we Dwell not in it if we let it not raigne in our mortall bodies f Rom. 6.12 Sponte exequendo quod Peccatum imperat g Caluin in loc readily obeying whatsoeuer sinne commandeth wee neede not feare its Residencie Per Baptismum enim tollitur non vt Non sit sed ne Imputetur h Aug. de Nuptijs cap. 25. For by Baptisme it is taken away but how not So taken away as that it is not in them after Baptisme but So as that it is not accounted vnto them as sinne to whom all sinne is forgiuen And there are good reasons why Sinne should not haue this dominion Reason 1 First looke backe to our Baptisme in which being Baptised into Christ we haue put on Christ i Gal. 3.27 Proclaiming him to be our King and vowing our selues to be his Subiects and how can we then for feare or shame let sinne raigne in vs The Spirit hauing Deified vs by Baptisme saith Nazianzine k Nazian de bap orat 6. that is by Holinesse made vs Partakers of the Godly nature saith Saint Peter l 2 Pet. 1.4 yea being by It deliuered out of Prison discharged from the debt we owed It hauing deliuered vs also from Death regenerated the Soule gorgeously arrayed it and made passage for the Kingdome of heauen saith Basil m Basil 〈◊〉 ad Pâ—pâ—… how shall we then suffer sinne to raigne Reason 2 Secondly see Sinne who or what it is Sinne is a Tyrant yea such a Tyrant as thrusteth himselfe by force and fraud into our best holdâ— so to shoulder our the right owners which who will if he know him entertaine in his house much lesse let raigne in his heart Sinne indeed is a Tyrant yea a Consuming Exacting Insatiable and Holding Tyrant For being dead in it we are holden saith the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 n Rom. 7.6 Deâ—enebâ—ntur that is forcibly holden Holden in a miserable slauery and bondage both of the power of the law of the rigour of the law and of the curse of the law Sinne like a Tyrant ouerturneth all lawes and constitutions it maketh its owne will its law which when we haue entertained and obeyed and suffered to raigne what slauery is like ours Surely none No not the Israelites oppression in Egypt nor their vnmercifull entreatie in Babilon not the bloudy persecution of Antiochus nor the Turkes Gallie slauerie not the Popes fire nor Papists Gunpowder not the Spaniards Inquisition nor Amsterdam Brownists mercilessenes are not to be compared vnto it I remember a pretty question of the Orators and it is this Cicero Tarad 5 An ille liber sit cui mulier imperat cui leges imponat Whether he be a free man whom a woman may command and vnto whose lawes he must be obedient And he answereth Istum non solum seruum sed nequissimum seruum That such an one is not onely a Seruant but a Slaue yea an vnhappy bondslaue Etiamsian amplissima familia natus sit though he be both borne and bred and brought vp in neuer so ample neuer so honourable a familie I speake it not to approue the Orators speech I condemâ—e it rather but it will serue to inferre that the same may be sâ—ld of sinne For if any personall vice doth but obtaine its regeâ—cie what will it not make vs to doe Poscit et dandum est Vocat et veniendum Eijcit et abcundum Minatur et extimescendum It craues and we must giue it cals and wee must come it casts vs out and we must be gone it threatens and we 〈◊〉 fâ—are Nay and if this were all it were well but it is not â—f 〈◊〉 by as tyranny it makes the fruit of the wombe which is a Blessing to be a Curse it makes God of a tender Father to be a terrible Iudge it makes Christ which is a corner-stone to support to be a stone of offence to slumble at yea it makes the Gospell which is of it selfe glad tidings to be vnto vs heauie newes euen the sauour of Death vnto Death oh therefore let it not raigne in vs but rather let vs deale with Sinne as with a Tyrant and that on this wise 1. Take away its weapons 2. Banish its friends 3. Preuent its pollicies 4. Neuer offer conditions of peace with it for if we doe it will quickly encroach and get the chayre of estate and sit in our soules as King Therefore let it not Raigne c. Reason 3 Lastly consider sins wages when it hath made vs to take paines what will be our pay Surely in this life a galeing and wounded Conscience which shall continually suggest vnto vs our sinnes committed Gods law violated his Maiestie offended and punishment deserued