Commentary on 2 Peter, Commentary on 2 Peter volume 2 · Chapter 2 · Verse 12

Commentary on 2 Peter · Commentary on 2 Peter volume 2 · Chapter 2 · Verse 12

p. 8332 PET. 2.12.

But theſe as naturall bruit beaſts made to be taken and deſtroied, ſpeake evill of the things that they underſtand not, and ſhall utterly periſh in their owne corruption.

WHen ſinne growes inſolent, it is time for Preachers to be fervent: ſinners muſt not live like beaſts, and be flattered like men. If the Princes of Iſrael pamper their fleſh with the food of riot, the Prophet will not ſticke to call them the fat Buls of Baſhan. The Apoſtle is not afraid to put the deſerved title of Bruits upon theſe graceleſſe deceivers. Never was that man meale-mouthed, that was full of the Lords errand. Doe we herein diſpleaſe any? Should we pleaſe men, we were not the ſeruants of God: ſhould we pleaſe beaſts in the ſhapes of men, we were the ſervants of Satan.Mic. 2.11.Mic 2:11 Shall wee walke in the ſpirit of falſhood, and prophecie of Wine and ſtrong drinke? This were to be a beaſt for company. But, as we hope, you have no will to be ſuch hearers: ſo bleſſed be God, we have no skill to be ſuch Preachers. Biſhop Latimer in his ultimum vale to the Court, proteſted that if he ſhould ſay nothing the whole houre together, but the very words of his Text, Beware of covetouſneſſe; his Sermon might be thought witleſſe, not needleſſe. We may ſay the like of the vice in my Text, Intemperance; it were not loſt labour, nor miſpent time, to ſay nothing elſe, till we had all amended that. But as ſome ſeed is ſowne among thornes, which prick the ſides of the ſower: ſo much, by the high way, which for want of mould and root, the fowles of the aire, boone companions pecke up. The bellowes are burnt, but the wicked are not turned. It ſeemes,Ier. 6.26.Jer 6:26 the Prophet had burnt a hole in his bellowes, gotten the conſumption of the lungs, ſpent his ſpirits, and loſt his labours. This is our unhappineſſe, but more yours. Miniſters (as Chriſt did to the Iewes) offer the world wine: and the world (as the Iewes did to Chriſt) returne them vineger. What we give with the right hand, they take with the left: wee are borne for the good of many, few are borne for the good of us. But howſoever we ſpeed, Gods meſſage muſt be delivered: we dare not but call ſinners by their names; unnaturall men, naturall beaſts.

Theſe damnable ſeducers are here deſcribed further, by their

Reſemblance, As naturall bruit beaſts.

Ordinance, Made to be taken and deſtroied.

Ignorance, Speake evill of things they underſtand not.

Vengeance, Shall periſh in their owne corruption.

Firſt, for their Reſemblance; wherein I conſider two things: Quibus, and In quibus: What they are like, Beaſts: wherein they are like them, In Senſuality.

1 What they are like; Beasts. Quibus.The wicked have many homely compariſons in the Scipture. Sometimes to reprobate ſilver, which will buy no commoditie:Ier. 6.30.Jer 6:30 ſometime to d…ated trees, good for nothing but the fire. To dung and excrements;Iud. verſ. 12. yea they are not ſo uſefull: for theſe ſerve to manure the ground, the other to infect it. Often to Beaſts; wherein the Divine Iuſtice ſhames them, flinging filth in the faces of this degenerate creatures. Peju… ita comparari, quàm eſſe: it is better to be a beaſt, than a man compared with beaſts. The ſpirit of beaſts is made of the aire, and into aire it reſolveth: it knowes nothing but the preſent, makes no reckoning of hereafter, nor ſhall hereafter bee called to a reckoning for it. p. 834They have groveling faces, earth is their Vltimum. Mans body is of a nobler fabricke, his very conſtitution naturally erects him to a higher aime. Beſides, his ſoule, a particle of the Divine breath, is able to diſcourſe, argue, conclude, inferre; conceives by reaſon a future life, to which this but prepares, and which it begins.

Let a beaſt doe a miſchiefe; ſuppoſe a Lion kils his prey, he retires to his den, and quietly feeds, without feare of anſwering for this fact. When man hath done a murder, there is a fury within him, lowder than cracks of thunder, ſharper than ſtings of Scorpions; a Conſcience awaked by the cry of blood: no beaſt ever knew what Conſcience was. Thus man, having more noble endowments, ſhames his Creation, by living like beaſts. You have read many fables and Apologues, wherein beaſts are fained to ſpeake like men: but who would endure that Theater, where men be ſeene to play the beaſts. Such is the power of ſinne, it can transforme men into beasts: ſo in a mortall ſenſe, are all thoſe Metamorphoſes to be underſtood, wherein the Poets tranſ-ſhaped men into beaſts. While Idolaters turne beaſts into gods, they turne themſelves into beaſts.

In Quibus.2 They want not their reſemblances, and the ſimilitude holds both generally and ſpecially. Generally, in three things:

1The whole intendment of the beaſt is the belly and groine; ſo wicked men are wholly led by ſenſualitie. Their ſoule is made a ſlave to their ſenſe; and while this rebels, ſhe that worſt may, muſt hold the candle. She thinkes of praying; but if the fleſh will have it ſo, there muſt be ſinging and dancing: ſhe perſwades to faſting, but the fleſh hales on to rioting. All her morning care muſt be to provide the body a dinner: nor is ſhee onelyonly made the bodies Cater, but even too often his Pandar.

Beaſts cannot praevidere futura, nor providere futuris; they have no providence; 2but the expectation of the day ends with it: they count not of weekes and yeeres; but only riſe and rooſt with the Sunne. So theſe bruitiſh animals make no other proviſion. If you ſay, they can lay up victuals for to morrow; ſo doe divers beaſts: the little Ant fils her granaries in harveſt, for the Winter-ſtore. In this they are but even with beaſts; and for the fore-ſight of vengeance to come, they are no better. Yea, ſome beaſts can prognoſticate a ſtorme, and run to ſhelter: theſe men provide no refuge, but thinke to beare off the Iudgements of God with head and ſhoulders. Hares have their muſes, and Foxes fore-acquaint themſelves with boroughs, whither being hunted they run for ſuccour: theſe have not a hole to hide their heads. Therefore when conſcience begins to thunder, and the torrent rores with an inundation of ſorrowes; they flie to the fiddle, to the Taverne: which is as if when it raines, a man ſhould run into the Thames to keepe him dry. They know no more how their time paſſeth away, than a beaſt is able to tell the Clocke. Therefore commonly their departure is ſo ſudden, that when they looke for a pleaſant Peale, behold it is their Paſſing-bell.

3Beaſts are not aſhamed of their deeds: where is no reaſon, there is no ſinne: and where is no ſinne, there can be no ſhame. Theſe have reaſon, yet are not aſhamed of their abominations;Ier. 8.12.Jer 8:12 and therein are beaſts, or worſe. Yea, the very dogge, though he cannot bluſh, will goe away as if he were aſhamed, when hee hath done a ſhrewd turne, and is taken in the manner. But theſe have a meretricious fore-head, ſtupid and ſteeled with impudence; ſhame-proofe: there is not ſo much blood of grace in their hearts, as will ſerve to make halfe a bluſh in their cheekes. Their end will be worſe than frontleſſe Gehezi's: for want of red, his skinne was ſpotted with white: he ſtrove to out-face Eliſha, let him trie to out-face the leproſie.

Specially, for ſome particulars; there is a neere ſimilitude of their conditions. As they have match'd themſelves, ſo take them by couples.

p. 8351 The Goat and the Whore-lover; a paire of uncleane beaſts; fit for no place but the ragged mountaines and deſarts. They thinke wantonneſſe nothing elſe but the meere appetite of nature. But who bee they that ſhall be ſet on the left hand, with a Goe ye curſed? Goates.

2 The Hog & the Covetous, a paire of odious beaſts. They are both rooting in the earth, that's their felicitie: both rooting up the earth, that's their miſchiefe: both love to wallow in the mire; none ſo ſordid as the avarous: both will breake through all fences, if they be not yok'd: both are hoiniſh, grunting, and inſatiate; neither of thē can endure a partner in their comeſſation: neither of them both do good while they live, ſome good may be got from thē both when they are dead.

3 The Wolfe and the Oppreſſor, a paire of ravenous beaſts. Both love to ſucke the warme blood of innocent Lambes, both to fill their holes with rapine: both barke at the Moone, any light that may diſcover their miſchiefes: both are greedy to ſwallow more than they can digeſt: both howle when their hopes are diſappointed: both live by the ſpoile, the wolfe of other beaſts, the Oppreſſor of his owne kind: both doe ſo well match together, that it was good for the land, if they were both hang'd together.

4 The Palfrey and the Swaggerer, a paire of unbridled beaſts.Pſal. 32.9.Ps 32:9 The horſe will caſt his rider, and being downe, give him a farewell with his heeles. For men being reproved, to kicke at the Meſſengers of God, is a gallant yet but a Iadiſh qualitie. When a bridle of prohibition is put into his jawes, fraena ferox ſpumantia mandit, he frets and fumes, as if he were ſo great, that God muſt not croſſe him. But all he gets by it is, that when a ſnafflle cannot rule him, a ſtronger bit ſhall be put into his mouth. As we have ſeene a ſtomackfull horſe, that will not be ſtopp'd in his carrier with the ſharpeſt bit; but runs on headily till hee comes to ſome wall or ditch, and then ſtands ſtill and trembles. Death is that terrible ditch which will ſtay his fury; he is a headſtrong beaſt, whom that gaſtly foe cannot breake.

