descends from above but that only whereof Saint James speaks Jac. 3. v. 15. which is Earthly Sensual and Devillish and where that is there is nothing but Inconstancy a perpetual Symptome of the Drunkards Disease and all perverse Doing Sect. 4. Drunkenness the wrack of Chastity Never was it otherwise to be seen never was any Person never was any People or Nation infamed for the Sin of Drunkenness but the same was likewise ill spoken of for their unchast Luxury The Holy Scripture joyns them commonly together to wit Drunkenness and Luxury so saith the Prophet O see Chap. 4. v. 11. Fornicatio Vinum Ebrietas auferunt cor Fornication and Drunkenness take away the Heart from God And so saith the Apostle Saint Paul Sicut in die honeste ambulemus Let us walk honestly in the day not in Riot and Drunkenness not in Chambering and Wantonness Oculi tui videbunt extraneas c. Thine eyes saith Solomon applying his Speech to one overtaken with Wine shall look after Strange Women This his Wisdom taught us and it is much to be feared that his Weakness and unhappy Failings at the end of his days were a further proof of his Doctrine For we read 3 Reg 11. v. 1. that he had Seven hundred Wives ann Three hundred Concubines so many Women could not be entertain'd without much Wine averterunt mulieres cor ejus His Women turn'd away his Heart in his Old Age from serving God to the worshiping of Idols Chamos the Idol of Moab and Melcon the Abomination of the Ammonites This great and sad Example of Humane Frailty ought to be ever before our Eyes to put us in mind of what we ought to fear in case we chuse rather to follow the Evil Example than the good Counsel of this Great and Over-happy King Exodus 32. v. 6. is said of the Children of Israel being now fallen to Idolatry and having made themselves a Golden Calf to Worship instead of the True and Living God Sedit populus manducare bibere Surrexerunt ludere The People sate down to Eat and Drink and rose up to Play Which Play in this place signifies according to the Sense and Opinion of Learned Expositors not simple or harmless sports which People might use one with another without sin but a sinful Wantonness and liberty of Luxurious Actings which usually attended Idolatry and were as certain Priviledges and Immunites granted to the Attendants of Idolatrous Service They were unchaste Sports which the People gave themselves to after they had fill'd their Bellies with Wine and good Cheer in honour of the accursed Idol which still shews how inconsistent the Vertue of Chastity is with the Vice of Intemperance Lot the Nephew of Abraham is another sad instance of this truth who in his Drunkenness defiled himself with his two Daughters committing a double crime of Incest according as the holy Text relates it Lot after the destruction of Sodom dwelling in a Cave of the Wilderness alone with his Daughters they conspire together to have issue by their Father and to that end find means to make him drunk Come say they Genes 19. 31 32 36. our Father is old and there is not a man in the earth to come in to us after the manner of all the earth Come let us make our Father drink Wine and we will lye with him that we may preserve Seed of our Father Which resolution being forthwith effected the Text concludes Thus were both the Daughters of Loâ— with-child by their Father The example of Noah comes nigh also to this For though he were eveâ— by the testimony of God himselâ— Genes 7. v. 1. the only just anâ— righteous person then living in thâ— world yet happening to be over come by Wine he was found lyinâ— in such a manner as Chastity woulâ— have blusht at those parts beinâ— uncovered 3. It causeth Vain-glory in Wicked Actions 4. It causeth Filthiness and Vncleanness Sect. 1. The Excess of Meat and Drink causeth Immoderate Pleasure and Vanity IT cannot be denied but foolish and wanton Mirth immoderate Laughâ—er and those other Sensual Vanities which the World so much affects â—ave their Source in us from several Causes and are exercised upon seâ—eral Accounts yet for the most â—art they proceed from the Excess of â—eat and Drink they are as it were â—â— inseparable Adjunct though not â—â— essential Property of such Excess â—hey may be found and observ'd â—â—metimes where no such Excess is â—t such Excess is never found withâ—â—t them witness that of Exodus â—hap 32. v. 6. where it is said of the Children of Israel having newly made their Golden Calf and being very Jolly and Mirthful upon that occasion Sedit yopulus manducare bibere the people first sate down to Eat and Drink and having Eaten and Drink their fill then Surrexerunt ludere They rose up to Play they were then in a Disposition fit for idle Mirth and vain Pleasure They were then fit to Dance about the Golden Calf which they had caused Aaron to make witness also all Feasts and Banquets that are made where Wine and good Cheer being in Plenty and most commonly in Excess they seldomend but with Play anâ— vain Sport Singing Dancing or thâ— like as we see in the great Feast whicâ— King Herode made Principibus Tâ—â—bunis primis Galileae as Sainâ— Mark in his Gospel reports it Châ—â— 6. 