The Excellency of the Gospel Above the Law, Treatise · Part 2

The Excellency of the Gospel Above the Law · Treatise · Part 2

p. 78And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty.

VVE see here what the Spirit works where it is;The Spirit workes liberty. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty, I will name, the instance that I gave before, that I may the better goe p. 79on, we say the sunne is heate, and influence; not that it is so, for they bee accidents, but the sunne appeares to us for our comfort in heate and influence, therefore we call it by that name, we say of a man, he is all spirit, so Christ is all spirit, the sunne is all light, and where the light and heate of the sunne is, there is fruitfulnesse, so Christ is all spirit, and where the spirit of Christ is, there is spirituall liberty.

It were expense of time to no purpose,Liberty desired of all men. to tell you of the divers kinds of liberty; in a word, liberty is that that all desire, but our miscarriage is in the p. 80meanes of it, the way to attaine to it, here we see whence to have it, from the spirit of Christ: liberty is a sweete thing, especially liberty from the greatest enemies of all, if outward liberty be such a sweete thing, liberty from tyranny and base servitude, it is a thing that mans nature delights in, and the contrary man, as a man abhorres, and hee hath not the nature of a man, that doth not abhorre it, what shall we thinke then of the liberty of the spirit, from the great enemies that daunt the greatest Monarches in the world? liberty from the anger of the great God, and liberty p. 81from Sathan Gods executioner, liberty from the terrour of conscience, from the feare of death, and hell, and judgement; what shall wee thinke of liberty in these respects? therefore we speake of great matters here, beloved when wee speake of liberty.

Now liberty is either

Christian or Evangelicall.Liberty two fold.

You may thinke this a nice difference, but there is some realty in it.

Christian liberty,1. Christian. is that that belongs to all, even to those before Christ, p. 82though they have not the terme of Christians, yet they were members of Christ, Christ was head of the Church, Yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

Evangelicall2. Evangelicall liberty is that that is more appropriated to the times of the Gospell since the comming of Christ, now the liberty that belongs to Christians as Christians, is perpetuall from those grand enemies, the greatest enemies of all spirituall and inward liberty. In Evangelicall liberty besides that, there is another outward liberty, from the ceremoniall and morrall law, and such like p. 83and a liberty from the restraint of the law: the Iewes were under many restraints, that under the Gospell in this time wee are not; I speake therefore of liberty as it runnes through all ages of the Church, not of Evangelicall meerely since the time of Christ, where the spirit is, both these liberties are now since the comming of Christ: now in that the holy Ghost saith here, where the spirit of Christ is there is liberty; it supposeth that

We are in bondage before wee have the spirit of Christ.We are in bondage without the Spirit.

That is a supposed ground and truth, and indeed p. 84so it is: for out of Christ wee are slaves, the best of us all are slaves; in Christ, the meanest of all, is a free man, and a King, out of Christ, there is nothing but thraldome, wee are under the kingdome of the devill, when he cals us we come wee are in thraldome under the wrath of God, under the feare of death, and damnation, and all those spiritual enemies, that I neede not mention, they are well enough knowne to you, by often-repetition, there is no man but he is a slave, till hee be in Christ, and the more free a man thinks himselfe to be, and labours to be, the more slave hee is: for p. 85take a man that labours to have his liberty, to doe what he list, he thinkes it the happyest condition in the world, and others thinke it the best condition, to have liberty not to be tyrannized over by others,The more liberty without Christ, the more slavery. It is the disposition of mans nature without grace, they account it a happinesse to have their wils over all other, but the more liberty in this, the more slavery. Why?

The more liberty that a man hath to doe lawlessely what he wil, contrary to justice & equity, the more he sins: the more he sinnes the more he is inthrawled to sinne, the more he is inthrawled to sin, the more p. 86he is in bondage to the devill, and becomes the enemy of God, therefore if a man would picke out the wretchedest man in the world, I would picke out the greatest man in the world if he be naught, that hath most under him, hee hath most liberty, and seekes most liberty, and accounts it his happinesse that hee may have his liberty, this is the greatest thraldome, and it will prove when he dyes, and comes to answer for it, the greatest thraldome of all, therefore the point needes not much proofe, that if wee be not in Christ, wee are slaves,Aug. de civit. Dei. as Augustine saith in his Booke, De, civit. p. 87Dei, hee is a slave though he domineere, and rule.

A man till he be in Christ is a slave, not of one man or of one lord over him, but he hath so many lords, as hee hath so many lusts. There are but two KingdomesTwo kingdomes. that the Scripture speaks of, that is, the kingdome of Sathan, and darknesse, and the Kingdome of Christ, all therefore that are not in the Kingdome of Christ, in that blessed liberty, they must needes be shoaled under the other kingdome of Sathan. This is a ground, therefore I speake shortly of it, as an insentive, and provocation, to stirre us up, to get p. 88into Christ, to get the Spirit of Christ, that we may have this spirituall liberty, or else we are al slaves, notwithstanding all our civill liberties whatsoever they be. Now where the Spirit of Christ is, there is liberty, there is freedome from that bondage, that we are in by nature, and which is strengthened by a wicked course of life, for though we be all slaves by nature, borne slaves, yet notwithstanding by a wicked course of life, we put our selves into bonds and tangle our selves,Sins bonds. so many sins and so many repetitions of sinne, so many cords, the longer a man lives, the greater slave he is; Now p. 89when the Spirit of Christ comes, it frees us from all; both from the naturall, and from the customary slavery.

Now this liberty is wrought by Christ,Liberty wrought by Christ applyed by the Spirit. and applyed by the Spirit, what Christ workes, hee makes it ours by his Spirit, which takes all from Christ, as Christ doth all by the Spirit, so the Spirit takes all from Christ, all the comfort it hath, is from reasons taken from Christ, from grounds from Christ, and doctrines from Christ, but yet both have their efficacy, Christ, as the meritorious cause,How the Spirit workes liberty. and the Spirit, as the applying cause; The spirit discovers p. 90the state of bondage we are in by nature, and it discovers withall a more excellent condition,By conviction. and as it discovers, so likewise the spirit of God brings us to this state, by working faith, in that that Christ hath done for us, Christ hath freed us by his death from the curse of the Law, from the wrath of God, from death and damnation,By Faith. and the like: Now whatsoever Christ hath done, the Spirit workes faith, to make this our own by uniting us to Christ; when Christ and wee are one, his sufferings are ours, and his victory is ours, all is ours,By Love. then the Spirit perswading us of the love p. 91of God, and Christ redeeming us from that cursed slavery wee were in, that Spirit, it workes love in us, and other graces whereby the dominion of sinne is broken more, and more, and wee are set at liberty by the Spirit.

Now the Spirit doth not worke liberty properly, originally, but Christ is the grand redeemer, but Christ redeemeth two wayes.Christ redeemeth two wayes, 1. By Price.

He redeemes us by paying the price, and so he only redeemeth, for he payed the price to divine justice, wee are in bondage to the wrath of God under his justice, and so there must be satisfaction to justice, before wee can bee free.

p. 92Then we are in bondage to Sathan,2. By strong hand. as Gods Executioner, and Iaylor, now from him we are freed by strong hand, so Christ free…eth us by his holy Spirit, working such graces in us, as makes us see the loathsomenes of that bondage, working likewise grace in us to be in love with a better condition, that the Spirit discovers to us, so that the Spirit brings us out by discovery, and by power. All that Christ freeth by vertue of redemption, paying the price for all those hee frees likewise by his Spirit, discovering to them their bondage, and the blessed condition, whereunto they are to bee p. 93brought to a state of freedome; which freedome hee perfects by little and little, till he bring them to a glorious freedome in heaven.

And the reason of this,All that Christ redeemes, he frees by his Spirit. that where Christ doth free by way of redemption, to dye, and satisfie Gods justice for any, to those hee gives his Spirit, by which Spirit they are set at liberty, the reasons are manifold, to name one or two:

Christ doth save all that hee doth save answerable to the nature of the party saved,1. Because we are saved as men. hee saves them as reasonable persons, for he saves us that he may make us friends, hee saves us as p. 94men, and redeemes us as men, he doth not only pay a price for us as wee buy a thing that is dead, but likewise he frees us, so as wee may understand to what, and by whom wee are freed, and what condition wee are freed from, therefore there must be a spirit joyned with the worke of Christ, to informe us throughly, being creatures fit to bee informed.

And God intending to come into covenant with us, that we may be friends with him,2. We are freed to be friends with God.(which is our glory, and happinesse) he acquaints us as frends with all the favours and blessings, that hee hath done p. 95for us, hee acquaints us what misery hee brings us out of, and what happinesse he brings us unto, and what is our duty, this is the worke of the spirit to shew us what he hath done for us, that we may be friends.

And then it is a ground to love God,3. We cannot love God …lse. God saveth us by a way of love, in the covenant of grace, his desire is, that wee may love him againe, and maintaine love; Now how can this bee without the Spirit of God, discover what God in Christ hath done for us, therefore there must bee the Spirit, to shew to the eye of the soule, and to tell us this Christ hath done for us.

p. 96Then againe there must be a fitting for Heaven,4. Because we must be fitted for heaven. for that glory that God intends us in election, now this fitting must be altogether by the Spirit, the same Spirit that sanctifyed Christ in the wombe, the same Spirit that annointed Christ, annoints all those that are Christs, that they may be fit for so glorious a head, so there must bee the Spirit as well as Christ in the worke of redemption and liberty.

