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

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

p. 417VERSE 2. And many ſhall follow their pernicious wayes, by reaſon of whom the way of truth ſhall be evill ſpoken of.

WE have in theſe Heretickes contemplated their acceſſe to the Church, now conſider their ſucceſſe in the Church. Many ſhall follow, &c. It hath ever beene the divells aime, that ſeeing he muſt of neceſſitie be wretched, not to be wretched alone. Now the company he deſires, is not beaſts and irrationall creatures, (ſave where he may doe their owners a miſchiefe) but his ambition flies man-height, his envy ſtrikes at the image of God, becauſe he hath no other way to extend his malice to the Deitie it ſelfe; to effectuate this, he workes man to betray man; as man makes one fowle catch another, or one beaſt ſurpriſe …nother; the hawke the partridge, the hound the hare; all to make him ſport. So Satan ſets Ephraim againſt Manaſſeth, Manaſſeth againſt Ephraim, and both againſt Iudah; himſelfe againſt all, Eſa. 9.21. And becauſe he thinke the Pagan world ſure enough his owne, have at the Chriſtian. There of all places God is glorious, there of all places he will be pernicious. The divell hath a deſire to all, but eſpecially he doves a religious ſoule: he would eate up that with more greedyneſſe, than Rachel did her Ma…drakes. He is a blacke Lion rampant in a bloudy field: CHRIST is King of the whole world; nay ſoft quoth the divell, I have the aire, Eph. 2.2. He is called the Prince of the power of the aire. He hath loaded Heretickes with ſeed from hell, …nd ſets them a ſowing in the Church: that at the day of harveſt his croppe may be greater in the barne of hell, than the Lord CHRISTS is in heaven. In the former verſe we had him ſowing; his ſeminaries at worke: in this verſe behold with what a proſperous and lucky hand he doth it. foreign, Many ſhall follow. Their curſed tares ſhall ſpread farre and wide, & mirificè multiplicabuntur. It is little content for them to be reprobates alone; but as falling Lucifer drew numerous Angels with him; ſo all his adherents and agents are firebrands to burne others with themſelves. The Phariſies would travell ſea and land to worke Profelytes p. 418to their owne inheritance, yea to procure them a double portion to themſelves, Matth. 23. Verſe 15. The Emiſſaries of Rome have that charge given th… to corrupt others. Like men ſicke of the peſtilence, they have an itching … ſire to infect their neighbours. Here therefore behold their ſucceſſe; M… ſhall follow their pernicious wayes. If we take the verſe aſunder, it will thus fall … parts; generally two.

A

Attraction; Many ſhall follow their pernicious wayes.

Detraction; By whom the way of truth ſhall be ſcandaliſed.

In the Attraction or congeſtion of this tumult, conſider

The

Ringleaders; They, that broach theſe Hereſies.

Rabble or tatterdemallion that adhere; Many follow.

In the Detraction, derogation, or injurie done to the Goſpell, by theſe revo… from the truth, let us examine.

The

Patient that ſuffers, The way of truth.

Injurie that it ſuffers; Evill ſpoken of.

In the patient obſerve

The

Singularitie, foreign, The way, the onelyonly way.

Sincerity, Of Truth, uncorrupted truth.

Thus here are many points, one into two, two into foure, foure into eight. N… you will ſay, as Leah of her ſonne Gad, Gen. 30.11. A troupe commeth, or … comes a company: yet all theſe branches have but one roote, all theſe members … one head: they are but wheeles of a clocke taken a little in ſunder to view, then … bee put together againe. When a wealthy favourite of the world, that … more livings than vertues, ſent his ſervant before to take up lodging for him; the ſervant charged the hoſte to provide good cheare; for here, ſaies hee, wi… come the Lord of ſuch a Mannor, the Land-lord of ſuch a town, the keeper of ſuch a forreſt, the Maſter of ſuch an office, the lay-perſon of ſuch a pariſh, a I… ſtice of peace, a Gentleman, an Vſurer, and my maſter: the hoſte bleſt himſelfe; alas, I have not roome for halfe ſo many: nay quoth the ſervant, all theſe are … one man. So if you diſtruſt that you have not roome in your memories to lodge ſ… many points, yet be comforted, all theſe are but one Text.

The firſt generall is the Attraction, and the firſt particular the Ring leader… whence occurre two obſervations.

Firſt, the neceſſitie of a head to every Schiſme and faction: never was bre… made in the vineyard of CHRIST, but ſome principall beaſt-led the whole herd. There had beene no treaſon nor inſurrection againſt David, but for Abſ…l… to ſet it on foote. Gamaliel ſpake of two ſuch factions. Act. 5.36. The…d…, … whom a number of men joyned themſelves: and Iudas, that drew much people after him: theſe Schiſmes had their heads. If Smith and Rob. had not led the way to Amſt… dam, how many ſilly ſoules had ſtayed ſtill with their mother in England! The… blind zeale miſled them, and they others: their flight was not ſo much as their m… guidance. Though the parties in ſinne have their parts in the puniſhment, yet to t… principall authors be the principall plagues. If their reward in heaven be ſo great, … ſave one ſoule from death; how great ſhall their torment be in hell that pervert ma… ſoules to deſtruction? Matth. 5.19. Minimus in coelo, maximus in infer…. He … be leaſt in the kingdome of heaven, but greateſt in the kingdome of hell. He that … damne a ſoule beſides his owne, overdoes the divells expectation; he ſupererog… of Satan, and he ſhall give him a double fee, a double portion of hell fire for … paines. Salus capitis, caput ſalutis: ſo error capitis, caput erroris, Mark. 6.34. Our S… our pitied the people, becauſe they were as ſheepe, ſine paſtore ullo, without any ſhepheard: but how would he have wept to ſee the poore Lambes miſ-led a Paſtore … by an exill ſhepheard! Non veſci omnino, miſeranda defectio; ſed veſci veneno, execr… da infectio. It is miſerable to want food, yet as good nothing at all as only poyſon. p. 419CHRIST is the only head of his Church they that fall off from him, muſt have …ap… novum, a new head, and joyne themſelves in corpus novum, to a new body: thus …hall both head and taile be cut off together, Eſa. 9.14. This obſervation Miniſters two …ſefull leſſons to us.

1 That the way to ſuppreſſe a ſchiſme, is to cut off the Head: for it will bee …ard for a body to move headleſſe. Zach. 13.7. Smite the ſhepheard, and the ſheepe …hall be ſcattered. Theſe be ſtrong colts, ſwift dromedaries traverſſing their owne wayes; wild Aſſes that ſnuffe up the wind at their pleaſure, and whiske it about in …he wilderneſſe of their owne boundleſſe fancie, and tranſportive furie. I doe not ſay Percute ferro; like Empirickes that can cure no diſeaſe without letting bloud: no, I …referre with Tertullian, ſuffuſion of it, before effuſion of it; ſhame before ſmart: …nowing that not onelyonly Chriſtianitas, ſed etiam haereſis mortibus creſcit: and ſome …ave thought their cauſe good, onelyonly becauſe it was their happineſſe to be in priſon …bout it. But howſoever, Vbi non proſint ubera, non deſint verbera: ſupprime errorem …primendo errantem. If their wickedneſſe hath beene formerly illuſtrated with the …ommentaries of the churches patience; if ſternneſſe hath given place to mildneſſe, without ſucceſſe; let now mildneſſe be turned into ſternneſſe. Let the wheele of admiration turne about, and let the Law begin to prick them a little, that have no felt it, …ut laugh'd at it a long time, and made connivence their warrant for contempt. Lay …he medicine cloſe to them, as Chriſt did to the creeple at Betheſda; viſne ſanari? wilt thou bee mended, or not? Let ſuch wilfull revolters take heed; Reſtat …verti, cui converti non contigit; if they will not bee converted, let them feare to …e confounded.

2 Seeing there are ſuch corrupters of our truth, and diſturbers of our peace, …et us be ſure to hold the Truth in peace: leaving all heads, and cleaving to our only …ne Head IESUS CHRIST. Col. 2.19. Let us hold the head, from which all the bo…y by joynts and bands having nouriſhment miniſtred, and knit together, increaſeth with …he increaſe of God. Curſed is he that ſeekes to ſeperate us from this head. The Lord …s our God and our Guide; him we follow, but all falſe wayes we utterly abhorre, Phil. ….9. That which you have learned and received, doe; and the God of peace ſhall be with …ou. If we adhere to the truth peaceably, the God of truth and peace ſhall be with …s. Even that God of peace, whom ſuch incendiaries would turne out of our …and. Pſal. 120.6. My ſoule hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace. Doth he hate peace? then peace ſhall hate him. I am for peace, but when I ſpeake, they are …or warre. Well then, God ſhall be even with him, and be for war, when he ſpeakes …or peace. Deus pacis nobiſcum; O the ſweete habite of peace to appeare in! O the gracious forme of peace, for our God to preſent himſelfe to us! Let him alwayes …ppeare to me in that ſhape, alwayes preſent himſelfe to me in that forme. Not in …urning fire, nor tempeſtuous wind, nor trembling earth-quakes but in the ſoft aire …nd ſtill breath of peace; the God of peace be with us. The more buſy the divell …s to ſcatter diſſentions, the more unitedly let us hold together. As when the enemy aſſaults a towne, and the men are defending it; the children meane time may not …e allowed to keepe what coile and miſrule they will in the houſe; but are rather to …ive ſo much the more orderly. The tyrannie of the one muſt not encourage the li…ertie of the other; nor are theſe to be excuſed becauſe the other are encreaſed. The …ommon adverſarie aſſaults our ſubſtance, if we wrangle one with another about …ircumſtance; it argues a confederacie, and brings on us a ſuſpition of combina…ion; as if wee expected advantage by the thriving of the contrary faction; …ather than fidelitie to our Mother, and vowed adherence to her husband CHRIST.

The ſecond obſervation is the great force of example: theſe ringleaders ſoone …et abundance of followers. 1 Tim. 4.1. They ſhall give heed to the ſpirits of error. Men ſhould be led by precepts, and over-led by precedents. The eare hath put off …er buſineſſe to the eye, to be diſpatched: and (as Ceſar drowned Bibulus his conſulſhip) p. 420that fetcheth in all the informations to the heart, deriving from others action the warrant of practiſe. As Iacobs ewes did bring forth Lambes, according to …e colour of the objected roddes: ſo the people produce workes according to the … terns before them. Saint Iames ſaith, Eſtote factores verbi Divini, Be yee doers of … word, not of mans worke. It is prepoſterous for the feet to follow the toyiſh i… ginations of the fancie, and not the voice of reaſon. The Papiſt would foll… CHRIST in the Goſpell; but for this ſame, Firſt let me bury my father, kiſſe my … ther, aske my Grandame whether I ſhall doe ſo or not; my forefathers follo… other wayes. Wee all ſay that wee ſerve the Lord, but as the Pſalmiſt ſpeak… Other Lords rule us, Rom. 8. Verſe 14. They that are led by the Spirit of God, … Sonnes of God. By the Spirit of God, not by the ſpirit of man: our natu… ſpirit is a giddy guide, yea our ſanctified ſpirit is in ſufficient: a ſpirit muſt gu… and this ſhould bee Gods Spirit. The very heathen had their imaginary g… for guides; as Iupiter or Mercurie, them they invocated, them they imitated. Th… is no ſuch authoritie given to ſinne, as by example. Imperio maximus, exempl… … jor: he that is moſt eminent, hath moſt followers. Auguſtus a learned Prince …lled Rome with ſchollers, Tiberius with the diſſemblers, Conſtantine with Chriſtia…, Iulian with Atheiſts. Indeed the people will ſometimes lead themſelves, and r… without their rulers, as without rule. As in the dayes of Iehoſhaphat, though Id… latry were defaced much, yet the high places were not taken away. How was this? T… king knew it not, the Prophets condemned it, the Prieſts were againſt it; the f… was in the people; they would not cleave to the God of their Fathers. But if Ie… boam ſet up calves in Dan and Bethel, the people like beaſts in heards goes a lowing … ter them. The force of imitation makes many follow Rome: and becauſe ſhe once ſent to this land ſome light, they will not forſake her though ſhe lie now in darkeneſſe. We were beholden to Rome for our former converſion, we will not be beholden to her for her preſent religion: wee will not follow her a ſtep further, wh… ſhe leaves Ieſus Chriſt. There is a double beneficiall uſe to be made of this doctrine.

Firſt, let this teach men of place to looke unto their exemplary lives: leſt, as they have made themſelves examples of tranſgreſſion, God make them examples of deſtruction. Qui errantes deſtruunt inſtruunt morientes: they that tempt to ſinne by their life, ſhall deterre from ſinne by their death. The life of Iulian made many i… fidels, the death of Iulian made many Chriſtians. The pride of the wicked doth pervert many, their falls ſhall convert many. God will teach men to feare him, even by their ruine that taught them not to feare him. Magiſtratus indicat vir…, ſaith Ariſtotle: a privat man like an empty veſſell may have many flawes unſeene: but in full veſſells the chinkes and fiſſures are deſcryed by the leakage of the wi…, Infirmities in Lay-men ſeeme Nugae, ſmall faults; in Teachers and Governors Bl… ſphemiae, blaſphemies. Quanto nobilior, tanto notabilior: the more honourable, t… more remarkeable. Actuall precedence, or ſilent connivence in them, heartens an… beardens the inferiors. The high Prieſts money tempted an Apoſtle: if the Pop… command, commend, or reward treaſon; the conſpirator takes it to be religio… Therefore in men of high place, love ſhould bind more than Law: Minimum l… re decet, cui plurimum licet: he ſhould doe leaſt, that may doe moſt miſchiefe. S… are ſuperiores cateris, but there is ſuperior ſupremis, Eccl. 5.8. He that is higher … the higheſt regardeth it, and there be higher than they. With God there is no reſp… of perſons: the pooreſt may ſay to the richeſt, as the malefactor to his fellow … the Croſſe; Thou art in the ſ…me condemnation. God charged Moſes, Numb. 25.… Take the heads of the people, and to hang them up. They were Princes ſome of the… and theſe often thinke that no Law can hold them, that they may live as they … but God ſpa…es not Princes. Yea Potentes potenter punienter: mighty ſinners ſha… … mightily puniſhed. As they that carry not their light reſervedly to themſelves, … communicate it to others, in turning them to righteouſneſſe, ſhall ſhine as the ſt… the brighteſt part of their o…bes, Dan. 12.3. Men from high places are either lib… p. 421up to a great meaſure of glory in heaven,Wiſd. 6.5.Wis 6:5 or caſt downe to a low degree of torment in hell. Againſt the unjuſt Officer of Gods Kingdome, He will horribly and ſuddenly appeare: an hard judgement ſhall they have that beare rule. The mighty ſhall be mightily tormented, and for the potent abideth the ſorer triall. Tophet is prepared for the evill King, Eſa. 30.33. Wicked ſubjects ſhall have roome enough, but the wicked Prince ſhall have the chiefe place. Luke 16.28. Some reading the rich man ſo earneſtly requeſting Abraham to ſend one from the dead, to bring his brethren to repentance; would thinke he had ſome charity in hell. But this was not out of love, but out of feare: he would have his brethren reclaimed, leſt him ſelfe ſhould be more tormented. Becauſe his example, as being their elder brother, had encreaſed their wickedneſſe on earth; and ſhould withall encreaſe his damnation in hell. A reprobate ſoule already ſwallowed into that Lake, finds his torment every day augmented, as the brood and generation of ſins is multiplied by the ſeed of his curſed example. Take heed, the fire of hell will be hot enough for a mans owne iniquities; he needs not the iniquities of others, like fewell and bellowes, to blow and encreaſe the flame. Lord make them good whom thou haſt made great: and reach them to honour thee, as thou haſt honoured them. Pſal. 45.4. They that travell in meekneſſe, righteouſneſſe, and truth; let them ride on proſperouſly with their honour; thorow the Cities and Courts of the earth, to the Citie that is above, the Court of the great King in heaven, the inheritance of all thoſe that love the LORD IESUS.

