Commentary on 2 Peter, Commentary on 2 Peter volume 2 · Chapter 2 · Verse 13

Commentary on 2 Peter · Commentary on 2 Peter volume 2 · Chapter 2 · Verse 13

p. 8512 PET. 2.13.

They ſhall receive the reward of unrighteouſneſſe, as they that count it a pleaſure to riot in the day time.

GOD is a juſt Maſter, and will pay all men their wages according to their worke. They that doe the buſineſſe he ſets them about, ſhall have a bleſſed recompence: none of his ſervants were ever loſers by him. The ungodly indeed ſet themſelves on worke; yet howſoever, he will pay them their wages; but it is ſuch a reward, as they would thanke him to goe without: a righteous wages, for an unrighteous ſervice. God ſhall pay all:Rev. 22.12.Rev 22:12 Satan may be his executioner, but God is the Iudge. The executioner cannot lay on a ſtroke more than the Iudge appoints. Wicked men, properly, doe pay when they are payed: when God payes them, he payes himſelfe of them: and this ſhall be to the uttermost farthing. So the unmercifull ſervant was bound over,Mat. 5.26. Mat. 18.34.Matt 5:26Matt 18:34 till hee ſhould pay all his d…e. At once they both receive their wages, and pay their debts.

Wages is underſtood to be an equall retribution, a reward proportionable to the worke: and is either ex pacto, what is covenanted;Mat. 20.13.Matt 20:13 Didst thou not agree with me for a peny? or ex merito, what is earned, The labourer is worthy of hire. Equality of recompence defines wages: if it be too much, and above deſert, it is munificence: if too little, and ſhort of deſert, it is injuſtice. The Iewes might give forty ſtripes, they would give but nine and thirtie, for feare of exceſſe. They were commanded to reſtore fourefold: ſome of them, as Zacheus, did quintuple it; for feare of the defect. But there is neither defect, nor exceſſe, in a juſt reward. Man may fault in this, God cannot; he payes juſt wages; not a dramme too light, not a ſcruple too heavy. Every man ſhall receive according to his workes. With the ſame meaſure that ye mete, it ſhall be meaſured to you againe.Luk. 6.38.Luke 6:38

This Wages of unrighteouſneſſe muſt bee conſidered, In Tali, and In Tanto: Such, In Tali.for the Qualitie: So much, for the Equalitie. In congruo, for the fitneſſe; In condigno, for the fulneſſe, not an Arithmeticall Portion, every man alike: but a Geometricall Proportion, every man his due. So that wee have two things: The Manner, and the Meaſure, of this wages.

The Scripture is copious in theſe retaliations. Nilus was in ſtead of heaven to Egypt; the clouds did not ſo much favour them, as the river: this did moiſten their ground, and quench their thirſt: and their confidence was not in heaven, but in Nilus. Loe, Nilus was turned into blood: that which was their ſuccour ſhall be their horrour. Hee that meaſures the ſea in his fist, Pſal. 105.2….Ps 105:2ſcornes that a poore river ſhould be his rivall. In this element was the whole truſt of their proviſion; and now this cannot be indured for the corruption. When their palates would taſte it, their eyes abhorre it. Their drought cals for the moiſture, their ſtomackes cannot brooke the annoyance. They are thirſty, yet cannot tell whether they ſhould dye, or drinke; dye with heate, or coole that heate with blood. How fit is this wages? they made that one element their god, and by the loſſe of that one element they become miſerable men. The fiſh was no ſmall part of their p. 852ſuſtenance: thoſe die with infection, and infect more by being dead. But was this all the ſimilitude? no, they had polluted that river with the blood of infants, and now it appeares to them in his colour. As if it ſhould ſay, Am I bloody? thanke your owne murderous hands that made mee thus. It is your ſinne that hath turned my cleare ſtreames into this ſanguine hew. The very waters will no longer keepe their counſell. Never any man wilfully ſhed blood, but hee had enough of it ere his end. If they looke upon the waters, they ſee nothing but blood: when they drinke, they taſte nothing but blood. They ſhedded ſome few ſtreames, but are requited with whole rivers of blood. As if the Divine Iuſtice had ſaid to them, as Tomyris did (afterward) to Cyrus, Sanguinem ſitisti, ſanguinem bibe; Satiate thy ſelfe with blood, thou that ſo deſired'ſt it. A red River was one plague, but a red ſea, the greater. That annoied, this overwhelmed them: that ſlew their fiſhes, this drowned themſelves. For a water bloudied with Innocents, to have a river turned into bloody waters, a red ſea made redder by the whole hoſt of Egypt; how fit a wages of unrighteouſneſſe was this? The corrupted river was both a monument of their former ſinne, and an image of their f… ture vengeance. God paid them in ſpecie, their owne money.

Iudg. 3.22.Judg 3:22Such another Inſtance we have in that fat king of Moab, Eglon; whom Eh…d ſlew. He had made his belly his god, and God ſends a meſſage into his belly. I have a meſſage to thee from God. This he thought to have heard with his eares, and he feeles it in his guts. A meſſage indeed, but ſuch an one as did neither require nor admit an anſwer: no reply, but a grone and a gaſpe; and then everlaſting ſilence. His very ſoule lay in his entrals, and through that uncleane paſſage ſhee goes out in ſtench. His ſinne had pamper'd thoſe parts, and ſwelled them to an unweildy groſſeneſſe: in thoſe parts his deſtruction enters to let out life. Many delicate morſels, and choiſe creatures had beene buried in that bulky vault: Ehuds dagger is a hard and cold bit to cloſe up his ſtomake. Hee can never digeſt this, now he payes for all his gluttony; this was the wages of unrighteouſneſſe.

Iudg. 16.21.Judg 16:21This Lex talionis hath fallen upon the deare Saints of God. Samſons eyes were the firſt offenders, and they are firſt pulled out: they betraied him to luſt, and luſt betrayes them to darkneſſe. In Azzah he was firſt captivated by a woman, and thither he is led captive in triumph. He that was growne blinde in his underſtanding by doting wantonneſſe, is now doomed to his owne perpetuall night. Becauſe he truſted his lockes in the lap of a whore, hee riſeth up ſhorne and weakened.1 Sam. 2.30.1 Sam 2:30 Hee that was a terrour to armies, becomes a ſcorne to boyes. Eli could not have deviſed a way ſo much to plague himſelfe and his ſonnes, as by his partialitie to their ſinnes. Hee receives a varietie of Iudgements, yet every one a juſt wages for his faults. Firſt, his ſonnes had deſpiſed God, therefore God lightly eſteemes them. Secondly, old age is commonly cholericke, old Eli was indulgent, therefore not an old man ſhall be left of his houſe for ever. Becauſe he had been faulty in his old age, therefore all his familie ſhall die in their youth. Thirdly, his ſonnes were enemies to God in their profeſſion, therefore hee ſhall ſee his enemy in the Lords habitation. Verſ. 33.Fourthly, becauſe he ſo miſ-favour'd his offending children, as not to puniſh them, therefore they ſhall bee to conſume his eyes, and grieve his heart, even to puniſh him. Fifthly, becauſe hee eſteemed their life above his Makers glory, therefore they ſhall die with diſhonour. Sixthly, the Authoritie which he had abuſed by connivence, ſhall be tranſlated to another. Seventhly, becauſe his ſonnes were ſaucie, and of ſo wanton an appetite, that they durſt take meat from off Gods owne trencher, therefore the remainder of his houſhold ſhall come to beggary. Verſ. 26.Laſtly, becauſe he forbore to take vengeance on their iniquitie, God ſhall revenge himſelfe on him and them, and that ſeverely. Conſider this, ye fond parents, that preferre the vanities of your children, before the will of your heavenly Father: you cannot deviſe a ſpeedier way to ruine them. Thus to be kinde to them, is to be cruell to your ſelves, and them: p. 853to make their ſinnes your owne. God might have pardoned them, had you not pardoned them: now your indulgence makes way for his vengeance. We reade not of any fault Eli had but this; yet which of the notorious offenders was plagued more? A man needs no more to make him and his poſteritie miſerable, than ſparing the rod. How juſt is this, when men will not ſe… the faults they ſhould, to feele the puniſhments they would not?

Abſalom was faire, and hee knew it well enough:2 Sam. 18.9.2 Sam 18:9 the glaſſe and flattery had made him acquainted with his owne comlineſſe. His beauty was the matter of his pride, and his haire was no ſmall piece of his beauty. Once every yeare hee uſed to cut it; not as weary of the length, but of the weight: his pride could have brooked it longer, his necke could not. Now thoſe lockes which had been his glory, become his hangman. Hee had curiouſly plated thoſe treſſes for his ornament, therefore God makes uſe of them for his halter. The part which mans unrighteouſneſſe abuſeth to ſinne, Gods juſtice imployes to revenge. When it hath ſerved our turne to offend God, it ſhall ſerve his turne to puniſh us. This latter ſervice makes amends for the former treſpaſſe. The diſheveld haires that looſly hung on Abſaloms ſhoulders, ſhall doe him the office to hang him. Hee came out of his fathers loines, yet turned traitor to him: his haire grew out of his ſcalpe and turnes traitor to his owne head. When he was thus mounted to his unexpected galhouſe, his beaſt leaves him: it had done him ſervice enough, to bring him to the tree of Iuſtice, and there reſignes that unnaturall burthen. Hee reared a pillar, and called it by his owne name; either becauſe he had no ſonnes, no living images of himſelfe; and ſo to ſupply nature, hee thought to ſurvive in dead ſtones. But it had beene great pity there ſhould have beene any of his breed: he that rob'd his father of a ſonne, ſlew Ammon, and would have rob'd himſelfe of a father, his father of a kingdome, deſerved to die without iſſue. Or to preſerve the memoriall of himſelfe; that the world, when it ſaw the ſtately pillar might bee occaſioned to remember the goodly perſon of Abſalom: as if the generations to come were wronged in loſing the mention of Abſalom. The world eſteemed him highly; and he had an higher opinion of himſelfe; and he was famous, but for infamy: not that arched pile, but a rude heape of ſtones, cover his carcaſe. One death is not enough for him; hee is hanged, pierced, mangled. Hee had lifted up himſelfe againſt his owne royall father, therefore was lifted up to a tree of execution. He had pierced his fathers heart with many ſorrowes, therefore he is pierced with many darts. Hee had diſmembred and divided Iſrael, therefore hee is mangled and torne in pieces. Hee that curſed his parents, according to the law, was ſtoned to death: hee had done worſe, even attempted to kill his father, therefore was buried under an heape of ſtones. Behold with terror, the juſt wages of unrighteouſneſſe.

How righteous art thou, O God, in thy retaliations! Non invenit guttam, Luk. 16.Luke 16qui non dedit micam. The rich man would not give Lazarus a crumme, Lazarus ſhall not bring him a drop. Saul ſlew the Gibeonites: 1 Sam. 21.5.1 Sam 21:5nothing can expiate the blood of theſe heathen fathers, but the blood of the perſecutors children. Becauſe they knew God, and would not glorifie him, therfore their fooliſh heart was darkened. Rom. 1.2….Rom 1:2Becauſe their knowledge would not retaine God, they ſhall not retaine their knowledge. Men profane Gods Name, and hee makes their names to ſtinke. Why ſhould they be mentioned with honour, that doe not mention their maker but to his diſhonour? So we read of Lots wife, Iobs wife, the rich man, but no name:Pſal. 109.13.Ps 109:13 as if God had ſaid, let their names be blotted out. Idolaters will ſet up a falſe god for the true, therefore the true God gives them over to the falſe. Wee forget duely to bleſſe God on the Sabaoth, therefore goe unbleſſed all the weeke. If mine heart hath been deceived by a woman, then let my wife grinde unto another. Iob 31.9.Job 31:9Few dare take ſuch an oath, or make ſuch a wiſh. They have polluted the beds of others, therefore their marriage findes pollution. We rob the Miniſters, and therefore commonly p. 854we are robbed by the Lawyers.Prov. 21.13.Prov 21:13 Who ſo ſtoppeth his eares at the cry of the poore, he alſo ſhall cry himſelfe, but ſhall not be heard. In vaine they cry to us for charity, and for mercy wee ſhall cry in vaine to God. The meaſure wee mete to others, is with much equity remeaſured to our ſelves. In every grievance of your ſenſe, read the characters of the cauſe. When you receive your wages, conſider your worke: ſo you have done, ſo you are undone. When the dropſie invades the drunkard, it is but his wages. When the peſtilence rageth in out ſtreets, blaſphemy and execration muſt confeſſe that they have their due wages. Poverty is the wages of diſhoneſty. Blaſphemers live ſwearing, and die raving; it is but their wages. Theſe things if wee preach, wee are hated; if wee doe not, we ſhall be condemned: it is a wofull ſtrait, when wee muſt either incurre the worlds mal-opinion, or the Lords malediction. But certainly, if men doe theſe unrighteous workes, they muſt expect this righteous wages.

In Tanto.The meaſure followes; no temporary ſuffering can bee a ſufficient wages of ſinne. Nothing but death can expiate ſome offences among men; blood muſt have blood: but death it ſelfe cannot ſatisfie God. All ſinne is infinite; not in reſpect of it ſelfe, but of the Majeſty which it offends: now an infinite worke muſt have an infinite wages. Through the creatures incapacitie, this cannot be infinite in intenſion,Rom. 6.23.Rom 6:23 therefore muſt be ſo in duration. The Quantitie of this wages is begun in death,Mat. 25.46.Matt 25:46 accompliſhed in torment.

1 In Death. There is but one doore to come into the world, a thouſand to goe forth. Death hath his choice of wayes to let out life: and while we are buſily watching at one doore, he comes in at another. A furious horſeman, with a pale and gaſtly looke:Rev. 6.8.Rev 6:8 Pallida mors; ſymbolizing that effect which hee workes both on the living, and on the dead. On the living; I know, that many can talke of death without feare, becauſe they thinke it out of hearing: they make a league with death; as the frantike marchant alone, would ſell this commoditie, and buy that, and make matches for hundreds and thouſands, when there was no body by to deale with him. Thus it is reported of an Earle of Kildare, that playing at the boords end, and ſeeing his warrant of execution brought in; threw his caſt, and ſaid; Whatſoever that is, this is for a huddle. Many have fained to die in jeſt; but I doubt whether their heart and face were both of one piece. Some call for it, as the poore wearied man in the Fable; but when it comes in good earneſt, they have another errand for it, and are not able to looke it in the face, with the bloud in their cheekes.Dan. 5.6.Dan 5:6 When it gave Belſhazzar that fatall ſummons, all his Courtiers and Concubines could not cheare his heart, nor all the wine in thoſe holy bowles fetch colour into his countenance. How doe wee ſee priſoners at the barre even die at the ſentence of death, as if they could not live to the execution. Some Stoike would faine ſet a good face on the matter, and ſaies in a bravado to his neighbours, hee feares not death; and all, that the world may witneſſe, he is no coward. So Iezabel painted her face, and affronted Ieh… out of the window: but had that artificiall viſage been off, a pale cheeke would have appeared underneath it. Whatſoever is pretended, there is no unrighteous man but is afraid of this wages.

On the dead; it bereaves the body of blood and colour, ſpoiles the complexion, whether it be of art or nature, renders a liveleſſe and wan carcaſe, laies it rotting in the moulds, expoſeth it a feaſt for wormes, alters the faſhion, conſumes the beautie, turnes the whole proportion into deformed rottenneſſe. There lies the body in blended duſt, receiving that inſenſible wages, which the ſinne of life earned; till the Archangels trumpet, together with the ſummons of the Iudge, gives it a Surge. Even this is a fearefull wages, when it is paied in the proper coine, without the allay of Chriſts death to qualifie it. As death is the contrary to life, ſo commonly they that live like Laban, die like Nabal which is but the ſame word inverted. The very mention of death is irkeſome p. 855to them; as Lewes the eleventh ſtraitly charged his ſervants, when they ſaw him ſicke, not to dare once ſo much as name that bitter and unwelcome word, Death. Thus like inſenſate ſtories, they ſinke downe to their Center, and rather chuſe to feele what they feare, than labour to avoid what they muſt feele. So cowards winke and fight; yea, they winke and ſuffer, and fight not: a diſmall wages!

2 Hell, and that in the worſt ſenſe; not the grave of the body, but of the ſoule. There is Hell ratione meriti, a ſinfull life: and Hell ratione poena, the horrour of conſcience: and Hell ratione loci, which is Hell it ſelfe, the locall priſon of the damned, as Heaven is the triumphant Manſion of the bleſſed. This is the full wages of unrighteouſneſſe, into which the deſperate madneſſe of ungodly men doth chop blindfold. There be ſome, that thanke philoſophy and their owne reaſons, they feare no ſuch fable, as Hell. Socrates and Plato were great philoſophers, yet they beleeved a hell, and hiſſed the contrary opinions as bellarine, out of their Schooles. Yea, the very Savages and Infidels confeſſe it: the inſtinct of nature, and a divine impreſſion, extorts from them this acknowledgement; that ſoules live after their bodies, either in bliſſe or paine. What are they but Monſters, that ſeeke to obliterate theſe indeleble characters, and ſo dance hoodwink'd into perdition? O were it allowed to the deſperate Ruffians of our daies, that ſweare and curſe, as if heaven were deafe to their noiſe, or as if they would make it deafe by their noiſe, to have but a ſight of hell: how would it charme their mouthes, appall their ſpirits, ſtrike feare and aſtoniſhment into their hearts! The Church and they would bee better acquainted, which are now perpetuall ſtrangers. Superſtitious recuſants, irreligious profaners of the Sabbath, that never ſerve God but once a yeere: their bed or their boat or the Taverne is all their Temple, except we ſee their faces at Eaſter: would they doe thus if they underſtood this wages? No, could wee foreſee death and hell in their proper ſhapes, wee would fore-appoint our ſelves, not to avoide the firſt death which we cannot; but to eſcape the ſecond, which wee may, through repentance and faith, &c.

The divels beſought Chriſt, that he would not caſt them into the Deepe. Luk. 8.31.Luke 8:31What is this Deepe, but Hell? Firſt, for the utter ſeparation from the face of God, never to ſee his favourable countenance: then for the impoſſibilities of paſſage to the Region of reſt and glory. The very divels feare this deepe: they feele themſelves bound in chaines, and reſerved to this torment; expecting a further degree of vengeance. They know this to be the wages of unrighteouſneſſe: now the wages is not paied till the worke be done. Still they are tempting men unto ſin, and ſtill they ſinne in that temptation: the miſ-leaders into evill ſinne more than the actors: therefore the full meaſure of their damnation remaines to the upſhot of their wickedneſſe: the day of Iudgement ſhall confine them to the deepe for ever. This day, this deepe, they tremble at: yet ſottiſh men ſleight it. Were their underſtandings ſenſible of that burning Lake, where ſoule and body muſt be crowded into a firy dungeon, with torments intolerable and interminable, which can neither be indured nor avoided; durſt they ſo boldly ruſh into ſinne? who will thruſt his hand into a firy crucible, to fetch out the gold? Can the metall recompence the burning? We durſt not continue our licentious and wilfull ſinnes, if wee did truely beleeve the horrour of thoſe infernall and eternall flames.

Beleeve there is a hell! who does not? yes, very many that ſay they doe: it is hard for men to beleeve their owne unbeleefe. They that bee moſt dangerouſly ſicke, are leaſt ſenſible of their owne ſickneſſe. We their Phyſicians perceive it, and tell them of it, and they hate us for it. But as when the Seminary in Lancaſhire loſt his Glove, riding in his diſguiſe, and one that found it, rode apace after him to reſtore it: he miſtruſting him for a Purſuivant by his ſpeed (but moſt purſued by a guilty conſcience) quits his horſe, leapes over a hedge, plungeth p. 856into an unſeene marle-pit behinde it, and was drowned. So men fly us that meane them no harme, and rather hazzard themſelves into deſtruction, than ſuffer the Word of Exhortation. I know that love ſhould winne us to goodneſſe, rather than feare: yet feare is often the doore that lets in Love, as LoueLove casteth feare o…t of the doore. Even the feare of hell hath made way for the Love of Chriſt, and the Love of Chriſt hath taken away the feare of hell. There is a ſtory of one that gave a young Gallant a curious Ring, with a Deaths head in it; upon this condition, that for a certaine time, he ſhould ſpend one houre every day in looking and thinking on it. He tooke the Ring in wantonneſſe, but performing the condition with diligence, it wrought a wonder on him: and of a deſperate Ruffian, he became a conſcionable Chriſtian. Imagine this diſcourſe a Ring the wages of unrighteouſneſſe a Deaths head; yea more, a map of hell, an Embleme of deſtruction: ſpend but one halfe houre fixedly every day on theſe meditations, and (I doubt not) by Gods Grace thou ſhalt finde ſuch an alteration in thy heart and life; that there ſhall be gladneſſe in the Church, peace in thy owne Conſcience, and joy before the Angels in Heaven for thy Converſion.

