they can not sedute us they wil envie and hate us because wee will not run with them to the same excesse of ryot 1 Iohn 3.12 Prov. 29.27 Psalme 69.12 Every man is borne a Caine envying that good in another which hee wants himselfe but a swinish drunkard delights to see the temperance sobriety 1. How drunkards envie the sober and censionable and other eminent graces of him that feares God and will not doe as he doth as fore eyes delight to look upon the Sun Lot vexed himselfe because hee saw men bad these because men are good not that God's Law is broken but because others keepe it better than themselves It is true envie knowes what it will not confesse but experience shewes that sordid drunkards are as full of envie towards such as will not consort with them as a Serpent is full of poyson And you may know it by this token doe they not make it their Grace both before and after dinner to disgrace such an Innocent O that so many Loaves and Fishes as did feed five thousand in the Wildernes would but stop their mouths that envie and speake evill of such as they know no other fault by but their vertue they pick their owne sorrowes out of the joyes of other men and out of others sorrowes likewise they assume their owne joyes whereas worth begets in those that are magnanimous emulation in base minds it contrarily begets envie will you know the reason Hee that hath lost all good himselfe is vexed to see it in another and can no way be pacified except that other become as bad as himselfe as Demonides having himselfe crooked feet and losing both his shoes to be even with him that had found them desired the gods that the parties feete might be as crooked as his shoes were But how just is it with God that this fire of enuy should be punished with the fire of Hell § 88. 2 SEcondly as is their enuy 2 How they will haâ—e them such is their hatred and malice they hate the good because they will not be so evill as themselves Micha 3.2 Mathew 10.22 Iohn 15.19 1 King 22.8 Proverbs 29.27 The temperance and sobriety of a good man is as great a vexation to them as their conversation is to him for as if Nature had made them antipathites to vertue they so hate righteousnesse that they will hate a man for it and say of good living as Festus did of great learning it makes a man mad but they cannot know who are sober that are mad themselves Neither is this of theirs an ordinary hatred VVhich hatred is the most bitter and exorbitant of all others for they even eate their owne hearts in anger that they cannot eate ours in revenge we pray for the opening of their eyes and they pray for the pulling out of ours we desire the turning of their hearts and they wish the cutting of our throats no such concord no such discord saith one of the Learned as that which proceeds from Religion My name saith Luther is more odious unto them then any thiefe or mutherer as Christ was more detestable to the Iewes then Barrabas Behold saith David mine enemies for they are many and they hate me with a cruell hatred Psal 25.19 yea so cruell that it makes their teeth gnash and their hearts burst againe Acts 7.54 which made the truth's adversaries give St. Paul stripes above measure and the Heathen Emperours to devise such cruel Tortures for all those which but profest themselves Christians You cannot anger a sotted drunkard worse then to doe well yea he hates you more bitterly for this and the credit you gaine thereby then if you had cheated him of his patrimony with your owne discredit That there is no hatred so virulent and bitter as that which is occasioned by vertuous living and professing of Christ's name our Saviour himselfe proves copiously Math. 10. Luk. 21. where he shewes that it makes them forget all naturall affection whether it be that which descends as of Parents to children or that which ascends as of children to Parents or that which is mutuall of Friends Kindred or Brethren one to another so that be they never so neere allied they shall betray each other and cause them to dye even for his names sake as the Text hath it Neither doth their malice extend it selfe to this or that person onely but these Hamans so hate the Religious that they wish as Caligula once did of the Romans that they had all but one head that so they might cut it off at a blow were it in their power Ester 3.6.8.9.13 Micha 3.2 Psal 83.4 But our comfort is they have not so much authority as malice resembling the Serpent Porphyrus which abounds with poyson but can hurt none for want of teeth § 89. How their envy and hatred vents it selfe at the mouth and hands NOw you must know that this envy and hatred of theirs is too strong to containe it selfe within the heart and thereupon breakes forth at their mouth and hands Besides seeing the former stratagems will not prevaile and that they cannot allure nor perswade to drunkennesse and the like sinnes and so worke their wills upon the sober and conscionable by subtilty faire meanes they wil seek to compel and enforce them to do as they do like as when lustfull Amnon could not winne Tamer by faire meanes he deflowers her by force For as the