A76991:844
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. We are in bondage to Satan, not that we owed him any thing; we were only indebted to Gods Justice; but he is Gods Jailer, who holds poor souls down as under brazen bars, and iron gates not to be broken; if a man were in bondage, it is some relief to have a merciful jailer; but this adds to the misery, thou hast a cruel jailer, the jailer of hell is like Nebuchadnezzar who will take no rewards, he will not be bribed, nor persuaded to set thee free. Satan is a cruel Tyrant who rules in the hearts of the children of disobedience, Ephes. 2.2. And you are taken captive at his will, as the Apostle tells us, 2 Tim. 2.26. Indeed he hath some that are more royal slaves then others: Some he keeps in arctâ custodiâ, close prisoners; holds them down with many weights and chains, under the raging power of many lusts and corruptions; and some he keeps in liberâ custodiâ, prisoners at large; he suffers them to walk about; they have the liberty of the prison, ⟨p. 334⟩but yet are clapped up at his pleasure; they are taken captive at his will: though he may suffer them to do many actions; Herod to hear, Judas to preach, yet he hath hold of them by their lusts, he can bring them back when he pleaseth. And that is a second particular, you are in bondage to Satan. And this,
2. We are in bondage to Satan, not that we owed him any thing; we were onely indebted to Gods Iustice; but he is Gods Iaylor, who holds poore soules downe as under brazen barres, and iron gates not to be broken; if a man were in bondage, it is some reliefe to have a mercifull jaylor; but this addes to the misery, thou hast a cruell jaylor, the jaylor of hell is like Nebuchadnezzar who will take no rewards, he will not be bribed, nor perswaded to set thee free. Satan is a cruell Tyrant who rules in the hearts of the children of disobedience, Ephes. 2.2. And you are taken captive at his will, as the Apostle tels us, 2 Tim. 2.26. Indeed he hath some that are more royall slaves then others: Some he keepes in arctâ custodiâ, close prisoners; holds them downe with many weights and chaines, under the raging power of many lusts and corruptions; and some he keepes in liberâ custodiâ, prisoners at large; he suffers them to walke about; they have the libertie of the prison,