The Happiness of the Church, Biblical commentary 9

The Happiness of the Church · Biblical commentary 9

p. 351THE BAD LEAVEN: OR, THE CONTAGION OF SINNE.

GALAT. 5. 9.

A little Leauen leaueneth the whole lumpe.

THIS Epistle was written with S^t. Pauls owne hand: chap. 6. 11. Ye see how large a letter I hauehave written vntounto you with my owne hand. It is for quality excellent, for quantitie large. Hee wrote not so long an Epistle to any other Church with his owne hand. Indeed he wrote a letter to Philemon with his owne hand, vers. 19. I Paul hauehave written it with mine own hand: but it was short. He wrote longer Epistles to the Romanes and Corinthians, but not with his owne hand, but by Scribes. Wee hauehave cause therefore to regard it more: as his pains were p. 352greater in writing, so let our diligence bee greater in obseruing.

The maine purpose of it is to discouer: 1. That ill coniunction of Moses and Christ, the ceremonies of the Law, with the sanctimony of the Gospell. 2. The free Grace and Iustification by the bloud of Christ without the workes of the Law. In this the Galatians had receiued a beginning, but now had admitted a recidiuation. For this cause the Apostle chides, vers. 7. Yee did runne well: who did hinder you that you should not obey the Trueth? Where there is a Concession, and a Conuiction: a step; and a stop. The Concession or Step, ye did runne well. The Conuiction or Stop; Who did hinder you that you should not obey the truth?

In the former he compares Christianity to a race: all men must first be viatores in this valley of teares, before they can be Assess…res, and sit with Christ in his kingdome of glory. OnelyOnly as it agrees with a Race in many things; as labor, it's no idle thing to be a Christian; shortnesse, it is a Race, the perplexity is recompenced vvith the breuity: continuance, the runner must hold out the last steppe, if he will obtaine the prize. So there are some differences. 1. In other races many runne, onelyonly one winnes the goale: but in this all that runne faithfully, shal raigne triumphantly. Though they cannot runne so fast as others, nor so farre as others; yet euen they that came at the eleuenth houre into the Vineyard, receiued they penny, so well as they that came at the third. For the Lord regards not Quantum, but ex quanto: not how much, but how well. What euer houre they are called, let them spend the aftertime in a zealous diligence. 2. In other races one hinders another, but in this iourney one helpes another. The more the merrier: no enuy or grudging, eyther in the way or the goale. Dispar gloria singulorum, sed communis latitia omnium. There may bee different glory of some, yet there is a common ioy of all. EueryEvery p. 353good man is a spurre to his brother. Peter and Iohn ranne to Christs Sepulcher: Iohn out-ran Peter vntounto the graue, Peter out-went Iohn into the graue. But we run together vntounto Christs Throne; some come before, some after, all meet in the Communion of Saints. 3. In other races the runner obtaines a prize that shall perish; all the runners heere get an incorruptible crowne. They runne for a little prize, a little praise; we for eternall glory. Runne wee then cheerefully; behold, a kingdome lyes at the stake. God giuegive vsus all eyes of faith to see it, and hearts of obedience to runne to it, through the power of Iesus Christ.

In the latter the Apostle may seeme to put a superfluous question; Who did hinder you? For there are many aduersaries. As first Satan, the General of that damned crue that hinder our passage to heauen. Paul excuseth himselfe to the Thessalonians: aa1. Thes. 2. 18. Zach. 3. 1.1 Thess 2:18Zech 3:1Wee would hauehave come vntounto you once and againe, but Satan hindered vsus. Zach. 3. Ioshua the high Priest stood before the Angell of the Lord, and Satan stood at his right hand to resist him. Where God hath his Church, Satan hath his chappell. So also wicked men; such as hauehave taken the Deuils oath of Allegiance. What the Deuill cannot doe immediately by himselfe, hee does mediately by his Instruments. To erre Humanum, is the weakenes of a man; but to seduce diabolicum, is the part of a Deuill. It is ill to play the woman, worse to play the beast, worst of all to play the Deuill. But what speciall hinderers the Apostle meanes, wee shall hauehave precise occasion in some future passages to demonstrate.

OnelyOnly I must not omit, that the Apostle giues a direct resolution by way of negation, vers. 8. This perswasion com…eth not of him that calleth you. God is no wayes the Author of error and sin. He that wils the death of no sinner, will not lead him into the wayes of destruction. Indeed he suffes Satan to temptal, but to a diuerse purpose: the good to try them, the reprobate to destroy them. The temptations of the godly are for their instruction; of the p. 354wicked for their destruction. Iames tells vsus, that bbIam. 1. 17.Jas 1:17eueryevery good gift comes downe from the Father of lights: is it euill? it commeth not from God. The Apostle telling the Ephesians of lusts, blindnesse, wantonnesse, obstinacy; concludes piercingly, Non sic didicistis Christum. ccEphe. 4. 20.Eph 4:20Yee hauehave not so learned Iesus Christ. Art thou peruerted? thou neuer learnedst this of Christ. ddIam. 1. 13.Jas 1:13Let no man say when hee is tempted, I am tempted of God, for God tempteth no man. In him we liue, moue, and hauehave our being. A Gentile Poet sung it, a Christian eeAct. 17. 28.Acts 17:28Apostle sanctified it, all the creatures in heauen and earth cry Amen vntounto it. Life is his, whether we liue well or ill: motion is his, whether wee lift vp our hands to prayer or murder: but the prauity and corruption of these is none of his. Is any part of body, or power of soule depraued? This commeth not from him that calleth vsus. What is then the cause of sinne?

I answere, properly nothing: it hath indeed a deficient cause, but no efficient cause. It is a defect, priuation, or orbity of that God made; the thing it self he neuer made. Will you aske what is the cause of sickenesse? I answere, the destitution of health. If what's the cause of darknes; the absence of the Sunne: if of blindnesse, the deficiency of seeing. What is the cause of silence? no cause: there are causes of speech, organs, ayre, &c. take away these, what followes but silence? you see the light: who euer saw darkenesse? you heare speech: who euer heard silence? Man forsooke grace: sinne came in at the backedore. It is a bastard brought into Gods house by stealth. Woe to them that shall roote their filthinesse in the deity. If they bee seduced, to cry, ffIere. 4 10.Jer 4:10Lord, thou hast deceiued vsus. No, destruction is of thy selfe, O Israel; in mee is thy …. We hauehave all gotten this sinne from Adam; Mulier quam tu, &c. The woman which Thou gauest me; as if GOD had giuen him a woman to tempt him. Haec est ruina maxima, Deum putare causam ruinae: This is the greatest destruction that can be, to charge God with the cause of p. 355our destruction. No, O Father of heauen, be thou iustified, and the faces of all men ashamed. Let vsus looke home to our owne flesh; from thence it commeth that destroyeth. Me, me, adsum qui feci. The Lord put not onelyonly this confession in our mouthes, but this feeling in our hearts; that all our euill commeth from our selues, all our good from Iesus Christ.

Of him that called you: He hath called you to liberty, will you intangle your selues in new bondage? who pitties him that being redeemed from prison, wilfully recasts himselfe into it? Or that saued from the fire, will runne into it againe? Art thou Titio ereptus, and yet hast a mind to be burned? He hath called you not to the ceremonies, but to their Antitype; not to those legall Lambes, but to that Euangelicall Lambe of God, that taketh away the sins of the world. Will you be directed by Lampes, when the Sunne is risen? no, hee hath called you to the truth and comforts of the Gospell; obey that call: And then he that hath perswaded you to vertue, by calling you to grace, shall crowne you with eternall glory.

Now one argument whereby the Apostle deterres them from blending Iudaisme with Christianity, is deriued from the danger of corrupting the doctrine of the Gospell: A little Leauen leaueneth the whole lumpe. One ceremony of the legall rites obserued with an opinion of necessity, sowreth all that sweetnesse of redemption that commeth by Christ. This Diuine Aphorisme may thus logically be resolued; into a Predicate, Subiect, and Copula. The Predicate, leauen: the Subiect, lumpe: the Copula, leaueneth. Or thus there is a

thing

Actiue; Leauen.

Factiue, sowreth

Passiue, the lumpe.

But because the whole speech is allegoricall, let vsus first open the metaphor with the key of proper analogie; and then take out the treasure, such obseruations as may be naturally p. 356deduced from it. Most properly our Apostle by leauen vnderstands false doctrine, and by lumpe the truth of the Gospell: so the sense is this; one heresie infects a masse of truth. Or if we restraine it to persons, by leauen he meaneth false Teachers, and by lumpe the Church of Galatia: and so a teacher of the bondage to the Law, sowres the liberty of the Gospell. ggverse 2.Behold, I Paul say vntounto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. Or if yet we will looke vponupon it with more generall view, we may by leauen vnderstand sinne, by lumpe man, by leauening Infection. Here are three respondences, and all worthily considerable.

First taking leauen for false Doctrine, so we find in the new Testament foure sorts of leauens, Math. 16. Beware of the leauen of the Pharises, and of the Sadduces; there bee two of them; the Pharisaicall, and the Sadducean leauens. Math. 16. 6.Matt 16:6Mark. 8. Beware of the leauen of Herod, there's the third. The fourth is my Text, the leauen of mingling Mosaicall Mark. 8. 15.Mark 8:15ordinances with Christs Institutions. It will not bee amisse to take a transient view of these Leauens: for though former times had the originals, wee ha…e the Counterpaines: we hauehave paralell leauens.

1. To begin with the Pharises; to these I may well liken our Seminaries; one egge is not liker another. Euen a Iesuite wrote in good earnest, Non malè comparari Pharisaeos Catholicis; Papists are fitly compared to the Pharises. Whether he spake it ignorantly or vnwittingly, or purposely; I am sure Caiphas neuer spoke truer when he meant it not. Shall we take a little paines to confer them? The Pharises had corrupted, yea in a manner annulled the Law of God by their Traditions: and for this hhMath. 15. 6.Matt 15:6Christ complaines against them. Now for the Papists, this was one of their Tridentine decrees; With the same reuerence and deuotion doc we receiue and respect Traditions, that wee doe the bookes of the olde and new Testaments. Shut thine eyes and heare both speake, and then for a wager vvhichwhich p. 357is the Pharise, which the Seminary? Indeed to some traditions we giuegive locum, but locum suum; a place, but their owne place. They must neuer dare to take the wall of the Scripture.

