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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A79826	The abuse of Gods grace: discovered in the kinds, causes, punishments, symptoms, cures, differences, cautions, and other practical improvements thereof. Proposed as a seasonable check to the wanton libertinisme of the present age. By Nicholas Claget, minister of the Gospel at Edmundsbury in Suffolk, M.A. of Magdalen Hall, Oxon.	Clagett, Nicholas, 1610?-1662.; Wilkinson, Henry, 1616-1690.	1659 (1659)	Wing C4368; Thomason E978_2; ESTC R207811	268,515	321

glorious aiery appellations of worldly precedencies The childless holy Eunuch was by the Gospel Prophet comforted that he should have a Name better than of Sons and Daughters The new Name either Beleever or Child of God out-titles and out-glories the highest worldly stile Fulgentius gave good counsel to Galle a noble Christian of a Godly as wel as Gentile Extraction born of the Spirit as wel as Kin to Roman Consuls Learn to ascribe nothing to your Noble Disce nihil tibi nobiluate generis assignare Fulgent Epist ad Gallam Inter saculares illustris superbiae fomes Fulgent Tametsi speciem aliquam praese ferunt homines tanquam in agris flores qui tamen refulget decori protinvs interit atque evanescis Calvinan Isa 40. In saculi culmine constituti Fulg. Praebentmalae imitationis laqueum aut bonae conversationis exemplum Magna tales aut poena manet aut gloria Fulgent de Conversione ad Theodorum stem Although you have secular illustrious glory yet especially with a perfect humble heart be ambitious of the Spirits Nobilitie If Madam the anointing of the Spirit teach you this lesson that all flesh is grasse and all the goodlinesse thereof is as the flower of the field the glory the ornament the glittering shine of it will disappear in pale gastly death and the chambers of silence and rottenness I hope it teacheth you this also that Regeneration is the birth of births and that the thriving Graces of the Spirit bosom Communion with Jesus Christ here and highest rooms in heaven will be the Honour of Honours Consider Great persons are great blessings or plagues a train follows them to Heaven or Hell they are not saved or damned alone They that stand in the worlds higher ground who either lay the snares of an evil imitation or are the presidents of an holy conversation shall have great either eternal Penalty or Glory Hath free Gospel grace shined in your soul abuse it not Hold forth the Word of Life in a gracious life If you and the faithfull conjugal guide of your soul shall speed your motions to those heavenly eternal Mansions where the better than flowings of Milk and Hony the sweet heavenly Feasts and unglutting delights of eternitie shall be enjoyed If you shall avoid this common scarlet sin of perverting Grace which with an ungrateful Wantonnesse treads under foot the Son of God thinks desires affects and lives as if the blood of the Covenant were an unholy thing and offers a proud despight to the Spirit of Grace If the study of this book shall help you both and others to walk exactly to redeem the time adorn the Gospel credit Profession glorifie God and promote your own and others eternal Salvation you will both accomplish the design of publishing the ensuing Meditations and encourage him who is your remembrancer at the Throne of Grace and remains From Edmondsbury in Suffolk Mar. 18. 1658. Your engaged servant in the Work of the Gospel NICH. CLAGET To the Christian Reader I Shall not detain thee with a long Preface lest I may be injurious by keeping thee too long in the threshold Onely a few things I shall premise concerning the reverend Author and his excellent work As for the Author he hath been well known to me at least Five and twenty years as being of * Magdalen Hall in Oxford that Society with me where from the first even to this day through Gods goodness I yet continue which hath bred and sent forth many faithful Laborers into Gods Vineyard and many † Mr. Tyndal the martyr Dr. Field Dr. Hoyle Dr. Harris M. Pemble Mr. Leigh Dr. Cheynel Dr. Wilkinson now of Ch. Ch in Oxon. Dr. Wilkins M. Obadiah Sedgwick M. Pocock M. Pynke M. Thomas Ford. Mr. Simon Ford c. Edmunds Bury Mr. Jet learned Orthodox Writers Of later years my acquaintance hath been much increased with this worthy Author and I rejoyce therein He hath for these fifteen years in Edmunds Bury in Suffolk Where he now resides given abundant testimony of his industry and fidelity in the discharge of his Ministery and hath studied to approve himself a Workman that needeth not to be ashamed He hath as it is said of Demetrius obtain'd a good report and of the truth He is sound in the faith and holy in life both by his life and Doctrine makes it his business to win many souls unto righteousness I adde no more concerning