616 True Liberty, the Vol, II, fellfor u , that he might,. redeem us from all iniquity, Tit. 2. 14., And the publi- íhing of the Gofpel is compared to the proclaiming of the year of Jubilee among the Jems, wherein all perfons were fet at liberty, Ifa. 6e. 1, 2. Thefpirit of the LordGod is upon me, becaufe the Lordbath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek, hebath fent me to bind up thebrokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to thecap- tives, and the opening of the prifon to them that are bound; to proclaim the accepta- ble year of the Lord. Upon this account likewife the Gofpel is called by Stjames The royal Law, and The perfea Law of Liberty, James 1. :5. Thusyou fee that this is one oftheprincipal Metaphors whereby the Scripture fets forth to us the advantages of the Chriftian Doétrine, and that it is not feldom and cafually ufed, but frequently, and upon defign, as that which moft fitly reprefents to us the benefits we have by the Gofpel. Secondly, I (hall now in the next place Thew more particularly, in what refpefls the Son of God by his'Dofirine, may be faid to make us free.. And that in thefe two refpeds. I. As it frees us from the bondage of Ignorance, and Error, and Prejudice. II. From the flavery of our Lufts and Pallions. I. It frees us from thebondageof Ignorance, andError, andPrejudice, which is a more inveterate and obftinate error. And this is a great bondageto themind ofman, to live in ignorance of thofe things which are ufeful for us to know ; to be miftaken about thofe matters which are of great moment and concernment to us to be right- ly informed in : Ignorance is the confinement of our underftandings, as Knowledge and right Apprehenfrons of things are a kind of liberty and enlargement to the mind of man. Under this flavery the world groaned, and were bound in thefe chains of darknefs for manyyears, till the light of the glorioaes'Gofpelbroke inupon the World, and our blefïèd Saviour, who is Truth, came to fet us free. As for the heathen part of the world, the generality of them lived in grofs igno- rance of God, and pernicious miftakes concerning him. So the Apoftle tells us, Rom. 1.21. that Theywere vain in their imaginations, and theirfoolifh heart was dark- ded: And, Eph. 4. 17,18. thatThey walk in thevanityoftheirmind, heving the under(lan- ding darkened, beingalienatedfrom the life ofCod, through the ignorance that is in them, becaufeof the blindnefs oftheir heart. Theyhad grofsand unworthy, and falfe ap- prehenfions concerning the nature ofGod, by which they were miffed into horrible Superftitions, and abominable Idolatries : and in conformity to the falfe notions which they had of their Deities, and an imitation of their fabulous ftories concer- ning them, they were guilty of all manner of lewdnefs and vice; fo that through their aniftakes of God, they were altogether eftrangcd from that virtuous, and ho- ly, anddivine life, which men ought to lead : and confidering what apprehenfions they had of Cod, many of their fuperftitions and vices were ahnoft unavoidable. Andby this advantageof the ignorance that Mankind was funk into, the Devil did chiefly maintain and keep up his Kingdom ; it being next to impof&ble for men amidlt fo Much darknefs to fee the right way, and walk in it. It was eàfie for him, when he had" thus enflaved their underftandings; and blinded their eyes, to lead them captive .at his pleafure. Yea the '`Jews thetnfelves, tho' they enjoyed many degrees of light beyond the reft of the world, and had the advantage of frequent Revelations, yet this was but darknefs, in comparifonof thofe clear dicoveries which were made to Mankind, by the Gofpel by which many things are revealed to us, which were hid from ages andgenerations; and one ofthe molt important truths, and of greateft efficacy-up- on the minds of men is brought to light, viz. thecertainty of a future ítate, and the rewards of it. `l his the Apòfile tells us is made neanifeff by the appearing of our Saviour-* s .Chrifl, who hath abalifh'd death, and brought Life and immorta- lity to light through theGofpel, 2 Tine. i.so. Under the difpenfation of the Law, the Jews had very imperfe& notions concerning thedivine Nature, and the heft andmolt acceptable way of worfhipping God, which they thought to confìft in external rites, and carnal obfervances, m walking of the body, and in facrifìces of Lambs and Goats, and other creatures;. for which reafon, the Law is frequently reprefentedün the new Teftament, as a ftateof bondage and reftraint.. It is called- a yoke, which 3 neither 4
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