618 True Liberty, the Vol. II Tufts ; that is under the tyranny of ftrong and unruly pafíions, of vicious incli- nations and habits. This man is a llave to manyMafters, who are very imperious and exalting ; and the morehe yieldeth to them, with the greater tyranny and ri- gour they will ufe him. One paf ion hurries a man one way, and another drives hin fiercely another ; one luft commands him upon fuch a fervice, and another calls him off to another work; fo that a man under the command and authority of his Tufts and paflions, is like the Centurion's Servants, when they fay tohim come, he muff come, and when they fry go, he muff go ; when they fay do this, he muff do it ; becaufe he is in fubje&ion to them. How does a man lofe the power over himfelf by any inordinate paffions ? How do angel and revenge hurrya man into rafh and mifchievous allions, which he re- pents ofcommonly as foon as they aredone ? How do malice and envy torment the mind, and keep it in continual labour and uneafinefs? What a llave and drudge is he; who is polleft with any inordinate love for the world, and defire of riches ? How does the tyranny of ambition thruff men upon dangers, and torment them with difappointment ? What a bondage is it to be under the flavifh fear of death ? And how does every luff and vicious habit domineer,over a man ? fo that tho' he delire, and many times refolve to do otherwife, yet he is not able to afí'ert his own liberty, and refiff theweakeft temptations when they come in his way. And that whichmakes theircondition'theworfe, is, that every man is wholly at firff, and afterwards in fome degree confenting to his ownbondage. In other ca- fes moft men are made havesagainft theirwills, by the force and power of others but the wicked man chufeth this condition, and voluntarily fubmits himfelf to it There arevery few to be found in theworld, that are fo ftupid and fenfelefs, fo fick of their liberty, and fo weary of their happinefs, as. to put themfelves into this condition: but the wicked fells himfelf to do wickedly, and parts with that liberty which he may keep ; and if he would refolve to do it, and begGod's grace to that purpofe, "none could take it from him. And which is an aggravation ofhis fervile condition, hemakes himfelf a llave to his own fervants, tothofe that were born to be fubje& to him, his own appetites, and inclinationsand paflìons. So that this is thewornkind of flavery, fo much worfe than that of the Mines and Gallies, as the foul and fpirit of a man is more noble and excellent than his body. Now the Do&rine of the Gofpel is the molt proper and effe&uai means in the world to freeus from this fervitude; by prefenting us with motives and arguments to refcue our felves from this flavery, and conferring upon us ftrength and affiftance to that end. The Do&rive of our Saviour reprefents to us all thofe confiderations which may convinceus of themiferable bondageof thofe who are under the pow- er and dominion of fin, and ofthe fatal inconvenience of continuingin that Rate; that the end of thefe things will be death : and to encourage us to vindicate our own liberty, offers us the grace and affiftance of God's Holy Spirit, w help our weaknefs, and to ftrengthen our holy refolutions, and to carry us through thofe difficultieswhich of our felves we are not able to conquer. The Son of GodRands by us in this confli&, and thefpirit ofhim that railed upJefusfrom the dead, works in us ;.and if we wouldmake ufe of this ftrength which is offer'd to us, we may break thefe bonds infunder, and caH thefe cords from us : for greater is be that is in us, than he that is in the world ; the fpirit of God is ftronger than that fpirit which works in the children of difobedience. So that there is nothing wanting to fet us at liberty, but the refolutionof our own wills. If we will quit our felves like men, the power of God andhis grace is ready to take our part againft all our enemies. The fon of God was manifest for this end, to take away fin, and to deflroy the works of the devil; to redeem us from all iniquity, and to deliver us from the powers of darknefs: and why fhould we defpair of vi&ory and fuccefs, when the captain of ourfalvation, who hath ledcaptivity captive, leads us on, and as an encouragement to us., thews us his own triumphs and conquefts which he hath made over Sin and Hell ? Are we enfiaved to the world, and the lufts of it? He hath overcome the world ; and by Faith we may overcome it ; that is , by a firmbelief and.perfuafion of thofe things which hehath revealed to us; for this is 4 the
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