Commentary on 2 Peter, Commentary on 2 Peter volume 1 · Chapter 2 · Verse 5 (2 of 3)

Commentary on 2 Peter · Commentary on 2 Peter volume 1 · Chapter 2 · Verse 5 (2 of 3)

p. 551Old-age is beſt in three reſpects: 1. Becauſe it hath paſt the follies and diſor… of youth, which Iob callsuuIob 13.26.Job 13:26 bitter things to the memory. 2. Becauſe the in…veniences of it, albeit numerous, are but corporall: commonly bettered with good eſtate of the minde. 3. Becauſe it is neareſt to diſſolution; within a ſhort … of bleſſedneſſe. Yet of all, it is then moſt miſerable, when it deſires to ſpin out …ger threed. When it is farre from Elias minde, Let me die, Non ſum meltor pa… meis; I am no better than my Fathers. There is nothing more pitiable, than …ld man that for his pleaſure-ſake would be young againe. We can ſcarce ſay of … an one, that he hath beene a man in his dayes. Art thou young? looke for…d, propound goodneſſe to thy life. Art thou old? looke backward, be ſorrow… …or ſinnes paſt. Art thou middle-aged? looke both forward and backward: …nt the paſt, amend the preſent, be armed for the future.

Let the life of man be diſtinguiſhed into three ages, the laſt is fully in proofe, good or never. Firſt, all is in hope: a woman hath an Embrion in her wombe, …it be borne living? ſhee hopes ſo. It hath life, will it have proportion? ſhee …s ſo. It hath proportion, will it have the exerciſe of reaſon and underſtanding? p. 552ſhe hopes ſo. In proceſſe of growing, reaſon appeares, will he have grace and f… ſhe hopes ſo. He profeſſeth, is his profeſſion ſound at the heart? ſhe hopes ſo. H… hath all theſe, will he live long? ſhe hopes ſo: all is in hope. Now middle … halfe in proofe, and halfe in hope: in proofe, how good it is; in hope, how much better it may be. Old-age is all in proofe, it is then ſeene what good a man … what intereſt in heaven, what contempt of the world is in him. Let us bew… … tergiverſation in our old-age.xxGalath. 5.7. Yee did runne well, who did hinder you? Let our … pha and Omega be good, our firſt and laſt alike gracious: that we may comes with … to him, who is Alpha, and Omega, firſt and laſt, the beginning and end of all co… IESUS CHRIST.

3 Let the terrour of this parallel deſtruction humble us all. Lord, what a … rible day will it be, when Chriſt ſhall appeare in the clouds, all the world riſe … their graves, and the whole heaven and earth burning with flames! If ever … could ſample it with a day,Novemb. 5. it was the intended Gunpowder-treaſon day. Gu… der invented by a Monke, taught by the Devill, that great maſter of Fire-wo… It hath beene ſaid, that Affrica brings forth every yeare a new Monſter: it … brought forth ſuch a one as this, to which nihil niſi nomina deſunt. Herod ſlew … the children of Bethlem, yet there was ſome mercy in that, for the men eſc… Hamans plot was damnable enough, even the ruine of Iſrael; yet they had a mou… day of preparation. But this was worſe, with ſuddenneſſe it would have prev… Doomeſday, and ſent up bodies before the Reſurrection. It was croſſe to all … kinds of death: that at other times ſends the ſoule upwards, the body downw… this would have ſent the ſoule downward, and the body upward. Let the m… of it live to their ſhame and our thankfulneſſe. Shame, ſaid I? Alas, they mak… their glory! O but the Papiſts condemne it, and call the plotters Vnfortunate … tlemen. Vnfortunate, becauſe the fortune did not ſucceed as they would have i…. … is the ſucceſſe they blame, not the villany. But the Papall Chaire never app… it: and who can ſay the Papall Chaire ever diſliked it? The actors are ſee…e, … ever the Poet lies hid: and the Pope hath not to this day Iudicially condem… Powder-treaſon. It ſhould have beene a dead day, let it be a Red day in or K…lendar. Their rage was without meaſure, ſo let our thankfulneſſe be without end.

That was a little Image or figure of the generall firie Deluge to come. If the … rour of the former be able to ſhake us with the remembrance? thinking how … it had beene, by a ſudden blaſt to have our ſoules ſent upward with our bodies; … perhaps both to come downe againe with the waight of unrepented ſinnes: … then was no thought or time to retract. How ſhould the meditation of this … make us tremble; which as it ſhall be more ſudden for the time, ſo more univer… for the ruine. Shall we ſtill ſlumber in our old ſecurity? The Apoſtles ſaid of … zarus, aaIohn 11.12.John 11:12Lord, if he ſleepe he ſhall doe well: but Lord, if we ſleepe we ſhall doe … ill. Worldly men are like Nichodemus; they would faine come to Chriſt, but … are loth to goe till it be Night; Auguſt.that is, till death ſends them. But, Poenitent… … moriene petitur, timeo ne ipſa moriatur: The repentance that is wrung out by death … may feare it wil be dead ſooner than he that lyes ſick. Now, now let us break of … ſins, by the contrition of our ſoules: for now repentance is a Superſedeas to diſc… all the bonds of ſin. And lay hold upon IESUS, who as he ſaved Noah in the … Water, is able to preſerve us in the day of Fire. Sampſon found honey out of … Lion which himſelfe had killed. Our ſins have killed the Lion of Iudah, O let … faithfull prayers ſucke honey out of him: there is no honey ſo ſweet as his mercy.

Thus having conſidered the univerſalitie, that it was a whole world; the A… ty, that it was the Old world: I come in the next place to the Impietie, that it was … Vngodly world.

The world of the ungodly.] The ſinnes of that world were very grievous, … too heavy for the ſupportation of the earth: nec medium in malo, nec remed… … lo. Theſe ſins began to multiply with the multiplication of men: the ſeeds of … p. 553…iſchiefe were ſowen before the birth of Noahs ſons: at their birth, like ill weeds, …ey ſprung abundantly: at laſt they were ſo ranke and ripe, that God could forbeare …em no longer. But it ſeemeth that the great defection was about the ſeventh age: …en Lamech, of Cains race, fell to bigamie; then was Henoch tranſlated, that his ſoule …ight be no longer grieved with the wickedneſſe of the times. Then the righteous …horring the filthyneſſe of Cains poſteritie, ſeparated themſelves, and began to call … God. At length the very righteous ſeed declined, by falling to folly with the …ghters of the wicked.

Some Hebrewes thinke that this pregnancie of ſinne began with the encrea… of women; whoſe number gave more occaſion of luſt, Genicis 6.1. But this …gues no ſpeciall multiplying of that ſexe more than the other: but when both were …creaſed together, both were corrupted together. If any aske how the world could … ſo ſoone peopled; I reply, how was it after the floud? Ninus King of Aſſyria, …ho raigned ſome 230 yeares after the deluge, is reported to have in his army 700 …ouſand footmen, and 200 thouſand horſemen. ThebbGen. 6.11.Gen 6:11 earth was corrupt with their …hy ſinnes: and they are ſaid to be all fleſh: not only their bodies for that is com…on to all, but even their ſoules were carnall. For fleſh is taken vel ſecundum naturam, Chryſ.…l ſecundum culpam. Man is called fleſh, when he is ſubdued to carnall ſenſe. All …e imaginations of his heart continually evill. Wickedneſſe is enlarged by theſe re…ects. 1. Ratione univerſalitatis, for generalitie; all fleſh was corrupt: ſo Adams …ne did ſpread over all. 2. Ratione durabilitatis, for continuance; they were ex…ciſed in it a thouſand yeares. Continuall habite had made it ſo alimentall, ſo ele…entall to them, that they could not live without it. 3. Ratione inſeparabilitatis, for …heſion: as covetice cleaves to a man, even while he ſleepes, or wakes, or walkes, … workes, or lives: waxing younger, when all other ſinnes decay with age. 4. Ra…me Superfluitatis, for abundance: not only addicted to ſome ſpeciall vices; but to … wickedneſſe which their prophane hearts could conceive. If their fancies could …t imagine it, their hands were ready to doe it. 5. Ratione Securitatis, for ſupine …eleſneſſe: let Noah preach what he will, and build as he will, let it raine how it …ll, they are the ſame men ſtill. 6. Ratione impudentiae, for ſhameleſneſſe: they …re growen to ſuch preſumption, that they durſt ſin God in the face:ccEſa. 3.9.Isa 3:9 They de…e their ſinne as Sodome, they hide it not. ddGen. 6.11.Gen 6:11Therefore their corruption is ſaid to be …efore the LORD. Thus in generall, now for the particulars.

The firſt act of degeneration was unlawfull marriages:eeGen. 6.2.Gen 6:2 The ſonnes of God … the daughters of men, &c. Some thinke theſe ſonnes of God were Angels, and …t they fell for their intemperancie with women. But. 1. God deſtroyed the …rld, not for the Angels ſin, but mans. My ſpirit ſhall not alwayes ſtrive (he ſaies … with Angels, but) with man. 2.ffIoh. 8.44. Chryſ.John 8:44 The devill was a murtherer from the beginning: … if the Angels had fallen for the love of women, then they had not ſinned untill …houſand yeares after the creation. 3.ggMatth. 22.30.Matt 22:30 In heaven they neither Marry, nor are …en in marriage, but are as the Angels of God: therefore Angels are not ſubject …carnall luſts. Some have thought theſe were divells who companying with wo…n, begate Gyants. But this is ridiculous, for the divells have not generative fa…ties: and if they could have, yet they are none of the ſonnes of God. We read … a wholehhLuk. 8.30.Luke 8:30 legion, ſixe thouſand divells in one man; this could not be, if they …re corporall. If elementall was their nature, then were they ſubject to mutabi…e, to mortalitie: as Plutarch writes of the death of Pan, a famous devill among … Pagans. And how ſhould mans ſoule be immortall, if theſe more ſubtile ſpi… were mortall? Others thinke that they were Incubi, who aſſuming aëry bodyes, the act of generation are called Succubi: and ſo they imagine that Merlin was be…ren of a ſpirit. Indeed ſpirits may aſſume Male and Female ſhapes; but are not …e bodies. They appeare ſo to the eye, not to the feeling: viſible, not palpable. …andle me, and ſee, for a ſpirit hath not fleſh and bones. But it is objected,iiLuk. 24.39.Luke 24:39 that Abra… waſhed the Angels feete, and diſcerned them not. For anſwere, this is the difference p. 554betweene the apparitions of good and bad Angels. VntoUnto the good God gave the uſe of true bodies during that miniſterie: ſo that they did eate and drinke. The other are not ſo allowed, therefore are called Phantaſmata, Viſions, fanſies.