As they that count it pleaſure to riot in the day time.] There is no greater danger in the world, than to live in the danger of the world. This is a care that troubles but few: how to get it, not how to uſe it, is the common ſtudy: Many waking houres are ſpent on the bed, how to be rich, how to be glorious, not how to be good. God hath written divers bookes of holy inſtructions, and they are able to make a man wiſe to Salvation: theſe containe Rules how to bee holy and happy, not how to be wanton and wealthy. Salomon had his Ethickes, his Politickes, his Oeconomickes; for the governement of Behaviour, of Commonwealth, of Familie: not one booke of ſecular myſteries, though his wiſedome were incomparable even in that kinde alſo. Not a leafe in the ſacred volume, but hath matter againſt a voluptuous life, none for it. To pleaſe fleſh and blood is the doctrine of the devill; this, man hath learned by nature; he is borne with this knowledge: and the whole contents of the Scripture is by the Law to forbid it, by the Goſpell to mortifie it. Certainely, if it had been good to live in ſenſuall pleaſure, among ſo many Divine Rules, ſome direction would have guided us to this. But all that God ſaies about it, is to forbid it, to threaten it, to condemne it, to caſt it into hell. Indeed hee neither condemnes our affections, nor theſe objects, aſunder; but their compoſition, as they are married together. A man may covet (ſo as it be) the best gifts: 1 Cor. 12.31.1 Cor 12:31Deſire more Grace, ſeeke more, never thinke you have enough: be ſtill poore that you may be rich, rich that you may be full, full that you may be glorious. You may deſire worldly things long enough without finding any content;Eccl. 5.10. Mat. 5.6.Eccl 5:10Matt 5:6 but covet after righteouſneſſe, and you ſhall be ſatisfied. Be merry, pleaſant, rejoyce, but in the Lord: Chriſtianitie does not take away our joy, but gives it. It is the Ramme that dies, Iſaac (our laughter) eſcapes. Bee ambitious of favour, of honour, of a kingdome: but of Gods favour, of the honour of Saints, of the Kingdome of Heaven. But to take pleaſure in riot, as if a mans heaven lay in his guts, and Paradiſe were nothing but the delight of his ſenſe; this is that bruitiſh opinion, the faith of Epicures, which ſends many with that rich Churle, from their delicate tables to eternall flames.

To riot is belluine; there is their Senſualitie: In the day time, is deſperate, for that is a worke of the night; there is their Impudence: To count this a pleaſure, (many have beene over-taken with intemperance, but it was their ſorrow and vexation, to theſe it is a pleaſure) there is their Voluptuouſneſſe: They thinke it ſo, they doe but thinke it ſo, they ſhall not ſo finde it; there is their Sottiſhneſſe. Their wickedneſſe appeares here like a Conjuration. Firſt, the ſpirit raiſed is riot. Secondly, the circle wherein it is raiſed, is the day time. Thirdly, the ſorcereſſe that raiſeth it, is Pleaſure. Fourthly, the charme or illuſion is conceit; They thinke or count it a pleaſure, &c.

p. 857Riot] This is the ſpirit: the groſſeſt devill of all is the eating devill: ſurfeting guts turne men into beaſts. We borrow pride from the Lion, covetouſneſſe from the Hedgehog, envie from the Dogge, wrath from the Beare, gurmandiſe from the Wolfe, ſloth from the Aſſe, riot and ſenſualitie from the Hog: ſuch be called Boariſh men. God ſent them into the world men, and they come forth beaſts. OnelyOnly the beaſts are in better caſe; becauſe they want the reaſon of Election, and ſhall receive no ſentence of condemnation. Drunkenneſſe is ſo apt to miſdemeanors, that even againſt the violence of men not drunke, there lies an Action called a Riot.

There is Riot in many things: Firſt, Riot in drinke, when men drinke in meaſures, without meaſure. We may change the verſe; Non habet ulterius quod nostri… potibus addet Posteritas. Peace hath made many countries ſicke of a ſurfet, but (were the Aſſiſes come) God would finde this whole Land guilty of a Riot. Crates threw his money into the ſea, reſolving to drowne it, leſt it ſhould drowne him: the drunkard caſts his money into a deluge of drinke, both drowning it, and himſelfe with it. Herein the Miſer and the Rioter are oppoſites; the one ſo loves money that hee will not afford himſelfe good drinke, the other ſo loves good drinke that hee ſcornes money. Cornua Bacchus habet, the riotous muſt be quarrellous; therefore ſome quarrels are called riots. When the iron is hot, the Smith can faſhion it to his pleaſure: Wine tempers the heart like waxe for the devils impreſſion. Secondly, there is riot in meats, Let us eate and drinke, for to morrow we ſhall die, ſaith the Epicure: one would thinke it ſhould rather be, Let us fast and pray, for to morrow we ſhall die. The poore mans labour is to get him meat for his ſtomake; the riotous onelyonly care to get a ſtomake for their meate. Their whole viciſſitude of ſtudies is but meate for the belly, and the belly for meate; as Brewers provide barrels for their drinke, and drinke for their barrels. What wonder is it, if they in hell be moſt tormented in their tongues, that have moſt offended in their taſtes?

Riot is of a great latitude; to abuſe any riches of Nature to wantonneſſe, is riot. So a man may riot in apparell: divers men are in all other things miſerable. Yet prodigall in their clothes; and theſe ſhall bee indited of a Riot. The Daw values himſelfe by his cockſcombe, the foole by his garded coate; and theſe take ſtate upon them according to their garments; and after a little cuſtome, perſwade themſelves that they are ſuch in deed. The caſe of an inſtrument keepes it from ſoile, the cover of a glaſſe from duſt: but gorgeous attire can neither prevent age, for they ſoone wax old themſelves; nor ſave from ſoile, for ſinne bred them, and they breed ſinne. Pagans over-gild their blockes, that they may be worſhipped; and men garniſh their bodies for the ſame purpoſe. The dreſſe of proud women is but Democritus his brazen ſhield ſet up againſt the Sunne, to amaze the eyes that behold it; but bavins to the fornace of laſciviouſneſſe: in their beſt interpretation, they are but buſhes which ſhould ſignifie beautie to ſell: for why is a ſigne hung out, but to invite men to buy? As in Italie, the beaſts that are to bee ſold, are decked with bloſſomes and garlands. But that which is worſe; the plaiſtering of their faces, enſparkling their eyes with ſpiritualiz'd diſtillations, touching their lips with aurum potabile, filling up frets with freſh colours, as men keepe roſes all winter in covered vaults; this is horrible riot. It ſeemes they thinke God was a bungler, not his crafts-maſter, and that they are able to correct and mend his workemanſhip. But doe they not lay on their colours ſo thicke, that they ſize into their ſoules? Does not a p…acke ſoule often dwell under a white roofe? Mee thinkes they ſhould be jealous, leſt the divell ſhould come to them in the diſguiſe of a Tailor, Tirewoman, or Complexion-ſeller.

There is Riot in play, where the greateſt winner is it danger to loſe the ga…e. The Romans built a Temple to ill Fortune in exquiliis, on a mountaine hard by, p. 858that it ſhould not plague them at cards and dice. God made no man for play, but all for worke: they that play when they ſhould worke, ſhall worke when they might have reſted. Not ſeldome doth Riot breake forth into wantonneſſe and carnall delights; a ſinne ſo trite and cuſtomarie that it ſerves the Citie for an afternoones recreation. Common ſtrumpets are ſaid to have no common Patrons: and if leſſer magiſtrates put them in hold, they have greater perſons to fetch them out. Either authoritie is connivent, and will not ſee the faults; or corrupt, and loves to feele bribes; or which is worſe, doth not puniſh the ſinner, that they may ſinne with her; which of all bribes is the baſeſt. There is Riot in any exceſſive delicacie; ſo the word here uſed is Deliciis frui, not uti: a ſinne hard to deſcribe, becauſe it hath ſo many ſhapes. In women it raignes moſt, becauſe they have leaſt to doe. They muſt have delicate houſes, rubb'd and glaz'd, as if like Abraham, they were to entertaine Angels; whereas too often, it is but for their wanton lovers. The floores are ſo gliſtering, as if they would walke upon looking glaſſes.Eſai. 3.16.Isa 3:16 They have delicate paces, going on the earth as if they went upon ſnakes, and feared to tread hard leſt they ſhould turne againe. This is truely to riot by a delicious life; when every thing about them is ſo reſplendent and contentfull, that they have no minde to goe to heaven. This is to fortifie themſelves, not againſt mortalitie, but againſt the thought of mortalitie; to quinteſſence a heaven out of earth, yea to exchange a true heaven for a counterfet. How many ſoules have theſe artificiall paradiſes beguiled? Through a hell upon earth God brings many to heaven, and through a heaven upon earth many bring themſelves to hell. In the forenoone Riot is merry, in the afternoone drunke, at night it goes to bed ſtarke mad, but in the morning it riſeth ſober, in everlaſting ſorrow; that is the farewell of it.

In the day time;] This is the Circle: whether we reade it, Per diem, Ad diem, or In diem: here be three readings, and three ſenſes. Per diem, that is continually, day by day. Ioſh. 1.8. Pſal. 1.2. 1 Theſſ. 2.9.Josh 1:8Ps 1:21 Thess 2:9Day and night is often taken for Indeſinenter; now the day includes the night: when wee begge Panem quotidianum, our daily bread, we deſire proviſion both for day and night. It was a fooliſh ſuperſtition of them that refuſed the Paternoster going to bed, becauſe they thought it abſurd to ſay, Give us this day, when as it was night. Come, we will fill our ſelves with ſtrong drink, and to morrow ſhall be as this day, Eſai. 56.12.Isa 56:12and much more abundant. It is never night with them while the drinke laſts, or their eyes can wake to guide the pot to their mouthes. There is great difference betwixt infirmitie and vice: the former is but an ague, neither mortall nor perpetuall: the other a dropſie, that drinkes till it rots, and rots till it dies. There bee ſinnes in the righteous, there is nothing but ſinne in the riotous. If Xantippes ſcolding ſo troubled Alcibiades, that heard her but ſeldome; what an affliction was it to Socrates, her husband, that muſt bide by it day and night? when a Citizen complained what a pitifull journey he had in a mooriſh fen-countrey; a countrie man replied, God helpe them that dwell there, as I doe. A traveller often drinkes that liquour with offence to him, which his hoſt guzzles with pleaſure. This made the Friar, that had drenched himſelfe for experience, to impoſe it as a ſore penance on them that had confeſſed that ſinne, Goe and be drunke againe. Cuſtome makes that a pleaſure, which is a torment: many doe that in a day, for which they weepe all their life.

Or Ad Diem; and this is indeed the terme of all ſinfull pleaſure; it is but a flaſh, a puffe, and it vaniſheth. It is expected with deſire, with delight entertained, and departs with diſcontent. Like ſome ſpritely muſicke, that advanceth a mans minde while it ſounds,Ion▪ 4.7.Jonah 4:7 and leaves him more melancholy when it is done. A countryman obſerving the preparation for a great triumph, among many other queſtions, about the labour, the coſt, the ſtudy; demands how long it ſhould laſt: hee was anſwered, for an houre: but hee replyed, then the leaſſe is very deare. Could they drinke with Cleopatra, the riches of Aegypt at a draught, yet p. 859it is but a draught, and quickly downe the throat. Turne but the candle, and Quod me alit, me extinguet; that which keepes me in, puts me out.

In diem, ſo the word properly imports: this is impudent. They that ſleepe, 1 Theſſ. 5.7.1 Thess 5:7ſleepe in the night; and they that bee drunken, are drunken in the night. And malè agens odit licem. But alas, that is cowardly ſinne with them, that is aſhamed to ſhew the face. They dare the day to witneſſe their ungodlineſſe, and doe their villanies,Pſal. 139.12.Ps 139:12 as the Phariſees gave their almes, and ſaid their prayers, to bee ſeene of men. As if they were ambitious to bee like God, to whom the day and the night is all one. The Apoſtle intends it, not as a qualification of their naughtineſſe, but for a more full expreſſion: In the day time, when others are at their labours, they then roare with riot. The day is made for work, the night for ſleep: our lawfull worke in the day, is Gods ſervice; our naturall ſleepe in the night is our owne indulgence: he that ſteales an houre from his ſleepe, robs but himſelfe: hee that treſpaſſeth upon the day, injures God. If you ſay, reſt enables us for worke, yet worke is the end, and the end is more noble than the meanes.

Againe, all ſinne is the worke of darkeneſſe, therefore moſt proper for the time of darkeneſſe: the riot that is bad at any time, is worſe in the day-time. In the night it onelyonly makes the devill ſport; none but fiends are ſpectators at that interlude: ſinne is then but like a poore watchman in his night-gowne. In the day it ruffles it like a ſwaſher, marches with drumme and fife, and bids defiance to authority. So it offends the good, enrageth the bad, and infects the indifferent: and that which might have eſcaped with forty ſtripes for the meere evill, ſhall have an hundred for the example. Sin at firſt was a ſingle woman, and kept home; but rambling one day abroad, the devill got her with child, and ſhe was deliver'd of two baſtards, Temptation and Example. Ever ſince ſhee cannot ſtirre out of doores, but theſe Impes haunt her: when ſhee would delight her ſelfe, either Temptation gets ſome to ſinne with her, or Example teaches ſome to ſinne after her.

Laſtly, day-ſinnes are done with leſſe ſhame, therefore more impious. Many that care not for honeſty, yet ſtand upon their credit, and would not be detected of that they love to commit. But they are frontleſſe Zimri's, that bring whores to their tents in the face of all Iſrael. Noah was uncovered, but in the midſt of his owne Tent: ſinne is bad enough, though no eye ſee it: and unknowne ſinnes are attended with knowne puniſhments: ſecret faults have their ſecret guilt and ſhame. But foure eyes ſaw the adultery, ten thouſand millions ſhall ſee the torment. But that man is paſt all goodneſſe, that is paſt ſhame. Sinne bred ſhame, yet the mother is often curbed by the daughter: ſhee dares not play her prankes ſo boldly while ſhame is by. Sinne would kill all the agents of goodneſſe in us, but that ſhame hinders her. Shame holds them in, though ſinne holds them under. There is ſome feare to offend, ſome knowledge of good and evill, ſome remorſe, ſome conſcience, while ſhame laſts. But if ſhame once departs, knowledge goes, and feare goes, and remorſe goes, and conſcience goes; none will tarry behinde ſhame. Alas, for our age, to beare the date of ſuch impietie; that it ſhould be ſaid, In ſuch a yeere, when yet there was no plague, Shame died. Honeſtie died long ſince, and was buried in the Suburbs: Charitie lived not long after, and was buried in the Citie: Plaine-dealing died then too, and was buried in the Countrey: and now Shame is dead alſo: the Sepulchers of Suburbs, Citie, and Countrey, being taken up by Honeſtie, Charitie, Plaine-dealing; what roome is left for Shame's grave, except the waters? And it is thought, that amongſt the Watermen ſhee firſt caught her death. If any man can finde a place to bury her, I will beſtow a ſory Epitaph upon her:

p. 860If any man require my Name

Say bluſhing tombe that it was Shame.

When I did in a cheeke appeare,

Men did conclude that Grace was there.

I many kept from doing ill,

Therefore ill doing did me kill.

The Swearer, Liar, Whore, may lead

A bolder life; for Shame is dead.

But when all dead riſe from their places,

I Shame ſhall then fit on their faces.

In the day time.] Perh…ps they ſlept a-nights; and followed the buſineſſe ſo cloſe by day, that they diſpatched it before night. Or it may bee, they would husband their bodies, that they might hold out: for riot is a ſoaker, and it would drench them to follow it day and night too. Sinne is the greateſt folly in the world, and yet there muſt be ſome art and cunning to maintaine it. The houſe that growes ſeare, needs ſupporters. But now have we none worſe than theſe? The day contented them to riot in; day and night too is too little for ſome. Often doe they curſe the clocke for haſte, never blame themſelves for lingring in riot. Revell they never ſo long, their laſt dance is loth to depart. They are angry,Ioſh. 10.12.Josh 10:12 that they cannot with Ioſhua, make the Sunne ſtand ſtill, or keep the Moone from going downe, not till they confound the Amorites, but till their Amorites worke their confuſion. They wiſh that the day might be corrupted, and that the night would take bribes. There be ſome feaſts, where the gueſts thinke they are ſleighted, if they be not ſent away drunke: and Time is no pleaſing Hoſt to theſe if he will not allow them to ſurfet.

But the night, the night is the guilty time: it would be a long Aſſiſes, only to take the confeſſion and indictment of Candle-light. This would tell of doores ready to let in the adulterer, of theeves watching to breake into houſes, of Fauxes with their darke lanthornes ready to blow up States; of Unthrifts revelling and drinking, till their monies and their wits be both ſpent together; of age-decaied dames baking on their colours, and ſpending many pounds of candles in pinning and trimming their dreſſes, that will not beſtow one minutes light in reading any good booke: Murder, treachery, conſpiracie, felonie now follow their buſineſſe very cloſe: many Owles that cannot endure the light, now flutter abroad, and keepe a howting and rowting in the darke. Thoſe dare now frequent Tavernes and Brothels, quarrell in the ſtreetes, rage and dominere, who would appeare contemptible in the day. The Sunne, that eye of Heaven, does ſcarce ſee ſo much villanie, as Candle-light. Wittily conceited was that Italian, who wrought the ſupplication to Candle-light, deſiring her to diſcloſe to him the rare ſecrets which ſhee ſaw in her Empery. The day would ſcarce beleeve what deeds are done by night.

I conclude; both day and night let us baniſh intemperance out of our coaſts: it will beg for ſome indulgence, but let a ſhameleſſe beggar have a ſtrong deniall. If we will not grant it the day, it will crave but the night: ſinne hath no right to a moment of time, therefore will take any: but when thou haſt once allowed it a part, it will proudly challenge all. Hee that ſhall duely conſider his ſinnes, will finde that he hath time little enough for repentance, none to ſpare for intemperance. In ſtead of rioting our ſelves, wee have cauſe to mourne for the riot of others. But alas, all mortification is cenſured by the name of ſuperſtition, and he that forbeares exceſſe, is held an irregular melancholy perſon. The moſt mens ſorrowes are like the mournings of an heire, who then ſmiles in his heart, when his eyes let fall forced teares. We may ſay of this kinde of evill, as Chriſt ſaid of that kinde of divell, it will not out with Prayer alone, but with fasting and p. 861prayer. It is not onelyonly humane, but heavenly policie, to weaken our enemie before we fight with him. The luſt that is fed with riot, will bee too ſtrong for us. Inveterate wounds or ulcers muſt have corroſives to eate out the dead fleſh, ere they can be cured. We are ordained for holineſſe, not for licentiouſneſſe: the jollitie of this world is ſo farre from ſaving us, that it keepes us from being ſaved. O let not all the ſhowres of Sermons fall like raine in the horſe-faire, or high-waies, to breed nothing but mire and puddles; heare not to become worſe. But judge every houre worthy thy ſorrow, which thou haſt miſ-ſpent in vanitie: fly the ſinnes againſt which I have ſpoken, and I have ſpoken.

They count it a pleaſure to riot.] Pleaſure is the Sorcereſſe that raiſeth up the ſpirit of riot: that ſpeciall harlot of hell, which the divell hath dreſſed up to tempt the ſonnes of men. She hath a melodious tongue, to enchant: a face of artificiall beautie, to allure: eyes that rowle with invitations, to bewitch; armes of wanton provocations, to embrace. Shee courts all men in the language of Abſalom, but her heart is full of treaſon; and her project is to deceive them of the Kingdome of Heaven. Pro Ratione voluntas, is the Uſurpers tyrannie: and Pro Religione voluptas, is the Epicures Divinitie; whoſe belly is their god. Pleaſure guides them in all their actions and courſes: demand of a voluptuous man the reaſon of his doings, he will anſwere, It is my pleaſure. Two queſtions would here be examined, for direction of our mindes about Pleaſure.

1 Whether a man may take any pleaſure in this world or no? Yes certainly; one ſpeciall uſe of wiſedome ſtands in tempering our pleaſures; to be delighted is not evill, but to be delighted in evill. As Paul ſaies, Be angry, and ſinne not, ſo Be merry and ſinne not. Why hath God given man ſuch choice of earthly commodities, but for his uſe? The whole world is a well-furniſh'd table; if wee ſhall wilfully faſt, we ſhall be held for ſullen gueſts. Some to avoide the danger of Pleaſure, have run from the world, changing popular cities for ſolitary mountaines, and the ſocietie of men for beaſts. As if the world were not in the deſart, or the deſart not in the world: as if an Hermitage could hide a man from the devill, or he could not be tempted while hee was alone, or an eſtuant deſire could not be in a neglected body. Did not Hierome finde Rome in his heart, when nothing but rockes and buſhes were in his eye? Doe we not naturally more affect thoſe delights which are reſtrained? Is not ſolitarineſſe a maine helpe to the ſpeed of a temptation?

There is certainely a neerer and a fairer way than this. The wiſe man will be an Hermite at home, and ſeekes rather to turne the world out of himſelfe, than to turne himſelfe out of the world. Hee can diſtinguiſh betweene the love of pleaſure, and the uſe of pleaſure; and while others ſerve delight, hee teacheth delight to ſerve him. If wee ſee vanitie, muſt we needs dote upon it? Our Saviour ſaw the glory of earthly kingdomes, yet deſpiſed it. The Angels ſee the affaires and proceedings of us mortals, but as ſtrangers. Lot reaped profit from the goodly medowes of Sodome, hee medled not with their ſinnes. Moſes was in the Court of Pharaoh; the confluence of all pleaſures, yet his heart was ſuffering with his afflicted countrey-men. Eliſha ſaw the ſecrets of the Syrian State, but as an enemy. David is in the Court of Gath, but as his refuge; hee was no friend to the Philiſtines. The world looked upon Abraham, Iob, and many other Saints, and they contemned it: and cannot we looke upon it, but preſently wee are bewitched with it? Can we not warme us at the Sunne, but we muſt make an idoll of it? Muſt we needs either hide our faces, or bow our knees? Either renounce all pleaſure, or be the ſlaves of pleaſure? what extremes are theſe, wee may bee merry, without being mad: let theſe contentments goe and come like ſtrangers: true pleaſures be ours, if we be Chriſt's.

