he that hath long continued in the practise of any evill hath a fourth which is worse then the worst of them even custome which is a second or new nature § 153. BUt suppose after many yeares spent in the service of sinne and Sathan thou art willing to relinquish thy lusts and offer thy seruice and best devotions at the last gasp to God will he accept themâ— no in al probability he will not for heare what himself saith Pro. 1. Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out mine hand and ye would not regard but despised all my counsell and would none of my correction I wil also laugh at your destruction and mocke when your feare commâ—th when your feare commeth like suddaine desolation and your destruction like a whirlewind When affliction and anguish shall come upon you then shall you call upon me but I will not answer you shall seâ—ke me early but you shall not find me because you hated knowledge and did not choose the feare of the Lord. You would none of my counsell but despised all my corrections therefore you shall eat the fruit of your owne way and bee filled with your owne devises ver 24. to 32. And this is but justice if God be not found of those that were content to loose him if he heare not them that would not heare him if he regard not them that disregarded him if he shut his eare against their prayer crying to him for pardon that stopt their eares against his voyce calling upon them for repentance as Salvian speakes Alasse no child would bee whipt if he might scape for crying but hee onely findes helpe in adversity that sought it in prosperity and ther can be no great hope of repentance at the houre of death where there was no regard of honesty in the time of lifeâ— God useth not to give his heavenly and spirituall graces at the houre of death to those who have contemned them all their life yea it is sensles to think that God should accept of our dry bones when Sathan hath suckt out all the marrow that he should accept of the lees when we have given to his enemy all the good Wine But heare what himselfe saith by the Prophet Malachy c. 1. 8. and S. Ierome upon the place it is a most base and unworthy thing to present God with thâ—t which man would disdaine and thâ—nk scoâ—â—e to accept of Wherefore as you tender your owne soule even to day heare his voyce set upon the work presently he that begins to day hath the lesse work for to morrow And proroge not your good purposes least ye saying unto God in this life with those wicked ones in Iob depart thou from mee for a time God say unto you in the life to come depart from me ye cursed and that for ever Hee hath spared thee long and given thee already a large time of repentance but he will not alwayes wait for denyals his patience at length wil turn into wrath Time was when hee stayed for the old world an hundred and twenty yeares he stayed forâ— a rebellious Nation forty yeares he stayed for a dissolute City forty dayes but when that would not serve his patience was turned into fury and so many as repented not were cast into hell If in any reasonable time wee pray hee heares us if we repeâ—t he pardons us if we amend our lives he saves us but after the houre prefixt in his secret purpose there is no time for petition no place for Conversion no meanes for pacification The Lord hath made a promise to repentance not of repentance if thou convertest tomoâ—row thou art sure of grace but thou art not sure of to morrowes conversion so that a fit and timely consideration is the onely thing in every thing for for want of this Diâ—es prayed but was not heard Esau wept but was not pitied the foolish Virgins knockt but were denied and how many at the houre of death have offered their prayers supplications and services unto God as Iuo as offered his money to the Priests and could not have acceptance but they died as they lived and went from despaire unto destruction § 154. BUt thou wilt say unto me if this be so that all the promises are conditionall that mercy is entayled onely to such as love God and keepe his Commandements that none are reall Christians but such as imitate Christ and square their lives according to the rule of Gods word that of necessity we must leave sinne before sinne leaves us and that God will not heare us another day when we call to him for mercy if we will not heare him now when he calls to us for repentance how is it that so few are reformed that most men minde nothing but their profits and pleasures yea count them fooles that doe otherwise I answer there be two maine reasons of it though one be the cause of the other 1 Ignorance 2 Vnbeleife First few men beleive what is written of God in the Scripture especially touching his justice and severity in punishing sinne with eternall destruction of body and soule for did they really and indeed beleive God when he saith that his curse shall never depart from the house of the swearer Zack 5. they durst not sweare as they doe Did they beleive that neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Theeves nor Murtherers nor Drunkards nor Swearers nor Raylers nor Lyers nor Covetous persons nor Extortioners nor Vnbeleivers nor no Vnrighteous men shall inherit the Kingdome of Heaven but shall have their part in the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death 1 Cor. 6. 9. 10. Rev. 21. 8. they durst not continue in the practise of these sinnes without feare or remorse or care of amendment Did they beleive that except their righteousnesse doe exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees they shall in no case enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Matth. 5. 20. and that without holinesse no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12. 14. with many the like it were impossible they should live as they doe Yea if they did in good earnest beleive that there is either God or Devill Heaven or Hell or that they have immortall soules which shall everlastingly live in blisse or woe and receive according to that they have done in their bodies whether it be good or evill 2 Cor. 5. 10. they could not but live thereafter and make it their principall care how to be saved But alas they are so farre from beleiving what God threateneth in his Word against their sinnes that they blesse themselves in their heart saying we shall have peace we shall speede as well as the best although we walke according to the stubâ—ornnesse of our owne wills so adding drunkennesse to thâ—rst Deut. 29. 19. yea they preferre their condition before other mens who are so abstemious and make conscience of their wayes even thinking that
hard heart Chapter 11. 19. is not more insensible then such a sinner for he will neither be softned with benefits nor broken with punishments neither God's severity can terrifie him nor his kindnesse mollifie him yea the more these anvills are beaten upon the harder they are the change of meanes whether the Word Judgements Mercies c. doâ— but obdure their hearts instead of melting them as we see in the example of Pharaâ—h We know the same Sunne which procuretha sweet savour from flowers makes carrion to stink And as the same water which washes other things cleane makes clay more dirty so this which hath been collected out of the Word instead of diminishing their sinne will as may bee feared increase it like as Physick if it worketh not upon choller turneth into choller their nature being serpentine in lapping this sweet milk they turn it forthwith into poyson Let one charme never so sweetly these Adders will not onely stop their owne eares but stop the charmers mouth too if they can At least if we play upon David's harp to drive away the evill spirit from these Saul's they will let flie the darts of reproach and the arrowes of â—lander at us yea whereas I offer them Wine as Christ did to the Iewes they will returne me Vineger as the Iewes did to Chriâ—â— or they have lost their old wont What should I say if thou beest a drunkard and a scoâ—â—er thou art dead in sinne only thy sinne is alive and not only dead as Iairu's daughter was Matthew 9. 