a thousand miseries Gowts Consumption Fevers Stone Strangury death are the portions of this worlds wantons And when that goes from us or we from that it gives a bitter farewell to the lovers of it Though a man live many dayes â—â—t let him remember the dayes of darknesse which will come first or last and then farewell profit farewell pleasure farewell honour the white sticke must be broken worldly comforts must vanish and if yee have not built your nest in the Rocke Christ the wind will take you the world will spew you out and whither then Doe they stumble at the offence of their companions It is at they know not what stil Call for them all whom you are loth now to offend in pleasing GOD and what can they doe As the Winter brookes they passe away faith Iob. Are they touched for sinne They will bee glad to bee rid of them away from mee yee wicked I will keep the Commandements of my GOD. Doth the wrath of GOD come They can say alas my brother alas his glory but as the wrath of man cannot accomplish the righteousnesse of GOD so nor the power of man can stand with comfort against the wrath of GOD. Doth poverty come as an armed man A worldly friend will help once a godlie friend will helpe twice but daily to hang upon the pockets and purse-strings of others is like a curst wife a continuall dropping away with such a like fellow from off the earth the land is not able to beare such a loathsome guest Doth death come with this Iron Law You must goe and make your bed in darkenesse where they must say to corruption thou art my mother to the Worme thou art my brother and sister Where are their companions now One stands by and weepes but cannot helpe another would come but feares the flashes of reproofe for godlesse courses but let them all come can they deliver their bodies from the grave and their soules from the hand of Hell The Redemption of a soule cost more than so they must let that alone for ever What matters it then to offend such so they may please God Doe they now stumble at the lapses and falls of those that seeme better than themselves Is it not still at they know not what If a Christian sinne it is not because hee is a Christian but because hee is a Christian no more it is not the profession but the person that is in all the fault Hee that is a good Christian should answer like that blessed Martyr who when hee was asked what was his name hee answered Christian what was his Countrey answered Christian what were his hopes thoughts words and deeds Hee answered Christian He was a Christian all over and if it bee otherwise Christianity must not bee blamed but sinne in him and Sathan out of him that put on that faire hood to cover their deformitie Besides sinne shall condemn them not justifie the wicked stumbler They shall goe to hell for that without Repentance the wicked shall not goe to Heaven for being worsâ— because they are bad And what doe they stumble at now Is it at the peaceable end of sinners It is still at they know not what For it is not ever true that wicked men finde such a calme when death approacheth somtimes Hell fire flasheth upon them then sometimes they miserably cry out I am damned I am damned I must to Hell and when it is true GOD Satan and themselves have an hand in it God justly seales them up to hardnesse of heart and then like the Leviathan they laugh at the Speare Satan covers their sins and lockes in their thoughts to dreame of golden Mountaines Hee labours to make their life and death to be an heaven here that hee may the more cunningly bring them to hell hereafter Themselves have accustomed themselves to sinne and custome in sinne takes away the sense of sinning and so like Nabal their heart dies like a stone And put case that Gods good people be disquieted when death appeareth They draw neere to GOD and see themselves abominable as Esau They have a circumcised heart and so are tender at the least touch which Satan perceiving hee drives home with all his rage and skill to slander his godly course because his time is but short Thus now ye have the whole Proverbe which sets forth a rule to your miserable example to shew the miserable estate of those that are and walk and stand and sit in the darke wayes of sin and wickednesse What shall I say to you Young men O that I could speake to your hearts so powerfully that yee may be rowzed from lying under the dominion of sinne any longer Oh that my Doctrine might drop as the raine and my speech might distill as the dew as the small raine upon the tender herbe and as the showers upon the grasse Yee have heard the woe woe woe to wicked men Sometimes this keepes them off from vertue and grace and sometimes that Here they stumble and there they stumble before behind on this side and on that and at last tumble into despaire and Hell for evermore Francis Spyra stumbled thus when hee cried out I would faine be in Hell to try the worst that God can doe And that outlandish wretch thus who would have given all to his soul not to forsake him but when nothing would serve the turne but he must die he commended his soule to the devill to be carried into everlasting torments And that English wretch thus I give my goods to the King whom I have cozened my body to the earth and my soule to the Devill And that other wretch not worthy of a name thus My soule I bequeath to the devill who ownes it my Wife to the Devill who drew mee to my ungodly life and my Chaplaine to the Devill who flattered mee in it But deare young men doe not yee so Lay hold of eternall life and pull your selves by the mighty power of GOD into that way Vse no arguments to pull your selves into or keepe your selves in the way of sinne Quit your selves like men and the God of Heaven stand by you for your helpe and succour Now is the accepted time now is the houre of salvation God hath shot a warning peece from Heaven stand not out but vaile to him before he shoot the vollies of his vengeance against you irrecoverably Yee have many motives to make you look about you now for grace and glory First your age is a most unsettled age pestered with many lusts of youth which drop by drop may fall upon you till you are suddenly over head and eares That which hath been formerly fained of Hercules that he stood in two wayes ready to take either is true of you For as a strait tree which is loose at the root standeth trembling and being unsetled with a little