the Author neither needed I have said so much for he needs not my Letters of commendation His Works speak far lowder and praise him in the Gate That * Corporation where those † two faithful Servants of Christ do now exercise their Ministery hath great cause of thankfulness because God hath raised up such able Ministers now upon the place in the room of their * worthy Predecessors with most of them I rejoyce that I have had the honor of acquaintance And that people who like Capernaum have been lifted up to Hea † Mr. Claget M. Sclater M. Gibbons M. White M. Calamy burroughs M. Sainthill M. Wall ven with Gospel means ought to remember That where much is given much is required As for such who forsake faithful Teachers and the Publick Assemblies I heartily wish them timely and serious repentance and that their Palates might have a right taste then they will conclude that the old wine is better then their new and that godly ordained Ministers are better then upstart un-called self-conceited Seducers Concerning the Book the whole design whereof is to advance grace and decry the abuse thereof it cannot be expected that I should ingage to bring of every Phrase Punctillo or Tittle according to the curiosity of Criticks As for such whose fancies out-run their judgements and with whom affectations of new coyn'd words are more valued then the form of sound words I am not careful to answer them in these matters neither do I think their exceptions worthy of an Answer However I am fully perswaded that the Treatise is solid and profitable tending to edification and throughout the whole there runs a line of a gracious spirit And whoever profits not thereby hath more reason to question himself then the Author For if pride and prejudice be laid aside I doubt not but through Gods blessing much spiritual advantage will follow upon the serious and deliberate perusal of this Book Now if any one Object that the World is glutted with multitude of Books my answer is For good Orthodox solid Writers we have reason to bless God for such helps we have by them and ought to be desirous for the continual increase of them As for vain frothy unsound Writers we wish that they were supprest altogether For some Books we have too many and of others which are rotten heretical and blasphemous we wish we had not any at all but that they and their Authors might be buryed together and never be reviv'd as now adays with sorrow be it mentioned they

that if 3. A Woe denounced against them who make excuses and refuse to come like the guests in the Parable we either finde excuses not to come and feed on Christs heavenly dainties Luke 14. 18. or we be unprepared wanton loose guests and come not to his Feast with the Wedding Garment i. e. Faith in Christ with the whole train of Graces but in the deformed rags and pollutions of our sins I say if we be like those that either openly and positively reject his offered Grace or like those wanton abusers of Gods grace in the Apostle Jude tread in their steps and die in this Libertinism as a Woe is denounced unto them Jude Ep. v. 11. under condemnation v. 4. to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever v. 13. So if we be fellow-wanton Gospellers with them we shall follow them in their everlasting misery He is deservedly hanged that seeth a Felon die before and yet greedily pursues his wicked courses We are told Sodomites Apostate Angels Abusers of Gospel-grace are already in Hell If the examples of their torments make us not to abhor and eschew their sinnes divine justice wrongs us not in our everlasting destruction whom should self-destroyers blame but themselues I have been the longer in this Section because of the mighty importance of the matter the common wofull lamentable damnable refusall of Gospel gracious calls and invitations to everlasting happinesse unchristianly prophanely dishonourably abused SECT 6. 6. THe means of Grace is turned into Wantonnesse This sad 6. The means of Grace is turned into wantonnesse experience I shall give out in three things shewing When the means of grace are abused The evil of that abuse and What means of grace are abused 1. When are the means of grace abused They are so 1. when they are set higher than they are Means are made Mediators set in the room of Christ when an equall yea a superiour confidence is put in Instrumental institutions The hand and the courage of the Warriour is disparaged when the Sword is set up above him and there be more confidence in a dead instrument than in a living agent The Word the Sword of the Spirit is dead and successelesse out of the strong and living hand of the Spirit It is a double and common wrong both to the means of grace and to Christ when Christ is not eyed sought to admired trusted in by the means The error not onely of ignorant prophane Christians that trust in a bare Baptism and a following of their Church to save them but most real Christians some whereof more admire their Preachers than Jesus Christ more look after an impotent man with all the glory of his gifts than the power and the transcendently eminent endowments of the Lord Jesus The Apostle Paul taught a better lesson who although he planted and watered Churches with miraculous successe owned his own nothingness 2 Cor. 12. 