a sixth doe not for it is greater fortitude to overcome your owne passions then to vanquish a City a seventh doe or it will be a discredit unto you an eighth noe it is the glory of a man to passe by an offence a ninth thou may'st doe it by the rules of justice a tenth but thou may'st not by the rules of charity an eleventh doe or many will laugh at thee a twelfth doe it not and wise men will commend thee a thirteenth doe for it was in the sight of many a foureteenth doe it not for then you 'le be seene by ten times as many a fifteenth then take the law of him a sixteenth doe not for such a remedy is worse then the disease a seventeenth doe for thou hast not deserved this from him an eighteenth doe not for thou hast deserved more from others especially from God who it may be appointed him to doe this a nineteenth why then be angry with him for his ill condition a twentyeth no rather rejoyce because thou art of a better condition a twentie one but forgive him not because hee is unworthy to be forgiven a twenty two yes doe for though he is unworthy to be forgiven yet Christ is worthy to be obeyed vvho hath commanded thee to forgive him a tvventy three at least let it grieve you to bee so ill requited a tvventy foure no let it not grieve you for vvhy should you vex your selfe because he hath vexed you And so in many the like one reason crossing another vvhich shevves that Reason yeeldeth appearance to divers effects it is a Pitcher vvith tvvo eares vvhich a man may take hold on either by the right or left hand I deny not but Reason to Religion is as the Apocripha to the Bible which if good may be bound up and read with it but must be rejected when in crosses the text Canonicall as in many cases it will For although Reafon was so cleare in Adam before the fall that he could see good from evill perfectly yet since it hath caught a fall as Mephibosheth did and so halteth that it is not wholly to be relied upon how be it because it is of the blood Royall it is worthy to be made off but not worthy to sit in the throne of judgment which belongs onely to Christ our David whose word is trueth it selfe But to goe on There is no man commits so foule a fact though shallow brain'd in other things but hee hath plausible Reasons to make it good as Absolom for lying with his fathers concubines in the sight of all the people having helpe from Achitophel 2 Sam. 16. 21. and Haman in procuring that bloody decree against all the Iewes for hee makes many glorious pretences Ester 3. 8. 9. Neither was ever any vertue performed so splendent and glorious but there hath beene Râ—ason brought to prove it faulty at least in appearance witnesse our Saviours casting out Devills which the Scribes and Pharisees gave out was done through Beelzebub Mat. 12. 24. yea hee was made by them the greatest offendor that offended not once in all his life Secondly neither will good and holy Intentions warrant what wee doe unlesse they are backed with a Precept A good meaning can no way justifie an evillact for then any action be it never so wicked might be made good The very Gun-powder Traytors made conscience of their doings meant well and hoped it would make much for Gods glory and the Churches good if their purpose had taken effect So Nadab and Abihu when they offered strange fire meant well no question and had some good and holy intention in it yet they were burnt with fire from Heaven for their labour because God had flatly forbidden it Levit. 10. 1 2. As for Vzza when the Arke of God was shaken in the Cart there is no question to be made but he had a solid reason to yeeld why he held it from falling and that his intent was good none will question yet because he did it without warrant from the Word the Lords wrath was kindled against him and hee was smitten dead 1 Chro. 13. 19. 10. Peters intents were very good and I could furnish him with reasons for his perswading of Christ from his passion yet neverthelesse he had this answer get thee behinde mee Sathan Math. 16. 22. 23. never any man meant better then Gideon in his rich Ephod yet this very act set all Israell on whooring Iudg. 8. 24. to 28. When the wit of man will be pleasing God with better devices then his owne it turnes to madnesse and ends in mischiefe as our Papists will one day finde to whom superstition dictates that it is pleasing to God to Deifie the Blessed Mother of our Lord to helpe their devotions with a crucifix Images c. in great humility to make the favourites of Heaven their mediators and those Judges Jurors and Arbitrators who take it for a pious and charitable worke to esteeme a poore man in his cause when God hath charged them expressely Thou shalt not favour the person of the poore nor honour the person of the mighty but thou shalt judge thy neighbour justly Levit 19. 15. Exod. 23. 3. Yea suppose wee doe that which God commands in substance yet if wee faile in the intention and end namely in ayming at the glory of God and the good of our neighbour if wee doe it for any private respects and not in obedience to the commandement God rejects it and reckons it no better then sin and iniquity for many shall say unto Christ at the day of judgement Lord Lord wee have prophesied in thy name and in thy name cast out Devills then which no worke can be greater and in thy name done many wonderfull workes yet Christ shall answere them I never knew you depart from mee yee that worke iniquitie Math. 7. 22. 23. Many yeares did Saul raigne over Israel yet God computers him but two yeares a King 1 Sam. 13. 1. That is not accounted of God to be done which is not well done both in substance and circumstance And as in committing that which is forbidden so in omitting that which is commanded it is no lesse dangerous how good soever our meanings bee Saul in a good intent shewed mercy in saving Agag the King of Amaleck yet because hee did not therein obey the voice of the Lord it was no better then Witchcraft for which he was rejected of God and his Kingdome taken away 1 Sam. 15. 23. And how much better is the pardoning of a murtherer when the Lord hath said who so sheddeth mans blood by man shall his blood bee shed Genesis 9. 6. I perswade my selfe hee who refused to smite the Prophet and fetch blood of him upon his owne intreaty thought hee did wonderous well if not merit in denying his request but what was the issue because thou hast not obeyed the voice of the Lord saith the Prophet to him behold as soone as thou art departed
they can and destroy the memory of all ancient vertues as Heliogabalus did make it their trade to sweare and for-sweare if any will hire them as our post-Knights do not unlike those Turkish Priests called Seitie and Cagi who for a Ducket will make a thousand false oathes before the Magistrate and take it to be no sinne but a worke deserving praise by lies swearing and forswearing to damnifie Christians what they can did they not strive tooth and naile as wee use to say to imitate their father the Divel O that our Land had not such monsters who upon an howers warning can lend Iezabel an oath to rob poore Naboth of his life and Vineyard that we had not such Vultures irreligious harpies that have consciences like a Barne-doore and seldome wake but to doe mischiefe some men and women that will bee bauds to their owne wives and daughters O that the Sunne should shine upon her that will sell for gaine unto hell that body which she brought forth with such pains to this earth certainly there was never woman more deserved to bee called the Divells damme then shee some that dare the day to witnesse their ungodlines and doe their villanies as the Phariâ—ies gave their almes and said their prayers to be seene of men who Zâ—mry-like dare bring whores to their Tents openly yea like Absalom dares spread a Tent on the top of the house and goe in to their Concubines in the sight of all men yea Gallants that in a bravery will assemble themselves to their Minions by companies I must not say they are harlots houses and there commit their adulteries in the presence of each other not much unlike Diogenes the Cynick an impudent fellow who would openly commit filthinesse even in the streets And when their bodies have beene the Organs of unrighteousnesse their mouths shall after be the Trumpets to proclaime it much like those savage women which as Montaigne relates for a badg of honour weare as many fringed tossells fastned to the skirt of their garment as they have lyen with severall men you shall often heare old men glory in their fore passed whoredomes boast their homicides c. yea perhaps if it be possible make themselves worse then ever they were yea rather then men will want matter of oftentation they will boast of the fowleâ—t vices as Agesilaus bragd of his stumpt foote Sertorius of his one eye and Rathroâ—d of his scabs for their excrements they account ornaments and make a scarf of their halter but this is a cursed commemoration Againe men there are who like them of Gibeah Iâ—gd 19. and the Sodomites Gen. 19. are not content with the common way of sinning but are mad with a prodigious and preposterous lust bring forth the men that wee may know them verse 5. And hath not this age some whoequall Lycaon that was turned into a Woolfe by Iupiter for his cruelty who seeme to have beene suckled with the milke of Woolfes as it is reported of the first founder of Rome who through custome have made sinne so familiar unto them that the horror of it is turned into a pleasure who being inured to blood make killing of men but a sport as it fared with Abner who called it playing when every one thrust his sword into his fellowes side 2 Sam. 2. 14. 