The True Bounds of Christian Freedom, Text (5 of 5)

The True Bounds of Christian Freedom · Text (5 of 5)

p. 282And if promiſes of Grace (though abſolute and free in themſelves, yet are conditionall in reſpect of the performance of them) much more may I ſay this of promiſes of comfort, peace, joy, — if which were acknowledged, men certainely would not run upon theſe rocks, that a beleever immediatly upon the act of ſin, may take comfort and hear God ſpeaking peace in the promiſe, and all the gracious language of heaven, as though he had not ſinned; the want of the acknowledgement of this, doth unavoydably carry men upon ſuch rockes; certainly what ever the promiſe is, yet the performance of theſe promiſes p. 283are conditionall; I ſay theſe kinde of promiſes they are conditionall, in reſpect of the performance of them, what ever they are in the nature of them. And therefore we are to doe duties as ſubſervient meanes for the compaſſing of them; not that duty is the Cauſe, or that it hath any Cauſall influence to the procuring of theſe things, but that it is a ſubſervient meanes for the obtaining of theſe things which God hath ſo freely promiſed: God hath promiſed theſe things to his people, and this is the way wherein God will performe them, as hee tells us, Iſai. 64.5. Iſai. 64.5.Isa 64:5He meeteth him who reioyceth and worketh righteouſneſſe, and Pſal. 50.23. Pſal. 50.23.Ps 50:23To him that ordereth his converſation aright, will I ſhew the ſalvation of God, and in the 6. Gal. 16. Gal. 6.16.Gal 6:16As many as walke by this rule peace be upon them. So that you ſee the way in which God performes theſe promiſes, is in a way of duty and obedience: And therefore may wee doe duty with reſpect to the inioyment of theſe promiſes.

Obiect. But it may be it will be ſaid, that can be no precedent condition to grace and juſtification, which is a ſubſequent fruit of grace and juſtification: But to performe dutie acceptably is a ſubſequent p. 284fruit of our juſtification, Bona opera non praecedunt juſtificationem, ſed ſequuntur juſtificatum. Aug. Quamvis bona opera fiunt ab homine, fides tamen qua fiut fit in homine. Aug.and work of grace in us, and therefore cannot be ſaid to be a precedent condition. That it is a ſubſequent fruit of our juſtification, we have the cōcurrent opinions of all our learned and holy Writers againſt the Papiſts, in their Treatiſes againſt iuſtification by works; and among other arguments this is uſed for one. If we be juſtified before we can worke, then we are not iuſtified by our works, but we are juſtified before we can worke, therefore — And that we are iuſtified before we can worke, the Scripture ſeemes to hold forth plainly. When it tels us. Joh. 15.5.John 15:5That without Chriſt we can doe nothing. And that we are created in Chriſt Ieſus to good works. Eph. 2.10.Eph 2:10And in our ſelves we are dead men, and all our life is from Chriſt, and we can have no life from Chriſt till we have union with him; Eph. 2.2, 3. 1 Joh. 5.12.Eph 2:2Eph 2:31 John 5:12For he that hath the Sonne hath life, and he that hath not the Sonne hath not life. And as ſoone as there is life and union, there is iuſtification, for they are ſimultaneous both at the ſame time, though in order of nature one may be conceived before the other. Operamur ex juſtificatione non in juſtificationem. Brum.And it will be ſaid, if this argument be true which we oppoſe againſt the Papiſts, then muſt we not worke that we p. 285may be iuſtified, but we muſt be iuſtified that we may worke. And if to them the performance of duties cannot be ſaid to be the precedent conditions, ſeeing they are the ſubſequent fruits of grace and juſtification. Thus I have raiſed up this obiection to the utmoſt height I can; And in this height, I had thought to have dealt with it, but that I ſee it leads into ſo many intricate diſputations, which are fitter for a particular Treatiſe, then for the Anſwer to one objection; yet if better and more able hands doe not undertake it, (which is my earneſt deſire) then poſſibly God may afford an occaſion to me, one who is the meaneſt of thoſe that labour in the Goſpel, to ſpeake ſomething to ſuch a ſubject as this is. In the meane I ſhall propound a few things to be ſeriouſly and throughly conſidered on.

1. Whether theſe things laid downe may not be both precedent conditions, and alſo ſubſequent fruits of grace; Eſpecially, if you looke upon them as conditions of Gods beſtowing, before of our bringing, and ſo qualifications to grace, as yet they are qualifications from grace, and grace themſelves, and preſuppoſe ſome exiſtence of faith?

p. 2862. Duplex qualificatio, qua, & quae.Whether thoſe be good and ſafe diſtinctions of qualification; 1. The qualifications in which or by which a ſoule comes to Chriſt, (which are ſaid to be ſenſe of need, Matth. 11.28. and hunger and thirſt; ſpirituall povertie, Matth. 5. beg.) 2. The qualification which brings the ſoule to Chriſt, viz. faith. And then this the qualifications of grace, and the qualifications to grace; eſpecially, if admitted, that thoſe qualifications to grace are not of man, though in man.

3. Whether there be not ſome works in order to grace, which may be ſaid to be from the Spirit, but yet are not with the Spirit. I ſay from the ſpirit of ſanctification, and yet not with the ſanctifying ſpirit? As the light of the morning is from the Sunne, yet not with the Sunne.

4. Whether Chriſt come not to us, before he come into us, and we have ſome kinde of life from Chriſt, before we come to live in Chriſt, or Chriſt in us—and if ſo, whether [before] in order of time, or in order of nature only, or whether before in reſpect of manifeſtation to us, or before in realitie and truth.

5. Whether thoſe diſtinctions will hold of negative and poſitive, active and p. 287paſsive preparations to Chriſt; by the one the Spirit of God emptying us of our ſins, and ſelves: by the other begetting in us deſires, hungering and thirſting after Chriſt; or whether both theſe doe not preſuppoſe ſome exiſtence and being of faith, and Chriſt in the ſoule, who hath entered the ſoule, as the light enters into a darke roome, which doth rather diſpell, then expell the darkneſſe; rather drives out darkneſſe in entrance, then throw out darkneſſe before it enter—

6. Duplex receptio Chriſti, paſſiva & activa.Whether that be a ſafe diſtinction laid down by Learned men of a paſsive and active Reception of Chriſt. And whether that in the one wee receive Chriſt, as a dead man receives life; in the other, as the living man receives food; and whether the one may be called the ſoules intereſt in Chriſt, and the other the manifeſtation of that intereſt; and if ſo, whether many of thoſe which are ſaid to be preparations to Chriſt, Receptio Chriſti activa eſt receptio in foro conſcientiae.doe not preſuppoſe Chriſt in us; and goe not before the ſouls intereſt, though the manifeſtation of that intereſt?

7. Whether Gods order of working may not differ from that which is to be our order of preaching; and whether p. 288there be not ſome uſe to be made of that diſtinction, of Gods ordinary and his extraordinary workings on man.

8. Whether upon the ſame ground upon which all preparations, previous workings, precedaneall acts of God to juſtification are denyed, viz. convictoin of ſinne, and diſcovery of Chriſt, even upon the ſame ground faith it ſelfe may not be denyed as precedent to juſtification; if ſo, then certainly both, faith and juſtification, are capable of another ſenſe, then the Scripture ſeemes to hold out, and alſo then they have been thus long received.

And therefore it would be alſo worth our paines, to ſpend ſome thoughts about the ſetling of the true nature of faith and iuſtification; and therein to inquire; 1. of the nature of faith. And that,

1. Whether faith be properly or truly the inſtrument of juſtification, or only the evidence we are juſtified; whether it doe truly give us intereſt in Chriſt, or is only the manifeſtation of our intereſt; and as that which may be uſefull to ſuch debates; whether that faith which doth juſtifie us be an act of recumbency and reſting on Chriſt for intereſt; or a perſwaſion and aſſurance of our intereſt in him; And p. 289thoſe places would be well weighed, where wee are ſaid to bee juſtified by faith — Rom. 5.1. — Rom. 3.28.

And for juſtification, It would be cleared;

Whether it be a forein, or an immanent act in God; whether it be an act of God in time; or whether that w^ch is done in time be not improperly called juſtification, and is rather the manifeſtation to us of what God hath done from all eternitie. And it would be examined by them, who hold this latter; whether a diſtinction of the ſeverall periods of juſtification might not be admitted for the further clearing of this truth. As 1. we may be ſaid to be iuſtified in decree, and ſo we are iuſtified from everlaſting. 2. meritoriouſly, & ſo we are juſtified in the death of Chriſt, he laid down then the full price for the payment of our debt. 3. Actually, and ſo we are iuſtified when we doe come to beleeve. 4. In the court of conſcience, and ſo we are iuſtified to our ſelves; when we come to be aſſured. 5. Perfectly, & ſo we are iuſtified when we are glorified, when Chriſt ſhall preſent his Spouſe without either ſpot or wrinkle or any ſuch thing; when the Church ſhall be tota pulchra, all faire p. 288duplicate page p. 289duplicate page p. 292without ſpot or ſinne — if which be not admitted, the order of Scripture will ſeeme to be inverted; and we ſhall run from Gods revealed will to Gods ſecret will; yea, and a man may ſtand actually juſtified by this opinion, while he ſtands actually under the power, reigne and rage of Satan and ſinne — Theſe things I have only ſuggeſted now to conſider of, but had intended out of theſe to have framed the Anſwer to the Objection, which in regard it would have been too large I have purpoſely waved. Leaving this to ſome more particular Treatiſe, if better hands (which is deſired, and of which there is need) doe not undertake it.

For the preſent, I ſay no more then that thoſe diſpoſitions and qualifications which are prerequired doe no wayes intrench upon the freeneffe of grace, ſeeing they are from grace; and are of Gods beſtowing, not of our purchaſing; they are not of our bringing, but firſt of Gods giving. And we ſay that no qualifications on mans part from man are required, but yet there may be ſomthing on mans part from God. And I will not ſay that thoſe who doe deny preparations to Chriſt, doe p. 293in a kinde deny the neceſsitie of the means of grace to them not brought in: what if we ſhould thus argue?

If preparations to Chriſt are not neceſſary, Arg. then the means of grace are not neceſſary to ſuch. But the means of grace are neceſſary. Rom. 10.17.Rom 10:17It is ſaid faith comes by hearing, and if the means be not neceſſary, then may men beleeve and be juſtified before ever they have heard of Chriſt. But I know the conſequent will be denyed: which may be thus proved.

