Spiritual Bondage and Freedom, Chapter 4

Spiritual Bondage and Freedom · Chapter 4

p. 123CHAP. IV.

Wherein the Fourth Branch of the Doctrine is handled; namely, That this Freedom comes by Chriſt.

THE Fourth Branch of the Doctrine is, That this Freedom comes by Chriſt; If the Son ſhall make you free. Whoever is made free, is made free by Chriſt; 'tis he doth it, wherever it is done. In the carrying on of this, I ſhall do theſe five things: 1. I ſhall ſhew, when this Freedom that is in Chriſt did begin to be of force. 2. What this intimates to us, that our Freedom comes by Chriſt. 3. How it doth appear that this Freedom comes by Chriſt. 4. After what manner this Freedom is in Chriſt. 5. I ſhall make Application.

To the 1. When this Freedom that is in Chriſt did begin to be of force; I anſwer, Immediately upon the fall of mankind. It is a great miſtake to think, that this Freedom did not begin to be of force till Chriſt came in the fleſh. If that were ſo, then all p. 124that died before that time, would have died in their ſins. 'Tis true, when Chriſt came, there were ſome things about this Freedom that were not before: As,

1. It was more clearly manifeſted. They before us had it in ſhadows, and types, and figures: the deliverance of the children of Iſrael out of the bondage of Egypt, and then a long time after out of the bondage of Babylon, did point at this; and all the ceremonial Worſhip and Sacrifices did look this way, ſignifying, that there was one to come that ſhould redeem them to God by his Blood: and all the good and benefit of thoſe things that were then obſerved in thoſe Miniſtrations, lay only in this, that they did lead them to Chriſt who was held forth in them, tho in a more dark and obſcure manner. Yea, but when Chriſt came, this Freedom was brought unto light; for then he appeared, who was the Subſtance of all; and then when the ſubſtance came, the ſhadows ceaſed.

2. It was more largely extended. Before, this Freedom was kept within the bounds of the Jewiſh Nation, Pſal. 147. 19, 20. 'Twas a great priviledge then, to be one of that People, becauſe ſalvation was of the Jews, and all the reſt of the World were p. 125Strangers and Foreigners: But when Chriſt came, then the other Nations, poor Heathen and Gentiles, had this Salvation ſent to them. The Lord now makes his way to be known upon earth, and his ſaving health among all nations. But for all this you muſt know, that this Freedom was in force ever ſince the fall; for then God made the Promiſe of ſending Jeſus Chriſt, viz. That the ſeed of the woman ſhould bruiſe the ſerpents head, Gen. 3. 15. and all that were ſaved, were ſaved in the way of looking to that promiſed Seed, though he was not to come into the World till the fulneſs of time.

I muſt needs deſire you to take notice of four things from hence, That this Freedom hath been of force ſince the Fall. As,

1. That perſons, not living in the days wherein Chriſt was upon Earth, is no hindrance at all to their eternal Salvation; for many are ſaved, both before his coming in the Fleſh, and ſince his aſcending into Heaven, who never ſaw him in his bodily preſence. I confeſs it would have been a very deſirable thing, to have ſeen our dear and bleſſed Saviour here in our Nature; and to have had the priviledge to have converſed p. 126with him about the things of the kingdom of God; and to have heard him that ſpake as never man ſpake. But we are hindred neither from Grace nor Glory for the want of this; we may be ſanctified without it, and we may be ſaved without it. As for ſanctification, many that did ſo ſee him, did remain unſanctified; and People were not converted by the Humane Nature of Chriſt, but by the Divine Power and Spirit that dwelt in him, Joh. 6. 63. And as to ſalvation, that's obtained, not by beholding Chriſt with an eye of Fleſh, but with an eye of Faith; and they who have that eye, here's their comfort, Though they never ſaw Chriſt upon Earth, they ſhall ſee him in Heaven. If thou hadſt ſeen him upon Earth, thou wouldſt have ſeen him in the form of a ſervant, in a poor and mean condition (for then he came to humble himſelf, and to be of no reputation) but 'twill be another manner of ſight to ſee him in Heaven, to behold his glory there, Joh. 17. 24.

2. That there were Believers, and as great Believers, in the days of the Old Teſtament, as there are in the New. Believing was the way to Salvation then, as well as now. Becauſe this Freedom by Chriſt did not then p. 127begin, when Chriſt came in the Fleſh; therefore you muſt think, that Faith in Chriſt did not then begin neither. Believing was the old and the only way to Heaven, ever ſince the Covenant of Works was broken all in pieces by Adam's Tranſgreſſion. Indeed there have been more Believers ſince the times of the New Teſtament, than formerly; becauſe the Goſpel hath been propagated further: but there were as true and as great Believers before, as you may ſee, Heb. 11. where the Faith of Abel, and Enoch, and Noah, and Abraham, and the reſt, is recorded and propounded as an Example to us. And if there were ſuch eminent Believers then, how ſhall we anſwer it if we be Unbelievers now, who have greater helps for our Faith than they had? It ſhould much ſtir us up to believe, to conſider what times we live in; how many things we have to help our Faith, of that they had: they had the Promiſes of Chriſt made, but we have them fulfilled; they were fain to ſpell out Chriſt in a heap of Ceremonies, but we may read him in his own Story.

3. Take notice of the wonderful Virtue that is in Chriſt; ſuch a Virtue as reaches from the beginning of the World to the p. 128end of it. You ſee his Freedom was of force in the firſt Generation, and ſo it ſhall be to the laſt. You know, that Chriſt ſaid, when the woman that had the bloody Iſſue touched him, I perceive that virtue is gone out of me. But Oh, what a deal of virtue is there gone out from Chriſt in this reſpect, that he hath been the Redeemer of Souls from the entrance of Time, and will be ſo till Time ſhall be no more. Things may be very precious when they are made, and for a while after, as cordial Waters, and curious Ointments, and coſtly Perfumes; but they won't always keep their Virtue, and eſpecially if they ſtand open, it will not be long before they be corrupted: but Jeſus Chriſt is ſuch an excellent Cordial, and ſuch an excellent Ointment, that tho he hath been ſo long ſtanding open for the uſe of every comer to him, yet he hath not loſt any thing of his Virtue or Savour; he is as refreſhing and as ſweet ſtill, as evet he was. You find in Solomon's time, in the Old Teſtament, how he ſpeaks in Cant. 1. 3. Becauſe of the ſavour of thy good ointments, thy name is as ointment poured forth; therefore do the virgins love thee. What a ſavour Chriſt ſent forth to the People of God then! and in 1 Pet. 2. 7. in the times p. 129of the New Teſtament, ſtill Chriſt held his Virtue; he was precious to them that believed, and ſo he is ſtill. A Believer can be refreſhed and comforted with Chriſt, (he is ſo full of Virtue ſtill) when he can be refreſhed and comforted with nothing elſe: 'tis the preſent experience of the Saints in this Age, as well as in the Ages that are paſt, That Chriſt can revive a drooping Soul, and chear up a fainting Spirit now, as well as ever he could.

4. Take notice of the exceeding riches of the grace of God, that upon ſuch a thing as the Fall, he ſhould bring in Freedom by Chriſt. Oh! what an aſtoniſhing Conſideration is this, that God ſhould take occaſion to manifeſt his higheſt Mercy, where he might have taken occaſion to have manifeſted his hotteſt Juſtice! What could have been expected, in all likelihood, when our firſt Parents, and we in them, had thus by ſin ſpoiled all God's Workmanſhip, and defaced his bleſſed Image to which we were conformed in our Creation, but that he ſhould have left us to all the miſery that his broken Law could expoſe us to? And lo! no ſooner had man undone himſelf, but he brings in a promiſe of Redemption by Chriſt. Who would ever have thought, p. 130that Mercy would have come in at that door? Behold, Sirs, at what ſtrange doors God can bring Mercy in: when the Condition looks like a hopeleſs, loſt, undone condition, God can let in Mercy there. If it be great affliction, nay if it be great tranſgreſſion, God can let Mercy in for all that, Hoſ. 13. 9. O Iſrael, thou haſt deſtroyed thy ſelf, but in me is thine help. There Mercy comes in, but at what a ſtrange door 'tis! And therefore, whatever be thy caſe, or whatever be thy guilt, don't ſay, Well, to be ſure Mercy can never come in here. 'Tis true, we muſt look for Mercies coming in the appointed ways of finding it, and we muſt not expect it at any ſtrange door. Don't tempt the Lord, and preſume upon hopes of Grace in ways of ſin, Rom. 6. 1. What ſhall we ſay then? Shall we continue in ſin that grace may abound? I only note this from it, That when God will, 'tis wonderfull to ſee what ſtrange occaſions he takes to ſhew himſelf gracious.

To the Second thing, what is intimated to us by this, That Freedom comes by Chriſt.

1. It intimates the horrible nature of ſin, in that no leſs than God's own Son muſt be the Redeemer from it. You know ſometimes p. 131the greatneſs of a Diſeaſe is ſeen in the greatneſs of the Phyſician that comes to the Patient. If one ailes but ſome ſmall or ordinary matter, why, then one will hope to do well again, either without any Phyſician at all, or elſe that an ordinary Phyſician will ſerve the turn: But when there comes ſome famous eminent Doctor, one that all the Countrey hath been laid for, to inquire out a man that is ſo skilful and able in his Profeſſion, that there is not ſuch another to be heard of; why, then People will be ready to ſay, Certainly the perſon that this Phyſician goes to, is taken with a very dangerous Diſeaſe, and his condition is no ordinary Diſtemper, becauſe there is ſuch an extraordinary Phyſician ſent for. So here, that the Son of God muſt be ſent into the World to recover it; that there muſt be a Phyſician from Heaven to do this Work: Oh! it ſpeaks what a grievous condition ſin brings us into. Sin is the worſt of evils: one bad better be any thing for Affliction, than be a Sinner; yea, the greateſt ſuffering is not comparable to the leaſt ſin. And therefore, you that will not believe that ſin hath any ſuch great harm in it, you muſt needs think you are deceived, if you do but conſider what p. 132a Phyſician this makes work for: See Pſal. 41. 4. If thou hadſt committed but one little ſin in all thy life, yet 'tis of ſuch dangerous conſequence, that thou wilt certainly die of it, if this Doctor Jeſus do not come to cure thee.

