Spiritual Bondage and Freedom, Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
The Application of this fifth Branch of the Doctrine.
AND now, is this Freedom of Chriſt ſuch an excellent Freedom, as you have heard it is? Then I ſhall finiſh this fifth Branch, and ſo this whole Text with ſeven Uſes.
1. Of Information. 2. of Admiration. 3. of Lamentation. 4. of Examination. 5. of Expoſtulation. 6. of Exhortation. 7. of Conſolation.
Uſe I. Of Information. It informs of four things.
1. That the remedy that is prepared for ſinners miſery, is beyond all exception; their miſery is their Bondage by ſin, their remedy is Freedom by Chriſt, and 'tis beyond all exception, for 'tis excellent Freedom. The Lord Jeſus cares not who looks upon his redeeming-work, 'tis done ſo well, it wants nothing to make it ſufficient and all-ſufficient for the ends and purpoſes to which it was intended: we are ſure therefore, that if we can but uſe this ſoveraign Plaiſter as we ought, it will without queſtion heal our wound. There is that in Chriſt, that will do our work; do but make trial, and you'l find 'tis true; for in this caſe trial is all in all. Chriſt deſires to be put to the proof, whether he cannot do all things for a poor Soul that it hath need ſhould be done for it. If you'l but venture your Souls, he will venture his Salvation; what would you deſire more to manifeſt that a receit for a diſeaſe is the beſt that can be got, than that every one that hath made uſe of it, ſhould give their approving-teſtimony, that they have been cured by it: Now this is the witneſs, that all believers will give of Chriſt. If you ſhould go up and down for their hands, they will be all ready to ſign and ſeal to the great cures that they have by him, Iſa. 53. 5. 'tis as it were the general voice of all that have made uſe of Chriſt; We are healed. Again, it informs us,
2. That there is ſomething that is much better than that which the men of the World do ſpend their time and thoughts about. The truth is, they follow this World, as if it were the beſt thing that ever was, or ever ſhall be. But, ah Sirs, you (whoſe life and labour is thus laid out) are miſtaken. There is an excellent Freedom by Chriſt, that is better than all that you cark and care, and rap and rend for. Would I could but tell what to ſay to you, to bring you out of love with this World: you that are ſo much in love with it, What do you ſee or find in it, that you ſhould ſet your hearts upon it? you run after that, and that runs from you, and that ſo faſt, that ſome of you cannot overtake it for your lives. I may ſay, that the World looks upon ſome perſons, as if it were afraid to come near them; they would fain lay hands upon it, and God wont let them; he bids the things of this World run away from them, and this ſurely is in much mercy to ſome, for God ſees that if they ſhould gain the World, they would loſe their Souls; and if he bears a love to them, he had rather they ſhould miſs of Earth than Heaven. Well, but it may be God ſuffers ſome of you to overtake this World, you make ſuch haſte after it, and when you have got it, what have you got? I don't ſpeak to leſſen thankfulneſs for any of theſe outward mercies; but my drift is to ſet the World in its place, and this Freedom in its place; but what have you gotten? Why, I will caſt it up for you, and the whole ſum amounts to this, You have got that, that you muſt loſe, all this getting 'tis in order to loſing; you have it, but you cannot hold it; when you have got the World, you have got Vanity, you have got vexation of ſpirit, Eccl. 1. 2. and will you ſpend your whole time and thoughts for this? I will throw ſome Scripture-Water upon the Fire of this Love to the World, to ſee if it will put it out. Conſider ſeriouſly theſe three Text, 1 Joh. 2. 15. Jam. 4. 4. Luk. 12. 20, 21. Again, this imforms us,
3. That this Freedom by Chriſt is highly worth the pains that any Soul which hath it, hath taken to obtain it, or that any Soul is now taking to get it; oh, it will quit the coſt, and bear the charges, for 'tis excellent Freedom. It is a great encouragement to a man to lay out his labour upon a thing, when he is ſure he ſhall not loſe his labour; convince him that he ſhall be a gainer, and a great gainer, and you have done enough to ſet him a work. If you had but told him of a probability, and a hope of advantage, you ſhould have ſeen him ſtir; but if he can be ſure that it will be a profitable buſineſs, he thinks long ere he is at it. Now I aſſure you, from the ſure word of God, That take what pains you will to get this Freedom, it ſhall be like that ſeed, that was ſown in the ground, it will be encreaſed thirty, ſixty, yea an hundredfold; you'l find it the beſt employment that ever you were about; there never was any Child of God that wiſhed, Would I had not medled with this Freedom by Chriſt, nor ever will; Chriſt ſcorns that any that trade with him, ſhould be loſers. As they ſhall not want for work, ſo they ſhall not want for wages. 