that haue done no euill are secure and feare nothing and they that haue sinned doe alwayes looke for punishment And therefore it standeth vs in hand by all meanes possible to pacifie our conscience that so wee may haue comforr in all estates For as one saith well c Nihil iucundius nihil tutius nihil dulcius bona conscientia premat corpus trahat mundus terreat diabolus illa erit secura Bona conscientia secura erit cum corpus morietur secura cum animae coram Deo praesentabitur secura cum vtrumque in die iudicij ante tribunale terrificum iusti indicis statuetur Cum mundus omnis volubilitate circumrotetur ploret redeat pereat transcat nunquam marcessit bona conscientia Subijciatur corpus in paena in ieiunijs maceâ—ctur verberibus lanietâ—r eculeo distendatur gladio trucidetur crucis supplicio affligatur secura erit conscicatia Bern. de conscien aedifican cap. 22. there is nothing more pleasant nothing more quiet nothing more sweete and comfortable then a good conscience Let the body vexe a man let the world hale him let the Deuill terrifie him and yet it will bee secure A good conscience will be secure when the body dyeth it will bee secure when the soule shall bee presented before God it will bee secure when both body and soule shall stand before the terrible barre of the iust Iudge Though all the world bee turned topsie turuie though it weepe though it laugh though it perish though it vanish yet a good conscience neuer shrincketh Let the body bee brought vnder with punishment let it be macerated with fasting let it bee torne with stripes let it bee stretched vpon the racke let it bee slaine with the sword let it be hanged vpon the gallowes yet the conscience will be secure Secondly it may admonish vs aboue all things to take heed of sinne least it breed a worme in the conscience to gnawe and to wound the same with endlesse woe For as it hath beene said alreadie howsoeuer pleasure may accompanie the committing of sinne yet honour of conscience alwayes followeth after Vse 3 Thirdly it may admonish vs to pittie them that are afflicted in conscience Psal 41.1 Blessed is he saith Dauid that iudgeth wisely of the poore VVee knowe not how soone wee may drinke of the same cup our selues And therefore wee should pray for them in their distresse It was the fault of Iobs friends that seeing him cast downe with the hand of God Iob. 19.2 16.5 they vexed his soule and tormented him with wordes of reproach Where as rather they should haue strengthned him with their mouth and the comfort of their lippes should haue asswaged his sorrow Vse 4 Last of all it may serue to teach vs that if the horrour of conscience be so great in this life how vnspeakeable and vnsupportable it shall bee in the life to come Where that shall bee infinite which here is finite where that shall bee vnmeasurable which here is measurable where there is the Sea of sorrow whereof this is but a drop and where there is the flame of that fire which here is lesse then a sparke For whatsoeuer anguish wicked men indure here it is but the beginning of sorrow as our Sauiour Christ saith Mat. 24.8 And as the children of God haue onely in this life the earnest 1. Cor. 1.22 and the first fruites Rom. 8.23 of that happinesse which they shall fully enioy in the Kingdome of heauen so on the other side the wicked haue here but euen a tast onely of that miserie which shall bee heaped and powred vpon them in hell And therefore Saint Bernard saith well a Quid illic confusionis erit quid miseriae quid doloris quando iam immortalis factus interior ille conscientiae vermis tanta malignitate corrodet sed non consumet animam infelicem Bern. in declamat 1. Cor. 2.9 what confusion what misery what sorrow shall there bee there when that inward woâ—me of conscience shall gnawe the wretched soule with such crueltie and yet shall not consume it As neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard nor heart can conceiue the ioyes that God hath prepared for them that loue him so no tongue can expresse no heart can imagine what horrible torments are prepared for the wicked Happie and thrice happie are they that shall neuer feele them Hanged himselfe This proceeded not from a Aretius in locum repentance but from desperation For though hee confessed his sinne as wee haue heard b Faciliùs desperatione cucurrit ad laqueâ—m quà m humilitate veniam deprecatus est Aret. probl de peccato in spi sanct yet hee was more readie by desperation to runne to the gallowes then by humilitie to craue pardon And therefore c Sceleratior omnibus O Iuda inselicior extitisti quem non paenitentia reuocauit ad Dominum sed desperatio traxit ad laqueum Glos ordin in locum as one saith hee was more wicked and more wretched then all men in that his repentance could not bring him to the Lord but desperation drewe him to the rope he could not for his life giue one rappe at the mercie gate of God for the forgiuenesse of his sinnes but was ouerwhelmed with honour of conscience by the apprehension of Gods wrath And herein Iudas is a patterne of all reprobates whom the Deuill leadeth as it were hoodwinckt a long time into many great and fearefull sinnes and at the last when their eyes are opened that they see the hainousnesse of their sinnes but see not the mercie of God he casteth them headlong into despaire and causeth them to cast off all hope of comfort and saluation d Penitentia humani animi sine gratia Dei quantò maâ—or est tantò est periculosior absorbet enim hominem abundantiori trislitia desperationem inducit talem fuisse iudae paenitentiam hic exitus comprobat Caietan in locii Lira in locum For repentance without the grace of God the greater it is the more dangerous it is for it swalloweth vp a man with more abundant sorrow and bringeth desperation And such was the repentance of Iudas as this end of his proueth And herein hee sinned more then hee did in betraying his Master because Lyra noteth in betraying of Christ hee sinned directly against his humanitie but by his despaire hee sinned directly against his deitie because hee sinned against the infinitenesse of his diuine mercy Now this his desperation proceeded from two causes First from the greatnesse of his sinne in betraying him of whose innocencie and holinesse hee had so good experience Secondly because hee had heard our Sauiour Christ whom hee knewe to bee a true Prophet whose wordes should neuer faile pronounce his damnation against him for so hee threatned Lira in locum when hee discouered his treason VVoe bee to that man Mat. 24.35 26.24 by whom the Sonne of man is
another reason hereof is this because the Deuill is so ready to watch euery occasion and whensoeuer hee seeth vs any whit inclining there he taketh aduantage and bendeth all his force against vs. This Doctrine serueth first for admonition 1. that wee be carefull in performing this dutie As the Marriner is Vse 1 carefull to auoide all the rockes and sandes which might be occasion of shipwracke so should wee with like care and diligence auoide all the occasions of sinne To this end we must examine our selues to what sinnes we are most addicted and what haue beene the occasions whereby we haue beene prouoked to the committing thereof and when we haue found them out wee must shunne them as wee would doe a Serpent To giue instance in some particulars If any man be giuen to whoredome he must follow the practise of Iob Iob. 31.1 VVho made a couenant with his eyes that he would not looke vpon a maide To which purpose the sonne of Sirach giueth good counsell Vse not saith hee the companie of a woman that is a dancer Eccle. 