This Worme shall gnaw this Scourge shall whip vs in this life Occultum quatiente animo tortore flagellum o Iâ—menal sat 13 Yea the Tormentor shall shake an hidden whippe in the soule of the Tormented Nay neither is this all but Death shall also play its part for That indeed is sins proper pay as the Apostle witnesseth Rom. 6.23 saying The wages of sinne is death Mors vt debitum soluitur peccanti vti Militi stipendium suum ex pacto p Aretius in Rom. 6.23 Death is the Sinners due and shall be as surely paid him as the Souldier hath his presse money and the Seruant his couenant penny Therefore let not sinne raigne c. My application of which point shall be none other but this Vse namely to instruct vs Therefore to raigne ouer sinne Which if we will doe we must as warlike-kings fight lustily and with a good courage fearing none but God and yeelding to nothing but godlinesse which hath the promise of this life and that which is to come Both which if we will doe wee must follow the counsell of the Apostle who willeth vs To take the whole armour of God that wee may be able to withstand the assaults of the Deuill q Eph. 6.11 and to Resist in the euill day and to stand fast r v. 13. Know this oh thou Christian man whatsoeuer thou art that liuing here thou liuest in a Millitary world t 1 Cor. 7.31 and in a Church Millitant v 1 Tim. 2.15 Thou must therefore be a Souldier * 2 Tim. 2.3 and the course of thy life must be a fight x 1 Tim. 1.18 thou must expect the opposition of enemies y Luke 1.71 and annoyance with assaults z 1 Pet. 2.11 And therefore like a good Souldier thou must fight manfully that thou maist raigne Regally But before thou entrest combat with thy foes Put on thine armour be euery way in euery thing wel instructed as Mr Caluin expounds it a Quo signisicat debere omni ex parte instructor esse ne quod nobis desit But what Armour must thou put on Not Ionathans Bow nor Sampsons Iaw bone not Dauids Sling nor Peters Sword not
yea so saith the Text For this Ruine is for their Iniquitie p Ezec. 7.19 Againe I will swite thee saith God to Iacob yea I will make thee sicke in smiting thee and in making thee Desolate and why Because of thy sinnes q Micha 6.13 And Ecclesiasticus saying is not to be buried in silence who saith That hee that finneth before his maker shall fall into the hands of the Phisitian r Ecclus 38.16 and so did this man without doubt For me thinkes it could no otherwise be but that he who was sicke 38. yeares should with that woman Marke 5.25.26 sicke of the bloudy Issue 12. yeares suffer many things of the Physitians Of all which painefull effects of Sinne we may make plentifull vse to bring vs vnto Sanctitie As Vse 1 First it may teach vs to Abhorre Sinne aboue all things By Nature we hate euery thing that Hurteth vs how much more should we Abhorre Sinne that woundeth vs so sorely as it doth Her way like the way of a Strumpet leades downe to Death and her footsteps take hold of Hell Å¿ Prou. 5.5 Yea saith Saint Bernard Via Peccati Ingredientes Contaminat Progredientes obstinat Egredientes exterminat t Bern. in Senten Sinne in the first Entrance thereinto Defileth in the Progresse Hardeneth at its Going out Destroyeth If I might with patience follow an Ancient v Beda lib. exhortat 4. c. 5. in Sinnes discription I thinke it would if any thing would make vs to abhorre it Hee termes it a Monster yea and not onely so but also A monstrous Witch which saith he In tot Monstra te transformat in quot Peccata te alterat causeth thee to accept the resemblance of so many Beasts as it maketh thee to attempt sinnes For example let it bring thee to fleshly pleasure It will change thee into an Hogge an Horse a Syren a Sparrow Or let it leaue thee to Sloath then it will metamorphize thee into an Ostridge an Elephant a Cammell a Dragon an Asse Or let it possesse thee with Couetousnesse and then no Harpie shall be compared vnto thee though insatiable in Coneting swift in Pursuing hard in Holding Or let Crueltie take hold of thee and then no Hiena no Wolfe no Viper shall be able to match thee Oh monstrum miserabile Oh miserable monster oh bewitched Sinner who art so Taken as they say with such a Witch as makes thee so foule in Nature so monstrous in Mortalitie so damnable in Diuinitie Sinne it will not onely make thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Impium improbum void of holinesse and honesty for a time but it will change thee into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Insignem Nebulonem x Iohn 9.16 Aretius in Loc. a notable notorious a palpable apparent grosse and gricuous sinner yea into one whose Eyes shall be full of Adulterie whose Eares shall be open to all vaine delights whose Tongue shall be swollen with Deceipt whose Lips shall be boulstred with the Poyson of Aspes whose Throate shall be an open Sepulchre whose Hands shall be full of Briberie whose Belly a timpany of Gluttonie whose Backe shall be loaden with Idlenesse and whose Feete shall be swift enought though to shed bloud Loe then Sinne being such a thing as will make thee such an one who will not abhorre It aboue all things Yea indeede let vs not loue that which causeth God to loath vs let vs not swill downe that which maketh God to swell against vs making vs sicke because of sinne and Weake by reason of Wickednesse but rather as I haue said already let vs Abhorre it Vse 2 But againe Doth Sinne cause sicknesse Then let this teach vs to commiserate and pittie men in their sinfull estates as well as in their sickly In visiting the sicke Ah my Brother and alas my Sister are the vsuall straines but comming to our sinfull soules and seeing them sicke with sinne euen vnto Death we cannot mourne nor pittie them nay rather we reioyce and sing Which may I not with Solomon call A mad mirth y Eccles 2.2 Surely yes For who would censure more charitablie of that man who when hee is called to the house of mourning wherein his Dearest friend lyes languishing he in stead of Mourning laugheth reioyceth and danceth for ioy And what shall we thinke of such as are Dying with sinne yea Dead in sinne Deadly Drunke Deadly Couetous whom when wee espie wee laugh at them But let all such Reioycers take heed and Repent of this their pitteous Mirth lest they pertake of that woe which our Sauiour hath denounced saying Wee be vnto them which now laugh x Luk. 6.25 for they shall weepe and houle z Vse 3 Thirdly doth Wickednesse cause Weakenesse Then let this teach vs to acknowledge without murmuring that all the iudgements which seaze on vs are iust and righteous altogether Two peerelesse patternes hereof we haue in sacred Write the first whereof is the Widdow of Sareptah whose Sonne falling sicke yea euen sicke vnto Death so that as the Text saith There was no Breath in him a 1 Kin. 17.17.18 She murmures not she repines not she reuiles not the man of God but rather disprayseth her selfe imputeth her Childes sicknesse and death vnto her selfe saying Art thou come to call my sinne to remembrance and to slay my Sonne Which had beene as much as if she had said Oh man of God I humbly acknowledge that it were iust with God if he did call my sinnes to remembrance and for punishment of them did take away my Sonne I had no cause to murmure but rather to mourne because my sinne is so great as to deserue this yea and many more heauie punishments then this Loe she is not like Vespatian who being sicke and out of hope of life threw the Curtaines aside spreading his hands and complaining against his Gods Se Immerenti sibi vitam eripi a Sacâ—onius in vâ—… Vesp cap. 10 That they tooke away his life without any fault or fayling on his part No no she doth not behaue her selfe any whit frowardly but humbly acknowledgeth that her sinnes haue deserued it The like we may reade of in the booke of Nehemiah How the Leuites laid open the sinnes of the whole land Condemning themselues and Commending the Lord. Confessing his kindnesse vnto Them and their Vnkindnesse vnto Him Yea surely say they Thou art iust in all that is come vpon vs Thou hast dealt truely but we haue done wickedly b Neh. 9.33 And thus it behoueth vs to doe likewise euen in all our Troubles and Afflictions that befall vs in this life therewith to be content and willingly to subiect our selues vnto Gods will patiently wayting his leisure and so doing let vs not doubt but that at the last the Lord will come yea and recompence his seeming slacknesse with plenty of ioy and glory and honour and immortalitie Vse 4 Fourthly what though sicknesse commeth for sinne yet let vs