'Tis true, he doth expect that they who will have his Freedom, ſhould take great pains for it, but he will graciouſly reward their great pains with great gains. If they will fell all that they have, to get the Pearl, they ſhall find that the Pearl, when they have it, is a Pearl of great price. I would put you in mind here of ſome Verſes in the 2. and 3. chapters of Rev. which I would allude to; read cap. 2. 7. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midſt of the paradice of God. Verſ. 11. He that overcometh, ſhall not be hurt of the ſecond death. Verſ. 17. To him that overcometh, will I give to eat of the hiden manna, and will give him a white-ſtone, and in the ſtone a new name written, which no man knoweth ſaving be that receiveth it. And chap. 3. v. 5. He that overcometh, the ſame ſhall be cloathed in white raiment, and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confeſs his name before my Father, and before his angels. Verſ. 12. Him that overcometh, will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he ſhall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jeruſalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. Verſ. 21. To him that overcometh, will I grant to ſit with me in my throne, even as I alſo overcame, and am ſet down with my Father in his throne. That which I ſay to you from hence, is this: There are difficulties, and great difficulties, in the way of obtaining this Freedom, but will you not be daunted at them? but labour ſo as to overcome? will you reſolve through the help of God, let there be what pain there will, I'll overcome them? Why then, you ſee how every verſe that I have read to you, carries its gains with it. Again, this informs us,
4. That the people of God are an excellent people; they muſt needs be ſo, for they are gotten into this excellent Freedom. This is the company, that no company in the World can compare with. I know that the people of God don't deſire to commend or ſpeak honourably of themſelves. But beloved, I have here a very fair occaſion to commend them to you; very like ſome of you, may have low and mean thoughts of them, and the rather, becauſe you ſee them ſo contemptible in their outward appearance; it may be ſome of your cloathes are better than theirs, and ſome of your eſtates are greater than theirs, and ſome of your food is finer than theirs, and ſome of your kindred may be richer than theirs: Well, I grant this may be true one way; but I am ſure if you be out of Chriſt, 'tis falſe another way. Be you what you will in wordly reſpects, upon the account of the condition that this excellent Freedom hath brought them into, you that are out of Chriſt, never wore ſuch cloathes as they do, for they have put on the new man, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and they go every day of the week in robes, ſee Rev. 7. 9, 13, 14, 15. And for Eſtate, that which you have in the World, is nothing to what they have in Chriſt, for they are heirs of God, and joint heirs with Chriſt, Rom. 8. 17. and the Promiſes are theirs, and the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs, and all things are theirs; and for food, you never in all your lives taſted any thing ſo ſweet, as that which they feed upon; they eat of the bread which came down from God, they eat the fleſh, and drink the blood of the Son of man; whoſe fleſh is meat indeed, and whoſe blood is drink indeed: and for hindred, why all your carnal Relations are no better than beggars in compariſon of them, that they are a kin to; Chriſt is not aſhamed to call them brethren, Heb. 2. 11. And God is not aſhamed to be called their God, cap. 11. 16. Obj. Why, then ſure if they have all this excellency by their Freedom, their Freedom will make them proud. Anſ. No beloved, for all this, they were never ſo humble, and never had ſuch mean thoughts of themſelves, as ſince they got into this Freedom; they never loathed themſelves till now; they were more lifted up in their miſery, than now they are in their excellency. Now they deſire to give God all the Glory, and to take nothing to themſelves but ſhame; tho God hath made them great, yet they do not count themſelves good, Rom. 7. 18.
Ʋſe 2. Of Admiration. That ever ſuch an excellent Freedom ſhould be beſtowed upon the Sons of men. There are two things in this that may raiſe our Admiration.
