regenerate man complaines very pittifully Rom. 7. 19. 20. 21. But now in those that are vnregenerate this power of sin is much more predominant whose hearts affections vnderstandings and all in them are fast locked and barred vp vnder impenitencie rebellion and blindnesse so that they are holden prisoners of Sathan at his pleasure as the Apostle speaketh 2. Tim. 2. 26. Sinne hath dealt with those men as wee doe with wilde fowle clipping their wings that they may not fly away or as enemies doe with captiues disarme them of their weapons that they shall bee able to make no shift for their rescue So hath sin vtterly disabled man to every good worke by putting out the eies of his knowledge and stripping him naked of all those graces strength which he had by creation Beside this sinne hath taken away all desire of doeing good haueing affected the soule of mâ—n with the loue of all vnrighteousnes where by it comes to passe that man is well contented to be the servant of sinne taking great delight in his owne shame and misery Vnregenerat men are kept fast in durance being neither able nor willing to come out of their bondage In this respect is sinne compared to snares and netts and bonds wherein men are caught and kept fast for escaping I finde saith Solomon Eccles. 7. 28. more bitter then death the woman whose heart is as netts and snares her hands as bounds Thereby signifing the most intangling and inthralling nature of the sinne of adultery whereinto few men fall that euer get out againe I see that thou art in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity saith Peter to Simon Magus Acts. 8. 23. Why because for all his seeming profession he was still tyed to his couetousnes other vile affections like a slaue bouÌ„d to a post with a chaine So Paul exhorts Timothy that he instruct his hearers to the end they might Come to amendment and recouer out of the snare of the Divell of whome they were taken prisoners at his will 2. Tim. 2. 26. And for this cause are sinners in the state of vnregeneration compared to captiues and prisoners kept vp in restraint Isaiah 61. 1. Isai. 42. 7. But here you are to note that Satan and sinne doe not deale alike rigorously with all they carry a straighter hand ouer some then ouer others Some they keep in arcta custodiâ— in close imprisonment And that is when men by Satan and corruption are made so sure and so fast chained that they cannot goe one step beyond prophanesse and impiety Thus is it with men that are kepr close prisoners in the darke dungeon of ignorance or who stick fast in the dirt or mire of beastly coveteous and voluptuous affections in a word those that are giuen over to all vngodly and lewd courses Others there are who are indeed prisoners but yet they are kept in libera custodia in a larger kind of restraint or as we say in free prison And this is when Satan sporting himselfe in the sinne and misery of man holds him in a longer chaine and lets him goe a good way onward in Christianity but yet at last fetcheth him back againe when he pleaseth like birds in a larger Cage they flutter about or like birds in a string they make a faire flight vp towards heauen but Satan when he spies his advantage that by their fall he may giue some notable foyle to Gods glory and the credit of his Gospell then he twitcheth the string and downe they tumble vnto hell Such are those of which Peter speaks 2. Peter 2. 18. 19. 20. who had escaped farre from the filthinesse of the world but yet were intangled againe therein Such a one was Demas whose coveteousnesse hookt him back from his profession of the Gospell to the world And such was the young man in the Gospell who was come neere to the kingdome of heauen but he had one legge chained fast to the loue of riches and that fett him quite back againe All these haue a kind of liberty but t' is only of the prison They walke abroad but ti 's in fetters or as prisoners in Rome vsed to be dealt with chained to a souldier their keeper that doth accompany them to see them safe returned to their jayle Now you knowe that a slaue who walkes abroad to do his masters businesse is yet a slaue as well as he that iâ— chained in the Gallie And so are these still servants and bondmen to their corruptions how ever they seeme for the present to bee more favorablie vsed Thus of the first point wherein the masterlie power of sinne stands viz. the restraint from doing the good we should and sometimes would Now in the next place Sinne hath also 2 A power of coÌ„manding all bad services whatsoeuer A slaue you knowe must ride and runne drudg and trudg carry and draw hew in quarries digg in the mines tugge at the oare labour like horses in a mill and be put to all the base offices that are to be done Honourable seruices there be that a freeman a sonne may bee imployed in but servants and slaues indure the basest and painfullest drudgeries So is it with a sinner he is at the command of his sinne as the Asse of his driuer or as the Centurions servants were at their masters beck Looke how Satan inspires him and his corruption suggests vnto him so he studies and plotts so he invents and practises Be it but one sinne that raignes over him you shall see him euer attendant on that master as bee it lust pleasures coveteousnesse ambition he is wholy taken vp in their imployments He hath nothing to spare from them no thoughts no words no time weeke day and Sabbath day their businesse still goes on nay the day is not enough for the doing of its command He deviseth mischiefe vpon his bedd and he cannot sleepe till he haue lay'd a plott how hee may compasse one of his vngodly desires He will be profound crafty and diligent in contriving and dispatching the affaires which the Divell and his corrupt heart haue giuen him in command For this cause is sinne compared vnto a law Rom. 7. 