Commentary on 2 Peter, Commentary on 2 Peter volume 2 · Chapter 2 · Verse 20

Commentary on 2 Peter · Commentary on 2 Peter volume 2 · Chapter 2 · Verse 20

p. 10302 PET. 2.20.

For if after they have eſcaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, they are againe intangled therein, and overcome, the later end is worſe with them than the beginning.

IT is not the leaſt happines in this world, not to be taken with the happineſſe of this world. Plinie the younger could ſay, Capio hinc aliquam voluptatem, quod voluptate hac non capior. To walke daily through this garden of temptations, and plucke none of the forbidden fruits or flowers, is a temperance ſo farre above nature, that no man, but He that was more than man, ever attained it. If a meere ſtranger paſſeth alone through the ſtreets of a populous City, and follows his affaires cloſe; he may returne uninfected, becauſe unſaluted. But for a known Citizen to doe ſo, to blanch all his acquaintance with prejudice, to deny all thoſe friends that offer their cruell courteſies at the next Taverne, to refuſe all the invitations of profit or pleaſure, requires a well reſolved abſtinence. Chriſt was a ſtranger upon earth, ſo ſhould every Chriſtian be: but this is the country wherin we are borne, (though it benot the country wherto we are borne) and it is hard for a man to denie his country. Mundus allicit, afficit, inficit: and though wee pretend for heaven, yet ſtill we beare about us a tang of our native countrey. Even they that would faine get out of the world, yet cannot get the world quite out of them. They purpoſe well; and if thoſe thoughts (not theirs) begin to lift them up from their earth; preſently he that rules in the aire, ſtoopes upon them with his powerfull temptations, or the world puls them downe againe with a ſweet violence: ſo as they know not whether they be compelled or perſwaded to yeeld. There is in the beſt ſuch a deale of infirmitie, but a great deale more of treacherie. How willing are we to be deceived, how loth to be altered? Si t… tum valet mundus in extraneos, quale imperium exercet in ſuos? But now when a man is pull'd out of theſe bryars and thornes with a bleeding skinne, and made ſenſible of thoſe wounds which he hath received in this forreſt, and is in time healed of thoſe hurts; if he ruſh againe into that dangerous wilderneſſe, and hazard new miſchiefes; he falls (almoſt unpitied) into the hands of robbers and murderers, deſtitute of both reſcue and reſiſtance. To be recovered from the waies of death, to walke awhile in the waies of life; and after all this, to turne from the land of the living to the Golgotha of the dead, from the forſaking of ſinne, to the ſinne of forſaking religion and goodneſſe; this is the fearefull condition of the Apoſtates in my Text, whoſe latter end is worſe than their beginning.

p. 1031We have three generall parts: A

Propoſition, They have eſcaped, &c.

Suppoſition, If againe they be intangled.

Concluſion, Their latter end is worſe.

In the propoſition are three particulars; Firſt, Quid, they have eſcaped. Secondly, Vnde, or a quo, from the pollutions of the world. Thirdly, Quomodo, by the knowledge of Chriſt In the Suppoſition obſerve two particulars; Firſt, Facilitatem intricandi, the eaſineſſe of falling backe; If againe; it may bee ſo, it is no waies impoſſible. Secondly, Difficultatem extricandi, the hardneſſe of recovering them, which appeares by the two phraſes: Intangled; it will coſt labour to unſnare them: overcome; it will coſt a price to redeeme them; neither of both which is afforded them. But laſtly, the Concluſion followes, The latter end with them is worſe than the beginning. The Text begins with hope; They have eſcaped: goes on with feare They are againe intangled: and concludes in deſpaire, Their latter end is worſe than their beginning.

They have eſcaped.] Next to the finding an unexpected benefit, it is a great happineſſe to ſcape an unſuſpected danger: yea the ſcaping of a great danger, is more joy, than the receiving of an ordinary benefit. David did not ſo much bleſſe Abigail for relieving the hunger of his body, as for preventing the ſinne of his ſoule. She ſaved him from ſpilling the blood of another,ff1 Sam. 25.33.1 Sam 25:33 he thankes her as much as if ſhee had hindred another from ſpilling his blood. Nabal did not more rejoyce in eſcaping death, than David in that hee was kept from being the author of it. Never was good man delivered from a knowne perill, but hee bleſſed his deliverer.ggPſal. 124.7.Ps 124:7 Our ſoule is eſcaped as a bird out of the ſnare; the ſnare is broken, and we are eſcaped: the Church doubles the memory of that merciemercy:Pſal. 118.10, 11, 12.Ps 118:10Ps 118:11Ps 118:12 there it was but twice. Pſal. 118. He ſpeakes thrice of compaſsing, of dangers, of enemies, of multitudes, like ſwarmes of Bees: ſtill he bleſſed God for eſcaping, even with the deſtruction of his foes: there it is thrice. How worthy is he to periſh in the next danger, that is not thankefull for eſcaping the former?hhIudg. 5.11.Judg 5:11 They that are delivered from the noiſe of the Archers in the places of drawing water, there ſhall they rehearſe the the righteous acts of the Lord. They had ſet a ſong of thankſgiving for that deliverance. My ſoule is eſcaped from the Lyons, ſaith David, therefore will I praiſe thee. In that bloudy peragration of Egypt, when every houſe had a carcaſe in it, and that of the firſt borne, Iſrael eſcaped: and ſhall the remembrance of this merciemercy vaniſh? No, every yeere they ſhall keepe that day holy to the Lord, with the great feaſt of their Paſſeover. That treaſon which ſhould have beene done with a match: that matchleſſe conſpiracie; whereof the ſcene was laid at Weſtminſter, the ſtage was the Parliament houſe, the plot contrived at Rome, the intention was the confuſion of a whole State; Aras & focos, regalia, ſacra, veiuſta: yet betwixt the fire and the powder, that ſhort intervallum, we eſcaped. Shall that deliverance eſcape without our thankes? No, unbleſt ſhall be that yeare, where the fift of November is not rubrick'd in the Kalendar, where our eſcaping is not acknowledged with thankefull hearts. Our late King of happy memory, eſcaping the danger of a conſpiracy in Scotland, contented not himſelfe with a commemoration of it once a yeare: his ſubjects had the fift of Auguſt; himſelfe kep… one day every weeke. He that eſcapeth a perill, without thankefull acknowledgment, is indebted for his deliverance. Now there is no danger like ſinne; for there could have been no danger but for ſinne: and the greater the danger the greater praiſe belongs to the deliverance. Daniel was among the Lyons; they could but have torne his fleſh, and ſent his ſoule to heaven through thoſe painefull breaches. But to eſcape from that roaring Lion, whoſe teeth water at mens ſoules, as being too dainty to feed on fleſh; how great is this happineſſe! Three ſervants of God were caſt into that ſeven times heated fornace: all thoſe flames could not ſcorch their ſoules, whatſoever they had done to their bodies. But the p. 1032fire of hell hath a ſecret and ſupernaturall property to torment the ſoule:llLuk. 16.24.Luke 16:24 I am tormented in this flame, ſaith the rich Churle; that [I] muſt be his ſoule, his body was in the grave: and that with a fervour not leſſe violent than everlaſting. To eſcape that, may well chalenge thankes from either men or Angels.

If we eſcape a dangerous ſickeneſſe, and doe not bleſſe God with heart, voice, and life for our recovery; we riſe from our beds, and owe for our phyſicke. Hath Gods Angell forbore to ſheath his ſword in our bowels, when thouſands have fallen under his impartiall hand? Let us be humbly thankfull; otherwiſe there is a worſe plague left behind for us, yea in us. Argue with all the world, they will conclude; there is no vice like to ingratitude.mmIoh 5.14.John 5:14 Thou art made whole, ſinne no more, lest a worſe thing happen unto thee. We commit new ſinnes, while we are thankleſſe for eſcaping the puniſhment of our old ones. God juſtly for the firſt ſinne, had concluded all the world under ſinne: ſome through his grace in Chriſt are eſcaped from this condemnation: ſhall they teare the inſtrument of their pardon? No, wee ſee it done, let us kiſſe the ſeale, and confeſſe his mercy. Wee were overwhelmed with ſinne and ignorance: God hath called us out of darkneſſe into his marvelous light: ſhall wee put out the lampe whereby wee are eſcaped? No, we muſt be thankfull.

Wee make vowes to God in our dangers; ſhall wee not pay them after our dangers? Our obedience is a debt, though we had never revowed it: ſhall we forfeit all theſe bonds? Thou oweſt thy ſervice to God for eſcaping ſinne and hell; pay, pay.nnProv. 22.7.Prov 22:7 Thou haſt received all, thou oweſt all; thinke of payment. They are infamous that get the goods of others into their hands, and then breake. The ſubject that is intruſted by his Prince with keeping of a fort, and ſhall give it up to the enemy, is a deſperate traitor. Our tongues, eyes, hands, bodies and ſoules, are delivered from the Prince of darkneſſe, by the Sonne of righteouſneſſe, and depoſited to our keeping: if wee yeeld them backe to their old uſurper, by blaſphemy, pride, uncleaneneſſe, wee ſhall die the death of traitors. Thou ſlighteſt an offended neighbour; I care not for him, I owe him nothing: ſure wee owe the devill nothing, but our deteſtation; why then ſhould wee doe him any ſervice? Wee owe all to God, both for eſcaping hell, and for our hope of heaven:ooPſal. 116.14.Ps 116:14 What ſhall we render to him for all? Thankfulneſſe and obedience are our vowes, and we will pay our vowes unto him.

But wee ſay, alas, non habemus undè; wee have notppMatth. 18.25.Matt 18:25 wherewithall. Men that are runne farre in debt, and pay, and pay, yet ſee ſmall hope of comming out, often grow deſperate. Not ſo: we owe an infinite ſumme; and wee have an infinite ſumme to pay it withall; the infinite obedience and merit of Ieſus Chriſt: this is able to diſcharge all, were the debt greater. For our owne actuall obedience, let us pay ſo farre as wee can. This is the difference betweene debts owing to God, and to men. The more of our debts wee pay unto men, the leſſe wee have remaining of our owne: but the more wee pay to God, the more wee have, and are the better able to pay. God hath delivered us from the bondage of Satan, to whom (by reaſon of ſinne) wee ow'd our ſoules: Chriſt hath diſcharged that debt, and wee are eſcaped: yet ſtill we are qqRom. 8.12.Rom 8:12debtours: this debt is not cancelled, but tranſlated: every benefit is a new obligation. OnelyOnly wee are delivered from thoſe ſcattering debts to that mercileſſe creditor, Satan: and God hath taken it into his owne hand: now all that we owe, is to him. The principall we pay him in his owne coine, the blood of his Sonne: the intereſt is our thankfull ſervice and obedience. Wee are eſcaped from the captivity of that Tyrant; Chriſt hath paid our ranſome: onelyonly we will pay him our praiſes, our ſervice, our ſelves.

2The pollutions of the world.] Delivered from the world? Perhaps this was none of their hearts deſire. They found no danger in it: and hee that ſhould promiſe them eternall riches,Matth 19.21.Matt 19:21 taking away the preſent poſſeſſion of theſe temporals, p. 1033they would thinke did them to loſſe. They are ſo farre from contending to ſcape the world, that the world ſhall not ſcape them. They court it as their chiefe Paragon, the miſtreſſe of their affections. Tell them of any blemiſhes or defects in it; as the cares, thornes, ſtings, trechery, and a thouſand ſuch inconveniences, which are nouriſhed in the heart of this ſtrumpet; no matter, they will take her with all faults. Sampſon will have his Philiſtian cockatrice, though he loſe both his eyes.

It is true indeed, the world it ſelfe doth no harme: for hee made it, and all things in it, that could make nothing amiſſe. And that the valdè bona there, is turned into inquinamenta heere, it may blame ſinne, and ſinne may blame man, and man may blame woman, and woman may blame the devill. Nor yet does it defile us materialiter, as pitch defiles the handler: but occaſionaliter, as an unskilfull Mechannicke cuts his fingers with good and uſefull tooles. The pollutions of the world bee even a world of pollutions: they contend for number with the very creatures. There is ſcarce any thing made for man, whereby man doth not marre himſelfe. Who would thinke that a ſpider ſhould fetch venime out of a roſe? Woman was made an helper for man; what a multitude of men have fallen by woman? Bread and ſuſtenance is neceſſary for the preſervation of life; yet how many have made their table a ſnare? Here is field-roome enough, and it were hard not to expatiate: for it may be ſaid of this Land, as it was of Carthage; It is as full of pollutions, as of people: or as Augustine of Lazarus; Tot ora, quot ulcera: ſo many ſores, ſo many mouths, crying out for redreſſe. But I reduce all unto three.

1. The pollutions which wee contract from the riches of the world: not that riches are noxious in themſelves, for then no good man would not have renounced them.rr1. Tim. 6.17.1 Tim 6:17 Charge them that be rich in this world. As Saint Iohn diſtinguiſheth of being in the Church, and being of the Church: ſo men may bee rich in the world, yet innocent and happy: for while their eſtates are below, their hearts are above. But thoſe are rich of the world, that are worldlings in heart, as well as in eſtate. Whoſe affections have devoured ſo much of the world as they can, and are ſorry that they cannot ſwallow it all. The rich of the world are in it, but the rich in the world are not of it. The world is in mens eares, the world is in their hearts; and they are not in it onelyonly, but of it. And there can bee nothing in them that are of the world, but enmity to God, and that which God repayes with enmity: ſo as there is no way for them but periſhing with the world. It is not for nothing, that the ſame word in the Hebrew ſignifies both riches and unrighteouſneſſe. Pſalm. 52.Pſal. 52.7.Ps 52:7 The man that ſtrengthened himſelfe in his wickedneſſe, or in his ſubstance: ſo cloſely doth wickedneſſe cleave to many mens ſubſtance.

