the wisest men many of the wise and the ancient and the learned with Nicodemus are to learne this lesson that except they be borne againe they cannot enter into the kingdome of Heaven Iohn 3. 4 9. and they that give themselves to be so bookish are often times so blockish that they forget God who made them Now as our Saviour said to him which thought he had done all One thing is behind Luk. 18. 22. so may I say to these who thinke they know all one thing is behinde and that is the true knowledge of God of Christ of themselves and how they may be saved and hee which knowes not thus much although I cannot say he is a starke foole yet I may truely say hee is halfe a foole and halfe a wise man as Ona-Centaure was halfe a man and halfe an Asse for all learning and knowledge without this is but as a wodden Diamond in a Lattin ring and others who know lesse and are lesse learned may be more wise It was a true and just reprehension wherewith the High Priest snib'd the Councell as they were set to condemne Christ and a great deale better then hee meant it Ye know nothing at al Iohn 11. 49. hee spake right for if wee know not the Lord Iesus we know nothing at all our knowledge is either nothing or nothing worth What saith Aristotle no more then the knowledge of goodnesse maketh one to be named a good man no more doth the knowledge of wisdome onely cause any person properly to bee called a wise man saving knowledge of the trueth workes a love of the trueth knowne yea it is an uniforme consent of knowledge and action hee onely is wise that is wise for his owne soule he whose conscience pulleth all hee heares and reades to his heart and his heart to God who turneth his knowledg to faith his faith to feeling and all to walke worthy of his Redeemer he that subdues his sensuall desires and appetites to the more noble faculties of reason and understanding and makes that understanding of his serve him by whom it is and doth understand he that subdues his lusts to his will submits his will to reason his reason to faith his faith his reason his will himselfe to the will of God this is practicall experimentall and saving knowledge to which the other is but a bare name or title for what is the notionall sweetnesse of honey to the experimentall tast of it It is one thing to know what riches are and where they be and another thing to be master of them it is not the knowing but the possessing of them that makes rich Faith and Holinesse are the nerves and sinewes yea the soule of saving knowledge the best knowledge is about the best things and the perfection of all knowledge to know God and our selves as being the marrow pith or kernell of Christianity and it is much to know a little in this kinde What said Aristippus to one that boasted how much hee had learned learning consisteth not in the quantity but in the quality not in the greatnesse but in the goodnesse of it Wee know a little gold is of more worth then much drosse a precious stone is a very little thing yet it is preferred before many other stones of greater bulke yea a little Diamond is more worth then a rockie mountaine so one drop of wisdome guided by the feare of God is more worth then all humane learning one sparke of spiritual experimental and saving knowledge is worth a whole flame of secular wisdome and learning one scruple of holinesse one drame of faith one graine of grace is more worth then many pounds of naturall parts But learning and grace do not alwayes keepe company together yea oh Lord how many are there that have a depth of knowledge yet are not soule wise that have a library of Divinity in their heads and not so much as the least catechisme in their consciences No rare thing for men to abound in speculation and be barren in devotion to have full braines and empty hearts clear judgement and defiled affections fluent tongues but lame feet yea you shall heare a flood in the tongue when you cannot see one drop in the life But see how justly they are served they might bee holy and will not therefore though they would bee soule wise yet they shall not the scorner seeketh wisdome but findeth it not Pro. 14. 6. Let them know never so much they are resolved to be never the better and they which are unwilling to obey God thinks unworthy to know § 51. NO wicked man is a wise man for as God is the giver of wisdome so hee reveales himselfe savingly to none but his children the godly First God only is the giver of it For as no man can see the Sunne but by the light of the Sunne so no man doth know the secrets of God but by the revelation of God Mat. 16. 16 17. to know the mysteries of the Kingdome of Heaven wee must have hearts eyes and eares sanctified from above Deut. 29. 2 3 4. Ps. 111. 10. Luk. 24. 45. Ioh. 15. 15. Rom 8. 14. 15. No learning nor experience will serve to know the riches of the glory of Gods inheritance in the Saints to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge Eph. 1. 17. 18. and 3. 19. for as meere sense is uncapeable of the rules of reason so reason is no lesse uncapeable of the things that are supernaturall Yea the true knowledge of the nature and state of the soule must come by his inspiration that gave the substance As the soule is the lamp of the body and reason of the soule and religion of reason and faith of religion so Christ is the light and life of faith 2. God reveales himselfe savingly to none but the godly and such as he knows will improve their knowledge to his glory even as husbandmen will not cast their seed but into fruitfull ground which will returne them a good harvest the secrets of the Lord saith David are revealed to them that feare him and his covenant is to give them understanding Psa. 25. 14. these secrets are hid from the wicked neither hath hee made any such covenant with them the faithfull are like Moses to whom God shewed himselfe Exod. 3. like Simeon that imbraced Christ in his armes Lu. 2. 28 like Iohn the beloved Disciple that leaned an his bosome Ioh. 13. 25. like the three Disciples that went with him up the mount to see his glory Matth. 17. like the Apostles whose understandings he opened Luk 24. 45. and to whom hee expounded all things whereas to unbelievers he speakes all things as it were in Parables Mar. 4. 34. see this in Abrahams example shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do saith God Gen. 18. 17. As if this were an offence in God if he should tell the righteous no more then hee tells the wicked They which love God
whether thou wilt bring forth the fruit of repentance and new obedience yet presume not for as when men give long day they expect larger payment so does God or for default thereof conferres a heavier doome the first fellony may sâ—ape in hope of amendment but the second much more the seventh meetes with as well it deserves a halter Yea of this be sure if Gods long suffering workes no reformation this silent Judge will at last speake home The Elephant suffers many injuries from the inferiour beasts but warre being too farre provoked his revenge is more extreame then his patience was remisse and the higher the Axe is lifted up the deeper it cuts But what doe I nominating particulars when thou hast had more warnings and invitations then thou hast haires on thy head Gods benefits offered thee in Christ and they all solicit thee to repent are without number though thy sinnes strive with them which shall be more If thou couldest count the numberlesse number of creatures they would not be answerable to the number of his gifts though the number of thine offences which thou returnest in liew of them are not much inferiour Not to enter into particulars which were endlesse but to give you the summe or epitomy of them for I had rather presse you with weight then oppresse you with number of Arguments The Lord Christ hath not onely ransomed thee from infinite evills here and everlasting torments hereafter but also purchased every good thing thou dost enjoy whether for soule or body even to the very bread thou eatest and that with the price of his owne precious blood and as if all this were too little he reserveth for thee such pleasures at his right hand as never entred into the heart of man to conceive and to the end onely that thou shouldest serve and set forth the praise of his Name who hath done all this As he descended into Hell that we might never come thither so he ascended into Heaven to prepare a place for us which we have no right unto What should I say If we looke inward we finde our Creator's mercies if we looke upward his mercy reacheth unto the Heavens if downeward the earth is full of his goodnesse and so is the broad Sea if we looke about us what is it that he hath not given us Ayre to breath in Fire to warme us Water to coole and cleanse us Cloathes to cover us Foode to nourish us Fruits to refresh us yea Delicates to please us Beasts to serve us Angells to attend us Heaven to receive us and which is above all his owne Sonne to redeeme us whithersoever we turne our eyes we cannot looke besides his bounty O consider of these his mercies you that forget God and then though there were no Hell no punishment for sinne yet you would not transgresse Hast thou any braines or heart to conceive what it is he hath bestowed what thou hast received what thou hast deserved No surely for if thou hadst braines and wert a wise man it would make thee mad as Salomon speakes in another sense Eccl. 7. 7. or if thou hadst a heart not like a stone or an Adamant the consideration of Gods love and thy odious unthankefulnesse would make it split and breake in peeces But heare it againe First thou wert created by him a man and not a beast in England not in Aethiopia in this cleare and bright time of the Gospell not in the darkenesse of Paganisme or Popery Secondly thou wert redeemed out of Hell by his precious blood he spared not himselfe that his Father might spare thee Oh thinke what flames the damned endure which thou mayst escape if thou wilt thy selfe me thinkes this should melt a heart of Adamant Thirdly he hath preserved thee here from manyfold dangers of body and soule Fourthly he hath all thy life long plentifully and graciously blessed thee with many and manifold good things And lastly promised thee not onely felicity on earth but in Heaven if thou wilt serve him § 127. BEsides as these mercies are great in themselves so our unworthinesse doth greater them more being shewed to us who are no lesse rebellious to him then he is beneficiall to us And is all this nothing to move thee dost thou thus requite him art thou so farre from loveing and fearing him that thou hatest others which doe O monstrous ingratitude oh foolish man to looke for other then great then double damnation O that such soveraigne favours as these should not onely not profit thee but turne to thy destruction through thy wilfull blind and perverse nature He is thy Lord by a manifold right his tenure of us is diversly held and thou his servant by all manner of obligations indeed our tenure of him is but single he is ours onely by faith in Christ Gal. 3. 26. First he is thy Lord by the right of creation thou being his workmanship made by him Secondly by the right of redemption being his purchase bought by him Thirdly of preservation being kept upheld and maintained by him Fourthly thou art his by uocation even of his family having admitted thee a member of his visible Church Fifthly his also if it be not thine owne fault by sanctification whereby he possesseth thee Sixtly and lastly he would have thee of his court by glorification that he might crowne thee every way his Yea he hath removed so many evills and conferred so many good things upon thee that they are beyond thought or imagination for if the whole Heaven were turned to a booke and all the Angells deputed writers they could not set downe all the good which Christ hath done us Now favours bestowed and deliverances from danger binds to gratitude and the more bonds of duty the more plagues for neglect Hath God contrived so many wayes to save us and shall not we take all occasions to glorifie him Hath he done so much for us and shall we deny him any thing that he requires though it were our lives yea our soules much more our lusts we have hard hearts if the blood of the Lambe cannot soften them stony bowells if so many mercies cannot melt us Was he crucified for our sinnes and shall we by our sinnes crucifie him againe Doe we take his wages and doe his enemy service Is this the fruit of his benificence of our thankfulnesse Is this thâ— recompence of his love to doe that which he hates and hate those whom he loves O for shame thinke upon it and at his instance be perswaded by whose blood you were redeemed from all these evills and interrested in all these good things The Apostle could not finde out a more heart-breaking argument to enforce a sacrificing of our selves to God then to conjure us by the mercies of God in Christ Rom. 12. 1. and indeed we could not be unthankefull if we thought upon what the Lord gives and what he forgives but if the thought of these things will not move thee Lord have
with money and promises of honour he answered I feare not thy force and I am too wise for thy fraud He will never feare to be killed who by killing is sure to be crowned His resolution is like that of Consalve who protested to his souldiers thewing them Naples that he had rather die one foote forwards then to have his life secured for long by one foote of retrait And good reason for doth not our Saviour say whosoever shall seeke to save his life in this case shall lose it I more he shall lose both body and soule eternally for so the words imply but whosoeuer shall lose his life for my sake and the Gospells he shall save it Mat. 10. 39. Luke 17. 11. 33. This priviledge hath God given to those that feare him that they need not to feare any thing else Yea though every paine they suffer were a death and every crosse an Hell they know they have amends enough when they heare the Holy Ghost say Apoc. 2. 10. be thou faithfull unto the death and I will give thee the crown of life And indeed this promise which is added should me thinkes be a notable spurre to our perseverance should exceedingly sharpen the commandement and drive it more deepely into our minds making us to say with Pompey being to cary corne to Rome in time of idearth and the Sea tempestuous it is necessary that I goe on not that I live Many have thought health worthy to be purchased with the price of Cauthers and Incisions how painefull soever but alasse eternall life is a precious pearle which a wise Merchant will purchase though it cost him his life yea had he a thousand lives and all that he hath Mat. 13. The women told Naomy that Ruth was better unto her then seven Sonnes Ruth 4. but Christ is better then seventy times seven lives for what is life together with a perpetuated fame from Adam till doomes day in respect of salvation for eternity or what are they that can only kill the body to Him that after he hath kild the body can cast both body and soule into Hell But as warme cloathes to a dead man so are the motions of valour to a fearefull heart say what can be said cleare mens judgements cure their prejudice many will yet feare the worlds opinion more then Gods displeasure which is to runne into the fire to avoid the smoake and more dread the mockes and flouts of men on earth then they doe the grinning mockes of the Devills in Hell which makes them cease to be good Christians that they may be thought good companions wherein they put downe Aesop's foolish fishes that leapt out of the warme water into the burning fire for ease or Timocrates who as Thucydides relates kil'd himself for feare least he should be drowned Wherefore seeing all men cannot receive this gift of fortitude save they to whom it is given I will yet shew you if not a more excellent yet a more safe way to avoid this danger and all other their allurements § 194. IF thou wouldest neither bee intised nor enforced to pledge them in any of their wicked customes divorce thy selfe from all acquaintance and society with the vicious yea entertaine no parly with them There are some vices of that nature that they cannot be vanquished but by avoiding such is fornication fly fornication saith the Apostle 1 Corinth 6. 18. that is flee the company of fornicators for to be in a lewd womans company saith Salomon and depart innocent aud to take fire in a mans bosome and not singe his cloaths or go upon live coles and his feet not be burnt are equally possible Prov. 6. 27 28. such is the frailty of mans nature that if the eye but see or the eare heare or the hand but touch a whorish woman the heart will goe nigh to catch and take fire verse 29. And thus is fares with this sinne bid a man consort a while with drunkards and depart from them innocent you may as well put a match to dry powder and forbid it to take fire except he be very well stayed and of better governd affections then ordinary It is not safe to commit a little Wherry to the Seas violence A sticke that hath once been in the fire much more a Torch newly extinguisht being forth with put to the flame will soone be kindled again Wherfore keep out of the reach of thy vicious â—equaintance and if they becken thee one way be thou sure to take the contrary at least entertaine no parley with them When Castles once come to a parley there is great feare they will yeeld and gates that are alwayes open will sometimes admit an enemy No disputing with Sathan or his deputies when our first Parents fell to arguing the case with that old Serpent though in the state of innocencie when they had wit at wil and their reason at command they found him too hard for them how much more too weak shall we find our selves that now are as we are surely we are like to lose all if once wee enter into disputation with that old Sophister and crafty Fox after the experience of six thousand yeares almost and when our ownflesh which his the greatest both deceiver and dissembler in the world is become his cunning solicitour Alasse he desires no more then to be heard speak for grant him but this and he will perswade thee to believe even contrary to thine own knowledge as how easily did he perswade Eve by himself and Adam by her when they gave but care to him to believe what he spake though they had heard God himself say the contrary but a little before Gen. 2. 17. and if innocency found no meanes of resistance what hope have we so extreamely degenerated And indeed why doe we pray not to be led into temptation if we lead our selves into temptation If we will not heepe our selves from the occasion God will not keepe us from the sinne and if God doe not keep us we cannot be kept we cannot wee will not choose but fall Wherefore shun the society of evill men as Iosoph shunned the society of his Mistresse and leave them that leave God as Noah did the old World and that by God's commandement Gen. 7. 1. 7. and Abraham the Cananites Gen. 12. 1. and Lot the Sodomites Gen. 19. 17. and Israel the Egyptians Exod 12. 37. 41. and Moab and Ammon Numb 27. 1. 2. 3. 16. 17. § 195. BUt is it warrantable may some say to separate from our old acquaintance being vicious and other the like companie Not totally for then we must goe out of the world 1 Cor. 5. 10. nor from any in all cases for then we must separate from the publike assemblies nor in regard of civill society and necessary commerce for this were to unglew the whole worlds frame which is contexted onely by commerce and contracts there by certaine wise uses to be made of them
Yea Wine so inflames the Drunkard with Lust that were his power equall to his desire were his dreames and wishes all true hee would not leave a Virgin in the world might but his acts answer the number of his desires nature could scarce supply him with severall objects or could his wishes take effect Popery might have many Nuns it should have no maids Now what decayes health and strength and consequently shortens a mans dayes more then whoredome when so many dye of the Pox a disease which slayes thousands though they will not be known of it for because of the whorith woman a man is brought to a morsell of bread Pro. 6. 26. yea shee causeth many to fall downe wounded and all the strong men are slaine by her her house is the way unto the grave which leadeth downe to the chamber of death Pro. 7. 26. 27. And so much of the drunkards body § 21. SEcondly if wee dive deeper into him and Search into his soule what one sinne more mangles and defaces Gods Image and mans beauty then this how doth it damme up the head and spirits with mud how doth it infatuate the understanding blind the judgement pervert the will and corrupt all the affections how doth it intrap the desires surprise the thoughts and bring all the powers and faculties of the soule out of order which occasioneth one to say where drunkennesse raignes as King there reason is banished as an exile the understanding is dulled counsell wandereth and judgment is overthrowne And with this accordeth Seneca who defines drunkennesse to be a voluntary madnesse or a temporary forfeiture of the wits yea the Holy Ghost affirmes that the excesse of wine makes men mad foolish and outragious Pro. 20. 1. for being worse then the sting of an Aspe it poysoneth the very soule and reason of man Yea wee finde this and a great deale more by experience for many a man drinkes himselfe out of his wits and out of his wealth and out of his credit and out of all grace and favour both with God and good men Neither is the Scripture lesse expresse for Salomon calls wine a mocker and tells us that strong drinke is raging And Hosea affirmes that wine takes away the heart Chap. 4. 11. And wee reade elsewhere that wine makes men forget God and his lawes Pro. 31. 5. Yea utterly to fall away from God and to be incapable of returning for it is commonlie accompanied with hardnesse of heart and final impenitence Esa. 5. 11. 12. and 56. 12. Pro. 23. 35. For admonish such as are bewitched and besotted with the love of wine you speak to men senseles past shame and past grace Tell them of some better imployment they will say as once Florus an idle fellow was wont I would not be Caesar alwayes marching in armor to whom Casear replyed and I would not be Florus alwayes drinking in a Taverne Yea being wrapt in wine and warme cloathes they so like their condition that they would not change upon any termes no not to be glorified Saints in Heaven as those swine and other brutish creatures which Circe transformed would by no meanes be perswaded to become men againe though they were put to their choice by the said goddesse or forceresse rather upon the earnest request of Vlysses You shall never perswade a Drunkard that the water of life is the best wine In a word by long custome they turne delight into necessity and bring upon themselves such an insatiable thirst that they will as willinglie leave to live as leave their excessive drinking in regard whereof St. Austin compares drunkennesse to the pit of Hell into which when a man is once fallen there is no redemption Yea this vice doth not onely rob men of reason but also of common sense so as they can neither prevent future danger nor feele present smart But of this enough having already proved them as much worse then beasts as beasts are better then Devills Besides I shall occasionallie treate more of the soules Character in sundry particulars which follow § 22. 5 FIfthly as hee deformes his body impaires his health shortens his life beastiates his soule c. so he consumes his estate and brings himselfe to poverty and want as to whom is poverty as Salomon speakes but to Drunkards who thinke no cost too much that is bestowed on their bellies who consume their wealth at the wine even while they have swallowed downe their whole estates As let the Drunkard have but a groate it burnes in his purse till it be drowned in drinke if hee have gold he will change it if plate hee will pawne it and rather then not satisfie his gut away goes all to the coate on his backe yea rather then hee will scant as they say his belly had hee a jewell as rich as tenne Lordships or as Cleopatra's was that womanlike swaggerer his throate shall have it O that either wealth or any other blessing should be cast away thus basely Or suppose he bee a labouring man and must earne it before he have it he will drinke as much in a day saith St. Ambrose as hee can get in a weeke spend twelve pence sooner then earne two pence And hence it commeth to passe that the company keeper goes commonly in a ragged coate as it is seldome seene that they offend the Statute against excesse in apparell for rather then so they will goe naked and count that too a voluntarie penance Thus the Drunkard having spent all in superfluities in the end hee wants necessaries and because in youth hee will drinke nothing but wine in his old age he is constrained to drinke water yea hee throwes his house so long out at windowes that at last his house throwes him out at doores And when all is gone glad would he be to be a Swineheard like the Prodigallson but knowing himself unworthy of any mans entertainment hee growes weary of his life and is ready to make himselfe away like Peter the Cardinall base son to Sixtus the fourth that monstrous Epicure the shame of the latter times or like Apicius the shame of the ancient age wherein he lived All which the Scriptures make good where it is said that the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty and the sleeper shall be cloathed with raggs Pro. 2◠21. And againe peremptorily he that loveth wine and oyle shall not bee rich Prov. 21. 17. Now that this is so every officer of a Parish knowes to his great trouble and the inhabitants cost yea were I enjoyned to take up a ragged regiment I should thinke it no hard taske to muster up a thousand men admit but drunkards to be men out of the very suburbs that in sheere drinke spend all the cloaths on their beds and backs yea that drinke the very bloods of their wives and children for hee brings not this misery upon himselfe alone but his whole family wife children servants all are impoverisht yea nere
although the drunkards sorrow strife shame poverty and diseases together with his untimely death as one would thinke were enough to make this sin odious yet looke we further into him as namely into his more inward parts his secret abominations which follow and are occasioned through drunkennes that will make it hidious and fearefull at least if I had the skill to cut him up and paint him to the life § 24 IN speaking whereof I will first lay open the ground of all which is idlenesse for although in one sense idlenesse may be called an effect of drunkennesse yet in another it may be called the cause both of it and all the residue of evills which accompany the same for idlenesse is the most corrupting Flie that can blow in any humane minde We learne to doe ill by doing what is next it nothing and hence it is that vice so fructifies in our Gentry and servingmen who have nothing to employ themselves in It is said of Rome that during the time of their warres with Cartâ—age and other enemies in Africa they knew not what vices meant but no sooner had they got the conquest then through idlenesse they came to ruine Rust you know will fret into the hardest iron if it bee not used Mosse will grow on the smoathest stone if it bee not stirred Mothes will consume the finest garment if it bee not worne so vice will infect even the best heart if given to idlenesse Standing water is sooner frozen then the running streame hee that sitteth is more subject to sleepe then hee that walketh so the idle man is farre more subject to temptation then hee that is profitably exercised yea idlenesse saith one of the Fathers is the Devills onely opportunity for if hee come and finds us well busied hee leaves us for that time as having small hope to prevaile An idle person is good for nothing but to propagate sinne to bee a factor for the Devill it faring with man as with the earth of which hee was made which if it bee not tilled or trimmed doth not onely remaine unfâ—uitfull but also breeds and brings forth Bryers Brambles Nettles and all manner of noysome and unprofitable things so that Seneca seemes to be mistaken in calling an idle person the image of death for though the body be idle yet the soule like a river is alwayes in progression and his heart like a wherry either goes forward or backward It may be resembled to a well with two buckets the mind no sooner empties it selfe of good thoughts but it fills with evill cogitations If the seede dyes the blade springs the death of grace is but the birth of corruption Now all the Drunkard's labour is to satisfie his Lusts and all his life nought else but a vicissitude of devouring and venting as how many of them make it their trade and whole vocation to keepe company Whereas sweat either of the Brow or of the Braine is the destiny of all trades be they mentall or manuall for God never allowed any man to doe nothing Are not most populous places by reason of this vice like Antiochus his army fuller of mouthes then hands for if you marke it the company keeper and good fellowe according to the vulgar is the barronest peece of earth in all the Orbe the Common wealth hath no more use of him then Ierâ—hoham had of his withered hand hee is like the dumbe Iacke in a Virginall for he hath not so much as a voice in the common wealth Whereas hee was borne for the good of his countrey friends family c. well may hee disturbe the common wealth and give offence and scandall unto all that are neere or about him Rom. 14 20 21. as being unfit to doe service or subject himselfe to be ruled by his Governors civill and ecclesiasticall but profitable hee is to none except Vinteners Inkeepers and Ale drapers who are the greatest loosers by him of all the rest though they seeme to gaine much for these are accessary to the Drunkards sinne and have a fearefull accompt to make for their tolleration of such seing they might and ought to redresse it so that their gaine is most unjust as may not that be written upon what ever they possesse which Diogenes writ under the golden Statua which Phryne the strumpet dedicated at Delphos this was gotten by the intemperance of the people and in the end will prove as unprofitable for hereby they endanger themselves and without repentance lose their soules Math. 16. 26. What is recorded of Nsâ—grites namely that hee never plowed not digged nor did any thing all his life long that might tend to any good is truly verified in him hee is not more nimble tongu'd then gowty handed as Iulian the Apostate confest of himselfe and yet never thinkes hee shall give an account for this sinne of all the rest but surely if wee must give an account for every idle word much more for every idle day nay moneth nay yeare But I proceede All the paines hee takes is for the enemy of mankinde if you will have him worke you must chaine him in a celler where are good store of springs and give him the option or choice whether hee will pumpe or drowne which is the Hoâ—â—anders way to dresse an English gentleman whose ill demeanour hath made unworthy to live The company keeper is like a top which alwayes runnes round but never goes forward unlesse it be whipt or the Mill wheele which turnes about all day but at night remaines in the same place or like a blind Horse in a maltmill which is as farre in the morning as at night for all the day hee walkes round in the same circle over and over and when he hath done and slâ—pt a little is new to begin againe Neither does hee which walkes from six to six in Paules goe more then a coytes câ—st before him Drunkards make it their whole imployment to goe from theirs beds to the tap house for the true Drunkard thinkes no wine good which is brought over two thresholds from the taphouse to the play house where they make a match for the brothelhouse and from thence to bed againe so that they either doe nothing or that which is worse then nothing for hee is neither a Drunkard nor an idle person but a civill compleat and well qualified Gentleman that spends the whole day yea every day but in bousing and bowling and taking Tobacco O the number of men and women in this City that are all the day idle yet have not an idle hower to afford either the Church or the study or for the good of the common wealth And therefore no wonder if they afford not mee the hearing they onlie sit to eate and drinke lye downe to sleepe and rise up to play this is all their exercise herein lyes all theiâ— worth and no marvell for if the worlâ— be a mans god pleasure must needs beâ— his Religion They are
undermine us 1 Samuel 18. 17. 21. 25. Ieremiah 18. 18. Acts 6. 9. 10. yea lay divellish plots to destroy us Daniel 6. Exodus I. 9. 10. Psalme 83. 3 4 5. Acts 4. 26 27. and 19. Chap. and 23. 10 14. Secondly they would deliver us up and falsely accuse us to the Magistrates I Sam. 22. 9. 10. and 23. 19. 20. and 26. 1. Acts 6. 8. to 13. and 24. 13. Thirdly they would perswade and give devilish counsell to them against us Rev. 2. 14. Ier. 38. 4. Act. 17. 13. and never leave untill they had in the fourth place shut us up in Prison I Kings 22. 27. ler. 36. 5. and 15. 10. Luk. 21. 12 Acts 5. 18. and 12. 4. and 4. 3. and 22. 25. and 28. 17. 2 Cor. 11. 23. and in case we would not yet yeeld to associate them in evill doing nor conforme to their lewd and wicked customes then would they give us bodily correction as First they would strike us 1 Kings 22. 24. Ier. 20. 2. and 37. 15. Acts 23. 2. 2 Cor. 11. 23. 24. 25. Secondly they would hurt and mayme us Numb 14. 10. ludges 16. 21. Acts 14. 19. Thirdly if all this would not doe in the last place these drunkards and vicious livers would kill us for being so refractory they would make us either bow or breake they would kill our bodâ—es if they could not corrupt our soules if we would not part with our innocency we should part with our lives as it fared with the three children that were put into the fiery furnace because they would not worship the golden Image as others did Dan 3. and all the Prophets of the Lord whom Iezabel slew because she could not bring them to her owne bow I King 18. 4. and those numberlesse Martyrs whose soules St. Iohn saw under the Altar Rev. 6. which were killed because they would not doe and say as the rest yea even for the word of God and for the testimony which they maintained ve 9. And why fares it not so with us why doe not the same drunkards vicious liveers and other enemies of holinesse which now enuy hate censure scoffe at nicke-name raile on and slander us even strike maime and kill us but because their hands are tyed by the Law I dare say it fares with many of them because they cannot have their wills as it did with Achilles who is feigned to eate his owne heart because he might not be suffered to fight Why are not our Sanctuaries turned into Shambles and our beds made to swim with our bloods long before this but that the God of Israel hath crossed the confederacy of Balack It is no thank to wicked men that their wickednesse doth not prosper the woâ—ld would soone be over-runne with evills if men might be so ill as they would Alasse if our Gracious King and State did not maintaine true Religion and countenance the sâ—me it would be otherwise then it is with the people of God as the Word of God and former experience witnesseth § 103. 1 FIrst the word of God witnesseth the same as looke but Rev. 13. and you shall find it foretold by the Holy Ghost that so many should be killed as would not worship and give honour to the Image of the Beâ—st that man of sin that man of pride that opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called god or that is worshipped 2 Thes. 2. 4. and our Saviour foretelleth that we shall not onely be hated of all men and Nations for his names sake but be killed and put to death Mat. 24. 9. Yea he affirmeth expressely that we should not onely receive this hard measure from strangers and enemies onely but from our deerest and neerest friends that the Brother should betray the Brother to death the Father the Sonne and that children should rise up against their Parents and cause them to dye even for his names sake Matâ— 10. 21. 22. meaning when they are not restrained by godly Kings and their wholesome Lawes Neither doe we want examples to make good these testimonies for by whom was upright Abel persecuted and slaine but by his owne Brother Caine Who scoffed at righteous Nâ—ah but his owne Sonne Chaâ—m By whom was that vertuous and religious Lady Barbara put to death for embracing the Christian faith but by her owne Father Dioscorus And lastly by whom was our Saviour Christ betrayed but by his owne Disciple ludas 2. But to goe on experience as well as the Scripture proves it In the time of the tenne persecutions it was no more then sacrifice or dye In the time of Queene Mary the Martyrs must either deny their faith disclaime their pure Religion and service of God worship that bloody whore of Rome according to her damnable traditions or be chained to a stake and burnt either part with their faithes or part with their lives if they would not obey them rather then God they had a Law by which men ought to dye Yea at this present although we blessed be God and our Gracious Protector for it endure little but the lash of evill tongues which is the most favourable persecution yet in Spaine and other places our brethren doe groane under a mercilesse Inquisition Oh the quintessence of cruelty that they have wrung out unto them the rehearsall whereof would make a mans eares to tingle and his heart to tremble For as in the time of the ten persecutions it would cost a man his life to professe himselfe a Christian the Heathen Emperors making it death by their Edicts and as in the time of Queene Mary if one profest himselfe a Protestant he was sure to be burnt so in Spaine at this day some have beene burnt and others put into an agony of seven yeares continuance which is worse for having a Testament about them in the English tongue or a Bible in their house or declaring their faith some other way And can any doubt but drunkards would deale as cruelly with us if they might be permitted It is easie to guesse how cruell their hands would be in case the Law restrained them not who even draw blood with their tongues as how will drunkards shoot their shafts up to the feathers in the disgrace of such as will not humor them and never give over so long as they have an Arrow in their Quiver to heare them would even make a man think they were generated out of the Dragons tooth as Orpian is said to be made by Pallas In briefe for I might be endlesse in the prosecution of this take one example which might serve insteed of all that hath beene spoken What was the reason our Saviour Christ the Master himselfe was envied Math. 26 15 contemned Math. 12. 24. and 13. 55 rejoyced at in his misery and distresse Math. 27. 29. hated Iohn 7. 7. murmured against Luk. 15. 2. had his Doctrine withstood and contraried Luk. 5. 21. Math. 9. 34. his actions