key of knowledge and so they are in darknesse walke in darknesse and know not whither they goe because that darknesse hath blinded their eyes Now if you would know why the wayes of the wicked are thus said to be as darknesse The grounds of that speech may be such as these First their sights are hindred from seeing the right way to Heaven They grope at noon day running headlong in their owne courses all the life long day and at what time the night of death or the sun set of sicknesse comes and they begin to recollect them saying where am I now Is this the way to heaven Then they see what they did not see and the whirlewind and tempest takes them and they are carryed whither they would not Secondly their footsteps are troubled from going about the workes of GOD. As the Aegyptians choaked in their palpable darknesse saw not what they did or what to doe so when this darknesse is come upon the wicked man Hee that walketh in darkenesse knoweth not whither hee goeth Here he goes and meetes with a blocke there he turnes and meets with a bush and after a thousand calls of GOD to doe this that and the other duty of Repentance faith and holinesse he is so inwrapped in darknesse that many things are gone about and few things are done those few that are done are not done as they ought 3. They are drawne on to many a fall even to the ruine of bodies and soules As men in darknesse if they will be doing stumble and fall so wicked men in this estate stumble into a thousand pitfals Here they fall into pride and niggardize there into pride and luxury on this hand into covetousnesse on that hand into prodigality here lyes the drunkard there the lyar here lyes the worldly old man there the regardlesse young man Lord how doe they fall in darknesse till they are turned backe into perpetuall rebellions till they fall and rise no more Fourthly they are smitten with feares terrours when they will give leisure to Conscience to worke They are taken with feare where no feare is As men in a darke night being a waked by fearefull melancholy sight of sin or lash of Conscience doe thinke every bush a Thiefe every gale of winde the moving of Satan or the wagging of every leafe a summons to the Devils approach so is it with wicked men in this darknesse Fifthly their shame is taken from them They are foole-hardy and confident in the darke because no eye sees them It is said of the Asse that being pursued by the Wolfe he puts his head into a bush that he may not see the Wolfe as if because he sees not the Wolfe the Wolfe therefore sees not him So is it with wicked men they put their heads into a darke corner of sin and ignorance and then as if he that pierced through the darke cloud could not see they goe on without feare wit or shame They lay their iniquities on their skirts and declare their sinnes as Sodome they hide them not as if they hurted not them nor would bring shame at the latter end Thus have I plained the way in opening this part of the Proverbe and now I write unto you young men that you may overcome that evill one Suffer therefore first a word of conviction and next a word of exhortation Ye may be convinced hence of two things 1. First concerning a wicked mans estate that he is in a miserable case whatsoever he thinkes of himselfe If thou wert shut up in a dark prison where thou couldst not have any fellowship with light wouldst thou not thinke thy selfe in a wofull plight Much more art thou thus if thou be in the darknesse of ignorance sin and misery You will say I see no such matter If I am in misery I see it not It may be so and yet your misery is not the lesse As Christ said because yee say yee see therefore your sinne remaineth so say I because you say you see not therefore your danger is the greater If in a desperate disease a man say he is well it s a certain signe death is comming on a pace so is it a signe that misery lies at the doore though you have shut it out a while because ye say ye see it not Put case it be so say you yet you feele no hurt by it for the present Ye goe on in sinne and thrive and are merry and what evill can come Take heed while a man is lusty and strong a man can endure hot and cold night and day and never shrinke but when hee is downe by age sicknesse surfeit or the like then every blast pierceth through so while you are in health and prosperity you are like a Church Wardens Bill which answereth all is well when too many things are amisse but when sicknesse and death comes downe you sink with shame and horrour like the fishes of Jordan which fall into the dead-Sea and are no more alive Yea but you are not in this darke state you heare the Word and understand it and have a power to understand more therefore certainly you shall not be darknesse for ever for a power doth dispose you to the act and exercise