The Saints Treasury, Sermon 4
JOHN. 8. V. 36.
If the Sonne therefore ſhall make you free, ye ſhall be free indeed.
IN this Chapter we have Chriſt continuing of his conteſt with the wrangling peeviſh Jewes, in anſwering all that they ſaid, notwithſtanding they ſnarled at every word almoſt that paſt. But however it was with the multitude, yet there were ſome that were taken with what he ſaid: for in verſ. 30. it is ſaid, As he ſpake theſe words many believed on him, at leaſt there were ſome beginnings of faith, or ſome preparations to it. And Chriſt tells them verſ. 31. That if they continued in his word, then they were his diſciples indeed: as if he ſhould ſay, it is not enough that you are ſtirred for the preſent and profeſſe you believe in me; I will not take you for my diſciples, unleſſe you continue in my word: how often doe the flaſhes that are upon the hearts and conſciences of men vaniſh and come to nothing? they continue not in the word of Chriſt, and therefore are not his diſciples. Chriſt tells them further, that they muſt underſtand more concerning their condition then yet they apprehended. And ye ſhall know the truth, and the truth ſhall make you free. v. 32. as if he ſhould ſay, though you have ſome confuſed apprehenſions of things for the preſent, yet it is but very little you know of your condition: but if you will goe on in the way that God is beginning with you, in ſtirring your conſciences; if you will continue, you ſhall come to know more then yet you know, Ye ſhall know the truth, and the truth ſhall make you free; and then in verſ. 33. ſay they, we are Abrahams ſeed, and were never in bondage to any man; how ſayeſt thou, ye ſhall be made free. See here, they begin to ſnarle againe. Maſter Calvin, I remember, thinks that theſe are the words rather of ſome other of the Jewes that were preſent, then of thoſe that are ſaid before to believe: but others think it may be underſtood even of thoſe that are ſaid to believe; for though they did begin to aſſent to the doctrine of Chriſt, and were very much convinced, yet there was ſtill abundance of frowardneſſe, perverſneſſe and crookedneſſe in their ſpirits: ſo that they begin againe to wrangle with Chriſt, eſpecially when he doth but intimate to them any thing of their bondage. It is a uſual thing for many people, that have ſome ſtirrings of conſcience, and ſome beginnings of the working of Gods ſpirit in them, and it may be ſaving ones too, yet to continue a long time in much frowardneſſe, and perverſneſſe of ſpirit, if they be oppoſed in their way. Therefore, ſay they, doe you ſpeak to us of bondage, and tells us of freedome? why, We were never in bondage to any. verſ. 33. What never in bondage to any? were not the Jewes in bondage to the Babylonians, when in captivity to them? and were they not at this very time in bondage to the Romans? and yet we were never in bondage: thus carnall hearts, till grace fully ſubdue them, are very loth to know their wretched condition; they love not to heare of any thing that diſcovers to them the miſery that they are in: they were never in bondage, they ſay, but yet Chriſt pittyeth them: he did not take advantage to fling away preſently, becauſe he ſaw them continue ſtill in their perverſneſſe, and ſnarling at what he ſpake, but tells them, what bondage he meant. As if he ſhould ſay, the truth is, though you think your ſelves free, yet there is a bondage that you are in, and ſuch a bondage that none can deliver you, but the Son of God alone. If the Son therefore ſhall make you free, you ſhall be free indeed. Thus we come to the words of the Text.
Theſe words, you ſee then, hold forth unto us the bleſſed liberty of the Goſpel; that freedome that believers have by Chriſt.
I come then preſently to the maine doctrinal concluſion, which is this:
There is a bleſſed liberty, that Chriſtians enjoy by Chriſt, and only by him. This doctrine of Chriſtian liberty that is enjoyed by Chriſt, is a Treaſury of abundance of admirable conſolation, and much of the myſtery of the Goſpell is contained in this doctrine. I ſhould enlarge my diſcourſe too farre, and ſeek to gripe too much, ſhould I think to give you but a view of this doctrine in all the points of it. If we ſhould intend to handle it at large, I ſhould ſhew to you. 1. What that is that Chriſt doth ſet believers free from. 2. The priviledges of this freedome they have by Chriſt. 3. The Subject of it: who it is that hath this freedome. 4. By whom it comes: how it is by the Son, and onelyonly by him. 5. The price and purchaſe of this freedome. 6. The intereſt that believers have in this freedome: how they come to be enfranchiſed and to have intereſt in it. And 7. the application of it. But ſhould I goe this way to work, it is but little I ſhould be able to doe: therefore I will not graſpe ſo much. I intend therefore to handle but one ſpeciall thing in this our freedome by Chriſt.