2. That ſpiritual Freedom is an unſpeakable Mercy: you may ſee 'tis, in that it comes by Chriſt, by ſo great a hand. Do you think, that the Son of God ſhould come down from Heaven to beſtow it upon us, if it were not ſome tranſcendent good thing? There are many excellent Mercies that are given to men, and yet there's no coming from Heaven to give them; the Gifts come from Heaven, but the Giver doth not, Jam. 1. 15. but this is ſuch a Gift, and ſuch a Mercy, that the Giver muſt come from Heaven to give it, Joh. 16. 28. Oh, Sirs! what high thoughts ſhould we have then of this Freedom? Surely there's abundance of worth in it; (as I ſhall ſhew upon the laſt Branch of the Doctrine) in that it comes to us by ſuch a Meſſenger as Chriſt himſelf. You that have a part in this, you may ſay as Paul doth, 2 Cor. 9. 15. Thanks be unto God for his unſpeakable gift.

p. 1333. That Chriſt hath a ruining deſign upon the Kingdom of the Devil. If Freedom comes by him, then that muſt not ſtand. This Freedom by Chriſt, is God's device and contrivance, to batter down the Devil's walls, to turn his Subtilty into Fooliſhneſs, and his Power into Weakneſs, and to bring away his Subjects from him in ſpight of his heart, even as many as the Lord will have to be ſaved. 'Tis true, the devil will keep multitudes of Souls in his ſlavery, but there is not one of them that God hath choſen, but ſhall be ſure to be brought out from his Iron Fornace. The Devil may keep thoſe that are to be his own for ever, but he ſhall not always keep any that belong to God; though he hath ſome of them yet in his Dominion, yet they ſhall be delivered: as Pharaoh had the Children of Iſrael for a while in captivity, but at laſt he muſt part with them whether he would or no, and there remained not one of them left behind. Though they don't come all out in the ſelf▪ſame day, as they did out of Egypt, Exod. 12. 41. yet now one is converted, and then another is converted, till it ſhall come to that at length, that the Devil hath not one left that was a choſen Veſſel to God.

p. 1344. It intimates, that as Chriſt undertook the Work of our Redemption, ſo he did not fail of accompliſhing that which he went about. Freedom comes by him; he did not only attempt or indeavour to bring it, but he effected it. Men many times they ſet upon great things, but then when they have begun them, they cannot carry them through; the burden, and charge, and care of it is beyond their power: and it is one of the greateſt follies of ſome, that they will be medling with thoſe things that are too high for them. Now this was a very high Undertaking that Chriſt went about, to procure Freedom for ſuch a vaſt number of Souls as were to be brought to Glory: for tho 'tis true, they that ſhall be ſaved are but few, in compariſon to thoſe that ſhall periſh; yet conſidered apart and by themſelves, they are a wonderful great Company, Rev. 7. 9. Well, but now as high an Undertaking as this was, 'twas not too high for Chriſt; he began it, and he finiſhed it: See Joh. 17. 4. I have finiſhed the work; he means, this Work of our Redemption. And in Joh. 19. 30. you read, that theſe words, It is finiſhed, were the laſt words that Chriſt ſpake before he died: as if he p. 135ſhould have ſaid, Though I am a dying, yet the work of my Life is done. I do not go off the World like a Bungler, that went about what he was not able to effect. All that believe in me will find, that I have not been a half, but a whole Saviour to them: the buſineſs hath not miſcarried in my hands, that they ſhould wiſh I had never medled with it. You know, the Apoſtle tells the Coloſſians, chap. 2. 10. that they were compleat in him: and in Heb. 9. 12. 'tis ſaid, that Chriſt hath obtained eternal Redemption for us: he did not only endeavour to obtain it, but he hath obtained it. The Greek word is, he hath found it; he did not do as a man doth ſometimes when a thing is loſt, he ſeeks it, but then he comes back again and ſaith, he cannot find it. Iſa. 53. 10. The pleaſure of the Lord ſhall proſper in his hand: that is, he ſhall be ſure to carry it through. 'Tis true, he met with many difficulties in his way; as it was the higheſt Work that ever was gone about, ſo 'twas the hardeſt Work: if it had not been Chriſt that had been about it, it would never have been brought to paſs; but becauſe 'twas he that had it in his hand, therefore he brought it to a bleſſed period. And in this, Chriſt p. 136is an Example to us, not only to begin good things, but to hold out to the finiſhing of them, whatever hardſhip we muſt undergo. Beloved, difficulty doth attend all Duty, and great difficulties do attend ſome Duties; but for all that, we muſt ſee the end of them. God loves ſuch a frame of ſpirit, as to have Chriſtians to be crowding and preſſing to Heaven, through many things that ſtand in their way. 'Tis no great matter, you know, to get to a place when one hath Elbow room enough; but when the way is thronged up, and there is this to hinder him, and that to hinder him, and yet the man will not give over till he comes where he ſhould; it ſpeaks that he was reſolved to get thither. And remember this Note, That the going on in our Duty, notwithſtanding difficulty, is an evident ſign of our Sincerity. There was a great deal of difficulty in Abraham's way, when he was to offer up his only Son at the Command of God: but becauſe he would not ſtick, at that, ſee what is ſaid to him, Gen. 22. 12. Now I know that thou feareſt God, ſeeing thou haſt not with-held thy ſon, thine only ſon from me. As if he ſhould have ſaid, Now thou haſt given a proof it to purpoſe.

p. 137You may judge of the Sincerity or Hypocriſie of your Hearts in this caſe. You begin many things that are good, it may be; ay but do you carry them on to perfection? Don't you fly back again, when you find 'tis hard? It may be thou beginneſt to deny thy ſelf in this and that Sin or Luſt; yea, but as thou art a doing of it, thou findeſt that Self-denial is a very hard thing, and ſo thou returneſt with the dog to his vomit, and with the ſow that was waſhed, to her wallowing in the mire. Oh! this is a bad ſign that thy heart is not right in the ſight of God, One that is ſincere will deſire to ſtir himſelf up the more now, becauſe he finds 'tis hard; and he will be thinking, What, ſhall I be worſted, and let alone, becauſe my way is not ſmooth and eaſie for the Fleſh to walk in? And tho he finds it difficult, yet he doth not think it impoſſible; he believes, through Grace, ſuch a ſtrong Corruption may be ſubdued, and ſuch a Temptation may be overcome, and ſuch a great Affliction may be born with a patient ſpirit; and therefore, he will go to God for power, tho he hath none of his own; and go to God to make things eaſie, tho they are ſo hard to him, and then he finds he can go on, Col. 4. 13.

p. 138To the Third, How doth it appear that this Freedom comes by Chriſt? Anſ. For this I ſhall give you two ſorts of Arguments; 1. Some that prove it more directly. 2. Others that prove it more remotely; being drawn from ſuch conſiderations as are not immediately about Chriſt himſelf.

Thoſe Arguments that prove it more directly, which do more nearly relate to Chriſt himſelf, are theſe.

1. This Freedom was to come by one that was the only begotten Son of God, who could call God Father, and whom God could call his Son, after ſuch a manner as none elſe could: they muſt have ſuch a Relation one to another, as could not, upon ſome accounts, be communicated to any other. For tho 'tis true, God doth in his rich mercy enter into the Relation of a Father with Believers, and gives them power to become the Sons of God, Joh. 1. 12. Yet (as I have formerly hinted) to them God is a Father by Grace, Covenant and Promiſe, and they are children to him by Faith; ſee 2 Cor. 6. ult. Gal. 3. 26. But this was not enough for him that was to bring in this Freedom; he muſt not be one that was made the Son of God, ſo as to be none before; but he was to have p. 139this Relation to him from all eternity. We cannot expreſs the manner of it, it is ſuch a glorious Myſtery. Well now, who can this be but Chriſt? The Saints, they do not claim their Sonſhip this way, tho they are called Sons, and wonder at it that they ſhould, 1 Joh. 3. 1. Yet they acknowledge, that they were not the Sons of God by nature, no, but children of wrath, Eph. 2. 3. They'll quickly tell you, 'twas not their natural due to be the Children of God, but to be fire-brands in Hell; for ſo this Scripture laſt quoted doth intimate. And the glorious Angels in Heaven, they don't claim their Sonſhip this way neither: they acknowledge that they are Sons by Creation, and they all of them praiſe and bleſs the Lord for this, and ſhout as it were for joy, in ſinging together to his Name, Job 38. 7. But Chriſt he hath this Sonſhip by eternal Generation; this is the only begotten of the Father, as he is often called, and therefore Freedom muſt come by him. And in my Text you may obſerve, that when Chriſt ſpeaks of this Freedom, he puts in this Relation of his to God; he uſeth the word Son, If the Son, &c. To teach them, that it muſt needs come by him, ſince he was the eternal Son of God: for ſuch a one p. 140he muſt be, who was to give this Freedom.

There is one Objection, before I can go on, that I would take notice of. Obj. But it is ſaid in Scripture, that this Freedom, and the Works about it, were to be by a Servant of God; which is another Relation than that we are now ſpeaking of, yea and a far more inferior one than this of the Son of God. If a Servant of God was to bring this Freedom, how can it be by the Son of God? You ſhall find the places in Iſa. 53. 11. Zech. 3. 8. and elſewhere. Anſ. This is none other than the Son of God who is here ſpoken of; only he is called by this name, in reference to the great Work that he was to do, and in reference to the mean and low condition in which he was to do it; he took upon himſelf the form of a ſervant: and in reſpect to his faithfulneſs in all that he undertook, as the Scripture ſaith, he was faithful to him that appointed him.