21. to his Lords High Captains anâ— Chiif States of Galile upon his Birth day the Feast ended with Danciâ— and Sport which as the Holy Gospâ—â— shews Filia Herodiadis introiit c. The Daughter of Herodias came in and danced and in her Dancing so pleased Herod that with a rash Oath he swore to give her whatsoever she would ask though it were to the half of his Kingdom and she according to her Mothers Instruction desiring the Head of Saint John the Baptist the King though sad and troubled somewhat at her Request would not displease her So the Holy Man lost his Head to contenta Harlot and that was the end of a Riotous Feast Job that Good and Just Person knew and well considered all this and therefore we read of him that when his Sons and Daughters had Feasted and entertain'd one another with Wine and Good Cheer as their Custom was their Good and Careful Father did constantly at the end of every such Feast offer Sacrifice to God for them and for the expiation of the Sins they might have cmomitted in their Feasting and Jollity For so the Holy Text saith Job 1. 15. Consurgens diluculo offerebat holocausta pro singulis c. That he rose early and offered Burnt Offerings for every one of them Saying My Children it may be have sinned and offended God in their Mirth And thus he did continually Endeavouring thereby to the utmost of his Power that what by the Spirit of God he pronounceth of the wicked in another place viz. Chap. 21. v. 12 13. might not be verified
c. It was not so much by your design as by the will of God that I was sent hither Therefore Load your Beasts and go up to my Father into the Land of Canaan and bring him and all your Kindred from thence and I will give you of all the good things in Egypt and you shall eat the marrow of the Land Thus did the good Joseph requite the unkind wickedness and ill-will of his Brethren with love But what shall we say of the Royal Prophet King David how much was he hated by Saul and how often persecuted by him to so great extremity that he was in imminent danger of his life thereby yet he never hated Saul upon that account but did him all the good Offices he could saving him several times when he was in his power and that David might at once have ridded himself of a cruel Enemy and gained both Crown Scepter and Kingdom to which he had right sufficient being by Gods special appointment anointed King over Israel to succeed after Saul The good King found his Enemy fast asleep his Spear fixed in the ground at his head and Abner with all the rest of his people sleeping about him yet would he not hurt him And when Abisai one of the Captains of King David offer'd himself to dispatch Saul at one blow alledging some shew of reason for it Because God had now deliver'd his Enemy into his hands and he ought not to neglect the opportunity which Providence gave him of securing himself David would by no means listen to the motion but forbad him doing any such thing in these express words 1 Reg. 26. 9 10 11. Kill him not For who can extend his hand against the anointed of our Lord and be innocent Vivit Dominus quia nisi Dominus percusserit eum c. As our Lord liveth unless God shall strike him he shall not be stricken by me or that his day come to die or that descending into a Battle he perish so God be merciful to me I will not lift up my hand against our Lords Anointed The New Testament wants not innumerable other Examples of this kind namely the Examples of all the holy Martyrs both of ancient and late Times who following the Example of Christ our Saviour have ever prayed for their Enemies and Persecutors with such fervent Devotion and ardent Charity that very often their Enemies and Persecutors have been converted by that means and become great Saints and Martyrs themselves Look but into the Acts of the Apostles there you presently meet with the Blessed Martyr Saint Stephen in the midst of his Sufferings praying for his Enemies in these words Acts 7. v. 60. Domine ne statuas illis hoc peccatum Lord lay not this sin to their charge The effect of which Prayer was besides other not mentioned the present Conversion of Saint Paul one of his greatest Persecutors For behold while he was in his greatest fury against Christians and posting in all haste to Damascus with Commission and Design to make havock of the poor Church there as we read Acts 9. 