all the faithfull The Lord hath bin mindfull of vs and he shall blesse vs and he will blesse the house of Israel he will blesse the house of Aaron he will blesse them that feare the Lord both small and great Psal 105. verse 8.42 He hath been alwaies mindfull of his couenant and promise that he made to a thousand generations Therefore let not the vngodly any longer say vnto the Lord Depart from vs Iob. 21.14 Sap. 2. wee desire not the knowledge of thy waies Who is the Almightie that we should serue him And what profite should we haue if we should pray vnto him For the candle of the vngodly shall bee put out their destruction hasteneth on them their hope is as a drie thistle flower blowen of the winde they leade their liues wantonly and sodainly they go downe into hell And as for vs let vs put our trust in the Lord and consider deeply and duely to what ende the Almightie hath bestowed on vs that excellent treasure of Memorie Let vs endeuour rightlie to vse the same by printing therein enough these fiue worthie things following viz. 1 The Lord God and his actions both of mercie and iudgement 2 Our brethren and that duetie wee owe them 3 Our owne selues what wee are and wherevnto subiected 4 The finall and generall Iudgement for which wee must wayt and prepare our selues 5 Lastly this memorable example of Lots wife and this last do I referre to the second part of my generall dunsion as the onely matter or subiect for the action commanded in my present text A good memorie is here required Now if a man could remember with Cyrus King of Persia who was able as Solinus reported to call euery one of his Souldiers by his proper name when as his hoast was exceeding great Or if a man had the mindfulnesse of that mayde which can hardly forget her attire as Ieremy said yet could we not reach herein to a sufficient perfection But as for our selues I feare me we be so farre of that we may rather be iustly compared to one Messala Coruinus who albeit he was sometime a graue Senatour in Rome and much commended by eloquent Cicero for many vertues did yet a two yeeres before his death become so forgetfull that he remembred not his owne name Which kinde of forgetfulnesse hath come vnto diuers other also either by infirmitie of nature or by extreame sicknesse or by dotage or by excessiue cares And would to God that our naturall infirmities our sinfull agonies our damnable dotings in blind affections and our worldly carefulnes had not maymed vs with this maladie then might we haue escaped that reproach of the Israelites The Oxe knoweth his owner Isay 1. vers 3. and the Asse the cribbe of his maister but my people haue not knowne me they haue forgotten me Although wee cannot denie but that we haue our earthen vessels with Agathocles thereby to remēber our originall and with Peter haue heard the Cock crowing thrise in our eares to put vs in minde of things memorable yet it is true that we haue forgotten oftentimes that we should minde hauing our cogitations blinded with Satans enchantments that sometimes we will not heare to obey the Word of God be it preached neuer so wiselie This point of folly noteth S. Iames in the man Iam. 1.23 that beholding his bodily face in a glasse but going his way forgetteth immediatly what manner of one he was Héeere is great forgetfulnes from the which the Lord kéepe vs. Let vs vse the talent lent vs knowing that as well for that one as for the tenne an accompt is required and a reckoning must be made and that good seruant shall be commended with a double reward when the vnprofitable wretch shall haue his talent taken from him and himselfe double punished Remember God and his Workes Eccles 12. verse 1. Let vs remember the Lord and his meruailous works The wise Salomon commandeth vs to remember God and therewith to obserue the time conuenient saying Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth whiles the euill dayes come not nor the yeeres approach wherein thou shalt say I haue no pleasure in them To this duty did Moses often incite and stirre vp the forgetfull Israelites who neuerthelesse after innumerable benefites receiued of the Lord remembred him not Iudg. 8.34 but forgat the Almighty that begat them God that formed them Deut. 32. verse 18.19.20 c. which caused him in anger to correct them to whet vp his glittering sword for them and his hand to take hold of Iustice against them to execute vengeance on them and to reward them that hate him This Dauid hauing considered exhorteth thus Seeke the Lord and his strength Psal 105. ◠Seeke his face continually Remember the meruailous works he hath done his wonders and the iudgements of his mouth And thus let vs remember the goodnes of the Lord first generally on all mē next on his Church and holie congregation and then on euerie particular member thereof and considering the same let vs ascribe all prayse honor thanks and maiestie to him for euer He hath not only created man The mercie of God but in mercie preserued him and prouided louingly for him He maketh the Sunne to shine as well on the vniust as on the iust and giueth raine to them both mouing all men to remember them and without this dutie they be touched with intollerable ingratitude But as for his Spouse the Church Dauid singeth of his louing mercies and goodnes vnto thē in this manner Psal 115. He blesseth them aboundantly that feare the Lord both small and great he encreaseth his graces towards them euen towards them and their childrē for they be the chosen generation the royall Priesthood the holie Ierusalem and blessed of the Lord that made heauen and earth And therefore this especiall little flock hath the Lord wonderfully defended and kept vnto himselfe holy safe and vndefiled before him Although the holy Church is as a bush in fire burning yet is it not consumed though as a Ship tossed yet not ouerturned though as a woman trauailing yet neuer dead and though as a Vyne pruned yet neuer sterued And as for this particular branch of the Church wherein we liue the verie land sauoring of the swéetnes of Gods mercie we are forced to confesse that the Lord hath not dealt with euery Nation as he hath dealt with vs and do find by full experience that the Nation is blessed which hath the Lord for their God Lastly if euery particular man shall duely consider with himselfe and remember how many excellent blessings he hath receiued of the Lord to the beawtifying of his body and soule oh God how shall he be forced to prayse and blesse him in the same with endlesse comfort Aboue all when there was neither sufficiencie of wood for burnt offerings in Libanus The goodnesse of God in Christ nor Cattell
vp siluer and gold wherein men did trust and made no end of their gathering They bee come to naught and gone downe to hell and other men be come vp in their steades And to shewe that not only man which is compared to the grasse but also that all his wisedome and glory which is compared to the flower of the grasse by Saint Iames shall decay 1. Cor. 1.20 hearken what S. Paule expostulateth theron Where is the wise where is the Scribe where is the disputer of this world hath not God made the wisdome of this world foolishnes Herevnto hasteneth man and herevnto commeth his glorie in the ende which to remember is verie profitable for al men as Syracides saith and as Moses wished to his people Deut. 32. For men hauing once numbred their dayes they be moued to set their mind on wisedome as Dauid saith and hauing considered the manifold dayes of darkenes they will remember God the sooner in their youth Eccles. 11.2 as Salomon counselleth they will cast away the déedes of darkenes and put on the armour of light as Paul exhorteth that whiles the Sunne is not darke nor the light nor the Moone nor the Starres nor the Clowdes returne againe after the rayne Eccles. 