5 The Foxe and the Cheater, a paire of crafty beaſts. Both love to doe miſchiefe, neither loves to owne it: coozenage is both their trades; they live by it, neither indeed can they live without it. The Foxe will ſtand by the river, and let his taile play in the water, till the fiſhes come flocking about it; and then with a jerke he ſwoopes them out. His hole is his ſtudie, and the fold his ſtage, where he playes his part. Herod was ſuch a Foxe, but Chriſt could hunt him out. The Ieſuites are ſuch foxes; they will not looke towards the bootie they aime at: yet all their labour about your conſcience is but to get a beniſon to their owne Colledge. There ſhould be no robbing of the living, to give the dead:Chryſ. in Luk. 11.Luke 11 but theſe foxes will allow you no reſt, till you give ſomething for Requiems: if a rich Papiſt doe not buy ſome ſoules out of purgatory, they doome him to hell. This with them is Pia fraus, but by the ſame reaſon, the foxe is a pious beaſt. Would many of our ſhops were not the boroughs of ſuch foxes:Aquin. there is no ſubtletie like that, which deceives a man, and hath thankes for the labour.

6 The Beare and the Whore, a paire of cruell beaſts. Both lie at ſtake, both are to be baited, by all dogs of the game: both their fleſh is ſold for money, by the Beareherd, or by the Bawd: theſe gaine all; the poore beaſts have but abuſed bodies, the one withall a torne conſcience, for their paines. A Strumpet in her malice, is worſe than a ſhe-beare robbed of her whelpes. She is a theefe in her pleaſure, but a devill in her anger. She ſets a price on her body, ſhee ſets no price on her ſoule: that ſhe ſels, this ſhe gives away for nought. Vtrumque animat rabidum, omnivorum: both ſeldome have any iſſue: both theſe beaſts ſtand in feare of the whippe.

7 The Viper and the Traitor, a paire of peſtilent beaſts. Wee may ſay of either of them, It is not ſo much Animal, as Malum naturae. The Female in copulation bites off the head of the Male, prae voluptate: and the brood, Indignam p. 836chari mortem ulciſcentia Patris, Nicander.Eroſa miſer aenaſcuntur matris ab alvo; revenging the death of their Father, gnaw out the belly of their mother. Such a generation of Vipers were the Phariſes; who wounded the Church with their ſtings, wherein they were bred. Ieſuited Emiſſaries had firſt their birth and breeding in the indulgent boſome of England; yet moſt unnaturally, they betray their owne mother to miſerie and ruine.Virgil. Pectis acerba boum, pecorique aſpergere virus. They are infectious plagues to the families that harbour them; the bane of many poore ſoules, beſide their owne.

8 The Aſpe and the Slanderer, a paire of ſtinging beaſts. So the Pſalme matcheth them, The poiſon of Aſpes is under their lips. The Aſpe ſuckes not her cacochymicall poiſon from her food, but hath it bred in her owne nature. The Calumner derives not his railing venome from the object, for that is commonly good;Aelian. but makes it in his owne boſome. Slanderers are alſo compared to Scorpions: to avoid whom, men uſe to place their beds in water; yet the politike ſerpents have a device to reach them. They get up to the top of the houſe, where one takes hold, the next hangs at the end of him, a third upon a ſecond, a fourth upon the third; and ſo making a rope of Scorpions, they at laſt wound the man. Among ſcandalizers, one begins a whiſper, another makes it a report, a third enlargeth it to a dangerous calumnie, a fourth divulges it for truth. So the innocent mans credit is maimed, and he cannot finde out the villaine that did it.

9 The Frog and the Murmurer, a paire of croaking things. Both of them are bred of the mud, they come from no noble matter. Semina limus habet, virides generentia ranas. Ovid.Some write, that it raineth frogs; we might thinke ſo too by the number of our malcontents; men that will finde fault with everything; whom God himſelfe ſcarce knowes how to pleaſe. His nec ſicca placent, nec quae ſtagnata palude: no faire weather, nor raine; peace nor warre, can ſatisfie them. There is no worke of God, but opens their clamorous throats. In rauco quer…lae ſemper ſunt murmure ranae. When Bacchus was ſent to fetch the Worthier of E…ripedes or Aeſculus out of hell, as he paſſed in Charons wherry, hee heard nothing but the croaking of frogs: whereby the Poets inſinuate what a number of querulous and litigious perſons be in hell.

I might adde many more; as, Firſt, the Spaniell and the Flatterer, a paire of diſſembling beaſts: both feed their Maſters humour, that he may feed their hunger: both bemire a man with fawning on him. But let the great one uſe his Sycophant, as he does his Spaniell, and try if he will love him the better for beating him. Secondly, the Squirrell and the Buſibody, a paire of nimble and pragmaticall beaſts: but the Squirrell is the nimbler and wittier: ſome write of her, that becauſe ſhe cannot ſwimme well, when ſhe would croſſe a brooke, ſhee gets a piece of the barke of a tree, puts it into the water, and her ſelfe into it as in a boat; and then holds up her buſhy taile in ſtead of a ſaile, that ſo the winde may drive her over. Per varios uſus artem experientia fecit, Exemplo monstrante via…. The pragmaticall hath an oare in every mans boat, an eye in every mans window; is here, and there, and every where, but where he ſhould be: is ſtill buſie, yet never hath thankes for his labour. Thirdly, the Civet-cat and perfumed Gull, a paire of ſweet beaſts: onelyonly this ſent is naturall in the one, in the other artificiall: and what the one beaſt disburdens in ſcorne, the other takes up in pride.

I might couple the Tyger and the Perſecutor; the Boare and the Church-robber; or tell you of Tumblers, beaſts that have brought up their bodies to ſhew trickes; of Lurchers, that live by pilfering: of Setters, that will bring the bootie to the theeves hand; Pandars of filthineſſe. There bee Moales, blinde earthy Muckwormes: Weaſels and vermine, and innumerable humane beaſts, or beaſtiall men. But who would dwell long among beasts? I am weary of this bruitiſh Compariſon. Only there is one among men, for whom I can finde no p. 837ſample among beaſts; the Drunkard. I know not with what beaſt to match him; he is ſuch a beaſt, that no beaſt will keepe him company. The neereſt to him is the Swine, let them two be yoked together.

Now if men thinke ſcorne thus to be compared, let them forbeare to deſerve ſuch a compariſon. Yea, let me further aggravate their ſhame: there bee men that exceed even beaſts in ſenſualitie. Beaſts drinke not but when they are dry: the drunkard never tarries till he be athirſt. What beaſt, but he, powres in more, when he hath already too much? Beaſts have their times of copulation, and they keepe their naturall ſeaſons: incontinent man knowes no limits, but is infinite in his deſires. In many things men are ſo much worſe than beaſts, as they ought to bee better.

How well ſoever we thinke of our ſelves, the Scripture ſends us to divers beaſts for our learning. The very Ants are our ſchoolemaſters, to teach us providence. The Dog is loving to his maſter, and watchfull for his ſafety. The Horſe is valiant, ſtartleſſe at the drumme, neighs at the trumpet, is forward to the battell; to ſhame our cowardice. The Lion is a preſident of temperance; after a full meale hee tyes himſelfe to a three dayes abſtinence: hee is liberall, and leaves part of his prey for inferiour beaſts; condemning thoſe churliſh men that eat their morſels alone, and put the reverſion in their cupbords. Hee is full of nobleneſſe, hee ſcornes to ſeiſe upon the yeelding; whereas men prey on proſtrate fortunes. So moderate in his revenge, that hee will doe a man no more injury, than he receives from him; as ſome write. The Ape is quicke of apprehenſion, apt for imitation: lewd men will not learne to doe good either by precept or preſident. The Elephant is kinde; if he meet a man that hath loſt his way;Plin. he will both guide him, and defend him. The Oxe knowes his feeder, to teach us thankfulneſſe. Thus if they may not be Indices, to direct us; they ſhall be after a ſort, Indices, to condemne us; as the Dogs condemned that rich man, Luk. 16.Luke 16who were leſſe coſtive of their kindeneſſe than their maſter.

Senſuality is the vice heere condemned; a brutiſh converſation of men;The Summe who onelyonly deſire to live, that they may eat and drinke: which is indeed to live more belluino. Hee that hoords corne in the time of dearth, ſhall be curſed, and he deſerves it: yet his winnowed ſtore ſhall at laſt breake forth: but drunken engroſſers diminiſh our plenty, and ſtow it where it ſhall never doe good. How many thouſands, hard driven with poverty, or by the exigent of warre, might bee releeved with that theſe ſpend like beaſts? How juſt a puniſhment is famine after ſuch a ſatiety, and peſtilence after famine;Lam. 4.10.Lam 4:10 turning the ſanctuary of life into the ſhambles of death? Licurgus, to cure the peoples drunkenneſſe, cauſed all the vines to be cut downe; he might better have made a well in every vineyard, and marryed in every cup a watry nymph to fiery Bacchus. In cratere meo Thetis est conjuncta Lyaeo: Est dea juncta deo, ſed dea major eo. Immoderation makes vina venena; Ambr.yea worſe: for the worſt poyſon helpes ſome, but the drunkards potion hurts all. Some plead that they are able to beare it out: but to be a ſtrong drinker is but to be a ſtrong beaſt. The exceſſe is a ſin, whatſoever the ſucceſſe be. Whatever be the purpoſe before, or the event after; yet not the ſtrength in bearing it, but the abſtinence from taking it is praiſe-worthy. How fooliſh is it, for a little tickling of the palate, for a running banquet, to hazard eternall comfort.