which shall follow Be not deceived For though it be true of a naturall power which comes into act by the power of some inward principle that if you have such a power it shall bee brought into act more or lesse according to the power as when Grapes have a power to drop Wine and Apples Cydar and so if as men you have a power to reason it is more or lesse shewed by discourse either by inward conceptions or outward expressions yet is it not true of an obedientiall power which is drawne out by a power from without as when the waters of Aegypt are turned into bloud and the water at the marriage of Cana was turned into wine and so though you have a naturall power to know according to your measure and so to be acquit of humane darknesse yet amidst your hearing and understanding you must be turned from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan to God that you may receive forgivenesse of sinnes and inheritance amongst them that are sanctified by faith in CHRIST If therefore you would be freed from this darknesse you must depend upon God whom you cannot command at pleasure to give the increase and to acquit you from this misery Secondly ye may be convinced hence not to thinke it strange to see poore sinners to doe that of which they are afterwards ashamed The adulterer watcheth for his twilight the drunkard seeketh his clâ—s scorners to couzen his soule and pursue in the lyar desireth his say-nothing and all luxuriants hunt out their coverts and thickets and when they are rowzed by the Iustice of GOD and man
It is not bad enough to have these horrors and perplexities for sinnes and punishments He was no swearer no whoremonger no thiefe no scoffer at Religion no perjured wretch no wilfull lyar no proud and sâ—rley resister of good counsell and reproofe like too many other young-men now a dayes yet when conscience is awaked and sits as a Iudge on him Onely for drunkennesse neglect of mens bodyes and neglect of Prayer Word and Sacrament he passeth this heavie doome upon himselfe I must bee burned in the furnace of Hell millions of millions of ages and at the last in idlenesse of thoughts and talke he ends his miserable life This is your example which he intreated me to lay before you that ye may be warned by it to keepe you from Hell The living God present it as a powerfull example to your Consciences that it may work that good which this miserable young man wished And that it may the more prevaile ye shall have a rule now as well as an example shewing the misery and horrour of a wicked life from this proverbe The way of the wicked is as darkenesse they know not at what they stumble Salomon had pressed in many words because all words were not enough all Young-men in his sonne to avoide the needlesse and vaine society of wicked men Enter not into the path of the wicked and goe not into the way of evill men Art thou allured Avoide it Is the way delightfull Passe not by it Doth thy way lye that way Turne from it Art thou call'd in whithersoever thou goest Passe away This exhortation being thus pressed with words is further urged by reasons First from the persons and states of wicked men They sleepe not except they have done mischiefe themselves or made others to doe it for how can they when they eate the iron bread of wickednesse and the Sodome Wine of violence This breeds no sweete flegme to binde up the senses Secondly hee urgeth it from the course of wicked men which he sets downe comparatively with the godly The path of the just is as the shining light that shineth more and more to the perfect day The descent of grace is from heaven as the light shineth the degrees of grace are not all attained unto at the first but more and more but the prosperitie of grace where it is nourished by a godly life is not to goe out to the perfect day Therefore it is excellent to be in society with the godly But for the course of wicked men 1. It is as darkenesse there is the danger of it 2. They know not at what they stumble there is the signe of it In this course of wicked men there are two propositions which I shall labour to open and apply unto you First That the way of the wicked is darkenesse That ye may conceive this I shall open unto you thorow GODS helpe foure points 1. What is the way of the wicked 2. How is it darknesse 3. How it comes to be so and 4. Why it is darknesse 1. The way of the wicked is the whole course of a wicked man to death and Hell David saith The way of the wicked shall perish that is his thoughts words deeds wherin he pleaseth himselfe till at last he sees and feeles the empty vanity of them when the comfort of them leaves him and he fall into hell 2. This way of the wicked is darknesse by an absence of that first light which GOD gave to sinlesse and obedient man Before man had sinned hee had the light of knowledge the light of grace and the light of comfort He could fully and fairely see what was fit for a creature to keepe him in perpetuall communion and fellowship with GOD. He had the beames of GODS grace in him and about him keeping out the darkenesse of sin He had sweet comfort in the injoyment of GOD and himselfe and in the best possession and use of all the Creatures But when hee fell from the Principles of Life the Lord and his Law he quickly was overwhelmed with the darkenesse of ignorance the darkenesse of sin and the darknesse of misery Our blessed Saviour came to give light to them that sit in darkenesse and in the shadow of death and to guide our feet into the way of Peace the light of knowledge That they that see not might see the light of grace that they that follow