If I ſhould ſhew to you, firſt of all what we are freed from; then there is the freedome from the law, the freedome from the power of ſinne, the freedome from the bondage of feare, the freedome from an accuſing conſcience, the freedome from ſlaviſhneſſe in the performance of holy duties; we are ſet at liberty in holy duties; the freedome from death, and the evill of that; the freedome from the ſlavery of the devill, and the freedome from the ceremonial law; but neither muſt we ſeek to gripe all theſe particulars: to ſhew you our freedome in theſe, I ſhall onelyonly pitch upon one, and that is our freedome from the law. If the Son therefore ſhall make you free, ye ſhall be free indeed.
The doctrine of freedome from the law, is the ſubject that we are to handle at this time: and when I ſpeak of freedome from the law, I meane, not freedome from obedience to the law: tis an erronious conceit, to think we are freed from obedience to the law: and it is a conceit too meane and abſurd for us to ſpend time about it now, that have ſo little, and having to deal in a matter of ſo great conſequence as we have; for what is the law, but the image of God, the very beame of the wiſdome and holineſſe of God himſelf, if you look at it, as requiring obedience; and for any to ſay, we ſhould be freed from obedience to the law, is as much as to ſay, we ſhould be freed from the image of God, from the beame of the wiſdome and holineſſe of God himſelf, therefore we will ſpend no time about that, but when I ſpeak of freedome from the law, I mean freedome from the rigour of the law, from the condemning ſentence of the law, in which all the rigour of it appeares.
Wherefore then it is neceſſary, firſt to give you a view of the bondage that we are all in, under the law, unleſſe delivered by Chriſt.
And then Secondly, I ſhall endeavour to open to you, wherein the liberty of the Goſpell doth conſiſt, that Chriſt hath purchaſed for us, Theſe two things (brethren) have in them the chiefe doctrine of divinity, and except you be well inſtructed and ſetled in theſe two, you cannot know aright any point of religion.
For the firſt: I will be but briefe in that, though there be many particulars in it, for it is the ſecond I chiefly intend. And for a preparation to this firſt, this I ſhall tell you before hand, that I ſhall name many things unto you that will ſeem exceeding hard; but yet take this conſideration along, that although the things I name to you appeare never ſo hard, yet they are but in order to that which I ſhall afterward deliver to you, that ſhall have much comfort and peace in it. If I tell you any thing of your bondage, it is onelyonly to this end, that you may know the bleſſedneſſe of your freedome and liberty.
Wherefore then, for the rigour of the law (that you may know what you are freed from) you muſt know what this is, and what you are all under by nature as conſidered out of Chriſt, for ſo the holy Ghoſt expreſſeth our ſubjection to the law, he ſaith, we are under it. Rom. 6. 14. Now ye are not under the law: there was a time when they were under the law; firſt, then the rigour of the law is in this, it requires hard things of thoſe that are under it. I ſhall ſhew you afterward, how the things are not ſo to thoſe that are ſet free by Chriſt: but to thoſe that are under the law it is a hard yoke, it requires hard things, things that are croſſe and contrary to the hearts and diſpoſitions of all that are under it; things between which and their hearts there is an enmity and antipathy. Now to require ſuch things as one hath … …inde to, but are quite contrary to ones nature, and that ones nature hath an antipathy againſt; this is very tedious; and yet ſuch are all the duties of the law, to thoſe that are in bondage to it.
Secondly, the law requires not onelyonly hard, but impoſſible things, impoſſible to be performed by thoſe that are under it, the law it is a yoke that neither we nor our fathers were able to bear Acts 15. 10. but that you wil ſay is meant of the ceremoniall law: I, but there is more in it then ſo, for do but conſider the occaſion of that ſpeech, it was upon this ground, there were ſome that came from the Church of Jeruſalem to the Church of Antioch, and they troubled the diſciples there with two doctrines, the doctrine of the neceſſity of the ceremoniall law, and the doctrine of being juſtified by the law; now this Church of Antioch ſends to the Church of Jeruſalem, to be ſatisfied about both theſe queſtions, and that which is ſpoken is ſpoken concerning them both, not onelyonly the ceremonial law was that whereby they lookt for juſtification, but the morrall law too, and both were a yoke that neither they nor their fathers were able to bear; and the rather it muſt be meant of both, becauſe in the very next words we finde it oppoſed to the grace of Chriſt, in verſ. 11. But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, we ſhall be ſaved even as they. As if he ſhould ſay, you muſt not think to be ſaved by the law, but by the grace of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Now the grace of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt is oppoſed to our juſtification, by obedience to the morrall law, as well as to the ceremonial: ſo that the morral law is a yoke that neither we nor our fathers were able to beare. It requires of us ſuch things as are impoſſible to be done by thoſe that are under it. We muſt not diſpute now how this can be, or the juſtice of it; that will fall in afterward.