Made to be taken and destroyed.] A fearefull ſaying! what,Their Ordinance. Conditus ut ſit perditus? If we underſtand it onelyonly of beaſts, the matter's not great; for they can periſh but once, and from their deſtruction ariſeth our preſervation. If they be noxious, wee are preſerved from their miſchiefe: if edible, by their nouriſhment. When they ſpend their lives in our ſervice, this was but their end; they were made for the purpoſe. But that man ſhould bee made, to bee marred, created for deſtruction; this is terrible, and (if not warily underſtood) uncomfortable. Some beaſts are made to be taken, not deſtroyed: ſome to be deſtroyed, and not p. 838taken: ſome both to bee taken and deſtroyed. 1 Wee take the Horſe and Aſſe, wee deſtroy them not; but teach them to carry us, or proviſion for us. Wee put their backes to the burden, not their throats to the knife. 2 There bee ravenous beaſts and venemous ſerpents, hoſtile to man, malicious dangers of our life: wee ſeeke to deſtroy them, not to take them. Wee ſend our bullets and arrowes, the meſſengers of death, into their bowels; we abhorre their carcaſes. 3 There be beaſts ad eſum & uſum, as ſheepe and kine; theſe we take and kill; the paſture fats and fits them for the table; wee feed them, to feed on them. Reprobates are ordained for both: when they have done the devill ſpeciall ſervice, drawne in his yoke, wrought out their owne perdition; then that mercileſſe butcher cuts their throats, and makes himſelfe a meale of their ſoules.

But let us hold this concluſion; as God made no man for ſinne, ſo not immediately for hell. Deus hominem condit, homo ſe perdit. But how then is it ſaid here, made to be taken and destroyed? This is a point that I did not willingly ſeeke, nor unwillingly finde: it ſtands in my way, and I durſt not praeterire inſalutatum. For method, firſt I will lay downe ſome infallible grounds. 2 Anſwer the objections that quarrell them. 3 Give the ſumme or cleere concluſion. 4 Laſtly, apply it to our ſelves.

Grounds.1 God is an abſolute Lord over his creatures, and hath as juſt right of their diſpoſition, as he had power of their creation. Is it not lawfull for him to doe what he will with his owne? Mat. 20.15.Matt 20:15Man challengeth authority over his goods, and hee may ſet this veſſell on his cupboord, that other on the dunghill. Wee are Gods veſſels, hee made us, hee owes us, hath an incomparable right over us; may hee not then diſpoſe us? Man in his family, takes in this ſervant, turnes that out of doores; and this, becauſe he will doe ſo: it were then deſperate boldneſſe to deny God the ſame faculty in his owne houſe. In the world, man kils this beaſts, lets alone the other; yet is not counted unjuſt: now a flye is more worth in reſpect of us, than we can be in reſpect of God. In an heape of clay, the Potter ſits working, and makes of the ſame lumpe in his hand, one part a cup for wine, the other a pot for urine. Farre greater is the liberty of Gods perfection, and the perfection of his liberty.

2 God is alwayes moſt juſt, nor can he doe other than what is perfectly good. Goodneſſe is not the Rule of his will, but his will is the Rule of goodneſſe. Non ideò vult quia bonum est, ſed ideò bonum est quia vult. His judgements are ſometimes manifeſt, often ſecret, alwayes wonderfull, never unjuſt.

3 The Will of God is the cauſe of all cauſes, in which we muſt make a ſtand; and neither beyond it, nor without it, ſeeke for any reaſon. It is ſo; why? becauſe he would have it ſo: why would he ſo have it? there is no cauſe of the firſt cauſe. The ſea, be it never ſo deepe, hath a bottome: the heavens, be they never ſo high, have a top: but of the will of God there are no limits, no confines. God in all his workes ſeekes for no cauſe out of himſelfe. The rich man chuſeth the object of his charitie at his owne pleaſure: this beggar he makes his heire, not that; and without injurie. Yet here may be ſome cauſe out of himſelfe: the perſon whom he adopts, may be more pleaſing to his eye, or obſequious to his commands. But the Lords chuſing hath no impulſive cauſe out of himſelfe; he did not elect men, becauſe he foreſaw they would be good; but they are made good by his Election. Nor did he reject others, without reſpect to their ſinnes.

4 The Lord hath purpoſed to paſſe by ſome men, for the manifeſtation of his Iuſtice in their deſerved ruine:1 Pet. 2.8.1 Pet 2:8 it is his will to ſuffer ſome to fall into ſinne, and for their ſinne to condemne them. That which is againſt the Will of God, comes not to paſſe without the Will of God: he willeth that to be, which hee willeth not to doe: and though he eſteeme not evill to bee good, yet he eſteemeth it good that there ſhould be evill.

5 He hath not ordained any to deſtruction without the reſpect of ſinne: for looke what condemneth men in the world, for that did God purpoſe to condemne p. 839them before the world. Not that ſinne is the cauſe of this decree, but that this decree is not ſeparated from the regard of ſinne. Hee doth not ſimply and abſolutely ordaine his creature to hell, but he decreeth puniſhment with relation unto ſinne. So then this concluſion is firme; Homo non damnatur propter Decretum, ſed propter peccatum.

1 If the Will of God be the energeticall operative beginning of all things, Objection. then alſo the beginning of ſinne. Anſw. Gods Will is the cauſe of all things being and exiſtent: a thing is not firſt, and afterwards God wils it;Eph. 1.11.Eph 1:11 but hee decrees it firſt, and therefore it is. Now ſinne is not properly an exiſtence, being, or action; but a defect. There is Ens reale, really and poſitively: and Ens rationale, in reaſon onelyonly; under which are contained not onelyonly notions and relations, but alſo privations. Sinne hath not a poſitive being, yet is it not nothing; but neceſſarily followes the abſence of righteouſneſſe. God made not ſinne, yet he juſtly condemneth for ſinne.

2 But if God ſuffers man to doe evill, is hee not the Author of that evill? Anſw. No, for he is not bound to hinder it. He doth not give Grace, who can challenge him? Is it not his owne? He doth not infuſe corruption, he doth not with-hold the occaſion. The rider gives his firy horſe the reines, we ſay he puts him on: the hunter lets ſlip his dog, we ſay hee puts him on the game. A houſe is ready to fall, leanes on ſome outward ſupporters; take away theſe, the houſe fals of it ſelfe. God forbids ſinne, the wicked are the more eager on it. As in the middle region of the aire, the heate growes ſtronger by the Antipariſtaſis or revulſion on every part, and from hence proceed the thunder and lightnings; the clouds being condenſated, by the heat round encompaſſed. So the wicked heart, ſtruggling with the good law, becomes more turbulent and firy in ſinne.

3 If God have decreed ſome to deſtruction, it muſt follow of neceſſity, and ſo man is damned againſt his will. Anſw. No, for Gods decree doth not impoſe a neceſſitie upon the Will of man. Indeed there is an hypotheticall neceſſity, of conſequence: if God deny men his grace, they will ſinne and periſh; but this is their owne will: Thoſe whom he hath choſen, ſhall never be damned; yet with their owne will they are ſaved. The elect Angels doe neceſſarily obey God, yet not by conſtraint, but willingly. It is one thing to throw a ſheepe into the river, another thing to ſhew her graſſe on the other ſide, and allure her to ſwimme to it. Deus non fieri cogit, quod factum damnat. Gaudent.Gods decree doth altogether order every event; by inclining the Will gently in things that be good, and forſaking it in things that be evill. If men will offend, hee is juſt to puniſh: if they will returne, he is mercifull to forgive. As he ſaves none but in reſpect of Chriſt, ſo he condemneth none but in regard of ſinne. That all mankinde was loſt, we may thanke our ſelves; bleſſed be the goodneſſe of God, that any be ſaved in Ieſus Chriſt.

4 The Scripture ſpeakes of the Salvation of all men; how then are ſome made to be deſtroied? they urge theſe places, Ioh. 1.29. Ioh. 3.17. 2 Cor. 5.19. 1 Ioh. 2.2. To which wee oppoſe, 1 Ioh. 5.19. Ioh. 17.9. Theſe wee reconcile out of S. August. Totus mundus est Eccleſia, and Totus mundus odit Eccleſiam. The world hateth the world, the malignant world hates the reconciled world; the damned world, the ſaved world. But God will have all men to be ſaved. 1 Tim. 2.4.1 Tim 2:4Anſw. All is taken either Distributivè; then it ſignifies every particular perſon. 2 Theſſ. 1.3. All, that is, every one. Or Collectivè, and then it ſignifies Any one, not Every one. Chriſt healed every diſeaſe, that is, any diſeaſe, or every kinde of diſeaſe.Mat. 9.35.Matt 9:35 Every man is a liar, ſaith the Prophet: now if every man be a liar, then is he a liar that ſpeakes it; and if he be a liar that ſpeakes it, then is it not true which he ſpeakes; ſo,Hieron. in Eph. 1. Cont.Eph 1 in that ſenſe, to ſay that every man is a liar, muſt be a lie it ſelfe. Or, God wils All to be ſaved, that is, of thoſe that are ſaved;Aug. Ep. 107. ad Vital. Enchi. ad Laur. ad. 103. for none are ſaved but by his willing it. Or Paul in this, and ſuch other places, ſpeakes according to his owne affection, p. 840and charitable judgement;Tit. 2.14.Titus 2:14 as he cals them in divers Churches, men elected; which was his charity, not his certaintie. But ſtill God hath his Peculiar people; therefore the reſt are common: and at the laſt day many ſhall be turned backe with a Neſcio vos. Perditus est qui natus est, Mat. 7.23. Aug. Ser. de verb. Apoſt. 44.Matt 7:23nemo liberatur niſi qui renatus est. Hell was not made for nothing; ſome muſt periſh.