Secondly, ſeing we are all apt to be followers, let us ſeeke out the beſt patternes. It is the cuſtome of the wicked to pretermit all good precedents, and to ſingle out ſuch as they would have, not ſuch as they ſhould have. As the Dorre that paſſeth by all the ſweet flowers of the medow, humming in ſcorne, and ends his flight in a dung-hill. Or, as the Aegyptians, that behold the Sun, the Moon, the Stars, all the glories of nature, without admiration, yea without common regard: until they ſpie a Crocodyle, an ugly ſerpent, and then downe on their knees to worſhip it. It is an unhappy thing to converſe with the wicked: to be a brother to the Dragons, and a companion to the Oſtriches, Iob 30.29. To remain in Meſhek, and to dwell in the tents of Kedar, Pſal. 220.5. He that is a paraſite to a great mans luſt, is not a ſervant to the great Gods Law. Gal. 1.10. If I ſhould pleaſe men, I were not the ſervant of Chriſt. Noah abhors the faſhions of the old world, Lot of Sodom, Iob of Vz: yea, they have oppoſed themſelves: one Reuben was oppoſite to the reſt of his fraternity, one paire of Spies to the reſt of their faint-hearted company, one Lot to the reſt of the City, one Luther to the reſt of his countrey, one Noah to the whole world. Suppoſe the example bates of multitude, and is ſupplied with magnitude; will it be a good anſwer to the Tribunall; Ego & Rex meus, the Prince and I? True, I did ſo, but there were better men in the company, I durſt not diſpleaſe? But whether is better, to follow mans humour, or Gods honour? At the day when Scepters and ſepulchers ſhall be all one; what protection is there in thy lord againſt the Lord of Hoſtes?

Let us then looke out better precedents to follow, Phil. 3.17. Be yee followers of me, and looke on them which walke ſo, as ye have us for an enſample. We muſt not imitate every one, but ſuch as Paul: nor Paul in every thing, but wherein hee followes Chriſt, 1 Cor. 11.1. That great Apoſtle encouraged our imitation, but gave a limitation: Doe not you follow after me, unleſſe you ſee the tract of Chriſt before me. Imitemur bonos, ſed in bonis: Let us follow good men, but only in what they are good. As Rhetoritians make a double imitation of Oratours; one abſolutely and alwayes neceſſary; as Demoſthenes among the Grecians, and Tully among the Latines: others but at ſome times, and in ſome things; as Poets and Hiſtorians. So in our Chriſtian imitation, there is one example neceſſary; Chriſt, who is called the Way; Via in exemplo, veritas in pr…miſſo, vita in praemio: others but in ſome actions, & at ſome occaſions: …heir lives being lines ſo far to be followed, as they ſwarve not from the originall co…y, Chriſt. We are not bound to be good mens apes; let us follow David, where he …ollowed Gods heart, not where he followed his own heart: if he turn toward luſt and p. 422bloud, let us leave him there. Let us follow Peters Confeſſion, not his abnegation: Iudas Maccabeus hearty devotion and hearty valour; not in beſtowing mony to make a ſacrifice for the dead, 2 Mac. 12.43. All our following hath the Quatenus; if our precedents goe out of the way, let us ſhake hands and bid them fare-well. Two of us are going toward Ieruſalem; but ſaith one, I muſt needs call in at Rome, or goe a little about by Samaria; nay then I leave you; here our wayes part.

Thus let us cull out the beſt patternes: be our delight to the Saints on the earth, and ſuch as excell in vertue, Pſal. 16.3. Now every Saint excels in ſome vertue: o… excels in knowledge, another excels him in faithfulneſſe, a third excels him in zeale, a fourth excels him in humilitie, another excels him in that Chriſtian vertue, yea, Chriſts vertue; Forgiving of wrongs: and yet a poore man may out-goe them all i… an admirable patience, 1 Cor. 12.29. Now as when Paul had propounded many … graces; he concludes; Deſire you earneſtly the beſt gifts. Take the beſt of every …, and ſo make up an excellent man: learne of him zeale, of him knowledge, of him patience. A proud Dame will propoſe to her ſelfe the faſhion of ſuch a woman for h… apparel, of another for her attendance, of another for her diet, of another for her carriage, of another for her place and precedencie; of none for humility: Now as …e that takes the worſt of every woman, will make her ſelfe an extreme bad woman. So ſhe that gathers obedience from Sara, wiſdome from Rebecca, chaſt love from Rachel, faith from Mary, hoſpitality from Martha, humility from Anna, charity from Dorc…; ſhee ſhall make her ſelfe a moſt excellent woman; Delicias humani generis, the joy of men, the delight of Angels, and the beauteous Spouſe of Ieſus Chriſt. All theſe were the properties of that good wiſe Salomon ſpeakes of; and in what woman ſoever you find them, you may ſay with him; Many daughters have done vertuouſly, but thou ſ… mounteſt them all. Theſe be good patternes to follow, as we pray for our Soveraigne, that not onelyonly he may be like ſome former Prince, but have the vertues of them all: the courage of Ioſhua, the heart of David, the head of Salomon, the zeale of Ioſiah, the integrity of Hezekiah, &c. So al thoſe eminences which we find in the ancient Saints, we deſire to be concentred in our own heart. He that would plant a garden, borrows here a choice flower, there an herbe, there a plant; till at length his own ſurpaſſeth all the reſt. But alas; whereis this imitation of goodneſſe to be found among us? we are led by whom we are fed, without reſpect to him that feeds both them and us. Some ſpoile many of Gods creatures to confer all on their own creature, which is ſome …cking curre that they have dreſt up in high fortunes. Now, Quid non ſumma nequiti… poterit in ſumma fortuna? What cannot extreme malice doe in a ſupreme place? Th… Abſalom charged his ſervants concerning his brother Amnon, 2 Sam. 13.28. Kill him, feare not, have not I commanded you? Yet ſuch Portenta temporis, prodigious Comers are followed in all their delirements and aberrations. Men wil lie by patterne, ſwea… by patterne, drinke by patterne, whore by patterne: What is this but to go to hell by patterne? There is another way to heaven, and divers have gone it before us: who now being mounted above the clouds, and trampling under their victorious feet al the vanities of this world; ſeeme to waft us up with their hands, and call us with their voices to follow them; ſaying, We have the ſweet reſt of peace, the rich apparell … glory, the ſociety of Angels, the bleſſed viſion of God; Follow us, O follow us … earth, that you may come to us in heaven: that we with you, and you with us, and a… together with Angels, may ſing glory and honour to our God for ever.

We have conſidered the King-leaders; now wee come to the matter of thei… miſchiefes: which are for Pluralitie, Wayes; and for Peſtilence, Pernicious or … nable wayes.

Their wayes:] there is a Plurality, diverſitie, number of them. Sinne is c… led the Way of the ungodly, Pſal. 1. Becauſe of their familiaritie with it, who are c… tinually travelling that curſed thorow-fare. Matth. 7.13. The way is broad … leadeth to deſtruction: There is roome enough for all Satans journey-men to … in triumph, without juſtling for the wall, or without a flouriſhing Fenſer … p. 423ſcowre them a conveyance. The extortioner and the laviſher, the common whore and the connivent officer, the theefe and the corrupt Lawyer, the griping Citizen and the Vſurer; they have all roome. Oh it is a dancing, a capring way: they goe to hell as merrily as beggars to a Faire; but then the houſe of correction marres all. Wayes: Truth is but one, Errours are infinite: Truth hath but one face, Errour is a Proteus. Goodneſſe is an uniforme ſimple, Sinne a multiforme compound. Cant. 2.2. As a Lily among thornes, ſo is my love among the daughters. There is one health, many diſeaſes; one way to doe well, infinite to offend. The ſoule is more ſubject to aberrations, than the bodie to ſurfets. There are innumerable diſeaſes to the bodie, when as two hundred are incident to the eye: yet are there more ſins to endanger the ſoule. Iam. 3.6. The tongue is a world of wickedneſſe: Si pars, quid totum? The tongue is but a little part of man; if that be a world of ſin, what is the whole? even a world of worlds. S. Paul hath twice gone about to number theſe wayes; yet breakes off his catalogue in both places with a ſilent ſupplement, Gal. 5.21. Adultery, uncleanneſſe, idolatry, &c. and ſuch like. Here is prety ſtore, yet leſt he ſhould never have done, he ſupplies all with an Et caetera, an Hujuſmodi, Such like. 1 Tim. 1.10. Lawleſſe diſobedience, &c. and if there be any other thing of the ſame nature. There is an whole Hoſpitall, or Saint Pauls Spittle of incurable wretches: yet as if there were more behind, he concludes with a Si quid tale; whatſoever is like to theſe. God knowes all their wayes; they are as cleare before him, as if they were written with the brighteſt Sunne-beames upon a wall of glaſſe, Lactant. Will men flatter themſelves, that God ſees not all their wayes? Yes, there is not one hid from his ſight: he can reade the moſt crooked lines that ever man wrote, and picke out the meaning of every word, yea, and make the offenders conſcience reade them with horrour. We cannot reckon up Gods good deeds to us in order, but he can reckon up our evill deeds againſt him, in order, not we his. Pſal. 40.5. Thou haſt made thy wonderfull workes ſo many, that none can count them in order to thee. But he ours. Pſ. 50.21. I wil reprove thee, and ſet them in order before thine eyes. His wayes are far above out of our ſight, but he ſearcheth the wayes of the wicked, and knoweth all their paths. Si quid tale, ſaith Paul: no bill of Ignoto's, all come within the catalogue; if not, there is a Si quid tale to bring it in. Paul in that ſcroll, Gal. 5. hath neither Blaſphemie, nor Perjury, nor Sacriledge: but whatſoever is left out, there is an His ſimilia, Such like, to fetch it in. Becauſe a man is not in extreme rage of madneſſe, is he therefore no foole with God? Becauſe hee cannot ſatiate his laſcivious purpoſes, is hee therefore no adulterer with God? Shall none be ſhut out of the Kingdome, but thoſe who are there preciſely mentioned? Yes, Revel. 22, 15. Without ſhall be dogges, that is, blaſphemers, ſcorners, lyers; which are ſilenced in that roll; ſaving that they are made belonging to the ulcerous fold by a Si quid tale. Haſt thou none of thoſe ſinnes? Habes alia non fortaſſe minora: thou haſt other, perhaps not lighter. Peccare eſt à diſciplina aberrare, Auguſt. Diſcipline is one; now there is ſo many wayes of ſinne, as deviations from doctrine. Although every particular be not reckoned, yet there is a Writ of Si quis alius, to bring the ſinner in compaſſe.

The Devill makes much of this variety of wayes; that whom he cannot draw to hell one way, he may doe it another. There are ſome ſpirits ſinfull enough, that will not yet be wrought to fetch treaſon from Rome: they hate Rome above Hell, …nd will lye with any Whore in Europe before the Whore of Babylon. Well …hen, Satan hath another way for him; hee will fetch him a little ſneeſing-powder …rom Amſterdam, fire him with a Puritan zeale; and then though he dares not with …he Ieſuite diſcharge piſtols, yet he will ſhoot ſquibs, and curſe thoſe that love his mother. Some trouble their heads about no religion at all, rather than venture the …anger of being a party; the Devill hath another way for him; Sir ſtill, ply your bu…ineſſe, take your eaſe; though you be not ſo hot as the reſt, you ſhall be ſaved aſſoone …s the beſt, I warrant you. Others are not ſo ſluggiſhly minded, well then he hath …nother way for them; that damned path of luxuriouſneſſe: what ſay you Sampſon p. 424to a Dalila? Yes, I will venture my life for her. What ſay you to a knot of boote-companions, a pack of ſound cards, that will leave their wits rather than the w… behind them? Excellent well, Drawer give us an ocean. Are you for yet another way? What ſay you to a tricke that will proſtrate him you hate under your feet? Yes, I will hazard all my bleſſing in heaven, to bring a curſe upon him in earth; I will undoe my ſelfe to beggar him. Is not this to the graine of your affection? Wh… ſay you to be a Monarchs favourite, to ride in triumph thorow the populous ſtreets, and heare the acclamation; This is the man whom the King will honour: Vaſſals kiſſ…g the duſt your feet trode upon; but then you muſt be proud, and forget God; th… another way for you. Doe not all theſe ſatisfie you? Will you be rich, and pu… … gold? O there's a way indeed; will I? will I not? Aske me if I will live. He th… ſpeakes to us of money and wealth, Noſtras avido ſovet igne medullas; Cheares … blouds with a tickling heat.

The Devill would be undone, but for theſe various wayes. All will not be a… terers, not all Idolaters, nor all uſurers. But though it be true that by nature all ſi… are potentially in us, yet minus ſervit majori, there is a predominance: and all … rations delight to runne with the current of Concupiſcence. It is eaſie for a begg… to be no uſurer; alas there are many other wayes to he damned. Satan like the Fi… baits his hooke according to the appetite of the fiſh. And as Chriſt tooke men … their owne element, making Piſcatores animalium, piſcatores animarum, (non mut… piſcatio ſed intentio) changing in his Apoſtles not the condition, but the intention … fiſhing thus he appear'd to Mary in the garden, like a Gardiner. So doth Satan to pe… vert; Fit fera, fit volucris, fit toto corpore ſerpens; Becomes all things to ſeduce all m… Some Danat will not be wonne to play the whore, unleſſe her lover appeare i… … ſhowre of gold: he hath that way for her. Another will not bow in the houſe… Rimmon, crouch at a Maſſe, but for his maſters favour; he hath that way for him. A third will not rend the Church with Schiſme, but to get himſelfe a name: he h… … way for him too; he ſhall not be inglorious, though he be infamous. A Ieſuite … not ſtrike at the annointed bloud, unleſſe the Pope will canonize him for a Sai…; there's a way for him. One will have this way, another that way; ſo they goe to …e… any way; Satan cares not. One trembles at the maine ocean, that ventures to be drowned in a ſhallow puddle: no matter how, ſayes Satan, ſo he be drowned.

