shall spy spots in his face and will not forthwith wipe them out A wise man will not have one sin twice repeated unto him And these may be resembled to wax which yeeldeth â—ooner to the sâ—al then steel to the stamp But 3. Secondly others are like Tullies strange soil much rain leaves them still as dry as dust Or the Wolfe in the emblem which though she suckt the Goat kept notwithstanding her wolvish nature still For speak what can be spoken to them it presently passes away like the sound of a Bell that is rung Let testimonies and examples never so much concern them they prove no other then as so many characters writ in the water which leave no impression behinde them Who may be resembled to an Hour-glasse or Conâ—uit that which in one hour runneth in the same in another hour runneth out again Or the Smiths Iron put it into the fire it is much sofâ—ned again put it into the water 't is harder then before Yea let them never so much smart for their sins they will return to them again untill they perish Resembling some silly flye which being beat from the candle an hundred times and oft singed therein yet will return to it again untill she be consumed Prov. 23. 35. All those Beasts which went into the Arke 〈…〉 4. Thirdly another sort will very orderly hear the Word and delight in it so long as the Minister shall rove in generalities preach little or nothing to the purpose But if once he touch them to the quick drive an application home to their consciences touching some one sin of theirs as John Baptist served Herod then they will turn their backs upon him and hear him no farther as those Jews served our Saviour Ioh. 6. 66. The Athenians Paul Acts 17. 16 to 34. and Ahab Micaiah 1 King 22. 8. 5. Sore eyes you know are much grieved to look upon the Sun Bankrupts cannot abide the fight of their counting books nor doe deformed saces love to looke themselves in a true Glasse For which read John 3. 19 20 21. But let such men know that to flye from the light and reject the means puts them out of all hope That sin is past cure which turnâ— from and refuseth the cure Deut. 17. 12. Prov. 29. 1. As what is light to them that will shut their eyes against it or reason to them that will stop their Ears from hearing it If those murtherers of the Lord of life Act. 2. 23. had refused to hear Peters searching Sermon in all probability they had never been prickt in their hearts never been saved ver. 37 38. And take this for a rule if ever you see a drowning man refuse help conclude him a wilfull murtherer 6. Fourthly and lastly for I passe by those blocks that goe to Church as dogs do only for company and can hear a powerfull Minister for twenty or thirty years together and minde no more what they hear then the seats they sit on or the stones they tread on There are a generation of Hearers who when a Minister does plainly reprove them for their sins and declare the judgments of God due unto the same to the end they may repent and beleeve that so they may be saved will carp and fret and spurn against the very Word of God for being so sharp and searching and thereupon persecuâ—e the Messenger as the Princes and false Prophets did Jeremiah Herodiâ—s John Baptist and the Pharisees Christ 7. And this God takes as done to himself What saith Paul 1 Cor. 7. 10. I have not spoken but the Lord and therefore as the Lord said unto Saul Acts 9. 4. that he persecuted him though in heaven so they which resist any truth delivered out of the Word do resist God himself and not his Messenger as evidently appears by these Scriptures Psal. 44. 22. and 74. 4. 10. 18. 22. 23. 83. 2 5 6. 89. 50 51. 139. 20. Prov. 19. 3. Rom. 1. 30. 9. 20. Mat. 10. 22. 25. 45. 1 Sam. 17. 45. Isai 37. 4 22 23 28. Acts 5. 39. 9. 4 5. Joh. 9. 4. 1 Thess. 4. 8. Joh. 15. 20 to 26. Numb. 16. 11. 1 Sam. 8. 7. Mark 9. 42. Psal. 79. 12. 2 King 2. 24. O that the Gospels enemies would but seriously consider these Scriptures and be warned by them For certainly it is neither wise good nor safe either resisting or angring him that can anger every vein of their hearts Yea God hath Messengers of wrath for them that despise the Messenger of his love 8. But hear why they so mortally hate the naked truth Because it is the Word by which they are condeâ—ned they loath as much to hear it as a prisoner doth abâ—or to hear his 〈…〉 the just Judgâ— And indeed if many as we know by experience love not to hear the worst of their temporall causes and cases nor yet of their bodily distempers with which their lives or estates be indangered How much more will wicked men decline from seeing their hainous abominations and themselves guilty of Hell and eternall damnation though thereof there be an absolute necessity if ever they be saved 9. Guilty sinners love application as dearly as a dog does a cudgell And no marvail for what Leaper will take pleasure in the searching of his sores Nor were Satan his Crafts-master if he did permit them For if they could clearly see the loathsomnesse of their impieties it were not possible not to abhor them not to abhor themselves for them but their blindnesse makes them love their own filthinesse as Ethiopians do their own swarthinesse Besides they love not to have their consciences awakened but would sleep quietly in their sins And he that desires to sleep will have the curtains drawn the light shut out and no noise made Whence as good meates are unwelcome to sick persons so is good counsell to obstinate and resolved sinners Tell them of their swearing drinking whoring câ—eating they will fiet and chafe and fume and swell and storm and be ready to burst again to hear it But let envy sweat swell and burst truth must be spoken And indeed why should not Gods servants take as free liberty in reproving as the Devils servants take liberty in offending Shall not the one be as loud for God as the other are for Baal and Belzebub 10. Yea admonish them never so mildly they will say we take too much upon us as Corah and his complices twitted Moses Numb. 16. 