Others thinke that theſe Sonnes of God were men tall, and of a great ſtature: as things excellent in their kind are aſcribed to God. Great cities, the Cities of God. Tall Cedars,kkPſal. 104.16. Secundum naturam, non ſecundum opera. Ieren.Ps 104:16 The trees of God. But indeed, they were called the Sonnes of God, becauſe they were of the righteous ſeed: and the other, the daughters of men, becauſe they deſcended of lewd parents. Even the wicked are the ſonnes of God according to nature, according to their workes they are not.

Now ſee the iſſue of this unhappy conjunction; Gyants: which as they were men of a monſtrous ſtature, ſo of a fierce and tyrannous nature. Thus they were called Nephalim, mighty oppreſſors: Enim, terrible: becauſe of their pride, Ha… kim; as it were, in chaines of Gold: for their ſtrength, Gibborim: for their naughtineſſe, Zanzummim. llDeut. 3.11.Deut 3:11Such were Goliah, Iſhbibenob, and Og. Here they are called Nephilim, of falling: both becauſe of their terror, they made men fall to the ground: and for their error, falling themſelves from vertue and goodneſſe. Theſe were not from the commixtion of ſpirits with women, but procreated of men: which is no more againſt nature, than for dwarfes to come from well conſtituted parents: who are as admirable for their ſmaleneſſe, as the other for their talleneſſe. Not were all thus, but only thoſe borne by this unlawfull conjunction. For as the roote, ſo was the branch: the marriage impious, and the iſſue ungracious.

Obſerv.That which was the firſt occaſion of ſinne, was the occaſion of the encreaſed ſinne. A Woman ſeduced Adam, women betray theſe ſonnes of God. The beautie of the Apple betrayed the woman, the beautie of theſe women betrayed the holy ſeed. Eve ſaw, and luſted, ſo did they: this was alſo a forbidden fruite. They looked, liked, luſted, taſted, ſinned, dyed. Sinnes firſt creepe in at the eyes: except we have made a covenant with them, there is no ſafetie for our ſoules. This marriage did not beget men ſo faſt as wickedneſſe.

Obſerv. Aug…Conſider here how dangerous it is for the beleever to unite himſelfe to an ungratious ſpouſe. I know that marriage is honourable: Bonum nuptiarum ſemper eſt … num. The wife before man ſinned, was for his ſocietie: after he had ſinned, for a remedie. Man in himſelfe was only but begun, in woman he was perfected and made up: till then a great part of himſelfe he had in vaine and uſeleſſe. And they that have placed in Virginitate culmen, the chiefe glory in virginity; could never fi… in Connubio crimen, any fault in matrimonie. Man and wife are Primum Par, & … damentum parium; the originall match of all others. All other relative paires are couples, as father, and ſonne, Maſter and ſervant, King and ſubject; come from this. When God made Adam, he made only one. When he made Eve, he made not only her, but in her all the world to come. While man was alone, and had both ſexes in himſelfe, what could he doe to fill the earth? Therefore in his body he bred a She-man: Adam being the mother of Eve, as Eve is the mother of us all. Therefore ſhe is called Mater viventium, becauſe ſhe is a meanes to continue a kind of immortalitie among the mortall ſonnes of men; and in ſome meaſure to ſhadow ou… that immortalitie which is in heaven. Families, Cities, countreys, the whole habitable world, the militant, yea triumphant Church, no ſmall part of the kingdome of heaven, ariſeth from marriage. Mater matris Eccleſiae. Laudo connubium … generat virgines. Saint Ierome himſelfe praiſeth marriage, becauſe it begets virgins. The wife being no virgin, is the mother of Virgins that be no wives. No marriage, no Saints: no generation, no regeneration: no encreaſing below, no multiplying above: if the earth be not repleniſhed with men, how ſhould heaven be ſo furniſhed with Saints?

But as the bleſſings that come by good marriage, are innumerable: ſo be the curſes by ill matches, many and miſchievous. For marriage is a new foundation, p. 555whereon men build the future ſtate of their mortalitie. A man cannot chuſe himſelfe, he may chuſe his wife: and in her choiſe it lies much to mend or marre himſelfe; and which is more, even his poſteritie.mm2 Cor. 6 14.2 Cor 6:14 Be not unequally yoked with unbelee…ers. From hence follow an Iliade of evills, and the whole infelicitie of life; when matches are made of ſuch as match not; when plants are ſet together of an unhappy conjunction, malevolent effects muſt needs iſſue from them. But it is objected; thatnn1 Cor. 7.14.16.1 Cor 7:141 Cor 7:16 the Vnbeleeving husband is ſanctified by the beleeving wife, and the wife by the husband: and what knoweſt thou, O wife, whether thou mayeſt ſave thy husband? and, O man, whether thou ſhalt ſave thy wife? This may be; and was not in thoſe times a ſufficient of cauſe of divorce. But are not the good perverted by the bad, ſooner than the bad converted by the good? Often have you heard how much a ſuperſtitious wife, by her certaine lectures, hath wrought upon her Chriſtian husband: when did you heare a b…leeving husband prevaile with his misbeleeving wife? marryooDeut. 7.14.Deut 7:14 not thy ſon to a Canaanites daughter, for ſhe will turne away his heart from following the Lord: he is not ſo likely to turne her.

This hath beene full in examples: the Iſraelites were wonne by theſe forbidden matches, to ſerve ppIudg. 3.6.Judg 3:6other gods. qq1 King. 21.25.1 Kgs 21:25When Ahab ſold himſelfe to wickedneſſe, it was Iezebel his wife, that ſtirred him up. Thus wasrrIudg. 16.Judg 16 Samſon the ſtrongeſt,ſſ1 King. 11.4.1 Kgs 11:4 and Salomon the wil…ſt, beguiled. His wives turned away his heart after other gods. This was Ieho…am's ruine;tt2 Chron. 21.6.2 Chr 21:6 his wife, the daughter of Ahab, undid him. When water and earth are tempered together, they make but mire and dirt. What crueller tyrant was ever begotten then Mahomet, who was yet the Son of a Chriſtian Lady? As the ſons of Iacob ſaid of Dinah, uuGen. 34.14.Gen 34:14We cannot give our ſiſter to one that is uncircumciſed: ſo let parents ſay, we may not give our daughter to a perſon unchriſten'd. Albeit irreligion be not a cauſe of divorce, yet it is of reſtraint. We may not marry with all thoſe, with whom we muſt live being married. If Adultery may ſeparate a marriage conſummated, may not Idolatrie hinder a marriage not begun? L…t no man ſeparate whom God joynes, ſo let no man joyne whom God ſeparates. We would not have our children marry without our will and conſents: and ſhall they marry without the will, liking, and conſent of our Father in heaven?

This was Rebecca's care.aaGen. 27.46.Gen 27:46 If Iacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, what good ſhall my life doe me? Manoahs for Samſon, bbIudg. 14.3.Judg 14:3Is there not a wife among thine owne people but thou muſt goe to the Philiſtines? Is there no friend but an enemy? no tree, but the forbidden? no helper, but a tempter? no wife but the Canaanite? can none pleaſe us, but ſuch as diſpleaſe God?cc1 Cor. 7.33.1 Cor 7:33 He that is married to ſuch a wife, careth more to pleaſe …er, than God. Of all the gueſts bidden to the great feaſt, he that was married, (like…y to ſuch a wife) deſired not to be excuſed; but impudently proteſts, that he cannot come. If from Iſh, and Iſha, you caſt out Iod and He, there remaines to that couple nothing but fire; ſay the Rabbins. So wretched is it to couple without God. When the eye makes the match for beautie, or the eare by heareſay, taking a wife upon truſt …or the hand for money; marrying (though not by picture, yet) for pictures. The…ſtocles being conſulted, whether it were better for a man to marry his daughter to an honeſt poore man, or to a rich of ſmall vertue and goodneſſe; anſwered; I had rather have a man that wants money, than money that wants a man. How baſe is that love, which hath no other waight than riches! How doe parents breed an A…gue in the bones of their children, that ſhall ſhake them to their very graves! When the tie of their loves is either portion or proportion only, without regard of either …eligion or conſcience. One ſaid truly; He that weds for ſtate or face, buyes a horſe to loſe a race. There is Ceſars ſtampe, and Gods ſtampe: moſt men marry for Ceſars ſtampe, and theſe are worſe than the old world; for they married for Adams ſtampe. Gods ſtampe is grace, Ceſars money, Adams beautie.

The motive of the old world to this unfortunate conjunction, was Beautie; They ſaw that the daughters of men were faire. This is the common attractive; men place their loves upon Adams Image in the face, rather than upon Gods Image in p. 556the ſoule. Yet what is that ſame goodly frame of fleſh and bloud, but onelyonly a naturall colour which the Creator hath laid upon duſt and aſhes? but the effect of well digeſted ſuſtenance, not much above that we behold in pictures. A thin weake ve… drawne over a corruptible body: a tranſient delight of the eye: a glory that fades with life, yea, often before life: a piece of fine glaſſe, that ſickneſſe or old-age will ſoone breake; yet is this the ſnare that hath caught many ſoules: to enjoy this, David loſt his peace for a while, Sampſon loſt his eyes for ever. Thus the Midianites intrapped Iſrael with their dancing whirlegigs: and the wiſeſt King was wrought to folly. I doe not lay the fault on Beauty, Gods admirable workmanſhip upon clay: for who blames a cleare and cryſtall river, becauſe ſome melancholy diſtracted man drownes himſelfe in it? And when this outward ornament is joyned with inward luſtre, it graceth all actions. Gratior eſt pulchro veniens è corpore virtus. But it is the minds beauty, that keepes the other ſweet and delectable: a fixed and conſtant goodneſſe, which as it diſdaines all the tinctures of painted hypocriſie, ſo is farre beyond …he ruine of time, ſickneſſe, or any other mutabilitie. Like Heaven, which is fa…e outwardly to our mortall eyes, but ſhall appeare fairer within to our immortall …oules. Without this, all affection is ill placed, and will ſoone periſh. He that loves for no other end, but to pleaſe his ſenſes, hath a ſenſuall love, little better tha… brutiſh.