25. nor onely dead laid out and coffind as the Widowes Sonne of Nauâ— was Luke 7. 14. but dead coffind and buried as Lazarus was Iohn 11. 39. even tell thou stinkest in the nosthrils of God and all good men And what rubing can fetch heat in such a dead body So that to admonish thee were as if a man should knock at a deaf mans doore yea it were almost as ridiculous as that Ceremony which the Mahometans use of flinging stones to stone the divell with If you would have a president to make good what hath beene spoken see Matth. 27. where when Iesus cried with a lowd voice and yeelded up the Ghost the vaile of the Temple rent in twaine from the top to the bottome the earth did quake the graves did open themselves and the dead Saints came forth and went into the holy City the Sunne was forsaken of his light c. as if all were sensible of their Maker's suffering when as the generality of the people yea those great Clarkes the Scribes and Pharisees were altogether insensible and worse then all the rest of the creatures the very stones of the Temple were soft in comparison of their stony hearts and they which were dead in their graves were alive to those which were dead in their sinnes So that I have no other message to deliver unto thee then that which the vigilant captaine delivered together with a deaths wound to his fleeping watchman dead I found thee and dead I leave thee Onely thou O Father to whom nothing is hard if it be thy good pleasure as why not seeing it will make much for the glory of thy great Name to save such a mighty sinner who Manasses-like hath multiplied offences above the number of the sand of the Sea and is bound downe with many Iron bands say unto his soule live It 's true thy angry threatning towards sinners is importable but thy mercifull promise is unmeasurable and unsearchable thou therefore that art able to quicken the dead and make even of stones children to Abraham mollifie these stony hearts with the blood of the Lambe and make of these children of the Devill members of thy Sonne Iesus Christ. § 169. ANd so much of the Drunkards Character though I might expatiate for he is a creature made up of many ingredients to which every vice contributes something as the gods did to Vulcan toward the making of his Pandora for as many vices challeng part in him as Cities did of Homer the true toffe-pot is deficient in no evill under the Sunne though few or scarce any sufficiently discerne and deplore the same by reason of custome and the commonnesse of this sinne Much of him hath beene said O how much more might be said I could carry you a great way farther and yet leave more of him before then behinde for he is like some putrid Grave the deeper you digge the fuller you shall find him both of smitch and horror Yea as in Hercule's Monster there was still fresh heads arising one after the cutting off of another and as in Ezekiel's Vision after the fight of some abominations still more so as the Lord said to his Prophet I should yet shew you more abominations in him then these but that it would crave a longer time then I am willing to afford him or my Reader me with patience If any marvell at this which hath been discovered he would marvell much more if all should be told and say it was a true report that we heard of his sin of our danger of the Churches losse but the one halfe was not told us Yea if halfe so much were knowne to man as God knowes of him how would all drunkards hang downe their heads for shame or if we had but a window into his breast which Momus would have had in Vulcan's man or that he had written on his forehead what he thinkes as Tully so much wisht or that himselfe might discerne unpartially in an instant as Mercury made Charon in Lucian by touching of his eyes what strange monsters would there appeare to be what ugly odious hiddious feinds would represent themselves O what swarmes what litters what legions of noysome lusts are couched in the stinking stye of a drunkards heart which I may rather wish then hope to unbowell or anatomize for man saith St. Augustin is a great deepe one may better tell the haires of his head then the thoughts of his heart and God only hath reserved it as a prerogative Royall to himselfe exactly to search it to the bottome Iem 17. 9. 10. Then what am I that I should attempt to empty the same when the Well is not more deepe then my pitcher is narrow little brittle my plummet light my line too short and weake to sound it For if I cannot see it how should I describe it if I cannot know it how should I make you know it Yet as well as I can I have deliniated this monster given you as in a small Map the Drunkard set forth in his colours together with his skill will and power in seducing and by this you may guesse at the residue for as huge as the Sea is we may tast the faltnesse of it in a drop If these be their words and actions what thinke you are the secrets of their hearts certainely if all their thoughts did but breake forth into action they would not come farre short of the Devills them selves §
they can and destroy the memory of all ancient vertues as Heliogabalus did make it their trade to sweare and for-sweare if any will hire them as our post-Knights do not unlike those Turkish Priests called Seitie and Cagi who for a Ducket will make a thousand false oathes before the Magistrate and take it to be no sinne but a worke deserving praise by lies swearing and forswearing to damnifie Christians what they can did they not strive tooth and naile as wee use to say to imitate their father the Divel O that our Land had not such monsters who upon an howers warning can lend Iezabel an oath to rob poore Naboth of his life and Vineyard that we had not such Vultures irreligious harpies that have consciences like a Barne-doore and seldome wake but to doe mischiefe some men and women that will bee bauds to their owne wives and daughters O that the Sunne should shine upon her that will sell for gaine unto hell that body which she brought forth with such pains to this earth certainly there was never woman more deserved to bee called the Divells damme then shee some that dare the day to witnesse their ungodlines and doe their villanies as the Phariâ—ies gave their almes and said their prayers to be seene of men who Zâ—mry-like dare bring whores to their Tents openly yea like Absalom dares spread a Tent on the top of the house and goe in to their Concubines in the sight of all men yea Gallants that in a bravery will assemble themselves to their Minions by companies I must not say they are harlots houses and there commit their adulteries in the presence of each other not much unlike Diogenes the Cynick an impudent fellow who would openly commit filthinesse even in the streets And when their bodies have beene the Organs of unrighteousnesse their mouths shall after be the Trumpets to proclaime it much like those savage women which as Montaigne relates for a badg of honour weare as many fringed tossells fastned to the skirt of their garment as they have lyen with severall men you shall often heare old men glory in their fore passed whoredomes boast their homicides c. yea perhaps if it be possible make themselves worse then ever they were yea rather then men will want matter of oftentation they will boast of the fowleâ—t vices as Agesilaus bragd of his stumpt foote Sertorius of his one eye and Rathroâ—d of his scabs for their excrements they account ornaments and make a scarf of their halter but this is a cursed commemoration Againe men there are who like them of Gibeah Iâ—gd 19. and the Sodomites Gen. 19. are not content with the common way of sinning but are mad with a prodigious and preposterous lust bring forth the men that wee may know them verse 5. And hath not this age some whoequall Lycaon that was turned into a Woolfe by Iupiter for his cruelty who seeme to have beene suckled with the milke of Woolfes as it is reported of the first founder of Rome who through custome have made sinne so familiar unto them that the horror of it is turned into a pleasure who being inured to blood make killing of men but a sport as it fared with Abner who called it playing when every one thrust his sword into his fellowes side 2 Sam. 2. 