A76991:184
The True Bounds of Christian Freedom
The true bounds of Christian freedom or a treatise wherein the rights of the law are vindicated, the liberties of grace maintained, and the several late opinions against the law are examined and confuted. Whereunto is annexed a discourse of the learned John Cameron's, touching the threefold covenant of God with man, / faithfully translated, by Samuel Bolton minister of the word of God at Saviours-Southwark.The true bounds of Christian freedome or a treatise wherein the rights of the law are vindicated, the liberties of grace maintained, and the severall late opinions against the law are examined and confuted. Whereunto is annexed a discourse of the learned Iohn Camerons, touching the threefold covenant of God with man, / faithfully translated, by Samuel Bolton minister of the word of God at Saviours-Southwark.
London: printed by J.L. for Philemon Stephens, 1645
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
All rigour is now gone, 1and nothing but sweetness is the motive to it, and the principle of your obedience. It is the Love of Christ which constrains, as the Apostle, 2 Cor. 5.14. And nothing more powerful then Love; things impossible to others, 2are easy to them that love; Love knows no difficulties, My yoke is easy, my burden is light; Love is an affection that is not to be posed with duties or difficulties to the person beloved: Jacob served a hard prenticeship for Rachel, and yet saith the Text, He esteemed the time little, because he loved her. Love doth shorten time, and facilitate labour. When Achilles was demanded what enterprises he found the most easy of all he had undertaken in his life, he answered, those which he undertook for a friend. This is the spirit which God implants in his children, not a spirit of fear, but a spirit of love; which is the spring of all their actions, and makes those things ⟨p. 54⟩which otherwise would be tasks and burdens, refreshments and delights. A Godly man takes in what ever concerns his happiness by faith, and lays out what ever concerns his duty by love: Faith and love are the all of a Christian, 3the Apostle saith so, Gal. 5.6. For in Christ Jesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but Faith, which worketh by Love. 4Faith like Mary sits at the feet of Christ to hear his word, and Love like Martha doth compass him about with service. Faith is the great Receiver, and Love is the great Disburser; we take in all by Faith, and lay out all by Love. And this is another privilege Believers enjoy, they are freed from the rigour of the law. There are some more, which because I would hasten, I shall but name.
All rigor is now gone, 1