order the third degree of mans Misery and doth adde weight to the former For to be poore and destitute of necessaries is heavy but if that any disease or torment be added the burden is heavier But if to these two there come a third affliction that the same should be taken Captive carryed into a strange Countrey bee evill entreated farre from all friends and acquaintance without any hope of returne Where this is what is wanting to the perfection of misery yet so it is with man And all this is caused by one and the same thing namely Sin for as in regard of Spirituall riches it being poverty and as it lookes unto the Law it wounds the Consciences and breakes the heart as is after shewed So as it respects Satan it is the very spheare under which we are sold the chaines wherewith we are bound and by which we are carryed farre from God Esa 59.2 It is that by which we cease fighting against Satan and throwing away our weapons of defence and offence we even fly into his Campe. So that Sin in divers respects doth worke the divers degrees of our Misery And this the Scripture teaches plentifully Iohn 8.44 Rom. 6.16 And that by nature we can do nothing but Sinne. Ier. 13.23 1 Kings 8.46 Prov. 20.9 Eccles 7.21 So that by Sin men are made the Divels Captives and we must know that men are not judged what they are by their stock whence they are borne nor by the place wherein they live nor by the like circumstances but by their studies and actions as if one an English man by Nation Noble by birth a Courtier yet in mind and heart be wholly a Spaniard bewraying our Counsels to them and helping theirs whose Servant would such a one be counted sure not of our Prince but even a secret and close factor and Servant of Spayne So it is with us it little availes to be borne in the Church or of Christian Parents to professe Religion to be present at the Word and Sacraments if our wils doe serve the Divell Vse Is That wee learne to abhorre Sin even for this cause that it doth bring us into bondage Who loves not and from his heart desires liberty Wherefore are Lawes but that we may live freely whence are warres but to recover lost liberty for which many have jeoparded lives and livings And shall we so much esteeme the liberty of the Body and neglect it for the Soule which is so much the more excellent by how much the Soule excels the body What do we then by Sinning Surely this we cast away our Liberty Aegypt was a figure of Hell Pharoah of the Divell The yron Furnace of death the Clay workes of Sin whereby Satan holds us bound Now how were they delivered Sure by Christ alone and that by his Bloud and that war figured two wayes First the Paschall Lamb was to be slain with the bloud whereof the doore-posts were to be sprinkled and so free from the destroying Angell This was a Figure of Christ who by his Bloud shed destroyed the first borne of death even by his power and strength and this was the first degree of our Redemption The second degree and absolute was the Drowning of them all in the Red Sea Now that was a figure of Christ which did open the way of safety to the Jsraelites and brought utter destruction to the enemies So that we see a double Deliverance in this shadow first a Killing of the chief strength and darlings of the enemies but yet not a freedome from the pursuing of the enemies The second was wherein all Perished not one escaped So it is with us The sprinkling of the bloud of Christ hath cut the nerves of Satan and Hell But when by Death wee shall bee drenched into the Sea of his bloud we shall be free from all assaults of enemies A second Type was in Ioshua whose Victories were lively shadowes of Christ For as by the blowing of Rammes hornes the Wals of Jericho fell so by the Preaching of the death of Christ the horne of Christ the Ramme Sacrificed being blown it caused the pillars of Satans Kingdome to shake and the doores to open Vse To strengthen our Faith against that horrour wherewith Satan seekes to shake our Consciences He devises what hee can to afflict us sets the griesly face of Death before our eyes cals to mind the filthinesse of our Sins hee opens even Hell it self makes us to behold it he proclaimes the severity of Gods justice Now true it is we are not able in our own strength to stand against the least of these but in the power of Christ we shall be more then Conquerers and dare boldly behold the same Vse Second know that true Liberty consists in being freed out of the bondage of these cruell Enemies and therefore not so to live as that we suffer our selves to be entangled againe By the Broken heart is not meant a heart lightly bruised or somewhat broken but a heart broken into the smallest pieces as Corne is broken twixt the Milstones or as any thing is beaten to powder in a Morter Now the heavy Milstones and the strong Pestle or Hammer that doth this is the Law of God with the Attendants The sight of Sin the apprehension of the Curse the wrath of God the feare of Hell Death Damnation and the Divell Seeing Christ cures such onely it much concernes us to stirre up this sense of Sin in us and to avoid all such things whereby it may be deaded and wee lulled asleep and to this end Christ diligently warnes us of two things Luke 21.34 The first is Surfetting and all wanton and riotous Pleasures and delights For this takes out of the heart all sense and feare of Sin Curse Death Hell Esa 22.115 Amos 6.3 For how can any Godly sorrow take place amidst all voluptuous delights the like is shewed Esa 57.4 5 6 7 11 verses For when day and night is spent in devising and musing of outward and Carnall pleasures what roome is left for holy Meditations examinations and considerations which was the meanes that made David turne to Gods testimonies So that if we regard our Soules health wee must avoid the excesse of Carnall delights and thinke it much better to sorrow heere a while and to be comforted hereafter then for transitory delight to incurre Eternall torment So for the second the cares of this World is a manifest hinderer for they choke the Word it cannot have it perfit worke this is seen in Dives this is seene Luke 14.18 In the refusall of the Invited guests This also is observed Amos 8.4 5. They thought the Saboth long because their minds were after their Covetousnesse Vse Second Let all those receive Comfort that groanes under their Sinnes for Christ is ready to heale such of all Afflictions there is none to that of the wounded Conscience for such may and doe complaine as the people of God Lament 1.12 13 14. But