There be too many that ſell the poore to ſlaughter, and yet thanke God for the price; but God will never thanke them for it. Thoſe butchers ſay,ſſZach. 11.5.Zech 11:5 Bleſſed bee God, for I am rich. This is a pollution that will hardly ever bee waſhed off: no not expiated with building of an almes-houſe; for God will not bee bribed with an Hoſpitall. There is not a penny got by ſuch unjuſt courſes, but it ſtickes a foule ſpot on the ſoule: therefore the Apoſtle cals it filthy lucre; and Zephanie for this cryed out againſt Ieruſalem; Woe to the filthy and polluted citie. Many Prophets have denounced the ſame woe to this City: they meant the men more than the wals, though peradventure the wals did as much obſerve them. Were your Thames ten Iordans, it could not waſh off this Leproſie. The covetous ride through plaſhes and puddles, through bogs and ſloughs, and quagmires: it is impoſſible they ſhould ſcape the badges of their travell, the aſperſions of mire. With what delight ſoever they hunt after riches, I am ſure they have but a dirtie way of it. At laſt they fall into the quicke-ſand of all ſwallowing death; and then they vainely wiſh, that they were to begin a new p. 1034Pilgrimage; on condition, they had loſt all the pleaſure of their former journey.

ttMatth. 6.25.Matt 6:25Is not the life better than meat? Nonnè anima praestantior eſca? Yea, is not the ſoule better than dirt, that for dirt they pollute the ſoule? But alas, they are ſo rooted in the earth, that they are quite turned into the nature of the ſoile. Others may have a tang, a daſh of the foule earth, by travelling through it to their home: but worldlings are rooted in the earth, and therefore not to bee plucked up without violence. The devill ſhewed Chriſt the Crownes of the earth, but not the thornes of thoſe Crownes: ſo the covetous ſhew their cumulos, and tumulos pecuniae, but not their ſtimulos conſcientiae. It is the honour of the holy, Omnis decor ab intùs, they are all glorious within, what outward wants ſoever would diſgrace them. It is the diſgrace of the worldly, Omnis faetor ab intùs, they are all filthy within, what outward abundance ſoever doth honour them.uuPſal. 51.6.Ps 51:6 God requires truth in the inward parts: but alas, wee may ſay too truely of theſe, that Their inward parts are very wickedneſſe. The rheumaticke and ſpawling Cynicke, when hee was intreated by the dainty miſtreſſe of the houſe, where hee was entertained, that he would ſpit in the fouleſt part of the houſe; did hereupon unmannerly chuſe to ſpit in the miſtreſſes owne face, becauſe that in his opinion was the fouleſt. So when God ſees the rich mans houſe kept neat and cleane, the floores ſwept, the wals hung, the veſſels ſcowred, his apparell bruſh'd, his body adorned, all curiouſly highted; onelyonly his heart filthy and polluted: certainely hee will ſpit his contempt upon that heart.xxIer. 4.14.Jer 4:14 Therefore waſh thy heart from iniquity, O Ieruſalem, that thou maiest be ſaved.

2. The pollutions wee derive from the honours and dignities of the world. Pride heere chalengeth the firſt place; and let her have it: even to bee the Queene of all ſordid filthineſſe. This not onelyonly lifts men up above others, but above themſelves. Nor is it any wonder, that they ſhould not know their neighbours, that have forgotten themſelves. This is a coagulated ulcer, ſpreading over the whole ſoule; like a cloth that is taken from a Leper; ſtiffe indeed, but onelyonly ſtiffe with corruption. The buſh that hangs out, ſhewes what wee may looke for within; a plaiſter'd face argues a defiled heart. Every colour that art laies on the cheekes, ſizeth into the ſoule, and dyes that in graine; quite of another hew than God ever made, or will owne. For ſurely hee will never acknowledge that face hee never made, nor that haire hee never made theirs, nor that body that is aſhamed of the maker, nor that ſoule that diſguiſes the body. Let mee tell them one thing which perhaps they never noted before. The firſt painted woman we read of in the Scriptures, was a witch and a whore.yy2 King. 9.22.2 Kgs 9:22 So Iehu told Ioram of the whoredomes and the witchcrafts of his mother Iezabel. And the firſt painted woman wee read of in prophane ſtories, was a whore and a witch too; Medea: the end of them both was deſtruction, and a deſtruction without end; for the terror of all their proud followers. From hence ariſeth the boile of burning malice, the carbuncle of envy, the plague-tokens of raging madneſſe; yea even the horrid and frightfull aſperſions of blood-guiltineſſe; a ſinne that thunders in the eares of juſtice. The homicide, through a killing favour, is pardoned, and granted his life: God drawes his ſword, and by his plague ſpils a thouſand lives for it. Water comes downe to moiſten the earth, but blood flies upward to bedeaw heaven.

It is the miſery of greatneſſe, to bee lawleſſe: how many had beene good, if they never had beene great? All the ſoot in the houſe, is to bee found in the chimnies. It was a grave and ſmart anſwer of a great Stateſman in the Land, when hee was conſulted by the Queene about the lawfulneſſe of monopoly licences; Licentiâ omnes deteriores ſumus; wee are all the worſe for a Licence. Place gives a licence to doe ill: and in evill, the beſt condition is Non velle, no will to it: the next, Non poſſe, no ability to doe it. Nor doe they admit of reproofe: p. 1035when that wind riſeth, we may well looke for a tempeſt. Touch the mountaines, and they will ſmoake, ſaith the Pſalmiſt. Great men are like mountaines; when the Word of God touches them, they preſently ſmoake with paſſion. Alas, who ſhall ſhew them their pollutions? Their owne eyes cannot tell them, and the eyes of their Paraſites will not tell them. They have Glaſſes to ſee all the diſorders of their externall habits; even to the ruffling of a Purle, or the miſplacing of a haire. But there is another Glaſſe which they ſeldome uſe, the Word of God, that alone ſhewes the ſpots of conſcience. Therefore as it was ſaid of Naaman; that he wasaa2 King 5.1.2 Kgs 5:1 Captaine of the King of Syria's Hoſt, a great man with his Maſter, honourable for his many atchievements, and a mightie man in valour: but he was a Leper. Here were divers noble priviledges, but one thing diſhonoured all the reſt: But he was a Leper. There may be great dignities, powerfull offices, high commands, popularitie, and applauſe; yea, even policie, and ſome good acts to the countrey. But if there be a ſtench of inward pollutions, a falſe heart to Religion and innocencie; this is a But, a barre in their Armes, a blemiſh in their noble Scutchions, an indeleble Motto, Sed erat leproſus, But he was a Leper.

3. The pollutions wee deduce from the pleaſures of the world. O what a torrent of turpitudes here ſtreame in upon us! Immoderate dyet, or rather ſurfet: all the varieties and delicacies of nature, cook'd with the moſt ſtudious art, ſtand on our Tables, like the goodly buildings of a fortified Citie. To this wee lay firie ſiege: where our ſenſuall appetite is the great Generall, and our teeth the common ſouldiers: here wee skale the walls, there wee raſe the foundations: our knives are the weapons, and the Inſtruments of Warre arebbAmos 6.5.Amos 6:5 the Inſtruments of Muſicke; Boules of Wine the Colours, innocent creatures the ſpoyle, and Songs of wantonneſſe crowne the triumphant victorie. All which concludes in ſleepe, if that be not prevented by uncleanneſſe. The people of Iſrael required meat for their luſt, and the people of England nouriſh luſt for their meat. Ebrietie is a fellow-devill to the former; both are ſinnes ambitious to prevent the day of Iudgement; for then God will deſtroy both meat and the belly: theſe will not ſtay ſo long, but before-hand deſtroy both the belly and meat. The honour of man is the Image of God; but this vice flies at the very face of this Image, and ſcratcheth it out of the ſoule. The drunkard is a certaine thing that hath beene a man; but now moſt prodigiouſly hee hath ſwallowed downe himſelfe through his throat. So he lyes intombed, with the drinke in his owne bowels; and that doth burie him, which is buried in him.

Both theſe pollutions prepare for a third: the bloud that is fired with Bacchus, muſt be cooled with Venus. The Devill ſhould forget both his office and malice, if he did not play the Pandar to Concupiſcence. Idleneſſe makes way for looſe companie, looſe companie makes way for Wine, Wine makes worke for Luſt, and Luſt makes worke for the Devill. No marvell if the Poets called it a Pegaſus; for it is a winged Horſe, whereon many ride poſt to Hell. Our Climate, and therefore our naturall conſtitution, is not ſo hot, that it needs the Popiſh Indulgence to the fleſh, the erection of Stewes; unleſſe this artificiall heat were unnaturally added to it. It is intemperance that prepares fewell for the fire of vengeance. O that our luxurious Strumpetiers could reade in their diſeaſed bodies the eſtate of their leprous ſoules.

But the tongue of the ſoule is Conſcience, the voice with which ſhee is beſt acquainted: this (when all the doores are ſhut to the voices of men) ſpeakes within; and that with a language lowd enough to be heard, eaſie enough to be underſtood. But the common courſe of ſuch diſſolute ſinners, is to drowne her voice with a lowder: as hee that was troubled with a ſcolding Wife, made way to his quiet, by out-ſcolding her. Who ſhall tell the family of their faults, when the Monitor is dumbe? They have ſtopp'd the mouth, and taken away the voice of their conſcience, by lowd and roaring exceſſe: and who is left to reprove? p. 1036Iohn Baptiſt was called the voice of Chriſt; Vox clamantis, The voice of him that cryes in the Wilderneſſe. Herod did cut off his head. Now Chriſt ſpake not many words to his apprehenders, and accuſers; not many to the High Prieſt, nor to the Iudge, Pilate: but when hee came before Herod, hee ſpake never a word at all. Among other reaſons, this is wittily given; hee ſpake not a word to Herod, becauſe Herod had taken away his Voice, in beheading Iohn: and how ſhould hee ſpeake without a voice? There may be a voice without ſpeech, there cannot be ſpeech without a voice. So they have tongue-tyed their conſcience, taken away her voice; and who ſhall controule them? But when God ſhall untie thoſe ſtrings, and unmuzzle their conſcience, ſhee will be heard; and ten Conſorts of Muſicke ſhall not drowne her clamorous cryes. Now their conſcience is bound, and they are looſe: but in the day of trouble, themſelves ſhall be bound, and God ſhall let looſe their conſcience. It ſhall be hard for them, with that franticke Muſician, to fall a tuning their Vials, when their houſe is on fire about their eares: ô then rather, one drop of merciemercy, yea flouds of pittie, to coole the flame, and mitigate their ſorrowes.

All wiſe men affect the concluſion to be beſt: to ride two or three miles of faire way, and to have a hundred deepe and foule ones to paſſe afterward, is uncomfortable; eſpecially when the end is worſe than the way. But let the beginning be troubleſome, the progreſſe ſomewhat more eaſie, and the journeyes end happie, and there is faire amends.ccPſal. 37.37.Ps 37:37 Marke the upright man, and behold the juſt; for the end of that man is peace. Marke him in the ſetting out, hee hath many oppoſitions; marke him in the journey, hee is full of tribulations: but marke him in the concluſion, and the end of that man is peace.

By the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Ieſus Chriſt.] Wherein I deſire to touch upon theſe foure obſervations or concluſions. Firſt, that there is no knowledge to doe good in corrupted nature and filthineſſe of the fleſh. Secondly, there is no eſcaping out of this filthineſſe and corruption, but by knowledge. Thirdly, no knowledge can deliver us, but that of our Saviour Chriſt. Fourthly, no knowledge of our Saviour can effect this, but that which is ſanctified with faith and repentance.

Firſt, miſerable is the eſtate of man, before hee hath eſcaped from the world. As Adams body was caſt out of Paradiſe, to ſeeke his fortune in the wide and wild earth; or as Nebuchadnezzar was turned off, from being a King among men, to become a companion of beaſts: ſo by the corruption of nature, man is debarred the ſocietie of God, and put out of the ſeverall into the Commons, to ſhift for himſelfe in the broad world, where ſinnes and ſorrowes ſtrive for number. This was the Poets meaning by their Pandora; a beautifull woman, framed by Vulcan: to whoſe making up, every god and goddeſſe gave a contribution. They put into the hand of this faire Inchantreſſe a goodly Boxe, fraught and ſtuffed with all woes and miſeries; onelyonly in the bottome of it they placed Hope. It was preſented to Prometheus, but Providence refuſed it; then to Epimetheus, and Afterwits accepted it. Which hee no ſooner raſhly opened, but there came out a ſwarme of calamities, fluttering about his eares. This he perceiving, clapp'd on the Cover with all poſſible ſpeed; and ſo with much adoe ſaved Hope, ſitting alone in the bottome. Such an armie of miſeries, like the troupe iſſuing from the Wombe of the Troian Horſe, invaded the world, by opening the Boxe of Pandora, by taſting the Apple of Evah; that if the merciemercy of God had not left us Hope, Solam ſolantem Spem, in the bottome, wee had all periſhed.ddLam. 4.Lam 4 The precious ſonnes of Sion, comparable to fine Gold, whoſe Nazarites were purer than Snow, whiter than Milke, and more ruddie than Rubies, and their poliſhing of Saphyre; now have viſages blacker than Coales. The Body, that is made of Earth, can ſtand upright, and looke toward Heaven; the Soule, that came from Heaven, is become crooked, and lookes toward Earth.

p. 1037All are miſerable, onelyonly ſome know it, and others know it not. As Socrates put from himſelfe the repute of wiſdome which the D…lphicke Oracle had aſcribed to him; ſaying that here was all the difference betwixt him and others; He was not wiſe, and knew it: others were not wiſe, and knew it not. He that is eſcaped from the world, knowes their unhappineſſe that be entangled with it, becauſe hee was ſo. But they that are intangled with it, know not the happineſſe of him that hath eſcaped it, becauſe they never were ſo.ee1 Cor. 6.11.1 Cor 6:11 Such were ye, but ye are ſanctified.

2. The way to eſcape the worlds filthineſſe, is through knowledge. There is nothing in the world both more eſteemed, and diſeſteemed, than knowledge: valued by them that have ſome, vilipended by them that have none. When the Cynicke Philoſopher was asked in a kind of ſcorne, what was the reaſon that Philoſophers haunted rich men, and not rich men Philoſophers: hee anſwered, becauſe the one knew what they wanted, the other did not. Wiſe men want wealth, and feele it: rich men want wiſedome, and are not ſenſible of it. Yet knowledge hath their well wiſhes, and faint deſires, though not their endevors.ffMat. 11.19.Matt 11:19 Wiſedome is juſtified of her children; yea even of the children of follie. So a Pharaoh could ſay, Come let us worke wiſely. Even fooles would pretend wiſdome, and have their cunning abſurdities paſſe for mature prudence, and the ſucceſſe for happineſſe. Herein Satan is ſubtler than they, who layes the plot to make them fooles, by miſtaking villanie for vertue. There is no povertie of eſtate, or conſumption of body, to a leane ſtarved ſoule; which neither knowes, nor cares to know.

The ſmall love which the world beares to wiſedome, appeares by their uſage of the children of wiſedome. Vt diligunt artifices, ita intelligunt artes. They will give more to a Rider for breaking their horſes, or to a Dancer for teaching them the meaſures; than to any profeſſor of learning for informing their ſoules. So Ariſtippus anſwered him, that wondred why men ſhould rather give to the poore, than to ſcholars; becauſe they thinke themſelves may come to be poore, never to bee ſcholars. Of all the wants in the world, feweſt complaine the want of knowledge. The opinion of having enough, is one of the greateſt cauſes of having ſo little. Yet the very Philoſophers, by that knowledge of the world which they got from the light of nature, learned to contemne it: yea they deſpiſed him that did not deſpiſe it. They did not videre & invidere, envie the rich and potent, nor covet abundance. But rather Cernunt & ſpernunt, they ſaw enough to hate this world though they ſaw not where to find a better.

