of them they will presse our soules downe from earth to hell First Reas 1. They presse the soule from heaven to earth the presse the soule from heaven to earth from heavenly affections to earthly Looke as a man is oppressed with a great burden from which hee is not able to rise nor to stirre hand nor foot to helpe himselfe for the doing of any thing so it is with a man when his soule is overcharged with surfeiting and drunkennesse and the cares of this life hee is oppressed with a grievous burden hee is not able to stirre hand nor foot hee is not able to exercise the powers and faculties of his soule to doe any good or to performe any spirituall dutâ—e indeed As for two of them the two first surfeiting and drunkennesse they disable a man from worldly performances therefore much more from heavenly and spirituall performances For the other the cares of this life Covetousnesse they burden the soule no lesse then the former though I grant it is more slilie and insensibly nay they burden the soule in these two respects more First surfeiting and drunkennesse they burden the soule but now and then sometimes no man is continually surfeiting or drunke but when Covetousnesse oppresseth the soule it doth it constantly it is a continuall burden therefore in that respect they burden the soule more then the former Secondly surfeiting and drunkennesse they burden the soule not immediatly but by the body they burden the body the instrument of the soule and so by consequence the soule but Covetousnesse burdens the soule immediatly it hangs a weight as a plummet of lead upon every facultie or the soule so that the soule cannot lift it selfe to any spirituall dutie it hangs a plummet of Lead upon every power of the foule whereby it becomes bowed and bended to the earth Will you see the truth of this in some particulars The highest and noblest facultie of the soule is the understanding that whereby we apprehend and judge of things now covetousnesse clogges and burdens the understanding Take a covetous man there is no man so dull to apprehend spirituall things as he Indeed in matters of the world talke with him in his owne spheare of the world and worldly things there I grant he is quicke and nimble enough if not above yet equall with others for the most part above others It fares with a covetous man as it is with the Moone when the Moone is inlightned in that part that is toward the earth commonly his most darke in that part that is towards heaven Simile so it is in this there is ignorance of spirituall things oft times where there is the greatest light towards the things of the world I say talke with such a one in his own spheare of matters of the world and the things of it hee is quicke and nimble enough but come to spirituall things that concerne the life to come and there hee is a very Nichodemus he understands nothing Covetousnesse is to the understanding like the nayle of Iael saith the Text Iael drove the nayle through Siseras temples when hee was asleepe and fastened his head to the ground so covetoushesse fasteneth the head the understanding to the ground that it cannot lift up it selfe to apprehend and understand the things of the Spirit wee see then Covetousnesse it burdens the chiefe facultie of the soule the understanding And so for the other faculties the will and the affections it burdens them it makes the will and the affections of a man when once it possesseth them like the woman in the Gospell that had a disease and infirmitie 18. yeares saith the Text shee was bowed together that shee could no way lift up her selfe Luke 13.1 So it is with a covetous man it bowes the will to the ground Luke 13.1 that hee is not able to lift up himselfe to a through prosecution of that that is good or to a constant declining and flight from that which is spiritually ill And so for the affections it bowes them to the ground that they are not able to lift up themselves to desire and delight in any thing that is heavenly not to love and joy in any thing but such as are earthly and sensuall I say it bends them so to the ground that they cannot constantly delight in these things I grant that a cove ous man for a fit for a while his will and affections may lift up themselves a little but they are not able to hold out the greatnesse of the weight beares him downe againe and oppresseth him Hee that hath his heart overcharged with covetousnesse and so with surfeiting and drunkennesse he may for a while lift up himselfe as a man that is opprest with a burden that gets the upper hand of him and beares him downe Covetousnâ—sse bowes the understanding the will and affections to the ground And not only these but likewise the fancie and memorie and speech â—oo it burdens those Take a man that is covetous his imagination workes and exerciseth it selfe about the things of the world For his memorie it treasures up nothing or but little else besides these And so for his speech the speech of a covetous man Simile it is as the breath of a dying man Wee say that when a man approacheth to death his breath is earthly so it is with the Discourse of a covetous man it is of the earth It burdens the fancie and memorie and speech of a man so that hee dreames of nothing he remembers nothing hee speakes of nothing willingly with delight ordinarily but that which is earthly You see then that Christ might well say take heed lest your hearts bee overcharged with surfeiting and drunkennesse and the cares of this life for it is the propertie of these sinnes to overcharge the heart as it is of a burden to presse downe first from heaven to earth but that is not all They presse downe further except wee depose 2. They presse the soule from earth to hell and disburden our selves of