advantages faile yet this doth not an increase of Grace whereby is increased our assurance As St. Paul teaches Rom. 6.22 That being the Servants of Righteousnesse they had this fruit to wit an increase of holinesse So Rom. 5.5 Hope makes not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad That is the sense of the love of God is poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit for by him as a most certain pawne or witnesse that we are beloved of God and how good he is and Fatherly affected So that wee see by what meanes this sense of Gods Love is brought into our Hearts even by the Holy Spirit Vse And therefore a second duty to every one that would cherish this sense of the love of God in him is that he cherish the Spirit who is the Author and preserver hereof But we shall not need to seeke other meanes for the effecting of this then those the Apostle delivers in this place For if there shall be a continuall Meditation of our Righteousnesse purchased by Christ If there shall be a serious Meditation of those good things wherewith God rewards the Servant calling on his name If also our hearts shall be throughly enflamed with a constant expectation of that felicity laid up in Heaven for the Faithfull What can be wanting to us for the preserving a lively sense of this Love we speake of See how loftily the Apostle vaunted himselfe in the confidence of never loosing the sense of this Love bearing himselfe only on these grounds and props Rom. 8.33 Who shall seperate us from the love of God in Christ c. Now what can be more renowned and Honourable what more to be desired then that fraile and weake man should bee stronger and more powerfull then Life then Death then the Divel then Sin and all the terrours of Hell and yet St Paul doth witnesse that the sense of this Love alone did put this Noble heart and Victorious Spirit into him And every godly man truely fearing God hath experience of this in himselfe This is that admirable and wonderfull power which carries men violently through glory and Ignominy through good report and bad through fire and torments that they might Magnify the name of their God whose unspeakable love they feele in their hearts 2 Cor. 5.14 The Love of God constrains us 2 Cor. 4.8 9 10. For when they have Gods favour they stand not much on it that the World is against them For say the wicked spoyle their goods thirst after their bloud yet what need they bee discouraged in heart when they know that these light afflictions shall be recompenced with so great reward as is shewed 2 Cor 4.15.16 17. Wherefore let us get to our selves this most strong Bulwarke against all the force of Satan and his adherents Let us endeavour to Sanctity that being made richer in Graces we may have a more plentifull assurance and deeper stampe Imprinted in our hearts which none hath ever tasted or shall no not with the least sipping that sets not himselfe unfainedly to this taske and makes Conscience to proceed and increase in the same course having a pure heart a true tongue and clean hands But alas if these things be so who can sufficiently bewayle these our dayes wherein men shew that they are so farre from preserving themselves in the love of God that they are set to cast themselves out of the same while some seeke above all to preserve themselves in the love of the World and so the love of God cannot be in them They being carryed away so with the Pleasures Honours and profits of the World as they desire no other Others go on in the open breach of all Gods Lawes grieving the Spirit of God provoking him to his face and moving him to turne his Love into Anger Is not the love of many waxed cold and doth not the fayling of this love in men shew that God begins to withdraw his Love which was the beginning of the other What meanes that deadnesse of mens hearts what meanes either a generall neglect of all meanes Simile or a formall outward use of them which never entring into the heart can no more strengthen the life of it then the meate that is taken into the mouth and goes no further can nourish the body O then let us awake and hold fast our Bridegroome Let us entreat him and endeavour our selves in his way then he will enrich us with his Graces take us into his secret Cabinet and Seale up to and in our Soules the Charter of eternall life O how should this make us pray with David O that my feete were so directed c. O how should Christ and his Truth bee in our hearts to dye and to live how should we sigh and contend for it Who would loose his Evidence Take heed of Sin if thou cherish it it will so eate out the letters of thy Evidence that thou shalt not be able to read them and so weaken thy title and tenure in the Heavenly Inheritance that when the Earthly shall faile thou wilt not know what shall become on thee Arise then by unfained repentance from thy Sins and never give over till by thy Teares thou hast so washed out all the Spots as that the letters of thy Evidence may be cleared and that the