If by the meanes of grace, Conſeq. ProbGod doth prepare ſuch for Chriſt; then take away preparations to Chriſt, and take away the means of grace to ſuch. But by the means of grace God doth prepare us for Chriſt. In them he opens and diſcovers our miſery: In them he makes us ſee our ſinfulneſſe, and need of Chriſt: In them he opens and diſcovers Chriſt and the promiſes to us, and kindles in the ſoule a deſire and thirſt after him, earneſt ſeekings for him; which is the morning of grace, the dawnings of faith and converſion; and ſuch as are the harbingers of Chriſt. It is ſaid of Iohn, who was the prodromus or harbinger of Chriſt, both into the world, and into the heart. It is ſaid of him, that p. 292he was to make ready, or prepare a people for the Lord. Luk. 1.17. and how was that, but by his miniſtery? Chriſt will have ſome goe before him to prepare for his entrance. It is ſaid of the ſeventie diſciples whom Chriſt ſent out to preach, that he ſent them to every citie and place whither hee himſelfe would come: and wherefore did he ſend them before, but to prepare their hearts to the receiving of Chriſt when Chriſt ſhould come? as was ſeen by the Text he gave them to preach upon. Goe and ſay unto them, the kingdome of God is come nigh unto you, as you ſee, Luk. 10.1.9. verſes. It is with Chriſt in his entrance into the ſoule, as it is with a Prince coming to a place, who you know hath his harbingers ſuch as goe before, his court or ſuch as goe with him, and his attendants, or ſuch as are his followers and come after him: So hath Chriſt, the harbingers of Chriſt, they are thoſe preparatory workings, conviction of ſinne, diſcovery of Chriſt and the promiſes; earneſt longing, thirſting and ſeeking after him: his court are all the graces of his Spirit, which he works in his firſt entrance into the ſoule. And his attendants or followers they are that peace which paſſeth all p. 293underſtanding; Phil. 4.7. that ioy unſpeakable and glorious in the holy Ghoſt, 1 Pet. 1.8. Chriſt may be entered into the houſe before his followers come in: there may be faith without aſſurance, and grace without joy; there can be no true ioy without grace, but there may be true grace without joy — I will proceed no further upon this. This ſhall ſuffice for the ſecond branch of the Query, we come now to the third and laſt branch.

3. Whether wee may not doe duties and obey God, with reference and reſpect to eternall rewards.

And this is denyed upon a double ground.

1. Some that deny it upon this ground, becauſe that Chriſt hath purchaſed, and God hath fully provided heaven and glorie for us: and therefore we are not to have reſpect to it in our obedience. Indeed it is true, we are not to have reſpect to the purchaſing of it by our obedience, but we may have reſpect to the poſſeſſion of it in our obedience. Wee may have reſpect to the inioyment of it in our obedience, though not to the obtaining of it by our obedience. To have an eye to our inioyment of it in our obedience is one thing, and to p. 296have an eye to our obtaining it by our obedience is another thing. Certainely thoſe who preach obedience and holineſſe, they doe not preach them as the Cauſe, Bona opera ſunt via regni, non cauſa regnandi. Bern. Bona opera ut media amplectimur, ut merita deteſtamur. Bona opera ſunt neceeſſaria reſpectu medii vel ordinis, non reſpectu cauſalitatis. Conſule Daven: de juſtitia habitual. cap. 31. pag. 400. Bona opera ſunt neceſſaria, neceſſitate praeſentiae, non efficientiae, ut precurſoriae conditiones, non ut cauſae meritoriae.but as the way, and tel us of the neceſſity of them, not in reſpect of Iuſtice, but in reſpect of preſence, to make us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light, Col. 1.12. Neceſſary they are, but not in reſpect of Cauſality, but in reſpect of Gods order, means, ordination: who hath called us to vertue and glory, as the Apoſtle, 2. Pet. 1.3. to vertue as the preparation; to glory as the fruition. In reſpect of preſence, we ſay workes of righteouſneſſe and holineſſe are required; for certainly God makes none happy hereafter, but whom hee makes holy here, he brings none to glory, but thoſe in whom he workes Grace; hee gives grace and glorie, Pſal. 84.11. hee brings heaven into the ſoule, before hee brings the ſoule to heaven.

But in reſpect of Iuſtice and Cauſality, we cry them downe, and ſay with the Apoſtle, Tit. 3.5. Not by workes of righteouſneſſe which we have done, but according to his mercy he hath ſaved us. Is not this ever in your ears; Doe all righteouſneſſe; and learn to reſt in none, be in dutie p. 297in reſpect of performance, but out of duty and in Chriſt in reſpect of dependance?

And this ſhall ſuffice for the firſt ground, why doing duty with reſpect to reward is denyed.

2. Others there be that deny that wee are to have reſpect to theſe eternall rewards in our obedience, but it is upon another ground: Becauſe this (ſay they) ſavours not of a Goſpel and ingenuous ſpirit, but rather of a mercenary and ſervile ſpirit in ſervice: wee are to ſerve God though there were no heavens, nor hells, no rewards nor puniſhments: And to this end I have heard alledged a ſtory of a woman, who being met with fire in one hand, and water in the other, and being asked what ſhe would doe with it; Shee anſwered, with this water I will quench all the fires of hell, and with this fire I will burne up all the ioyes of heaven; that I may ſerve God neither for fear of puniſhment, nor hope of reward, but ſingly and onelyonly for himſelfe. Here were good affections, but it will appear before I have done, that certainly here wanted clear conceptions of heaven & glory, if ſhe had conceived aright of that, there had not needed this expreſſion. There is nothing in heaven that a p. 296glorified ſoule can tel how to part withall: there is nothing to be burned up there; there is nothing but God in Grace, and in Glorie, as I ſhall ſhew anon.

2. There is a ſecond opinion, and that is, That a godly man may doe dutie, and walk in the way of obedience with a reſpect to the recompence of reward. But this opinion is ſo modified, ſo tempered and allayed, that it is a wonder that any ſhould take offence at it.

As 1. though we may have reſpect to heaven and glory & our ſalvation, yet theſe muſt not be the ſupream and primarie reſpects, but onelyonly ſecondary and inferior reſpects.

2. Theſe muſt not be reſpected ſingly and ſolely, but coniunctively and joyntly with Gods glory.

3. Theſe muſt not be abſolute reſpects, but reſpects with ſubordination to Gods glory. It was the meditation of one. Not heaven, Oh Lord, but God and Chriſt: rather ten thouſand times Chriſt without heaven, Non coelum domine, ſed Chriſtum et te defidero, &c.then heaven without Chriſt: but ſeeing thou haſt ioyned them together that I cannot inioy one, except I have the other, then both Oh Lord, but not Chriſt for heaven, but heaven, Oh p. 297Lord, for Chriſt. Non amat te domine qui aliquid amat praeter te quod non propter te amat. Aug.And as they ſay for respects, ſo they ſay for grounds and ends: that heaven and glory are not to be the ſole grounds and ends of our obedience: nor are they to be the ſupreame grounds and ends of our obedience; we may carry an eye to them to quicken us in our motion; but theſe are not to be the ground of our moving: this may be the refreſhment in our way; but this is not to be the ſole ground of the undertaking of our journey: the Apoſtles phraſe may ſeeme to ſpeake ſomething for this, Heb. 11.26. He had reſpect to the recompence of reward. It is not foreign, but foreign, he caſt an eye, when he was on his iourney, to cheer him in his way, to incourage him in his journey, leſt he ſhould thinke of the great things he had refuſed, and by that the fleſh ſhould reaſon and tell him, he had a hard bargaine, therefore he ſteales a looke from Glory; he goes to his Cordiall, he caſts an eye to the recompence of reward, and by this he renews his ſtrength, gets new and freſh incouragement to goe on in his way: he makes not this the ground of the undertaking his journey, but a meanes to quicken him in his way; not the ſpring of his motion, but the oyle to p. 300the wheeles whereby he might move more cheerefully.

And yet ſome there are who diſtinguiſh betweene young beginners, and growne Chriſtians. At the firſt entrance of a ſoule into the wayes of Grace, ſay they, a man lookes upon heaven and hell; the one to drive him out of ſinne, the other to perſwade him, and draw him into the waies of holineſſe: but when once a ſoule is entered into the wayes of life, he finds ſo much ſweetneſſe in God, and his wayes, that now he ſerves him with a more free and ingenuous ſpirit. As the Samaritans ſaid, Joh. 4.41, 42.John 4:41John 4:42Now we beleeve, not becauſe thou haſt ſaid it, but becauſe we have heard him, and know this is the Meſſias that ſhould come, Ioh. 4 41, 42. So now we ſerve thee, not for feare of puniſhment, or hope of reward; but becauſe we ſee thoſe beauties in thy ſelfe, that ſweetneſſe in thy waies, that if there were no other heaven this were heaven enough.— And there ſeemes ſomething to ſpeake for this in the prodigall, Luk. 15.18, 19. When firſt he was awaked and convinced of his miſery, Luk. 15.18, 19.Luke 15:18Luke 15:19he ſaith, He will returne to his father, and ſay, Father, I have ſinned, p. 301and am not worthy to be called thy ſonne, make me as one of thy [hired] ſervants: Now he would be a hired ſervant; but after he came to his father, and ſaw the mercy and indulgence of his father, how he runs to meet him, and embraces him; he talkes no more of a hired ſervant; he was now overcome with love, and therefore he onelyonly remembers the wickedneſſe he had done, and abhorres himſelfe for it, Luk. 15.21.Luke 15:21and ſaith, Father, I have ſinned againſt heaven and before thee; he names hired ſervants no more. So when firſt the ſoule is awakened to ſee ſinne, and miſery by ſinne, then he ſayes, Oh make me as one of thy hired ſervant: feare of hell, and deſire of heaven, are the two great plummets which move him: But when once the ſoule comes over to Chriſt and the promiſe, when once it hath taſted of his mercy in pardoning, his goodneſſe in receiving of him; then doth he fall downe and abhorre himſelfe, as it is ſaid there of thoſe whom God ſettled the promiſes upon, Ezek. 36.31. And now all he deſires is to ſerve God for himſelfe; he ſees ſo much beauty, hath taſted ſo much mercy, that if he had the ſtrength of an Angel, it were all too little to be laid out for p. 300him: It is not the bloud within his veines, the ſpirits within his arteries, the life within his body, that can be too deare to be laid out for him: now all the conteſt is, not what will God give me, but what ſhall I give God? What ſhall I render to the Lord for all his goodneſſe? he is willing to goe through a ſea and through a wilderneſſe, through any difficulties, any duties; and all he can doe it fals infinitely ſhort of his heart and good will to God; all his expreſſions they are but a little of his larger affections in him; and though God ſhould never doe more for him, yet his heart doth burne with ſuch affections to God, that he counts all he can doe for him, but a little of that much he could beteeme him.

