of fat things, a feaſt of wine on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wine on the lees well fined, Iſa. 25. 6. But, becauſe he knew they would be ſo to Souls that ſhould be brought into this Freedom. Oh, this is that which will make a Prayer ſweet, and a good Sermon ſweet, and a Sacrament ſweet, and Grace and the Exerciſe of it ſweet. You that are in the Bondage of ſins, may come and hear precious truths, but you cannot tell what is in them, for ſavour and reliſh; that Bondage hath put your mouths quite out of taſte, as I may ſay to you; there's nothing ſo ſweet, as that which is moſt bitter, and that is ſin; if your palat were not vitiated by this Bondage, you would call it, as the Scripture calls it, viz. The gall of bitterneſs, and the bond of iniquity, Acts 8. 23.
6. This Freedom is good to make us ſpiritually uſeful. Indeed one that hath it not, may be uſeful, and very uſeful for earthly reſpects; and if he ſhould be taken away by death, there might be a great miſs of him; the family might want him, or the Pariſh may want him: But ſpiritually uſeful ſuch a one is not, nor can be, any otherwiſe then as a wooden leg can be uſeful to the body, which tho it helps it a little, yet 'tis but outwardly, it hath none of that life or motion that the true members have. But now, they whom Chriſt hath made free, oh, what a deal they are good for, upon a ſpiritual account; they are uſeful perſons to bring up a Family for God, they are good for the Souls of their Relations. You that are out of Chriſt, you may be good for the bodies of your Children; you may be good to provide them Meat, and Drink, and Cloaths, and to take care of them, when any of them fall ſink, that they may not want attendance, or the like; or you may be good to train them up in a civil way, and to lay up for them, what you can, for a Portion in this World, or to put them to a good Trade, or help them to as rich a match as you can, and in theſe kind of things your uſefulneſs to them, is at its journeys end. As for the poor Souls of your Children; you forget them, becauſe you never rememberd your own; it may be you'l ſay to your Children ſometimes, you muſt be a good boy, or a good girl, and there's all the good counſel that they ſhall have of you; but alas, you take no care to tell them which way they muſt be good indeed; and truly, if God ſhould take you away from them, and leave them Fatherleſs and Motherleſs, their outward man would miſs you ſadly, it may be; but their Souls would not; you were never good for them; but they who are in this Freedom are good for the Souls of their Family. And beloved, they are very uſeful perſons to promote a good work, when they ſee it would tend much to the Glory of God, to have it carried on, and to take occaſions and opportunities of ſpeaking to others about everlaſting concernments; and to mourn for the ſins of the times and places in which they live, and to ſtand in the gap when the Wrath of God is breaking in upon a Nation; and when God takes away one of theſe, oh, what a miſs there is of them, and what a loſs 'tis upon the beſt account! If God had pleaſed, a hundred wicked men might have been better ſpared than one of theſe. The leaſt of theſe is ſo uſeful, that the greateſt in Grace can't ſay, they have no need of him, 1 Cor. 12. 21. and mark what 'tis ſaid of Oneſinus, Phil. verſ. 10. Whom I have begotten in my bonds; that is, Chriſt hath now given him his Freedom, by uſing me as an inſtrument for his converſion. Well, what then? Why verſ. 11. Which in time paſt was to thee unprofitable: but now profitable to thee and to me. Now he becomes a profitable man.
7. It is good, again, to knit our hearts in love to all the people of God. Oh! how dear will the Saints be to us, when we ſee that we are delivered from the power of darkneſs, and that God hath tranſlated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son! When we can ſay to them, Now bleſſed be the Lord, I am one of you, I am a partaker of your Grace, and have obtained like precious Faith with you; that Blood which hath waſhed you, hath waſhed me; that righteouſneſs of Chriſt which covers your unrighteouſneſs, covers mine alſo: For if one finds it ſo, one may to the Glory of God tell them ſo, as Paul did to the Galatians chap. 2. 20. That Chriſt had loved him, and given himſelf for him. This now will ſo joyn our affections to the Saints (at leaſt it will be the way to it), that our Souls will as it were cleave to their Souls; 'twill not only joyn hand to hand, but Soul to Soul. That's a notable place, Acts 4. 32. And the multitude of them that believed, were of one heart, and of one ſoul, &c. When once they were got into this Freedom together, (which is included in the word believed.) Oh what a love here was to one another! This is an uniting Freedom, not only to Chriſt, as you have heard, but to all his members.
