Gods Spirit threatens will prove the crop they will reape for God is true and all flesh is a lyer § 144. BUt God sets forth himselfe to bee incomparably gracious mercifull long-suffering abundant in goodnes c. Ezo 34. 6. and is acknowledged to bee so by David Psalm 86. 5. by Ioel Chap. 2. 13. by Ionah Chap. 4. 22. by Micha Chap. 7 18. and in many other places It is very true for it is a part of his title Exodus 34. 6. hee is mercy in the abstract 1 Iohn 4. 16. 2 Cor. 1. 3. 1 Tim. 4. 10. rich and abundant in mercy Ephesians 2. 4. 1 Pet. 1. 3. 19. his love is without height or depth or length or breath or any dimensions even passing knowledge Ephes. 3. 18. yea the Scripture advanceth God's mercy above his justice Psa. 36. 5. to 12. not in it's essence for God in all his Attributes is infinitely good and one is not greater then another but in it's expressions and manifestations It is said of mercy that it Pleaseth him Micha 7. 18. whereas justice is called his strange worke Esay 28. 21. Lamentation 3. 33. that he is slow to anger but abundant in goodnesse Exedus 34. 6. hee bestowes mercyes every day inflicts judgements but now and then sparingly and after a long time of forbearance when there is no remedy 2 Chron. 36. 15. Esay 65. 2. that he visiteth the iniquities of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation onely whereas hee shewes mercy to thousands Exodus 20. 5. 6 so that by how much three or foure come short of a thousand so much doth his justice come short of his mercy in the exercise of it Againe that his love to his people outstrips a Father's love to his sonne Matth. 7. 11. and a Mothers too Esay 49. 15. for he is the Father of mercies 2 Cor. 1. 3. as being himself most mercifull and the author of mercy and compassion in others In fine he is so mercifull that the Kingly Prophet repeates it over six and twenty times together in one Psalm that his mercy endures for ever Psal. 136. But what makes this for thee except thou repentestâ— Indeed let the wicked forsake his wayes and the unrighteous his owne imaginations and returne unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he is very ready to forgive saith Esay Chap. 55. 7. and that we should not doubt of this he redoubles the promise Ezekiel 18. and confirmes the same with an oath Chapter 33. 11. Yea he is more ready to shew mercy upon our repentance then we are to beg it as appeares in that example of the Prodigal son Luk. 15 20. Do but repent and God will pardon thee bee thy sinnes never so many and innumerable for multitude never so heynous for quality and magnitude for repentance is alwayes blest with forgivnes yea sinnes upon repentance are so remitted as if they had never been committed I have put way thy transgressions as a cloud and thy sinnes as a mist Esay 44. 22. and what by corruption hath beene done by repentance is undone as abundance of examples wiâ—â—esse He pardoned David's adâ—ltery Salomon's idolatry Peter's apostacie Paul did not only deny Christ but persecuted him yet hee obtained mercy upon his repâ—â—tance Yea amongst the worst of Gods enemies some are singled out for mercy witnesse 〈◊〉 Mary Magdaâ—en the Thiefe c. many of the lewes did not only deny Christ the Holy one and the Just but crucified him yet were they pricâ—ed in heart at Peter's Sermon gladly received the word and were baptized Ast. 2. 41. And a very Gentile being circumcised was to be admitted to all priviledges and prerogatives concerning matters of faith and Gods worship as well as the children of Israel Gen. 17. 13. But on the other side unlesse we repent and amend our lives we shall all perish as Christ himselfe affirmes Luk. 13. 3. 5. § 145. FOr though mercy rejoyceth against justice Iames 2. 13. yet it deâ—troyeth not Gods justice though hee is a boundlesse Ocean flowing with mercy yet he doth not overflow he is just as well as mercifull yea saith Bernard Mercy and Truth are the two feet of God by which he walketh in all his wayes his mercy is a just mercy and his justice is a mercifull justice he is infinite in both hee is just even to those humble soules that shall be saved and he will be merciful while presumptuous sinners go to hell and therefore in his word hee hath equally promised all blessings unto those which keepe his Commandements and threatned all manner of judgments to those which break them with their severall extreames according to the measure and degree of every sin Deut. 28 Neither is salvation more promised to the godly then eternall death and destruction is threatned to the wicked and as Christ is a Saviour so Moses is an accuser Iohn 5. 45. Alasse though to all repentant sinners he is a most mercifull God yet to wilfull and impenitent sinners hee is a consuming fire Heb. 12. 29. Deut. 4. 24. doth not the Apostle say that neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor buggerers nor thieves nor covetous nor drunkards nor railers nor extortioners to which number S. Iohn Revelation 21. 