The Gofpel a Law of Liberty. 3 3 fin and death. What thefe oppofite laws are, S E R M. appears from the preceeding chapter, where II. they are called the law of the members, and `'Y"' the law of the mind ; the one leading to fin, and holding the foul in captivity to it, which is a moil wretched and cruel flavery ; the other direâing to that which is good and well - pleafing in God's fight. Now, fnce im- mediately to this is fubjoined that ac- count of the chriflian law, or the law of the fpirit of life in Chrifl Jefus, that it makes us free from the law of fin and death, what can the meaning be, but that it re- flores the fovereingty of the mind, deliver- ing it from the reign of fin in the mortal body, that henceforth chriftians fhould yield themfelves unto God, and their members the infiruments of righteoufnefs, which is the trueft liberty, the liberty of men, of in- telligent and moral agents ? Secondly, Purfuant to this, chriftians by the gofpel have obtained a deliverance from condemnation, and therefore it may juflly be called the law of liberty. Death is the punifhment of fin, eflablifhed unalterably by the law of God ; mankind therefore, confcious of guilt, have a dread of it which fills their minds with horror, and holds them in an uncomfortable bondage. According to the clearnefs of the apprehenfions which VoL. I. D they
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