Commentary on 2 Peter, Commentary on 2 Peter volume 1 · Chapter 2 · Verse 7

Commentary on 2 Peter · Commentary on 2 Peter volume 1 · Chapter 2 · Verse 7

p. 631VERSE 7. And delivered juſt Lot, vexed with the filthy converſation of the wicked.

THe time is come at once, when Sodome muſt be burned, and Lot delivered. Zoar is preſerved for Lot, as Lot was for Abraham. If Sodome had not beene wholly wicked, he had not changed his dwelling: he could have procured …ercie to it, as well as to Zoar. Now at once the Sun riſes upon Zoar, and fire falls …owne upon Sodome. Abraham ſtands on the hill, and beholds the Cities ſmoa…ing. Lot is ſecure in his new habitation, and neither feeles nor feares the Iudgement. … is faire weather with the Saints, when it is fowleſt with the wicked. When …armes of hornets ſting and wound the Egyptians, not a flie muſt touch an Iſraelite. …hat ſuch a winged army came not from nature or fortune, it is plaine; but from … offended God: becauſe the very flies ſhall make a difference betwixt Aegypt and …ſhen. He that gave them a being, ſets them a ſtint: they can no more ſting an Iſrae…e, than ſpare an Aegyptian. The wings of thoſe ſmall creatures are directed by a …rovidence, and confeſſe their limits.

The fire can goe no further than the plaine, not a ſparke ſhall reach to Zoar. But …hen Sodome hath never a Lot left in it, what ſhould hinder the deſtruction? If God …eete with a very good field, he pluckes up the weeds, and lets the corne grow: if …ith an indifferent, he lets the corne and the weeds grow together: if with a very …d one, he gathers the few eares of corne, and ſets fire on all the reſt. When he tur…ed Sodome into aſhes, he delivered juſt Lot.

There are two principals in the verſe; a Freedome, and a Thraldome: for So…ome was a Gaole to Lot wherein he was tormented, Zoar a refuge wherein he was …uieted. There is a priſoner and a Preſerver: Lot is the priſoner, God the pre…rver.

In the Freedome conſider foure circumſtances.

The

Matter, What; A Deliverance.

Manner, How; Eripuit, a violent deliverance.

Time, When; the fire being ready to fall.

Place, Where; by ſparing Zoar for his ſake.

For the Thraldome, the Priſoner is deſcribed by His

Grace, he was a juſt man.

Place, among the wicked.

Caſe; he was vexed with them.

Firſt, for his Freedome; here was a Deliverance, and God was the author of it. …deed, who elſe can deliver?nnPſal. 34.29.Ps 34:29 Deliver me O God, for vaine is the helpe of man. Ma…y are the troubles of the righteous, and the Lord delivereth him out of all. Man can…t deliver out of one, God out of all.ooRom. 11.26.Rom 11:26 The deliverer ſhall come out of Sion: An…ls or men may be Inſtruments, CHRIST is The Deliverer. ppPſal. 25.22.Ps 25:22Deliver Iſrael, … God, out of all his troubles. It was Rabſhacehs blaſphemie;qqEſa 36.20.Isa 36:20 What God can deliver …t of my hand. What God? he found it to his coſt. Can he deliver on the hills, …d not in the valleys, O yee fooliſhrr1 King. 20.28.1 Kgs 20:28 Aramites! ſſPſal. 116.8.Ps 116:8Thou haſt delivered my ſoule from …ath, &c. To me the merciemercy, to thee the glory: thou hadſt no partner in the deſigne, …one ſhall ſhare with thee in the honour.

p. 632Till Lot be delivered, not a ſparke muſt kindle: the impartiall ſword muſt not touch Rahab, nor the deſtroying Angell offer a blow to the ſprinkled doores. Thoſe Miniſters of Iuſtice have an Inkehorne as well as a Sword: anttEzech. 9.4.Ezek 9:4 Inkehorne to marke the choſen firſt, then Goe and ſmite. uuPſal. 18.51.Ps 18:51Great deliverances giveth He unto his King; a quantity of both kinds; multitude and magnitude: be they never ſo many, never ſ… mighty, againſt us; the LORD will deliver us. Saint Paul confeſſeth a Delivera… paſt, preſent, future:xx2 Tim. 4.17, 18.2 Tim 4:172 Tim 4:18 He hath, He doth, and he will deliver me. God doth not only deliver his out of the fire, but he puts out the fire too.yyPſal. 124.7.Ps 124:7 The ſnare is broken, and we are delivered. He doth not ſtand to untie it, but breakes it a pieces.aaPſal. 42.7.Ps 42:7 O…e deepe ca… another: the depth of our miſery for the depth of his mercy. Our lowneſſe is Gods height: the lower we are humbled, the higher is he exalted: the more grievous o… exigent, the more glorious his advancement. We are more ſure of our deliverance, than the Devill can be ſure of our perſecution.

Seeing the faithfull ſhall be delivered, and God only doth it, let our confidence know no other refuge. All concurre in him that make a perfect Deliverer, Power, skill, and will. There may be power and will, where is no skill to uſe it. If the ho… were privy to his owne ſtrength, he would not ſuffer a boy to ride him. The Lord hathbbIob 12.13.Job 12:13 Wiſedome with power: the Schoole ſayes that he knowes Non entia; which they ground upon the Apoſtles words;ccRom. 4.17.Rom 4:17 He calleth thoſe things which be not, as thoug… they were. Theſe are of two ſorts; Either ſuch as are not now in act, but have beene in time paſt, or ſhall be in time to come. Or ſuch as neither are now in being, … ever were, nor ever ſhall be. Now ſeeing fooliſh man often feares what never was, i…, nor ſhall be: it is beſt to feare God, that is, that was, and that ſhall be: who only knowes, the things we feare ſhall never happen to us.

There may be power and skill, yet no will to uſe it. The Levite wanted neither ability nor knowledge, to unbind the Samaritan: he wanted will, a heart of pity. Diverſe have money in their purſes, and wit in their pates, when they ſee poore wretches: it is the want of compaſſion, that takes no compaſſion of their wax. I… this commiſeration were not in God, he was leſſe kind to his children, than man and beaſt to their young.

There may be will and skill, yet a defect of power: no ſuch want can be in the Almighty. Philoſophy ſaies, that is moſt active which is moſt elevated à m…v…, ſeparated from earthly parts. The Phyſician diſtills his ſimples into waters, thereof he makes extractions and quinteſſences, which are operatively ſtrong: ſtill the more elevated à materia, the ſtronger and more active. Water is ſtronger than earth, aire than water,Pic. Miran. fire more active than aire or water, as appeared in Eliahs ſacrifice: Angels ſtronger than men, God ſtronger than all: above earth, above water, above aire, fire, men, Angels, over all Actus purus; no weakneſſe can be in him. It is a principle, variante materia forma manet eadem: according to the alteration of the aire and climate, our blouds, humours, complections may change; but the ſoule is the ſame ſtill. Cut off a leg or an arme, you cut off no part of the ſoule. Many p… feſſors may be lop'd off by martyrdome, yet Religion ſtands; to ſhew that it is maintained by a Forme and Soule that cannot vary. God is unchangable, all c… hopes of deliveranee deceive us: men vary, times vary, weapons vary, policies o… warre vary, advantages and ſucceſſes vary: therefore it is beſt truſting to an obje… that cannot vary; which is onelyonly God himſelfe.ddHoſ. 24.3. Aſhur ſhall not ſave us, nor … we ride upon horſes, nor ſay to the workes of our hands, ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherleſſe findeth mercy.

Animalia multa agunt & patiuntur per Phantaſiam: ſo it is fancy in me… … makes them feare where no feare is; dreading the danger, not truſting the Deli…. The ſheepe at firſt ſight of the Wolfe, apprehends him for a terrible object, … rally feares and flies him: the Lion feeles no terror, but paſſeth by him with… honourable ſcorne. A Malking frights a child, a man contemnes it. Elſha's ſer… quakes at the Syrian army, no feare invades the Prophet. He ſaw, and cauſed hi… p. 633man to ſee a greater Deliverer above. In the ſtreet we ſee men walke in there equall …ature and dimenſions, they on a high turret appeare little to us. Stand on a pro…ontory, they with you are great, they beneath you ſeeme ſmall: the ſituation of …e eye makes or marres all, So it is with men in the time of trouble; if their eyes …e fixed on earth, their enemies appeare great, and God that is ſo high ſeemes little. …et our eyes be in heaven, and from thence looke downe upon our enemies, God …ill then appeare mighty, our foes weake and contemptible, This was Iehoſhaphats …onfidence; there is no ſtrength in us to ſtand againſt this multitude;ee2 Chron. 20.12.2 Chr 20:12 but our eyes …e toward thee. The returning Spies brought ſuch baſtard newes;ffNum. 13.33.Num 13:33 We ſaw Giants, …e ſonnes of Anak, compared with whom we appeared like graſhoppers. alas, their …yes were fixed upon earth. Caleb had his eye in heaven, fixed on Gods power and …romiſe, he apprehends no terror at all. Ioſhua had a Lions eye, that paſſed by all …eſe high Gyants, and their higher walls, with an overlooking diſdaine.ggNum. 14.9.Num 14:9 They are …ead for us, feare them not, for the Lord is with us.

Samaria had a ſtrong enemie without, a ſore famine within: a Nobleman, the …ings owne favourite, looking on the preſent miſeries, tooke them to be greater than …od could cure;hh2 King. 7.2.2 Kgs 7:2 Though he ſhould open the windowes of heaven, and raine victuals. …ut the Prophet had his eyes in heaven, and knew that the LORD would doe this …ithout windowes. The flattering Courtier extollediiEſdr. 4.6. the King, made him the …ightieſt: his eyes were upon promotion. The Prophet ſaw no ſuch matter;kkPſal. 82 7.Ps 82:7 Yee …all die like men. Even when they ride in chariots, millions attending, guards defen…ing, they are butllEſa. 40.22.Isa 40:22 Graſhoppers and Crickets to the Lord of hoſtes: Domini terrae, …t but Terra Domini. As Moſes Serpent devoured the Inchanters, ſo Gods pow… ſwallowes up all mens. We are all weake, in this mighty Deliverer be our confi…ence. When little children firſt learne to goe, feeling their owne feebleneſſe, they …ruſt out a hand to the wall to ſtay them. Our ſtrength is but like childrens; Our …lpe ſtandeth in the Name of the Lord.

2 The manner, how: Eripuit. It was not a Tradidit, as Iudas delivered Ieſus to …e Iewes, the Iewes to Pilate, and Pilate to death. Not only a Liberavit, as Peter …as delivered, his bands falling off, and the priſon doores ready for his Exit. But …r puit, ſnatch'd him away, delivered him by a holy kind of violence.mmGen. 19.16.Gen 19:16 Make haſt, …r I can doe nothing till thou come thither. Cannot? Is any thing unpoſſible to God? …o it is ſaid of CHRIST;nnMark. 6.5.Mark 6:5 He could doe there no great workes. It is not becauſe hee …nnot, but becauſe hee will not; he had decreed the contrary. Here obſerve three …ings.

1 Lot would not have haſtned out of Sodome, had not the Angels pulled him …rth by the hand. Thus impoſſible is it for us, to free our ſelves from the bondage …f ſinne, unleſſe theooIoh. 6.44.John 6:44 Lord draw us. Through many graduall motions we are deli…ered from the wickedneſſe of this world, as Lot was from Sodome. The Angels at…ined their end with one motion, one converſion to God; in the very inſtant of their …eation bleſſed. But man may be compared to a Watch; he hath many gimmols …rtaining to him, to move him; like a coach, he runs on many wheeles. His head … underſtanding is one principall wheele, his heart or will another, and that next the …pring: his affections are the minutes, his memorie the little recollective wheele …t winds up the reſt: his life is the hand of the dyall, which ſhewes how the day …es with him: his conſcience is the ſtriking clocke: only the Primum mobile, the …ring that ſets all a working, and keepes every wheele in due motion, is the grace of …hriſt. The ſtring that unites the whole watch to the ſprings government, is faith. …r eſt in peccatore, anima in corde, mens in anima, fides in mente, Chriſtus in fide. There … a heart in the ſinner, a ſoule in his heart, a mind in his ſoule, faith in his mind, …hriſt in his faith. The act of his intellect gives him one motion, his ſenſitive ap…tite another, and that contrary for Caro concupiſcit adverſus ſpiritum: his owne …ll another motion, the eternall object another: ſo was Eve coozend with the for…dden fruite. God that hath the heart in his hand, and turnes it as brookes of waters, p. 634gives it another motion. Some of theſe be regular, ſome retrograde, ſome forward, other oblique: O what a doe there is to keepe this watch in tune! it is no hard matter to tune the Virginals or Organs, though every ſtring and pipe bee out of frame. But man is a creature ſo proud, ſo ſubtle, ſo wedded to his owne opinion, and rolling upon ſo many wheeles: that to put all his ſtrings and pipes in tune, to make all his motions concent in goodneſſe; hic labor, this is a worke for the finger of God only, a child can ſooner conceive it ſelfe, than a man can convert himſelfe: or wee may ſay, This man made himſelfe, as well as that hee made himſelfe good.

We wonder that after all the warnings by Angels, thoſe Miniſters of Chriſt; ſinners will not leave their Sodome. The Citizen will not forbeare his ſacriledge nor be afraid to coozen God to his face. The malicious will not ceaſe practiſing miſchiefe, ſeducing to perverſeneſſe, and overbearing goodneſſe with a bluſtering authoritie. The covetous will ſtill love their gaine above their ſalvation. But this is no wonder; God hath not yet taken them by the hand; Non eripuit Domin…, …ill then the politicke foole, the proud mad man, and he that makes his pew the Scorners chaire, deriding Chriſt in his Goſp…ll and Miniſters; cannot be humbled. Eripiat Deus, the Lord ſnatch them out of their filthy Sodome.

2 How loth even a Lot is to leave Sodome! For all his vexation by their filthineſſe, their violence againſt the Angels; the prediction of their inſtant ruine, and his peremptory charge of departure: yetppGen. 19.16.Gen 19:16 He prolonged the time. Therefore the Angels, that thirſted at once after vengeance on Sodome, and Lots ſafetie: that knew God would not ſtrike Sodome till Lot was gone out, and that Lot could not be ſafe within thoſe walls; are faine to breake off his tardy neglect with a gracious violence. They caught him by the hand, with his wife and daughters, and brought them forth, and ſet them without the Citie. We are ſo naturally affected to Sodome, and ſo delightfully linger in it; that without great merciemercy we ſhould be condemned with the world. Therefore is it added; The Lord bee mercifull unto him. I was upright, ſaith David, qqPſal. 18.23.Ps 18:23and kept my ſelfe from mine iniquity, mine iniquity; it is likely that he had ſome ſpeciall ſin of his owne, whereunto he was moſt inclined. O how gracious a victorie is this; I have kept me from mine iniquity!

Many being reproved, anſwere; Alas, you muſt beare with me in this, it is my fault: as if every man were allowed his owne fault. There is a private Sodome within us, we are loth to part with that. Men ſay of their ſins, as Iacob ſaid of his ſonnes; Goe all but Benjamin. Other vices we will not ſo much ſticke for, bu… O th… Iſhmael might live. There is ſtill ſome worme in the roote of the tree, that will ſpo…e the fruite. We extenuate it; It is not a little one? But a little haire in the pen makes a great blot in the paper. It is ſaid of the Lord, that herrEſa. 40.12.Isa 40:12 Weighes the mountaines i… ſcales, and the duſts of the earth in a ballance. We ſhould no only waigh the mountaines, our hainous rebellions, in ſcales; but even in the duſt, our ſmalleſt eſcapes in the ballance. Nor let our wits ſtrive to make that good, which our wills have made neceſſary; grieving to leave what we love. But when God willſſEzek. 24.16.Ezek 24:16 Take … the delight of our eyes, the pleaſant Sodome of our affections, the ſinne that we moſt joy in; then ſay wee reſolutely; Pereat ne perdat, periſh it, leſt I periſh by it. L… us not higgle and dodge with God, as Pharaoh did to retaine the ſervice of the Hebrewes: nor linger upon a diſmiſſion of that he calls for. But without any demurre,ttAm. 4.12.Amos 4:12 Prepare to meet thy God, O Iſrael: ſave him a labour of fetching, prevent hi… with a free-will offering. Covetice, malice, uncleanneſſe is our Sodome: how then hath God called us forth to the Zoar of kindneſſe, charitie, chaſtitie! This world is a Sodome, and by death the Lord calls us out; yet how many delayes doth mortall life make ere it be willing to goe!uuCant. 2.14.Song 2:14 O my dove that art in the clifts of the rocke. Where we find a birds neſt: O my Dove, that's the Bird: in the clifts of the rocke, there's the neſt. The ſoule may be compared to the Dove, the body to the neſt or Rocke; wherein are many clifts, vents, and fiſſures to let out life. This ſoule like p. 635Noahs Dove, goes out by ſuſpiration, returnes in by reſpiration, at laſt by expiration …eparts for all together.xxPſal. 55.6.Ps 55:6 O that I had wings like a Dove, than would I flie away and be … reſt. If our ſoules had Davids wings, we would not deſire to ſtay in Sodome, …t Mount up to Sion; they being borne up, as Lot was brought out by Angels.

3 Lots gueſts were his beſt friends: he had entertained Angels, and they now …eliver him: he would have preſerved them, and they did preſerve him. Where …ould the Angels lodge, but with Lot? The houſes of holy men are full of thoſe …eavenly ſpirits, though they be not ſeene: their protection is comfortable, though …ot viſible. In our tents they pitch their tents; and when divells would miſchiefe …s, they turned them out of doores. It is the honour of Gods Saints, to be atten…ed by Angels while they live, and to be exalted by Angels when they die.aaLuk. 16.22.Luke 16:22 Laza…s was carried by Angels into Abrahams boſome. As in a familie, the greater chil…ren carry the leſſe: ſo God hath charged his elder ſons, the Angels to beare up our …ules.

