admiration of the times because of his wisedome and discretion Christ the wonder and admiration of his Churches because of his speeches and declaration My soule he that is thy peace thy rest thy love thy mercy he shall be thy cōmander he that is thy prince of glory thy Lord of life he is thy gratious protector hee that is thy vine thy head c thy bridegroome he shall be thy leader rule for grace and peace came by him when the Law came by Moses Ioh. 1.17 Redemptiō Justification and Reconciliation came by him when Condemnation adjudication came by Moses Consolations comforts joyes and springs of solace came by him when terrors horrors feares and servitude came by Moses Therefore thou shalt glory and expresse the praise of glory concerning the words of freedome and liberty Rom. 8.2 For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the law of sinne and death 2. The Law of the Spirit of life It hath beene said of Paradise that it was the rarest place in the habitable world in respect of Altitude in respect of Amaenetie in respect of Profunditude and in respect of Jucunditie the same may be spoken concerning the Spirit of life and glory it is extolled in respect of Altitude sith it is in Christ who was placed in the high and heavenly places of Amaenetie sith it is the delight of the beloved Saints and peculiar of Profunditude sith it soundeth the lowest and deepest misery of Jucunditie sith it makes the drooping soule most joyous and chearefull Therefore the same that was the joy and glory of the blessed Apostle is the joy and glory of the drooping soule joying and glorying in the words of the Apostle Rom. 8.2 For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sinne and death The Law of the Spirit of life Pretious are the gifts and graces which come from the Father of everlasting light rare are the treasures which come from the Lord of life and peace rare and pretious is the Law of life which is from and of the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus What is so jucundious what is so amaenious or what is so joyous as the spirit of Adoption which sealeth the soule up to the day of eternall Redemption or what can be so pleasant so delightsome or joyfull as the spirit that consolates the soule in the midst of all distresses or what can be so rare so wonderfull and admirable as the law of of the spirit of life that frees us from the law of sinne and death the seale of the spirit doth rejoyce thee in the day of thy Adoption the disconsolated are consolated in the day of Consolation the wanting vacuous are filled with joys in the day of impletion and the soule is filled with all fulnesse and sweetnesse in the day of liberation hence comes in our joyfullnesse and fullnesse that as we receive our peace from the Prince of peace our righteousnesse from the Lord of righteousnesse so we receive the law of life from the spirit of life in Christ Jesus If thou hast the revelation of the mistery of the Kingdome it is by the spirit Mat. 16.11 He answered and said unto them because it is given unto you to know the misteries of the Kingdome of Heaven but to them it is not given If to thee is given to know the deep and profound things of God it is by the spirit 1 Cor. 2.10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his spirit for the spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God If to thee is given to know the mind of God before the world was it is by the spirit Ephes 4.7 But to every one of us is given grace according to the gifts of Christ Ephes 3.5 That to other Generations hath not been known to the sonnes of men is now revealed to the Apostles and prophets by the spirit So if there is a revelation of the mistery of glory to Babes and Sucklings and denied to the learned Doctors and Rabbies of the world it is by the spirit Mat. 11. 25.26.27 At that time Jesus answered and said I thanke thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth because thou hast hide these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them to Babes even so Father for so seemed good to thy sight All things are delivered unto me of my Father and no man knoweth the sonne but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father but the sonne and he to whom soever the sonne will reveale him None can write the law of God in the hearts of the Saints but the spirit of Christ as none can seale to the Conscience the everlasting love of God the Father and the precious treasures of Jesus Christ but the spirit of glory as none can give the spirit of oration to them that cannot pray the spirit of consolation to them that sit in mourning weeds but the spirit of Comfort so none can write the mind of God in the conscience or the will of Christ in the spirit of the Saints but the spirit of assurance or obsignation Hence it is recorded by the Apostle 2 Cor. 3.3 Yee are our Epistles written in our hearts which is known and read of all men manifest to be the epistle of Christ c. The same spirit that reveales unto the Saints the unsearchable riches of Christ that engraves the heavenly and gracious mind of the Father in the consciences of the Redeemed the same quickens the