1 Pet. 1. 15. members of Christs body 1 Corinth 12. 27. bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh Ep. 5. 30. and being Temples of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6. 19. If the Goates at the great day shall bee bid depart into everlasting torment for not feeding cloathing visiting Matt. 25. 41. to .46 what shall be done to those that persecute Christ in his members But let as many as have eares heare what God hath threatned in his word against such I will produce but a few of many the Holy Ghost affirmes that hee will destroy them for ever and root them out of the land of the living whose tongues imagine mischiefe and are like a sharpe Razor that cutteth deceitfully loving to speake evill more then good Ps. 522. to .5 that hee will confound such as persecute his children and destroy them with a double destruction Ier. 17. 18. yea that he will render unto their enemies sevenfold into their bâ—some their reproach wherewith they have reproached the Lord Psal. 79. 12. O consider this yee that forget God least he teare you in peeces and there be none that can deliver you In fine that hee will raine upon them snares of fire and brimstone with stormes and tempests Psal. 11. 6. and after all cast them into a furnace of fire where shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth for evermore when the just whom they now despise shall shine as the Sunne in the Kingdome of their Father Matthew 13. 42. 43. Men may dip their tongues in venome and their pens in poyson to speak against the righteous but the Lord will once revenge the cause of his poore ones he will not alwayes hold his peace nor hide his face well may the vengeance of this sin sleepe but it can never dye yea as truly as God hath threatned to curse all them that curse his children Gen. 27. 29. so as truly will he performe it in one kind or other either cursing them in their bodies by sending some foule disease or in their estates by suddenly consuming them or in their names by blemishing and blasting them or in their seed by not prospering them or in their minds by darkening them or in their hearts by hardening them or in their consciences by terrifying them or in their wits by distracting them or in their soules by damning them It were endlesse for the Sea of examples hath no bottome to recite all which Scripture and Ecclesiasticall history makes mention of with the variety of fearefull and incredible judgements both spirituall and corporall which God hath executed upon them even in this life though I count it a mercy to smart here if they dye penitent rather then bee reserved to those flames which are easelesse and endlesse that fearefull damnation made up of an extremity universality and eternity of torments Yea if God caused two and forty little children to bee devoured of wild Beares for calling Elisha bald-head 2 Kings 2 24. how can these aged persecutors hope to escape yea what vengeance shall bee prepared or is enough for them If God will come in flames of fire to render vengeance unto them which knowe him not how terrible will hee appeare to these his profest enemies who wittingly willingly and maliciously oppose him and his image all they can § 132. OBjection But thou hast only used thy tongue against them whereas some have shed the blood of the Saints Well suppose it bee so yet what should they suffer from thee if they were at thy mercy It is not so materiall what thou doest as what thou desirest the very purpose of treason though the fact bee hindered is treason not the outward action but the inward affection is all in all with God who measures the work by the will as men measure the will by the worke But to take only what is confest the persecution of the tongue is a greater evill then thou art aware of Wee reade that Chams scoffing only brought his Fathers curse and God's upon that And that their sinne which brought a scandall upon the holy Land and made all the people to murmure against Moses dyed by a plague from the Lord and was the cause that they never entered into it they found it was no jesting matter Numbers 14. 37. Now wee may judge of their sin by their punishment yet their sinne was not halfe so bad as theirs is who amongst us cause the way of truth to be evill spoken of for this is either atheisme or frenzie or blasphemy or rather all these and thou shalt one day wish with Hecebolus that thy tongue had been rivetted to the roof of thy mouth from thy conception rather then thou haddest sinned so against the brethren wounded their weake consciences and so risen up against Christ 1 Cor. 8. 12. yea to be a scoffer is the depth of sinne such an one is upon the very threshold of hell as being set downe in a resolute contempt of all goodnesse Besides some men will better abide a stake then some others can a moâ—k Zedechiah could happily have found in his heart to have harkened to the Prophets counsell but that this lay in his way I am afraid of the Iemes least they deliver me unto the Chaldeans hands and they mocke me Ier. 38. 19. It was death to him to be mocked A generous nature is more wounded with the tongue then with the hand yea above hell there is not a greater punishment then to become a Sanniâ— a subject of scâ—rne Sampson bore with more patience the boring out of his eyes then the 〈…〉 of the Philistims they made a feast to their gods no Musitian would serve but Sampson he must now be their sport that was once their terror every wit every hand playes upon him who is not ready to cast his bone and his jest at such a captiveâ— so as doubtlesse he wished himselfe no lesse dease then blind and that his soule might have gone out with his eyes oppression is able to make a wife man mad Eccl. 7. 9. and the greater the courage is the more painefull the insultation Alcibiades did professe that neither the proscription of his goods nor his banishment nor the wounds received in his body were so grievous to him as one scornefull word of his enemy Clestiphon Yea O Saviour thine eare was more painefully pierced then thy browes or hands or feete it could not but goe deepe into thy soule to heare those bitter and girding reproaches from them Thou camest to save And hereupon good Queene Esther in her prayers to God for her people doth humbly deprecate this height of infelicity O let them not laugh at our ruines And David acknowledg'd it for a singular token of Gods favour that his enemies did not triumph over him Psal. 41. 11. Thou thinkest not tongue-taunts to be persecution but thou shalt one day heare it so pronounc't in thy bill of inditement Ishmael did but flout Isaac yet St. Paul saith he
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
their God deceiveth them with needlesse feares and scruples as once Rabshekâ—h would have perswaded the Iewes touching their trust and confidence 2 King 18. 22. 25 30. 32. 33. 35. The beleive what they see and feele and Know they beleeve the lawes of the Land that there be places and kinds of punishment here below and that they have bodies to suffer temporall smart if they transgresse and this makes them abstaine from Murther Fellony and the like but they beleeve not things invisible and to come for if they did they would as well yea much more feare him that hath power to cast both body and soule into Hell as they doe the temporall Magistrate that hath onely power to kill the body they would thinke it a very hard bargaine to winne the whole world and lose their owne soules Luk. 9. 25. but enough of this having proved the Drunkard an Atheist Sect. the 146. § 155. SEcondly another maine reason is ignorance yea ignorance if we rightly consider it is the cause of all sinne sinne indeed at first was the cause of ignorance but now ignorance is the cause of sinne Swearing and lying and killing and steaâ—eing and whoring I may well adde drunkennesse abound saith the Prophet because there is no knowledge of God in the Land Hosea 4. 1. 2. It is a people that doe erre in their hearts saith God why because they have not knowne my wayes Psal. 95. 10. yee are deceived saith our Saviour because ye know not the Scriptures neither the power of God Matth. 22. 29. when Christ wept over Hierusalem what was the cause even their blindnesse If thou hadst knowne saith he at the least in this thy day those things which how are hid from thine eyes Luk. 19. 42. Because men know not the wages of evill therefore they doe it and because they would securely doe it therefore they refuse to know it Oh that men knew how good it is to obay to disobay how evill then should we have a new world but the Devill takes an order for that where he can prevaile and therefore he hath the Poâ—e in one part of the world who will allow his subjects I meane the Layty no divine learning the Turke in another who denies to his any learning at all and this is no small advantage unto him for that Edict of Iulianus the Emperour whereby it was interdicted unto Christians to be admitted into Scholes Lectures and other exercises of learning was esteemed a more pernicious engine and machination against the Christiâ—n faith then were all the sanguinary perâ—ecutions of his predecessors Ob But blessed be God and our gracious Soveraigne may some say this is not our case we have plenty of light in our Horizon our Land abounds both with humane and divine learning Aâ—sw Very true and it is a blessing which we can never be sufficiently thankfull for and yet the Devill takes such an order that the odds is not much betweene our light and their darknesse for either Wizard-like he preseâ—â—s things in a false glasse or Sorcerer-like he makes things appeare other then they are by deception of our spirituall sight or Sophister-like he darkens the truth which the Word will not suffer to bee conceald with subtils distinctions as a man that puts out the candle with snuffing it or Casuistlike he fills mens heads with a world of Problemes and Paradoxes their hearts and consciences with a thousand needlesse and endlesse questions unprofitable cold and bloodlesse impertinencies whereby the sound and saving knowledge of Iesus Christ and him crucified which was the onely care and studie of St. Paul I Cor. 2. 2. is the portion but of a few even amongst us as the effect shewes for are not most men to whom the Gospell is so gloriously preach't cheifely guided according to the Rudiments of the world and not after Christ Col. 2. 8. Quest. But will any now in this cleare Sunne-shine of the Gospell be perswaded that they know not Christ crucified Answer It is too true that few know him for if they knew Christ they could not but love him and loving him they would keepe his commandements Iob. 14. 15. for hereby saith St. Iohn is it knowne that we know him if we keepe his Commandements 1 Ioh. 2. 3. but he that saith I know him and yet keepeth not his Commandements is a lyer and there is no truth in him ver the 4. Rightly a man knowes no more then he practiseth it is said of Christ 2 Cor. 5. 21. that he knew no sin because he did no sin in which sense he knowes no good that doth no good and he may know much that cannot utter much as a Martyr answered Bishop Bonner My Lord I cannot dispute for the truth but I caâ— dye for the truth a good argument to prove that he knew Christ for mens actions expresse their knowledge better then their words Vertue is ordained a wife for knowledge and where â—hese two joyne there will proceede from them a Noble prodiene a generation of good workes but they that wander in by pathes declare themselves ignorant of the right way of salvation Rom. 3. 17. That is but a raw knowledge which is not digested into practise What 's the difference betweene Christianity and infidelity but holinesse For as Rhetoricke is the Art of speaking well and Logicke the art of disputing well and Magistracy the art of governing well so Christianity is the art of liveing well It is not worth the name of knowledge that may be heard onely and not seene good discourse is but the froth of wisdome the pure and solid substance of it is in well framed actions when we are wise in our hands as the Dutch are said to be These things if ye know happy are ye if ye doe them Iohn 13. 17. and in Deut. 4. 6. keepe the Commandements of God and doe them for this is your wisdome and understanding before God and men The Knowledge that saves us is more then a bare apprehension of God it knowes his power and therefore feares him knowes his justice and therefore serves him knowes his mercy and therefore trusts him knowes his goodnesse and therefore loves him c. for he that hath the saving knowledge of God hath every other grace there is a sweete correspondence betweene every one where there is any one in truth As in the generation the head is not without the body nor the body without each member nor the soule without it's powers and faculties so in the regeneration where there is any one grace in truth there is every one 2 Cor. 5. 17. but see it in particulars They that know thy name saith the Psalmist will trust in thee Psal. 9. 10. there 's saith Let him that rejeyceth rejoyce in this that he understandeth and knoweth me Ier 9. 24. ther 's joy Hee that knoweth God heareth us I Ioh. 4. 6. there is an awfull attention to the Word preach't If thou knewest me
be tormented so himselfe is voluntarily miserable here and elsewhere that others may be happy And yet let him with Pope Iohn the 22. leave behind him 250. Tunnes of gold even all this will not make his Sonne happy ' it s well if it make him not more unhappy No neither it nor the whole world without grace shall ever make him contented as it fared with Alexander who having conquered this world was troubled that there was no more worlds for him to conquer Besides in a short time this Sonne of his must part with his wealth also for either his râ—ches shall be taken from him as they were from Iob or else he from his riches as the rich man was from his substance and wealth Wherefore it were more policy a great deale for him to make his Sonne good then great for godlinesse is great gaine as the Apostle well phraseth it 1 Tim. 6. 6. because it gaines God himselfe and so his blessing upon all outward meanes Hagg. 1. 6. c. O that thou hadst the wit to know how when all is done to be saved and to have thy children saved is the best plot to know that the Proverbe which saith Happy that child whose father is gone to the Devill is farre from being Canonicall Sixtly and lastly he estemes not of things according to their true value but preferreth bables and trifles before things of greatest worth which is the most remarkable property of a naturall foole that is As Iudas preferred thirty peeces of silver before Him that was the price of the world and ransome of mankinde so the Politician preferres earth yea Hell to Heaven time even a moment of time to eternity his body before his soule which if a man have once lost he hath nothing else to loose yea his outward estate before either soule or body Whereas the godly care for the soule as for the cheife jewell and only treasure and for the body for the soules sake and for this world for the bodies sake and settle their inheritance in no land but the land of promise their end being to possesse a kingdome without end They are not like Shebna who built his Sepulcher in one countrey and was buried in another but like our English Merchants that traffique in Turkie and get wealth in Turkie yet plant not in Turkie but transport for England Gods people are not like the first Indians that hang'd Bugles at their eares while they left their gold on the dunghills It cannot be said of them as it may of the most that they worship the golden Calfe because they consider that pecunia the world 's Queene I meane that world whereof the Devill is King extends her regiments but to the brim of the grave and is not currant one step farther Yea they are so farre from being of these mens minds who are of Alexander's mind who as the Philosopher said yesterday the whole world did not content him now ten cubits containe him that they thinke him none of the wisest who being askt whether he would rather be Socrates or Croesus the one an industrious and painfull Philosopher the other 2 man flowing in all abundance was so discreete as to answer that for this life he would be Croesus but for the life to come Socrates But to returne to the worlds wiseman let him be offered his choice as oftimes he is whether he will forgoe himselfe I meane his faith which is the summe of all or such a booty he will forgoe his faith and consequently his soule himselfe and all that is truely his like the foolish Maâ—iner that seeing a fish in the Sea leaps into the water to catch that which together with his life he looseth or like Narcissus who to embrace his shadow drowned himselfe yea set life and death before him as Moses did before the Israelites Deut. 30. 15. 19. 20. and withall shew him from Matth. 25. 46. that this life offered is eternall felicity that death threatned everlasting woe and misery which words are of such extent that as a worthy Writer hath it though all the men that ever have or shall be created were Briareus-like hundred handed and should at once take pens in their hundred hands and should do nothing else for ten hundred thousand millions of yeares but summe up in figures as many hundred thousand millions as they could yet never could they reduce to a totall or confine within number this trisillable word e-ter-nall or that word of foure sillables e-ver-last-ing and then bid him choose which of the two hee likes best his heart which is harder than an Adamant will make answer take Heaven Paradise that eternal felicity and future happines who will it is good for me to be rich and happy while I live much like Cardinall Burbonius who said hee would not leave his part in Paris for his part is Paradise or Themistocles who was not ashamed of this damnable speech in his mouth If a man should shew me two severall wayes the one leading to Heaven the other to Hell of the twaine I would choose the latter wherin he is more sottish then the Indians and more heathenish then the infidels of Florida Virginia New-England and Kanida who for a Copper Kettle and a few toyes as Beades and Hatchets will depart from the purest Gold and sell you a whole country even the houses and ground which they dwell upon for the whole world is not worth one soule But worldly hearts are penny wise and pound foolish they know how to set high prises upon the worthlesse trash of this world but for heavenly things or the God that owes them this they shamfully under-value like Iudas who valued Mary's oyntment which she bestowed upon the feet of Christ at three hundred peeces of silver and sold his Master on whom that odor was spent at thirty And this is one reason As the affection which an adulterer beareth to a strumpet doth exceedingly diminish the love which he should beare to his lawfull wife so the love that wicked men beare to these vain and transitory things wondrously diminish that zeale and affection which they should bear towards Christ and heavenly things But it is farre otherwise with the godly for as they that are after the flesh savour the things of the flesh so they that are after the Spirit savour the things of the Spirit and our opinion onely endeareth and increaseth the price of things When one boasted how faire a shee-slave hee had bought for a pound another made reply that she was to deare of a groat Commodities are but as they are commonly valued Now because transitory things in the next life beare no value at all and because there is nothing firme under the firmament they hold it very good coveting what they may have and cannot leave behind them And though others most love what they must leave and think that money will buy any thing like foolish Magus who thought the Holy Ghost himselfe
tryed in vaine all faire meanes they can use violence as it is the use and manner of all those that are agents for vice factors for the divell first to use gentle perswasion but if that will not serve compulsion They handle us as once that Praetor did a Souldier who to make him renounce Christ first as Ierome notes imprisoned him in his owne house allowes him a chamber vvell furnished soft lodging dainty cheare vvine musick all delights vvhen this vvould not do yet Lord how many are thus prevailed vvithall to leave their Saviour then hee casts him into a darke dungeon loades him vvith irons starves him vvith the hungry allowance of husks and puddle vvater vvhen nothing would do he burnes him or as Bonner handled the Martyres whose custome was first to allure them vvith faire promises of honours favours preferments c. if that vvould not do send them to Smithfield for as bloody as he was hee had sometimes in his mouth butter and oyle as vvell as fire and faggot § 182. AGaine secondly as Sathans instruments have great advantage of Gods servants in getting so no lesse in keeping such as they have got both in regard of pleasure peace freedome and many the like priviledges which the worldling hath above Gods people 1. In regard of pleasure first whereas others that turne to God barre themselves of such delights and pleasures as here they might enjoy these may satisfie themselves and their lusts to the full live at ease and pleasuâ—e and give their affections the full swing yea and be so applauded for it as if with the people of China they of all others saw with two eyes both which makes them like their condition so vvell that they would not change upon any tearmes and hence it was that many Schollers of every Sect become Epicures but none of the Epicures became of other Sects as one objected to Archelaus True it is the godly even here have more true joy and pleasure then the most happy worldling alive but none can know the spirituall joy and comfort of a Christian but he that lives the life of a Christian Iohn 7. 17. as none could learne the virgins song but they that sang it Revel 14. 3. no man can knovv the peace of a good conscience but hee that keepes a good conscience no man knovves vvhat that hid Mannah and vvhite stone vvith a nevv name vvritten in it is but they that receive the same Rev. 12. 17. The World can see a Christians outside but the raptures of his soule the ravishing delights of the invvard man and joy of his spirit for the remission of his sinnes and the effusion of grace with such like spirituall priviledges more glorious then the states of Kingdomes are as a covered messe to the vvorldling and so abates nothing of the advantage vvhich Sathan and his instruments have above Gods servants in winning soules and Keeping such as they have vvon Secondly in regard of freedome they have a free scope and liberty to doe or say what they please whereas Gods people are restrained even in their very thoughts Yea many times in things of an indifferent nature as even actions of indifferency when once they are felt to trench upon the conscience lay deepe obligations upon the soule even whiles they are most slighted by carelesse hearts there being no lesse difference in consciences then stomackes of which some will digest the hardest meates and turne over substances not in their nature edible whiles others surfet of the lightest foode and complaine even of dainties Everygracious hear is in some measure scrupulous and finds more safety in feare then in presumption O what a poore slave doe they hold the man of a tender conscience they dare sweare and blaspheme why their tongues are their owne whereas we feare an oath They dare spend their time in dalliance and after make it their glory we dare not make the members of Christ the limms of an Harlot fearing least Heaven should be shut against us for the sinne and Hell swallow us for boasting of the sin They dare deny any fact and wager lyes with that Grandfather of lyes and lyers we dare not tell an untruth though it were to save our selves to relieve the poore to honour God They dare drinke themselves into beasts we dare not least we should never be recovered againe unto Men. They dare oppresse the poore revenge all wrongs done them c. we dare not so reproach our Maker nor wring Gods weapon out of his hand They dare sinne God in the face and presume upon his patience we feare him as a consuming fire In fine they dare hazard the breaking of their necks we would not willingly breake our shins § 183. THirdly in regard of peace 1 with Sathan 2 with the world 3 with themselves First they have farre more peace with Sathan then Gods people for he fights not with his owne subjects or souldiers as hath largely beene proved yea well may these have more peace then others seeing the barques of their soules are rowed with farre lesse labour having the wind of Sathans temptations and the tyde of their owne affections to drive them then the other who rowe against both 2 In regard of their peace with the World the World loves her owne but hates all that Christ hath chosen out of it Ioh. 15. 19. and this is a strong tye to flesh and blood though our Saviour calls this a cursed condition Luk. 6. 26. Yea how doth the indifferent worldling applaud himselfe therein together with his owne discretion and mediocrity for seeing this man vexed for his zeale that other hated for his knowledge a third persecuted for the profession of his saith c. he saith within himselfe welfare a quiet ignorance so his body is but like a lumpe of scarce moving earth and his soule a standing puddle in the midst of it 3 They have farre more peace if it may be called peace with their owne hearts then the Godly for their consciences being either brawned with the custome of sinne or cast into a dead sleepe by Sathan they feele not those perilous wounds which sinne impaires them withall yea being past feeling they can with more ease digest the hardest and foulest offence then the stomacke of an Estridge can digest Iron whereby they esteeme of their sinnes as Paul speakes of an Idoll that it is nothing in the world as for oathes yea the sinne of blasphemy it is a very mite a moate a nothing in a word how sick soever their soules be I meane how wicked and detestable soever their lives yet they have healthfull consciences which never complaine or once paine them no they heare not a Syllable of ill language from them they never check them doe they what they will neither did they ever doubt in all their lives or were once troubled in mind or conscience as many scrupulous fooles are and hereupon they thinke
would have as much against what they say which must be endured Reade a late Treatise called THE VICTORY OF PATIENCE In the meane time thinke what account you shall give of that you have read FINIS THE TABLE A ADmonition admonitions and corrections the chiefe offices of friendship 826. no admonishing a drunkard 52. he is incapable of good counsell 106. drunkards and swearers contemne it 98 admonition to sellers of drinke Officers c. 711. Adultery looke drunkennesse Agents some for Christ some for Sathan 714. Sathans agents have many advantages above Gods servants in winning soules 714 and keeping 727. and improving them 734. Aggravation the drunkards sin aggravated by eleven circumstances 465. Atheisme drunkards and al vicious men Atheists in heart 229. 558. 590. B BElieve drunkards will believe nothing except their senses say Amen to it 623. they have no faith in the Scriptures 229. few men believe the whole written Word 590. they seeme to believe the promises but really and indeed believe no part 558. Bitter why so bitter and tart 9. Blessings no blessings without God blesse them to us 658. C CEnsure 347. of it foure reasons 349. Chide them sharply when they pray for them heartly 848. Children wel born children are touched to the quick with the injuries of their parents 824. wicked men children of the divel and partake of his nature 407. those whom they hate traduce c. children of God and partake of his nature 407. each must do the works of their father 402. Combine wicked men combine against the godly 391. and lay divellish plots to destroy them ibid. Company evill a maine cause of drunkennesse 286. exhortation to avoid evill company 856. and keepe good company 858. that it is lawful to shun their company and how 776. five reasons why 781. I that they may look into themselves 782. 2 that we may not be infected by them 787. 3 that we may not be infeoffed in their punishments 805. 4 because their company wil bereave us of much comfort 811. 5 that we may be at peace 821 many objections about leaving their society answered 796. excuses for keeping company taken away 860. drunkards would have our company in sinne 382. and likewise in torment 436. they think it will be some ease to have company 448. but it will prove contrary 449 Confident why worldlings are so jocund and confident 109. Consideration want of it the cause of all impiety 490. Consciences of wicked men will be awakned when perhaps the gate of mercy will be shut 488. Constancy and inconstancy 840. change in the vicious as rare a vertue as constancy in the vertuous ibid. Contempt of religion the greatest rub in the way to heaven 532 Corruption will mix with our purest devotions 574. Covenant that we will forsake the divel and all his works constantly believe c. one part of the covenant of grace â—64 Covetousnesse a cause of drunkennesse 275. covetous men fooles 613. in 6. main particulars made good 621 Cowardlinesse one speciall cause of drunkennesse 282. it will not suffer a man to doe well 749. but this is base blood 753. a coward pot-valiant will kill and stay 48. Counsell we should go to counsell and advise with others 668. wicked men give divellish counsell to others against the godly 392. Custome of sin takes away the sense of fin 427. D DEath as men live so commonly they dye 236. defering repentance til death 579. death may be sudden and give a man no leave to be sicke 580. or if it be not repentance is no easie work 581. and late repentance is seldome true ibid. death in a good cause shall pleasure not hurt us 769. which hath made many preserre it before profit pleasure c. 770. Degrees Sathan workes men by degrees to the heigth of impiety and not all at once 423. Drunkennesse seven causes of it 259. the transcendency of the sin 694. it is the root of all evill 27. the rot of all good 33. it disables and indisposeth a man to all good 32. the cause of adultery 54. and of murther 50. brings poverty 62. deformes a man 66. debilitates the body 40. beastiates the soule 59. findes men fooâ—es or makes them so 124 examples of drinke besotting men 129 discovers all secrets 82. makes dry and they cure sinne with sinne 78 no dispossessing of a drunken divel 231. wee ought not bee drunk to save our lives 768. Drunkards not to be reckoned among men 2. for they are beasts and wherein 7. yea they exceed beasts in beastlinesse 5. are inferiour to them in five particulars 10. they shame their creation 14. the drunkards outward deformities 37. his inward infirmities 40. he is his own executioner 19. 47. one drunkard tongue enough for twenty men 80. his vaine babling 85. scurrilous jesting 86. wicked talking 87. impious swearing 89. his discourse and behaviour on the Ale-bench 115. to drink is all his exercise 144. all his labour is to satisfie his lusts 74. they drink not for the love of drink if you will believe them 272. which being so doubles their sin 274. they drink more spirits in a night then their flesh and brains be worth 145. Drunkards transform themselves into the condition of evill Angels 25. and practise nothing but the art of debauching men 307. how they intise 319. what they thinke of him they cannot seduce 521. but in time of their distresse they think otherwise ibid. how they will enforce men to pledg their heâ—lths 320. how impatient of deniall 321. an unpardonable crime not to drinke as they doe 137. to damne their own soules the least part of their mischiefe 331. one true drunkard makes a multitude 332. if the divel would surrender his place it should be to some good fellow or other 334. the divell speakes in and workes by them as once he did by the Serpent 299. how drunkards smarme in every corner 336. Sathan more men on earth to fight for him then the Trinity which made us 301. Drunkards like Iulian who never did a man a good turn but it was to damn his soule 339. wherefore keepe out of their reach 714. see the danger and know their aime 714. refraine dispute with them or thou wilt not hold out 773. punishment of drunkards 147. 456. they are reserved to the great day ibid. the drunkard hath beene too long sicke to bee recovered 690. they have a way to evade all Gods threatnings 542. E ENmity betweene the wicked and godly 341. proclaimed by God in Paradise 430. Envie if drunkards cannot seduce us they will envie and hate us 341. how their enuy vents it self at their mouths 1. by censuring the sober 347. whereof foure reasons 349. secondly by slandering them 358. whereof seven reasons 366. againe at their hands many wayes 391. of which five reasons 402. Evill we are more prone to then good 717. Example of the greatest Number 165. let Custome 162. be added the greatest Men 169. let Reason 202. be