9.4.5 least thou bee taken by her craftinesse Gaze not vpon a maide that thou fall not by that that is precious in her 8. And a little further Turne away thine eyes from a beautifull woman and looke not vpon others beautie 11. for many haue perished by the beautie of women And againe Sit not at all with an other mans wife namely without warrant either from thy generall or particular calling neither banket with her least thine heart encline vnto her and so through thy desire fall into destruction The feare of this danger made Ioseph so carefull as hee was Gene. 39.10 who knowing the lewde minde of his Mistris would not onely not consent to lye with her but not so much as to be in her companie But because many times it is hard to rule the eye but it will be full of adulterie as the Apostle Peter saith and will cause a man to looke vpon a woman to lust afer her therefore 2. Pet 2.14 Matth. 5.28 besides all a mans owne endeauour he must earnestly pray vnto God as Dauid did Turne away mine eyes from beholding vanitie Psal 119.37 If a man bee enclined to drunkennesse hee must follow the aduice of Salomon Looke not vpon the wine when it is red Prou. 23.31 and when it sheweth his colour in the cup hee that knoweth the weaknesse of his braine and how easily he is ouertaken hee should vtterly abstaine from strong drinke Better were it for him to drinke water all his life then to fall into so filthy a sinne The Prophet Isaiah pronounceth a heauie woe vpon all such Isa 5.11 as rise vp early to follow drunkennesse and continue till night that the wine doe inflame them that is such as are not carefull to auoide the occasions of this sinne So likewise if a man bee inclined to swearing or to any other abuse of the tongue because as Salomon saith in many wordes there cannot want iniquitie Prou. 10.19 he must doe as Dauid did in the like case euen take heed to his wayes and keepe his mouth bridled Psal 39.1 that he may not sinne with his tongue But because the tongue Iam. 3.5.8 though it bee but a little member yet it is an vnruly euill and can hardly bee tamed by the industry of man therefore hee must pray with Dauid Set a watch O Lord Psal 141.3 before my mouth and keepe the doore of my lips The like may be said of anger and all other sinnes whatsoeuer 2. That wee watch continually ouer our harts in regard Vse 2 they are so prone and so easily drawne to sinne Keepe thine heart with all diligence saith Salomon Prou. 4.23 wee should watch and ward ouer our heartes more then any treasure in the world And it is the exhortation of the Apostle Take heed brethren Heb. 3.12 least there be at any time in any of you an euill and an vnbeleeuing heart to depart away from the liuing God Wee must at all times haue especiall regard to the heart or els wee cannot stand So also the Apostle Peter Be sober saith he and Watch. 1. Pet. 5.8 4.7 And though a man bee otherwise neuer so sober yet if hee doe not watch against the occasions of sinne hee is easily ouercome And it was the charge which our Sauiour gaue his Disciples Matth. 26.41 Watch and pray that yee enter not into temptation As the Iaylour watcheth ouer the prisoner for whose escape hee is to answere so must wee watch ouer the corruptions of our owne heartes We must take notice of our pronenesse to sinne in euery part of the body and faculty of the soule and giue diligent heed that it breake not out to the dishonour of God and offence of our brethren For want of this care many of Gods children haue beene ouertaken with grieuous sinnes As we haue a fearefull example in Iudah Gene. 38.15.16 who going forth about a lawfull and honest businesse namely to see his sheepshearers and intending no euill yet meeting with an occasion because his heart was not guarded hee defiled himselfe in a very vile and filthy manner Yea manie times euen in those things which wee knowe to bee euill and whereof we are conuicted in our owne consciences wee are so blinded for want of this care that we rush into them As the Marriner knoweth all the dangerous shelues and straites in the Sea yet many times for want of present beed he rusheth vpon them and suffereth shipwracke Vse 3 Secondly this Doctrine serueth for the reproofe of all those that are so farre from auoiding the occasions of sinne as that they rather secke them and follow after them Neuer rauenous beast did more eagerly pursue the pray nor hungry fish more greedily follow the bait 1. Pet. 4.4 Ephes 4.19 then they doe hunt after occasions of sinne running into all excesse of ryot and working all vncleanesse euen with greedinesse as the Apostle saith What madnesse is this for a man thus to expose himselfe vnto danger as if the flesh were not prone enough of it selfe vnto that which is euill There is no man wil bring a great deale of drie straw into an house where fire is and leaue it there vnlesse hee meane to fire the house So no man will wilfully rush vpon the occasions of sinne but hee that is carelesse of his soule Blessed is the man saith Salomon that feareth alway but he that hardneth his heart shall fall into euill And it is a good speech of Ecclesiasticus Ecclesiast 3.27 Hee that loueth danger shall perish in it It is in vaine for men in this case to boast of their owne strength For as wee see by experience that a weake man that is alwayes out of gunshot Pro. 28.14 is likely to liue longer then a strong man that is euer in the middest of the pikes
from me and to serue other Gods And how true this was the euent made it manifest Psal 106.35.36 For they neglecting this strict commandement of God were mingled among the heathen and learned their workes And serued their Idoles which were their ruine as Dauid saith And we haue too much proofe of this euen in our owne experience For as wee see the riuers which otherwise of themselues are sweet fresh yet when they runne into the sea become salt so many young men and women who in their young yeeres whiles they were kept in by good education were of great towardnesse and good hope afterwards falling into ill company haue bin corrupted grown most dissolute And indeed a man though otherwise well affected yet when hee shall liue in such places where hee shall neuer heare good word but swearing and lasciuious speaking neuer see any good example but open contempt of godlinesse and all vile practises that may be by little and little it quelleth his hatred of these things and maketh them seeme lesse offensiue to him For as a burning firebrand if it be cast into the snow wil soone be extinguished so euen a great measure of zeale will soone be quenched among wicked company Yea it will come to passe that when men haue past the day in vanity and foolish delights such as euill companions will continually suggest they shall be altogether vnfitte with any reuerence either to pray or reade or performe any other good duety And therefore Dauid as it were in a holy indignation chideth wicked persons away from him Away from me ye wicked Psal 119.115 for I will keepe the commandements of my God Insinuating that he could not set himselfe to the performance of any holy duty with that feruency he ought as long as such lewd companions were about him And knowing his owne weakenesse in this case he prayeth earnestly Psal 141.4 incline not mine heart to euill that I should commit wicked workes with men that worke iniquity c. So that to conclude this point we may say of frequenting ill company as they were wont to say in a common prouerbe in England of going to Rome Willet synop controuer 4. quaest 10. part 9. he that goeth to Rome once seeth a wicked man he that goeth twice learneth to know him hee that goeth the third time bringeth him home with him Last of all if it doth fall out that we be not infected by conuersing with wicked persons which is almost impossible without a great measure of Gods grace yet if there be any sparke of true goodnesse in vs wee cannot chuse but be grieued aboue measure with their vngodly practises and sinnefull courses As it is said of Lot who though by the grace of God he was preserued from contagion in the middest of Sodome which was as it were a pitch-barrell euen a sincke of sinne yet his righteous soule was vexed as though he had beene vpon the racke for so much the word signifieth with the vncleanely conuersation of the wicked and in seeing and hearing their vnlawfull deedes 2. Pet. 2.7.