Devill who raignes as a Prince in the world of the ungodly Eph. 2.2 is for strength a Lyon and a Fox for wit so is the world it self if it cannot infect us it will afflict us if it cannot corrupt our soules it will taynt our good names it is not like some bashfull Suter easily answered but so impudent that while we have breath it will never give us over thinking that so long as there is life there is hope Now to effect their end and bring about their purpose they use divers and sundry meanes venting their hearts at their mouthes in words and by action in their hands with their mouthes they wil censure scoffe at revile raile on nicke-name slander falsely accuse curse threaten c. and with their hands they will at least if they may be permitted imprison smite hurt and lastly if all this will not doe they will kill us as there be more wayes to the wood then one To reckon up all the trickes they doe and would use if the law restrained them not and to reckon up how many Creatures in the Vniverse were a taske equally possible and endlesse besides it would overmuch swell the heape and the Pages like fish would grow into a multitude wherefore I will select out onely two verball properties of their enuy and hatred and passe over the rest The malice and enuy of drunkards vents it selfe at their mouthes either 1 By censuring or 2 By slandering us § 90. 1 FIrst At their mouthes first by censureing the
vertues to which I may fitly resemble them were not to be drawne in the compasse of a signet neither did it become any to paint them but Apelles to grave them but Pyrgoteles to carve them but Lysippus Wherefore I will passe over with a dry Pen that which neither befits the person to write in regard of his meannesse nor the place of an Epistle to containe in regard of it's expected briefnesse though It is detraction to conceale due praise When good related might more goodnes raise True glasses both our deformities and favours tell and precepts never shine so much as when they are set in examples nor examples as when they are set in curious persons nor is it easie to finde so fit a person so meet a patterne for imitation for incitation The which benefit that we may long enjoy as a set Copy in the Schoole of this our Nation my prayers with many other are hearty and fervent that your life may be as long as it is beneficiall then shall you as much out-live others as your name you which will bee so long as nature hath an eare or eye or tongue for though you dye your sweet remembrance shall ever live Oh that these lines might live but so long as your fame and known integrity then I were confident they should never meet a grave in comming ages Thus loving rather to say nothing then too much I desire your Lordship to accept as from an affectionate heart and dutiful hand in part of payment by way of restitution this small Mite which I bring you in your owne and other mens coyne which is not more yours than the Author And so I commend it's successe to God it 's Patronage to you it 's use to the World and your Lordship to the protection tuition direction of the mighty Creator loving Redeemer comfortable Preserver of all the Elect. Your Lordships most humbly devoted and in all service ever to be commanded R. Janius THE DRVNKARD'S CHARACTER OR A true Drunkard lively set forth in his colours HAVING found out a new Creature which GOD never made in the Creation as once Anah in the wildernesse Gen. 36.24 The Introduction I present him to view first whole and intire then cut up and anatomized taking liberty in method and distribution so to place my divisions subdivisions notions as may best serve for brevity perspicuity my purpose and the Readers benefit § 1. ADrunkard and I take him for such that drinkes more for lust Drunkards not to be reckoned amongst men or pride or covetousnesse or feare or good fellowship or to drive away time or to still conscience then for thirst being generally considered is one that was borne a man lives a beast and consorts with beasts of his owne kinde one that through custome of sinne and a just judgement of GOD upon it hath his heart changed from mans nature and a beasts heart given him in the steed as it fared with Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4.16 For what other can wee thinke of him that gives himselfe to this vice doth not wine rob a man of himselfe and lay a beast in his roome hee is not himselfe hee is not his owne man though a master of others neither are drunkards to be reckoned amongst men but beasts saith Seneca Indeed they are humane or rather inhumane beasts or as some more favourably admit reasonable beasts or sensuall men but yeeld them the utmost a drunkard hath but a bestiall heart in a case of humane flesh and there is little difference between him and a beast but that he doth exceede a beast in beastlinesse as Hermes well observes § 2. YEa to prove them beasts in condition Other sinners Beasts though men in shape were a taske so easie that it would accrue small credit to an opponent for each naturall man so long as he remaines in his sinnes impenitent is a very beast in