To conclude, he ſtudies many wayes to make you wretched, doe you ſtudy … way to make your ſelves bleſſed. The Devill is the father of lies, he would have ſhewed Chriſt the way down from the pinacle, but it was a falſe way, by a precip…e… if thou ſtandeſt in a quandary, and he ſhould point thee a way; that is, if thine owne luſt, his town-clearke, ſay this way; be thou ſure to take the other, for he meanes … murder thee. If thou be in the path of obedience, and he ſay unto thee, as Eliſha to … Syrian armie, 2 King. 6.19. This is not the way, but follow me, and I will bring you whi… you deſire: anſwer him with an Abi in malum, Depart thou lying ſpirit, this is the … of righteouſneſſe which the Holy Ghoſt preſcribeth. Now ſeeing that of m…y wayes, one ſpeciall way is hard to hit, Lord guide us the right way, open our eyes … ſee it, incline our hearts to walke it, and bring our ſoules to the end of it, through … that is the way of truth, and the truth of way, and life of both, IESUS CHRIST▪

Their pernicious wayes.] Wee have done with the number, let us come to … nature of their wayes; which are Pernicious or Damnable. The word is diver… read: by ſome foreign, by ſome foreign, in the later copies foreign: for Luxu… Laſciviouſneſſes, or Destructions. If underſtood in the former acceptions, we … this obſervation.

That the end of hereſie is to make men proud and inſolent, or riotous and … ceſſive; contrary to the doctrine of mortification which the Goſpell preacheth. … that which promiſeth that the fleſh ſhall not kill us, chargeth us alſo to kill the … The one is promiſed, Rom. 8.1. the other impoſed, Col. 3.5. Ahab was aſſured by … Prophet that Benhadad ſhould not ſlay him, but withall he was commanded to … p. 425Benhadad; that proud enemie of God and his Church: but becauſe he did not, Thy life ſhall goe for his life, and thy people for his people, ſaith the Lord, 1 King. 20.42. But now the doctrine which encourageth and fleſheth the fleſh, which admireth and admitteth the world; doth alſo make much for the Devill. His firſt policie was to catch the ſoule through the treaſon of her guard, the Senſes. For Niſi prius deciperetur ſenſus, non ſequeretur aſſenſus; Vnleſſe the ſenſe had firſt ſubmitted, the conſent of the ſoule would never have followed. And ſtill he inſinuates to the ſoule, as the men of Tyre to Herod, by Blaſtus the Chamberlaine, Act. 12.20. The fleſh is a perfumed fawning Blaſtus, that does all with the great one. Here is then the difference betweene true doctrine and falſe; the former only intends to make foreign, to unbody the body of death: and the ſcope of the other, is to turne the grace of GOD into licentiouſneſſe, and to inlarge the juriſdiction of ſinne.

The Goſpell intends our newneſſe of life, and peracts this through foure degrees; in alluſion, yea, in conformitie to the death and reſurrection of Chriſt. Firſt, his body was wounded and beaten, with thornes and buffets: anſwerable in us there muſt be contrition: Trajectum vulnere corpus; When the Publican did but knock his breſt, he gave this wound to his fleſh. Strike it ſoundly with remorſe of heart, ſet it a bleeding. 2. Chriſts body was purſued with inceſſant afflictions, ſo follow thy fin with continuall blowes, till thou make it ſo weake that it cannot creep, 1 Cor. 9.27. I beat downe my body, and bring it in ſubjection. Though ſin wil not ſay, as the Prophet to his neighbour; Percute me; Smite me, I pray thee: yet God bids us ſmite it: and if we deny to doe it, his wrath will ſmite us, as the Lion ſlew that refuſer, 1 King. 20.36. Therefore let us deale with it, as the other man did with the Prophet, ver. 37. Smite it ſoundly, and ſmite it daily: a little ſorrow is not ſufficient. Gemitus, quaſi geminatus: Let us water our bed every night with our teares, Pſal. 6.6. Doe not only blow upon it with intermiſſive blaſts, for then like fire it will reſurge and flame the more. Sinne is like a ſtinking candle newly put out, it is ſoone lighted againe. It may receive a wound, but like a dog it will eaſily licke it ſelfe whole: a little forbearance multiplies it like Hydra's heads. Therefore, Nullam labem aſpergat dies, quam nocturnae lacryma non dilu…ant; Whatſoever aſperſion the ſin of the day hath brought upon us, let the teares of the night waſh away. 3. They crucifie Chriſt: ſo when ſinne is thus wounded and weakned, let us have it to the Croſſe, and naile it faſt, Rom. 6.6. Let our old man be crucified with him, that the body of ſin may be deſtroyed, that hence-forth we may not ſerve ſin. It is fit we ſhould crucifie that enemy, which crucified our beſt friend, Chriſt. Yea, that we ſhould kill that, Quod ſi non pereat, perdat; Which, if we deſtroy not, will deſtroy us. It is written of Ahaz, 2 Chron. 28.23. that he ſacrificed to the gods of Damaſcus which plagued him: Let us never ſeeke to pleaſe ſinne, which ſeekes to confound …s. He is a foole that loves his ſinne better than his ſoule. No, Moriatur iniquitas, ne moriatur iniquus; let the ſinne die, that the ſinner may live. Neither dally this execution: ſave this malefactour from the galhouſe, and hee will be the firſt that ſhall hang thee: be ſure it is dead. 4. Laſtly, as CHRIST was taken downe …rom the Croſſe, and laid in his grave: ſo is it dead? O bury it. The Goſpell will …ot bate one degree of this proceeding, even to buriall, Rom. 6.4. Wee are buried …ith him, &c. Mortification may beginne at ſome few principalls, as an arme is …riken dead with a palſey: but Buriall covers all: therefore reſt not untill all bee …aid in the grave. Yea, as CHRIST was buried in a grave of Rocke, leſt the ſofter …atter of the earth ſhould ſeeme eaſily poſſible: in one entire rock, leſt the clifts and …ſſures ſhould breed cavill: Yea, to the mouth of the rocke was a ſtone rolled, …at ſtone ſealed, and that ſeale watched. So make ſure worke with thy ſinfull …eſh: bury it in a rocke: if thou finde none ready, in CHRISTS grave: there …re no ſeames for Satan to ſteale it out, and bring it in judgement againſt thee. Roll … ſtone to the mouth of the Sepulcher, that is, deteſtation of ſinne: hate it, as Amnon …ated Tamar, more than ever thou lovedſt it. Seale the ſtone, bind it with a vow of …ſolution; I have ſworn, and will performe it, Pſa. 119.106. Set a guard about it, watch p. 426it: Cum omni cuſtodia; With all diligence keepe thy heart from it. There are three watchmen; Faſting, Circumſpection, and Prayer: Faſting is a plot to cheat iniquity, for ſhe is no pingler, but loves pampering. By faſting keepe the body, by circumſpection the ſoule, by prayer both. This is the doctrine of the Goſpell, to kill the lu…ts of bloud and fleſh: that the ſoule may live without the tyrannie of ſinne in this world, and without the company of ſinne in the world to come.

Now the aime and ſcope of falſe doctrine, is to hearten this Iezabel that bew… cheth us: that whoſoever is led by it, may ſhare the teſtimonie, the infamie, the penaltie with Ahab, 1 King. 21.25. He hath ſold himſelfe to worke wickedneſſe in the ſight of God, whom Iezabel his wiſe provoked. The doctrine of Rome may here juſtly be i… dicted for Aſoticall, the nurſe of voluptuouſneſſe. O you wrong it; nothing is more corrective, reſtrictive, auſtere: Doth it not command faſting? No: what not Rome? No, not Rome: it commands abſtaining from ſome kinde of food, but not faſting. A merchant is following his buſineſſe all day, at night comes home; hee muſt have no fleſh: but he hath his cullices, his jellies, his junkets, ten times more provoking than moderate fleſh. The poore labourer, if at night he eats a peece of Bacon, O he is an heretike, but the other an excellent Catholike. But does it not forbid marriage, and commend vowes of chaſtity and celibate? Yes, that it may allow Stewes, and have large fees out of harlots hires. But there is a curſe againſt them, Mich. 1.7. They gather it of the hire of an harlot, and they ſhall returne to the wages of an harlot. Why doe they not boaſt their Pauline order, founded by Ghaſtalia, a Counteſſe of Mantus: where mortification was ſo throughly taught, that a certaine old woman Iulia, indeed little better than a Bawd; would lay a young man and a maid in one bed together, with a Crucifix betweene them, to keepe them from ſcratching one another; that thus they might learne to mortifie the fleſh? Doe they not commend foreign, Prodigalitie; when they tempt a young landed man to part with all he hath, to u… doe his parents that depend upon him; that hee may take their order, and they … vide his Inheritance? Doe they not approve foreign, laſciviouſneſſe; when they forbid marriage to a chaſte wife, and tolerate turpitude with an unchaſt curteſan? Whether then we take it for the firſt or ſecond, the third will fit all, as our tranſlation reades it; Damnable wayes. In that Tertio they all meet: whether it be a Luxurious way, or a Laſcivious way, it is ſtill a Damnable way.

If it be taken for Riot and voluptuouſneſſe, that is a peſtilent doctrine which ſhall teach a man to caſt away Gods bleſſings like troubleſome rubbiſh, 1 Tim. 5.8. If any man provide not for his owne, he hath denied the faith, and is worſe than an Infid…. It is Pernicious to both the eſtates, preſent, and future. Firſt, for this world, it haſtens beggary: it is the rioters phraſe, when he calls for ſupplies to his luſts; It is but begging an yeare the ſooner. Diogenes requeſted of a prodigall a talent: he as … him what he meant, to deſire ſo much of him, and ſo little of others: he anſwered, Quoniam tu habes, illi habebunt; Becauſe thou haſt, and they will have: I ſhall beg o… thee but once, of them often: give me now a talent, I may live to give thee a gro…. Secondly, for the world to come, when the account muſt be given, the matter will be worſe. If the ſervant that but hid his talent, was caſt into utter darkneſſe, for not … proving it: what anſwer ſhall he make that hath riotouſly waſted it, Luke 16.1. Th… ſhall be more fire, becauſe there was leſſe faithfulneſſe.

If it be taken for Wantonneſſe, then that is a Damnable doctrine, that ſhall teach … man to goe to heaven by uncleanneſſe. Such a peſtilence is derived from the Pa… faction, that Fornication is but a veniall ſinne, 1 Cor. 6.15. Paul ſaith, Shall I take … members of Chriſt, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. That ſa… ledge, to make the member of Chriſt a limbe of the Devill by the congreſſion… luſt, is with them veniall. Paul ſaith, God forbid it; but Rome allowes it, and in ſo… ſort commends it. But he that ſo taught it, ſhall never ſo find it, 1 Tim. 5.11. … wax wanton againſt Chriſt: What's their reward? It followes; Having da… becauſe they have broken their firſt faith. Such a damnable opinion was hatched by … p. 427Familiſts, that a man might lie with his neighbours wife dormiente marito, while her husband ſlept: as if the ſleepe of the innocent excuſed or acquitted the guilt of the waking. But let them all pretend what they will, as the woman that preſumed ſo much of her husbands love, that if he ſhould finde her in the bed of incontinence, he would not harme her: but it proved farre otherwiſe, to her ſhame and ruine. So there is another judgement muſt paſſe; and let them not thinke they are ſo ſure of Gods favour, that he will not finde fault though they be laſcivious: for Whoremongers and adulterers the Lord will judge, Hebr. 13.4.

To conclude, obſerve the horrors of falſe doctrine, and the inexitricable confuſion it wrappes the followers in foreign, Pernicious: ad verbum, Deſtructions, or Damnations. The wicked never reſt till they meete with finall ruine. Pharaoh, though by one plague he had loſt the fruites of the earth, by another the fruite of his cattell, by a third the light of his eyes, by a fourth the fruite of his loynes, even all the firſt borne of Aegypt: yet as if all this could not content him, he would not give over till he met with utter deſtruction; till he was drowned and damned. Yea, they follow it as if a man ſhould wooe and court unhappineſſe: one would thinke it were enough to ſay to Deſtruction, as Ahab to Elias; Haſt thou found me O thou mine enemie? But ſo to purſue it, as not to give it over till they overtake it, is a deſperate madneſſe. Like flies that ſtil hover about the candle, and the burning of a wing ſerves not their turne; they muſt ſacrifice their lives in the flame. So buſy are the wicked about hell fire, playing on this ſide, and one that; dancing through it as boyes through a bonefire; yea as in the ſacrifices of children to Moloch, and that with pipes and melodie in the valley of Hinnon. Never ceaſing till God make an utter deſtruction, affliction not riſing up the ſecond time, Nah. 1.9. It is a fearefull proteſtation of the Prophet againſt them. Pſal. 109.18. As he clothed himſelfe with curſing like a garment, ſo ſhall it come into his bowels like water, and like oile into his bones. As he loved it, ſo he ſhall have it, and be alway girded with it. For us that love Salvation, let us never reſt till we are aſſured of it; not ſuffering our eyes to ſleepe, nor our eye lids to take any ſlumber, till we be poſſeſſed of Ieſus Chriſt.

Many ſhall follow their pernicious wayes.] Thus for the Ringleaders, now view the rabble: and therein their multitude and their Aptitude, their number, Many: their forwardneſſe, tractableneſſe, eaſyneſſe to be tempted; Shall follow.