Thus was Lot requited for his kindneſſe.bbHebr. 13.2.Heb 13:2 Lodge ſtrangers, for thereby ſome have …tertained Angels. Never did man yet loſe by his charitie: the unthankefull world …ay faile in due eſtimation, but God will regard it, and reward it. WhileccAct. 10.3.Acts 10:3 Corneli… is doling out his almes on earth, the Lord ſends downe to him an Angell from hea…en. In charitable ſuccour Extendere manum is oſtendere humanum. But if in this …e be not ſo good as Lot, to give; let us not be ſo bad as Sodome, to take away. Now he that turned Sodome to aſhes, and delivered Lot; turne our ſins to aſhes, and …eliver us.

3 The time: when the fire was even a kindling, and that ſulphureous deluge prepa…ed in the clouds: for the Interim was ſmall betwixt Lots deliverance, and Sodomes …engeance. He was Titio ereptus, ddAm. 4.11.Amos 4:11a brand pluck'd out of the burning; the prophet …luding to Lot, and naming this very overthrow. As when a heape of ſeditious …ookes are burning, and one good booke ready to miſcarry with the reſt, is ſnatch'd …y ſome ſtander by out of the fire and ſaved. So neere it came to him, yet did not …ouch him: that his heart might be ſenſible, both of a holy feare of the Iudgement, …nd a thankfull joy for his eſcaping. Indeed the Angels ſay to him,eeGen. 19.17.Gen 19:17 Eſcape for thy …fe, leſt thou be conſumed: not that God meant to hurt him, but to terrifie him.

It is Gods delight, in the extremitie of evill to be a Deliverer. ff2 King. 6.16.2 Kgs 6:16When armies …ave beſieged his ſervants, and they have no power to defend themſelves; then he …uſters up his Angels. Pharaoh purſues the departed Iſraelites: he had men of war, …hariots and horſes; they were weake unarmed people. Therefore the Aegyptians …ave themſelves the victorie before hand, and the Iſraelites gave themſelves for dead …nd are already talking of theirggExod. 14.11.Exod 14:11 graves. The ſea was before them, their enemies be…inde them: the wheeles ratling, the waves roaring: as the Britaines once complai…ed to the Romanes; Barbari ad mare nos repellunt, mare ad Barbaros: hinc vel jugu…mur, vel obmergimur: the ſword, or the deepe; they knew not which had leſſe …ercie. Yea, even they that had ſeene the wonders paſt, and the Pillar preſent; doe …ow more feare, Aegypt, than beleeve God. Their unbeleefe matured the danger; …ow could the Lord forbeare them? Surely, his patience was no leſſe miracle than …is deliverance. Yet even then he delivered them: and for aſſurance of it, he removes …he cloud that was erſt before them, and ſets it betwixt Aegypt and Iſrael. As if he …ould ſay, They ſhall firſt overcome me, before they ſhall touch thee. Now when …ey ſaw the Pillar remove behind them, and the ſea remove before them: who …n tell, whether wonder ſhould not exceed feare? That the deepe ſhould be…ome their protection, and the ſea bee made a Gallery or through-fare; no mor…ll eye before it ever beheld ſuch a path. Yet thus did the LORD Deliver …em.

Take another inſtance; Conſider Ioſeph in Puteo, caſt into a ditch: he looked …r brothers, and behold butchers: he came to inquire of their health, and may not …turne the newes of his owne miſerie. Hardly are they reſtrained from cutting his p. 636throate: but ſtripping him naked, at leaſt they will caſt him into a deepe hole, as it werehhGen. 37.24.Gen 37:24 alive into his grave. Thus with leſſe mercy than is found in the ſavageſt robbers, they purpoſe to torment him w^th a lingring death: and not only to kill him, … doe what they can to kill their father in him. Hee like a poore ſuppliant, bowing his bare knees to them, he dreamed he ſhould bow to him; with paſſionate praye… and teares, imploreth mercy. Beſeeching them by the deare name of brother-ho… by their profeſſion of one God, for their fathers ſake, for their owne ſoules ſake, not to take away his life. But what can the neereneſſe of fraternity prevaile, wh… humanity is loſt? who could thinke of ſo innocent a youth, naked and deſolate, … a dry and deepe pit, crying for pitty, and not cry for company? But caſt downe … is, and they ſit downe to eate his proviſion unmoved: never thinking by their o… hunger, what it was for their poore brother to be famiſhed to death. Here was … extremity; who ſhall now deliver Ioſeph? The Lord ſteps in with a ranſome i… … ſtrange hand. Iſhmael perſecuted Iſaac, yet the ſeed of Iſhmael ſhall redeeme the … of Iſaac. Money ſhall buy him to the Midianites, and from the Midianites to … Aegyptians. Little did they thinke, that that Ioſeph whom they left a poore ſla… the Midianites, they ſhould find the ſame a great Lord among the Aegyptians. C… doth ever raiſe up ſome ſecret favourers of his children, among his moſt malici… enemies. Ruben ſaves him from the ſword, Iudah from the pit. How happily … ſtowed was this little mercy? If Ioſeph had died for hunger in the pit; Iacob, I… and all had dyed for hunger in Canaan. How neere was his ſoule unto death, … preſent and marvellous was Gods Deliverance?

Take one inſtance more.iiExod. 1.22.Exod 1:22 Moſes is borne in the time of Pharaohs bloudy decree; that all the male children of the Hebrewes ſhould be caſt into the river and … ned. His mother during all her pregnancie, could not but feare a ſon. She hath him, ſees him, and now thinks of his birth and death at once. To conſider, that the executioners hand muſt ſucceed the Midwives, makes her ſecond throwes more gri… vous than her firſt.kkIoh. 16.21.John 16:21 In other mothers, the very ſight of a new-borne ſon, wor… a forgetfulneſſe of the former anguiſh in travell. But their remedy is her ſor… that which mitigates their paines, aggravates hers. Still ſhee fearefully lookes w… ſome fierce Aegytian ſhould come in, to ſnatch the infant from her boſome, and c… it into the river. Therefore when ſhe could no longer conceale in her wombe, … hides in her houſe: afraid, leſt every cry of the child ſhould guide the executio… to his cradle. But now his age and hiding being a quarter old, the fearefull pare… adventure the childes life to ſave their owne.llExod. 2.3.Exod 2:3 In a reeden Arke ſhee puts him … the bulruſhes by the rivers brinke. Truſting him to the mercy of the waves, w… beaſts, and ravenous fowles, and (which was more mercileſſe than all) an Aegyptian paſſenger. Thus expoſed, ſhe ſets her daughter to watch her ſon: the mo… cannot forbeare to love, whom ſhe is forbidden to keepe. But how ſhall the p… babe eſcape; feeble, forlorne, alone ſprawling upon the waves? what, but ine… ble d…ath? Yes, there is a God that lookes upon him, and in this pinch will di… ver him. No floud, no beaſt, no inſtrument of Pharaohs cruelty ſhall touch hi… No friend, not his owne mother dares owne him; now ſteps in his Deliverer, … chalengeth his tuition; he is mine. He was not ſafer in the middeſt of the te…s … Iſrael, a Prince guarded with ſo many thouſands, than now. The tyrants da… ter muſt come forth to bathe, the arke offers it ſelfe to her eye, the cry of the in… to her eare, compaſſion leapes to her heart; his teares and beauty, were a preva… oratory. But is this all? And hath the Lord done? No, Moſes muſt have … Nurſe; and the girle is ready to fetch his own mother; and who ſo fit to be a N… as a mother? She could not keep him before without danger, now ſhe receives … by authority. Shee would have given all ſhee was worth to ſave him, and … ſhe hath wages to nurſe him. She doth but change the name of Mother into N… and ſhe hath her ſonne without feare, not without great reward. Here was a d… verance, and that in ſeaſon: O how ſhould it fix our confidence in ſo gracious a … p. 637ſerver! The wicked ſay,mmPſal. 71.11.Ps 71:11 God hath forſaken him, perſecute him, and take him, for …here is none to deliver him. None, thus they conclude, but we finde the contrary. As Apelles, ſtriving to paint a drop of fome falling from a horſes mouth, after long …tudy how to expreſſe it, even diſpairing lets his pencill fall, and that fall did it. Quod ars non potuit, caſus fecit. When we ſee no meanes how to be delivered, no hope of extrication, or attaining our wiſhed peace, even ready to deſpaire; the Lord knowes how to ſave us.

4 The place was Zoar; wherein conſider three circumſtances: his journey to Zoar, his ſafety in Zoar, and Zoars ſafety by him. For howſoever Zoar preſerved Lot, yet more properly Lot preſerved Zoar.

1 For his journey: beleeving the judgement; he deſires a place of refuge: God …ppoints him one, he makes choice of another. Goe to the mountaine, ſaith the Lord: let mee flye to Zoar ſaith Lot. Some ſay, this was done in a myſtery: the mountaine is not ſafe, but Zoar in the valley:Greg. a low and humble life hath more ſecurity, than high places. The proud like Capernauin, nnMatth. 11.23.Matt 11:23lift up themſelves to heaven, …ut God ſhall depreſſe them to hell. He refuſed the mountaine, becauſe of the craggy rockes, ſuch as are now to be ſeene in the hils of Engedi. But more proper…y he preferreth Zoar for the vicinity; it was neerer to him, and he might with more ſpeed and leſſe danger reach it than the mountaine. And ſuch was his charitable heart, that although hee could not redeeme the reſt, yet he would intreat for that. Therefore he uſeth an argument of the ſmalneſſe: as being leſſe populous, it might be leſſe impious.

Well, Zoar is granted him, but with this double caution: Tarry not in the plain, look not behind thee. For the former; the very skirts and ſuburbes of Sodome, yea, the very ſmell of Sodome muſt not cleave to Lot, nor he to it. If we be departed from Babylon, let not a rag or a relict of ſuperſtition abide with us. What matters it, whether a man be ſlaine with a great bullet, or with a ſmall ſhot? The divell ſayes like Pharaoh. Goe out of Aegypt but not farre; be within call. But Moſes ſeparates Iſrael from Corah; ooNum. 16.26.Num 16:26Depart from the tents of theſe wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs: we cannot be two farre off from ſuch company. It is ſorry comfort, to eſcape in Sodome, and periſh in the plaine. To the terror and conviction of them, that though they openly profeſſe not love to Rome, yet ſtill have an itch of popery upon them. A man cannot bee too earneſt of heaven: that kingdome is gotten with violence, not with indifference. He that loves little, ſhall have little: and he may love ſo little, as to have never a whit. Many feare to bee too hot, but are not ſenſible of their owne coldneſſe. We ſay commonly; too much heate annoies, but too much cold de…troyes. Religion of all tempers, in theſe dayes does not complaine of heate. O …hat as the advanced Sun heates the aire, ſo our hearts were enflamed with zeale and …ove by that bleſſed Son of righteouſneſſe and ſalvation!

For the other, look not behinde thee: not becauſe it was dangerous to looke into the infected aire. But 1. To note the indignity of the place, not worthy to be looked on by an honeſt eye. 2. To avoid curioſity, that Lot might not prie too narrowly into Gods judgements. 3. For feare the horror of the ſight ſhould have aſtoniſhed him, or wrung out his commiſeration. 4. For the better ſpeed that there might be no ſtay in his paſſage; as the Apoſtles were forbidden the interruption of a Salute. 5. That his love might be quite loſt to Sodome; no more to thinke of the wealth and pleaſure he found in ſuch an ungracious Citie. 6. Laſtly, to make tryall of his faith and obedience, as God proved Adam in the prohibited fruit. Small precepts from God are ſtrong bonds: obedience is as well tyed and tried, and diſobedience as well puniſhed, in a little as in much. Ananias nimm'd a little, he thought the Holy Ghoſt had no need of it, or could not miſſe it. But God credites us firſt with leſſe things, …s men prove veſſels with water, before they truſt them with wine.

The ſame charge was given to his wife, which ſhe obeyed not: in her flight ſhe muſt needs turne an eye upon Sodome. Perhaps ſhe beleeved not that it ſhould be p. 638burned, or pitied and lamented in her heart that ſuch a populous Citie ſhould bee burned, or curiouſly deſired to ſee it burning, or ſo loved the pleaſures of her co… trey, that ſhee could not chuſe but give it a looke, and as it were bid it farewell. B… for this ſhe was turned into a monument of diſobedience; a Pillar of ſalt. The Hebrewes ſay, becauſe ſhe refuſed to bring ſalt to the gueſts the day before: this is their dreame.Philo. But that opinion had need of ſalt, to keepe it from ſtinking. Some … it an allegory; They that divert their affections from ſpirituall to ſenſuall things, become ſenſeleſſe pillars. Nor is it ſaid to be of ſalt only in reſpect of the duration, as an everlaſting covenant is calledppNum. 18.19.Num 18:19 a Covenant of ſalt: for ſalt hath a preſerving propertie, to keepe things from putrefying, decaying, and corrupting. But ſhe was turned into a materiall ſalty pillar: Ioſephus ſaith it remained in his time: others, that it is Duraturum uſque ad tempus reſurrectionis, Tharg. Hieroſolymit.to laſt unto the day of Iudgement. N… that her ſoule was thus metamorphoſed, but her body. And though ſhe ſuffer… thus temporally on her fleſh, yet her ſpirit might finde merciemercy and peace for ever.

Aug.But the uſe of this monument is Praeſtare fidelibus condimentum, to ſeaſon the faithfull.qqLuk. 17.32.Luke 17:32 Remember Lots wife. Now what did it availe her to ſcape turning into a… in Sodome, who is turned into a pillar of ſalt in the plaine? One would thinke i… ſmall fault to looke backe, yet even this cannot the Lord endure. In re parvae pecc…, peccatum non parvum. To ſin in a ſmall thing, is no ſmall ſin. Being ſo farre out o… that curſed citie, ſhe might now think her ſelfe ſafe, and no danger in looking behind. But if we provoke the Lord, he can as well meete with us out of Sodome. Th… is no place ſafe to ſin, none dangerous to obedience: faith and obſervance of God… will ſhall ſecure us even in Sodome.

2 Thus for his journey to Zoar, now for his ſafetie in it. Being come thither, he might well wonder at the ſtay of his wife, for in his flight he durſt not looke backe to call her. Returning to ſeeke her, he finds this alteration with wonder and ſorrow. Sodome is turned to a heape of ſulphure, and ſhe to a heape of ſalt. This change he little expected; the loſſe of his wife touched him neerer than the loſſe of all Sodome. Yet he finds ſalt in ſtead of fleſh, a pillar inſtead of a wife. He that ſaved a whole Citie, could not ſave his owne ſpouſe. Here was a ſharpe miſerie clap'd on the heeles of a ſweet merciemercy. When God delivers us from deſtruction, he doth not ſecure us from all affliction. Though we be notrr1 Cor. 11.32.1 Cor 11:32 condemned with the world, yet we may be chaſtned in the world.

Lot ſaved himſelfe, yet he loſt his Allies, loſt his flockes and heards, loſt his gold and riches, loſt his habitation, and now for concluſion loſt his wife, all b… croſſes. Without ſome ſawce of ſorrow, all worldly delights are but like de… meate to a man that hath loſt his taſte. Let us give God leave to ſcourge us, ſo long as he doth ſave us. Our deliverance from the fire of hell is cauſe enough to make … thankefull, though the trifles we delight in be taken from us. Shall Lot ſay, I … rich, I am now undone; and ſo be dejected with ſullen griefe? No, but I was i… danger of fire and brimſtone, I am now eſcaped, I will therefore lift up my hea… with thankefull joy. If God doe not anſwere us in every thing, ſhall we take pleaſure in nothing? Shall we ſlight all his favours, becauſe in one thing he croſſeth … whereas his leaſt merciemercy is beyond our beſt merite. Lord take away what thou pleaſeſt, for thy glory and my good; ſo long as thou ſaveſt me from the fire of hell, a… thy everlaſting wrath.

Zoar ſhall be honoured with Lots preſervation, a little one, the leaſt of all th… opulent cities. As Bethlem, thoughſſMic. 5.2.Mic 5:2 little among the thouſands of Iudah, hono… with the birth of Gods Sonne. This little citie was ſafe, when great Sodome … too hot for him.ttPſal. 127.1.Ps 127:1 The citie which God keepes, is ſtrong bee it never ſo ſmall: … he forſake it, the thickeſt walls and hugeſt turrets are weaker than paper. The Lo… promiſeth to beuuZach. 2.5.Zech 2:5 a wall of fire round about his elect: no ſcalado, no undermining … blow it up: it ſhall both protect them, and conſume their enemies. The good … ſleepes more ſecurely in his tent, than the ſinner in his barricado'd fortification. A… p. 639the ſprings and rivers of the Plaine, could not quench Sodomes raging fire: one …rop of Lots faith and holineſſe in Zoar keepes it from kindling. How poore and …lender ſoever our cottage bee, let us ſet our prayers as a guard without, and our …ith as a lock within: the ſeven-fold wals of Babylon were not ſo ſtrong. This is …ore truly, than was ſaid of thoſe Gyants; to have a Citie walled up to heaven. Let …rayer be the key to open the morning, and prayer the bar to ſhut up the evening. Let us in every place truſt upon Gods providence, and every place ſhall be ſafer to …s than was Paradice. Be our faith upright with Lot, and in the laſt day when the …hole world ſhall burne with flames as Sodome once did, we ſhall finde a Zoar, the …oſome of Ieſus Chriſt.

3 Laſtly, Lot was not onelyonly delivered in Zoar, but Zoar was delivered for Lot. I will not overthrow this Citie for which thou haſt ſpoken. xxGen. 19.21.Gen 19:21As Lot in the danger of fire …oaaActs 27.24.Acts 27:24 Paul in the danger of water; in the rage of both the elements, God doth not …nly give his their deliverance, but he alſo gives others for their ſakes into the grant. … wicked man hath the feet of a Wolfe, whatſoever he treads on never proſpers af…r. But a whole family, a whole kingdome, ſhall fare the better for one Ioſeph: his …ery preſence procures a common bleſſing, whereſoever he goes. Zoar might hap… be as bad as Sodome, but here was the difference, it had a Lot within, Sodome …ad none.