Now this Spirit of God doth set us at liberty,The Spirit sets us at liberty, in all the course of salvation in all the course, and whole carriage of Salvation, from the beginning to the end.

Hee sets us at liberty at the first in calling us.

p. 97He sets us at liberty when we are justified.

Hee sets us at liberty, when he sanctifieth us.

And hee sets us then at liberty fully in glorification.

First of all the Spirit of God is a Spirit of liberty,1. In our first calling. when we are first called powerfully and effectually: For living in the Church, sets us not at liberty, unlesse the spirit stir us up to answere a divine call: for many are called, but few are chosen. In the Church, there is Hagar and Ishmael, as well as Isaack, there are hypocrites as well as sound Christians, there is outward baptisme as well as inward, there is p. 98outward circumcision of the flesh, as well as inward of the Spirit, a man may have all these outward priviledges, and yet notwithstanding be a slave in the bosome of the Church; for Ishmael was a bondslave, though he were in the house of Abraham▪ therefore the first beginning of spirituall liberty is when the spirit of God in the ordinances,1. The heart must answere Gods call. in the meanes of Salvation, stirres up the heart to answere Gods call as it were, when we are exhorted to beleeve, and repent, the Spirit gives power to Eccho to God,Ioh. 9. 25.John 9:25 Lord I beleeve, helpe thou my unbeleefe; Lord I repent, and desire p. 99to repent more, and more; when the spirit of God in the ordinance saith,Psal. 27.Ps 27 seeke my face, Thy face Lord will I seeke, be thou mine Lord, and I will be thine, this spirituall Eccho, and answere of the soule, comes from the Spirit of God in calling, and it is the first degree of liberty.

Now this answere of the soule,2. We must practise that we answere. by the power of the spirit, overpowring our corruptions, is together with the obedience of the inward man, to goe out, for man answereth the call, not onelyonly by the speech of the heart, Lord I doe it, but he doth it indeede, therefore when by the power of the Spirit, p. 100we come out of the world, and out of our corruptions and walke more freely in the wayes of God, then we are set at spirituall liberty, now the Spirit doth all this: for if it were not the Spirit that perswaded the soule, when the Minister speakes, alas all ministeriall perswasions are to no purpose, if the Spirit doe not stirre up the soule to answere, all speech is to no purpose from men; but this the Spirit doth, in the first place he openeth the eyes with spirituall eye salve, to see our naturall bondage, he openeth our eyes to see, I must come out of this condition, if I will be p. 101saved of necessity, or else I am miserable for ever, and it is enough for the soule of a miserable man if he be convinced to see his misery, and bondage what he is by nature, for let us be convinced of that once, and all the rest of the linkes of the golden chaine of Salvation will follow; let a m…n be convinced that he is as the Scripture saith he is, and as hereafter he shall finde to his cost, you shall not neede to bid him come out of his conversation, and condition, and worldly course, that he is in, all this will follow where there is conviction of Spirit, therefore the first p. 102worke of the Spirit in Spirituall liberty is to convince us of sinne and misery, and then to worke as I sayd an answere of the soule, and an obedience of the whole man, this I will not bee long in, being a cleare point.

Where the Spirit is, there is liberty: againe in matter of justification,2. Liberty in justification. there is a liberty and freedome of conscience from sinne, and the curse of sinne, and all the danger that followes upon sinne by the Spirit.

Object. But you will say the liberty of justification is wrought by Christ, wee are justified by the obedience of Christ, and the righteousnesse of Christ p. 103is imputed to us.

Answ. It is true, Christ is our righteousnesse, but what is that to us except wee have something to put it on?No benefit by Christ without union. except we be united to Christ what good have wee by Christ, if Christ bee not ours? if there be not a spirituall marriage, what benefit have we by him, if we have not him to pay our debt, for his riches to bee ours, and our debt to bee his, there must be a union first. Now this union is wrought by the Spirit, it is begun in effectuall calling, from this union there comes to bee a change, his righteousnesse is mine, as if I had obeyed, and done it by my selfe, and my p. 104debts, and sinnes are his, this is by the Spirit, because the union betweene Christ and mee is by the Spirit: for whatsoever Christ hath done; it is nothing to me till there be a Vnion, and then freedome is by the Spirit likewise, because the Spirit of God workes faith in me, not onelyonly to unite and knit me to Christ,Double worke of faith. but faith to perswade me, that Christ is mine, and that all his is mine, and that my debts are his; this supernaturall hand of faith the Spirit workes, to lay hold upon Christ, and then to perswade me; for the Spirit is a lightsome thing, and together with the graces it p. 105tells mee the graces it workes: As reason, besides reason, it tells me that I use reason when I doe, it hath a reflex act, so the Spirit of Christ, it hath a reflex act upon it selfe, for being above reason, it doth not onelyonly lay hold upon Christ, it doth not onelyonly doe the worke, but it tels me that I doe so when I doe; therefore it not onelyonly tells me that Christ is mine, when I beleeve, but it assures mee that I doe beleeve, it carries a light of its owne; I know the light by the light, and reason by reason, and faith by faith, together with the reflex act joyning with it; so that the p. 106reflect act joyning with it, so that the Spirit is the cause of liberty in justification in that respect, as it is a meanes of union, whereupon there is a passage of all that is Christs to be mine, and mine to be Christs: and likewise it assures me that I doe beleeve, when I doe beleeve without errour, for the Spirit is given me to know the things that I have by Christ, not onelyonly to know the priviledges by Christ, but the graces of Christ.

And beloved unlesse the Spirit should doe it,The heart fu…l of fear…s without the Spirit. it would never be done: for the soule of man is so full of terrours, and feares, and jelousies that except the p. 107Spirit of God witnesse to my spirit, that God is reconciled in Christ, and that Christs righteousnesse is mine, I could never be perswaded of it, for the soule it alway thinkes, God is holinesse it selfe, and I am a masse of sinne, what reason have I to thinke that God will bee so favourable to such a wretch, to such a lumpe of sinne as I am? were it not that God the Sonne hath satisfied God the Father, God hath satisfied God, and the Spirit certifies my conscience, so the Spirit that searcheth the deepe things of God, that knows wh… love is in the brest of God, and therefore he p. 108searcheth the heart, hee searcheth the heart of God, and he searcheth my spirit, except the Spirit should tell me that God the Sonne hath satisfied, and God the Father will accept of the satisfaction of God the Sonne, I should never bleeve it, therefore God must stablish the heart in a gracious liberty of justification, as well as that God the Sonne hath wrought it.

It is no wonder that men of great parts without grace are full of terrours and despaire,Why men of great parts without grace are full of feares. for the more parts and wit a man hath, without the Spirit of God, the more hee disputes against himselfe, and entangles p. 109himselfe with desperate thoughts, but when the Spirit is brought to speake peace to the soule in Christ, and makes the soule to cast it selfe on him for salvation, then Gods Spirit is above the conscience, though conscience be above all things else, yet God is above conscience, and can still the conscience, and the Spirit tells us that God the Father is reconciled by the death of God the Sonne, and when God witnesseth what God hath wrought, then conscience is at peace. Thus we see how the Spirit sets us at liberty in the great matter of justification.

p. 11033. In Sanctification.So likewise in the matter of holy life, in the whole course of a holy life, Where the Spirit of Christ is, there is liberty; and freedome, from the slavery of sinne, for there the understanding is freed from the bondage of ignorance, and there the will is freed from the bondage of rebellion, there the affections likewise, and the whole inward, and outward man is freed, but this liberty of holinesse, inherent liberty, it doth spring from the liberty that wee have by justification,Sanctification springs from justification. by the righteousnesse of Christ, whereby we are perfectly righteous, and freed from all p. 111the title that Sathan hath in us, wee are freed from the curse of God, from the Law, are inabled in a course of Sanctification, to goe on from grace to grace; the Spirit of Christ comes after justification; for whom God gives forgivenesse unto, hee gives his Spirit to sanctifie them, the same Spirit that assures mee of the pardon of my sinne, sanctifies my nature; where the Spirit is of sanctification it breakes the ruling power of sinne, before then the whole life is nothing but a continuall sinning,Liberty of disposition. & offending of God: but now there is a gracious liberty of disposition, p. 112a largenesse of heart which followes the liberty of condition, when a man is free in state and law, from wrath, and from the sentence of damnation, then he hath a free and volentary disposition wrought to serve God freely without feare, or constraint.

When a man is under the bondage of the Law, when he is under the feare of death, being armed with a sting, whatsoever he doth, he doth it with a slavish minde, where the Spirit of God is, there is the Spirit of adoption, the Spirit of Sonnes which is a free Spirit: the sonne doth not duties to his father out of constraint, and p. 113feare, but out of nature; the spirit alters our nature and disposition, it makes us sonnes, and then we doe all freely; God doth inlarge the hearts of his children, they can deny themselves in a good worke, they are zealous of good workes; it is the end of their redemption, as it is Tit. 2. We are redeemed to be a peculiar people, zealous of good workes: for then we have a base esteeme of all things that hinder us from freenesse in Gods service,Christians esteeme basely all things but Christ. as worldlinesse, &c. what doth a Christian when hee seeth his gracious liberty in Chrst? the love of the world and worldly things, p. 114he is ready to part with all for the service of God, he is so free hearted that hee can part with life it selfe, Paul saith of himselfe, My life is not deare to me, so I may finish my course with joy: as we see in the Martyres and others, how free they were; even of their very blood.

