First, The Romans when they manumitted their bond-servants, gave them a white garment, as a badge of their freedom. So shall the saints that day get on their white robes; for it is the day of the glorious liberty of the children of God, (Rom. viii. 21.) the day of the redemption of their body, ver. 23. They shall no more see the house of bondage, nor lie any more among the pots. If we compare the state of the saints on earth with that of the wicked, it is indeed a state of freedom; whereas the other is a state of slavery: but in comparison with their state in heaven, it is but a servitude. A saint on earth is indeed a young prince, and heir to the crown; but his motto may be, I serve, for "•he differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all," Gal. iv. 1. What are the groans of a saint, the sordid and base work he is sometimes found employed in, the black and tattered garments he walks in, but badges of this comparative servitude? But from the day the saints come to the crown, they receive their complete freedom, and serve no •ore. They shall be fully freed from sin, which of all evils is the worst, both in itself, and in their apprehension too: how great then must that freedom be, when these Egyptians whom they see today, they shall see them again no more for ever? They shall be free from all temptation to sin: Satan can have no access to temptation, any more, by himself, nor by his agents. A full answer will then be given to that petition, they have so often repeated, Lead us not into temptation. No hissing serpent can come into the paradise above: no snare nor trap can be laid there, to catch the feet of the saints: they may walk there fearlessly, for they can be in no hazard: there are no lions dens, no mountains of the leopards, in the promised land. Nay, they shall be set beyond the possibility of sinning, for they shall be confirmed in goodness. It will be the consummate freedom of their will, to be for ever unalterably determined to good. And they shall be freed from all the effects of sin; There shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, Rev. ⟨p. 296⟩xxx. 4: What kingdom is like unto this? Death makes its way now into a palace, as easily as into a cottage: sorrow fills the heart of one who wears a crown on his head, royal robes are no fence against pain, and crying by reason of pain.
First, The Romans when they manumitted their bond-servants, gave them a white garment, as a badge of their freedom. So shall the saints that day get on their white robes; for it is the day of the glorious liberty of the children of God, (Rom. viii. 21.) the day of the redemption of their body, ver. 23. They shall no more see the house of bondage, nor ly any more among the pots. If we compare the state of the saints on earth with that of the wicked, it is indeed a state of freedom; wheras the other is a state of slavery: but in comparison with their state in heaven, it is but a servitude. A saint on earth is indeed a young prince, and heir to the crown; but his motto may be, I serve, for "•he differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all," Gal. iv. 1. What are the groans of a saint, the sordid and base work he is sometimes found employed in, the black and tattered garments he walks in, but badges of this comparative servitude? But from the day the saints come to the crown, they receive their compleat freedom, and serve no •ore. They shall be fully freed from sin, which of all evils is the worst, both in itself, and in their apprehension too: how great then must that freedom be, when these Egyptians whom they see today, they shall see them again no more for ever? They shall be free from all temptation to sin: Satan can have no access to temptation, any more, by himself, nor by his agents. A full answer will then be given to that petition, they have so often repeated, Lead us not into temptation. No hissing serpent can come into the paradise above: no snare nor trap can be laid there, to catch the feet of the saints: they may walk there fearlesly, for they can be in no hazard: there are no lions dens, no mountains of the leopards, in the promised land. Nay, they shall be set beyond the possibility of sinning, for they shall be confirmed in goodness. It will be the consumminate freedom of their will, to be for ever unalterably determined to good. And they shall be freed from all the effects of sin; There shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, Rev. ⟨p. 296⟩xxx. 4: What kingdom is like unto this? Death makes its way now into a palace, as easily as into a cottage: sorrow fills the heart of one who wears a crown on his head, royal robes are no fence against pain, and crying by reason of pain.