8. addeth the fearefull and unbeliveing and murtherers and sorcerers and all lyers shall not inherit the Kingdome of God 1 Corinth 6. 9. 10. Galathians 5. 21. but shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death And doth he not likewise affirme that all they shall be damned which believe not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnes 2 Thes. 2 12. doth not the Lord say Ier. 16. 13. that he will have no mercy for such as are desperately wicked And again Deut. 29. 19. 20. that if any man blesse himself in his heart saying I shall have peace although I walke according to the stubbornnesse of mine owne heart that he mill not be mercifull to him c. Doth not our Saviour himself say that the gate of heaven is so strait that few find it Mat. 7. 13. 14. and will hee not at his comming to judgement as well say unto the disobedient Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Divell and his Angels as to the obedient Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome c. Yes they are his owne words Matth. 25. 34. 41. and S. Iames saith that he shal have judgement without mercy that hath shewed no mercy Iames. 2. 13. In fine he that believeth in the Son hath everlasting life but he that obeyeth not the Sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Ioh. 3. 36. For as mercy in the second Commandement is entailed only to believers and to those which love God and keepe his Commandements so God at the last day will reward every
he that hath long continued in the practise of any evill hath a fourth which is worse then the worst of them even custome which is a second or new nature § 153. BUt suppose after many yeares spent in the service of sinne and Sathan thou art willing to relinquish thy lusts and offer thy seruice and best devotions at the last gasp to God will he accept themâ— no in al probability he will not for heare what himself saith Pro. 1. Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out mine hand and ye would not regard but despised all my counsell and would none of my correction I wil also laugh at your destruction and mocke when your feare commâ—th when your feare commeth like suddaine desolation and your destruction like a whirlewind When affliction and anguish shall come upon you then shall you call upon me but I will not answer you shall seâ—ke me early but you shall not find me because you hated knowledge and did not choose the feare of the Lord. You would none of my counsell but despised all my corrections therefore you shall eat the fruit of your owne way and bee filled with your owne devises ver 24. to 32. And this is but justice if God be not found of those that were content to loose him if he heare not them that would not heare him if he regard not them that disregarded him if he shut his eare against their prayer crying to him for pardon that stopt their eares against his voyce calling upon them for repentance as Salvian speakes Alasse no child would bee whipt if he might scape for crying but hee onely findes helpe in adversity that sought it in prosperity and ther can be no great hope of repentance at the houre of death where there was no regard of honesty in the time of lifeâ— God useth not to give his heavenly and spirituall graces at the houre of death to those who have contemned them all their life yea it is sensles to think that God should accept of our dry bones when Sathan hath suckt out all the marrow that he should accept of the lees when we have given to his enemy all the good Wine But heare what himselfe saith by the Prophet Malachy c. 1. 8. and S. Ierome upon the place it is a most base and unworthy thing to present God with thâ—t which man would disdaine and thâ—nk scoâ—â—e to accept of Wherefore as you tender your owne soule even to day heare his voyce set upon the work presently he that begins to day hath the lesse work for to morrow And proroge not your good purposes least ye saying unto God in this life with those wicked ones in Iob depart thou from mee for a time God say unto you in the life to come depart from me ye cursed and that for ever Hee hath spared thee long and given thee already a large time of repentance but he will not alwayes wait for denyals his patience at length wil turn into wrath Time was when hee stayed for the old world an hundred and twenty yeares he stayed forâ— a rebellious Nation forty yeares he stayed for a dissolute City forty dayes but when that would not serve his patience was turned into fury and so many as repented not were cast into hell If in any reasonable time wee pray hee heares us if we repeâ—t he pardons us if we amend our lives he saves us but after the houre prefixt in his secret purpose there is no time for petition no place for Conversion no meanes for pacification The Lord hath made a promise to repentance not of repentance if thou convertest tomoâ—row thou art sure of grace but thou art not sure of to