shall doe And hee gaue that wicked counsell concerning Going in Vers 21. to his Fathers Concubines Secondly there is a publike counsell of the wicked in matters of assemblies Ecclesiasticall as amongst and aboue the rest that Councell which was assembled and gathered together for condemning and executing our Innocent and guiltlesse Sauiour Mark 14. 55. where it is said that the high Priest and all the Councell sought for witnesse against Iesus to put him to death and found none It is an error in the Church of Rome by no friend of truth to be tolerated that they so stiflye hold and maintaine that Generall Councels cannot erre and that Councels of the Church cannot prooue Counsels of the wicked Indeed it is true of Councels of the Church so farre as the Church continueth to be the piller and ground of truth But by reason that Councells consist of Church-men 1. Tim. 3 15. and Church-men are compounded of the Church and Men in many things it cannot bee auoyded But that as Men they may and doe erre in regarde of their varietie of opinions personall imperfections multiplicity of interpretations mistaking as Isack though he were a Prophet mistooke Iacob for Esau The difference is Gen. 27. that Isaac tooke the good Iacob for the euill Esau But they here-in forsake the Good for the Euill Saint Augustine writeth that Councells are most Saint August â—pist 1 19. wholsome Antidotes against the poyson of heresies yet will hee haue them to bee subiected vnto the spirit and Scriptures which alone are priuiledged Non errare not to erre Though Bellarmine and Stapleton sweate in the proofe and auouching of the contrary yet can it not bee modestly denyed which Eusebius lib. 7. Ecclesiast Histor. hath anciently recorded that Councells in number no fewer then ten haue confirmed the then ouerspreading heresie of Arianisme Three Councells as an 3. Councells errid other graue Author Commenting vpon Cyprian reporteth haue miscarried in establishing the re-baptizing of conuerted herctiques What should I speake of the second Niâ—ene Councell which reared vp Idolatry and 2. Councells of Nice gaue bodies to Angels and the soules of men Councels therefore haue beene misâ—ed and may erre whether they bee Prouinciall or Occumenicall as if I thought it fit I could plentifully prooue Thales when hee looked towards Thales the Starres stumbled at a stone and fell on the earth So men in their Councels while they pretend godlynesse may maintaine wickednesse Councell in the Hebrew is called Gnatsc of a Roote Gnets which Gnets signifieth a Tree To shew vnto vs that as Trees bee both good and bad so also may Councels that as a good Tree bringeth forth good fruite so doe good Counsell like a Tree Councels and a bad Tree bringeth forth bad fruit so doe euill Councells becomming therein the Councels of the wicked The second point which from hence I doe obserue is that the wicked walke in this Councell Among other things obseruable in him that walketh this is one principally intended a mans Recreation or Pleasure In that the wicked then walke in wicked 2. Sam. â— 1. counsell they may bee said to make it as an Alley or Gallery to delight and recreate them-selues therein As Dauid sinned when hee walked in his Gallery so the vngodly make sinne their Gallery to walke in Sinne is deuided into three parts Lust of the eyes Lust 1. â—ohn 2. 16. of the flesh and Pride of life Hac tria pro trino numine Mundus habet These three Pleasures of Vanitie are esteemed of by the world as the Three persons of the Deity for the world so possesseth the Lust of the Eyes as it ioyeth in it the Lust of the flesh as it reioyceth in it the pride of life as it delighteth in it and them all as it walketh in the pleasure of them Hee that purposeth to bee sinfull so delighteth in sinne as he therein can prescribe no bound vnto him-selfe for the pleasure of sinne towleth him on to become without measure in sinning Let Absolon be our example who first sinned in â— Sam. 16. 22. that hee went in to the Concubines of another Secondly was impudent in his sinne in that they were the Concuâ—ines of his Father Thirdly hee tooke such delight in it and rather vaunted then walked in the pleasure thereof as after a triumphing sort hee caused â—ents to bee spred in the top of the house and committed the folly in the sight of all Israell and open sunne-light Hee was not abashed that the Sunne of Heauen should see his so rebellious Incontinencie The pleasure which the vngodly take in sinne may appeare in this that it is their desire to committ it first euery whit secondly euery where thirdly euer or if you will First all secondly at all places and thirdly in all times First the wicked so walke in sinnes pleasure as they wish to commit it euery whitt or all the wise man is said to feare the Lord in all things Eccles 18. 26 So a foole such as be the wicked heere spoken off wisheth to anger the Lord by all sinnes As Dauid answered Michol that hee would bee more vile still So the vngodly 2. Sam. 6. 22 purposeth to bee more wicked still vntill they haue gone through genera singulorum the kindes of all sinnes and singula generum the pâ—rticulers of all those kinds Adding sinne to sinne as we read of Ioyning house to house that they may sinne alone as they so doe that Esay 5. 8. they may dwell alone in the middest of the earth as it is Ibidem in the same place Leauing if it were possible no sinne for others to commit as they no place for others to inhabite retaining voluntatem peccandi a will of sinning though they haue not facâ—â—tatem an ability to sinne with Caligula when they cannot sinne against heauen Caligula yet casting stones against heauen they would make a Monopoly of sinne as men willing to engrosse it in their owne hands Secondly the wicked so walke in sinnes pleasure as hee desireth to commit it euery where or at all places not priuatly but publikely in the open view of all men Therefore is he said to clothe himselfe with it as with a raiment Wee Psalm 109. 1â— put on our raiment that our nakednesse beeing couered wee may boldly come into the sight of men In that then Sinne is by the Wicked put on as a rayment it argueth that their sinne is become as a Harlots fore-head with-out shame Doing as the Torlacchi a certaine Sect in great Torlacchi estimation among the Turkes who practise their sinnes openly because the more wicked they are the more religious they are deemed Thirdly the wicked so walkes in sinnes pleasure as hee delighteth to commit it euer or in all times not onely in his youth concerning the sinnes whereof because it is more inâ—linable hereto then the other branches of our
Sea are they easily corrupted The Angels on the Ladder which Iacob saw in his vision were eyther such as ascended or such as descended none of them did stand still So the Church of Christ as the Ladder of Iacob Gen. 28. 12. in the part Militant like vnto the foote in the part Triumphant like vnto the top of that Ladder ought in the members therein conteined to haue a motion of proceeding no determination much lesse action of standing stil The life of tâ—e Righteous is called a way Prouerb 4. 18. What is more fiâ—ting with a way then to goe on and to walke what is lesse agreeing then to bee at a stand and to goe no further In the same place this waye is said to bee a light but not as the light of the Euening which Ibid. by little and little declineth till the Mantell of the Night hath vayled the Earth with darknesse but as the Morning light which shineth more and more vntill it bee perfect day Let vs therefore with that alacrity of heart and intention of spirit which becommeth Christians embrace August de ver Apost ser 15. that saying of holy S. August Semper tibi displiceat id quod ès si vis peruenire ad id quod nondum es c. Let that alwaies displease thee what thou art that so thou maiest come to that thou art not for if thou hast begun to please thy selfe there thou hast made thy stay Si autem dixeris sufficit etiaÌ„ periisti But if thou shalt say it is sufficient thou hast also perâ—shed adde alwayes walke alwayes profit alwaies noli in via remanere remanet qui non proficit Stay thou not or stand thou not still in the way he stayeth or standeth still who profiteth not whereas it is the guise of the godly man to meditate day and night The third sort of offenders who crosse the intendment of this doctrine as they are the last so bee they also the worst a monstrous crew of such as go backward for they are to be deomed no lesse monsters in grace then they are in Nature whose guise is to go backward It is not in Gods battaile against Sathan as in Gedeons battaile against Madian for God giueth no permission as Gedeon did that such of his Soldiers as were timerous and fearefull should go backe and returne home againe God permitteth it not Iud. 7. 