It is the ſoule that requires love; and for that only cauſe which makes it lovely, Vertue. The outward worth of Beauty is nothing, it is the Soule within that makes it precious. When grace and holineſſe have beautified the principall, then admit the other circumſtances and additions, as Beauty, Birth, or Wealth. For theſe indifferents, by goodneſſe are made good, as fire turnes all the objects into it ſelfe. The love built upon Beauty without this, is not long-lived: but running mad with extravagant deſires,Bern. reſts ſtill unſatisfied. Hence it comes, that Quos conjunxit Eccleſia, disjunxit camera: yea worſe, Conjungit Dominus, disjungit Diabolus: God and the Church puts them together; the Devill and luſt puts them aſunder.ddEccleſ. 5.10.Eccl 5:10 He that loveth ſilver, ſhall not be ſatisfied with ſilver: So nor, he that loveth women, for one is no… luſts limits. H… that affecteth many, ſhall be ſatisfied with none. Vnus, unam, u…: One God ha…h ordained one woman for one man. One is Loves number, he which treſpaſſeth upon plurality, and loſeth that content, may be all his life ſeeking it, b… ſhall never find it. To the reproofe and reproch of them be it, that walke the ſtreets. …ea, frequent the Church, for no other purpoſe but to feed their eye with ſuch ſpectacles. When a Gallant had the name of a brave ſouldier; one obſerved how … in his walking, he would turne about to gaze upon women: concluding, that the man could not have a valiant and conſtant minde, whoſe head every weake woman could turne and wryth about with her very looke. Let this breed in our hearts … abhorring of carnall luſts; a ſin the very Devill does not commit: Pride he knowes, malice he knowes, flattery, hypocriſie, murder, treaſon he knowes: but inco… nence of fl…ſh he wonders at. Let no beauty that ſticks upon mortall cheeke, ſo … prevaile over our affections; as to proſtrate thoſe bodies to the ſervice of Harlots, that are the deare bought members of Ieſus Chriſt.

The next Apoſtacie of the old world, was by Senſuality: eeLuke 17.27.Luke 17:27They did eat, they dranke, they married, &c. But were theſe ſinnes, or matter of reprehenſion? Nature hath made them neceſſary, diſcretion voluntary, and only ſome circumſtances arbitrary. Did God drowne them for this? No, but their ſenſuality and ſecurity in theſe brought deſtruction.ffLuke 12.19Luke 12:19 Soule, thou haſt much goods laid up for many yeares, eat, drinke, and be merry. This was not his fault, that he thought he had enough, but that he meant to lye downe and wallow in it. Lawfull actions depraved by bad circumſtances, become damnable ſinnes.gg2 king. 5.26. Is this a time to receive money, and garments, … vineyards, ſaith the Prophet to his ſervant? All which at another time, and in another manner, had beene approved. Things beneficiall in their uſe, are dangerous in their abuſe or miſ-carriage. Without a woodden conveyance we cannot croſſe the p. 557Seas: yet if that veſſell ſinke, all the paſſengers are loſt. That worldly things are good, is eaſily perceived by our care to get them: that their abuſe is deadly, many ſoules feele, that cannot returne to complaine.hhMatt. 19.24.Matt 19:24 It is eaſier for a Camel to enter a needles-eye, than a rich man to enter heavens gate. It is not certaine, it is not eaſie, it is not likely, and (it may ſo fall out, that) it is not poſſible for a rich man to be ſaved. Riches commonly coole all heavenly heats, force away the Divine meditations of ſpirituall cauſes, as too melancholy fits: and bring a man to ſuch a fooles paradiſe, as one among Penelopes ſuitours, that went ſo oft with his friend, till he was caught himſelfe.

It is likely, that more go to hell for abuſing lawfull things, than for uſing things ſimply unlawfull. Croſſe ſinnes appeare in their owne ugly formes, terrible as deformities and devils: but who ſuſpects his eating, his drinking, his common diſcourſe? Who feares that his building ſhould be laid in the foundation of ſinne? Or that his marrying a wife ſhould unſaulder his conjunction with Chriſt?iiEccleſ. 2.24.Eccl 2:24 But there is nothing better for a man, than that he ſhould eat and drinke, and let his ſoule enjoy good in his labour. And doth not Saint Paul call the forbidding of meates and marriage,kk1 Tim. 4.3.1 Tim 4:3 The doctrine of devils? Wee grant it; neither would we have any man make the way to heaven harder, and more rugged than God himſelfe hath made it. This is the libertie (and indeed of whom elſe, but) of Chriſtians.

Pleaſures have their allowance, with two limits. The one of Qualitie, they muſt be good and lawfull: for God that hath given leave to be merry, hath not given leave to be madde. There is a good mirth, if men could hit on it; called, To be merry and wiſe. It is no praiſe to be ſparing of a vicious delight, for the very t…ſte is deadly. Admit the Serpents head, his body will aske no leave. The other of Quantiti…; for meaſure God hath hedged in mans appetite, like that fo…ming element: if he breake over thoſe dammes, the inundation is perillous. As delights …ave their warrants, ſo alſo their termes: and it is no hard matter to fault in this indulg…nce. Is the worke of our ſalvation effected, our common duties performed? We may then eat, drinke, and be merry. Non naſcimur in Ludum, we are not borne for play; but for labour, as the ſparkes fly upward. Our recreations ſhould be like our phyſicke, not our diet: the latter wee take when wee are well to keepe us ſo: the other when we are ſicke to make us well.

Some things are to be avoided, not becauſe they are ill, but neere to ill: Et mala ſunt vicina bonis, errore ſub illo, &c. Saepè prohibetur licitum, propter proximitatem illiciti: it is good to leave ſomething that we may take, for feare of taking that we ſhould leave. There ſhould be difference betwixt a beaſt, that devoureth all within his teddar: and a man, to whom God hath given reaſon to rule his app… tite. It is Sinnes policie, to ſteale in by the Law; when men range in the borders and extremities of their freedome. And even from that takes an argument for us to allow it, which was made on purpoſe to condemne it. The Iewes might give fortie ſtripes: yet Saint Paul confeſſeth hee received but nine and thirtie: their reaſon of forbearing the full number, was leſt their fingers ſhould itch to give another. What folly is it, when a man hath field-roome enough, to ride on the brinke of a River? The note that comes too neare in the margent, will skippe into the Text at the next Impreſſion. It is a dangerous Quaere, how neare a man may goe to hell, and yet ſcape the Devill. Will any wiſe man trie how neare hee may come to the infected houſe, and yet ſcape the Plague? Or holding by the rotten railes of a Turret, preſumptuouſly vault over, in a proud glory of his venturouſneſſe? Iſrael had roome enough in the Plaines of Moab: but venturing too farre, they were ſnared with Midian. Let no man caſt with himſelfe, how old …ee may be before he needs returne, leſt he reckon without his hoſt.llPſal. 137.6.Ps 137:6 If I forget Ieruſalem in my mirth, &c. It is eaſie to forget heaven in our mirth. If God allow an handfull, men are apt to fadome an armefull. Pleaſures are like the Popiſh Relikes; the Intereſt is more than the Principall.

p. 558Through all creatures let us looke to their maker: through all delights to their giver, Phil. 4 4. Rejoyce in the Lord alwaies: then mutata materia delectationis …m… nae, non mutatur cauſa delectandi: in the midſt of all the changes and chances of worldly contents, there will be an immutabilitie of joy in God. There are two ſorts reprehenſible.

Firſt, they that avoid all lawfull delights for feare of ſin. As if it were not poſſible for a Chriſtian to ſeparate the gold from the droſſe, but he muſt needs caſt away the oare! Will any ſimple Iew condemne the cleare ſtreames of Iordan, becauſe they run into the dead ſea? We ſee ſome proud of their fantaſticall clothes, dreſt up like childrens puppets, or Antickes in a Pageant: muſt we therefore goe naked? Some are drunke with wine, may not therefore a ſober man drinke it? Is there no phyſicke, but Opium? muſt we either be ſenſually wicked, or ſenſeleſly ſtupid? why did God place man in Paradiſe but to ſolace himſelfe? why hath he given us ſuch variety of creatures, but for uſe? Doth the Lord invite us to this feaſt, and we depart (like ſullen gueſts) from ſo rich a table hungry? This pretence of mortified ſtrictneſſe doth injurie; & noſtrae libertati, & creatoris liberalitati; both to our libertie, and our Makers liberalitie. Every good gift comes from above; there is nothing but good from heaven: he that rejects the gifts, wrongs the giver. God cannot abide ſuch a diſcontented anſwere; Dan. 5.17. Keepe thy rewards to thy ſelfe, and g…e thy gifts to another. Many great Kings have beene bleſſed Saints: they could not have beene Kings without a number of earthly pleaſures: they could not have beene Saints with earthly affections. If God therefore have mingled us a pleaſant cup, let us chearefully drink it, and give thankes to Ieſus Chriſt. Charitie is not ſtrait-laced, but yeelds much latitude to the lawfull uſe of indifferent things. Theſe are fit for thoſe that are fit for them.

Next, they are to be blamed, that with neglect of better things, ſettle and fixe themſelves upon theſe. It is the heart that makes all evill, when that lying ſpeech of Satan is borrowed, All theſe are mine. Chriſt teacheth us, firſt to ſeeke the kingdome of heaven, then ſhall the reſt be caſt upon us. When the bargaine is made for ſalvation, the reſt come in like lumber. When you have fed heartily on the body of your Saviour, and gotten aſſurance to drinke the wine of heaven, then eate, drinke, and be merry. Firſt marry thy ſonnes ſoule to CHRIST, then his body to a vertuous wife. The Factor employed in forraine parts, firſt diſpatcheth his Maſters buſineſſe, then his owne. How prepoſterous is it, to omit that onelyonly thing in this world, for which we came into the world; to ſerve our maker!

The laſt ſinne of the old world, was Security. The Lords forbearance did ſo little ſtirre them, that they were ſcarce waked with his vengeance. The ſavaged creatures, Lions, Tygers, Beares, by Gods inſtinct came to ſeek ſuccour in the A… men did not ſeeke it. Even brutiſhneſſe is more ſenſible than corrupted reaſon. The Sybarites, that no diſturbance might come neere their beds of violets; baniſhed al… cockes and clockes: the former muſt not breake their ſleepes, nor the other vex them with report of the fugitive time. Epimenides the Cretian ſlept foureſcore year… in a Cave; ſome ſay but forty, and that was enough in conſcience; beyond a miracle, and doubtleſſe beyond the truth. But the old world ſlept a hundred and twenty yeares, and all Noahs hammering about the Arke wakened them not. O that the conſcience of man, in the midſt of ſo many ſinnes povoking God, ſo many temptations aſſaulting his owne ſoule, ſo many enemies againſt him, ſo many dangers about him, ſhould ſtill be ſecure! She is obſerved by her owne eye, when none elſe marke her: chaſed by her owne foote, when none elſe follow her: hath a thouſand witneſſes within her, when there is no outward ſtir againſt her: and yet the wicked ſleepe.

