seeke for a change of their present condition viz. 1. the ' euill of the present estate in which they are 2 The good of another whereto they may come both are seriouslie to be thought on in this businesse forasmuch as there is no estate worse then the slauery of sin and punishment nor any better then the libertie of grace and glorie Wherefore let me earnestlie entreat you to bend your meditations vpon these two points First thinke with your selues how miserable a thing it is for a man to liue all daies of his life like a slaue and die like a villaine how wofull is the case of that poore creature which is at the command of euery base affection led and driuen hither and thither according as euery wicked desire and hellish inspiration shall provoke it wearying it selfe in the wayes of wickednes and taking a great deale of paines to worke out its owne everlasting miserie Thinke what strange folly it is for a man to content himselfe with a few poore commodities pleasures that sinne can afford for a day or two the very enjoyning whereof do but make him more vnhappy No man that is wise would buy the greatest of such contenments for one of the panges of an ill conscience which accompanie them The time comes on when he must part with all his delights and be turn'd out of the world naked of all comfort grace and favour This is it that cutts him to the heart and one serious thought of it quite dasheth all his jollity and contentment Feares are vpon him on euery side making him to liue vncomfortable because he knowes he shall die vnhappily But now turne our thoughts on the other side and consider how happie and glorious the condition of the Saints is whom God by his grace hath set at libertie from the service of sinne Whether you looke vpon them here in this life in the estate of grace or hereafter in the estate of glorie their freedome is euery way blessed and desireable Free they are from the commanding power of sin being now led by the spirit of Christ and not by the spirit of the Diuell free from the terrors of an euil conscience free from the terrors of death hell and iudgment free vnto every noble imployment in Gods seruice apt to pray much readie to here much able to meditate much delighting in sanctifying the Sabboth chearefull forward and willing hearted to every good worke A blessed estate if we haue either grace or witt to iudge aright of it I confesse gracelesse fooles haue another esteeme of it Tell them of praying reading the word of God singing of Psalmes hearing and repeating of Sermons and keeping of the Sabbath ye kill them dead rather they had you should set thē to any the painfullest drudgerie in the world Counsell them to refraine gaming drinking and ill companie to bridle their vngodly and naughty affections to converse with such and such men of godlie and religious liues and to be coutent to be ruled by reason and Gods word All this is euen as much as if you should put them in the stockes or clap a paire of fetters on their heeles Let them liue in a familie where all exercises of religion are stricklie obserued and no libertie given to any lewd practise they are as wearie of it as a prisoner of the Iayle or one that is in little ease and they thinke it seauen yeares till they be gone to some other place where they may liue as they list Thus men of perverse minds and corrupt judgments censure Gods seruice to be no better then a sad dull wearisome and slauish drudgerie Vngodlie men that thinke theirs no mirth but in madnesse no sport but in doing mischife no contentment but in pleasing the Diuell and wicked lusts no libertie at all but in licentiousnesse of liuing Be I beseech you better informed and knowe that a subiect is a free man though he serues his Prince and obey his lawes A Sonne is a freeman although he liue in feare and awe of his Parents A servant is a freeman though he liue in conformity to the lawes of a Christian master and the orders of a Christian familie And so a Christian man is then free yea most free when hee submits himselfe to the lawes of God as an obedient subiect of his kingdome This freedome he enjoyes in part in this life but fully in the world to come when he shall be perfectly freed from all sinne and miserie when there shall be no feare of being vnhappy because no possibilitie of being sinfull Certainly my Brethren if there be in vs any sense of our present miserie or expectation of the future happinesse of the Saints we cannot choose but sigh within our selues with many prayers wishes and longing desires that we also may be delivered from the bondage of corruption into this glorious liberty of the sonnes of God If now for conclusion of all you aske me by what meanes this freedome may be obtained I answere briefly there is no meanes but one and that is Iesus Christ. All the libertie we haue is his purchase and from his gift for as you haue heard we are bondslaues vnto sin partly in regard of the punishment of it partly in regard of the ouer-ruling power thereof Now t' is Christ that sets vs at libertie from both Christ by his blood purgeth vs from all our sinnes by taking the guilt and punishment thereof from vs. Christ by his spirit delivers vs from the power and dominion of sinne that it raigns not in our mortall bodies hauing sanctified vs by sending the holy Ghost into our hearts For where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty as the Apostle speakes 2. Cor. 3. 