them they presse the soule as from heaven to earth so from earth to hell so saith the Apostle expressely for two of them 1 Cor. 6.10 Bee not deceived neither fornicators nor Idolaters nor effeminate abusers of themselves with mankind or theeves or covetous or drunkards shall ever inherite the kingdome of God Neither covetous nor drunkards there are two of them and so for the first of them surfeiting you see in Phil. 3.19 Phil. 3.19 the Apostle speakes of some whose belly is their God whose end is damnation and destruction So likewise Gal. 5.21 Gal. 5.21 the Apostle reckons surfeiting or revelling among the workes of the flesh and tells them before hand that those that doe such things shall not inherit the kingdome of God envie murder drunkennesse and revelling and such like revelling may signifie and doth properly gluttony of which I have told you before in time past that they that doe
our selves burdned oppressed with these sines But you will aske if a man finde himselfe after search Quest that he be opressed with these sinnes how shall he come to relieve and disburthen himselfe I answer briefly to disburthen our selves of these sinnes Answ Meanes to be disburdened of these sins First labour to feele the grievousnesse of them Till a man feele the grievousnesse of the disease he is not diligent to use the remedy 1 To feele the grievousnesse of them it is otherwise with spirituall diseases then with corporall In corporall diseases first we finde the simptomes of them and then wee know them but in spirituall diseases first wee must know them before wee can have the simptomes of them before wee can be relieved of them the first thing wee must labour for is the knowledge of the grievousnesse of them to feele how they burthen us both in spirituall duties and other how they presse our soules except we be disburthened of them in time even to hell 2 Goe to Christ for his Spirit Secondly let us goe to Christ for as it is Christ that beares our burden for us so hee likewise is able to take our burthen from us Let us goe to him and desire him to send his Spirit into our hearts that is a Spirit of strength and power able to lift off these burthens For as I told you when he saith heere take heed least your hearts be overcharged it signifieth such a burthen as is a grievous oppressing burthen such as cannot bee lifted but with a Giants at me such a burthen are these sinnes they oppresse the soule and none but the Spirit of God can case us of them Therefore let us goe to Christ and desire him to send his Spirit into our hearts to ease us of this burthen Looke as it is with those that are troubled with the Incubus the Night-mare when they feele a great weight and burthen on them they put forth all their power to free themselvâ—â— of it so when we finde this Incubus this spirituall Night-mare to lye on us and to presse not onely our bodies but our soules wee should use all our strength and power to bee free that so we may runne with patience the race that is set before us Thirdly and lastly let us use the meanes besides these there are some meanes to bee used to disburden our selves 3. To practise the contrary What are those Looke as in Physicke the rule is contraries are cured by contraries so if we have burthened our selves by surfeiting let us disburthen our selves by the contrary if we have burthened our selves by eating immoderately let us put the knife to our throate abridge our selves in the use of meate not to eate so much as we may doe for as I sayd before out of that doubtfull author he that will goe in the use of indifferent things as farre as he may to the utmost length of his tether it is a thousand to one but that man will offend He that sleepes upon the pitch or brinke of a downfall or Precipis it is twentie to one but hee falls And so for drunkennesse if our hearts and soules be oppressed with the excessive use of strong drinke faith the Apostle rather then I will offend my brother I will not eate flesh while I live if the Apostles argument be good rather then I will offend my brother I will not eate flesh the argument will hold thus too that rather then we wil offend our selves and burthen our soules we will not drinke strong drinke while we live Let us labour thuâ— to take a kinde of holy revenge on our selves so the Apostle calls it 2 Cor. 7.11 saith hee Behold this selfe same thing that you sorrowed after a godly sort what clearing of your selves what revenge it hath wrought I say thus we should take a spirituall revenge of our selves that if we have beene overshot in the use of meate or drinke and exceeded our bounds that for the future we limit and abridge our selves and take a kinde of revenge of our selves This is the way to disburthen our selves if wee find that our hearts have beene oppressed with these things Vse 3 Thirdly and lastly if it bee the propertie of these sinnes to burden the heart then here take notice briefly of the perverse judgement of the world The false judgement of the world how contrary it is to the judgement of our Saviour aske the world who have the lightest and merriest hearts of all men They will tell you those that fare daintily that are good fellowes they are joviall and merrie hearts But aske Christ and hee will tell us that surfeiting and drunkennesse opresse the heart they have not as the world would make us beleeve light-some hearts It is true if wee will beleeve their faces they seeme to have lightsome hearts if we will judge of their hearts by their sleiting and laughter but Solomon saith Prov. 14.13 Prov. 14.13 That even in that laughter the heart is sorrowfull there is sorrow in their laughter it is but from the teeth outward and it is not so only for the present but the end of that