16. some you shall haver hazard land life soule yea more if more could bee on the fortune of a Rapiers point when but aske whence the cause of that contention ariseth they cannot tell you without blushing so vaine and so frivolous is the occasion many men had rather see a combate fought wherein one man kills another then heare a Sermon or partake of a rich banquet being of Hannibal's humour who seeing a ditch swim with mans blood profest never to have seene a fight which more delighted him or of Herods who thinking hee could not shed blood and bee cruell enough while hee lived and to make the lewes sorry for his death whether they would or no commanded and made sure that they should slay all the Noble-mens children in Iury as the breath went out of his body some resemble Cajus Caligula who amongst other tyrannies caused at his meales ordinarily one to cut off before him the heads of poore prisoners wherein hee tooke great pleasure or Nero and Domitian who studied strange deaths to afflict the Saints and to suppresse the Gospell or Iustinian who being restored againe to his Empire as oft as hee moved his hand to wipe the filth from his nose which was cut off he commanded one of his enemies or some of their allies to be put to death or lastly the Numantines who being besiedged by the Romanes and brought to great misery made a vow no day to eate meat unlesse the first dish might bee of a Romans flesh nor drinke any drinke unlesse their first draught were Romans blood Againe are there not some as blasphemous as impudent Pharaoh who being bloodied with his unresisted tyranny could belch out defiance in the face of heaven who is God thinking he might be bold with heaven because he was great on earth or Nicanor who being perswaded from cruelty upon the Sabboth day in that God had appointed it holy answered if God be mâ—ghty in heaven I am also mighty on earth though the same tongue that spake it was cut into little peeces and flung to the Fowles and the hand that smote was cut off and hung before the Temple or lastly Pope Hâ—ldebrand who asked the Sacrament of Christ's body before all the Cardinalls how he should destroy Henry the Emperour and having no answer flung it into the fire saying could the Idol gods of the Heathens tell them what should succeed in al their enterprises and canst not thou tell me And many the like for the time would be too short for me to speake of all I might who being past feeling have given themselves to worke all kinds of wickednesse even with greedinesse Eph. 4. 19. Besides I cannot without red cheeks name the things that are commonly done by them not in secret but openly and that without blushing yea not without boasting and the report of sinne is oft as bad as the commission I am â—oth I say to speak of that whereof the very speech is lothsome Wherefore to shut up with a word of application Do we not know or have we not heard of such as these who are indifferent in nothing but conscience I would there were none such to be knowne or heard of or at least I would they were thrown out of Christ's Crosse-row but if there be and ever hath beene such let any reasonable man judge whether they could bee thus desperately wicked if they did not emulate I ate Sathan strive after the perfection of evill to be superlative in sinne to hâ—ve as it were the lowest place in hell and who should come there first as Gods people desire to imitate God strive after perfection of holinesse and to have
a vessell of wine before nature summons him to depart and will needs be tormented before the time All which their zeale industry and fervent affection to doe the will of their Father should teach and stirre up Goâ—s people to the like zeale industry and fervent affection to doe the will of their Father Their voluntary lewdnesse calls for our dutifull and more zealous obedience that our God may have as faithfull â—ervants as he hath unfaithfull enemies Shall wicked men be at more cost and paines to please an ill master then we can afford to please so good a God so gracious so loving a Father Shall they labour so hard for that which shall confound them and shall we thinke any paines too much for that which shall 〈◊〉 us Is it their meate and drinke to doe mischiefe and shall good duties downe as a Potion with us This were to acknowledge more venome in the seede of the Serpent then there is health in the seede of the woman Indeed the world could not stand before us if our truth might be but as hotly followed as their falsehood O that our God whose cause we maintaine would inkendle our hearts with the fire of holy zeale but so much as Sathan hath inflamed theirs with the fire of fury and faction O Saviour it was thy meate and drinke to doe the will of thy Father how doe we follow thee if we suffer either pleasures or profits to take the wall of thy services But of this elsewhere § 119. FOr I consider that both by Gods and mans Law next after inditement and conviction followes sentence and after sentence is past comes execution if a reprive or pardon be not use out in the 〈◊〉 Wherefore as drunkards have seene their sinne laid open so let them now hearken to their punishment If there be any of these Antipodes to God and his Kingdome who like Trees have rooted both head and heart into the earth and set heaven at their heeles that have in this Treatise as in a picture taken a full view of his owne horrid and detestable condition and with Bâ—palus the Painâ—eâ— read the lively character of his odious and deformed demeanour and after hee hath seene as in a cleare glasse the ugly face of his foule heart with those spots and wrinkles which otherwise hee could not have confest in himselfe and further seene how miserably hee hath been deluded in his judgement touching the religious and shall notwithstanding resolve against yeelding and presence the humouring of his soule before the saveing of it and shall thinke it a disparagement to repent him of his errors and would rather obstinetely continue in them then disclame them so shutting his eyes that hee may not see and stopping hes eares that hee may not heare and hardening his heart that he may not consider presumptuously as Pharaoh did maliciously as 〈◊〉 did desperately as Ahab did and blasphemously as Iulian did let him know this that he shall surely perish The reason of it is taken out of the Proverbs an Arrow drawne out of Salomen's sententions Quiver read the words and tremble A man that hardneth his neck when he is rebuked shall suddenly be destroyed and cannot be cured Prov. 29. 1. yea faith the Lord himselfe Prov. 1. 24. 25. 26. because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out mine hand and ye would not regard but despised al my counsell I will also laugh at your destraction and mock when your feare commeth And of this we have sundry instances The Sonnes of Ely would not harken unto nor obey the voyce of their father why because saith the Text the Lord was determined to destroy them 1 Samuel 2. 25. Their hearts must be hardened that they may be destroyed I know saith the Prophet to Amaziah that God hat determined to destroy thee because thou hast done this and hast not obeyed my counsell 2 Chr. 25. 16. 20. O remember that there is a day of account a day of death a day of judgement comming wherein the Lord Iesus Christ shall bee revealed from heaven with his mighty Angells in flaming fire to render vengeance unto them which obey not unto his Gospell and to punish them with everlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power 2. Thes. 1. 7 8 9. Iude 15. Wisdome 5. 1. to 10. at which time thou shalt heare him pronounce this fearefull doome Depart from me ye cursed Matth. 25. 41. which is an everlasting departure not for a day nor for yeares of dayes nor for millions of yeares but for eternity and that from Christ to the damned to the divells to hell without either end or ease or patience to endure it at which time within thee shall bee thine owne guilty conscience more then a thousand witnesses to accuse thee the Divell who now tempts thee to all thy wickednesse shall on the one side testifie with thy conscience against thee and on the other side shall stand the holy Saints and Angels approving Christ's justice and detesting so filthy a creature behinde thee an hidious noyse of innumerable fellow damned reprobates tarrying for thy company before thee all the world burning in a flaming fire aboue thee that irefull Judge of deserved vengeance ready to pronounce the same sentence upon thee beneath thee the fiery and sulphureous mouth of the bottomlesse pit gaping to receive thee into which being cast thou shalt ever bee falling downe and never meet a bottome and in it thou shalt ever lament and none shall pitie thee for thou shalt have no society but the Divell and his Angells who being tormented themselves shall have no other ease but to wreak their fury in tormenting thee thou shalt alwayes weep for paine of the fire and yet gnash thy teeth in indignation for the extremity of cold thou shalt weep to think that thy miseries are past remedy to think that to repent is to no purpose thou shalt weep to thinke how for the shadow of a few short pleasures if they could bee called pleasures thou hast incurred these sorrowes of eternall paines which shall last to all eternity thy conscience shall ever sting thee like an Adder when thou thinkest how often Christ by his Preachers offered thee remission of sinnes and the Kingdome of Heaven freely if thou wouldest but believe and repent and how easily thou mightest have obtained mercy in those dayes how neere thou wast many times to have epented and yet did dest suffer the divell and the world to keep thee still impenitent and how the day of mercy is now past and will never dawne againe for thou shalt one day finde that conscience is more then a thousand witnesses and God more then a thousand consciences § 120. IF you will not believe mee yet at least believe Pharaoh who in the rich mans scalding rtorments hath a Discite a me learne of me he can testifie out of wofull experience that if wee will