But for Gods deare children intermingled with the world, it could not ſtand. …he wicked perſecute them, for whoſe ſake they are forborne: they owe their lives …o thoſe few Lots whom they contemne. Potiphar was angry with that Ioſeph, who …ade him proſper. The moſt contemptible man in the peoples opinion, is he that …rocures their peace and toleration. Ahabs ſin brought the famine, Elias prayer …rought raine, yet Ahab tels Eliah, thou troubleſt Iſrael. Ceaſe ye malicious ſin…ers to vex the religious: you are beholding to them for your very breath: if they …ere taken away, you ſhould be tormented before your time. As Chriſt himſelfe …as the Day-ſtarre to enlighten: not the Dog-ſtarre, to burne: and Paul no peſtilent …llow to ſow ſedition, but an inſtrument of bleſſedneſſe and ſalvation: ſo the elect …e good, not malignant ſtars. Yet ſtill they ſpeed at the worlds hands as did their …aſter before them: Chriſt healed their diſeaſes, fed their bodies and ſoules, every …ay did them good; yet they crucified him: and in killing him they did offer to …ke the only Ship that might ſave them. As the Sun-beames ſhining on the earth …e not only heate that ſolid body, but by reflection alſo warme the region of the …re conterminate to it. So the mercy of God lighting on a chriſtians heart, not on… heats that with inward comfort, but makes it reflect back conſolation to others.

The faithfull pray for the pardon of mens ſins, for grace and favour to their …ules, and no good comes without their procurement; yet the world cannot abide …em. Let the rich Aldermen thanke theſe, that they have leaſure to tell their gold. …hat the worldling builds houſes and takes rents: that the Citie can feaſt with the …ines of the Church, and miſſe of Belſhazzars ſudden ſawce; (for I am perſwaded, …ey get enough from the Temples, to maintaine their Hals) even in this they are …eborne, becauſe there be Lots among them. What doth a poore man find before …em, but reproch and diſdaine? he that is not rich, with theſe men is neither wiſe …r good: onelyonly by their wealth they value themſelves, and onelyonly by their wealth, … Camels by their burdens, be they valued.

London bleſſe thy lots, and GOD for them. Thine honour had long ſince …n laid in the duſt, thine oppreſſions become a hiſſing to all nations, and nothing …d beene left of thee but a ſtinking memory, but for theſe. The ſubject of thy de…ſion, hath bin the meanes of thy preſervation: and thoſe eyes have often bin lif…d up to heaven for thee in prayer, upon whom thou wouldſt never caſt an eye of …arity.bbPſa. 35.13. Ver. 15.Ps 35:13 When thou waſt ſick, they humbled their ſoule with faſting, and mourned, as … weepeth for his mother: thus doe they for thee. But in their adverſity thou rejoy…, and teareſt them without ceaſing: thus doeſt thou for them. While the laſcivious p. 640embraceth his harlot, the luxurious his ryot, the covetous his money, the malicious his revenge; the fire of Iudgement would flaſh in their faces, and the fire of torment ſwallow up their ſoules; but for Gods elected, their deſpiſed Lots. Hi… merciemercy encreaſe the number of them, and our love to them, and our endevour to be like them, that as we are ſpared for them, we may be crowned with them in the day of Chriſt.

Delivered juſt Lot.] I come to conſider his thraldome, and the priſoner deſcribed firſt, by his grace; a Iuſt man. Wherein three points muſt be examined. 1. What this Iuſtice is. 2. In what reſpects a man may be called Iuſt. 3. The exceptions againſt his Iuſtice.

Firſt, what is Iuſtice. There is an increated Iuſtice, which cannot be in man, for he is finite, and this is infinite.ccPſal. 119.137.Ps 119:137 Righteous art thou O Lord: and, God is righteous i… all his wayes. A man is one thing, and his righteouſneſſe is another: but God and hi… righteouſneſſe is all one: therefore it is as impoſſible for man to be thus righteous, as it is for him to be God: this is proper to the Deitie. Created Iuſtice is either … gall or Evangelicall.

Legall righteouſneſſe is of three ſorts. 1. Perfect, which conſiſts in an abſol… completion of the Law: this is loſt beyond all recoverie. But is it not reſtored by Grace? No, for our ſanctification is but in part: as a child is a perfect man, in all the parts of a man, but not in the quantitie of every part. But Rome ſaith, the Virgin was righteous, for ſhe ſinned not: her life was free from ſinne actuall, her conception from ſin originall. This is falſe, for if ſhe were no ſinner ſhe needed no Saviour: and ſhe dyed; now if ſhe had not ſinned, in Iuſtice ſhe ſhould not have dyed. 2. Civill, which conſiſts in an outward deportment conformable to the Law: when a man profeſſeth religion, to anſwere the firſt Table; and refraines from publike and viſible ſinnes, to anſwere the ſecond. But in thisddMatth. 5.20.Matt 5:20 the Phariſies went beyond us, yet they came ſhort of heaven. Too many content themſelves with this rotten and hear leſſe righteouſneſſe: but if they have no better, they ſhall get into heaven, when the Phariſies come out of hell. 3. Internall, when a man by repentance after ſin, and by endevour after repentance, doth inwardly ſerve God. That this righteouſneſſe, legally conſidered, ſhould juſtifie us, is with Rome to abuſe Gods Iuſtice, and to incroach upon his merciemercy. This may juſtifie our faith, it cannot juſtifie us. Our works deſerve nothing; it is only in Chriſt that they are accepted, and only for Chriſt th… they are rewarded.

Evangelicall righteouſneſſe is that which is revealed in the Goſpell: and ſhould never have beene revealed, if that of the Law could have ſaved us. But it could not; not through the owne defect, but our default. This is to be had in Chriſt only: which, as he is mediator, conſiſted in the puritie of his nature, which is ſeparate from ſinne: and in the perfection of his obedience, which is ſatisfactory for ſi…. From ſo pure a nature proceeded ſo perfect an obedience: no originall ſin touching his conception, no actuall ſtaining his life.eeRom. 3.10.Rom 3:10 There is none perfectly righteous … He: not one that is, not one that was, not one that is to come: but onelyonly he th… and that was, and that is to come. This in him was active and paſſive: for us he … fered, what we ſhould have ſuffered, and ſuffered not: for us he did, what we ſh… have done, and performed not.

Thus we have found out the righteouſneſſe that makes a man juſt: now let us ſ… how Lot became juſt, or we are juſtified by it. This is done by imputation.ffCor. 5.21. … that knew no ſinne, was made ſinne for us; that we might be made the righteouſneſſe … God in him: what can be plainer? CHRIST was a ſinner only by the imputation … our ſinnes, we are juſt only by the imputation of his righteouſneſſe.ggRom. 10.4.Rom 10:4 Chriſt is … end of the Law for righteouſneſſe unto every one that beleeveth. Not finis diſſolve…s, … abſolvens: an abrogater of the ceremoniall, but a fulfiller of the Law morall. A f… filler, for whom? for all them that beleeve. So Chriſt by doing, and we by bel… ving, p. 641fulfill the law; therefore are righteous. But can one man be wiſe by anothers wiſdome? Rich, or ſtrong, or valiant, by the wealth, power, or courage of ano…her? We have no right in anothers wiſdome or valour, but we have a right and …ropriety in Chriſts juſtice. One mans wiſdome cannot be anothers, becauſe they …re two diſtinct perſons: but Chriſt and the beleever make but one myſticall body: …o his righteouſneſſe is as truly his members, as the wiſdome in the head belongs to …he whole body. But it is anhhProv. 17.15.Prov 17:15 Abamination to the Lord, to juſtifie the wicked. Why …hen will he doe it himſelfe? No, but he firſt makes a man juſt, and then ſo accounts …im. He is indeed ſaid toiiRom. 4.5.Rom 4:5 Iuſtifie the ungodly; that is, the man who was ungodly …efore, but is not ſo after: Diſtingue tempora, conveniunt omnia. Thus was Chriſt …ade a ſinner by the reputation of our ſins, and we made juſt by the imputation …f his righteouſneſſe. And as he that knew no ſin in himſelfe, undertaking for us, …ffered death: ſo we that had no juſtice of our owne, apprehending his righteouſ…eſſe, ſhall enjoy everlaſting life.

But how is this juſtice imputed to us? By our faith.kkIoh. 1.12.John 1:12 To as many as received …m, he gave power to be the ſons of God, to thoſe that beleeve on his name. There is a re…iving: what is that? It is expreſly ſaid, Beleeving. Man finding himſelfe naked, … this hand reacheth that glorious Robe, which is held out to him. This doth not …ſtifie Effectivè, working an habituall juſtice in us: nor materialiter, as though faith …ſelfe were our juſtification: but Objectivè, as it apprehendeth Chriſt: and Orga…cè, as it inſtrumentally applieth his righteouſneſſe. Neither is it an opinion, which …an uncertainty in the judgement: nor a ſuſpicion, which is an uncertainty in the …ill: nor a Science, for that is onelyonly by the demonſtration of reaſon: neither love, …or hope. Love can extend the paſſions of the heart to the thing loved, yet cannot …prehend Chriſt: he muſt be apprehended before he be loved. The office of hope … to wait: it waites for ſalvation, but properly it apprehends it not. It is firſt belee…d, then expected.llLam. 3.26.Lam 3:26 It is good both to truſt, and to wait for the ſalvation of the Lord. …o truſt that it wil aſſuredly come, this is the action of faith: to wait untill it do come, …is is the action of hope. Faith is a taking hand, and love is a giving hand: faith …es hold on Chriſt, love gives forth tokens of faith to God and man: hope is the …, that lookes out for the good things promiſed. As faith is the hand of the ſoule, … love is the hand of faith, and hope is the eye of both. Of faith, love is the hand …hereby it worketh, and hope the eye whereby it waiteth. Thus faith worketh … love, waiteth by hope, but beleeveth by it ſelfe. The point of our Iuſtification …ing thus cleared, let me touch at two uſefull meditations from it: there is in it …ter of humiliation, of conſolation.

1 It ſerves to humble us. How fowle was our nature, that all the water in the …rld could not clenſe it? Not the bloud of all the creatures, not the righteouſneſſe … men or Angels could cure it. All the men and Angels in the world cannot make …e ſinner righteous: but the Son of God muſt become man, ſuffer, dye, and riſe …ine, and all to make us juſt. Vaine man, whereof art thou proud? Yet how doth …tle polluted duſt vaunt it ſelfe? Clothe a Leper in ſcarlet, is he not ſtill a Leper? …poſe in Chriſt we be embraced, and even honoured of God himſelfe, ſhall wee …refore be high-looked over others? No, here is matter of exultation and glad…ſe, not of inſultation and haughtineſſe: let us be joyfull, let us be thankefull, let …ot be ſcornefull. The naturall Son of God was humbled for our pride, ſhall we …roud ſtill? Quomodo non humiliatur homo, coram humili Deo? Shall man be …d, when God himſelfe is humble? He that is not humbled for his ſin, is not ye… …ed from his ſin. In his humility Chriſt wrought that great worke of our re…ption. Obſerve with wonder, that God did more for us in his humility, than … he did in his glory. In his Majeſty he onelyonly made us, but in his humility bee … ſaved us. Looke we firſt downe with humility upon our owne wretchedneſſe, … then looke up with faith unto Chriſts righteouſneſſe.

2 We are Iuſt before God by no Iuſtice of our owne, but by Chriſts: and this p. 642is ſo much the better for us, as now we are ſure it cannot be leſt. God created Adam with a perfect legall righteouſneſſe: he received it for himſelfe, and for us: and hee loſt it for himſelfe, and for us. That being gone, he gives us another, a better: b… becauſe he ſaw man ſo ill a keeper of his owne Iewels, he would not truſt him with it: but ſets it in the P…rſon of his Sonne, charging him to keepe it for us.mmCol. 3.3.Col 3:3 We are dead, and our life is hidden with Chriſt in God. It is hid paſt Satans finding, and locked up paſt our ſpending. We as ignorant of the worth, would quickly exhauſt it: but CHRIST truely values it, dearely payd for it, heartily loves it, and therefore will ſafely preſerve it: and when we come to his fathers preſence, will cloth us with it then. It is now in a ſafe hand, where we are ſure to find it, and have it, wh… wee moſt need it. Wee may ſinne, and ſo loſe the preſent ſenſible comfort of a good conſcience: but we cannot loſe our righteouſneſſe. That is in our owne … nure, this is not.

It is impoſſible for a beleever to be poore: take away all he hath, his wealth, heal… friends, libertie, life: this is no more than he hath in his owne hands, which he may eaſily loſe. His true riches are in anothers cuſtodie, no power can meddle with th….nnMatth. 6.20.Matt 6:20 His treaſure is layd up, where no theefe nor corruption can enter: oo2 Tim. 1.12.2 Tim 1:12he that is Treſp… with it, will faithfully keepe it. Satan may make Iob poore for this world, and take … from him, from which God would one day take him. But Iob hath a better ſtock going in heaven, in the hands of his Redeemer, the devill cannot touch this. Other poſſeſſions in death we leav behind, this inheritance by death we begin to poſſeſſe. C… corpus reſolvitur, Ambr.anima abſolvitur. pp2 Sam. 19.302 Sam 19:30Let Ziba take all, ſo I may come to the Son of David in peace.

Samſon had his ſtrength in himſelfe, and betrayed it: Eſau his birth-right, and ſold it: the Prodigall his portion, and ſpent it: Hezekiah his treaſure, and expoſ… it: Salomon his wiſedome, and abuſed it: Mary Magdalen her beautie, and pro… tuted it: Nabal his wealth, and lived beſide it: Adam his integrity, and an Apple bought it. O what is in man, that he may not loſe! The Maſter of a Familie … all his hired ſervants their wages into their owne hands, ſuffers them to uſe and … ſpoſe it at their owne pleaſures, without further injury: but the portions of his children, and their Iewels he keepes himſelfe. LORD, what ever worldly thing thou take from us, keepe our righteouſneſſe for us: though ſinne hath left utter'd and death ſend us away naked; doe thou cover us with the rich garment of Chriſt.

2. Thus is a man Iuſt before God, but Lot was alſo juſt before men: and th… is a viſible Iuſtice, ſo well as the inviſible. We muſt therefore ſeeke out for a fu… righteouſneſſe, an inſeparable effect of the former, and that is, Holineſſe of life. The other is that Iuſtice of Iuſtification, this the Iuſtice of Sanctification. As a ſi… juſtified by Chriſts righteouſneſſe inherent in Chriſt himſelfe: ſo he is ſanctified by Chriſts righteouſneſſe diffuſed from Chriſt into the ſinner. His Iuſtification is p… fect, becauſe that which juſtifies him, is ſtill in Chriſt: his ſanctification is unpa… becauſe that which ſanctifies him, is in himſelfe. The one imputed to him, the … infuſed and inherent in him. Therefore here we are to examine, in what reſp… man may be called Iuſt. Neither are we bound alwaies to the ſame diſtinctio… … conceive, a man may be approved Righteous, Praeparativè, Separativè, Reparativè, … ra…iva.

1 There is righteouſneſſe of preparation, which is a reſolution and full p… of heare to be righteous.qqPſal. 119.10.Ps 119:10 I have ſworne, and am ſtedfaſtly purpoſed to keepe thy … teous Iudgements. Though he doe ſometimes admit ſinne, he doth never inten… If the Spirit could totally prevaile over the fleſh, he would never do ought to d… nour God. My heart is ready, my heart is ready: r…ady to heare thy will, ready … it.Aug. Give what thou commandeſt, command what thou pleaſeſt. Perfect my purpoſe … thy gratious performance, and then I ſhall be righteous. By this reſolution … bound for Canaan, and thitherward ſteeres his courſe: notwithſtanding the p… l…s p. 643rockes and pyrates, and contrary guſts and ſtormes, that would put him out of …e way.

2 There is a righteouſneſſe of ſeparation, becauſe it is ſeene to decline the pla… of temptation. So they are called Saints, becauſe Separate from the world. He …n a manner guilty, that frequents the occaſion of being made guilty. A wiſe Se…or, whoſe Coach-man had driven him over a dangerous paſſage, which he might …ly have avoided by fetching a little compaſſe about; though he ſcaped without …me, yet turned him of, as unworthy of future truſt. What thankes to us, if pre…itating our ſelves in the knowne ſnares of ſin, we are kept by Gods preventing …ace?rrIoh. 5.18.John 5:18 He that is begotten of God, keepeth himſelfe that the wicked one touch him not. I …e not ſay that God deales with us on ſuch an advantage, as a furious Papiſt anſwe…d: when he was asked by one of his owne Sect, why in the gunpowder treaſon …ey would deſtroy children with baſtards, Catholicks with Heretickes: Inventi …er haereticos, pereant cum haereticis: If they were found among hereticks, let them …riſh with hereticks. Yet often he makes them ſmart: as the Magiſtrate inflicting …ere puniſhment on a diſſolute crew, one cried out to him; Parce filio, ſpare thy …: what, my ſonne among the enemies of peace and goodneſſe? No, Sociaris in …pa, nec ſeparaberis in poena: as thou haſt offended with them, thou ſhalt ſmart with …em. We will truſt no antidote, to goe into the houſe where the plague is: if ten…on finde us, never let us ſeeke tentation.