mirth is heavinesse It is sorrow for the present and the conclusion is heavinesse Therefore whatsoever the world saith Epicures and drunken men such as are given to the immoderate use of meate and drinke those men have the heaviest hearts Let the world say what it will the life of a Christian is chearefull he hath a lightsome heart Saith Christ Come unto mee Mat. 11 2â— all yee that are wearie and heavy laden and you shall find rest to your soules Take my yoake upon you for my yeake is easie Christs yoake is easie hee that hath given his name to Christ that sets himselfe constantly to the performance of spirituall duties hâ—â—â—ath a lightsome hearâ— Nay whereas 〈◊〉 other things they may beâ— burthened his body and his estate may be burthened for a while and his name may be burthened for a while but his heart is light and merrie Therefore as the Wise man saith A wounded spirit who can beare But if the heart be well it will beare a mans infirmities so long as a mans heart is light as long as the burthen lies in a mans body or his name or estate if the heart bee light they may bee borne Of all men a Christian a good man a conscientious man hath the lightsomest heare This shall suffice to bee spoken of the fourth part in generall what wee are to take heed of lest our hearts be burthened I told you it is the propertie of these things to burthen the heart Now I come in the next place more particularly to tell you what wee are to take heed of that our hearts bee not overcharged with surfeiting Take beed lest your hearts bee oppressed at any time With surfeiting That is with riotous immoderate excessive eating The word in the originall is Clisani The sense and
to labour to die with Christ to sin that so wee may come at the last to live with him The meanes are foure The first cause which is the principall cause is the Spirit of God so saith the Apostle Rom. 8.13 the place before alleadged If yee mortifie the deeds of the flesh through the Spirit yee shall live Rom. 8.13 It is true we are enjoyned mortification but wee cannot doe it till by the Spirit of God our sinnes be mortified It is with sinne as it is with some wilde beasts Simile they cannot bee taken and apprehended till they be shot and wounded So it is with sinne till the Spirit of God give the deaths blow to sinne wee cannot mortifie it of our selves therefore the first and principall cause is the Spirit of God he that is in us is stronger then he that is in the world The Spirit of God is strong and powerfull to subdue sinne Secondly Faith in Christ for by faith we must be ingrafted into Christ and so partake of the Spirit of Christ whereby sinne is dead in us so saith the Apostle Rom. 6.5 Rom. 6.5 For if we be planted into the likenesse of his death wee shall be also into the likenesse of his resurrection First we must be planted and grafted into Christ As a Syens must be planted into the stocke of a tree before it partake of the juice of it So we must be planted into Christ by faith before we be made partakers of the vertue of the death of Christ to kill our sins so saâ—th the Apostle Col. 2.13 Wee are raysed though the faith of the operation of God it is through faith not â—â—â—ely as a perswading mooving cause but as an efficient cause because faith as a pipe of Silver conveyes the juice the water of life the Spirit of God whereby our sinnes are mortified it unites us to Christ and makes us partake of the vertue of his death whereby our sinnes are killed The third meanes to worke this death in us it is Prayer Psal 19.13 so David Psal 19.13 Lord keepe mee from presumptuous sinnes let them not have dominion over me that is mortifie and crucifie them so that they may not have dominion over me or not have a being if it were possible Let them not have dominion over me Fourthly and lastly a speciall meanes to put sinne to death is to submit our selves to the Ministery of the Word such as can manage and brandish the two edged Sword of the Spirit against sinne And so in private by meditation to apply to our selves the curses and judgements that God hath threatned against such sinnes as wee give most way to for if once the principall and vitall sinne as I may call it be destroyed then other sinnes will die of themselves this shall be sufficient for the third part touching the meanes to die with Christ I come now in a few words to the motives to perswade us to die with Christ The first ariseth from the necessitie of dying to sinne eyther wee must die to sinne or die for sinne Rom. 8.13 woe to us if we doe not die to sin If yee live after the flesh yee shall die Rom. 8.13 that is if yee live unmortified yee shall die how eternally not onely the death of the body but of the soule too here is the choyce we must eyther mortifie our lusts or incurre the danger of damnation there is no other way to escape it If yee live after the flesh yee shall die that is eternally therefore there lies a necessitie that should perswade us to die to sinne Secondly from the commoditie by dying to sinne we shall not onely free our selves from eternall death but from much trouble and molestation and disquiet also that wee should be sure to have by keeping sinne alive and by yeelding to the lusts of sinne Most true it is that it is with our lusts as with little children humour and observe them and give them that they cry for Simile and you shall never have rest but still they will cry for something more so it is with our corruptions and sinfull lusts yeeld to them upon every desire and we shall never have done when we have satisfied one lust it will call upon us againe and will never have done whereas by mortifying of it we shall bring to ourselves much quiet and free our selves from much molestation