3. not knowing how strictly God commands and requires it Lev. 19. 17. 2 Tim. 2. 25. Ezek. 3. 18 to 22. 2 Pet. 2. 7 8. Whence as the Chief Priests answered Iudâ—s What is that to us so they will blaspheme God tear Christ in pieces and more then betray even shed his innocent bloud digging into his side with oaths and say when told of it What is that to us when they might as well say Wâ—at is Christ to us what is heaven to us or what
is salvation to us for to us the one cannot be without the other we shall never inherit part of his gloâ—y in heaven if we do not take his glories part upon earth And with God it is much about one whether we be doers of evill or no hinderers For if we must not see our neighbours oxe nor his sheep goe astray or fall into a pit but we must reduce him and help him out of it Deut. 22. 1. we are much more bound to help our neighbour himself from droping into the bottomlesse pit of Hell And what know we but we may winne â—ur brother and so save his soul Mat. 18. 15. 11. They will hisse like Serpents if we trouble their nests never so little And its a sure sign the horse is galled that stirs too much when he is touched But what are these men like and how are they like to speed in the end they are like the Thracian flint that burns with water and is quenched with oil their souls are the worse for Gods endeavour to better them His holy precepts and prohibitions doe either harden them as the Sun hardens clay and cold water hot iron or else they enrage them as a furious mastiff Dog is the madder for his câ—ain 12. But to be exasperated with good counsell and in stead of penitency to break into choler when fury sparkles in those eyes which should gush out with water it is an evident sign of one that shall perish Prov. 29. 1. Read the words and tremble a man that hardneth his neck being often reproved shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy see more Prov. 1. 24 25 26 to 33. Whence it is the Prophet tells Amaziah I know that God hath determined to destroy thee because thou hast done this and hast not obeyed my counsell 2 Chron. 25. 16 20. and that the Holy Ghost speaking of Elyes sons saith that they would not hearken unto nor obey the voice of their father because the Lord was determined to destroy them 1 Sam. 2. 25. Yea it is an observation of Livie that when the destruction of a person or Nation is destined then the wholsome warnings both of God and Man are set at nought And in reason that sin is past all cure which strives against the cure Herbs that are worse for watering Trees that are lesse fruitfull for dunging and pruning are to be rooted out or hewn down Even salvation it self will not save those that spill the potion and fling away the plaster When God would have cured Babylon and she would not be cured then she is given up to destruction without further warning 13. Ignorant Woâ—ldlings who will beleeve nothing which comes not within the compasse of their five senses think that because God strikes not be minds not Psal. 50. 21. Because sentence against an evill work is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the children of men is fully set in them to doe evill as Solomon speaks Eccles. 8. 11. They are like the Israelites 1 Sam. 12. 15 to 20. they will not beleeve without a miracle and it will be a miracle if ever they be saved For should they see miracle upon miracle should God forthwith strike one dead with a thunderbolt and rain down fire and brimstone upon another and cause the Earth to swallow down a third quick while they are blaspheming him they would be as far from beleeving as they were before as the examples of the old world the Sodomiâ—es Pharaoh Balaam Ahab Belshazzar Malchus and those great Clerks the Scribes and Pharisees together with thousands of the Iews sufficiently manifest Yea it is easier for a man possest with many Devils to be dispossest to raise one from the dead or to turn a stone into flesh in which God should meet with no opposition then perswade an habituated Swearer to beleeve these ensuing precepts predictâ—ons testimonies of the Gospell or any other saving truth Mat. 5. 20. 12. 36. 25 30 to 46. 2 Thess. 1. 7 8 9. 2. 12. Heb 12. 14 29. Rev. 20. 12. to the end Deut. 29. 19 20. Prov. 1. 24. to 33. 