Spiritual Bondage and Freedom, Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII.
Concerning the excellent properties belonging to this Freedom.
AND now in the Fourth place, I am to demonſtrate, that this is an excellent Freedom, by the excellent Properties belonging to it. That you may plainly underſtand what I mean by theſe Properties, it is as much as this, That I am now to ſpeak that of this Freedom, which is peculiar or proper to it ſelf, and that cannot be ſaid of any other Freedom. Tho you read of other Freedoms in the Scripture (as that of the children of Iſrael out of Egypt, and afterwards out of Babylon), which indeed were very great and glorious deliverances, yet they will not reach to this. Never was there the like to this. As the Book of Canticles is called the Song of Songs, for the excellency of it; ſo I may call this Fredom, the Freedom of Freedoms, becauſe there is none to be compared with it. And therefore this may be the 1ſt Property, That you may take of it: That it is an incomparable Freedom: It hath not any fellow, nor any match. That which was done in this Freedom, ws never done in any before, nor never ſhall be in any for the time to come. What is ſaid there, in Joel 1. 2, 3. of a great Judgment which the Lord threatens, I may ſay of this great Redemption; Hear this, ye old men,—Hath this been in your days, or even in the days of your fathers? &c. And what God ſpeaks to the Children of Iſrael, about their Freedom out of Egypt, I may well apply to this Freedom, Deut. 4. 32. For ask now of the days that are paſt, which were before thee, ſince the day that God created man upon earth; and ask from the one ſide of heaven unto the other, whether there hath been any ſuch thing as this great thing is, or hath been heard like it? Conſider Three things here, and you will ſee that this is an incomparable Freedom.
1. The other greateſt deliverances that you read of, which God gave to his people, they were but the types and ſhadows, and forerunners of this Freedom. Particularly, ſee it in that deliverance out of Egypt, you that are acquainted with the ſtory of it, know what a great deliverance that was. 'Tis ſeldom ſpoken of in the Scripture, but there is a glance upon the greatneſs, and famouſneſs of it. 'Twas ſo great, that they were charged never to forget it, Deut. 8. 14. And to that end the Lord appointed that they ſhould begin their reckoning of the Months of the Year, with that Month in which this deliverance came, Exod 12. 1, 2. And on the 4th day of that Month, in the Evening of it, which was the very day on which the Lord brought them out of their Bondage, they were to keep the Paſsover every year throughout their Generations, for a Memorial of it, ver. 6. 14. compared. And it was ſuch a great deliverance, that Moſes, and all the children of Iſrael, ſung together unto the Lord, in ſolemn praiſes and thankſgivings for it, admiring the riches of his mercy towards them in it; as you may ſee in Exod. 15. 1, &c. And it was ſo great, that it put the wicked Nations of the Earth into a trembling to hear of it, ver. 14, 15, 16. And again, it was ſo great a deliverance, that the Lord made uſe of it, as the great and ſtrong tie to bind them to himſelf in the ſtricteſt obedience: And therefore when he gave them the Ten Commandments, he ſet this engaging Preface before them; I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the houſe of bondage: And then he gives them the Moral Law; and in them to us, by whom the aforeſaid Preface is now to be underſtood ſpiritually of his bringing us out of the ſpiritual Egypt, and the ſpiritual Bondage: And therefore we are to be obedient unto him. But now beloved, tho this deliverance was ſuch a great and glorious work, as you muſt needs ſay it was, to bring a matter of Six hundred thouſand Men, beſides Women and Children, with all their Herds and Flocks, out of the Iron Furnace in Egypt, where they had been ſtrangers and ſlaves for Four hundred and Thirty years together, and that with ſuch a mighty hand, and ſtretched-out arm, as brought deſtruction to their enemies, and redemption to his choſen people: yet, I ſay, this was but a type of this Freedom by Chriſt: This, and all elſe that Moſes did, as Gods inſtrument among them, was but to hold forth better things that were afterwards to be done by Chriſt; See Heb. 3. 5. The like might be ſaid of their deliverance out of their Seventy years Captivity in Babylon; but I would only inſtance further in one great Freedom that was among the Jews by the appointment of God himſelf, and that was, That every 50th year, which was called the year of Jubilee (of which you read Levit. 25.) there was to be a general Releaſe, and Liberty was to be proclaimed throughout all the Land: ſo that they who had ſold, or mortgaged their land or poſſeſſions, were then every one to return to them again, and every Hebrew Servant was then to have his Freedom. So that this year was a great and a famous year amongſt them; and 'twas welcomed with a great deal of joy, inſomuch that it was called by them, the Acceptable year; Why this alſo was to point out this Freedom by Chriſt; you ſhall find it alluded to in Iſa. 61. 1, 2. where the ſame expreſſions are uſed by Chriſt in his ſetting forth his Redemption, as were ſpoken of that year of Jubilee. He ſaith, he was ſent to proclaim liberty to the Captives, and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. So that other Deliverances, and other Freedoms, were but to uſher in this: They were but the Harbingers of this great ſalvation: and in the reading of them, you muſt have your thoughts upon this, not only to read them as ſtories, that did but concern that people; but as ſhadowing out the great Goſpel-redemption.