2 How may a Chriſtian take pleaſure in the world? By having reſpect to three things; An liceat, an expediat, an deceat. The pleaſure muſt be lawfull, there can p. 862be no ſafetie in a ſinfull delight? That which is abſolutely evill, can by no circumſtance be made good. Poiſon may be qualified, and become medicinall: there is uſe to be made of an enemie: ſickneſſe may turne to our better health; and death it ſelfe to the faithfull is but a doore to life: but ſinne can never bee made good. Pleaſure therefore firſt muſt have the warrant, that it bee without ſinne: then the meaſure, that it be without exceſſe. If the cup be evill, we may not taſte it: though good, yet not carouſe it. Reaſon forbids us both to touch knowne poiſon, and to be drunke with wholeſome wine. Pleaſure is like ſauce to our meat; we muſt not be too ſaucy. A little honey is ſweet, much fulſome. Non naſcimur ad ludum. Nor is the lawfulneſſe onelyonly obſervable, but the convenience: a man may weare good clothes unhandſomely. The ſtuffe may bee good, yet while the faſhion of the garment does not become him, it appeares ridiculous. The place, the occaſion, the companie, the opportunitie, all muſt be fit. The houſe of mourning is not for mirth; ſoone did Chriſt turne the Muſicians out of doores.Matth. 9.23.Matt 9:23 In the time of viſitation, while the plague or famine lies ſore upon our neighbours, ſhall we give our ſelves to ſport and joviſance? Eſai. 22.12, 13. Let us bee ſure that our delights exclude not the preſence of God. (We love the medicine, not for it owne ſake, but for the health it brings us. The Angels are ſent about Gods meſſages to this earth; yet they are never out of their heaven, never without the viſion of bleſſedneſſe. We may bee merry, though God be by; we may pleaſe our ſelves, ſo long as wee diſpleaſe not him. He that deſires pleaſure for it ſelfe, and is taken up with the ſweetneſſe of it, is already drunke. Whereas hee that reſts not in it, but lookes through it to the Giver, referring all to the higheſt good, is ſafe, and as farre from ſinne, as from ſorrow. It is not the uſe, but affectation of pleaſure that offends; therefore all the danger or ſafetie is from within. The body may bee a Recluſe, and the heart a wanderer. I have obſerved ſome to looke careleſly and ſtrangely on ſuch objects as tranſport others; and anſwere queſtions farre from the purpoſe; it ſeemes they did minde ſome other thing: it is happy for a man not to minde the world. We eate and recreate, not becauſe wee would, but becauſe we muſt; and when we are beſt pleaſed, let us be moſt ſuſpicious. Let us uſe pleaſure in God, from God, to God: in God, lawfully: from God, thankfully: to God, that is, to his Glory.

Theſe be the two Quaere's, now there be alſo two Quare's; why ſhould mee, why ſhould Chriſtian men riot in pleaſures?

1 Why ſhould reaſonable men delight in riot? It makes them the worſe, the unhealthfuller, the poorer, none the better. It is every way expenſive, and cannot quit the coſt. Firſt, to the eſtate, voluptuouſneſſe is a waſter: that merchant is likelier to grow rich, that turnes his gallerie into a warehouſe, than hee that turnes his warehouſe into a gallerie. Honestum, Vtile, and Iucundum, keeping houſe together, Honestum was to governe all, Vtile to provide for all, and Iucundum to dreſſe or prepare all. They had a great houſhold, yet maintained their charge, releeved the poore, and laid up ſomewhat for their poſterity. All things went ſweetly on, while Cheerefulneſſe was the Cooke, Thriftineſſe the Cater, and Honeſtie the Steward. If any of the familie were diſordered, Honeſtie reformed them: if any laviſh and unthrifty, Frugalitie recover'd them: if any melancholy, Iucundum revived and cheared them. But after a while, this Iucundum getting a little head, begins to exceed in mirth, and fals out with Vtile for ſhort proviſion: he had invited a number of fiddlers, jeſters, players, tumblers, dancers, and muſt have extraordinary cheare for them. Vtile refuſed to allow it, Iucundum would have it, and the quarrell grew hot: while Honeſtum was called to moderate the matter, this rabble came in, tooke Iucundum's part, ſnatch'd the keyes out of Vtile's hands, ranſack'd the coffers, exhauſted the treaſure, turned Honeſtie and Thrift out of doores; ſung, danced, and drunke, and threw (as p. 863they ſay) the houſe out at the windowes. Thus the Familie broke; for juſt as Honeſtum and Vtile went out, Beggarie came in. OnelyOnly theſe two erected a new houſe, repaired their eſtates: to whom not long after, poore Iucundum came a begging; but might not be admitted as one of the Familie, only was ſent for ſometimes to make them merry, and lived on their almes. You ſee the morall of this Apologue. Cato ſaid; that was a pitifull Common-wealth, where a Trowt was dearer than an Oxe: and I may ſay, that is a lamentable State, where a fiddler and a dancer is better maintained than a Preacher. Not a few families have thus been ruined, I would the reſt would take warning. Secondly, It undoes the credit; who will truſt an unthrift? As it is true of ſpirituall, ſo of worldly things, Habenti dabitur, To him that hath, ſhall be given. When death, love, and credit would part, they appointed places to finde one another. Death ſaies, you ſhall be ſure to finde me in great battels or epidemicall plagues. Love ſaies, you ſhall finde me among ſhepheards, where is no talke of dowries. But Credit told them plainely, they that once part with mee, ſhall never finde mee againe. I need not adde, how it overthrowes the health; to Rot and to Riot, differ but one ſmall letter. Howſoever the voluptuous flatter themſelves with having the merrier life, I am ſure they have the ſhorter life. They are but crazy, that have a fenne about them, how rotten are they that have a fenne within them? He is a right ſpend-all, that beſides all ſpends himſelfe. The Philoſopher that would aske of the frugall Citizen but a peny, begg'd of the Prodigall a talent; and he had his reaſon for it; becauſe of the one hee might begge often, of the other hee was like to receive but once, ſo ſoone would his eſtate vaniſh. The temperate may die, the riotous cannot live: ſickneſſe is the daughter of intemperance. Yea, the inordinate life is ſcarce patient to tarry for ſickneſſe; but periſheth by miſ-fortune: often in a bruitiſh manner, in their owne vomit and ordure, they goe ſleeping and ſenſeleſſe to hell, having neither Reaſon, Grace, nor Time to repent, or ſo much as cry, Lord, have mercy on us. There is no ſinne which hurts not the ſinner; but of all, Riot is the moſt diſpatching: ſo ſoone doth it bring men to their end, ſo often doth it kill them in the act of ſinne.

2 But more; why ſhould Chriſtians ſeeke pleaſure in Intemperance? We have not ſo learned Christ. S. Paul tels us of them weeping, whoſe belly is their God. Phil. 3.18.Phil 3:18We cannot ſpeake of them without paſſion and compaſſion; O that our prayers and teares could recover them! Why ſhould wee ſeeke the pleaſures of the world, that have a world of pleaſures without it? One delights in turning over his white and red droſſe, another glories in his vaine Titles: one takes pleaſure in a daintie diſh, another in a wittie jeſt: one in a kite, another in a dogge: ſhall theſe pleaſures be our envie, or our ſcorne? Why doe we call our ſelves Chriſtians, and rejoyce like worldlings? That man ſolaceth himſelfe in his earthly poſſeſſions, becauſe he hath not a foote of Inheritance in heaven: another ſports with his hawkes and hounds, becauſe hee hath no fellowſhip with Saints and Angels: a third tels over his bagges of gold, becauſe he hath no graces to number: another ſtudies delicate diſhes, and provides him ſweet wines, becauſe he never taſted the cuppe of ſalvation: another prides himſelfe in his titular dignitie, becauſe he hath no hope of future glory: a laſt hunts after nothing but mirth, and is then fartheſt from it, when he thinkes himſelfe deepeſt in it: he cares not how vaine his ſport is, ſo it be pleaſant; and if he can while away the time, and chaſe off melancholy, he thinkes that day ſpent happily. If the world be a mans God, Pleaſure muſt needs be his religion.

But ſhall the Chriſtian be thus coozen'd? Shall not wee diſdaine theſe frivolous and lawleſſe delights, that have ſolid and everlaſting comforts? Farre better were it to ſpend our time in teares, than thus to bee tranſported with wanton pleaſures. To an holy ſoule, earthly pleaſure is like an importunate fidler, that without invitation impudently thruſts himſelfe into his chamber, drawes and p. 864playes, and will not bee denyed. Hee may give it the hearing, and that's an high favour: but hee dares neither reward nor commend it: yea, hee thinkes it harſh muſicke, and in his heart ſecretly condemnes it; becauſe hee hath farre better of his owne. When hee hath tuned his ſoule with meditation, hee feeles a ſweet conſort within, betwixt God and himſelfe; his part being praiſe and obedience, and Gods part toward him the peace of conſcience. This world is like a bad foole in a play; the groſſe ſpectators laugh at thoſe jeſts, whereat the wiſe man is ready to hiſſe: hee entertaines that with ſcorne, which the reſt doe with applauſe. Wee have the true fountaine of joy, let us never ſtoope to theſe riotous puddles. Our ends are not the ſame, why ſhould our wayes bee ſo? Some have God, not the world: ſome have the world, not God: ſome have neither God nor the world; and ſome have both. Firſt, ſome have God, not the world, as Lazarus: his heart was full of divine comforts, whiles his body lacked crums. Secondly, ſome have the world, and not God; as Nabal; who poſſeſſed a world of wealth, not a dramme of comfort. Thirdly, ſome have neither God nor the world; nothing but miſery here, nothing but torment hereafter. Fourthly, ſome have both, as Abraham, who was rich while he lived on earth, and dying was glorious in heaven. Let us uſe the world, but enjoy the Lord; be thankefull for theſe bleſſings, but reſt our hearts on Ieſus Chriſt.

They thinke it a pleaſure, they ſhall not finde it ſo. Conceit is the charme. Wicked joyes are like thoſe locusts, Rev. 9 7.Rev 9:7upon whoſe heads were (not crownes, but) as it were crownes (not of gold, but) like gold: their faces were (not but) as it were faces of men; their haires (not indeed, but) as the haires of women: their breast-plates, as it were breast-plates of iron: all theſe, ſhadowy, and ſimilitudinary: but verſ. 10. There were ſtings in their tailes: not as it were, but true ſtings indeed. Theſe idolatrous paraſites offer ſacrifices to the world,Iudg. 16.24.Judg 16:24 as the Philiſtims did to their Dagon; our god hath delivered our enemy into our hands: they did but thinke it was Dagon that helped them, it was not. Let us reſolve things to their firſt matter, and ſo conſider them; what is a ſumptuous building, but a little burnt earth, or hewed timber? what is a beautifull creature, but the ſame earth wee tread upon, better temper'd? What is gold, but a veine of the ground better coloured? What, rich apparell, which man takes up in pride, but that the worme hath egeſted in ſcorne? Fame is but ſmoke, metall but droſſe, and pleaſure but a ſhort vanity. Howſoever too many thinke all this to bee but the voice of a melancholy ſcholer, yet they ſhall feele and confeſſe it undeniable truth. The devill is like a Iuglar, that puts the world like a peece of money into thy hand, and bids thee hold faſt; whereas hee by a liegerdumaine hath formerly got it away, and when thou openeſt thy hand, there is nothing.

Wee have ſeene ſome as happy as the world could make them, yet of all men the moſt diſcontented. Large poſſeſſions, goodly houſes, beautifull ſpouſes, hopefull children, full purſes; yet their life hath been neither the longer, nor the ſweeter, nor their hearts the lighter, nor their meales the heartier, nor their nights the quieter, nor their cares the fewer; yea, none more full of complaints. Among men generally, the poorer, the merrier. While I ſee men at once finde wealth, and loſe their mirth, as if they could not ceaſe to be poore, but withall they ceaſe to be happy; I cannot but conclude, that riches and content are like two buckets, while one comes up full, the other goes downe empty. Yea, I account none ſo miſerable, as they that grow rich by ſinne, or great by flattery. When wealth comes on the beſt termes, it is but vaine: when upon ill conditions it is a curſe. What is a ſilken coat, when there is a ſtinging conſcience within? Or a high Title to advance the name, when there is a hell in the ſoule? O that men could ſee, how much better it is to bee poore, than evill; and that there is no compariſon betweene want and ſinne. It was a Chriſtian choice of a reverend man; Let me rather bee in hell without ſinne, than glorious and wicked upon earth. Vaine p. 865pleaſures, if they could be ſound, yet are ſhort: if they could be long, yet they are not ſound. Their beſt is but as a good day betweene two agues, or a ſunſhine betwixt two tempeſts. Laughter concludes in teares; a little pleaſure for ſo much repentance is but a hard peny-worth. The voluptuous mans ground beares no flowers, but either they pricke the fingers, or offend the noſtrils: if they bee ſweet, they have their thornes; if faire, yet not without annoyance. The worldling ſpeakes of the Chriſtian, Alas, poore beggar: but the Chriſtian findes him rather worth his pity, than his envy; Alas, poore worldling. Moſes rather choſe to ſuffer affliction with the people of God, Heb. 11▪ …5.Heb 11:5than to enjoy the pleaſure of ſinne for a ſeaſon. I wonder at the faith of Moſes; but preſuppoſing his faith, I wonder not at his choice. When the devill ſhall make this proffer, All theſe will I give thee; returne him Peters anſwer, Thy gold periſh with thee. They that ſow in teares, Pſal. 126.5.Ps 126:5ſhall reape injoy: but a world of ſenſuall joyes, ſhall never bring man a good harveſt. Gaudent falſis bonis, pereunt veris tormentis. Men call for pleaſure, as the Philiſtims did for Samſon, to make them ſport; and it pulls downe the houſe upon their heads. Youth, Health, and Wealth being met, would have a daunce; and Pleaſure muſt bee their minſtrell: but in the firſt change, thoſe three wanton damoſels were taken up by three unhappy mates; Age, Sickneſſe, and Poverty: Youth was ſurpriſed by Age, Health by Sickneſſe, and Wealth by Poverty: at which ſight, Pleaſure fled away, and Time deliver'd them over to Sorrow.

1 Let us thinke upon this world, as it deſerves, with contempt. Vſe. How little can it doe for us, and that little, with what deceit? What is thy heart the better, what the merrier, for all theſe pleaſures wherewith it hath befriended thee? When did it offer hony, but a ſting withall? Milke and ſlumber, without a naile and an hammer? Pleaſure is like a flattering Hoſt, that promiſeth good cheare, but the reckoning payes for all. He that compares the welcome, with the farewell, ſhall finde hee had better have faſted. Beleeve them that have bought their experience deare; it is better to avoid ſinne Ante gustum, quam post fastidium; before we have taſted; than after we have ſurfeited. Looke we up to that heaven which God hath promiſed, and Chriſt hath purchaſed; being but one halfe upon earth, let the better part converſe above: from thence it came, and thither it is ordained to goe. Let us get that reſolution, that wee are onelyonly willing to live, becauſe our time is not yet come to dye; pitching our deſires upon thoſe pleaſures, which have neither bounds nor end; which are certaine, though future; whiles theſe are fickle, though preſent. Mans heart will not bee empty of thoughts; if heaven have taken up the roomes, the world is diſappointed. We confeſſe the happineſſe of ſalvation, and wiſh it; but wee faſten on this world. Laudamus ſuperna, terrenis fruimur: wee fill our mouthes with heaven, but our hearts and hands with earth. Paradiſe is a joyfull place; yet when death comes, wee are loth to goe thither. But if a man were travelling a myrie way, on a rainy day, in tempeſtuous weather, were hee not mad that had rather goe on ſtill, than yeeld to be at home? The more hold we take of this world, the more we loſe hold of the Lord. Tene certum, dimitte incertum: let us turne from vaine pleaſure that ſeekes us, and ſeeke that pleaſure which ſhall for ever content, and never cloy us.

2 In ſtead of taking pleaſure in Riot, let us rejoyce in Chriſt. Worldlings offend, that laugh when they ſhould mourne, and Chriſtians offend too; if they droupe when they ſhould be chearefull. God hath done great things for us, wherefore wee rejoyce; and we ſinne if wee rejoyce not. They erre in falſe mirth, and we in cauſleſſe heavineſſe; if while we enjoy the God of ſalvation, we are ſorrowfull. Is there any joy without God? And where can God bee without joy? When the Lord hath made us happy, hee will con us no thankes to make our ſelves miſerable. Shall wee freeze by a warme fire, or ſtarve at a feaſt? Wee finde God reconciled, Chriſt our Advocate, the holy Spirit our Comforter, we have peace in our conſcience, in heaven an inheritance; wee ſhould be both angry and aſhamed p. 866at our ſelves, to aske our hearts that queſtion, Why art thou ſad, O my Soule? If wee bee in Chriſt, our very bread is a ſymbole of the bread of life; and our wine, of that cup wee ſhall drinke in heaven. What ſhould diſcomfort us, if Chriſt be with us? All our joy is not reſerved for the next life, ſome is afforded us on earth: Gods greater light doth not extinguiſh the leſſe. Friends, children, wine, oile, health, liberty, competency, are not given us for diſcontent. We may not make them Gods rivals, but rejoyce in them as Gods bleſſings. In themſelves they are nothing, in him they are worth our joy. If God had not thought them bleſſings, he had not beſtowed them; and how are they bleſſings, if wee delight not in them? Becauſe wee may not take pleaſure in every thing, ſhall wee therefore take pleaſure in nothing? They wrong Chriſtians that forbid them mirth: the Goſpell is not ſuch dull mettall, but the Tydings of joy to all beleevers.

Spots they are and blemiſhes.] In every ſinne there is not only Reatus, that binds over to puniſhment: but Contaminatio, a defilement: which makes the ſinner not leſſe filthy, than guilty: and even when the guilt is remitted, the filth remaines ſtill. A childe by his owne unrulineſſe hath gotten a hurt or maime; upon his prayers and teares hee is ſpared the puniſhment; his father may forgive him, but it requires time before the Chirurgion can heale him: the hurt is not ſo ſoone cured, as the fault is pardoned. David cries, I have ſinned, and God anſweres, I have taken away thy ſinne; yet there ſtill abides a ſpot for Davids teares; which he muſt weepe throughly to waſh off. Spots and blemiſhes; the words are but two, put together with a Conjunction; and I will not put them aſunder with a diviſion. The argument of my diſcourſe is corruption, putrefaction, ſores and diſeaſes; ſo that it may be called a ſpirituall Sermon. No man lookes upon ulcers with pleaſed eyes, yet the Chirurgion muſt ſee them. We love to behold Gold-ſmiths ſtalls well adorned, with choice of plate, of Iewels; not dung-hils: yet the cocke in ſcraping the dung-hill, found a Iewell. We like to ſee beautifull creatures, not horrid beaſts and ſerpents: yet the Painter made a famous piece of Bucephalus, and the Crocodyle was ſo curiouſly ſhadowed, that in Egypt it was taken for a god, and worſhipped. We delight to view flowers of various formes and colours, not weeds: yet to paint a weed to the life, is held a good art. Whatſoever I want of the art, I ſhall doe my endevour to reſolve this ſhort character into divers concluſions.

1 All men are ſpotted, originally from their parents: of actuall ſpots themſelves are the parents. So foule are all by nature, that they can neither be good, nor ſee good; nec aſſequi mandatum, nec conſequi remedium. If thou aske how thou cameſt by it; thou art beholding for it to thy father, he to his father, all to Adam, Adam to Eve, and Eve to the divell. There is no evill which our naturall incleanneſſe would not admit, if God reſtrained not. Every actuall ſinne is a ſpot to the ſoule: a luſtfull looke is a ſpot to the eye: a bribe taken is a ſpot to the hand: he that unjuſtly gets or keepes away anothers right, is worſe than a theefe burned in the hand. Church-dues detained is a ſpot to the eſtate, that cannot be waſhed out from the ſacrilegious man or his heritage: every oath or lie is a ſpot on the tongue: every malicious thought is a ſpot on the breſt: every riotous draught is a ſpot on the throate: every idolatrous cringe is a ſpot on the knees. You will ſay theſe ſpots are not viſible, not ſeene on the body: no, for hypocriſie is a white skinne drawne over them, which from our dull eyes hides their appearance. But to God they are viſible, to whom all hearts are more tranſparent than any diaphanous glaſſe is to us. And at the laſt day, all theſe ſpots ſhall ſhew themſelves, (when all ſecrets ſhall be legible) in their odious formes. Now as it is in ſome mortall infection, the ſpots appeare not in the fleſh, but ſtrike inward to the heart, and kill it. If all our internall ſpots ſhould breake out, we could not endure one another. The whole world would be an Hoſpitall, and every man a p. 867Lazar. God cals for ſacrifice, the Prieſt preſents it, but it muſt be without blemiſh: we have no ſacrifice to offer but our ſelves, and how will he accept a ſpotted man, that required an unſpotted beast? This is one ſteppe.

2 The whole world is ſpotted, that is, another ſtep: in the univerſall blemiſhes of nature let us reade our owne. When I conſider the great and good worke of God in the Creation, making all things for man, and man for himſelfe, I thinke of the peoples acclamation to the ſame workeman, in a new and greater worke of our Redemption; He hath done all things well. He hath done, ſuch is his Power:Mar. 7.37.Mark 7:37 All things, ſuch is his Wiſedome: Well, ſuch is his Goodneſſe. Firſt, wee have the worke of Chriſt, Fecit: then the univerſalitie of the worke, Omnia: Laſtly, the nature of that univerſalitie, Benè. When I looke upon the preſent world, I finde a great alteration; fouleneſſe and corruption in thoſe Creatures, which were from God of ſo pure a conſtitution. He made the world ſo faire, that hee loved it; but when man had tooke it in hand, he began to loathe it.Gen. 6.12.Gen 6:12 All fleſh had corrupted his way: Corrupted, that is the turpitude: All fleſh, that is the latitude. The morning ſaw all things very good, the evening of the ſame day ſaw ſpots and blemiſhes in all Creatures. To charge God with this degeneration, is the higheſt blaſphemy: coldneſſe may ſooner ariſe from fire, than any evill from the fountaine of Goodneſſe. Indeed there is a penall evill;Amo. 3.6. and this hee acknowledgeth his owne: there is a criminall evill, which we call a radicall, cauſall one; this is ours. This laſt is an unrighteous action, which pleaſeth man, and diſpleaſeth God: the other is a juſt ſuffering, that pleaſeth God, and diſpleaſeth man. The puniſhment of ſinne is not properly an evill, but a good action of Iuſtice; diſhonouring the guilty Creature, to honour his holy Maker. As we ſay of warre, It is a deſtroyer of nature in Individuo, but a preſerver of it in Catholico.

