Commentary on 2 Peter, Commentary on 2 Peter volume 1 · Chapter 2 · Verse 10 · Part

Commentary on 2 Peter · Commentary on 2 Peter volume 1 · Chapter 2 · Verse 10 · Part

p. 733Our Reaſons.

Argum. 1. Whatſoever is forbidden by the Law, is ſin; but the Law forbids the firſt motions of luſt. If you aske, what commandement forbids it, I anſwere; Luſt with conſent is forbidden in the ninth, Luſt without conſent in the tenth▪ Without this diſtinction I ſee not how we can make ten commandements: the ſeventh forbids luſt in the voluntary deſire, as our Saviour expounds it.Matth. 5.28.Matt 5:28 Therefore if the tenth ſhould not reſtraine the involuntary and firſt riſing luſt, it were ſuperfluous, as being all one with the ſeventh. It is not untrue, that originall ſin is condemned in the whole Law, but more directly in the firſt and laſt commandments: becauſe theſe two more properly concerne the heart of man: the former reſpects it as concerning God, the other as concerning man.aaRom. 7.7.Rom 7:7 Saint Paul confeſſeth that his luſt tempted him againſt his will; and by that luſt he meanes the firſt motion: for the ſecond, which are with conſent of will, he knew well enough before to be ſins: yea, the very heathen knew this by the light of nature. To covet then is forbidden; if we doe covet, we breake the Law therefore ſin. The other lawes condemne pravos affectus quibus delectamur: the laſt,Calvin. ipſos appetitus quibus titillamur. To ſay with Pererius, that the former only prohibite Actus exteri…res, and the laſt conſenſus interiores; is falſe by Chriſts owne expoſition: who p. 734citing the Law, Thou ſhalt not kill, affirmes it to be broken by raſh anger: and that, Thou ſhalt not commit adultery; by luſting after a woman.

Argument. 2. Rom. 7.20. If I doe that I would not, it is no more I, that doe it, but ſinne that dwelleth in me. He is unwilling, yet he calls this luſt, ſinne. Pererius anſwers, it is called ſinne, becauſe it is Effectus peccati, or Affectus peccati: as the writing is called the hand, becauſe it is written by the hand: or as Frigus is called Pigrum, ſlothfull, becauſe it makes men ſlothfull. Solut. But that which makes a man bad cannot be good it ſelfe. Quicquid efficit tale, ipſum magis eſt tale. Concupiſcence is not only cauſa peccati, and paena peccati, ſed ipſum peccatum; as Saint Auguſtine hath it. The Ieſuite replies, Auguſtine meanes not peccatum morale, nor peccatum mortale; but vitium corruptae Naturae: as blindneſſe, deafeneſſe, lameneſſe, are called Peccata ſive errata Naturae: as being againſt the integrity and perfectneſſe of our naturall conſtitution: ſo the rebelling of concupiſcence is againſt the integrity and perfection of the ſoule; an error in nature. Anſw. There are naturall faults in the ſoule; as ignorance, forgetfulneſſe, dulneſſe of underſtanding; in the body, infirmities, weakeneſſe, ſickneſſe: which are the effects of ſin, not ſins themſelves. But all theſe are effects and paſſions, whereas concupiſcence is active and working. In a word, it reſiſts the motions of Gods ſpirit, now all diſobedience is ſin. In civill matters no man is acceſſary to a ſin withour conſent of will, but it is otherwiſe in the court of conſcience.

4 What varietie of luſts there be.bbEph. 2.3. 1 Ioh. 2.16.Eph 2:31 John 2:16 Saint Paul enlargeth luſt to all motions, inclinations, paſſions, and perturbations, of heart, mind, will and affections. Originall concupiſcence is the ſeed of all ſins in man: looke how many ſins there be in the world; ſo many luſts in the heart of man: the number of luſts is no leſſe than the number of ſins. Of actuall luſt, there be two degrees: ſudden, or voluntary and deliberate. Sudden is the motion not agreed to voluntary is with conſent. The eye is ſometime caſt upon an object on the ſudden, without any intention or conſultation of the mind: ſometime it is ſent on the hearts errand by the minds direction. As the eye may be ſhut in a twinckling without thought or purpoſe: and it may be ſhut with deliberation, to ſleepe, or prevent harme. The heart is a fornace, that ſometime ſends forth ſudden, ſometime leaſurely flames. The firſt is the nature of ſin, the next is the nurture of ſin: conſent doth nurſe the child of death, practiſe brings it up: actual luſting is the oile that feeds the lampe of concupiſcence. The mother brings forth the daughter, and the daughter nouriſheth the mother: Hagar produceth Iſhmael, Iſhmael ſuſtaines Hagar: bleſſed is that Abraham, whoſe houſe is well rid of them both.

5 How hainous this ſin is; even no leſſe than damnable in it ſelfe. Luſts are often more puniſhed by the great Iudge, than diverſe actuall ſins. The continued luſt of uncleanneſſe, is worſe than a diſcontinued art of uncleanneſſe. He that alwaies deſires pollution deſerves greater puniſhment, than he that is overtaken with it againſt his will. One killes a man againſt his will, another deſires to kill him and is hindred: this laſt is the murderer before God. It is this luſt that Paul calls the burning: it is one thing Calefieri, a good man may be hot: but Vrere, to burne, is another thing; when luſt finds indulgence, and is ſcarce reſtrained with ſhame.ccMatth. 5.28.Matt 5:28 The act of adulterie is not more haynous among men, than the unlawfull deſire and conſented luſt of the heart is to God. Without practiſe, the very purpoſe ſtands culpable before him. Silly people thinke the commandment is not broken, if the outward groſſe ſin be abſtained: but God fetcheth in malice, anger, envie, within the compaſſe of murder. Some ignorants uſe the commandments for prayers: poore ſoules, they little thinke they are Gods thunderbolts, to throw them into hell for their ſins. Thus Vſurie, the deſire of gaine by the undoing of others: hoording of corne in dearth, which is to make a private profit of Gods publike Iudgement: bad example, with a delight to corrupt others; which are like thoſe erring lights, that inſtead of guiding ſhips to the haven, lead them upon p. 735rockes and ſhelves: all theſe are degrees of murder. So a wanton eye, an obſcene diſcourſe, a vaine attire, a light behaviour; all theſe are degrees of adultery: luſt is like a ſecret malignity in the bones, hardly got out: wounds and ulcers are ſooner cured becauſe of their appearance. Adultery may be reſtrained by corporall impotency; ſtill luſt is hid within; it muſt be a potent medicine that fetcheth it out. Vſes.

1 It juſtly humbles us: if the firſt motion, without conſent be ſin: if the ſecond with conſent be greater ſin; Lord, who can ſay, my heart is cleane? Not many can cleare themſelves ſo withdd1 Sam. 12.3.1 Sam 12:3 Samuel, from the act of injuſtice: fewer witheeAct. 2….33.Acts 2:33 Paul, I have coveted no mans gold, &c. but, I was never tempted to this; no man could ever ſay this but one, even that man who is the Sonne of God. If we had no more, this laſt were enough to hide our faces, and ſtop our mouthes before the Lord. Too few take notice of this naturall uncleanneſſe: though it be borne in them, and borne about them; yet they neither ſee the filth, nor feele the weight. Moores, that never ſaw men of more temperate climates, thinke there is no other complexion but their owne.ffEccl. 18.30. Aug. de mixt. & Concup. cap. 23 &. 29.Sir 18:30 He doth much good that goes not after his luſts: ſed non perfectum bonum facit, but he is not perfect, that doth not what is written, Thou ſhalt not luſt. Now ſhall we not be caſt downe for that, which without repentance will caſt us downe to hell? Paul did not more trulyggGal. 6.17.Gal 6:17 Beare about him the markes of the ſecond Adam, than we doe all the markes of the firſt Adam. Let us know, that eternall fire is the wages of this luſt; conſent makes it hotter, practiſe enflames it. This luſt is in us all, and this luſt is ſufficient to condemne us all.

But then, alas what ſhall we doe? How ſhould we ſcape? This neceſſitates our ruine. Therefore as the law compelled him that hadhhExod. 21.33.Exod 21:33 Opened a pit, and left it uncovered, to make good his neighbours beaſt that miſcarried in it. So having opened a pit, leſt any ſoule ſhould periſh in it, let me cover it againe with comfort. The condemning quality of this ſin is taken away by Baptiſme; Reatus tollitur. Asts 2.38. All ſinnes, now children have no ſin but originall luſt.iiAug. cont Iul. lib. …. cap. 8. Reatus, qui fuerat generatione contractus, eſt regeneratione tranſactus. In Chriſt it is pardoned, and ſhall not caſt his members to hell. Yet is it by nature ſo dyed in graine, that nothing but his bloud can purge it. And even in the purged, it ſtill remaines, tanquam in homine ſecum confligente. It ſhall not raigne over us here, not confound us hereafter, yet will dwell in us till our diſſolutions. It was the Pelagians ſlander, that we hold Baptiſme, non auferre, ſed radere peccata; onelyonly to ſhave our ſin, becauſe the root of concupiſcence remaines. But we ſay, it frees us from the damnation and domination, not from the inhabitation of ſin.

2 It teacheth us to withſtand the beginnings of ſin, to kill that peſtilent brood in the cradle, to deſtroy them in their infancy, as we doe a neſt of young Waſpes.kkIam. 1.25Jas 1:25 For luſt, when it hath conceived, bringeth forth ſin: and ſin, when it is finiſhed bringeth forth death. Luſt tempteth, there's the mother: being moved by the divell, there's the father: it conceiveth, thus the child is begotten betweene them; concupiſcence being the divels ſtrumpet, by whoſe pregnancy he fils his kingdome of darkeneſſe: ſhe is mater mortuorum, the mother of the dead; as grace (like Eve) is mater viventium, the mother of the living. Delight is the midwife. It bringeth forth ſinne, there the child is borne: it muſt now have a Nurſe to bring it up, that is cuſtome: and the full ſtature it growes unto, is death. It tempteth by entiſing the minde to evill, conceiveth by the conſent of will and reſolution to doe evill, bringeth forth by execution and practiſe; nurſeth it to growth by cuſtome and continuance: laſtly, this ſtripling engendreth another childe, Benoni, the ſorrow of the mother, and that is death. If we cannot prevent the conception, yet let us deſtroy it in the birth, make it abortive, by purpoſing never to act it: if it paſſe the knees, and draw the aire of intention, yet let us ſtop it ere it come to action; let us not doe the determined evill. If it over-ſway us to like and act it, yet let it never come to an habite, let us devow a cuſtome. But how much more eaſie were it p. 736to ſtop it in the firſt cauſe, as ſeaſonable phyſick doth meet with an infection at the firſt taking, before it run into the veines, and corrupt the bloud. The ſeed of Iſhmael had never afflicted the ſeed of Iſrael, had Iſhmael bin killed when he was baniſhed. As the firſt riſing of Elias's cloud, Ahab had time to get home dry: that once aſcended, all the ſpeed of his Chariot cannot out-run the ſhower. Cut off the gangren'd joynt, and ſave the body. The way to miniſh the increaſe of ravenous and noxious fiſhes, is to deſtroy the ſpawne with the mother: to be rid of harmefull birds, is to ſpoile their neſts. When a fire-ball is throwne into a ſhip at a ſea-fight, they preſently caſt it out ere it breake or faſten. Meete thine enemy at his comming out of his bed, before he arme himſelfe: take luſt ere it come to a rebound. At the firſt motion, ſtop the mouth of it: let it never make a reply: ſtand not to argue, leſt thou be overcome.

3 Let us avoid them as perilous and mortall enemies. 1. Dangerous for their nature; continuall tempters. Conſcience doth ſometimes ſleepe from reproving, theſe never reſt from enticing. 2. Dangerous for their number; Si c… temnas quia minima, Aug.timeas quia plurima. Many temptations come in by the Cinque Ports, the ſenſes; mo by Satans injection, that preſents to the affections things abſent from the ſenſes. Moſt (by lust it ſelfe; that as no created thing is quicker than thought) tumbles over a thouſand deſires in an houre: many ſtrings to ſins bow, that if ſome breake, the reſt may hold: many traines of powder, ſome likely to take fire. 3. Dangerous for their effect, bringing forth the moſt monſtrous offences; mille actus vetitos, & mille piacula. …v 9 2.Open but the pit, out ſwa…e theſe peſtilent Locuſts. Who would have thought that Davids wanton look ſhould have begot murther? He that hath given way to his luſt, muſt confeſſe ſuch fearefull precipices. Murther we deteſt; yet how many hands hath the luſt of revenge embrued in bloud; how many neckes hath it brought to an ignominious halter? Incontinence hath the name from uncontained luſt: many a diſeaſe of body, reproch of name, conſumption of ſtate, loſſe of life and ſoule, are beholding to it. 4. Dangerous for their continuance: an ill ſeaſoning, that is never got out but by breaking of the pitcher: a marke that all carry to their graves, ſome to their torments. While the ſoule doth animate a body mortall, it will tempt both body and ſoule. Cut off the ſprig of a tree, it growes ſtill; a bough, an arme, ſtill it growes: lop off the top, yea, ſaw it in the midſt; yet it will grow againe: ſtock it up by the roote; then (and not till then) it will grow no more. Next unto God and Chriſt, we may thanke death it ſelfe, for the abolition of luſt. We have three birth-dayes: the firſt of nature; this gives luſt the breeding: the ſecond of grace; this ſets lust a bleeding; it doth mortifie it, not nullifie it; moribundum, non mortuum reddit: the laſt of glory, then are we rid of it for ever. Thus all the Saints in heaven are thrice borne; to ſi…, to grace, to glory. Luſt in the firſt is a King; in the ſecond a ſlave; in the third nothing. The ſecond nativity croſſeth the firſt, the laſt perfects the ſecond. To be freed from concupiſcence is a maine motive of that zealous prayer; Come Lord Ieſus, come quickly.

Let us (in the meane time) beware the captivity of our affections.Rom. 6.12.Rom 6:12 Let n…t ſin raigne in our mortall bodies: where it is a ſoveraigne, it will force obedience. It will ineſſe, let it not praeeſſe. There is difference betweene luſts, and actuall ſins. 1. Interventio temporis: luſt is ſudden, action requires time, Luk. 12.20. He hath the preſent luſt of covetouſneſſe, he muſt tarry a time to enlarge and fill his barnes. 2. Interjectio loci: luſt often deſires, that cannot be preſent, therefore adultery muſt ſtay for opportunity. 3. Interceptio organorum: nnNum. 22 29.Num 22:29Balaam had a deſ…re to kill his harmeleſſe beaſt, but he had no weapon: the hand is not ſo quick as the thought. 4. Interpoſitio impedimentorum: Abſalom luſts for his fathers Crown there be many hindrances, he cannot reach it. If to atchieve were as eaſie as to deſire, one mans luſt were able to ruine all the world. 5. Interceſsio …rgument…r…: the ſoule hath ſome diſcourſe betweene the luſt and the act. Video melior a prol…q…, p. 737is in the ſoule of a Medea, a Sorcereſſe. 6. Intermiſsio cogitationum: ſometime, the ſecond naile drives out the firſt. So the LORD ſets our luſts together by the eares, as the Egyptians againſt the Aegyptians; that while two poiſons wraſtle we may live. The falling out of theeves helpes the true man to his goods. The luſt after beautie is driven out by a deſire of revenge, that againe by a golden thirſt and if grace comes, this drives them out all; as the feathers of an Eagle, that will not endure blending with other feathers, but rather conſumes them. All theſe Inters ſhould be the interruption of ſinne, and for the compunction of heart: that though concupiſcence have conceived, ſhe may not be delivered. Iuſtly ſhould we ſay to luſt; as the Hebrew did to Moſes; ooExod. 2.14.Exod 2:14Who made thee a Prince over us? whence haſt thou this authority? Wilt thou kill me, as thou killeſt the worldling? No, thou ſhalt not, I have a deliverer, Rom. 7.25.