Again, the Pharises corrupted the good Text with their lewd Glosses. The law was, that no Leper might come into the Temple; their traditionall Glosse was, that if hee were let downe through the roofe, this was no offence. As that drunkard, that hauing for sworne going to a certaine Tauerne, yet being carried thither eueryevery day on mens shoulders, thought hee had not broken his oath. Their Sabbath dayes iourney was a thousand Cubits; their Glosse vnderstood this without the walls, and walking all day through the city no sinne. The Papists are not behinde them in their foule interpretations, not shaming to call that sacred Writ a nose of waxe, formable to any construction. Paul subscribes his two Epistles to the Thessalonians thus; Missa fuit ex Athenis; a Papist cryes out strait, Heres a plaine text for the Masse. Psal. 8. Omnia subiecisti pedibus eius; Thou hast put all things vnderunder Psal. 8. ….Ps 8his feete: This is spoken of the beasts subiection to man: their Glosse construes it of mens subiection to the Pope. So Esa. 49. They shall bow downe to thee with their face toward the earth, and licke vp the dust of thy feete. Here Esa. 49. 23.Isa 49:23saith their Glosse, is a plaine proofe for kissing the Popes feet. Our Sauiour sayes; iiMat. 18. 3.Matt 18:3Except ye become as little children, ye shall not enter the kingdome of heauen: Heereupon Saint Francis commands one Massaeus to tumble round on the earth like a little childe, that he might enter. If thy foot offend thee, saith Christ, out it off. Heereupon when the penitent confessed to S. Anthony that he had kicked his mother, he vrged him with that Text: the man went and cut off his foot, but S. Anthony (honestly to make him amends) set it on againe. Were these not goodly constructions? So the new elected Pope in his solemne Lateran Procession, must take copper money out of his p. 358Chamberlaines lap, and scatter it among the people, saying, kkAct. 3. 6.Acts 3:6Siluer and gold hauehave I none, but such as I hauehave I giuegive vntounto you. And is not this a probable truth, a praise-able bounty? Seuen yeares penance is enioyned to a deadly sinne; because Miriam was separated seuen dayes for her leprosie; and God saith to Ezekiel, chap. 4. I hauehave giuen thee a day for a yeare. Oh genuine and most neighbourly concording of Scriptures! When Gods word subiects Priests to Kings, their Glosse subiects Kings to Priests, at least to Popes. But as when they determined to kill the Emperor Henry the seuenth, that they might be sure to poyson him, they stucke not to poyson their owne God in the Sacrament. So purposing to teare the honour, and deface the maiesty of Kings, they first offer violence to the sacred word of God. In these damnable Glosses it is hard to decide; whether Pharise is beyond Papist, or Papist beyond Pharise. But Dum haec malè construunt, seipsos malè destruunt. Their euill construction of the Scriptures brings a worse destruction to themselues. They make that serue the turne of their policie, which God meant to serue the turne of his glory.

The Pharises cleaued to the letter, but despised the Spirit: so do Papists. Hoc est corpus must bee materially there: for this they wrangle, fight, burne the contradicters; yet few of them care to finde it spiritually there. Dabo claues, I will giuegive thee the keyes; therefore none can enter heauen except the Pope open the dores. Whereas Peters two keyes, one of knowledge, the other of power, are fitted to two lockes, Ignorance, and Induration. But wee know who keepes the keyes, and lets in many thousands to heauen without the Popes leaue. llReu. 3. 7.Rev 3:7These things saith hee that is holy and true, hee that hath the key of Dauid, he that openeth, and no man shutteth, that shutteth, and no man openeth. Some of the Rabbins affirmed that God requires two things concerning his law, Custodie and Worke: custody in heart, worke in execution. p. 359The Pharises thought it enough to hauehave it in their frontlets, not in their hearts. So the Romist hath his opus operatum; prayers numbred on beades, fastings, pilgrimages, &c. and then cryes like Saul; mm1. Sam. 15. 131 Sam 15:13Blessed bee thou of the Lord; I hauehave performed the commandement of the Lord.

The Pharises iustified themselues by their workes, and would not sticke to say of the Law, All this hauehave I kept from my youth. Doe not the Papists so? doe they not climbe to saluation by their owne works, & iustify themselues? Those thought it not only easie to fulfill the Law, but possible to doe more then they were bound to. They thought it not worth thanks to performe what they were bidden. Gods Law was too little for their holinesse. They plyed God with vnbidden oblations, gaue more then they needed, then was commanded. I pay tithes of all, said that Pharise: of all? it was more then he needed. If God would hauehave a Sabbath kept, they ouer-keepe it: let a house be on fire, that day they would not quench it. And what other is the boasting opinion of the Romanists? it is nothing with them to content God, they can earne him, supererogate of him. Yea these Iewish Papists hauehave done more then enough for themselues, many good vvorks to spare for others: this they call the Churches Treasure, & they sell them for ready money. But Christ taught vsus all to say, We are vnprofitable seruants; intimating, that doe what we can, yet God is a loser by the best of vsus.

To omit the miserable penances of the Pharises, pricking themselues with thornes, and wounding their flesh with whips; wherein it is not possible for a Papist to goe beyond them. If the misvsing, macerating, lacerating their owne bodies be a meanes to come into heauen, surely the Pharises should enter farre sooner then the Papists. Yet were those kept out, and shall these enter? nnMat. 5. 20.Matt 5:20Except your righteousnesse shall exceed the righteousnes of the Scribes and Pharises, ye shall not enter into the kingdome of Heauen. p. 360The people were so besotted on them, that they thought if but two men should goe to heauen, the one must bee a Scribe, the other a Pharise. But here was strange newes; neyther of them both shall come there. So the Papists thinke, that if but two men be saued, one must be a Fryer, the other a Iesuite. Hee that should say, neyther of them both was likely to speed so well, should hauehave the whole multitude stare vponupon him for such a Paradoxe.

The Pharises brag'd much of Moses Chaire; iust so doe our Papists of Peters Chaire. The Pharises iustified it that there was no error in theirs: the Papists affirme that there's no possibility of error in theirs. The Pharises thundred against the poore people, ooIoh. 7. 49.John 7:49This people who knoweth not the Law, are cursed. So the Pope thunders his curses and excommunications against vsus: but (we blesse God) his thunder cannot reach vsus. I would other places had no more cause to feare his thunder. Then would they answere him, as Gregory the fourth was answered, when he purposed peremptorily to proceed against Lewys le Debonayre; the French Bishops answered in flat termes; Si excommunicaturus veniret, excommunicatus discederet: If he came to excommunicate, hee should be sent back excommunicated.

The Pharises compassed Sea and Land to make Proselytes; ppMat. 23. 15.Matt 23:15and when they had made one, they make him twofold more the child of hell then themselues. Doe not our Seminaries so? Yes they are Compassers too, like their grand Master. Iob. 2. much like those Circulatores, and Circumcelliones, a limbe of the Donatists. They creepe into Ladies houses, I had almost said into their Chambers: the Pursuiuant in modesty hath forborne the Gentlewomans bed, and missed him. Confession and Penance are the principall wheeles, whereupon the Engine of their policie runnes. By the first they find out mens secret inclinations; by the other they heape riches to their Tribe. They will not lead a Nouice into the maine at first, to p. 361make him belieue the Popes infallibility of Iudgement, authoritie to decrowne Kings, to make Scripture no Scripture, and no Scripture Scripture, &c. This meat is too tough, it will not downe: therefore they court his affections with pleasing delights, smooth semblances, and moderate constructions; as neare to the religion from which they would peruert him, as possibly may be afforded. So by degrees they gaine him, God and the Truth loseth him. In their owne Countreys, places of freedome, they vizour their hearts, in England they vizour their faces too.

The Pharises made difference of oathes. qqMat. 23. 16.Matt 23:16Whosoeuer shall sweare by the Temple, it is nothing: but whosoeuer shall sweare by the Gold of the Temple, hee is a debter. Ye fooles and blind: for whether is greater, the gold or the Temple that sanctifieth the gold? That was their doctrine, this was Christs reproofe. So the Papists hauehave their distinctions betwixt a materiall and a formall oath: one to bind the conscience, the other not. Out of such an vnlucky copulation of fraud and malice, was that monstrous stigmatike Equiuocation engendred. A damned egge, not couered by any faire bird, but hatch'd as the Poets faine of O sprayes, with a thunderclap. A meere bastard, whosoeuer was the Father, Iesuites keepe the child, and bring it vp as their onelyonly darling. But they hauehave their Bulls of dispensation for it: fit, they should all speed, as some did once with their buls. Two Seminaries came into England with their two Bulls, but being apprehended, those two Bulls call'd in a third Bull, which was Bull the hangman, to dispatch them both.

Lastly, the Pharises vsed to rrMat. 23. 14.Matt 23:14deuoure widowes houses, & for a pretence to make long prayer. It is euill to deuoure a mans house, worse to deuour a widowes house, worst of all when their lips seemed to pray, to be chewing that morsell. Ierusalem had neuer worse Pharises then Rome: these were meere bunglers to the Iesuites. The new Pharises p. 362hauehave made very Proselytes and Novices of the ancient.. A widowes cottage fill'd the pauch of an old Pharise. Large Patrimonies and faire reuenues wil not stoppe the throte of the Iesuite. They deuoure the Land as Pharaohs leane kine, and yet looke hunger-starued still. You shall hauehave them first fall in with the wife, as the deuill did with Eue: but they couzen the husband of his inheritance, as the deuill couzoned Adam. Euen other Orders among them, cry shame vponupon the Iesuites: they prole away all with a face of sad pietie and sterne mortification. Forgiue my vnseasonable prolixitie; you see one dangerous Leven.

2. The next is the Leven of the Sadduces: heare their doctrine, Math. 22. They say there is no resurrection. Act. Math. 22. 23. Acts 23. 8.Matt 22:23Acts 23:823. The Sadduces say there is no resurrection, neither Angel, nor spirit. I would we had no matches for them, but we hauehave too many; that either deny futurum aliquid post mortem, that any further thing is to be done or suffered, or enioyed after death: or else affirme faeliciter fore vniuersis, that eueryevery man shall be happy. They hauehave studied reasons against the Resurrection. The flesh turnes into rottennesse, rottennesse to dust, &c. But S^t. Aug. cuts them off with reason: Qui potuis formare nouum, non poterit reperare mortuū? He that could make man of nothing, surely can reuiue him of a small thing. Facilius est restituere, quàm constituere: It is farre easier to repaire then to prepare. They tell vsus, ssEccl. 9. 4.Eccl 9:4It is better to a liuing dogge, then a dead Lion: which is true among beasts, like themselues: but among men a dead beast is better thē a liuing Atheist. Like dogs they barke at heauen, but they cannot bite it: it is out of their circumference. Though they build vp reasons and treasons like Babel; yet they prooue but Confusion. They would pull God out of his Throne, if it were possible: but he is safe enough out of the reach of their malice, else it had gone ill with him before this. Their song is; tt1. Cor. 15. 32.1 Cor 15:32Let vsus eate and drinke, (they thinke of no reckoning p. 363to pay) for to morow we dye. They promise to morow, yet kill themselues to day. This is their song, but the Holy Ghost addes the burden: uuHeb. 9. 27.Heb 9:27After death commeth the Iudgement. It is appointed vntounto men once to dye; to all men once, to Atheists twice, for there is a second death. Their first death makes way to their last Iudgement. They are in some respect worse then the Deuill; he knowes and acknowledgeth a Deitie; these say, There is no God. aaIam. 2. 19.Jas 2:19The deuils belieue and tremble; these hauehave neither faith nor feare. The deuill quakes at the day of Iudgement; these deride it. bbMath. 8. 29.Matt 8:29Art thou come hither to torment vsus before th…ime? There's their terror. Where is the promise of his comming? For since the Fathers fell asleepe, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation. There's their derision. The deuils say, ccActs 19. 15.Acts 19:15Iesus vve know: these are like that doubting spirit, Si filius Dei, ddMat. 4. 6.Matt 4:6If thou be the Sonne of God; as if they made question whether he was so or not. Strange …euen the father of sinnes commeth short of his sonnes: and there be Atheists vponupon earth when as there are none in hell. But they professe some religion among vsus; it may be so; but they fit and square it to their owne humors: as that Giant dealt with his guests, for all whom he had but one bed; if they were too short for it, he rack'd them out longer; if too long, he cut them shorter.

