should know but a greater sinne to be ignorant of that wee haue mâ—anes to know Ignorance may â—e distinguished into fiue kindes Humane naturall affected inuincible proud and puffed vp 1 The first is humane This is not sinfull as in Adam not to know his nakednesse nor Sathans subtiltie So in the Angels yea euen in the head of Angels Christ himselfe as man not to know the latter day Proprium est naturae humanae futura ignorare It is a thing simply proper to the nature of man to be ignorant of future things No legall iniunction binds vs to it no censure shall passe against vs for the want of it This is called ignorantia iusta an vnfaulty ignorance 2 The second is naturall called ignorantia inâ—irmitatis vel imperitiae the ignorance of infirmitie incident to mans nature since his fall For desiring to know more hee knew lesse This is the effect of sinne sinne in it selfe and the caâ—se of sinne It was bred by transgression it doth breed transgression and is no lesse then transgression of it owne nature for Gods law binds vs to the knowledge of his law The blinde swallowes many a flye the ignorant cannot be innocent This is ignorantia simplex inuoluntaria priuatiuae as the Schoole calls it A sinne which the Papists generally and I feare many Protestants particularly neuer repent of Dauid doth It is this that makes vs aliants from God Hauing the vnderstanding darkned being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them and through the blindnesse of their heart Saint Paull cals his ignorance the cause of his sinnes Et nescius seruâ—s poenas luit saith Christ euen the ignorant seruant shall be beaten with some stripes Therefore my people are gone into captiuitie because they haue no knowledge A Prophecie mistically fulfilled in these dayes in respect of our spirituall bondage to Sathan The God of this world hauing blinded the mindes of vnbeleeuers This ignorance cannot excuse for wee are bound to know The breach of our Nationall statutes cannot goe impune by the plea of Ignorance It may a tanto not a toto a little quallifie and allay our punishments not annihilate them This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Folly and hee that drinkes of â—ollies cup shall haue little cause to licke his lips after it Nature is a common schoole-master and the Gentiles sinning against that monitor iustly perish For the inâ—â—sible things of God may be vnderstood by the things that are made so that they are without excuse Euen the errours of the Iewes had their sacrifices and shall not the ignoraâ—ces of the Christians cry God mercy This ignorance is sinfull yea euen in those that cannot haue â—he meanes of knowledge 3. The third is an aâ—fected ignorance This is the conedmnation that light is come into the world and men loued darknesse rather then light becausâ— their deedes were euill These shut their eares when God calleth and being housed in their secuâ—itie will not steppe to the dore to see if the Sunne shines This ignorance if I may say so doth reside rather in their affections then vnderstanding part They wilâ—ully know not saith S. Peter They know but will not know and runne with broad eyes to distruction Tell them that Christ is at Ierusalem no it is too â—arre off Nay venit ad limina virtus the kiâ—gdome of Heauen is among you then if they must needs goe to Church they will goe hooded Pâ—eiudice of affections shall muffle the eyes of knowledge Thus the Deuill carryes them quietly to Hell as the Falconer his hooded Hawke which bare-fac'd would bayte and be too wild to sit on his â—ist These sometimes haue gray haires and greene affections Like a man that being borne neere a great Citie yet neuer trauelled to it He can direct others the way he neuer went These to auoyd that â—ault which the Traueller found in England horologia non benè ordinata that our clockes were not well kept he ment our houres were ill spent will haue no clocke at all in their house to tell them how their time passeth no informer of their erring wayes And as if a candle would set their house on fire they liue perpetually in the darke Micah was glad hee had got a Priest these are glad they are got farre from a Priest and had as liefe goe to Hell darkling as with a torch 4. There is an Inuincible Ignorance when God hath naturally darkned the vnderstanding by a sore punishment of originall sinne Idioticum hoc No art nor eloquence can put knowledge into that heart which nature hath not opened to receiue it as no minde can be opened which God hath locked vp Hee keepes the keyes hee openeth and no man shutteth he shutteth and no man openeth The dore of this mind is so fast barred vp that no helpe of man can open it Neither can there be in this a complaint against Gods Iustice since that our first sinne hath deserued a greater punishment 5. The last is a proud Ignorance whereof there is no hope saith Solomon The other is inuincible but indeed this more inuincible a