Tillotson, John (1630-1694)

Sermon XIV. True Liberty, the Result of Christianity [from Several Discourses of the Truth and the Excellency of the Christian Religion]

London

Ri. Chiswell

1703

"This man is a slave to many Masters, who are very imperious and exacting; and the more he yieldeth to them, with the greater tyranny and rigour they will use him. One passion hurries a man one way, and another drives him fiercely another; one lust commands him upon such a service, and another calls him off to another work so that a man under the command and authority of his lusts and passions, is like the Centurion's Servants, when they say to him come, he must come, and when they say go, he must go; when they say do this, he must do it; because he is in subjection to them."

II. Freedom from the slavery of our passions and lusts, from the tyranny of vicious habits and practices. And this, which is the saddest and worst kind of bondage, the Doctrine of the Gospel is a most proper and powerful means to free us from; and this is that which I suppose is principally intended by our Saviour. For when the Jews told him that they did not stand in need of any liberty, that they were Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any, our Saviour declares what kind of bondage and slavery he meant; He that committeth sin, is the servant of sin. Wickedness and vice is the bondage of the will, which is the proper seat of liberty: and therefore there is no such slave in the world, as a man that is subject to his lusts; that is under the tyranny of strong and unruly passions, of vicious inclinations and habits. This man is a slave to many Masters, who are very imperious and exacting; and the more he yieldeth to them, with the greater tyranny and rigour they will use him. One passion hurries a man one way, and another drives him fiercely another; one lust commands him upon such a service, and another calls him off to another work so that a man under the command and authority of his lusts and passions, is like the Centurion's Servants, when they say to him come, he must come, and when they say go, he must go; when they say do this, he must do it; because he is in subjection to them.
(pp. 617-8)

Government::Slavery Government::Tyranny Population::Masters Government::Rule and Subjection::Rule of Passion

Reading

At least 12 entries in ECCO and ESTC (1703, 1704, 1717, 1722, 1735, 1739, 1742, 1748, 1752, 1757, 1772).

See John Tillotson, Several Discourses of the Truth and the Excellency of the Christian Religion, ed. Ralph Barker, vol xiii (London: Printed for Ri. Chiswell, 1703). <Link to ESTC><Link to ECCO>

Text from The Works of Dr. John Tillotson, Late Archbishop of Canterbury, Sermon CXCIII, vol. X (London: Richard Priestley, 1820). <Link to www.ccel.org><See also 1712 edition in Google Books>

Ruling Passion

06/21/2011