Concluſion.This then be the ſumme; God did not make any man for the onelyonly purpoſe to deſtroy him; but theſe ſpeeches muſt be underſtood by way of conſequence, and effect.Mat. 10.34.Matt 10:34 I came not to ſend peace, but a ſword, and fire, upon earth; ſaith Chriſt, and to ſet men at variance. Luk. 12.49.Luke 12:49Yet certainely, this was not the end of his comming; neither ſword, nor fire was his intent, but peace: theſe are produced by accident, and through the malice of Satan and men, doe neceſſarily follow it; therefore he ſaith, I came to ſend fire. So the Apoſtle ſeeing men ſo deſperately wicked, ſpeakes of their making, according to their preſent being: as when wee ſee a man periſhing, we ſay, he was borne to this fortune; yet his mother did not beare him to ſuch a purpoſe. This ordinance hee ſetteth downe either by revelation, the Spirit of God ſo informing him; or by probable concluſion, reaſon ſo leading him;Gal. 5.21.Gal 5:21 they that doe ſuch things, ſhall not inherit the kingdome of God. But for us, wee muſt not peremptorily conclude the deſtruction of any man, though obſtinately wicked: becauſe God is ſo indulgent to the intervention of repentance. In thoſe dreadfull thunders of the Law, where every ſentence ſounds like the ſentence of death, every line is an axe laid to the root of the tree, every word able to affright the Reader: even there, Repentance creepes into the Text, and makes roome for her ſelfe among all thoſe terrours. In the midſt of all thoſe aſtoniſhing curſes, ſhe findes a mercifull place. She turnes the ſtreame of anger, the torrent of plagues; and like a ſtrong Eaſt winde divides the red ſea of Gods wrath; till his Iudgements, like thoſe waters, ſtand on heapes, while repentance walkes through the midſt, and eſcapes. This is that ſecret reſervation, which the divine merciemercy hath wrapped up in his menaces; an exception to the generall Rule of his Iuſtice. This ſuſpended Ninive's doome,Ier. 18.8.Jer 18:8 and ſtretched out her reſpite of forty dayes, to the allowance of forty yeeres.Eſai. 38.1.Isa 38:1 A Prophet tells a king, Thou ſhalt die, and not live; an Hebrew Pleonaſme, for ſureneſſe ſake; who could conceive a more abſolute ſpeech? yet was there a condition involved, and his dayes were lengthened. God ſaid to Abimelech, Gen. 20.3.Gen 20:3Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken. Yet the event was otherwiſe, to ſhew that there was an exception incloſed, Vnleſſe thou restore her undefiled. To apply all to our ſelves:

1 We were never admitted into Gods Regiſterie, to turne over his Rols, and to ſee what Names he hath written for death, and what for life. Therefore becauſe we know the doome of none, let us pray for all. And (to ſhew how mercifully our Maker meanes to comfort our hearts) we may bee ſure of our owne Election, ſure of others Salvation; we can be ſure of no mans reprobation. We cannot ſay, This man is ordained to be deſtroied: we may ſay of him that brings forth good fruits, This man is ordained to be ſaved. We may be ſure of others Salvation by charitie, of our owne by Faith: of others by their fruits, of our owne by the witneſſe of the holy Spirit. It is true indeed, that neither can apoſtaſie or turning unto ſinne, alter Gods decree for evill; as the Papiſts make Gods Election to depend on mans worke; as if hee ſhould ſay; Indeed I determined you to Salvation, but had I knowne you would have proved ſo wicked, I would never have done it; now I reverſe it. Nor can repentance or turning from ſinne alter his decree for good: I meant you loſt men, but now I ſee you returne, I will accept you to merciemercy. Farre be both theſe thoughts from us. True converſion may change his ſentence, it can never change his purpoſe.

2 Let this humble our proud hearts, and teach us to paſſe the time of our ſojourning here in feare. They were broken off becauſe of unbeleefe, thou ſtandest by faith: Rom. 11.20.Rom 11:20be not high-minded, but feare. Thou ſpeedeſt well, inſult not over him that p. 841ſpeeds otherwiſe. Vterque merüere vindict…m, …u non merüicti gloriam: both have deſerved puniſhment, if either be ſpared, it is altogether of merciemercy,Col. 3.12▪Col 3:12 without merit. Charitie is the fruit that growes on the tree of Election. Put on, as the Elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies. We are adjured by our Election▪ Selection, Dilection to be mercifull: Elect before time, Holy in time, Beloved at all times. God hath choſen the humble: He regarded the law estate of his …. Luk. 1.4… ▪Luke 1:4Humilitie was not the cauſe of this choice, but this choice comes not without humilitie. I will miſtruſt that heart, which in a haughty contempt of others, magnifies himſelfe: i… is likely, that man hath choſen himſelfe, not that God hath choſen him. When the lots were caſt for a kingdome, many an Iſraelite ſtood faire, and flattered himſelfe. Why not I? Modeſt Saul hid himſelfe, yet God gave him the Crowne. It ill becomes a man, even that hath merited honour, to be proud of either his honour or merit. But when an undeſerving beggar is pick'd out, and graced above his fellowes, if hee be proud, his honour will ſit unhandſomely on him, becauſe his beggarly heart is ſtill in him. Generally, hee that preſumes moſt, ſpeeds worſt.

Worke out your Salvation with feare and trembling: not with pride and inſulting,Phil. 2.1….Phil 2:1 nor with horrour and deſpairing; but with feare and trembling. By humilitie in good deeds, and feare of evill deeds, a man may worke out Salvation: the other will worke him out of Salvation. It is the divels moſt dangerous aſſault; You are ſure of your Election, know your owne name to be written in heaven; and by that title are better than Princes: why doe you not take it more upon you, and beare up your head higher? No, Satan, Pride caſt thee downe from heaven, it will never lift me up to heaven. Bleſſed are the poore in ſpirit, Mat. 5.3▪Matt 5:3for theirs is the kingdome of heaven: the proud in ſpirit have no ſuch intereſt; yea, theirs is the kingdome of hell, I am not as other men are, ſaith the Phariſie; and the clocke of his tongue went truer than the diall of his heart: not like other men indeed,Luk. 18.11.Luke 18:11 for hee was like none that ſhould be ſaved.1 Cor. 1.27.1 Cor 1:27 God hath choſen the weake to confound the mighty, not the mighty to dominere over the weake.Luk. 1.26.Luke 1:26 An Angell was ſent to a citie of Galile: this is Gods faſhion, to ſeeke out the moſt deſpiſed, on whom to beſtow his favours and honours: the cottages of Galile are preferred to the Palaces of Ieruſalem. Pride hatcheth the owne ruine; there is never any danger in humility. A tall man comes in at an high doore, and he ſtoopes:Bern. the doore is farre higher than the man, yet he ſtoopes: you will ſay, hee needs not ſtoope: but I hope, there is no harme in his ſtooping. A man may eaſily beare himſelfe too high upon Gods favour, but his humilitie ſhall never hurt him.2 Tim. 2.19.2 Tim 2:19 The foundation of God is certaine, having this ſeale, The Lord knoweth them that are his: and upon this foundation thou ſtandeſt; yet let him that thinkes he ſtandeth take heed leſt he fall.1 Cor. 10.12.1 Cor 10:12

3 Let us ſhunne the meanes that may bring us to condemnation. Let God alone with his counſels, looke we to his Oracles. What he wills us to doe, let us doe it: what he wils us not to know, let us not ſeeke it. There be three courſes which may bring a man to the ſentence of reprobation. I ſpeake not ſo much of Gods purpoſe (ſic decrevit) before the world began; as of his ſentence (ſic judicabit) when the world ſhall end. Firſt, Infidelitie; he that will not beleeve, deprives himſelfe of all poſſibilitie to be ſaved. Nor is it enough to beleeve that God ſent Chriſt to ſave the world, but alſo to ſave mee. Hiſtoricall faith may overcome Ignorance, but it is Applying faith that can deliver us from vengeance. Every one that ſaies he beleeveth, is not ſure to be ſaved: but he that never will beleeve, is ſure to be damned. Secondly, Impenitencie: even beleevers doe ſinne, but repentance is alwaies bleſt with forgiveneſſe. But they that live in knowne ſinnes, without relenting hearts, cut themſelves off from the hope of merciemercy. He that plaies on purpoſe to loſe, is not likely to winne. Be reſolved againſt tranſgreſſion, as you would be reſolved of your Salvation. We are choſen to be holy, they that never come to be holy, were not choſen. Thirdly, Apoſtaſie; p. 842if men turne wholly from God, it is an argument that God did never wholly turne to them. There is a double apoſtaſie; firſt, of Faith: and this is deſperate▪ that man was made to be destroied. Heb. 10.29.Heb 10:29There remaines no more ſacrifice for his …; becauſe he hath ſacrificed his ſacrifice, abandoned his expi…tion. Secondly, of Obedience; and of this backſliding who is not guilty?