4 17. Christ appeared to him saying Saul Saul why persecutest thou me As if he had said I should have lost thee standing so much against me and my name But my Servant and Martyr Stephen praying for thee for his sake you are a chosen Vessel unto me and shall bear my name before the Gentiles and Kings and Children of Israel In the same manner and for like reason it is reported by Saint Chrysostom of Saint James the Apostle that he who lead him to the Execution of his Martyrdom was so much moved with the great zeal and constancy of this holy Apostle that he ask'd him forgiveness for what he was to have done which the blessed Apostle most willingly gave him embracing him and saying to him Pax tibi sit Frater Peace be with thee my Broter At which Salutation the poor man was so animated and encouraged that he forthwith publickly professed himself to be a Christian and was upon that Confession made a Martyr having his head likewise cut off Let these few Examples suffise to give you strength and courage to do the same whensoever occasion shall require it of you At all times let us be prompt and willing to forgive our enemies seeing God is so ready at all times to forgive us having penitent recourse unto him Be not of the number of those who when duty requires of them to follow the example of Christ and to forgive and love their enemies make their excuse and say Christ was God and most Divinely perfect and consummate in all goodness but they are weak men and cannot reach so high perfection as to forgive and love enemies persecutors c. But in vain it is for them to use such speech it will not serve their turn it will be no just apology for them at the latter day And verily it is to be admired how such persons can say their Pater Noster or how they can address themselves to God to be forgiven in the terms they do For they say Dimitte nobis debita nostra sicut nos dimittâ—mus debitoribus nostris Forgive us our debts as we forgive our Debtors As we forgive others so let us be forgiven What iâ— this but to pronounce Sentence againsâ— our selves if we do not forgive others Delay not therefore to make good your promise and to discharge your obligation Forgive your enemies as you would be forgiven of God Love your enemies as you desire that God should love you For otherwise I do let you all know that who so hates his Neighbour or Enemy it matters not which all 's one in this case renders himself uncapable of begging forgiveness from God he is so far from obtaining his request that he cannot without most grievous sin and entangling his Soul with further guilt make such a request unless we do first lay aside all hatred by loving pardoning and forgiving our enemies in heart 't is in vain for us to expect any mercy from God It is against all reason that God should love him who is not in true Charity with all Those that wish harm to others and will not forgive injuries received it is evident they do not love they are not â—n true Charity and consequently not in God according to the Doctrine of the holy Apostle 1 Joan. 4. v. 8. He that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love Sect. 4. In what manner of Love we are to love our Neighbors and our Enemies According to what we have said in the two precedent Paragaphs we must not only love our Neighbors and our Enemies but we must also forgive them yea though they should be obstinate and not repent for what they have offended us but should rather continue and encrease their enmity towards us than seem to desire reconciliation For we are not to reflect upon their obstinacy or disaffections but to perform what is requir'd on our
filiarum Sion c. Our Lord saith he will make bald the Crown of the Head of the Proud Daughters of Sion and will discover their Baldness or want of Hair unto all In that day the Lord shall take away the bravery of their Ornaments their changes of Apparel their Gold Chains their Bracelets their Mantles their Crisping Pins their fine Linnen their Hoods and Vails and Looking-glasses the odour of their Perfumes and the sweet smells of Oyntments he will bereave them of all for their Pride and bring Deformity upon them instead of Beauty Take heed therefore and be admonished ye Proud and Unwise of this Nation What was denounced against the Daughters of Israel will be executed upon you the Daughters of England unless you repent and apply that Soveraign Remedy for this and all other Diseases of the Soul in due time and season SECTION II. Pride of Men in general SECT 1. Pride of the Spiritual Directors 2. Pride of Learned Men. 2. Pride of the better sort 4. Pride of Labouring Men Shop-keepers Servants 5. The Remedy for all the aforesaid Evils Sect. 1. The Self-pride