And then thirdly, the law exacts all of us under the condition of perfection: the law accepts of nothing but that which is compleat and abſolutely perfect every way, both in regard of the principle from whence, and the manner how, and the rule by which, and end to which, it requires abſolute perfection.
Fourthly, the law accepts of …, it muſt have it done in our own perſons: like a ſevere creditor that will be paid to the utmoſt farthing, and by our ſelves. I ſay the law, in it ſelf conſidered, lookes for a perfect righteouſneſſe of our own perſons, or elſe it condemnes us, this is the righteouſneſſe of the law, That he that doth the things therein contained, ſhall live by them. Rom. 10. 5. He that doth: there muſt be doing, and that by himſelf perſonally, or not at at all.
But it may be, though there be much required, yet upon ſome endeavours there may be ſome remiſſion.
In the fift place therefore, ſuch is the rigour and ſeverity of the law, that let us endeavour never ſo much to obey it, yet all our endeavours are rejected, if they come not up to perfect obedience: Tis a vaine plea of many people to ſay, they doe what they can, and deſire well, and endeavour well; It is true, this is ſomewhat to thoſe that are children, and have freedome by Chriſt (as you ſhall heare by and by) but to thoſe that are under the law, endeavours to obey, though never ſo ſtrong, if the work be not done, are not accepted by God.
Sixthly, the law requires conſtancy in all theſe: ſuppoſe we could obey the law, or goe on very farre in many things, yet ſuch are the termes between God and us, as we are under the law, that if we were able to obey the law in every thing as long as we live, till the very laſt moment, and ſhould offend but in any one particular at the laſt moment, were it not for this freedome we have by this Son, we were utterly undone for ever; you may ſee by the way ſtill as you goe of what infinite concernment our freedome by Chriſt is. You muſt look to your ſelves how you get deliverance by Chriſt, for certainly this is your condition as long as you are under the law.
Seaventhly, the law exacts the obedience it requires exceeding rigorouſly, in a way of violence upon all that are under it, it comes roughly upon them as Pharoahs task-maſters; it requires the work, and lookes not at ſtrength, ſtrength or no ſtrength, the work is required, and required with exceeding rigour, with dreadful threatning if it be not performed: therefore it is, the law was delivered in ſo dreadfull a manner with thundering, and lightning, and earthquakes, and fire, ſo that it made even Moſes himſelf to ſhake and tremble at the manner of delivering it, and in Deut. 33. 2. it is called a fiery law, it came with mighty rigour: that is the ſeaventh.
Eighthly, there is this rigour in the law too, that upon any breach of it in the leaſt thing, it doth by the ſeverity of it break the ſoule, ſo that it doth utterly diſinable it for ever performing any obedience to it again: there is ſuch hardneſs in the covenant of the Law, the Law is like an Iron or Brazen wall, that upon any breach of it, the ſoule is but as an earthen veſſell, that daſhes againſt it, and is broken in pieces; ſo that there muſt be a creating power to make it whole again: conſider I beſeech you, I ſay, this is the condition of the Covenant of workes, which was made with us in Adam, which is now the covenant of the Law, that upon any one breach, by the ſeverity of it, it breaks the ſoule, ſo that it doth utterly difinable it, for keeping it again: it roots out all the principles whereby the ſoule ſhould be enabled to obey again: ſinnes againſt the Goſpel do not do ſo, as you ſhall heare hereafter. And this is the very ground, why upon the firſt ſinne of Adam, we were all gone, and ſo were the Angels upon their ſinne, becauſe they had to deale with God onelyonly in a covenant of works. But if upon the breach of the Law, we come to have all principles rooted out by which we ſhould keep it, afterward, it will (we hope) pitty us, and not exact obedience from us.
Therefore in the ninth place, notwithſtanding this, the Law goes on in its curſe, and requires as perfect obedience, and that upon pain of eternall death, to every thing of it, as if we had all principles that might enable us to keep it ſtill: this is the ſeverity of the Law, it doth not remit at all of the threatning, or puniſhment, or exactneſſe of obedien… notwithſtanding we have loſt all power to obey it.
Yea further in the tenth place, it requires this of us, and gives us no ſtrength at all to doe what it requires; it findes us diveſted of thoſe principles that once we had to yield obedience, and it affords us no new principles: therefore ſome have compared the ſeverity of it to Pharaohs Task-maſters; it requires the tale of Brick, but gives no ſtrength at all.