But Insculptum est omnibus esse Deum: it is vvritten in all hearts by the pen of nature that there is a God. It is not possible to get out these indeleble characters. Say vvhat they will, they would giuegive much to be sure that the Scripture was not true. The discourse of reason confutes them. eeIob 12. 7.Job 12:7Aske now the beasts, and they shall teach thee: the fowles of the ayre, and they shall tell thee. Who knoweth not in all these, that the hand of GOD hath wrought this? Praesentemque refert qualibet herba Deum. The little pile of grasse tells vsus, there is a God that made it. Besides, they hauehave a conscience within them, Gods deputy in the soule, p. 364which will speak for the Maker and Master, and be heard too. Qui negat esse Deum, mihi negat, et tibi, non sibi. Hee that denies there is a God, denies it to me, and to thee, but neuer to himselfe. You may sooner pull his heart out of his brest, then this conception out of his heart. Thus is their leuen toss'd backe into their owne teeth: they will not now acknowledge this; they shall one day feele this. Oculos quos culpa clausit, poena aperiet: the eyes vvhichwhich Atheisme hath shut, damnation shall open. This is a cursed Leuen.

3. The next Leuen is that of the Herodians: heere crafty and dissembling hypocrits might be thought their fittest and most sutable paralells: because Christ calls Herod a Foxe. ffLuke 13. 32.Luke 13:32Goe and tell that Foxe. But the Herodians were rather noted for profane fellowes; and so wee must seeke out other matches. Such as carry in their gestures a tepidity of religion, a loosenesse of life: that turne the grace of God into wantonnesse: and make that which brings saluation to all, a meanes of confusion to themselues. This disease is Interius, within: and quickly becomes Interitus, a violent destruction. Profest Atheists, and open Heretikes, are through the manifestation of their malice preuented: these are bosome Serpents, that sting in silence. Aristotle saies, that Extreme is lesse hurtfull, which is neerest to the medium, and doth communicate with it in something. Prodigality is lesse noxious then Auarice, because it hath this cōmon with liberalitie, to giuegive: which the other hath not. Fiery zeale is dangerous: by this Paul ggAct. 22. 4.Acts 22:4persecuted Christ, by this the Iewes hhRom. 10. 2.Rom 10:2crucified Christ. But profane coldnesse is worse, because it is further from the meane, which is zeale in religion.

By these wretches lewdnes among vsus, the Romish aduersaries take aduantage to slander our Religion. They say our Profession is a doctrine of liberty, that we preach for faith, and against works: but Wisedom is iustified of …er children. Thus we preach, iiRom. 2. 9.Rom 2:9Tribulation and anguish vponupon p. 365eueryevery soule of man that doth euill: but glory and peace to eueryevery man that worketh good. And kk1. Ioh. 3. 3.1 John 3:3eueryevery man that hath hope in Christ, purifieth himselfe. And this is llIam. 1. 27.Jas 1:27Pure religion, and vndefiled before God; to visite the fatherlesse and widowes in their affliction, and to keepe our selues vnspotted from the World. Our faith is not an foreign, imagined in the braine; but an foreign, seene in our life. We teach that Iustification and Sanctification are inseparable friends. If men wil not be reformed, wee conceale not from them Gods renuntiation; mmReu. 22. 11.Rev 22:11If any man will be filthy, let him be filthy still. Our dissolute conuersation cannot annihilate the truth of our doctrine. Howsoeuer the Samaritan, not the Iewe, relieued the wounded man, yet the Iewes religion vvas true, and not the Samaritans. How polluted soeuer vvee are, yet their hands are not cleane enough to take vp stones against vsus. If they reioyce and tryumph in mens wickednesse, they professe imitation of the deuill in a cursed mirth. Good Christians hauehave learn'd to nnEzek. 9.Ezek 9mourne for abominations, not to laugh at them. To returne to those dissolute wretches; they sing not with the Church a Tenebo t… Domine, ooCant. 3. 4.Song 3:4I held him, and I would not let him goe: all their delight is in a Nunc dimittis, they are glad to be gone. It were not amisse if we were well ridde of them, being thus incorrigible. pp1. Cor. 5. 7.1 Cor 5:7Purge out therefore the old leuen, that ye may be a new lumpe. What leuen the Apostle there meanes, he declares ver. 13. Put away from among your selues that vvicked person. When Ionah was cast out of the Ship, the Sea ceased from her raging: when Zimri was slaine, the plague stayed: when Baal was destroyed, Israel had peace. If these cursed Levens of Superstition, Atheisme, and Profanenesse were purged, how sweet a lumpe would the Church of England be! Wee cannot hope it, yet let vsus pray for it; Miserere Deus, cleanse vsus from these levens for the merits of thy Sonne our blessed Sauiour Iesus Christ.

p. 3664. There is a fourth Leuen, to which Saint Paul hath principall respect in this place; and that is the mixing of Law with Gospell; I meane Ceremoniall and legall rites with the truth of Iesus Christ. This leven might well die in forgetfulnesse, and hauehave moulded away, if there had not beene a late generation of Thraskites to deuoure it as bread. They must abstaine from Swines flesh, and from bloud, and that vponupon conscience to the Ceremoniall law. But he that thus abstaines from bloud and flesh, the flesh and bloud of Christ shall doe him no good. What is this but to licke vp the Galatians vomit? to swallow that hard and indigestible leven, which Saint Paul tooke so much paines about, to get out of their stomacks. But let it sleepe with them in the dust: it is dead and buried, let vsus not disquiet the graue to reuiue it.

Now to the second way of considering these words, taking leven personally, for Leueners, false Teachers, indeed Heretikes: I will onelyonly note two things, one of doctrine, another of discipline. For doctrine out of my Text, that they sowre the whole lumpe: for discipline, that therefore the Church should restraine and correct them.

The leven of Heresie spreads farre. qq2. Tim. 2. 17.2 Tim 2:17Their word will eate as doth a canker; or a Gangrene. foreign, is an Option, or Election, of foreign, to make choice. A laudable word at first among Philosophers, taken for a right forme of learning. In Diuinitie it is a word of disgrace, and intends a stubborne deuiation from the receiued Truth. It is more then Error. Aug. Errare possum, Haereticus esse non possum. I may erre, I cannot be an Heretike. Qui sua pestifer a dogmata defendere persistunt, h…retici sunt. They that wilfully goe on to maintaine their pestilent opinions, are Heretikes. It hath the right property of a Gangrene, it frets as it goes; vires acquirit eundo: Heresies in the soule are like vlcera depascentia in the body, they eate vp the parts about them.

p. 367Of this God is the deficient cause, who suffers it. 1. In respect of the wicked, that their iust condemnation might not be hindered. rr2. Thes. 2. 112 Thess 2:11For this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should b…leeue a lye. 2. In regard of the faithfull, that their tentation might assure them Gods: ss1. Cor. 11. 19.1 Cor 11:19There must be heresies, (or schismes) that they which are approued, may be made manifest among you. With this premonition God prepared Israel, that when a false Prophet or Dreamer should come vntounto them, ttDeut. 13. 3.Deut 13:3God doth proue you, to know whether you will louelove the Lord with all your heart. For this cause are Heresies, uuTertul.Vt fides habendo tentationem, haberet etiam probationem; that faith admitting a triall, might receiue an approuall.

Of this Satan is the efficient cause: the father of lyes neuer lou'd the Father of Truth. Wicked and peruerse men are the instrumentall causes: they are so ouer-vvise, that the curdle of their wit procures a breaking out into faction. Cùm discipuli veritatis non erunt, magistri erroris sunt. Refusing to be the scholers of Truth, they become the Schoolemasters of errour. So the precedent cause in such, is selfe-louelove, the cause that growes out of the other, and neerer to the maine effect (or rather defect) is discō tent. If the Church forget thēm in dealing her legacies of preferment, they will teare her bowels for it. If their mother pleaseth not their humours with an expected indulgence, they will be so bold as kick her sides. Pride steps in for a third cause: vnlesse I forget her place, for shee disdaines an inferiour roome; and yet of all sinnes, as none presumes higher, so none is thrust lower, euen xxEsay 14. 15.Isa 14:15to the bottomlesse pit. Saint Iohn doth witnesse thus much of Diotrephes. aaIohn 3. Epist. verse 9.John 3I wrote vntounto the Church, but Diotrephes, who loueth to hauehave the preheminence among them, receiueth vsus not. He is called by Beda, Haeresiarcha superbus. Hypocrisie must needs be admitted for a fourth motiue to heresie. Applause must be had, if not by beeing good, yet by seeming so. Omnes haeretici sunt hypocrit…, saith Ierom, p. 368EueryEvery heretike is an hypocrite. Like Vipers they neuer come to light, but with some rupture to the vvombe of their mother.

Thus heresie creepes in at a little hole, but infects, infests the whole house: like a plague that comes in at the windowes; and then propagates it selfe beyond all measure. bbSene.Erroris non est finis: there is no termination of errour. Therefore the onelyonly way to refute heresies, is to fetch them backe to their originall. H…reses ad sua principia referre, est refell…re. If you can reduce them to their first, you see their last. As if a man would dry vp a streame, he cannot do it in the maine; but goes first to the Springhead, stops vp that: the riuer will faile of it selfe.

As in the bodily Gangrene the part affected grows tumid and cadauerous, the colour fades and becomes blackish: So in the spirituall, the mind growes tumid & swelling: ccColo. 2. 18.Vainely puft vp with a fleshly mind: the faire colour of profession gone: ddPhil. 3. 18.Phil 3:18vvalking as enemies to the crosse of Christ. We know how the heresie of Arrius did spread, when totus orbis ingemuit factum se videns Arrianum: the whole world groned, feeling it selfe made (not Christian, but) Arrian. There was a long disputation about tvvo words; little differing in sound, much in sense, foreign, and foreign. The Arrians holding Christ like God in substance; the orthodoxe Christians holding him one with God in substance. O the world of inke and bloud that was spent about this! The Pope rose by degrees: first aboue Bishops, then aboue Patriarches, then aboue Councells, then aboue Kings, then aboue Scriptures, now last of all aboue GOD himselfe. So the Apostle speakes of Antichrist: ee2. Thes. 2. 4.2 Thess 2:4He exalteth himselfe aboue all that is called God. From so poore a beginning he hath risen prettily for his time. Thus Popery crept vp in the darke: like a thiefe putting out the lights, that it might more securely rob the house. Whiles it broched opinions, that like to sweet wines pleased the palate, it led many liquorish affections p. 369to hell; not vnlike the Butcher, who clawes the Oxe till he cuts his throate. Thus the leuen of heresie spreads.