What shall wee thinke of those therefore, that if we get any thing of them, it must bee as a sparkle out of the flint: duties come from Christians as water out of a spring, they are naturall, and not forced to issue so farre forth as they are spirituall.

I confesse that there is remainders of bondage, p. 115where the Spirit sets at liberty,Double principle in a Christian. for there is a double principle in us, while we live in this world, of nature and grace, therefore there will be conflict in every holy duty, the flesh will draw backe, when the spirit would be liberall, the flesh will say, oh but I may want? When the Spirit would bee most couragious, the flesh will say, but there is danger in it, so that there is nothing that we can doe but it must be gotten out of the fire, we must resist, yet notwithstanding here is liberty to doe good, because here is a principle that resists the backewardnesse of the flesh.

p. 116In a wicked man there is nothing but flesh,Liberty in in Sanctification, to conflict not from it. and therefore there is no resistance and we must understand the nature of this Spirituall liberty in sanctification, it is not a liberty freeing us altogether from conflict, and deadnesse, and dulnesse, and the like, but it is a liberty inabling us to combate, not freeing us from combate; it is a liberty to fight the battells of the Lord against our owne corruptions, not freeing us from it, that is the liberty of glory in heaven, when there shall be no enemie within, or without.

Therefore let not Christians be discouraged with p. 117the backwardnesse,Comfort against the dulnesse of the flesh. and untowardnesse of the flesh, to good duties, if we have a principle in us to fight against it, to inable us to fight against our corruptions, and to get good duties out of it, in spight of it, it is an argument of a new nature, God will perfect his owne beginnings, and subdue the flesh more and more, by the power of his spirit: We see our blessed Saviour, what a sweete excuse hee makes for his Disciples, when they were dead hearted and drowsie, when they should have comforted him in the garden, oh saith he, The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weake.

p. 118Indeede there is a double hinderance in Gods people,Double hindrance of good duties. when they are about holy duties, sometimes from their very mould, & nature, considered not as corrupted, the very mould without the consideration.

And then consider it as it is made more heavie and dull be the flesh, and corruptions in them▪ as there be invincible infirmities and weakenesses in nature, sometimes deadnesse after labour, and expense of spirits, creepes in invincibly that a man cannot overcome those necessities of nature, so that the spirit may be willing, and the flesh weake, the flesh without p. 119any great corruption; God lookes upon our necessities, as the father saith free me from my necessities, as we see Christ made an excuse for them: It was not so much corruption, though that were an ingredient in it, as nature in it selfe; Christ saw a great deale of gold in the Oare, therefore wee see how he excuseth them: therefore when wee are dull let us strive, Christ is ready to make excuse for us, if our hearts bee right, The spirit is willing but the flesh is weake, I speake this for the comfort of the best sort of Christians, that thinke they are not set at liberty by the Spirit, bebecause p. 120they finde some heavinesse, and dulnesse in good duties, as I said, there is sinne in us while we live here, but it reignes not after a man hath the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of Christ maintaines a perpetuall combate, and conflict against sinne; it could subdue sinne all at once, if God saw it good, but God will humble us while wee live here, and exercise us with spirituall conflicts, therefore God sees it sufficient to bring us to heaven, to set up a combate in us, that we are able by the helpe of the Spirit to fight Gods battles, against the flesh, so that the dominion of sinne, may be broken in p. 121us, and excellently saith Paul, Rom. 8. 2.Rom 8:2Rom. 8. 2. The law of the spirit of life, in Christ Iesus hath freed me from the law of sinne, and of death. The law of the Spirit of life, that is, the commanding power of the Spirit of Christ, that commands as a law in the hearts of Gods people, it frees us from the law, that is, from the commanding power of sinne, and death, so that the dominion and tyranny of sinne is broken by the Spirit of Christ, and so we are set at a gracious liberty, in some respects wee are under grace, therefore sinne shall not have dominion over us, as the Apostle p. 122speakes.

Againe by the Spirit of Christ in Sanctification we are made Kings,Christians, Kings over their lusts. to rule over our owne lusts, in some measure, not Kings, to be freed altogether from them, but Kings to strive against them: It is a liberty to fight, and in fighting to overcome at last: When the Israelites had a promise that God would give their enemies into their hands, the meaning was not that hee would give them, without fighting a blow, but I will give them into your hands, you shall fight and be of good comfort, in fighting you shall overcome, so this liberty of Sanctification, p. 123it is not a liberty that we should have no combate with our corruptions, but a gracious liberty to keepe them under, till by subduing them by little and little, we get a perfect victory; what greater incouragement can a man have, to fight against his enemie, then when he is sure of the victory, before he fights of finall victory, you see then how the Spirit brings a liberty into the soule, it brings us out of that cursed kingdome of Sathan and sinne, it brings us out of the curse of God, and the law in justification, and it brings us from the dominion and tyrannie of sinne, by p. 124a Spirit of Sanctification.

But this is not all that is in liberty,Freedome from the consequents of sinne. for the Spirit doth not onelyonly free …s from all that is ill, from sinne, but from that that followes it, there is some ill that followes, as feare and terrours of conscience, &c. they follow sinne and death and wrath, and such like, the subjection to these: now where the Spirit of God is, it frees from the ill consequents, from the tayle that followes sinne; where the Spirit is, it frees us from feare, for the same Spirit that tells us in justification that God is appeased, the same Spirit p. 125frees us from the feare of damnation, and death and judgement, from the terrours of an evill conscience, being sprinkled with the blood of Christ, we are freed from feare.

And it frees not onelyonly from the feare of ill things,Freedome to good things. but it shewes immunity, and freedome to good, liberty implies here two things, a freedome from ill, from a cursed condition, and likewise a liberty to a better, a liberty from ill, and to good, we must take it in the just latitude, because the benefits of Christ are compleate, not onelyonly privative but positive, not onelyonly to free us from ill, but to conferre p. 126all good to us, as much as our nature is capable of, as much as these soules of ours are capable of, they shall be made free and glorious and happy in heaven, God will leave no part of the soule unfilled, no corner of the soule empty, by little and little he doth it, as we shall see in the next verse, when we are called out of Sathans kingdome we are not onelyonly called out of that cursed state, but we are made free of a better kingdome, we are mede the members of Christ, we are infranchised, and so in justification we are not onelyonly freed from damnation, from the justice and wrath of God, p. 127but likewise wee can implead our righteousnesse whereby we have title to heaven which is a blessed priviledge, and prerogative, we are not onelyonly free from the curse of the law, but likewise wee have other gracious prerogatives and priviledges, we are not onelyonly freed from the dominion of sinne, but we are likewise set at liberty by the spirit, to doe that that is good, wee have a voluntary free spirit to serve God with as great chearefulnesse as we served our lusts before, and as we are freed from the rigour and curse of the law, so we have prerogatives to good answerable, p. 128we are now by the Spirit set at liberty to delight in the law, to make the law our councellour, to make the Word of God our councellour, that that terrified and affrighted us before, now it is our direction,Vse of the l…w before and after we be in Christ. even as he that was a severe Schoolemaster to one in his under yeares, after when hee comes to yeares, becomes a wise Tutor to guide and direct him, so the law that terrified and whipped us when we were in bondage, till we be in Christ, it scares us to Christ, that law after comes to bee a Tutor, to tell us this we shall doe, to councell us, and say this is the best way, and wee p. 129come to delight in those truthes, when they are discovered to us in the inward man; and the more we know, the more wee would know, because wee would please God every day better, so that besides freedome from that that is ill, and the consequents of ill, there is a blessed immunity, and prerogative, and priviledge, that is meant here by liberty.

For Gods workes are compleate, we must know when he delivers from ill he advanceth to good, his workes are full workes alwayes, he doth not things by halves, therefore wee have through Christ, and p. 130by the Spirit, not onelyonly freedome from that that is ill, but advancement to all that is comfortable, and graciously good.

And one thing give me leave to touch,Liberty of judgement and will which though it bee more subtile, yet it is usefull, that the text puts mee to speake of, Where the Spirit of God is, there is liberty of the inward man, liberty of judgement, and liberty of will, where the Spirit of God is not there is no liberty, no free will, a little to touch upon that.