There be three forſakings condemned by the Canons and Councels. When a Souldier forſakes his Captaine, a Wife her Husband, and a Prieſt his charge. Which made S. Ambroſe and Augustine reſolve, that they would never commend uxorem viro, nec militem bello. Now we are all theſe reſpects to God. Chriſt is our Captaine, we his ſworne ſouldiers, that have in Baptiſme tooke his preſſe-money▪ If we forſake his colours, we are perfidious, and worthy of martiall Law. He is our husband, we his Spouſe, ſolemnely betrothed before men and Angel…, we have vowed our loves to him, and to him onelyonly: if we breake this Covenant, and admit adulterous embraces, wee have merited a divorce. His Commandements are our charge, he hath made us ſpirituall Prieſts to his Father. Now if, in ſtead of this holy ſacrifice, the calves of our lips, the incenſe of our hearts, the Charitie of our hands; we ſhall offer to other gods; either idols of the water, ſenſuall luſts; or idols of the fire, malice and revenge; or idols of the aire, vaine honours and ſecular glories; or idols of the earth, worldly riches; how fearefull is the end, even to be deſtroied? But let us hold our colours, keepe our vowes, be faithfull in our charges; ſo (ſurely) we are made to be ſaved.

4 Let us be charitable in all our cenſures of all Chriſtians, yea even of living Pagans, for they may be called. Paul was guilty of Stephens innocent blood; the Church had then ſmall hope of his converſion. Yet even hee that ſent Stephen before,Aug. was ordained to follow after. For this Stephen praied; Lord, lay not this ſinne to their charge. Ego patior in carne, iſti non pereant in mente. This prayer was heard, that S. Auguſtine is bold to ſay; If God had not been ſo intreated by Stephen, the Church had not been ſo bleſſed with Paul. Fulgent.Quô praeceſsit Stephanus trucidatus lapidibus Pauli, tunc ſecutus eſt Paulus adjuvatus orationibus Stephani. Paul holpe to make a martyr, and he was made a martyr: he that conſented to anothers blood in zeale againſt Chriſt, did after yeeld his owne blood to be ſhed in zeale for Chriſt. Of whom then ſhould we deſpaire? we know not a greater ſinner than Paul was by nature, we know not a better Saint than Paul was made by Grace. The fouleſt rags on the dunghill may be made white-paper. A leprous ſinner, more ſpotted than Naaman, may by waſhing in the Iordan of penitent teares, become like an innocent childe. The barren fig-tree may be recovered: the wilde Olive, by a new graffing, may beare excellent fruit: the unhappy boy may make a good man: a foure morning may prove a faire day. There is no wound ſo deſperate, but it may be healed, if the Phyſician of heaven will undertake it. Lord, make them good that are not, and them better that are, through the goodneſſe of him that is beſt of all, and ſufficient for all, even Ieſus Chriſt.

5 Let us make ſure our owne Election, and we are happy. This wee cannot doe without a gracious life, and the holy fruits of Obedience: other perſwaſion is but preſumption, and all certainty but a ſtupid ſecuritie without this. Eſau hath killed Veniſon, and now comes in blowing and ſweating for his reward: he makes himſelfe ſure of the bleſſing, as if he had it before he kneeled for it. What cares he now for ſelling away his Birth-right, which hee ſhall doubly redeeme with the bleſſing? He ſold that in hunger, hee ſhall buy this with pleaſure: hee parted with that for pottage, he ſhall recover this with Veniſon. But what does all this bluſtring confidence come to? where is his recompence? His Fathers anſwere is no more but Who art thou? He lookes for a benediction, and findes nothing but a repulſe. Lewd men, when they thinke they have earned God, and come proudly to challenge favour, receive no anſwere but Who art thou? The hopes of the wicked faile them when they are at the higheſt: whereas Gods p. 843humble Children finde thoſe comforts in extremitie, which they durſt not expect. An Eſau may come in full of the hope of the bleſſing; but Iacob goes away full of the joy of the bleſſing. When Ioſeph brought his two ſonnes to his Father for a bleſſing; and ſet the elder by his right hand, the younger by his left; he wittingly ſtretched his right hand to the yonger, his left to the elder. Gen 48.14.Gen 48:14The wicked, like Na…aſſes, preſſe to Gods right hand; but he, like Iacob, croſſeth his hands. So God diſlikes a peremptory preſumption, ſo he bleſſeth an humble perſwaſion. No man can be perfectly confident: as no righteouſneſſe can be perfect without ſinne, ſo no aſſurance can be perfect without doubting. Take the eveneſt balances, and the moſt equall weights; yet at the firſt putting in, there will be ſome inequalitie: though preſently after they ſettle themſelves in a juſt poiſe. Sinne is …loud that often hinders the Sunne from our eyes, yet is it ſtill a Sunne: the viſion or feeling of this comfort may be ſometime ſuſpended, the Union with Chriſt is never diſſolved. God will make us feele that wee have offended him: but after that ſenſe and humiliation, he will ſhew himſelfe pleaſed with us in Ieſus Chriſt.

They ſpeake evill of the things that they understand not.] Not to understand, Their Ignorance.is the infirmitie of a man: to ſpeake of that he underſtands not, is the part of a foole: but to ſpeake maliciouſly evill, is the part of a divell. They will not underſtand, they will not be ſilent, they will not ſpeake well. If they will not know, let them hold their peace; nay, they will ſpeake: but then let them give good words, nay they will ſpeake evill. To be ignorant, and to ſpeake evill; theſe be both bad ſingle, and aſunder: but much worſe in compoſition, when they are found together. Firſt, I will conſider them apart.

1 Ignorance; what is there that differenceth a man from a beaſt, but Reaſon? No wonder then, if theſe be here called beasts by the Apoſtle; they were ſo termed long before by the Prophet. Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that periſh. He had the honour of a man;Pſal. 49.20.Ps 49:20 but by loſing his knowledge he becomes like a periſhing beaſt: when his knowledge degenerates from reaſon to ſenſe, from man to beaſt. Knowledge is threefold: Firſt, Naturall, which is common to man and beaſt: this conſiſts in ſeeing, feeling, and ſuch ſenſitive apprehenſions. By this the beaſt hath as prudent an election as man: hee skils his owne diet, his owne phyſicke, builds his owne houſe, avoids noxious things, alwaies as well, often better than man. Secondly, Rationall, which is proper to man; a light of underſtanding, joyned with an election of will; by which he is not onelyonly able to chuſe or refuſe, but alſo to diſcerne the civill or uncivill uſe of things. Thirdly, Spirituall, which hath a higher fountaine, even the Spirit of God. Senſe is a meere beaſts, Reaſon a meere mans, divine knowledge is the Chriſtians. This man clearely knowes the Author of his Creation, the meanes of his Redemption, diſtinguiſheth temporall from eternall things; and there ſets his heart, where time is no more able to remove it, than the things of time are able to fill it.

Supernaturall things are farre from theſe mens underſtanding; and Quia nolunt intelligere quae ſunt Gratiae, amittent ſapere quae ſunt Naturae. A juſt plague! Hee that refuſeth the wiſdome of a Chriſtian, ſhall loſe the prudence of a man. Theſe fooliſh monſters are not rare: often doe wee ſee Aſſes, whoſe backes bee laden with gold, feed upon thiſtles. A beaſt (I dare not call him man) hath thouſands in his purſe, yet ſtints himſelfe to a threepeny meale, and ſtarves his familie; that in ſtead of their living, they have their dying from him; they are famiſhed. Yet no beaſt will pine; while his denne is full of meate. How horrible is this curſe? becauſe he would not know as a Chriſtian, hee ſhall become more ſo…tiſh than a man, yea than a beaſt. The Philoſopher being asked, what was the heavieſt part of the earth, anſwered, That which beares an ignorant perſon. Better unborne than untaught. Come that ye may heare, heare that ye may learne, learne that p. 844yee may practiſe, and pray that yee may doe all.

2 Evill ſpeaking.] Good words never hurt the tongue; and this is a proverbe even in their mouthes, that have not many more good words to ſay. Evill ſpeaking diſcovers an evill heart, as the ſtriking of the clapper doth a broken bell. I… multiloquio ſtultiloquium, a foole can never bee concealed, but by holding his peace. But the dogge that ſnarles and barkes where he ſhould fawne, is beaten out of doores for a curre. David ſent meſſengers to ſalute Nabal, and be railed … them; 1 Sam. 25.14.1 Sam 25:14Who is David? Good words Nabal; there is nothing more cheape. But how ſhould Nabal appeare what he was, but by his foule language? He that conſiders the qualitie of Davids followers, muſt grant it worthy of a fee, that Nabals flocke lay ſafe in Carmel; but more, that Davids ſouldiers were Nabals ſhepheards. That his ſhe…pe were ſafe, he might thanke his ſhepheards; but that his ſhepheards were ſafe, he might thanke Davids ſouldiers. This kindneſſe deſerved part of the feaſt; yea, even to be ſet at the upper end of the Table, as his principall gueſt. Not to touch his flocks, was a favour: but to keepe them, a merit. Our preſervers are a ſecond kinde of Creators; and well may we afford our ſuperfluities, where we owe ourſelves. Yet Nabal refuſeth to give any thing but what he was wont; bad words. David askes him bread, and hee gives him ſtones. If he would not part with his riches, yet hee might have yeelded faire ſpeeches, and been never the poorer. But how ſhould hee ſpeake any other language, to whom blaſphemie is his mother-tongue? When poore wretches beg of ſuch men, this is all their almes. Yet better fare they that can ſay, Be warmed, be filled. Iam. 2.16.Jas 2:16But if thoſe verball Almoners ſhall hardly anſwere for their uncharitableneſſe; what ſhall become of them that curſe and rate the needy ſoules; whoſe charity is cruelty, trampling upon thoſe that God hath humbled? If they be thus puniſhed that heale onelyonly with good words, how ſhall they bee tormented that wound with evill?

