her walke was large enough one would haue thought she had but a whole Kingdome and yet that was not compasse enough but she lackt a herb-Garden for so the Text saith Couetousnes like the dropsie This sinne hath a great dropsie belly and though it be neuer so full already yet it must haue more and nothing will satisfie it A pitiful case that a whole kingdome should not afford a King a Herbe-garden but hee must take it from another man This is as I said before a fearefull sinne for this Iudas will betray Christ u Matth. 26. this is the roote of all euill w 1. Tim. 6. for this many a man ventureth his soule But what shall it profit a man because they talke of profit to get the whole world and lose his soule x Mark 8.36 Take heede of this sin if you would haue gaine get godlinesse for that is great gaine if a man be contented with that he hath which if Ahab and Iezabel had been they had been innocent of this great offence Therefore whensoeuer we are tempted vnto this sinne and money or gifts offered vnto vs. Let vs say as Peter saith vnto Simon Magus y Acts 8.20 Thy money perish with thee and this is our first vse 2. This doctrine serues to make vs acquainted with a certaine generation whom Christ calles hypocrites or generation of Vipers z Ma. 23.33 You shall know them by my text for they will speake one thing but act another they will proclaime a fast but execute murder they say and do not saith Christ An Hipocrite compared vnto a Iugler these are spirituall iuglers who can shew trickes but it is all to deceiue the people So indeed the hypocrite with all his passe and repasse doth but deceiue his owne soule but bee not deceiued faith the Apostle God is not a Gal. 6.7 mocked we may blind the world and we may for a time get our own wills and serue our owne turnes but this will turne to our destruction at last Let vs therefore detest hypocrisie because God doth detest the hypocrite He that speakes the truth from the heart shall enter into the Tabernacle b Psalm 15. Then they that dissemble and wroke wickednesse vnder faire pretences shall not Away then with our colourable protestations and forged actions we many times speake faire vnto the face when we wish the destruction and confusion of them whom we thus salute If this be not a fearefull sin what will we account to be sinne This is so common that it stumbles many a man now adaies in his choise of friends for the vpright men the Lord helpe the while as Dauid saith c Psal 12.1 are gone and perished from the face of the earth and therefore it is not amisse for men wel to consider whom they trust with whom they conuerse Yea it is not much digressiue from the text to bid them take head after whom they eat or drinke for diets now adaies are not altogether so wholesome as they haue been heretofore neither were hypocrites so dangerous for they were wont to hurt but their owne soules and now their hypocrisie in many things tends to the destruction of others let as many then as loue the Lord hate this sinne For God endures not a heart and a heart but the true Israelites are his children and the men in whom are found no guile are onely the ingredients into his kingdome 3 This point teacheth vs Christian circumspection euen in diuine matters there are those that professe God and yet serue the diuell there are those that come in sheepes clothing thing but inwardly are rauening An hypocrite like a Camelion but inwardly are rauening Wolues and these men are so expert and with the Camelion seeme of any colour that if it were possible they would deceiue the very elect d Matth. 24 Try the spirits therefore saith Saint Iohn and beleeue not euery spirit but see first whether they be of God or not e 1. Iohn 4.1 The Apostle shews them vnto vs as it were out of a table f 2. Tim. 3.5 when he saith that they haue onely a forme of godlines or a shew therof and these are hedgcreepers for so the Apostle accounts them when he saith that they creepe into houses and leade captiue simple women Of these also the Apostle speakes in the 1. of Timothie g 1. Tim. 4.2 that teach doctrines of diuels and speake lies saith he through hypocrisie let vs therefore shut our eyes from these Basilisks and our eares from these Syrens lest we be circumuented 4. It serues for an excellent rule vnto all our actions namely that we proportion them according to Gods word which is not colourable but warantable plaine and without euasion if we proceede after this maner then we may say as Gamaliel doth h Act. 5.39 If it bee of God saith he it shall stand otherwise it will fall to the ground Let euery man remember this that meanes to haue his actions prosper 5. It serues for an admonition vnto great persons and as it is said of old Remember Lots