But the Church must take care lest it spread too far: Let them alone in quiet (yet what quiet can they hauehave that disturbe themselues?) and then ff2. Tim. 3. 13.2 Tim 3:13Euill men and seducers will waxe worse and worse, deceiuing and being deceiued. Augustine saies of Arius his schisme in Alexandria; Una scintilla fuit: That it was at first but a little sparke: but because not, Statim suppressa, totum orbem eius flamma populata est: the flame of it sindged the whole world, not being extinguished in time. The kindling fire is easily quenched: when it possesseth the Towne, it rageth and rangeth like a tyrannie, scorning the offers of suppression. ggRom. 16. 17.Rom 16:17Now therefore, I beseech you, brethren, marke them which cause diuisions and offences, contrary to the doctrine that yee hauehave learned, and auoide them. The malice of an heretike, hhAug.Uel dolenda tanquam hominis, vel cauenda tanquam hostis, vel irridenda tanquam imprudentis: is either to be lamented, as a mans, or auoided, as a foes, or derided, as a fooles. When proud Marcion said to Polycarpus, Non me agnoscis? Dost thou not know me? Yes, replyed that good Saint; Agnosco te Primogenitam Satanae: I acknowledge thee the deuils eldest sonne. If it proue an vncurable Gangrene, Ense recidendum, ne pars syncera …rahatur; cut it off to saue the rest. Pereat vnus potius quàm vnitas. Better lose one of the whole, then the whole for one. It is Hippocrates maxime: Quae ferro non curantur, ignis curet: where the knife can do no good, fire must. How-euer heretikes escape fire temporall, let them beware fire eternall. For our-selues, blesse we God, that hath cleared the way of truth among vsus; and thrust this leauen out of our coasts. Whiles the plague rode circuit in our streetes, wee prayed: when it ceased, wee praised God. No plague so dangerous as Heresie: whiles that ranged in our Church, as Syluius said of ruinated Constantinople, O miseram vrbis faciem! So wee of our p. 370Church, O miseram Ecclesiae faciem! This leprosie gone, shee is now faire in the eyes of her Beloued: Christ now kisseth her lips, and for this, let vsus kisse the feete of Iesus Christ.

A little leuen, leueneth the whole Lumpe.

Now let vsus resolue this Allegorie another way: and conceiue

By

Leuen, Sinne.

Lump, Man.

Leuening, Infection.

In effect; a little sinne makes the whole man in bodie and soule, vnsauory to the Lord. For methode in proceeding; first, we will view the Metaphor, the Similitude of sin to leuen: then examine how a little of this can sowre the whole lumpe. The similitude holds in many respects, albeit one be here principally intended, the sowring quality; yet may the rest be iustly considered.

1. Leuen is not bread, but the corruption of that which maketh bread. Sinne is not a created quality, but the corruption of a created quality. God made not sinne: Who then? the deuill begot it on mans lust: iiEccles. 7. 29.Eccl 7:29This I hauehave found, that God made man vpright: but they hauehave sought out many inuentions: Trickes enow to make themselues miserable. That which rottennesse is in the Apple, sowrenesse in the Wine, corruption in the flesh, such is sinne in the Soule: Fetida qu…dam qualitas, a thing neuer good since it tooke being, onelyonly vsurpes the place of good, and occupies the seat where a happy and perfect quality stood. It is like a Iehoiakim that sits in the Throne of a Iosiah: as that bad son of so good a father kk2. King. 23. 352 Kgs 23:35gaue the siluer and the gold of the Temple to Pharaoh Necho: so this, giues the endowments of nature, of reason, of affection, to the blacke Prince of darkenesse. Or as the Pope pretends, that hee sits in the chaire of Peter▪ yet what that blessed Saint attributed to Christ; llAct. 3. 12.Acts 3:12Why maruell yee at this? or why looke yee so earnestly on vsus? as if p. 371we by our owne power or holinesse had made this man to walk. mmAct. 4. 10.Acts 4:10Be it knowne to you, that by the name of Iesus of Nazareth, whom yee crucified, this man now stands whole before you. This the Pope attributes to reliques and blockes: there is no disease, but he hath appointed some puppet to cure it. Prohpudor? quis, cui? Such is the practice of sin: the bounty of God nnHos. 2. 8.Hos 2:8giues corne, and wine and oile, multiplies siluer and gold; and euen these, sin giues to Baal. It is depranatio boni, and depriuatio boni: one is actiue, the other passiue: the latter a necessary consequent of the former. It depraues our power of obedience to God actually; it depriues vsus of Gods good grace and blessing passiuely. The one is inseparable to the other: For hee that forfeits Bonum vnde, shall lose Bonum inde. They that spoyle that grace whence they might do good, shall lose that glory whence they expect good. The first breach of one Law tooke away all power to keepe any: and by it we are disabled to all.

2. The very same substance of meale that would make bread, by addition of salt becomes leuen: The very same worke that might bee good and acceptable to God, by addition of our prauity becomes euill. Thus the best actions of an vniustified person, are so leuened with his owne corruption, that God abhorres them. ooEsay 1. 14.Isa 1:14Your new Moones and your appointed Feasts my soule hateth: they are a trouble to me, I am weary to beare them; when ye make many prayers, I will not heare you. What is the reason? Your hands are full of bloud. Euen sacrifices and supplications (good seruices in their owne nature) are made displeasing by the leuen of sinne: ppEsay 66. 3.Isa 66:3He that killeth an Oxe, is as if he slue a man; he that sacrificeth a Lambe, as if hee cut off a dogs neck. Sacrifices God commanded, and often commended: yet victimae impiorum: the oblations of the wicked are abominated. Non speciosalaus in ore peccatorum. Praise becommeth not the mouth of a sinner.

EueryEvery vnregenerate man Claudicat in rectis, halts in p. 372the straitest path. Omnia naturalia bona polluta, omnia supernaturalia amissa; His portion of naturall good is defiled; but of supernaturall good all share is vanished. Peccaui, was Dauids voice, after his sinfull Arithmeticke: the same was Iudas his voice, after his damned treason. Similis sonus, non sinus; there was the same sound, but not the same heart. Esau wept as much after the losse of the blessing, as Peter after the denyall of his Master: Similes lacrimae, non animae: like teares, but vnlike soules. The Pharise went to Church so well as the Publican: but the Publican came home rather iustified then the Pharise. The Pharises threw bounteously into the Treasury: the poore widow two Mites: yet Christ commends the poorer gift, for the richer charity. That worke which seemes the same, In identitate operis, yet differs much Ratione agentis, in respect of the workers. Many Heathen excelled vsus in morall vertues, yet the ignorance of Christ did shut heauen against them. qqAug.Vae tibi, Aristoteles: laudaris vbi non es, & damnaris vbi es: Woe to thee, O Aristotle, who art commended where thou art not, and condemned where thou art: yea euen in a iustified mans workes, though pure from the Spirit, yet passing through his hands, there is some tang of this leuen, enough to keepe them from being meritorious. Looke then well both to the iustification of thy person, and the sanctification of thy workes. Thou indeed confessest sinne to be damnable, but it would grieue thee to go to hell for thy good deeds. Though a man should giuegive all his goods to the poore, yet wanting Faith and LoueLove, he may for his charity go to the deuill. Pray then, that thy defects may bee supplyed by Christ; rrEphes. 5. 2.Eph 5:2Who gaue himselfe a sacrifice for vsus to God of a sweet smelling sauour: perfuming vsus with the pleasant odour of his merits.

3. By Leuen sowred we make rellishable bread for the vse of man: so by the vngodly's most cursed sinnes God will aduance his glory. Will Pharaoh harden his heart? p. 373I will get me honour vponupon him, saith God. That Leuen of malice which so wred the soules of those Brethren against poore Ioseph, the Lord made vse of to his glory. From that vngracious practice hee raised a pedegree of blessings. Otherwise there had beene no prouision in Aegypt, no bread to spare for Israel, no wonders wrought by Moses, no Manna from heauen, no Law from Sinai, no possession of Canaan. So from the vnnaturallest murther that euer the Sunne beheld, yea, which the Sunne durst not looke vponupon; God glorified himselfe in sauing vsus. The Oppressor impouerisheth the righteous; God sees and suffers: and from his villany effectuates their good, by taking away those snares to saue their soules. The Lord will glorifie himselfe in the vessels of destruction: and the grones in hell shall honour his Iustice, so well as the songs in heauen honour his mercy. How much better is it to glorifie God in faithfulnesse, that will preserue thee: then in wickednesse, which will destroy thee!

4. A man cannot ssMat. 4. 4.Matt 4:4Liue by bread only, much worse by Leuen. No man can liue for euer by his righteousnesse and good works, much lesse by his sinnes. Sinne is no nourishment to the soule: vnles as some Mithridates-like hauehave so inured their bodies to poison, that Venenum nutrit; euen venime doth batten them: so others their soules to sinne, that they cannot keepe life without it. And indeed we say of some things, that they nourish sicknesse, and feed death. Omne simile nutrit simile: inward corruption is fed & maintained by outward action. Couetice in Iudas is nourished by filching his masters money. Murder in Ioab is hartned and hardned with bloud. Theft is fatted with booties: pride with gay rags: vsury battens by extortion: Sacriledge by Church-robbing. ttAmbr.Pascitur Libido conuiuijs, nutritur delicijs, vino accenditur, ebrietate flammatur. Banketting is the diet of lust, Wantonnesse her Nurse, Wine kindles a heate in her bloud, and Drunkennesse is the powder that sets her on fire. Thus sinne feeds vponupon p. 374this leuen: but with the same successe that Israel vponupon quailes: they fatted their carkasses, but made them leane soules.

Though this leuen passe the swallow, yet stickes in the stomach: sinne may be deuoured, but lies heauy on the conscience: uuProu. 20. 17.Prov 20:17Bread of deceit is sweet to a man: but his mouth shall be filled with grauell. xxIob 10. 15.Job 10:15It may be sweet in his mouth, but it is the gall of Aspes in his bowels. Putrid meate is apt to breed and feed wormes, so this Leuen the worme of conscience: when they once come to feele it worke, then ready to cry, This is my death: vnlesse God giuegive them a good vomite of repentance, to put it off their soules, and the sober dyet of sanctification to amend and rectifie their liues.

5. Lastly, Sinne and leuen are fitly compared for their sowrenesse. There is a Leuen sharpe and sowre, but sanatiue. aaMath. 13. 33.Matt 13:33The Kingdome of heauen is like vntounto leuen. But this leuen here is farre sowrer, yet hath nothing but death in it. It is sowre to God, sowre to Angels, sowre to Saints, sowre to the sinner. Sinne is sowrer then any Leuen.

1. Sowre to God, who hates nothing but sinne. He made man, and man made sinne: Hee loues his owne creature, but he hates mans creature. Sinne is sowrer to him then the deuill: For, Non odit peccatum Diaboli cansa, sed Diabolum peccati causa: He hates not sinne for the deuils sake, but the deuill for sinnes sake. It is so sowre to him, that for one sinne h…e plagued a world of men: how will he plague one man for a world of sinne! So sowre, that he could rellish no man for it, till hee had killed it in the sides of Iesus Christ. We are all so sowre, that but for this sweetning and perfume, we could neuer hauehave beene endured. The Scripture, for our vnderstanding, ascribes senses to God: and we finde eueryevery sense displeased with sinne.

