The Liberty of Believers, opened and ſtated
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The Method of Grace.
SERMON XVIII.
The Liberty of Believers, opened and ſtated.
JOHN viii. 36. If the Son thereforeshall make youfree, yeshall befree indeed.
FROM the 30th verſe of this chapter unto my text, you have an account of the different effects which the words of Chriſthad upon the hearts ofhis hearers : Some believed, ver.
30. theſe he encourageth tocontinue inhis word, ver. 31. giving them this encouragement, ver. 32. " Ye ſhall know the truth,
" and the truth ſhall makeyou 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 ofno ſlaviſh extraction ; the blood of Abraham runs in our veins. This ſcornful boast of the proud Jews, Chrift confutes, ver. 34.where he distinguiſhethon atwofoldbondage ; one tomen, another to fin ; one civil, another ſpiritual : Whofoever 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 flaves of fin may, for a time, enjoy the external privileges of the houſe, or church of God ; but itwould notbe long before the master ofthe 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 ofGod, Jeſus Chrift : Which brings us fairly to the text ; " If the Son therefore ſhall make you free, ye ſhallbe freeindeed."
Inwhich words we have two parts ;
1. A fupppofition.
2. A conceffion .
First, A fuppofition, " If the Son therefore ſhall make you " free," q. d. The womb of nature caſtyou forth into the world
viz. { ina ſtate of bondage; inthat ſtate you have lived all your days ; ſervants to fin; flaves to your luſts; yet freedom is tobe obtained: And this freedom is the prerogative belonging to the Son ofGod to beſtow : " If the Son ſhall make you free."
Secondly, Chriſt's conceffion upon this ſuppoſition, "Then " ſhallye be free indeed," (i. e.) you (nallhave a real freedom, anexcellent, andeverlasting freedom: No conceit only, as that Ccc 2
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which you now boaſt of is : If ever therefore you will be free men indeed, believe in me.
Hencenote, Doct. That interest in Chriſt fets the foul at liberty from all that bondage whereinto it wasfubje&ted in its naturalftate.
Believers are the children of the new covenant, the Denizons of Jerufalem which is above, which is free, and the mother of them all, Gal. iv. 26.
The glorious liberty, viz. that which is fpiritual and eternal, is the liberty of the children of God,
Rom. viii. 21.
Chrift 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 thisworld.
Secondly, What that bondage is from which every believer is freedby Chriſt .
Thirdly, What kind of freedom that is which commences uponbelieving.
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 : Wemust not think that our fpiritual liberty by Chriſt , preſently brings us into an abfolute 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, andcannot be aboliſhed except that diſtinction couldbe 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 fure truth, that they who are freed from its penalties, are ſtill under its precepts. Though believers are no inore under its curse, yet they are ſtillunder its conduct :
The law fends us to Chriſt tobe justified, and Chriſt ſends us tothe law tobe regulated.
Let the heart of every Chriftian join therefore with David's in that holy wiſh, Pfal. cxix. 4, 5.
" Thou haft commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently; " O that my heart were directed to keep thy ſtatutes."
It is excellentwhen Chriſtians begin toobey the lawfrom life, which others obey for life; becauſe they are justified, not that they may be justified, It is also excellent whenduties are done in
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the ſtrength, and for the honour of Chriſt, which is evangelical; and not in our own ſtrength, and for our own ends, which is fervile, and legal obedience : Had Chrift freed us from obedience, ſuch a libertyhad been to our lofs.
Secondly, Chrift hath not freed believers, in this world, from the temptations and affaults of Satan : even thoſe that are freed from his dominion, are not free from his molestation.
It is faid 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
Chrift'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 amnow arrived there, where none of thy fierydarts can reach me : But this freedom is not yet .
Thirdly, Chriſt hath not yet freed believers, inthis 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 inyour fides. Those that boast moſt of freedom from the motions of fin, have moſt cauſe to ſuſpect themselves ſtill under the dominion of fin.
All Chriſt's freemen are troubledwith the famecomplaint: 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 confcience too, in the way of terrible accufations, which may greatly diſtreſs the foul of a believer, and woefully eclipſe the light of God's countenance, and break the peace of their fouls. 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. Pfal. lxxxviii. 14, 15, 16. Píal. xxxviii. unto ver. 11.