3 Combined: they are both bad enough aſunder, but together moſt miſchievous. Bitter cenſurers are either proud, or guilty, or fooles. Proud; I am not as this Publican: Luk. 18.11.Luke 18:11What had the Phariſie to doe with the Publican? O, his owne Iewell of Sanctitie wanted the due luſtre, till ſuch a foile did ſet it off. Guilty; they that accuſed the woman deprehended in adultery,Ioh. 8.9.John 8:9 had not beene ſo hot, had themſelves been innocent. But now, their mouthes were full of her iniquitie, and emptie of their owne: till Chriſt wrote them deeper in their conſciences, than his finger did thoſe characters in the duſt. Fooles; as here; Culpant quod neſciunt. The truth of God ſhall never want enemies, while the father of falſhood wants not blaſphemies. Where did Chriſts Miniſters ever ſet their feet, but the divell alſo landed his ſouldiers to encounter them? Pede pes, & cuſpide cuſpis. Old Father Simeon might truely thinke; that as all eyes before had not been like his eyes, Waiting for the Conſolation of Iſrael: ſo nor all armes afterward ſhould be like his armes, readie in the Temple to embrace it. No, Chriſt was appointed foreign, for a marke of Contradictions. This was no newes in Stephens time: that noble Proteſilaus in the Grecian Fleet, the foremoſt Champion of the Chriſtian Church, that fought for the Name of Ieſus unto blood; told them to their faces;Act. 7.51.Acts 7:51 that they had alwayes reſisted the holy Ghoſt. The tongue is a ſword ſtill unſheathed; and many will ſpeake, that dare not ſtrike. Take here two obſervations:

1 The nature of truth, and the nature of mans Intellect, are agreeable, if this latter be not fore-ſtaiied with prejudice. But Palato non ſano pena eſt panis, qui ſ… no eſt ſuavis. Aug.He that is reſolved to be ill, refuſeth to underſtand goodneſſe: therefore diſlikes it, before he knowes it; as one cenſures a booke before he opens it, or reades a ſentence. Theſe deceivers had read the rudiments of licentiouſneſſe, with the ſpectacles of ſelfe-love: and now to heare of authoritie and civill governement; and above all, that the holy Ghoſt ſhould ſit in the Chaire, to croſſe p. 845and unreach their principles; this makes them fret and chafe. Would they but yet allow it a day of hearing: no law condemnes a man till hee comes to his anſwere: no, maledicere volunt, nolunt intelligere. Theſe be they that ſtare upon the Miniſters of the Goſpell as prodigious, hiſſe at them as ridiculous, ſhunne them as infectious, account them piacular, peſtilentiall, execrable fellowes:Mat. 11.19.Matt 11:19 but wiſedome is justified of her children. The Lord will ſhew, with great advantage of glory, through all this reluctation, how little he needs the helpe of his friends, or cares for the malice of his enemies. Inſipientes in peccato ſhall be made Intelligentes in ſupplicio: the eyes that wilfull malice hath ſhut, hell-flames ſhall open: and the tongue that would condemne what it knew not, ſhall feele what it would not.

2 This is a moſt unhappy fault, when the tongue over-runnes the eyes, ſpeakes and never takes advice of the heart.1 Cor. 1.23.1 Cor 1:23 The Iewes thought the Goſpell a ſtumbling blocke; the Greekes, fooliſhneſſe: the firſt, that it did blocke up their way: the other, that it was too poore for their learning: yet neither of them knew what it was. The golden Indies were offered to divers Princes; they vilipended it, and never ſaw it: yet the wealth was worth their labour that undertooke it. The Goſpell is a hidden treaſure, the world ſcornes it: alas, the world never underſtood it: they that have found it,Mat. 19.29.Matt 19:29 doe juſtly ſcorne the world in compariſon of it. Some thinke it will impoveriſh them: they know not that, beſide the kingdome of glory, it even centuples their eſtate here on earth. Others thinke it makes men melancholy: they know not that it rejoyceth the heart. Prov. 12.25.Prov 12:25This was the raſhneſſe of Rome, and the ſhame of their Tridentine Councell; that they condemned the Proteſtants for heretikes, and yet never would heare what they could ſay for themſelves. What is this, but to ſpeake evill of the things they understand not? In the fourth Seſſion it was decreed, that no man ſhould give any other interpretation of the Scriptures, than what was conſonant to the doctrine of the Romane Church. Thus in ſtead of meaſuring their doctrine by the Rule, they meaſured the Rule by their doctrine: and condemned they knew not what. When we teach, that it is impoſſible for man to merit of God, or before him to be juſtified by his workes: they cry out that we condemne all good workes.

Thus ſinne doth not want entertainers: hee that will be ſober, when others bezzle; that will pray, when others play; or reprove a ſwearer, is branded with the name of Puritan: alas, they ſpeake evill of that they underſtand not. Shall this indignitie caſt upon holineſſe, make it vile in our eyes? No, but as Tertullian reaſoned, That muſt needs be good which Nero perſecutes: ſo, it muſt needes be excellent, that ſuch malicious fooles would diſgrace. They have ſworne to keep the commandements, and to deny the world; yet are not content with their owne diſobedience, unleſſe they caſt aſperſions upon them that obey. God either open their eyes, or ſtop their mouthes, that they may ceaſe to ſpeake evill of the things which they underſtand not. Let this teach us.

1 To ſeeke underſtanding above treaſures: indeed Doing makes a man bleſſed: and though he were able to diſpute de quolibet Ente, knew all that is knowable; ſecrets of State, rules of Policie, myſteries of Science; yet hee might bleſſe himſelfe, without being bleſſed of God. But ſtill the foundation of obedience muſt bee laid in knowledge: for if a man take his marke amiſſe, he may ſhoot wrong all the actions of his life. Happineſſe is like a ſtake ſet up in the midſt of a field, which blinded men grope after, to make the beholders ſport in their wandrings. Knowledge muſt be the Pilot of devotion: ſuperſtitious workes are but the whelpes of ignorant zeale. As Chriſt ſaid of his murderers, Lord, They know not what they doe: ſo our Apoſtle here of the Truths adverſaries, Lord, They know not what they ſay. Hee that knowes what hee does, and does what hee knowes, is likelieſt to be accepted with God.

Worldlings cry up practice, to cry downe knowledge: as cunning Papiſts will extoll Saint Iames, onelyonly to diſparage Saint Paul, or as idle Proteſtants commend p. 846Reading, to diſgrace Preaching: they talke of a good meaning, when they are the worſt doers in a countrey. This is the devils Sophiſme: if he can put out our eye of knowledge, the more we doe, the better he likes; as knowing all ſuch workes to bee his owne ſervice. Knowledge indeed covers our earth, as waters the ſea: but yet are there no dry rockes in the midſt of the ſea: The greater number are not unlike the horſe in the ſtory; which a man ſeeing in the market, liked, for his proportion, his pace, his colour: and having bought him, deſired to know what fault he had. The cunning Courſer told him none but that he was a Darke gray: he meant that he had bad eyes; his colour might be gray, but the horſe was blinde: ſo many men have pace enough, if it were in the right way; their feet are ſwift, but to ſhed blood: their proportion is anſwerable, they are able to doe well; their riches and meanes are ſufficient: and they colour for it, having a forme of godlineſſe, a ſhew of devotion: but their eyes be bad, darke and mopiſh, to underſtand that ſhould make them truly bleſſed.

2 Seeing they ſpeake evill of that they know not, let us ſpeake well of that we know. It is a ſhame, that our zeale ſhould not bee as couragious to defend the truth, as their malice is violent to oppoſe it. He is a coward, that lets a good cauſe fall, when he ſees another reſolute in a bad. A reprobate may ſometimes lend the truth his voice; but either he higgles with ſome hollow reſervation, or liſpeth with ſome faltring equivocation; or if his lips bee of his hearts opinion, it is extortum testimonium; God hath wrung it out of him, by ſome conflict, arreſt, racking, and conviction of his conſcience. So the Magicians of Egypt were forced to confeſſe, This is the finger of God: ſo Iulian was compelled to cry, Galilean, thou hast overcome. They that will ſpeake the evill they ſhould not, ſhall be driven to ſpeake the good they would not. Caiaphas ſhall approve that Christ in the Chaire, whom he condemnes on the Bench. Balaam ſhall bleſſe thoſe for nothing, whom he was hired to curſe. Such tranſient revelations may glide through them; themſelves in meane time as wiſe as trunkes. But this is Coacta confeſsio; the Almighties advantage: For their god is not as our God, even our enemies themſelves being Iudges. Deut. 32.31. Claudian.Deut 32:31Nulla est victoria major, quàm quae confeſſos animo quoque ſubjugat hoſtes. If they ſpeake well of goodneſſe, it is againſt their wils; but naturally they blaſpheme it. For old Phyſicke to finde fault with the new way of Paracelſus; or the old Aſtronomie to be diſpleaſed at the opinions of Copernicus; there was ſome colour: for the Profeſſors of the former underſtood the errors of the latter, and could picke juſt quarrells againſt them. But for corrupt nature, called the old man, older in every one of our acquaintance than Religion or Reaſon; to condemne the Doctrine of Salvation, before it be examined; this is that bruitiſh deviliſh malice here worthily expoſed to contempt.