8. It good is to ſtrengthen our Faith in the greateſt ſtraits. For by this Freedom a Child of God may reaſon thus; Why, he that brought me out of that dreadful miſery of my ſinful condition, that did ſo great a work as that, and gave me ſo great a deliverance as that, can bring me out of this. I cannot come into ſuch a woful condition again, as that was, let befall me what will for affliction or trouble; 'tis not like my ſpiritual Bondage that I was in, while out of Chriſt; and yet, through infinite mercy I am freed from it; and did God remember me there, and ſhall he not remember me here? David, when he prays for deliverance out of his preſent diſtreſſes, thinks of this, that God hath redeemed him; ſo you may fetch a mighty ſupport from your redemption by Chriſt, for your weak Faith, when great Tryals are upon you; what, do you think that God will let you periſh in them, and he hath redeemed you? why, which is more, to deliver thee out of the hand of the Devil, and out of the hand of Gods Juſtice, and from the Wrath to come; or to deliver thee out of ſome light Afflictions in this World?
9. It is good to make you rich. Oh! how do many deſire to be rich? Now this is the way to make you,
(1.) Really rich; not to ſeem to be rich, and yet be poor, as ſome do; but rich indeed: So rich that you ſhall have treaſures, In the houſe of the rightouſneſs, is much treaſure; 'tis becauſe he hath this Freedom; indeed this Freedom is his treaſure, as 'tis ſaid, Prov. 13. 8. The ranſom of a mans life are his riches; 'tis true here.
(2.) Inwarldly rich; rich towards God in Grace, and things of a ſpiritual nature. Obj. But I would fain have ſomething, if pleaſe God, of this World too. Anſ. Why this Freedom is the way to that too, Godlineſs hath the promiſe of the life that now is, 1 Tim. 4. 8. Obj. But they who have this Freedoms, are generally the poorer ſort, 1 Cor. 1. 27. Not many mighty, not many noble, are called. Anſ. 1. They are not all ſo then, as you ſee there. 2. God doth that for them, tho they be poor, which is equivalent to great riches, even in this World. For 1. He ſupplies them many times by ſpecial Providence: God ſtirs up the hearts of others to do them good. There were poor Saints at Jeruſalem, that had not of their own; but the Lord provided for them, by putting it into the hearts of others, that were able, to make a Collection for them, Rom. 15. 26. So Paul, tho he had not of his own, yet the Philippians ſent once and again to his neceſſity, cap. 4. 16. and that ſupplied him ſo in his preſent wants, that he looked upon himſelf as a rich man, verſ. 18. 2. What is wanting in abundance, God makes up in contentment, verſ. 11, 12. of that chap. and this is equivalent to a great Eſtate; nay, there be many that have great Eſtates, and yet are not contented. Now, pray who is the rich man, he that hath but a little, and yet is contented, or he that hath a great deal, and yet is diſcontented? 3. God gives his bleſſing with that little they have, and the bleſſing of the Lord maketh rich, Prov. 10. 22. 'tis not ſo much what a man hath, as what God bleſſes to him. A great Eſtate without that, will prove cankered and wormeaten; and with that, leſs by far will do the buſineſs.
(3.) This Freedom is good to make you eternally rich; there be many that are very rich in this World, and yet will be miſerably poor in the World to come, becauſe they never had this Freedom by Chriſt. Indeed, people uſe to ſay, when a man hath a great Eſtate, that he is made; yea, but for how long? 'tis but, at moſt, for this life. If he be not in Chriſt, there's that a coming, that will unmake him again; but he that is ſo, is made for ever, Prov. 8. 21. That I may cauſe thoſe that love me, to inherit ſubſtance; and I will fill their treaſures. Subſtance and Treaſures, there's their riches; yea, but then ſaith he, I'll cauſe them to inherit it too, i. e. I will make them for ever.
