for time ofLiberty. it Vfe t. Hence then fee that the greateft libertyand Vre fweeteft liberty is to be under the government of Chrift Jefus, although men do not think fo : hence the Lord tells them here they 'ball lenow my fervice, they might have replyed we do know it. No, till they be in bonds they know it not, nor cannot learn it. So 'tis now ; and hence let men obferve whiles they live loofly, and are guided by their own wifdonie , for their own ends, ac- cording to their own will, at peradventures, at rovers, as they pleafe, they do think this liberty very fweet ; and 'cis better than to be curb'd in : But let the Lord ftrike an arrow in the heart of thefe wilde bucks, that have broke park and pale, fendaffliCtion, and an Iron yoke of forrow upon them or difireffe ofconfcience, if there be any fenfe and feeling left, they will bemoan rhemfelves, and fay, I did think my liberty fweet, but now I fee 'tis bitter in a finfull way : and the Lords way was moli fweet, by their own confeflion. Hence Pfal. a. 3. Let us break their bands, &c. But Oh now hence learn this truth, and di- geff it throughly, that thegreateft liberty lies here : do not in thy judgement thinkChriftian liberty lies, in being freed from the law as a rule ofobedience in refpett of the matter of it to be done, nor in thy prattice ; butknow, though thou didfl meet with a thoufand Sorrows with it and griefs, yet 'tis fweet. Chrifisyoke, (Mat. II. 30.) it eafie ' and his burthen light. What? When not a hole to hidehis head in, when a reproach of men, a worm and no man, when he bore the Fathers wrath ? Yes, when he was meek under it, (not mine but thy will be done) it was thenmoft fweet, i Kings 9. 2,1,22. To be a fervant to Solomon is no bondage, Pfalm. 119. 32. Iwill run, when thoufhalt inlargemy heart. Vfe 2; Vfe z. Hence fee the reafon why the Lord hall de- prived his Churches oftheir liberty, and his government over them at fundry times, and bath put them under Iron yokes, and bonds,and fore preffures, the reafon is fhewn. they have either openly or more fecretly caft off the go- vernment of the Lord, here hath been the very wound the aile ofall Churches famous and glorious, FM. 8 E. - Oh that they hadhearkened, IAmid thenfoon have fub- duticl their enemies. The cattle is nor fo hard to find to a difcerning fpirit who is privy in any meafure to the coun- fels of God, i King. 9. 8, 9. Solomon hath a promife that the Lords eyes and heart full be to his people which are un- der
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