Commentary on 2 Peter, Commentary on 2 Peter volume 1 · Chapter 2 · Verse 6 · Part
The ſinnes of Sodome.
TO take a ſhort catalogue of their ungodlineſſe, principally their ſinnes were fix: foure whereof bee mentioned, Ezek. 16. Verſe 49. a fift by Saint Iude. Ver. 7. following ſtrange fleſh: the laſt, Gen. 19. Verſe 9. contempt of all holy admonition.
1 Pride will ever be formoſt: it ſeekes the higheſt place in preferment, it ſh… have the uppermoſt place in torment.rPſal. 115.1. Not unto us O Lord, not unto us, but to … owne Name give the praiſe: this pride contradicts; To us, to us, and to none but …. We may ſay of Humility, as of that good woman;ſProv. 31.29. Many daughters have d… vertuouſly, but thou excellest them all: but of pride, other ſinnes doe vilely enough, but that ſurmounts them all. God reſiſteth the proud, for the proud reſiſt God: … piece of rotten duſt, ſo ſoone as it is made, recoileth againſt the maker, oppoſ… that Majeſtie which the Angels adore, the Thrones worſhip, the Devills feare, a… the heavens obey. But hee gets nothing by it, for if GOD reſiſt him who … d… fend him? If againſt the proud, he ſent his Law with ſuch thunder, how will hi… ſelfe come?
The world is apt to admire pride, her words are held oracles, her workes … racles, her garments true ornaments. This ſo fleſheth and fluſheth her, that ſhe thi… no more of God, except it be with Saul, Honour mee before this people. As … chadnezzar built much for his owne honour, nothing for the honour of God. Th… fore the Lord will grace humilitie, and give her the glory. When the ambiti… promoter of himſelfe ſhall be fetched downe, God will ſay to her,tLuk. 14.10. Friend ſit up higher. Pride is like ſmoake; Eſt quod videas, non est quod teneas. But humilitie is a ſubſtantiall grace, ſo that pride it ſelfe is proud of her mantell: as Abſalom ſo ranke with pride, yet put on a ſhew of humbleneſſe, in complement. And this is the glory of humility, that proud men are glad of her liverie. But pride muſt learne better manners or if ſhe ſcape the Sodomites fire on earth, ſhe muſt feele the Sodomites fire in hell.
2 Fulneſſe of bread.] But is this a ſinne? Is not bread the ſtaffe of life, and the fulneſſe of it a bleſſing? Yes, but that good mother brought forth two bad daughters; Pride in habite, and exceſſe in diet. It is not the fulneſſe of bread, but our fulneſſe of belly, that is the ſin. Charge the u1 Tim. 6.17.rich that they be not high minded; no ſooner rich, but preſently high minded.aEſa. 28.1. The fat valleys of ſuch as are overcome with wine: they that dwell in fat valleys, will fume with wines.bPſal. 69.22. Let their table be made a ſnare: the moſt riotous table is the moſt dangerous ſnare.cZeph. 3.12. I will leave in the midſt of thee an humble and poore people, and they ſhall truſt in the Name of the Lord! They that have nothing to truſt unto in the world, will ſooner be brought to truſt only in the LORD. Hamans abundance made him proud, and his pride advanced him fifty cubites higher than the earth, to a ſtately gibbet. If our gold become our fetters, wee had better have lived beggars. The Iſraelites fared daintily on their Quailes, fed with meate of Princes, and bread of Angells: but their ſawce was two ſharpe, when that they put into their mouthes, GOD fetch'd backe at their noſtrils.