12.2.5.6 before man go to the house of his age and the mourners go about the stréete and the dust returne to the earth as it was Thus must we remember our selues God graunt we forget not our selues When man forgetteth himselfe and his condition there is none euill which he will feare to commit God make vs mindfull of this Remember the latter Iudgement Fourthly because the houre of death is vncertaine and yet death which is most certaine bringeth man to the iudgement and this as was the other is a forceable Argument to stirre vs vp to examine our selues to cleare our selues to prepare our selues with Lamps burning in our hands and loynes girded with staues to the iourney with watchfull hearts euer listening when the Tromp shall sound to the battaile let vs in any wise imprint this memorandum in the tables of our mindes Our God shall come and will not be silent Psal 50. Mat. 25. Christ will come in the glorie of his Father and all the holie Angels with him sitting vpon the throane of his glorie Before him shall be â—rought all Nations to be iudged and be shall diuide them one from another as the Shepheard diuideth the Shéepe from the Goates And we shall all stand before the tribunall seate of Christ and giue accompts of all that we haue done Thus Enoch Iud. vers 14.15 the feauenth from Adam as Iude sayth prophesied Behold the Lord commeth with thousands of his Saincts to giue iudgement against all men and to rebuke all the vngodly among them of all their wicked deedes which they haue vngodly committed and of all their cruell speakings which wicked sinners haue spoken against him This thing did that holie man thinke vpon with due expectation which said that whatsoeuer he did he heard this dreadfull doome ringing in his eares Surgite mortui venire ad iudicium Arise ye dead come to iugement Oh remember this ye that forget God least he take you away and there be none to deliuer you For in déede when all stand before the tribunall seate of Christ there shall be no excuse allowed of the wicked to pacifie the terrible displeasure of the Iudge when the accusations shall be produced against them Then neither Goliah with his strength nor Croesus with his riches nor Haman with the Kings fauour nor Absalon with his beawtie nor Achitophel with his craftines nor any worldly man with his vanities shall be able to preuayle 5. Lots wife The last thing which I sayd we should remember at this time is Lots Wife which I referre to the latter part of my generall diuision whereof I mind to speake and God will in the after noone The Lord God of his mercie graunt vs grace to consider of his goodnes and mercies towards the children of men to put displeasure out of our hearts to forget our owne people and our fathers house and to worship the Lord by a thankefull and reuerent remembrance of him of our bréethren of our selues and the iudgement prepared that so with the true vse of memorie we may the better walke in our duties and tend to the end of our deliuerie which is to serue God in holines and righteousnes all the dayes of our life before him as Zachary singeth Luc. 2. Luk. 2. and that which vpon our preseruation is required as Dauid concludeth saying He brought them foorth from Aegypt with ioy and gladnes that they might keepe his statutes and obserue his lawes Psal 105.45 Which God graunt we may also kéepe and obserue to his glorie and our comfort in Iesus Christ our Lord to whome with the holie Ghost be all honor and glorie world without end Amen The end of the fyrst Sermon The second Sermon Lots Wife IN the former part we haue bin incited to the true vse of memorie by the consideration of the Action commaunded Remember Now are we likewise furthered in the same by the consideration of the subiect or matter héere mentioned namely Lots Wife Neither can it be impertinent to our purpose if also we call to mind as well Lot as his Wife in whome an excellent example of Gods mercie appeareth as of his fearefull iudgemeÌ„ts on her for as when light and darkenes swéete and soure fire and water and things contrarie are compared together either of them is the better discerned from other So by the consideration of Lot and then by conferring him with his wife and by noting the contrarie dispositions and lots of them both we shall in much better sort from either of them learne that which the holie Spirit by reseruing their examples for our memories will suggerate vnto vs. From Lot Lot is there learned the lot of a godly man in this life with a comfort vnto the godly through the mercie of God on him From Lots Wife Lots wife is learned the lot of the wicked in this world with a terror vnto all backsliders and wicked Apostates by the terrible iudgements of God on the wicked Sodomites and Lots Wife Therefore first beholding Lot himselfe therein consider these circumstances 1 Who this Lot was 2 By what meanes he came to Sodom 3 How he behaued himselfe in Sodom among the vngodly 4 What entertainement he found among them 5 How that God loued him and deliuered him not onely from the sinnes but also from the punishmeÌ„t of the Sodomites We finde in Gen. 11.27 that Lot was the Sonne of Haran What Lot was which was brother vnto Abraham who was contented as one beléeuing the Lord to accompanie his Vncle Abraham wheÌ„ he forsooke his owne Countrey and his fathers house out from Vr of the Caldees and went soiourning as a Stranger into the land of Canaan at the commandement
timely warning to eschewe the plagues deserued with a sweete prouocation of sinnes to fruitfull repentance either by comfortable arguments of his bounties to his obedient children Sap. 10. or by strange and fearefull examples of his iudgements executed on the rebellious and vngodly sinners In like manner our Lord Iesus Christ that true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and friend to mankinde imitating in this as in all other things his heauenly Father who of his loue to man according to the purport and effect of the auntient promise made to Adam and confirmed to Abraham Dauid and other godly Fathers in his mercy sent him into the world to bring all true beleeuers vnto life euerlasting doth not only by perfitting the worke of mans saluation which none could do but himselfe shewe great mercies vnto his beloued but also foresheweth both to them and all others a most miserable destruction imminent and ready to fall first on the Iewes and then on all others who after their stubbornes faithlesse ingratitude and Apostasie do despise the goodnes of God and he leaueth not vnwarned in the same all men to take heed of those future miseries that horrible sinners do purchase to themselues by producing this notable memorandum of the terrible iudgements of God euen on the wife of that righteous man Lot she going about to saue her life lost it and looking backe in her heart to sinfull Sodom from whence the Lord in mercy had drawne her with charge to proceede without retire God foresheweth his iudgements she perished from the right way betweene Sodom and Zoar in that great wrath kindled against her We reade in Genesis that when all flesh had corrupted his way on the earth Gen. 6.23 and the Lord sawe that the wickednes of man was great on the earth and all the imaginations and thoughts of his heart were only euill in so much that he repented him of mans creation and was grieued in his mind he would yet in mercie though in the middest of wrath both foreshew the destruction following vnto his righteous seruant Noah whome he fauoured and gaue him also commission to diuulgate and publish the same to the world whome notwithstanding this vnreasonable sorrow conceiued he would in mercie spare for the space of an hundred and twenty yeares And moreouer for a perpetuall instruction to the posterities the Lord after that Noah had obteined rest made his Bowe in the Clowdes to be a token of the couenant thereon compacted which also beareth manifest Arguments both of mercy and iudgement to the comfort of the godly for whose benefit the promise was giuen to the confusion of the wicked for whome destruction waiteth And there is the blew colour of water to note for euer wherewith the world was destroyed and the red colour of fire to shew wherewith it shall perish 2. Peter 3. according to the Prophesie of S. Peter Genes 18. Afterward when the sinnes and abhominations of the filthy Sodomites had ascended vp and the loathsome cries of these execrable Sinners had pearced the Lords eares he determined thereon a mightie Plague which yet he threw not vpon them till time he had both warned them thereof and deliuered from the same his Seruants Abraham and Lot In the Booke of the Iudges it is mentioned that the Israelites oftentimes sinned against the Lord and