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza ibid. And this was it that made Dauid bemoane his estate when he was banished from his country and constrained for the safety of his life to abide among vncircumcised people Woe is me that I remaine in Meshech Psa 120.5 and dwell in the tents of Kedar In like manner the Prophet Isaiah cryed out as it were in great passion Woe is me for I am vndone because I dwell in the middest of a people of polluted lips Jsa 6.5 So great a griefe is it to the children of God to be in such places where their eyes shall behold nothing but Gods dishonour and their eares shall be continually beaten with blasphemous speeches against God and all goodnesse Vse 1 And therefore to make vse of this doctrine it serueth first to admonish vs to take heed to our selues in this respect If Phisitians gaue counsell that they that would preserue the health of their bodies Eras de lingua should haue a care to liue amongst sound and healthfull persons and should auoid the societie of them that are subiect to contagious diseases much more should we be carefull to shunne all familiarity with those that are wicked if we would preserue the health of our soules because the diseases of the soule doe spread sooner and infect worse then the diseases of the body And therefore whensoeuer we are in danger this way a Huiusmodi malum quoties vrget nihil est praetiosius quà m pedes In sola enim fuga salutis spes reposita est Erasm ibid. Tam simus ab eis separati quà m sunt illi de Ecclesia profugi Cypri lib. 1. Ep. 3. ad Cornel. fratrem Sen. de tranquil vitae the best remedy is euen to take vs to our heeles and run away as fast as we can when a mans house is on fire euen gouty and lame persons finde their legges If a serpent doe but hisse how fast doth euery man runne away when wee come by a noysome lake that sendeth out venemous exhalations we stoppe our noses and hast away as fast as our feet can carry vs. Much more shold we make haste to escape from lewd company because these things cannot be so dangerous to the body as it is to the soule As in time of the pestilence we would be loath to sit with a man that hath the plague running vpon him for feare of infection So wee should be as loath to conuerse with a wicked man because his company is more contagious The time was when as in the purer ages of the Church such was the zeale of Gods children that they would not so much as in words haue any communion with vngodly persons To this purpose it is recorded of Polycarpus who was St. Iohns Disciple Agnosco agnosc◠primogenitum Satanae Euseb lib. 4. cap. 14. that meeting Marcion a damnable heretike who taking it ill that he did not salute him and asking him if he did not know him yes saith he I know thee well enough to be the first borne of Sathan And Mares the blind Bishop of Calcedon reprouing Iulian the Apostata for his idolatrie Histor. tripart lib. 6. cap. 14. when the Emperour in scorne vpbraided him with his blindnes he made this bold answeare that he gaue God thankes for his blindnesse that he could not see so wicked a man as he was So should it be with vs wee should be so farre from approuing of wicked men by our company and familiarity as that rather both by our words and by our countenance wee should shew our dislike of them The prophet Ieremie professeth what care hee had in this case I sate not saith he Ier. 15.17 in the assemblie of the mockers but sate alone and so must wee rather sit alone then be in such company where wee shall bee in danger to be drawne to sinne
would be vpon all that they goe about As euen Laban confesseth that he perceiued plainely that God had blessed him in his estate for Iacobs sake And when Putiphar had entertained Ioseph to bee his seruant the Lord blessed his house for Iosephs sake and the blessing of the Lord was vpon all that he had in the house and in the field 3. they infect the whole family as we see by too much experience many children otherwise of good disposition haue bene poysoned by conuersing with dissolute seruants There is none of vs that would endure a seald horse in our stables least he should infect the rest Nay wee will not admitte into our houses a seruant that hath the falling sicknesse or any other contagious disease in his body Much lesse should we admitte him that hath his soule loathsomely infected with notorious vices 4. last of all they are a disgrace and a reproach to their maisters Pro 29.15 Gen. 34.30 Salomon saith of dissolute and vnnurtured children that they are a shame to their parents And Iacob said of his sonnes Simeon and Leui after they had committed that bloody outrage vpon the Shechemites that they had made him stinke among the inhabitants of the land The same is as true of lewd seruants that they discredit their maisters and staine their reputation amongst men And therefore in all these respects let maisters be carefull both to chuse and also to order their seruants aright The maister in his family should performe all the offices of Christ in the Church As a King hee should rule and gouerne those that are vnder him in the feare of God As a Priest he shold offer vp the spiritual sacrifices of prayer and thankesgiuing to God in their behalfe And as a Prophet should teach and instruct them in the knowledge of Gods will He should be like the Seraphin Isa 6.6.7 that touched the Prophet Isaiahs mouth with a coale from the Altar So hee should goe from his wife to his children from them to his seruants and labour to kindle in them a zeale for Gods glory This care was in all the Patriarches Aug. de ciui Dei lib. 19. c. 16. Qui veri Patres famil sunt omnibus in familiae sua tanq am filijs ad câ—lendum Deum consulunt ibid. as St. Augustine saith who though in the dispensation of their temporall goods they put a difference betweene their sonnes and their seruants yet in the thing that concerned their soules with equall loue and care they prouided for both alike And they are not worthy the name of houshould gouernours that in this respect haue not as great care of all in their family as of their children But because instruction will doe little good if their practise be not answerable therefore the person of a maister should shine in his family as a lampe by the light of a good example and he should represent such vertues in his owne conuersation as may stirre vp his seruants to imitate the same Vse 3 Secondly this Doctrine admonisheth seruants not to frame themselues to the wicked humours of their Masters nor to bee instrumentes of euill for their pleasure Rather let them remember that speech of the Apostles Wee ought rather to obey God then man Act. 5.29 As wee haue a commendable example in the seruants of Saul who vtterly refused to execute his cruell commandement vpon Abimelech and his fellowes They would not mooue their handes to fall vpon the Priests of the Lord. 1. Sam. 22.17 Onely Doeg that dogged and cursed Edomite was a fit instrument for such a wicked purpose And indeed 18. though God commaund obedience to superiours yet it must bee in the Lord. And howsoeuer seruants are willingly without grudging to performe whatsoeuer dutie belongeth to their Masters Ephes 6.7 Collos 3.23 yet it must be with this limitation that they must reserue for God that that appertaineth to him Otherwise if to please their Masters they will worke wickednesse in despite of God they are sure to be damned with their Masters And howsoeuer their Masters shall haue the greater damnation because they were principall in the trespasse Mat. 22.21 yet they are like to perish also in their sinne It will little auaile a seruant when hee shal be in Hell to accuse his Master for it It will boote him little to say I may thanke my Master for this Woe worth the time that euer I knew him Hee made no conscience of swearing nor of prophaning the Sabbath and his example made me thinke it was nothing It was no dispensation before God for Absoloms seruants that they had their Masters peremptorie commaundement for murdering of Ammon 2. Sam. 13.28 Kill him and feare not for haue not I commaunded you No more will it bee any dispensation for others to pleade