Satan, like Iael to Siſera, or Iudith to Holofernes, watcheth till a man be a ſleepe and then kills him. Preachers cry, but ſinners will not waken: and as in places of Iudicature they often determine to heare cauſes, but do not heare to determine cauſes: p. 559ſo men commonly remember to heare, but doe not heare to remember. Pliny writes of ſome Beares ſo ſleepy, that they are hardly rowſed with blowes and wounds. Many diſcourſe of religion, as men talke in their dreames: they ſpeake wonders of goodneſſe: yet are no ſuch manner of men; neither the one working, or the other waking. Formall hypocrites are like the Cocke,Suid. and meriting Papiſts like the Dormouſe. Gallus bibit & non mingit, Glis mingit & non bibit. The Cocke drinkes and never piſſeth, the Dormouſe piſſeth, and never drinkes. The former drink much preaching but there is no good deeds come from them: the other vent ſome almes, and evacuate their ſuperfluities, but they will not drinke a drop of the water of life.

Let us take the Apoſtles caution; Bee ſober and watch: Bee ſober, for Ebriety is a drinke-offering to the Devill. And watch, for a Security is Porcpoſe before a Tempeſt: Keepe your ſoules waking, then ſhall your bodies ſleepe in quiet. As there may be a corporall watching when the mind ſleepes, ſo there may be a ſpirituall watching when the body ſleepes. Temptations, like Dalila, tells us a faire tale, but their end is to bring us aſleepe, and plucke out our eyes. But if in all our earthly buſineſſe wee ſtill carry an heavenly mind, the Iudgement of God ſhall not, as it did the old world, ever take us napping. The houſe doth every day get ſome duſt, therefore let it every day be ſwept: the ſoule contracts ſome ſinnes, the bee ſome to ſweepe it is made of examination and repentance. At night ere we ſhut our eyes, let us open our hearts, and cleanſe our conſciences: before we ſhut the doore let us caſt out the duſt. He never breakes his ſleepe for debt, that payes as he takes up. Let us watch in righteouſneſſe, this is the way to ſleepe in peace. When the ſtomach is obſtructed, the body takes but ill reſt, and the ſlumbers are broken off with diſtracted dreames. If the conſcience be oppreſſed; in vaine the ſoule lookes for quiet. If hardneſſe of heart, like Opium, ſhall conſoporate it, that ſleepe is mortall. The ſhepheards were, Luk. 2.8. Watching over their flockes by night. As Chriſt found the ſhepheards watching over their flockes at his firſt comming; ſo may he find us all watching over our ſoules at his ſecond comming, in the glory of his kingdome.

I conclude; in this glaſſe let us ſee the preſent ſtate of this world. Certainely we may vie ſins with them, and ſtand upon compariſons, without bating them one ace for hainouſneſſe. If the world were then fowle, it is now fowleneſſe it ſelfe. Some things are ſo cleare, that they refuſe tryall: and ſome ſo filthy, that they abhorre purgation. Nor doe I confine this corruption to ſome parts of it: as there be nationall ſinnes, peculiar to age, to countrey, to conſtitution: Mores ſequuntur humores. But all the world is ſicke and rotten: paganiſme poſſeſſing a great moitie of the whole, and hereſie perverting the halfe of that is left. We may ſay of it,Aug. as Tully to Anthony; Miſer ſi ſentis, miſerior ſin non ſentis: it is wretched if it feele it, more wretched if it feele it not. Ideò pereunt, quia neſciunt ſe perire: ideòque magis pereunt, quia neſciunt ſe neſcire. Men periſh becauſe they are ignorant of their periſhing: yea they more periſh, becauſe they are ignorant of their not knowing.

Let us heare Saint Paul delivering the ſtate of our old world, and ſee how our experience accords with his prophecie, 2 Tim. 3.2. Men ſhall be lovers of their owne ſelves. Have we not ſeene this ſelfe-love ſtalking in the garbe of impudence, vomiting diſgraces againſt all men, and arrogating to it ſelfe? fly-blowing good things to deterre others, that himſelfe might devour them? Covetous; O they ſwarme like the frogs in Egypt: that as a ſhrewd cenſurer ſaid, ſtand where you will, and of every 10 men that paſſe by, nine and three quarters are covetous. When the uplander wondred to ſee a white Crow, the Fen-man anſwered, In our countrey we wonder to ſee any black ones. It is no marvell to ſee one covetuos, it is marvell to ſee one not covetous. Boaſters; a great rabble. Some boaſt their portion, others their proportion: rather than want matter of oſtentation, they will boaſt their vices: as if one ſhould …rathroud of his ſcabbes, or make a ſcarfe of his halter. Proud; an univerſall diſeaſe: …e pich diſplay it in their wearing, the poore in their ſwearing. I will not tell you, p. 560that this Idoll goes in ſtrange and phantaſticall dreſſe: that is indeed an inſeparable ſigne, yet but one, you ſhall have her ſit as pertly under a broad Felt pull'd downe to the eyes, as upon a Bever: and finde her as ſoone in a little Geneva-ſet, as in a great Spaniſh Ruffe.

Blaſphemers: men have ſworne themſelves hoarce with oathes.qqEccle. 23 12.Sir 23:12 There is a Word that is cloathed about with death; and that Word is too frequent in the jawes of men, till the fearefull Name of God be made as vile as common aire. Diſobedient to parents: This is ſo arrogated to the young, and ſo tolerated by the old, that for this cauſe God ſhortens their dayes, and ſets parents a weeping for the loſſe of their childrens bodies, that regarded not the loſſe of their ſoules. Vnthankfull: this vice hath uſurped a propriety of that, which is onelyonly borrowed: cuſtomary fruition hath made men ſcarce thinke themſelves beholden to God. Otherwiſe, why doe not rich men aboun… in praiſes, as God hath made them abound in riches? Perhaps they doe not thinke their riches came in Gods name, and therefore cannot with a good conſcience thanke him for them. Vnholy, or prophane: God hath made all us, and all ours: hee reſerves but the Tenth of our goods, and the Seventh of our time, but Totum hominis, our whole ſelves. We are hisrrTitus 2.14.Titus 2:14 Peculiar: now ſhall we make that virgin common, proſtituted to every baſe Gypſee, pride, luſt, avarice; which the Lord hath redeemed and required holy and peculiar to himſelfe?

Without naturall affection: when men wilfully tranſgreſſe againſt Grace, God ſuffers them to ſinne even againſt nature. They that have loſt the love of their Father, ſhall loſe the love of their children. It is juſt, that for being falſe to their beſt Friend in heaven, they ſhould neglect their friends on earth, and be neglected of both. Truce breakers: There is a faith that knits us in a covenant with God, and a faithfulneſſe that ties us in a covenant with man. We are Foedi-fragi in both: have broke the vow made in our Baptiſme, and are ſo full of levity, that there is more credite given to the print of our ſeales, than to the faith of our ſoules. If any Nation breake truce with us, who wonders when we have broken truce with God? Falſe accuſers: This was wont to be the Devils office only; but now as if men grudged Satan the honour of calumniation, they monopolize it into their owne hands. The Make-bate runs from houſe to houſe, and carries the burning coales of contention, till he ſets them all a-flame, and then warmes his owne fingers at the fire. Incontinent: The Devill hopes that this vice in the next age will be held a vertue; for it is gotten already out of the diſ-reputation of a ſin. Drunken-houſes and Brothels v… for number, and it is thought the Stewes will get it. Vrbs eſt jam tota Lupanar. Fi… The violences of former times were courteſies to ours. Then it was a friendly impoſition, you ſhall ſtay and eat with me: now it is a friendly enforcement, you ſhall ſtay and drinke with me: and if there be any failing in the quantity, they are as Fier… as Tygers. Deſpiſers of thoſe that are good. It is the honeſt mans commendation, toſſPſal. 15.4.Ps 15:4 contemne a vile perſon, but to honour them that feare the Lord. And Davids delig… ttPſal. …6.3.Ps 6:3was in the Saints, and ſuch as excell in vertue: To honour vertue: To honour vertue in ragges, and to loath vice though in a Robe of State. But now let in the Ieſ… Ibis Homere for as: They like him worſe, that goes about to make them better. Tr… ters: Who becauſe they cannot warpe a Princes Iuſtice to their owne humours, will ſtrike at that ſacred bloud. If the former world had any actours to doe it, this world hath more, even Patrons to defend it. Headie. That whereas God hath made mans reaſon to goe formoſt, his hand after it: theſe doe firſt, and thinke afterwards; and then beat their wits to make good, what their wils hath made neceſſary. High-minded: That are like chimneyes; they over-looke all the houſe, yet are the fouleſt part of it. They thinke that neither God nor man knowes their worth, not rewards them to their merits. Lovers of pleaſures more than lovers of God. After the long Catalogue of particulars, as if the Apoſtle were weary of the enumeration; it gives you this, the ſumme of all prophaneneſſe. God did forme them, pleaſures deforme them: God would ſave them, pleaſures would deſtroy them: they are m… men to love pleaſures more than God.

p. 561Thus I have ſhewed you ſome repreſentation of theſe evill times; the workes of the old world, the workes of the old man. They are old in your practiſe, old in …our remembrance; O that ſo old, that they were dead in your performance. Novus …uus, novus animus: let me tel you of a new leſſon; indeed more truly old than the o…er. For goodneſſe was before ſin, truth ancienter than falſhood. But new to your …lliſh, new to your apprehenſion, new to your approbation, new to your practiſe. Whatſoever uuPhil. 4.8.Phil 4:8things are true, that doe not ſavour of hypocriſie: honeſt, not of vanitie: …ſt, not of iniquity: pure, not of obliquitie: lovely, not deformity: of a good report, …ot of infamie: if vertue hath given them worth and waight: and praiſe, an orna…ent of grace and beautie: receive, heare, learne, thinke, doe theſe things, and the God … peace ſhall be with you.

Such is the fearefull eſtate of the world by reaſon of ſin! O that we might ſee … end of theſe things, before we ſee an end of all things!xxPſal. 12.1.Ps 12:1 Helpe Lord, for the godly …ile among the children of men. When ungodlineſſe ſo raignes, that pietie is almoſt …uite loſt, it is high time to cry, Helpe Lord: and indeed, Quid jam niſi vota ſuper…t? O may the vertue of that bloud, which is able to buy off all our ſinnes; mor…fie ſin in us, and purge ſin from us: that our remaining dayes may be ſpent in a due …reparation for our great Audite, at the ſecond appearing of IESUS CHRIST. Amen.

Bringing in the floud upon the world of the ungodly.] aaPſal. 145.15.Ps 145:15The eyes of all things …oke up unto thee, O Lord: not only expecting their conſervation by thy provi…ence, but alſo attending thy direction for their obedience. The winds from their …ves, the raine from their bottels, the waters from their chanels all anſwere the Lord, as the Iſraelites did Ioſhua: bbIoſh. 1.16.Josh 1:16All that thou commandeſt us, we will doe: and …hither ſoever thou ſendeſt us, we will goe. We are ready to be charged, what ſhall we doe? He ſaith, cloudes powre downe, ſeas breake looſe, ſmite the world, drowne …. Loe, how they concurre in their ready execution, and unite their forces to an …niverſall floud. The points I inſiſt upon, are three: How this deluge was cauſed, …ow farre it prevailed, how long it continued; with ſome uſefull obſervations de…ived from them.