condition as Ieremy affirmes Ier. 10.14 and St. Peter 2 Pet. 2.12 Hee may be so proud as to scorne the comparison but it is so for the wisdome of Heaven puts it upon him and that which the Prophet in this place wraps up in a short Metaphor is in other places of Scripture as it were illustrated and unfolded by a continued Allegory the selfe same spirit making good that generall charge by many particular instances as looke but in Gods Dictionary who can give most congruous names to natures and you shall find Nero termed a Lyon 2 Tim. 4. Herod a Fox Luk. 13. the Iewish false teachers Dogs Phil. 3. Davids persecutors Bulls of Bason and Vnicornes Psal 22. the Egyptian enemies Dragons Psal 74. the Scribes and Pharesies Serpents and Vipers Math. 23. the Babilonian Monarch a Lyon with Eagles wings the Percian a Bearc the Macedonian a Leopard Dan. 7. the enemies of the Church wild Boares Psal 80. greedy Iudges evening Wolves Zeph. 3. Schismaticks Foxes cubs Canticl 2. c. Or admit the Scriptures were silent herein wee may evidently see men and women transformed into beasts of all kinds every day some into Epicurean Swine others into barking Dogs a third sort into cruell Tygers c. yea no wildernesse afords so many beasts as some great City for each covetous Muckworme is a blind Mole every lust full person a rancke Goate the fraudulent man is a Fox the busie body a Squirrell the Murmurer a Frog the Flatterer a Spaniell the Slanderer an Aspe the Oppressor a Wolfe the Persecutor a Tyger the Church Robber a wild Boare the Seducer a Serpent yea a Devill the Traitor a Viper c. for the time and my breath would faile mee if I should reckon up all kinds of humane beasts or beastiall men beasts in the forme of men yea it s well if all these brutish conditions meete not in one man especially a drunkard as rivers in the Sea for there is not one beastlike or serpentine quality which every of their natures much more this sinne would not admit if GOD restrained them not § 3. EVen such is the power of sinne that it made God become man Drunkards worse then Beasts Angells become Devills and men become beasts but this sinne this vile and odious sinne of drunkennesse hath a more superlative power for it makes a man worse then any beast which goes upon foure legs Neither can I finde a sample for him amongst beasts hee is such a beast that I know not with what beast to match him such a beast that no other beast will keepe him company the neerest to him is the Ierff a beast in the north parts of Suetia whose property as Gesner out of Olaus Magnus relates it is when he hath killed his prey or found some Carkasse to fal a devouring the same and never leave feeding untill his belly be puft up and strouteth like a bag-pipe and then not being able to hold any more he goeth presently betweene two narrow trees and straineth out backward what hee hath eaten and so being made
Sathan and Christ and their regiments the wicked and the godly a perpetual war enmity and strife according to the Lords prediction or proclamation for there is scarce a Page in the Bible which doth not either expresse or imply somewhat touching this warre yea as if the Scriptures contained nothing else the Holy-Ghost significantly calls them the booke of the battells of the Lord Numb 21.14 as Rupertus well observes But because it would take up much roome and none except they are blind will question the same I will wave that Saran is not a Captaine of forties nor of fifties nor of sixties nor of hundreds but he is Generall over all which fight not under Christ's Banner which is but a little flocke It 's true every Christian in his Baptisme hath taken presse-money of Christ to be his Souldier and to serve him in the Field of this world against his and our enemies yea I confesse amongst us Christians Christ is the subject of all tongues O that he were the object of all hearts but whereas the Schoole disputes of him the Pulpit preaches of him Hypocrites talke of him time-servers make use of him Politicians pretend him prophane men sweare by him millions professe him few love him few serve him few care to honour him godly men even amongst us Christians are like timber trees in a wood here one and there one Yea it is to be feared that as once in Israel a thousand followed Baâ—l for one that followed God so now many serve the world and the flesh and the Devill for one that truely serves God in sincerity truth and holinesse Now as when Abimeleck raigned downe went Gideon's children so where wicked men beare sway and sin raignes downe goes Christ's friends and the fruits of faith And when hath the visible Church kept her owne so well but it might truely be said not as the women of Saul and David Saul hath slaine his thousand and David his tenne thousand but Sathan by himselfe and his Host hath slaine more then his hundred thousand Yea of these drunkards who have taken the Devills oath of allegiance he is a very meane souldier that hath not won some from Christs Standard as amongst the Hungarians he is not held worthy to weare a weapon nor reputed a brave gentleman who hath not kil'd a Turke Yea