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strcngtli of judgment, this is the greatest good. I will not move out of this circle. If I go out of this I shall be unhappy. And this is the greatest hberty of all.
What do we pray in the Lord's prayer but for this liberty ? ' Thy will be done,' Mat. vi. 10. That is, take me out of my own will more and more ; conform my will to thine in all things. The more I do so, the more liberty I have. The strength of that petition is, that we may have perfect liberty in serving God.
The greatest and sweetest liberty is, w-hen we have no liberty to sin at all ; when we cannot sin. It is greater chastity not to have power to resist, to be impregnable in continence and sobriety. When there is such a measure of these graces as they are not to be ovex'come, it is greater strength than when the}' may be prevailed over. So men mistake to think this the greatest liberty to have power to good or evil. That is the imperfection of the creature. Man was at the first created free to either good or evil of himself, that he might fall of himself. This was not strength, but a thing that followed the creature that came out of nothing, and that was subject to fall to his own principles again. But to have the soul stablished that it shall not have freedom to ill, it is so stablished in good. It hath the under- standing so enlightened, and the will so confirmed and strengthened, that it is without danger of temptation. That is properly glorious liberty, and that is the better endowment of both, so that we see it clearly that grace takes not awa}' liberty, but establisheth it.
Now besides this inward spiritual liberty that we have by the Spirit, there is an outward preserving liberty that must be a little touched, and that is twofold.
(1.) A Uherty of prcachinr] the gosjiel ; and (2.) A liberty of discipline, as u-e call it ; of government that is in the church of God ; and should be at least in all places, because we are men, and must have such helps. Now these are liberties that the Spirit bestows upon the church wheresoever there is an inward spiritual liberty. Men are brought into the church by the liberty of the gospel, and preserved by government. There must be a subjection to pastors ; there must be teaching and some discipline, or else all will be in a confusion. Now this inward liberty is wrought by the liberty of the gospel.
Quest. What is the liberty of the gospel ?
Ans. When there is a blessed liberty in the church to have tnie liberty opened, the charter of om* liberty.
Quest. 'WTiat is the charter of our liberty ?
Ans. The word of God. When the charter and patent of our liberty is laid open, in laying it open we come to have interest in those liberties. Therefore the liberty of the temple, the liberty of the church, of the word and sacraments, and some order in the church with it, it brings in spiritual liberty and preserves it. It is as it were the bonds and sinews of the church. Now where the Spirit of God is with the gospel, there is this liberty of the gospel ; there are the doors of the temple and sanctuary set open, as, blessed be God, this kingdom hath had. With the spiritual liberty, there is an outward liberty of the tabernacle of God and the house of God, that we can all meet to hear the word of God and to receive the sacraments ; that we can all meet to call upon God in spu'it and in truth ; and these outward liberties, beloved, are blessed liberties. For where God gives these outward liberties, he intends to bestow and to convey spiritual liberty. How shall we come to spiritual liberty without unfolding the
228 EXCELLENCY OF THE GOSPEL
charter, the word of God ? Therefore Christ hath estahhshed a ministry, apostles, and doctors,- and pastors, to edify the church to the end of the ■world ; and therefore we see where there is no outward liberty of unfolding the word, where there is no outward liberty of the ministry, there wants this inward liberty. For God by the preaching of the gospel sets us at liberty.
Again, when Christ preached the gospel first, it was the year of jubilee. Now, in the year of jubilee, all servants were set at liberty, and those that had not soldf their inheritances might recover them again if they would. This jubilee was a typo of the spiritual liberty that the gospel sets ua at. Those that have served sin and Satan before, if they will regard the gi'acious promises of the gospel, they may of slaves of sin and Satan be- come the free men of Jesus Christ. But in those times some would be servants still, and would not be set at liberty. Their ears were bored for perpetual slaves ;X and it is pity but their ears should be bored for ever- lasting slaves, that now, in the glorious jubilee of the gospel, resolve still to be slaves. When a proclamation of liberty was made to come out of Babylon all that would, many would stick there still. So many are in love with Egypt and Babylon and slavery. It is pity but they should be slaves. But those that have more noble spirits, as they desire liberty, so they should desire spiritual liberty especially. And here you see how to come by it. ' Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty;' and where the ordinance of God is ; that is, the ministry of the Spirit, there is the Spirit. Where these outward liberties are, it is a sign that God hath an intendment to set men at spiritual liberty.