2. Again, 'tis an incomparable Freedom, thus, In that no miſery, is like that miſery which this Freedom brings us from. If ever there were a Wretch, indeed he is one that lies in that condition, out of which Chriſt was ſent to deliver us; 'tis ſuch a condition, that if one were truly ſenſible of it, he would not be in it one day for the whole World, I mean our natural condition, which is ſuch a miſerable ſtate, that if God bears everlaſting love to any perſon, to be ſure he brings him out of it; and if he intends everlaſting wrath to any, then he leaves them in it.
3. Again, In that no mercy is like to that mercy which this Freedom brings us to: as they ſhall have miſery enough and enough, that continue in the Bondage; ſo they ſhall have mercy enough and enough, that partake of this Freedom; they ſhall have mercy in abundance, they ſhall be monuments of mercy for ever; and therefore God gives them this Freedom by his Son, that he may convey to them ſuch riches of Grace and Mercy, as that all the common goodneſs which is beſtowed upon the whole World in general, is as nothing in reſpect of that mercy which one ſingle redeemed perſon hath, and ſhall have beſtowed upon him: But what this mercy is, we ſhall hear particularly when we come to ſpeak of the Priviledges of this Freedom.
Property 2d. This Freedom is an unconceivable Freedom: that is, 'tis an unknown thing. Here take notice, 1. What I do not mean by this. 2. What I do mean by it. I do not mean by this, as if the Saints knew nothing of it. Oh! yes bleſſed be God they do, ſee 1 Pet. 1. 18, 19. Foraſmuch as ye know that ye were not redemed with corruptible things, &c. but with the precious blood of Chriſt.—So Coloſ. 1. 26, 27.—The myſtery which hath been hid from ages, and from generations, but now is made manifeſt unto his Saints. Mark thoſe words, 'tis now made manifeſt to his Saints, and God would make it known to them; he was reſolved that his people in the days of the New Teſtament, ſhould in a ſpecial manner have it revealed to them; ſee alſo Eph. 2. 6, 7. and cap. 3. 8, 9, 10, 11. Yea beloved, 'tis ſo made known now, as that there is not one Child of God upon Earth, but hath the knowledg of it, and none are altogether ignorant of it, but ſuch as are in their loſt condition, 2 Cor. 4. 3, 4, 6. But if our Goſpel be hid, it is hid to them that are loſt. In whom the God of this World hath blinded the minds of them which believed not, leſt the light of the glorious goſpel of Chriſt, who is the image of God, ſhould ſhine upon them: For God who commanded the light to ſhine out of darkneſs, hath ſhined in our heart, to give the light of the knowledg of the glory of God, in the face of Jeſus Chriſt: And therefore look you to it, you that live in darkneſs, and have none of this ſaving-light ſhining into your hearts, that cannot tell what to make of Chriſt and the Goſpel; you may ſee from this Scripture, what a caſe you are in, and to what company you belong for the preſent. God is teaching his people in theſe myſteries. It is written that they ſhall be all taught of God, and ſo they are, tho not to alike degree.
That which I do mean, when I ſay that this is an unknown Freedom, is in theſe three things.
