or excusing them And Hercules after he had slaine his wife and children became so perplexed in conscience that in the horror of it he concluded Nemo pollutojqueat animo mederi none of a polluted conscience can be cured And Aristotle was able to say of the wicked in the 9. of his Ethicks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zeph. 3.5 therefore Alexander a heathen man having slaine his deare friend Clitus became grievously troubled in his conscience his very conscience accusing him for that barbarous and savage cruelty Thirdly they knew this distributive or iudiciarie iustice of God by the examples of Gods iustice for that hath beene true and shall bee true for ever which the Lord sets down by the Prophet Zephany Every morning doth hee bring his iudgements to light and faileth not Therefore when Tull. Hostilius was slaine by lightning from heaven and his house burned the Gentiles understood this to bee the iustice of God against him for his irreligious exorcismes So that wee see it cleere the Gentiles did know this iudiciarie iustice of God yet wilfully against their owne knowledge and conscience they committed things worthy of death A grievous wickednesse for if every sinne deserve death even sinnes of infirmitie and ignorance as the Prophet David doth witnesse and therefore doth cry out unto God Psal 19.12 Oh clense me from my secret sinnes how much more sinnes of wilfulnesse committed against the full swinge of knowledge and conscience 1. Ioh. 3.8 as were the sinnes of these Gentiles for knowing the iustice of God they committed them therefore saith the Apostle Rom. 1.18 They detayned the truth in unrighteousnesse they knew it but they wilfully reiected it Now saith our Saviour Luke 12.47 Hee that knowes his Masters will and doth it not shall bee beaten with many stripes And wee may see that the Prophet Samuel calls the sinne committed against knowledge and conscience 1. Sam. 15.23 a rebellion and compares it to those great sinnes witchcraft and idolatrie and Saul being guilty of this the Lord reiects him for ever What should this then impresse within us beloved in Christ Iesus oh how well might it serve to instruct us to be cautious how we entertaine or live in any sinne against our knowledge and our conscience First to be cautious how wee entertaine any sinne against our conscience 1. Iohn 3.20 for if as Saint Iohn speakes our conscience condemne us God is greater than our conscience and knoweth all things If therefore wee commit those things that our owne knowledge and our conscience is able to condemne us and pronounce iudgement against us for it how much more then shall the Lord condemne us and iudge us for these sinnes to whom they are farre better knowne than to our owne consciences Besides if our conscience bee able now to accuse us for these sinnes how much more shall it bee able to doe it at the finall iudgement Rev. 20.12 when the bookes shall bee opened even the booke of conscience and by the vigour of the divine power shall bee made able to call to remembrance all the thoughts words and actions whatsoever Rom. 2.15 had spoken or done by us and to accuse us or excuse us for them according as they have been agreeable or dissenting from the Law of God how much more then shall our consciences bee able to accuse us for all our sinister passages when they shall be thus opened and as it were quickned and awaked by the mighty power of God for oftentimes in this life through the long habite and continuance in sinne the conscience becomes as it were dead and the dictamen or voyce thereof strangely quailed but at length the Lord shall quicken it even the conscience of the most wicked as he did somtimes Cains which made him cry out Gen. 4.13 My sin is greater than can be forgiven or as he did somtimes Iudases which did so torment him that it made him bring backe his base corrupted hyer and to throw it downe at the feet of the Priests and Elders Matt. 27. openly confessing I have sinned betraying the innocent blood and as weary of his life desperately deprived himselfe of all vitall power Oh therefore be we cautious how we entertaine sinne against our knowledge and our conscience Secondly be we cautious how we live in any sinne against our knowledge and our conscience for this is a dangerous estate for saving Faith receives no impression where the conscience is wounded with plenall raigning sinnes committed against our knowledge and our conscience Therefore the Apostle ioynes these two together 1. Tim. 1.19 Faith and a good conscience that is a conscience purged and purified from raigning sinnes for these doe vastare conscientiam they wast and destroy the conscience therfore to these there is no comfort no peace with God no peace in conscience for there is no peace Esay 48 2◠saith the Lord unto the wicked In these that thus live in sin committed with full consent of will against their knowledge and their conscience there is no pietie nor religion there is no true feare of God nor obedience unto his sacred Word Psal 36.1 Oh that wee would therefore be cautious how wee live in any sinne against our conscience for if the Gentiles as the Apostle shewes us had no pretext to excuse their sins whose chiefest Schoolemaster to shew them Gods iustice against their sinnes was yet but the light of Nature if these were voyde of excuse oh then what shal we say to our selves