that either their Masters commaundement or his example hath made them sinne against God A maide came to him We see in Peter the imbecilitie and frailtie of mans strength if hee bee left to himselfe For that same Peter who before thought himselfe so strong as that he seemed not to take it well at Christs hand as that hee put him in minde of his weakenesse for hee made his boast that Though they should all bee offended by him Mat. 26.33 yet would hee neuer bee offended And when Christ tolde him in plaine termes that he should denie him thrice 35. hee answered very resolutely Though I should dye with thee Luke 22.23 yet will I not denie thee Yea he was ready to goe with him into prison and to death And if need stood Joh. 13.37 hee would lay downe his life for his sake Yea he that alreadie though in a preposterous boldnesse Mat. 26.51 had giuen good proofe of his manhood and courage when as he stoutly drew his sword and rushed into the middest of the armed souldiers euen hee I say being left to his owne strength is so weake and feeble that hee cannot stand before a sillie gyrle If hee had beene conuented before the high Priest and threatned with death as his Master was then it had beene something for him to shrinke but he neuer tarrieth for that but is so terrified at the voice of a weake maide Ioh. 1.42 that hee denieth his Master He was called Cephas euen by our Sauiour himselfe which signifieth a stone or a rocke as also his name Peter doth But how vnworthilie doth hee behaue himselfe of this so honourable a Surname that dare not confesse Christ Iesus before this damzell but denieth him in this shamefull maner Yea which doth more aggrauate his sinne the Euangelist S. Iohn saith that he denied before he were well in the house For the maide that kept the dore asked him the question as she let him in Joh. 18.17 Doct. Gods children are weake and feeble if they be left to themselues and euen then he tolde her hee was none of Christs Disciples
Doct. He that falleth into a small sinne is easily brought to a greater With an oath See heere the progresse of sinne First the Apostle maketh a lye secondly hee binds it and confirmeth it with an oath and last of all hee addeth cursing Whence we may obserue that he that falleth into one sinne though neuer so small is easily carried into a greater and he that beginneth but with a trifle as he accounts it many times rusheth headlong into foule and haynous wickednesses euen such as before he loathed and abhorred If the Deuill had at the first dash bidden Peter forsweare and curse himselfe in this manner no doubt hee would haue detested it extreamely And therefore he is more subtile then so he beginneth with him in a smaller offence and so at the last bringeth him to that without any stay which at the first he would neuer haue yeelded to It is true that a Nemo repente fuit turpissimus Iuuenal â—at 2. Non ad suminuÌ„ peccati gradam simul ab exordio prosiliunt homines Aug. de trin lib. 12. cap. 10. no man commeth to the height of sinne at the first b Sicut nemo repente sit sum mus sed gradatim quisque ascendit sic nemorepente fit pessimus sed paulatim descendit Bern. de gradib humilitatis As no man on the sodaine becommeth most excellent in Vertue but euery man ascendeth by degrees so no man on the sodaine is made desperate in euill but descendeth by little and little Sinne is like a fretting canker that ouerspreadeth the whole body secretly before it be discerned It is like a serpent if it get in but the head onely it will winde in the whole body There is such a combination of sinne that as in the linkes of a chaine if a man draw one all the rest follow so if a man grant a little sinne a greater will come after And in this respect the diseases of the soule are farre worse then those of the body For they that are troubled with the stone Eras de lingua are commonly free from other maladies But there is no disease of the soule but it bringeth with it a troope of vices If a man cast a stone into the water there ariseth presently a circle in the place and presently after that another and so another till at last all the water be full of circles from bank to banke In like manner if a man commit one sinne another will follow vpon it and after that another vnlesse the grace of God preuent him till he bee out of measure sinfull Sinne cannot indure to be alone but it must haue company c PeccatuÌ„ quod per paenitentiam non diluitur mox suo poÌ„dere aliud trahit Bern. yea the least sinne if it bee not done away by repentance will with the weight of it draw on another Wheresoeuer it findeth entertainment it enlargeth and spreadeth it selfe If wee giue it an inch it will take an ell d Quo magis homines peccat eò maior crescit peccandi voluptas yea the longer we continue in it the more it waxeth sweeter and sweeter to our corrupt nature e Quo plus isunt potae plus fituntur aquae Ouid. so that the more we tast it the more we desire it As in the matter of theft men begin first with a pin as we say and then with a point till at last they make no bones of any thing So in all other sinnes a man first beginneth with a little one after that hee commeth to a greater till at last nothing be too hot or too heauy for him The scriptures are plentifull in examples for the proofe of this point both in the wicked and in the Godly Cain was first an hypocrite offering sacrifice indeed to God but onely for fashion sake after that Gen. 4.3.4 5.8 when hee perceiued that God respected his brother better then he did him hee began to be angry and wroth and hee suffered that anger to boyle within him till it became a deadly hatred though most vnnaturall against his brother and in the end he murthered him Absalom was first a wanton 2. Chron cap. 13.15.16 c. after that most cruelly he butchered his owne brother and at the last rebelled against his owne Father and droue him out of his kingdome Mat. 14.3.4.7.9.10 Herod first liued in incest with his brothers wife to the breach of the seuenth commandement after that hee made a prophane and rash oath against the third commandement and in the ende caused innocent Iohn Baptist to be beheaded Iohn 12.6 Mat. 26.15.16 contrary to the sixt commandement Iudas was first a damnable hypocrite after that he was extreamely couetous in such sort as carrying the bagge of prouision for Christ and his disciples hee many times played the theefe and peruerted it to his owne priuate vse and last of all hee was a traytor and betraied his maister And as this is true in the wicked so likewise euen the children of God when they giue way to one sinne vnlesse the Lord in mercy by his grace restraine them they fall further to the wounding of their consciences and the endangering of their soules as appeareth in the examples of Noah Lot Dauid and diuers others whereof we haue spoken before And this is a very fearefull thing when God so forsaketh a man as that he letteth him fall without restraint from one degree of sin to another Psal 69.27 So the Lord alwaies dealeth with the reprobate as Dauid saith Lay iniquity vpon their iniquity or as it is in our vulgar translation Let them fall from one wickednes to another And howsoeuer the Lord suffereth not his children to continue in this estate but mercifully reduceth them by his grace and spirit yet as I said it is fearefull to enter into it Vse And therefore this doctrine serueth to admonish vs of two necessary duties First that we be carefull to take heed euen of the least sinne that can be For as S. Augustine saith a Peccatii nullii adeo paruum est quod non crescat neglectum Aug. de vert sals pâ—eâ—it cap. 8. there is no sinne so little but if it bee neglected it will increase b Et qâ—i minima asperâ—â—t caâ—itan maâ—ora Glâ—ssa ordâ—â— And he that despiseth small sinnes doth easily fall into greater We may not then contemne any sinne because it is little but rather feare least it increase to be many It may be the sinne we are addicted to is not like a Lion to deuoure our soules at one morsell yet we see that c Parua nâ—cat morsu spaâ—iosum vipera tâ—â—rum Ouid de remâ—d many times little beasts if they bee many may kill a man d Aug de decem chordis The graines of sand are very small yet too much waight of it will sinke the shippe e Flumina magna vides paruis de fontibus orta Ouid