Starre which was so darkned may so cleerely shine and directly conduct thee not as it did the wise men to Christ in the Manger but to Christ in glory at the right hand of the Father whither thou shalt alway bee admitted not to offer gifts as they did But to be filled with all pvrfection of happinesse Waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ. Hitherto of preserving our selves in the love of God the last furtherance thereunto is here set down to wit Christian Hope It is described by three things First from a property or effect namely Wayting Secondly from the object or thing wayted for the Mercy of Christ called the Grace of Christ 2 Cor. 13. at the end as also the fruit thereof Eternall Life which often is called Hope Thirdly from the end Eternall Life So that the sense of all is Wayting for Eternall Life through the Mercy of Christ Where at the first is discovered that impudent devise and falshood of the Popish Church touching their double justification the first whereof they avouch to be of Grace but that at least of Grace and workes whereas here it is expressed That a Christian justified waytes for Mercy But leaving them to their blindnesse Note let us see what may concerne our selves This Wayting here expressed is a lively property of true Christian Hope in part common to it with Faith For Faith and Hope have both the same grounds the same causes the like effects and therefore as he that Beleeves makes not hast so neither doth he that Hopes So that To Hope Waite Expect and Trust are put all for one in the old Testament Lament 3.40 41. and
fields and Vineyards to be spoyled and in wrath to commit them to their fury even so through sin we fall into a most cruell bondage far passing that of Aegypt or Babylon both for the misery it selfe as also for want of meanes of deliverance Now this Captivity is foure-fold The first Captivity is under Originall corruption whereby the Mind is captived in the chaines of ignorance errour and vanity The Will is manacied with perversenesse the Affections with contrariety violence insolency and importunity and by the daily fruit of this by actuall transgressions we bring our selves into a great bondage as the Israelites were by the Philistines who had not so much as a weapon among them The second Captivity is under Satan 2 Tim. 1. at the end Luke 11.21 Ephes 2.2 3. Wherein he deales no lesse cruelly with those whom Spiritually he possesses then he did with those whom he bodily possessed ☞ Depriving them of the use of their membâ—rs Tongues Eares Eyes making them to offer violence to themselves and to cast themselves into fire and water And this cruell bondage under these two might be shewed by many particulars as that they command most base and ignominious services they give no rest to their vassails day nor night The third is the dominion of actuall transgression and sinfull corruption and affections under which the wicked serve a most sore bondage One being a slave to Lust another to Pride another to his Belly a fourth to Honours ☞ another to Passion and Pride and thus have the greatest Monarches been slaves As Alexander and Heliogabulus The fourth bondage is of Mortality and the Grave called by St. Paul the bondage of Corruption Rom. 8. With all the attendants Sicknesse paines diseases death it selfe and to these might be added the bondage of the Law Object But it may be asked Whither since all are under this bondage shall they be delivered from the same Answ To which is answered That this Captivity is either felt and lamented Or it is not to the first only the benefit belongs not to the second Vse This serves to abate First all carnall Prerogatives for it doth levell the Scepter with the Matrock for all entring into the World by the same passage and springing out of the same root are alike and being borne of a Bond-man and bond-woman must needs be bound O that Princes Nobles Wise Rich and Beautifull would consider this Ier. 9.24 For what would it availe to be all these and yet to be in vassalage to some conquering Power The knowledge of this Note made Theodosius rejoyce and praise God more for making him a Christian then an Emperour knowing that Religion brought that to him and took that from him which all the Scepters in the World could not To what purpose is it for men to talke of their Nobility when lost by attainter and for a Prince taken Captive to brag what he was is but vanity and vexation and this is right our condition Vse Second let us labour all to apprehend this misery by a serious meditation of it that wee may know our Naturall misery that we are not free-men but bond slaves This is most necessary to prepare in us a desire to be freed and to be stirred up to seek and use the meanes of it And till this be wrought in some measure wee neither shall seeke remedy nor have any right to any thing Christ hath done But how great is the blindnesse of men any outward misery affects us but no inward or Spirituall Simile If thou sawest one enjoyned a taske to digge in the hardest Mine fed with water and bread and after many miserable dayes and veeres so spent should for his hire be thrown from some steepe Rocke Wouldst thou not judge his care most miserable yet there is none of us but by nature our estate is more wretched while after many weary yeeres spent in the slavery of sin and Satan we should receive for our pay death and damnation yet who considereth this Labour then for pardon of sin and release of bondage for till such time thou canst live no more in Peace then a condemned man in Prison dayly expecting his Execution If such a one should build purchase and keepe a stirre in the World all would pitty his folly and madnesse and yet wee deale more madly for our Soules and Saluation Vse Third this