generall rule but admits of some exceptions and this rule is not alwayes infallible for wine makes some quick spirited others dull this man talkative another dumb according to the disposition and constitution of the party Yea I confesse the complot and purpose to kill Casar was as faithfully committed unto Cimber who would daily bee drunk with quaffing of wine as unto Cassius that drank nothing but water neither had Augustus any cause to bee discontented with Lucius Piso that conquered Thrace for all he trusted him with the secretest affaires he had in hand nor Tiâ—erius with Cossus to whom hee imparted all his seriousest counsells although both so gave themselves to drinking that they were often faine to bee carried from the Senate and both reputed notable drunkards but it is rarely seene that the contrary holds not Wherefore I will not tell a bibber what I would not heare againe lest I heare of it againe from those to whom I dare not avouch it againe Yea for this cause were there no other reason I will beware of wine I will not doe God so great a dishonour as to demideifie man in making him privie to my heart and thoughts Yea seeing God hath given me two eyes two eares and but one tongue I wil heare and see double to what I speak And so much to shew how well the drunkard can keepe counsell if any be so mad as to trust him with a secret I passe on to his Vaine babling Surrilous jesting Wicked talking c. § 28. SEcondly suppose you urge him not the wine having set his tongue at liberty it shall resemble Bacchus his Liber pater and goe like the saile of a Wind-mill For as a great gale of wind whirleth the failes about so abundance of wine whirleth his tongue about and keeps it in continuall motion Now he railes now he scoffs now he lyes now he slan ders now he seduces talks baudie sweares banns somes and cannot bee quiet till his tongue bee wormed And all this hee sets out with the same throat that a hired waterman cryes Cales sand for commonly a lewd tongue is a lowd one and a lowd tongue a lewd one Impudent speakers are like gaping Oysters which being open'd either stink or there is nothing in them But to keepe close to drunkards This Caca-doemons discourse is all quarrelling scoffing or scurrilous for as hee hath a spitefull tongue in his anger so he hath a beastly tongue in his mirth as these two inseparably attend each other First a spitefull tongue in his anger for if you marke him then having more rage than reason hee enterlaceth all his discourse either with reviling the present or backbiting the absent now all his prayers are curses and all his relations lyes talkative and lying you know are two birds which alwayes she out of one nest To be short heare him when he is in this veine and bâ—t seriously consider his condition you would thinke that by a just judgement of God hee were metamorphosed like Hecuba the wife of Priamus into a Dog whose chiefe property is to barke with open mouth at such as hee knowes not for without question their wits are shorter and their tongues longer then to demonstrate them rationall creatures Secondly he hath a beastly tongue in his mirth the drunkards communication is ever filthy and beastly ful of all ribaudry and baudinesse no filthy talke or rotten speech whatsoever comes amisse to a drunkard yea no word savours well with them that is not unsavoury their onely musicke and so fares it with all the rude rabble is ribaudry modesty and sober merriment with them is dulnesse Thus whereas hee should either bee silent or his words should be bâ—tter worth then silence contrariwise from the beginning to the end hee belcheth forth nothing but what is as farre from truth piety reason modesty as that the Moone came down from heaven to visit Mahomet O the beastlines which burns in their unchast and impure minds that smoakes out of their polluted mouthes A man would thinke that even the Divell himselfe should blush to heare his child so talke How doth his mouth rune over with falsehoods against both Christians and Preachers what speakes hee lesse then whoredomes adulteries incests at every word yea heare two or three of them talke you would change the Lycâ—â—â—ians language and say Devills are come up in the likenesse of men Yea it is a small matter with them to meddle with their equalls or to sit upon their parish Priest as those hogsheads terme him for in such a meeting they will visit a whole Diocesse and Province nay the sagest Iudge and gravest Councâ—ller and greatest Peeâ—â— in the land must doe service to their Court and be summoned before the Alebench according to that in the Pâ—almes they set theâ—r mouthes against Heaven and their tongues wâ—â—ke through the earth Psal. 73. 9. Nor will they stay here for when they have huft their smoake into the face of these they will have health to King Charles and what not for the honour of England O that they should 〈◊〉 to make that a shooing-horne to draw on drinke by drinking healthes to him I cannot bee in charity with the places that permit this with the persons that pardon it much lesse with such Belialists as practise it But see greater abominations then these for as yet wee bee but in the Haven if wee launch out into the deepe we shall meete with Sea-monsters farre fowlerevills § 29. 3 FRom wicked talking hee proceeds to cursed and impious sâ—earing blâ—spheming c. as you seldome see a Drunkard but hee is a great swearer and not of petty oathes but those prodigious and fearefull ones of Woâ—â—ds and Blood the damned language of ruffians and monsters of the earth together with God damne me which words many of them use superficially if they repent not Yea the Drunkards and desperate ruffians of our dayes sweare and curse as if Heaven were deafe to their noyse yea they have so sworne away all grace that they count it a grace to sweare and that not onely when they are displeased with others will they tare the name of their Maker in peeces which is no better then frenzie but in their very best moodes Prophane Drunkards sweare even as dogs barke not ever for curstnesse but mostly out of custome neither know they that they sweare though they nothing but sweare as you shall heare a man when reproved for swearing presently rap out oathes that he swore not like men desperately diseased their excrements and filth comes from them at unawares And as by much labour the hand is so hardened that it hath no sense of labour so their much swearing causeth such a brawny skin of senselessenesse to overspread the heart memory and conscience that the swearer sweareth unwittingly and having sworne hath no remembrance of his oath much lesse repentance for his sinne O the numberlesse number of oathes and blasphemies that one blacke mouthed
Drunkard spits out in defiance as it were of God and all prohibitions to the contrary Yea I dare affirme it had some one of them three thousand pounds per Annum his meanes would hardly pay those small twelve penny multes which our Statute imposes upon swearers were it duly executed And if so to what number wil the oathes amount which are sworne throughout the whole land yea in some one Alehouse or Taverne where they sit all day in troopes doing that in earnest which wee have seene boyes doe in sport stand on their heads and shake their heeles against Heaven where even to heare how the name of the Lord Iesus is pierced would make a dumbe man speake a dead man almost to quake Did you never heare how Caesar was used in the Senate house if not yet you know how a kennell of Hounds will fall upon the poore Hare one catcheth the head another the leg a third the throate and amongst them shee is torne in peeces even so these hellish miscreants these bodily and visible Devills having their tongues fired and edged from Hell fall upon the Lord lesus one cryes Wounds another Blood a third Hearâ— a fourth Body a fifth Soule and never leave stabbing and tearing him with their stinges till no whole place be left Thus they pierce his side with oathes and teare all his wounds open againe whereas the 〈◊〉 did but crucifie him below on the earth when hee came to suffer these crucifie him above in Heaven where hee sits on his throne And which I feare to thinke it may bee a question whether there bee more oathes broken or kept for woe is mee one sells an oath for a bribe another lends an oath for favour another casts it away for malice c. but the Drunkard without any incitement tumbleth out oathes at adventure and is as lavish of them as of ill language O misery O wickednesse What shall I say that ever any who weares Christs badge and beares his name should thus rise up against him that ever those tongues which dare call God Father should suffer themselves thus to be moved and possessed by that uncleane Spirit that ever those mouthes which have received the sacred Body and Blood of the Lord of life should endure to swallow these odious morsells of the Devills carving are these Christians dare they shew their faces in the Temple yes they dare § 30. BUt as the Church doth Not owne such wicked and prophane â—retches for her children so if they had their due like dirt in the house of God they should be throwne out into the streete or as excrements and bad humors in mans body which is never at ease till it bee thereof disburthened as St. Auguâ—â—ine speakes Neither could they blame any except themselves in case they were marked with the blacke cole of infamy and their company avoided as the Apostle adviseth Rom. 16. 17. 2 Thes. 3. 6. 14. Eph. 5. 5. 7. 1. Cor. 5. 5. 11. 1 Tim. 1. 20. if they were to us as Lepers were among the Iewes or as men full of plague soares are amongst us for as the Holy Pages before quoted warrant this so there are many good reasons for it as First because even the Gospell and the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles and an evill scandall raised upon the whole Church through their superlative wickednesse Rom. 2. 