Christ by the Spirit of life in him hath freed us from the law Now in the Second place 2. The spirit of life derived from Clrist to us frees us we may see how the spirit of life as it is in us derived from Christ frees us from the Law and that is onely in these two waies 1. Declaratively 2. Operatively 1. 1. Declaratively The Spirit of life in us frees us from the law declaratively that is as the Spirit of Christ in us declares us to bee free from the law and no more under the law but under grace For as our saviour saies John 15.14 speaking of the spirit He shall reserve of mine and shew it unto you and John 16.16 The Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father shall testifie of me so the Spirit of Christ as it is in the Saints declares to the Saints the things that are freely given to them of God and testifies to them of the Lord JESVS that hee hath taken away the hand writing of Ordinances that was against us that was contrarie to us nailing it to his Crosse and declares how the Lord JESVS hath freed us from all our sinnes and presented us holy and unblameable and unreproveable without spot or wrinckle in the sight of God It is he that declares to us that the Lord Jesus hath fulfilled all righteousnesse for us and in a word is become the end of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that beleeveth I say its the Spiirit in us that declares these things and many others unto us and without the Spirit no man can comfortably and truly know the things that are freely given to us of God But then 2. As the law of the Spirit of life in Christ sets us free from the law declaratively so the Law of the spirit of life in Christ as it is in us sets us free from the Law operatively or by way of operation therefore the Apostle Rom. 8.11 tells us that if the spirit of him that raised up Iesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in you Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his but if he be Christs you have the Spirit of Christ and if you have the Spirit of Christ it will not be idle it will notly still it will quicken your mortall bodies yea it will mortifie the deeds of the body it will burne up all your corruptions It will through the declarations of the love of Christ and the grace of God constraine you to walk holily and to deny all ungodlinesse In a word the Spirit of Christ works in the Saints mightily and by its operations in us sets us free from the Law and so sayes the Apostle Rom. 7.6 We are dead to the law sayes he to this end that we should serve in the newnesse of the Spirit and not in the Oldnesse of the Letter after a more spirituall and glorious manner then they of old could being under the law doe for the Law was weake but what the law could not doe the Spirit can 〈◊〉 having more abundant glory then ever the law had The Spirit being able to convey power into the creature to fulfill all that he requires of it For it brings life along with it whereas the letter killeth Rom. 3.6 Now the Spirit freeth us from the letter in carrying us forth to worship God in the spirit In a word which is the misterie of the law of the Spirit through the Spirituall fulfilling of the law in us it frees us from the law which the Apostle further makes cleer Rom. 8. When in the second verse hee had said we were freed from the law in the fourth verse he saies it is that the righteousnesse of the law might be fulfilled in us who walke not after the fiesh but after the Spirit So the Spirit in fulfiling the law frees us from the law and freeing us from the law fulfils the law in us And thus we have seene how the Spirit of life in Christ hath sett us free from the law And now am I come to shew the necessitie of the Spirits freeing 〈◊〉 from the Law The necessitie of our freedom from the law by the spirit of life in Christ for these reasons Necessarie it was 1. BEcause if there had been no freedome from the Law by Christie then no flesh could be saved 2. Because else no flesh could be saved for the Law brings us under the curse But now God sends his Sonne and puts his Spirit without measure upon him that he might free us from the curse of the Law In what a wofull case and in what a miserable condition had we been in every one of us had not the Lord Jesus come and freed us from the curse of the Law But now God hath created Christ Jesus to be a blessing to the world to take away the old Covenant and to make a new Covenant else no flesh could be saved and it was impossible any man should have eternall life for the voice of the Law is he that sinneth shall die Now as the Apostle saith all have sinned and it being so that what the Law sayes it sayes to them that are under it then assuredly unlesse we be freed from being under it all must die so that we see a necessitie of being freed from the Law because else no flesh could be saved But then 2 We are by the Law of the Spirit freed from the Law for this end that the righteousnesse of the law might be fulfilled and wrought in us through the Spirit And therefore the Saints are said to have the Law of God written in their hearts and to bee all taught of God and having the spirit they are said to grow up in the spirit and to increase with the increase of God and so Paul tels us he presses forward toward the mark And the spirit is given to the Saints that they may all come to be perfect even to the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ And though it be true the Saints have not yet obtained perfection to which they presse while they are here as Paul professes of himself Phil. 3.12 Yet the time shall come when in the spirit they shall be all presented perfect and without spot in the sight of God Not but that we are so already as God lookes upon us all washed in the bloud of Christ and though it be true that the flesh lusteth against the Spirit now yet I say we shall never cause growing up unto perfection untill we do attain unto perfection and therefore sayes the Apostle when he who is our life shall appear 1 Ioh. 3.2 then shall we uppear with him in glory and shall be like him as he is for then shall we attaine unto a full perfection when that which is in part shal be done away being then perfect