14. 16. some you shall haver hazard land life soule yea more if more could bee on the fortune of a Rapiers point when but aske whence the cause of that contention ariseth they cannot tell you without blushing so vaine and so frivolous is the occasion many men had rather see a combate fought wherein one man kills another then heare a Sermon or partake of a rich banquet being of Hannibal's humour who seeing a ditch swim with mans blood profest never to have seene a fight which more delighted him or of Herods who thinking hee could not shed blood and bee cruell enough while hee lived and to make the lewes sorry for his death whether they would or no commanded and made sure that they should slay all the Noble-mens children in Iury as the breath went out of his body some resemble Cajus Caligula who amongst other tyrannies caused at his meales ordinarily one to cut off before him the heads of poore prisoners wherein hee tooke great pleasure or Nero and Domitian who studied strange deaths to afflict the Saints and to suppresse the Gospell or Iustinian who being restored againe to his Empire as oft as hee moved his hand to wipe the filth from his nose which was cut off he commanded one of his enemies or some of their allies to be put to death or lastly the Numantines who being besiedged by the Romanes and brought to great misery made a vow no day to eate meat unlesse the first dish might bee of a Romans flesh nor drinke any drinke unlesse their first draught were Romans blood Againe are there not some as blasphemous as impudent Pharaoh who being bloodied with his unresisted tyranny could belch out defiance in the face of heaven who is God thinking he might be bold with heaven because he was great on earth or Nicanor who being perswaded from cruelty upon the Sabboth day in that God had appointed it holy answered if God be mâ—ghty in heaven I am also mighty on earth though the same tongue that spake it was cut into little peeces and flung to the Fowles and the hand that smote was cut off and hung before the Temple or lastly Pope Hâ—ldebrand who asked the Sacrament of Christ's body before all the Cardinalls how he should destroy Henry the Emperour and having no answer flung it into the fire saying could the Idol gods of the Heathens tell them what should succeed in al their enterprises and canst not thou tell me And many the like for the time would be too short for me to speake of all I might who being past feeling have given themselves to worke all kinds of wickednesse even with greedinesse Eph. 4. 19. Besides I cannot without red cheeks name the things that are commonly done by them not in secret but openly and that without blushing yea not without boasting and the report of sinne is oft as bad as the commission I am â—oth I say to speak of that whereof the very speech is lothsome Wherefore to shut up with a word of application Do we not know or have we not heard of such as these who are indifferent in nothing but conscience I would there were none such to be knowne or heard of or at least I would they were thrown out of Christ's Crosse-row but if there be and ever hath beene such let any reasonable man judge whether they could bee thus desperately wicked if they did not emulate I ate Sathan strive after the perfection of evill to be superlative in sinne to hâ—ve as it were the lowest place in hell and who should come there first as Gods people desire to imitate God strive after perfection of holinesse and to have
Now if their reward in heaven be so great that save one soule from death Dan. 12. 3. how great shall their torment bee in Hell that pervert many soules to destrustion Matth. â— 19. they shall bee maximi in infâ—rm greatest in the kingdome of hell he that can damâ— many soules besides his owne supererogates of Sathan and hee shall give him a double fee a double portion of hell fire for his paines Who then without a shower of teares can think on thy deplorable state or without mourning meditate thy sad condition Yea if Ely was punished with such fearefull temporall judgements onely for not admonishing and not correcting others which sinned what mayest thou expect that doest intise others yea enforce them though to intise others were wicked enough Let me say to the horror of their conâ—â—rences that make merchandize of soules that it is a question when such an one comes to hel whether Iudas himself would change torments with him How fearefully think you do the seducer and seduced greet one another in hell me thinks I heare the Dialogue between them wher the best speaks first and saith Thou hast beene the occasiâ—â—â— of my sinne and the other thou art the occasun of my more grievous torment c. Evill men delights to make others so one sinner maketh another as Eve did Adam but little doe they thinke how they advance their owne damnations when the blood of so many soules as they have seduced will be required at their hands and little doe sinners know their wickednesse when their evill deeds infect by their example and their evill words infect by their perwasion and their looks infect by their allure ments when they breath nothing but infection much lesse do they know their wretchdnesse till they receive the wages of their unrighteousnesse which shall not be paid till their work be done and that will not be done in many yeares after their death For let them dye they sinne still For as if we sowe good works succession shal reape them and we shall be happy in making them so so on the contrary wicked men leave their inventions and evill practises to posterity and though dead are still tempting unto sinne and still they sin in that temptation they sinne as long as they cause sinne This was Ieroboam's case in making Israel to sinne for let him bee dead yet so long as any worship his Calves Ieroboam sinned neither was his sinne soone forgotten Nadab his sonne and Basha his successor Zimry and Omry and Ahab and Ahaziah and Iehoram all these walked in the wayes of Ierobâ—am which made Israel to sinne and not they alone but the people with them It is easie for a mans sinne to live when himselfe is dead and to leade that exemplary way to hell which by the number of his followers shall continually aggravate his torments The imitaters of evill deserve punishment the abetters more but there is no hell deepe enough for the leaders of publike wickednesse he that invents a new way of serving the divell hath purchased for himselfe a large patrimony of unquenchable fire Though few men will confesse their sinnes yet many mens sins will confesse their master To beget a president of vice is like the setting a mans own house on fire it burnes many of his neighbours and he shal answer for al the ruines Alas while I live I sinne too much lerme not continue longer in wickednesse then life Sin hath an ubiquity one sinners example infects others and they spread it abroad to more like a man that dyes of the Plague and leaves the infection to a whole City so that hee must give an account even for the sinnes of a thousand yea they have so much to answer for that have thus occasioned so much ill that it had beene happy for them if they had never beene at all then being to be laden with the sinnes of so many O what infinite torments doth Mahomet endure when every Turke that perisheth by his jugling doth daily adde to the pile of his unspeakable horrors And so each sinner according to his proportion and the number of soules which miscarry through the contagion of his evill example for they shall speed at last like him that betrayed a City to a Tyrant who when he had conquered it first hanged up the party that help'd him to it Yea perhaps God will even in this life make them an example of his just vengeance and provoked indignation as he did Pharaoh and Iulian as their sinne hath perverted many so their fall and ruine may perchance convert many the life of Iulian made many Infidels the death of Iulian made many Christians God will teach men to feare him even by their ruine that