2 Peter 2:19

THe common pretence for the most unbounded licentiousnesse, hath been liberty. In that nefarious and disloyall conspiracy and murder of Iulius Caesar, the generall dispensation of their conscience was liberty. Catilines foule trechery was set off with the colours of liberty. When Sheba would invite Israel from a just and lawfull subjection, to the bondage of an usurper, hee proclaimes a liberty; Every man to his Tents, he meant every man to his owne Tent. And that people, which had but as yesterday fallen in the designe of Absalom, ason of their King; are now againe up in armes under Sheba, a subiect of their King, a rebell against their King. As Bees when they are up in a swarme, are ready to light on every bough; so the Israelites being stirred by the late commotion, are apt to follow the head of any faction. When the rulers conspire against Christ, they project liberty; Psal. 2.3. Let us breake their bands. Lawes are bands; for the wild, to cicure and humble them; for the weake to secure and keepe them: they that would oppresse their inferiors, and never be called in question for it by their betters, would breake the bands. Pride, idlenesse, drunkennesse, and all manner of dissolutenesse, cannot range their voluptuous chases, till the boundaries bee removed: let them dissolve the coards of moralitie, and then they proclaime libertie. So doth corrupt nature abhorre restraint, that it embraceth any doctrine which shall but promise liberty. While they promise them liberty, &c.

The parts of this Text have a chaine of dependance. First the maine scope is the allurement of the weake, in generall. Secondly, the way of this allurement is by Promise. Thirdly, the force of that Promise is Liberty. Fourthly, the conviction of that force, The promisers are bound, Themselves are the servants of corruptions. Fifthly, the proofe of that conviction; For of whom a man is overcome, of the same he is brought in bondage.

First, for the maine scope, the seducement of the weake. It was Christs charge to Peter, Luk. 22.32. When thou art converted, convert thy brethren. It is Satans charge to his agents, now you are confounded, confound your brethren. He that is not crosse to Christ, cannot be Antichrist. There be many Antichrists, saith Saint Iohn: there is a meane Antichrist, and a maine Antichrist: every false teacher is a meane one, but there is another that is the maine Antichrist. The old foxe hath abundance of cubbes; and as Christ said to Peter and the Apostles, Feede my lambs; so hee to these instruments, Fleece, flay, worrey the Lambes. Christ came to heale the wounded, to bring deliverance to captives: they come to wound the whole, to bring the delivered into captivity. He to call sinners to repentance, they to call the righteous into wickednesse. Hee, to save that which was lost: they, to spill that which might be saved. Such is the implacable enmitie of the Prince of darknesse against the children of light, that he will rather make his owne fire hotter, than not labour to bring them to the participation of his torments.

But O what shall wee say to the ring-leaders of this infernall conspiracy? Psal 32.10. Many sorrowes shall be to the wicked; but how infinite is their portion that make men wicked? Iam. 5.20. Let him know, that converteth a sinner from the error of his way, that he saveth a soule from death, and hides a multitude of sinnes. So let him know, that perverteth the righteous from the truth of his way, that he doth bring a soule unto death, and occasion a multitude of sins. If they that turne men to righteousnesse, shall Da•. 12 3. shine as the starres in heaven: then they that turne the just to error, shall burne as everlasting coales in the fornace of hell. He that doth ill, and teacheth so, shall Mat 5.19. be minimus in coelo, but maximus in inferno. Even to pejorate men by bad example, is a mischiefe intolerable: and corrupt patternes shall find an unanswerable indictment for the filthy copies that have been taken from them; though they neither forced, nor tempted, nor perswaded to them. That which custome hath made honourable, will by great mens refusall grow contemptible. Young Gentlemen in Athens used to play on the Recorder: but when Alcibiades, viewing his face in a glasse, as his cheeks were puff’d up with blowing the Instrument threw away the pipe with indignation, Aul. Gell. lib. 15.17. Plutarch. all the Gallants presently cashierd that kind of musicke. And when eminent persons take up things contemptible, their followers thinke them honourable. What was more vile than the office of Scavengers, the charge of scowring the sinkes and gutters? Yet when worthy Epaminondas had once borne the office it was sought for among other preferments. Exemplary evils be bad enough, but how deepe a place is prepared for them in Tophet, that wilfully seduce others to dishonour their Maker? It is dreadfull to thinke, horrible to feele, the bitternesse of their damnation.

Secondly, the way of this allurement is by Promise: where wee have diverse considerations:

2. Promises are the cheapest things men can part withall, and yet the strongest enchantments. The cheapest; therefore hee that is poore in every other thing, can be rich in promises. Of all members, the tongue decayes least and last: there is no feare of wearing out that. The legges decay with travell, the armes with labour, all with age; but the tongue holds out, unlesse the Palsey or such accident seazeth on it. It is commonly two yeeres after we are borne, ere wee can speake with it; but it is scarce two houres before we die, that we lose it. Still that little filme or flesh retaines the vigour, when the rest languish into impotencie, as one clapper will weare out divers Bells. Gen 49.21. Nepthali giveth goodly words: this is every mans bounty, what a 1 Sam. 25.10, 17. Nabal is that, which will neither heare good words, nor give them? Hee did not onely give Davids servants nothing, but that which was worse than nothing, bad language. All Israel knew and honored their deliverer; yet this clowne to save his victuals, will needs either make him a man of no merits, or of ill; either an obscure one, or a fugitive. Suppose hee feared Sauls revenge, and therefore resolved to shut his hands; yet hee might have so temperd his deniall, that the repulse might have beene free from offence: but now his foule mouth doth not onely deny, but revile. It should have beene Nabals glory, that his Tribe yeelded such a Successour to the Throne of Israel: now his envy stirres him up to disgrace that man who surpassed him in honour and vertue, more than he was surpassed by him in wealth and ease.

Faire words, we say, never hurt the tongue: they doe lesse hurt the purse. Never man was the worse, or the poorer for good language. Iam. 2.16. Saint Iames speakes of some verball benefactors: now to say, Be warmed, doth not cost them one sticke from their wood-piles. Be clothed, fetches not one cast garment from their wardrobes: Be filled, derives not a crust from their cupbords: yet such hypocrites are condemned of uncharitablenesse. How fearefull then shall bee the account of savage crueltie; that doth gravatis addere gravamina, trampling upon them with scorne, whom God hath humbled with misery; and in stead of healing their wounds, set them afresh bleeding by their reproches? With the same ease men may speake well, that they doe speake ill: yea of the two, bad words are commonly the lowdest, and put the Organs of speech to more stresse: therefore Paul cals maledicentia, a crying. It is a question, whether the flatterer or blasphemer shal have the upper hand in the Kingdome of hell: unlesse we moderate it thus; that the hypocrites tongue shal be everlastingly bitten with scorpions; and the blasphemers burne in unquenchable flames. By how much easier the Law, by so much sorer the punishment for breaking that law. Now there is nothing easier than to speake faire: as the Beggar told the Bishop, when in stead of an almes he gave him his blessing; that if that blessing had beene worth a penny, hee would not have been so bountifull. Psal. 129. They be uncharitable passengers, that will not blesse the reapers: like our hide-bound, heart-bound, tongue-bound peevish sectaries; that will not vouchsafe a Good day, or a Good speed to their neighbours. Psal. 109.17. As they delight not in blessing, so it will be farre from them.

2 Faire promises are strong snares to entangle fooles. Every one is not a Ioab to be fetch’d home to us with firing his fields; as they say, witches are brought to the house where they have done mischiefe, by casting some relicts into the fire. The devill did not appeare to Christ in a terrible forme, threatning the calamities of earth, or torments of hell; but by faire promises, of many kingdomes. How impudent was that presumption; even such as hell it selfe might well have beene ashamed of. A beggarly spirit that hath not an inch of earth, offers the world to the Maker of it, to the Owner of it: Gods slave would be adored of his Creator. But let this teach us, that hee will not bee sparing of false boasts, and unreasonable promises to us, that dares offer him kingdomes, by whom alone are made all Kings. Promises; this was his way at the beginning; Yee shall bee as gods, to our first parents: this is the proceeding with all their children; honour, and wealth, and ease, are the proposed rewards of unrighteousnesse. If the king of Moab promise gold and promotion, the covetous Prophet cannot hold off. Gen. 14.23. Shall not their substance be ours? That promise won the Shechemits to so painfull a condition, to so bloody a conclusion. Temptations on the right hand are most dangerous: how many that were hardned with feare, yet have melted with honour? There is no doubt of that soule, that will not bite at the golden hooke. Some indeed are so cunning, that they will doe more for a small present benefit, than for the promise of a tenfold value. Satan is faine to stoppe their mouths with ready money: Gehezi shall have the talents, Achan the golden wedge. O that man were but so wary as to say, Timeo Danaos & dona ferentes These bee the strong lines of Rome, whereby she catcheth so many Trouts and Gudgens, Promises: whereof she is as liberall, as ever was Antigonus, who was called Antigonus daturus. Similes habeant labia lectucas: let such asses have no other provender but promises.

3 It is ill to promise, and to deceive: but it is worse to promise with a purpose to deceive. Even to renew or delay just promises, is faulty: Terminum termino addere, is not onely negandi calliditas, but negando pejus. Wee may safely doubt whether sit beneficium, cujus dilatio cruciat expectantom. Such be the proverbiall speeches; Crescente herbâ, moritur equus: and Dum Canis mingit, fugiens Lupus evadis. The God of truth dwels in heaven, he hath made no roome there for the children of falshood. Truth is the columne of commerce, the bond of societie, the seale of equity; and where that failes, the very foundation is cast downe. Yea, it is the obligation of conscience, to which we set our tongues as hands, and our fidelity as seales: if not an act and deed, yet the first act of a seasonable deed: which he that wilfully breakes, shall bee in the end as bankerout of credit, as hee is already of grace. I know there be some faulty promises, better broken than kept: In malis promissis rescinde fidem. Concerning which a man is in vovendo stultus, in reddendo impius. But the good man breakes not his promise, though hee be damaged by the performance. Vdislaus King of Hungary falsifying his promise and oath, at the earnest instance of two Cardinals, set upon Amurath the Turke unawares: who perceiving his souldiers falling, and victory flying from his side, pull’d a copy of the truce out of his bosome, and lifting up his eyes toward heaven, uttered words to this purpose. O Iesus Christ, loe these are the Leagues which thy servants have broken, after confirmation of them by thy Name: if thou be a God, as they say thou art, revenge this injury done to thee and me, by plaguing these perjured miscreants. Scarce had hee ended this strange petition, but the successe of the battell turned, the King was slaine, his army discomfited, and his people pitifully butchered.