to be a law in regard of his mighty operation in the Soule it brings downe light and truth and life and power into the soule and workes exceeding strongly in the soule and when it comes what is able to withstand the Spirit What is greater then the Spirit What is stronger then the Spirit If the spirit comes it bears down all opposition Though the flesh lust against the spirit yet the spirit is two strong for the flesh so that it divides the very jonts and marrow So that the Spirit is a law above the law the law is weake and cannot take place in the hearts of men But when the spirit comes with its law it prevails against all and takes place The flesh profiteth nothing saith our Saviour it is the Spirit that quickneth If the spirit quickneth it hath life in it and where life is it is full of activity for life is manifested in this in that it is full of motion quicknesse and agilitie and in beating off every thing that doeth offende it or anoy it So the spirit being a spirit of life it hath a mighty power in it Although the soule be filled with sin and guilt and in that condition cloathed also with ignorance which doth so inviron the foule as it cannot stir in any other way nor hath the least motion of good in it yet when the spirit comes he beares downe all he destroyes all and therefore it is called the spirit of burning in the scripture And when Christ comes to Baptise he is said to Baptise with the holy Ghost and with fire so that when the spirit comes nothing can stand before him and he brings both light and heate and motion in him and is most powerfull in operation But then 3. The spirit may be saide to be a law or to have a law in it as it is a sure and true guide and as it leades every soule in a right and true way And therefore our Saviour tells vs The spirit of truth shall leade you into all truth And indeed the Spirit guides securely and guides safely guides surely and guides Purely for the spirit cannot erre and he that hath the spirit knowes the minde of God and is guided to fullfill the minde of God as farr as he hath the spirit for the spirit is a blessed guide and a blessed rule and about the law for although the law it s true is righteous holy and good yet alas it Cannot bring forth power to inable the Creature to walke suteable to its selfe It is onely the Spirit hath that power and not the law Therefore the Spirit he is the law of the Saints he shews them the truth teaches them the truth and leades them in the truth and gives them power to walke according to the truth for its the spirit that guides the Saints to Christ who is the truth its selfe and so The spirit guides the Saints in the waies of holynesse through the Spirit they mortifie the deeds of the body and live through the spirit they are guided to denie themselves to abandon their owne parts and their own indowments and their owne righteousnesse and to see all in and to fetch all from a Christ Through the Spirit the Saints put away the garment spotted by the flesh and forsake their vaine conversation wherein in times past they walked through the spirit the Saints are guided to deny all vngodlynesse and worldly lusts and to live soberly and holy and Godly in the present evill world through the spirit they are taught to love with an vnfained love the houshold of faith puting away malice and envie and the leaven of discention and wickednesse through the spirit the Saints are guided so to walke as to shine as lights amidst a crooked and perverse generation In a word through the spirit the Saints are guided having discliamed all their owne righteousnesse to doe that which the Jewes could not doe by the light of the law even to submit to the righteousnesse of Christ that is to cloath themselves through faith with the glorious robes of the righteousnesse of the Lord Jesus whereby they see themselves compleat in him and thus the spirit is a pure and a sure guide and in these three respects the Spirit may be said to have a law and so much may suffice for answer to the first queree But 2. Queree 2 In that the Apostle here tells us of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus and doth not say the spirit of life in us but the spirit of life in Christ The queree will be how the spirit of life is said to be in Christ Answer To which I answer The spirit of life is said to be in Christ under two considerations 1. As hee is the Fountaine of life 2. As he communicates the spirit of life unto all his people 1. As the Lord lesus Christ is the fountaine of life as the fulnesse of all life dwells in him for so sayes the Apostle It pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell 1 Cor. 15.47 45. and the same Apostle also saies he is the Lord from Heaven and that the first Adam was made a living soule but the second Adam was made a quickning spirit and therefore our Saviour tells us the flesh profiteth nothing but it is the spirit that quickens and the words that I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life There is such a fulnesse of the spirit in Christ that whatsoever Christ speakes is spirituall and carries a spirituall signification along with it for indeed the spirit was in him without measure so that in him is life originally or he is the fountaine of Life but then 2. The Spirit of life is in him by way of communication all that of the spirit that is communicated unto us is communicated unto us in and by the Lord Iesus Have wee any life any strength any beautie upon us any grace conveyed unto us It is all conveyed in and through the Lord Iesus Christ And therefore our Saviour tells the Jewes that he was the bread of life the bread of Heaven that came down from Heaven And whosoever did eate of his flesh and drink of his blood should live for ever he breathed the Holy Ghost on his disciples and poures upon every one that beleeves on him rivers of living water rivers of his spirit for he conveies fulnesse of spirituallitie and divine strength into them That man therefore that hath the spirit of life in Christ conveyed into him through the spirit of life in Christ living in him is the most beautifull creature in the world for he carries divine sweetnesse and beautie upon his spirit And he that hath this spirit derived from Christ hath true life in him other men may be alive and yet dead but that man that hath the life of Christ through his spirit that works in him such a soul shall live for ever such a soule shall never die but it shall
