Commentary on 2 Peter, Commentary on 2 Peter volume 2 · Chapter 2 · Verse 18
2 PET. 2.18.
For when they ſpeake great ſwelling words of vanity, they allure through the luſts of the fleſh, through much wantonneſſe, thoſe that were cleane eſcaped from them who live in error.
FLeſh and blood is pleaſed either with no religion, or with a carnall one; yea with a carnall religion rather than none at all. For without ſome boundaries to the unlimited rage of ſenſuality, they could neither enjoy their goods, nor their ſinnes in peace. Therefore among the Heathen politickes, that State where nothing was lawfull, was preferred to the State where all things were lawfull. The adulterer, that cares not whoſe bed he diſhonours, yet would thinke himſelfe wronged, if hee might not keepe his whore to himſelfe. Hee would be loth to have his owne goods ſtollen, that makes no conſcience of robbing others. The wicked are neither ſenſible of doing injury, nor patient of ſuffering it. Unjuſt tradeſmen will have the Law open to fetch in their debts, and that with rigour: but for payment of their creditors, they would have the Law ſhut, and noſe them under a protection. Thus if they can ſhuffle out for this world, they never dreame of any reckoning in the world to come. That religion therefore, which can humour fleſh and blood, and give corrupt nature leave to be her ſelfe, proud or wanton, is the onelyonly plauſible doctrine, and ſure of entertainement. Every bad man would have all others bound, and himſelfe free: and he eaſily connives at that in himſelfe, which he ſeverely cenſures under another skinne. Silly underſtandings adhere to that rule, which is indulgent to their carnall affections; as fiſhes are taken with the baite that is agreeable to their natures. Wanton ſoules are caught with wanton allurements. When they ſpeake, &c.
This verſe is ſpent upon two ſorts of men; the Seducers, and the Seduced: the ſubtle and the ſimple; the theeves and their bootie. In the Deceivers wee have Their
Poſture, they ſpeake great ſwelling words of vanity.
Impoſture; they allure or beguile ſoules.
For the Deceived, we have three circumſtances;
1. What they were for their former condition, eſcaped, &c.
2. What they are for their preſent eſtate, wrapped in error.
3. How they become ſo; which is their owne weakeneſſe, or proneſſe to ſinne, whereby the Temptation workes upon them, here called wantonneſſe.
The Poſture of the Seducers appeare in three paſſages; In
Multiloquio, many words.
Stultiloquio, vaine words.
Grandiloquio, great ſwelling words.
For the firſt, they thinke to carry it away with words. That is a very ill cauſe, which wants colourable reaſon for it; that is a very ill reaſon which wants a Tertullus to plead it: and he is an ill Tertullus that wants words to defend it. Yea, error hath alwayes moſt words; like a rotten houſe, that needs moſt props and crutches to uphold it. Simple Truth evermore requires leaſt coſt; like a beautifull face that needs no painting; or a comely body, which any decent apparell becomes. We plaiſter over rotten poſts and ragged wals: ſubſtantiall buildings are able to grace themſelves. Wee cannot but ſuſpect that cauſe, whereon the Lawyer waſts ſo much of his time and tongue. Multitude of words is not unlike the thicke painting in ſome Popiſh Church-windowes; a meere deviſe to keepe out the light. Why doth the Hare uſe ſo many doublings, but to fruſtrate the ſent of the hounds? A great deale of oratory beſtowed on a vaine ſubject, is but like an onion; when you have taken off all the pils, there is nothing left. Falſehood is a gawdy harlot; ſtrippe her of her borrowed garments, ſhee will appeare, wee know not whether more hatefull or ridiculous. Loquacity hath ever beene a note of folly; In multiloquio ſtultiloquium: it is very difficult to ſpeake much and well. The ſhip that hath more rigging and ſaile than ballaſt, will never make a good voyage. The tree that wanted fruit, might have abundance of leaves; and commonly they have the worſt courſe of life, that have the volubleſt diſcourſe of tongue.gMatth. 6.7. They thinke to be heard for their much ſpeaking: as if God could not heare them at firſt; as if hee could not underſtand them at once; as if the bleſſing of heaven depended on the labour of the tongue: whereas indeed, it is not many words, but hearty deſires, that can fetch downe heavenly bleſſings. No Prince will grant a ſute ever the ſooner for a long petition. Certainly, if twenty Ave-maries and five Paternoſters were all that God required, many a Papiſt hath done his duty. But alas, how can they hope to merit by that, for which God hath ſaid, they ſhall not bee heard, much babbling. hLuk. 18.14.The Publican uſed not ſo many words as the Phariſie, the Phariſie had not ſuch commendation as the Publican. Frustrà fit per plura, quod fieri potest per pauciora. There is little of a long-winded exerciſe, except to bring men aſleepe. Many words muſt not carry it; for then the brawling woman would have the better, who will not give over without the laſt word. But not to catch the diſeaſe, which I declaime againſt, prolixity of ſpeech, I paſſe to the next, which is
Their full-mouth'd ſpeeches, Great ſwelling words. Nothing is more loud than error: the more falſe the matter, the greater noiſe to uphold it. Paul can have no audience, the truth muſt not be heard: but they alliAct. 19.34. cry out for Diana. In that bloudieſt and moſt unnaturall cuſtome of Idolatry that ever the Sunne be held: the ſacrificing of their children in burning fire to Moloch, it was the noiſe of the Inſtruments that drowned all ſenſe of the madneſſe.k1 King. 22. Thus Ahab ſhall be deluded with great words and numbers: the clergy of foure hundred Prophets conſpire to his deſtruction one: ſingle Michaiah can doe no good, they beare him downe with multitudes. Foure hundred to one, is oddes: every one will have as much talke as he. Yet indeed, one Prophet ſpeaking from the Oracle of God, is more worth than foure hundred Baalites. Truth is not ever to bee meaſured by the Poll: it is not number, but weight that ſhould carry it. Solid verity in one mouth is worthy to preponderate light falſhood in a thouſand. But falſhood hath the more ſwelling words, the lowder noiſe: as Cyprian mentions one that chalenged him to diſpute; who though hee wanted learning to urge any argument, yet he amazed the people by ingroſſing all the talke, and holding the concluſion.
Falſe Zedekiah not onelyonly ſpeakes, but acts his prediction, with ſwelling words, yea preſumptuous ſignes;l1 King. 22.11. Hornes of iron, and Thus ſhalt thou puſh the Syrians. The horne is forcible, the iron irreſiſtible: by an unreſiſtible force ſhal Ahab doe this: as if the certentie of his tongue were not enough without his hands. He had a forehead of braſſe, a heart of Lead: the one for impudence, the other for flexibleneſſe to humours and times: therfore he deviſed hornes to gore his King unto death. One ſilly Prophet affronts the 400; wherupon Zedekiah, having ſwolne firſt into words, now ſwells into blowes, and ſmites Gods Prophet on the face.Verſ. 24. Micaiah gave him the lie, and he gives Micaiah the fiſt; and with the blow expoſtulates. Before two Kings, the Guardians of Peace and Iuſtice, ſwaggering Zedekiah fals to blowes. For a Prophet to ſtrike a Prophet, in the face of two Princes, was intolerably inſolent: the act was much unbeſeeming the Perſon, more the Preſence. Prophets may reprove, they may not ſtrike. It was enough for Ahab to puniſh with the hand; no weapon was for Zedekiah but his tongue. And if Ahab had not beene well content to ſee that hated mouth beaten by any hand; if malice had not made authoritie inſenſible of ſuch an uſurpation, this rude preſumption had not paſt unrevenged. Falſhood doth not more bewray it ſelfe in any thing, than in ſwelling words, in unjuſt blowes. Nor is it any new condition of Gods ſervants to ſmart for ſpeaking true. Truth ſuffers, whiles error perſecutes. None are more ready to boaſt of Gods Spirit, than they that have it not. The full veſſels are evermore ſilent. Braſſe makes a great ſound when it is beaten: the gold is more malleable with leſſe noiſe. A fooles voice is heard in the ſtreets, but wiſedome ſpeakes low. Therefore hath luxurious behaviour beene called Roaring, for the diſſolute cannot rule their tongues. As Bias was ſailing, there fell out a great tempeſt, and the mariners (who were lewd perſons) cryed to their gods: but Bias ſaid, Peace, make not ſuch a noiſe: for if the gods know ye are here, we are all like to periſh. Peacocks have a lowder voice than Nightingales, no man thinkes a ſweeter. Empty caskes in the cellar returne the greater ſound; the good liquour lies in them that are dull. The light huſwife is the ſcold, and can put downe the grave matron in words, no leſſe than the other excels her in honeſtie. The frogs of Egypt were no ſmall plague: who beſides the annoyance to their noſtrils, and trouble to their boſomes, with a diſmall dinne filled their eares. Swelling words are like the reports of Ordnance: they blaze, and cracke, and ſmoke, and ſtinke, and vaniſh. They proceed from diverſe cauſes; there be in the ſoule ſix ſwelling diſeaſes.
