Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity…

You know, one part of captivity or bondage, is for a man to be detained in a strange Country, to be kept in prison, to be kept from his friends, and from his business and employment at home. So doth this Law in our members, it detains us in our own Country, it keeps us from God, from the things that are heavenly, where our conversation ought to be continually: it keeps us in prison, it with-holds us from those that are our proper companions.

You know, one part of captivity or bondage, is for a man to be detained in a strange Country, to be kept in prison, to be kept from his friends, and from his business and employment at home. So doth this Law in our members, it detains us in our own Country, it keeps us from God, from the things that are heavenly, where our coversation ought to be continually: it keeps us in prison, it with-holds us from those that are our proper companions.

And then again, you see in bondage there is no rest given to those that are slaves, so this Law in our members, it breedeth a restlessness, it gives us no leave to eat, or drink, or sleep: that is, it so hurries the souls of men to and fro, it so occupies the thoughts, it so takes up a mans affections, that he is still busied in doing the things it commands, There is no rest saith my God to the wicked.

And then again, you see in bondage there is no rest given to those that are slaves, so this Law in our members, it breedeth a restlessnesse, it gives us no leave to eat, or drink, or sleep: that is, it so hurries the souls of men to and fro, it so occupies the thoughts, it so takes up a mans affections, that he is still busied in doing the things it commands, There is no rest saith my God to the wicked.

Again, in bondage there are hard tasks put upon men; as you know it was part of the bondage of the children of Israel in Egypt, that the Egyptians gave them more to do then they could possibly compass, they were to make so many tale of Brick, and yet they were not allowed the materials. So is it in this captivity, our lusts give us more to do then we can perform. The lust of pride and ambition in Haman, we see it set him on more then he could possibly compass. The lust of covetousness in Ahab for Naaoths Vineyard, you see how hardly it charged him, and what difficult things it put him upon.