23. because it commands and rules ouer men by powerful suggestions provoking them to evill A lawlesse law it is but fitt for lawlesse men it prohibiteth all that good is and enioynes the practise of every euill thing And hence also is Satan stiled the prince of this world because he hath noe meane company at his devotion ouer whome hee rules as vassals and slaues most ready to obey his will and pleasure But will you see what imployment sinne and Satan set men about Are they honorable services no the most vile base absurd and vnreasonable offices that can be devised what will not they command or what will not one of their servants do against religion conscience justice common honesty yea and nature it selfe Let coveteousnes tyrannize ouer him how basely niggardly
Saints departed or in Adam in his innocencie none is so stupid and dull as not to admire it in them and to wish for the like in himselfe so farre as he might be capeable of it In which case when we looke backe from them to our selues who can choose but hang downe his head for very shame and griefe to see God and these blessed creatures inhabiting in so glorious a brightnes and light somnes whilest himselfe dwels in darkenes compassed about with a blacke night of ignorance errour and obscuritie He seeth as much difference betweene himselfe and them as between him that travailes by the cleare sunne-shine and one that walkes by a candle Knowledge is like the sunne in the world or the eie in a mans face nothing would be more rufull and dismall then the world without the light of the sun nor is any deformity in the face more notable then the want of an eie And certainely there is nothing more vglie to behold then that soule which is darkned in its vnderstanding through blindnes and ignorance being destitute of the knowledge of God of Christ of grace of Religion the knowledge whereof is both light and life vnto the soule 2 In the next place let vs consider the causes of mans ignorance and they are two both very bad according as the effect 1 The first is Adams sinne from whose fall this naturall corruption and weaknes is derived vnto vs. Hee sinned and we in him both are punished among other great losses with the losse of those glorious abilities of our vnderstanding part It had once a power and large capacity to comprehend all things both naturall divine but at this time a very great weakenes and dimnesse of sight is fallen vpon it in discerning naturall things and for the knowledge of God and spirituall things it is growne even starke blinde Hence then is that first bond of ignorance which wee may call naturall and invincible Naturall because every sonne of Adam brings it with him into the world by the course of his generation and birth forasmuch as every one is borne weake-sighted with this infirmity and disabilitie in his vnderstanding Therefore in infants there is more then ignorantia purae negationis for being sinnefull ignorance is a part of their originall corruption and so t is also pravae dispositionis they not only know not by reason of age but are ill disposed to know by reason of the disability of their sinfull nature Againe this ignorance is tearmed invincible or vnavoidable because the naturall man alwaies continues in it and cannot by his owne strength ever get out of it but only by the helpe of Gods spirit outwardly affording the the meanes of holy knowledge inwardly inlightning the minde to vnderstand them aright as the Apostle sheweth 2. Cor. 3. 18. 2. Our owne sinne viz wilfull rebellion in neglecting and despising all holy meanes of knowledge when meanes are not they seek not after them when they be offered they refuse them or vse them with al carelesnesse and disrespect when men winke against the light closing vp their eies that it may not shine id their hearts when they will none of wisdomes instructions but stubbornely say to God depart from vs for we desire not the knowledge of thy waies Hence is that other kinde of ignorance which we call affected a fouler fault by farre then the former when men know nothing and yet scorne to learne anie thing they will not heare nor conferre nor read nor pray nor vse any meanes to get knowledge but are content to sit still in darknes as the Egyptians were sometimes forced to doe not stirring one way or other A miserable condition but I shall tel you the reason of it they abide in darknes because they are loth to see and to be seene Should they come abroad in the light their manifold deformities and abominable corruptions would be discovered by the light of the word to their shame and griefe they should meete with many reproofes of their lewd courses many perswasions to piety and obedience all which they can by no meanes endure it is death to them to heare of their faults when they are resolved not to amend them and they will be wilfullie ignorant of that which being once knowne would often trouble their consciences This reason of mans wilful affected ignorance Christ giues Ioh. 3. 