3 There is a righteouſneſſe of reparation; which conſiſts in the reforming of …rors, and conforming of manners, ſalving paſt defects by a bettered life; and is in…ed the righteouſneſſe of repentance. Righteous, not becauſe there is no ſin com…itted, but becauſe there is no ſin that is nor repented God eſteemes a fault indeed …rowed, as if it had never bin indeed admi ted. Aliud eſt peccare, aliud peccatorem …ſe: it is one thing to ſin, another thing to be a ſinner. Every one that handles a …te is not a Muſitian: nor every that doth an unrighteous action; is ſtrait an un…ghteous perſon.ſſ1 Cor. 6.9.1 Cor 6:9 The unrighteous ſhall not enter into the kingdome of Heaven: to be …juſt damnes, not to have done ſome actions unjuſtly: the habite, not the act, caſts …to hell.

O bleſſed effect of repentance, that can make unrighteous manners ceaſe to de…ominate an unrighteous man! I will ſhew you a riddle. A foule mother brought …rth a faire daughter: the mother bred her laughing, yet the daughter is alwayes …eeping. The father that begot the daughter, could never abide the mother, nor …ver came neere her bed. She was no ſooner borne, but ſhe was the death of her …other; killing her that bred her, and (which is ſtrange) ſhe is bleſſed for it. She …as begotten in a miracle: no ſooner conceived, than borne: no ſooner borne, but …e ſpake: other children are borne crying, ſhe alſo ſpeaking: the firſt aire ſhe brea…ed, heard her articulately declare her owne deſires. And ever ſince ſhee workes …iracles: ſhe brings light out of darkeneſſe, life out of death: ſhe makes the blinde …o ſee, the deafe to heare, the dumbe to ſpeak, and even caſts out devils. She lookes …ackward, and moves forward: is her ſelfe a darke cloud, yet brings a faire Sun…hine. This riddle is expounded in Repentance. Sin is the mother, repentance the …aughter: the mother is foule, black, ugly; the daughter faire and lovely. Sin was …erry and wanton, repentance is alwayes ſad and blubbering. God is the father of …epentance, and he could never endure the mother, Sin; but rather perfectly hates …et ſociety. Being borne, ſhe ſlew her mother: repentance could not have beene …orne but by ſin, and repentance is the onelyonly thing that kils ſin.Auguſt. Peccatum tristitiam …p…rit, tristitia peccatum conterit. Sin breeds ſorrow, and ſorrow kils ſin: and this …arricide makes her bleſſed. Miraculous is her birth: at her firſt conception by the …oly Ghoſt, ſhee lookes up and ſpeakes; Open ye gates of heaven, and let mercy come …owne upon me; her firſt breath is, Pardon. Miracles ſhe worketh; turning the dark…eſſe of error into the light of knowlege, and making the dead heart live unto grace. The blind eyes by her, are made to ſee the filthineſſe of ſinne: the deafe eares now p. 644hearken to the word of truth: the dumbe lippes cry out for compaſſion and forgiveneſſe; the devils luſt is expelled. She ſtill is looking backward to her ſinnes paſt, and moving forward to holineſſe and perfection. To conclude, Repentance is her ſelfe cloudy, and made up of ſadneſſe, yet brings everlaſting joy.

Such is Gods merciemercy to Repentance: yet let no man, though he truſt to this, … to himſelfe. The promiſe is to repentance, not of repentance. Nature flatters it ſelfe in that one in ſtance of the malefactor on the croſſe, who in an inſtant got repentance. But the calling and ſaving of that one ſoule at the laſt, hath by Satans po… beene the loſſe of many thouſands.

4 There is a Righteouſneſſe of compariſon; ſo was Lot juſt comparatively among the Sodomites. It is Chriſts incommunicable priviledge, to be The juſt: … all other men on earth to pray, Enter not into Iudgement with thy ſervants, for in thy ſight ſhall no man living be juſtified. And, Forgive us our treſpaſſes, and to pray for th… daily: perpetuall remiſſion argues perpetuall aſperſion.ttIoh. 1.10.John 1:10 He that ſaies, he hath no … I am ſure he hath no righteouſneſſe. But it is ſaid of Zachary and Elizabet, that they were both,uuLuk. 1.6.Luke 1:6 Iuſt before the Lord, walking in all his commandements, blameleſſe. Before God, without hypocriſie: in his commandements, not the traditions of men, without flatterie: in All of them, without reſervation and partialitie. Without repr…, Sine querela, non ſine macula: not ſcandalous and culpable in the eyes of men, and worthy of crimination. So,xx1 Ioh. 3.9.1 John 3:9 he that is borne of God, ſinneth not, or committeth not ſ…. Not the ſinning ſinne, not the raigning ſin, not peccatum ſcandalizans: not the ſin … to death, which cannot be repented, therefore muſt not be pardoned.

Compared with God there is none righteous: Omnes odit, qui malos odit: he hates all men, that hates ill men. Yet ſome may be ſo, reſpectively to others. Th… more righteous than Iudah, yet Thamar ſinfull enough. The Publican rather … ſtified than the Phariſie, yet not ſimply and ſufficiently juſtified. The Spouſe f… among women, yet ſhe juſtly complaines of her blackneſſe. Some men have br… & levia peccata, leſſe and fewer ſins, yet they have ſins: though fewer in number, and lighter in meaſure, yet ſins in nature. The Moone is glorious to a candle, pa… to the Sunne. The lilie white to the wooll, ſhort of the ſnow. The ſwarthy compared with the Black-moore, thinkes himſelfe faire.

Not that I would have men pitch themſelves by the Pole of the diſſolute. As becauſe they are not ſo drunke as Nabal, therefore to thinke themſelves ſober: beca… not ſo proud as Haman, therefore humble: becauſe not ſo trecherous as Iudas, therefore loyall. Compare not thy ſelfe with the worſt, to ſee how far thou art beyond them: but with the beſt, to ſee how farre thou art ſhort of them. Luſcus inter …a… acutè videt: and the thicke-eared heare well to the ſtark deafe. Among the numerous Cloiſtures of illiterate Monkes, if one rarely get a ſmacke of learning, he thinkes himſelfe a brave fellow, famous among his companions.yy2 Cor. 10.12.2 Cor 10:12 They compare themſel… with themſelves, and meaſure themſelves by themſelves. He that hath but feried over … Amſterdam, conceits himſelfe a great Traveller, among thoſe that never ſmelt other than their owne ſmoake. How ploud is a vaine foole of a ſtrange language! apt … thinke all the reſt Idiots, that underſtand not his Spaniſh or Italian! Audax Inſc…: none ſo bold as the blind.

Thou that thinkeſt thy ſelfe charitable and juſt, compare thy ſelfe with Zacc… after thy fourefold reſtitution, haſt thou given halfe thy goods to the poore? Th… that holdeſt thy ſelfe zealous in a cold generation, conſider David: The zeale of …y houſe hath eaten me up. Thou that art humble, meditate on Paul, yielding to them th… hated him. That art ſober, thinke of the Rechabites: that chaſt, looke upon I…ſ…h in his temptation by ſo great a Lady. The Pigmeys wonder at his ſtature, whom we eſteeme a dwarfe. Doe not looke upon the profane, to admire thy owne holineſſe: but on the Iuſt, to condemne thy owne unrighteouſneſſe. Rurall people admire and even adore a Lady, that never ſaw the Queene. When the Indians firſt ſaw the Spaniards. they held them faire and goodly creatures. But bleeding under their c… c…ties, p. 645and beholding other from more cold and temperate climates, of fairer com…ections and kinder diſpoſitions; they tooke theſe laſt for Angels. We that have …ized our ſelves by thoſe below us, let us now value our ſelves by thoſe above us: …en all our pride will turne into ſhame, and we ſhall bluſh for our idle glory. Lord, … they that had their faults be more righteous than we; what are we in reſpect of …ee that haſt none? Give us all grace to bee more righteous, and when wee …ve done all wee can, pardon our great unrighteouſneſſe in Ieſus Chriſt.

5 There is an Operative righteouſneſſe, and this may be taken either ſtrictly or …gely.

Strictly, it is equity: he that deales truly withall, without reſpect of perſons, is …uſt man. And he that is not juſt in his converſing and commerſing with men, will …rdly be found righteous with God. This is not onelyonly to render what the Law …quires, but even what a rectified conſcience requires. As for inſtance; to bury the …ad, this is not an action of charitie only, but of equity. Funeralls are called Iuſta, …cauſe they be as juſt to the dead, as meate is to the living. So to feed the poore: …ul calls Almes, Righteouſneſſe. aaProv. 3.27.Prov 3:27With-hold not thy good from the owners thereof. …hey are the owners of thy ſuperfluities, and it is juſt to give every man his owne. When thou doeſt thine almes; diverſe copies read, Cum facias Iuſtitiam, bbMatth. 6.3.Matt 6:3when thou doeſt …y righteouſneſſe: ſo Euſebius reports it. Almes is thy Iuſtice; If not Debitum proprie…tis, yet Charitatis: and he that denyeth this, is an unjuſt man. That miniſters doe …each, it is Iuſtice, even due debt.ccRom. 1.14. Ver. 18.Rom 1:14 I am a debter to the Grecians, &c. There is a woe to …em that with-hold the truth in unrighteouſneſſe. Yet thus unrighteous is the Church …f Rome, to with-hold the Scriptures, and obtrude Traditions: as men put out the …eare candle, to light themſelves to bed with the ſtinking ſnuffe.

To helpe forward the truth is but Iuſtice: it is the office, albeit alſo the honour …f good men to be Gods fellow helpers.ddIudg. 5.23.Judg 5:23 Curſe yee Meroz: Why? becauſe it did …rt the Lord? No, but becauſe it did not helpe the Lord in the day of battell. This …ueſtion will one day be asked, when didſt thou helpe the truth? Every man by …rayer helpes the hand of Moſes. He that does not helpe forward the building of CHRIST, is unjuſt: and they that doe helpe it even in the meaneſt degree, ſhall …ave part of the reward.ee1 Sam. 30.24.1 Sam 30:24 As David would have the prey ſhared even among them …hat kept the ſtuffe; they helped.

In contracts to faile willingly, is to be unjuſt. An oath or ſolemne promiſe is …o ſooner made on earth, than regiſtred in heaven. Indeed In malis non eſt malum …ſcindere fidem: bad promiſes are better broken than kept. As David in breaking …f his vow concerning Nabal, was not unjuſt: and if Herod had done ſo for Iohn Bap. …e had beene more righteous. Yea, a juſt man will keepe his oath with a very theefe, … compelled oath about pecuniary matters; but not when a ſinne or miſchiefe fol…wes. To give every man his due, this is juſt. A young Merchant being to chuſe …im a partner, by his mothers advice, at convenient time gave to one a Pomegranate: …e receiver cutting it in two, kept the leſſe moitie to himſelfe, and returned the Mer…hant the greater halfe. He gave the like to another; and he dividing it, gave him …acke the leſſe part, keeping the greater to himſelfe. He thus tryed a third; and he …tting it into equall halfes, tooke the one himſelfe, and gave him the other. This …ſt was determined by his mother, to be the fitteſt man to make his partner. So …oung Cyrus being ſhewed by his School-maſter, a great man with a little robe, and little man with a great robe; and having both the garments put into his hands to …iſtribute: he diſpoſed the greater to the greater, and the leſſe to the leſſe. His Ma…er replied; this was juſt in caſe of decencie, but unjuſt in caſe of equity: for he was … have given every man his owne.

But if this be an argument of Iuſtice, Lord, where ſhall we finde a juſt man? …ſal. 12.1. Helpe Lord, for the righteous man faileth: time to cry, Helpe LORD. …ake creſſet light, and ſearch narrowly all about Ieruſalem, I had almoſt ſaid, Lon…on. And find one that doth Iuſtice: Ierem. 5.1. ſcarce a juſt man in this whole Citie. p. 646is to pay Tythes, to be juſt? O that juſt man is a miracle! Ignorant people on all occaſions ſay of their Miniſter, I wonder he does not preach. They eſteeme it a matter, before it comes, of no labour: and when it comes of no thankes. Yet, who challengeth his owne heart, of knowne unrighteouſneſſe, and confeſſeth, how … juſt have I beene in defrauding God and his Church? will the Lord be ſo liberall to give us the beſt of things, eternall life; that grudgeth him the worſt of things, temporall traſh? Or, that the Goſpell ſhould ſave our ſoules, which it promiſeth: when we with-hold from it thoſe trifles it requireth? Or, that God will not pinch them of ſpirituals, that pinch him of temporals? Will a man ſhut a bird faſt into a cage, give her no meate, and yet bid her ſing? Yet is this too univerſall an unrighteouſneſſe, and thus unjuſt are we. But let men read and tremble;hhRev. 22.11.Rev 22:11 If any man (notwithſtanding theſe premonitions) will be unjuſt, let him be unjuſt still. The Lord with his infinite mercy ſwallow up this unrighteouſneſſe, that this infinite unrighteouſneſſe ſwallow not up this Citie.

Largely;ii1 Ioh. 3.7.1 John 3:7 He that doth righteouſneſſe, is righteous. The ſcope of whoſe life and actions is devoted to goodneſſe; not without infirmity, but without irregularity. The beſt traveller may ſtumble in his journey; yet have his eye obſervant and his foote conſtant on his way. The interpoſition of ſome cloudes doth not fruſtrate the regular motion of the Sun. And trees hauehave more life at the roote, than at all times appeares in the branches. Notwithſtanding ſome tranſient diſtempers, thekkPſal. 119.80.Ps 119:80 he… may be ſound and upright. Some gravell will ſtick on the toes, even when the Ba… of juſtification hath waſhed our ſoules. We are not perfectly juſt, except by anticipation, aſſuming the name before we poſſeſſe the thing. We are now the ſonnes of God: Auguſt.quid hoc eſt? Sumus, & non ſumus; we are, and we are not: ſumus in ſpe, … mus in re: we are in hope, we ſhall be indeed.

There may be a time when this juſtice is not ſo operative, which yet ſhall not condemne us for unjuſt. The world is ever taxing the leaſt fault in the beſt man: every man is borne a Cain; envying that good in another, which he wants in himſelfe. They blame ſome ill in the Saints, not becauſe they are evill, but becauſe i… reſpect of themſelves they are too good. One imaginary cloud in a juſt man, … in their cenſure darken all the ſtars of his graces. The ſmalleſt ſpot in his face, ſhall excuſe all the ſores and ulcers in their bodies. But it is not ſo with God: he value men, Quomodo ſemper vadunt, non quomodo ſemel cadunt: reſpecting vitae commu… cúrſum, rather than involuntarium currentis caſum. Nor is his ſaving grace ſo fickle a thing, to be loſt by every weakeneſſe.llCant. 6.2.Song 6:2 Hee goes into his Garden, to eate the fr…s, and gather the flowers: not like theſe buzzing Dorres, that flye over all theſe to a dunghill.

But now if we will be righteous, let us doe it, and ſhew our juſtice by our practiſe. The title of Righteous is often ill beſtowed upon men: as the miſtaking woman attributed to the bleſſed VirginsmmLuk. 11.27.Luke 11:27 Wombe and dugs, that happineſſe which belonged to her faith. Or, as ſilly rurall people ſalute a meane Gentlewoman in bea… clothes, If it like your Lady-ſhip. Or, flattering Pamphleters aſcribe to your looſe… Patrons, noble and meriting titles. Truth cals him Iuſt that is ſo. God ordained light for the eyes, language for the eares, the aire for reſpiration, but righteouſneſſe for all parts. That the minde ſhould thinke nothing but righteouſneſſe, the tongue ſpeake,Auguſt. the hand doe, nothing but righteouſneſſe. But alaſſe; Aliud defiderium c… dis, aliud deſiderium carnis. There be reluctant motions in the heart, yet De…e cordis, in the heart of my heart, I ſerve the Lord. Bare theory may come … righteouſneſſe, onelyonly practiſe apprehends it. To whom is that Enge at the great Day, but to the Doer? Well done good ſervant, that is the forme. Not the b… and dead habite, but the living and fruitfull exerciſes of Iuſtice, ſhall have happineſſe. Rightly, a man knowes no more than he practiſes. It is ſaid of Chriſt that henn2 Cor. 5.21.2 Cor 5:21 … no ſin, becauſe he did no ſinne: in that ſenſe, he knowes no good, that doth no good. One ſaid of the Ieſuites, that abroad call themſelves Apoſtles; the old Apoſtles le… p. 647earth to earthly men, ſhewed others, and got heaven themſelves: we are more be…olding to our new ones, they ſhew us heaven and leave it for us to purchaſe; and … meane time coozen us of earth and worldly poſſeſſions. It is as fearefully true of …oſe that point others the way to heaven by a righteous life, and will not move a …ote in that path themſelves. The Saints are all ſaid to have white garments: the …be of Iuſtice that is not white, is not right: it muſt bee viſible to men, that it may … acceptable to God.

3 I come to the exceptions againſt Lots Iuſtice: the Scripture notes ſix great …lts in this good man: three principall, and three leſſe principall.

1 His contention withooGen. 13.7.Gen 13:7 Abraham, his Vncle, elder and better. Before they …ew rich, they dwelt lovingly together; poverty confirmed their ſociety. When …ither want, nor weary journeyes, nor ſtrange Countries could part; wealth di…des. How poore a good was their opulency, in reſpect of their company and …ternall love! Many an one is a loſer by his gaines; and findes that which mul…plies his outward eſtate, to abate his inward. Who will eſteeme thoſe things good, …at make us worſe? Abraham is the Vncle and worthier, Lot the Nephew and …unger: yet is Abraham firſt in the deprecation of ſtrife. I pray thee, &c. But he …lds it no diſparagement to begin the treaty of peace. He that is the ſon of Abra…m will ſeeke to win by love, not to force by power.