Fifthly, Chrift hath not freed believers, in this world, from the rods of affliction. God in giving us our liberty, doth not abridge his own liberty, Pfal. Ixxxix. 32. Allthe children of God are made free, yetwhat ſon is therewhom the father chaftnethnot ? Heb. xii. 8. Exemptionfrom affliction is ſo far from
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being the mark of a freeman, that the apoſtle there makes it themark ofa flave.
Bastards not fons, wantthe diſcipline and bleffing ofthe rod: To be free from affliction would be nobenefit 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 freedfrom 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 aswell as others ; yea, we mustcome toitthrough the fame agonies, pangs, and dolours thatother men do : The foot ofdeath treads as heavyupon the bodies of the redeemed, as of other men.
Believers, indeed, are distinguiſhedby mercy from others, but thedistinguiſhing mercy lies not here.
Thus you feewhat believers are not freedfrom in this world : If you shall now ſay, what advantage then hath a believer, or what profit is there inregeneration ? I anſwer,
Secondly, Thatbelievers are freed from many great, and fad miſeries, and evils, by Jeſus Chrift, notwithstanding all that hath been faid.
For, First, All believers arefreedfrom the vigour, and curse of thelaw: The rigorous yoke of the law is broken offfrom their necks, andthe ſweet andeaſy yoke ofJeſus Chriſt put on,
Matth. xi. 28.
The law required perfect working, under the pain ofa curfe, Gal. iii. 10. accepted ofno ſhort endeavours ; admitted no repentance ; gave no ſtrength : It is not ſo now, proportionable ſtrength isgiven, Phil. iv. 13. Sincerityis reckoned perfection, Job i. 1. Tranfgreffion 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-writingwhich was againſt usis cancelledby Chriſt, nailed tohis croſs, Colof. ii. 14.
Whenthe fealandhand-writing are torn offfrom thebond, 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 liedown in our beds, yea, inour graves, when guilt ſhall neitherbe ourbed-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 underthe law, but under grace," Rom . vi. 14. "The law ofthe Spirit of life which is inChriftJeſus
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" hath made me freefrom the law offinanddeath," Rom. viii.
2. Nowwho can eſtimate ſuch a liberty as this ? What flavery, what an intolerable drudgery is the ſervice ofdivers lufts; from all which believers are freed by Chriſt ; not from the refidence, butfromthe reign of fin.
It is with finin believers as itwas with those beafts mentioned Dan. vii. 12. "Theyhad their
" dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a " ſeaſon and time."
Fourthly, Jefus Chriſt ſets all believers free from the power ofSatan ; in whoſe right they were by nature, Col. i. 13. they are tranſlated from the power ofdarkness into thekingdom of Chrift.
Satan hadthe poffeffion ofthem, as aman ofhis own goods; but Chriſt diſpoſſeſſeth that ſtrong man armed, alters the property, and recovers them outof his hand, Luke xi. 21,
22.
There are two ways by which Chrift frees believers out of Satan's power and poffeffion ; namely,
1. By price.
2. By power.
First, By price.
The blood of Chriſt purchaſeth believers outofthe hands ofjustice, by satisfying the law for them, which being done, Satan's authority over them falls of course, as the power ofa jailor over the prifoner doth, when he hath a legal diſcharge, Heb. ii. 14. " Foraſmuch then as children are parta- " kers of flesh andblood ; he alſo himſelf took part of the fame,
" that through death he mightdestroy him that had the power " ofdeath, 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, anddeliverance out of his hand, is aglorious 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 ofthe children ofGod !
Fifthly, Chrift frees believers from the poisonous ſting and hurtofdeath : Kill us it can, but hurt us itcannot, I Cor xv.
55, 56. " O death ! where is thy ſting ? O grave! where is thy victory ? The ſting ofdeath is fin, and the ſtrength of fin is
" the law : But thanks be toGod which giveth us the victory " through our Lord Jesus Chriſt."
If there be not hurt, there ſhould be nohorror in death : Itis guilt that arms death, both with its hurting and terrifying power. Todie in ourfins,John viii. 24.