A free voluntary acknowledgement of the Truth, becomes the mouth of a Chriſtian.Mat. 16.16.Matt 16:16 Such as Peters was, Thou art the very Chriſt; the Sonne of the living God; which was the Revelation of God, not of fleſh and blood. He that opened Simons heart, to powre in that happy learning; untied Simons mouth, to powre forth that happy language. As no man can ſee the Sunne, but by the light of the Sunne;1 Cor. 12.3. Their Vengeance.1 Cor 12:3 ſo no man can call Ieſus the Lord, but by the Holy Ghoſt.

They ſhall utterly periſh in their owne corruption.] This is the common terme of ſinne: what compaſſes and aberrations ſoever it fetcheth, huc tendit, this is the Center of it; Deſtruction. There be divers circuits, thwartings, and contrarieties in ſinne: yea, all wickedneſſe is in the extremes. Nothing is more oppoſite, than gripulous avarice and riotous profuſeneſſe, than cunning hypocriſie and notorious profaneneſſe, than pride and naſtineſſe, than preſumption and deſpaire, levitie and obſtinacie: yet are all theſe reconciled in one place; like men that goe about ſeverall buſineſſes in the morning, yet meete together at p. 847night. One kingdome is too narrow for them on earth, a little corner of a dungeon confines them together in hell. As ſeverall malefactors have done ſeverall facts, in ſeverall places; one hath ſtolne, another ſlaine, a third raviſhed; one robs by land, another by ſea: yet they are all brought to one priſon, and executed on one galhouſe; the ſame deſtruction devoures them all. There is but one, and that a narrow path to heaven; innumerable and thoſe broad wayes, rodewayes to hell. One of theſe iniquities might have ſerved the turne, to bring theſe reprobates to perdition, Vncleaneſſe would have done it, they needed not have beene rebels: preſumption would have done it, they needed not uncleaneſſe: ſelfe-will was ſufficient, without preſumption: their ignorance, without their malice: their brutiſhneſſe would have ſpared all the reſt; any one was enough to doe it. OnelyOnly the number and meaſure of torments is according to the multitude and magnitude of offences.

Some goe to hell upon the racke, others on a downe-bed: the former ſuffer much, that they may ſuffer more; as Bulls are firſt baited, that afterward they may be killed. As the godly,Act. 14.22.Acts 14:22 through many tribulations enter into the kingdome of heaven; ſo ſometime the wicked through many tribulations enter into the kingdome of hell. What a deale of paines doth the covetous man take for his owne damnation? Hee ſcarce weares a good garment, or eates a liberall meale, or takes a quiet ſleepe; but torments himſelfe to get that, for getting whereof hee ſhall bee tormented. Some ſlide thither on a bed of roſes; they will pamper their bodies while they have them, ſuffer their affections to want no indulgence, will not give their conſcience leave to ſpeake, but drowne it with the noiſe of jollitie. But what benefit is it, to have ones throate cut with diamonds, or to be ſhot to death with pearles, or ſmother'd with Caſsia? Deſtruction is too deare a price for any ſinne. The condemned man will ſcarce eate the beſt dinner with a chearefull ſtomacke. Yet this is the impenitent ſinners dire cataſtrophe; utterly to periſh in their owne corruption.

All I purpoſe to obſerve from it, may be reduced to theſe three concluſions. Firſt, that ſinne naturally begets puniſhment; if they doe theſe things, they ſhall be destroied. Secondly, that forbearance is no acquittance; if not preſently, yet they ſhall periſh. Thirdly, that wickedneſſe makes the owne ſcourge, they ſhall periſh in their owne corruption.

1 No cauſe doth more neceſſarily produce the proper effect, than ſinne doth naturally beget puniſhment. This David could eaſily preſuppoſe,2 Sam. 21.1.2 Sam 21:1 when the Land was plagued with a three yeeres famine: never came Iudgement from God, but ſome provocation from man went before: therefore ſeeing the plague, he inquires for the ſinne. The hand of Divine Iuſtice never makes man ſmart without cauſe. When we ſuffer, our queſtion ſhould be, what have we done? Teaching our repentance to examine the foundation of all our evils. When famine is upon our land, one complaines of hoording, another of tranſporting, the Almanacke talkes of plants and conjunctions; but the Chriſtian complaines of ſinne. He lookes higher than the conſtellations, and ſees a juſt hand ſcourging rebellious wickedneſſe; overruling all ſecond cauſes to be his executioners. Naturall men are Moles to ſpirituall objects: but the weakeſt regenerate eyes can pierce the heavens, and eſpy God in all earthly occurrences. Famine never clenſed the teeth, that were not before furr'd and fouled with exceſſe. The Peſtilence never raged, but blaſphemie, uncleaneneſſe, and ſuch noiſome ſinnes begun the infection. The ſword never prevailed, but ſinne did ſet an edge upon it. The fire never conſumed, but ſinne blew the coales. God indeed is the Iudge of all, but ſinne is the cauſe of all.

The wicked, here, are the beaſts to be hunted, ſinne is the game; when that game is up, the Takers are ready, and waite but the word, Nunc capite: thoſe blood-hounds are under collar, if God let them ſlip, they are inſtantly on.

p. 8481Temporall miſerie is one Taker; in whoſe terrible armie march feare, diſquietneſſe, povertie, ſickneſſe, and innumerable ſorrowes. This often takes a man, when it does not destroy him. When it takes an elect veſſell in hand, it ſcowres him like a quarterne ague, ſhakes every joynt, tames his proud heart; but withall conſumes up his ſurfets and corruption; and reſtores him a weaker ſinner, but a better man. But it takes the wicked, like the ſtone or the racking gout; and that without both ſtrength of reſiſtance, or proviſion of patience.

2Death is the next Taker, compared to a Horſe; a fierce, ſtrong, warlike, and ſpeedy creature;Revel. 6.8. Iob 39.22.Rev 6:8Job 39:22 whoſe necke is clothed with thunder, and he ſwallowes the ground as he goes. Hazael could not outrunne him, Abſalom could not outride him; Pharaohs charriot wheeles fell off in the chace. Ionathan and Saul, ſwift as Eagles, ſtrong as Lions, yet were ſlaine by this Taker. He takes any man, at any time, in any place: in bed, he takes men before they can riſe; abroad, and gives them not leave to come home: hee often takes the drunkard at his cups, the worldling telling his monies: and theſe he takes with terror; even by the throats, as that unmercifull creditor arreſted his fellow,Matth. 18.28.Matt 18:28 Pay that thou owest. But you ſay, Death takes alſo the godly: indeed they rather take him, for Chriſt hath made him their vaſſall.

3Satan is the laſt and worſt Taker; miſerie takes from proſperous ſinne, ſickneſſe takes from miſerie, death takes from ſickneſſe, Satan takes from all. Thou foole, Luk. 12.20.Luke 12:20this night ſhall they take thy ſoule from thee. O who can tell the horror and aſtoniſhment of that ſoule, which no ſooner leaves the body, but is apprehended by this Taker. If we could conceive the leaſt pang of that feaver, how odious would our moſt pleaſing ſinnes appeare to us? For a living man to be caſt into a neſt of vipers, aſpes, or ſcorpions, is terrible enough: yet alas, all their ſtings be but as gentle ticklings to theſe dragons. This is that periſhing, that utter periſhing, which is here the wages of obſtinate ſinne.

2 Forbearance of puniſhment is no argument of immunitie; though not preſently, they ſhall periſh. The Iudgements of God are ſure; if they bee late: and as they are facti ad capturam, ſo destinati ad horam, which they ſhall not eſcape. David made a rode upon the Geſhurites and Gerzites, deſtroying them with ſuch an univerſall ſlaughter,1 Sam. 27.9.1 Sam 27:9 that he left none to report what he had done. How many hundred yeeres had that brood of Canaanites lived ſecurely in their countrey, ſince God had commanded their rooting out? The Iſraelites had their hands full, and could not meddle with them: the Philiſtines were th…ir friends and would not meddle with them: and now knowing no grudge betwixt them and their neighbours, they promiſe themſelves a certaine peace. Loe even then, leaſt ſuſpecting it, are they cut off by Davids ſword, and none left alive to tell the newes.2 Sam. 21.2.2 Sam 21:2 When the oracle of God was inquired for the reaſon of that long famine, the anſwere was, It is for Saul, and his bloody houſe, becauſe he ſlew the Gibeonites. Iſrael was full of ſinnes beſides thoſe of Sauls houſe, Sauls houſe was full of ſinnes beſides thoſe of blood, much blood was ſhed by that houſe beſides this of the Gibeonites: where the cauſes be infinite, God doth juſtly pitch upon ſome: it is favour not to puniſh for all. Ioſhua had ſworne a league with Gibeon foure hundred yeeres before; Saul breakes this league and oath: Saul dies, and fortie yeeres have paſſed ſince this injurie: yet now the Lord calls them to a reckoning for it. That ſinne is not yet expiated, and ſo occaſioneth this late vengeance.