2. This Freedom was to come by one that was to be God and Man together in one perſon. He was to be ſuch a wonderful One, that the like was not to be found again, either in Heaven or Earth. In Heaven there was one that was God, yea but he was not man; and upon p. 141Earth there were many that were men, yea but they were not God. But here the two Natures, the Divine and the Humane, they muſt meet together in him that was to be the Redeemer: and there was great reaſon for it; the procuring of this Freedom did require both theſe to concur, and each of them to lend their helping hand. Now thus it was with Chriſt; he was God, for he ſaith, I and my Father are one; and he was man too, for he ſaith, The Father is greater than I. And therefore, Chriſt was the wonderfulleſt Sight that ever was beheld upon Earth: to ſee a perſon that was true God and true Man at once, what a rare Sight was that? Oh! What an aſtoniſhing thing is the Incarnation of Chriſt, that God ſhould take upon him humane Fleſh, and that humane Fleſh ſhould be united to the Godhead! Yea, this will make a conſiderable part of the Glory that ſhall be in Heaven, to behold the Son of God in our Nature. What an everlaſting joy will it be to the Saints, to ſee Chriſt in their Nature ſitting down at the right hand of God! Well, therefore, ſurely Freedom comes by Chriſt, ſince 'tis he that is both God and man in one Perſon for ever.

p. 1423. This Freedom was to come by one, that was to be all his days upon Earth without ſin; he muſt lead as pure a ſpotleſs Life, as the perfect Law did call for: he muſt not do as we do; the beſt of us perform Duties that have a great many flaws, and fail in this and that, and then repent; no, he muſt fulfill all righteouſneſs to a tittle. Why, ſo did Chriſt, and therefore Freedom comes by him, 1 Pet. 2. 22. Who did no ſin, neither was guile found in his mouth. There was not a Tranſgreſſion in the whole Life of Chriſt; he was without blemiſh and without ſpot; tho he ſpake much, yet be never ſpake amiſs; tho he thought on many things, yet he never thought amiſs; tho he did many things, yet he never did any thing amiſs; he had not only ſincerity, but he had perfection; not only holineſs, but all the degrees of it. The People of God, tho they have Grace, yet they have need of grains of Allowance; they don't ſo their Duty, but that they ſtand in need of mercy; tho God be glorified by that they do, yet they don't look to be juſtified by what they do. But now, Chriſt he lived ſo, as that he was juſtified by works; yea ſo, as to juſtifie all that believe in him by his works, Rom. 5. 19. He lived ſo exactly, p. 143as that we need not fear to follow his Example: we are commanded to follow the Example of the Saints; yea, but we muſt take heed that we don't follow them in every thing, for fear we ſhould follow them in ſin: tho the general courſe of a child of Gods walking is holy and good, yet he hath his particular miſcarriages, and there we muſt leave him: but Chriſt's walking 'twas all obedience, and all conformity to the Will of God; therefore he is a fit and a full Pattern for us, in what is our Duty.

4. This Freedom was to come by one, who could make full ſatisfaction to the Juſtice of God for ſin: for ſo God was reſolved, that he that would be the Purchaſer of it, ſhould, without any abatement, bring in ſuch a Ranſom as was able to recompence all the wrong that he had received. And therefore, he had need to be ſome mighty Ʋndertaker that ſhould appear in this Work; ſince he was to offer up a Sacrifice of ſuch Value, as might make an All-ſufficient Expiation and Atonement to the higheſt Demands that could be propounded in a way of Satisfaction. Now if all the Beaſts of the Foreſt, and all the Cattle upon a thouſand Hills ſhould have p. 144been gathered together, and given in Sacrifice to God; yea, if all the lives of Men and Angels ſhould have gone for it: this would not have quieted the Juſtice of God. The guilt of ſin is another manner of thing, than that it can be bought off, or purged away by ſuch means as theſe: no, there muſt one be found, who could bring a more excellent Sacrifice than all Creatures, or any mere Man could amount to. Now, this full Satisfaction Jeſus Chriſt did make, and therefore Freedom comes by him. And that he did ſo, appears in three things, which you find in that Epiſtle to the Hebrews: 1. In that after Chriſt had offered up himſelf, all other Sacrifices ceaſed: it aboliſhed all the ceremonial Worſhip of the Old Teſtament; then there was no more blood of bulls and of goats required to be ſhed, nor the aſhes of an heifer to ſprinkle the unclean: See Heb. 10. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. Thoſe Miniſtrations and Services were pleaſing to God before, as they did type out his Son that was to come: but when he was come, and had offered up that great Offering of Himſelf, then (mark the expreſſion) God hath no pleaſure in them; thou wouldſt not have them, ſaith ver. 5. He had no pleaſure in them, ſaith ver. 6. He takes them away, p. 145ſaith ver. 9. q. d. Away with them, what ſhould I do with theſe now? He looks upon his Son in the fleſh, the Body that he had prepared, the ſecond ſacrifice, as 'tis here called; that is, of another kind and nature than the firſt Sacrifices under the Law were; and that is it that he is for, and that he will now eſtabliſh. Now if Chriſt had not made full Satisfaction, then theſe former Sacrifices ſhould not have ceaſed; there muſt have been the Old Teſtament Worſhip ſtill: But there is no need of that now; nay, it would be an abomination to God, now, to bring him ſuch kind of things as theſe; it would be, as you read in another caſe, Iſa. 66. 3. He that killeth an ox, would be as if he ſlew a man: he that ſacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dogs neck: be that burneth incenſe, as if he bleſſed an idol.

2. It appears that Chriſt hath made full Satisfaction by this, that he doth not continue his own offering up of himſelf: he was to purchaſe this Freedom by the offering up of himſelf. Now, if he had no laid down a full Price, why then, he muſt have gone to his Sufferings again, he muſt have died often; as the Sacrifices under the Law, becauſe they were not full, and could p. 146not make the comers to them perfect, therefore they muſt be renewed; but Chriſt offered up himſelf but once, and there was enough: See Heb. 9. 25, 26. God never ſaid to Chriſt, Son, you muſt die again; this is ſuch a great Debt, that you have not paid enough.

3. It will be further manifeſt, that he cleared all the ſcore, by this, That when he had offered up himſelf, and roſe again from the dead, he was received up into glory. Now he could never have come thither himſelf, nor have brought any elſe thither, if his Satisfaction had not been full; See Heb. 10. 12. But this man, after he had offered one ſacrifice for ſin for ever, ſat down at the right hand of God: that is, in token that he had made the comers to him perfect; for ſo you have it in ver. 14. If he had not, 'tis certain that he would have been in the Grave ſtill.

5. This Freedom was to come by one that was to die, but not for himſelf: if he had died for himſelf, he had not been fit to die for others. His Death muſt be altogether for the excuſing and delivering of thoſe, who for their own Tranſgreſſions had deſerved that the wrath of God ſhould have fallen upon themſelves. He p. 147muſt be a Surety for others, and one that could ſay, I am bound for ſuch and ſuch perſons Debts; and being ſo, I do acknowledge they are mine, and I take them upon my ſelf, and here I come to diſcharge them. Why, thus it was with Chriſt, and therefore Freedom comes by him; he laid down his Life, but he tells you, 'twas for his ſheep, Joh. 10. 15. He was not indebted a farthing token to God upon his own account: Law and Juſtice had nothing to ſay to him, nor nothing to do with him, but only as he ſtood in our ſtead, 2 Cor. 8. 9. He was rich, yet for your ſakes he became poor. Mark, for your ſakes. What had he done to offend God? or to ſuffer ſuch a cruel, and painful, and curſed death as he did? Let all his Life be ſcanned to the utmoſt, he would have been found innocent, holy, harmleſs, undefiled, ſeparate from ſinners. And had it not been for others, in whoſe behalf he indured all that Agony and bloody Sweat which he underwent, it had nor conſiſted with the Juſtice of God to lay ſuch things upon him. But ſince he would put himſelf in our place, out of his great love to poor loſt ſinners, therefore 'twas fit that God ſhould deal thus ſeverely with him as he did: and 'twas well for us that he laid p. 148on ſoundly upon Chriſt, and did not ſpare him at all. See that Scripture, Iſa. 53. 5. He was wounded for our tranſgreſsions, he was bruiſed for our iniquities, the chaſtiſement of our peace was upon him; and with his ſtripes we are healed. Mark here, how Juſtice laid it on upon Chriſt. q. d. What? are you ſtept in to bear theſe blows that ſinners have deſerved ſhould fall upon them? Well, I'll not ſpare you a jot the more, becauſe you are my Son: and then he falls to it in ſuch a manner, as that he wounded him, and bruiſed him; he cruſhed him as it were, between the milſtones of his wrath for our iniquities, that he made him the ſaddeſt Spectacle to look upon that ever was. And I ſay, 'twas well for us that Juſtice laſhed Chriſt in this dreadful manner; for, with theſe ſtripes we are healed: they were wounding ſtripes to Chriſt, but they are healing ſtripes to us: that Blood that this ſin-revenging Hand fetch'd from Chriſt, turns to be a precious Salve for our grievous Sore. Hence 'tis clear, that Chriſt is the very Redeemer, becauſe 'twas not for himſelf that all this was done to him; See Dan. 9. 26.—cut off, but not for himſelf.

p. 1496. This Freedom was to come by one who was witneſſed to by all the Prophets under the Old Teſtament, and to whom all things were to agree which they foretold: Now thus it was with Chriſt, and therefore Freedom comes by him. See Act. 10. 43. To him gave all the Prophets witneſs, &c. And therefore, you do often meet with this in the Story of Chriſt's Life and Death recorded in the Goſpel; this and that was done, that the ſaying of ſuch and ſuch a Prophet might be fulfilled, and that ſuch a Scripture might be fulfilled; all was fulfilled in Chriſt. The Prophecies of the Old Teſtament, they foretold out of what Nation he that was to be the Redeemer ſhould ariſe, viz. from among the Jews: So did Chriſt, ſaith the New Teſtament. The Prophecies of the Old Teſtament foretold, that he muſt be of the houſe of David, and of the tribe of Judah: So was Chriſt, ſaith the New Teſtament. That he was to be born of a Virgin; So was Chriſt, ſaith the New Teſtament. That the place where he muſt be born, muſt be Bethlehem; and there the New Teſtament tells us Chriſt was born. I cannot ſtand to quote Places about theſe and many other things of this ſort: ſtudy the Word for this; compare p. 150Scriptures of the Old and New Teſtament together, you'll ſee how all doth exactly agree to Chriſt. And therefore he is the true Redeemer; and this Jeſus whom I preach unto you, is Chriſt. But I ſhall go no further in this.

There are other Arguments that do more remotely prove, that Freedom comes by Chriſt. I will but hint at four.

1. If it doth not, why then obſerve upon how many things this would caſt a lie. It would caſt a lie upon all the Miniſtry that preach the Goſpel: They tell you that Freedom comes by Chriſt, and are, or ſhould be earneſt with you to ſtir you up to come to him for Salvation. What? do you think they are all Deceivers? Have they all conſpired together throughout the World, to put a cheat upon People? Why, how can this be? They never met all together, nor poſſibly could, to plot ſuch a buſineſs. It caſts a lie upon all the Apoſtles, upon all the Prophets. It would caſt a lie upon all the Ordinances of Chriſt, for they all lead to him. It would caſt a lie upon the Scriptures, for they ſpeak of him. It would caſt a lie upon the Angels in Heaven, for they ſang at his Birth, Glory to God in the higheſt, &c. It would caſt a p. 151lie upon Chriſt, for he told the World that he was the Redeemer: I am the light of the world; and I am that bread of life; and I am the reſurrection and the life; and I am the way, and the truth, and the life. Yea, it would caſt a lie upon God himſelf; for he ſaid, this was his beloved Son, and owned him by a Voice from Heaven.

