Chap. 39. An Expofttion upon theBook, of Jo B. Verf. 3. To be wholly free from the fervice of man, is no better than the freedom of the worfer fort of beafts, the wilde Ais. Chrift ((Mat. 1 r. 29, 30.) calls his to the yoak ; and Chrifts yoak implyeth all manner of dutiful fervice, even fervice toman as well as CO God : Come unto me allye that labour and are heavy la- den, and I will giveyoureft ; take my yoak uponyou, and learn of me, &c, for my yoak,ts eafe,and my burden is light. If we refute Chrifts eafie yoak, we may quickly get a heavy one, yea, an iron one,as the Prophet told hirn who broke the wooden one (-Jer, 2,8.13.) There are tome yoaks,which to bear is our honour ; 'cis furely fo, to bear the yoak of Chrtft; to be under Chrifts bonds,is a favour ; woe to thofe that leek to be looted from them. The Prophet jercmiah tells us (Lam. 3, 37.) h is good for a man to bear the yoak,in hisyouth. Thereis a threefold bond or yoak, from which it is a favourto be wholly freed, and that freedom we fhould feek after ; but neither of the three is a freedom from duty and fervice, or from due fervice. Firft, To be free from the yoak of fin, and tohave thebonds of our iniquities looted, that is a bleffed priviledge (John 8.36.) If the Son make you free, you fhall befree indeed. The chief pare of a Sons freedom, which we have by Chrifi, the Son, is freedom from fin. Freedom from thecondemning power of fin, and free- dom from the ruling power of fin, is our fpiritual or Gofpel free- dom. Peter faid to Simon Magus (AEIs 8, 23.) I perceive thou art in thegall of bitternefs, and an the bond of iniquity; thou art flit' a prifoner, a flave to fin, the guilt of fin holds thee fart ; nor art thou delivered from the filth of ir. To have our fin-bonds looted, is to be free like Saints ; to loofe our felves from duty- bonds, whether to God orman, is to be free like wilde Affes. Secondly, The,a is a great mercyin being looted andmade free from the curie of the Law. Thusalfo the Son makes us free (Gal. 3. 13, Chrifl bath redeemed us from the curie of the Law, being made a curie for us ; chat is, enduring the curie for us, or dyingacurled death for us, that we might have, and forever en- joy a bleffed life This is a glorious liberty. Thirdly, To be freed from the old legal ceremonies, is the priviledgeof all believers under the Gofpel ; and 'cis fuch apri- viledge as the Apofleexhorted the ralatians,and us with them, V v z to 331
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