This hath been one of Romes old trickes. Iohn Husse had a promise, and (more) a safe-conduct to the Councell of Constance: yet those forsworne persecutors put him to death. A foule fact, not onely against the Law of Christians, but of nations: yet how have they blanched it? First, that the safe conduct was not granted by the Concell, but by Sigismund; as if these could be distinguished; in which the fault is not discharged, but translated. Secondly, That it was a protection against unlawfull violence, not against lawfull execution. How absurd? When he suffered in that very cause, for which he received warrant of securitie. Thirdly, hee had it to come, but not to returne: but this is an evasion that may wrest laughter from the spleene of gravitie it selfe: as if where accesse is promised, recesse were not alwayes included: as if an understanding man would move one foote out of doores upon such weake tearmes of assurance. Such hath beene the conscience of Romish promises: wee expect fidelitie from Papistrie, Sicut Britannia suum Arthurum, sicut Indai n•v•• Messiam. Onely wee are sure of one thing; if wee never trust them, they shall never deceive us. Therefore when the Deputies of the reformed Religion in France, after the Massacre that was on Saint Bartholomewes day, treated with the King and Queene mother, and some other of the Councell, for Peace, and both sides were agreed upon the Articles; the sole question was, the securitie of performance. After some particulars propounded and rejected, the Queene mother said, Why is not the word of a King sufficient securitie? One of the Deputies answered; No, by Saint Bartholomew, Madame. They that encourage their Proselytes to promise great matters to us, whom they account heretikes, and by their Doctrine absolve them from all performance, deserve no better trust or credit than very devils. How like are they to those two sonnes of Iacob Gen. 34.25. , bloudily breaking their promise to the Shechemites, whose act their owne father Gen. 49.7. cursed? To execute rigour upon a submisse offender, was more mercilesse than just: to inflict a punishment so farre exceeding the fault, was cruell. If they had beene fit Iudges, who were bloudie executioners; or if the penaltie had beene proportionable from another; yet in them that had vowed peace, and promised affinitie, it was shamefully injurious. To disappoint the trust of another, to neglect our owne word and fidelitie for private purposes, addes faithlesnesse to crueltie. They never meane us so deadly a storme, as when they make faire weather, and beare us in hand, all is peace. The Spanish proverbe is true in them, C’ome Santo, y caga Diabolo; They have eaten downe Saints, and void forth Devils. Alas, how wofull a complaint have I here just cause to take up!

Esa. 59.14. Truth faints and swoones in the street, and no body will so much as give it a little Aquavitae, to recover it. There is a decay and declination, as of the strength of the world, so of all goodnesse. Wee are the drosse, the refuse, the fag-end of mankind; upon whom, not the end, but the ends, not of the world, but of worlds and ages fore-passed, are not come, but met together, in an unhappie conjunction. The alacritie and vigour of the whole creature is worne away: Iustice drawes her breath faint and short; Equitie is knock’d downe with the beames of the Ballance; Charitie hath caught an everlasting cold; Conscience is taken with a Lethargie; and Fidelitie, like a little Gold, is so lost in the sophisticate masse of selfe-love and policie, that when the great Iudge comes, he will scarce find it upon earth. This daily defection growes still upon us, which was prophecied above fifteene hundred yeares agoe, That in 2 Tim. 3.3. the last dayes there should be Promise-breakers. All sinne spreads, and like the Plague disperseth it selfe: thus Pride is gone from the Court to the Countrey, and Covetousnesse from the Countrey to the Court; Swearing from the Gentleman to the Beggar, and Drunkennesse from the Beggar to the Gentleman. If some sinne be more predominant in some places; as high-mindednesse is busie about riches, malice, or private revenge about authoritie; unfaithfulnesse fills all places. Rich mizers hoord it up with their Gold, and Povertie makes it her staffe to walke withall: the Sycophant lives by it, as his daily bread; and great men doe not scorne it, for an advantage: the young learne it for their first Lesson, and the old keepe it to the last. This false coare rots us at the heart, while our skins be faire and unblemished. Now quo fonte derivata clades? wee have broken our promise with God, and how should men trust us?

There is a Zech. 5.4. Booke written against them, a flying, a burning Roll, that shall destroy their houses, and themselves. God will one day bring it forth: it may be while the words are in their memorie, the Vision may crosse their braines, and the wings of this Booke flutter over their drowsie consciences; till out of a furious paroxisme, they vent this hideous exclamation, The Booke, the Booke, amongst the rest of their franticke imaginations. A terrible supposition, may some say: but terrors are no wonders, when God comes to Iudgement. Certainely, the guiltinesse of this infidelitie and wilfull coozenage, is like a Match layd to fire a trayne of Powder; it burnes dimly on, to the appointed time; and then at one fearefull Blow it blowes up all. A detestable sinne, a deprecable punishment!

4. Seducers refuse no way, so they may deceive: Iurant, perjurant; they will say and sweare, promise and lye, propose and interpose, to make strong their partie. Absalom stood at the Court gates, and having first taken the eyes and tongues of the people with his expensive braverie, layes also snares for their 2 Sam. 15.4. hearts, by liberall promises, and courtly policie; what he would doe for them, were he a Iudge. His eare is open to all Plaintiffes, all Petitioners: there is no Cause which hee flatters not; his hand welcomes every man with a salutation, his lippes with a kisse. O courteous, beautious, bountious Absalom: this was the common acclamation. Sed promissa tyrannorum finiuntur in ruina credentium. Indeed they have arguments in all moods and figures, but their last is à fasciculis. It is recorded of Cacus, a notorious thiefe, that when hee had stolne beasts, hee would drag them into his Cave backward, by their tayles; that by the contrarie tracke of their feet he might be freed from the suspition of theeverie. So to their holes of rapine and mischiefe they dragge backwards, that the Innocents may rather seeme to have freely passed from them, than to be surprised by them. Our English Papists, smarting under the hand of Iustice, which they call Persecution, some of them seeing both the promises of Rome, and their present fortunes at home failing together, began to totter, and make shew of turning to the Gospel. Whereupon the Pope hath beene faine more than once to send them a Token, wherein were printed the five wounds of Christ, with this Motto or Poesie, Fili da mihi cor tuum, My sonne give me thy heart. Thus by maintaining their dissimulation to us, he maintained his owne dissimulation to them: or else they were in a wrong Boxe, for they came to Church by warrant of that Embleme. Ever since they have learned to temporize, having one heart for God, and another for Baal; one for the Prince, and another for the Pope; one for the Communion, and another for the Masse. So that neither Protestants nor Papists can tell whose they be, nor themselves whose they shall be.

O this heart of man, how deceitfull it is upon the weights! How like a close darke Vault, without any crevise to looke into it! The Poets faine, that when Iupiter had made man, and was delighted with his owne beautious fabricke, hee asked Momus, what fault he could espie in that curious Piece, what out of square, or worthy blame. Momus commended the proportion, the complexion, the disposition of the lineaments, the correspondence and dependance of the parts; and in a word, the harmonie of the whole. Hee would see him goe, and liked the motion; he would heare him speake, and praised his voice and expression. But at last hee found a fault, and asked Iupiter, whereabouts his Heart lay? Hee told him, within a secret chamber, like a Queene in her privie Lodging; whither they that come, must first passe the Great Chamber, and the Presence. There is the Court of Guard, forces and fortifications to save it, shadowes to hide it, that it might not be visible. There then is the fault, saith Momus: thou hast forgotten to make a window into this chamber, that men might looke in, and see what the heart is doing; and whether her Recorder, the Tongue, doe agree with her meaning. If a window were framed into the brests of these deceivers, how would the blacke devices which they contrive in tenebris, be palpably odious; how would the coales of festering malice blister their tongues, and scald their lippes! Then we should see how they Packe and Shuffle, and meane in their time to Cut also, or to Deale a poore Game to the Innocent. But that privie chamber hath a window onely to Gods, not mans or Angels inspection.

I conclude: It is the sweetest thing in the world to be innocent, to be freed from the checke of an impartiall conscience; which will as surely tell us our unfaithfulnesse, as ever wee durst be unfaithfull. There is not the least promise made, but there it is entred: if it be performed, the Booke is crossed; if not, it remaines upon record, an evidence against us. A man passeth by the poore; promiseth to give them something as he comes backe: this promise is written in heaven, and it is not safe to mocke God, who in all lawfull things bindes us to our word. If the good man Psal 15.4. promise to his owne hurt, yet he changeth not. If hee be spare in promising, yet he will be sure in performing. Post pactum mala consultatio. How welcome is sleepe, when we lay downe our heads upon the pillow that beares not the burden of unfaithfulnesse! Let the cunning men of the world triumph in their riches, overlooke all their injuries, make themselves merry with their witty deceivings; this and that we have gotten by cleanly trickes. When they come to die, and their awaked conscience represents all these impostures in their true faces, they would give a thousand worlds for this one testimony, 2 Cor. 7.2. We have wronged no man, we have defrauded no man. I have kept my promise with men, God will keepe his promise with me, for salvation in Iesus Christ.

While they promise them liberty] this is the force of their promise. Now liberty is fourefold; Corporall, Conscientiall, Spirituall, and Sensuall.