be in him a well of water springing up unto everlasting life It is impossible that such a man should die for this reason He that receives the life of Christ through the spirit of Christ he receives a true being a divine nature and it is unpossible that one drop of the divine nature should perish 〈◊〉 very person that hath the divine nature he hath the spirit of Christ he hath Christ as he raises persons from the dead and as hee delivers them from the power of sin and as hee quickens them as himself is a quickning spirit And so much for answer of the second querie but 3. Queree What doth the Apostle meane heere by the law of sinne and death from which the spirit of life in Christ sets us free T Answ o which I answer His meaning is either one or both of these two things either 1. By the law of sin and death he must meane the power of sin or 2. By the law of sin and death he means that law which gives sinne a being and gives it power to destroy Now though the first of these may be heere included yet hee mainly intends the second in this place as I shall shew by and by but if he doe here any thing ayme at the first in this place it is as sin is a law and sin may be said to be a law under these two significations 1. As it hath a mighty power in 〈◊〉 or 2. As it hath a certaine kinde of confused rule 1. It hath a mighty power for so saies the Scripture the flesh lusteth against the spirit and where there is lust there is love and love is as strong as death either in good things or in evill and so sin hath its power but 2. It hath a kinde of uncertaine rule and method for there is a method in pleasure and lust and sinfull joy after a carnall manner and so sinne is a law but that which the Apostle here means is 2. The law which is the Law that occasions sinne which the law of the spirit freeth us from to this purpose observe but the 23. verse of the 7th Chapter which runs thus But I see another law in my membrs warring against the law of my minde and bringing me into captivity unto the law of sin Where we see the Apostle speakes of three lawes 1. The law of the spirit which he calls the law of his minde 2. The law of Concupiscence which he calls the law in his members which he saies brings him into Captivitie to the third law Which he calls the Law of sinne and is the law which occasions sinne For here is law against law bringing into Captivitie to law The law of sin in his members rebelling against the law of the spirit in his minde or his inward man for saies Paul I doe see another law in my members and this law in his members was the power of sin working through concupiscence and lust carrying him contrary to God rebelling saies he against the law of my minde meaning against the law of the spirit in his heart or the spirit in his heart as a law And so as he saies in another place The flesh lusteth against the Spirit leading me captive to the law of sinne Meaning by the law of sin here in the last place that law of which he speakes in the Text. The law of sinne and death which is the Law that occasions sinne and death or the Law of Commandments and this appears in the verse following the Text For the Apostle having said in the Text that the saints are free from the Law of sinne and death in the next verse hee shewes what that law is in these Words For what the law could not do in that it was weake through the flesh God sending his owne Sonne c. What was that which the law could not do that the Sonne of God did for us Answer 1. the Law could not make us holy 2. The Law could not free us from sinne 3. The law could not free us from condemnation But one the contrary it brought under guilt brought us under the curse Now what law did this The law of Comandments which saies the Apostle was weake through the flesh And it may bee said to bee weake through the flesh thus 1. In that wee are weake and through the fleshare not able to walk exactly to the law nor to come up to the Rule of it in our conversation And so are not able to obtain life by it Therefore God hath given us life in another way even through his Son or 2 In that the law as it is written upon tables of Stone though it be holy just and good hath no power as it is in the Letter to convay its selfe into us to inable us to walke according to the rule it prescribes unto us And this law is stiled the law of sinne and death in these three respect which the Scripture holds forth unto us 1. In that it discovers sinne 2. In that it is the strength of sinne 3. In that it brings men under the curse and so lyable to death 1. It discovers sinne For the Apostle tells us Rom. 7.7 I had not known sin but by the law For I had not knowne lust except the law had said Thou shalt not covet and he tells us further that where no law is there is no transgression The law is holy and therefore it discouers unto men their unholinesse And 2. As the law discovers sinne and makes sin to be exceeding sinfull so it is the strength of sin The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sin is the law 1 Cor. 15.56 where were the strength of sin were in not for the Law and 3 It brings men under the curse and under death For so saves the Apostle it is written Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that is written in the Book of the Law to do them And so being under the curse the effect of the curse is death and therefore saies the Apostle if you walke after the flesh ye shall dye and it is the very title that 's giuen to the law as though there were nothing else in it The ministeration of condemnation and the ministeration of death 2. Cor. 3.7.9 In the 7 verse the Apostle cales it the ministeration of death ingraven in stones and in the 9. verse the ministeration of condemnation Thus you see how the lawis held forh in scripture to be the law of sinne and death now what this law being weake through the flesh could not doe God hath sent Iesus Christ to doe for us and in us and therefore he hath freed us from that law and given us another law even the law of the Spirit that the righteousnesse of the law might be fullfilled by the spirit in us as apears verse 4th And now being freed from this law sinne shall not have dominion over us for we are not vnder the law but under
