Sermons, Sermon 16
SERMON, XVI.
Rom. VIII. 33, 34. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect? It is God that justifieth, &c.
OTher Men may fancy and boast as they please, but there are none in the World but the Godly alone, that are furnisht with sufficiency, strong supports and comforts against all possible hazards, and of these doth the Apostle treat most freely, sweetly, and plentifully, in this Chapter. He secures Believers in their Christ, touching these two great evils. After Condemnation, and present Affliction, that the one cannot befal them, and the other cannot hurt them.
For their immunity from the former, they have the clear Word of the Gospel, and the Seal of the Spirit; and that former Priviledg made sure, as the far greater, doth secure the other as the lesser.
They are freed from Condemnation, and not only so, but entitled and insured to a Kingdom, and what hurt then can affliction do, yea it doth good, yea not only, it cannot rob them of their Crown, but it carries them on towards it, is their High way to it, if we suffer with him, we shall also be glorified together. Yea, all things to the Children of God do prove advantage; severally taken, in their present sense, they may seem evil, but taken jointly in their after issue, their working together are all for good. In their simple Nature possibly they are Poison, yet contempered and prepared, they shall prove Medicinal▪ All these things are against me, said old Jocoh, and yet he lived to see even all these were for him. The Children of God are indeed so happy, that the harshest things in their way change their nature, and become sweet and profitable. This much by their Prayers, that have a Divine Incantation in them, they breath forth the expressions of that their Love to God, by which they are Character'd, them that Love God. And that is put on their hearts, the impression of his Love to them, to which they are here led, by the Apostle, as to the Springhead of all; all their Comforts and Priviledges flow thence, yea, all their Love, and their Faith, appropriating those Comforts and Priviledges. Yea, the very Treasury of all together, Jesus Christ himself is the free Gift of this free Love; he as the greatest ascertains all things besides an unspeakably less, verse 32.
These two are such mighty Arguments, that no difficulty nor grief can stand before them. The Love of God. He is with us, who then against us? All the World it may be, but that all is nothing, once it was nothing, it was that God, that is our God that loves us, and is for us, that made it something, and if he will, it may again be nothing; and as it is at its best, it is nothing being compared with an other gift that he hath bestowed on us, and having bestowed that, sure if there be any thing in this World can do us any good we shall not want it. He that spared not his own Son, but gave him to the Death for us, will he not with him give us all things?
And to close all, he makes these two great Immunities good to us in Christ; he fixes there, we are freed from all fear of Condemnation, or of being hurt by Affliction. No Accusation nor Guiltiness can Annul the Righteousness of Christ, and that is made ours; no Distress nor Suffering can cut us off from the Love of God; and if it cannot do that, we need not fear it, all other hazards are no hazard, that being sure.
And in confidence of this, the Apostle gives the Defiance, casts a Challenge to Angels, to Men, to all the World, upon these two points. Who shall Accuse? Who shall Separate? Accuse to God, or Separate from him. Whatsoever times may come, the hardest that any can apprehend, or foretel, i… these two be not sufficient furniture against them, I know not what is.
Men are commonly busied about other events concerning them and theirs, what shall become of this or the other, and what if this or that fall out, but the Conscience once raised to this enquiry, the Soul being awake to discern the hazard of Eternal Death, all other fears and questions are drowned and lost in this great Question. Am I Condemned or not? Is my Sin Pardon'd or no?
And then a satisfying Answer received concerning this, all is quiet, the Soul reposes sweetly on God, and puts all its other concernments into his hands. Let him make me poor and despised, let him smite and chastise me, he hath forgiven my Sin, all is well. That burden taken off, the Soul can go light, yea, can leap and dance under all other burdens▪ Oh! how it feels it self nimble, as a man eased of a load that he was even fainting under. Oh! Blessed the man whose Sin is taken off, lifted from his shoulders, that's the word, Psal. 32. 1. laid over upon Christ, who could bear the whole load, and take it away, take it out of sight, which we could never have done, they'd have sunk us for ever. That one word foreign, Jo. 1. signifies both, and answers to the two, Isai. 53. He hath born our grief, and carried our sorrows; lifted them away. Oh! how sweet a burden, instead of this, is that ingagement of Obedience and Love to him, as our Redeemer, and that is all he lays on us; if we follow him, and bear his Cross, he is our strength, and bears both it and us. So then this is the great point, the hearts ease to be Delivered from the Condemning weight of Sin.
And certainly, while men do not think thus, their hearts have very slight impressions of the truth of these things. I fear the most of us scarce believe this condemnation to come, at least very shallowly, and so they cannot much consider the deliverance from it provided to us in Jesus Christ. I cannot see how 'tis possible for a heart perswaded of these, to be very careful about any thing beside; you that eat and drink, and labour, and trade, and bestow all your time, either in the pains, or the pleasures of this Earth, what think you of Eternity? Is it a light thing for you to perish for ever? After a few days vainly spent, to fall under the Wrath of God for ever? Oh! that you would be perswaded to think on these things.
And you that have an interest in this free and blessed estate, why are your Spirits so cold? So infrequent in the thoughts of it? Why are you not rejoicing in the Lord? Glading your selves in secret when you remember this? Go the World as it will, my Sin is forgiven me; mistake me, accuse me who so will, my God hath acquitted me in his Christ, and he loves me, and lives to intercede for me.