morrowes conversion so that a fit and timely consideration is the onely thing in every thing for for want of this Diâ—es prayed but was not heard Esau wept but was not pitied the foolish Virgins knockt but were denied and how many at the houre of death have offered their prayers supplications and services unto God as Iuo as offered his money to the Priests and could not have acceptance but they died as they lived and went from despaire unto destruction § 154. BUt thou wilt say unto me if this be so that all the promises are conditionall that mercy is entayled onely to such as love God and keepe his Commandements that none are reall Christians but such as imitate Christ and square their lives according to the rule of Gods word that of necessity we must leave sinne before sinne leaves us and that God will not heare us another day when we call to him for mercy if we will not heare him now when he calls to us for repentance how is it that so few are reformed that most men minde nothing but their profits and pleasures yea count them fooles that doe otherwise I answer there be two maine reasons of it though one be the cause of the other 1 Ignorance 2 Vnbeleife First few men beleive what is written of God in the Scripture especially touching his justice and severity in punishing sinne with eternall destruction of body and soule for did they really and indeed beleive God when he saith that his curse shall never depart from the house of the swearer Zack 5. they durst not sweare as they doe Did they beleive that neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Theeves nor Murtherers nor Drunkards nor Swearers nor Raylers nor Lyers nor Covetous persons nor Extortioners nor Vnbeleivers nor no Vnrighteous men shall inherit the Kingdome of Heaven but shall have their part in the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death 1 Cor. 6. 9. 10. Rev. 21. 8. they durst not continue in the practise of these sinnes without feare or remorse or care of amendment Did they beleive that except their righteousnesse doe exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees they shall in no case enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Matth. 5. 20. and that without holinesse no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12. 14. with many the like it were impossible they should live as they doe Yea if they did in good earnest beleive that there is either God or Devill Heaven or Hell or that they have immortall soules which shall everlastingly live in blisse or woe and receive according to that they have done in their bodies whether it be good or evill 2 Cor. 5. 10. they could not but live thereafter and make it their principall care how to be saved But alas they are so farre from beleiving what God threateneth in his Word against their sinnes that they blesse themselves in their heart saying we shall have peace we shall speede as well as the best although we walke according to the stubâ—ornnesse of our owne wills so adding drunkennesse to thâ—rst Deut. 29. 19. yea they preferre their condition before other mens who are so abstemious and make conscience of their wayes even thinking that
saith S. Iohn know God but they which have not this love know not God though they have never so much knowledge besides 1 Iohn 4. 7. Yea suppose a man be not inferiour to Porcius who never forgat any thing he had once read to Pythagoras who kept all things in memory that ever hee heard or saw to Virgil of whom it is reported that if all Sciences were lost they might bee found in him to Bishop Tunstal whom Erasmus called a world of knowledge to Aristotle who was called wisdome it self in the abstract to that Romane Nasica who was called Corculum for his pregnancy of wit that Grecian Democritus Abderita who was also called wisdome it selfe that Britaine Guildas called Guildas the sage that Iew Aben Ezra of whom it was said that if knowledge had put out her candle at his braine shee might light it againe and that his head was a throne of wisdome or that Israelitish Achitophel whose words were held as Oracles to Iosophus Scaliger who was skil'd in thirty languages yet if he want faith holinesse the love of God and the Spirit of God to be his teacher he shall not be able reallyâ— and by his owne experience to know thâ— chiefe points of Christian religion sucâ— as are Faith Repentance Regenerationâ— the love of God the presence of the Spiâ— rit the Remission of sins the effusion oâ— grace the possession of heavenly comforts not what the peace of conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost is nor what the communion of Saints means when every one of these are easie and familiar to the meanest and simplest believer Now will you know the reason the feare of the Lord saith Salomon is the beginning of wisdome Prov. 1. 