of Spiritual Directors THat Vice that we are now enveying against is a spreading Gangreen which through tract of time and the inadvertency of Men hath overr-un and unhappily rooted it self more or less in all the Members of Christs Mystical Body that is in all sorts of Christians in all Degrees in all Orders in all States and Conditions of Men there is none entirely free from the infection of this Pest insomuch that the Holy Father Saint Cyprian reflecting hereupon and bemoaning the sad Condition of Christianity by means thereof in conclusion adds that even the Priest-hood was not free from it Etiam in Sinu Sacerdotum ambitio dormit Ambition saith he sleeps even in the Bosom of Priests This he spake to shew the growth of the Malady and no wonder for Satan we know when time was had the boldness to tempt Christ himself with this suggestion to that end taking him up into an exceeding high Mountain and there shewing him all the Kingdoms of the World and the Glory of them saying to him Mat. 4. v. 9. Omnia haec tibi dabo c. All these things will I give thee I will make thee King of the whole World thou shalt be the only Monarch upon Earth no Greatness shall be comparable to yours if you will fall down and worship me Thus he tempts our Saviour with a motion of Pride and desire to be great and though he were shamefully rebuked for his bold attempt and departed with confusion enough from Christ yet his Disciples could not so well perceive or resist his wiles To be overthrown by the Master did but whet his Appetite to be reveng'd on the Servants and therefore he wrought the matter so that it was not long before there fell a contention amongst the Disciples which of them should be greatest Luc. 22. v. 24. That is a Spirit of Pride and Ambition got in amongst them and it is no less to be fear'd that the Mother of Zebedaeus Ghildren and her Sons were taken with the same Spirit when she made that extravagant request to our Saviour which is mentioned Matth. 20. v. 21. namely that her two Sons might sit the one on his Right Hand the other on his Left Hand in his Kingdom These instances shew the Disciples were not altogether free of Emulations and Affections of Majority and Place one over another and one before another and though it be as little to be doubted but Christ our Saviour did presently and effectually by his exhortation to Humility repress those evil motions and purge his Disciples Hearts of the Venome they had swallowed yet in many of their successors it is too apparent these Diseases do still remain not without causing much of the like Distemper in other Christians who cannot be well edified by such ill examples Where yet I would have it noted that when our Saviour upon this occasion saith to his Disciples Luc. 22. v. 26. Vos autem non sic it shall not be so with you his meaning is not absolutely to forbid or condemn Superiority or Majority in it self but only the inordinate and undue affectation and seeking thereof in those who have it not and the exercising of it with Pride haughtiness of Mind and contempt of Inferiours in those that have it Sect. 2. The Self-pride of Learned Men. By Learned Men I understand generally Divines Canonists and such as Study the Laws Ecclesiastical or Temporal as well those which aim at the Cure of Souls as the Government and Well ordering of the Body Physicians and in a word all that makes profession of Learning or have taken the degrees of Learning in the Schools concerning all which sorts of Men there is one judgment to be given They are sick of this Distemper Go if you please through all the Towns and Cities through all the Schools and Academies of Christendom go through all Colledges and Courts of Law look into all the degrees of Learning you there meet with you will quickly observe and find that Pride and Ambtion Inordinate esteem of our selves and desire to be esteem'd by others are the predominant and prevailing Humors in all those places and with all such persons You will find that geneally speaking every one studies more for Benefit more for Honour and Glory than any thing else For who minds Vertue or Conscience who makes them the principal or chief end of their Study Who regards them further than they are serviceable to their Profit and to their Glory This Saint Bernard did very well observe in his time Many Study saith he meerly that they may know the thing they study for and the Holy Saint rightly calls the same a shameful Curiosity Many others study that they may be known to be famous and Great Men for Learning which he calls a shameful Vanity Many others beside do Study that they may sell their Science and Knowledge to others partly for Pride and Ostentation partly for Profit Interest Money c. Few