A76991:561
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.
2. But now the other, those commands and things which were founded upon Gods nature, and were in their own nature good and holy; those it is not sufficient to obey, because God hath commanded them; but there must be an inward principle agreeable to them; an inward loving and closing with them, ⟨p. 208⟩which ariseth from the suitableness of the heart to them. These commands must not be esteemed a heavy yoke, not a burden, but a delight; and principles of love are required in the doing of them.
2. But now the other, those commands and things which were founded upon Gods nature, and were in their owne nature good and holy; those it is not sufficient to obey, because God hath commanded them; but there must be an inward principle agreeable to them; an inward loving and closing with them, ⟨p. 208⟩which ariseth from the sutablenesse of the heart to them. These commands must not be esteemed a heavie yoake, not a burden, but a delight; and principles of love are required in the doing of them.
When I say, you are commanded to love God, to fear God, honour God; it is not enough you do this because God commands; but there must bean inward principle bred in us whereby we do all this: he that loves God merely because God hath commanded, &c. he loves not God at all; and if that be all, then if God had not commanded he would not do this. But a Christian is to do this though never a command to bind him to it. And he fees so much beauty and loveliness in God, his heart is so much taken with him, that he must needs love him.
When I say, you are commanded to love God, to feare God, honour God; it is not enough you doe this because God commands; but there must bean inward principle bred in us whereby we doe all this: he that loves God meerly because God hath commanded, &c. he loves not God at all; and if that be all, then if God had not commanded he would not doe this. But a Christian is to doe this though never a command to bind him to it. And he fees so much beauty and lovelinesse in God, his heart is so much taken with him, that he must needs love him.