some there are that have wonne more men from him then they have beene weekes at their owne dispose as Cato Censorius boasted he had taken more townes in Spaine then he had beene dayes in the country Nay hath not the Devill made as good use of some famous drunkard as Sampson did of that Jaw-bone of an Asse Iudg. 15. wherewith he slew a thousand men § 113. NOw wherein doe they overcome They would have our company in torments and what is it these spirituall Kings and their Regiments chiefely fight for for having made cleare way I come now at length to prove the second part of my former proposition namely that their utmost aime and end whether they seeke to intise or enforce us to sinne with them is that they may have our company hereafter in the burning lake but to win soules each from other and what thinke you doe drunkards the seede of the Serpent and children of the Devill more delight in then the murther of soules and why doe they so subtilly perswade and so violently enforce us to sinne with them but that they may pluck us out of Christs fould and bring us into the same place of torment whether they are going This is the very end and purpose of all their warring against the seede of the woman No thing but â—â—our soul ewill Isatisfi the berpent and is seede For as nothing but the dishonour and rape of Tamer could please Amnon and nothing but the blood of Amnon could satisfie Absalom and nothing but the heart of Absalom could content Ioab and nothing but the death of Ioab could pacifie Salomon so nothing but our soules will satisfie the Serpent and his seede This is the very Pricke White and Butt whereat they shoote all their Arrowes and lay their levell If any shall say this word is too big for my mouth I wish them first heare and then determine The Devill by these as through so many Bowes shootes a deadly Arrowe at thy soule as Lycian Pandorus did at Menelaus the Grecian but God like Pallas turneth by the Shaft and makes it hit upon thy body goods or good name as that upon the buckler of his girdle Why thinke you are all their frownes and frumps and censures and scoffes Why so many slanders and stigmaticall nick-names raised and cast upon the Religious why are they the alone object of their scorne and derision but that they may flout them out of their faith dampe or quench the spirit where they perceive it is kendled but that they may baffle them out and make them ashamed of their holy profession and religious course and consequently pull them back to the world Why did the Heathen Emperours so violently oppose and so cruelly persecute the Christians but to make them become Heathens too Why did Bonner and Gardiner with the rest of that crew in the time of Queene Mary burne at the stake all that truely profest the purity of Religion but to winne them from Christ Why did St. Paul before his conversion breath out threatnings and slaughters against the Disciples why did he persecute them even to strang cities shut up in Prison and punish them throughout all the Synagogues but that he might make them renounce Christ and his religion and compell them to blaspheme as himselfe confesseth Acts 26.10.11 Why did the high Priests so consult and contrive about putting Lazarus to death after he was raised and Christ also that raised him but because for his sake many of the Iewes went away and beleeved in Iesus as the Holy-Ghost affirmes Iohn 12.10.11 see also Chap. 11.48 Lastly if there were not many men so cursedly wretched as to delight in the murther of sonles what should holy David so much and in so many places use these and the like expressions They have laid waite for my soule Psa 59.2.3 They rewarded me evill for good to have spoyled my soule Psal 35.12 Mine enemies the wicked compasse me round about for my soule Psa 17.9 They gather themselves together and lay waite for my soule Psalme 56.6 and many the like which was not more his case then it is ours for all their ayme when they either tempt or afflict us is that they may make us square our lives according to their rule as that Gyant did proportion the bodies of all his guests to the bed of his Harlot either by stretching out if they wanted in length or cutting off if they did exceed and consequently draw us to perdition They rather wish all damned with themselves then any to bee freed from their owne Prison and as in the blessed there is perfect charity so in the damned