1. It is offensiue to his smelling: He tels the Iewes p. 375that their sinnes did stinke in his nosthrils. So did the old World offend him, that he washed & sowsed in a deluge: and then after Noahs sacrifice, is said to bbGen. 8. 21.Gen 8:21Smell a sauour of rest. For this cause they had their Altar of Incense; and God commanded a Perfume to be made to him. ccExod. 30. 34.Exod 30:34The Lord said to Moses, Take vntounto thee sweet spices, Stacte, and Onicha, and Galbanum, with pure frankincense: and thou shalt make it a Perfume, pure and holy. Both signified that we all stunke by nature, and are onelyonly perfumed by the Incense of Christs prayers and righteousnes.

2. It is offensiue to his Tasting: ddEsay 5. 2.Isa 5:2I looked (after all my paines and kindnesse) for good grapes, and the Vine brought forth wilde grapes. When hee comes to taste the vintage of our sinnes, they are sowre grapes. eeAmos 5. 7.Amos 5:7Yee turne iudgment into wormwood: Iustice is pleasant vntounto the Lord, but iniurie bitter as wormewood. So the Iewes serued Christ, in stead of wine they gaue him vineger to drink. He turned their water into wine, they turne his wine into vineger. Good workes of faith and obedience are that ffCant. 7. 9.Song 7:9best wine, which we should giuegive our Beloued: that goeth downe sweetly, causing the lips of those that are asleep, to speak. But euill deeds are sowre to his palate.

3. It is offensiue to his Feeling: so sharp, that the Speare, Thornes, Whips, and Nailes, were blunt to it: Our iniquities were so heauy to his sense, that he plaines himselfe burdened vnderunder them, ggAmos 2. 13.Amos 2:13as a Cart is pressed with sheaues. The Lord of heauen lay groueling on the earth: and as if he were cast into a furnace of his Fathers wrath, sweating drops of bloud. They are so harsh still to his feeling, that he challengeth Saul for wounding himselfe. hhAct. 9. 5.Acts 9:5Why strikest thou me? Saul strikes at Damascus, Iesus Christ suffers in heauen.

4. It is offensiue to his Hearing. iiGen. 16. 20.Gen 16:20The cry of Sodome and Gomorrah is great, because their sinne is very grieuous. Our dissensions and quarrels are as iarring in Gods eares: as if diuers distracted Musicians should play vponupon diuers p. 374duplicate page p. 375duplicate page p. 376bad Instrument so many seuerall tunes at one time. The confusion of sinnes brought the confusion of languages: Gods eare could not endure the distraction of their harts, therefore their owne eares shall not distinguish the dissonance of their voyces. The cry of bloud and oppression makes so grieuous a noyse to heauen, that vengeance must onelyonly quiet it. Our murmurings, our oathes, blasphemies, slanders, are like the croking of frogs, howling of dogs, and hissing of serpents in Gods hearing.

5. It is offensiue to his Seeing. kkIer. 2. 22.Jer 2:22Though thou vvash thee with Nitre, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord. Our oppressions are like running vlcers, our adulteries as most sordid and filthy things. llEsa. 64. 6.Isa 64:6The Prophet compares it to the most feculent defilement, & lothsome turpitude, that can be vttered. mmHab. 2. 13.Hab 2:13Thou art of purer eyes then to behold euill: and canst not looke on iniquity. O let vsus abhorre that filthinesse, which will turne the face of God from vsus. Neyther are they displeasing onelyonly to his senses, but grieuous to his minde. nnEsa. 7. 13.Isa 7:13Is it a small thing for you to grieue men, but you will grieue God also? It is dangerous to anger him, that can anger all the veines of our hearts. It was the Prophet Esay's complaint of Israel: ooEsa. 63. 10.Isa 63:10They rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit. Yea they are offensiue to his very soule. ppEsa. 1. 14.Isa 1:14Your new Moones and appointed feasts, my soule hateth. This he protesteth against recidiuation, Heb. 10. 38. If any man draw back, my soule shal hauehave no pleasure in him. This is an emphaticall speech, and an argument of Gods hearty detestation. qqPsal. 11. 5.Ps 11:5The wicked, and him that loueth violence his soule hateth. Therefore he is said to bend his Soule to reuenge. rrIer. 5. 9.Jer 5:9Shall not my soule be auenged on such a nation as this?

2. Sowre to the Angels: for if they ssLuk. 15.Luke 15reioyce at our conuersion, then they grieue at our peruersion. How sowre is that sinne, which brings griefe vntounto the thresholds of ioy! They blush at our falls, reioyce at our integrity. ttHebr. 1. 14.Heb 1:14Are they not all ministring spirits, sent forth for them who p. 377shall be the heyres of saluation? Let vsus then feast them with integrity, not with the leauen of iniquity.

3. Sowre to the Saints: the Church is our Mother, and shee laments to see any childe of her wombe auerse from goodnes. Therefore as a louing Mother, whose husband was slaine for the safety of her selfe & children; if she sees any childe transgresse the rules, and breake her husbands Testament; she tels them of their Fathers kindnesse: she describes his deadly wounds and gastly lookes: and to make their facts more odious, shee sheweth some garment of his embrued with bloud. So the Church often offers to our considerations, how Christ her deare LoueLove and Lord was betrayed, condemned, crucified: tels vsus, our sinnes hauehave done this; that they were the Iudas betraying, the Herod mocking, the Pilate condemning, the Longinus wounding, the band of Iewes re-crucifying Christ. Now as D…do adiur'd departing Aeneas; Per ego te has lacrymas, &c. Per si quid vnquam Dulce fuit nobis, horum miserere laborum. So our Mother intreats vsus, (yet intreating is too low a phrase for a Mother) per talem cruorem, per tantum amorem; by so precious bloud, and by so gracious louelove, to sinne no more; at least to abhor such precipices of sinne; and forbeare (as it were) to choake him with such cursed Leauens.

4. Sowre to the sinner himselfe: for it euer leaues behinde it a sting of conscience. It may taste pleasing and palatable at first, but Leuen is not sowrer at last. Perhaps our iudgements may be out of taste; as men in feuers: or Satan (that crafty Apothecary) hath mingled the potion cunningly: yet though saporem amisit, venenum retinet: poyson is poyson though it come in a golden cup. Esaus pottage went downe merrily, but the losse of his birthright was a bitter farewell. Whatsoeuer seruice sin doth vsus, it shewes vsus but an ill-fauoured tricke at the last. It brings vsus to the dore of Terror, and then bids vsus shift for our selues. It is like Lysimachus his draught of cold water, p. 378that refreshes him for a moment, and captiues him for euer. By Salomons rule, vexation is intailed to vanity A hedgehogge must dwell in Babylon: a pricking Conscience Eccl. 1.Eccl 1in a prophane brest. uuIer. 4. 18.Jer 4:18Thy way an… thy doings hauehave procured these things vntounto thee: this is thy wickednes, because it is bitter, because it reacheth vntounto thine heart. Salomon hath the like promotion: xxEccl. 11. 9.Eccl 11:9Reioyce, O young man, in thy youth, &c. but know that for all these things God will bring thee into iudgement. The verse begins with pleasure, but ends with terror. Sinne will be sowre at the last.

The Allegory thus opened, the speciall treasure or Instruction remaines yet to bee drawne out. Wee perceiue what the Leuen signifies, and what the Lumpe. Now wee must consider the relation betwixt modicum and totum: a little Leuen, and the whole lumpe. A little Leauen leueneth the whole lumpe.

A little sinne infecteth a great deale of righteousnesse. aaIam. 2. 10.Jas 2:10Whosoeuer shall keepe the whole Law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. Hee hath broken T…tam Legem, though not Totum Legis. I speake not heere of the absolutely (dissolutely) wicked: whose life is like Elreds raign; Praua in principio, peior in medio, pessima in vltimo: bad in the beginning, worse in the midst, worst of all in the end. But of those that hauehave some good measure of grace, and stand in the state of adoption: yet may admitte of Pauls prayer, bb1. Thes. 5. 23.1 Thess 5:23to be sanctified throughout. And vponupon good reason: for there is an vniuersall corruption, therfore should be an vniuersall sanctification. That young man, that professeth himselfe to hauehave kept the Commandements; (and Christ began to louelove him) yet there was a little leuen spoyled all, Couetousnesse. Vnum restat, one thing was vvanting; ccMat. 19. 21.Matt 19:21Sell that thou hast, and giuegive to the poore. No, he was costiue, and could not abide such a purge. Herod, though he heard many Sermons of Iohns preaching gladly, (and it is some good thing to heare Sermons with ioy) yet the leuen of Herodias marred all. ddGal. 6. 6.Gal 6:6Let him that is taught in p. 379the word, communicate vntounto him that teacheth him in all his goods. This was the Apostles Canon; an ordinance that will kill where it lights; yet a world of arguments hath beene inuented to stoppe it vp. We will giuegive of charity; but any thing of duty? yes, of duty. Well, we will giuegive somewhat of duty: but part of all? yes, part of all. Put out this foreign and wee will compound with you: though we take away a talent of your duties, wee will returne a mite of beneuolence.

I will tell you a tale: a Seignior came with his seruant to one of our Ladies Images: (no matter which, for they doe not scant her of number.) hee threw in an angell of gold; the humble picture in gratitude made a curtsie to him. The seruant obseruing, and wondring at her Ladiships plausible carriage, purposed with himselfe to giuegive somewhat too, that he might hauehave a curtsie. So hee puts into the basen sixe pence, and withall takes out his masters angell: the Image makes curtsie and seemes to thanke him still. It is common with this City to take away the Cleargies angell, and to lay downe sixe pence in the stead: yet looke they for curtsie too, but I thinke no honest man will giuegive them thankes.

This little leauen vndoes all goodnesse. eeDeut. 5. 33.Deut 5:33You shall walke in all the wayes which the Lord your God commands you. All? put out in omnibus, in All, and wee vvill say something to it. But as Deus remittit omnia peccata, aut nulla. God forgiues all sinnes, or none: so we must faithfully resolue against all sinnes, or we repent of none. As is Gods remission, such must be our contrition. EueryEvery man is an Adam, a good conscience his Paradise, lust the forbidden fruit: one lust is able to turne him out of all his comforts. Hast thou kept thy hands from iniury? yet if thy tongue hauehave offended, thou shalt bee iudged of thy idle words. Suppose thou hast preserued Castitatem linguae, sobriety of speech (yet ffIam. 3. 2.Jas 3:2if any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man) but thy thoughts hauehave welcommed p. 380a pleasing lust, those thoughts hauehave leuend thy soule. ggEccles. 12. 14.Eccl 12:14For God will (not onelyonly) bring eueryevery worke into iudgement, but eueryevery secret thought, whether it be good or euill. Men hauehave brought that opinion into a prouerbe; Thought is free: no, thy Thought is Gods bond-slaue. As thou canst not thinke a good thought but by his suggestion, so nor an euill thought but by his permission. If but thy thought harbour this leuen, the whole lumpe is sowred. Actions men see, thy thoughts onelyonly God and thy selfe. Ille liber inter accusatores, quem propria non accusat conscientia. That man needes feare no accusers, that is freed from the condemnation of his owne conscience. There are sixe motiues that inferre and inforce a caution of little sinnes.

