THere is a twofold state of Man often incul­cated, and mentioned among the Divines; one of which was before his fall, the other after it: The one a state of happiness, be­cause it had freedom adjoyned to it, the other a state of unhappiness. Insomuch as Man then (who was here­tofore the Viceroy of the whole World, a Lord at least, and free) was now brought under subjection, into a condition vile, and beneath his first Creation; a state of service, yea, bondage. The first, I say, was the state of innocency, wherein man had such authority and power given unto him, that he might become Lord over all, but him onely, who was Lord of all, even God him­self, which (as Aquinas sayes) is ens primum tempore, essentiâ & dignitate, wherein he was so far from service or slavery, that he had, as a Lord protectour, or di­rectour [Page 2]of all the Creatures, he had almost the Su­pream, the highest power, a good state, and well liked of to, by Man and Woman; till the old Serpent had buz'd, Gen. 3. or rather his't in their ears; eritis sicut dij. It is a royalty, a licence granted unto him, (before his fatall marriage of the Woman to him, or rather extraction out of him, his side, telum intra propria latera vibrans) from Gods own mouth. Gen. 1.28. Have dominion over the fish of the Sea (mas in mare tanquam sydus non planeta prae­dominans) and over the fowle of the Aire, [...] quasi [...] (os homini sublime, Ovid. &c. this may be one reason subordinate why he was made upward that his thoughts should fly upward ad inspectionem volatilium. Exp. loci. our Saviour sent us to the Sparrows for the worth of one farthing two of them) and over every living thing that lives upon the face of the earth. Homo ab Humo. The former intends the sublimity of his Soul; this the terrestreity, or mortality of his body. But alas, quantum mutatus ab ipso? What a sudden, yea, strange altera­tion I had almost said altercation) do we finde? Be­hold now another kinde of man, (the Elements begin in his body and the towring thoughts of his Soul to commence a civil uncivil war within themselves. He, which before with Dives, sate as it were in an imperial Throne of Majesty, is presently cast down with Laza­rus full of sores, i. sins into an unexpected dungeon of misery. He, who was to day Lord Paramount of all, to morrow, yea even the very same day strangely de­jected and cast down, Calv. for some Divines hold that he fell in the very same day, in which he was created. He, I say, though he were in the morning chief master of [Page 3]all, was by the following night, (for what if his sin which is a work of darkness was then committed?) fain to crave aid and help of those which were his ser­vants, even the very Creatures: and not the best, but the worst of them, a few Fig-leaves to keep him, as he thought, from the sight of his jealous, incensed, and al­seeing omniscient Creatour. But sure, he who like a Courtier, was at the top Pinacle of honour, was not thus suddenly cast down, and out of favour for no­thing. No sure; This would argue a kinde of rash­ness and imprudence too in him. Who was wisedom it self (God the Son I mean coessential and coeternal with the Father, yea, coequal sayes the Apostle) yea, Athan. Phil. 2.9. certainly there was a cause for the infliction of this pu­nishment. Sin it was which made that liberum animal, (Ames.). that had liberam voluntatem & arbitrium. That Ma­jestical creature, who onely of all the rest had the be­nefit of free-will and arbitrement, thus to be capti­vated to and yield obedience to the baser disaffections of his Soul. His unbelief, his pride, his despair, his overcuriosity in prying into Gods secret knowledge, Inst. l. 1. with many other sins, which Calvin and other Divines reckon up in the tasting of the Apple, or Fig, which for all it hung so high on the Tree, caused man arborem inversam, thus to fall. Some imagine about Autumne: the fall of the leaf. I am sure he had brought forth lit­tle, or no fruit, being arbor not onely nata, but sata be­tween the four great waters. These were the things, Gen. 2. B. of Wells. in Ps. 1. Luke 10.7. which brought him into bondage, and made him that was free become a servant at least, if not a slave. And sure the labourer is worthy of his hire says the Evan­gelist [Page 4]from Christ. But it must be in the same kinde, and agreeing to the nature of the service. Now Adam, and so consequently his whole posterity, (for as is the root, so are the branches) which had this sin, not onely by imitation, Aust. (which was the errour of the Pelagians) but by propagation to. The nature it self is corrupted. And for this act of infamy man is too famous, for this unworthy act worthy of a recompence, of pay for his work In which, because he did nothing else but as it were seek his own destruction, and dissolution of his bo­dy and soul; God rewarded him accordingly, gave him that he sought for, even death it self. Which both according to Philosophers and Divines to is dissolutio corporis & animae: Arist. A divorce of the body from the Soul. Which was according to Gods own composi­tion with him, he agreed with him for so much, and no more, Gen. 2.17. nor no less. In the day that thou eatest there­of thou shalt surely die; dying thou shalt die, the Hebrew signifies, (as the marginal Notes declare.) And he (who was the truth it self) would not be worse than his word. All which our Apostle here consider­ing; and withall setting down Man, as he was indeed, in the form of a servant (the master was so, Phil. 2. & the servant is not above the master) where he mentions the hire it self that was paid him for his service. The summe total of which is significantly exprest in the first Meta­phorical words of the Text. The wages of sin is death. Where S. Paul following this apposite allegory of ser­vice and freedom: (because righteousness is a state of freedom, and sin of slavery, which state, it may be of service by reason of the indiscretion of their depraved [Page 5]nature agrees better to them than power, or dominion) therefore the Apostle bids them, if they will needs be servants to make choice of the best masters they can, not tyrannizing and domineering sin, but meek and heart-winning righteousness, vers. 18. of this Chapter. Rom. 6.22.18. Being then made free from sin, ye become servants of righteousness. In which approbation of their present state is a kinde of exhortation for their continuance in the same. But yet if they would by no fair means be recalled from the service of sin, he would trie whether terrour would divert them from it. And therefore lays down the words of the Text, as a terrifying reason and dehortation unto them, for the wages, &c. A thing ac­counted most terrible amongst the Heathen, except some of their Heroes, or noble spirits, their high-minded volunteers, but of others much feared and hated. As if the Apostle should have thus expostulated with them, why you, O Romanes, who have heretofore lived by the light of nature, wanting, or at least being with­out the light of grace, and so have been superstitiously ignorant of the deity, and changed the glory of the un­corruptible God into an image made like unto cor­ruptible man, birds, &c. changeing the truth of God unto a ly; worshipping and serving the creature more than the Creatour, 1 Rom. 21. and in this have com­mitted most abominable Idolatry, with many other most execrable sins. I tell you now, & even weeping, the end of these ways, of these sins is none other but sorrow, and even death it self. The catastrophe and conclusion of sorrow, (it ought be at least, for we must not be sorry as men without hope. You there­fore [Page 6]that accounted so much of life, that (as the Ora­tor speaks) quaevis sit ratio expediendae salutis, Tullie. any way to save life and health; Arist. and that death, as the Philosopher speaks, is [...]; the most terrible of terribles. Let it then work the same ef­fect upon you, as it is in it self, to wit, fear. For the end of these sinfull wayes of yours is no better, the wages of your sins is death. In which words you may observe with me these two general parts. 1. Here is the slavery, bondage, and service of man, signified and expressed unto us by the first word of the Text wages, being a thing properly belonging unto servants, which is likewise declared unto us by the matter of the ser­vice, which was sin. The wages of sin. 2. Here is the stipend, or pay that he received for his service, and that was death. Stipendium peccati mors est. The wages of sin is death. And thus you have the division of the first part of this verse. The words which at this time we mean to treat of. And first of the first, The slavery, bondage, or service of man, signified by that word, Wages, and further demonstrated unto us by the matter, or the manner of the service, which was sin, the Wages of sin. From whence without any further am­bages, or circumlocutions, you may observe this very usefull Doctrine following from the words.