Firſt, how it was cauſed: It was a worke of Almighty power, which alſo uſed …he concurrence of ſome naturall meanes.ccGen. 7.11.Gen 7:11 All the fountaines of the great deepe were …oken up, and the windowes of heaven were opened. The Hebrewes have called foun…nes Gnaiim, which ſignifieth an eye: eyes being like fountaines to deſtill teares. This eruption of the great Deepe, was not the Tartarean waters about the center of …he earth: they could not ſurge ſo high. But either the Sea, which ſome thinke to …e higher than the earth, and reſtrained only by Gods providence from overflow…ng it.ddIob 38.11.Job 38:11 Hitherto ſhalt thou come, but no futher: and here ſhall thy proud waves be ſtay…d. In nature it is acknowledged, that the place of waters is above the earth: there…ore Ariſtotle calls it a ſtrange thing, Vt levius ſit graviore inferius. Indeed the wa…ers were created higher, but depreſſed by Gods command. At firſt thou didſt Cover the earth with the deepe, as with a garment,eePſal. 104.6.Ps 104:6 and the waters ſtood above the moun…aines. But at thy rebuke they fled, at the voice of thy thunder they haſted away. They goe up by the mountaines, and downe by the valleys, unto the place which thou …aſt founded for them. Thou haſt ſet a bound which they ſhall not paſſe over, nor …ne againe to cover the earth. The ſand is this bound byffIer. 5.22.Jer 5:22 a perpetuall decree: though …hey toſſe, and roare, they ſhall not prevaile. And it is fondly imagined, that the …a is now higher than the earth.ggPſal. 107.23.Ps 107:23 They that goe downe to the ſea in ſhippes, Downe, …herefore not higher.hhPſal. 24.2.Ps 24:2 Thou haſt founded the earth upon the ſeas, and eſtabliſhed it up… the flouds. Super maria, upon the ſeas, therefore not under them: and ſo founded, …ot ſo only forced.iiPſal. 136.6.Ps 136:6 He ſtretcheth out the earth above the waters; therefore not the water above the earth.kkEccl. 1.7.Eccl 1:7 All the rivers run into the ſea: but the naturall courſe of the waters is downeward. But how then find we ſprings in the tops of mountaines? …ot by miracles, but naturall: God ſo diſpoſing them to exerciſe their naturall motions. p. 562Not that they come of ſome vaporous ſweat or diſtillation of the earth; for then they could not ſo vehemently boile up. Nor by the tranſcendent height of the ſea; as a ſpring riſing in a hill, and conveyed in pipes, will force the aſcent to the ſame height it beares at the fountaine. But the ſea doth ſo violently ruſh into thoſe receptacles of the earth, which ſhe finds hollow, that it forceth ſprings even upon mountaines. Moſt interpreters by this Deepe, underſtand the deepe heads and ſprings of waters within the earth, which were opened and inlarged to this inundation: thoſe Exod. 20.4. Waters under the earth, the rivers and deepe gulfe guſhing forth.

The windowes of Heaven.] This ſignifies not an eruption of any waters in the Chryſtall heavens, as they call that above the ſtarry skie. Some have conceived waters to bee above the firmament to mitigate the heate of the ſtarres But.Baſil. Ambroſ. Bed. 1. the waters are an heavy ſubſtance, and ſhould bee kept there againſt nature. 2. If theſe waters had come from thence, there muſt have beene a diſſolution of the ſtarry heaven. 3. The watery heaven ſhould then be a vacant place. 4. The celeſtiall bodies have no need to be refrigerated: for they are of no fiery and elementall nature, they admit no qualities: the Sun it ſelfe not being hote formaliter, ſed effectivè. But it is objected;mmPſal. 148.4.Ps 148:4 Yee waters that be above the heavens: By heaven is underſtood there the lower region of the aire. So it is ſaid,nnPſal. 18.13.Ps 18:13 The Lord thundred in the heavens, haileſtones and coales of fire: but thunder, lightning, and haile, come not properly from heaven, but from the aire. There be three heavens; A… um; ſo we called the fowles of heaven, that is, of the aire; Sydereum, ſo the Firmament is called Heaven; Empyreum, the fiery heaven; ſo called, not for the hea…, but for the glory. If the aire be ſo comfortable, that is but lightened with the Son, what is the heaven, where the Sun it ſelfe is? If that be ſo refulgent, how glorious is the heaven where God himſelfe dwells!

This opening of the windowes, is the breaking of the cloudes, wherein the waters are contained.ooIob 26.8.Job 26:8 He bindeth up the waters in his thicke clouds, and the cloud is not … under them. Here he unbound thoſe veſſells, and made vents for the raine like windowes. Seneca writing of the generall deluge, which he thinkes not paſt but to come, gives theſe reaſons. 1. The ſwelling and over flowing of the ſeas. 2. The earth itſelfe putrifying and reſolving into waters. 3. The conjunction of celeſtiall bodies: as the world ſhall be drowned, ſaith he, when ſuch ſtarres concurre in Cancer: ſo … ſhall be burned when the ſame company meere in Capricorne. But indeed, theſe ſeeme to be true cauſes. 1. The iſſuing forth of waters from the earth. 2. The violent eruption of the ſeas. 3. The continuall raine from the cloudes. 4. Which were encreaſed by the liquefaction and diſtilling of the aire into water.

But the Principall Agent here was the Lord.ppGen. 7 4.Gen 7:4 I will cauſe it to raine upon the earth. It was his …peciall worke, by the miniſterie of Angels, after no ordinary manner. There was no fatall neceſſitie in it: for ſeeing God created the world in ſuch wiſedome and order, that one part ſhould concurre to the preſervation, not to the deſtruction of another: it is vainely imputed to the conſtellation of the ſtarres. For they can have no generall operation over all the earth, but only in that place wher… their influence worketh.

The Inſtruction we collect is this; that all Gods creatures are at his becke: … the greateſt Lions on earth, Whales in the ſea, devills in hell. What is greater that the heaven? Yet this ever-wheeling body ſhall ſuſpend his ſwift diurnall motion, … his command, to doe ſervice to his ſervants;qqIoſh. 10.12.Josh 10:12 Sun ſtand thou ſtill in Gibeon, and that Moone in the valley of Aialon. The Sun commeth forth as a Bridegroome out of his chamber, and rejoyceth as a ſtrong man to runne a race. Yet to confirmed the faith of Hezekiah, he ſhall flie backe as a coward,rrEſa. 38.8.Isa 38:8 tenne degrees at once in the diall of Ahaz. What is more huge, firme, and unfit to be dealt withall, than the earth? yet he makes it tremble, and open the jawes to devoure his enemies; if he touch the bu…, they ſmoke for it. The Whale wallowes up and downe the ſea like a mountaine, yet was he tamed to become the Prophets chariot, and bring him to land. The fa… ſhed p. 563Lions forbeare Daniel, they dare not touch the diſh which God had reſerved …or himſelfe. And for Ionas, how hee ſhould lye in the bowels of that Leviathan …ree dayes, not concocted and ſtifled, is no wonder to them that contemplate the …ower of God. The belly of the fiſh could not be hotter to the Prophet, than the …ty Fornace was to the three Servants; neither is it more, to bring a living man …fter three dayes from a fiſh, than to raiſe a dead man after foure dayes from …he grave.

The Angels are of a powerfull nature: yet the good are madeſſHebr. 1.14.Heb 1:14 miniſtring ſpirits …or the heires of ſalvation: the bad God tyes in chaines and musſles their malicious …orces. Thoſe that had prepared themſelves tottRevel. 9.14.Rev 9:14 ſlay the third part of men, were …ound up in the great River Euphrates, till he looſe them. He needs not the Poſtes of Perſia, which Haman uſed; nor the Dromedaries of Aegypt, to ſignifie his will; but … uuPſal. 147.15.Ps 147:15Word runneth very ſwiftly. The day is his, and the night is his; the open place …nd the ſecret; the very wings of the wind ſhall carry his Precepts. Ion. 1. The ſea …nd a charge for the Prophet, as the Prophet had a charge for Niniveh. God ſaid …o the one, Ariſe and goe, and he went not: he ſpeakes to the other, Ariſe and goe, and … went; fulfilling the Makers command with all diligence. Thus all creatures have …mes and legs, when God bids them goe; ſpirit and life is put into them, activitie …o uſe them, wiſdome to direct them, when they ſhould puniſh.xxIoh. 1.13.John 1:13 The Marriners …ere trying a chaine of delayes, with a number of ſhifts, deſirous to ſave or reprieve …he guilty: but in vaine they labour to evade the Councell of God. While the men …re in adviſe, the winds and ſeas are in action: the men are backward, the other goe …orward with their ſervice: the men loſe time, the other admit no dilation.

It is the Lord of Hoaſts to whom all theſe obey:aaPſal. 148.8.Ps 148:8 Fire and haile, ſnow and va…our, ſtormie wind and tempeſt, fulfilling his Word. There is no Neptune, Admirall of …he Seas, nor Aeolus Maſter of the winds, nor Mars Generall of the warres, nor Iu…iter King of thunders; but onelyonly the Lord. Who divided and diverted Iordan? …his retrogreſſe was no ordinary thing: we might well ſay,bbPſal. 114.5.Ps 114:5 What ailest thee, O Ior…an, that thou waſt driven backe? Many being croſſed by the creatures, fall to bla…pheming them: but let us reprove them, as the Prophet did Sennacherib; cc2 King. 19.22.2 Kgs 19:22Whom …aſt thou blaſphemed? and againſt whom haſt thou exalted thy ſelfe? even againſt the Holy One of Iſrael. Whom are you angry withall? Doe the raine and waters di…pleaſe you? Alas, they are ſervants, if their Maſter bid ſmite, they muſt not for…eare. They may ſay truely,ddEſay. 36.10.Isa 36:10 What Rabſhakeh uſurped; Are we come without the Lord? he ſaid, Goe and chaſtiſe them. Thus was it in this Deluge; the Lord brought …he Floud. eePſal. 77.16.Ps 77:16The waters ſaw thee, O God, the waters ſaw thee, they heard thy voice, …nd came ſtreaming out of their cells. We are placed on the earth, as in the middeſt …etwixt ſwallowing pits; the waters of the ſea below us, and the waters of the …rmament above us, if the one were not kept downe, and the other held up, by the …ower of God, they would drowne us every moment. But if it be eaſie for Him, to …lter the courſe of Nature for the deſtruction of his enemies: he can with more eaſe …eepe the courſe of Nature for the preſervation of his friends.