incurred the plague of their transgressions whereof likewise they were forewarned and admonished to beware by Moses Iosuah Deut 28. verse 31. Iosh 24. and other the Seruants of God And besides that such destructions and miseries as ensued intollerable ingratitude to their posterities were told of by the holie Prophets and the persons on whome the inconueniences fell had yet certaine signes and tokens left to be as continuall remembrances vnto them The Prophet Samuel sayd to King Saul whiles he was yet King ouer Israel 1. Sam. 11 verse 23. and without feare of disgrace The Lord hath cast thee off from being King ouer Israel And this thing sayd he was also signified by the renting of his garment And so the Prophet Ahia the Silonite told Ieroboam 1. Kin. 11. verse 31. that the Lord had rent the Kingdome of Israel into 12. parts and this did he prognosticate by renting a newe Mantell into twelue péeces The Prophet Ieremy foreshewing a destruction to come proclaimeth thus in the Lords name Iere. 35.5 Behold I haue set pots of Wyne before the household of the Rekabites but they would not drinke obeying therein their fathers commaundement but as for you ye haue not hearkened vnto me as they hearkened vnto their father therefore I will bring vpon Iuda and vpon euery inhabiter of Ierusalem all the trouble that I haue deuised against them And this was certainly performed in his due time when as the Israelites for their sinnes were caried away captiue into Babylon their Citie being destroyed their Temple polluted and all their glorie shadowed 1. Cor. 10. S. Paule hauing declared both the mercie and wrath of God mercie in bringing the auntient Israelites out of Egypt wrath in ouerthrowing the rebellious people in the wildernes and turning per apostrophen to the Corinthians to whome he committeth this example warneth them thus Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heede that he fall not And thus did S. Peter Iude Iames and Iohn admonish them to whome they wrote Aboue all our Sauiour Christ willing to stirre vp not onely the Iewes but all men which rest in carelesse securitie Christ foreshewed the destruction of the Iewes and begin to bend backward foreséeing their ruine and miserable thraldome doth not only languish and powre foorth teares for the same thereby mouing vs if possible to wéepe for our selues but also prophesieth destructions and many heauie lots to fall on men in the world And to the ende they may the better be admonished séeing the consideration of other mens hurts may moue them to take héede he bringeth foorth the examples of the Niniuites of Tyre and Sidon of those on whome the Towre in Silo fell and of them whome Pilate slewe in the time of their Sacrifices of them that were drowned in the generall Floud and of the Sodomites And therevnto he addeth semblable Parables as of the Rich man and poore Lazarus of the vniust Steward and the wicked Mammon of the fiue foolish Virgins of the disobedient child the wicked husbandmen the ingratefull guests and such like Héere he setteth foorth vnto them the fearefull iudgements of God on Lots Wife willing them by her example to take heede of destruction not to looke backe from the plough but to hold on for feare of a greeuous and horrible destruction Therefore sayth he Remember Lots Wife A sentence very briefe yet a lesson not for idle Scholers fewe words yet not for dull hearers but as enough for a Sermon so a meete memorandum for a man during his life The Oracles and graue sayings of the wise men of yore
were very pithie though briefe as was that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Know thy self and that Memento mori Remember death Many like sentences wée haue in the diuine Scriptures Iohn the Baptist preached Repent Repent So counsailed Peter Acts. 2. Repent and be baptized Salomons conclusion is Eccles 12. Feare God and keep his commandements So our Sauiour Christ in his preachings hath these sentences Watch and pray Aske seeke giue forgiue iudge not condemne not haue faith in God Remember Lots Wife He that goeth to the plough and looketh backward is not meete for the kingdom of God O ye Iewes remember this least vnawares yee haue your lot with Lots Wife Oh remember this ye that forget God least he take you away and there be none to rescue An excellent persuasion to haue moued the Iewes to beware of their future miseries and a semblable instigation of all men to the due consideration of the time of visitation and the things that belong to their peace A lesson both particular for euery Christian and also generall for all persons people kindreds and toongs whatsoeuer to learne them faithfull perseuerance and the sentence may well be diuided into two parts namely 1. The Action commaunded which is Two partes Remember 2. The matter or subiect which is Lots Wife By the former part we be drawne to the right vse of memorie By the latter part we be put in mind of two notable examples the one of Lot himselfe the other of his Wife in which two there is found an excellent Antithesis both in life and lot Héere is one example most comfortable another example most fearefull the one of mercie the other of wrath one profitable against despaire another necessarie against presumption the consideration of both which must ioyne in a true Christian to withstand those two fiery darts of Satan The Lord God graunt that we beholding Gods mercies towards his chosen may with faith and thankefull hearts timely and fruitfully embrace the same and séeing his terrible iudgements on the wicked world now also threatned and readie to fall downe vpon the people of this age for the like may hastely flye and eschue them by seruing the Lord in trembling and feare for he is a consuming fire The first part Remember THe Lord God which is the true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 searcher and knower of mans heart perceiuing the minde of man as now polluted with many sinnes to be either as hard to conceiue that which is good as the Adamant stone is 〈◊〉 be pierced or as vnable to reteine in memorie that which ought to be euer remembreâ—â— as the soft waxe is to holde fast the image therein ensealed against the heate of the fire and therein also not vnlike to the ayre that claspeth againe after disclosing doth oftentimes crie out vnto man by his Prophets by his precepts by his works by his blessings and wonderfull iudgemeÌ„ts Remember Remember and vseth all the wayes and meanes conuenient to perswade and drawe man to the right vse of his memory and that so much the more by how much nature fayleth in accomplishing this thing and a diuine action supernaturall as it were extreame to mans corrupt nature is required for as the Stone by nature is deorsum tendens descending to the centre and the water which is not bound in fléeteth abroade so is mortall mans mind prone alwayes to that which euill is and neuer apt to goodnes but by constraint it soone forgetteth that which ought to be remembred and busieth it selfe semblablie in that which should be forgotten and it is true indéede that the heart of man is a vile thing and vnsearchable Neither may we thinke but that as in other things so also in this there is found a great abuse which we must endeuouâ— to take away before the vse can be effectuall that is The abuse of our memorie by forgetting and putting out of mind the things that we learned amisse and which ought not to be reteined in mind This forgetfulnes is a preparatiue to a good remembrance A necessarie forgetfulnes for as cléere liquor may not be kept in a vessell before that the corrupt be powred out and there must be a cleansing of the field before it be sowne so before mans mind can be made apt to that which is good it must be cleansed from that which is euill Therefore being perswaded to Remember let vs make way therevnto by a good forgetfulnes Séeing wisedome cannot enter into a wicked heart Sap. 1.3.4 Eccles 11. verse 10. and wicked thoughts separate from God let vs take away griefe out of our hearts and cause euill to depart from our flesh and remember our Creator in the dayes of youth This is the wisemans rule first to forget then to remember to remoue away euill then to plant and mainteine the good The Lord himselfe is oftentimes forgetfull as the