wife i Gen. 19.26 so say I Remember Iezabel no question she did not thinke that God would haue reuenged this hypocrisie so deepely And againe there is no doubt but shee did apprehend her owne greatnesse as who should say if it should be knowne yet who dares speake of it or if they speak yet what can they doe Here we may see how they scape for all their greatnes God first discouers it to shew that though they haue blinded the world yet they cannot blind him Secondly hee reuengeth it soundly ten for one not one of Ahabs house shall scape and for the woman author and actor of Naboaths death she made the dogges such a feast that they neuer licked such blood before k 2. Kings 9.36 this is al the account that God maketh of the greatest when they forsake him O consider this you tall and loftie Cedars I say remember that there is a God Thus haue we helpt to pull of this vizard of sinne which Iezabel hath here put vpon a shamefull murder thinking it sufficient to haue a shadow and to pretend something that may be colourable although the ensuing action bee neuer so abominable answerable to that diuelish proposition of Machiauel who saith Machiauel cap. 18. De principe that it is enough for a great man to seeme deuout and to make shew of that which he is not a diuelish document and a proposition of more practise then pietie throughout al the world let vs therefore proceede with that which followeth in this text Part. 2 The meanes of Naboaths death Set two wicked men before him and let them accuse him If the eye be single saith Christ the whole body will bee single l Mat. 6.22 which shewes that the sight is the chiefe among the senses as the heart is among the
Gods childe in thee s Psalme 15. not to receiue an euill report against his neighbour This reacheth farre and fasteneth vpon many in these our daies and with the Athenians t Act. 17.21 we still aske newes and if any thing come out against any man especially against him or them that we doe not loue then we first beleeue it and secondly set vpon it as furiously as if wee were very Fensers and would play such a prize that euery body should thinke wee were not our selues Thus we play at Tennis with the good names of other men but vpon great disaduantage for in this tennis court we haue extraordinary hazards We hazard our iudgements in receiuing rash reports Secondly wee hazard our discretion in beleeuing them and thirdly wee hazard our religion in publishing them and railing vpon them whom we thus set vpon for u Iam. 1.26 as Saint Iames saith if a man seeme to bee religious and refraines not his tongue that mans religion is all in vaine notwithstanding all this yet this vnruly member will flie about and dart at Gods deerest children very few of them shall be free from the venome of it In this course the wicked will bee agents The righteous may be reuenged on them that accuse them falsely and the most righteous must be true patients and yet the righteous know how to be reuenged when they will and that is by following the counsell of God namely when they curse the godly must blesse and when their enemies and accusers are hungrie let the godly feede them if thirsty let them giue them drinke and in so doing they shall heape coales of fire on their heads w Ro. 12.20 let them commit and commend their causes vnto the Lord for vengeance is his and he will repay it x Deu. 21.19 and let this suffice for the doctrine which was deriued from the second part of this deuision which was the meanes vsed to bring Naboath to his death namely false witnes now let vs see what applications will issue from hence vnto vs. Vses Our first ingredience will afford vs a Caution take heede of this little mēber it may hurt many waies but it stabs to the very hart when it is vsed in this kind to slander or accuse the innocent take heede thou that deuisest take heed thou that reportest and take heede thou that beleeuest any thing against the innocent there are many reasons why thou shouldest hearken to this caution First because God followes that man with a sword to destroy him and to cut him off which he threatens in the Psa y Psal 101. He that priuily slandereth his neighbour him will I destroy Secondly euery one that committeth sinne is of the diuell z 1. Iohn 3. but this is the diuels owne sinne Now if thou wouldest not be accounted a diuell be not guilty of this sinne Thirdly if thou be spirituall thou wilt restore a man with the spirit of meekenes that is falne as the Apostle a Gal. 6.1 exhorteth knowing that we our selues also may fall But one the contrary we rather delight in these passages then labor to couer them but if it were a cursed thing in Cham b Genes 9.14 to discouer his fathers nakednes it must needes bee a