taught them not to feare him Yea the D vell who now is their good master will in the end reward these his subjects as that Emperor which Plutarch speakes of did by one that kild a great man who first crowned him for his valour and then caused him to bee executed for the murther or as the Wolf does by the Ewe who sucks her while she is a little one and devours her when she is growne a great one Nutritus per me sed tandem saevtiet in me So that it were happy for all seducing drunkards whors c. if they were prevented of doing this great mischiefe and in their non-age throwne alive into the Sea as the Citizens of Rome threw Heleogabalus into the river of Tiber with his mother Semâ—a to bear him company for that she bear and brought forth such a gulfe of mischiefes as Lampridius reports yea the whole State should fare the better for such riddance for so they should become though not profitable yet infinitely lesse hurtfull to such as should remaine § 131. THe eight circumstance which aggravates thy sinne is the object or party which is offended and in this respect thou art liable to the greater condemnation in that thou injurest those whom God tenderly loves which is farre more displeasing unto him then if the same were done unto others they are as the signet upon his right hand yea as the Apple of his owne eye he that toucheth you saith God meaning the Iewes his chosen and beloved people toucheth the Apple of mine owne eye Zach. 2. 8. And who are they which thou scoffest at traducest nicknamest revilest and persecutest but the best of men such as are most religious and conscionable such as wil not sweare nor be drunke nor commit such wickednesse as thou doest Now he which doth these things to evill men who are Gods enemies grievously offend him for what saith the Scripture him will I destroy that privily slandereth his neighbour Psa. 101. 5 and the word neighbour includes very heathens How heinously then doe they offend which doe the same and worse to his children 2 Cor. 6. 18. Galat. 3. 26. Iohn 1. 12. who partake of the Divine nature 2 Peter 1. 4. and are like God in holâ—nesse
1 Pet. 1. 15. members of Christs body 1 Corinth 12. 27. bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh Ep. 5. 30. and being Temples of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6. 19. If the Goates at the great day shall bee bid depart into everlasting torment for not feeding cloathing visiting Matt. 25. 41. to .46 what shall be done to those that persecute Christ in his members But let as many as have eares heare what God hath threatned in his word against such I will produce but a few of many the Holy Ghost affirmes that hee will destroy them for ever and root them out of the land of the living whose tongues imagine mischiefe and are like a sharpe Razor that cutteth deceitfully loving to speake evill more then good Ps. 522. to .5 that hee will confound such as persecute his children and destroy them with a double destruction Ier. 17. 18. yea that he will render unto their enemies sevenfold into their bâ—some their reproach wherewith they have reproached the Lord Psal. 79. 12. O consider this yee that forget God least he teare you in peeces and there be none that can deliver you In fine that hee will raine upon them snares of fire and brimstone with stormes and tempests Psal. 11. 6. and after all cast them into a furnace of fire where shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth for evermore when the just whom they now despise shall shine as the Sunne in the Kingdome of their Father Matthew 13. 42. 43. Men may dip their tongues in venome and their pens in poyson to speak against the righteous but the Lord will once revenge the cause of his poore ones he will not alwayes hold his peace nor hide his face well may the vengeance of this sin sleepe but it can never dye yea as truly as God hath threatned to curse all them that curse his children Gen. 27. 29. so as truly will he performe it in one kind or other either cursing them in their bodies by sending some foule disease or in their estates by suddenly consuming them or in their names by blemishing and blasting them or in their seed by not prospering them or in their minds by darkening them or in their hearts by hardening them or in their consciences by terrifying them or in their wits by distracting them or in their soules by damning them It were endlesse for the Sea of examples hath no bottome to recite all which Scripture and Ecclesiasticall history makes mention of with the variety of fearefull and incredible judgements both spirituall and corporall which God hath executed upon them even in this life though I count it a mercy to smart here if they dye penitent rather then bee reserved to those flames which are easelesse and endlesse that fearefull damnation made up of an extremity universality and eternity of torments Yea if God caused two and forty little children to bee devoured of wild Beares for calling Elisha bald-head 2 Kings 2 24. how can these aged persecutors hope to escape yea what vengeance shall bee prepared or is enough for them If God will come in flames of fire to render vengeance unto them which knowe him not how terrible will hee appeare to these his profest enemies who wittingly willingly and maliciously oppose him and his image all they can § 132. OBjection But thou hast only used thy tongue against them whereas some have shed the blood of the Saints Well suppose it bee so yet what should they suffer from thee if they were at thy mercy It is not so materiall what thou doest as what thou desirest the very purpose of treason though the fact bee hindered is treason not the outward action but the inward affection is all in all with God who measures the work by the will as men measure the will by the worke But to take only what is confest the persecution of the tongue is a greater evill then thou art aware of Wee reade that Chams scoffing only brought his Fathers curse and God's upon that And that their sinne which brought a scandall upon the holy Land and made all the people to murmure against Moses dyed by a plague from the Lord and was the cause that they never entered into it they found it was no jesting matter Numbers 14. 37. Now wee may judge of their sin by their punishment yet their sinne was not halfe so bad as theirs is who amongst us cause the way of truth to be evill spoken of for this is either atheisme or frenzie or blasphemy or rather all these and thou shalt one day wish with Hecebolus that thy tongue had been rivetted to the roof of thy mouth from thy conception rather then thou haddest sinned so against the brethren wounded their weake consciences and so risen up against Christ 1 Cor. 8. 12. yea to be a scoffer is the depth of sinne such an one is upon the very threshold of hell as being set downe in a resolute contempt of all goodnesse Besides some men will better abide a stake then some others can a moâ—k Zedechiah could happily have found in his heart to have harkened to the Prophets counsell but that this lay in his way I am afraid of the Iemes least they deliver me unto the Chaldeans hands and they mocke me Ier. 38. 19. It was death to him to be mocked A generous nature is more wounded with the tongue then with the hand yea above hell there is not a greater punishment then to become a Sanniâ— a subject of scâ—rne Sampson bore with more patience the boring out of his eyes then the 〈…〉 of the Philistims they made a feast to their gods no Musitian would serve but Sampson he must now be their sport that was once their terror every wit every hand playes upon him who is not ready to cast his bone and his jest at such a captiveâ— so as doubtlesse he wished himselfe no lesse dease then blind and that his soule might have gone out with his eyes oppression is able to make a wife man mad Eccl. 7. 9. and the greater the courage is the more painefull the insultation Alcibiades did professe that neither the proscription of his goods nor his banishment nor the wounds received in his body were so grievous to him as one scornefull word of his enemy Clestiphon Yea O Saviour thine eare was more painefully pierced then thy browes or hands or feete it could not but goe deepe into thy soule to heare those bitter and girding reproaches from them Thou camest to save And hereupon good Queene Esther in her prayers to God for her people doth humbly deprecate this height of infelicity O let them not laugh at our ruines And David acknowledg'd it for a singular token of Gods favour that his enemies did not triumph over him Psal. 41. 11. Thou thinkest not tongue-taunts to be persecution but thou shalt one day heare it so pronounc't in thy bill of inditement Ishmael did but flout Isaac yet St. Paul saith he