1 Their multitude, Many: wickedneſſe walkes with numbers, and is never ſcanted of folowers. Matth. 24.5. Many ſhall come in my Name, and deceive many. Paul ſaies, they ſhall draw a world after them. Goodneſſe hath a few adherents, becauſe the gate is narrow that leadeth to life; the wicked in a proud diſdaine blanch heaven gate, as too ſtraite for their greatneſſe. All that the maſter graciouſly invited, diſdainefully refuſed. Luk. 14.18. All with one mind make excuſe: well, his cheare ſhall not be loſt. Goodneſſe may complaine with Paul; At my anſwering, no man aſsiſted me, but all forſooke me: yet ſtill prayes for them, that it may not be layd to their charge. Chriſtendome is the leaſt part of the world,2 Tim. 4.16.2 Tim 4:16 they that profeſſe Chriſt truely the leaſt part of chriſtendome; and of this little part there be many that may bee called Heretickes, not ſo much in their lippes, as in their lives, not in their doctrines, but in their doings: they colour for CHRIST, but confederate underhand with the world. Therefore Many are called, but few are choſen. It is ſaid. Revel. 20.12. that the bookes ſhall be opened, and another booke which is the booke of life. There is but one booke of life, wherein the elect are regiſtred: but the bookes of the reprobates are many, for one booke will not hold them. But if I for beare the common cuſtomes, I ſhall be held ſingular and irregular, a by-word of the people, and as a tabre… before them, Iob …7.6. And what, muſt thou preferre fame before conſcience? Remember the Philoſopher when the people applauded him, Quid mali feci, he asked what evill he had done? So…es ever ſuſpected that, which paſt with the general moſt commendation Auguſtine reckons up 288 ſeverall opinions de ſummo bono. Civit. lib. 19. cap. 1. but amongſt p. 428all theſe we never found any ſo mad, as to place his happineſſe upon common fame. Indeed ſo long as great men be good men, and the moſt the beſt, wee may follow both: but becauſe this is rare, let us not doe as the moſt, but doe as we muſt. It is better to have good company in heaven, than great company in hell. It was a ſatyricall, an atheiſticall anſwer of a Ieſter, when a great Lord asked him whether he would goe to heaven or to hell: he ſaid, To hell; for there I ſhall be ſure to meet your Lordſhip, and the moſt part of my acquaintance. But hee little loves CHRIST, that will not love him without company: and his zeale is cold to heaven, whom the example of numbers can turne another way. No, let us ſay as much as Peter ſaid, and doe more than Peter did: Though all men ſhould forſake thee, yet I will not leave thee, O Saviour. Neither magnitude of Princes, nor multitude of people, ſhall prevaile with me: I am thy ſheepe, I will follow my ſhepheard. Lead mee on with the bands of love, and hold mee with the hand of merciemercy; knit me to thy ſelfe, now with ſaving grace, and hereafter with everlaſting glory.

2 Their Tractableneſſe; Shall follow. There is a pliable diſpoſition in all … naturally to evill, in theſe a deſperate and unſtayable precipitation.

They need not be compelled with ſcourges, nor tormented to it: their owne willingneſſe ſaves the labour of painfull coaction. It is onelyonly a Iob that the divell delights to vexe with anguiſh: he knowes, an Abſalom will runne laughing to hell. Luk. 22.31. Satan hath deſired to winnow you. To winnow you, there are ſome all chaffe, he will not meddle with them. Hoſ. 4.17. Ephraim is joyned to Idols, let him alone. Let him alone, ſaies Satan; he is as ſafe as I would wiſh him. No generall wounds his owne ſouldiers, that march under his colours; but his enemies. Luk. 11.18. If Satan bee divided againſt himſelfe, how ſhall his kingdome ſtand? Hee never makes reprobates feele his hate, till they feele his heate; even his fire in the burning lake.

They need not bee drawen with cords, haled with authoritie and command. Indeed if Doeg heare a Saul bid him murther the Prieſts, he will run upon them, and quickly diſpatch them. 1 Sam. 22.18. If Nebuchadnezzar charge the people to adore his new erected Idol, they quickly fall downe; Aſſoone as the muſicke gave warning, Dan. 3.7. Iohn ſhall not want a deathſ-man, if Herode ſend for his head. The centurions ſervants never ran faſter on his errands, than theſe to doe miſchiefe. Such headlong followers of falſe teachers are the Papiſts, who have learned caecam obedientiam, to be ſo tractable as to follow their leaders blind-fold. They practiſe an i… diſcreet ſurrendring up of themſelves to the command of their ſuperior. Like thoſe uncleane beaſts, Deut. 14. they ſwallow and never chew the cudde. It is an inconſiderate, undiſcourſive applyment of themſelves to anothers will, without waighing the goodneſſe or fitneſſe of the action. An Abbot commands one to caſt his crying child into the river, and drowne it: he doth it, and ſaith my Author; God did reveale that he accompliſhed Abrahams worke, Caſsian. Another was deſirous to be inſtructed in the point of predeſtination: his Superior turn'd him to a place in Auguſtine, and bad him read There: when he came to the end of the page, not of the ſenſe or ſentence, he durſt not turne over the leafe, becauſe his ſuperior bad him real There. This following they ſo commend, that if a man were dignified to talke with Angells, if his ſuperior called him, he muſt come away. When one of them was in diſcourſe with our Lady, a Fryer called him, and he very unmannerly quitted h…, Climach. They ſticke not to affirme, that it is a greater pride to doe a good worke againſt a ſuperiors command, than to doe a bad one with it: becauſe that is vice … der pretence of vertue. This it is better to ſ…one againſt God, than againſt our ſpirituall Father: becauſe he can reconcile us to God, but no body can reconcile … him. Here is a ducible diſpoſition indeed, a generation that will follow upon the … hint. If Peter ſhould have asked them that queſtion. Act. 4.19. Whether it is be… ter to obey God or man, judge yee: they would have anſwered; Man, ſo he be a Superior. p. 429Yet ſaith Eli, 1 Sam. 2.25. If one man ſinne againſt another, the Iudge ſhall judge it: but if a man ſinne againſt the Lord, who ſhall plead for him? Yea theſe men will follow, were they never called. They would be glad to heare it from the mouth of their Ioab; Run; and like Cuſhi, they would bow themſelves for it. 2 Sam. 18.21. Yea, like Gehaſi, they runne though they were never ſent.

They need not be led on with flatteries, as Abſalom ſtole the hearts of Iſrael. When a courtier, to worke Sejanus out of favour with Tiberius, had luxuriouſly flattered and guilded him with his owne vertues: and the Emperor found that the intention of all his deſigne was to overthrow Sejanus: he replied, alas you might have ſpared all this paines and oratory, for I meant before to ruine Sejanus. So to perſwade a covetous man to become an Vſurer, and to flatter him with the ſafe and eaſy gaine; it is but labour loſt: he meant to doe it, though he were never counſelled to it.

They need not be hired with rewards: yet this ſame Dabo tibi goes farre; it tempted Balaam to curſe, where he ſhould bleſſe: Iudas to betray, where he ſhould adore. Saul thought that this only would ſtay the Benjamites from revolting to David, 1 Sam. 22.7. Will the ſonne of Iſhai give you fields and vineyards? will he make you captaines over thouſands, or captaines over hundreds? This engine Satan planted againſt the walls of eternity, Matth. 4.9. All theſe will I give thee. As God ſaid to Abraham; All the land that thou ſeeſt will I give unto thee, Gen. 13.15. But theſe men, though they had no reward, yet inſant ſine munere currunt. Though the tempter ſayes not as Balak to their cuſſen, falſe prophet, Numb. 22.37. Am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour? Yea though he confeſſe plainely, I have neither ſilver nor gold, lands nor vineyards to give you: yet they reſolutely proceed in the ſatisfaction of their owne malice; We will eate our owne bread, and weare our owne garments: Eſa. 4.1.Isa 4:1only doe thou owne us, and let us be thy retainers. Though upon our owne coſt, we will follow: ſo greedy is the wicked man of his owne ruine, that himſelfe will beare the charges of it.

From this point of their Tractableneſſe, ducible and eaſy dipoſition to be led onto evill, we may raiſe five obſervable deductions.

1 The greedineſſe of the ungodly to ſinne, that they ſcarce tarry for temptation. Eph. 4.19. They are paſt feeling, (ſicke without ſenſe) and have given themſelves (without hire, or pay, or compulſion, but by a deed of gift) (not only to thinke, but) to worke (not a light kind of immodeſtie, but) uncleaneſſe (not ſome little, but) all uncleaneſſe (not with indifferent appetite, or ſome forward diſpoſition, capable of diſſwaſion, but) with unſatiable and deſperate greedineſſe. The Apoſtle ſets downe here two eſpeciall markes of their ſelfe violence. 1. They have given themſelves: not raviſhed as Thamar, but they have proſtituted their owne ſoules, like that impudent ſtrumpet, that ſits at the doore, and calls in paſſengers, Prov. 9.14. So Ahab ſold himſelfe to worke wickedneſſe; he had no hire. I remember Davids lamentation over ſlaine Abner, 2 Sam. 3.33. How dyed Abner? how? His hands were not bound, nor his feete tyed with fetters of braſſe; yet he fell downe at the feete of the conqueror: yeſterday a man, to day a corps. No body compelled theſe, no body forced them; but their owne will was their owne overthrow, their owne following their owne undoing, and the battell is fought betweene them and themſelves. 2. With greedineſſe: they follow as the yron adamant, by a naturall and hidden propenſitie: or, as a Lacquay followes his Lord, and hath no courſe of his owne, but which way his maſter pleaſeth. To be ſure of not being behind, they will be before: or, as a dogge followes his maſter through foule or faire, thicke or thinne, whether North or South; which way ſoever he doubles his point; howling and queſting if he be at a loſſe. O…, more properly according to the phraſe here; as Scholers following their Maſter, novices their Superiors; ſubjected to their doctrine and diſcipline, without queſtioning what they learne, or, why they ſuffer. Marching like Iehu the ſonne of Nimſhi, driving as if they were mad, 2 King. 9.20. Haſtning as a bird to the ſnare, or a p. 430foole to the ſtockes: as if they had fire at their heeles, like Sampſons foxes; where… indeed the fire is before their faces: they runne not from it, but unto it.

2 Sinne is ſtrong when it meetes with a weake reſiſter. How eaſy is it for error to dominere over ignorance! 2 Tim. 3.6. They lead captive ſimple women, led away with diverſe luſts. Silly women are eaſily led captive by ſubtle men. The divell is called a ſtrong man, yet the faith of the weakeſt chriſtian is able to beate him backe Eph. 4.27. Give no place to the divell: for there is no place for him but where it is g… ven him. When Satan had CHRIST on the Pinnacle of the Temple, one would thinke that a child for ſtrength might have turned him off: No, his commiſſion extended not ſo farre: he met now with a ſtrong defendant, and he is as weake as water. It is mans infirmity that ſets off the glory of his ſtrength. Iob 41.25. He is a king over all the children of pride. Satan is a tyrant, but over whom? none but the children of pride. He is called the Prince of the world, but indeed only of worldlings, yet let not this ſo diſgrace his ſtrength, that you become ſecure. Though the divell ſtands at Gods curteſie, let us not be feareleſſe or careleſſe of ſuch an ene…e. Sinne is ſtrong, it could fetch Angels out of heaven, arreſt Gods courtiers before … owne face. A whole world could not withſtand the furie of it, when it came marching againſt them with a floud. It was ſtrong enough to lay all the ſons and daughters of Adam in the duſt. The divell is ſtrong as a Lion, yea ſtronger than a thouſand Lions; that counteth darts as ſtraw, and laughes at their ſhaking of the ſpeare, … 41.20. death is ſtrong, a ſtalking Gyant, that like Goliath dares all the world … match him with an equall combatant. Hell is ſtrong, it can hold Alexanders, Ceſars, Tamberlanes, the ſonnes of Anak, ſure enough for ever breaking forth. But now whence have all theſe their ſtrength? Aliunde petunt, they fetch it from the life of ſin, which only ſoules them all with their vigor: take away that, and they are as weak as a bulruſh. What power hath death but by ſinne? it is the ſting of it: all a ſerpents power is in his venomous ſting. Yea death had never beene, had not ſinne engendred it. Iam. 1.15. Sinne bringeth forth death. It is beholding to ſinne for the very being; for it is none of thoſe poſitive things that God made. The divell had beene damned alone, but for ſinne; and all the world had mocked his malice. Bu… intra te, quod contra te: he fetcheth the poyſon from within thee, whereby he fighteth againſt thee. He finds that weapon in our owne luſts, wherwith he runs through our ſoules. Marke the Philiſtines policie. 1 Sam. 13.19. to leave the Hebrewes not a Smith in all Iſrael; leſt they ſhould make them ſpeares or ſwords. Let this be our ſtratagem, to diſappoint the divell of his weapons: O that he had no Smith amongſt us: howſoever let not us be his Smiths, to hammer, work and faſhion his temptations in the forges of our owne breſts. And for hell, though without ſinne it have the ſtrength of retention, yet loſeth the ſtrength of attraction: it may be powerfull to keepe thoſe it hath, but not to draw in thoſe it hath not. That great Gulfe may hold the priſoners from comming forth, but the gates of hell are too weake to ſcramble in a beleeving ſoule.

But alas, when ſinne invades a weake naturall man, it boaſteth the power in preſent conqueſt. Mans ſtrength is wounded by an originall blow: and as when ſickneſſe hath gotten the better of him, and caſt him downe, ſtill as the patient growes weaker, the diſeaſe growes ſtronger; and the more that tyrant uſurpes, the leſſe able is the ſufferer to reſiſt. At firſt Sampſon was hard enough for all the Princes of the Philiſtines, at laſt they ſet a boy to lead him. Abimelech was a ſtout Prince, yet had his deaths wound by a woman. Totylas that mighty conqueror, who vanquiſhed Rome, which vanquiſhed the world, was ſlaine by Narſes an Eunuch, a Semi-vir. It is recorded of Solyman a late Turke, that having a great German brought priſoner unto him: in ſpite and deriſion of the German nation, he cauſed his dwarfe, a very pigmey to take him in hand after he was bound; to hacke him and hew him, to runne at tilt at him with many courſes, and at laſt to kill him. Let little David maze Goliah with his ſting, and he will cut off his head. Thus may p. 431…he Lion and Leopard be tamed, and a little child lead them, Eſa. 11.6. The Scythi…s had a peſtilent enemie that infeſted their countrey: they levied a troupe, and with … great conflict tooke him: when they had him, they were yet troubled to hold him: …hey then ſo ſcanted his dyet and ſleep that ſixe men could maſter him: at laſt by de…rees they brought him ſo low, that they ſet a dogge to lead him. Thus Satan …rſt ſets on man firſt with troupes of ſpirits; and if he be unruly, they ſtarve him by …taining the food of the ſoule, the word of God: at laſt when he is brought low, …hey ſet a dogge to lead him, his owne luſt. This Naaman feared and eſcaped; Ha…ael ſcorned, yet admitted: Am I a dogge that I ſhould doe this? 2 King. 8.13. He …ecame that dogge, or, at leaſt was lead by that dogge. Thus prone are we to ſinne, …nd therefore let us pray him that is the Strongeſt to fortifie us. If we be left to our …elves, ſin not ſooner calls than we follow: all our helpe, all our hope is in the preven…ng grace of God.