19. 20. Light came into the world and men loved darknes rather then light because their deedes were evill for every man that evill doth hates the light neither commeth to the light lest his deeds should be reproved These are the causes of this ignorance originall corruption disabling vs to know actuall stubbornesse and frowardnesse making vs vnwilling to know wherefore ignorance must needes be ill that hath so ill causes where the roote is rottennesse you can looke for no fruit but corruption 3. Come we in the third place to the effects of it you shall see it is evill and hurtfull in that regard also The fruits of ignorance are two 1. sinne 2. punishment 1. sinne Ignorance is a sinne it selfe and it is a cause of many sinnes There be mother sinnes and this is one of them a fruitfull mother not of devotion as blinde Papists would haue vs belieue but of iniquitie and impietie An ignorant man is a wicked man an ignorant Priest is a wicked Priest an ignorant people a sinnefull people T is plaine by this very chapter There is no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the land saith the prophet ver 1. What followes thence why this by swearing and lying and killing and stealing and câ—mmitting adultery they breake out and blood toucheth blood vers 2. Againe Israell doth not know my peopled th not consider saith the Prophet Isaiah Chapt. 1. v. 3. what of that they might yet be devout and holy might they not No read the complaint that followes therevpon ver 3. Ah sinnefull nation a people laden with iniquitie a seed of evill doers children that are corrupters they haue forsaken the Lord they haue provoked the holy one of Israel they are gone away backward see the fruits of ignorance whereby men become Apostates from God wicked in themselues corrupters of others for so it is they that know no good themselues haue yet knowledge enough to teach another to doe evill nor can this bee otherwise for as much as where the heart is evill the life wil be wicked Now an ignorant person is devoide of grace So saith the Apostle touching the Gentiles that they were strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that was in them because of the blindnesse of their harts Eph. 4. â—8 that is they were destitute of all sauing and quickning power of Gods spirit they had no grace no faith no feare no loue no true affection to God or any spirituall goodnes they had neither care nor desire of that they knew not whence ver 19. followes immediatly their lewd
no other grace that hath the proper office and power to vphold a man in the constant embracing of all holy dueties and constant practise of all good workes but only faith and therefore where that is not men must needes fall away from both That such is the force and vse of true faith you shall see by considering the obiects of it 1 All divine trueths to be held and professed in matter of Religion which are aboue our naturall and corrupt reason and therefore vnlesse our vnderstanding bee by a true faith captivated vnto the obedience of Christ that we can resigne vp our owne wits to be ruled by Gods wisedome and rest our selues only vpon the true word of God it is not possible that ever we should finde sure footing where and in what certaine trueth to rest our selues but shall alwaies bee as those Children spoken of Ephes. 4. 14. of weake and vnsetled mindes easily perswaded to belieue any thing being like small barkes without sufficient balance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tossed vp and downe vpon the waues like a feather and driven this way and that way with every winde of false Doctrine raised vp by our owne foolish fancies or by the device and craftinesse of men lying in wait to delude vs. 2 All commaundements of God touching our holy practises together with all the threatnings if we doe not obey and promises if we doe Now these things are partly contrary to our corrupt nature and vile affections which cannot subiect themselues to Gods law partly they are beyond the reach and desire of our sensual and worldly minds which see no great matter to be loved and feared in whatsoever God threatneth or promiseth Gods law is holy but we are not so Gods promises are spirituall but we are carnall led by sensuality placing our affections on things that are in present view and therefore naturally everie man from the wombe is adverse and backeward from doing that which God commandeth or believing what he promiseth or threatneth Now then what can vphold a man in his obedience to Gods law and dependance vpon Gods promises It is only a true faith which apprehending truely the authority and high soveraignety which God hath in commanding vs and together therewith beholding the excellent holynesse and goodnesse of his commandements makes the heart stoope vnto obedience be it neuer so irkesome vnto it selfe Againe when faith apprehendes the immutablenesse of God in his word when it seeth the pretiousnesse of the promises of mercie with their certainety when it seeth the terriblenesse of its threates togither with the vnavoideable accomplishment of them vpon obstinate men Here nowe the heart rests it selfe as on an anchor sure and stedfast it is filled with a constant feare to offend because it knowes punishment is not to be escaped