are wounded beaten and many times murthered as often times they stab and murther others but this is notably described by Salomon Proverbs 23. 29. to 36. Indeed drunkennesse is nothing else nor hath ever beene reputed amongst the wise and learned then a voluntary madnesse a temporary forfeiture of the wits worse then frenzie in that the one is violent the other voluntary that the evill of punishment but this the evill of sinne The wine which of it selfe is a good creature of God and being moderately taken of excellent use becomes to them which use it to surfeir as the water of the river Gallus in Phrygia which maketh all those mad that drinke of it other vices doe but alter and distract the understanding whereas this utterly subverteth the same and astonieth the body even wrath makes a man a beast but drunkennesse makes a man mad and if so how odious is this sinne For if it be a hatefull thing for a man to wound his owne flesh and willfully to maime the members of his body how abominable is it to wound the mind it selfe and to offer violence unto our reason and understanding If it be a crime to offer violence against the subjects then surely to lay violent hands upon the King himselfe and to pull him out of his Regall throne must needs bee condemned as an outragious wickednesse Or lastly suppose them men they are but like that man spoken of Marke 5. 2. to 6. who being possest of the Divell lived amongst the graves and cut himselfe with stones for they love none but base company base places and base courses and what other doe their frequent and horrible oathes but cut them deeper then those stones did him It 's true hee may seeme to be in a better condition as first he may have a name to live but indeed he is dead as S. Iohn speakes Secondly he may have the appearance of a man but indeed he is a beast as Ieremy speakes Thirdly he may be thought a sound man but indeed he is Demoniacall obsessed or rather possessed with a Devill yea many Devills and more miserable then such an one because it is a Devill of his owne chosing as Basil speakes And certainely if every raygning sin be a Devill as S. Austin holds much more if the heart of a Reprobate containes so many Devills as unchast thoughts as St. Gregory affirmes every true Drunkard is posiest with more Devills then Mary Magdalen was and good reason for as our Saviour intimates the Devill can find no such rest in dry places Math. 12. 43. Indeed this may seeme to some ignoramusses a big word but let mee tell you the corporall possession of evill Spirits is not so rare as the spirituall is rife no naturall man is free one hath the spirit of error 1 Tim. 4. 1. another the spirit of fornication ose 4. 12. another the spirit of blasphemy Revel 2. 9. and 13. 1. 5. 6. another the spirit of falsehood Math. 24. 11. another the spirit of feare 2 Tim. 1. 7. another the spirit of slumber Rom. 11. 8. another the spiof giddinesse Esay 29. 9. to 15. another the spirit of pride all have the spirit of the world 1 Cor. 2. 12. Yea let me assure you from Gods word that all yee who are not changed in the image of your minds Eph. 4. 23. 24 Rom. 12. 2. who have not yet felt the power of godlinesse 2 Tim. 3. 5. are as truly though spiritually carryed by evill spirits into the deeps of your knowne wickednesse as ever the Gadarean hogs were carried by them downe the precipice into the Sea Alas the Devill hath more then one way to possesse men hee keepes possession in some by his Tenants as by drunkennesse swearing whoredome c. in others actually and immediately by himselfe yet hee rather choseth to possesse men by these his tenants then by himselfe that so hee may not carry them against their wills as hee did that man in the Gospell into the fire and water so using violence to their bodies all those forced and violent motions which they performe who are really possest being the Devills owne sins but rather desireth to carry them willingly and drive them as free horses that neede only the shaking of the hand to the Taverne to the stewes to this or that evill company and therefore hee desired not to possesse Iobs body because his intent was to draw Iob himselfe to blaspheme God So that wicked men although their bodies are free usually from this posses five power of Sathan yet Sathan hath a farre greater power in the voluntary motions of their bodies and soules even such a power as that they shall be agents in what they doe and as guilty of the sinne as himselfe when he makes them abuse their eyes to wantonnesse their mouthes to filthinesse and makes their feete swift to shed blood so that as Paul being guided by the good spirit of God could say I live not but Christ lives in me Gal. 2. 20. so may they we live not but the Devill lives in us for he is their god 2 Cor. 4. 4. and their Prince Iohn 14. 30. and workes in them his pleasure Eph. 2. 2. 2 Tim. 2. 26. Now this possession of soule and body together is the more fearefull and yet the more ordinary neither doe men marvell or wonder thereat because it is not discerned § 10. 5 BUt fiftly that Drunkards are possest with as many Devills as raigning sinnes is not all their condition being yet worse for in effect they are turned Devills In the former place you saw men transformed into beasts prye more narrowly into them and you shall see those beasts transformed againe into Devills in the delight they take in sinne in their mischievous tempting others to sinne for surely if want of reason makes a beast abuse of reason this way makes a Devill and admit man hath some advantage above beasts it is a miserable advantage that onely makes us apt to evill yea the worst of evills and capable of an hell small cause have we to brag of those powers which so distinguish us from beasts that they make us worse then the worst of beasts But of their acting the Devills part and their severall slights in seducing and enforcing others to sinne in drawing others to perdition expect more Section the 75. c. Onely this for the present let the Drunkard know that except he doe repent and amend there is not the most lothsome and despicable creature that crawles upon the earth which he shall not once enuy and wish to have beene rather then what he is which should have been my next theame but of this when I come to the punishment of Drunkards Swearers and Seducers Section 30. to 34. and 44. and 119. to 143. And so much of the person in generall and a part now take a generall view of the sinne before I come to particulars and see how the Learned in all ages both Christians
and Heathens have censured this vice and judged of this sinne though indeed the odiousnesse of it is beyond all expression neither have I dehortation answerable to my detestation of it onely what cannot be spoken your meditation supplying the defect of my speech may be implyed as under a curtaine which was the Painters shift in deliniating the picture of Venus and the wont of Timanthes who in each picture hee drew occasioned more to be understood then was painted § 11. THe Learned of all ages have concluded yea drunkennesse it selfe if it could speake as it can take away speech would confesse that it is a flattering Devill a sweet poyson a voluntary madnesse an invited enemy the author of outrages quarrells debates murthers the nurse of fury the mistris of pride the fountaine of all vice the originall of all diseases and bane of the soule that it is a fire whose flame is lust whose sparkes are oathes and evill words whose smoake is pride and infamy whose ashes are diseases and poverty and whose end is hell That it is a sinne which cracks mens credits consumes their estates distempers their constitutions dulls their spirits infatuates their senses intoxicateth their braines stupefies and besots their understandings perverteth their wills troubleth reason overthroweth the judgment infeebleth the memory corrupteth all the affections excludeth counsell and without Gods infinite mercy and their sound repentance damnes the soule That it is a bewitching sweete in the mouth which turnes to deadly poyson in the heart the revealer of secrets the ship wrack of chastity the shame of honesty the ruine of good manners the thiefe of time the disgrace of mankind a sinne which makes man an abomination to the Lord odious to the Angells scorned of men abandoned of all good society and above all makes men subjects and vassalls to Sathan a sinne of all others the most spreading most infectious most incurable most inexcusable a sinne which makes no difference of times places persons c. A sinne which is against the lawes of God of grace of nature and of all nations against sense and reason a sinne which brings wrath and judgment upon the whole land a sinne which is a griefe to friends a ruine to families which separates from the society and company of Gods Saints on earth excludes and shuts them out of the Kingdome of Heaven as Plutarch Solon Pittacus Boetius St. Austin St. Ierom St. Chrysoftome and others stile and define it That it is of sinnes the queene as the goute is of diseases even the most prodigall wastfull unthrifty unprofitable unnaturall unseemely insatiable unreasonable sinne the most base brutish beastly foule filthy odious execrable detestable horrible abominable state disturbing heathenish infernall prodigious damnable gracelesse and shamefull sinne of all others as some of our Moderne writers render it In fine it is a sinne odious and lothsome in any but in us who have so much light so many lawes of God and man against it most unsufferable but as it was once observed that Philosophy was taught in Athens but practised in Sparta so now temperance and sobriety is taught in England but practised in Spaine and Turky § 12. ANd as it is a most grievous and matchlesse sinne in it selfe so it is the cause of all other sinnes a monster with many heads the roote of all evill the incendiary of all vice the Magazine of all misery the mother and metropolis of all mischiefe As tell mee was there ever any sinne committed which wine hath not beene an occasion of for notwithstanding wine doth first serve and obey the drinker yet by little and little mixing it selfe with the blood in the veynes it doth rule over him and like Saules evill and controlling spirit makes him it 's vassall whereby like the Centurions servant he no sooner heares the word from Sathan doe this but instantly hee doth it whether it be to the committing of adultery with Holofernes inces◠with Lot murther with Alexander Cambyses and Philopater one of which in his drinke slew his deare and faithfull friend Clytus who was his chiefe Captaine in all his exployts though it so troubled him being sober that he would have made away himselfe the second his onely Sonne the third his deare father and mother or treason with him that confest to King Pyrrhus upon his arraignment all this wee did and spake against thee and much more should have done had not the wine failed us or blasphemy with Belshazzar and his Princes Dan. 5. 23. and what not for even to rehearse the severall examples which history affords and experience hath made knowne were endlesse Some examples I have given you and he is a very young man and unobservant that cannot adde forty out of his owne experience And doe not our reverend Judges in their severall circuits finde by experience that few brawles murthers manslaughters rapes c. are committed which arise not from this roote of drunkennesse And indeed as in Justice all vertues are couched together summarily as Aristottle affirmes so in drunkennesse all vices are lapt up together as it were in a bundle for it is a confluence or collection of all the rest and as he said of old prove a man to be ingratefull and you prove him naught all over so prove one to bee a Drunkard and you prove him guilty of every thing that is evill reprobate to all that is good for what sinne is it which a drunken man will sticke to commit when wee reade that Cyrillus his Sonne being drunke slew his Father and his Mother great with child hurt his two Sisters and defloured one of them as St. Austin affirmes when another being tempted by the Devill as Philip Lonicer witnesseth to commit some crime or other putting him to his choice either of Drunkennesse Adultery or Murther he chosing the first in his drunkennesse he abused the wife of him in whose house he was and her husband comming in the whilst he slew him and so in chosing that one he committed all three which being rightly considered me thinkes a man had neede to be drunke before hand that shall admit of more wine then enough that shall for one houres mad mirth hazard a whole age of griefe and shame together with his displeasure that is able to destroy both body and soule in Hell § 13. BUt you have not heard all for as others observe it is a queller of all good notions motions actions a sinne which decayes all a mans good parts and morall vertues which disables men from all good imployments either in Church or Common-wealth making them unprofitable which otherwise might be serviceable and indisposeth them to grace and godlinesse yea to all the meanes thereof For as by too much raine saith St. Austin the earth is resolved into dirt and made unfit for tillage so Drunkards by excessive swilling are altogether so unfitted for the spirituall tyllage that they can bring forth no good fruits of holinesse and
righteousnesse but rather like bogs and marishes are fit to breed nothing but vermine frogs and serpents that is all manner of abominable sinnes and lothsome wickednesse More particularly it keepes them from repenting Esa. 22. 12. 13. and all saving knowledge Esa. 28. 7. debarreth them from regeneration Christs righteousnesse and that heavenly inheritance Rom. 13. 13. 14. Gal. 5. 21. 1 Cor. 6. 10. by it the spirit is quenched Eph. 5. 18. and the body of sinne with all it's lusts strengthened 1 Pet. 2. 11. yea the soule by it is made like a City broken downe and without walls Pro. 25. 28. besides it keepes them in finall impenitencie Esay 5. 11. 12. Pro. 23. 35. Neither can that soyle which brings forth this vice like ground sown with salt bring forth any other thing which is good I meane so long as a man is such as snow can never be made hot so long as it is snow yea where drunkennesse reignes or carries the raynes there cannot dwell the least good that heart is empty of all grace and indeed how should such a worthy princesse as grace is endure such rogues for her bed-fellowes so many filthy lusts as are in the Drunkards heart to lodge with her yea as smoake drives Bees from their hive so drunkennesse drives all the graces from such an heart And how should the Holy-Ghost which delights to dwell in the heart of an holy man but scorne to be an inmate where drunkennesse is an inhabitant noysome lusts and evill cogitations drive him away if the Divell comes in the Holy-Ghost will goe out And therefore the Scripture tells us that the spirit went from Saul when he sinned 1 Sam. 16. 14. and so on the contrary when the Holy Spirit enters into the heart of a man all sinnes in some measure are abandoned as when the King comes into the Tower all the prisoners goe out The Drunkards heart is like Mare mortuum for as no fish will live there so no grace will thrive here it is the roote of all evill the rot of all good Much traveling makes bad way if one goe but now and then over a Meadow the grasse will neverthelesse grow but when it is made a common through-fare and beaten roade for all passengers this maketh the path bare so the frequent custome of sinne in any heart when there is a perpetuall concourse of all filthinesse hinders yea kills every good motion as fast as it springs up and this is a sinne which turnes a man wholly into sinne The Drunkard resembles Vejovis that Heathen god who could doe no good but hurt at will and is like Ahab who sold himselfe to worke wickednesse yea worse if worse can be for the Drunkard wholely dedicates resignes surrenders and gives himselfe up to serve sinne and Sathan his whole imployment is onely to drinke drab quarrell sweare scoffe slaunder and seduce as if to sinne were his trade and he could doe nothing else like the Devill who was a sinner from the beginning a sinner to the end To say that sinne were in him would be improper for hee is nothing else but sinne in the abstract as St. Austin speakes even a very Chaos of sinne bunged up for as when a man is overcome with anger we say hee is in heate and when wee say such a man is in drinke we imply more then that drinke is in him yea when we call a man a Drunkard we imply more then that he is drunke or hath beene drunke for it argues frequency and lastly as when Simon Peter told Simon Magus thou art in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity hee implyed that not onely these were in him but hee in them so both more is implyed and it is more proper to say of a sotted and sordid Drunkard hee is sinne then a sinner yea that man of sinne is not fuller of sin then such an one so that as Solomon saith speaking of the vertuous woman many daughters have done vertuously but thou surpassest them all so may I say of a Drunkard many sinners have done wickedly but thou surpassest them all § 14. BUt to roave no longer in generalls having given you a superficiall view of this Monster and the summe of that which he makes his onely Summum bonum in a lumpe or as it were wrapt up I come now to strip him naked and turne his inside outward by acquainting you with such speciall and particular observations as best deserve our discovery and the worlds notice In handling whereof it is not to be expected that I should observe a distinct propriety in referring all particulars to their generall heads for as much as many of them are coincident one with another Neither will I undertake to observe an exact order in his description seeing hee keepes none at all in his life my principall care being to paint him really and historically not poetically every way as he is his words as he speakes them his deeds as he acts them even to the very life and present him upon the Stage such as the Spectators may verily thinke they either see him or the Devill in his likenesse as Sr. Tho. More concluded touching Erasmus when he but heard him speake having never before seene the man § 15. The first thing I 'le fall upon shall be His body touching which I will lay open 1 his outward deformities 2 HIs inward infirmities 1 His outward bodily deformities are many and those odious as if you observe it The Drunkard commonly hath Vertumnus like a brasill Nose a swolne and inflamed Face beset with goodly Chowles and Rubies as if it were both rost and sod swimming running glaring gogle Eyes bleared rowling and red a Mouth nasty with offensive fumes alwayes foaming or driveling a fevorish Body a Sicke and giddy Braine a Mind d spearst a boyâ—ing stomacke rotten Teeth a stinking Breath a drumming Eare a palsied Hand gouty staggering Legs that â—aine would goe but cannot a drawling stammering temulentive Tongue clambd to the roofe and gumms in fine not to speake of his odious gestures lothsome nastinesse or beastly behaviour his belching hickups vomittings his ridiculous postures and how easily he is knockt downe whose hamstrings Bacchus hath already cut in two nor of the unmeasurable grosenesse of such whose onely element is Ale especially your Ale-wives who like the Germane Froas are all cheekes to the belly and all belly to the knees whose dugs and chins meete without any forceing of either because you may dayly see such fustilugs walking in the streets like so many Tunnes each moving upon two pottle pots his essentiall parts are so obscured his Sense so dulled his Eyes so dazeled his Face so distorted his Countenance so deformed his Ioynts so infeebled and his whole body and minde so transformed that hee is become the child of folly and derision of the world a laughing stock to fooles a lothing stock to the Godly ridiculous to all Yea
Drunkard spits out in defiance as it were of God and all prohibitions to the contrary Yea I dare affirme it had some one of them three thousand pounds per Annum his meanes would hardly pay those small twelve penny multes which our Statute imposes upon swearers were it duly executed And if so to what number wil the oathes amount which are sworne throughout the whole land yea in some one Alehouse or Taverne where they sit all day in troopes doing that in earnest which wee have seene boyes doe in sport stand on their heads and shake their heeles against Heaven where even to heare how the name of the Lord Iesus is pierced would make a dumbe man speake a dead man almost to quake Did you never heare how Caesar was used in the Senate house if not yet you know how a kennell of Hounds will fall upon the poore Hare one catcheth the head another the leg a third the throate and amongst them shee is torne in peeces even so these hellish miscreants these bodily and visible Devills having their tongues fired and edged from Hell fall upon the Lord lesus one cryes Wounds another Blood a third Hearâ— a fourth Body a fifth Soule and never leave stabbing and tearing him with their stinges till no whole place be left Thus they pierce his side with oathes and teare all his wounds open againe whereas the 〈◊〉 did but crucifie him below on the earth when hee came to suffer these crucifie him above in Heaven where hee sits on his throne And which I feare to thinke it may bee a question whether there bee more oathes broken or kept for woe is mee one sells an oath for a bribe another lends an oath for favour another casts it away for malice c. but the Drunkard without any incitement tumbleth out oathes at adventure and is as lavish of them as of ill language O misery O wickednesse What shall I say that ever any who weares Christs badge and beares his name should thus rise up against him that ever those tongues which dare call God Father should suffer themselves thus to be moved and possessed by that uncleane Spirit that ever those mouthes which have received the sacred Body and Blood of the Lord of life should endure to swallow these odious morsells of the Devills carving are these Christians dare they shew their faces in the Temple yes they dare § 30. BUt as the Church doth Not owne such wicked and prophane â—retches for her children so if they had their due like dirt in the house of God they should be throwne out into the streete or as excrements and bad humors in mans body which is never at ease till it bee thereof disburthened as St. Auguâ—â—ine speakes Neither could they blame any except themselves in case they were marked with the blacke cole of infamy and their company avoided as the Apostle adviseth Rom. 16. 17. 2 Thes. 3. 6. 14. Eph. 5. 5. 7. 1. Cor. 5. 5. 11. 1 Tim. 1. 20. if they were to us as Lepers were among the Iewes or as men full of plague soares are amongst us for as the Holy Pages before quoted warrant this so there are many good reasons for it as First because even the Gospell and the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles and an evill scandall raised upon the whole Church through their superlative wickednesse Rom. 2. 24. As what else but the unchristianlike behaâ—iour of such Christians hath caused the Turkes even to detest the true Religion And what was it that alienated the Indians from the Christian Religion and made them refuse the Gospell brought by the Spaniards but this they saw their lives more savage then those savages Yea it made the poore Indians resolve that what religion soever the Spaniards were of they would be of the contrary thinking it unpossible that such cruell and bloody deeds could proceed from any true Religion or that hee could be a good God who had such evill Sonnes and the argument is of force for who are Scythians if these be Saints who are Canniballs if these be Catholiques Whereas in the primitive times more of them were wonne to the faith by the holy lives of Christians then by the doctrine which they taught they made the world to reade in their lives that they did believe in their hearts and caused the Heathen to say this is a good God whose servants are so good for thus they reasoned these men are surely of God and without doubt looke for a world to come Neither was the Gospell thus honoured by some few onely but by all that profes't it For Tertullian witnesseth that in his time a Christian was knowne from another man only by the holinesse and uprightnesse of his life and conversation But as for prime Christians viz. the auncient Fathers their labours their learning their sincerity to men and devotion to God was the wonder of the world Whereas all the difference betweene these and very infidells is only this the one are infidells in their hearts the other are infidells in their lives as Augustine pithily And sure I am that in those purer times the Church would have denied her blessing to such Sonnes of Belial as these are who make a trade of sinne as though there were no God to judge nor Hell to punish and so live as though they had no soules to save such as have shaken out of their hearts the feare of God the shame of the world the love of Heaven the dread of Hell not caring what be thought or spoken of them here or what becomes of them hereafter yea such a monstrous menstruous brood that like a certaine mountaine in Arabia breede and bring forth nothing but monsters whose deeds are too fowle for my words being such as ought not to be once named amongst Christians as the Apostle speakes Eph. 5. 3 4. such as neither Moses nor Aaron Câ—sar nor Paul Minister of the word nor Minister of the sword finde reverence in their hearts or obedience in their lives being like mettal often fired and quenched so churlish that it will sooner break than bow for they contemn all authority as boyes grown tall and stubborn contemn the rod yea even such as speake â—vill of them that are in authority and whose mouths utter swelling and proud words against such as are in dignity as S. Peter and S. Iude hath it yea they be mockers of all that march not under the pay of the Devill § 31 SEcondly whom but themselves could they blame when they infect almost al that come neere them as have not little boyes in the streets learned of them to wrap out oathes almost as frequently as themselves yea through their frequent and accustomary swearing our children learn to speak English and oaths together and so to blaspheme God almost as soone as he hath made them Now the good husbandman weeds his field of hurtful plants that they may not spoyle the good corne and
oft doth one commend or condemne me for one thing and another for the contrary Yea the famous Alderguts or gulpe-thirsts of our time not onely thinke excessive drinking worthy of all honour during life and so ratifie those ancient presidents but they looke their associates should not cease to honour them being dead by mâ—ntioning their rare exployts herein like Darius who caused it to be engraven upon his tombe for an honour I could drinke great store of wine and beare it well But O you sottish sensualists how hath the Devill bewitched you to magnifie honour and applaud all that are enthralled to this worse then swiniâ—h swilling and on the other side to vilifie reproach and undervalue all that hate and loath it in their judgments or else renounce it in their practice is it possible that the reasonable soule of man not professedly barbarous should be capable of such a monster certainely if I did not know the truth and probate of it by ocular and experimentall demonstrations from day to day I could hardly bring my understanding to believe that men that Christians should be of so reprobate a judgement as to affect admire adore c. so foule so base so beastly so unamiable so unfruitfull unprofitable unpleasant unnaturall a vice as this is in most mens judgements and experience Nay I cannot believe what I both see and heare in this case for it is not possible for the most corrupted heart to thinke that any should be honoured for villany and for honesty be contemned but rather that every Drunkard in his more serious cogitations thinkes of his fellow dying in this sinne a fit saint to be canonized for the Devill for not seldome are wicked mens judgments forced to yeeld unto that truth against which their affections maintaine a rebellion And so we see that what Seneca said long since when wine was sold in Apothecaries shops and dranke rather in time of sicknesse then in health namely that the time would come when honour should be ascribed unto drunkennesse and that to drinke much wine should be reputed a vertue is fulfilled in our age that very time is come Non habet â—lterius quod nostris potibus addâ—s Posteritas They drinke not for strength but lust and pride to shew how full of Sathan they be and how neere to swine O wofull glory § 43 MEn were not so temperate in former times as we read of Cyrus and many others that did never eate but of hunger nor drinke but for thirst and then but a little but they more abound in excesse at this present for he is a rare Drunkard yea a rare man in these dayes that forbeares to drinke untill hee be thirsty for as if they scorned such an occasion they drink before they are â—ry they drink untill they become dry so that thirst overtakes drunkennesse as fooles runne into the river to avoyd a shower of raine All drunkards all you who know no other calling but to visite Tavernes know that I speake true that you drinke one liquour to draw on another not to quench but to increase thirst not to qualifie but to inkindle heat in which their swinish swilling they resemble so many Froggs in a puddle or water-Snakes in a pond for their whole exercise yea religion is to drink they even drowne themselves on the dry land O what deluges of wine and strong drinke doth one true drunkard devoure and cause to bee devoured who never drinkes but double for he must be pledged yea if there be ten in company every one must drink as much as he and he will drinke untill his eyes stare like two blazing starres and Drawers or Tapsters those Sergeants of the maw will see that the pots shall neither be full nor empty They drinke more spirits in a night then their flesh and brains be worth for if it be possible they will choake rather then confesse Beere good drinke But in the meane time how many thousands which are hard driven with poverty or by the exigents of warre might be relieved with that these men spend like beasts whiles that is throwne out of one swines nose and mouth and guts which would refresh a whole family O wofull calamity of mankind saith S. Augustine how many may we find that doe urge and compell those that be already satisfied to drinke more then becometh them and yet will deny even a cup of small drinke to the poore that beg it for Gods sake and for Christs sake they pinch the hungry to pamper the full withhold drinke from the thirsty to make others drunke with too great abundance § 44. BUt O how just a punishment were famine after such a satiety and pestilence after famine for such as turne the Sanctuary of life into the shambles of death O Lord it is thy unspeakeable mercy that our land which hath beene so long sicke of this drunken disease and so often surfitted of this sinne doth not spue us all out which are the inhabitants The Lord of most glorious Majesty and infinite purity sees all heares all knowes all and yet behold we live nay the Lord still causes Heaven Earth Sea Land all Creatures to waite upon us and bring us in all due provision nay he hath not long since abounded even in that blessing and graine which hath bene most abused to drunkennesse here is patience here is mercy here is bounty O that we could stay here and suffer our selves to lose our selves in the meditation and admiration of this wonderfullnesse But what 's the reason God will not punish the righteous with the wicked Gen. 18. 25. he knoweth how to deliver the godly and to reserve the wicked these brute beasts who walke after the flesh in the lusts of uncleannesse and count it pleasure to riot unto the great day to be punished 2 Peter 2. 9. 13. whose judgement is not farre off and whose damâ—ation sleepeth not ver 3. For as surely as the word of God pronounceth many a woe unto them as woe to Drunkards saith I saith that are mighty to drinke wine and unâ—o them that are strong to powre in stroâ—g drinke that continue drinking till the wine doth inflame them Woe saith Habakuk unto him that giveth his neighbour drinke till hee be drunken Woe saith Solomon to them that tarry long at the wine to them that goe and seeke mixt wine Woe to his body which is a temporall woe woe to his soule which is a spirituall woe woe to both body and soule which is an eternall woe howle ye Drunkards saith Ioel weepe yee saith St. Iames Isaiah 5. 22. Habakuk 2. 15. Ioel. 1. 5. Iames 5. 1. 5 Yea which of Gods Servants hath not a woe in his mouth to throw at this sinne so every tittle of this word shall be accomplished God will one day hold the cup of vengance to their lips and bid them drinke their fills Yea as Drunkards are Sathans eldest Sonnes so they shall have