1 Pride, which is an unnaturall tumour, and puffes a man up, as if he had eaten a ſpider. And indeed, Pride is a poiſon, and the nature of poiſon is to cauſe a ſwelling. He ſwells for place, not onelyonly above his fellowes;mIam. 2.2. The man with the gold-ring lookes to ſit uppermoſt: but even above the Angels; andnEſay 14.13. Similis ero Altiſsimo, I will be like the moſt High. He that rides on his foote-cloth, or in his caroch, how bigge does he looke on the inferior paſſengers? We wonder; it was not ſo with him the other day. Alas, ſince that time, he hath ſwallowed the venime of pride in a pill of wealth, and now you may ſee it by his ſwelling. He feares an affront, more than he feares hell: if by his equall, he puffes like one out of breath: if by his inferiour, he ſwells like the ſea in a ſtorme. The proud man is a kind of mad man; he thinkes himſelfe brave in anothers clothes, and glories in that which is none of his. He is ſicke of a ſwelling in the braine.
2 Malice, which is a higher degree of poiſon, ſwelling inwardly; and when it cannot vent it ſelfe in revenge, burſts the entrals. How did Ioab ſwell againſt Amaſa? Iezabel againſt Eliah? Nothing but a poultiſſe of their warme innocent blood can abate the tumour. After the defeat of that great Armado, the Duke of Oſſuna preſented himſelfe to the King of Spaine, with a diſtaffe at his ſide, and a ſpindle at his backe in ſtead of ſword and dagger: the King hereby underſtanding that a woman had foiled them, haſtily ſtepp'd to the Altar, and taking a ſilver candleſticke in his hand, ſwore a monſtrous oath, that he would waſt all Spaine, yea his whole Indies to that candleſticke, but he would be revenged on England. But God be praiſed, thoſe ſwelling words were but the effect of his owne malice, without our ruine; Rumpantur & ilia Codri. The malicious is troubled with a ſwelling of the ſplene or bowels.
3 Vainglory, which is a kind of wood-ſere or venemous froth, that ſwels men with a ranke opinion of their owne worths. So the Flie that ſate on the axletree of the Charriot wheele, gave out that ſhe made that glorious duſt. Things that move upon greater meanes, they aſcribe to themſelves; and ſtrut like Coloſſes, that the world may not ſcape their notice. Mighty are their words, as if they would ſhake mountains, and ſpeake thunder-claps.o1 Sam. 17.44. Come, ſaith the Philiſtine to David, and I will give thy fleſh to the fowles of the aire, and to the beaſts of the field. What big words were heere? But how ſeldome ever was there a good end of oſtentation? Preſumption at once is the preſage, and the cauſe of ruine. He is a weake adverſary that will be killed with words. Swell on proud Gyant; a ſmall pebble from the brooke ſhall confute thee.pEſay 36.18. Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered his land from the King of Aſſyria? Swell on Sennacherib: an Angell ſhall confute a 185 thouſand of thy ſouldiers with the argument of death in one night. Many a foe hath ſpoke bravely, who in the puſh hath made more uſe of his heeles, than of his hands. When one vaunted of hurts received on his face, Iulius Caeſar knowing him to be a coward, bad him take heed the next time he ran away, how he did looke backe. This is a ſwelling in the Throate.
4 Hypocriſie, which is a malignant humour, ſwelling the parts affected or corrupted with it, as ſome kind of graſſe doth the kine, or ſweet worte hogges. Methinkes the hypocrite ſhould ſmile at himſelfe, being ſo conſcious, how he railes at the world which he worſhips; how he condemnes the belly which he ſerves; how he perſwades men to contemne the gold, which is deare to him as his life: how he commends the croſſe to others, which himſelfe abhorres. How like the kite, he flies aloft, but is ever looking downe to the earth for his prey. He hath an ill-affected ſplene, that growes bigge while the other members waſt: or an obſtructed liver, which blowes up the cheekes and legs, while the vitall parts want blood and livelyhood.qLuk. 18.12. God I thanke thee, that I am not as other men. Hypocrite, ſo thou ſayeſt, ſo thou ſwellest: but what a tabe or famine of goodneſſe there is within, thou doſt not, thou dar'ſt not aske thy conſcience. Like a decayed Merchant, that ſtudies trickes to uphold the credit of his wealth; and ſtill the neerer he comes to povertie, the more ſhew he makes of ſufficiencie; till at laſt the bladder is pricked, and the wind flies out, and there is rather a merchants caſe than a merchant. Still the more a man ſwells in pretence, the leſſe he is to be truſted in deed. This Swelling is a Tympanie.
5 Blaſphemie, which is the higheſt exceſſe of words, when they ſwell againſt God himſelfe.r1 Sam. 17.43. Am I a dog, that thou commeſt againſt me with ſtaves and ſtones? The laſt words that ever the Philiſtine ſhall ſpeake, are brags and curſes. How truely he ſpoke himſelfe? Had he beene any other than a dog, he would not have opened his foule mouth againſt the hoſte of God, and the God of hoſtes. And as he calls himſelfe a dog, ſo it ſeemes David thought him, elſe he had never come to him onelyonly with a ſtaffe and a ſtone.ſ1 King. 19.…. Iezabel hath loſt her prophets; and ſhe ſweares and ſtamps at that, whereat ſhe ſhould have trembled. She ſweares by thoſe gods of hers, which were not able to ſave their prophets, that ſhe would kill that Prophet of God which had ſlaine her prophets, and ſcorned her gods. O fooliſh duſt, wilt thou ſwell againſt thy Maker? When the Spaniſh fleet was fired and diſperſed on the narrow ſeas, the young Prince of Aſcoli at his fugitive arrivall to Dunkerke, with his cap off, and grinning towards heaven, he ſwore to the Duke of Parma on the Strond, That not onelyonly all the foure elements were Lutherans, but even that day God himſelfe.
6 Succeſſe in wickedneſſe, which is like Aconitum taken for dyet-drinke. To proſper in ill deſignes, is the greateſt unhappineſſe, the heavieſt curſe: for hee that uſeth to doe evill, and ſpeeds well, never reſts till hee come to that evill from which there is no redemption. Ioab kils Abner, and ſcapes; againe hee embrues his hands in the blood of Amaſa, and is not indicted for it: now David is old, and Adoniah towardly, he furthers him in the uſurpation: and big with prefidence of his owne command, he thinkes to carry it; but this carried him to his grave. Faire Abſalom was proud and ambitious, yet hee flouriſheth: hee kills his owne brother, yet eſcapes, he inſinuates himſelfe into the affections of the people, and bold of their fidelity to him, he ſwells even againſt his own royal Father, and becomes a diſloyal traytor. God owes that man a grievous payment, whom he ſuffers to run on ſo long unqueſtioned. Proſperous wickedneſſe is one of the devils ſtrongeſt chains. A man feeles a little ſweetneſſe of wealth, this ſets him a gogge, he ſwels for more: when his ſtalke is ſo ſtiffe that it beares up above the reſt of his ridge, preſently he ſwels for honour: the firſt draught doth not quench his thirſt, he ſwels for a higher degree: thus honoured, he ſwels into ſome place of authority, and ſtill his inſatiate dropſie cals for larger draughts, till at laſt hee is inebriated: like the Toade in Eſop, that would needs ſwell in Ambition to be as bigge as the Oxe; and then hee burſts. Such tongues ſhall bee ſwolne with the infernall fire, till they bee not able to call for a droppe of water to coole them.