It is better to want neceſſaries and iniquities, than to have with the fulneſſe of bread, the fulneſſe of pride and ryot.dProv. 30 9. Leſt I be full and deny thee. If full, deny thee, preſently followes. It was the Lords caveat to Iſrael; Take heed, leſteDeut. 8.14. When thou haſt eaten and art filled, thou forget the Lord. fPſal. 22.29.All they that be fat on earth, ſhall eate and worſhip: thus it ſhould be.gDeut. 32.15. They waxe fat, and ſpurne with their heeles: hHoſ. 13.6.They were filled, their heart was exalted, therefore have they forgotten me: thus it is. We all deſire plentie; but as when one wiſhed the ſon to be like the Father, Cato replied, is this a bleſſing or a curſe? would our plentie doe us good, or harme? The wicked have their deſire, Yea,iPſal. 73.7, 9. more than their hearts can wiſh: what's the iſſue? They ſet their mouthes againſt heaven. CHRIST did not teach us to begge variety of diſhes, nor abundance of wines, but Bread; and that but for the day, Daily bread It is emptineſſe that values Gods providence, not fulneſſe. When the LORD deales with us, as Fredericke Duke of Saxonie with his ſervants: who in hawking had rode over much corne, and careleſly ſpoiled it: gave charge that their meſſes of meate ſhould not bee abridged, but not one bit of bread ſhould bee allowed to their ſupper.
Plenitude breeds many diſeaſes, I am not Phyſician good enough to number them: not only pride, that worme of riches; which naturally begets another worme that never dyeth, the worme of conſcience. But ſurfet and drunkenneſſe, the ſinnes of this Citie. Call your wines by what names you will; French, or Greeke, or Spaniſh; it is Vinum Londinenſium, the Londoners wine. Where there is ſuch immoderate feaſting, the world muſt needs beleeve that it is not maintained without ſin and deceit: and for ſuch meate you had need of ſtrong wine to helpe digeſtion. Here it is, and here it is unmeaſurably taken, abuſed, urged; as if our brothers fall were not the Devills victorie. Some have thought that martyrdome and Chriſts paſſion was called by the name of a Cup, from the loathſome filling and violencing the appetite with drinke. The youngeſt daughter of this fulneſſe, is wantonneſſe.kIer. 5.8. They roſe up like fed horſes, neighing with luſt. But of that anon: this is the dependance of Pride and Riot: one would thinke that they had no acquaintance, but they are very neere. He that exalts himſelfe above his creation by pride, falls below his creation by drunkenneſſe. It is the voice of pride, all is mine: then riot anſwers, I may doe what I liſt with mine owne. Both are contraries to ſobrietie, one of the mind, the other of the body. They are often coupled and united:lHab. 2.5. The proud ma… and he that tranſgreſſeth by wine. Pride turned Nebuchadnezzar into a beaſt, ſo doth drunkenneſſe: their union in ſin ſhall find no ſeparation in puniſhment.
3 Idleneſſe;] this is another effect of fulneſſe: they that flow with abundance, never mind any diligence.mLuk. 17.28. As it was in the dayes of Lot; they did eate and drinke, they bought and ſold, they planted and built. Theſe were all Otia, rather than Neg…a, as they uſed them: even that labour was Idleneſſe. To Marry, is honeſt and honourable; yet was the old world taxed for this. Not becauſe only, as ſome anſwere they married not with any conjugall love, but with a voluptuous luſt: for this is a remedie, not an iniquitie that God ſo ſeverely puniſheth. They minded their lo…s, they minded not Gods Lawes, here was the ſinne. So in the dayes of Lot, as if Lo… was only in the day light, all the reſt in night and darkeneſſe, They ate and dranke, this is natures neceſſitie: and is not reprehended in quantum naturae ſubſidium, ſed i… quantum nequitiae fomentum: not the conveniencie, but the ſuperfluitie is fa…ed. They bought and ſold, this was a lawfull negotiation: therefore not the mutuall commercement, but the unjuſt defraudment, is taxed. They built and planted; both i… themſelves allowable. CHRIST blames not their felling of trees, nor building of houſes, but the baſeneſſe of their deſires; who ſought eternitie upon earth, and had no heart to the God of heaven. In eating and drinking was their Saturitie: i… building and planting, their ſecuritie: in buying and ſelling, their covetouſneſſe. The… were all ſuperfluous to that one neceſſary thing, and therefore Idleneſſe. They feared not the Lord, but lay drownd in their own ſenſualitie; this was their invincible ſtupiditie. Thus rotten were they in their lees of ſin, that unleſſe they had ani… pro ſale, they had beene all ſtinking carcaſes.