2. If Freedom doth not come by Chriſt, then all the Saints hope is loſt. They have all placed their hope in him, 1 Tim. 1. 2. They hope that they ſhall have eternal life by believing in him; they hope that it won't be long now, before he will come again and receive them to himſelf, according to his Promiſe, that where he is, there they may be alſo. They are deſcribed there in Tit. 2. 13. to be a People looking for the bleſſed hope, and glorious appearance of the great God, and our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt. And oh, how many breathings and longings of Soul have they, and do they ſend forth to him! and, having the firſt fruits of the Spirit, they groan within themſelves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of the body, Rom. 8. 23. And what? ſhall all this be loſt.

3. If Freedom did not come by Chriſt, certainly the Devil would not keep ſuch a p. 152do to hinder Souls from coming to him. He makes this his great buſineſs, to blind the minds of them that believe not, leſt the light of the glorious Goſpel of Chriſt, who is the Image of God, ſhould ſhine unto them, 2 Cor. 4. 4. But they might come, and come to Chriſt, and he would put forth no power, nor uſe no ſubtilty to hinder them at all, if there were no Freedom to be found in him. The Devil knows 'tis otherwiſe; and therefore he ſets all his devices a work to block up that way.

4. If Freedom did not come by Chriſt, then no Soul that comes to him could find reſt in him: But every Soul that comes to him, finds reſt in him, Heb. 4. 3. Yea, they find a glorious reſt in him, as God promiſed they ſhould, Iſa. 11. 10. Obj. Why, but there are many that come to Chriſt, and yet are much diſturb'd, and full of diſquieting thoughts. Anſ. Yea, that's true, and yet notwithſtanding they do find reſt in Chriſt; for, ask ſuch a perſon in the midſt of all his fears, It is thus and thus with you, ay, but would you change? Would you place your hope in another? Oh! no: here he deſires to pitch for ever. Well then, he finds reſt here, as to the Objection; and all his trouble is not, p. 153that he fears whether there be reſt in Chriſt, but whether he be truly come to him.

To the Fourth, After what manner this Freedom is in Chriſt, I anſwer, 1. 'Tis in Chriſt perſonally; i. e. Jeſus Chriſt who is the Second Perſon in the Godhead, is he who is our Deliverer and Redeemer. When a poor Creature is delivered by ſome one out of his Slavery, certainly he muſt needs deſire to know who was the perſon that did it. Now the Lord Jeſus Chriſt is the very perſon that hath done this great Work for us; as he ſaid to the woman of Samaria, Joh. 4. 26. when ſhe ſpake of the Meſſias or Redeemer that was to come, I that ſpeak unto thee, am he. Now, the reaſon why I mention this, that our Freedom is in the perſon of Chriſt, is in order to the anſwering of one Queſtion that may profitably be propounded here; which is this,

Queſt. Whether our Redemption be ſo to be appropriated to Chriſt, the Second Perſon in the Godhead, as that the other Perſons, namely, the Father and the Holy Ghoſt, had nothing, or have nothing to do in it?

p. 154Anſw. 1. Our Freedom comes in ſome reſpects, from the Father and the Holy Ghoſt, as well as from the Son, or from all the three Perſons jointly. 2. In other reſpects, it comes from Chriſt perſonally and peculiarly; ſo as that, in ſome ſenſe, he is and muſt be looked upon as more immediately our Redeemer. I will open theſe two things a little.

1. Our Freedom comes from all the three Perſons. That it comes from Chriſt, you know that's the whole buſineſs of this 4^th Branch of the Doctrine; and much hath been ſpoken to it already. But now for the Father and the Holy Ghoſt, they are alſo concerned in this Freedom. For the Father, ſee that place, Col. 1. 12, 23. Giving thanks unto the Father,—who hath delivered us from the power of darkneſs, &c. And for the Holy Ghoſt, you read, 2 Cor. 3. 17. that where he comes into the heart, he brings Liberty with him: So that the giving of this Freedom is, in ſome reſpects, the joint work of all the Perſons. I ſhall ſhew you what you are to gather from this by and by, that they all have a hand in it. But, firſt. I will ſhew you what hand the Father and the Holy Ghoſt have in conjunction with Jeſus Chriſt about this Freedom; p. 155and then how Chriſt, as I ſaid, is more perſonally and peculiarly concerned in it.

For God the Father, I ſhall give you five things, for his having a hand in this Work.

1. He did appoint, deſign and chooſe the Son to be our Redeemer: he did in his infinite Wiſdom and Goodneſs, contrive the way for the bringing of thoſe that ſhould believe, out of the miſery that they were fallen into by ſin, Gal. 4. 4, 5. So that our Redemption was from the Father, as the Original and Fountain of it. He broke, as it were, this Buſineſs to his Son, and by his own conſent he pitched upon him to be the Saviour and Mediator. You may obſerve in many places of the Old Teſtament, that the Father is brought in, ſpeaking to Chriſt as one that he had called and choſen to this Work, Iſa. 42. 6, 7. and 49. 8, 9. and 55. 4, 5. and 61. 1. Zech. 9. 11. By theſe places you may ſee, that the Father and the Son did, as it were, agree together from all Eternity about this thing; and took, as I may ſay, a delight to confer together in Heaven about it. There were many wonderful things done between them even there: there this admirable Deſign was laid; and there Chriſt, as it were, p. 156ingaged and entred into Covenant with his Father, that he would undertake and faithfully perform this great Work: and there the Father paſt his promiſe to the Son, that thoſe whom he ſhould redeem ſhould have eternal Life, Tit. 1. 2. And there the Father did, as it were, give in to the Son, the Number, Liſt or Roll of all the perſons that were to be redeemed, Joh. 17. 6. So that when Chriſt came into the World, he knew for whom he was to die, and for whom he was to make interceſſion; that it was not for all the World, but for them whom the Father had given him: and he knew who they were, as he ſaith, Joh. 10. when he ſpeaks that he was to lay down his Life for the Sheep, ver. 15. I know my ſheep, ver. 14. he muſt needs know them, for he ſtood charged with every one of them, Joh. 6. 39. So that Chriſt was a long time ſeparated to this Work before he went about it, even by the everlaſting Decree and Purpoſe of his Father, 1 Tim. 1. 9, 10. Oh! what ancient Mercy this Mercy by Chriſt is! It hath been laid up for the Saints of old, before the World began. 'Tis from everlaſting; and as 'tis from everlaſting, ſo 'tis to everlaſting, Pſal. 103. 17.

p. 1572. The Father did fit his Son, and fit him with all that was needful to go about ſuch a Work. As God never ſends or calls any to an Imployment, but he furniſhes them with what is neceſſary for the diſcharging of it: So he did this in a ſingular and eminent manner to Chriſt: the work that he had to do, would require a deal to be laid out upon it; he had need bring enough with him, and ſo he did: See Col. 1. 19. It pleaſed the Father, that in him ſhould all fulneſs dwell. And in Joh. 3. 34. you read, that the Father gave him the Spirit without meaſure: he dealt otherwiſe with him, than he doth with the reſt of his Children. 'Tis true, be beſtows his Spirit, and the Gifts and Graces of it upon them, but to them he meaſures it, Rom. 12. 3. He doth divide and diſtribute to them, 1 Cor. 12. 11. and he gives it ſo to them, that they cannot ſay one to another, I have no need of thee. But in his giving to Chriſt, he obſerved no number, no weight, no meaſure; he gave him all, all Power, all Riches, all Righteouſneſs: he dealt with us by retail, as I may ſo ſay, but he dealt with Chriſt by whole-ſale; he makes us to be as the Streams, or ſmall Rivers; but he made him the Sea; he hid all the treaſures of Wiſdom p. 158and Knowledge in him. See that one place more how Chriſt was fitted, Iſ. 11. 2. The ſpirit of the Lord ſhall reſt upon him, the ſpirit of wiſdom and underſtanding, the ſpirit of counſel and might, the ſpirit of knowledge, and of the fear of the Lord. He made him able to ſpeak ſo as never man ſpake; he made him able to comfort a wounded Spirit, ſo as never man comforted, Iſa. 50. 4. he made him able to ſuffer ſo, as never man ſuffered; he made him able to live ſo, as never man lived.

3. The Father did aſſiſt and ſtand by him, in the doing of all that he did in the Work of our Redemption: he did not ſet him to work, and then forſake him; but his Preſence and Power went along with him. 'Tis true, he cried out upon the Croſs, My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? and at that time he had an eclipſe and withdrawment of the Preſence of his Father: but this was not a total and a final deſertion; for even then, he could look upon God as his God, and act his Faith in him; which ſhews, that even then, he was ſupported and inabled to go through with his moſt bitter Sufferings. Now, for the Aſſiſtance that he had from his Father, you have divers places, as Iſ. 42. 1. p. 159Behold my ſervant whom I uphold: that is, I will go along with him in his work, with my upholding-power. God the Father lookt after him, to carry him through what he ſent him about; and ſee what he undertakes for him, in ver. 4. He ſhall not fail, &c. As if he had ſaid, Tho 'tis a very hard Work that he hath to do, yet I'll keep him from fainting in it; and ſo he promiſes, in ver. 6. that he would hold his hand for him, as it were, to keep it from being weak or ſhaking. And in the confidence and full aſſurance of this, that he ſhould have his Fathers help, you ſhall ſee how reſolvedly and couragiouſly he goes to the Work, Iſa. 58. 5, to 10.

4. The Father did accept this redeeming-work at the hands of his Son, as that in which he was ſatisfied; as who ſhould ſay, I have enough, I demand no more: he took great content in what he had don, and ſo he doth ſtill. There be two excellent places for this; one in Joh. 10. 17. Therefore doth my Father love me, becauſe I lay down my life, &c. And another in Eph. 5. 2. Chriſt hath given himſelf for us an offering and a ſacrifice to God for a ſweet ſmelling ſavour. Chriſt could not have pleaſed his Father better, than by performing p. 160this Work. Oh, what a lovely delightful thing 'tis to his Soul, to ſee what his Son hath done for poor ſinners!