14. Well may they beleeve what the World the Flesh and the Devill suggests unto them As Satan that he may make smooth their way to perdition will perswade the most impudent and insolent sinners Drunkâ—rds Adâ—lterers Blasphemers Sabbath-breakers Bloodthirsty Murtherers Persecuters of the Godly and contemners of Religion that they may take liberty to continue their sensuall lusts by a testimony of Scripture and apply Christs passion as a warrant for their licentiousnesse his death as a licence to sin his crosse as a Letters patent to do mâ—schiâ—f And hereupon as if a Malefactor should head his drum of Rebellion with his pardon they live as if the Gospell were quite contrary to the rule of the Law or as if God were neither to be â—eared nor cared for Hence they exercise their saucie wits in prophane scoffs at Religion and disgrace that bloud whereof hereafter they would give a thousand worlds for one drop hence they tear heaven with their blasphemies and bandie the dreadfull name of God in their impure and polluâ—ed mouths by their bloody oaths and execrations hence they are so witlesse gracâ—lesse and shamelesse as to swear and curse even as dogs bark Yea they have so sworn away all grace that they count it a grace to swear and are so far from beleeving what God threatens in his Word against sin and what is affirmed of his justice and severity in punishing all wilfull and impenitent sinners with eternall destruction of body and soul that they presume â—o have part in that merit which in every part they have so abused to be purged by that bloud which now they take all occasions to disgrace to be saved by the same wounds and bloud which they swear by and so often swear away to have Christ an Advocate for them in the next life when they are Advocates against Christ in this that heaven will meet them at their last hour when all their life long they have galloped in the beaten rode toward hell And that though they live like swine all their life long yet one cry for mercy at the last gasp shall transform them into Saints And this is the strong faith they are so apt to boast of viz. presumption not confidence Or rather Hope fâ—ighted out of its wits For not withstanding all this in beleeving the Scriptures they fall short of the Devils themselves For the Devils doe really beleeve that God is no lesse true and just then he is mercâ—full as his Word declares him to be and thereupon they tremble as S. Iames hath it Iames 2. 19. whereas these men beleeve not a word that Gâ—d speaks so as to be bettered by it 15. And no marvail for their wont hath been to beleeve Satan rather then God as did our first parents Gen. 3. Therefore now after they have rejected all means of grace when
they are so crusted in their villanie that custome is become a second or new nature God that he may punish their hardnesse and excesse in sin with further obduration not only delivers them up to Satan the God of this world who so blindes their mindes and deludes their understandings that the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ shall not shine unto them 2. Cor. 4. 3 4. Eph. 2. 2. 2 Thess. 2. 9. But he gives them up even to a râ—probate judgment to the hardnesse of their hearts and to walk in their owne connsels Psal. 81. 11. 12. Rom. 1. 21 to 32. And betteâ— be given up to Satan as the incestuous Corinthian was then thus to be given up For he was thereby converted and saved as God used the matter making the Scorpion a medicine against the sting of the Scorpion the Horseleeâ—h a means to abate the vicious and superfluous bloud so ordering Satans craft and malice to ends which himself intended not Whereas these are given over as a desperate Patient is given over by his Physitian when there is no hope of his recovery As thus Because they will not receive the truth in love that they might be saved for this cause God gives them up to strong delusions that they should beleeve lyes that all they might be damned who beleeve not the truth but take pleasure in unrighteousnesse they are the very words of the holy Ghost 2 Thess. 2. 10 11 12. If any would see more touching the wofull condition of a deluded worldling and how Satan guls wicked men with a world of misprisions that he may the better cheat them of their souls Let them read The Drunkards Character and the Cure of Misprision for in this I study all possible brevity being loath either to surfeit or cloy the Swearer who is commonly short breath'd in well-doing and lest adding more should hinder him from hearing this for Satan and his corrupt heart will not condescend he shall hold out to hear his beloved sin so spoken against MEMB. 5. 1. Only I will insert a few notions aphorisms or conclusions touching the former point of Gods forbearing to punish the most flagitious sinners when they so horribly provoke him together with some pregnant examples of some that he hath executed Martiall Law upon even in this life Cornelius Gallus not to mention many nor any that every Author sets down dyed in the very act of his filthinesse as Plutarch well notes Nitingall Parson of Crondall in Kent was struck dead in the Pulpit as he was belching out his spleen agâ—inst religion and zealous professors of the Gospel It was the usual imprecation of Henry Earl of Schuartzbourg Let me be drowned in a Iakes if it be not so and such was his end You may remember one Lieutenant of the Tower was hanged it had wont to be his usuall imprecation as he confessed at his death Earl Godwin wiâ—hing at the Kings Table that the bread he eat might choke him if he were guilty of Alphrâ—ds death whom he had before slain was presently choked and fell down dead Yea his lands also sunk into the Sea and are called Godwins sands where thousands since have made shipwrack It was usuall with Iohn Peter mentioned in the book of Martyres to say if it be not tâ—ue I pray God I may rot ere I dye and God saying Amen to it he rotted away indeed A Serving-man in Lincoln-shire for every trifle used to swear Gods precious bloud and would not be warned by his friends to leave it insomuch that