3 Obſerve the power of evill men over their aſſociates; whether in perverting …e higher faculties of the ſoule, reaſon and underſtanding and conſcience: or, in …orrupting the lower, will and affections. There is ſome reſpondence betweene a …hyſicall and this ethicall or morall corruption. It is wrought:

Either by privation, withering the good qualities in us: like an evill North …ind, they blow upon the buds of our grace, and nippe them. Whether the ill …ompanion bee a white-skin'd hypocrite, or, a blacke-hided Ruffian: the one like …ire water, the other like fowle: but any water, faire or fowle: may quench the fire …f Gods Altar in thee? He doth worke a tabe and conſumption into his fellowes …ertues: and waſteth them from an ounce to a dramme; from a dramme to a ſcruple, …o a graine, to nothing. He that hath money will beware of theeves: if thou have …ny grace, venture it not among theſe rifllers. Art thou enclined to pray? he tempts …ee to play. Wouldeſt thou goe to a Sermon? by his perſwaſion the Theater ſtands …n the way. Wouldeſt thou relieve the poore? no ſaies hee, this will helpe to …eare charges at the Taverne. Luk. 10.30. A certaine man went downe from Ieruſalem … Iericho, and fell among theeves, that robbed him, &c. He that will goe from Ieruſa…em to Iericho, ſhall fall among theeves, that will rob him of his good conditions. The divell hath ſuch agents, that practiſe the art of debauching men. As Amilcar …wore his young ſonne Hanibal in vindictam Romanorum, to the revenge of the Romanes: and as Rome now ſweares her proſelytes in vindictam Anglorum, to the re…enge of the Proteſtants: ſo the divell ſweares all his Inſtruments in vindictam Chri…ianorum to the revenge of Chriſtians. So that a man may ſay with Chriſt …n the crowd, Quis me tetigit? Who touched mee, for I feele vertue gone out …f mee.

Or, by poſition, infuſing his owne bad qualities into thee. Lot hath a little tang …rom Sodome, that ſtickes by him in the Mountaine. Iacob ſware by the Feare of his father Iſaac: but Ioſeph learned in Aegypt to ſweare by the life of Pharaoh: Pe…er durſt draw his ſword againſt a whole troupe in his Maſters quarrell: but after all proteſtations of inſeparableneſſe was infected with the aire of the high Prieſts hall: …nd then he fell to curſing; it is likely that was their faſhion, to get credite to their …peeches. Herode was loth to give away Iohn Baptiſts head, but for the company, Matth. 14.9. As a muſician tunes his inſtrument, ſo he will ſtretch all thy cords, …ill he hath brought thee to his owne key: thou ſhalt be forced to ſing as he will have …hee, Pſal. 137.3. Let ſinne be but an embrion in thee, he will ſo midwife it that he will deliver thee of it by action: yea ſo nurſe it, till he make it the darling of thy af…ection. Is thy ſoule thus raviſhed of her chaſt love to CHRIST? thou may…ſt ſay to her as Abſalom to his ſiſter Thamar: Hath Amnon beene with thee? hath the …ad aſſociate met with thee? This poyſon is never more dangerous than when it …omes in a golden cup. All the ſpight of Ioſephs brethren was not ſuch a Croſſe to …im, as the inordinate affection of his miſtreſſe. Tentations on the right hand are …ore perilous, becauſe they are more plauſible and glorious. Ioſeph ſaw this pleaſure p. 432would advance him: he knew what it was to be the minion of one of the greateſt Ladies in Aegypt. Yet he contemnes it; How ſhall I doe this great wickedneſſe, and ſinne againſt God? He knew that all the flouds of honour could not waſh of … guilt of one ſinne. He ſhunnes her ſocietie: O that we were ſo wiſe to avoid the occaſions of evill company. She impudently catcheth hold of his garment, he … ſeconds her tongue. But Ioſeph wil rather loſe his cloak than this fa…h, rather be ſ… led of his livery, than of his chaſtitie: refuſe all, rather than blemiſh her honour, … maſters in her, his owne in both; Gods in all. Were we all ſuch Ioſephs, the ped… of hell durſt not open his packe: his damned wares might lie like dead commodities ſtinking upon his owne hands.

Let this teach us all to flie the ſocieties of the wicked: leſt we follow them ho…, through their tranſgreſſion to their deſtruction. But if I conſort with them, I do… to convert them. Alas, there is a great deale more danger of poyſoning the phyſician, than curing the patient. They are ſuch as have taken the divells oath of allegiance; that what he cannot doe immediately by himſelfe, he may doe mediately by his inſtruments. To erre Humanum, is the part of man: but to ſeduce Di… cum, is the part of a divell. It is ill to play the wanton, worſe to play the bea…, worſt of all to play the divell. There have beene ſuch curſed men, that delight in the murther of ſoules. Paul fought with ſuch Beaſts at Epheſus: the men of Nazareth were worſe to CHRIST than the divell: he ſaies, mitte te, caſt downe … ſelfe: they would violently throw him downe: and that on the Sabbath day, wh… they tooke exception againſt him for curing on the Sabbath day, Luk. 4. The C… rens but beſought him to depart: his owne countreymen were worſe, for they dro… him out. Cain replyed, Am I my brothers keeper? yet he could be his brothers b… cher. Theſe violences indeed are not alwayes in ſociable fellowes, but ſubtle a… ſupple fomentations. Perſecutio facit martyres, haereſis apoſtatas: plus nocuerunt hor… togae, quàm illorum galea, Tertul. Perſecution hath made Martyrs, ſchiſme apoſtates: the former corroſives are not ſo noxious as the others balſames. Wee call ſour divells, familiars. Pſal. 55.13. It was thou my guide, my companion, my familiar; that didſt mee the miſchiefe: he that eates our ſalt betrayes us. There is no ſuch ſpeeding engine of deſtruction, as the friendly ſeducer; that damnes a man in kindneſſe. As a man ſinking into the deepe water, catcheth hold of him that is next him: ſo men diving into the bottome of iniquity, pull downe their adherents. The ſheepe make the ground fruitfull whereſoever they lie: ſo the godly make all places bleſſed where they dwell. But the wicked, like the weed Goſſes, make the land barres where they grow. When ſuch a one provokes thee to ſinne, though with the ſmootheſt face; it thou ſay not to him as CHRIST to Peter. Get thee behind me Satan: yet take thy leave of him, as the Angell did of the divell, Increpet te Dominus, The Lord rebuke thee, Iud. ver. 9.

Oh that we could ſee the miſchiefe that evill company doth us: the ſinnes unpurpoſed, unthought of come thus to be committed. Let a tempter but hold up his finger, the Sabbath ſhall be profaned, the word relinquiſhed, and all religion ſuſpended. This man is a Harpy that peckes up all the good ſeed: a great beaſt … breakes through the ſenſe of Gods Law; makes a vaſt gappe or breach; and as my Text ſaies, the whole heard followes him. How does Dives in hell now curſe … flatterers! If thou knoweſt whoſe factor thy ill companion is, thou wouldeſt … him. He is ſuch a pleaſing murtherer that he tickles thee to death; and like Salomons foole, thou dyeſt laughing. A good man accompanying an evill, is like a l… ving body bound to a dead corps: noiſome and irkeſome. When God ſhall cha…g… thy ſoule with ſinne, wilt thou anſwer; ſuch a one brought me to it; Adam, … woman gave me? Tu errando miſer, quamvis ille in provocando miſerior: thou ſhalt … wretched in ſinning, though he be more wretched in tempting. He hath helped … to much of thy ſinne, he ſhall beare none of thy torment. Be circumſpect ra… with whom thou eateſt and drinkeſt than what thou eateſt and drinkeſt, Sen. Le… p. 433them, Nunc te melioribus offer. Leave them? then muſt we goe out of the world, 1 Cor. 5.10. But have no fellowſhip (nullo modo cum operibus; in quantum potes, nec cum operatoribus) with the unfruitfull workes; and if thou canſt avoid it, neither with the workers of darkeneſſe. Si cum malis, non tamen in malis. If we muſt converſe with evill men, yet let it not be in evill matters. Dilige malos homines, non quia malos, ſed quia homines. Love evill men, not in that they are evill, but in that they are men. Love quod fiunt, non quod faciunt: love what they are, not what they doe, as God made them, not as they make themſelves. Affect virum, non vitium, the man not his fault. As in releeving an evill beggar; damus homini, non moribus; we give to the man, not to his manners. But if by admitting their perſons, we cannot avoid their vices, let us deny both. How ſhould we hope, feaſting with Iobs children, the houſe ſhould not fall downe on our heads! When we find our ſelves following evill men, I wonder we doe not tremble at their ends. Can we walke in the midſt of the fire, and feele no ſcorching? mans nature is like the fire; if there be any infection in the roome, it drawes it ſtrait to it ſelfe. Like jette, it omits all precious objects, and attracts ſtrawes and duſt. Truſt not thy ſelfe with theſe incendiaries: cull out the beſt and follow them: Oh ſweet is the communion of Saints! Worldly mirth is more talked of then felt, ſpirituall joy is more felt, then talked of. I appeale to any mans conſcience, that hath beene ſoftened with the unction of grace, and truly taſted the powers of the world to come: ſuppoſe thou haſt tried both; beene mad-merry with thy friends at a luxurious feaſt, ſung Pſalmes with the Saints in the Church; whether of theſe have moſt refreſhed thy heart? Alas, temporall mirth is like the widdowes joy, a blaze and goodnight: ſpirituall rejoycing leaves an impreſſion in the ſoule behind it, the unſpeakeable comforts of the Holy Ghoſt, never to be raced out.

I conclude with three cautions given by three ſeverall Saints from one moſt holy Spirit. Exod. 23.2. Follow not a multitude to doe evill. Fooliſh birds follow the kite in hope of a part of the expected prey, when ſhe drawes her owne guts after her, Rom. 12.2. Faſhion not your ſelves to this world: it is a faſhion that muſt be waſhed off with fire and brimſtone. Prov. 28.14. Bleſſed is the man that feareth alway. Salvianus gives the reaſon; Nemo magis diligit, quam qui maxime veretur offendere. No man ſo truly loves, as he that feares to offend. I confeſſe, there be many things lawfull that the common people doe, but I will ſuſpect that which the common people doe. The Iewes might give offenders fortie ſtripes by the Law, yet they gave Paul but nine and thirty. Perhaps they thought that if they had given the full number, their fingers might have itched to give one more. Qui a nullis abſtinet licitis, vicinus eſt illicitis: he that abſtaines from nothing that is lawfull, neighbours upon that which is unlawfull. Nam mala ſunt vicina bonis. The note which comes too neere in the margent, will skippe into the Text at the next impreſſion. Of all ſtudies, let us never ſtudy to range in the borders and extremities of our libertie. As how much of this world we may ſwallow, and riches not choake us. How neere we may come to the skirts and ſuburbes of hell, and hell not wholly devoure us. How much we may drinke, and be no drunkards: how farre we may wade in uſurie, and yet ſcape hell? The divell is crafty and watchfull; if he ſpy our venturous outrodes, and find us extravagant out of our owne grounds; hee will not loſe one inch of his advantage.

4 Wee muſt not fall off from the faith and Church of CHRIST, becauſe multitudes travell another way. He that proclaimes pleaſure and carnall content to all his followers, ſhall have many Schollers in Courts, Palaces, Colledges, Senates, Fields, Shops, Offices: for all they love darkeneſſe whoſe deeds are evill. There are few whoſe faith finds a paſſage through the ſtreight gate. Of ſixe hundred thouſand Iſraelites but two entred into the land of promiſe. Non facile invenies multis è milibus unum, virtutem pretii qui putat eſſe ſui. The Papiſts fable to us of Saint Bernard, that the fifteenth day after his death he appeared to a certaine Monk: and when the Monke p. 434asked whether it were a difficult thing to be ſaved; he ſhould thus anſwer him: The ſame day I died there died alſo foure thouſand three hundred; and of all them Ego ſolus cum quodam Heremite vitam caeleſtem intravimus, only my ſelfe and one Hermite were received into heaven: there was one caſt into the fire of purgatory, and all the reſt went to hell. For the ſtory, I have not ſo ſpatious a faith as to credite it: but I feare of the many thouſands which every day depart this life, the greater number take the wrong way. If this be ſo, ſtrive we to make ſure our own ſalvation: that when many follow theſe damnable wayes, we may be found of that number that followed IESUS CHRIST. When Agelmond King of the Lumbards (be it reported upon Sigeberts credite) paſſed by a pond into which ſeven infants were caſt, he thruſt downe his ſpeare, and that Infant which tooke hold of it he brought up from the poole, brought home to his houſe, and brought up at his houſe like the Kings Son; and at laſt he ſucceeded him in the kingdome; he was called Lanuſsio, or Lamuſsius, from Lama a ditch out of which he was taken. So when the great King of heaven came into the world, and the world knew him not, he found us all drenchd in the whirlepoole of ſinne, and ready to be everlaſtingly drowned: he thruſt downe his ſpeare the ſaving Goſpell: and Ioh. 1.12. As many (not many, ſcarce one of ſeven) as received him, (tooke hold on his ſpeare, as it followeth there exegetically) that beleeved in his Name: To them he gave (not only obtaining for them, nor proclaiming to them, but to them hee gave) Power to bee the Sonnes of GOD, to bee repoſſeſſed of the kingdome, and to divide the Inheritance with the principall heire, himſelfe.

5 Laſtly, ſeeing there is ſuch certaine danger in following after common copies; give me leave to avert you from all theſe peſtilent examples, and propoſe to you one worth your praiſe and imitation. It is the glory of all precedents the life and excellencie of what is good in man; that man of God, and God of man IESUS CHRIST. Here is a patterne: the godly, like the Eagle, diſdaine all objects but the Sun. Summa religionis eſt imitari quem colis: it is the marrow of religion to imitate him whom thou worſhippeſt. The Italians got up all the excellent Pictures in the world, that out of them all they might make one Maſter-piece, or moſt excellent picture. The ſweetneſſe of all the beſt flowers makes moſt ſweet honey. CHRIST in the whole courſe of his life was a patterne of goodneſſe. In his birth a patterne of humilitie, in his life a patterne of Innocencie, in his death a patterne of patience, in all a patterne of holineſſe. Si praecipienten ſequi non vis, ſequere praecedentem, Lactant. If thou wilt not follow him in his word commanding, yet follow him in his worke directing. Now ſaith Paul, Put on Chriſt. Hee is put on two wayes; by Imputation, and by Imitation: the firſt juſtifies, the other ſanctifies. He is put on Sacramentally by Baptiſme. Gal. 3.17. All that are baptiſed into Chriſt, have put on Chr…ſt. He is put o… internally by faith, externally by imitation. Hebr. 12 2. Looke unto Ieſus the auth…r and finiſher of our faith: looke upon him, and ſo eye him that you may follow him; and ſo follow him that you may live like him. That you may ſay; Sic oculos, ſic ille manus, ſic ora ferebat. When thine eyes be haughty with ambition, did he carry his eyes ſo? Like a Lambe before that bloudy Wolfe Pilate, his looke was meeke and lowly, though lovely. When thou curſeſt him that angers thee, did he carry his mouth ſo? No, Father forgive them. Thou art provoked with words, and returneſt blowes, did he carry his hands ſo? No, being ſtricken, he ſtroke not againe. Heb. 12.3. Conſider him that endured ſuch contradictions of ſinners. Againſt covetouſnes put on the contentedneſſe of CHRIST: againſt anger put on the meekeneſſe of CHRIST: againſt wrongs put on the patience of CHRIST: againſt pride put on the humbleneſſe of CHRIST. For as he told Peter. Ioh. 13.8. If I waſh thee not, thou ſhalt have no part with me: ſo he ſaies to every one, If I lead thee not, thou ſhalt never come to my kingdome. The Painter went to one Virgin for an eye, to another for a lip, to a third for a forehead, to a fourth for a chinne; to make exquiſite the face of his goddeſſe. We need not goe to one Saint for this vertue, to p. 435another for that: for perfection take CHRIST, and take all. In him dwells the fulneſſe of God-head: there can be no want where all is infinite. Let the Many follow their owne fancies, or the fancies of others, let us follow CHRIST. This is the praiſe of thoſe Virgin-Saints; that they followed the Lambe whitherſoever he goeth, Rev. 14.4. The inſeparable effect of Iuſtification is obedience: now we follow him in following his, relieving them whether in want or priſon, ſickneſſe or perſecution. And this he will acknowledge at the laſt day, with a Come yee bleſſed. Come to me, for you have followed me whereſoever I went. I was hungry, and you followed me with meate: thirſty, and you followed me with drinke: a ſtranger, and you followed me with lodging: naked, cold, and ſicke, and you followed me with clothes, warmth, and comfort. Whitherſoever I went, I had your company; now you ſhall have my company for ever. Matth. 18.28. You followed me in the regeneration; you ſhall be with me in eternall glorification.