for example It is a fearefull thing to omit good more fearefull to commit evill as I have shewed but worse to delight in sinne worse then that to defend it but worse then worst to boast of it which is an usuall thing with thee Or thus hee doth bad enough that sins through infirmity being led captive against his will to doe foule crimes but thou doest incomparably worse who sinnest presumtuously and of set purpose yea of obstinate and resolved malice against God and his image as I shall in due place prove sining not only without all shame but not without malice insomuch that it is thy least ill to doe evill for behold thou speakest for it joyest in it boastest of it enforcest to it mockest them that dislike it as if thou wouldest send challenges into heaven and make love to destruction Fourthly 4. His sias are so open and scandalous that the Gospel is dishonoured and God blasphemed thy sinnes exceed and weigh downe other mens that shall goe to the same place of torment because they are so open and scandalous for he that sinnes publickely to the dishonour of God and religion is a greater offender then if hee did the same at home and in private Sinne that is done abroad ceaseth to be single for it is many sinnes in one and that in a double respect it stumbles others it infects others First it stumbles others and this doth much to increase it It did wonderfully aggravate David's sin that it caused the enemies of God to blaspheme and made the sinne of Elie's sons whose scandalous lives made men abhorre the offerings of the Lord so heynous that God even swore unto Ely that the wickednesse of his house should not bee purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever 1 Sam. 3.14 O the difference between thy practise and what it ought to be Christians ought to be blameles pure and without rebuke yea to shine as lights to other men in the middest of a naughty and crooked nation Phil. 2.15 whereas thou by thy deboyshed life and abominable licenciousnes doest scandalize the Gospell and true religion yea make it odious to Turkes and Infidels according to that of the Apostle Rom. 2.24 Secondly it infects others in which regard saith Isiodore It is a greater offence to sinne openly then secretly for he is doubly faulty who both doeth and teacheth the same To sinne before the face of God is to dishonour him but withall to sinne before the face of men whereby others are taught and incouraged to doe the like is doubly to dishonour him An exemplary offender is like a malicious man sicke of the plague that runs into the throng to disperse his infection whose mischiefe outweighes all penalty Many an Israelite committed fornication and yet upon repentance got pardon but Zimry that would doe it impudently in the face of God and man was sure to perish § 124. FIftly 5 He commits many sins one in the â—â—ck of another and multiplies the same sins often this aggravates thy guilt exceedingly in that thou addest sinne to sinn as first thou committest drunkennesse and then in the necke of that thou blasphemest God slanderest thy neighbour seducest thy friend committest adultery murther c. as thou best knowest the wickednesse whereunto thy heart is privie when for a lesse matter then one of these that worldling forfeited his soule Luk. 12.20 Againe thou aggravatest thy guilt by multiplying of sinne that is by falling often into the same wickednesse and hereby Sathan makes sure worke for though the Devill be the father lust the mother consent the midwife sinne the child and death the portion yet all is like to miscarry if custome become not an indulgent nurse to breede up the same till it come to an habit Sathan first twines certaine small threads together of seeming profit pleasure c. and so makes a little cord of vanity therewith to draw us unto him and afterwards composeth of such lesser cords twisted together that cart-rope or cable custome of iniquity and therewith he seekes to bind men fast unto him for starting for when sinne by custome and long practice is growne to an habit this is sinne in perfection or the perfection of sinne because custome in sinne brings hardnesse of heart hardnesse of heart impenitency and impenitency damnation Yet this by the way is to be noted and remembred that men of yeares liveing in the Church are not simply condemned for their particular sinnes but for their continuance and residence in them sinnes committed make men worthy of damnation but liveing and abiding in them without repentance is that which brings damnation upon them such as live within the precincts of the Church shall be condemned for the very want of true faith and repentance § 125. SIxthly 6 He sins against mercy the abuadance of meanes and the many warnings which others never bad thy judgment shall not onely be increased according to thy sinnes but God will therefore adjudge thee to so much the sorer and severer condemnation by how much thy meanes of repentance hath beene greater If I had not come and spoken unto them saith our Saviour they should not have had sinne but now have they no cloake for their sinne Iohn 15.22 Ordinary disobedience in the time of grace and wilfull neglect of Gods call in the abundance of meanes is a great deale more damnable then the commission of sinne in the dayes of ignorance and blindnesse when the like meanes are wanting Those Gentiles the Ninivites were more righteous then the Iewes in that they repented at the voice of one Prophet yea and that with one Sermon whereas the Iewes refused and resisted all the Prophets which God sent among them but the Iewes who resisted our Saviour Christ's doctrine and put him to death were more righteous then such as amongst us are scoffers at Religion and Antipodes to the power of grace they were never convinced that he was the Messias sent from God to redeeme