11. abhorred the thoughts of self-sufficiency 2 Cor. 3. 5. was jealous of robbing Christ of his glory gave him the honour of his grace and power that he was used as the exalted and blessed instrument to convert multitudes of sinners and save their soules Rom. 15. 18 19. 2 When meās of grace are set lower then they are 2. When they are set lower than they are Then they are so when they are accounted as uselesse needlesse things as if heaven could be got without them grace might be had and kept though the means disused Nothing is more clear than that in ordinary dispensation extraordinaries not being our rule God hath confined grace and salvation to the use of means Knowledge Joh. 17. 3. The Gospel preached Rom. 1. 13. Baptism 1 Pet. 3. 21. Prayer Ro. 10. 13. The education of godly family guides Gen. 18. 19. Excommunications 1 Cor. 5. 5. The holy counsels and examples of Husbands and Wives one to another 1 Cor. 7. 16. The means of grace to the reproach of the God of grace are exceedingly undervalued when the sottish and conceited generation that live without Ordinances hold there is no dependance at all on holynesse and eternal happinesse upon Gods instituted means They are also set lower than they are when encumbred with Martha about needlesse things in the brood of earthly cares and employments neglect their attendances on heavenly means and make their affaires below excuses as too many doe to the dishonour of their regenerate part just as studious worldlings to put by heavenly exercises in the Worship of God 3. When they are contradicted and blasphemed as Paul's 3 Whē means of Grace are contradicted and blasphemed preaching was by the Jews true Prayer by the Spirit by unspiritual gracelesse Atheists that revile godly care of holy houshold guides to keep their children and servants in the knowledge fear and love of God whose pious endeavours to save the soules of their families condemning their wicked neighbours irreligion is the occasion but not the cause of their blaspheming their Prayers singing of Psalmes strict keeping of the Sabboth and week dayes holy and righteous conversation when the holy and heavenly institutions of the Lord Jesus are the markes at which sonnes and daughters of Belial shoot the arrows of their bitter words the meanes of grace are eminently abused 4. When they are judged and rested in as the onely evidences of grace The more ignorant carnall morall hypocriticall 4 Whē means are judged rested in as the only evidences of Grace sort of Christians have no better arguments that they are in the state of grace than this they have the means of grace It is an irrational conclusion A patient hath good physick therefore he shall recover a dunce hath good books and a good tutor therefore he will be a scholar a great Army is well furnished for war therefore it shall overcome The battel is not to the strong Eccles 9. 11. As unscripturall an inference it is The means of grace are enjoyed therefore the grace of the means is obtained Capernaum was lifted up to heaven in means and yet cast to hell Mat. 11. 23. Ordinances doe not confer grace as fire doth heat by their natural vertue but as the Lord Christ healed the sick by supernaturall Grace is not in the means as causes but by them as instruments Should many men have no use of the means to plead for their spirituall estate there would be nothing to speak them really Christian but they would be left as naked heathens It is not the having but the saving using of means that will stand by us 5. When they are made shelters of sin as dens are for Lyons 5 Whē means are made a shelter of sin cloaths are for bodies The Sacrifices and Temple were not to be a Sanctuary of Murder Adultery False swearing Idolatry Jer. 7. 9 10. Nor were the Pharisees to make long prayers to cloak the devouring of widdows houses Luk. 20. 47. The Harlots beginning with Gods services were poor fig