5. He did reward him for his pains. You find Chriſt, when he had done his Work, he calls for his Reward, Joh. 17. 4, 5. And if you look into Rev. 3. 21. you ſhall ſee Chriſt ſaith, he hath it; As I alſo overcame, and am ſet down with my Father on his throne. In this place, he tells John in his Revelation to him from Heaven, and he bids John to tell it from him to the Church to whom he was to write, That he was well paid for all the good and great Service that he had performed in the work of our Redemption. God the Father had of old promiſed to him, that he ſhould have a large Recompence for it, as you may read, Iſa. 53. 12. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great; he ſhall divide the ſpoil with the ſtrong, becauſe he hath poured out his ſoul unto death. And if you bring this to the New Teſtament, you ſhall ſee what this Recompence was, and how fully 'twas paid in to him, and how many ways God honoured him; how he raiſed him from the dead again, and took him into Heaven, and ſet him down at his own right Hand on the Throne of the Majeſty on p. 161high, and made him the Head of his Body, the Church, and placed him far above all Principalities and Powers, &c. Eph. 2. 20, 21, 22. and appointed him to be the Judge of all, and he to whom all muſt bow: and all this was by way of Reward to him for what he had done and ſuffered in the great Work of bringing this Freedom to us. See Phil. 2. 7, 8. there you have an account of the great Service that he did about it; and then he brings in ver. 9, 10, 11. with a wherefore, Wherefore God alſo hath highly exalted him, and given him a name that is above every name: i. e. He conſidered how greatly his Son had been humbled for our ſakes, and upon that account he promoted him to this high degree of Exaltation. Thus you ſee the Father had a hand alſo in this Freedom.

And then for the Holy Ghoſt, he doth much about it too. For, it is the Spirit that doth awaken and convince the Soul that is to be ſaved, to ſee its loſt and undone condition by nature; and ſhews it, by its own illumination, Why, thou art one that art in bondage. That proves this by undeniable Evidence: What! live ſo as thou haſt and doſt, and not be in this ſpiritual Bondage! Oh! it cannot p. 162be. Why, thou haſt the manifeſt ſigns and tokens of a perſon in ſlavery: what's the meaning that thou art ſo in love with ſin, and under the power and dominion of theſe and theſe Luſts? that thou art ſo given to ſuch and ſuch wicked Ways, and ſo contrary to all that is good? That thou haſt ſuch an unclean Heart, and ſuch a diſobedient Life, ſuch a dark Mind, ſuch vile Affections, ſuch a rebellious Will? Why, doth not this ſpeak that thou art an Enemy to God, and a Child of Wrath? Would, or could any Man or Woman live ſuch a carnal, vain Converſation as thine is, if they were not in an unregenerate condition? Therefore you read, Joh. 16. 9. that it is the Spirit that reproves the world of ſin.

Again; It is the Spirit that humbles the ſoul that is to be ſaved; that abaſes and laves it low in the ſight of its own ſin and miſery, that makes ſin grievous and odious to it, and that brings the Soul under a ſenſe of that wrath that belongs to the workers of iniquity: So that it ſhall cry out, Oh, what have I done! Oh, what have I deſerved! what a dangerous caſe am I in! Here's this and that ſin forbidden by God, and yet committed p. 163by me, and thereupon the Law threatens thus and thus. Oh, how ſhall I eſcape! Here's this and that Duty commanded by God, and yet neglected by me, and thereupon the Law threatens thus and thus again. Oh, what ſhall become of me! Hence that ſorrow and heavineſs that is in ſuch a Soul now, is called the ſpirit of heavineſs, Iſa. 61. 3. to note, that this heavineſs comes from the Spirit: 'tis he that ſets the Soul a mourning thus.

Again; It is the Spirit that diſcovers to the Soul that is to be ſaved, where its remedy is for all this; that acquaints it with the Goſpel and Salvation by Chriſt, and what things God hath freely given to his People in and by his Son, 1 Cor. 2. 12. That ſhews it, Tho thou art ſuch a great ſinner, yet there is a great Saviour; one that is a Phyſician, appointed to cure ſuch Diſeaſes as thine are; one that's a Surety, appointed to pay ſuch Debts as thine are. 'Tis ſaid here, that the Spirit makes thoſe who ſhall be ſaved, to know ſuch things as theſe are; what God hath done for the raiſing and recovering of poor ſinners, in a way of free Grace; what a glorious Contrivance he hath found out by Jeſus Chriſt, revealed in the Goſpel, p. 164to ſhew mercy to them: and indeed, that's a knowing that is worth the having, to know theſe things ſo, as the Spirit makes them known to the People of God. There be many that have a kind of Knowledge of theſe things by bare reading of them, and hearing of them, and by common Illumination of the Spirit; but this knowing here, is another manner of thing.

Again; It is the Spirit that doth help and inable the Soul to look out for this Chriſt, to uſe all the means, and to go all the ways that may be, to come to this Chriſt, and to get an intereſt in him; that works in it faith to lay hold upon him, and that makes the Soul able to take him, Eph. 3. 16, 17. That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory, to be ſtrengthned with might by his ſpirit in the inner man, that Chriſt may dwell in your hearts by faith. Mark, 'tis the Spirit that by his might doth ſtrengthen the inner man, that Chriſt may dwell in the heart by faith. Take notice by the way, what a deal of Power there muſt go out from this Spirit, to make a Soul believe with the true ſaving Faith. They that have the falſe Faith, they can believe with eaſe; there needs not an Almighty Arm to be ſtretched out to work p. 165their Faith, they give it themſelves, and have had it all their days; they find no difficulty either in the getting of it, or in the keeping of it. But the true Faith comes into the hearts of Saints by no leſs a ſtrength than that which God by his Spirit puts forth: See Eph. 1. 19, 20.

Again; It is the Spirit that ſeals and witneſſes to the Soul, the Aſſurance that this Freedom doth belong to it, and that proves to the Soul that it is ſo, by ſuch Evidences as it gives out of the Word, Eph. 1. 13. This is he that carries, as I may ſay, God's Privy Seal, and when, and to whom he pleaſes he gives it; but he gives it to none but them that are ſanctified: The ſecret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he will ſhow them his covenant. And this is an unſpeakable mercy, to have the Spirits Seal ſet to our Graces; to have ones repentance ſealed for a true Repentance, and ones faith ſealed for a true Faith, and ones comfort ſealed for true Comfort, and ones intereſt in Chriſt ſealed up: We muſt make our ſtate of Grace ſure by Signs, but the Spirit can make it ſure by Seal.

Again; It is the Spirit that ingages and ſtirs up the Soul to ſuch a walking as is ſit p. 166for one that is brought into a ſtate of Freedom: therefore, 1 Pet. 1. 2. the People of God are ſaid to have the ſanctification of the Spirit unto obedience. And Oh! how much are they beholding unto this Spirit, for many heavenly Notions that he gives in to them; and for freſh quicknings, when they find abundance of deadneſs, and formality in their Duties hath ſeiſed upon them. This Spirit is often calling upon the Saints to pray more fervently, to hear more profitably, to walk more cloſely, to bring forth more fruit to God, who hath done ſo much for them. It often minds them of their Mercies, that they may be more ſtirred up to Duties; and of the hope of their Calling, that ſo they may walk more worthy of it.

Again; It is the Spirit that preſerves and keeps them in the ſtate of Freedom, that they ſhall not loſe it again; and that makes them to perſevere to the end in a holy life, that ſo they may come at laſt to the full injoyment of all that their dear Redeemer hath purchaſed and prepared for them. This Spirit is that Power of God, by which they are ſaid through Faith to be kept unto Salvation; See Ezek. 36. 27. p. 167Thus you ſee, that both the Father and the Holy Ghoſt have a hand in this Freedom.

But yet (according to the ſecond thing that was ſaid, in anſwer to the Queſtion) our Freedom in other reſpects comes from Chriſt perſonally and peculiarly; ſo as that in ſome ſenſe, he is and muſt be look'd upon as more immediatly our Redeemer; for he did that in his Perſon, which the other Perſons did not. They did not take our nature, and come in the likeneſs of ſinful fleſh, but the Son did, Rom. 8. 3. and therefore, 'twas not they, but he that was made under the Law, and that yielded perfect obedience to it: neither did they, but he died that accurſed death upon the Croſs for our ſins; and 'twas he, and not they, that roſe again the third day, and that afterwards aſcended into Heaven; and 'tis he, and not they, that is the Mediator betwixt God and man, 1 Tim. 2. 5. and divers ſuch things muſt be appropriated to the Perſon of Chriſt. 'Twas he that was put into the Offices of a Prophet, Prieſt and King; and theſe things are everywhere in the Scripture kept ſo diſtinct from the other Perſons, as that Chriſt is the Doer and Executor of them. So that our Freedom comes p. 168by him (as I have already ſhewed upon this Fourth Branch of the Doctrine) in a more eminent way, than by the Father or the Holy Ghoſt; tho they have all of them, as I have ſaid, in ſome reſpects, a very great hand in it. And from that, I would now deſire you to take three Conſiderations.

All the three Perſons are concerned in the Freedom that comes by Chriſt: why, then conſider,

1. That there was not a word ſpoken in Heaven againſt the recovering of poor Sinners out of their loſt condition; not a word againſt ſhewing Mercy to them. You know; there be many great things upon Earth that come to a Propoſition, but then they meet with an Oppoſition, and ſuch an Oppoſition, that the thing propounded is daſh'd all to pieces. But it was not ſo in Heaven: there every one was for it; the Father was for it, the Son was for it, and the Holy Ghoſt was for it; and yet every one might have been againſt it. And Oh, how much might have been ſaid to have ſpoiled all; there was enough might have been alledged, to have turned all their hearts againſt us: but every one was willing that the buſineſs of our Redemption p. 169ſhould go forward, all went on our ſide. You may therefore be fully aſſured, that tho there was none but the ſecond Perſon that did viſibly appear in the Work of our Redemption, yet that they are all well-wiſhers to it. Here's no place left for doubting, whether their hearts be as inclinable towards your Salvation, as Chriſt did expreſs, by word of mouth, that his heart was in the days of his Fleſh: for, they do all, by mutual conſent, unite together in this Deſign of doing your Souls good, and the voice of one, is the voice of all. And when Chriſt did invite and call poor Sinners to come unto him, and declared ſo much readineſs to receive and imbrace all that were weary and heavy laden; you muſt know, that he did not only do this to ſhow his own kindneſs and good-will to the Children of Men, but alſo to ſhew what kindneſs and good will the other Perſons had in their hearts towards them too. And if you look into 1 Joh. 5. 7. you ſhall find them all joined together in this matter of Salvation by Chriſt, compared with ver. 11. What an ingagement then is it to us to accept of this Salvation, when we have, as I may ſay, three ſuch great Suitors ſeeking to us; the Father p. 170ſending his Son, and the Son coming from the Father, and now Chriſt by his Spirit knocking at the door of our Hearts for an entrance. Oh, that as they are all willing that we ſhould be ſaved, we were all willing to cloſe with this Salvation!