It had bin Lots duty to offer, rather than to chuſe, to yeeld than contend; yet Abraham offers the choice to Lot. Take the left hand, or the right. Ver. 9.From whence …th one, the cuſtome grew in parting an Inheritance, Vt major dividat, minor eligat, Rupert.…at the elder ſhould divide the younger chooſe. Lot takes it, but marke the event: …t was croſſed in his election, Abraham bleſſed in his reſignation. Never did man … deſire of peace yeeld of his owne right, that God ſuffered to be a loſer by it. Lot … he thought choſe the beſt ground, the goodly plaines of Iordan: but while hee re…ects the goodneſſe of the ſoile, and not the badneſſe of the people, he ſmarts for …s choice, and is ſoone carried away captive. Abraham content with the worſe, …th a large amends. Lift up thine eyes, looke Eaſt, Weſt, North, and South: Ver. 25.and all the …d thou ſeeſt, I will give unto thee and to thy ſeed for ever. Let us not deſire to be our …wne carvers for this world: it is our ſureſt happineſſe without ambition or avarice, … reſt at Gods finding.

2 His incredulity, in doubting to be ſaved in the Mountaine; as if the promiſe …d direction of God could have failed. He had no charge to dwell in Sodome, he had …harge to flye to the Mountaine: yet Sodome he affected, the Mountaine he refu…d, and was faulty in both. It is no ſmall ſin even to doubt, when wee have Gods …mmand and warrant to ſerve us.

3 His feare to tarry in Zoar, which the Lord had given his word to ſpare for … ſake. But he that was ſo haſty to chuſe it, is now againe as haſty to leave it. How …riable is man, when he fixeth not his ſubmiſſion to Gods ordinance? This fugi…e inconſtancy is by ſome thus qualified: that the loſſe of his wife at the entring of …ar, put him quite out of heart to ſtay there. And the ſight of the ſame ſins in his …e Citie, which ſo raigned in the greater, gave him cauſe to ſuſpect it could not … long forborne.

Here were three of his infirmities; Inconſtancy, Incredulity, Ambition; to …ew, that none is ſo righteous, but in ſome things offenſive. None were more ho… under the law than the Prieſts,August. yet were they bound toppHeb. 9.7.Heb 9:7 offer ſacrifice for them…ves and their owne ſins. None more holy under the Goſpell, than the Apoſtles, … were they taught to pray, Forgive us our treſpaſſes. Merit-uſurpers are the worſt …vants: for how bountifull ſoever God be to them, they will never acknowledge …eir maſter; all is their due. The moſt terrible Vſurers; all Gods bleſſings they …nke but the intereſt of their owne moneyes. But the leaſt cloud in a Diamond …ders the price; the leaſt infirmity in a Saint keepes him from being perfectly …hteous. Yet no man puts away his horſe, that hath carried him throughout his p. 648journey, for thrice tripping by the way. Nor doe three Parentheſes diſgrace a good Oration. Three drops of poyſon are dangerous in a little cup of water: let them fall into a running ſpring, their malignitie is ſoone diſperſed to nothing. Waſh a ſpotted robe, and it is cleane again. Yet let us ſtrive againſt all ſtaines: Abraham going to ſacrifice, left his two young ſerviters and the Aſſe behind him. Lots feare and dealting were like two timorous and cowardly ſervants; his covetouſneſſe like the Aſſe: leave … all theſe three behind us in our devotion, that we may be welcome to the Lord.

4 He offers up hisqqGen. 16.8.Gen 16:8 owne daughters to the rage of the Sodomites, that he might deliver his gueſts: chuſing rather to be a bad father, than a bad hoſte. This fact ha… found diverſe excuſes. 1. It was a leſſe ſinne, Coire ſecundum naturam, than adverſ… naturam: Ambr.and of two evills the leſſe is to be choſen. Anſw. This is true in pe… evills, not in criminalls: in corporall things, not in ſpirituall. There is no neceſſitie that ſhould compell a man to ſinne: he ought rather to die.rrRom. 14.22.Rom 14:22 Bleſſed is he that c… demneth not himſelfe in the thing that he alloweth: then he is not bleſſed that allowe… the thing in act,Cajetan. which he condemnes in Iudgement. 2. Lot did not meane to p… off one ſinne with another, but uſeth a ſeeming ſubmiſſion to qualifie their rage: he knew his daughters eſpouſed to ſome great men of the Citie, and that they durſt … attempt their conſtupration. Anſw. But this had beene to tempt God by a fo… preſumption, to make ſuch an unruly rabble this offer, in hope it would not be taken. 3. Though a man in himſelfe muſt not doe a leſſe evill for avoidance of a greater:Chryſ. yet to ſtop anothers precipice into ſome monſtrous miſchiefe, and to mo… his mind by inſinuation to a leſſe; this they hold tolerable. As if men by cuſtome muſt ſweare, the oath is better by their head, than by God. He that is ſhut up i… … walled fort,Greg. let him eſcape where the wall is loweſt. Anſw. This is true, where we are perſwaders from evill, not actors of evill our ſelves. So if Lot had perſwade… them to the young maides of the towne, and to forbeare the men, it had beene more ſufferable. But no man is to ſin himſelfe, with the hazard of his owne ſoule, for the prevention of anothers wickedneſſe. 4. His intent was good to preſerve his gods. Anſw. ſſRom. 3.8.Rom 3:8We muſt not doe evill, that good may come thereof.

Chryſ.Indeed there is a neceſſitie which comes à Poſteriore. As when a man hath ſwo… to undoe his neighbour: if he breake his oath, he commits perjurie: if he keepe hi… oath, he breakes charitie. What now? rather in breaking it offend onelyonly God, th… in keeping it offend both God and man. But this perplexitie is not Ex parte …, it is not neceſſary to ſweare falſely, or breake charitie: but Ex parte hominis, … cannot revoke what he hath ſpoken and done. 5. He knew that if his daughters wee forced againſt their wils, they did not ſin; and if they ſinned not, he ſinned not. A…ſ. If the maidens ſhould conſent,Aug. facient cum Sodomitis, te authore, nequitiam, Lot was … author of their ſin: if they ſhould not conſent, Patientur a Sodomitis, te authore, volentiam, Lot was the author of their raviſhment. There might have beene uncertai… ty in their conſenting, there had beene none in his expoſing. His purpoſe was go…d, his offer was faulty. If by his allowance the Sodomites had defiled his daugh… betrothed to others, it had beene his ſin. If through violence they had defiled hi… gueſts, it had beene only their ſin.

It is for God to prevent ſinne with judgement, not for man to prevent a great ſin in poſſibility, with a leſſe in preſent act. Thus it cannot be juſtified, only a … qualified. 1. In reſpect of the times, wherein knowledge was not ſo cleare. 2. By his charitie, he did it to conſerve intemerate his gueſts. 3. By his troubled mind, without any recollection or ſerious adviſe. The beſt minds troubled yield inconſiderate motions; as water violently ſtirred ſends up bubbles. Thus Lot meant well, … God meant better: he preferred the unknowen Angels before his children, and th… Lord preſerved them all.

But if this were ſuch an error in Lot, though meant in charitie: how horrible … it in thoſe that doe it for iniquitie? One would thinke there were no ſuch mo… in nature, yea monſters againſt nature. ThettLam. 4.3.Lam 4:3 Sea-monſters are not ſo cruell, as … land-monſters, to their young. A good father will not ſell his childs body a ſta… … p. 649man, ſhall any ſell his childs ſoule a ſlave to the devill? O that the Sunne ſhould ſhine upon that woman, which will be a Bawd to her owne daughter! That the body ſhe brought forth w^th paines to this earth, ſhe ſhould ſell for gaines unto hell. Let her loſe the name of mother and bee held a murtherer: there is no woman ever more deſerved to be called the divels Dam. Let al her ſex be aſhamed of her; and even the ſinners that reward her, curſe her. Parents admoniſh your children, diſſwade them from ſin, pray againſt their ſin, do not teach them to ſin. What is ſaid of the childs eye deſpiſing the parent, let me ſay of the parents tongue tempting the childe,uuProv. 30.17.Prov 30:17 Let the Ravens of the valley peck it out, and the young Eagles eate it.

5 His drunkenneſſe. Lot fled from Sodome, yet he could not flye from ſin: He that could not be tainted in the Citie, is overtaken in the Cave. It is not the place that amendeth manners. Si deſit Spiritus, non adjuvat locus. Greg.Some places are more dangerous, none are ſecure from tentation. It is a Popiſh fancie, that a cloiſturall life can make a man more holy. If drunkenneſſe crept into Lots cave, who can excuſe their Cels and Cloiſtures. Lot ſinned in the Mountaine, Adam in Paradiſe, the Angels in Heaven: are Nunneries and Monaſteries ſafer than theſe?

Some wholly excuſe his drunkenneſſe,Chryſ. becauſe hee did not purpoſe to bee drunke.xxEph. 5.18.Eph 5:18 But the Apoſtle faulteth all exceſſe: the exceſſe is a ſin, what ever bee the purpoſe before, or effect after. Other ſay for it,Aquin. Theodoret. Aug. that he dranke liberally to allay his ſorrowes, and mitigate his heavineſſe. Anſ. It ill becomes a juſt man to make uſe of ſuch a comfort: the remedy was worſe than the diſeaſe. I deny not, but wine to a man afflicted with ſo many griefes, hath the allowable uſe.yyProv. 31.6.Prov 31:6 Give ſtrong drinke to the heavy heart. But he that ſhall thinke to enable his body, by diſabling his ſoule, and to cure his ſickneſſe with his ſin; runs into the fire to avoid the ſmoke.

Let there be no pretext found for drunkenneſſe; it made a juſt Lot proſtitute his body to beaſtly uncleanneſſe. Sodome could not deceive him, but Wine did. Vritur aebrius flammis mulierum, quem ſobrium ſulphurea flamma non attigerat. Origen.The fire of wine within him, did more than fire and brimſtone without him. Nor in him alone hath it prevailed: Who would thinke to finde Noah, that father of the new world, lying drunken in his Tent? Or that a little Wine ſhould doe more than a whole deluge of water? That he who was not perverted by the bad examples of the old world, ſhould now begin a new example of ſin to the new world? Lord, what is man, if he be but himſelfe? What living man, had more noble proofes of Gods Mercy, and Iuſtice: mercy on himſelfe, juſtice on others? The Lord once ſaid to him in the midſt of innumerable apoſtates; Thee onelyonly have I found righteous. Hee that was purged when the world was uncleane, proves now uncleane when the world is purged. The Preacher of the former world, and Prince of the latter, is the firſt that renewes the ſins which he had reproved, and for which he ſaw it condemned.

There is no ſin hath ſo ſtrange an effect, it is worſe than ſin. Other ſins procure ſhame, but ſeeke to hide it, this diſplayes it. Lot is thus made a foole to his daughters, Noah to his ſon: it is a common quality in this exceſſe to diſcloſe ſecrets. Adam had no ſooner ſinned, but he ſaw and abhorred his owne nakedneſſe, ſeeking concealement even in buſhes. Lot and Noah diſcover their nakedneſſe, and have not ſo much rule of themſelves as to be aſhamed. Drunkenneſſe doth not only make vices, but make them manifeſt. So would God have it, that our ſhame might be double by it. Both a ſhame for thoſe imperfections we diſcover, and of that imperfection which moved us to diſcover them. One houres drunkenneſſe filthily diſcovered, what ſix hundred yeeres ſobriety had modeſtly concealed. He that gives himſelfe to wine, is not his owne man. How abhorrible is that vice, which ſhall rob a man of himſelfe, and lay a beaſt in his roome? He that reſiſts that one ſin, eſcapes many: as he that kils the pregnant damme, is ſure to deſtroy all the brood.

p. 650Drunkenneſſe commands all: the ſenſes command the members, the affections command the ſenſes, the heart commands the affections, the head commands the heart, and wine commands the head. As Themiſtocles boy ſaid; I rule my mother, my mother rules my father, and my father rules the whole Senate. Wine is aſpiring, and wil get up to the crowne, and then humbles the crowne to the fee…. If it once take the ſconce, as Ioab ſaid of Rabba, all the reſt will follow.

6 His Inceſt. Rather than Satan will leave Lot untempted out of Sodome, his own daughters ſhall prove Sodomites. They that ſhould have been his comforters to ſuccour him, became baites to betray him. So little are they moved with that grievous Iudgement, the turning of Sodome to aſhes, of their mother to a Pillar, both in their eye: that they dare think of lying with their own father. Yea, and one of them afterward, impudently calls that ſon Moab; My fathers ſon by me.

Some have excuſed their fact, that they did it to preſerve ſeed: not out of intemperancie, but love of their Name and poſterity: not for luſt, but pr… creation. Anſwer The end was commendable; but the meanes, by ince… with their father, culpable: better for them never to have beene mother, th… to be ſo by their father. Yet their intent ſhall judge many: they affected commotion for fruit, diverſe make that their laſt, and leaſt end: luſt of delectation is ſtronger with them, than deſire of propagation. It ſeemes, they ſinned directly againſt their owne conſciences; becauſe they did firſt intoxicate their father, to put him from his rectified memorie. They thought he would not conſent to them, unleſſe he firſt did forget himſelfe: that while Lot was ſober he would not be unchaſt. Drunkenneſſe is the key that opens the doore to all beſtiall affections and actions. Wine knowes no difference, or of perſons or ſinnes. Their fact was more hainous than their fathers: his only drunkenneſſe, theirs to make him ſo, and then to commit inceſt with him.Aug. Culpandus Lot, non quantum ille Inceſtus, ſed qua… tum illa ebrietas merebatur.

For his Inceſt, he knew it not:aaGen. 19.33.Gen 19:33 he perceived not when they lay downe, nor when they roſe up. It is no incredible thing Neſcientem cotre: not that it was done by nocturnall pollution, without the act of generation; as Toſtatus out of Thomas. Now thoſe ſins condemne us, which we doe knowingly: Et facinus facimus, qu… do mala facta ſciamus. Cajetan.The uſe of his reaſon was hindred by drinke: for if he had remembred himſelfe upon his awaking, he would never have done it the ſecond time. Some ſay, the progreſſive facultie may bee exerciſed in ſleep, as ſome walke in their ſleepe and tranſport things from place to place. Certainely, the Devill was not abſent in ſuch a a fowle buſineſſe,Calv. working fancies in his head. But in a word, Non tam illa turpitudo à vino quàm propter ebrietatem ſtupor inflictus à Domino: his unchaſtitie was the puniſhment of his ebrietie.

Thus came his uncleanneſſe from his drunkenneſſe, but what is to be ſaid for his drunkenneſſe? Once, and a ſecond time he admitted it Noah was drunke but once: one act cannot make a good heart unrighteous, as a trade of ſinne cannot ſtand with regeneration. So dangerous is it to give way to Satans temptations: where he is once entertained, the next time hee is confident. Hee that hath takes one ſore fall, is the worſe for it long after. I know it is true in ſome; Te d…c… lapſus, magis ut vestigia firmes, once to have ſtumbled, is alwaies to bee admoniſhed: but this is above nature, a happineſſe onelyonly beholding to Divine grace.

Theſe are the exceptions againſt Lots Iuſtice, who (for all theſe) hath a teſtimonie from the mouth of the Holy Ghoſt, that he was a Iust man. Now whom God calls Iuſt, let no man call unrighteous. Such is the difference, not of ſinnes, but of men. He that ſees Lot and Iudah pardoned for Inceſt, while Zimri ſuffers for fornication; muſt confeſſe, that God doth not ſo weigh the faults as the perſons. It is a fooliſh proverbe of mans partiall indulgence; that one man may better ſteale a horſe, than another looke on. But the Lord is Iuſtice, and hates all ſin whatſoever, in all perſons whatſoever: yet will he pardon their great ſin, that are p. 651members of his good Son: and ſeverely puniſh the leaſt fault in them for whom he …ffered not. He regards not ſo much, quid, as quis: remiſſion goes not by the mea…re of the ſin, but by the qualitie of the ſinner, yea, rather the merciemercy of the forgi…er. Not the man that hath done no ſin, but whom the Lord wil not charge with ſin …e isbbPſal. 32.1.Ps 32:1 Bleſſed. From all that hath been ſaid, I will draw certaine uſefull concluſions.

1 Even a juſt Lot is ſuffered to fall: he that was a gracious Saint on earth, …nd is now a glorious Saint in heaven; had his aſperſions. When God upholdes …s, no temptation can move us: if he let goe his manutenencie, none is too weake …or us. Which of Gods deare children have not once done that thing, whereof …ey have afterward beene aſhamed? This the LORD ſuffers for diverſe reaſons. …. To humble us if: ſuch excellent men have trode awry, how ſhould we take …eed to our wayes? Shall ſuch Gyants ſtumble, and we lame creeples be ſecure? …. To keepe us from deſpaire: the Scripture tels us of their infirmities, that in …heir pardon we may reade Gods mercies. Let their falling humble us, and their …ſing againe comfort us. If we had not ſuch patternes, how could we but deſpaire … the ſight of our ſins? But he will hope well of his wound, that hath ſo good …xperience of his Phyſician. 3. To magnifie his owne infinite goodneſſe, that can …o good turne our evill: he lets us fall, knowing how to make as good uſe of our …n, as of our obedience.

Lot might be aſhamed of his Inceſtuous ſeed, and wiſh to have come from So…ome alone. Yet was this unnaturall bed bleſſed with increaſe. Diverſe good wo…en have failed of this fruit by the lawfull rights of marriage as Sara, Rebecca, Rachel, Elizabet; all hardly conceived. Some with one unlawfull copulation have …ecome pregnant: as Thamar by Iudah, Bethſhabe by David, Lots daughters by …heir owne father. Not that God favours forbidden conjunctions: but in his Iu…tice to bring ſuch ſecret ſin to open ſhame; in the elect for their converſion, in the …eprobate for their further confuſion.