10. This Freedom is of excellent uſe to keep Chriſtians humble; it greatly becomes the people of God, to have low thoughts of themſelves; of all Chriſtians, the humble Chriſtian is the moſt lovely Chriſtian. If I ſee a man, tho I hope, and believe he hath grace; yet if he be not humble, methinks he is not half ſo beautiful in his walking. Whatever good thing one hath in him beſides, yet to have the heart to be lifted up, 'tis even like the dropping of a great blot of Ink upon fair writing: How fair would the ſtory of good Hezekiahs Life and Reign have been, of whom you read ſo many excellent things, all along the 2 Chron. cap. 29. and 30. and 31. and 32. had it not been for that one great blot, which you meet with in verſ. 25. of chap. 32. Beloved, the Grace of Humility is the Glory of ones Graces. Well, but then, what is good to make us, and keep us humble? Oh, nothing like this Freedom by Chriſt. If we do but make uſe of it, as we might, it would lay us as low as the ground, yea, as low as Hell in our own thoughts; for thus a Child of God may reaſon with himſelf: By this Freedom I have great Priviledges; and I may ſay of Gods kindneſs to my Soul in his Son, as David did concerning Gods making a Covenant with him, 1 Cor. 17. 17. Thou haſt regarded me according to the eſtate of a man of high degree, O Lord God. And now in compariſon of theſe heavenly riches and hopes, which I have beſtowed upon me, I contemn all the World, and count all things, as Paul ſaid, but loſs and dung. I, but 'tis all by Grace, not for any deſert of mine; was I worthy that God ſhould do this for me? Is not this the richeſt alms that ever was, to the pooreſt beggar that ever was? I am arrayed in a coſty Robe, (for the righteouſneſs of Chriſt is ſo); but where had I this good cloathing? I am freed from Condemnation, but who diſcharged me? I ſee, but who opened mine eyes? I am a King to God, but who gave me my ſpiritual Crown? Is it not of free Grace? And if God ſhould take away his free Grace, what ſhould I have left? Well therefore, how humble muſt I be, as well as how thankful? And if I may ſay, as David did in the words before mentioned, in verſ. 17. Have I not cauſe alſo to ſay as David did by way of ſelf-abaſement, verſ. 6. Who am I, O Lord God, and what is mine houſe, that thou haſt brought me hitherto? Oh, this Freedom by Chriſt is a good weapon to run into the very heart of ſpiritual Pride; to ſhut it out of doors. In Rom. 3. 24, 25, 26. where the Apoſtle is ſpeaking of it, that it comes freely, and brings with it remiſſion of ſins, and juſtication through faith in the righteouſneſs of Chriſt; you ſhall ſee he adds this in verſ. 27. Where is boaſting then? it is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. As if he ſhould ſay, Oh, what Doctrine is this Doctrine, of redemption by Chriſt, to lay us all low!