1. That ever it ſhould be given to men; that the Lord ſhould paſs by Angels with a purpoſe never to recover them when they were fallen, and that we ſhould be thoſe to whom he would ſend redemption. He might have let us all alone: Angels to periſh, and mankind to periſh; and if he would have ſaved any, he might have bid his Son go take the nature of Angels, and redeem the Devils, (but that it would not conſiſt with his everlaſting purpoſe) and have left Adam and all his poſterity under the curſe; but that he ſhould pitch upon us, to be the ſubjects that ſhould be capable of this Freedom, how is free Grace to be admired! that God ſhould overlook thoſe that ſtood nearer to him by their creation, then we did, to look upon us! The ſpirits of darkneſs are left in diſpair, while we are under hope; they and we were all miſerable creatures by the fall, firſt of one, and then of the other; but their miſery was irrecoverable, ours is a recoverable miſery, 2 Tim. 2. 26. God hath an Election amongſt us, but he hath none among the Devils; and therefore, the door of mercy is ſhut againſt them, never to be opened, 2 Pet. 2. 4. Jude verſ. 6. Oh, how are we beholding to God, that he would reſerve Mercy for us, when he reſerves Wrath for the fallen Angels! there he made quick work; they fell into Condemnation, and God ſealed up their Condemnation; there is not ſo much as a poſſibility that God will ever be reconciled to them; but with us he was willing to renew a better Covenant than that was which we brake; there is pity, and pardon, and peace for us in Chriſt. Now have not we cauſe to admire this, and to ſay, as Heb. 2. 6. What is man, that thou art mindful of him, and the ſon of man that thou viſiteſt him?
2. That not only men, but ſome of the worſt of men, ſhould have the benefit of this Freedom. I mean, not only a temporal benefit, for ſo all have; but the ſaving everlaſting benefit of it. You read in the Scripture, of ſome of the very worſt of men, that have been made free by Chriſt. When this Freedom came to them at firſt, it found ſome of them amongſt the Thieves, and others amongſt the Drunkards, and others amongſt the Whoremongers, and others amongſt the Idolaters, as it did the Corinthians; and others amongſt the Perſecutors, and the Blaſphemers, as it did Paul; and others amongſt the Crucifiers of Chriſt, as it did the Jews; and have you not heard ſometimes of ſome notorious ſinner or other that became a new man, and through grace was afterwards as much for God, as before he was the for Devil? that to ones thinking was come even to the height of wickedneſs, and yet brought home? Beloved, God will have this Freedom by Chriſt, and the exceeding riches of it, glorified even in this World; and therefore he gives it ſometimes to the very dregs of ſinners. And who indeed is there of thoſe, that have obtained a fellowſhip in this great Salvation, but hath cauſe to admire that ever it ſhould be given to him? And to ſay, Oh! God had mercy upon a grievous ſinner, when he had mercy upon me. It is certain that the loving-kindneſs of God in Jeſus Chriſt, will be admired by every Soul, upon whom it lights; and ſuch a one is ready to think, That never was there any ſinner that did more need mercy, or leſs deſerve it: and the Reaſon of this is, becauſe where this Freedom comes, it works ſuch a ſenſe of ones vileneſs upon the heart, that tho indeed there may in ſome reſpects be greater ſinners than ones ſelf; yet one cannot but look upon ones ſelf as one of the greateſt Wonders of Mercy that ever was, as Paul did, 1 Tim. 1. 15, 16. And when God ſhall have gathered all his Children to glory: Oh beloved, what a wonderful company there will be; I don't mean ſo much for multitude, tho that will be innumerable, as to think what ſinners theſe were, and eſpecially, ſome of them. Oh! the ſtories that might be told of them in Heaven, to raiſe matter of everlaſting Admiration, that one who had been formerly ſuch a grievous ſinner on Earth, ſhould prove notwithſtanding a glorious Saint in Heaven. Oh wonderful!
Ʋſe 3. Is this Freedom by Chriſt ſuch an excellent Freedom? then here is ſomething for. Lamentation and Mourning: Beloved, we have often through Gods Mercy met together: Oh! that we could now mourn together. And you that cannot weep with your eyes, oh, that you would mourn in your hearts. Why, but you may ſay, What is there here to mouth for? This excellent Freedom is cauſe of rejoycing? Yea indeed, ſo 'tis, …is glad tidings of great joy, if all things about it were well with us; but alas, the Lord knows they are not. I pray therefore, conſider four things, for the piercing of your hearts in this Uſe of Lamentation.