serves for comfort to all that feele their bondage and sigh under it thou canst no sooner be weary of thy condition but thou shalt find a Ransommer Math. 11.28 Rom. 7. Wretched man who shall deliver thee Thanks be to God for these sakes Christ came Esa 61.3.4 5. And thus much of the misery described by the first particular the remedy followes Deliverance sutable to the Misery Here is two points First of the kind or manner of our Deliverance Second of the Measure of it For the first we must know that there are foure kinds of wayes for delivering Captives First by Exchange Second by free Manumission Third by force and violence Fourth by price and Ransome The first of these hath no place in our Deliverance for whom or for what should the exchange bee But for the other three means though they are differing yet do all sweetly agree and concurre in our deliverance For if we look into the Originall and fountain of our deliverance It streames from the most free and everlasting love of God yea from the bowels of compassion in our God pittying us in our misery Luke 2.75 76 77 78. Againe if we consider Satan who did cruelly detain us in bondage we are delivered by force Colos 1.16 17. And Luke 11.27 Christ buckled with Satan and spoyled his holds and triumphed over him Colos 2.14 15 16. and 30. If we respect the justice of God which was offended and so had justly given us over to thraldome We are delivered by the all-sufficient ransome and satisfaction which Christ made and paid whereby Gods wrath is appeased the Law fulfilled and through the efficacy of the said death and resurrection in the hearts of Gods children by the Spirit of God the power and dominion of sin is abolished his strength abated and man endewed with the strength of God to encounter against sin And thus much of the kind and manner of Deliverances Now followes the Measure which is not fully as yea in regard of actuall enjoying the same Not that there is any defect in our Deliverer nor that any dammage shall ensue to us thereby but this is so disposed of as may turne to Gods greater glory and our further good When Davids Embassadours were disfigured with their shorne beards and curtayled cloathes they were not meet presently to come into his Presence but were enjoyned to stay for a time Even so being deformed and mangled with Sin Simile and ugly Lazars we are unfit to come into that glorious presence till we be wholly stripped of the Old man and clad with the New which will not
be but by death So that Gods wrath is already removed the guilt and condemnation of sin is taken away with the dominion Only the reliques remaines and bodily death but so as they shall no whit hinder our full deliverance So that true it is we must Dye Simile that the truth of Gods threats may take place which once denounced could not bee revoked but as Assuerosh though hee could not revoke the sentence of Death sent against the Iewes yet hee sent forth another Edict whereby he armed the Iewes against their Enemies Simile Even so God at the suit of Christ made another decree whereby wee might be armed against our enemy Death so that though we dye yet hee prevailes not against us by reason of the great change that is made in Death For whereas his Power was extended to whole-man Soule and Body hee is altogether restrained of the one and whereas his Power was perpetuall it is now limitted to a very short time Yea whereas Death and Sin were the greatest friends they are set at greatest oddes For as Death came in by Sin so Death is made the destroyer of Sin Simile like as the Worme that breeds in the Tree kills the tree Before Death was the Divels Serjeant to arrest us and to carry as without bayle to perpetuall Prison but now it is made the Lords gentleman Usher to conduct us to Heaven Before it was said Thou shalt Dye and not Live now it is sayd Dye that thou maist no more dye but Live eternally Vse Let us apply this for our Instruction First wee are taught hereby to walke worthy this Deliverance Luke 1.74 Upon this ground are made all Exhortations in the Scripture Rom. 12.1 2. 1 Pet. 1.17 18. It had been better otherwise never to have beene delivered 2 Pet. 2. at the end Math. 12. When the Divell is cast out of a man hee seekes rest c. And if a Bond-man be escaped and catcht againe more bonds are laid on him the eye of his Keeper more observes Hee that once escapes Fire and Water and will cast himselfe into them is well worthy to perish Simile Hee that is once set at liberty out of Prison and will run into ryot againe till hee be cast in the second time hee may lye till he rot Shall Christ breake our bonds and wee make new ones Shall hee kill Sin and take away the sting of it and shall we put life and sting againe into it When the Israelites were delivered from Babell how did they Watch build with one hand and prepare to fight with the other to defend their Liberty and as Ezâ—â— reasoned Chap. 9.9 That when as wee were bond-men thou O God forsooke us not in our bondage and seeing thou hast stayed us from being beneath for our Iniquities and hast given us such a Deliverance shall wee returne to breake thy Commandements wouldst not thou be angry till thou hadst consumed us so that there should bee no more escaping Even thus ought we and must we reason with our selves Nay what can we say if wee resist not Sin Have we not a Promise wee shall vanquish When we were weake unskilfull in battell nay wilfull not listing to fight and our Enemies were strong resolute and well appointed no marvell if wee turned our backe But now that the advantage is to us and disadvantage to our Adversaries what can wee say if we faint who will pitty that man that suffers himselfe easily to be spoyled of his goods by Robbers having on himselfe good armour and well weaponed and being stronger then the Thiefe Let us then stand fast and not betray our Liberty but oft meditate of the bitternesse of our former bondage one that being long in Prison and there fed of scraps if being delivered he passe by and sees other at his old dyet hee partly trembles partly his stomack rises at it and so should it be with us Secondly This doth admonish us of Thankefulnesse No benefit to this Exod. 12. The night of their Deliverance out of Egypt was solemnly to be kept Yet this was nothing and therefore to be forgotten in comparison of the Deliverance from Babell Ierem. 