England Faithfully Watched, Lecture 7
Coloſſ. 1.14. In whom we have redemption, &c,
JUſtification hath here a double expreſſion, proper, and borrowed, and ſo 'tis called redemption: proper, and ſo 'tis called forgiveneſſe of ſinnes. The cauſe of juſtification hath here likewiſe a double expreſſion, remote and proximate. Remote Chriſt, noted in theſe words, in whom, &c. Proximate, his bloud, which is not put abſtractively, but concretly or comprehenſively. In whom we have redemption through his bloud &c.
Juſtification, according to its double expreſſion, I purpoſe to proſecute, and in that order, which here by the holy Ghoſt laid down, beginning firſt with its borrowed expreſſion, Redemption, In whom we have redemption, &c. Redemption notes four things, a perſon in bondage, a priſe paid a releaſe, and a free ſtate; all which it may be I may little open to you. Redemption notes bondage a deſtreſſed ſtate, and ſuch a diſtreſſed ſtate, to wit, one thing under the burthenſome and deſtructive power of another; ſo was Iſrael under Pharaoh. Egypt was a houſe of bondage, many together under a burdenſome deſtructive power; and it was to preach their ſpirituall condition; and their ſtubbornneſſe occaſioned that ſtrong way of inſtruction. God made a feſcue of the body, to point to the ſoul: fallen man is a ſoul ſlave, under the burdenſome deſtructive power of ſinne, and wrath; luſt carries him captive to ſinne, ſinne carries him captive to wrath, and wrath carries him captive to hell, which is the great houſe of bondage for eternitie; where many are together, under a tormenting deſtructive power as long as God is. Priſons have various rooms; but ſome more ſad then others, much lower and darker then others; hell is the dungeon of the houſe of bondage which fallen man is in; all the rooms are under the ſame roof, under the ſame power and wrath, and doores out of one into another, and but a wall between room and room, but a wall between a man in ſinne, and a man in hell: this is a ſad condition, yet univerſall, not a child of Adam free born. Jews and Gentiles, all are under ſinne, ſo many men, and ſo men ſlaves, [I am carnall] and ſold under ſinne, ſaith the Apoſtle. As a ſlave is ſold from one bondage to another, ſo one ſinne ſells my ſoul to another, and all ſinne ſells me to the diſpleaſure of God: me thinks this is the Apoſtles fancie of the thing I am upon. Not a man but in miſerie, and not a miſerie but in ſinne; ſinne is the great houſe of bondage here, in which we are all, in which you are, and I am. I am carnall and ſold under ſinne, and ſo are you, and this is the caſe of all naturally, which is intimated in the text. In whom we have redemption; the Apoſtle puts in himſelf and thoſe to whom he wrote.
Fallen man is under the power of ſinne, and under the power of wrath; ſinne can do what it will with the ſoul, and ſo can juſtice with ſoul and bodie, and yet be juſt. Sinne is Gods enemie, and hath made God mans enemie, man is under the power of the greateſt adverſarie in the world; a puniſhing power is fallen mans keeper, and it follows him whitherſoever he goes: ſome dead have a waking ghoſt, to tell under whoſe cuſtody they are; as after a man is brought home to God and goodneſſe, mercy follows the man to the end of his dayes whereever he goes, and the man under the cuſtody of love, and of a friend for ever: ſo before brought home to God, man is a priſoner to wrath, and under the cuſtody of a ruining power, and this follows him up and down the world to the end of his dayes, They ſhall follow cloſe after thee, Jer. 42.16. Or cleave after you.ſaith God, ſpeaking of ſword and famine. Wrath is ordered to follow cloſe after ſinners, as its priſoners, leſt they ſhould eſcape away before ſatisfaction be made. This as the other I ſpake of ere while, is a generall condition; as all are under the power of ſinne, ſo are all under the power of wrath, and not a man but a captive to divine diſpleaſure naturally; ceaſed upon by juſtice, and under cuſtody for hell, if no redemption come. The houſe of bondage hath three rooms, ſinne, wrath, and deſtruction, and they all lie one within another. There is a bondage of ſinne, and a bondage of wrath, and a bondage of corruption, as the Apoſtle calls the languiſhing ſtate of the whole creation, and all theſe mutually depending, and a common condition; the earth periſhing every creature upon the earth periſhing, man the nobleſt creature, under the bondage of ſinne, wrath, and deſtruction, and all hinted here in theſe words, we have redemption, that is, from ſinne, wrath, and the fruits of it.