Thirdly consider the facilitie by mortifying the deeds of the flesh we loose nothing that will make to our happinesse Adam in innocencie in Paradise was happy without these lusts Christ on earth was happy without them the Saints in heaven are happy without them Iam. 1.21 these are but superfluities Iam. 1.21 Lay aside all superfluitie of naughtinesse and malice Wee may have all true contentment whatsoever yet part with our lusts they are things that we may well spare By mortification of them a man looseth no profit nor pleasure nor honour whatsoever but there is recompence with advantage Let a man mortifie his lusts that bring him profit hee shall have profit in durable riches not onely in this life but for his reward hee shall have a whole kingdome to enjoy Let him loose some present pleasures as we have all too much of common Souldiers in us we love present pay hee shall have infinite recompence he shall have pure pleasures peace of conscience God will praise him and say well done good and faithfull servant he shall have peace of conscience that will lift a man above ground an infinite recompence in the losse of other pleasures Secondly for honour what if a man for the crucifying of his lusts be reproached and contemned in the world yet he shall have true honour of God in heaven he shall have honour of Angels of good men honour did I say of good men nay wicked men shall honour him God is able to command honour from the hearts even of wicked men so much as hee is mortified Let a wicked man see one that is a mortified man that as David was he behaves himselfe as a weaned child from the world he cannot but give a good testimony but if he will not now let him be on the racke in sicknesse let death appeare then he will desire to die the death of the righteous and that his last end may be like his It is true while he is in his jollitie and bravery then such men load a mortified man with reproach and contempt but wee must doe as Phisitians doe when they judge by urine of the state of the body they looke not on the urine that is voyded when men are walking up and downe before they goe to bed Simile but that which they make after their first sleepe when they are come to themselves So take not a wicked man now in the fulfilling of his lusts but looke on that man when hee hath slept and you will judge otherwise of him he cannot chuse but give
as it is among men it is no injustice that a man should require a debt of him that hath undertaken to pay it for another especially if hee bee able and willing to pay So God was just to exact act the debt of obedience and suffering hee having undertaken it and being both able and willing to pay Hee was willing Ioh. 10.18 Joh. 10.18 I lay downe my life there is no man that takes it from mee Hee layed it downe unforced Secondly Christ was able to pay the debt hee was able by dying to satisfie the justice of God to the utmost to drinke the cuppe of Gods wrath to the dregges for us and to free us by death Heb. â— 26. Hee is able to save them that come to him to the very utmost Nay he not only freed us but himselfe too from being held captive under the power and dominion of death Let this sustice for the first Use for instruction that if Christ had no sinne of his owne how it could stand with the justice of God that he should beare the punishment due to sinne Secondly it serves to discover the extreame malice of the Iewes against Christ especially the Scribes and Pharisees whose heads as they were busiest in plotting so their hands were deepest imbrued in the executing of Christs death notwithstanding such was his innocencie avouched to their faces by him that betrayed him Iudas I have betrayed the innocent bloud and by him that condemned him Pilate I find no fault in this man Yet such was their malice they laid the greatest things against him that the wit of man could devise or impudencie object and yet they were not satisfied with this till as Wolves of the evening they had torne the Lambe of God without sorrow or compassion The blood of a meane man unjustly spilt is a crying sinne a skarlet sinne of a deepe crimson dye every wound is a mouth and every drop a tongue to cry as the blood of Abel for vengeance on the murtherer but the death of Christ the crucifying of Christ it was a sinne of so high a straine that for this sinne God hath spent his plagues hee hath emptied the quiver of his judgements on that nation and made them ever since a reproach to the world a hissing and gasing stocke and an astonishment to men and Angels If any enquire the way how it must be that the crucifying of Christ should bee so grievous a sinne in the Iewes Quest when that which they did was no other then that which God in his determinate counsell had fore-ordained Act. 2.23 Act. 2.23 Him have yee with wicked hands taken and crucified being delivered by the determinate counsell and foreknowledge of God How then could it be so hainous a sinne in the Iewes to crucifie Christ seeing what they did was according to the determinate counsell of God I answer briefly thus Answ It is true indeede they did no other then God had ordained to be done but yet it was little thankes to them who least intended it they did performe Gods purpose but all this while they had little thought and purpose in them to performe it Isay 10.5.6 See the like Isay 10.5.6 Oh Assirian saith God the rod of mine anger and the staffe in their hand is mine indignation I will send him against an hipocriticall nation and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge to take the spoyle and the prey and to tread them downe like the mire in the streets Howbeit hee meaneth not so neyther doth his heart thinke so What then doth he thinke Surely I will cut off