If we live in sinnes against our knowledge our conscience even those grosse sinnes which wee see daily familiarly entertained drunkennesse adulterie deceit oppression envie malice and that hell-bred sinne of usurie how inexcusable shall we be to live in these sinnes who have not only the light of Nature Rom. 6.23 but the cleere and manifest word of God to shew us the iustice of God against these sinnes nay the excellent and precious gospell of Christ Marke 1.15 promising to the repentant that forsake their sinnes and beleeve this sacred truth Ioh. 3.16 17 18. eternall felicitie and happinesse oh then how voyde of pretext shall we be yea how greatly shall this aggravate iudgement against us to live in sinnes against our knowledge and our conscience to whom Gods iustice is so cleerly manifested Heb. 2.2 3. to whom so great meanes is afforded to reclaime us and recall us Oh know we if we against our knowledge and conscience will thus still continue our violence in sinne notwithstanding this great meanes afforded us it shall bee easier for these Gentiles at the day of iudgement than for us And thus much beloved for my first generall part the pollution of the Gentiles in respect of their owne proper sinnes Come I now unto the second observed generall the pollution of the Gentiles in respect of the sinnes of others which the Apostle sets downe as a deep
upon them seemes to draw into an utter oblivion And thus we see that sinne is fitly compared to a Fever to a Leprosie to a Phrensie to a Lethargie Oh now what shall this impresse within us Is this the nature of sinne is it a disease a disease so grievous so hard to bee cured how well might this instruct us to relinquish sinne to bee warie how we entertaine that dangerous maladie But what may we not here stand a pauld and amaz'd may we not well cry out oh tempora oh mores for what heart can conceive what eare hath heard or what tongue can expresse the miserie of these times oh that the eternall power would inspire some power of his spirit to make our dull and earthie mindes fit to record and apt to utter some breviat of this wicked age Alas forsake our sinnes warie how we give entertainment to sinne a strange discourse oh how the flintie heart returnes it back againe and seemes to eccho in my eares Tush tush a voyce for heaven but not for earth what should we become the wonder of the world t is not the fashion of this strong stomackt age to make a question how full they gorge themselves with sinne Most true indeed what can bee more cleere The opinion of the world for now the trade of sin is growne full ripe * hee is held a sot of no regard that treads but ordinarie stepps of sinne but dives he downe to hell and fetch he thence some strange unheard of damned plot that may amaze the minde astonish modest eares and be a wonder to the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 câ—leritas ad nequitiam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 malignè diligens Such amongst other of this time seeme those to be in the Romish iudgement that plotted that horrid stratagem the powder-treason hath he not only as Basill speakes a notable dexteritie to invent mischiefe but as Eustathius speakes becomes most diligent and watchfull to put it in practice oh he is the man surpassing wise a worthy polititian oh none to him Those grosse and common sinnes ebrietie adulterie base usurie and foule blasphemie become such hacknies of the world so frequent and familiar in every place that these they seeme no sinnes at all they will tell you they can prescribe If you commence a suit they will plead a custome If you urge it further they will prohibit and draw you downe to the judgment of the world Egregious wickednesse reckoned by unhallowed spirits for wise political inventions where you may bee sure they will prove their suggestions So that these foule sinnes by their communitie and continuitie seeme to have purchased to themselves such a kinde of immunitie that you may behold them to walke up and downe the streets without controule very gravely very gentleman-like as if they had nothing to doe with the societie of hell as if these were no sinnes at all for in this deepe transgressing age nothing seemes worthy of that name The indulgent judgement that men use to have of sin and wickednes but some horrid-acted stratagem that may seeme to put the very Divells themselves to schoole now none seeme to bee wicked but such as are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extreamely wicked wicked as it were beyond comparison oh such bee our times so strange bee our affections but oh wretched creatures whither doe you bend your course oh see your estate observe your condition you are full of foule diseases your soules are laden with the burning Fever of sinne with a loathsome Leprosie whose great contagion is ready to make a separation betwixt you and your God alas with a violent Phrensie which makes you warre against God grow insensible of your miserie and smile when your destruction approacheth even with a grievous Lethargie which makes you sleepe in sin and continue in wickednesse never remembring either heavenly joyes or hellish miseries And what will you still remaine in this estate will you take no notice of your great distresse shall neither the burning of the Fever nor the contagion of the Leprosie nor the violence of the Phrensie