Redemption notes ſatisfaction, power holding and looſing it ſelf, as having found a ranſome. Redemption is no free thing ſimply, though ſo in order to us; what is free to us, is not to Chriſt, ſatisfaction is made to juſtice, and ſo the priſoner ſet free, We are bought with a priſe. Power commanding, propoſeth its will, will propoſeth its juſtice, juſtice propoſeth its violation to the delinquent, and demands it recompence according to this: violation of truth, of the leaſt truth, is the death of Gods will, and ſo the death of himſelf; the death of one thing, in juſtice calls for the death of another, and without delay will have it. In the day thou eateſt thou ſhalt die. The death of God, is more then the death of all the men in the world, and therefore juſtice demands more for ſatisfaction, then mere man-dying, for if man-dying would make God ſatisfaction, then when all men are dead, juſtice would be ſatisfied, and ſo the drowning of the whole world, would have been its ranſome, and the burning of this world its redemption; whereas it is but the breaking forth of juſtice unſatisfied, and laying up the debters which are many in a ſure priſon: the death of God is unvaluable with us, and calls in juſtice for more then the death of mere man, and therefore God-man dies to redeem. And [for this cauſe he is the mediatour] of the new teſtament; that by means of death, for the redemptions of the tranſgreſſions, that were under the firſt teſtament, &c. Hebr. 6.15. Legall redemptions had this law, to propoſe worth, to worth, and ſo to make ſatisfaction as exact as might be (E. G.) an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth, and bloud for bloud, and the moſt precious bloud for the moſt precious bloud, the bloud of a man for the bloud of a man, and without bloud, yea without ſanguine tali ſuch bloud, their was no redemption, no redemption in a humane ſence, becauſe no ſatisfaction, and that pointed to this in my text, which is exactly noted, redemption through his bloud.
Redemption notes diſcharge, actuall and full diſcharge. Death paid, bonds are cancelled, nothing in will, and if their were, yet nothing in power to proſecute further; juſtice ſatisfied, nothing is charged, nothing in the will nor power of any; no not in the will nor power of God to charge man. Who ſhall lay any thing to their charge? If ye ſay God, he juſtifies, becauſe ſatisfied, and can do no otherwiſe, 'tis the Apoſtles ſtrength of reaſoning. Redemption takes off obligation to juſtice, though not obligation to mercy. We are not under the law, but under grace. The law can charge no guilt upon a believer, becauſe grace hath ſatisfied: the law can charge no guilt, but grace can charge duty, that is, what ſoever the royall law, and what ſoever the whole will of God requires, that grace which hath died obliges to. We are under grace, that is, under all the commands of it, to fulfill all that righteouſneſſe, as farre forth as we can, which grace hath fulfilled exactly; we are under grace immediately, and under the law mediately, as love to Chriſt ſets the ſoul to the fulfilling of the whole will of God▪ quantum in ſe eſt. Redemption notes releaſe from guilt, and from rigour; ſinne doth not dame, nor duty doth not diſcourage, precepts bind graciouſly, to the utmoſt of what imperfect man is able, and not to the utmoſt of what a perfect rule may require. Redemption is from a yoke of bondage, and not from all yokes: from a yoke of bondage to an eaſie yoke, and a light burthen; from legall bondage, to Goſpel bondage, which is perfect libertie: which is a law as James calls it, but yet a perfect law of liberty. Redemption is from all ſinne, but from no ſervice, which the Goſpel calls for.