And now though I did not need to proceed any further in this, yet give me leave, becauſe this is the maine in Controverſie, yet to proceed a little further in the clearing of it to you. For anſwer then to this third branch of the Query, Whether a Chriſtian man may not doe duties with an eye to the recompence of reward: or with reſpect to heaven and glory. I anſwer affirmatively, and in oppoſition to that contrary opinion, I ſhall p. 301lay downe and evidence theſe two poſitions to you.

1. Poſition. That we may obey God with respect to heaven and glory.

2. Poſition. That we ought to have respect to heaven and glory in our obedience.

Theſe two poſitions I ſhall indevour to eſtabliſh to you, though not upon the ſame grounds whereon the lawfulneſſe of eving reward in our obedience is uſually built: I ſhall labour to ſettle it upon ſuch ſpirituall and yet true grounds, as therein you ſhall ſee the reaſon of our diſſenting to the firſt branch of the Query. We will beginne with the firſt, which is this.

1. Poſ. That it is lawfull, and we may obey God with respect to eternall rewards, heaven and glory.

In the handling of this, in regard I find that thoſe who have maintained the contrary opinion, have grounded that opinion upon miſtakes, and falſe conceptions of what heaven and glory is: I find they have made falſe draughts of heaven, and have too much penſild it out after a carnall manner; a way farre below heaven and glory. And thereupon I conceive, have p. 304grounded this opinion, that we may not eye it in our obedience. I ſhall therefore in the firſt place (having in the entrance upon the Query cleared what was meant by respect, or eying of the reward) ſet downe now what we conceive is truely meant by heaven and glory.

And here I muſt firſt tell you, that if you do abſtract or ſeparate that from heaven which a carnall heart doth conceive to be heaven, that is heaven to a godly man. Carnall men doe fancie heaven under carnall notions; they looke upon it as a place where there is freedome from all miſery; and where there is fulneſſe of all pleaſures and happineſſe: but both theſe, the miſery and the happineſſe, the freedome and injoyment; they fancie in a way ſutable and complying with their carnall or naturall hearts. This indeed is a Turkiſh heaven, but this is not a Chriſtians heaven: indeed we read heaven ſet out ſumptuouſly to us in the Scripture, Revel. 21.18, 19, 20, 21.Rev 21:18Rev 21:19Rev 21:20Rev 21:21Revel. 21.18, 19. The wals thereof are Iasper, and the Citie is of pure gold, and the foundations thereof are garniſhed with all manner of precious ſtones; the firſt foundation was of Iasper, — and the twelve Gates are twelve Pearles, — thus God p. 305is pleaſed to penſil it out, as if he would tempt a worldling, and even corrupt ſenſe it ſelfe which ſhall never come there, to ſeeke the inioyment of it. But theſe you muſt know are metaphoricall ſpeeches, becauſe the glory of heaven cannot be penſild and lim'd out as it is: therefore God doth condeſcend here to our weakeneſſe, and even to ſenſe it ſelfe; and penſils out heaven and glory by ſuch things as are knowne to men to be precious. Not that we are to conceive that heaven is any ſuch thing; nay, or that there is any ſuch thing in heaven; if you thinke ſo, I ſhall ſpoyle your heavens before I have done; certainly,

1. God needs not to be beholding to ſtones, though precious ſtones, to make heaven glorious, no more then the Sunne needs to be beholding to the Starres to make the day. God himſelfe fils heaven with Glory, and makes it infinitely glorious. God in heaven is the glory of heaven.

2. To what purpoſe ſhould there be ſuch poore beggerly ſenſitive things, to thoſe who are all ſpirit and glory? theſe things are below the ſpirit of a godly man here; he hath a more noble ſpirit, he can p. 304now trample upon gold and ſilver, Pearles and Diamonds: and if his ſpirit be above theſe things here; what are theſe to him in heaven? if theſe be below him while he is here below; what are they then, when he ſhall get above?

3. Beſides, theſe are but beggerly glory, to the meaneſt glory in heaven; you ſhall turne your eyes no whither but behold a farre greater glory then theſe are; every glorified ſoule ſhall be more glorious then the Sunne in its glory: alas, what are precious ſtones, but pebble ſtones, if compared to the glory of a glorified Saint?

But to proceed no further, upon the miſtake. I conceive in briefe, that by eternall rewards, is meant what ever ought to be the utmoſt of the deſire of a renewed and ſanctified ſoule: Not to ſpeake of it in that largeneſſe which **Burrows, Moſes choice. 529.others have excellently done.

1. It is the fruition and injoyment of God.

2. It is the inioyment of Chriſt, that Pearle of price.

3. It is the inioyment of the Spirit, the onelyonly Comforter.

4. It is the perfection and fulneſſe of grace.

p. 3055. It is an eternall Sabbath; a reſt, and a reſt in Iehovah, in whom there is all reſt: it is a reſt after all motions; all pantings after him, are now reſts in him, and in him as in your center, your proper place of reſt; it is a reſt with glory, though here they ſeldome, yet in heaven they perfectly meet, and that for all eternitie.—

And tell me now in this little I have ſaid of it, whether a Chriſtian may not deſire all this? whether a Chriſtian may not eye this, and have respect to this in his ſervice and obedience?

1. May we not deſire and have respect to the inioyment of God in our ſervice? David could ſay, Whom have I in heaven but thee, and in earth I deſire in compariſon of thee? Pſal. 73.25. The injoyment of God was the utmoſt of his deſire in heaven: and it is ſet downe as the top priviledge by Chriſt, to bring us to God, 1 Pet. 3.18. and may we not eye it here? Certainely the more respect we carry to the inioyment of God in our obedience, the more noble is our obedience; the more eye you carry to the inioyment of God in a dutie, the more noble are your ſpirits in duty: and may we now pray p. 306and doe dutie with respect to get a little communion with God and Chriſt, without which respects your duties are not ſound: and may we not ſerve God then with respects to the full inioyment and communion with him? how abſurd is this?

2. And may we not deſire Chriſt, and obey God, and follow after him in the waies of holineſſe with respects to the injoyment of Chriſt? Indeed not to purchaſe him by our obedience; but to iourney to him in our obedience: yea, and to walk in wayes of ſervice with reſpects to the inioyment of him; not as the merit of our ſervice, but the end in our ſerving.

3. And thirdly, may we not deſire the Spirit, who is the onelyonly Comforter; yea, and ſerve God with reſpects to the injoyment of him, who is the comforting, who is the ſanctifying Spirit, who is now in us; but we ſhall hereafter be in him: As it was ſaid of Iohn, which was the preoccupation of glory, he was in the Spirit on the Lord day, Revel. 1.

4. And may we not obey God, and ſerve him with reſpect to perfection and fulneſſe of Grace. May we here ſerve p. 307him with an eye to the additions of grace, and may we not obey him with reſpect to fulneſſe of grace? may we now pray, walke in the uſe of Ordinances, and in all the wayes of duty with respect to the getting a little more grace, a little more faith, more love, more brokenneſſe of heart? — How much more may we ſerve God, and obey him with respects to the fulneſſe and perfection of grace: this is that we breath after, we pray for, we hope for, even perfection, ſatisfaction: When I awake, ſaith David, I ſhall be ſatisfied with thy likeneſſe, Pſal. 17.1. And certainly that which is Saints ſatisfaction hereafter, is Saints deſire here; that which they breath after in all their ſervices as their ſatisfaction, may be respected and eyed here as our dutie in all our ſervices: if thoſe duties are not well done wherein you have not carried reſpects to the communion with God and Chriſt, and improvements of grace in the doing of them; then ſurely we not onelyonly may, but it is our duty, and we muſt eye theſe things and have respect to them in our doing of them.

5. And fifthly, may we not have respect to a perfect Sabbath in the doing of p. 308duty? Omnis motus tendit ad quietem.what is it but a reſt? is not reſt the end of all labour, doth not labour tend to reſt? And is not this a reſt? nay a reſt from ſinne, a reſt in God, a reſt with prayſes and admirings, glorifyings of God to all eternitie? and may we not labour with reſpect to this reſt? may we not doe ſervice with an eye to the obtaining of ſuch a Sabbath? where we ſhall reſt for ever, and reſt from ſinne. Nay, reſt in ſervice, reſt in God. Even for this cauſe we labour and faint not, 2 Cor. 4.16.

And tell me now by this little that hath beene ſaid, Whether we may not ſerve God with respects to eternall rewards? May not a Chriſtian ſerve God with respect to theſe things? Nay, is he a Chriſtian who doth not hold up theſe reſpects in the ſervice of him? Why, what is ſalvation, what is heaven, what is glory, but all this? I wonder what draughts you make of heaven, what you thinke of glory, and ſalvation, when you ſay, we are not to eye theſe things; nor to have respect to theſe things in our obedience: certainly you conceive of theſe things under falſe notions; you make falſe draughts of theſe things: you looke upon them as the world doth, carnally, not ſpiritually; p. 309I know none will owne that heaven as his happineſſe, which he may not have respect unto in his ſervice; nay, make his ſcope, his aime in his ſervice: the Apoſtle ſeems to imply ſo much in the 2 Cor. 4.18. 2 Cor. 4.18.2 Cor 4:18We **foreign — A them: foreign conſidero, collimo: hinc foreign, meta ad quam Sagittarii collimant et tela ſua dirigunt.looke not at the things which are ſeen, but at the things which are not ſeen: the word implies, we make theſe things which are not ſeene, our ſcope, our aime; and if ſo, then certainely we may have respect to them: let us be aſhamed to penſil out that for heaven, which a godly man may not be admitted to eye, and have respect unto in his obedience; nay, make his ſcope and end in obeying: that is, not heaven ſo much which comes by God, as that is heaven indeed which lies in God: if we ſpeake of heaven abſtractively, it is but a notion; this can never make a man happy: but if you ſpeake of heaven coniunctively, heaven with God, and heaven in God, as it is our happineſſe, ſo it is our holineſſe; and to this we may carry an eye and reſpect in all our obedience.