though they read and cannot deny it that Christ triumphed openly in his bloody passion over his enemies a World b Flesh and c Devil a Joh. 16. 33. b Rom. 6. 6. c Col. 2. 15. yet by their graceless hearts and dissolute lives like Traytors to their professed Lord restore to his enemies what in them lyes their vanquished Kingdom which the Lord Christ died for to destroy in the Crosse 3. From an holy profession powerlesse over corruption the Lord Christ is like to have no followers in the world Primitive Christians won repute to Christ and his Gospel not by their shadowy forms but substantial powers of Godliness The Apostle Peter exhorted Christian Wives so powerfully to adorn their Profession that their lives as really converting Sermons might win their idolatrous Husbands to Jesus Christ and his Truth 1 Pet. 3. 1. when powerlesse good speeches doe no good the practicall power of godlinesse would make converts When heathens found the christians not onely holy lives but miraculous power of casting Daemonibus ejectis omnes quiresanali fuerunt adhaeserunt religioni cujus potentiam senserint Justitia De Lact. l. 5. c. 23 Devils out of their bodies they stuck close to that Religion whose power they felt Were the lives of christians now adayes shining and convincing did the miraculous power of casting Devils out of souls appear not onely the delivered themselves but prophane observers would magnifie and keep close to that religious profession whose glorious victorious power is admirably discerned SECT 5. 2. THe grace of God is turned into wantonnesse when the The grace of God is turned into wantonnes when the sinner carries loosly as to God sinner carries loosely as to God hee doth so in four things 1. When Pretenders to Gods grace doe not retaine the light of God shining in their minds so that truths that would be saving and sanctifying are imprisoned in unrighteousnesse and God is not with liking and love in all their thoughts Psal 10. 4. He is known but not glorifyed as God Rom. 1. 21. By the sin as well of wanton christians as wanton heathens Gods grace is injured Impure hearts and evill lives are sad contradictions to divine informations Carelesse servants minde not their Masters pleasure not carelesse Christians the pleasure of God 2. When the commands of God are cast behind the back the grace of God is abused As his Laws are sweetly qualified in Christ they are all Acts of Grace God favours us in requiring obedience of us on Gospel tearms His Laws are known to Jacob and his Statutes to Israel he hath not dealt so with any Nation Psal 147. 20. To the Israelites pertained the giving of the Law Rom. 9. 4. Now to cast his gracious pleasure behinde the back is such an indignitie as to cast away a Princes gracious Proclamation wherein his pleasure is sweetned with many acts of grace God needs not our obedience we need his commands and in their obediential service there is not only work but wages The sweet peace and comfort of sincere gospel duty payes for its performance In conscionable and spirituall obedience as God is glorified so there is great reward Isa 49. 4. Psal 19. 11. What wrong do they to the grace of God and their own souls who under the favor of Grace neglect that holy compliance with the Divine Will which is rewarded with present purity and delight 1 Pet. 1. 22. Rom. 7. 22. and shall be with promised eternal happiness Rom. 2. 7. Heb. 6. 12. 3. When there is impudent irreverence in the presence of Erubescentia virtutis tinctura Laertius in vita Diog. God There is no fear of God in the eyes of daring sinners Rom. 3. 18. whereas true Grace would put on an holy blush either to prevent sin or repent of it The Philosopher resented modest shamefastness as virtues colour and the Scripture accounts of holy shame as the complexion of Grace O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee Ezra 9. 6. so Rom. 6. 21. O our hypocrisie we that stile the Lord our gracious God are ashamed of sins before men but blush not to sin before God O our slighting of Gods presence Though we see Gods All-seeing eye upon us and are convinced the Lord knoweth and exactly weigheth our sinful thoughts reasonings desires affections Perturbations close Atheisme irreverence filthiness pride envy malice and Books of sinful words Actions to be read over again in the great examining and Judging day yet the audacious sinner will pour out his pollutions before the seen face of God with a shameless whores forehead Frous illis erat meretricis nec vellent erubescere nullis Dei judiciis se corrigi sustinerent Calvin in Jer. 3. 