That which we call free will,Freedome of will. Naturall. it is either taken for a naturall power and indowment that God hath put upon the soule, and so p. 131the will is alway free in earth, and in hell: the divils will is free so, free to evill, there is the naturall freedome, for freedome it is a dowrie upon the will, invested upon the will, that God never takes from it, to doe it freely, that is upon reason that it sees, be it good or evill; so I meane not freedome, but I take freedome for ability and strength to that that is good:2. Ability to good. for any liberty, and ability to that that is good, is onelyonly from the spirit; and the defence of Luthers, Luther.and others that wrote of this freedome is sound, and good, that the will of man is slavish altogether, without p. 132the Spirit of God, Where the Spirit is there is liberty. Liberty as it is taken for power and ability to doe good. In a word, there is alway a liberty of the subject, of the person, a liberty of the understanding, but not of the object, to this or that thing, a liberty to supernaturall objects comes from supernaturall principles, nothing moves above its owne spheare, nothing is acted above its owne activity, that God hath put into it: now a naturall man can doe nothing but naturally, for nothing can worke above it selfe, by its owne strength, no more than a beast can worke according p. 133to the principles of a man, therefore the soule of man hath no liberty at all to that which is spiritually good, without a supernaturall principle, that rayseth it above it selfe, and put it into the ranke of supernaturall things.

First the Spirit of God puts a new life into the soule of a man,The Spirit puts a new life in us. and then when hee hath done that, it preserves that life against all opposition, and together with preserving that life, it applyes that inward life and power it hath put into it, to particular workes, for when wee have a new life, yet wee cannot doe particular actions without the exciting p. 134power, of the Spirit of God, the Spirit stirres up to every particular thing, when the soule would be quiet of it selfe, the moving comes from the Spirit of God, as every particular moving in the body, comes from the soule, so the Spirit it puts a new life, it applyes that life, it applyes the soule to every action. Where the Spirit of God therefore is not,And then applies it to action. there is no liberty to any supernaturall action, but where the Spirit of God is, there is liberty, It followes both the negatively, and affirmatively; there is a liberty of will to that that is good, so then this riseth from hence, againe p. 135that where the Spirit of God is efficatious, and effectuall in his working, there it robbes not the soule of liberty but perfects that liberty.

You have some Divines (too many indeede) that hold that the holy Ghost,The Spirit in conversion doth more then perswade. onelyonly workes by way of perswasion upon the soule, and by way of mooving as it were without, but he doth not enter into the soule nor alter and change the soule, hee doth not worke upon the soule as an inward worker, but onelyonly as an outward intreater, and perswader, and allurer, propounding objects, and with objects perswasions, and allurements; p. 136this is too shallow a conceite for so deepe a businesse as this, for the Spirit works more deepely than so, it puts a new life into the soule, it takes away the stony heart, and gives a fleshly heart; those phrases of Scripture are too weighty, to fasten such a shallow sence upon them, onelyonly as to intreate them to be converted, as a man would intreate a stone to be warme, and to come out of its place, he might intreate long enough, but the Spirit with that speech, it puts a new life and power, and then acts and stirres that power to all that is good.

Object. Oh say they, (which is p. 137their maine objection) here is a prejudice to the liberty of the will, this is to overthrow the nature of man?

Answ. Oh by no meanes, this is no prejudice to the liberty of the will;The worke of the Spirit takes not away freedome. for the Spirit of God is so wise an agent that he workes upon the soule, preserving the principles of a man, it alters the judgement by presenting greater reasons, and further light than it saw before, and then it alters the will, that we Will contrary to that wee did before, by presenting to the will greater reasons to be good, than ever it had to be ill before: then the soule chooseth freely of p. 138its owne will any thing when it doth it upon discovery of light, and reason, with advisement and reason, then the soule doth things freely, when i… doth them upon the designment of reason, when judgement tells me this is good. Now when the Spirit changeth the soule, it presents such strong reasons to come out of that cursed estate I am in, and to come to the blessed estate in Christ, that the will presently followes that that the understanding presents as the chiefe good of all, here the freedome is preserved, because the will is so stirred by the holy Ghost, as that p. 139it stirres it selfe, being stirred by the holy Ghost, and upon this ground, it sees a better good. So that grace takes not away liberty no; it stablisheth liberty: though we hold that in effectuall grace the Spiri… of God workes upon the soule throughly, yet notwithstanding wee preserve liberty, because we say that the soule works of its owne principles, notwi…hstanding grace, because the Spirit of God acts,The Spirit preserves the soule in its manner of working. and leades the soule according to the nature of the soule, the Spirit of God preserves things in the manner of doing of things, it is the manner of doing of the reasonable p. 140creature, to doe things freely, therefore the Spirit working upon the soule it preserves that Modus, though it worke effectually upon the soule, and the more effectually it workes upon the soule, the more free the soule is, because it seeth reason to doe good; therefore the more we give to the Spirit in the question of grace, and nature, the more we stablish liberty and prejudice it not:Rules concerning liberty. Where these three or foure rules are observed, there liberty is preserved, though there be a mighty working of the holy Spirit, As.

First,1. When it is done with advisment of reason. where the will chooseth, and makes p. 141choise, and inclines to a thing with the advisement of reason, alway that must be, or else it is not a humane action, now when the Spirit of God sets the will at liberty, a man doth that he doth with full advisement of reason, for though God worke upon the will it is with inlightning of the understanding at the same time, and all grace in the will comes through the understanding as all heate upon inferiour things it comes with light,All heate comes through light. so that though heate ch…rish the earth, it comes with light, so all the worke upon the soule, is by the heate of the Spirit, but it comes from the p. 142light of the understanding so the freedome of the soule is preserved, because it is with light.

Againe, where freedome is,2. A power to argue on both sides. there is a power to apprehend other things, as well as that it doth, to reason on both sides, I may doe this or that, for that power to reason on both sides, is proper to the soule alway: now grace takes not alway that power to reason on both sides, for when a man is set at liberty from the base slavery of ill, to doe good, he can reason with himselfe, I might have done this, and that if I would be damned, so that the judgement is not bound to one thing onelyonly p. 143but the judgement tells him, hee might have done otherwise, if he would, but he sees hee must doe this if hee will not bee damned.

Againe, where there is liberty,3. There is a power to choose many things. and freedome there is an enla…gement to understand more things then one, or else there were no freedome, and though the soule bee determined to chuse one thing, and not many, yet of it selfe it hath power to choose many things: to make this cleere a little, some creatures are confined to one thing, out of the narrownesse of the parts they have, some are confined to one thing out of the largenesse of parts, p. 144these seeme contrary, but thus, I will give this instance to make it cleere; the creature that is unreasonable, is alway confined to one manner of working, because they want understanding to worke in a diverse manner; birds make their nests, and Bees make their hives alwayes after one manner, because of their narrownesse, that they have not choyse.

Now when the Spirit sets a man at liberty to holy things, he is confined to good, especiall this is in heaven, this is out of largenesse of understanding, apprehending many goods, and many ills, and that good that hee conceives to p. 145be the best good out of a large understanding he is determined, to that one, so that though the Spirit of God take away as it were that present liberty that a man cannot doe ill, it will not suffer him to be so bad as he was, yet it leaves him in a state of good to doe a multitude of good things. And then though it confine him to a state of happinesse, that he cannot will the contrary, yet here is no liberty taken a way, because it is done out of strength of knowledge, not out of narrownesse, because there is no more things for him to judge, but out of largenesse, telling him this is the best of p. 146all, and carries all the soule after it, the glory of heaven robbes not a man of is power.

What is the reason, they are determined eternally to that that is good? Is it for want of understanding that the Angels choose not ill? No,The Angels determined to that that is good. they know what ill is by speculation, but there is a strength of understanding to know that that is good, and the understanding where it hath a full light, it carries the will to choose, therefore where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty, notwithstanding all objections to the contrary, the Spirit takes not away, nay it strengthneth, p. 147the liberty of the soule: it is an idle objection and a great stay of many that are willing to be deceived: oh if grace confine a man, determine him, as the word is, sway him one way perpetually, that hee holds on to the end, and leaves him not at liberty to his will, this confining and swaying one way, it is an abridging him of his liberty, &c. No, for it comes not from weakenesse of understanding, but from strength of understanding, and it is perfect liberty to doe well: therefore on the contrary, it is so farre from abridgeing the liberty of the soule that it cannot doe ill, or p. 148that it cannot but persevere, to doe good, that …t is the strength of liberty.

For I would know whether the first Adams liberty,Difference in the liberty of the two Adams. were greater or the liberty in heaven the second Adams liberty? our liberty in grace, or that in glory? the liberty of the first man was, that he might not sinne, if hee would? the liberty of Christ, was that he could not sinne at all: which thinke you was the chiefe, he that could not or hee that might sinne, if hee would? was there not a more gracious, and blessed liberty in Christ, than in Adam, when he might p. 149not sinne if he would. Is this a worse liberty then when a man cannot sinne, so when the Spirit of God beares that sway over the soule, and takes away that potentiallity, and possibility to sinne, that a man cannot sinne, because hee will not, his will is so carried by the strength of judgement: this is the greatest good, I will not moove out of this circle, if I goe out of this I shall be unhappy, and this is the greatest liberty of all.

What doe we pray in the Lords prayer but for this liberty? Thy will bee done, that is, take me out of my owne will more, and more, conforme my p. 150will to thine in all things, the more I doe so, the more liberty I have, the strength of that petition is, that we may have perfect liberty in serving God.