soule by the mighty power of life and vivification when we lay dead in sinnes and trespasses when wee were troden in our bloods by the Horsmen of Hell and Death when we were involved in the depth of the gulfe of miseries then by the same spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead we were quickned therefore not without cause is he called the spirit of life First In the respect of Christ Secondly In respect of the life that the Saints receive through uniō by the spirit Thirdly In respect of that life the Saints receive through Faith Love and hope by the spirit in the act of communion When our Lord was in the grave neither hell nor death nor law nor justice nor all the force of the creature could retaine him for he shewed himselfe the Lord of life by rising from the dead Apoc. 1.18 I am he that liveth and was dead I am alive forever more Amen and have the keyes of Hell and death Lord over sin by the blood of his crosse Col. 2.14.15 Blotting out the hand writing of ordinances which was against us which was contrary to us and tooke it out of the way nailing it to his crosse and having spoiled principalities and powers he made a shew of them openly triumphing over them all Conquerer over the Divill by the power of his death Heb. 2.24 For as much then as the children are partakers of
the Pitt Justifie one in thy presence bring one to the riches of Inheritance or to answer thy exact demands or requires but we all confesse the truth of him as it is written of him and not of us Psalm 40.7 8. Then said I loe I come in the volume of thy booke it is written of me I delight to doe thy will O God yea thy law is within my heart Fourthly It hath beene expedient that the Law of life should be placed in the Lord of Life as the old Covenant or the law of Death was placed in the Loines of Adam It was not convenient that the Law of Faith should be in the Children of Incredulitie that the Law of love and mercy should be in the Children of Wrath and Furie that the Testament of life and Reconciliation should be in the Sonnes of Death and Condemnation had this Covenant beene made with us as the old Covenant was made with Adam we had broken this Covenant as well as Adam Therefore such hath beene the eternall wisedome of the Father to establish the Covenant in Christ sith he was the sonne of Mercy the sonne of Love the sonne of Grace and Bountie He was he that was able to make us at once with the Father to naile our sinnes to the Crosse to burie them in his grave to cast our sinnes into the Sea of Oblivion he was he that was able being the mind of the Father to reveale the mind of the father being the sonne of the bosome to make knowne what hath beene in his Fathers bosome being the treasures of wisedome to manifest hidden Knowledge and Wisedome Hence the Law of the Spirit of life is said to be in Christ and not in us according to the Text. Rom. 8.2 For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sinne and death Fiftly Why freed Me not only because of manifestation to the Churches of Christ that he had interest in the Liberty and Redemption by Jesus Christ but also that he might have great consolaion in the midst of all sorrowes and tribulations as if he had said though the Law hath made Warre against me hath slaine me hath found me polluted sinfull and defiled and made me cry out who shall deliver me from the body of this death notwithstanding from that I am rescued and delivered according to the text Rom. 8.2 For the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the Law of sinne and death Why saith hee from the law of sinne 〈…〉 some understand this to bee law ceremoniall but I understand this to bee the law morrall that it is not proper to call the law ceremoniall the law of sinne and death I prove it thus First That which was the only cause of death to the Beasts and the figurative imposition upon them to signifie eternall life to the redeemed and reconciled that is not properly called the law of sin and death to us but the law ceremoniall was the onely cause of death to the beasts and the figurative imposition to signifie eternall life to them that are reconciled and Redeemed Ergo. Secondly That which by the Holy Ghost is not called the law of sinne and death is not the law of sinne and death but the holy Ghost hath not called the law ceremoniall the law of sinne and death therefore it is not the law of sin nor death The Holy Ghost hath attributed this to the morrall law Rom. 7.11 For sinne taking occasion by the commandement deceived me and by it slew mee Rom. 3.20 21. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh bee justified in his sight for by the law is the knowledge of sinne but not the righteousnesse of God without the law is manifest being witnessed by the law and the Prophets 1 Cor. 15.55 56. O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory the sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the law That law which figures out eternall life Redemption reconciliation that cannot bee the law of sinne and death but the law ceremoniall figured out eternall life Redemption and reconciliation therefore that cannot bee the law of sin and death the ground is this because the figure really answereth to the thing figured the end of Heave offerings signified the exaltation of our Lord upon the Crosse the peace offerings the reconciliation by Christ in the day of his Crosse the burnt offerings the satsfying of the justice of the Father to witt the appeasement of wrath in the time of his crosse If I should speake of the Cherubims they signifie nothing else but mercy in that they were covered with gold designes the riches of Christ in that they spread their wings one towards another denotes the faith of the Saints towards the throne of grace and mercy in that the mercy seate was placed above the arke of presence signifies that Christ the Lord of life and salvation is exalted above all things and that his presence extends it selfe to his poorest and meanest servants in that God answered from the mercy seat betweene the Cherubims mâ—kes knowne to the Saints Adopted that they are to receive answer of prayers from the breast of Christ to their poore soules The Law The gleanings of Ephraim was better then the vintage of Abiezer the law of life and reconciliation is better then the law of death and condemnation the one accuseth before the barre of Justice the other excuses before the thron of grace the one arraignes before the throne of Gods tribunall the other acquits before the mercy seate the one condemnes the soule and conscience of sinne iniquity and transgression the other frees the soule from sinne iniquity and transgression the one is the cause of curse and execration the other the cause of blisse and benediction the one affrights amazeth and consternateth the other comforteth refresheth and consolates one made the children of Israel flee from mount Sina the other makes us approach neare to Mount Sion Heb. 12. 18 19 20 21 22 23 24. For ye are not come to the mountaine that might be touched and that burned with fire not unto blacknesse and darkenesse and tempest which voyce they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more for they could not indure that which was commanded and if so much as a beast touch the mountaine it shal be stoned or thrust through with a dart And so terrible was the sight that Moses said I exceedingly feare and tremble But ye are come unto Mount Sion and unto the City of the living God and heavenly Ierusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels to the generall assembly and Church of the first borne which are written in heaven and God the judge of all and to spirits of just men made perfect and to Iesus the Mediatour of the new Covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things then
flesh and blood he also himselfe tooke part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devill Victorer over the law and over all accusations by his intercession Rom. 8.33 34. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect it is God that justifieth who is it that condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen againe who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Triumpher over Captives and leading captivitie captive by the power of his assention It was impossible our Lord should be retained by the bonds of death the barts of hell and the power of the Devill not only because it hath beene the determinate counsell of the Father not to leave his soule in grave nor suffer his holy one to see corruption Acts 2.27 Because thou wilt not leave my soule in hell neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption Because of that pittie he had to his beloved Spouse his dearest members his tender branches Ephes 2.6 And hath raised us up together made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus because of the dignity of himselfe being King of his Church Lord of life Mediatur of the Covenant Acts 2.24 Whom God hath raised up having gloosed the paines of death because it was not possible he should be houlden of it But also because of the mighty and infinite power of the spirit of glory which rais'd up our Lord of life Prince of glory O my soule consider consider what the spirit of life hath done for thy foule Had not our Lord been raised from the dead by the spirit of life sinne would have crusht thy conscience to the lowest gulfe of misery the Devill like a roaring Lion would have devoured thee the law of terrors would have bound thee to the barre of eternal justice to eternitie death would have delivered thee to the second death forevermore and all evills would have ceased upon thy spirit for ever and ever Thē mightest thou have said with the Psalmist The sorrowes of death had compassed thee and the evills of hell had found thee thou foundest woe and sorrow then mightest thou have spoken with Hezekiah That thou wast forsaken as a Shepards Tent that justice would have beene as a Lion to breake all thy bones thou mightest have mourned as a Dove chattered as a Crain to the dayes of eternity Saying That thou should'st behold his gracious face no more behold his gracious countenance no more but remaine in everlasting chaines under darkenesse for evermore Shouldest thou have beene so happie as Jonah no he was but in the bellie