16.14 Now this of ours farre exceeds both the other as being but temporary and bodily Deliverances from Miseries ceazing on the body which Death would have ended And yet for this how doth the Psalmist stirre up the people Psal 107. To thankefulnesse verses 1 2 8 13 16 21 31. Nay it is to bee observed that the Scripture speaking of Deliverance from the bondage and guilt of Sin calls all Creatures to rejoyce with Man for this his happinesse and the fruit of it Esa 44.22.24 Rejoyce yee heavens for the Lord hath done it c. Esa 49.13 And sure great cause have wee Psal 116.8 Therefore he inferres in the first and 2d. verses That he will love the Lord dearely and that he will walke before God in the Land of the living And in other places meditating of it He breaks forth Lord what is man that thou art mindful of him What was the Lord God more tyed to us then to the Angels falling yet passing by them in wofull misery hath vouchsafed us mercy Simile As if a Noble man and a Peasant being both Traytors the King should cause judgement to be executed on the Noble man and yet pardon the mean man yet thus hath God dealt with us Vse Let us then labour earnestly with our own hearts to frame them to true thankfulnesse Let us consider who was the Lord that he should look on such dead Dogs as we are And if Elizabeth could cry out in admiration whence is it That the Mother of my Lord should visit me what ravishment of affection should possesse us Let us acknowledge this unfainedly and give him the glory of his Power Wisdome Goodnesse Justice Truth Holinesse for all these appeare in our Deliverance Let us study to expresse thankfulnesse by avoiding what is displeasing to God and by doing that may please him Otherwise if forsake good and cleave to evill wee shall bee cast off from God and all goodnesse and shall be tyed by an inseparable bond to all perfection of evill as a just and befitting recompence of our own choyce Vse Third the meditation of this Deliverance offered in the word Preached shou d cause that the messengers thereof should be entertained with all willingnesse and thankfulnesse Esa 52.7 8. And because this is not thought of it is that men are so dull and heavy in entertaining the word and the Ministers thereof And thus much of the first particular Now followes the second Verse 18 To Heale the broken hearted Herein by a second comparison the misery of man is set forth with the remedy by the benefit of Christ Where first of the Misery This broken heartednesse is a fruit of sin and Corruption whereby the heart as with a mighty burden is bruised yea so heavy it is that God affirmes of himselfe that he is pressed with
are not his brethren with us Mark 6. But if we shall consider That Christ is King or Priest to none to whom he is not a Prophet and he is not a Prophet to those that contemn his Ordinance of Preaching then men shall he made to give due respect to the same Vse Third as touching the Ministers they ought not to be daunted if they see the proue contemn their Ministery for let them remember that they as Christ were sent to the poore so that if one or two poore embrace our Doctrine we have wherein to rejoyce Ezech. 2.5 Doct. Out of these words may be raised another profitable observation to wit What was the matter of Christs Doctrine to wit the Gospell and not the Law For this cause came he out of the bosome of his Father Iohn 1. The Law was given by Mâ—ses c. So that this doth â—ichly commend the Office and benefit of Christ for the Gospell farre surmounts the Law Object But it may be said Did not Christ teach the Law Math. 5. and other places as to the young-man Luke 29. Answ To this answer is made Hee did it â—â—t as his chiefe Office but as a preparing of men thereby to the Gospell for as the proper office of a Carpenter is â—o build not to pull downe Simile and of a Physitian to heale not to make sicke yet they are forced oft to doe both Even so was CHRIST Simile He saw that the Law was so taught as that men were made to trust in it to looke for Salvation by it as being possible to bee kept and so to exclude all helpe and necessity of any other Saviour So that most needfull it was that Christ should shew that the Law rightly understood was impossible to bee kept that so they might seeke Salvation else-where This being remembred to returne to the Point to wit The excellency of the Gospell it will soone appeare by the riches and benefits it brings with it As first Pardon of Sins Secondly gift of Righteousnesse Thirdly adopâ—ion of Sons Fourthly acceptance into the favour of God yea unto life everlasting Fiftly gift of the Spirit Faith Hope Patience Love Holinesse c. Sixtly freedome from the Curse of the Law Hell Death and dominion of Sin Seventhly Communion with the blessed Trinity 1 Joh. 1. at the beginning Eightly accesse unto the throne of Grace Ninthly Peace of Conscience Perseverance Sanctification of all afflictions with all other riches of Christ all which are wrought by the Gospell which how great they are may be seene by the contrary or the want of them as to bee under the guiâ—t of Sin wrath of God Children of Satan Curse and Death bondage sting and wo me of Conscience debarred Gods presence and reserved for the fearefull sociâ—ty of Satan And as the excellency of the Gospell doth partly appeare hereby so will it further by considering how it differs from the Law For the Law first is Naturall second the Gospell is Supernaturall both for matter and the manner of Revealing Ioh. 1.18 Colos 2.16 1 Cor. 2.7 Had not he wiâ—dome of God found out this meanes of Salvation and published the same all the wits of Men and Angels had not been able to have devised such a way whereby Gods justice might bee fully satisfied and yet infinite Mercy extended to miserable Man Secondly The Law and Gospell differ in the way that leads to Righteousnesse and Salvation For the Law sayes by Doing The Gospell ☞ by Beleeving The Law teaches it must be done by our Selves The Gospell admits and sets forth Another Philip. 