5 Seeing the fleſh will be in man, ſo long as man is in the fleſh; let us ſtrive to fill our hearts with better deſires. Luſt workes in the memorie, by remembring vanities, injuries, bad examples: in ſtead of theſe, let us remember our ſins, our ends, our Audite. In the affections; if it worke by pride, ſtop it out by humility: if by malice, with charitie: if by uncleanneſſe, with chaſtitie: if by covetouſneſſe, with liberalitie: if by revenge, with merciemercy as darkeneſſe will give place to the Sun. In the minde, if idle thoughts finde roome, it is becauſe God is not there.ppCol. 3.16.Col 3:16 Let the word of God dwell in you plenteouſly: emptineſſe of that food will cauſe the repletion of windy luſts. In the body, if it worke by drunkenneſſe, rather turne Rechabite, never drinke wine. If by ſurfet and high feeding, fall to Daniels pulſe, ſhorten the commons of ſin: as it is better to beat downe the houſe, than to be fired in it. If by Idleneſſe, skrew up thy endevours to a greater taske.qqExod. 5.8, 9.Exod 5:8Exod 5:9 They be idle, therefore regard vaine words: thus a Pharaoh could conclude. Let luſt never call, but we have other buſineſſe. The beſt remedie is prayer: when concupiſcence tempts us to folly, let us make the matter knowen to our husband, CHRIST. When luſt covets tranſient riches, call home the meditation of thoſe permanent joyes; and ſay Our father which art in heaven. When luſt would ſtudy how to get honour; then ſay Hallowed be thy Name. When ambition would have ſuch a preferment; then ſay, Thy kingdome come. When it would carve thy owne portion; then, Thy will be done. When it covets moneys and riches; then, Give us this day our daily bread. When it would revenge thy wrath on others, then ſay, Forgive us our treſpaſſes, as we forgive them that treſpaſſe againſt us. Howſoever it tempts us, let us pray, Leade us not into temptation. And that we may never yield unto it, Deliver us from evill. Let not luſt raigne in us, For thine is the kingdome: we cannot avoide it our ſelves, for thine is the power: and for our deliverance, Thine be the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

Of uncleanneſſe.] Of ſores and ulcers and ſuch noiſome pollutions, ſordid and odious to God and good men; ſuch is the ſubject of my preſent diſcourſe: that this may well be called a Spittle-Sermon. But as the Phyſitian is ſeldome ſent for, unleſſe men be ſicke; nor is ſo much conſulted about dyet as phyſicke; The whole need him not, but the diſeaſed. So if there were no ſin, you ſhould need no Preacher: yet wiſe men require antidotes and preſervatives; and would rather pay the Phyſician to keepe them well, than to make them well; health being not ſo eaſily reſtored, as conſerved. Therefore let them that be infected with this leproſie, learne now the meanes of their recoverie: let them that be not infected, obſerve the meanes to continue their puritie. Whether they be or be not, this diſcourſe, like the Bath, ſhall doe them no harme: an honeſt heart will not returne unbettered. For method, firſt, I will deſcribe the diſeaſe of Vncleanneſſe, then the cauſe, laſt, the cure.

The diſeaſe lies not like the Meagrim in the head, nor like a Pleuriſie in the bloud, nor like a Gowte in the joynts and extreme places, nor like an ach in the bones: but it is Epidemicall, like an ill habite of body, and poſſeſſeth in a reprobate p. 738not only Totum hominem, but Totum hominis: as Iob was not here and there ulcerous, but all his body one coagulated ulcer;rrEſ…. 1.6. There is no whole part about him. Firſt, there is a contemplative uncleanneſſe, when the mind pleaſeth it ſelfe with vicious thoughts: thus there may be a world of wickedneſſe in a man, though the acts of pollution be refrained. The devill, who isſſIoh. 8.44.John 8:44 The father of luſts, raignes in the ſoule by theſe: yea ſuch a heart that infernall Prince takes up for his bedchamber. Secondly, there is a preparative uncleanneſſe, which is an effeminateneſſe of carriage; or affectation of inviting the eyes of luſt: all their poſtures being ſo many characters, to ſpell the meaning of their laſcivious hearts. It were well, if ſuch an one were forced to cry, as the Leper in Iſrael, I am uncleane. 3. There is a procurative uncleanneſſe; that takes up the devils office, and helpes forward the damnation of men. Such was Ionadab to Amnon; whoſe unkindely flame might elſe have waſted it ſelfe out in time; but that ſuch a wicked counſellor blew the coales. This was no worſe a man than the Kings brothers ſon: now this noble Pander will project a courſe for Amnons ſatisfaction. The procurer is as uncleane, if not worſe than the committer: the fire would languiſh, vaniſh, periſh, if there were no ſuch feweller. 4. There is a ſenſitive uncleanneſſe; when the eare ſucks in obſcene ſtories, the eye delights in immodeſt mixtures, and the tongue skrewes it into all diſcourſes. This is, as if the doore were not wide enough, to ſet open all the windowes, and breake downe the wals, to let in the aire of uncleanneſſe. Actuall uncleanneſſe followes, whereof there be many degrees.

1 Fornication; I meane not titular; as Hoſteſſe and Harlot are convertible termes: nor metaphoricall; as thettHoſ. ….4. children of whoredomes: nor ſpirituall; as Idolatry is called fornication: but corporall; which is commmonly taken for the incontinency of ſingle perſons. The naturall cure of this uncleanneſſe is marriage thus Shechem bewrayes a good diſpoſition even in filthineſſe, he would not let Dinah fare the worſe for his ſin. But as he had with diſhoneſt rage abuſed her, ſo he ſtrives with honeſt love to entertaine her. Her deflowring ſhall be no prejudice to her: as the ſin was done by him; ſo he would have the whole ſhame redound to him; and ſo he will hide her diſhonour with the name of a husband. To this purpoſe he communes, craves, offers, indeed would buy her; even purchaſe leave to make her ſatisfaction. He ſues to his father, to hers, to her brethren, to her ſelfe; and begs with ſubmiſſion what he might have gotten with violence. The father conſents, ſollicites, is ready to buy his ſons peace with his owne paine. No dowry ſhall hinder, but Shechem ſhall recompence Dinah. How far worſe are they, that abuſe without any purpoſe of amends? But mariage in this caſe is ſome ſatisfaction, no reſtitution: a good ſalve is not ſo good as no ſore. This may make the next act lawfull, not juſtifie the former. How ever the ſcene concludes, the firſt entrance was naught. Though a late ſatisfaction be better than none, yet a timely prevention is beſt of all.

2 Adultery; when one or both are maried: this is the breach of many faiths; and ſo much the more pernicious, as it is a wilfull ſhipwrack abroad, when it hath a harbour and ſafe remedy provided at home.

3 Whoredome; which is a mad and tranſportive deſire to abuſe many. Sometimes it is luſt, joyned with anger; doing it in ſpight; a deſperate revenge, by polluting anothers bed to caſt away his owne ſoule. So the fooliſh childe, when one ſnatcheth his apple, throwes his bread after him. Sometime it is joyned with covetouſneſſe; he waſts his body to fill his purſe; as a foole burnes his band to make tinder. Alwayes is it joyned with folly: not ſo much reſpecting a faire woman as ſhe is faire, but as ſhe is a woman: foule water will quench that fire as well as faire.

4 Vnnaturall uncleanneſſe; as men with men, men with beaſts, women with divels, as it is reported of ſome Witches. But theſe things are ſo horrenda facts, ut etiam pudenda dictu.

p. 7395 Vncleanneſſe with our owne kindred, which is inceſt. To patronize this,…e…t. 25 5. Gen. 38.8. Matth. 22.24.Gen 38:8Matt 22:24 ſome alledge precept, practiſe, and cuſtome. But that Law to the Iewes, was partly politicall, for diſtinction of families: and partly Typicall, preſerving the right of primogeniture, prefiguring the ſpirituall birth-right in the Meſsias, which ſhould be endleſſe.uuLevit. 18.16Lev 18:16 The morall law was otherwiſe: therefore we anſwer, that albeit God had particular exceptions from his generall lawes: as the Cherubins over the Arke was an inſtance againſt the ſecond commandement: the Iſraelites robbing the Aegyptians, againſt the Eight: and Phinehas killing Zimri, againſt the Sixt: yet it is plaine that the Lord condemnes all inceſt.

6 With more wives than one, which is Poly-gamie. I know this fact of Iacob is diverſly excuſed. As firſt, it was prohibited by no Law.Aug. Anſw. It was not prohibited by a Law written, it was by the Law engraven: God made but one woman for one man; and he was a wicked Lamech that firſt begun bigamie. 2. But cuſtome excuſeth; as at firſt a ſide garment was a ſhame to the Romans, but at laſt it grew to a faſhion. Anſw. That was a thing indifferent, the decencie whereof time might vary: but there is no cuſtome againſt the firſt Inſtitution. 3. In the multiplicity of wives he propounded to himſelfe the multitude of children. Anſw, If ever ſuch an Indulgence had beene fit for any, then Noah ſhould have beene diſpenſed with, to propogate the world: but God gave him no ſuch indulgence. 4. This was done in a myſterie. Anſw. Indeed, Aug. Ruper. Greg. all reduce it into ſeverall allegories: yet cannot this Iuſtifie the fact; no more than CHRISTS ſecond comming like a theefe, can warrant a theefe ſudden breaking into a houſe. This therfore muſt be granted, Iacobs infirmity: to marry two wives, was his tranſgreſſion: but to marry two ſiſters, no leſſe than Inceſt. Albeit God diſpoſed this to encreaſe the holy ſeed, yet the fact is againſt his ordinance: and our poſitive Law makes it death, as by the Law Inſtitutive it is deadly.Gen. 2.24.Gen 2:24 Every man ſhall cleave to his owne wife. Vxori, non meretrici: ſuae, non alienae: Vxori, non …xoribus: to his wife, not wives.

7 Vncleanneſſe with a mans ſpouſe; I meane betweene the betrothment and conſummation.aaIudg. 29 1. The Levites ſpouſe, till he married her, was but his Concubine; and their conjunction was fornication. It is not enough to ſay, they were married before God: the hand of the Church muſt be there, or this is culpable uncleanneſſe. Marriage is no amends: otherwiſe than wilfully to breake a whole glaſſe, it is afterward to ſoalder it: yea it is rather to breake an arme or leg, to ſet it againe: or to condemne a man firſt, and then to ſue out his pardon. The common opinions, This is but a true covenant ante-dated; the taking poſſeſſion of a mans own, without due courſe of Law: the mowing of his corne before harveſt: the plucking his owne grapes ere they be ripe. But this is triviall: contract is but Ius ad rem, marriage gives Ius in re. Contract binds to marriage, not allowes to touch before marriage. Contract is but like Articles agreed upon, marriage puts a ſeale to the covenant. Such a fruite of their bodies, is but a monument of their ſinne: and without hearty repentance, a good proceeding ſeldome followes ſo bad a beginning.

8 Vncleanneſſe with a mans owne wife. This is when the uſe of the marririage-bed is either intempeſtive or intemperate: in a ſeaſon prohibited, or in a meaſure not moderated, or in a manner not ordained, or to an end not warranted: as when it hath altogether reſpect to pleaſure, not to generation; or to beget an heire for their lands, rather than a Saint for heaven; or their owne Image, rather than the Image of God. If uncleanneſſe can creepe into marriage, where will it be kept out? How ſoule is the diſeaſe, when the very remedie is often infected? Not but that Conjugium purum, but impuri conjuges: marriage doth not ſtaine, nor ſo much as dye, in the Romiſh ſenſe: it is honourable and cleane, yet the married may be uncleane.

9 Vncleanneſſe with a mans ſelfe; as the heathenbbRom. 1.24.Rom 1:24 diſhonoured their owne bodies p. 740foreign. There bee three turpitudes againſt nature; with another kinde, or with the ſame kinde of the ſame ſexe, or with no other perſon but with themſelves. Thus Saint Auguſtine diſtinguiſheth betweene Flagitium and Facinus: the latter is in hurting another, the former in committing againſt a mans ſelfe. Other ſins arecc1 Cor. 6.18.1 Cor 6:18 without the body, fornication againſt the body, this uncleanneſſe in the body. This was the ſin ofddGen. 38 9.Gen 38:9 Onan; abuſing himſelfe againſt the order of nature and Inſtitution of God. This was a grievous ſin; againſt God, whoſe ordinance he diſobeyed: againſt his wife, whom he unjuſtly defrauded: againſt himſelfe, whoſe iſſue he ſhould not have prevented: againſt mankind, whoſe number he ſhould have encreaſed: againſt his brother, to whom iſſue ſhould be raiſed. Some Hebrewes thinke, that he did it to preſerve the favour and beautie of Thamar, which bearing of children would have empaired. How ever, ſenſuall was his pleaſure and the ſin in any man is very grievous.

10 Raviſhment: the former is a rape upon a mans ſelfe, this upon another.eeGen. 34.2.Gen 34:2 Such was Shechems ſin, as ſome underſtand it: but ſome rather thinke, that Dinah being ſo light to wander and gaze, was not over-difficult to yield. Commonly, ſuch luſt ends in loathing, as Amnons; beating her out of doores, whom he was ſick to bring in. And therefore Shechems ſeemeth to be no rape, becauſe he ſtill loved her: and having wrought her ſhame in his fathers houſe, he would not ſend her home with diſgrace to her fathers Tent: but rather ſeekes to marry her whom he had defiled. His offence did not make her odious; but ſo conſtantly he affects her, that hee is willing to draw bloud of himſelfe, rather than forgoe her. Amnons rape was farre worſe: Thamar is ſent for as his Phyſician, but he makes her his phyſicke. She dreſſed him meat, but that was not the diſh hee longed for: he loves the Cooke, not the cates. She preſents the dyet, he throwes downe that, and falls a board with her. His ſickneſſe is now forgotten, the Devill hath made him luſty and ſtrong on the ſudden. The innocent Virgin intreats for her ſelfe, perſwades in vaine: ſhewes the ſin, Non licet: the ſhame, Non decet: the danger, deadly: thou ſhalt be a foole in Iſrael; I, no wife, yet no virgin. Prevailing not by reaſon, ſhee ſeeks to coole his preſent heat with future; hope of an impoſſible thing; Aske me of my father. But in vaine! he growes mad with reſiſtance, and reſolves to be a raviſher. If the Devill were not more ſtrong in ſuch than nature, they would never ſeeke pleaſure in violence. This rape defiles Amnon, not Thamar: the wrong was hers, the uncleanneſſe his. She that is raviſhed, is more a Maide, than ſhe whoſe owne looſe thoughts have made her uncleane. Two lay together, only one committed Adultery, as Auguſtine of Lucrece. She was but the Patient; and it was not her fault to ſuffer, what was not her will to doe. Her virginitie was not Perdita, but Prodita; not loſt, but torne from her by compulſory meanes: ſhe ſtill reſerved it in her ſoule, though it had forſaken her body. The Inhabitant is not to be blamed, for theeves breaking into the houſe. She can doe no more than bewaile what ſhe cannot keepe: lamenting the ſhame of anothers ſinne; living like a widdow, who was neither maide, wife, harlot, nor widdow; but a raviſhed woman. Thus you have the ſpecification of ſome Vncleanneſſes, (which O that none knew but by a generall apprehenſion and heare ſay; and not as Adam knew evill, by ſenſe and experience) now to

The cauſes; which are many. Phyſicians ſay, that to know the cauſe is halfe the cure. By cauſe, here I underſtand not only that fundamentall cauſe, which is inordinate affection, the boyling fountaine of luſt but: alſo ſuch occaſions, as breed and nurſe uncleanneſſe. Theſe are

1. A roving eye, that looks up and down for the objects of luſt.ffGen. 6.2.Gen 6:2 The ſons of God ſaw the daughters of men: by that looking came luſting, thence prepoſterous mariages, thence univerſal confuſion.ggGen. 3.7. Ambr.Gen 3:7 His maſters wife caſt her eyes upon Ioſeph: her eie led her heart, her heart, led her tongue, her tongue led her hand. Such be the harlots three weapons: the firſt engine is her eye, the very motion whereof diſcourſeth a p. 741ſilent filthineſſe. 2. Her tongue offers to take hold, where her eye cannot. 3. Her hand offers to catch him, whom her tongue cannot winne.hhGen 38.14.Gen 38:14 Thamar ſate in an open place, where ſhe might be ſeene: Hebr. in the doore of eyes. This was Achans confeſſion;iiIoſh. 7.21.Josh 7:21 I ſaw, I coveted, I tooke. The eye betraies the heart, the heart the hand: ſin gets in by the ſenſes, yea by the leaſt piece of a ſenſe; as bad aire at a cracke in the window. By them it ceizeth on the inmoſt fort, and there it commands them like a tyrant, to whom it was beholding for entrance. This is the order of our crimes: Achans ſong ſhall many chatter to a dolefull tune; I ſaw, I coveted, and tooke. The thiefe; I ſaw the booty, coveted, and tooke it: the drunkard, I ſaw the colour of the wine: the Idolater, I ſaw the goodly picture: the adulterer, I ſaw the beauty, coveted, and tooke it, and tooke my death with it.

kk2 S…m 11.2.David roſe from off his bed, and from the roofe of his Palace hee ſaw a woman. From an after-noones ſlumber he riſeth to his evenings walke: the eyes which unſeaſonable ſleepe had ſhut up, an enticing object opens. Her Bath was no open place, but luſt is quick-ſighted: ſhee could eſpie no body, but David had eſpied her.llGen. 34.1.Gen 34:1 Dinah the daughter of Leah went to ſee the daughters of the land. The daughter of Leah; her mothers owne daughter, right bred; as the harſh note of the Hebrewes ſpeakes: becauſemmGen. 30.16.Gen 30:16 Leah went out to meet Iacob upon ſuch a bargaine: as if Dinah had gone on purpoſe to be abuſed. But the Mothers daughter, becauſe both had a fault in their eyes: the mothers, a defect of nature, the daughters, a defect of nurture: hers an infirmity, this a curioſity. Her eyes were guilty of this temptation: She would needs ſee and be ſeene; and while ſhe lookes about vainly, ſhe is looked upon luſtfully. Tu otiosè ſpectas, otiosè non ſpectaris: Bern.tu ſpectas curiosè, ſpectaris curioſiùs. I know there may be a cleere and honeſt aſpection, asnn1 King. 10.7.1 Kgs 10:7 the Qu…ene of Sheba came to ſee Salomon. ooLuk. 7.44Luke 7:44See this woman, ſaith Chriſt to Simon. But it is better to be blinde, than looke with luſtfull eyes. This ſinne is little regarded: many come to the Church with Chriſtian eares, but Pagan eyes: and Satan comes faſter in at the eyes, than God at the eares: that which ſhould ſave the ſoule, is loſt by the wandring ſenſe. There can be no ſafety to the Chariot, where theſe unbridled horſes are let looſe.ppP…. 113 37. Turne away mine eyes from beholding vanity: we muſt ſee it tranſiently, not behold it wiſhly. He can never keepe his covenant with God, thatqqIob 31 …Job 31 makes not a covenant with his eyes. But my inward man is ſafe, why may not my outward man be free? This is an idle preſumption: hee is more than a man, whoſe heart is not led by his eyes; hee is leſſe than a good man, whoſe eyes be not reſtrained by his heart. So, the eare is the trap-doore of the ſoule; the flies of hell are ever humming about it. It is temptation enough to the theefe, that he heares of a booty. If diſhoneſty come ſo neare as the eare, let wonder ſtop it out, and ſave vertue the labour.