grace but againe it further apeares that the Apostle in the text meanes the law of Condemnation by comparing it with the precedent verse where the Apostle saies their is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus now least any man should object against that truth hee gives this text as a reason as if he should say thus There is no condemnation to us that are in Christ Jesus because we through the law of the spirit that is in him are freed from the law of sin and death and therefore there is no condemnation to us although others that are out of Christ are under the law and shall be condemned by the law We are under another law the law of the spirit which is not the law of death but the law of life which is not the ministration of condemnation but of Salvation And thus much for answer to those thre queeries I shall now proceede to that one observation which is as it were the sum of the whole verse and that 's this The generall observation That the Saints have obtained a freedome from the law by the law of the Spirit of life in Christ IN the prosecution of this point I shall 1 Shew how the Spirit of life in Christ freeth us from the law 2. I shall shew the necessitie of it 1. I shall shew how the Spirit of life in Christ sets us free from the law and this I shall doe under a double consideration 1. Shewing how the Spirit of life as it is in Christ sets us free 1 The Spirit of life as it is in Christ sets us free as this spirit is all in all in Christ in all his actions 2. How the Spirit of life as it is in us derived from Christ sets us free but First as it is in Christ It s the Spirit in Christ is all in all In his sufferings in his death and in his resurrection I say the Spirit of life in the Lord Jesus is all in all in every thing he did in the justifying of sinners Without the Spirit he could doe nothing for the flesh is weake and Profiteth not but the Spirit is all in all therefore when the Apostle tells us that by the righteousnesse of one man the free gift of God came upon al unto justification of life Rom. 5.18 but because this could not have beene unlesse the Lord Jesus had been justified in the Spirit he therefore tells us 2. Tim. 3.16 that without controversie this is the mysterie of Godlinesse GOD manifest in the flesh justified in the Spirit seene of Angels c. So that the Lord Jesus was justified in the Spirit Now Christ is said to be justified in the Spirit two waies 1. As he is iustified in his person as hee was found to be without all spot and without all staine as he was innocent and holy And 2. As hee was justified in his workes as they were all compleat and perfect before God And so Christ is justified in the spirit the spirit is all in all in him in all his actions and in all his sufferings And 2. As the Spirit is all in all in Christs in his death The Spirit is all in all in his death He offered himself saies the Apostle Heb. 9.14 through the Eternall Spirit without fault to God he presented himself as a compleate sacrifice to God through the Eternall Spirit and this indeede is the mystery of Godlynesse that the Spirit doth all in all in Christ in that he is justifyed in the Spirit and through the Eternall Spirit he presented himself a compleate Sacrifice without spot to God flesh and blood could never have done it no it was the Eternall Spirit in Christ is all in all and therefore we know the Spirit was poured upon Christ without measure And 3. As the spirit in his death As the Spirit is all in all in his Resurrection so in his Resurrection was all in all Therefore the Apostle Rom. 1.3 4 speaking of Christ sayes hee was made of the seed of David according to the flesh but declared to be the Son of God with power according unto the spirit of holinesse by the Refurrection from the dead by the Spirit of holinesse The Lord Jesus was gloriously discovered to be the Sonne of God being raised from the dead by the spirit of holinesse The Lord Iesus was gloriously discovered to be the Son of God being raised from the dead by the spirit of holinesse Indeed had it not been for the spirit he might have layne for ever in the grav and never have beene discovered but the Eternall spirit wrought gloriously in him in the resurrection from the dead Thus you see the Spirit is all in Christ Now this spirit in Christ sets us free from the law But now I shall shew you how the spirit of life being thus in Christ all in all sets us free from the Law And thus 1. As Christ himselfe was subject to the Law for us 1. As Christ fulfilled the Law for us Mat. 3. and thus we shall finde he fulfilled all the law for this end Gal. 4 4 5. He was made of a woman made under the law for what end To redeem them that were under the law And indeed he fulfilled the law to the very uttermost When he comes to Iohn to be Baptized he saies Iohn resusing to Baptize him Suffer it to be so now for thus it becomes us to fulfill all righteosnesse The truth is it is not possible that any person that could not fulfill the whole law should have bin a Saviour of sinners from the curse of the law Therefore saies the Apostles Heb. 7.26 For such an High Priest became us who is holy harmelesse separate from fins And saies he verse 28. The law maketh men high Priests which have infirmity But the word of the oath which is since the law maketh the Son a high priest who is perfected for evermore for so the word is in the Originall though it be other waies rendered in our ordinary Translation so that the Son the Lord Jesus he is perfected for evermore he hath no infirmity as those Priests had no failing no spot but is perfected for evermore and therefore he saies to the Jewes which of you convinceth me of sin Although he was a friend of publicanes and sinners yet he could not be convicted of sin for hee actually never sinned but was a Lambe without spot and that is the first consideration wherein Christ hath set us free from the law in that he hath fulfilled the law for us But 2. The Lord Iesus hatht set us free from the law 2. As Christ adiuged all our sins against the Law to death upon the Crosse in that he through the spirit adjuudged the offences committed by us against the law unto finall and fatall ruine He upon his Crosse adjudged all our sins to death that they should bee caried all away into the land oâ— forgetfulnesse never any more