And by this may a poore Chriſtian be ſatisfied in thoſe doubts which are uſually the reſults of a iealous miſgiving ſpirit. Scrup. 1 Ah, will ſome ſay, I doubt my ſervice is hypocriticall and out of ſelfe-love, for I p. 310aime at my ſelfe; I doe ſervice with respect to heaven and glory. To which I might ſay,

1. Anſw. We never read that God charged any for hypocriſie who had reſpect to this. Indeed he hath charged them who have had respects to the world, and to theſe things here below, as he ſaith to the Iſraelites, You have not faſted and prayed to me, you aſſembled together for corne, and wine, and oyle; but never charged any with hypocriſie and doubleneſſe of ſpirit who had an eye and respect to heaven and glory: but

2. I ſay, conceive of heaven under the right notion, make true draughts of heaven; looke upon heaven as I have ſet it forth; make this thy heaven which I have laid downe to be a Chriſtians heaven, and then thou mayſt carry an eye and respect to it in thy obedience; nay, the more eye and reſpect thou carrieſt to heaven thus deſcribed, certainly the more ſpirituall, the more heavenly thou art. In this thou doſt not aime at thy corrupt ſelfe, but thy beſt ſelfe: and not thy ſelfe in oppoſition to God, or ſeparated from God, but thy ſelfe in God; thou loſeſt thy ſelfe in him p. 311to find thy ſelfe in him, when thou ſhalt be ſwallowed up with his likeneſſe.

And here will be the anſwer to another ſcruple too: Scrup. 2 you ſhall heare ſome ſay, I feare my deſires are not true; for I deſire not grace for it ſelfe, but grace for glory, grace for heaven.

To whom I might alſo ſay, Anſw. conceive aright of heaven; looke not upon it with a carnall eye, a place of freedome from a ſenſitive miſery, and inioyment of ſenſitive happineſſe and pleaſure: but looke upon it as a place wherein thou haſt communion with God, inioyment of Chriſt, perfection and fulneſſe of grace, freedome from all ſinne, from every corruption, and ſpirituall imperfection; and thou maiſt deſire grace for heaven. Indeed if you ſhould look upon grace and heaven as two divers things, you might erre in deſiring grace for heaven; but looke upon heaven as it is fulneſſe of Grace, — and then thou mayſt deſire grace for heaven. Thou mayſt deſire Grace here as the beginning of heaven, the earneſt of glory, and as that which may intitle thee to perfection and fulneſſe of Grace hereafter. —

In briefe, he who deſires grace meerely for glory; and lookes upon that glory, as p. 312divers from Grace, Nic aternitatis ſemina jaciuntur. Sanctificatio eſt gloria inchoata; gloria eſt ſanctificatio conſummata. An.his deſires are not right; but thou mayſt deſire grace meerely for heaven, ſo long as thou deſireſt heaven meerely for Grace: And the more inlarged thou art in thoſe deſires, the more gracious and ſpiritual are thy principles.—And thus much ſhall ſerve for the firſt Poſition. That we may obey God with reſpect to heaven and Glory. And indeed we cannot conceive of heaven ſo meanly if we conceive aright of it; but it may be eyed even under the meaneſt notion of it. But we come to the ſecond.

2. Poſi. 2 Poſition. That we ought to have respect to heaven and glory in our obedience. In the former, I told you onelyonly that you may; here I tell you that you muſt; you may obey God with respect to heaven, but you muſt reſpect heaven in your obedience: It is that which God hath ſet downe to fortifie our hearts againſt feare of any troubles, and to beare up our hearts under the ſenſe of any calamities. You ſee when Chriſt would arme his Diſciples againſt all feares and evils they ſhould meet withall in this life, he takes the incouragement from hence; becauſe God would give them a kingdome, Luk. 12.32. Feare not little flocke, for it is your p. 313Fathers will to give you the kingdome: he brings the harbour into the ſea; the reſt into the labour; the glory into the trouble: and this incourageth a ſoule to goe through all. And ſhould we not eye it, and have respect to it, we ſhould be found to ſlight the incouragements of God. As it is a ſinne to ſlight the conſolations of God, Iob 15.11. So it is no leſſe to make light of the incouragements of God. All theſe God affordeth to help faith againſt ſenſe, to furniſh faith with arguments againſt the carnall reaſonings of the fleſh; and to incourage us in the greateſt ſtraits and diſtreſſes the world can bring upon us. And you ſee it was that which the Saints have eyed for their incouragement in the greateſt ſtraits. It is ſaid of Moſes, Heb. 11.25. That he choſe rather to ſuffer afflictions with the people of God, then to enioy the pleaſures of ſinne for a ſeaſon: Looking, ſaith the Text, to the recompence of reward: that glory, that happineſſe which was made reall and viſible now to the eye of his faith, did incourage him to ſlight all the greatneſſe of the world: **foreign. Bafil.It rendred all treaſures on earth too little for his ſpirit, and his ſpirit too big to be daunted with all the diſcouragements in p. 314the world. And it was that which was Pauls incouragement too, 2 Cor. 4.17, 18. He was troubled on every ſide, — but yet laboured and fainted not; Conſul. Bez. in loc.why? Becauſe our light afflictions which are but for a moment, worketh for us a farre more exceeding and eternall weight of glory, while we looke not unto the things which are ſeen, but at the things which are not ſeen. So that you ſee from hence the Apoſtle tooke his great Cordiall, and incouragement to goe through all his troubles and diſtreſſes; he looked above thoſe things which are ſeene, and conſidered thoſe things which are not ſeene. —

And to be briefe, ¹. would you walke thankefully, ². would you walke cheerefully, ³. would you be ſtrong to do, 4. and able to ſuffer, ⁵. would you ſubmit to all Gods diſpoſals, ⁶. would you reioyce in your ſufferings, then you muſt carry an eye to the recompence of reward. Briefly, to ſpeake to them;

1. Would you walk thankefully? The conſiderations of this will make us burſt out into praiſes in our loweſt conditions. Here is matter enough of praiſes, the Apoſtle burſts out, 1 Pet. 1.3, 4.1 Pet 1:31 Pet 1:41 Pet. 1.3, 4. Bleſſed be the God and Father of our Lord Ieſus p. 315Chriſt, who hath begotten us again unto an inheritance immortall and incorruptible, which fadeth not away, but reſerved in heaven for us. Indeed the thoughts & conſiderations of this, will fill us full of heaven and glory, and make us **Si coelum venale quantum pro illo daretis, & quando gratis datur ingrati eſtis? Col. 1.12.Col 1:12breake forth into ſongs of thankſgiving for his great goodneſſe; Who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light. Col. 1.12.

2. Would you walk cheerefully? Would you be filled with joy, 1 Pet. 1.8.1 Pet 1:8with comfort in the midſt of all your ſad conditions? Would you joy in tribulations? fetch conſiderations from heaven, Heb. 10.34. They tooke ioyfully the ſpoiling of their goods, knowing in themſelves that they had in heaven a better and an enduring ſubſtance. It is reported of Caeſar, Cogita te Caeſarem eſſe.that when he was ſad, he uſed to ſay to himſelfe, Thinke that thou art Caeſar: Did he think his earthly greatneſſe was enough to bear up his heart in any trouble? how much more ſhould the conſideration of theſe great things reſerved for us, cheere up our hearts, and comfort our ſpirits in the ſadeſt condition? He that lives much in the thoughts of heaven, lives much the life of heaven, that is, thankefully, and cheerfully. p. 316The Philoſophers ſay, if men were above the ſecond Region, they were above all ſtormes; there is nothing but ſerenitie and clearneſſe. It is true of thoſe ſouls who can live in heaven, they have reſt in labour, calmes in ſtormes, tranquillitie in tempeſts, and comforts amidſt their greateſt diſtreſſes —

3. Would you be ſtrong to doe the will of God? You muſt fetch ſtrength and incouragement from the conſideration of theſe things; the Apoſtle brings in this as an incouragement, Col. 3.23, 24.Col 3:23Col 3:24Col. 3.23, 24. What ever you doe, doe it heartily—knowing that of the Lord you ſhall receive the reward of the inheritance. 1 Cor. 15. ult.1 Cor 15So in the 1 Cor. 15. ult. Be alwayes abounding in the worke of the Lord, for as much as you know, that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord: 2 Pet. 1.10, 11. 2 Pet. 3.14.2 Pet 1:102 Pet 1:112 Pet 3:14and you may read the like in 2 Pet. 1.10, 11. and and in 2 Pet. 3.14.

4. Would you be able to ſuffer and reioyce in ſufferings? Heb. 11.25, 26. Heb. 10.24. Heb. 11.35. Heb. 12.1, 2.Heb 11:25Heb 11:26Heb 10:24Heb 11:35Heb 12:1Heb 12:2Why, the conſiderations of heaven and glory will be great incouragements and inablements to you, to under goe any thing. You ſee this in Moſes, Heb 11.25, 26. In the Primitive Chriſtians, Heb. 10.24. and in Heb. 11.35. Heb. 12.1, 2. To which I might adde abundance p. 317more. He who eyes heaven and glory, Pericula non respicit, qui coronam respicit.will be able to walke through any conditions: while Peter held his eye upon Chriſt, he walked ſafely upon a ſtormy and tempeſtuous Sea, but when he tooke off his eye from Chriſt, and looks upon the ſtormineſſe of the Sea then he ſinks: while we have an eye upon eternals, we are able to walke upon the moſt tempeſtuous Sea, we can goe through any ſtormes, we are too bigge for any trouble; but if we once take our eye off Chriſt and heaven, then the leaſt trouble is too bigge for us — It was the ſpeech of **Nihil viſibilium moror, nihil inviſibilium ut Chriſtum acquiram: ignis & crux, incurſus beſtiarum, diſſipatio oſſium, convulſio membrorum & ſupplicia diaboli in me veniant, modo Jeſum Chriſtum acquiram. Euſeb. l. 3. c. 39.Baſil. I care for nothing viſible or inviſible, that I may get Chriſt; let fire, let the croſſe — let breaking of bones come: nay, let the torments of the devill come upon me, ſo I may get Chriſt. Such a bleſſed magnanimitie did the conſideration of theſe things put into him, that he could ſleight & contemn all the evils of the world. This is certaine, he that conſiders thoſe eternall weights of glory, will not think theſe light afflictions which are but for a moment worthy to be compared to them: he that ſees viſions of glory will not matter with Steven, a ſhowre of ſtones: he that conſiders eternitie at the end, doth not dread to goe p. 318through any troubles in the way. Qui aeternitatem mente concepit, nullos horret exorcitus. Sen.—The conſideration of theſe things will render all the good and evill of the world too little for that ſoule, either to tempt or threaten out of the wayes of life.