foole is sooner taught So Christ foyled the Pharises with their owne weapons and proued their weakenes by their arguments for their owne strength If you were blinde you should haue no sinne but now you say wâ—e see therefore your sinne remaineth The Pharises though blinde will be Seers Nicodemus a Master in Israell and yet knew nothing of regeneration Nihil grauius quam si id quod ignorat quis scire se credat There is nothing more grieuous then that a man should be perswaded hee knowes that soundly whereof hee is totally ignorant Therefore saith Chrysostome Praestat proba ignorationâ— detineri quam falsa opinione mancipari It is better to be held in with an honest ignorance then to runne out vpon a false opinion It is hard plowing in the ground not stocked ill writing in a paper full of lines These flye from instruction as the Tyger from the trumpet Others are comprehended of the light these thinke they comprehend the light when as the Apostle saith they are held of darknes Let vs now see which of these ignorances is here ment I answere exempting the first Sathans Harlot Vice hath guests of all these sorts Many that goe after her as an Oxe to the slaughter or as a foole to the correction of the stockes Some â—unne to the Banket and know not some know and runne all are fooles and destitute if not of naturall yet of spirituall vnderstanding To this purpose she apteth her speech here Who so is simple let him turne in hither and as for him that wanteth vnderstanding shee saith c. Knowledge is good yet if disioyned from grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is nothing Nihil in esse gratiae quamuis aliquid in esse naturae
without his suâ—ficient sorrow actiue and passiue mischiefes if the morning wine should not enflame them They that are daily guests at the Deuils table know the fashions of his Court they must be drunke at the entrance It is one of his lawes and a Physicke-bill of hell that they must not wash till they haue drunke These Waters are to be applied inwardly first and once taken downe they are fitted to swallow any morsell of damnation that shall afterwards be presented them Water was the first drinke in the world and Water must be the first drinke at the Deuils Banket There is more in it yet The Deuill shewes a tricke of his wit in this title Water is a good creature and many coelestiall things are shadowed by it 1. It is the element wherein wee were baptised 2. And dignified to figure the grace of the holy Spirit Yet this very â—ame must be giuen to Sinne. Indeede I know the same things are often accepted in diuers senses by the langâ—â—ge of Heauen Leauen is est-soones taken for hypocriâ—ie as in the Pharises for Atheiâ—me as in the Sâ—dduces for Profâ—nenesse as in the Hâ—rodians And generally for Sinne by Paul 1 Cor. 5. Yâ—t by Christ for grace Luke 13. God is compared to a Lyon Amos. 3. And Christ is called the Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah Apocal. 5. And the Deuill is called a Lyon A roaring Lyon c. 1. Pet. 5. Christ was figured by a Serpent Ioh. 3. And to a Serpent is Satan compared 2 Cor. 11. Stones are taken in the worst sense Matth. 3. God is able of these stones to raise c. Stones in the best sense 1. Pet. 2. Liuing stones and Christ himselfe the headstone of the corner Psal. 118. Be like children saith Paul and not like children be children in simplicitie not in knowleâ—ge Graces are called Waters so here vices but the attribute makes the difference Those are liuing Waters these are the Waters of death The Deuill in this playes the Machiauell but I spare to follow this circumstance here because I shall meete it againe in the next branch Bread of secrecies Sinnes may in some sense be likened to waters yea euen to waters in the Cup for to waters in the Sea they are most like The one drownes not more bodies then the other soules They know the danger of the Sea that proâ—ecute their businesse in great waters they might know the hazards of Siâ—ne that saile in the Deuils Barge of luxurie I may say of them both with the Poet. Digitis à morte râ—moti quatuor aut septem si sit latissimataeda They are within foure or seauen Inches of death how many soules are thus shipwrackt how many weepe out a De profundis that would not sing the songs of Syon in the Land of the liuing they forgot Ierusalem in their mirth and therefore sit downe and howle by the waters of 〈◊〉 but these here are Festiuall not Marinall wateâ—s 1. Water is an enemie to digestion so is Sinne clogging the memorie the soules stomach with such cruditâ—es of vice that no sober instructions can bee digested in it especially Waters hurt digestion in these cold Countries naturally cold in regard of the Climate but spiritually more cold in deuotion Frosen vp in the dregs of Iniquitie Surely many of our Auditours drinke too deepe of these Waters before they come to Iacobs Well our Waters of heauenly doctrine will not downe with