6. Here is the ground upon which believers are set beyond the reach of the curse, are freed from the guilt of eternal or revenging wrath, and can never for shorter or longer time fall under condemnation; how beit their sins make them liable to all the effects of God's fatherly anger. For Christ taking on him the form of a bond-servant for them, bore all the curse, revenging wrath, and condemnation due to them for all their sins, whether before or after their union with him: the which service done for them is imputed to them, upon their believing in him; and from that moment is ever upon them, never again disimputed. The truth is, the curse would reduce them into the state of bond-servants again, and so un-son them; as condemnation, and the guilt of eternal wrath, speak the sinner on whom they fall to be a bond-servant, and not a son. Thus teach the holy scriptures, Gal. iii. 13, "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us." Chap. iv. 7, "Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son." "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus." Isa. liv. 9, " For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: (which waters were a type of the flood of wrath, wherewith Christ the true ark was tossed, 1 Pet. iii. 20, 21,) “For as I bave sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee." Psalm lxxxix. 31, 32, "If they break my statutes :-Then will I visit their transgression with the rod." Rom. viii. 1, 7. Here is the fountain-head of sanctification through faith in Christ; which is the only true sanctification competent to fallen Adam's children, the spring of all holy obedience and good works to be found amongst them. A sinful creature, in a state of servitude or bondage, under the law or covenant of works, is a bond-servant to sin: for "the strength of sin is the law," 1 Cor. xv. 56, binding over the sinner to death, yea, binding him down under death. And, being a bond-servant to sin, he is in bondage to Satan too; since the power of sin is his sceptre, whereby he rules over the children of fallen Adam. Hence, while the sinful nan continues in bondage under that covenant, sin retains its full force and sway over him; even as the vermin doth over the dead corpse in the grave; so that he can neither be truly good, nor do any thing truly good. But the holy Jesus becoming a bond-servant under the law, in the room and stead of the sinful creature, answered all the demands thereof; and having finished the service, was, of course, freed from its yoke, which he had voluntarily taken on himself. Now, the sinner uniting with him by faith, Christ's service is imputed to him. Hence his bondage under the law as the covenant of works is done away; and he partakes more abundantly of the promised life of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus: so the reigning power of sin and Satan over him is broken, and he dies unto sin and lives unto righteousness, in holy obedience to the law of the ten commandments, as a rule of life to him in the hand of the Prince of life. Thus unholy creatures are sanctified in Christ Jesus, 1 Cor. i. 2. sanctified by faith, Acts xxvi. 18. And this the apostle plainly teacheth, Rom. vii. 5, 6, "For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sin, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held, that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter." 8. Here is the ground in law, for the perseverance of the saints; that they shall never fall away totally nor finally, but the life given them, in their union with Christ, must needs be eternal, never to die out, from the moment it is given, through the ages of eternity. For the service upon which their life depends, is completely performed by Jesus Christ and the life, which was the promised reward of that service, is actually bestowed on them in some measure which life, therefore, can never totally nor finally fail, without the failure of the promise, the true and proper condition of which is already fulfilled. Wherefore, the time of trial (in the sense of the first covenant) for life and salvation to believers, being now over, in the second Adam their head engaging in the service; their perseverance is as sure as the faithfulness of God can make it. And thus the apostle proves the perseverance of the saints, Heb. x. 38, from the testimony of the prophet, Hab. iv. 4. For, as the law saith, "He that doth these things shall live:" so the gospel saith, "The just by faith shall live:" as some valuable interpreters read this text, and, I think, rightly. Lastly, Here is the only ground of their right to, and upon which they are put in possession of, complete life and salvation in heaven, namely, Christ's works and service performed for them, and pleaded by them in the way of believing. For what plea can one have for the hire or reward, either as to the right to it, or the possession of it, but the performance of the service upon the account of which it was promised? Now, Christ alone performed that service: therefore we cannot found our plea before the Lord for heaven's happiness, on any other ground but Christ's works and service. Paul renounceth all other grounds, and thinks himself very safe upon this alone, while he desires to "be found in Christ, not having his own righteousness, but that which is through the faith of Christ," Phil. iii. 9. For "they which receive abundance of grace, and of the gift of righteousness, shal! reign in life by one, Jesus Christ," Rom. v. 17. And the great design of the contrivance of salvation was, "That grace might reign through righteousness unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ our Lord," ver. 21. There is a glorious recompense of reward, that follows the saints' work and labour of love: but the truth is, it is (properly and strictly speaking) the reward of the service of their head, not of the service of their hands. SECONDLY, This doctrine of Christ's state of servitude, is a most powerful incentive to gospel-obedience; and, being applied to one's self by faith, will be found to be a spring of holiness of heart and life. And thus it may be improven. (1.) More generally. (2.) More particularly. First, More generally, in two branches. I. If ye have any part or lot in this matter of Christ's service, let it be the business of your life to serve the Lord Christ: say peremptorily and resolutely," As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord," Josh. xxiv. 15. And devote yourselves to the service of God in Christ, which is your reasonable service. Serve him in the duties of worship, external and internal; serve him in secret, in your families, in the congregations of his people: serve him in first-table duties, and in second-table duties: serve him in your civil actions, and in your natural