2. Bad company;rrGen 39 1….Gen 39:1 Ioſeph ſhunned the ſociety of his Miſtreſſe. We know our owne hearts, we know not the hearts of others. To be the provocation of ſinne is unholineſſe, not to avoid the provocation of ſinne is unhappineſſe. God and his Angels will protect thee in thy waies: in thy waies, not in thy wandrings. If we once rove out of the liſts of our calling, there is nothing but danger. Had Dinah kept at home, her Virginity had beene ſafe: had Shechem forc'd her in orbe muliebri, the houſe; ſhe had ſuſtained loſſe without ſinne. It had not then bin her evill, but his: her gadding gave the occaſion, even this made her not innocent. It is no ſufficient warrant to draw us into ſuſpected places, and ſpirituall dangers; only to ſee. No wiſe man will goe into the infected Peſt-houſe, only to ſee the fits of the viſited. Who would poiſon his body, to pleaſe his taſte? Quales amplectimur, tales credimur: With the laſcivious we hardly learne to be chaſte. Immodeſt behaviour makes way for luſt; this gives life unto wicked hopes. A cold deniall invites a ſecond charge: ſhe deſerves ſome blame, that hath onelyonly beene tried, though ſhe conſent not. A faire carriage keepes temptation out at the ſtaves end: lightneſſe of preſence lets it in to the grapple, and gives encouragement to p. 742lewd deſires. Though we fight and conquer, yet it was our fault that we were put to fight. A man is not only to keepe his conſcience cleare, but his name; and to keepe this is harder. For our conſcience is in our owne cuſtodie, our credit lies in the hands of other: this ſtands on likely-hoods, and their conſtruction of our deeds. It is no eaſie thing to diſprove a ſlander: like an unruly ſpirit once raiſed, hard to conjure downe. Our reputation is more fraile than our ſelves, ſtill liable to ſuſpition: it muſt be our good behaviour, and avoiding bad ſocietie, that can keepe our name from ſcandall.

3 Idleneſſe, or no company, and nothing to doe: ſuch a heart is the Devills day-bed, whereupon he takes his nooning. The Philoſopher called love Otioſum negotium; a diſeaſe to be cured by labour.ſſMatth. 25.26.Matt 25:26 Thou wicked and ſlothfull ſervant: if ſlothfull, certainely wicked: ifttTit. 1.12.Titus 1:12 ſlow bellies, preſently evill beaſts. While Iſrael is working in Aegypt; purſuing or purſued in Canaan, they have no leaſure to be wanton. Let them lie ſtill in the plaines of Midian, the dancing laſſes of Moab will ſoone ſeduce them to folly. Who ever ſaw David ſo tempted and foiled in the times of his buſie warre, as when hee was idle at eaſe? In troubles hee could riſe up in the morning to his early devotions, prevent the morning watch, breake his nights reſt with the cares of the day: the ſervice of God, and buſineſſe of ſtate, tooke him up: thus long was he innocent and holy. But when Satan finds him wallowing in the bed of idleneſſe, he now thinkes him fit for a temptation. Gentlemen that live of their lands, and thoſe of a worſe condition, that have given over all trades, to live of their moneys; thinke themſelves the only fortunate men: they need not toile, nor weary their limbes with labour: inſtead of the Pen or the Pike, the Pot and the Pipe is all their excerciſe. But there are none more unhappy; for luſt can be no ſtranger to an idle boſome: the induſtrious man hath no leaſure to ſinne. Doth any man complaine the contiguitie of his labour? he finds fault with his owne felicitie: the toile of action is recompenced by the benefit: if he were not doing good, he would be doing ill: if we did worke leſſe, we ſhould ſuffer more: while we worke not our ſelves, Satan workes upon us.

The ſitting bird is the fowlers marke: the Devill is like ſome lazy companion, that while he finds us buſie gives backe and ſees it no time to meddle with us. But if like the idle huſ-wife, when her goſſip comes in, we throw away our work and hold chat with him; nothing can pleaſe him better. Gratifie him but thus far, to talke with him; and he thinkes us ſure. Exerciſe is wholeſome for the body, better for thy ſoule. The earth ſtands ſtill, therefore becomes natures common-Sewer; the receptacle of corruption, all dregs: the heavens, that are ever in motion, are alwaies pure. The troubleſomeſt worke to a good man, is to have no worke: which when he hath ſupplied by prayer and meditation, and yet finds roome for more gueſts; he ſtudies buſineſſe; & qui non invenit, facit. They that ſurrender themſelves to ſloth, finde matter of diſeaſe breeding in their bodies and ſoules. The active ſpirit is ſooneſt dulled with no labour; as the water that hath beene heated, ſooneſt freezeth.uuP…o. 31.19. The danger of womens corruption is their leaſure: idleneſſe breeds fancies, which continuance of domeſticall buſineſſe would keepe out.

4 Luſt after beautie; this is the generall ſnare, and occaſion of uncleanneſſe.xxGen 39 6Gen 39:6 Ioſeph was a goodly perſon, faire, and well-favoured: lovely to all, but not looked on alike withall eyes: his fellowes praiſe him, his maſter truſts him, his miſtreſſe dotes on him: all love him, ſhe over-loves him. That is true of the Poet, that vertue never hath a better grace, than when it ſhineth, from a beauteous face: yet was this danger, it gave him meanes to ſin; which when he refuſed, it was the occaſion of his trouble. But he was faire without, and fairer within; Pulchrior in luce cordis, Aug.quàm in facie corporis. Even the Sonnes of God were caught with beautie. Balaam could not harme Iſrael with his curſes, he doth with his courſes and counſels: his curſe had hurt none but himſelfe, his counſell coſt the bloud of twentie p. 743foure thouſand. Send out your faireſt women among them: this policie was fetched from the bottome of hell. There is no ſin more plauſible than wantonneſſe, wantonneſſe is no way ſooner provoked than by the ſight of beautie: this ſhall draw them to luſt, their luſt to folly, their folly to Idolatrie; ſo God ſhall curſe them for thee, unasked. This project of that damn'd Magician was too proſperous: the daughters of Moab doe more in the Tents of Iſrael, than the Amorites and Amalekites could doe in the plaines of Moab. The women made them captives, whom the men felt conquerors. Had they ſent their ſubtleſt politicians, and ſtrongeſt ſouldiers, to perſwade or compell them to Idolatrie; they had beene returned with ſcorne. But the eloquent and victorious beautie of the women effected this. It had beene happy for them, if Balaam had uſed any charmes but theſe.

I know that a man may lawfully deſire beautie in his own ſpouſe, as Iacob loved Rachel: not for provocation of luſt, but procreation of children, and more loving ſocietie. Some actions doe not ſo well rid off a hand, without ſome delight; as eating of meates, learning of arts; and ſuch is matrimoniall ſocietie. As meate pleaſeth us better in a cleane diſh, wine in a Chryſtall glaſſe: ſo vertue in a comely perſon. But if the beautie be let into our thoughts, and the vertue ſhut out, there is no ſpeedyer way to ruine. As it is Gods uſe to fetch glory to himſelfe out of the worſt actions of Satan: ſo it is Satans ambition to advantage himſelfe by the faireſt workes of God. If the Lord ſuffer him, he will ruine us with the moſt rare pieces of creation: No one meanes hath ſo enriched hell, as beautifull faces.aaProv. 23.28.Prov 23:28 The beautifull harlot encreaſeth the tranſgreſſors among men. Three of Davids children were undone by it at once: it was the occaſion of Amnons Inceſt, of Thamars raviſhment, of Abſaloms bloudy pride and murder. Beautie, if not well diſciplin'd proves a traitor rather than a friend. It is a bleſſing to be faire; but ſuch a bleſſing, that if the ſoule be not as cleare as the skin, leads to a curſe. It is no rare thing to finde the fouleſt ſoule dwell faireſt. If the inward conditions be bad, O what ſtrange miſchiefe can beautie bring about! How many Salomons and Sampſons hath it befooled and blinded? The weaker ſexe is the ſtronger in temptation: it was the dowry that our Grandmother Eve bequeathed to her daughters; that they ſhould be our helpers to ſin. Indeed it is not a womans fault to be faire: the candle does not amiſſe in burning, the fooliſh flie offends, that ſcorcheth her wings in the flame. The chryſtall ſtreame is not to be blamed, becauſe ſome diſtracted man drownes himſelfe in it. Yet to be but a temptation, and (though the unwilling) occaſion of anothers ruine, is an unhappyineſſe, albeit not a ſin. The Lord ſo mortifie all inordinate luſts in us, that we may be admitted to that citie, into which no uncleane thing ſhall ever enter.

The Cure followes; and this methodus medendi is two-fold: the one a preſervative, the other ſanative. To ſee the ſinne in the proper and naturall odiouſneſſe, is a preventing antidote. For them that be infected, there are other medicines. The horribleneſſe of it is ſeene in it ſelfe, and in th'effects.

For it ſelfe, the light of nature diſcerned and condemned it. It is objected, that Solon, a Law-giver, one of the wiſeſt among the Grecians, uſed to buy harlots for the young men: and among the Carthaginians it was a cuſtome for the Virgins before their marriage, to proſtitute themſelves publikely in the Temple of Venus, that they might bring the greater portions to their husbands. Anſw. This was not by naturall light,Rom. 1.Rom 1 but the unnaturall darkneſſe of thoſe given over to a reprobate ſenſe, as the puniſhment of former wickedneſſe. Ob. But the Prophet Hoſea was thus commanded;bbHoſ. 1.2.Hos 1:2 Take thee a wife of whoredomes. Anſw. Nothing can be concluded for it out of a typicall act: neither did he make a harlot, but take a harlot, to reduce her to chaſtity. Object. ButccAct. 15.20.Acts 15:20 fornication is reckoned among indifferent things. Anſw. Their eſteeming it ſo, did not make it ſo; their owne conſcience thought otherwiſe.ddGen 20.9.Gen 20:9 Abimelech calls it a great ſinne; this, that Heathen could ſee, but not ſo clearely aseeGen. 39.9.Gen 39:9 Ioſeph: Diſhonour to the husband, wrong to the p. 744children, breach of covenant, but above all, diſobedience to God, is in it.ffPſal. 51.4.Ps 51:4 Againſt thee have I ſinned; was his confeſſion, that had ſinned againſt Bethſhebah, Vri…h, and the whole Church; but eſpeciallyhhGen 34.7.Gen 34:7 against the Lord. It is moſt odious among Chriſtians;ii2 Sam. 13.12.2 Sam 13:12 this folly ought not to be done in Iſrael: it is bad enough in all places, here intolerable.kkEph. 5.4.Eph 5:4 not to be named among Saints. Let the act be ſo abhorred, that it may quite loſe the name: eſpecially, let no Saint have ſuch a name. It makes the name ſtinke both living and dead. Living,ll1 Cor. 5.11.1 Cor 5:11 If a brother be a fornicatour, with ſuch a one eate not. Dead,mmProv. 6.33. verſe 30.Prov 6:33 his reproach ſhall not be wiped away. It is more hainous than theft; Men doe not deſpiſe a theefe, if he ſteale to ſatisfie his hungry ſoule but he that committeth adultery deſtroieth his owne ſoule. Goods may be reſtored, honeſtie never: the breaches may be repaired, the priſtine ſtate not recovered.

1For the effects: It breeds diſeaſes in the body, that the quality of the ſinne may be ſeene in the nature of the plague; as we know a rotten nut by the worme 2hole in the ſhell. It makes a more loathſome ſoule; ſo odious that till it be cleanſed, neither will God dwell with it, nor ſhall it dwell with God. It blaſteth the 3eſtate,nnIob. 31.12. Prov. 6.26.Job 31:12Prov 6:26 roots out all the encreaſe, and brings a man to a piece of bread. The Pare… uncleanneſſe makes the children beggars. It curſeth the houſe, Hoſ. 4.13, 14. 4His owne ſinne abroad, is able to make his houſe a Stewes at home. What followed upon Davids adultery, but preſent paiment? The deflowring of his daughter Thamar, the murder of his ſonne Amnon, the treaſon, inceſt, and ruine of h… Abſolom. How juſtly is he ſcourged by the ſinnes of his children, whom his owne act taught to offend? Vnlawfull luſt ſtill propagates it ſelfe by example: when the 5father of a family brings ſinne home to his houſe, it is not eaſily ſwept out. It endangers Inceſt; when the legitimate ſonne may come to marry the baſtard … of the ſame father.

6It is not only Poena peccati; that a man being hatefull to God for other ſinnes, is made hatefull to men for this: Vt quod latuit in corde impuro, pateat in opere ign… minioſo: other ſinnes ought him a ſhame, this ſhall pay it him. Therefore, he that is good before God, ſhall be delivered from the ſtrange woman, not the ſinner. But alſo, Cauſa peccati, it brings no more wickedneſſe. So the Apoſtle joines them;ooRom. 1.29.Rom 1:29 Fornication, wickedneſſe: if foreign be firſt, foreign followes. Give luſt roome in the eye, ſhe will poſſeſſe body and ſoule. The Midian faces firſt appeared to Iſrael; they like them, that brought them to like their preſence, that to take pleaſure in their feaſts; from their boords to their beds, from their beds to their Idols: and now God is ſeparated, and they are joyned to Baal-peor. Corporall fornication is the way to ſpirituall: if ſuperſtitious love make Idols of fleſh, how ſoone do they give us up to Idols of wood and ſtone?

7It hath not onelyonly undone perſons and houſes, but ruined …hole Cities and Kingdomes.Numb. 25.Num 25 What a breach did this double fornication make in Iſrael? God doth not ſmother his wrath, but himſelfe ſtrikes with the plague, and bids Moſes ſtrike with the ſword. Dinah is raviſhed, the whole Citie is deſtroied for it. While every man lies ſore of his owne wound, Simeon and Levi ruſh in with weapons and kill them. What was the ſhrieking of women and children in all the ſtreets of that Citie? While the fathers and husbands take mortall phyſicke for their Princes ſickneſſe. For a particular Amnon to anſwere his luſt in bloud, is not ſo ponderous: Many a whore-lover meets with ſuch a cataſtrophe. But for a whole Tribe to be cut off for uncleanneſſe, as wasppIudg. 21.6.Judg 21:6 Benjamin: for a whole kingdome to ſmart; asqqGen. 20.9.Gen 20:9 Abimelech ſaid to Abraham, Thou haſt brought a great ſinne on me, and on my kingdome; that the whole kingdome of Iſrael ſhould ſmart for the kings filthineſſe; theſe be dire effects. The name of King became odious to Rome, for the rape of Lucrece: famous Troy was raſed for one Helena.