17. So that euery way Christ is he that bestowes on vs our manu-mission according as he himselfe here speaketh if that sonne shall make you free then are you free indeed wherefore this only remaines that we should goe vnto Christ seeke and sue vnto him for our enlargment intreat him to here the crie of a prisoner and captiue and in compassion of thee to afford his helping hand for thy delivery Pray him to put himselfe betweene Gods wrath and thy soule making peace for thee in heauen by his bloody and meritorious sacrifice pray him to send forth into thine heart the spirit of sanctification to regenerate and renew all the powers of soule body freeing them from that law of sinne which naturally is in thy members that by the power of that inward grace thou maiest be able thenceforth to giue vp thy soule and bodie vnto God as seruants of righteousnesse and holinesse Confesse to him and say O Lord other Lords besides thee haue ruled over me who haue robbed me of all grace peace comfort happinesse honour and libertie long haue I liued in greuious thraldome miserably oppressed and streightned on every side Satan the world the affections of sin haue plaid the vnmercyfull tyrants ouer me
man is taken prisoner by the sword in battle or circumvented by some stratagem or fraudulent guile Such is the Condition of Godly men many times who by some furious and vehement assault of temptation are wounded overthrowne taken led away captiue and clapt vp in irons vnder the guard of some strong vnruly lust or other or else by some subtle sleight and snare privily laid for their soules haue their heels intrapped in the ginne and for a while are caught as a prey for Sathan But now during this straightnesse what sighes and sorrowes doe possese the Godly heart How tedious aud irksom is this bondage How doeth he long till his heart bee againe enlarged that hee may run the race of Gods Commandements Life it selfe is vnpleasant till this liberty be obtained againe Wherfore many a harty prayer is sent vp to Heaven dayly to intreate God for his enlargement willingly doth he embrace all meanes of freedome gladly doeth he run and rest in him that onely bringeth deliverance vnto captiue prisoners with the Israelites in Aegipt he is even weary of his life for the oppression and cruell tyrannie vnder which he is holden which makes him in the bitternes of his soule cry out vnto God for deliverance frō his heavy bondage Often taking vp that Complaint of the Apostle Rom. 7. 24. O Wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death These are the severall degrees of this bondage which was the second part proposed to be handled 3 I come in the third place to consider the greatnesse and grieuousnes of this spirituall bondage which will appeare by comparing it with outward bodily slavery Now spirituall slavery is worse then corporall in three respects 1 In regard of multitude of masters In corporall seruitude 1 master may haue many seruāts but for 1 servant to haue two or more masters is a thing vnreasonable and vnpossible suppose they were both good much more if they bee bad Miserable therefore is the estate of a sinfull man who when he serues fewest serues three at once 1 his lusts 2 Satan working powerfully in his sinfull corruption 3 God himselfe For the first it may be some one wicked affection is his master and yet there is worke enough to please that but when many lusts at once beare sway ouer a man like many tyrants in one Citty Lord what combats broyles and tumults be there in that mans heart when pride cōmands one thing covetousnes another when vncleane lusts draw one way ambition another voluptuousnesse a third a man had need then to study and take thought for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof and all litle enough to please these hard and cruell taskmasters Againe he hath another master and that is Satan who inspires these corrupt affections of mans heart with much rage and hellish fiercenesse and is that grād Pharoah who setteth al those inferior officers a work who therefore is called the spirit that worketh in the Children of disobedience Ephe. 2. 