1. Corporall, which consists in a freedome of action: when men are not slaves bound to the mines or galleyes to row (their Lords in ease) with strokes and stripes: or to dig gold from that earth which scarce yeelds them sallets. When the feete of Ioseph are not hurt in the stockes, neither do his children sweat in the Bricke-fornaces. When the mur’d up debtor sits not in a melancholy consideration of his unmercifull creditour. To move onely the length of his teddar, or but by the allowance of his keeper, is a mans captivity. Yea, even to bee confined to a sicke bed, is a miserable thraldome. Those Anchorites that have bark’d up themselves in hollow trees, or wals, had yet some roome. That perverse Cynicke, who barreld himselfe up in a Tub, could stand or sit, or enjoy some kind of posture. Scarce any Iayle is so close, that it affords not the prisoner two or three steppes. Iob 7.4. But the Bed of languishing sicknesse is of a narrow compasse. David sware that •sa. 132.3. he would not goe up unto his Bed, &c. To goe up unto the Bed, denotes strength, promiseth ease. But when God saith of Iezabel, Revel. 2.22. I will cast her into a Bed, he makes his owne comment upon that, calling it the Bed of tribulation. Their thraldome is grievous, whom God hath nailed to their bed: they are not hindred from the Church by a Recusancie, as if they would not come: but as it were by an Excommunication, they cannot come. The sicke bed is a solitude: when the Centurions servant lay sicke at home, his master was faine to come to Christ, the sicke man could not. Their friend lay sicke of the palsie, and the foure charitable men brought him to Christ; he could not come. Peters wives mother lay sicke of a fever, and Christ came to her, she could not come to him. The bonds of mortalitie are so much the stronger, by being weaker: the ligaments of the armes are the looser in articulo mortis, yet then they bind the arme from motion, & abridge it of freedome. There was a Luk 13.11. woman bowed downe with a spirit of infirmitie: her body was not more a jayle to her soule, than her disease was a Iailor to her body, and Satan to her disease: who had thereby inverted the posture of her creation, and turned that countenance to the earth, which was made to looke up toward heaven.

This then is a liberty of the body: when neither debts, the diseases of estate; nor diseases, the debts of nature doe hinder the freedome of action. Even a civill freedome hath beene held honourable: how ambitious were the tributaries of Rome to become her denisons? The Burgesse confessed that he Act. 22.18. obtained it with a great summe. The honour of Ierusalem was farre greater, therefore so much the grievous or the expulsion. Their banishment & losse of their sweet countrey, their servitude and losse of their sweet liberty; and the losse of the sweetnesse of all sweetnesses among them that had any sparke of religion, the service of God might teach them to hang up their Harpes and weepe, Psal. 1•7.3. remembring Sion. Had a Gentile been banishd thither, he had not been an exile, but a proselyte; Felix exilium cui locus ille fuit: but for a Iew to bee banished from thence, it was lamentable captivity.

2 Conscientiall, when nothing is imposed on us, but that may stand with the perswasion of our rectified minde. That religion which would binde the conscience, where God hath not bound it, retia & laqueos injicit, brings snares and fetters, and takes away due liberty. Indeed those civill lawes doe binde, that tend to good: as forbidding to frequent tippling houses, for the avoiding of drunkennesse; or to weare dangerous weapons, for the preventing of homicides. But those which are for civill orders, whose intention is not obligare ad culpam, sed ad poenam; the breach whereof is sufficiently satisfied with the mulct; doe not binde the conscience; nor is the omission of them a morall or mortall sinne. Matth. 23.4. But to entangle the soule with a multitude of traditions, ceremonies, and unconcerning rites, is condemned, as taking away the liberty of conscience. Such is celibate to the pamperd flesh, or abstinence to the raging appetite. They may as well put a match to dry powder, and forbid it to take fire.

There is indeed a scrupulous conscience, like a little stone got into the shooe, that gals the foot. This ariseth first from ignorance: the purblinde cannot discerne of colours, though they be dyed in graine. Secondly, from that wee call Morbum maniacum, the effect of melancholy, or of some tedious sickenesse; or from melancholy it selfe, for the minde followes the temperature of the body: and scruples are most incident to crazed braines. Thirdly, from factious teachers, which leave the harmony of the truth, and broach vaine janglings; which is indeed to turne the grace of God into wantonnesse. And it is strange to see, how madly they are affected to such crotchets: like peevish stomacks, which cannot away with solid meat, but love to bee picking of bones, or feeding on kickeshawes. Fourthly, from a wrangling disposition, which makes the businesse of the hand to become onely the businesse of the tongue. Hence it comes, that so many rheumaticke pens blot innocent papers, and trouble the world, not for Quid faciendum, what is to be done; but Quid sentiendum, what is to be thought. They come like petulant children into the vineyard to gather grapes; and spying the gawdy butterflies, only runne up and downe to catch them. These men take away their owne liberty, freely give away their freedome, and betray their consciences. But if water had beene good to drinke with wine, quoth a good fellow, God himselfe would have put it into the grape: but every simple is best So if such ordinances of men had been good to joyne with the Word of God, that great Law-giver would not have left them out. Col. 2.21. But let mee obey all Gods commandements, and beleeve all his promises: and for other things, my conscience hath a sweet liberty granted to it by IESVS CHRIST.

3 Spirituall, which frees us from the bondage of the Law, and the everlasting curse of Gods wrath. Ioh. 8.36. If the Sonne make you free, you shall be free indeed.

1 Free from the ceremoniall Law, which tooke the mortall wound by the death of Christ: for that death was to the morall Law finis consummans, to the ceremoniall finis consumens: to the later, dissolvens: to the former, absolvens. Indeed this dead Law was not presently throwne into the grave: but according to the seemely buriall of humane bodies, which are not instantly after the soules departure cast forth as stinking carrions; but have their decent funerals, and are brought with solennity to their sepulchers. So to put some difference betwixt Gods Institutions, and humane inventions, those ceremonies which dyed with Christ, were honourably brought to the grave. Now he that revives them, shall not be Aug. Epist. 19 ad Hier. Pius funeris deductor, but Impius sepulturae violator; not a devout solemniser of the funerall, but a profane raker in the grave, and violator of the quiet sepulture.

2 Free from the morall Law; and that both Quoad damnandi vim; for there is Rom. 8.1. no damnation to them that are in Christ: and Quoad dominandi vim, that sinne should Rom. 6.14. not raigne in our mortall bodies. Our sinnes are remitted, our imperfect obedience is accepted. They that looke to bee justified by the workes of the Law, are not under grace. Such peremptory travellers, mounted on the backe of their owne conceited righteousnesse, will needs post to heaven, and not take Christ along with them. Whereas indeed they are but like oxen, that a great while draw in the yoke for pasture, and are at last for slaughter. Truth is, wee are not freed from obedience to the Law: Christ met with none on the Mount in his glory, but Moses and Elias; the Law-giver, and the Law-restorer: to shew, that hee did not onely come to fulfill the Law, and institute the Gospell; but even to reconcile the Law and the Gospell. We must obey what God commanded by Moses, and what we cannot performe, is supplyed to us by our beleefe in Iesus. Saint Augustine makes foure states of men; first, ante Legem, before the Law, when non pugnamus, wee doe not so much as fight or strive against sinne at all. Secondly, under the Law, Pugnamus, sed vincimur; wee fight, but are overcome. Thirdly, under grace, Pugnamus & vincimus; wee fight and conquer. Fourthly, in pace, in the kingdome of heaven, where is no occasion to fight, there being no enemies. Wee have now two good encouragements to fight: First, Abonitate causae, wee take Gods part. Secondly, A facilitate victoria, God takes our part.

3 Free from the slavery of sinne: before it raigned over us as a tyrant, now it can but dwell in us a Tenant. It never gives us a foile by any act of disobedience, but we give it a mortall wound by the sword of repentance. How sweet is that liberty which avoids the shackles of sinne! It is the most common and troublesome guest that belongs to man: it troubles us both in the sollicitation of it, and remorse for it. Before the act, it wearies us with importunate violence: after the act, it torments us with feare and the painefull gnawings of an accusing conscience. And if it be thus irkesome to men, how odious is it to God? He indeed never hated any thing but it, and for it anything. It is the happinesse of heaven, an immunity from sinne: but wee must content our selves with the happinesse of grace, a liberty not to bee captivated by sinne. The body of sinne and death goes about with us; but it shall not carry us, though wee carry it. It must dwell with us, but with no command, yea with no peace. Wee grudge to give it house-roome, we hate to give it service.

4 Free from all the miserable effects of sinne; as the horror of a troubled conscience; which makes a man Cordis sui fugitivum; like one sea-sicke, that runnes from decke to decke, from the sterne to the foreship, from hold to hatches, from the ship to the boat, and last from the boat to the maine. Or like those fondly impatient fishes, that leape out of the boiling caldron into the burning flame. Nescis temeraria, nescis quem fugias, ideoque fugis: all these stormes are allayed by Christ. Or from the dread of temporall judgements; the sword that destroyeth without, the famine within, or the plague that spareth not, either without or within. Psal. 91.1. Either the Sunne of mercy shall shine upon us, and disperse these tempests, or God shall shelter us under the shaddow of his wings. Death it selfe is but a bottome to transport us to the Land of promise: and Satan, our old sworne enemy shall be trampled under our victorious feet; and we shall sing to him that hath given us this liberty, Glory and praise be to the Lambe for ever and ever.

4. Sensuall, when the boundaries of God, and lawes of man are broken through; and excesse knowes no limits but the want of power. This indeed is not properly liberty, but licentiousnesse: an exorbitant, luxurious violence, the greatest slavery of the world: but this discourse I reserve to the due place. Here onely note this summe of the Text.

Sensuality and a carnall freedome is the spell that conjures these wild spirits, and brings them in subjection to their hereticall Teachers. They may promise them Civill libertie; this they are not sure to performe: or Conscientiall; this they will not performe: or Spirituall; this they cannot performe: but prophane excesse, riotous intemperance, the uncontroulable swinge of their lusts, this they will endevour to performe. This is the Lure of wanton soules: Who can wonder, that so many turne to Papistrie, when men may be at once Romane Catholikes, and humane devils? They say, their Religion daily winneth; yet let them not brag of their gaine: they neither need, nor can, if they consider how it gets, and whom. How, but by base forgeries, frontlesse untruths, plausible perswasions, and flattering promises; which easily prevaile with a pleasure-disposed soule. Whom, but such as are either most unable to resist, or most like to bestead them. Vnsettled heads, in their unseasonable travels, like fond and idle Dinahs, have come ravished home. These Impostors besiege the firie wits, or the great Heire of some noble Family; whose greatnesse of example may be perswasorie, and commanding. Malcontents, whom envie makes desirous of a change; loose livers, men necessitous, whose penurie of estate and judgement cogit ad turpia: voluptuous Epicures, who for all their filthie uncleannesse have a Shift, that is, a Shrift; that having first by their adulteries made worke for Confession, now againe by Confession prepare for more adulteries. These uncleane Birds be layd for by the Nets and Calls of such Fowlers.