Of this foule and ſpotted evill, Deus non est Autor, ſed ulter. How then came theſe ſpots? An enemie hath done this, ſowing tares upon the Wheat.Mat. 13.28.Matt 13:28 Which ſhewes firſt, that good was before evill, for it is Superſeminatio, a ſowing upon: good had the priority, though evill hath now got the ſuperioritie. Next, that evill is an accident, not a nature; but ſuch an accident as hath quite ſpoiled nature, as ruſt marres the gold. That as we ſay of a Prince, though he be Deus in terris, yet he is but Deus terrenus; though a god before men, yet but a man before God. So our whole naturall condition, which was Angelicall in reſpect of the beaſts, is now but (as it were) beſtiall in reſpect of the Angels. I doe not intend by this, according to the dotage of ſome new Philoſophers, that every irregularitie on earth puts a ſtarre out of order in the firmament: that every adulterous act here, ſtickes a blot upon the Moone there: that our pride and ambition hath brought the Sunne lower than it was: that he either ſlackes or mends his pace, as wee grow dull or forward in Gods ſervice. For the ſtarres keepe their courſes,Iudg. 5.20.Judg 5:20 the Moone hath no more blemiſhes than ſhe had a thouſand yeeres agoe: the Sun is neither come neerer, nor gone further off, but keepes the ſame line wherein God bade it run at the firſt: the heavens are as cleere, and the planets as regular in their wandrings, as ever: the celeſtiall bodies admit of no qualities. If all our ſins were ſet as ſpots on the Sun, Iamdudum Sol nobis pice us apparüiſſet; it had been as blacke as pitch before this time. But this I ſay, The whole Creature groaneth under the bondage of our corruption: and the world was once ſo foule with our iniquities, that the Maker ſcoured it with an Inundation of water; and againe, it is ſo growne ſo filthy, that hee will purifie it with a deluge of fire, in the day of Iudgement.

3 But if every man bee ſpotted, who ſhall then enter into heaven, ſeeing into that Citie no uncleane thing ſhall come? This is true,Rev. 21.27.Rev 21:27 yet many that have been uncleane perſons, are ſince admitted. They went not in impure; Such ye were, (as could not enter) but ye are cleanſed, ſaith Paul to his Corinthians. 2 Cor. 6.11.2 Cor 6:11They were all naturally uncleane, yet many of them are now in heaven; but before they entred, p. 868they were waſhed. I liſt not to uncover the ſpots of Gods Saints; let them be buried in the duſt with their bodies: yet their ſoules are in Heaven: how got they thither?aaRev. 7.14.Rev 7:14 They waſhed them, and made them white in the blood of the Lambe. Waſhed, therefore they had been foule: Made them white, therefore they were of a ſtained colour before. If God ſhould looke for a ſpotleſneſſe here, whom ſhould he looke upon? Is any mans heart pure? no, he ſhall have cauſe to his death-bed of redoubling that prayer,bbPſal. 51.10.Ps 51:10 Create in me a cleane heart, O God. And his Confeſſor may ſtill preach to him that Text,ccIer. 4.14.Jer 4:14 Waſh thy heart from iniquitie, that thou maiſt be ſaved. And who can ſay, He hath cleane hands? Say his heart were cleane, ſay his hands, yet be his feete cleane? They ſtand next the earth, therefore are apteſt to ſoile. For this purpoſe Chriſt waſhed his Diſciples feet, and thus commented on it, and interpreted his owne action;ddIoh. 13.10.John 13:10 He that is waſhed, needeth not ſave to waſh his feet. Out of the Bath a man comes waſhed all over, yet ſome gravell will ſticke on his feet.

Hee is not of an earthen conſtitution, that hath no earthly affection. Chriſt tooke our fleſh, tooke it without ſpot, without ſpot he kept it; no man elſe ever received it ſo, or kept it ſo.eeIud. ver. 23. Hate the garment ſpotted by the fleſh; yet the fleſh it ſelfe is this garment, and it ſpots it ſelfe with it ſelfe. Iob was a holy man, yet hee confeſſeth after all this waſhing, that hisffIob 9.31.Job 9:31 owne clothes would make him abhorred. Dauid holy, yet he deſired to be waſhed with Hyſſop. The Church is ſaid to haveggCant. 4 7.Song 4:7 no Spot: yet every particular limbe of that faire and ſpotleſſe body, every ſoule in that Church is full of ſpots. Yea, Chriſt himſelfe hath ſpots, not by nature, but by imputation; not his owne, but ours; hee tooke all our ſtaines and deformities;hh2 Cor. 5.21.2 Cor 5:21 He became ſinne for us: for us he was made full of ſpots, that we in him might be ſpotleſſe. The Grace of God may goe a great way in our ſoules, and yet not leave us without ſpots. Mercies may fall in abundant ſhowres on our hearts, and yet not mollifie all our hardneſſe. Thoſe holy fires may conſume a great deale of our droſſe, not all. Corrections are a Bath to purge us from the foule corruptions we gather by walking in this dirty world; yetiiIoſh. 22.17.Josh 22:17 Iſrael confeſſeth, they were not cleanſed from the iniquitie of Peor to this day. God may heale our wounds, and yet leave ſcarres; purge our bloud, and yet leave ſpots. But there is no ſpot ſo foule, which repentance cannot waſh off; this ſhall make a man lift up his face without ſpot. Iob 11.15.Job 11:15And Saint Paul prayes for his Theſſalonians, that they might be preſented blameleſſe at the comming of Chriſt; which he would never have begged, if he knew it never could be granted. Not to have no ſpot here, but to have no ſpot imputed hereafter, is the happineſſe of a Chriſtian.

4 We have all ſpots, but theſe are ſpots: for the Apoſtle ſpeakes not of their actions here, but their perſons: not the blemiſhes of the men, but that the men themſelves are blemiſhes. This is a high degree of ſinne, to bee wholly turned into ſinne. The Leopard is full of ſpots, but the Leopard is not a ſpot, nor is the ſpot a Leopard. Many a body is diſeaſed, but the body is one thing, the diſeaſe another: but when the whole body is turned into a diſeaſe, it in a manner ceaſeth to be a body. When the clouds let fall their ſhowres by drops, we call it a Raine: but when all thoſe drops are met in one chanell, it is no more a raine now, but a flood. They have committed ſo many ſinnes, that for the numb…r and continuitie of them, they ceaſe to bee ſinners, and are very ſinnes. As the Prophet Micah cals it not the idolatrie of Ieruſalem,Mic. 1.5.Mic 1:5 but the Ieruſalem of idolatrie. The caſe ſeemed deſperate, when there was no ſoundneſſe, nothing but corruption; and David ſaies, There is no whole part in my fleſh; and Iob is ſaid to be ſo full of ulcers, that a pins point could not be thruſt betweene them. If this were other than an emphaticall expreſſion of their maladie, it was ſtrange that the whole fleſh ſhould be one coagulated ulcer. Yet was this bile but upon the fleſh, and there was life within: but heere the whole ſoule and body becomes one botch; as Lucan ſpake of a wounded body, Totum est pro vulnere corpus: no p. 869more a body, but a wound: no more ſinfull Creatures, but Creatures that bee ſinnes. If there were not ſeverall degrees of ſinne on earth, there ſhould not be ſeverall meaſures of torment in hell. When travellers ride together in a dirty way, all are daſhed, but ſome more or leſſe than others, according to their more or leſſe circumſpection or advantage. Vice is ſaid (in the Fable) to have in her garden a ſubterraneous vault; out of which ſhee could convey foule water, to ſoile the curious ſpectators; which was of different operations in the ſtaining. They that were defiled with the aſperſions of wantonneſſe, were ſooner dried; they that with pride, covetouſneſſe, ambition, quite ſpoiled their garments: they that with envie, treachery, homicide, ſacriledge; could never get out the ſpots, but were faine to caſt their clothes into the fire. Spots may be ſized in ſo deepe, as not to be purged but with the fire of hell.

5 To whom doe theſe appeare ſpots and blemiſhes? Firſt, to God, who hath pure eyes, and can abide no uncleane thing. Hee hates filthineſſe in his owne, though hee doe not hate his owne for filthineſſe, becauſe hee reſpects them in Chriſt: but in the reprobate he ſo abhorres the ſinne, that he hates even the ſinner for it. It was for the ſinne of man, that God repented hee made man: thus it offends the firſt Perſon. Theſe ſpots drew from Chriſt a ſweat of blood in the Garden, and the blood of his life on the Croſſe; ſo they offend the ſecond Perſon. They alſo grieve the holy Ghoſt; who looking for the fruit of joy and peace, and ſuch ſweet perfumes, findes the ſtench of ſordid corruptions.

2 To the Angels; they deſpiſe not a diſeaſed body, nor an infected houſe, if a holy ſoule dwell there. No plague ſhall come nigh thy dwelling, Pſal. 91.10, 11.Ps 91:10Ps 91:11for he ſhall give his Angels charge over thee. They are ſet not only to keepe us and the plague aſunder, but ſtill to keepe us though we light in a houſe together. They doe not ſcorne to take Lazarus his ſoule out of an ulcerous body. It is not ſickneſſe, but ſinne, from which they turne their faces. But now, ſhould Angels ſtand by ſinners in their acts of uncleanneſſe? Muſt an Angell waite upon a proud popinjay, while ſhe is dreſſing her ſelfe by the glaſſe? While men ply their drunken carouſes in tavernes, doe they looke that their Angels ſhould flie up and downe the roome? Iniquities be ſport for divels, but an eye-ſore to the Angels; they that rejoyce at a ſinners converſion, doe rather grieve at his aberration.

3 To good men, whom nothing pleaſeth, that diſpleaſeth their Maker. While the world is laughing, David is mourning for them; Mine eyes guſh out rivers of waters, becauſe they keepe not thy Law. Men turne from Lazars and lepers,Pſa. 119.136.Ps 119:136 and refuſe to viſite viſited houſes: yet Tutius morbi, quàm vitii conſortium: it is better dwelling with good men in an unwholeſome climate, than in the pureſt aire with uncleane perſons; as Lot, in bona terrâ cum gente mala.

4 To bad men: for howſoever ſinners love to be evill themſelves, yet they would have others good to them. Nero, that tooke ſuch pleaſure in ſhedding blood, when his owne turne came, complained. Hee that delights in polluting the marriage-bed of others, would not have his owne abuſed. The theefe would not have his owne goods ſtollen; the proud man is ſaid to carry a dagger, to ſtab him that is prouder. No wicked man doth wiſh to ſuffer, what hee takes pleaſure to doe. We reade of foure lepers that kept company together,2 King. 7.3.2 Kgs 7:3 but it was upon a deſperate adventure; neither could endure others leproſie. Hee that hath the moſt corrupt lungs, complaines of anothers offenſive breath. Naaman the Captaine of the host of the Syrian king, was a great man with his master, 2 King. 5.1.2 Kgs 5:1and honourable, and a mighty man in valour, But he was a Leper. A great warriour, an honourable Courtier, yet a Leper: The leproſie was a naſty and lothſome diſeaſe, yet this odious and weariſome condition lights upon a great perſon. Now, what was all his glory, with his leproſie? They that honour'd him, avoided him; and hee was abhorred of thoſe that flatter'd him. The baſeſt ſlave of Syria would not p. 870change skinnes with him, though he might have his honour to boote. So men given to villanies are ſhunned of thoſe that are little other than villanous. Theſe ſpots are infectious, more than the plague-tokens; and though they pleaſe other diſſolute ſoules here, yet they ſhall curſe them in hell, becauſe their example is the cauſe of their greater torment.

5 To the creatures; for God made them to ſerve man, and to wait upon him in the ſervice of God: now when man turnes himſelfe out of Gods ſervice, all the creatures in ſerving him are (as it were) turned out of Gods ſervice too, and grieve that they are compelled to wait upon a wrong maſter.

6 They are offenſive to the very damned in hell; which ſeemeth ſtrange, but it is true.Luk. 16.Luke 16 That rich man, not out of charity to his brethren, but favour to himſelfe, requeſted that warning might bee given to his brethren; leaſt as his example encreaſed their ſinnes, their ſinnes ſhould advance his torments.

7 But now laſtly, doe they not offend themſelves? No, the ſicke man may feele, the dead does not. Who knowes the ſpots on his owne face, but either by the reflexion of a glaſſe, or by the relation of others? The Lazar or Leper cannot chuſe but abhorre himſelfe: how little pleaſure did that Syrian Peere take to bee ſtooped unto by others, while hee hated to ſee himſelfe? While his hand could not move to his mouth, without his owne deteſtation? But this is a ſpirituall diſeaſe, feſtering inwards: when the conſcience is unclaſped, and theſe ſpots breake forth; as when the bottomleſſe pit was opened, the locusts flew out; and ſinne ſhall write her inſcription on the doores; not as in viſited houſes, Lord have mercy on us; but in the chambers of deſpaire, All mercy is fled from us; it will be fearefull.

6 Sinne is of a defiling quality; like a be-myred dog, when it fawnes upon us, it foules us. It may in this one thing be compared to fire, it converts matter into it ſelfe. Staine a cloth, or die it into another colour, yet ſtill it remaines a cloth: the body turnes meat into it ſelfe, is not turned into the meat: onelyonly as fire can convert a burning materiall into fire, ſo ſinne turnes a man into ſinne, that hee is no more a man, but a very ſpot. Corporall leproſies have beene healed by naturall meanes; and blemiſhes that art cannot cure, yet it hath devices to hide. But for theſe blemiſhes, there is nothing in nature to cure them, nothing in art to cover them. If honour could doe it, Naaman had beene no Leper. A noble ſinner is but a noble ſpot. If riches, Nabal had not beene branded for a churle: but heapes of wealth laid upon heapes of wickedneſſe, make but a great dunghill. Can perfumes? Civet indeed will make a dogge ſmell as ſweet as his maſter: but a vicious life doth more ſtinke through a garniſhed body, than a rotten body doth through perfumed garments. Can beauty? No, even when there appeares no blemiſh in the outward skinne, yet through a laſcivious demeanour the beauty it ſelfe becomes a blemiſh. Nay, can Profeſſion it ſelfe hide or heale the ſpirituall leproſies? Rome dreſſeth herſelfe in the robes and titles of the chaſte ſpouſe of Chriſt, yet is ſhe not ſtill that ſcarlet Whore? The Ieſuits have beene ſaucy with the name of Ieſus, are they not ſtill that mystery of iniquity? Saul did propheſie in the Colledge, was hee not ſtill a blot in the world? Many are beautifull as the ſonnes of the morning in their profeſſion, that are ſtill blacke birds, children of the night in their converſation. As Sigiſmund the Emperour ſaid of Iulian the Cardinall, Legate at the Councell of Baſil, when hee was highly commended to him, Tamen Romanus est, yet hee is a Romane. So wee may ſay of an hypocrite, when he is praiſed for his zealous devotion, Tamen macula est, yet hee is a blemiſh. Men of foule and corrupt manners ſhall finde nothing in nature or art, that ſhall keepe them from being, and being called ſpots.

7 Open and notorious offenders ought to bee denyed theſe holy feaſts, to be put from the Sacrament; and inſtead of communicating with us, to paſſe under the cenſure of excommunication from us; till in penitent teares they have cleanſed p. 871their pollutions. Spots in the life are worſe than ſpots in the face: if ſuch ſluttiſh aſperſions appeare on the skinne, will any man come to the Church before hee hath waſhed his face? Theſe are not members, but ſpots of the body; wee pare off ſuch excreſcent blemiſhes that the body may bee perfect. They may be in the decree of God members of Chriſt, they are not ſo yet in the judgement of man: wee call not a wart on the fleſh, a part of the body. Indeed it is true, Servi est invitare, Dei est ſeparare: yet the Miniſter cals in ſome,Aug. whom the maſter caſts out. Matth. 22.13.Mat. 22.13.Matt 22:13 Wee may not put the ſigne of Chriſts body into a drunken hand, nor offer the Symbole of his blood to a bloody and malicious heart; nor the Sacrament of peace and love to them that hate both love and peace. Wee doe not onelyonly ſay, come not hither if ye be ſuch, but wee muſt not ſuffer you to come hither if wee know you to bee ſuch. Wee waſh our hands before we take our temporall food, and ſhall wee not cleanſe our hearts before wee receive our ſpirituall? The dead body of Chriſt was wrapped in cleane linnen, and is not his living body worthy of a cleane conſcience? The body and blood of the Lord doth make us holy, and is it not our default if the ſame ſhould make us guilty? Read and compare Ioh. 6.54. with 1 Cor. 11.29. How contrary are theſe effects of the ſame thing in divers men? Even as life and death, heaven and hell, ſalvation and perdition, eternall joy and eternall fire. O that man for a little filthy luſt, the pleaſure of his ſenſe, or indulgence to his affections, ſhould convert heavenly food to his owne bane. Hee that comes a penitent, departs an innocent: they that come with all their unwaſhed blemiſhes, with a thouſand woes returne; the ſupper of life is to them a bloody banquet.

Obſerve what preparation was required for receiving of the Law. For time,Exod. 19.10.Exod 19:10 three dayes: if ſo much time muſt bee ſpent in preparing to take it, our whole life is ſhort enough to prepare a reckoning for it. That was the word of a command, Paul calls it the ministration of death: this is the word of Promiſe, the promiſe of Chriſt and ſalvation with him. If that required three dayes, which was all terror: what time of preparation is due to this that is all comfort? When our ſoules are at the beſt, yet our approach to God requires particular addreſſes, and new preparations: it is well if the whole Lent can prepare our hearts for Easter: and they that doe not fit themſelves before they come, had better have kept away. For matter, all Iſrael muſt be ſanctified: what was the cauſe? Seven weekes they had beene out of Aegypt, yet all this while Aegypt was not gone out of them: the Aegyptian vices, together with their fleſh-pots, ſtuck ſtill in their memories, in their appetites. They had paſſed by many waters, of the Red Sea, of Marah, of that guſhed out of the Rocke; yet the infection of Aegypt was not waſhed off: therefore they muſt be ſanctified. Doth not this charge lie as cloſe upon us? Now is the time wee draw neere unto God in a ſpeciall manner:Easter. hee often preacheth to us, and we heare him: wee often call upon him, and hee heares us: but now we come one ſtep neerer, as it were to take him by the hand, and convey him in theſe holy ſymbols to our heart. Sinne is never ſafe, but then moſt dangerous when we bring it into the preſence of God. If it comes along with us to the communion table, it ſhall not only fruſtrate what we doe, but endanger us to a worſe eſtate than we brought thither. At all times wee muſt bee holy, but then eſpecially when we preſent our ſelves to the holy eyes of our Maker. Who dares kiſſe the Kings hand with a foule mouth? Wee waſh before our private meales it home daily; but when wee are to eat with ſome great Perſon, we ſcowre our hands with bals. Wee cannot bee too holy when we come to feed with our Saviour, yea to feed upon him. When he is a gueſt, we are but the Hoſt:Rev. 3.20.Rev 3:20 but when wee are his gueſts, hee is both the Hoſt and the Feaſt, even the cheare it ſelfe. Now if they muſt be ſo ſanctified to receive the Law, how holy ſhould we be to receive the grace of the Goſpell? Yea, not onelyonly their perſons, but their very clothes muſt bee cleanſed. As they that come out of infected houſes, aire their p. 872garments: their clothes ſmelt of Aegypt, and muſt bee waſhed. But why their clothes? and why waſhed? Garments are not capable of ſinne; if they were, water would not cleanſe them. The danger was neither in their skins, nor in their coats, yet they muſt bee waſhed, that they might learne by the cleanneſſe of their clothes, with what ſoules to appeare before God. Becauſe they were more in danger of being foule, than of being bare, they are waſhed to beginne their age in purity.

At this ſolemne time men uſe to put on their beſt garments; a cuſtome which we approve, rather than reprove: it is fit our reverence to the Preſence of God ſhould bee ſeene in our very veſtures. Devotion takes no pleaſure to dwell ſlovenly;Luk. 11.39.Luke 11:39 like Galba's wit, under a deformed roofe. Chriſt doth not condemne externall cleanneſſe, when he preferres inward holineſſe. It is not pulchritudo pellu, but turpitudo cordis, that comes under cenſure. A chryſtall glaſſe doth well, but wee doe not uſe to put mudde into it. But what is a neat ſute with foule and ragged linings, a white skinne with a filthy ſoule? Rather than not to have the face faire, too many uſe lotions and colours to blanch it: Feciam Deus fecit, pictam diabolus infecit. Yet both within and without, we ſhould be cleanly. But eſpecially God lookes to the pureneſſe of that part which reſembles himſelfe. Hee made every creature juxta genus ſuum, Gen. 1.24.Gen 1:24after his kinde: man in the image of himſelfe. A whited or adorned clay is not his image; the God of Spirits lookes to the ſpirit, that that bee holy and humble; both. For ſome will bee holy, and not humble: but all the pureneſſe of their mindes, will not beare out the ſtiffeneſſe of their knees. If they want reverence, pretend what they will, I ſhall hardly credit their holineſſe. Others ſeeme humble, but they forget to bee holy: ſo ſome gueſt ſit downe with the reſt, but they have no ſtomacke.

In a word, Accipite loti, accipite laeti; with cleanſed hands, and joyfull hearts. Let not Chriſt be forced upon you, but ſtretch out a thankefull hand to receive him. Si non receptor es, deceptor es, thou coozeneſt thine owne ſoule. Adſit mentaliter, cum haberi non potest ſacramentaliter. But when the feaſt is prepared, and we invited, let us come. Let us avoid ſpots, that we be not defiled: bewaile our ſpots, that they may be pardoned: and reſolve againſt all ſpots hereafter, that wee may be comforted.