of the Whale but thou shouldest have beene in the bellie of hell he was in the depth of the sea but thou shouldest have beē in the depth of the bottomlesse pit the waves of the sea and the bellowes thereof incompassed him but the waves of greatest sorrowes and bellowes of exceeding wrath should have incompassed thee he was heard out of the bellie of the Whale and his prayer came into his holy temple but thy prayer should have beene shut out from his glorious presence and should not have appeared before the throne of grace a Goard was provided for him to hide his head from the heate of the Sunne but no shelter nor shadow had beē provided for thee to hide thy soule frō everlasting burnings Where had beene the glorying of the Saints had our Lord not beene raised from the dead we should have had no cause to glory in the blood and death of his crosse no cause of triumphing in a glorious presentation in a hapy reconciliation in an absolute abolition of the hand writings which were written against us Where had been our redemption from death and the feare thereof from the grave and the sting thereof from out of the hands of the Devill and and the slavery thereof from the law and the execration thereof where had been our royall Robes of Righteousnesse our garments of glorious salvation justificatiō in his glorious presencs if the holy one had seen corruption the branches of the rarest vine should have withered the members to the head of purest gold would have perished and the spouses to our blessed and dearest Bridegroome would have been clothed with shame reproah for ever But blessed thrice blessed be that name is blessed forevermore sith he hath raised the head and the members the branches the vine the bridegroome the spouses together He that left not our Lord in the grave hath not left the Redeemed of the Lord in the pitt of distruction he that suffered not the sonne of the bosome to see corruption will not suffer the sonnes by adoption to be swallowed up by everlasting perdition Therefore you sonnes daughters of men we will not only glory in Christs incarnation in Christs crucifixtion in his grave buriall glorious assention but also in his victorious triumphous Resurrection The risse of the son of righteousnesse is more to us then the sun of morning light that delights the eye sence of sublunaries this the soules of distressed consciences that causeth the hearbs plants trees to rise out of the earth this causeth the branches spouses members of Christ to rise out of the lowest pitt that removeth darknesse bringeth in a light Diurnal this removeth darkenesse bringeth in a light eternall That is the plenitude above and the riches of the earth beneath this is the riches of the Church Militant and the plenitude of the Church Triumphant Therfore will we glory in the spirit of life according to the Text Rom. 8.2 For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sinne and death The spirit of life Sweet and pleasant is the expression of Job Will the wilde Asse roare when he hath grasse or will the Oxe low when he hath fother or will the dead soule mourne for life when it hath the spirit of life Noe it will joy it selfe in the spirit of joy and consolate it selfe in the spirit of consolation triumphing with the Apostle because the spirit of life hath freed it from the law of sinne and death according to the Text. Rom. 8.2 For he law of the spirit of Life◠in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death Secondly It is called the spirit of life sith that the spirit is the cause of union with the Lord Jesus by which the Saints receive both life spiritual and life eternall My prisoners of Hope and Bond men to the throne of mercy know and consider that it is not in your powers to injoy union with me and Jesus Christ whom I have sent the spot of your sin the blott of your transgressions and the impurity of your iniquities hath prevented the exactnesse rigidnesse and perfection of my law most pure hath hindered the eternitie
thee the life of faith faith is my guift Ephes 2.10.8 For we are his workemanship created in Jesus Christ unto good workes which God hath before ordained that we should walke in them For by grace are yee saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God I gave to thee the life of love when I gave the sonne of love Joh. 3.16 for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten sonne that whosoever beleeveth one him should not perish but have everlasting lif I gave to thee the life of hope when I gave to thee the lively hope through the resurrection from the dead 1 Pet. 1.3 Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundance mercy hath begotten us againe to a lively hope by the resurection of Jesus Christ from the dead When I have made mine to walke in sheepe skins and Goates skins in dennes and caves of the earth for my names sake I gave them hope of everlasting righteousnesse raigning by grace unto eternall life Rom. 5. last For as sinne hath raigned unto death even so might grace raigne through righteousnesse unto eternall life by Jesus Christ our Lord. When I gave them neither favour Love nor Footsteps in or amongst the