ibid. The droppes of raine are but little in quantity and yet they make great shoures and cause mighty floods which beare down all before them f Parna saepe scintilla conteÌ„pta magnum excitauit incendiuÌ„ Qu. Curt. lib. 6. Wee see that many times a little sparke of fire neglected causeth a great burning and a little fire as S. Iames saith kindleth a great matter Iam. 3.5 And therefore if wee desire to preserue our selues from comming to the height of sinne to commit all vncleannesse with greedinesse as the Apostle saith Ephes 4.19 g Mens christo dicata sic caueat minora vt matora quia a minimis incipiut qui in maxima proruunt Bera de ordine vitae Non solum grauia sed leuia peccata cauenda sunt Multa enim leuia vnum grande efficiunt Bern. de conscâ—aedâ—s cap. 46. Wee must not onely take heede of grosse and hainous sinnes but euen of small sinnes Yea wee must as well beware of the least as of the greatest for according to the prouerb Many littles make a great and they that begin with little sinnes we see by experience do often rush into greater Secondly wee must be carefull to preuent the first beginning of sinne and labour to kill it in the first sprouting h Principijs obsta sero medicina paratur Dum mala per longas invaluere moras Ouid. de remed c. Opprime dum noua sâ—nt subita mala semina morbi Nam mora dat vires Ibid. Phisitions giue vs counsell in the diseases of the body to stop the beginnings least by continuance of time they grow inueterate as wee see by experience Many a disease that might easily haue been cured at the first and many a wound that might soone haue beene healed if it had beene looked to in time afterward beeing suffered to continue ouerlong Vse 2 doe prooue incureable So should we doe in the diseases of the soule euen labour by all good meanes to preuent them when we perceiue them growing vpon vs at the first Men are carefull to kill serpents in the shell and rauens in the neast and cubbes in the earth before they begin to run and all to preuent the danger which otherwise might grow by them if they were let alone g So must wee doe with our sinnes labour to strangle them euen in the birth that they may be like an abortiue fruit and neuer come to perfection The fire when it is newly begun to burne is easily quenched with a little water i Cura in ipso vtero pâ—ssimae matris praefocari germen Bern. de consider lib. 3. Gual in Hos Homil. 21. but if by negligence and delay it gather strength it rageth exceedingly and can hardly be extinguished In like manner sinne at the first beginning might easily be ouercome but if it be suffered to grow to any height it will be a most hard matter to suppresse it As the Crowe being about to breed first gathereth little sticks and other matter to make a neast and then layeth egges which by her heat she cherisheth til her yong ones be hatched brought forth So the Deuill being about to produce sinne first hee gathereth a great many vaine and idle thoughts whereof he maketh his neast in the heart of man and there layes delights as it were his egges which hee so long nourisheth fostereth till his young brood of sinne bee hatched by consent and after brought foorth by operation as S. Iames liuely describeth the beginning and birth of sinne Euery man saith hee is tempted when he is drawne away by his owne concupiscence and is entised Then when lust hath conceiued it bringeth forth sin and sinne when it is perfitted bringeth forth death Iam. 1.14.15 Now as hee that would hinder the breeding of the Crowe doth either pull downe the neast as soone as it is made or breake the egges or at least killeth the birds before they can flie so if we desire to stay the birth of sinne we must resist it in the very first thought of it not giuing entertainment thereunto and if the Diuell doe buzze ill thoughts into our harts against our wills we must take heede wee yeeld not consent vnto them at the least if we haue consented let vs vse all good meanes to preuent it before it come to action And the rather because the longer we giue entertainement to any sinne the harder it will be to ouercome it The spreading of sinne is like the spreading of the pestilence which first infecteth the aire the aire beeing infected corrupteth our breath and that conuaieth the infection into the vital spirits and the bloud and so it ouer-spreadeth the whole body and is past recouery so sinne by little and little and by degrees getting hold in the heart disperseth it selfe into all the parts both of body and soule so as without the grace of God there is no meanes to bee freed from it The longer that the Diuell or any sinne hath had possession in the heart the harder will it bee to dispossesse them Wood that hath long laine soaking in the wette will bee long before it receiue fire so the longer that any mans heart hath beene soaked or steeped in sinne the longer will it be before it receiue any impression of grace a Quae praebet latas arbor spatiantibus vmbras Quo posita est primum tempore virga fuit Tunc poterat manibus summa tellure reuelli Nunc stat in immensum viribus aucta suis Ouid. de remed Nil assuetudine maius Oâ—id de arte amandi A young plant may easily be pluckt vp by the roots but if it grow till it be a great tree it can hardly be remoued So long as there is nothing but dust in our floores a light broome will serue to sweepe it away but if it be stiffe clay a broome will doe no good there must bee a spade to spittle it out In like manner so long as our sinnes are young they may with little labour be rooted out but if once they be confirmed in our hearts wee shall finde it a very hard matter to displace them Hence it is that the prophet Ieremy saith Can the blacke Moore change his skinne or the Leopard his spottes then may you also doe good that are accustomed to doe euill Ierem. 13.23 Giuing vs thereby to vnderstand that it is the most difficult thing in the world for a man to leaue a custome or an habite of sinning euen as for a blacke Moore to be made white who is naturally so blacke as there is no meanes to alter his hewe Though a man should wash him with nitire and much sope yet it would not preuaile And therfore it is grown to a prouerb that when a man vndertaketh any impossible thing which cannot bee effected bee is said to wash a blacke Moore b Ars sit vbi a teneris crimen condiscitur annis Ouid. Epist Difficulter reciduntur vitia quae
men by continuance and long custome make their sinnes of a double dye euen crimson sinnes as the Prophet saith Isa 1.18 Yea they are like a disease in the bones whereof if one recouer many doe rot away And partly because as sinne gathereth strength so we in our old age become weaker in all the faculties and powers of body and soule and therefore farre vnfit for the great worke of repentance in mortifying and subduing our sinnes It is reported of Alexander that great Conquerour that when his Master Aristotle perswaded him to forbeare the warres till hee were growne to a full and perfect age he answered in this manner I feare least if I tarry till I come to that age I shall loose the heat and vigour of my youth So may we answere al tentations whatsoeuer whereby wee shall bee perswaded to deferre our repentance till wee bee olde And indeede olde age is a burden and a sicknesse it selfe c Senectus ipsa est morbus Terrent Phor. Diog. Laert. in vita Dionis and therefore altogether vnable to vndergoe so great a taske as this is Yea the Philosopher called it the Hauen of all euill because innumerable maladies and cramps and aches and sicknesses doe flocke thither as into a common receptacle And this doth Barzillai confesse to Dauid I am this day saith hee fourescore yeere old and can I discerne betweene good or euill Hath thy seruant any tast in that I eate or