3. and a spirit senseless of his severe judgements or prying presense Too many that go for Gods servants are like the loose ones of men that know their gracious Masters eye is before them yet abuse him and slight his pleasure before his face such a frame of spirit speaketh this wickedness as if such Language were uttered before the Lord O Lord thou art my loving Master but I so little regard thee that though I know thou feest me yet I will dissemble be unclean passionate unjust in my dealings worldly and follow the swinge of my corrupt lusts in thy sight such kinde of excuses carry great filth and guilt But be not deceived God will not be so mocked 4. When pretenders to the Grace of God live wholly to themselves Nisi quisque à semetipso deficiat ad eum qui supra ipsum non appropinquat Greg. and not to him This is an affront to Gods Grace It is the genuine and proper work of Grace to live to God He cannot draw nigh unto him that departs not from himself Grace is water of life it is with this as with other water it riseth as high as the Spring from whence it came The God of grace is the spring of grace this living water runs up to its own Spring He is the Sea of grace this sweet stream in a supernatural gratitude runs into its own Sea The Lord Christ designed this in his death that his redeemed ones should not live unto themselves but to him that died for them and rose again 2 Cor. 5. 15. But now when carnal Gospellers follow the guidance of their own reason the imperious Law of their desires and affections like Israel bring forth fruit unto themselves Hos 10. 1. Center their Religious services hearing fasting praying reading for self not God Zach. 7. 5. When shining glorious profession is but a more unsuspected and politick sacrifice to that grand Idol Carnal self either in the whole or main of its services the grace of God is abused When all Christians by their profession should lay out and consecrate themselves wholly to Christ they are unworthy that the earth should bear them that do not fully resign and devote themselves to Christ They

him and thus as the ploughing of the wicked is sin so is his c●●●●●ment Because with some persons civill ●itles are so abominable though they are not like to read this Page yet the holy Scriptures will assure the sober Reader their folly is manifest and noto●ious Put case persons of honour are wicked as too many are who are like to smart for it to all Eternity for staining their o●n honour and Gods too Yet Paul a vessel of honor without courtship but by the teachings of the Holy Ghost had learned this good manners to give great though bad persons their civil respects Noble Felix Act. 24. 3. King Agrippa Act. 25. 26. I appeal to Caesar Act. 25. 11. Pauls persecutors at Antioch were yet stiled Honourable Women and chief Men of the city Act. 13. 50. No unmannerly railing Quakers in ●po●o lical times But because in civil courteous Appellations it is not more easie than common to erre there is an huge generation of vain complementists whose immoderate compellations are the froth of language the vanitie of minde the waste of time the impertinencie of Christian society I would willingly caution the gracious person convinced of his duty he must be courteous and give honour to whom honour is due to observe these Rules Christian when you give civil honour to others according to their worldly Qualitie and Precedencie 1. Do it with Reverence of the Majesty of God Persons of Honour are the Image the bright Beams of God the infinite ●●ount●in of Honour 'T is he hath set the children of men in their Titles Seats Estates of Honour Neither Affliction nor Promotion comes from the ground God is the Judge sets up whom he pleaseth Ps 75. 7. As in Wisdoms left hand are riches and glory Pro. 3. 16. so he distributes worldly honours mo●ly to vile men However they are civil honour is not vile though the persons that have it be vile come vilely by it and use it vilely 2. Give civil honour for conscience sake the sense of duty God hath commanded it not so much to please them as to please God 3. When the lip honoureth let the heart reverence Wee may neither give men civil worship nor God religious hypocritically 4. Lavish not out too many words nor time in civil courtesies 5. From a prudent observation of Persons Time and Place mix religious and spiritual with civil discourse To spend whole hours mornings afternoons as very many vain frothy persons do in air-beating soul-unbettering windy courtesies and merry discourse without a thought a word of the Majesty of God who as he hath a Book of remembrance to note down the pious words of them that fear him so he registers too the numerous superfluous words of them that fear him not will have a sad account in the great day 6. If among your civil treatments as the Spouse let your lips drop like the Honey-comb when you speak of by a secret ejaculation beg a blessing on your gracious words for your own and the companies advantage 7. Labour to affect your heart with the good things that in gravity and wisdom you deliver 8. If you see civil courtesie swalloweth up pietie your selfe and heavenly language be a burden to the company savouring not the things of God preferring a Romance before a Sermon vain chassie Tales before the precious Truths of God they had rather be foolishly carnally constantly merry than really wise goe home and mourn in secret you have given vain spirits their due honours who denyed God his they have been all for courtesie nothing for piety visited