to chufe it. For in our Converfion God fetteth up a new Light in our Souls; and of unwilling maketh us willing to entertain good Defires, and to do good Actions.

THE fecond Degree of our Liberty is, A Freedom from the Guilt of Sin. The Guilt of Sin is the Obligation to Punishment; from which we are freed by Chrift upon our Faith and Repentance. For by Chrift all that believe are juftified from all things, from which none could be juftified by the law of Mofes, A&t. xiii. 38, 39. As foon as we believe and truly repent of our Sins, we are abfolved from them. And fo long as we abftain from Sin, and continue holy, our Freedom from the Guilt of Sin continues. For if we walk in the light, as God is in the light, the blood of Jefus Chrift his Son cleanfeth us from all fin, 1 Joh. i. 7.

THE third Degree of our Liberty is, A Freedom from the Dominion of Sin. As the Blood of Christ acquitteth us from the Guilt of Sin; fo doth it alfo purge our confcience from dead works to ferve the living God, Heb. ix. 14. And if we are Sons of God through Chrift, then we are not under the Dominion of Sin, but renewed by the Spirit after the Image of God in Purity and Holinefs.

THE fourth Degree of our Liberty is, A Freedom from the Tyranny of Satan. When we are Servants of Sin, we are under the Bondage of Satan. For he that committeth fin is of the devil. But for this purpose the Son of God was manifefted, that he might destroy the works of the devil, 1 Joh. iii. 8. And whofoever is obedient to Chrift, and ferveth him as his Lord, is no longer under the Dominion of Satan. And fo long as we cleave unto God, and walk in his Ways, the wicked one cannot hurt us. THE

THE fifth Degree of our Liberty is, A Freedom from the Curfe of the Law. The Old Law threatens to the Tranfgreffors of it temporal and eternal Death, with the Miferies preceding. And from all these, as they are Curfes, Chrift hath freed the Faithful. For Chrift hath redeemed us from the curfe of the law, being made a curse for us, Gal. iii. 13. And this Freedom from the Curfe of the Law is purchased for us, on Condition that we walk according to the Rule of the Gofpel. And no longer than we obey the Gospel are we freed by Chrift from the Curfe of the Law.

THE fixth Degree of our Liberty is, A Freedom from the Burden of the Ceremonial Law, to which the Jewish Church was fubject. For Chrift by his Death hath utterly diffolved the Law of Ceremonies, and exempted us from yielding Obebedience to it. And they that obferve it, do in effect deny that Chrift is come in the Flefh, Gal. v. 4. And 'tis also an infringing of Christian Liberty, to impofe a new Yoke of fuperfluous Ceremonies in the Worship of God.

THE Seventh Degree of our Liberty is, A Freedom from the Judicial Law of the Jews. Though fuch things as were Moral in that Law, are ftill obligatory: Yet what was meerly Political doth not bind us. But Chriftian Governors have Power to make other Laws for the good of the Common-wealth, and Subjects have Liberty to obey them. For many things in the Jewish Policy were fitted to the Condition of that Nation, and their ceremonial Worship, the Obfervation of which would not now be lawful. But other things in their Judicial Law may be still obferved. fo it be without an Opinion of Neceffity.

THE

THE eighth Degree of our Liberty is, A Freedom from Humane Conftitutions, as binding the Confcience. This Liberty is an entire Privilege of our Creation: For God alone is the Lord of Confcience; and it cannot be bound, but where he doth bind it. And if Superiors take upon them an Authority to bind the Confcience, by impofing things as neceffary, which God hath left indifferent, or by requiring Men to place Religion in the Obfervation of their Commands and Doctrines, we may lawfully refufe to fubmit to fuch Impofitions, Col. ii. 20, 22. For the Confcience is exempt from Humane Power. And we ought not to be Servants of Men, fo as to betray the Liberty of our Confcience, 1 Cor. vii. 23. But when our Governors command things lawful, we are bound in Confcience to obey them; not because they have Power over our Confcience to bind it by vertue of their own Authority, but because God himfelf hath commanded us to obey them.

THE Second Part of Chriftian Liberty is, A Right to the Privileges of God's Children. The Liberty which we have by Chrift, is not only privative, confifting in a Freedom from Bondage, but also positive, confifting in having a Right to the Privileges which Chrift hath purchased: And there are several such Privileges.

THE first Privilege which we have by Christ is, The Illumination of Mind, and Rectitude of Will. The natural Man knoweth not the things of the Spirit of God; neither can he will that which is truly good. But when we are made free by Chrift, the Eyes of our Mind are cleared with the Eye-falve of his Holy Spirit, and our Will is reformed and freed to good. For all that are

Chrift's

Chrift's are led by his Spirit. And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty, 2 Cor. iii. 17.

THE fecond Privilege which we have by Christ is, The Alfiftance of Grace fufficient to enable us to obey the Commands of God in Sincerity. As it was polible for Adam in the State of Innocency to have kept the Covenant of Works by that Power of Grace, which was confecrated with him: So it is poffible for us to perform the Condition of the New Covenant by that Grace, which God is ready to give us for the feeking. For God hath graciously promised that he will give us a new Heart and a new Spirit, that we may ferve him in Holiness and Righteoufnefs all the Days of our Life, Ezek. xi. 19. Luk. i. 74, 75.

THE third Privilege, which we have by Christ, confifteth in God's accepting of Faith and fincere Obedience instead of perfect Righteousness. The good Works, which we perform, do not deferve God's Acceptance: But for the Merits of Chrift they are approved of God, and imputed to us for Righteoufnefs. For if we believe the Gofpel, and confirm our Hearts and Lives thereunto, God will pardon our Frailties, and account us righteous according to the Gospel. And fure a great Privilege it is that God doth favourably accept thofe imperfect Services which we render unto him.

THE fourth Privilege which we have by Chrift

a Right to all the Bleffings which God hath promised, both Temporal and Spiritual. For Spiritual Bleffings are promifed on Condition of Repentance and new Obedience. And they only that turn from their Sins unto God, and walk in his Ways with an upright Heart, are in favour with him, and fhall receive increase of Grace,

and

and eternal Salvation. And Temporal Bleffings alfo are promised on Condition of Faith and Obedience to the Gofpel. For godliness hath the promife of the life that now is, 1 Tim. iv. 8. And none but fuch as are godly have fure ground to depend on God for the Neceffaries and Comforts of this Life. For God hath made no Promife to blefs and profper the Wicked; though many times, according to the Pleasure of his Will, he giveth them abundance of Temporal Bleffings.

II. THE Properties of Chriftian Liberty are two. First, That it is Spiritual. Secondly, That it is Holy.

Firft, That Chriftian Liberty is a Spiritual Liberty. As the Kingdom of Chrift is fpiritual, erected in the Hearts of his Subjects: So the Liberty which he hath purchased for us is fpiritual, confifting in the Freedom of the Soul and Confcience, and not of the outward Man. He that is called in the Lord being a fervant, is the Lord's free man, I Cor. vii. 22. For outward Bondage nothing impaireth the Liberty of the Confcience: Nor are we the lefs free before God, though we be fubject to the Government of others. For 'tis no part of our Chriftian Liberty to be freed from the Bonds of Duty and Obedience to any lawful Power. But though we be free, in that our Confcience is not bound by Humane Laws; yet as the Servants of God, we are bound in Confcience, by vertue of God's Command, to obey our Governors in things lawful. And 'tis a moft pernicious Error to hold that we are exempted from Obedience to Magiftrates by vertue of Chriftian Liberty.

Secondly,