nor the oblivion of the Lethargie worke any impression upon you shall they be no motives to you to make you forsake your impieties and to become warie how you entertaine any sinne which ever carries with it the nature of all these grievous diseases Oh then what can remaine to you but endlesse woe and miserie what can be your estate but as David spake of the mountaines of Gilboa never dewes to fall on you more no showres of grace to mollifie your hearts but as you have begun in sinne so to end in sinne through the strength of your disease by which you have so violently resisted the sweet fountaines of Gods mercies so often compassing your soules But blessed bee the hills of Armenia which give rest unto the Arke of the Lord oh blessed those that give way to this voyce of God and become moved to forsake their sinnes and cautious how they ever entertaine that grievous disease which seekes to inthrall them with an incurable distresse And thus much for the action Metaphorically set forth in the word heale plainely shewing sinne to bee a dangerous disease and consequently never able to bee cured by any but by God himselfe as the principall efficient which concludes the scope of my first part the matter subject I will heale Proceed wee now unto the second generall the predicate Rebellions I will heale their Rebellions When sinnes of infirmitie or sinnes of ignorance are committed these doe taint the soule and make it liable to eternall death Rom. 6.23 for the reward of sinne of any sinne whatsoever is death but when wee lade our selves with rebellions sinnes pertinaciously committed and continued in against our knowledge and our conscience oh these may well be said to exasperate and incense a speedie passage of Gods justice against us for as the Prophet Samuell speakes Rebellion is as the sinne of witchcraft and transgression is wickednesse and idolatrie as proceeding from the same loathsome sinke an incredulous unbeleeving heart yet even this great wickednesse the Lord is content to heale and cure it to the repentant and truly humbled I will heale their Rebellions plainely shewing that great sinnes limit not Gods mercies but if we truly mourne for sinne and become sincerely humbled for our impieties endeavouring to apply his blessed mercies unto them desiring them in the merit and mediation of that loving Saviour Iesus Christ he will not faile to heale even the rebellious soares of our soules When bloudy Cain and treacherous Iudas had committed great and grievous wickednesse whence was it that they perished in their evills alas not because Gods mercies were not able to cure them but because they desperately despaired never fixed eye upon those soveraigne comforts Wee may see in Mathewes Gospell our Saviour tells us he would have gathered together wicked and rebellious Ierusalem as the hen her
committed with a full consent or plenall swinge of will but are eyther sinnes of ignorance or sinnes of infirmitie and frailtie they delight not in sinne but doe hate it they continue not in sin without repentance but doe weepe and mourn for it Rom. 7.15 c. But the Regenerate sinne not with full swinge of will for as Saint Iohn speakes whosoever is borne of God sinneth not that is ex animo or tota voluntate from his heart or with a full swinge of will for as Saint Paul speaketh the evill which they do they allow not but doe hate it and are delighted with the law of God according to the inner man onely in the flesh the part corrupt and unregenerate there dwelleth no good thing in respect thereof they are led captive that is against their wills unto the law of sinne Therefore it followeth that the Regenerate cannot totally fall away from God 10 If faith may be lost so a totall desertion made from God then all the fruits and effects of faith But these cannot all be wholly lost for the Regenerate are never brought to that extremitie As we may see in Cain and Iudas Gen. 4.13 Mat. 27.5 as to contemne God and utterly to despaire of God for this is proper to the Reprobates onely Therefore faith it selfe cannot wholly be lost and consequently the Regenerate never totally fall from God Hence it is to shew the constant perseverance of the faithfull that our Saviour concludes that those whom his Father hath given him none shal take them out of his hands Iohn 4.14 that they which shall drinke of the water which he shall give them shall never thurst againe but it shall be in them a well of water springing up unto everlasting life This happy persevering estate of the faithfull the Apostle Paul knew right well therefore hee was constantly perswaded that neyther death nor life nor Angels nor principalities Est in nobis per Dei gratiaÌ„ in bono recipiendo perseveranter tenendo non solum posse quod velinus vetum etiam velle quod possumus Aug. Tom. 7. de correp grat cap. 12. col 1342. Nunc vero sanctis in regnum Dei per gratiam Del praedestinatis non tantum tale adjutorium perseverantiae datur scilicet ut possint perseverare si velint sicut datum fuit Adâ— sed tale ut â—is porseverantia ipsa donctur August Tom. praed Colum. 