only one anothers bodies not soules spent their time and strength in outward while strangers to inward mirth SECT 9. THey without breach of Charity do grosly wrong the grace 9 They abuse grace who are eminent worldlings of God 9. Who under glorious pretensions to Saving-grace are eminent worldings When Heaven and Earth meet together then will Heavenly and Earthly minds Grace as it is heaven-born so it doth make heavenly The Mediator of Grace hath taught us We cannot serve God and Mammon How many go among us in their own thoughts and in others opinion for persons in the state of grace and yet dextrously deeply with all the powers of their understanding and carnal reason design project for the world affect it vehemently pursue it fervently keep it basely part with it sorrowfully heap it up covetously desire it endlesly admire it adore it idolatrously are afraid to put too much in Christs coffers the bellyes of the poor Is this the fruit of grace Did ever grace come with power but it did unglue the heart from the world Is not this Scripture The love of the world and the things of the world and the love of the Father dwell not together 1 Joh. 2. 15. Will this passe for good Divinity Will either the Scriptures a Death-bed or the Last Judgement own it viz. A gracious Mammonist a gracious Worldling a gracious Hold-fast a gracious Hard-heart a gracious Rebel against the Laws of Christ that commands labour for Heaven more than Earth laying up Treasure in Heaven more than in Earth more to be rich in good works than in wealth to settle the affections on things above and not on earth will cordial and practical contradiction to these and many such Laws of Christ speak a gracious person the honour of grace the power of grace O no the nullitie of grace the infamy of grace Else the Apostle would not with tears speake of earthly minds as enemies to the Cross of Christ whose end is a sad word a very sad one destruction Let the Masters of great Estates consider it that had such before the Wars among us or since the Civil bloody commotions by providence shining on gracious profession in Court City Country the Bench the Pulpit the Army who have not walked but suddenly leapt to huge riches some to hundreds others thousands by the year Whoever they are be they assured of it they grosly abuse the grace of God who give sad proof they are eminent worldlings I beseech you all who are so and shall cast your eyes on these lines seriously ask your own soules Do you not set your hearts on the Mammon of iniquity Are not your stupendious sweet possessions your Idols Are they not your treasure do not your thoughts esteems affections run out in full stream to them Do not your poor neighbours in the Countries places where you live see and bewail it your bowels move no more to them than rocks Doe you know when to say we have enough to give largely to Jesus Christ as well as to your families In these years of Judgement when Lo●ships Farms great Riches have changed Masters are there none that say Poor creatures that think on it with tears Ah wofull change our old Masters fed and cloathed us but we may starve under our new Possessors I dare not charge you all for gracelesse worldlings God will your consciences one day

are and become voluminous to the great injury of the Church of God But as for such excellent Books as we have had of late years I have cause to bless God that ever I read * M. Sheffield of conscience M. Wall 's none but Christ M. Ford of Adoption Mr. Calamy's Ark. M. Reyners Precepts c. them I heartily wish that there were more of that kinde One of the same stamp is this Treatise The man and his Communication is one and the same His design I am perswaded is in the singleness of his heart to bring glory to God in advancing of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ He was hardly prevail'd withal to put this Work to Print but having communicated it to me and referr'd it to my determination after a deliberate perusal thereof I would not by any means suppress that which I conceived might conduce to the publick good Wherefore Reader be pleased to spend some time and it will be no lost time in a careful reading of this profitable Treatise and if thou be not wanting to thy self I conceive thou wilt reap much benefit for thy precious soul And this further request I have to thee that thou would'st be mindful of the Author at the Throne of Grace and of him also who rejoyceth that he hath been in any way instrumental to bring to light this Treatise which in love to thy soul he hath now made publick and remains Oxon Magdalen-Hall March 28. 