The laſt attribute of their ſpeech is vaine, words of vanity. If the matter were good, yet many words were vaine, great words were vaine: but here both the matter and words and all are not onelyonly vaine, but vanity it ſelfe.t1 Cor. 4.20. The kingdome of God is not in word, but in power. How juſtly doth the Lord infatuate theſe magnificent talkers, in fruſtrating their boaſts? Magno conatu nugas, they have a ſhew of wiſedome, but that ſhew ends in folly. What hath been ſaid of two nations, is true betweene two ſorts of men: the French are wiſer than they ſeeme, the Spaniards ſeeme wiſer than they are. He that ſayes little, is thought by ſome to underſtand leſſe; and thoſe great ſcholers, that are confident talkers. But to make ſuperficies ſeeme body, with depth and bulke, the plentifulleſt ſpeaker will ſcarce deviſe ſufficient ſhifts. It is according to the French proverbe; much bruit, little fruit: or as we ſay in Engliſh, a great deale of cry, but no wooll. Demades the Oratour in his age was talkative, and would feed much: therefore Antipater would ſay of him, …hat he was like a ſacrifice, whereof nothing was left but the tongue and the paunch. Alexander in his Perſian expedition, cauſed his ſouldiers to leave ſcatteringly behind them, as forgotten, larger and heavier pieces of armour than they were uſed to weare; the Macedonians being not ſuch portly men: it was his policie to ſcare and fright the Perſian. So mighty words terrifie weak hearts: but wiſe Iudgements make ſmall account of their vaine words, whereof one day they muſt make a ſtrict account themſelves.x1 King. 19.2. Iezabel ſweares by her gods to bee revenged on Elias: it was well that tyranneſſe could not keepe her owne counſell. She meant to kill him, and the diſcloſing of that purpoſe was a means to preſerve him. The wiſedome and power of God could have found evaſions enough for his Prophet in her greateſt ſecrecy: but now he needs no other than the warning-piece from her owne lips. Here were ſwelling words, but the words of vanity: ſhe is no leſſe vaine than the gods ſhe ſweares by. In ſpight of her fury, and her oath, and her gods, Elias ſhall live: at once ſhee ſhall finde her ſelfe fruſtrate and forſworne. And now ſhe is ready to bite her tongue, and to eate her heart for anger at the diſappointment of her cruell vow. It were no living for godly men, if the hands of tyrants were allowed to be as bloody as their hearts. Men and divels are under the reſtraint of the Almighty; neither are their words more ſwelling, or their deſignes more laviſh, than their atchievements bee vaine, and their executions ſhort. Benhadad ſends great words to the King of Iſrael; as if it were nothing to conquer him: ſtay the proofe;a1 King. 20.10. Benhadad flees, and Iſrael purſues.bPſal. 2.1.2. The heathen rage, the kings combine, and the people imagine a vaine thing. Though for power they be kings; though for policie, counſellers; though for fury they be Gentiles; though for number, all the people, multitudes; yet they ſtudy but vanity: they imagine a thing vaine impoſſibly, vaine unprofitably.
No wraſtling of man can evacuate the purpoſe of God. While he ſtruggles, he is caught: and by reſiſting the Will of God, he doth fulfill it.Greg. Divinum conſilium dum devitatur, impletur: humana ſapientia dum reluctatur, comprehenditur. Second cauſes are ſuſceptible of impediments; as the burning of fire, by the action of water: but there is no evaſion to ſhunne the decree of heaven. Theſe ſwelling intendments are like Caligula's enterpriſes; who never tooke any thing in hand if there was hope to effect it: 'tis vaine impoſſibly. Neither doth any profit ariſe from it. To count evill for gaine, is unjuſt, but humane: but miſchiefe intended for miſchiefes ſake is divelliſh. The old way of wickedneſſe began at quid prodent nobis? But that is a new way of malicious ſinne, when men cannot be pleaſed to live in quiet themſelves, unleſſe they diſturbe the tranquility of others. As Vipers and the venemous Cantharides and ſtinging ſpiders are more deteſtable than Beares and Wolves, becauſe they ſting folke to death without any benefit. That is an odious miſchiefe, which is vaine unprofitably.
The Apoſtate Church ſwells in words; both in reſpect of her promiſes, and of her menaces; but Quid ſeret hic dignum tanto promiſſor hiatu? meere words of vanity. Tertull.That when the ſinne is forgiven, the penalty remaines: the Poet could ſay, Poena poteſt tolli, culpa perennis erit: they ſay, Culpa poteſt tolli, poena pere…nis erit; at leaſt during their Purgatory. Kings are the annointed of God, to whom onelyonly they are inferiour: Inde illis poteſtas, unde Spiritus. And cujus iuſſu naſcunt… homines, ejus conſtituuntur Principes: Irenae.by whoſe wil they are borne men, they are made Princes. Yet how big is the noiſe, that the Pope is above them, may dethrone them, that his Aſſaſſins may kill them: theſe be ſwelling words, not onelyonly of vanity, but of trecherie. That we may merit heaven by our good works, or at leaſt beare halfe the charges of our owne ſalvation; theſe be mighty words, but they are vaine men that truſt them. I know not what trick they have to pay God, but I am ſure, I am infinitely in his debt, and no waies can pay him but by his owne coine, the bloud of his own Son. So innumerable are their ſwelling Tenents, that their very mention would ſwell to a volume; but I leave them to their concluſion, meere vanity.
Let me conclude with this ſummary obſervation. Harmony is the ſound of the Goſpell, unity the band of the Church: her true members know no diſcords, with one mouth, with one heart, they praiſe God, and love one another. All the noiſe and jarres come in by broken inſtruments, ſuch as the ſower of contention hath put out of tune. He fills the lips of his engines with repining, cavils, querules and wranglings, which are the right ſounds of hell.c1 Cor 11.16. If any ſeeme to bee contentions we have no ſuch cuſtome, nor the Churches of God: there is no ſuch voice in the quire of the holy Ghoſt. Indeed Chriſt came todLuk. 12.49. ſend fire on the earth: but hee never meant ſuch a fire as comes out of two flints by repercuſſion, or out of ſteele by hard-edge. But rather ſuch a fire as he ſent downe in diſparted tongues upon the Apoſtolicall aſſembly at Pentecoſt; a fire that ſhall enlighten the underſtanding, warme the heart with grace, and conſume the ſtubble of iniquity; this is the fire that burnes in Ieſus his name. They groſſely miſtake, that thinke Chriſt is come to his Spouſe in turbine & tonitru, (ſuch is the comming of Antichriſt) for Chriſt comes in levi aura quaſi ſuſurrans; in ſilence as theePſal 72 6.7. deaw upon the tender graſſe, and the fruit of his comming is Peace. There came a ſtrongf1 King. 19.11. wind, that rent the mountaines, and brake the rockes, but the Lord was not in the wind. That tearing blaſt was from God, God was not in it. So in it, as in his other extraordinary workes, not ſo in it as to impart himſelfe to Eliah by it. It was anteambulo, non vehiculum, the Vſhier, not the carriage of God. Then came an earthquake, more fearefull than the wind. That did but move the aire, this the earth: that beat upon ſome prominences of the earth, this ſhooke it from the Center, but God was not in the earthquake. Then a fire, more fearefull than either. The firſt affected the eare, the next the feeling, this laſt lets in horror to the ſoule by the eye, the quickeſt and moſt apprehenſive of the ſenſes: but the Lord was not in the fire. The Prophet ſhall ſee Gods mighty power in the earth, aire, fire, before hee heare him in the ſoft voice; all theſe are but boiſterous harbingers of a meeke and ſtill word. In that God was he came in the gentle voice of mercy; how are they his meſſengers, that came in the great words of vanity?
Obſerve this, ye thunderers of Rome, who come with roaring Buls, and teach the ordinances of your Church, to ſpeake lowder than the Ordnance of warre; there is not the greateſt efficacie, where is the greateſt noiſe. God ſhewed but his powerfulneſſe in thoſe fierce repreſentations, he loves to make way for himſelfe in terror, but he conveyes himſelf to us in ſweetneſſe, in that mild breath of merciemercy. Thoſe Boanerges, the ſonnes of thunder, firſt tame our proud natures with the guſts and flaſhes of the Law; but then the ſoft voice of Evangelicall grace doth comfort and confirme us. But for thoſe Ieſuites; that preach unto us with the word in one hand, and the ſword in the other, threatning blood and ruine, let them read Eſay 53.7. and ſee whether they be like that Ieſus, whoſe name they uſurpe. Examine their books, and you ſhall find many of them ſo fraught with boiſterous invectives, and deſperate untruths, that it is a queſtion whether the Father of lies could out-do them: as if they meant plainely to write; not in the defence, but in the defiance of truth, of modeſty, honeſty, God and all goodneſſe. The ſcope of their pretumide diſputations, is rather to vent their own paſſions and uphold a ſide, than in zeale to holineſſe and to maintaine the truth. Quibus potior est victoria, quàm veritas. Themſelves would have the conqueſt, without reſpect of the truth. Nec veritati, nec paci cedere norunt; as Auguſtine ſaid of the Rogatians. But where there is no mind of yeelding, there is no end of diſputing.