2. Since they all have a hand in it, then in our labouring to get the benefit of Chriſt's Redemption, we muſt look to all the three Perſons: 'tis not only Chriſt in particular that we muſt have an eye to, but alſo to the Father and to the Holy Ghoſt. And we muſt look to them all two ways; 1. In the way of Prayer. 2. In the way of Thanksgiving.

As for Prayer; why, we muſt pray to the Father, that he would draw us to his Son; as Chriſt ſaith, Joh. 6. 44. No man can come to me, except the Father which hath ſent me draw him. We muſt pray to the Son, that he would have mercy upon us, and heal us, and that he would help our Unbelief; as you read they did in the Goſpel, when he was here in his bodily Preſence. We muſt pray to the Holy Ghoſt, to inlighten our Minds in the ſaving underſtanding of Chriſt and the Goſpel, to ſanctifie us and make us obedient to the word of Grace, and effectually to apply p. 171to us the Redemption that comes by Chriſt, and all the benefits of it. But here we muſt take heed, that when we do thus expreſs our ſelves (as ſometimes we may) in ſuch kind of Petitions as are directed more particularly to one Perſon, we don't think that the other Perſons are at that time excluded.

And then we muſt look to all the three Perſons, in a way of Thanksgiving: For if every one hath a hand in our Redemption, then we are beholding to every one of them; and ſo we may not only make an Acknowledgment of it to the whole Godhead jointly, but alſo to each of the Perſons particularly; and ſo you ſhall ſee, the People of God have ſometimes done. As for Thankſgiving to the Father, ſee Eph. 1. 3. and for Thankſgiving to the Son, Rev. 1. 5, 6. And tho we have not, as I remember, any Scripture, in which the Holy Ghoſt is given thanks to in this particular way of naming of him; yet, you muſt know, that in thoſe places in which Praiſe is rendred unto God, he is there to be underſtood. Well then, as I ſaid, we ſhould be admiring and praiſing every one of them for this Work, and ſaying, Oh, bleſſed be the Father, that ſent his only begotten p. 172Son out of his Boſom, to be a Saviour to Mankind! And Oh, bleſſed be Jeſus Chriſt, the Son of God, who laid down his Life to be a Ranſom for us! And Oh, bleſſed be the Holy Ghoſt, which hath given to any of our Souls the application, comfort, and ſealing up of this Redemption! Bleſſed be that one God in three Perſons for ever and ever. Amen.

3. If there be ſuch a Three that join together to further the Saints Salvation; then another Three that join together to hinder their Salvation, ſhall not be able to do it. There is a Three that would fain keep every Child of God out of Heaven; the World, the Fleſh and the Devil: and 'tis true, they are three great and mighty Enemies; howbeit, they attain not to the firſt Three, 1 Chron. 11. 21. Oh! you that fear God, when you think what Three there are againſt you, and thereupon are ready to be diſheartned; why, think what Three there are for you, and then be comforted. What are the Three below to the Three above? The Saints do too little mind what great Friends and Helps are ingaged on their ſide. It daunted all the Children of Iſrael to ſee that great Goliath coming againſt them, becauſe p. 173they looked no higher than themſelves: but little David went forth with Courage and Reſolution to meet him, becauſe he knew that he had God on his ſide, 1 Sam. 17. 45. Thou comeſt to me with a ſword, and with a ſpear, and with a ſhield; but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hoſts; and ſo he prevailed. This is the Cordial that true Chriſtians muſt take along with them, in their journey to Heaven, to keep them from fainting, That Father, Son and Spirit are all ingaged in the matters of their Salvation. And 'tis certain, that they would not be ſo fearful and ſo weak in their work as they are apt to be, if they did but know their ſtrength. And ſo this is the firſt thing that ſhews, After what manner this Freedom is in Chriſt: 'Tis in him Perſonally.

2. This Freedom is in Chriſt abundantly: So Paul found it, when the Lord had mercy on him, 1 Tim. 1. 14. You know, the manner of men is, when they give others of their good things, to give but a little of them: it may be, rhey have not ſuch a ſtore of their own, as to be able to part with much. But 'tis not ſo with Chriſt; this Freedom is ſtor'd up in him, he hath Treaſures of it: 'tis much that p. 174Chriſt can do for Souls; that place is very full for it, Heb. 7. 25. He is able alſo to ſave them to the uttermoſt that come unto God by him. The word in the Greek is, as if you ſhould read it, He is able to ſave to the finiſhing or perfecting of all, foreign. Whatever is in Chriſt, 'tis in him abundantly. Conſider four things, and you'll ſee 'tis thus with him in reſpect of this Freedom: 'tis in him plentifully.

1. He can ſave more than ever ſhall be ſaved. The reaſon why ſuch multitudes do poſt and flock to Hell, is not becauſe there was not enough in Chriſt to keep them from it, but becauſe they will not be ruled by him; they do not follow this Phyſicians Preſcriptions. Here upon Earth, though the Patient makes the beſt uſe that can be of the Phyſician, and follows his Preſcriptions and Advice to a tittle, and doth all things to the exacteſt obedience; yet many times the Patient dies notwithſtanding, or he is never the more delivered from the pain and danger of his Diſeaſe; as it was with the Woman that had the bloody Iſſue, Mark 5. 25, 26. And the Diſeaſe is ſo inveterate and malignant, that all the skill of the Doctors is not able to cure them or preſerve them. But here, no p. 175Soul is loſt for want of Skill or Power in the Phyſician; but 'tis becauſe they would not do as he would have them; they would not ſubmit to his Cure, nor accept of his Help: they ſhould have found him a Healer, if he had found them obedient, Pſal. 81. 11, 12.

Obj. But you may ſay, If Chriſt hath ſuch a Power, he could have made them obedient if he pleaſed.

Anſ. That's true, he could have done ſo, and ſo he doth to ſome; he doth make them obedient and willing, that he will not only give Advice, but they ſhall take Advice, and give up themſelves to be wholly at Chriſt's direction and counſel; and where-ever this is wrought in the Soul, it is the free Grace and diſtinguiſhing Love of God. The overcoming of the Will to cloſe with Chriſt, is indeed the breaking forth of God's eternal Election, and he will do this in all whom he hath choſen: but when God ſees, that tho men cannot of themſelves receive Chriſt, yet they do wickedly and wilfully reſiſt the offers of his Grace, and through the pride of their Hearts, will not cry to him to make them willing, and to bring down the ſtubbornneſs and rebellion of their ſpirits; who will p. 176dare to blame … if he leave them to themſelves? … ſure, as 'tis unſpeakable Mercy in God to draw ſome to willingneſs; So 'tis a very righteous thing in him to leave others to their wilfulneſs. God is not bound to ſave any man againſt his will; and whom he pleaſes he may make willing, and whom he pleaſes he may let alone in their rebellion: and ſo they don't periſh becauſe Chriſt could not ſave them, but becauſe they would not be ſaved; and they manifeſted that they would not, becauſe they always reſiſted the Holy Ghoſt, Acts 7. 51.

Obj. But how doth this conſiſt with that great willingneſs that is in Chriſt to ſave Sinners (of which we are ſo often told) that ſo many Sinners ſhould periſh, and yet Chriſt could ſave them?

Anſ. 1. The willingneſs that is in Chriſt to ſave Sinners, muſt eſpecially and principally, as I conceive, be underſtood of thoſe kind of Sinners, who ſeek to him out of a ſenſe of their need of his Salvation, and of their undone condition without him; as appears from Matth. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you reſt. As the Lord Jeſus, in the days of his Fleſh, did p. 177upon all occaſions of the coming of the diſeaſed perſons to him, manifeſt his great readineſs to cure them, and he turned away none that offered themſelves to him; by them he would be prevailed with, and by them he would be touched; and as many as touched him, were made perfectly whole of whatever Diſeaſe they had: So, whoever they be, whatever ſpiritual Plagues they have, that do humbly and ſenſibly offer themſelves to Chriſt as the Phyſician of their Souls, and cry to him; Lord Jeſus, be intreated to cure me of a blind Mind, of a hard Heart, of the ſtrong Poſſeſſion that the Devil hath taken hold of me by ſuch a ſin, and ſuch a ſin; 'tis certain, that Jeſus Chriſt doth, as I may ſay, ſtand prepared to help ſuch a Soul, and to have mercy upon him, and heal him. And therefore you muſt know, that Jeſus Chriſt requires this at your hands, that you who would have Mercy and Salvation from him, ſhould repair to him, and come and ſpread, as it were, your Wounds before him, and implore his help. You muſt not ſtay away from Chriſt, and keep at a diſtance from him, but go and tell him the miſery that your Souls are in, and beſeech him to ſhew his skill upon you; and p. 178this will be the way to get him to be moved with compaſſion towards you: Then you'll find, that he hath a willingneſs in his heart to do you good; and the more importunate you are with him, the more hopes you will have to ſpeed with him; yea, you need not doubt or fear, if you do ſincerely make out to him for his help, but you ſhall have it; you are to believe that you ſhall: And if you do not thus look out for help in Chriſt, but neglect coming to him that is appointed of God to ſave you; as you will certainly periſh, ſo, tho you ſhall, yet your deſtruction doth not proceed from a want of willingneſs in Chriſt to ſave you: tho I confeſs, this willingneſs that is in Chriſt to ſave even them that ſhall never be ſaved, is not the ſame with that which is in him to ſave thoſe who are to be ſaved. You muſt take notice, that this willingneſs of Chriſt to ſave ſinners, may be conſidered two ways.

1. There is an abſolute willingneſs in Chriſt to ſave ſome ſinners, and theſe ſinners are thoſe whom God hath, from all eternity, choſen to life; and who thereupon do come to Chriſt, that they might have life, being awakened and ſtirred up p. 179thereunto by the inward and effectual working of Gods Spirit and Grace upon their hearts. Now there is in Chriſt an abſolute willingneſs to ſave all ſuch; he is fully reſolved to be wiſdom, and righteouſneſs, and ſanctification, and redemption to them, Joh. 6. 37.

2. There is a conditional willingneſs in Chriſt to ſave other ſinners, yea all ſinners, yea even thoſe that ſhall never be ſaved; by which Chriſt ſtands ready to receive, and pardon, and imbrace them, in caſe they come to him, and repent and believe the Goſpel: which they never doing, through the hardneſs and impenitency of their hearts, to which they are juſtly left, they are eternally loſt, tho Chriſt could have ſaved them, and would have ſaved them, if the Condition had been performed, Luk. 13. 34.