8 We may not abſtaine from the Sacrament; becauſe there be ſpots and blemiſhes in the Societie: It is true, theſe ſpots ſhould be removed; ſay they are not, ſhall we therefore remove our ſelves? To them the holy bread is bane, to thee it is Salvation.1 Cor. 11.29.1 Cor 11:29 The unworthy receiver eateth and drinketh damnation to himſelfe; Sibi, non tibi, To himſelfe, not to thee. If we communicate with evill men, and not in evill things, we have no harme. Woe were us, if we ſhould live in the danger of all mens ſinnes: we have enough of our owne, we need not borrow of others. Every man ſhall beare his owne burden▪ ours is not ſo light, that we ſhould call for more weight, and undertake what God never impoſed. It was enough for him that was God and man, to beare the iniquitie of us all; it is no taske for us: alas, we faint under the leaſt of our owne. Nor can others ſinnes become ours by toleration or connivence, but by imitation and indulgence. If each mans knowne blemiſh be every mans, then is every ſonne of Adam as publike a perſon as his father was. We were all in Adam, ſtood or fell in him; there muſt bee ſome difference betweene the Root and the Branches. My fathers ſinne is not mine, much leſſe my neighbours.Ezek. 18.20.Ezek 18:20 The ſonne ſhall not beare the iniquitie of the father. Vnleſſe a ſpotted ſoule could blemiſh the Sacrament, it is to my beleeving heart the bread of Life. The Church of Thyatira had many blots, yet the Holy Ghoſt layes on them none other burden but this, Rev. 2.24.Rev 2:24That which thou hast already, hold fact til… I come. He bids them not leave the Church, but hold faſt their owne.

But a little leaven leaveneth the whole lumpe? It is true by the infection of it: but it onelyonly ſowreth them that partake it, not thoſe that diſlike it. Am I become an p. 873adulterer, becauſe an adulterer communicates with me? Am I guilty of exceſſe, becauſe he that was yeſterday drunke, to day eates with mee ſoberly? Charitie would thinke that no man brings his ſinne along with him to the Sacrament; but rather, hath formerly exonerated his ſoule by repentance. Whiles wee diſlike, reſiſt, reprove, and mourne for it, it cannot be ours. The Corinthians had theſe love-feasts, and in them groſſe and ſinfull diſorders; yet Paul doth not ſay, Abſtaine from the Sacrament till they be reformed. No, hee corrects the abuſe, but he commands the act. That you come together for the worſe, I praiſe you not: but that you come together, I praiſe you. God hath commanded us to heare and receive; where did he ever ſay, Except you muſt come among ſinners? Their uncleanneſſe can no more defile us, than our holineſſe can excuſe them. We are invited to a feaſt; if but a napkin or a trencher be miſplaced, or a diſh ill carved, we flie off from the table in a fume, and never ſtay to thank our Hoſt. O that men would be but ſober, and either leſſe curious, or more charitable.

9 As all ſinnes are ſpots, ſo ſome have a more ſpeciall reſemblance, as carrying in them a naturall poiſon and filthineſſe. Such particular inſtances wee finde in the Scriptures, wherein God diſcovered the ſpots in their conſciences, by ſticking ſpots on their carcaſes.Exod 9.11.Exod 9:11 The Egyptians and Magicians conteſt with Moſes, and are ſtrucke with a ſcab on their faces. It is againſt mens luſts that wee fight, and for their luſts they contend againſt us; ſpots they would defend, and therefore God laies on them ſuch ſpots from which they ſhall not defend themſelves. I never knew men oppoſe Gods Meſſengers, but once before their death they complained of their gettings.Numb. 12.10.Num 12:10 Miriam's foule tongue is puniſh'd with a foule face. She would have been as glorious as her brother Moſes, now every Iſraelite ſees his face glorious, hers leprous. The venome of her tongue would have eaten into the reputation of her Prince, therefore the venome of leproſie eates into her fleſh. Both Moſes and Miriam had need of vailes, the one to ſhadow his glory, the other to hide her deformitie. And indeed, deformitie is the fit cure of pride: ſhe ſcorned Zipporah the Midianite for not being ſo faire as her ſelfe, now the Midianite will not change complexions with her. Pride and envie are two fatall ſpots, they ſeldome ſcape infamie; the divine Iuſtice will caſt filth in their faces. Let them that bee proud becauſe they are well-favour'd, thinke on Miriam: the beautie that is held with affectation, ſhall periſh with contempt: God hath ſpots for the proudeſt face.

Of this cup dranke Gehezi; 2 King. 5.27.2 Kgs 5:27ſeeing hee would needs take part of Naamans money, he ſhall take part with him in his leproſie. Theſe were heavy talents for Gehezi: he had farre better have kept a light purſe and a homely coate, with a found body and a cleane ſoule. The talents were never heavie till now: two of Naamans ſervants bore them for him before, now Gehezi muſt beare them himſelfe alone. Hee deſired a load of treaſure, and hee hath loaded himſelfe with a curſe: hee would have two ſutes, and hee hath got a third to boote; one more than he looked for, an unchangeable ſute; that ſhall laſt as long as his skin, that ſhall clothe him with ſhame, and be ever lothſomely white, noiſomely uncleane. The ſinnes of Gehezi were covetouſneſſe, fraud, ſacriledge; and all paſſengers ſhall reade theſe in leprous characters. What be more truely the ſinnes of this Citie, than theſe three of Gehezi? Sacriledge, in which it hath juſtified all the world: covetouſneſſe in our hearts, fraud in our hands, who complaines not of? Theſe be the ſpots of our ſoules; and hath not God anſwered them all, over and over againe, with ſpots on our carcaſes? Have we not been plagued for theſe injuries, with ſtinging and ſtinking leproſies? Have our owne perſons only bore the puniſhment? no, but as Gehezi's ſinne was not onelyonly read in his fleſh, but in his poſterities; ſo even the children have drunke of the Fathers cup.

Laſtly, for application; our land is too full of theſe ſpots; it is more populous of blemiſhes, than of inhabitants. There is a tale of Saint Bridget, Catal test verit. Tom. 2. pag. 800.that ſhee heard p. 874the bleſſed Virgin ſaying to her Sonne, Rome is a fruitfull land: to whom hee anſwered, It is ſo indeed, ſed zizaniae tantum, onelyonly fruitfull of tares. If a man were in Tartary, he might ſee abundance of men, but all black-Moores: we have ſtore of Chriſtians, but a great number of them be ſpotted Chriſtians: yea, not a few be rather ſpots than Chriſtians. Our ſinnes multiply faſter than our people: Oh that there were any compariſon betweene their numbers; for one man hath a great number of ſinnes. Wee had but ſome families of Papiſts; now they talke of whole colonies, ſtreetes, and lanes, and pariſhes of the brood of that ſpotted harlot. Drunkards were as rare as wolves, now they are as common as hogs. Whores were like owles, onelyonly night-birds; now they keepe open houſe, pay ſcot and lot with their honeſt neighbours. Hugo Cardinalis ſaid of Innocentius when hee departed from Lyons, Math. Par. in Henr. 3.that whereas there were foure Stewes at his comming thither, he had left them but one; marry that reached from one end of the citie to the other; Vrbs est jam tota lupanar. With ſpotted lives we profeſſe that unſpotted Lambe.

Ann. 1624.We know there is a ſpotted fever that rageth and rangeth among us, in which wee may reade our ſpotted courſes. How juſtly doth God retaliate to us our ſinnes; ſpot for ſpot, blemiſh for blemiſh, for the hidden ſpots of our ſoules, theſe viſible ſpots on our bodies. I doe not cenſure the perſons ſicke of that diſeaſe; God forbid: there be greater ſinners that ſcape than ſome that ſuffer. A good man may die of that plague, which was bred by others ſinnes. Of a poiſon…d fountaine in the way, the innocent paſſenger may miſcarry, as well as the guilty; the true man as the theefe. Yet from a generall viſitation wee may gather a generall Inſtruction. By a fever that diſcovers it ſelfe in ſpots, God puniſheth our undiſcover'd ſinnes; thus hee cries quittance with us. The ſpots declare the ſickneſſe to be a malignant and peſtilentiall diſeaſe: and by theſe tokens the Phyſicians ſee more clearely what to doe: you will ſay, There is comfort in that: but moſt commonly all they can doe, comes to nothing, there is no comfort in that. It is ſome benefit for a man to know his enemie; but withall to know him too hard for him, is ſmall benefit. It is a poore ſtep toward recoverie, when our ſpots doe onelyonly tell us that we are worſe than we thought our ſelves. Indeed it is well, if Gods markes upon us, can be our markes to God, and like ſymptomes of death direct us to the Fountaine of Life: if this Iudgement can make way for merciemercy, as a ſtrong winde cleares the aire for the Sunſhine. To ſay, the houſe is viſited, Gods tokens and markes bee there, the ſpots are upon them, keepes off friends; for few men dare viſit where God hath viſited. But though they dare not come, under pretence of being peſtiducts to others, yet the Lord failes not to viſit his with compaſſion, as with affliction. Many a man hath been ſaved that had Gods markes upon him: but hee is a weft and ſtray, in a wofull ſtate, upon whom God hath not ſet his markes. Paul profeſſeth that he bore about in his body the markes of the Lord Ieſus, Gal. 6.17.Gal 6:17and this was his joy. David hath it, Shew ſome good token on me for good; there is then a token for good, a token of goodneſſe: and the heat of a fever working on the body may be but the chafing of the waxe, that God may ſet the ſeale of Salvation upon it. Howſoever, let us pray for them that have theſe ſpots on their bodies, God comfort them: and no leſſe heartily for our ſelves that have theſe ſpots on our ſoules, God amend us.

Vſes. Pſal. 19.12.Ps 19:121 Learne to ſee thy ſpots: many have unknowne ſinnes, as a man may have a moale on his backe, and himſelfe never know it. Lord, cleanſe mee from my ſecret faults. But have we not ſpots whereof wee are not ignorant? In diſeaſes, ſometimes nature is ſtrong enough to put forth ſpots, and there ſhee cries to us by theſe outward declarations, that we are ſicke; ſometime ſhe cannot doe it but by the force of cordials. Sometime conſcience of her ſelfe ſhewes us our ſins; ſometimes ſhe cannot but by medicines, arguments that convince us out of the holy Word. Some can ſee, and will not; as Balaam: ſome would ſee, and cannot; p. 875as the Eunuch: ſome neither will nor can, as Pharaoh: ſome both can, and will, as David. We may know the malice of a man by his confeſſion, yet we do not know whether there be not as much malice remaining in him after his confeſſion; we are ſure of his hatred, not of his repentance. Many a one knowes his fault, yet loves it. It is poore comfort to know much danger, and not to know that that is the worſt. A woman is eaſed by being deliver'd, and ſhe forgets her paines at the birth of a Sonne: but could ſhee reade his future ſtory; how ill a a man, perhaps how ill a ſonne, he would prove; I doubt whether the eaſe of her body would recompence the griefe of her minde. What am I the better to know my calamitie, if I know not the way to comfort? Such a knowledge would but increaſe ſorrow, and bee a purchaſe clogg'd with more encombrances.

Yet is it the firſt degree toward recoverie, to ſee our ſpots, though upon the ſight we have a touch of deſpaire. There be ſome vertues that cannot be exerciſed but in trouble. We muſt be poore and want, before wee can exerciſe the vertue of thankefulneſſe: we muſt be miſerable and in anguiſh, before wee can exerciſe the vertue of patience: ſo wee muſt be ſinners and have ſpots, yea, we muſt ſee thoſe ſpots, and feele thoſe ſins, before we can exerciſe the Grace of Repentance. If we did not cry, we ſhould die, and by our crying we come to live: though we dig deepe, yet the gold is worth our labour. What muſt wee doe next?

2 Confeſſe theſe ſpots. Our corporall blemiſhes wee hide from mens ſight, and that with modeſtie: none but beggars expoſe their ſores, to move compaſſion. And we doe not amiſſe to hide our infirmities alſo from publike view; ſeeing every ſinne doubles it owne malignitie by being offenſive. But if wee hide our ſpots from God, we and our ſpots ſhall periſh together. The ſpots that God hateth, are the ſpots that man hideth. He that carveth a peece of wood,Wiſd. 13.14.Wis 13:14 covers the ſpots; as the Painter hid the ſcarre in Agamemnons face; and many living peeces are painted for the ſame purpoſe. Yea, there bee ſome that ſtudy to bee ſpotted, as if they thought themſelves then faireſt, when they are fouleſt. Iacob practiſed an invention to procure ſpots on his ſheepe; and theſe invent, meditate, project how to procure ſpots in their ſoules. And yet when they have them, they are as carefull to hide them; if God can finde them, ſo it is; he ſhall not know it from their mouth. Theſe are idolaters of their owne ſtaines, in love with their owne fouleneſſes, and conceale them as Rachel did her fathers gods.Prov. 28.13.Prov 28:13 But hee that hideth his ſinnes ſhall not proſper. There is a voluntary confeſſion, the language of a tender conſcience: and there is a confeſſion upon the racke, when the ſmart of our ſides opens our lips. Iacob ſought to bring ſpots on his lambes, and God did proſper his rods: when affliction can bring us to confeſſe our ſpots, then God doth proſper his owne rods. Vntill we tell the heavenly Phyſician our ſpots, he applies no medicine; unleſſe we cal that a medicine, which drives us to tell them. But without diſcovery of our diſeaſe, how ſhould there bee a recovery of our health? In the Courts of humane Iuſtice the ſafeſt plea is, Non feci, Not guilty: but in the Court of Conſcience, Peccavi, Guilty: Lord, have merciemercy on mee a ſinner.

3 It is madneſſe to confeſſe our ſelves foule, and not to waſh; therefore let us …ndeavour our owne clenſing: that as our Apoſtaſie hath blurred our pureneſſe, …o our renovation may put out our apoſtaſie; and as ſinne defiled nature, ſo grace may deſtroy ſinne. In our making there was worke for God onelyonly; in our marring there was worke for our ſelves onelyonly; in our reſtoring there is worke for God and our ſelves together. To doe this, Sprinkling will not ſerve: ſo Agrippa ſtood within the ſhowre of Chriſtianitie, and had ſome aſperſions of it; hee was almost perſwaded to be a Christian: as the dew ſtands in drops on the blaſted graſſe. If ſprinkling could make a cloth cleane, we ſhould never ſtand to waſh it. Nor p. 876is Dipping ſufficient; ſo Nicodemus had an immerſion in the river of Grace: but Chriſt tels him,Ioh. 3.5.John 3:5 Except he be borne of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God: he muſt have a better ſcowring ere hee get in: Some looke into the Church, but have not the Power to tarry; here's a dip and away. Nor will halfe-waſhing doe it,Hoſ. 7.8.Hos 7:8 or waſhing by halves; like Ephraims cake, halfe-turned, dow-bak'd. Men may be loti, and not mundi; waſhed, and not cleane. Hypocrites coozen many, but none ſo much as themſelves. Indeed dipping or ſprinkling ſhall bee effectuall, when the Spirit of God applies it.aaIoh. 5.4.John 5:4 Once dipping in the poole of Betheſda, cured; and the blood of the new Covenant is called thebbHeb. 12 24.Heb 12:24 Blood of ſprinkling. ccEzek. 36.25.Ezek 36:25I will ſprinkle cleane water upon you, and you ſhall be cleane. It is no more with God, but as the Prophet ſaid to Naaman, dd2 King. 5.13.2 Kgs 5:13Waſh and be cleane. Non tenetur ad media, in tribuendo remedia. But for us, when wee put our ſoules to waſhing, let us be ſure there is water enough; as Iohn baptized in Aenon, eeIoh 3.23.John 3:23becauſe there was much water. Our Fonts are made large enough to dip the Infant, but Charitie diſpenſeth with Ceremonie. Let thine eyes guſh out a ſtreame of penitent teares, to bathe▪ and purge thy Conſcience from theſe ſpots. I waſh my bed, Pſal 6 6. Luk. 14.22.Ps 6:6Luke 14:22and water my couch with my teares, ſaith David; teares enow to run downe from his bed to his couch. Many gueſts were invited to that great ſupper, yet there was roome: he ſends for more, takes them up from the hedges and highwayes, and reſts not bidding till the roomes were full. So invite Graces to thy ſoule; bid Repentance, a heart-eaſing gueſt; bid faith, a chearefull gueſt; humilitie, charitie, patience, zeale, till thy houſe be filled. Bee not waſhed without, and foule within: hypocrites are but painted tombes; looke on them, they pleaſe your eyes: looke into them, they offend your noſtrils. Some have waſhed their faces, not their hands; ſo Iudas his face kiſſeth Chriſt, but his foule hand betrayes him. Some have waſhed their hands, not their faces; ſo Pilate waſhed his hands, yet with his mouth condemned the Innocent. Some have waſhed their eyes, not their eares; they preſume to underſtand ſo much of their owne Iudgements, that they ſcorne to heare any Preacher. Some have waſhed their eares, not their eyes; they come to heare, but their eyes are full of uncleanneſſe. Some have waſhed onelyonly one ſide; like Plaiſes; you ſee a white ſide, turne them over, and they ſhew you the blacke. Others have waſhed all but their feet; and thoſe Propter ſitum & tranſitum, for place and motion, are foule ſtill. But let us leave no part unwaſhed on earth, as we deſire that no part ſhould be excluded from heaven.

4 To conclude, there is onelyonly one Fountaine to purge all theſe ſpots; the blood of the Lambe. For this purpoſe was Chriſt baptiſed, even to waſh us. There was in him neither fore-skin of corruption, to need the knife; nor filthineſſe, to need the water: he came not to be his owne Saviour, but ours. We were all uncleanneſſe; he would therefore have that done to his moſt pure body, which might be of force to cleanſe our moſt impure ſoules. His Baptiſme gives vertue to ours: yea, it doth not onelyonly waſh the ſoules of men, but it waſheth that very water whereby we are waſhed. By that act the water became cleane and holy, and can both cleanſe and hallow us. If the handkerchiefes that touched the Apoſtles had power of cure; how much more that water which the ſacred body of Chriſt touched? His firſt baptiſing was with water, his laſt with blood; both of them waſh the world from their ſinnes. If wee manifeſt them to him by an humble confeſſion, he will take them from us to himſelfe by a mercifull tranſlation. The ſpots of every beleever belong to the body of his Saviour: for this purpoſe he came to the earth, even to aſſume them. So that when we deplore our ſpots, we doe but preſent him with his owne: and till we doe ſo, we with-hold his right. He doth challenge the ſinnes of all humble penitents to be his by imputation, and by imputation wee challenge in faith his righteouſneſſe to bee ours. O Chriſt, take from us that fouleneſſe of our owne, which p. 877would condemne us; and give us that holineſſe of thine, which is onelyonly able to ſave us. Amen.

Sporting themſelves in their deceivings.] Theſe words aſunder deſcribe to us a varlet and a foole, and both together make up a devill. To ſinne in deceiving is the part of a lewd wit: to make ſport with ſinning, is the part of a fooliſh heart. It is eaſie to deceive, to deceive a friend, to deceive under the profeſſion of friendſhip: to make this a ſport, is moſt wicked. We have an Achitophel in the one, an Hanun in the other, a Belial in both. Firſt, conſider them aſunder.

Their deceivings.] Hee that is reſolved to make no matter of his Conſcience, may eaſily finde matter enough for his coozenage. But is there no deceit juſtifiable? Be there not piae fraudes? peccata compenſativa? as when a virgin is ſaved f…om raviſhment, a man from murder, by a lie? There is no intentionall good can beare out a formall evill. I know it is good to prevent ſinne; but not to prevent it with ſinne. The Egyptian mid-wives were taught by the feare of God to diſobey that bloudy command: to ſay, they had warrant for ſo foule a deed, they knew would be no excuſe. God had ſaid to their hearts, Thou ſhalt not kill: this voice was louder than Pharaohs. Thus farre I commend their obedience in diſobeying: but to helpe themſelves with a lie, I dare not commend their excuſe. In not killing, they feared God: in diſſembling, they feared Pharaoh. There was weakeneſſe in their pretence, goodneſſe in their practiſe. Yet God bleſſed them, and rewards with good their very not doing of evill. But here, let not men lay the thankes upon the ſinne, which is due to the vertue. Let us …ſ…ribe things to their right cauſes: their merciemercy was recompenced, their lie or deceiving was but pardoned. Mical delivered David through a window:1 Sam. 19▪ 17.1 Sam 19:17 thus fa…re ſhee did like Davids wife. Then anſwered her father, that he threatned to kill her, if ſhe freed him not; here ſhee began to be Sauls daughter. In keeping him from the guilt of innocent blood, ſhe did well; but not in cloſing it up with a l…e. But as ſhe loved her husband better than her father, ſo ſhe loved her ſelfe better than her husband. She ſaved her husband by a wile, and now ſhee ſaves her ſelfe by a lie. Thus ſhe loſeth halfe the thankes of her good ſervice, by deviſing a ſl…nder of her husband, to quit her ſelfe, and delude her father.

Thus David himſelfe deceived Abimelech: he that overcame the Beare, Lion,1 Sam. 21.2.1 Sam 21:2 Giant, is overcome with feare. Long had he gone upright, yet now beginnes to halt with the Prieſt of God, and drawes from him by a falſhood that favour, that ſhall coſt him his life. O what would wee have given afterwards to redeeme this overſight? Thus to Achiſh hee fained himſelfe mad, and thought it the beſt uſe of his reaſon, to diſſemble the loſſe of the uſe of his reaſon. I finde ſuch acts of deception in the Saints, I finde infirmity in thoſe acts, but malice, and avarice, and diſhoneſt fraud, I finde not.