and destroy nations not a few See what the Lord saith in Vers 12. Wherefore saith the Lord by the mouth of the Prophet when I have performed my whole worke upon Mount Sion and Ierusalem I will punish the fruite of the proud heart of the King of Assiria Observe the King of Assiria was Gods instrument his officer and executioner to inflict that punishment that the Iewes had deserved and it was Gods will and decree notwithstanding because though hee did that that God had purposed to bee done yet hee had not a purpose to doe it because that that he did was not out of obedience to Gods will it was not for the glory of God but out of a proud humour therefore when God had scourged them God would punnish him and when his people of Israel had felt the rod hee would cast the rod into the fire of his indignation So then to apply it looke as it stood with the King of Assiria in punishing the Iewes so it was with the Iewes in their crucifying of Christ It is true what Caiphas unawares prophesied that it was expedient that one man should die and give his life for the people yet the Iewes intended it not when they put him to death but did it out of malice Matth. 27.28 Matth. 27.28 and that with God that eyes not so much the worke and action of the hand as the intent and affection of the doer I say with God they were esteemed no better than cruell murderers and butchers of Christ So Saint Peter stickes not to tell them to their face Act. 2.22 Act. 2.23 Your wicked hands have crucified him that God in his determinate counsell delivered still he calls them wicked hands though they did that which was Gods determinate counsell It is not sufficient to make an action good and warrantable that it bee conformable to Gods secret will in the thing willed except there be a conformitie in the manner of our willing For a man while the will of God is hid may doe that that God wills not without sin our rule being the revealed will as the Glosse hath it As a man that hath a Father or a Friend sicke his friend knowes not whether hee shall recover though God have determined that the man shall dye yet hee may pray for his recovery he wills a diverse thing from that of God and yet it is warantable A man may doe that which is Gods secret will and yet be faultie if hee doe not doe it in that manner that God wills Let this suffice to bee spoken of the second Use Thirdly as it serves for the just condemnation of the Iewes and such as unjustly condemned Christ so in the next place it seemes to remoove the grosse carnall conceit in the vaine hearts of men in our dayes men that make the square and rule of their judgement successe in outward things and pronounce of men of their innocencie or guilt of their favour or disfavour with God according to their prosperitie or adversitie according to the successe of things below A thing that falls foule upon the Papists that make outward prosperitie an inseparable note of the Church Thus it was with the friends of Iob miserable comforters as himselfe justly stiles them they saw him afflicted in his goods in his children in his person and from
but bee sorrow and compunction to us that occasioned so much anguish and torment to Christ Oh that our heads were rivers and our eyes fountaines of teares that wee might weepe day and night for our sinnes and transgressions Fourthly as it serves to humble us so it serves for comfort and consolation as I told you for what saith the Apostle Christ died who shall condemne Christ died then hee hath appeased his Fathers wrath then hee hath satisfied his Fathers justice then hee hath redeemed us from Hell hee hath made Heaven smile on us hee hath purchased a crowne of glory hee hath trymphed over and trampled under our spirituall enemies Let mee sing with Isay Isay 44.23 Isay 44.23 Sing oh heavens and shout yee lower parts of the earth Why The Lord hath redeemed Iacob and glorified himselfe in Israell And surely brethren whatsoever wee thinke now in our strength and bravery and jollitie there is nothing in the world will minister comfort but this in time of distresse when wee shall come either upon the racke of conscience or come to the sight and kenne of death or to appeare before that Tribunall there is nothing but the death of Christ will stead us What else in the world will revive and cheare a drouping soule affrighted with horrour groaning and bowed under the burden of sinne What will bee able to stablish a mans heart and conscience that fears the approach of death but this What else will make him stand upright and unapaled before Gods Tribunall at that terrible day In all these sad exigents in these times the bloud of Christ it serves as Rahabs scarlet threed it is a token to us that God will deale mercifully with us Only it must bee our care as it was the Spies condition with Rahab to tie it in the Window wee must looke to tye it to our selves by faith and applie it to our selves and then you shall never miscarry Againe as it serves for comfort and consolation so it serves as a rich Mirrour to set forth the love of God to us If the Iewes could conclude from our Saviours shedding of a few teares over Lazarus Ioh. 11.36 they see him shed a few teares over dead Lazarus Joh. 11.36 see how hee loved him say they With how much more force may wee conclude since Christ hath shed his bloud see how he loved us Greater love then this saith Christ hath no man then to lay downe his life for his friend It is true blessed Saviour greater love hath no man but thou art more then Man and thou hast done more then this for thou hast laid downe thy life for thine enemies It was the honour of that Trajan when a Souldier was wounded he suffered his owne clothes to be rent and made clouts to bind up his wounds