Secondly, it will appear that this Freedom is in Chriſt abundantly, if we conſider how he and his Salvation are magnified and extolled in Scripture. You ſhall find the Word of GOD ſpeaking very honourably of both, as indeed he and his Salvation deſerve the higheſt Praiſe. When Chriſt himſelf, as a Redeemer, is ſpoken of, ſee the great commendation that is p. 180given of him; I ſhall need to lead you but to that one Epiſtle to the Hebrews for it; See chap. 4. 15. and chap. 7. 26. and chap. 8. 1, 2, 6. and chap. 9. 14. And then, as he himſelf who is the Saviour, is thus ſet forth with ſuch magnificent Expreſſions; So the Salvation and Redemption that comes by him likewiſe, Heb. 2. 3. How ſhall we eſcape, if we neglect ſo great ſalvation? He ſpeaks of it, as that which cannot be told what manner of thing 'tis, for the Worth and Value of it; he is ſo taken up with the admiration of it, that he wants a fit compariſon to ſet it out by. So great ſalvation; as if he ſhould have ſaid, I cannot tell you how great 'tis, 'tis ſo great. And in 1 Pet. 1. 18, 19. Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as ſilver and gold,—but with the precious blood of Chriſt, as of a lamb without blemiſh and without ſpot. He makes all the Silver and Gold, and precious things of the World as nothing, to this Redemption which the Blood of Chriſt hath purchaſed for us.

Thirdly, there muſt needs be abundant Freedom in Chriſt, if we conſider, that this Redemption of his doth more good to them that partake of it, than ever the Fall of Adam did them hurt. It was indeed p. 181an unſpeakable deal of miſery that was brought in by the Tranſgreſſion of our firſt Parents; by it came Sin, by it came Death and Condemnation. Beloved, there is no evil either of Sin or of Puniſhment, either in this World or in that to come, but it is the woful effect and fruit of that Fall. Oh, that God would ſhew us what a miſerable condition we are in by the Fall! Oh, how ignorant is the World of this! How unawakened about it! Little do the moſt conſider, where it is that Adam hath left them; what wretched, curſed Creatures they are upon that account; and Oh, how little care do People generally take, or how little haſte do they make to get out of it! How ſecure do the moſt continue upon that ſinking ground, as if there were no danger towards them! Well, but now this Redemption by Chriſt hath more good in it, for them that are or ſhall be delivered by it, than that had hurt in it. This ſecond Adam ſets them into a better condition, than ever they were before they fell: He doth not only make up their loſs again, but with the greateſt advantage. Read that excellent place, Rom. 5. 15. to the end.

Fourthly, 'Tis ſuch abundant Redemthat p. 182is in Chriſt, that he can ſave thoſe that deſpair of ever being ſaved; not only can he ſave thoſe who deſerve to be damned, but even ſuch as deſpair of being ſaved. Oh, how many be there, that have lain under moſt dreadful fears of everlaſting condemnation! that when they have been brought to ſee their ſins, as it were, ſet in order before them, and to ſee the wrath of God, as it were, flaming againſt them; they have concluded, that they ſhould as certainly go to Hell, as if they were there already: And, Oh, the bitter cryes that they have had upon this! Oh, the anguiſh and ſorrow that their Souls have been filled with, What ſhall become of me? &c. They have roared by reaſon of the diſquietneſs of their hearts; they could not tell how to eat, or drink, or ſleep, for the fearful looking-for of Judgment and of Wrath that ſhould devour them; and yet, after all this, have been ſaved: the great Redeemer hath given them reſt from their fear, and from their ſorrow, and from the hard bondage wherein they were made to ſerve, Heb. 2. 15. And it may be, here may be ſome or other amongſt you that are full of trembling thoughts, and very ready to ſpeak about p. 183your Salvation, as if there were no hope. I know that many poor Souls do go under this load; they can't tell how to think that they ſhall ever be ſaved. Oh, but conſider, there is ſuch abundance of Freedom in Chriſt, that he can ſave thoſe who deſpair of being ſaved: and therefore be revived in thy hopes, thou poor diſheartned Soul; and becauſe of this, ſay as Jonah did, chap. 2. 3, 4. For thou hadſt caſt me into the deep, in the midſt of the ſeas, and the floods compaſſed me about: all thy billows and thy waves paſſed over me. Then I ſaid, I am caſt out of thy ſight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.

3. This Freedom is in Chriſt freely; the very word doth carry this along with it. Chriſt doth not releaſe Souls, as men uſe to give Freedom to the Bodies of them they have kept in priſon; if they will have their Liberty, they muſt pay their Fees. That which God ſpeaks of Cyrus, in Iſa. 45. 13. is eminently true of Chriſt, He ſhall let go my captives, not for price or reward. Chriſt doth not ask Souls, What will you give me, if I will do this for you? But he is willing to do it for nothing; he bids them come and buy, but 'tis without p. 184money and without price; he is as glad to free poor ſinners, as they are to be freed by him. And there be three Reaſons, why Chriſt doth all freely in the Work of Redemption: pray mark them.

1. Becauſe he redeems them out of love; therefore he aims at no reward. What is it that brings Chriſt to this Work? why 'tis Love, Iſa. 63. 9.—in his love, and in his pity he redeemed them. Tit. 4. 5. Rev. 1. 5. Now, Love doth not work for wages. Beloved, you muſt know, that when the Lord Jeſus was upon this redeeming-Work, his heart was as full of love towards poor ſinners, as it could hold: you may ſay of Chriſt in this reſpect, as they ſaid of him once when he was weeping at Lazarus his Grave, Behold how he loved him, Joh. 11. 35, 36. So when he was in his bloody Agony and Sweat, and hung pierced upon the Croſs, and was ſuffering all that wrath from God and Men; this might have been in the thoughts of them that beheld him, and no doubt was in the thoughts of them that believed in him, Behold how he loves poor ſinners. Now you know, when a man comes to do any thing for you out of love, why if you ask him, What will you have? Why, nothing, ſaith he, becauſe I p. 185love you. Set one about any thing that you have to do, and if he doth not love you, why he will be paid to the full, and perhaps he will make unreaſonable demands too: But Love will labour for you for nothing; 'twill be glad of an opportunity to do you a kindneſs. Thus 'twas with Chriſt; he went through hard things for you; you cannot think what he ſuffered, that you might be ſaved: and yet, as Jacob's ſerving ſo many years for Rachel ſeemed to him but few days, for the love he had to her; So, tho Chriſt ſuffered many things for you that are his, yet to him they ſeem leſs than they are, for the Love he hath to you.

2. Becauſe Chriſt knew that he wrought for the poor, Pſal. 72. 2, 4, 12, 13. Now the poor, why they muſt be helped freely. Alas! we have nothing to give him for his labour; and Chriſt knew this, and yet he did not do as many do; when the poor have need of their help, they are ready to ſay, I'll not work for them, they can't pay me. Men love to work moſt for the Rich, where they ſhall be ſure of their Money: But the Lord Jeſus, he doth the poor mans work; and ſo, tho they have a great deal of profit by it, yet he hath none to himſelf.

p. 1863. Becauſe the great deſign of this redeeming Work which is in the hands of Chriſt, is the everlaſting exalting of Free Grace, that Glory might be aſcribed unto God throughout all Ages, World without end: See Eph. 1. 6, 7. Therefore, all muſt come freely, that Free Grace might be advanced, that every one that is ſaved, might admire the riches of the Goodneſs and Love of GOD in Chriſt to their Souls. Oh, what Praiſes hath the Lord from his People, and will have to all Eternity, for this Free Grace! Oh, admire it more, you that are under it! It muſt be your work in Heaven, and we may be glad that it ſhall be our work in Heaven, when we conſider how ſhort we come in the admiring of it here upon Earth.

4. This Freedom is in Chriſt only. As to the Body, there may be many Phyſicians for one Diſeaſe; but as to the Soul, there is but one Phyſician for all Diſeaſes, Iſa. 45. latter part of ver. 21. and the 22.—A Saviour there is none beſide me. Look unto me and be ye ſaved, all ye ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none elſe. We have many ſpiritual Sickneſſes, but 'tis Chriſt alone that can heal us; whoever p. 187doth not come … his hand, he dies for it; and therefore, don't truſt to Phyſicians of no value. Many are apt to do for their Souls, as you read Ahaziah did, when he had gotten a very dangerous Fall; he ſent to the Idol gods, 2 Kings 1. 2. Go, and inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron, whether I ſhall recover of this diſeaſe. And what he got by this, you ſhall ſee, by what the Lord bids the Prophet go and tell him, ver. 3, 4. Is it not becauſe there is not a God in Iſrael, that ye go to inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron? Now therefore, thus ſaith the Lord, Thou ſhalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but ſhalt ſurely die. Let me allude a little to this Scripture. Sinner, thou art juſt in the caſe of this man: thou haſt gotten a moſt dangerous Fall; thou art fallen from the upper Chamber; when God created thee at firſt, by that Image of his in which he made thee, he put thee into the upper Chamber. Oh, the high Preferment that thou waſt in, 'twas a heavenly condition that thou hadſt, to be without ſin, and to be like to God: but thou art fallen from hence, and thy Fall hath done thee a world of hurt: now when thou beginneſt to be ſick of thy Fall, and thereupon to think, p. 188that ſome courſe muſt be taken for the getting of a Cure; Oh, take heed to whom thou goeſt: for if thou goeſt to any but the God in Iſrael, I mean to Jeſus Chriſt, who is the hope of Iſrael, and the Saviour thereof in the time of trouble, I tell thee from the Lord, thou ſhalt ſurely die. The great fear, when Souls begin to be awakened about their condition, is, Whether they will go to Chriſt only; and if they join any thing with him to truſt to, and reſt in, they ſpoil all; you muſt come up to that Scripture, or you are undone, Phil. 3. 3. For we are the circumciſion, which worſhip God in the ſpirit; and rejoice in Chriſt Jeſus, and have no confidence in the fleſh. Remember what a warning Chriſt gave in another caſe, I may fitly allude to it, Matth. 24. 4, 5. Many ſhall come in my name, ſaying, I am Chriſt, and ſhall deceive many. This is ordinary amongſt Profeſſors to be thus deceived; there comes this and that Profeſſion, Duties, common Workings upon the Soul, and the like, and theſe are apt to ſay, Why, I am Chriſt: Now, 'tis thus and thus with thee; thou wilt do well: and many believe this, and are deceived. And therefore, when you begin to look after a Chriſt, be ſure to look after the p. 189true One; for 'tis he, and none but he, that can do the Work: and don't think, that becauſe there be ſo many falſe chriſts, therefore 'tis impoſſible to know the true One; read for that, 1 Joh. 5. 20.