Yet further in the eleventh place. In all it doth, it ſtrikes at our life; the Law is ſatisfied with no affliction; let it be tranſgreſt in the leaſt degree, all the afflictions that can poſſibly be in this world, will not ſatisfie it: ſuch is the ſeverity of it (I ſay) that it ſtrikes at life, and at eternall life, it follows to purſue us to our blood, to temporall and eternall death: and here I might open the condemning ſentence of the Law, but that would require a ſubject by it ſelfe, therefore I only name what is in this head, that it ſtrikes at our lives, upon every tranſgreſſion of it.
Again twelfthly, the ſeverity of it, is in this, that upon any breach it doth preſently binde over the ſoule (though it doe not execute it preſently) by the ſtrongeſt bonds that poſſible can be, to everlaſting death; it ſuſpends execution, but the bond is immediately ſealed upon the breach of it: ſo that all men, upon every breach of it, have chains clapt upon their ſoules, which is the guilt of ſinne, whereby they ſtand bound to eternall death, by ſuch bonds as all created power in heaven and earth is not able to looſe.
Thirteenthly, In the next place, ſuch is the ſeverity of the law, that when it is once offended, it will never be made amends again by any thing we are able to doe. Suppoſe we have offended the Law in ſome one thing, and that but once; if after this, we ſhould endeavour what we can for our lives, and ſwelter our heart bloods to obey the Law, and think to make up the breach we have made, yet we can never make it amends again. It is true, ſome, though they be offended, yet by double diligence may be pleaſed again: but we muſt never think to doe ſo with God; being under the law, when we have once broken it, we cannot with all our care and diligence be able to make it am…s; and that is a great part of the ſeverity of the Law.
I, but what have we to doe, but to mourn and cry, and rent our hearts becauſe of this diſtreſſed condition we are in.
Fourteenthly, Nay the Law accepts of no repentance; it will not diſcharge the guilt of any one ſinne, for all the ſorrow in the world. And here lieth a great miſtake of people, when they have offended, they think they will be carefull to make amends; and they will mourn and repent, &c. It is true, if you be under the covenant of grace, this is ſomething; but if you be in your naturall condition, ſhould you weep your hearts out, and ſend ſtreames of blood from your eyes, in mourning but for any one ſinne; ſuppoſe that which thou counteſt a little matter, a ſinne in thought, ſhouldeſt thou reſolve to cry out and mourne for that one ſinne all thy life, it will not be accepted, unleſſe thou commeſt under the bleſſed liberty purchaſed by Chriſt: therefore know the difference of being under the Law and under the Goſpel.
Fifteenthly, Yet further, ſuch is the rigour of the Law, that when it hath opened our wounds and miſeries, it goes no further; it ſhews us no means of deliverance: like a Surgeon, that opens the wound, but applies no remedy. Certainly were it not for a Mediator, we ſhould finde the Law onelyonly to open our wound, and there leave us.
Sixteenthly, but yet again, ſuch is our bondage to the Law, that inſtead of mortifying any of our ſinnes, it rather ſtirres them up, and makes them more: it threatneth indeed grievous things againſt the tranſgreſſors of it, but it doth not mortifie any ſinne; it doth ſtir up luſt, (though accidentally) and makes our ſin out of meaſure ſinfull.
Sevententhly, Yea there is one thing more, after all this: If we ſhould keepe the Law, yet the promiſes of it are but mean and low in compariſon of the promiſes of the Goſpel. I doe not ſay they are but temporall, though before the Goſpell was revealed, there was but little of Spirituall promiſes, yet we know what the Apoſtle ſayes, 2 Timoth. 1. 10. That life and immortality is brought to light through the Goſpel. And though I do not ſay, there are none, yet there are very few Scriptures of the old Teſtament that ſpeak of eternall life.
Thus you ſee your bondage under the Law, and ſurely you will now think it a bleſſed condition, …o be freed from the Law. And 'tis one Argument that a ſoule is delivered from the bondage of the Law, when it can heare all this, and yield to Gods juſtice in it, and can have the heart raiſed to God in the hearing of it. But if the ſoule at the hearing of theſe things, think them ſo hard and unreaſonable, that it is ready to riſe at them, it is a ſigne that the ſpirit is not acquainted with them; and although theſe things may ſeem hard unto us, yet if we conſider but three or foure particulars, they will not appeare ſo hard.
Firſt, doe but conſider, you have to deale with a God of infinite juſtice and worth; indeed did we look upon God, as we look upon a creature like our ſelves, we ſhould think it mighty hard: but now, when we have to deale with a God of infinite worth, we ſhould not think it hard.
Secondly, we ſhall not think it hard, if we conſider that ſtate of perfection wherein God made man at firſt: however it is with us now, yet God did at firſt give us a ſtock to trade in the way of obedience, and to enable us to doe what the law required.