24. As what else but the unchristianlike behaâ—iour of such Christians hath caused the Turkes even to detest the true Religion And what was it that alienated the Indians from the Christian Religion and made them refuse the Gospell brought by the Spaniards but this they saw their lives more savage then those savages Yea it made the poore Indians resolve that what religion soever the Spaniards were of they would be of the contrary thinking it unpossible that such cruell and bloody deeds could proceed from any true Religion or that hee could be a good God who had such evill Sonnes and the argument is of force for who are Scythians if these be Saints who are Canniballs if these be Catholiques Whereas in the primitive times more of them were wonne to the faith by the holy lives of Christians then by the doctrine which they taught they made the world to reade in their lives that they did believe in their hearts and caused the Heathen to say this is a good God whose servants are so good for thus they reasoned these men are surely of God and without doubt looke for a world to come Neither was the Gospell thus honoured by some few onely but by all that profes't it For Tertullian witnesseth that in his time a Christian was knowne from another man only by the holinesse and uprightnesse of his life and conversation But as for prime Christians viz. the auncient Fathers their labours their learning their sincerity to men and devotion to God was the wonder of the world Whereas all the difference betweene these and very infidells is only this the one are infidells in their hearts the other are infidells in their lives as Augustine pithily And sure I am that in those purer times the Church would have denied her blessing to such Sonnes of Belial as these are who make a trade of sinne as though there were no God to judge nor Hell to punish and so live as though they had no soules to save such as have shaken out of their hearts the feare of God the shame of the world the love of Heaven the dread of Hell not caring what be thought or spoken of them here or what becomes of them hereafter yea such a monstrous menstruous brood that like a certaine mountaine in Arabia breede and bring forth nothing but monsters whose deeds are too fowle for my words being such as ought not to be once named amongst Christians as the Apostle speakes Eph. 5. 3 4. such as neither Moses nor Aaron Câ—sar nor Paul Minister of the word nor Minister of the sword finde reverence in their hearts or obedience in their lives being like mettal often fired and quenched so churlish that it will sooner break than bow for they contemn all authority as boyes grown tall and stubborn contemn the rod yea even such as speake â—vill of them that are in authority and whose mouths utter swelling and proud words against such as are in dignity as S. Peter and S. Iude hath it yea they be mockers of all that march not under the pay of the Devill § 31 SEcondly whom but themselves could they blame when they infect almost al that come neere them as have not little boyes in the streets learned of them to wrap out oathes almost as frequently as themselves yea through their frequent and accustomary swearing our children learn to speak English and oaths together and so to blaspheme God almost as soone as he hath made them Now the good husbandman weeds his field of hurtful plants that they may not spoyle the good corne and
who think as good be buried as so much debarred of their appetites so fares it with these touching their soules for use what meanes you will to reclame them they will reject it What saith S. Basil shall we speake to drunkards wee had as good round a dead man in the eare yea certainly saith another he is drunk himselfe that prophanes reason so as to urge it to a drunken man in regard whereof S. Augustine compares drunkennesse to the pit of hell into which when a man is once fallen there is no redemption Whoring is a deep ditch yet some few shall a man see returne to lay hold on the wayes of life one of a thousand but scarce one drunkard of ten thousand Indeed S. Ambrose mentions one and another by a moderne Divine of ours is confest and but one a peece of all that ever they knew or heard of I speake of drunkards not of one drunken such who rarely and casually have Noah like beene surprised and overtaken at unawares but if once a custome ever a necessity Drunkennesse beastiates the heart and spoiles the braine overthrowes the faculties and organs of repentance and resolution It is a sinne of that nature that it hardens and makes up the heart against all repentings Yea the Holy Ghost by the Prophet Hosea tells us that it takes away the heart Hosea 4. 11. And we find it too true for commonly it is accompanied wâ—th finall impenitence which is the greatest evill that is incident to man in this life in that it is a certaine forerunner of eternall condemnation yea it is much to bee feared that the Lord hath done by them as by Ieremiah hee threatneth the Babylonians even given them over to a perpetuall drunkennesse Ier. 51. 39. And is it not most just with God that hee who will put out his naturall light should have his spirituall extinguished he that will deprive himselfe of reason should loose also the guide and pylot of reason Gods Spirit and Grace he that will wittingly and willingly make himselfe an habitation of uncleane spirits should not dispossesse them at his owne pleasure that their deaths should bee answerable to their lives as commonly such as a mans delights and cares are in health such are both his thoughts and speeches on his death-bed Some that have beene used to swearing have dyed with oathes and curses in their mouthes Some persecutors have dyed raging blaspheming and despiting the Spirit of grace Some Usurers have died while in their conceit they were telling their money and casting it up after ten in the hundred Yea one being used to play at Tables all his life with great delight cried out upon his death-bed size-ace cater-trey c. I deny not but God may raise a Lazarus of this kind though he bee dead in excesse dead in sense yea though he be buried and stinkes againe thorow long custome in filthines and breath into his nosthrils againe the breath of life whereby he may become a living soule but rarely is it seene that he doth so § 58. NEither speak I of what God can do for with him all things are possible but with men with drunkards it is in a manner impossible for surely if there were the least possibility of their leaving it if they were not altogether hardened past feeling and past grace then would they now abstaine whilst the plague is hot amongst us But alasse even at this present when many lawfull and indifferent actions are unexpedient these warped wicked wretched men neither feare nor cease to roare drinke drab sweare c. so difficult is the work like Iairus Minstrels they cannot forbeare to play and revell even in the time and place of mourning Dives-like they must have exquisite musick merry company dainty fare c. every day so little are they mooved with Gods displeasure and this grievous judgement Yea notwithstanding it is for their sakes that judgements are upon us and that their crying sinnes have pierced the heavens and brought downe the Plague upon thousands as when Achan sinned Israel was beaten neither did the wickednesse of Peor stretch so far as the Plague yea the Adultery of those few Gibeoâ—ites to the Levites wife was the occasion of six and twenty thousand mens deaths besides all their wives and children together with forty thousand and odd of the Israelites Iudg. 20. when the death of those few malefactors would have saved all theirs and put away evill from Israel vers 13. yea if the Campe of Israel suffered so much for one Achan's fault what may wee expect that have such a multitude of Achans amongst us Notwithstanding I say it is for their sakes that judgements are upon us yet they of al men are least sensible of them as it fared with Ionas who for all that grievous tempest was for his sake yet Ionas alone was fast asleep and the Disciples in another case as wherefore was that unspeakable agony of Christ but for the sinnes of his Disciples and chosen and yet even then the Disciples were asleepe But why doe I make the comparison when betweene them there is no comparison for the fire of Gods wrath being kindled amongst us for their sakes they doe but warme themselves at the flame sining so much the more freely and merrily even drinking in iniquity as the fish drinketh in water and living as if they were neither beholding to God nor affraid of him both out of his debt and danger yea as if the Plague were not only welcome unto them but they would fall to courting of their owne destruction as if with Calanus they hated to dye a naturall death The pleasure of the world is like that Colchian hony whereof Zenophon's Souldiers no sooner tasted then they were miserably distempered those that tooke little were drunk those that took more were mad those that tooke most were dead so most men are either intoxicated or infatuated or killed out right with this deceitfull world that they are not sensible of their feares or dangers It is like a kind of melancholy called Chorus Sancti Viti which who so hath it can doe nothing but laugh and dance untill they be dead or cured as it made Argos in the Poet and another mentioned by Aristotle sit all day laughing and clapping their hands as if they had beene upon a stage at a Theater Wickednesse makes guilty men feare where is no cause these have cause enough but no grace to feare they are so besotted with a stupid security that they are not affected with any danger yea they account it the chiefest vertue to be bold fearelesse and carelesse according to that Ier. 5. where the Prophet complaines unto God thou hast smitten them but they have not sorrowed thou hast consumed them but they have refused to receive correction they have made their faces harder then a stone and have refused to returne verse 3. which was Pharaoh's case who though his backe were all blew and sore with stripes