Moab is derived from this Inceſt, one that might call his father, Grandfather; …nd his mother, Siſter. One father begot both the mother and her child, and one man is both the brother and ſonne of the ſame woman. Yet from this line came …one of our Saviours worthy Anceſtors: of Moab came Ruth, married to Boaz, …he father of Ieſſe, the father of David, the progenitor of IESUS CHRIST ac…ording to the fleſh. Gods election is not tied to our meanes: we may beget children, we can neither traduce bleſſings nor curſes to them. Holy parents from a chaſt bed have ſometimes bred a monſtrous and impious generation. And the Lord ſometimes raiſeth a holy ſeed from the drunken bed of fornication. Whatſoever we doe, God will be chuſer; and ſerve himſelfe, not according to our act, but his owne purpoſe. Weightie eares of corne have ſometimes growen out of …he compaſſe of the tilled field: and ſweet flowers beene found out of the incloſed Garden, even in the wild forreſt. Thus will GOD keepe his owne liber…ie of election, by his grace, not our workes; and let us know, that we are not borne, but made good.

2 Notwithſtanding theſe infirmities, ſtill Lot is a Iuſt man: ſome particular …cts may be too light in the ballance, without extinguiſhing his title before the Lord. A man is ſanctified in foure reſpects. 1. In the not imputation of his ſins: and that which is not imputed, is as it were not committed. 2. In inchoation of holineſſe, begun in this life, perfected hereafter. 3. In acceptation; Num. 23.21. God ſeeth none iniquity in Iacob, hee ſeeth no tranſgreſsion in Iſrael: there is ſinne in us, but God will not ſee it. 4. In compariſon; ſo they ſhine like ſtarres in a darke night. Lots offences were ſome blemiſh to his ſanctification in earth, they could not nullefie his Iuſtification in heaven: blemiſh his vertue they may, not fruſtrate his grace. For if ſtill as the elect ſin, they ſhould loſe their grace, and ceaſe to be righteous; Gods election were as mutable; as our condition. The franticke in his mad fits doth not exerciſe reaſon, yet he hath it: he loſeth the uſe, not the habite, p. 652ratione Principii. In a ſwoune the ſoule doth not excerciſe her functions: a ma… neither heares, nor ſees, nor feeles; yet ſhe is ſtill in the body. A ſuſpend… Prieſt cannot be put from his right in the Church, for Miniſterium indelebilis ch… racter: he hath his miniſterie, though forbidden to excerciſe it. The out-Law is ſtill a ſubject, albeit debarred of ſome priviledges. The ſonne angers his father, …e doth not ſtrait diſinherite him. Though the veſſell reele, yet feare not, Caeſar… vehis, thou carrieſt Caeſar; ſaid that Emperor to the quaking Mariner: we are we… of our ſelves, but Chriſt is in us.

Lot fell ſixe times in many dayes, the Iuſt man fals ſeven times in one day; yet he is ſtill Iuſt in his Saviours righteouſneſſe. This concludes our comfort: he … bad Peter forgive his repenting brother ſeven times, will forgive our repen… ſoules ſeven thouſand times: he ſcornes that any Peter, Saint, or Angell, ſhould outgoe him in ſhewing merciemercy. In our ſelves we are ſinners; in CHRIST righteous. When the Philoſopher in his owne meane clothes could not bee admitted … the Court on a ſolemne day, he went and borrowed rich and gorgeous apparell, he was then let in with eaſe and reſpect. Being in the Preſence, he was continually kiſſing his robe: the King noting it, wondred, and asked the cauſe: he anſwers, … noro honorantem, I honour that which honoured me. Nam quod virtus non pot…, veſtitus obtinuit. My vertue could procure me no entrance, my garment did. We are too baſe, ragged, beggarly of our ſelves, to be let into that glorious Court of heaven; by faith put we on the Princes embroidered garment, CHRISTS righteouſneſſe; then ſhall we be admitted. Let us admire and honour that which honours us: Quod virtus noſtra non potuit, veſtitus ejus obtinet: what all our righteouſneſſe could never doe, that his robe doth for us.

Nowdd1 Pet. 4.18.1 Pet 4:18 if the righteous ſhall ſcarcely be ſaved, where ſhall the ungodly and ſinner appeare? Righteous, that's happy: but ſcarcely ſaved, that's hard: yet ſhall be ſaved, that's happy againe. Let no beleever feare, for he is righteous: let none preſume, for he ſhall ſcarcely be ſaved: yet, let none deſpaire, for he ſhall be ſaved. For all thy ſin, yet thou (being faithfull in Chriſt) art righteous: for all thy righteouſneſſe, thou ſhalt ſcarcely bee ſaved: for all that difficultie, yet thou ſhalt bee ſaved. Thus like thoſe on the ſeas,eePſal. 107.26.Ps 107:26 they mount up to heaven, and downe to the deepe, and up againe: or like the Heave-offering, that was heaved up, and downe, and up againe: or as CHRIST, the Anti-type of it, was heaved up to the Croſſe, downe to the grave, and up againe unto glory. So we are Iuſtified by Chriſt, this lifts …s up to grace: we commit many ſinnes, this humbles us with ſhame: yet we love righteouſneſſe, and endevour to perfection, this ſhall advance us to everlaſting Glory.

3 Iuſt Lot was delivered, neither for his Iuſtice, nor without it. Not for his owne righteouſneſſe, but for Gods merciemercy. I will deliver him, becauſe I have a favour unto him. Nor doth the Apoſtle meane, that Lot was delivered for hi… owne ſake: nor the Prophet, that he was delivered for Abrahams ſake; when he ſaith,ffGen. 19.26.Gen 19:26 The Lord remembred Abraham, and ſent out Lot. He ſhould have beene ſaved, though he had not beene a kin to Abraham. Yet is this repeated to teſtifie Gods love to Abraham, and his gracious anſwere to the prayers of the Sons of Abraham; which ſhall prevaile with him. But indeed, God remembred Abraham, not ſo much becauſe hee prayed, but becauſe himſelfe had promiſed: the deliverance depended not upon any merite in Vncle or Nephew, but on the di… goodneſſe.

The Pontificians ſay, there be two things in a good worke: the Meritorio… part, to get heaven: the ſatisfactory part, to eſcape hell. It cannot doe the latter, Propter Inutilitatem, for the unprofitableneſſe of it; being no more than we are bound to doe. It cannot doe the former, Propter Invaliditatem, for the inſufficiencie of it, being not ſo much as we are bound to doe. If God judge by the Law morall, no worke is good: for if by the Law evangelicall, joyned with the remiſſion p. 653of ſinnes, many workes are good. Some have affirmed that all our workes … evill; as if truth and lying, covetouſneſſe and liberalitie, hatred and charitie, …ere all one. God never taught that doctrine. Indeed our beſt actions have their …emiſhes and imperfections. The Egyptian midwives ſaved the Hebrew chil…en by a lie: yet it is ſaid,ggExod. 1.20.Exod 1:20 God proſpered them, and made them houſes. He rewar…d not their lie, but their pietie: he ſo regarded their merciemercy, that he regarded … their infirmitie. Proſperitie belongs to their goodneſſe, pardon to their diſſi…lation. The Lord forgave the obliquitie, and bleſſed the honeſtie of the work. …ere be three circumſtances in every worke, which Saint Bernard would have us …ke unto. An liceat, an expediat, an deceat: the lawfulneſſe, expedience, decency: …e maine is the licet. But man is ſo lame, that though he keeps the right way, yet he …ts. Without our righteouſneſſe we cannot be ſaved, yet for our righteouſneſſe … are not ſaved, but for his that came to ſave us.

4 The Iuſt Saints are to bee followed, but in their Iuſtice and ſanctitie. …o many encourage themſelves on their fals: Lot was inceſtuous and drunken, … hee is called Iuſt; why for ſuch ſins am I held unrighteous? Am I better than …? better? No, would thou wert halfe ſo good. 1. He ſinned and condemned …mſelfe, thou ſinneſt and defendeſt thy ſelfe. Thou likeſt that in him, which he …ſliked in himſelfe. 2. They ſinned and repented, thou ſheweſt thy ſinne, but no …e of repentance. Quos ſecutus es errantes, ſequere paenitentes. Their weakeneſſe …eene in our hands, but their teares are not ſeene in our eyes. 3. Evill was never …de to be imitated, but goodneſſe. Lots faith and obedience is not ſuch a ſinners …ject, but his Inceſt and drunkenneſſe: as if Iacobs modeſt looke, liberall hand, …th-ſpeaking tongue, devout knee, and humble heart, were not worth noting; …t only his lameneſſe and halting. He markes none of their graces, but their …rres. 4. Their fals ſerve to raiſe us up when we are downe, not to caſt us …wne when we are up: for our conſolation afterward, not for our preſumption …ore. To thinke of their errors, ſhould humble us with feare, not hearten us …h encouragement to evill. It is ſaid of the wicked, They feare, where no feare … here it may be ſaid, where feare is they feare not. Theſe examples are Paeniten…us in ſolatium, not praeſumentibus in refugium. To ſay, why ſhould not I find m…r… with David, this is the voice of faith: to ſay, why ſhould not I venture to ſin …th David, this is the voice of folly. 5. Thy ſin is greater by this bold imitati…: a lie ventured on by the example of a Saints frailtie, is of a more malicious …ure in thee, than it was in him. Any tranſgreſſion thus derived, is the argument … a more ungracious ſoule, than that it ſeekes to imitate. What he hopes ſhall ex…ſe him, doth more properly condemne him; becauſe he had that warning be…re him. 6. Thy repentance is doubtfuller.

He that tempted them to ſin tempts alſo thee; that is Satan: but he that gave …em repentance, is not bound to give it thee, that is God. Thou makeſt thy fall …taine, thy riſing againe is uncertaine. Such a man hath bin dangerouſly ſick, …d eſcaped; his Phyſitian was skilfull and diligent, his medicine proper and effe…all. Wilt thou make thy ſelfe ſick, on purpoſe to try the skill of the one, and …tue of the other? 7. For them, there was a cure behinde, the ſacrifice of the …mbe no… then ſlain: but now if men wilfully fruſtrate the price of that redem…on Chriſt died no more: his next comming ſhall not be in the humility of a ſuf…er, but in the glory of his Father; not to redeeme, but judge the world. 8. All …ripture is for inſtruction, all is not for imitation. Lucerna pedibus meis; a light …y feet, ſhewing me the blocks whereat they ſtumbled, that I might keepe my …e upright. Commiſſum atque conſcriptum eſt. It is ſo done and written:Aug. for our …tation? No, that were an argument of two much violence, to draw on ſin …th the cart-ropes of examples: to take ſome ſtones from the Temple, that with …em wee might beate downe the reſt: and to ſpoile our ſelves by the ruines of …ods Saints.

p. 654This is fit to be urged againſt thoſe that fleſh themſelves by the ſins of Gods children. Will any infer, what matter is it what manner of men wee are, wh… Paul ahh1 Tim. 1.13.1 Tim 1:13 Blaſphemer, a perſecuter, an oppreſſor, was received to mercy? When … comming a Wolfe againſt the Lambes, is made Paul a Shepheard for the Lamb…. This is true in him, but he did it ignorantly; thou having his example doeſt it maliciouſly. and God will not be mercifull to them that off…nd him of ſet purpoſe. He that deliberately reſolves to ſin, doth what he can to make himſelfe uncapable of forgiveneſſe. Indeed it is true, that nemo bonus, niſi qui aliquando malus; the… is none good, but hee was once bad: Peter by experience of his owne frailty, might learne with his keyes to open heaven unto others. But though God forg… our ſinnes in his patience, let not us forget them in our penitence. God pardone… in Lot what was bad, and accepted what was good: let us follow his vertues, th… we be never condemned for his ſinnes.

5 If we will be delivered let us be juſt: but doth God deliver none but th… righteous? Yes, ſometimes alſo the wicked, and that for diverſe reaſons. 1. Th… they might be brought to repentance; for that is the ſcope and purpoſe of … iiRom. 2.4.Rom 2:4goodneſſe and patience of God. But man is ſo given to pride, that if he ſpeed we… he thinkes he deſerves well: and ſo inſtead of humble thankefulneſſe ſwels wi… proud arrogance. 2. For ſome proginie to come from them: for good He… to be borne, his wicked father Ahaz is forborne. Why doth Amon draw o… two yeeres breath in Idolatry, but that good Ioſiah was to be fitted for a king?kkPſa. 73.17.Ps 73:17 When I came into the Sanctuary of God, then underſtood I the ends of theſe men. The… we finde, that many ſacrilegious, extortioners, idolaters, are delivered, becauſe God hath ſome good fruit to come from their curſed loines. 3. To fill up the meaſure of their ſins: they have alrady done ſo much, that they are ſuffered to do more: ſo ſin is puniſhed with ſin, as drunkenneſſe with thirſt. 4. To magnifie the Lords patience, in giving them time and meanes of penitence: that as they make his labour without ſucceſſe, they might be left without excuſe. Thus … Cham delivered f…om that univerſall deluge, yet after he comes to deride his own father: twice had Noah given him life, yet he abuſeth both his father and pr… ver. Even Gods Arke may nouriſh Monſters: on the ſeats of the Temple … ſit contemners of their ſpirituall fathers, as often filthy Toades lye under the conſecrated ſtones. Was this Gods favour to preſerve him to judgement? He … better have periſhed in the waters, than live unto his fathers curſe. It is not imply our deliverance, but our thankefulneſſe for it, and obedience after it, that g… ſufficient argument to our conſciences, we are in the favour of God.

6 Never did man ſerve God for nothing: if Lot bee juſt, he ſhall now … the benefit of it, he is delivered. It is the ſpeech of Atheiſme and Apoſtacie: … is in vaine to ſerve God, and what profit is it that we have kept his Commandements llM…l. 3.14.Moſt falſe, from God, Diſcedet nullus ſine munere, munere dignus: he highly ſeem… to owe a man any thing. Cyrus in the conqueſt of Lacedemonia, encouraged … Souldiers: that the foot-man ſhould have a horſe-mans place; the horſe-man … charriot; the Lievetenant ſhould be made a Captaine; the Captaine a Colo… and he that was Preſident over a Citie, ſhould be made a Vice-roy over a wic… Countrey. Whereas Chriſt, ſay they, for his Souldiers, ſpeakes of nothing b… taking a croſſe, and bearing a yoke: of perſecution abroad, and affliction at ho…. Here is not Labor muneratus honore, but honor mutilatus labore: it was better wi… us before, we had more proſperity with leſſe piety. They are miſerably deceived, there is no honour like to his ſervice, the feare of God rewards it ſelfe.mmEſa. 49.4.Isa 49:4 … have laboured in vaine, & ſpent my ſtrength for nought; the earth is barren: but … worke is with the Lord, and my reward with my God; heaven is fruitfull, there ſhall be a bleſſed harveſt of recompence.

nnMal. 3.16.Mal 3:16Then ſpake they that feared the Lord, and a booke of remembrance was written, &c. They met together to ſerve God: for this purpoſe was their comming, and abo… p. 655this buſineſſe was their communing. What followed? A book of remembrance …as written for them: not one good worke of theirs, but is there regiſtred: the …reat Maſter of the Rols records them, and rewards them; here in a heaven of …eace, there in the peace of heaven. And they ſhall be mine, ſaith the Lord: Ver. 17.When …hall ſay to the wicked, Depart from me; then I will acknowledge them for mine. …hen I make up my Iewels, ſetting all the traſh and refuſe on fire; I will gather up …em into mine owne treaſury, as a man locks up his precious jewels in his Cabi…t. And I will ſpare them, as a man ſpareth (not every ſonne, but) his ſonne that …veth him.

This was the convinced divels acknowledgement;ooIob. 1.9.Job 1:9 Doth Iob feare God for …ght? And Sauls inſinuation to the Benjamites, diſheartening their adherence … David. pp1 Sam. 22.7.1 Sam 22:7Will the ſon of Iſhai give you fields and vineyards? Will hee make you …aptaines over hundreds and Captaines over thouſands? Reward is the encourage…ent of ſervice. This was the ground and colour of the angry ſonnes exception. Theſe many yeeres have I ſerved thee, without breaking thy commandement; qqLuk. 15.29.Luke 15:29yet thou …ver gaveſt me ſo much as a kid, to make merry with my friends. An unjuſt expoſtu…ion of a ſon to a father, and ſuch a father as had given him the inheritance.rr1 Cor. 15.5.1 Cor 15:5 Ye …ew that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. Labour. Idleneſſe ſhall doe you no …od, but labour. Your labour, the paines of another ſhall not profit you, but …ur owne labour. Is not in vaine; not like the Black-mores waſhing, a labour in …ine: but if it miſſe your end, it reacheth Gods: wee ſee not the ſucceſſe, yet it …oſpers. In the Lord, it may be in vaine in the world, and men never requite it; …t in the Lord it ſhall finde recompence. Our labours end with our lives, but our …wards end not with our labours. This we know: Divinity conſiſts of certaine …ounds and infallible principles, a ſure foundation, a knowledge. The Phyſitian … his medicine never ſo proper, knowes not whether he ſhall recover his Patient. …ead the Lawyer never ſo learnedly, he knowes not whether he ſhall regaine his …lients right. The Souldier may fight valiantly, yet is not ſure of the victory. …ut Divinity is a knowledge, making us know, that our pious endeavours ſhall …e rewarded.