it is filled with continuall ioye in its obedience because it abides assured of the rewarde But where this support of faith is wanting all obedience presently falls to pieces then if God command or forbid vs any thing we beginne to take advise whether it be good to obey yea or no we fall to aske councell of Sathan of our selues of other men as bad as our selues If they say no there is our resolution too God must looke him out other servants we are not for his turne If Sathan tempt vs strongly if our affections rage when they are crossed if men frowne or fawne vpon vs we are quickely turned out of the way and our purposes of obedience are all dasht in a moment Let God and his Ministers threaten never so much we then thinke within our selues that threatned men liue longest such angrie words breake no bones let God promise neuer so faire we can beginne to smile secretly in our hearts and thinke they are but faire words that make none but fooles faine Indeede if the worlde threaten or promise wee thinke there is something in an arme of flesh that may doe vs hurt or good but when faith is fled certaine close Atheisticall imaginations beginne to fasten vpon the minde concerning God and religion as if religion were but a pretty politicke complement that God is one who will doe neither good nor evill and that we haue no great cause to feare or trust him We see then my brethren how plaine a downfall there is from Infidelity to Apostasie from God and all goodnes when men want faith by the light whereof their blinde reason might be guided by the power whereof their disordered hearts might bee kept in compasse they straight runne madly into all wicked opinions and mischievous practises Most true is that of Saint Iames Chap. 1. ver 8. A double minded man is vnstable in all his waies A double minded man that is an vnbelieving person whose faith and opinion stands vpon tearmes of indifferencie probabilitie hee is in vtramque partem on both sides or betweene both in neither his opinions in matters of religion are variable according to seasons and occasions he holds much of his religion by the copie of mâ—ns countenances much of it by permission of his lusts with manifold reservations and provisoes that it shal bee lawfull for him in such and such cases to doe or belieue otherwise then for the present hee doth when men are thus of double mindes who resolue vpon both sides and so resolue vpon neither who cast about in their thoughts and say I belieue this but it may be 't is otherwise I doe this but what if I do it not what if I do the contrary when mens mindes looke thus a squint on two thinges at once they must needes bee vnstable in their waies If saving faith in the trueth of God doe not establish the heart in a full relyance vpon God only it is impossible but that a man should be of a wauering and moueable temper vnstable in his opinions vnsetled in his practises 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like a man that standes vpon one legge easily overturned like a bowle on a smooth table that 's pushed aside with the least touch of a finger whereas the true believer founded and stablished in the faith is one of those living stones which S t Peter speaketh of 1. Pet. 2. 5. which are squared and surely placed vpon the foundation therevpon resting vnmoueable Thus much for the opening of this point sufficiently for our vse as that which needs practise more then proofe The vses I shall commende vnto you shal be no other then those which are made already to our hand in the text Vse 1 The first vse shal be for exhortation that we be now admonished of this matter what the Apostle speakes to these Hebrewes the same I say vnto you Beloved Take heâ—d brethren lest there be in any of you an evill heart of vnbeliefe in departing from the living God Be well advised looke well about you it is a matter of greatest moment herevpon depends your constancie in religion and vpon that dependes your happynesse
goodnesse 2. by ' its cause that is an evill heart of vnbeliefe a wicked minde that beleeues not Gods word This admonition is directed in common to all the Hebrewes that professed the faith because among a multitude many are Hypocrites and those that are sound hearted had neede to be put in minde and admonished of their frailtie Wherefore the Apostle saith Take heede least there be in any of you an evill heart c. 2 A Remedie to prevent Apostasie that is expressed ver 13. viz. mutuall exhortation to constancie in Godlinesse But exhort one another Ministers the people and the people him and themselues mutually This duetie is amplified 1. By the properties it must be frequent dayly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even everie daie vpon all set occasions it must be constant holding on till the end of this life While it is called to day i. e. so long as grace is offered and danger to be feared which is till our liues be at an end so long are often exhortations needfull to vphold men in their constancie in religion 2. vrged from the danger that comes by the neglect of it that is hardnesse of heart least any of you be hardened the cause whereof is the beguiling nature of sinne through the deceitfulnesse of sinne which by degrees steales away the heart from God and settles it in the obstinate practise of impietie Doct. You haue the words and the plaine meaning I come