wretched thing to enlarge amplifie and make an addition to our brethrens infirmities but a cursed thing to deuise matter that shall hurt their innocent soules therfore from the rule of charitie this sin would be forborne because charitie neuer thinketh much lesse doth euill to the brethren Fourthly a reason for this caueat might be drawne from the rule of equitie which bids vs doe vnto others euen as we our selues would be delt withall but wee would grieue and vexe to heare that men should accuse and raile vpon vs wee would be loath to haue our life or credit lie vpon the accusation of a false tong then proportion things vnto others Doe as thou wouldest be done by as thou wouldest receiue fac alijs fieri quod cupis ipse tibi if thou wouldest that men shouldst not make the worst construction of thee bee not thou like vnto a cupping glasse A Slaunderer like a cupping glasse which onely drawes ill matter which only drawes that humor that is euil and corrupt so doth the slanderer onely apply his tongue to false accusation and euill speaking The second vse is to shew the excellent and sound condition of an vpright life if any man will doe them hurt he must doe it by lies and falshood for the righteous are circumspect and the blessing of God is so vpon them that they do not lie open to dangers and imputations as other men doe and yet no men so often in question and so subiect to false aspersions as they but for the most part it is deuised and enlarged against them it shewes that the blessing of God is as a shield to couer them and yet for all this Satan hath fiery darts and maleuolent courses against them 3. This will teach vs to charge a watch ouer all our members but especially our tongues O Lord saith Dauid set a watch before the doore of my lippes that I offend not with my tongue c Psa 141.1 May a man bee a murderer with his tongue O then watch that member forbeare to heare euill forbeare to speake euill si deest auditor deest de tractor Hierom. if the hearer would forbeare the slaunderer would cease for the sinne of slaunder gets a kind of nutriment from a willing hearer and yet both are so dangerous that as Bernard obserueth Bernard dum aurem inficit animam interficit so bad a season must needs haue a cursed haruest let vs therfore bridle our affections and let grace ouercome nature in this euill and this shall suffice to shew the cursed disposition of the wicked who doe so hate the godly and are so bent in their owne purposes that though they haue no iust cause to accuse the righteous of yet they will inuent and with Iezabel set wicked men before them to accuse and condemne the innocent 4. This serues to pacifie and to appease the working that these prouocations and accusations would worke in vs if God did not stay vs surely these slanders and false reports and dangerous attempts against vs may with other afflictions bee fitly compared vnto phisick Affliction like phisick the which we take from the phisition to make vs well and so with the blessing of God it doth yet at the first it makes vs very sicke vntill such time as it hath purged the stomack and clensed it so verily our afflictions make vs sick to the death and bring vs very low at the first vntill it hath clensed our hearts of all vindictiue humors of all earthly humours of all superfluous matter then we shall finde health euen sauing health and bee so restored that wee will not feare those that can but kill the
THREE SERMONS THE FORMER DISCOVERING A DOVBLE and false Heart vpon the 1. King 21.9 and 10. THE SECOND CALLED THE BLESSEDNES OF the Righteous vpon Psalm 37. verse 37. THE THIRD THE COVRT of Guard or Watch of Angels 1. Sam. 17.37 Nathaniel Cannon Preacher of Gods Word at Hurley in Berkeshire LONDON Printed by T.C. and B.A. for William Welby and are to be sold in Pauls Church yard at the Signe of the Swan 1616. TO THE THRISE HONORED PEERE MY LORDS Grace the Duke of Lennox Earle of Richmont Lord High Steward of his Maiesties Houshould Knight of the most noble and illustrious Order of the Garter and one of his Maiesties most Honourable Priuie Councell IF it may become a Seruant to make tender of his dutie vnto his Lord and Master then may your Grace vouchsafe to patronage this poore present notwithstanding it comes thus meanely apparelled My offering is but little and lesse then euer was offered to so great a personage yet let it not perish but find such acceptation as may giue testimonie of your most heroicall disposition When first I had leaue to call you Lord it was in my heart to doe something but neuer had the heart till now now too soone for I may truly acknowledge to your Grace that this hoc aliquid nihil est this is a very something nothing that is produced And yet