1. That Gods people themſelves don't know it in that full manner and meaſure, as it is to be known. Surely there is more in it than they do underſtand, even they who ſee and know moſt of it. Nay,
2. That which any of the people of God upon Earth do know of it, as yet is but little in compariſon of what is in this Freedom; and therefore they are ſaid to know but in part, 1 Cor. 13. Now you know, that but a part of a thing is very ſhort of the whole: They that have attained to the higheſt degree of ſpiritual underſtanding, had need pray that they might be carried further and further ſtill, as Paul doth for the Epheſians, cap. 1. 17, 18. and 3. 18, 19. Nay,
3. The Saints in Heaven it ſelf, will never be able to take in all that concerns the glory of this Freedom; tho they ſhall know it there clearly, yet they cannot know it fully; 'tis that which is too great for any but God to comprehend juſt as it is. He only knows his own Love, and his own Mercy to the utmoſt; yet this ſhall be no diminution of the Saints happineſs, that they cannot, even there, fully reach the knowledg of it; for they ſhall know as much of it as it is poſſible for a Greature to know; they ſhall be like Bottles caſt into the Sea, that tho they cannot take in the Sea, yet they ſhall take in ſo much as ſhall make them ſo full that they cannot hold a drop more; but if they could take in more, there is more ſtill to be taken in. So that indeed this is an unconceivable Fredoom; the Saints do admire it, and they will admire it for ever: Now our admiring of things, doth not only proceed from our being affected with them, but alſo from hence, that there is more in them than we can well dive into; ſo we cannot go to the bottom of this Freedom, nor ever ſhall, for it hath no bottom: So that the truth is, here we are all poſed; Saints, and Angels are poſed to conceive what this Freedom comes to. You may go to ſome in the World, that can ſcarch out deep Myſteries, that can expound Riddles; but this is ſuch a Myſtery, and ſuch a Riddle as no Creature in Heaven or Earth is able exactly to unfold. I may ſay of it, as 'tis in Rom. 11. 33. O the depth, &c. Other Freedoms you can fathom, but this you can't.
3d Property, It is the moſt honourable Freedom; you know when God redeemed the Children of Iſrael out of Egypt; he did it in an honourable way; take it in theſe three things.
1. He gat honour to himſelf, Exod. 14. 17, 18. by this he declared himſelf to be above all gods, and above all great Ones of the Earth: God ſhould never have done this work if the Egyptians, and all their Idols could have hindred it: You know what a fierce on-ſet they made upon Iſrael at the Red-Sea to bring them back again; but inſtead of that, they never went back again themſelves; the waters covered their Enemies, there was not one of them left; what a name did the Lord make himſelf at that time!
2. He honoured his Promiſes; the Children of Iſrael had had many Promiſes of Deliverance, which by reaſon of the anguiſh of their ſpirits in their Bondage, they could not tell how to believe; they called the Faithfulneſs and Truth of God into queſtion, (as we are too ready to do, when we are in great ſtraits;) inſtead of truſting in God firmly, as they ſhould have done, when once they had a word from God, what depth of diſtreſs ſoever they were in; they did not rely up-God's Promiſe, Exod. 6. 6, 7, 8, 9. But when God delivered them, he honoured his Promiſe for all that, he ſhewed that he did remember it by the performing of it, Exod. 12. 41. And it came to paſs at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the ſelf-ſame day it came to paſs, that all the hoſts of the Lord went out of the land of Egypt. You muſt know, that this place looks back chiefly to the promiſe that God made to Abraham, that tho his ſeed ſhould be afflicted in Egypt, yet he would bring them out after ſuch a time, Gen. 15. 13, 14. Now here in this 12th of Exod. you ſee how God honoured his promiſe, he kept his word to the very day.
Obj. But how did God honour his promiſe? and how were they delivered the ſelfſame day, when as in that place of Geneſis, there is juſt Four hundred years ſpoken of, that they ſhould be in Egypt; and in the other of Exodus, 'tis Four hundred and Thirty years? It ſeems therefore, that God failed of his promiſe Thirty years?
Anſ. No: God forbid that we ſhould think ſo: Heaven and earth ſhall paſs away, but one tittle of his word ſhall not periſh. But you muſt know, that there may be Two Reaſons why the Thirty years are not mentioned in the promiſe to Abraham.