Doct. The state of every man in sin, is a state of slavery, bondage, or service at the least. They were comminatory & angry words of God unto Adam, the Father of us all, Gen. 3.17. Gen. 3.17. Cursed is the ground for thy sake, in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life. With sorrow! What's that? 1. With much la­bour [Page 7]and toyl thou shalt eat it, which before might have come up freely, signifying the slavish and service­able estate of Adam after the commission of sin. Vers. 19. And we sure, which are ex eodem luto confecti, from dust as well as he can receive no dust from this dust of the earth except we labour. It was sin that did bring us into this toyl. We, whose teeth are set on edge by our forefathers tasting of the sower Grapes, must likewise have some sower sauce by reason of our sins mingled with our sweet pleasures: serve we must, if we will live, since by the least sin we have deserved death, (yea, eternal, ex consideratione oppositi in the end of the verse) and this long ago. Non citius nati quam damnati. (Aust.) No sooner born to live, but if God had not born the longer by his mercy with us, we might very justly have been deprived of life, and so made subject unto death. As we are born servants to it (from the wombe to the tombe sometimes) that was to pay us our due. Gen. 3.19. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread (sayes Jehovah) serve thou must, if thou wilt have bread to eat, sin hath brought thee to it, for the condition of every sinner is a state of service. Gen. 9.21. When Noah had committed that foul sin of drunkenness, the words are, He drank of the Wine and was drunken. See here the true, but sad effect of this sin according to that of the Poet. Ovid. Quid non ebrie­tas designat? operta recludit. This sin of his was not so closely done, but that it will display, and lay open his nakedness. And his own son, whom natural duty bound to conceal, yet layes it open further, and reveals it to his other brethren. A most abominable sin to vilifie so much, and neglect him, who under God was the cause [Page 8]cause of his being. Sanctum Patris nomen, especially of such a one the name is holy, and therefore he a most unsanctified Childe to show such strange irreverence to his most reverend Father. A most execrable sin. And behold therefore now (which is the thing I intended to note for our present purpose) see I say, Vers. 25. the event, the due punishment inflicted upon it in vers. 25. of the fore­named you finde it. Cursed be Canaan, a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren, and not onely in the general together; Verses 26.27. but to both them severally in the subsequent 26. and 27. verses. Blessed be the Lord God of Shem, and Canaan shall be his servant, and again God shall enlarge Japhet, and Canaan shall be his servant, a recompence due unto him for so vile an act. Vers. 26.27. He that would be so high, that by reason of his neglect he seems to be above his Father, it were high time he were brought lower. He that was so free of showing his fathers shame, and so liberal in his scoffing, must now be brought down, that free­dom must be taken from him; and for this sin he must be made to serve, and that which yet further aggra­vates his misery, his brethren: Now they'l put off their brotherlike bonds and affections, and lay a yoke upon his neck, serve he must, because he had sinned, and serve his brother because he had offended and sin­ned against his Father: the son being most obliged to exact recompence for the offence done to the parent. Places for the proof of this Doctrine are very frequent in holy writ. I will name onely one, or two more, and I hope these one, or two witnesses will be sufficient for the confirmation of the truth of this position unto [Page 9]you. The Apostle proves this, speaking of sin, Rom. 6.19. Ye have yielded your selves servants to uncleanness, and to iniquitie unto iniquitie. A strange seeming tan­tologie; But Galvin renders a very good reason for it. The first is opposed to sanctity towards God, or holi­ness of life; The latter hath a respect to the injuries of­fered to our Neighbours, as the very words do signifie, ut Iniquitas quasi non Equitas, quae fit inter aequales: to our Neighbours, which are of the same nature, and equal to us by creation, (not in regard of God who is above us.) And by the second repeated iniquity, which takes away the seeming tantologie, he means universa­lem naturae corruptionem, the whole corruption of mans nature: unto corruption, i.e. adding more unto the for­mer, ut iniquitatis regnum in vobis vigeret, that the Kingdom of sin may flourish, and you become capti­vated slaves and vassals unto that old tyrant the Devil; and all this by reason of your sin: That is it which makes you servants, S. Paul insinuates no less. Tit. 3.3. For we our selves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, de­ceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures. I might in­deed have gone further in the proof of this, especially to men of this age, that take so much delight in this thraldom, that they seem rather to think it a master­ship then a service. But as the proverb saith, verbum sapienti sat' est, to you whom I perceive not the un­wisest readers, I know it may suffice. Others, if they desire more, I must reply to them, as he to his good holding stomack't guest, especially at this festival time of Christs Nativity, for I suppose, yea, I think I may determine, he was born in Winter: Luke 1. for the Shep­hards [Page 10]were in the field praising God for it, and why should not we. We can mump a Nativity Pie, &c. and must that stop the mouth so much, that we may not praise God for his Sons incarnation, fiat voluntas Dei, sayes my diurnal prayer. Math 6. If some be satisfied it is suf­ficient, unus not sufficit omni: Or as that distressed client to the over hearing judge. Audi Alteram partem, Hear the rest, (then let him give a quietus est.) And it may be in that thou mayest pick some thing more, that may satisfie thy appetite. In the mean time I shall de­scend to some particulars, and that more clearly, yet to demonstrate unto thee (most courtious Reader) the truth of that general I propounded, man a sinner is tru­ly called a servant: And that both according to the in­ward and outward part of man. His body is nothing else but the meer embleme of slavery and servitude; which seems to be born to little else but labour, toil, and trouble. He hath greater variety of work belong­ing to the body, then he hath members to perform them. Those feet which were so swift to commit the sin [...], are now slow enough to undergo the service. The hands which were so nimble to reach the forbidden fruit prepared without their labour, must now labour and toil, and that tediously before they can obtain it. No fruits of the ground, but they must be the fruits of their own labour. Experience tells us the young mans dayes are nothing but a time of labour; and for old men, they do hoc morbo laborare, they labour of this disease that they cannot work. Psal. 104.23. Psal. 90.10. Man goeth forth unto his work, and to his labour untill the evening; yet is their strength but labour and sorrow. And he who [Page 11]was wise enough to judge of these things, (The Scri­pture stiles him the wisedom of the Father) he layes this down for an infallible truth; Eccl. 1. All things are full of labour. And