but what is this to the love of Christ that not only did forgoe his cloathes but was content that his owne flesh should be torne for us to cover our wounds this he did Observe this love was shewed to us not to Angels creatures more noble Heb. 2.14 Heb. 2.14 By no meanes tooke hee the nature of Angels As hee did not take their nature so hee did not suffer their punishment due to their transgression and Apostacie when those sonnes of the morning fell from their prime estate they fell as the Elephant they could not raise themselves and they are still reserved in chaines of darknesse and shall to the last day but when man sinned God sent his Sonne to suffer death on the Crosse for us wee have reason to say as David Psal 8. Psal 8. Lord what is man that thou art so mindfull of him Lastly if such and so great hath beene the love of Christ to us then what can wee doe lesse then to returne like love backe againe to him Wee know a Diamond is best fashioned by a Diamond love is the best procurer and solicitour of love how can we but love God that hath sent his Sonne to die for us How can wee esteeme any thing too deare for him that esteemed nothing too deare for us And if Christ did give his life for us shall wee grudge to give a penney to part with somewhat for his members How shall wee esteeme any thing too deare for him shall we not part with our lusts for him Surely if there be any argument in the world will prevaile it is this argument from Christs love that will perswade men to obedience so faith the Apostle Saint Paul that apprehended it 2 Cor. 5. 2 Cor. 5. The love of Christ constraineth us it constraineth us to doe that that God requires Let us take heed that wee doe not trample under foot the precious bloud of Christ by committing those sinnes it was shed for Exod. 12.6 In Exod. 12.6 we shall find that the bloud of the Passeover was sprinkled on the two side-posts and the upper doore post but not upon the threshold under-foot implying and intimating in what high reverence and esteeme wee should have the bloud of Christ we should not trample on it The bloud of the Passeover was sprinkled on the two side-posts and the upper post of the house but not on the threshold underfoot If such reverence were due to that that was but the type how much is due to that that is the substance Then let us take heed wee trample not under-foot the bloud of Christ by wilfull committing those sinnes for which it was shed Let it suffice nay let it bee too much that wee have once crucified Christ let us doe so no more If wee doe so wee are worse then the Iewes Every wilfull sinne we commit we crucifie Christ and hee that crucifieth Christ now is worse then the Iewes the Iewes crucified him in the time of his humiliation and abasement but now if wee doe it it is in his exaltation when hee sits at the right hand of God Let us all take up that speech Ezra 9.14 Lord Ezra 9.14 since thou hast s tayed us from being beneath for our iniquities should wee breake thy Commandements wouldest not thou returne and confound us Gods blessings are as strong physicke if it worke not health it makes more sicke Every blessing especially such as this makes us either better or worse certainly that heart is steele or brasse which the sence of the love of God cannot move to leave evill and vile courses FINIS THE EPICURES CAVTION Lvk. 21.34 And take heede to your selves least at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkennesse and the cares of this life and so that day come upon you unawares IN the Verses going before Coherence from the 25. to the 34. of this Chapter our blessed Saviour had discoursed in the hearing of his Disciples concerning the day of judgement and concerning the signes and tokens that should foregoe that day by occasion of a question he had proposed to him at the seventh Verse concerning the
implies danger The danger is double One is in the Text because these sinnes burden the heart they overcharge the soule As a man that is clogged and overburdened with a great weight he is not able to lift up himselfe to doe any other worke so it is with surfeiting and drunkennesse and covetousnesse they overcharge and burden the heart they make a man that is possest with them not able to lift up himselfe to performe holy and spirituall duties to pray or to meditate or to performe any other pious exercise That is the first danger then they burden the heart therefore they had neede to take heede of them Secondly they not onely burthen the heart but with a speciall burden such as when it hath gotten on a man when a man is sunke under it hee is not able easily to disburden himselfe It is a good observation There are few that are given to epicurisme to drunkennesse or covetousnesse that are reclaymed They are a burthen that is hardly layd off and deposed In Hosea 4.11 the Prophet speakes expresly of wine Hos 4.11 and new wine they take away the heart that is they that are given to wine and to new wine to drunkennesse I may adde also they that are given to their belly to epicurisme to satisfie their sensuall apetite when once thâ—y are given to it they never returne againe those sinnes when they have gotten possession they still keepe it it is a miracle almost if one of them recover The reason of it is this because it is the propertie of those sinnes they slumber the conscience they cast a man into a dead sleepe they make him in such a case that hee stands in no awe of the threatnings nor judgements of God whereby hee might be reclaymed and awaked out of his securitie that for the two first Then for covetousnesse in 2 Tim. 2.4 2 Tim. 2.4 saith the Apostle no man that warreth entangleth himselfe with the affaires of this life Marke The Apostle compares covetousnesse