great Lord I doe not nor I dare not speake meanely of my calling but my gifts with ioy with confidence and I hope with conscience I may ioyne with our Apostles saying that I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ Rom. 1.16 because it is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth so that in this respect although the Lord hath made you great yet if you were greater and the greatest vpon the face of the earth yet know it is the word of God of that glorious God who is the Creator and the Kings and Princes Dukes and Nobles are but his creatures as other men vos estis domini terrae indeed you are the Lords of the earth Psalm 82.1 and yet your selues are but Terra domini euen the earth of the Lords as other men O therefore let a seruant speake if you would double and trebble Honors vpon your head let the Word of God be the lanthorne vnto your feete and the light vnto your pathes Psalm 119. you shall see the way that leades vnto life euerlasting verbum est via the Word is the way haec via ducit ad vrbem this way leades vnto the hauen yea vnto the heauen prepared for those that loue that heare that reuerence and obey this word of God there shall you chāge your Dukedome for a Kingdome for he crownes his children Reuel 5.10 If then the eminent Lords would raise their houses let them raise vp their hearts and set them vpon righteousnesse for them saith God that honour me I will honour them but they that neglect or despise the Lord shall downe to the ground Be pleased therefore most Honorable Lord 1. Sam. 2.30 in respect of him whose word it is to looke vpon this small Exposition although in respect both of my weakenesse and vnworthinesse that doe present it may fall to the ground Plutarch in vita Artax Be vnto me in this kind a Princely Artaxerxes he receiued a handful of running water from a poore laborer be as gratious noble Lord in receiuing this from me a poore Scholler whilest I according to my beūden duty pray to my God for your increase of honor and happines internall externall eternall and so rest Your Graces Chaplaine in all dutifull obseruance Nathanael Cannon A DOVBLE HEART 1. KING 21.9.10 And she wrote in the letters saying Proclaime a fast and set Naboah among the people and set two wicked men before him to beare witnesse against him saying Thou didst blaspheme God and the King and then stone him to death EZechiels Vision is full of demonstration a Ezech. 8.8 and in a liuely maner doth present vnto vs the course or rather curse of sin it shewes vs the gradation of it as if it grew vp by the rule of multiplication from bad to worse from much to more from one mischiefe to another vntill the full measure of wickednesse and abomination it selfe bee made vp Goe saith God vnto the Prophet in that place and dig into the wall and thou shalt finde a doore which doore breake open and thou shalt see all manner of abominations and when thou hast scene those saith God goe a little farther and then thou shalt see more and the further thou goest the more abominations thou shalt find My Text seemeth to haue the like reuelation for by that time the walls of the Scripture are broken downe and the doore of it opened wee shall see such degrees of sinne and such a progression in wickednesse that the truth of that Scripture will appeare vnto vs which Esay speakes of as concerning the nature of wickednesse which is to draw sinne vpon sinne and iniquitie vpon iniquitie as it were with cart ropes b Esay 5.8 This course is here taken by a cursed woman for so God pronounceth Iezabel to bee who hauing with her husband Ahab set their eyes vpon that which was not their owne and longing after Naboaths Vineyard which was neere adioyning vnto their Pallace they propose it vnto him that they might obtaine it for a price or els that they might exchāge with him for some other but his answere is Negatiue God forbid saith hee that I should sell my fathers inheritance This refusal in vnpleasing to Ahab as if it had beene a great offence in Naboath to keepe his owne In this discontentment Iezabel takes her time and of a resolution to accomplish her wicked purpose incenseth Ahab after this manner Art thou a King saith she and rulest Israel As who should say Dares hee denie thee his vineyard Thus are there alwaies wicked instruments to prouoke and worke vngodly offices especially where wicked women become counsellors whose mallice is no lesse then is noted vnto vs when it maintaind that there is no head to the head of a Serpent Eccles 35. nor no malice to the malice of a wicked woman The consequence of this Text is an instance so it is very probable that Ahab would haue giuen this ouer after a little more grumbling But Iezabel scornes such a repulse shee wil haue his Vineyard and his bloud and for that purpose shee arraignes him condemnes him and executes him all at once as appeares in this Text. Thus hauing broken downe a little of the wall to make way vnto it that so we may see the occasion from whence all this proceeds wee will now adresse ourselues vnto the dore and looke in thereat that so we may enter into this Scripture and take into our consideration such seuerals as in a course of deuision this Text will naturally afford vnto vs The