3. Indeed no knowledge can doe this, but onelyonly that of our Lord Ieſus Christ. gg1 Cor. 2 2.1 Cor 2:2I determined not to know any thing among you, ſave Ieſus Chriſt, and him crucified. Paul was enriched with all manner of knowledge; he knew as much as the moſt learned Iew or Pagan; nothing could deliver him from the pollutions of the world, till he became a Chriſtian. Alas, the reaſon of man doth but flowt the wiſedome of God. Mocking the Apoſtles, they ſaid,hhAct. 2.13.Acts 2:13 Theſe men are full of new wine: which Peter confutes by affirming it to be but the third houre of the day; It was too early to be drunke. Yet that's not all: for fulneſſe of wine doth take away ſpeech and diſable the tongue: wee have knowne it ſpoile men of the uſe of their mother tongue, we never knew it teach men to ſpeake languages which they never learned. Pythagoras, Plato, Ariſtotle travelled and ſought into every corner of the world, to conferre with learned men: we never read that they went into Iury; yet there the beſt knowledge was to be had. They knew not that, how could they? The wandring ſheepe doe not ſeeke the ſhepheard, but the ſhepheard them. The loſt goat did not ſeeke the woman, but the woman it. Paul indeed was ſeeking for Chriſt; but how? to perſecute him, not to beleeve on him. Chriſt muſt reveale himſelfe to us, before wee can ſet our ſelves to ſeeke him. And till that High Sheriffe of the King of heaven comes with a writ of EjectioniiLuk. 11 22.Luke 11:22 the world will hold his poſſeſſion. The hands defiled with raking in the kennell p. 1038of this world, cannot be clenſed but by waſhing them in the laver of regeneration. Nor can we waſh in Chriſts fountaine till we know where hee dwells, where that fountaine runnes. This is the onelyonly means of eſcaping the pollutions of the world; through the knowledge of Chriſt: he muſt waſh us.kkIoh. 13.8.John 13:8 If I waſh thee not, thou hast no part with me. God hath ever ſhewed himſelfe a lover of cleanlineſſe, as it appeares by all thoſe legall ablutions. He never ſhewed it ſo much as when hee vouchſafed to waſh us himſelfe, with his owne royall hands;llRev. 1.5.Rev 1:5 the bath being his owne royall Bloud. This, and nothing but this could get out the long contracted ſtaines of our ſoules. Corruption had ſo ſized into the very graine of our natures and whole compoſitions; that it muſt bee bloud, and warme bloud, and the warme bloud not of a meere man, but of him that is alſo God, that could fetch it out. None would waſh us, we were ſo lothſome: none could purgeus, wee were ſo leprous; but onelyonly Chriſt. Eliſha bad Naaman, Goe and waſh: Chriſt came himſelfe to waſh us.

Here then we learne that onelyonly meanes, whereby we can eſcape inquinamenta mundi, the filthineſſe of ſinne; the ſole fountaine of the Lambe of God. Not all the myſteries of nature, not all the ſecretaries, the philoſophers of the world, with their beſt Principles of Moralitie, could doe this cure. No knowledge can purge the ſoule, but the knowledge of the Lord Ieſus. mm2 King. 5.10.2 Kgs 5:10Goe waſh in Iordan ſeven times, and thou ſhalt be cleane. How did this appeare to that naturall Syrian as a meere ſcorne and mockerie? Goe waſh? alas, what can water doe? It can clenſe from fouleneſſe, not from leproſie. And why in Iordan? what differs that from other ſtreames? And why juſt ſeven times? What vertue is either in that chanell, or in that number? In what a chafe did hee fling from the Prophets doore? Am I come thus farre to fetch a flowt? Could the Prophet finde no man to play upon but mee? Thus doth the reaſon of man fight againſt the ordinances of God. What is Baptiſme to purge the conſcience? What is the ſprinkling of a few drops on the face, to waſh away corruption from the ſoule? One hath ſhed guiltleſſe bloud with his hands, let him waſh thoſe hands ten times a day in freſh waters, will it get out that murderous tincture from his conſcience? Thus carnall minds deſpiſe the fooliſhneſſe of preaching, the ſimplicitie of the Sacraments, the homelineſſe of ceremonies, the ſeeming inefficacie of cenſures: they looke upon Iordan with Syrian eyes. So Naaman goes on; If water would doe it, what needed I to come ſo farre for this remedie? Have I not often done this in vaine? Have we not better ſtreames at home, than any can be afforded in Iſrael? Are not Abana and Pharphar, rivers of Damaſcus, better than all the waters of waters of Iſrael? Abana and Pharphar; two for one: Rivers, not waters: Of Damaſcus, a ſtately and incomparable City: they are, who dares deny it? Better, not as good: than the waters, not the rivers: All the waters, Iordan and all the reſt: Of Iſrael, a beggarly region to Damaſcus. Alas, how wretched be the devices of men to the Inſtitutions of God? How odious and damnable is it to make any compariſon betweene them? One drop of Iordan, ſet apart by divine ordination, hath more vertue than all the ſtreames of the world. Indeed Naaman might have waſhed there long enough in vaine, if the Prophet had not ſent him. Many a leper had bathed in that ſtreame, and come forth no leſſe uncleane than he went in. It is the Word, the Ordinance of God that puts efficacie into thoſe meanes, which of themſelves could doe nothing. Iſta non tribuunt, quod per iſta tribuitur. His inſtitution hath put that vertue into the Sacramentall Font; that it ſhall not more waſh the face, than purge the ſoule.

Let us therefore get the knowledge of Chriſt, if we would bee happy; and waſh off our ſinnes in his blood, that we may be holy. He that knowes Chriſt, knowes that the pardon of ſins, the ablution of uncleanneſſe, the perfection of righteouſneſſe, the peace of conſcience, and the heavenly Inheritance come along with him: hee cannot doate on the world, that knowes Chriſt. Can wee unfainedly ſay p. 1037with Peter, nnMatth. 19.27.Matt 19:27Lord Ieſus, wee have forſaken all and followed thee? Wee need not aske, what ſhall we have therefore? For God tels us, that heeooRom. 8.32.Rom 8:32 hath given us his Sonne, and with him all things. How ſweetly doe thoſe Scriptures anſwer and ſatisfie one another, and both ſatisfie the heart of a Chriſtian? Chriſt never comes alone, never empty, but his reward is with him. The ſhaddow doth not more inſeparably follow the body, than all bleſſings follow Chriſt.ppMatth. 6.33.Matt 6:33 First, ſeeke the kingdome of God, and theſe things ſhall bee added to you: like an & caetera in the end of a ſentence. Yet alas, though we know this, we doe not ſeeke Chriſt in the firſt and chiefeſt place. In this drought, one ſeekes raine in the new Moone, another in the turning of the wind, a third in this or that ſigne; none almoſt ſeeke it in Chriſt; therefore God hath confounded all our ſignes and obſervations. Men may have temporall good things without Chriſt; but as the thiefe hath the true mans purſe, or dogs the bread of the children. But we can want nothing, if we want not Chriſt: the prodigall doubteth not of Bread enough, if he can regaine his father. Iohn of Alexandria, ſirnamed the Almoner, did vſe yeerely to make even with his revenues, and when he had diſtributed all to the poore, he thanked God that he had now nothing left him but his Lord and maſter Ieſus Chriſt; to whom hee longed to flie with unlimed and unentangled wings. When Alexander the great paſſed into Aſia, he gave large donatives to his Captaines and men of merit; inſomuch that Parmenio asked him; Sir, what doe you keepe for your ſelfe? Hee anſwered; Hope. Croſſes, calamities, povertie may take from us all the goods of this world; or our charity may give them away: the worldlings aske us what wee have left for our ſelves; we anſwer, onelyonly Ieſus Chriſt.

4. That knowledge of Christ which is not joyned with faith and obedience, repentance and amendment of life, cannot deliver us from periſhing with the world. If it were enough to know, the devill would loſe abundance of clients and cuſtomers. There is a floating knowledge ſwimming in the braine, like a piece of corke on the top of the water. Wicked men underſtand good things per alienam ſpeciem, not in their true formes: Scientiâ diſciplinariâ, not intuitivâ. They are ſent them as Pharaohs dreame, which they ſhall never bee able to underſtand. The myſteries of Religion appeare to them like a dimme taper, whereof they are ſtill diſputing, picking out problems and paradoxes and ſubtleties: and ſo darken the Truth by diſcourſing of it, like a man that puts out the candle with ſnuffing it. They read and minde not, or minde and underſtand not, or underſtand and remember not, or remember and practiſe not. There bee ſome whoſe ſpeeches be witty, while their carriage is weake: whoſe deeds are incongruities, while their words are apothegmes. It is not worth the name of knowledge, that may bee heard onelyonly, and not ſeene. Good diſcourſe is but the froth of wiſdome: the pure and ſolid ſubſtance of it is in well framed actions.qqIoh. 13.17.John 13:17 Theſe things if yee know, happy are yee if yee doe them. Knowledge is but a pre-requiſite to the maine of obedience, a ſtaire to the turret of happineſſe. That was Chriſts farewell-cloſe, with a deepe impreſſion driving home his former counſels: like the laſt ſtrong and loud knole of a bell, that puts an end to all the foregoing peales: a Sermon that did put life into all his other Sermons; urging the life and practice of them: like thatrrLuk. 11.28.Luke 11:28 Bleſſed are they that heare the Word of God, and keepe it; with which we commonly conclude our Sermons. We ſay of Statutes and Proclamations, there is a multitude of them: but there ſhould be one Statute, one Proclamation made, to enforce the keeping of all the reſt: ſo that one Text bindes us to the obſervation of all others. Therefore heeſſIoh. 13.9John 13:9 waſhed the Diſciples feete, and ſhewed them an example of doing: as if there was not ſo much need of teaching them what they knew not, as of preſſing them to doe what they knew. Becauſe knowledge would not ſerve the turne, hee firſt does the things, and then expreſſeth his intent. Theſe things it is not enough to know, but to doe.

p. 1040Knowledge and practice together bleſſe a Chriſtian, both in his cardinall vertues, and arch-myſteries of faith; farre more than the knowing and doing of all the naturall, morall, or manuall ſciences in the world. Knowledge ſeparated from obedience, doth but enflame a mans reckoning, and helpe him to a greater meaſure of condemnation.ttIoh. 15.22.John 15:22 If I had not come and ſpoken to them, they had not b…d ſinne: but now they have no cloke for their ſinne. Ignorance may ſeeme to bee a cloke for errours: but knowledge takes away that cloke, and leaves them naked of all excuſes. Not that ignorance can acquit men; Excuſat à tanto, non à toto. It will not juſtifie me, to ſay I did not know that I did ſinne; when I ſinned in neglecting to know. Ignorantia mollit, non tollit rationem peccati. Antecedent ignorance will not ſave a man; much more will conſequent ignorance condemne him. God will not favour a man, becauſe hee hath ſtudied hard, and knowne much: but rather the more puniſh him, becauſe hee hath knowne good, and done evill.

I deny not that many ſinnes are committed after knowledge: the luſts of the fleſh, like the vapours of a replete ſtomach riſing up and damping the braine, often obſcure the beames of knowledge: during which violence and diſtemper, David and Peter fall into fearefull ſinnes. But the willing practice of knowne ſinnes, and repentance, can never ſtand together; no more than fire and water can agree in the ſame ſubject. As a hot liver commonly makes a cold ſtomach: ſo the unnaturall heate of continued ſinnes, makes but a cold repentance. There is a deepe well in the yard: ſhall a man therefore wilfully ſet his houſe on fire, becauſe he knowes where to fetch water to quench it? Alas, the fire ſuddainly takes, and ragingly goes on: butuuIoh. 4.11.John 4:11 the Well is deepe, or the bucket is ſmall, and can bring up a little at once. The well of thy heart is deepe, it is a great way to fetch it: the skrew or pully is unwieldy, there is much labour to draw it. Yea, God muſt both put water into the well, ſorrow into the heart; and helpe thee to pumpe it out, extract teares from thine eyes; as hee did ſupply David and Peter from his infinite ſprings of grace; or this burning will not be quenched.

Rather let us labour to avoide ſinne by our knowledge, than venture to ſinne upon the conceit of repentance. No wiſe man will make himſelfe ſicke, though he knowes he hath a very good medicine. They bee deſperate Mountebankes that wound their owne fleſh, to advance the ſale of their balſames. Alas, that men ſhould be skillfull in the hiſtory of Chriſt, and wilfull in their rebellions againſt Chriſt: that they ſhould have the Bible in their braines, and blaſphemie in their lippes. Like Poſts, that bring truth in their letters, and lies in their mouthes. Alas, that men ſhould frequent the Temples, and flocke to ſermons, and yet bee never the better in their lives: as boyes goe into the water, to play and paddle there onelyonly, not to waſh and be cleane. But let all them that have the knowledge of Chriſt, give obedience to him, that they may be ſaved by him.

If they are againe intangled.] This is the Suppoſition; where I conſidered, Facilitatem relabendi: If; it is no impoſſible thing. Yea, the commonneſſe proves it too eaſie. How many have given up their names to Chriſt, and ſlunke away from his ſervice? How many be Satans ſubjects, and yet Gods penſioners? How many have taken his preſſe-money, and revolted to the enemie? Demas had been with Paul, profeſſed with Paul, laboured with Paul, yetxx2 Tim. 4.10.2 Tim 4:10 for this preſent world hee forſooke Paul, and Goſpell, and Chriſt himſelfe. Indeed hee that loves God for himſelfe, and goodneſſe becauſe it is goodneſſe: can never turne from that goodneſſe, from that fountaine of goodneſſe, God. Turne him looſe into the world, truſt him in the throng of temptations; his heart is ſo filled with Chriſt, that there is no roome for a ſtrange love to enter. But they that loved God onelyonly for his temporall bleſſings, faile him, when thoſe bleſſings faile them. Mutinous ſouldiers; no longer pay, no longer fight; as that deſperate mercenary ſaid, he came not to fight for his countrey, he came to fight for his money. Like the p. 1041Law, Logicke, and the Switzers; they are for his ſervice, that gives them the beſt readie wages. Here Satan takes his hint, to uſurpe upon the children of perdition. Religion bring croſſes; Eccleſia est haeres Crucis: Greg.they find their devotion anſwered with tribulation; and cannot be quiet, becauſe they ſeeme to be good. Now ſteps in the Devill: Why ſhould you buy miſerie with want; when as you may want miſerie? Why will you embrace certaine cares, in hope of uncertaine comforts? Why doe you take paines to be poore, when you may be rich with eaſe? Here they that have not the grace, nor the face, to give the Devill the Lye, throw the Plough into the hedge, and will not wait till Harveſt; but lay hold on theſe new offers of the world, and for a Meſſe of Pottage ſell their Patrimonie.

