Sermon XII (continued, part 3)
" ings, and lightnings, and earthquakes, and the seven angels, " which had the seven trumpets, prepared themselves to sound." The prayer ofa single saint is sometimes followed with wonderful effects, Psal. xviii. 6, 7. " In my distress I called upon the " Lord, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his
" temple, and mycrycame before him,even into his ears : then " the earth shook and trembled; the foundation also of the hills " moved and were shaken,because he was wroth :" what then canathundering legion of such praying fouts do ? It was said of Luther, Iste vir potuit cum Deoquicquidvoluit thatmancould have of God what he would ; his enemies felt the weight of his prayers, and the church of God reaped the benefits thereof.
The queeen of Scots professed, she was more afraid of the prayers ofMr. Knox *, than of an army often thousandmen : these were mighty wrestlers with God, however contemned and vilified among their enemies. There will a time come, when God will hear the prayers of his people, who are continually crying in his ears, How long? Lord, how long ?
Infer. 3. Let no believer be dejected at the con tempts and flightings of men, so long as they stand in the grace andfavour of God. It is the lot of the best men to have the worlt usage in the world: those of whom the world was not worthy, were not thought worthy to live in the world, Heb. xi. 38. Paul and his companions were men of choice and excellent spirits ; yet faith he, 1 Cor. iv. 12. " Being defamed, we intreat; 66 we are made as the filth of the world, and are the off scouring " of all things unto this day." They are words signifying the basest, most contemptible, and abhorred things among men. How are heaven and earth divided in their judgments and estimations of the saints ? Those whom men call filth_and dirt, God calls a peculiar treasure, a crown of glory, a royal diadem. But trouble not thyself, believer, for the unjust cenfures of the blind world; they speak evil of the things they know not: "He that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself
" is judged of no man," 1 Cor. ii. 14. You can discern the earthliness and baseness of their spirits, they want a faculty to difcerntheexcellency and choiceness of your spirits : he that carriesadark lanterninthenight,candifcernhim that comes against him, and yet is not discerned by him. A courtier regards not a
Jacobus Song i us, the Sorbonnedoctor, who wrote the lives of Luther, Knox and Calvin, speaks as if the devil had hired his pen to abuse those precious servants of Christ.
SERM . XVII. 377 The Method of Grace. light in the country, so long as he hath the ear and favour of his prince.
Infer. 4. Never let believers fear the want of any good thing neceffaryfor them in this world. The favourof God is the fountaie of all blessings, provisions, protections, even of all that you need. He hath promised that he will withhold no good thing from them that walk uprightly, Psal. lxxxiv. 11. He that is bountiful to his enemies will not withhold what is good from his friends. The favour of God will not only supply your needs, but protect your persons, Psal. v. 12. " Thou wilt bless
" the righteous, with favour wilt thou compass him as with a " shield."
Infer. 5. Hence also it follows, that thefins of believers are very piercing things to the heart of God. The unkindness of those whom hehathreceived into his very bosom, upon whom he hath
his special favour and delight, who are more obliged to him than all the people of the earth beside, O this wounds the very heart of God. What a melting expoftulation was that which the Lord used with David, 2 Sam. xii. 7, 8. " I anointed thee " king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul, " and I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives
" into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and Judah, " and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given " unto thee such and such things : wherefore haft thou defpisedthe commandment of the Lord ?" But reader, if thou be a reconciled person, a favourite with God, and haft grieved himbyany eminent transgression, how should it melt thy heart to hear the Lord thus expoftulatingwith thee: I delivered thee out of the hand of Satan ; I gave thee into the bosom of Christ ;
I have pardoned unto thee millions of fins ; I have bestowed upon thee the riches of mercy; my favour hath made thee great ; and, as if all this were too little, I have prepared heaven for thee : for which of all these favours dost thou thûs requite me ?
Infer. 6. How precious should Jesus Christ be to believers, by whose blood they are ingratiatedwith God, and by whose interceffion they are, and shall for ever be continued in hisfavour? When the apostle mentions the believers translation, from the fad
to the blessed privileged state of grace, see what a title he bestows upon Jesus Christ, the purchaser of that privilege, calling him the dear Son, Col. i. 13. Not only dear to God, but exceeding dear to believers also. Christ is the favourite in heaven, to him you owe all the preferment there : Take away Christ, and you have no ground on which to stand one
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378 The Method of Grace. SERM . XVII.
minute in the favour of God. O then let Jesus Christ, the foun tain of your honour, be also the object of your love and praise.
Infer. 7. Estimate by this, the state and condition ofa deserted faint, upon whom the favour of God is eclisped. If the favour of God be better than life, the hiding of it from a gracious foul must be more bitter than death : Deserted saints have reason to take the first place among all the mourners in the world : The darkness before conversion had, indeed, more danger, but this hath more of trouble. Darkness after light is dismal darkness. Since therefore the case is so sad, let your preventingcarebe the more ; grieve not the good Spirit of God,you prepare but for your own grief in fo doing.
Infer. 8. Lastly, Let this persuade all men to accept Jesus Christ, as ever they expect to be accepted with the Lord themselves. It is a fearful case, for a man's person, and duties to be rejected of God; to cry and not be heard: And much more terrible to be denied audience in the greatandterribleday. Yet, as sure as the scriptures are the sealed and faithful sayings of God, this is no more than what every Christless person must expect in that day, Mat. vii. 22. Luke xiii. 26. trace the history of all times, even as high as Abel, and you shall find that none but I believers did ever find acceptance with God; all experience confirms this great truth, that they that are in theflesb cannot please God.
Reader, if this be thy condition, let me beg thee to ponder the miferyofit in a few fad thoughts .