Scriptures testifie of the sinnes and offences of penitent sinners and he putteth all their wickednes out of his holie remembrance that so he may remember them in goodnes as Nehemiah prayed him to do for himselfe Nehe. 13. verse 31. And héerein would our Sauiour Christ haue vs to be like vnto our heauenly Father not to kéepe the remembrance of iniuries done against vs by our brethren but willingly to forget and forgiue them as neuer minding to reuenge them héerein Math. 5. A wicked memorie Themistocles of Athens shall we declare our selues to be the children of our heauenly Father as most excellently he preacheth on the Mount From this point do worldly men farre differ when as they can with Themistocles not onely reteine in mind an iniurie but séeke for their profit an vnhonest reuenge But this man was censured to be too sharpe of memorie which also himselfe confessed whose words Cicero reporteth Memini quae nolo obliuisci non possum quae volo That which I would not do I remember neither can I put out of my mind that which I would forget Of such an vngratious memorie was Iuno noted in Vergil who reteining the displeasure coÌ„ceiued against the Troian Knight did neuer giue ouer vexing and troubling him both by Sea and by land till time she was reuenged which was noted a matter worthy great reproch in such a personage and therefore he expostulateth Tantae ne animis coelestibus irae that is Should heauenly hearts harbour such hatreds And another pointeth at the follie of such Qui vir siem c. He shall surely knowe my might what I am and what I can do when I haue drawne out of his bloud This kind of memorie is too much vsed among men which they haue brought into an Arte vnskilfull in the meane time of the right Art of Memorie in déede Now loue charitie is cold faith is scarce found vpon the earth the malice of man is great and mischiefe being once conceiued he trauaileth to bring her foorth neither is he pleased vntill he be
and prayed for their good successe Héereby the godly persuaded themselues The man that forgetteth the iniurie of his brother may the better come to God that laying aside all displeasures and forgetting manifold iniuries though it were to seuenty times seauen as Christ teacheth they might with more safe hearts and quiet consciences approach vnto the throane of grace with these and such like petitions Remember not the sinnes of our youthfull dayes O Lord Psalm 25. Forget our iniquities and blot our transgressions out of thy mind Forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespas against vs. The Lord Iesus graunt vs the spirit of pietie and patience to forgiue and forget the offences of our bréethren against vs. Moreouer Dauid in his 45. Psalme teacheth the Church Psalm 45. and therein euery member of the same what should be forgotten that her heauenly wooer Christ Iesus might be pleased in her Another forgetfulnes commanded in Scripture more generall Iohn 3. Forget saith he thine owne people and thy fathers house Therevnto counselleth S. Paule in his Epistle to the Rom. cap. 12. verse 1.2 and in his 13. Chapter of the same verses 12.13.14 This is that new birth which Nichodemus with all his wisedome is not able to conceiue and so difficult and hard for the fleshly man which conceiueth not the things that be of God as nothing is harder And therefore as the valiant Captaine Vlysses being in Affrica and perceiuing that his fellowes did continually languish with the remembrance of their Countrie Wife and Children which they could not forget caused them to taste of the Trée Lotos whereof if a stranger eate it is sayd he forgetteth his owne Countrey so our most excellent Captaine Christ produceth vnto vs his holy Word the trée of life to be tasted eaten and disgested with this commaundement Hearken ô Daughter hearken ô Israel he that hath eares to heare let him heare and happy is he that heareth the Word of God and keepeth it for by eating thereof man liueth he forgetteth old Adam To forget old Adam and the fleshly affections of man he casteth off the shooe from his féete with Moses and draweth néere to the Lord he meditateth on the Lawe of God day and night and is satisfied with goodnes By this was Paul put apart from the world This quencheth out the lust of the flesh the pride of life and loue of the world This bringeth faith to iustifie man before God and vertues to approue him before men This harboureth men in the bosome of faithfull Abraham whome the ruinous habitation of Adam could not preserue This draweth men from earthly Hierico to heauenly Ierusalem and persuadeth Iaphet to dwell in the tabernacles of Shem. Peter tasting of this Genes 9. goeth foorth at the doore and wéepeth for his sinne Ruth Ruth 2. the Moabitisse is hereby taken from her owne countrie and brought into Israel and this pearle being so pretious causeth a man to forsake all that hee hath to sell all his wealth to buy purchace and obtayne it The Lord graunt vs grace to bee in this poynt so forgetfull that we neither remember to commit nor dare bée so bold as to attempt sinne that wee neither dwell in the loathsome tents of Kedar nor so much as sauour of the fleshly affections of impious and vngodly men Thus haue we seene what things we are chiefly to forget and shut out of memorie Now let vs beholde the true substance of memorie What to remember and so in the end descend vnto this particular example of Lots wife If wee would that GOD in goodnesse should remember vs and that our prayers may enter in before him Nehe. 13. verse 31. Ionae 2.7 as Nehemiah and Ionas sayd then must we not be forgetfull of that which he commaundeth to bée kept in minde And except the Lord in his mercie be mindfull of vs Gen. 8.1 Genes 19. verse 29. Psal 115. verse 12. as he hath bene of old time of his seruants Noah Lot Abraham Dauid Ionas Manasses and others to whome in extremitie hee sent comfort and helpe we may be compared to Sodoma and like vnto Gomorrha wee cannot stande in the congregation but bee confounded in iudgement wee shall want that which may helpe vs and finde whatsoeuer anoyeth vs and being banished from the benediction of Gods children shall incurre the heauie curse of his enemies And a most fearefull thing is it to be forgotten of the Lord. For there is nothing remayning but cursings in the towne and in the field going out and comming in in the basket and in the store in the bodie and in the land and in whatsoeuer is taken in hand a sick bodie and a faint heart maymed members and a doubtfull minde in the morning wishing for the euening Deut. 28. in the euening desiring the morning vengeance from heauen an hell vpon earth Of this portion drinketh the vngodly to whom there is no peace saith the Lord seeing they bee aduersaries to the Almightie and banished from his presence Isai 40. as cleane out of his mercifull remembrance The faithfull children remembring these things with considerate mindes haue resorted vnto the Lord praying him in goodnesse to remember them Thus prayed Salomon O Lord God 2. Chro. 6. verse 42. refuse not the face of thine annoynted Remember the mercies promised to Dauid thy seruant And so prayed that noble Captaine Nehemiah Nehe. 1.5.8 cap. 5.19 ca. 13.31 O Lord God of heauen the great and terrible GOD that keepeth couenant and mercie for them that loue him and obserue his commandements c. I beseech thee remēber the worde that thou commandest thy seruant Moses Againe Remember me sayth he in goodnesse That patient man Iob in his great afflictions cryed out vnto the Lord Remember that my life is but a wind And King Hezekiah turning his face to the wall 2. Kin. 20.3 prayed in this manner I beseech thee O Lord remember now how I haue walked before thee in trueth and with a perfect heart and haue done that which is good in thy sight Baruch in the behalfe of the captiue Israelites Remember not sayth he the wickednesse of our fathers but thinke vpon thy power and thy name at this time The Prophet Dauid being moued with an excellent spirit Psa 74.20 and 137. Psal 119. verse 49. singeth vnto the Lord Remember thy couenant and promise Remember Sion be mindful of thy mercies c. Finally the condemned théefe on the Crosse with our Sauiour sayth vnto him Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdome These godly desires vttered with a faithfull heart haue not bene put backe nor was the Lord vnmindfull of his loue but as he remembred Noah and euery beast and all the cattel that was with him in the Arke and as Christ remembred Peter Mary Paule the théefe on the Crosse Psal 115. verse 12. So sayth Dauid in the behalfe of