There be ſome to whom God doth not ſo much as give an Evangelicall Call, and they never looke toward Heaven. For where he takes away the Key, it is a ſigne that he never meanes to open the doore. There be ſome that have beene called, and anſwered that Call, and made a ſhew of following it, bearing up towards the celeſtiall Kingdome; when on a ſudden the world whiſtles, ſhewes them their old Love, newly dreſſed and painted and trick'd up with freſh colours. Backe the foole runnes, flings by Counſaile, treads upon Conſcience, trips up the feet of Reaſon, and ſhewes Religion his heeles, if he does not kicke at it with contempt.aa1 Cor. 10.12.1 Cor 10:12 Wherefore let him that thinkes he ſtandeth, take heed leſt he fall. Some thinke they ſtand, but doe not; they looke to be ſaved, and ſcarce can tell who ſhould ſave them. They examine their conſcience, as a favourable Iudge doth the malefactor whom hee meanes to acquit; his very queſtions are ſo indulgent, that they teach him an anſwere: and then he concludes; I find no fault in this man, let him pay his Fees, and be gone. Thus they are like a man in a dreame, that thinkes hee is travelling abroad, doing this or that buſineſſe; but waking, he finds himſelfe faſt in his bed. We all dwell in a houſe readie to fall, ſayle in a ſhip full of leakes. Perhaps we doe not ſtand; or have ſtood, and are fallen; are fallen, and know not how to riſe; riſe, and are readie to fall againe.bb2 King. 8.13.2 Kgs 8:13 Am I a Dog, that I ſhould doe thus, ſaith Hazael to the Prophet? As if he would never doe it while he continued man; count him a Dog, when it comes to that. Yet by his leave, whether man or Dog, he did it. None know what they ſhall be, few know what they are. There is no Salt, but may loſe his ſavour; no Flower, but may loſe his ſent; no Beautie, but may be defaced; no Fruit, but may be blaſted; no Light, but may be eclipſed; no State, but may be changed; no Soule, but may be corrupted.

Man goes forth in the morning weake and unarmed, to encounter with Powers and Principalities. To fight this combate, hee takes a Second with him, and that's his Fleſh; a familiar enemie, a friendly traytor: the Devill comes againſt him with his Second too, and that's the World. Soone doth the fleſh revolt to the world, and both ſticke to Satan: ſo here is terrible oddes; Three to One. Beſides all this, the enemie hath gotten all the advantages; as the Hill, the Sunne, the Wind. The Hill; for man is climbing upwards to Heaven, and Satan comes downe upon him with the ſtronger violence. The Sunne; for all the glorious beames of honour, pleaſure, wealth, are on his ſide, dazling the eyes of man. The Wind; ſtormes and blaſts of raging Perſecution march under his Banner; all againſt poore man. Now if he have no other ſuccour but himſelfe, he is ſurprized in an inſtant, and the adverſarie gets the day. But he that truly knoweth Chriſt, comes not into the field without this Captaine: and then, If God be with us, who can be againſt us? Beſides, he hath a Shield that is, armour of proofe, darts of fire cannot pierce it; an invincible Faith: if he doe but lye under this Target, he is ſafe. Divers cannot cunningly handle the Sword, yet they can hold up the Buckler. If thou be not able to give Satan blow for blow, yet hold up thy Shield; that ſhall ward all his blowes. But when a man is beſieged in an impregnable p. 1042Fort, where he hath enough both of proviſion to ſubſiſt, and munition and furniture to defend: yet if through a coward puſillanimitie, he ſhall leave his Hold, and thinke to ſave himſelfe by flight; hee worthily falls into their hands, who otherwiſe had fallen under his.ccPſal. 91.1.Ps 91:1 Hee ſhall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings ſhalt thou trust: his truth ſhall be thy ſhield and buckler. That is a Fort ſure enough: he that forſakes it, deſerves to be forſaken of it.

I conclude: If we forſake not Chriſt, he will never forſake us: it can never be ſhewed by any obſervation, that hee fell off firſt. Prior in amore, poſterior in odio. But that it is eaſie to forſake him, for the preſent ſweetneſſe of gaine and pleaſure in this world, too lamentable experience proves it. Thouſands for ſcores follow after temporals, with neglect of eternall things: and ſoules that came from heaven, that ſhould returne to heaven, are incurvate to the earth. As if Nature were become prepoſterous, the world turned upſide downe, and Satan had got the day of Chriſt. This Diogenes unhappily expreſs'd, when hee was asked how he would be buried: he anſwer'd, with his face downeward: for within a while, he ſaid, the world would be turned upſide downe, and then he ſhould lye right. Let it be our endevour to turne the right ſide upward againe, to ſet our ſoules in the due poſition, trampling the world under the feet of diſdaine, and lifting up our ſpirits to heaven, which was made to receive all thoſe that ſeeke and love the Lord Ieſus.

The difficultie of recovering them, after their relapſe, followes; and is expreſſed by two Metaphors, Implicantur, Superantur: They are intangled, and overcome.

1They are intangled:] As Birds are caught in an evill Net; where the more they ſtruggle to get out, the faſter they ſticke. Or be taken with Lime-buſhes; where thoſe feathers enſnare their bodies, which before did carrie their bodies: nor can they ſave their lives, but by loſing their feathers. The world ſtickes faſt to mens hearts, and by embracing, impriſons them: the Lime that holds them, is Satans temptation; the feathers by which it holds them, are their owne covetous affections. Theſe looſe wings betray their ſoules: and if ever they ſave their ſoules, it muſt be by parting with their feathers, by being ſtripped of their riches.ddMat. 19.21.Matt 19:21 Give all thou haſt to the poore, and thou ſhalt have treaſure in Heaven. Alas, his feathers were limed, his ſoule ſo intangled with the world, that hee could not poſſibly mount up ſo high.eeLuk. 14.20.Luke 14:20 I have married a Wife, and I cannot come: No wonder; hee was wedded to the world, tyed in the conjugall bonds of affection to ſinne, the ſtrongeſt contract on earth; hee cannot come. You may as well call a Deere out of his Toyle, a priſoner out of his Iayle, yea, a dead man out of his Grave; he cannot come.

Satan hath ſeverall tyes for ſeverall ſinners. The adulterer is tyed by the eye, his miſtreſſes lookes enchant him. The drunkard is tyed by the throat, he cannot come till he have his load; and then he is ſo loaden, that he cannot come. The ſwearer is tyed by the tongue: it were well if hee were tongue-tyed. The Epicure is tyed by the teeth: a diſeaſe hee had from his grandmother. The ſlothfull is tyed by the foot: the lazie Gowt hath bound him to the Chayre of wickedneſſe. The covetous is tyed by the Purſe-ſtrings: and hee would hate even Pleaſure it ſelfe, if he ſhould find it a Cut-purſe. The ſuperſtitious Imageworſhipper is tyed by the knees, and hee cannot riſe from his Pupper-Deities. The trecherous Ieſuite is tyed by the necke with a Romiſh chayne: it were well if his necke were tyed to the due place. The voluptuous is tyed with a twinethred of vanitie, as a Naturall is tyed with a Ruſh, and thinkes himſelfe in durance. Satan hath intangled theſe with the world, that you may as well bid mountaines remove, or bid them remove mountaines, as forſake worldlineſſe: they cannot come. The Devill tyes worldly things to the affections, which are the feet of the ſoule: as the Faulconer, when he hath mann'd his Hawke to his p. 1043ſervice, hangs Bells at her legges, th…t whitherſoever they flye out, he may know whe… to find them againe: it is but caſting up his Lure, and they ſtoope to his fi…t he preſently hath them.ffLuk. 14.19.Luke 14:19 I have bought five yoke of Oxen, and I goe to prove them: as if himſelfe had beene one of the Teame, tyed up in the Geeres of his Ox…n; he muſt be excuſed. It is Saint Gregories counſaile;Hom. 36. in Evang. Sic teneas quae mundi ſun…, ut per ca quae mundi ſunt non tenearis. Good men will not bind the world to themſelves, and b…d men bind themſelves to the world. Terrena res poſsideatur, non poſsideat: ſint temporalia in uſu, aeterna in deſiderio: illa in itinere, haec ut in termino. Gehezi's ſoule is bound up in the bagges of Naamans money: But what followed? Gehezi's fleſh ſhall be bound up in the ſcurfe of Naamans Leproſie. TheggEccl. 2.26.Eccl 2:26 ſinner hath travell, labour, ſorrow, and care; theſe be the ſtrings of his Purſe, and he keepes them: but for the Purſe it ſelfe, the Riches he hath gather'd, theſe God will give to another; even the Purſe it ſelfe.

Bonaventure compares him to the Mole, in foure reſpects. Firſt, hee is blacke,Diaeta ſalus. cap. 6. as a Mole: White is the colour of Innocence; the faithfull have white garments: Blacke is the contrarie, even the colour of iniquitie. Secondly, hee is blind, as a Mole; Ignorance hath deprived him of his ſight. In a contrarietie to God, who ſees clearely in all places:hhPſal. 139.12.Ps 139:12 The darkeneſſe and the light are both alike to him: night and day are all one, for he ſees in neither. Thirdly, hee is buried, as a Mole: all his hoords and heapes of wealth are ſo many ſepulchers to his ſoule, wherein he digs his owne grave. Fourthly, he is prepoſterous, as a Mole: which is ſtill caſt ng up the earth, that it may fall on her backe, and cover her from the Sunne. So h… layes himſelfe under his riches, and interpoſeth the earth betwixt his ſoule and heaven: all his goods are ſo many ſtrong Tarryers to him. When the Serpent catcheth his prey, he ſo claſpes and winds about it with his flexile and folding body, that hee holds it ſure. Satan, that old Serpent, ſo twines himſelfe …bout the world-addicted ſoule, and his ſpirits like a Bed of Snakes ſo intangle it, that nothing but Thunder can diſſolve them. There is no evaſion out of this Labyrinth, except the Spirit of God give us the Clew of grace. With pleaſure …nd e…ſe ſinners come in; but no paines, no induſtrie, no wiſedome of man can find the way out.

The poore ſheepe followes her paſture, and ſuſpects no danger: but on the ſ…dden ſhe is ſo intangled with the bryers and brambles, that ſhee is glad with ſome l…ſſe of her wooll, yea ſcratches of her skin, to be gone; and not ſeldome cannot doe ſo, without the helpe of the ſhepheard. It is happie for us, if with loſſe of our fl…ece, of our fleſh, we can be extricated from theſeii1 Tim. 6 9.1 Tim 6:9 temptations, and fo…liſh Luſts, which drowne ſo many in perdition. The Iſraelites were ſet by Pharaoh …o gather Straw for themſelves, but not to make Brickes for themſelves: and when they had done their beſt, were beaten for not doing better. So Satan, that mercileſſe Tyran, and ſwarthy Egyptian, imployes his ſlaves to gather Straw …nd Thatch, the Traſh of this world; with all which they ſhall never build a houſe of reſt or harbour for themſelves, and at laſt be ſcourged with impartiall torments. A great fiſh devoures a leſſe; a greater, him; and he againe becomes food for the greateſt: yet at laſt this greateſt is caught, with Hooke or Net. They be fooles, thatkkHab. 1 16.Hab 1:16 ſacrifice to their owne Nets, with which they have caught others: but they are mad men, that ſacrifice to the Nets of others, with which they are caught themſelves. Yet theſe deſperate priſoners love their bondage, and find ſuch ſweetneſſe in their intangling, that they deſire not to be delivered. OnelyOnly when ought of their ſenſuall delights is taken from them, they mourne and blubber; and beſtow that ſorrow upon their ſhame, which they ſhould have …nt on their ſinne. I have heard, that when a man is wounded with … Sword, looke what medicine is proper to the Patient, if it be applyed to the Sword, it ſh…l care him: annoint the weapon, and heale the wound. (I will not racke my Faith, to beleeve it.) The weapon that hath wounded us, is the world; the medicine p. 1044that can only cure it, is heartie ſorrow. Shall we grieve for worldly loſſes? This were to apply the medicine to the wrong place; barely to annoint the weapon, whiles the wound rankles to death: for worldly ſorrow cauſeth death. Not let us apply it to our heart, mourne for our ſinne, deteſt and abandon the world, and fixe our confidence in God; then ſhall we be healed through Ieſus Chriſt.

2And overcome.] Some may ſay, this Theme of Intangling hath almoſt intangled me, as if I could not tell how to get you out of this argument: loe, now we are deliver'd. And yet me thinkes I am not ſooner got out of this Forreſt, but preſently I ſee a Lion, even that roaring Lion, with extended jawes, readie to devoure; a malicious and mercileſſe enemie marching forward, to the conqueſt of ſoules: and my very next ſtep falls upon that conqueſt, Arma virumque cano: with the ſubverſion of worldlings, They are overcome.

That which puts a man from the uſe of his Reaſon, or a Chriſtian from his exerciſe of Religion, overcomes him. So we ſay of the Drunkard, he is overcome with Wine, when it ſhall get the better and upper hand of his wit. The doting Lover is overcome with fancie, when it hath blinded his Reaſon. The ambitious are overcome with the deſire of honour; ſo that they are not their owne men. Of all, the worldlings are baſely overcome: for they thinke they have the world in a ſtring, when the world hath them in a ſtrong chaine. This worſe than beaſtly appetite (for not many beaſts deſire more than will ſerve their turnes) is like a violent ſtreame, which beginning from a ſmall current, vires acquirit eundo, takes in many emergent waters by the way, till it become a mightie torrent, bearing downe all before it; yet at laſt it ſelfe is ſwallowed up into the Sea.ll2 Tim. 2.4.2 Tim 2:4 No man that warreth, intangleth himſelfe with the affaires of this life. For implicando ſe involvitur, involvendo detinetur, & detinendo ſuperatur. No wonder, if he that is intangled, be ſoone overcome. David being to encounter with Goliah, in that unequall combate, is arraied with the warlike habite of a King: thus furniſhed, he might looke upon himſelfe, and thinke his out-ſide glorious. But when hee offered to walke and move, hee found theſe Armes not ſo ſtrong as unweildie, more for ſhew than uſe, that they rather hindred than advantaged him. Off hee puts thoſe accoutrements of honour, and craves pardon to goe in no clothes but his owne: hee had rather be a homely Conqueror, than a glorious Spoile. Hee takes his Staffe in ſtead of the Speare, his Shepheards Scrip for a Brigandine; i… ſtead of the Sword, he takes his Sling; and for Darts and Iavelines, five ſmooth ſtones out of the Brooke: thus got he the victorie.mm2 Cor. 10.4.2 Cor 10:4 So the weapons of our warfare are not carnall, but mightie, through God. Not the policie, the ſuccours, the abundance of earthly things; theſe doe but intangle us, and rather diſable our reſiſtance, than helpe us to the conqueſt. But the wiſedome, the comfort, the powerfull grace of the holy Spirit, theſe be our Armes; with theſe we ſhall beat downe our enemies.

