SECTION III. Of Servitude unto Sin: who be properly Servants unto it, and by it unto Satan. CHAP. XIV. That even those Jews which did in part believe in Christ, 1. As we rightly gather that part of man's body to be most corrupt, unsound, or ulcerous, which is most afraid of the chirurgeon's hand or instrument, which must heal or cure it; so these Jews may hence be truly convicted to have been, as our Saviour censures them, truly servants unto sin, or, in St. Peter's expression, servants of corruption, in that they are so touchy and jealous of the very mention of being made free; albeit our Saviour (if you mark his process) doth handle them as warily and tenderly as any skilful chirurgeon could do the most dangerous sores or ulcers of his most impatient patients. For he did not say, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed, and I will make you free. Although if he had thus said, he had said the truth. For HE it is, and HE alone, that A paramust make all the sons of Adam free. But as he had an eagle's eye to discover their hidden sore, and a lion's heart to unrip or lance their sore unto the quick; phrase upon John viii. 31, &c. 40 chirurgeon, to wit, a lady's hand, to touch them gently and tenderly. He tells them the truth, but in a placid and most inoffensive manner, by soft and gentle degrees: If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. And who could be offended, or unwilling to be made free by the truth, but such as were desperately sick of falsehood and corruption? Such and so affected were these Jews, which did in part believe on our Saviour. For they had no sooner heard him making mention of being made free, though by the truth, but they instantly return this repining and impatient answer-We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? 2. Many good interpreters do question the truth of their answer, as whether they were not at this very time in bondage to the Romans. And Tully in his Oration pro Flacco, (whose crime was aggravated, for that he had alienated or detained some gold which had been gathered towards the adorning or beautifying the temple at Jerusalem,) to elevate or lessen that conceit which many Romans had of the nation of the Jews, as of a people better beloved of the gods than other people were, objects little less unto them, than (as they apprehend) our Saviour in this place doth; to wit, 'that they were in bondage to the Romans:' or at least (if they were not in bondage) they were more beholding to the clemency of the Romans, that did not make them servants, having lately conquered them, than unto the favour of their God or gods, which had suffered them to be conquered. For it was an unquestionable prerogative of the conquerors in those days, to bring all such as wilfully or desperately resolved to try their cause in battle with them into civil servi tude or bondage if so they pleased. They held it no sin, but rather a matter of courtesy or kindness, to exchange death, which by title of war was due unto the conquered, for servitude, or civil bondage. in our Sa were no either de facto. 3. But to do these Jews no wrong, their answer unto The Jews our Saviour was not altogether so false as captious, viour's time seeing it consists of two parts, both negative: the one slaves unto de facto, that they were not servants; that they the Romans never had been in bondage unto any man. And this jure or de part of their answer may well seem false, if they extend the meaning of it unto the time of Abraham or Jacob. For Jacob's seed or posterity was in bondage unto the Egyptians. The condition of the whole nation under the Babylonians or Chaldeans was little better. But it may be, that they intended their answer only in respect of themselves, or their own times: and so it is true, that they were not de facto in bondage to the Romans, or to any man. For the Romans suffered them to enjoy the privileges of free men; to use the liberty of their own laws, though with subjection or subordination in many points unto the laws of the Romans. 4. The other part of their answer was de jure; and this was most true; that being the seed of Abraham, they could not justly (especially so long as they continued in their native country) be made servants or bondslaves by the Romans, in that they had a more just title unto the land of promise by being the seed of Abraham and sons of Jacob, than the Romans themselves had unto the kingdom or empire of Italy, or unto Rome itself. The mighty God, and supreme Lord and sole possessor of heaven and earth, had given the land of Canaan unto Abraham and to his seed, by more express covenant and peculiar title than the kings of nations had to their crowns or sceptres: all which notwithstanding they hold immediately from the same mentioned true slaves unto sin. God. The attempts or practices of other nations against this people were always frustrate and void in law, even by the law of God, save only in case that he were displeased with them, and suffered such as hated them to be lords over them; in which cases they were to be no longer in civil subjection unto others than till they returned to him by repentance, confessing their sins and the sins of their forefathers. Thus doing, their charter for free enjoying the land of Canaan was so absolute, so durable and strong, that no authorized customs of men or nations could prevail or prescribe against it. So that the matter of their answer in respect of civil servitude or bondage was absolutely true de jure; and de facto too, if they meant it, or we restrain it unto the time wherein they were under the government of the Romans. 41 5. But how true soever both ways it were, it was The fore- altogether impertinent, nothing at all to the purpose Jews were or point in question; for our Saviour no way intended to object, nor doth his speech any way imply, any civil servitude, or that they were or ought to be, or had been at any time, servants unto men, but only that they were servants unto sin, which indeed was the worst master that they or any man could serve. Thus much his reply unto their impertinent allegation expressly and emphatically avers: Verily, verily, I say unto unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And though by title of law, as well divine as human, he be, whosoever it is, a king or lord over others in respect of civil servitude or dominion, yet, till he be freed from the dominion of sin, he hath the condition or property of a servant. What is that? Our Saviour tells us in the next words: The servant abideth not in the house for ever; that is, he hath no right nor interest in the house wherein for the present his abode or continuance is, but only durante domini beneplacito, so long as it shall seem good unto his master, and no longer. But the son, saith our Saviour, abideth in the house for ever, because the inheritance belongs to him. This saying or maxim of our Saviour is grounded upon the civil customs or law of nations, concerning the right or privilege of the son or firstborn in respect of servants; but is most remarkably true of the Son of God: he is the only Son, the only Heir, not apparent only, but the only Heir possible of that house, whose builder and maker is God. In that he is God's only Son, he is the only Lord, the only Heir of all things that were builded, that were created by him; not free only in his person, but endued with full power and authority to make all others free that seek unto him. And this his power is so absolute and plenary, that without him none can be truly and indeed set free. For so he himself concludes: If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. CHAP. XV. Containing the general Heads of this whole Treatise, and of the Distinction betwixt Slaves and those which we call hired Servants, or Apprentices, or freeborn Persons in their Nonage. 1. THAT we may understand our own estate by nature, and the inheritance whereunto we are entitled by grace, better than the Jews did, we are to discuss these three points: First, wherein civil bondage or servitude doth consist; or, what be the properties wherein servants differ from free men. Secondly, what proportion or analogy servitude to |