The greatest, and sweetest liberty is, when wee have no liberty to sinne at all,Greatest liberty not to have liberty to sinne. when we cannot sinne, it is greater chastity not to have power to resist to be impregnable in continence, and sobriety, when there is such a measure of these graces, as they are not to bee overcome, it is greater strength than when they may be prevailed over, so men mistake to thinke this the greatest liberty to have power to p. 151good or evill, that is,Imperfection to have power to good, and evill. the imperfection of the creature; man was at the first created free to either good or evill of himselfe, that he might fall of himselfe, this was not strength, but a thing that followed the creature, that came out of nothing, and that was subject to fall to his owne principles againe, but to have the soule stablished that it shall not have freedome to ill, it is so stablished in good, it hath the understanding so englightned, and the will so con…irmed and strengthned, that it is without danger of temptation, that is properly glorious liberty, and that is the better endowment p. 152of both, so that we see it cleerely, that grace takes not away liberty, but establisheth it.

Now besides this inward spirituall liberty, that we have by the Spirit,Outward liberty. there is an outward preserving liberty that must bee a little touched, and that is two fold.

A liberty of preaching the Gospell,1. Of Preaching the Gospell. and a liberty of discipline as well call it, of government,2. Of Discipliue. that is in the Church of God, and should be (at least) in all places, because wee are men, and must have such helpes. Now these are liberties that the Spirit bestowes upon the Church, p. 153wheresoever there is an inward spirituall liberty men are brought into the Church by the liberty of the Gospell, and preserved by government: there must be a subjection to Pastors, there must be teaching, and some discipline, or else all will be in a confusion. Now this inward liberty is wrought by the liberty of the Gospell?

Quest. What is the liberty of the Gospell?

Ans. When there is a blessed liberty in the Church, to have true liberty opened, the Charter of our liberty.

Quest. What is the Charter of our liberty?

Answ. The Word of God, p. 154when the Charter, and Patent of our liberty is layd open, in laying it open, we come to have interest in those liberties, therefore, the liberty of the Temple, the liberty of the Church, of the Word and Sacraments, and some order in the Church with it, it brings in spirituall liberty and preserves it, it is as it were the bonds, and sinewes of the Church: Now where the Spirit of God is with the Gospell, there is this liberty of the Gospell, there are the doores of the Temple and Sanctuary set open, as blessed be God, this kingdome hath had, with the Spirituall p. 155liberty, there is an outward liberty of the Tabernacle of God, and the house of God, that wee can all meete to heare the Word of God, and to receive the Sacraments, that we can all meete to call upon God in Spirit, and in truth, and these outward liberties beloved are blessed liberties? for where God gives these outward liberties, hee intends to bestow, and to convey Spirituall liberty: how shall we come to Spirituall liberty without unfolding the Charter,Spirituall liberty comes by outward liberty. the Word of God? therefore Christ hath established a ministery, Apostles, and Doctors, and Pastors to edifie the p. 156Church, to the end of the world; and therefore wee see where there is no outward liberty of unfolding the Word, where there is no outword liberty of the ministery, there wants this inward liberty: for God by the preaching of the Gospell, sets us at liberty.

Againe when Christ preached the Gospell first, it was the yeere of Iubile.Yeere of Iubile in preaching of the Gospell. Now in the yeare of Iubile, all servants were set at liberty, and those that had not sold their inheritances might recover them againe, if they would: this Iubile was a type of the Spirituall liberty that the Gospel p. 157sets us at: those that have served sinne, and Sathan before, if they will regard the gracious promises of the Gospell, they may of slaves of sinne and Sathan, become the free men of Iesus Christ. But in those times some would be servants still, and would not be set at liberty, their eares were boared for perpetuall slaves, and it is pitty but their eares should be boared for everlasting slaves, that now in the glorious Iubile of the Gospell, resolve still to be slaves. When a Proclamation of liberty was made to come out of Babylon all that would, many would sticke there still; p. 158so many are in love with Egypt and Babylon, and slavery, it is pitty but they should bee slaves: but those that have more noble spirits, as they desire liberty, so they should desire spirituall liberty especially, and here you see how to come by it, Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty, and where the ordinance of God is, that is, the ministery of the Spirit, there is the Spirit, where these outward liberties are, it is a signe that God hath an intendment to set men at Spirituall liberty.

Those therefore that are enemies of the dispensation of the Gospell,Enemies of the Gospell enemies to spirituall liberty. in p. 159the ministery, they are enemies to spirit…all liberty, and it is an argument that a man is in bondage to Sathan, when hee is an enemy any way of the unfolding of the Word of God, for it is an argument that he is licentious, that he will not be called to Spirituall liberty, but live according to the flesh, when he will not heare of the liberty of the Spirit, as you have some kinde of men, that account it a bondage; Let us breake their bonds, Psal. 2.Ps 2and cast away their coards, why should we be tyed with the Word, and with these holy things? it is better that wee have no preaching, no order at p. 160all, but live every man as he would, though they speake not so in words, yet their lives and prophane carrige, shew that they regard not outward liberties, and that argueth that they are in spirituall bondage, and that they have no interest in spirituall liberty, because they are enemies of that whereby spirituall liberty is preserved.

Therefore the Gospell is set out by that phrase,The Gospell the kingdome of God, why? The Kingdome of God, not onelyonly the Kingdome of God set up in our hearts, the Kingdome of the Spirit, but likewise where the Gospell is preached, there is the Kingdome of God, p. 161why? because with the dispensation of divine truth, Christ comes to rule in the heart, by the outward kingdome comes the spirituall kingdome, they come under one name.

Therefore those that would have the spirituall kingdome of God, by grace and peace to rule in their hearts, till they reigne for ever in heaven, they must come by this doore, by the ministery, by the outward ordinance, the ordinance brings them to grace, and grace to glory, and it is a good and a sweete signe of a man spiritually set at liberty, brought out of p. 162the kingdome of Sathan,A good signe of spiritual liberty. and freed from the guilt of sinne, and from the dominion of sinne, which is broken in Sanctification, when we can meekely and cheerefully submit to the ordinance of God, with a desire to have his spirituall thraldome discovered, and to have spirituall duties unfolded, and the riches of Christ layd open, when hee heares these things, with a tast, and relish, and a love, it is a signe God loves his soule, and that he hath interest in spirituall liberty, because he can improve the Charter of his soule so well, Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

p. 163And besides this liberty in this world,Liberty of glory. there is a liberty of glory, called the liberty of the Sonnes of God;Rom. 8.Rom 8 The liberty of our bodies from corruption, the glorious liberty in heaven, when we shall be perfectly free; for alas in this world we are free to fight, not free from fight, and we are free not from misery, but free from thraldome to misery, but then we shall be free from the encounter and incombrance, all teares shall be wiped from our eyes, wee shall be free from all hurt of body, in sickenesse and the like, and free from all the remainders of sinne in our soules, that is perfect p. 164liberty, perfect redemption and perfect adoption, both of body and soule: And that we have by the spirit too, for where the Spirit of God is, there is that to in this world, in the beginnings of it: for beloved what is peace of conscience, and joy in the holy Ghost? is it not the beginnings of heaven? is it not a Grape of the heavenly Canaan? is not the Spirit that wee have here, an earnest of that inheritance? an earnest penny, and an earnest is a peece of the bargaine, it is never taken away, but is made up with the bargaine, therefore when by the Spirit, we have the beginnings p. 165of grace, and comfort, we have the beginnings of that glorious liberty, and it assures us of that glorious liberty as sure as we have the earnest; for God never repents of his bargaine that he makes with his children; grace in some sort is glory, as we see in the next verse; because grace is the beginning of glory, it frees the soule from terrour, and subjection to sinne, from the thraldome of sinne, so the life of glory is begunne in grace, we have the life of glory begunne by the Spirit, this glorious life.

Vse. 1 If we have all these blessed libertiesTo labour for the Spirit that sets us at liberty. in this world p. 166and in that to come▪ by the Spirit, then we should labour to have the Spirit of Christ, or else we have no liberty at all, and labour every day more, and more to get this spirituall liberty in our consciences, to have our consciences assured by the Spirit that our sinnes are forgiven, and to feele in our consciences a power, to bring under sinne, that hath tyrannized over us before, let us every day more and more labour to finde this spirituall liberty, and prize dayly more the ordinances of God, sanctified to set us at liberty,Attend upon the Ordinances of God. attend upon spirituall meanes, that God hath sanctified wherin p. 167he will convey the Spirit, there were certaine times wherein the Angell came to stirre the waters of the poole, so the Spirit of God stirres the waters of the Word, and Ordinances, and makes them effectuall, attend upon the ordinances of God, the Communion of Saints, &c. and the Spirit of God will slide into our soules in the use of holy meanes, there is no man but hee findes experience of it, he findes himselfe raysed above himselfe in the use of holy meanes. The more we know the Gospell, the more we have of the Spirit, and the more Spirit we have, the more liberty p. 168we enjoy: If we prize and value outward liberty as indeede we doe, and wee are naturally moved to doe it, how should wee prize the Charter of our spirituall liberty, the Word of God? and the promises of Salvation, whereby wee come to know all our liberty, where we have all the promises opened to us; the promise of forgivenesse of sinnes, of necessary grace, the promise of comfort in all conditions whatsoever: therefore let us every day labour to grow farther and farther both in the knowledge, and in the taste, and feeling of this Spirituall liberty.

p. 169Vse 2 Oh beloved what a blessed condition it is, to have this spirituall liberty,The comfort of Spirituall liberty. doe but see the blessed use, and comfort of it, in all conditions; for if a man hath the Spirit of God, to set him at Spirituall liberty in all temptations, either to sinne, he hath the Spirit of God to free him from temptation; or if temptation catch hold on him for sinne, he hath the Spirit of God to flye too, the blood of Christ, to shew that if he confesse his sinnes, and lay hold on Christ, he hath pardon of sinne, and the blood of Christ speakes better things, than the blood of Abel, it speakes mercy p. 170and peace, if hee by faith sprinkle it upon his soule, if he know the liberty of justification, and make use of it; what a blessed liberty is this, when wee have sinned?