3. yet wee I speake it with griefe of heart practise it for may we not be challenged as the Church of Ephesus was that wee haue lost our first loue haue not the darknesse of Apocal. 2. 4. Popeâ—y beene deemed to haue produced more fruites then the light let our faces blush to heare it and our hearts intend to amend it then the light I say of the Gospell hath among vs hath not their ignorance beene ceâ—sured to be more charitable then our knowledge their Error more fettill then our Truth their barrennesse more bountifull then our fruitfulnesse The records say tâ—ey of Workes and Writings doe tesâ—â—fie it the memoâ—y of the aged confirme it the Edifices of Hospitalls the foundations of Scholes the Mâ—numents of Churches Chappels the rubbish and ruine of defaced demolished Abbaies and Monasteries and Truth her selfe who is naked and cannot be falsified with the colour of any dissimulation doe not secretly suggest it but openly proclaime it all which hath occasioned euen the ignorance of those times to breake forth into ioy against vs becauâ—e though they Esay 54. 1. were desolate yet haue they brought forth more children then the married wife Oh this is a thing not priuatly whispered but openly divulged and publickly obiected vnto vs hence the braines of our aduersaries haue been working their pennes writing their presses Printing and their Pamphlets and bookes scattered and sparsed not onely in Gath and in the streetes of Ascalon to make the Philistims 2. Sam. 1. 20. reioyce and the daughrers of the vncircumcised to triumphe 2. Sam. 1. 20. but euen to drency all Christian eyes with teares of mournings euen so farre as the armes of the world doe embrace the name of Christ that our Religion is no Religion it fructifieth not our Faith no faith it worketh not our Charity no charity it feedeth not the hungry clotheth not the naked refresheth not the thirsty visiteth not the sick comforteth not the imprisoned c. That wee our selues are Libertines because wee while wee haue onely faith in our mouthes haue therewith as they say deceit in our tongues poyson in our Luk. 17. 32. lips lust in our cies cruelty in our hands blood in our feet reuenge in our heart and disobedience in all our actions But oh that we could rightly remember Lotts wife who for that shee did but looke back was turned into a pillar of Salt but much more shall the punishment of such bee sharpe which shall goe backe The fourth and last thing is his Vigilancie in that hee doth meditate not onely in the day which GOD hath appointed man to labour in but in the night also which GOD hath ordeined for man to rest in The Godly man then meditateth in the Lawe of the Lord not onely in the day but in the night also whereas wee are backward and vntoward to attend it either day or night In the night it is not among vs by custome required that wee should heare and hearken vnto the sweet Oracles of God but according to our receiued custome in the time of the daye onely and chiefly though on other dayes it may commendably be practised on one in the seauen eucn that Lords day that not the whole day but haply some few houres therein and yet then how drowsily do we attend it sluggishly receiue it how sleepily entertaine it as if our Oratories were turned into Dormitories Temples into Cradels our Churches mought deseruedly be called by those names by which of the Greekes the Church-yards haue beene termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is sleeping places that albeit the word of God should be of that force that though wee be as dead stones yet it should make vs liuing stones yet wee being liuing men at the hearing thereof become as dead Pet. 2. 5. stones We haue now finished as God hath assisted the Euidence of the vertues of the Godly man and that considered in the two membears thereof both in the negatiue and affirmatiue contestation Now am I to assume to mine handling the Recompense of the Godly mans vertues the second part of the first generall head of this Psalme which Recompence is set forth vnto vs in two branches whereof the former is the declaration and Tenure of it vers 1. Blessed is the man the other is the further Dilatation and Godly mans tittle vnto it Verse 1. verse 3. for hee shal be like a tree planted by the riuer c. Verse 3. the speciall limbes whereof shall then appeare when wee shall come to the
Marke 9. 44. A Tophet Esay 30. 33. for the antiquity of it Prepared of old for the equity prepared not onely for the Begger but for the King for the capacitie of it in bottome Deepe in compasse Large For the fuell of it Much VVood yea the Burning thereof is said to bee Fire and much Wood where fire is made to bee as fuell to the fire for the bellowes thereof it is the Breath of the Lord like a Riuer of Brimstone to enkindle it as the Lord euer liueth so this fire euer lasteth because the bellowes of Gods breath neuer fayleth Seeing the Scripture in this place likeneth vs vnto trees whose end as wee see is eyther to become building in the Lords House of his Kingdome or else fuell for the sulphury flames of Hell Lette vs in the name of GOD whose name is great wonderful and holy and in the feare of God whose iudgments wee perceiue to be so grieuous and terrible labour as blessed beames shining with the beames of most bright glory to bee couched in the building of the Lord and auoyd to become as cursed brandes appointed to be scorched with the hellish fire of euer continuing torments Lette vs make vse of the saying of holy Chrysostome Chrysost who saith that God doth menace vs with hell-fire because hee would not haue vs come vnto it Let men be wiser then children and let warned men bee as burnt children The burnt childe saith the Prouerbe dreadeth the fire though it bee but a fire materiall and quenchable Oh how much more ought wee to dread especially beeing warned that fire which is Immateriall and Vnquenchable that so wee may not be as Trees appointed for Tinder in the Diuells furnace but as Trees ordayned for Tymber in GODS Pallace As hetherto wee haue heard Man compared to a Tree so the godly man is not like vnto an ordinary or triuiall Tree of a common condition but as it followeth in this Psalme hee is as a Tree which first for the originall of it is Planted Secondly for the situation of it By the Riuers of VVaters Thirdly for the fructifying of it VVill bring forth her fruite in due season Fourthly for the flourishing of it VVhose leafe shall not fade First then this Tree is sette downe vnto vs by the originall of it Planted It commeth not vppe then of the own accord but as it is planted by Gods hand If it came vppe of it selfe then were it not of Gods planting if it bee not of Gods planting then must it bee Plucked vpp by the rootes But it is otherwise with this Tree which beeing in the number of those trees of righteousnesse spoken of by the Prophet Esay is with them in that place of Gods planting Esay 61. 3. and therefore come not vp of it selfe This Doctrine first disableth and infringeth the free-will of Man this missticall Tree vnto good because he must bee planted hee cannot plant him-selfe Indeed Man at his first creation had free-will vnto good but since his fall that blessing is fallen from him as writeth Saint Augustine Male vtens predidit se et liberum arbitrium Euilly vsing his free-will hee hath lost him-selfe and his free-will so Angust de libero Arbit that now it so standeth with him that his Sweet is turned into Sower his Righteousnesse into Vnrighteousnes his Light into Darknesse and the Freedome of his Will to that which is Good into a thraldome of the same into that which is Euill in so much as though it mought then bee said of him potuit non peccare hee could not haue sinned yet now it must bee said of him non potest non pecare hee cannot but sinne The truth of this point may appeare vnto vs by the proofe of a plentiful argument First what good can bee willed by him who being considered as hee is a meare naturall man is as a dead man dead in trespasses and sinnes Ephe. 2. 