By whom the way of truth ſhall be evill ſpoken of.] I come to the Detraction, the curſed effect of their perverſion; which is not only pernicious to their owne ſoules, but alſo derogative to the glory of GOD. Herein I conſidered two generalls; the Patient and the Injurie: in the Patient, the Singularity and the Sincerity.

1 The Singularity; foreign, The way, that excellent way. There is only one way of Truth, and of ſalvation by it. There are many wayes in the world, yet but one way of Truth. Eph. 4.4. There is one Lord, one faith, &c. The Turke hath his way, the Iew his way, the Gentile his way, Heretickes their way, Schiſmatickes their way, though there be almoſt as many wayes as feete to walke in thoſe wayes, yet the way of truth is but one. Diverſitie of wayes is ſought out; either for peeviſhneſſe, they cannot abide the common rode: becauſe moſt men paſſe through the gate, they will climbe over the wall; and if others climbe, they will creep through. They are ſo croſſe, that if authority ſhould command them to weare cleane linnen, rather than not rebell they would goe woollward. Or, for pride, when men ſcorne to goe the Kings high way, becauſe there they have the company of beggars and baſe fellowes. There are ſome that diſdaine the poorer ſort, and will rather forbeare the common duties of religion. But alas, what bragge of eſtate ſhould there be in the Church? there is no ſpirituall difference; bond or free, all are one in CHRIST. The Emperor eates of the ſame bread that his Lacquay doth: the beggars child is baptiſed in the ſame font that the Kings. This they diſdaine, and therefore will have Sacraments by themſelves, a Synagogue of their owne. Or, elſe for glory, that their ſingularity may be pointed at. Diogenes was ducking himſelfe in cold water in a froſty morning: the people beheld and pitied him: alas ſaith a Philoſopher; Depart you to your houſes, and leave gazing on him; I warrant you that he will come out quickly, and keepe himſelfe warme. There are many wayes, as it is ſaid of Poland, if a man chance to loſe his religion, he ſhall find it there, or give it gone for ever. But truth hath one way, not a ſecond, not another. What ſo neere one as two, yet a Chriſtian muſt not goe ſo farre from one as two. Luk. 11.23. He that is not with me, is againſt me: Whatſoever is not with this way, is againſt it. Now it is neere to impoſſibilitie, Vt res oppoſitas mens ferat una duas. To write with two pens together, to hunt two games together, to fight with two ſwords together, to travell two wayes together; is a troubleſome follie. Eccl. 2.13. Woe to the ſinner that goeth two manner of wayes. It is ſaid of Salomon that he went two wayes; the way of the Lord, and the way of Aſhteroth, 1 King. 11.5, 6.

Let us all ſeeke this one way, and all falſe wayes utterly abhorre. Matth. 23.9. You have but one father in heaven, and but one way to pleaſe him; which is to walke in this one way of truth. Gal. 6.16. As many as walke after this rule, peace bee on them, and merciemercy: all other rules are warped and out of ſquare. Luk. 10.42. One thing is neceſſary. Pſal. 119.9. Wherewithall ſhall a young man clenſe his way? by ruling himſelfe after thy word: all other wayes defile, doe not clenſe. There are innumerable p. 436wayes to hell: you may goe thither by pride, by avarice, by malice, by hypocriſie; any way will ſerve to meet at the bottome of the hill, that infernall center: b… ſtill to heaven there is but one way. There is a way to honour, by flattering inſ… tions into the boſome of Princes: there is a way to pleaſure, by making the fleſh miſtreſſe, and denying her nothing: there is away to be rich, by uſury and oppreſſion: there is a way to get offices and livings; by ſwallowing a ſimoniacall oath, or pu… ting out the givers eye by bribery. But there is but one way to make a man bleſſed, and that is The way of truth. Withall it ſhall make thee great enough, and merry enough, and rich enough; but howſoever, happy enough. Refuſe all to take th… way: they write of the ſtone Pyrrhenus, that ſo long as it is whole it ſwimmeth; b… being broken, every part ſinketh. So is mans heart, if divided, it ſinkes all to confuſion; keepe it whole to the way of truth, it ſhall be ſaved.

2 The Sincerity; the way Of Truth. Which is that way? as Pilate as … Chriſt, What was the truth, when the Truth ſtood before him, Ioh. 18.38. There is veritas legalis, a legall truth; Gods Law is the truth. It was a cuſtome among the Heathen, to derive the authoritie of their Lawes from their gods, that they might be received for truth; Triſmegiſt to the Aegyptians from Mercury, Erontes to the Carthaginians from Saturne, Solon and Draco to the Athenians from Minerva, N… Pompilius to the Romans from Aegeria. But we have from the true God, the truth of God. Deut. 4.8. What nation is ſo great, &c. Now if they magnified their Lawes ſo full of errour, how ſhall we dare to blaſpheme Gods Law ſo full of truth? No, let us bleſſe it, and obey it. David in his hundred and nineteenth Pſalme beats in every verſe upon that one ſtring, The Law, the Statutes, the Ordinances, Commandement, Truth, &c. of God. There is alſo Veritas Evangelica, the Truth of the Goſpell, G…l. 3.1. But if this be the truth, then is the other excluded? No, for the Goſpell is not contrary to the Law; neither delighteth in others overthrow, but both eſpo…ſe friendſhip in a kiſſe of peace. But it is ſaid, Ioh. 1.17. The Law was given by Moſes, but Grace and Truth came by Ieſus Chriſt. But then the Law was n…t the Truth; for here ſeemes to bee a comparative oppoſition. No; Truth is not denied to the Law, but only the truth of Iuſtification: the Law is true, but not the true meanes of ſalvation to us. Non negatur Legi veritas Ligandi, ſed aſcribitur Evangelio veritas … ſolvendi; The Law is a condemning truth, the Goſpell an abſolving truth. For if the Law could have juſtified us, God might well have ſpared his owne Sonne: but the Grace of juſtification, and the Truth of ſalvation is onelyonly by Chriſt. If yee beleeved Moſes, much more beleeve mee, ſaith Ieſus: if you embraced your thraldome, th… much rather accept your freedome. Only, Vos liberabit veritas, Ioh. 8.32. You ſhal… know the Truth, and the Truth ſhall make you free. Chriſt is called the End of the L…; not Finis terminans, ſed perficiens, ſed complens: Not a terminating, but a fulfilling and accompliſhing end. Having then received the truth, ſo gracious a truth, ſuch promiſes of everlaſting life, from a God ſo true; they are wretched men that blaſpheme it. Thus it is the Truth both for the Infallibility and excellencie of it.

It is certaine. Eſay 8.20. It is called the Teſtimony; becauſe it beares witneſſe unto it ſelfe: ſo it is called The Truth, becauſe it ſhall accompliſh it ſelfe. God d… promiſe Abraham a Seed like the Starres for number: and Salomon ſayes, I am in the midſt of a people that cannot be numbred; here is an accompliſhed Truth, 2 Cor. 1.2…. All the promiſes of God are Yea, and Amen in Chriſt. Abraham in affiance of this Truth, ventured to forſake his Countrey, offered to ſacrifice his only ſonne, N… upon this Truth layes out money to build an Arke. Moſes upon this Truth forſooke the Court, to ſuffer affliction with the children of God. Wee muſt all venture on this Truth, or periſh. When the ſoule is to leave the body, woe to him that hath no… a firme dependance on this Truth.

It is excellent, as being the Letters patent of our ſalvation. The Law was a … ling truth, this is a ſaving truth. Incomparably fairer is Veritas Chriſtia…rum q… Helena Gracorum; The Truth of the Chriſtians, than that Helen of the Grecians. Let p. 437my ſoule not be deficient in beleeving, and as ſure as Chriſt is Truth, I ſhall be ſaved. O farre be it from me to vilipend that Truth, without which I were eternally loſt! If we had an Antidote warranted to us by ſome Naturaliſt, to preſerve our life temporall, how would we eſteeme it? But for that Truth which preſerves our life eternall, how precious is it, and beyond value? Let heaven thunder, earth reele, and hell roare, I will hold faſt this Truth, and be bleſſed for ever.

By whom the way of truth ſhall be evill ſpoken of.] We have conſidered the Patient that ſuffers, let us looke upon the Injury that is offered to it. By whom: and herein two things. The Inſtruments or occaſioners of this Scandall; thoſe miſ-led proſelytes; and the Effect or aſperſion caſt upon the Goſpell by their meanes, which is maledicentia, Blaſphemie.

By whom.] The Seminaries of infection have poiſoned them, and they divulge that peſtilence, to the diſhonour of Chriſt and the ſcandall of his Goſpell. Nay, as if their teachers could not doe miſchiefe enough, theſe ſtrive to goe beyond them in wickedneſſe. According to that, Matth. 23.15. They make them two-fold more the children of hell than themſelves. And indeed, albeit the other were originally the worſe; yet theſe are inſtrumentally and operatively worſe than they. For if falſe teachers had not ſtore of followers, their hereticall poſitions would fall to the ground, and themſelves ſlinke away with reproch and ſhame. Here occurre two notes to our obſervation.

Firſt, that not only the Principals, but even the acceſſaries in Schiſme are guiltie of ſinne, and liable to puniſhment. The receiver is worſe than the theefe: and the abettours of ſinne doe more miſchiefe than the authours. So long as the infected perſon is ſhut up, his plague doth not ſpread: while the evill man doth intra orbem ſuum furere; onelyonly bee mad at home, his evill lives and dies with himſelfe: the diffuſion or diſperſion of it is the bane. Let it wander like a fatherleſſe childe up and downe, no man taking it in, but all ſhutting their doores againſt it; the very aire will ſtifle it, it will be the owne death. But when it becommeth Filius populi, and every one challengeth a part in the generation of it, the multitude foſtering it; now it ſtands up in defiance, and (although a baſtard) dares challenge the true heire, and wrangle for the inheritance. How ridiculous appeares a fantaſticall faſhion, while it is ſingular in the Inventers wearing and habite? The firſt apparition of an Hic mulier, was like a monſter. But when it had ſtollen an approbation into womens hearts, and gotten a cuſtome on their backes; now it ſtood on the termes of juſtification, called it ſelfe a noble accoutrement, and ſcorned to be daſhed out of countenance. It is the many's acceptation of evill, that brings a ſcandall on the truth. When Theudas had gotten foure hundred followers, he thought himſelfe a jolly fellow, Act. 5.36. The Pope did once ſend Vſurers into this Land; they were at firſt howted at, like Owles in a deſart: but neceſſity forced men to borrow; and when they had ſtore of cuſtomers, they ſtood upon their points for very honeſt men (in their owne opinions) and thus the way of truth was blaſphemed. The Pope might be the father and founder of the ſinne, but theſe executioners gave occaſion of the blaſphemie.

Secondly, the authours of this ſeducement are not diſcharged, though their ſchollers have diſſipated the evill. The breeder of a ſin, is the father of a baſtard; and he that kindles a miſchievous fire, ſhall anſwer for all the harmes it doth. Thoſe whom thou haſt taught to doe ill, encreaſe thy ſin ſo faſt, as they encreaſe their owne. Matth. 5.19. He that breaketh the Law, and teacheth others to doe ſo, ſhall be called leaſt in the Kingdome of God. It it eaſie to be guilty of anothers wickedneſſe: for if he doth evill by thy ſuggeſtion, thou ſhalt anſwer for it. The parent that either commands, connives, or exemplifies ſin to his childe by patterne, makes himſelfe liable to all the iniquities which that infuſed habite ſhall produce, 1 Tim. 5.22. Be not partaker of other mens ſinnes. Therefore a man may be partaker of others ſinnes. This may be done nine wayes:

1 Conſulendo, by counſelling. Thou adviſeſt, he practiſeth, both are guiltie of p. 438the ſinne that but the one doth. Achitophel counſelling Abſalom againſt his Liege, was guilty of treaſon: ſo was Caiaphas counſelled to put Chriſt to death. Some adviſe and inſtigate others to that miſchiefe, wherein they will not be ſeene themſelves; thinking thus to extricate and deliver their own ſoules; but as the Prophet ſaies, They ſhall periſh in their owne counſels.

2 Mandando, by commanding. Thus David ſinned in the murther of Vri…; Saul in charging Doeg to kill the Prieſts; Iezabel in commanding the Nobles of I… reel to ſtone Naboth. This is a ſin that ſtickes to many tradeſmen: they command their ſervants to lye; and their falſhoods ſhall lye on their maſters ſoule. Oh ſtay this running ſore; and when thou repenteſt, thinke not onelyonly on thine owne perſonall ſins, but upon others committed at thy bidding.

3 Conſentiendo, by conſenting. Thus Saul ſinned in keeping their garments that ſtoned Stephen, Act. 22.20. When the bloud of thy martyr Stephen was ſhed, I was conſenting to his death, and kept the rayments of them that ſlew him: It was the confeſſion of Saint Paul himſelfe. It is Gods charge, Prov. 1.10. If ſinners entice thee, conſe… thou not. It is the reprobates brand, Rom. 1.32. That they not only do evill things, but conſent with them that doe them. Sentient eandem poenā, qui conſentiunt in eandem culp…, They that conſent to the ſame ſin, ſhall feele the ſame puniſhment. Every mans ha…d is not an able inſtrument of miſchiefe: but whoſoever the inſtrument be, the conſe… ter is as deepe both in the ſinne and penaltie. For Quod deeſt operi, ineſt voluntati: And God values (both in good actions and evill) the will for the deed. Ioah for conſenting to David, in the murther of Vriah, and numbring of the people, bore a part in thoſe ſinnes.