a double portion of vengance whereas riot in the forenoone hath beene merry in the afternoone drunke at night gone to bed starke mad in the morning of their resurrection it shall rise sober into everlasting sorrow they finde not the beginning and progresse so sweete as the farewell of iâ— shall be bitter for as sure as God is in Heaven if they forsake not their swilling which they are no more able to doe then they are able to eate a rocke the Devill hath so besotted them they shall once pay deare for it even in a bed of urquenchable flames I speake not of the many temporall judgments which God brings upon them even in this life though to mention them alone were omni-sufficient if they thirsted not after their owne ruine as I could tell them from Lâ—vit the 26. and Dent. the 28. that all curses threatned all temporall plagues and judgments which befall men in this life are inflicted upon them for sinne and disobedience But I speake of those torments which are both intoâ—lerable and interminable which can neither be indured nor avoided when once entred into If I say you persevere in this your brutish sensuallity and will needs Dives like drinke here without thirst you shall thirst hereafter without drinke yea though that fire be hot the thirst great and a drop of water be but a little yet in this hot fire and great thirst that little drop shall be denied you Luke 16. For know this that without repentence Paul will be found a true Prophet who saith that no Drunkard shall ever enter into the kingdome of Heaven 1 Cor. 6. 9. 10. And Isaiab no lesse who saith that Hell enlargeth it selfe for Drunkards and openeth her mouth without measure that all those may descend into it who follow drunkennesse and preferre the pleasing of their palats before the saving of their soules Isaiah 5. 11. 14. for as they shall be excluded and shut out of Heaven so they shall be for evermore damned body and soule in Hell Christ shall say unto them at the great day of accounts depart from me yee cursed into everlasting fire which is prepared for the Devill and his Angells Math. 25. 41. As they make their belly their god and their shame their glory so damnation shall bee their end Phil. 3. 19. yea their end is a damnation without end it is heauy and miserable that their end is damnation but it is worse and more miserable that their damnation is without end wickednesse hath but a time but the punishment of wickednesse is beyond all time Neither is the extremity of the paine inferiour to the Perpetuity of it for the paines and sufferings of the damned are ten thousand times more then can be immagined by any heart as deepe as the Sea and can be rather indured then expressed it is a death never to be painted to the life no pen nor pencill nor art nor heart can comprehend it Yea if all the land were paper and all the water inke every plant a pen and every other creature a ready writer yet they could not set downe the least peece of the great paines of Hell fire For should we first burne off one hand then another after that each arme and so all the parts of the body it were intollerable yet it is nothing to the burning of body and soule in Hell should we indure ten thousand yeares torments in Hell it were much but nothing to eternity should we suffer one paine it were enough but if we come there our paines shall be even for number and kindes infinitely various as our pleasures have bene here every sense and member every power and faculty both of soule and body shall have their severall objects of wretchednesse and that without intermission or end or ease or patience to indure it § 45. NEither let drunkards ever hope to escape this punishment except in due time they for sake this sinne for if every transgression without repentance deserves the wages of death eternall as a just recompence of reward Heb. 2. 2. Rom. 6. 23. how much more this accursed and damnable sinne of drunkennesse which both causeth and is attended upon by almost all other sinnes as hath beene shewed And yet if thou canst after all this but truly repent and lay hold upon Christ by a lively faith which ever manifesteth it selfe by the fruits of a godly life and conversation know withall that though thy sinnes have beene never so many for multitude never so great for magnitude God is very ready to forgive them and this I can assure thee of yea I can shew thee thy pardon from the great King of Heaven for all that is past the tenour whereofis Let the wicked for sake his way and the unrighteous his owne imaginations and let him returne to the Lord and hee will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon Isai. 55. 7. and againe Ezec. 18. if the wicked will turne from all his sinnes which he hath committed and keepe all my statutes and doe that which is lawfull and right he shall surely â— ve and not die all his transgressions which he hath committed they shall not bee once mentioned unto him but in his righteousnesse that he hath done hee shall live because he considereth and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed he shall save his soule alive ver 21. 22. 23. 27. 28. other the like places you have oel 2. 12. 13. 14. Yea I can shew thee this very case in a president 1 Cor. 6. 10. 11. where we reade of certaine Corinthians that had bin given to this sinne of drunkennesse who upon their repentance were both washed sanctified and justified And St. Ambrose tells of one that being a spectacle of drunkennesse proved after his conversion a patterne of sobriety Yea know this that Gods mercy is greater than thy sin what ever it be thou canst not be so infinite in sinning as hee is infinite in pardoning if thou repent let us change our sins God will change his sentence God is more mercifull saith Nazianzen then man can be sinfull if hee bee sorrowfull none can bee so bad as God is good the Seed of the woman is able to bruse this Serpents head wherefore if you preferre not hell to heaven abandon this vice But withall know that if it shall come to passe that the drunkard when he heareth the words of this curse namely these threatnings before rehearsed shall Pharaoh like harden his heart and blesse himself in his wickednesse saying I shall have peace although I walk according to the stub bornnesse of mine owne heart thus adding drunkennesse to thirst the Lord will not be mercifull to that man but then his wrath and jealousie shall smoak against him and every curse that is written in his Law shal light upon him and the Lord shall put out his name from under heaven as himselfe speakes Deutero 29. 19 20. which
from mee a Lyon shall slay thee and so it fell out 1 Kings 20. 35. 36. Not to smite a Prophet when God commands is no lesse sinne then to smite a Prophet when God forbids when hee commands even very cruelty is obedience as Abraham's killing of his onely Son had bene the most heroicall and religious act thâ—t ever wee read of Why was Sacrifice it selfe good but because it was commanded What difference was there betweene slaughter and Sacrifice but obedience The violation of the least charge of a God is mortall no pretences can warrant the transgression of a divine command which made Nehemiah and should have done that man of God also 1 King 13. not onely distrust a Prophet but reject his counsell with scorne that perswaded him to the violation of a law Nehemiah 6. 10. 11. 12. One prohibition is enough for a good man God as he is one so doth he perfectly agree with himselfe if any private spirit crosse a written word let him be accursed Wherefore have a better warrant for the practise then either Reason or good intentions or thou maist goe to Hell notwithstanding for there is nothing more dangerous then to mint Gods services in our owne braines § 54. BUt thou wilt say if neither custome of the greatest number nor of the greatest men nor of the greatest Schollers nor of the best men though thou hast Reason for thy doing it and good Intentions in the doing of it is a sufficient warrant for thy actions but that all these be crooked and deceitfull guides then what may bee a safe guide and a sure and infallible rule in all cases to steere by and square the course of thy life Answ. As a rule directeth the Artificer in his worke and keepeth him from erring so doth Gods word direct the Religious in their lives and keepe them from erring The right way is the signified Will of God and whatsoever swarves from or is repugnant to the right is wrong and crooked Law and Precept is a streight line to shew us whether we doe misbeleeve or mislive we have a most sure Word of the Prophets and Apostles sayes Peter 2 Peter 1. 19. a sure foundation saith St. Paul 1 Cor. 3. 11. Eph. 2. 20. and as many as walke according to this rule peace shall bee upon them and the Israell of God Gal. 6. 16. search the Scriptures saith our Saviour for in them ye thinke to have eternall life and they are they which testifie of me Iohn 5. 39. All Beleevers are tied to the Scriptures as the Iewes are tyed to their Cabala the Turkes to their Alcaron Logicians to the Axioms of their Aristotle Physitians to the Aphorismes of their Hippocrates and Galen Geometricians to the compasses of Euclid Rhetoricians to the Precepts of Tully Lawyers to the Maxims of their Iustinian and Grammarians to the rules of their Priscian and it hath ever beene the care of Christians to sticke close to the written Word having alwayes and in all cases an eye thereunto even as the Load-stone what way soever the wind bloweth turnes alwayes to the North Pole it is as a Load Star to guide the ships of their soules and bodies in the right way to Heaven And without this written Word a man in the world is as a ship on the Sea without a guide The holy Scriptures are a store house of all good instructions it is the Christians Armory wherein are many Sheilds to defend our selves and many Swords to offend our Enemies yea each precept as a Sword will both defend and slay It is like the Tower of David build for defence a thousand shields hang therein and all the Targets of the strong men Cant. 4. 4. it is a cleare glasse wherein wee may see our beauty and deformity yea the least spots of evill and be directed to wipe them out It is a light saith Theophilus which discovereth unto us all the slights and snares of our spirituall adversaries yea nothing can deceive them saith he that reade the Scriptures Thy word saith David is a lanthorne to my feete and a light unto my pathes Psal. 119. 105. this Ariadnes clew of thred guides the beleever through the worlds maze of temptations unto the glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God It is an Apothecaries shop saith St. Basil full of all soveraigne Medicines wherein every man may have cure for his disease and there is no part or passion of our Soules saith St. Chrysostome but needeth physicke and cure from the holy Scriptures In fine it is their counseller it is their wisdome it is their strength it is their food it is their Physicke it is their wealth it is their joy it is their life it is their all in all if they have this they want nothing if they want this they have nothing But see one of these particulars illustrated for I will not spin out each of these Metaphors into a long continued Allegory Suppose any little David a child of God be set upon by the greatest spirituall Goliah that ever was namely the World or the Flesh or the Devill himselfe let him but chose out of this brook the Scripture a few stones precepts threats promises keepe them in the Scrippe of his memory hurle them with the Arme of a strong faith from the string of his tongue as occasion serveth at the combatant with the level of Christian prudence even the stoutest of them shall be compelled to leave the field and give up his weapons As for example if thou be tempted to pride answer it 's written that God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble Iames 4. 6. That all proud persons are under the Devills regiment his subjects and vassalls Iob. 41. 25. If to cruelty that they shall have judgment mercilesse which shew not mercy Iames 2. 13. If to contemne reproofe or hate thy reprover that hee which hardeneth his necke when he is reproved shall suddenly be destroyed and cannot be cured Pro 29. 1. If to sweare that â—athes caâ—se the land to mourne Hosea 4. 2. 3. And that the curse of God shall never depart from the house of the swearer untill it be consumed Zach. 5. 3. 4. If to covetousnesse that the love of money causeth many to fall into divers temptations and snares and many foolish and noysome lusts which drowne men in perdition and destruction 1 Tim. 6. 9. 10. If to Hypocrisie that it is the sin against which our Saviour pronounced seven woes in one Chapter and adjudge to the lowest place in Hell Math. 23. If to despaire through the consideration of thy manifold sinnes and infirmities that Christ came not to call the righteous but weary and heavie laden sinners to repentance Math. 9. 13. and 11. 28. that he who strives most and not hee who sinnes least shall be best accepted with God If to lust that the Law ordaine death for the Adulterer Levit. 20. 10. and the Gospell excludes the fornicator out of Heaven 1
God not his conscience came into any regard with him but the people as what will the world say if I should not yeeld to it every man vvill laugh at me c. Oh the foolish aymes of ambition even the misconceits of the points of honour have cost millions of soules this is one notable meanes to fill Hell lothnesse to displease and certainly there must needs be something in it that the fearefull are placed by the Holy Ghost in the fore-front of the damned crue vvhich shall have their part in that lake which burneth with fire and brimstone Revel 21. 8. wherefore think of it it is a damnable plausibility so to regard the vaine approbation or censure of the beholders as in the meane time to neglect the allowance or judgment of God A good heart will rather fall out with all the world then with his maker then with his conscience It is an ill modesty that hinders a man in the way to blisse or that suffers another to outgoe him like some travelling Jade that hearing another Horse come after stands still till he overtakes him True love to and knowledge of Christ will think him worth following through fire and water but goe thy way and save thy selfe to thy losse gaine the worlds fauour and loose God's escape derision and meet w th confusion and I wil tell thee whom thou are like thou are like some decayed Gentlemen who because descended from an ancient house will not so disparage themselves as to serve or work but which is more for their honour forsooth take a purse and so while they seek to shun disrepute among fooles purchase infamy and loose their lives and how it will fare with thee in the end Christ Iesus will bee ashamed of thee at the latter day who art now ashamed for his sake to beare a few scoffs and reproaches from the world Mat. 10 32 33 39. For in this case whosoever shall seek to save his credit yea his life shall loose it and his soule too but whosoever shall loose his credit life and all for goodnesse and conscience sake hee shall save it as our Saviour witnesseth Luk. 17. 33. Lastly touching evill company expect to heare more in the reasons of breaking off society with our vicious consorts § 69. THus what hathbeene spoken proves them much worse then beasts but this is a small evill with them this is but to worke out their owne damnations their chiefe delight is to infect others the Serpents speciall venome wherewith these his elves be intoxicated is to make others more beasts then themselves Indeed this is not the drunkards case alone for it fares even so with all wicked men Wherefore give me leave yea let me take it a little to stirre the earth about the roots of this Science If it be a digression to tell you of other tempters pardon it if impertinent though I hope not passe on to Section the 75. Wicked men as they are all the seed of the same old Serpent Gen 3. 15. and children of the devill Iohn 8. 44. so they resemble the divill and imitate him in all things so farre as corporall creatures can possibly do spirituall substances but principally in tempting to sinne and drawing to perdition and ever have done since the Divell their father taught them the way For even as Sathan himselfe had no sooner sinned but immediately as ever since he laid the plot to draw our first Parents and in them all their posterity into sinne with him Gen. 3. 1. 4. 5. so according to this president the wicked in all ages have followed his example and trod in his steps whose image they beare and whose members they are For thus it fared with Eve who was no sooner tempted to break God's Law in eating the forbidden fruit but she becomes a tempter and draws her husband into the same sinne Thus with Cham who when he had discovered and scoft at his Fathers nakednesse laboured to bring his brethren into the same disobedience Tuus with the elder of Lot's daughters who when shee had made her Father drunk on purpose to commit incest with him the next care shee tooke was to make her younger sister doe the like And thus it fares with all notorious sinners of all sorts as with thieves and murtherers who before they goe to rob and kill call their Mates and say come with us c. Pro. 1. 10 11. Idolaters Deut. 13. 6. False Prophets Ezâ—k 44. 12. Persecutors of the godly Act. 2. 217. 28. and 23 12. â— 16. Covetous wretches Act. 19. 24. 25. Adulterers c. Ge. 39. 7. Wicked men being like so many corns of Powder for as every corne of Powder flies off and fires his fellow so fares it with them all that are viciously bent seek after followers and it is thought the greatest evill to be evill alone § 70. ANd as all kinds of sinners are very industrious to tempt so are they very politicke in their generation to use such meanes as is most likely to prevaile For as all Fishes are not taken one way but some with a net some with a dart or dragg others with a hooke nor with one baite but every fish with that baite which is agreeable to their nature and kind for the wise Fisher baites his hooke according to the appetite of the Fish so Sathan by these his substitutes doth most subtilely seduce every man according to the bent and streame of his own nature and inclinary disposition For as Iupiter transformed himselfe into the shape of Amphitryo to embrace Alcmena into the forme of a Swan to enjoy Leda into a Bul to beguile Iâ— into a shower of gold to winne Danäe or as Neptune changed himselfe into an Heyfer a Ramme a Flood a Dolphin onely for the love of those hee lusted after or as Cataline in Rome gate all the Gentlemen into his faction by feeding their humors pleasing the covetous with gold the glutton with belly cheere and dainties the ambitious with hope of honour and preferment and the like or as S. Paul became all things to all men that hee might winne the more 1 Cor. 9. 22. so doth Sathan and his â—mps become all things to all men that they may pervert and seduce the more To which purpose and for their greater advantage they mark how every man is inclined as what hee loves what hee hateth what hee feares what hee wants c. and when they have the measure of a mans foote then they will fit him yea let any man aske what he will it shall goe hard but he that offered the whole world to our Saviour will accommodate his humour As for example Some Danäe will not be won to play the whore unlesse her lover appeare in a shower of Gold hee hath that way by meanes of such an instrument for her Some Naaman will not bow in the house of Rimmon crouch at a Masse but for his masters favour he hath that way
for him Another will not betray or embrew his hands in innocent blood without large promises of great matters he hath that way for him as promises though they are the cheapest things men can part withall are yet the strongest inchantments these bee the strong lines of Rome whereby she catcheth so many promises whereof she is as liberall as ever was Antigonus who was called Antigonus Doson and let such Asses have no other Provender but promises Indeed some are so cunning that they will do more for a small present benefit then for the promise of a ten-fold value Sathan is faine to stop their mouths with ready money wherfore Gehazi shall have the Talents Achan the golden wedge c. O that men were so warie as to say timeo Danaos dona ferentes Or is there a Bathsheba so chast an Vriah so sober that the one will not be won to pollute the marriage bed nor the other be made drunke except they are solicited by a King he hath that way for them for even Kings are at his command and ready to doe him service in the businesse of tempting and it 's hard to refuse pledging where a King begins a health to his subject for temptation is then stronger when it proceeds from a mighty instrument the requests of great ones are commands their very sutes imperative How many sober and religious Vriahs have beene wrought to excesse by this meanes How many Bathshebahs and Iane Shores have thus been won to pollute both a royal and matrimonial bed the very countenance of authority is authority enough with many Againe is none so fit as the wife to tempt the husband why then Adam shall be tempted by Eve Ahab by Iesabel Iob by his wife Indeed a seducer dares not shew himselfe in a noted good mans company in his owne colours yea vice stands abasht at the glorious Majesty of a soule well confirmed in goodnes as Catoe's presence stopt the evill practises of the Romane brutish Floralia wherefore in some cases hee either conceales himselfe or playes the Hypocrite by appearing in the garments and habit of vertue As for example Is there a holy man of God that will not vary a haires breadth from what his Maker commands Sathan hath another Prophet to seduce him by pretending that an Angell spake unto him by the word of the Lord saying thus and thus 1 King 13. 18. Or is none so likely as Peter to prevaile with Christ why then Peter shall take upon him the devils office and in a great deale of love tempt his owne Lord and Master Mat. 16. 22. 23. In a word as he tempted the high Priests those arch-Hypocrites by love of glory and as the high Priests with money tempted Iudas to betray his Master and destroy himselfe so he tempts every man by that way and meanes vvhich he knovveth most prevalent vvith the party tempted § 71. INdeed Sathan is not so lavish as to hurle away either cost or labour when it may be spared wherefore seeing the rudeâ—multitude so brutish and ignorant that they will be cheated and guld with any thing he takes advantage from their darkned soules and to deceive them knowing he needs doe no more onely foules and smeares the beautifull face of vertue with the blacke soote of those vices which seeme to have some affinity with them as by traducing each Grace thus conscience of sinne in the Devills language is called precise nicenesse and puritanisme zeale madnesse faith and confidence presumption syncerity hypocrisie patience puâ—illanimity humility basenesse of minde wisdome craft c. And on the other side painting vices ugly face with the faire colours of vertue and so present her not in her owne proper colours but guilded over with some shewes of holinesse that it may the more easily wind and insinuate it selfe into mens affections calling lust love enuy emulation pride magnanimity sloth warinesse covetousnesse good husbandry drunkennesse good fellowship ignorance innocencie pestilent heresie profound knowledge and deepe learning Revel 2. 24. worldlinesse wisdome and policy rashnesse fortitude c. as for every severall Jemme that vertue hath vice hath a counterfeit stone where with she gulls the ignorant and there is no precept nor command of God but the Devill commands the contrary he is ever gaine-saying what God saith Gen. 2. 17. and 3. 4. 5. And this is enough for hereby their poore blind hearts are so deceived with that shadow of resemblance which vice carrieth of vertue that they embrace and receive grosse vices insteed of glorious vertues and yet thinke themselves as well and that they shall speede as well as the best And least one should mistrust another he hath his cleargy to speake for him and is never without false Prophets which are ready to daube over sinne with untempered Morter such as for handfulls of barley and peeces of bread will sowe pillowes under each arme-hole prophesie out of their owne hearts and pretend a lying divination such as shall preach unto them Peace Peace and tell them that despise the Lord though they walke after the stubbornnesse of their own hearts no evill shall come upon them yea such as shall even slay the soules of them that should not dye and give life to the soules that should not live with lyes make the hearts of the righteous sad whom the Lord hath not made sad and strengthen the hands of the wicked that he should not turne from his wicked way by promising him life Eze. 13. Ier. 23. 13. to 22. so shutting Heaven when they should open it and opening it when they should shut it And thus are millions deceived for nothing sooner wins flesh and blood then a Doctrine which tends to licentiousnesse Indeed most men are so greedy either of profit or pleasure that Sathan needs no helpe from others for he can no sooner cast out his Angle amongst them but immediatly like the soules in Lucian about Charons boate or Coleminers about a line when the candles burning blew tells the dampe commeth they will fasten upon the bayte As let Ieraboam onely set up Calves in Dan and Bethel the people are downe on their knees yea all like beasts in heards will goe a lowing after them Yea were there no harlot no drunken associate to solicite no Devill to doe his office wicked men would beget destruction on themselves If Sathan should not feede them with temptations they would tempt him for them and snatch their owne bane in which case Sathan onely suggests the thought or sayes the word and it is done As if he appoint them to lye they willy if he command them to deceive they will deceive if he bid them slander they will slander and that as falsely as he if he perswades them to revenge to persecute c. they will doe it as spitefully and as fully as he could doe them himselfe and so of every sinne if he but say to any of his servants let there be an oath straight
man so sweetly that one would thinke it a pleasure to be seduced yea these Aspes will sting a man so that he shall dye sleeping The falsest hearts will have the plausiblest mouthes like to Salomons Curtesan their lips drop as an Hony combe and their mouth is smoâ—ther then Oyle but their end is bitter as wormewood and such faire and smooth communication is no other then a trap or snare of Hony as Diogenes calls it Their custome is with a pleasing breath to waft a man into Mare mortuum tole him on to destruction as we tole beasts with fodder to the slaughter house and to take away all suspition they will so mollifie the stiffenesse of a mans prejudice so temper and fit him to their owne mold that once to doubt them would require the spirit of discerning He is such a pleasing murtherer that he tickles a man to death and makes him like Salomon's foole dye laughing O how many are there that hate their other enemies yea and their friends too and yet embrace this enemy because he kisseth when he betrayeth and indeed what fence for the Pistoll that is charged with the Bullet of friendship Hilary compares it to a Razor in the hand of a counterfeit Barber as when Vriah was set in the forefront of the battell and honour pretended murther was meant Which is the sole cause that drunkards so swarme in every corner of the land as where shall a man come and not finde one of these seducers § 85. INdeed heretofâ—re they were as rare as Wolves but now they are as common as Hogs heretofore it was the sinne of Tinkers Ostlers Beggers c. now of Farmers Citicens Esquires Knights c. heretofore S. Paâ—ls speech was currant they that are drunken are drunken in the night now they feare not the light the Sunne-shine no they make no difference of nights or dayes except this that drunkennesse most rages on the Lords day heretofore S. Peters argument was more then probable these are not drunk for it is but the third houre of the day now men are growne such husbands as by that time they will returne their stockes and have their braines crowing before day or at least if you will finde many men sober you must take them in their beds for they rise up earely to follow drunkennes formerly men were so unacquainted with insatiate drinking that the divell himself was called Robin good-fellow now a man is hated as bad as the devill if hee refuse to bee a good fellow id est a drunkard There was a Streete in Rome called Vâ—cus Sobrius Sober-street because there was never a drinking house in it finde such a Street in any City or populous Town in England and some good man or other will put it in the Chronicle yea if England plies her liquor so fast as she begins Germany is like to loose her Charter for drunkennesse and the French disease are upon termes of quitting their Countries aleagiance and to be made free denisons of England nay have they not already given up the bucklers to the English who as in fashions so in vices will needs bee the Ape of every Nation It is a disease whereof this Nation and generation is sicke at the very heart Yea woe is me how is the world turned beast what bowsing and quaffing and whiffing and healthing is there on every bench and what reeling and staggering in our Stâ—eâ—â—s what drinking by the yard the Dye the dozen what forcing of pledges what quarrells for measure and forme how is that become an excuse of villany which any villany might rather excuse I was drunk How hath this torrent yea this deluge of excesse in drinke drowned the face of the earth and risen many Cubits above the highest mountains of religion and good lawes Yea would to God I might not say with a Reverend Prelate of ours that which I feare and shame and grieve to say that even some of them which square the Arke for others would not inwardly drowne themselves and discover their nakednesse hereby That other inundation scowred the world this impures it and what but a deluge of fire and brimstone can wash it from so abominable filthinesse O the drunkennesse that is in one day in this Land yea in this City yea at some Fayre or Market to bee seene For goe but to the Towns end where a Fayre is kept and there they lye as if some field had been fought here lyes one man there another yea alasse for woe a woman nay a swine with a womans face or goe into the backe-Lanes and there you have them among Frogs and Toades their fit matches And in all probability this infectious vice of drunken good-fellowship is like to stick by this Nation for so long as the multitude of offenders benumes the sense of offending a common blot is held no staine Drunkennesse is as odious with us as Adultery is in that State wherein no body is chast § 86. BUt to goe on though I dare not shew all their slights they have to draw men on least in reproving I become a teacher as it fared with another in the like case A drunkâ—rd for kindnesse is another Iulian who was oftentimes bountifull but how he never did a man a good turne but it was to damne his soule hee so confirmes the profession of his love with vowes protestations and promises as a large complement for the most part ushers in a close craft that you would thinke Ionathan's love to David was nothing in comparison as no faces look lovelier then the painted But accept of gain from him and you are lost for ever for with Sâ—sâ—râ— you can no sooner tast of this Iâ—â—l's milk but you shall feele a nayle in your Temples so that the wickednesse of a man which feareth God is better then the good entreaty of a drunkard his proffers are like the Fowlers shrape when he casts meat to birds which is not out of charity to relieve but out of treachery to ensnare them they lay waite saith Ieremy as he that setteth snares and make a pit to catch men Ieremiah 5. 26. or like Traps wee set for vermin seeming charitable when they intend to kill and thou mayest answer these cursed tempters which delight in the murther of soules as the woman of Endâ—r did Saul wherefore seekest thou to take me in a snare to cause me to dye 1 Sam. 28. 9. Hee and the Usurer loves alike for their charity is no better than cruelty if they reach you bread with one hand be sure there is a stone in the other to do you a mischiefe for under the tast of Nectar hee will poyson you with the water of Styx he is another Absalom who made a feast for Amnâ—n whom hee meant to kill like some prurient lecher who provides a rich banquet for one whom he meanes to corrupt and deflourâ— or like the Ivie that by embraceing the tree sucks out the heart of it
and ther is no subtilty like that which deceives a man and hath thankes for the labour for as our Saviour saith blessed is the man that is not offended at their scoffes Matth. 11. 6. so blessed is the man that is not taken with their wiles for herein alone consists the difference hee whom the Lord loves shall bee delivered from their meritricious allâ—rements Eccles. 7. 26. and he whom the Lord abhors shall fall into their snares Prov. 22. 14. § 87. NOw if they cannot seduce us they wil envie and â—ate us First they will envie us because wee will not run with them to the same excesse of ryâ—t 1 Iohn 3. 12. Prov. 29. 27. Psalme 69. 12. Every man is borne a Caine envying that good in another which hee wants himselfe but a swinish drunkard delights to see the temperance sobriety and other eminent graces of him that feares God and will not doe as he doth as sore eyes delight to look upon the Sun Lot vexed himselfe because hee saw men bad these because men are good not that God's Law is broken but because others keepe it better than themselves It is true envie knowes what it will not confesse but experience shewes that sordid drunkards are as full of envie towards such as will not consort with them as a Serpent is full of poyson And you may know it by this token doe they not make it their Grace both before and after dinner to disgrace such an Innocent O that so many Loayes and Fishes as did feed five thousand in the Wildernes would but stop their mouths that envie and speake evill of such as they know no other fault by but their vertue they pick their owne sorrowes out of the joyes of other men and out of others sorrowes likewise they assume their owne joyes whereas worth begets in those that are magnanimous emulation in base minds it contrarily begets envie will you know the reason Hee that hath lost all good himselfe is vexed to see it in another and can no way be pacified except that other become as bad as himselfe as Demonâ—des having himselfe crooked feet and losing both his shoes to be even with him that had found them desired the gods that the parties feete might he as crooked as his shoes were But how just is it with God that this fire of enuy should be punished with the fire of Hell § 88. SEcondly as is their enuy such is their hatred and malice they hate the good because they will not be so evill as themselves Micha 3. 2. Mathew 10. 22. Iohn 15. 19. 1 King 22. 8. Proverbs 29. 27. The temperance and sobriety of a good man is as great a vexation to them as their conversation is to him for as if Nature had made them antipathites to vertue they so hate righteousnesse that they will hate a man for it and say of good living as Festus did of great learning it makes a man mad but they cannot know who are sober that are mad themselves Neither is this of theirs an ordinary hatred for they even eate their owne hearts in anger that they cannot eate ours in revenge we pray for the opening of their eyes and they pray for the pulling out of ours we desire the turning of their hearts and they wish the outting of our throats no such concord no such discord saith one of the Learned as that which proceeds from Religion My name â—aith Luther is more odious unto them then any thiefe or mutherer as Christ was more detestable to the Iewes then Barrabas Behold sâ—â—h David mine enâ—â—ies for they are many and they hate me with a â—ruell hatred Psal. 25. 19. yea so cruell that it makes their teeth gnash and their hearts burst againe Acts 7. 54. which made the truth's adversaries give St. Paul stripes above measure and the Heathen Emperours to devise such cruel Tortures for all those which but profest themselves Christians You cannot anger a sotted drunkard worse then to doe well yea he hates you more bitterly for this and the credit you gaine thereby then if you had cheated him of his patrimony with your owne discredit That there is no hatred so virulent and bitter as that which is occasioned by verâ—uous living and professing of Christ's name our Saviour himselfe proves copiously Math. 10. Lâ—k 21. where he shewes that it makes them forget all naturall affection whethâ—r it be that which descends as of Parents to children or that which which ascends as of children to Parents or that which is mutuall of Friends Kindred or Brethren one to another so that be they never so neere allied they shall betray â—â—ch other and cause them to dye even for his names sake as the Text hath it Neither doth their malice extend it selfe to this or that person onely but these Hamans so hate the Religious that they wish as Caligula once did of the Romans that they had all but one head thaâ— so they might cut it off at a blow were it in their power Ester 3. 6. 8. 9. 13. Micha 3. 2. Psal. 83. 4. But our comfort is they have not so much authority as malice resembling the Serpent Porphyrus which abounds with poyson but can hurt none for want of â—eeth § 89. NOw you must know that this envy and hatred of theirs is too strong to containe it selfe within the heart and thereupon breakes forth at their mouth and hands Besides seeing the former stratagems will not prevaile and that they cannot allure nor perswade to drunkennesse and the like sinnes and so worke their wills upon the sober and conscionable by subtilty faire meanes they wil seek to compel and enforce them to do as they do like as when lustfull Amnon could not winne Tamer by faire meanes he deflowers her by force For as the Devill who raignes as a Prince in the world of the ungodly Eph. 2. 2. is for strength a Lyon and a Fox for wit so is the world it self if it cannot infect us it will afflict us if it cannot corrupt our soules it will taynt our good names it is not like some bashfull Suter easily answered but so impudent that while we have breath it will never give us over thinking that so long as there is life there is hope Now to effect their end and bring about their purpose they use divers and sundry meanes venting their hearts at their mouthes in words and by action in their hands with their mouthes they wil censure scoffe at revile raile on nicke-name slander falsely accuse curse threaten c. and with their hands they will at least if they may be permitted imprison smite hurt and lastly if all this will not doe they will kill us as there be more wayes to the wood then one To reckon up all the trickes they doe and would use if the law restrained them not and to reckon up how many Creatures in the Vniverse were a taske equally possible and endlesse