him might not walke in darkenesse but have the light of life And the light of comfort that he might give beauty for ashes the oyle of joy for mourning and the garment of gladnesse for the spirit of heavinesse All wicked men that misse this that are in hunting with Esau while this blessing is given following the luxurious courses of the world in wickednesse while CHRIST brings life and immortality to light by the Gospell doe fall into darkenesse darknesse darknesse Because they loved darknesse rather than light therefore their cogitations are darkened through ignorance their foolish hearts are full of darknesse they looke to the earth and behold darkenesse and sorrow they fall to the darkenesse of horrour for there is no peace to the wicked saith my GOD they goe downe to the place of darkenesse and the horrible pit shuts her mouth upon them O woe unto them they have rewarded evill unto their soules 3. But how doth the wicked mans way become to bee darknesse As outward darknesse doth grow upon men three wayes so doth this First naturally by some defect in naturall generation So there being a naturall defect now in mans propagation through sin he brings forth blind Whelps Though more or lesse for naturall excellency man bee not borne blinde yet for morrall rectitude to improve his understanding to the best advantage for his happines in Gods way hee is darkenesse Secondly actually by too much gazing on the excelling sensibles of the world or by too much heate or cold which checke or chill the spirits So when wicked men doe too much gaze upon the deceitfull glories and pleasures of the World when they are cold in Religion or religious duties and doe hotly pursue the pleasing vanities of this life they become clouded in the thicke smoake of darkenesse This blinded that rich foole from securing his soule and Zaccheus before his conversion from going the right way to heaven For they that will bee rich fall into temptations and snares and into many foolish and hurtfull lusts which drowne men in perdition and destruction Thirdly penally when it is inflicted as a punishment as when Zedechias his eyes were pulled out as a just punishment upon his wicked life so when GOD sees the courses of men to be foule and detestable contrary to the light of the word and checke of Conscience which he hath given them then GOD justly shuts their eyes stoppes their eares and takes away the
â—3 Matth 22. 5. Aâ— scandall Being loath to offend their wicked companions Ioh 3.1 Ioh. 12.42 43. And being offended at the lives of professors Tit. â— 1 Thes 4.12 1 Cor. 10.32 which they easily espy though they are in darknesse Iames 1. From a light not from without but from within Iames 3. 6. At the peaceable end of sinners Psal 73. And the troubled deaths of the Godly 3. They stumble because they know not at what 1. They know not who they are that sinne 2. Whom they sinne â—gainst Micah 6. 1 Ioh. 1. Rom. 3. 2 Cor. 5. 3. What sinne will worke 2. They know not 1. The necessity of repentance Luk. 13. 2. Nor the work of it 3. Nor the worth of it 3. They know not the power of GODS wrath Psal 91. In the workes of this justice 2 Pet. 2.4 Genesis 4. Gen. 6.5 Gen 8.21 Gen. 19 Ezek. 16. Hebr. 9 Rom. 8 3. 2 Cor. 5.21 Rom. 11. Deut. 22.41 42. 2 Pet. 3. Deut. 29.19 20. 4. They know not what they can do in good because they try not Esa 59.29 1 Cor. 11.24 25. Tit. 3.5 Eph. 6. Phil. 4.13 5. They know not what is the power of Gods mâ—â—â—y Si peccantibus multo magis poeniâ—atibus Esa 66. Matth. 11. To embrace penitents Esay 1. Mic. 7.18 Esa 7.20 Esa 28.21 Opus justitiae est opus alienum Acts 〈…〉 They know not how weake all the world is if it were on their side 1 Cor. 7. Eccl. 11. Esa 41.16 7. They know not how little their companions can do for them Psalm 119. Iames 1. Psalm 6. Prov. 6. Psal 49. 8. They know not that the falls of Christians is because they are not Christians enough 9. They know not that sinners end is not alwayes peaceable And when it is Durities hominis peccatum ob duratio judicii Dei it yeilds no comfort Consuetudo peccandi tollit sensum peccati 1 Sam. 25. And yet the unquiet end of the godly may Esay 6. Appli Therefore let this proverbe sinke into your harts Deut. 32.2 Many have thus stumbled But do not you young men stumble thus 2 Cor. 6. Consider your motives to look about you Your age is most unsetled 2. You will easily savour ever of your first liquor Eccl. 1.15 3. Yee are now subject to the horriblest sinnes 4. Your sins will cry loudest Psal 25.7 Iob 13.26 2 Tim. 2.22 Iob 21.17 Iob 20.11 5. Your age hath no priviledge to sinne Eccl. 11.6 Eccl. 11.5 Psal 119.5 Therefore stumble not at any of these blockes Think how soone yee may dye Iob 21.23.24 25. And then what danger will follow With fearfull complaints in vaine Mic. 6.7 Luk. 13.7 Mat. 7.25 and 25 12. I Sam. 2.25 Ier. 9.1 Vses of examples 1. To threaten Deut. 24 9. Iosh 22.20 1 Sam. 6.6 2. To reproach Iudg. 10.17 Mic. 6 5. 3. To comfort Deut. 3.21 Esa 54.9 4. To maintaine truth Iam. 2.21 Rom. 4.2 3. 5. To disswade from vice 1 Cor. 10.7 8 9 c. Exo. 32.6 Num. 25.9 Num. 21 6. Numb 14.37 6. To forewarne 2 Cor. 11.3 Why examples are of such use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iam. 1.2 3. A threefold benefit by examples 1. Observation 2. Illustration 3. Declaration of providence The world doth not make this benefit How men doe make use of examples of Iustice And how they should from the several waies of Gods shewing Iustice 1 Cor. 11.32 Psal 55.23 Deut. 29.29 The Application of the use of examples to this Warning-peece Psal 68 21. Dan. 4.27 Prov. 3.9