Little sinnes are dangerous; because they are

Mortalia, they are deadly.

Plurima, they are numerous.

Insensibilia, not easily felt.

Materialia maximorū; they are the materials or seeds of grosse sins.

Maximas inficiunt virtutes, they leuen the best vertues.

Facilius perdunt, they more cunningly destroy the soule.

1. Minima mortalia; euen the least offence is mortall in it owne nature, culpable of transgression, and liable to malediction. hhRom. 6. 23.Rom 6:23The wages of sinne is death. It was a strange glosse of Haymo vponupon that Text: Hoc non de omnibus peccatis intelligendum est, sed de criminalibus. This is not meant of all sinnes, but onelyonly of such as are criminall: such (saith he) as S. Iohn speakes of; ii1. Iohn 5. 16.1 John 5:16There is a sinne vntounto death, I say not that thou shouldst pray for it. So S. Pauls indefinite speech of all sinnes, he restraines to S. Iohns particular sense of one sinne; that sinne (which shall neuer be forgiuen) against the Holy Ghost. For otherwise if S^t. Iohn should intend it of all criminall sins, then it would p. 381follow that we should not pray for heretikes, adulterers, homicides; which were directly crosse to the rule of charitie. Certainly Paul in that generall rule admitted of no exception; it is an Aphorisme wherein no sober iudgement can find distinction. The Apostle thought of no veniall, when he called all mortall. The wages of sinne (not of this or that sinne, as sacriledge, robbery, blasphemy, &c. but of sinne, any sinne, eueryevery sinne: though men deeme it triuiall, they shall find it mortall) is death.

I know there is a iust distinction of sinnes, of greater & lesse. Puritie and equality of all transgressions is an idle dreame. It was a worse murder to kill Zachariah at the Altar, then Uriah in the field. To steale Sacra de Sacro, holy things out of a holy place, is worse theft then to steale profana de profano, common things out of a profane place. The difference of the punishments manifests a difference of the sinnes. As in heauen one starre excells another starre in glory: so in hell, one firebrand exceeds another in burning; though all feele the fire hote enough. Christ tells the Pharises, that they make their Proselite kkMat. 23. 15.Matt 23:15two-fold more the child of hell then themselues. llMath. 11. 24Matt 11:24Tolerabilius erit Sodomae: It shall be more tolerable for Sodom in the day of Iudgement, then for Capernaum: and yet the Sodomites were then in hell. They that deuoure widowes houses vnderunder the colour of long prayers, mmLuk. 20. 4.Luke 20:4shall receiue greater damnation. As they hauehave been more wicked, they shall be more wretched. This distinction of sinnes vvee take vp and iustifie: yea we dare goe further, and say there are some sinnes mortall, and some veniall, but not in their owne nature. The difference is not ratione Peccatorum, sed Peccantium; not in respect of the sinnes, but of the Sinners. To the faithfull and penitent all sinnes are veniall: to the vnbeleeuers and impenitent, all sinnes are mortall. It is misericordia remittentis, not natura transgressionis; the mercy of the forgiuer, not the qualitie of the sin, that maketh it veniall. All transgressions are mortall in p. 382themselues, and by repentance all veniall in Christ. The least sinne legally considered, is mortall: the greatest sin Euangelically considered, is pardonable.

This difference we approoue: yea wee say, that small sinnes are more easily pardoned: and great sinnes, when they are remitted, are more hardly remitted. For certainly offenders are more or lesse punished, accoding to the qualitie of the offence. An eye with an eye, but bloud with bloud, and life with life. Yet still say we not, that a sinne is in it owne nature veniall. For euen the least is foreign, nn1. Ioh. 3. 4.1 John 3:4the transgression of the Law. It is for the doctrine of Rome, to lessen sinne, and to extenuate punishment: and that for two reasons. First that they might please the people with some liberty: and next, that hereby they might build vp their Purgatory. For they assigne mortall sinnes to hell, and veniall to that purging fire. They offer herein a double wrong, both to their owne modestie, and to Gods mercy. To their owne modestie, for they extenuate their faults in sinning: to Gods mercy, for they disparage his goodnesse in forgiuing. They affirme that sinnes of omission, weakenesse, forgetfulnesse, and ignorance, be Praeter legem Dei, but not contra legem Dei: that they be Besides the Law of God, not Against the law of God. This doctrine, like the ooProu. 5. 3.Prov 5:3lippes of that strange woman, drop as an hony-combe, and are smooth as oyle. But their ppver. 4.end is bitter as worme-wood, sharpe as a two-edged sword. This is a dangerous delusion; for hence they come so to neglect those lesse sinnes, that Peccata minima, be at last thought Nulla. As they hauehave certaine Orders among them, Fryers Minorites, Fryers Minim's, and then Nullani, Nullans. So sinne bates and dwindles, from a Minorite or lesse sinne to a Minim or least sinne, and from a Minim to a Nullan, to be no sinne at all. Thus Incipit esse licitum, quod folet esse publicum. The commonnesse takes away the haynousnesse: from being generally practised, it comes to be vniuersally allowed.

p. 383EueryEvery sinne is committed against God, qqPsal. 51. 4.Ps 51:4Against thee, thee onelyonly hauehave I sinned. Looke vponupon the infinite Maiestie offended, and by that iudge the quality of thy offence. There be sinnes of weaknesse, sinnes of ignorance, and sinnes of malice. Those of weakenesse, are said to be committed against God the Father, whose speciall attribute is Power. Those of Ignorance against God the Sonne, whose speciall attribute is wisedome. Those of malice against God the Holy Ghost, whose speciall attribute is louelove. Whether then they be of weakenesse, of ignorance, or of malice, they offend either the Power of God, or the Wisedome of God, or the LoueLove of God: therefore acknowledge Secundum magnitudinem Dei, magnitudinem peccati: confesse the least sinne great and bad, that hath offended a Maiestie so Great and Good.

2. Minima plurima, sinnes lesse haynous, are the most numerous. Many littles make a mickle. Small droppes of raine commonly cause the greatest flouds. Quò minus violentum, eò magis perpetuum: the lesse violence, the longer continuance. The drisling sleete, that falls as it were in a mist, fills the chanels, they swell the riuers, the ouercharged riuers send foorth their superfluous waters ouer the conteyning bankes: now the medowes are polluted, the Corne-fields spoyled, the Cattell drowned; yea euen houses, and townes, and inhabitants endangered; and firme continents buried vnderunder a deluge of waters. Many little sands gather'd to an heape, faile not to swallow a great Vessell. De paruis grandis aceruus erit. You hauehave Eagles, Hawkes, Kites, and such great fowles of rapine, flying alwaies alone: but the sparrowes and pidgeons, that deuour the graine, by innumerable troupes. There were not more grieuous plagues to the Egyptians, then came by the contemptiblest creatures: as frogges, lice, flyes, locusts: by reason of the monstrous swarmes, rrExod. 10. 15.Exod 10:15couering the face of the earth, and darkning the Land, and deuouring the fruit of the whole Country. Yea euen killing the people, that p. 384there was no remedie found for their life. Thus great destruction ariseth from little causes: therefore, Non contemnenda quia parua, sed metuenda quia multa. Let vsus not despise our sinnes because they are little, but feare them because they are many, saith Augustine. The smal drops of sinne, continually falling, hauehave drowned many soules. As they hauehave been our Armes to fight against GOD, so God will make them his Armies to confound vsus. Timenda ruina multitudinis, etsi non magnitudinis. Let vsus feare them for their number, though we slight them for their nature.

A pace is but a little space of ground; yet a thousand paces make a mile, and many miles bring to hell. Si negligis quia non pessima, caueas quia plurima. If they be not the worst, they are the most: and is it not all to one purpose, vvhether one Goliah, or a thousand Philistims ouercome thee? The bird brings so many little strawes as makes vp her nest: the reprobate so many little sticks, as makes vp his owne burning pile. Augustine saith, there is in Sinne both weight and number. Et si non timeas quando expendis, time quando numeras. Iudge them by tale, and not by waight. Put a wanton speech, a loose gesture into the balance, (though Christ found it heauy, & eueryevery soule shall, for whom he did not beare it, yet) it is censured vix culpa, a little faulting, a little failing: so little, that vvere it lesse, it were nothing. But now leaue thy Geometry, & come to Arithmetike: beginne to number thy vvanton works, and vnchristian gestures, and carnall thoughts; now loe, they come in by troupes and heards, thicker then the frogges into Egypt, miraris numerum: thou standest amazed at their number, and now cryest, Miserere mei Deus; Lord hauehave mercy on me a most wretched sinner. Yet when thy recognition hath done the best, and thy memory represented those swarmes of sinnes to thy conscience, thy view is as farre short, as will be thine answer: neither can extend ad millesimam, vel minimam partem. p. 385Thou hast not seene one of a thousand. ttPsal. 19. 12.Ps 19:12Who can vnderstand his errors? O Lord, cleanse thou mee from my secret faults.

Thus it is not Trutina, but Scrutinū, that will teach thee the danger of these little sinnes. Thou didst neuer st…ale thy neighbours goods by breaking into his house, therefore pleadest not guiltie to that Law, Thou shalt not steale. Examine, thou shalt find past from thee so many couetous wishes, as make vp a robberie. Thou art no swearer, yet through the dore of thy lips hauehave scaped out so many idle words, as being put together will make vp a blasphemie. Thou neuer madest the member of Christ, a member of a harlot by vncleannesse: yet thou hast giuen indulgence to as many lustfull thoughts and desires, as beeing summed, will make vp a great adultery. I feare that many who hauehave forborne the forbidden bed, hauehave yet by their lusts scatteringly and forgetfully admitted, framed vp an adultery as great as Dauids. Some that hauehave made a conscience of grand oathes, and impudent blasphemies; yet hauehave eiaculated so many lowd, lewd, and false attestations, as hauehave conflated a blasphemy no lesse impious then Rabshakeh's. A tradesman disdaines to lye, abhorres to oppresse: yet hath vttered so many commodities of dissimulations, concealements, false warrantings, cunning fraudes, as make vp an oppression equall to Ieconiah's. A Protestant abhominates sacriledge, and down-right robbing the Church: yet hath so long been bold to make vse of this Impropriation: or if in a meaner condition, with his Compositions, Customes, detinies, legall alienations, leasses and fines, as make vp a sacriledge not inferiour to Achan's. Put my money to Interest? No, saith another, I defie all vsurious contracts: yet by his pawnes, morgages, forfets, couznages, and such tricks knowne best to GOD his Iudge, the Deuill his Enginer, his Scriuener, and himselfe, he puts downe vnconuerted Zaccheus for vsury. Oh the incredible soules lost in the Labyrinth of p. 386these vnsuspected, (and in their imagination iustifiable) sinners!