To conclude againſt theſe high ſwelling tearmes; wee have reaſon, as to ſuſpect the cauſe that needs them, ſo the men that uſe them. Even in morall or civill demeanor, a lowd tongue is commonly a lewd tongue.gAct. 19.40. We are in danger to be called in queſtion for this dayes uprore, there being no cauſe, ſayes the Towne-clarke of Epheſus. If no cauſe, why all this noiſe? Why be many of our Courts of Iuſtice turned into a Babel, if there were not more confidence in a Lawyers tongue, than deſire of truth? Why are thoſe railings and invectives among men? Why in ſtead of the voice of the Turtle, is the voice of the Scriechowle heard in our land? O there is a ſwelling heart in unmortified breaſts, which cannot bee ſuppreſſed, but would like new wine burſt the veſſels, if it were not broached & vented by foule language. What ſwelling words didh2 King. 18.36. Rabſhakeh utter againſt the living God, and his Iſrael: yet Hezekiah held his peace. iMatth. 26.63.27.14.How contumelious & falſe were the accuſations of Chriſt, yet evenk1 Pet. 2.12. his ſilence was their conviction. The beſt confutation of their ſlanders, is not by our great words; but by our good workes. Sophocles being accuſed by his owne children, that he grew dotard, and ſpent their patrimonies idly; when he was ſummoned did not perſonally appeare before the magiſtrates, but ſent one of his new tragedies to their peruſall; which being read, made them confeſſe, Hoc non eſt opus delirantis; this is not the worke of a man that doats. Againſt all clamors and ſwelling opprobries, ſet thy innocencie and good life: Sic verboſa tacet clamoſi turba ſophistae: they ſhall be driven to acknowledge that theſe be not the courſes of a diſſolute ſinner. Thus patience ſhall overcome clamour, and thy quiet heart ſhall be accepted of God.
In a word, the Church of God is not built up with noiſe. There was no axe nor hammer heard in the building of the Temple: the frame was made in Lebanon, and ſet up in Sion: there was no noiſe in the rearing, whatſoever was in the preparing. Lebanon might be lowd, al is quiet in Sion. So doth the Church love peace, ſo doe all ſeeke peace that love the Church. Quarrells and contentions are for the world: let thoſe Dogs ſnarle and fight, whoſe portion lies without. Peace and concord becommeth the houſe of God. Schiſmes and wranglings, like axes and hammers, are the weapons of pride; cudgels throwne in by the devill, and taken up by malcontents, who baſt one another while hee ſtands by, and laughs. All Chriſtians, eſpecially Paſtors ſhould be men of meekeneſſe: otherwiſe while they pretend to take birds with their nets, they drive them away with their noiſe. The houſe of God is not built up with blowes, with blowes it is beaten downe. God loves to ſee Holineſſe and Peace, andlHeb. 12.14. without Peace and Holineſſe no man ſhall ſee God. It followes,
They beguile:] This is their impoſture. The metaphor is taken from fiſhing or fowling. Thoſe fiſhes that were taken out of the feculent pond of this world, and put into the Chryſtall ſtreames of the Church, are by theſe ſeducers againe drawne out of the Streames of the Church into the poole of the world. The hooke whereby they performe this, is fraud: the ſame devill teacheth his trade to all his followers: by fraud he overthrew our parents, and the ſame traine he layes for their children: the Lyon is ſtrong enough, but the Serpent doth the miſchiefe. While Satan appeares like a roaring Lyon, wee are ready to runne from him: but when hee tranſ-ſhapes himſelfe into a familiar forme, wee admit him too often, and ſuſpect not the danger. They bee the Foxes that ſpoile our grapes, that worry our Lambes. Firſt, Foxes prey farre from home, and doe not miſchiefe too neare their owne dennes: ſo theſe compaſſe Sea and Land, and will ſaile to the Indies to beguile ſoules. Secondly, Foxes range in the night, and keepe their holes in the day: ſo theſe ſeducers abide not the day-light, but wander in ſhades, masked with viſors, to effect their purpoſes. Thirdly, theſe Foxes faſten upon young Lambes, ſuch as are poore in knowledge, and weake in faith; enticing ſimple women, that they may intice their husbands; after the practiſe of that old Raynard, who wrought Eve to worke Adam. Thus the wife is ex profeſſo a Recuſant, while the lunaticke husband is allowed once a Moone to ſleepe at Church, to ſave his fine. Fourthly, hungry Foxes will prey upon ſlight purchaſe, rather than faſt: ſo they will ſtoope to coozen the meaneſt, where the great ones are too wiſe for them. Yea deſperate fortunes have beene the Popes ſpeciall engines: the Ivy creeping along the ground, begins at firſt to compaſſe the loweſt part of the Oake; but workes it ſelfe upwards by degrees, till it over-top the higheſt branch, ſuckes the ſappe, pierceth the pith, and ruines the whole Trunke. Fifthly, theſe Foxes will tell ſome truths, where it may winne credit and advantage to their lying. If they ſpake nothing but true, they could not deceive us: if nothing but falſe, wee would not beleeve them. Therefore they have ſome few truths at firſt, like three or foure good Strawberries at the top, to helpe away the reſt, even their ſophiſticate traſh. A theefe lighting into true-meaning companie by the way, can talke of ſincere dealing and uprightneſſe, againſt robberie and oppreſſion, to take off ſuſpition, till hee ſpies his opportunitie. The Dequoy will ſuffer the ſimple man to winne for a while, till he hath whetted him on, then he leaves him in the lurch. If fraudulent Merchants had not ſome good wares, their baſe ones would not be ſaleable.mAct. 16.18. But Paul caſt out the ſoule ſpirit, that confeſſed him to be the ſervant of the moſt high God, and to teach the way of ſalvation, though hee ſpake true; for hee knew to what helliſh purpoſe he ſpake it.nMark. 5.8. The devill acknowledged Ieſus, yet he commanded him to come out, though his teſtimonie were true: whereby he taught us, not to give eare to Satan, though hee tell the truth. Thus they caſt duſt in our eyes, that wee might not ſee our way, and ſtrike a hooke in our noſthrils, to lead us their owne way: but it is no hard matter to ſpie out their juggling: though the Aſſe have put on the Lyons skin, he may be diſcerned by the length of his eares. But in meane time, if they be conſcious of their owne frauds, (and I am ſo perſwaded of many of them) and ſtill perſiſt; what Hell is deepe enough for them, that ſeeke and ſtudie to fill Hell with ſoules? You will ſay, that is but my perſwaſion; and ſo well I wiſh them, that I would for their owne eternall ſtates ſake it were not true.
That they may not too unperceivedly catch us, let me a little bare their hooke, and diſcover ſome of their wiles.
Firſt, they tell us, the Church agrees, the Church cannot erre: all which in their language is the Church of Rome. Take it ſo, and wee may as ſoone finde Paradiſe in Hell, as any Text in Scripture for it. The Seat of Abomination, the Citie of the Beaſt it calls her, not the Chaire of the Church of God. That the Apoſtate Rome is the Catholike Church, the wit of Earth and Hell ſhall never be able to prove.
Secondly, that the Pope ſits ſucceſſively in Peters Chaire: if wee ſhould grant it, for they cannot prove it; ſo did the Phariſes in Moſes his Seat, yet neither the better, nor the holyer for all that. A Seriphian told Themiſtocles, that his glory aroſe father from the renowne of his countrey, than from the merit of his vertue. Not ſo, ſayes Themiſtocles; for if I were a Seriphian, I would not live without honour; and if thou wert an Athenian, thou couldeſt not live without ſhame. For quae non fecimus ipſi, vix ca noſtra voco. If Saint Peter were at Rome, he neither taught nor lived like the Pope: if the Pope ſit in the ſame Chaire, he neither lives nor teaches like Saint Peter. Neanthus a bungler, having got Orpheus his Harpe, ſo jangled and jarred with it, that whiles hee looked for liſtening Beaſts, and dancing Trees, he brought the Dogges about his eares. The Pope hath ſo long boaſted the name of Peter, that the world ſees he hath nothing left but the bare name to boaſt of.