4 Provocando, by provoking. All they ſin, that provoke others to ſin. Eph. 6.4. Fathers, provoke not your children to wrath. Potiphars wife was a ſtrumpet, becauſe the provoked Ioſeph to have made her one. Prov. 7.13. Shee caught him, and kiſſed him, and with an impudent face ſaid unto him; Come, let us take our fill of love. Thus libidinous women feed their paramours high, to provoke them to luſt. Drinke is given to provoke ſhamefull drunkenneſſe: offences, to provoke indignation and blowes; that the ſtriken might be revenged on the ſtriker. But they that thus provoke others to wickedneſſe, provoke God to vengeance, 1 Cor. 10.22. Doe we provoke the Lord to jealouſie? Are we ſtronger than hee?

5 Adulando, by flattering. When we ſooth up others in their ſinnes; this is to make them our owne. Eſay 9.16. Beatificant populum iſtum; They bleſſe the people in their errours; and cauſe their delinquiſhments by flattery, Pſal. 10.3. The wicked bleſſeth the covetous, whom the Lord abhorreth. The flatterer thinkes to make all his, his patrons favour his, his wealth his: but withall hee makes his ſinne his, his damnation his. He gets all; he gets entertainment, he gets riches, he gets reſpect, he gets wickedneſſe, he gets hell, he gets the Devill and all. Eſay 5.20. Woe to them that call evill good, and good evill, &c.

6 Participando, by partaking. Epheſ. 5.7. Be not partakers with the children of diſobedience. If you partake of their ſinnes, you muſt partake of their plagues. …v. 18.4. Aequum eſt, ut qui participes fuerunt in peccato, participes fiant in ſupplicio. It is juſt that they who have made themſelves partners in ſinning, ſhould not be ſeparated in ſuffering. The ſame law condemnes the receiver, that judges the theefe. They may ſay one to another, as that malefactour on the croſſe to his fellow; Thou art i… the ſame condemnation, Luke 23.40. In the matter of bribery, the taking hand, and the giving hand, ſhall be equally puniſhed. As they ſhooke hands in the iniquitie, ſo they ſhall ſhake hands in the penaltie. For this ſinne Iehu reproved Iehoſhaphat, 2 Chron. 19.2. Shouldeſt thou helpe the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? Therefore is wrath upon thee. In this predicament they ſtand, that prefer bad men to good offices: the faults of that mans inſufficiencie: lye upon the head of his promoter. Pſal. 50.18. Thou haſt beene partaker with the adulterers. To give entertainment to them we know diſſolute, is to communicate with their ſinnes. 2 Ioh. verſ. 11. He that biddeth p. 439him God-ſpeed, is partaker of his evill deeds. There are caſes, wherein to give a good ſpeed to the wicked, is ſaid, Communicare operibus ipſius malignis: Pſal. 101.7. Hee that worketh deceit ſhall not dwell within my houſe. If thou beſtow on them the offices of thy friendſhip, thou receiveſt the blemiſhes of their fellowſhip.

7 Conticendo vel connivendo: by ſilence or connivence. When our tongues ought to reprove, and our hands to correct, the forbearance of thoſe duties drawes us into guiltineſſe of other ſinnes, Eph. 5.11. Have no fellowſhip with the unfruitfull workes of darkeneſſe; but reprove them rather. Cum peecata non reprehendimus aliena, facimus noſtra. While we rebuke not their ſinnes who belong to us, we make them our owne. Eli concerning the ſinnes of his ſonnes, did not connive, nor altogether hold his peace: but becauſe he touched them ſo lightly, and reproved them ſo ſlightly; this brought a temporall deſtruction upon himſelfe and his familie. If this fault befall a Miniſter, it is grievous, Levit. 5.1. If a man offend in blaſpheming, another hearing it, and being witneſſe of it; if he doe not utter it, he ſhall beare his iniquity. Si non indicaverit, portabit: nothing more plaine: that ſin he hath concealed, it as much as if by himſelfe committed. Ezek. 3.18. When God ſaies to the wicked, Thou ſhalt ſurely die, and the watch man gives him not warning; His bloud will I require at thy hand. Pardon us then in our reprehenſions: if we reprove not, your tranſgreſſions become our afflictions: and wee have reaſon to love our owne ſoules better than your ſinnes. Not to reprove, were the way to harden your hearts, to make you thinke well of evill, and to juſtifie that, God condemneth. Duobus modis te non maculabit malus; ſi non conſentis, & ſi redarguis. Two wayes thou mayeſt eſcape the guiltineſſe of anothers evill; if thou conſent not to him, and if thou reprove him. Levit. 19.17. Thou ſhalt not hate thy brother in thine heart, but ſhalt rebuke him, and not ſuffer ſinne upon him. Not to rebuke him, is to hate him in thy heart: the originall carries it thus, That thou beare not ſin for him.

8 Defendendo, by defending. When others iniquities are not conſidered of us in their true value, but find an eſtimation far lighter than the gravitie of them requires; this is a ſin that God abominates.Prov. 17.15.Prov 17:15 He that juſtifieth the wicked (as he that condemneth the juſt) is an abomination unto the Lord. Iuſtice would puniſh a malefactor, but the protection of ſome great one delivers him; and now the law may put up his dagger. Thus a lewd perſon need not feare to offend, that hath a great man to his friend, or hath not a great man to his enemie. Tegunt eum umbroſa nemora umbraculis ſuis. I… 40.22.The ſhady trees cover him with their ſhadowes. The robber rifles a paſſenger, is apprehended and indited: the bootie he gives to ſome mightie one to procure his pardon and eſcapes. Thus the poore traveller is robbed doubly; both of his money, and all reliefe of the Law: and the protector of the lewd perſon is become the greater theefe. This is a common appropriation of others ſins: when mens wittes are ſet on worke to make that good, which their malice hath made neceſſary. Covetouſneſſe begot Vſurie, unjuſtice doth practiſe it, and ſome are fee'd to defend it. Pride and profaneſſe makes tythes arbitrary; and is there no man will take paines to juſtifie it? This is to bring the ſins of all men that tranſgreſſe in that nature, to become that mans, whoſe pen did patronize ſuch ſacriledge.

9 In praecedendo, in giving bad example. He that leads men to ſinne, is guiltie of their ſinne. An unruly beaſt breakes the hedge, and feeds in a forbidden paſture, the whole herd followes: the owner muſt anſwere for all theſe harms. The reproch of Ieroboam was, that he made Iſrael to ſin: not only imperando, by commanding: but alſo exemplum dando, by leading them in precedent: and the wickedneſſe of Iſrael will not be taken off from his ſoule for ever. In a rebellion, the captaines intend nothing but ſome reformation; but the multitude is not ſo qualified: they breake into houſes, pillage, ſpoile, and commit outrages, ſhall not the exemplary leaders be guiltie of all this? If the Maſter love quaffing, there will ſcarce be a ſober familie, he ſhall anſwer for that ſin in his ſervants. One peeviſh teacher broacheth a ſchiſme …or pernicious doctrine, preſently many catch hold of it: thus the truth hath a p. 440wound, and ſuffers blaſphemie. He that gave the occaſion ſhall beare the burden, unleſſe timely and hearty repentance recant it, retract it, and his ſoule find merciemercy.

Thus eaſy is it to be guilty of others ſinnes. Indeed Credimus nulla peccata no…i… nocere, niſi noſtra: we beleeve that no ſinnes ſhall hurt us but our owne: but by all theſe wayes, we make other mens ſinnes our owne. Prov. 5.22. His owne iniquities ſhall take the wicked himſelfe. His owne? why not anothers alſo? Yes, if he make them his owne by any of the former conveyances. Wee have all ſinnes enough of our owne, wee need not attract others. Wee deſerve puniſhment enough for what we have done in our owne perſons; it were heavy for us to adde to our vengeance by participation of others wickedneſſe. In all this let us confeſſe our owne guiltineſſe, and for all this implore GODS mercifulneſſe in IESUS CHRIST.

The way of truth ſhall be evill ſpoken of.] Laſtly, we come to the effect, or aſperſion layd upon the Goſpell by their means: which is Blaſphemy, peſsimum ge… maledicentiae. Be the way of truth taken for CHRIST, who is both the way and the truth; then woe to him that dares blaſpheme CHRIST. Or, be it taken for the true meanes of bringing man to everlaſting bleſſedneſſe; will any man blaſpheme the meanes of his owne ſalvation? Is the ſacred word of truth, which the Saints have valued above all gold and Iewels, treaſures and pleaſures; of ſo poore an eſteeme with them, that they ſhould blaſpheme it?

Blaſphemy] is now the ſubject of our diſcourſe; and therefore firſt begin w… with the definition, next with the diſtinction of it. Dicitur Blaſphemia foreign, quia laedit alterius famam; it blemiſheth the credit of another. It differs not from foreign, vel foreign, maledicentia. They that would derive it from foreign a fiſh ſo vile that the very dogs will not touch it, come ſhort: for it is more tha… a ſtoliditie or ſtupiditie; even a curſt malice of the heart deſiring to hurt. The contrary vertue is foreign, a ſtudie to ſpeake well of others. It is a vice that offends in Defectu; depreſſing and diſgracing that is good, and in Exceſſu, extolling and magnifying that is evill. For diſtinction, it is maledicentia derogans, vel contra veritatem Dei, vel contra Deum veriratis, vel contra amicos et Dei et veritatis. Blaſphemie is a ſpeech of derogation, either againſt the truth of God, or againſt the God of truth, or againſt the friends of both God and truth. That blaſphemie which is againſt Gods friends and true worſhippers, I will lightly paſſe, becauſe it is not here within the center of the text, though not out of the circumference.

The Sonne of Rapha defied Iſrael, and Ionathan ſlew him, 1. Chro. 20.7. This ſinne is interdicted, Exod. 22.28. Principi populi tui non maledices. Thou ſhalt no… revile the gods, nor curſe the ruler of thy people. This is the vulgar ſinne of this world, for the greater ſort are apt to blaſpheme the better ſort. The Apoſtles could not ſcape it. 1. Cor. 4.13. Blaſphemati precamur: being defamed, we intreat. Such were the aſperſions of the infidels againſt the chriſtians in Iuſtines and Tertullians times; that their feaſts were Thyestean bankets, that they had promiſcuous mixtures &c. 1. Pet. 3.16. They ſpeake evill of us, as of evill doers, accuſing our good converſation in Chriſt. This blaſphemie what Saint hath eſcaped? Becauſe God wrought miracles by Moſes, they called him a conjurer. Becauſe Iohn Baptiſt lived an auſtere life, they ſaid he had a Devill. Becauſe Paul ſpake of Chriſts death and our redemption by him, Festus called him a mad man. They abuſed holy Cyprian, with the nickname of Caprion, when Chriſt himſelfe caſt out Devils, they blaſphemed that he did it by Belzebub. Now all theſe maledictions offer injurie and ignominie to God himſelfe: becauſe his Saints are the organs whereby he will propagate the glory of his Name: they doe what they can to obſcure his majeſtie. 1. Sam. 17.10. when that pr… Philiſtine defied the armies of Iſrael, David ſayes directly that he had blaſphem… God himſelfe, ver. 45. I come to thee in the name of the Lord of Hosts, whom thou … defied. Rabſhaceh defied the Iewes; yet ſaith Hezekiah, hee hath reproved the living God, Eſa. 37.4. The waight of this ſinne is felt in the puniſhment. If it be againſ… p. 441the magiſtrate, a bird of the aire ſhall carry the voice, and that which hath wings ſhall tell the matter, Exod. 10.20. If it be againſt parents; the Ravens of the valley ſhall pecke …ut that eye, and the young Eagles ſhall eate it, Pro. 30.17. He that deſpiſeth you, deſpiſeth me, ſaith Chriſt to his Apoſtles. And in that you have done it to theſe little ones, you have done it to me ſaith the Lord Ieſus.

Blaſphemie] immediate againſt God is, vel non tribuendo ſua vel tribuendo non …ua, vel abutendo in malitiam, quae referenda ſunt in gloriam. Either by denying God …is owne, or by aſcribing to him that is not his owne, or by abuſing that malitiouſly, which is to be referred to his glory. 1. Such as deny his wiſedome, Iuſtice, merciemercy, providence; as if he had neither care nor power to redeeme his people, Eſa. 52.5. The rulers make the people to howle, as if God had forgotten them; and thus is my Name blaſphemed. 2. Such as make him the author of evill, lode him with affections, charge him with injuſtice. Ezek. 18.25. ye ſay, the way of the Lord is not equall: as …f the Lord had delt unjuſtly with them. 3. Such as execrate and curſe the Lord, and (this is the proper acception of blaſphemie, Rev. 16.11. They blaſphemed the God of …eaven,) becauſe of their paines. Thus too many make that ſacred bloud which ſaves the world, and waſheth all our ſoules white; the ſubject of a furious oath: and for…ifie the credite of a trifle with thoſe wounds, that coſt the Sonne of God his life. What is this but lacerare Christum, to rend in peeces the Lord Ieſus; and to obiect him to new ſufferings, ſo farre as their malice can extend? For they ſinne no leſſe, Qui blaſphemant Chriſtum regnantem in coelis, quàm qui crucifixerunt ambulantem in ter…is: that revile CHRIST raigning in heaven, than they that crucified him living on earth. Oh that we ſhould be more inſenſible of this injurie, than the very …enſeleſſe creatures. Matth. 27.51. The vaile of the Temple was rent, the earth did …ake, and the rockes clove aſunder. When the Iewes heard blaſphemie, it was their cuſtome to rend their garments. So Act. 14.15. When the Apoſtles heard the ſuper…titious Lyſtrians intention, they rent their clothes. Loe now when the Son of God was blaſphemed upon the Croſſe, becauſe mens hearts were ſo hard, the very Tem…le it ſelfe rent her vaile, her garment, the earth rent her boſome, yea her very …ibbes, the ſtony rockes. So execrable is the ſinne of blaſphemie: ſome have obſerved that the greateſt ſinnes againſt God are words: obliquities in ſpeech offend …ore than thoſe in action. Their blowes cannot reach God, but their blaſphemies …hall flie upon him. Therefore the ſin that is never to be forgiven, is blaſphemie a…ainſt the Holy Ghoſt. He that doth a ſinne, breakes Gods Law: he that blaſphemes, …trikes the perſon. Such offenders were to be ſtoned by the Moſaicall Law, Levit. …4. By the civill Law, to have their tongues cut out: as moſt unworthy to have a …ongue, that abuſed it to their makers diſhonour. In a word, to derogate any thing …rom God, is blaſphemie, Matth. 9.3. when CHRIST pronounced remiſſion of …ins to the paraliticke; the Iewes ſaid, This man blaſphemeth. Why, wherein? becauſe he forgiveth ſinnes; and who can forgive ſinnes; but God onelyonly, Mark. 2.7. For …an to arrogate that which is Gods peculiar, they call blaſphemie. For other…iſe, to heale both body and ſoule; to cure his ſickneſſe, and to forgive his ſin, had …ot beene to blaſpheme, if they had knowen CHRIST to be God. Matth. 26.65. The high Prieſt rent his clothes, ſaying, He hath ſpoken blaſphemie: yee have heard …is blaſphemie. Why, what was it? Viſuros filium, &c. Yee ſhall ſee the Son of man …itting on the right hand of power. This is Gods right, therefore when he chalenged …, they ſay, he blaſphemed. Ioh. 10.36. Say you to me, Thou blaſphemeſt, becauſe I …id I am the Sonne of God? Now which way the Romiſts, in giving that honour …o the creatures, which is only due to the creator, can quit themſelves from blaſphe…ie, viderius ipſi, let themſelves looke to it.

