world, and sin, and Satan ; and we come to break their chains, and to set them at liberty. Our blessed Lord proclaimed this as the great object of his mission, " to preach deliverance to the captives, and to proclaim the acceptable year of the LordV There are now, as there were in the Jewish state, many who love their bonds, and account the service of their master preferable to the liberty that is proclaimed. But this does not at all change the nature of the Gospel, which is alto- gether " a law of liberty " to all who truly embrace it. Do not then imagine, that, when we would induce you to renounce all the lords that have had dominion over you, we would bring you into bondage, or deprive you of any thing that will conduce to your real happiness. We make our appeal to yourselves, and ask, Whether what you have hitherto consi- dered as liberty, has not been in reality the sorest bondage ? We ask, Whether sin has not kept you from the love and service of God, and bound you as with adamantine chains to the objects of time and sense ? We ask, Whether in pro- portion as you were brought to the employment and felicity of the heavenly hosts, you would not attain to perfect free- dom ? To all then we say, Believe in Christ, and give your- selves up to him, and ye shall then " be delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of'the children
of God y."]
2. Its proper tendency —
[Strange as the inconsistency is, the very persons who will exclaim against the Gospel as making the way to heaven so strait that nobody can walk in it, will cry out against it also as a licentious doctrine, and will represent the preachers of it as saying, that men may live as they please, provided only they believe. But the Gospel is " a doctrine according to godliness ;" and the very " grace of God which bringeth sal- vation, teaches men to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live righteously, soberly, and godly in this present world." The Gospel, it is true, is " a law of liberty;" but not of liberty to live in sin : it is a liberty from sin ; and a liberty in the ways of God. Instead of superseding morality, it raises the tone of morals to the highest possible pitch, requiring us to " walk in all things as Christ walked," and to " purify ourselves even as he is pure." And, whilst it sets up this high standard for our attainment, it sets up the same for our trial in the last day ; and requires us so to speak and so to do, as they that shall be tried and judged by it. Know there- fore, that notwithstanding the Gospel is as free for all as the light we see and the air we breathe, its proper tendency is to assimilate#us to God, whose name and nature is love2.]
x Luke iv. 18. 19. y Rom. viii. 21. z 1 John iv. 8, W.