again in the fourth Chapter of the same book of the Preacher; he, who was the truest and most powerfully pathetical preacher of God, preaches this Doctrine, or definite proposition unto you: That there is no end of the same. And as for his Soul, Divinioris spiritus afflatus, the breath of that Divine spirit, P. Cons. of that purest act and being of God himself; now behold by reason of its sin, how impure it is become, peccatorum sterquilinium, Burton. Nothing else but a meer dunghill of beastly uncleanness, in a nastie case of vile and base ser­vitude. Behold now those faculties of the same, before time the favourites of God the King of Kings, thus miserably by reason of their own defaults cast out of favour: of Lords and Masters become mean vassals and servants. I remember what the story sayes of the Lord Cromwell, and Frisgobald of France, the one the Master, the other the servant. But in process of time, the case was plainly altered according to the Lawyers: The Master was degraded, the servant exalted: The Ma­ster a beggar, the servant rich & highly promoted, (I do not mean to touch the Mountains least they smoak) & dominering over the Master. Thus it is with the affe­ctions of poor distressed man. This little World by reason of the vertigo in the brain, is meerly turned up­side down: Those higher powers of the Soul are made servants to the inferiour, and lower affections of the same. The understanding and will, which were in the Soul tanquam Rex & Regina beati in solio, as King and [Page 12] Queen highly be-efied in their Throne, now captivated and enslaved to the meer outward senses, which are onely as so many Porters to the Court-Gate, to let in and out guests (for every object is a guest entertained by the Soul) I say, which serve to let them in or out as they are liked, or disliked of by the royalty and go­vernment of the understanding and the will. [...]. Aristotle heretofore called the minde or understanding the eye of the Soul, which could see and foresee to all kinde of danger by way of prevention that might happen unto the same. But now this eye is darkened with Ignorance and Superstition: And if thine eye be evil, Math. 6.23. how great is that darkness? i.e. al­together darkness: the question doth seem to imply no less: For the cause being removed, the effect presently ceases, according to the Logician: And this was the plot of sin, or rather the Devils by sin, First to bring the King, the understanding, into bondage, that then the inferiour parts of the subjects for very fear, (if nothing else) might not resist him. It is with the minde in this case as it was with Sampson amongst his enemies; he was not absolutely captivated unto the Philistines untill they had put out his eyes, and deprived him of sight. So it is with the Soul of man, if the understanding, the eye of it, is not blinded, so long it is not Satans slave, nor sins servant. But if this eye once be blinded, it works in this sinfull World, like the horse that is hood­wink't in the Mill; Arist. not so much as seeing, at least not seeing so far as to understand what it doth. It was the axiome of the Philosophers, and a true one secundum apparentiam. Voluntas sequitur dictamen intellectus, The [Page 13]will follows the dictate of the understanding. But sure this seems to be quite contrary in our present cause of Divinity: Not the understanding the will, but the lower affections draw the will; and the will in sinning seems to force the understanding: or else why die men in these bright sun-shine times of the Gospel? when they see and understand too, that they are against the word of God, yet they will commit so various and hainous sins. And I can give no present reason for it, but this, That they are tanquam noctuae coram sole; unless they are as Owles, which become blinde before the Sun, that en­lightens all other, creatures, but darkens onely those. This Sun of righteousness in Malachi his Evangelical Prophecie enlightens many other poor Souls, Mal. 4. when as these (miserable it is to see) become start blinde. It is with our understanding and will, as with a Justice of Peace and his Clerk. The silly and indiscreet Justice not able to judge sufficiently of matters himself, is faign to be guided and ruled by his Clerk: And our understanding by reason of sin, blinded with ignorance, is now content to be overswayed by the will, which in­deed should be onely his Clerk to follow his dictate, precept, and Commandment. And thus far you see mans understanding appear plainly to be a servant, if not a prisoner, yea, worse then that, a very slave. Nei­ther is the will free: This as a comate with the former in ill husbandry must taste of the same sauce: They both have sin for their master, like to those beasts they draw in the same yoake. It is there said, Sam. 1.6.12. when the Kine were yoaked together under the Ark of the Lord, they went along the high-way & lowed as they went, so these [Page 14]two, our will and understanding draw (as these Kine in the same yoake, under the Ark as it were, where was the rod of Aaron and that budding too for correction, as well as the two Tables of the Law for instructi­on heretofore) under the same burden of sin. And I know no reason but they should with these Kine low and grieve for the same, and cry out in this Aegyptian darkness, as those Israelites in old Aegypt, our burdens are to heavy for us: and yet at the same time say they want straw, i. e. small sins to play withall. For your very will, that liberum arbitrium, that freest part of man is now become servile; Imagination so far over­rules the will, that it doth not onely make you to of­fend man by iniquity, but sin against God by impiety. To this purpose are those words of the Apostle. Coll. 2.23. These things indeed have a shew of wisedom in will-worship, &c. Ovid. Sic volo, sic jubeo, was the Poets description of the wills imperial government: But alas now the meer ima­ginative faculty of the Soul, the fancie of man, seems to have this supremacy. It is not, what I will, that I fancie: But these are termini convertibiles, (as the Lo­gician speaks) The proposition is convertible, and thus it is true: What we do but imagine, that we will. The least titillation, or tickling of the fancie, now in this state of corruption, in a manner forces the will to the willing of the object, let it be never so bad. The adulterous man fancies his lascivious mistress, and he makes presently to her. The drunkard fancies his pot­companions, and then he can no longer be from them, &c. The fancie accounts them to be sweet sins, and therefore the will must to the acting of them. But alas, [Page 15]In vino venenum. In the sweetest Wines lies that poi­sonous sin of drunkenness. Latet anguis in herbâ, on their green and pleasant bed lies that riggeling, insi­nuating, yea, serpent-like sin of adultery. Yet for all this, the Will wills them, they are sweet, and therefore she must have them: And in all this seems to be but the baser, the more vile a servant and slave. And for all the understanding pronounces it to be against rea­son, yet like an ill-affected patient, she is still inclining most to that which doth her most hurt: As a silly sul­len prisoner, though shown the way to be free, yet still will stay in prison, and therefore the more a vassal, the more a servant. And thus you see the will and the understanding having their Necks in the same chain of misery.