5. Would you ſubmit to all Gods diſpoſals of you? The conſiderations of heaven and glory will make the ſoule ſubmit to any thing here; he can be content to be poore, he knows he ſhall be rich: to be reproached, he knows he ſhall be honoured; to be afflicted, he knows he ſhall be comforted; to be impriſoned, he knows he ſhall be brought into a large place; to ſit at Dives doore, he knows he ſhall ſit in Abrahams boſome; to loſe all, he knows he ſhall finde all at the other ſide, God will be all, and more then all to him. He knows it is but for a little ſeaſon, a day, an houre, a moment, and a ſmall moment; hereafter there are eternall embraces; Domine hic ure, ſeca— ut in aeternum parcas.he can ſubmit to God to worke his owne worke, and worke it his own way, and worke it after his own manner, ſo he will pleaſe to bring him to glory at laſt; and he can ſay, well-come that ſorrow that tends to ioy; that trouble that ends in comfort; thoſe croſſes that prepare for crownings; and that death which uſhers p. 319in eternall life. And all this he can doe by the conſideration of the great and glorious things which God hath reſerved for him. And therefore you ſee the neceſſitie of having reſpect unto heaven, and glory in our obedience. And thus I have eſtabliſhed theſe two Poſitions.

1. That we may obey God with reſpect to heaven and glory.

2. That we ought to have respect to heaven, and glory in our obedience.

And in theſe two, I have ſufficiently anſwered the third Branch of the fifth Query, viz. Whether a Chriſtian may not doe dutie with reſpect to the recompence of reward. I ſhall now haſten the reſt—

We are now come to a ſixt Query, which is; Whether this be part of our freedome by Chriſt, to be free from obedience unto man; or whether to obey men, be any infringement of our libertie by Chriſt.

Now before I come to the Anſwer of this; I muſt tell you, There are ſome places that ſeeme to ſpeake, that it doth not ſtand with Chriſtian libertie to be obedient to man. We finde in Scripture (as I ſhewed you in the beginning of this Treatiſe) a double charge, 1. See the 54. page.That man p. 320ſhould not uſurp maſterſhip: 2. That we ſhould not undergoe ſervitude.

The firſt you may read, Matt. 23.9, 10.

Be you not called **Prohibemur hominem vocare magiſtrum ut illi principalitatem magiſterii attribuamus, quae deo competit. Aquin. Attamen haec eſt fides Papiſtica, Praelati hoc decreverunt credendum, ergo ego credo: hinc illud Bellarmini, debetis fine examine recipere doctrinam eccleſiaſticorum, & non dubitare utrum ita ſe habeant neene, quae vobis proponuntur; non enim more doctoris, quatenus ratio ſuadet, ſententiam ſuam vobis proponunt credendam; ſed more judicis illam ut neceſſario tenendam imponunt.Rabbi, for one is your Maſter, even Chriſt, and all ye are Brethren; and the like in the tenth verſ.

The ſecond, that we ſhould not undergoe ſervitude: you read in 1 Cor. 7.23. Ye are bought with a price, be ye not the ſervants of men.

Now contrary again to this, we read Rom. 13.1. Let every ſoule be ſubiect to the higher powers, for there is no power but of God; the powers that are, are ordained of God: and in 1 Pet. 2.13, 14, 15. Submit your ſelves to every ordinance of man for the Lords ſake, whether it be to the king as ſupreame. — As free, and yet not uſing your libertie for a cloake of maliciouſneſſe, but as the ſervants of God.

Now how ſhall theſe two be reconciled? One ſaith, be ye not the ſervāts of men; The other ſaith, ſubmit your ſelves to every ordinance of man. But the meaning is, p. 321wee muſt ſo ſubmit our ſelves to the authority of man, as that we doe not thereby impeach our Chriſtian libertie which wee have in Chriſt, and we muſt ſo maintaine our Chriſtian libertie, as that under colour of it, we neglect not our Chriſtian dutie. Submit your ſelves, ſaith the Apoſtle, but as free, not as ſlaves, but as free-men ſtill ſubmit, hee teacheth no ſubmiſſion which may impeach our Chriſtian freedome. In brief then, there is a twofold ſubiection to man.

1. There is a ſubiection which may bee yeelded with the preſervation of our Chriſtian libertie.

2. There is a ſubiection which cannot bee yeelded, without impeachment of it.

For the firſt, That there is a ſubiection that may be yeerded, with the preſervation of our Chriſtian libertie: That you ſee is implyed in the 13. Rom. 1. and 1 Pet. 2.13, Rom. 13.1. 1 Pet. 2.13, 14.Rom 13:11 Pet 2:131 Pet 2:1414.

And there is a ſubiection which cannot be yeelded without impeachment of it, as is ſeen in the contrary places. 1 Cor. 7.23 Matt. 8.10.1 Cor 7:23Matt 8:10Be yee not the ſervants of men: and, call no man your maſter on earth.

p. 322The one is the ſubiection of the **Oportet nos ex ea parte quae ad hanc vitam pertinet, ſubditos eſſe poteſtatibus; ex illa vero parte, qua credimus Deo, et in regnum ejus vocamur, non oportet nos eſſe ſubditos cuiquā homini id ipſum in nobis evertere cupienti. Deo enim potius obtemperandum quam hominibus. Aug. in exp. ep. ad Rom. propoſ. 72. Poteſtates ſuo loeo humanas fuſcipimus, donec contra Deum ſuas erigunt voluntates.**Non tenetur ſubditus obedire ſuperiori ſuo contra praeceptum majoris poteſtatis; ne que ſi praecipiat allquid in quo non ſubdatur. Aquin. 2.^•. 2^r. q. 104. Art. 5.outward man in things lawfull, the other is the ſubiection of the inward man, the ſoul and conſcience, and in things unlawfull. The one is a ſubordinate ſubiection, a ſubiection in ſubordination to God, and for the Lords ſake, as the Apoſtle ſaith, 1 Pet. 2.13. The other is an abſolute ſubjection, a ſubjection of our ſoules and conſciences for mans ſake, or upon mans authority we may be ſubiect in reſpect of the outward man in things lawfull: but for our ſoules and conſciences, as we have no fathers, ſo we have no maſters, but onelyonly our Father and Maſter in heaven.

You may ſee both theſe plainely if you compare theſe two places, the one is 23. Matth. 10. Be not called maſters, for one is your Maſter Chriſt. Ephe. 5.7. Servants be obedient to your maſters according to the fleſh. Which two places being conſidered, do furniſh us with this diſtinction. There are maſters according to the fleſh, and maſters according to the ſpirit: wee have maſters according to the fleſh, that is, ſo farre as appertaines to the outward man in outward things; But we have no maſters according to the ſpirit, wee have none to p. 323whom we are to ſubiect our ſouls and conſciences, but onelyonly Chriſt; as in this ſenſe we have no father, ſo we have no maſter upon earth.

Ob. But you wil ſay, Is it not lawfull for a Magiſtrate to impoſe ſuch things upon mens practiſe, which doe concerne their conſciences?

Anſw. 1. It is not lawfull for a Magiſtrate to impoſe any thing aaQuando dicimus, regum eſt in divinis aliquid praeſcribere, id ſemper intelligimus, hanc illorum praeſcriptionem ac juſſionom fundari opertere in verbo divine, a quo ſi abberraverint, illud Apoſtoli valebit, Deo potius obedire oportet, quam homini. Daven. de Iudic. et Nor. 75. p. Impium eſt et ſacrilegum quicquid humano furore inſtituitur ut diſpoſitio divina violetur. Cypr. Coactiva principis poteſtas non abſolute ligat ſubditum, ſed ſolummodo ſub conditione liciti. Subditi enim non debent illis contra Deum obedire, et qui abuſui poteſtatis reſiſtit, non reſiſtit ordinationi divinae. Gerſom. Conſid. de pace. part. 1. Quando reges contra veritatem conſtituunt malas leges, probantur vere credentes, et coronantur perſeverantes. Aug. Is qui praeſt, ſi aliquid praecipit praeter voluntatem dei, vel praeter quod in ſacra ſcripturis evidenter praecipitur, pro falſo reſte habebitur.unlawful to be obeyed: this is to ſet up an authoritie againſt Chriſts authoritie, the power of man againſt the power of God.

2. But yet a Magiſtrate may require thoſe things at our hands, which are clearly revealed to be the will of God, and in that wee obey God in man, and not ſo much man as God. In this caſe we may ſay as the Samaritane did. Now wee beleeve p. 324not becauſe of thy ſayings, becauſe we have heard him our ſelves. I conceive, there may bee a diſtinction made between ſupream maſters, and ſubordinate maſters, and ſo betweene ſubiection in order to another, and obedience to one as the ſupreame. Thoſe are ſubordinate maſters to whom we obey in ſubordination, or in order to another; and thoſe are ſupream maſters, in whom our obedience reſteth, and into whom it is finally reſolved: aaVos rudes et imperiti eſtis, ergo ſi ſalvi eſſe velitis, uihil jam reliquum eſt niſi ut caeca obedientia noſtro judicio ſubſcribatur. Bellar. Hoc uno ſcelere meritos eſſe praelatos Romanenſes ut Eccleſiae caetu tanquam lupi et tyranni pellerentur. Luther. Epheſ. 6.7 Col. 3.23.24.Eph 6:7Col 3:23Col 3:24for this laſt kinde, which is the Romiſh doctrine, ſurely neither Men nor Angels may uſurp without high treaſon to Ieſus Chriſt. It is treaſon for any to uſurp it, and wickedneſſe for any to give it; if God will not allow a ſupream maſter, nor abſolute obedience in temporall things, but requires us to ſerve men, as in ſubordination to Chriſt, Epheſ. 6.7. Col. 3.23, 24. Much leſſe will hee allow of a ſupreame maſter in ſpirituall things. bbOmnis homo dimittens rationem propter authoritatem humanamincidit in inſipientiam beſtialem.Certainly it is the higheſt piece of ſlavery and vaſſallage in the world to yeeld up our conſciences to the will of any, or ſurrender up our iudgements to be wholly diſpoſed by the ſentences, determinations of any; but now in the other ſenſe I conceive that men may be maſters, and wee may be ſubiect to them in p. 325ſubordination to God and Chriſt. And ſurely if you looke into the old teſtament, it doth plainly hold forth this aaQuismente ſobrius dicat regibus, Non ad vos pertinet, quis in regno veſtro velit eſſe ſive religioſus ſive ſacrilegus. Aug. de co. Do. c. 13.ſubordination of obedience in ſpiritual things, bbSi ſacras ſcripturas V. T. inſpiciamus, reges laudantur qui rectum dei cultum ſuprema authoritate ſua obſervandum ſanciebant, qui idolatriam evertendam curabant, et in N. T. reges terrae taxantur quod cum meretrice Babylonica ſcortati ſunt, debuerunt ergoidolatriā evertere, veram que religionem omnibus imperare. Daev. de jud. et Nor.the people were bound to obey their Magiſtrate when hee commanded obedience to that which God had commanded; and to obey them I conceive not as they were types of Chriſt, (as ſome imagine, who ſay their power was to ceaſe, and to end in Chriſt, as the great King of his Church, and in whom alone all authority over his people was to be ſhut up) but to them as they were temporal Magiſtrates, and were the fences of the worſhip of God: So that I conceive a Magiſtrate without any impeachment to the authority of Chriſt, or infringement of the liberty of conſcience may require thoſe things to be obeyed which are clearly revealed to be the will and minde of Chriſt, yet in this he is but a ſubordinate, and Chriſt is the ſupreame Maſter, hee tells you what is Gods will, not what is his: if he tell you it is his too, it is becauſe it is Gods firſt.