he will not sticke to commit it 1. Euery whit 2. Euery where 3. And euer or if you will 1. All. 2. At all Places 3. At all Times v Stonham in Psal 1.1 pag. 16. in 4 to These are the rungs by which Sinne gets it's throne in our inner man In which when it is a while established see how it proclaimeth it selfe King and playes Rex 1. By Ignorance which Blindeth 2. By Vnbeliefe which Displeaseth 3. By Custome which Hardneth 4. By Security 1 Ignorance which Presumeth By Ignorance the Gentiles were Strangers to the Life of God * Ephes 4.18 and the Romanes were deliuered into a Reprobate minde x Rom. 1.28 yea this the Apostle doth put first in that Catalogue of causes They Regarded not to Know God saith he and why Sponte nesciunt vt Liberius peccent saith Aquinas y Aquin 2 2 quest 76. artâ— 4. They were wilfully ignorant that they might sinne the more freely yea and whence is it that our common people haue gotten such boldnesse in sinning is it not for the most part by reason of the Ignorance that is in them Surely yes for who now so bold as Blind Bayard who so sinfull as the Rude multitude whose Cogitations being darkened and hearts hardened being past feeling and giuen ouer to Wantonnesse doe worke all Vncleannesse with Greedinesse z Eph. 4.18.19 And therefore no maruell though Sinne Raigne in them But againe see how vnbeliefe drawes on to sins Regencie 2 Vnbeliefe If the Deuill can but blinde this Eye of Faith but pricke this Foot lame this Hand then he knowes that he shall quickly make vs Eye all sinne Goe vnto all iniquitie and Reach after all wickednesse That indeed is it that draweth Gods wrath hasteneth Gods iudgements depriueth vs of Gods promises and nullifieth his couenants Faiths Necessuie a Heb. 11.6 implies vnbeliefes Indignitie makes it worthy of none other King then sinne to whose Lawes they must yeeld and to whose Lusts they must obey for it is their King and therefore it will Raigne But let vs see how Custome preuailes for sins Domination 3 Custome surely much euery way In familiaritatem grauissima adducit saith Seneca b Seneca de Tranquilitate vitae Custome makes heauie things light It makes Cammels seeme Gnats and Beames but Moates The sinner accustomed to sinne is then in his Element when he is committing hainous and hiddeous crimes grosse and grieuous iniquities And it is a Rule in Philosophy That no element is heauie so long as it is in its owne Sphere Et Peccata quamuis Magna et Horrenda cum in Consuetudine venerint aut Parua aut nulla crediderunt saith Saint Augustine c Aug. Encheridion cap. 17. And Sinne though horrid and horrible when men are Accustomed vnto it seeme but small nay none at All yea Sinne that presse and sincke downe some to hell men accustomed therewith will goe away as nimblie with it as euer Sampson did with the Gates Posts and Barres of Azzah d Iudges 16.3 without complaint of any heaft at all and that makes it raigne Lastly Securitie hath an hand to helpe sinne in its Regencie 4 Securitie This Ease-full sleepe in sinne which the Greeke Poets call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deaths brother or if you wil a dead sleepe this I say settles sinne in its throne yea and brings him that is possessed therewith To sit in his seate as the Psalmist hath it e Psal 1.1 id est securé et pertenaciter perseuerare in delictis et omnem Pietatem et Religionem habere pro Ludibrio f Mollerus in loc that is securely and obstinately to perseuere and continue in omission of good duties making a mocke of all piety and religion This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spiritus soporis Spirit of slumber or as Piscator translateth it g Rom. 11.8 Pisc in Loc. Dead sleepe or senselesse stumber possessing vs doth make vs to thinke Who is the Lord or what can he doe yea and to say also Wee haue made a Couenant with Death and an Agreement with Hell Though a Scourge runne ouer and passe through yet it shall not come at vs h Isay 28.15 Yea and this indeed hath beene it which hath brought vs in such subiection vnto sinnes Dominion This hath made vs now like the Romanes of old euen to sinne and to Fauour such as doe it i Rom. 1.32 both by Counselling and Countenancing by Commanding and Commending by Prouocation and Silence by Familiaritie and Defence Oh this hath brought vs to Ripenesse of sinne and then what can wee looke for but the hooke of Gods iudgements to cut vs downe and plucke