11. This Freedom is of excellent uſe, to engage us to Chriſt in the ſtricteſt obedience. As it was the cord of Love, to draw us to him at firſt: So it is the Bond of Love, to keep us with him. And this is the great deſign of Paul throughout his Epiſtles to the Churches, to ſhew how the Grace of the Goſpel, doth oblige them to a holy Converſation in all things, and to bring forth fruit unto God. One would think, beloved, that the conſideration of this Freedom, if we have a part in it, ſhould keep us from everſitting looſe from Chriſt more; but that we have ſuch naughty hearts, that almoſt nothing is ſtrong enough to hold us in. Surely, there is much in it, to ſtir up a Chriſtian to all that is good. Oh! if one did but feel the Power of this Freedom upon ones heart, what a life ſhould one lead! What a frame ſhould one be in? How would it water our Grace, and cauſe our ſins to wither? See for this that Scripture, 2 Cor. 5. 14, 15. For the love of Chriſt conſtraineth us, becauſe we thus judg, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live, ſhould not henceforth live unto themſelves, but unto him which died for them, and roſe again. Mark that word conſtraineth. As if he ſhould ſay, we muſt needs be holy when we think of this Freedom; it ſo ſhuts up in the narrow way which leadeth to Life, that we cannot get out. Tho our carnal part would fain have its liberty; yet this liberty by Chriſt will not permit it. Indeed, holineſs and cloſe walking with God, is the great Leſſon which this Freedom teacheth, 2 Tim. 11, 12. and without this, we don't uſe, but abuſe our Freedom. And therefore, what the Apoſtle ſaid to them, in Gal. 5. 13. is very fit to be minded here: For brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only uſe not your liberty for an occaſion to the fleſh. Beloved, if ye be not very watchful, the fleſh will take an occaſion from the good condition which Chriſt hath brought you into; to inſinuate it ſelf, and draw you into remiſneſs in good things: As if ſince there is ſuch abundance of grace revealed, there need not be altogether ſuch circumſpection in every thing you do; but what he ſaith there to them, in verſ. 8. I ſay to you, This perſwaſion cometh not of him that calleth you. This Freedom will not allow you any ſin, for Chriſt gave himſelf for you, that he might redeem you from all iniquity; and 'tis the Law of your Freedom, That you muſt live to him that freed you, 1 Cor. 6. 20. and if you be freed by him, ſo you will, Rom. 6. 18. Being then made free from ſin, ye became the ſervants righteouſneſs. Verſ. 22. But now being made free from ſin, and become ſervants to God, ye have your fruit unto holineſs, and the end everlaſting life. And remember this, that if a perſon can hear never ſo much, or think never ſo much, or profeſſes never ſo much, or know never ſo much of this Redemption by Chriſt, and it be not a purifying thing to him, he is not a partaker of it.
12. Laſtly, This Freedom is of excellent uſe to fit us for Death. Beloved, we muſt all dye, and therefore we ſhould all labour to be fit to dye: 'Tis a bleſſed thing to be fit for death; for if we be fit to dye, we are fit to live; nay, if we be fit for Death, we are fit for Judgment, and fit for Heaven. Now the queſtion is, How one ſhould be fit to dye? Why certainly, you can take no way to be fit for it, but by getting into this Freedom by Chriſt. I confeſs a man is not preſently fit for death, by the having of it; therefore there is ordinarily ſomething that muſt be between Converſion and Salvation; therefore there muſt be a growing up, and a ripening by further degrees of Sanctification; but yet upon the very entrance into this Freedom there's the foundation of a fitneſs for death laid; and if ſuch a perſon ſhould dye preſently, he would be happy for ever. But you that are out of Chriſt, you are not in the leaſt forwardneſs for death; there's nothing at all done towards it; and therefore, if God ſhould but ſtop your breath (as you don't know how ſoon he may), you'l be found altogether unprepared, and everlaſting miſery will be your portion. But now the people of God, tho they have not all as yet that is requiſite to make them fully ready to be gone out of the World: Yet by their very being in the ſtate of this Freedom, they are ſo fit for Death, as that their Death ſhall be in mercy to them, let it come never ſo ſoon; and they are ſo fit for Heaven, as that to be ſure they ſhall not miſs of it, Col 1. 12, 13, 14.
And ſo, now you ſee what excellent Uſes may be made of this Freedom, and thereupon what an excellent Freedom this muſt needs be. Now you that are in it, I beſeech you, put your Freedom to theſe good Uſes which I have ſet before you; let it teach you to pitty poor ſinners to get more underſtanding in the Goſpel; let it endear Chriſt to you, let it comfort your hearts, let it make the ways of God ſweet to you, and you uſeful. Prize the Saints, let it ſtrengthen your faith; be enriched by it in all goodneſs; let it make you very humble, and engage you to Chriſt in the ſtricteſt obedience, and to be ready againſt your Lord ſhall come.