Shepard - Houston-Packer Collection BV4500 .S43 1657

_ for a time ofLiberty. trouble, you rejayce ;but when in peace, you fear. l'leonly name the fins ofliberty. Take heed ofa Prayerleffe fpirit, and that that lamp go not out. Men under tome prefiures cry, and 'tis long before they do cry under them, and under their fin ; but then at left they do, and when the Lord gives liberty, though they have the guilt of the fame fins, and more fins lie on them, yet then like Marriners, when the Norms are over, fall aflcep. Its (range that Ifrael under Pharaoh cried, and under Gods affiifling hand in denying themwater murmured. True"thank- fulneffe will help to prize what liberty affords. 2. An unloving fpirit to the Saints. It's that I have oft faid ; fouldiers when they are fet againf.i a common ene- my are all one, but when at liberty, then they fling jave- lins at one anothers heads, differ in opinion, and in heart and affe&ion,&'tis not death fo todo. Take heedofa ri- gid, cenforious, unloving fpirit. 3. Extreme ignorance how to ufe our liberties i and hence running to extremes. As we fay ofChrifl, There is good enough in ifm, but men know not how to fetch and improve it : fo there is great advantage in liberties; butmen miffeof it through their ignorance and abufe. Hence many times more hurt *done by an Admonition than by the fin, when adminiftredin paffîon, andwith- out compaffion. Hence under pretence of liberty, ex- treats beentioufneffe. 4. Imperioufneffeoffpirit, arifing from a frothy empti- neffe, and an overweening opinion, and conceitedneffe oftheir own abilities and wifdom aboveothers:and hence will not be led, ( being at liberty j by the Counfell and Advice of others. It's naturali for man to affet fove- reignty, and when the time comes of liberty,, then it hath a vent : Who made thee aLord andJudge over us ? though in bondage, much more in liberty; they think Wills Com- monwealth is in their heads chiefly, and hence will not be ruled by Gods ordinances ; and hence if once takers with anopinion, hardly ever removed, &c. 5. Refting with liberties and in liberties. We were never in bondage, John 8. 33. yet fervants to fin. We be Abrahams feed, better than all` the world ; yet under all the power of fin and Saran, and mutt not he told of their wayes, but hate them that cenfure them for their fins. Ivicn in bondage are like Sick n en, that will cry if they were 79 t; ai

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=