vs off Therefore let vs all stand in Awe k Psal 4. â— Suspect our owne corruptions and be carefull in euery action to shun and auoyd the offence and displeasing of God then though sinne hath Residencie in vs in Infirmitie yet it shall not Raigne ouer vs with grosle Enormitie Be wee therefore admonished by Christ which here bids vs sinne no More I should now descend to the Reasons but me thinkes I cannot let passe without obseruation that which is implied in this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ne amplius No more and that is this That he had sinned before and so was sicke yea take the Text in its Totum without Diuision and you shall see it wholly implied yea the Learned haue concluded That it was the Scope and Drift of Christs Conference with this man in the Temple to shew him the first efficient cause of his sicknesse l Hugh Card. Ludolphus de Saxonia Chemnitius 〈◊〉 Lâ—ssâ—… Caluinus Aretius Marloratus Maldonatus in locum which was none other but sinne so that the Inference is plaine to wit That sicknesse For sinne doth follow sicknesse In sinne or that Weakenesse of Bodie doth proceede from Wickednesse of Soule Doct. 2 This is the Reall and Radicall m Fons et mali et morbi et mortis Aretius in Loc. Prima et principua causa Calamitatum Strigelius in Psal 107 Omnis Poena Peccatum habet Antecedens Aretu Problem lrc. 162. p. 489. cause of all bodily sicknesses For as the Naturalist said Ex sanitate Anima sit sanitas Corporis n Aristâ—meta-Phâ—sic lib. 7. That the Soules soundnesse was the bodies safetie so Deuines hold That if the soule had not sinned the Body had not smarted That Pernitious Parent hath begotten this dangerous and deadly ofspring yea from this Roote and impure Seminarie hath sprung all our woefull Miserie taking from vs Paradice and making vs Pilgrims bereauing vs of Immortalitie and putting on vs Mortalitie dispossessing vs of Gladnesse and exposing vs to Sadnesse and this doth the Scripture euery where testifie Fooles are afflicted saith Dauid Why Because of their offences o Psal 107.17 And Ezechiel prophecying of Israels Destruction and fearefull Ruine layes downe this as the maine cause euen Her Iniquitie
shamelesse mocking and prophane Children why so had Abraham an Ishmael d Gen. 16.15 Noah a Cham e Gen. 9.21 Isaack an Esau f Gen. 25.25 or it may be That cruell witnesses haue risen vp against thee and asked the things thou knewest not or they haue rewarded thee euill for good to haue spoyled thy soule why so had Dauid g Psal 35.11.12 yea and all the Worthies that euer were in the world haue drunk of this Cup of affliction yet feare not for they now Certainly haue what thou shalt assuredly possesse euen The Cup of Refection for they were punished here to be receiued hereafter and so shalt thou be if thou will goe and Sinne no more Vse 2 But in the second place let me demand Is Sinne and Punishment inseperable Then tremble at this all yee vngodly For what Shall the Righteous be recompenced on the Earth how much more the Wicked and sinnefull h Prou. 11.31 Will hee doe this to the Greene tree What shall be done to the Dry i Luke 23.31 Will he begin to plague the Cittie where his Name is called vpon and shall you goe free saith Ieremie k Ier. 25.29 No If iudgement begin at Vs saith Saint Peter l 1 Pet. 4.17.18 then Horrendam Vltionem ijs instare quorum nunc potior videtur conditio saith Mr. Caluin m Caluin Loc. they that obey not the Gospell yet seeme prosperous shall then be found in their condition most pittious This is granted That the Lord doth try the Righteous in his Furnace but the wicked and such as loue Iniquitie doth his soule hate yea and on Them will hee raine Snares Fire and Brimstone Storme and Tempest This shall be their portion to drinke n Psal 11.5.6.7 Indeed he lifteth vp his hands to strike the Faithfull but hee will crush his Aduersaries with a Scepter of Iron and breake them in peeces like a Potters vessell o Psal 2.9 Hee will iudge the Iust for his sinnes in this life but hee will wound the Hairy scalpe of such an one as goeth on still in his wickednes p Psal 68.21 His little Finger shall be heauier on the Reprobate then his Loynes on his owne People Therefore I say tremble at this all ye wicked which walke inordinately and yet say Tush God seeth not or Tush God careth not for