Confider how fad it is to be rejected of God, and forsaken by all creatures at once; what a day of straits thy dying day is like to be, when heaven and earth shall cast thee out together. Be assured whatever thy vain hopes for the present quiet thee withal, this must be thy case, the door of mercy will be shut against thee, no man comethto the Father but by Christ. Sad was the case of Saul, when he told Samuel, " the Philistines
" make war against me, and God is departed from me, " 1 Sam. xxviii. 15. The saints will have boldness in the day ofjudg ment, I John iv. 17. But thou wilt be a confounded Man; there is yet, blessed be the God of mercy, a capacity and opportunity of reconciliation, 2 Cor. v. 19. Ifa. xxvii. 5. But this canbeofno long continuance. O therefore, by all the regard and love you have for the everlasting welfare of your own fouls, come to Christ ; embrace Christ in the offers of the gospel, that youmaybemade accepted in the beloved.
If any one desires to know the will of God, let him be a friend of God. Aug.
SERM . XVIII . 379 The Method of Grace. SERMON XVIII.
The Liberty of Believers, opened and stated.
JOHN viii. 36. If the Son therefore shall make you free, yes hall be free indeed. FROM the 30th verse of this chapter unto my text, you have an account of the different effects which the words of Christ had upon the hearts of his hearers : Some believed, ver. 30. these he encourageth to continue in his word, ver. 31. giving them this encouragement, ver. 32. " Ye shall know the truth, " and the truth shall make you free." Hereat the unbelieving Jews take offence, and commence a quarrel with him, ver. 33. " We be Abraham's feed, and were never in bondage to any man." We are of no slavish extraction ; the blood of Abraham runs in our veins. This scornful boast of the proud Jews, Christ confutes, ver. 34.where he distinguishethon atwofoldbondage ; one to men, another to fin ; one civil, another spiritual : Whosoever committeth fin is the servant of fin, then tells them, ver.
36. " The servant abideth not in the house for ever, but the Son " abideth for ever." Wherein he intimateth two great truths, viz. That the servants, and slaves of fin may, for a time, enjoy the external privileges of the house, or church of God ; but it would not be long before the master of the house will turn them out of door: But if they were once the adopted children of God, then they should abide in the house for ever. And this privilege is only to be had by their believing in, and union with the natural Son of God, Jesus Christ : Which brings us fairly to the text ; " If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." In which words we have two parts ; 66
1. A fupppofition. 2. A concession . First, A supposition, " If the Son therefore shall make you " free," q. d. The womb of nature cast you forth into the world viz. { ina state of bondage; in that state you have lived all your days ; servants to fin; slaves to your lusts; yet freedom is to be obtained: And this freedom is the prerogative belonging to the Son of God to bestow : " If the Son shall make you free."
Secondly, Christ's concession upon this supposition, "Then " shallye be free indeed," (i. e.) you (nallhave a real freedom, an excellent, and everlasting freedom: No conceit only, as that
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380 The Method of Grace. SERM . XVIII . which you now boast of is : If ever therefore you will be free men indeed, believe in me. Hence note, Doct. That interest in Christ sets the soul at liberty from all that bondage whereinto it wasfubje&ted in its naturalftate. Believers are the children of the new covenant, the Denizons of Jerusalem which is above, which is free, and the mother of them all, Gal. iv. 26. The glorious liberty, viz. that which is spiritual and eternal, is the liberty of the children of God, Rom. viii. 21. Christ and none but Christ delivers his people out of the hand of their enemies, Luke i. 74.
In the doctrinal part of this point, I must shew you, First, What believers are not freed from by Jesus Christ in this world.
Secondly, What that bondage is from which every believer is freed by Christ .
Thirdly, What kind of freedom that is which commences upon believing.
Fourthly, Open the excellency of this state of spiritual freedom,
First, What those things are from which believers are not made free in this world : We must not think that our spiritual liberty by Christ , presently brings us into an absolute liberty, in all respects , For,
First, Christ, doth not free blievers from obedience to the moral law : It is true we are no more under it as a covenant for our justification ; but we are, and must still be under it, as a rule for our direction . The matter of the moral law is unchangeable, as the natureofgood and evil is, and cannot be abolished except that distinction could be destroyed, Mat. v. 17, 18. The precepts of the law are still urged under the gospel to enforce duties upon us, Eph. vi. 12. It is therefore a vain distinction, invented by Libertines, to say it binds us as creatures, not as Christians; or that it binds the unregenerate part, but not the regenerate ; but this is a sure truth, that they who are freed from its penalties, are still under its precepts. Though believers are no in ore under its curse, yet they are still under its conduct : The law fends us to Christ to be justified, and Christ sends us to the law to be regulated. Let the heart of every Christian join therefore with David's in that holy wish, Psal. cxix. 4, 5.
" Thou haft commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently; " O that my heart were directed to keep thy statutes." It is excellent when Christians begin to obey the law from life, which others obey for life; because they are justified, not that they may be justified, It is also excellent when duties are done in
SERM . XVIII . The Method of Grace. 381 the strength, and for the honour of Christ, which is evangelical; and not in our own strength, and for our own ends, which is servile, and legal obedience : Had Christ freed us from obedience, such a liberty had been to our loss.
Secondly, Christ hath not freed believers, in this world, from the temptations and assaults of Satan : even those that are freed from his dominion, are not free from his molestation. It is said indeed, Rom. xvi. 20. "God shall shortly bruise Satan under 66 your feet : " But mean time he hath power to bruise, and buffet us by his injections, 2 Cor. xii. 7. He now bruiseth Christ's heel, Gen. iii. 15 (i. e.) bruiseth him in his tempted, and afflicted members : Though he cannot kill them, yet he can, and doth afflict and fright them, by shooting his fiery darts of temptation among them, Eph. vi. 16. It is true, when the saints are got safe into heaven, they are out of gunshot; there is perfect freedom from all temptation. A believer may then fay, O thou enemy, temptations are come to a perpetual end. I am now arrived there, where none of thy fierydarts can reach me : But this freedom is not yet .
Thirdly, Christ hath not yet freed believers, in this world, from the motions of indwelling Sin: These are continually acting, and infesting the holiest of men, Rom. vii. 21, 23, 24. Corruptions, like Canaanites, are still left in the land to be thorns in your eyes, and goads in your fides. Those that boast most of freedom from the motions of fin, have most cause to
themselves still under the dominion of fin. All Christ's freemen are troubled with the fame complaint: who among them complains not as the apostle did, Rom. vii. 24. " Oh wretched
66 man that I am ! who shall deliver me from the body of this " death ?"