2. Colo. 2. 3. so dead as to bee made aliue hee must bee borne againe Iohn 3. 3. yea created againe Ephe. 2. 10. Secondly what good can bee expected from him as a fruit of his Free-will therevnto who is wholy prone vnto and totally possessed with that which is euill The immagination of mans heart is euill euen from his Gen. 8. 21. youth vp Whereout I may obserue vnto you first that man is euill second that the heart of man the fountaine of all his actions is euill third that the imaginations of that heart the streames as it weare and riuerettes deriued therefrom are euill fourth euer euen from his youth vp Which being necessarily so because the Scripture hath aâ—â—irmed it to bee so what I beseech you is left in man that is sound Yea what is there left in him that is not vnsound The like testimony wee finde Roman 5. 8. They which are after the flesh sauour the things of the flesh Sauour the things of the flesh that is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their wisedome which should be most sauoury in them is become fleshly that which should be most sauory in them is corrupted If that which is most sauory in man euen his best partes is fleshly and corrupted What may we then conclude concerning that which is almost vnsauory in him but that it is most defiled polluted vncleane Thirdly the proofe of this point appeareth by the Contestations and Witnesse-bearing euen of the Gentiles them-selues who no doubt having deriued the same from the blessed fountaine of the Scriptures doe auouch and testifie the truth of this matter To omitt the residue I will insist on the Authority of two of the chiefest of them Plato writeth that vertues are in-bred in men afflatu numinis by the inspiration of the god-head Plato Arist Ethi lib. 1. Aristotle sayth Si quod donum dei est faelicitatem illud esse statuendum est c. If there be any thing which is the gift of God we must determine that to bee Faelicity or Blessednesse But this Blessednesse is no other thing saith he but the best action which proceedeth from the best faculty of the mind But how Per virtutem praestantissimam by the best Vertue which best Vertue cannot properly intimate any other thing vnto vs But God Fourthly the ancient and most flourishing times of the Church hath both affirmed and confirmed approued and proued the soundnesse of this Truth That Man of him-selfe cannot plant him-selfe in any good course as may be made manifest vnto vs both by Counsels and also by the wrightings of the most Orthodoxall fathers of the Church Amongst other Councells the Councell of Carthage and the Mileuitane Councell may giue vs satisfaction which both concerning this poynt haue beene anciently holden against Pelagius and with a sentâ—nce authorised by the Scriptures haue condemned mans Free-wil vnto good as haereticall Among the Orthodoxall Fathers S. August hath said It is true Man when he was first created receiued great Augu. sâ—r de corp
yeare for so long succession of yeares sought that Fruit of vs which is ought by vs and hath found none is it not now with feare and trembling to be expected that hee will giue his sentence against vs which hee sometime vttered against that Fig-tree Cut it downe Luke 13. 17. Shal the Turkes at this day be giuen to good workes the 〈◊〉 Tâ—rkish 〈◊〉 cap. 21. building of Temples of colledges and Hospitalles whereas their owne priuat houses are but base and contemptible and shall wee with those ancient Tarentines as if we should liue cuer dye neuer build our owne priuate houses in state and magnificence and suffer in the meane while Hospitalles for the poore Colledges for the Student and Tem les for God him-selfe to bee deâ—aced demolished 〈◊〉 and â—uinated which are Christians The most part of their legacies are giuen to religious holy and publike vses according to there Mahumetane profession either toward there Meschittes and Temples or the making and repairing of their high-waies Bridges Causies Conduâ—cts Cisternes Water-pipes or toward the redemption of prisoners and the inrichments of their Soraglioes or Hospitalls whereof one of them may spend by yearely reuenew an hundred and fifty thousand ducates And shall we be either as Trees hauing leaues with worme-eaten fruit like Hâ—retiques or leaues onely without fruite like Hipocrites or else hauing neither leaues nor fruites like Barbarians Sauages and Canniballes shall wee seeke onely our owne profit and not the mutuall profit of each other shall wee bee borne for our selues onely and neither for the common-weale as Politique-men nor which is more to bee lamented of the Church as Christian-men Oh how poore is our deuotion toward the poore And what a diminutiue is our Minutum our Mite which wee giue to Gods ministers Alasse it is but a mite yet if we would bestow it on them with that chearefulnesse of heart with which the poore widdow cast her two Mites into the treasury Mark. 12. 42. as that was commended by Christ so by likelihood mought this be accepted with God and wee brought into his fauour by it but being done with such grudging with such repining how can it bee gratious in 2. Corin. 9. 7. the sight of him which loueth a chearefull giuer Oh the iniury is not done to vs the Messengers of God it is done to God him-selfe whose Mouth wee are and whose office we sustaine whose treasure wee beare about with vs in these 2. Corin 4. 7 earthen vessels To spare our purse therefore in such a case it is to bring a curse vpon vâ— and it will be as the prouerbe speaketh to loose that in the Shire which wee thinke to saue Malach. 3. 9. in the hundreth to forgo yâ— recoÌ„pence of an hundreth fold encrease in Gods kingdome while we will sticke hucke with Gods Priestes for there duties in Gods Church O! Let vs therefore that wee may not bury our tallent but performe our taske turne away Gods wrath and purchase his loue towardes vs proue our selues to bee as trees bringing forth fruit and that in consideration of God who deserueth it commandeth it is glorified by it for the sake of the Gospell of God which is beautified of our selues secured ouâ— brethren gayned and confirmed our aduersaries ashamed and abashed through it The second branch of the fructifying of this Tree is perseuerance in that it is here said for the time to come also that this Tree will bring forth fruite It is nothing to begin well in well dooing vnlesse wee therein continue to the end yea it is better neuer to haue begun well then not to continue to the end Wee are Trees 2. Pet. 2. 21. of righteousnesse Easy 61. 〈◊〉 therefore must wee proceed to bring forth the fruites of righteousnesse otherwise it had beene better for vs neuer to haue knowne the wayes of righteousnesse then after the knowledge thereof to become as the dogge returning to his vomit and the Sowe that is washed to the wallowing in the myre 2. pet 2. 22 Sundry be the Motiues which if God shall accompany with the dew of his grace and the operatiue vertue of his holy spirit may mooue vs to this perseuerance in our fructifying or fruit-bearing The first may be drawne from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or deriuation of the name of religion which as both Saint Augustine and also Lactantius doe affirme taketh the name à religando of binding or tying because thereby as with a bond August liâ— de qâ—antita anima cap. 36. Lactant. â—lib 4. cap. 28. of Godlinesse wee are streightly bound vnto God and as writeth Augustine the soule tyeth her selfe through reconciliation to one God This tying therefore or knitting our selues vnto God ought to bee as a bond or a knotte firme and durable a bond of perseuerance as Ephes 4. 