(1.) Becauſe 'tis not an unuſual thing amongſt us, to ſwallow up a leſſer number in a greater: As if a man ask you, how old you are, you ſay, ſo many years; and tho there be ſome odd weeks, or months, you omit them, putting the greateſt number for all. So the Thirty years are to be underſtood in the Four hundred, as the Text in Exodus, with which the other is to be compared, doth ſhew.
(2.) I ſuppoſe the Lord might of purpoſe conceal theſe Thirty years (tho he did as much intend them as the other), that his people might not preciſely know the very time when their deliverance ſhould be, that it ſhould be this year, or this day, to teach them ſtill to depend upon him for deliverance, even when they might think that their deliverance was neareſt. We muſt truſt God for deliverance: but the very time when it ſhall be, we muſt leave that to him. He uſeth to reſerve that in his own breaſt. But to go on.
3. In that deliverance God honoured his people, Deut. 4. 34. Iſa. 43. 3, 4. He gat them a Name, and made them high above all Nations. They were a People that all the World did talk of, that heard what God had done for them; how he had redeemed them, and how he had choſen them, and how he went before them.
Well now, beloved, you ſee this was an honourable deliverance that God gave to them; but this Freedom by Chriſt is the moſt honourable Freedom of all. God never ſo honoured himſelf by any deliverance as by this: nor did he ever ſo honour his promiſes; nor did he ever ſo honour his people. For the firſt, ſee John 12. 28. for the ſecond, Luke 1. 68. to 74. for the third, Luke 2. 32. They are ſo honoured by this, that they that partake of this Freedom, are ſaid to be made Kings to God.
Property 4. This Freedom is a Heavenly Freedom. They who are intereſted in it, are ſaid to be partakers of the heavenly calling, Heb. 3. 1. And they are called the heavenly Jeruſalem, cap. 12. 22. and Jeruſalem which is above, Gal. 4. 26. 'Tis ſuch an Heavenly Freedom, that the very Angels deſire to look into this ſalvation which it brings, 1 Pet. 1. 10, 11, 12. Other Deliverances were earthly; or at moſt, the beſt and greateſt of them, as I ſaid, were but types and ſhadows of better things: but this Freedom is all made up of Heavenlineſs. I ſhall make out this by Four things a little:
1. It is the Sons Freedom. 2. The Souls Freedom. 3. The Saints Freedom. 4. The Scripture-Freedom.
1. I ſay 'tis the Sons Freedom; that which the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, the Son of God hath procured. 'Tis the Son that makes free. You have had this largely opened to you. Now what an heavenly Freedom muſt this be, that God imployed his own Son in, and ſent him from Heaven on purpoſe about it? When the Lord would redeem his people out of Egypt, he ſent Moſes and Aaron for that work; and they were but Men; but when he would give this Freedom, he ſent one that was more than a Man. 'Tis true, he raiſed up Chriſt from amongſt the Jews, according to the fleſh; and the humane Nature did not come immediately from God, but 'twas made of the Seed of David. Yea, but God was manifeſted in this fleſh: and upon this account he is ſaid to come down from Heaven, John 3. 13. and to come out from God, and to come forth from the Father, cap. 16. 27, 28. So that in this Freedom, beloved, there came one from the Throne of God; yea, one that was God, to give it to us.