1. That ever we ſhould be the cauſe of putting▪ the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who purchaſed this Freedom for us, to ſo much pain and grief, as he underwent in the doing of it. Oh! what bitter mourning ſhould we make for our ſins, that laid ſuch a load upon Chriſt; that we could never have had this excellent Freedom, if he had not ſuffered beyond expreſſion. We may ſay, thoſe of us that are made free by Chriſt, he hath put us into a good condition; but oh, into what a bad condition did our ſins put him! he hath brought us joy, but we brought him ſorrow; he hath brought us reſt, but we brought him travel of Soul; he hath brought us life, but we brought him death; he hath brought us bleſſing, but we brought him a curſe; he helped us to a great deal of Mercy, but we helped him to a great deal of miſery: in reſpect of his ſufferings he was the miſerableſt man that ever lived. Now friends, this was your ſins, and my ſins, that brought him to this, that made Jeſus Chriſt to have a very Hell upon Earth; and ſhall we not mourn for this? Oh! that the Lord would perform that promiſe to us this day, Zech. 12. 10. And I will pour upon the houſe of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jeruſalem, a ſpirit of grace and of ſupplications, and they ſhall look upon him whom they have pierced, and they ſhall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only ſon, and ſhall be in bitterneſs for him as one that is in bitterneſs for his firſt born.
2. That God hath no more Glory from us, for all this grace that he hath beſtowed upon us. This Freedom is actually given to ſome of us; and thoſe Scriptures through the tender Mercy of God may be applied, I doubt not, to ſome of you, Col. 1. 21. Gal. 4. 13. Eph. 2. 13, 19. But will you not ſay your ſelves, (I know you will) that you do fall exceeding ſhort of ſuch a walking, as this excellent Freedom engages you to? Beloved, I am glad to ſee any of you that are in Chriſt, ſo good; but truly, the beſt of us have cauſe to mourn that we are no better. Oh, what a people ſhould we be, for whom the Lord Jeſus Chriſt laid down his precious Life, and ſhed his precious Blood! You do God ſome Service, bleſſed be his Name; but ſhould you not do him more? You bring forth ſome fruit, but ſhould you not bring forth more? 'Tis not enough for you to be gracious, but you ſhould be zealous. Chriſt, as I may ſo ſpeak, hoped you would, when he gave you this Freedom, ſee Tit. 2. 14. Who gave himſelf for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purifie unto himſelf a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
3. That ſo many are gone to Hell for refuſing this excellent Freedom. Oh, what a ſad thing 'tis to think how many Souls have periſhed for want of cloſing with Chriſt! 'Tis true, they had other ſins, but whatever other ſins they had, they would have been forgiven, if they had not neglected this great Salvation; that made them that they could not eſcape. As the receiving of this Freedom by Faith, hath been the Salvation of many; ſo the refuſing of it by unbelief, hath been the Damnation of more; tho poor wretches, they are not here to be told of it, becauſe they are now gone to their own place. Oh! the price that they had once in their hands, but now they have loſt it for ever, and it may be ſome of theſe might be your Friends and Relations, the Wives of your own boſoms, and the Children of your own bodies. Well, if they were, they are periſhed without hope, there's no fetching them back again: you may perhaps mourn to think what is become of them, but now they are paſt recovery; your prayers can do them no good, and your tears can do them no good, and now you muſt labour to reſt ſatisfied with this, that the Will of the Lord is done, and that he is glorified, tho it be in their eternal deſtruction.
4. That ſo many ſinners, tho they are yet on Earth, will ſhortly be in Hell too, for the ſame ſin: For alas! how many be there of thoſe who are yet alive, that are making light of Chriſt, and of this excellent Freedom, and many of them will go on to do ſo, to their dying day, and ſo come to the ſame paſs to which the unrepenting ſinners before them have brought themſelves. The generations of Chriſt refuſers is not all gone; they that were in the ages that are paſt, are ſwept and ſnatch away; but there are others that ſtand up in their room; there's a ſucceſſion of theſe ungodly hard-hearted ſinners, that tho we offer Chriſt and Salvation to them, and beſeech them as for our lives to be reconciled to God, yet they go on, and 'tis to be feared will go on in the broad way that leadeth to Deſtruction. 'Twas a ſad word that Chriſt ſpake to them, in Joh. 5. 40. Ye will not come to me that ye might have life. Mark, he doth not ſay, you do not come; but he delivers it in a kind of hopeleſs expreſſion, you will not come. As if he ſhould ſay, I ſee ſome of you are of that temper, that as you are, you will be; you are in your ſins, and you will be in your ſins: let them that hear me, mark it concerning you, if you do not dye out of me. I pray God it be not ſo with ſome of you that are here. Really Sirs, 'tis matter of mourning to ſee how ſome of you trifle in the things of your Souls; would it not grieve ones heart to think that ſome of you that have attended upon all this that hath been preached upon this Text, ſhould yet look after a Chriſt no more than you do? I am this day to finiſh this work, and I am afraid of divers of you, that this Text will leave you as dead as it found you. Well, the Lord be witneſs between you and me, whether I have not ſet Life and Death before you, and whether if you periſh, it be for want of being ſufficiently told of the miſery of your Bondage of ſin, or of the excellency of the Freedom by Chriſt. Beloved, 'twill be a ſad thing, when ſuch a Text as this is done, to leave any of you undone.
