A76991:65
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.
Thirdly, There is a corrupt and sinful freedom, which we express under the word Libertinism: and the Apostle sets down in the 5. Gal. 13. Brethren ye are called unto liberty; but use not liberty as an occasion to the flesh; that is, as an occasion to sin; this is fearful, to turn the grace of God into wantonness, of whom the Apostle speaketh in the fourth of Jude, There are certain men crept in unawares, who were of old ordained to the condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of God into lasciviousness.
Thirdly, There is a corrupt and sinfull freedome, which we expresse under the word Libertinisme: and the Apostle sets downe in the 5. Gal. 13. Brethren ye are called unto libertie; but use not libertie as an occasion to the flesh; that is, as an occasion to sinne; this is fearefull, to turne the grace of God into wantonnesse, of whom the Apostle speaketh in the fourth of Iude, There are certaine men creept in unawares, who were of old ordained to the condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of God into lasciviousnesse.
Who perhaps did reason with them, 6. Rom. That they might abound in sin because God hath abounded in grace; which was fearful, no reasoning of a child of God. And of the same men the Apostle speaks in 1 Pet. 2.16. As free, and not using your liberty as a cloak of maliciousness; that is, a pretence, or a colour to sin. But as the servants of God, &c. It is evil to ⟨p. 8⟩sin, to do any act of maliciousness, but much more to cloak it, cover it; and much more again to make Christian liberty the cloak of sin, that is most damnable; to make Religion, to make the truth of God, to make Christian liberty so dearly purchased, a cloak or pretence to sin; or to take occasion to sin by it, is a fearful sin.
Who perhaps did reason with them, 6. Rom. That they might abound in sinne because God hath abounded in grace; which was fearefull, no reasoning of a child of God. And of the same men the Apostle speaks in