it q Psal 10.12 or Tush no harme shall happen vnto vs r v. 14. You Ignorant men and women whose cry is That t was neuer so bad a world as since there was so much Preaching and you whose howling is after the Oynions of Egypt the Masse of Rome the Pax of old the Crucifixe the Durges and Latine Prayers Yee that praise the plenty in time of Poperie you that say That you felt no euill when ye offered Cakes to the Queene of Heauen Oh King of Heauen forgiue your ingratitude What was it then a merry world when there was Monie and no Men Was it a merry world when the Crucifixe was kissed and Christ was Crucified anew Was it a merry world when Ignorance rid on horse-backe and Knowledge went on foote Mourne oh mourne ye for your Ingratitude and pray the Lord that your eyes may be opened to see your errour and your hearts may be enlarged to giue God the praise due vnto his name for that his Punishments haue not beene as our sinnes infinite vnmeasurable vnsupportable Againe tremble at this all ye Drunkards whose cry is like the former saying What though some Good-fellowes die with the Cup and Pipe at their mouthes What though others are stabbed in their Drunkennesse yet tush no such harme shall happen vnto vs. But oh ye foolish how long will ye loue foolishnesse And yee beasts how long will yee loue beastlinesse Tell me Is not Gods seate in heauen Is not his hand stretched out still Is not his Anger as hot and the fire of his indignation as fierie and fierce against sinners as euer it was Surely yes And why then should you yet heale your soules soares with the salue of Securitie Oh doe no more so foolishly for this sinne yea and all other like its Author the Deuill is but a Lyar Mentitur Peccatum vt fallat Vitam pollicetur vt perimat saith Saint Cyprian Å¿ Cyprianus lâ—b 1. epist 8. It lies that it may deceiue it promiseth life that it might inflict Death Therefore let the bitternesse of Punishment make vs all distaste the sweetnesse of Sinne. This Viper Sinne doth indeede like that Viperous Serpent yeeld a tickling delight to all our outward sences but as soone as the infected blood comes to the heart presently the body is in danger of death yea and so is our soule too if we doe not the sooner see to it and the more vigilantly watch ouer it Vbi Peccatum ibi Procella t Ciâ—rys hom 5. ad Populum Antioch Where sinne Raignes there the wrath of God will tempestuously beate on vs Say sinne therefore what it will beleeue thou the word of God which saith The wages of sinne is Death v Rom. 6.23 beleeue thou the well experienced in godlinesse which saith Dulce Peccatum Amara Mors x Author incognitus that no other fruit is to be pluckt from that Forbidden tree then pale blacke gastly and ghostly Death Hoc agitur Haec patitur this is committed that shall certainely be imposed Adam and Eue haue eaten of the tree of knowledge of good and euill and haue died the death y Gen. 2.17 And his posteritie that shall sinne yea securely sinne without feare of Iudgement past or to come may certainely expect and assuredly looke for worse things to happen to him And so much for the Certainty of the Punishment Secunda pars Secundae rationis Now followes the Extreamitie A worse thing The subiect that I am to speake of is Sickenesse still and therefore blame me not if I follow the Physitians as well in their Proportion as in their Potion in their Quantitie as in their Qualitie Physitians if they meete with a body hard to worke vpon they double their Dosses and vse more violent meanes So will the Lord deale with sinners when hee findes them obstinate If Pestilence that walketh in darkenesse will not affright them then let them look for Plagues destroying at Noone-day x Psal 91.6 If eight and thirty yeeres sicknesse will not admonish this man then let him looke for a longer or more loathsome disease A worse thing Where it is worth our noting that hee speakes not of a positiue punishment saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Malum Euilâ— shall happen vnto him No nor yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Beza y Beza annotat in Mat. 12.45 saith is somewhat more but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aliquid deterius quám prius z Syrus graec in loc A thing farre worse then the former some hopelesse helpelesse remedilesse thing All