To have ourbones full of the fins of ouryouth,which ſmall lie down with us in the duft, Job xx. 11. Tohavedeath,
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like a dragon, pulling a poor guilty creature as a prey into its dreadful den, Pfal. xlix. 14.
In this lies thedanger and horror of death : But from death, as a curſe, and from the grave, as a priſon, Chriſt hath ſet believers at liberty, by fubmitting to death in their room, by his victorious refurrection from the grave, as the firſt-born of the dead: death is diſarmed of its hurting power : The death ofbelievers 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 byChrift for believers .
Now liberty may be confidered two ways ; viz.
2. As facred.
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 theirſuperiors.
Servants, though believers, are fſtill tobe ſubject to their maſters, according to the fleſh, with fear and trembling, Eph. vi. 5. nor from obedience to lawful magiſtrates, whom we are toobey in the Lord, Rom . xii. 1,
Religion diffolves not the bonds of civil relations : nor is it tobe ufed as an occaſion to the fleſh, 1 Pet. ii. 16.
It is not a carnal, but a fpiritual freedom Chriſt hath purchased for us :
And this ſpiritual freedom is again tobe confidered, either as,
1. Inchoate.
2. Confummate.
The liberty believers have at preſent is but abeginning liberty; they are freed but in part from their ſpiritual enemies : but it is a growing liberty every day, andwillbe confummate, and complete at last.
To conclude, Chriſtian liberty is either, 1. Privative, or, 2. Poſitive.
The libertybelievers are inveſtedwith, isofboth kinds : They are not only freed from many miſeries, burdens anddangers, but alfo 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 faints enjoy by Jefus Chriſt ; and, ifwe conſider it duly, it will be found tobe, First, Awonderful liberty, never enough tobe admired. How could it be imagined that ever thosewho oweduntoGodmore than ever they couldpayby theirown eternal ſufferings ; thofe that were under the dreadful curſe, and condemnation of the law, in the power and poffeffion ofSatanthe ſtrongman armed; thoſe thatwere boundwith fo many chains in their ſpiritualpriſon; their underſtandingbound with ignorance, theirwillswith
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obſtinacy, their hearts with impenetrable hardness, their affections with athousand bewitching vanities, that flight their ſtate of flavery fomuch, as induſtrioufly to oppoſe all inſtruments and means ofdeliverance ; for fuch perſons to be fet at liberty, notwithſtanding all this, is the wonder ofwonders, and willbe defervedly marvellous in the eyes of believers for ever.
Secondly, The freedom,of believers is a peculiar freedom ; a libertywhich fewobtain; the generalityabiding ſtill in bondage to Satan, who, from the multitude ofhis 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 ofthe whole piece :
Themore caufe have the people ofGod toadmire diſtinguiſhing mercy.
How many nobles and greatones ofthe world are but royal flaves to Satan, and their own luſts !
Thirdly, The liberty of believers is a liberty dearly purchaſed by theblood ofChriſt.
What that captain ſaid, Acts xxii. 28.
" With a great fum obtained I this freedom," may be much more ſaid of the believers freedom: It was not filver orgold ; but the preciousblood ofChriſt that purchaſed it, I Pet. i. 18.
Fourthly, The freedom and liberty of believers is a growing andencreaſing liberty ; they getmore and more out of the power of fin, and nearer ſtill to their complete ſalvation every day, Rom. xiii. 11.
Thebody of fin dieth daily in them : they are ſaid to be crucified with Chrift: the ſtrength of ſin abates continually in them, afterthe manner of crucified perſons, who die a flow, but furedeath : And look in whatdegree the power of fin abates, proportionably their ſpiritual liberty encreaſesuponthem.
Fifthly, The freedom of believers isa comfortable freedom : theapoſtle comforts Chriſtians ofthe lowest rank, poor fervants, with this confideration, 1 Cor. vii. 22. " He that is called inthe
" Lord, being a fervant, is the Lord's freeman," q. d.