3. Wee read of a bond of peace Foure things are chieflie to be taught by religion first what things are to bee beleeued this is Faith Secondly what things are to bee loued this is Charity Thirdly what things are to be performed this is Sanctity Fourthly what things are to bee susteined this is the Perseuerance here required which is euen the sister of Patience and can no more bee separated from her then a man can well separate heate from fire or light from the Sunne The second motiue or reason which may perswade vs to this perseuerance it may be drawne from the nature of Religion a vnity of spirit to bee found in one body the Church depending on one spirit the holy Ghost one Lord Christ Iesus one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all which is aboue through all and in all If then Religion Ephes 4. from vers 3. to 7. be but one the Truth one the Church Spirit Lord Faith Baptisme and God him-selfe but one then vnlesse wee minde to cast off all piety and religion and be found fighters against God in that wee open our mouthes against heauen in denying there is a God Wee are so in God and godlinesse to proceed so to perseuer as wee haue begun If wee shall eyther bee at a stand that wee will goe no further as Lottes wife being turned into a Pillar of Salt or turne back and relapse like Ecebolius in the ancient Church who after repenting craued of the Church to tread vpon him as vnsauory Salt Surely as Peter answered Christ when hee asked him whether hee also would goe away as many of his Disciples did who went backe and forsooke him Maister saith he to whome shall wee goe Ioh 6. 66 67. 68. thou hast the words of aeternall life So may it bee said of vs Whether shall wee goe for here onely are the words and not else-where of aeternall life and therefore here onely wee must continue and produce the fruites of the Tree of life where only are to be found the words of aeternall life The third motiue or reason which may perswade vs
bee no vertues but the Image of them as the Image of Dauid was shewed by Michol to delude Saul her fathers messengers for Dauid him-selfe 1. Sam. 19. 16. These their vertues are done by the wicked first for shew as Hypocrites like a dung-hill couered with snowe white without but full of stench and pollution within Hypocrites though they be as fire without whot and bright yet bee they as water within first cold as water secondly as we vse to say in a prouerbe Weake as water They haue it may be the coulour and appearance of salt but not the smacke and rellish of it What tast is there 〈◊〉 the white of an Egge Iob. 6. 6. so may we say what tast is there in the salt of an Hypocrite The spirit of GOD witnesseth of an Harlot that Prou. 5. 3. 4. her lips dropp as an hony-combe and her mouth is more soft then oyle but the end of her is bitter as worme-wood and sharp as a two-edged sword That which there is said of the Harlot may also bee verified of the Hypocrite that the sweetnesse of hony and smoothnesse of oyle is in his outward countenance and appearance but within lurketh euen the bitternesse of worme-wood and the dissembling of a double heart like the wounding of a two-edged sword How can then euen the vertuous actions if it bee lawfull so to call them of such as masâ—ke vnder the vizard of Hypocrysie be prospered by GOD who will bee worshipped not in shew and doubling but in spirit and truth Iohn 4. 24. Yea how shall hee not rather not onely defeate and dis-prosper them but also euen vtterly auenge and confound them to giue these Hypocrites their portion With Hypocrites where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth Math. 24. 51. Weeping which commeth of heat and gâ—ashing of teeth which commeth of cold to them which are Luke-warme neyther whot nor cold as it is said of the Church of Laodicia S. Basil likeneth the hypocrite vnto the Idoll Bell externe quideÌ„ habenti aes lutum vero sub aere falgente absconditum Basil Hâ—mil in aâ—quo Script locos Hauing brâ—sse without but clay hidden vnder that shining brasse within Of this also may we be sure that the lott of the Hypocrites shall become by the iust iudgement of God like vnto the lott of Bell who beeing deliuered Dargon Hist Bell into the hand of Daniell which signifieth the iudgment of God was by him destroyed There-fore in regard of these vertuous actions of the wicked varnished ouer with the glosse of Hypocrisie cannot they be said to bee prospered but rather as the Scripture importeth to be confounded and ouer-whelmed The wicked are not so Secondly these their vertues are done by the wicked for praise of men Like vaine-glorious-ones who may deseruedly be censured to haue hunted after the winde and when they haue caught and as they thinke possessed it yet doe they but inherite the winde Prou. 11. 29. Vaine-glory is a limbe of pride and God which resisteth the proud 1. Pet. 5. 5. resisteth also these vaine-glorious actions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The giftes of enemies are no giftes so the vertues of the wicked are no vertues vertues in name but not in nature pretending great matters in title but not in truth like Absolon whose name signifieth the Father of peace yet disturbed he his fathers peace and him-selfe became the sonne of rebellion Absolon to gett him-selfe a popular applause among men and a name on earth reared vp vnto him-selfe A pillar in the Kinges-dale to keepe his name in remembrance because he had no sonne which he called after his owne name 2. Sam. 18. 18. So the wicked exercise their vertues euen as the old World builded their Babell to gett them a name and a renowne amongst men But as Absolon was not prospered in his intendment for as much as what hee purposed one way God disposed another his end beeing to bee hanged by the hayre on an Oake to bee pierced through with dartes to be cast into a pitte in a Wood and to haue a mighty greate heape of stones layd vppon him 2. Sam. 18. 17. So these vaine-gloriously vertuous actions of the wicked shall be dispersed not prospered as the true vertuous actions of the godly shall be prospered not dispersed The wicked are not so Thirdly these their vertuous actions are done by the wicked for their owne good consisting eyther in Profit or in Praeferment like Polititians For their owne good consisting in profitt like vserers forbearing the present principall for future aduantage Thus the diuell him-selfe may bee said to bee a Well-doer who will as experience teacheth benefit and help the bodies to the end he may gaine and swallow vp the soules of men The wicked do also vertuous actions for their owne good consisting in Praeferment to gett mens heartes to the end that mens hearts thus gotten may giue them high place and aduancement This was the Diuells case who when he he had Christ vp into an exceeding high mountaine and shewed him all the Kingdomes of the world and would haue giuen them him also but not of simple charity and true bounty but vpon condition that he mought gaine the greatest honor that euer yet was yeelded to any creature namely that CHRIST the Son of God yea a GOD him-selfe at whose name euery knee should bow of thinges in heauen the good Angels of things in earth Men and of thinges vnder the Earth Diuels Phil. 2. 10. Should bow the knee yea which is more Luke 4. 5. Should fall downe and worship him This likewise is the case of all the wicked which are of their Father the Diuell Who will helpe vppe some-what inwordly pollicy the state of them which are downe to the end they may helpe their owne estate vpp But these vertuous doings of these vngodly dooers cannot be prospered because Christ will ouer-throw such Mony-changers themselues which change small that they may gaine great summes of money as some-time hee ouer-threw the â—ables of the Money-changers in the Temple Iohn 2. â—5 and make a scourge for the backes of such Merchandizers of Profit And for them which by this meanes affect preferment There exaltation shall prooue like an Exhalation mounting aloft and forth-with turned into lightning which shall bee cast downe the estate of Sathan him-selfe and the lotte of his followers who was seene to fall as lightning from Heauen Luk. 10. 18. Therefore though the Luk 10. 18. vertuous actions of the godly shall prosper yet may it bee said of the vngodly The wicked are not so Secondly the dooings of the wicked are those which hee vnder-taketh faciendo by action respecting his Vices Seeing his vertues haue beene found to haue no better successe his vices can much lesse bee expected to bee prospered The vices of the godly not simply but respectiuely were sayd to prosper because they lead him to a speedy wise and wary repentance But with the vngodly