Here wee ſee, it is not enough to forbeare evill, but it is damnable not to doe well. CHRIST pretermits the enumeration of their horrible delinquiſhments, and ſpeakes of their acts lawfull in appearance; cenſuring them. If they were condemned for feeding, what is the wages of ſurfeting? If they for neceſſary trading, what ſhall be for fraudulent deceiving? If they for building their owne houſes, what ſhall become of them that pull downe Gods houſe? If ſuch a judgement fell upon marriage, what is the curſe of adulterie? Matth. 25. CHRIST mentions not the ſinnes of commiſſion, as if they were damnable enough by conceſſion; b… the omitted duties: Yee did not feed mee, &c. Not that the other ſhall paſſe … judged, but to ſhew that there is damnation enough wrap'd up in theſe to deſtroy the world.
Thus eaſily doth fulneſſe degenerate into idleneſſe: and where is no need of gaines, there no vouchſafing of paines. To many a man will God ſay; I made thee an husbandman, who made thee a Gentleman?nGen 2.18. I will make man a helper meete for him: this intends that neither ſhould be idle. The man is compared to the Sun, the wife to the Moone; that borrowes light of him, yet hath ſome of her owne. M… lier fulget radiis mariti. But when the Sun ſhall ſhine only by the Moone light, th… is prepoſterous. He is a Sodomite that will eate none but anothers bread, and wea… no coate of his owne weaving.oProv. 20.4. The ſlothfull will not plow becauſe of winter: th… fore ſhall he begge in ſummer, and no man ſhall give him. He ſhall begge, that's bad: and no man ſhall give him, that's worſe. But yet a man may be buſie enough, and b…i… labour on himſelfe with a vengeance: when he ſhall labour in that he hath no tha… for, and be idle in that ſhould doe him good: thus a man may goe to hell for hi… paines. Sodome thus laboured in ſin, and now labours in torment. Let us ſo worke on our Eve, that we may reſt on our Sabbath; worke up our ſalvation on earth, an… reape our ſalvation in heaven.
4 Contempt of the poore.] This is an execrable ſin, a thing that haſtens before the time. If he be condemned that ſaies no more, but God helpe thee: how ſore i… his Iudgement that ſaies in heart, I deſpiſe thee? That omiſſion is culpable, that go… no further than Be warmed: but that damnable, that ſaies, be ſtarved. It were fa… enough to paſſe by them, like the Levite, without ſuccour: but horrible, not to paſſe by them without diſdaine. Caſt thy bread on the waters, that is, on the watery eyes, which doe weepe for want: but if we caſt not our morſells, let us forbeare to caſt our ſcornes. How baſely ſoever we eſteeme them, they are the members of Chriſt, and ſuch as he honours, and ſets neare him: taking notice of every benefit, and recording every wrong, that is done them. It will be no light or ſlight offence; to con…emne the brother of the Son of God.
Some thinke that the Sodomites would admit no ſtrangers to come among …hem, as they ſpeake now of China; and that this made them ſo furious againſt the Angels. There be foure termes among men. 1. Mine is thine, and thine is thy own. …. Mine is mine, and thine is thine. 3. Mine is thine, and thine is mine. 4. Thine is mine, and mine is my owne. The firſt is of Saints, the ſecond of Moraliſts, the …hird of Populars, and the laſt is the voice of Devills: of this ranke were the Sodomites. For this ſpeciall cauſe they hated Lot, for his hoſpitalitie. When they came …n troupes to breake into his houſe, he pleads the lawes of hoſpitalitie: For this …auſe came they under my roofe. And when he ſees their head ſtrong purpoſe of vil…anie, he chuſeth rather to be an ill father to his owne children, than an ill hoſt to …trangers. Therefore is heaven called Abrahams boſome, becauſe of his hoſpitalitie: …nd thither the Saints goe; it is fit that hoſpitable men ſhould goe to their Father.
