service any factors that make him a better returne of soules any Generall that subdues so many souldiers to him any Advocates which pleade so hard for him as the true drunkard I presume he cannot nominate or thinke of one I confesse a beautifull whorish woman another of the Devills lime-twigs who hath a flattering tongue Pro. 6.24 smooth and enticeing words Pro. 7.5 lips which drop like an hony combe and a mouth more soft then oyle Pro. 5.3 as Salomon speaks doth the Devill singular good service in the businesse of tempting for infinite are the soules which these artificiall Paradises have beguiled yea it cannot be denied but Sathan is more beholding to the face then to all the body besides For as through an Hell upon earth God brings many to Heaven so through an Heaven upon earth many bring themselves to Hell And she hath one priviledge above other tempters for Cockatrice-like she killeth with her very sight yea she is able to take a man with her very eye-lids Pro. 6.25 which makes the wise man say that many have perished by the beauty of women Ecclus 9.8 yet neverthelesse let her have as many lovers as Toringa once had who attempting to count them upon her fingers was forc't to call for a bushell of Pease before she could number them all and strength like Rotorus who contracted with a notable Pirate to serve the turne of him and his hundred souldiers and a will as free as Dunkerke which bids welcome to all commers so that any base Fellow may ride her post to the Devill with a golden bit she shal never be able to fil Hel her body wil not hold out nor help to people that infernall Kingdom as some drunkards doe that are gifted thereafter The which considered together with his other sinnes of idlenesse epicurisme adultery murther his vaine babling scurrilous jesting wicked talking impious swearing atheisme c. for he hath treble heads to Cerberus that ugly Porter of Hell proves him the King or chiefe of sinners as the Basiliske is called the King of Serpents and not onely shewes them to be children of the Devill as they were long since but to be really metamorphosed into Devills as Lots wife was really metamorphosed into a pillar of Salt and Vlysses companions into Hogs and Dogs and Cadmus with his wife into Serpents yea certainely if the Devill would change his properties he would put himselfe into the person and appropriate to himselfe the very qualities of some drunkard how ever he chooseth drunkards to be his instruments to tempt rather then other sinners because they are more fit for it then any other as of all the creatures which God made he chose the Serpent an instrument to tempt Eve because it was more subtile then any beast of the field Gen. 3.1 As also for the naturall affection which they bare to him above other men for the drunkard loves Sathan so extreamely that for the most part he either swims to him in blood or sailes to him in a vessell of wine before nature summons him to depart and will needs be tormented before the time All which their zeale industry VVe should be as zealous and industrious to win soules to God and fervent affection to doe the will of their Father should teach and stirre up Gods people to the like zeale industry and fervent affection to doe the will of their Father Their voluntary lewdnesse calls for our dutifull and more zealous obedience that our God may have as faithfull servants as he hath unfaithfull enemies Shall wicked men be at more cost and paines to please an ill master then we can afford to please so good a God so gracious so loving a Father Shall they labour so hard for that which shall confound them and shall we thinke any paines too much for that which shall save us Is it their meate and drinke to doe mischiefe and shall good duties downe as a Potion with us This were to acknowledge more venome in the seede of the Serpent then there is health in the seede of the woman Indeed the world could not stand before us if our truth might be but as hotly followed as their falsehood O that our God whose cause we maintaine would inkendle our hearts with the fire of holy zeale but so much as Sathan hath inflamed theirs with the fire of fury and faction O Saviour it was thy meate and drinke to doe the will of thy Father how doe we follow thee if we suffer either pleasures or profits to take the wall of thy services But of this elsewhere § 119. FOr I consider Their punishment that both by Gods and mans Law next after inditement and conviction followes sentence and after sentence is past comes execution if a reprive or pardon be not sued out in the interim Wherefore as drunkards have seene their sinne laid open so let them now hearken to their punishment If there be any of these Antipodes to God and his Kingdome who like Trees have rooted both head and heart into the earth and set heaven at their heeles that have in this Treatise as in a picture taken a full view of his owne horrid and detestable condition and with Bupalus the Painter read the lively character of his odious and deformed demeanour and after hee hath seene as in a cleare glasse the ugly face of his foule heart with those spots and wrinkles which otherwise hee could not have confest in himselfe and further seene how miserably hee hath been deluded in his judgement touching the religious and shall