counsell no man can looke it is appointed onely by him and knowne onely to him Thirdly whom God hath appointed to bee the Iudge in this iudgement by that man that is Christ his sonne both God and man Fourthly whom hee hath appointed to bee iudged the world Fiftly How in righteousnesse Sixtly and lastly the reason to confirme the truth of this whole matter in that God hath giuen an irreuocable and indissoluble assurance of it in that hee hath raised his sonne from the dead Hee hath quickened him beeing dead to the end hee may become the Iudge both of the quick and the dead It is sufficient for vs to beleeue certainly that there is a time when this Iudgement shall bee wee must not search curiously after the particular time of this Iudgment But let vs bee assured of this that it cannot bee farre of but euen hard at the doores Wee read in Histories that Cato a graue Romaine Senator Plin. lib. 15. cap. 18 by a greene Figge-tree which hee brought into the Senate-house that had growne but three dayes before in Carthage the seate of their mortall enemies tooke ocâ—asion to discourse vnto them the danger the Romaine estate was in which had men of such hostile affections against them within three dayes iourney of their Citty The Signes like vnto the budding of the Figge-tree Matth. 24. 32. may much more admonish vs of that Summers approachment in the which shall bee the haruest of Gods iudgment that it is neare euen at hand For if since the time of Christ then now most chiefly heare we of warres and the rumors of warres nation rising against nation realme against realme pestilence famine earth-quakes This last age of the Church hath beene and is the time of afflicting killing hating betraying one another of the rising of false Prophets deceiuing many Now if euer doth iniquity increase and the loue of many waxe colde Hath not I beseech you the Gospell of the Kingdome beene preached to all nations through-out the whole world beginning like the Sunne in the East and setting in the West thereof Hath not since that time by reason of corruption of the truth the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniell stood in the holy place a place where it ought not hath not the Sunne beene darkened and the Moone turned into blood and the starres fallen from heauen Whether wee vnderstand by the Sunne as some will haue it Christ who hath beene darkened by Atheisme by the Moone the Church which hath beene turned into blood by persecution by the Starres the Pastors which may bee sayd to haue fallen from heauen by reason of their Apostatizing from the truth Or whether wee interpret as others the Sunne for the Magistrate Ecclesiasticall who is darkned by contempt the Moone for the Magistrate ciuill who is become bloudy though not God bee praised among vs yet in other our neighbour countries by murthers and by the Starres the Common-people which haue falne from heauen some by Schisme some by haeresie some by Apostasie Or whether wee doe expound as other-some doe thinke by the Sunne Faith which giueth light to other vertues and is now hardly to bee found in the earth by the Moone Charity which is now waxen cold by the Starres other vertues which are so choaked with vices as the small remnant of the elect may say Come Lord Iesu come quickly because vnlesse Those dayes should bee shortened there should no flesh bee saued O then what can wee now but looke for this day of iudgment that it is neare euen at hand Sâ—thence all signes else be fulfilled but euen that one signe that remaineth the signe of the sonne of man in heauen comming in the clowdes with power and great glory and that he should euen now send his Angels with a great sound of a trumpet to gather together the elect from the foure windes and from one end of the heauen to the other that so they may come to this iudgmeÌ„t The second point is that the wicked shall not stand or as Matth. 24. 30. 31. it is in the originall rise vp in this Iudgment But may some vngodly one say This is the thing wee looke for we wish for long for that we may not appeare before the angry countenance of that displeased Iudge whose presence is to vs so intollerable punishment vnsupportable What more blisfull thing and more to our hearts content then to haue glutted our selues with sinne to haue â—ulled our benummed spirits asleep on the bed of iniquity to haue pampered our flesh to haue stâ—fled our spirit to haue disglorified God to haue despised his truth to haue cast off euery yoake of dutifull obedience to haue loued our selues so as wee haue hated all besides our selues to haue drawne vnto vs sinnes with cart-ropes iniquity with the cords of vanity to conclude to drunke as it were an health to Sathan in the strumpets cup of abomination and neuer to make a reckoning for it neuer to make an Apoc. 17. 4. accompt concerning it neuer to be called to the iudgment But that I may cut as it were the sinew of this obâ—ection and abate the crest of these proud vanters Qui torquent textnm ne ipsi torqueantur which rack and torture the text that they may not as they deserue be racked and tortured themselues We must know that the wicked and vngodly shalâ— that vnauoâ—â—ably both rise and stand in this iudgment and yet in some acceptation cannot possibly as this Scripture witnesseth rise or stand in this Iudgment They must vnescapably rise and stand in this Iudgement First in regarde of their appearance there The Lord will enter iudgement with all flesh If with all slesh Iere. 25. 31. then with them as a species of that genus and chiefly with them who are so flesh as they are nothing but flesh not borne of the spirit to be spirit but borne of the flesh to bee flesh Ioh. 3. 6 Secondly they must rise and stand in this Iudgement in respect of their arraignment at the Iudgement barre for wee must not onely appeare in Iudgment but before the Iudgment seate of Christ that is wee are to bee arreigned 2. Corin. 5. 10 at the Iudgement barre Thirdly they must rise and stand in this Iudgment to be indited for God will bring euery worke of theirs vnto iudgment not onely those things which are so notoriouslye done as the world taketh notice of them but euery secret and hidden thing whether it be good or euill Ecclâ— 12. 14 Fourthly they must rise and stand in this Iudgment to heare the sentence of the Iudge passe against them Depart from mee you cursed into euer-lasting fire which is prepared Matt. 25. 41 for the Deuill and his Angels A thundering sentence is this indeed vttered by him which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the glorious Psal 29. 3. God that maketh 〈◊〉 thunder whereof euery word seemeth to bee as a boltte to cause