Wicked Deceit is another thing; that beguiles men of what they have, with a vaine hope of that they never ſhall have. When the ſimple goe to the market, the ſubtle then get money. Deceit is ever bad enough, but then worſe when it is diſguiſed with an oath. They that cannot tell how to begin praying, know not when to make an end of ſwearing. The Iewes durſt ſcarce mention the Name of God in a truth, our deceivers ſticke not to call it into a falſhood. Some thinke that foreign comes of foreign, for truth lies hidden: and deceivers endeavour all poſſible meanes to keepe it hidden ſtill. Like Potiphars wife, they have onelyonly the garment of an honeſt man, to prove their diſhoneſt cauſe. Pueri talis, viri Sacramentis: whoſoever deviſed the ſentence, Rome takes up the practice. They have Pictures and Pageants to deceive ſome, formall gravity to deceive others, falſe oathes to deceive all. There is a generation of Deceivers, Flatterers; whoſe profeſſion is to catch dotterels: theſe by maintaining mens workes, worke our their owne maintenance. The devils ſpeciall agents, that deforme men by commending their deformities. Ravens feed but upon dead carcaſes, theſe upon living p. 878ſoules. Of all wild beaſts, the tyrant is the worſt: of all tame beaſts, the flatterer. The tradeſman deceives mee of my money, but the flatterer coozens me of my vertue, yea of my ſalvation. They are ſummer-birds, they never ſing in winter: take off the idoll, gold, they kicke the aſſe with their heeles, in ſtead of bending their knees. Vermine runne not away faſter from an houſe on fire, nor lice from a dead body, than they from poverty. Alexander Severus being certified how one Turinus, under colour and pretence of his intereſt with the Emperour, had abuſed the people, promiſing things he never performed; faſtned him to a ſtake in the market place, and ſmother'd him to death with ſmoke; the cryer proclaiming, Fumo pereat, qui fumum vendidit. They that deceive men of their eſtates by adulterate wares or falſe promiſes, are the brokers of falſhood: but they that obtrude Popiſh traſh in ſtead of Gods truth, and deceive mens conſciences, are the ſpeciall agents of Antichriſt. The former have loſt all worth of truſt; but from the other, the wiſedome of heaven deliver us.

Sporting themſelves.] It is hard when the foole can finde no bable to play withall, but ſinne: caſting firebrands, and arrowes, and death; and then jeeres it, Am I not in ſport? Prov. 26 19. Iudg. 15.5. 2 Sam. 14.30.Prov 26:19Judg 15:52 Sam 14:30If Samſon fire the ſhockes of the Philiſtins, and Abſalom Ioabs barley fields, is this in ſport? We reade 2 Sam. 2.14. Both the commanders were cruel, both ſo inured to blood, that they make but a ſport of killing. Cuſtome brings ſinne to be ſo familiar, that the horror of it is turned into pleaſure; and homicide is held but a ſport. Cockes indeed, and dogs often fight and teare one another, to make men ſport: but that men ſhould bruiſe one another to make ſport for their owne kinde, is no Chriſtian, if it could be a rationall courſe. Cham derides his fathers nakedneſſe: it ſhould have been his ſorrow, hee makes it his ſport. It is ill for a man to make himſelfe merry with that which angers God. While the Philiſtins will finde nothing to play upon but Samſon, Samſon findes nothing to revenge himſelfe upon but the Philiſtins. When the wicked laugh at ſinnes with delight, God laughs at them, but with ſcorne. Yea ſuch ſport on earth, is the onelyonly ſport for the fiends in hell. While men bee hammering ſinne, the Tempter ſtands at their elbow: while they are acting ſinne, hee ſits in their boſome: all this while hee is a working: but when they have done it, and make a ſport of it, the devill himſelfe makes holy-day. The common pretence for the fouleſt abuſes, is but ſport. The ſacred Word of God is profaned: taxe the violaters of that Majeſty; alas, it was but in jeſt. Buſineſſe of State may not be made the buſineſſe of the Stage: and ſhall that which God prizeth like Himſelfe, be ſacrilegiouſly turned to a jeſt? More ſafely may the Satyre play with the fire, or the flye with the candle. O charme your mouthes from jeſting with that which is given to ſave your ſoules. No fugitive abroad does ſo much harme, as a detracter or jeerer at home. They that write of creatures naturally diſpoſed to the ruine of man, doe as well mention the flea as the viper: becauſe though the flea cannot kill, yet it doth what harme it can: ſo theſe licentious jeſters utter all the venime they have. But non patitur ludum fama, fides, oculus; thoſe three can abide no jeſt.

If ſin were rightly conſidered, it were more worthy our teares, than our ſport: the foole laughs at it, but the Saint weeps for it. David wept buckets of teares for his owne ſins, but whole rivers for others. The world is like Ionas: for him was the ſtorme raiſed, yet he only was aſleep: godly mourners are like the marriners, crying to God for mercy. Ieruſalem made a ſport of Chriſt, Chriſt wept over Ieruſalem. If we weep not for the ſins of the land, no body elſe will: ſinners themſelves will not weepe: they ſpend the evening in jollity, goe to bed in ſecurity, and riſe againe without any further repentance, than that they call a cup of repentance, ſmal drink to coole their intemperat heat. For their ſakes Iudgements are upon us, and yet they of all men are leaſt ſenſible of them. The fire of wrath is kindled, and they do but warme themſelves at the flame. Who muſt come with pailes of water p. 879in this combuſtion, but they that mourne in Sion, and for Sion?aaIoel 2.12.Joel 2:12 Turne to me, ſaith the Lord, with weeping; where did hee ever allow us to come laughing? A horrible inceſt was committed among the Corinthians, and ye ſaith Paul, bb1 Cor 5.2.1 Cor 5:2are puffed up, & have not rather mourned. Alas, that men ſhould look merily on that ſin, which heaven beholds with ſore eyes! Though Chriſt forbad the daughters of Ieruſalem ccLuk. 21.28.Luke 21:28to weepe for him, who was holy; yet he commanded them to weepe for themſelves, who were ſinners. Hee that knew what ſinne was, and felt it ſo ſharply, is not reported ever to have laughed; often you have him weeping, the chiefe mourner. When he came to Ieruſalem in triumph, yet heddLuk. 19.41.Luke 19:41 wept over it. Neither the ſolemnity of time, nor joy of the people, nor thoſe loud acclamations, could either drowne his voice, but ſtill he lifted it up; nor dry his eyes, but ſtill he wept. If we truly knew our ſinnes, our ſport would bee turned into teares; yea, and the more we weepe, the better we know our ſinnes. As Salomon ſaid,eeEccl. 1.18.Eccl 1:18 hee that encreaſeth knowledge, encreaſeth ſorrow; ſo he that encreaſeth ſorrow, encreaſeth his knowledge. A penny in the bottome of a baſon of water ſeemes as big as a ſhilling: it ſeemeth ſo, it is not ſo. But our ſinnes ſteeped in teares ſeeme as indeed they are; yea indeed they are greater than they can ſeeme. As wine drownes cares, ſo doth ſport ſinnes; they are little, eaſie, light, and ſlight to thoſe that are merry with them: but when in ſtead of ſport in our deceivings, wee beginne to bleed for that ſport, then the remembrance of them is grievous unto us, the burden of them is intolerable. Now wee that have turned our grace into ſinne, and our ſinne into ſport, let us turne our ſport into ſorrow, that God may turne our ſorrow into joy.

Thus we have conſidered them aſunder, now both together: where we have two principall obſervations. 1 All Deceit is ſinfull. 2 Religious deceit is intolerable.

1 Fraud is no laughing matter, and he that deceives another, doth much more deceive himſelfe: nor could he thinke it a ſport, did hee foreſee who ſhould have the worſt in the end. Shew me that falſeharted Politician, that hath not conſulted ſhame to his owne houſe. Looke upon Achitophel, whoſe counſell was as the oracle of God: ſee him adviſing Abſalom to abuſe his Fathers Concubines.2 Sam. 16.21.2 Sam 16:21 What an helliſh depth was in the advice of that Iſraelitiſh Machiavel! If Abſalom be a traitor, yet hee is a ſonne: nature may returne to it ſelfe: Abſalom may relent, David may remit, what then ſhall become of us? Therefore he findes him out an act uncapable of forgiveneſſe, to ſecure the conſpiracy. Who would thinke that ſo lewd a man had ever ſat at King Davids Councell-table? Yet was hee wiſe enough to adviſe others, not to bee good to himſelfe. Policy and grace have one Author, but they doe not alwaies goe upon one errand, nor to one perſon. David falls to his prayers, Lord, turne the wiſedome of Achitophel into fooliſhneſſe: and loe, one ſhort ejaculation of innocency ſhall overturne this deepe foundation of policy. God hath furniſhed his creatures with power to warre, even againſt Himſelfe; but hee is wiſe enough to confound their devices: and while they reape ſhame by the abuſe, hee will have honour by the gift. Vainely doth Achitophel hope to ſtrengthen evill with worſe, to make treaſon fortunate by inceſt. He was one of Davids deepeſt counſellours, yet one of Davids ſhalloweſt fooles, that ſaid in his heart, there is no God. Now what was the ſucceſſe? hee meant to deceive David, hee ſhall deceive himſelfe. He ſtrove for the higheſt renowne of wiſedome, and runnes into the groſſeſt extremity of madneſſe. Huſhai's counſell is allowed for better; and now Achitophel is beaten at his owne weapon, he can live no longer. He goes home a worſe aſſe than that which caried him, and puts the halter about his owne necke. In this glaſſe let politike ſinners read their owne deſtiny; they are to themſelves the moſt deſperate fooles. If the ſupreme Iudge could be deceived, fraud had ſome hope: but ſeeing he is juſt, it makes the owne mittimus to hell.

Had Iudas any better ſucceſſe in his deceiving, that betrayed Chriſt with a kiſſe? p. 880Luk. 22.4….Luke 22:4Ab oſculo incipitur bellum, Aug.& per pacis indicium pacis rumpitur Sacramentum: From the faireſt flower of courteſie, this ſpider ſuckes the deadlieſt poyſon of trechery, Ioabs kiſſe was a preface to a ſtab;2 Sam …0.9. and Nero kiſſed his mother even when hee meant to bathe his hands in her blood; and Iudas hath the ſame key to his horrid treaſon. It is bad fallere fallentem, to deceive the deceiver, howſoever ſome blanch it: for anothers ſinne may hurt us, it is our owne ſinne that condemnes us: and becauſe another man would doe me a miſchiefe, muſt I therefore doe my ſelfe one? Burne my ſelfe to keepe him from the heat of the fire? But Iudas thought to deceive him, qui nec falli novit, nec fallere; that was both God and Man: a man moſt innocent, and therefore would not deceive: a God omniſcient, and therefore would not bee deceived. To beguile a harmeleſſe man, was doli improbitas, diſhoneſty: but to offer this to the all-ſeeing God, was doli impietas, Atheiſme. But what was the end of this deceit? he re-delivers the hire of his trechery, and ſaves the hangman a labour, by making away himſelfe. Chriſt was well acquainted with ſuch deceivers; Mat. 22.16.Matt 22:16Master, ſaith a Phariſee, Scimus quia verax es, wee kn… thou art true: when hee could have ſilenced him, Hypocrite, Scio quia mendaxes, I know thou art falſe. Satan is that old Deceiver; and was ſo ſucceſſefull with the firſt Adam, Mat. 4.6.Matt 4:6that hee durſt ſet upon the ſecond. Hee ſaw him depend upon his Fathers providence in the matter of nouriſhment, therefore tries him in a matter of miraculous preſervation. Throw thy ſelfe downe, &c. He that can ſuſtaine thee without bread, can preſerve thee in this precipice. The roofe of the Temple was an hundred and thirty cubits high; this was a pinacle above the roofe. From this Pyramis the cunning Sophiſter perſwades him to make proofe of his God-head, by the breake-necke of his manhood. The gloſſe of the deceit was to ſhew a miracle, that he might beleeve him; the meaning was to breake his necke, that he might laugh at him. This is the way to proclaime thy Deitie, to get credit in the world; mens eyes ſhall teach their faith, that there is more in thee than a man: and for danger, there is none; what can hurt the Son of God? Wherefore ſerves the guard of Angels, charged with thy ſafetie? Thus in one act thou maiſt be both ſafe and famous: truſting thy Fathers providence, and thoſe ſerviceable ſpirits, cast thy ſelfe downe. How ſtrong was this deceit, if it had lighted upon a ſonne of Adam, that was not the Sonne of God?

2 But deceits are then moſt abominable, when they ſhrowd themſelves under the wing of Religion; for ſuch we ſhall prove theſe. There is no ſuch devill, as he that lookes like an Angell. Copper would never coozen us, if it had not the tincture of gold.Gen. 34.13.Gen 34:13 Thus the ſonnes of Iacob dealt with Hamor, Gen. 34.13. Revenge is their meaning, that is bad enough: to hide their crueltie with craft, worſe: but to hide their craft with Religion, worſt of all. The ſmiling malice is moſt deadly: and hatred gloſs'd with diſſimulation diſcovers it ſelfe in the moſt prodigious miſchiefe. We will agree with you, if you will be circumciſed. Here was God in the mouth, in the heart a devill. Never was any project ſo bloody, as that is coloured with religion. The better vice ſhewes, the worſe it is; and the worſe it is, the better it deſires to ſhew. A Sacrament is intended, not to the good of the ſoule, but to the murder of the body: O religious coozenage! Did the ſons of Iacob deceive alone? no, they diſſemble with Shechem, and Shechem with his people; Shall not their wealth be ours? The one pretended religion, and meant murder: the other pretended profit, and meant pleaſure. They prevaile with Shechem, and Shechem with the citie. The conceit of commodity is a powerfull oratory: not any love to the Sacrament, no not to Shechem, but the hope of gaine, makes them prodigall of their blood in ſo painefull a condition: they are content to ſmart, ſo they may gaine. What was the end of this deceit? They receive a Sacrament, and their bane withall; and their firſt drops of blood are a preparative to the whole ſtreame. Thus they are paid for a purpoſe of deceiving. Doe the other eſcape? no, their ſinne lived, after the citie was ſpoiled. It was a p. 881horrible impietie, in ſtead of honouring a holy ſigne, to take advantage by it. How did thoſe deceived Hivites die curſing that Sacrament, which had betraied them! even their curſes were the others ſinnes. I would the children of Rome were like the children of Iacob in any thing elſe but this; but in this onelyonly they are like them, and in nothing elſe. Did they not eate their ſacrament upon a bargaine of blood? Doe not their bloody practices make all reaſonable ſoules abhorre their religion? Is not Religion their pretence, and murder their end? Why then is all this killing of kings, ruining of countries, maſſacring of cities, blowing up of ſtates? For the Catholike cauſe, they confeſſe; and by the catholike authoritie, they cannot deny. O who can more than pitie them, that forſake Chriſt the Prince of peace, and either chuſe no God, or a bloody one?

Take another example. Abner revolts from Iſhboſheth in a diſcontent,2 Sam. 3.18.2 Sam 3:18 and perſwades Iſrael to the change; and fetcheth his motive from the oracle of God. Hee knew this well enough before, and ſmother'd it for his owne turne; now for his owne turne hee publiſheth it. Hee knew this decree for David while hee oppoſed him; now hee winnes the heart of Iſrael by ſhewing Gods charter for him. If Iſhboſheths title to the Crowne were bad, why did Abner maintaine it? If good, why did he forſake it? Was his conſcience better informed? No, but his minde was changed. Sauls ſonne had diſgraced him, therefore now hee is for David: hee is become loyall for Davids ſake, and become Davids for Gods ſake. No man ever heard Abner godly till then; and hee had not beene ſo then for any conſcience of goodneſſe, but for opportunity of revenge. Pride hath made many Engliſh malcontents the Almeſmen of Rome: heere their ambitious deſires are croſſed, therefore they fly hence in a ſnuffe: trechery is their aime, and hither they bring it in the ſhape of Religion. O that they could ſee how odious it is, to make Devotion a ſtalking horſe for policy! What was Abners end? Whom David diſmiſſeth in peace, Ioab repaies with death. Of all men, the religious diſſembler ſhall be ſure of plagues.

Thus Abſalom firſt deceives the people, and therein his father.2 Sam. 13.6.2 Sam 13:6 The people by inſinuations; that conſidering his godly perſon and magnificent ſtate, how affable he was to ſutors, how humble in his greatneſſe, how diligent in ſearching their cauſes, how full of pity to their complaints, how great his love of juſtice, and care of the common-wealth was; they conclude, the world hath not ſo complete a Prince as Abſalom. Thus like a cloſe traitor, he ſtole not his fathers goods, but his fathers peoples hearts. He deceived his father by a vow, Ver. 7.made forty yeeres before, to be payed, in Hebron. He carried peace in his name, warre in his heart; and to perfect his trechery, nothing will ſerve but a cloake of Religion. The devout man hath made a vow a great while agoe, and now the toy takes him, hee muſt performe it. The good old king bleſſeth God for bleſſing him with ſo godly a ſonne; who indeed had never more deeply renounced all goodneſſe, than now he talkes of Religion. This guilt of pietie ſet on the rough metall of his conſpiracie, takes with his father againſt his father, with the people againſt their king: ſo his father ſends him away with one bleſſing, and they entertaine him with another. What is the end of this deceit? The juſt meed of all traitors: his Mule and his treaſon leave him hanging betweene heaven and earth. Bring me word, Mat. 2.18.Matt 2:18that I may come and worſhip him; ſaith Herod to the Sages. Another devout Machiavel, like the devill confeſſing Chriſt. How horrible was this villanie, to maske it ſelfe under a ſhew of pietie! Herod will worſhip him, that's the pretence: Herod will worrey him, that's the meaning. The cunning hypocrite never intends ſo ill, as when he ſpeakes faireſt. What was the event of this politike deceiving? Firſt, God mockes him, then the Sages mocke him. God beſots him, that he could not finde the way to ſo horrible a miſchiefe. Why elſe did he not ſend ſome of his bloudy Aſſaſſins to Bethlehem? Why did he not imploy his Courtiers, rather than truſt ſtrangers? Why, ſeeing the matter ſo p. 882neerely concerned him in his opinion, and the journey was ſo ſmall from Ieruſalem, did he not goe himſelfe in perſon? why did hee not rather prevent their journey, than hazzard their diſappointment? All the courteſie hee meant that new-borne King, was but to cut his throat; and will he truſt forrainers with this inquiry? Such a foole is the craftieſt Politician, when God will blinde him. Theſe Meſſengers come no more backe to Herod, with their newes. Hee had mocked the wiſe men,Verſ. 16. and now God makes the wiſe men to mocke him. He ſends to enquire of them, whom he ſent to enquire of Chriſt, and they are gone. How doth he rage, and fret, and curſe himſelfe, for truſting ſtrangers in ſo important a buſineſſe? How would he revenge their falſe play, how would he torment them, if hee could catch them? Thus hee palpably findes himſelfe gull'd by thoſe, whom he meant to deceive.

Thus doth Gods Iuſtice often puniſh illuſion with illuſion: they that nouriſh a purpoſe to deceive, ſhall be deceived indeed. Thinke of theſe examples, ye that make Religion your Meſſenger, and miſchiefe your errand. It is a diſeaſe whereof this generation is ſicke at the very heart. Hypocrites make uſe of God for their owne purpoſes: they frequent the Church with the devouteſt Saints, but it is that the Saints may take them for devout: they pray with the godly, but to prey upon the godly. You ſhall not miſſe him at the lecture in the forenoone, but it is in hope to finde ſome of you at his ſhop in the after-noone: and then, he that received in ſo much truth at his eares, hath not one word of truth in his mouth. Alas, too many make that divine buſineſſe but a colour for their owne deſignes. Over-faire ſhewes are a juſt argument of unſoundneſſe: no naturall face hath ſo faire a white, and cleare a red, as that which is painted. While we ſee men notoriouſly zealous, we may be charitably ſuſpicious. For wicked hypocrites care not to play with God, that they may mocke men. The more ſoule a project is, the fairer viſor it ſeekes: thoſe monopolies that undoe the Commonwealth, have the moſt colourable pretences to benefit it. But as Chriſt ſaid, Qui vos recipit, me recipit; ſo in effect, Qui vos decipit, me decipit: He that receiveth you, receiveth me: and he that deceiveth you, deceiveth me: and hee muſt riſe betimes that over-reaches his Maker. Let me ſhut up all with diſcovering to you three ſorts of Deceivers.