Thirdly, the Conſent of Councels; a glorious gull and guile: as if no Councell had ever condemned both their Popes and Opinions. As if the Councell of Baſil had not decreed, That one ſimple man alledging plaine Scripture, was more to be beleeved, than a whole Councell to the contrarie. As if the laſt Trident Councell were any other than the Popes Notarie or Secretarie, to ingroſſe that in faire Characters, which hee had before written in a foule Copie. One ſaith truly of them; whereas they ſhould have brought their Doctrine to the Rule, they forced the Rule to their Doctrine; and did not meane to ſay as Chriſt taught them, but to expound Chriſts words as they would have them.
Fourthly, the harmonie and conſent of the Fathers. Indeed they were holy men, but men, not priviledged from errors. Beſides, Audiendi Patres, ut teſtes, non ut Iudices. Yet were they heard ſpeake their owne meaning, none of them would ever have beene a Papiſt, ſure not a Ieſuite. I hope they doe not meane thoſe holy Ancients; as Father Moſes, Father David, Father Eſay; no, nor Father Paul, Father Peter: for impudence it ſelfe cannot denie that our Faith is built upon thoſe Fathers, the foundation of the Prophets and Apoſtles; which they, for theirs, are ſcarce able to pretend, never to prove. What Fathers then? Father Lombard, Father Thomas, Father Scotus, Father Cajetan, Father Bellarmine; all the Popes true-borne Children: Who, though in many things they agree no better than Herod and Pilate, yet they all conſpire to degrade Chriſt from his Office, as the other conſented to bereave him of his life. Abraham is our Father, is a vaine brag for the Gentiles.
Fifthly, the Scriptures, ſay they, are deepe Myſteries, dangerous for common eyes: it is ſufficient to credit their Teachers. Peſtilent ſubtletie; ſo men ſhall never underſtand what the Lord ſayes, but as they are pleaſed to report it. This is called Fides carbonaria, the Colliers Faith; and it ſhall leave animas carbonarias, ſoules as blacke as ever fire left coales. Search the Scriptures, ſaith Chriſt: you ſhall not, ſaith Antichriſt: He ſaith, There is lively food; this ſaith, there is deadly poyſon. Whether of theſe ſhall we beleeve?
Sixthly, Vniverſalitie; all Ages ſpeake as we doe: a gallant flouriſh, not unlike to Varniſh; which makes Seelings not onelyonly ſhine, but laſt. To diſcerne the true Church (whereof we muſt be, if we will be ſaved) from the falſe, (from which we muſt ſeparate, unleſſe we will be damned) they wholly ſtand upon multitudes. But if in ſecular affaires there be more fooles than wiſe men, what is there in ſpirituall? As if it were not the broad Way which leades to deſtruction, through which many paſſe; and the narrow Way that leades to life, which few doe finde. When the Deluge came upon the World, whether was multitude or paucitie a marke of the Church? What was Abrahams family in compariſon of the Canaanites? What was Iſrael, and take in all her hypocrites, to the whole World? How was the Church diſcerned by multitudes, when the Rulers and multitude rejected Chriſts owne Perſon; Away with him, Crucifie him? What be the largeſt dimenſions of Poperie to the extent of Paganiſme! either for multitude they are not better than we, or for multitude the Pagans are better than they.
Seventhly, Antiquitie of Religion; a fraudulent oſtentation. He is a ſhallow Herald, who when he muſt give honour of the firſt head, cannot faſhion a ſound of Anceſtors.oMark. 1.27. The Iewes taxed Chriſt of noveltie, I hope no Papiſt will taxe him of falſitie. We derive our Doctrine from the bleſſed Apoſtles; one would thinke that were ancient enough: will they goe further? We have better proved our ſelves the true Church before Luther, than they can ever vindicate themſelves from being a falſe Church ſince Luther. Let them looke to their Invocation of Saints, Purgatorie, prayer for the dead; I hope they will pretend no antiquitie for theſe. Their Maſſe, like a monſter, was not begot all at once; but here a limbe, there a member. God hath not built us a new Church, but reformed the old, by taking away their corruptions: whereas they will rather be confounded, than reformed.
Eighthly, Unitie is a good argument, if it were true. But where is that Church which knowes no diviſion?p1. Cor. 11.19. There muſt be Sects, that the approved may be knowne. What Unitie can Rome brag of, when Canus is againſt Cajetan, and Bellarmine againſt them both? To ſay nothing of Thomiſts againſt Scotiſts, the Blacke Fryars againſt the Gray, the Dominicans againſt the Franciſcans, and the Ieſuites againſt them both. We have ſome pettie jarres about the Lace of Chriſts Coat, they rent the Coat it ſelfe. When was the whole Church of God ſo happie▪ as to know no contention? Yea, rather ſuch miſerable diſtraction doth it ſuffer, that not onelyonly Chriſts Garment is divided, as it was by the Souldiers; but his owne bleſſed Body is torne, as if it were no better than the body of that Harlot, the Levites Concubine,qIudg. 19.29. which was chop'd in pieces, fleſh and bones, and the twelve pieces ſent into the twelve Tribes of Iſrael. Such is the faction and fraction, ſchiſme and ſeparation in the body of Chriſt; Church againſt Church, Altar againſt Altar, Prieſt againſt Prieſt, Religion againſt Religion, Chriſtian againſt Chriſtian: yea, Satan ſends his Inſtruments with Chriſt againſt Chriſt, and oppoſeth the truth of Divinitie, under the colour of divine authoritie. So that Religion is in a manner loſt in the Queſtions of Religion; and ſpeedes in the world, as Shee did in Plutarch, who had many Sutors; when every one could not have her to himſelfe, they pull'd her in pieces, that ſo none might have her. Malunt nullam habere, quàm non ſuam. Becauſe all men doe not like their Religion, they will refuſe all. So diſtraction in Religion is the deſtruction of Religion: for while they ſay, I am of Paul, I am of Apollo, I am of Cephas, I am of Calvin, I am of Luther, I am of Arminius, I am of Dominicke, I am of Francis, I am of Ieſus; Nemo ferè Chriſti est, almoſt none are of Chriſt. Thus the Conſcience of Religion is loſt in the Controverſies of Religion, and men rather ſtrive to have a ſubtle head, than a ſanctified heart; Mallent diſputare quàm vivere: ſo little is the hope of Unitie.
Wee partly ſee their Nets to enſnare us; which allurements if wee have light to diſcerne, they doe not ſo give us over. Yea, they will rather mood all their Syllogiſmes in Ferio, and turne their arguments into Armado's: and whom they cannot ſubdue Gladio oris, with the Sword of the Mouth, they aſſault Ore gladii, with the Mouth of the Sword: their fraud ſhall betray it ſelfe into force, the Devill puts off the Fox, and puts on the Lyon. Antichriſt thunders out his Excommunications, commends our throats to any knife, eſteemes our bloud more vile than Beaſts, and accounts us as Dogs; but it is onelyonly for bayting his Bulls. Swelling words declare themſelves in wounding blowes, ſo their Villanie comes out; and that Religion which pretended nothing but holineſſe, diſcovers it ſelfe in the higheſt degree of wickedneſſe. True Religion is defended with prayers, not with violence; Ferunt, non feriunt Chriſtiani. So Chriſt moriendo, non occidendo vicit.
But ô, to what execrable impietie will not miſ-Religion drive?r2 King. 3.27. The King of Moab will ſacrifice his eldeſt Sonne: as if hee would winne his cruell gods with ſo deare an Oblation, he ſends up the bloud of his Heire apparant in ſmoake to thoſe helliſh Deities. Such was the act of Agamemnon, aſſiſting at the immolation of his owne daughter. Tantum Relligio poterat ſuadere malorum. Lucret.That Maſſacres, Homicides, Parricides, Powder-treaſons, ſhould be a proofe of Religion, is an argument fetch'd à Barathro, whereof the Devill himſelfe, if he could bluſh, would be aſhamed. It was a great blaſphemie when the Devill ſaid, Aſcendam, & ero ſimilis altiſsimo, I will be like the moſt High: But a greater blaſphemie, when God is fained to ſay, Deſcendam & ero ſimilis Infimo, I will be like the Prince of darkeneſſe. To make Religion ſtoope to ſuch abominable actions, as the murdering of Princes, firing of States, butchering of Innocents, is ſuch a Doctrine, as is not to be found in Lucian, Machiavel, or the moſt deſperate Patrons of Atheiſme. Certainely, it is the neereſt ſinne to that againſt the Perſon of the holy Ghoſt, in ſtead of the likeneſſe of a Dove, to bring him downe in the likeneſſe of a Vulture, or a Raven: nor can there be a greater ſcandall to their uſurped Apoſtolicall See, than out of the Barke of Saint Peter to ſet forth the flagge of a Barke of Pyrates and Aſſaſſins. Wiſe men obſerve, That there is no knot of theeves ſo dangerous, as when there is a whore in the companie: That robberie is ſeldome without bloudſhed: Naboth cannot loſe his Vineyard without his life, if Iezabel have a hand in it. Now there is not ſo miſchievous a ſtrumpet in the world as the Whore of Babylon: to what crueltie cannot ſhee exaſperate her beſotted amoriſts? Whither ſhe can ſtretch her arme, ſhe fills the Churche… back with furrowes, and her heart with ſorrowes. But force never got ground of Truth: all attempters of that kind ſhall be driven to confeſſe with that cruell Queene, Ego proſum ſolae nocendo.