7 The Lord firſt makes us juſt, and then ſaves us: as he firſt ſanctified Lot, …d then delivered him. So that our Iuſtice is not Iuſtice in proper and diſtrict …rmes, but merciemercy.ſſ1 Cor 6 1….1 Cor 6:1 Ab luti eſtis, you are waſhed. What, have you waſhed your …lves? No, yee are waſhed, yee are juſtified, yee are ſanctified in the Name of the …ord Ieſus, and by the Spirit of God. Sott1 Co… 1 30.1 Cor 1:30 Chriſt is made to us wiſedome, and righte…ſneſſe, and ſanct…fication, and redemption. Wiſedome in the inſtruction of our …ules, righteouſneſſe in the forgiveneſſe of our ſinnes, ſanctification in the holi…ſſe of our lives, and redemption in the deliverance from all our enemies. We …e none of theſe in our ſelves; that he who rejoyceth, might rejoyce in the Lord. …ruſt not your armes of fleſh, nor your hearts of aſhes, nor your pureſt ſpirits …hile they are houſed in corrupted walls. If you have ſtood a time, truſt not your …gges, you may ſlide: if you have ſlip'd and recovered, truſt not your recovery, …ou may fall againe. Truſt not your ſtrength, it is infirmity: truſt not your wiſ…ome, it is folly: truſt not your holineſſe, it is blended with iniquity. Prophets …ve fallen, Patriarchs have fallen, Apoſtles have fallen, Starres have fallen, An…els have fallen. But truſt the mercy of God, which is of infinite perfection: …d the merits of Chriſt, which are of perfect ſatisfaction.uuEſa. 43.25.Isa 43:25 It is I, even I, that put…th away thine iniquity for my own ſake. It is not Abraham nor Moſes; nor the Vir…n Mary, nor the Virgin Martyr, not Peter at Rome, nor Paul at Ieruſalem, that … doe this cure: heare the Phyſitian; It is I, ſaith the Lord. Not with the pre…ration of our owne nature, nor with the cooperation of our owne juſtice, nor …ſpoſi ion and liberty of our owne will: heare him once againe; It is I, even I, and … mine owne ſake, and ſons ſake, that forgiveth your ſins.

To conclude with application. God hath given us a gracious deliverance, p. 656which we may paralell with Lot's. We have beene ſaved from the Fire; ſuch a conflagration, as knowes no compariſon, but Sodome or hell. With a match it ſhould have beene done, without all Match, if it had beene done. Some differences there are: that fire was in a juſt ſeveritie, this, in an unjuſt trecherie. Sodomes for came downe from heaven, this gunpowder fire was fetch'd up from hell. That was inflicted by the Miniſters of God, Angels: this was deviſed by the Miniſters of Satan, Traitors. That was prepared for the nocent, this for the innocent. That was fire and brimſtone, this fire and gunpowder; of a more ſuddaine and diſpatching violence; not reſerving pauſe for a Lord have mercy on us. We were Titio ereptus, xxAm. 4.11.Amos 4:11a brand pluck'd out of the burning. The Lord did not only deliver us from the burning, but he alſo kept the fire from kindling. He ſent Lot o… of Sodome, to ſave him; he prevented Sodome in England, to ſave us: he did not remove us from it, but he removed it from us.

He that ſent that fire downeward, kept this fire from mounting upward. He delivered Lot by viſible Angels, and Angels were not wanting though inviſibly, when he delivered us. He remembred Abraham, and ſent out Lot: when he freed as from the fire, he remembred the Sonne of Abraham according to temporall birth and his owne Son by eternall generation, Ieſus Chriſt. He did reveale to Abraham this purpoſed deſtruction of Sodome: he did not conceale from our gracious Soveraigne the notice of this intended deſtruction of his kingdome. Lot was ſent out by breake of day, and we delivered by foure a clocke in the morning: that very morning: there wanted but a little worke of the morning, and then ſufficient to the day, to the yeare, to all ages of the world, had the malice of that morning beene; more accurſed, than ever was read in the kalendar of any time. The l… cendiary a Faux, a fire-brand indeed, kept his vigils, but the Lord prevented his Iubile. There was Titio infernalis, a hell-brand ready with his match, to make Communem rogum, a generall bone-fire, both of mortall men and immortall Trophees and Charters: to make a whole burnt-offering of us all, and to paſſe us through the fire to that Moloch of Rome. Temples, ſepulchers, monuments o… age and honour, ſhould have beene toſſed into the aire, then into the water, after they had beene firſt ſpoiled by fire. Our river had beene turned into a river of bloud, and her carriages, in ſtead of commodities, into dead corpſes and diſcerpted limbes; her chryſtall ſtreames died into rubies. Thus they meant us like Sodome but God delivered us like Lot. The danger was imminent and furious, their rage violent and monſtrous, our deliverance ſtrange and glorious; let our commemoration and thankes bee ſolemne and generous, heroicall and perpetuall for ever. Amen.

Vexed with the filthy converſation of the wicked.] The next point is his place, which was ſinfull, fl…gitious, ſtigmaticall Sodome. It was worſe than a Gaole … his juſt ſoule: and report lies, if our common Gaoles be not like to Sodome, the very dennes of miſchiefe, the Schooles of wickedneſſe. Thus Gods ordinance for reformation, is made a meanes of further tranſgreſſion: and the place built for diſcipline, breeds and feeds villanie. A malefactor learnes more peſtilent untowardneſſe when he comes there, than ever he knew before. O that the Magiſtrate would looke to this; that drunkenneſſe and blaſphemie might not uſurpe the place of mortification and humilitie!

Chryſ.But why would Lot ſtay in ſuch a wicked Citie? Not as a neighbour affected with their cuſtomes, but as a Phyſitian to cure their diſeaſes. But he that looked for a Paradiſe, found a hell: and the cup of his proſperitie was ſpiced with the bitter fruites of a curſed ſocietie. It was indeed Terra bona, but Gens mala; as it was once ſaid of Ireland; nothing bad there but the people.aaMatth 3.22Matt 3:22 Chriſt would not ſuffer his weake Diſciple to goe bury his Father; leſt hee ſhould be perverted by p. 657ſome carnall friends at the funerall. I am life, tarry and live with me: let the dead …one, leſt thou dye with them. How often doth God part his children from the …icked, by making them ſmart with the wicked!Aug. As Auguſtine ſpeakes of the …eligious taken among the reſt by the Gothes: Iure amaram vitam ſentiunt, quia …eccantibus amari eſſe noluerunt. bbPſa. 120.5.Ps 120:5Woe is me that I muſt remaine in Meſheck, and dwell … the tents of Kedar.

…o live among the good is a great happineſſe, a little Image of heaven, a module …nd abridgement of the communion of Saints. Where one doth love another and …ll love God: one is at peace with another, and all at peace with their owne con…cience: one doth honour another, and all honour their Maker. When the inha…itants of a Pariſh ſhine in the day, like a Firmament of bright Stars in the night; …ot one malevolent aſpect among them. Like a Quire of tunable voices, every …ne keeping time and his owne part, and in a ſweet harmony, all ſinging the pray…es of the Lord. But O where ſhall we finde ſuch a neighbour-hood? how much …round ſhall we leave behind us, ere we arrive at this ſociety? The Prophet once …ried, O ye heavens drop downe righteouſneſſe; as if the earth had quite loſt it, being …ken up above the cloudes. We may now cry and complaine for want of this …eighbour-hood; O ye heavens drop down kindneſſe and charity into our times, O love that art Alumna coeli, ſis medicina ſoli; come downe and helpe us.

Imagine with the fable, a Citie conſiſting of ſelected men, all peaceable, tra…table, charitable, humble; the Magiſtrate clemently ruling, the people meekely …beying. The enemy knowes it invincible, while thus governed: therefore craf…ily reſolves to ſhuffle in among them a paire of falſe brothers; a lyer, and a theefe. …ut becauſe in their owne formes they would ſoone be diſcovered and abhor…ed; he puts them in two diſguiſes; the lyer like a Lawyer, the theefe like a Vſu…er. Their wealth procures them roome and reſpect, they fall to worke. The …yer with his forged weapons, whiſpers to the Magiſtrate how the people ſtomack …im: to the people, how the Magiſtrate tyrannizeth over them: to private perſons, what hard language is given them, what wrong is done them, what right is kept …rom them, and that the law is ordained to render every man his owne. Firſt, there …s heart-burning, then brawling, then conteſting at law: and now inſtead of peace …nd humility, there is pride and enmity. The Vſurer, he ſo robs them by a legall …heft, that they become at once ſenſible of want and injury; covetouſneſſe gets in…o the heart, oppreſſion fils the hand. Now far-well charity, every man for him…elfe, none for God, and God for none. Conſider your ſelves, and wiſh this were but a Parable: puniſh the divels inſtruments; hang up theevery, cut out the …ongue of lying, and ſo be ſhut of them: this were a faire riddance of them both, …s the proverbe hath it, without a Seſſion. There was a Mathematician in Con…tantinople, that in anger thus vexed his neighbour.Agath. Hee did ſet in his Cellar …reat Caldrons of boyling water, with heate multiplying the motions of the va…ours; and then turning them all into narrow pipes, gave them vent under his …eighbours floore: which made ſuch an earthquake, that it ſhooke all his houſe. …hen with fire-glaſſes and barrels he ſo thundered and lightned, that he forced …im to forſake his dwelling. The vapours of ſecret ſlanders, the earthquakes of …pen contentions, the thunders of blaſphemy, the flaſhes of burning malice, doe …o afflict us: that we cry, Our ſoule is among Lions; ſons of men whoſe teeth are ſpeares, …rowes and ſharpe ſwords.

But ſtill what doth Lot in Sodome, a Saint among ſinners? fiſhes may be freſh … ſalt waters; live in the ſea, and not pertake the briniſh qualitie: it is not ſo with …an. Rather, Aliquid mali propter vicinum malum; ſome evill for neighbour-hoods …ke. Pure ſtreames paſſing by a corrupt foile, contract ſome of the putrefacti…n: and ſprings running thorow the veines of the earth, ſavour of the minerall, …hich they laſt ſaluted. Inficitur terrae ſordibus unda fluens. Commiſti ſunt inter Gen…s: ^c They were mingled among the heathen. What followed? They learned their p. 658workes. No wonder: can a man be cleane among Lepers? or ſleepe with dogges, and not ſwarme with fleas? We certifie our ſelves of mens behaviour, as the Lacedemonians inquired the carriage of their children: Of what ſort are their companions: as they, Of what condition are their play-fellowes? The miſchiefes of Sodome and Babylon ſhould forewarne our departure: as the ſwallowes would not come neere Thebes, becauſe the wals had beene ſo often beſieged. The ſmitten Deere is preſently forſaken of all his fellowes. A great Tree never fals alone, but alſo ſpoiles the under-wood, w^ch otherwiſe would have thrived well enough. The reaſon why the Raven returned not unto the Arke, is given by ſome, becauſe ſhe met with dead carcaſes. The worlds carrion keepes many from their faithfull adherence to the Church. Any thing taken from the proper place loſeth the vertue: a coale of fire kept in the chimney, lives: ſeparate it from the harth, leave it alone in the aire, it preſently dyes. What Philoſophy ſaid of good, experience juſtifies of evill: Malum est ſui diffuſivum, evill is diffuſive and ſpreading of it ſelfe; indeed more catching than goodneſſe.ddHag. 2.12.Hag 2:12 Aske the Prieſt if a man carry holy fleſh … the skirt of his garment, and touch other things with that skirt, ſhall they be holy? No, ſaith the Prieſt. If one that is uncleane by a dead body, touch any thing, ſhall it not bee uncleane? Yes, it ſhall be uncleane, ſaith the Prieſt. Sooner are the good corrupted by the bad, than the bad are bettered by the good. Why are we taught continually to pray, Deliver us from evill: but that it hath a dangerous power to make us evill? Yea, LORD, free us from Sodome, ſeparate us from ſinne, alienate … from the wicked, Deliver us from evill, for thine is the kingdome, the power, and the glory, for ever, Amen.

Vexed with the filthy converſation of the wicked.] The matter of his vexing was their ſin; the evill of the place came from the perſons, who were fully, fowly, filthily, palpably wicked. Not by way of infirmity, or in any meane degree, but wicked, in the extent of ſin. Not ſeldome, or by fits, but alwayes; their converſation was wicked. Not ſecretly and in corners, but notoriouſly in the publike view; their viſible life was wholly wicked. And for ſpecification, if any ſ… were predominant above the reſt, it was Filthineſſe, Sodomes filthineſſe, a beſtrality, yea worſe. For Pejus eſt beſtialiter vivere, quàm beſtiam eſſe: it is not ſo bad to be a beaſt, as to live like a beaſt; a ſin abhorred by nature it ſelfe. Therefore to put ſome method into this further diſcourſe of their wickedneſſe, three circumſtances appeare in the deſcription. 1. The impudence of it, being notorious and open; Lots eye-ſore. 2. The continuance of it, during their whole life: not an act or two, but their converſation. 3. The turpitude of it, being ſo obſcene and naſty a fifthy converſation. Thus we have the fore-head, the heele, and the compoſition of the whole body.

1 The impudence; it was manifeſt wickedneſſe, their faces did not bluſh at i…. The ſhew of their countenance doth witneſſe againſt them, eeEſa. 3.9.Isa 3:9they declare their ſin as Sodome, they hide it not. It is true, that nocturnall pollutions ſhall have publike plagues: b… they that dare ſin God in the face, ſhall beare a heavier weight of his vengeance. The harlot doth bad enough, that wipes her lips, (as if the print of her ſin could be ſeene there) and it was not ſhe: though ſhe commit it, ſhe will conceale it. B… Abſalom worſe; that ſpreads his inceſtuous pallet on the roofe, and cals the S… a bluſhing witneſſe to his filthineſſe.ffPſal. 73.6.Ps 73:6 Pride compaſſeth them about as a chai…e: they weare their wickedneſſe in pompe, as if they meant it ſhould grace them.ggPhil. 3.19.Phil 3:19 They glory in their ſhame: ſuch as boaſt their quantities of drinke, and varieties of uncleanneſſe; (it is all one) how far into their hearts they have admitted the d…

Such are calledhhRev. …2.15.Rev 2:15 Dogs: not onelyonly becauſe they are as fawning as dogs, … tering their feeders: or as ravenous as dogs, inſatiately devouring, canine appeti…: or as malicious as dogs, barking out ſcandals at their lives that ſhine with goodneſſe: but as uncleane as dogs, and as ſhameleſſe as dogges; noiſome with imp… dence, and impudent with noiſomeneſſe; their place is without,iiPſal. 10.3.Ps 10:3 The wicked b… ſteth p. 659his hearts deſire: he doth not cover it, nor excuſe it, but boaſt it: nor ſhift it … another, but makes it appeare his owne hearts deſire. Mala admittunt, admiſſa …ctant, jactata defendunt. kkIſidor. de ſum bon. cap. 20.Majoris eſt culpae manifeſtè quàm occultè peccare: ille …pliciter reus, quia & agit & docet. The Popiſh rule is ſafer, Cautè ſi non caſtè: …ut theſe, vitia tam minimè abſcindunt, ut non abſcondant. They proſtitute their …oules as the Romans did the bankrupts houſes, with, Who gives moſt? If their …and hath beene the Organ of unrighteouſneſſe, their mouth ſhall be the Trump…t …o proclaime it.

There is more modeſty in them that ſeeke concealement: if there be any buſh … Paradiſe, any tempter to bee named by Adam; a woman of thy giving, Eve; …hereas it was a woman of his owne ſeeking, concupiſcence: Gehezi hath a lying co…er, Saul a pretending colour; here is ſomething to be alledged for mittigation. …ut to ſin without ſhame, yea, to out-ſin all ſhame, to publiſh the tenour of vil…ny in print; this is Sodomes ſtate. Vncleanneſſe was not confined to the Cham…er, nor the every to the night, nor corruption blanch'd and skin'd over with hy…ocriſie: but borne aloft, juſtified by protection, and crowned with garlands of …onour and approbation. This ſin abandons ſecreſie, ſcornes reproofe: admoni…on to it were but like goads to them that are mad already, or a powring of oile …owne the chimney.

It is ſaid of ^b Thamar; that Iudah tooke her for an harlot by her dreſſing.llGen. 38.15.Gen 38:15 She …kes upon her the habite of an harlot, becauſe ſhe meanes to be one: her attire de…lares her purpoſe. If ſhe had not wiſhed to ſeeme a whore, ſhe would have avoi…ed ſuch a place and vaile. The externall monuments of immodeſty bewray a …arnall heart: they that meane well, will never wiſh to ſeeme ill. Nature (not too …r perverted) is not more forward to commit ſin, than willing to hide it: and we …ommonly affect to ſhew better than we are. Not few harlots put on the ſem…lance of chaſtity, and bittterly raile on them that appeare naught. Mooriſh paſ…ges are dangerous for travellers, but the pits which the eye ſees, the foot avoides. …et us never truſt thoſe that doe not wiſh to appeare good.

To conclude then, Sodome ſought no cover, and ſhe was not covered; fire …nd brimſtone had free acceſſe to her; and her confuſion no leſſe than her corrup…on, was palpable to the world. Openneſſe of ſin ſaves Iuſtice a labour of inqui…tion: there need no hew and cry after that theefe which preſents himſelfe. Are …ere no ſuch publike ſinners amongſt us? None that openly diſ-hallow the Sab…aths; none that juſtifie ſacriledge; a ſin now as manifeſt as Sodomes: none that …ave ſo ſworne away all grace, that they make it their grace to ſweare.mmRom. 16.17Rom 16:17 Marke …em that cauſe deviſions and tumults among you, marke them with the black coale …f infamy: let them be to you, as Lepers among the Iewes, or as men ful of plague…res among you; whom neither the feare of God nor man can worke to peace, …nquietneſſe muſt be their portion for ever; the ſhame of the Goſpell, malicious, …rangling Chriſtians. Concerning theſe open ſins, let me ſay to the Magiſtrate, … David to Salomon ofnn1 Kin. 2.8.9.1 Kgs 2:81 Kgs 2:9 Shemei; we may not, you muſt puniſh.