there is an oath let there be a bribe instantly there is a bribe let there be a quarrell immediatly there is a quarrel c. just as when God said in the beginning of the Creation let there bee light and there was light § 72. THus Sathan comes to us and sets upon us both wayes visible and invisible mediately and immediatly by himselfe and by others Yea this is not all for that we may the lesse suspect him he makes us become our owne tempters as how many temptations come in by those Cinque-ports the Senses how many more by Sathans injections presenting to the affections things absent from the Senses as we have an army of uncleane desires that perpetually fight against our soules but most of all by lust it selfe a thing not created yet as quicke as thought tumbling over a thousand desires in an houre for you must know that the Devill and our Flesh meets together every day and houre to ingender new sinnes which is the reason our sins are counted amongst those things which are infinite as the haires of our head the sands of the Sea the Starres of Heaven yea the Devills trade and occupation all the day and all the yeare long is onely to make nets and gins and snares to catch thee and mee and each man single the wisdome of Heaven deliver us As there is a Sacred Trinity provoking to good the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost so there is a cursed Cerberus intiseing to sinne the World the Flesh and the Devill but the chiefe of these tempters is the Devill whence he is stiled as by a kind of excellency the Tempter as Virgil is called the Poet Aristotle the Philosopher and David the King It 's true he could not worke his owne ends upon us if he should professe himselfe and appeare to us the very same that he is and not in the persons of men yea in our selves and supposed best friends yet this hinders not but Sathan may be the chiefe for though there be many little seducers besides which doe us the greatest mischiefe yet the Serpent is worse then all his seede I 'le make it plaine As there are sundry other crafts so there is a craft of tempting whereof Sathan is the crafts-master and the rest are but his Apprentises or Factors under him for there was never any of what condition soever from the first to the last tempted but Sathan had a hand in the temptation Indeed some make question whether there be a Devill or no because they never saw him but thou maist see him in his effects tempting thee to lewdnesse and tempting thee to tempt others for what he cannot doe immediately by himselfe that he doth mediatly by his instruments and when he hath tempted some men he sets them to tempt other men bestowing his bad office upon them as once he did upon heedlesse Eve As alasse poore soules they are but set on by that subtile Serpent as the woman of Tekâ—a was by Ioaâ— 2Sa 14. 3. or as Zebâ—deas was by her Sons Math. 20. 20. compared with Mark 10. 35. it is but his heart in their lips for the Devill opens their mouthes as the Lord by an Angell opened the mouth of Baalam's Asse Nâ—mb 22. and speakes in and by them as once he did by the Serpent when he opened her mouth and caused her to speake with mans voice § 73. THat Sathan the Prince of darknesse which ruleth in the ayre even that false Spirit speaketh and worketh by all the children of disobedience as by his Agents and instruments partly as a workman worketh with his tooles partly as a Client speakes by his Advocate and partly as a Generall â—ighteth by his Army we have plainely set downe Ephes. 2. 2. 3. yea looke but 2 Cor. 4. 4. and there he is stiled their god and being their god they must use all possible meanes whereby to gaine soules to him by tempting and seducing others to which end and that they may be the better gifted to doe the same exactly this great temper helpeth their infirmitie by infuseing of his owne nature into them as when hee put it into the heart of Iudas Iscariot to betray Christ Iohn 13. 2. and when he moved David to number the people 1 Chro. 21. 1. and spake to our Saviour by Peter as through a trunke and infused his subtilty into Herod to destroy all the Males for though Herod be called a Fox yet this old Fox taught him all his subtilty And this he can easily doe For as the Load-stone by a secret in nature not onlyâ—draweth the Iron unto it as Iet and Amber doth Straw but infuseth also a faculty into the Iron whereby one peece of Iron is made apt to draw another peece after it yea the Loadestone being put neere a chaine of Iron doth not onely draw the link that is next it unto it but also causeth that link to draw it's fellow and the next to it it's fellow and so the rest until all be drawn so Sathan by infusing into some men his serpentine nature maketh them as apt to tempt others and they their associates as when by the infusion of this divelish nature hee had tempted Eve and made her his vassall she proved an apt exquisite and ready instrument to seduce Adam to eate the forbidden fruit at the price of death eternal and ever since the divell might use the words of God and say behold man is become as one of us And for number Sathan hath more servants then any Emperour of the world yea more men I feare me to fight for him then the Trinity which made us for whereas few have the courage to speake for God and his worship even amongst us Christians Sathan hath his tempters and seducers in every country and place yea in every corner of each country like continuall Leigers to follow his busines who both can do it neere as well even as Witches can doe almost as much as the divel himselfe and will do it as faithfully as if he did it in his own person What Gideon and Abimelech once spake to their troopes Iudg. 7. 17. and 9. 48. looke on me and see what you see me do make hast and do you likewise and they did it the same speaks Sathan to his followers and they imitate and resemble the divell as truly as Apes and Monkies will imitate and resemble men which though they cannot speake and understand with such reason as men do yet they will counterfeit men in any thing that possible they can compasse And these his servants are so at his beck that he needs no more but hold up his finger as the master of a Galley when he perceives a good gale of winde that is faire for his voyage doth with once whisling make all the Galley-slaves fall to their Oares So that Sathan hath diverse and sundry wayes to assault us many strings to his Bow that if some break the rest may hold many traines of
not take warning by the word that gentle warner the next shall be harder the third and fourth harder then that yea as al the ten plagues did exceede one another so the eleventh single exceeds them all together innumerable are the curses of God against finners but the last is the worst comprehending and transcending al the rest the fearefullest plagues God still reserves for the upshot all the former doe but make way for the last When the Dreame and the Miracle and the Prophet had done what they could upon Nebuchadnezzar God calls forth his temporall judgements and bids them see what they can doe if they will not yet serve he hath eternal ones which will make them repent every veine of their hearts and soules that they did not repent sooner Oh that I could give you but a glimpse of it that you did but see it to the end you might never feele it that so you might be won if not out of faith yet out of feare for certainly this were the hopefullest meanes of prevention for though diverse theeves have robd passengers within sight of the Gallowes yet if a sinner could see but one glimpse of hell or bee suffered to looke one moment into that fiery Lake hee would rather choose to dye tenne thousand deaths then commit one sinne and indeed therefore are wee dissolute because we doe not thinke what a judgement there is after our dissolution because wee make it the least and last thing we thinke on yea it is death wee think to think upon death and we cannot indure that dolefull bell which summons us to judgement Something you have heard of it here and in Section the 44. But alasse I may as well with a Cole paint out the Sunne in all his splendor as with my pen or tongue expresse the joyes of Heaven which they willingly part withall or those torments of hell which they strive to purchase For as one said that nothing but the eloquence of Tully could sufficiently set forth Tullie's eloquence so none can expresse those everlasting torments but hee that is from everlasting to everlasting and should either man or Angell goe about the worke when with that Philosopher hee had taken a seven-nights time to consider of it hee might aske a fortnight more and at the fortnights end a moneth more and be at his wits end at the worlds end before he could make a satisfiing answer otherthen his was that the longer he thought of it the more difficult he found it alasse the paine of the body is but the body of paine the anguish of the soule is the soule of anguish § 121. BUt to be everlastingly in Hell to lye for ever in a bed of quenchles flames is not all for as thy sinnes have exceeded so shall thy sufferings exceed as thou hast had a double portion of sinne to other men here so thou shalt have a double portion of torment to them hereafter the number and measure of torments shall be according to the multitude and magnitude of offences mighty sinners shall be mightily punished for God will reward every man according to his workes Revel 20. 12. 13. and 22. 12. As our workes are better or worse so shall our joyes in heaven our paines in hell bee more or lesse as every one hath beene more wicked he shall bee more wretched Capernaum exceeding Sodome and Gomorrah in sin shall feele also an excesse of punishment and the willfull servant shall receive more stripes then the ignorant Luk. 1â— 47. 