I conclude; the law of nature, and the conſcience of every man muſt needes ſecretly condemne Fraud; how much more doth it miſ-become Chriſtians? Let us looke to that abſolute Patterne,ſ1 Pet. 2.22. in whoſe mouth was found no guile; and to thattIoh. 1.47. true Iſraelite, whom he commended. The wit of man findes out many trickes …nd ſhifts in the world, either to doe miſchiefe, or to avoid it: there is one worth them all, ſimplicitie of heart, and plaine-dealing. Themiſtocles being entreated to play on an Inſtrument, anſwered, That he could not fiddle: but asked againe, what he could doe then? anſwered, That he could make a great Citie of a little one. Saint Auguſtine applyes it to points of ſubtletie and perplexitie;Aug. Ep. 56. anſwere, that thou knoweſt nor what to anſwere; thy learning lyes not that way. If further vrged wherein thy learning lyes, anſwere, Noſſe te quomodo ſine iſtis homo poſsit eſſe beatus; how without all theſe thou mayeſt be ſaved. Let others be full of the Politickes, it is good for us to be well habited in the Morals. Martha, Martha, attendis ad plurima, One thing is neceſſarie; integritie of heart. When the Fox bragg'd what a number of ſhifts and devices hee had to get from the hound; the Cat ſaid, ſhee had but one; which was, to climbe a tree. But when it came to the proofe, this one was better worth than all the reſt. Multa novit Vulpes, ſed Felix unum magnum, in the proverbe. Many a mans b…aine-piece is officina dolorum, a forge of frauds, wherein there are more engines of craft than cords in a Barke. But there is one worth a thouſand of them, ſinceritie of dealing, and the integritie of a good conſcience.uE…a. 38.3. Lord, remember how I have walked before thee with a perfect heart. I have not deceived for any reward on earth, and the Lord will not deceive me of my reward in heaven. A plaine heart through a plaine converſation, finds a plaine way to everlaſting benediction.
Through the luſts of the fleſh.] Nothing ſooner winnes fleſh and blood than a doctrine that tends to licentiouſneſſe. This is one eſpeciall cauſe of the encreaſe of Popery, the plauſibleneſſe of it to carnall diſpoſitions. Every Religion beares in her lineaments the image of her Parent. True religion is ſpirituall, and lookes like God in her puritie. Falſe religion is carnall, and carries the face of nature, her mother; and of him whoſe illuſion begot it, Satan. The former would kill the luſts of the fleſh, the other would feed the luſts of the fleſh; and make both a wanton minde, and a wanton body.
1. It advanceth the pride of nature, by telling her, that ſhe can merit her own glory, without being much beholding to Gods merciemercy: that ſhee can fulfill the royall law, and ſo brave God in his Iudgment, as if ſhe needed no pardon. Yea, that ſhe hath more workes than ſhe needes, and can (for money) helpe her neighbours: that ſome of her ſinnes be veniall in their nature, and not worthy of death. O how ſweet a leſſon this is to fleſh and bloud, even enough to make her runne mad of ſelfe-conceite! Now heare the voice of truth: wee ſay, that wee have no good of our owne, nor can doe good of our ſelves: that wee are not ſicke, but dead in ſinnes, and move not more than we are moved: that our beſt workes are faulty, all our ſinnes deadly, all our natures corrupted originally: that wee have no merit but the merciemercy that ſaves us: that nothing but the blood of Chriſt can cleanſe us, that his mediation is more than ſufficient to ſave us, his ſufferings to redeeme us, his obedience to enrich us. Now come to the triall: which of theſe gives the glory to God, and which the reines to concupiſcence? If Nature bee honoured, is not God diſhonoured? Is not all that bravery ſtolne from grace, which is put upon the backe of nature? Will Sara take it well, that Hagar ſhould uſurpe her freedome? No, God teacheth us to abaſe nature, to tread her in the duſt, to ſpoile her of her proud rags, to load her with reproaches; and to give that glory to Him, who ſayes he will not give it to another. This is to give nature what is natures, and to God what is Gods.
2. It tends to diſſoluteneſſe, while they teach that it is both eaſie and ſafe, to beleeve with the catholike Collier, as the Church beleeves, at a venture: that they may ſpare the labour of ſearching, and need not much knowledge to ſalvation: that the meere ſigne of the croſſe can drive away devils: that a little almes can make amends for a great deale of injuſtice: that they may have an indulgence to diſpenſe with a ſinne before they doe it: that a mans ſelfe may buy out hell while he lives, and his executors or friends may buy him out of Purgatory when he is dead. O doctrine delectable to fleſh and blood! What mattert is how unſound his devotions be, how lewd his life, how hainous his ſinnes, that knowes theſe refuges? Heare the truth, that teacheth us (againſt nature) to ſtrive unto ſincere faith, without which we have no part in Chriſt, no benefit by his ſufferings, no comfort in our owne good workes: that our heart muſt be zealouſly active in all our devotions, and without it, the hand and tongue are but hypocrites: that the hand muſt doe good deeds, or elſe the preſuming heart is but an hypocrite: that we muſt expect no pardon for ſinne before we commit it, and from Chriſt alone when we have committed it, and to repent before we expect it; that life is the time of merciemercy, death of retribution. I hope, fleſh and blood takes no pleaſure in ſuch a meſſage. So cleerely manifeſt is it, which of theſe two religions is framed to the humour of nature, and is indulgent to the luſts of the fleſh. From all which, let me deduce theſe two concluſions:
1. It is a very eaſie thing to be a Papiſt: for what injunction hath it, which a Libertine will not admit? To ſinne and confeſſe, to confeſſe and ſin; to be drunk and vomit, to vomit and againe be drunke, what true Trojan diſlikes? But they have ſtrait rules, as faſtings, ſcourgings, haire-cloths, weary pilgrimages, bluſhing confeſſions, wilfull beggarie, and perpetuall continencie by ſolemne Vow: what … faire pretence is here of mortification, by them that love it as dearely as a Dog doth a cudgell? But is all this true? To ride up and downe in their Coaches with their Concubines, is this mortification? To be lodged like Princes, and clothed like Dives, in fine Linnen, is this haire-cloth? To abſtaine from courſe fleſh, and feede on choiſe dainties, is this faſting? Or to drinke the ſtrongeſt Wines, till their faces diſcover their hypocriſies? When the world is together by the eares, who ſhall beſtow moſt upon them, is this their wilfull povertie? Surely they take great paines, to tell over ſo many thouſand crownes, as come yearely tumbling into their coffers. For the Pope to ride on mens ſhoulders, is this humilitie? Or to thinke hee does the man a grace, whom hee admits to kiſſe his Pantofle? To abjure a marriage-bed of their owne, and to diſhonour the marriage-bed of others; to forbeare allowed matrimonie, and admit forbidden adulterie, or the deflouring of virginitie; is this their Vow of continence? O that theſe criminall doings were not more true than their penall ſufferings! And what if they ſhould performe all that they pretend, and in the auſteritie of their will-worſhip goe beyond us; yet let them not inſult in the victorie, for the Prieſts of Baal went beyond them. I heare much of the Romaniſts whips, I heare nothing of their knives; they may ſcourge, they will not lance and carve their fleſh in their devotions. The Baalites did it, yet were never the wiſer, never the better, never the nearer. What then doe they get by this ſelfe-deviſed rigor? Either it makes them not better than us, or it makes the Prieſts of Baal better than them; let them take their choiſe. In all theſe, the fleſh is ſerved, the ſoule is ſtarved: a ſmall difficultie is admitted, that a greater might be avoided: they leave that which God commands them, to doe that for which he will never thanke them.