hearing the bell tole in the very anguish of death he started up in his bed and sware by the former oath that bell toled for him whereupon immediately the bloud most fearfully issued as it were in streams from all parts of his body not one place left free and so dyed Popiel King of Poland had ever this wish in his mouth If it be not true I would the Rats might eat me and so it came to passe for he was so assailed by them at a banquet that neither his guards nor fire nor water could deâ—end him from them as Munster mentions The Iews said Let his bloud be upon us and upon our children and what followed sixteen hundred years are now past since they wished themselves thus wretched and have they not ever since been the hate and scorne of the world Did they not many of them live to see their Câ—ty buried in ashes and drowned in bloud to see themselves no Nation Was there ever any people under heaven that was made so faâ—ous a spectacle of misery and desolation they have had what they câ—iled for to the â—ull and it 's just that they who long for a curse should 〈…〉 yet how many among us do familiarly curse their wives children c. Nor is it seldome that God payes them in their own coin men prophane Gods name and he makes their names to stinke When the pestilence rageth in our streets blasphemy and execration must confesse that they have their due wages Blasphemers live swearing and dye raving it is but their wages 2. He punisheth some in the Suburbs of hell that they might never come into the City it self The evill he now suffers uncorrected he refers to be condemned Sin knows the doom it must smart here or hereafter Outward plagues are but favour in comparison of spirituall judgments and spirituall judgments but light to eternall torments God does not punish all flagitious sinners here that he may allow some space to repent and that none may doubt his promise of a Generall Iudgment nor does he forbear all here lest the world should deny his providence and question his justice MEMB. 6. 1. But what do I urge reason to men of a reprobate judgment to admonish them is to no more purpose then if one should speak to life-lesse stones or sense-lesse plants or wit-lesse beasts for they will never fear any thing till they be in Hell fire wherefore God leaves them to be confuted with fire and brimstone since nothing else wil doe it If there be any here that beleeve a Resurrection as I hope better things of some of you all such I would beseech by the mercies of God before mentioned that they would not be so desperately wicked as to mock their admonisher scoff at the means to be saved and make themselves merry with their owne damnations but that they would entertain this messuage as if it were an Epistle sent from God himself to invite and call them to repentance Yea consider seriously what I have said and do not Oh do not mock at Gods Word nor sport away your souls into those pains which are easelesse endlesse and remedilesse Shal we give an account at the day of judgement for every idle word we speak Mat. 12. 36. and never give a reckoning for our wicked swearing and cursing we shall be judged by our words v 37. Are you willing to be saved if you are Break off your sins by repentance Dan. 4. 27. Cease to do evill learn to doe well Isai. 1. 16. 17. Seriously grieve and bewail for the millions of times that you have blasphemed God and pierced your Saviour and never more commit the like impiety Yea doe not only leave your swearing but fear an Oath and make conscience of it resolve not to take the glorious name of God in vain nor place any other câ—eature in his roome though the Devill should say unto you as once he did to Christ All this will I give thee For it is not enough that we abstaine from evill unlesse we hate it also and doe the contrary good Sanctifie the Lord God in your heart 1 Pet 3. 15. Make a covenant with your mouth as Job did with his eyes and set a watch before the door of your lips that you thus offend not with your tongue Psal. 1413. 2. Which if you doe rightly the like care to avoid all other sins will necessarily follow because he that fears to commit one sin out of conscience and because God forbids it will upon the same ground fear all that his law forbids and as heartily and unfainedly desire that he may never The Printer to the Reader IT being observed that many meeting with some of this Authors Collections do earnestly enquire after the rest I think it not amisse to satisfie their desire and save them further labour by setting down the severals which are these The Cause and Cure of Ignorance Errour Enmity c. The Cure of Misprision or Mistake The Victory of Patience The Drunkards character with an addition The Character or Touch-stone of a true Beleever The Character of a formall Hypocrite or Civill Justiciarie Characters of the kindes of Preaching Compleat Armor against evill Societie Cordiall Counsell Gods goodnesse and Englands unthankfulnesse the second Edition that is divided into chapters and sections The first part of the Pastors Advocate An Abstract of the Drunkards Character already printed The second part of the Pastors Advocate The Arraignment and conviction of covetous cunning and cruel Governors Polititians Officers Judges Lawyers c. with the lovely and lively characters of Iustice Thankfulnesse Contentation Frugality Liberality c. The Laymans Library or the poor mans Paradise to be printed FINIS LONDON Printed by E. Cotes 1652.