But it may be objected again, though it ſhould be granted, that a Magiſtrate might command or impoſe ſuch things as p. 326are clearely evident to be the minde of Chriſt; yet why ſhould he impoſe things doubtfull?

For the Anſwer to this. Anſw. 1. It would be inquired, Si extiterit dubium circa dogmata fidei, aut opera cultus divini, neque poſſunt fideles, ad nudum imperium aliorum contra propriae conſcientie judiciumcredere, ne que debent judicium ſuum (nifi illato novo lumine ex verbo Dei) commutare & ad voluntatem aliorum conformare, Dav. In dubiis circa dogmata fidei ſubditi nequeum ſuas ſententias quamvis erroneas relinquere, niſi inſtruantur, & novum judicium in illis formetur, &c. Daven. de judic. & norm. fid.whether the things impoſed are doubtfull in themſelves, or only doubtfull to me; If indeed they be doubtfull in themſelves, I humbly conceive, either they ſhould not be impoſed at all, or impoſed with all tenderneſſe: But if they be only doubtfull to me, they may yet be lawfully impoſed, though as yet not lawfully obeyed by me. And that ſhall be my ſecond Anſwer.

2. As ſome things may be lawfully obeyed, which may not lawfully be impoſed: ſo there are ſome things which may be lawfully impoſed, and yet not lawfully obeyed. Hezekiahs command of breaking down the brazen Serpent when he ſaw men to Idolatrize to it; it was a lawfull command; it might be lawfully impoſed, and yet if there had been ſome who had reverentiall thoughts of it, as a thing which had been ſet up of God, ſo famous in the wilderneſſe, and which is p. 327more, a type of Chriſt; Si impium, vel dubium aliquod proponitur, patiendum potius quod rex minatur, quam faciendum quod ab illo jubetur.and therefore doubted, whether they might obey this command or no; I ſay, in this caſe it had not been lawfully obeyed by ſuch, though it might be lawfully commanded by Hezekiah. Certainly, there are many things which may be commanded, and if you have reſpect only to the things commanded, may be lawfully obeyed, which yet if you have reſpect to the perſon who is to obey, may be unlawfull to be obeyed. A man in this kind may both ſinne in doing, for an erroneous conſcience bindeth, and he may ſinne in not doing, and be guiltie of diſobedience.

We might run into a large diſpute upon this ſubiect; but it is not my intent at this time; another occaſion may be afforded in ſome other Diſcourſe to treat more largely upon it; wherein this queſtion may be rightly ſtated, faithfully examined, and ſatisfaction may be endeavoured to be given to the multitude of Scruples and Objections, in which this, point above many, I had like to have ſaid any other, is abundant and fruitfull. In the meane time, I ſhall ſhut up this Anſwer. And having ſpoken to the maine Queries which are in controverſie concerning p. 328Chriſtian freedome: In ſtead of raiſing any more Queſtions, I ſhall now conclude the whole Diſcourſe in ſome briefe application.

In the firſt place then. Vſe 1 Is it ſo, that Chriſt hath purchaſed and inſtated beleevers, and beleevers only into ſuch a priviledge? then what a fearefull condition to be an unbeleever? you are ſtill in bondage.

1. You are in bondage to ſinne. 2. In bondage to Satan. 3. In bondage to the Law: and who can expreſſe a more miſerable condition then this is? We will diſcover it to you.

1. You are in bondage to ſinne, not only in bondage by ſinne, that is, by ſinne expoſed; nay, and bound over to all evils, ſpirituall, temporall, and eternall, but you are in bondage to ſinne, you are under the commands of every luſt. Every ſinne is a tyrant in the ſoule: Chriſt tels us, Ioh. 8.34. Who ever committeth ſinne, is the ſervant of ſinne. Firſt, you entertaine ſinne as your friend, and afterwards it becomes your maſter; you are the ſervants of ſin, Rom. 6.20. You are ſold to ſin, as the Apoſtle ſaith of his naturall condition, Rom. 7.14. I am carnall, and ſold under ſinne. Indeed we are all of us ſold under ſinne by p. 329nature, but here we ſell our ſelves to ſin; As it was ſaid of Ahab, He ſold himſelfe to worke wickedneſſe: ſo it may be ſaid of us, we are not only paſſively content to be vaſſals to ſin, but we do actively indeavour to vaſſall our ſelves, we are actively willing to be ſinnes ſlaves, rather then to be Gods ſervants. It is ſet down as the character of a man in his naturall condition, He is diſobedient ſerving divers luſts.—Tit. 3.3. his obedience to ſin is not forced, but free, not involuntary, but naturall and with delight. Hence it is ſaid, that ſinne reignes in them; Sinne hath a ſoveraigntie, not a tyranny in them; they are the profeſſed ſervants to ſinne. 2 Pet. 2.19. Like thoſe who choſe their Maſters after the Lords Iubile was proclaimed; whoſe cares were boared in token of perpetuall ſubjection.

And this is your condition, you are in bondage to ſin. And this is a fearefull bondage, if you conſider but theſe particulars.

1. It is a ſoule ſlavery. The condition of the Iſraelites under Pharaoh, and thoſe who are now under the Turkiſh Gallyes, is very ſad, but that is but the bondage of the body; but this is a ſoule ſlavery, the bondage of the ſoule. What is it to p. 330have our bodies vaſſal'd, A meipſo me libera Domine, Aug.our eſtates inſlaved, in compariſon of our ſoules? Better to be under the tyranny of the moſt imperious man, then under the vaſſalage and ſlavery of ſinne and our own corruption. This is the utmoſt, the finiſhing concluding ſtroke of God to give a man up to his ſinnes; to ſay, You that are filthy, be filthy ſtill; and therefore the worſt of judgements.

2. It is a ſenſeleſſe ſlavery; a ſlavery that we were not ſenſible of: we ſay in nature, that thoſe diſeaſes are moſt mortall, that deprive us of ſenſe: now this is a ſenſeleſſe ſlavery, we are in chaines and feele it not, we are under the weights of ſinne and are not ſenſible of it; God doth often bring us in bondage by ſinne, he claps us under the feares and terrours of a ſelfcondemning conſcience, and all this that he might deliver us out of the bondage to ſinne. We ſay a burning Feaver is more hopefull then a Lethargy; Miſerius nihil eſt miſero ſe non miſerante.the Phyſician doth ſometimes caſt his Patient into a Feaver to cure the Lethargy: So a wounded and troubled condition, is better then a ſecure and dead condition; The ſtrong man keeps the houſe when all is at peace. And this is the miſery of this bondage, you are unſenſible of it.

p. 3313. It is an active ſlavery: A man vaſſald to his luſts, will drudge or take any paines to ſatisfie them: ſuch a man will ſpend his paines, his ſtrength, his health, his eſtate too, to ſatisfie his luſts: though they thinke every thing too much laid out for God and Chriſt; yet they thinke nothing too much to ſpend upon their luſts—It is an active ſlaverie: and yet more,

4. It is a willing ſlavery: they count their ſlavery freedome, their bondage libertie; their chaines of braſſe, to be chaines of pearl; they are voluntaries, willing ſervants to ſinne. How often hath the Lords Iubile beene proclaimed? how often hath Chriſt tendered to ſet us free, and yet we have choſen to returne to our old maſters? and therefore juſt with God that he ſhould boare our eares in token of eternall ſlavery to ſinne and Satan.

5. It is a bondage out of which we are not able to helpe our ſelves.

1. Neither can we redeeme our ſelves by price.

2. Nor deliver our ſelves by power or conqueſt.

1. We cannot redeeme our ſelves by price. A man may be in bondage to men, and able to ranſome himſelfe; if not by his p. 332owne power, yet by the helps, collections, and contributions of others. But no man can redeeme his owne ſoule. Nay, all the contributions of men or Angels fall too ſhort; Mat. 25.9.Matt 25:9they have but oyle to ſerve themſelves: It is ſet downe not onelyonly as the proper worke of Chriſt, but the greateſt worke which Chriſt hath done, to redeeme his people from ſinne: Indeed he did it by price, foreign.Gal. 4.5. he bought us out, but it was not by ſilver and gold, as Peter tels us; 1 Pet. 1.18.1 Pet 1:18the redemption of our ſouls is more precious, Pſal. 49.7, 8. but it was by the bloud of Chriſt.

2. As we were not able to redeeme our ſelves by price, ſo we were not able to deliver our ſelves by power: to be a ſinner, and to be without ſtrength, they are all one in the Apoſtles phraſe, Rom. 5.6.8. And therefore he tels us there, While we were ſinners, and yet without ſtrength, Chriſt died for us. Indeed we could doe nothing to helpe our ſelves out of this bondage; we were not able to weepe, to pray, to worke our ſelves out of this condition.— It is with us as men in the quicke-ſands, the more they ſtrive, the deeper they ſinke themſelves: ſo the more we ſtrive by our own ſtrength, p. 333by our owne power, the more we doe intangle and chaine our ſelves in this condition. And by this you may ſee ſomething into this miſerable condition; but yet this is not all: and therefore

2. We are in bondage to Satan, not that we owed him any thing; we were onelyonly indebted to Gods Iuſtice; but he is Gods Iaylor, who holds poore ſoules downe as under brazen barres, and iron gates not to be broken; if a man were in bondage, it is ſome reliefe to have a mercifull jaylor; but this addes to the miſery, thou haſt a cruell jaylor, the jaylor of hell is like Nebuchadnezzar who will take no rewards, he will not be bribed, nor perſwaded to ſet thee free. Satan is a cruell Tyrant who rules in the hearts of the children of diſobedience, Epheſ. 2.2. And you are taken captive at his will, as the Apoſtle tels us, 2 Tim. 2.26. Indeed he hath ſome that are more royall ſlaves then others: Some he keepes in arctâ cuſtodiâ, cloſe priſoners; holds them downe with many weights and chaines, under the raging power of many luſts and corruptions; and ſome he keepes in liberâ cuſtodiâ, priſoners at large; he ſuffers them to walke about; they have the libertie of the priſon, p. 334but yet are clapt up at his pleaſure; they are taken captive at his will: though he may ſuffer them to doe many actions; Herod to heare, Iudas to preach, yet he hath hold of them by their luſts, he can bring them back when he pleaſeth. And that is a ſecond particular, you are in bondage to Satan. And this,

1. It is a cruel bondage; a mercileſſe bondage: What is the bondage of Iſrael to Pharaoh in compariſon of this to Satan? And

2. It is an univerſall bondage. 1. Ʋniverſall in reſpect of perſons, for you were all born ſlaves. 2. It is univerſall in reſpect of parts, you have no part free; the iudgement, will, affections, mind and conſcience, they are all in chaines, all inſlaved to Satan.