Cyrus ſaid, that his poore ſouldiers were his beſt ſouldiers; for they had nothing to loſe, but there was ſomething they hoped to gaine. Wealth is the rich mans ſtrong Caſtle, yet that Caſtle will not hold out a long ſiege; death will demoliſh it, if it be not done to his hands before hee comes. Hezekiah ſhewed the Embaſſadors of Babylon his treaſure: what came of it?nnEſa. 39.6.Isa 39:6 Behold, all ſhall be carried away. It was the incredible wealth which Cleopatra ſhewed Caeſar, whereby ſhee thought to overcome him, that brought Caeſar into Egypt, to make himſelfe maſter of it. As when Croeſus, for his glory, ſhewed Solon his huge maſſe of Gold; Solon told him, If another come that hath better iron than you, he will be maſter of all this Gold. Any man that travailes toward Iericho, ooLuk. 10.30.Luke 10:30may fall among theeves: yea how ſhould he avoid them? Povertie is a theefe, to ſteale away wealth; ſickneſſe is a theefe, to ſteale away health; death is a theefe, to ſteale away life; the world it ſelfe is a theefe, to ſteale away the world. But wee muſt thanke God for that which ſo overcomes us, that it overcomes the love of the world in us.

p. 1045There bee ſome that profeſſe an utter abdication of the world, as if it and they were not cater-coſins; ignorant Votaries, and patch'd Ciſtertians; who doe ſo want holineſſe, that they place holineſſe in want. Yet the receivers of their rents, revenues, and in-comes, know full well they are no beggars. Ieſuites indeed profeſſe no wilfull poverty; yea their maine end is, next being miſchievous, to bee rich. Inſomuch that one of their owne Church adviſeth the good Capuchine, whenſoever he is to carry a Ieſuite over a brooke, to examine his pockets before hee take him on his backe, leſt hee breake his rule in carrying coine about him; and bee forced againſt the charity that was in Saint Francis; for ſaving his vow, to ſlip him downe into the water. It is their indignation, that they cannot perſwade all men to abjure all earthly felicity, that they might engroſſe it to themſelves. They have gulled many rich men out of their eſtates, many Nobles out of their honours, many wiſe men out of their wits; yea they have attempted to perſwade Princes out of their royalties; they would bee kings themſelves: but they have not yet prevailed with them. Greatly may Religion ſway a Prince, yet not ſo as to leave a Crowne. Wee read of divers that have tranſgreſs'd, yea left all Religion for a Crowne; but of very few that have left a Crowne for Religion. Yea moſt Princes hold it a point of Religion, never to leave a Crowne, till a Crowne leaves them. Such devout beggars bee theſe mortified Papiſts, that they would beggar all the world.

Intangled and overcome,] put them both together. It is the depth of miſery to fall under the curſe of Cham, a ſervant of ſervants. Divitis ſervi, maximè ſervi. Wee remember how Iſrael bleſſed Iſſachar; comparing him to appGen. 49.15.Gen 49:15 ſtrong Aſſe. When one wiſhed the child like the father; Cato replied, is this a bleſſing, or a curſe? So was this of Iacob, a bleſſing or a curſe? Some Hebrewes underſtand it of their greatqq1 Chron. 12.32.1 Chr 12:32 labour and ſtudy in the Law: but we finde few ſuch aſſes among our Lawyers. Others thus, they ſaw they dwelt in a fat ſoile, without lack of pleaſures, and therefore like Aſſes onelyonly plyed with provender, without minding their burdens. Such Aſſes bee they that are overcome with the world; they refuſe no burden that Satan can lay on their backes, not the moſt unreaſonable ſinnes, ſo hee doe not abridge them of their provender, the unbounded ſwinge of their ſenſuall appetites. It is true indeed, that Satan doth too often even winne the godly to commit ſinne, but never to love ſinne: and when hee hath done but that, hee may put all his gaines in his eye. For their very fals make them afterward ſtand the ſurer: and their yeelding to one aſſault, for ſcorne and indignation of the foile, redoubles their valour to the reſiſting of a thouſand: ſo that at once, he is growne weaker, and they ſtronger. That which was ſent and ſuborned by our ſpirituall adverſaries to betray us, in an happy change fights for us; and is driven rather to rebell, than wrong us.rrRom. 8.2…Rom 8:2 All things worke for our good; and through our Makers grace, wee come to gaine by our ſinnes. That which while wee were a repenting, wee would have expiated with our blood, now after our repentance wee finde matter of comfort; the fruit of unhappy ſinne, happy repentance.ſſ1 Ioh. 5.4.1 John 5:4 This is the victory that overcommeth the world, even our faith. There is no overcomming but this way, and this is a way that ſhall never faile. Faith is our buckler: Satan, the world, ſinne, death are in the field; their ſhafts are fire; yet this ſhield ſhall quench them. Let mee conclude this argument, with ſome motives to reſiſt the world, and meanes to overcome it.

1. When a man is bidden to ſome excellent cheare, hee were an uncivill and ingratefull gueſt, if hee ſhould fill his ſtomach before-hand with offenſive garlicke; Concilians & ſibi fastidium, & aliis nauſeam. Wee are invited to the heavenly banquet, the Manna of bleſſedneſſe: ſhall wee firſt gorge our ſelves with the garlicke and onions of Aegypt, the unwholeſome luſts of this world? Neither can theſe things ſatisfie us: if a man eat and drinke, and thrive not with it, hee muſt confeſſe ſome errour and defect in nature, and ſhould conſult p. 1046the Phyſitian for remedy. Let the covetous feed, devoure, ſwallow, and ravine all; this neither improves his content, nor ſatisfies his appetite: yet this man doth not feele himſelfe ſicke of a fooliſh dropſie, or canine ſtomach, or to ſtand in any need of phyſicke. But reaſon ſaith, hee that labours of ſuch an unnaturall griefe, non repletione, ſed purgatione opus habet: there is no way to cure him, but by letting him blood of his ranke and ſuperfluous veines. Plato could adviſe ſuch an one to take care, non augere poſſeſsionem, ſed minuere cupiditatem.

2. If a man ſhould dreame of flying with waxen wings, would hee attempt this project waking?Chryſost. Would he not rather bee aſhamed of ſo fond an impoſſibility? It is eaſier for the body of a man to fly over the ſeas with artificiall wings, than for his ſoule to mount up to heaven by the ſtrength of temporall riches. Trees, beaſts, men grow up to their full ſtature and meaſure, and then ſticke till they decline: onelyonly worldlineſſe growes alwayes, and moſt at laſt. Therefore is covetouſneſſe called the root of all evill: becauſe when the branches grow old and ſeare for want of moiſture, and there is nothing but drineſſe in the armes, yet there is ſap in the root: that lives, till they both die together: one grave muſt hold them: there onelyonly they ſhall be ſure to finde enough.

3. In vaine doe they flatter themſelves with the name of Gods ſervants. When we ſee two men walking in the way, and one Dog following them, wee cannot tell which is his maſter while they keepe together: but when they part, then the Dog diſcovers his maſter, by forſaking the ſtranger. Piety and proſperity ſometimes walke together like friendly neighbours, and then you cannot tell to whether the follower of them both belongs. But when theſe two fall out; when perſecution ſeparates them, then farewell piety, the worldling will after proſperity. The good man ſcornes ſuch baſeneſſe: thoughttDan. 3.5.Dan 3:5 Nebuchadnezzars Image bee made of gold; though it bee attended with Inſtruments of muſicke, a conſort of wealth, honour, pleaſure and proſperity, which bewitch the ſoule; all this cannot move the ſervants of God. They have vowed in an heroicall diſpoſition with Abraham, uuGen. 14.22.Gen 14:22that the king of Sodome ſhall not make them rich; no crooked or indirect meanes ſhall bring them in profit: they will not bee beholding to the king of hell for a ſhooe-tie. Stilicus the tyrant was ſlaine by the ſouldiers for his avarice; and when they had faſtened his head and right hand to the point of a ſpeare, they cauſed a cryer to proclaime in the Army, D…te eleemoſynam homini inſatiabilis avaritiae, Give this poore man a peny.

4. Love not the world; Nolite diligere, ſaith Saint Iohn, not Nolite habere. Wealth may bee a palace of pleaſure for our offspring, a fortreſſe of defence for our poſterity: and it may be a tower for the records of vengeance, a library for thatxxZech. 5.4.Zech 5:4 flying booke, which is threatned to deſtroy men and houſes. I ſhould thinke my ſelfe bleſt in this dayes errand, if every man would vouchſafe by the tryall of his heart, to try the foundations of his houſe, whether they totter upon ſand neere unto deſtruction; or reſt upon the Rocke, able to withſtand the tempeſt of Gods indignation. The danger of my profeſſion, a burden under which the ſhoulders of Angels may juſtly ſhrinke, cals upon mee to call upon you for this examination; whether the world hath overcome you, or you can ſay with Chriſt,yyIoh. 16.33.John 16:33 I have overcome the world.

5. Hee that directs an awfull eye toward his laſt account, will by many degrees bee more carefull of the manner, than of the matter of his gaines; how he gets, than what it is hee gets. The matter of his unjuſt profit hee ſhall leave behinde, perhaps to thoſe that will never thanke him for it; an inſtrument of their ſinne, and an occaſion of their ruine. But the unlawfull manner will either bring a judgement home to his doores here, or at leaſt follow him to judgement hereafter. Moſt men are too forward admirers of them that ſwell with riches, and ſwimme in pleaſures; as if they were the onelyonly darlings of heaven: who are the happy men but they? But as Paul ſaith of his ſhipwracke, p. 1047aaAct. 27.21.Acts 27:21We ſhould not have gained this loſſe: ſo wee loſe by our gaines, when thoſe gaines come from wickedneſſe, wherein a good conſcience ſuffers ſhipwracke.

6. Yea worſe: for a temporall loſſe a man grieves but once: but for his unlawfull gaines he muſt grieve for ever. It ſeemed to be a leſſe matter for which that worldling forfeitedbbLuk. 12.20.Luke 12:20 his ſoule. Therefore as you tender your barnes and deareſt dwelling places; as you would not have the ſtones and timber deſtroyed: alas, what hath timber and ſtones deſerved? yet becauſe the vulture hath caried al to her neſt, neſt and al muſt be ſet on fire? As you tender the fruit of your loines, and would not conſult ſhame to your owne houſe, nor wrappe up your poſteritie in the ſame deſtruction with your ſelves; be not entangled, be not overcome with this world. We abhorre the beaſt that kills her young ones with too much indulgence: let not us then deſtroy a child in the gaine of a childs portion, as if a man ſhould ſell his horſe to buy him provender.

7. Alas, they know not the price of a ſoule, that chaffer it away in the market of this world; they beare that rich treaſure in their bodies, as a toad doth a pretious ſtone in his head, and knowes it not. O then lay not up your hearts there, where riches abound and multiply: lay not up riches there, where theeves breake through and ſteale: lay not up theeves there, where vengeance may breake in and conſume: lay not up vengeance there, where is no hope of redemption for ever.

8. There be other riches, if our hearts could light on them: as Auguſtine diſtinguiſheth of Pauper in animo, and Pauper in ſacculo; poore in mind and in purſe. So may wee of the rich; there is a ſpirituall wealth as well as a ſecular: and ſo true and precious is the ſpirituall, that the ſecular wealth is but ſtarke beggary to it. The Cabinet of it is the Soule, and the treaſure in it God himſelfe.Aug. O happy reſolution of that bleſſed Father; Omnis mihi copia, quae Deus meus non eſt, egeſtas eſt: all my wealth, beſides my God, is penury. Let them ſeeke after the earth, that have no right to heaven: let them deſire the preſent, which beleeve not the future. The Chriſtians wealth is his Saviour: can he complaine the lacke of any thing, that hath the Author of all?ccPſal. 23.1.Ps 23:1 The Lord is my Shepheard, I ſhall not want. Hee is rich in God, and may well ſing that contented ditty, Fines ceciderunt mihi in praeclaris; ddPſal. 16.6.Ps 16:6The lines are fallen unto me in pleaſant places, I have a goodly heritage. God gave the water to fiſhes, the aire to fowles, to beaſts the earth, the heaven to Angels; but he gave Himſelfe to man: Whom have I in heaven but thee? and I deſire none on earth beſides thee. Let us give our ſelves to God, and God will give himſelf to us, and nothing ſhall be wanting to our bleſſedneſſe.

The latter end is worſe with them than the beginning. Where two ſtates are compared, and one of them preferred, they both muſt bee conſidered. Wee muſt ſee how bad the beginning is, before wee can perceive the latter end to be worſe than it.

The beginning is a ſtate of ſin, and that's bad enough: let us a litle perpend the infelicitie of it. Rectum eſt index ſui & obliqui: the warpes and crookedneſſe of a table are diſcerned by the Rule: ſin is carentia rectitudinis, and muſt be brought to the rule for demonſtration. Good is honeſt, profitable, pleaſant. Some things are honeſt, not profitable, nor pleaſant: as to be ſimple as a Dove, and not wiſe as a Serpent, is honeſt; but there is both loſſe and diſpleaſure in it. Some things are profitable, not honeſt, nor pleaſant; as the gaines of unrighteouſneſſe; which both make a diſhoneſt ſoule and a melancholy conſcience. Other things are pleaſant, not profitable, nor honeſt: as wanton and luxurious mirth; which neither becomes the perſon, nor is commodious to the eſtate. A bitter medicinall potion though it be not pleaſant, puts on the name of goodneſſe, becauſe it benefits the health. Good is all theſe, and ſinne is contrary to all theſe; which diſcovers the unhappy condition of it.

1. It is vile and diſhonorable, therefore quarit angulos & latebras: it is ſo conſcious p. 1048of the owne deformitie, that it is loth to be ſeene; as the woman that hath a blemiſh on her face, would ſtill be hiding it. Adam was aſhamed as ſoone as he had ſinned; when there was yet none to looke upon him, but onelyonly ſhee that was in the ſame predicament. How did David ſeeke to palliate his ſinne: firſt with a tawny cloke; the husband muſt ſhelter his diſhoneſty with the wife: when that would not ſerve, then with a ſcarlet cloke; through the bloud of the huſband making way to the bed of his wife. Why did he put himſelf to theſe ſhifts? was he not a King? who durſt accuſe him? who durſt whiſper againſt him? O but the ſinne of greatneſſe is the greatneſſe of ſinne, and hath evermore a proportionable ſhame.

2. Sinne is grievous and irkeſome,eeIer. 2.19.Jer 2:19 an evill thing and bitter: like ſome wine that pleaſeth the palate, but hath a harſh farewell. That which taſted pleaſant to concupiſcence, lies bitter on the ſtomach of conſcience. For this monitor is left behind when all the reſt miſcarry. As the devill ſpared one of Iob's ſervants on purpoſe to affright him with the newes, and torment him with the relation;ffIob 1.15.Job 1:15 Ego ſolus aufugi: ſo conſcience is reſerved to afflict the heart of a ſinner, when the other faculties are ſuſpended from executing their functions; I alone am eſcaped to tell thee. There is alſo in it a guilty feare; Peccatum carnifex peccatoris: as a malefactor changeth countenance before the Iudge. Fugit impius, & nemo perſequitur. The Seminary ſuſpects every traveller for a Purſuivant; the theefe, every man for an officer. Adde to all this the ſervilitie of a ſinner, that dares not diſpleaſe his ſlave. For quem admiſit famulum, invenit tyrannum; thoſe rude and barbarous retainers whom hee hath fed with indulgence, are ready to cut his throat. Poyſon hath beene put in a cup of gold; yet you may waſh it ſo cleane, that you ſhall drinke out of it without danger. But ſinne ſo infects the veſſell, body and ſoule, that nothing but the blood of Chriſt can clenſe it. The Viper, the Baſiliske, or whatſoever ſerpent, is not killed with the own proper venime: but ſinne deſtroyes the ſubject wherein it is bred. This is bad enough, but not the worſt of it.