And then Thirdly, if you did but underſtand aright what ſin is, then you would not think it hard, that upon that ſin, we ſhould be given up to ſuch a woful condition we ſpeak of: if you look upon ſin as that which ſtrikes at an infinite deity, at the very being of God himſelf, as much as in us lyeth, then you will not wonder that one ſin ſhould bring us into ſuch a hard condition.
Fourthly, if we conſider thoſe things that we all take for granted that yet are as hard as theſe, and doe but lay them with them, and they will not ſeem ſo hard. As that God for one thought, ſhould caſt the Angels into eternal torments; and not ſo much as parly with them about any termes of peace: and that God for one ſin in Adam, ſhould condemne all mankinde, you all grant this in the general; yea further that God the Father ſhould deal ſo with his own Son, the Son of his love, as to make him a curſe for man; and ſhould lay the weight of his wrath upon him, ſo as to make him ſweat drops of bloud, and to cry out, My God, my God, why haſt thou for ſaken me? if you had never heard of ſuch a thing, this would ſeem as hard as any thing we have ſpoken of.
Now before we come to ſpeak of the other, let that which hath been ſaid teach us, that ſurely then, all men in their natural condition are in a hard caſe: as the Iſraelites when the bondage they were in under Pharoah encreaſed upon them, the Text ſayes, they ſaw themſelves in an evil caſe. O that upon the hearing of theſe things, you would learne to ſee what you are out of Chriſt: that you would ſee your ſelves in an evil caſe, in a ſad and dangerous condition.
Secondly, if this be the caſe that every ſoul naturally is under ſuch a bondage to the law: then the ſaving of a ſoul is a great and a mighty work; yea ſuch a work, that God muſt make heaven and earth to move to ſave a ſoul; and to deliver it from the bondage of ſin: the reaſon why people doe ſo ſlight this great work of ſalvation and mediation by Chriſt is, becauſe they know not their bondage. Vnderſtand but this bondage aright, what it is to be under the law (I have not told you all this while of the condemnation of the law or the curſe of the law: I have onelyonly ſet out to you the bondage of the rigour of the law) and by this you will ſee it is a great work to ſave a ſoul.
Thirdly, you may ſee by this, how that vaine plea of carnal hearts comes to nothing; what will you truſt now to your good meanings, good deſires, and good intentions? and you will mourne and grieve, becauſe you are no better; and you will doe what you can for God: tis true, theſe are good things but are theſe the things you reſt in for ſtanding before God? if they be, certainly you know not the termes you ſtand in to God, nor what your bondage is.
Fourthly, if God reveales himſelf to a man only by the law, it is impoſſible but the ſoul of that man muſt flye off from him and look upon God and his law as enemies to him, unleſſe it were revealed together with the Goſpel. Which is that I am now to tell you of, even that liberty we have by the Goſpel.
Therefore then for the liberty of the Goſpel, it is a precious liberty, wherein the treaſury of the myſtery of grace is laid up: it is the onelyonly ground of ſupport to our ſouls; and Saint Paul that was the great inſtrument of God in opening the doctrine of the liberty of the Goſpel, ſets it down in all his Epiſtles; and in many places elegantly: and in one Text wherein is ſome difficulty, In Gal. 4. from verſe 21, and ſo forward, Tell me, ye that deſire to be under the law, doe ye not heare the law? for it is written, that Abraham had two ſons, the one by a bond-maid, the other by a free woman: but he who was of the bond-woman, was borne after the fleſh, but be of the free-woman, was by promiſe: which things are an allegory; for theſe are the two covenants, the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage which is Agar; for this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and anſwereth to Jeruſalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children: but Jeruſalem which is above, is free, which is the mother of us all: for it is written, rejoyce thou barren that beareſt not, breake forth and cry thou that travelleſt not: for the deſolate hath many more children, then ſhe which hath an husband. The Text ſeemes at the reading of it, to be ſomewhat obſcure; and yet doth moſt excellently ſet out this doctrine I am now upon, of bondage under the law, and liberty under the Goſpel: the allegory, you ſee, is from the two ſons; Abraham had one Son by a bond-maid, another by a free woman; It is an allegory, ſayes the Apoſtle, and it ſignifies the two covenants; the covenant of workes, and the covenant of grace: the covenant of workes, that was from mount Sinai; there was the law revealed, which is Agar, for this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia. I remember Luther ſayes; that Agar in the Arabian tongue is as much as mount Sinai, they call it ſo in the Arabian tongue: and ſo the Apoſtle alludes to it; therefore the law that is of Agar, that tends onelyonly to bondage. Agars poſterity were Gentiles, and in