Learn this then, when we are troubled with anything, set law against law : set the law of the Spirit of life in Christ against all oppositions what- soever ; and let the temptation lie where it will.
1. Let it lie in justification, as n'hen we are te'!)ipted hj Satan to despair for sins, for great si72S. Oh, but then consider, the law of the Spirit of life in Christ hath ' freed me from the law of sin and of death.' Christ was made sin, to free me from sin. Consider that Christ was God-man. He satisfied divine justice. ' The blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin,' 1 John i. 7, * though they be as red as crimson,' Isa. i. 18. Thus set
THE SPIRITUAL JUBILEE. 245
Christ against our sins in justificiitiou, when the guilt of them troubles our souls.
2. And so likewise, when we are set on by base lusts, set against them the power of Christ in sanctification. What am I now ? A member of Christ; one that professeth myself to be an heir of heaven. There is a Spirit of life in Christ my head. There is a law of the Spirit of life in Christ ; that is, there is a commanding power in his Spirit ; and that Spirit of his is not only in the head, but in the members. If I go to him for grace, I may have grace, answerable to the grace that is in him, grace that will strengthen me with his power. ' Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might,' Eph. vi. 10, and in ' Christ I can do all things,' Philip, iv. 13, by his Spirit, though in myself I can do nothing.
3. And so in deadness and desolation of S2)irit, when the soul is cast down with discomfort, let us think with ourselves, the Spirit of life in Christ is a quickening Spirit. If I can believe in Christ, he hath freed me from the guilt of sin ; and he hath by his Spirit given me some little enlai'gement from the dominion of my corruptions : why should I be cast down ? I am an heir of heaven. Ere long Satan shall ' be trodden under my feet,' Luke X. 19. Ere long I shall be free from the spiritual combat and conflict with sin, that I am now encountered with. Therefore I will comfort myself ; I will not be cast down overmuch.
4. In the honr of death, let us make use of this freedom of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. When the time comes that there must be a separation of soul and body, Oh let us think with our ourselves : Now I must die, yet Christ hath died ; and I must die in con- formity to my head ; and here is my comfort — -' The law of the Spirit of life hath freed me from the law of death.' It hath freed me from spiritual and eternal death. So that now through Christ death is become friendly to me. Death now is not the death of me, but death will be the death of my misery, the death of my sins ; it will be the death of my corruptions. Death now will be the death of all that before troubled me. But death will be my birthday in regard of happiness. * Better is the day of death than the day of birth,' Eccles. vii. 1. When a man comes into this life he comes into misery ; but when he dies, he goes out of misery and comes to hap- piness. So that, indeed, we never live till we die ; we never live eternally and happily till then. For then we are freed from all misery and sin. ' Blessed are they that die in the Lord ; they rest from their labours,' Rev. xiv. 13. \ Thoy rest from their labours of toil and misery ; they rest from the labours of sin, from all labours whatsoever. ' Blessed are they that die in the Lord,' and of all times then blessed, more blessed than before. They rest from their labours, and then begins their happiness that shall never end. So you see what comfort a Christian's soul sprinkled with the blood of Christ may have, if it go to God in Christ, and beg of Christ to be set at liberty from all enemies, to serve God in holiness and right- eousness.
I speak too meanly when I say, the law of the Spirit of life hath freed us from sin and death. This is not all. The Spirit of Ufe not only frees us from ill, but advanceth us to the contrary good in every thing wherein this freedom is. For we are not only called out of misery, but to a kingdom. We are not only freed from sin, but entitled to heaven in justification ; and in sanctitication we are not only freed from corruption, but enabled by the Holy Spirit of liberty to run the ways of God's commandments, and make them voluntary ; to serve God cheerfully, ' zealous of good works,' Titus
246 THE SPIRITUAL JUDILEE.
ii. 14. Wc arc not only freed from the command and condemnation of sin, and the ri^'our of the law, but we have contrary dispositions, ready and willing, and voluntary dispositions, wrought by the Spirit of Christ, to every thing that is good. And so we are not only free from death and misery (for so things without life are, they snifer no misery), but we are partakers of everlasting life and glory, the liberty of glorj\ God's benefits are com- plete ; that is, not only privative, freeing us from ill, but positive, implying all good ; because God will shew himself a God : he will do good things as a God, fully. For the law of the Spirit of life not only frees us from the law of sin and of death, but ' writes the law of God in our hearts.' He not only frees us from the law of death, but advanceth us to everlasting life, to the glorious life we have in heaven, ' to live for ever with the Lord,' 1 Thes. iv. 17. Oh happy condition of a Christian, if we could know our happiness !