3. Minima Insensibilia; these little sinnes are not so easily felt, therefore most pernicious. If a man hath died his hand in bloud, irrequieta conscientia; a peacelesse conscience haunts him with vnceslant vexation: let him hate his brother, this little murder he feeles not. The deuill like a roring Lyon is soone heard: forming himselfe to a foxe, his insinuation is not perceiued. Hee rores in monstrous iniquities, in treason, murder, sacriledge, oppression: these be thundring sinnes, that will waken the soule if it be not lethargiz'd. But creeping like a silent Foxe, he deuoures the grapes without disturbance. uuCant. 2. 15.Song 2:15Take vsus the Foxes, the little foxes: for they spoyle the Vines. If Satan hew at the timber, and knock at the foundation of the house, we heare the noise, and preserue the building. They are those small Teredines, little sinnes, that in sensibly eate it to dust, and it is ruined ere we are aware. So long as Sinne comes not in thunder, it neuer wakens men: if it doe not enter into Theomachie, and denounce open warre against GOD, they make but a tush of it. To abuse the good creature is nothing, so long as they are not drunke: to giuegive nothing to the poore is no sinne, so long as they take not from the poore: to sleepe out the Sermon is but a little drowsinesse, all is wel so long as they break not the Sabbath in absence from Church. These and such like are the common thoughts, and so triuiall an estimate they beare of these sinnes, that they thinke God should doe them wrong to call them to any reckoning for them.

Thus they sowe sinnes, as that enemy did tares, here a little, and there a little: but growne vp, the whole fielde was ouergrowne with them. A sinne that cannot be committed, Sine grands corruptione sui, graui laesione proximi, magno contemptu Dei: without his owne notorious deprauation, his brothers greeuous oppression, Gods manifest contempt and prouocation; this quickly amazeth a man, p. 387and he starts backe from the deuils first offer. If the deuill at first had come to Iudas, here's a hundred peeces, betray thy Master: none, he was not yet hardned enough in villany: let Satan first worke him to hypocrisie, then to couetousnes, and lastly hee shall preuaile him with him for treason too. Hee might refuse a hundred peeces before, now he will take thirty.

When that good Prophet wept vponupon Hazael, he asked; Why weepeth my Lord? He answered, Because I 2. King. 8. 13.2 Kgs 8:13know the euil that thou wilt doe to the children of Israel. Their strong helds wilt thou set on fire, slay their young men with the sword, dash their children against the stones, and rip vp their women with child. He replyed, What, is thy seruant a dog, that I should doe this great thing? He thought it impossible, that the deuill should euer worke him to so horrid a mischiefe. But he did it: ambition brought him to a kingdome, a kingdome brought him to tyrannie, tyrannie to insolence, insolence not onelyonly to oppression of his owne, but to invasion of other Countreys: among which Israel felt the smart, in the burning of her Cities, and massacring her Inhabitants. Thus by degrees he was wrought to this selfe-incredited mischiefe: as impossible as at first he iudged it, at last he performed it. Doubtlesse there be some that would shudder at the temptation to periurie: yet pedetentm, by insensible steppes they arriue at it: by lying they come to swearing, by swearing to forswearing. If the Vsurer had an oppressed mans widow, and orphanes lying and crying at his dores, perhaps shame, if not remorse, would seize on him: but let him exact, inhaunce, oppresse, excoriate the Common-wealth, and not heare it in a publique clamour, he neuer wincheth for the matter. A fact that lookes at the first blush horrid and intollerable, is presently either auoided, or within some modest limits restrained: but another Dum paruum creditur, securius in vsu retinetur: the opinion of paruitie abates the opinion of prauitie: that which is weakely censured, is p. 388strongly retained. Our officious lies, soothing adulations, amorous wishes, wanton songs, scoffing at Ministers, censuring of Sermons; being reprooued, we laugh them out. But these laughing sinnes, will be one day found crying sinnes. And if we cry not to God for mercy by repentance, they shal cry to God against vsus for vengeance.

4. Minima materialia maximorum: little sinnes are the materaills of great sinnes. The seedes of all sinnes are naturally in vsus: not so much as treason, homicide, periurie, but are in vsus Quoad potentiam, yea Quoad naturam et propensionem: there is in our nature a procliuitie to them. Now the heart is so apt ground to produce and mature these Innata mala, inbred seeds to actualls, that without the preuenting Grace of GOD we cannot auoid them. Thou art a Christian, and fearest not that euer thou shouldst apostate into the deniall of thy Sauiour: yet let me say thou hast the materialls of this sinne within thee, timorousnesse and selfe-louelove. Thou saiest, Sure I shall neuer be a drunkard, that belluine folly shal neuer apprehend me: yet thou hast the materialls of this within thee, and that naturally and hereditarily from thy first Grandmother Eue: a sweet tooth in thy head, a liquourish appetite to delicate meates, and intoxicating wines.

Thou canst not be a traitour, nor admit of conspiracie against thy Soueraigne, yet the materiall of this wickednes is within thee. That which wee call Gunpowder, is made of the falt & fatter earth: in the ground are the materials, which when Art hath concocted, chym'd, prepar'd, charged, and discharged, it ouerturnes towres and townes, forts and cities. We were once too neere iustifying by a wofull experience the violence of it: but the goodnesse of our good Lord Iesus auerted it. So in thy earth, thy heart, there is this salt and spumy matter, the minerall of treason; vnlesse the reason of a man, and Religion of a Christian keepe it from eruption. Thou art resolued p. 389neuer to thinke highly of thine owne worth, yet thou hast the seed of pride within thee: thou art naturally (as Luther said) borne with a Pope in thy belly: there's the materiall, to be too well affected to thy owne doings It is impossible, thou thinkst, for thee to be made an vsurer, now thou hast no money: yet thou hast the seede of vsury within thee; and Crescit amor nummi quantum ipsa pecunia crescit: all the sons of Adam louelove earth too well. Who shall euer perswade thee to bow downe before an Idoll? yet a dainty feast perswades thee to worship thine owne belly: this is no Idolatry. It was but a little Cloud, that Eliahs seruant saw, aa1. King. 18. 44.1 Kgs 18:44rising out of the sea like a mans hand: yet it portended a great showre. Sin seemes at first like a little cloud, but it prognosticates a deluge of ensuing wickednes. The carelesse Gallant by many trifles often fetch'd, runs so far in the Mercers bookes vnawares, that he cannot endure to heare of a reckoning. These little arrerages, taken vp on trust, runs our soules so deepe into Gods debt, that if the bloud of Christ doe not pay it: though we be sold wife and children, and all we possesse; bbMath. 18. 25.Matt 18:25non habenius vnde, we can neuer discharge it.

5. Minima peccata maximas in ficiunt virtutes: a little sinne infects a great deale of righteousnesse. The Leprosie infected the garments, and the very walls of the house; but Sinne hath infected wood and wooll, and wals, earth, ayre, beasts, plants, & planets: and stucke a scarre on the chrystall brow of nature it selfe. ccRom. 8. 22.Rom 8:22For wee know that the whole creation groneth, and trauelleth in paine together vntill now. If the great world grone for mans sinne, shall not the little world, man, grone for his owne sinne? Send a little temptation in at the eare, or eye; it will not rest working, till it runne like poyson to the heart. Dauid let in a little leuen at his eye, it quickly wrought to his heart, gangrened to adultery, to bloud; hardly cured.

A little Coliquintida spoyles all the broth: a spotte in the face blemisheth all the beauty. dd2. King. 5. 1.2 Kgs 5:1Naaman the Syrian p. 390is plentifully commended: He was captaine of the host, a great man with his master, and honorable, because the Lord by him had giuen deliuerance to Syria: he was also a mighty man of valour: but he was a Leper. This same But marres all; But he was a Leper. So in the soule, one vice disgraceth a great deale of vertue. When hee was cured and conuerted by Elisha, first he's charitable, offers gold & garments, but he excepts bowing in the house of Rimmon: he is deuout, and begs earth for sacrifice, but excepts Rimmon: he is religious, and promiseth to offer to none but the Lord, but he excepts Rimmon. This little leuen, this But Rimmon, sowred all. eeEccl. 10. 1.Eccl 10:1Dead flies cause the oyntment of the Apothecary to send forth a stinking sauour. The Apothecaries vnction is a thing praised in the Scriptures, compounded of many excellent simples, made (not so much for medicine, as) for Odour: yet the flies of death putrifie it. So doth a little folly him that is in reputation for Wisedome and Honor.

When one commended Alexander for his noble acts, and famous atchieuements; another obiected against him, that he killed Calisthenes. He was valiant, and successefull in the warres: true, but he kill'd Calisthenes. Hee ouercame the great Darius: so, but he kill'd Calisthenes. Hee made himselfe master of the world: grant it, but still hee killed Calisthenes. His meaning was, that this one vniust fact poysoned all his valorous deeds. Beware of sinne, which may thus leuen the whole lumpe of our soule. Indeed we must all sinne, and eueryevery sinne sowres: but to the faithfull and repentant Christian it shall not be damnable. ffRom. 8. 1.Rom 8:1There is no damnation to them that are in Iesus Christ. There is in al corruption, to most affliction, to none damnation, that are in Christ. Our leuen hath sowred vsus, but we are made sweet againe by the all-perfuming bloud of our blessed Sauiour.

6. Minima peccata facilius destruunt: the least sins are the most fatall to mens destruction. Anima est tota in toto: so that if the toe akes, the head feeles, the eye lets fall a p. 391teare, the very heart mournes. So let but the eye lust, the soule is in danger to be lost. Mors per fenestras, faith the Prophet. ggIer. 9. 21.Jer 9:21Death comes in at the windowes, then enters into the Palaces, to cut off the children without, and the young men … the streets. Is it but an vncleane thought? Mors in illâ; as the children of the Prophets cryed Mors in ollâ: there is death in it, and for it. A dramme of poyson diffuseth it selfe to all parts, till it strangle the vitall spirits, and turne out the soule from her Tenement. hhIam. 3. 5.Jas 3:5How great a matter a little fire kindleth! It is all one whether a man bee killed with the pricke of a little thorne, or with the he wing of a broad sword, so he bee killed. Wee hauehave seene a whole arme impostumated with a little pricke in the finger: if Satan can but wound our heele, (as the Poets faigne of Achilles) he vvill make shift to kill vsus there; euen from the heele to send death to the heart. Therefore Christ cals Hatred murder, a wanton eye adultery: besides the possibility of act, they are the same in the intention of heart. The hornet is a little flye, yet it stings deadly.

I know that heauier sinnes shall hauehave a heauier waight of punishment: yet is the least heauy enough to sinke the soule to the bottomlesse pitte. Greater fury of iniquity shall hauehave the hotter fire, but O let vsus neuer feele the heat of one. A little leake sinkes a great vessell. Pope Marcelline being accused for Idolatry, answered for himselfe; I did but cast a few graines of Incense into the fire; that was little or nothing. Yes, it was manifest offering to Idols, is that nothing? Christ would not obey Satan in his minimis: hee would not answer his desire in the smallest sute he could request; iiMat. 43.of turning stones into bread, euen vvhiles hee was so hungry as forty daies fasting could make him. Teaohing vsus to deny Satan in his best motions; lest custome of hauing them granted make him so impudent, as to take no repulse in his greatest temptations.