There is a third, (if that be any comfort to them) the fancie and imagination have the same fetters about them, for they seem to be subject to the meer outward senses, eyes, ears, &c. which are onely as so many win­dowes to let in sinfull objects into the palace of the Soul, to rob her of her proper liberty; to convey enemies into her, (as Tarpeia the Sabines into the ca­pitol at Rome) to captivate and enthral her. In a word. All the affections that belong unto our Souls as joy, grief, fear, &c. are no better then so many servants and slaves to as many sins and vices. Alius libidini ser­vit, alius ambitioni, omnes spei, omnes timori, &c. Macro­bius. as Evangelus well discourses, whence the Poet stiles them no less then servants. Qui metuis, qui parva cupis, qui duceris ira: servitii patiere jugum, &c. Not to speak of the Countrey-mans life; for that is nothing but a [Page 16]meer epitome of slavery, I mean for outward service, (not inward contention.) Lovers are slaves to their Mi­stresses, Rich men to their Gold, Courtiers generally to lust and ambition: and all slaves to our affections. The one with Alexander is a slave to his fear; the other with Caesar to pride; another with Vespasian to his mo­ny, and the last with Heliog abalus to his gut, or belly. All servants of sin: Omne sub regno graviore regnum. Even Princes themselves are under another: And it were to be wished that that subjection were not under the Tyranny of sin and Satan. Court sins being com­monly now set forth (which are flattery, dissimulation, &c.) as books cum privilegio, committed with a Li­cence, because they suppose none are able to control them. But let them know even Nobles may be bound with lincks of iron, as well as Manasses was in chains. No: This is no priviledge in the Court of heaven, God commands his Prophets to tell Israel of her sins, and Judah of her transgressions: Jer. 17.1. Exp. yea, hear more. The sin of Judah is written with a Pen of Iron, (which is hard to enter, but being once entered is dureable) and with a point of a Diamond, our sins being as glass very perspicuous, and they must be cut asunder, as Samuel cut King Agag in pieces, though in sumptuous apparrel. And therefore since they had sinned and given them­selves to it, Pemb. God gives them also up to it (obdurando cor, & detrahendo gratiam) he punishes them with the same slavery. Vers. 3 Therefore (sayes God) will I give thy high places for sin, i. e. the most sumptuous Tem­ples and fairest Churches, is it not so? O that I in my particular had not reason to mourn in sable for my [Page 17]Bedeminster, now as yet lying in its own ashes and ruinous heaps of indigested stone. God send us living Temples, and that also re-aedification. And this is all the difference between the Courtiers and the poor mans miserie: The one is in Iron chains, the other in golden fetters, and is it not all one to be bound in Irons and Gold? Both are in bondage, and if there be any difference at all, it is that of S. Austins: There's, as Gold, are splendidiora peccata: ther's more illu­strious and notable sins; howsoever they are sins, and are as so many clogs unto the Soul. And this, which is worse, the opener the sin, the closer prisoner he is, who is captivated unto it. O miserum principem, ideòque mi­seriorem, quod miseriae sensum perdidisti, cries that tra­gick Poet of pious Herminigildus. I am sure, I may more boldly say it of these impious sinners: Miserable they are in themselves, but more miserable yet, in that they perceive not themselves to be miserable. Ser­vants they are, but the more in slavery, the more sub­ject unto sin, in that they account themselves not to be so. And that (with which I will conclude this position of ours, concerning mans service unto sin) that I say, which is said of the Soul in general, may be also af­firmed of every Soul in particular. Anima est in cor­pore tanquam in carcere, The Soul is in the body as in a prison, where every outward sense almost is as so many Jaylors, or Keepers domineering over her. And from this none are exempt. Every one by sin is made of a servile condition. In many things we offend all. James 3.2. Rom. 5.12. And all men have sinned; sayes S. Paul. And there­fore all must suffer. All by reason of this are in bond­age [Page 18]and service: Plato. And therefore that Divine Naturalist calls it as siduam servitutem, extremam & meluct abilem, A continual and almost inevitable slavery to be so ca­ptivated to vices. And who is free? That is nemo, no not so much as one is free; all servants captivated by sin; and that to these three masters.