them The Waters of sinne so put your mouths out of tast that you cannot rellish the Waters of Life they are Marah to your palates It seemes you haue beene at the Deuils Banket and therefore thirst not after righteousnesse The Cup of the old Temptation hath filled you you scorne the Cup of the New Testament If you had not drunke too hard of these Waters you would aske Christ for his liuing Water but Achan hath drunke cursed Gold when hee should come before Ioâ—uah Gehâ—â—i hath drunke Bribes when hee should come to Elisha No maruell if you sucke no Iuyce from the Waters of God when you are so full and drunken with the Waters of Sathan 2. Water duls the braine and renders the spirits obtuse and heauie It is an enemie to literature saith Horace merrily Who in a Rithme rehearses That wâ—ter drinkers neuer make good Vearses Wee haue no skill in the himnes of the spirit no alacritie to praise God no wisedome to pray to him why wee haue drunke of these stollen waters The chilling and killing colde of our Indeuotion the morose and raw humours of our vncharitablenesse the foggy dull stupid heauinesse of our inuincible ignorance shew that wee haue beene too busie with these Waters nothing will passe with vs but rare and nouell matters Ieiunus rarò stomachus vulgaria temnit and in these we study to admire the garbe not to admit the profit 3. Wee finde Grace compared to Fire and gracelesnesse to water the Spirit came downe on the Apostles in the likenesse of firie tongues at the day of Pentecost and Iohn Baptist testifies of CHRIST that hee should Baptise with the Holy Ghost and with Fire The spirit of sinne falls on the heart like a cold deaw It is implied Reuel 3.15 that zeale is hote wickednesse colde neutrallitie luke-warme Fire is hot and drie Water is cold and moyst praedominantly and in regard of their habituall qualities so zeale is 1. hote no incendiary no praeter-naturall but a supernaturall heate equally mixed with Loue and Anger such was Elias zeale for the Lord of Hostes he could not be cold in this life that went vp in Fire to Heauen 2. Drie not like Ephraim a Cake baked on the one side but crude and raw on the other no the heate of zeale hath dried vp the moisture of prophanenesse But wickednesse is 1. colde a gelid nature a numnesse in the Conscience that as when the Ayre is hotest the Springs are coldest so when the Sunne of Grace warmes the whole Church is yet shaking of an Ague nay and will not creepe like Simon Peter to the fire 2. Moist not succus sanguinis plenum full of iuyce and sappe but sinne runnes like a colde rheume ouer the Conscience This metaphor followes Saint Paul Quench not the Spirit wherein hee fully iustifies this circumstance forbidding the water of impietie to quench the fire of Grace Here then see the impossibilitie of vniting the two contrary natures in one conscience as of reconciling Fire and Water into the same place time and subiect If sinne keepe court in the Conscience and sit in the Throne of the Heart Grace dares not peepe in at the gates or if it doth with colde entertainement I haue heard report of a generation of men that carry Fire in the one hand and Water in the other whose conuersation mingles Humentia siccis Wet and Drie together like the Syriphian Frogs in Pliny whose challenge
was mihi terra lacusque I haue Land and Sea for my walke but alas if the water be true water of sinne beleeue it the Fire is but a false fire the blaze of hypocrisie but the Hermite turned his guest out of dores for this tricke that hee could warme his colde hands with the same breath wherewith hee cooled his hot pottage 4. Water is a baser Element and I may say more elementary more mixt and as it were Sophisticate with transfusion Fire is in the highest Region the purest Element and next to Heauen this is the seate of grace non inferiora secuta scorning the lower things Sinne is like water of a ponderous crasse grosse stinking and sinking nature They that haue drunke the Cup of slumber had need to be bidden Awake and stand vp for they are sluggish and laid Grace though in the Orbe of Sinne yet hath her conuersation in Heauen and cor repositum vbi proemium depositum her heart laid vp where her loue and treasure is her motto is non est mortale quod opto She hath a holy aspiration and seeketh to be as neere to God as the clogge of flesâ— will let her Sinne is like water though raging with the surges and swellings and onely bounded in with Gods non vltra here I will stay thy proud waues yet deorsum ruit whiles these waters swimme in the heart the heart sinkes downe like a stone as Nabals 5 Phisitians say that water is a binder you may apply it that men in these dayes are terrible water-drinkers for the times are very restrictiue you may as well wring Hercules Clubbe out of his fist as a penny from auarices Purse Mens hearts are costiue to part with any thing in pios vsus their hands clutch't dores shut purses not open nay