7. as if the first lesson to be wise were to be holy For as the water ingendereth yce and the yce ageine ingendereth water so knowledge begets righteousnesse and righteousnesse again begetteth knowledge It is between science and conscience as it is betweene the stomack and the head for as in mans body the raw stomack maketh a rheumatick head and the rheumaticke head maketh a raw stomack so science makes our conscience good and conscience makes our science good It is not so much scientia capitis as conscientia cordis that knowes Christ and our selves whence Salomon saith give thine heart to wisdome Pro. 2. 10 and let wisdome enter into thine heart Proverbs 4. 4. Againe if it be ask'd why the naturall man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God S. Paul answers he cannot know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2. 14. and indeed if they be spiritually discerned how should they discerne them that have not the Spirit Now if it be so that men may bee exquisitely wise and incomparably learned in the worlds opinion and yet very fools in the judgement of heaven if not many wise men after the flesh are called but that a great number of them go the wrong way yea if God turnes their wisdome into foolishnesse that abuse their gifts and reveales himselfe savingly to none but such as feare and serve him then is their no safety in following their example or in building our faiths upon their judgements Indeed we are too prone to imitate the learned and to thinke we go safe enough if wee tread in their steps although they tread awry for say wee they know the will of God what hee requires and practise what they thinke will bring them to happinesse especially so much as is absolutely necessary to salvation and they do so and so or else they speake not as they think because they do not as they speake for none live worse then many of them But should this be should we thinke ever the better of error though a thousand of the learned should countenance and maintaine the same no one Micaiah a single Prophet speaking from the Oracles of God is more worthy of credit then 400. Baalites 1 Kin. 22. 6 12 13 14 17 22 23. One Luther a mean man is worthy to bee believed before the Pope and so many legions of his creatures which were throughout Christendom for what hee wanted in abbettors was supplyed in the cause yea did not Paphnuti us a weak scholler shew more wisdome in defending the truth against the whole Councell of Nice then all those great Clarks and learned men to his great renowne and their everlasting shame Did not Pharaoh find more wisdome in Ioseph a poore Hebrew servant and receive more solid advice from him wherby a famine through out the whole world was prevented then hee could in all the Wisemen and Southsayers of Egypt Gen. 41. 8. to 32 Did not Nebuchadnezzar finde more depth in Daniel a poore captive Iew then he could in all the wise men of Babylon Daniel 2. and 4 yes and the reason is one eye having sight is better then a thousand blind eyes and one poore crucified thief being converted had a clearer eye then all the lews Rulers Scribes and Pharisies who being naturall and wicked condemned and crucified JESUS CHRIST In the Councell of Trent there was of 270. Prelates 187. chose out of Italy and of the rest the Pope who was himselfe Moderator and his creatures excluded and tooke in whom themselves would and none else what marvaile then if they concluded what they listed Yea how many Schollers in all ages of the world have resembled Trajan who was endued with great knowledge and other singular vertues but defaced them all by hating Christianity and opposing the power of godlinesse How many are so farre from doing good that they doe great hurt with their gifts and not seldom the more gifts they have the more harme they do For as the best soyle commonly yeelds the worst aire so without grace there is nothing more pestilent then a deepe wit Wit and learning well used are like the golden earerings and bracelets of the Israelites abused like the same gold cast into a molten Idoll then which nothing more abominable No such prey for the Devill as a good wit unsanctified great wits oft times mislead not only the owners but many followers besides as how many shall once wish they had been born dullards when they shall finde their wit and learning to have barred them out of heaven And let them looke to it for as in respect of others their offence is greater for better many Israelites commit adultery or idolatry then one David or Salomon The least moate that flies in the Sun or between our eyes and the light seemes a greater substance then it is and the more learned the person the more notorious the corruption as the freshest sommers day will soonest taint those things which will putrifie so in respect of themselves their sinne is and their punishment shall bee greater for the more glorious the Angels excellency the more damnable their apostacie If the light become darknesse how great is that darknesse If Achitophel prove a villaine how mischievous is his villany Putrified