To the Devil, the World, and the Flesh, i. e. To the Devils temptations, to the Worlds allurements, and to the Fleshes corruption. First to Satan, as the chief Tyrant: Then to the other two, as to his Bassa's Viceroys, or substitutes.

To the Divel first, 1 Tim. 5.25. so S. Paul complains. Some are already turned aside to Satan: and then servants to the Prince of this World; yea, the World it self, so the same Apostle speaks. Eph. 2.2. Ye walked according to the course (speaking of them when they were reprobate silver, and could not otherwise pass) according to the Prince of the power of the Aire.

And in the third and last place, you are slaves to your own lust and flesh, Vers. 3 so S. Paul follows it: We all had our converfations, i. e. (I as long as in sin) in the lusts of the flesh, fulfilling the desires, or as the Greek word [...] signifies, the Wills of the flesh, &c. And now me thinks I am in a large field, in which I might ex­patiate my self. In a large Ocean, in which I might rove far: But I think by this time it is better, vela con­trahere to let down my fails. The latter part of my Text calls me neerer home; these things it may be will be more fitly handled and enlarged in another portion of Scripture, thus much therefore shall serve to have spoken of the first Doctrine, there slavery unto fin. [Page 19]A word, or two of the uses, and so likewise I shall speak something to the second, i. e. The wages in particular death.

1. Use. Is for the deploration of mans miserable condition in fin; and in that an exhortation to him for to leave it, man by nature is made upward, [...].

Os homini sublime dedit caelumque videre, Ovid. sayes the Poet. And as his nature is, so by often use and practice is his inclination and disposition, in actions natural he claims the priority: In actions political and civil, those which respect him (quâ hominem, as he is meerly man) he desires the praecedence and the prae-eminence, Supe­riority, or supremacy is the mark he still aimes and shoots at. He that is lowest desires to be higher; and he that is high, labours to be highest: Onely in actions spirituall, and those which belong unto the Soul, man is of a base dejected nature: a slave and servant he is to the vilest sin. You know what the Centurian said to Christ: Luke 7.8. I am a man set under authority (not usurp­ing it, observe the order) having under me Souldiers, and I say unto one, go, and he goeth, and to another come, and he cometh, and to my servant, do this, and he doth it; and hath not sin the same tyrannizing power over men? Doth not that say to this man? go to the acting of this sin of murder and adultery, (as it did Da­vid,) and he goeth: And to another, Come to these pot-companions; (who as the Prophet saith, Isai 5.11. rise up early in the morning, that they may drink strong drink, that continue untill night till Wine enflame them. Ho, drink with those, and be merry.) Come saith sin, and how suddenly do they come, (even as the Lord is said [Page 20]to hear before they ask) almost before the base tempta­tion of Satan to it is setled within them, and so like so many Sybarites, or Epicures, do wallow in drunken­ness and uncleanness. Not as Christians living soberly, as S. 2 Tit. 12. Paul exhorts them. And doth not the Devil with the Centurion say to a third? Do this art of cheating or defrauding thy Neighbour, do this any sin, and doth he not do it? Yea, is he not rather even preventing the Devils temptation, by the willingness of his cor­rupted nature, in the acting of any sin?

You see thus your miserable and servile condition in sin; and will ye yet follow it? Me thinks you should be ashamed, thus to turn your backs upon God your King, and to side with the Devil, a malignant usurper. Thy state while thou art thus is worse then any Turkish slave, which the whole World almost now so much abhorres. The worst of you here, I know, if he could avoid it, would not be a servant, no not to the kindest and most royal Master, if he could be a master himself, and have servants that might obey him: And will you be Superiours and Governours in worldly affairs, and yet suffer your selves to be underlings in spiritual things? I tell you the sinfull man is no better then a servant, a slave unto his sins: And if you credit not me, yet believe the Apostle, Rom. 6. who often tells you the same: It was the speech of the ancient Senators of old Rome unto the common people upon the removing of the Tribuni, a certain kinde of treble Governours by Tribes, Quid expectatis, num deflagrare omnia passuri estis? Non pudet lictorum majorem prope numerum in foro conspici, quam togatorum aliorumque? Now what do you ex­expect [Page 21]any thing but an inflammation, or deflagration of all? Are you not ashamed to suffer more Bumbalies and Sarjants to appear amongst you, then free men, &c. May not I, in this case say the same to you? Why what mean you by this rebelling against God? By your continuance in sin? Surely, you can expect nothing else but utter ruine and destruction. Are you not ashamed to harbour so many corruptions within you, which are as so many Bayliffs from the Devil, to arrest you at his suit? and cast you hereafter into the dungeon of dark­ness for ever? You suffer scarce one free man, Gal. 5.1. one free grace of God, and Christ within you to guide you and direct you. Be not intangled with the yoak of bond­age: And if this will not serve you, I will perswade you a little further, yet by the same arguments the Romans did their Souldiers against their enemies, Pugna­tis pro aris, pro focis, pro libertate, pro liberis, As long as you willingly go on in sin, you have no good by the Church; you loose your liberty, you are servants to sin. Draw therefore thy self out of these gins and fet­ters of Satan: Take up arms against that sin, which hath so long captivated thee, thy Children, thy Fami­ly: and now defie it. In that thou hast obeyed sin, thou hast not onely enslaved thy self, but others. It may be thy Wife, thy Children, thy Family (with Joseph) have learned of thee to swear by the life of Pharaoh as well as thou. In a word: Art thou addicted to any kinde of sin? why man, thy very company may make them to do the same, [...], Evil company corrupts good manners: as sayes S. Paul. 1 Cor. 15.33. If therefore thou defire to have any part in Christ and his [Page 22]Church; if thou wouldest have thy Children, thy Fa­mily do well; if thou wouldest (lastly) thy self not die ever, but live eternally, leave sin: least that leave thee in the lurch; And make thy self a servant of righteousness, binde thy self to it, not to the grave like stinking menstruous rags of sin, for otherwise thy wages is set here down determinative, say the Schools, i. e. death, which is indeed ultima linea rerum, the determi­nation and period of all our natural dayes, whereas the reward of others is eternall life, the duration (if I may so call it, and why not?) of a day without a night. Whence S. Rev. 21.22, 23. Exp. Ps. 84.6. John most Divinely sets forth his heavenly Temple. The path-way to it is the street of the Citie of pure Gold (not the vally of Baca) as it were trans­parent glass, Ecce puritatem & claritatem: And I saw no Temple therein: Hic Ecce Theologum the word of God sine Templo in vitâ aeternâ, and the vail of the Temple here rent at his death. And I would I might not justly take up the same complaint. I have a people or Congregation: But my Temple as Jerusalem was the Wall of it burn't down. Neh. 1.3. I wish I might not say by a perfidious brother, and the Gates thereof were burn't with fire, Exp. for the Lord (God Almighty, and the Lamb are the Temple, he that was on earth) the sacrifice: agnus ille mactatus. And the Citie had no need of the Sun, neither of the Moon to shine in it; for the glorie of God did lighten it; and the Lamb is the light there­of. In the pacifical Prophet we read of the Lion and the Lamb lying down together; but here he, who was the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, now the Lamb of God, fits alone. Col. 3.1. Ecce, Solstitium perpetuim solis. Juscitiae [...] [Page 23]Christ the Sun of righteousness sits, Exp. in praesenti implicat aeternitatem, at the right hand of God: Mal. 4.3. Never again to descend with healing in his wings, till that general day of doom: When he shall change our vile body, Phil 3.21. Exp. that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, simili­tudinem non paritatem aut aequalitatem, according to the working, (no more passion, Exp. but action onely) whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself. Let not sin then, or therefore reign in your mortal body, Rom. 6.12. Exp. as the Apostle speaks (least it as another Haman exalted, swel­ling with pride even against Mordecai's humility) that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof; neither yield your Members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin (the former against thy Neighbour, the latter against thy God,) but yield your selves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your Members as instru­ments of righteousness unto God.