2 The continuance: as their ſins were extant, ſo conſtant;ooPſa. 10.5.Ps 10:5 Their wayes were …wayes grievous. Their wayes, not ſome few ſteps; grievous, not meanely offen…ve; and that without intermiſſion, alwayes. It is not ſo much ſin, as the trade of …n that is damnable. They ſin while they eate, ſin while they walke, talke, even in …eepe they ſin: their ſportive, tranſportive mirth is full of obſceneſſe: their beds, …oards, chambers, and (if they diſſemble any devotion) the very Churches are …itneſſes of their impiety: ſuch fluid ſoules, that no coſtive medicine can ſtay the …ux of their ſins: but the very remanent ſnuffe of originall goodneſſe muſt lan…uiſh out in a ſtinking diſſoluteneſſe. Time, cummunis medicus, the remedy of …ther evils, encreaſeth this. Other creatures grow up to their height, and then …ecay and dye: onelyonly it is ſaid of the Crocodile, that ſhe growes to her laſt day. …o doth this mans ſin; Plus ſenio confectus, plus malo infectus: corpore debilior, facinore p. 660fortior. It is ſaid of the Moone; Creſcit, ſeneſcit, evaneſcit, & reparat ſua c… nua Phoebe: ſhe waxeth, and waneth, and vaniſheth, and then appeares againe with repaired hornes: but here is no change, except from evill to worſe. They ſo habituate ſins, Vt diu aſſueta, tandem putantur nulla: as the Fryers dwindle their orders, from Minim's to Nullan's. Or as ſome owe debts ſo long, that they forget them to be debts. They thinke the Preacher does them over-haſty wrong to call them from their inveterate luſts: as when a creditor demanded his money long due; the debter jeſted with his companion: See, I have ought him the money theſe ten yeares, and he is as earneſt with me as if I had borrowed it but yeſterday. Like men that have ſo often told a lie, that at laſt themſelves thinke they ſpeake true.

Lot may preach to them, but unleſſe Lot could convert them, there is no reparation of their life. Reſolute ſinners love diſſolute Teachers; ſuch as cannot, or dare not ſpeake the truth. That cannot, for inſufficiencie: their place hath ſet them to charge, but they have neither powder, nor ſhot. That dare not, for flatterie: we may ſay of their Sermons, as it is reported of ſome harpes: Oculos paſcunt, … onerant: it is better to ſee, than heare them: their fingering may pleaſe the eye, their melodie is nothing worth. Yet as Saint Keywins harpe is kept for a great relique: ſo flattering teachers are venerable monuments with theſe.

Bern.They ſin becauſe they will ſin: Quare peccas? quia neſcis quid facias? d…ſ…: quia cogeris ut facias? abſit: ſed quia placet ut ſic facias. The cauſe is neither ignorance, nor compulſion, but wilfulneſſe. Though we muſt offend, yet for ſhame let there be ſome interruption and breaking off in our ſins: let not men run head-long to hell, and never ſo much as looke backe. It is for the Devill only to doe nothing elſe but ſin: a ſinner from the beginning, a ſinner to the end. Who gives a peny to that merchant that rejoyceth in his ſhipwracke? or will conferre an eſtate upon him that reſolves to be a beggar? Saint Auguſtine confeſſeth a ſtate of himſelfe unconverted, bad enough; when he ſaid, Petieram caſtitatem, ſed nollem obtinere: but theſe will not ſo much as Petere, deſire to be good.

While they are in Dalila's lappe, they thinke themſelves as ſafe as if they were in Abrahams boſome. As beggars get their living by ſhewing their ſores: let a Chirurgion offer to heale them, they refuſe it, becauſe they live by them. We offer to cure mens maladies, their riot, rapine, uncleaneſſe, lying, blaſphemie: No, they thank us, and ſay, they live by them. This is that Babel which will not be cured. Yea, they are worſe than thoſe beggars; for they deſire not ulcers, yet when they have them, they make uſe of them: but theſe by an unnaturall luſt conc… them, and make ulcers in their conſcience. Perhaps the iſſue there hath continued ſo long, that if they offer to ſtop it, they die: the Devill hath hamper'd ſome ſo faſt, that they dare not but ſin, for feare they ſhould anger him, for a Ne…c…: and their conſciences would ſo pinch and torture them, that they dare not ad… conference. As they that have curſt and ſhrewiſh wives at home, love to ſtray abroad: ſo men moleſted with a ſcolding conſcience, as the whore, drunkard, homicide; are faine continually to play, drinke, riot; to goe to bed with their heads full of wine, and no ſooner wake, but to it againe. So that their conſcience and knocke at the doore a thouſand times, and they are never within, or at leaſure to be ſpoke withall. Yet muſt they at laſt be met and found, as Ahab was by E…, even by this enemie: ſtay they never ſo long, and ſtray they never ſo farre, they muſt home at laſt. Sickeneſſe will waken them, conſcience muſt ſpeake wi… them, as a Maſter with his truant Scholer after a long abſence; and then there are no men under heaven who more need that prayer, LORD have mercy upon them!

3The uncleanneſſe: their ſin was not only palpable, and durable, but deteſtable: they were expoſed to turpitude, their bodies proſtituted to fleſhly polluti…. By [filthy] underſtand all carnall defilements, the kinds whereof Saint Paul ſpecifies p. 661to the Romans under their proper names, becauſe they were familiarly knowne to them. But to the Galathians, he wraps them up in generall termes, be…auſe there they were more obſcure: As our Apoſtle doth not name Sodomes fil…hineſſe to the Chriſtian Iewes, leſt by ſpecifying it he ſhould in a manner teach …t. The degree of Pope Syricius involved marriage among the pollutions of the …eſh: and ſuch was the over-ſight of Saint Gregory upon, 1 Cor. 7.2. Conceſsit mi…imo, ut majus declinetur: a falſe gloſſe of a ſincere Text, ſtriving to prove by the Apoſtles words, that matrimonie is by permiſſion, not by commandement: and …herefore Sine vitio non eſſe, quod ignoſcitur, & non praecipitur; that cannot be with. …ut ſinne, which is pardoned, and not impoſed. But if it were a ſin to marry, God …imſelfe ſhould be the Author of ſin, for he was the author of marriage. Neither …oth God pardon it as a thing forbidden, but permit it as a thing lawfull, though …he Apoſtle doth not there impoſe it as a thing neceſſary. And it is a forced inter…retation, to taxe that of iniquity, which God hath ordained for a remedie. For …e doth not forbid, but rectifie our deſire; Let every man have his owne wife: Su…m, non alienam: Vxorem, non concubinam: vxorem, non uxores: a Wife, not a concubine: his owne wife, not another mans: his Wife, not wives. Lamechs incongrui…ie, (Heare O yee wives of Lamech) was like falſe latine: for wives admit of no plu…alitie, when they be conſtrued with one husband.ppMal. 2.15.Mal 2:15 God had abundance of Spirit, yet unus unam uni, he ordained but one woman for one man.

But let us abhorre that doctrine, that ſhall at once caſt out the aſperſion of ſin …pon marriage, and yet ſeeke to vindicate uncleanneſſe from ſin by a toleration of …tewes. It was Gods expreſſe prohibition;qqDeut. 23.17.Deut 23:17 There ſhall be no whore of the daugh…ers of Iſrael. Many flatter themſelves, that this is but a tricke of youth: belike they are content to loſe the kingdome of heaven with a tricke: an unhappy tricke, that coſts a man his ſoule.

It is truly ſaid, that a whore is the high way to the Devill: he that lookes on her with luſt, begins his voyage: he that ſtayes to talke with her, is halfe his way: he that enjoyes her, is at his journeys end. She is Mendax, out-lying a newes-monger: fallax, her kiſſes be ſweet poyſon: Vorax, her eye is on your face, while her heart is on your caſh: Tenax, a deepe ditch: what is wrack'd there, is loſt for ever: Curioſa, dreſſing her ſelfe all day, to provoke appetite at night: Impudica, others ſinnes ſhew like land-ſchip, a farre off; hers like huge ſtatutes: damnoſa, damnable both to her ſelfe and others. She keepes her ſelfe a ſtranger to repen…ance, till they two meete at an hoſpitall. She lives like Cain, a reprobate vagabond without any conſtant habitation. Her body is the common ſewer, her ſoule a ſnuffe which onelyonly Surgery keepes alive, and at laſt it goes out in everlaſting ſtench.

For others; it is her miſerie and miſchiefe not to be damned alone, ſhe brings many to her owne fire, and ſo does the Devill ſpeciall ſervice. She is a witch that hath wrought upon Saints, asrrGen. 38.15.Gen 38:15 Thamar (though otherwiſe a good woman) did once upon Iudah. He eſteemes her by her habite, and the very ſight of an harlot hath fiered him with luſt: the Devill knowes that a fit object is halfe a victorie. At the firſt ſight he is enflamed, and (which is ſtrange) caught with her love before he ſaw her face. Not examining whether ſhe was faire or foule, ſicke or ſound, friend or enemie, it was enough that ſhe was a woman. The preſence of the Adullamite does not reſtraine him: ſo had luſt beſotted him, that he could endure a witneſſe. She was cunning, and would not truſt him without a pawne: a pledge he leaves her, his ſtaffe and ſignet. O that the filthy affection ſhould thus tranſport a ſonne of Iacob! But in him let us ſee the eaſieſt fruites of it, feare and ſhame. Feare he came to pay the hire of his luſt, and ſhee was gone: now hee feares, leſt his owne ſignet ſhould ſeale his reproach, and to be beaten with his own ſtaffe. Shame, purpoſing, if theſe evidences were produced, not to owne them, and wiſhing that no other might know them. When the fact appeares, and the author cannot lie hid, p. 662with that ſhame, yea horror muſt he looke upon Thamars two ſons, the monuments of his filthineſſe? It muſt needs cut off his ſoule to heare them call him Si… and Grand-ſire and Thamar both mother and ſiſter. Shame is the ſureſt and eaſieſt wages of this ſinne, there is more belongs to it.

He that hath thus fallen, muſt goe to the price of many a teare, it muſt caſt him deepe ſighes, and the heavy grones of a broken heart. It is not a light and tranſient ſorrow that can doe it: the gates of heaven are ſhut, and every breath of a Miſerere will not open them. Their ſtate is dangerous, and there is but one way to helpe them: to repent what they have done and never more to doe wh… they have repented. If we have admitted ſuch a proſtitution of our bodies, let … obtaine by faithfull penitence ſuch a reſtitution of our honours. So ſhall the ga…s of bliſſe be opened againe to us: for God eſteemes not men as they have beene, but as they are.

Vexed.] The laſt point is Lots caſe: he did burne in zeale, as Sodome did i… luſt: there was fire in them both; his, a holy fire from the Altar of God, theirs, an unnaturall fire blowne into their veines by the bellowes of hell.

Vexed.] this was no ordinary diſturbance, nor common diſpleaſure: but oppreſſed, excruciated, tormented; his ſenſes, his very ſoule exceedingly afflicted. He was not an idle looker on, as if he minded not what they did: nor in a timerous obſervation of the Proverbe: of little medling comes great reſt: but knowing it to be the cauſe of God, his heart was perplexed about it. He durſt as freely expoſtulate, as they durſt act; and tooke as full liberty of reproving, as they took licenciouſneſſe of offending. He was not vexed with them, but with their deeds: we are to hate none for their creation, but perverting the end of their creatio… let us love Gods Image, not the filthy defacement of it. Pax cum viris, bellum c… vitiis, peace with the perſon, not with the conditions.

Vexed.] that which is here paſſive, is in the next verſe active; he vexed his righteous ſoule. He vexed his owne ſoule: who bad him ſtay there to be vexed? He vexed himſelfe, when he might have quitted himſelfe. Yet becauſe he was vexed, he is delivered. He was but a gueſt to Sodome, an Hoſt to the Angels: …e liked well of their ſituation, not of their converſation, and found more bitterneſſe in the one, than ſweetneſſe in the other. Yet becauſe he avoided their ſins, he eſcaped their judgements. And ſurely they were both miraculous: for his declining their ſins, was no leſſe a wonder than his deliverance from their flames. As the latter was Gods gracious prevention, ſo the former was his prevenient grace: and he was not more bound to bleſſe God for ſaving his body from the fire, than for ſaving his ſoule from their ſin.

The nature and quality of this vexation I referre to the next verſe. Conclude we with obſerving and admiring a wonder: a man environed with fire, and not burning; floating on the ſea, and not drowning; dealing with dunghils, and not defiled; contemned and honoured, made rich by being impoveriſhed. If I ſhould propound a riddle; what is the higheſt and the loweſt: the faireſt and the fowleſt: the ſtrongeſt and the weakeſt: the richeſt and the pooreſt: the happieſt and … happieſt: the ſafeſt and moſt in danger of any thing in the world? I durſt not promiſe with Sampſon, new ſutes of apparell to all that can expound it. It is a true Lot, a good Chriſtian.

He is the loweſt of the world, De profundis clamavi? ſſPſal. 130.1.Ps 130:1Out of the deepes have I called: ſo low a hedge that every ſon of fortune treads him downe. Yet the higheſt, for histtPhil. 3.20.Phil 3:20 converſation is in heaven: let his feet ſtand upon earth, his head is in heaven.

He is the loweſt in appearance to the world; for ſo diſguiſed with weeping, watching, faſting, that he ſeemes like a bottle dryed in the ſmoke: ſo loden with reproches,Eſa. 53.2.Isa 53:2 that he lookes black as if he had lyen among the pots. ^u There is no forme, no beauty nor comlineſſe deſirable in him. Yet the faireſt; black but comely; fairer p. 663than all the ſons of nature; the delight of Angels, the love of God.xxCant. 4.7.Song 4:7 Thou art all …ire my love and there is no blemiſh in thee. yyActs. 6.15.Acts 6:15Thus the face of Stephen appeared like …n Angell: the Sunne, the Heavens, the Firmament of refulgent Starres are not …omparable.

He is the weakeſt, a Lambe among Wolves, afflicted on this ſide, oppreſſed …n that: a reed that bowes at every guſt. Elias under a Iuniper-tree, weary of …is life: Iob on the racke, broken with ſores and ſorrowes. Yet the ſtrongeſt, be…g armed with faith, hope, and love, three invincible forces: faith being able to …move mountaines, to overcome the world: hope an immoveable anchor, able …o ſtay the veſſell in the greateſt ſtormes: love ſtrong as death, undertaking death … the terribleſt forme, that it may come to Chriſt. Thus Elias durſt face a king, …nd tell him, Thou troubleſt Iſrael. Herodian writes of Plantiamus, the Emperor Se…erus his favourite, that he had ſuch a terror in his countenance, men durſt not look …im in the face. Therefore when he went abroad, he had his Ante-ambulones, …entlemen-uſhers before him, to give warning, that men might caſt their eyes to …e earth at his comming. It is ſaid of St Benedict, that he had ſuch a power of ter…or in his eye, that caſting but a look upon Totilas, that warlike King of the gothes furious and audacious man; he made him tremble. Such a Majeſtie hath reſulted …om the face of diverſe martyrs, that the tormentors were more afraid of them, …an they of their tormentors. They are built upon ſuch a foundation, that all the …rdinance of hell can never batter them.

He is the pooreſt, not only in regard of ſuperfluities, but even of neceſſaries. Moſes muſt not thinke ſcorne to keepe ſheepe, nor David to beg bread of Nabal, or Elias to be fed with ravens, nor Lazarus to be glad of crummes, nor the Apo…les for pure hunger to plucke the eares of corne, nor Peter to confeſſe, Silver, and …ld have I none, not a peny in his purſe; nor CHRIST himſelfe to be ſo neere …riven, as to looke for figs from a tree in the way, and miſſe his purpoſe. Yet ſtill …e richeſt, without meate, not without Chriſt: ſine domo, non ſine Domino: what…ever he wanteth, he wants not content. And it is no paradoxe, that a man may …e rich with little, and poore with much. Content is the poore mans riches, and …eſire is the rich mans povertie. Diſceſſâ avaritiâ, ceſſat indigentia: there is no want, …here is no wantonneſſe.

Hee is the unhappieſt, for his hands are tied from revenge, his eyes muf…ed that he muſt not looke upon vanitie, his lips ſealed that he may not returne …buke for rebuke. He lives in the worldlings paradiſe, as the Poets fained of Tan…lus; up to the chinne in pleaſures, and is not ſuffered to taſte them. Touch not, …ſte not, handle not; what a miſerable life is this? Yet, is he the unhappieſt; the …eace of conſcience, being his everlaſting Chriſtmas: a joy he hath, which no man … take from him. The Affrican King in Charles the greats Court, offering to be …priſed, obſerved diverſe poore men ſitting on the ground, and ſerved in meane …anner, demanded what they were: it was anſwered him, that they were the ſer…nts of CHRIST. Whereupon he replied, If the King keepe his ſervants ſo …th, and CHRISTS ſervants ſo poore, I will be no ſervant of CHRISTS. …hey that thus looke on the out-ſide of Chriſtians, find ſmall glory to pleaſe the …e of ſenſuall reaſon: it is the Inner man that is faire and rich and bleſſed, adorned …ith more Iewels than the eye of the world ever ſaw, or the treaſure of the world … ſelfe is worth.

He is in continuall danger, his ſoule being the but for all Satans darts, his bo…y the anvile for the worlds afflictions, he runs thorow many deaths, and is killed … the day long. Thus was Chriſt himſelfe ſerved; Nec receſsit à ſervo, quod praſsit in Domino. When the Iewes offered Ieſus gall and vinegar; he taſted it but …ould not drinke; he left the reſt for his Church, and they muſt pledge him. Yet …ill he is ſafe, under the ſhadow of Gods wings; and when the whole world floats …n the waters, Noah ſhall ſit dry in his Cabin. Let Sodome be all on a flame, not p. 664a haire of Lots head ſhall be ſindged. All the aſſaults of fleſh and bloud agai…t them, is but as if glaſſe ſhould encounter Adamant. The great King takes them into his protection, and woe unto all thoſe that attempt their ruine.

This is the Chriſtians eſtate: now every man would be partaker of the height, not the baſeneſſe, of the beautie, not deformitie, of the ſtrength, not infirmity, … the riches, not povertie, of the happineſſe, not infelicitie, of the ſafetie, not the d… ger that waits upon religion. But the comforts of Ieſus be not for them tha… d… claime his ſorrowes. Ioſeph had faire poſſeſſions in the land of Aegypt, but he b… queathed none of theſe to his children, becauſe they were to have Canaan. So God allowes his children but little here, becauſe he meanes to give them he… hereafter. Lord, whatſoever requiſites be wanting, or troubles abounding, a…o… journey: let our latter end be peace.