actions; "Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God" serve him in the several stations and relations wherein he has placed you: serve him in doing for him, and suffering for him, as he calls you. Set his holy law before you, in its spirituality and vast extent; and know that it is the rule and measure of the service ye owe him. Look upon the service Christ performed for you, and let it excite and animate you to serve him. Here is a powerful motive, to engage you to serve him. And that it may have its due influence upon you to that effect, consider, 1. He was in the form of God, and God's equal, who served for you ye were born in bondage, under the law, bond-servants to sin and Satan, the worst of masters. If you "look to the rock whence ye were hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye were digged;" and withal look unto the Son of God, leaving the Father's bosom, descending from his throne of majesty, laying aside the robes of his glory, and taking on the form of a servant, therein to serve for you; ye must needs be haled to his service by the overcoming force of his believed humiliation, 2 Cor. v. 14, " For the love of Christ constraineth us." 2. He has no need of your service to him, but ye were in absolute need of his service for you. Though ye had remained bond-slaves to Satan for ever, the want of your service, and all the disservice ye could have done the Lord of glory, could not have hurt him; nor can your service add any thing to his happiness, Job xxxv. 7, 8. But, without his service for you, ye had perished for ever, ye had been bound hand and foot in utter darkness, for your breaking the first covenant of service. Are not ye and your service then wholly his? And, if ye believe ye had perished eternally unless he had served for you, can ye refuse him your service? 3. The service he performed for you was hard service; the yoke he puts upon you is easy, and the burden light, Matth. xi. 30. He served as a bond-servant for you; he requires you to serve him as a son serveth his father, Mal. iii. 17. If his people make their own service harder, they owe it not to his Spirit, but to their own spirit, or a worse, Rom. viii. 15, "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear." No less than obedience, every way perfect, could be accepted at his hand: but he will graciously accept sincere obedience, attended with many imperfections, at your hand. He had a hot service, a hot working service, a hot fighting service for you, in the fire of the wrath of God, which burnt against him, as standing in your room. Behold him in the garden, in a cold night, sweating great drops of blood at his service! behold him on the cross, at once grappling with the Father's wrath, the rage and power of devils and men! and hear him calling for your service on that very score, Cant. v. 2, "Open to me for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night." -- 4. His service being finished, he is now, in consequence thereof, exalted to be Lord of all, Phil. ii. 9, 10, "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow." He is now crowned King in Zion; and all are solemnly commanded by the authority of Heaven to submit to him, and serve him, to kiss the Son, Psalm ii. 12. Our Joseph, who was sold for a servant, is now brought forth of the dungeon, and made ruler over all the land: he rides in the second chariot, and it is cried before him, "Bow the knee." His sheaf now stands upright: let all his brethren bow down before him, even to the earth. Behold him, O believer, who served for thee in the character of a bond-servant, now highly exalted, all power given unto him in heaven and in earth: behold him sitting on the right hand of the throne of majesty, commending thee to the broad law of the ten commands, the eternal rule of righteousness; and strictly binding thee to obedience thereto, by the authority of God thy Creator and Preserver; and with the additional tie of his mediatory authority, his right of redemption over thee, and his dying love to thee, which may well supply the place of the bond of the covenant of works, and the curse, the only tie unto obedience which he hath taken from off thee by his service. 5. Christ served his hard and sore service for you, to this very end, that ye, being delivered from your bondage and slavery under sin and the curse, "might serve him in holiness and righteousness," Luke i. 74, 75. It was for this end the Lord Jesus undertook his service for you: why would ye then go about to frustrate the end of your Redeemer's undertaking for you? is this your kindness to your friend? It is unthankfulness with a witness, to refuse him your service, to which ye are bound by the strongest ties of gratitude for the greatest favour from your best friend. 6. Your service is dear bought; grudge it not. It is the price of blood, the blood of the Son of God, "Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works," Tit. ii. 14. Serving the Lord is a precious privilege, as well as a duty; for it is a part of heaven's happiness, Rev. xxii. 3. "His servants shall serve him." Ye were in bondage to sin and Satan, which would not permit you to serve the Lord; until Christ, by his service, took their yoke from off your necks. Ye were in bondage under the curse, that no service to God could be accepted at your hand; till ye were relieved through Christ's becoming a curse for you. Ye were bound hand and foot, yea, dead in trespasses and sins, that ye could not serve the Lord; until his precious blood set you free, and his death gave you life and strength. And shall your service, the purchase of blood, be withheld from the glorious Purchaser? So far as it is so, it is doubtless owing to unbelief. O believer, look to the cross of Christ, and behold how he paid for every good work, every good word, yea, every good thought of thine. There is not one of these found, or that shall be found with thee, through the ages of eternity, but it springs from the merit and never-failing efficacy of Christ's service. And, had not the Lord Jesus taken on him the form of a servant for us, there had never been one piece of acceptable service to God, one good work, word, or thought, found among the children of men, after the breach of the first covenant. : 7. There is a glorious and full reward, gained by Christ's service, awaiting all his servants at the end of their course; even the full enjoyment of God in the other world in which ye shall be completely happy to all eternity, 1 Thess. iv. 17, "So shall we ever be with the Lord." 1 John iii. 27, "We shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." Our Lord Jesus having run in the name and on the head of the blessed company, the designed heirs of glory, and having won the prize for them all; now sits on a throne at the |