The next circumſtance is, How farre it prevailed. This was even to the over…helming of the whole earth; that not the talleſt Cedars, nor loftieſt buildings, nor higheſt mountaines could appeare: even fifteene cubits upwards. Some moun…aines are ſaid to be of an exceeding height; therefore cavillers find impoſſibilitie in …heſe naturall cauſes, for the waters to tranſcend them fifteene cubits. So neither the …apings of the ſea, nor the ſluces of the earth, nor the Cataracts of heaven, with the …elpe of all thoſe Signes which they call Aquatilia; as Cancer, Piſces, Pleiades, Orion; …nd among the Planets, Venus and Luna, could doe it. We need not here anſwer, …hat the ſuperiour and inferiour waters did meet together: as the Miſts, which are waters above; and the Springs, which are waters below; meet often on the tops of …ountaines. But what need arguments from naturall cauſes, when every beleever of …he Scriptures perceives here the ſupernaturall finger of God? So he commanded, p. 564ſo the creatures obeyed, and ſo the wicked were deſtroyed. From hence wee may collect foure meditations.

1 That no power of man is able to withſtand the will of God: it muſt be accompliſhed, though an whole world periſh. It ſhall ſtand firmer than the Firmament;ffPſal. 135.6.Ps 135:6 Whatſoever the Lord pleaſed, that did he in heaven, in earth, in the ſeas, and all deep places. What can a Fly do againſt abulwark? or man againſt God? unleſſe he could fee and corrupt the heavens, with all that therein is; the earth and ſea, with all that therein is there is no reſcuing of that which the Lord wil ſmite. This the damned prove in he… by woful experience: alwaies willing what is and ſhal be ever abſent: and alwaies nilling what is and ſhal be ever preſent.Born. In aeternum non obtinebit quod vult, & in …te… num ſuſtinebit quod non vult. ggIon. 1.13.Jonah 1:13The men rowed hard, to deliver the Prophet; but the ſ… was tempeſtuous againſt them. Man roweth, and God bloweth; there be armes for the one, winds for the other; which is likelyeſt to prevaile? How much, againſt how little! The Ocean with his fury, againſt one woodden Veſſell: great waves againſt ſmall ſtrokes. Such are all devices and endevours againſt the Lord. Oenus tor…, in the proverbe: Oenus weaves a rope, and an Aſſe ſtands by and bites it off.

How impoſſible will it be for the wicked to ſtand in the day of Iudgement? If all the ſinners on the earth, with all the devils in hel, oppoſe the Iudge; it is leſſe th… for one unarmed man to ſet upon a legion of well appointed ſouldiers. There is no fortification againſt, no evaſion from the Lord. Fugitive Ionah gotten to I…ph…, and thence to ſea, might thinke all ſafe: but loe, preſently a purſuivant is diſpatched fro… heaven to attach him: Vengeance is ſhip'd in a Whirle-wind, and ſailes aloft in the aire to overtake him. If a ſtill ſpirit cannot charme ſinners, God hath a turbule… ſpirit, which is Severior Magiſter, to enforce them.hhEccl. 39.28.Sir 39:28 There be ſpirits that are created for vengeance, which in their fury lay on ſore ſtrokes, to appeaſe the wrath of him that made them. If they deny appearance in his Court of Iuſtice, there be P…rſuivants enow to fetch them in: his Writ of Attachment muſt be ſerved. There is no dealing with God, but by Prayers and Peace-offerings. How vaine were their ſhifts in this deluge: could they have laid mountaine on mountaine, and upon the to… of all erected a Tower higher than Babel was ever meant: yetiiPſal. 2.4.Ps 2:4 He that ſitteth in the heavens would laugh, the Lord would have them in diriſion: and ſmiling at their folly make an end of their ruine.

2 That ſtrange ſinnes meet with ſtrange puniſhments. The monſtrous and Giantly ſinnes of thoſe monſtrous Giants we have heard: they were wonderfull, yet the plague is of no leſſe wonder. A continued raine of forty dayes, a prevailing Deluge of fifteene cubits; this was without example before it, nor ſhall any m…ch be after it, but the Deluge of fire at the laſt. Sodome was guilty of a ſtrange and unnaturall ſinne, therefore deſtroyed with a ſtrange and untranaturall plague; hel… out of heaven. Nadab offers ſtrange fire, and ſuffers ſtrange fire. Cain committed a ſtrange murder, in killing his brother, the fourth part of the world; and ſtran… was his puniſhment, to be a runnagate in his owne Land; till he findes that he kille… himſelfe more than his brother. O how bitter is the end of ſinne, yea, without … bitter! Ionah admitted a wonderfull neglect, the chaſtiſement comes little ſhort of wonder. Purſued by a Tempeſt, diſcovered by a lot, condemned by himſelfe, throwne over-boord by his friends, wrapp'd in weeds, in the bottome of a dep…, devoured by a Whall; without light, without food, without company, without comfort: drowned, and not drowned, devoured, but not digeſted; alive, and yet as dead: ſo terrified in conſcience as if a reprobate, his ſoule in a ſwoone, his like a… the laſt caſt, the gaſpes and pangs of death upon him, the very throbs of deſperation oppugning him, that his hope of eternall life was in his ſenſe exiled: here was a puniſhment to the admiration of all the world.

The monſtrous ſinne of this Land, Drunkenneſſe, (and we may ſo call it, for it turnes men into monſters) is anſwered by as ſtrange a puniſhment. What living man ever ſaw ſuch a Summer?Ann. 1621. All eyes behold, all tongues confeſſe, that it hath … p. 565ſtrange weather for the ſeaſon. But their hearts conſider not, how ſtrange the ſinne is that procured it, Act. 11.28. There was an univerſall dearth, Gualt.and it came to paſſe in the dayes of Claudius Ceſar. The worlds Emperour bred the worlds eſtate. The vices of Princes infect the people, that Qualis Rex, talis grex. This Claudius was an inſatiate drinker: his owne mother called him a monſter, a worke of nature begun, not finiſhed. No marvell if dearth comes in the dayes of Claudius: if God deny fruites to a drunken generation. We may juſtly feare a famine, and expect (not as CHRIST ſaid, The harveſt is great, and the labourers are few; but) that the harveſt ſhould be ſmall, and the labourers many. If the Lord thus forbeare to ſmite us, it is not propter paenitentiae noſtrae meritum, but miſericordiae ſuae beneplacitum. Howſoever, let us abhorre the ſinne, whereupon follow ſo many miſchiefes. As murder and outrage; Violentia in vinolentia. Povertie; the children come to weepe for bread, becauſe their prodigall fathers have drunke it. Scandals; the honours of the noble are traduced, while the drunkard ſits like a Ceſar, taxing all the world. Blaſphemies; for ſuch are the graces that come by the inſpiration of the pot. Impudent demeanors; for ſumptuous potations inflame preſumptuous actions. Vncleanneſſe; Ebrietas caſtitatis naufragium: Bacchus is but a Pandar to Venus. Diſcovery of ſecrets: Noah being drunken revealed thoſe ſecrets that lay hid 600 yeeres. Wicked fellowſhips: for ſuch a tricke or qualitie of inſatiate drinking, the devill himſelfe was once called Robin Good-fellow. There was a ſtreete in Rome call'd Vicus ſobrius, the ſober ſtreete; becauſe there was never a drinking houſe in it: find ſuch a ſtreet in London, and Chronicle it. I have no thought of invecture againſt the creature: drink wine ad menſam, ſed ad menſuram. Only let me tell you of better wine out of Gods owne Celler, Cant. 2.5. There be inebriated, Pſal. 36.8. O faelix & paucis nota voluptas! CHRIST hath begun to us, let us pledge him, Pſal. 116.13. a health indeed:kkPſal. 67.2.Ps 67:2 A ſaving health unto all Nations.

3 Gods favour and anger changeth the uſe of the creatures. The raine from above, and the fountaines below, are things we cannot lacke: yet did his wrath make theſe the inſtruments of the worlds deſolation. He can turne principall helpes to principall plagues. The wind is a fanne to purge the aire, as the lungs lie by the heart to doe it good: it is the only meanes of ſailing; yet how often hath it brought the veſſell to ruine? Children, the deareſt jewels of love, the living pictures of their parents; are often made their heavieſt ſcourges. The wife, one halfe of mans ſelfe, the beſt of temporall bleſſings, becomes not ſeldome the fearefulleſt Croſſe. The Quailes, ſo daintie fleſh, were Iſraels rats-bane: and the children of the Prophets dyed by a bitter hearbe in the pot ordained for their ſuſtenance. Fire, ſo unſpareable an element, conſumeth a whole Citie in Gods anger. The earth that firmely ſupports us, hath ſwallowed the wicked; the bread that nouriſheth, choked them. All which ſhould make us fearefull of offending, leſt our comforts become our corroſives; the delight of our eyes, our eye-ſores: our tables a ſnare, and that which ſhould have beene for our wealth,llPſal. 69.22.Ps 69:22 an occaſion of falling. Gods diſpleaſure upon our ſin, is able to turne nature upſide downe, that like Senacherib, wee become the ſpoile of owne bowels.

There is no confidence to be put in worldly things: for if the earth it ſelfe be deſtroyed, what ſhall become of the temporalities it beareth? The foundation being ruined, the building cannot ſtand. What became of all that gold and ſilver, which in hoords and heapes the covetous had gathered? what became of their houſes ſo ſtately and ſumptuous? What, of the curious guardens, delightfull arbors, the ſpacious bounds of oppreſſion extorted from the poore? who was the richeſt man, when all found one ſwallowing grave? The trees grow different in the forreſt; ſome greater, ſome ſtraiter, ſome broader, ſome taller, ſome younger, ſome older, ſome fruitfuller, ſome doated. But when they are hewen downe by the axe, and caſt into the fire who can diſtinguiſh them by their aſhes: and ſay, this was an Oke, that a Cedar, the other a poplar? So in death and duſt, who can ſay, this was the skull of a p. 526King, that of a Lawyer, this of a Clyent; that of a polititian, this of a foole; that of an officer,Sen. this of a beggar? Dives es, ſed multum debts. Such a one is rich, but he owes much: tarry till he hath payed all his debts, what is he then? As a man that hath his houſe of Cedar, but owes for his fine and rent. Worldly riches are like the rivers in Iob. mmIob 6.16.17.Job 6:16Job 6:17In winter there is water enough in them, when there is no need of it. In ſummer, when we expect it, and ſhould uſe it to quench our thirſt, they are dry.