to be remembred Now take away the offence and the law hath nothing to do with you take away the breaches and you are free from all the Curses of the Law Therefore the Apostle tels us that in Christ sin was condemned in the flesh Christ did thus condemne sin as he tooke away the power of sin and as he took away sinne it selfe so that it could have no voice against us Now the offence being taken away of what force is the law As suppose a man should live in a Kingdom wherein there should be a law made that whosoever should doe such a particular thing let it be what it will should snffer such a heavie punishmnnt onely the law maker hath power over the law to pardon such particular persons as he pleases Which if he doe the law hath no voyce at all against them They are free from the law The law hath nothing to doe with them though all others are under the power of it yet they are not under the power of it for the law maker having pardoned these perticuler persons the law hath no voice at all against them and though the law be powerfull against others yet it cannot against them they then are free from the law the law may bee a law to others to condemn them but not to these their offence being pardoned So the Lord Jesus Christ taking away the offence takes away condemning power of the law from us and so we are not under the law but under grace the law being taken away by Christ for in that Christ upon the Crosse adjudged all the breaches and trespasses of us committed by us contrary unto the law to death and destruction we are free from that Law God sending his owne Sonne in the flesh condemned sinne in the flesh How did the Lord Jesus Condemne sin in the flesh Thus The Lord Jesus Christ coming in our nature and taking our sinne upon him he condemned sin and suffered for it in the flesh and so tooke away the voice of sin and the power of sinne so that sinne is as a condemned man judged to death to be destroyed And if sinne be taken away I pray what is become of the law the strength of sinne The Apostle tells us that is in the same manner that sinne is taken away too Rom. 7.4 we are dead to the law by the body of Christ that we should be married unto another even to him who is raised from the dead c. So then we are dead to the Law For thus They that live unto the law have either life from it or death from it 1. Life from it but that we have not for there is no life from it but in the fulfilling of it but Christ is our life and we are justified freely by grace for by the works of the law shall no man living be iustified Or in the next Place they that live to the law have death from it for the breach of it but we are free from the condemnation of it also and shall not be destroyed by the Law so that we do not live unto the law but are dead unto the law And if you shall ask how The Apostle answers by the body of Christ How is that Thus. The Lord Jesus Christ taking our nature upon him in that body ascending upon the Crosse hee there blotted out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against us that was contrary to us that stood cursing of us he took it out of the way nayling it to his Crosse And this is a precious misterie which affords the Saints abundant consolation Again in that the Apostle saies in the aforementioned place that we are dead to the law by the body of Christ it is saies he that we should live unto another as if he had said we are not now to live any longer to the law but Christ hath therefore freed us from living to the Law that we should live unto himself live as by him and through him so to him as our first Husband being dead we are no longer to live to him but being married to another We are to live unto him and therefore saies the Apostle we are dead to the law our first husbnd to what end that we might be maried to another even to him who is raised from the dead And this is the further illustrated in the next verse for saies the Apostle Now being delivered from the law that being dead wherein we were held It is that we should serve in the newnesse of the spirit and not in the oldnesse of the latter So now here we see cleerly Christ having adjudged all our sins to death upon the Crosse in his owne body hath also by the same way freed us from the Law But 3. 3. As Christ is the end of the law for righteousnesse Rom. 10.4 And lastly wee are free from the law by the law of the Spirit of life in Christ as Christ is the end of the law for Christ is the end of the law for righteousnesse unto every one that beleeveth He is the end of the law for righteousnesse Righteousnesse could not be by the law therefore the Lord Jesus became the end of the law to bring righteousnesse to us No man can performe the law or walke equivolent to it and therefore Christ must be the end of the Law to bring in everlasting righteousnesse that is such a glorious righteousnesse that is such a glorious righnesse as abides for ever The whole law is summed up in Christ whatever beauty or glory or excellencie appeares in the law It gives it all up â—o Christ As when many small sums are gathered up into into one sum they looze their number and names in it So the law and the beauties of it being as Severall small sums gathered up into Christ they looze their name in him and he is their perfection When the Gentiles do bring in their glory into the New Jerusalem they shall looze their glory in the New Jerusalem and New Jerusalem shall be their glory so is it with the Law Christ is the glory of it and as the beams of the Sun end and are summed up in the Sunne so the law is a beame of God and Shadowes out something of Christ and of God But when Christ came and took our nature upon him it was summed up in him and ends in him and in him it appers gloriously So Christ frees us from the law as he sums up the law wholly in himselfe If there be any beauty in the law it is beautifull as it is in Christ The truth is Christ is the substance of it all and so a beleever sees all the beauty and glory of the law as it is in Christ for him he having fulfilled all righteousnesse and so for righteousnesse he is become the end of it to every beleever and he is not to have his righteousnesse in the Law but in Chriist And thus now wee see in these three particulars how