1343. nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature should be able to separate him from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. To this purpose to witnesse the perseverance of the faithfull speakes S. Augustine There is saith hee in us by the grace of God in the receiving good and the holding it perseveringly not only an abilitie to doe that which we will but also to will that which wee can doe And againe Now saith he to the Saints predestinate to the kingdome of God by grace is given not only such a helpe of perseverance that is that they might persevere if they would as was given to Adam but such a helpe that perseverance it selfe is given unto them To this purpose speakes also Chrysostome Neither man saith hee nor time Chrys in cap. 5. Epist ad Rom. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.26 Psal 31.5 nor the change of things nor the Divill himselfe nor approaching death can drive us away from those things that is from the graces of God but when we dye then we hold them more certainely and alwaies profiting wee injoy more Here therefore may wee cleerly behold the third speciall qualitie observed in this last generall prosecution of the true sheepe of Christ they follow him perseveringly So that in their latest gaspe in the peace of conscience and assurance of Gods love toward them the spirit of God witnessing togerher with their spirit that they are the sonnes of God they are able to say Into thy hands oh Lord doe we commend our spirit Blessed therefore they that be the true sheep of Christ for these we see by the strength of his holy spirit dwelling in them overcome all the strength of sinne all the furie of Satan all the seducing objects of the world all the inducing provocations of the wicked and so persevere Rev. 21.7 that at length they come to inherit all things all the ioyes of heaven Psal 84.10 all the comforts of Gods everlasting kingdome where one day is better than a thousand else where Psal 16.11 for in the presence of our God oh there is the fulnesse of joyes and at his right hand there are pleasures for evermore Blessed therefore these and truly prudent they that make this the subject of their affection and the speciall scope of their practice that they may be found to be of this blessed number even the true sheepe of Christ The which heavenly wisedome the eternall Father bee pleased to vouchsafe to impresse within us for the precious merits of his deare sonne Christ Iesus To which Father and Sonne with their most holy Spirit three persons and one indivisible essence bee all praise power glorie and dominion ascribed from this time forth for evermore FINIS ROM 1. ult Which knowing the justice of God that they which doe such things are worthy of death not onely doe them but favour those that doe them RIght Worshipfull and beloved in our Saviour Iesus Christ the worthie Apostle having first generally and afterward by particular enumeration set forth the horrid pollutions of the Gentiles wherewith they were infected at length he comes to an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the accusation shewing with what violence and wilfulnesse they committed these sinnes removing from them all pretext and colour of ignorance and infirmitie of ignorance for knowing the justice of God they committed these things of infirmitie for they did not onely doe them themselves but they favoured them that did them Where for method sake and better apprehension I consider the two-fold gradation of the pollutions of the Gentiles the first in respect of their own proper sins the second in respect of the sins of others the first in these words They committed things worthy of death the second in these words that they not onely did such things but they favoured those which did them And first for their pollutions in respect of their owne proper sinnes wherein I consider both the matter and the forme The matter set downe in generall They committed things worthy of death the forme that they committed these things wilfully and willingly against their knowledge and their conscience for they did commit them knowing the justice of God that they which did such things were worthy of death And first for the matter they committed things worthy of death Wherin I consider three things first the blindnesse of man in corrupted nature Secondly the patience of God in executing revenge upon the wicked Thirdly
of infection and that in a twofold kinde for first as that grievous maladie is of that nature that it doth soone spread an infectious steame unto all those that associate themselves with these Senec. Vitia serpunt in vicinos contactunocent so deales sinne it doth soone as Seneca speakes taint and infect the neighbouring parts Hence it was that our grant-parent Eve associating her selfe with the wicked Serpent Gen. 3. became soone infected with his contagion to her great miserie and the miserie of all her posteritie Hence it was that godly Ioseph living in the polluted Court of Pharaoh became soone tainted with the contagion thereof Gen. 42.15 to sweare by the life of Pharaoh and to speake against his own knowledge and conscience Gen. 42.9 Hence it was that the Apostle Peter conversing with the wicked company Mat. â—6 58 Luke 12.55 the enemies of Christ Iesus became so farre infected with their foule pollution as to deny his most loving Master Aug. in Ps 99. Inter malos boni gemunt sic ut grana inter paleas sicut lilium inter spinas Bern. Heu mihi quia undique mihi pericula undique mihi bella undique mihi tela volant unâ—ique tentamenta quocunque me vertor nulla securitas Therfore well might Austine say inter malos boni gemunt c. the godly