In restraint of the outward man,In outward restraint. if ever God restraine us to humble us, what a blessed thing is this, that the Spirit is at liberty? and that is the best part of a man; a man may have a free conscience, and minde in a restrayned condition, and a man may be restrayned in a free state, in the guilt of sinne, bound over to the wrath of God, and bound over to another evill day, a man in the p. 171greatest thraldome, may have liberty, what a blessed condition is this?

So in sickenesseIn sickenesse. to consider that there is a glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God, and a redemption of body, as well as of soule, that this base body of mine shall bee like Christs glorious body, that there is a resurrection to glory, the resurrection will make amends for all these sicknesses, and ills of body, what a comfort is it to thinke of the resurrection to glory.

And to when death comes to know that by the blood of Christ,In death. there is a liberty to enter into heaven, that Christ by p. 172his blood hath opened a passage to heaven.

And so in all necessities to thinke I have a liberty to the Throne of Grace,In all wants. I am free of heaven, I am free of the company of Saints in earth, and in heaven too, I am free to have Communion with God, I have a freedome in all the promises, what a sweet thing is this, in all wants, and necessities to use a spirituall liberty, to have the eare of God, as a favourite in heaven, not onelyonly to be free from the wrath of God, but to have his favour, to have his eare in all our necessities, what a blessed liberty is this? that a man may goe with p. 173boldnesse to the throne of grace, by the Spirit of Christ?

Beloved it is invalluable, there is not the least branch of this spirituall liberty, but it is worth a thousand worlds, how should we value it? and blesse God for giving Christ to wroke this blessed liberty, and for giving his spirit to apply it to us more and more, and to set us more and more at spirituall liberty, for both the Father, and the Sonne, and the holy Ghost, all joyne in this Spirituall liberty; the Father gives the Sonne, and he gives the Spirit, and all to set us free: It is a comfortable p. 174and blessed condition.

Vse. 3 But how shall we know whether we be set at liberty or no? because all will pretend a liberty from the law,…gnes of Spirituall liberty. and from the curse of God, and his wrath in justifica…ion, and though it be the foundation of all, I will not speake of that, but of that that alwayes accompanies i…, a liberty of holinesse, a liberty to serve God, a liberty from bondage, to lusts, and to Sathan. Therefore,

Wheresoever the Spirit of God is, there is a liberty of holinesse,1. Liberty from the dominion of any one sinne. to free us from the dominion of any one sinne, we are freed to serve him in holinesse all the dayes of our lives, p. 175where the Spirit therefore is it will free a man from thraldome to sinne, even to any one sinne: for the Spirit discovers to the soule, the odiousnesse of the bondage, for a man to be a slave to Sathan, who is his enemy, a cruell enemie, what an odious thing is this? Now whosoever is in thralled to any lust, is in thraldome to Sathan by that lust, therefore where this liberty is, there cannot be slavery to any one lust; Sathan therefore cares not how many sinnes one leaves,One sinne inthralls as well as many. if he live in any one sinne, for hee hath them in one sinne, and can pull them in by one sinne, as children p. 176when they have a bird they can give it leave to flye, so it bee in a string,Simil. to pull it backe againe, so Sathan hath men in a string, if they live in any one sinne, the Spirit of Christ is not there, but Sathans Spirit, and he can pull them in when hee will.Simil. The beast that runnes away with a coard about him, he is catched by the coard againe, so when we leave many sinnes, and yet notwithstanding carry his coards about us, hee can pull us in when hee lists, such are prisoners at liberty more than others, but notwithstanding they are slaves to Sathan by that, and where Sathan p. 177keepes possession by one sinne, and rules there, there is no liberty: for the Spirit of Sanctification where it is, is a counterpoyson to the corruption of nature, and it is opposite to it, in all the powers of the soule, if suffers no corruption to get head.

Againe where this liberty from the Spirit is,2. Freedome to good duties. there is not onelyonly a freedome from all grosse sinnes, but likewise a blessed freedome to all duties, an inlargement of heart to duties, Gods people are a voluntary people, those that are under grace,Psal. 110.Ps 110 they are annointed by the Spirit, and the Spirituall annoyntment makes them p. 178nimble, Christian is nothing but annointed; now he that is truely annoynted by the Spirit,Christian annointed is nimble and quicke, and active in that that is good in some degree, and proportion, one use of annoynting is to make the members nimble, and agile, and strong, so the Spirit of God is a Spirit of chearefulnesse, and strength where it is, therefore those that finde some chearefulnes, and strength to preforme holy services, to heare the Word, to pray to God, and to performe holy duties, it is a signe that this comes from the Spirit of God, the Spirit sets them at p. 179this liberty, because otherwise spirituall duties, are as opposite to flesh, and blood, as fire and water. When we are drawne therefore to duties, as a Beare to stake, as we say with forraigne motives,Forced duties without liberty. for feare, or out of custome, with extrinsicall motives, and not from a new nature, this is not from the Spirit, this performance is not from the true liberty of the Spirit; for the liberty of the Spirit is, when actions come off naturally without force of f…are or hope, or any extrinsicall motive; a childe needes not extrinsicall motives, to please his father, when hee p. 180knowes he is the child of a loving father, it is naturall, so there is a new nature in those that have the Spirit of God to stirre them up to duty, though Gods motives may helpe as the sweete incouragements and rewards, but the principall is to doe things naturally, not for feare, or for giving content to this or that man.

Artificiall things move from a principle without them,Hypocrites have forraine motives. therefore they are artificiall: clockes and such things have weights that stirre all the wheeles they goe by▪ and that moove them, so it is with an artificiall Christian, that composeth himselfe p. 181to a course of religion, he moves with weights without him, he hath not an inward principle of the Spirit to make things naturall to him, and to excite and make him doe things na…urally, and sweetely, Where the Spirit of God is, there is freedome, that is, a kinde of naturall freedome not forced, nor moved by any sorraigne extrinsicall motive.

Againe where the freedome of Spirit is,3. Courage against opposition. there is a kinde of courage against all opposition whatsoever joyned with a kinde of light, and strength of faith breaking through all opposi…ions, a consideration of the excellent state I p. 182am in, of the vilenesse of the state we are mooved to by opposition, when the Spirit discovers these things with a kinde of conviction, what is all opposition, to a Spirituall man? it addes but courage, and strength to him to resist, the more opposition the more courage he hath, in Acts, 4. When they had the Spirit of God, they opposed opposition, and the more they were opposed, the more they grew, they were cast in prison, and rejoyced, and the more they were imprisoned the more couragious they were still, there is no setting against this winde, nor no quenching p. 183of this fire, by any humane power, where it is true; for the Spirit of God where it sets a man at liberty indeed, it gathers strength by opposition. See how the Spirit triumphed in the Martyres over all opposition, fire, and imprisonment and all, the Spirit in them set them at liberty, from such base feares, that it prevailes in them over all.The Spirit victorious. The Spirit of God where it is, is a victorious Spirit, it frees the soule from base feares of any creature,Rom. 8.Rom 8 If God be on our side who shall bee against us? It is sayd of Saint Stephen, that they could not withstand the Spirit by which he spake, p. 184and Christ promiseth a Spirit, that all the enemies shall not bee able to withstand, so those that are Gods children, in the time of opposition, when they understand themselves, and that to which they stand, God gives them a Spirit, against which all their enemies cannot stand, the Spirit of Christ in Stephen put such a glory upon him, that he looked as if he had beene an Angell, so the Spirit of liberty where it is, it is with boldnes, and strength and courage, against opposition: Those therefore that are awed with every petty thing for standing in a good cause, they p. 185have not the Spirit of Christ, for where that is, if frees men from these base feares, especially if the cause be Gods.

