Wicked Men Compared to Captives

    WICKED MEN COMPARED TO CAPTIVES

    "Proclaim liberty to the Captives" Isa 61:1.

    "For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity," Ac 8:23.

    "Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world" Ga 4:3.

    "For this Agar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth unto Jerusalem which is, and is now in bondage with her children" Ga 4:25.

    "And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will," 2Ti 2:26.

    "And deliver them, who through fear of death were all their life-time subject to bondage" Heb 2:15.

    "While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption; for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought into bondage" 2Pe 2:19.

    CORPORAL bondage, or captivity, is as much as to say, slavery and thraldom under some tyrant, or cruel enemy, that oppresseth: and from these scriptures it is evident, that Wicked Men, or such as are in the state of nature, unconverted, are in a state of bondage, they are spiritual slaves or Captives. And in opening the bondage-state the ungodly are in, I shall show,

    (1.) To whom they are, or may be said to be in bondage.

    (2.) How they were brought into this bondage-state.

    (3.) The nature of this spiritual bondage.

    1. They are in bondage to sin: "He that committeth sin, is the servant of sin," Joh 8:34. Sin rules and reigns in wicked Men; they are overcome by their base and filthy lust, and "Of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought into bondage," 2Pe 2:19.

    2. They are in bondage to Satan, "Taken Captive by him at his will;" 2Ti 2:26, "He rules in the hearts of the children of disobedience," Eph 2:2.

    3. They are in bondage to the law; for being not able to perform the obligation or requirements thereof, they are brought under the power and bondage of that killing letter, Ga 4:25.

    4. They are in bondage to death; death tyrannizeth over them, and through fear of it they are said to be continually in bondage, Heb 2:15.

    5. They are in bondage to the wrath of God, they are under the power of God's dreadful wrath, Joh 3:36.

    METAPHOR

    I. SOME that are in a state of bondage were once freemen.

    PARALLEL

    I. ADAM,[1] and so all mankind, considered as being in his loins, while he stood in that state of innocency, before he eat of the forbidden fruit, was a free man, he was not in bondage to any of these enemies.

    [1] How mankind were brought into bondage.

    METAPHOR

    II. Some are in a state of bondage, by being the offspring of such parents as are slaves; for if the parents are born slaves, their children that are born in Captivity, are Captives likewise.

    PARALLEL

    II. So all Wicked Men are in bondage, as they are the offspring of old Adam, Ps 51:5. All mankind being born in sin; Satan, death, and wrath hath power over them, until delivered by Jesus Christ. And hence they are said to be "By nature children of wrath," Eph 2:3.

    METAPHOR

    III. Some are brought into bondage by the power and force of an enemy, they being surprised, and by reason of weakness not able to withstand them, are taken Captive; as many of this and other nations have been by the Turks.

    PARALLEL

    III. Wicked Men are also actually taken Captive, and brought into bondage by sin and Satan; as being surprised by the power of these enemies, they are overcome, and so brought into Captivity; Satan being stronger than they, he prevails against them. "And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken Captive by him at his will," 2Ti 2:26.

    METAPHOR

    IV. Some by allurements are enticed by an adversary, and that way overcome, and brought into bondage. Pirates oft-times put out false colours, and pretend themselves to be friends, that so they may the better trapan and take poor unweary persons.

    PARALLEL

    IV. So Wicked Men are by the allurements and enticements of sin and Satan overcome, and brought into bondage, Pr 7:21. These spiritual enemies by policy deceive and trepan the souls of men. Satan, like a cursed pirate, puts out false colours, pretends himself a friend; he presents the pleasures and profits of the world to them, and thereby overcomes them, and carries them away Captive, 2Co 11:14.

    METAPHOR

    V. Some persons, when they are taken Captive by an enemy, are stripped naked; their own robes being taken away, they have instead of them nothing but filthy rags, to hide their nakedness withal.