Fourthly, Jesus Christ doth not free believers in this world from inward troubles, and exercises of foul, upon the account of fin. God may let loose Satan, and conscience too, in the way of terrible accusations, which may greatly distress the soul of a believer, and woefully eclipse the light of God's countenance, and break the peace of their souls. Job, Heman, and David were all made free by Christ, yet each of them hath left upon record his bitter complaint upon this account, Job. vii.
19, 20. Psal. lxxxviii. 14, 15, 16. Píal. xxxviii. unto ver. 11. Fifthly, Christ hath not freed believers, in this world, from the rods of affliction. God in giving us our liberty, doth not abridge his own liberty, Psal. Ixxxix. 32. All the children of God are made free, yet what son is there whom the father chaftnethnot ? Heb. xii. 8. Exemption from affliction is so far from
38,2 The Method of Grace. SERM . XVIII.
being the mark of a freeman, that the apostle there makes it the mark ofa slave. Bastards not sons, want the discipline and blessing of the rod: To be free from affliction would be no benefit to believers, who receive so many benefits by it.
Sixthly, No believer is freed by Christ from the stroke of death, though they are all freed from the fling of death, Rom. viii. 10. The bodies of believers are under the fame law of mortality with other men, Heb. ix. 27. We must come to the grave as well as others ; yea, we must come to it through the fame agonies, pangs, and dolours that other men do : The foot of death treads as heavy upon the bodies of the redeemed, as of other men. Believers, indeed, are distinguished by mercy from others, but the distinguishing mercy lies not here. Thus you fee what believers are not freed from in this world : If you shall now say, what advantage then hath a believer, or what profit is there in regeneration ? I answer,
Secondly, That believers are freed from many great, and fad miseries, and evils, by Jesus Christ, notwithstanding all that hath been said. For, First, All believers are freed from the vigour, and curse of the law: The rigorous yoke of the law is broken off from their necks, and the sweet and easy yoke of Jesus Christ put on, Matth. xi. 28. The law required perfect working, under the pain ofa curse, Gal. iii. 10. accepted of no short endeavours ; admitted no repentance ; gave no strength : It is not so now, proportionable strength is given, Phil. iv. 13. Sincerity is reckoned perfection, Job i. 1. Transgression brings not under condemnation, Rom. viii. 1. O blessed freedom ! when duty be comes delight, and failings hinder not acceptance ! This is one partoftheblessed freedom of believers.
Secondly, All believers are freed from the guilt of fin; it may trouble, but it cannot condemn them, Rom. viii. 33. The hand-writing which was against us is cancelled by Christ, nailed to his cross, Colof. ii. 14. When the fealandhand-writing are torn off from the bond, the debtor is made free thereby : Believers are totally freed, Acts xiii. 39. Justified from all " things:" And finally freed, John v. 24. " They shall never " come into condemnation." O blessed freedom ! How sweet is it to lie down in our beds, yea, in our graves, when guilt shall neither be our bed-fellow, nor grave-fellow!
Thirdly, Jesus Christ frees all believers from the dominion, as well as the guilt of fin. " Sin shall not have dominion over you, forye are not under the law, but under grace," Rom . vi. 14. "The law of the Spirit of life which is in ChriftJesus
SERM . XVIII. The Method of Grace. 383 " hath made me free from the law offinanddeath," Rom. viii. 2. Now who can estimate such a liberty as this ? What slavery, what an intolerable drudgery is the service of divers lusts; from all which believers are freed by Christ ; not from the residence, but from the reign of fin. It is with finin believers as it was with those beasts mentioned Dan. vii. 12. "They had their
" dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a " season and time."
Fourthly, Jesus Christ sets all believers free from the power of Satan ; in whose right they were by nature, Col. i. 13. they are translated from the power of darkness into the kingdom of
Christ. Satan had the possession of them, as am an of his own goods; but Christ dispossesseth that strong man armed, alters the property, and recovers them out of his hand, Luke xi. 21, 22. There are two ways by which Christ frees believers out of Satan's power and possession ; namely,
1 1. By price. 2. By power. First, By price. The blood of Christ purchaseth believers out of the hands of justice, by satisfying the law for them, which being done, Satan's authority over them falls of course, as the power ofa jailor over the prisoner doth, when he hath a legal discharge, Heb. ii. 14. " Forasmuch then as children are part a- " kers of flesh and blood ; he also himself took part of the fame,
" that through death he might destroy him that had the power " of death, that is, the devil." The cruel tyrant beats, and burdens the poor captive no more after the ransom is once paid, and he thereby actually freed ; and therefore Christ delivers his.
Secondly, By power. Satan is exceeding unwilling to letgo his prey : He is a strong and a malicious enemy : every rescue, and deliverance out of his hand, is a glorious effect of the Almighty power of Christ, Acts xxvi. 18. 2 Cor. x. 5. How did our Lord Jesus Christ grapple with Satan at his death, and triumphed over him, Col. ii. 15. O glorious salvation ! blessed liberty of the children of God !
Fifthly, Christ frees believers from the poisonous sting and hurtofdeath : Kill us it can, but hurt us it cannot, I Cor xv.
55, 56. " O death ! where is thy sting ? O grave! where is thy victory ? The sting of death is fin, and the strength of fin is " the law : But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." If there be not hurt, there should be no horror in death : It is guilt that arms death, both with its hurting and terrifying power. To die in ourfins,John viii. 24. To have our bones full of the fins of our youth,which small lie down with us in the dust, Job xx. 11. To have death,
384 The Method of Grace. SERM. XVIII, like a dragon, pulling a poor guilty creature as a prey into its dreadful den, Psal. xlix. 14. In this lies the danger and horror of death : But from death, as a curse, and from the grave, as a prison, Christ hath set believers at liberty, by submitting to death in their room, by his victorious resurrection from the grave, as the first-born of the dead: death is disarmed of its hurting power : The death of believers is but a sleep in Jesus.