or none being to be found that will Study purely for Charity sake that is to be able to teach and instruct others gratis having no other motive but the Love of God and their Neighbour Sect. 3. Self-pride of the Better sort By those of the Better sort I understand here all such as are of Civil Education and Life whose Condition although it doth not dignifie them with with any Title of Honour properly speaking yet their Vertues or their Fortune make them approach next to it This sort of People if they be Rich or that Fortune any thing favours them how apt are they to be puft up with this Flatus that is with the windiness of a proud and vain Spirit how apt are they to look with envy at their Equals and with an aspect of disdain and scorn towards their inferiours How little are they pleased that their Neighbour should be compared
ignorant with what exorbitancy this Vice did both reign and rage for many years together of late times the very lowest and meanest sort of People Coblers Brewers and other Mechanicks taking the liberty to dispise even the Highest Powers and most Sacred Dignities of the Nation having the King and all his Nobility in Scorn the Laws in Contempt and utterly rejecting whatsoever Commands His most Sacred Majesty thought fit to give for the good and security of His Kingdom and not only so but seizing at length upon His Sacred Person and by Injustice and Violence not to be parallelled in any History or Example save that of the Saviour of the World Pronouncing and Executing the Sentence of Death upon him as a Criminal who was most Innocent in the view of the World and using the same hard measure to many of his Chiefest and most Loyal Subjects Sect. 2. Contempts between Man and Wife The Extent and Dominion of this raging Vice being so large as it is and holding in subjection in a manner all Mankind tainted therewith no Place no Condition or Quality of Persons free it will not I hope seem inexpedient to take a short view of those several sorts of People wherein it principally resides and hath its most quotidian and constant effects These are first the State of Marriage or the Contempts which happen between Men and their Wives The second is of the Contempts that happen between Children and their Parents The third of that which happens between Servants and Masters The fourth of those between the Poor and the Rich and lastly those which fall out between the Wicked and the Just These or most of these several Contempts the Holy Scripture mention and first that which happens in the Married Estate In the Book of Esther you will find how the Queen Vasthi having by the seven Chief Eunuchs and Officers of the Kingdom received a special Command from the King Assuerus her Husband to appear before him Crowned and in her Royal Attire she would not obey his Command though she were both his Subject and Wife but refused to come contemning at once both his Royal Command and Loving Request But what came of her Contempt Verily that which Justice required The King being highly incensed at her undutifulness and to give an exemplary Caution or Warning to all other Women not to despise their Husbands nor to have their Persons and Commands in Contempt put her away from being any longer his Queen or Wife and chose another in her stead namely Queen Esther of the Race of the Jews See Esther Chap. 1. v. 21 22 2. 17. Sect. 3. Contempts between Children and Parents The Holy Scripture also taketh notice of the great Contempts which Children sometimes much contrary to their Duty shew towards their Parents giving also a great and strict charge to have all such Contempts speedily and severely punished for the example and terror of others There is a remarkable passage to this purpose in the Book of Deuteronomy Chap. 21. v. 18. where we read thus Si genuerit homo filium contumacem protervum c. If a Man beget a Son that is Stubborn and Rebellious not obeying the Voice of his Father nor the Voice of his Mother and being chastized by them will not regard it his Father and Mother shall lay hold on him and bring him out to the Ancients of the City and to the place of Judgment and shall say this our Son is Stubborn and Rebellious and dispiseth to hear our Counsels and all the Men of that City shall Stone him with Stones that he die So shall you put away evil from you and all Israel shall hear and fear This was the Law against a Son that despised and contemned his Parents he was to be Stoned to Death by all the People every Mans Hand was to be against him and chiefly those of his wronged and grieved Parents Alas what would it be if this Law were now to be reviv'd or put in execution I tremble to think how many Parents it would leave Childless amongst Christians How