bondage, and were not to have the priviledge of the Sons of the free woman: therefore all thoſe that have to deal with God in the covenant of workes, are bond-men; and are not to have the priviledge of the children of the free woman, of the children of God. Well, This Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and anſwereth to Jeruſalem, which now is, and is in bondage with her childron, he ſets out the eſtate of the Church of the Jewes, the Jeruſalem that now is, to be an eſtate of bondage, in compariſon of the Church of the Goſpel; becauſe they had ſo little knowledge of the Goſpel, but were in bondage unto the law, and knew little elſe but the law. But Jeruſalem which is above, that is the ſtate of the Church under the new Teſtament, is above, in regard of the Goſpel, which is free, and is the mother of us all: the Church of God under the Goſpel is the Jeruſalem which is above; but now it is written, rejoyce thou barren that beareſt not, break forth and cry thou that travelleſt not; for the deſolate hath many more children then ſhe which hath an husband. That is, thoſe that acknowledge the doctrine of the liberty of the Goſpel, at firſt are but as deſolate, as the barren woman, before it be revealed; as Sarah was barren for a while, but afterward ſhe had a childe: ſo the doctrine of the liberty of the Goſpel, is but as a barren thing for a while, till people are acquainted with it; and we that are Miniſters of the Goſpel, it is our worke to beget children to Chriſt, If we ſhould be legall and preach onelyonly the law, we ſhould beget children to bondage, to Agar, but this is our chiefe work, to beget children to the free woman; to beget children to the free grace of God in Chriſt. And O that I could beget one childe to this free woman! I cannot think, but that there may be many here that are children of Agar, that it may be have had terrours, and feares in their conſciences; and yet are but children of the bond-woman ſtill: Now it is the Goſpell that proclaimes the Trumpet of Jubile to thoſe that are under bondage; therefore it is obſervable what time the Trumpet of the Jubile was to be blown, Levit. 29. 9. Then ſhalt thou cauſe the Trumpet of the Jubile to ſound, on the tenth day of the ſeventh monethmonth, in the your land. What was this day of atonement? it was the day of the publike humiliation of all the people for their ſins: the day of faſting and prayer appointed by God to afflict their ſouls, is called a day of atonement, and the Trumpet to proclaime the Jubile muſt be blown upon that very day, wherein the people had been afflicting their ſouls for their ſins: therefore now, if there be any ſoul that hath been humbled before the Lord and hath been afflicted for ſin; behold this is the work that is now to be done, to blow the Trumpet of Jubile to ſuch a ſoul, and to proclaime liberty in the name of Chriſt unto you, and as the Pſalmiſt ſayes, Pſalm. 89. 15. Bleſſed is the people that know the joyfull ſound. It is tranſlated by ſome, they are bleſſed that know the joyful ſound of the Jubile. Now this Jubile having reference to our Jubile by Chriſt, bleſſed are they that heare this joyful ſound that we have here in the Goſpel.
Now the firſt thing of this joyful ſound of the Jubile, and liberty we have proclaimed by Chriſt from the law, is this, thou ſhalt not be caſt for thy eternal eſtate by the law; the law may terrifie thee, but it ſhall not caſt thee; indeed it muſt caſt the children that are in bondage to it, for their eternal eſtate; but if thou beeſt a believer in Chriſt, if thou art a childe of the free woman, this is thy liberty, I ſay, thou ſhalt not be caſt for thy eternal eſtate by the law, we doe not love to have any buſineſſe of great concernment to be caſt by thoſe that are rigid and ſevere, be of good comfort O believer, thou haſt heard of much ſeverity in the law: but the great buſineſſe concerning thy ſoul and eternal eſtate, is above the law; It hath nothing to doe with thee; thou heareſt many times dreadful threats of the law, and theſe threats it may be doe often terrifie thee, and thou art ready to ſay, who can ſtand before this holy God? but peace be to thee thou believing ſoul, for thou art ſet at liberty from the law by Chriſt; and this is the firſt joyful ſound.
The ſecond joyful ſound of liberty thou haſt by the Goſpel, is this, thy law-giver is no other then he that is thine husband, thou haſt to deal with no other now, in the matters of thy ſoul but with him that is thy husband and thy advocate by whom all is ruled, John 1. 2. 1. If we ſin, we have an advocate with the Father: and advocate, that is, thou haſt to deal now with Chriſt thy law-giver, who upon every tranſgreſſion, preſently is thy advocate with the Father, who ſtands up to plead for thee, and to anſwer all accuſations againſt thee; I ſay, he that undertakes for thee, and engageth all the intereſt he hath in his Father, for thee, thou haſt to deal with him, for thy law-giver, about thy ſoul and eternal eſtate; and this is the ſecond joyful ſound thou haſt of the Trumpet of the Jubile of the Goſpel, of the liberty thou haſt by Chriſt.