Let us make the poore our friends by our almes, not our enemies by our ſcornes. We had better have the eares of God full of their prayers, than heapes of money in our owne coffers with their curſes. Worldly men thinke themſelves wiſe in getting wealth, and the Scriptures folly: therefore throughout the Scriptures God calls them fooles for their labour. Thou foole. There is a tale of an Abbot that gave his foole a painted ſtaffe, willing him to beſtow it on the verieſt foole he could meete. This Abbot fell mortally ſicke, the foole was a viſitant among the reſt: and hearing him ſay, I muſt leave all and be gone, asked him whether he would goe. The Ab…ot anſwers, into another countrey: but I hope, replies the foole, you will carry all your gold and Iewells and treaſure with you: No, I muſt leave all. But ſure you …ave ſent great ſtore of preparation, as rich hangings, coverings, beds, plate and fur…iture before you: No, I muuſt leave all behind. All? I hope at leaſt you have ſent …nough to furniſh your owne roome, proviſion enough for your ſelfe; No, not the …eaſt pillow. Hold, ſaith he, take your Staffe againe; you are the verieſt foole that …ver I met. It is eaſily applyed: they that of ſo much under their cuſtodie on earth will make no proviſion for themſelves in heaven, by giving to the poore; are well …axed of the extremeſt follie. Let us relieve them by our good deeds, that they may …elieve us by their good prayers; ſo ſhall wee find merciemercy in the day of IESUS CHRIST.
5 Following ſtrange fleſh.] This was not only fornication or adulterie; a mans wife is his owne fleſh, and ſhe that is not ſo, is a ſtranger. But even an offence againſt …ature, for the Sodomites were not content with the common way of ſinning, but were mad with a prodigious and prepoſterous luſt.pGen. 19.5. Bring forth the men that we may know them. Shall we ſay, herein the very Sodomites ſpoke modeſtly, though …heir intention were villanous? I doe not thinke they meant any manerly concealement, but it is the dialect of the Scripture; which by an honeſt name ſets downe a moſt diſhoneſt thing. It hides the ſinne of Sodome, as the painter hid the ſcarre in Agamemnons face. Certainely their impudence was monſtrous,qEſa. 3.9. declaring their …inne; Bring them forth. Wherein they would make Lot, a father; not only a witneſſe to the conſtupration and raviſhment of the Angels, but even the very bawd …r Pandar; Doe thou bring them out.
Queſtionleſſe, thoſe heavenly gueſts were of an excellent forme, and moſt ſweet …avour, ſurpaſſing the ſonnes of men: and the ſight of this enflamed their more than …eaſtly luſt. Such a naturall deſire hath wicked man, to marre what God made, to corrupt his moſt admirable workemanſhip: and where he hath imprinted the moſt faire characters of his glory, there they have moſt ambition to faſten: like cankers, that had rather be about one roſe, than a thouſand weeds. Beauty, meant for a mirror wherein to admire God, they turne into a ſnare to confound themſelves. And ſo ſucke poyſon from the flower, that would yeeld them honey. Happy man, whom the temptation of beauty, cannot make to forget his duty!