Ʋſe 4. Of Examination. You have heard much of this excellent Freedom: put this queſtion home to your ſelves, every one of you, Am I got out of priſon yet? How ſhall I know that, you'l ſay? Anſ. Take it in three things.
1. If a man be got out of Priſon, he hath made his peace with thoſe that caſt him in; ſuppoſe it be for debt that one hath been laid up, and you ſee him afterwards out of priſon, and you ask him, why, you were a priſoner, how got you out? Why, ſaies he, I have compounded with my Creditors, I have made my peace, or I have got an able ſurety to be bound for me. So Sirs, have you made your peace with God, for your great debt of ſin? Have you got Jeſus Chriſt to ſtand bound for you? Why then, you are no longer Priſoners; but if you have not peace with God through Chriſt, you are in Priſon ſtill, for the condition of your Souls, ſee Zech. 9. 11. As for thee alſo, by the blood of thy covenant, I have ſet forth thy priſoners out of the pit, wherein is no water. God ſends forth none out of Priſon, but by the Blood of that Conant which Chriſt hath made with God, on the behalf of the Priſoner that he will pay the debt for him.
2. Another ſign that a man is got out of Priſon, is, That he bears a great love to him that freed him: If one comes and ſees him lye there in a ſad condition, and hath compaſſion upon him; Well, ſaith he, I'll procure your Freedom for you; I'll undertake it; he will have a great reſpect for that perſon, to be ſure, when he hath done it. Oh! ſaith he, if it had not been for this Friend, I had periſhed; I have reaſon to make much of him. Sirs, if you don't prize Chriſt, you are in Priſon ſtill; you have not his Freedom, if he hath not your beſt Love, Col. 1. 13. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkneſs, and hath tranſlated us into the kingdom of his dear Son. Mark how thoſe words, his dear Son, are brought in with the mention of this Freedom; and I look upon them as to be underſtood, not only in reference to his Father, but alſo thoſe who are freed by him; As if he ſhould ſay, Dear to his Father, and dear to us too.
3. If a man be got out of Priſon or Bondage, he is afraid▪ to go thither again; he thinks what a ſad condition he had when he was there, and he deſires he may not come there again: ſo do you fear and watch, leſt any ſin bring you into Bondage again. Is there no luſt, that you would be any longer a ſervant to? Do you dread the thoughts of holding ſecret correſpodence with any falſe way? Why then you are made free. You may ſay, as 'tis in Pſal. 124. 7. Our ſoul is eſcaped as a bird out of the ſnare of the fowler; the ſnare is broken, and we are eſcaped. If you be not made free by Chriſt, you will have a darling ſin.
