the fruit of the Lord's mercy to our souls-not the liberty of sin-to do what we please but of holiness-to do what we ought

Posted : 28 Mar, 2013 02:31 AM

Psalm 119:45 And I will walk at liberty: for I seek Your precepts.





Not only perseverance but liberty, is the fruit of the Lord's

mercy to our souls-not the liberty of sin-to do what we please but of holiness-to do what we ought; the one, the iron

bondage of our own will; the other, the easy yoke of a God of

love. It was a fine expression of a heathen-"To serve God is to

reign." Certainly in this service David found the liberty of a

king. The precepts of God were not forced upon him; for he

sought them. "More to be desired than gold, yes, than much

fine gold; sweeter also than honey, and the honey-comb." The

way of the Lord, which to the ungodly is beset with thorns and

briers, is the king's highway of liberty. The child of God walks

here in the gladness of his heart and the rejoicing of his

conscience. Even in "seeking these precepts," there is

"liberty" and enlargement of heart; a natural motion, like that

of the sun in its course, "going forth as a bridegroom, and rejoicing as a strong man to run a race." What must it be then,

to walk in the full enjoyment of the precepts! "Where the Spirit

of the Lord is, there is liberty." "They shall sing in the ways of

the Lord,"-for "how great is His goodness; how great is His

beauty!"

Are we then obeying the precepts as our duty, or "seeking"

them as our privilege? Do we complain of the strictness of the

law, or of the corruption of the flesh? Are the precepts of our

own hearts our burden? Is sin or holiness our bondage? The

only way to make religion easy, is to be always in it. The glow

of spiritual activity, and the healthfulness of Christian liberty,

are only to be found in the persevering and self-denying

pursuit of every track of the ways of God-"If you continue in

My word, then are you My disciples indeed: and you shall

know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. If the Son,

therefore, shall make you free, you shall be free indeed." To

have the whole stream of all our thoughts, actions, motives,

desires, affections, carried in one undivided current towards

God, is the complete and unrestrained influence of His love

upon our hearts.

Let but our eyes be opened, our judgments clearly exercised,

our consciences suffered to speak; and this point is clear-Sin

is slavery-Holiness is liberty. The sinner may live in bonds

with as much delight as if he was in his element. He may

seem even to himself to be at large, while in fact he is "shut

up, and cannot come forth." For such is the tyranny under

which he is bound, that he cannot help himself; and (to use

the confession of a heathen) while 'he sees and approves

better things, he follows the worse.' Every sin is a fresh chain

of bondage, under the check of a cruel master. On the other

hand-the Lord's commands-as He Himself declares, and all

His servants testify-are "for our good always." His 'service is

perfect freedom.' (Liturgy.) The life of liberty is to be under the bonds of holy love and duty. Let the trial be made of two

Masters; conviction must follow.

True it is, that the corrupt and rebellious inclinations will "lust"

to the end. But as long as indulgence is denied, conflict

excited, and the constant endeavor maintained to "bring every

thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ," our liberty is

established, even where it is not always enjoyed. Every fresh

chain, by which we bind ourselves to the Lord, makes us more

free. While, then, those who "promise us liberty are

themselves the servants of corruption," let us live as the

children of God-the heirs of the kingdom- grateful-free-bloodbought souls-remembering the infinite cost at which our liberty

was purchased, and the moment of extreme peril when we

were saved. When the flesh was weak, and the "law weak

through the flesh," and no resolution of ours could break us

from the yoke of sin-then it was that "Christ both died, and

rose, and revived, that He might be the Lord both of the dead

and living," "delivering us from the hand of our enemies, that

we might serve Him without fear." And then indeed do we

"walk at liberty," when we "break the bands" of all other lords

"asunder," and consecrate ourselves entirely to His precepts.

"O Lord our God, other lords beside You have had dominion

over us; but by You only will we make mention of Your name."



by

Charles Bridges

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