><o SERMONSupon Senn. II: ty, and bridling more of our liberty, Hubborn man fpurneth themore againft the Law of God, and will not be fubjelt to it. 2. The other operation of the Law is about Death,or the judgment denouncedagainft Sin, and fo 'cis faid the law worketh wrath, Rom. 4. 15. as it bringeth puni(hment into the World, and revealeth Gods wrath agatbil the tranfgreffions of men, and raifeth the fears of it in our Confciences; and 'tis called the Law of Death, becaufe unavoidably it lea - veth man under a Sentence of Death, or in a curfed and loft ellateby reafon of Sin. Thefe are the two Laws. 3. By one Law we are freed from the other; the Apofile faith [me,] but he perfona- teth every Believer; they are all freed by the Covenant of Grace, from the bond and in- fluence of the Covenant of Works; fo 'tis a common Priviledg, what belongeth to one, be- longeth to all. 2. My fecond part is to fuit the words as an Argument to confirm the former Propo fition. r. They confirm the Priviledg, There is no condemnation to thofe that are inChrift. They are free from the Law of Sin and Death; he that is freed from the Law, is acquitted from Condemnation, it can have no power over him. 2. The Defcription is double, firth from their internal eflate, they are in ChriH; There- fore they have the priviledges and advantages of his new Law, of the Law of the Spirit of Life, which is in Chrift Jefus. Secondly, their external courfe, They walknot after the flefh but after the fpira. They have afpirit, and a quickning fanitifying fpirit,grace given them in fome meafure to do what the Law injoineth; being under Chrifts Holy Govern- ment (faith piodate) they are freed from the deadly Tyranny of Sin by the Spirit of Life, freed filom theYoke and Dominion of Sin, which bringeth Death, and fo walk not after the FleJh but after the Spirit. This I think to be the true meaning of the words. Now I come to the Doltrines. r Dolt. That the new Covenant is the Law of the Spirit of Life in Chrifi Jefus. 2. That the new Covenant giveth liberty (to all that are really der it) from the Ave- ry of Sin, and the condemning power of the Law. For the firth point, That the new Covenant is the Law of the Spirit of Life in ChriH Jefus. I [hall divide it, and prove, I, That the new Covenant is a Law. 2. That 'tis the Law of the Spirit of Life in Chrift jefas. Firth, That'oit a Law. That the Gofpcl bath the force of a Law, I (hall evidence by thefe Confiderations. s. That man being Gods Creature, it his fubjelí, -andfiandeth related to him, as his right- ful governour, and therefore is to receive what Laws he is pleafcd to impofe upon him, Ira. 33. 22. The Lord it our Judg, the Lord is our Lawgiver, the Lord is our King, and he will fave us; and Jam. 4. 2 t. There is one Law giver, who is able to fave, and to de flroy ; our fubjellion to God as our Soveraign, is built on our toral and a bfolute dependance upon him both for our creation and prefervatien; for we could neither make our felves, nor preferve our felves; and therefore we are fubjelt to the will of another, whofe we are, and whom we Ihould ferve. 2.Man as a reafonable and free agent is bound voluntarily to yield up himfelf in fibjeetionte his proper Lord. All the Creatures are under the government ofCod,and fo in a fenfe are under a Law; for there is a certain courfe, within the bounds of which their natures and motions are limited and fixed, Pfal. 119. 9 r. They continue to this day, according to thine ordinances: for they are all thy fervants. And Pfal. 148. 6. he bath eflablifhed them for ever, and made a decree beyond which they (hall not pafs : So Prov. 8.29. he gave to the fea his de- cree, that the waters fLould not pafs his commandments. All Creatures are bailanced in a due proportion, and guided in their tralt and courfe by an unerring hand, which is a kind of Law tothem;fo man as a Creature is fubjelt to the direltion ofGods Providence, as other creatures are; but as a reafonable creature he is capable of moral Government, and of a Law, properly fo called; for fo he hath a choice of his own,a power of refufing evil, and chafing good: Other Creatures are ruled by a rod of Iron, Gods Power and Sovereignty; but man (whofe Obedience depends upon choice) is governed by Laws, which may direlt and oblige him to good,and warn himand drive him from evil. Man is apt
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