2. To be a good Chriſtian, is a farre harder taske, and lyes in another kind of combat; not in macerating the fleſh, but in mortifying the luſts of the fleſh. I doe not find that God ever required or accepted the ſelfe-tortures of his ſervants; he takes no pleaſure in our bloud, in our carkaſſes: they miſtake him, that thinke to pleaſe him by deſtroying that nature which he hath made, and meaſure truth by the rigor of outward extremities. Elias drew no bloud of himſelfe, the Prieſts of Baal did. It is true, inward crucifying of our corruptions, the ſubduing our ſpirituall inſurrections, by the noble exerciſes of ſevere reſtraint, that hee commands and accepts. To worke our ſtubborne wills to an awfull ſubjection, to draw this untoward fleſh to a ſincere chearefulneſſe in Gods ſervice, to reach unto a ſound beleefe in the Lord Ieſus, to pray with a true heart, without diſtraction, without diſtruſt, to keepe our ſelves in the continuall feare of God; theſe be the taskes of a Chriſtian, worthy of our paines, worthy of our comfort. The reſt is but a careleſſe faſhionableneſſe, as if it had nothing to doe with the ſoule. Give us obedience, let them take ſacrifice. For men to walke with God, ſo long as plenty doth walke with them, and while they may ſtretch their limbes on a peaceable couch, eating the fruits of their owne vineyards, is not worth either reward or thankes. The valour of ſuch men will faint when it comes to the puſh; and with Archilochus, they will rather Clypeum abjicere, quàm perire. But to love that God who croſſeth us, to kiſſe that hand which ſtrikes us, to truſt in that power which kils us; this is the honorable proofe of a Chriſtian. It is a vaine conſideration; will Ieruſalem yeeld mee the ſame delights that I enjoy in Aegypt? Is there ſuch ſtore of fleſh-pots in that country, as wee have in ours? Will Religion allow me this wild liberty of my actions, this looſe mirth, theſe carnall pleaſures? Can I be a Chriſtian, and not live ſullenly? None but a regenerate heart can chuſe rather to ſuffer affliction with Gods people, than to enjoy the pleaſures of ſinne for a ſeaſon. An eaſie importunitie will perſwadeaRuth 1.14. Orpah to returne, from a mother in Law to a mother in Nature, from a toileſome journey to reſt, from ſtrangers to her kindred, from a hopeleſſe condition to likelyhoods of contentment. A little entreaty will ſerve to move nature to be good to it ſelfe. But to hamper our extravagant luſts, to ſubdue our rebellious deſires, to croſſe nature in her affected delights, this is the buſineſſe of a Chriſtian. To perſiſt in the actions of goodneſſe, though tyranny, torment, death, and hell ſtood in our way, this is that conqueſt which ſhall be crowned with glory.
Thoſe that were cleane eſcaped.] Some read, For a little, or For a little while: the one tranſlation having reſpect to the degree of their eſcaping, the other to the time; Quantum, and Quamdiù; for a ſmall meaſure, or for a ſhort ſpace. Wee read it, Cleane eſcaped: they were not quite delivered from ſinne, but from the externall profeſſion of ſinne, and from the doctrine that maintaines ſinne.bNumb. 16 49. The people that eſcaped from periſhing in the conſpiracy Corah, were not all holy: for the next day fourteene thouſand and ſeven hundred dyed in the plague for murmuring againſt their Governour.c1 Ioh. 2.19. They went out from us, but they were not of us. The children of the world may outwardly be gathered to the congregation of Iſrael, yet not be of Iſrael. When it was repreſented to Alexander, to the advantage of Antipater, who was a ſterne and imperious man, that he onelyonly of all his Lieutenants wore no Purple, but kept the Macedonian habit of Blacke; Alexander replyed, Yes, but Antipater is all purple within. Divers good men doe not pretend ſo much ſtrictneſſe outwardly, but they are pure within; Omnis decor ab intus, dPſal. 45.13.The Kings daughter is all glorious within. Whereas hypocrites weare not the colour of miſchiefe in their externall habits, but they are all purple within.eMatth. 7.15. Inwardly they are ravening Wolves: their inwards are ſpak'd and rotten: their inward parts is very wickedneſſe. They are eſcaped, as a man from ſome dangerous ſickneſſe, but not fortified againſt death.fAmos 5.19. As a man flyes from a Lyon, and a Beare meetes him, or leanes his hand on the wall, and a Serpent bites him. They are eſcaped from the Lyon and the Beare, groſſe and raging impietie and Idolatrie: but in the houſe of God they are bitten by a Serpent, ſlye hypocriſie. Eſcaped, as a vagabond from a ſhole of beggars, reformed to ſome civilitie; yet tempted againe to wander with a new Doxy. O how farre may a man goe in the outward profeſſion of Truth, and yet be an Hypocrite, be an Apoſtate, be a reprobate! This is diſcerned by their next eſtate;
They are againe returned to error.] What a poore way went they toward Heaven, ſo ſoone to turne backe? Even ſo farre as Orpah with her mother Na…i toward Canaan, a mile or two, and then backe againe to Moab. The devotion of worldlings is all for a gird; they will runne apace for a ſpurt, and then afterward ſtand ſtill and breathe them. They were but equivocall members of the viſible incorporation: and when their conſciences ſhall be wounded with Gods judgements, they ſhall crie as he did in Homer; This is the bloud of a man, not ſuch as iſſueth from the gods: this was at the firſt and beſt, but fleſh and bloud; not the unloſeable grace of ſanctification. It is but Ephraims morning deaw; let the Sunne of proſperitie riſe but two houres high, the deaw is gone. A Galatian humour; to begin in the ſpirit, and to end in the fleſh: like a Meteor or gliding ſtarre, that ſeemed in heaven, ſhot through the ayre, and lighted on a dunghill. Or like a Bowle throwne up a hill, which climbes according to the ſtrength that forc'd it; and when it is come to the furtheſt, returnes downe to the owne place. Theſe violent motions have ever the leſſe perpetuitie. Their Cloth hath a faire gloſſe, but when the iron of tryall is put to it, preſently it ſhrinkes. As the Samaritans ſought bread for their life, not the Bread of life; and when that bread failed, Chriſt might ſit long enough ere they ſought him. But good Chriſtians ſeeke not Panem multitudinis, Muſcul.but multitudinem Panis; Chriſt himſelfe. They that adhere to God for any ſecond cauſe out of himſelfe, ſhall ſoone loſe him, and all good things with him. Beaſts will ſuſpect the traine, and birds the ſnare, out of which they are eſcaped; have rationall creatures leſſe wit than beaſts or fowles? Lucullus having entertained Pompey in one of his magnificent houſes, Pompey commended it for a ſtately houſe in the Summer, but he thought it would be too cold for the Winter. Whereto Lucullus; Doe you not thinke me as wiſe as divers fowles are, to remove with the ſeaſon? Have wee leſſe providence than birds, to fall into that trap out of which wee have beene delivered? Alas, that there ſhould be any among us, who from the midſt of our ſalt waves ſhould come out freſh and unſeaſon'd! That all theſe heavenly ſhowers ſhall fall beſides them, while they like Gideons Fleece want moiſture! That being by a mightie hand delivered out of Egypt, they ſhould againe fall downe before that Calfe, whoſe power they ſo confounded! That being haled out of the Lake of Iniquitie, they ſhould againe plunge themſelves into it, to their owne everlaſting ruine! Now the Lord lay hold upon us, that we may lay hold upon him, and never let goe that hold till we come to Heaven.
1. Wrapped in error:] Some notice is to be taken of the phraſe, foreign, involuti, intricati, entangled. All ſinne is a Labyrinth; the entrance is eaſie, all the difficultie is to get out againe. Iael invites Siſera to her Tent, and wraps him warme, but hee ſhall never returne through thoſe doores alive. A Bird is ſo wrapped in the Net, that the more ſhe ſtrives, the faſter ſhe ſtickes. The Fly entangled in the webbe, ſoone becomes the Spiders breakfaſt. Sinne hath ſuch a clinging qualitie, that if it once embrace and take hold of the ſoule, it bindes it up in pleaſing fetters, as Samſon was tyed with Delila's treſſes, more than with the cords of the Philiſtines. Therefore they be calledgProv. 5.22. Funes peccatorum, retia inferni, and vincula animae; the worſt Obligation, where-out the bounden ſhall never get, till Chriſt have diſcharged the debt. The Anchorite is not ſo mur'd up in a wall, and confined to his owne ordure, as the ſinner to his luſt and filthineſſe. Suppoſe he walkes abroad, yet he is not at libertie, becauſe he carries his …yle about with him. Other malefactors are within their priſon, hee hath his priſon within himſelfe: and whitherſoever hee runnes, like the ſtricken Deere, haeret lateri lethalis arundo. All his honours and pleaſures cannot free h m from his bonds, onelyonly he is in the number of thoſe Iayle-birds, that have the favour to beg in their chaines. Why cannot we perſwade rich men to be charitable? Alas, they are ſo wrapped up in their covetous deſires and inſatiate luſts, that you may with as good ſucceſſe ſtand in the ſtreet, and bid a priſoner come out of his dungeon. As Lazarus in his grave was wrapped up with his towell and winding-ſheet, ſo are dead ſinners folden up in their ſenſualitie; and nothing can looſe them, but that ſame Exi Lazare, from the mouth of Ieſus Chriſt.