3. Beſides all this, it is deadly and damnable. It repells God himſelfe; non ut fortior debilem, vel excellentior minorem; ſed ut foeditas domus habitatorem: it does not bid him goe, but ſo offends him that he will not ſtay. When the wife that hath a noble and kind husband, ſhall admit a baſe miſhapen groome to her bed, and give him thoſe conjugall rights which ſhe owes to the other; yea doth her endevour to make her Lord wait upon his ſlave: this cannot command his ſeparation, but gives juſt cauſe of a divorce. If a man ſojournes with his tenant, and findes by his wilfull neglect of him; the unwholeſomeneſſe of his dyet, unhandſomeneſſe of his lodging, and ſluttiſh careleſneſſe of all ſervice to him, that hee would be glad to be rid of him; it is time to be gone. Iacob left Laban when hee ſaw hisggGen. 31.5.Gen 31:5 countenance change upon him. How grievous is it upon ſuch termes to loſe our makers ſociety? Every ſinnefull hand is ready to wrong the widow, becauſe ſhe wants a friend to defend and plead her cauſe: her husband is gone. All our malicious enemies let drive at us with deadly violence, when God (our Husband and head) hath forſaken us: They preſently conclude,hhPſal. 71.11.Ps 71:11 God hath forſaken him, perſecute him and take him, for there is none to deliver him. The haires of a mans face or head doe grace him; for etiam hac excrementa, ornamenta: but when they are clip'd off, they are troden under feete. Hee that is joyned to God, is ſo long honoured; but when a ſeparation is made, there is nothing more contemptible than that man.

Now lay all this together, and we ſhall find the former condition wofull enough: can there be a worſe? Yes, there is a worſe.iiIoh. 15.22.John 15:22 If I had not ſpoken to them, ſaith our Saviour, they had had no ſinne. That is, No ſinne reſpectively, or in compariſon of that ſinne whereof they are now guilty. God made us able to continue holy and happie, but wee ſoone forfeited all: hee did put us in a faire way by p. 1049n…ure; but wee went out of it, at the Townes end. Againe, hee calls us in Chriſt; (for wee were anothers, and are Gods but at the ſecond hand) if after this wee fall away, our latter end is worſe than our beginning. Worſe in divers reſpects.

1. Their ſinnes are worſe now than they were at firſt, therefore their eſtates muſt needes be ſo. As nothing can make a man bad, but ſinne: ſo nothing can m…ke him worſe, but the greater meaſure of ſinne. When is a reprobate at the beſt? onelyonly when hee is borne: then as his ſinnes be feweſt, ſo his Iudgement were eaſieſt.kkIer 9.3.Jer 9:3 They proceed from evill to evill, ſaith the Prophet: yea,ll2 Tim. 3.13.2 Tim 3:13 they waxe worſe and worſe, ſaith the Apoſtle: as a River is ſmall and fordable …t the head, but greatens as it runnes on, by the acceſſion of new waters. It h…d beene beſt for them not to have beene at all: or if they muſt have a being, to be abortive: or if they muſt be borne, not to live to know that they are borne: but to bate of thoſe moneths in the world, which they had in the wombe: or if they muſt live, never to die: for death, that ends others miſeries, begins theirs. Augustus and Severus did much miſchiefe in their beginnings of raigne, much good towards their ends: therefore it was ſaid of them; That it was pittie, quod eis vel naſci, vel mori contigerit: And it had beene good for the Commonwealth, that either they had never beene borne, or never died. So it had beene l…ſſe unhappie for theſe Apoſtates, if either they had had no beginning, or no end, whoſe end is worſe than their beginning. Nor be their ſinnes onelyonly worſe, becauſe of their number, as two evils are worſe than one: but worſe for the nature; more malicious, and full of venime, than the other were. An old Serpent caſts forth the more deadly poiſon; an old Dog bites ſore, and rankles the fleſh; an old Foxe hath the more odious ſtinke; a bloudied robber is more mercileſſe; a long feſtered Vlcer is almoſt uncapable of cure; an inveterate ſinner commits the more execrable villanie.

Paritie of ſinnes is an idle dreame, fit for thoſe old Stoikes and Iovinian heretikes. It were ſuperfluous to ſay, That God will reward ſinners according to their workes, if …ll their workes were equall: as if Iudas had not done a fouler act than Pilate. There be two-fold worſe; as the Phariſe made his ProſelytemmMat. 23.15.Matt 23:15 two-fold more the child of Hell than himſelfe. There be three-fold, foure-fold worſe;nnAm. 1. & 2.Amos 1 For three tranſgreſsions, and for foure. There be ſeven-fold worſe: ſuch was Mary Magdalen, before the ſeven devils came out of her: and ſuch was that other ſinner when theooMat. 12.4….Matt 12:4 ſeven freſh devils entred into him. There be ten-fold worſe They have provoked me ten times: every provocation made them worſe than they were, becauſe it was a worſe ſinne than the former. Yea, reprobates aged in ſinne, die a thouſand-fold worſe than they were borne. Saint Iude ſpeakes of ſome th…t are Twice dead: and we ſay of the cheating Bankerout, that dies without repentance, or any conſcience of ſatisfaction, that he is five time… dead. Firſt, d…ad in honeſtie and conſcience; that was long before putrified fleſh. S…condly, dead in eſtate; which is either drowned in riot, or ſmothered in coozenage. Thirdly, de…d in credit; his name ſtinkes worſe than a new-opened Grave. Fourthly, dead in body, the common debt of nature. Fifthly, and laſtly, dead in ſoule, and that for ever; the worſt death of all. Thus their ſtate, like their ſinne, is worſe in the end than the beginning.

2. Beſides all their other ſinnes, they have the ſinne of unthankfulneſſe to anſwere for. While they were bond-men, God contented himſelfe with ſuch workes from them, as became bond-men: if they neglected their ſervice, it was but according to the nature of ſlaves, who will doe nothing without blowes. But when they are emancipated, and by Gods grace taken into the number of his free ſervants, from the bondage of Satan; now their rebellion becomes treaſon. Before, their oppoſition to God was but hoſtilitie, now it is treacherie. And their and is accordingly, worſe; becauſe the Lord fights againſt them, not as againſt p. 1050enemies, but againſt rebels. One enemie may find merciemercy of another, but deſtruction is the due meed of a traitor. A man is poore, and cannot ſubſiſt: a rich friend lends him money to ſtocke himſelfe, and drive a Trade: hee miſ-ſpends this Portion in riot: ſo loſeth both his fortune, and his friend; and becomes of a poore beginner, a wretched beggar. Wee had nothing to ſet up withall, were not worth the ground wee trod on; our whole eſtate being forfeited in Adam: God, who is rich in merciemercy, tooke pittie on us, forgave that infinite debt wee ought him, ſouldered up our broken ſubſiſtence, truſted us with a new Talent of grace, trying whether wee would thrive better with that. And when we could put him in no Securitie for it, hee tooke Bond of his owne Sonne for us; who ſealed the Covenant with his owne precious bloud. If after all this favour, we ſhall either burie our Talent in the darke earth of ſupine careleſneſſe, or waſt it in overchargeable licentiouſneſſe; we worthily againe become Bankerouts, and loſe all hope of reparation. Then will our Almighty Creditor begin to call in our Debts, both Principall and Intereſt, together with the former Arrerages: and when it is found, that we have neither wherewith to pay, nor whereof to live; what will follow but miſerable impriſonment, till wee have payed the uttermost farthing, that have not one farthing towards it?

Here is indeed a latter end worſe than the beginning: for then we had ſome credit, now God will truſt us no farther.ppMat. 13.12.Matt 13:12 To him that hath, ſhall be given: but from him that hath not, ſhall be taken away, even that he hath. Then we had a Suretie, now we have no body to undertake for us:qqHeb. 10.26.Heb 10:26 There remaines no more ſacrifice for their ſinnes. Before there was poſſibilitie of recovering our ſelves, by repentance;rrHeb. 6.6.Heb 6:6 now we cannot be renewed by repentance. Now come thoſe old ſinnes to be required, which before wee thought pardoned; and that God had as fully buried them in remiſſion, as we had in oblivion. But remember that unmercifullſſMat. 18.32.Matt 18:32 ſervant, who had his pardon cancell'd, becauſe hee would not forgive his fellow. This new ſinne calls all the reſt to remembrance, and the Booke is found uncroſſed: ſo he that yeſterday thought his eſtate good, ſufficient to pay every man his owne, and to live on beſides; is to day worſe than naught. So ſeverely doth God plague ingratitude; yea, in effect he plagues men for nothing elſe. He doth not condemne Chriſtians for ſinne, but for the habite and obdurateneſſe in ſinne: not for impuritie, but for impenitencie: not ſo much becauſe they have ſinned, but becauſe they have not repented.ttRev. 2.21.Rev 2:21 I gave her ſpace to repent, and ſhe repented not This is the Indictment that ſhall Caſt her at the great Aſſiſes. A man may be pardoned, that wants innocence; but he can never be pardoned, that wants penitence. Not the weakeneſſe of faith, (for Chriſt will not quench the ſmoaking Flaxe; but the want of faith, excludes from Heaven. The world ſhall be convinced of ſinne,uuIoh. 16.9.John 16:9 becauſe they beleeve not on me; ſaith our Redeemer. The ſoule is not without ſinne, that beleeves on Chriſt; but the ſoule ſhall not periſh for ſinne, that beleeves on Chriſt. Not becauſe they have done opera tenebrarum, ſome workes of darkeneſſe, are they condemned; ſed quia dilexerunt tenebras, and potius quam lucem: but becauſe theyxxIoh. 3.19.John 3:19 have loved darkeneſſe more than the light; this is the condemnation. The Tenants are put out of the Vineyard, not ſo much for non-payment of their Rent, as for abuſing their LandlordsyyMat. 21.34.Matt 21:34 ſervants, and killing his Sonne; for their unthankfulneſſe they are diſplaced. It is not one breach of charitie that ſends men to Hell; but it is uncharitableneſſe, that is turned away with that malediction,aaMat. 25.41.Matt 25:41 Goe ye curſed. The wiſe Iudge at once pardons him that hath done a great Robberie, and condemnes another for cutting a Purſe of ſmall value; and both with equitie. The former is ſpared, becauſe it was his firſt offence, and there is hope of amendment: the other hath made it his Trade and deſperate diſeaſe; not to be cured, but by the Halter. Seeing therefore that the merciemercy of God doth not condemne us for our faults, but for our impenitencie in thoſe faults: not for contracting ſpots, but becauſe being ſpotted, wee will not make p. 1051our ſelves cleane: not for caſuall wandrings, but wilfull declining the way: not for ſometimes leaving off our innocencie, but for never wearing it, yea wearing nocence in ſtead of it: therefore let us ſay with that good old Hermite, Though I cannot hinder birds from flying over my head, yet I will keepe them from making their neſts in my haire: though we cannot avoid all ſinnes, we will be truely ſorrowfull for the ſinnes wee have not avoided, and hereafter ſtrive againſt the ſinnes for which we have ſorrowed.

An ungracious ſoule may bee burdened with many ſinnes; but ſhee never makes up her full load, till ſhee hath added the ſinne of unthankfulneſſe. Hee leaves out no evill in a man, Qui ingratum dixerit, that cals him unthankfull. Ingratitude totius orbis compagem ſolvit, diſſolves the joints of the whole world. A barren ground is leſſe blamed, becauſe it hath not been dreſſed. But till it with the plough, truſt it with ſeed; let the clouds bleſſe it with their raine, the Sunne with his heat, the heavens with their influence: and then if it bee infertile, the condition is worſe: before it was contemned,bbHeb. 6.8.Heb 6:8 now it is curſed. Take an offending ſervant, chide him, chaſtiſe him: then ſecond this with encouragements to goodneſſe, the promiſe of favour, honour, reward:Chryſost. Hom. 5. in 2 Tim. if after all this he mend not, turne him out of doores, let his end be worſe than his beginning. No wonder, if God that is not praiſed for ſo much, hold his hand from giving more: if when his good is requited with evill, hee proportion his reward to that evill. The dunghill will ſtinke worſe after it is heated with the beames of the Sunne: the wicked are the worſe for all Gods favours: and the worſe they grow toward the end, the worſe it ſhall be for them in the end.

3 Becauſe cuſtome in ſinne hath deaded all remorſe for ſinne. Man firſt goes into ſinne, as a young ſwimmer into the water; not plunging himſelfe over head and cares at the firſt daſh; but by degrees: till he come in profundum, and then contemnit. Samſon is bound with greene withs, they will not hold him: with new ropes, they will not hold him: with the woofe of his owne haires,Aug. none of theſe can hold him. But he was fetter'd with the inviſible chaines of an harlots love; and theſe hold him. She cuts off his lockes, deprives him of God, enervates his ſtrength, pluckes out his eyes, makes him a ſcorne to boyes, caſts him into priſon, and damnes him to a perpetuall mill. Thus doth ſinne (inſenſibly) weaken grace, darken knowledge, diſhonour abilites, caſt into the dungeon of hell, and binde to the mill of everlaſting paines. When a man comes firſt to dwell by a Pewterer or hammer-Smith, the beating mallet upon the brawling metall ſo diſquiets him, that hee can neither take his reſt by night, nor enjoy his thoughts by day. After a while hee is ſo uſed to it, that he findes no trouble in it; but can ſnort ſupinely in the midſt of thoſe thundring peales: yea even th…t harſh muſicke of Tubal-cain rockes him aſleepe. As wee ſay when his maſter knockes loudeſt, the Smiths Dog ſleepes ſoundeſt. This pejorates his laſt condition: before hee committed foule acts but ſometimes; and had his lucida intervalla, ſober thoughts and modeſt recollections. That hammerer within him, who is alwayes knowne by her tongue, Conſcience, was like the Prophet to David, or the Cocke to Peter; diſturbing his unjuſt peace. But now either ſhe ſpeakes not, or ſhe ſpeakes and he heares not, or he heares and cares not. So his end is worſe, God giving him over, as the Phyſician does a deſperate patient. Before his wounds were greene and ſmarted: now they are all dead fleſh; inſenſible therefore incurable.

4. Becauſe their hypocriſie prevents all waies of remedy. For knowne diſeaſes there be knowne medicines: hee that tels his griefe, is not alwaies cured; but he can never be cured that tels it not. When Winter comes, the Viper vomites out her poiſon, and hides it in the earth: but in the Spring,Plin. nat. Hist. lib. 8. cap. 39. there is bred in her a new and more pernicious venime than the former. In ſome foule weather or ſharpe ſtorme of affliction, hypocrites ſeeme to lay aſide their rancour: p. 1052but the Summer of proſperity breeds a worſe in them. Now God abhorres all ſinne as we doe venime; and where he findes it worſe than it ſeemes, hee leaves it worſe than it is. They are like men that walking the ſtreets of a city in the night, and hearing the Bell that warnes all to lay by their weapons; leave their ſwords with ſome friend for a time, as if they (of all men) meant no harme: but they know when to fetch them againe. They can make a ſhift to faſt, and pray, and weepe for the ſeaſon, or at leaſt diſſemble theſe, that they may aſſume the more unſuſpected liberty to their ſinnes. As you have ſeene a company of children dividing themſelves (as it were) into two armies, whereof one is held the others enemie: they make a ſhew of fighting, and running, and wraſtling, and contending for the victory: but when the play is done, they goe home hand in hand, and laugh at their bickerments. Or as Advocates, that wrangle bitterly in the Courts, and embrace one another friendly in their chambers; all their quarrell was but to get their Clients purſes. So theſe hypocrites loudly conteſt againſt thoſe ſinnes, which they ſecretly imbrace with all their hearts. Their beginning was onelyonly ſinne, which is a ſingle iniquity: their end is hypocriſie, which is a double iniquity. Simulata ſanctitas, duplex iniquitas. Therefore their latter end is worſe.