3. And it is univerſall in reſpect of actions and performances; thou canſt not performe one action as a free man; thou maiſt performe the actions of a free man, ſuch actions as free men doe; but thou canſt not performe them as a free man: thou prayeſt as a ſlave, not a ſonne; thou weepeſt as a ſlave, not as a free man: It is more for feare of the laſh, then for hatred of ſin and love of God: all thy actions are p. 335actions in bondage; thy very ſpirit is in bondage, thou haſt no ſpirit of freedome, of naturalneſſe and delight in any thing thou doſt.

And this is a ſad condition: In this condition thou art till Chriſt ſet thee free: but yet further,

3. Thou art in bondage to the Law, and that 1. To the curſe: 2. To the rigor of the Law.

1. Thou art in bondage to the curſe of the law; to the penalties and forfeitures of the law: the Apoſtle tels us, Gal. 3.10. As many as are of the workes of the law they are under the curſe. And why ſo? For it is written, Curſed is every one who doth not continue in all things which are written in the Booke of the law to doe them, and that is impoſſible: and therefore you muſt needs be unavoidably under the curſe.—

And if we ſhould now take this in pieces, & ſhew you how much lies in the bowels of this curſe; you would then ſee your miſerable condition. It doth comprehend all miſeries temporall, ſpirituall, and eternall. It is

1. A comprehenſive curſe, an univerſall curſe; you are curſed in every condition, p. 336in your gold, ſilver, relations; in your very mercies; where others are bleſſed in their afflictions, you are curſed in your mercies. As there is a bleſſing hid in the worſt things to the godly; a bleſſing in ſickeneſſe, in poverty, in croſſes, loſſes, death it ſelfe.— So there is a curſe in the beſt things to wicked men; a curſe in your gold and ſilver, in your comforts and injoyments.—It is an extenſive curſe.

2. It is an unavoydable curſe; as thou art a ſonne of Adam, ſo thou art borne an heire to this curſe.

3. It is an unſupportable curſe, which men nor Angels are able to beare: you ſee the Angels themſelves they lye under it, and cannot helpe themſelves: the wrath of man may be borne, at leaſt undergone. It is but a wrath reacheth to the body; Parce precor Imperator; tu carcerem, ille Gehennam.but who can beare the wrath of God? it is a wrath reacheth to the ſoule, and who knowes, much leſſe who can beare the power of his wrath?

4. It is an unremoveable curſe: if we looke upon any thing we can doe; if God lay it on, it is not all the power and wit of men or Angels that can take it off. As none can take beleevers out of the hands of Gods mercy; ſo none can take unbeleevers p. 337out of the hands of his juſtice. And that is the firſt particular: you are in bondage to the curſe of the law.

2 You are in bondage to the rigor of the law: which requires in the rigor of it,

1. Hard things, difficult things: look over the duties commanded, and ſee if they be not difficult things: Nay,

2. It requires impoſſible things in the ſtation wherein we are: It is a yoake we are not able to bear, Act. 15.10. We might as well be ſet to move mountaines, to ſtop the Sunne in its courſe, to fetch yonder Starre from heaven, as to doe what the law commandeth.

3. And yet all this it requires to be done of us in the exactneſſe, and according to the exactneſſe of the command. It requires perfect obedience, both in reſpect of the principle, and in reſpect of the manner, and in reſpect of the end: it will abate nothing.

4. Yea and all this it requires in our owne perſons. It will not admit of obedience by a ſuretie: not of performance by another, that is Gospel; it requires all in our owne perſon, Gal. 3.10.

5. Nay, and it will not accept of the p. 338moſt eminent indevours, if there be any fayling in the performance. It will not allow of affections for actions, of indevours for performance: this is Goſpel.

6. It requires conſtancie in all this: the whole man, the whole law, the whole life; if you do obey never ſo many years; if you faile but in one tittle at laſt; but in a thought, a motion, you are gone for ever: the law ſaith, Curſed is he that doth not continue to obey in every thing.—

7. Notwithſtanding all this exaction from you; yet it will not afford you any ſtrength, nor ſuffer you to get helpe of another; you muſt beare your burden alone: It layes load on you; impoſeth duty and conſiders not your ſtrength; nor will afford none to you: it bids you looke to it as well as you can; it will have it either by you, or out of you.

8. And here againe is the rigor of it; that upon the leaſt failing, all the hopes you had of good by the Law is gone; you are diſinabled and made uncapable from ever expecting any good by it: you are ſplit for ever. VponUpon Adams firſt ſinne all his hopes of life by the law was gone; that if God had not propounded a Chriſt, he had beene loſt for ever. Why but you will p. 339ſay, might he not be able to doe twice as much good as he had done evill, and ſo make amends for his former fault? No, here was the further rigor of it.

9. If once thou hadſt offended, though in the leaſt particular, thou couldeſt never make amends for it; thou canſt never outdoe the law: if thou couldeſt outdoe what the law required, yet all thou couldeſt doe would never make amends; it would never make up the former fault: if thou ſhouldeſt goe about to redeeme every idle word with an age of prayers; every act of iniuſtice with a treaſury of almes; every omiſſion with millions of dutie; yet all this were too little, all this would not doe to make amends for thy former fayling. Why but you will ſay, what then? will not the law accept of my teares, my repentance for my fault? No, here is a further rigor of the law.

10. If ever thou haſt offended, though in the leaſt particular, yet thou art gone for ever: here is no place for repentance: It will not admit of teares, or repentance to come in; this is Gospel, not Law. If thou fayle in the leaſt particular, and ſhould weepe ſeas of teares; teares of bloud; even thy eyes out of thy head; yet p. 340all this will be no reliefe to thee here: the Law will admit of no repentance.

And thus you ſee the miſerable condition to be in bondage: which I have ſpoken the larger unto, to heighten & commend this great priviledge of freedome to you. We uſe to ſay, contraries doe illuſtrate one another: I hope then by ſeeing the miſerable condition of being in bondage, you will be better able to conceive of this bleſſed priviledge of being ſet free by Chriſt. All which I have ſet downe at large in the enterance into this diſcourſe: And ſhewed you how Chriſt hath freed us from Sinne, from Satan, from the Law; to which I refer you.— And ſay yet further.

You whom Chriſt hath inſtated into this high and glorious priviledge, Ʋſe. 2 it is your work to maintaine it, Gal. 5.1. Stand faſt in the libertie where with Chriſt hath made you free.

There are two great things which Chriſt hath intruſted unto us, and we are to preſerve them inviolate.

1. The firſt is Chriſtian faith, verſ. 3. of Iude, See that ye earneſtly contend for the maintenance of the faith, which was once delivered to the Saints.

p. 3412. The ſecond is Chriſtian libertie, Gal. 5.1. Stand faſt in the libertie wherewith Chriſt hath made you free: Every man ſhould be faithfull in thoſe things wherein he is intruſted; God hath intruſted you with precious things, Chriſtian faith, and Chriſtian libertie: and how carefull ſhould we be to maintaine them? Civill and Corporall liberties they are very precious; how doe we ingage our ſelves now for our liberties, and our freedomes, againſt thoſe who would deprive us of them? And indeed they may juſtly be eſteemed they are men of abiect minds, that would for any conſideration forgoe their freedomes and liberties.

Leo the Emperour made a ſevere Conſtitution, wherein he forbade all men the buying, and all men the ſelling of their freedomes; eſteeming it madneſſe in any to part with his freedome. And if Civill freedomes are ſo precious, and to be maintained; how much more our ſpirituall freedome, the freedome by Chriſt? A freedome ſo dearely purchaſed by the bloud of Chriſt. You eſteeme your Civill freedomes the better, in that they coſt ſo much of the bloud of your Anceſtors to compaſſe them. It is baſeneſſe to be careleſſe p. 342of that, which they indured the loſſe of ſo much bloud to compaſſe. How much more ſhould we eſteeme our freedome, which was purchaſed by the bloud of Chriſt? You are redeemed not by ſilver and gold, but by the bloud of Chriſt, ſaith the Apoſtle. So that it is a freedome dearely purchaſed; yea, and freely beſtowed; and mercifully revealed; fully conveyed unto us by the Spirit of Chriſt; and therefore how ſhould we indevour the maintenance of it? To ſtand faſt in the liberty wherein Chriſt hath ſet us free, and be not intangled againe with the yoake of bondage, Gal. 5.1.