3. Gal. 3. Rom. 10.5 6 7. Thirdly they differ in the manner and nature of the Promises annexed to either For the Legall requires the condition of our Righteousnesse and that every way perfit But the Evangelicall requires not our own but accepts anothers nor exacts Perfection in us but only Syncerity Rom. 4. By debt and freely distinguishing the Law and the Gospell Fourthly They differ in their effects for the Law causes wrath Increases sin gives not strength to doe the things Commanded But the Gospell brings Peace Righteousnesse and 〈◊〉 the Ministery of the Spirit This is largely and excellently taught 2 Corinth 3. Vse The knowledge of these things are most necessary First they shew the excellency of the Ministery of the new Testament 2 Cor. 4.1 2 3. So that the Ministers thereof need not to be ashamed Rom. 1.16 It is the power of God to Salvation Ephes 3.7.8 9. And hereby the meanest Preacher of the Gospell is become greater then Iohn Baptist namely in regard of his Office Because they are publishers of these glad-tydings accomplished by Christ Vse Second this shewes the happy condition of the faithfull now Math 13. Luke 10. Blessed are the eyes that see those things which you see c. Heb. 12.17 18 19. Vse Third it admonishes all Christians of their duty and that they take heed they neglect not the same Heb. 2.1 2 3. If they escaped not that transgressed the Law much lesse shall they that offend against the Gospell For Christ is the Prophet whom who so will not heare must be destroyed Acts 3. at the end God suffered evill entreaty of his Servants but after he had sent his Son and they had despised him presently he tooke away the Vineyard Woes were denounced against Corazin Bethsaida and Capernaum wherein is shewed that their state should be worse at the day of Iudgement then Sodome and Gomorrha Vse Fourth this teaches the simple to distinguish the Law and the Gospell the knowledge whereof is the key of the whole Scripture as whereby all the wiles of the Papists may be discovered and avoided They commonly teach that the Gospell is the new Law and a more perfit Law whence they inferred their Doctrines of Counsell and works of Supererogations But alas if the Gospell were a more perfit Law it were wofull tydings to all mankind Hereby also may appeare that the Law and Gospell cannot be joyned in the point of Iustification for as these two are quite contrary To to do a thing by our selves and to do it by another to have a thing by desert and to have it of free gift and such are the Law and Gospell in the justification of a sinner To Preach deliverance to the Captives That which before was set down in generall only both in regard of the Benefit as also of the Misery of man this same after the usuall manner of Scripture is described more particularly and as opposites set together doe make each other more conspicuous so is it here a Misery and a mercy a defect and a supply And as the disease is before the remedy so it must first be handled and it is expressed in the word Captives wherein as before the outward and bodily Captivity is used to expresse and declare our inward miserable Captivity and bondage Captives As God sold his people into their Enemies hands suffered their houses to be pulled down the
be thou of good comfort for now is Salvation and Health neerer to thee then before For sence and feeling is of the Living not of the Dead whip a dead man and hee regards it not the force of a drawing Corasive and searching is not felt in the dead and proud flesh the sence of the Iudgements of God doe argue that the Mind is quickned by the Power of the Spirit and is not quite dead in Sin and Satan being now to bee cast out makes a tumult being quiet before while no force was offered him Math. 12.29 The Israelites when ready to come out of Egypt were pressed with sore bondage Even so it befalls all the Broken hearted Object But they will say I feele my selfe forsaken of God Answ So said David Ezechias and other holy men in the anguish of their Spirit and apprehension of the Flesh but yee are not to judge of the grace of God by your owne sence and feeling but by Faith which against feeling perswades the heart that God is gracious Psal 22.2 Vse Third That by all meanes wee take heed of Sin for doe we not see what companions it hath the wrath of God curse death c. Which though now they be held from thy eyes through the pleasure thou takest in Sin yet when that short vanity shall vanish they will seaze on thee with such horrour as thou would wish thou hadst never been borne Let us then bethinke how foolish a thing it is for so small a pleasure to plunge our selves into such Miseries Is it not a lamentable thing that men endued with reason should suffer themselves to be taken as Fishes which have no understanding or conceit of danger and evill and yet it is so the Hooke is bâ—â—ted the baite swallowed and the fish is taken