to a snare as when a bird or a beast is entangled in a snare when men entangle themselves in pleasures and in covetousnesse it is a snare and when they are once entangled it is a hundred to one if they recover it No man that warreth entanglâ—th himselfe He compareth covetousnesse to a snare You see then there is a double danger why wee should be cautionate First there is a danger in the sinnes they burden the soule and with such a burden that a man cannot easily depose when he is sunke under it Reas 2 But that is not all there is another danger besides as there is danger in the sinnes There is danger of falling into these sinnes so there is danger of our falling into these sins otherwise it mattered not we might bee secure and retchlesse though there were danger in them if there were not danger of our falling into them but there is danger of thâ—t therefore in that respect we ought to be cautionate and that in three respects 1. Because of daily occasions First there is danger of falling into those sinnes whereof wee have often occasion frequently to commit Now wee daily eate and drinke wee daily provide for this life wee have continually every day occasion to eate to surfeiting to drinke to drunkennesse to provide to covetousnesse there is more danger of falling into these sinnes because the occasion and matter of them is so frequent It is otherwise with other sinnes a thiefe or an adulterer have not alway an opportunity at least not daily oppportunitie to commit those sinnes but for these there are occasions and opportunities alwayes at hand therefore there is more danger of falling into them then others 2. They border on lawfull things Againe there is a great deale of danger of falling into them because they are placed upon the confines and border of lawfull things for oft times through our blindnesse and misguided affection that which is lawfull imposeth upon us and carries us to that which is unlawfull What saith the Epicure Is it not lawfull to enjoy Gods creatures liberally therefore hee will gorge himselfe and give way to his greedy sensuall appetite What saith the drunkard hath not God ordained Wine to refresh man therefore he will drowne and overwhelme himselfe with drunkennesse So saith the covetous MaÌ„monist Is not a man bound to provide for this life things honest before God and men Therefore he may make mony his God and devote himselfe to the world Thus that which is lawfull imposeth on us and carries us to that which is unlawfull Now surfeiting borders upon that which is lawfull it is lawfull to eate but to goe beyond the due bounds it is surfeiting it is lawfull to drinke but beyond the due measure is drunkennesse It is lawfull to care for the things of this world but if it be beyond the measure eyther unseasonable for the time or immoderate then we become guilty of covetousnesse These things border on things that are lawfull therefore themselves are most dangerous 3 They have affinitie with nature Thirdly there is most danger of falling into those sinnes which have the greatest affinities and cognition with our nature those that have much nature in them it is easiest to fall into them It is naturall for us to eate and to drinke and to provide for this life nature prompts us to this Now the motions of nature especially of corrupt nature are vehement and often transport us from that which is naturall to the doing of that which is unnaturall The reason is because there is much in them that is naturall It is naturall to eate and to drinke and to provide for this life therefore from thence wee are carried oft times by the violent motion of corrupt nature to that which is unlawfull So here is a double danger first in the sinnes if wee fall into them Secondly there is a danger of our falling into these sinnes This shall suffice to bee spoken for the proofe of the point Vse 1 I come now to make use of that which hath beene spoken Complaint of neglect of this dutie You see what care and caution wee ought to use least out hearts bee overcharged with surfeiting and drunkennesse and the cares of this life But alas how many are there that use not this caution Nay how many are there as the Apostle saith Rom. 13. ult Rom. 13. ult that make provision for the flesh not onely now and then through temptation occasionally when they are overborne and intangle themselves with these sinnes but they lay projects and designes as the word imports in the originall they use to provide and plot and project for the accomplishment of these lusts How many are so farre from taking heede least their hearts bee overcharged with surfeiting that their whole care or the most of it is how they may provide such daintie fare wherewith to satisfie and gorge their appetite whose whole life is
derivation of the word is borrowed from those two paines and distempers of the head that is caused by sympathie and consent of the head with the stomacke through distemper of ryot and inordinate eating In the Latine it signifies those crudities that are caused in the stomacke through immoderate excessive eating when the heart is surcharged when there is more meat then it is able to digest Thence it is that Christ wisheth us here to take heed Take heed to your selves saith Christ lest your hearts bee overcharged with surfeiting Now looke what Christ charged his Disciples hee chargeth us also as I told you out of Marke 13. ult What I say unto you Mark 13. ult I say unto all It was indeed spoken to them first to the Disciples it is our dutie also to take heed lest at any time our hearts bee overcharged with surfeiting The point that I will insist on at this time is this that It is our dutie to take heed Doct. We should not be overcharged with immoderate eating