--- . a 246 An Ecpoftion ;Ian Chap,8. Thirdly,to whom itdoth belong[Me.] Laflly,from what evils we are delivered, [F rent the Lare, of finne and death.] T t so. Come to the words, and tell us what is here meant by the Spirit ? S t L. Some by the Spirit,do under- hand properly the holySpirir,the third person in the Trinity , which governs and rules our minds by his inwardmo- tions,as by a Law. Others, by it under- hand the doetrin of faith , or of the Gospel, which is a clo&rine of th Spirit and life,Pfal.i9.7, 2 Cor. 2. Ifwefol- low this expofition, the meaning will be thus muchahat theGofpel or do&rin of faith Both fl ee, that is, abfolve and pronounce me free from the Law of fin and death, that is, from the guilt and condemnation that the Law of Mofes threatneth unto (inners. This then is a very godly expoftion,but not fit to this Text, that Both not at all (peak of the Law of Mofes, which is no wherein Scripture called the Law of finne ; but for biddeth it and commandeth whole- forme and profitable things : neither Both he entreat here of the efficacy and power of the Gofpell, and the do&rine of Faith, which is never called the Law of the Spirit. Eut I jndg Spirit to be put here for the worke and efficacy of the Spirit (to wit) for the grace of fan&i- fication and holineffe, which is called a Law, becaufe it is like to a Law, having power to governe and mo- derate. And the word [Life,] is added, to thew that the Spirit which worketh this , is no idle and dead thing, but a lively vivifying and quickning Spirit, being the author both of an holy life, and eternal! life, and that first in Chrift the head; and for his fake and merit,in the faithfull his members. That this is here meant, may appear by the oppo- fing and fitting it againft the Law of fin, under which mutt needs be compre- hended corruption of nature, being contrary to holineffe. T r M. I grant then, that by the Spirit of lift, it meant the holinefe and purity ofmans nature, at a work of that'quickning Spirit which ruleth by a Law : but whether take you it of bolineffe inherent and wrought in our own nature being regenerate, or inChrff bit humane nature , at in the properfubjeflt S r L.1 do take this latter to be true, that it is taken of the fanftification of Chrift his nature. My reafons be:FÜfl, becaufe it is written , not in us , but in Chrift,[7he Law of the Spirit of life,rrhich is in Chriff.]Secondly,becaufe Chrifl his fanaification,meritech deliverance from fin,not our fan&ification,which is but a token and teftimony of our purchafed deliverance.Thirdly, by the imputation of Chrifts Can &ification, this comfort ( that twee shall not bee condemned ) is confirmed unto us. Lafily, if we inter -, pret it ofour begun inherent fan&ifica= don, we (hall further the rotten opini- on of the Papists, touching jollification by inherent grace.See ver. 3, 4. T r m. What thing is that deliverance orfreedome which is herefpolten of? S s L. It is the very felfe -fame that juflification is, to wit, a full and perfe& abfolving us before the Tribunali of God, from the whole guilt and punish- ment of fin, which comes to us by the imputation of Chrifls fan&ification. The reafon hereof is,becaufe it isweiten in the Preter tenfe, or in the time paff, to fignifie, that our jollification is per- feet in this life :whereas,when he fpeak- eth of our unperfeltt fan&ification, hee ufeth a word fignifying time to come, Rom. 7. 24.Who fball deliver me, &c? T r ea. Who are the parties that are par takers of this freedome and deliverance? S t L. All beleevers, without any difference of fex, age,flature,condition, or nation, whether Jew or Gentile. T t m. Why then dotb the Apof le ufe this phrafePaying, [He bath freed one,] ra- ther then, he barb freed all the faithfull? S ¡L. First, as he set himfelf before an example of weakneffe and fpirituall firife; fo now allo of confidence and of the vi &ory. Secondly, here hee would teach all men to make application of this comfort unto thetnfelves, Paying and beleeving, Christ freed me, there is no condemnation to me:for this is the power of true faith, to appropriate ge- neral! protnifes;contrary to the Papifis, who will have faith to be nothing else, but
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