(1st.) When, under a design of holiness, there is an increase of a bondage-frame of spirit ; — when the mind begins to be enslaved to the duties which it doth itself perform ; — when that amplitude, free- dom, and largeness of mind which is in a gracious frame of heart decays, and a servile bondage-frame grows in the room of it, so that the soul doth what it cloth under this notion, that it dare not do otherwise. " Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty," 2 Cor. iii. 1 7. Those that come to Christ, he makes free, John viii. 36 ; — there is freedom and spiritual largeness of heart unto obedience and duty. A will unto duty, enlarged, dilated, and sweetened by love, delight, joy, complacency in the matter of obedience, is the freedom we speak of. This frame, I confess, is not always alike prevalent in gracious souls. They may have things ready to die ; sin within, temptations without, desertion from God, — all of them together, each of them, may disturb this harmony, and bring them for a time, it may be a long time, under an indisposition unto such a frame; — but this is for the
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most part predominant. When such a frame decays, or is not, all endeavours, pains, attempts, severities in duties, do all relate to the law, — to bondage ; and consequently lead to self- righteousness, fear, subjection of conscience to duties, — not [to] God in Christ in the duty; fluctuating of peace according to performances. The soul, in its strictest course, had need fear a snare.
(2dly.) Increasing in form, and withering in power. Forms are of three sorts: — [1st] Those of institution; [2dly.] Moral; [3dly.] Ar- bitrary, in conversation.
[1st] There are forms and ways of worship, whereof some are, and all pretend to be, of Christ's institution. Let us at present take it for granted that they are all what they are apprehended to be, — namely, from Christ. For a man to grow high, earnest, zealous, in and about them, — to be strict and severe in contending for them, and yet find no spiritual refreshment in them, or communion with God, nor to grow in faith and love by them, is to dwell on the confines of self-righteousness, if not hypocrisy. This was the very sin of the Jews about their institutions, so much condemned in the Scripture. None use instituted ways or forms of worship profitably, but such as find communion with God in them, or are seriously humbled because they do not.
[2dly.] The outward form of moral duties, that depend not merely on institution, is the same. Such are praying, preaching, hearing. Abounding in them, without a suitable increase in grace, power, liberty, love, meekness, lowliness of mind, argues, though under the highest light to the contrary, a real mixture of self.
[3dly.] There are also outward forms in conversation that are used to the same purpose. We have had some who have changed their outward form in a few years as often as Laban changed Jacob's wages. What shape they will next turn themselves into, I know not. This is not going from strength to strength, and increasing in life and power, but from one shape to another. And as their word and prophecy is directly proportioned and answerable, in its outward appearance, to the administration of the Old Testament, and not at all to the spiritual dispensation of the New; so it may be feared that, in the principle of their obedience, they lie under a legal bondage and self- righteousness, which hath utterly spoiled that which, perhaps, in its first design, set out for mortification and holiness.
(Sdly.) Where self-righteousness is getting ground, these two, bon- dage and form, at length bring forth burdensomeness and wearisome- ness. This God charges on such justiciaries, Isa. xliii. 22, " Thou hast been weary of me." The ways and worship of God grow very grievous and burdensome to such a soul. He is a stranger to that of the apostle, " His commandments are not grievous;" and that of our
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Saviour himself, " My yoke is easy, and my burden is light." The easi- ness of the yoke of Christ ariseth from the assistance that is given to him that bears it by the Holy Ghost, as also the connaturalness that is wrought in the heart to all the duties of it. Both these accompany a gospel frame. But when a soul is deserted of these, the yoke grows heavy, and galleth him ; but yet he must go on. This is from self- righteousness. Let this, then, be our first caution.
[2.] Take heed of monastic uselessness. I am persuaded monkery came into the world not only with a glorious pretence, but also with a sincere intention. Men weary of the ways, weary of the lusts and sin of the world, designing personal holiness, left their stations, and withdrew themselves into retirement. David was almost gone with this design, Ps. lv. 6, " O that I had wings ! " and Jeremiah, chap, ix. 2, " O that I had a lodging in the wilderness!" Whose heart hath not been exercised with reasonings of this kind, " Oh, that we could be freed from the incumbrances and provocations of this world ; what manner of persons might we be in all holy conversation and godliness?" But consider, —