Ʋſe 5. Of Expoſtulation. And that with ſuch as are not made free by Chriſt: And here, tho I ſhall ſpeak but few words, yet I wiſh they may be piercing. What mean you, that you don't accept of Chriſts excellent Freedom? 'Tis to be had, and you want it, and you'l be eternally loſt without it, and yet you abide in your Bondage; the ſins you had, you have ſtill; the ſloth that was in you, is in you ſtill. I dont perceive ſome of you ſtir a jot towards the New-birth: I have been endeavouring upon this Text, to hale you to Chriſt, and yet you hang back. Why Sirs, for the Lords ſake, what do you mean? I thought that if any Scripture in the Bible would have won you, this and that which hath been ſaid upon it, would have done it. And now after I have delivered all this meſſage from God to you; will you not here? I muſt needs here put you in mind of the Prophets words to David; what he ſaid to him, when he had delivered Gods meſſage to him, that I ſay to you, 2 Sam. 24. 13. Now adviſe, and ſee what an anſwer I ſhall return to him that ſent me. You have heard what I have ſaid from Chriſt to you; now let me hear what I ſhall ſay from you to Chriſt; I muſt go back to him for a new meſſage (now I have done with this ſubject); But what, Sirs, ſhall I anſwer him, when he asks me what is become of the old; You preached a great while about Freedom that I had to give ſinners, how did it ſpeed with your hearers? I ſhould be glad with all my heart, that I might be able to ſay to Chriſt of this Text, as they did of the Talents, ſee Luk. 19. 15, 16, 18. Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds, ſaith one, five pounds, ſaith another. So that my Text that I have been a trading with for God amongſt you, had gained ten Souls, or five Souls, or one Soul, rather then nothing. Well, but what ſhall I ſay to him that ſent me? I muſt go to reckon with him for this Text, and as near as I can, I muſt give him a faithful account, and that is, that I don't hear of one that is converted by all theſe Sermons; not a Man or Woman of you that were out of Chriſt when I began them, have been with me, to bring me this joyful news, that this Text hath been the word of Life and Power to you. If any ſuch mercy hath been ſhewed to you, 'tis between God and your ſelves: but if it be ſo indeed, methinks you ſhould eaſily conclude, Certainly, Gods beginning to work upon me, under ſuch a mans Miniſtry, muſt needs be welcome newes to him: and therefore, I'll go to him, and tell him what God hath done for my Soul: And Friends, I long to ſee ſome of you to come to my houſe upon ſuch an errand. I know my labour hath not been in vain, (in ſpeaking of this Freedom) to them here, who are in Chriſt Jeſus; but God hath given them many a ſweet refreſhment in the hearing of it; and if there ſhould be none that are brought in, yet, bleſſed be God, that there are ſome that are built up. But oh Sirs, what will become of you, that have neither gotten, nor are getting this Freedom? Why don't you conſider before it be too late, under what Offers of Grace you live; what heart-rending thoughts do you think you ſhall have a little while hence, when you ſhall look back upon the opportunities you have loſt, without hope of having any more? Will it not be an heavy charge againſt you, that you have deſpiſed a precious Chriſt, and loſt a precious Soul? If you believe that you are ſinners, what's the reaſon that you don't regard a Saviour? Is Chriſt beholding to you, to accept of his Salvation? or are you beholding to him, that he is ſo willing you ſhould have it? If you could be contented to live in your ſins all your days, can you be contented to ſuffer for them to all eternity? I tell you, Hell is ready for you, if you will not repent and believe the Goſpel; and the more calls you have now, the more Torments you'l have there? Is it fit that ſuch ſinful Worms as you are, ſhould take upon you to tell Chriſt that you wont have him? And do you think that he doth not obſerve your unkindneſs, and frowardneſs to him, tho for the preſent he lets you alone? If you have no love for Chriſt, have you none for your ſelves? Will this World laſt always, that you provide no better for another? Do you think that Chriſt cannot tell what to do with his mercy, becauſe he offers it to you? And now I have blown the Trumpet, and given you warning, becauſe I ſee the Sword is a coming, now read Ezek. 33. the nine firſt Verſes.
Ʋſe. 6. Of Exhortation. Take it amongſt you in three things, briefly.
1. Bleſs the Lord, that you live under the Miniſtration of ſuch an excellent Freedom. Oh Sirs, think what a mercy you have, and be thankful. How many be there that want what you enjoy! God hath made the way to Heaven plain before you: You may ſee by the light that ſhines amongſt you, how fain, he would have you ſaved. You may read thoſe words as your own Princiledge, Luke 1. 78, 79. Through the tender mercy of God, the day-ſpring from on high hath viſited us; To give light to them that ſit in darkneſs, and in the ſhadow of death; to guide our feet into the way of peace. God might have left you, as he hath many, without the means of Grace; your feet might have ſtumbled upon the dark Mountains; you might have gone all your lives, and not have heard ſo much of Chriſt, as you have heard from this one Text. Oh! that now you could be praiſing God for his goodneſs to your Souls. I ſay no more to you but this, Unthankfulneſs for the Goſpel, endangers the Goſpel; they who don't look upon it, as a great mercy, are not like to have ſuch a mercy long.