observes wherein hee puts downe Menelaus that Romane Archer in the warres betweene Constantius and Magnantius for although hee could shoote three Arrowes at once at one looâ—e and therewith wound three at the least yet he could kill but one with one Arrow Yea in case this slander spreades it selfe the first relater may have to answer for the sinnes of a thousand wherefore no marvaile if after those words Deut. 27 24. Cursed be he that smiteth his neighbour secretly it bee added and let all the people say Amen no marvaile if Psalm 101. 5. it be written him that privily slandereth his neighbour will I destroy § 99. SIxthly drunkards traduce and slander us because they must doe what Sathan will have them yea it is hee that speaketh by them as once he did by the Serpent neither could hee speake for want of a tongue if it were not for wicked men A calumny saith one of the Fathers is the Divel's mind in the mouth of a man his Arrow shot by mans Bow he lendeth him his lyes and malice and borroweth his tongue to utter them because the Divell wants a tongue heare this all yee whose tongues runnes so fast on the Divells errand it is but his heart in your lippes The accuser of the bretheren makes use of wicked men to traduce those whom hee cannot seduce as hee desireth he makes them drunke with malice as well as with Wine and they spew out cursing and slander against such as are better or would have them better then ver they meanes to be Mat. 5. 44. whence it is that the Divell is not more blacke-mouthed then a slanderer nor a slanderer lesse malicious than the Divell Ioh. 8. 44 where they are proved his children and hee their father Yea they shew themselves to be of the same house who easily and willingly believe their slanders neither doth Sathan lesse profit or advantage himselfe by them For first while he fils their eares he kills their soules as one of the Fathers hath it Secondly as he which reports a slander hath the Divell in his tongue so hee that receives it hath the Divell in his eare as Bernard excellently the one is the Foot-post and messenger of Sathan the other is the Recorder or Register of Hel and were their no receivers in this kinde there would bee no theeves if some had not itching eares to heare false rumours others would not have scratching tongues like the pens of Libellers to make and move them for see we not that the least check or frowne of a stander by will silence the barking tongue and indeed had they both their due tale-bearers should be hanged by their tongues and tale hearers by their eares as Plautus speaks And so I have given you the subordinate reasons the principall follow § 100. SEventhly the maine reason and end wherefore they do all this and a great deale more is that they may discourage us in the way to heaven flout us out of our faith and draw us back to the world that so they may have our company here in sin and hereafter in torment The which that themselves may acknowledge and a faire print it must bee that a drunkard can wel read seeing hee weares his eyes in his tongue much more must proofes be plaine if they acknowledge this for a truth I will take leave to expatitate and where as I have hither to but spoken of them strictly as drunkards now I will speake of them more largely as they are wicked men seed of the Serpent and children of the Divell First they do it that they may discourage us in the way to heaven flout us out of our faith and draw us backe to the World that so they may have our company here in sinne As why doth the World cast such a number of blockes in our way to hinder us but because in every one that repenteth shee looseth a limme or member all these things will drunkards do to the man whom the King of heaven and earth will honour with adoption conversion and regeneration but so long as we remaine in our naturall condition and vvill pledg them in their finnes they have no quarrell against us As Holofernes said to Iâ—deth feare not in thine heart for I never hurt any that are willing to serve Nebuchadnezzar the King of all the earth Iudeth 11 1. so these drunkards never molest any that are content to serve Sathan the Prince of this world As let any experienced Christian tell me vvhether he was ever scoft at or molested by drunkards so long as hee marched under sathans colours whether they ever hated him untill Christ had chosen him Iohn 15. 19. Againe let him tell me whether hee was not made a by-word of the people Iob 17. 6. A song of the drunkards Psal. 69. 12. and generally hated of all Matâ—h 10. 22. so soone as he became religious and conscionable For all wicked men are like the women of Lemnos who when they had every one slain their husbands and kinsmen exiled Hypsiphyle the Kings daughter for that shee alone saved her Father alive So that a Christian in respect of his hard straits betweene Gods Law on the one side and the malignant world on the other may fitly be compared to the Gibbeonites who if they made not their peace with Ioshua must dye by strangers and if they did make their peace with him they must dye by neighbours or to Susanna who if shee did yeeld unto the two Elders must lose her chastity and hazzard her soule and if shee did not yeeld shee must loose her life for we have a Wolfe by the eares which wee can neither stay nor let go with safety if we seek to please God by a holy life wee displease the world and that will hate and vex us if we seek to please the world we displease God and he will hate and condemne us for their commands are diametrically contrary Acts 4. 18. 19. When our affections like wild and mad Horses are violently gallopping to Hell if the Spirit of God by repentance as with a bridle suddenly gives a jerck and turnes them yea sets them going as fast the other way in the more narrow path towards heaven presently those our companious in the broad way stand marvelling at us that wee breake off company and envie to see themselves casheered and good reason for the world as you have heard looseth a limme or member in every one that repenteth The men of the world thinke it quarrell enough to the children of God that they will no longer continue miserable with them if the Gibeonites but turn to Ioshua then there is quarrell enough for the Amorites against Gibeon they cannot abide to loose any of their community neither is it otherwise with the head of this hellish complicies there needs no other cause of his utmost fury then to see a poore soule strugling to get out of the reach of his tyranny That
great Dragon the Divell and these his subjects drunkards make warre and are wrath with none but the woman and the remnant of her seed which keepe the Commandements of God and have the testimony of Iesus Christ Revel 12. 17. The Divell and the World are much like the proscription of the Inquisition or the Athenian Ostracisme which throweth out none but the best and worthiest among men Nothing is more distastfull to the World then for a man to seperate and divorce himselfe from her evill society and wicked customes It seemeth to them strange saith Saint Peter that you runne not with them to the same excesse of ryot therefore speak they evill of you 1 Peter 4. 4. He that refuseth an health or wil not sweare hee that cannot conforme to the vices of lewd men is more taken notice of then a great Personage as a blazing Sarre is more gazed upon then the Sunne because the one is strange the other common and he had need bee much more carefull of his actions then another man for they will lie in wait to finde faults in him and let him slip never so little if it bee not a wonder it is strange and all strangers wee observe more strictly then wee doe those that have dwelt among us § 101. IT is betweene the seed of the Serpent and the seed of the Woman as betweene Turkes and Chrictians the Turkes call and account Christians as Dogs but let the same Christians turne Turkes and they shall bee highly reckoned of so let us turn openly prophane their quarrell is at an end nothing but our goodnesse is the whetstone of their envie so that one notable proofe of saving grace in us is the exercise of their malice against us Iohn 15. 19. Alasse had we continued the Divels subjects we should have beene let alone The Israelites were never set upon by Pharaoh and all his forces untill they were gone out of his land the blind man nor his parents were ever troubled of the Iewes untill Christ cured him of his blindnesse nor the diseased man grudged at for eight and thirty yeares together till Christ said unto him take up thy bed and walke but then as hee carries his bed so he carried reproaches so long as S. Paul joyned with the high Priests and Elders to make havock of the Church hee was no whit molested by them but when hee became a Convert and preach'd in the name of Iesus who so hated and persecuted as he If the Church travell and bring forth a male it is in danger of the Dragon's streames but not else that Goliah defies none but the Host of the liveing God Sathan meddles not with his owne they are as sure as temptation can make them they meddle not with repentance and hee meddles not with them to sinne hee would have our paths smooth and calme and pleasant winning us forward but if wee turne our feet towards Sâ—on then he encounters and blocks up our way with temptations yea then this Ahab will wage cruell war with and fight against us untill hee recovers his Ramoth Gilead that is our soule I Kings 22. 3. otherwise he is more subtile then to spend his malice on them that doe him ready service carnall drunkards need no entreaty much lesse be forced to bee officious for they have a free will to that which is evill it is only a Iob that the divell delights to vex with anguish hee knowes an Absolom will runne laughing to hell it is some Peter whom Sathan desires to winnow Luk. 22. 31. some are all chaff he wil not meddle with them Ephraim is joyned with Idols let him alone Hosea 4. 17. let him alone saith God let him alone saith Sathan he is as fast as I would wish him so all is in peace Luk. 11. 21. But let them take it for a fearefull signe of a dead heart when they feele not Sathans buffetings for there is not a greater temptation saith Gregrory then not to bee tempted why they shall not feele his hate till they feele his heate even his unquenchable fire in the burning lake Alasse hee ceaseth to tempt them whom hee hath already wonne but the godly are enemies therefore they must looke to be assaulted Neither were he his craftsmaster if he did otherwise Doth any Prince or Generall make warre with his owne subjects or souldiers that march under his colours no but with rebells and enemies What Jayler layes more bolts upon the shackled malefactor that loves his Prison and would not change this is for such as have attempted to breake Prison Besides there is great reason why the godly are tempted more then the wicked because the wicked doe him service in this particular and tempt others Again the crafty thiesfe will not break into an empty house but where he may finde some good booty the empty Traveller sings before the thiefe and may passe unmolested it is the ful purse which invites the highway man The Pirat never spends his shott upon Cole-Ships but le ts flie at the rich Merchant so if the Divell and his instruments drunkards set upon us it is a good argument and we may presume there is the Treasure of grace at least the beginnings of it for where there is no light there is no shadow As Christ was no sooner baptised and the Spirit descended on him but presently Sathan had a bout with him yea as lacob was no sooner conceived in the wombe then Esau strove with him Gen. 25. 22. so every true Christian begins his warre with his being both our births are accompanied vvith teares so that vvhen once vvee put our endeavours to godlinesse expect no quiet for a Christians life can no more bee vvithout sorrovves then the Sea can bee vvithout vvaves and flovvings And yet our case vvould be far vvorse if vve should yeeld unto them both here in respect of our consciences and hereafter in respect of our soules As I have read of a Christian that to save his life turned Turke but this could not save him for they presently in derision hanged him up vvith these vvords Morieris in fide Turca hovv ever thou livest thou shalt dye a Turke § 102. ANd so you have the drunkards heart and tongue delineated and therein vvhat they doe to us in case vve vvill not runne with them to the same excesse of ryat Novv see vvith the like patience vvhat they vvould doe in case the Lavv restrained them not and hovv the malice and envie of their hearts would break forth at their hands for having done all this and not finding the issue to answer their expectation viz. that they cannot discourage us but that we still persevere and hold out in our peremptory course of well doing and will not reconcile our selves unto them nor the world doe they what they can they would proceed further if they durst and might bee allowed by the Law as First they would combine themselves together and cunningly
he had beene dayes in the country Nay hath not the Devill made as good use of some famous drunkard as Sampson did of that Jaw-bone of an Asse Iudg. 15. wherewith he slew a thousand men § 113. NOw wherein doe they overcome and what is it these spirituall Kings and their Regiments chiefely fight for for having made cleare way I come now at length to prove the second part of my former proposition namely that their utmost aime and end whether they seeke to intise or enforce us to sinne with them is that they may have our company hereafter in the burning lake but to win soules each from other and what thinke you doe drunkards the seede of the Serpent and children of the Devill more delight in then the murther of soules and why doe they so subtilly perswade and so violently enforce us to sinne with them but that they may pluck us out of Christs fould and bring us into the same place of torment whether they are going This is the very end and purpose of all their warring against the seede of the woman For as nothing but the dishonour and rape of Tamer could please Amnon and nothing but the blood of Amnon could satisfie Absalom and nothing but the heart of Absalom could content Ioab and nothing but the death of Ioab could pacifie Salomon so nothing but our soules will satisfie the Serpent and his seede This is the very Pricke White and Butt whereat they shoote all their Arrowes and lay their levell If any shall say this word is too big for my mouth I wish them first heare and then determine The Devill by these as through so many Bowes shootes a deadly Arrowe at thy soule as Lycian Pandorus did at Menelaus the Grecian but God like Pallas turneth by the Shaft and makes it hit upon the body goods or good name as that upon the buckler of his girdle Why thinke you are all their frownes and frumps and censures and scoffes Why so many slanders and stigmaticall nick-names raised and cast upon the Religious why are they the alone object of their scorne and derision but that they may flout them out of their faith dampe or quench the spirit where they perceive it is kendled but that they may baffle them out and make them ashamed of their holy profession and religious course and consequently pull them back to the world Why did the Heathen Emperours so violently oppose and so cruelly persecute the Christians but to make them become Heathens too Why did Bonner and Gardiner with the rest of that crew in the time of Queene Mary burne at the stake all that truely profest the purity of Religion but to winne them from Christ Why did St. Paul before his conversion breath out threatnings and slaughters against the Disciples why did he persecute them even to strang cities shut up in Prison and punish them throughout all the Synagogues but that he might make them renounce Christ and his religion and compell them to blaspheme as himselfe confesseth Acts 26. 10. 11. Why did the high Priests so consult and contrive about putting Lazarus to death after he was raised and Christ also that raised him but because for his fake many of the Iewes went away and beleeved in Iesus as the Holy-Ghost affirmes Iohn 12. 10. 11. see also Chap. 11. 48. Lastly if there were not many men so cursedly wretched as to delight in the murther of soâ—les what should holy David so much and in so many places use these and the like expressions They have laid waite for my soule Psa. 59. 2. 3. They rewarded me evill for good to have spoyled my soule Psal. 35. 12. Mine enemies the wicked compasse me round about for my soule Psa. 17. 9. They gather themselves together and lay waite for my soule Psalme 56. 6. and many the like which was not more his case then it is ours for all their ayme when they either tempt or afflict us is that they may make us square our lives according to their rule as that Gyant did proportion the bodies of all his guests to the bed of his Harlot either by stretching out if they wanted in length or cutting off if they did exceed and consequently draw us to perdition They rather wish all damned with themselves then any to bee freed from their owne Prison and as in the blessed there is perfect charity so in the damned there is perfect envie neither the good would be saved nor the wicked would be damned alone wherefore they seeke to winne all they can § 114. WHen once a man is got out of the snare of the Divell he will doe what he can to pluck others after him As by his sinnes and bad example hee hath drawn others from God so now he will all hee can draw others with himselfe to God Saul converted will build up as fast as ever he plucked downe and preach as zealously as ever he persecuted But take a view of each case in severall persons and first of the godly We read that Noah and Lot hazarded their own peace and safety such was their charity to preserve theirs that afflicted them they did admonish others like Prophets and advise them like Fathers but both in vaine these holy men seemed to them as one that mocked and they did more then seeme to mocke them againe We read likewise how Andrew was no sooner converted and become Christ's Disciple but instantly hee seeketh out his brother Simon to gaine him also to the same faith Iohn 1. 41. And of Philip that he did the like to Nathaniel verse 45. And of the woman of Samaria that she did the like to many of her neighbours Iohn 4. 28. to 41. And of the twelve Apostles that so soone as they were endued with the Holy Ghost they spread the Gospell throughout the whole world and with so good successe that wee reade of three thousand soules converted by one of them at one time namely by Peter so well did he obey Christ's command who said unto him when thou art converted strengthen thy brethren Luk. 22. 32. Yea Moses so thirsted after the salvation of Israel that rather then hee would bee saved without them hee desired the Lord to blot him out of the Booke of Life Exodus 32. 32. and Paul to this purpose saith I could wish my selfe to be separated from Christ for my brethren that age my kinsmen according to the flesh meaning the Iewes Rom. 9. 3. Their charity and spirituall thirst after salvation was much like the naturall thirst of Alexander who being with his troopes in the Field and in extremity of thirst when one presentted him an Helmet of water he refused it saying si solus bibero hos maeror occupabit or that of Rodolphus the Emperour who in his warres against Octocarus King of Bohemia being offered drink by a rusticke that attended his harnesse when both he and his whole Army were ready to perish with thirst refused it saying
not take warning by the word that gentle warner the next shall be harder the third and fourth harder then that yea as al the ten plagues did exceede one another so the eleventh single exceeds them all together innumerable are the curses of God against finners but the last is the worst comprehending and transcending al the rest the fearefullest plagues God still reserves for the upshot all the former doe but make way for the last When the Dreame and the Miracle and the Prophet had done what they could upon Nebuchadnezzar God calls forth his temporall judgements and bids them see what they can doe if they will not yet serve he hath eternal ones which will make them repent every veine of their hearts and soules that they did not repent sooner Oh that I could give you but a glimpse of it that you did but see it to the end you might never feele it that so you might be won if not out of faith yet out of feare for certainly this were the hopefullest meanes of prevention for though diverse theeves have robd passengers within sight of the Gallowes yet if a sinner could see but one glimpse of hell or bee suffered to looke one moment into that fiery Lake hee would rather choose to dye tenne thousand deaths then commit one sinne and indeed therefore are wee dissolute because we doe not thinke what a judgement there is after our dissolution because wee make it the least and last thing we thinke on yea it is death wee think to think upon death and we cannot indure that dolefull bell which summons us to judgement Something you have heard of it here and in Section the 44. But alasse I may as well with a Cole paint out the Sunne in all his splendor as with my pen or tongue expresse the joyes of Heaven which they willingly part withall or those torments of hell which they strive to purchase For as one said that nothing but the eloquence of Tully could sufficiently set forth Tullie's eloquence so none can expresse those everlasting torments but hee that is from everlasting to everlasting and should either man or Angell goe about the worke when with that Philosopher hee had taken a seven-nights time to consider of it hee might aske a fortnight more and at the fortnights end a moneth more and be at his wits end at the worlds end before he could make a satisfiing answer otherthen his was that the longer he thought of it the more difficult he found it alasse the paine of the body is but the body of paine the anguish of the soule is the soule of anguish § 121. BUt to be everlastingly in Hell to lye for ever in a bed of quenchles flames is not all for as thy sinnes have exceeded so shall thy sufferings exceed as thou hast had a double portion of sinne to other men here so thou shalt have a double portion of torment to them hereafter the number and measure of torments shall be according to the multitude and magnitude of offences mighty sinners shall be mightily punished for God will reward every man according to his workes Revel 20. 12. 13. and 22. 12. As our workes are better or worse so shall our joyes in heaven our paines in hell bee more or lesse as every one hath beene more wicked he shall bee more wretched Capernaum exceeding Sodome and Gomorrah in sin shall feele also an excesse of punishment and the willfull servant shall receive more stripes then the ignorant Luk. 1â— 47. 48. Mat. 10. 15 which being so viz. that every man shall be punished according to merit what will become of thee surely thy sins are so prodigious that they scorne any proportion under a whole volume of plagues But see wherein thy sinnes exceed other mens that shall go to the same place of torment how every sinne receiveth weight and increase in regard of circumstances and how thou after thine hardnes and heart which cannot repent heapest unto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the just judgment of God who will reward every man according to his workes Rom. 2. 5 6. The particulars which greaten aggravate and adde weight to thy sinnes and make them above measure sinfull are so diverse and sundry that I may not insist upon all yet some are of such import that I dare not omit them First the civill justitiary who omiâ—tâ—th the performance of those good duties which the Law requireâ—h is in a damnable condition but thou in a farre worse who wilfully runnest on in the commission of those sinnes which the Law flatly forbids It was the not slaying of Agag 1 Sam. 15. that lost Saul his Kingdome and the favour of God The not circumcising of Moses his first borne Exodus 4. had like to have cost him his life The not relieving of poore Lazarus Luk. 16. was the rich mans ruine It was not the evill servants spending his Masters money which cast him into prison but the not gaining with it he did not evill with his Talent no it was enough to condemne him that he did nothing with it Now if barrennesse bee sent into the fire how can rapine looke to escape if omission of good works be whipped with Rodds surely commission of impieties shall be scourged with Scorpions The old world did but eat and drink build and plant marry and bee merry and were swept away with the Beesom of an universall deluge which things were in themselves lawfull what then shall become of Lyers Swearers Drunkards Adulterers malicious monsters scandalous sinners whose workes are in themselves simply unlawfull If the civily righteous shall not bee saved in that great and terrible day where then shall all ungodly drunkards and deboyshed swilbowles appeare Heaven is our Goale we all runne loe the Scribes and Pharisies are before thee what safty can it bee to come short of those that come short of heaven Except your righteousnes exceed c. Meroz was cursed by the Angell because they came not to helpe the Lord in the day of battell Iudges 5. 23. they fought not against God yet because they did not fight for him they are cursed And if they that stand in a luke-warm neutrality shall be spewed up sure the palpable and notorious offender who takes up armes against God and opposes all goodnesse shall bee trodden under foot of a provoked justice O consider this and lay it to heart you that commit sinnes of all sorts and sizes you that can tear heaven with your blasphemies and bandy the dreadfull name of God in your impure mouthes by your bloody oaths and execrations yee that dare exercise your saucy wits in prophane scoffes at Religion yee that can neigh after strange flesh c. § 122. SEcondly the sinnes which thou committest are against knowledge and conscience and so farre greater then the same sinnes if another should doe them ignorantly The servant that knowes his masters will and if he
Now if their reward in heaven be so great that save one soule from death Dan. 12. 3. how great shall their torment bee in Hell that pervert many soules to destrustion Matth. â— 19. they shall bee maximi in infâ—rm greatest in the kingdome of hell he that can damâ— many soules besides his owne supererogates of Sathan and hee shall give him a double fee a double portion of hell fire for his paines Who then without a shower of teares can think on thy deplorable state or without mourning meditate thy sad condition Yea if Ely was punished with such fearefull temporall judgements onely for not admonishing and not correcting others which sinned what mayest thou expect that doest intise others yea enforce them though to intise others were wicked enough Let me say to the horror of their conâ—â—rences that make merchandize of soules that it is a question when such an one comes to hel whether Iudas himself would change torments with him How fearefully think you do the seducer and seduced greet one another in hell me thinks I heare the Dialogue between them wher the best speaks first and saith Thou hast beene the occasiâ—â—â— of my sinne and the other thou art the occasun of my more grievous torment c. Evill men delights to make others so one sinner maketh another as Eve did Adam but little doe they thinke how they advance their owne damnations when the blood of so many soules as they have seduced will be required at their hands and little doe sinners know their wickednesse when their evill deeds infect by their example and their evill words infect by their perwasion and their looks infect by their allure ments when they breath nothing but infection much lesse do they know their wretchdnesse till they receive the wages of their unrighteousnesse which shall not be paid till their work be done and that will not be done in many yeares after their death For let them dye they sinne still For as if we sowe good works succession shal reape them and we shall be happy in making them so so on the contrary wicked men leave their inventions and evill practises to posterity and though dead are still tempting unto sinne and still they sin in that temptation they sinne as long as they cause sinne This was Ieroboam's case in making Israel to sinne for let him bee dead yet so long as any worship his Calves Ieroboam sinned neither was his sinne soone forgotten Nadab his sonne and Basha his successor Zimry and Omry and Ahab and Ahaziah and Iehoram all these walked in the wayes of Ierobâ—am which made Israel to sinne and not they alone but the people with them It is easie for a mans sinne to live when himselfe is dead and to leade that exemplary way to hell which by the number of his followers shall continually aggravate his torments The imitaters of evill deserve punishment the abetters more but there is no hell deepe enough for the leaders of publike wickednesse he that invents a new way of serving the divell hath purchased for himselfe a large patrimony of unquenchable fire Though few men will confesse their sinnes yet many mens sins will confesse their master To beget a president of vice is like the setting a mans own house on fire it burnes many of his neighbours and he shal answer for al the ruines Alas while I live I sinne too much lerme not continue longer in wickednesse then life Sin hath an ubiquity one sinners example infects others and they spread it abroad to more like a man that dyes of the Plague and leaves the infection to a whole City so that hee must give an account even for the sinnes of a thousand yea they have so much to answer for that have thus occasioned so much ill that it had beene happy for them if they had never beene at all then being to be laden with the sinnes of so many O what infinite torments doth Mahomet endure when every Turke that perisheth by his jugling doth daily adde to the pile of his unspeakable horrors And so each sinner according to his proportion and the number of soules which miscarry through the contagion of his evill example for they shall speed at last like him that betrayed a City to a Tyrant who when he had conquered it first hanged up the party that help'd him to it Yea perhaps God will even in this life make them an example of his just vengeance and provoked indignation as he did Pharaoh and Iulian as their sinne hath perverted many so their fall and ruine may perchance convert many the life of Iulian made many Infidels the death of Iulian made many Christians God will teach men to feare him even by their ruine that taught them not to feare him Yea the D vell who now is their good master will in the end reward these his subjects as that Emperor which Plutarch speakes of did by one that kild a great man who first crowned him for his valour and then caused him to bee executed for the murther or as the Wolf does by the Ewe who sucks her while she is a little one and devours her when she is growne a great one Nutritus per me sed tandem saevtiet in me So that it were happy for all seducing drunkards whors c. if they were prevented of doing this great mischiefe and in their non-age throwne alive into the Sea as the Citizens of Rome threw Heleogabalus into the river of Tiber with his mother Semâ—a to bear him company for that she bear and brought forth such a gulfe of mischiefes as Lampridius reports yea the whole State should fare the better for such riddance for so they should become though not profitable yet infinitely lesse hurtfull to such as should remaine § 131. THe eight circumstance which aggravates thy sinne is the object or party which is offended and in this respect thou art liable to the greater condemnation in that thou injurest those whom God tenderly loves which is farre more displeasing unto him then if the same were done unto others they are as the signet upon his right hand yea as the Apple of his owne eye he that toucheth you saith God meaning the Iewes his chosen and beloved people toucheth the Apple of mine owne eye Zach. 2. 8. And who are they which thou scoffest at traducest nicknamest revilest and persecutest but the best of men such as are most religious and conscionable such as wil not sweare nor be drunke nor commit such wickednesse as thou doest Now he which doth these things to evill men who are Gods enemies grievously offend him for what saith the Scripture him will I destroy that privily slandereth his neighbour Psa. 101. 5 and the word neighbour includes very heathens How heinously then doe they offend which doe the same and worse to his children 2 Cor. 6. 18. Galat. 3. 26. Iohn 1. 12. who partake of the Divine nature 2 Peter 1. 4. and are like God in holâ—nesse
Laban to Iacob Gen. 30. 27. and Pharaoh to Moses Exodus 9. 27. 28. and againe Chapter 10. 16. 17. saying I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you forgive mee my sins only this once and pray unto the Lord your God that hee may take away from mee this death only And Saul to David saying I have sinned I have done foolishly and have erred exceedingly thou art more righteous then I for thou hastrendered me good and I have rendered thee â—vill c. 1 Sam. 24. 18. and 26. 21. Though afterward when the rod is off their backes they are apt to harden againe and returne to their old byas as did the same Pharaoh and Saul For no longer then they smart no longer can they see and unlesse affliction opens their eyes there is no perswading them but the righteous man is worse then his neighbour yea none so vile no such enemies tothe State as the religious What though it were but Haman's pretence yet it was Abab's very case who peremptorily thought Eliah the cause of all his misery when it was himselfe his sinne brought the famine Eliah's prayer brought the raine yet Ahab tells Eliah and speakes as he thinkes thoutroublest Israel And nothing more usuall then for wicked men to hate persecute and complaine most of those to whom they are most bound and beholding Saul received more benefit from David then from any one man in his Kingdome besides both in frighting away the evill spirit from him killing Goliah and many the like yet none was so hated persecuted and evill spoken of by him as hee was Thus Laban and Potiphar were most angry with Iacob and Ioseph for whose sakes only they prospered § 139. ANd thus you see that the righteous man keepeth off judgements and procureth blessings not only to himselfe but others his family friends enemies to the whole City and Nation wherein he lives yea his posterity for many ages fare the better for him as God promiseth to establish David's house for his sake and blesse it for ever 2 Sam. 7. 12. 13. 15. 16. And promiseth to Phineas the sonne of Eleazar who turned away the Lords anger from the children of Israel and saved them from being consumed that hee would give unto him his covenant of peace and to his seede after him together with the Priests office for ever Numb 25. 11. 12. 13. Thus Israel from time to time were blest and fared the better for Abraham Isaac and Iacob's sake even many yeares after they were dead De. 4. 37. 1 Kin. 11. 12. as Abraham Isâ—ack and Iacob yea all the posterity of Adam are blessed for Iesus sake for else all even the best should have perished all were apostates Adam did forfeit his Patent and none but a Saviour could renew it but see the different natures of the godly and the wicked God forbeareth the wicked for the godlies sake As when Augustus had conquered Antheny and taken Alexandria the Citizens expecting nothing but present massacre the Emperor proclaimed a generall pardon for Arrius his sake a Philosopher of that City and his familiar friend Whereas the wicked in requitall persecute the godly for whose sake they are forborne and contemne those to whom they owe their very lives like as Brutus Cassius Domitius Trebonius Cimber Tullius and many others slew Iulius Caesar with 23. wounds in the Senate house albeit hee had lately pardoned them for sighting against him on Pompiâ—'s side or as they whom William the conqueror most advanced had the speciall hand in his destruction or as Pompilius Lanâ— whom Marcus Tullius Cicero saved from the Gallowes by pleading his cause before the judges when he was accused for murthering his Father was the prime man that puld his head out of the Litter and cut it off But O foolish and unwise is this any other peece of policy then if the Sodomites should make hast to turne out Lot and his familie that fire and brimstone may make hast to destroy themâ— for as when the Prophets went from Hierusalem then Sword and Famine and Pestilence and all plagues rained upon them even as fire came downe upon Sodome so soone as Lot was gone out Or as when Noah and his family were once entred the Arke the Flood came and destroyed the first world Gen. 7. 11. 13. so the number of Christs Church being accomplished fire shall come down to destroy the second world yea the raine should not fall nor the earth stand but for the elects sake the earth should burne the elements melt the heavens flame the divels and all reprobates bee laid up in hell the elect men and Angels imparadised in heaven all but for this Gods number is not yet full till this be done Sathan may range abroad the wicked domineere the righteous suffer misery and sinne walke their round the heavens move the Seas ebb and flowe the world stand and the Lord suffers all Wherefore cease yee malicious sinners to vex the religious you are beholding to them for your very breath if they were taken away you should be tormented before your time yea make you friends of such as feare God for it is no smal happinesse to be interrested in them who are favourites in the Court of Heaven one faithfull man on these occasions is more worth then millions of the wavering and uncertaine Indeed you may so long provoke the Lord that he will not suffer his people to pray nor intreat for you as is well set forth Ier. 7. 13. to 17. and then can you expect nothing but death and hell Yea the time will come when all Christs enemies shall be dragged out of the prison of their graves to behold him whom they have pierced Revelation 1. 7. at whattime there shall be no Moses to stand in the gap for them no Aaron to stand betweene the living and the dead no Noah Daniel or Iob to pity or pray for them yea when there shall bee no more mercy no more patience no more repentings in God towards them but judgement without mercy or mitigation but God laughing at their destruction and the Saints which shall judge the world 1 Cor. 6. 2 3. rejoycing to see the vengeance that they may at length wash their feet in the blood of the wicked Prov. 1. 26. Psal. 58. 1 â— when there shall be no Rocks nor Mountaines to fall upon them when the earth shall melt with heate when the day of the Lord shall burn as an oven and eat their flesh as it were fire Revel 6. 16. 2. Pet. 3. 10. Mal. 4. 1. 2 3. lam 5. 3. § 140. TEnthly thy sinne is incomparably greater and consequently thy punishment shall be in that the hurt which thou doest to thy neighbour is against his soule For as the hurting and endamaging of the person and life of another is a more hainous offence then is the diminishing of his goods and outward estate so the hurt which redowndeth by our meanes unto the soule