Pleasure is the bait of Sin which while men greedily swallow they are taken of Satan by the jawes and wee suffer our selves to bee as easily deceived as is the silly Bird by the cunning Fowler Were it not a part of great madnesse for any willingly to stab himself or cut his owne throat with a Dagger because it was curiously giâ—ded or to drinke Poyson sweetned a little with Sugar When Cyrus warred against the Amazonits and saw himself the weaker hee used this policy He counterfeited flight and left their Tents wherein were great store of Wine The Amazonits finding it fell on the prey and dranke securely then Cyrus suddenly returning slew them all Even after this manner the Divell deales and how many are slaine by him swallowing the full cups of Pleasures Take we heed then c. Thus much of this Misery The Remedy followes To Heale Great is our Misery by the curse of God hanging over our heads but most heavie had it been if there had not a Remedy been found by Christ The brazen Serpent for as hee of all Creatures is the most abject so was Christ in his Humiliation a Worme and uâ— Man c. Sight to the Blind This addes yet to out former Misery for when to Poverty inward Affliction outward bondage and Captivity shall be added the taking away the comfortable use of the Eye and on a contrary uncomfortable Blindnesse falls on us it is a great increase of Misery and more heavie is the blindnesse of the Soule then of the Body This Blindnesse consists chiefly in three things First in a want and inability of saving Knowledge in things Spirituall Secondly in the not knowing our Misery the filthinesse of Sin the horrour of Eternall death and wrath of God Thirdly the ignorance of the Remedy of all these But it may be sayd that these happily may bee true of Pagans and such as are out of the Church but all that are in the Church taught by the word of God they know and can speâ—â—e distinctly of these things To this it may be answered That the knowledge of all men sticking in the dregs and myre of Nature is meere Blindnesse and farre differing from that the Regenerate have as shall be shewed by Examples One borne blind by the relation of others and some helpe of the other senses comes to some knowledge of Colours of the brightnesse of the Sun Moon and Starres and of other things done in the World But if on the suddaine his eyes should be opened such an inexpected shape and shew of things wouâ—d offer themselves to his eyes that he would thinke hee knew nothing before And as it comes to passe with us For as our minds may have some conceit of Townes and Countries farre of by the relation of others and inspections of Mapps yet our knowledge is farre otherwise then theirs who have seene exactly these severall Countries distinctly Euen the like difference is 'twixt the knowledge of a Naturall man and one renewed for the one sees Sin naked in his lively colours and abhorres from his heart the filthinesse of it But the other sees it a farre off and through a false and deceitfull glasse of pleasure or profit whence followes a desire of committing sin And as a Drunken man is not altogether blind but sees those things before his feet and yet one while knock his face against this Wall another while stumbles against a stone and yet feeles no paine of this hurt till he hath slept out his Surfets So the Naturall man being drunk with Pleasures dashes his face against this Sin his foot against another continually reeling and falling into some ditch and never grieves for all these but even as the Drunkard is still a thirst hee desires more so these run most greedily after Sin But after he is once throughly awaked he wonders how he hath escaped alive and perished not in one danger or other Even such is the knowledge of the Naturall man Vse To teach all Naturall men not to trust themselves and their own senses concerning sin and other things belonging to Salvation but they must know they are Blind and Drunken and so not fit to judge of these things and so they must suffer themselves to be guided by others till the Spirit of God voucâ—â—afe to open their eyes Thus much of the Misery the Remedy followes Recovery Which is a wonderfull enlightning of the mind whereby it is able to judge twixt good and evill true and false and I say it is wonderfuâ—l for when this is once come into the mind Sin the wrath of God Christ and his benefits doe seeme such strange things from that they did before as that we shall wonder both at our own Blindnesse and Ignorance as also stand amazed at the Excellency of the thing we see as the Queene of Saba did at the sight of Solomons glory For this Recovery is nothing but a raising from the sleepe and drunkennesse of Sin whence it is said of them They come to themselves and 2 Tim. 2.26 To come to sobriety of mind and this is seene in the example of Paul and manner of his conversion as himselfe reports it Acts
26.13 Then we feele our wounds Acts 2.37 This Light is wrought by the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. By the Preaching of the Word Acts 26.18 A representation of this Christ gave in the Blind man Iohn 9. For what was that Clay tempered with spittle which annoynted his eyes but the Ministers men made of Clay the word of God is like the spittle came out of Christs mouth An unlikely matter to open Eyes So is the Preaching of the word by silly men Vse To learne with what diligence we should tend the Ministery of the word it should be so much esteemed of us as Christ himselfe to whom we have no other accesse to Christ then in and by this Sure great is the blockishnesse of the World If a man have any disease in the bodily eye what running and seeking is there and a diligent and willing applying of things prescribed but to Cure the minds blindnesse no