48. Mat. 10. 15 which being so viz. that every man shall be punished according to merit what will become of thee surely thy sins are so prodigious that they scorne any proportion under a whole volume of plagues But see wherein thy sinnes exceed other mens that shall go to the same place of torment how every sinne receiveth weight and increase in regard of circumstances and how thou after thine hardnes and heart which cannot repent heapest unto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the just judgment of God who will reward every man according to his workes Rom. 2. 5 6. The particulars which greaten aggravate and adde weight to thy sinnes and make them above measure sinfull are so diverse and sundry that I may not insist upon all yet some are of such import that I dare not omit them First the civill justitiary who omiâ—tâ—th the performance of those good duties which the Law requireâ—h is in a damnable condition but thou in a farre worse who wilfully runnest on in the commission of those sinnes which the Law flatly forbids It was the not slaying of Agag 1 Sam. 15. that lost Saul his Kingdome and the favour of God The not circumcising of Moses his first borne Exodus 4. had like to have cost him his life The not relieving of poore Lazarus Luk. 16. was the rich mans ruine It was not the evill servants spending his Masters money which cast him into prison but the not gaining with it he did not evill with his Talent no it was enough to condemne him that he did nothing with it Now if barrennesse bee sent into the fire how can rapine looke to escape if omission of good works be whipped with Rodds surely commission of impieties shall be scourged with Scorpions The old world did but eat and drink build and plant marry and bee merry and were swept away with the Beesom of an universall deluge which things were in themselves lawfull what then shall become of Lyers Swearers Drunkards Adulterers malicious monsters scandalous sinners whose workes are in themselves simply unlawfull If the civily righteous shall not bee saved in that great and terrible day where then shall all ungodly drunkards and deboyshed swilbowles appeare Heaven is our Goale we all runne loe the Scribes and Pharisies are before thee what safty can it bee to come short of those that come short of heaven Except your righteousnes exceed c. Meroz was cursed by the Angell because they came not to helpe the Lord in the day of battell Iudges 5. 23. they fought not against God yet because they did not fight for him they are cursed And if they that stand in a luke-warm neutrality shall be spewed up sure the palpable and notorious offender who takes up armes against God and opposes all goodnesse shall bee trodden under foot of a provoked justice O consider this and lay it to heart you that commit sinnes of all sorts and sizes you that can tear heaven with your blasphemies and bandy the dreadfull name of God in your impure mouthes by your bloody oaths and execrations yee that dare exercise your saucy wits in prophane scoffes at Religion yee that can neigh after strange flesh c. § 122. SEcondly the sinnes which thou committest are against knowledge and conscience and so farre greater then the same sinnes if another should doe them ignorantly The servant that knowes his masters will and if he
When the heart is changed and set towards God all the members will follow after it as the rest of the creatures after the Sunne when it ariseth the tongue will praise him the foot will follow him the eare will attend him the hand will serve him nothing will stay after the heart but every one goes like hand-maides after their Mistresse which makes David presenting himself before God summon his thoughts speeches actions c. saying all that is within me praise his holy name Psal. 103. 1. Prov. 23. 26. so that it is a true rule he that hath not in him all Christian graces in their measure hath none and he that hath any one truly hath all For as in the first birth the whole person is borne and not some peeces so it is in the second the whole person is borne againe though not wholly how much the regenerate man is changed from what hee was wont to be may be seene 1 Corinth 6. 9. 10. 11. Tit. 3. 3. to 8. Rom. 6. 4. to 23. and here upon Christ is compared to purging fire and Fullers Sope to signifie how hee should fine and purg purifie and cleanse his people Mal 3. 2. 3. God never adopteth any his children but he bestowes love tokens upon them which are the earnest of his Spirit in their hearts 2 Cor. 1. 22. and his saving graces as an earnest and for a signe that they shal overcome their Ghostly enemies and live everlastingly with him in heaven as he gave Hezekiah the going backe of the Sunne tenne degrees for a signe that hee should be delivered out of the hands of the King of Ashur and have added to his dayes fifteene yeares 2 Kings 20. 6. 8. 11 Alasse though there bee scarce a man on earth but he thinks to goe to heaven yet heaven is not for every one but for the Saints would any man have a lot in Canaan let him bee a sure to bee a true Israelite And so we see there must of necessity bee a manifest change that fruitfulnesse is the best argument he hath begotten us anew that the signes of salvation are to be sought in our selves as the cause in Iesus Christ that wee must become new creatures as S. Paul hath it 2 Cor. 5. 17. talk with new tongues Mar. 16. 17. and walk in new wyaes Matth. 2. 12. hating what we once loved and loving what we formerly hated then shall we have new names Rev. 2. 17. put on new garments and have a portion in the new Ierusalem Revel 21. otherwise not Take notice of this all ye carnall worldlings who are the same that yee were alwayes even from the beginning ' and think the same a speciall commendations too though you have small reason for it for that wee need no more to condemne us then what we brought into the world with us Besides doe you live willingly in your sinnes Let mee tell you ye are dead in your sinnes this life is a death and wee need no better proofe that you are dead then because you feele not your deadnesse § 150. SEcondly that thou hast not repented nor doest yet believe is plaine for as faith is a gift of God whereby the elect soule is sirmly perswaded not only that the whole word of God is true but that Christ and all his benefit doe belong unto her so it is an honourable and an operative grace alwayes accompanied with other graces over bearing fruit and repentance being a fruit of faith is a whole change of the mind and a very sore displeasure against a mans selfe for sinne as it is sin and a breach of God's holy Lawes and for offending so good a God so mercifull a Father with a setled purpose of hateing and for sakeing all sinne and yeilding universall obedience for the time to come wherefore hast thou a true lively and a justifying faith it will manifest it selfe by a holy life For as fire may bee decerned by heat and life by motion so a mans faith may bee decerned by his workes for though faith alone justifieth yet justifying faith is never alone but ever accompanied with good workes and other saving graces as the Queene though in her state and office shee be alone yet shee goeth not without her Maids of honour Tttus 3. 8. spirituall graces the beauties of the soule and good workes the beauty of graces and our justification is to bee proved by the fruits of our sanctification faith and workes are as inseparable as the root and the sap the Sun and its light and wheresoever they are not both present they are both absent I am 2. 17. 24. faith purifies the heart Act. 15. 9. worketh by love Galath 5. 6. and sanctifieth the whole man throughout 1 Thes. 5. 23. Act. 26. 18. for as if our repentance bee sound it will make us grieve for sins of all sorts secret as well as known originall as well as actuall of omission as of commission lesser viz. thoughts as well as greater yea as well for the evill which cleaves to our best workes as for the evill workes Rom. 7. 21. and as heartily and unfainedly desire that we may never commit it as that God should never impute it 2. Tim. 2. 19. Againe it will worke tendernesse of conscience and such a true filiall feare of God that we shall feare to displease him not so much because hee is just to punish us as for his mercy and goodnesse sake and more feare the breach of the Law then the curse which we may know by asking our owne hearts these questions Whether we would refuse a booty if we had as fit an opportunity to take it and no man perceive the same as Achan had Whether wee would refuse a bribe like Elisha though wee should meet with one which were as willing and able to give it as Naaman Whether we would not deceive though we were in such an of fice as the false Steward whose Master referred all unto him and knew not when he kept any thing backe Whether wee would not yeeld in case it should be said unto us as the Divell said to Christ all this will I give thee if thou wilt commit such a sinne Whether we have a Spirit without guile Psa. 32. 2. and be the same in Closet and Market as being no lesse seene in the one then in the other Whether we more love to be then seeme or be thought good as Plato spake of his friend Phocion and seeke more the power of godlinesse then the shew of it Iob 1. 1. For Christians should be like Aples of gold with Pictures of silver whose inside is better then their outside but both good and hee serveth God best who serveth him most out of sight that wheresoever hee is keepes a narrower watch over his very thoughts then any other can doe of his actions and no mans censure troubles him more then his owne Againe whether wee are as carefull to avoide the occasions of sinne as sinne