is as much as if it should say in other words foolishnesse for the wisdome of the world is foolishnesse with God saith Paul as the wisdome of God is foolishnesse with the world 1 Cor. 2. 14. I am sure to be wise to evill is an evil wisdom or rather wisdome backward for where as God saith if any man will bee wise let him become a foole that hee may bee wise these on the contrary become wise that they may bee fooles they studie the dangerous art of selfe-Sophistry to the end that they may bee wily to beguile themselves and to plot selfe-Treason then which there is no greater when the betrayer and betrayed spell but one man There is yea this is a kind of wisdome which is more contrary to wisdome then ignorance and indeed whence proceeds the subtilest folly but from the subtilest wisdome For as from the extreamest friendships proceeds the extreamest enmities and from the soundest healths the mortallest diseases so from the rarest and quickest agitations of our mindes ensue the most distempered and outragious frenzies there wants but half a pegs turn to passe from the one to the other In mad mens actions we see how fitly folly suiteth and meetes with the strongest operations of our mindes who knowes not how unperceivable the neighbourhood is betweene folly and the liveliest elevations of these wits yea their crafty wisdome the occasion of their folly thy wisdome and thy knowledge saith Isaiâ—h they have caused thee 〈…〉 47. 10. and what is rebellion but folly as Iob 28. 28. Proverbs 9. 10. 12. and 11. 3. Deut. 4. 6. Hosea 14. 9. Iames 3. 13. 17. 2 Tâ—m 3. 15. and other the like places shew If then to use our Saviours words the light that is in them be darknesse how great is that darknâ—sse Matth. 6. 23. If their wisdome and knowledge be igâ—orance how great is that ignorance yea how inconceivably great is the folly of that ignorance surely in my judgment it is such that if the Law admit any to be beg'd for fooles these are the fittest and I cannot but wonder to see how the most are mistaken in them but being thus discouered I hope it will appeare that as love and lust are not both one so a cunning man and a wise man are not both one Wee have seene some that could packe the cards and yet cannot play well Now as I have shewen these two sorts of men their folly so it were as easie to shew that the voluptuous are fooles also though of all men they are the wisest in their owne conceits because they live the merriest and freeliest of all others Yea I could make it plaine to them that the very worst thing in religion even the reproach of Christ is better then the best pleasure that is in the sweetest sinne for so it was to Moses a man of a right esteeme and that one day in the courts of God viz. his holy Temple is better then a thousand elsewhere for so it was to David a man of a refined and reformed judgement yea S. Paul a sanctified man after hee was rapt up into the third heaven reckoned so meanly of the things below that he could hardly find forth a comparison for them homely enough Philipians 3. 8. It is true carnall men think that if they once embrace religion farewel all joy aud delight but they only think so it is not so for a good conscience when it is at the worst is even filled with joy Act. 5. 41. 2. Cor. 1. 5. thus it fared with Steven Act. 7. 55. 56. and those disciples Chapter 13. 52. yea a good conscience made Peter more merry under stripes then Caiaphas upon the Judgement-seat and Paul happier in his chaine of iron then Agrippa in his chain of gold Neither have Gods children a lesse portion of outward blessings then the wicked when God knowes the same good for them Abraham was as rich as any of our Aldermen David as valiant as any of our Gentlemen Salomon as wise in humane skill as any of our deepest Naturians Susanna as faire as any of our painted peeces c. But I feare mee Egypt hath beene so teadious to you already that you aske for Goshen though indeed you have beene all this while in the light that you have look'd upon darknesse for darknes could never be seene by it self but by the light Besides I have search'd and rubd enough this sore only the plaister is wanting wherefore I will winde up this objection with a few helpes to or meanes of true wisdome and saving knowledge that so each one may bee able to understand the Scriptures and what qualifications God requireth in such to whom he will shew mercy and so much the rather because the worke of regeneration begins at illumination a man desires not that he doth not know saith Chrysostome neither are unknowne evils feared § 163. Iâ— any would obâ—aine this excel lent grace of saving knowledge let him use these six helps and further ances 1. Discard all filthy lusts and 〈◊〉 affections 2. Get an humble heart 3. Procure the eye of a lively faith 4. Bee constant in Prayer 5. Be irequent and studious in the Scriptures 6. Advise with others First let him be careful to dispell and remove al filthy lusts and lewd affectâ—onâ— for these are our Eues which doe deceive us our Dalilahs which â—ull us asleep while wee are deprived of the strength of our reason our enemies that are ever fighting against our soules as Peter speakes 1 Peter 2. 