Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity…

First, I say there is a necessity lies on thee to do it. It ¹is true, if thou wert thy own master, if a man were sui juris, he might do with himself what he would; he might seek his own things: but if thou be none of thine own, if thou have hired thy self to Christ, if thou have sold thy self to him, thou art his; and if thou be his, there is a necessity lies on thee now to seek his things, and not thine own. A woman, while she is a maid or a widow, she may dispose of her self as she will, she may seek her own things, and stand upon her own bottom: but when she is married once she must please her husband, and be obedient to him. I say when thou art Christs once (for I speak to those that profess themselves to be his; those that have strength, and need nothing but to stir it up) other men may do what they will, as it is said, when there was no King in Israel every man did what was good in his own eyes. But when thou hast put thy self under his yoke, and accepted him for thy King, thou must live by the laws of his Kingdom, and be subject to thy Prince. When thou hast taken Christ for thy King, (as every man hath that is once entered into Covenant with him) I say there is a necessity lies upon thee. Christ saith plainly to thee; he saith to every man if thou wilt be mine, I will tell thee before what thou shalt do, thou must deny thy self, and take up thy cross and follow me. Choose whether thou wilt enter into my service, and make the match or no, but if thou wilt be my disciple, this thou must do: so when thou art once his disciple thou art bound to it, thou art not now left to thy Liberty.

First, I say there is a necessity lies on thee to do it. It ¹is true, if thou wert thy own master, if a man were sui juris, he might do with himself what he would; he might seek his own things: but if thou be none of thine own, if thou have hired thy self to Christ, if thou have sold thy self to him, thou art his; and if thou be his, there is a necessity lies on thee now to seek his things, and not thine own. A woman, while shee is a maid or a widow, shee may dispose of her self as shee will, shee may seek her own things, and stand upon her own bottom: but when she is married once she must please her husband, and be obedient to him. I say when thou art Christs once (for I speak to those that profess themselves to be his; those that have strength, and need nothing but to stir it up) other men may do what they will, as it is said, when there was no King in Israel every man did what was good in his own eyes. But when thou hast put thy self under his yoak, and accepted him for thy King, thou must live by the laws of his Kingdom, and be subject to thy Prince. When thou hast taken Christ for thy King, (as every man hath that is once entred into Covenant with him) I say there is a necessity lies upon thee. Christ saith plainly to thee; he saith to every man if thou wilt be mine, I will tell thee before what thou shalt do, thou must deny thy self, and take up thy cross and follow me. Choose whether thou wilt enter into my service, and make the match or no, but if thou wilt be my disciple, this thou must do: so when thou art once his disciple thou art bound to it, thou art not now left to thy Liberty.