This was the extremity of Sodomes ſinnes, for whoſe ſake it ſhall be called Sodomy to the worlds end. Whether the firſt excogitation of it begun, or the received practiſe was infamous, among them; it is ſtill the ſinne of Sodome. So abominable, that fire from heaven was the reward of it. As againſt nature was the tranſgreſſion, ſo againſt nature is the deſtruction. It is naturall for fire to aſcend upward, but here contrary to the courſe of nature it is forced to come downeward. Chriſt himſelfe is ſaid to raine that deluge from Iehovah his Father: why he? why not, as in other puniſhments,Aug. The Lord, without any further diſtinction? Quia Natur… quam aſſumpturus erat, corruperant. Becauſe they had corrupted that nature, which the Son of God was to take. Videns Dominus hoc peccatum in carne, paené defij… inc… nari. The Lord ſeeing this ſin in the fleſh, had almoſt forborne to take fleſh; or at leaſt ſo long deferred it before he came. Some have written, that al the ſinners in that kind, dyed the very ſame night that Chriſt was incarnate. This ſin was infamous among the Gentiles;rRom. 1.27. They burned in luſt one toward another, and man with man wrought filthines. For this horrid uncleanneſſe in maſculine venery, Socrates is branded among the Philoſophers,Aug. and Nero among the Roman Emperors. As by lawfull marriage, Two are made one, ſo by this turpitude, one is divided into two. But let this ſin ſ…le into hell with the Sodomites, and never more be remembred on the face of the earth. I now expell it out of my diſcourſe, the Lord baniſh it out of all our hearts for ever. Yea, not onelyonly that, but all manner of uncleanneſſe; leſt we be given over, like the Gentiles, to our owne luſts, by a juſt retaliation. Who, as they had diſhonoured God, were ſuffered to diſhonour themſelves. And as they had turned Beaſts into gods, ſo they turned themſelves into beaſts.
But this following of ſtrange fleſh hath a greater latitude and further extent, and fetcheth in all carnall pollutions. A ſinne that is aſIob. 31.12. Burning, whereſoever it hath a being. The Apoſtle in one chapter hath ſixe invincible arguments to diſwade … from it.
1t1 Cor. 6.13. The body is for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. If the body be for the Lord, it is not for uncleanneſſe. If the Lord be for the body to glorify it, then he is for the body to rule and ſanctify it. The husband is one with the wife, and the wife with the husband, while both are chaſt: but if the bed be defiled, that concorporation diſſolves.
2uVer. 14. He that raiſed up the Lord, ſhall raiſe us up by his power. If we deſire our body to be raiſed with incorruption when we are dead, let us keepe it without pollution while we live. Let us ſow a gratious body, that wee may reape a glorious body. How deformed and ugly will the faireſt creatures looke, when their bodies ſhall be raiſed with the markes of uncleanneſſe upon them? Optimi corruptio peſsima: if pro…itution, maugre all the art of plaiſtering, can turne beauty into deformity, and make deſpiſable on earth, how loathſome will it appeare in the day of vengeance?
3xVer. 15. Shall I take the members of Chriſt, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. Suppoſe a king ſitting in his Chaire of Eſtate, his temples crowned with a golden Diadem, his body adorned with royall robes and jewels: how ill favouredly would a torne ſhooe, or a leprous toe appeare? It is our glory, to be parts of hi… that is the King of glory: let us not diſhonour him by defiling our ſelves. He is mad that forſakes a Saint to admit a Devill into his armes; that for the odious connection with a harlot, leaves the delicious embraces of Ieſus Chriſt.
4yVer. 18. Every ſinne that a man doth, is without the body: but he that commits fornicati… ſins againſt his owne body, Other ſinnes are extra corpus, this is contra corpus. In theſe of all members the hand is principall, and blaſphemy the tongue: but this above the reſt, ſecundum plus & minus, leaves a ſordid inquination upon the whole body. If …hen not for the love of God, whoſe the body is by creation: nor for deſire of per…ect beauty at the reſurrection: nor for hatred of the higheſt ſacriledge, robbing Chriſt of his members by a carnall impropriation; yet for love of thy ſelfe, and re…pect to thine owne body, flee fornication.