the most laxatiue prodigals that are lauish and letting-flie to their lusts are yet heart-bound to the poore It is a generall disease procured be these waters to be troubled with the griping at the heart Such were the Kine of Bashan soluble to their owne lusts bring let vs drinke bound vp and strait-laced to the poore not refreshing but oppressing not helping but crâ—shing the needy they greeue not for Ioseph nay they greeue Ioseph These Kine are dead but their Calues are in England abundantly multiplied These are not the dayes of peace that turne Swordes into Sickles but the dayes of pride wherein the Iron is knocked off from the plough and by a new kinde of Alchymistrie conuerted into plate The Farmers painefulnesse runnes into the Mercers Shop and the toyling Oxe is a sacrifice and prey to the cunning Foxe all the racked rents in the Country will not discharge the Bookes in the Citie Great men are vnmercifull to their Tenants that they may be ouer-mercifull to their Tendents that stretch them as fast as they retch the others The sweat of the labourers browes is made an ointment to supple the ioynts of Pride Thus two malignant Planets raigne at once and in one heart costiue couetousnesse and loose lauishnesse like the Serpent Amphisboena with a head at each end of the body who whiles they striue which should be the Master-head afflict the whole carkase whiles Couetise and Pride wrastle the Estate catcheth the fall They eate Men aliue in the Countrey and are themselues eaten aliue in the Citie what they get in the Hundreth they loose in the Sheere Sic proedae patet esca sui they make themselues plumpe for the prey â—or there are that play thâ— robbe-theefe with them Vnius compendium alterius dispendium if there be a winner there must be a looser Serpens Serpentem deuorando fit Draco Many Landlords are Serpents to deuoure the poore but what are they that deuoure those Serpents Dragons You see what monsters then vsurious Citizens are Thus whiles the Gentleman and the Citizen shuffle the Cardes together they deale the poore Commons but a very ill game These are the similitudes I could also fit you with some discrepancies 1. Waters mundifie and clense these soile â—nd infect the Conscience growes more speckled by them till men become not onely spotted but spots as Lucan sayd of the wounded body totum est pro vulnere corpâ—â— the whole body was as one wound 2. Adde that waters quench the thirst and coole the heate of the body but these waters rather fire the heart and inflame the affections puffe the Splene which swolne all the other parts pine and languish into a Consumption the heart is so blowne with lustes that all the graces of the soule dwindle like blasted Impes these are aquae soporiferae waters of slumber that cast the soule into a dead sleepe whiles the Deuill cauterizeth and seares vp the Conscience 3. Wee say of water it is a good Seruant though an ill Master but wee cannot apply it to Sinne it is not good at all indeed lesse ill when it serues then when it raignes if this false Gibeonite will needs dwell with thee set him to the basest Offices So Israel kept in some Canaanites lest the wilde Beasts should come in vpon them our infirmities and mastred sins haue their vse thus to humble vs with the sense of our weakenes lest the furious beasts of pride and securitie breake into our freeholds But sinne of it selfe is good neither Egge nor Bird neither in Root nor Branch neither Hot nor Cold neither in the Fountaine nor in the Vessell The pluralitie of these waters prolongs and determines my speech their nature is not more pernicious then their number numerous indesinita locutio infinita turba an vndefined word an vnconfined number If there were but one cup alone it would cloy and satiate and procure loathing as euen Manna did to Israell therefore Satan doth diuersifie his drinkes to keepe the wicked mans appetite fresh and sharpe If he be weary of one sinne behold another stands at his elbow hath Diues din'd hee may walke vp to his study and tell his Money his Bags his Idols or call for the Key of his Wardrobe to feede his proud eye with his Silkes for Diuitiae deliciae Riches and Pleasures serue one anothers turne If Nabal be weary of counting his Flockes or laying vp their Fleeces he may goe and make himselfe drunke with his sheep-shearers Hence it is that ex malis moribus oriuntur plurim leges to meet with the multiplicitie of sinnes there is required a multitude of lawes as when Phisitians grow rich it is an euident signe of an infected Common-wealth Sinne stood not single in Gods view when hee threatens so fearefull a punishment as the whole Booke againe can not match it Therefore the Land shall mourne and euery one that dwelleth therein shall languish with the beasts of the Field with the Fowles of Heauen yea the Fishes of the Sea also shall be taken away an vniuersall vastation but as 1. priuately there was no Truth yet if