the world as all or almost all are that call themselves Christians because they professe themselves members of Christ and Protestants in token that they are ready to protest against and resist all such as are professed enemies to and opposers of Christs Gospell As for the Heathen Philosophers who knew not God in Christ they are more righteous then wicked Christians beyond compare for they beleeved as Pagans but lived as Christians wheras such beleeve as Christians but live like Pagans yea many of them would have beene ashamed to speake that which many of these are not ashamed to doe and though we are unworthy to be called Christians if we professe him in name and be not like him in workes yet the most part of men amongst us proclaime to the world that they have never thought whether they are going to Heaven or Hell There be many professed Christians but few imitaters of Christ we have so much science and so little conscience so much knowledge
between a godly wise man and a deluded worldling Want of consideration the cause of all impiety neglect of obedience that which the one doth now judge to be vaine the other shall hereafter finde to be so when it is too late O the want of consideration what is spoken and who speaks is the cause of all impiety and neglect of obedience The reason why Samuel returned to his sleepe one time after another when God called him was he ignorantly thought it was only mans voyce and for the same reason thou wilt not listen to what justice and truth speakes in this behalfe otherwise thou wouldest search the Scriptures and try whether my doctrine and allegations be of God or no Acts 17.11 and being of God and agreeing with the pensell of the Holy Ghost for otherwise thou art free entertaine these lines as if they were an Epistle sent unto thee from heaven and writ by God himselfe to invite and call thee to repentance and though thou canst not imitate Zacheas who was called but once and came quickly to Christ yet thou wouldest imitate Peter and at this last crowing of the Cocke remember the words of Iesus which saith take heed to your selves least at any time your hearts be oppressed with surfeiting and drunkennesse and cares of this life least that day come on you at unawares Luke 21.34 and againe whatsoever ye doe unto the least of mine ye do it unto me and weighing them with thy selfe goe out of thy sinnes by repentance as he went out of the high Priests Hall And so doing it should bee unto thee as Ionathans three Arrowes were to David which occasioned his escape from Saul's fury or as David's Harpe was to Saul which frighted away the evill spirit from him 1 Samuel 16.23 yea as the Angels was to Peter that opened the Iron gates loosed his bands brought him out of Prison and delivered him from the thraldome of his enemies yea if thou beest thine owne friend it shall serve thee as a Buoy to keep thy the ship of soule from splitting upon the Shelf of presumption which is my prayer and hope and should bee my joy to see it these things have I said that ye might be saved You know the good counsell of Sauls servant ledd him in a doubt to the man of God but his owne curiosity ledd him to the Witch of Endor 1 Sam. 9.6 And that little which Craesus King of Lydia learn'd of Solon saved his life and if Pilate would have taken that faire warning which his wife gave him as hee sate to judge Christ it might have saved his soule Matth. 27.19 and so may this thine if thou wilt be warned by it But if this nor no other warning wil serve thee if neither present blessings nor hope of eternall reward will doe any good if neither the Preachers of God in exhorting nor the goodnesse of God in calling nor the will of God in commanding nor the Spirit of God in moving can prevaile with thee tremble to think what a fearefull doome will follow for they shall tremble at the voyce of his condemnation that have shut their eares at the voyce of his exhortation Prov. 1.24 to 33. And so much of the sixth aggravation § 130. SEventhly 7. He not onely commits foule crimes but drawes others into the same sinnes this will above measure aggravate thy doome and adde to thy torment that thou seducest yea enforcest others to sinne and drawest them to perdition with thee for the infection of sinne is much worse than the act and misleades into evill sinne more and shall suffer more then the actors and although to commit such things as thou doest single and alone were enough yea too much to condemn thee yet because thou drawest others with thee to the same sins thy damnation shall be farre greater For they whom thou hast taught to doe ill increase thy sinne as fast as they increase their owne 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. 5.19 they shall bee maximi in inferno greatest in the kingdome of hell he that can damn 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 fad 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 consciences 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 occasion of my sinne and the other thou art the occasion 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 wretchednesse 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 Ieroboam 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