many Children are there now-a-days to be seen that have their Parents in scorn How many are there that will be ashamed to acknowledge their Father and Mother yea how many are there that not only despise and contemn their Parents and are so far from honouring and loving them as they ought that they fear not to curse them with Heart and Tongue and to wish evil to them to wish they were dead as being weary of them and greedily looking to have what they leave Sect. 4. Contempt between Servants and Masters But what shall we say of Servants that contemn their Masters and Mistrisses upon pretence that they are miserable and hard to them or too harsh and severe shall they upon this account be allowed to contemn their Persons or to neglect their affairs or to refuse to do what they are Commanded Shall we give Servants leave to have their Masters in scorn and derision for these Reasons or to murmur complain and speak evil of them when they are reprov'd or corrected for their faults By no means But on the contrary We must cause them to know what their Duty what Christianity requires of them the sum whereof is thus set down by Saint Paul Ephes 6. 5. 6. 7. Servi obedite dominis carnalibus cum timore c. Servants saith he be obedient to them that are your Masters according to the Flesh with fear and trembling in singleness of heart as unto Christ with good will doing service as unto our Lord and not to Men c. and by Saint Peter 1 Pet. 2. 18. who requires Servants to be subject to their Masters with all fear and that not only to the good and gentle sed etiam dyscolis but even to the froward and ungentle So that there is no excuse no plea for the Servants contemning his Master or making light of his Person Authority Words and they that will do otherwise wo unto them I say wo unto them for so that Wise Master King Solomon hath pronounced long since Viâ—o qui corripientem dura cervice contemnit repentinus ei superveniet interitus c. The Man that despiseth to hear reproof especially having for his offence deserv'd to hear it a sudden destruction shall overtake him health shall be far from him Sect. 5. Contempts between the Poor and Rich. Others are to be found that have the Poor too much in Contempt and attribute all their necessities to negligence and carelessness on the Poors part but very unjustly the poor for a great part of them being innocent of that charge and to their power diligent and careful But it is crime enough to be poor If you be poor you are sure enough to be slighted and contemned be your innocency and your case what it will for though as the Wise Man saith Ecclus 10. 23. it be not expedient to despise the Poor Man that hath understanding it is
can they produce so much as one Catholique Person in England that had his hand in any of those Bloudy Actions but many may be produced who suffered all that men could suffer in this World to prevent and hinder them to the Praise of God and their Conscience Protestants therefore may see that We Catholiques have greater reason to have their Persons in Contempt and Hatred upon the account of Treason than they ours if that were justifiable but we think it is not and therefore proceed Sect. 7. Contempts between Nations and Nations In the same manner are to be apprehended all those that take pleasure and make it their sport to speak contemptuously and slightingly of whole Nations Countries Kingdoms Peoples An evil Disease this is under the Sun and the symptome of a very bad Humor arguing a great want both of Charity and Prudence What can be worse than to be continually censuring and undervaluing the Common and Publique behaviour or Manners of People the Customs of Places in which perhaps they never were to be Ey-witness of any thing It may be that some Countries Nations Provinces Kingdoms are addicted to some particular Things which are displeasant unto us yea perhaps not so agreeable to Reason or Vertue What if they be are we altogether free of the like Are there no evil Conditions no evil Customs no ill Manners to be observ'd amongst us that may be as justly displeasing to them If we censure them for some particular things perhaps we our selves are more guilty in others We take notice of the Vice of Nations and People but we over see their Vertues which for ought is certain to the contrary they may excel us For this we know that as to Persons so to Nations God distributeth his particular Gifts according to his good pleasure which Gifts we are not to contemn but should endeavour to obtain our business should not be to spy and to take notice of other Mens Faults and Imperfections but to amend our own studying to be more perfect and vertuous our selves It is well known that the Greeks are generally speaking