to some instructions for our practise the first is this That Infidelity is the cause of Apostasie from Religion Infidelitie is that which keepes men from entring into the Church of God and it is that which throwes them out againe when they are entred The Iewes to whom the Apostle writes some of them had resisted the Gospell and put it from them by vnbeliefe others had embraced it whom the Apostle here calls brethren and before ver 1. Holy brethren partakers of the heavenly calling in charitie so stiling them who in visible profession had received and followed the doctrine of the gospell These the Apostle exhorts to sinceritie and faithfulnesse warning them to take heede that there be not a Canker at the roote that would in time destroy the whole tree with his fruits namelie an vnbelieving heart that woulde in time destroy the whole tree with his fruits that would in time make them Apostataes from the religion of Christ which for the present they professed The doctrine then is plainely afforded by the text wee shall endeavour to make it plaine vnto you 1. by expounding the tearmes of it 2. by shewing the reason why one followes of another 1 By Apostasie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the worde is meant a departing or going away from that which we formerly stood to and followed for the matter we vnderstand hereby in short the forsaking of true religion in the doctrine of it or in the practise for it must be noted that men become backsliders from religion two waies 1 By leaving the trueth of doctrine and giving heede to lies contrarie to what is revealed in the word when men fall into Atheisme and make a jest of religion or runne to Iudaisme from the Gospell to the Law a point wherein the Hebrewes were apt to be seduced by false teachers zealous of the Law or when men slip into any Heresie overthrowing the faith or those that cannot rellish the water of life but drinke deepe of the wine of fornication the impoysoned doctrine of Antichrist such forsake the fellowship of the Saints goe from God and his Church leape out of the Arke into perdition 2 By leaving the practise of religion and godlines when men professe their assent vnto the trueth of the Articles of Faith and so retaine the forme of godlinesse but denie the power of it being disobedient and wicked in their liues when men keepe their faith and haue lost their conscience They could sometimes haue saide and haue done too but now they can talke heare study about religion But while their eares tongues and braines are busied their hearts and their hands are idle Both these are Apostates from God equally alike there is not the dust of the ballance to boot betweene the worth of a true belieuer and a false belieuer if both be wicked liuers An honest Infidell will hold weight with a wicked Christian. And a sober Papist is as good as a drunken Protestant nay better Inasmuch as it is better to glorifie God what way soeuer though in a false faith then to dishonour his holy name wherewith we are called by an vnholy conversation yea so foule a corruption of so holy a profession must needs much more shame his life making it ten times more odious to others and damnable in it selfe Wherefore Heresie in opinions and wickednesse in practise both fall vnder this tearme of Apostasie from religion And as he hath no religion at all that denieth the verity of divine Doctrine so he hath no religion to any purpose that holds the truth but denieth obedience to it For what saith S t Iames If any among you seemeth to be religious and bridleth not his tongue but deceiveth his owne heart this mans religion is in vaine Iam. 1. 26. Hee reades vs a lesson in the next words which men in his time and likewise now will hardly learne viz. That true religion stands in the practise of a holy life as well as profession of divine trueths pure religion and vndefiled before God and the Father is this to visite the fatherlesse widdow in their afflictions and to keepe himselfe vnspotted of the world ver 27. Wherfore they are Apostates from religion that relinquish either the doctrine or the practise of religion This of the first tearme in the next place by Infidelity or vnbeliefe we meane a withdrawing of our hearts from resting wholly vpon the trueth of Gods worde nowe in the worde two thinges are proposed vnto vs to bee belieued 1 All manner of doctrines or Articles of religion to bee firmely believed and mainetained against all Heresies and false doctrines 2 All sorts of Commandements threatnings and promises tending to the direction of our practise which we are to belieue and embrace against all counsels terrors or allurementes whatsoever tending to draw vs from obedience in our liues Both these are the obiects of true faith whereby men yeeld assent vnto all doctrines commandements threatnings promises of God not only as true and good in themselues but as better and truer then any thing in the world that can be set against them whence in all perswasion vnto errour in al temptation vnto vice true faith resting it selfe on the word of God winnes the victorie and overcomes the world But where this is wanting an easie way is left to all Heresies and impietie c. Thus for the explication of the tearmes of this proposition let vs see 2 The connexion of them together how Apostasie springs from Infidelity The reason is because there is