drinke 2. Sam. 19.35 Can I heare any more the voice of singing men and women Wherefore then should thy seruant be any more a burden vnto my Lord the King Hee confesseth that his age had so decayed all the powers of body and soule as that he was vtterly disabled from attending on the King Much more shall a man bee disabled from attending the worke of grace And hence it is that Salomon calleth the daies of old age Eccles 12.1 euill daies Remember now saith he tby creator in the daies of thy youth before the euill daies come Not because they are euill in themselues but because of the manifold miseries that doe accompany them So that if a man shall be carelesse in his youth and thinke when hee is old to doe great matters to frequent the Church heare the word c. He may peraduenture be deceiued For many times we see the strong men Verse 3. that is the legges that should carry the body doe bow themselues and waxe faint and feeble or if their strength continue yet the hearing decaieth the dores are shut without 4. If he say yet he will read the word priuately though hee be not able to goe abroad alas how can hee doe that when his sight shall faile him when they waxe darke that looke out by the windowes 3. If hee shall yet thinke to meditate of the word for the comfort of his soule alas hee shall feele so many aches in his bones so many cramps in his ioints and so many paines in all parts of his body as hee shall haue little leasure to thinke of any thing that is good And therefore as all men would condemne him for a foole that hauing a great burden to bee carried would lay it on the backe of a poore weake beast that hath enough to do to beare vp it selfe and let a stronger go empty So likewise is it great folly in any man to exempt his youth which is strong and lusty from the task of repentance and to impose the same vpon his decrepit old age which is ready to sinke vnder the owne burden a Esto multa tibi annorum curricular estāt adolescens es vtique ad senectutem victurus senium quid necesse habes amittere tanta tempora perdore tanta lucra Nihil praetiofius tempore sed heu nihil bodie vilius aestimatur Transeunt dies salutis nemo recogitat nemo sibi non reditura momenta perijsse causatur Bern. declamat Yea if a man were neuer so certaine that he should both come to old age and that it should be no hindrance to him in the worke of repentance why should hee loose such a time and depriue himselfe of such aduantage which his youth offereth him It is lamentable to consider that though nothing bee more pretious then time yet nothing is more basely acounted of The daies of saluation passe away and no man regardeth it no man considereth that his time which will neuer returne againe doth perish from him Againe it is the greatest iniury vnto the Lord that can be for a man to consecrate the prime daies of his youth to the seruice of the Deuill in the pursuit of sinfull pleasures and the dogge daies of his olde age to the Lord. Heerein men deale with God as the people of Israell did Who if they had euer a lame or a scabbed Mal. 1.8 or a sick beast they would bring that to the Altar as though any thing had beene good enough for the Lord but all the fatte and well liking they kept to themseues So these men reserue the flourishing daies and strength of their youth deuote them to their owne purposes and serue God with the rotten bones of their old age Others there are that because they are yet in health thinke that they neede not repent but may still take their pleasure in sinne and so put off the worke of repentance till they bee sicke and lye a dying an houre before the last gasp is soone enough to beginne this businesse a Non dico saluabitur non dico damnabitur T is verò age paenitentiam dum sanus es Si vis agere penitentiam quando iam peccare non potes peccata te dimiserunt non tu illa Mag. sentent lib. 4. Distinct 20. A. Qui prius a peccatis relinquitur quam ipsa relinquat ea non liberé sed quasi ex necessitate condemnat Aug de vera falsa paenitentia cap. 17. Iob. 21.13 24.24 Saint Augustine being asked what hee thought of such a man made this answere I do not say he is saued nor I do not say hee is damned But I would aduise thee to repent while thou art in health The reason is first because if a man doe not repent till hee be weakned and disabled with sicknesse his sinnes forsake him he forsaketh not them What thanks is it for a drunkard to giue ouer drunkennes when he is not able to go any longer to the Alehouse or for the whoremaster to leaue his whoredome when he hath no strength for the performance and execution of his filthy desires A man should willingly of himselfe part with his sinnes euen while he is able to commit them not by constraint when there is no remedy Secondly there is great danger that death should preuent him before this time For doe we not see many taken away on the sodaine before euer they look or prepare for it They spend their daies in wealth and
wickednes out of his remēbrance Yea there are many that haue neuer a word of Scripture besides which yet haue this sentence at their fingers ends for they make it the very Necke-verse of their soules It cannot be denied but the saying is true for it is the holy word of God c Omni homini in hac vita potest vtilis esse paenitentia quam quocunque tempore homo egerit quam libet ini quus quam libet annosus si toto corde renunciauerit peccatis praeteritis pro ijs in conspectu Dei non solum corporis sed etiam cordis lachrymas fuderit malorum operum maculas bonis operibus diluere curauerit omnium peccatorum indulgentiam mox habebit Nunquam peccanti indicta esset pro peccatis deprecatio si deprecanti non esset remissio concedenda Aug. de fide ad P. Deacon And without all doubt repentance may bee very profitable for euery man in this life which at what time soeuer a man shall performe though he bee neuer so wicked and haue neuer so long continued in his sinne if with his whole heart he renounce his sinnes past and in the sight of God shed for them the teares not of body only but of his soule and shall endeauour to wash away the staines of his ill deedes by good works he shall straightway obtain the pardon of all his sinnes For God would neuer haue enioyned a man to craue the remission of his sins if he had no purpose to grant it c But as God is true in his promises to such as doe repent so is he also true in his threatnings to impenitent sinners And d Qui verus est in promittendo verus est etiam in minando Aug. de vera faals paenit cap 7 though he haue promised pardon to him that repenteth f Firmissimè tene nullatenus dubites neminem hic posse hominem paenitentiam agere nisi quem Deus illuminauerit gratuita sua miseratione conuerterit Aug de fide ad Pet. Diaconum cap. 28. 2. Tim. 2.24.25 Jere. 31.18 Lament 5.21 Psal 80.3.7.19 Rom. 9.18 yet he neuer promised repentance to him that continueth in his sinnes Neither is it in any mans power to repent when hee will No as all other good gifts came downe from aboue from the Father of lights so repentance also is his gift e Qui promisit paenitenti veniam non promisit peccauti penitentiam And we are to beleeue it as an article of our faith that no man can heere repent vnlesse God enlighten him and conuert him by his free mercy And therefore the Apostle exhorteth Timothy to suffer euill men patiently prouing if God at any time will giue them repentance c. And for this cause the Church of God doth so often vse this prayer Conuert thou me and I shall be conuerted Turn us againe vnto thee O Lord and we shall be turned Turne vs againe O Lord God of hosts c. And as repentance is Gods gift so is he a most free giuer he is not tyed to any man But hee giueth it as it pleaseth him selfe For he hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardneth And as Esau could not obtaine the blessing which once hee contemned though hee sought it with teares Heb. 12.17 So if a man contemne the meanes of repentance in his helth it may bee hee shall not obtaine it when he lieth a dying But there is say they