2. 'Tis the Souls Freedom; the Freedom of the Soul. Now you know they muſt be all heavenly things that can reach that, to do it any good. In other Deliverances they were the Bodies of men that were ſet free; but in this Chriſt brings Souls out of Priſon and Bondage. And indeed, herein lies the very main of all the excellency of this Freedom, that it is a Freedom for Souls. If I ſhould have ſaid nothing elſe about it, but only this, That the precious Souls of Men and Women are redeemed by it, you muſt needs have ſaid 'tis an excellent Freedom. Yea, beloved, all that I have ſaid, or have yet to ſay, or can ſay, runs into this. Oh bleſſed, joyful, heavenly Freedom by Chriſt! What a thing is this! What, to bring ſalvation to Souls! to ſet the Heart, Mind, Will, Underſtanding, Affections, Conſcience at liberty; that when all was bound within with ſpiritual Chains and Fetters, that were Ten thouſand times ſtronger than thoſe that are made of Braſs and Iron: that when the Soul ſat in darkneſs, and in the ſhadow of death, there ſhould be redemption for that! that Chriſt ſhould pity loſt and undone ſouls! Oh heavenly, heavenly, heavenly Freedom! Well may I uſe thoſe words to you here, which the Angel uſed to the Shepherds, Luke 2. 10, 11. Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which ſhall be to all people: for unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savioue, which is Chriſt the Lord. Here's a Saviour for your Souls! Where are your Souls, Sirs, by Nature? What a condition are they in? Oh! they are kept the cloſeſt Priſoners that ever were, in the deepeſt darkeſt Dungeon that ever was: and this Priſon they are caſt into for Debt, for Theft, for Murder, for Treaſon; and no Debt like this Debt: for 'tis the Debt of Sins and Iniquities; and no Theft like this Theft; for 'tis for robbing God of his Glory; and no Murder like this Mruder; for 'tis for deſtroying your own Souls; and no Treaſon like this Treaſon; for tis againſt the Crown of Heaven. And yet if you will repent, and believe the Goſpel, here's a Freedom for your Souls out of all this. Methinks it ſhould be even with us in the hearing of this, as 'tis ſaid in Luke 19. 37, 38. that we ſhould rejoyce, and praiſe God with a loud voice. And if we ſhould not be affected with this Freedom, one might think, as ver. 40. that if we ſhould hold our peace, the ſtones would immediately cry out.
3. It is the Saints Freedom. Indeed 'tis to make ſinners free; but it is not the Freedom of ſinners: That is, as long as perſons are out of Chriſt, they cannot truly call it theirs. 'Tis the portion and priviledg of the children of God. A wicked man may have it, but a true Believer hath it. The one is under a poſſibility of it, but the other is in poſſeſſion of it, Rom. 5. 2. They have their ſtanding in this Grace. They ſtand upon Goſpel-ground. Now what a Heavenly Freedom is this, that none but Saints enjoy! The men of the World may enjoy other Freedoms, but one muſt be in Chriſt to enjoy this. It belongs to the holy Company, Eph. 2. 19. Ye are Fellow-Citizens with the Saints. Indeed this Freedom doth not find us Saints, but it makes us ſo. And therefore hereby you may know whether you have any thing of it. Do you think that you are made free by Chriſt, and abide ungodly? To be ſure you deceive your ſelves. The Lord Chriſt never redeemed any Soul, to leave it where he found it; he puts it into a contrary ſtate to that which it had before; he found it in darkneſs, but he puts it into Light; he found it in Death, but he puts it into Life; he found it in Wickedneſs, but he puts it into Righteouſneſs; he changes the perſon whom he frees, 2 Cor. 5. 17. and continuance in ſin is a certain ſign that this Redeemer hath not yet been there.
4. It is the Scripture-Freedom: Beloved, tho you read, as I ſaid, of other Freedoms in the Scripture, yet this is the Scripture Freedom Joh. 5. 39. Search the Scriptures,—and they are they which teſtifie of me. You know what heavenly things are contained in the Scriptures: Why now, beloved, this Freedom by Chriſt is the great thing that the Scripture treat of; all other things that are there ſpoken of, are but in order to this; all its Precepts, all its Promiſes, all its Threatnings look this way. It is, as I may call it, the ſubſtance of the Scripture; that would not ſpeak of ſin ſo as is doth, if it were not for this Freedom; it would not ſpeak of Chriſt ſo as it doth, if it were not for this Freedom; it would not ſpeak of Death and Judgment, and Heaven and Hell, ſo as it doth, if it were not for this Freedom. Yea beloved, 'tis a queſtion whether we ſhould have had any written word at all, if it had not been for this Freedom; this is the great thing that the Scripture commands, and the great thing that the Scripture commends; it bleſſes all them that have it, and it curſes all them that have it not. And, which is an unſpeakable comfort to think of, when a poor Soul hath this Freedom by Chriſt, 'tis then Freed by Scripture; it is in a good condition by Scripture; there be many that think themſelves in a good condition, but they have no Scripture-grounds for it; ask them how they prove their hopes; they have not one word to ſhew for it in the whole Book of God; but now the Scripture will come and joyn with one that is freed by Chriſt; it will help him to read his Freedom there; and he is one, that however he may be fearing and queſtioning his condition for a time, yet at laſt he will come to this, to be able to ſay, why Lord I am freed by thine own word; certainly this is a heavenly Freedom then, which the Holy Scriptures are ſo much taken up with. You ſee now by all that hath ſaid upon this fourth Property, What great Reaſon there is for that Text of Scripture, Eph. 2. 6. And hath raiſed us up together, and made us ſit togegether in heavenly places in Chriſt Jeſus. This is done by this heavenly Freedom.