Againe, where the Spirit of liberty is,4. Boldnesse with God. it gives boldnesse with God himselfe, and thus it is knowne especially where it is, where the Spirit is, there is liberty, what to doe? even to goe to God himselfe, that otherwise is a consuming fire; for the Spirit of Christ goes through the mediation of Christ to God, Christ by his Spirit leades us to God, he that hath not the Spirit of God cannot goe to God with a spirit of boldnesse, therefore when a man is in affliction, p. 186in the time of temptation, or great affliction, especially when there is opposition, hee may best judge what hee is in truth, when a man is in temptation, or opposition from the world, within or without, and can goe boldly to God and powre out his soule to God freely, and boldly as to a father, this comes from the Spirit of liberty: where the Spirit of Christ is not though the parts be never so strong, or never so great, it will never doe thus,Carnall men sinke in extreaminty. take another man in the time of extremity, he sinkes, but take a child of God in extremity, yet he hath a Spirit to goe to p. 187God, and to cry Abba Father, to goe in a familiar manner to God, Saul was a mighty man, when he was in anguish; hee could not goe to God; Caine could not goe to God; Iudas a man of great knowledge, hee could not goe to God, his heart was naught, hee had not the Spirit of Christ, but the spirit of the devill, and the spirit of bondage, bound him over for his treason, to hell, and destruction, because he had not the Spirit to go to God, but accounted him his enemy, he had betrayed Christ, if he had said as much to God, as he did to the Scribes, and Pharisees. he might have had mercy, p. 188in the force of the thing. I speake not of the decree of God, but in the nature of the thing it selfe, if hee had said so much to Christ and to God, he might have found mercy, so let a man be never so great a sinner, if he can goe to God, and spread his soule, and lay open his sinnes, with any remorse, if hee can come, and open his soule in confession, and in petition, and begge mercy of God, in Christ, to shine as a Father upon his soule, this Spirit of liberty to goe to God, it argues that the Spirit of Christ is there, because there is liberty to goe to God; in Rom. 8. speaking there of comfort in afflictions, p. 189this is one among the rest, that the children of God have the Spirit of God, to stirre up sighes, and groanes. Now where the Spirit of God stirres up sighes, and groanes, God understands the meaning of his owne Spirit, there is the spirit of liberty, and there is the Spirit of Sons, for a spirit of liberty is the Spirit of a Sonne, a man may know that hee is the Sonne of God, and a member of Christ, and that he hath the spirit of Liberty in him, if he can in affliction, and trouble, sigh and groane to God in the name and mediation of Christ, for the Spirit stirres up groanes, and sighes, they p. 190come from the Spirit.

That familiar boldnesse whereby wee cry, Abba, Father, Abba Father, the voyce of Sonnes.it comes from Sonnes, they onelyonly can cry so, this comes from the Spirit, if we be Sonnes, then wee have the Spirit, whereby we cry Abba Father, so if wee can goe to God with a sweete familiarity, Father have mercy upon mee, forgive mee, looke in the bowels of pitty upon mee, this sweete boldnesse, and familiarity, it comes from the Spirit of Liberty, and shewes that wee are Sonnes, and not bastards.

Your strong,Proud Rebels die desperately. rebellious, sturdy hearted persons, that thinke to worke out p. 191their misery, out of the strength of parts, and friends, &c. they dye in despaire, their sorrowes are too good for them, but when a broken Soule goes to God in Christ with bo…nesse, this opening of the Soule to God, it is a signe of Liberty, and of the Liberty of Sonnes, for this liberty here, is the liberty of Sonnes, of a Spouse, of Kings, of members of Christ, the sweetest liberty that can be imagined, it is the liberty that those sweete relations breede of a wife to the husband, and of loving Subjects to their Prince, and of Children to their Father, here is a sweet liberty, p. 192and where the Spirit of God is, there is all this sweete Liberty.

There are three degrees that a man is in,Three degrees in the way to heaven. that is in the way to Heaven.

The state of nature, 1when he cares neith… for heaven nor hell,Of Nature. in a manner, so he may have sensuall nature pleased, and goe on without feare or wit, without grace, nay without the principles of nature, so hee may satisfie himselfe in a course of sin, that is the worst state, the state of nature.

But God, if hee belong 2to him,VnderUnder the Law. will not suffer him to bee in this sottish, and bruitish condition long, but brings him under the p. 193Law, that is, hee sets his owne corrupt nature before him, he shewes him the course of his life, and then hee is afraid of God, Depart from me, I am a sinner, as Adam, hee ranne from God when hee had sinned, that was sweete to him before, so a bruite man, when he is awakened with conscience of sinne, considering that there is but a step betweene him & hel, & considering what a God hee hath to deale with, and that after death, there is eternall damnation, when the Spirit of God hath convinced him of this, then hee is in a state of feare, and when hee is in this state, hee is unfit to p. 194have liberty to runne to God, he useth all his power, to shift from God all he can, and hates God, and wisheth there were no God, and trembles at the very thought of God, and of death, &c.

3Oh,State of liberty. but if a man belong to God, God wil not leave him in this condition, (and though this be better then the first, it is better that a man were out of his wits almost, then to bee senselesse as a blocke) there is another condition spoken of here, that is, of liberty when God by his Spirit discover… to him in Christ, … of sinnes, the gracious face of God, ready to receive him, Come p. 195unto me all ye that are weary, and heavy laden, Mat. 11. 28.Matt 11:28faith Christ, and where sinne hath abounded, grace more abounds, when a man heares this still sweet voyce of the Gospell, hee begins then to take comfort to himselfe, then hee goes to God freely: Now all in this state of freedome, take them at the worst, they have boldnes to goe to God; David in his extremity,Difference of men in extremity. hee runnes to God, David trusted in the Lord his God, when he was at his wits end, what doth Saul in his extremity? he runs to his swords point, take a man under nature, or under the Law, in extremity, the greater wit p. 196he hath, the more hee intangleth himselfe, his wit serves to intangle him, to weave a web of his owne despaire; but take a gracious man, that is acquainted with God in Christ, in such a man there is a liberty to goe to God, at the lowest, for hee hath the Spirit of Christ in him, what did the Spirit in Christ himselfe direct him to doe, at the lowest? Oh my God, my God, In the deepest discertion, yet my God, there was a liberty to goe to God, so take a Christian that hath the same spirit in him, as indeed he hath My God still, he ownes God, and knows him in all extremity.

p. 197Many are discovered hence,Want of boldnesse shewes want of freedome. to have no spirit of God in them, In trouble, whether goe they? to their purse, to their friends to any thing, they labour to overcome their troubles one way or other, by Phisicke and the like, but never to goe with boldnesse and comfort, and a kind of familiarity to God, they have no familiarity with God, therefore they have not a Spirit of liberty.

Againe,5. Freedome in regard of the creature. where this spirit of liberty is, as there is a freedome to goe to God, so in regard of the creature, and the things here below, there is a freedome from popular, vulgar conceites, p. 198from the errors of the times, and the slavish courses of the times.

There are alway two sorts of wicked persons in the world;Two sorts of wicked men.

The one who accounts it their heaven,1. Such as Lord it over others. and happinesse, to domineere over others, to bring them into subjection, and to rule over their consciences if they can, and sell all to please them, conscience, and all:2. That respect their private gaine. Another sort againe, so they may gaine, they will sell their liberty, their reason, and all, if it be but for a poore thing, so they may get any thing that they value in the world, to make them beasts, as if they had no p. 199reasonable understanding soules, much lesse grace, betweene those two, some domineering, and others beastly serving; A few that goe upon tearmes of Christianity, are of sound judgement, now where the Spirit of God is, there is liberty, that is, a freedome not to inthrall our judgements to any man, much lesse conscience. The judgement of man enlightned by reason, is above any creature, for reason is a beame of God, and al the persons in the world ought not to think to have power over a man, to say any thing against his knowledge, it is to say against God, if it be but in p. 200civill matters, be it what it will, judgement is the sparke of God,Reason an inferiour light to grace. nature is but Gods candle, it is a light of the same light that grace is of, but inferiour, for a man to speake against his conscience to please men, where is liberty? for a man to inthrall his conscience to please another man, no man that hath the spirit of a man will be so pharisaicall, to say as another man saith, and to judge as another man judgeth, and to doe all, as an other man doth, without seeing some reason himselfe, going upon the principles of a man himselfe. It is true of a man, as a man unlesse he will unman himselfe. p. 201It is much more true of a Christian man, he will not for base feares, and ingagements, inthrall his conscience, and sell heaven and happinesse, and his comfort, for this and that, and those that doe it though they talke of liberty, they are slaves, though they domineere in the world, the curse of Caine is upon them, they are slaves of slaves.

Therefore,A Christian in dependant, in respect of other men. where the Spirit of Christ is, there is an independant liberty, a man is independant upon any other man, further then he sees it agrees wi…h the rules of Religion, and he is dependant onelyonly upon God▪ and upon divine p. 202principles and grounds. The Apostle saith, The Spirituall man judgeth all things, and is judged of none: so farre as a man is led with the Spirit, he discernes things in the light of the Spirit, hee judgeth all things to be as they are, in the light of the Spirit, and is judged of none, his meaning is not, that none will usurpe judgement of him, for that they will do, the emptyest men are most rash, and censorious, but he is judged of none aright, it is a fooles bolt, but the Spirituall man indeed, passeth a right verdict, upon persons, and things, as farre as he is spirituall; And that is the p. 203reason that carnall men,Why carnall men hate those that are Spirituall. especially hate spirituall men above all things; they hate men that have a naturall conscience, that judge according to the light of reason, for that is above any creature, when a man will not say white is blacke, that good is evill, to please any man in the world, a man that hath a naturall conscience will not doe this, and this is very distastefull, where men Idolize themselves they love not such, but such as are slaves to them, but much more when a man is spirituall he j…dgeth all things, and censureth them, and their courses, for he is above all, p. 204and seeth all beneath him, therefore the greatest men in the world are holy men, they are above all other men,Christians the onelyonly great men. and without usurpation, they passe a censure upon the course and state of other men, though they be never so great (howsoever the Image of God is upon them, in regard of their authority, and the like:) yet in their dispositions they are base, and slaves to their corruptions, and to Sathan, they are not out of the base rancke of nature, Now a man that is a child of God, hee is taken into a better condition, and hath a spirituall liberty in him; hee judgeth all things, and is judged of p. 205none, they may call him this and that, it is but malice, and a spice of the sinne against the holy Ghost, but their hearts tells them he is otherwise, he shall judge them ere long, for The Saints shall judge the world, therefore Christians should know, and take notice of their excellency, where the Spirit of God is, there is liberty to judge all things as farre as they come within their reach and calling, to judge aright of all things; therefore we should know how to maintaine the credite of a Christian, that is, to maintaine a liberty independant upon all but God, and other things p. 206with reservation, as farre as they agree with conscience and religion: thus we see, how we may judge of this liberty; Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