Creature I have given to them a Citie whose maker and builder is my selfe Heb. 11.16 But now they desire a bettter Country that is an heavenly wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a Citie When I made them undergoe Shipwracks Stonings Defamie Reproach Disdaine Contempt Malice Wrath Envie Backbitings Slanderings Scornings by them that under the profession of my praise and glory are enemies to the throne of my praise and glory I gave them hope in the eternall waight of my glory 2 Cor. 4.17.18 For our light afflictions whcih is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding eternal waight of glory while we looke not one things that are seen but one things that are not seen for the things which are seene are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternall Hence they expect a new heaven a new earth in which is righteousnesse 2 Pet. 3.13 We waite for a new heaven and a new earth in which is Righteousnesse Hence they expect the light of my presence and pleasures for evermore Psalm 16. last Thou wilt shew me the path of life in thy presence is fullnesse of joy at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore Hence they looke for the Crowne of glory the Crowne of life and the Crowne of righteousnesse 2 Tim. 4.8 Hence forth is laid up for me a Crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall give me at that day and not to me only but unto them also that love his appearing And not without cause sith I have not only given unto them my oath and promise but the law of the spirit of my life to free them from the law of sin and death Heb. 6.18 19. That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us Which hope wee have as an Ancor of the soule both sure and stedfast and which entreth into that within the vaile Rom. 8.2 For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath freed them from the law of sin detah The Father hath given to Christ the highest sublimitie and shall I cease to mention so great a dignity as the plenitude of sentence to conceivemēt is misticall so Christs kingly dignitie is unutterable though the rationalls cannot behold the Sun with full spectation yet the Sun must not hinder them from beholding though of Christ the Lord of life we make no full dimention yet the excellencie of the law of life must not hinder us from declaring hence admirable hath beene the expression of life from the law of life sith by that wee are freed from the law of sinne and death Rom. 8.2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made us free from the law of sinne and death The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus It was said of Jonathan and Saul that they were lovely and amiable in their lifes were not devided in their deaths It may be said of Christ that he was Amiable lovely being the Lord of life and that his love was not seperated from his death for in his death he abolished sinne totally overcame the divell victoriously and stopped the mouth of the accusing law wonderfully in his life we injoy eternall life a life spirituall in the heavenly places Rom. 8.2 For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made us free from the law of sinne and death The rarenesse or pretiousnesse of the covenant consists in three things First In the freenesse of the Covenant Secondly in the eternity of the Covenant Thirdly in the place or collocation of the Covenant The rarenesse of this Covenant or law of life in Christ is in that it is a free covenant or law of life in Christ The effects of my covenant are free I became a God freely to mine in covenant What beauty what glory what splendor what righteousnesse what holinesse what performances have I seene in them the best of their righteousnes were menstruous cloathes and defiled garments Isa 64 6. But wee are all as an uncleane thing and all our righteousnesse are as filthy ragges and we all doe fade as a leafe and our iniquities like the winde have taken us away The purest of their robes are no better then rattered raggs of the old Adam the rarest of their purities impurities of their righteousnes unrighteousnesse and of their godlinesse ungodlinesse It was I that washed them from their blood in the bloud of my deare sonne when they were involved in their blood Apo. 1.5 And from Jesus Christ who is the faithfull witnesse and the first begotten of the dead the prince of the Kings of the earth unto him that hath loved us and washed us from our sinnes in his owne blood It was I that cloathed them in the robes of pure righteousnesse when they were cast out naked to the shame of their faces Ezek. 16.8 Now when I passed by thee and looked upon thee behold thy time was the time of love and I spread my skirt over thee and covered thy nakednesse yea I sweare unto thee and entred into a covenant with thee saith the Lord God and thou becamest mine It was I that looked upon mine in the daies of shame and reproach when neither men nor Angells did regard them Eze. 16.5.6 No eye pittied thee to doe any of these unto thee to have compassion upon thee but thou wast cast out in the open field to the loathing of thy person in the day that thou wast borne and when I