conâ—rition in his soule and spirit conâ—ession in his heart and tongue and newnesse of life in his â—eeds and manners neither doth he onely repent solicite carefully but mature speedily as writeth S. Ambros S. Ambroâ— de 〈◊〉 lib. â— cap. 2. â—east that saith hee that husband-man in the Gospeâ—â— which planted a siggâ—-â—â—ce in his vineyard comming to 〈◊〉 â—râ—ite and finding none sayth to the keeper of the vâ—â—eyarde 〈◊〉 it aowne for what doth it combriâ—g the ground Hee doth as saith â—aint Augustine accuse himselfe Aug. de verâ— Inuocatie that he may be excused in the presence of the iust mercifull Iudge to whom hee is to become accomptable As sinne doth assault his soule when it is weakest so doth he oppose him-selfe against the same where it is strongest that hee may by that meanes root it out This hath beene the practise as it may appeare by their writings of the famous ancient Fathers and Saints of the Church Athenagoras Clemens Iustinus Martir Arnobius Minutius Lactantius and diuers other who made it the first thing they did after their conuersion from gentilisme to the truth to denounce warre most chiefly against that sinne vnto which they haue found themselues most inclined These were pecatores sinners but because they speedily shaked off their sinne as Paule did the â—â—per they weare Hilar. Enarre in Psal â— not impii Godlesse ones as Samt Hillary maketh a distinction â—hese are not the sinners heere spoken of which shall not rise nor stand in the assembly of the righteous The second kinde of sinners bee such as so sinne that they may adde sinne vnto sinne as the theese addeth lying to theft and periury to lying These by their custome of sinning haue made sâ—nne habituall yea rather perpetuall vnto them It is impossible for them not to sinne as it is impossible for the fire not to warme In them hath sinne gotten the colour of a Blacke-Moore which cannot bee â—â—tered and the spotts of a Leopard which cannot bee washed away At the dore of whose heart the gâ—ace of GOD knocketh 〈…〉 all or if it knocketh it is but in vaine for there is 〈◊〉 opening As they are flesh Iohn 3. 6. so this flesh is 〈◊〉 dead flesh altogether vncureable neyther is it to be◠〈…〉 led with sharpe Corrosiues of the lawe neyther 〈◊〉 bee salued by the more gentle Lenitiues of the 〈…〉 pell These are not contrite for their sinne that so â—â—ey may confesse and amend it but they palliaâ—e their sinâ—e that they may still keepe it and committe it Oathes say they are but sparkes of courage Blasphemies but as ordinary speeches Couetousnesse frugality Prodigality bounty Tyranny fortitude Curiosity honesty Adultery a youthfull sport Symony a common trade of merchandise And as in these so in euery sinne haue they a fayre vizard to putte ouer a foule face that they may vaile and couer it To whom their sinne is like Iesabell which made Ahab to sinne whose face was painted and them-selues like Ahab doe sell them-selues to worke wickednesse in the sight of the Lord. These be the sinners meant in this place where it 1 Reg. 2â— 25. is sayd that the sinners shall not rise nor stand in the Assembly of the righteous The sinners of this desperate kind shall not rise nor stand in this assembly of the Righteous First in that part thereof Militant vpon earth which consisteth of that meeting which standeth in hearing the word read or Preached in receiuing the sacraments and in prayers Because how-soeuer they are it may be among the righteous in their Assemblies yet are they not of their Assemblies they be it may be as one of yâ— assembly but for as much as they are vnrighteous they cannot be of the assembly of the righteous For how can it otherwise be considering that they heare the word as Sinners not as yâ— Righteous receiue the Sacraments as sinners not as the Righteous tender vp their praiers vnto God as Sinners not as yâ— Righteous as Lucifer was among the Angels Caine in the house of Adam Ismaell in the house of Abraham Esau in the house of Isaas C ham in the Arke Saul among the Prophets the Tares with the wheate the Goates with the sheepe Iudas among the Apostles so are these in thâ— Assembly of the righteous as Cyphers which signifie nothing not as figures which haue both a number and power with them They beare a shew haply of religion but are furthest from it as Athaliah being her selfe the onely vsurping traytresse cryed out Treason treason 2. Reg. 11. 14. They are in comparison of the righteous but as Waspes compared with Bees which as Tertullian writeth Tertul. make Combes as the Bees doe but neither are Bees nor worke so profitably as the Bees They are within this Assembly of the righteous by hypocrisie but not of it in Sincerity considered in that part of it Militant here vpon earth Secondly they can much lesse rise or sâ—and in that part of the assembly of the righteous which is triumphant in heauen because they shall neuer come thither much lesse stand there If Moses neither could nor mought stand in the presence of God in that holy land which is but a Type of this triumphant assembly vntill hee had taken his shooes from Exod. 3. 5. his feete Oh how much lesse shall these sinfull and reprobate ones stand in the most glorious presence of the Lord in the true holy land the true Canaan it selfe being not onely holy but the holy of holyes of God the holyest hauing the feete of their affections shod with nothing else but defilednesse and pollution Hell must bee their prison for the wicked shall bee turned Psal 9. 17. to hell and the people that forget God Heauen cannot possibly become their pallace for such must stand without the heauenly Ierusalem the city of the great King Apoc. 22. 25. Art thou then a Sinner of this nature vnto whome sinne sitteth as neare as the graft to the stock which concorporateth and becommeth one with it Behold then the fruite of this thy sinne which is not onely shame and reproach but also euerlasting ruine and conâ—usion He which Riseth in the great thoughtes of his owne heart and Standeth as high in his owne conceipt as euer Nabucchadnezzar did Dan. 4. 27 yet if from the crowne of the head to the soule of the foote there is nothing to bee found but woundes and swellings and sores full of corruption Esaâ— 1. 6. then shall hee neither rise nor stand in the assembly of the righteous not onely that part thereof which appertayneth to the Church Millitant here on earth but also that part thereof which belongeth to the Church Triumphant in heauen For what reason may bee alledged why hee should bee admitted into heauen whose mâ—â—d hath beene wholy fixed vpon earth why hee should triumph as a conquerour in heauen which â—euer warred as a souldier vpon earth fighting against the Souldiers
Gregoy Picus Mirandula Apolog. quest 2. alledged for this purpose by Picus Mirandulanus who saith Peccator punitur paena aeterna quia peccauit in suo aeterno id est sine fine A sinner is punished with an euerlasting punishment because he hath sinned in his euerlastingnesse that is without end In his euerlastingnesse that is eyther because when hee liued hee neuer ceased to adde sinne vnto sinne as one lincke is in a cheyne coupled together with another without any intermission for as much as hee neuer brake off his sinne by repentance or else in his euerlastingnesse which commeth more home to the matter because if he had liued longer he had sinned longer if he had liued euer he had sinned euer vnto which consenteth Tho. Aquinas cited in the same place Tho. Aquiâ— Sentent 4. saying ideo durare paenam damnatorum in aeternum quia culpa durat in aeternum that thereâ—ore the punishment of the damned do last for euer because their fault remaineth for euer It standeth therefore with the iustice of God that he which hath a will euer to sinne should euer bee punished for his sinne neyther tormented nor consumed But mee thinkes I heare some man say how can this stand with the infirmity of the body of man Euer to bee perishing and burning in these flames neuer to bee perished and burnt vppe with them Because I doe and still wish I may ascribe more to the iudgement of other orthodoxal writers of the Church then to mine own shallownesse Let holy August lose this knot and satisfie this August de Ciuitat dâ—i lib. 21. cap. 4. obiection who in his booke of the Citty of GOD bringeth many examples for the illustrating of the truth of this point vnto vs. The Salamander saith hee liueth in the fire the Mountaynes of Civilie for a greate long continuance of time are burnt with flames and yet remaine whole The sodden flesh of a peacocke as that father speaketh by his owne experience at Carthage corrupteth not for some yeares together chaffe is of a cold nature to keepe snow from melting and yet of a whâ—t operation in ripening the fruites which are therein laid vppe â—oales which 〈◊〉 broken with the least pressure of the foote yet in moist places aâ—â— conserued for a very long season Lime which is cold to them that touch it Miraculum apud nos si quod apud Indos A miracle with vs if any bee among the Indians waxeth whot not with the infusion of oyle which is of a whotter nature vppon it but of water which is of a colder temper The Load-stone draweth yron to it but in the presence of the Adamant looseth that vertue Adamas nullis malleis comminutus hirâ—ino sanguine emollitur The Adamant Which is broken which no hammers yet is softned with Goates blood If the wisedome God doth thus dispose of these matters in nature how much more shall the power of GOD produce more miraculous effects in causes supernaturall to cause the bodyes of the wicked to bee in the fire of hell tormented and not consumed As it made the bodies of the three Children to bee in Nabuchadâ—ezzars ouen neyther tormented nor consumed Thirdly there is a Remedilesse misery of it If all the Angels in heauen if all the Saintes which haue beene vppon â—aâ—th Abraham Isaac Iacob all the Prophets Apostles Euangelists Martyrs Confessors c. should become perpetuall Sollicitors and Intercessors to God for a release of this perpetuall punishment yet should they not be able to doe any thing therein but should bee like those whome God sendeth empty away Luke 1. 