notwithstanding resolve against yeelding and preferre the humouring of his soule before the saveing of it and shall thinke it a disparagement to repent him of his errors and would rather obstinately continue in them then disclame them so shutting his eyes that hee may not see and stopping his eares that hee may not heare and hardening his heart that he may not consider presumptuously as Pharaoh did maliciously as Caâ—n did desperately as Ahab did and blasphemously as Iulian did let him know this that he shall surely perish The reason of it is taken out of the Proverbs an Arrow drawne out of Salomon's sententious Quiver read the words and tremble A man that hardneth his neck when he is rebuked shall suddenly be destroyed and cannot be cured Prov. 29.1 yea saith the Lord himselfe Prov. 1.24.25.26 because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out mine hand and ye would not regard but despised al my counsell I will also laugh at your destruction and mock when your feare commeth And of this we have sundry instances The Sonnes of Ely would not harken unto nor obey the voyce of their father why because saith the Text the Lord was determined to destroy them 1 Samuel 2.25 Their hearts must be hardened that they may be destroyed I know saith the Prophet to Amaziah that God hath determined to destroy thee because thou hast done this and hast not obeyed my counsell 2
First thou wert created by him a man and not a beast in England not in Aethiopia in this cleare and bright time of the Gospell not in the darkenesse of Paganisme or Popery Secondly thou wert redeemed out of Hell by his precious blood he spared not himselfe that his Father might spare thee Oh thinke what flames the damned endure which thou mayst escape if thou wilt thy selfe me thinkes this should melt a heart of Adamant Thirdly he hath preserved thee here from manyfold dangers of body and soule Fourthly he hath all thy life long plentifully and graciously blessed thee with many and manifold good things And lastly promised thee not onely felicity on earth but in Heaven if thou wilt serve him § 127. BEsides The same further amplified as these mercies are great in themselves so our unworthinesse doth greaten them more being shewed to us who are no lesse rebellious to him then he is beneficiall to us And is all this nothing to move thee dost thou thus requite him art thou so farre from loveing and fearing him that thou hatest others which doe O monstrous ingratitude oh foolish man to looke for other then great then double damnation O that such soveraigne favours as these should not onely not profit thee but turne to thy destruction through thy wilfull blind and perverse nature He is thy Lord by a manifold right his tenure of us is diversly held and thou his servant by all manner of obligations indeed our tenure of him is but single he is ours onely by faith in Christ Gal. 3.26 First he is thy Lord by the right of creation thou being his workmanship made by him Secondly by the right of redemption being his purchase bought by him Thirdly of preservation being kept upheld and maintained by him Fourthly thou art his by vocation even of his family having admitted thee a member of his visible Church Fifthly his also if it be not thine owne fault by sanctification whereby he possesseth thee Sixtly and lastly he would have thee of his court by glorification that he might crowne thee every way his Yea he hath removed so many evills and conferred so many good things upon thee that they are beyond thought or imagination for if the whole Heaven were turned to a booke and all the Angells deputed writers they could not set downe all the good which Christ hath done us Now favours bestowed and deliverances from danger binds to gratitude and the more bonds of duty the more plagues for neglect Hath God contrived so many wayes to save us and shall not we take all occasions to glorifie him Hath he done so much for us and shall we deny him any thing that he requires though it were our lives yea our soules much more our lusts we have hard hearts if the blood of the Lambe cannot soften them stony bowells if so many mercies cannot melt us Was he crucified for our sinnes and shall we by our sinnes crucifie him againe Doe we take his wages and doe his enemy service Is this the fruit of his benificence of our thankfulnesse Is this the recompence of his love to doe that which he hates and hate those whom he loves O for shame thinke upon it and at his instance be perswaded by whose blood you were redeemed from all these evills and interrested in all these good things The Apostle could not finde out a more heart-breaking argument to enforce a sacrificing of our selves to God then to conjure us by the mercies of God in Christ Rom. 12.1 and indeed we could not be unthankefull if we thought upon what the Lord gives and what he forgives but if the thought of these things will not move thee Lord have mercy upon thee For as it is a fearefull marke of a reprobate alwayes to abuse Gods mercy and patience to the hardening of our selves in our evill courses so good turnes aggravate unkindnesses and our offences are increased with our obligations yea there is not one of these favours of those warnings which I have mentioned or which thou hast received that shall not once be a witnesse