repent when thou art sicke though indeed the farthest end of all thy thoughts is the thought of thy end and to make thy reckoning at the last day the last and least thing thou makest reckoning of But hark in thine eare Oh secular man thy life is but a puff of breath in thy nosthrils and there is no trusting to it yea the least of a thousand things can kill thee and give thee no leasure to be sicke Surges may rise on suddaine ere wee think And whiles we swim secure compel us sink Sâ—ul being minded to aske counsell of the Lord concerning the Philistins was prevented for want of time 1 Samuel 14. 19. And commonly wee never have so much cause to feâ—re as when we feare nothing When Sampson was sporting wâ—th his Dal lah he little thought that the Philistins were in the chamber lying in waite for his life Ind 16. Full little doe sinners know how neare their jollity is to perdition judgement is often at the threshold while drunkennesse and surfeit are at the table § 152. BUt admit what thou imaginest namely that death be not suddaâ—ne much the better for is it not commonly seene that the purpose of proroging for a day or a weeke doth not onely last for a yeare as the suspension of the Councell of Trent made for two yeares lasted tenne but as ill debtors put off their creditors first one weeke then another till at last they are able to pay nothing so deale delayers with God they adjourn the time prefixt from next yeare to next yeare whereby they and that good howre never meet as you shall observe one Coach wheele followes another one minute of a Clock hastens after another but never overtake each other In youth men resolve to afford themselves the time of age to serve God in age they shuffell it off to sicknesse when sicknesse comes care to dispose their goods lothnesse to dye hope to escape c. martyres that good thought and their resolution still keepes before them Or else it fares with them as with many an unthrifty Trades-man who is loth to turne over his books and cast up his debts least it should put him into sad dumps and fill him with melancholly cares When Christ went about to cast out divels they said he tormented them before the time Matthew 8. 29. so whensoever thou goest about to dismisse thy sinnes and pleasures though thou stay till thou be an old man yet they will still say thou dismissest them before the time but then is the time when the divell saith the time is not yet for the divell is a layer Alasse how many men post off their conversion and at twenty send Religion before them to thirty then put it off to forty and yet not pleased to overtake it they promise it entertainment at three score at last death comes and will not allow them onehowre and perchance when their soule sits on their lips ready to take her slight then they send for the Minister to teach them how to die well But as in such extremity the Apothecary gives but some opiate Physick so the Minister can give but some opiate Divinity a cordiall that may benum them no solid comfort to secure them here is no time to ransack for sins to search the depth of the ulcer a little balme to supple but the core is left within for though true repentance is never too late yet late repentance is seldome true But here is great hope thou wilt say as it is the Divinity of diverse let men live as they list in ignorance and all abominable filthinesse so they call at last and but say Lord have mercy upon me we must infallibly conclude their estate as good as the best as though the Lord had not said you shall cry and not bee heard Prov. 1 I know the mercy of God may come inter pontem fontem inter gladium jugulum betwixt the bridg and the brook betwixt the knife and the throate and repentance may bee suggested to the heart in a moment in that very instant but this only may bee there is no promise for it many threatnings against it little likelihood of it it were madnesse for thee to break thy necke to try the skil of a Bone-setter But how many on the other side dye in Spira's caseâ— who being willed in his sicknesse to say the Lords prayer answered I cannot find in my heart to call him father whereas not one of many leave a certaine testimony or sure evidence behind them that their repentance is true and sound And indeed how is it likely they should dispatch that in half an howre which should be the busines of our whole lifeâ— For as hee which never went to Schole will hardly when he is put to it reade his neck-verse so hee that never learn'd the doctrine of repentance in his life will find it very hard if not impossible at his death Let men therefore repent while they live if they would rejoyce when they dye let them with Noah in the dayes of their health build the Arke of a good conscience against the floods of sicknesse yea if they have spent a great part of their time in the service of sinne as Paul did let them for the residue of their life make the world amends by their double yea treble endeavour to redeeme that time by a holy life and godly conversation for else we may justly suspect the truth and soundnesse of their repentance and conversion We seldome reade of any that were long barren either in soule or wombe but they had the happiest issue afterwards witnesse Sarah Manodh's Wife Hannah Elizabeth Saul Mary Magdalen c. As for the purposes of repentance which men frame to themselves at the last hourâ— they are but false conceptions that for the most part never come to bearing and indeed millions are now in hell which thought they would repent hereafter not being wise enough to consider that it is with sinne in the heart as with a Tree planted in the ground the longer it groweth the harder it is to be pluck'd up it is too late to transplant Trees after two seaven years or a Nayle in a Post which is made faster by every stroke or a Ship that leaketh which is more easily emptied at the begining then afterwards Or a ruinous house which the longer it is let runne the more charge and labour will it require in the repairing Yea sinne out of long possession will plead prescription custome of any evill makes it like the lawes of the Medes and Persians which may not be altered or removed an old vice is within a degree of impossible to be amended which maketh the Lord say by his Prophet Can the Black-more change his skin or the Leepard his spots then may ye also doe good that are accustomed to do evill ler. 13. 23. All other men have but three enemies to encounter with the Divel the World and the Flesh but