    PARALLEL

    V. Adam, when Satan overcame him by his treachery and subtle wiles, was striped naked:[2] he lost all his precious robes, viz., his spotless and perfect righteousness, and ever since his natural offspring, while they remain unconverted, have nothing but their own righteousness to cover them, which is by the Holy Ghost compared to filthy rags, Isa 64:6. Some conceive by filthy rags, the Spirit of God alludes to those rags that surgeons take off of corrupt and filthy sores, which we know are very loathsome, this shows that the state of sinners is very deplorable.

    [2] The sad and miserable condition of Satan's Captives.

    METAPHOR

    VI. Some persons who are taken Captive, are put into prison, nay, into a dungeon, and remain under the power of a cruel keeper.

    PARALLEL

    VI. Sinners, whilst they remain in a state of nature, Captives of sin and Satan, are in a prison, in a deep prison or dungeon of darkness, called the "Power of darkness," Col 1:13. This prison is strong, there is no man can break through and make an escape. It is called a pit, yea, "an horrible pit," or pit of noise, Ps 40:2. Some understand, David means the depth of afflictions; others, the horrible state of unregeneracy, or deep alienation from the life of God, wherein is heard nothing but the fearful and hideous noise of an accusing conscience, and wrath of an angry God. It is a pit wherein is no water, viz., no soul comfort nor refreshment, &c., being under the power and tyranny of Satan, Ec 9:11.

    METAPHOR

    VII. Some persons, when they are taken captive, and put into prison, and also bound with iron chains, or fetters of brass, their eyes also have been put out. Thus the king of Babylon served Zedekiah king of Judah, when Jerusalem was taken: "And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon," 2Ki 25:7.

    PARALLEL

    VII. Wicked men are not only Captives, and put into a bottomless prison, but they are also bound, "I perceive thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity," Ac 8:23. Hence the prophet speaking of Christ, saith, "He hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the Captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound," Isa 61:1. Every ungodly man, whilst he remains in Satan's kingdom, is bound with strong bonds: First, the bond of a hard heart; Secondly, the bond of ignorance; Thirdly, the bond of unbelief: which they are no way able to break asunder, or get out of, Jer 5:3; Ac 26:18. And by this means they are fit for any drudgery the devil hath for them to do, the eyes of their understanding being darkened, or put out. "Ye that were sometimes in darkness," &c., Eph 5:8.

    METAPHOR

    VIII. Some persons that have been in captivity have been almost starved to death, having had little more than bread and water afforded them, nay, have been forced to eat such things as were not fit for food.

    PARALLEL

    VIII. Wicked men, who are the Captives of sin and Satan, are kept at hard commons; they never yet had the least taste of that which is really good, but "they spend their money for that which is not bread, and their labour for that which satisfieth not." And therefore saith God, "Hearken diligently unto me, and eat that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness," Isa 55:1-2. Pray observe what the Holy Ghost compares the food of ungodly sinners to: First, They are said to feed on the wind; Secondly, To feed on ashes; Thirdly, On gravel; and Fourthly, On husks. The prodigal would fain have filled his belly with the husks which the swine did eat. Should a poor Captive have nothing allowed him to eat, but husks, gravel, or ashes, all would conclude his condition to be very miserable: so miserable are all ungodly sinners, Isa 44:20; Ho 12:1; Pr 20:17. Alas! all the pleasures, riches, and honours of this world, or whatsoever it is that they feed upon, or let their hearts run out after, are in comparison of Christ the Bread of life, and those other good things which believers daily feed and feast upon, but as feeding on husks and gravel. If men naturally have no food to eat, they will pine away, and soon die: so were it not for those earthly comforts, that the ungodly have to feed upon, and support their spirits with, though you see what the nature of them is, they would soon pine away. Do but dispossess them of any of these earthly enjoyments, and their hearts, like the heart of Nabal, would presently die in them; for they never tasted how good the Lord is, how sweet promises are, what it is to have the love and favour of God; never tasted of the feast of a good conscience, nor of the comforts of the Holy Ghost," Ps 34:8.