is as much as if it should say in other words foolishnesse for the wisdome of the world is foolishnesse with God saith Paul as the wisdome of God is foolishnesse with the world 1 Cor. 2. 14. I am sure to be wise to evill is an evil wisdom or rather wisdome backward for where as God saith if any man will bee wise let him become a foole that hee may bee wise these on the contrary become wise that they may bee fooles they studie the dangerous art of selfe-Sophistry to the end that they may bee wily to beguile themselves and to plot selfe-Treason then which there is no greater when the betrayer and betrayed spell but one man There is yea this is a kind of wisdome which is more contrary to wisdome then ignorance and indeed whence proceeds the subtilest folly but from the subtilest wisdome For as from the extreamest friendships proceeds the extreamest enmities and from the soundest healths the mortallest diseases so from the rarest and quickest agitations of our mindes ensue the most distempered and outragious frenzies there wants but half a pegs turn to passe from the one to the other In mad mens actions we see how fitly folly suiteth and meetes with the strongest operations of our mindes who knowes not how unperceivable the neighbourhood is betweene folly and the liveliest elevations of these wits yea their crafty wisdome the occasion of their folly thy wisdome and thy knowledge saith Isaiâ—h they have caused thee 〈…〉 47. 10. and what is rebellion but folly as Iob 28. 28. Proverbs 9. 10. 12. and 11. 3. Deut. 4. 6. Hosea 14. 9. Iames 3. 13. 17. 2 Tâ—m 3. 15. and other the like places shew If then to use our Saviours words the light that is in them be darknesse how great is that darknâ—sse Matth. 6. 23. If their wisdome and knowledge be igâ—orance how great is that ignorance yea how inconceivably great is the folly of that ignorance surely in my judgment it is such that if the Law admit any to be beg'd for fooles these are the fittest and I cannot but wonder to see how the most are mistaken in them but being thus discouered I hope it will appeare that as love and lust are not both one so a cunning man and a wise man are not both one Wee have seene some that could packe the cards and yet cannot play well Now as I have shewen these two sorts of men their folly so it were as easie to shew that the voluptuous are fooles also though of all men they are the wisest in their owne conceits because they live the merriest and freeliest of all others Yea I could make it plaine to them that the very worst thing in religion even the reproach of Christ is better then the best pleasure that is in the sweetest sinne for so it was to Moses a man of a right esteeme and that one day in the courts of God viz. his holy Temple is better then a thousand elsewhere for so it was to David a man of a refined and reformed judgement yea S. Paul a sanctified man after hee was rapt up into the third heaven reckoned so meanly of the things below that he could hardly find forth a comparison for them homely enough Philipians 3. 8. It is true carnall men think that if they once embrace religion farewel all joy aud delight but they only think so it is not so for a good conscience when it is at the worst is even filled with joy Act. 5. 41. 2. Cor. 1. 5. thus it fared with Steven Act. 7. 55. 56. and those disciples Chapter 13. 52. yea a good conscience made Peter more merry under stripes then Caiaphas upon the Judgement-seat and Paul happier in his chaine of iron then Agrippa in his chain of gold Neither have Gods children a lesse portion of outward blessings then the wicked when God knowes the same good for them Abraham was as rich as any of our Aldermen David as valiant as any of our Gentlemen Salomon as wise in humane skill as any of our deepest Naturians Susanna as faire as any of our painted peeces c. But I feare mee Egypt hath beene so teadious to you already that you aske for Goshen though indeed you have beene all this while in the light that you have look'd upon darknesse for darknes could never be seene by it self but by the light Besides I have search'd and rubd enough this sore only the plaister is wanting wherefore I will winde up this objection with a few helpes to or meanes of true wisdome and saving knowledge that so each one may bee able to understand the Scriptures and what qualifications God requireth in such to whom he will shew mercy and so much the rather because the worke of regeneration begins at illumination a man desires not that he doth not know saith Chrysostome neither are unknowne evils feared § 163. Iâ— any would obâ—aine this excel lent grace of saving knowledge let him use these six helps and further ances 1. Discard all filthy lusts and 〈◊〉 affections 2. Get an humble heart 3. Procure the eye of a lively faith 4. Bee constant in Prayer 5. Be irequent and studious in the Scriptures 6. Advise with others First let him be careful to dispell and remove al filthy lusts and lewd affectâ—onâ— for these are our Eues which doe deceive us our Dalilahs which â—ull us asleep while wee are deprived of the strength of our reason our enemies that are ever fighting against our soules as Peter speakes 1 Peter 2. 11. Yea there needs no more to besot a man then the inordinate love of money for had one as many eyes as the Poets feign of Argus the melody of gaine would play them all out or fast asleepe Our affections like fire and water are good servants but evill master for being corrupted and overswayed by lusts there be no such enemies as these home-bred and of a mans owne houshold Sinne is like the Albugâ— or white spot in the eye which dims our understandings and makes fooles of Catoes and Platoes and Tullies and Achitâ—phels leaving them never an eye to see withall For as the Arke would not stay with the Philistins so wisdome and grace will not stay with sinners but â—lieth from them as believers would doe from a persecuting Tyrant If Ierusalem forgets her first love presently her right hand forgets her cuning and her tongue cleaves to the roofe of her mouth Psalm 137. 5. 6. If sinnes come in at the fore-dore graces will go out at the postern what communion hath light with darknesse they will not keepe company together vertues drop from such a tree like leaves and fruits in a great wind yea one sin openeth the doore for many vertues to goe out If one vertue be offended she lureth away all her fellowes as when ner was offended he drew away many of Ishbosheth's friends and they shrunk from him As a Judge to acquit his office must be free
withall more then he expected so deales Sathan and the world with a poore soule The divill is like a late Emperor of Turkie who married his owne daughter to a Basha on the one day and then after a night pleasure sent for his head the next morning for here he is a tempter hereafter a tormenter And herein Christs servâ—nts and the divels differ this life is our hell and their heaven the next shall be their hell and our heaven Psal. 17. 14. Matth. 5. 4. Luke 6. 21. Iohn 16. 20. Indeed our outward afflictions here are so sweented with inward consolation that this world may rather bee called our purgatory for a Christian here in respect of his manifold troubles and sweet consolation in christ seemes half in hell and halfe in heaven as Petrus Tenorius Archbishop of Toledo caused King Salomon to be painted upon the walles of his Chappell after he had a long time considered the waighty reasons on each side whether he were damned or saved or as the Papists feigned Erasmus to be for that he was halfe a Protestant halfe a Roman Catholike but this inward consolation is hidden to the world Fourthly the divell and his instruments can so delude the fancy and judgement of a naturall man that as he sees nothing desireable in a religious life so hee shall give no credit to nor believe any thing that the godly shall affirme As for example Let us tell one whom they have converst withall how sweet a religious life is and how farre the light of God's countenance the peace of conscience and joy in the Holy ghost doth surpasse all earthly felicity he will not believe there is any such thing because it transcends his conceite as a poore labouring man in the country said to his neighbour he believed not there was any such sum as a thousand pounds of money though rich men talked so much of it they will believe no more then what comes within the compasse of their five senses for they are all the Articles of their faith But they are ill discoverers that think there is no land when they can see nothing but Sea Yea viewing the godly but with natures eye they thinke both God and nature envies them of all others and that most men are deluded with a poysonous lye in making only the vertuous happy But in case we say with Steâ—en that we see Christ Iesus sitting at the right hand of God these blind wizards are ready to throw stones at us for confessing what wee see or for seeing what is hid from them Againe let them see a man carefull to avoid the ginnes and snares of Sathan which are laid in every place to take his soule they will judge and call him a scrupulous fellow for watching against that which they neither see nor feare as wonder is the daughter of ignorance Indeed as country men will rather believe the reports of travellers then go to see it so they will believe these things rather then be troubled or much trouble themselves about them Againe let God by his Embassadors offer them the Kingdome of heaven upon faire and easie tearmes they will none of it yea they will slight it as the golden Indies was offered to diverse Princes and they vilipended it because they never saw it yet the wealth was worth their labour that undertooke it and so in al other cases worldly hearts especially being thus deluded can see nothing in actions of zeale but folly and madnesse untill we be borne againe we are like Nicodemus who knew not what it was to be borne againe Iohn 3. Untill we become zealous our selves wee are like Festus who thought zeale madnesse Act. 26. untill wee bee humble our selves wee are lie Michal who mocked David for his humility and thought him a foole for dancing before the Arke 2 Samuel 6. 