But alas for that other Sexe: still the Devill begins with Eve: still his assaults are strongest, where is weakest resistance. How few grand Heretikes doe wee read of, without their Mistresses? Magus had his Helena, Donatus his Lucilla, Apelles his Philumena, Montanus his Prisca, Priscillian his Galla; every one his Factoresse: as the Iesuites are not without their collapsed Ladies; not onely dead Images to worship, but even living Instruments to court and imploy. 2 Tim. 3.6. Silly women, laden with sinnes, and led away with diverse lusts: these must be the Stalls of their spirituall, if not corporall fornication. More politicke than Balaam; when they could not blow up Religion with Powder into Heaven, they trie the old Moabitish Plot, to sinke it downe to Hell. Such is the publike libertie of their dispensations, whether for dissembled Religion, or not unprofitable filthinesse.

Here is even a spoyle fit for such a conquest, for such Victors: this fetches them in so many whores, so many notoriously dissolute persons. Malefactors, that for horrible misdemeanors are committed to prison, be there wrought upon by these Instruments: and so they that were convicted theeves, robbers, strumpets, homicides, are turned off from the gallowes, Romane Catholikes. Who can marvell, to see them that lived like Atheists, to die Papists? Drowning men catch hold on a Weed, rather than nothing; dying Patients embrace an Empyricke, a Leech, rather than no Physician. They can teach them to be saved in a moment, if they will but hang as fast upon their foundation, as they must on Tyburne; that is, on the holy Mother, the Church of Rome: which can no more stumble, than a man when both his eyes are out. Who would envie them this purchase? We are the fewer, not the worse. If all our harlots, and theeves, and murderers, and roarers, and hypocrites were theirs, wee should not complaine: they might be the prouder, not the better. Let them triumph in their conquest, so long as we know we have lost none worth our credit, and they have got none worth their honour. They daily forgoe more in a better exchange: the Sea never encroacheth upon our shore, but it loseth elsewhere. Many have we fetched out of their Wasts into the Fold of the Church: and those not Catholike Colliers, and Cobblers; but such as were able to render a reason, both of the just dislike of their Idolatries, and the sinceritie of our Doctrine.

I conclude this point. Most men take that libertie which Iustice never granted; but Iustice did never grant a libertie which men doe not greedily take. Nature affects that which is pleasing to Nature; nothing better pleaseth it, than the freedome of the owne will. Pauci quaerunt intelligere quid sit licitum, plurimi quid sit placitum. The Poets fable, that Pallas, their goddesse of Wisedome, issued out of loves braine; and Bacchus, their god of Wine and dissolute pleasure, was borne out of his thigh: which was thus wittily moralized, He then must breake his braines, that knowledge winnes; And he that will be drunke, shall breake his shinnes. Lord, keepe us from such a libertie, as is the running of our owne wayes, after our transportive fancies, and the banefull allurements of wantonnesse.

They themselves are the servants of corruption.] All sinne is a servitude; and that which flatters men with the greatest opinion of Libertie, 2 Tim. 2.26. makes them the most miserable vassals. They may thinke, that they have the world at command, and not the world them: as Witches and Conjurers, after their contract made with Hell, thinke they have power over Satan; whereas indeed Satan hath power over them. They have a secret and insensible Teddar, which that enemie ties to their heeles, and holds in his hand: while they runne whither he allowes them, they shall have scope enough; but if they offer towards goodnesse, hee instantly snatches them up. They thinke themselves the freest men in the world; and let them be their owne Iudges, as they will be their owne carvers, they are so. No Coards, whether of Law or Conscience, can hold them: Sampson did not more easily breake the bonds of the Philistines, than they dissolve the Psal. 2.3. ties of Government. The Common-wealth is a Tabernacle or Tent, pitch’d up to shelter men from wrong, and that they may live happily together. Lawes are the Coards of it; breake the Coards, the Tent falls. Ier. 10.20. My Tabernacle is spoyled, my Coards are broken. Vines are underpropped and bound up, to make them fruitfull; Vessels are hooped, to containe the liquor: so Lawes are bonds, to keepe the evill in awe, the good in safetie. But these Flyes will not be caught in such Cobwebs: unruly and headstrong beasts, no Mounds can keepe them out, or hold them in. Lawes bind all, without exception: I speake not of Princes; Leges Principi nemo scripsit. They doe not, like death, Sceptra ligonibus aequare. Plin. Yet, as it was said of the blessed Virgin, offering her Legall sacrifice for her Purification, Supra legem fecerat gratia, sub lege humilitas: so of good Princes, their high calling makes them above the Law, their humilitie respects it.

But they that dare force and ravish the Law, and make it both the instrument of their revenge, and patronage of their mischiefes, thinke they may well plead their libertie. O what a poore slave doe they hold the man of a tender conscience? They dare sweare and blaspheme; we feare an Oath. They dare spend [their dayes] in dalliance, among the Brothels; we dare not make the members of Christ the limbes of a harlot. They dare pollute the marriage-bed by adulterie, and make it the mirth of the companie; we dare not, fearing lest Heaven should be shut against us for the sinne, and Hell swallow us for boasting of the sinne. They dare wager for lying, with that grand-father of lyes and lyars; why, Psal. 12.4. their tongues are their owne: wee dare not, though it were to save our selves, to relieve the poore, to honour God. They dare kill a man in their anger, yea for their pleasure; wee dare not deface the Image of our Maker, knowing that no River can wash off that bloud. They dare drinke themselves into beasts; we dare not, lest wee should never be recovered againe unto men. They dare oppresse the poore; we dare not, knowing that thereby we reproach their Maker. They dare revenge all wrongs done them, and carve it with a large measure; we dare not wring Gods weapon out of his hand, but remit all vengeance to him. The Devill cannot hurt a good man, without Letters Patent; yet the wicked would harme him, against all Lawes and Prohibitions. They dare sinne God in the face, and presume upon his patience; we feare him, as a consuming fire. It is all; they dare hazard the breaking of their neckes, we would not willingly breake our shinnes.

Now, doe not these appeare the more free and magnanimous? Alas, we are curbed and hamper’d: so many interdictions lye in our way, Thou shalt not doe this: so many impositions lye on our backes, Thou shalt doe this; that wee seeme the most miserable servants upon earth. Whereas they know no Law, but the latitude of their will: no limits, but the extremitie of their power. Yet for all this, they are no better than slaves, yea the very vassals of the most contemptible masters. He that serves a Papist, yet serves a Christian: he that serves a Turke, yet serves a man. But hee that serves the world, serves Natures slave; hee that serves the Devill, serves Gods slave; he that serves Lust, serves his owne slave. Some have served one another by turnes, in mutuall and reciprocall offices; and that might be a service of love. Some have yeelded service to men of meaner degree and qualitie than themselves: but that might be a service for gaine, which were base enough; or for feare, which is baser; or for flatterie, which is the basest of all. Some husbands have beene too uxorious and serviceable to their wives; and that is a service of dotage. Some masters have come to serve their owne apprentices; but that was a wofull Turne of Fortunes Wheele; a necessitous, piteous service. But for a man to serve his Dog, this is wonderous low: his Lusts are his Dogs; as Acteon, given over to his pleasures, was devoured of his owne Hounds. Such may be well called here, The servants of corruption.

Is this their libertie? This their magnanimous fortitude? To obey every pettie slave, every common souldier in that Campe, whereof themselves are the Generall? The Dog runs at the masters whistling: but for the master to goe at the Dogs commanding, is a preposterous servilitie. If Lust but say, Get me such a Beautie for my delight, the man hath no power to denie it; no meanes is refused, that makes to this brutish fruition: Is not this to be the servant of corruption? If Covetousnesse say, Get me such a Commoditie; the man instantly obeyes, plots, studies, contrives, breakes his peace, his sleepes, his braines, to compasse it: though he plough furrowes on the backes of the poore, and runne through the bloud of Orphans; though he ventures his eares, his necke, his soule, he dares not denie his slave, his dog, his devill, Avarice. Call you this freedome, when a man cannot chuse but sinne? When I may drinke Wine, or refuse it, this is my freedome: but to be compelled to drinke it, by a drie spirit within; if this be libertie, there is no bondage. Therefore is God Almightie, because he cannot erre, nor lye, nor doe evill; for these are the workes of Impotencie. The Saints in Heaven cannot sinne, yet sure they enjoy the fullest libertie. Liberi, quia liberati, delivered from the necessitie of sinning, therefore free. If to sinne be the onely libertie, they have no libertie in Heaven. No: this is the service of corruption a thraldome, not a freedome; the Tyrannie of sinne, not the Kingdome of righteousnesse.

Every man is the servant, quot vitiorum, tot tyrannorum. When Alexander found Diogenes in his Tub, and disputed with him, whether was the freer estate; with Alexander to command the World, or with Diogenes to be confined to a Barrell? the Cynicke answered; Latior tua potestas, non felicior: Thou commandest others, I command my selfe: I am a servant to the King, the King is a servant to his slave; yea, even to my slave: Tu servus servorum meorum. Illis cupiditatibus, quibus ego impero, tu mancipium es: I am Emperour over those affections, that exercise a dominion over thee. But as Nabals servant was wearie of so unaffable, uncharitable, unreasonable a Master, the very sonne of Belial: So wee have just cause to abandon that service, which must be obsequious to the vilest, proudest, basest groomes in our family, our owne carnall lusts; which are no better (though they dwell with us) than the limbes of Belial. The [Acolast] loathes the service of that Carle, that allowed him no better dyet than huskes, and thereof not enough to fill his belly: Gal. 6.8. such is the wages of corruption. Therefore let us returne with humbled and penitent soules to our Fathers house, where all the servants have Bread, good for the qualitie: Bread enough, Luk. 15. sufficient for the quantitie: and to spare, abundant, even to satietie: where the fatted Calfe shall feast us; royall apparell, the best Robe of glory shall adorne us; heavenly Musicke shall cheare us, and eternall peace and mercie shall receive us.