Thirdly, The next thing to be briefly spoken to, is the kind and nature of that freedom and liberty purchased, and procured by Christ for believers .
Now liberty may be considered two ways ; viz.
2. As sacred. 1. As civil. As to civil freedom, or liberty, it belongs not to our present business : Believers, as to their civil capacity, are not freed from the duties they owe to their superiors. Servants, though believers, are fstill to be subject to their masters, according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, Eph. vi. 5. nor from obedience to lawful magistrates, whom we are to obey in the Lord, Rom . xii. 1, 4. Religion dissolves not the bonds of civil relations : nor is it to be used as an occasion to the flesh, 1 Pet. ii. 16. It is not a carnal, but a spiritual freedom Christ hath purchased for us : And this spiritual freedom is again to be considered, either as,
1. Inchoate. 2. Consummate. The liberty believers have at present is but a beginning liberty; they are freed but in part from their spiritual enemies : but it is a growing liberty every day, and will be consummate, and complete at last.
To conclude, Christian liberty is either,
1. Privative, or, 2. Positive. The liberty believers are invested with, is of both kinds : They are not only freed from many miseries, burdens and dangers, but also invested by Jesus Christ with many royal privileges and invaluable immunities.
Fourthly, And this brings us to the fourth and last thing: namely, the properties of this blessed freedom which the saints enjoy by Jesus Christ ; and, if we consider it duly, it will be found to be,
First, A wonderful liberty, never enough to be admired. How could it be imagined that ever those who owed unto God more than ever they couldpayby their own eternal sufferings ; those that were under the dreadful curse, and condemnation of the law, in the power and possession of Sat an the strongman armed; those that were bound with fo many chains in their spiritualpri-
their understanding bound with ignorance, theirwillswith
SERM . XVIII . The Method of Grace. 385 obstinacy, their hearts with impenetrable hardness, their affections with a thousand bewitching vanities, that flight their state of slavery fomuch, as industrioufly to oppose all instruments and means of deliverance ; for such persons to be set at liberty, notwithstanding all this, is the wonder of wonders, and will be deservedly marvellous in the eyes of believers for ever.
Secondly, The freedom,of believers is a peculiar freedom ; a liberty which few obtain; the generalityabiding still in bondage to Satan, who, from the multitude of his subjects, is stiled the god of this world, 2 Cor. iv. 4. Believers in scripture are often called a remnant, which is but a small part of the whole piece : The more cause have the people of God to admire distinguishing mercy. How many nobles and greatones of the world are but royal slaves to Satan, and their own lusts !
Thirdly, The liberty of believers is a liberty dearly purchased by the blood of Christ. What that captain said, Acts xxii. 28. " With a great sum obtained I this freedom," may be much more said of the believers freedom: It was not silver or gold ; but the precious blood of Christ that purchased it, I Pet. i. 18.
Fourthly, The freedom and liberty of believers is a growing andencreasing liberty ; they get more and more out of the power of fin, and nearer still to their complete salvation every day, Rom. xiii. 11. The body of fin dieth daily in them : they are said to be crucified with Christ: the strength of sin abates continually in them, after the manner of crucified persons, who die a flow, but furedeath : And look in what degree the power of fin abates, proportionably their spiritual liberty encreasesuponthem.
Fifthly, The freedom of believers isa comfortable freedom : the apostle comforts Christians of the lowest rank, poor servants, with this consideration, 1 Cor. vii. 22. " He that is called in the " Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman," q. d. Let not the meanest of your outward condition, which is a state of subjection and dependance, a state of poverty and contempt, at all trouble you : you are the Lord's freemen, of precious account in his eyes. O it is a comfortable liberty !
Sixthly, and Lastly, It is a perpetual and final freedom; they that are once freed by Christ, have their manumiffion, and final discharge from that state of bondage they were in before : fin
never have dominion over them any more : it may tempt them, and trouble them, but shall never more rule and govern them, Acts xxvi. 18. And thus you fee what a glorious liberty the liberty of believers is .
Theimprovementwhereofwillbe in the following inferences.
Infer. 1. How rational is the Joy of Christians, above the joy VOL. II. Ddd
386 The Method of Grace, SERM . XVIIL of all others in the world? Shall not the captive rejoice in his recovered liberty ? the very birds of the air (as one observes) had rather be at liberty in the woods, though lean and hungry, than in a golden cage with the richest fare : every creature naturally prizes it; none more than believers, who have felt the burden and bondage of corruption : who in the days of their first illumination and conviction have poured out many groans and tears for this mercy. What was said of the captive people of God in Babylon, excellently shadows forth the state of God's people under spiritual bondage, with the way and manner of their deliverance from it, Zech. ix. 11. " By the blood of the covenant I " have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit,wherein is no wa- " ter." Believers are delivered by the blood of Christ, out of a worse pit than that of Babylon ; and look, as the tribes in their return from thence were overwhelmed with joy and astonishment, Psal. cxxvi. 1, 2. " When the Lord turned again the
66 captivity of Sion, we were like them that dream : Then was " our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing." They were overwhelmed with the sense of the mercy : So should it be with the people of God. It is said, Luke xv. 24. when the prodigal son (there made the emblem of a returning, converting sinner) was returned again to his father's house, that there was heard music and dancing, mirth and feasting in that house. The angels in heaven rejoice when a soul is recovered out of the power of Satan: And shall not the recovered foul, immediately concerned in the mercy, greatly rejoice ? Yea, let them rejoice in the Lord, and let no earthly trouble or affliction ever have power to interrupt their joy, for a moment, after such a deliverance as this.