2. The practiſe of theſe deceivers is upon them that are eſcaped from their errors. As the good Shepheard leaves the ninetie nine that are ſafe, and ſeekes that which is loſt; ſo the malignant Iaylor, without any ſtrict watch upon the malefactors in ſafe cuſtodie, purſues after him that hath broke priſon. Senſuall men have the leaſt trouble; they are as ſure as temptation can make them: they are rebel, not paraſites, againſt whom the tyrant bends his forces. Th…y that are wedded to the world as to a Wife, and count pleaſure their Strumpet, doe ſeldome heare the roaring noyſe of the enemie. It is the Fort of Holineſſe that is moſt beſieged with aſſaults and ſtratagems. There is ſome ſatisfaction and comfort in this, that Satan will not let us alone: it is a ſigne we are not his, when he is ſo buſie about us. Even this juſt warre is a thouſand times better than an unjuſt peace. It was the Spouſes charge concerning her Beloved, hCant. 8.4.Waken him not till he pleaſe. No other is Satans command to his officious ſpirits, concerning his ſleepie followers; Doe not waken them, let them ſleepe their laſt. But for thoſe that have renounced his ſoveraigntie, and denyed him allegiance, let them ſit faſt; if all the windes from the ſmoakie corners of hell, or all the gentle ayres of the pleaſures on earth; if either the blandiment of faire words, or the brandiſhment of keene ſwords, can prevaile againſt them, they ſhall fall. But as a gallant ſouldier ſaid, Let me be a Carthaginian, though I have Rome mine enemie: ſo let me be a Chriſtian, an eſcaped ſoule, reformed from error and ſinne, though Rome and Hell, Man and Devill conſpire againſt me. There is one able enough to ſave me, in whom I truſt.
Through much wantonneſſe.] This is that little poſterne ſet open, to which Satan is ſo much beholding for his re-admittance. Wantonneſſe, whether of ſoule or body, makes way for the devill. There bee ſuch as love crotchets and diviſions, not caring for the plaine ſong: ſtomacks that within one month are weary of Manna; that ſet more by ſallets and ſauces & kickſhawes, flaſhes of wit, than ſubſtantiall food, the Word of God. Theſe indeed turne grace into wantonneſſe, while they turne the Word of grace into curiouſneſſe, verity into vanity. How eaſily are theſe wanton mindes wrought upon? What winde is ſo weake, as not to move the fane? What toy will not win a child? A minde foreſtalled with levity, is like a veſſell without ballace, ſoone overſet. The light-headed are light-heeled; ſuch Dinahs will not ſcape deflouring. Here is the advantage of the ſeducers, Levitas fallendorum. At this hint Mahumet begun his religion, compounding it of all opinions, to allure and gratifie all nations. If the Sabellians had loſt the diſtinction of Perſons, or the Arrians Chriſts Divinity, or the Marcionites his humanity, or the followers of Macedonius the Deity of the holy Ghoſt, or the Iewes their Circumciſion, or the Rabbins their Talmud, they are ſure to finde it all in Turciſme. Becauſe the Arabians were theeves, hee allowed theft: becauſe his ſouldiers eſpecially thoſe of Heraclius, were malicious, he allowed revenge: hurt him that hurts you: hee that killeth his enemy, or is killed by his enemy, ſhall not faile of entring into Paradiſe. To ſatisfie luſt, he permits the multitude of wives, and divorcement for trifling cauſes. Now what a potent king, and of what large command, is he growne by this indulgence to mens Wantonneſſe?
I would wee had no paralell for him in Chriſtendome. But alas, what is Papiſme, but a truſſe of Schiſmes, a bundle of Hereſies, a Religion many wayes compounded, that all might be pleaſed? If old men be covetous, young men voluptuous, Nobles ambitious, common perſons ceremonious; whoſoever is led with any kind of wantonneſſe, they have allurements for all. For the avarous, that follow riches with craft and crueltie, they have deviſed a Purgatorie: by which tricke, they will get one halfe, the offender ſhall keepe the other halfe, and the poore ſhall have never a Doit. For the voluptuous, their Doctrine admits ſimple fornication, and their practiſe erecteth Stewes; out of which they raiſe large ſummes, nor doe his holy fingers ſcorne to touch the moneys. Veſpaſian did ſet a Tribute upon Vrine, his ſonne Titus ſtormed at it, as a matter indigne and ſordid. Some time after, Veſpaſian ſent for a piece of Silver out of the Tribute-money, and bidding his ſonne ſmell to it, asked him, whether he found any offence? Titus anſwered, No: Why loe, ſaith Veſpaſian, and yet this comes out of Vrine. But one would thinke, that the High Prieſt of Rome ſhould diſdaine that Silver or Gold, that is derived from the allowance of ſuch naſtie turpitudes. But avaritia, magis quàm neceſsitas, cogit ad turpia. To draw on the diſſolute, they have ordained many odde holydayes, and halfe-holydayes, wherein they may ring, ſing, and dance. To winne ambitious ſpirits, they teach, That the Pope can give Kingdomes, (to ſuch as can get them) they diſpenſe with loyaltie, and beſtow a Crowne in Heaven on thoſe that can plucke a Crowne from any excommunicate Kings head on Earth. Leſt men ſhould be diſ-heartened with the greatneſſe of their ſinnes, they have abundance of Venials, to be waſhed off with an aſpergis of holy-water; a connivence for the leaſt, a Pardon for the greateſt, to all them that will pay for it. Becauſe knowledge is a trouble in the getting, and men naturally love to be lazie, they fit their humours, with Devotion as the ſeed of Ignorance, Images are Laymens Bookes, reading the Scriptures makes Heretikes, and that faith is ſufficient which is folded up in the common fardle. Laſtly, that poverty of Truth may not breed contempt, they have mimike and comicall actions in thoſe myſteries which ſhould be ſacred, clericall ſhavings, uncleanly Unctions, croſſings, creepings, cenſings, ſprinklings, coozening Miracles, gariſh Proceſſions, toſſing of Beades, chriſtening of Bells, hallowing of Candles, Waxe, Chriſme, Aſhes, Palmes, Garments, Swords, Water, Salt, and what not? So eaſily doe theſe Pontificall ſolemnities allure to Wantonneſſe, and worke upon petulant affections.
I conclude, we ſee here the danger of wantonneſſe, of dallying with our conſcience, and yeelding the reines to our inordinate affections. There be three goodly ſights, a Penitent ſinner, a Patient ſufferer, and a Thankefull receiver. And there be three other as ill favoured and ſcandalous; a Proud beggar, a Rich robber, and a Wanton profeſſour. Of all conditions there is none more culpable than a wanton Chriſtian. That heavenly patterne of ours, in the dayes of his humiliation, is never read to laugh. I doe not bid you follow him in that altogether; for there is a ſeaſon for us to be merry in him, who could never have beene happily merry without him. But when our laughter ſhall turne into prophanneſſe, our mirth into laſciviouſneſſe, this is a demeanour unbeſeeming Chriſtians. But wanton children play with their meate: we come with feare and reverence to deliver to you theſe holy myſteries; as it was told the Veſtall, that holy things were to be handled magis ſanctè, quàm ſcitè: O let the fruits anſwer the ſeed: Serve the Lord with feare, and rejoyce with trembling. Otherwiſe,iPſal. 2.11. they that drowne all their devotion in wantonneſſe, ſhall at laſt loſe all their jovialty in wretchedneſſe. Death will ſet a period to al joy, if ſorrow have not prepared an antidote for death. Let us mourn here; this is the way to be merry hereafter. Our teares are but temporall, when God hath viped them off, our joyes ſhall be eternall. Now the Spirit of God keepe us in the ſobrietie of grace, that the Sonne of God may admit us into the Court of glory.