Goſpel releaſe is likewiſe double, in heaven or in earth, their is a looſing in heaven, and a looſing in earth, a diſcharge in the perſon of Chriſt, and a diſcharge in our own perſon, a generall diſcharge in a generall perſon, and a particular diſcharge made out by that generall perſon, to every particular. There is peace in Jeſus Chriſt, and preaching of peace by Jeſus Chriſt, deliverance made for captives, and deliverance preached to captives, a miniſteriall diſcharge. Divine diſcharge hath a double adminiſtration, one above, and another below: heaven is made to ſpeak and explain her ſelf out of earth, and to tell to whom it belongs, and then the redeemed can ſay, that his redeemer lives; and this is Gods bearing record in earth. Much love breaking forth in earthen ordinances, and running out of earthen veſſells, to the ſenſible apprehenſion of the beloved; a voice from heaven in earth; in a frail corrupt ſtate, a diſtinct artificiall voice, Thou art all fair; and yet underſtood by none but the party to whom 'tis ſpoken; a white ſtone with a name fairly ingraven in it, and yet none can ſee it or reade it, but he that receives it. Our diſcharge in heaven, in what ſtate and glory 'tis, is peculiar to thoſe agents, 'tween whom things firſt paſſe, and without hint, I think to us here. Our diſcharge here, in what ſtate and glory 'tis carried, within in the ſoul, ask not me, but ask your own ſouls, for 'tis honour peculiar and private, to every redeemed ſoul, and carried with more ſtate or leſſe, according to the pleaſure of God. The ſumme of all is this, Redemption is a ſinner diſcharged by the death of Chriſt from the power of ſinne and wrath.
Uſe. Is this condition yours? My queſtion is generall, are you bond or free? Bodily bondage is very diſcernable, but ſoul-bondage is very indiſcernable: We are Abrahams children, and never were in bondage to any, ſaid the Jews; and yet were never out of bondage to the devil. Senſes pleaſed, conſcience aſleep, the man bleſſes himſelf in his condition, as the freeſt man in the world; he hath what he will, he can do what he will, and none within cry out of him; he can eat what he will, and drink what he will, and nothing tumbles nor wambles in his ſtomach in the afternoon; troubled with no bitter regurgitations from conſcience, and what freer condition then this in ſuppoſition, and yet what condition more deſperate ſlavery then this? If theſe men be free. they are free among the dead, and therefore if you have any life, look about you. Soul-powers are dead, and therefore is the ſoul ſo free to do what it liſts; without controll. Looſe ſouls, you are no free-men, but dead men, and all friends are dead that ſhould look to you; underſtanding is dead, affection dead, conſcience dead, and therefore are you ſo lively in ſinne, ſo free to do what you liſt. The ſoul dead in ſinne, wrath tolls and rings out; but the dead heare nothing. The dead are buried out of Gods ſight, ere they are aware; hell is the grave of a dead ſoul, which is fartheſt out of Gods ſight of any place; and that is the Golgotha for ſouls, the place of ſpirituall skulls, where the skulls of the inward man lie. Prepare mourning, you that have dead in your houſes and hearts, for the dead will be buried quickly and ſtrangely, hell opens of a ſudden, and takes in her dead, which is a ſtrange grave and buriall.
Bodily bondage is exactly looked after, but ſoul-bondage not; parts are imployed much without, but little within, and this fault is very common and very crying. I am afraid there is many amongſt you, that do not know what ſpirituall bondage is, and yet it ſpeaks out it ſelf. There is a ſpirit of bondage, and a ſtate of bondage, the one is terrible, the other is damnable, I will touch them each a little▪ that you may truly know your ſtate and remedy. A ſpirit of bondage is a frequent application of the diſpleaſure of God, without juſt ground. Wrath is many mens due, but they which ſhould apply it to themſelves do not, and they which ſhould not, do; and the devil is in both, to deſtroy all if it were poſſible. Men which love their ſinnes, and are loth to leave them, make application of nothing but mercy and theſe choak themſelves with ſweet meats, and ſurfet of childrens bread; men which are weary of their ſinnes▪ and would gladly leave them, make application of nothing bur juſtice, and this is deadly too, if God did not pitty it, and cure it. Application of God is mans prerogative alone, to reſtore his happineſſe, but it is rarely uſed rightly to this end; it makes bondage ſtill, and not redemption from it, when not grounded truly upon the word. Falſe application is ſtill from falſe principles, with a diabolicall power concurring. A man not well enlightened thinks his life muſt be perfect, ere his ſoul muſt apply Chriſt; but the one cannot be, and the want of the other keeps the ſoul in bondage, in hell here. Sinne felt and loathed, Chriſt prized and yet unapplyed, is a ſpirit of bondage: fear eats out this poore ſoul, and if there were no dreadfull doings in the land, yet this ſoul would ſtill be at his wits end, becauſe like Rachel, a refuſer of his own mercy: This is a houſe of bondage for a time.