11. Yea there needs no more to besot a man then the inordinate love of money for had one as many eyes as the Poets feign of Argus the melody of gaine would play them all out or fast asleepe Our affections like fire and water are good servants but evill master for being corrupted and overswayed by lusts there be no such enemies as these home-bred and of a mans owne houshold Sinne is like the Albugâ— or white spot in the eye which dims our understandings and makes fooles of Catoes and Platoes and Tullies and Achitâ—phels leaving them never an eye to see withall For as the Arke would not stay with the Philistins so wisdome and grace will not stay with sinners but â—lieth from them as believers would doe from a persecuting Tyrant If Ierusalem forgets her first love presently her right hand forgets her cuning and her tongue cleaves to the roofe of her mouth Psalm 137. 5. 6. If sinnes come in at the fore-dore graces will go out at the postern what communion hath light with darknesse they will not keepe company together vertues drop from such a tree like leaves and fruits in a great wind yea one sin openeth the doore for many vertues to goe out If one vertue be offended she lureth away all her fellowes as when ner was offended he drew away many of Ishbosheth's friends and they shrunk from him As a Judge to acquit his office must be free
never opened till they were in the midst of their enemies sin shuts up mens eyes but punishment opens them § 185. ANd so much of the advantages that Sathan and his instruments have above Gods servants in getting and keeping and improving their converts wherby it appeares that he who will not be overcome by them must be watchfull wise valiant As well watchfull to defeate and wise to 〈◊〉 their crafty alurements as valiant to despise their cruell impositions for that we may be the better for what we have heard these three uses would be made thereof else evill were as good not seene as not avoided our happinesse is in the prevention not prevision of them wherfore First since the Devill and the World are ever practising to lift us out of vertues seate and study nothing but our destruction by tempting and enforcing us to sinne let us be watchfull ever prepared alwayes ready and standing upon our guard like as wise and experienced Souldiers when they looke every minute for the approach of their enemy doe both wake and sleepe in their armour least they should be surprised at unawares or like wise Mariners who alwayes prepare and make ready their tackling that a storme which they cannot looke to be long without may not take them unprovided well may we sheath our swords but put them off we may not yea let us in vigilancy and watchfulnesse over our selves imitate the Nightingale which sleepes with her breast upon a thorne for feare of the serpent that continually studies her ruine The Philistines could not blind Sampson so long as he was awake wouldst thou not be overcome be not secure Yea wouldest thou be secure continually buckle unto thee the whole Armour of God prescribed by St. Paul Eph. 6. 13. to 19. and walke circumspectly Eph. 5. 15. The traveller that hath money in his purse rides with a Pistoll by his side yea the rich Merchant will not step over into the Low-countreyes without a Man of Warre at his heeles least he should meete with a Dunkerker by the way An assaulted city must keepe a carefull watch and so must thou if thou wilt keepe out of their snares we see they are busie and subtile therefore it behoves us to be circumspect When the theife compasseth the house let the owner guard the house If a Castle be besiedged and not defended how shall it stand whereas in vaine does the theife looke in at the window when he sees the master standing on his guard in the roome besides it is easier to keepe an enemy out by bolting the doores then to thrust him out being once got in § 186 SEcondly let us be wise and cautelous to avoid their crafty allurements take heede of beleiving their words of trusting their promises of yeelding to their perswasions and solicitations when they woe us to drinke more then will doe us good yea let quaffers quarrell rage and scoffe threaten curse and load thee with a thousand censures yet hold thine owne still pledge the Devill for none of them all Oâ— But I shall offend my friend and the rest will take exceptions Answ. Thou art what thou art when thou art thus tried and put to it wherefore if the wife of thy bosome shall tempt thee to evill or seeke to alienate thy affection from God and his Law she is a traytor both to thee and to him and therefore must be rejected What saith St. Hierom should my Father kneele to mee my Mother beseech me with teares my Brothers and Sisters seeke