regard is had to that Second content not our selves with any Knowledge but such as is effectuall and hath such fruits as the opening of the bodily Eye hath If one long shut up in Prison afflicted with bonds and chaines should suddainly understand his bonds were loosed the doore opened so that he might fly and yet did not move himselfe to get out All would judge such a one blind both in body and mind even so is it here we boast of our chaines and as if not being sure enough bound to Satan we cast more bands on our hands and feet and put our necks into his Iron yokes Let us then thinke to whom wee make our selves servants by sinning to whom we give our hands when they are used to fighting or filching to whom we lend our Eyes when used to wantonnesse our Eares when used to idle and filthy talke our Tongues when used to slandering and lying our Members when abused to uncleannesse In all these and the like we give our selves vassails unto Satan And that we may grow into a more earnest hatred of Sin let us a little consider the Misery of this Captivity there are some kind of servitudes that have some refreshing and ease as such as are borne Servants or bought do find either through a meekenesse of their Masters nature or through their diligence to please receives some kind usage and recompence or protection as we have examples in Scripture But there is another sort of servitude as when one serves an Enemy as being taken in warre even for his Country or kindred and profession is used with all discourtesy Now this is our estate we are taken by Satan our arch Enemy whose hatred is unspeakable because we were made in the Image of God his envy unresistable because the Lord meant good unto Mankind and neglected the Angels fallen Now then what an Enemy provoked by ancient hatred incensed with daily envy at our good what I say such a one can and will doe all these indignities must they look for that are taken Captives of them Ioseph endured a hard bondage but yet at length found favour and advancement But we while we are Captives to Satan are without hope of comming thence and of ever satisfying our cruell Tyrant or of being benefited by him Ioseph was not urged to forsake his Religion but this is all the intent of Satan thereby to make us as odious to God as himself and to make us stinke in Gods nostrils The Israelites were in sore bondage in broyling in the fiery furnace in being tyed to a taske impossible in being beaten in having their first borne murthered Yet all these were but outward miseries and bodily and some comfort was in it that these things were exacted of them not to much to reproach or disgrace them as to satisfie the covetousnesse of the Prince But our Captivity is both of body and Soule and is meerely to the reproach of our Persons and to the dishonour of God our Lord and not any way to benefit Satan So that our Captivity is with no lesse cruelty then wee read executed 2 Sam. 12.31 Yea herein is the greatest cruelty exercised where wee are made to bring most wofull Destruction on our owne heads As if some cruell Tyrant should compell one adjudged to Death to gather Wood to build the fire to cast in great store of Pitch and Brimstone and then to cast himself into the Fire with a payre of Bellowes in his hands to kindle the flame most fiercely Even so deales Satan while hee carries us from one Sin to another and heape them together there is nothing but fewell of Gods wrath the adding of new Sin is as Brimstone to kindle it Loe thus in some part may wee conceive the wofull Captivity and the cruelty therein exercised by Satan on all his Vassails let us then tremble at the same let not his alluring baites of Pleasure deceive us which ends in much wofull Misery let us not wilfully heape coales of Fire on our owne heads Vse O what Thankes are due for so great Deliverance O how should wee breath after the same Rom. 7.24 Thus much of this part of mans Misery Now followes the Remedy To Preach Deliverance As Sin in divers regards did perfit the divers degrees of our Miserie so in like manner doth the benefit of Christ and as our Poverty was and is healed by the Propheticall Office of â—hrist Our wounds and Broken-heartednesse by his Priestly office so this by his Kingly the effect of his Priestly And this Point is plainly taught Colos 2.15 Where hee is set forth after the manner of Emperours who led in Pompe their conquered Nation for as their great Pompe was shewed more in the Riches of the vanquished then in the Prowesse and Nobility of them which followed the Emperour sitting in his tryumphing Chariot adorned with Garlands his Souldiers attending making Verses and insult us over the Conquered Even so CHRIST our Generall tryumphed in the Chariot of the Crosse spoyling Principalities and Powers that is all the strength and troupes of Divels Then did hee cancell the Law which was as a Bill obligatory and hath so every way subdued them that the faithfull of Christ have great cause of joy and dare with confidence insult over their enemies and tread on the necke of them as Ioshua made the Israelites on the Cananites 1 Cor. 15.26 The truth as also the manner of this will appeare by comparing it with the Type The acceptable Yeare Alluding to the yeare of Iubilee set downe Levit. 26. Touching which three things are to bee considered First the Number second the Name third the Priviledges Touching the Number it was the Fifty yeares which consists of Seaven seaven weekes It may seeme that God of purpose did not appoint any short time for this Festivity but to have extended the space of it as farre almost as the bounds of Mans life To this end as may probably bee conjectured that wee might understand that this happie estate cannot be attained but wee must passe through