8It is commonly mixed and plagued with blindneſſe. So had luſt befo…drrGen. 38.15.Gen 38:15 Iudah, that he could not diſcerne the voice of Thamar which he heard every day, nor foreſee what ſhame might follow thoſe pledges: this paſſion for the time even p. 745bereaves a man of himſelfe. Thus impudently blinde wasſſGen. 39.12.Gen 39:12 Ioſephs Miſtreſſe: it had beene too bad to yield, but for a woman to ſolicite, yea to importune, yea to …nce the modeſtie of her ſervant; groſſe and deſperate! As ſin ever ends in ſhame when it is committed, ſo it makes us paſt ſhame in the committing. Thus Am… thruſts his defiled ſiſter out of doores: where was his reaſon? Secrecie had ſome hope, but to expoſe her, what was it but to anger a royall father, incenſe a b…ther, incur…e the Law, provoke her friends, fill the world with outcries? Though he looked not ſo high as heaven in doing the ſin, yet he might looke ſo low as earth to prevent the ſhame. No, luſt knowes the reaſon, and they that loſe their honeſtie, ſhall loſe their wit. This is juſt with God, to puniſh a deboiſht heart with a beſotted underſtanding. Vncleanneſſe loves a darke mind, as well as a darke houſe. How fooliſh were thoſe Iſraelites; in joyning themſelves to Baal peor? All Idols are abominable, this was alſo beaſtly: the devill appeared in a ſordid and …aſty forme; yet uncleanneſſe workes them to it. Cupid is blind, and whither may not he be tranſported that wanteth his eyes.

Not ſeldome it goes off in hatred of the object: ordinate conjunction 9encreaſeth love, this begets deteſtation; and that both where it is croſſed, and where it is ſatiated. For the formerttGen. 39.19.Gen 39:19 Potiphers wife is an example; if ſhe cannot have …iſephs body to enjoy, ſhe wills it to ruine: when ſhe failes of his love, ſhe ſeekes his life. Luſt is a pleaſant madneſſe when it is yielded, a deſperate madneſſe when it is oppoſed. Love is not more witty than malice: the arguments of his innocencie ſhall chalenge him of ſin: hee left his coat becauſe he would not doe that, for which he is condemned becauſe he left it. No hate burnes ſo furiouſly, as that which ariſeth from the quenched coales of love. Vel te ardenter amat, vel te capitaliter odit. For the other,uu2 Sam. 13.15.2 Sam 13:15 look on Amnon; how did he hate abuſed Thamar more than ever he loved her? He ſhould indeed have hated himſelfe for this bruitiſh violence, not his innocent ſiſter: but his former love was not more unreaſonable and miſ-placed, than his later hatred. Fraud drew her into the houſe, force entertained her within, and hatred drove her out. So did one houre change the extremity of his love into extremity of hate; that he is now ſicke of her, as before he was ſicke for her: and ſhe that kept the keyes of his heart, is now lock'd out of his doores.

It is a ſin not eaſily repented of:xxHoſ. 4.12.Hos 4:12 Whoredome and new wine take away the heart. 10Saint Paul comforts the Corinthians, that they areaa1 Cor. 6.11.1 Cor 6:11 Waſhed from their ſins: they will not off without waſhing, and there can be no waſhing without water, and a drop or two will not ſerve to baptiſe the conſcience. But, ſay ſome, this ſin ordinarily of it ſelfe brings to repentance? Indeed, loſſe of ſpirits, and terrors of the fact, may breed ſome kinde of remorſe: and the expectation did not promiſe, nor the fruition performe more delight, than the remembrance brings irkeſomeneſſe. The face of uncleanneſſe lookes lovely, but the farewell is deadly. If we could foreſee the end, before we taſt the beginning, we would never let it come ſo far, as to repentance; our former deteſtation would ſave our after-ſorrow a labour. But l…ſt often ends in diſcontent, ſeldome in true repentance. The whoresbbProv. 9.18.Prov 9:18 gueſts are in hell, and that is no way to heaven.

Laſtly, it pulls downe Gods fearefullccHebr. 13.4.Heb 13:4 Iudgements, though it ſcape the cenſure of man. Amnon had ſo quite forgotten his ſin, that he durſt goe to that houſe a feaſting, wheredd2 Sam. 13.28.2 Sam 13:28 Thamar was mourning: not ſuſpecting him other than a friend whom he had deſerved to make an enemie. Now when his heart was merry, he fell downe dead. Wicked Abſalom meant this murder to his ſoule, as well as to his body; but God was juſt in both. He that in two yeares forbearance would find to leaſure to repent muſt now periſh without leaſure to cry for merciemercy.eeIudg. 19.25.Judg 19:25 How fearefull a Iudgement came to that Levites concubine, to be abuſed to death? She lead wronged the bed of a Levite before by her willing wantonneſſe: yet her father harboured her, her husband forgave her, the world had forgot it, her ſelfe never p. 746ſmarted for it. Thus farre ſhe goes ſmoothly away with her ſin; and neither father, nor husband, nor neighbour, nor Magiſtrate, nor her owne conſcience, upbraid her with it. Now it is forgotten of all hands, God calls her to account for it. Yea, ſo juſt and even is that Almighty Iudge in his retributions; that the matter of her ſin ſhall be the manner of her puniſhment: he will plague her with her owne delight. Vncleanneſſe was her fault, uncleanneſſe ſhall be her fate and ruine. Before ſhee had expoſed her ſelfe with willing pleaſure, now ſhe is expoſed by force: adultery was her ſin, adultery is her death. Men may forget their owne filthineſſe, God remembers it; and will pay them when they leaſt expect it. Sin is a faithfull debtor, it never borrowes without payment: if it owe us a puniſhment, it will not breake with us. And if it faile of preſent Iudgements, yet this is ſure, it ffProv. 6.32.Prov 6:32deſtroyeth the ſoule. gg1 Pet. 2.11.1 Pet 2:11Luſts fight againſt the ſoule, but uncleanneſſe kills it. Theſe be the terrible effects, which if tremblingly applied, like corroſives will eate out the dead fleſh, and become ſo many proper ingredients to the medicine of our cure. Or like aſhes that are made by a fire of wood, which being powred on, will ſmother the fire in the wood, and put it out.

1The other remedies are; firſt, to abridge the fleſh of provocatives;bb1 Cor. 9.27.1 Cor 9:27 beating downe the body, and keeping it in ſubjection. Take away the fewell, if the fire bee too hot. High feeding and laſciviouſneſſe are inſeparable: that is the Lynbecke which deſtills all into luſt.

2To remember a mans beginning and end. The Lord did not make us for pollution; and the thought of death will be a death to luſt. Meditate of thy mortalitie, whenſoever thou art tempted to this iniquity.

3Feare God, which will make every joint tremble at the very ſuggeſtion. Some forbeare a ſin, becauſe it is deare, ſome becauſe it is laborious, others, becauſe it is dangerous, few becauſe it is impious. But the death of luſt is religion: Moralitie reſiſts but in cold bloud; heate nature, and all her in-borne principalls are forgotten. Regard of name and credit may feare the ſhame, yet love the ſin. But he that feares God, and is watch'd by his owne conſcience, can never finde a place darke enough to offend in. The Law lookes to our words and deeds, and requires that they be good: Religion alſo fetcheth in the thoughts, and makes them holy. We cannot without danger truſt a morall heart with a faire body: we may ſafely truſt a faire body with a ſanctified minde. This was Ioſephs argument; the pleaſure of ſinne cannot ſtand with the feare of God. Hee might conceit, that this kindneſſe might endeare him as ſtrongly to his miſtreſſe, as his ſervice had to his maſter: to bee ſo great a Ladies minion, how many hundreds of our younger brothers would have embraced it. But holy feare had taken up all the roome, before carnall love came. He knew that all the honours of Aegypt could not buy off the guilt of one ſinne: that ſuch an advancement would have caſt him downe from the royall favour of GOD. The good heart chuſeth rather to lie in the duſt, than to riſe by wickedneſſe. This were to get up on the ſcaffold of death, that a man might looke higher.

4Abhorre Idleneſſe; the ſtanding poole will gather filth of it ſelfe, and hee 5full of toades and vermine. Attend the word preached;iiPſal. 119 9.Ps 119:9 Wherewithall elſe ſhould a young man cleanſe his way? That Phyſicke is only able to purge it.kkProv. 2.16.Prov 2:16 This ſhall deliver thee from the ſtrange woman. If wiſedome enter not, luſt will: they that find not delight in the Spirit, will ſeeke it at the fleſh.ll1 Ioh 2.14.1 John 2:14 By the word of GOD abiding in you, yee ſhall overcome the wicked one. How have all weapons of reaſons and morall reſolution doubled in this encounter? It is the Sword of the Spirit that gets the victorie.

6Prayer: if Paul be buffeted, this is his refuge, and it brings remedie; he prayed thrice. Declare thy grievances, this ſhall bring downe heavenly graces. Shall we be like infants, that cry when a pinne prickes them, but cannot tell where? Say, God knowes our wants; what then? the ſullen child ſayes, my father knowes that I p. 747want bread, I will not aske him though I ſtarve. God hath promiſed to heare (but only) thoſe that call upon him. He ſo orders things, that he ſeldome gives till he be asked: it is a poore paines, but to aske and have. mmPſal. 2.8.Ps 2:8Aske of me, and I will give thee. D…o tibi, but firſt, Poſtula a me. The woman that would be rid of her importunate Tempter, is plaine with him, I will tell my husband.

Flee, the temptation: at other times, Fight Timothy: nownn1 Tim. 6.1.1 Tim 6:1 Fly Timothy. When ſuch an enemie purſues, it is high time to fly. Rather will Ioſeph loſe his livery, 7than blemiſh his Miſtreſſes honour, his Maſters in her, his owne in both, Gods in all. He cannot be excuſed, that lives where he may in likely-hood be faulty. To be ſafe from evill workes, is to avoid the occaſions.

If we cannot fly, yet let us deny. David ſollicites, had Bathſheba denyed, that 8great ſin had not beene committed. Had ſhe beene mindfull of her covenant with God, and her matrimoniall fidelitie; the inordinate deſire had beene checked, and in time choked. But ambition was the Bawd to luſt; and the conceit to be the Kings Miſtreſſes, to command him that commanded Iſrael; proſtitutes her ſoule before her body: her facilitie furthers the ſinne. The firſt motioner of evill is moſt faultie: but as in quarrells, the ſecond blow makes the fray, and the Law takes ſpeciall notice of that: ſo in ſins, the ſecond blow, that is, the conſent of will, is by the Law of God moſt culpable. Luſt is a ſin of two: if but one party be wiſe, both eſcape: he that is ſure of either, may be ſecure of both. Women are the weaker in nature, yet ſtronger in deſires: and though many hold it an impudence to wooe, yet they hold not the innocence to deny. The woman at firſt tempted man, and therefore lookes ever ſince that man ſhould tempt her. She was an agent in his firſt ruine, in all the reſt, ſhe would be a patient. The heat of mans conſtitution diſpoſeth him to be the firſt profferer: now his chaſtitie lies in the hands of women. If ſhe have the grace to refuſe, what he had the fault to offer, they are both delivered. Luſt would be the moſt common ſin of the world, if like other ſins it could be done alone. Indeed it is beſt never to be put to a denyall: but by a faire carriage to put temptation out of hope. Wiſedome forbeares ſome lawfull things, becauſe they may be occaſions of things unlawfull.

Modeſtie; which is the only viſible vertue, the chaſtitie of the lookes: a 9tranſparent glaſſe, thorow which we ſee a cleane and uncorrupted heart. This ſets the face in a right poſture; farre from pride, and not nearer to wantonneſſe. The beauties of both minde and body meet in the center of modeſtie. An affected and coyiſh demureneſſe is incident to them that be bad: but true modeſtie is ſeldome found but in innocence. Modeſtie is the out-worke of the Citadell, that keepes the enemie even from the walls. For a great example of this vertue, we cannot looke too much upon Ioſeph. Forraine ſtories make honourable mention of many famous for chaſtitie. Of Amabaeus, who had a beautious wife, yet abſtained from her, perhaps he loved his Harpe better. Of Xenocrates, and of Spurina, a faire young man, who disfigured his face of purpoſe that he might not be deſired of women. Of Hippon a Greekiſh woman,Valer. Max. that drowned her ſelfe to ſave her chaſtitie. None came neare Ioſeph; who neither abſtained from his owne wife, that were a folly rather than a chaſtitie: neither disfigured nor deſtroyed Gods workmanſhip; which were to pull downe our houſe, becauſe the eye of a paſſenger covers it. But in the heat of youthfull bloud, when his Lady ſollicites, promiſes reward, threatens ruine, conveniencie of place, opportunity of time, all the helpes of hell concurring; then to reſiſt? O here was fire falling upon wet tinder, that ſoone went out. The Fathers commend him for thoſe foure great vertues in this one act. For Temperance, that he would not be enticed by his Miſtreſſe. For Iuſtice, that hee would not wrong his Maſter. For Fortitude, that hee overcame many aſſaults. For Prudence, chuſing rather to leave his veſture than his vertue.

Marriage; It is better to marry than to burne. Burning is the diſeaſe, for p. 74810which mariage is the proper medicine. This is that ordinate fewell, whereon ſuch fire ſhould feed. S. Ieromes ſophiſtrie on that place is abſurd: Conjagium dicitur bonum, quia levius malum: for luſt can never be good, being a tranſgreſſion: and mariage cannot in it ſelfe be bad, as it is Gods inſtitution. Not that every tickling ſhould draw us to marrying; but a Burning, an aeſtuant flame: for it is one thing vri, another ſentire calorem. Some Pontificians have caſt b…tter aſperſions upon mariage; taxing that for uncleanneſſe, which is ordained an antidote againſt uncleanneſſe. But that is a blaſphemous doctrine, and muſt needs imply, that God himſelfe was miſtaken, and that upon a more ſerious deliberation of the bleſſed Trinity. Gen. 2.18. Iehovah Elohim: there was a greater conſultation about making the woman, than about making the whole world. But it is objected, thatoo1 Tim. 1.11.1 Tim 1:11 in marying they breake their faith. Anſw. They doe not breake the faith, becauſe they marry: but becauſe they wexe wanton againſt Chriſt, and ſo marry. They are firſt incontinent, ſuffer themſelves to be abuſed: and then to cover their offence, and to keepe them from publike ſhame, they marry. To accept of mariage only as a cloke to hide their former naughtineſſe; this is the ſinne condemned. Howſoever they thinke; mariage is an ordained remedy: ſtrange luſts will give place to true conjugall love. Let the husband love his wife, the wife love her husband; (and they have reaſon, for they tooke each other for that purpoſe) theſe unnaturall fires will out.

Theſe be the rules of prevention, to eſcape uncleanneſſe: but if any be defiled, they muſt take another Receit; true contrition of heart, the flouds that come from a broken rocke; waſhing themſelves in the laver of Repentance, that they may be cleane. David in a zeale of Iuſtice againſt the rich oppreſſour, takes an oath to cut him off: God is more favourable to David, than to take him at his word. David ſayes, The man ſhall dye: Nathan ſayes, Thou art the man, but thou ſhalt not dye. Beſide uncleanneſſe, hee had ſhed innocent bloud: and the ſtrict Law requires life for life. But O, the wondrous power of Repentance! as if it could diſpence with the rigour of Iuſtice: Thou ſhalt not dye. In David we heare the voice of the Law, awarding death unto ſinne; in Nathan, the voice of the Goſpel, awarding life unto the repentance for ſinne. Whatſoever the ſore bet this is the remedy. The ſoule that hath ſinned, ſhall dye; ſaith the Law. The Goſpell comes in with an exception; The ſoule that hath ſinned, And not repented, ſhall dye: never any ſoule applied this remedy, and dyed.ppPſal. 32.1.Ps 32:1 Bleſſed is the man, not that hath not ſinned; where is he to be found? But; whoſe ſinne ſhall not bee imputed, becauſe he hath repented. It is only unfained repentance, that can cleanſe our ſoules from theſe knowne evils.

Without this, Gods hand will as ſurely overtake us in the puniſhment, as Satans hand hath overtaken us in the ſinne. But for comfort to the wounded ſoule; There is no ſinne ſo foule, but the bloud of Chriſt can ſcowre it off. Vncleanneſſe is a deep ſtaine, ſized into the ſoule by her dwelling in the body: there is no meanes to get it out, but by the bloud of the Lambe. Even theqqRev. 7.14.Rev 7:14 garments of the Saints need waſhing; and what can make them white? only, the bloud of the Lambe. It was the Iewiſh ſcoffe at Chriſt, Alios potuit ſervare, ſeipſum non potuit: he could ſave others, not himſelfe. Saint Ambroſe replyes, Imo ille ſolus potuit ſanare velnera mea, qui negligit ſua: he only can heale my wounds, that neglected his owne.rrEſ…. 63.1. His garments were dyed red, to make all ours white. But neither can this be had without faith, nor faith be aſſured without repentance. It is a happy thing for a man to improve the dayes of his peace, for the prevention of future vengeance: to ſeeke onelyonly to be ſafe by being good. Next to this divine providence, our beſt guard is our Innocence, next to that our repentance. For him that hath fallen, to pray, Lord deliver me; for him that hath not fallen, Lord preſerve me, in Ieſus Chriſt. Take here two Characters.