2. Ouer whom although he alone may seeme to challenge all power and authority as ouer the only subjects of his kingdome yet wee knowe that besides both these they haue another supreame and soveraigne Lord 1 God himselfe against whose governement although they do rebell yet can they not withdraw themselues from vnder his power and jurisdiction God is king let the earth be neuer so vnquiet and the haters of the Lord shall be subiect vnto him He will haue to do with them in spight of their hearts They feare him as slaues against their wills both to do his will whilst he vseth them to effect by them his owne most holy purposes and also to suffer his will in their iustly deserued punishment Thus wicked men are mastered on all hands and no way free either from sin or punishment 2 In regard of the meanes of escape a servant hardly vsed may find meanes to shift himselfe of his master It is not so with a sinner runne away from his master he cannot for he beares him alwayes about with him in his bosome his sinne still keeps him company and goe he whither he will Satan doggs him stands at his right hand nay possesseth his very heart so plying him with temptations and ill suggestions that he cannot goe a foote from his service T is true the case is so sometimes with a wicked man that he changeth his master but seldome comes a better If he escape the tyranny of one sinfull affection he falls vnder the command and power of another as bad So you shall haue a very spend-thrift turne a miserable niggard but this is only like a prisoner that remoues his bolt from one legg to another and such exchange is only done vpon compact He leaues one vice that he may the more freely giue himselfe to another so that he changes his master but not his servile condition Some raigning sinne or other will alwayes cleaue to his soule lie downe with him in his graue and sinke him downe to Hell And as for the eye of Gods revenging justice he sees it open vpon him to take notice of his doings and his hand alwayes lifted vp to smite him trembling alwayes to thinke that he hath no meanes to hide his sinne from Gods knowledge no power to prevent no strength to beare the heauy stroke of his wrath when it shall light vpon him 3 In respect of the reward the world hath scarce afforded masters so without all humanity Tyrannicall and cruell as not to be pleased with the faithful seruice of a slaue or not to reward him in some degree of courtesie for his seruice A sinner is miserable both wayes as he cannot please his master so he cannot hope for a reward For take a man that hath quite spent himselfe in the seruice of some one of these imperiall and cruell Lords who hath done all that he can in giving full content and satisfaction vnto them yet they rest not there are yet new commands and further injunctions so that when it seemed villany was come to the height and that mens witts and strengths did faile them for further plots and practises there 's yet a powder plott behind some new strange vnthought of piece of bad seruice to be performed Sinne and Satan are restlesse and mercylesse tyrants neuer contented still exacting crying craving compelling to new tributes and homages And now when a man hath worne out himselfe in their seruice spent his yeares and strength his wealth and good name and body and soule and al vpon them what is then his reward for this his trusty and true seruice A courtesy thinke you Nay a very Hell of vnkindnesse shame reproach misery and many other punishments euen in this life but for that other Hell damnation fire snares and brimstone and stormy tempests of Gods furious indignation this is their portion and the guerdon of their obedience Satan did for a while promise faire and performe little helping them
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
to buy lace and needlesse superfluities of apparell and hast thou not monie to buy a Bible or any other good Booke for shame say not so But I haue no time to read for any thing else time enough to doe nothing to lie a bed till noone to sit two or three houres at dinner or supper to goe to such a friend and there spend halfe a day to such a freind and there spend another to doe any chare that comes in extraordinarily Away with those excuses 't is certaine my brethren there is no calling be it of never so much employment but of twenty foure hours they may if they list spare two at the least for religious imployments yea more if they bee wise and thriftie of their time But I cannot buy all bookes nor read all nor would any man haue thee doe so but buy some read some canst thou not tell which are best and most profitable then aske counsell of the skilfull that are able to advise thee But learning is a hard matter and 't is not for plaine folke to vnderstand the Bible No is it not Then God is too blame that hath written a word for the instruction of all which yet none but schollers should vnderstand but know this is nothing but an excuse for thy slothfulnes learning is hard because thou art vnwilling to learn otherwise the spirit of God hath testified that knowledge is plaine and easie to him that will vnderstand And doe but trie taking but that paines in the studie of religion which thou doest in many needlesse imployments and experience shall tell thee that wisedome is to be found of all that doe seeke her And yet my brethren because the well is deepe and you may plead that