This was the glorious designe of God to make persons righteous in Christ as Christ had gathered up all truth and righteousnesse in himself So he being our Head should fulfill righteousnesse and truth in us by the Spirit And that 's the second reason of the point But then 3. 3. That God might be all in all and the creature nothing at all The third reason why we are freed from the law through the Spirt is this that God might be all in all and the creature nothing at all God hath gathered up all into Christ that we might not be saved by fulfilling the law or by any other way that he alone might be all in all that the Creature may not have whereof to boast therefore he doth all freely by his grace and by the law shall no man living be justified for if righteousnesse were by the law then might men have whereof to glory but the great designe of God is his owne glory which he will not give to another and therefore hath he freed us from the Law and glorified the riches of his grace towards us that beleeve in that we through the spirit are freed from the law which brought us under the curse that wee should not bee under the oldnesse of the letter but be of the Circumcision which worship God in the spirit and rejoyce in Christ Iesus and have no confidence in the flesh I should here come to the uses of all but there two or three queeries first to be answered The first is that which Saint Paul both makes and answers having Rom. 7.5 6. declared this truth here hold forth in the Text that we are dead unto the law and freed from the oldnesse of the letter that we migot serve in the newnesse of the Spirit this queree he makes to prevent it in others Is the Law sin then To which the Answer may be in the Apostles words God forbid I say God forbid that any man should so conceive that that which was given immediately from God is sin No saies the Apostle the law is Holy and the Commandment holy just and good It speakes nothing but holinesse and there is nothing but puritie in it I need stand no longer in this to confirme the truth of the puritie of the law it is so apparent But 2. Queerie 2 The next queerie will be that which the same Apostle in another * Gal. 3.19 place also makes and that is this Wherefore then serveth the law Answe Answ The Gospell holds forth this to be the use of the Law viz. To convince every man and woman of their miserable condition out of Christ and this it doth as will appear if you consider this That no man can come into the presence of God or be advanced to the beatifical vision but those that are pure those that are holy For as the Apostle tels us without holinesse no man shall see God so that no unclean thing shall stand in the presence of the most holy God for he is of purer eyes then to behold iniquitie and therefore he hath given forth this Law as a rule for all to walk by in generall it being a holy Law and hath declared that in it he sets before men life and death blessings and cursings but man having in him by nature the seed and root of all corruption hath therefore a will to do evill but none to do good and having first lost his first image can never keep this law for all have sinned and all come short by nature of the glory of God held forth in this Law and therefore being in this condition must at last needes sinke into the bottomlesse pit and the burning Lake where the Worme dyeth not and the fire is not quenched if there be not a Mediator stepping in betweene to bring in everlasting righteousnes in which sinners may stand compleat before God and to redeem them from this Law which because of sinne puts them into this deplorable condition So that now all do see may see or shall see their miserable condition by the Law not having a Saviour and that is now the use of the Law And so much in effect the Apostle holds forth 1 Tim. 1.9 10. Having spoken in the former verses of some that would be Teachers of the Law and turning from the Gospell he bids Timothy to change them to teach no other doctrine then the doctrine of the Gospell Now sayes he the end of the commandement is purity and love the Law holds forth puritie But some sayes he that would be Teachers of the Law know not what they say nor whereof they affirm It seems they either did as the Pharisees seek righteousnesse in the Law or went it may be a little further mixing law and Gospell preaching that men must be saved partly by the Law and partly by Christ or some such like doctrine But positively to say what it was I cannot nor is it much materiall to our purpose But sayes the Apostle though they know not what they do yet we know what we do and what the use and end of the Law is we know it is pure and holds forth purity to all and all that come short of the purity thereof are under the curse thereof being out of Christ and not pure in him and righteous in him knowing that the Law is good if a man use it lawfully that is if it be rightly applyed if we preach the Law and all the terrors thereof unto all that are out of Christ and are not righteous by him Knowing sayes he that the Law was not made for a righteous man but for the lawlesse and disobedient for ungodly and prophane c. the law is made for these and so it discovers their miserable condition unto them And so Paul sayes the Law discovered sin to him and he never knew sin before the Law discovered sinne him and made iâ— to be exceeding sinfull So that this is now the use of the Law it makes all the world to become guilety before God and declares to altheir miserable condition out of Christ And so much for answer of the second quaerie But then 3. Queere 3 Another quaerie will be this Was not then Law given for a Rule of Life unto the people of GOD when it was delivered upon Mount Sinai Answ Answ Yes the Law was given for a rule unto his people Israell who were then the peculiar people of God and this the Apostle cleerly holds forth Gal. 3.24 where he tels us plainly the Law was a Tutor or a Schoole-master untill CHRIST For the Law was our Schoolemaster untill Christ And so the word runs in the Originall and not as it is in our ordinary Translation The Law was our Schoolemaster to bring us to Christ For this is not the sense of it but is contradictorie to what the Apostle had before delivered in the 12. verse where he sayes The Law is not of Faith That is Justification by Faith in the Lord