thievish sinne that steals away mens time wealth wits that robs the poore of their due this slanderous sin that loades the world with tales and slanders against the Host of the living God this Atheisticall sinne that believes no more the threates and promises of God then if some Imposter had spoken them this hellish sinne which hardens and makes up the heart against all repentings this unnaturall sinne that puts off al thoughts of ones familie ones selfe and sends him on grazing with Nebuc hadnezzar this sinne this vile sinne thus transcendent let him first dwell upon and lay to heart the things formerly delivered that by this tast hee may learne to detest the drunkards qualities let him remove and take heed of all the forenamed causes especially of affecting popular applause and reputation of good fellowship that so the causes being removed and taken away the effect may cease to unlearn evill is the best kind of learning Next observe these Rules which I shall but touch whereof some are generall some more proper and peculiar The generall meanes are § 174. FIrst believe thine estate dangerous and that there is but one way to helpe thee viz. to repent what thou hast done and never more to doe what thou hast repented not fostering one knowne sin in thy soule for the only way to become good is first to believe that thou art evill and by accusing our selves we prevent Sathan by judging our selves we prevent God And lastly one hole in a Ship may sinke her one Bullet may kill a man aswel as twenty neither is repentance without amendment any more then to pump and never stop the leake 2. Secondly if thou beest convinced and resolvest upon a new course let thy resolution bee peremptory and constant If with these premonitions the Spirit vouchsafes to stirre in thy heart by good motions and holy purposes to obey God in lâ—tting thy sinnes go as once the Angel in the Poole of Bethesda take hold of opportunity and having eares to heare harken what the Spirit faith and take heed you harden not againe as Pharaoh and the Philistins did Thou knowest Pharaoh had many purposes to obey God in letting the children of Israel goe but still hardens againe as often as he purposed untill God had almost destroyed the whole Land yea after hee had stood out nine plagues when death entred within his Palaces he dismissed the people but presently after in all hast makes after them to fetch them back againe yea he could seeme religious when the fit tooke him every great plague put him into a Feaver and then he was godly of a sudden O pray for me now but when the fit was over Pharaâ—h was Pharâ—â—h againe as prophane as ever nine times hee began to relent and nine times againe hee hardened his heart but he was never good egg nor bird his beginning was naught his proceeding worse and who could looke for better at his later end and the Philistins being five times punished five times repented themselves and at last returned to their old by as againe in which they remained constant 1 Samuel 5. and 6. Chapters Againe Pilate had strong purposes and desires to let Christ goe yet at lenght condemned him to content the people Luke 23. 22. to 25. The young man in the Gospel resolved verily to follow Christ but turned backe and went away sorrowfull when hee heard the condition propounded of giving that he had to the poore Mat. 19. 22. Iudas was grieved for murthering Christ yet no change ensued hee after murthered himselfe all these conceptions dyed before they came to the birth therfore take heed least it should fare so with thee How many thousand good motions of the Holy Ghost prove still-borne and abortive through our negligence or be over-laid with our vanities we use them as Iulius Caesar did the Paper that concerned his owne life all the other petitions he read only that he put in his pocket and never look'd on it Men commonly regard the songs of Sion as they doe musicke which they heare at night in the streets whiles they are in bed perhaps they will step to the window and listen to it awhile as if they lik'd it but presently to bed againe O doe not like the Israelites who are said to heare God and in the same Chapter to worship the Calfe quench not the Spirit 1 Thes. 5. 19. If thou be upon the mountaine looke not backe againe upon Sodome as Lot's wife did If thou be within the Arke fly not out againe into the world as Nâ—ah's Crow did If thou bee well washed returne not againe to the mire as the Hog doth If thou beest clean purged turne not againe to thy filthy vomit as the Dog doth If thou be going towards the land of Canaan think not of the flesh-pots of Egypt If thou have set thy hand to the plow looke not behind thee for better not begin then leave off having begun better remaine cold then first bee hot then luke-warme and after key-cold againe For as in naturall things as water that which hath beene a little warmed becommeth more cold then if it had never had any heat in it so in spirituall the evill spirit having once forsaken a man if he returnes to that house after it is empty swept and garnished he bringeth with him seven more spirits worse then himselfe and the latter end of that man is worse then his beginning Matth. 12. 43. 45. Thus it fared with Iulian the apostate and Iudas the traitor who suffering the divell to enter into him when he had newly received the Sacrament he could never afterward be driven out againe so if the divell enter intothee after thouhastreceived this warning had these good purposes and made these holy resolutions he will possesse thee like Iudas stronger then he did before Oh it is a fearefull thing to receive the grace of God in vaine and a desperate thing being warned of a Rock wilfully to cast our selves upon it Wherefore resemble not the Chelidony stone which retaineth his vertue no longer then it is rub'd with gold nor the Iron which is no longer soft then it is in the fire Be not like those which are Sea-sicke who are much troubled while they are on ship-board but presently well againe when they come to shore for that good saith Gregory will doe us no good which is not made good by perseverance § 175 3 NOw if thou intendest to hold out in thy good purposes and meanest to bring thy thoughts to the birth thou must not be ashamed to confesse with that honest theife upon the crosse even before thy companions and fellow drunkards that thou art not now the same man thou wast both thy mind and judgement is châ—nged and so shall thy practise God assisting thee nay thou wiâ—â— not only forsake thy sin but their company too except they will forsake their old customes of drinking and scoffing and jeering at sobriety and
lawfull commands but you see the reason they are of a reprobate judgement Esay 5. 20. and so speake thinke and doe altogether by contraries like Heliogabalus who wore shooes of gold and rings of leather or the Blackmores who judging of beauty by contraries paint the Angells blacke and the Devills white or the Iewes who preferred Barrabas a theife a murtherer a seditionary infamous for all odious to all before Christ that came to save them Wherefore if we be wise we will read their words backward understand them by contraries count their scoffes and reproaches our glory which they take to be our shame so imitating the Christians in the primitive Church who seeing the Infidells never met them but they would make the signe of the Crosse in derision of their Christianity for that the God whom they worshipped was hanged on a Crosse to shew that they were so farre from being ashamed thereof that they gloried in nothing more then in that which their enemies cheifly derided would not only make the sign of the Cross upon their childrens foreheads the most open and eminent place at the time when they were baptized but would frequently doe the same in the presence of the said Infidells as occasion was offered However I pray God keepe me from being an honest man according to their description Besides no wise man that observes their life and practise but will thinke their dislike of him an honour and apply to them what once the Orator spake to Sâ—llust it cannot be but he who lives thy life should speake thy language yea a very Heathen would chose his religion by such mens enmity for it is the honour of Religion and goodnesse that it hath drunkards swearers c. for her scoffing adversaries as Tertullian thought much the better of Christianity because Nero persecuted it However the faith of the righteous cannot be so much derided as their successe in the end will be magnified Wisdome 5. 