The uncleane perſon ſtands like one tormented with the ſtone in the kidneys; p. 749there is not a limbe or joynt about him, but ſuffers with the diſtortion of that one part. If ſome ſpot or token of his ſoules infection ſhould breake out and appeare in his face, no leper would change complections with him. If he had a hundred eyes, he could beſtow offices on them all, to purvey for his luſt. He loves to be a looking on pictures; and when he cannot reach the ſubſtance, he courts the ſhadow. He ſends his eye to the market, and money is his Cater. He loves the company but of three; Baud, Whore, and himſelfe: only the Devill comes in, and makes up the fourth againſt his will. The peſtilence is in his breath, it infects every place he comes in. His body is rotting apace, but his ſoule is already fallen to piecces. His Miſtreſſe is his Idol, and he would never learne any prayers; but for doing his devotions to her. For God; he either thinkes or wiſhes that he could not ſee in the darke. He is borne to be a womans ſlave, not her Lord and husband: he dares not marry, for feare (contrary to other mens minds) of being paid his owne debts. If he doe beſtow himſelfe, he commonly ſoulders up ſome crackt piece: and in marriage is more jealous, than before he could be luxurious. He and his ſtrumpet make up a fagot for hell fire; and muſt burne together in torment, as they have done in turpitude. He ſo conſumes himſelfe to cinders, that there is not one drop of moiſture left in him, not though a teare could ſave his ſoule. Before he dies, he is become all ſtench: his ſoule ſtinkes God, his body ſtinkes to himſelfe, his name ſtinkes to the world. It is juſt that he who leaves GOD for a harlot while he lives, ſhould loſe God, and his harlot, and himſelfe, when he is dead. Reaſon left him long agoe, and he hath ever ſince lived beaſt. Commonly he dies of Hercules diſeaſe: a fire in his marrow. He may come to be ſory, ſeldome to repent. At laſt, he is brought to his couch, or crutch; and there every body leaves him.

The chaſt is a pure man whether in wedlocke or virginity. If maried, he loves his wife, not becauſe ſhe was rich, or faire; but becauſe ſhe was and is good; becauſe he once loved her, and ſtill loves himſelfe in her. All change abhorres; for he married not for recreation, but procreation; not for pleaſure, but poſterity. It is her ſoule he ſets his love upon; he knowes the body to be but phyſicke for luſt, a ſhell for progenie: therefore choſe her not for that halfe whereby ſhe is a woman, but for the better, wherein ſhe is a man. Senſuall affection lookes only to the ſhape; rationall hath reſpect to the ſoule and minde forgetting the ſexe, or leaving to the ſenſe. Soules have no ſexes; therefore they that love in ſoule, (in that part which is not ſexuall, wherein both husband and wife are men) their love admits no more impuritie than inconſtancie. If he be ſingle, his minde keepes his mortall fabricke ſweete: his conſcience hath got the better of his concupiſcence: he is ſo farre from doing, that he dares not thinke amiſſe. His mirth is ſo cleare, that you may looke thorow it into vertue, not beyond. He had rather ſeeme not to underſtand a bad motion, than to hold conference with it. He cenſures all charitably, and abhorres ſuſpition: he thinkes none ſhould doe ill, becauſe he meanes well. He entertaines none but honeſt thoughts: if looſe ones looke in at the window, he preſently ſhuts the doore. He neither with unſeaſonable ſleepe ruſts his ſoule, nor with immoderate dyet teacheth his body to rebell. He is one of thoſe that beſſRev. 14.4.Rev 14:4 not defiled with women, for they are virgins; and follow the Lambe whitherſoever hee goeth. His ſoule is Chriſts betrothed Spouſe, and he accounts death but a meſſenger, to bring her home to her husband. He is ſo cleane, that the Angels love to bee about him here, and hee ſhall bee received among them hereafter.

Walke after the fleſh.] This walking is the Axeltree, whereon the whole frame of the Text moveth. There is no man can walke without luſt, but the good man does not walke after luſt: if it goe with him, it ſhall not goe before him. It is the natural mans way, the Chriſtians trouble in the way. If he be enticed out of vertues p…h, either he doth not give conſent, or he doth not give full conſent, or he doth grieve for conſent. Either he doth not walke, or he walkes not farre, or he walkes p. 750againſt his will, and ſoone correcteth his ſteps. The wicked man is taken in his walke,Pſal. 119.59.Ps 119:59 Pſal. 68.21. But he that doth purpoſe before hand not to ſin, and in the act doth ſtrive againſt ſin, and after the act is ſory for ſin; though he ſtep aw…y weakely but not wickedly, God in mercy ſpares him, becauſe this is none of his walke. ttRom. 8.8.Rom 8:8He that is in the fleſh, cannot pleaſe God, ſo long as he keepes that way but as water that hath beene frozen with cold, may afterward be heat with fire; ſo he may come from a carnall to a ſpirituall courſe. Things of the fleſh are of three ſorts: ſome good, as the knowledge of arts: ſome indifferent, as honour and riche… ſome evill, as the workes of ſinne. We walke in the former, and doe well, keeping the right end: in the middle, not amiſſe, keeping the right manner: in the laſt, we goe amiſſe, and there is no pretence to excuſe us. We make the good become evill to our ſelves; when we imploy our learning to juſtifie error. We make the indifferent very evill, when we preferre temporalls to ſpiritualls; as the tongue of the feveriſh infected with choler, makes ſweet things taſt bitter. I obſerve foure things in this carnall walking. 1. Their ſlavery to it. 2. Their conſtancie in it. 3. The ſpecification of it. 4. Our remedie from it.

1 Their ſlavery: to walke is their errant diligence: to walke After it, is their ſervile obedience. The fleſh leads, and they follow like dutifull ſervants. All ſervants. All ſervice is from ſin, this is the ſervice of ſin. If man had not ſinned, he ſhould not have ſerved:uuGen 9.25. Chryſ.Gen 9:25 Cham was borne of the ſame Parents; only his ſin brought him to a ſlaviſh condition. This was juſt with God: but for man to make his eldeſt ſonne Lord of all, and the reſt no better than his ſervants: if ſuch a tyrannie of cuſtome, (as if hey were all illegitimate) that in the book of God we can find no ſuch diſtinction. There is a ſervice of Superioritie: the good Prince thinkes himſelfe but the higheſt ſervant of the common-wealth. He troubles his thoughts, he breakes his ſleepes about the buſineſſe of ſtate; ſets his ſhoulders under the weight of government: and his Praeſſe in ruling it, is but a Subeſſe to the conſervation of it. There is a ſervice of equality;xxGal. 5.13.Gal 5:13 By love ſerve one another: he that doth not, is like a looſe tooth in the mandible, better out than in.

There is a ſervice of Inferioritie; which is either. 1. Voluntary, when a free man makes himſelfe a ſervant; and ſuch a ſervant may make himſelfe free againe. Or. 2. Temporary: he that workes for us by the day, is ſo long our ſervant; at night he is free. Or. 3. Pactory; undertaking ſuch a worke, for ſuch a wages, during ſuch a time; in hoc, ad hoc, and huc uſque, he is a ſervant. Or 4.De Civit. 19. cap. 15. Captive, ſuch as be taken in the warres: which Saint Auguſtine will have called Servi a Servando, becauſe they were ſaved in ſlaughter. Or 5. Native, ſuch as are borne ſervants, being the children of Servile parents. Or 6. Venditive, that have ſold themſelves; concerning whomaaExod. 21.Exod 21 God ſet downe a Law.bb1 King. 21.25.1 Kgs 21:25 So Ahab ſold himſelfe to worke wickedneſſe. But Paul ſeemes to acknowledge this of himſelfe;ccRom. 7.14.Rom 7:14 I am carnally ſold under ſinne? We anſwer; there be two wayes of ſelling unto bondage: one compulſory, as the brethren ſold Ioſeph: ſo the regenerate are ſold under ſinne, but againſt their wills. The other voluntary, as the wicked ſell themſelves to Satan for very vanitie; inſtating themſelves upon the fleſh, that they tell (without asking) who ownes them, by the ſuperſcription of their livery, ſo thatddRom. 7.13. PareusRom 7:13 ſin by the commandement becomes exceeding ſinfull. As a head-ſtrong and unbroken horſe, the more he is curbed by the bridle, the more he breakes out. Wine will enflame any man, but he that hath a feveriſh body, is more fired with it through his infirmitie.Lyran. There is abuying and felling. Eſa. 52.3. Yee have ſold your ſelves for nought, and yee ſhall be redeemed without money. But this is in a diverſe ſenſe: they are ſold for nought in reſpect of God, becauſe he hath no honour by it: and redeemed for nought, in reſpect of themſelves, they paid nothing for their redemption, but not ſo, in reſpect Chriſt, for he bought us deare. But theſe have wilfully ſold themſelves to the ſervice of ſin.

2 Their conſtancie in it. Walking is a continued act; and acts continued make p. 751habits. Two ſorts of Philoſophers had their names from walking: the Stoickes, who derived their doctrine from Plato: and the Peripatetickes, Lactan.who had Ariſtotle for their Prince. Beſides, their ambulating life, ſevering themſelves from common ſociety, they had a certaine peculiar and dogmaticall way, whereunto they confined themſelves. But all their waies were but fantaſies and errant opinions; without any truth of rule, eſpecially without the Rule of Truth. Our bleſſed God hath given us a bleſſed way; andeeGal. 6.16.Gal 6:16 as many as walke after that rule, peace be on them and merciemercy: a perfect rule indeed; which wee have good occaſion to ſeeke, good direction to finde, good encouragement to walke, good reward at the end.

Walking intends a perpetuated motion, not for a pace or ſpace, but holding o…: therefore, is the wicked converſation called a way; for that's a mans way, not which he ſteps into, but walkes and travels. Some have ſpoken much of the way, but out of the way; while they called every act of ſinne, a way: Prov. 4.14.Prov 4:14for the Scripture onelyonly meanes it of practicall and habituall ſinne. So then, to walke after the fleſh, is an addiction to ſinne, conſtate of many luſts. This is a true diſtinction: Every vice is a ſinne, every ſinne is not a vice: every wry ſtep is an errour,Omne vitium eſt peccatum, omne peccatum non eſt vitium. Ariſt. Eth. 2. it is not a way, not an hereſie in manners. Once being overtaken with wine, makes not a drunkard. Vice cannot conſiſt with vertue, quia ex diametro pugnat: but Peccatum, a vicious act doth not deſtroy vertue, whether morall or theologicall. Peters deniall did not deſtroy his faith, nor Davids uncleanneſſe his charitie. Theſe were their ſinnes, they were not their wayes: their uſuall walking tooke another courſe. Actions are done by the powers of the ſoule and body, but habits have their reſidence in ipſis potentiis, both of the ſenſitive and intellectuall part: as wantonneſſe or drunkenneſſe in the former; pride, hypocriſie, diffidence in the other. If wee compare them before God, vice is more grievous than a ſinne, becauſe it is habituall malice: if before men, ſinne is more haiuous than vice; for vices are not puniſhed by Magiſtrates, but onelyonly ſinnes. But they ever beget one another; many evill actions beget an evill habite, and an evill habite every day begets evill actions.

3 The ſpecification of it: the fleſh hath many wayes for them to walke. Take them by couples: there is a Reeling way, and a Railing way. The former is the drunkards walke, that leads him from the lake of wine to the lake of brimſtone: this he that never abſtaines till he be a thirſt, and never drinkes but double, for he muſt be pledg'd. The other is the ſwearers walke; that in every place ſends up defiance to the Lord of Hoſts. He infects all company, as thunder ſowres wine; and often dyes raving and blaſpheming, that's the end of his journey. There is a Ruffling way, and a Scuffling way. The former is the proud mans walke: as beggars hang their rags on the hedges, to tell they have beene there; ſo theſe leave every where certaine monuments and flagges of their arrogant folly. The devill cannot miſſe them, for he is ſure to finde them in his owne walke. The other is the litigious mans walke; he paſſes through all the Iudiciary courts on earth, to the infernall court of hell. The way of peace he knowes not: there is no awe in his heart, while there may be any law on his ſide. And when all his ſubſtance is run out in fees to his Advocates, at laſt (without the eſpeciall grace of Repentance, and reſitution) himſelfe goes for a round fee to the devill. There is a Burning way and a Turning way: The former is the envious mans walke; anger is but a paſſionate fit of the iraſcible part; but malice is an inveterate anger, a fiery habite. Anothers wel-fare is his moſt capitall offence: yet his envy, like Phalaris Bull, makes that firſt become a torment to himſelfe, which he prepared for others. He fires himſelfe before he goes to hell, as if he meant to ſeaſon and harden himſelfe for that unquenchable burning.

The other is the Hypocrites walk, whoſe religion lies in wait for the inclination of the Prince: ſtanding water, that neither ebbes nor flowes, but according to the Moone, the Time. He is very earneſt in what he undertakes, and reviles the oppoſite; p. 752yet he can be of any religion for a need, therefore his heart is truly of none. Of al men, the Ielous and the hypocrite are poſſeſſed with a ſtrange madneſſe; they are very diligent and curious, yet hope to loſe their labours. There is a thorny way, and a myrie way. The former is the deceivers walke: a common Burſe, where the fraudulent trader, the peſtilent Vſurer, the impudent Churchrobber, every day fetch their turnes: conferring how to turne the common wealth; into a private wealth and to make all Prieſts of one order, Mendicants. To ſpeak impartially; this is an habite, men walke in it to their graves. A way it is, but none of Gods wayes: an end it hath, but none of comforts ends: an anſwere it hath, but none of truths anſwers: a reward it hath, but it is the retribution of vengeance. Men thinke they may doe this without trouble of conſcience; but God keepe them from dying with ſuch a conſcience. The other is the adulterers walke, but that it is ſomewhat too faſt for a walke: for if his acts could anſwere the number of his deſires, nature could ſcarce ſupply him with deſired objects. Could his wiſhes take effect. Popery might have many Nunnes, it ſhould have no maides. The fleſh hath many more wayes and walkes, which Paul himſelfe is faine to conclude with anffGal. 5.21.Gal 5:21 &c.

4 For our remedie, firſt, let us beware of walking in ſin, Pſal. 1.1. It is dangerous to croſſe their way, mortall to walke in it. Looke to the habite of ſin, bee ſure to mortifie that: it is not enough ſometime to forbeare the action: it will be rare, if a bad tree ſhould not yield bad fruit. Cut thy haire, it will grow againe: mow the graſſe, it will ſpring againe: lop a tree, it is a tree ſtill. Not to luſt when a man is ſicke, not to ſteale while he is a ſleepe, not to quarrell while he in priſon, not to ſweare while he is at Church; No thanks; the root is ſtill within. If the wicked reſtraine one evill, the godly will kill ten: if Saul ſlay his thouſand, David will ſlay his ten thouſand. He that ſtrikes at ſin, let him be ſure to ſtrike home; doe not favour it, for if it ſcape, it will have no merciemercy on thee; but be ſo much … more exaſperated, becauſe thou attempteſt, and didſt not ſpeed it. He that ha… wounded this Lion at the heart, ſhall never feare the ſtrength of his pawes, … teeth of his jawes, nor hideouſneſſe of his roaring. Coloſsi. 3. ver. 5. Mortifie your members that are upon earth. Firſt, he calls them Members, becauſe they be either as deare to you, as your members; or becauſe they are brought into action by your members, or becauſe they are the united limbes of concupiſcence, as members are parts of the body. Your, for properly our ſins are our owne, and nothing elſe. Mortifie, apply ſomething that ſhall make them dead. Let not ſin alo… till it die of it ſelfe, but kill it while it might yet live: to give it over when … no longer commit it, is no repentance. It will put you to ſome paine: men doe not ordinarily die without paine: and ſin hath a ſtrong heart, it is not eaſily killed. It is one thing to ſleepe, another thing to die; with ſmall adoe we may get ſinne aſleepe; by rocking it in the cradle of indulgence, and lullabying it with voluptuouſneſſe; till it ſtirre not in the conſcience. But to get it dead, that it may not live in us, this will coſt anguiſh and trouble. Mortifie theſe wayes for two reaſons. 1. They ariſe not from any noble part in us, from no divine principle or gracious inſtinct; nothing that can declare greatneſſe and true ſpirit in man: they are but the baſe and degenerate workes, and walkes of the fleſh. 2. They only make us odious to God: it is not meane clothes, nor a deformed body, nor a torne cottage, nor homely fare; but only ſin, that makes a man contemptible. Proud of vices? a lazar may better be proud of his ulcers, a beggar of his vermine, or a ſcavenger of his lay-ſtals.