For of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.] The metaphor seemes to be taken from Warre; where the conqueror brings the vanquished into captivitie, making them slaves and drudges, imposing on them vile and servile offices. And this miserie of the Captive differs, according to the disposition of the Victor: if he be imperious, and given to crueltie, he doth so much the more embitter the slaverie. Pharaoh is not content to set Israel possible taskes: so long there was comfort; their diligence might save their backes from stripes. What with conceit of benefit to the commander, and hope of impunitie to the labourer, they might take heart to venture on great difficulties. But those tyrants did measure their commands by their owne wils, not by the strength of their inferiors. To require more of a beast than hee can doe, is inhumane: yet Pharaoh exacteth Brickes, where hee hath allowed no Straw. This was cruell enough: But what is the swarthy King of Egypt to the blacke Prince of darkenesse? his commands are lesse reasonable, his stripes more unmercifull: The former are not more plausible to the flesh on earth, than the other are terrible to the soule in hell. This is Saint Peters infallible Doctrine; Of whom a man is overcome, &c. Saint Pauls everlasting Rule; Rom. 6.16. Ye are his servants, to whom you obey. Yea, hee that was before them, above them, and from whom they spake, pronounced it a firme Lesson out of the Schoole of Heaven; Ioh. 8.34. Whosoever committeth sinne, is the servant of sinne. For method; first, let us view Satans victorie over the wicked, and their slaverie under Satan: then, how Christ overcomes the elect, and the freedome of their service under him.

Thrice did the Devill set upon the Sonne of God, and fashioned his temptations to this method; the 1 Ioh. 2.16. lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. To all these the first Adam was tempted, and in all miscarried: the second Adam is tempted to them all, and overcommeth. The former Adam was tempted; first, to a carnall appetite, by the forbidden fruit; secondly, to pride, by the suggestion of being as God; thirdly, to covetousnesse, in the ambitious desire of knowing good and evill. Satan having found all these motions so successefull with the first Adam, in his innocent estate, treads the same steps in his temptations of the second: first, the stones must be made Bread; there is the motion to a carnall appetite: secondly, the guard and attendance of Angels must be presumed on; there is the motion to pride: thirdly, the Kingdomes of the earth must be offered, and their glory; there he is moved to covetousnesse and ambition. In every one there is an appearance of good, whether of body, mind, or estate. Once and a second time he is repelled, yet againe he assaults: Satan is not foiled, when he is resisted. If neither the lust of the flesh, nor lust of the eyes can overcome us, he will trie us with the pride of life: as when neither diffidence nor presumption could fasten on Christ, he tempts him with Mat. 4.•. honour. He is a cunning Fencer, expert at all weapons: in vaine shall we be skilfull in some, if we faile in any. When he makes the Challenge, it is not left to us (as in termes of Duell) to appoint the ground, or the weapon; we must be prepared for all assaults, for all places. They that hold Towers and Forts of Garrison, doe not only defend themselves from incursions, but from the Cannon and the Pioner. Still doth this subtle enemie traverse his ground, for an advantage. When the Wildernesse speeds not, he hopes for some better lucke in the Temple: there failing, he climbes higher, to the top of a Mountaine. As foes in pitched fields, strive for the benefit of the Hill, or River, or Wind, or Sunne. He doth himselfe, as he taught his servant Balaam, change places, in hope of prevailing. If the obscure Countrey cannot move us, he tries what the Court can doe; if not our Home, the Taverne; if not the Field, our Closet.

How many hath he wounded in one place, that were fenced in another? Hee would not onely put some evill into all, nor all into some, but all into all. Nec tam vincit potentiâ suâ, quàm negligentiâ nostrâ: therefore as no place is left free from his malice, so no place should be made prejudiciall by our carelesnesse. Some he overcomes with superstition; and they die the death of Galileans: for he like Luk. 13.1. Pilate, will mingle their blood with their owne Sacrifices. Some he overcomes with vaine-glory; and they die the death of Philistines; killed with the Iaw-bone of an Asse. Some with drunkennesse, and they dye the death of Nabal; yesterday as beasts, to day as stones: then overmerry and light as feathers, in death dull and lumpish. Others with the world; and they fall under their owne burden: the world like the Tower in Siloe, fals on them, and quasheth them to pieces. How great is his conquest, when he can set reasonable men to worship a little coloured dirt? Some with filthy lust; and they die the death of Sodomites; if not with fire from heaven, yet with fire from hell. Still this Conquerour proceedes; and some he overcomes with a multitude of small sinnes: one haire will not hang a man, many will, as Absalom was served. Or with some speciall deare sinne, which is like a conspiratour within, that will betray him the Towne. Either he disarmes men of their Sword, the Word of God; and then who can fight without a weapon? Or gets away their Buckler; the shield of Faith, and who can defend himselfe without a Target? Faith is the foundation of a Christian: that once lost, all is desperate. An enemy after long siege of a city, upon intreaty made, condiscended to termes of peace; and this was his condition, that in signe of homage, they should quietly suffer him to take from their Citie-wals one row of stones round about: to this they yeelded; and he laid hands on the lowest row, the foundation, and so left them no walls at all. It is a weake City without walls, there can be no wals without a foundation, City and Walls are feeble without munition: where men have neither the grace, nor the wit, nor the will to resist, it is easie for Satan to overcome.

But now what is the event of this conquest? Bondage; To him they are brought in bondage.] The unhappinesse of which estate appeares in these conditions.

1. It is Infamis, an ignominious state; the hang-mans servant is an honour to it. Such was Matthews first condition; a farmer of the miseries of his owne nation. Informers, that like Crowes, live upon carrion; and dorres, that passe the medow or garden to light on a dunghill: or those wing-lesse flies, that sucke a living out of the corrupt blood of uncleannesse; all heare ill enough, and are odious in their offices. But to weare the livery of Satan, to bee the Pensioner of hell, at the command of that malignant and degenerous Spirit, is the most dishonourable name and shame. Let them bee Lords of the earth, yet their report is fouler than clods of the earth: by the base indulgence to their owne lusts, their names stinke above ground. Their memorie shall rot; yea, it is well, if their memories doe rot with their carcases, and their vices be buried with them in their graves. So basely ignoble, so inhumane is it for a man to be the slave of his owne affections.

2. Immanis, a hard and troublesome condition. Both for the multitude of businesse, and not seldome, contariety of commands: as pride askes cost, whereas covetousnesse denies necessaries: envie makes a sullen face, whereas ambition sets it in the smiling posture of flatterie: so the mind is distracted with crosse addresses. And for the hardnesse of their labour; like beasts, they are set to draw in the devils teame; Esa. 5.18. sinne with cart-ropes, and iniquity with coards of vanitie. Coards are at first twisted of small threds; but once combined, they can bind heavy burdens, and hold great shippes. Peccata facile veniunt, sed fortiter ligant. They are deceived that thinke the hests of Satan easie. Sinne is no niggard of her paines: seldome ever doe we finde goodnesse so industrious. It is not Absaloms beautie and royall attendance that can make strong his party; but hee must neglect himselfe, sit continually at the gate, giving his hand to kisse, and kissing their lips that did it; he must take paines to further his treason.

Unruly affections are like wild horses, that carry us over hils and rockes, till they be breathlesse. Yea they soone recover breath and speed; and if they bee restrained by a sudden violence, they plunge and careere, and cease not till the saddle be empty, and then strike at the prostrate rider. Where sinne hath once gotten a dominion, it scornes to be repelled, but hath recourse to the haunt, as humors fall toward their old issue. Iniquity is laborious; the Poet was deceived when he said, Facilis descensus averni. The covetous make their passage through stony rockes of hardship and penurie: Psal. 127.2. to rise early, and rest late, and eate the bread of sorrowes: I hope this is not easie. The ambitious clambers up steepe hills and and craggie mountaines, to get a place as tickle and slippery, as the stoole of Eli. Cypr. Shall we say, it sleepes in them? Nay it will not let them sleepe. Esa. 57.20. The voluptuous tramples in dirt and mire, besmearing himselfe with infamie and turpitudes, is not this a molestation? The revengefull breakes through hedges stucke with thornes, which makes him all gore and bloudy. Sen. The envious walkes in dark and shady places, that he may not see anothers happinesse, Quot bona falicium, tot tormenta invidorum. He wasts his owne marrow, and with sullen malice gnawes the flesh from his own bones: is not this aegrum & acre servitium? The drunkard paines his stomacke in the devouring, his head in the digesting, his throat and heart in the returning of his over-laden cups. But especially the sinne of mischiefe is a vigilant, painefull, indefatigable sinne. Iudas will be awake, when Peter is asleepe: the Tare-sower in the field, when the husbandman is in his bed. In all προσκυνοῦντες τῷ θηρίῳ: they that worship the Beast, never rest, day nor night.

3. It is Intolerabilis: we have heard of many poore soules condemned to the gallies, under the mercilesse tyranny of Turks and Infidels. But what is the Turk to the devill? What a Gally to hell? What the labour of oares to the toile of an afflicting conscience? Of all servants, they are in the worst case that are sold: of those that be sold, they are the worst that must doe service in prison: of them in prison, their state is most lamentable that are bound with fetters. Such is the condation of the ungodly: they are the servants of sinne, and sold under sinne, and chained in prison. The Iayle is infidelity, they are shut up under unbeleefe: the Iaylor Satan, so strait and tyrannous, that they cannot so much as lift up their head, or looke to heaven for any deliverance. Pride is one chaine: though they weare it for Psal. 73 6. an ornament of bravery, they shall finde it the ligament of infelicitie. Concupiscence is another chaine, that binds them faster to the service of Satan, than ever the Virgin was to the rocke, to bee devoured by the monster. Every sinne strives for the regencie: sic certant in me de meipso, cujus potissimam videar: Bern. hom. 4 within me they strive about me, whose I should bee. Other tyrants have some intermission in their commands; Pharaoh denies not Israel a season to eate, drinke, and sleepe: but these miserable captives are alwayes in an habituall service, seldome out of actuall. They must neither doe, nor speake, nor thinke, but according to their masters injunctions. He labours to snare the children of God in their sleeps; Facit aliquando dormientibus, quod non potest vigilantibus: Aug. suggesting uncleane thoughts when their wills cannot resist them: how much more doth he turmoile his slaves? If Iudas’s heart be wrought to the treason, he shal not rest till his hand have done it, and undone himselfe by it. He would not so much as suffer him to eate his supper, but hastened him from that Sacramentall bread to his bloody designe. Amnon enamoured on that incestuous act, Ambr. de fuga Saeculi. cap. 4. melts away till hee have committed it. Libido est furiosa domina; lust is not a faire, but a furious mistresse, impatient of delay in her service.