1. to 22. But this is the misery those prove deepe wounds to weake Christians which would be balme and Physicke unto abler judgements and admit some have the wit to discerne their dispraise an honour their praise a dishonour yet wanting courage and being afraid to displease they even suffer themselves to be brutishly driven with the drove and like nailes in a wheele turne as they are turned without either conscience of sinne or guidance of reason But if we live like them that are reserved to judgment how should we not thinke our selves to be reserved with them Indeed if with Demas thou wilt needs forsake Christ to embrace this present world it is well thou givest over so soone leavest off befor thou dost begin never settest thy hand to the plough doest not disgrace religion by professing it for thou wouldest never hold out to the end he would never endure a blow who cannot concoct a word he is not like to overcom astrong potent enemy who cannot vanquish himselfe he that is discouraged and made returne with an Ishmaelitish persecution of the tongue how would he endure a Spanish Inquisition or those Marian times he that is so afrighted with a Squib how would he endure the mouth of a Canon But heare one thing before thou goeâ—â— It is a shrewd signe that the Lord is departed from a man when he is thus basely afraid of those that cannot hurt him for when the Lord was departed from Saul he began to be afraid of David never before 1 Sam. 18. 12. true faith looking upon the Preserver and reward never feares to doe well nor to reprove those that doe ill and such cowardly Souldiers as will turne their backes for a few foule words are not for Christs standart yea wat you what they shall stand in the forefront of them that shall be cast into that lake of fire and brimstone Rev. 21. 8. they have beene most backward to goodnesse therefore shall be formost in vengeance § 193. BUt to beare ill words rather then be drunke is not all which God requires in a Christian he must suffer blowes even to death rather then yeild Some which thinke themselves both sober men and good Christians presume they may be drunke so it be to drive away a disease or to prevent a quarrell but they reckon without their Host for we must not doe evill that good may come of it that which is ill of it selfe is not to be ventured on for the good that commeth by accident Better the body be debilitated or dye by an honest disease then be cured by a dishonest medicine saith St. Austin yea admit thou wert put to this extremity that thou must either drinke excessively against thy stomacke and conscience or else thou must die for it as sometimes it falls out either drinke or I 'le stab thee it is farre better saith the same Augustine that thy sober and temperate flesh should bee slaine by a sword then that thy soule should be overcome by this sinne of drunkennesse And indeed the magnanimous Christian will lose his life rather then the peace of a good conscience like Iohn Baptist he will hold his integrity though he lose his head for it And indeed let a man but keepe a good corespondence with God and his owne conscience and then he may answer all as he did when the Tyrant threatned him I will take away thy house yet thou canst not take away my peace I will breake up thy schoole yet shall I keepe whole my peace I will confiscate all thy goods yet there is no Premunire against my peace I will banish thee thy countrey yet I shall carry my peace with mee so mayst thou say take away my riches yet I have Christ take away friends liberty wife and children life and all yet I have Christ that is to me both in life and death advantage Suppose thou beest kild for obeying God rather then man what greater honor can be done thee Queene Anne Bolane the Mother of blessed Queene Elizabeth when she was to be beheaded in the Tower thus remembred her thankes to the King Of a private Gentlewoman said she he made me a Marquesse of a Marquesse a Queene and now having left no higher degree of earthly honour for mee he hath made me a Martyr And what said Iustine Martyr to his murtherers in behalfe of himselfe and his fellow Martyrs you may kill us but you can never hurt us And Francisco Soyit to his adversaries you deprive me of this life and promote me to a better which is as if you should rob me of counters and furnish me with gold The sooner I die quoth another the sooner I shall be happy and even in the very act of suffering God gives courage with the one hand and holds out a crowne with the other 2 Cor. 1. 5. and 12. 10. When Pyrrhus tempted Fabricius the first day with an Elephant so huge and monstrous a beast as before he had not seene the next day
added the greatest Schollers 177. let Good intentions 206. be added Example of the best men 197. no safe rule to walk by without a precept 162. Excuses of drunkards taken away 154. F FAith 653. Drunkards would flout us out of our faith 381. Feare and cowardise a cause of drunkennesse 282. Fooles the greatest polititian the greatest foole 013. in five particulars made good 621. some wise in foolish things and oolish in wise things 638 bray them in a mortar they will not leave their sinnes 624. though the Divel makes fooles of them yet he makes them wise enough to make fooles of any that will trust them 636 the voluptuous fooles 643. the greatest bousers the greatest buzzards 121. the greatest humanist without grace little better 604. Forsake none but counterfeits will forsake Christ for all they can do 534. Friends wicked men wrong none so much as their best friends to whom they owe their very lives 515. love and friendship only among good men 843 G GOd his gifts numberlesse 481. Godly what is done to them Christ challengeth as done to himselfe 508. Goodnes alone the whetstone of a drunkards envie 386. Good and bad agree together like the Harp and Harrow 821. good men must be imitated only in good things 157. good intentions cannot justifie evill acts 206. good â—ellowes who 820. reputation of goodfellowship 277. Guilty we may be of anothers sin divers wayes 825 H HAnds hatred and malice of drunkards would break out at their hands were they not manacled by the Law 391. Heart to get an humble heart 649. Hatred against the religious the most bitter and exorbitant 343. they hate none but the good 411 but they are sure of opposition 412. how their hatred vents it selfe 345. their hatred is against God and Christ 508. not to tell our neighbour of his faults is to hate him 826. to hate the vices of a wicked man but love his person 849. wee should hate evill in whomsoever 850. Hell a description of it and the last judgement 458. 461. good men draw all they can to Heaven 440. wicked men all they can to Hell ibid. none helpe to people Hell like drunkards 4â—1 they would have our company in Hell 436. and why 446. the covetous man can finde in his heart to go to Hell so his sonne may be left rich 629. Healths a shoing horne to all excesse 309. they drinke others healths their owne deaths 323. of which many examples and of the just judgement of God upon drunkards 314. healths great in measure or many in number 310. if small the liquor is stronger or the number more 311. healths upon their knees 313. not more forward to drinke healths then zealous and carefull that other pledge the same 318. the rise and originall of health drinking 313. Honesty he the soberest and honestest man that resembles the drunkard least 691. good-fellowship the utmost of a drunkards honesty 139. Honour misprision of it and reputation 322 Hope easily blown into a wicked man and as soone blowne out of him 444. Hurt drunkards would hurt and maime us for being sober and conscionable if they durst 392. I IDlenesse a cause of drunkennesse and drunkennesse a cause of idlenesse 72. an idle person good for nothing but to propagate sin 73 Ignorance of drunkards 121. 107. and all naturall men 177. 