53. If the Father should make request for the Sonne the Mother for the Daughter they must haue the repulse for the sentence of Christ cannot be reuersed his decree not repealed Oh! how ought wee then to labour to auoid this patternelesse endlesse easelesse perishing In the torture whereof the tormented miscreant would if it weare in his power giue the whole world for one minutes releasement to leaue off to bee wicked to indeauour to be godly that we being not found in the way of the wicked with the way of the wicked we may not perish The second thing which we are to be aduertised of concerning the confusion of the way of the wicked is the time when In that it is not said that it presently doth but that it futurely Shall perish The act of perishing doth testifie Gods iudgement The time that it is not yet but shall bee doth proclaime his mercy Gods Mercy goeth coupled with his Iudgement euen as our sweet Sauiour and his bitter crosse were ioyned together Iudgement and mercy in God bee as two hands in man Iudgement as the left hand Mercy as the right hand and as man is wont to vse his right hand more then his left so is God delighted rather with the vse of Mercy then of iudgement A course of God which shall bee the Close of this Psalme that as it beginneth in Blessednesse so it may end in mercy intimated vnto vs in this that as it is a part of his iudgement that the way of the wicked perisheth so it is an argument of his Mercy that it doth not presently perish but that it futurely Shall perish God giue vs grace that we may not with the wicked ones feele of his Iudgments but with the godly feed of his mercies and that for his sonne Christ Iesus sake to whome together with the Holy spirit three persons and one God bee ascribed all Honour Glory Praise Power and Dominion both now and for euer Amen
Prou. 27. 17. as a Floud to the ouer-whelming of our soule as that grand and terrible Floud of Waters drowned all Flesh Gen. 7. 21. CHRIST was offered a Sacrifice which is Infinite vnto GOD his Father a Maiestie which is Infinite to purge vs from all Sinne which is also Infinite 1. Ioh. 1. 7. Quot crimina toâ— dâ—monia how many Euills there bee so many Deuills there bee as Deuills therefore are assembled in Legions so bee Euills There is but one Soule but a whole army of Lusts Luke 8. 30. which â—ight against it Quemadmodum si quis claâ—dere voluerit aquae currentiâ— meatuâ—â— c. saith Saint Chrysostome 1 Pet. 2. 11. Chrâ—â—est oper in perâ— in Matth. As if a Man will goe about to stop the passage of a running Screame if he shal exclude it in one place it with greater violence breaketh forth in another euen so it fareth with Sinne. If it bee not such a sinne as concerne the councell of the wicked yet may it belong to the way of sinners if it bee neither yet may it appertaine to the seate of the scornefull As the broode of Sinne is manifolde so ought our care to be much to with-stand it The Mariner if hee knoweth his Shippe beset with many Pyrates will be the more Carefull the Shepheard if hee perceiueth his Flocke to bee assailed with many Wolues will be the more Diligent the Gardener if hee seeth his Ground surcharged with ouer many Weedes will bee the more Painefull the Souldier if hee vnderstandeth his Forte to bee inuironed with many and mighty troopes of his mortall and blood-thirsty enemies will be more Vigilant Oh these sinnes of ours are not onely Pyrates Wolues Weedes Enemies which doe Be-set Assaile Sur-charge Inuiron our Soules and Spirits to the vtter wrack and confusion of them but they be also many yea almost infinite in number Oh it standeth vs in hand therefore with the Marriner Shepheard Gardiner Souldier to become Carefull Diligent Painfull and Vigilant and so much the rather because the moment of the matter we striue for is farre more great then of a Shipp a Flocke a Ground a Forte beeing that pretious soule for which Christ hath suffered his most pretious bloud to be shed Let vs therefore be Carefull least we be ouer-growne with Securitie and then it fareth with vs as with the Crocodile who securely suffereth â— Pet. 1. 19. the little Birde Trochilus to picke his teeth while his enemy the 〈◊〉 getteth into his mouth and belly and killeth him Let vs be Diligent least we be intercepted by delay and faile of that answer which Cyprian made to Aspasius Paternus the Proconsull of Affrica Cyprian In rebus sacris nulla sit deliberatio About holy matters let all delaye bee absent Let vs bee Painefull least Idlenesse surprise vs and so as a Father speaketh wee become as the Diuells shopp wherein hee forgeth a new spawne of vices Let vs be vigilant least beeing a sleep with Adoniah the multitude of our sinnes deale with vs as Baanah and Rechah dealt with him who tooke 2 Sam. 4. 7 away his life from him Let vs to conclude as Christian Knights stand vppon our guard against al the infernall troupes and as I may so say Blacke Guard of hell Let vs bee strong in the Lord and power of his might putting on the whole armour of God as wee which wrastle not against a Principallity or a power or against a Prince of darknesse of this world or against a spirituall wickednesse as of one but against all Principallities and Power and the prince of darkenesse of this world and spirituall wickednesse as of many It standeth vs in hand therfore not to take vnto our selues a part of it but the whole armour of God that we may be able to make resistance Ephes 6. 10. 11. 12. and stand fast ver 13. hauing our loines gird about with verity and hauing on the brest plate of righteousnesse and our feete shodde with the preparation of the Gospell of peace taking aboue all thinges the sheild of faith wherewith we may quench all the fiery dartes of the wicked taking also the helmet of saluation and the sword of the spirit which is the word of God praying alwaies with all manner of prayers and supplications in the spirit Ephes 6. and watching there-vnto That so we may not only take Councel against the Councell of the wicked but stop the Way against the Way of Sinners and as Christ in the Temple ouerthrâ—w the seates of those prophaners therof Iohn 2. So wee may ouerthrow the seates of the scornfull Ioh 2. The second geneâ—all point that I will speake of before I come to the particulars of this Text is the Groweth and Increase of Sinne It beginneth in a doubtful walking wandering as it were vp and downe as vncertaine what to doe after proceedeth to a determination whereby vncertainty commeth to a certaintie and wandering vppe and downe endeth in a Period or full point of standing still but concludeth and endeth in obstinacy and obfirmation of minde that what-soeuer may be said to the contrary it wil an easelesse ease and a restlesse repose set downe Sinne creepeth like a Canker which groweth not to ripenesse but by degrees the custome of it causeth it to growe from strength to strength Psalme 84. 