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 That the use their tongues only a frivolous excuse 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 Some can better abide ast ake then others ascoffe then some others can a mock 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 Iewes 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 Sannio a subject of scorne Sampson bore with more patience the boring out of his eyes then the ludibrious scoffes 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 captive so as doublesse he wished himselfe no lesse deafe then blind and that his soule might have gone out with his eyes oppression is able to make a wise 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 persecuted him Gal. 4.29 God calls the scorning of his servants by no better a name then persecution and whatsoever thou conceivest of it let this fault be as farre from my soule as my soule from Hell Alasse this is no petty sinne for one malicious scoffe made Foelix nothing day and night but vomit blood till his unhappy soule was fetcht from his wretched Carkasse And Pherecydes did no more but give religion a nick-name a small matter if thou mayst be made judge yet for that small fault he was consumed by Wormes alive And Lucian for barking like a dog against Religion was by a just judgment of God devoured of Dogs Yea suppose the best that can come namely that God gives thee an heart to repent of it before thou goe hence and that thy soule hath her pardon sued out in the blood of Christ as it fared with St. Paul that chosen vessell yet know that thy body and mind shall smart for this sinne above all doe but heare the Apostles owne testimony of himselfe 2 Corinthians 11.23 to 34 did he make havocke of the Church the world made havocke of him for it did he hale men and women to prison himselfe was often imprisoned did he helpe to stone Steven himselfe was also stoned did he afflict his owne countrimen his owne countrimen no lesse afflicted him did he lay stripes upon the Saints the Iewes layd stripes upon him was he very painefull and diligent to beate downe the Gospell he was in wearinesse and painefulnesse frequent watchings and fastings in hunger and thirst cold and nakednesse to defend the Gospell c. Thus he endured when he was Paul what he inflicted as he was Saul and yet he did it out of ignorance 1 Tim. 1.13 from whence we may argue by way of concession thus If he that found mercy felt the rod which scourged him so smart what shall their plagues be in whose righteous confusion God insulteth Pro. 1.26 Isay 1.24 If he who had his booke felt so much paine what shall they feele that are sentenced to eternall death If he that did it of ignorance and out of zeale was lasht with so many stripes what will become of them that doe the same knowingly and maliciously If Christ will be ashamed of them when he comes to judge that onely were ashamed to confesse him when he came to suffer how will he reject those with indignation that rejected him with derision If the wretched Gergasites who repelled Christ for feare are sent into the fire what doe they deserve who drive him away with scorne § 133. NOw the reason why God punisheth this sinne so severely VVhat is done to the godly Christ takes as done to himselfe And well h◠may for their hatred is against God and Christ is this What wrongs and contumelies are done to his children he accounts as done to himselfe as we may plainely perceive by Psal
thee But this makes nothing for such as love their sins better then their soules except thou repentest Indeed let the wicked forsake his wayes and the unrighteous his owne imaginations and returne unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he is very ready to forgive saith Esay Chap. 55.7 and that we should not doubt of this he redoubles the promise Ezekiel 18. and confirmes the same with an oath Chapter 33.11 Yea he is more ready to shew mercy upon our repentance then we are to beg it as appeares in that example of the Prodigal son Luk. 15 20. Do but repent and God will pardon thee bee thy sinnes never so many and innumerable for multitude never so heynous for quality and magnitude for repentance is alwayes blest with forgivnes yea sinnes upon repentance are so remitted as if they had never been committed I have put away thy transgressions as a cloud and thy sinnes as a mist Esay 44.22 and what by corruption hath beene done by repentance is undone as abundance of examples witnesse He pardoned David's adultery Salomon's idolatry Peter's apostacie Paul did not only deny Christ but persecuted him yet hee obtained mercy upon his repentance Yea amongst the worst of Gods enemies some are singled out for mercy witnesse Manasses Mary Magdalen the Thiefe c. many of the Iewes did not only deny Christ the Holy one and the Just but crucified him yet were they pricked in heart at Peter's Sermon gladly received the word and were baptized Ast. 2.41 And a very Gentile being circumcised was to be admitted