1659. Thy Servant for Christs sake Henry Wilkinson The Authors Preface to the unprejudiced Reader THE corruption of the best things is the worst corruption of Sense bad of Reason worse of Corruptio optimi est pessima Grace worst of all As chrystal waters are bemired fair faces besported not into ornament but deformitie so the pure chrystal streams of the Sanctuary are defiled and the fair face of Gods Grace the most orient Beauty of Heaven and Earth is bespotted by deforming Libertinism There is no new thing under the Sun a Eccles 1. 9. What hath been is and will be while the old man and the old Serpent in their impure conjunction are apt and able to engender a numerous brood of licentious wantons The Abuse of Gods goodness is as ancient as Angels and Adams fall As Angels They defaced the Primitive glory of their creation stood not in Inerat ei possibilitas peccandi nec tamen fuit culpa Dantis sed Abutentis qui ipsam facultatem convertit in usum peccandi quam acceperat ad gloriam non peccandi Non peccavit quia potuit sed quia voluit Bern. de Gratia Libero Arbitrio p. 1060. B. the truth b John 8. 48. but voluntarily depraved themselves from once pure and blessed Angels into unclean and cursed Devils Adam abusing himself and his freewill lost himself and his freewill perverted his sinless mutability given him to stand to the worst use of it to fall Abused his soveraignty over Eve and the creatures his bright burning candle of Reason his Conscience fit to condemn his Will able to reject Temptation his regular affections his tenacious memory his natural homage to his Maker in short his created sufficiencie Since this fall and fatal epidemical degeneration a loose wantonnesse hath run through the masse of all Mankind by ordinary generation the Offspring of Adam As Aelian relates there is a sting of poyson that runs quite through the Lampreyes a fish of a delicate taste so the Abuse of Gods goodnesse runs through all the generations of men The vilest of them are predominant wantons The best have been too much infected with the leaven of looseness The impure fire of the Sodomites Incontinencie left the natural use and burnt in lust to men c Rom. 1. 27. Bring out the men that we may know them d Gen. 19. 5. The lascivious Israelites sate down to eat and drink and rose up to play e Exod. 32. 6. The degenerate Idolatrous seed of Abraham oft left the bed of chast worship and the pure heavenly delights of spiritual conjugal communion for the filthy exotick pleasures of superstitious Lovers f Hos 2. 5. 7. The sonnes of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair and they took them wives of all which they chose g Genes 6. 1. Junius notes The daughters of men are opposed to the sons Filiae hominum filiis Dei opponuntur Non viri mundani faeminas mundanas appetivisse dicunt●r sed filii Dei i. e. homines ad Deum ex foedere ad ecclesiam Dei pertinentes dicuntur scortari Juni of God It was not worldly men that desired worldly women but the sons of God men in covenant with God professed Church members that did fornicate after unsuitable contagious beauties and so infected the Church The posterity of Seth who had the purity of Gods worship as Otho Casman observes we●e so debauched by carnal sensuality ut extincto filiorum Dei semine The seed of Gods sonnes being extinct they set Eousque securitas progressa ut carnis suae desideria Religioni longe preferrent Otho Casmannus up their carnal desires before their professed pure Religion Lot was first abused with Wine then with Incest h Gen. 19. 32 35. Aaron the Saint of God i Psal 106. 16 had a part in the guilt of the golden Idol k Exod. 32. 2 3 4. David was too lascivious in his house top l 2 Sam. 11. 2. The Lords covenan●ed people were linsey woolsey in their Religion feared God and yet served their Idols m 2 King 17. 33. Halted between God and Baal n 1 King 18. 21. Great Solomon was so enslaved to his wanton wives that his hea●rt was after strange Gods o 1 King 11. 3 4. The temple of the Lord was converted into a den of thieves and became a sanctuary of wickedness So under the New Testament clear Gospel-light hath been perverted to countenance works of darknesse Ranting Libertines have been first poysoned in their Intellectuals p Jer. 7. 4. 11. They count it pleasure to riot in the Meridian Gospel-day-time q 2 Pet. 2. 13. and then they are infected in their Morals and become adulterers seducers covetous cursed children that cannot cease from sin r 2 Pet. 2. 14. Even the family of Christ had a licentious Judas that did personate not live the Saint but was a very Devil in a Saints cloaths s John 6. 70. Simon Magus would buy that hee might sell the Spirit make a worldly market not an heavenly negotiation of the Holy Ghost t Act. 8. 18 19 The Apostle Paul blamed the Corinthians gifted but infected Christians with ●●dings u 1 Cor. 3. 4. spiritual pride w 1 Cor. 4. 18 contentions x 1 Cor. 3. ● and carnal uncleanness y 2 Cor. 12. 21 The Widdow a Votary to Christ and his Gospel waxed wanton against him z 1