one example in the Scripture of the theefe on the crosse who had spent all the course of his life in sinne Luke 22.43 and yet repented at the last gaspe and was receiued to mercy But alasse one swallow maketh not summer And of one example without a precept nothing is to be concluded The Lord in greate wisedome that men at the last gaspe might not altogether despaire hath left one example of extraordinary mercy in this case and he hath left but one that no man should take occasion to presume And yet such is the peruersenesse of our nature that this one though but one in all the Bible and that an extraordinary one and that for this one many a thousand haue perished serueth to encourage vs to loosenesse of life What folly is this against all sense and reason to set our selues in a way wherein so many haue miscarried Would not all men condemne him of madnesse that should go about to spurre his Asse till he speake because Balaams Asse did once speake Num. 22.28 Iosh 10.13 2. King 20.11 or him that should thinke to haue the Sunne in the firmament either to stand still or to go backe againe because it did so to Ioshuah and Hezekiah So it is as great madnesse in any man to harten himselfe in his sinne by this one example And if we mark it well we shall find in this one for that little time that hee liued more excellent good works then many of vs performe in all our liues For he confesseth his sinnes and earnestly prayeth for pardon of them Hee sheweth a meruailous strength of faith in Christ that he did acknowledge him to be his Sauiour and a King when hee was in the lowest degree of his humiliation euen when hee hanged vpon the Crosse He reprooueth his fellow-theefe for blaspheming of Christ and patiently submitteth himselfe to his deserued punishment These and many other notable fruits of faith appeared in this Conuert euen in this short time wherby it is likely that if he had liued he would not haue beene inferior to any of the Saints But because God hath neuer made any such promise that a man may repent at his owne pleasure a Multos solet serotina paenitentia decipere Aug. de vera falsa paenitentia cap. 17. Vit vt fiat fructuosa non sit sera Aug. in Psal 52. Psal 32.6 2. Cor. 6.2 and because late repentance is seldome true repentance therefore it is good for euery man to lay holde of repentance whensoeuer God offereth any meanes thereof The scripture giueth vs no day at all in this case but alwaies vrgeth the present time There is indeed an acceptable time as Dauid saith and a day of grace But the Apostle telleth vs it is presently to be imbraced Now saith he is the accepted time now is the day of saluation and it may bee either now or neuer And therefore the Prophet exhorteth saying Seeke the Lord while he may be found and call vpon him while he is neer Isa 55.6 Is there a time then when the Lord will not be found and is there a time when he will be far off from men yes doubtlesse there is a time when God will absent himselfe as the Prophet Hosea saith Hos 5.6 c. Prou. 1.28 They shall goe with their sheepe and with their bullocks to seeke the Lord but they shall not find him for he hath withdrawne himselfe from them And therefore to conclude this point
committed openly and with violence God commended his poore people to the mighty men of this world not that they should spoile them but that they should defend and releiue them And if he shall be cast into hell that hath not giuen of his owne whether shall he be sent Mat 25 41. Luke 16.19 that hath inuaded and seazed vpon that which was another mans If he shall burne with the Deuill that hath not cloathed the naked where shall hee burne that hath spoiled him of his cloathes If Christ say Depart yee cursed c. Mat. 25.41 for I was hungrie and ye gaue me no meate he may say to these oppressours I was hungry and ye tooke from me that which I should eate that which you gaue to to your hawkes and hounds ye tooke our of my mouth c. Wee doe not reade that the rich glutton tooke any thing from Lazarus onely hee gaue him nothing Neither doth Abraham say vnto him Sonne remember that the poore man had meate to eate thou tookest it from him c. and yet we see hee is in hell in torments What therefore shall become of such as make hauock of the poore And therfore as one saith a Multum metuenda est nobis illa sententia comminantis omnem arhorem non serentem c. Quod si sterilitas mittetur in ignem rapacitas quid meretur Et si iudicium sine misericordia crit illi qui non facit misericordiam quale iudicium crit illi qui fecerit rapinam Fulg. de dispensat Domi. wee haue great cause to feare that sentence of Christ that threatneth that euery tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shal be hewen downe and cast into the fire For if barrennesse must be cast into the fire what doth rauening crueltie deserue And if he shall haue iudgement without mercy that sheweth no mercy what iudgement shall hee haue that exerciseth oppression Neither will it auaile them to say they giue almes and relieue the poore for God abhorreth that almes that is giuen of the teares of other men b Illam Deus cleemosynum abhominatur reprobat quae de lachrymis praestatur alienis Quid enim prodest si tibi benedicat vnus vnde plures maledicunt Aug. de vita Christiana Prou. 14.28 And what good will it doe thee saith one to haue one or two to blesse the for that for which a great many curse thee As indeede the whole common-wealth hath cause to crie out of these men for their courses are iniurious and hurtfull vniuersally Salomon saith In the multitude of the people is the honour of the King and for want of people commeth the destruction of the Prince So that in the iudgement of the holy Ghost these depopulators that lay all wast before them are the greatest enemies to the state that can be Well in a word let them bee afraid of the voice of the oppressed The Lord charged the Isralites that they should not trouble any widow nor fatherlesse child For saith hee If thou vexe or trouble such Exod. 22.22.23.24 and so hee call and crie vnto mee I will surely heare his crie Then shall my wrath bee kindled and I will kill you with the sword and your wiues shal bee widdowes Iob. 34.28 and your children fatherlesse And Iob saith of oppressours that they haue caused the voice of the poore to come before the Lord and hee hath heard the cry of the afflicted So that we see the wrongs and iniuries that are done to the poore doe ring a loud peale for vengeance in the eares of God And surely the Lord will not bee slacke to execute it vnlesse they doe preuent it by repentance There is a fearefull threatning in the prophecy of Habakkuk Hab. 2.9.10.11.12 against the crueltie of the Babylonians and in them against all oppressours Woe be to him saith hee that coueteth an euill couetousnesse to his house that hee may set his neast on high to escape from the power of euill Thou hast consulted shame to thine owne house by destroying many people and hast sinned against thine owne soule For the stone shall crie out of the wall and the beame out of the timber shall answere it Woe vnto him that buildeth an house with bloud and erecteth a Citie by iniquitie Where the Prophet giueth vs to vnderstand that howsoeuer wicked men by all their hard and vnmercifull dealing doe labour to aduance their houses and their posteritie and to make them great when they are gone yet they shall faile of their purpose for God will heape shame and contempt vpon them causing all the world to ring of their crueltie so that as Salomon saith their name shall rot and stincke Prou. 10.7 that they shall neuer bee mentioned but with disgrace And though by their vnconscionable courses they haue done much euill to others yet they haue hurt themselues most of all For by raking and scraping in this manner they haue brought vpon themselues a most irrecouerable losse euen the losse of their soules And though peraduenture their power and tyrany be such as no man dare once mute against them yet they shall not escape for that for their owne