The Devill, like the Pope, forgeth a donation.nnLuk. 4.….Luke 4 All is delivered unto me, all is mine. But queſtion him like a theefe at the barre; how is it thine? Delivered to me: but by whom? Nay, by whom he cannot tell, the time he remembers not, the place he hath forgotten: as much to ſay, as they are none of his.ooProv. 23.5.Prov 23:5 Riches make themſelves wings, and flie away as an Eagle toward heaven. All riches have wings, and f…ie away: the evill gotten, like Noahs Raven, come backe no more: the good and well gotten, like Noahs Dove, returne with an olive branch of peace. They are called Riches of this world; would you have them goe out of the world, and follow you paſt the grave? The dogge will goe with you ſo long as you goe with his maſter; but if you leave him, he will leave you. They are ſeldome profitable, often perticious, alwaies dangerous. All thoſe be good arguments, which are from the proper cauſe to the proper effect: yet they may faile by the intervention of a miracle. It is proper unto fire to burne, yet that vehement fire did not burne the three ſervants of God. It is proper to the ſea to drowne thoſe that be caſt into it, yet it did not drown… the Prophet in the very depth of it. It is proper to the Sunne to move, yet it ſtood ſtill at the prayer of Ioſhuah. Proper for it to goe from Eaſt to Weſt, yet for Hez… kiahs confirmation, it went from Weſt to Eaſt. This was proper to them, and that they did not produce ſuch effects, it was by miracle. So it is proper to worldly riches to enſnare ſoules; If they doe not, it is by miracle. Adoratores ſeculi, adulatores diaboli: they that worſhip the world, will flatter the divell.

Let this teach us to contemne the world, which we are ſure ſhall be deſtroyed. Indeed, we may deſire temporall things, according to our condition and requiſite meaſure: but ſtill with the Saints eſtimation of them, thatppAct. 4.35.Acts 4:35 Threw them downe at the Apoſtles feete. Calcandumque docent, dum ponunt greſsibus aurum. Saint Peter forſooke all, yet the Pope in his rightengroſſeth all. The Rabbins ſay, that Moſes being a child, had Pharaohs Crowne given him to play withall, and he caſt it downe to the ground, and kicked it about. As it were a ſigne of his future vilipending temporall things, that he ſhouldqqHebr. 11.26.Heb 11:26 Eſteeme the reproch of Chriſt, greater riches then the treaſures in Aegypt. CHRISTS counſell is, Sell all that thou haſt, and give to the poore: ſell it, or if no man will buy it, give it: or if no man will take it, leave it: it is not worth thy keeping, eſpecially not worth thy carking: do thou part from it, rather than it ſhould part thee from Chriſt. He that impoveriſheth his ſoule, to enrich his body; is more mad than he that kills his horſe to looſe his money, at a race. But alas;rrObad. ver. 6. How …re the things of Eſau ſearched for; the things of this world ſought after! by oppreſſion, fraud, Vſurie; as if this were the only end of getting, to have. But when a… the poore members of Chriſt are clothed and filled, then put they money to the banke. Howſoever the covetous for one ſcruple of gold, will make no ſcruple of conſcience: yet let us love temporall things, as poore people begge; for Gods ſake. Thus in the deſtruction of the world by fire, as it was once by water; when the wicked ſhall looſe all, we ſhall looſe nothing: becauſe we reſerve what we had, the favour of God, the kingdome of heaven, and the glorious riches laid up for us in Ieſus Chriſt.

The laſt circumſtance is, how long this floud continued. The exact time hath much puſled Interpreters: I will not perplexe you with it. Only the plaine Text ſaith thus; It rained forty daies, the waters prevailed a 150 dayes, then they began to abate, but ſo ſlowly, that it was the Tenth monethmonth before the very tops of the mountaines did appeare. In all, the continuance ſeemeth to be upon a full yeare. Divines p. 557obſerve, that it began then the Spring, the Second monethmonth, which anſwereth to our May. 1. The world is then ſuppoſed to have taken the beginning: the plants then ſprowting, beaſts engendring, the ground apteſt for tilling. Now that this was the time of the overflowing appeares becauſe from the creation to the floud, are reckoned juſt 1656 even yeares. 2. The firſt monethmonth being Niſan, which anſwereth to part of our March, part of Aprill; and this being the ſecond; proves clearely that it fell out in the ſpring. Howſoever this reckoning was diſcontinued in Aegypt, (for the Aegyptians began their yeare from the monethmonth Ptho, which anſwers to our September) yet Moſes here makes no new inſtitution, but reneweth the old account. 3. That this floud might not be imputed to any naturall cauſes, but only to Gods power: the waters encreaſing in ſummer, which is a time for drought: and decreaſing in Winter, when naturally they doe ſwell and riſe. 4. That it might be more griefe to the wicked, to periſh in the midſt of their pleaſure, and abundance:ſſMatth. 24.38.Matt 24:38 eating and drinking, making marriages, and merriments: they were taken away in the height of their jollity. At this time the floud ceaſed; for in the eleventh monethmonth after the floud, the Dove brought an Olive leafe, the ſigne of the ſpring. And at the comming forth of the Arke they preſently began to multiply: now the apteſt ſeaſon for ingendring is the ſpring, eſpecially for fowles. Beſides, if it had not then beene a growing time, hearbs and plants putting forth; where had beene food for their ſuſtentation.

Thus long it continued; at laſt in the midſt of wrath God remembers merciemercy: and as he corrected with histtPſal. 23.4.Ps 23:4 Rod of affliction, ſo he upholdeth with his ſt…ffe of conſolation. As in the Arke he kept ſome ſeed alive to repleniſh the earth, when the reſt periſhed: ſo he ceaſed the deluge, and at laſt delivered them out.uuGen. 8.1.Gen 8:1 God remembred Noah, and every living thing: he remembred the very beaſt.xxPſal. 36.6.Ps 36:6 O Lord, thou preſerveſt man and beaſt. Xenocrates an heathen Philoſopher is commended for his pitifull heart, who ſuccoured in his boſome a poore ſparrow, that being purſued by a hawke came flying to him; and afterward let her goe ſaying, Se ſupplicem non prodidiſſe; that he had not betraied his poore ſupplyant.

Thus God ſuſtained Noah and the reſt for his ſake, in a darke place, a whole yeare; being even then his light and comfort.yyPſal. 11….4.Ps 11:4 VntoUnto the upright there ariſeth light in darkeneſſe: a light ſhined to Peter, when he lay bound at mid-night. Indeed what darkeneſſe can there be, where the Father of lights ſhineth? now he delivers them againe to their long deſired aire, and cauſeth his Sunne to ſend forth comfortable beames upon them. It was time for a renovation to ſucceed this deſtruction: to have continued this inundation long, had beene to puniſh Noah who was righteous. After forty dayes therefore the heavens cleare up, after 150 dayes the waters ſinke downe. How ſoone is God weary of puniſhing, that is never weary of bleſſing! The Arke though it were Noahs fort againſt the waters, yet was it alſo his priſon: he was ſafe in it, but pent up. Now therefore the LORD that gave him life by it, thinkes it time to give him libertie out of it. The Iuſtice of God is ſatisfied, the wicked puniſhed, the waters diminiſhed, the creatures delivered, the world againe revived. After ſo long a ſtorme there comes a calme: that he, who for his judgments ought to be feared, might alſo for his merciemercy be magnified. This world is as ſtrait a priſon in regard of heaven, as the Arke was in reſpect of the world: and our preſervation is as wonderfull, if wee could ſee it. Deſire wee therefore (in feare and faith) that day; that as they went out of the Arke into the world, ſo wee may goe out of the world into that bleſſed Kingdome of IESUS CHRIST.

And ſaved Noah the eight perſon, a preacher of righteouſneſſe. What a wonder of merciemercy was this? one poore family called out of a whole world: eight graines of corne fanned from a whole barne full of chaffe: eight lilies growing amongſt a whole forreſt of thornes. For theſe few, was the earth ſtill preſerved under the wa…ers, and all kinds of creatures upon the waters: which otherwiſe, had all periſhed. p. 558Still the world ſtands for the Elects ſake, for whom it was made and preſerved: elſe the laſt fire ſhould conſume that, which the former water could not purifie.

Here, firſt, let us conſider the Perſon ſaved, Noah; and Him both by his condition, that he was a Preacher: and by his converſation, which was in Righteouſneſſe: for in that Center both his doctrine and practiſe met; both verbally and actually he preached. He was ordained into this Miniſtry by the Lord: and as his whole l…fe was an actuall Sermon, that taught obedience by precedent: ſo he continually incited the people to repentance, and forewarned them of the threatned vengeance. The obſervations are manifold.

1 That Noah had his calling immediately from God; whereas we are mediately ordained by the impoſition of hands; which is a moſt reverend ſymbole in the Church. ForaaHebr. 5 4.Heb 5:4 no man taketh this honour to himſelfe uncalled. Chriſt is ſaid to be a Prieſt after the order of Melchiſedech: but we have Prieſts without any order at all; refuſing to be ordered; What warrant have they, that they are ſent? I know, there be different ſorts and places: as Biſhop Iewel, or the Iewell of Biſhops obſerves; All have Idem Miniſterium, though Diverſam Poteſtatem. A Biſhop and an Archbiſhop differ not in Poteſtate Ordinis, ſed in Poteſtate Regiminis. Nor doth a Biſhop differ from a Miniſter; Quoad potentiam Sacerdotii, ſed quoad potentiam Iuriſdictionis. Indeed the Apoſtles, as they were immediately ſent by Chriſt, ſo it was their prerogati…e royall, miniſterially to give the Holy Ghoſt by impoſition of hands; which Power died with them. Yet ſtill Ministerium est indelebilis character: and the Biſhop may ſuſpend from execution of his Office, but not put him out of the Miniſtry, who… God hath put in.bbIoh. 20.22.John 20:22 CHRIST breathed on them, and ſaid; Receive yee the Holy Ghoſt. The furniture and proviſion for the Miniſters, is the HOLY GHOST. We heare in every place vocem Serpentis, the hiſſing of the old Serpent: let the world heare from us Gemitum Turturis, the groaning of that Turtle, the Spirit of GOD.

2 That the Lord honoured Noah in conferring this office upon him. When he made him a Preacher, hee gave him this dignity, that hee ſhould be ſaved himſelfe, and all thoſe whom his Miniſtery converted: that he might ſay,ccHebr. 2.13.Heb 2:13 Here am I, and the children that God hath given mee. I will but tranſiently touch at the honour due to Preachers.

Certainely, a Miniſters life is full of honour here and hereafter too: ſo it is full of danger here and hereafter too. Vnicuique in ſua arte credendum & cedendum: We beleeve Phyſitians, when they give us preſcripts: we beleeve Lawyers, whe… they give us counſell: we beleeve even Carpenters, in their Rules: we beleeve not Divines, though they bring nothing of their owne Invention: but may ſay of their Sermon, as Iacob did of his Veniſon,ddGen. 27.20.Gen 27:20 The Lord hath brought it to our hand: So downe and eat, that your ſoules may bleſſe us, yea, bleſſe God for us. Yet is every braine full of diſtraction about us, every mouth full of detraction againſt us, every hand full of retraction from us.