Infer. 2. How unreasonable, and wholly inexcusable is the fin ofapostacyfrom Jesus Christ ? What is it but for a delivered captive to put his feet again into the shackles; his hands into the manacles ; his neck into the iron yoke, from which he hath been delivered ? 'Tis said, Mat. xii. 44, 45. " When the un-
" clean spirit is gone out of am an, he walketh through dry places, seeking reftand findeth none : Then he faith, I will return into mine house from whence I came out ; and when " he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished; then
66 goeth he, andtaketh with him seven other spirits more wicked " than himself, and they enter in and dwell there, and the last
" state of that man is worse than the first." Even as a prisoner thathathescaped, and is again recovered, is loaded with double irons. Let the people of God be content to run any hazard, endure any difficulties in the way of religion, rather than return
SERM . XVIII . The Method of Grace. 387 again into their former bondage, to fin and Satan. O Christian! i fever God gave thee a fight, and a sense of the misery and danger of thy natural state, i fever thou hast felt the pangs of a labouring, and distressed conscience, and, after all this, tasted the unspeakable sweetness of the peace and rest that are in Christ, thou wilt rather choose to die ten thousand deaths, than to forsake Christ, and go back again into that fad condition.
Infer. 3. How suitable, and well becoming is a free spirit in believers, to their state of liberty and freedom ? Christ hath made your condition free, O let the temper and frame of your hearts be free also ; do all that you do for God with a spirit of freedom; not by constraint, but willingly. Methinks, Christians, the new nature that is in you should stand for a command, and be instead of all arguments that use to work upon the hopes, and fears of other men. See how all creatures work according to the principle of their natures. You need not command a mother to draw forth her breasts toa fucking child ; nature it-
teaches and prompts to that. You need not bid the feaebb and flow at the stated hours. O Christian ! why should thy heart need any other argument, than its own spiritual inclination, to keep its stated times and seasons of communion with God? Let none of God's commandments be grievous to you : let not thine heart need dragging and forcing to its own benefit and advantage. Whatever you do for God, do it chearfully ; and whatever you suffer for God, suffer it chearfully. It was a brave spirit which actuated holy Paul, " I am ready, (faith he), not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus," Acts xxi. 13 .
Infer. 4. Let no man wonder at the enmity and opposition of Satan to the preaching of the gospel: for by the gospel it is that fouls are recovered out of his power, Acts xxvi. 18. 'Tis the express work of ministers " to turnmen from darkness to light, " and from the power of Satan unto God." Satan(as one faith) is a great and jealous prince : he will never endure to have liberty proclaimed by the ministers of Christ within his dominions. And, indeed, what is it less, when the gospel is preached in power, but as it were by beat of drum, and found of trumpet, to proclaim liberty, spiritual, sweet, and everlastaing liberty, to every soul that is made sensible of the bondage of corruption and cruel servitude of Satan, and will now come over to Jesus Christ ? Andoh what numbers and multitudes of prisoners have broken loose from Satan at one proclamation of Christ, Acts ii. 41. But Satan owes the servants of Christ a spite for this, and will be furetopaythem, i fever they come within his Ddd 2
388 The Method of Grace. SERM. XIX. reach; persecution is the genius of the gospel, and follows it as the shadow doth the body.
Infer. 5. How careful should Christians be to maintain their spiritual liberty in all and every point therefore ! " stand fast(faith " Paul) in the libertywherewith Christ hath made us free, and " be not againintangled in theyoke of bondage," Gal. v. 1. And again, " Ye are bought with a price,be not ye the servants of " men." 'Tis Christ's prerogative to prescribe the rules of his own house ; he hath given no man dominion over your faith, 2 Cor. i. 24. Oneman is no rule to another,but the word of Christ is a rule to all: follow not the holiest of men one step farther than they follow Christ, 1 Cor. 11. 4.Man is anambitiouscreature, naturallyaffectingdominion; and dominion over the mind rather than over the body. To give law to others, feeds pride in himself: fo far as any man brings the word of Christ to warrant his injunctions, so far we are to obey, and no farther: Christ is your Lord and Lawgiver.
Inference 6. Lastly, Let this encourage and persuade sinners to come to Christ ; for with him is sweet liberty for poor captives. Oh that you did but know what a blessed state Jesus Christ wouldbringyou into ! " Come unto me(faith he) ye that " labour and are heavy laden;" and what encouragement doth he give to comers ? Why this, " Myyoke is easy, and my burden " is light." The devil perfuadesyou, that the ways of obedience and strictgodliness area perfect bondage; but, i fever God regenerate you, you will find his ways, " ways of pleasantness, and " all his paths peace : you will rejoice in the way of his com- " mandments as much as in all riches:" you will find the worst work Christ puts you about, even suffering work, sweeter than all the pleasures that ever you found in fin. Otherefore open your hearts at the call of the gospel : Come unto Christ, thenfhallyou be free indeed.
SERMON ΧΙΧ. The Saints coming home to GOD, by Reconciliation, and Glorification,opened and applied.
PET. iii. 18. For Christ bath oncefufferedforfins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, HE scope of the apostle in this place is to prepare, and day of suffering. In order to TH fortify Christians for a
SERM XIX. The Method of Grace. 389 their chearful sustaining whereof, he prescribeth two excellent rules of mighty use for allfuffering Christians .
First, To get a good conscience within them, ver. 16, 17. hicmurus aheneus esto.
Secondly, To set the example of Christ's sufferings before them, ver. 18. " For Christ hath once suffered for sinners:" the sufferings of Christ for us, is the great motive engaging Chri stians to suffer chearfully for him.
In the words before us we have, First, The sufficiency and fulness of Christ's sufferings intimated in that particle (once) ; Christ needs to suffer no more, having finished and compleated that whole work at once.
Secondly, The meritorious cause of the sufferings of Christ, and that is fin, Christ once fufferedforfins; not his own fins, but ours : as it follows in the next clause, which is the third thing here observable, viz.
Thirdly, The admirable grace, andunexampled love of Christ to us sinners, the just for the unjust; in which words the substitution of Christ in the room and place of sinners, the vicegerence of his death is plainly expressed. Christ died not only nostro bono, for our good, but also nostro loco, in our stead.
Fourthly, Here is also the final cause, or design and scope of thefufferings of Christ, which was to bring us to God.