against thee as appeares by 1 Sam. 2. where God saith unto Ely by the Prophet Did not I doe such and such things for thee and thy fathers house wherefore then hast thou done thus and thus And likewise by Chap. 15. where the Lord reproving Saul for his disobedience exceedingly aggravates his sinne by what he had formerly done for him yea how doth the Lord by the Prophet Nathan aggravate Davids fact by repeating the many and severall favours and deliverances which formerly he had extended to him 2 Sa. 12.7 to 13. § 128 YEa Even this booke will be a witnesse against them when their consciences are awakened even this very Booke shall be a witnesse and rise up in judgement against thee as Plutarch told Trajane the Emperour touching his letter of advise and those very eyes that read it and that understanding and will which hath conceived and consented unto the equity and truth of it shall be cited as witnesses against thee And in the meane time thou shalt never hereafter drinke sweare whore seduce hate persecute or reproach any for well doing but thy conscience as a sergeant shall arrest thee upon it yea this Booke shall gnaw thee at the heart with a Memorandum of Hell that thou shalt wish O that I could abandon my sinnes or else that I had never had such a warning And then perhaps the gate of mercy will be shut But then perhaps the gate of mercy will bee shut and though thou wouldest gladly repent yet it will be too late then shalt thou begin to say O what a warning had I such a time what an opportunity did I then let slip woe is me that ever I was borne and woe is me that ever I had such a warning which cannot choose but double my damnation hereafter as now it doubles my feare and horror Even thus and no otherwise will it fare with thee when once thine eyes are opened and opened they shall be for though Sathan and thy corrupt conscience doe sleep and suffer thee to sleep for a while yet at least upon thy death bed or in hell when there shall bee no more hope or meanes of recovery they will both wake against thee and awaken thee up to everlasting anguish and unquietnesse yea God shall once enliven and make quick the sense of thy benummed conscience and make thee know his power which wouldest never take notice of his goodnesse he will then teach thee with a vengeance as Gideon taught the men of Succoth vvith briers and thorns Those carelesse guests made light of their calling to come unto the marriage of the Kings sonne but they found at last vvhen they vvere shut out that there vvas no jesting and the rich man lift up his eyes in hell Luke 16.23 those scorching flames opened them to purpose they vvere never opened before § 129. THis is the difference
Preachers this yea certainly where Sathan hath once set this his porter of prejudice though Christ himselfe were on earth that soule would never admit him take no good from him no not so much as think well of him as we see in the Scribes and Pharisies who made an ill construction of whatsoever he did or spake for when he wrought miracles he was a Sorcerer when he cast out divels it was by the power of divels when he reproved sinners he was a seducer when hee received sinners he was their favourer when he healed the sick he was a breaker of the Sabbath c. And even so it fares with these men for as an ill stomacke turnes all it receives into ill humours or as the Spider converts every thing she eates and the Viper every thing shee touches into poyson so they whatsoever they heare or see in the godly In fine as Beggers with Scumea make their owne flesh raw so these with prejudice make their owne eyes blind whereby it fares directly with such an one as it doth with the Serpent Regulus no charming can charme him for prejudice 6. If gentle perswasions wil not seâ—ve they will compeâ—â— by violence like the goddesse Adrasteia or Sorceres rather takes memory wit and grace from all that entertaine it and leaves them in Pyrrhon's condition who would not believe what his eyes saw and his eares heard Sixthly they have a great advantage of Gods servants in this when they have tryed in vaine all faire meanes they can use violence as it is the use and manner of all those that are agents for vice factors for the divell first to use gentle perswasion but if that will not serve compulsion They handle us as once that Praetor did a Souldier who to make him renounce Christ first as Ierome notes imprisoned him in his owne house allowes him a chamber vvell furnished soft lodging dainty cheare vvine musick all delights vvhen this vvould not do yet Lord how many are thus prevailed vvithall to leave their Saviour then hee casts him into a darke dungeon loades him vvith irons starves him vvith the hungry allowance of husks and puddle vvater vvhen nothing would do he burnes him or as Bonner handled the Martyres whose custome was first to allure them vvith faire promises of honours favours preferments c. if that vvould not do send them to Smithfield for as bloody as he was hee had sometimes in his mouth butter and oyle as vvell as fire and faggot § 182. AGaine secondly Againe as in getting so in keeping such â—s they have got as Sathans instruments have great advantage of Gods servants in getting so no lesse in keeping such as they have got both in regard of pleasure peace freedome