A76991:757
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.
If by the means of grace, 1God doth prepare such for Christ; then take away preparations to Christ, and take away the means of grace to such. But by the means of grace God doth prepare us for Christ. In them he opens and discovers our misery: In them he makes us see our sinfulness, and need of Christ: In them he opens and discovers Christ and the promises to us, and kindles in the soul a desire and thirst after him, earnest seekings for him; which is the morning of grace, the dawnings of faith and conversion; and such as are the harbingers of Christ. It is said of John, who was the prodromus or harbinger of Christ, both into the world, and into the heart. It is said of him, that ⟨p. 292⟩he was to make ready, or prepare a people for the Lord. Luk. 1.17. and how was that, but by his ministry? Christ will have some go before him to prepare for his entrance. It is said of the seventy disciples whom Christ sent out to preach, that he sent them to every city and place whither he himself would come: and wherefore did he send them before, but to prepare their hearts to the receiving of Christ when Christ should come? as was seen by the Text he gave them to preach upon. Go and say unto them, the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you, as you see, Luk. 10.1.9. verses. It is with Christ in his entrance into the soul, as it is with a Prince coming to a place, who you know hath his harbingers such as go before, his court or such as go with him, and his attendants, or such as are his followers and come after him: So hath Christ, the harbingers of Christ, they are those preparatory workings, conviction of sin, discovery of Christ and the promises; earnest longing, thirsting and seeking after him: his court are all the graces of his Spirit, which he works in his first entrance into the soul. And his attendants or followers they are that peace which passeth all ⟨p. 293⟩understanding; Phil. 4.7. that joy unspeakable and glorious in the holy Ghost,