5. Becauſe they wilfully deſtroy themſelves, by forſaking and renouncing all gracious remedies. They are ſo much the worſe, as they might have been better. Relapſes are held by Phyſicians to be our owne faults; imputed to our ſelves, as occaſioned by ſome diſorder in us: and ſo we are not onelyonly paſſive, but active in our owne ruine. For their bad beginning they may thanke their parents; for their worſe ending they muſt blame themſelves. They were borne ſinners, they have made themſelves rebels. They doe not onelyonly ſtand under a falling houſe, but pull it downe on their owne heads. They are not onelyonly executed, that implies guiltineſſe: but executioners, and that implies diſhonour: and executioners of themſelves, and that implies impiety. To be borne in ſinne, is bad; but there were ſome noble faculties of the ſoule left: to deface theſe, is worſe; yet Chriſt is offered to recover all; to reject him, this is worſt of all. In their firſt eſtate there was ſome comfort derived from the univerſality; All men are ſinners: and it is ſome degree of comfort to be but in the ſtate common to all. But by this recidivation they fall from that comfort into ſelfe-condemning deſpaire; charging themſelves with unprovident careleſneſſe, and unthankfull wickedneſſe, in deſtroying that with their owne hands, which the hand of God offered to preſerve. Many a one loſeth his life, but theſe caſt it away: and who can helpe him that will needs periſh?

ccIoh. 5.14.John 5:14Thou art made whole: ſin no more, leſt a worſe thing come unto thee. There is then a worſe thing behind; and yet the former evill was ſore enough, even a ſickneſſe of thirty eight yeeres long. Ne pecces ulterius, ne ſentias deterius. But what is a diſeaſed body to a damned ſoule? What is the lying in rags, to being wrapped in torments? There was a Poole or Bath of healing; ſome hope of recovery; with an Angell to move the water. But in hell there is no Angell, no Poole, not a drop of water: nec ingreſſus medici, nec ſpes remedii. Therefore Serva praeſcriptum, ne ruas in poſtſcriptum: if thou ſinne againe, there is a worſe evill to come.Ier. 51.9.Jer 51:9 Languor prolixus gravat medicum: a tedious ſickneſſe tires the phyſician; eſpecially when the patient will not obſerve his preſcribed dyet. It hath beene ſaid, that in ſickneſſe there be three things materiall: the Phyſician, the Patient, the Diſeaſe. When any two of theſe joyne, they have the victory; the third cannot prevaile. If the phyſician and the diſeaſe joyne, downe then goes the patient: if the cure be miſtaken, the very medicine advanceth the maladie. If the patient and the diſeaſe joyne, then downe goes the phyſician; for he is diſcredited, though hee could not helpe it. But if the phyſician and the patient joyne, then downe goes the diſeaſe; for the ſicke perſon recovers. Sinne is the ſoules p. 1053ſickneſſe, whereof every man is a Patient and God the Phyſician. Now if the Phyſician for the Patients frowardneſſe, joyne with the diſeaſe; juſtly puniſhing ſinne with ſinne; the ſoule is loſt. If the patient joyne with the diſeaſe; if the ſinner make much of his ſinne, and will by no meanes forgoe it; here the Phyſician is diſhonoured ſo farre as in man lies: not becauſe God is not skilfull, but the patient is wilfull: non deficit medicus, ſed faſtidit aegrotus. ddMat. 8.2.Matt 8:2Lord, if thou wilt, thou canſt make me cleane: he can, but the other will not. But if the Phyſician and the patient joyne; if Chriſt preaches, and Mary Magdalen repents: if Chriſt promiſes, and the ſinner beleeves: here out goes the diſeaſe though it were as ſtrong as ſeven divels; and the Patient is reſtored. Some thing lies in the Patient: if we take our ſinnes part againſt Chriſt, we periſh: but if we take Chriſts part againſt our ſinnes, we ſhall be ſaved.

6. Becauſe a relapſe is ever more dangerous than the firſt ſickneſſe: more ſoone incurr'd, more hardly cured.

1. Sooner incurred, and that for divers reaſons: Firſt, As when the body is recovered of a diſeaſe, there ſtill remaine ſome embers, and coales, and fewell of that diſeaſe: the branches are cut downe by proper phyſicke, the root and occaſion is left behinde. So ruinous a farme did man take, when hee tooke himſelfe; all the ground being overſpread with weeds: every turfe, every ſtone, every muſcle of the fleſh, and bone of the body, hath ſome infirmity belonging to it: not a tooth in the head is priviledged: ſo that the houſe is ſtill ready to fall down. Yet the ſoule is in worſe caſe; not a facultie, not an affection without diſtemper. To undertake the cure of it, man being the Phyſician, were but to perfume dung; to draine, not a mariſh where earth is mingled with water, but a mote where all is water: where ſinne hath not invaded a part, but poſſeſſed the whole ſubſtance: yea even to raiſe the dead, for we are naturally dead in ſinnes. To cure the accidents, even actuall ſinnes is a great worke; yet civill education and goodneſſe of diſpoſition may doe ſomething to that. To cure the ſtrength of ſinne is greater, yet the grace of Chriſt doth that. But to cure the roote of ſinne, is the greateſt worke, reſerved only for that great phyſitian; and hee doth it by a ſtrange medicine, even by death. By death he gives this perfect life; ſo that the body of death is onelyonly helped by the death of the body. Till then, the action of ſinne may be reſtrained, and the Body of it mortified, but the roote remaines. Wee are laid as it were upon a pile of faggots, and our ſelves (if there were no other) are the bellowes. Ignorance blowes this coale: for even for ſinnes of ignorance was aeeNumb. 15.24.Num 15:24 ſacrifice required, therefore a ſinne imputed. Knowledge much more blowes this fire.ffRom. 1.32.Rom 1:32 They know the Iudgement of God awarding death to ſuch things, yet they doe them. Nature blowes this coale; that diſpoſeth us to ſinne: and the Law blowes it.ggRom. 7.11.Rom 7:11 Sinne tooke occaſion by the commandement; as if wee did ſome things becauſe they are forbidden. Originall ſinne is another bellowes, whereby that firſt imprinted ſeed infuſeth a ſpring of ſinne into us: and wee have done worſe thanhhIer. 7.26.Jer 7:26 our fathers. Temptation is another bellowes; that continually blowes this ſparke: and as though we yet wanted wind, wee tempt our ſelves, and blow it with our own luſts. Not yet ſatisfied,iiIam. 1.14.Jas 1:14 as if wee were not cunning and able enough to undermine and demoliſh our ſelves, we ſuffer others to bee our bellowes, and even ſinne for their ſakes. So Adam ſinned for Eves ſake, and Salomon to gratifie his wives; which was an uxorious ſinne. The Iudges ſinned for Iezabels ſake, and Ioab to pleaſe David in the loſſe of Vriah, which was a ſlaviſh and bloody ſinne. Pilate ſinned to humour the people, andkkAct. 12.3.Acts 12:3 Herod to give further contentment to the Iewes; which was a popular ſinne. So eaſie it it to ſinne upon ſinne, to ſinne upon the recovery of a ſinne.

When a man is a little reſtored from a grievous fit, he thinkes the danger paſt; 2that he is able to eate and walke; and therefore will bee going abroad into the aire, whiles his weakneſſe is to penetrable; and chuſeth repaſt not eaſily digeſtible: p. 1054hereupon hee relapſeth. Thus the ſoule riſing from a ſinne, preſumes too much of the owne ſtrength; and does not feed upon thoſe delicate cordialls whereby the heart may be fortified: but falls to groſſe meates, unexamined actions; dangerous courſes. The Iſraelites were ſo fleſh'd with two or three victories, that they let flie uponllIoſh. 7.3.Josh 7:3 Ai; as confident of the victory, and contemning the enemy; but they were beaten for their labour. It was a good preparation of mind; Si modo victus eras, ad craſtina bella parato. Si modo victor eras, ad craſtina be… paveto. The counſell is good;mmEccl. 5.5.Eccl 5:5 De propitiato peccato noli eſſe ſine metu: After propitiation, 3yet bee not without feare of ſinne.

If the recovered patient, beſides the choice of his dyet, doe not alſo addict himſelfe to moderate exerciſe, a worſe diſeaſe may breed on him; as the Iaundiſe follow an Ague, and the Gowt becomes the effect of a Surfet. So ſpeeds the ſoule, that doth not exerciſe it ſelfe in good workes and religious duties. So the uncleane ſpirit returning found his houſe. Scopis mundatam, ſed fide & operibus vacuam; nnMat. 12.44.Matt 12:44ſwept indeed, but empty of faith and good workes. Alas, what is ſweeping only? The beeſome cannot get up the dirt that is baked on the floore; it cannot reach the cobwebs in the roofe: here is worke for the paring ſhovell; Repentance muſt clenſe the bottome, humility muſt rectifie the foundation: and prayer, that is of an aſcending quality, muſt purge the roofe, the higher faculties of the ſoule. And when all this is done, if the roomes be left empty of poſitive goodneſſe; there is entertainement for ſeven worſe ſpirits. Thus is a Relapſe ſooner procured.

2. It is more hardly cured. Among the many weights that aggravate a relapſe, this is one; that it proceeds with a more violent diſpatch, and gives an irremediable wound, becauſe it meets with no defence nor prevention. When a diſeaſe firſt invades a ſtrong conſtitution, it finds ſomething to wraſtle withall; and as it weakens the body, ſo the body weakens it: both their forces ſpend together, one upon another: and here is a battell fought hand to hand, upon ſome termes of equalitie. Suppoſe the body gets the victory, and the diſeaſe yeelds and departs; yet being as it were left breathleſſe, if a new adverſary, a new ſickeneſſe ſets upon it; here is great ods: for the one is freſh, the other quite out of heart. Before it could endure the opening of a veine, the correction of proud humours, and expulſion of ſuperfluous matter. Now it is ſo weake, that it lies at the diſeaſes merciemercy, and hath changed all reſiſtance into patience. In the former eſtate, the ſoule did grapple with ſinne: and if it were foiled, yet not without reluctation: ſometimes it got the better, never willingly the worſe. It could then beare the correction of pride by diſcipline: the evacuation of tough humours, ſtubborne affections: all which might bring it low, but not take away the life of it; yea indeed rather quicken life in it. But being thus farre hopefully reſtored, if it againe willfully admit a habite of ſinne; this will ſo enervate all the ſtrength and vertue, that it reſiſts no more, but yeelds patiently to ſo pleaſing a captivity. The enemie comes upon it, and is not withſtood; as upon a Countrey that was weakned and depopulated before. Now it quite diſarmes the ſoule of all weapons, and munition, and poſſibilitie of reſiſtance. As Iphicrates the Athenian, when hee treated with the Lacedemonians for peace, ſtood ſo hard upon ſecuritie of performing the articles agreed, that hee refuſed any but this: that the Lacedemonians ſhould yeeld up to them all thoſe things whereby it might bee manifeſt, not that they would not hurt them though they could, but that they could not hurt them though they would. Thus the Relapſe is more dangerous, Non ſolum propter …orb… potentiam, ſed propter ſubiecti impotentiam; becauſe ſinne is ſtronger, and man is weaker.

Laſtly, the latter end is worſe with them than the beginning; ex parte Eccleſia, ex parte ſua, ex parte Dei, ex parte Diaboli.

p. 10551. In reſpect of the Church. While they carried a face of reſpect to the Church, they were wrapped up in the generall prayers of the Church; and ſeemed to be of that number, for whom, as the friends of God, there was a continuall remembrance in good mens interceſſions.oo1 Ioh. 5.16.1 John 5:16 There is a ſinne unto death: I doe not ſay that thou ſhalt pray for it. Samuel will pray for Saul, till he perceive that he hath given over the Lord, and the Lord him.pp1 Sam. 16.1.1 Sam 16:1 How long wilt thou mourne for Saul, ſeeing I have rejected him? If Samuel mourne, becauſe Saul hath caſt away God by his ſinne; yet Samuel muſt ceaſe mourning, becauſe God hath caſt away Saul by his juſt puniſhment. To be deprived of the benefit of good mens prayers, is a heavie loſſe. Such a one is ſingled out for one of Gods enemies, and his judgement haſtened, by the entreatie of Gods ſervants.qqIudg. 5.31.Judg 5:31 So let all thine enemies periſh, O Lord: this is the prayer for him. They that deſpiſe the chaſt love of their Saviours Spouſe, and are bewitch'd with the painted, but ill-favoured Strumpet of Rome, are no longer reputed friends, but adverſaries, and Apoſtates. The Church may lament for them, not becauſe ſhe feares ſhe ſhall miſſe them, but for that ſhee knowes they ſhall want her. They have her compaſſion, they have loſt her benediction. And if any ſparkes of goodneſſe lye covered under their cold aſhes, it ſhall but ſhew them a glimmering, of how happie they might have beene, how wretched they are. But as thoſe that are ſuddenly come from a bright Candle into a darke Roome, are ſo much the more blind as their Light was clearer; or as the pureſt Ivorie turnes with fire into the deepeſt black: ſo at once their eyes are taken away, with their hearts; and thoſe ſoules that ſeemed white, as rinſed in the bloud of the Lambe, become as blacke as Hell, or the blacke Prince that rules it. Before they ſate in the congregation of Saints; now neither Sermons, Sacraments, nor prayers ſhall do them more good, than a meale of meat put into a dead mans mouth.