Secondly, let us learne another walke, even to walke with God and be perfect. This is no time of ſitting; Chriſtians doe not leade vitam ſeden tariam; it will breed obſtructions in the heart. Our Saviour himſelfe dearely earned that voice, before he heard it;hhPſal. 110 1.Ps 110:1 Sit thou at my right hand. Noe time of ſtanding ſtill;iiMatth. 20.6.Matt 20:6 Why ſtand yee here all the day idle? Why doe yee ſtand? you have feet, walke: Here, in the beginning of your journey: in the day, the night is for reſt, the day for labour: All the day, p. 753one houre were too much: Idle, a man may ſtand and doe ſome worke; but ſtand yee idle? There is a Medium betwixt ſin and glory, and that's Grace: Vta Regia, via lactea: walke this way, or expect not this end. God did enough to bring the way to us, who could never elſe have brought our ſelves to the way: would we have him bring downe heaven and glory too? We are in the bondage of ſin as the Iſraelites were in Aegypt: Canaan was theirs, heaven is our promiſed land: if neither of us fall to walking, nor admit a motion and removall; they through the deſart, we through amendment of life; neither can arrive at their home. If thou think thy ſelf to good for this journey, God wil think thee too bad for his glory.

God is the God of order, not of confuſion: and nature is not ſuffered to run out of one extreame into another, but by a Medium. Suppoſe it now midnight, and the Sun with the Antipodes: he does not preſently mount up to the heigh… of our heaven, and make it noone-day. But firſt, it is twilight, then the day dawnes, then the ſun riſes, and yet lookes with weaker eyes, before he ſhines out in his full glory. We doe not to day ſweat with ſummer, and be ſhaken with the fury of winter to morrow: but it comes on with ſoft paces; the day growes ſhorter, the ſuns force weaker; cold deaws, and white froſts, precede the extremitie of hardneſſe. Indeed CHRIST is able in a moment, of ſinners on earth to make men Saints of heaven; as he wrought upon that one dying malefactor: but he ſeldome doth ſo ſuddenly advance men in the degrees of ſancti…cation. That ordinary way, whereby men walke from the ſtate of ſin, to the ſtate of glory, is the ſtate of grace. You have ſeene ſome make ſudden leaps; and of furious ſinners become zealous profeſſors, in a trice. Of ſuch we m…y be charitably jealous; Non ad altum per ſaltum: holineſſe ſhoots not up like Ionah's Gourd, in a night. Few men know the inſtant of their converſion as the Papiſts proudly demand the ſpeciall times of their innovations, and who reſiſted their errors at the firſt riſing? But as Popery crept in part after part, in every part … gentle degrees in every degree with pretence of truth; till it advanced the …nners of painted ceremonies, with a mighty noiſe of excommunications, lo…er than the cataracts of Nilus: and howſoever it came in, we finde it here. So our converſion is by ſoft and ſcarce ſenſible beginnings, albeit not part after part, yet degree after degree: in every part by gentle ſoakings in of goodneſſe, in every degree by maturitie and growing up to ripeneſſe: as we cannot ſee the growing of a tree, yet know that it doth grow, by the magnitude of bulke, and branches and fruits: ſo we may perceive our converſion to God, which walking on muſt confirme.

Walking is a good ordinary pace, between violent running and lazy creeping; a moderate courſe betweene Iehu's march and Mephiboſheths. It is better for a man to goe ſoft and ſure, than for a gird to run himſelfe out of winde, and afterwards to ſtand ſtill and breath him. Walke not ſlowly, for feare of comming ſhort: not faſter than we may hold out to the end, nor ſlower than we may come in good time to our everlaſting reſt. Any traveller may be called a ſide a little, to ſpeake with his friend, or to looke upon a noveltie, ſo for a ſtep and minute be out; but ſtill his way lies before him: whereto recalling himſelfe, and going conſtantly on in the proceedings of grace, he ſhall be bleſſed.

They deſpiſe government.] It is no wonder, if they that follow the fleſh, contemne authoritie; and would have no other governor than that of their owne chuſing. He that hath ſet up this Dagon for his God, would have nothing to doe with the Arke, nothing for the Arke to doe with him. It is not enough for Egiſtus to abuſe the bed, but alſo to ſhed the bloud, of King Agamemnon. The Adulterer is fit to make a Traitor. Rome hath ſent us too many prodigious proofes of this; that have at once luſted after the beauty of our women, and thirſted at the bloud of our Princes. Palpable demonſtrations, that the enchantment of adulterie hath begotten inſtruments of conſpiracie. And as a Ieſuite is but a new word for a p. 754Traitor: ſo Seminary and ſeditious are but diverſe termes of the ſame man. Who more deſpiſe the Magiſtracie among us, than the ſons of ryot, that take in the fraight of luſt at a Taverne, and than with wind and tyde faile to the Brothells? being queſtioned for this, they turne men of warre, ſtand at defiance, and rime away the awe of government with the ballads of ſcandall. A man would thinke, that none who profeſſe the Goſpell of Chriſt, ſhould impugne the ordinances of God: or if they did deſpiſe the ſpirituall ones, as men that have no care of their ſoules; yet not the viſible and temporall ones, as men that ſtand in feare of their lives. If there were none ſuch, I might well have ſpared my Sermon, yea the Apoſtle might have ſpared my Text. But when this Vlcer comes to be ſearched, many moe will be found guilty, than be now ſuſpected by others, or ſuſpect themſelves.

For method; here be two generall things conſiderable. 1. The excellencie of the thing deſpiſed; Government. 2. The pravitie of ſuch as throw contempt upon it; Deſpiſers. The former will appeare, both by the Authoritie that ordaines it, and by the neceſſitie that requires it.

Pſal. 8.Ps 8For the authoritie; this is from God himſelfe: he gave man a fourefold regiment. 1. Imperium in animalia, over the creatures. 2. Imperium in ſe; over himſelfe: before his fall by a potent freedome of will he governed all his actions; after his fall ſome relicts of this dominion appeare: reaſon ſtill retaines ſome fragments of her regiment over the ſenſuall part; though here ſhe be but like a Queene in the midſt of none but rebells. In the body, ſome parts are made to governe and direct the reſt; as the head: ſome to obey, as the members. 3. Imperium domeſticum, over his houſhold: the Maſter is a little King in his familie, as the King is a great Maſter in his kingdome. 4. Imperium politicum; whether Monarchiall, of one; or Ariſtocraticall, of many and thoſe the beſt: or Democraticall, which is the popular ſtate. All which are mediately or immediately of God, Rom. 13.1.kkIoh. 19.11.John 19:11 Thou couldeſt have no power at all againſt me, ſaith Chriſt to Pilate, except it were given thee from above.

Againſt this Divine Inſtitution there be ſome objections; to cleare all which, hold we this diſtinction. There is the Power it ſelfe, the Aſſumption of it, and the Execution of it. The manner of aſſuming it may be from the Devill: either by bribery, as it is likelyllAct. 24.26.Acts 24:26 Faelix came in: ſo that he could not ſell cheape, who had bought deare. Or by crueltie and intruſion,; asmmIudg. 9.5.Judg 9:5 Abimelech aſcended the throne by the ſtaires of bloud and fratricide. Or by invaſion, as the conquerer makes himſelfe King. Or by uſurpation, as Athaliah kept the kingdome from the right heire, Ioaſh. So alſo the manner of uſing this power may be from the Devill; as to ſet up ſuperſtition for religion, and crueltie in ſtead of equity. Here neither the bad manner of acquiring, nor bad order of tyrannizing, are from God: yet the authority it ſelfe is of God. The hand doth violently extort anothers good, or ſmite with the ſword: theſe abuſes are from ſin, but the hand it ſelfe is given of God.Origen Chryſ. The ſight is ſore, or adulterous, yet the eye is of God. Matrimoniall copulation hath the patronage of God, copulation not matrimoniall is of Satan. The truth is plaine; By me Kings raigne, ſaith the Lord: let us heare what error objects.

1 Object. Hoſ. 8.4. They have ſet up Kings, but not by me: they have made Princes, and I knew it not. Anſw. They choſe the King without Gods approbation, they ſet not up the kingdome without his Iuſtitution. Evill Princes are ſaid to raigne not by God; vel modo gubernandi, when they rule the people not by that Law which ſhould rule the King.Martyr Faius Greg. Vel modo arripiendi, when God calls them not to raigne. Vel ſibi, non Deo regnant; they raigne not for Gods honour but their owne humour. God made the member he made not the ulcer: Potentiam Deus diſtribuit, elation… potentiae malitia invenit. When the Iſraelites choſe Ieroboam their King; that treacherous revolting from their lawfull Soveraigne, and rebellious adherence to an p. 755uſurper, an Idolater, was none of Gods doing, he condemnes it:Hoſ. 8.5.Hos 8:5 yet the act was his, 1 King. 11.35. So Ierome ſaies of Sauls election; that it was errore populi, non voluntate Domini: it is true, the manner was the peoples fault, but the matter was Gods purpoſe: he meant to raiſe up a King, only takes the occaſion by their headſtrong importunitie. So ſtill doth it happen, that bad manners breed good lawes. Without queſtion the thing was good; Monarchie, the beſt forme of government: but good things may be ill deſired. So while they affected a King,nn1 Sam. 8.8.….1 Sam 8:8 they rejected the Lord. Therefore ſeeing they chuſe to have a King, God will chuſe the King they ſhall hauehave. As he gratifies them in the monarchall condition, ſo he puniſheth them in the monarchs perſon.

2 Object. Saint Peter calls it Ordinationem humanam, oo1 Pet. 2.13.1 Pet 2:13an ordinance of man; how is it then of God? Anſw. He calls it humane vel ſubjectivè, becauſe the ſubject wherein this authoritie ſtickes is man: or Objectivè, becauſe it is exerciſed in the affaires of man: or foreign, becauſe it is for mans good. The fruits of the earth are brought forth by the induſtrie of man, yet they ceaſe not to be the gifts of God. The formes of adminiſtration may be of man, the originall inſtitution is of God.

3 Object. If every power, then the tyrannicall, is of God; as the Mahometan, Pontifician, Diabolicall. Anſw. The Principalitie is, not the tyrannie. Wealth is alwaies good in it ſelfe, and Gods gift; yet the unjuſt acquiſition, and miſerable uſurpation, make it bad to ſuch owners. Riches are not Mala, niſi malis. And were the Pope an orthodoxe Biſhop, we would not deny his authoritie to be of God: but his chalenge of univerſall dominion, is not Poteſtas, Ioh. 14.30.John 14:30ſed poteſtatis ulcus: which he hath by his owne ambition, Satans inſtigation, not Gods Inſtitution. And for the Devills power, it is by Gods permiſſion, not without his limitation; no other than a hang-mans office, to correct and puniſh whom the Divine Iuſtice appoints. When he boaſted of the kingdomes,ppMatth. 4.9.Matt 4:9 they are all mine; this was but his lie, he had not one foot to beſtow.

The power of government is then ordained of God, and that in a ſpeciall manner, by direct Precept. Sickneſſe indeed and warre, famine and povertie, are ordained of God but not by commandement.Dan. 2.21.Dan 2:21 Promotion comes neither from the Eaſt, nor, &c. Nor from the ſuffrages of People, nor lives of Anceſtors, nor conqueſt of ſwords, but from the Lord. By him are kingdomes diſpoſed, Kings inaugurated, Crownes of gold ſet on their heads, Scepters and ſtates eſtabliſhed, Angels with their wings ſhadowing their Thrones; that their Majeſtie may be higher by the head than the reſt of the people. That one man ſhould rule millions, reſtraine, conſtraine, correct, command; how could it be but that God himſelfe hath imprinted the characters of a Divinitie in him;1 Eſd. 4.7. but that there is a Divine conſtitution in a humane perſon. It is thou O Lord, that ſubdueſt my people under me. rr1 Sam. 24.4.1 Sam 24:4Saul is in Davids cave, the ſouldiers would now have him carve his owne revenge; they alledge Gods promiſe and this advantage concurring: but take it at the worſt; Thou mayeſt doe to him, as it ſhall ſeeme good to thee: now, that might not ſeeme good to him, that ſeemed evill to God. But their incentive to bloud, David makes a preſervative from bloud; The Lord forbid, I ſhould doe this thing to his Annointed. Doubtleſſe he had worke enough to defend both himſelfe and his perſecutor: himſelfe from the importunitie of their inſtigation, his Maſter from ſuffering violence. Say, he could rule his owne hands, it is not eaſily to rule a multitude. What was the Charme to allay the fury of thoſe raging ſpirits? He is the Lords Annointed: nothing elſe, this was enough: that holy oile was an Antidote for his bloud. Saul did not lend David ſo impenetrable an armor, when he was to encounter Goliah: as David lent him in the plea of his unction. Not one of the diſcontented out-lawes durſt put forth a hand of violence againſt him. The Image and impreſſe of that Divine ordinance ſtrikes ſuch an awe into the hearts of men, that it makes even Traitors, cowards: ſo that in ſtead of ſmiting, they tremble, p. 756like them whoſe office is to ſuffer, not to doe. Feare God, honour the King: there was never man that feared God, but he alſo honoured the Prince.

For the neceſſitie; without Government wee were worſe than beaſts: It is the bond of the Common-weale; the life-breath which ſo many thouſand creatures draw: who otherwiſe would proove a burden to themſelves, a booty to their enemies. In the hoaſt of Heaven there is a Regiment: under God the Supreme, bee orders and degrees of ſtarres and planets; without which compoſition it could not be called an Armie. There is a Regiment in the body; they are luxate and palſey members, that move not by the direction of the Head. In the Family is a Regiment; the ſervant acknowledgeth his Maſter, the child his Father. Among irrationall creatures is a Regiment: the Bees have their King, the Cranes their Leader, and they keepe their night-watches in diſpoſed orders. All the Drove followes the principall beaſt, and the Sheep are not led by every Ram, but by their owne delected Guide.

Thus Nature teacheth, that we are all bound to ſubject our ſelves to Government. Man is a ſociable creature, but there would be harſh ſociety among them without a Ruler. None could ſay, This is mine; and Cheape-ſide would not be ſafer than Salisbury-plaine. The firſt rule that Nature dictates to man by experience, is to ſeeke a Ruler. We may ſay of all other creatures, Naſcuntur artifices, they are borne their crafts-maſters: Nature it ſelfe was their Tailour and Tutor, they came in apparell'd and armed; and by their eſtimative faculty, they are their owne Cators and Cookes, Phyſitians and builders. They can at firſt enterance chooſe their owne meates, build their owne neſts and burroughs, and being diſtemper'd, skill their owne medicines. But man came in without a rag to his back, or a dinner dreſt to his belly, or a houſe to put his head in; no weapons, no ableneſſe to uſe them: his underſtanding like white paper, nothing written on it: all which really teach him to ſeeke a protector. Therefore a common-wealth without a Governour, is like a body without a ſoule: where is no King, they are all kings. It were ſtrange, if every member of the body ſhould move by a ſeverall ſoule: how long could that man hang together? The ſonne hath a great loſſe in the death of his father, the wife of her husband, the ſervant of his maſter: but in the Funerals of Princes the whole land reads not ſo much the Princes; as their owne mortality: Et in una morte plares agnoſcimus, Hectora flemus. One ſayth truely; Dum mors inſignes percutit, …mnes petit. I know their fame is immortall, their goodneſſe immortall, their ſoules immortall; but their bodies are mortall: there is ſo much of man in them, that they muſt dye. They are lent to us for our ſakes, but wee muſt reſtore them againe for their owne ſakes.

Rom. 13.4…Rom 13:4Hee is the Miniſter of God to thee for good. Either for our naturall good, preſerving our lives, which bloudy-men would ſoone ruinate, who feare not ſo much hell as the halter: like beaſts that are more afraid of the flaſh of the powder, than of the bullet. Or Civill good, preſerving our goods and poſſeſſions; elſe robbery were law, and men like dogges, would trie all right by the teeth. Or Morall good, in commanding and commending Vertue, which hath praiſe of the Power: or in puniſhing vice, Hee beares not the ſword in vaine. Or Spiri… all good; the Magiſtrate by coactive power enforcing men to the duties of godlineſſe. Theſe ſeates would bee empty, the Preacher wants his relative, hearers; the Sacraments would be vili-pended, the Service of God reſigned to the ſervice of Satan; but for Government. The Sabbath would not be diſtinguiſhed from common dayes, the markets be fuller than the Temples; the wicked, like ſullen children, would not forſake their play for their meate, but for the rodde of correction. Many Saints in heaven might now confeſſe, that they had not knowne God, but for the King. Firſt, compulſory meanes brought them to the feaſt, whereof once taſting, they would never leave it. ^t Compell them p. 757to come in &c. ttLuk. 14.23.Luke 14:23It is a good ſtorme that blowes the wanton and ſecure Mariner into the haven. Wee could not converſe together, had not God ſet authority over us, to repreſſe our mutuall violences.