members the which being well affected a consequence yea a very confluence of goodnes ensueth to the whole body But here Iezabel hath cast her eie vpon an vnlawfull obiect and a secret conueyance is made by a couetous heart to entitle her vnto another mans vineyard The Logicians say truly that color est obiectum visus but this doth not satisfie Iezabel for to see this vineyard but her eye hath taught her heart to couet her heart hath imploid her head for deuise and her head hath thought vpon the vse of a tongue a false slanderous and cursed tongue which shall accuse this innocent man truly hath Saint Iames spoken of an euill speaking tongue when hee saith that it is a world of wickednes and ful of deadly poisom m Iames 3.8 deadly indeed for the false tongue is here Naboaths death This sin of slaunder and false accusing is the diuels owne sinne for he is called the accuser of the Brethren hee that accuseth day and night n Reuel 12.10 So then by this account the false accuser or slanderer is a very diuell This sinne comprehends many other which Erasmus notes very wittily Erasmus com de lingua Damihi mendacem ego ostendam tibi furem If thou wilt shew me a liar saith he I will shew thee a thiefe and no doubt but these will beget manyothers Now as it draws on many other sins so it exceeds many other sins Luther loc com ling. ter homicida calumniator vno ictu tres occidit the slanderer or false accuser saith hee kills three at one blow the partie to whom the partie of whom and himselfe The Theefe sendes but one to the diuell for hee hurts but his his owne soule the adulterer sends two to the diuell vnlesse he repent both their soules are in danger but the false accuser sends three to the diuell this is the sinne that Iesabel resolues vpon for the dispatch of Naboath Here then it will be time for vs to gather towards some point of doctrine for our present instruction Naboath is innocent and yet must die not secretly but by a publique sentence of Law by meanes of euidence giuen against him which chargeth him but falsely for blaspheming God and the King Doct. 2 From whence wee learne that when there is no iust cause to condemne the innocent then doe the wicked deuise some matter against them It is no easie matter to bring the godly inquestion if truth might take place for they keepe a narrow watch ouer their waies carefull what they speake of whom to whom as careful what they doe and for the most part aske counsell of God as concerning their actions and this they doe not formidme poenae but virtutis amore not for feare of punishment which were seruile but for the loue they beare vnto God which is filiall notwithstanding this Christian circumspection yet they are many times in Nabeaths case that is falsely accused for want of matter it shall be made and deuised as Iezabel here directs set two wicked men before him c. The Prophet Ieremie is in this case o Ier. 18.18 for they that hated him amongst the Iewes did long lie in waite to haue some matter against him but the Lord did so keepe him as that they could not iustly accuse him What then will they let him alone No verily they will take a course with him Come say they let vs deuise some matter against Ieremie let vs smite him with our tongues this is the course that they will take with him they will first deuise some matter then they wil smite him with the tongue where we may note what a wicked tongue is euen a sharp rasor or a two edged sword to cut assunder the very life or good name of an innocent The like course is taken with Christ the Scribes and Pharisees resolue to persecute and crucifie Christ Iudas betraies him the Souldiers and officers carrie him the people crie against him Crucifie him Crucifie him his blood be vpon vs and our posteritie Pilate sits vpon him and yet for all this he is constrained to say though he loued not Christ I finde saith Pilate no euill in him what hath he done that you would haue him condemned Yet this doth not stay their fury but at length two false accusers are set before him and two wicked slanderers stand vp against him but till then Pilate acquitteth him saying I finde no fault in this man touching those things that you accuse him p Luk 23.14 Poore innocent Ioseph grones