L VII. Neither are the fore-mentioned uses of the law con trary to the grace of the gospel, but do sweetly comply with itw; the spirit of Christ subduing and enabling the will of man to do that freely and cheerfully, which the will of God revealed in the law requireth to be done x. CHAP. XX. Of Christian Liberty, and Liberty of Conscience. T HE liberty which Christ hath purchased for believers under the gospel, consists in their freedom from the guilt of fin, the condemning wrath of God, the curse of the moral minion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace, 1 Pet. iii. 8. Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compaffion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous. v. 9. Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise, blessing: knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. v. 10. For he that will love life, and fee good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile. V. 11. Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him feek peace and ensue it. v. 12. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. With Pfal. xxxiv. 12. What man is he that defireth life, and loveth many days, that he may fee good? 7. 13. Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. v. 14. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and purfue it. V. 15. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. v. 16. The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. VII. w Gal. iii. 21. Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid; for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. * Ezek. xxxvi. 27. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye frall keep my judgments, and do them. Heb. viii. 10. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Ifrael after those days, faith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts; and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people. With Jer. xxxi. 33. But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Ifrael, after those days, faith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and will be their God, and they shall be my people. I. a Tit. 1 1 moral lawa; and in their being delivered from this present evil world, bondage to Satan and dominion of finb, from the evil of afflictions, the sting of death, the victory of the grave, and everlasting damnationc; as also in their free access to Godd, and their yielding obedience unto him, not out of flavish fear, but a child like love and willing mind e: all which were common alfo to believers under the lawf. But, under the New Testament, the liberty of Christians is further inlarged, in their freedom from the yoke of the ceremonial law, to which the Jewish church was subjectedg; and in greater boldness of access to the throne of grace b, and in fuller communications of the free spirit of God, than believers under the law did ordinarily partake of i. I. a Tit. ii. 14. Who gave him felf for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. 1 Theff. i. 10. And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivered us from the wrath to come. Gal. iii. 13. Chrift hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Curfed is every one that hangeth on a tree. b Gal. i. 4. Who gave himself for our fins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father. Col. i. 13. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son. Acts xxvi. 18. To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of fins, and inheritance among them who are sanctified by faith that is in me. Rom. vi. 14. For fin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. c Rom. viii, 28. We know that all things work together for good, to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Pfal. cxix. 71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted: the that I might learn thy statutes. 1 Cor. xv. 54. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal frall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is fwallowed up in' victory. v. 55. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? v. 56. The fting of death is fin; and the strength of fin is the law. v. 57. But thanks be to God who giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Chrift. Rom. viii. r. There is therefore now no con-. demnation to them who are in Chrift Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. dRom. v. 1. Therefore being juf-. tified by faith, we have peace with God, thro' our Lord Jesus Chrift. v. 2. By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Rom. viii. 14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the fons of God. v. 14. For ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 1 John. iv. 18. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment: he that feareth is not made perfect in love. f Gal. iii. 9. So then they who be of faith, are blessed with faithful Abra 1 II God alone is Lord of the confciencek, and hath left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men, which are in any thing contrary to his word, or beside it, in matters of faith or worship/. So that to believe such doctrines, or to obey such commandments out of confcience, is to betray true liberty of confciencem; and the requiring of an implicite faith, and an abfolute and blind obedience, is to destroy liberty of confcience, and reason alfo n. braham. v. 14. That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. g Gal. iv. 1. Now I fay, that the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a fervant, though he be lord of all; v. 2. But is under tutors and governors, until the time appointed of the father. v. 3. Even fo we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. v. 6. And because ye are fons, God hath fent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father,. v.7. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a fon; and if a fon, then an heir of God through Christ. Gal. v. 1. Stand faft therefore in the liberty wherewith Chrift hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Acts xv. 10. Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the difciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? v. 11. But we believe, that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we shall be faved, even as they. Heb. iv. 14. Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold faft our profeffion. v. 16. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace free to help in time of need. Heb. x. 19. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest, by the blood of Jesus, v. 20. By a new and living way which he hath confecrated for us through the vail, that is to fay, his flesh; v. 21. And having an high priest over the house of God: v. 22. Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts fprinkled from an evil confcience, and our bodies washed with pure water. i John vii. 38. He that believethon me, as the fcripture hath faid, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water, v. 39. But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him, should receive; for the holy Ghost was not yet given, because that Jesus was not yet glorified. 2 Cor. iii. 13. And not as Mofes, who put a vail over his face, that the children of Ifrael could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: v. 17. Now the Lord is that Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty, v. 18. But we all with open face, beholding as in a glass, the glory of the Lord, are changed into the fame image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. II. James iv. 12. There is one law-giver, who is able to fave, and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another? Rom. xiv. 4. Who art thou that judgeit another man's fervant? to his own master he standeth or falleth: Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. 1 Acts iv. 19. But Peter and John anfwered and faid unto them, Whether it be right in the fight of God to hearken unto you, more than unto God, judge ye. Acts v. 29. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and faid, We ought to obey God rather than men. 1 Cor. vii. 23. Ye are bought with a price, be not ye the fervants of men. Mat. xxiii. 8. But be not ye called Rabbi, for one is your master, even Christ, and all ye are brethren. v. 9. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your father, who is in heaven, V. 10. Neither be ye called masters; for one is your master, even Christ, 2 Cor. i. 24. Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand. Mat. xv. 9. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. m Col. ii. 20. Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world; why as though living in the world, are ye fubject to ordinances, v. 22. Which all are to perish with the using, after the commandments and doctrines of men? v. 23. Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship and humility, and neglecting of the body, not in any honour to the fatisfy III. They ing of the flesh. Gal. i. 10. For do I now perfwade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the fervant of Christ. Gal. ii. 4. And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty, which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: v. 5. Το whom we gave place by fubjection, no not for an hour: that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. Gal. v. 1. Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Rom.x. 17. So then, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Rom. xiv. 24. And he that doubteth, is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith, is fin. Ifa. viii. 20. To the law and to the teftimony: if they fpeak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. Acts xvii. II. These were more noble than those in Theffalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and fearched the scriptures daily, whether those things were fo. Johniv. 22. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship; for falvation is of the Jews. Hof. v. 11. Ephraim is oppressed, and broken in judgment; because he willingly walked after the commandment. III. They who, upon pretence of Christian liberty, do practise any fin, or cherish any lust, do thereby destroy the end of Christian liberty; which is, that, being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, we might serve the Lord without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life o. IV. And because the powers which God hath ordained, and the liberty which Christ hath purchased, are not intended by God to destroy, but mutually to uphold and preserve one another; they who, upon pretence of Christian liberty, shall oppose any lawful power, or the lawful exercise of it, whether it be civil or ecclesiastical, refift the ordinance of Godp. And Rev. xiii. 12. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth, and them who dwell therein, to worship the first beaft, whose deadly wound was healed. v. 16. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: v. 17. And that'no man might buy, or fell, fave he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Jer. viii. 9. The wife men are afhamed, they are dismayed and taken; lo, they have rejected the word of the Lord, and what wisdom is in them? III. Gal. 5. 13. For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty, only use not liberty for an occafion to the flesh, but by love, ferve one another. 1 Pet. ii. 16. As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke ☐ of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. 2 Pet. ii. 19. While they promise them liberty, they them selves are the fervants of corruption. for of whom a man is overcome, of the fame is he brought in bondage. John viii. 34. Jefus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, IV. p Mat. xii. 25. And Jesus knew their thoughts, and faid unto them, Every kingdom divided againft itself is brought to defolation: and every city or house divided against itself, shall not stand. I Pet. ii. 13. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's fake: whether it be to the king as supreme; V. 14. Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him, for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well. v. 16. As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. (Rom. xiii. 1. to the 8. verse.) Heb. xiii. 17. Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your fouls, as they that must give account: that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. H 2 Rom. |