He doth not say licenciousnesse to shake off all governement:Where the Spirit is there is liberty, not licentiousnesse. for by too much licenciousnesse, all liberty is lost, but where the Spirit of God is, there is liberty: for a true Christian is the greatest servant,A Christian a free man, and a servant. and the greatest freeman in the world, for he hath a Spirit that will yeeld to none, in things Spirituall he reserves a liberty for his judgement, yet for outward conformity p. 207of life and conversation, he is a servant to all, to doe them good, love makes him a servant. Christ was the greatest servant that ever was, he was both the servant of God, and our servant: and there is none so free, the greater portion of the Spirit, the more inward and Spirituall freedome; and the more freedome, the more disposition to serve one another in love, and to doe all things, that a man should doe outwardly: all things that are lawfull, we must take heede of that, mistake not this Spirituall liberty, it stands with conformity, to all good lawes, and all p. 208good orders, and there is a great mistake of carnall men for want of this,What carnall men judge liberty. they thinke it liberty to doe as men list; it is true, if a man have a strong and a holy understanding, to be a good leader to it, but it is the greatest bondage in the world, to have most freedome in i…l, as I sayd before, those that are most free in ill, are most slaves of all, for their corruptions will not suffer them to heare good things, to bee where good things are spo…en, to accompany with those that are good, their corruptions hath them in so narrow a custodie,The tyran… of lusts. some kinde of men their corruptions are so p. 209malignant and binding, that they will not suffer them, to be in any opportunity, wherein their corruptions may be restrayned at all, but they hate the very sight of persons that may restraine them, and all lawes that might restraine them. Now this is the greatest slavery in the world, for a man to have no acquaintance, with that that is contrary to his corrupt disposition.

Well, new Lords new Lawes, as soone as ever a man is in Christ, and hath Christs Spirit, he hath another law in his soule to rule him, contrary to that that there was before, before he was ruled by the p. 210law of his lusts, that carried him whither he would, but now in Christ he hath a new Lord, and a new law, and that rules him according to the regiment of the Spirit, The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ, hath freed me from the Law of sinne and of death.

Vse. 4 Againe, seeing where the Spirit of God is,Not to grieve the Spirit. there is this sweete and glorious liberty, let us take heede by all meanes that we doe not grieve the Spirit, when wee finde the holy Ghost, in the use of any good meanes to touch upon our soules, oh give him entrance, and way to come into his owne chamber, as it were to provide a p. 211roome for himselfe, as Cyprian Cyprian.saith, Consecra habitaculum, &c. enter into thy bed chamber, consecrate a habitation for thy selfe, so let us give him way to come into our soules, when hee knockes by his sweete motions. Wee that live in the Church, there is none of us all but our hearts tell us that we have of…en re…isted the holy Ghost, we… might have beene saved, if we had not beene rebellious, and opposite; Grieve not the Spirit by any meanes.

Quest. How is the Spirit grieved?

Ans. Especially these two or three wayes.

p. 212Answ. The Spirit being a Spirit of holinesse, is grieved with uncleane courses,The Spirit is grieved, 1with uncleane motions,With uncleane courses. and words, and actions, he is called the holy Spirit, and he stirres up in the soule holy motions like himselfe, he breathes into us holy motions, and hee breathes out of us good, and holy, and savory words, and stirres us up to holy actions. Now when we give liberty to our mouthes, to speake rottenly, to sweare, (I am ashamed almost to name that word) when we give liberty to such filthinesse, is not this a grieving of the Spirit, if we have the Spirit at all? If wee have p. 213not a care to grieve our selves, doe we not grieve all about us, therefore take heed of all filthy unholy words, thoughts, or carriages, it grieves the Spirit.

Then the Spirit is a Spirit 2of love,Malice, and canckor. take heede of cankor, and malice, wee grieve the Spirit of God by cherishing cankor, and malice, one against another, it drives away the sweete spirit of love, therefore make conscience of grieving the Spirit, he will not rest in a malicious heart, who is the Spirit of love.

Againe,Pride. the Spirit of 3Christ, wheresoever it is, it is joyned with a spirit of p. 214humility, God gives grace to the humble, it empties the soule, that it may fill it, it empties it of what is in it of windy vanity, and fills it with it selfe, therefore those that are filled with vaine, high, proud conceites, they grieve and keepe out the good Spirit of God; for wee should empty our soules, that the Spirit of God may have a 4large dwelling there,Sinnes against conscience, or else we grieve the Spirit; in a word, any sinne against conscience, grieves the Spirit of God, and hinders spirituall liberty, because Where the Spirit of God is, there is liberty; would we preserve liberty?Hinder our liberty. we must preserve the p. 215Spirit, if we sinne against conscience, wee hinder liberty every way, we hinder our liberty to good duties, when a man sinnes against conscience, hee is dead to good actions, conscience tells him, why doe you goe about it, you have done this and that? he is shackled in his performances, he cannot goe so naturally to prayer, and to 1hearing, conscience layes a clogge upon him, hee is shackled, in prayerIn Prayer. especially he hath not liberty to the throne of grace, how dares hee looke to heaven, when hee hath grieved the Spirit of God and broken the peace of his conscience? what p. 216communion hath he with God, so it hinders peace with God, a man cannot looke Christ in the face, as a man when hee hath wronged another man, he is ashamed to looke on him, so the soule when it hath runne into sinnes against conscience it is ashamed to looke on Christ, and to goe to God againe, therefore any sinne against conscience grieves the Spirit, and hinders all sweete liberty that was before, it takes away the degree of it.

2It hinders boldnesse with men:It hinders boldnesse with men. for what makes a man couragious in his dealings with men? a cleere conscience; let it be p. 217the stoutest man in the world, let him maintaine any lust against conscience it will make him so farre a slave, for when it comes to the crossing of that lust once, then you shall see he will even betray all his former stoutnesse, and strength, if a man be covetous, and ambitious, he may be stout for a time, but when he comes to bee crossed it will take away all liberty, that a man hath to cherish any sinne.

In a word, to preserve this liberty,Goe to Christ to free us from corruption. let us goe to Christ, from whom wee have this liberty, complaine to him, when wee finde any corruption stirring, p. 218goe to the Lord in the words of S. Austine and say, Now Lord free me from my necessities, I cannot serve thee as I should doe, nor as I would doe, I am inthralled to sinne, but I would doe better, I cannot doe so well as I would, free mee from my necessities: complaine of our corruptions to God; as the woman in the Law, when …he complayned, if she were assaulted, she saved her life by complaying, so let us complaine to Christ, if we finde violence offered to us by our corruptions, I cannot by my owne strength set my selfe at liberty from this corruption, p. 219Lord give mee thy Spirit to doe it, set me more and more at liberty, from my former bondage, and from this that hath inthralled me, so complaine to Christ, and desire him to doe his office; Lord thy office is To dissolve the workes of the devill: And goe to the Spirit, it is the office of the holy Ghost to free us, to be a Spirit of liberty: now desire Christ and the holy Ghost to doe their office of setting us at Spirituall liberty: and this we must doe in the use of meanes,Avoyd …ccasion…. and avoyding of occasions, and then it will be efficatious to preserve that Spirituall liberty, as will tell our p. 220consciences that wee are no hypocrites, and that will end in a glorious liberty in the life to come.

And let this be a comfort to all poore strugling,The office of Christ by his Spirit. and striving Christians, that are not yet set at perfect liberty from their lusts and corruptions; that it is the office of the Spir…t of Christ, as the King of the Church, it is his office by his Spirit to purge the Church perfectly, to make it a glorious spouse; at last he will doe his owne office, and besides this liberty of grace joyned with conflict in this world there is another liberty of glory, when I shall bee p. 221freed from all oppositions without, and from all conflict and corruption within▪ It is called The liberty of the Sonnes of God, Rom. 8 and those that looke not more and more, for the gracious liberty to be free from passions, and corruptions here, they must not looke for the glorious liberty in heaven, but those that live a conflicting life, and pray to Christ more and more for the Spirit of liberty, to set up a liberty in us, these may looke for the liberty of the Sonne of God, … will be ere long, when wee shall be out of reach, and free from corruption, when the Spirit of God p. 222shall be all in all. Now our lusts will not suffer the Spirit to bee all in all, but in heaven he shall, there shall be nothing to rise against him: This that hath beene spoken shall suffice for that 17. verse, The Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is …: I proceede to the next verse, which I purpose to dwell more on.