to all priviledges and prerogatives concerning matters of faith and Gods worship as well as the children of Israel Gen. 17.13 But on the other side unlesse we repent and amend our lives we shall all perish as Christ himselfe affirmes Luk. 13.3.5 § 145. FOr though mercy rejoyceth against justice Iames 2.13 His mercy rejoyceth against justice but destroyeth not his justice yet it destroyeth not Gods justice though hee is a boundlesse Ocean flowing with mercy yet he doth not overflow he is just as well as mercifull yea saith Bernard Mercy and Truth are the two feet of God by which he walketh in all his wayes his mercy is a just mercy and his justice is a mercifull justice he is infinite in both hee is just even to those humble soules that shall be saved and he will be merciful while presumptuous sinners go to hell and therefore in his word hee hath equally promised all blessings unto those which keepe his Commandements and threatned all manner of judgments to those which break them with their severall extreames according to the measure and degree of every sin Deut. 28 Neither is salvation more promised to the godly then eternall death and destruction is threatned to the wicked His mercy is a just mercy and as Christ is a Saviour so Moses is an accuser Iohn 5.45 Alasse though to all repentant sinners he is a most mercifull God And therefore hath equally promised all blessings to those which keepe his commande ments and threatned all manner of judgements to those that break them yet to wilfull and impenitent sinners hee is a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 Deut. 4.24 doth not the Apostle say that neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor buggerers nor thieves nor covetous nor drunkards nor railers nor extortioners to which number S. Iohn Revelation 21.8 addeth the fearefull and unbeliveing and murtherers and sorcerers and all lyers shall not inherit the Kingdome of God 1 Corinth 6.9.10 Galathians 5.21 but shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death And doth he not likewise affirme that all they shall be damned which believe not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnes 2 Thes 2 12. doth not the Lord say Ier. 16.13 that he will have no mercy for such as are desperately wicked And again Deut. 29.19.20 that if any man blesse himself in his heart saying I shall have peace although I walke according to the stubbornnesse of mine owne heart that he mill not be mercifull to him c. Doth not our Saviour himself say that the gate of heaven is so strait that few find it Mat. 7.13.14 and will hee not at his comming to judgement as well say unto the disobedient Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Divell and his Angels as to the obedient Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome c. yes they are his owne words Matth. 25.34.41 and S. Iames saith that he shal have judgement without mercy that hath shewed no mercy Iames. 2.13 In fine he that believeth in the Son hath everlasting life but he that obeyeth not the Sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Ioh. 3.36 For as mercy in the second Commandement is entailed only to believers and to those which love God and keepe his Commandements so God at the last day will reward every man according to his righteousnesse 1 Sam. 26.23 as hee did David 2 Sam. 22.21 though not for his righteousnesse Deut. 9.4.5.6 which is as a menstruous cloth Esay 64.6 Yea hee hath sufficiently manifested his justice and severity already in punishing sinne and powring vengeance upon others that have provoked him as 1. upon the Angels 2. upon our first Parents and all the race of mankind 3. upon the old World 4. upon whole Monarchs and Empires 5. upon whole Nations 6. upon whole Cities 7. upon whole Families 8. upon divers particular persons and 9. upon his owne Sonne that no sinne might goe unpunished which may make all impenitent persons tremble for As the Locrians might once argue if our King is so just to his owne onely son in punishing adultery that he caused one of his eyes to be pul'd out and another of his owne how can wee his subjects expect to be dispensed withall so may I argue if God was so just and severe to his own Son that nothing would appease him but his death on the crosse how can the wicked his enemies looke to be spared If he spared not a good and gracious Sonne saith S. Bernard will he spare thee a wicked and ungracious servant one that never did him a peece of good service all thy daies If he punished David's adultery and murther so sharply a man after his own heart yea and that after his sinne was remitted what will hee doe to his enemies but send them to that devouring fire that everlasting burning Isa 33.14 If Gods own children who are as deare and neer to him as the aple of his eye or Signet on his right hand suffer so many and grievous afflictions here what shall his adversaries suffer in Hell if Sampson be thus punished shall the Philistims escape Yea if judgement begin at the house of God where shall the ungodly and wicked appeare If many shall seeke to enter in at the strait gate