Schoolemaister vnto vs for euer how had the creation of the world the making of man the building of the woman the placing of them in pleasure and cause of their paine bin remembred How could the promise of the Lords mercie in Christ the drowning of the world the burning of Sodom the preseruing of Lot and the punishment of Lots wife bin brought to our knowledge Yea Moses himselfe would soone haue forgotten what was written in the tables of stone which he brake had not the Lord written it againe with his owne finger Neither had the precepts and lawes of the Lord bin remembred in the posteritie Deut. 11. had not the Lord commaunded the children of Israel to write them in the posts of their dores Deut. 17. c. and the Kings to coppy them out for their instruction And this charge was giuen to Isaias the Prophet Isai 30. Now go and write it before them in a Table and note it in a Booke that it may be for the last day for euer and euer And of this benefite Dauid speaking sayth This shall be written for the posteritie And had not the Lord giuen vnto them his Word to be a light to their féete and pathes a staffe to stay them a rule to direct them they could not but runne a whoring in ignorance with the heathens worshipping not onely birds fourefooted beasts and corporall images the Gods of Ekron Baalpeor Dagon Asteroth Moloch and such but euen the Deuill himselfe contrarie to that commaundement of God to them Deut. 6. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue Againe had not the Lord commanded in his Word the Paschall Lamb to be eaten euery yeare had not the Serpent bin lifted vp in the wildernes had not Manna bin reserued had not circumcision bin giuen to Abraham Psal 78. the lawe and statutes to Israel they would soone haue forgotten altogether and turned the seruice of God into Idolatrie Finally we at this time would soone forget that excellent benefit offered vs in Christ Iesus had he not willed his Gospell to be preached and instituted his Sacraments with this commandement Do this in remembrance of me I knowe your memories be weake as the water and ye by nature forgetfull therefore yet do this one thing for my sake thereby to remember me and declare my death till I come Let vs therefore consider this and thereby remember God and his works Fourthly when God sawe how oftentimes he was shut out of mens minds especially when they were full and in prosperitie he vsed often to correct and punish theÌ„ with manie and sundrie aduersities to stirre them vp to consider of his goodnes and power Affliction bringeth men to God to remember him in their beds and to runne vnto him in their afflictions to call vpon him in trouble and glorifie him in his mercies He well knew that as the frozen with cold best thinketh of fire the hungrie of meate the naked of clothes the prisoner of libertie the condemned of pardon so men be earnest to séeke after God Hos 5. and to remember him estéeming more of his mercie in time of wrath then of his iudgements in time of grace As for examples King Manasses in the prison remeÌ„breth God whome in his prosperitie he had forgotten Ionas in the Whales belly remembreth that obedience to the Lord which before was shut out of memorie Psal 51. Exod. 2. Ier. 31. Dauid in his miserie crieth peccani Israel in Aegypt crie vnto the Lord and Ephraim in captiuitie complayneth hartely Thus the Lord purgeth the golde from the drosse in the fire thus winnoweth he the corne from the chaffe in the winde thus scoureth he the rust from the yron on the fretting stone thus driueth he the rebellious through fire and water vntill they acknowledge with Nabuchadnezar Dan. 4.25 37. that the most high hath power ouer the kingdomes of meÌ„ The polluted vessell is with water washed the raw flesh is seasoned with salt the dropping vine must bee pruned with a knife the weake stomackes must haue bitter wormewood the slow Asse a whip the heauie Oxe the goade the idle scholler correction and the fleshly Christian sower affliction This driueth home the lost sonne to his father and the wanton daughter to her mother And herein will the Lord begin at his owne house and execute this iudgement on the trees that be greene whatsoeuer become of the drie trees And therefore when we feele the touch of Gods iudgements either in minde bodie or wealth let vs know the cause and consider to what ende the same is inflicted and seeke remedie thereof at the hand of God with Ephraim Dauid Peter Magdalen And so remember God c. Fiftly and lastly when the Children of God after their repentance Wonderfull deliuerance tryall and sufficient experience of the Lords Iustice and mercie hee wonderfully deliuered to their great comfort they haue a great occasion giuen them to remember God and to glorifie him Iudg. As in the time of Gedeon when all hope was past they had a marueilous deliuerance from Madian As in the time of Sampson Iudg. when all hope was quailed they had a great victorie and deliuerance from the Philistines As in the dayes of Saule when Israel was oppressed by the Philistins againe 1. Sam. 17. Goliah was ouerthrowne and Israel deliuered As also in the time of the Kings of Israel and Iuda God gaue great victories to small hoasts agaynst mightie Nations A great instigation of them to thinke on the Lord his wonderful works And because we haue receiued great things and obtayned wonderfull deliuerances of of the mercie of our God let vs not forget the same but sing vnto him heartelie with songs of deliuerance The second thing that we are willed to remember is our bréethren Remember our brethren First those among them that haue the ouersight of vs and which speake vnto vs the word of God as the Apostle chargeth Heb. 13.7 whose end of conuersation considering we must follow their faith And these be they which ruling well are â—â—compted worthie of double honour Neither must we neglect to bestowe on theÌ„ our temporall things which deliuer vnto vs the Spirituall treasure And this is a part of that honor which we be commanded to yéeld to our pareÌ„ts Exod. 20. But how hardly the iudgement of man censureth these labouring persons with what grudgings they yéeld to them of their wealth and with what gainesaying the Ministery is furthered and relieued all men may sée This is not to remember Iâ— 5. but forget theÌ„ Wo vnto him that defraudeth the labourer of his iust hire whereof he is most worthie The remembrance of these is often mentioned in the Lawe Leâ—â—â— and so is that mindfulnes of our poore brother Deut. 16. to whose néede we must not be gréeued to conferre Pro. 31. Tob. This Bersabe also remembred in
for the truth they haue broken strings they proceed from euill to that which is worse and care not for the knowledge of God neither brother nor friend nor neighbour may be trusted This is a cause of confusion and plague the Lord of his mercie deliuer vs. 4 His enterteynment in Sodom See now I pray you what good Lot gayned by his being in Sodom his desire of pleasures procured him payne his hope of friendship nothing but afflictions First being among the Sodomites Lot had many afflictions and daungers amōg the Sodomites he was taken prisoner with his wife and all his substance together with the Kings of Sodom and Gomorrha by Amraphel King of Shinar Arioch King of Eleasar Chedarlaomer King of Elam and Tidal King of the Nations in great daunger of his life Well the vngodly may bée sometimes fauoured by the meanes of the godly men among them but this is sure that the godly can haue no good by ioyning hands with the vngodly or being among them The tares may be suffered for a time because of the corne but in the meane while the corne is annoyed by the growing vp of the tares with it Therfore Pharaos Court is no place for Moses to wayt in nor Putiphars house for Ioseph to serue in nor Baltazars feast for Daniel to banquet in nor Nabucadnezars glorie for Sidrach to worship in nor the open land for Dina to gad in nor the high