This is the Deuils method of working, as it is in the first p. 392Psalme: Blessed is the man that hath not walked, &c. First he gets a man to walke a turne or two with him in sinne, as it were to conferre and debate the matter. After some walking, lest he should be weary, he preuailes with him to stand in the way of sinners; after admission of the thought, to commission of the act. Lastly, hee perswades him for his ease to fit downe in the seate of the scornefull; falling to despise God, and deride all goodnesse. Thus hee brings him from walking to standing, from standing to sitting stil: and this is limen inferni, the very threshold of hell. Wee iudge of sinne, as of the Sunne; little because far off: yet indeed it is bigger then the earth. The neerer wee come to the sense of iniquity, the greater it appeares. Was it such a sinne for Adam to eate a forbidden Apple? Yes, the greatnes is remonstrable in the euent, it brought destruction vponupon himselfe and his posterity. Is it such a haynous offence for Dauid to know the number of his people? Doe not Princes make good their Muster-books by such a Quare, and numeration? The plague witnessed the greatnesse of it, and himselfe cryes, Peccaui, kk2. Sam. 24. 172 Sam 24:17I hauehave done wickedly. Looke on the least sin in Satans false glasse, and it seemes contemptible: behold it in the true glasse of Gods Law, and it appeares abhominable. The Deuill stands betwixt wicked men and their sinnes all their life: but placeth their sinnes betwixt heauen and themselues in death: writes them in Text letters on the Curtaines, that their amazed soules cannot chuse but read them. Thus he that led them liuing by sin to presumption; now driues them dying by sinne to desperation.

Satan seemes modest, and will bee contented vvith a little, when hee can get no more: he will play at small game, before he sit out. Wilt thou not cut throats? yet quarrell and appoint fields: not so, yet hate thine enemies: not professe hatred, yet watch occasions to hinder his good: if thou wilt not iniure his estate, yet at least scandalize his good name. He will take little, rather then p. 393nothing. The Israelites in the Desart had no rich and costly sacrifices to offer to llNum. 25. 2.Num 25:2Baal Peor. They had not such store of beasts, but the oblations to God tooke them vp. I cannot see what they should hauehave fit for this sacrifice to Baal, except Manna and water: (too good for the Deuill) but hee …s content with this. Yet it is euident that they committed Idolatry. mm1. Cor. 10. 7.1 Cor 10:7Neyther be yee Idolaters, as were some of them: as it is written, The people sate downe to eate and drinke, and rose vp to play. Rather then want their custome, Satan will take such as they had. Will Naaman worship God? yet let him worship Rimmon too: no, hee will not doe so, yet let him bow to Rimmon: no, nor so much: yet let him nn2. Kin. 5. 18.2 Kgs 5:18bow before Rimmon: the Deuill is glad of this, where he can get no more. Thus Pharaoh minceth and limits with Moses concerning the dismission of Israel. Gods charge was; Let my people goe three daies iourney in the wildernesse, to celebrate a feast to the Lord. Now Exod. 8. and 10. chap.Exod 8marke how Pharaoh would compound it. First Sacrifice to God in this land: no, saith Moses, wee must goe into the wildernesse. Then saith Pharaoh, If there be no remedy, Goe, and goe to the wildernesse, and sacrifice to your God; but goe not farre: nay, wee must goe three dayes iourney. Then Pharaoh; Goe ye the men, but leaue your children behinde you: nay we must goe old and young, sons and daughters. Then Pharaoh; Goe ye men, women, and children, so farre as your feet can measure in three dayes: but your flocks and your heards shall be stayd: nay, we will not leaue a hoofe behinde vsus. So when the Deuill perceiues no remedy, hee falls to indenting with niggardly grants and allowances.

Somwhat hath some sauor; giuegive him at least a thought, a word, a looke (as Lots wife) and it something pleaseth him. Among the Heathen they vsed to ioyne together Epula and Sacrificia: with solemne sacrifices to their gods, solemne bankets among themselues. So the Apostle deliuers the custome of the Moabites, 1. Cor. 10. 7. In the p. 394midst of their Idolatry, they sate downe to eate & drinke. So the Psalmist writes of that cursed commixtion of Israel with Moab; that they had Idolatrous feasts. ooPsal. 106. 28.Ps 106:28They ioyned themselues to Baal-Peor: and did eate the sacrifices of the dead. One nation had a custome in these superstious feasts, to sacrifice to their Idol Capita, some Noble mens heads according as it fell to their lots, together with their hearts and their liuers. It came to the turne of the Kings speciall fauourite, thus to lose his life: the King resoluing both to keep the custome, yet to saue his friend, obiected that God was no murderer, nor delighted in the bloud of men. That if he were a God, he was certainely good, and goodnesse stood not in the desire of his owne creatures destruction. Therefore in stead of the mans head, he offered the head of an onyon: and for bloud, heart, and liuers of men, all these of birds or beasts. The Deuill must be pleased with this: hee saw that this little homage was some acknowledgement of his soueraignty.

Satan can hold a mans soule in by a little, as a bird that hangs in the net by a claw. Perhaps shame & feare keepes some from eruption into scandalous things: the appearance is vizarded, the affection is not mortified. Like an Eunuch, he doth not beget palpable & grosse turpitudes: yet hath a lust, itch, and concupiscence: this little serues the Deuils turne. Satan would keepe away the light of the Truth from a man; well, he is so seated that hee will hauehave it; by knowledge he seemes to cast out Satan. Yet if he can but insinuate into his affection, this little cord will pull him in againe with ease. Must he lose the Sconce of thy vnderstanding? Let him hold the Cittadell of thy desires: this little gate will let him in at his pleasure.

I draw to conclusion; let this teach vsus all to make a scrutiny in our soules, and seriously to repent of this little leuen. Little in quantity, great in quality: little in estimation, powerfull in operation. Little in the sight of men, iudging, by outward appearance, great in the sight p. 395of God iudging in truth. Lot said of the City of Zoar; ppGen. 19. 20.Gen 19:20Is it not a little one? and my soule shall liue: thou sayest of thy sinne; Is it not a little one, and why should my soule die? A little Posterne opened, may betray the greatest City. Ionathan tasted but qq1. Sam. 14. 431 Sam 14:43a little honey on the top of his wand, and hardly he escaped death for it. A little leauen makes the head heauy, and the heart sicke. Eschevv this little, if thou wouldst be great in heauen. rrMat. 5. 19.Matt 5:19For whosoeuer shall breake one of these least Commandements, hee shall bee called least in the kingdome of heauen. Minimus, that is indeed Nullus: the least there, because he shall not be there at all. Let no tang of corruption come to thy least part, if thou desirest to preserue body and soule ss1. Thes. 5. 23.1 Thess 5:23blamelesse to the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ.

Repentance must be to all dead workes: sanctification takes liberty in no sinne. Nullum peccatum retinendum spe remissionis. No euill must be reserued vnderunder the hope of forgiuenesse. God gaue a Law, but no dispensation for any breach of it: his Generall rules hauehave no exceptions, vnlesse it please the Diuine Oracle to dispense vvith it. Thou shalt not worship an Idoll: no, not to saue my life? Not to saue life, as those three seruants of God professed to Nebuchadnezzar. ttDan. 3. 18.Dan 3:18If the God wee serue will not deliuer vsus, yet we will not serue thy gods, nor worship thy golden image. Thou sayest, Minimum est, it is little: but in minimis fidelem esse, magnum est: to be faithfull in a little, is no little vertue. uuLuk. 19. 17.Luke 19:17Well done, good seruant: thou had beene faithfull in a little, therfore I will make thee ruler ouer much. Hee that is not carefull in a little, is not to bee trusted for more. If any man will corrupt his conscience for a pound, what would he doe for a thousand? If Iudas will sell his Master for thirty pence, about some 22. shillings of our money; what would he hauehave sold for the Treasury? God neuer gaue a Non obstante for sinne. The Pope indeed giues Buls and Indulgences, & Pardons for cursed works before their perpetration: but God neuer allowes leaue p. 396to doe ill. The Pope sayes, Kill an hereticall King. God sayes, Touch him not: woe to that soule who takes the Popes word, before the Lords word. God charged a Prophet, that aa1. King. 13. 9.1 Kgs 13:9he should eate no bread, nor drinke water in Bethel. Another Prophet came; saying, bbVers. 8.An Angell spake to me (blessed Angels speake truth: nay more, hee spake) by the word of the Lord. Bring him backe, that hee may eate bread, and drinke water. He did so, but marke the euent: returning home, ccVers. 24.a Lyon slew him by the way. Beleeue not a man, beleeue not a Pope, beleeue not a Prophet, beleeue not an Angell against the word of the Lord.

Let vsus refuse iniquity in what extenuation of quantitie, or colour of qualitie soeuer it be offerd vsus. For sinne is like a bemired dog; if it fawnes on vsus, it foules vsus. And the least sinne is like a little leake in a shippe, which if it be not stopped, will sinke the whole vessell. The Frenchmen hauehave a military Prouerbe; The losse of a nayle, the losse of an Army. The want of a nayle looseth the shooe, the losse of a shooe troubles the horse, the horse indangereth the rider, the rider breaking his ranke molests the company, so farre as to hazard the whole Army. From slender and regardlesse beginnings, grow out these fatall and destructiue effects. The dores are shut, the theefe cannot enter: a little boy is put in at the window, and he opens the dore for the great thiefe; so the house is robbed. A charme is cast in at the window, eye, or eare; that quickly vnlocks the dore of the heart, till all the roomes be ransak't, not a peece of vertue, or one gemme of grace left.

Pompey marching to the warres, requested to lodge his Army in a certaine Citie, by whose borders he must needs passe: the Gouernour answered that he would not trouble his Citie with so numerous and dangerous a guest. Pompey then desired but entertainement and reliefe for his sicke souldiours, who were perishing for want of succour: the Gouernour thought, sicke men could do them p. 397no mischiefe; this was granted, they admitted. Being there a while, they recouered their health, opened the gates to the rest, so became strong enough to take the Citie. If Satan cannot get leaue for his whole Army of lusts, yet he begs hard for his weake ones, as sinnes of infirmitie: but those sickly souldiours soone get strength to surprise the soule.

The trees of the Forrest held a solemne Parliament, wherin they consulted of the innumerable wrongs which the Axe had done them: therefore made an Act, that no tree should hereafter lend the Axe a helme, on paine of being cut downe. The Axe trauels vp & downe the Forrest, begs wood of the Cedar, Oke, Ash, Elme, euen to the Poplar; not one would lend him a chip. At last he desired so much as would serue him to cut downe the bryers and bushes; alledging that those shrubs did suck away the iuyce of the ground, hinder the growth, and obscure the glory of the faire and goodly Trees. Hereon they were content to afford him so much; when he had gotten his helme, he cut downe themselues too. These be the subtle reaches of sinne; giuegive it but a little aduantage, on the faire promises to remooue thy troubles; and it will cut downe thy soule also. Therefore Obsta principijs: trust it not in the least. Consider a sinne (as indeed it is) a crucifying of Christ; wilt thou say, I may crucifie Christ a little? I may scourge his flesh, wound his side, pierce his heart a little? What man loues the Lord Iesus, who would either say it, or doe it? Consider thy falling into sinne, a hurling of thy selfe downe from some high pinacle: wilt thou say, I may breake my necke a little? Consider it a casting thy selfe into vnquenchable fire; wilt thou say, I may burne my soule and body a little! As suffering wee thinke the least misery too great, so sinning let vsus thinke the least iniquitie too great. So auoiding also little sinnes, we shall finde great fauour with Iesus Christ.

Amen.