of any is much more abominable every way both in it selfe and in the sight of God then is that wrong which is offered unto his body Now thou art a soule murtherer yea many are the soules which thou hast intentionally and as much as in thee lyeth slaine with death eternall and what canst thou expect without repentance and an answerable endeavour to win soules as fast to God as formerly thou hast to Sathan but to bee many fathoms deeper in Hell then other menâ— will God powre out his curse and vengeance on them which make the blind stumble to the hurt of his body Deut. 27. 18. and will he not much more do this to soule-destroyersâ— Objection But thou like those Disciples Iohn 6. 60. wilt think this a hard saying neither canst thou believe that thou art a soule murtherer though I have made it undeniable in Section the 100. 101. 113. 134. 115. 116. 117. Answer But it will one day be a harder saying if you take not heed when Christ shall answer all your apologies with depart from me into everlasting fire prepared for the Divel and his Angels Mat. 25. 41. Luk. 13. 25. to 29. As for further proofe of what I lay to thy charge I could easily shew thee how The daily scoffes reproaches c of thee and thy fellowes 1. Detaines many From entering into a religious course 2. Staggers many Which have made some progresse in the way 3. Keepes many From doing the good which they would or appearing the same which they are 4. Beates many Clean off from their profession 5. Hardens many And makes them resolve against goodnesse For there is no such rub in the way to Heaven as this Sathan hath not such a tryed shaft in all his quiver which makes our Saviour pronounce that man blessed that is not offended in him Matth. 11. 6. But of these severalls elsewhere least I should overmuch seeme to digresse only I grieve to see how they wrong themselves in thus wronging others for in that wicked men doe so mock and deride such as are in love with heavenly things it is hard to say whether they doe most offend in hindering the honour of God thereby or their neighbours wellfare or their own salvation What are the waters of thine own sinns so low that thou must have streames from every place to run into thine Oceanâ— thy owne buâ—then is unsupportable yet thou wilt adde to the weight other mens that thy rising may be irrecoverable Content thy selfe for assuredly thou shalt once pay deare for it either by teares or torment Yea let such take heed for the fire of Hell will be hot enough for a mans owne iniquities he needs not the iniquities of others like fuell and Bellowes to blow and increase the flame which if they well considered would make them cherish all good desires in the weake and to deale in this case as we use when we carry a smal Light in the winde hide it with our lap or hand that it may not go out Oh how much easier is it to subvert or cast down a thing then to erect it when even a base fellow could destroy that Temple in one day which was six and thirty yeares in seting up True it is if the barking of these Currs shall hinder us from walking on our way it is a signe we are very impotent yea if our love be so cold to Christ that we are ashamed for his sake to beare a few scoffs and reproaches from the world it is evident we are but counterfeits for for our comforts it shall not bee so with those whom God hath any interest in notwithstanding all the scoffes of Atheists and carelesse worldlings they shall not onely loose their labours herein but themselves too The faithfull will neither buy peace with dishonour nor take it up at interest of danger to ensue wel may they serve as Snuffers to qualifie our zeale andmake it burne brighter but never become such Extinguishers as to put it quite out either by persecutions or by perswasions So that their spitefull adversaries imagine but a vaine thing they shall be no more able to hinder any one from salvation whom God hath chosen to his Kingdome of grace and glory then Saul with his Courtiers could hinder David from attaining the promised Kingdome of Israel they may move the godly but not remove them They have often times afflicted me from my youth may Israel now say but they could not prevaile against me Psal. 129. 1. 2 It is given to the great Dragon and the Beast in the thirteenth of the Revelation to make warre with the Saints as well as with the rest which dwell upon the earth but hee shall not prevaile with any save those whose names are not written in the Booke of Life vers 8. if so let them not spare to doe their worst the winds may well tosse the Ship wherein Christ is but never overturn it if Christ have but once possest the affections there is no dispossessing him againe as that Cloth which is throughly dyed black will afterwards take no other colour The League that Heaven hath made Hell wants power to break who can separate the conjunctions of the Deity Whom God did predestinate saith Paul them also hee called and whom he called them also he justified and whom hee justified them hee also glorified Rom. 8. 30. They shall sooner blow up Hell with traines of Powder then breake the chaine of this dependant truth No power of man is able to withstand the will of God it shall stand firmer then the Firmament it is as possible to stop the motion of the Sun as the course of Gods predestination A fire in the heart overcommeth all other fires without as wee see in the Martyres which when the sweet doctrine of Christ had once gotten into their hearts it could not bee got out again by all the torments which wit and cruelty could devise and the reason is they over-looke these bug-bears and behold Christ calling the Spirit asisting the Father blessing the Angels comforting the Word directing and the Crown inviting Alasse if their scoffes and all they can say could flout us out of the integrity of our hearts when our fore Fathers feared not the flames we were feareful cowards Indeed the timorous Snaile puts out her hornes to feele for danger and puls them in againe without cause If the sluggard heares of a Lion in the way hee quakes but tell it to a Sampson or a David they wil go out to meet him yea let Aggabus tel Paul of bands at Ierusalem he answers I am ready not only to be bound but to dye at Ierusalem for the name of Iesus Act. 21. 13 The Horse neighs at the Trumpet the Leviathan laughs at the Speare so tell the resolved Christian of enemies or danger hee feares not hee cares not to carnall friends he sayes I know yee not to diswaders get yee behind me Sathan But what of all this
repenteth c. for hee can take liberty to continue his sensuall lusts by a warrant of Scripture what is written for his consolation hee turnes to poyson making of his restorative Physicke a drinke to intoxicate him to desperatenesse yea he can apply Christ's Passion as a Warrant for his licentiousnesse not as a remedy and takes his Death as a Licence to sin his Crosse as a letters Patent to doe mischiefe so they not only sever those things which God hath joyned together sin and punishment and joyne together what God hath severed sinne and reward but even turn the grace of God into want onnesse as if a man should head his Taber with his pardon Wherein the Divell deales with them as once with our Saviour Cast thy selfe downe headlong for the Angels shall beare thee up so plung your selves into this or that sinne the mercy of God shall helpe you out poyson thy selfe here is a counterpoyson break thy head here is a plaister surfeit here is a Physitian Upon which ground the most impudent and insolent sinners Drunkards Adulterers Swearers Mammonists c. presume that though they live like Swine all their life long yet a cry for mercy at last gasp shal transform them into Saints as Circe's charmes transformed Men into Swine We are all willing to believe what we wish The Divell makes large promises and perswades his they shall have what they desire but ever disappoinrs them of their hopes as what a liberty what wisdome did hee promise our first Parentsâ— when indeed hee stole from them that liberty and wisdome they had even as Laban promised Iacob beautifull Rachel but in the dark gave him bleare-ey'd Leah or as Hamor promised the Sechamites that by their circumcision all the goods of the house of Israel should be theirs wheras in deed the goods of the Sechamites fell to the house of Israel Diabolus â—entitar â—t fallat vitam pollicetur â—t periâ—at saith S. Cyprian The condition of an inconsiderate worldling is much like as Alchymists who projecting for the Philosophers stone distils away his estate in Limbecks not doubting to find that which shall do all the World good yea hee dares promise his friends before hand Gold in whole Scuttles but at last his glasse breaks and himselfe with it Thus when Agag was sent for before Samuel he went pleasantly saying the bitternesse of death is past but his welcome was immediately to be heâ—en in peeces 1 Sam. 15. 33. The rich man resolves when he hath filled his Barnes then soule rest but God answers no then soule come to judgement to cverlasting unrest Luk. 12. 19. 20. The hope of an hypocrite is easily blown into him and as soone blowne out of him because his hope is not of the right kind yea it is presumption not confidence viz. hope frighted out of it's wits an high house upon weak pillars which upon every little change threatens ruine to the inhabitant for a little winde blowes down the Spiders-web of his hope wherby like the foolish builder he comes short of his reckoning That heart which Wine had even now made as light as a feather dyes ere long as heavie as a stone 1 Sam. 25. 36 37. § 143 IT is Sathans method first to make men so senselesse as not to feele their sins at all and then so desperate that they feele them too much In the first fit men live as if there were no Hell in the last they dye as if there were no Heaven While their consciences are asleepe they never trouble them but being stirred by Sathan who when he sees his time unfolds his Ephemerides and leaves not the least of all theit sinfull actions unanatomized but quoats them like a cunning Register with every particular circumstance both of time and place they are fierce as a mastive Dog and ready to pul out their throats This Serpent may bee benummed for a time through extreamity of cold but when once revived it will sting to death The Divell is like Dalilah who said to Sampson the Philistims be upon thee when it was too late and she had taken away his strength Iudges 16. Wicked men are altogether in extreams at first they make question whether this or that be a sin at last they apprehend it such a sin that they make question whether it can bee forgiven either God is so mercifull that they may live how they list or so just that hee will not pardon them upon their repentance no meane with them betweene the Rocke of presumption and the Gulfe of despaire now presumption encourageth it selfe by one of a thousand and despaire will not take a thousand for one If a thousand men be assured to passe over a Foord safe and but one to miscarry desperation sayes I am that one and if a thousand Vessels must needs miscarry in a Gulfe and but one escapes presumption sayes I shall be that oneâ—as we read of but one sinner that was converted at the last howre of millions that had lesse iniquity yet have found lesse mercy But see further the strength of their argument The Thiefe was saved at the last howre and therefore I shall Thou maist as well conclude the Sunne stood still in the dayes of Ioshua therfore it shall doe so in my dayes for it was a miracle with the glory whereof our Saviour would honour the ignominy of his Crosse and wee may almost as well expect a second crucifying of Christ as such a second Thiefes conversion at the last howre Hee were a wise man that should spurre his Beast till hee speake because Baalams Beast did once speake yet even so wise and no wiser is hee that makes an ordinary rule of an extraordinary example Againe the Thiefe was saved at the very instant of time when our Saviour triumphed on the Crosse tooke his leave of the world and entered into his glory Now it is usuall with Princes to save some heinous malefactors at their Coronation when they enter upon their Kingdomes in triumph which they are never knowne to doe afterwards Besides the Scripture speaks of another even his fellow in that very place and at that very instant which was damned There was one faith S. Augustine that none might despaire there was but one that none should presume That suddaine conversion of one at the last howre was never intended in Gods purpose for a temptation neither will any that have grace make mercy a Cloak or warrant to sinne but rather a spurre to incite them to godlinesse well knowing that to wait for Gods performance in doing nothing is to abuse that Divine providence which will so worke that it will not allow us idle and yet by Sathans policie working upon wicked mens depraved judgements and corrupt hearts in wresting this Scripture it hath proved by accident the losse of many thousand soules The flesh prophesies prosperity to sin yea life and salvation as the Pope promised the Powder traitors but death and damnation which
saith our Saviour thou wouldest have asked of me Iohn 4. 10. ther 's the Spirit of prayer and supplication He that knoweth God loveth God and the children of God I Iohn 4. 7. 8. He that knoweth God keepeth his Commandements I Iohn 2. 3. Now I know thee saith Iob to God I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes Iob. 42. 5. 6. He that knoweth God is borne of God I Iohn 4. 7. there is love obedience hurnility godly sorrow regeneration I might goe on and instance in every other grace For as feeleing is inseparable to all the Organs of sense the eye sees and feeles the care heares and feeles the palat tastes feeles the nosthrills smell and feele so knowledge is involved in every grace faith knowes and beleives charity knowes and loves patience knowes and suffers temperance knowes and abstaines humility knowes and stoopes repentance knowes and mournes obedience knowes and does confidence knowes and rejoyees hope knowes and expects compassion knowes and pities Yea as there is a power of water in every thing that growes it is fatnesse in the Olive sweetnesse in the Figg cheerefulnesse in the Grape strength in the Oake talenesse in the Cedar rednesse in the Rose whitenesse in the Lilly c. so knowledge is in the hand obedience in the mouth benediction in the knee humility in the eye compassion in the heart charity in the whole body and soule piety Alasse if menhad the true knowledge of Iesus Christ it would disperse and dispell all the blacke clouds of their raigning finnes in a moment as the Sunne doth no sooner shew his face but the darknesse vanisheth or as Caesar did no sooner looke upon his enemies but they were gone Egypt swarmed with Locusts till the west winde came that left not one He cannot delight in sinne nor dote upon the world that knowes Christ savingly § 156. OB. But the objection which as they thinke cannot be answered like the invincible Nauy in 88. is this We see by experience that the strictest livers are seldome the wisest men yea who more vicious then many that know most Answ I am not ignorant that some Fooles have made other Fooles beleeve that none trouble themselves about Religion but the simplest yea the most holy and religious in all ages have beene accounted Fooles and mad men El sha was counted no better by that man of the Sword 2 King 9. 11. in Hosea's time the Prophet was esteemed a foole and the spirituall man mad Hosea 9. 7. yea our Saviour Christ with open mouth was proclaimed mad by his carnall hearers Iohn 10. 20. Mar. 3. 21. and Paul the like by Festus Acts 26. 24. yea all the Apostles were reputed Fooles 1 Cor. 4. 10. and this hath beene the worlds vote ever since the sincere Christian was so reputed in Pliny's time and after in St. Austins time yea Iulian the Pelagian could gibe St. Austin that he had none of the wise Sages nor the learned Senate of Philosophers on his side but onely a company of meane trades-men and handycrafts-men of the vulgar sort that toke part with him whose answer was thou reproachest the weake things of the world which God hath chosen to confound the things which are mighty And is it otherwise now Is not the honest devout orthodox Christian the plain dealing and religious man hee that declares his meaning by his words that cannot or will not lye and desemble shift and flatter temporise and accommodate buy promotion supplant growe rich take bribes he that will rather suffer then do evill ordinarily esteemed an idiot or silly asse yes by all that are craftily wicked as you may heare out of their owne mouths Wisd. 5. 3. to 9. To worldly men Christian wisdome seemes folly saith S. Gregory and well it may for even the wisdome of God is foolishnesse with the world 1 Cor. 1. 18. 23. But shall we therfore take it for grant that they are wisest because they suppose and say they are no for first as he must have a sweet breath that can judge who hath a sweet breath so to judge who is a wise man is onely the office of a wise man Secondly the Lawes of our Land wil not admit a delinquent for a witnesse af-after he is found guilty neither will Irand they stand convicted of folly Sections the 34. 38. 39. 40. 51. 91. 157. 184. 190. But if they will put themselves upon a faire tryall they shall have an equall proceeding or if they will heare the case argued if reason give not sentence on the good mans side let mee suffer as a slanâ—erer Indeed wisdome hath alwayes carried that shew of excellency that not only the good have highly affected it as Salomon who prayed for wisdome and Moses who studied for wisdome and the Queene of Sheba who travelled for wisdome but the very wicked have laboured for it who are ashamed of other vertues so that wisdome is not only justified of her children but also of the children of folly Knowledge is so faire a virgiâ—â— that every cleare eye is in love with her it is a pearle despised of none but Swineâ—O the pleasure that rationall men take in it they that care not for one dramme of goodnesse would yet have a full scale of knowledge though they never mind to do good yet there is no good which they would not know among all the trees of the garden none so pleaseth them as the tree of knowledge As wisdome is excellent above all so it is affected of all as oyle was both of the wise and foolish Virgins it hath beene a mark which every man hath shot at ever since Eve sought to be as wise aâ— her Maker But as an hundred shootes for one that hits the marke some short some over and some aside so an hundred ayme at wisdome for one that lights upon it â—cclesiastes 7. 28. Yea as many thinke themselves good fellowes for one that is a good-fellow indeed so many thinke themselves wisemen for one that is wise indeed Of all sorts of men in the world none repute themselves or are reputed by others wiser then the profound humanist and cunning politician and the yet neither of these may compare with the goâ—ly 〈◊〉 for wisdome and knowledge § 157. FIrst not the humanist for they are not alwayes the wisest which know most as I have proved at large â— 50. 51. I will further confirme it There are a generation of men that mightily thirst after wisdome and knowledge and to get it they are no niggards of their labour for they leave nothing unstudied but themselves they know all parts and places of the created world can discourse of every thing visible and invisible divine humane and mundane whether it bee meant of substances or accidents are ignorant of nothing but the way to heaven are acquainted with all Lawes and customes save the Law of God and customes of Christianity they are strangers no where but in the Court
Fooles will beleive this before the feeles it and before it be too late Secondly like David's Foole he saith in his heart there is no God Psal. 14. 1. yea as if he were a brute beast he will beleive nothing but what he is led to by sense For suppose you tell such a covetous Laban or cruell Pharaoh that God seeth him when he is contriving his secretest plots against his people and withall takes notice of his oppression Gen. 31. 12. Exodus 3. 7. he will not regard it for Marius-like he esteemes it a great point of vertue to be skillfull in cosenage and Mammon is all the god he worships yea and herein he applauds his choyce no lesse then that Popish dolt did who having got the picture of St. Franc is curiously painted in his Closset said they talke of the Rhode at Rome and our Lady of Lauretta and Katherine of Sienna and Iames of Compostella but I have a picture at home meaning yellow pictures worth ten of them Thirdly Idiot-like bray him in a Morter as wheate is bray'd with a Pestell yet he will not depart from his foolishnesse Pro. 27. 22. for let God send never so many messengers to him and plagues upon him as he did upon Pharaoh he will not depart from his sinnes he must retaine if not all yet at least this his beloved sinne untill he is overwhelmed in the bottomlesse Ocean of his wrath yea let him heare even our Saviour himselfe say that he shall give an account at the day of judgement for every idle word Matth. 12. 36. yet he will goe on in his helliâ—h plots and perswade himselfe he shall give no account at all or let some Prophet of the Lord tell him what traines are laid to catch his soule and how many Principalities spirituall wickednesses and powers of darknesse lye in ambush against him Ephes. 6. 12. As El sha disclosed the traines and ambushments of the King of Syria against the King of Israel 2 King 6. 9. 10 which was as good a peece of service as could be he makes nothing on 't he shall speede as well as his fellowes and indeede so he shâ—ll even as Laban or Nabol or Dives doe in Hell if in due time he repent not and so restore what he hath wrongfully gotten as the worst of them would doe if they were suffered to returne out of Hell to their former riches Now that thou mayst repent while the day of thy life lasteth take one motive from the damned in Hell who would gladly repent now but cannot St. Augustin asketh this question what we thinke the rich glutton in Hell would doe if he were now in this life againe would he take paines or no quoth he would he not bestir himselfe rather then returne into that place of torment againe yes his teares should even strive with the sand in the hour-glasse he would doe any thing to seeke the Lord while he may be found Wherefore to day if ye will heare his voice harden not your bearts Yea as our Saviour Christ said to forewarne all revolters Remember Lot's wife so say I to forewarne all Arch-politicians and cunning Machevillians of the world remember poore Naboth's Vineyard § 160. FOurthly vertue is in farre lesse esteeme with the cunning Politician then riches As it fares with a naturall foole he is so farre from selling all that he hath to buy the rich Pearle of faith with the wise Merchant Matth. 13. 46. that he will sell this rich Pearle and all other grace to boote to purchase the triviall commodities of white and red earth and good reason as temporising States-men politicke Machevilians and hypocriticall Ambidexters thinke who make a shew of Religion but in their hearts laugh at it he knowes no other coyne he desires no other stampe yea to be rich thinkes this worldling is to be three parts of the way on-ward to perfection Indeed gold is the onely coverlet of imperfections t' is the fooles curtaine that can hide all his defects from the world yea from himselfe for though he have a want of all good and which is worse a sense of want of that want yet he thinkes himselfe in a very good estate and so much neerer to Heaven for having abundance of earth And yet if God did not give to some of them their riches in wrath he would not deny them the use of their owne as how often are men baser by being wealthier like Pierce Gavistone who as the Chronicle reports the more he was enriched the worse was his estate or whether it be that they have not so much wit as to know their money will buy them all necessaries of meate drinke apparell and the like or whether by a just judgment of God the Devill makes them his drudges to get and bring him in gold as the King of Spaine doth the poore Indians that he may keepe it in banke for the next prodigall to spend as ill as the other got it as how oft is that spent upon one Christmas revelling by the Son which was fourty yeares a getting by the Father I know not but sure I am that though with that Priest 2 King 12. 9. they can put a world of gold and silver into their chests yet they cannot take it out againe to doe themselves good for the Devill keepes the key as Iehoash the King of Israel did of that chest vers 10. So that a covetous griper is like Tantalus who standeth up to the chin in water and hath all kinds of fruits hanging over his head but is not suffered to tast them Or like an Asse who is laden with gold but feeds upon thistles Or like the Indians who though they have all the gold amongst them yet are the most beggerly and naked people alive For what is he other then a rich begger or a begger in the midst of his riches when upon all his estate there is set a spell and his wealth sayes to him in effect touch not tast not handle not But O fooles incomparable Aristippus cared onely for the body as if he had had no soule Zeno but for the soule as if he had had no body Achitophel for his family alone as if he had had neither body nor soule of his owne to care for but these care neither for soule nor body nor family for he both tyres and starves them but for a little mucke to leave behind them Fiftly as a foole can finde in his heart to be surety for a stranger yea yeild himselfe to Prison for anothers enlargment Pro. 17. 18. so the politick worldling and cruell oppressor can finde in his heart to goe to Hell for another he will damne his owne soule to leave his Sonne rich yea what a deale of paines and care doth the covetous man take for his owne damnation he scarce weares a good garment or eates a liberall meale or takes a quiet sleepe but torments himselfe to get that for getting whereof he shall
the Sunne of the soule Reason and Faith the two Eyes I am the light of the world saith our Saviour he that followeth me meaning by a lively Faith shall not walke in darknesse but shall have the light of life Iohn 8. 12. and more see two eyes then one Yea the day with one eye doth for more things descry then night can doe with more then Argus eyes Vnregenerate men who want faith are like blind Sampson without his guide So that we must have minds lifted above nature to see and love things above nature heavenly wisdome to see heavenly truth or else that truth which is saving will be to us a mystery yea seeme foolishnesse 1 Cor. 2. 7 8 14. wheras the spirit reveales all things to the beleiver even the deepe things of God 1 Cor. 2. 10 12 15 16. giving him a mouth and wisdome where agâ—inst all his adversaries shall not be able to speake or resist Luke 21. 15. Wherefore get faith and thou hast mounted another step to wisdome entred a third roome of this Palace Fourthly he must be frequent and fervent in prayer to God for the direction of his holy Spirit for First humble and faithfull prayer ushered in by meditation is the cure of all obscurity especially being accompanied with fervor and fervency If any lacke wisdome saith St. Iames let him aske of God which giveth to all men liberally and reproacheth no man and it shall be given him Iam. 1. 5. marke the words it is said if any wherefore let no man deny his soule this comfort againe aske and have it cannot come upon eaâ—ier termes yea God seemes to like this sute so well in Solomon as if he were beholding to his Creature for wishing good to it â—elfe yea more whatsoever we aske in prayer if we beleeve we shall have it Math. 21. 22. And in vaine doe we expect that Almes of Grace for which we doe not so much as beg Secondly as Sampsons companions could never have found out his Riddle if they had not plowed with his heyfer so no man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12. 3. And as none can behold the light of the Sunne but by the benefit of the Sunne so none can know God who is called the Father of lights in the plurall number because of the degrees and diversities of his gifts nor the things of God but by the revelation of God 1 Cor. 12. 8. Math. 16. 17. with the Spirits helpe the meanes can never be too weake without never strong enough One excellent and necessary prerogative of the spirituall man is this he hath God for his teacher he learnes the counsells of God of that spirit which only knoweth God's counsells Luke 21. 15. For though his outward man receives the elements and rudiments of Religion by breeding and education yet his inward man receiveth them by heavenly infpiration For as spirituall wisdome is not the fruite of time and study as the naturall is so it hath a higher fountaine then nature to feede it even the Spirit of God which is no small priviledge for the Scholler learnes quickly when the Holy Ghost is his teacher the eye sees distinctly when the Holy Ghost doth enlighten it When Christ taught in the Temple they askt how knoweth this man the Scriptures seeing he never learned them so it is a wonder what learning some men have that have no learning like Priscilla and Aquila poore Tent-makers which were able to schole Apollos that great Clarke a man renowned for his learning What can we say to it for no other reason can be given for it but as Christ said Father so it pleaseth thee For as Iacob came so soone with his Venison that his father askt him how he came by it so suddenly and Iacob answered because the Lord thy God brought it suddenly to my hands so holy and righteous men can give no other reason why they understand the words of God so easily and the wicked doe conceive them so hardly but that God brings the meaning suddenly to their hearts as we reade Luk. 24. that Christ standing in the midst of his Apostles after he was risen from the dead opened their understandings that they might understand clearely the Scriptures and what vvas vvritten of him in the lavv of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalmes vers 44. 45. Loe hovv suddenly their knovvledge came unto them But see vvhat a generall promise God in the person of vvisdome hath made to all that serve him Pro 1. 23. Wherefore importune God the Father for the dirâ—ction of his holy Spirit and thou shalt at the least have light enough on earth to bring thee to the light of Heaven But in praying for wisdome observe one caution doe not pray for it without putting difference There is a speculative knowledge in the braine common to hypocrites with Gods children Heb. 6. 4. and there is an experimentall and saving knowledge in the heart peculiar to the godly alone Eph. 4. 8. and 5. 8. pray especially for the last of these let thine hearts desire be to know God in Christ Christ in faith faith in good workes to know Gods will that thou mayst doe it and before the knowledge of all other things desire to know thy selfe and in thy selfe not so much thy strength as thy weakenesse pray that thine heart may be insteed of a Commentary to helpe thee understand such points of religion as are most needfull and necessary and that thy life may be an exposition of thy inward man that there may be a sweete harmony betwixt Gods truth thy judgement and whole conversation that what the naturall man knowes by thinking thou mayst double by feeling the same in thine heart and affections as indeed experimentall and saving knowledge is no lesse felt then knowne and I cannot tell how comes rather out of the abundance of the heart then by extreame study or rather is sent by God unto good men like the Ramme that was brought to Abraham when he would have sacrificed his Sonne Isaac But if thou shalt pray unto God for knowledge without making a difference and shalt stand more upon the quantity then the quality so resembling the curre in the fable which preferred the shadow to the meate or those parents among the Heathen which sacrificed to the gods for children but not for good children or Nero's Mother who being told that her Sonne should be Emperour but to her griefe and sorrow answered so my Sonne have the Empire let my sorrow and griefe be what it will or Eudoxus whose wish and prayer to the gods was that hee might once view the Sunne neere at hand to comprehend his forme greatnesse and beauty on condition he were immediately burnt and consumed by it God will either crosse thee in thy desire as he did those anticke builders Gen. 11. 3. to 10. who purposed a Tower the top whereof should reach unto Heaven