Priestes pallace for Peter to come in nor Sodom a Citie for iust Lot to inhabite in It is commaunded Come out from Babilon my people least ye be polluted with their sinnes and so take parte of their plagues And although we learne as afterward it shall be declared that the banishing hence of the righteous hasteneth destruction on the rest The vngodly can not abide the righteous among them yet cannot the vngodly haue quiet mindes vntill they haue extirpated and rooted out al the godly from among them The same wee see in this example of Lot who could not enioy the benefite of any Supersedeas among the Citizens of Sodom He did not only vexe his righteous soule there with beholding their sinnes but also he was violētly oppressed with their crueltie They rushed in vpon him saying Thou art come hether Gen. 19. but as a straunger among vs and wilt thou bee our Iudge Thou art no towne borne child nor citizen of ours nor of this countrie thou art not of our societie and companie nor of our conditions we did neuer beare thee such good will to make thee a Iudge ouer vs or to bee tryed by thy determination no but wee will deale worse with thee then with these men whom thou harborest Oh good Lot couldest thou so long time abide there where thou couldest neuer bee welcome What gaynest thou among such vngodly persons Thou mayst say Only this a triall of my patience and pietie An experience of the great might and mercie of the Lord. Such is Lots enterteynment in Sodom God graunt that his children may be betimes warned to take heed of such enterteyners and that wee our selues be not contented to yeeld hatred vnto them that deserue to be welcome among vs. Another affliction had this good man Lots own wife was an affliction to him which peraduenture did touch him neerer namely by this that his owne wife which lay in his bosome and should of all other be a comfort vnto him became a griefe and corasiue to his heart It was no small griefe to Dauid that his owne sonne sought after his life And our Sauiour protesteth with no little sorow of soule that the same which eate bread with him lifted vp his heele agaynst him And it may bee this godly man would not haue stayed so long in Sodom had not his wife been a vehement cause thereof Vnequall yokes Here then let vs learne to take heede vnder what yokes ye submit your selues and with what wiues ye ioyne Ios 24. It was sayd of the women of the Nations they will be vnto you snares prickes in your eyes and whippes on your sides they will allure you seduce you drawe you to Idolatrie Did not Salomon the King of Israel sinne in these things Nehe. 13.24 Did not the daughters of men defile the childrē of God Gen. 6. Was not Iezabell a pricker forward of Ahab to euery mischiefe Did not Saule prouide Michol to be a snare vnto Dauid and did she not mocke at him openly Did not Iobs wife greeue him in the bitternesse of his heart Was not Esau blamed for taking wiues of the Hittites a griefe of minde to old Isaak and Rebeccha Therefore Iacob was straitly charged by his parents to eschew such women Abraham sware his seruant that he should not take a wife for Isaak of these nations and a lawe was ratified by Moses to that ende 1. Cor. 7. This is Paules charge Beare not the yoke with Infidels Let vs take heede then of vnequall matches The man which is vnwilling to be drowned doth not cast himselfe desperatly into the Sea and it is agaynst nature for a person to seeke comfort of that which by nature yeeldeth corrasiues and griefes Lots wife being by nature euill could not do any good to her husband in all her life A great affliction This thing also is general that the godly wheresoeuer they come shall be as welcome vnto the worldlings as water to the fire as Lot was to Sodom Christ telleth this playnlie Ye shall be hated of all men for my names sake And Iohn his holy Apostle sayth Marueile not my brethren though the world hate you Doth not Cain enuie Abel Is not the olde world agaynst Noah Ismael agaynst Isaak Esau agaynst Iacob Doth not Saule enuie Dauid for his victorie Do not the Lords of Babilon hate Daniel for his pietie Do not all the Nations conspire together agaynst Israel Yea more yet though Ephraim deuoureth Manasses and Manasses deuour Ephraim yet do not they both ioyne hand in hand to deuoure Iuda the Lords inheritance As Pilate agaynst Herod and Herod agaynst Pilate but both of them against Christ what concord betweene fire and water what peace betweene Christ and Belial may be found But yet why doth the world thus hate the children of God whom they haue rather cause to loue The children of God be brethren at amitie in themselues whose societie Satan séeketh to diuide that his owne arme may be the stronger and that one house may fall vpon another They be the redeemed from the earth from the power of darknes whome he seeketh againe to drawe vnto him they follow the Lamb wheresoeuer he goeth to the great griefe of Satan they be not of the world but chosen out of the world therefore they be hated but haue the worldlings any iust cause of hatred giuen them no truely for as Christ was hated without a cause of them that should haue rather loued him so are his childrē Yet they
alleadge causes also for themselues whose imaginations the Wise man descrieth in his 2. Chapt. of the booke of Wisedome Sap. 2. where he telleth that the vngodly being not fully persuaded of a better life after this and therefore minding to take their fill of pleasure heere in despight of Gods threatnings in contempt of his promises without any cōtroulment or contradiction of the righteous which can not but speake against them they thus resolue and conclude against the righteous Let vs oppresse the poore man that is so righteous Will ye oppresse nay rather deale iustly Will ye hurt the poore nay rather helpe him Will ye do violence to the righteous man nay rather do him good But ye will not be restrained ye will oppresse him and why he is not for our profit he is contrary to our doings he checketh vs for offending he accounteth vs transgressors of discipline he bosteth himselfe of the knowledge of God he saith he is Gods sonne he is made to reproue our thoughts it greeueth vs to see him his life is not like other mens his wayes are of another sort he accounteth vs as bastards he abhorreth our wayes he commendeth only the latter end of the righteous therefore we will examin him with rebukes and torments we will condemne him to a shamefull death Alas ye miserable caitiffes be these your profound arguments Indéed these beseeme him that saith in the pride of his heart Sic volo siu iubeo stat pro ratione voluntas I will haue it so so I commaund it to be done my will is an argument forcible ynough This is the manner of dealing of the worldlings against the righteous So is Lot entertained Now séeing the case thus standeth The godly are to ioyne together in loue oh how ready should the godly be to ioyne together and liue in concord together a thing both godly and profitable as Dauid singeth Ecce quam bonum c. for the house is not desolate nor the kingdome confounded where loue and concord dwelleth and raigneth It is good for birds of one flight to flye together chickens of one hen to couch together shéepe of one fold to flock together strings of one instrument to sound in harmonie together members of one bodie to ioyne together and Christians of one calling to loue together as sonnes of one father brethren of one Christ and Saints of one God This is expressely commaunded by Christ this is the badge or recognizance whereby we be knowne and heereby we be assured of our translation frō death to life as S. Iohn saith And the Apostles speaking heereof lay oftentimes our Sauiour for a patterne before vs who commaunded his Disciples to loue together as he had loued them that was as one noteth Veraciter sine simulatione prudenter sine corruptione temperanter sub Dei dilectione generaliter sine exceptione That is without simulation truly without corruption wisely vnder the loue of God temperately without exception generally Heere is not taught the loue of Cayne to Abel of Saul to Dauid of Iudas to Christ but heere is the loue of Dauid to Ionathas of Ruth to Naomi of Paul to Barnabas of Christ to Iohn Againe heere is taught to loue not the