Thirdly, being delivered from the bondage of the law, this is now thy liberty, that thou art made a law to thy ſelf. I meane thus: there is nothing now required of thee but it is written in thy own heart: God writes his law in the tables of ſtone: and all that is required of thee in obedience to it, is written in thy heart: ſo that thou doeſt not now ſo much yeild obedience to the law; becauſe of the condemning power of it, and puniſhment due unto it, as from a principle of love to it: For we muſt know, that we are not ſet free by Chriſt from obedience to the law, we are bound to obey the law ſtill; but here is the difference, we are not ſervile to the law, we keep it freely: thou keepeſt the law now, by being a law to thy ſelf, and having all that God requires of thee in his law written in thy heart, by the law of ſanctity that he hath given thee; that is the third joyful ſound.
The fourth joyful ſound, is this; by the liberty thou haſt now by Chriſt, this is thy condition, that whatever thou doeſt, though there be never ſo many imperfections in it, yet if God can ſpy out but the leaſt good thing in thee, he will take notice of that, and caſt away all the evil: if God ſees but any thing of his own ſpirit in thee, he will be ſure to take notice of that. If there be but one duſt of Gold, though it be mixt with abundance of droſſe, God will not looſe it, but will finde it out: God he is not ſtrict to mark what is done amiſſe by his children, but he is ſtrict to marke what is done well by them. Indeed the law tells us, nay a moral man will tell us, that to make an action good, all circumſtances muſt concurre: but the liberty of the Goſpel tells us, that where there is any good, any grace in an action, God obſerves and takes notice of it. To give but one inſtance for this, and it is an excellent one for this purpoſe, Peter 1. 3. 6. the Apoſtle propounds Sarah as a patterne for good women, Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord. Shee never calls him Lord; but then when ſhee did it unbelievingly, and yet God takes notice of that word, and never mentions her unbeliefe. Now Sarah was a free woman; and this is the gracious dealing of God with the free woman; and if thou beeſt a child of the free woman, this is thy priviledge, that God wil take notice of every good action thou doeſt. Iſai. 42. 3. A bruiſed reed ſhall he not break, and the ſmoaking flax ſhall he not quench, The word ſignifies as ſoon as ever the flax begins to be black, God will not reject it: ſo that if there be but the leaſt degree of good, it is accepted. And that is the fourth joyful ſound by the Goſpel.
The fifth joyful ſound, is this, ſuppoſe thou canſt not doe any thing, yet if there be but a will, a deſire in thee, God accepts that will for the deed. Many carnal hearts pleaſe themſelves with this, but this is the caſe of thoſe that are ſet at liberty by Chriſt: perhaps thou canſt not pray; I but preſent thy ſelf before God, as the Apoſtle ſpeakes, and that ſhall be accepted of God; and know if ther be any excuſe to be made for thee, Chriſt will finde it out, and make it before God for thee; that is the fifth joyful ſound.
The ſixt thing wherein the liberty we have by Chriſt conſiſts, is, that though the Goſpel call for obedience, yet it doth it in ſuch a ſweet and loving way that it would make any heart in the world in love with it, it drawes by the cords of love. 2. Cor. 5. 20. Now then we are ambaſſadors for Chriſt, as though God did beſeech you by us: we pray you in Chriſt ſtead, be ye reconciled to God; and Philip. 2. 1. If there be therefore any conſolation in Chriſt, if any comfort of love, if any fellowſhip of the ſpirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfill ye my joy, &c. The Goſpel comes not as the law upon mount Sinai, with thunder and lightning, and darkneſſe, but it comes in a milde and gentle way, and by that allures and draws the ſoul unto it ſelf; and that is the ſixt joyful ſound.
The ſeventh joyful ſound of the Goſpel is, that the Goſpel and liberty of it comes, as gently, ſo with abundance of life and ſtrength, together with it: it comes as the ſpirit is, and where the ſpirit is, there is power, as the Apoſtle ſpeakes, I remember Luther hath this note upon Rom. 8. ſayes he, the law is a ſpiritual law, becauſe it is the law of God; but it is not the law of the ſpirit of life: tis the law of the Goſpel that brings the ſpirit of power and life along with it; there goes a vertue together with the commands of the Goſpel to ſtrengthen the ſould to obedience: And the Goſpel gives grace and ſtrength beyond what Adam had, two wayes: the grace that Adam had was onelyonly a power to doe, but there was not the will and the deed given: but the grace of the Goſpel, it gives both the power, and the will, and the deed.
The eight joyful ſound of the Goſpel, is that tender pity and compaſſion that is in God to thoſe that are made free by it. This is the difference between the ſins of thoſe that are under the law, and thoſe under the Goſpel: the ſins of thoſe under the law makes them hated by God: but the ſins of thoſe that are under the Goſpel, makes them pityed by God.