and many the like priviledges which the worldling hath above Gods people 1 In regard of pleasure 1. In regard of pleasure first whereas others that turne to God barre themselves of such delights and pleasures as here they might enjoy these may satisfie themselves and their lusts to the full live at ease and pleasure and give their affections the full swing yea and be so applauded for it as if with the people of China they of all others saw with two eyes both which makes them like their condition so vvell that they would not change upon any tearmes and hence it was that many Schollers of every Sect become Epicures but none of the Epicures became of other Sects as one objected to Archelaus True it is the godly even here have more true joy and pleasure then the most happy worldling alive but none can know the spirituall joy and comfort of a Christian but he that lives the life of a Christian Iohn 7.17 as none could learne the virgins song but they that sang it Revel 14.3 no man can knovv the peace of a good conscience but hee that keepes a good conscience no man knovves vvhat that hid Mannah and vvhite stone vvith a nevv name vvritten in it is but they that receive the same Rev. 12.17 The World can see a Christians outside but the raptures of his soule the ravishing delights of the invvard man and joy of his spirit for the remission of his sinnes and the effusion of grace with such like spirituall priviledges more glorious then the states of Kingdomes are as a covered messe to the vvorldling and so abates nothing of the advantage vvhich Sathan and his instruments have above Gods servants in winning soules and keeping such as they have vvon Secondly 2 In regard of freedome in regard of freedome they have a free scope and liberty to doe or say what they please whereas Gods people are restrained even in their very thoughts Yea many times in things of an indifferent nature as even actions of indifferency when once they are felt to trench upon the conscience lay deepe obligations upon the soule even whiles they are most slighted by carelesse hearts there being no lesse difference in consciences then stomackes of which some will digest the hardest meates and turne over substances not in their nature edible whiles others surfet of the lightest foode and complaine even of dainties Everygracious heart is in some measure scrupulous and finds more safety in feare then in presumption O what a poore slave doe they hold the man of a tender conscience they dare sweare and blaspheme why their tongues are their owne whereas we feare an oath They dare spend their time in dalliance and after make it their glory we dare not make the members of Christ the limms of an Harlot fearing least Heaven should be shut against us for the sinne and Hell swallow us for boasting of the sin They dare deny any fact and wager lyes with that Grandfather of lyes and lyers we dare not tell an untruth though it were to save our selves to relieve the poore to honour God They dare drinke themselves into beasts we dare not least we should never be recovered againe unto Men. They dare oppresse the poore revenge all wrongs done them c. we dare not so reproach our Maker nor wring Gods weapon out of his hand They dare sinne God in the face and presume upon his patience we feare him as a consuming fire In fine they dare hazard the breaking of their necks we would not willingly breake our shins § 183. THirdly in regard of peace 1 with Sathan 3 In regard of peace and that 2 with the world 3 with themselves First 1 With Sathan they have farre more peace with Sathan then Gods people for he fights not with his owne subjects or souldiers as hath largely beene proved yea well may these have more peace then others seeing the barques of their soules are rowed with farre lesse labour having the wind of Sathans temptations and the tyde of their owne affections to drive them then the other who rowe against both 2 In regard of their peace with the World the World loves her owne 2 VVith the VVorld but
hates all that Christ hath chosen out of it Ioh. 15.19 and this is a strong tye to flesh and blood though our Saviour calls this a cursed condition Luk. 6.26 Yea how doth the indifferent worldling applaud himselfe therein together with his owne discretion and mediocrity for seeing this man vexed for his zeale that other hated for his knowledge a third persecuted for the profession of his saith c. he saith within himselfe welfare a quiet ignorance so his body is but like a lumpe of scarce moving earth and his soule a standing puddle in the midst of it 3 They have farre more peace if it may be called peace with their owne hearts then the Godly 3 VVith themselves for their consciences being either brawned with the custome of sinne or cast into a dead sleepe by Sathan they feele not those perilous wounds which sinne impaires them withall yea being past feeling they can with more ease digest the hardest and foulest offence then the stomacke of an Estridge can digest Iron whereby they esteeme of their sinnes as Paul speakes of an Idoll that it is nothing in the world as for oathes yea the sinne of blasphemy it is a very mite a moate a nothing in a word how sick soever their soules be I meane how wicked and detestable soever their lives yet they have healthfull consciences