errors but the vertues of our brethren to hate the sinne with loue of the person to loue not for wealth nor fauour nor strength but for that he is thy brother a Christian Yet so as this loue must not exceede the loue of our God whome aboue all things we must loue that in regard of that we must euen forsake all other things which may hinder vs from the same For whosoeuer loueth either father or mother wife or children yea or his owne life more then me saith Christ is not worthy of me heerein then is temperance learned Let vs loue hartely but yet in the feare of God and vnder his loue yet so reuerently as we may honor God in our loue Lastly we are taught by this rule to loue generally I say not all men alike for although God in mercie maketh his sunne to shine aswell on the euill as on the good and so they féele as it were the beames of Gods loue whereof they be most vnworthy yet hath he euer had an especiall loue to his own children The houshold of faith must be preferred before the worldlings as Iacob before Esau Isaac before Ismael Abel before Cayne Dauid before Saule Salomon besore Absolon Iohn before Iudas but I speake heere only of the brethren This rule is enioined to the flock vnder one shepheard to loue and embrace of what nation kinred toong or sexe soeuer they be Thus let vs loue without exception so shall we yeeld and obey as good childrē to our heauenly father so shall we shew our selues his schollers so shall we assure election to our selues so shall we be strong in our selues so shall we withstand our enemies on euery side and shine as lights in the middest of a crooked generation and thus haue we seene the entertainement of Lot in Sodom Now are we to consider how that this good man 5 The deliuerie of Lot notwithstāding the hatred of his Citizens obteined the loue and mercy of the Lord through whom not only himself was wonderfully deliuered from destruction bu also his aduersaries for a time fared the better for his presence P. Mart. in Gen. 19. It may be that now the prayer of Abraham had his effect in this that God destroyeth not Lot with Sodom For it is said that God remembring Abraham and therein his prayer tooke Lot out of the middest of the ouerthrowe Heereof it was that God was mercifull vnto him and therefore sent his Angell to deliuer him yea and when he delayed the Angell did euen perforce constraine him to flie But so much the rather in that Lot was also a righteous man whereof Dauid argueth no doubt among the semblable examples I neuer sawe the righteous forsaken And why Gen. 18. Gen. 18. should not the Iudge of all the world do according vnto right and who is righteous euen Lot in that by his faith he obteined mercie and therefore he is saued though by nature sinfull yet by the mercie of the Lord made righteous But frō what other example might Dauid gather this assurance was not Noah saued from perishing by water with his family when all the world was ouerwhelmed was not Abraham and Sara preserued in a strange land was not Isaac wonderfully preserued by the Angell when his father held vp the knife to haue killed him was not Iacob 〈…〉 Lords prouidence heere is his fault fall such is mans wisedome and therevnto it tendeth a note of disgrace in so godly a mā But God is yet mercifull vnto Lot yea and spareth for a time Sodom through him And heere obserue that whereas the Lord stayed the wrath of his rod from his enemies till time that Lot was gone out of Sodom least happely the righteous had
perished among the wicked which God forbid as Abraham praied So do we see that commandement of the tares heere verified Let them yet alone least whiles ye weed out them yee pluck vp also the corne The Angels said plainely to Lot whē they willed him to hasten vnto Zoar We can do nothing vntill thou be come thither And this is a generall thing that whē God determineth to extirpate and roote out Nations When good men be taken hence plagues may be feared to follow Kingdomes and people he first taketh away the godly from among them and leauing only a confused heape of vngodlie persons a free passage is giuen to the execution of his iudgements When we see therefore that good men do slide from vs let vs feare of a iudgement ensuing with repentant hearts turne vnto the Lord and craue mercie in time conuenient The Prophet Ezechiel telleth that when the Lord could find no zealous man among them Ezech. 22.31 he powred out his wrath and consumed them Isaiah Isa 57.1 saith that the righteous men do dye and be taken away from the euill that commeth after them And Dauid witnesseth Psal 12. that the godly men be gone and the wrath of God recompenceth the remaynder Examples héereof we haue many Among which we remember that when Noah Noah was gone from the world and was enclosed in the Arke the water foorthwith fell downe vpon the world and drowned it Whē King Hezekiah Hezekiah was layde to his Fathers in peace the plague fell downe vpon Iuda which the Lord had by promise restrained all the time of his life The like in effect is mentioned of Iosias Iosias Christ his Apostles being departed from Ierusalem and not one left there but counterfeit Iewes Christ and the Apostles and notorious euill sinners all the plagues that tended to the vtter destruction of that City immediatly followed Matth. 22. Thy house is left desolate for yee shall not see me hencefoorth c. So heere Lot Lot the righteous man being gone out of Sodom the Lord rained vpon them fire and brimstone from heauen Aug. de ciu dei 21 Solinus Egesippus and consumed them all and their Countrie as many auncient Testimonies especially the holie Scripture reporte The consideration hereof might moue euen the vngodly to wish for and desire the peace of Ierusalem gladlie to enterteyne and reteyne the societie of righteous Lots among them And when they perceiue them departing to dread great iudgements imminent 1. Sam. 3. as the daughter of old Eli did who hearing that the Arke of God was taken away from Israel cried out in great feare Now is the glorie gone from Israel for the Arke of God is taken away And thus much for the person of Lot Now are wee come to the view of Lots wife Lots wife Wherein wee are to consider First what she was Secondly what sinnes are chiefly noted in her Thirdly what was her plague or punishment This woman by all likelihood was of the Cananites but farre vnlike the woman of Canaan that cryed after Christ for her daughter And it may easely bee gathered that Lot maried this woman either in or about Sodom whereas he pitched his tent partly for that wee do not finde in the historie that she came thether with him as Sarai did with Abraham partly for that she had such an earnest desire to stay and dwel there among them And it is true Canaanites bee mixt with the Israelites that notwithstanding the commaundement of God to the contrarie some Canaanites are not onely dwelling but also ioyning vnto them of Israel which cannot do them any good but euill as long as they liue As long as the godly man soweth corne in this world will the enuious man cast in his tares among While the net is in the Sea the bad fishes wil be taken together with the good whiles the Mustard seede groweth vp to a tree the birds of all sorts will rowst vnder the same The beastes of al kinde will be found in the Arke and Cham wil couch betwene Shem and Iaphet Gen. 10. and growe to a mightie nation to diuide their Tabernacles asunder that now the Lords flocke in respect of all the rest is called little As if the Lord had chosen of all birdes one Doue of all beastes one Sheepe of all trees one Cedar in Libanus of all pittes one Riuer Iordan of all hilles one Sion of all people one Israel of al Cities one Ierusalem out of all Sodom Lot but not Lots wife As all the world to Noah all Baals Priestes to Elias all the rebellious Israelites to Ioshua Ios 24 All Ierusalem to Christ and his Apostles So is Sodom to Lot yea and with them his owne wife This is not Sarah to Abraham nor Rebeccah to Isaak nor Hester to Ashuerus nor Susanna to Ioachim nor Elizabeth to Zacharias nor Mary to Ioseph but here is so heauie a yoke as good Lot could not well beare and such a burden as he was not able to bring forth from Sodom to Zoar. Here is a curst Xantippe to a learned and patient Socrates here is