5th Property, This Freedom is a perfect Freedom; it is ſo already in Chriſt; and by that time he hath done what he intends to do in and for his people, it ſhall be ſo to them. You know the Apoſtle tells the Coloſſians, cap. 2. 11. that they were compleat in him. It hath not only the perfection of parts, as a Child hath, that hath all the members, tho they be not grown; but it hath the perfection of degrees, as a man hath that is at his full ſtature. Chriſt's Freedom as it is in himſelf, is full grown; and therefore 'tis able to do great things for us, as you know; if you ſpeak to a Child to help you, he can do but little; but ſpeak to a man that is grown, and in his ſtrength, he can powerfully aſſiſt you. And oh! what a vaſt difference there is between the Freedom that man can give, and the Freedom that Chriſt can give! men may be inſtrumental to deliver us one way, but then they cannot another way; the Creatures arm is too ſhort to reach us, and his hand too weak to help us in every ſtrait: But this Freedom by Chriſt is ſuch a perfect thing, that in whatſoever we have need of it, 'tis as able to help us in one as in t'other. Beloved, there was never ſuch a Saviour as Chriſt is, of all the Saviours that ever God raiſed up to do his people good; he is able to ſave to the uttermoſt. When God made uſe of them to be Saviours and Deliverers to his Church, yet ſtill his Church needed another Saviour, and they did not ſave them from their greateſt dangers; but now in Jeſus Chriſt the Church hath got ſuch a Saviour, that they need none other, I mean as to ſpiritual Deliverance.
6th Property, And ſo I ſhall end this fourth thing. This Freedom is an eternal Freedom. Amongſt men, tho perſons may be ſet free at one time, yet they may come into Bondage at another time; a man may be twice a Slave, and twice a Priſoner, yea many times; but 'tis not ſo here. Where Chriſt gives this Freedom, he ſettles it for ever, Heb. 9. 12. Having obtained eternal Redemption for us. It is very true, there will be great and ſtrong endeavours put forth by the Enemies of thoſe whom he hath redeemed, to recoverthem again, as it was in Iſrael's caſe; but they'l be overthrown in their undertaking, as Pharaoh and his Hoſt was. Satans furious attempts to keep thoſe Souls ſtill in Bondage, whom Chriſt will have to be delivered, and to brings back thoſe Souls into Bondage whom Chriſt hath made free, will coſt him the fall of his Kingdom; and it will be ſuch a fall, as he and all the forces of Hell that he can raiſe, will never be able to get it up again.
Well now, beloved, having heard the Properties of this Freedom, give me leave to ask you, How do you like it? as when a man brings a thing to you, and bids you make trial of it, and ſee the Conditions and properties of it; when he comes to you again, he will ſay, Well, how do you like it? So, pray now, how do you like this Freedom? What, are you pleaſed or diſpleaſed with it? Will you have it, or will you not? what fault can you find in it? Why ſurely Sirs, 'tis not to be miſliked; is not an incomparable, unconceivable, moſt honourable, heavenly Freedom to be liked? What, is there any of you here ſo diſdainful as wont like the Freedom of the Son? the Freedom of the Soul? the Freedom of the Saints? the Freedom of the Scripture? Can't you find in your hearts to like Chriſt's perfect, eternal Freedom? Why then what can you like? Truly, I may even ſay of ſuch as cannot like this, as Job doth, cap. 33. of very diſeaſed perſons, whoſe ſoul abhorreth dainty meat (in verſ. 20.) Your Soul (without infinite mercy) draweth nigh to the grave, and your life to the deſtroyers, verſ. 22.