Fifthly, Here is also the issue of the sufferings of Christ, which was the death of Christ in the flesh, and the quickning of Christ after death by the Spirit. Many excellent observations are lodged in the bosom of this scripture; all which I must pass over in silence at this time, and confine my discourse to the final cause of the sufferings of Christ, namely, that he might bring us to God: where the observation will be plainly and briefly this.
Doct. That the end of Christ's cursed death, and bitterfufferings, was to bring all those for whom he died unto God. In the explication and preparation of this point for use, two things must be spoken unto, viz.
1. What Christ's bringing us to God imports ? 2. What influence the death of Christ hath upon this design of bringing us to God ?
First, What Christ's bringing us to God imports ? And certainly there be many great and excellent things contained in this expression: more generally it notes our state of reconciliation, and our state ofglorification. By reconciliation we are brought nigh to God, Eph. ii. 13. " Ye are made nigh," (i. e. ) reconciled, "by the blood of Christ," Heb. xii. 22, 23, we are said
390 The Method of Grace. " SERM . XIX, to come to God the Judge of all." By reconciliation we are broughtnigh unto God now; byglorificationwe shall be brought home to God hereafter, 1 Thef, iv. 17. " We shall be ever " with the Lord." But more particularly this phrase, "that " he might bring us to God," imports,
First, That the chief happiness of manconsisteth in the enjoyment of God: that the creature hath as neceffarydependance upon God for happiness, as the stream hath upon the fountain, or the image in the glass upon the face of him that looks into it. For as the sum of the creatures misery lies in this, depart from me; separation from God is the principal part of damnation :
on the contrary, the chief happiness of the creature confifteth in the enjoyment, andblessedvisionof God, 1 John iii. 2. Psal. xvii. 15. " I shall be fatisfiedwhen I awake with thy like- " ness."
Secondly, It implies man's revolt andapostacy from God, Eph. ii. 12. " But now in Christ Jesus, ye who were sometime afar off, " are made nigh by the blood of Christ." Those whom Christ bringeth unto God, were before afar off from him, both in state and condition,and intemperanddisposition: we were loft creatures, and had no desire to return to God * : The prodigal was said togointo a far country, Luke xv. 30.
Thirdly, Christ's bringing us to God, implies our inability to return to God of ourselves : we must bebroughtbackby Christ, or perish for ever in a state of separation from God : the loft
is made the emblem of the lost sinner, Luke xv. 5. The theepreturnsnot to the fold of itself,but the shepherd seeks it, finds it, and carries it back upon his shoulders. And the apostle plainly tells us, Rom. v. 6. That when we were withoutftrength (i. e.) any ability to recover, help, or save ourselves,in due time Chriftdiedfor the ungodly.
Fourthly, Christ'sbringing us to God, evidently implies this, that God's unsatisfied justice was once the great bar betwixt him and man. Man can have no access to God but by Christ: Christ brings us to God by no other way but the way of fat if faction by his blood: " He hath suffered for sins, the just for " the unjust, that he might bring us to God." Better ten thousand worlds should perish for ever, than God should lose thehonour of his justice, This great obex, or bar to our enjoyment of God, is effectually removed by the death of Christ;
Although the faculties of the soul were not extinguished by the fall,yet their inclination to spiritual objects was wholly loft. Zea em. on the image of God.
SERM . XIX. 391 The Method of Graces whereby God's justice is not only fully satisfied, but highly hooured and glorified, Rom. iii. 24. And so the way by which we are brought to God is again opened(to the wonder and joy of all believers) by the blood and sufferings of Christ.
Fifthly, and lastly, It shews us the peculiar happiness and privilege of believers above all people in the world; these only are they which shall be brought to God by Jesus Christ in a reconciled state: others, indeed, shall be brought to God as a Judge, to be condemned by him: believers only are brought to God in the Mediator's hand, as a reconciled Father, to be made blessed for ever in the enjoyment of him : every believer is brought singly to God at his death, Luke xvi. 22. And all believers shall be jointly and solemnly presented to God in the great day, Col. i. 22. Jude 24. They shall be all presented faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. Now the privilege of believers in that day will lie indiversthings.
First, That they shall be all brought to God together. This There will be the general assembly mentioned, Heb. xii. 22.
a collection of all believers, in all ages of the world, intoone blessed assembly: they shall come from the east, and west, and north, and south, and shall fit down in the kingdom of God, Luke xiii. 29. O what aglorioustrainwill be seen following the Redeemer in that day !
Secondly, As all the saints shall be collected intoone body; so they shall be all brought, or presented unto God, faultlefs and without blemish, Jude 24. "A glorious church, without spot
66 or wrinkle, or any such thing," Eph. v. 27. For this is the general assembly of the spirits of just men that are made perfect, Heb. xii. 23. All fin was perfectly separated from them,when death had separated their souls and bodies.
Thirdly, In this lies the privilege of believers, that as they shall be all brought together, and that in a state of absolute purity, and perfection, so they shall be all brought to God : they
his face, in the vision whereof is " fulness of joy, and " at whose right-hand are pleasures for evermore," Psal. xvi.
11 . The objective blessedness of the saints consisteth in their fruition of God, Psal. lxxii. 25. To see God in his word and works, is the happiness of the saints on earth ; but to see him face to face, will be the fulness of their blessedness in heaven,
1 John iii. 2. This is that intuitive, transforming, and sanctifying vision, of which the scripture frequently speaks, Psal. xvii.
15. 1 Cor. xv. 28. Rev. vii. 17. Fourthly, To be brought unto God,must needs implya state of perfect joy, and highest delight. So speaks the apostle, Jude
392 The Method of Grace. SERM . XIX.
14. Christ shall present,or bring them to God with exceeding joy. And more fully thejoyofthis day is expressed, Psal. xlv.
15. "With joy and rejoicing shall they be brought ; they shall " enter into the king's palace." It will be a day of universal joy, when all the faints are brought home to God in a perfected
For, 1.God the Father will rejoice when Christ brings home that precious number of his elect, whom he redeemed by his blood : he rejoiceth in them now, though imperfect, and under many distasteful corruptions and weaknesses, Zeph. iii. 17. How much more will herejoiceinthemwhen Christ presents them without fpotor wrinkle to him, Eph. v. 27.