you haue not wherewith to draw let mee tell you in the last place of one meanes more to get knowledge which blesseth all the forenamed helpes and that is 5 Prayers vnto God that he would giue thee an vnderstanding heart to know the mysteries of salvation that he would open thine eies to see the wonders of his law That light which is in thee must come downe from the father of lights and vnlesse still thou meane to sit in darknesse thou must haue recourse vnto God praying him that he would shine into thy hart to giue thee the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ. And remember this that he who seeks for the knowledge of matters of religion by the strength of his owne wit and other naturall parts without humble and faithfull supplications for Gods assistance in this behalfe such a man is in danger to be misled into manie erroneous and hereticall opinions for if in any thing much more in the matters of religion is that most true he that is a scholler vnto his owne reason hath certainelie a foole to his master Wherefore we are to put on an humble and sober minde intreating his direction submitting our reason to his wisedome Now my brethren doe these things and prosper haue an eare open to heare the word a heart readie to meditate on it a tongue seasonablie to talke of it an eie diligent to read it and with all these ioine heartie praier that thou maiest vnderstand it aright and then be thriving and succesfull in holie knowledge though thy tallent be as yet but small yet follow this course and after a verie little paines and patience thou shalt see for certaine that this traffique will returne thee ten for one even a large increase of all spirituall knowledge The gaine whereof shall bring much glorie to that thy heavenlie master that set thee on worke and to thee his good and faithfull servant a bountifull rewarde for thy labour FINIS HEB. 3. 12. 13. Take heede least there be in any of you an evill heart of vnbeliefe in departing from the living God c. THE words containe in them a serious exhortation to perseverance in the profession of the Gospell of Christ. The occasion is from the Comparison which the Apostle makes betweene Moses and Christ and betweene the Church of the Iewes and of the Gentiles vnder Christ Moses and Christ agreeing in that both are faithfull to him that appointed them in the exâ—cution of their office but they differ in that Moses is but a seruant in the house of God Christ is the sonne Moses gouerned as a delegated officer Christ rules as a soueraigne Lord of the Church the house which himselfe hath built hauing purchased it with his blood rear'd it vp with his spirit preseruing it by his power therefore he is justly Lord of it as of his owne and so he hath the preheminence aboue Moses The Church vnder Moses and vnder Christ what ever difference there be in other matters yet in this they are in one and the same condition that as there reverence was required vnto Moses so now obedience is required vnto Christ. It was to no purpose for the Iewes to plead they were Moses disciples the peculiar people of God chosen of him graced by him with so many favours if yet in the meane time they hardened their heartes and would not heare Gods voice but provoked him by their Idolatries murmurings other disobediences tempted him through Infidelitie and despised his word and marveilous wonders wrought among them In this case no priuiledge coulde helpe them they shall surelie smart for their disobedience and if God may bee believed vpon his oath they haue displeased him so much that they shal never enter into his rest The verie same thing the Apostle applies vnto Christians they are the Church of Christ members of the bodie of Christ partakers of his benefits and graces but it is vpon this condition that they shew themselues faithfull in the obedience of the gospell of Christ His house we are saith the Apostle ver 6. if we hold fast the confidence of reioycing of the hope firme vnto the end perseverance and faithfulnesse is that which makes men true members of the Church of Christ whether Iewish or Christian If the Iewes be vnbelieving and rebellious they come shorte of the land of Canaan in the type and substance too If the Christians be like them in their sin their punishment is the same they are excluded also from the heavenly rest of the people of God Wherefore the Apostle in the next Chapter presseth this exhortation vehemently That these Hebrews to whom hee writes should carefullie looke to themselues that they were not as their Fathers of old vnfaithfull and disobedient in their profession thereof least they become also like to their Fathers deprived of all benefit from promise in Christ. Take heede therefore Brethren saith he that there be not c. This is the occasion The parts of the words are two 1 An Admonition to take heede of Apostasie or backesliding from religion which is here described 1. by ' its nature it is a departing from the living God the fountaine of all