2. Use. Is none but that of S. Hierom. That men would not aspire too high in this sinfull World, but be content with that lot which is cast into the lap. It may be it is not so good for them to be high: the power they have being abused may make them the more servants unto sin. As it did Haman in his cruel design against Gods people the Jews, Esth. 7.4. Exp. if God had not appointed Esther to prevent it. Who boldly delivers her message, as to God, Ecce virilitatem [...] sexus imo foeminini. For we are sold, I, and my people to be destroyed, Exp. (I whom thou hast chosen as an instrument to increase and en­liven thy own) to be slain, (secundum corpus) and to perish as our enemies think, secundum animam. This I take to be the meaning of the holy Ghost here.) But if [Page 24]we had been sold for bond-men and bond-women I had held my tongue (an admirable Rhetorical insinua­tion) although the enemy could not countervail the Kings dammage. If men then will be no more in slave­ry then they are, let them content themselves with those lower places which are freest from the commis­sion of sins. (I speak not this to bite, or back-bite, but to caution any authority) Occasio facit furem: The higher the place, the more occasion is offered unto sin; and our corrupt nature (as Children about this time on sweet and gilded Marchpans) is apt enough to lay hold of it. Ile end this use with the words of the fore­named Father: do not repine in thy low, or so servile citate, for Satis est potens (sayes he) qui servire non cogitur: For thus thou art high and powerfull enough, in that thou art not so much in service to, or under the dominion of sin. Thus much for the uses of the first doctrine. I hasten now to the second part of the Text, which is the Wages of sin particularly specified in this word death. The Wages of sin is death.

And here, before we proceed any further, I pray note the earnestness of the Apostle in the following of this argument, he was very loath to leave it, being so en­forceable to them. Why was it not enough once to tell them so? Vers. 21 as he doth in the end of the 21. verse. The end of these things is death. No, non frustra aliis verbis idem iterum repetit, sed terrore duplicato magis de­testabile reddere peccatum voluit. Jo. Calv. It is M^r. Calvins note upon the Text. If the first reason would not serve; he repeats it again in other words, that by often incul­cating, he might make the sin the more odious to [Page 25]them: He speaks it the more urgently, that, as Chil­dren with their lesson, if they will not learn at first, by often reciting it, he would even beat it into their heads. So then the second Doctrine we may gather from the words, without any wresting of them, are no other but the words themselves.

Doct. The Wages of sin is death: and that three wayes. All which before I insist on, receive a modern recapitulation of my foregoing discourse. D. F [...]a [...] ­ly. Sin eclipseth the light of the understanding, disordereth the desires of the Will, weakneth the faculties of the Soul; di­stempereth the Organs of our body; disturbeth the peace of our conscience, choaketh the motions of the spirit in us: killeth the fruits of grace, enthralleth the Soul of the body; and the body and Soul to Satan. Lastly it depriveth us of the comfortable fruition of all temporal (and if continued in) of the fruition & pos­session of all eternal blessings. First. The first is a death un­to grace, which sin causes in regard of the absence of grace altogether, or in respect of the suspersion of the acts of grace, for some certain time, which is plainly proved in that Epistle to the Ephesians, in two places: where the Apostle especially opposeth living in grace, Eph. 2. Zanch. or by it; and death in sin, i.e. death to grace, so it is in the first verse. And you hath he quick'ned, who were dead in trespasses and sins. Exp. loci. It was time for S. Paul to praefix a conjunction copulative, since sin had made such a separation: Quick'ned, is raised from death, or restores unto life ex nihilo by grace: For there the Apostle compares these two states of us, what we are by nature and sin, and what we are by grace. [Page 26]And in the fifth verse 't is more plain yet: Even when we were dead in sins, hath he quick'ned us together with Christ. Aquinas. By grace are you saved, gratia gratis datâ; These last words very well explain the former to our present purpose. And this is the first death, which is the Wages of sin; and is truely called a spiri­tual death.

The second follows upon it, and that is a natural death, Magnus or Temporal, which is dissolutio corporis & ani­mae, the dissolution of the body and Soul. Therefore sayes the Apostle: [...] 5. [...] Vers. 11. As sin hath reigned unto death: And before that you finde this deaths head more plain­ly presented in an ugly shape, as it were upon a stage acting a part, [...]. R. or at least moving above-board. Where­fore as by one man sin entered into the World, and sin by death; and so death did pass upon all men, for that all have sinned: The words at least in sense and mean­ing of the forenamed Doctrine. This is the second; Though S. John in the Revelation calls, my third in order, the second death. And so it is indeed in Divi­nity. He is the Divine, But I have made bold as a spiritual Physician in these distempered times, to pre­sent you with a [...]: And to give you a mixt Dosis, or taste of the naturall, and the spiritual.