Lewd wretches have not the feare of God, therefore God brings them under the feare of man: that being ſubjected to Rulers of their owne kinde, their outrage might be ſent from temporall death to eternall. In that notorious apoſtacy of the Iewes, when ſo many execrable enormities were committed, the Spirit ſtill prefixeth;uuIudg. 17.6.Judg 17:6 At that time there was no King in Iſrael. We read of a poore Levite wanting meanes; why? there was no King. If God had beene their King, his Law had provided for the Levite. If Moſes had beene their King, his ſword would have cut out a portion for the Levite. We are beholding to government for order, for peace, for Religion. For order; where is no King, every man will be his owne king. For peace, he that is his owne king, will be anothers Tyrant. For Religion; every Micha would have a houſe of gods, beſide Gods houſe. We are worthy of nothing but confuſion, if we doe not bleſſe God for Regular dominion. No wonder, if the Levites goe a begging, while there is no King in Iſrael. The Tythes and Offerings were their due; had theſe been payed, none of the holy Tribe needed to wander for maintenance. Where both Legall and Regall authoritie appoints the Levite his right, the wickedneſſe of man will defraud him. But what ſhould become of the Levites, if there were no King? And what of the Church, if there were no Levites? No King, no Church: no civill government, no Eccleſiaſticall. How ſhould the impotent child live without a nurſe? It was Gods promiſe unto his Church, Kings ſhall be thy Foſter-fathers, and Queenes thy Nurſes. How ſhould not the ſheepe be a prey to Wolves and Foxes, but for the Shepheard? What life or temper can bee kept in the body that is head-leſſe? Therefore, that the riches we have gotten by honeſt induſtry, may bee aſſured to our poſterity; that wee may ſit under the ſhadow of peace, and teach our children to know the Lord; that the lampe of our lives be not ſnuffed out with violence; that the good man may build up Temples and Hoſpitalls, without trembling, to thinke of ſavage and barbarous ſacriledge to pull them downe: that our devotions be not moleſted with uproares, nor men called from their callings by mutinies: that our temporall eſtate be kept in libertie, our ſpirituall eſtate improved with pietie, and our eternall eſtate to be given in us glory; that our lives may be preſerved, and our ſoules ſaved; for ſuch a King of men, bleſſe we the God of the Kings.

This truth is plaine enough, no reaſonable man would looke for impugners: yet we muſt be content to heare what the Synode of hell can plead for diſobedience.

1 Object. Subjection came in with ſinne; but Chriſt hath taken away ſinne, therefore alſo ſubjection. Innocencie knew no Superior but God: and the ſubjection of Eve was her puniſhment, this could not antecede her ſin. Nomen Servi culpa meruit, non natura. Anſw. Subjection is twofold; Servile, and civill.Agu. The Vaſſalage of a ſlave, bound only to ſeeke his Maſters proper good, was not before the fall: civill obedience for the common good, was. The former is a curſe, ſuch a one as Noah bequeathed to his impudent Sonne: not in it ſelfe conſidered, but by reaſon of the feare and ſorrow united to it, which Innocency knew not. Civill ſubordination was before the fall: Encreaſe and multiplie; this did put a plaine diſtinction and inequality betwixt the father and the ſonne. Eve was ſubject to Adam, before either of them was ſubject to ſin. Shee might have Imperium apud virum, but he had Imperium in uxorem. Not that the Salicke Law accords with the Divine Law; as if no Queene might governe a kingdome: for the GOD of ſpirits hath often put great ſpirits into that ſexe. The Queene of Sheba was a famous Governeſſe; and that maſculine vertues may ſhine in a female head, this land cannot forget the memory of ſo long and ſweet p. 758experience. Yet this hinders not, but that man is fitteſt to governe.aaLev. 4.22.27Lev 4:22Lev 4:27 The Ruler was to bring for his ſinne-offering,Theodor. a Hee-goate: the private offender, a Shee-goate: to ſhew that the Male ſutes the Ruler beſt, and the Female the ruled. Thus Innocency had a ſuperiority.

2. Ob. Every Beleever is even now in the Kingdom of Heaven; but in Heaven there is no King but Chriſt. Anſw. In this reſpect they are alſo called kings, yet the King that doth not finde them ſubjects, judgeth them traitors. There is a ſpirituall regiment,bbRom. 14.17.Rom 14:17 ſtanding in grace, peace and joy: here is no diſtinction of perſons; neither father nor ſonne, maſter nor ſervant, King nor ſubject, but Chriſt is all in all. There is a civill regiment, which cannot conſiſt without diſtinctions and orders; here muſt be maſters and ſervants, &c. If all were Commanders and rich, every man muſt be driven to curry his owne horſe, and cleanſe his owne ſtable. As it is but a Trunke which is all body, no head: ſo it is a monſter, which is all head, and no body. But they ſay further; The faithfull have Gods Spirit their guide, therefore need not humane direction. Anſw. It is one thing what we doe, another thing what we ought to doe. Yet could we live without tranſgreſſion, we could not live well without protection.

3. Ob. ccMat. 17.26.Matt 17:26The children are free; now if free from tribute, then from ſubjection. Anſw. Chriſt there ſpake of himſelfe, who was by birth heire to the Crowne, therefore free: yet to avoid offence He paid it.ddGal. 5.1.Gal 5:1 And the freedome that hee gives us is from the law, from ſinne, death and hell: a liberty of conſcience, a ſpirituall enfranchiſement; not an exemption and immunity from civill obedience. Licentiouſneſſe is not liberty, but ſlavery: this makes the wicked to affect their owne inſenſible bondage, and to dote on their owne libertine delights; as a mad man loves his chaines, becauſe they rattle, and (as he thinkes) make a brave noiſe. He that made us free, taught us another rule by His owne example: He obeyed his Parents in the fleſh with humility, the Emperour with piety, the law with integrity, His heavenly Father, uſque ad mortem, to the death. So the Chriſtian is Inimicus nemini, Tertul.multo minus Imperatori.

4. Ob. Civill government is full of cruelty; and the ſword of Iuſtice not onelyonly ſpills the life, but often kills the ſoule, but cutting off the time and means of repentance. Anſw. Nay rather, the malefactour that is not moved at the ſentence of death, deſpaires the poſſibility of amendment by longer life. Theeviſh Achan had ſuffered his ſacriledge to lye fretting into his ſoule, had not the lot diſcovered him to death. Leaſurely ſickneſſe and languiſhment is but the coachway to repentance, legall doom is the poſt-horſe. How eaſie is it for men to delay the preparation for death, ſo long as they have hope of life? Sooner doe you heare of a malefactours contrition at the gibbet; than of an Vſurers in his bed: as a violent fire can thaw that yee, which lies long unmelted by a winters ſunne. Cataplaſmes and fomentations draw not out the pleuriſie, letting of bloud does it. He ſees, by the evidence of the fact; Intelligence of the Iurates, truth of the witneſſes, impartiality of the Iudge; an Image of that higher Tribunall, whither his ſinne will ſend him, when they have done with him. Here the Gaole can hold him but to the Seſſion, the Seſſion is not long ere it come to ſentence, the ſentence is ſoone anſwered with execution, the ſuffering of death is ſhort; all theſe paſſages take up no long time. But then comes another Iudgement, where his conſcience gives in teſtimony, all his crimes appeare upon record, Satan ſolicites Iuſtice, God cannot be unjuſt, the doome is certaine, the execution eternall. Therefore with an humbled ſoule and broken heart, he cries for mercy before he comes to the ſeat of Iuſtice; beſeecheth Chriſt to procure him a pardon, and God to accept his Sonnes ſatisfaction. In this aſſurance he ſmiles death in the face, is free in priſon, and never felt himſelfe truely to live, till he is come to dye. Thus he that could not live innocent, dyes penitent; and ſeeing his body cannot be ſaved alive, he endevors that his ſoule may be ſaved in death. As he hath followed p. 759Satan our common enemy in ſinning, ſo hee now defies him in repenting; and by his unfained teares diſappoints that murderers hope of his damnation. Moe malefactours than that one have gone from the Gibbet to heaven; and from an ignominious place, after a more ſcandalous fact, been received up to glory.

5 Ob. But how if the Prince be bad, an enemie to truth and goodneſſe, a raviſher, a perſecuter, raiſing powers for the extirpation of the Goſpell? Here, if ever, a ſubject may renounce all allegiance: for here is power againſt power, man againſt God, and the ſubject of both left to follow either. Anſw. In this ſtrait ſome, for feare of the King, ſhipwracke their faith, and theſe are traitors to God. Others by a defenſive ſword in their hand rebells to the King. There is no queſtion, but God muſt be obeyed even againſt the King, when the King commandeth things againſt God. Hi carcerem, Ille gehennam minatur. What then?Aug. ſhall we reſiſt him with violence? No, God never warrants that practiſe, no not againſt a Prince that denyes him. There is an Active obedience, and a Paſſive. I may not execute his impious commands, I muſt ſuffer his unjuſt puniſhment. Obedire oportet malis Imperaoribus, non mala imperantibus. The vices of men cannot fruſtrate the Inſtitution of God: be he never ſo ungracious, honour muſt be given, if not Principi, yet Principatui. Peruſe Matth. 5.44. and Rom. 12.17. this will tie the hands of Chriſtian ſubjects. Samuel offered not to depoſe Saul, though the expreſſe ſentence of God had caſt him off, and he was excommunicated by a higher power than ever came from Rome; Saul lived and dyed a King.

The captive Iewes in Babylon, wrote to their brethren in Ieruſalem, to pray for the life ofeeBaruch 1.11.Bar 1:11 Nebuchadnezzar. This wasffIer. 29.7.Jer 29:7 Ieremies counſell, andggDan. 4.19. & 6.21.Dan 4:19Dan 6:21 Daniels practice: all his ſpeeches ſavoured of moſt perfect obedience, even to a King that not ſo well intreated him. Let him be a Darius, and make a decree againſt God; then he will enter into his houſe and pray, open his windowes and pray, not paſſe many houres but pray; though every haire on his head were a life, ready to redeeme his duty to God with the loſſe of them all. What reſiſtance did the primitive Chriſtians make to thoſe barbarous outrages? but praying for the Emperors life, when under the Emperors command they were bleeding to death. Neither did they ſuffer becauſe they were not able to reſiſt: but it was their doctrine, Occidi magis licet, quàm occidere. Vis nobis non deeſt vel nummorum, vel numerorum; Tertul.we have meanes ſufficient: they filled all places of that Idolatrous Empire, Ilands, Cities, Caſtles, all but the profane Temples. One night, and a few torches, could have offorded them an ample revenge. MercieMercy on us, had but the Ieſuites ſuch an advantage! Tertullian to theſe pagan tormentors; Noſter eſt magis Caeſar, the Emperour is more ours than yours: as being appointed by our God, and upheld by our prayers and obedience.

Chriſtians never prove loſers, but when they unjuſtly fight for their owne preſervation. Provide we Scutum, non gladium, the buckler of patience, not a ſword as ready to give as ward the blow.hhMat. 10.39.Matt 10:39 Hee that loſeth his life for my ſake ſhall finde it: heare is the way, either to die by living, or to live by dying. When the decree was gone out byiiEſth. 3.16. Aug.Esth 3:16 Ahaſuerus, this was their refuge; Preces & lacry ma. Potero ſtere, potero gemere. Rogamus, Auguſte, non pugnamus. The Apoſtles could worke miracles, yet they reſiſted not the ordinate powers.kkRom. 13.1.Rom 13:1 This charge Paul impoſeth on the Romans, even while tyrannous Nero was their Emperor; a monſter, whom diverſe held to be Antichriſt. Saul is in Davids cave; the ſouldiers thinke that God ſent him thither on no other errand, but to fetch his death. If Saul had ſeene his own danger, he had given himſelfe for death, and expected to receive what he meant to beſtow. But wiſe and holy David gives way neither to his owne paſſion, nor his ſouldiers ſollicitation; but only makes this uſe of it; the tryall of his loyaltie, and the meanes of his peace. It had beene as eaſie to cut Sauls throat, as his garment: but his coat only ſhall be the worſe, not his perſon. Nor ſhould the cloke have beene maimed to ſeeke his owne revenge, but for a monument of p. 760his Innocence. The very piece of his garment ſhewes, he meant no hurt to his Perſon; yet this violence ſtrikesll2 Sam. 24.5.2 Sam 24:5 Davids heart. He feeles remorſe for touching that, which did once touch the perſon of his Lord. How unlike are thoſe ſpirits of Rome, that teach and practiſe, encourage and reward, yea, canonize the violation of Majeſtie it ſelfe? David regrets for cutting a royall robe, they make no account of ſhedding the royall bloud; ſheepe to cut the throat of their Shepheard.

Evill Princes are indeed a puniſhment;mmHoſ. 13.11.Hos 13:11 Dedi in furiore. How miſerable it is to have an intemperate Ruler, appeares by the wiſeſt Preacher.nnEcc. 10.16.Eccl 10:16 woe to thee o Land, when thy Princes eate in the morning: following the pleaſures that attend on Majeſtie, and not the paines wh^ch belong to Magiſtracie. There is a miſerable dedeſolation threatned to Iſrael; the ſtaffe of bread, and ſtay of water, the man of war, and the man of peace, the Iudge and Prophet, the honourable and ancient, the cunning artificer, the eloquent orator; all ſhall be taken away. How comes it?ooEſa. 3.4.Isa 3:4 I will give children to be their Princes, and babes ſhall rule over them: there is the Iudgement fulfilled.ppPſal. 109.6.Ps 109:6 Set thou a wicked man over him: among all other curſes which hee calls from heaven by the Spirit of Prophecie upon his malicious adverſaries, running like oile into all the joynts and bonds, of themſelves, their wives, and children; this leads the army, as Iudas led the ſouldiers; Set a wicked man to rule over him. They that were weary of Salomon, Greg.were wearyed with Rehoboam. Secundum merita ſubditorum, diſponit corda praepoſitorum. Yet muſt not all this expoſe them to contempt: Samuel would not pray with Saul, he would grace him before the people, to continue credite to the Magiſtracie. There is ſome good attained to under the worſt Prince.Ordinary Gloſſe on Iob. 34.Job 34 Even by the power given to the devill, Iob probatus eſt ut juſtus appareret; Petrus tentatus ne de ſe praeſumeret, Paulus colophizatus ne ſe extolleret, & Iudas damnatus ut ſe ſuſpenderet. Iulian ſent his ſubjects to heaven in earneſt, while himſelfe went to hell merrily and in jeſt. But bleſſed be our God, we have no cauſe to complaine: we have ſuch a Prince, whom whoſoever praiſeth not, vel non diligit, vel non intelligit. Only let us bleſſe him, and bleſſe God for him, that we may all be bleſſed in him.

Concluſion.That religion then cannot be right, that pulls downe Princes: ſeeing neither Moſes in the old Teſtament, nor Chriſt in the new, nor Levite nor Prophet, Apoſtle nor Diſciple, either counſelled or practiſed againſt Government. Which ſhould decide the point, that hath coſt the lives of ſo many Chriſtians, and ſtill threatens more tragedies to come. They that in this argument found the weakeneſſe of their pens, have fallen to their penknives, multiplied the Schoole into a Campe, arguments to armies, teaching all their Proſelytes diſmall concluſions. Thus they fight againſt God in his Lievtenant, and the root of all civill order they deſire to roote out. They complaine of us for ſuppreſſing them, that will not let us live in quiet by them. What ſecurity can Sara with her Iſaac have in the houſe if Hagar and her brat be not beaten out of doores? The peace of our ſtate, nor ſcarce of any ſtate in Chriſtendome ſince Charlemaines time, hath not beene violated, but the Pope or his Miniſters have had a hand in it. To ſay nothing of their private turbulencie, what peſtilences they be to the houſes that harbour them, where they rule all with the Lady; it is their ſawcineſſe with the Crowne which our ſtate ſuffers under. They doe but turne the Text;qqLuk. 22.15.Luke 22:15 Kings over ſubjects, and they over Kings. They will be Donatiſts, Anabaptiſts, Libertines, Pagans, any thing, ſo they be not ſubjects. How did they more than deſpiſe, even deſpight that Queene of bleſſed memorie? whom ſtrangers came to ſee, as the Queene of Sheba did Salomon; forraigners reverenced, ſubjects loved, all Princes living admired and themſelves outwardly flattered. By whoſe gracious hand God wrought thoſe wonders, that the moſt potent Kings can hardly reach. Honour filled the circle of her Crowne, her brow with Majeſtie, her heart with pietie, her hands with pitie, her lap with plentie, her throne with equitie. All thoſe vertues centred in her p. 761breſt, which ſeverally had commended the great Ladies of the former world. Yet how execrable were the treaſons at home, the rebellions and invaſions abroad which they contrived againſt her? Now when ſhe is in glorious peace, have they not raked into her grave, and railed on her royall Name? She that lies buried, not in cold earth, but in the warme and living monuments of all religious hearts among us, is ſtill perſecuted by their barbarous violences. But as all their malice could not harme her Perſon while it was mortall on earth; much leſſe can it reach her ſoule, which is now immortall and bleſſed in heaven. Lord, they have not deſpiſed her, but they have deſpiſed thee: revenge thine owne cauſe; confirme the diadem where it is, and let not the man of ſin pull downe, what thou the God of righteouſneſſe haſt built up.