We have told you of a ſpirit of bondage, and now we are to tell you of a ſtate of bondage, and this the Apoſtle very exactly ſets forth, 2, Pet. 2.19, Whileſt they promiſed them liberty, they themſelves are the ſervants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the ſame is he brought in bondage. Mans will propoſed as a rule, and all voluntarily and violently ſerving this, is a ſtate of bondage. Corruption is an ill inmate, and a worſe landlord; and yet rules all in the moſt, and ſhall do ſo, & that is a ſtate of bondage. The old man hath his commands, his commands are alwayes congruous to fleſh, not to truth, and obedience to theſe in love, ſpeaks a ſervant of corruption. Men little eie their hearts, yet from thence muſt be drawn the denomination of your ſtate, and not from this good action, or that, nor not from this bad action or that: Of what a man is [overcome] of the ſame he is brought in bondage. That which is ſet up within for a rule of motion, that hath overcome the man: they had taken in falſe light, and ſet up this in their ſouls through love, to to guide their courſe. Ah, ſaith the Apoſtle, you are overcome now, and brought in bondage; but then there's himſelf as well as he could, 'tis but a proverb ſaith he fulfilled, The dog is returned to his vomit; you were never but dogs; what you left for a while, you did not diſlike it, it onelyonly diſliked you, and this made a vomiting like a dog, and therefore are you ſo apt to return to it again, and to embrace ſuch doctrines as tend to deſtroy Chriſt and grace. What principles are preferred in the ſoul for ordering life, you beſt know, look to theſe; I can but demonſtrate to you from truth, that of theſe you are overcome and in bondage, if bad.
If our diſcourſe diſcover any in a ſtate of bondage, let God be honoured, and the condition taken to heart, the ſoul is loſt elſe. His you are to whom you ſerve, and Sathan will claim his propriety, when you come to die, though he ſay little to you now. Gods ſervants have a jubilee at death, the trumpet ſounds, and the ſoul which long lived in bondage in the body, is made to go out free, to a ſtate of freedome and felicity to all eternity. But ah! what a black jubilee is death to Sathans ſervants? The trumpet ſounds, and bondmen with their chains gingling come forth to the Judge of all the world, and the Goalour ſtands up, Theſe are my priſoners ſaith Sathan; that ſhall be tried ſaith Chriſt; Judgement is given upon triall: now they are more mine, for ever mine, ſaith the devil: and God will not wrong the devil of his own. Now is bondage ſealed, make free who can: What is done at the laſt judgment, is done as the acts of the Medes and Perſians, that is, not to be recalled. Soul-bondage is a gendring thing, as the Goſpel uſeth the expreſſion, one degree of bondage genders another, till at laſt you be ſo faſt bound, that there will be no looſing.