The third is that which is the worst, a death unto life eternal, Bolton. Isai 66.24. and yet a death that never dies: Their Worm shall never die, their Fire shall never be quenched. The former death is but as the prick of a lancet, or flea-biting unto this; 1 Cor. 15. for that is but for a time, we shall rise again after that at the last day; but this is to all eternity. I, what if I did say, determined from all [Page 27]eternity? Constitutum est omnibus semel mori [...],Heb [...] 2 [...]. Exp.i. e. in this death continually, alwayes dying, and yet never dead, quae ab ipso momento dependet aeternitas (as the Father elegantly) an eternity for ever succeeding our sudden departure. By the former the body is but kill'd, fear not him that kills the body, but by this both body and Soul are utterly destroyed. Matth. 10.26. Rather fear him that is able to destroy both body and Soul in Hell: Whence S. Austin, Lib. de Civit. Dei 21.Prima mors animam nolentem pellit de corpore; secunda mors animam nolentem tenet in cor­pore; The first death driveth the Soul out of the body, being unwilling to part with it; The second death keepeth the Soul against her will in the body. The first death is the separation of the Soul from the body. The second is the separation of Soul and body from God: and by how much God is more excellent then the Soul, by so much the second death is worse then the first: Prima mors bonis bona est, malis mala, Aust [...] Civit. Dei, Lib. 13.secunda ut nullorum bonorum est, ita nulli bona; The first death is good to good men, because it endeth their sorrows, and begins their joyes: but evil to evil men, because it ends their joyes, and begins their everlasting weep­ing and gnashing of teeth. The second as it belongeth to none that are good, so it is good to none. Both these are the due Wages of sin, and shall be paid at the Audit day of doom. The sentence pronounced against Adam, mort [...] morieris, By the reduplication of the word, seems to imply as much as thou shalt die again and again, iterum atque iterum, the first and se­cond death. The first is as the earnest penny, the se­cond as the whole hire, both make up the Wages of [Page 28]sin. The first is like the splitting of a Ship, and casting away all the goods and wares; the latter as the burning of both with unquenchable fire. This is the Wages of every sinner that dies in sin unrepented off. Such must go down even quick into Hell, Psal. 55 15. sayes King David, and Christ sayes, God shall pronounce the sentence of con­demnation upon them at the last day. Matth. 25.41. Go you cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his An­gels. Every word is able to break, yea, grind in pieces a heart of Adamant. Loco su­per. I cannot let pass S. Austin his ob­servation, Nemo hic propriè moriens, seu in morte dici­tur; sed ante mortem, aut post mortem: i.e. viventes aut mortui ibi, è contrario non erunt homines ante mortem, aut post mortem, sed sine fine morientes & nunquam pejus erit homini in morte, quam ubi erit mors ipsa sine morte. In this life men cannot be said properly to be dying, or in death; but alive, or dead: for whil'st the Soul remains in the body we are living; after the separation thereof we are dead: Whereas they that are in Hell cannot be properly said to be dead; because they are most sensi­ble of pain: nor to be alive, because they suffer the punishment of the second death; but continually dying. And never shall it be worse with man in death; then where death it self is without death: where life perpe­tually liveth according to that of Isaiah. A worm con­tinually gnawing; Lib. 9. Mor. cap. 45. so a fire continually burning. S. Gre­gory sweetly quavers upon this sad lesson, or note of death. Mors sine morte, finis sine fine, defectus sine de­fectu: quia & mors vivit, & finis incipit, & deficere nescit defectus. The death of the damned is a deathless death: an endless end, and undefiable defect. For their [Page 29]death alwayes liveth, and their end beginneth; and their consumption lasteth, is permanent and eternal. And this death is especially meant in my Text: The corre­spondency of this Member, to that which follows makes it manifest; all which shall suffice also for the second Doctrine: For I can't now dilate, or enlarge my self.

1. Use. This in the first place confutes that com­mon errour of the Papists concerning venial sin, where­as every sin is mortal. For the Apostle speaks here ve­ry plainly: The Wages of sin is death, [...]. And in that he saith it of all sins, it may be said of every sin, A quatenus ad omne valet consequentia, is an undoubted truth of the Logicians, from, as to all the consequence is very good: And our Apostle saith as sinner, so wor­thy of death. Rom. 5. And therefore every sin is mortal in it self, and deserves even eternal death. For I can give no more credit then Robert Bellarmine doth to the Po­pish Legend; who professedly refutes those of his own side, who give credit to the Legend; which relates that by the prayers of S. Gregory, the Soul of Trajan was delivered out of Hell, (preces habent efficaciam, as in Jacobs wrestling with God: but it made him halt ever after.) O no, death ever living, Gen. 32.31. and not dying is their wages, in presenti, continually: Neither is this proceeding of Gods, any wayes unjust, to punish him with death, I, even eternal: in regard the impenitent sinner, if he should alwayes live upon the earth; would alwayes hold on his sinfull course, had he still the use of his tongue (sayes a modern) he would still blaspheme & curse; had he still the use of his eys, he would still look after vanity: had he still the use of his feet, he would still [Page 30]walk in wicked wayes: had he still the use of his hands, he would work all manner of wickedness, had he still the free use of all the faculties of his Soul and Members of his body, Lib. de 4. Noviss. he would still make them weapons of un­righteousness. Inchinus the Romish postiller giveth some light to this truth by an inch of Candle, whereby two play at Tables in the night, and are very earnest at their game; but in the midst of it the Candle goeth out, and they perforce give over; who (no doubt) if the light had lasted would have played all night. This inch of the Candle is the time allotted to a wicked man; who is resolved to spend it all in pleasures and pastimes, & if it would last perpetually, he would never leave his play, & therefore sith he would sin eternally; though (by reason the light of his life goes out) he can­not, he deserves eternal punishment: Yea, he must needs know his Wages, and that is death, & that eternal, with­out repentance on mans, & infinite mercie on Gods part.