2. If any of you be looking after Freedom for your Souls; or when ever it ſhall pleaſe God, that any of you ſhall, (which the Lord grant, may be quickly; for in this caſe delays are dangerous); be ſure you look after Freedom indeed: take heed that you be not deceived with a Counterfeit, with the ſhew and ſhadow of this Freedom, but that it be that very Freedom which Chriſt gives to believers. An hypocrite he thinks he hath this Freedom, but he is in Bondage ſtill; you never have this true Freedom, till your hearts be right in the ſight of God; Acts 8. compare verſ. 21, 23. together. There be two great fears concerning perſons that are out of Chriſt; the firſt, whether ever they will look after him at all, and then, if they do; whether it will be in Truth.
3. Don't abuſe this excellent Freedom, you that have it. You uſe to ſay, 'tis pity that good things ſhould be abuſed. Now this Freedom by Chriſt, is not only a good thing, but an excellent thing; oh, don't abuſe it then, and if you would not do ſo, ever remember that Exhortation which Paul gave the Theſſalonians, which I alſo give to you, 1 Theſſ. 2. 12. That ye would walk worthily of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory. I beſeech you, don't deal unworthily with your Freedom, don't walk unbecomingly in it; adorn the Goſpel now, with a Converſation in Chriſt; 'tis not for you to ſin as others do; you muſt be holy; 'tis not for you to ſleep as others do, you muſt watch and be ſober; 'tis not for you to mind earthly things, and the fooliſh faſhions of this Generation; For Chriſt gave himſelf for you, that he might deliver you from this preſent evil World; 'tis not for you to be carried away with errors in your Judgment, for the truth hath made you free; 'tis not for you to enſlave your conſciences to the wills of men, 'tis againſt your Freedom, 1 Cor. 7. 23. Thus in all things, 'tis your great duty to ſtand-faſt in the liberty, wherewith Chriſt hath made you free, and not to be entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Ʋſe 7. Of Conſolation, to you, who are made free by Chriſt. I have but two things to ſay to you by way of comfort.
1. It is better with you now, than it is with any in the World beſides your ſelves. Is not that a comfort to you? I may ſay of you, in reſpect of others, as Solomon doth of the vertuous Woman, Thou excelleſt them all. I remember what Balaam ſaid, when he looked upon the Children of Iſrael, whom God had redeemed, Numb. 23. 9, Lo, the people ſhall dwell alone, and ſhall not be reckoned among the nations, And then chap. 24. 5. How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles. O Iſrael! As if he ſhould ſay, Oh! what a company here is, in compariſon of the reſt of the World! Beloved, by this excellent Freedom, Chriſt hath made you high above all the glory of the World. Whereas before you were but as common ſtones: by this Freedom he hath turned you into Jewels, into a peculiar treaſure to God. How can you read that Scripture without rejoycing, 1 Pet. 2. 9. Ye are a choſen generation, a royal prieſthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people. Envy not the men of the World for their poor enjoyments; you are in a better condition then they are. God hath done more for the leaſt of you, than he hath done for the greateſt of them.
2. As it is better with you now than it is with any in the World beſides your ſelve…: ſo it ſhall be better with you ſhortly, than it is with any of your ſelves. Now you are got beyond what others are; but a little while hence you'l be got beyond what your ſelves are; and is not this matter of great comfort? you know what Paul ſaith, Phil. 1. 23. I deſire to depart, and to be with Chriſt, which is far better. As if he ſhould ſay, If I come but there once, I ſhall be gone a great way, beyond what I am now; and with this theſe redeemed ones have comforted themſelves in the world, 1 Joh. 3. 2. and ſo do you. Your Freedom will ere long bring you to another place; it will hand you into Heaven: you are not brought out of Egypt, to die in the Wilderneſs (as thoſe did, who believed not); but to enter into the reſt that remaineth for the people of God; and whatever is here wanting to make you fully happy, ſhall there be received and enjoyed for ever; and therefore in the faith of this go on to wait (yet a little longer) for the Son of God from Heaven, whom he raiſed from the dead, even Jeſus which delivered us from the Wrath to come. And ſo I have finiſhed this famous Text, through the help which I have received from God, to whom through Chriſt, be given all the Glory. Amen.
FINIS.
End of the text · Nathanael Ball, Spiritual Bondage and Freedom (1683)