which never complaine or once paine them no they heare not a Syllable of ill language from them they never check them doe they what they will neither did they ever doubt in all their lives or were once troubled in mind or conscience They think themselves more happy in serving the Devill then others in serving of God as many scrupulous fooles are and hereupon they thinke themselves more happy in serving the Devill then others in serving God as those apostate Iewes in Egypt did Ier. 44.16 to 19. Alasse what should they feare they prosper in their wickednesse they doe what they list and the Lord lets them alone therefore they thinke he is pleased with them and with their actions and that which way soever they take the end of their journey must needs be salvation yea this makes them thinke they doe wondrous well as Dionysius when he had dispoyled an Idolls temple of all the gold therein and finding the winds favourable in his Navigation applauds himselfe saying see how the gods approve of Sacriledge according to that in the Psalmes he that maketh gaine blesseth himselfe Psal 10.3 Besides they have good hearts and meanings as how common is it with them to talke of good meanings when they are the worst doers in a countrey yea when in their practise they embrace all morall vertues in their contraries yea though they make not such a shew to the world they have as good a heart as the proudest and hope to be saved as well as the best and so let who will say to the contrary they are sure to goe to Heaven as streight as a Sickle and so they shall for they shall goe into Heaven if they amend not their lives when the Sodomites come out of Hell and in the meane time their soules are so much the sicker by how much lesse they are sensible of paine they were wretched if they felt their danger more wretched being they feele it not as once Tully said of Anthony § 184. THirdly 3 They are better proficients then Gods people 1 Because the Devill blinds them and so shewes the sweetnesse of sin hides the thought of punishment as Sathan hath many advantages above Gods servants in getting Disciples and keeping such as he hath gotten so no lesse in making them proficients in evill for it cannot be denied but Sathans servants thrive more under him in sinne then Gods servants can doe in grace the reason is this Sathan who is the god of this World blindeth the minds of all unbeleivers that the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ should not shine unto them 2 Cor. 4.3.4 Eph. 2.2 2 Thes 2.9.10 for as Sathan is the Prince of darkenesse so he rules in the darknesse of the understanding dealing with wicked men as Faulkeners doe with their Hawkes who that they may carry them quietly and doe what they list unto them first blind their eyes with a hood Hercules when he stole away the golden Aples from the Hesperides who as the Poets feigne had an Orchard of them first slew the Dragon that kept them the keeper and watch of our soules is the understanding now if Sampson's eyes be once puld out the Philistins may bind him with fetters put him in prison make him grind at the mill make him a subject of scorne and what not If the Raven can but first pick out the poore sheepes eyes he may easily prey upon the whole body if the Eagle can but throw dust in the Harts eyes she makes it nothing afterward to kill him if the Dragon have once bereaved the Elephant of sight his whole body easily becomes a prey to his fury all these namely the Philistins the Raven the Eagle and the Dragon are fit emblems of Sathan who first seizeth upon the eye of the understanding and then preyes freely upon the rest of the soule And indeed what may not an enemy doe to him which wants his sight If the Assyrians be once blinded how easily may one leade a thousand of them into the mid'st of any Samaria even to their ruine 2 King 6.18.19 Yea how impossible is it for a man not to ruine himselfe when he wants his sight Polyphemus so soone as Vlysses had puld out his eye runs reeling and rushing against every rocke untill he had dasht out his braines So much darknesse as is left in the soule so much roome is there left for Sathan to deceive us While the candle is out it is safe for rogues to play their trickes in the darke Indeed he will afford his servants any degree of knowledge whether it be divine humane or mundane so it be not a practicall experimentall and saving knowledge he will allow them an understanding like that of the Scribes and Pharisees which was enough to condemne them but not to save them yea let the Devill like Nahash onely obtaine our right eyes of faith to be puld out it sufficeth he cares for no more he will then let us enjoy our peace our pleasure and what other priviledges we doe desire It is more true of vertue and God's truth then it was of that Creetish beauty no man loved her that never saw her no man ever saw her but he loved her neither could concupiscence bring forth sinne without the consent of Reason and this would never consent so long as the eyes are open Wherefore the Devill to utter his damned commodities dealeth as some tradsmen about their bad wares puts out the true lights and sets up falfe lights in their stead If the light of knowledge might freely shine in the soule Sathans suggestions would soone make him ashamed