Righteousnesse of God and going about to set up their owne righteousnesse which is by the Law have not submitted to to the righteousnesse of God c. And so though they had a zeale of God in the fulfilling of the Law Yet being without a Christ they are without a spirit and walke after the flesh Thus you have seene the Caracters of the men that walke after the flesh and they are next to be informed of their wofull and miserable condition from this point and the first word it speakes to them is no lesse then this They shall die die Eternally it is the direct word of the Apostle Rom 8.13 for if yee live after the flesh yee shall die eternally for they that walke after the flesh shall not inherite the Kingdome of God and of Christ Gal 5.2 so that your condition is deplorable and the reason is because you are vnder the law and all the curses thereof so that fearfull is your condition for you are gone no further being but after the flesh then Agar then mount Sinai then mount Ebal you are no further then Agar which is in bondage with her children you are still in bondage and if their be any spirit in you it is a spirit of bondage a spirit vnder which you may lie bound till you drop into hell Againe you are no further then mount Sinai the mount of feare and trembling and you heare nothing but a fearfull noyse so that horrour and trembling lights upon you and fearfullnesse surprises you and no wonder you are no further then mount Ebal all the curses of the law are thundering against you for what saies it Cursed is every one that continueth not in all that is written in the Booke of the law to doe them So that Dredfull fearfull and lamentable is thy condition whoever thou art and wherever thou art that walkest after the flesh To be carnally minded is death death while alive for thou art but as a dead carkase while thou walkest up and downe thou haste no spirituall life in thee no spirituall joy in thee no spirituall peace no true contentment nor joy in the holy Ghost thy pleasures are dead pleasures thy comforts are dead comforts thy life is a dead life for if thou looke upon thoy best comforts and pleasures thou shalt find bitternesse and sorrow in them a secret inward anguish in them so that they are not to be compared with those living pleasures and that glorious sweetnesse and peace that Saints have in the spirits And so may I say of all that thou inioyest Ah poore creature hâ—w sad is thy condition If it be bitternesse in the be gining it will much more be bitter in the latter end And how searfull will that wait of vergence be when it shall fully seâ—â—e upon thee And now I cannot but bewaile and pity thy condition and thy deplorable estate nor can I leave thee heere in it But 3. Vse To invite poore sinners to come to Jesus Christ Vse 3 IN the next use with yerning bowels and melting affections being so deeply affected with thy miserable condition desire to fall a wooing of thee to come over unto the Lord Iesus Christ that through his spirit thou mayest be freed from this condition and a beseeching of thee to be marryed to the Lord Iesus that thou Mayest be dead to the law What canst thou object against him that thou shouldest not imbrace him I know that thou wilt answer that thou canst not object against him but against thy selfe thou art a great sinner But what though thou art 2. Cor. 5.20 Yet he woes thee and sends his messengers to wee thee And wilt thou not be wood And why O hearken to his voice and thy soule shall live Why what saies he Truly faithfull sayings and thus I am come into the world to save sinners dyed for the ungodly What canst thou now say Though thou art a sinner yet thou art not exempted from him Nay though thou art the chiefest of sinners and thy sinns be of the deepest dye though they bee Scarlet and red like Crimson yet is the Blood of the LORD JESUS able to make thee as white as Wooll ye whiter then the Snow Isa 1.18 And now why wilt thou not accept of the LORD JESUS O imbrace him for thy Saviour But thou sayest How shall I dare to come to Christ since I have nothing to bring him norighteousnesse nor holy performances nor good actions But hee will not be put off so but continues still to woe thee and answers that Objection too and saies Let him that is a thirst come and take of the Water of life freely Revel 22.17 Yea without money and without price Isa 55.1 So that he tells thee plainly he expects nothing from thee hee resolves to be free and tâ— shew the riches of his free gracâ— unto thee And now behold he stands at the doore and knockes and waites to be Gracious and now what canst thou say that thou dost not hearken unto his sweete voice And why is not thine heart ravished with his love and overcome with his sweetnesse Canst thou yet refuse to be married to the Lord Jesus And to receive him into thy bosome that he may free thee out of thy miserable condition and adorne thee with glory O receive the Lord Jesus that he may take thee out of thy ragges and filthynesse and aray thee with royall robes and put a crowne upon thine head But me thinkes I should heare thee say How is it that I must receive him that so I may become his Spouse and may bee married unto him and be his for ever I Answer Doth his sweetnesse prevaile upon thine heartt and doth his love constraine thee indeed and art thou so inamored with his beauteous excellencie that now thy heart doth thirst for him And art thou as it were cast into pangs of love for him and longest thou to enjoy him above any besides him Then be leeve that he is the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the World Beleeve he came to save the ciefest of sinners and that he came to save thee and to free thee from under the Law beleeve that he hath washed away thy sinns in his blood and beleeve that hee loves thee and delights in thee for his owne sake And this is all he desires For if thou canst but thus beleeve thou art in a most glorious and a most happie condition for thou hast formerly had nothing that is good in thee yet in belleving if thou dost by the sweet workings of the Spirit in thy soul truely beleeve thou hast put on the Lord Iesus Christ and hast the Spirit of Christ powred into into thee as the Lord Iesus himselfe hath saide Iohn 7.38 39. Hee that beleeveth one me one of his belly shall flow rivers of livig waters And this saith the Text he spake of the Spirit and indeede he that beleeveth on the Son is at once possest of the