for no other cause but to get them a Name And what if the height had answered their desire Or as he doth dayly men and women that had rather be rich or honourable then good or if he doe grant their desires yet he will grant it them in judgement as he did a King to the Israelites and Quailes with which he fed their bodies but withal sending leannesse into their soules or as he granted a Boy to Sr. Thomas Moor's Lady who being sicke of Daughters prayed importunately for a Boy and nothing but a Boy would serve whereupon she had a Boy which as Sr. Thomas wittily and twittingly told her would be a Boy so long as he lived or as Christ committed his purse to Iudas when as he gave his holy Spirit to his faithfull Apostles or as Bacchus is feighned to deale with Midas who desiring of him that whatsoever he touch't might instantly bee converted into gold granted his request but so as it became his bane for his wine became gold his bread gold the feathers of his bed his shirt his garments and every thing else were all turned into that hard mettall whereby he was halfe starved with hunger and halfe with cold as Fulgentius relates he would gladly now have unprayed his prayers Alas even the wicked for the most part have their desire yea more then their hearts can wish as the Psalmist speakes Psal. 73. 7. 9. but what 's the issue they set their mouthes against Heaven like an unruly jade that being full fed kickes at his master yea how often doth wisdome without grace prove like a faire estate in the hands of a foole which not seldome becomes the ovvners ruine or like Absolom's haire which vvas an ornament vvherevvith he hanged himselfe yea vvisdome vvithout grace is nothing else but a cunning way of undoing our selves at the last for is not many mens knowledge to them like the Arke to the Philistâ—nes which did them more hurt then good A wicked mans knowledge may make him prouder not better more rebellious not more serviceable thy wisdome and thy knowledge saith Isay they have caused thee to rebell Isa. 47. 10. O how many doe mischiefe insteed of good with their knowledge like Hâ—rod whom you shall see turning over the Bible searching the Scriptures examining the Prophets but to what end and purpose to know good but to doe evill yea the greatest evill under the Sunne slay Christ in the cradle with many their knowledge and learning is not for God and for Gideon but for Antichrist and for Babylon And so of all other gifts how many are the worâ—e for them As give Saul a Kingdome and he will tyrannize give Nabal plenty and he will be drunke give Iudas an Apostleship and he will sell his Master for money Wherefore in praying for wisdome pray not so much for braine-knowledge as to be soule-wife nor more for wisdome it selfe then for a blessing upon it that God will so sanctifie it unto thee that he may have glory thy selfe and others good by the same for for want of this many are able to speake like Angells in the Church while they live like Devills abroad Ob But I cannot pray or not to purpose Answ As we poure some water into the Pumpe that thereby we may fetch up more so let us pray that we may pray more and better When the Mill is set on going an easie wind keepes it so and a stronger encreaseth the motion Ob But I have often prayed and yet remaine as stupid as a stone Answ Though with Peter thou hast fished all night and caught nothing yet cast out thy net againe pray still and the issue shall more then recompence the delay yea thy perseverance in prayer will prove that thou hast mounted another step to wisdome entred a fourth roome of this Palace § 165 FIftly he must use the meanes as well as pray acquaint himselfe with the Scriptures for they and they alone are able to make a man wise unto salvation as St. Paul tells Timothy 2 Tim. 3. 15. we must not in the search of heavenly matters either follow the blind guide carnall reason or the deceitfull guide our corrupt hearts but the undeceiveable guide of Gods Word which is truth it selfe And great need there is For as we cannot see the foulenesse of our faces unlesse it be told us by some other or wee take a glasse and looke our selves therein so neither can we see the blemishes of our soules which is a notable degree of spirituall vvisdome but either God must make it knovvne unto us by his Spirit or vve must collect the same out of the Scriptures that Coelestiall glasse though this also must be done by the Spirits helpe Now if thou wilt truly profit by reading the Scriptures resolve to make them the rule of thy life What is the reason many are conversant in those divine and heavenly mysteries all the dayes of their life and yet are neither the wiser nor the better resembling Wormes in a booke or fish in the Sea which though they are bred and nourished therein yet the one is never the more learned nor the other one jot the salter or like some Athenian Gentlemen in our City who were wont to spend all their time in measuring of Pauls yet know not the length of it or some Innes of Court Gentlemen that studie the Law but being borne to great meanes never intend to practise it or rather some Physitians who learne the use of Physicke and prescribe it to others finding sweetnesse and profit thereby but will not once tast thereof themselves knowing it unpleasant Yea what is the reason that in studying the Scriptures they resemble the rustick Sayler who sees Gods wonders in the deepe but so as they rather appeare his playfellowes then the stirrers of his zeale yea that the very meanes of their reformation should become the very fuel of their wickednesse whereas the story of God makes others no lesse good then wise who improve their time by it as some do at a game at Chesse who by way of returne learn both Arithmeticke and Geometry The reason is this naturall and ungodly men read and heare the Scriptures and mind not or mind and understand not or understand and remember not or remember and practise not no this they intend not of all the rest and they which are unwilling to obey God thinks unworthy to know When the Serpent taught knowledge hee said if ye eat the forbidden fruit your eyes shall be opened and you shall know good and evill Gen. 3. 5. But God teacheth another lesson and saith if ye will not eat the forbidden fruit your eyes shall be opened and you shall know good and evil Rom. 12. 2. Indeed an holy submission to the word is the A B C the Primmer and Grammar the first lesson and the last lesson of a Christian so to know the good and perfect and acceptable will of God that wee our selves
goodnesse And so doing thou mayst perchance winne thy Brother even as that penitent wanton in St. Ambrosse did his old love who when she courted him according to her accustomed manner and wondred at his overmuch strangnesse saying why doe you not know who I am answered yes I know you are still the same woman but I am become another man I am not I now neither would You be You any longer if yee knew so much as I doe 4 But if yet they persist and seeme incorrigible flye their company for feare of infection least it happen with thee as once it did with a chast person among Penelopes suters who went so often with his friend till in the end he was caught himselfe for if thou keepest them company there is no possibility of thy holding out to the end though thou shouldest for a time as a man may make some progresse in a good way and yet returne before he is halfe at his journeys end as Saul kept himselfe well for two yeares Iudas for three yeares and as it is storied Nero for five yeares yet all fell into damnable wickednesse scarce three worse in the world But of this more in it's proper place Besides how hard a thing is it for thee a coward to shew thy dislike of this sin in some companies where thou shalt be scoff't at thy selfe if thou dislike their drinking and scoffing at others Fiftly another thing which I had need to advise thee of is to take heede of delayes for to leave sinne when sin leaves us will never passe for true repentance besides if the evill spirit can but perswade thee to deferre it untill hereafter he knowes it is all one as if thou hadst never purposed to leave thy sinne at all as you have it largely proved Sections 151. 152. 153. Sixtly omit not to pray for the assistance of God's spirit to strengthen thee in thy resolution of leaving this sinne St. Ambrosse calls prayer the key of Heaven yet prayer without answerable endeavour is but as if a wounded man did desire helpe yet refuseth to have the sword puld out of his wound Seventhly be diligent in hearing God's Word which is the sword of the Spirit that killeth our corruptions and that unresistable cannon-shot which battereth and beateth downe the strong holds of sinne Eighthly be frequent in the use of the Lord's Supper wherein we dayly renew our covenant with God that we will forsake the Devill and all his workes of darkenesse Ninthly ponder and meditate on Gods inestimable love towards us who hath not spared to give his Sonne to death for us and the innumerable benefits which together with him he hath plentifully bestowed upon us both in temporall and spirituall things say unto the Lord what shall I render unto thee for all thy benefits but love my Creator and become a new creature Tenthly meditate on that union which is betweene Christ and us whereby wee become members of his glorious body and so shall we stand upon our spirituall reputation and be ashamed to dishonour our Head by drawing him as much as in us lyeth into the communication of this swinish sinne consider that our bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost the which we shall exceedingly dishonour if by drinking and swilling we make them to become like wine vessells Eleventhly consider that the Lord beholdeth thee in all places and in every thing thou doest as the eyes of a well drawne picture are fastned on thee which way soever thou turnest much more while in a brutish manner thou liest wallowing in this sinne and consider him as a just judge who will not let such grosse vices goe unpunished Twelftly beever or at least often thinking of the last and terrible day of Iudgment when we shall all be called to a reckoning not only for this sinne but for all other our sinnes which this shall occasion to our very words and thoughts And lastly if thou receivest any power against this great evill forget not to be thankfull and when God hath the fruite of his mercies he will not spare to sow much where he reapes much § 176. More especially that thou maist master and subdue this abominabâ—e sin does but set before thee in a generall view the heinousnesse thereof and the manifold evills and mischiefes which doe accompany it of which I have already spoken as that it is a vice condemned by God and men Christians and infidells that thereby we grievously offend God by making our bellies our god by unfiting and disabling our selves for his service by abusing his good creatures which with a pleantifull hand he hath bestowed upon us the necessary use whereof many better then we want that thereby we sinne in a high degree against our neighbours generally and particularly against the whole Church and common wealth strangers and familiar acquaintance and most of all against our owne family that hereby we most grievously sinne against our selves by making us unfit for our calings and for the performance of all good duties by disgracing our profession and bringing our selves into contempt by making our selves the voluntary slaves of this vice by impovershing our estate and bringing upon us want and beggery by infatuating our understandings and corrupting our wills and affections by deforming disabling weakning and destroying our bodies and bringing our selves to untimely death by excluding our selves out of the number of Christs members by quenching the gifts of the Spirit and strengthening the flesh and lusts thereof by causing our soules to be possessed with finall impenitency which is inseparably accompanied with eternall damnation Also remember that as in it selfe it is most sinfull so it is also the cause of almost all other sinnes as of the manifold and horrible abuses of the tongue of many wicked and outragious actions and particularly of those fearefull sinnes of murther and adultery Also call to mind that as it is the cause of sinne so also of many heauy and grievous punishments as making a man lyable to a fearefull woe and Gods heauy curse subjecting his name to infamy his state to beggery his body to diseases infirmities deformities and immature death his soule to senselesse sottishnesse and deprivâ—ng the whole man of the joyes of Heaven entereth him into the possession of eternall hellish torments and this will be a good meanes to make thee moderate thy greedy desires mortifie thy carnall affections and curbe thy unruly appetite by putting a knife to thy throâ—â—e as Salomon adviseth saying I could but I will not take more then is good or fit Yea the consideration of these things and of the wofull condition that drunkards are in will provoke thee to hate their opinions to strive against their practice to pity their misguiding to neglect their censures to labour their recovery and to pray for their salvation For O how ugly doth this monster appeare to the eye of that soule which hath forsaken
themselves more happy in serving the Devill then others in serving God as those apostate Iewes in Egypt did Ier. 44. 16. to 19. Alasse what should they feare they prosper in their wickednesse they doe what they list and the Lord lets them alone therefore they thinke he is pleased with them and with their actions and that which way soever they take the end of their journey must needs be salvation yea this makes them thinke they doe wondrous well as Dionysius when he had dispoyled an Idolls temple of all the gold therein and finding the winds favourable in his Navigation applauds himselfe saying see how the gods approve of Sacriledge according to that in the Psalmes he that maketh gaine blesseth himselfe Psal. 10. 3. Besides they have good hearts and meanings as how common is it with them to talke of good meanings when they are the worst doers in a countrey yea when in their practise they embrace all morall vertues in their contraries yea though they make not such a shew to the world they have as good a heart as the proudest and hope to be saved as well as the best and so let who will say to the contrary they are sure to goe to Heaven as streight as a Sickle and so they shall for they shall goe into Heaven if they amend not their lives when the Sodomites come out of Hell and in the meane time their soules are so much the sicker by how much lesse they are sensible of paine they were wretched if they felt their danger more wretched being they feele it not as once Tully said of Anthony § 184. THirdly as Sathan hath many advantages above Gods servants in getting Disciples and keeping such as he hath gotten so no lesse in making them proficients in evill for it cannot be denied but Sathans servants thrive more under him in sinne then Gods servants can doe in grace the reason is this Sathan who is the god of this World blindeth the minds of all unbeleivers that the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ should not shine unto them 2 Cor. 4. 3. 4. Eph. 2. 2. 2 Thes. 2. 9. 10. for as Sathan is the Prince of darkenesse so he rules in the darknesse of the understanding dealing with wicked men as Faulkeners doe with their Hawkes who that they may carry them quietly and doe what they list unto them first blind their eyes with a hood Hercules when he stole away the golden Aples from the Hesperides who as the Poets feigne had an Orchard of them first slew the Dragon that kept them the keeper and watch of our soules is the understanding now if Sampson's eyes be once puld out the Philistins may bind him with fetters put him in prison make him grind at the mill make him a subject of scorne and what not If the Raven can but first pick out the poore sheepes eyes he may easily prey upon the whole body if the Eagle can but throw dust in the Harts eyes she makes it nothing afterward to kill him if the Dragon have once bereaved the Elephant of sight his whole body easily becomes a prey to his fury all these namely the Philistins the Raven the Eagle and the Dragon are fit emblems of Sathan who first seizeth upon the eye of the understanding and then preyes freely upon the rest of the soule And indeed what may not an enemy doe to him which wants his sight If the Assyrians be once blinded how easily may one leade a thousand of them into the mid'st of any Samaria even to their ruine 2 King 6. 18. 19. Yea how impossible is it for a man not to ruine himselfe when he wants his sight Polyphemus so soone as Vlysses had puld out his eye runs reeling and rushing against every rocke untill he had dasht out his braines So much darknesse as is left in the soule so much roome is there left for Sathan to deceive us While the candle is out it is safe for rogues to play their trickes in the darke Indeed he will afford his servants any degree of knowledge whether it be divine humane or mundane so it be not a practicall experimentall and saving knowledge he will allow them an understanding like that of the Scribes and Pharisees which was enough to condemne them but not to save them yea let the Devill like Nahash onely obtaine our right eyes of faith to be puld out it fufficeth he cares for no more he will then let us enjoy our peace our pleasure and what other priviledges we doe desire It is more true of vertue and God's truth then it was of that Creetish beauty no man loved her that never saw her no man ever saw her but he loved her neither could concupiscence bring forth sinne without the consent of Reason and this would never consent so long as the eyes are open Wherefore the Devill to utter his damned commodities dealeth as some tradsmen about their bad wares puts out the true lights and sets up false lights in their stead If the light of knowledge might freely shine in the soule Sathans suggestions would soone make him ashamed and vanish with all his workes of darkenesse If temptations might be but turned about and shewen on both sides the kingdome of darkenesse would not be so populous But when the Tempter sets upon any poore soule he shewes the baite hides the hooke all sting of conscience wrath judgement torment is concealed as if they were not nothing may appeare to the eye but pleasure profit and seeming happinesse in the enjoying of our desires those other wofull objects are reserved for the farewell of sinne that our misery may be seene and felt at once Thus he delt with David in his adultery and murther he presented to him through the false glasse of the flesh the pleasurable and over amiable delight of his sinne but concealed that shame that griefe those wounds of conscience those broken bones Psal. 51. and sharpe corrections that were to follow that he could not so much as thinke of them and so he dealt with our Saviour he shewed him all the kingdomes of the world and glory thereof but there was also much griefe as well as glory in the world he would shew him none of that so in every sinne there is farre more gall and bitternesse then hony and sweetnesse yet he suffers not our deceitfull hearts to take any notice thereof till it be too late as it fared with our first Parents who could not see what they did until they had eaten the forbidden fruite but then saith the Text were their eyes opened the Divell that shut them before opened them them Gen. 3. Yea for the most part he labours to keepe men blind during the presumption of their lives and only opens their eyes in the desperation that waits on their death or in Hell as it â—ared with the rich man who never lift up his eyes to Heaven untill he felt those flames like the Syrians whose eyes were
lawfull commands but you see the reason they are of a reprobate judgement Esay 5. 20. and so speake thinke and doe altogether by contraries like Heliogabalus who wore shooes of gold and rings of leather or the Blackmores who judging of beauty by contraries paint the Angells blacke and the Devills white or the Iewes who preferred Barrabas a theife a murtherer a seditionary infamous for all odious to all before Christ that came to save them Wherefore if we be wise we will read their words backward understand them by contraries count their scoffes and reproaches our glory which they take to be our shame so imitating the Christians in the primitive Church who seeing the Infidells never met them but they would make the signe of the Crosse in derision of their Christianity for that the God whom they worshipped was hanged on a Crosse to shew that they were so farre from being ashamed thereof that they gloried in nothing more then in that which their enemies cheifly derided would not only make the sign of the Cross upon their childrens foreheads the most open and eminent place at the time when they were baptized but would frequently doe the same in the presence of the said Infidells as occasion was offered However I pray God keepe me from being an honest man according to their description Besides no wise man that observes their life and practise but will thinke their dislike of him an honour and apply to them what once the Orator spake to Sâ—llust it cannot be but he who lives thy life should speake thy language yea a very Heathen would chose his religion by such mens enmity for it is the honour of Religion and goodnesse that it hath drunkards swearers c. for her scoffing adversaries as Tertullian thought much the better of Christianity because Nero persecuted it However the faith of the righteous cannot be so much derided as their successe in the end will be magnified Wisdome 5. 1. to 22. But this is the misery those prove deepe wounds to weake Christians which would be balme and Physicke unto abler judgements and admit some have the wit to discerne their dispraise an honour their praise a dishonour yet wanting courage and being afraid to displease they even suffer themselves to be brutishly driven with the drove and like nailes in a wheele turne as they are turned without either conscience of sinne or guidance of reason But if we live like them that are reserved to judgment how should we not thinke our selves to be reserved with them Indeed if with Demas thou wilt needs forsake Christ to embrace this present world it is well thou givest over so soone leavest off befor thou dost begin never settest thy hand to the plough doest not disgrace religion by professing it for thou wouldest never hold out to the end he would never endure a blow who cannot concoct a word he is not like to overcom astrong potent enemy who cannot vanquish himselfe he that is discouraged and made returne with an Ishmaelitish persecution of the tongue how would he endure a Spanish Inquisition or those Marian times he that is so afrighted with a Squib how would he endure the mouth of a Canon But heare one thing before thou goeâ—â— It is a shrewd signe that the Lord is departed from a man when he is thus basely afraid of those that cannot hurt him for when the Lord was departed from Saul he began to be afraid of David never before 1 Sam. 18. 12. true faith looking upon the Preserver and reward never feares to doe well nor to reprove those that doe ill and such cowardly Souldiers as will turne their backes for a few foule words are not for Christs standart yea wat you what they shall stand in the forefront of them that shall be cast into that lake of fire and brimstone Rev. 21. 8. they have beene most backward to goodnesse therefore shall be formost in vengeance § 193. BUt to beare ill words rather then be drunke is not all which God requires in a Christian he must suffer blowes even to death rather then yeild Some which thinke themselves both sober men and good Christians presume they may be drunke so it be to drive away a disease or to prevent a quarrell but they reckon without their Host for we must not doe evill that good may come of it that which is ill of it selfe is not to be ventured on for the good that commeth by accident Better the body be debilitated or dye by an honest disease then be cured by a dishonest medicine saith St. Austin yea admit thou wert put to this extremity that thou must either drinke excessively against thy stomacke and conscience or else thou must die for it as sometimes it falls out either drinke or I 'le stab thee it is farre better saith the same Augustine that thy sober and temperate flesh should bee slaine by a sword then that thy soule should be overcome by this sinne of drunkennesse And indeed the magnanimous Christian will lose his life rather then the peace of a good conscience like Iohn Baptist he will hold his integrity though he lose his head for it And indeed let a man but keepe a good corespondence with God and his owne conscience and then he may answer all as he did when the Tyrant threatned him I will take away thy house yet thou canst not take away my peace I will breake up thy schoole yet shall I keepe whole my peace I will confiscate all thy goods yet there is no Premunire against my peace I will banish thee thy countrey yet I shall carry my peace with mee so mayst thou say take away my riches yet I have Christ take away friends liberty wife and children life and all yet I have Christ that is to me both in life and death advantage Suppose thou beest kild for obeying God rather then man what greater honor can be done thee Queene Anne Bolane the Mother of blessed Queene Elizabeth when she was to be beheaded in the Tower thus remembred her thankes to the King Of a private Gentlewoman said she he made me a Marquesse of a Marquesse a Queene and now having left no higher degree of earthly honour for mee he hath made me a Martyr And what said Iustine Martyr to his murtherers in behalfe of himselfe and his fellow Martyrs you may kill us but you can never hurt us And Francisco Soyit to his adversaries you deprive me of this life and promote me to a better which is as if you should rob me of counters and furnish me with gold The sooner I die quoth another the sooner I shall be happy and even in the very act of suffering God gives courage with the one hand and holds out a crowne with the other 2 Cor. 1. 5. and 12. 10. When Pyrrhus tempted Fabricius the first day with an Elephant so huge and monstrous a beast as before he had not seene the next day
first the soule that lives among thornes shall hardly thrive they are such Backbyasses to a godly life that they will do what they can to hinder our goodnesse to heaven and the goodnesse of heaven to us they will wither all our good parts and qualities which are in us like an evill North-wind they blow upon the buds of our graces and nip them 2. Secondly It would make a mans heart to bleed to heare and consider how swearing blaspheming cursed speaking railing slandering quarrelling contending jesting mocking scoffing flattering lying dissembling vaine corrupt and filthy scolding scurrilous lose and idle talking doth overflow with them in all places so that such as feare God had better bee any where then in the company of most men Now I were madd if I should so affect company as to live voluntarily where vexations shall daily salute me Indeed a man is not rightly said to live untill he hath abandoned wicked society Similis having lived seven yeares apart from the world after a long time spent in a military life he left this Epitaph behind him Here lies old Similis yet one that lived but seaven yeares This made Frederick the third Elector Palatine when some such friends of his desired his company to answer I have lived enough to you let mâ—e now live to my selfe and with my Lord Christ. Yea Saint Augustine tenne dayes before he dyed desired none might come to him that so in that time hee might the better fit him self for God And indeed that soule can never enjoy God that is not sometimes retired O that wee could in any reasonable time give a stop to our madding and straying fancies that we could after so long time spent in the lusts of the flesh and pride of life bring home our cogitations and intentions unto our selves shake off these violent hold-fasts bid our companions farewel which have too long engaged our soules and estranged us from our selves But when we are so wedded combined and glewed to the world it is no easie matter to make a safe retreat it is a fleaing to some to bee sundred thereby you pull away some peece of themselves In this case what we cannot doe all at once let us gaine upon our selves by degrees go back step by step first block up one passage then another Will you know what course Demosthenes tooke in this case He to the end that his acquaintance and nearest friends might not by carying him abroad according to their custome withdraw him from his study and bookes caused the haire of his head to be shaved off and after took an order that they should not peepe out untill hee had shook off his consorts by continually making them loose their labours It were happy for our young studients if they would a little imitate him if they were not overmuch affected and addicted to company keeping if they would but consider that friends are the thieves of time the most precious jewell they can part withall § 201. BUt here it will bee objected That we are melancholly persons strayers from the drove of mankind and whereas nature hath made us sociable creatures in making us men religion hath alâ—ered to a crazied disposition whereby wee are mispleasing to all as all to us To this is answered Suppose it were true but I shall in place more convenient prove that the religious only enjoy true mirth and that worldly mirth is more talked of then felt spirituâ—ll joy more felt then talk'd of though I may appeale to any mans conscience that hath been softned with the unction of grace and truly tasted the powers of the world to come yet they think it is better being a good Christian then a good fellow and hold it farre better in good sadnesse to bee saved with a few as Noah was in the Arke then in good fellowship with the multitude to bee drowned in sinne and damned for company We are content saith one to passe through somewhat more unsociably into happinesse it sufficeth wee shall meet with good company at our journeys end in the kingdome of heaven even an innumerable company of Saints and Angels The men of the world practise what once a Jester spake who when a great Lord asked him whether he would goe to Heaven or Hell answered to hell for there quoth he I shall bee sure to meet your Lordship and the greatest part of mine acquaintance But it is not so with the true Christian he little loves Christ that will not follow him without company and his zeale is cold to heaven whom the example of numbers can turn another way Wherefore let us say as much as Peter said and do more then Peter did though all men should forsake thee yet will I nt leave thee O Saviour neither magnitude of Princes nor multitude of people shall prevaile with me But the world wrongs religion when they accuse it to bee an enemy to good-fellowship for she hath not a follower which doth not say with David Psa 119. 63. I am a companion to all them that feare thee and keep thy precepts for the godly mans chiefe delight is in the Saints and such as excell in vertue Psalme 16. 3. Yea and their fellowship is so good profitable and delectable that as Synesius was of opinion that King Hieron got more by Simonides acquaintance then Simonides did by his and as we read that Pharaoh Saul and Nebuchadnezzar were more pleasured by Ioseph David and Daniel then Daniel David and Ioseph were by them so I perswade my selfe great persons would finde themselves more then required if they would vouchsafe the company of some poore Saints for a wise and holy Christian like his Lord and Master wheresoever he goes makes better cheare then he findes in an happy exchange of spiritual repast for bodily Yea as Plato accounted it one of the foure great privelidges for which he was especially bound to nature that he lived in the time of Socrates so they should thinke it none of the least favours for which they were bound to blesse God that they enjoyed so religious and holy society It is true indeed there is a supposed good fellowship to which religion is an enemy because it is an enemy to this holy fellowship of the Saints and good reason the one are to the other as Wolves are to the Lambes now is it any marvaile if the Lambes care not greatly for the company of the Wolves the Lambe would not willingly be alone yet it is far better when solitary then in a wolvish society Generous mindes will associate with their matches and equalls or none as David being a King when he was expulsed his owne Country resorts to none but Kings for first he goeth to Achis King of Gath then to the King of Moab 1 Sam. 21. 10. and 1 Sam. 22. 3. Neither are our ding-thirsts who lavish out their estates and throw the house out at windowes as we use to say good fellowes though they call themselves
peace Neither can any wonder that wicked men doe so consâ—ire in evill that there is such unanimity in the broachers abbetters of it if he but take notice of those Devills which being many in substance were yet one in name action habitation even a whole Legion in one man Marke 5. 9. all the praise of concord is in the subject if that be holy the consent is angelicall if sinnefull devilish true peace is to have peace with God warre with our lusts Ro. 5. 1. and 7. 22. 23. peace with vertue warre with vice whereas they have peace and are at league with their sinnes but are at warre with God and good men all at once but a just warre is a thousand times better then such an ill conditioned peace yea it no way deserves the name of peace except we be at enmity with the Serpent at unity within our selves we ought so to be at peace with men as that we doe not warre with God and his graces peace must be followed with holinesse Heb. 12. 14. wherefore Zachary joyneth faith peace and truth together Zach. 8. 16. and St. Paul peace and righteousnesse peace and edification peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. 19. 20. c. Thus the Scripture sets us our bounds for peace which we may not passe and shewes that ungodly men are not guilty of this grace that they doe but talke of peace not practise it But suppose we could enjoy peace in their company yet we can never expect to have their loves for drunkards only love drunkards and one wicked man another but care not a rush for any that are good being like Phalaris the Tyrant who would never grant any request except it were to a dissolute woman but such he never denied Likenesse we know is the cause of love and love the cause of likenesse whereas the beleiver and the unbeleiver are altogether unlike the one being crucifiâ—d and dead to the world Gal. 6. 14. but made alive in Christ 1 Cor. 15. 22. The other being spiritually dead even while they are alive 1 Tim. 5. 6. We seldome see different dispositions entirely loving for hence growes the height of friendship when two similary soules doe blend in their commixions And hence it is that two friends are said to come into Vulcan's shop to beg this boone of him that he would either beaâ—e them on his Anvile or melt them in his Fornace both into one the which he granted I'ts likenesse that makes the true love knot of friendship when we finde another of our owne disposition it appeares the same soule in a divided body Nature that makes us love our selves makes us with the same reason love those that arâ— like us A friend is a more sacred name then a Brother Pro. 18. 24. For what availes it to have the bodies from the same originall when the soules within them differ And yet some Rehoboam like passing over the religious will joyne themselves with ungodly persons like as some put away honest wives and goe to harlots wherein they deale as wisely as if a man should cast away his fleshy leg and set on another of Wood. Causa patrociâ—io non bona pejor erit Or admit thou shouldst enjoy a wicked mans love it is but mercenary base and inconstant and so not worth the having Indeed there was never such abject and servile prostitutions of presentations as life soule devotion adoration servant slave c. as there is now amongst our drunkards and rorers and what love they expresse to one they professe to all every one they know or salute is their friend but friendship so distracted like as the River Ganges was by Cyrus into 365. brookes both looses her name and nature a lover of so many never loves any Or admit a drunkard doe love thee either he loves thee for his owne sake because he hath some pleasure or profit or credit by thee as prosperity procureth friends no lesse then adversity proveth them which is with Craterus to love the King rather then with Ephaestion to love Alexander now I doe not hold him woâ—thy thankes that professeth me kindnesse for his owne ends Or secondly he loves only thy body or naturall parts which is but the worst peece of thee and love to the body is but the body of love the soule of love is the love of the soule Neither doth he truly love that loves the body more then â—he mind and soule or common gifts before saving graces this love as it is never long liv'd so it is ofâ— but feigned as you shall have drunkards and dissembling polititians salute one another with God save you at their meeting and wish one another hanged â—t their parting Italian-like they will be glorious and complementall in their in vitations but if you accept of their offer they will hate you for it ever after A drinking friendship is but a drunken friendship and beleeve it thou wilt find those friends firmest that thy vertueâ— purchase thee these will love thee when thy wealth is gone whereas those that be wonne without desert will also be lost without a cause you need but be an Arbitrator betweene two such friends to make them both your enemies things that differ in their end will surely part in their way now thy end is to gaine him his end to make a gaine of thee for let the passage of profit be stopt his love is likewise at a stand have you deserved never so well from him the deniall of one favour nay an health shall drowne the memory of many fore-performed ones which is all one as if for the abortion of one child a man should kill all the former issue whereas the good mans thankes for old favours lives even in the blowes of injurie or can you not feede these vermine as you have done away they goe like a Sunne Diall you shall be no longer regarded then you are shined on by prosperity yea Rats runne not faster away from an house on fire nor lice from a dead body then they from poverty and if ever it be your misery to stand in need of them looke for no other requitall then Iob had of his carnall friends whom he compares to a deceitful Brooke which in winter is hard frozen with cold in Summer dried up with heate betweene winter and Summer passing away alwayes deceitfull never of use Iob. 6. 14. to 19. Yea a man may say of such friends as a learned Antiquary said of Rumâ—ey Marsh bad in Winter hurtâ—ull in Summer never good nay this comparison falls short for thou hast sped well if such friends prove not dangerously hurtfull as well as helpelesse Have I not knowne some of them resemble the Snake which when a kind Husbandman had taken out of the cold and cherished in his bosome and she had recovered her lively heate and was growne lusty singled out him ungratefully to trie her first sting upon or a Promotour that in Lent