2. Use. Is of exhortation to all to leave of their sins, and that betimes. Agree with thine adversary, and that too quickly. And if that will not serve, it is a use of terrour to you all, for here is that which is [...]. The most terrible of terribles, whose ugly grim face in the Churches body may affright the be­holder; much more his violent and unexpected pre­sence in our trembling bodies, which are (or ought to be) the Temples of the holy Ghost. Eunu­chus. That (as Terence of Phaedria to Thais) paint him never so lively, and with old-bald-pated time by him, I shall cry out, Tremo horreoque cùm primum aspexi hanc. Death it is I mean, the Wages of sin. A death to grace, and that is mise­rable [Page 31]here; A natural, or temporal death, and that (I know) is loathsome to most. And the more you are addicted to this sublunary world, the more grief it breeds within you. Else what mean those out-cries, and roarings with those wilde Irish at graves, as men and women without hope? Hone, Hone, &c. O my dear Father one cries, my sweet and aged Husband another, and a third, mine onely friend is dead, and to whom shall I make my moan with him: O me miserum, quis dabit in Lachrymas fontem? But there is a third death that is more terrible then all, that from which there is no recovery, no release. When you shall (without repentance) be bound in chains in Hell; where, (I am sure) that of the Poets will take no place: Sola­men miseris socios habuisse doloris, But here the screech­ing of your companions shall add but greater grief and horrour to your distressed and distracted minde. And do you not yet stand amazed and tremble at the hear­ing of these things. Me thinks every one should cry out with himself now, as the affrighted Jaylor to Peter, what shall I do to be saved? Or else as trembling Foelix to S. Paul. Too much learning hath made thee mad: go away now, I will hear thee of this matter, i. e. (the judgement to come) another time: But alas it is too true. We may now again cry out, as the Prophet once to an obdurate and stifnecked Nation. Ho every one that thirsteth, Come unto the waters, &c. Isa. 55.1. Your poor and dejected (if not ejected) Ministers may long enough wish that their heads may become Fountains of tears; and withall complain no man hath believed our report, and that especially in this matter of death. Our subject [Page 32]subjecting all. Give me leave (as by deaths head pre­sented at the beginning of a Feast) to affect the Soul by the terrible presence of the body.

And now you may imagine the Sermon is drawing to an end, if not done. O no: It is then onely done, when it is applied, received, understood, and practised. There is no Physick, but if it works, maketh the pa­tient sick for the present: and for the most part the most smarting plaister most speedily cures the wound. These observations are true in corporal Physick, and much more in spiritual: because the smart of sin, and trouble of conscience for it, are as so many signs of maladies, as the beginning of cures. Some say, the fear of the plague brings it: But if we speak of this plague, and other judgements of God for sin, it is certain that the fear of them (not servile but filial) is the best preser­vative against them. He onely may be secure of the avoiding of Hell torments, and escaping the pangs of eternal death, who feareth them as he ought; and he that fears them not, as another Stoical [...], as in a most fearfull case. Ecclus. 41.1. O death how bitter is the remem­brance of thee! Admirable upon which is that strict D^r. Lake his meditation, that reverend B. of Bath; whom I rather quote by reason of the proximity to Bristol: which (though it hath scorned those old prayers) hath need now of a Lord have mercy upon me, where I have been verè vir dolorum & afflictionum: Which made me bring to light first these dark thoughts of death, being lately (thanks be to God) drawn by a Divine power out of the snares of Hell and death. We have no abiding place on earth, none have: But of those [Page 33]that would have there are many, here below singing an undeserved requiem to the Soul, & saying with the fool, Soul take thy rest. Many there are, O Lord, that though they must die, cannot endure to minde death. Nothing more unsavoury to them then that their memorie should be exercised with the memory thereof: Eccles. 12.1. Where­as sayes Solomon; Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth: And it was Moses wish, O that men would be wise & consider their latter end. Let me a lit­tle raise your thoughts (before I leave you) from do­ting upon Lachrymae to much, w^ch was the first my Ma­ster taught me in Musick. We have look'd long enough upon Hell and death, Let us now look up to our Sa­viour (it is [...] quasi [...]) who Triumphed over both: Let the sight of the one as much raise your hope (for without it we may not, we must not be) as the other dejecteth us in fear. Now the Sermon being finished, let us eternally sing his praises against those mortal enemies of Funeral Elegies, Brownists I mean, and Anabaptists; who will bury their dead, not one­ly against, but without the Apostles rule. 1 Cor. 14.40. Let all things be done decently and in order. Who hath saved us? Even us (that alive yet from everlasting weepings and mournings in the valley of Hinnom. Shall any waters of affliction quench in us the love of him, who for us quenched unquenchable fire? shall not the benefit of our delivery from everlasting death, and burial too in the grave of Oblivion live in our memory? shall any thing sever us from him, Matth. 27.46. Rom. 8.38. who for our sakes after a sort was severed from his Father? When he cried my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? shall tribulation, [Page 34]or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or the sword? No, I am sure, I may ascend higher, and descend lower too with the Apostle (whose Antiperistasis makes his Rhetorick more admirable and winning.) Neither life, nor death, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus. I will shut up all with that prayer of our unparallel'd Lake, (in whom was the depth of all Divinity, as in an Ocean rather than a Lake) seeing the whole world is [...], a sweet sower. And this is the evil of worldly weal, & the ease our cor­rupt nature takes in it, makes us more to distaste the joys of Heaven. Mix, I beseech thee, O Lord, my peace with war: Being of S. Pauls temper and constitution, finding a Law in my Members rebelling against the Law of my minde. Rom. 7. Let me never be a secure owner of my worldly goods; (neither well can I, since thou in thy goodness hast taken them, wife, and all from me.) Yea, Lord, let them appear as they are, Transitory & uncer­tain, that I may not repute them to be my goods. Let Theeves strip me, let crosses distress me, (as I thank thee, I am Christianus, quia Crucianus) though I lose, yet I shall gain, and prosper best when I do not prosper. Death that must come shall never be unwelcom, yea, the remembrance of it shall be my greatest comfort; it shall never finde me but willing to leave what I never did in­joy, or joy in. And happy shall I account that hour, that shall take me out of the World; when it takes (as it hath done, I thank God, for five moneths together) the World from me, because we never were well at one, [Page 35]Yea, I had almost said she which once lay in my bosom, and therefore shall not fear to be at odds. The World is crucified to me, and I unto the World. Death shall take no pains in parting our association: which shall finde us before hand parted in affection. Let death be bitter unto others, to me it shall be sweet, when it pleaseth God to send it.) And I will (God-willing and assisting) prepare my self by a timely thinking of it, Prae­monitus praemunitus, so shall I never be uncomfortably surprized by it in regard of my body: And with holy Stephen, (notwithstanding all the stony hearts of these times) I shall call upon God, saying, Acts 7.39. Lord Jesus receive my spirit. Amen.