5aVer. 19. Know you not that your body is the temple of the holy Ghoſt? It is a great profane…eſſe to abuſe the materiall Temple, made with mens hands: much worſe to violate …he Spiritual Temple, made by the hand of God. s I have heard of ſom depopulators, …hat of the Quire of Saints have made a kennell for their dogs; that was nefarious …nough. Yet ſo farre as God loves this corporeall Temple better than that, this …dulterous profanation exceeds the former. To turne the Holy Ghoſt out of his …hamber, and to make it the Devils ſtie and ſtewes; moſt fearfull! O thinke in …ticulo tentationis, it is the Temple of God I now profane, defile, abuſe: what fire …nnot this meditation quench?
6bVer. 20. Ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body and ſpirit, for they …re Gods. By this token keepe thy body intemerate, ſaith Chriſt; I ſhed my bloud … redeeme it. What I have beene at ſuch coſt to clenſe; doe not thou careleſly …efile. No gold or jewels could ranſome our bodies, but the bloud of Chriſt: let … value them according to the price, and we ſhall not doe amiſſe. Doe not for a …oments delight, make fruſtrate an eternall purchaſe. Moſt enormities of life pro…eed from an error in the underſtanding; We may doe what we liſt with our owne. We may ſpeake what we liſt; why?cPſal. 12.4. our tongues are our owne. We may ſpend …hat we liſt why? our riches are our owne.d1 Sam. 25.11 Shall I take My bread and My meate, …ith churliſh Nabal? He is deceived, for even of life it ſelfe man is not Dominus, …d cuſtos, ſaith Law and Caſe-divinity.eGen. 14.19. The Lord is the poſſeſſour of heaven and …rth, man but the Farmer. Our bodies are our owne, therefore doe with them …hat we pleaſe? It is falſe, they are none of ours: but in a true propriety, The Lords. We have but a right of favour from the true Proprietary, and that liable to an ac…ount. He lends them us for our uſe, but his owne ſervice. Therfore anſwer all temp…tion to luſt; This body is not mine owne, but His that made it, and bought it:Gen. 39.9. I …are not alienate it from the owner, and remove the markes he hath ſet unto it. My …ody is Thine, Lord keepe it, and ſave it for ever.
6 The laſtfGen. 19.9. ſinne of Sodome was contempt of heavenly admonition. Lot charged …hem from God, and they like a ruſty or ill-wrought piece, recoiled in his face; Who made thee a Iudge? wee will deale worſe with thee, than with them. They had all …ony hearts, and Lot could doe ſmall good in preaching to a heape of ſtones. O that …his ſinne of Sodome did not cleave too faſt unto this land and time. They had but …ne Lot for foure Cities, we have for one Citie foure hundred Lots. What nation …nder heaven hath ſo many learned Teachers? Our Church lookes like the Firma…ent in the glory, when a cleare night ſhewes it beſpangled with ſtarres of all luſtres …nd diverſity of lights. And if in ſome places they appeare thinner, and ſhine leſſe; …s the ſtarres are thinne to them that live under the Southerne Pole, and there bee …ttle ſparkles in the Galaxie, ſcarce diſcernible: it is onelyonly for want of competency, …here is no proviſion to feed them. But to this Citie the Bees come in ſwarmes, Crura thymo pleno, to empty their beſt honey in this glorious Hive. This honey …ou ſucke, and at laſt ſend them downe againe poore miſerable drones. The number …f Preachers about the Citie, exceeds ſome whole Country in Chriſtendome. For …ught I know, in the benefits of nature, and commodities of life, it may be equall …o others: in this it excells the reſt. If Rome have the gayer Roods, and Spaine …he richer Images; yet certainly we have the happyer Pulpits.