eates flesh at your table and yet is the first that accuseth thee to the Magistrate If Ziba be waxed great under Mephibosheth he will give him a lift for all he hath A promoted Begger hath not seldome renounced his advancer And what else can be looked for from them They cannot make conscience of civill duties who make none of divine If a man have cast off his God he will easily cast off his friend They that have broken their faith with him will keepe no faith with us When Religion is once gone humanity will not stay long after I take leave of this point with a caution Reveale to such men no secrets for he that now loves thee dearely may come to hate thee deadly nor beleeve a word that they say for they are like Antigonus who never denied any sute that was asked but withall never performed any thing that he granted for what they promise when they are drunke they forget when they are sober or like Saul who being perswaded of David's worth and loyalty sweares as the Lord liveth he shall not die 1 Sam. 19. 6. yet within foure verses for all his oath he daâ—ts a Speare at him intending to naile him to the vvall in the next verse he sends messengers to his house to kill him or like the Councell of Constance vvho made promise to Iohn Husse of a conduct and safe returne yet like forsworne persecuters put him to death § 204. OB. But here some of them will reply That we lay the saddle upon the wrong horse when we tax them for want of peace love and friendship in that the religious only shew inconstancy by bidding farewell to their old friends and acquaintance so soone as they embrace religion Answ To this is answered First that constancy except it be in the truth and in a good cause is impudency change in the vicious is as great a vertue as constancy in the vertuous The Almaines were praised for changing their customes which were found to be but bad before as Tacitus affirmeth Constancy in things ill is so farre from being a vertue that it is an absolute vice Of things imperfect change is the way to perfect them The Gentiles became beleevers the Iewes Infidells Zacheus turnes from the world Demas turns to the world Paul turns an Apostle Iudas an Apostate I would faine know whether charge in the Gentiles Zacheus and Paul was not as great a vertue as it was a vice in the Iewes Demas and Iudas Saint Paul was inconstant indeed for to day as it were he breathed out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of Christ and to morrow he preacheth Christ in the Synagogue what then will any not debauched censure him of ficklenesse for it nay will not all wise men thinke it a great honour to him and commend him for shaking hands with the high Priests and his fellow Pursevants when once hee heard that voice from heaven Act. 9. 4. There is not any so neare unto us but if he fall from God wee may fall from him It merits the name of wilfulnesse when we will not admit of a lawful chang to the better As Philocrates sported with Demosthenes you may not marvell Athenians that Demosthenes and I do differ for he drinks water and I drinke wine so some laugh at us for being sober with Rhenish and we as much pity them for being drunk with Canary Againe they censure us of inconstancy we them of impudency Now in this case when that is reputed ridiculous by one which is accounted sage by another as wise what shall we doe but make Gods Word the umpier Wherefore in all changes I will have regard to these three things God's approbation mine owne benefit and the not harming of my neighbour and then where the change is not a fault I will never think it a disgrace though the great exchange the World should judge it so Even modesty in some is a vice when out of a weake flexibility of nature a man hath not courage enough to deny the request of a seeming friend If a man never abandoneth evill untill he abandoneth evill company it is high time to take courage yea the longer wee have beene with them the more need have we to hasten out of them If this satisfie not as the Emperor Frederick said to certaine of his Minions that vvere importunate to get into their hands the ancient demeasne of the Empire that hee would rather be accounted of small lâ—berallity then perjured even so had vve in this case rather be accounted inconstant then be unconscionable To the second part of the objection I ansvver That true love and friendship is only among good men The vvicked may talke of it and one drunkard may professe to another that hee loves him as well as himselfe and therein speake truth for saith Augustine most elegantly to such an one thou lovest thy selfe so as thou wilt destroy thy selfe and thou wilt destroy him whom thou lovest as thy selfe yea better then themselves for you shall have one Ruffian salute another with God save you Sir but after some strange attestations sweare away himselfe with God damn me Sir now how can any wise man thinke him a friend that is his own enemy he that is evill to himselfe to whom will he be good But see the depth of such a mans love and whether it be not to damn thy body and soule everlastingly S. Ambrose tels us of one who solicited a godly woman to incontinency saying he infinitely loved her she answers if you love me so well as you seeme put one of your fingers into the flame till your flesh be burnt off he replys that was no part of love in her to require it yes said she if yours be love to cause both my body and soule to be burnt in hell fire for ever which by consequence will follow if I yeeld to your request and take your counsell Oh that thou hadst the wit to answer the drunkard when he tempts thee thus Indeed there is a kind of agreement which is strengthened by sinne it selfe as if one fee the keeper of a wench his secrecy is bought for ever But all this while if one call another friend it is but to give him a nick-name whereof hee is not guilty for true friendship is so sacred holy and pure that it will not be used in evill which made Pericles when hee was desired by a friend of his to aide him with false witnesse answere that hee would be friend him as farre as the Altar meaning so farre as stood with piety and religion or his duty to God but no further and Phocion refuse to help his son in law Cariles in judgement being accused for bribery saying withall that hee had made him his friend and allie in just and reasonable matters and in them only and this likewise made Papinian a Pagan being commanded by the Emperor Caracalla whose Steward and familiar he was
our case would be far worse if wee had the worlds peace 390. not strange that wicked men should agree so well 414. agreement of wicked men not worthy the name of peace 832. Persecute wicked men persecute not the evil but the good 499. Petitions God may grant them in anger 659. Plague be it never so hot drunkards are the same 137. it hath wrought little or no reformation 245. many the worse for it 247. Taverns fullest when the streets emptiest 248. Pledge the originall of the word 327. Practise how the godly and wicked differ in their practise 249. wee know no more then wee practise 595. Pray Gods people count it a sinne not to pray for their greatest enemies 523. pray not for knowledge without putting difference 658. when we cannot pray what 663. Presumptuously do drunkards sin 471. Prejudice makes many resolve against yeelding 724. Pride and reputation of good-fellowship a cause of drunkennesse 277. pride of wit 280. Promises entailed to believers and limited with the condition of faith and repentance 560. Profession of religion 382. 532. look Scoffs Punishment wicked men complaine of their punishment but of their sin they speake not 539. R REason as it is clouded with the mistes of original corruption a blind guid 202. once debauched is worse then brutishnesse 693. Reckoning worldlings never think of the reckoning they are to give 621. Regeneration what and how we may know our selves to be regenerate 565. Repentance what and how we may know whether we have repented 570. not to deferre it 588. sicknesse no fit time for it 79. God wil not accept our dry bones when Sathan hath suck't out all the marrow 586. the several wayes whereby God cals to repentance 478. in a judgement so many as repent are singled out for mercy 257 if any would repent of and relinquish this sin of drunkennesse let them first lay to heart the things delivered 695. secondly refraine the causes ibid. thirdly believe their state dangerous and that there is no way to helpe but by a chang to the contrary 696. fourthly be peremptory in their resolution ibid. fifthly shame not to confesse their dislike of it in themselves and others 700. sixthly fly evill company 701. seventhly take heed of delayes 702. eightly omit not to pray for divine assistance ibid ninthly be diligent in hearing 703. tenthly frequent in the use of the Lords Supper ibid. eleventhly meditate what God hath done for them ibid. twelfthly think on the union we have with Christ ibid. thirteenthly consider that God ever beholds them 704. 14ly often think of the day of judgement ibid. fifteenthly consider the hainousnesse of this sin and the â—vills which accompany it 705. sixteenthly abstaine from drunken company 709. for all depends upon this seventeenthly abstaine from drinking-places 710. Report of necessity we must be evill spoken of by some 756 the evill report of evill men an honour 763 Reputation hee of most reputation that can drinke most 139. Reward of drunkards 146. and swearers 104. they shall have a double portion of vengeance to other men 464 Righteous the civilly righteous have hell for their portion 465. S SAthan hath all worldlings under his command 21. 402. 432. and they must do what he will have them 379. by degrees he works men to the heighth of impiety 423. Saints falls should make us beware not presume 157. Scoffes beate off many from their profession 532. the scoffer commonly worse then the scoffed 367. none but fooles will be scoffed out of their religion 754. yet few that will not offend God and their conscience rather then be scoft at 749. Scripture he must be studious therein and follow that rule who will know Christ savingly 664. Security the certaine usher of destruction 242. Separate Drunkards and swearers deserve like dirt in the house of God to be throwne out 93. of which five reasons 94. happy if they were kept by themselves 230. Shame Drunkards would mitigate their owne shame by discrediting the good 374. Singularity a vertue when vice is in fashion 225. Sinnes against knowledge and conscience 467. open and scandalous sinnes how evill 472. to multiply the same sinnes often 473 to commit one sin on the neck of another 473. how one mans sin may extend it selfe to millions yea after ages 539. Drunkards not only sin but make others sin too 493. the Divell shewes the sweet of sin but hides the bitter of punishment untill afterward 734. custome of sinne takes away the sense of sinne 427. Slander Drunkards raise slanders of the godly 358. of which seaven reasons 366. how apt men are to believe slanders of the godly and to spread them 360. what delight wicked men take in hearing evill of the good 361. a slander once raised will scarce ever dye 377. how they mitigate their owne shame by slandering others 368. and often prevaile against the good hereby 370. the condition of a slanderer set out 363. his sinne and punishment 378. Smiting God will not leave smiting untill we smite that which smites at his honour 253. Soule Drunkards guilty of Soule murther 443. 530. nothing but our Soules will satisfie the Serpent and his seed 436. covetous man cares more for his outward estate then for body or soule 626. Spirit saving knowledge not attain'd without the Spirits help 655. Straite what a straite the godly are in 383. Striking 392. Subtilty and wisdome two different things 641. Successe custom of it makes men confident 241 Suffer our Saviour suffered two and twenty wayes of hisâ— enemies 397. Suggestion evill moreready at hand then a good 717 Superlative some men strive to bee superlative in sinne 415. severall examples of superlative sinners 416. Suspition ignorance the cause of it 351. Swearing the most in excusable sin 100. of which 2 reasons 101. that of all others the swearer shall bee sure of plagues 104. three wayes to make men leave their swearing 112. T TAle-bearing the receiver as bad as the tale-bearer 380. Tempting Sathan the Tempter wicked men his Apprentises or Factors under him 298. the many wayes that Sathan hath to set upon us 297. aswell reckon up the motes in the Sunne as all sorts of Seducers 304. all wicked men resemble the Divell in Tempting 286. how politick they are in Tempting 288. Drunkards Sathans principle agents in this businesse 306. the Drunkards chiefe delight is to infect others 286. Temptations on the right hand the most dangerous 746. A wise man will suspect the smooth streame for deepnesse 747. they never wound so deadly as when they stroke us with a silken hand 745. to bee a Tempter the â—asest office 330. their seduceing of others will adde to the pile of their torments 450. how greedy most men are of temptation 295. Sathan needs but say the word 295. or suggest the thought 296. the minde of man not capeable of a violation either from man or Sathan 303. it will bee a poore plea an other day to pretend that such and
in sinne Many examples of monsters and superlative sinners Sathan works men by degrees to this height ofimpiety and not all at once Cuâ—tâ—me of sin takes away the â—ense of sin Againe God hath proclaimed an enmity betweene the wicked and the godly for so long as the world endures Sathan is their King and they must seeke his wealth 〈◊〉 honour all they can and strive to enlarge his kingdome by winning all they can from Christ by a continuall wâ—rre and skirmish As they have not bene waiting 〈…〉 in any age They would have our company in torments No thiâ—g hut our 〈…〉 the herpenâ— and is â—eede Good men draw all they can 〈◊〉 heaven wicked all they can to â—ell They shall answer for soule-murther Reve. 2. 14 Other reasons why they would have our company in the burning lake 1 Being out of hope themselves they are loth others should fare better then they 2 They thinke it will be some ease and comfort in misery to have companions But this will ad to the pile of their torments The Devil beholding to whores but farre more to drunkards for none helpe to people hiâ— inferanall kingdome like them VVe should be as zealous and industrious to win soules to God Their punishment A description of the last judgement and of hell The same further amplified Drunkards shal have a double portion of vengeance to other men The drunkards sinns aggravated by the circumstances First the civily righteous have hel for their portion buâ— drunkards are notoriously wicked 2. His sins are against knowledge and conscience 3. He sins not of infirmity but presumâ—â—ously and of set purpose 4. His sins are so open and scandalous that the Gospel is dishonoured and 〈◊〉 God blasphemed 5 He commits many sins one in theâ— eck of another and multiplies the same sins often 6 He sins against mercy the abundance of meanes and the many warnings which others never had The severall wayes whereby God calls to repentance The same further amplified Even this booke will be a witnesse against them when their consciences are awakened And then perhaps the gate of mercy wiâ—â— be shâ—t Want of consideration the cause of all impiety neglect of obedience 7. He not onely commits foule crimes but drawes others into the same sinnes 8. They abuse and persecute not the evill but the good who are to God as the Apple of his eye That the use their tongues only a frivâ—lous excuse Some can better abide ast ake then others ascoffe â—hat is done to the godly Christ takes as done to himselfe And well bâ— may for their hatred is against God and Christ. Though they are so blind that they think they love God â—â—â—hom they wrong aâ—e their best friends to whom they owe their very lives 1 By their iâ—nocency The â—eligious keeps off judgementâ— fâ—om them â— by their prayers In their 〈◊〉 they will sue to the godly and desire them a loâ—e to pray for them Of which many examples â—ho count it a sin to cease praying for their greatest enemies Wicked mens thoughts touching the religious not the same in distresse as â— prosperity Their ingratitude and great â—olly 10 Their siâ— is not against the â—fe of body or estate but agaiâ—st she soules of men Aâ—objection answered None â—ut counterseits wil be beaten from Christs standard by their scoffes and reproacâ—es Their intention of soule murther shall be rewarded as if they â—ed doâ—e the same actually 11. Their sin doth not extend it se fe tâ—â— this or thâ—t person only but to milions yea after ages But the drun kard hath â— shift to evade al this and what else can be spoken 1. He can apply Christs passion and Gods mercy as a war rant for his liâ—â—ntiousâ—â—sse The hope of an bypocrite is easiâ—y blowne into him and as sooneblown out of him VVicked men are altogether in eâ—treames either God is so mercifull that they may live how they list or so just that be will not pardon them upon their repentance Objection of the thief upon the crosse answered Object God in mercyis in finitly transcendent Answ. But this makes nothing for such as love their si is better â—hen their soules His mercy rejorceth against justice but destroyeth not his justice His mercy is a just mercy And therefore hath equally promised all blessiâ—gs to thosewhich keepe his commande ments and threatned all manner of judgements to those that break them VVicked men believe no part of Gods word really and in deed All the promises in tailed to believers and limited with the condition of faith repentance One part of the covenanâ— of grace is that we â— wil forâ—ake the Divell and all his workes constantly believe c. Mark 61. 16. Object What it is to be born againe Answ. What to repeâ— and bel eve how we may know whether we have or not Corruption wilmix with our purest devotion But he can repent when sicknes comes Death may be sudden and give â— maâ— no leaâ—â—e to be sickâ— 2 Or if death be not sudden repentance is no easie worke and late repentance is seldome true 3 Or suppose thou offer thy best devotions to God wil be accept of thy dry bones wheÌ„ Sathan bath suk'd out all the â—arrow Admonition not to deferâ—e repentance Objection that most men are of a contrary judgement and practics VVhere of a double reason First few men beleeve the whole written word 2 Ignorance is thâ—cause of all sinne Râ—ghtly a â—anknows no more then be practiseth He that hath saveing knowledge bath every other grace Ob. That the strictest lovers are â—eldome the â—sest men â—â—swered Worldly men count wisdome felly and folly wisdoâ—e They not alwayes the wiseâ— which know most The religious man wiâ—er than the bâ—maâ—iâ—t Several misprâ—sions of wisdome 2. Wiser then the most cuuning â—oliâ—â—â—â—s The câ—â—ning politician a foole in 6. particulars First be is without foresight and never thinkes of the reckoning he is to give 2 He will not beleeve exceâ—t his senses say ameâ— to it 3 Bray him in a morter he will not depart from his folly viz. his 〈◊〉 4. He cares more for a little muck to leave behind him then for soule or bedy 5. Hee caâ— finde in his heart to goe to Heâ— so his son 〈◊〉 be left rich 6 H◠〈…〉 trifles before things of greatest worth Worldly men are penny wise and pound â—oolish But it is otherwise with the godly Iudeed though the divell makes fooles of them yet he makes them wise enough to make fooles of any that will trust them They are wise men in foolish things and foolish men in wise things They may be called subtile persons but not wise men except we take the greatest â—olly for the greatest wisdome And even such fooles are the voluptioâ—s 6. Helpes to saving knowledge First discâ—rdâ—al fiâ—â—hy lusts and affections 2 Get an humble heart 3 Procure the eye of a lively faith 4 Be conâ—stant in prayer for the spirits helpe But pray not
against them And indeed if thou wert not a foole thou wouldest thinke it better to be in the small number of Christs little flocke which are to be saved then in the numerous heards of those Goates which are destinated to destruction And so your excuses are taken away and all proved vaine coverings even no better then Fig-leaves which though they may seems to cover thy nakednesse from such as thy selfe yet they will stand thee in no steede another day Wherfore drink not without thirst here that you may not thirst without drink herafter Lu. 16. 24. 25. Play not the foole as Lysimachus did who being in battell against the Scythians for the satisfying of his appetite onely and to procure a little drinke to quench his thirst gave himselfe over into his enemies hands and when he had drunke his fill and was haled and leading away captive into perpetuall misery while he saw his countrimen returne home with joy began to acknowledge his folly in these words O said he for how little pleasure what great liberty what sweet felicity have I lost and forgone Yea turne your laughter into sorrow your feasting into fasting be revenged of your selves of your lusts and meete your God and make your peace while now we call and you heare yea the Lord of his mercy awaken men out of the dead sleepe of this sinne that so seeing their danger they may be brought to confesse and forsake it that so they may be saved Pro. 28. 13. § 56. BUt what doe I admonishing or speaking sence to a drunkard this is to make him turne the deafe eare and a stone is as capable of good counsell as hee besides they have no faith in the Scriptures they will not beleeve what is written therefore they shall feele what is written In the meane time it were very fit if it pleased Authority they were debarred both of the blood of the Grape and the spirit of Barley a just punishment for consuming the countries fat for even cleere rocke water were good enough for such Gormundizers except we had the water of Clâ—torius a Well in the midst of Arcadia which causeth the drinker of it to loath wine for ever after I doe not wish them stoned to death as God commanded such ryoters and drunkards to be under the Law Deut. 21. 20. 21. nor banished the land as the Romans did all vicious and voluptuous persons that the rest might not be endangered and Lycurgus all inventers of new fashions least these things should effeminate all their young men for then I thinke the land would be much unpeopled Indeed I could wish there were Pest-houses provided for them in all places as there are for infected persons or that they were put by themselves in some City if any were big enough to receive them all as Philip King of Macedon built a city of purpose and peopled it with the most wicked gracelesse and irregular persons of all his subjects and having so done called it Poneropolis that is the City of wicked persons And certainely if it were considered how many Brokers of villany which live onely upon the spoyles of young hopes every populous place affords whose very acquaintance is destruction the like meanes of prevention would be thought profitable for our times Yea this were marvelously expedient considering the little good they doe being as so many loose teeth in the Mandible of the Common-wealth which were better out then in and the great hurt by their ill examples by devouring the good creatures of God which they never sweat for by disturbing the peace of the Church and Common-wealth by pulling downe heauy judgments upon the land and considering how small hope there is of their amendment if any at all § 57. IT may be you have not noted it but it is a very difficult and hard thing to name one habituated infatuated incorrigible cauterised Drunkard that ever was reclamed with age What said an experienced Gentleman being informed that his Sonne was given to gaming whores prodigality c There is yet hope age experience and want of meanes will cure all these but when in the last place it was added that he was poysoned with drunkennesse then hee absolutely gave him for lost and dead his case for desperately forlorne and so disinherited him because this sinne hee knew increased with age and would not part till death A Gamester will hold out so long as his purse lasts an Adulterer so long as his loynes last but a drunkard so long as his lungs and life lasts What is noted by Philosophers of every motion namely that it is swiftest toward the Center may fitly bee applyed to every drunkard and covetous wretch for as good men grow better and better so these grow worse and worse Ier. 9. 3. 2 Tâ—m 3. 13. they grow in sinne as worldlings grow in riches and honours O that we could grow so fast in grace Yea suppose the drunkard hath every day purposes to forsake his sinne as I have knowne some purpose and strive against this sinne yea so detest and bewaile it in himselfe and whomsoever that it hath been an Hazael in his eyes and thereupon indent with himselfe and his friends for the relinquishing of it and yet if he meete with a companion that holds but up his finger he followes him as a foole to the stockes and as an Oxe to the slaughter-house having no power to withstand the temptation but in hee goes with him to the tipling house and there hee continues as one bewitched or conjured with a spell out of which he returnes not till he hath emptied his purse of money his head of reason and his heart of al his former seeming grace so that in purposing he doth but imitate S. George who is alwayes on horseback but never rides or the Ostrich that hath winges but cannot fly he may make a shew of turning as the doore upon the hinges but never moves a foot from the post of his olds custom and evill society unto which hee is fast revited and so mends as sower Ale doth in Summer or like a dead hedge which the longer it stands is the rottener O this is a difficult divel to be cast out for when a man is once possest with this evill spirit a drunken divell it is a miracle if ever hee become his owne man after This sinne is like a desperate plague that knows no cure it may be called the Kings evill of the soule as Chrysostome calls the envie of wicked men against the godly for it cannot bee cured with the Balme of Gilead nor by any Phisitian there untill God himselfe sayes to the heart awake thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead for by a long and desperate custome they turne delight and infirmity into necessity and bring upon themselves such an insatiable thirst that they will as willingly leave to live as leave their excessive drinking As it fares with some sicke Patients touching their bodies
who think as good be buried as so much debarred of their appetites so fares it with these touching their soules for use what meanes you will to reclame them they will reject it What saith S. Basil shall we speake to drunkards wee had as good round a dead man in the eare yea certainly saith another he is drunk himselfe that prophanes reason so as to urge it to a drunken man in regard whereof S. Augustine compares drunkennesse to the pit of hell into which when a man is once fallen there is no redemption Whoring is a deep ditch yet some few shall a man see returne to lay hold on the wayes of life one of a thousand but scarce one drunkard of ten thousand Indeed S. Ambrose mentions one and another by a moderne Divine of ours is confest and but one a peece of all that ever they knew or heard of I speake of drunkards not of one drunken such who rarely and casually have Noah like beene surprised and overtaken at unawares but if once a custome ever a necessity Drunkennesse beastiates the heart and spoiles the braine overthrowes the faculties and organs of repentance and resolution It is a sinne of that nature that it hardens and makes up the heart against all repentings Yea the Holy Ghost by the Prophet Hosea tells us that it takes away the heart Hosea 4. 11. And we find it too true for commonly it is accompanied wâ—th finall impenitence which is the greatest evill that is incident to man in this life in that it is a certaine forerunner of eternall condemnation yea it is much to bee feared that the Lord hath done by them as by Ieremiah hee threatneth the Babylonians even given them over to a perpetuall drunkennesse Ier. 51. 39. And is it not most just with God that hee who will put out his naturall light should have his spirituall extinguished he that will deprive himselfe of reason should loose also the guide and pylot of reason Gods Spirit and Grace he that will wittingly and willingly make himselfe an habitation of uncleane spirits should not dispossesse them at his owne pleasure that their deaths should bee answerable to their lives as commonly such as a mans delights and cares are in health such are both his thoughts and speeches on his death-bed Some that have beene used to swearing have dyed with oathes and curses in their mouthes Some persecutors have dyed raging blaspheming and despiting the Spirit of grace Some Usurers have died while in their conceit they were telling their money and casting it up after ten in the hundred Yea one being used to play at Tables all his life with great delight cried out upon his death-bed size-ace cater-trey c. I deny not but God may raise a Lazarus of this kind though he bee dead in excesse dead in sense yea though he be buried and stinkes againe thorow long custome in filthines and breath into his nosthrils againe the breath of life whereby he may become a living soule but rarely is it seene that he doth so § 58. NEither speak I of what God can do for with him all things are possible but with men with drunkards it is in a manner impossible for surely if there were the least possibility of their leaving it if they were not altogether hardened past feeling and past grace then would they now abstaine whilst the plague is hot amongst us But alasse even at this present when many lawfull and indifferent actions are unexpedient these warped wicked wretched men neither feare nor cease to roare drinke drab sweare c. so difficult is the work like Iairus Minstrels they cannot forbeare to play and revell even in the time and place of mourning Dives-like they must have exquisite musick merry company dainty fare c. every day so little are they mooved with Gods displeasure and this grievous judgement Yea notwithstanding it is for their sakes that judgements are upon us and that their crying sinnes have pierced the heavens and brought downe the Plague upon thousands as when Achan sinned Israel was beaten neither did the wickednesse of Peor stretch so far as the Plague yea the Adultery of those few Gibeoâ—ites to the Levites wife was the occasion of six and twenty thousand mens deaths besides all their wives and children together with forty thousand and odd of the Israelites Iudg. 20. when the death of those few malefactors would have saved all theirs and put away evill from Israel vers 13. yea if the Campe of Israel suffered so much for one Achan's fault what may wee expect that have such a multitude of Achans amongst us Notwithstanding I say it is for their sakes that judgements are upon us yet they of al men are least sensible of them as it fared with Ionas who for all that grievous tempest was for his sake yet Ionas alone was fast asleep and the Disciples in another case as wherefore was that unspeakable agony of Christ but for the sinnes of his Disciples and chosen and yet even then the Disciples were asleepe But why doe I make the comparison when betweene them there is no comparison for the fire of Gods wrath being kindled amongst us for their sakes they doe but warme themselves at the flame sining so much the more freely and merrily even drinking in iniquity as the fish drinketh in water and living as if they were neither beholding to God nor affraid of him both out of his debt and danger yea as if the Plague were not only welcome unto them but they would fall to courting of their owne destruction as if with Calanus they hated to dye a naturall death The pleasure of the world is like that Colchian hony whereof Zenophon's Souldiers no sooner tasted then they were miserably distempered those that tooke little were drunk those that took more were mad those that tooke most were dead so most men are either intoxicated or infatuated or killed out right with this deceitfull world that they are not sensible of their feares or dangers It is like a kind of melancholy called Chorus Sancti Viti which who so hath it can doe nothing but laugh and dance untill they be dead or cured as it made Argos in the Poet and another mentioned by Aristotle sit all day laughing and clapping their hands as if they had beene upon a stage at a Theater Wickednesse makes guilty men feare where is no cause these have cause enough but no grace to feare they are so besotted with a stupid security that they are not affected with any danger yea they account it the chiefest vertue to be bold fearelesse and carelesse according to that Ier. 5. where the Prophet complaines unto God thou hast smitten them but they have not sorrowed thou hast consumed them but they have refused to receive correction they have made their faces harder then a stone and have refused to returne verse 3. which was Pharaoh's case who though his backe were all blew and sore with stripes