Hagarins, lay to heart your condition betime, and enquire after a Redeeemer; grone under your bondage, and the redeemer will come to you: this is that turning from tranſgreſſion, which the prophet ſpeaks of, and to which ſtate a redeemer is promiſed: Eſa. 59.20. And the redeemer ſhall come to Sion, and to them that turn from tranſgreſsion in Jacob. There is the proper and peculiar law of the redeemer, which if ye obſerve not, ye cannot be redeemed. As every creature hath its proper action, ſo alſo it hath its proper law, and without the obſervation of which, it will not ſo act. It is the proper action of the ſpirit to comfort, and this ſpirit hath its law. you muſt be led by the ſpirit; for if you grieve him, he will not comfort you: So the proper action of the Sonne is to redeem, and he hath his proper law about this work▪ without the obſervation of which, he will not foul his fingers with filthy ſouls, and therefore you have him propoſing the law of redemption firſt▪ to that man which had lien thirty and eight years at the pool; Wilt thou be made whole? Whole? why one would think it a ſtrange queſtion to one that had lien in that extremity ſo long. Wonder not at it, for your caſe is ſhadowed out in it; you have lien long under infirmities, and yet have no will to be made whole, that is, no ardent affection to be redeemed out of them, but content your ſelves to rub-along in them as many lumpiſh perſons do in ſome bodily diſeaſes; you will never get deliverance in this way. Sinners will you be made whole? will you be delivered out of the bondage of ſinne? Do your affections burn, and your hearts beat to be redeemed? That's well: then there is but one ſtep more, believe and you are redeemed out of bondage; and this will be wrought, it will ſpring and grow inſenſibly out of thoſe pantings and breathings which are upon you: I have ſeen the bondage of my people, and I have heard their cry, ſaith God. When bondage makes crying out: O what ſhall I do, and who ſhall deliver me! Enemies are got into a body, and are deadly ſtrong, a body of death beſets my ſoul, and in the midſt of this body ſhall not I looſe my ſoul? Now the ſinner is turned from iniquity, and now the redeemer comes to Sion.
Let the redeemed admire and adore the redeemer, this one thing I will touch, and give up the point, and I am the rather induced unto it, becauſe 'tis the uſe made in my text: In whom we have redemption through his bloud. Which words are ſpoken in way of admiration and thanksgiving, and are but the continuation of that thanksgiving, which is begun in the verſe fore-going. The redemption of the ſoul is precious, ſilver would not reach it, gold would not reach it, onelyonly the precious bloud of Chriſt would do it: precious bloud muſt ſtirre, and precious ſpirits leap from this conſideration as high as heaven, and ſpurtle up in Gods face. Freedome binds man all muſt be ſent to heaven that is ſaved from hell. Let the redeemed ſay this, and ſay that, ſaith the Pſalmiſt. Redemption is obligation; who ever hangs by his harp, a redeemed perſon muſt not, becauſe he hath his advantage with him above all others, his leſſon ſet and laid before him, yea his inſtrument tuned and put into his hand; his lips are opened, as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks, 'tis but ſtirre thy tongue, and matter cannot be wanting, nor affections be able to lie ſtill. He that died for us muſt be perfumed and carried home honourably, and buried in his own countrey as Jacob was; he that died for you on earth, muſt be perfumed by praiſes, and carried to his own countrey, and buried in heaven. You muſt not bury Chriſt in his works, but take him up out of his works and words, and carry him to heaven, and bury him there. Nature abhorres burying things in their own bloud, you muſt not bury Chriſt in his own bloud, but take him up out of his bloud, and bath him, and perfume him, and lay him to ſleep in the arms of his father.
The redemption we ſpeak of here, and would have you thankfull for, reſpects your ſouls, and your bodies; what mercy comes to either, is a bleſſing from Chriſt as a Redeemer. Not a deliverance in theſe bloudy times, but from the bloud of Chriſt, from that great redeemer that ſits in heaven. Bodily redemption is but the outſide of ſoul-redemption; I hope the blindeſt ſight will be able to ſee the out-ſides of mercy. Blind wretches! look upon temporall redemptions which now Chriſt makes, and ſee if you can bleſſe him for theſe: you had not had the lives of your bodies, nor the livelihood of your eſtates at this houre, had not your redeemer pleaded for you; had not he pleaded for you wth his bloud, you had been all ere this, tumbling in your own bloud; you had had your bloud trod under foot by thoſe which have long trod under foot the bloud of Chriſt: One redeemer works all redemptions for ſoul and body: one redeemer pleads in ſoul-caſes, and in bodily caſes. See a full plain place, Prov. 23.18. Enter not into the fields of the fatherleſſe, for their redeemer is mightie, he ſhall plead their cauſe with thee. It is but one redeemer that pleads for us in ſpirituall things and in corporall, and therefore in all mercies both ſpirituall and corporall, let Chriſt be honoured and praiſed.