and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them But when they are once in they finde themselues deceaued for the dead are there c. Then put no trust in so weake comforts that will be vnto you as Egypt to Israel a Reed which when you leane vpon it will not onely faile you but the splinters shall run into your hand You shall be ashamed of your weake confidence The Burden of the beasts of the South Into the land of trouble c. I am no Prognosticator Yet if Cosmographie affirme that wee liue in a Southerne Climate and experience testifie that wee haue many beasts among vs methinkes these words lie as fit for vs as if they were purposely made How many in our land by losse of Conscience are become Atheists and by losse of Reason beasts who run so fast to this Egiptian feast of wickednesse that hee speakes easiest against them that speakes but of a Burden These hauing found Sathans temptations true for the daintinesse iudging by their owne lusts dare also take his word for the continuance But if the great Table of this Earth shall be ouerthrowne what shall become of the dainties that the hand of nature hath set on it To which purpose saith Ierome Oh si possemus in talem ascendere speculam de qua vniuersam terram sub nostris pedibus cerneremus iam tiâ—i ostenderem totius orbis ruinas c. If it could be granted vs to stand on some lofty Pinacle from which wee might behold the whole earth vnder our feete how easily perswasion would make these earthly pleasures seeme vile in thy opinion You saâ— your pleasures are for number manifold for truth manifest for dimension great grant all though all be false yet they are for time short for end sowre Breue est quod delectat aeternum quod cruciat It is short that pleaseth them euerlasting that plagueth them Pleasure is a channell and Death the sea whereinto it runs Mellifâ—uus ingressus fâ—llifluus regressus yeeld your ioyes sweet at the Porch so you grant them bitter at the Posterne Securus et Securis must meete Wickednesse and wretchednesse must be made acquainted The lewd mans dinner shall haue that rich mans Supper Thou foole this night thy soule shall be required of thee The Deuill then you see is a crafty and cheating hoast whose performance falls as short of his promise as time doth of eternitie Let then the Apostles caueat be the vse of this obseruation Let no man deceiue you with vaine words for because of these things commeth the wrath of God on the children of disobedience The punishments of the wickâ—d are most vsually in the like proper and proportionable to their offences 1. Solomon here opposeth the house of mourning to the house of feasting as in expresse termes Eccleâ— 7. for as it is fit in the body that surfet should be followed with death so these that greedily make themselues sicke with sinne become iustly dead in soule 2. They haue affected the workes of hell therefore it is iust that hell should affect them and that euerie one should be granted their â—wne place 3. As they would not know what they did till they had done it so they fitly know not the place whither they shall goe till they are in it Nescit hee knoweth not c. 4. For the high places which their ambition climbed to Ver. 14. They are cast downe like Lâ—cifer to the lowest place the depth of Hell As Simon Magus would flye with arrogance so he came dowâ—e with a vengeance and broke his necke See how fitly they are quâ—ted They eate the bread of wickednesse and drinke the wine of violence now they are scanted of both except they will eate the bread of gall and drinke their owne teares Thus Pharaoh drownes the Hebrew males in a Riuer Exod. 1. therefore is drowned himselfe with his army in a sea Exod. 14. He had laide insupportable burdens on Israell God returnes them with full weight number measure When Israell had cut off the thumbs and great toes of Adoni-bezek heare the maimed King confesse the equitie of this Iudgment Threescore and ten Kings hauing their thumbs and great toes cut off gathered their meate vnder my table as I haue done so God hath requited me As proud Baiazeth threatned to serue Tamberlaine being conquered to imprison him in a cage of iron and carry him about the world in triumph so the Scithian hauing tooke that bragging Turke put him to the punishment which hiâ—selfe had lesson'd carrying and carting him through Asia to be scorned of his owne people Thus Haman is hanged on his owne gallowes Perillus tries the tricke of his owne torment The Papists that would haue fired vs in a house were themselues fired out of a house Gunpowder spoyled some of their eyes Musket-shot killed others the Engines of their owne conspiracie and the rest were aduanced higher by the head then the Parliament-house that would haue lifted vs higher of purpose to giue vs the more mortall â—all God hath â—etaliated their workes into their owne bosomes They trauelled with iniquitie conceiued mischiefe and loe the birth is their