to entise mee to the love of this world and the neglect of Gods worship I would shake 〈◊〉 my Father tread under foote my Mother and spurne my Brothers and Sisters rather then they should be a meanes to keepe mee from the service of God Neither will the complaint of our first Parents be taken for a good answer or plea another day it will be fruitlesse to say such and such a friend deceived me Eue was perswaded by the serpent to eate the forbidden fruit and Adam by Eue yet that would not justifie them in the Court of Heaven each of them had a severall curse both tempters and tempted True it is drunkards being better acquainted with wrangling then reasoning and deeper in love with strife then truth what they cannot maintaine by reason a feminine testinesse shall outwrangle at least if a man will be subdued with words which is the case of none but cowards and fooles but as for their exceptions If thou wouldest avoid all circumvention by these multiplied healthes pledge the healths of none and then none can take exceptions he that would not be drawne to pledge many healthes let him not admit of any upon any tearmes But they will be importunate above measure Ans. A shamelesse begger must have a strong deniall O but I shall be held unmannerly discourteous uncivill c. What because thou wilt not hazard thy health credit soule c to gratifie a beast But they are such as love me and doe it in kindnesse This kindnesse of theirs is but a dogâ—like kindnesse as you shall have a Spaniell in great love to his master leape upon him slabber his cloathes lick his face is it I pray you any inciviliâ—y to beate downe such a cur I tell thee a dog will not more defile thee then these drinking cattle will unlesse thou beate them off with flat denialls Wherefore though I wish thee not to be rude and uncivill yet be sure to shake off these hold-fasts and neither make thy stomack too heauy nor thy head too light with answering expectation It is better to be thought unmannerly discourteous or injurious towards men especially such men then indeed be so unto God himselfe As for their love and friendship if thou but knewest whose factors thy ill companions are thou wouldest even hate them and either not come in their company or hasten out of it with all possible speede for nothing more proves them enemies then their too much importuning thee and they can be no other then wicked when their very mercies are cruelty Neither doe these enemies ever wound so deadly as when they stroake us with a silken hand for by their smooth tongues and milky language they serve their freinds as the Tyrannous Emperor served his servauts whom hee stifled in a chamber filled with Roses they are like the mistaken Lanthorne in eighty eight for under pretence of guiding they will draw us into hazzard and losse among our spirituall enemies and whosoever hath put confidence in their words have found them to resemble sincking floores which will faile us when our waight is on them These cunning hypocrites never intend so ill as when they speake fairest resembling some crafty cheater who while hee holds men at gaze with trickes of jugling picks their pockets But alasse most men not knowing this deepnesse of Sathan or not having courage enongh to deny the requests of a seeming friend or fearing least
We read that Persina that Ethiopian Queene in Heliodorus by seeing a faire picture of Perseus and Andromeda was brought to bed of a faire white child whereas Pope Nicholas the third's Concubine by seeing of a Beare was brought to bed of a Monster I am sure this is true in the morall of it which should make us equally love good company and hate evill I know there be in every place whole troops of evill persons and where there are many pots boyling there cannot but be much scumme so that a man shall finde it either impossible or hard never to be amongst them or shift off their solicitations Wherefore if at any time as no â—lie is more importunate they thrust themselves into thy conversation doe as those which must necessarily passe by a carrion in the way hold thy breath be alone in a multitude abhorre to participate with them in their vices and hasten to be out of their aire as Peter did out of the high Priests hall so soone as Chrâ—st looked upon him and if they yet follow thee turne back to them with the Angels farewell increpet te Dominus And lastly if by chance with Peter thou hast taken the least soyle or infection from these poysoned and pitchy Links be sure to scrape or brush it off thy soule againe by prayer examination and humiliation as they that come out of infected houses aire or wash their garments for the more safety Thus did Peter not without cause not without benefit and commodity § 198. IT is true they will perswade us that instead of being infected we may gaine by their company and tell us that true Crystall may touch the Toade vvithout being poysoned that the Diamond vvill lye in the fire vvithout being