1 The deceivers of ſoules; ſuch are the Romiſh Seminaries. They tell you of a Saviour called Chriſt; but they meane the Pope; for his word muſt ſtand, when Chriſts Word is thruſt behinde the doore. They ſay, his judgement is infallible: yet Pope Iohn the twelfth made Deacons in a ſtable, a boy of ten yeeres old a biſhop, the Lateran a ſtewes, degraded his Predeceſſors ſhavelings, made them confeſſe, Epiſcopus meus nihil ſibi habuit, nihil mihi dedit, praied to Iupiter and Venus, and dranke a health to the devill. Not a few of that race were as bad, yet Papiſts will beleeve they cannot erre;Luitprand. are they not worthy to bee deceived? They ſay,Bodin. that the Church cannot ſubſiſt without the Pope her Head; yet was that Chaire ten yeeres empty. We uſe to ſay, Great head, little wit; but certainely, no head, no wit. Whence ſhould their Church have her wit, when ſhe was bereaved of her head? The Iriſh men are not troubled with venemous beaſts, for this they muſt be beholding to Saint Patricke: Legend.yea he is ſaid to have obtained of God, that no Iriſh man ſhould abide the comming of Antichriſt: yet their great maſters are aſhamed of it, and never alledge it to cleare the Pope from being Antichriſt. They will ſhew Pilgrims that goe to Ieruſalem, a three corner'd ſtone;Pſal. 118.22.Ps 118:22 and make them beleeve it is that very Stone ſpoken of in the Pſalme; The Stone which the builders refuſed, &c. A monke, among other relicts, boaſted that he could ſhew ſome of the haires that fell from the Seraphicall Angell,Bibloni. when he imprinted the five wounds of Chriſt on the body of Saint Francis: yea, gave out, that he had brought from the Eaſt ſome of the ſound of the bels that hung in Salomons Temple.Verger. Be not theſe prety coozenages?

p. 883But too groſſe to deceive us, too bungerly for theſe times: therefore (as old trickes of cheating can doe no good) they finde out new: which is a ſhort cut, an abſolute deniall of all truth that is not for them. They do not dethrone kings, nor ſuborne parricides, nor pardon inceſts and murders, nor worſhip images, nor diſgrace the Scriptures, nor forſweare by equivocations, nor preferre the mother to the Sonne, nor ſet States in combuſtion, nor make the eating of fleſh on forbidden dayes damnable, and uncleanneſſe every day veniall; not they: though we know they doe all this, yet when they deny it, they looke we ſhould beleeve them. A reverend biſhop of this land dies an orthodox Catholike, a profeſſed Proteſtant, as he lived: yet they diſperſe bookes, and tell the world, he died in the Romiſh faith. A common liar ſhould not be beleeved; men know them ſo, yet truſt them. O ye beſotted Engliſh, why will you be thus deceived? The devils hand is in it, their hand is in it, your owne hand is in it; but above all, God hath a hand in it; who juſtly gives them up to beleeve a lie, 2 Theſ. 2.11.2 Thess 2:11that would not receive the Truth.

2 The deceivers of the Church, that make it nothing to defraud their Maker. Ioſeph was twice ſtripp'd of his garments; firſt by the violence of envie, then of luſt: the firſt time, of neceſſitie; the next, of choice in conveniencie. His brethren tooke away his coat, to deceive his Father: his Miſtreſſe kept his coat, to deceive his Maſter. Firſt, the policie of Rome tooke one garment from us, which the Policie of State tooke againe from them. Wee had ſtill a poore coat left, the remainder that eſcaped impropriating: now ſacriledge keeps away that too, The firſt we could not ſave by law, this laſt wee cannot redeeme without law: and that is a remedie worſe than the diſeaſe. That firſt rent had the colour of pleaſing God; this other, of puniſhing us. The world doth charge us with pride and covetouſneſſe, and therefore ſurchargeth us with beggary and emptineſſe. Ioſeph may plead, but is not heard; and our caſe is as bad; we may deny the Iuſtice of the fact, but wee ſcarce dare accuſe the offenders. Hanun miſuſed Davids Ambaſſadors, and ſhaved off one halfe of their beards, 2 Sam. 10.4.2 Sam 10:4and cut off their garments to the middle; expoſing them to the deriſion of all beholders. The Iſraelites were forbidden a ſhaven beard, or a ſhort garment: to deſpight their law, they are ſent away with both. Man hath a double ornament to his body; one of nature, the other of art: the naturall ornament is the haire, the artificiall is apparell: in both theſe are Davids ſervants abuſed. But is not David ſenſible of it? Doth he not feele himſelfe diſhonoured in their perſons? Will hee onelyonly hide it, and not revenge it? We are Gods Meſſengers to the world, and the world returnes us ſo to God. Surely, as David could not but feele his owne cheekes ſhaven, his owne coat cut, in his Ambaſſadours: ſo the Lord cannot but appropriate that injurie to himſelfe, which is offered to his Miniſters. By the univerſall Law of nations, Ambaſſadors are free; that office hath in the name ſufficient protection, nor was it ever wronged without a revenge. Doe not the notorious contempts caſt upon us below, concerne our great Maſter above? Is it poſſible, he ſhould not feele them, not revenge them? Yes, David revengeth it on Ammon to the full; for cutting his Meſſengers coates, Ioab and his armie cut their throates: and certainely, God will not let ſuch indignitie paſſe unpuniſhed.

3 The deceivers of men, in regard of their eſtates; contrary to Gods flat prohibition, Defraud no man. Wherein and how farre any man hath thus deceived,1 Theſ. 4.6.1 Thess 4:6 his Conſcience will tell him: unleſſe by the long habit of coozenage, he hath alſo learned to coozen his conſcience. Fraud is theft, and a theefe (we ſay) no man can endure to be any long time, for his conſcience; but how if his conſcience it ſelfe be turned theefe? Howſoever deceivers thinke to get a patrimony of riches by fraud, as they pretend Iacob got the Birth-right; yet it will not be ſo lucky to them as Rebeccah's paſty, they ſhall not (with Iacob) get the bleſſing by p. 884it. The crafty Fox hugg'd himſelfe to thinke how he had coozened the Crow of her breakfaſt: but when he had eaten it, and found himſelfe poiſon'd with it, he wiſhed the Crow her owne againe. Wealth got by deceit is like a peece of butter'd Sponge, (an Italian tricke) it goes downe glib, but in the ſtomacke ſwel…, and will never be gotten out againe. It is not ſtable; aut ipſis acquirentibus est peritura, Chryſ.aut ab haeredibus diſsipanda. Turnus had been ſpared, but for his Belt: when that was found about him, it coſt him his life. So when other ſins might finde merciemercy, Chriſt ſeeing the cogniſance of fraud, begins to ſtrike; Pallas, te hoc vulnere Pallas immolat, one torture more for that. It is an obſervation ſet upon the houſe of Deſmond in Ireland, that Maurice Thomas the firſt Earle raiſed it by injuſtice, and by injuſtice Girald the laſt Earle of that race ruin'd it. The gaines a man gets by deceiving, at laſt he may put in his eye, and yet ſee himſelfe miſer… ble. Sinne is the greateſt cheater in the world, for it deceives the deceiver: yee, as Haman built his owne galhouſe, it makes a ſnare to entrap others, but is ſure to confound the ſinner. The ſeed of this ſinne, as of all other, is in every man by nature; The heart of man is deceitfull: and while he thinkes there is no deceit in it, even in that he is moſt of all deceived.

Finde out this Theefe, apprehend him, convict him, condemne him, yea execute him; yea, fraudi nè credas, nè mortuae quidem; bury him, leſt his very death deceive thee.Pſal. 50.18.Ps 50:18 It is one brand of the wicked, When thou ſawest a theefe, thou conſentedū to him. Many ſee a theefe abroad, and conſent not: but the moſt dangerous theefe is at home, within us, there we conſent. Eliſha had a theefe to his ſervant, but hee followed him at an inch, and found out his brokage. Thus purſue thy fraud, meet it at every turning, croſſe it with reſolution, plague it with reſtitution: wiſh thy Heart, as that Romane built his houſe, not cloſe to doe things unſeene, but open to the view of paſſengers, to ſhew that honeſt dealing dwells there. Fraud is both Latro and Latrocinium, a theft to others, a theefe to a mans ſelfe: as falſus in Latine ſignifies both the deceived, and the deceiver. It ſteales away his grace, his peace, his conſcience, his bleſſing in this life, and his hope of glory in the life to come. The day of the Lord ſhall come as a theefe too: and if it take a man with his thefts about him, no heart can thinke how terribly it will handle him.2 Cor. 7.2.2 Cor 7:2 Wee have wronged no man, wee have corrupted no man, wee have defrauded no man. Thrice happy conſcience that can ſpeake this in ſincerity. That ſteward hath no… deceived God in his truſt, and God will not deceive him of his reward, eternall bleſſedneſſe in IESVS CHRIST.

While they feast with you.] A certaine kinde of feasts is much ſpoken of by the Apoſtles,Easter. Paul, Peter, Iude; Love-feasts. This is a Feſtivall time, yea the greateſt of all Chriſtian feaſts: every Sabbath is a feaſt, this as it is a Sabbath of Sabbaths, ſo a feaſt of feaſts. The day of the Sabbath was changed for the honour of Chriſts Reſurrection; and this is the day for whoſe honour the Sabbath was changed. Something therefore I take liberty to ſpeake of this occaſion. Feasts may bee diſtinguiſhed into three kindes, Holy, Civill, and Prophane. The forme… muſt bee, the next may bee, the laſt ſhould not be. The firſt are commanded, the ſecond allowed, the third prohibited. The firſt is a feaſt to God, the next for man, the third to the divell.

I beginne with holy Feasts. Religion is not tyed to time, yet cannot Religion bee publikely exerciſed without a due time allotted for it. It is neceſſary to conſider every great bleſſing of God, and it is kindely and convenient to conſider it in the day it was wrought: then to repeat it with thankfulneſſe, is to doe opus dici in die ſuo. Otherwiſe the revolution of time would eat out the memory of theſe precious benefits. The Iewes, among many, had three ſolemne Feſtivals every yeere, by Gods inſtitution: the Paſſeover, Pentecost, and Feast of Tabernacles. 1 Of Tabernacles, Deut. 16.Deut 16in remembring that Iſrael dwelt in Tents forty yeeres. Even that walke of theirs muſt not bee forgotten in their reſt. So much memory of p. 885our weary pilgrimage heere, as may ſtand with the perfection of our joy in heaven, ſhall be reſerved. 2 The Paſſeover, to remember them of their deliverance from the Aegyptian bondage: freedome from ſuch a ſervitude deſerves a ſolemne and ſet time of gratitude. 3 Pentecost, in remembrance of the law given on Mount Sinai. God wrote it, that it might be legible: wrote it in ſtone that it might bee durable: honored the day with an annuall feaſt, that it might bee memorable. Thus the Chriſtian Church, among the reſt, celebrates three principall feaſts. Christmas, in honour of Chriſts Nativity, then was he borne to the earth. Easter, in honour of his Reſurrection, then was hee borne from the earth. Whitſuntide, in honour of the miſſion of the holy Ghoſt, by whom we are new borne to the kingdome of heaven. And we ſtill retaine two names of the three, Paſſeover and Pentecost. Such is the accordance of the two Teſtaments, that thoſe two Iewiſh feaſts, and our two Chriſtian, agree, both in ſignification, and in time.

1 For ſignification, their Paſſeover and Pentecost are types of our Easter and Whitſuntide. For the former, God did paſſe over the dores where the blood of the Paſchall lambe was ſprinckled. What ſignifies it? That God will paſſe over our ſinnes in the day of wrath, if hee finde our ſoules ſprinckled with the blood of Chriſt, That Lambe of God that taketh away the ſinne of the world. Ioh. 1.29.John 1:29That night Moſes led Iſrael out of Aegypt, this day Chriſt brings us out of the houſe of bondage. When he roſe from the grave, this was the full conqueſt of all our enemies, for the last enemy is death. For their Pentecost, it was a memoriall of the law, which is a hidden Goſpell. And our Whitſuntide is a memoriall of the Goſpell, which is a revealed law. The Law was given on Mount Sinai, the Goſpell on Mount S on: the Law written in tables of ſtone, the Goſpell in tables of fleſh;Heb. 8.10.Heb 8:10 I will write my Law in their hearts; ſo runne the termes of the new Covenant. On their Pentecoſt, the Law was given in fire and ſmoke, obſcurity was mingled with terrour. On our Pentecost, the Goſpell was given in fire without ſmoke, befitting the light and clearneſſe of the Truth. Fire, not in flaſhes, but in Tongues: not to terrifie, but to teach. Thus the promulgation of the Law makes way for the Goſpell: firſt we muſt feele the terrors of Sinai, before wee have the comforts of Sion, the gracious conſolations of the holy Ghoſt. If therefore they had a Feſtivall for the Law, the Ministery of death; good reaſon wee ſhould have one for the Goſpell, which is the Power of God to ſalvation. Christmas is a merry time, then we ſing and feaſt. Easter is a ſolemne time, then wee communicate and feaſt ſpiritually. Whitſuntide is a triumphant and flouriſhing time, not onelyonly for height of the ſeaſon, but for the Churches confirmation by the deſcenſion of the holy Ghoſt:Aug. de Temp. 183. Quod abeuntem Christum non amiſimus, & venientem Spiritum poſsidemus.

2 As they agree for ſubſtance, ſo for the very time of delivery: the ancient Iewes kept our feaſts, and wee ſtill keepe theirs. Firſt, their Paſſeover and our Eaſter is kept at the ſame time: ſo fitly, to their comming from the bondage of Aegypt, doth anſwer Chriſts comming from under the bondage of death.1 Cor. 5.7.1 Cor 5:7 Even Christ our Paſſeover is ſacrificed for us: that ſpotleſſe Lambe, whereof one bone might not be broken. Next, their Pentecoſt and our Whitſuntide, on the very ſame day. Their Pentecoſt was fifty dayes after their Paſſeover, and our Whitſuntide is fifty dayes after our Eaſter: from which number of dayes, it hath the name, Pentecost. The very day that God came downe in fire and thunder to deliver the Law, the holy Ghoſt came downe upon the Apoſtles in fiery tongues, for the propagation of the Goſpell. Now as our feaſts bee the ſame, ſo bee our Sacraments. We doe all eat of the ſame ſpirituall meat, and drinke of the ſame ſpirituall drinke. 1 Cor. 10.3.1 Cor 10:3The ſame. 1 In objecto; the ſame Chriſt in both: not one God in the Law, another in the Goſpell; not a bloody one there, a mercifull one heere, as Marcion blaſphemed. But Ieſus Christ the ſame, yesterday, and to day, and for ever. Heb. 13.8. Aug.Heb 13:8OnelyOnly a darker Chriſt there, a clearer Chriſt heere, but ſtill the ſame. 2 Idem non ſignis, ſed ſignificatis: in the Paſſeover the Lambe of God was prefigured, in the Lords p. 886Supper hee is exhibited: they ſaw him, wee have him. 3 Identitate nominis; ſo Circumciſion is called Baptiſme, and Baptiſme Circumciſion; and the Lords Supper, the Paſſeover. 4 The ſame in efficacy, their effect is all one: their faith received Chriſt before hee came, in as full vertue as wee doe now hee is come. But if the body of Chriſt bee really in the Supper, why was not the Lambe ſo tranſſubſtantiated in the Paſſeover? For Paul ſaies, It was the ſame. They never ſay, in Baptiſme the water is turned into blood; why then ſay they ſo of the wine in the Euchariſt?1 Cor. 11.24.1 Cor 11:24 This is my body, which is broken for you. There is Subjectum, Th…, this Bread: Praedicatum, my Body: Copula, Is: and the expoſition, which is broken for you. There is Bread, and there is the Body: the Bread is not the Body, therefore an holy ſigne of it. Wee receive a myſticall, yet the true body of Chriſt: not in veritate rei, ſed in ſignificante mysterio. Thus bee our Sacraments the ſame: indeed they had alſo Manna, and water from the Rocke; both which ſignified Chriſt: they were fed with Sacraments. Their bread was Sacramentall, whereof they communicated every day: who complaines of receiving often, when the Iſraelites received daily? Their drinke was Sacramentall; ſurely from them the Church of Rome never learned a dry communion. Twice hath the Rocke yeelded them water of refreſhing: the true Rocke is Chriſt, and he yeelds it alwaies. Out of his ſide iſſued that bloody ſtreame, whereby the thirſt of all beleevers is comfortably quenched. They thirſted with repining, let us thirſt with faith our ſpirituall Rocke ſhall abundantly ſatisfie our ſoules; yea even ſuſtaine us till this water be changed into that new wine which wee ſhall drinke with him in his Fathers kingdome.

A difference reconciled.We have ſeene the harmony and accordance betweene both the Teſtaments, now let us returne to the feaſt of the Day. Some difference may ſeeme to bee in the Evangeliſts, about the time when Chriſt did eat the Paſſeover. Three of them ſay, on the firſt day of the Paſſeover: but wee read in Saint Iohns Goſpell, before the feaſt of the Paſſeover. Ioh 13.1.John 13:1To reconcile theſe; firſt, ſome ſay, that Chriſt did not eat the Paſſeover that yeere: and their reaſon is glorious, becauſe himſelfe was the Paſchall Lambe then to bee offered. But this is frivolous, for it is manifeſt, hee did eate it. Secondly, ſome ſay, the Paſſeover is taken for the whole time of ſeven daies, and that he did eate it one of the ſeven. But this is apparantly falſe; for after the Iewes had apprehended him, they would not enter into the Iudgement hall,Ioh. 18 28.John 18:28 for feare of being defiled, but that they might eate the Paſſeover. Chriſt had that day (before) eaten it, therefore before the ſeven. Thirdly, others ſay, he did eate it one night before the Iewes, and that he did ſo, to thruſt a ſword into Iudas his hand, to accuſe him for an innovator, and law-breaker. But they that were faine to take up a falſe accuſation againſt him, rather than none, would have triumphed in this. Beſides, the Diſciples would have queſtioned the reaſon of ſuch an alteration, and the maſter of the houſe would have found ſome fault. And which is above all, the Fulfiller of the Law, and that ſo punctually, would not have failed in a chiefe point, ſo maine a circumſtance, and that ſo immediately before his death: and this ſuppoſition ſtill ſtickes in the ſtomacks of the Iewes.

Briefly then wee conclude thus. Hee did eat it on the due and true day, the fourteenth of the month. But then how failed the Iewes? for both cannot ſtand, ſeeing Chriſt and they did eat it on ſeverall dayes? It is anſwered thus: ſince the Captivity, when the Paſſeover fell on the Sabbath Eve, they put it off to the Sabbath day: ſo it was called Sabbatum magnum, an high day, becauſe that feaſt fell upon it. For this reaſon they took down the dead bodies from the croſſes; for if theſe two feaſts had fallen immediately together on ſeverall dayes, they had had no opportunity to bury their dead. But why did not Iudas accuſe him of this? God ſo diſpoſed it, that his heart being fraught with malice did not obſerve it. Some thinke it was left arbitrary, that who ſo would, might eat p. 887it on the Even, or put it off to the Sabbath. Thus are the Evangeliſts reconciled. Before the Paſſeover, ſaith Iohn; that is, before the people did eate it by their Tradition. At the Paſſeover, ſay the reſt, that is, on the day of Inſtitution, when Moſes commanded it. So Chriſt died in the Feaſt of Paſſeover, that the Type and the Truth might agree together. They tooke him at night, arraigned, condemned, afflicted, and crucified him, before the end of the next day: this was ſtrange haſte: but what bounds are there to deſperate madneſſe? They meant nothing but death to him, but God hath this day turned it into life to us.

Surely, even the Angels in heaven keepe theſe Paſchall ſolemnities with joy: the glory of that victorious Lion, who hath triumphed over death and hell, is even to them matter of rejoycing. It is the Sabbath of the new world, our Paſſeover from everlaſting death to life: our true Iubile, the firſt day of our weeke, and the chiefe in our Kalendar. Herein our Phenix roſe from his aſhes, our Eagle renewed his feathers, the firſt begotten of the dead was borne from the wombe of the earth. Chriſt, like the Sunne eclipſed by the Moone, got himſelfe out by his Reſurrection: and as the Sunne by the Moone, hee was darkned by them to whom he gave light. His death did juſtifie us, his Reſurrection did juſtifie his death. He buried the Law with himſelfe, and both with honour: hee raiſed up the Goſpell with himſelfe, and both with glory. His Reſurrection was the firſt ſtone of the foundation; In Christ all ſhall be made alive: and the laſt ſtone of the roofe, for God aſſures us he ſhall come to Iudgement, by this token,Act. 17.31.Acts 17:31 that he raiſed him up from the dead. The devill danced on his grave for joy; when he had him there once, he thought him ſure enough: but hee roſe againe, and trampled on the devils throne with triumph. This is Christianorum propria fides; the Iewes beleeve him dead, not living: we beleeve that hee is riſen, and ſits at the right hand of God. As Moſes led the people to Canaan Per deſertum, ſo Chriſt led us to heaven Per Sepulchrum. His Reſurrection is not onelyonly Objectum fidei nostrae, the object of our faith: but Exemplum Spei nostrae, the example of our Hope: We all carry mortality about us, and the ſtrongeſt man is but like Nebuchadnezzars Image; though his head be of gold, and his ribbes of braſſe, yet his feet are of clay: a ſtone throwne at the feet overturnes this great Image, and downe fals man. But ero mors tua, mors: durſt death kill Chriſt? Chriſt therefore ſhall kill death. If in this life onelyonly we have hope in Christ, 1 Cor. 15.19.1 Cor 15:19we are of all men the most miſerable. But Spes vitae immortalis est vita vitae mortalis: the hope of life immortall is the life of our life mortall. Death and the grave ſwallow all, and then burſt: as crammed covetouſneſſe diſgorgeth it ſelfe by a prodigall heire.

The Iewes craved a ſigne, and had it: yet then ſpake againſt it, or wondred at it. To us it ſhall be more than a ſigne, it ſhall have wonder, and wonder enough;Mat. 12.39.Matt 12:39 but we will not loſe our fruit or part therein for a world. Him, that this day roſe from the clods, we expect from the clouds, to raiſe our bodies, to performe his promiſes, to finiſh our faith, to perfect our glory, and to draw us unto himſelfe. I doe not ſay, Come ſee the place where they laid him, that is empty: but Come ſee the place where he is, Here is the Lord. I ſay not with Mary, Abstulerunt Dominum, They have taken away the Lord, and I know not where they have laid him: hee is perſonally in heaven, he is myſtically, ſacramentally, yea in a ſpirituall ſenſe, he is really here. Himſelfe ſaid, Deſiderando deſideravi, I have earnestly deſired to eate this Paſſeover with you. Deſiderando deſideremus, let us earneſtly deſire to eate this Sacrament with him. God ſaid once, Accipite & manducate, take and eate of every tree but one; but man then miſtooke the fruit, he did eate and fell. Hee now ſaies againe, Accipite & manducate, Take and eate, this is my body, which is given for you; let us not miſtake, but eate and live for ever. And The body of our Lord Ieſus Christ which was given for us, preſerve our bodies and ſoules into everlasting Life.

p. 888As God ſpake to the fiſh, and it cast up Ionas, commanded the earth, and it delivered up Ieſus; ſo he will ſpeake to all creatures, and they ſhall not detaine one duſt of our bodies. There ſhall be a dry ground for this valley of teares, a land of the living for this Golgotha of the dead, a ſettled Manſion for this moveable Pavilion. Chriſt had his Eaſter day by himſelfe, there ſhall be one generall Eaſter day for us all: when the wicked ſhall riſe to contempt, the faithfull to eternity of daies. Here ſhall be no terrour to affright us, no ſorrow to afflict us, no ſickeneſſe to diſtemper us, no death to diſſolve us, no ſinne to endanger, for evermore.