Methinks I hear some say, Ay, they that could say that might be merry indeed; but, alas! I have no such assurance. Who can lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect? That's true, but here is the great point of so hard a resolution, am I one of these?
That the Apostle doth thus specifie the owners of this Consolation, by this high and hidden Character of their Election, is not to render it doubtful and dark, for his main aim on the contrary is, both to extend it, as far as it can go, and to make it as clear as may be, to all that have interest in it, but he designs them by the Primitive Act of Love fixing on them, so as it is now manifested to them in the subsequent effects, that flow from the Elect called and sanctified, and conformed to Jesus Christ, both by his Spirit within them, and the Sufferings that without arise against them in the World; such, as being the Sons of God, are led by the Spirit of God, and walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit.
And these things indeed considered as their Characters, the stamp of God on them, the impressions of their Election to life, do check the vain confidence of all Carnal Ungodly Professors of the Name of Christ, and tell them that their pretended Title to him is a meer Delusion; certainly, whosoever lies in the love of Sin, and takes the Flesh for his guide, that accursed blind guide is leading him into the Pit. What gross folly and impudence is it for any man, walking in the Lusts of his own heart, to fancy and aver himself to be a Partner of that Redemption, whereof so great a p…t is to deliver us from the power of our Iniquities, to renew our hearts, and re-unite them to God, and possess them with his love.
The great Evidence of thy Election is Love. Thy love to him gives certain testimony of his precedeing Eternal Love to thee, so are they here designed, they that love God; thy chusing him is the effect and evidence of his chusing thee. Now this is not laborious, that needs to be disputed amidst all thy frailties; feel the pulse of thine affection, which way beats it, and ask thy heart whether thou love him or not, in this thou hast the Character of thy Election.
Know you not that the redeemed of Christ and he are one, they live one life, Christ lives in them, and if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his, as the Apostle declares in this Chapter. So then, this we are plainly to tell you, and consider it; you that will not let go your Sins to lay hold on Christ, have as yet no share in him.
But on the other side: The truth is, that when Souls are once set upon this search, they commonly wind the Notion too high, and subtilize too much in the Dispute, and so entangle and perplex themselves, and drive themselves further off from that comfort that they are seeking after; such measures and marks of Grace, they set to themselves for their Rule and Standard, and unless they find those without all Controversie in themselves, they will not believe that they have an interest in Christ, and this blessed and safe estate in him.
To such I would only say, Are you in a willing league with any known sin? Yea, would you willingly, if you might be saved in that way, give up your self to Voluptuousness and Ungodliness, and not at all desire to follow Jesus Christ in the way of Holiness? Then truly, I have not any thing as yet to say for your Comfort, only there is a Salvation provided, and the door is yet open, and your heart may be changed. But on the other side, are the desires of thy Soul after Christ, whole Christ, to be Righteousness, and withal Sanctification to thee? Wouldst thou willingly give up thy self to be ruled by him, and have him thy King? Handst thou rather chuse to suffer the greatest Affliction for his sake, to Honour him, than commit the least Sin to displ…ase him? Doth thy Heart go out after him, when thou hea…est him spoke of? Dost thou account him thy T…easure, so that all the World sounds but as an empty Shell to thee, when he is named? Says thy Soul within thee, Oh! that he were mine? And, oh! that I were his, that I could please him, and live to him? Then do not toss thy Spirit, and jangle and spin out thy thoughts in fruitless, endless doubtings, but close with this as thy Portion, and be of good Comfort, thy sins are, or will be forgiven thee.
I add yet further, if thou sayest yet, that thou findest none of all this, yet I say there is warrant for thee, to believe and lay hold on this Righteousness here held forth, to the end that thou mayest then find those things in thee, and find comfort in them. Thou art convinc'd of Ungodliness, than believe on him that justifies the Ungodly, thou art Condemned, yet Christ is dead and risen, fly to him as such, as the Lamb slain, he that was dead and is alive, and then say, who is he that Condemneth? It is Christ that died, or rather that is risen. Who shall Accuse? 'Tis true they may clamour and make a noise, both Satan and thy Conscience, but how can they fasten any Accusation on thee? If they dare Accuse, yet they cannot Condemn, when the Judg hath acquitted thee, and declared thee free, who is greater than all, and hath the absolute power of the Sentence; all Charges, and Libels come too late after he hath once pronounc'd a Soul Righteous. And who shall Condemn, it is Christ that died, if the Sentence of the Law be brought forth? Yet here's the answer, It ought not to be twice satisfied; now once it is in Christ, he hath died, and that stands for the Believer. Whosoever flies to him, and lays hold on him for life, he cannot die again; nor canst thou die, for whom he died once, or rather is risen; that raises the assurance higher, and sets it firmer, for this evidences that in his death all was payed, when he being the Surety, and seized on for the Debt, and once Deaths Prisoner, yet was set free. This clears the matter that there is no more to be said, and yet further, in sign that all is done, he is raised to the height of Honour above all Principalities and Powers, is set at the right hand of the Father, and there he sits and lives to make Intercession, to sue out the fulfilling of all for Believers, the bringing of them home, lives to see all made good that he Died and Covenanted for; so now his righteousness is thine that believest, any challenge must meet with Christ first, and if it seize not on him, it cannot light on thee, for thou art in him, married to him. And the same triumph that he speaks, Isaiah 50. 8. whence these words are borrowed that is made thine, and thou mayest now speak it in him. I know not what can cast him down that hath this word to rest upon, and to comfort himself in.