consumed that fish may live in salt vvaters and yet retaine a fresh tast that though rust will fret into the hardest steele yet it doth not eate into the Emerald that though the Load-stone draweth Iron after it yet it cannot stirre Gold nor the Jet steele though it doth straw that though the Sunne hardens clay yet it softens wax that if a Ship hath a sure Anchor it may ly safe any where neither is it absolutely unlawfull for us to keepe them company seeing Christ kept company with Publicans and sinners of all sorts Answ. Here are good words but no security which therefore an experienced man gives the hearing of but stands the while upon his owne guard No charity binds us to a trust of those whom we have found faithlesse Credulity upon weake grounds after palpable disappointments is the daughter of folly He that hath once broken his faith will not easily be trusted I know Physitians may converse with Leprous persons uninfected but then they must have stronger Antidotes then their natures give them or else themselves shall stand in the same need and of Physitians become Patients and need Physicke so that may be lawfull in a sage and stayed person which is unfit for an ungovernd eye once to looke upon We read Gen. 19. 17. that Lot and his wife were forbidden to looke back at the destruction of Sodom when to Abraham it was left at large and without restraint he being a man of better ruled affections Againe I know the Devill cannot hurt me so long as God is with me as the best Load-stone cannot draw Iron unto it if the Diamond be by yea the very feare of God and thought that he looketh on as one spake of grave Catâ— will keepe a man from yeilding to their temptations as it did Ioseph touching his Mistrisses allurements and that faith as it is no coward so it is ever victorious what then though faith be confident yet it is not impudent it knowes a guard of Angells will keepe us in all our wayes but not in our wandrings though it may be lawfull to come among them yet wisdome forbeares some lawfull things because they may be occasions of things unlawfull He that abstaines from nothing that is lawfull will soone be brought to doe that which is unlawfull The note which comes too neere in the Margent will skip into the Text at the next impression He that will goe as neere the ditch as he can will at some time or other fall in He that will doe all that he may will sometimes doe what he ought not It is hard for the best man to say how farre he will be tempted If a man will put him selfe among Philistins he cannot promise to come forth innocent or if he doe that soule which lives among thornes shall hardly thrive in Grace How many have fallen into a fashion of swearing scoffing drinking out of the usuall practice of others as those that live in an ill ayre are infected with diseases A man may passe through Ethiopia unchanged but he cannot dwell there and not be discoloured When once a man gives himselfe over to be the companion of vice in the end he becomes the very slave of vice The Oxe being tyed to the Figg-tree looseth his strength Many strokes overthrow the strongest Oke Many drops of raine though never so soft pierce the hardest Marble yea even the flint stone And let graces be never so well fixt in a mans heart yet he may soone have them consumed and wasted this way if he take not heede as Snow and Ice cannot be so hard congealed but they will melt if they come to the fire And little doe our peremptory resolvers in this case know or consider either the insinuative power of evill or the treachery of their owne hearts in receiving it or the importunity of wicked deceivers in obtruding it they are the worse for their society and perceive it not An Egg covered with falt as Philosophers teach hath the meate of it consumed whilst the shell is whole And we reade of many Townes which have in time beene undermined even with the most impotent and weake Creatures as one in Spaine with Coneyes in Thessalia with Moles in France with Frogs in Africa with Flies Many an one receives poyson and knowes not when he tooke it Many breath in this world like men sleeping in a boate are caried downe the streame even to their gravesend without waking to thinke where they are No man proves extreamly evill on the sudden through many insensible declinations doe we fall from vertue Sathan's agents are still scattering his firy darts among the Army of Israel and when they light upon wood they kindle when upon flax they flame when upon gunpowder they blow up all They therefore that love such intricate and perplexed walkes had need of Iron shoes True it is that Christ conversed and kept company with Publicans and sinners as the Physitian with the sicke to heale their soules neither did they make him worse but he made them better but as true it is that he was without the levell of temptation and so is no generall warrant I will therefore not only shun evill but the meanes to come to it and