I q SE R M O N S upon Serm. lld 1. Chrift procureth and purchafeth this liberty for us, both from the damning power of the Law, and the flavery of corruption. We were Captives,fhut upunderSin and Death, and he paid our ranfom, and fo obtained for us remfiffion offins, and the fanei ification of the fpirit ; remifflon of Sins, Eph. a. 7. In whom we have redemption by his blood, the remit fan of fins. That's one part of our recovery, highly neceffary for guilty Creatures; how elfe can we ftand before the Tributlll of God, or look him in the face with any confi- dence? but his redemption did not only reach this, bur the fanllifrcation of thefpirit alfo: Therefore 'his Paid,-1 Pet. a. 18.. Te are not redeemed with corruptible things, but by the pre. cious blood ofyetis Chrill. Thus Chrift doth what belongeth to him, and none cati (hare with him in this honour 5 'his his merit that is at the bottom of the Covenant, and pro- cured for us both the favour and image of God, that.we might love hito, and be beloved by him. 2. There isa Law or New Covenant, which oereth this grace tq us. The law of nature concludeth men under Sin, and pronounceth Death upon them. Chrift hath let up anew remedial Law of Grace, by which we are called to fubmit to Chrilt, and thankfully to accept of his merciful preparations , even the great benefits ofpardon and life : The Go- fpel or New Covenant doth its part. Firft, There is Grace publifhed or offered to us. Luke 4.118. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he bath anointed me to preach delive- rance to the captives. 'Pis not enough that our ranfom be paid, but the offer muff be made; or elfe how (hall it be laid hold upon by faith, and received with thankfulnefs, and with a due fenfe of the benefit ? Now the Gofpel fheweth, liberty may be had upon (weer, and commodious, and.eafe terms. 2. The terms are hated in theCovenant 5 That we give up our (elves to the Lord by Chrift, and be governed and ruled by the condu& of his Word and Spirit : Gal. 3.. 2. teceivedye the fpirit by the works of the law, or the hearing of aith e And 2 Tim. 2. 25,26. In meeknefs inflrufing tbofe that eppofe themfelves, if peradventure Godwill give them re- pentance to the acknowledging of the truth. And that they may recover themfelves out of the fnare of the devil, who are taken captive ¢y him at his will. The Covenant is not left to our humours and fancies, to model and bring it down to our liking ; no, nor are only the benefits offered, but terms ftated : Ifa. 56.4. That chofe the things that pleafe me, and take hold of my covenant. When he bath hated his terms, 'tis'too late for man to inter. pofe his Vote, or to imagine to bring down Chriltianity to a lower rate; for wemuft not new model it, but take hold of it as God hath left it : Be in Chrift, andwalk after his Spirit. 3. This liberty is offered and eflablifhed by the Covenant ; the Confcience of fin, and the fears of condemnation,are not eafily done away; and we are fo wedded to our lulls, that the power of reigning fin is not eafily broken ; therefore we had need of a furl firm Covenant to ratifie there Priviledges to us, becaufe our fears are juftified by a former Law, made by God himfelf; therefore God would not deal with us by naked Promife,but put his Grace into a Covenant -form, that we may have as good to thew for our Salva- tion, as we had for our Condemnation 5 yea, and more: And God bath added his Oath, That the confolation of the heirs of promife might be more firong, Heb. 6. 18. And it being a latter grant, former tranfa &ions cannot difannul it; fo that theCovenant doth its part alto to free be'ievers from the power ofSin, and the fears of Condemnation. 4. The Spirit applieth this grace both as to the effeas and thefence; as to the effecis, he applieth it in aj eilualcalling ; as this quickñing fpirit doth regenerate us, and convert us to God, aad break the power and tyranny of Sin, the wages whereof is Death; the Gofpel is the means, but the bleffing is from the Spirit ; John 8. 32. Te (ball know the truth, and the truth (hall mane you free; that is, ye (hall know it favingly, fo as to feel the power and efficacy of it : To be fet free to know, love, ferve, and delight in God; is that liberty that we have by the free Spirit, Pfal. 5 t. 12. Reflore unto ,me the joy .of thy falvation, and uphold me with thy freefpirit. 2. The fpirit fealeth it as to the fenfe, when we come to difcern our freedom by the ef- fe &s of it in our own fouls,Eph. a. 13. After ye believed, ye were fealed with that holy fpi- rit ofpromif ; And in the fruit ofChrifts purchafe, Gal. 4.4,5, 6. But when the fulnefs of time was come, God Pent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of fops. And becaufe ye are foes; God bath font forth the fpirit of his fin into your hearts, crying Abba, Father. TheSpi. rits teal, is Gods imprefs upon our Souls; left there, not to make us known to God (for he knoweth who are his, from all eternity), but for the increafe of our joy and comfort; not by guefs, but force kind of certainty; 1 John 4.13. H ereby we know that we dwell in God,
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