Blaſphemie.] Againſt Scripturall doctrine, this way of truth. Paul confeſſeth that in …is perſecution of the Church he enforced men to this blaſphemie. Act. 26.11. I pu…iſhed them oft in every ſynagogue, and compelled them to blaſpheme. Iam. 2.7. Doe not …hey blaſpheme that worthy Name, by which yee are called? He meaneth, they reproch p. 442the doctrine of Chriſtianitie. Revel. 2.9. I know the blaſphemie of them which ſay they are Iewes and are not. This is done two wayes according to the difference and qualitie of the perſons blaſpheming: and they are either enemies or friends. If they be enemies, they diſgrace it by their language: if friends, by their lives and converſations.

Enemies by their tongues, caſting fowle aſperſions on the faire chee…e of truth. They accuſe the very ſunne of darkeneſſe, and peace it ſelfe of contradictions. To omit the Turkiſh calumnies, and Iewiſh contumelies; even they that call themſelves Chriſtians, have not ſtucke to vilipend the Truth of CHRIST. The Romi… have called it a Shipmans houſe, a waxen noſe: it is little beholden to them; … it hath heard as ill of them, as David did of Shimei, or, the living God of R…ſ… ceh, God ſaies, it makes wiſe to ſalvation; but they ſeale it up under an unknow… tongue, that the people might be fooles ſtill. Harding called it a ſpirituall d… neſſe: ſuch a mouth ſhould be made dumbe for ever. How doe they magnifie the writings of their owne, how vilifie the writings of God! Thoſe, they ſay, will make men good Catholickes: theſe will make them Heretickes. O blaſphemie i… the height; that a Ieſuites pen ſhould make Saints, and the HOLY GHOST… pen ſhould make ſinnners! What divell durſt rore out ſuch a blaſphemie above ground? Theſe are they that ſpeake evill of the truth of God, the God of truth be their Iudge.

Friends by their bad lives. Rom. 2.24. The Name of God is blaſphemed … the Gentiles, through you. That men ſhould be in profeſſion Chriſtians, and in converſation Pagans, vident & rident daemones; the divells looke on it, and laugh at … The profeſſion of faith, and operation of good workes, are the integrall parts of Chriſtianitie: and in the children of God admit of no divorce. 1 Theſ. 4.7. God … not called us to uncleanneſſe, but to holineſſe. But this is to be called one way, and to … another: as Ionas being ſent to Niniveh, went to Tharſhiſh. Rom. 8.13. If ye live after the fleſh, ye ſhall die: God ſhall render to every man according to his workes. … our baptiſme we give a defyance to ſin and Satan: ſhall we re-entertaine what … have ſworne to renounce? In the Lords Supper we profeſſe to be made one with Chriſt: now can we partake of the Lords table, and the table of divells, 1 Cor. 10.21. Theſe are incompatible. Nature it ſelfe loves nothing ſimulated or counterfeit; but would have us know the veritie of things from their effects. We know the Night… gale by her ſweete notes, and can diſcerne the Eagles from the Vulture by the c…y: Leonem rugitus diſcernit a lupo: Chriſtianum mores ab ethnico: our manners diſtingu… us from unbeleevers. Suppoſe a Chriſtian and a Pagan were together, and both ſhould ſweare and forſweare; how could a ſtranger tell, which was the Pag…, which the Chriſtian? Anacharſis approved Operum copiam, verborum perſi… am: Socrates among Philoſophers, and Hippocrates among the Phyſicians, deſ… practicall orations, and would have their ſchollers in verbis breves, in operibus pro… as; ſpeake little and doe much. And if any did not philoſophize in his life, they … jected him as a blaſphemer of their profeſſion. This is a waightie point, where… the Scripture liberally ſpends it ſelfe: and out of that armory I will produce f…e weapons, to convince this kind of blaſphemie.

Ezek. 36.22. Yee have prophaned my holy name among the heathen, whither ye n…. They ſhould have converted the heathen to the true God, and they ſuffered themſelves to be perverted by the heathen to falſe gods. Pſalm. 106. They learned th…r workes, ſerved their Idols, and ſacrificed their children unto divells. Thus they bec… twice their ſlaves; their bodies conquered by their weapons, and their hearts by their vices. Thus the Iewes brought them out of love with God, and to miſ… his religion, which they might judge to produce ſuch curſed effects. So the c…ch… of the Spaniards to the Indians made them cry; Quis (malum) deus iſte; wi… miſchiefe what god is this, that hath ſuch bloud-hounds and Tygers to his ſervants.

p. 4431 Tim. 6.1. Let the ſervants that are under the yoke, count their owne Maſters …orthy of all honour; that the Name of God, and his doctrine be not blaſphemed. Let Chriſtian ſervants honour their unchriſtned Maſters; leſt their rebellion be laid as …n imputation upon God, and as a blaſphemie upon religion. And the ſame Apo…tle ſaies that even ſervants may adorne the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things, …it. 2.10. The loweſt condition, bleſſed with an honeſt converſation, may grace the Goſpel. Often it is true, that mundo infimus may be Deo intimus: the loweſt in the worlds eye, the higheſt in Gods eſtimation. While ſuperſtition dwelt in this land, …ow was it adorned! the garments of an Idol coſt hundreds; and the appurtenan…es to ſome, thouſands: men gave their eſtates, as the Iſraelites their eare-rings and …oſt precious Iewels, to make a golden calfe. Now the Truth is advanced among …s, we are ſo far from adorning it, that we ſhame it.

1 Pet. 2.12. Have your converſation honeſt, that they who ſpeake againſt you … evill doers, may by your good workes which they ſhall behold, glorifie God in the …cy of viſitation. There be many elected, that are not yet called: they are yet out …f the fold, but they belong to the covenant by Gods everlaſting decree. Now the …ew whereby God will unwind them out of the Labyrinth of error, may be the …anuduction of your exemplary life, Ioh. 17.20. There be ſome that ſhall beleeve on CHRIST, through our word. Now if we live as they live, how can we hope they will beleeve as we beleeve? The pagan concludes, if I ſaw their workes better than …ine, I ſhould thinke their faith better than mine. Suppoſe the robbed and woun…ed paſſenger (Luk. 10.30.) had beene an heathen; finding no merciemercy of the Iew, …uch of the Samaritan; would he not have embraced the Samaritans religion ſoo…er than the Iewes? yet the Iewes religion was true, and not the Samaritans. As …ur Saviour ſaid; Salvation is of the Iewes, Ioh. 4.22. Thus as at the Barre, truth is …ften wronged by an ill pleader, ſo religion is ſcandald by an ill profeſſor. The …ewes called them the ſonnes of Abraham: yet they wanted faith, which was the …oſt glorious grace of Abraham. So many ſtile themſelves the children of God, yet have not ſo much holineſſe as ſhould make them in any reſpect like their …ather.

Matth. 5.6. Let your light ſo ſhine before men, that they may ſee your good workes, …nd glorifie your Father in heaven. Shall that which ſhould lighten others to hea…en, be it ſelfe darkened? As Naaman ſaid, 2 King. 5.11. I thought that he would …ome and doe ſomething; ſtrike his hand on the ſore, &c. So Expectavimus opera, nil …anifeſtum niſi verba: we looke for deeds, but behold nothing but words. Sanctum …dio, profanum video: to mine eares he is a Saint, to mine eyes a divell. The King …nds an Ambaſſador to magnifie his ſtate in a forraine countrey, and he to contract …omething to himſelfe, by penurious and diſhonourable courſes, brings his Sove…ignes Majeſticke worth into queſtion. When God put the Sun into heaven, he …ad him ſhine there: when he placeth a Chriſtian in his lower or be, he impoſeth …pon him an actuall remonſtrance of that which he meant him. Every Chriſtian … a Lampe that ſhould ſhine to Gods glory: all ſinnes dampe the light, continu…d wickedneſſe puts it out: and then darkeneſſe internall muſt unto darkeneſſe …ternall.

Salomon ſaies, A wicked ſonne is a griefe to his father, and a ſhame to his mother. …f a man nouriſh the ſon of a ſtranger, and he prove rebellious, the ſorrow ſits as …rre from his heart, as the offender is from his bloud. When his owne ſon dege…erates, the ſhame redounds to himſelfe. If we belong to Gods familie, let us ſhew …hat houſe we come of, not only by our liverie, but by our living. How doe the …ivell and his limbes triumph at the falls of profeſſors? the Saints are reproched, …e truth diſgraced, and religion it ſelfe ſcandaliſed: this is to ſhame our father. The …lame ſhall be laid on the religion, whereas it is becauſe men are not enough religi…us. Yea, our mother ſuffers for us, the Church is diſhonoured: and if any one …roteſtant could be found a traitor, Rome would juſtifie her many thouſand treaſons p. 444by that ſingular exprobration. His life is bad, therefore his doctrine is falſe, I confeſſe, is a harſh non ſequitur: yet will the world ſo conclude it: and it is a thouſand times better that our good lives ſhould prevent it, than afterwards be driven by our arguments to diſprove it. We are but ſory friends to God, that give advantage againſt him to his enemies. We beſeech him to honour us in heaven, and he forbids us to diſhonour him upon earth: how ſhould men looke to be advanced, by that truth they have diſgraced! Preſerve we it from malediction of men, and it ſhall preſerve us from the malediction of God: let us vindicate the truth from preſent blaſphemie, and the truth ſhall deliver us from everlaſting miſerie, through him that is Truth and life, Ieſus Chriſt.

To conclude; the Truth is not the leſſe glorious indeed, but in the worlds eſtimation. It lyes not in the power of men, or malice of devils, to diſgrace the truth: for it ſhall ſhine glorious, when heaven and earth periſh, and all her maligners ſubjected under her conquering feete, it is of the nature that God himſelfe is; whoſe glory is not capable of any augmentation, nor paſſive of any diminution. He is ſaid to be diſhonoured by our ſinnes; to be magnified and glorified by our good works But let our workes be good or evill, ſtill thou continueſt holy. O thou worſhip of Iſrael, whether the Turkes deſpiſe Ieſus, or the Chriſtians adore him; ſtill he abides, The ſame yeſterday, and to day, and for ever. Such is the immutability of truth: the pa…ro… of it make it not greater, the oppoſers make it not leſſe. As the ſplendor of the Sunne is not enlarged by them that bleſſe it, nor ecclipſed by them that hate it. That thing which may be extended, may alſo be contracted: if it admit addition, it may … ſuffer diminution: God and his Truth are lyable to neither. Indeed the bleſſed vi… gin ſung, Luk. 1.46. my ſoule doth magnifie the Lord. This word may naturally ſeeme to ſignifie, magnum facere, to make great: but cannot there ſo be underſtood. God is ſo immenſe, that nothing can be added to him, nor taken from him. The … may be multiplied, the earth ſwollen bigger, the heavens ſtretched out, hell enl… ged: but God is ever the ſame. There is nothing greater or more than Infinite. It himſelfe he is neither magnified, nor vilefied, but in reſpect of others. When we blaſpheme his name, we doe what we can vilem reddere, to leſſen his greatnes: when we praiſe his name, we doe what we can magnum facere, to augment his greatneſſe. Becauſe the former teacheth others to contemne him, the latter to admire him. So magnificare is onelyonly magnum ſignificare: to magnifie him, is to expreſſe him great let men bee wonne by your good workes, to glorifie God, 1. Pet. 12. qui mal…d… Domino, ipſe minuitur: qui benedicit, augetur. Aug. Thy contempt of the truth mai…s not it worſe; but thy ſelfe: thy advancing it makes not it greater, but thy ſelfe better. Thererefore for Maries giving her ſoule to magnifie God, God doth magnifie her ſ…e, Luk. 1.49. Hee that is mightie, hath magnified me. It is not wee that make free the Truth, but the truth that makes us free, Iohn 8.32. The truth ſhall make you free. When we profeſſe it with our lips, and confeſſe it in our lives, the truth is not beholding to us, but we are beholding to it, that our teſtimony may be accepted. O…r grace is the Lords glory: the more we are amended, the more hee is commended. Thus we may cauſe the truth to appeare greater in us, though it cannot be ma…e greater by us.

So contrarily, by the wickedneſſe of their converſation, whoſe profeſſion promiſeth moſt holineſſe; the truth appeares more inglorious to others, is no whit leſſe glorious in it ſelfe. The truth is great and will prevaile; and how big ſoever they looke that blaſpheme it, yet ſtill wiſedome is iustified of her children. The Lord will alwaies keepe ſome Defenders on foote, that ſhall glorifie the truth: it ſhall be ſtrong enough in thoſe weake and ſingle adherences, to lay all the enemies on the ground. What hope was there of this event in Martin Luther, when hee diſliked onelyonly one point of Poperie: the baſe proſtitutions of indulgences in Germanie? yet will that God (who glorifies his owne power in the diſability of his Inſtruments) by t… one man vindicate the truth from the univerſall blaſphemies of thoſe apoſtate ti… p. 445As Beza wrote of him, not without admiration.

Roma orbem domuit, Romam ſibi Papa ſubegit.

Viribus illa ſuis, fraudibus iſte ſuis.

Quanto illâ major Lutherus, major et iſto;

Illam iſtùmque uno qui domuit calamo!

Rome overcame the world by her power, the Pope overcame Rome by his cunning; and Luther overcame them both by his penne. If wee now ſhall wound that truth by our ſinnes, which God hath ſent to ſave our ſoules, no wonder if wee periſh by her forſaking us, that have loſt our ſelves by forſaking her, no, let us keepe her, and keepe her from unjuſt aſperſions: let us beare her in our hearts: weare her in our lips, and reare her up in our lives that others may ſee, and our owne conſciences feele, we are the friends of truth. She hath made that proffer to the Romaniſts, that Paul did once to the Iewes, Act. 13.46. The Truth hath beene firſt ſpoken to you: but ſeeing you put it from you, and judge your ſelves unworthy of everlaſting life; loe, I turne unto others. Hither ſhe is come, and by the merciemercy of God hath long dwelt; let us now leave off to offend her, leſt ſhe flie to others that will give her more honour and better entertainement. Woe were it to us, if the kingdome of GOD ſhould bee taken from us, and given to a nation that would bring forth the fruits thereof. Matth. 21.42. No, Lord give us hearts to love thy truth, that thy truth may love us: let her dwell with us while we live here, and let us dwell with her in heaven for ever.