2. Jesus Christ will exceedingly rejoice; it will be the day of the gladness, andfatisfactionofhis heart : for now, and not till now, he receives his mystical fulness, Col. i. 24. beholds all the blessed issues of his death, which connotbutgive him unspeakable contentment, Ifa. liii. 11. "He shall fee of the travail of " his soul, and shall be satisfied."
3. The day in which believers are brought home to God, will be a day ofunspeakablejoy to the Holy Spirit of God him-
For unto this, all his fanctifying designs, in this world, had respect: to this day he sealed them: towards this day he
up desires, and groanings that cannot be uttered, in their hearts, Eph. iv. 30. Rom. viii. 26. Thus the great and blessed persons, Father, Son, and Spirit, will rejoice in the bringing home of the elect to God. For as it is the greatest joytoaman to see the designs which his heart hath been long projecting, and intently set upon, by an orderly conduct, at laftbrought to the happy issue he first aimed at ; much more will it be so here: the counsel, and hand of each person being deeply concerned in this blessed design.
4. The angels of God will rejoice at the bringing home of believers to him : the spirits of just men made perfect, will be united in one general assembly, with an innumerable company of angels, Heb. ii. 22. Great is the affection and love of angels to redeemed ones : they greatly rejoiced at the incarnation of Christ for them, Luke ii. 13. They greatly delighted to pry into the mystery of their redemption, I Pet. i. 12. They were marvellouslydelighted at their conversion, which was the day of their efpousals to Christ, Luke xv. 10. They have been tender and careful over them, and very serviceable to them in this world, Heb. i. 14. and therefore cannot but rejoice exceedingly, to fee them all brought home in safety to their father's house.
5.To conclude,Christ'sbringing home all believers unto God,
SERM . XIX. 393 The Method of Grace. will be matter of unspeakable joy to themselves: for, whatever knowledge andacquaintancethey had with God here,whatever fights of faith they had of heaven, and the glory to come, in this world; yet the fight of God and Christ the redeemer, will be an unspeakable surprize to them in that day. This will be the day of relieving all their wants, the day of satisfaction to all their desires ; for now they are come where they would be, arrived at the very desires of their souls.
Secondly, In the last place, let it be considered, what influence the death of Christ hath upon this design, and you shall find it much every way. In two things especially, the death of Christ hath a blessed causality and influence in this matter, viz.
1. It effectually removes all obstacles to it. 2. It purchaseth (as a price) their title to it. First, The death of Christ removes all obstacles out of the way of his mercy: such were the bars hindering our access to Godasnothing but the death of Christ could remove, and thereby open a way for believers to come to God. The guilt of fin barred us from his gracious presence, Rom. i. 2, 3. Hos. xiv. 2. The filth of fin excluded us from God, Hab. i. 23. Heb. xii.
14. The enmity of our nature perfectly stopped up our way to God, Col. i. 21. Rom. viii. 7. by reason hereof fallen man hath no desire tocomeunto God, Job xxi. 14. The justice of God, like a flaming sword, turning every way, kept allmen from access to God. And Lastly, Satan, that malicious and armed adversary, lay as a lion in the way to God, 2 Pet. v. 8. Ohwith what strong bars were the gates of heaven shut against our souls ! The way of God was chained up with such difficulties, as none but Christ was able to remove; and he by death hath effectually removed them all : The way is now open, eventhenew and the living way,consecrated for us by his blood. The death of Christ effectually removes the guilt of fin, 1 Pet. ii. 24. washes off the filth off in, 1 Johnv. 6. takes away the enmity of nature, Col. i. 20, 21. satisfies all the demands ofjuttice, Rom. iii . 25, 26. hath broken all the power of Satan, Col. ii. 15. Heb. ii. 14. and consequently the way to God is effectually and fully opened to believers by the blood of Jesus,Heb. x. 20.
Secondly, The blood of Christ purchased for believers their rightandtitletothis privilege,Gal. iv.4, 5. " But when the ful- " ness of time was come,God sent forth his Son, made of awo- " man, made under the law ; to redeem them that were under " the law, that we might receive the adoption offons," i. e. both the relation and inheritance offons. There was value and VOL. II.
1 Eee
394 The Method of Grace. SERM . XIX. worth enough in the precious blood of Christ, not only to pay all our debts to justice, but, over and above the payment of our debts, to purchase for us this invaluable privilege. We must put this unspeakable mercy of being brought to God, as my text puts it, upon the account, and to the score of the death of Christ : no believer had ever tasted the sweetness of such a mercy, if Christ had not tasted the bitterness of death for him. The use of all you will have in the following deductions of truth.
Deduction 1. Great is the preciousness and worth offouls, that the life of Chriftshould be given to redeem and recover them to God: As God laid out his thoughts and counsel, from eternity, upon them, to project the way and method of their salvation ; fo the Lord Jesus in pursuanceofthat blessed design, came from the bosom of the Father, and spilt his invaluable blood, to bring them to God. No wife man expends vast sums to bring home trifling commodities : how cheap soever our souls are in our ef timation, it is evident by this they are of precious esteem in the eyes of Christ.
Deduction 2. Redeemed fouls must expect no rest, or satisfaction on this side heaven, and the full enjoyment of God. The life of a believer in this world, is a life of motion and expectation : they are nowcomingto God, I Pet. ii . 4. God,you
is the centre and rest of their souls, Heb. iv. 9. As the rivers cannot rest till they pour themselves into the bosom of the sea, so neither can renewed fouls find rest till they come into the bosom of God *. There are four things which do, and will break the rest, and disturb the souls of believers in this world; afflictions, temptations, corruptions, and absence from God. If the three former causes of disquietness were totally removed, fo that a believer were placed in such a condition upon earth, where no affliction should disturb him, no temptation trouble him,no corruption defile or grieve him, yet his very absence from God must still keep him restless and unsatisfied ; 2 Cor. v. 6. " Whilst we are at home in the body, yet ab- " sent from the Lord."