17. Augustine openeth this point The Diuel first August lib. Confess 8. by concupiscence suggesteth euill thoughts euill thoughts egg on delight delight toulleth on consent consent groweth to necessitie and necessity in sinning is the fore-runner of death This increasing of sin from Walking to Standing from Standing to setting downe It holdeth the course both in that sinne which conâ—rneth the corruption of doctrine by heresy as also that which respecteth the corruption of manners by impiety First it increaseth in the corruption of doctrine by heresie which howsoeuer it at the first may seeme of small Reckoning or of no importance as that which neuer then sheweth it selfe in the right coullâ—rs Yet crescit eundo it creepes on and gathers strength like the clowd which Elias Seruant saw 1. Reg. 18. 44. at the first nothing could bee seene then began it to rise as bigge as a mans hand in the end it darkened the whole skie and fell forth-with in a great Storme So Heresie is a sparke which not sodainely and all at once but by little and little and degrees breaketh forth into a flame in which is vâ—rified that saying of Gregory Nazianzen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nothing is sodainly made Greg. Nazi great This may appeare vnto vs by an Introduction of al Nicephor Ecclâ—s hist lib. 8. cap 5. Sleidâ— inâ— commenta Mast Knolles gene hist of Turkes heresies which haue pesterd the Church from Time to time more especially of that of Arius in yâ— ancient times of the Church of the Anabaptists in the late times therof as likewise that Sect of Mahomet in the midle
times betwixt them both but it were in so manifest a truth but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to shew light to the Sun as the Greeke Adage speaketh All which haue first begun to walke by error proceeded to stand in Schisme and haue concluded to sett downe in Heresie Secondly the increasement of sinne from Walking to Standing from Standing to Setting downe holdeth the course in the corruption of manners by impiety so it was in Iudas who was first a cunning dissembler Second a secret Theefe third an Impudent Lyar fourth a Bloudy Traytor fift and lastly a desperate Reprobate First sinne seemeth Importable then Heauy then Light then Desirable then Insensible and past feeling and in the end Defensible so as wee make a shamelesse and publike defence of it Sinne therefore getteth strength by committing as Figures in Arithmeticke by numbring where the first place standeth but for One the second for Tenne the third for an Hundred the fourth for a Thousand So Sinne when it is first committed seemeth to haue but the strength of One in the second place of Tenne in the third place of an Hundred in the fourth place of a Thousand and so if it be infinitely committed it may be infinitely multiplyed Chrisostom in Psalmos Calleth our sinn by the name of Ragges to shew that as ragges the longer they bee worne the more they are increased So sinne the more it is practised the further it is inlarged A storme wee see by experience if it in the first beginning thereof dissolueth groweth to nothing but a barren mistinesse and so departeth but if it more and more gathereth vnto it selfe and thickneth in the own substance it falleth from heauen to the earth by the rage of an infinit dropping peccatum procella saith Chrysost Sinne is this storme which if we shall at the first Chry homil 5. ad â—opull Antioch dispell or disparke it shall be shaken off with no more hurt to our soules then the viper brought to Paules hand when hee shooke it into the fire and it did him no harme Acts 28. 5. But if wee shall by often committing make it like vnto him Abac. 2. 6. who was laden Act. 28. 5. Abuc 2. 6. with thicke clay it will like vnto the Indian Figg-tree ground it selfe with an infinite rooting Sinne is not vnlike to a Ring-worme which desireth to be rubbed and then increaseth by rubbing The itching humor of one Sinne intifeth vs to the committing of many the committing of many to a custome of sinning a custome of sinning to a sencelessenesse of sinne a sencelessenesse of sin to a finall impenitency when that saying of Hesiodus shall be verified in vs. Men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 waxe old in wickednesse yea Hesiodus and die in it also bequeathing Oh fearefull security their bodies to the Beere of death while they themselues sitte in the Chayre of sinne Isiodorus saith that sinn is committed either by ignorance Isiodorus this may bee likened to the walking in the councel of the wicked or by Infirmitie this may answer to the Standing in the way of sinners or else of sett purpose this may fitte the sitting on the seat of the scornefull This is the full pitch of sinne causing sinne to be as the Sunne at noone-day in his full strength This increasing of sinne whereby sinne is so intertayned as it is also cherished ought to mpose vpon vs the exercise of a twofold Taske for the auoidance therof The former Taske concerneth the hinderance of the Planting of Sinne before it bee planted The second Taske informeth the Supplanting of sinne after it bee planted Concerning the hinderance of the planting of sinne before it bee planted A most happy thing it is if God giue vs grace to attayne vnto it for what more happy thing can there be then to haue escaped the mortal sting of a deadly Serpent Sin is this Serpent from which because it stingeth as a Serpent wee are willed to flee as from the face of a Serpent Eccles 21. 2. What is more happy then to haue auoyded the ragâ—â—g flame of a tormenting fire Sin is this fire which a man cannot beare in his bosome but hee must of necessity be burnt with it Prouâ—â— 6. 27. What is more happy then to haue declined the flattering treasons of a false Traytor Sinne is this Traytor fawning on a man with a Kisse and betraying him to the Crosse as sometime did Iudas Math. 26. 49. What is more happy then to bee Ridded from the Iawes and Talants of a hungry angry Lyon who longeth speedily greedily to deuour vs Sin saith S. Basil is the Diuell and the Diuel is this Lyon 1. Pet. 5. 8. What to conclude is more happy then to be deliuered from a mortall poison which will not only worke the dissolution of the body but euen the wracke of the Soule Sin is this dealy poyson Iames 3. 8. Oh! then it must needs bee deemed a Quintessentiall parte of happinesse or an happynesse of happinesse to hinder this planting that as not a Dart of Senacherib was shot against Ierusalem the Citty of the Lord. 2. Reg. 19. 32. So not a plant of Satan may take roote in our soules the garden of the Lord. Lett vs therefore with Heartes of Loue and Armes of zeale affect and imbrace that Councell which Sainte Basill giueth Quaeso ne bibas poculum S. Basill aâ—m ad Fil. spiritu c. I intreat thee not to drinke of the cuppe wherby thou hast seen many to perish Receiue not the meat which thou hast seen eaten to the destruction of others Go not that way where thou hast knowne many to suffer shipwrack Auoid those snares where-with thou hast vnderstood others to be taken To yâ— which I may Adde preuent those Plants whose increase is so prodigious whose sap so venemous Secondly seeing sin proceedeth from footing to rooting from rooting to shooting out to such an increase It is necessary for vs if wee cannot hinder the Planting of sin by Prouidence yet to make the Supplanting of it with speed which is either done by making of Resistance vnto it or else by crauing of Assistance against it First it is done by making of resistance vnto it and this is performed either by weakning the hability of Sinne or else by opposing of his contrary vnto sinne First by weakning of the ability of sin as by taking away all the occasions to sin by remouing all the susteinments of sinne by making a holy Couenant with euery member of our bodies and power of our soules euer to to repell sin neuer to admit it by which meanes it may come to passe that sin may be as a Lake into which the current of no Stream runneth which must needs be dryed vpp as a House without a foundation which must needs be ruinated as a Cittie besieged without sustenance which must needs be â—aâ—â—ished Secondly it is done by opposing of his contrary vnto sin Charity to Mallice Temperance