O that men would free themselves from this intolerable burden; where alius servus est libidini, alius ambitioni, alius timori. Sinne is a cowardly thing; Sen. ep. 47. Eve had no sooner offended, but she sought out a fellow and companion. When Cain was stained with his brothers blood, how he trembled and quaked, there being none in the world to see him but his parents and sisters; yet in every bush he suspects an ambush. Satan is so cruell a master, and so niggardly a rewarder, that all his servants bee timorous. Men of honest conscience, observers of order, as they are fearefull to offend, so most couragious in a just cause: the servants of God are bold as Lions. But guitinesse and conspiracy is of so ugly a shape, and horrid a representation, that the offender never dares look upon himselfe single, and alone, but still runs as a Deere to the heard.

4. It is inutilis, no good comes of it. It is both coactus, a servile compulsory labour; and improbus, a dishonest unjustifiable labour: and stultus, idle, fruitlesse, a meere labour in vaine. Rom. 6.21. What fruit had yee then of those things whereof yee are now ashamed? The root is sinne, the stocke blame, the fruit shame, the end death, to bee cut up and cast into the fire. There bee some that sinne and shame not; Ier. 6.15. Were they ashamed when they committed abomination? No, they had gotten a meretricious front; the looke of an impudent and putrefied Ier. 3.3. strumpet; for even a fresh harlot will bee put to the blush. There bee some that shame, and amend not; Ier. 2.26. As the theefe is ashamed when hee is found. Being taken in the manner, hee is more ashamed of his apprehension, than of his transgression: hee loseth all that modesty when hee gaines secrecy; and ceaseth not to bee a theefe. Ier. 31.19. It is good when shame for sinne is joyned with sorrow, and sorrow with amendment of life.

This is one discommodity of such service; a shame before men; but there is a worse behinde, even a shame before all the Angels of God. But is there no benefit by it? Doth not the covetous store up gold? The voluptuous please his wanton flesh? The ambitious mount to honour? As Satan said, Doth Iob serve God for nought? So doe these serve Satan for nought? They doe; and as witches take apparitions for substances; are promised golden mountaines, yet remaine beggarly wretches: so these embrace a cloud in stead of Iuno, a dreame for reality, a childes baby made of clouts, and are in all their glory like a foole in a comedy, crowned with a coronet of painted paper, a bable for a scepter, a table spread with counterfeit cheare, and when the play is done, hee may goe seeke his supper. It was never in any condition so true, as here; a yong serving-man, an old beggar.

5. It is inextricabilis, sold to sinne with small hope of recovery. That powerfull tyrant will keepe his captives, till a stronger than hee comes to ransome them. Some may haply have their faint reluctations against this bondage; and Satans commands are so foule, that it grudgeth their conscience to fulfill them: as the servant wearied with justifying his masters untruths, told him that if he did not couch his lies closer together, and make them more cleanely, he would no longer undertake to avouch them. To pollute the marriage-bed of their friend, is a morsell that grumbles in their stomach before it can be digested. To doe injury, where they have received courtesie, to fight in an unconcerning quarrell, to shed blood where they may have money to spare it; doth a little stumble them: and they have some languide wishes, O that we were free! But while they seeke not constantly the meanes of their release, their captivity is the sorer, as the Iailor laies more irons upon him that hath attempted to breake prison. Lycurgus could say, that often assaulting the enemy without conquest, would at last encourage them to set upon us. They are presumptuous fooles that thinke they can repent at pleasure; as if the weathercocke could turne the winde, and not the winde the weathercock: as if because man can tame birds and beasts, therefore hee could also tame himselfe. Yea, as if a piece of clay fashioned to the picture of a man, could make it selfe living, and inanimate that lumpe with a reasonable soule. They are deceived; sinne never made such a bargaine with them, as to be turned off at an houres warning, or to bee discharged with a miserere mei. No, that Landlord will hold his owne, except hee comes that hath a stronger power, and a better title: and when it must out, it will rend the heart, as Satan tore the child, and doe what hee can to make the house untenantable. Faciliùs excludere, quàm expellere. They will say with Pharaoh, Exod. 14.5. Why have we done thus, to let Israel goe from serving us?

6. It is miserabilis, the griefe of every Christian. Even such a temporary condition may well move compassion. Stood wee upon an high mountaine, and had as cleare eyes to behold this large valley of teares and miseries, as our Saviour had to see the glory of kingdomes. Did wee perceive the lamentable cryes of the famished for want of bread, the distressed shifts of the poore for want of harbour, the tortures and rackings of sensible limbes, both by the hand of Iustice and of Injustice; the disconsolate sorrowes of parents for their children, widowes for their husbands, friends for all relations: or the exigents of besieged cities, the sound of trumpets, noise of drummes, roaring of cannons, the pitifull groanes of the dying and wallowing in their bloods, or swooning in the streets of famine, women re-inwombing their owne children; fathers and husbands mourning for the barbarous ravishment of their wives and daughters. Or their anguish that are condemned to row in gallies, turne in mills, worke in minerals; how they eat nothing but the bread of sorrow by weight, and drinke nothing but the water of affliction by measure; their unpitied cries at the smart of their unmercifull lashings. Surely teares were the poorest obsequies wee could spend at these wofull funerals. The cheekes that are now dimpled with laughter, would change their position; the resty soules that sing now nothing but peace, would change their disposition, at these sad spectacles.

But now, by how much the soule is more deare than the body, more precious, more eternall; let our bowels yearne for these spirituall calamities. All outward sufferings are determined by death; as when it was told Anaxagoras, the Athenians have condemned you to dye; said againe, And nature them. But the intolerable service of sin, the works of darknesse, commanded by the Prince of darknesse, in the place of darknesse; the gashes of a wounded conscience, fresh bleeding hurts plaisterd with corrosives, overburdened soules, neither able nor willing to ease themselves; if wee have not sucked the breasts of Tygers, these things wil make us mourne and pray, Lord have mercy on such miserable sinners.

O that men would consider, what they have beene, what they are, what they hope to be. First, what they were; the Images of God; that is their originall glory. Basil. Hex. Homil. 10. Princeps creaturarum constitutus es, & dignitatem naturae tuae projicis. Thou that shouldest rule overall beasts about thee, art overruled by those beasts that are within thee. Secondly, what they are, at least in invitation: the Sonne of God offers to make us free, and to restore all our forfeited priviledges; and shall we neglect so faire an occasion? Shew this favour to the captives at Argier, and see if they will refuse it. When Cyrus king of Persia proclaimed liberty to the Iewes, onely those went from Babel, the place of their captivity, to Ierusalem the city of their ancient liberty, Ezra 1.5. whose spirits God had raised up. Christ came to proclaime Luk. 4.18. freedome to captives, yet none follow this gracious call, but onely they whose spirits the Spirit of God raiseth up. Thirdly, what they hope to be, even kings in heaven; and will they be slaves on earth? Is not the kingdome above, began below? Is not the suburbs of grace, the way to the city of glory? Doth the kingdome of sinne raigne in our mortall bodies, and shall the kingdome of rest be given to our immortall soules? Have we the promise of Canaan, and of Gods arme to conquer it, and doe wee sticke at the sonnes of Anak. Bern. de persecut. sustinenda. cap. 11. Sperare non potest regnum coelorum, qui non dominabitur viribus membrorum. Certainely, if through grace wee doe not prepare our selves for that heavenly kingdome, wee can never say with a warrant that God hath prepared that heavenly kingdome for us.

7. It is Exitialis; the end of every service is wages, and this is a wages without end, even everlasting paine. O horrible reward, to sow trouble, and reape vexation; still to bring fewell unto that fire, which must burne themselves; to plow with rods, and eat with Scorpions; to bee wearied in the wayes of sinne, and then to be worried with plagues of sinne. Rom. 6.2•. The wages of sinne is death: a toilesome service, an irkesome wages. Iam. 1.13. Sinne when it is finished brings forth death. He that was the tempter, becomes the tormentor: then he promised pleasures, now he inflicts tortures. First, he enticeth men to sinne, and then accuseth them to God for the sinnes they have done by his enticement. Bee assured of this, hee that without cessation doth tempt thee to sinne, will without intermission torment thee because thou hast sinned. Still the reprobates shall serve under their old master, but their worke shall bee changed, and the place: heere they worke actively, there passively: heere Satan workes by them, there hee workes upon them: here they are in a free aire, with light and delight; there in a dungeon with sores and sorrowes. As Charles king of Swede, a great enemy of the Iesuits, when hee tooke any of their colledges, would first hang up the old Iesuits, and then put the rest into his mines; saying, that since they had wrought so hard above ground, hee would try how they could worke under ground. So when the wicked have done the devill what service they could on earth, he will confine them to his darke vaults in hell. O Lord come downe, cast out this Tyrant and Vsurper, repossesse thine owne kingdome, erect a Throne to thy selfe in all our hearts, that thou maiest here raigne in us as our King, and we may at last raigne with thee in thy Kingdome, Amen.

Of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.] The service of Satan is so full of troubles and perplexities, so destitute of comforts and relavations, that there is no wonder if it bee tedious to the sufferer, when it displeaseth the hearer or looker on. Therefore as they that have visited Spittles and Hospitalls, and smelt the offensive ulcers of Lazars and Leapers, are glad of a sweet aire and healthfull society. So after the view of that incurable slavery, the bondage of sinne and Satan, now let us refresh our selves with the liberty of the servants of God. For we cannot deny God, (in so generall a proposition) to have his victory also. Let not Satan beare away the glory as if there was no King, no Conqueror but he: for this Master of slaves is but a slave to a higher Master: and as hee can exercise no dominion over his servants but by Gods permission, so God holds him in the strongest subjection, so hamper’d with invincible chaines of servitude that he cannot touch one of his servants, not one limbe of their bodies, not one haire of their heads, not one beast of their heards, till God hath given him leave, and he will never give him leaue to hurt their soules. You haue seene the carriage of an inhumane Tyran over his slaves; come now to the Court of a King, and see the usage of his free servants: yea, see a court of Rev. 1.6. Kings, for all Gods servants be no lesse than Princes. Where we have two generall occurrences. First, The conquest of some that stand out. Secondly, The happinesse of them that are overcome.