Obj. But how ſhall I know, that it is the true Chriſt that I truſt to? Anſ. I'll only ſay this to it; The true Chriſt makes a true Chriſtian: they are not only Chriſtians to men, but Chriſtians to God. Now thou art thus and thus to men, but what art thou to God? Is thy heart ſavingly wrought upon? Haſt thou the Life and Spirit of Jeſus Chriſt within thee? It may be thou art, for thy outward appearance, as the King's Daughter, thy clothing is of wrought gold; but art thou all glorious within? Pſal. 45. 13.

5. This Freedom is in Chriſt continually. We may apply that place to him, even for this, 2 Cor. 1. 10. He hath delivered many already from ſo great a death as the death of the Soul, and now alſo he is delivering more: he is upon this Work, of giving Freedom to poor ſinners, and we are confident that he will yet deliver; Chriſt won't loſe the power of doing Souls good; fear not, he won't be put out of his Office. p. 190There be three things, through which men continue not in their Office, but neither of them will happen to Chriſt; 1. Ʋnfitneſs, that tho they were put into it, yet they are found not to be fit for it; they have not Abilities ſufficient to manage ſuch a Place. But Chriſt is ſuch an able Redeemer, that he will never be put out for unfitneſs; tho the buſineſs of Souls be very weighty, yet he wants no Ability, All power is given him in heaven and in earth, Matth. 28. 18. 2. Ʋnfaithfulneſs, that they are not true to their Truſt; but it is not ſo with Chriſt, Heb. 3. 2. He was faithful to him that appointed him. So in chap. 2. 17. he is ſaid to be a merciful and faithful high Prieſt, &c. 3. Death: You know when a man in Office dies, then another muſt take his place; but as for Chriſt, ſee Heb. 7. 23, 24, 25. He continueth ever, and he ever liveth, &c. When God the Father put him into this Office, he ſaid to him, Thou art a prieſt for ever, after the order of Melchiſedec.

Now, to end this Fourth Branch with a little Application.

Ʋſe 1. Doth our Freedom come by Chriſt? Then this ſhews us what an undone condition we are all in by nature: p. 191no man can deliver himſelf out of the miſery which he is in by ſin; we cannot get out of that Priſon in which we are bound; we cannot knock off our own Chains; till Chriſt comes and ſets us free, we remain in our houſe of bondage; we are blind, and cannot ſee till he opens our eys; we are dead, and cannot live till he quicken us; we are loſt, and cannot be found till he comes to ſeek and to ſave that which was loſt, I warn you from hence to take heed of that Doctrine of Pride, that tells men in the ſtate of nature, that they may be ſaved if they will; that takes the Power out of this Redeemers hands, and puts it into the hands of fallen ſinful Creatures. If ever God intends mercy to us, we ſhall know that our help is in him, and not in our ſelves; and that we muſt be born again, not of our own will, but of the will of God; and that we have no ſuch will of our own, till he doth make us willing, Joh. 1. 13. Phil. 2. 13. The Devil is a great Enemy to the Free Grace of God; and therefore he doth what he can to exalt Free-will in man, as if he had that within him that is ſufficient to bring him to Heaven. Oh, Beloved! man hath that in his corrupt Nature, that is p. 192ſufficient to bring him to Hell, but nothing that is ſufficient to bring him to Heaven. Why did not the man that was wounded by the Thieves, and left half dead, bind up his own Wounds? Why was he not his own Phyſician, if he could? What need the good Samaritan come and ſhew ſo much compaſſion to him, and take ſo much care of him, if he could have helped himſelf? So certainly Chriſt did more than need was, if man of himſelf hath ſuch a power to reſtore himſelf: If this be true, what great hurt had we by the Fall, or what great good do we receive by Chriſt? When he came from the Boſom of his Father to undertake the great Work of our Redemption, might he not even have told the World, Why, I ſee you are not in ſuch a bad condition, but that you can help your ſelves; you can get out if you will: and ſo he might have returned back to Heaven again, and have let all alone; and then, what would have become of all the World?

Labour therefore to be ſenſible of your wretchedneſs and helpleſsneſs in your ſelves, and do not think that you can do any thing without Chriſt, that is truly ſpiritual. The way to be rich, is to ſee that p. 193you are poor; and the way to be ſaved, is to ſee that you are loſt. You know, that as long as one that is diſeaſed, thinks that he hath ſomething at home that will do him good, he won't ſend for the Phyſician, but he will be tampering with his own Medicines. And 'tis certainly a ſign that a Soul is not awakned to purpoſe, nor wounded deep enough with its own ſinful condition, when it thinks it can heal it ſelf. Oh! if thou wert but ſick to the very heart, thou wouldſt ſee thou can'ſt not be thine own Phyſician. A mans Deſtruction is of himſelf, but his Salvation is not, Hoſ. 13. 9. Eph. 2. 8. For by grace are ye ſaved, through faith, and that not of your ſelves: it is the gift of God.

Ʋſe 2. Doth Freedom come by Chriſt? Then Oh, what a Friend is Chriſt to poor ſinners! A man, you know, is counted a Friend, according to the Kindneſs that he ſhews us; and if he hath ſhewed us great kindneſs, then we count him a great Friend. Now the Kindneſs of the Lord Jeſus hath been very great towards us, in purchaſing Freedom for us; and therefore, we muſt own him as our great Friend. Chriſt once ſaid to the Diſciples, Ye are my Friends; but, Oh! what cauſe had the Diſciples to p. 193ſay to Chriſt, Thou art our Friend? Oh, Sirs, you that are redeemed by Chriſt, mourn for this, that you can no more look upon Chriſt as your Friend: how hard are ſome of you yet to be perſwaded of this, tho he hath done ſuch great things for you! How apt are you ſtill, by Unbelief, to queſtion whether Chriſt be your Friend. You would wonder, if you ſhould ſee a man that was in great diſtreſs, owing a vaſt Debt, and looking every hour when the Serjeant ſhould come and arreſt him, and hale him away to Priſon; or kept as a Slave by ſome mercileſs Enemy, and utterly unable to redeem himſelf; and ſome tender-hearted rich Perſon comes and pays all this Debt for him, and without any deſert of his, gives in his Ranſom, and ſo releaſes him out of Priſon and Captivity: Why now, to ſee this man, notwithſtanding all this, to be ſtill fearing and queſtioning, whether he that did this for him be his Friend; ſurely you would wonder at him, and be ready to ſay, You are the ſtrangeſt man that ever was! your Friend! why, do you make any doubt of that? hath he not ſufficiently ſhewn it? Wherein could he have manifeſted it more, than in what he hath done for you? Have not p. 195ſon cauſe to ſay, when you think of Chriſt's redeeming you, as the Spouſe ſaith of him, when ſhe was thinking of the Excellencies that were in him, Cant. 5. ult. This is my Beloved, and this is my Friend, O daughters of Jeruſalem. Well now, if Chriſt be your Friend, be you his Friends, Prov. 18. 24. He that hath friends, muſt ſhew himſelf friendly.

Queſt. Oh! How ſhall I do that to Chriſt. Anſ. I will but only name three things, … you know pe…on… uſe to do towards their greateſt and beſt Friends: I would commend them to you, in reference to that great Friend of yours, Jeſus Chriſt. 1. Shew your ſelves friendly to him thus, Commend him to others. This is an ordinary thing amongſt us, to ſpeak of one that we are much beholding to, by way of ſingular commendation, ſo as if we can, to bring every one that we ſpeak to, in love with him: So now, commend this Friend of yours wherever you come. Tho Chriſt doth not need your Commendation, yet you don't know what a great deal of uſe he may make of it, for the bringing in of ſuch as are ſtrangers to him. The Spouſe is much at this work in the Book of Canticles. 2. If you have a ſpecial p. 196Friend, you'll do all that you can to pleaſe him. I dare not diſpleaſe ſuch a one, he is my great Friend, you'll ſay: So carry your ſelves pleaſingly to Chriſt now; do what he would have you, and you'll pleaſe him. Let not Chriſt be for any thing, and you be againſt it; nor he be againſt any thing, and you be for it. It would be a ſad thing, if Chriſt ſhould be diſpleaſed by Enemies and Friends too: his Enemies they carry themſelves untowardly and croſsly to him; but oh, don't you that are his Friends do ſo too; this beſt Friend hath deſerved your beſt carriage towards him, Joh. 15. 13, 14. 3. If you have a great and ſpecial Friend, you won't leave him; you'll think you ſhall never have ſuch another, as indeed true Friends are very ſcarce. Thus let it be with you in reſpect of Chriſt: Oh, don't leave him; be not like thoſe Diſciples who went back and walked no more with him, Joh. 6. 66. I may apply that in Prov. 27. 10. Thy own friend, and thy fathers friend forſake not. Why Chriſt is a Friend to thee, and he was a Friend to thy father; forſake him not. If thou turneſt a backſlider from Chriſt, there will be two great Evils in it among others; 1. To be ſure p. 197thou wilt never meet with ſuch a Friend again. 2. Thou goeſt the way to make this great Friend thy great Enemy.

Vſe 3. Doth Freedom come by Chriſt? Then they, and they only who are in Chriſt, are ſafe. 'Tis the having of this Freedom (and that is by being in him) that puts Souls out of danger; and all that are without it, are in harms-way; they ſtand where the Storm will fall. There is an excellent place to illuſtrate this, Exod. 9. 18. Behold, to morrow about this time, I will cauſe it to rain a very grievous hail, ſuch as hath not been in Egypt ſince the foundation thereof even until now. You ſee what a Storm was a coming here: Well now, read verſe 19. and that will tell you who would be ſaved from it, and who would be deſtroyed by it: Send therefore now, and gather thy cattel, and all that thou haſt in the field: for upon every man and beaſt which ſhall be found in the field, and ſhall not be brought home, the hail ſhall come down upon them, and they ſhall die. And accordingly it came to paſs, ver. 20, 21-23, 24, 25. That which I allude to here is this, That whoever ſhall not be brought home, when this grievous hail and thunder, and fire of Gods wrath comes, he dies for it. And now, when is a Soul p. 198brought home? Why, when it is brought to Chriſt. Be brought to what you will, you are not brought home, till you are in him: And if you ſhall be found in him at the laſt day, this will be your Priviledge, you ſhall ſee others drowned, but you will be in the Ark. See it at large in Pſal. 91. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.