vnder the like burden for he is accused euen for righteousnesse sake and his incontinent Mistrisse missing of her purpose in that hee will not consent to abuse his Masters bed shee then deuiseth against him and accuseth him that he attempted her chastitie and would haue lien with her q Gen. 39.14 for which he suffers imprisonment vntil the Lord lookt vpon him and restored him to a double honour making him head and ruler ouer all Egypt The like tricke hath that saucy seruant Ziba against his Master Mephiboseth r 2. Sa. 16.3 possessing Dauid with matter against him that he neuer thought as if Mephiboseth should haue laboured to aspire the Kingdome These are the coiners and plotters of mischiefe these men are neuer out of matter for they are turned diuels and can fit any man that shall offend them they haue their articles and bils of inditement as readily framed as can bee and for their witnesses they haue sure cardes such as make haste to kisse the booke lest they should forget some of that forged vilanie which must bee broched for the dispatch of the innocent Thus the first part of slander is acted Slander or false accusing hath diuers acceptions or rather deuised for indeed first of all it is taken vp or entertained in the minde where it is first thought vpon or forged as was this against Naboath Secondly the tongues of others must divulge and publish it as these two wicked men that are his accusers here doe and so like a leprosie it runnes vp and downe by meanes whereof a fresh spring ariseth and with a new edition it comes foorth in print as it were and by that time a great many slanderers are begotten who relate it as confidently as if it were true indeede Thus this slander that at the first was inuented or vented by grosse is afterwards sold by retaile and they walke vp and downe with it as it were so many pedlers and whersoeuer they come they open the packe and shew what wares the diuel hath furnished them withall Thirdly a slander is committed by giuing eare vnto a false report although though thou doe not deuise it as Iezabel doth nor publish it as the two false witnesses heere doe yet if thou receiue it and approoue of it if thou giue eare vnto it and beleeue it thou art a slaunderer which is intimated vnto vs when it is made a marke of
Mendaci ne credas ne iurantiquidem thou hast lost thy birth-right for the lyars cannot call God their Father for they haue a father by themselues euen the diuell who is the father of lies t Iohn 8.44 stay therefore these beginnings lest the latter end proue fearefull vnto thee for thou canst not shake of these things when thou wilt and therefore doe it when thou mayest Consuetudo est altera natura take heede of a custome in euill for a Blackemoore shall sooner change his hue or a Leopard his spots then they shall euer doe good that haue been accustomed vnto euill u Ier. 13.23 So then let vs conclude this vse cure the disease in time before it grow incurable whether it be pride enuie slander disobedience deceit oppression reuenge prophanenesse adulteries falshoods murmurings treacherous practises or the like clense thy heart in time lest thou become incorrigible and inconuertible which must needes be damnable in the latter end Vse 2. This serues to display the diuels hatred vnto mankind who doth not onely seeke like a Lion whom to deuoure but also is alwaies tempting vs to deuoure w 1. Peter 5. one another as here Iezabel hath nothing to ease her stomack withall but blood and reuenge thus we deuoure one another as if man who is created after the Image of God were of no more account but presently vpon our priuat discontentments and grudges to butcher them vp as if we were Canibals euen to feede vpon our brethren and to drinke vp their blood as it were in boules Hence it is that if any man stand in our way or in our light wee conclude him presentlie and either by potion or some other sinister practise wee pronounce him dead so little account doe wee make of that blood which is so pretious in the eyes of God thus wee fall one vpon another vpon a displeasure as Caine doth vpon Abel x Genes 4.8 and ease our stomacks and haue our desires forgetting that blood must haue blood and that it cries for vengeance against vs this is the Diuels mallice against vs who stirres vppe after this manner Wilt thou endure and pocket vp these wronges wilt thou bee accounted base minded and wilt not maintaine thy reputation this is rhetorique and the rule is that the lie deserueth the stabbe that it is honourable and the tryall of an Heroicall spirite to enter into single combate and their honour is their life and these Maximes maketh them like fierce Tigers one against another so cruell are wee growne so dangerous the