How vainely doe men hope to goe away with their ſinnes, becauſe wrath is delaied? As if the Ancient of dayes, to whom all times are preſent, could forget them. No, when wee have forgotten our ſinnes, when the world hath forgotten us, he begins the ſute for our arrerages. With men, delay weares things out of memorie, and cooles the heate of anger: violent paſſions, like violent motions, are weakeſt at the furtheſt: but with God, there is nothing gained by protraction. Sinners may make a truce with heaven, and a league with hell; but p. 849The Lord laugheth at them, for he ſeeth that their day is comming; Pſal. 37.13.Ps 37:13and is not the further off, becauſe they doe not looke for it. Sacriledge ſteales, and goes away merry with it: it never troubles men, that they are privy to this injurie; the law cannot touch them: ſo they live, ſo they die. But doth God forget it? If they can blot it out of his ſight, there is then ſafety in prorogation. But as the ſlaughter of the Gibeonites was the ſinne of one generation, yet required in another: ſo doth God often make the poſteritie pay for the iniquitie of their forefathers. Therefore our Church teacheth us to pray; Lord, remember not our iniquities, nor the iniquities of our forefathers. When theſe God-robbers are dead, rotten, and mouldred to duſt, this ſhall be exacted of their children. Men owe us moneys, they die and leave it unpayed; we ſue their heires and executors for thoſe debts, and doe not thinke it injuſtice ſo to recover them. Take heed, ye parents, at leaſt you that have Grace enough to love your children; you bequeath them legacies of ruine, while you make up their portions with that unrighteous Mammon, which you have gotten from the poore Miniſter or neighbour. The torments of hell God will inflict only on the peccant perſon, but with temporall plagues he viſits the ſucceſſion.

The whole Familie of Eli was threatned with ſickneſſe, ſhort life, and beggarie. This tooke effect apace; yet Abiathar is left,1 Sam. 2.36.1 Sam 2:36 through the raignes of Saul and David he eſcapeth: hath God forgotten his ſentence? No,1 King. 2.26.1 Kgs 2:26 even Abithar ſhall be depoſed by Salomon, and ſent to Anathoth, and is well that he ſcapes ſo. It was foureſcore yeeres ſince that ſentence was denounced; yet now it comes to execution. Abiathar is the laſt of that line; and hee ſhall finde that the ſinne of his fathers houſe can neither be purged with ſacrifice, nor obliterated with time. Delay of the Iudgement that ſhall come, is neither any hinderance to Gods Iuſtice, nor comfort to mens miſeries. Shimei had reviled David in the conſpiracie of Abſalom, yet he payes for this in the raigne of Salomon. Abiſhai would have requited him while the wound was greene, and might not: Benaiah is commanded to doe it, now after long feſtering. Still the ſtones which Shimei threw at David, were to rebound upon Shimei, and ſplit his heart. Hee was an example to theſe, as theſe are to us: he railed, ſo doe they: hee blaſphemed the King, theſe ſpeake evill of dignities: he periſhed for it, ſo doe they. And if God ſo plague the inſolencies againſt his Deputies, how will he revenge blaſphemie againſt himſelfe? Tremble ye curſers and ſwearers, ſo execrable is your ſinne, that God hath vowed not to hold you guiltleſſe. If God pay ſlowly, yet he will pay ſure.

Sometimes hee allowes iniquitie a ſhorter breathing; and even while the viols call to dancing, or the Trumpets to drinking healths, Belſhazzar hath his ſentence. No ſooner were the bellies of Adonijahs gueſts full of meat, but their eares were full of clangor, their hearts of horrour: the trumpets at once proclaime Salomons triumph, and their confuſion. The feaſts of the wicked end in terrour; after the meale is done, ever comes the reckoning. No doubt, but many a health was drunke to Adonijah, 1 King. 1.49.1 Kgs 1:49many a confident applauſe of their proſperous deſigne, many a ſcorne of the adverſe faction. But now the voider that takes all away, is fearefull aſtoniſhment, and expectation of juſt revenge. How ſuddenly are all their hearts cold, all their faces pale? every man hath but life enough left to runne away. God can as eaſily prevent the mirth of the wicked, as marre it: but he ſuffers them to pleaſe themſelves in the vanitie of their owne courſes for the time, that their concluſion may be more grievous. Bravery is but a poore target to beare off judgement.

3 Obſtinate ſinne would make the owne rod, were there none prepared. He that enters into a Statute, and performes not the defeiſance, we ſay, his owne hand hath undone him. When we looke upon the ſinne firſt, and then on the puniſhment; we confeſſe the latter to be but the counterfeit of the former p. 850originall. This is ſuch a mans owne childe: why? it is ſo like him. Pharaoh had groned under plagues enow; he ſaw his cattell ſtrucke dead with a ſudden contagion, he ſaw his ſorcerers (after all their conteſtation) ſtrucke with a ſcab in their very faces; yet his heart is not ſtrucke with repentance. Who would thinke it poſſible, for a heart of fleſh not to yeeld at theſe Iudgements? Wee cannot tell whether to wonder more at the plagues themſelves, or their ſucceſſe. The Grace of God reſiſted, turnes to deſperateneſſe; and wicked men, like ſome beaſts, grow mad with baiting. They cannot be quiet, till they have wrought out their full deſtruction. Therefore the fearefulleſt plagues God reſerves for the upſhot; all the former doe but make way for the laſt. Golia… might have fought in the battell, and eſcaped; but he muſt needs challenge h…s owne ruine, by defying the hoſt of God, yea the God of hoſts. His owne ſword ſhall ſerve to behead the maſter. What need David load himſelfe with an unneceſſary weapon? one ſword can ſerve both Goliah and him. Goliah had a man… beare his target, but David had Goliah to beare his ſword. So juſt is God, to turne wicked mens forces againſt themſelves; and to make his enemies carry about with them their owne deſtructions.

2 Sam. 1.16.2 Sam 1:16The Amalekite, a picke-thanke, thought to curry favour and to inſinuate himſelfe to the heire apparant, by bringing the newes of Sauls death. His thoughts project thus; to report the fact as done by another, were but to goe away with the recompence of a lucky Poſt: whereas to take the action upon my ſelfe, to ſay, I am the man, muſt needs endeare me to him; David is beholden to me for the Kingdome: my requitall cannot but be richly honourable. Thus he laid a plot to deſtroy himſelfe: his hand was not guilty, his tongue was; and he dies for it. If he did it, his fact was capitall: if he did it not, his lie was capitall: howſoever, for an unjuſt practice, he received a juſt ſentence; yea, his owne mouth condemned himſelfe. Men thinke it a daintie cunning to beguile others, the fine policie of a pure and cleane wit to doe unſuſpected miſchiefe: as if this were not to carry brimſtone to their owne fire, and to make their owne bed in hell. As the godly worke out their Salvation with feare and trembling, ſo the wicked worke out their owne confuſion with luſt and preſuming. Yea, naturally all runne on to their owne ruine, unleſſe they be ſupernaturally prevented by the Grace of God.

To conclude; as we tremble at theſe Iudgements, let us abominate the ſinnes. Theſe reprobates are our examples; if we doe as bad, we ſhall ſpeed worſe: and they will welcome their imitators into hell, You come after us, but you ſhall be preferred before us; and beare ſo much more torments than we have, as you received more warnings than we had. Firſt, they were Proud; and as pride is the higheſt ſinne, ſo it ſhall have the loweſt fall: the proud ſcorne to bee like men, therefore make themſelves like the apoſtate Angels.Chryſ. Cùm non erunt homines, fiant daemones. Are there none ſuch among us? Yes, their very habit diſcovers them: they that have put off modeſtie, will put on any garbe of apparell. Wee ſhould not lie in our words, but painted Iezabels lie in their very faces. As pride is the firſt ſtep downeward to hell; ſo humilitie is the firſt ſtaire upward to glory. Secondly, they were rebellious to Magiſtrates; let us be obedient. Even the higheſt Prelates of the Church muſt ſtoope to Him, whom God hath ſet above all. The Lord hath committed the ſoules of Princes to his Paſtors, but the bodies of Paſtors to his Princes. Thirdly, they were drunken and ſenſuall beasts, let us be civill men at leaſt. But alas, happy Temperance, whither art thou fled? Sobrietie is ſcarce to bee found in the world, but in bookes. Fourthly, they were uncleane; and what Nitre ſhall waſh us? were every river of our Land a Iordan, they could not clenſe it from this leproſie. But alas, we can but plow the ground, it is God that muſt ſow the ſeed: wee doe but ſoften the wax, it is hee that ſets on the ſeale. We have ſinned, what ſhould we doe but repent? If we cannot, p. 851like the poore woman at her purification, offer a Lambe, Innocencie of life;Lev. 12.8.Lev 12:8 yet let us bring at leaſt a paire of Turtle Doves, two mourning eyes. That wee who have grievouſly erred by multiplied ſinne, may be received againe to merciemercy by unfained ſorrow.