owne sorrow They haue digged a pit for vs and that low vnto Hell and are falne into it themselues Nec enim lex aequior vlla est Quà m necis artifices artâ— perire sua No iuster Law can be deuis'd or made Then that sinnes agents fall by their owne trade The order of Hell proceedes with the same degrees though it giue a greater portion yet the same proportion of torment These wretched guests were too busie with the waters of sinne behold now they are in the depth of a pit where no water is Diues that wasted so many Tunnes of Wine cannot now procure water not a Pot of water not a handfull of water not a drop of water to coole his tongue Desiderauit guttam qui non dedit micam A iust recompence Hee would not giue a crumme he shall not haue a drop Bread hath no smaller fragment then a crumme water no lesse fraction then a drop As he denied the least comfort to Lazarus liuing so Lazarus shall not bring him the least comfort dead Thus the paine for sinne answeres the pleasure of sinne Where now are those delicate moisels deepe carowses loose laughters proud poâ—t midnight reuels wanton songs Why begins not his fellow-guest with a new health or the Musicke of some rauishing note or if all faile hath his foole-knauish Parasite no obscene iest that may giue him delight Alas Hell is too melancholly a place for mirth All the Musicke is round-ecchoing groanes all the water is muddie with stench all the food anguish Thus damnable sinnes shall haue semblable punishments and as Augustine of the tongue so wee may say of any member Si non reddet Deo faciendo quae debet reddâ—t ei patiendo quae debet If it will
better life is the soule spoiled of when sinne hath taken it captiue The Adultresse will hunt for the precious life She is ambitious and would vsurpe Gods due and claime the heart the soule Hee that doth loue her destroyeth his owne soule Which shee loues not for it selfe but for the destruction of it that all the blossomes of grace may dwindle and shrinke away as bloomes in a nipping Frost and all our comforts runne from vs as flatterers from a falling Greatnesse or as Vermine from an house on fire Nay euen both thy liues are endangered The wicked man goâ—â—h after her as a foole to the correction of the stâ—ckes till a 〈◊〉 strike through his liuer as a bird hasteth to the snare and knoweth not that it is for his life It is as ineuitably true of the spirituall Harlots mischiefe For the turning away of the simple shall slay them Saue my life and take my goods saith the prostrate and yeelding Traueller to the theefe But there is no mercy with this enemie the life must pay for it She is worse then that inuincible Nauy that threatned to cut the throates of all Men Women Infants but I would to God shee might goe hence againe without her errand as they did and haue as little cause to bragge of her conquests Thus haue wee discribed the Temptresse The Tempted followes who are here called the Dead There be three kindes of death corporall spirituall eternall Corporall when the body leaues this life Spirituall when the soule forsakes and is forsaken of grace Eternall when both shall be throwne into hell 1. is the seperation of the soule from the body 2. is the seperation of body and soule from grace 3. the seperation of them both from euerlasting happinesse Man hath two parts by which hee liues and two places wherein he might liue if hee obayed God Earth for a time Heauen for euer This Harlot Sin depriues either part of man in either place of true life and subiects him both to the first and second death Let vs therefore examine in these particulars first what this death is and secondly how Sathans guests the wicked may be said liable thereunto 1. Corporall death is the departure of the soule from the body whereby the body is left dead without action motion sense For the life of the body is the vnion of the soule with it For which essentiall dependance the soule is often called and taken for the life Peter said vnto him Lord why cannot I follow thee now I will lay downe my soule for thy sake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his soule meaning as it iâ— translated his life And He that findeth his soule shall loose it but hee that looseth his soule for my sake shall finde it Here the Soule is taken for the Life So that in this death there is the seperation of the soule and body the dissolution of the person the priuation of life the continuance of death for there is no possible regresse from the priuation to the habite except by the supernaturall and miraculous hand of God This is the first but not the worst death which sinnâ— procureth And though the speciall deaâ—nesse of the guests here be spirituall yet this which we call naturall may be implied may be applied for when God threatned death to Adams sinne in illo die mâ—riâ—ris in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die yet Adam liued nine hundred and thirtie yeares after There