16 yea it was true then and it is true now and it will be true alwayes which S. Paul observeth 1 Cor. 1. 18. that to such as shal perish or are for the present in a perishing condition religion shall seeme foolishnes piety hath no relish to a brutish mans palate but distastfull and indeed how should they like the food which they never tasted or bee in love with the party of whom they have not the least knowledg For as to speake is only proper to men so to know the secrets of the kingdome of heaven is only proper to believers Sense is a meere beasts reason a meere mans divine knowledge is only the Christians § 181. FIfthly the World and the Divell can so forestall mens judgements with prejudice against Gods people and goodnes that they shall resolve never to be religious so long as they live as how many by reason of that generall contempt which the divels instruments cast upon religion are both hindred from good and hardened in evill to their owne ruine and destruction 1 Pet. 2. 7 8. Yea this makes them become more impudent stupid and insensible then Salomâ—n's drunkard for as touching admonition they are like the deafe Adder tell them what God saith in his word they will stop the eare with the tongue by ingrossing all the talke neither is it the highest eloquence of the best Preacher can make him fit for heaven for they resolve against yeeld ng and words are vagabonds where the perswader hath an evill opinion of the perswader Oh this is a difficult devill to bee cast out even like that we reade of Mat. 17. 16. for as all the Disciples could not cast out that Divell no more can all the Preachers this yea certainly where Sathan hath once set this his porter of prejud ce though Christ himselfe were on earth that soule would never admit him take no good from him no not so much as think well of him as we see in the Scribes and Pharisies who made an ill construction of whatsoever he did or spake for when he wrought miracles he was a Sorcerer when he cast out divels it was by the power of divels when he reproved sinners he was a seducer when hee received sinners he was their favourer when he healed the sick he was a breaker of the Sabbath c. And even so it fares with these men for as an ill stomacke turnes all it receives into ill humours or as the Spider converts every thing she eates and the Viper every thing shee touches into poyson so they whatsoever they heare or see in the godly In fine as Beggers with Scumea make their owne flesh raw so these with prejudice make their owne eyes blind whereby it fares directly with such an one as it doth with the Serpent Regulus no charming can charme him for prejudice like the goddesse Adrasteia or Sorceres rather takes memory wit and grace from all that entertaine it and leaves them in Pyrrhon's condition who would not believe what his eyes saw and his eares heard Sixthly they have a great advantage of Gods servants in this when they have
never opened till they were in the midst of their enemies sin shuts up mens eyes but punishment opens them § 185. ANd so much of the advantages that Sathan and his instruments have above Gods servants in getting and keeping and improving their converts wherby it appeares that he who will not be overcome by them must be watchfull wise valiant As well watchfull to defeate and wise to 〈◊〉 their crafty alurements as valiant to despise their cruell impositions for that we may be the better for what we have heard these three uses would be made thereof else evill were as good not seene as not avoided our happinesse is in the prevention not prevision of them wherfore First since the Devill and the World are ever practising to lift us out of vertues seate and study nothing but our destruction by tempting and enforcing us to sinne let us be watchfull ever prepared alwayes ready and standing upon our guard like as wise and experienced Souldiers when they looke every minute for the approach of their enemy doe both wake and sleepe in their armour least they should be surprised at unawares or like wise Mariners who alwayes prepare and make ready their tackling that a storme which they cannot looke to be long without may not take them unprovided well may we sheath our swords but put them off we may not yea let us in vigilancy and watchfulnesse over our selves imitate the Nightingale which sleepes with her breast upon a thorne for feare of the serpent that continually studies her ruine The Philistines could not blind Sampson so long as he was awake wouldst thou not be overcome be not secure Yea wouldest thou be secure continually buckle unto thee the whole Armour of God prescribed by St. Paul Eph. 6. 13. to 19. and walke circumspectly Eph. 5. 15. The traveller that hath money in his purse rides with a Pistoll by his side yea the rich Merchant will not step over into the Low-countreyes without a Man of Warre at his heeles least he should meete with a Dunkerker by the way An assaulted city must keepe a carefull watch and so must thou if thou wilt keepe out of their snares we see they are busie and subtile therefore it behoves us to be circumspect When the theife compasseth the house let the owner guard the house If a Castle be besiedged and not defended how shall it stand whereas in vaine does the theife looke in at the window when he sees the master standing on his guard in the roome besides it is easier to keepe an enemy out by bolting the doores then to thrust him out being once got in § 186 SEcondly let us be wise and cautelous to avoid their crafty allurements take heede of beleiving their words of trusting their promises of yeelding to their perswasions and solicitations when they woe us to drinke more then will doe us good yea let quaffers quarrell rage and scoffe threaten curse and load thee with a thousand censures yet hold thine owne still pledge the Devill for none of them all Oâ— But I shall offend my friend and the rest will take exceptions Answ. Thou art what thou art when thou art thus tried and put to it wherefore if the wife of thy bosome shall tempt thee to evill or seeke to alienate thy affection from God and his Law she is a traytor both to thee and to him and therefore must be rejected What saith St. Hierom should my Father kneele to mee my Mother beseech me with teares my Brothers and Sisters seeke to entise mee to the love of this world and the neglect of Gods worship I would shake 〈◊〉 my Father tread under foote my Mother and spurne my Brothers and Sisters rather then they should be a meanes to keepe mee from the service of God Neither will the complaint of our first Parents be taken for a good answer or plea another day it will be fruitlesse to say such and such a friend deceived me Eue was perswaded by the serpent to eate the forbidden fruit and Adam by Eue yet that would not justifie them in the Court of Heaven each of them had a severall curse both tempters and tempted True it is drunkards being better acquainted with wrangling then reasoning and deeper in love with strife then truth what they cannot maintaine by reason a feminine testinesse shall outwrangle at least if a man will be subdued with words which is the case of none but cowards and fooles but as for their exceptions If thou wouldest avoid all circumvention by these multiplied healthes pledge the healths of none and then none can take exceptions he that would not be drawne to pledge many healthes let him not admit of any upon any tearmes But they will be importunate above measure Ans. A shamelesse begger must have a strong deniall O but I shall be held unmannerly discourteous uncivill c. What because thou wilt not hazard thy health credit soule c to gratifie a beast But they are such as love me and doe it in kindnesse This kindnesse of theirs is but a dogâ—like kindnesse as you shall have a Spaniell in great love to his master leape upon him slabber his cloathes lick his face is it I pray you any inciviliâ—y to beate downe such a cur I tell thee a dog will not more defile thee then these drinking cattle will unlesse thou beate them off with flat denialls Wherefore though I wish thee not to be rude and uncivill yet be sure to shake off these hold-fasts and neither make thy stomack too heauy nor thy head too light with answering expectation It is better to be thought unmannerly discourteous or injurious towards men especially such men then indeed be so unto God himselfe As for their love and friendship if thou but knewest whose factors thy ill companions are thou wouldest even hate them and either not come in their company or hasten out of it with all possible speede for nothing more proves them enemies then their too much importuning thee and they can be no other then wicked when their very mercies are cruelty Neither doe these enemies ever wound so deadly as when they stroake us with a silken hand for by their smooth tongues and milky language they serve their freinds as the Tyrannous Emperor served his servauts whom hee stifled in a chamber filled with Roses they are like the mistaken Lanthorne in eighty eight for under pretence of guiding they will draw us into hazzard and losse among our spirituall enemies and whosoever hath put confidence in their words have found them to resemble sincking floores which will faile us when our waight is on them These cunning hypocrites never intend so ill as when they speake fairest resembling some crafty cheater who while hee holds men at gaze with trickes of jugling picks their pockets But alasse most men not knowing this deepnesse of Sathan or not having courage enongh to deny the requests of a seeming friend or fearing least