2 The next are civill Feaſts: when the ſoule hath been feaſted with God, the body may be feaſted with the creatures of God: when the miſtreſſe hath dined, the ſervant may ſit downe. Every Sabbath is a feaſt, but this is an exceeding day. When we heare the Word, we have a good ſpirituall meale: but the Sacrament is an extraordinary Banquet; wherein the beſt cheare of heaven is ſet on the Table, and the faithfull ſoule feeds more liberally on Ieſus Chriſt. We doe not feaſt every day;Luk. 16.19.Luke 16:19 that was the Epicures brand; he fared deliciouſly every day: ſo nor every day communicate: there may be ſatiety even in ſacred things, and the ſoule cloyed as well as the body. Theſe Love-feaſts were before the Lords Supper, where the Communicants brought every man his proviſion to one place, and they did eate together: giving thankes to God, and beſtowing the remainder on the poore. Thus were they intended for the increaſe of Love: but what foule abuſes crept in, Saint Paul notes and condemnes; one is hungry, and another is drunken. Riot and intemperance is an ill preparation for ſo holy a buſineſſe.1 Cor. 11.21.1 Cor 11:21

Firſt therefore begin with God; a full body makes an unweildy ſoule; but a feaſted ſoule will keepe a temperate body. Firſt drinke at Chriſts wine-celler, before thou touch thine owne. Not that I obtrude the Popiſh cuſtome upon you, which puts a neceſſitie of faſting before: becauſe forſooth they would receive their God into a cleare ſtomacke, next their heart. Cannot Chriſt come into the heart, if there be meat in the ſtomacke? This is as if a man could not come to the Steeple for the ſound of the bels. Or as the merry Cardinall ſaid to his fellowes in the Conclave, when they could not agree about the Election of the Pope;Onup. in Plat. Let us untile the houſe, quia Spiritus Sanctus nequit ad nos per tot tecta ingredi, becauſe the holy Ghoſt cannot get in to us through ſo many tiles. A weake ſtomacke helped by refection is as capable of Chriſt as a faſting ſuperſtition. Indeed if men can forbeare, it were beſt to have the firſt morſell Sacramentall: but it is the ſoule, not the body, that receives Panem Dominum, Chriſt himſelfe. In this point I praiſe this Citie, that they begin their feaſts with a Sermon,Exod. 18.12.Exod 18:12 as Iethro began his with a ſacrifice. Firſt ſerve the Lord, then eate the fat, and drinke the ſweet, and give the reſt to the poore. Some have beene as fond on the other ſide; they will eate nothing that whole day after the Sacrament; as if they wronged that holy food, if they thought it would not keepe them a whole day. In former times, ſome would not waſh a whole weeke after their baptiſing; as if men ſhould refuſe to waſh a day or two after their trimming by the Barber. But theſe bee fond ſingularities: Let us keepe the day holy, keep our ſelves holy, in the ſtrength of the moſt Holy; that wee may confeſſe the vertue of this bleſſed Sacrament in the ſanctitie of our future deportment and converſation.

Feaſts have their ſeaſonable allowance: the bountie of God reacheth not onelyonly to our life, but to our contentment: nor doth he afford us onelyonly the bread of ſufficiencie, but of pleaſure; that wee may more than live, even live happy.Ioh. 2.3.John 2:3 The bleſſed Virgin at the marriage in Cana, perceived a defect of wine, and ſhe tels Chriſt, They had wine enough for a meale, not enough for a feaſt: and if there was not wine enough, there was enough water: water to quench p. 889thirſt, if not wine to cheare the ſpirits. Yet ſhee complaines the want of wine, and is troubled with the very lacke of ſuperfluitie. Chriſt gives her rough words, but anſweres her faith with gracious deeds; the feaſt ſhall bee ſupplied with wine, if ſix pots full (of two or three firkins a-peece) can doe it. To turne one of theſe veſſels of water into wine had beene a ſufficient proofe of his power, and perhaps enough for the preſent neceſſity: yet hee makes wine enough to ſerve above an hundred gueſts, had they beene then but newly ſate downe. It was a feaſt; that quantitie at another time had beene ſuperfluous, which is now but neceſſary. That hand of infinite munificence regards not onelyonly our need, but our honeſt affluence. We are ſullen gueſts, if we ſcant our ſelves where God hath been liberall; and from the Table of his bounty depart hungry. We are unworthy gueſts, if we riot upon his abundance, and turne his plenty into wantonneſſe. To faſt when he invites us to feed, is our ſinne: to be fuller than he allowes us, is our ſinne and our ſhame: to be pleaſed no wayes, neither full nor faſting, is our ſinne, our ſhame, and unhappineſſe. The Philiſtins in their feaſt called for Samſon to make them ſport: take heed that Samſon bee not your mirth, make not Religion your fiddle. God doth not therefore ſo liberally give us temporall things, that we being full ſhould abuſe ſpirituall things. David vowed that he would not forget Ieruſalem in his mirth: and in their mirth there bee ſome that remember Ieruſalem, but it is with a ſacrilegious frumpe. Yea, too often, they doe not onelyonly in their mirth remember Ieruſalem, but they make Ieruſalem their mirth; and holineſſe is wounded through the name of Puritan. Call Godlineſſe by what name they will, it is too good to bee jeſted with: and when profane men are thus in jeſt, God will be in earneſt. And here we fitly fall upon

3 Profane feaſts: I call them ſo, where God is not placed at the upper end of the table: where he is forgotten in the beginning, neglected in the midſt, at the latter end diſhonoured. We finde ſuch feaſts in former times, we find them all concluding in horrour. The houſe fell downe upon Iobs children,Iob 1.19.Job 1:19 while they were feaſting. Their ſinne is not ſpecified, yet their father feared, ſanctified them, and interceded for them, after their meetings. The upſhot of their laſt feaſt was deſtruction: I meane, on their bodies, I dare not ſay ſo of their ſoules. The F…thers thinke otherwiſe; and alledge for it this obſervation.Iob 1.3.Job 1:3 At the firſt Iob had 7000 ſheepe, 3000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 ſhe-aſſes. After his reparation, he had 14000 ſheepe, 6000 camels, a thouſand yoke of oxen, and a thouſand ſhe-aſſes. But in his firſt eſtate, and his laſt too, he had but ſeven ſonnes and three daughters. The number of his cattell was doubled,Iob 42.12.Job 42:12 the number of his children remained the ſame. Children are dearer than riches; why then is his wealth doubled, and not his progenie? They ſay, his beaſts according to the condition of beaſts, utterly periſhed; but the ſoules of his children were ſaved. So then, as he had twice ſo much ſubſtance, he had twice ſo many children alſo; tenne whereof were with him on earth, and the other tenne with God in Heaven.

Nabal held a feast in his houſe like the feast of a king. 1 Sam. 25.36.1 Sam 25:36Commonly there is nothing more plentifull than a Churles feaſt. He was merry, and feared no miſchiefe; as if he had never angred David. That mighty Champion was at the foot of the hill, comming to cut his throat; yet Nabal was feaſting without feare or wit, and drinking drunke with his ſheep-ſhearers. Full little doe ſinners know, how neere their jollity is to perdition. Iudgement is often at the threſhold, while drunkenneſſe and ſurfet are at the table. Abigail's wiſedome ſuſpended the preſent ruine, but this feaſt would not off of Nabals ſtomacke: the report of his wife puts him into a ſwoone the next morning, and within tenne daies after that ſwoone ends in death: and that heart, which wine had made as light as a feather,Dan. 5.1.6.Dan 5:1Dan 5:6 dies as heavy as a ſtone. Belſhazzar made a feaſt for his Lords, and drunke wine p. 890to it. On a ſudden, his countenance was changed, and his knees ſmote one againſt another. What an alteration was here? a ſumptuous and preſumptuous banquet ends in trembling and aſtoniſhment. He had the moſt glorious cupboord of plate in the world, for which he might thanke the ſpoiles of the Temple: we reade of many boules, not of much wine: but in our feaſts, a great deale of wine is turned over with a few boules. Nabal cannot abound, but hee muſt be drunke: exceſſe is a true argument of folly. We uſe to ſay, When drinke is in, wit is out but if wit were not firſt out, ſo much drinke would not be let in. But I have held you too long at a feaſt, unleſſe my cheare were better. The Iewes by a cuſtome did challenge at their feaſt of Paſſeover, the releaſe of one malefactor; whereupon they choſe Barabbas, Mat. 27.15.Matt 27:15and refuſed Chriſt. So doe you at this feaſt, turne out Barabbas, luſt, riot, malice, injuſtice, covetouſneſſe, uncharitableneſſe, profaneneſſe, and all thoſe ſinnes which make up a malefactor, a Barabbas: and then in another ſenſe than Pilate meant, I ſhall deliver to you the Lord Ieſus, not to bee crucified by you, but preſented in this holy Sacrament as crucified before you. Thus you ſhall ſee his body broken, his blood powred out, not to his paine, bu… your comfort; not his death, but the remembrance of his death. Hee tooke the bitterneſſe of that, that we might have the ſweetneſſe of this: he died for us once, that we by Him might live for ever.

Deceiving while they feast with you.] Feaſting hath ever beene held a note of friendſhip; Convivae, Convoti: we invite none to our tables, but either ſuch as are, or ſuch as we would make our friends. David ſpeakes of a wonder, of a mo…ſter: My friend that did eate of my bread, Pſal 41.9.Ps 41:9hath lift up his heele against me. Elias wou d n…t doe violence to the very Raven that was his purveyor. But for a man to feede upon his neighbours meate, and to eate his Hoſt in his heart, it is ſuch a prodigie of unthankfulneſſe, that nature her ſelfe is ſicke of him. Some ſlie polititian, as Abſalom, may make a feaſt for him whom hee meanes to kill: ſome cunning Uſurer may make a feaſt for thoſe prodigall heires whom he meanes to undoe: ſome ambitious aſpirer, for them whom he meanes to undermine: ſome prurient letcher, f…r thoſe women whom he means to corrupt:Eccl. 10.19.Eccl 10:19 A feast is made for laughter, ſaith Salomon: yet all feaſts are not for laughter, yea ſome are for ſlaughter; not for ſociety, but for ſatietie; not for delight, but deceit; not for love, but for luſt. So the luxurious makes a feaſt, that he may lay his gueſts on the floore. The end of a feaſt is not ſeldome the beginning of a fray: therefore ſome interpret our Engliſh phraſe, To pledge, To defend: the drinker ſuppoſed to be in danger, and he to whom he drinkes, ingaging or interpoſing himſelfe betwixt him and harme. Feaſts are not alwaies ſafe; for if a man have no other enemie, he hath himſelfe: his owne riot may doe him that miſchiefe which another forbeares. Theſe were called Love-feaſts: their intent was feaſting for love, yet ſome came for love of feaſting. One was hungry, and another was drunken. 1 Cor. 11.21.1 Cor 11:21In theſe laſt, was not the fulneſſe of love, but the love of fulneſſe. Thus the firſt inſtitution did languiſh into corruption; and they became luxurious, ſome were drunken: uncharitable, others were hungry; the poore got nthing: and fraudulent, they had theeves among themſelves, whoſe plauſible inſinuation made way for their peſtilent circumvention. The hypocrite would bring his diſh; but it was either to tempt a woman to his luſt, or to deceive a man of his goods, or to ſpoile him of his wittes. Let mee conclude all with three obſervations.

1 It is odious to feaſt with men on purpoſe to make them drunke. It is uſually ſaid that we taught the Germanes to fight, and they taught us to drinke: and wee have both proved apt ſcholars, too forward proficients; if they be tall fighters, we are ſtout drinkers. But ſhall men bee ſo deſperate, as not to thinke themſelves welcome to a feaſt, unleſſe they bee ſent home drunke? Many have loſt their lives,2 Sam. 11.13.2 Sam 11:13 becauſe they would not bee drunke; noble Vriah was made drunke, ye… could not ſave his. King David had abuſed his wife, and his project was to ſhelter p. 891it with the name of her husband. Vriah had proteſted againſt feaſting at home, againſt uxorious delights: he could not be wonne with words, therefore now the Courtiers muſt try him with wine. A king begins to him, and he muſt pledge i…. I do not thinke that he intended any exceſſe, but to obey. But wine is a mocker, it goes plauſibly in, but who can imagine how it will worke? It ſteales in like a Lambe, but then rageth like a Lion: he that admits that traitor, ſhall complaine of a ſurpriſall too late. Well, even good Vriah is made drunke; the holieſt ſoule may be overtaken: hee is a rare Rechabite that never dranke but when hee was thirſty. There is hope now that theſe pots will ſend him home; ſo common is it for wine to prepare men to the bed of luſt. Vriah was made drunke, that hee might deſire his owne wife; many husbands are ſo drench'd, that other men may have acceſſe to their wives. What was the iſſue? the aime failes, grace is ſtronger than wine, the fury of the grape cannot carry Vriah to his owne bed. The graceleſſe attempter ſometime failes in his project. David meant by procuring the ſinne of another, to hide his owne; hee ſhall not. Often have we heard of thoſe that ſought to overthrow others, ſooneſt overtaken themſelves. Whoſe is the chiefe offence? Vriahs drunkenneſſe is more Davids ſinne, than his owne: ſober David is worſe than drunken Vriah. Woe to him that gives his neighbour drinke to diſcover his ſhame; yea, he ſhall diſcover his owne ſhame. Hee that gives a man wine to deceive him, is firſt drunke in ſoule, before hee can procure the others bodily diſtemper. If we ſhould compare them; the one is as a ſinner, the other as the tempter: the one yeelds weakely, the other intends wilfully. Lots daughters gave their father wine to provoke him, but themſelves were firſt drunke with that luſt of provocation. The husband is drenched, that his bed may be polluted; the adulterer is more intoxicate with ſinne, than the other can bee with wine. Even the drunken temperance of ſome abhorres that wickedneſſe, which the ſober intemperance of others deſires. Say other purpoſes bee left out, and nothing is intended but victory; is hee the valiant man that can drinke moſt? Davids Worthies were honoured for their deeds of armes, not for their great draughts. He that makes a man drunke to deceive him, to turne another into a beaſt, makes himſelfe a divell.

2 To coozen men under the colour of amity, is the moſt execrable villany. Feaſting implies friendſhip, friendſhip admits of no deceit.Boet. Nulla capitalior pestis quam familiaris inimicus. Nothing is more eaſie than this deceit, nothing more unpard…nable. Nothing more eaſie, Facilius ab amico decipi poſſum, quàm amico diffidere. My friend may ſooner miſchiefe me, than I can miſtruſt my friend. Nothing more ha…efull, becauſe hee doth that as a friend, which hee could not have done as an enemy. The manner of doing ſpecificates and aggravates morall actions, ſaith the Schoole; ſo doth the very inſtrument. If I ſtrike a man with a ſword, it is preſumed that I meant to kill him: not ſo, if I ſtrike him with a reed; becauſe a reed is no probable inſtrument of death. Hee that deceives mee under the name if a friend, ſhewes that he tooke that name onelyonly to deceive me. There is no fence for the piſtoll that is charged with the bullet of friendſhip. Hilary compares it to a raſor in the hand of a counterfeit barber; Praeparata ad ornatum, vertitur ad homicidium. Vriah muſt bee ſe… in the forefront of the battell;2 Sam. 11.15.2 Sam 11:15 honour is pretended to him, murder is meant. Hee was a valiant ſouldier, and before hee had the title of Davids worthy, hee dearely earned it. It was not a great Ladies letter;Act. 23.Acts 23 nor that which got the Captaine his Burgeſhip, that gave him that reputa…ion; but a noble courage in difficult exploits. David ſent for him, made him royally welcome, and hee was worthy of it; worthy indeed to have leaned his head neere the golden Scepter, and to have dyed in his Princes boſome, not by his Princes prodition. But now that all this ſeeming favour and honour ſhould tend to his ruine, O how foule a deed was it even of that holy Saint! His renowne was as great as had been his dangers, and his valour beyond them both: and even in this laſt attempt that p. 892coſt him his life, if his followers had not beene more trecherous than his enemies were numerous, hee had come off with victory. Now poore Vriah is not ſo muc… conquered, as betrayed: nor fell he by his enemies, but by his friends. Yet is … neither the firſt, nor the laſt, that hath thus periſhed.

David himſelfe had ſuch a plot put upon him by Saul. Bee thou valiant, and fight the Lords battels, 1 Sam. 18.17.1 Sam 18:17and I will give thee my elder daughter Merab to wife; for hee ſaid, my hand ſhall not bee upon him, &c. David was growne ſo gracious with the people, th… the king durſt not offer him perſonall violence; therefore hee hires him into the jawes of death, by no leſſe a price than his eldeſt daughter. What could bee ſpoken more honorably, more graciouſly? A king could not offer a more noble gi…t than his owne daughter, nor deſire a more gracious recompence, than to fight the Lords battels. What a Saint, what a friend was Saul? yet hee did never meane ſo much miſchiefe to David, ſo much unfaithfulneſſe to God, as in this offer. A good man is never ſafe from the falſe-hearted: for when they make the faireſt weather, then is the greateſt danger. Whatſoever the colour was, Saul meant nothing to David but death. Yet doth this falſehood diſcover it ſelfe, for Merab was not given to David, but to Adriel. Seeing all theſe dangers could not effect what Saul deſired, himſelfe will not effect what hee promiſed. Yet ſtill he will be a friend, and he hath now another daughter for David; though the yonger, yet the more affectionate, ſhe was as ſicke of love, as her father was of hate,Ver. 20 21. toward him. Saul is glad of this, his daughter could never live to doe him better ſervice: if ſhee can betray David, David ſhall have his good will to marry her. Thus doth this falſe-hearted king ſacrifice his owne childe to his envie; and hopes that her honeſt and ſincere love ſhall betray her worthy and innocent husband. It is ſo ſtoried of a late Emperour of Turkey, that hee married his owne daughter to a Baſhaw on the one day, and then after a nights pleaſure, ſent for his head the next morning. Are there none that care not to caſt away a daughter on their friend, for their owne ends? Such is the rage of deſperate malice, that rather than not ruine thoſe they hate, they will doe it through the ſides of their owne children.Prov. 27.6.Prov 27:6 Faithfull are the wounds of a friend, but the kiſſes of an enemie are deceitfull. No man ſo much hates his profeſſed foe, as he does his diſſembling friend, when that ſhadowed villanie declares it ſelfe. We pray, from the hands of all our enemies, and (of all our enemies) from the hands of our deceitfull friends, good Lord deliver us.

Phil. 3.18.Phil 3:183 To boaſt of all this miſchiefe, when it is done, doubles the lewdneſſe; to glory in their ſhame. Wicked men glory in that which ſhall everlaſtingly caſt them from glory: and make that their ſport on earth, which in hell ſhall be their torment. One glories in his ſtrange attire, as if that were matter of pride, which makes him ridiculous. What glory takes the Owle, that ſhee is not faſhion'd like other birds? Another glories in his perfumed garments; and thinkes every one that ſees him or ſmells him, muſt needs be in love with him. Another, to heare himſelfe talke, or to reade his owne lines; though he bungle up ſuch ſtuffe as tires the moſt patient eare. Yet the aſſe takes no pleaſure in his owne braying. Another to bring out an oath with a grace, as if to offend God, and to poiſon his owne mouth, were an honour to him. Another to tell of his cheats, and how many he hath gull'd; and yet the gull knowes not that he hath moſt of all coozened himſelfe. Another, to tell of his whoredomes, and to keepe a ſcroll of their names, into which catalogue he puts thoſe whom he never ſaw, and ſo makes himſelfe a worſe devill than he is. Every time hee boaſts of his adultery, hee does againe commit it; yea, this report ſhall have a worſe vengeance than the act. Herostratus burnt the Temple of Diana in a bravery, and for a bravery he relates it. You ſhall heare the gallant ſweare that ſuch an one is a brave valiant Gentleman; why? he kill'd ſuch a man. So Cain was a brave valiant Gentleman, becauſe he ſlew his brother Abel. Another, in giving weake p. 893braines a drench, to ſee them wallow in their beaſtlineſſe: this is to brag how farre they are become the devils children.

Alas, that a man ſhould make ſport at ſinne! Doth the Peacocke glory in his foule feet? Doe not his proud feathers come downe when they are in his eyes? Doth the Bucke, after his coupling with the female, lift up his hornes, and walke proudly to the Lawnes? no, hee ſo hates himſelfe after the ſtench of his commixture, that hee droopes in ſome ſolitary ditch; and till the poole, or ſome ſhowre of raine hath throughly waſh'd him, he forbeares his food. Omne vitium, Aug.eo ipſo quòd eſt vitium, contra naturam eſt. And are we enamour'd of that which the very beaſts hate? Takes the devill a pride or glory, that hee is baniſh'd out of heaven? Doth he make a ſport of his torment, or play with his chaine? No, but he rather curſeth God, Angels, and men, who live in the kingdome of light, while he is confined to the dungeon of darkneſſe. What coward is there, that will brag or glory that he was beaten? If we could ſee the baſeneſſe of ſinne, we would have little ſtomacke to make ſport with it. Now the Lord open our eyes to ſee, and ſanctifie our hearts to deteſt it. Amen.