was notwithstanding no delay no delusion of Gods decree for in ipso die in that very day death tooke hold on him and so is the Hebrew phrase dying thou shalt dye fall into a languishing and incurable consumption that shall neuer leaue thee till it bring thee to thy graue So that hee instantly dyed not by present seperation of soule and body but by mortallitie mutabillitie miserie yea by sorrow and paine as the instruments and agents of Death Thus said that Father After a man beginneth to be in this body by reason of his sinne he is euen in death The wicked then are not onely called Dead because the conscience is dead but also in respect of Gods decree whose inviolable substitution of Death to Sinne cannot be euaded auoyded It is the satute-Satute-law decreed in the great Parliament of Heauen Statutum omnibus seâ—el mori It is appoynted vnto men once to die Tâ—is is one speciall kindnesse that sinne doth vs one kisse of her lippes Shee giues her louers three mortall kisses The first kils the conscience the second the carkase the third body and soule for euer Death passed vpon all men for that all haue sinned So Paul schooles his Corinths For this cause many are weaâ—e and sicke among you and many sleepe And conclusiuely peccati stipendium mors The wages of sinne is Death This Death is to the wicked death indeed euen as it is in it owne full nature the curse of God the suburbes of Hell Neither is this vniust dealing with God that man should incurre the death of his body that had reiected the life of his soule nisi praecessisset in peccato mors animae numquam corporis mors in supplicio sequerâ—tur If sinne had not first wounded the body death could not haue killed the soule Hence saith Augustine Men shunne the death of the flesh rather then the death of the spirit that is the punishment rather then the cause of the punishment Indeed Death considered in Christ and ioyned with a good life is to Gods elect an aduantage nothing else but a bridge ouer this tempestuous sea to Paradice Gods mercy made it so saith S. Augustine Not by making death in it selfe good but an instrument of good to his This hee demonstrates by an instance As the Law is not euill when it increaseth the lust of sinners sâ— death is not good though it augmâ—nt the glory of suâ—ferers The wicked vse the law ill though the law be good The good die well though death be euill Hence saith Solomon The day of death is better then the day of ones birth For our death is not obitus sed abitus not a perishing but a parting Non amittitur anima praemittitur tantum The soule is not lost to the body but onely sent before it to ioy Si duriùs seponitur meliùs reponitur If the soule be painfully laid off it is ioyfully laid vp Though euery man that hath his Genesis must haue his Exodus and they that are borne must dye Yet saith Tertullian of the Saints Profectio est quam putas moâ—tem Our dying on earth is but the taking our iourney to Heauen Simeon departs and that in peace In pace in pacem Death cannot be euentually hurtfull to the good for it no sooner takes away the temporall life but Christ giues eternall in the roome of it Alas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Corpora cadauera Our graues shall as
Glory 1. God himselfe is the feast-maker he is Land-lord of the world and â—illeth euery liuing thing with goodnesse The Eagles and Lions seeke their meate at God But though all the sonnes of Iacob haue good cheare from Ioseph yet Beniamins messe exceeds Esau shall haue the prosperitie of the earth but Iacob goes away with the blessing Ismaell may haue outward fauours but the inheritance belongs to Izhak The King fauoureth all his subiects but they of his Court stand in his presence partake of his Princely graces Gods bountie extends to the wicked also but the Saints shall onely sit at his table in Heauen This is that feaster qui est super omnia et sine quo nulla sunt omnia Of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for euer 2. The cheare is beyond all sense all science Eye hath not seene nor eare heard nether haue entred into the heart of man the things God hath prepared for them that loue him The eye sees much the eare heares more the heart conceaues most yet all short of apprehension much more of comprehension of these pleasures Therefore enter thou into thy Masters ioy for it is too great to enter into thee 3. The company is excellent the glorious presence of the blessed Trinitie the Father that made vs the Sonne that bought vs the Holy Ghost that brought vs to this place The holy and vnspotted Angels that reioyced at our conuersion on earth much more at our consolation in Heauen All the Patriarchs Prophets Saints before the Law in the Law in the Gospell the full Communion of Saints Here the more the mirrier yea and the better cheare to Oh the sweet melodie of Halleluiahs which so many glorified voyces shall sing to God in Heauen the hoarcenesse of sinne and