Liberty inChrit afrted. J79 in the Liberal Sciences , Learned Preachers, and yet never have any experience of this true Liberty,nor never yet know what it was to be in Chrift, though they may talk largly in thewords ofit : for thisfreedom is infinitely above all things of this nature ; it exceeds whatever is in man, as Wif- dom, Reafon, Wit, Art ; for no power or wifdom of man can teach, or procure man this true liberty : No Vniverfity, nor no Academies can teach it : for tis onely taught and wrought by Jefus Chrift, and it is infinitely above the reach ofhumane wifdom ; nay man by all his Learning, and Wif- dom, and acquired parts and utmoft induítry,is fo far from attaining it in the truepot?effion andpower thereof, that by all thofe things he can never come to know it, nor underftand it : andyet filch is the pride, arrogance, and prejumption of the fons ofmen, they will undertake topreach thereof, and teach it to others, when as they never underftood it them- felves, nor ever came to thepractice thereof; for this pow- er, and thin liberty, and this deliverance,can neverbe known but by theworkings and feelings thereof : it muff be brought to us by the communication of the fpirit workng it in us. Secondly, concerning theRelation of this Freedom, or to whom it belongs ; and that is, onely tomen that find them- felves bond- (laves : he that thinks himfelf a Free-man, and never yet found really his bondage, except it were in words or notions, he was never yet delivered. Tis true, men ex- ercifed about Religion, may and do ordinarily confefhe we are all finners,and that they are by nature bond/laves, &c. which men may do and never finde it true in themfelves : But that ofwhicha man is overcme, faith theApoftle, of the . fame is he brought into bondage ; nay herein is mans bondage the greater, becaufe when he thinks himfelf free, and deli- vered, then is he moll' in bondage : Andwhat a pittifull bon- dage is this ? Nay, when he partly fees himfelf in bondage, thinking then by his own ftrugling and paines, to workhim- felf out, he is more in bondage : when he thinks to amend the matter,& toget himfelf to be a Saint,then he is fo much the more a Devil : how are molt men captived to theirown tufts, to everypoor haft, andmean thing ? and how are they captived Secondly, the Re- lation. 2 Pet.2,ig
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