increase So thine inperfections must decrease and thy Christ in thee must increase And as the house of David must growe stronger and stronger and the house of Saul weaker and weaker So in thee the Spirit must grow stronger and stronger but the flesh must grow weaker weaker even till the flesh be utterly overcome and mortalitie be swallowed up of life But then 5. Though you were once in continuall feare and under a Spirit of bondage yet now have you continuall peace and joy in the Holy Ghost for you have not received the Spirit of bondage under which you were while you were in the bonds of Satan chains of darknes I say you have not received that spirit of bondage to fear again but you have received the Spirit of Son-ship wherby you seeing God as a reconciled Father do now serve him without fear I mean slavish feare such feare as may in the least trouble or distract your hearts with terrour or horrour for that is contrary to the Spirit of Son-ship And Low can you now feare that in the Spirit behold the Fathers countenance as being reconciled by the Lord Jesus unto him no you cannot for 6. You that were all your life time subject to bondage even to the law and sinne and Satan before the comming of the Lord Iesus into your soules are now freed from it and are now in the glorious light and libertie of the Sons of God in Iesus Christ and now feare I meane slavish is cast away not but that there remains still a sweet feare a filiall feare a feare of love but this is not a trouble but a solace to your souls for it proceeds from sweetnesse and ends in sweetnes it proceeds from love and ends in love The discoveries of love to thee draw it as an effect of love from thee so all slavish or perplexing feare is banished now that thou art in the glorious Kingdom of God in Iesus Christ 7 Vse An exhortaâ—ion to the Saints to walke in the sight of Iesus Christ and in the light in the purity in joy of the Spirit for thou art brought into a kingdome of glory being brought unto the Lord Iesus and in this thou hast all the priviledges that the most inlarged heart can thinke upon and these are your happinesses who are dead to the Law and married to the Lord Iesus And now 7. Vse ANd lastly Is it so that the Saints by the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus have obtained this glorious freedom these glorious priviledges is it thus that the Saints of God have the Spirit of Iesus Christ then here may be a use of sweete exhortation unto them a four fold exhortation 1. Alwayes to be taking sweet views of the Lord Iesus 2. To walke in the glorious light of the Spirit 3. To walke in the puritie of the Spirit and to be fruitfull through the Spirit 4. To walke in the joyes of the Spirit and to rejoyce evermore But 1. You that are Saints seeing you have obtained this freedome the text holds forth by Iesus Christ in whom you have such glorious priviledges Be exhorted to be alwayes taking a view of Iesus Christ and contemplating of that which Christ hath done for you and though yet you know but little be exhorted to know more and to grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ Paul counts all things but drosse and dung for the excellencie of the knowledge of Iesus Christ so do you It is your onely happinesse It is life eternall and therefore hee that knowes most of Christ let him improve all the strength of Christ that is given unto him in the use of all the meanes God hath for that end given to us to know more O let it be your continuall exercise to study the Lord Iesus and to meditate of the Lord Iesus let him be your meditation day and night Let the Lord Iesus alway be in your heart when you lie downe and when you rise up in your going out and comming in In all your discourses let the Lord Iesus be held forth when ever you have opportunitie especially those which are cald to the ministerie and have opportunities according to their calling to speake in publicke being made overseers of a flocke be alwayes I say holding forth the Lord Iesus Christ and the knowledge of the Lord Iesus unto the people for how are they said to be ministers of the Gospel and ministers of Christ that are not continually preaching Christ but as too many doe spend the time in which they should preach Christ in discoursing of points of controversie and of the Civil Law and discoursing of the lawfullnesse of war and the like never holding forth the knowledge of Christ or but seldome I doe not nor cannot object against the lawfulnesse of such discourses but I covet to have more of Christ held forth and to have the Lord Jesus set up in the hearts of all And therefore let this exhortation be acceptable to all strive to know more of the Lord Jesus to know him in every particular Dive into and take a view of all his glories and as you have opportunitie hold them forth to others but especially his death Paul makes that as if it were the summe of all the Gospel he was to hold forth Christ crucified and therefore he tells us that he desires to know nothing and glory in nothing but a crucified Christ 1 Cor 2.2 Gal. 6.14 And O how many and how sweet are the benefits of the Crosse and death of Christ take a veiw of this in the text how upon the crosse he took away the hand-writing of ordinances that was against us and freed us from the curse of the law being made a curse upon the Crosse for us Oh therefore grow in the knowledge of a Christ crucified And in a word grow in all the knowledge of of Christ know him in his death and the fellowship of his suffering and the power of his resurrection know him in his union with thee and relations to thee c. And still so prefer the knowledge of Christ above all other knowledge as with the holy Apostle and the holy martyr to cry out I desire to know none but Christ none but Christ And 2. As you that are Saints are to be exhorted to be alwayes veiwing of your Saviour and to grow in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ so having his Spirit poured upon you you are now to walk in the glorious light of the Spirit that it may appear that you are children of the light for this is your priviledge that ye are now light in the Lord the Lord Iesus is your light and your Sun Oh therefore let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in heaven shine you amidst a crooked and perverse generation although the blinde world walkes in darknesse yet do you walke in the light in the