    METAPHOR

    IX. Some Persons that have been taken Captive, have been grievously wounded; they have not only been stripped, put into prison, and almost starved to death, but also have lain there in a sad, bloody, and mangled condition, and their wounds let alone to fester, stink, and be very loathsome.

    PARALLEL

    IX. The Wicked are not only Captives of the devil, stripped of all their first righteousness, in prison, in iron chains, almost starved to death spiritually; but also they are wounded "from the sole of the foot to the head, there is no soundness in it, but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores," Isa 1:6. Some conclude, that the prophet speaks of the body politic, or national church of the Jews, which was under great affliction, and so was that way sorely wounded. But doubtless the wounds and sickness spoken of here, were those sins and abominable evils that people were guilty of; which appears from what is said by the Lord in the first part of the verse "Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more." And as a proof of it, he saith, "The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint." Sin was the sickness, and the wounds; and those afflictions that God had brought upon them, was the cure. But why, saith God, should I afflict or chastise you any more, or use means for your help and healing, when under the use or exercise of that sovereign, means I have used, you grow worse and worse? It is said of the man that went from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, that he was not only stripped of his raiment, but wounded also, Lu 10:30. "My wounds stink, and are corrupt," saith David, Ps 38:5; and in another place he cries out, "Lord, have mercy upon me, and heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee," Ps 41:4. From whence it appears, that a godly man may be wounded by his sin, and that sorely too. Every sin makes a wound in the soul; what a fearful case are unconverted souls then in? O that sinners would but consider this. See Sin a Wound, and Sickness.

    METAPHOR

    X. Some persons that have been taken Captive, and brought into prison and bondage, besides other sad circumstances they have been under, they have been brought under the sentence of death, nay, and for their horrid rebellions, treasons, &c., under a fearful and painful death, as to be torn in pieces, or burned alive.

    PARALLEL

    X. The ungodly, who remain Captives to Satan, being under the power of their lusts, or abiding in the state of unregeneracy, are not only under all the sad circumstances you have heard; but to render them every way miserable, as in truth their present state is, they are under the sentence of death. Perhaps some would conclude, that death to such persons I have given the character of, is better than life: and, with Job, they had better choose it. Alas; it would be so indeed, were it to die the common death of all Men. Death puts an end to all the external miseries of mortals; but the death of sin's Captives is quite another thing. They are condemned to be burned, to be burned alive too; but this is not all, to lie burning in the fire of God's eternal wrath for ever, where they shall be always dying, but cannot die: "Where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched,"

    METAPHOR

    I. Captives, that are so only to Men, are but externally enslaved.

    DISPARITY

    I. But Wicked Men, that are slaves to sin and Satan, are captivated in their souls, notwithstanding as to the body they may be at liberty, as to outward thraldom.

    METAPHOR

    II. Some persons may be free and at liberty in their souls, at the same time when they may be Captives as to their bodies, and so their captivity may seem less grievous to them.

    DISPARITY

    II. But it cannot be so said of a wicked Man, for whatever misery befals his body, it is abundantly aggravated by and from the Captivity and slavery of his soul; nay, in the enjoyment of his greatest outward liberty, he is in dreadful thraldom by sin and Satan.

    METAPHOR

    III. Captives that are so only to Men, may and have been redeemed with money.

    DISPARITY

    III. But spiritual Captives, such as are in bondage to sin and Satan, cannot be redeemed with money. It is not silver or gold, that can purchase the redemption of one of Satan's slaves; for the redemption of the soul is so precious, that nothing can make a compensation for it, but the precious blood of Christ, 1Pe 1:19.

    METAPHOR

    IV. If no other means can procure the liberty of Captives, that are so only as to their bodies, yet death sets them free, and those to whom they are in bondage have no more to do with them.