times as that Ieremies caution may well bee our obseruation for our latter times y Ier. 9.4 Take you heede euerie one of his neighbour and trust you not in any Brother for they will vtterly supplant and destroy one another Thus vindicta vindicta is our cōmon place among the common people yea nobler brests haue been set on fire with reuenge as if the blood and death of innocents would not as wel cry for vengeance against them as against other men but he that lookes into the booke of God finds that the greater the offender is in this kind the greater the punishment hath bin not one of Ahabs house shall bee left to make water against the wall and as for Iezabel her selfe the very dogs shall licke their lips after her blood and be glutted with it let this therefore but especially the feare of the Lord temper our passions so guide our vnderstandings that we giue not place vnto the diuell z Ephes 4. in these so deadly and damnable enterprizes Vse 3. This serues for our animaduersion as concerning the condition of them that thus proceede in the degrees of finne surely their iudgement sleepeth not but increaseth as their sins are enlarged Hell is said to be enlarged with these augmentators for they are vpon the skore and it runs vpon the reckoning vntill the Lord come to render vnto euery man according to his works the mercifull Aduocate Iesus Christ the righteous pleadeth the causes of all penitent sinners a 1. Iohn 2.1 but these men in their hearts that cannot repent heape vnto themselues wrath against the day of wrath and declaration of the vengeance and iudgement of God who as the Apostle saith will render it vnto them b Ro. 2.5.6 This is a fearefull condition for if euery sinne in his owne nature deserue death and that is the wages of it 1 Rom. 6.23 how then shall these men answere the many thousand sins that haue been committed by them without feeling The Apostle shewes that the destruction of such men sleepeth not d 1. Pet. 2.2.3 The Lord will awaken vnto them and suddenly come with the account they haue beene long inthe action but their destruction shall sweepe them away in a moment and their confusion must be of longer continuance for as they haue beene continuall transgressors so must they be continually tormented with flames vnquenchable with horror vnspeakable loe thus they stand or rather fall who doe not thinke our God is iust to recompence their wickednesse When they are ripe or rather rotten in their sinnes then comes the dreadfull haruest they shall bee serued as God threatneth the Amorites e Gen. 15.14 When they haue filled vp the measure of their sinnes then shall they be rooted out saith the Lord. This is the same which was declared vnto Amos in a Vision f Amos 8.1 ◠where hee saw a basket of Sommer fruite whereby is meant ripenesse or the time that the fruite should be gathered Now saith the Lord the end is come I will passe by this people no more Let this be considered O yee men of earth the God of heauen will not be mocked and therfore be not you deceiued whatsoeuer sins are newly committed doe not thinke the old sinnes are forgotten vnlesse thou be a new man then thy sins of old shall not be imputed vnto thee g Psal 32.1 otherwise it will goe hard against vs vnlesse that garment of righteousnesse couer vs the Lord will write bitter things against vs and make vs to possesse the iniquities of our youth h Iob 14.26 Vse 4 Seeing the wicked grow worse and worse let the righteous worke by contraries let them grow better and better from grace to grace from vertue to vertue Let them proceed in goodnes Christians ought to be Graduates in godlinesse as the other doe in wickednesse let them bee the Lords Graduates and proceede in that famous Vniuersitie of Sion euen in the Church of God of this proceeding the Propher Dauid speaketh in the Psalms i Psal 84.7 The righteous grow from strength to strength vntill they appeare before God in Sion there they are to bee presented and there it is that they shall bee eternized let them therefore begin with godlines and ende with golinesse and they shall not loose their labour for it hath the promises both of this life and the life to come k 1. Tim. 4.8 proceede therefore O you Saints and seruants of the Lord you feare the Lord they that doe so neede to feare nothing else keepe your inheritance it is farre beyond Naboaths Vineyard Iezabel shall not hurt you the gates of hell shall not preuaile against you the Kingdome of heauen is prepared for you and for all those that loue the comming of the Lord Iesus Christ to whom with the Father and the most blessed Spirit one eternall immortall inuisible and God onely wise be praise and dominion with al glorious ascription now and for euermore Amen FINIS