that our hearts 〈◊〉 not overcharged with immoderate and excessive eating It is that that the Apostle warnes the Galatians of in Gal. 5.21 to take heed of Gal. 5.21 hee reckons it among the workes of the flesh revelling or gluttonie The workes of the flesh are envie murther drunkennesse revelling or gluttonie and the like Now see the caution in the words following Of which I tell you before as I have told you in time past that they that doe such things shall not inherite the kingdome of God To stirre up and inforce caution the Apostle sets before them the greatnesse of the danger if they did suffer their hearts to be overcharged with revelling and gluttonie it would bee such a burthen as would presse their soules downe to hell such as would exclude them from entring into the heavenly Canaan So likewise the wise man in Pro. 23.20 saith hee Be not among wine-bibbers Prov. 23.20 or riotous eaters of flesh Observe saith the Wise-man bee not among them What not among them is there such danger Is their companie so contagious and infectious that we may not bee among them No wee must not willingly ordinarily be among them wee must not choose such company to converse with Why because there is danger of infection Danger in conversing with Epicures First there is danger by their example And then there is danger by their exhortation or counsell First by their example you know it is a saying that seeing other men eate oft-times brings a man a stomacke hee that had no stomack or appetite by seeing others eate it drawes him on to eate so the very sight of a man eating that is a glutton and gives scope and loseth the raines to his appetite it transports others that are spectators by his example Secondly by counsell you know men often call upon others and say eate neighbours c. as they give themselves to immoderate excesse of eating therefore in both these respects wee are not to affect or seeke their company it is dangerous by reason of their example and of their counsel But why are wee to take heed that ouâ— hearts be not overcharged with surfeiting Reas 1 I answer first because if our hearts bee overcharged It unfits us for good duties wee are unfit to performe spirituall duties I told you before surfeiting burtheneth and overcharged the soule and makes it heavie and lumpish not able to lift up it selfe to performe any spirituall dutie It is a pretty conceit of Saint Chrysostome in his first Homilie on Genesis that Mâ—seâ— S Chrysost Gen. hom 1. when he came from the Mount and brought the two tables of the commandements with him when he perceived the people of Israel to whom he came that they had filled themselves full and betooke themselves to dauncing and sporting themselves saith Saint Chrysostome he tooke the Tables and threw them downe Why hee thought it an absurd and unfit thing to give commandements for them to observe who now had gorged themselves with meate No man is so unfit for the service of God to observe the commandements of God as those that have surfeited and filled themselves with meate So likewise saith our Saviour Take heed to your selves lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting In the next verse but one saith he Watch and pray alway hee opposeth watching and prayer to surfeiting Those that have their hearts overcharged with surfeiting cannot watch and pray and performe spirituall duties Now therefore the first reason why wee should bee heedfull that our hearts bee not overcharged with surfeiting is because it makes our soules unfit for the performance of spirituall duties it makes us unapt for the doing of that for which wee came into the world Reas 2 Secondly It is the nurse of securitie we are to take heed of it because surfeiting is the nurse of securitie When a man hath filled himselfe with meat and drinke as it is apt to incline him to bodily sleepe so it is to spirituall sleepe too to securitie Hee that gives himselfe to satisfie his sensuall immoderate appetite there is no man so subject to securitie See the truth of this in those of the old world in the time of Noah though hee preached to them that the world should bee drowned and overwhelmed yet they cared not they were secure and carelesse and feared not the threatning of Noah nor the judgement of God the reason is given because they betooke themselves too much to eating and drinking Luke 17.27 Luk. 17.27 They did eate and drinke and marrie wives and give in marriage till the day that Noah entred into the Arke and the flood came and destroyed them all But why did the flood come and destroy them The reason is insinuated in these words because they ate and dranke that is they gaue themselves to immoderate eating and drinking Reas 3 Thirdly It breeds many lusts we should therefore bee carefull that our hearts be not overcharged with surfeiting because surfeiting occasions and breeds many lusts it feedes the soule with lusts It is with the soule as it is in ground commonly the rankest and fattest soyle is fullest of weedes so it is in the body the fullest and fattest bodies those that are given most to satisfie their sensuall appetite they are troubled most with lusts that fight against the soule As the Apostle Peter saith in that place As pilgrims and strangers abstaine from fleshly lusts that fight against the soule If a man give himselfe to immoderate eating hee strengtheneth the flesh to combate and fight against his soule it gets the victorie and oppresseth and beares downe the soule See the like in Ierem. 5.8 Jer. 5.8 speaking of Israel that they were as fed horses In the morning every one neighs after his neighbours wife See the consequent In the morning they are as fed horses there is a surfeiting they filled themselves to the full then