    DISPARITY

    IV. But Wicked Men, living and dying in bondage to Satan and their own lusts, cannot be free by death, but are thereby put into an irrecoverable state of eternal misery, from which there can be no redemption, being delivered up to Satan.

    METAPHOR

    V. Some that are Captives only in their bodies, are so sensible of their misery and thraldom, that they seek and desire to improve all means imaginable for their deliverance.

    DISPARITY

    V. But some Wicked Men are not only insensible of their bondage to the devil, and their own lusts, but are lifeless as to any ways or means of deliverance. Though means be used daily to convince them of the dreadful danger of their bondage-state, and of the way and means of their redemption; yet through the blindness and hardness of their hearts, they rest at quiet in the devil's prison, where they are shut up as Captives. And that which declares their greatest thraldom and misery is, they refuse all the tenders of grace in order to their redemption, nay, set light by Jesus Christ, who came to proclaim liberty, &c.

    METAPHOR

    VI. Captives to men only, may be redeemed, and set at liberty, and yet so captivated by them again, as that they may die in slavery.

    DISPARITY

    VI. But wicked men, though the saddest Captives imaginable, in respect of misery and thralldom, yet if set free by Jesus Christ, they shall be no more the slaves of Satan: "For those whom the Son makes free, are free indeed,' Joh 8:36; free from the dominion and power of sin and Satan here, and free from the wages of sin, which is eternal, death, hereafter.

    INFERENCES.

    Quest. Some may say, If this be the state of unconverted men and women, they are miserable objects indeed. But is there no relief nor help for these poor Captives? Must they perish inevitably, and be damned for ever.

    Answ. God forbid! There is good news for these slaves and Captives of sin and the devil, a Gospel to be preached to them; God is full of bowels; were there no deliverance to relieve, it would be sad beyond what any are able to conceive. But to prove that there is salvation and relief for the vilest sinners, consider these three things following!

    1. The Lord Jesus hath purchased deliverance for them, he hath laid down a satisfactory price or ransom for those Captives, who through faith in him shall obtain deliverance.

    2. Christ is ordained and anointed to preach glad tidings to them. "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the Captives, and recovering sight to the blind, and to set at liberty them, that were bound," Lu 4:18; Isa 61:1.

    3. Many who have been in the like state of Captivity and bondage have been set at liberty; thousands that have been slaves of sin and Satan, through the infinite mercy of God are now in a perfect state of freedom. "Such were some of you," saith the apostle, "but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God," 1Co 6:11.

    Sirs, what blessed news is this for poor sinners! Suppose a man who is a slave or Captive, and suffereth justly for his sin, was stripped naked, and put into a dungeon, bound with cruel and heavy chains, wounded in the most fearful manner from head to feet, and only fed with ashes and gravel stones, and in this condition were condemned to abide for many years, and then to be put to the greatest torture that mortals can devise, where he should suffer a long time together, always dying, and yet cannot die; and that on a sudden one should come to him with the joyful news of a full and perfect deliverance; would not this be the welcomest news that ever he heard? Sinners, may not the tidings you hear, cause your hearts to leap in you for joy! Though you have undone yourselves by your wicked works, yet God hath devised a way to deliver and save you for ever.

    Quest. How, by what means, and by whom, may some poor ignorant soul say, "Is deliverance brought about?"

    Answ. Deliverance out of this bondage-state is by Jesus Christ, only by him; "Neither is there salvation by any other," Ac 4:12. "If the Son therefore make you free, ye shall be free indeed," Joh 8:36. But further to answer the question, I say, the liberty is,

    (1.) By a great ransom.

    (2.) By a conquest.