Deduction 3. Whatfweet and pleasant thoughts should all be. lievershave of death ! When they die, and never till they die, shall they be fullybroughthome to God. Death to the saints, is the door by which they enter into the enjoyment of God: the dying Christian is almost at home, yet a few pangs and agonies more, and then he is come to God, in whose presence
Thou hast made us for thyself, and our hearts are unsatisfied till they reft in thee. Aug. Confef. lib. 1. c. 1.
SERM . XIX . 395 The Method of Grace.
66 is the fulness of joy. " I desire, faith Paul, to depart, and to be with Christ, which is far better," Phil. i. 23. It should not affright us to be brought to death, the king of terrors, so long as it is the office ofdeathtobringus to God. Thatdreamingopinion of the soul sleeping after death, is as ungrounded as it is uncomfortable : the fame day we loose from this shore, we shall be landed upon the blessed shore, were we shall fee and enjoy God for ever. O, if the friends of dead believers did but understand where, and with whom their souls are, whilst they are mourning over their bodies, certainly a few believing thoughts of this would quickly dry up their tears, and fill the house of mourning with voices of praise and thanksgiving !
Deduction 4. How comfortable and sweet should the converses and communication of Christians be with one another, in this world! Christ is bringing them all to God, through this vale of tears ; they are now in the way to him ; all bound for heaven; going home to God, to their everlasting rest in glory : everyday, every hour, every duty brings them nearer and nearer to their journey's end ; Rom. xiii. 11. " Now, (faith the " apostle), is our salvation nearer than when we believed." O what manner of heavenly communications, andravishingdifcour-
believers have with each other, as they walk by the way ! Owhat pleasant and delightful converse should they have with one another about the place and state whither Christ is bringing them, and where they shall shortly be ! What ravishing transporting, transforming visions they shall have that day they are brought home to God! How surprizingly glorious to them the fight of Jesus Christ will be,who died for them to bring them unto God ! how should such discourses as these, shorten and sweeten their passage through this world; strengthen and encouragethedejected and feeble-minded, and exceedingly honour and adorntheirprofession ! Thus lived the believers of old ; Heb. xi. 9, 10. " By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a " strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, " the heirs with him of the fame promise; for he looked for
" a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is " God." But, alas ! most Christians are either entangled in the cares and troubles, or fo ensnared by the delights and pleasures which almost continually divert and take up their thoughts by the way, that there is but little room for any difcourses of Christ and heaven, among many of them: but certainly this would be as much your interest as your duty. When the apostle had entertained the Theffalonians with a lovely discourse of their meet Ece2
396 The Method of Grace. SERM . XIX, ing the Lord in the air, and being ever with the Lord, he charges it upon them as their great duty, to comfort one another with those words, I Theff. iv. 17, 18 .
Deduction 5. How unreasonable are the dejections of believers, upon the account of those troubles which they meet with in this world! It is true, afflictions of all kinds do attend believers in their way to God; through many tribulations we must enter in. to that kingdom, But what then; must wedespondanddroop under them asothermen ? Surely no : If afflictions be the way through which you must come to God, then never be discou. raged at affliction; troubles and afflictions are of excellent use, under the blessings of the Spirit, to further Christ's great design ofbringingyou to God. Howoftenwouldyou turn out of that way which leads to God, if he did not hedge up your way with thorns, Hofea ii. 6. Doubtless when you come home to God, you shall find you havebeenmuch beholden, (it may be a great deal more), to your troubles than to your comforts, for bringing you thither; however, the sweetness of the end will infinitely more than recompense the sorrows and troubles of the way : nor are they worth to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in you, Rom. viii. 18. Deduction 6. How much are all believers obliged, in paint of interest, to follow Jesus Christ whitherfoever he goes ! Thus are the saints described, Rev. xiv. 4. " These are they which follow
" the Lamb whithersoeverhe goeth: these were redeemed from " amongmen, being the first-fruits unto God, and to the Lamb." If it be the design of Christ to bring us to God, then certainly it is our duty to follow Christ in all the paths of active and passive obedience through which he now leads us, as ever we expect to be brought home to God at last : "We are inade par- " takers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence " stedfastunto the end," Heb. iii. 14. If we have followed him, through many sufferings and troubles, and shall turn away from him at last, we lose all that we have wrought, and suffered in religion, and shall never reach home to God at last. The crown of life belongs only to them who are faithfultothedeath. Deduction 7. Let all that desire, or expect to come unto God hereafter, come to Christ by faith now. There is no other way to the Father, but by Christ ; no other way to Christ but faith, How vain therefore are the hopes and expectations ofallunbelievers ? Be assured of this great truth, Death shall bring you to God as an avenging Judge, if Christ do not bring you now to God as a reconciled Father: without holiness no man shall fee God: the door of hope is shut againstallchristless persons, Joha
SERM. XX. The Method of Grace. 397 xiv. 6. " No mancomethunto the Father but by me." O what a sweet voice cometh down from heaven to your souls this day, saying, As ever you expect or hope to come to God, and enjoy the blessing that is here, come unto Christ, obey his calls, give upyourselves to his conduct and government, and you shall certainly be brought to God ! As sure as you shall now be brought to Jesus Christ by spiritual union, so sure shall you be brought to God in full fruition.
God for Jesus Christ, the new and living way to the Father.
And thus I have finished the motives drawn from the titles and benefits of Christ, serving to enforce and quicken the great gospel exhortation of coming to, and effectually applying the Lord Jesus Christ in the way of faith. O that the blessings of the Spirit might follow these calls, and fix these considerations as nails in sure places ! But seeing the great hindrance and ob-
to faith is the false opinion andperfuafion of most unregenerate men, that they are already in Christ ; my next work therefore shall be, inafecond use of conviction, to undeceive men in that matter ; and that, by shewing them the undoubted certainty of these two things :
First, That there is no coming, ordinarily, to Christ without theapplicationofthe law to our consciences, in away of effectualconviction.
Secondly, Nor by that neither, without the teachings of God, in the way of spiritual illumination. The first of these will be fullyconfirmedand opened in