Deſpiſers.] The maine antagoniſts of Soveraigntie are the Anabaptiſts and Papiſts: who, howſoever otherwiſe they dart fire one at another, yet here like Herod and Pilate, they ſhake hands, or thoſe ſeditious Captaines in Ieruſalem, fight againſt the Magiſtrate as their common enemie. Thus Sampſons foxes have averſe heads, but are coupled together by their tailes.

1 The Anabaptiſts did ſtrike at the head of all Government; and with the ſword in their owne hand, ſought to wring the ſword out of the Magiſtrates. They inveighed againſt authority, and yet tooke authoritie upon themſelves. As I have heard a man reproved for ſwearing, preſently rap out an oath that he would not ſweare. It was Muncers ordinary doctrine, that he had conference with God about it: that he charged him to kill the Magiſtrates, to deſtroy the wicked, and conſtitute a new world. Theſe cry downe all rule; as the heathen againſt Gods Annointed Sonne; rrPſal. 2.3.Ps 2:3let us breake their bands a ſunder, and caſt away their cords from us. But at laſt finding themſelves fooled by themſelves, and that Kings would not be diſputed out of their dominions; yea, that themſelves could not be kept in order without ſome Prelation, they began to qualifie the matter: as men that can get nothing by Law, will come to compoſition. Regiment they will allow, if Magiſtates will be content with their allowance; which is not only like Davids Ambaſſadors, halfe their Regall robes cut off; but authority it ſelfe grub'd to the skin: not only lopping off the ſuperfluous branches, but hewing the root till it bee paſt all growing. That he hath his inſtitution from God, his conſtitution from the people: Regnat a Deo, ſed per & propter populum. Thus with a paring knife they ſo ſhred his Government; till like the coozening Tailor that ſhrunke a freeze gowne to a doozen of buttons; they leave him only a titular Prince, and keepe the Principalitie to themſelves. Let all their refutation be but a meere hiſſing at.

2 The Papiſts are more moderate in ſhew, little leſſe peſtilent in deed Their laitie ſhall bee ſubject to a Magiſtrate; but to one of their owne chuſing, and that onelyonly till their refuſing, ſo authority is no ſure knot but as Iugglers, they play at faſt and looſe. And upon the leaſt exception to the pietie, yea obedience of the Prince, (a ſtrange Catechiſme, or Catachreſis rather, that teacheth Kings to obey their ſubjects) they caſt him out from his royaltie, diſcharge and abſolve the people from their allegiance. This practiſe is according to their common diſtinction, not differing from the former of the Anabaptiſts; Principatus a Deo, Princeps ab homine: therefore they dare doe any thing in Principem, againſt the King; nothing in Principatum, againſt the kingdome. Execrable ſophiſtrie! as if he that oppoſed the governor, did not oppoſe Government. Would this anſwere paſſe in Rome: the Popedome, as it is the ſucceſſion of Peter, is of God: but the preſent Pope is of man? Or this, God forbids me to wrong my neighbour, yet (Ieſuite) I may wrong thee? This was fit doctrine for Machiavell himſelfe would not have beene aſhamed of it. But Daniel, that was a counſellor of State to two Monarchies, and a Secretis, to foure Kings, aſcribes this power of tranſlating or entailing crownes to a familie, to none but God: it isſſDan. 5.21.Dan 5:21 He, not the Pope.

p. 762By their rule the Pope indeed is King, and all Kings but his vice-royes, to be placed and diſplaced, according as they pleaſe or diſpleaſe him. And for their Clergie, they ſhall know no civill obedience at all. But were the ſword as well able to plead the cauſes of Kings in the field, as the pens of Divines are in the Schoole, their Crownes would ſit more quietly on their heads.ttRom. 13.1.Rom 13:1 Let every ſoule be ſubject to the higher power. Si omnis, & vestra, ſaith Saint Bernard to an Archbiſhop: who hath exempted you from this univerſality? His concluſion is, Si quis tentat excipere, conatur decipere. Why did our Saviour ſubmit himſelfe to Caiphas, to Pilate, pay tribute to Caeſar; and Paul appeale to his Iudgement ſeat? Is Chriſts Vicar ſtarted above his Maſter? Peters Succeſſor better than Paul himſelfe? What an alteration did Ioſiah make in the face of the Church, purging the Idolaters, changing the office of the Levites, commanding a paſſeover? Hilkiah was the high Prieſt, and executed theſe things under him; but all was done Iuxta praeceptum Ioſiae. Was Ioſiah ſuch a King in Iſrael, and is not our King in England! What hath the Hilkiah of Rome to doe here? So Conſtantine ſaid to his Biſhops. You in the Church are Biſhops, I in the Church am King: you for the word and Sacraments, I for authoritie and preſidence: you overſeers of the people, I the overſeer of overſeers. The one to preach the word, the other to beare the ſword: as Paul calls the Magiſtrate, the Lords Sword-bearer. He holds his prerogative in capite, given him from above. What one word of Chriſts commiſſion to his Diſciples, favours of encouragement to rebellious attempts? Goe into the world, preach, baptiſe, bind and looſe, remit and retaine, feed, take the keyes, receive the Holy Ghoſt. Goe into the world, not over run it, ſhaking the pillars of it with conſpiracies, the foundations with ſeditions. Preach peace, not proclaime wars: Build up, the kingdome of heaven, not thunder ruine to the kingdomes of earth. Baptiſe to repentance, not waſh the people in their owne blouds with perſecution and vengeance. Binde and retaine not with ſhackles, priſons, and wards. Feed the Lambes, not fleece them, nor flay them, making maſſacres of King and ſubjects. Take the keyes, not Princes Crownes. When he ſayd Yee ſhall be brought before Governours and Kings he did not meane that Governors and Kings ſhould be brought before you; that Emperors ſhould kiſſe your feete, waite at your gates, in weathers ſtormy enough; but not more ſtormy than the Pontificall browes: that they ſhould take their Crownes, (I ſay not at your hands, but) at your feet; holding your ſtirrups while you mount your Palfreyes, and eate bread like dogs under your tables. Chriſt refuſed to divide an inheritance, yet theſe men will undertake to divide kingdomes.Luk. 12.Luke 12 But there is a divider over them, that hath written in the booke of his Preſcience, the finall diviſion of their univerſall Supremacie. And as it is true of their perſons;Petrach. Brevis eſt hominum vita, brevior Regum, Pontificum breviſsima. So let the like breach fall upon their ſucceſſions, till the ſeat of Antichriſt be raſed to the ground.

3 Proud and ambitious ſelfe-admirers, thinke themſelves fitter to rule than obey; theſe deſpiſe government. uu1 Sam. 20.27.1 Sam 20:27Saul is choſen King, the moſt and beſt applaud the choice: yet ſome ſonens of Belial murmure againſt it. It was not the greatneſſe of his parents, the goodlineſſe of his perſon, the ſelection of his Lot, the approbation of Samuel, the ſound proofe of his courage; that could ſhield him from contempt, ot winne the hearts of all. They ſaw hee choſe not himſelfe, they ſaw him unwilling to be choſen, they ſaw him worthyto be choſen: if the Election had beene carried by voices, and thoſe voices by their eyes, Saul had beene ſtill the man: yet they deſpiſe him. His parentage was not inferiour, his ſtate equall, his perſon above his eſtate, his mind above his perſon; yet they deſpiſe him. But dogs will barke at the Moone; and what all men commend, you have ſome Thirſytes take delight to blaſt, Malcontents will deviſe ſlanders, if they can finde none like Coiſtrells, that firſt fill themſelves with wind, and then flie againſt it. Their bloud is of a yellowiſh colour, like thoſe that have beene bitten by vipers: p. 763their gall flowes in them, thicker than oile in a poyſoned ſtomach. But the beſt is, their owne malice ſuckes up the greateſt part of their venome, and therewith they burſt themſelves. There was never Prince, to whom ſome Belialiſts tooke not ſome exceptions: it is not poſſible to pleaſe or diſpleaſe all men; ſome being as deepely in love with vice, as others are with vertue. It were ill with Princes, if their ſtate depended on the …od liking of their ſubjects. But there be none but baſe, that are thus cenſorious: and the Sun will ſhine never the leſſe glorious, though ſuch ſullen eyes ſcorne to looke upon it.

4 Denyers of due homage, are Deſpiſers; as, 1.xxProv. 24.21. Ambr.Prov 24:21 Feare; not ſlaviſh feare. Alied eſt timere quia peccâſti, aliud timere ne pecces: illîc formido eſt de ſupplicio, hîc ſollicitudo est de praemio: this feare is reverence. If any man feares not the King, the King hath cauſe to feare him. 2. Honour; not ſuch as ſhall make a god of him, like Herods flatterers, and their ſucceſſors, the Popes Sycophants: yet enough to advance him above all other men. 3. Fidelitie, ſuch asaa2 Sam. 15.21.2 Sam 15:21 Ittai bare unto David: that is an ill hand, that when a blow is comming, will not lift up it ſelfe to defend the head. Salus capitis, caput ſalutis. The King is the light of our eyes, the breath of our noſthrills, even the life of our lives: any man will hazard a joynt to preſerve his life. Subjects unfaithful at the heart, may be without ſuſpition of their Prince, but they be held rebels in the Court of heaven. We are bound to be ſubject,bbRom. 23.5. not only for wrath, but for conſcience ſake. In all the time of Davids proſperity, there was no newes of Shimei; he lookes like a faire ſubject. But he that ſmiled on David in his throne, curſeth him in his flight: now his unſound and trecherous heart diſcovers it ſelfe, in a tongue full of venome, a hand full of ſtones. Proſperous ſucceſſe hides many a falſe heart, as a drift of ſnow covers a heape of dung: but when that white cover melts, the filthy rottenneſſe will appeare. There is no ſecurity in that ſubjects allegiance, that hath not God in his conſcience. The nearer ſuch are to the Governour, the more perilous: and as no favourite of greatneſſe can be without envie, (as in Cheſſe, the pawne that ſtands before the king, is moſt ſet upon) ſo the good one, like Ioſeph, ſo endeares himſelfe to the King of Aegypt, that he may be gracious with the King of heaven: and the bad one, like Haman, makes uſe of his power to miſchiefe; till by plotting againſt the Church, he loſe all comfort by the Church. All this mans glory ſhewes on him, but as if the Sunne ſhone in a puddle. 4.ccIoſh. 1.17.Josh 1:17 Obedience; to doe what he commands, and goe whether he ſends. The ſervant that does not what he is bidden, deſpiſeth his Maſter. The Law is mutus magiſtratus, the King lex anima…a: he that diſobeyes the one, deſpiſeth the other. 5. Paying of tribute: ddRom. 13.7.Rom 13:7Render tribute, &c. Render it; it is not a gift, but a payment. A man feedes the ſtomach, that it may nouriſh his whole body. Solvatur ſubſidium, ne contingat excidium. He that faineth himſelfe poore to avoid a Subſidie, is worthy to be made as poore as his Subſidie: becauſe he would not reſtore him a part, by whom he keepes all. 6. Prayer; ee1 Tim. 2.2.1 Tim 2:2Let prayers and ſupplications be made for all men, eſpecially for Kings. The heavyer burden requires the more ſtrength: Aaron and Hur muſt hold up the hands of Moſes, if they would proſper. We have cauſe to deſire that that river may never want water, which muſt relieve the whole countrey. No army but would have their Generalls good ſucceſſe. We call our peace, the Kings peace: our peace is but the effect of his, as his Majeſtie is a reſultance from Gods Majeſtie.

What ſhall then become of them, that turne their prayersſſExod. 22.28.Exod 22:28 into curſes? though their wiſhes be but whirlewinds, which breathed forth, returne upon themſelves. This was an unwilling error, thatggAct. 23.5.Acts 23:5 Paul willingly recanted. Curſe not the King, no not in thy thought: for a bird of the aire ſhall carry the voice, and that which hath wings ſhall tell the matter. With the mouth a wicked rebell dares not curſe him, for feare of the laſh; but thought is free: ſuch is his thought, but not Gods, to whom the conſcience is a legible booke. The birds of the aire ſhall diſcover it; either by ſome miraculous demonſtration, as juſt revealers: or by pecking out his eyes, as juſt executioners: or that Iudgement ſhall be ſwift againſt them, as if it had p. 764wings. Shimei curſeth his King, is pardoned by ſucceſſion, by Salomon after his father: he hath now quite forgotten his ſin. But at laſt it comes home, by his going abroad: and the tongue that curſed the Lords Annointed, now payes the head to boote. The vengeance of Traitors may ſleepe, it cannot die.hh1 Sam. 11 12.1 Sam 11:12 Saul had gotten victorie of the Ammonites, which made him a complete King: and now the thankfull Iſraelites enquire after the diſcontented mutiners, that refuſed allegiance to ſo worthy a commander. Their ſedition deſerved death, how ever Saul had ſped at Gilead: the very purpoſes of treaſon muſt not eſcape impune: that God, who hinders the action in his merciemercy, will puniſh the intention in his Iuſtice. But that happy conqueſt whetted them to a more eager deſire of this juſt execution.

Certainly, of all nations in the world, we have cauſe to deſpiſe the deſpiſers of our Government. We that have a King, not more noble than wiſe, not more wiſe than good; how can we wiſh other than puniſhment to his contemners? We have uſum & fructum communis pacis; ii1 King. 4.29.1 Kgs 4:29dwelling ſafely under our own vines; the benefit of thoſe riches w^ch make a wel-govern'd State glorious. What do we want to the conſummation of our proſperity, but thankfull hearts? For me to meaſure it, were to ſhew you the Image of a great Mountaine in a ſmall ring. Religion, peace, honour, ſecurity; thoſe foure cardinall bleſſings to uphold a State, as the foure cardinall vertues uphold a man. Now to diſgrace authority, is the meanes to overthrow all felicitie. Tribute is given to Tyrants, commendation onelyonly to good Princes. The Iuſtice of our Governour hath not ſpared the greateſt offenders; yet his mercy hath made us more indebted to him than his Iuſtice. May his m…rcy never hurt himſelfe, wee have to cauſe to complain. Even to his enemies he hath been pitifull, ſtriving to overcome their malice by his goodneſſe. Yet like thoſe people, that in a daily ceremony, goe out of their doores, with their faces into the Eaſt, and curſe the Sunne, which gives them light and preſerving influence. So his adverſaries, beſide their curſed writings, baſe calumnies and blaſphemies of his honour; have ſought by trechery to ſtock up the root whereon themſelves grow; ſacrifiſing their Sacraments, Religion, Prayer, and the holieſt things they have, to execute Satans will, and expiate Antichriſts fury. They have turned Maſſing into maſſacring, Patres in patricidas, ghoſtly fathers into bloudy murtherers.

The huge and ſupereminent Coloſſus of all, was the Powder-treaſon; the u… moſt point of all villany; beyond which, it is terra incognita: no man can deviſe what ſhould be between it and hell. The butchery over all France of above ſixty thouſand Proteſtants, might be pictured in the Popes Palace by the Painters art: but what colours could have expreſſed this confuſion? As a learned Divine hath amplified it. What ſtaine could ſhadow the bloud of ſo royall Princes? What red deſcribe the goare of ſo noble Chriſtians? What black, the darkneſſe of that day? what azure, the terribleneſſe of that fire? What invention imitate the noiſe of that infernall blow? Lowder than many Cannons, and the ſhriekes of ſo many innocents, with the miſery of infants yet unborne? This was a death never to be painted to the life: nor Pen, nor Pencill, nor Art, nor Heart can comprehend it. What an infamy ſtrikes upon our age, to beare the date of ſuch impieties? To have it recorded to poſterity, in ſuch a time was ſuch a treaſon? The earth ſhall not hide it from the heavens, nor the heavens abtract it from the earth; it ſhall be the deteſtable hatred of all Generations to the end of the world.

Yet ſtill hath the Lord protected our government, by preſerving our Governour; even againſt the malice of our enemies, and (which is worſe) the wickedneſſe of our ſelves. Therefore let us praiſe God for our Government, and we praiſe him for all: let us love and ſerve our Governour, and we love and ſerve God who hath given us all. Let us ſerve him with our fields and Vineyards for his maintenance, with our lives and ſtrengths for his defence, eſpecially with our prayers and ſupplica… ons for his ſafety.

A COMMENTARY OR, EXPOSITION ƲPON THE DIVINE SECOND EPISTLE GENERALL, WRITTEN BY THE BLESSED APOSTLE S^t. PETER.

The ſecond Tome.

By THOMAS ADAMS.

1 PETER 5.10.

The God of all grace, who hath called us into his eternall glory by Chriſt Ieſus, after that yee have ſuffered a while, make you perfect, ſtabliſh, ſtrengthen, ſettle you: To Him be glory and dominion, for ever and ever, Amen.

PAX OPVLENTIAM SAPIENTIA PACEM

LONDON, Imprinted by FELIX KYNGSTON for IACOB BLOOME. 1633.