more Eloquent than others Brasilians more Chaste Spaniards more Ingenious Italians more fix'd and constant in their Judgments Germans more Sincere the French more Nimble and Active Polonians are more Hospitable to Strangers and Pilgrims the English more Civil one towards another the Scotch more Frugal and those of the Low Countries more Industrious and willing to Labour All which Vertues and particular Endowments we should rather acknowledge and commend in them as the Gifts of God than take upon us impertinently to censure them or have the whole Nation in Contempt because we forsooth do not fancy their manners a thing conttary to all Reason Justice Charity and the Law of God which commands us to love and esteem our Neighbours as we love and esteem our Selves SECTION IV. Of Gods Indignation towards Contemners SECT 1. Malediction upon Contemners either of God or their Neighbour 2. Malediction upon Contemners of Parents and Relations 3. Malediction upon those that contemn their Kings and Princes 4. Malediction upon those that contemn their Neighbours 5. Remedy against the contemning of others 6. A Reflection upon the whole Matter fore-going Sect. 1. Malediction upon Contemners either of God or their Neighbours THe wise Solomon in his Proverbs by the Spirit of God speaks thus Chap. 1. v. 24. Quia vocavi renuistis c. For as much as I have called and ye refused to come I have stretched out my hand and there was none that would regard But you have despised all my counsel and would none of my reproof Therefore shall a sudden Calamity fall upon you and Destruction as a tempest shall seize you c. Against whom is this threatned but such as despise God neglect and fear not to transgress his holy Commandements contemn and slight his Word his Counsels his Exhortations Admonitions threatnings that are unthankful for Mercies and Favours received and being gently scourged and corrected by him do not amend their Lives Against these and the like Divine Wisdom by the Pen and by the Mouth of this Wise King denounceth this Woe and not in vain for that such Vengeance hath followed Obstinate and Impudent Sinners Holy Scriptures do abundantly declare Witness in the first place Pharaoh King of Egypt who for his contemning of God and hardening his heart against the People of Israel contrary to the Commandment of God after innumerable Plagues sent upon Him and His People was finally himself and His mighty Army drowned in the Sea which while they pursued the People of Israel returned upon them and overwhelmed them all without exception so that they sunk â—ike Stones into the bottom thereof Exod. 14. v. 27 28. Esau Jacob's Brother is another like Example who for contemning Gods Benefits â—amely his Birth-right which was not only a Perogative and Priviledge of Humane Right but also an assured Token and Pledge of Divine Benediction to all that liv'd well and were worthy of it was justly deprived of both that is of his Birth-right and of the Blessing which his Father Isaac out of his private Affection intended him How he undervalued his Birth-right we read Gen. 25. 32 33 34. where being hungry he sold it to his Brother Jacob for a Mess of Pottage En morior Behold I die saith he and what will this Birth-right avail me And that he lost Gods Blessing thereby that is by so slighting and making light of that which was a Sacred Thing appears by the Apostle Heb. 12. 16 17. who calls him a Profane Person for so doing and says that he found no place of Repentance that is so as to recover his Birth-right and that Blessing belonging to it though he sought it with tears Sect. 2. Malediction upon the Contemners of Parents and Relations As concerning those that have their Parents in Contempt nothing can be less doubted but they are all of them under Divine Malediction The Commandment it self concerning the Duty of Children to their Parents implying so much for in being commanded to honour our Parents that our days may be long upon earth which is a principal Blessing we are at the same time admonished that if we do not honour them as we ought our days shall be few and short upon Earth which is to want and fall short of the Blessing But Deut. 27. 16. it is more expresly denounced in these words Maledictus qui non honorat c. Cursed be he that seteth light by his Father or Mother and Prov. 30. 17. it is said The Eye that mocketh at his Father and despiseth to obey his Mother the Ravens of the Valley shall pick it out and the Young Eagles shall eat it Rebellious Absalon was such a despiser and therefore a like Judgment met him and took him away He so far despised his Father King David that he endeavour'd to deprive him of his Kingdom and make himself King pretending to have more knowledge