a murmuring Annah to an holie Tobiah yea more yet than that here is a disdaynfull and mocking Micholl to a zealous Dauid and a cursed woman to a blessed Iob. But wee may note in her some particular sinnes and eschew them the better by the consideration of her euill successe for the same First we note in her infidelitie 1 Infidelitie For she beleeued not the words of the Angels which sayd We be come hither to destroy this place And herein she ioyned hands with all her kinne in that citie who esteemed the report of Lot touching the wordes of the Angels as fables vainely inuented or shee thought that God would haue spared so beautifull a thing notwithstanding the Angels words So Thomas was incredulous and would not beleeue the words of them which sayd they had seene Christe after his death But yet blessed are they which haue not seene and yet haue beleeued Sarah Heb. 11. that woman is commended for her fayth by the Apostle The wife of Manoah also is commended in that shee beleeued the Angels words to her Iudg. 13. Anna also the mother of Samuel Rahab Ruth Mary Martha Elizabeth Damaris and other like women are for their faith praysed but Lots wife is diffamed by her vnbeleefe This is the subtiltie of Satan Satans craft to take away a mans faith first to pull out faith from mans heart which being once gone he knoweth that man is neither able to resist him nor to quench his fierie dartes He doth therein as the Rauen which first picketh out the sheepes eye and afterward deuoureth his bodie And faith is in a man the eye of the soule Satan knoweth that faith is the pillar whereon our building standeth Therefore he shaketh it to cast downe our building He knoweth that
in the whole Why then should we murmur Why should we excessiuely care for the morrowe and vexe our mindes Let vs rather applie our vocations according to the rule of his word with the ordinarie and lawfull meanes and affixe our mindes on him and trust in his mercie knowing that man liueth not by bread only but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God The Israelites cryed for flesh they haue it and dye thereof for their murmuring distrust And so Lots wife distrusting God she murmureth in mind she bendeth back as though her owne care had been better than Gods grace for her saftie but she hath a reward Remember her distrust and worldly carefulnes 6 Foolish pitie Another fault we find in this faithles woman as cords of vanitie do euer linck together to pull men from God and that is foolish pitie which is also too common among vs. She was moued for her friends and old acquaintance whose companie and conditions she loued which she should rather haue hated and she thought it a pitifull thing that sinners should be punished Psa 101.3 I hate theÌ„ saith Dauid to the Lord that hate thee and am grieved with them that rise vp against thee Psal 15.4 being persuaded that he only should dwell in the Lords tabernacle and rest vpon his holy hill in whose eyes a vile person is contemned Therefore he saith againe Psal 26.5 I have hated the companie of the evill a froward heart shall depart from me Psa 101.7 I will knowe none evill person for thus saith the Lord There shall no deceitfull person dwell in my house Let Magistrates take heed of foolish pitie Remember how King Saul for pitying Agag the Amalakite was reproued and plagued that Achab for letting go of Benhadad King of Siria was reprehended endangered On the other side Remember what Iehu did to Iezabel and the wicked house of Achab without compassion and that he was promised by the Lord for doing this thing his sonnes should surely sit on the throane after him to the third and fourth generation Remember also what a good report zealous Phinehas obtained wheÌ„ with his sword he flewe Zimri and Cozbi and ceassed the plague which was accounted vnto him for righteousnes throughout all generations And it is for euery man to be zealous in the Lords cause with Christ who was deuoured with the zeale of his fathers house not to giue ayme to sinne nor suffer the honor of the Lord God of Israel to be prophaned but to desire with heart the conuersion of sinners to withstand their open abhominations to reproue sinne and by lawfull meanes to séeke the execution of iustice against sinne euery maister in his house euery father in his family and euery true Christian in his place is to take heed that he withstand sinne in his seruants in his children in his brethren though with reprehension with due correction and the lawfull execution of the end of iustice as the case or cause shall require without foolish pitie But how negligently this is obserued the verie streetes of the Citie do testifie when as seruants children and those that should knowe how to measure their words with discretion be nothing fearefull to sweate and blaspheme the holy name of God in their common conferences neither do they shame to commit sinne openly as Sodom did and there is found no iust Lot to reproue them but there be found too many maisters fathers and others that with Lots wife will rather giue ayme vnto their vngodlines and be vnwilling in hart that any correction reprehension or punishment at all should be giuen them Remember Lots wife Another fault is found in this vnhappie woman slouth and negligence 7 Slouth and negligence in hir iourney foorth There is none excuse can be admitted against the Lords commandement neither the stammering toong of Moses that could not speake nor the tendernes of Ieremy being but a child nor the simplicitie of Dauid the least among his brethren nor the pouertie of Gedeon so meane nor the bashfulnes of Ionas so fearefull nor the former life of Saul a persecutor may iustly offer excuses of delayes in their lawfull vocation But séeme the thing neuer so hard strange obscure vneasie or impossible Note this if the Lord once bid vs to procéede we may not bée slacke nor negligent nor refuse to obeye And this is taught vs by many examples Peter in prison is commanded to rise vp quickly and so he did Acts. 12. Zacheus being called from the figge tree by our Sauiour he coÌ„meth downe quickly The children of Israel did eate the Passouer hastely as they were commanded and Paul doth the worke of the Lord without negligence as the Spirit moueth him We must strike whiles the iron is hoate and seeke the Lord whiles he may be found for the tyde carieth for no man We must knock in time Isa 55. Eccles. 3.1 and enter in before the gate be shut for there is a time of mercie and a time of wrath of mercie whiles Abraham praieth and Lot is yet in Sodom of wrath when Abraham ceasseth to pray and Lot is departed Do not then say when ye are called by the word of the Lord to come to him I am but young and too young to serue God yet I will serue him when I am old say not I will first go and burie my father I wil go bid theÌ„ farewell at home neither make delayes or excuses by buying Oxen fyning farmes marying wiues but to day if ye will heare the Lords voice harden not your hearts The Lord promiseth not to stay for you till to morrow though he promise that at what time soeuer ye repent he will forgiue you Therefore delay not he only winneth the goale that runneth swiftly he obtaineth the victorie that striueth valiantly he entreth into the gate that waiteth carefully and he is heard worthely that craueth timely Runne then make haste the day is at hand the time is vncertaine the enemie is strong Sodom is sinfull the Angels be come to destroy the vngodly the cale is taken the Lord is not intreated the nomber of the godly is small there is none to stop the Lords wrath not one to stand vp in the gap for the Citie that can be heard and the fire will not be â—uenched therefore it is more then time to flye hence Heereat Lot with his two daughters do runne hence with his speede but his wife hath many heauie clogs she is slouthfull negligent full of delayes and is ouertaken with destruction Lastly this vngodly Woman being by the deuill the world and the flesh 8 Apostacie so mightely hindered froÌ„ the good course now thereby in the end maketh shipwrack of all together for she doth apostate and turne backe from the Lord to Sodom There be two kinds of returnes 2. kinds of returne the one good commendable the other wicked and abhominable It is a