God is sure to be Victor, for what force can withstand him? But hee frames the manner of his victories to the nature of his enemies: them that resist, hee overcomes by subversion: them that yeeld, by conversion. His conquest here is not by fury, but by mercy. Esa. 27.4. ver. 5. Furie is not in me, the bryers and thornes shall be consumed in his flame: but they that lay hold on his arme, shall hold backe his arme; humble and faithfull prostration shall make their peace. This war on his part, is all of love: the intention is Studium pacis. Gratia praeveniens, so the warre is undertaken; Gratia operans, so the battell is begun: Gratia perficiens, so the victory is gotten. When God gives us repentance, he hath then overcome us. Wee were rebels by nature, and enemies to the grace of God, we must be vanquished, or we cannot be saved. Rom. 8.14. They are led by the Spirit of God. So gentle is this conquering, that it is called a leading; ducendo vincimur, vincendo ducimur. Led by a superiour instinct, not furiously but familiarly; non ut rei ad supplicium, sed ut amici ad palatium. Nor is this conquest a necessitating of our salvation; as Qui agitur, agere quid ipse minus intelligitur: Aug. Imo, & ageris, & agis: a Deo aguntur, ut agant. God gives the first motion or inclination, and so we begin: and by his continuall helpe we follow on. We are not willing before we be overcome, but in the very conquest we are made willing to be overcome. Acta fit activa voluntas.

1. This conquest is not Subita, suddaine: mans heart is naturally stubborne; this Iericho will not be wonne under seven dayes siege, and then the walls must downe too, worldly forces must faile us. Not seldome it holds out longer than Ostend or Troy; God is many yeares assaulting it with his spirituall weapons, his Word, Ordinances, Favours, Frownes, Stripes before it yeelds. Few are converted in an houre, or can tell that houre wherein they were converted. It is not here, venire & vincere, to come and overcome. God doth weaken us before hee vanquish us, taking from corruption here a fort, and there a bulwarke, now a trench, then a mine, together with the victuals and provision, even the magasine whereon sinne feeds and lives. When the unthrift had no provant left, he must yeeld and humble himselfe to his Father.

2. It is not Hostilis, as nation against nation with a deadly feud, but with termes of love. There is a dry wounding, a conquest without blowes. Cant. 4.9. Thou hast wounded me with one of thine eyes. And Chap. 6.5. Turne away thine eyes, for they overcome me. Of all victories, love is the greatest, to Rom. 12.21. overcome evill with good. This is to be like God, whose image we beare in our creation, and to whose Image we are restored in our redemption. Christus nihil praecepit, quod non facit. If he had not overcome al our malice with kindnes, he would never have charged us with such a practise. Saul hunts for the life of David, David hath a way to the life of Saul, and spares it. Such a feeling oratory did Saul find in the lips of David, and lap of his garment; that it lies not in the power of his envy, ill nature, and curst hart, 1 Sam. 24.1• to hold out from teares. He whose harpe had wont to quiet Sauls frenzie, now by his kindnesse doth calme his fury: so that now he sheds teares in stead of blood. Here was a victory gotten, and no blow stricken. Phocion that noble Athenian, being condemned to die, and lifting the deadly cup to his lips, was asked by his friends, what message hee would send to his Sonne; he answerd, Mando ei hoc, ut obliviscatur potus hujus, Aelian. lib. 12. I charge him never to revenge this draught upon the Athenians. Baldwin King of Ierusalem, having spoiled the Arabian Saracens; and put them to flight, found in his returne homewards a woman ready to travell, wife unto a chiefe Prince of the Arabians, left behind in the pursute: whom he covered with his owne mantle, appointing both attendance and sustenance. This kindnesse was not lost; for afterward being besieged by the same Arabians, and put to great distresse, hee was delivered by that Captaine, whose wife he had preserved. Yea, take an example neerer home: A malefactor, in birth and person a comely Gentleman, was sentenced by a Iudge deformed in body. Hereupon hee turned all his praiers to Heaven, into curses and revilings of the Iudge, calling him a stigmaticall and bloody man. The patient Iudge for that time reprieved him: still hee continued in the same language of invectives and blasphemies against him. The next Session being produced, the Iudge asked him if his choler were any thing boild away and spent: but then he redoubled his railings: yet he reprieved him againe, as loth to let him die in so uncharitable and desperate a condition of soule. Before the third Assises, hee sent for him to his chamber in London, and asked him if hee were yet more pacified: still nothing came from him but words of inveterate rancour. Whereupon said the Iudge, God forgive thee, I doe; and withall threw him his pardon. Whereat he was so astonied, that being but hardly recovered from his swoone; he refused the Queenes pardon for his life, unlesse the Iudge would both pardon his malice, and admit him into his service. He did so, and found him so faithfull, that dying he gave him the greatest part of his estate. Here was extreme evill overcome with extraordinarie goodnesse. The Iudge of all the world deales yet more mercifully with us: the Law hath condemned us to die, we daily provoke him: he could presently sentence us, but he spares us: still we anger him: hee feeds, findes us, gives us all we have; yet still wee rebell against him. At last, to overcome us by the gentlest warre that ever was heard of, he seales us our pardon in Iesus Christ, through whom he accepts us into his service, and makes us his owne heires. Loe, then he overcomes us.

3. It is not violenta, he useth no boistrous forces against us. Indeed his Ordnance be his Ordinances, his Cannons be his Canons and Lawes: But against what does he plant them? Not against our selves, but against our sinnes: As if he would not fight with us, but fight with our enemies for us. We have no foes, but our faults: upon these he playes with his Shot, and batters them downe before us. He knowes, that unlesse these die, we cannot live. He hath his Sword, a two-edged one, keene on both sides: with this he wounds, not our spirit, but our flesh; not our flesh, but the lusts of our flesh: yea, not so much our lusts, as the corruption of our lusts; launcing the Vlcer that would kill us. He hath his Mines; but to blow up our pride, vaine-glorie, ambition, and such piles of vanities. Hee hath his fire-workes; but to burne up our rotten affections, of covetousnesse and uncleannesse. This strict siege, is but to famish our riot, intemperance, drunkennesse, and all those Perdues, souldiers that deserve no pay, the forlorne Tatterdemallion of our sinnes. His Ambuscado’s serve but to resist our excursions, flyings out, ramblings, and such extravagances of disobedience. Here is no boistrous turbulencie in this Warre; all the violence is on our side: the Kingdome of Heaven suffers violence, not offers it. No man is saved against his will: but even in the act of our overcomming, wee are willing to be overcome. Wee feele paine in the resistance, nothing but peace and sweetnesse in the conquest. I had rather thus be conquered of the Lord, than be conqueror of all the world. O poore Caesars, poore Alexanders, poore Tamerlaines, that wonne so many victories, and lost the best, in not being overcome by Gods mercies. Thus God overcomes us, by overcomming them that captived us.

4. It is not crudelis, not bloudie; like Sauls charge for Amalek, or Israels execution upon Benjamin: there none were left alive, here all are preserved from slaughter. As he said, Perieram nisi periissem: so we had beene butchered, if we had not beene conquered. If we had escaped from the Captaine of Mercie, we had fallen upon the Captaine of Crueltie. For they that will not be overcome of God, shall be overcome of Satan. The Lord goes through every street, Ezek. 9.4, 5. here he sets his marke upon a house, there upon a person: these be his, he hath fairely wonne them, and they consent to be his subjects: the rest he leaves to the destroyer. Those hee hath conquered, hee hath saved: and they that yeeld not to so gracious a subduer, perish by a pittilesse destroyer. As a man seeing a tumult or quarrell, where enraged swords make gashing wounds, and through those breaches let out soules; spies one in this hurlyburly whom he loves, layes hold on him, and being stronger than he, beares him to his house, and lockes him up fast as in ward, till all be quiet. So doth God snatch his chosen out of the broiles of sinne, binds them with the cords of obedience; and though they struggle for libertie, keepes them sure till this mutinie be over-past. Or as the Shepheard in a tempest, finds a Lambe, catcheth it in his armes, and shelters it, till the storme be blowne over. The Lambe strives, and thinkes it selfe going to death, while indeed from death it is preserved.

So graciously doth this Conqueror deale with us: wee kicke at his precepts, fret at our restraint, and are impatient of our sufferings; whereas 1 Cor. 11.32. we are chastened of the Lord, that we might not be condemned with the world. Two had appointed to meet in the field of bloud; the quarrell was bad, the prosecution worse: the friend of one of them not being able to perswade him by reason, caused him to be arrested into prison: better a short bondage, than unredeemable death. This was a mercifull crueltie, the other had beene a cruell mercie. It is happie if a sicknesse can keepe us from sinne. When a wild Horse hath got the head of his rider, and runnes him with furie into deadly dangers; hee does him no wrong, that kills the Horse, to save the man. They are the beasts, our lusts, that draw us in the Coach of licentiousnesse, headlong to Hell, as Pharaohs Chariot drew him into the red Sea, against which God is severe and cruell; and when there is no other remedie, he will spill those beasts to save our soules. Here be then no lamentable cryes, no mercilesse blowes, no gaping wounds, no chanels streaming with bloud, in this conquest. No bloud is shed here, but the bloud of Iesus Christ. All the bloud and life this victorie cost, was spilt on the Victors part, not on the conquered. If God were cruell to any, it was to himselfe. To spare our bloud, he did shed the bloud of his owne deare Sonne.