the harshnesse of punishment being separated from vs with a bill of euerlasting diuorce 4. Admirable is the Banketing place the high Court of Heauen where our apparell shall be such as beseemeth the attendants on the King of Kings euen the fashion of the glorious body of Christ. The purest things are placed highermost The earth as grossest is put in the lowest roome the water aboue the earth the ayre aboue the water the fire aboue the ayre the sphaeres of Heauen aboue any of them and yet thâ— place where this feast is kept is aboue them all the Heauen of Heauens Take here a slight rellish of the cheare in Gods kingdome where your welcome shall be answerable to all the rest Eate oh my friends and make you merry oh well-beloued And then as those that haue tasted some delicate dish finde other plaine meates but vnpleasant so you that haue tasted of heauenly things cannot but contemne the best worldly pleasures As therefore some dainty guest knowing there is so pleasant fare to come let vs reserue our appetites for that and not suffer our selues to be cloyed with the course diet of the world Thus as wee fast on the Eues that we may feast on the Holy-dayes let vs be sure that after our abstinence from the surfets of sinne we shall be euerlastingly fed and fatted with the mercies of God Which resolution the Lord grant vs here which Banket the Lord giue vs hereafter Amen FINIS THE Sinners passing-Bell OR A complaint from Heauen for Mans Sinnes Published by THOMAS ADAMS Preacher of Gods Word at Willington in Bedford-shire 1 CORINTH 11.30 For this cause many are weake and sickly among you and many sleepe AVGVST EPIST. 188. Ipse sibi denegat curam qui Medico non publicat causam Hee hath no care of his owne cure that declares not to the Phisition his griefe LONDON Printed by Thomas Snodham for Iohn Budge and are to be sold at the great South-dore of Paules and at Brittaines-Bursse 1614. TO THE TRVLY-NOBLE KNIGHT Sr. Anthony Sainct-Iohn sauing health Right Worshipfull THe sicknesse of this World is growne so lethargicall that his recouery is almost despaired and therefore his Phisitians finding by infallible symptoms that his consumption is not curable leaue him to the malignancie of his disease For the eye of his faith is blinde the eare of his attention deafe the foote of his obedience lame the hand of his charitie numm'd and shut vp with a griping couetousnesse All his vitall parts whereby he should liue to goodnesse are in a swoune he lies bed-rid in his securitie and hath little lesse then giuen vp the Holy Ghost It cannot be denied but that he lies at the mercie of God It is therefore too late to tolle his Passing-bell that hath no breath of obedience left in him I might rather ring out his knell Yet because there are many in this world that are not of this world many sicke of the generall disease of Sin whose recouerie is not hopelesse though their present state be happelesse and some that if they knew but themselues sicke would resort to the Poole of Bethesda the waters of life to be cured I haue therefore presumed to take them apart and tell them impartially their owne illnesse Oh that to performe the cure were no more difficult then to describe the Maladie or prescribe the remedie I haue endeuoured the latter the other to God who can both kill and giue life who is yet pleased by his word to worke our recouery and to make me one vnworthy instrument to administer his Phisicke Now as the most accurate Phisitians ancient or moderne though they deliuered precepts in their facultie worthy of the worlds acceptance and vse yet they set them forth vnder some Noble Patronage so I haue presumed vnder the countenance of your protection to publish this phisicall or rather metaphysicall Treatise for as the Sicknesse is spirituall so the cure must be supernaturall Assuring my selfe that if you shall vse any obseruation here and giue it your good word of Probatum est many others wil be induced the more redily to embrace it My intent is to doe good and if I had any better Receite I would not like some Phisitians I know not whither more enuious or couetous with an excellent Medicine let it liue and die with my selfe God conserue your either health and giue you with a sound body a sounder faith whereby you may liue the life of Grace heere of Glory hereafter Your VVorships humbly deuoted THOMAS ADAMS THE Sinners Passing-Bell OR A Complaint from Heauen for Mans Sinnes The fift Sermon IEREM 8.22 Is there no Balme in Gilead Is there no Phisitian there why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recouered THis is a world to make Phisitians rich if men loued not their purse better then their health For the world waxeth old and old age is weake and sickly As when death begins to ceaze vpon a man his braine by little and little groweth out of order his minde becomes cloudy and troubled with fantasies the channels of his blood and the radicall moisture the