Reason 2

REASON. II.

We are to serve God, because Christ has bought us. Indeed, the Arminian universal redemption we reject with a just abhorrence. The satisfaction of our Lord Redeemer was not intended by Him for the redemption of all mankind; nor was it intended any further than his intercession is, which reaches only to the Elect of God. The virtue and success of our Lord's death depends not wholly on something to be done by men which God is not the doer of — otherwise, men would themselves be the principals in procuring their own salvation. But one scope of our Lord's death was even to purchase for us that grace, that faith, that free will, which may qualify us to enjoy the virtue and success of it. Certainly Peter was more beholden to the merit of Christ for his redemption than Judas was for his. Yet the purchase of Christ wonderfully binds us all to the service of God.

For first, the redemption of Christ has made our serving of God a possible thing. Had it not been for this, poor fallen undone man had never been in a capacity to serve the Lord. We had never heard this call from heaven, O Repent, Return, Reform! This voice from on high, O set yourselves now to the serving of that God, whom you have been sinning against, had never sounded in our ears, if the Lord Jesus had not made Himself a sacrifice. We must have continued the slaves of the devil for ever, if the stings of the dragon had not fastened on the Lord. The Lord Jesus has bought us all into such a condition, that the proffers and the tenders of the Gospel might be made to us. We are told of some in (2 Peter 2:1) who deny the Lord that bought them. O vile sacrilege and impiety! That we might all have the privilege of invitation to the service of God, this has cost no less than the heart-blood of Christ; and what a monstrous villainy were it for us now to despise the invitation? Again,

The redemption of Christ has made our serving of God a reasonable thing. We are all among the redeemed, either in reality, or at least in possession; all the chosen and called of God are most really interested in the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus; and therefore, for them to decline the service of God, were as unequal as it is unlikely. But every one of us is at least professedly interested in it. Man, are you willing to quit all claim to the death and blood of the Lord Jesus? O no, not for ten thousand worlds. Every one says, I hope I am redeemed! Well then, the service of God is that which we must count ourselves redeemed to. What says the Apostle in (1 Corinthians 6:20) — "You are not your own, for you are bought with a price; therefore glorify God." We that have been the captives of the mighty and the prey of the terrible, apprehend ourselves to be set at liberty from their horrible tyrannies, by the suffering of Christ; what less than the service of God are we thereby obliged to? In a word, we are the bought servants of God; and woe to us if our behaviors be not agreeable to our obligations.