houses which they haue built with bloud and cruelty shall witnesse against them Yea euery stone in the wall and euery beame in the roofe shall with loud out-cries accuse their vnrighteousnesse Where by the way it is worth the obseruing that hee saith the stones and the timber shall as it were sing of these things by course As if hee should say These mightie men take great delight in Musicke and they haue their consorts in their houses But the Lord will raise vp other Song-men who by course as they doe in Quires shall chaunt out their grieuous oppressions with a lowde and shrill voyce and shall answere one another in this maner The one side shall sing Woe bee to him that buildeth a Towne with bloud and the other shall answere And to him that erecteth a Citie by iniquitie And haue wee not experience of this euen in our owne dayes Doe we not see a Nemo habet iniustum lucrum sin iusto damno August de connen 10. praecept Pauca malè parta malta benè comparata perdunt that goods heaped together in this maner doe seldome prosper But either the curse of God is vpon them while the owner is aliue or else if hee rest with them and leaue them to his children yet the third heire seldome enioyeth them Oh that all oppressours would seriously consider these things that seeing the examples of Gods iudgements in this case dayly before their eyes they might learne by other mens harmes to take heede to themselues Vse 2 Secondly this serueth to admonish all men Si Iudas resignat pecuniam malè acquisitam qua fronte retinet vsurarius vsuram c. Hugo in locum that possesse any thing vnlawfully to restore it otherwise this example of Iudas shal be
by this that hath beene spoken that they expose themselues to a thousand dangers Yea they tempt God and not knowing their owne strength or weakenesse rather do as it were dare and prouoke the Deuill to the combate But they say they are strong and feare no danger I answere with our Sauiour Christ in another case He that is able to receiue it Mat. 19.12 let him receiue it If they haue attained to such a measure of strength it is well But in the meane while they sinne against the Church Heb. 10.25 in breaking off the communion of Saints and in forsaking the fellowship of their brethren as the Apostle saith Secondly it serueth to admonish all men to auoide solitarinesse Vse 2 as much as may be But if a mans calling be such as he must of necessity be alone as a student in his studie or a workeman in his shop or a traueller by the high way then hee must carefully take heede of wandring thoughts and labour to keepe his minde occupied either about somthing belonging to godlinesse or else at least about the workes oâ— his lawfull calling c Cedet amor rebus res age tutus eris Ouid. de remed amoris and so hee shall preuent many occasions of sinne We that professe our selues to be Christians should be ashamed not to spend our solitarie houres at least as well as the Heathen man did who d Nunquam se minus otiosum quam cum otiosus nec minus solum quam cum solus Et in otio de negotijs cogitabat in solitudine secum loqui solebat vt neq cessaret vnquam interdum colloquio alterius non egeret Cic. offic l. 3. professed of himselfe that hee was neuer lesse idle then when he was idle and neuer lesse alone then when he was alone For when he was at leisure he thought of his businesse and when he was alone he vsed to talke with himselfe so that he was neuer idle at any time and yet stood inno neede of the conference of others Much more should we be occupied in good Meditations and haue our hearts continually stand bent therein least the Deuill returning as our Sauiour saith Mat. 12.44 and finding our soules emptie and swept c. he fill vs full of all vngodlinesse But of all other Melancholi ke persons are in greatest danger this way And therefore one calleth Melancholie the Deuils forge wherein vnlesse Gods grace do preuent him he frameth and worketh much mischiefe As we see by wofull experience that many times he preuaileth so farre with such persons as he causeth them to lay violent hands vpon themselues And therefore they are most carefully to performe this dutie And if when they haue done all they can they cannot preserue themselues from the Deuils tentations they must as speedily as may be runne into companie Eccles 4 9.10 for as Salomon saith Two are better then one for if one fall his fellow will lift him vp Qualis vita finis ita Went and hanged himselfe This is the end of Iudas A wofull end but yet agreable to his former life according to the common saying As the life is so is the death A wicked life a wretched death c Post redditum pretium laquca se suspendit vt qui se mulctauerat pecunia mulctaret vita Intelligens enim quantum scelus admiserit non sufficit ei sacrilegij carere mercede nisi careret salute Dâ—gnum enim se morte iudiâ—â—uit quod Christum vitam omnium tradidâ—sset Ambr. seem 51. de Iuda Iscar whereupon one saith That after he had restored the money he hanged himselfe that as hee had depriued himselfe of the money so hee might also depriue himselfe of his life For vnderstanding what an horrible sinne he had committed he thought it not enough to want the wages of his sacriledge vnlesse hee were without his life also For hee iudged himselfe worthy of death in that he had betraied Christ who was the life of all Now as I said his end was very horrible and very fearfull For besides that he made away himself the Lord shewed a strange token vpon him in his death For when he was hanged he brast asunder in the midst and all his bowels gushed out Act. 1.18 There is an old Tradition whereof Beza and Aretius doe both make mention that when Iudas hanged himselfe he leaped downe so desperately that he brake the rope and so liued still But not contented therewith in a most furious moode he cast himselfe headlong from the top of a steepe hill where he lay swelling after a wonderfull manner till a Cart went ouer him and crushed out his guts whereupon hee stuncke so filthily as no man could endure to come neare him Whether this bee true or no wee haue no certaine knowledge and therefore wee neede not beleeue it vnlesse we will But be it true or false that which the holie Scripture hath recorded of him is fearefull enough And yet this was not all his miserie For as the end of his body was very wretched so no doubt in his soule he went directly from the Gallowes to hell For so saith the Euangelist that when Iudas had hanged himselfe hee went to his owne place Act. 1.25 that is to Hell To which purpose Saint Bernard hath a good saying a Pulchre omnino Petrus Apostolus filium perditionis in locum suum abijsse testatus est quod in nere crepuit medius aerearum collega potestatum vtpote eâ—e veri Dei veri pariter hominis qui de coela venisset operaturus salutem in medio huius terrae proditorem nec coelum reciperet nec terra sustineret Bern. in Ps 91. serm 7 Suspendit se laqueo vt se ostenderet coelo torraeque perosum Aqum in locum Very well did the Apostle Peter testifie that the sonne of perdition went vnto his owne place in that he brast asunder in the middest in the aire being made a companion of the powers that rule in the aire that is of the Deuils For when he had betrayed the true God and true Man that came downe from heauen to worke our saluation in the middest of the earth neither the heauen would receiue him nor the earth sustaine him * Doct. Wicked hypocrites come to a fearfull end From this example wee may learne this lesson that howsoeuer hypocrites and wicked men may flourish for a time yet at last for the most part they perish and come to a fearefull end Iudas was in great account before so long as hee continued with the Disciples but now his hypocrisie being discouered hee dyeth a dogges death and becommeth his owne Hang-man Neither was this the case of Iudas alone but diuers others liuing wretchedly haue dyed miserably and haue beene so forsaken of God as that they haue beene their owne executioners 2. Sam. 17.25 Achitophel that was a type of Iudas reuolting from Dauid and