2. In reſpect of themſelves. They were at firſt ſtated in ſinne, then put into a faire way of deliverance: if after this, they goe backe to their firſt durance, Seipſos peſſundederunt. This is done three wayes: Firſt, they have ſteeled their forheads. When a man for his firſt Theft is caſt into priſon, he becomes diſconſolate and melancholy; he lookes upon his friends with ſhame, upon his accuſers with feare, upon the Iudge with awe and trembling: but through frequent impriſoning, pudorem carceris deponit, he bluſheth not for his foule facts, nor is ſenſible of his bondage; but drinkes, riots, blaſphemes, as if his Iayle were a Taverne; and that without thought of calling, or being called to the Barre for a reckoning.rrIer. 3.3.Jer 3:3 Thou hast a Whores forhead, refuſing to be aſhamed; Renuisti pudore ſuffundi. Secondly, they have putrified their hearts, that ordinarie ſtripes will not reach to the quicke.ſſEſa. 1.5.Isa 1:5 Why ſhould ye be ſtricken any more? ye will revolt more and more. Their long tugging at Satans Oares, and wearing his ſhackles, hath ſo brawned their fleſh, that they are not ſenſible of the ſervitude.ttEccl. 3.26.Eccl 3:26 A ſtubborne heart ſhall fare evill at laſt; and he that loveth danger, ſhall periſh therein: not he that runnes into danger, that's every mans caſe; but if men love dangers, it is fit they ſhould periſh. A garment may be ſo old and neere worne, that being rent, it cannot againe be ſowed together; it is not capable of the needle and thred. No compunction can enter into ſuch a heart, nor make way for the thred of comfort, to heale the breaches. They have need to beg for, not with David, Cor mundum, but Cor novum, a new heart; for the old one is quite paſt mending.uuDan. 3.25.Dan 3:25 Wee did caſt three men bound into the fire, ſaid that Tyrant; and loe, I ſee foure men looſe, walking without hurt, and the forme of the fourth is like the Sonne of God. Other ſinners have but three enemies to deale withall, the Devill, the world, and the fleſh; but theſe have a fourth foe, idque infeſtiſsimum, a hard heart: and the forme of the fourth is like the Sonne of perdition. Thirdly, they have ſtupified their conſcience, diſgraced it as a Scold, and condemned it for a common Barretor. Before they carried their Clocke about with them; now they have left it off, that they p. 1056might not know how their time paſſeth. But at laſt God ſhall ſet it a going, and to their horror on their death-bed, they ſhall heare it ſtrike their laſt houre, with a diſmall ſound and heavie knell: When Satan, that long held them in the pleaſant Gallerie of hope, ſhall take them aſide, and ſhew them the darke dungeon of deſpaire. If their old feſter'd Vlcers come but to a new inciſion, they ſhall confeſſe their end worſe than their beginning.

3. In reſpect of God: who will no longer acknowledge them for his people, that have rejected him for their God.xxRom. 10.19.Rom 10:19 I will provoke you to jealouſie by them that are no people, and by a fooliſh Nation I will anger you. The Iewes counted the Gentiles Dogs; ſuch as would be glad of their crums: now, for the others Apoſtacie, the Gentiles are come to their full Tables, and the Iewes are turned out of doores. As a Mother ſometimes, for a fault done by her little one, thruſts it from her, and ſaith it ſhall be her child no longer; withall taking up a ſtrangers child into her boſome. This ſhe does not ſeriouſly; but God did ſo indeed, rejecting the Iewes, and embracing the Gentiles. Or as a man divorceth his Wife for adultery, and before her face marries her handmaid, clothing her with the rich robes and jewels of his forſaken Spouſe; ſaying to her, You have choſen another Lover, I will chuſe me another Wife. So the Lord to Iſrael: You have taken another god, even your Idols; I, another people, even the Gentiles. You have angred me, by giving my honour to Idols: I will anger you, by giving your prerogatives to ſtrangers.

The bondage of this Land was lamentable, under the tyrannie of Antichriſt; when we were driven to eate the Bread of Superſtition, and to drinke the Wine of Fornication, or faſt. God hath delivered and confirmed us under the hands of three gracious Princes; if wee ſhall now apoſtate and revolt from the integritie of his ſervice, our latter end will be worſe than our beginning. In ſtead of Poperie, we ſhall find Turciſme, yea Atheiſme, and infidelitie; till wee can onelyonly ſay, Here was the Church of God. Why ſhould we wonder, that God forgets Shiloh, when Shiloh hath forgotten God? Indeed, hic locus eſt lacrymis: to ſee the Turke caſting our, not onelyonly Chriſtians, but Chriſt; and placing his Mahomet in the roome: proudly blaſpheming, That his Law is above either Moſes, or Chriſts; as being after them both, and none (ſay they) to come after it. Not unlike the Ieſuites, who interpret the Puneiſme of their Societie to be an honour above the Ancientie of all other Orders. To ſee the prevailing Papiſts not onelyonly caſting out the true profeſſors of the Goſpel, but even the Goſpel it ſelfe; and ſetting up their Idoll, the Maſſe, in Gods Temple! Remember old Eli ſitting by the way ſide, and ſeeing a meſſenger comming with his clothes rent, aſhes on his head, all his face blubber'd with teares; ſo that he might read the heavie newes in his countenance: yet hee had ſtrength to aske him,aa1 Sam. 4.17.1 Sam 4:17 What is there done, my ſonne? He anſweres; Iſrael is fled before the Philistines: that troubled him; yet he ſate ſtill: what more? There hath beene a great ſlaughter among the people: that came neerer him; yet he ſate ſtill: what more? Thy two ſonnes, Hophni and Phinehas are ſlaine: that made a deepe gaſh in the heart of (ſo kind) a father; yet he ſate ſtill: what more? Can there be any worſe than this? Yes, ſaith the meſſenger, the worſt of all is behind; The Arke of God is taken: that word ſtrucke him dead. He that had power to heare all the reſt; Iſrael turning their backes before their enemies, the people maſſacred, his owne ſonnes ſlaine: yet no ſooner heard this, but his ſtrength forſooke him, hee expires with a groane, he fell downe and died. The report comes to his daughter in law, being great with child, and neere her travaile: ſhee heares the newes of ſo many deaths; of the people, of her brother in law, of her father in law, of her owne husband, with the ſurpriſall of the Arke of God: theſe griefes were above the griefes of child-birth; ſhe preſently falls in labour, and yeelds out a ſonne. The women about her, cheare her with this comfort; Feare not, thou haſt borne a ſonne: bbIoh. 16.21.John 16:21which digeſts the ſorrowes of the former paines. But ſhe anſwered not, nor regarded p. 1057it, but cryed out; The glory is departed from Iſrael, becauſe the Arke of God is taken, and becauſe of her father in law and her husband. And leſt the ſtanders by ſhould think, that her griefe for al theſe loſſes was alike; ſhe as it were corrected her ſelf, and inſiſted onelyonly in lamenting the loſſe of the Arke, and dyed with that in her mouth: theſe were her laſt words,cc1 Sam. 4.22.1 Sam 4:22 The glory is departed from Iſrael, for the Arke of God is taken: and ſo ſhe dyed. In the cauſe of Chriſt we have loſt much people; perhaps ſome of us our fathers, ſome our brothers, ſome our ſonnes, other their husbands and friends; many worthy ſouldiers, whoſe funeralls wee bedeaw with our juſt teares. But if the Arke of God ſhould be taken, our Candleſticke removed, the Goſpell darkened, wee have too wofull cauſe of weeping out our very eyes, and crying, Our latter end is worſe than our firſt.

4. In reſpect of the Devill, who loſing a ſoule which hee deemed his owne, rageth,ddMat. 12.43.Matt 12:43 and walkes through dry places, ſeeking reſt but findeth none. Non quia nuſquam alibi conſiſtere poteſt, ſed quia nuſquam alibi conſiſtere cupit. But when hee recovers it, tanquam pradam è manibus, vel bonum è faucibus ereptum, he hampers it with greater cruelty. A priſoner for his faire and noble carriage, and round paiment, hath the favour to bee allowed the liberty of the priſon; to have thoſe chaines and fetters forborne him, wherewith other malefactors are bound. But through their negligence or indulgence, hee breakes priſon: now let him looke well to himſelfe; if ever the Iaylor catch him againe, he will make him faſt enough. Taken he is, and now what can he looke for but cruell uſage? Before hee had no ſhackle, now he is bound with two chaines for failing. Before he had the freedome of the priſon, now he is caſt into the dungeon. Before hee might ſleepe in the night, and not be diſturbed; now day and night he is watched. Before one locke was thought enough to hold him, now many doores, and locks and barres are ſhut upon him. Before he had but one keeper, now he hath ſeven worſe to inthrall and vexe him: ſo farre is this laſt durance worſe than the former. They that have eſcaped the ſervitude of Satan, by the revelation of the Goſpell of Chriſt, and adhere to a new Maſter, their Maker; are ſafe under his almighty protection. But if they ſhall againe revolt, and forgoe the bounds of obedience, till they be re-apprehended by their old Iaylor, how grievous is their miſery? Now will he blind the eyes of their ſoules, ſtop their eares from hearing Sermons, feed them with nothing but temptations, harden their hearts, ſeare up their conſciences, and at laſt hale their ſoules to everlaſting torments. For where the ſorrowes of this world end, the paines of hell begin, and (which is moſt fearefull) ſhall never end. O then the latter end with them is worſe than the beginning.

If this be their end, that relapſe from God to the world: then the contrary holds in them that are wholly recovered from the world to God; The latter end with them ſhall be better than the beginning. Better in regard of holineſſe; good ever, and beſt at laſt.eeProv. 4.18.Prov 4:18 The path of the juſt is as the ſhining light, that ſhineth more and more unto the perfect day. Better in regard of happineſſe,ffPſal. 37.37.Ps 37:37 Marke the upright man, and behold the juſt, for the end of that man is peace. The wicked begin pleaſantly, and goe on without interruption; but the end payes for all.ggEccl. 11.9.Eccl 11:9 Reioyce in thy youth, follow thy delights; ſpare for no coſt, want no jovialtie; but when the Hoſt comes in with the reckoning, all is daſh'd; For all theſe God will bring thee to Iudgement. So Abner to Ioab concerning that unkindly warre;hh2 Sam. 2.26.2 Sam 2:26 knoweſt thou not that it will be bitterneſſe in the latter end? Yea, ſuch a warre had bitterneſſe enough in the beginning. Lazarus began with paines, and the rich man went on with pleaſures; but nowiiLuk. 16.25.Luke 16:25 the one is comforted, and the other tormented. Sinne and puniſhment are like Hippocrates twins they are borne together, they go together, and they grow together: but they neither laugh together, nor cry together: for ſinne rejoyceth while miſery weepes to ſee it, and miſery willkkPro. 1.26.Prov 1:26 laugh at ſinne while it weeps to feele it. As Naomi ſaid to her two young daughters;llRuth. 1.12.Ruth 1:12 leave mee, my daughters, leave me: whereupon Orpah kiſſes and parts, but Ruth clave to her. So p. 1058the ſoule in diſtreſſe, diſmiſſeth her two children, Pleaſure and Paine; let me alone, forſake me: Pleaſure will be gone; yea, even leave her, without taking leave of her:Bern. but Paine ſtickes by her: for where ſinne is let in, puniſhment will not be kept out. Sinne hath a fore-noones face, and an after-noones face. It lookes lovely to ill-affected eyes, painted with glorious colours, decked with Roſes and Lilies, all the day. But it changeth countenance in the evening; like a plaiſter'd Strumpet, that when ſhe waſheth off her Complexion, lookes full of horror.mmAmos 6.4.Amos 6:4 To lye upon Beds of Ivorie, and to tumble upon ſoft Couches▪ to eate the Lambes out of the flocke, and Calves out of the Stall, to ſing and dance to the Viols, and drinke Wine in Boules; this is the fore-noones countenance of ſinne.nnMatth. 25.30.Matt 25:30 Caſt the unprofitable ſervant into outer darkeneſſe, where is weeping and gnaſhing of teeth; that's the evening face.

But to the children of God there is firſt ſorrow, then joy: ultimum, optimum. There isooRuth 3.10.Ruth 3:10 more kindeneſſe in the latter end, than at the beginning. The Chriſtian beginnes in crying, and goes on in mourning, but this ſhall bring him peace at the laſt.ppPſal. 126.5.Ps 126:5 They that ſow in teares, ſhall reape in joy. The Iſraelites were firſt brought to the bitter waters of Marah, before they might taſte the pleaſant fountaines, the milke and hony of Canaan. In vaine doe we expect the river of Gods pleaſures, before wee have pledged Chriſt in the cup of bitterneſſe. There muſt goeqq1 King. 19.11.1 Kgs 19:11 a winde before us, bluſtering perſecutions; and an earthquake, ſtrong temptations: and a fire, even a fiery triall; before wee heare that ſtill voice of comfort. Ioſeph dealt roughly with his brethren at the firſt; he bound one, hee ſent for another, hee troubled them all: but at laſt hee breakes forth in compaſſion, I am Ioſeph, feare not, I am Ioſeph your brother. So Chriſt firſt layes his croſſe on our ſhoulders, to ſee how we will move under it with patience; he chaſtiſeth us with ſcourges, to prove our obedience: and when wee begin to thinke him angry with us, hee appeares to our ſoules in another face, in another voice; I am Ieſus, feare not, I am Ieſus your brother. When wee have pledged him in his gall and vineger, then he will drinke to us in the new wine of his kingdome. He that is the Doore and the Way; hath taught us that there is but one way, but one doore, but one paſſage to heaven; and that a ſtraight one: though with much preſſure and tugging wee get through, leaving our ſuperfluous ragges behinde, as torne from us in the crowd, wee are happy. Hee that made heaven, did on purpoſe make it thus; narrow and hard in the entrance; when wee are entred, wide and glorious; that after our paine, our joy might bee the ſweeter. Through many tribulations wee enter into heaven, but wee ſhall enter, and into no worſe a place than heaven. Not unlike the way by which Ionathan and his armour-bearer aſcended to the garriſon of the Philiſtines; betweene two rockes, Bozez and Seneh, Fol…e and Thorny: but when they were got up, they obtained victory. By what hard ſhifts ſoever we climbe up to heaven, we have abundant recompence in the triumph and glory. After the roaring of waters, flaſhes of lightening, and noiſe of thunder, comes the delightfull muſicke ofrrRev. 14.2.Rev 14:2 Harpies and ſongs.

The devill ſerves men, as Iael did Siſera: ſhee ſpeakes peaceably to him,ſſIudg. 4.18.Judg 4:18 Turne in my Lord, turne in: he askes her water, ſhee gives him milk: ſhe covers him with a mantle, keepes him cloſe and warme; gets him aſleepe, and then ſhee kils him. So Satan gives ſinners the kiſſes and language of peace; Turne into me, I will ſecure you:ttPſal. 73.10. verſ. 7.Ps 73:10 Therefore his people turne in thither, and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them. He ſurpaſſeth their deſires in kindneſſe; They have more than heart could wiſh. Hee wraps them up in riches and ſinnes together; that they know not whether they are more ſafe or ſecret: luls them aſleepe with mirth and proſperity: but when all is done, hee cuts their throats▪ But Chriſt chuſeth us, as the Iſraelite was to chuſe a captive woman: firſt hee ſets her a mourning forty daies, cuts her haires and nailes, prepares her with humiliation, then takes her home, and makes her his wife. Chriſt firſt taxeth us with ſevere repentance, p. 1059exerciſeth our patience, and ſhaves off our ſuperfluous luſts; which though they were but the excretions of the ſoule, wee held deare as the virall parts: but when this is done, he takes our ſoules home to his owne kingdome, and marries us to himſelfe in eternall bleſſedneſſe. At the marriage in Cana of Galile, he turned their water into wine: much more at his owne royall wedding will hee turne all the water of our teares, into the wine of endleſſe comforts. The weeping ſoule ſhall never goe to the place of weeping: but what then ſhall becomeuuLuk. 6.25.Luke 6:25 of the laughing? There is provided for them a diſmall place of weeping, howling, and gnaſhing of teeth. Weepe heere, and weepe never: mourne not here, and mourne for ever. Thus while the Beginning of the ungodly doth ſeeme a Paradiſe, and their End is Hell: our Beginning might be a kinde of Purgatory, but our latter end is Heaven.