600. the cause of all sin 593. drunkards insensible of their sinne and danger because ignorant 107. Ingratitude and great folly of wicked men 526. Intention of soule-murther shall bee rewarded as if they did it 539. Ioy if true only enjoyed by good men 817. the joy of worldlings more talked of then felt 817. objections touching joy and good-fellowship answered 817. Iudge wicked men judge of things 757. and persons 759. by contraries 761 their judgement and practise cleane contrary to Gods Word ibid. how the Divel deludes the fancy and judgement of a natur all man 721. Iudgements of God what use drunkards make thereof 111. the religious keep off judgements 516. first by their innocency 516. secondly by their prayers 517. K KIll drunkards and wicked men would kil the godly if they would not yeeld 392. of which their savage disposition five reasons 402. first they must do the workes of their father the Divell 402. secondly that their deeds of darknesse might not come to light 404. thirdly they cannot follow their sinnes so freely so quietly ibid. fourthly what they could not make good with reason they would with iron ibid. fifthly their glory and credit is eclipsed by the godly 405. but they cannot do as they would though their punishment shall bee all one 399. King Sathan their King and they must seek his wealth and honour and inlarge his Kingdome by winning all they can from Christ 431. Knowledge he that hath saving knowledge hath every other grace 597. six helpes to saving knowledge 646. L LAw and precept our only rule 210. Looke Drunkards look to us not to themselves 356. Love wicked men think they love God but they doe hate him 512. Drunkards love their sinnes better then their soules 551. a Drunkard can never love thee being sober and religious 834. a wicked mans love mercenary and inconstant 835. nothing rivits hearts so close as religion 845. Lust provoked by drunkennesse 54. discard all filthy lusts and corrupt affections 646. M MEanes must be used 664. to sinne against mercy the abundance of meanes and many warnings mightily aggravates sinne 475. Melancholly Drunkards drink to drive it away 259. but this increaseth it 260. Memory Drunkards have shallow memories 132 Mercy God in mercy infinitely transcendent 550. but it makes nothing for such as will not part with their sins 551. his mercy is a just mercy 554. mercy rejoyceth against justice but destroyeth not Gods justice 553. if we forsake our sinnes God will forgive them how many and how great soever 152. wicked men apply Christs passion and Gods mercy as a warrant for their licentionsnesse 542. they are altogether in extreames either God is so mercifull that they may live how they lift or so just that he will not pardon them upon their repentance 546. Mocking some will better abide a stake then others a mock 504. Mourne in all ages the godly alone have mourned for the abominations of their time 255. Modesty in some a vice 842. Most objection that most men are of another judgement answered 589. Multitude how Sathan guls the rude multitude 293 the multitude will do what they see others do 371. of which many examples 372. Murther caused by drunkennesse 50. N NAmes we should taint our names by keeping evill company 808. to defend our neighbours good name if we can a duty 828. Naturall men called beasts in Scripture 3. O OBedience God hath equally promised all blessings to the obedient and threatned all manner of judgements to the disobedient 554. Offences Objection against offences answered 742. P PAssions and affections make partiall 352. they must be discarded 646 Peace
for knowledge without putting difference For God mâ—y grant our 〈◊〉 in judgment 2 Objections answered â—â— Vse the â— meanes Be sâ—udious in the Scriptures and follow that rule 6. Go to counsell The application of what hath beene spokeâ— Admonition not to make mercy a â—olster for continuing in â—in What small hope of the drâ—n kards yeelding Much of him hath beene spokeâ— but nothing neere all The foulenes of this sin constâ—ained me to be so bitter It is more worthy the sword of justice then the pen of an 〈◊〉 Written rather to keepe men from drunkennesse then in hope to reclaime any from it He the soberest and honestest man which resembles this drunkard least 〈◊〉 drunkarâ—â— hath beene too long sick to be recouereâ—â— Nothing wil do good upon a wisked â—eart VVhereof maâ—s 〈◊〉 Reason once debaâ—ched is worse then brutishnes The tranâ—ccendey of the sin of drunken nesse If any would reâ—â—n quish this sin let â—hem 1 Lay to heart the things delivered 2. Avoid the causes formerly hâ—â—dled 3 Believe their state dangerous and that there is nâ— way to â—elp â—ut by chang to the couâ— trary 4. Be constant and peremptery in their resolution 5 Shame not to confessâ—t by dislike of it in thy selfe and others 6 Fly evill company 7 Take heede of delayes 8 Omit not to pray for divine assistance 9 Be diligent in hearing 10 frequent in the use of the Lords-Supper 11 Meditate what God hath done for thee 12 Meditate on that union we have with Christ c 13 Consider that the Lord beâ—oldeth thee whersoever thou art 14 often thinke of the day of judgment 〈…〉 the heinousnesse of this sin and the evills which accompany it 16 Abstaine from drunken coâ—pany for all depends upon tâ—â—â— 17 abstaine from drunken places Adâ—onition to sellers of drinke Church-wardens Constables c. Adâ—â—nition to sellers of drinke Church-wardens Constables c. To keepe â—ut of this 〈◊〉 of the divell and drunkkards 1. See the danger and know their â—ime Some men ageâ—ts for Christ others for Sathan but Sathansinstruments have many advantages above Gods servents is wining souâ—â— An evill suggestion is more ready at hand then a good 2 We are more prone to evilâ—â—en good 3. The world begins with milk ends with a bammer Christ keeps back the good wine until afterwards 4. The divell can delude their fancy and judgement of natural men 5. Forestal them see with prejudice that they shall resolve against being religious 6. If gentle perswasions wil no◠〈◊〉 they will compâ—d by violence Againe as in getting so in keeping such â—s they have got 1 In regard of pleasure 2 In regard of freedome 3 In regard of peace and that 1 With Sathâ—â— 2 VVith the VVorld 3 VVith themselves They think themselves more happy in serving the Devill then others in serving of God 3 They are better proficients then Gods people 1 Because the Devill blinds them and 〈◊〉 shewes the sweetnesse of fin hides the thought of punishment Not to â—e overcome by their alurements we must â—e Watchful 2 VVise. Many objections answered That others deceive thee will be a pooâ—e plea another day They neverwound so deadly as when they stroak with a silken hand Temptations on the right hand the worst A wise mâ—n will suspect the smooth streame for deepnesse 3 Valiant Few men but wil sin against God and their owne consciences ratherthen be scoft at But it is base blood that blushes to doe well And they are â—ooles who wil be sense 〈◊〉 of their reâ—iâ—â—ioâ— Of necessity we must 〈◊〉 â—vil spoâ—â— of â—â—y 〈◊〉 And wiâ—ked men juâ—ge by conâ—rarâ—es â— Of â—â—ings 2 Of persons 3 Their judgement practise is quite contrary to Gods word VVe should read their words backward But those prove deep wounds to weake Christians which are balme ond physicke unto abler judgments He would never endure blows who cannot conâ—â—ct evill words VVe ought not be drunke to save our lives Death in a good cause shall pleasure not hurt us VVhich hath made many preferre it before the greatest pleasure profit or honour But others preferre the worlds favour before Gods VVe must refraine their company and not dispute with them oâ— we shall not bold out Quest. That it is lawfull 〈◊〉 wiâ—hdraw our selves from â—heiâ— sociâ—ty and â—ow Answ. Five reasons of breaking off society with our vicious consorâ—â— First that they may â—oke into themselves 2. That we may not be iâ—fected by them nor partake of their sins Object Many objections answered 3 That we may not be infeoffed in their punishments 4. Because their company will bereave us of much comfort whichother wise we should enjoy Object Oâ—jâ—ction of joy and goodfellowship answered Answ. 5 That we may be at peace with all which is not possible if wee kâ—ep them company Objections answered The agreement of wicked men not worthy the name of peace A dâ—unkard caâ— never love him that is sober and religiouâ— A wicked manâ— love mercenary inconstant and not worth the having Objections answered Change in the vicious were a raâ—e veâ—tue Even modesty in some is a vâ—ce True love and friend ship only among good men Nothing riviâ—s hearts so close as religion Object Another â—bjection answered Answ. Object Another objection answered Answ. 2 Vse of the former reasons 2 Vse 3 Vse 2 Excuses taken away