The ninth joyful ſound is this: the Goſpel hath a mighty efficacy to melt the heart, and to reſolve it into ſorrow and mourning, & ſuch mourning, that is one of the moſt acceptable things to God in the world; the law, I told you, accepts not of repentance: I, but the Goſpel doth; the teares of repentance that come from believers, next to the blood of Jeſus Chriſt, are the moſt precious things in the world. I ſay, next to the drops of the blood of Chriſt, the drops of thy teares, coming from Evangelical repentance, are moſt acceptable unto God: That is the ninth joyful ſound.
Tenthly, another is this; the Goſpel it comes with healing: as it hath a melting power, ſo it hath a healing power. Chriſt is deſcribed to come with healing in his wings: water makes the lime burne the more, but oyle which provokes other things to burne quenches that: ſo it is with the oyle of the Goſpel, Chriſt was annointed for this purpoſe, to heal thee, and to quench thy luſt and corruptions, In Iſai. 57. 18. we have an excellent promiſe, verſ. 17. He went on frowardly in the way of his heart, marke what followes, I have ſeen his wayes, and I will heal him.
The eleventh joyful ſound is, that now being ſet at liberty by Chriſt, though thou doeſt ſin not onelyonly againſt the law, but againſt the Goſpel, thy ſins againſt the Goſpel ſhall not have power to root out any habits of grace; but ſtill the grace of the Goſpel will uphold the habits of grace in thy ſoul. It is otherwiſe with the law, for one offence againſt the law doth not onelyonly root out the habit that is contrary to that offence, but all other habits alſo: but the grace of the Goſpel is ſuch that the habits of grace within us are not touched.
The twelfth joyful ſound is this: the Goſpel is ſo full of grace that it takes advantage of our miſery; this is a good argument of the tenour of the Goſpel, Pardon my ſin O Lord, for it is great; ſtrange argument of a childe of the bond-woman; but a good argument of a childe of the free-woman; and tis Gods argument, Gen. 8. 21. I will not deſtroy the world againe, for the imagination of mans heart is evil from his youth.
Thirteenthly, Another joyful ſound of the Goſpel is this the Goſpel proclaimes this liberty to us, that all that is required of us may be done, and accepted, by and from another, namely Chriſt.
Fourteenthly, Further the grace of the Goſpel ſhewes a way wherein God ſhall have all the wrong made him up, that ever thy ſins did him: for ſuppoſe the Goſpel had proclaimed that God were willing to pardon, this were not enough, as long as God ſtood wronged: but now the Goſpel doth not onelyonly proclaime to thee, that God is content to forgive thee all thy ſins, but it tells thee of a way how God ſhall have all the wrong made up that ever thou haſt done him: and this Son that ſets thee at liberty hath undertaken it, and hath done it.
Fifteenthly, And then another joyful ſound of the Goſpel is this, That there is a moſt abſolute perfect righteouſneſſe made over to us; the righteouſneſſe of the Son of God is thine, made over to thee, to be preſented before the Father for thee.
Sixteenthly, yet further: there is this joyful ſound of the Goſpel: It proclaimes admirable promiſes, glorious and high things; even the infinite Treaſures of Gods grace: the Son is come from the boſome of the Father, and hath opened the treaſures of the grace of God, and hath diſcovered thoſe things that were kept ſecret from the foundations of the world.
Seventeenthly, And yet there is one thing more, that is neceſſary for the full conſolation of the liberty of the Goſpel, and this bleſſed Jubile, that it may make a Jubile indeed in thy heart; and that is this: that ſuch is the covenant of the Goſpel, and Chriſt hath ſo undertaken for thee, that it ſhall never be forfeited: this is the full, rich, and glorious grace of the Goſpel, that now Chriſt hath undertaken, and engaged himſelf to the Father; and the Father hath promiſed, and hath engaged his own truth, and mercy, and faithfulneſſe, that this covenant ſhall never be forfeited: yea the very condition of the covenant that is required of thee, is that which Chriſt hath undertaken to the Father to performe in thee. If perſeverance be a ſpiritual bleſſing, it is part of the purchaſe of Chriſt, and muſt ſtand: and therefore peace be to thee, thou art in ſuch a condition as thou canſt not forfeit and breake the covenant: the marriage covenant between thee and thy Saviour can never be diſſolved.
I ſhould now have ſhewn you a little more the bleſſedneſſe of this liberty, that all this grace comes in and by the Son; not from the bounty of God in general, but in a higher way, by the Son of God we come to be ſet at liberty, by being made one with him who is God and man, the heire of all things, and ſo are made co-heires with him. But I muſt here breake off.
This Sermon was preacht April 21. 1641.