Their happinesse that be thus overcome, is seene in these two priviledges:

1. They are the onely free-men in the world: this Bondage is the most royall libertie. This stands both, first, in the deliverance from evill; that neither the bond of the Law to bring perfect obedience in our owne person, obligeth us; nor the breach of that Law, for want of that righteousnesse, Rom •.1. condemneth us. When the King hath signed a transgressor his pardon, all his malicious enemies and accusers may goe whistle. Secondly, and in the abilitie to good, even to Luk. 1.74. serve the Lord without feare. It is true indeed, still wee sinne, and alas, that wee must! We are made Rom. 8.2. free from the Law of sinne and death: not simply from sinne and death, but from the Law of sinne and death. Not so deliver’d, that we can neither sinne nor die: but that neither sinne shall captive us, nor death confound us. Indeed we sigh, and fight, and faine would be delivered from all assaults of sinne: but beggars must not chuse their almes; we must be contented with our measure: we have this to humble us, not to condemne us. It is comfort sufficient, though sinne disturbe us, it shall never destroy us. Wee abhorre a Snake, for the nature of it; to touch it, is our feare: and it is but our feare, when all the malignitie and venime is gone. Sinne doth hisse at us, but cannot harme us: blessed be God, the feare is more than the hurt. Our life lyes in our Head: if this Serpent with all his sting could not hurt the Head, it shall never kill any member.

Indeed where it domineeres, it damnes. If a man sicke on his bed, burning of a Fever, fetching his breath with straitnesse and shortnesse, looking like earth; say he is well in health, we doe not beleeve him: So if we see men swelling with pride, flaming with lust, looking earthie with covetousnesse, and yet flattering themselves with hope of salvation; we cannot credit them, all the world cannot save them. Here the Condition is not kept, therefore the Obligation is in force; they doe not serve God, they are not free. But where is an endeavour to obey him, and a faith in Christ to supply the defects of that obedience; there the Covenant is kept, the Bond is void. Sinne offers many assaults; but still wee stand Gal. 5.1. fast in the libertie wherewith Christ hath made us free. Death shall wholly quit us from these sollicitations; Ambr. de bono Mort. cap. 4. Mors est sepultura vitiorum. It is not so much the death of the man, as the death of sinne in the man. As the worme bred in the tree, at last consumes the tree: so death is bred by sinne, and sinne shall be destroyed by death. This is the full accomplishment of our freedome, when that filthie fluxe of sinne is dryed up in an instant. Whatsoever depraved nature suggests, it is not in vaine to serve the Lord, for wee are Rev. 1.6. made Kings by this service. Wee may better say of Heaven, than of that Citie, all her Merchants are Princes; all Gods subjects be Kings: not reges nati, but renati; not of a piece of Earth, but of Heaven; not of a mortall Principalitie, but of an immortall Kingdome. Courtiers may faile of preferment; they may be neere high places, and Offices, and misse them: one compared them to fasting-dayes; they were next the holydayes, but in themselves the most meager and leanest dayes of the weeke: but Gods servants are sure. Below men rise to honours and places by the death of others; these by their owne deaths ascend to the glory of Heaven.

But Christianitie seemes to afford very small libertie: Is it not a yoke, and a burden? Mat. 11.29. Take my yoke upon you. Tollite jugum, there’s the condition of humanitie; labour. Tollite jugum meum, there’s the condition of Christianitie; an especiall labour. And Super vos, which implyes both patience, willingly; and obedience, servingly: not to touch it with one finger, but to beare it on our shoulders; submit all our actions and affections to it. Pride and ambition are Super jugum, and tread that under their heeles, which they should beare upon their neckes. Indeed this is true: but still it is onus leve, and jugum suave; an easie yoke, a light burden. First, this yoke is not made of greene wood, then it would be heavie; but of drie, therefore it is portable and easie. Secondly, it is not a new yoke, but hath beene borne and worne before by Christ himselfe, to make it easie for us. Bern. Thirdly, it is oyled and lined with sweet comforts; Vnguntur cruces, à quo inferuntur: God hath so softened it with pillowes of mercie, that it cannot offend us. Fourthly, we draw in it with patience: Oxen that struggle and be unruly with their yokes, put themselves to paine: God hath given us the shoulders of patience, before he puts on the yoke of obedience. Fifthly, we doe not draw alone, nor does the weight of the load lye upon our backes; we should then sinke and shrinke under it. But a yoke is made for two, and Christ is one of the two; his omnipotence assists our weakenesse; the greatest burden lyes upon him. Sixthly, and lastly, it is not perpetuall; we draw it but during a short life. And if it be painefull for the day, we are unyoked at night, when we goe to bed, in death. But the wicked have a sorer yoke for the present, whereof the wood is greene and ponderous; all sinne is heavie. And though it seeme qualified with pleasure and content, and is commonly drawne with a companion; as the Broker and Vsurer both in a yoke, drunkard and drunkard both in a yoke, adulterer and strumpet both in a yoke: and where a yoke-fellow failes, as the proud man loves no partner, no partner loves him; here the Devill puts in a shoulder, to ease him and helpe it on. Yet still they draw with tyrannie, paine, impatience, and feele many a pricke of Satans Goad, that Auriga of Hell, to set them forward. And last of all, at night, when they should put off one yoke, another, a heavier, a sorer is put on them, which they must beare for ever. But when the faithfull shall be uncoupled from the yoke, Mat. 25.21. there is ease and eternall rest. The mouth of the Oxe that drawes in the yoke, is not muzzled on earth, and the soule shall find everlasting reward in Heaven.

I doe not exempt Christianitie from all difficultie; it is no easie labour to serve God: yea, they that doe it best, feele it hardest, and complaine that they can doe it no better. There be hot encounters, potent adversaries, and many adversities, against them that would goe to Heaven. Malicious and subtle spirits, an alluring world, a vicious and stubborne nature: sometimes wee see them not, and complaine of feeling them too late: sometimes we see them with amazement, feare them, and are readie to flie from them with an Israelitish cowardise: Who is able to stand before the sonnes of Anak? Another time we stand, and resist as well as we can, but are foiled with indignation and shame. Vp wee get againe, take heart, and renew the combate; yea, even prevaile, and triumph. O how glad wee are, if either wee have not beene throwne downe by the temptation, or recover’d our selves from the fall, by compunction. In the height of this joy, we are againe surprized with a sudden assault; whereof as wee had no warning, wee have no power of resisting. Thus are wee hurried into sinne, over-ruled to displease our Maker: yea, sometimes wee can hardly struggle out of the snare for some houres or dayes; and when wee escape, not without many wounds and bruises: so that comming to the Chirurgery of Repentance, wee finde a bleeding conscience. We looke not that God should strew carpets for our nice feete to walke into our heaven; or make that way smooth for us, which all Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Confessors, Christ himselfe, have found rugged and bloudy; or to fare better than all the Saints. Yet still wee will not change conditions with the worldly: Paul was happier in his chaine of iron, than Agrippa in his chaine of gold. One rag of a Saint is worth the whole wardrobe of a sinner: and that for the next priviledge.

2. Their reward is infinite. We may well contemne the difficulty, when wee respect the advantage. We serve a good Master, who not onely payes, but gives; not after the proportion of our earnings, but of his owne mercies. Hell cannot touch us, death cannot hurt us; if any evill doe assault us, it presently brings us more good. Besides this freedome, how large is our possession? all good things are ours, to chalenge, to enjoy: we cannot looke beyond our owne, nor beside it: we have right to the things wee see, and no lesse to the things we see not. The heaven that roles so gloriously over our heads, is ours: those celestiall spirits, the better part of that high creation, are ours; they watch us in our beds, guard us in our wayes, shelter us from dangers, comfort us in troubles; and as living they have kept, so dying, they gladly receive our soules. Yea above all, the God of Spirits is ours; and by a sweet and secret union, wee are become heires of his glory, and as it were Limbes of himselfe. How incomprehensible is this blessednesse? when we looke to the reward, we could not wish the worke easier. If every paine we suffer were a death, and every crosse an hell, wee have amends enough. It were injurious to complaine of the service, when we acknowledge the recompence. What thou wilt, O Lord, so I may be thine, what thou wilt: though I should buy it dearer, I would be thy servant, a Christian.

2 Cor. 4.17. Our light affliction which is but for a moment, worketh for us a farre more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Where we have a threefold opposition: Light and weighty, momentany and eternall, affliction and glory. What comparison, what proportion of the recompense to the service? I may justly be out of love with myself, nothing shal make me out of love with my profession; herein alone are we safe, herein blessed. Gal. 6.14. God forbid that I should glory, save in the crosse of Iesus Christ: if we should prefer any worldly joyes before it, we were unworthy of it. Gold may make a man the richer, not the better: honour may make him the higher, not the happier: and all temporall pleasures are but flowers, they have but their moneth, and are gone: this morning in the bosome, the next to the beesome: 1 Pet. 1.20. All flesh is grasse, and the glory of man as the flower. Grace is like the Sun, which shines comfortably in this world, shall shine sevenfold more gloriously in the world to come; an honour not clouded, not envied, not exceeded, and Prov. 4.18. Such honour have all the Saints?

To conclude with the summe of the verse. Deceitfull promises are the bane; both of the forger and of the beleever. They promise others liberty, while themselves are the servants, &c. As if a malefactour, that is himselfe chained in the dungeon, should promise his fellow to open him the prison-doore, and let him out. Faire promises are the devils baite, and it must be our wisedome to discerne betwixt the deceit of sinne present, and the fruit of sinne to come. What a liberty did Satan promise our first parents that they should have; and so indeed stole from them the libertie that they had. As Laban promised Iacob beautifull Rachel, but in the darke gave him bleare-ey’d Leah. Or as Hamor promised the Shechemites, that by their circumcision all the goods of the house of Israel should be theirs, whereas indeed the goods of the Shechemites fell to the house of Israel. Cypr. lib. 1. ep. 8. Diabolus mentitur ut fallat; vitam pollicetur ut perimat. The wages that Satan promiseth, and the sinner would have, he shall not get: but the wages that God threatneth, and man would not have, this shall be assuredly payed him. Aug. hom. 42. Illud propter quod peccant, hic dimittunt; & ipsa peccata secum portant. The gaine they sinne for, they shall leave behind them; but their sinnes they shall carry with them. Rom. 6.21. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof you are now ashamed? for the end of these things is death. Surely there is no fruit but shame and death to be gathered from the forbidden tree. False promisers and vaineglorious boasters are the children of Satan, this is the top of their pedigree: yea the devill doth borrow the use of their tongues for a time. But faithfull is He that hath promised, who will also doe it. Fidelity and truth is the issue of heaven.