    1. There was no other way found out to bring sinners out of this their miserable condition, but a great sum must be laid down: "Ye are bought with a price," 1Co 6:20. But know this, "We are not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold," &c., 1Pe 1:18. All the gold and silver in the world, and all the riches thereof, were there ten thousand worlds more, could not redeem one soul out of this state of bondage and slavery to sin and Satan. "The redemption of the soul is precious, and ceaseth for ever," Ps 49:8. Nay, if a man should offer up his son or daughter, "The fruit of his body, for the sin of his soul," Mic 6:7, it would he utterly rejected. Nothing could redeem us but the price of blood, and that too the "Precious blood of Jesus Christ, as a Lamb without spot," 1Pe 1:19. See Surety.

    2. Deliverance out of this bondage is by conquest. Unless the Saviour of mankind conquer those cruel enemies of the soul, not one sinner can be set at liberty: for it is not the bare ransom or price of Christ's most precious blood, I mean the laying down of his life, that could work a perfect freedom for us; for though that made a full compensation to the justice of God, yet sinners being under the power of sin, Satan, and death, these enemies take no notice at all of that price; for our Saviour did not capitulate with them, neither will they give up their prisoner till they are overcome, and, as I may say, are forced to do it: for as Christ saith, "When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace; but when a stronger than he shall come, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour," &c., Lu 11:21-22. Satan is this strong man armed, and Jesus Christ the Person that is stronger than he; and it is our mercy God sent us such a strong and mighty Saviour, one able to subdue sin, conquer Satan, overcome death, that so he might deliver us, who were taken captive by them at their will. "To this end was the Son of God manifest, that he might destroy the works of the devil," 1Jo 3:8. He through death, and rising again from the dead, "Hath destroyed death, and him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and delivered them who through fear of death ' were all their life-time subject to bondage," Heb 2:14-15. He bids us also, "Be of good cheer, for he hath overcome the world," Joh 16:33.

    This conquest by the Lord Jesus is two-fold:

    1. For us without us: "When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive." He took him captive, that had taken mankind captive. "Having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, (the work is already done) triumphing over them in it," Eph 4:8; Col 2:15.

    2. This conquest is wrought by Christ also in the soul; for palpable it is, that every unconverted person is under the power of these cruel enemies, as hath been already shown, and have they a sufficient power of their own to encounter with them? Is sinful, weak, and depraved man, a match for Satan? Is he able to subdue and overcome him? Or can he by any inherent power of his own destroy the power of sin, and change his own heart? "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots?" Jer 13:23. Is man able to raise himself from the power of the grave? Any of these things are too hard for sinners to do; and therefore it follows, Christ must conquer these enemies in us, he must break our bonds, and burst our chains in pieces, &c. Pray remember, Christ is a perfect and complete Saviour, he alone doth the work, he doth it for us, and also in us; "His own arm brought salvation," Isa 63:5. He hath no partner nor competitor.

    Secondly, As this may serve to humble mankind, so also it may lift up their hearts who are redeemed, in praises to the Almighty, Job 7:17; O what is man that God should be mindful of him! What! regard such a deplorable rebel, slave, and captive of sin and the devil! and the rather, considering the nature of that glorious freedom procured by Jesus Christ, which is, 1. A freedom from the guilt of sin. 2. A freedom from the filth of sin. 3. A freedom from the power of sin, "Sin shall not have dominion over you," Ro 14:4. A freedom from the eternal punishment of sin; a freedom from sin, from Satan, from the law, from death, and from wrath; and by this means, made the sons and daughters of God, making them nigh to him, enjoying union and communion both with the Father and the Son, having peace, and good assurance of eternal life.

    Thirdly, It may cause the redeemed ones of God to pity sinners, pity their unconverted relations; what a deplorable condition are they in! How exceedingly are persons concerned for their relations who are in slavery, though it extend but to the body? And what ways and means do they with all diligence make use of, to procure their liberty and freedom! And by how much the bondage of sin and Satan exceeds all the slavery that man can possibly be exposed unto; by so much the more ought that means to be improved, that may effectually accomplish their redemption.