1. Maintaine your Chriſtian libertie, or your libertie you have in Chriſt againſt the Law, neither looking for Iuſtification from it, nor fearing Condemnation by it. Live in reſpect of your practiſe and obedience, as men not to bee caſt and condemned, or acquitted and juſtified by the Law; It is a hard leſſon to live above the law, and yet to walk in the law. This is the leſſon we are to learne, to walk in the law in reſpect of dutie, but yet to live above the law in reſpect of comfort, neither expecting favor from thence in point of obedience, nor fearing rigour from thence in p. 343point of failing. Let the Law come in to remember you of ſin if you faile, but ſuffer it not to arreſt you, and dragge you into that Court to be tryed and indged for your failings, this is to make void Chriſt and grace. Indeed we too much live as though we were to expect life by workes, and not by grace. Wee are too bigge in our ſelves when we do well, and too little in Chriſt in our failings: oh that we could learne to be nothing in our ſelves in our ſtrength, and to be all in Chriſt in our weakneſſe. In a word, how to walke in the Law as a rule of ſanctification, and yet to live upon Chriſt and the promiſes in point of juſtification. The Law is a yoake of bondage as Ierom calls it, and they who look for righteouſneſſe from thence, are like oxen in the yoak, who draw and toile, and when they have done their labour are fatted for ſlaughter: So theſe when they have endeavoured hard after their owne righteouſneſſe, doe periſh at laſt in their iuſt condemnation. Luther calls theſe men the devils Martyrs, they take much paines to goe to hell, Rom. 10.3. They being ignorant goe about to eſtabliſh their own righteouſneſſe, and will not ſubmit themſelves unto the righteouſneſſe of God. Proud nature p. 344would faine doe ſomething for the purchaſe of Glory, God will have it of Grace, and wee would have it of Debt; God would have it of Gift, and wee would have it of Purchaſe, and wee have too much of that nature in us; wee goe to prayer and look upon our duties and tears, as ſo much good money laid out for the purchaſe of heaven and glory, nay though we bring no money, yet we would bring money-worth, and plead our own qualifications and diſpoſitions to intereſt us in the promiſe. This utterly croſſeth Gods deſigne, he will have all of Grace, and thou wouldſt have all of Debt. It is not now, Doe this and live; but beleeve, and thou ſhalt be ſaved: walke in the duties of the Law, but with a Goſpel ſpirit, let the Law come in as a rule of Sanctification, but keepe it out in point of Iuſtification, any thing taken in here, one flaw here ſpoiles all. It was well ſaid of Luther, Walke in the heaven of the promiſe, but in the earth of the law; In the heaven of the promiſe, in reſpect of beleeving, and in the earth of the law, in reſpect of obeying, and ſo thou ſhalt give the law its honour, and Chriſt his glory.

2. Maintain it againſt men, Chriſtian p. 345libertie is a precious jewell, ſuffer not any to rob you of it. Let us never ſurrender up our iudgements or our conſciences to be diſpoſed according to the opinions, and to be ſubiected to the ſentences and determinations of men. Let neither power or policy, force or fraud rob you of this precious jewell. I ſhall ſpeake onelyonly to this latter. Let not fraud and policy; the Apoſtle ſaith, ſtand faſt and be not intangled, let us not returne like willing ſlaves into our chaines againe. **In doctrinis quorumvis mortalium admirtendis adhibendum eſt examen, et judicium diſcretionis, ut poſſimus tanquam probi argentarii adulterinam a legitima doctrina diſcernere. Dav. de jud. ac nor. foreign. ne implicemini.It is a greater evill of a freeman to be made a ſlave, then to be a ſlave borne: Therefore take heed, be not tempted into ſlaverie, as the fiſh into the net, bee not inſnared and overwhelmed by the policies of men, wee are warned to take heed none deceive us, Epheſians 5.6. 2 Col. 4.8. 2 Theſ. 2.3. **Gravius malum ex libero ſervum fieri quam ſervum naſci. Ambr.as if it were in our power to prevent it, and ſo it is, we cannot be inſnared but by our owne default. We often betray away our libertie when we might maintaine it, and ſo become the ſervants of men. And this ariſeth either, 1. from weaknes of head, or 2. from wickednes of heart; It is my exhortation therefore that thoſe who are the freemen of Chriſt, would maintain their Chriſtian freedom, as againſt the law, ſo againſt men: be not p. 346tempted or threatned out of it, be not bribed or frighted from it, let neither force nor fraud rob you of it, wee often keepe it againſt force, and loſe it by fraud; to what purpoſe is it to maintaine it againſt thoſe, who are the open oppugners of it, the Papiſts, and ſuch as would take it from us, and give it up by our owne hands, to them perhaps that ſeek not for it? Nothing is more uſuall, and therefore beware; Give not up your ſelves to the opinions of other men, though never ſo learned, never ſo holy, becauſe it is their opinion. It is the Apoſtles direction, Try all things and hold faſt to that which is good, 1 Theſ. 5.21. It often falls out that a high eſteeme of others for their learning and pietie, makes men to take up all upon truſt from ſuch, aaOmnibus piis incumbit ut ſibi caveant, et quamvis doctrinam diligenter examinent ne falſa forſan proveris ſuſcipiant, quiſ que debet niti ſua fide, ſuoque judicio divinitus inſpirato, non exaltertus nutu & arbitrio pendere. Whitak. contr. 1. q. 5. de interp. Scrip. Conſul Dav. de judic. et norm. fid. cap. 25. &c.and to ſubiect their judgements to their opinions, and their conſciences to their precepts, men will ſuſpect a trueth if a liar affirme it, and therefore Chriſt would not own the devils acknowledgement of him, when he ſaid, Thou art the Sonne of God; but they are ready to beleeve an errour, to give credit to an untruth, if an honeſt and faithfull man affirme it, what ever ſuch men ſay, it comes with a great deal of authority into mens ſpirits; And yet it is poſſible p. 347for ſuch men to miſtake; It is a moſt dangerous thing to have mens perſons in too much bbforeign. In doctrina inveſtiganda non ſolum alienis, ſed ſuis utendum oculis.admiration, as the Apoſtle ſaith, Iude 16. You know who tels us, That we know but in part, 1 Cor. 13.12. The beſt are imperfect in knowledge, the moſt learned, ccQuanto ingenio Origenes et Tertullianus, quanta doctrina, quam ſingulari eloquentia imbuti fuerint, omues intelligunt; adeo ut alter Graecorum, alter Latinorum Princeps habitus: atqui iſti in errores multos inciderunt, et qui pertinaciter eorum ſententias defenderunt, haeretici habiti ſunt, et Tertullianiſtae, Origeniſtae appellati. — &c. Reinolds cont. haereſ. c. 11. etiam cenſ. Apoc. praelect.and holy Martyrs every man hath need of his allowance, they are but men, and in that ſubiect to errour, though theſe things may afford probable conjectures, that what they hold forth is a truth, yet theſe are not infallible evidences. Indeed there is much to be given to men of learning and piety, but we muſt not tye our boat to their ſhip, we muſt not, as the phraſe is, pin our faith upon their ſleeves, wee muſt not ſubiect our judgements, reſolve our faith into their authoritie, this is to make men maſters of our faith, this is a ſhread of that garment, whereby Babylon is diſtinguiſhed, a mark of the Roman Antichriſtian Church, to reſolve our faith into the authorities of men, and though it be not required of you, yet it is no leſſe done (though more finely done) by many, then by thoſe of whom ſuch implicite faith, & blind obedience is required.

p. 348It is my exhortation and your duty, to labour to maintaine your Chriſtian freedome: It was dearely purchaſed, and mercifully beſtowed on you; and therefore ſhould not be weakly loſt, nor yet wilfully maintained. It was given in mercy, and muſt be kept in iudgement; you ought to uſe the iudgement of diſcretion in rejecting and embracing doctrines, yet with diſcretion; we muſt neither ſubiect our ſelves to the doctrines and determinations of men, though learned and ccSancti quidem fuerunt, ſed tamen homines, affectus ſuos habuerunt, & foreign paſſi ſunt. Whitak. contr. 4. q. 4. p. 396, 397. Vid. Daven. de judic. & norm. fidei. cap. 25. De judicio privatorum quod practicae diſcretionis vocatur.holy men, with a blind judgement, nor are we to reiect them with a perverſe will; And this is all I ſhall ſpeake to the ſecond branch of this exhortation, and of maintaining of our Chriſtian libertie. Wee come to a third, which is no leſſe neceſſary, and that is,

3. Be ware of abuſing of it. Chriſtian libertie is a precious thing; and the more precious, the more care not to abuſe it; precious things doe uſe to be commended to us with words of Caution; Chriſtian libertie is a precious thing, you ſee it was dearely purchaſed, and mercifully beſtowed upon us, and therefore let me ſubioyne this Caution, and ſo conclude. Beware of abuſing of it. Now that I may not ſpeake p. 349in the ayre, there are ſixe wayes whereby Chriſtian libertie is abuſed.

1. We abuſe Chriſtian libertie, when in the uſe of it we ſcandall others: libertie was purchaſed for the comfort of our ſelves, not for the affliction of others; they abuſe it indeed, who ſo uſe it, as to others affliction. We reade of ſome young Chriſtians of Corinth would eate meat offered to Idols, to that end onelyonly to ſhew their libertie: But the Apoſtle tels them, 1 Cor. 10.24. All things are lawfull for me, but all things are not expedient. And Saint Paul is frequent in inſtructing them, how to exerciſe Chriſtian libertie in caſe of ſcandall. Gal. 5.13. Brethren you have been called unto libertie, onelyonly uſe not libertie for an occaſion to the fleſh, but by love ſerve one another. Chriſt hath taken off our former yoake of bondage, not that we ſhould be more Wanton, but more carefull: Indeed for the comfort of our ſelves, but not to deſtroy another, as the Apoſtle argues, 1 Cor. 8.11. Through thy knowledge ſhall thy weake brother periſh for whom Chriſt dyed, &c.

But I will haſten to a concluſion, and therefore will ſhut up all in a word.

p. 3502. There is a ſecond way, whereby we doe abuſe our Chriſtian libertie; and that is when we uſe it to ſuperſtition, many will ſay they have Chriſtian libertie; and therefore dare venture upon any obſervations, cuſtomes and geſtures, although never warranted by the Word; this indeed is Chriſtian licenciouſneſſe, not Chriſtian libertie; Chriſtian libertie is yet a bounded libertie, bounded with Laws and Rules; but theſe are men within no bounds, and therefore Libertines.

3. We doe abuſe it when we make void the law of God; as I have ſhewed you at large, when we ſhall iudge it our libertie to be exempted from dutie; which indeed is true bondage, no Chriſtian libertie. The libertie of a Chriſtian lies not in exemption from ſervice, but in ſervice; ſurely that man is yet in bondage who doth not judge ſervice his libertie.

4. When we give too much ſcope to our ſelves in things that are lawfull. It is an eaſie thing to runne from uſe to abuſe; of ſuch men Iude ſpeakes in the 4. verſe of that Epiſtle: There are certaine men turne the grace of God into wantonneſſe.

5. When we doe uſe it undutifully; p. 351denying obedience to lawfull Authoritie in things lawfull upon pretence of Chriſtian lihertie; which is indeed to make the world levell; and throw downe all lawfull Authoritie.

6. When we will be tied to nothing, bound to nothing but what our owne ſpirits incline us to; of which I have ſpoken at large: and therefore I ſhall conclude all with the words of the Apoſtle, in the 1 Pet. 2.16. You are free, yet uſe not your libertie for a cloake of maliciouſneſſe, but as the ſervants of God.

FINIS.