Concerning the Church of Jesus Christ Upon Earth, Section 12
Section XII.
BUt methinks I hear ſome ſay, Ob. this Yoke is too ſtraite, this burden is too heavy, theſe rules are too ſtrict, reſtraining us of all liberty and freedom, we cannot drink, and be merry but we muſt be reprov'd and—.
To theſe I Anſwer: Sol.
Firſt, If the way be ſtrait, and ſtrict, 'tis the more like to be Heaven way, Mat. 7.14.for—ſtrait is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to everlaſting life. If the way propoſ'd were large and broad, you might well ſuſpect it the way to hell and death, Mat. 7.13.for wide is that gate and broad is that way.
Secondly, To ſuch pleaders for unbounded liberty, I ſay Rejoyce, O yong men in your youth, Eccl. 9.11.and let your hearts be merry — Let the harpe and the violl, and the tabret, and the pipe, and wine be in your feaſts.— But for all this know you ſhall come to judgement.
Thirdly, To ſuch I ſay, curſed is he that ſaith, The yoke is ſtrait that Chriſt Jeſus hath ſaid is eaſie, that the burden is heavy that he hath ſaid is light: Curſed is he that diſcourageth the People of the Lord, Mat. 11.30and brings an evill report upon the land of Canaan; let their carcaſes rot in the wilderneſſe, and let them not ſee the ſalvation of the Lord.
Fourthly, I ſay that the wayes and rules of the Lord, to which we are bound to ſubmit, are not grievous— his commandments are not grievous. Theſe reſtrain not ſo, 1 Joh. 5.3.but that we have liberty ſufficient, liberty to eat, to drink, to meet freinds with friends, and to rejoyce together; yea, if we be ſuch as are received into favour with God, and juſtified by Jeſus Chriſt, there's then cauſe enough for us to rejoyce and be chearfull; the Scriptures then give and encourage us to this freedome— *Eccleſ. 9.1.Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart, for the Lord now accepteth thy works. Thus may it be ſaid to any one, that is truly a member of Jeſus Chriſt: The ſervice of the Lord is not ſlavery but freedome. But here is the madneſs and miſery of men, they account nothing liberty, but whats licencious; they account it not liberty to eat and to drink, unleſſe they may eat to gluttony, and drink to drunkenneſſe; no liberty to be merry, unleſſe they may be prophane, curſe and ſwear.
But alaſs is this the liberty and freedome you ſo contend for? Indeed this is helliſh bondage, helliſh ſlavery; Is this liberty to be overcome with wine and ſtrong drink? to have thy legs ſo bound thou canſt not go, thy tongue ſo tyed thou canſt not ſpeak? Thy eyes ſo enflamed thou canſt not ſee? Thy reaſon and underſtanding ſo captivated and loſt, that tis hard to diſtinguiſh whether man or beaſt? Is this liberty, that thou canſt not be merry, but thou muſt mock God, ſcoff at holineſſe, reproach the Saints? O curſed liberty if this be it! This is worſe than that Egyptian bondage that made the Jews ſo ſigh and cry under it; and it would make thee alſo groan under it, wer't thou but in the leaſt ſenſible of thy own condition.
Tis the Lord Jeſus Chriſt that by your coming in unto him would ſet you at liberty, make you Free-men; Tis he that proclaims liberty to the captive, the opening of the priſon, Iſa. 61.2.to them which are bound—. Jeſus Chriſt would have you Free-men, at liberty; to be ſo much Lords over your ſelves and the creatures, as to eat and drink and not to ſurfet, or be drunken, as to be merry and yet not in ſin; The Devill keeps men in ſlavery, in ſlavery to their luſts, in ſlavery to their paſſions, in ſlavery to their meat, drink, apparell; Oh! It is not liberty you contend for, but bondage; not freedome but ſlavery; and you will ſee and underſtand this, if ever your eyes be opened; for they are now blinded—. 2 Cor. 44.In whom the God of this world hath blinded the eyes of them which believe not, leſt the light of the glorious goſpel of Chriſt, who is the Image of God, ſhould ſhine unto them. I ſay if ever your eyes be opened, you will cry out againſt your ſelves for being ſuch willing ſlaves to Satan, when you might long ago have been the Lords freemen, Then may I ſay unto you as St. Paul to the enlightened Romanes, What fruit had ye then in thoſe things whereof ye are now aſhamed? Rom. 6.21.And now to conclude all, I ſay, that, Bleſſed are all they that ſo hear the good word of the Lord as to practiſe it. Bleſſed are they that hearing that there is a Church of Jeſus Chriſt upon earth, how conſtituted, & what it is, do labour and deſire to adde and joyn themſelves unto it, and become true members of it. Bleſſed are they that hearing what government our Lord Jeſus Chriſt hath ordained in and for his Church, think not his yoke uneaſie, nor his burden heavy; but chearfully and willingly ſubmit to all his holy, juſt, good and reaſonable Commandements. Bleſſed are they that hearing what manner of Perſon thoſe ought to be that are to be received into, or continued in the Church of Jeſus Chriſt as viſible members thereof, do labour to purge and purifie themſelves from all uncleanneſſe, both of fleſh and ſpirit, that they may be thought worthy of admittance into ſuch memberſhip. Bleſſed are all they that hearing the duty of the members of Jeſus Chriſt towards him their head, and one another as members, do ſet about and practiſe the ſame. Bleſſed are they that hearing the neceſſity of a reformation, the acceptableneſſe of it to God; the profit and priviledges that follow it, if practiſed, The judgments and penalties that are unavoidable, if this be ſlighted, doe ſuddenly and ſeriouſly ſet about this work; 1, By a full and free confeſſion, and a ſad and ſorrowfull lamentation of their ſins before God: 2, By a renewing of their Covenant with God, entering into a new and ſure engagement to ſerve him: 3, By endeavouring to purge out from among them thoſe obſtinate and unruly perſons that profane holy things, & bring a contempt upon Gods Ordinances: If we that belong to this Congregation be not rebellious and refractory, but obedient and willing to ſet about this work; I dare affirm it, that when we aſſemble our ſelves together, the preſence of our Lord Jeſus ſhall be with us, the bleſſing of the moſt high ſhal be upon us; Then ſhall he crown our years with goodneſs, and his paths drop fatneſs upon us; then inſtead of having that dolefull meſſage— *Hoſ. 2.2.Ye are not my Wife, neither am I your Husband; we ſhall heare this joyfull ſound from heaven, ſaying, Ammi, Ruhamah, ye are my people, ye have obtained mercy,
Soli Dei gloria.
End of the text · John Flower, Concerning the Church of Jesus Christ Upon Earth (1658)