Thus great is our bleſſing, but how ſmall is our eſtimation of it! Formally men …ome to Church, to heare a man talke, but it is no matter to them what he ſayes. We …ay preach our ſelves hoarſe and dead, and yet doe no good: the reaſon is, mens …earts are heardned in contempt. When Chriſt preached,gLuk. 4.20. The eyes of all were faſtned on him; our eyes are turned another way.h2 Tim. 4.3. The time will come, when they will not ſuffer wholeſome doctrine: the event hath ſealed this Prophecie. To carpe at the phraſe, method, voice, or geſture; this is nothing: ſuch exceptions be like a flouriſh before a fight. The worlds quarrell is againſt the ſubſtance of Preaching: if we threaten, we are cruell: if we promiſe, we flatter: if mild, we dreame: if bold, we raile: if we prove by arguments, it is called ſophiſtry: our affability is held lightneſſe: our auſterity, madneſſe: nothing can pleaſe them, that reſolve they will not be pleaſed. For our perſonall diſgraces, we armed our ſelves for them whe… we tooke the Profeſſion. We knew that we ſhould be ſtared on as prodigies, hiſſed … as ridiculous, ſhunned as infectious: endure all the reproches, that the Divels ſcavengers can rake out of the kennells of hell, to throw on our faces. The worſt language that hath beene dip'd in the fire, or tip'd at the forge of hell, is as good as God morrow, if they meete a Miniſter.
But here it is, though the contempt light upon us, it is meant at the Goſpell; and CHRIST is wounded thorow our ſides. To ſpeake truth, here is the very head and heart of the controverſie: the Word will not let men alone in their ſ…s, therefore they muſt be revenged on ſome body: from hence proceed the ſacriledge robbing,Aug. and the aſperſions wronging the Miniſters of Ieſus Chriſt. Palato … ſ… no paena eſt panis, qui ſano eſt ſuavis. iAm. 5.10.They hate him that rebukes in the gate. Ama… … tem, oderunt redarguentem. Alas! what can worke upon a hard heart? Take a ba… new come out of the fire, and the Smith can worke it though it be iron: let him ſtrike on his anvile never ſo long, there is no impreſſion made, but rather a rebo… of the ſtroke.
kEccl. 12.11.The words of the wiſe are like goads, but men have Leviathans skinnes: They eſtee… iron as ſtraw, and braſſe as rotten bavins. They are nailes, but driven upon marble or iron, and ſo turne againe. This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love darkeneſſe better. They excuſe themſelves from the ſins of Sodome, Pride &c. but there is a ſin within them, which makes them as farre off from ſalvation. While you that ſee the light which Sodome never had, deſpiſe it more than Sodome ever did;lMat. 11.24. It ſhall be more eaſie for Sodome in the day of Iudgement than for you. Le… … men flatter themſelves from being obnoxious to thoſe execrable enormities: while they doe not humbly and obediently honour the Goſpell, their eſtate is worſe: and Sodome ſhall be ſaved ſooner than theſe men.
Let Rome tremble, that hath too truely deſerved this name.mRev. 11.18. Spiritual Sodome. Roma amor eſt: qualis? praepoſterus. Vnde? Roma mares. It were no ſla… der, to taxe Italie of Sodome. By their allowance? God forbid. Yet Ieroni… Mutius ſet out bookes of purpoſe, to defend this filthineſſe; and (it ſeemes) they were allowed by the Bulls of Pope Iulius the third. Caſa the Archbiſhop of Benventum joyned himſelfe as a copeſ-mate to ſecond him. They beſtowed praiſes o… that ſinne, whereof Sodome it ſelfe would have beene aſhamed. But this muſt be no imputation to their doctrine, for that teacheth otherwiſe. And for our ſelves, though in this we touch not upon Sodomes filthineſſe, let us beware leſt by other ſinnes we bring our ſelves to Sodomes wretchedneſſe. Let us hearken to the Goſpell and love it, love it and beleeve it, beleeve it and obey it, obey it and ſo hono… it, honour it and ſo be everlaſtingly ſaved by it. Amen.