[4.] It must be such a liberty as bringeth us nearest to the state of innocency, which is man's first estate ; and the state of glory, which is his last and most perfect state. Now this doth consist in a freedom
VeR. 21.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. 173
from the power of sin ; the liberty of innocency was posse non peccare ; Adam might not have sinned ; the liberty of glory will be 7ion 2Msse 2^^ccare, they cannot sin ; as not with a moral cannot, it is absurd, that may be obtained here : 1 John iii. 9, ' He can- not sin, because he is born of God;' but witli a natural can- not; it is impossible ; the soul doth indeclinably adhere to God as the chiefest good ; therefore now the nearer we come to this, the will of man is best disposed, and the more to be accounted as free. Divines usually consider man in a fourfold estate : In statu instituto, in a state of integrity, and so man might not have sinned. In statu destituto, in a state of corruption, so he can do nothing else but sin ; that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually, Gen. vi. 5. In statu restituto; and so he hath an inclination partly to good by the Spirit of grace dwelling in him ; partly to evil, by reason of the relics of sin ; and is only so far freed from the bondage of cor- ruption, as that it shall not reign in him, Rom. vi. 14. In statu, i^rce- stituto, in the state to which he is appointed ; in the state of glory, in which he can will nothing but what is good ; a blessed necessity it is, and our highest liberty ; for liberty is not opposite to necessity, but obligation or impulsion ; we are never more free than when we are past all possibility of sinning.
2. As it relateth to our felicity ; and so it implieth two things : (1.) Our immunities and privileges; (2.) Our rights and prerogatives. [1.] The immunities and privileges of God's children. We are de- livered from much misery by Christ. First, From the slavery of sin : Ilom. vi. 18, ' Being made free from sin, ye became the servants of right- eousness.' Though sin still dwelleth in us, j'et the guilt is remitted, the damning power gone : Rom. viii. 1, 'There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ ; ' the reigning power broken : Rom. vi. 14, ' For sin shall not have dominion over you,' and so it is more and more mortified in us, by the grace of regeneration, till at length it be abolished by death. And so the being is gone, and our enthralled spirits are in some measure set free, to know, serve, and love God, and delight in him as our lord, and life, and end, and all. vSecondly, From death, as the curse of the law ; and so from those everlasting torments which the wicked must endure. The second death hath no power over such ; and though we are obnoxious to the first death, yet the venom and sting of it is gone : 1 Cor. sv. 56, 57, ' 0 death, where is thy sting ? 0 grave, where is thy victory ? ' And of an enemy it is made a friend: 1 Cor. iii. 22, 'Death is yours;' it is made the gate and entrance into eternal rest. Thirdly, From the bondage that did arise in us from the fear of eternal death. Where sin is entertained, it bringeth another inmate along with it, and that is the fear and terror of death and damnation, which ariseth from the consciousness of sin. Now to be free from the accusations of a guilty conscience, and those self-tormentings which in the wicked are the foretastes of hell, is surely a great mercy ; and this is the privilege of God's people : Heb. ii. 14, 15, ' To deliver them who through fear of death are all their life-time subject to bondage.' And sinners are such bond-men, that they dare not call themselves to an account for the expense of their time, and course of their employments, which all wise men should
174 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SeR. XXVIII.
do ; and think seriously of God, and the day of judgment, and the world to come ; therefore it is a great mercy to have a quiet well settled conscience. Fourthly, From the tyranny and power of Satan, as a deceiver, and enemy, and executioner of the wrath of God ; who thereby taketh wicked men captive at his will and pleasure. He can- not totally prevail against the elect : Mat. xvi. 18, ' Upon this rock I build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it ; ' though he vex and tempt them continually. He hath a kind of right to apostate souls: Eph. vi. 12, ' Euler of the darkness of this world ; ' but his power is much broken as to the elect ; they are daily exercised by him, but they overcome, and stand stedfast in the faith. Fifthly, They are freed from the law and covenant of works, which requiretli that wliich to us is become impossible ; and also from the burdensome task of useless ceremonies imposed on the church in the times of infancy and darkness. And the apostle biddeth us stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free. Gal. v. 1. The ceremonial law was a bondage, by reason of the great trouble, expense, and pain to the flesh whicli did attend the observation of it, especially in its use, a bond confessing the debt; and Christ hath purchased this freedom and liberty to the church, and we should stand to the defence of it. Sixthly, An immunity from such temporal judg- ments as might hinder our salvation, and the service of God : 1 Cor. x. 13, ' There hath no temptation taken hold of you, but such as is common to man. But God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it;' and Rom. viii. 28, 'All things shall work together for good to them that love God.' No ab- solute immunity from troubles ; God hath reserved a liberty to hie wisdom and justice to afflict us as he shall see cause: Ps. Ixxxix. 32, ' Then will I visit their transgressions with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes,' but will preserve us to his heavenly kingdom, 2 Tim. iv. 17, 18.