doe grone amongst the wicked as the wheat amongst the chaffe as the lillie among the thornes well might Bernard complaine woe is mee for dangers are on every side warres on every side darts doe flie on every side on every side temptations whither soever I turne me there is no security The people of Israell had great experience hereof whilst the Cananites became as thornes in their sides deeply piercing them with the foule infection of their loathsome impieties Thus we see that sinne is fitly compared unto a Leprosie in respect of infection spreading it selfe abroad unto remote and neighbouring parts Iudg. 2.3 Secondly sinne is fitly compared unto a Leprosie in regard of infection more proximate and personall for as that disease doth spread it selfe all over the body infecting every part thereof with its foule contagion so deales sinne by the soule it spreads it selfe all over it it annoyes and polluts every part thereof it blindes the understanding that it cannot discerne the excellent things contained in Gods word it dulls the will and makes it froward in the waies of God most backward to all goodnesse most forward to all evill it depraves the affection and makes it alienate from God for as one speakes a sinner is dumbe and blinde Parat Ser. de Temp. Peccator mutus cecus est he hath neither will nor tongue that prayseth and magnifieth God he hath neither understanding nor heart apprehending or taking knowlege of his sacred mysteries for as the Apostle speakes 1. Cor. 2.14 The naturall man perceiveth not the things that are of the Spirit of God they are foolishnesse unto him hee cannot know them for they are spiritually discerned Thus wee see that sinne is fitly compared unto a Leprosie both in respect of remote and proximate infection Lastly it is fitly compared unto a Leprosie Principiis obsta sero Medicina paratur in respect of curation for although it bee a worthy rule concerning all maladies to stay them in the beginning for feare they grow incurable yet is it most especially urgent concerning this foule contagion for if this be not soone lookt unto even in his very enterance alas it growes forever incurable Such a disease is sinne if it bee not carefully lookt unto in the very beginning of it Peccator inveteratus per peccatum induratur Hieron Dum parvus est hostis interfice it will soon take strength and grow exceeding dangerous for a sinner grown old in sinne becomes hardned by sinne therefore Hierome gives worthy counsell to destroy this enemy whilst he is smal even when it is but in thought for as Bernard tells us Evill thoughts whilst they dally with us they throw us downe to destruction Bernard Malae cogitationes dum ludunt illudunt Thus we see that sinne is fitly compared unto a Leprosie in respect of separation infection and curation Thirdly Sin fitly compared unto a Phrensie propter securitatem stoliditatem violentiam the disease of sinne is fitly sympathized by a Phrensie and that in a threefold kinde in regard of security in regard of stolidity and foolishnesse in regard of fiercenesse and violence First in respect of security for those thus affected how much the more grievously the maladie doth possesse them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or common sense is so offended in those troubled with Phrensie that they cannot rightly judge of the nature of any thing as Arist doth witnesse lib. 3 de anim cap. 2. Helcot in Lib. Sap. Peccator quanto pejor tanto minus se reputat peccatorem Prov. 18.3 1. Sam. 15.32 so much the more secure they are carelesse of any thing presumptuous in all things fearing no danger as having lost the use of common or reflecting sense by which they should judge of the nature of things So is it with those laden with the Phrensie of sinne how much the more deep in iniquity so much the more secure for it is truely said that a sinner how much the more worse hee is and deepe in sinne so much the lesse doth hee repute or reckon himselfe a sinner whence it is that Salomon tells us that a wicked man when hee comes into the depth of wickednesse he contemnes that is all admonitions all conceipt of misery becomes most presumptuously secure never considering any imminent danger or stroke of justice ready to bee imposed for sinne committed as Agag when hee was ready to be hackt in pieces hee securely concluded the bitternesse of death was past So pernicious Babel when God was ready to throw downe judgement against her Esa 47.8 shee presumptuously resolved I shall be a Lady for ever misery shall never seaze upon mee So Nebuchad-nezzar when hee was ready to be rejected and made as a beast of the field hee securely proclaimed a most induring pompe Is not this great Babel that I have built for the house of the Kingdome by the might of my Power for the honour of my Majesty Dan. 4.27 As if hee should say my state shall never be changed who can bring downe my might and power So that pampered Epicure though God had sent out a decree against him that very night to take his soule from him Luke 12. yet silly sot the picture of this madde world hee went to bedde with a wonted song of presumptive security Soule take thine ease thou hast much goods laid up in store for many yeares little thinking that that very night should put a period to his life and turne his long hoped joyes to present everlasting woes therefore first sinne is fitly compared to a