Men are ſo ſicke of Preaching, that not the beſt and moſt honeſt Divine c… ſcape malignant tongues: and rather than the ungodly will be ſaved, their very exceptions againſt the Preachers, ſhall be their colour for going on in the wayes of hell. Men ſucke their milke, like Mules; and then kicke them with their hee…s. Cominaeus ſayes, he that would be a Kings Favourite, muſt not have an hard name; that ſo hee may eaſily be remembred when preferments are a dealing. It ſeem…s that Preachers have hard names, for few remember them, in the point of honour or benefite. The world regards them, as poore folkes doe their children: they would bee loth to have any more, becauſe they are troubled to maintaine them they have. In Ieroboams time, the loweſt of the people were made Prieſts, and now Prieſts are made the loweſt of the people. A Lay-man, like a Mathematicall line, runnes on ad infinitum: onelyonly the Preacher is bound to his Competencie; thus much, and no more. Never let him be rich, leſt hee be too p. 559bold, and tell us home of our faults. If he ſtoope not at the Pulpit-doore, to take meaſure of the peoples feet, let him faſt when he comes downe; they will ſoone ſhorten his commons. Therefore, the Gentry to the Court, and the Countrey to the Cart, and the Vniverſitie is univerſally deſpiſed. We aske not Secular honours, and eminent places: the Miniſter, like the Fig-tree, will noteeIudg. 9.11.Judg 9:11 loſe his ſweetneſſe to be preferred over the trees. OnelyOnly, finde wee honour in your conſciences: we are ambitious of no preferment, but to be inſtruments of your ſalvation.ff1 Theſſ. 2.19.1 Thess 2:19 For what elſe is our hope, or joy, or crowne of rejoycing? Are not even ye in the preſence of Ieſus Chriſt at his comming? Yes, yee are our joy and glory.

3 That Noah faithfully executed this Calling, and continued Preaching an hundred yeares. In all which ſpace, hee declared to men the future Iudgements of God, reproved their iniquities, perſwaded them to repentance, and upon their amendment of life, prophetically aſſured them of merciemercy and forgiveneſſe. And this he performed, not onelyonly by verball, but by actuall preaching: the very building of the Arke daily preached to the world. So that both in his doctrinall inſtructions, and exemplary life, he was a Preacher of Righteouſneſſe. Such is a Miniſters office; foreign, and foreign: as they deliver their Sermons, with what brevitie they can, and with what fidelitie they ought: ſo to order their converſation, that their ſocietie may delight the good, and their very abſence convince the lewd. CHRIST gave Peter a three-fold charge of Feeding: and thoſe three kindes are diſtinguiſhed into Precept, Patterne, and Beneficence. Wee doe Paſcere verbo, wee ſhould Paſcere Exemplo, wee are not able Paſcere Subſidio. Wee are faineggEſay 4.1.Isa 4:1 to eate our owne bread, and weare our owne apparell, onelyonly wee deſire to live with you: wee ſpend our owne meanes, onelyonly let us Preach to you.

What Solon told Croeſus, Of one of the happieſt men living; Pauper & juſtus, in tuguriolo, &c. ſic mortuus: Is true of the Preacher; no notice taken of him. They are truely called Miniſters or Servants; not onelyonly CHRISTS ſervants, but even yours for CHRISTS ſake. One of their titles is Diaco…os, a Miniſter of ſpeedie labour: as a Page runnes by his Lord, or as Eliah girded up himſelfe and ranne by Ahab; like Ahimaaz, ſo faſt that you cannot ſee him for the duſt. Hee is indeed a Miniſter, for he doth not worke for himſelfe, but for another. But as hee is a Servant, ſo hee hath ſome ſpeciall place in the houſe among the ſervants of God.hhLuke 12.42.Luke 12:42 A faithfull and wiſe Steward, whom his LORD maketh Ruler over his houſhold, to give them their portion of meat in due ſeaſon. He is a ſervant, but none of the inferiour; a Steward. He hath a pettie dominion over the reſt of the family, his Lord hath made him a Ruler. This is for his Dignity: Now for his Duty. Firſt, he muſt give meat to all the ſervants; young and old, rich and poore, weake and ſtrong. Secondly, In due ſeaſon, that is, when their …ppetites call for it: yea, he muſt not evermore ſtay till they deſire it. Thirdly, Pro…rtis manibus, he muſt doe it with his owne hands: he is but a Deputy, and therefore muſt not alwayes doe it by a Deputy. Yet the Lord doth, and the people muſt, al…ow him ſome vacation. He is an ill fiſher, that never mends his net, a bad mower, …hat never whets his ſithe. Yet ſuch is the madneſſe of the multitude, that they thinke …is body to be of iron, and his ſpirit of Angelicall nature; that he can preach as eaſi…y and often as they would have him. And are in an hot anger, with Saul, who becauſe David would not come at him, lying ſicke; ii1 Sam. 19.15.1 Sam 19:15Bring him, ſaith he, to me in the …ed, that I may ſlay him. Such is their pity to the Miniſter; Bring him, though he ye ſicke on his bed; ſpare him not, though his heat and heart be ſpent. Yea, would … pleaſe God that our lives were made ſuch a ſacrifice, ſo they might be inſtruments …f his glory, and your ſalvation

4 That he had not ſuch happie ſucceſſe of his Preaching, as his owne, ſoule de…ired, and he might in reaſon have expected. A man may be lawfully called by God …nd his Church, and yet not turne many ſoules. Let him never ſo plainly denounce p. 560the Iudgement of God againſt ſinners, tell them that the Arke was made to preſerve beleevers, when all out of it ſhould be drowned: though he wrought that with his hand, which he taught with his tongue; yet ſtill they beleeved not. Appeares it not ſtrange, that in an hundred and twenty yeares he ſhould not convert one: not onelyonly of the wicked race, but not one of the righteous ſeed? O, it is the Lord onelyonly that ſpeaks to the conſcience! He is that flexanimous Preacher, whoſe Pulpit is in heaven. Chriſt is the Phyſitian, wee are the Apothecaries: and as wee doe not put into the compound one dramme more than his preſcript and allowance: ſo we cannot c… one ſoule, but He muſt doe it.kkHebr. 5.9.Heb 5:9 He is the Authour of eternall ſalvation to all that …hey him. We have no power of our ſelves, to move an heart: Non omnis qui dicta …da, & audita credit, continuò illa faciendo obtemperat: God makes a Miniſter to have more ſorrow in bringing forth a Chriſtian unto the world to come;llIohn 16.21.John 16:21 than a woman hath in her travell of bringing forth a childe into this world.mmGal. 4.19.Gal 4:19 My little children, of whom I travaile in birth againe, till Chriſt be formed in you. Who can expreſſe the throbs and throwes he endures? they are only knowne to the anguiſh of his owne ſenſible heart. Yet after all paines, he is glad at laſt that the childe of grace is borne: this ſo ſweetens all, that he forgets his ſorrow. Thus like Iacob, he catcheth a mai…e, but a Bleſsing withall. But alas! It is nnEſay 37.3.Isa 37:3brought unto the birth, and there is no ſtrength to bring forth.

If they came to Noah while he was building the Arke, and demanded of him, as the Iewes did of the Prophet; Wilt thou not tell us what theſe things meane? Loe, the voice of his tongue interpreted the worke of his hand, and the worke of his hand expounded the voice of his tongue; yet they repented not. When God is pleaſed to convert, he can doe it by the weakeſt meanes. For illumination of the minde, he often lights a great lampe of the Sanctuary by a little wex-candle; as he did Paul by Ananias. And for moving affections, he often by a puffe of wind, ſtirres up the waves of the Ocean-ſea. In the meaneſt booke, a deepe judgement ſhall finde ſomewhat it hath not formerly ſeene; though it ſee not all it hath formerly found. Deus non eſt parvus in parvo: God is not ſtraitned according to the ſmalneſſe of the organ.Auguſt. And when he with-holds his contemned grace, Paul himſelfe cannot move a ſoule.Eſ…y 6.10. and 49.4. Ezek. 3.7. Act. 28.24. 2 Cor. 12.21. Chap. 2.15.Ezek 3:7Acts 28:242 Cor 12:21 I know that nothing is more diſcomfortable to a good Miniſter, than this, yet hath it beene the lot of many holy Prophets. This is fearefull; when Preachers ſent for mens ſalvation, ſhall become meanes of their deeper confuſion. There is nothing ſo humbles and abaſeth them as this: but whether in them that are ſaved, or … them that periſh, we are ſtill unto God a ſweet ſavour of Chriſt.

It is the meaſure, not the ſucceſſe, that God lookes to: our reward ſhall be according to our workes, not according to the fruit of our workes. Which is our comfort; though we cannot convert men, yet we have laboured their converſion: and our labour (how ever fruitleſſe among men)oo1 Cor. 15.58.1 Cor 15:58 ſhall never bee in vaine with the Lord. Saint Paul doth not ſay, Plus profui omnibus, ſed plus laboravi omnibus: Not, I did more good than the reſt;Verſ. but, I tooke more paines than the reſt; I laboured more abundantly than they all. If we ſhould have no reward but according to the number of the ſoules we have turned, woe were us! For mens hearts are ſo yoked with their owne wilfulneſſe, that they will beleeve no Preacher in the world further th… their owne fancies. But this muſt not diſcourage us; it is enough that we would ha… cured Babel, though ſhe would not be cured: andpp2 Cor. 4.3.2 Cor 4:3 If our Goſpell be hid, it is hid to th… that are loſt. If the Lord ſhould examine us, what ſoule we have converted, where ſhould we point him?qq1 Tim. 6.17.1 Tim 6:17 Charge them that be rich, &c. It was Gods charge to P…l, and Pauls to Timothy, and Timothies to the people. Command implies obedience, but we may command and goe without. We have the keyes, and they doe not ru… upon our hands; but the power is loſt in the peopl… hearts. Men have pick-lock… of their owne forging; Preſumption and Security: with theſe they can open heavengates, albeit double-locked by our cenſures. The Father could have brought o… the best Robe himſelfe, or ſent his Sonne into the Wardrobe: but he commands h… p. 561ſervants, Proferte ſtolam; rrLuk. 15.22.Luke 15:22Bring forth the Robe, and put it on him. Wherein he did grace the meanes, and bring that into credite: the Lord will have his ſonnes beholding to his ſervants for their glory. It is a bold truth; you ſhall never weare that …long garment of honour, unleſſe it be brought and put on by the Miniſter. He that can ſave you without us, will not ſave you but by us. If our words have loſt the power in men, they have loſt their right of heaven. But though we cannot ſave you, yet our deſire to doe it, ſhall ſave us. We give God what we have, he deſires no more: this is enough to honour him, and crowne us.