Let notthe meanest of your outward condition, which is a ſtate of ſubjection and dependance, aſtate ofpoverty and contempt, at all troubleyou : you are the Lord's freemen, ofprecious 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 byChrift, have their manumiffion, and final diſcharge from that ſtate of bondage they were in before : fin ſhall never havedominion over them any more : it may tempt them, and trouble them, but ſhall never more rule andgovern them, Acts xxvi. 18. And thus you fee what a glorious liberty the liberty ofbelievers is .
Theimprovementwhereofwillbe in thefollowing inferences.
Infer. 1. How rational is the Joy ofChristians, above the joy VOL. II.
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ofall others in the world? Shall not the captiverejoice inhis 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 andbondage of corruption : who in the days oftheir firſt illumination and conviction have poured out manygroans and tears for this mercy.
What was ſaidofthe captive people ofGod in Babylon, excellently ſhadows forth the ftate ofGod's people under ſpiritual bondage, with theway and manner oftheir deliverance from it, Zech. ix. 11. " By the blood of the covenant I " have fent forth thy priſoners outof 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 aftonishment, Pfal. cxxvi. 1, 2. " When the Lord turned again the 66 captivityof Sion, we were like them that dream : Then was
" our mouth filledwith laughter, andour tongue with ſinging."
Theywere overwhelmed with the ſenſe ofthe mercy : Soſhould it be with the people of God.
It is said, Luke xv. 24. when the prodigal fon (there made the emblem of areturning, converting ſinner) was returned again to his father's houſe, that there was heard muſic and dancing, mirth and feafting inthat house.
The angels in heaven rejoicewhen a foul is recovered outof 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 theirjoy, for a moment, after ſuch a deliverance as this.
Infer. 2. How unreasonable, andwholly inexcusable is the fin ofapostacyfrom Jesus Christ ? Whatis it but for a delivered captive toput his feet again intothe ſhackles; his hands into the manacles ; his neck into the iron yoke, from which he hath been delivered ? 'Tis faid, Mat. xii. 44, 45. " When the un- " clean ſpirit is gone out of aman, he walketh throughdry 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, fwept, and garnished; then
66 goeth he, andtaketh with him ſevenother ſpirits morewicked " thanhimself, andthey enter in anddwell there, and the laſt
" ſtate of that man is worſe than the firſt."
Even as a prisoner thathatheſcaped, and isagain recovered, is loaded with double irons. Let the people ofGodbe content to run any hazard, endure any difficulties in the wayof religion, rather than return
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again into their former bondage, to fin and Satan. O Chriſtian! ifeverGod gave thee a fight, and a ſenſe ofthe miſery and danger ofthy natural ſtate, ifever thou hast felt the pangs of a labouring, and diſtreſſed confcience, and, after all this, taſted theunspeakable ſweetness ofthe peace and reſt that are in Chriſt, thou wilt rather chooſe to die ten thousand deaths, than to forfake Chriſt, and go back again into that fad condition.
Infer. 3. How fuitable, and well becoming is a freespirit in believers, to their state of liberty and freedom ? Chrift hath made your condition free, O let the temper and frame of your hearts be free alſo ; do all that youdo forGod with a ſpirit of freedom; notby conſtraint, but willingly.
Methinks, Chriſtians, the newnature that is in youſhould ſtand for a command, and be inſtead of all arguments that uſe to work upon thehopes, and fears of other men.
See how all creatures work according tothe principle of their natures.
You need not command a mother to draw forth her breasts toa fucking child ; nature itſelf teaches and prompts to that. You need notbid 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 : letnot thine heart needdragging and forcing to its own benefit and advantage.
Whatever you do forGod, do it chearfully ; and whatever you fuffer forGod, fuffer 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 Jerufalem for the
name of the Lord Jeſus," Acts xxi. 13 .
Infer. 4. Let no man wonder at the enmity and oppofition 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 fromdarkness to light, " and from the power of Satan untoGod." Satan(as one faith) is a great and jealous prince : he will never endure tohave 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, toproclaim liberty, ſpiritual, ſweet, and everlaſtaing liberty, to every foul 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 Chrift,
Acts ii. 41.
But Satan owes the ſervants of Chriſt a fpite for this, and willbe furetopaythem, ifever theycome within his
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